Abstract
The research paper explores the relationship between drug cartels in Latin America and Latin American governments. The main focus is on the Colombian cartels, which are extremely powerful and a major force in the Latin American and global drug trade, and the Colombian government. Contains an annotated bibliography that is not included in the word count.

From the Paper
"A strong government, political stability and security are something that many of us take for granted. In Egypt, we may complain that the government is too strong and does give the population the chance to practice any form of political protest or opposition. However, in comparison to Colombia, which suffers from a weak government, the Egyptians are much more fortunate even if they are denied their political rights. The Colombian population, due to a weak government, is deprived of its sense of security. The weakness of the Colombian government is a very critical issue and even more alarming is the reason for its weakness. Namely, this weakness originates from the presence of strong drug lords, on the one hand and armed political opposition groups, on the other. Colombia has, thus, become a country in which all these different groups, one of them consisting of criminal drug dealers and the other of violent and terrorist political militias, compete with one another for power. The consequence of this struggle for power, according to Michael F. Jimenez, a professor of Latin American history at the University of Pittsburg, is the complete absence of any form of stability or security for the Colombian people. In this country, "street children, vagrants, homosexuals, beggars and prostitutes disappear at the hands of the death squads. Drug traffickers cut down politicians and journalists and terrorize at will." Indeed, people just disappear every single day, including politicians and government officials. By all accounts, the Colombian problem is very difficult to resolve because of the enormous power that the drug lords have. The drug lords and cartels are more powerful than the government itself and, many politicians are even dependant on the political and financial support of the drug lords. At the same time, as Time journalist, Tim McGirk explains in "A Carpet of Cocaine," the drug lords fund the political opposition groups to ensure that Colombia remains a fragmented and weak state, in order to ensure their continued power. Not only that but, the drug lords have a very strong presence in the Colombian economy and invest large amounts of money in it, as Professor Jimenez points out. The situation is almost impossible to resolve. The Colombian drug lords have to be eliminated but, not through the military aid of the United States, which is the present policy, because that only enhances the anger of the population towards their government and creates greater support for both the militias and the drug lords who then considered to be fighting against a foreign military intervention. The power of the Colombian drug lords is exceptional due to the political and economic roles that they play in their country's life and, therefore, the war against them needs to take an international intervention and to be carried out through the United Nations, both because the Columbian government is too weak to confront the cartels and US intervention increases the problem."

Tags:drug, narcotics, security

Abstract
In this essay, the writer offers a comparative book review that examines Nazih Richani's "Systems of Violence" and Rabasa & Chalk's "Colombian Labyrinth". The writer discusses how each work assesses Colombia's embattled condition similarly. The writer also examines how each of their respective recommendations for policy--particularly US policy--differ fundamentally.

From the Paper
"That Colombia is a nation mired in seemingly endless instability and protracted war is a solemn fact known all too well to contemporary students of Latin American development. As surely as the causes of this enduring dilemma are up for debate, so too the remedies remain elusive. Two astute examinations of the Colombian system will be compared and contrasted in this essay. The first written in by Nazih Richani and entitled 'Systems of Violence'. The Political Economy of War and Peace in Colombia tackles the very nature ..."

Tags:richani, rabasa, chalk, colombia, narcotics, FARC, insurgency, political economy

Abstract
The paper traces Escobar's life from humble peasant beginnings to powerful cocaine drug dealer and kingpin. The paper discusses the sound financial decisions Escobar made as well as the way he invested in legitimate projects using the funds he gained illegally. The paper explores the influence Escobar had and the way he worked, ultimately unsuccessfully, to establish a no-extradition clause into the Colombian constitution.

From the Paper
"Escobar believed his entire life that he was something special. He wanted to get to the top quickly and as a child decided he was not going to take the slow and steady path that law abiding citizens took. He began a life of crime, without regard to who he hurt and killed along the way(Fontaine, 2001). His eventual success in the community did not negate the means he used to gain that success however and when he tried to use his gained political popularity to change the constitution in a manner that would erase his past the public turned on him. He went to prison, escaped and died(Fontaine, 2001). Had Escobar not existed, the business aspects of the drug world would not be as organized as it is. He was able to develop solid financial and business practices in an illegal world. He left a mark in which is name will always be associated with the notorious drug lords of the world. Pablo Esobar wanted the good life, but he didn't care who he hurt to get it."

Tags:enforcement, cocaine, cartel, trafficking, barons

Abstract
This paper explains how the Colombian culture would affect healthcare given by aides. The author discusses the impact of traditions, values and practices. The paper provides background information on Columbia such as location, climate, population and industry.

From the Paper
"The purpose of this research is to provide an overview of the country of Colombia and an analysis of how the culture of its prevalent traditions values and practices might affect the provision of health care in the country. Colombia is the northern..."

