New article about Colombia

elmodefoque says on Sep 19, 2005, 10:25:

"You can try crossing the street to avoid the soldiers, but they’ll come after you anyway. First, they’ll stop and search you, and then they’ll demand some ID. Spread-eagled against the wall with a strange man’s hands feeling you up in new and uncomfortable places, you pray: please please let this go smoothly. Not because you’ve done anything wrong. Not because the soldiers are particularly menacing."


Is just like uptown Manhattan, except in Colombia you could actually curse a cop or military out, I've done it. Tell one of these Irish cops here in NYC that his mama is toothless drunken ho, and see how quickly you’ll be Swiss chesse. Those Irish and Italian cops will play target practice with your spic ass. If you’re not a spic or nigga then you are welcome to make a complaint with the local precinct.

helen says on Sep 19, 2005, 10:35:

hi, interesting. where did this take place? what neighborhood i mean....

goosekirk says on Sep 19, 2005, 10:45:

Oh That was in Bachue.

Y'know, when I posted the link here, I was actually thinking, I hope some people get their shorts all in a wad, and I hope Elmo has something funny to add. Thanks, Elmo!

Mr. Hollywood says on Sep 19, 2005, 11:11:

Great writing That's a very well written piece, Chris. And it captures the overall sense of Colombia well.

I have to take issue with two small factual things: "Thanks to Colombia’s sinister international rep, the only gringos you’re bound to see in Colombia are up to some kind of no good, working for the US military, or both."

That's not been my experience at all. There aren't a lot of Americans, that's true, but it's a lot broader spectrum than just military and shady characters. I know teachers, multi-national execs, UN and NGO workers, journalists, etc.

The other one is where you say the FARC "tried to tax the cocaine trade" but that the drug dealers stopped them by creating the Paras. The FARC (and the paras too) have been spectacularly successful at both taxing and participating in the cocaine trade. See the National Geographic article about the cocaine trade for lots of specific examples of FARC taxation of cocaine.

goosekirk says on Sep 19, 2005, 11:26:

Yup Thanks for the comments - you're right, the line about the "only other gringos" is one I keep thinking back on, and wishing I'd just left it out. I've met teachers and NGO workers and lots of cool people, too. But for awhile there, it seemed like I just kept meeting the wildest characters, and that's what I was thinking about when I wrote that. I'll drop that line or modify it for the next version!

Of course, you're right about the tax thing, too. I'll have to tweak that part for clarity.

Thanks!

aztec says on Sep 19, 2005, 11:27:

My reaction... ...goosekirk is that the piece is well written. Think some of the facts may be a tad off but other than that you did a good job.

Other writings?

caslug says on Sep 19, 2005, 11:34:

good article.. i agree gringos have that gringopower, but IT ONLY WORKS when we're friendly and respectful to the cops or army. I've have several incidences of running into the police, because i was hanging out in areas(tourist sites) where they are. BUT i thought the COL army uses gali rifles fr Israel? Because i dont remember seeing M16, at least not in Medellin.

goosekirk says on Sep 19, 2005, 11:34:

None yet Working on a book, but the only other writing I've got online is pretty marginal... some at my defunct blog (www.somesuch.com) and some comments on my photo site (www.pbase.com/goosekirk).

I'd sure appreciate it, though, if anyone could point out anything they think is a bit off. I'd like to get a reworked version of this article published somewhere else, so please let me know what I screwed up!

goosekirk says on Sep 19, 2005, 11:42:

This was in Bogota And yeah, usually I see the army carrying Galils. Or maybe sometimes FN FALs? I'm not really that well-versed in assault rifles, but these guys were definitely carrying standard M-16s. I have no idea which small arms the army uses. Anyone know?

caslug says on Sep 19, 2005, 11:45:

i was told by col army guys.. that for pistol they use revoler(smith wesson) he even showed me the gun and bullet. BUT the police use automatic, forgot which one(maybe glock). I maybe wrong and it's the other way around.

I was joking with the army guys that had the gali and asked him why not M16, afterall US is helping fund PLAN COLOMBIA, they should at least buy our stuff! LOL!

helen says on Sep 19, 2005, 11:47:

"The U.S. provides military aid under the guise of fighting communist guerrillas, narco-trafficking guerrillas, or terrorist guerrillas, depending on the political season."

