Abstract This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the United States' aid package for Colombia known as "Plan Colombia." An overview is provided of the political and historical background of the plan, and its ramifications are explained and evaluated. The writer examines whether it is a legitimate action taken against the supply-side drug problem in Latin America, or whether its motivation is the expansion of U.S. oil companies in Colombia. By first applying a multiple streams framework to the idea that Plan Colombia is a product of counter-narcotics policy and subsequently applying multiple streams to the idea that Plan Colombia is the result of the desire to expand the influence of American petroleum companies, the writer arrives at interesting conclusions. This paper contains a figure.
Outline:
What is Plan Colombia?
Drug War: Problem Stream
Drug War: Policy Stream
Drug War: Politics Stream
Drug War: Coupling Event
Problems Arising from the Multiple Streams Framework Being Used to Analyze Narcotics as the Motive for Intervention in Colombia Oil War: Problem Stream
Oil War: Policy Stream
Oil War: Politics Stream
Oil War: Coupling Event
Oil War: Proof After the Fact
Conclusions
Part II: an Evaluation of the Impact of Plan Colombia PART III: A New Plan for Colombia: January 31, 2009
Political/Economic Background (Some Creative Writing About the Future)
The Situation in Colombia, 2009
From the Paper "Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, who was also the chairman of the House Government Reform subcommittee on crime and drugs, believed that the rise of cocaine production in Colombia, despite decreases in Peru and Bolivia, was evidence that the Clinton administration had not done enough to stop drugs at its source. Immediately, Hastert went on a crusade to address this problem. In a letter written to President Clinton in conjunction with Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott on August 3rd, 1999, an alarm was sounded over the need to prevent the creation of a "narco-state south of our border.""
Tags: guerilla petroleum Clinton military government, drug trafficking, pipeline energy narcotics SUV
Abstract This paper explains that United States and Colombia share a hemisphere, a legacy of European colonization, rough equivalents in terms of life expectancy and literacy, and both appear to be waging two wars at the same time; however, the comparison largely ends there. The author points out that Colombia is treading a very thin line as it seeks to balance the need to continue to pursue its aggressive economic reforms while prosecuting untenable wars against the drug traffickers and insurgents who continue to represent a major threat to the political stability of the nation. The paper stresses that, if stabilized, Colombia could become one of the leading industrialized nations of the world, based on its hard-working and highly literate population.
Table of Content
Introduction
Review and Analysis
Table 1. Comparison of Colombia and United States
Conclusion
From the Paper "Today, Colombia still strongly reflects its legacy as a colony of Spain, and is frequently referred to as the most Roman Catholic of the South American countries; the majority of the Colombian people are proud of the relative purity of their Spanish language. The country's population is heavily mestizo, a term which describes those of European and Indian descent; there are also significant minorities of European and African ancestry. The country's economy is traditionally agricultural based, especially its world-famous coffee as well as fruit production; however, industries and services are assuming increasing importance. Colombia has the most population of any of the Spanish-speaking nations in South America; more than one-third of its inhabitants live in the six biggest metropolitan areas, of which Bogot? is the largest. Despite the advantages of climate and an abundance of natural resources, Colombia's political instability has been historically linked with the inequitable distribution of wealth, and the illicit trade in drugs (primarily cocaine) continues to represent a major challenges to the stability of life in Colombian life."
Abstract In this article, the writer looks at the north westernmost country in South America, Colombia. The writer notes that Colombia is the second most populated South American country next to Brazil and the majority of the population lives in the mountainous cities around the capital of Bogota. The writer points out that with this intense congregation of people in one area, the economy of Colombia is poor and unstable. This paper attempts to explain why the economy has fluctuated during the last thirty years and gives examples of life in Colombia as a result of an ever-changing economy.
From the Paper "In 1999, Colombia suffered a recession as a result of low world oil prices, reduced export demand, and increased guerilla violence throughout the country. This caused an increase in unemployment, increased drug usage and sales, and devaluation of the Colombian peso. In 1999 at the time of the recession approximately 17.7% of the Colombia people were living at or below the national poverty line."
