So now we’re down to 785 hostages that Columbian narco-terror group FARC is still holding. A great amount of the commentary on FARC has centered on 45 high profile hostages they were holding, but this number is paltry when compared to the conservative number of 3,000 hostages the group is responsible for taking. Hostage taking is a big business for FARC, who long ago abandoned any notion of revolutionary objectives instead focusing on their lucrative hostage taking racket, including over 300 children, and drug manufacturing and trade.
FARC is a loathsome group who are no better than common criminals except for the uncommon size of their criminal business. This year has been bad bad bad for FARC, with leaders captured or killed by Columbian President Uribe, and their Venezuelan financial backer, Hugo Chavez, run off after his bag man was captured by the Columbian military. Eight laptops were seized that contained extensive information about the activities of FARC, as well as linked the group to U.S. Congressman James McGovern (D-MA), who coincidentally ran point on Congressional opposition to the Columbia Free Trade Act.
That 3 American hostages who had been held for 5 years, more than any other American around the world, is great news but let’s not forget the misery that is the unknown fate of all the other FARC victims who are as of today unaccounted for. But it’s a good day and the part of the story that made my smile turn outward is the report that the military rescue team was disguised as aid workers wearing Che Guevarra t-shirts.
French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, three Americans and 11 other hostages held for years in jungle captivity by Colombian guerrillas were rescued on Wednesday by troops posing as aid workers.
The bold rescue — without a shot being fired — was a huge blow to Latin America’s oldest insurgency, already badly weakened by President Alvaro Uribe’s U.S.-backed campaign to defeat the rebels and the cocaine trade fueling the conflict.
[From WRAPUP 6-Colombia rescues Betancourt, 3 US hostages | Markets | Markets News | Reuters]
