In case you hadn't noticed, there was a major crisis in South America in recent weeks. Columbian troops crossed into Ecuador and killed a leader of the rebel movement known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia, or FARC. That may rank as one of the most infelicitous acronyms in history. Venezuelan Clown Prince Hugo Chavez made it an issue, and brought 10 battalions to the Columbian border. That woke up the Ecuadorans, who brought their own available troops, all forty seven of them, to their own border. Here is how the LA Times puts it:
For several anxious days this month, the prospect of war in South America was sharp and real. Colombia's bombing of a rebel camp in the jungles of Ecuador roiled tensions not seen for decades in the Andean region. Ecuador rushed troops to its border; Venezuela sent 10 battalions to its frontier; Nicaragua broke diplomatic relations with Colombia. Today, Colombia has apologized to Ecuador for violating its sovereignty, Venezuela has pulled back its troops and the presidents of all three countries have shaken hands. The crisis, however, is far from over.
Well yes, but no. The prospect of war was neither sharp nor real. It was clowns riding out in a jalopy. The entire military of Ecuador is about half as large at the population of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Venezuela is more impressive. It's military is about as large as the population of Sioux Falls. The Republic of Columbia, by contrast, has a military about four times as large as Sioux Falls. That would be like Aberdeen vs. Groton and Ipswich in a fair fight, assuming all the students and faculty at Northern enlisted.
Of course, numbers don't tell the whole story, even if they are part of the story. Venezuela hasn't fought a real war in a long time. The combined weight of their military officers is about equal to that of the Venezuelan navy's fleet.
By contrast, the Columbian armed forces have been fighting a vicious war against the FARC for decades. They are about as good at jungle warfare as anyone on the planet. Having a domestic narco-terrorist threat in one's own country presents some advantages for military training. Besides, the U.S. is backing their play. That is what home field advantage looks like. Oogo Chavez may shake his wee wee all he wants, but there is no way his military is going to start shooting at the Colombians.
The point of the LA Times editorial is that the Organization of American States or the UN should step in and organize the region to put an end to the FARC mischief. Yeah! That is almost as good idea as flying pigs with bombs attached. FARC exists because the jungle terrain allows it, and because the general region is as yet incapable of the kind of concerted effort one sees, say, along the U.S. Canadian border. Don't expect big changes any time soon.
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