TSB at The Skeptical Bureaucrat ("Giving my fellow Americans the view from my cubicle") continues to be dubious about motives and targeting.
Money quote(s):
"The FBI speculates the attackers might have been looking for two other white vehicles that were leaving another kid's party in Juarez that same Saturday afternoon. And, therefore, our employees weren't targeted due to their employment and this wasn't an attack on U.S. government interests.
That's an awfully big stretch of speculation that reaches a comforting conclusion."
"(W)hy wouldn't the narcos be willing to strike directly at U.S. interest targets, especially soft ones? Aren't the narcos facing an "existential threat" from the U.S.-supported Mexican federal government's narcotics control campaign, as is stated on page 14 of the State Department's 2010 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report that was released to Congress two weeks ago?"
"The Mexican drug cartels are fighting for their survival at this point."
&
"What would they have to lose?"
Showing posts with label narco-terrorist groups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label narco-terrorist groups. Show all posts
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Monday, March 2, 2009
CT - State Department wary about safety in Columbia
From my archive of press clippings:
Chicago Tribune
State Department wary about safety in Columbia
January 25, 2009
BY ALEXIA ELEJALDE-RUIZ
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
The U.S. government continues to issue travel warnings for Colombia, citing violence from narco-terrorist groups, including the threat of kidnapping. In its most recent warning in August, the State Department said that violence remains high in some small towns and rural areas and the port city of Buenaventura.
But since 2005, the U.S. advisories have noted a marked decrease in violence in many urban areas, including Cartagena, Bogotá, MedellĂn and Barranquilla.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Two leftist revolutionary groups were responsible for most of the kidnappings. Those groups claim to represent the rural poor against Colombia's wealthy classes and fund their activities with ransoms and the drug trade."
&
"Although the vast majority of kidnapping victims have been Colombian, 324 foreigners were kidnapped from 1996 through 2007, 32 of them North Americans, according to the Free Country Foundation. In July, the Colombian government rescued 15 hostages, including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans, who had been held for more than five years."
Chicago Tribune
State Department wary about safety in Columbia
January 25, 2009
BY ALEXIA ELEJALDE-RUIZ
CHICAGO TRIBUNE
The U.S. government continues to issue travel warnings for Colombia, citing violence from narco-terrorist groups, including the threat of kidnapping. In its most recent warning in August, the State Department said that violence remains high in some small towns and rural areas and the port city of Buenaventura.
But since 2005, the U.S. advisories have noted a marked decrease in violence in many urban areas, including Cartagena, Bogotá, MedellĂn and Barranquilla.
Read the whole article here.
Snippet(s):
"Two leftist revolutionary groups were responsible for most of the kidnappings. Those groups claim to represent the rural poor against Colombia's wealthy classes and fund their activities with ransoms and the drug trade."
&
"Although the vast majority of kidnapping victims have been Colombian, 324 foreigners were kidnapped from 1996 through 2007, 32 of them North Americans, according to the Free Country Foundation. In July, the Colombian government rescued 15 hostages, including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three Americans, who had been held for more than five years."
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