Colombia on the Brink
Abstract
Colombia is a nation on the brink of anarchy. It has been marred by nearly forty years of continuous civil war, indiscriminate violence, and corruption. Each year nearly 30,000 Colombians die from diverse acts of violence. Its citizens are rapidly losing confidence in their government's ability to carry out its primary function of protecting them. This current state of affairs has its roots in the deeply interwoven problems of leftist insurgencies, the vigilantism of the paramilitaries, the drug trade, and the social inequities of Colombian society. This volatile mix jeopardizes not only Colombia's democracy, but also threatens the region's stability. As David J. Rothkopf, an adjunct professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, wrote in an independent task force report on Colombia in 2000, "the United States faces few threats in the world today that can generate the casualties among U. S. citizens that result from Colombian drug flow to this country, few threats that could be destabilizing to so many important allies, and few threats that are at such a critical juncture." Furthermore, if Colombia fails as a democratic state it could very easily become a breeding ground for terrorists with a global reach made possible by the huge profits derived from the illegal drug trade.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA443119
Entities
People
- James F. Iannone
Organizations
- National War College