"As a result of the 1999 Colombian recession, unemployment quickly rose. There were more people in Colombia than jobs. Many companies closed because they could not afford to pay their employees. In the year 2000, the unemployment rate in Colombia reached 20%. This rate did not stay at 20% for long because of the instability in the Colombian economy, by 2006 the unemployment rate had improved and was at 13% which also decreased poverty and gained confidence among the people in foreign and domestic affairs."
Abstract This paper examines how, despite their apparent dissimilarities, the nations of Uganda, India, and Colombia are united by their biodiversity emergencies. In all of these impoverished nations, wildlife is being lost at an alarming rate. It shows how in India, poaching is to blame, while Uganda and Colombia must both combat years of civil unrest to protect their wildlife. It discusses how all three countries must employ both governmental and private agencies in order to save their disappearing wildlife.
From the Paper "In addition to its coal reserves, India has great diamond mines. Diamonds are the country's largest export, providing it with $6.6 billion a year (Kripalani 2000). Currently, India's mines are controlled by small-community based companies (Kripalani 2000). Steps have been taken by the federal government to bring in outside organizations with advanced mining equipment, such as De Beers Consolidated Mines (Kripalani 2000). However, those efforts have been greatly opposed by locals, who illegally dig for diamonds and fear losing profits to foreigners (Kazmin 1998). In addition to diamond mining, India is involved in diamond cutting and polishing. Because of this, nine out of ten diamonds sold worldwide pass through India (Kripalani 2000). In smaller quantities than its coal and diamonds, India also contains petroleum, iron ore, many different minerals, and natural gas (India 1999)."
Abstract This paper explains that, on April 9, 1948, in Columbia, the Liberal presidential candidate, Jorge Eliecer Gaitan, was assassinated, which is believed to have triggered the ensuing violent era known as La Violencia. The author points out that the La Violencia era was an extremely complex event involving both partisan political rivalry and hostile guerrillas throughout Colombia except for the southern portion and parts of the Caribbean Coast. The paper relates that, in 1958, the creation of the National Front ended the fighting between the political parties, but Colombia still to this day is fighting with the armed peasants and guerrillas. The paper concludes that the primary cause of this long, horrific period of internal chaos was the refusal of consecutive governments to listen to the people's demands for social and economic change due to the partisan political rivalry.
From the Paper "The tension started in 1946 when, Conservative Mariano Ospina Perez assumed office and was in charge of the difficult task of ruling from a minority position, since the Liberals controlled Congress. Ospina tried including Liberals into the government.6 In the meantime, the amount of political arguments were increasing in the countryside. The Conservatives thought the answer was what they had always believed to be the answer, violence. Liberals and their movements were led by the leadership of Jorge Eliecer Gaitan. He demanded that Ospina should deal with the important social needs of the developing nation."
Abstract This paper debates the issue of whether Colombia is a democracy, examining both the political elements that mark the country as a democracy as well as those elements within the country that threaten democratic rule.
From the Paper "At issue in this report is the question of whether or not Colombia is a democracy. If one assumes that a country which holds regularly scheduled public elections in which adult citizens of both genders are entitled to vote for officials at the regional and national levels, one must conclude that Colombia is a democracy. A democracy but of many warts. At the same time Colombia is not a democracy without deep troubles. It has experienced decades of internal dissent resulting in various insurgencies and civil..."
Abstract This paper explores Colombia's history of organized crime and political turbulence, with particular attention to the economic backdrop, as well as the many attempts at remedying the devastating conditions. The paper contends that in order to eliminate organized crime, Colombian governments must first believe that they can, and demonstrate unfettered intolerance in a constant endeavour to create positive change.
