Backing Down the Gunmen: A Strategic Approach to Reducing FARC's Threat to Colombian Security and U.S. Interests

Abstract

While other armed illegal groups are significant elements of Colombia's security crisis, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) represents perhaps the most formidable single threat to Colombian, regional and U.S. interests. Amelioration or elimination of the threat posed by the FARC would be a decisive factor in increasing Colombia's security. U.S. strategy should focus on supporting the Colombian government (GOC) in a two-track approach toward the FARC that offers a channel for political engagement and dialogue, while intensifying military pressure against the FARC's centers of gravity to compel it toward negotiations or eliminate or degrade the threat it poses over time. This paper will offer in Part I a national security strategy outline for approaching the FARC problem, supplemented by a specific military strategy (Part II).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2002
Accession Number
ADA442510

Entities

People

  • Dennis W. Hearne

Organizations

  • National War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • C4I
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Command And Control
  • Counterterrorism
  • Foreign Aid
  • Foreign Policy
  • Foreign Relations
  • Governments
  • International Relations
  • Law
  • Military Organizations
  • National Security
  • Security
  • Societies
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Naval Engineering and Maritime Security
  • Strategic Security Studies