Tags:Colombia, Health, Care

Abstract
The paper provides an interview to help understand how a personal account of American life in New York City could be understood through Seusis' experience. The paper explains that although he had trouble in various ethnic conflicts when he first came to this country, the local Colombians have organizations that help to integrate people like Seusis into the economic job markets. The paper also relates that there is a wide population of Colombians in New York City that helped him to develop social tools in talking and associating with the mostly white population.

From the Paper
"This study will provide an interview with Seusis Hernandez, a local Colombian in the New York City area that is now a marketing analyst in his career of choice. By analyzing the various responses Seusis has in relation to his job, ethnicity and the American way of life, one can realize the positive and negative aspects of his life as a Colombian within mostly white communities in the New York City area. Interview: Interviewer: Seusis, was it hard for you to find work in the United States when you arrived in this country? Seusis: At first it was. I had no idea as to how one should go about looking for marketing job within a city so massive as this one."

Tags:colombia, immigrant, ethnic

Abstract
The writer examines the causes underlying Colombian immigration to New York City. The paper the explores the experience of Colombians upon arrival in this foreign land. The writer looks at the various obstacles that immigrants faced in New York. Finally, the paper illuminates the contribution of Colombian immigrants to the multi-faceted character of New York City.

From the Paper
"The primary period of Colombian immigration to New York City can be deduced from official statistics. According to the U.S. Census, the peak period of South American immigration to the U.S. occurred from 1971 to 1980 (Kraly, 1987, p. 43). In this new wave of immigrants, Colombians constituted half of the immigrants coming from South America. Within that period, 25,800 Colombian immigrants immigrated to the region of New York City and New Jersey (Kraly, 1987, pp. 57-9)."

Tags:South, America, language, Spanish, culture, diversity

Abstract
This paper looks at how Colombia has a rich and diverse culture and history, which are a tribute to both the country and its people. It discusses how, nonetheless, Colombia has more recently been plagued by the presence of drug cartels that have been responsible for trafficking drugs into the United States, committing horrible violent atrocities, both in the country and abroad, and wielding an enormous political influencing by bribing high profile officials. It discusses how these drug cartels are operated by powerful, wealthy, murderous criminals who don't answer to any rule or law and how they constitute a significant national security risk to the United States of America.

From the Paper
"The essential problem with the national security threat then posed by Columbia is that it is so well established within the country itself that it appears that it may be intractable unless we are committed to rooting out corruption within the government as well. Indeed, it is impossible to say for certain who, exactly, might be receiving bribes or financial support from the drug cartels and the trail of possible corruption has already been shown to reach right up to the president. Thus, U.S. initiative to get Colombia to deal with drug problem themselves face an enormous obstacle in that many government officials themselves may in fact be indebted to the drug cartels and are therefore likely to undermine U.S. efforts to destroy them."

Tags:guerillas, national, front, corruption, trafficking

Abstract
Unbeknownst to many rose-buyers, fresh flowers have been flown in from the South American nation of Colombia, some 90% of them by some reports. Seen as a boon to an economy that would otherwise be dependent on its drug trade, the Colombian rose trade has many detractors and defenders. This paper looks at four different media outlets and their take on the Colombian rose trade, looking at not only what each medium has to say about the issue, but how it is said.

From the Paper
"Each Valentine's Day, millions of fresh-cut roses are purchased for sweethearts, spouses, and lovers around the world. Unbeknownst to many rose-buyers, these fresh flowers have been flown in from the South American nation of Colombia, some 90% of them by some reports. Seen as a boon to an economy that would otherwise be dependent on its drug trade, the Colombian rose trade has many detractors and defenders. This paper shall look at four different media outlets and their take on the Colombian rose trade, looking at not only what each medium has to say about the issue, but how it is said. The first source providing information on the Colombian rose trade is a piece from National Public Radio's show "All Things Considered," circa October of 1997. This is a radio news clip. The personality of the outlet is one of American liberalism, yet unbiased information."

Tags:colombia, rose, trade

Abstract
This paper analyzes the history of the Colombian economy with respect to its history of debts.

Abstract
The paper shows that despite the biasness of the view that 'Colombia equals drug marketing', the truth remains that much of the world?s cocaine does originate in Colombia. This fact has important consequences for Colombia's standing in the world as well as for its relationship with the United States. This paper examines some of the consequences for the relationship between the two countries since political and economic life in Colombia have become linked to the trade in cocaine. The paper also examines how the war against drugs has been merged with the war against terrorism by the American government.

From the Paper
"The war on drugs (primarily those coming from Colombia) and the war on terrorism are currently linked in American political debate because the same political philosophy supports both and the same governmental infrastructural tools and strategies can be used in both of these wars.

The U.S. government is in fact currently engaged in trying to link the war on drugs with the war on terrorism in the mind of the public not just in the sense that the two are both evils that are currently facing American society and polity but in the sense that there are actual, direct connections between the two."

Tags:antiterrorism, marijuana, cocaine, war, against, drugs, Latin, America