From the Paper "The 18th Century Colombian economy was reliant upon gold mining. In 1780, towns erupted in Southern Colombia and the gold boom was enhanced by contraband gold and textile trades. This gradually transcended into networks of illegal imports of US contraband goods that linked Colombia, Miami, and Panama. In the late 19th Century, Medellin established itself as an economic power for coffee production, banking, and light industry, boosting Colombia's economy, land, and labour growth, and swelling the country's "coffee axis" (Hylton, 2008). During this time, Colombia's populace included Indians, blacks (previously slaves), and white immigrants who made up a fragmented and rapidly dying working class. As the turn of the century encroached, most made up the impoverished masses, and were increasingly restricted from politics (Hall, 2006)."
This paper looks at the history of the U.S. war on drugs, with specific attention devoted to the use of herbicides as an instrument to overcome Colombia's illicit drug trade.
Abstract In this article, the writer outlines the controversial topic of aerial spraying or fumigation in Colombia as it pertains to efforts to destroy the country's illicit drug trade. To really understand the issue, however, the writer discusses the lengthy history of narcotics in Colombia, the history of the American war on drugs and the types of drugs that appear most prevalent in Colombia. From there, time is devoted to looking at the issue of aerial spraying, why it seemed like a good idea when first conceived, and precisely what impact it has had upon Colombia. In the final analysis, the writer maintains that aerial spraying seems superficially to be an effective means of thwarting the drug trafficking problem in Colombia, but it may simply be a needless distraction diverting resources and expertise away from worthwhile alternatives.
From the Paper "The history of the war on drugs is a long and important one, but it is necessary first to place it within the context of the even longer history of Colombia as a major international distributor of illicit narcotics. To begin with, marijuana cultivation in Colombia first emerged during the initial decade of the twentieth century. By as early as the 1930s, some cultivation was taking place among the Costeno black population on Barranquilla and urban criminals located in this territory were routinely smoking marijuana. Additionally, during the course of the Second World War, hemp cultivation muscled its way to the forefront courtesy the growing demand for large-scale fiber production as one part of the much larger war effort. Finally, by the latter part of the 1960s and by the early 1970s, marijuana production in Colombia became a fairly huge and lucrative industry in response to a growing demand for such a good in the United States."
It describes about drugs trades in Columbia.Colombia's extensive history of marijuana trafficking demonstrates that law enforcement pressure in a particular cultivation area is compensated by production and trafficking increases elsewhere. Trafficking or
9,100 words (approx. 36.4 pages), 27 sources, 1997, $ 188.95
Abstract Despite the anti-drug triumphs of Colombian druglord Pablo Escobar's surrender in 1991 and his subsequent death soont hereafter, rumors about the demise of the huge Medellin drug cartel proved false. Although Colombia's economy seemingly improved and is "the best performing in Latin America" (Salloum, 1994), it is still drug-dependent and that dependency seems largely intermingled with the country's political system. As for the power of the government to 'control' the drug cartels and their members, it should be pointed out that even Pablo Escobar was imprisoned in and escaped from a luxurious and supposedly "maximum-security prison" (Smith, 1996). Yet the Colombian government continues to claim that it is in control and, together with the United States, is allegedly "winning the war on drugs." And much like the U.S. government it appears to be overtly hypocritical in making such claims : For Colombia is a country whose twentieth century history is riddled with political corruption, scandal, and government-intertwined drug-trafficking. It is an abundant and obvious problem; one that could be attacked openly-- yet seems to be genuinely assaulted only minimally by its political "enemies"...
From the Paper Colombia, the oldest Latin American democracy, lost its independence in 1991, when Gaviria and the assembly changed the constitution to amend currency and extradition policies, among other things, and accepted the business of drug-trafficking as a lesser of two evils. The driving force behind this great change was greed and the tool was cocaine. Armed with enormous financial resources, drug cartels have reportedly penetrated and corrupted the government, subverted commerce and industry, and eroded the individual's trust in government. Despite the anti-drug triumphs of Colombian druglord Pablo Escobar's surrender in 1991 and his subsequent death soonthereafter, rumors about the demise of the huge Medellin drug cartel proved false
Abstract This paper examines how Pablo Escobar Gaviria, as well as his closest associates of the Medellin cartel, managed to virtually dominate the nation of Colombia throughout the 1980s and into the beginning of the 1990s. Among the forces used to attain this unbelievable level of power and dominance were huge, trained armies, advanced assault weapons, widespread corruption and bribery and various violent methods that often included cold-blooded murder. The paper shows that the effects of Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel are still felt strongly today all over Colombia. The paper argues that constructive action must be taken to ensure that neither an individual nor a drug cartel ever rise to their level of power again.
