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SHAM
06-26-2005, 12:47 PM
Possibilities that the three IRA guys on the run down there have been carrying out some training? if they are not already pushing up daisies.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4623327.stm


At least 25 Colombian troops have been killed and 19 are missing after two devastating attacks by Marxist rebels.
Farc rebels on Saturday attacked troops in Putumayo province near the Ecuador border, and fought for control of a road near the Venezuelan frontier.

The attacks left the worst death toll in a single day since President Alvaro Uribe came to power three years ago.

The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Bogota says the rebels want to undermine Mr Uribe and ensure he is not re-elected.

The killings are part of a counter-offensive begun in February that has killed more than 120 members of the security forces.



In one incident, at least 19 soldiers were killed and 18 went missing after up to 300 guerrillas ambushed an army convoy during an attack apparently targeting oil wells near Puerto Asis in Putumayo province.

Aircraft had been sent to the scene and were attacking rebel positions, army officials said, adding that the Farc had also suffered casualties.

And in more fighting near the Venezuelan border, 400km northeast of the capital Bogota, six troops were killed as they fought with rebels to gain control of a road linking Ocana and Sardinata.

Political aim

At the start of this year, the army said they had the rebels on the run and that the security policy of hardline president Alvaro Uribe had forced the guerrillas into irreversible decline.

But our correspondent says the wave of attacks across the country since February has proven the military wrong.

Buoyed up by hundreds of millions of dollars earned from drugs, the Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) seem to have taken the initiative away from the security forces, he says.

The guerrillas hope to destroy President Uribe's re-election hopes by showing that his security policy, a cornerstone of his administration, has failed.

The guerrillas want the next president to be more disposed to talk peace - but on their terms.


Dates seem to tie in with the time those three guys went on the run...Coincidence i am sure, or maybe i am just one of the never ending list of Conspiracy theorists.

Aerosoul
06-26-2005, 12:55 PM
Sigh...often forget that part of the world.

SeanAshi
06-26-2005, 03:37 PM
Perhaps Colombia should committ their entire armed forces when searching for the marxist rebels. I know where their money comes from but where are they getting weapons?

Nightsky
06-26-2005, 04:48 PM
most likely they get them from smuggling, another possibility would be corrupt columbian troops (money is always an aspect, there have even been US soldiers involved in drug stuff), another possibility would be from Venezuela or Equador, though I don't think either of the latter is likely.