From the Paper "By the beginning of the 1990s Pablo Escobar had built the largest and most lucrative illegal, undercover industry that the world had ever seen. In 1989 his cartel controlled an estimated 75 percent of the world's cocaine supply, and he himself had become a multi-billionaire (Jordan 82). On August 18 of that same year, both a Colombian police commandant and the front-running Liberal party presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galan were assassinated. By the end of the night the Colombian government issued an emergency decree against the entire drug trade, and six days later, the Medellin cartel declared a war against the government and the industrial and political oligarchy."
Abstract This paper describes Columbia, discussing its the demographics, economic indicators, tourism and foreign direct investment. The paper relates that media coverage about civil and cocaine wars, pop stars and coffee beans has not properly described the beautiful aspects of the country of Colombia. The public should associate Colombia, the paper underscores, as an attractive place to visit and live because of its fun loving people, beautiful landscapes and lively and diverse culture.
Table of Contents:
Travel Destination
Foreign Direct Investment
From the Paper "As a testament to that fun loving nature, Colombians celebrate around 200 festivals annually, most notable of which are the Carnaval de Blancos y Negros held every January, the Holy Week celebrations, the Feria de las Flores every August and the Carnaval de Barranquilla held in February or March. Tourists can also delight themselves in visiting national parks like the Parque Nacional Tayrona, and the Parque Nacional Los Nevados, archaeological sites like San Agustin and the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral."
Examines Colombia's criminal justice system in context of the anti-drug fight. Discusses laws, extradition, courts, police, corruption, punishment, organized crime and rebel guerillas.
3,150 words (approx. 12.6 pages), 11 sources, 1999, $ 111.95
From the Paper "I. Introduction
The South American nation of Colombia is the focal point of the worldwide war against illegal drugs. As a result, international scrutiny has cast a harsh spotlight on that country's laws, courts, and police. This paper will analyze Colombia's criminal justice system, from the judges to the police to organized crime, and the role that each group plays in Colombian society. This paper also will examine the role of the United States in Colombian society, and compare the two nations' criminal justice systems.
II. Colombian Law
Colombia revamped its constitution in 1991, implementing numerous changes designed to enhance the rule of law in a nation long known for being somewhat lawless. Those changes, however ..."
Abstract This paper introduces five different reviews of the short story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez which is set in a poor South American village and which discusses various themes and purposes for the readers. Three of the analyses examine the theme of magical realism in the story and one discusses the political allegory that Marques utilizes to express his political thoughts about Colombia. The last analysis is a discussion of how the existence of poverty in the story, reinforces the fact that the people depended heavily on religion and "folklore" in order to understand the sudden descent of an angel to their village.
From the Paper "After formally defining the term Magic Realism, Gioia provides further historical background about the nature of this new genre in fiction, and finally starts analyzing the short story (A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings) by providing a brief summary of it. Gioia's analysis of the story focuses on how the magic and the real are blended or fused together in order to come up with an interesting and good story. The author criticizes that Marquez's realistic characters are ?positively drab,? and that his style of narration is ?impersonal,? similar to that of ?a newspaper article, and as a episodic as a legend.? Gioia states that the story's impersonal style of narration gives Marquez an air of detachment with the story."
Abstract This paper discusses drug wars, civil unrest, and guerrilla activities in Colombia, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, and compares and contrasts how these issues would or would not affect the four countries.
Tags: WORLD HISTORY AND CULTURE / CENTRAL AMERICA, LATIN AMERICA, events latin america