I am writing a piece on who benefits from the war, and I'd be interestd in your thoughts on this. Guise, meaning false appearance, pretense? What do you think the U.S. is really up to?

aztec says on Sep 19, 2005, 12:35:

As per your request... ..."if anyone could point out anything they think is a bit off". There are other reasons you may find North Americans in Colombia.

There is an international research group, CIAT located outside Cali. Researchers come from all over the world in order to examine some of the most important agricultural issues of the day. The fertile Cauca Valley is as important as oil to the Colombian people. Academics from the United States regularly do six to twelve month sabbaticals at the facility.

To quote Mr. Hollywood, "it's a lot broader spectrum than just military and shady characters. I know teachers, multi-national execs, UN and NGO workers, journalists, etc." Not to mention the many church/missionary related individuals from the States.

When you think about it the place is crawling with Gringos

utopiacowboy says on Sep 19, 2005, 16:37:

You know, Goosekirk, the only gringo that I've ever met who has been to Colombia was one of those shady characters working for the US military. He still can't talk about what he was doing down there. So I don't think you were completely off the mark.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

goosekirk says on Sep 19, 2005, 17:28:

Helen Now we're into territory that belongs on the politics board. But for the sake of consistency, I'll just add my thoughts here.

To me, well, I don't think the US is really up to anything. I don't think there is a point here at all. I think different people in different parts of the government have their own agendas... no doubt, most genuinely believe (in that shallow political rat-bastard weasel sense of "believe") in fighting commies or narco-terrorists or whatever is fashionably scary. After all, if you believe you're the good guy, then you have to believe there's a bad guy.

But foremost, of course, is self-preservation.

It's like asking your friendly neighborhood airport screener what he's really up to. They'll shrug and tell you it's just a job. Or some will tell you what fine and important work they're doing. But hardly anyone will tell you flat-out that they're working day in and day out to make people's lives just a little bit worse, to follow idiotic and worthless directives that provide a thin illusion of safety... and which reinforce the entire climate of fear that the system feeds on. They won't tell you that because most people just don't think deeply about such things. And not even the people who design and implement these systems really think that deeply about such things. Why would they?

The various law enforcement agencies all love Plan Colombia. The military loves Plan Colombia. Private contractors love Plan Colombia. The military manufacturers love Plan Colombia. The Colombian government loves Plan Colombia. Not one of those groups is going to advocate for what's REALLY best for the US or Colombian people, even if they knew what that was... they're going to advocate for their slice of the action. Everyone's gotta eat. And most congressmen aren't going to devote the time or braincells to a thorough, reasoned investigation of the issues. They're going to see how everyone that matters in their insular world is in favor of Plan Colombia, and the counter-narco-commie-terrorist rhetoric always plays well.

I don't think it's a conspiracy or even much of a plan - it's just a big, clanking, sputtering, sprawling gumbo of concepts and motivations, the machine engine of bureaucracy, and the heart of it all, when you dig all the way down to the bottom, it's just power and money. Everybody wants a little somethin' somethin'. Makes the world go 'round, right?

goosekirk says on Sep 19, 2005, 17:36:

UC Hey, I said up to no good, military, OR both.

And anyone who doubts the "both" might do well to remember the soldiers caught this year smuggling coke, or caught (maybe) smuggling ammunition. I've met some great guys with the military, and I've met some right bastards, like you do everywhere. If I'm being honest, I just wanted to throw that "both" in there because A) it's true, and B) the blind 'support the troops' hero-worship endemic in the US pisses me off. Some troops are dicks just like some people are dicks.

bufalo says on Sep 19, 2005, 17:41:

I´m going to read the piece now. I´ve checked out Pology before and found some of the writers (one who wrote about the Dominican Republic) to be quite boring and moronic, he referred to "cerveza" as "nectar of the gods" or something stupid like that, how cheezy, huh? Getting back, I´ve met a good number of shady characters while living here and have even gotten into some trouble with them as well. Not me doing things with them, but that they didn´t like me to much and stuff. I have also met, and am meeting more and more, gringos that have nothing to do with the military. blah, blah, blah, I´ll go read now.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

caslug says on Sep 19, 2005, 17:48:

Helen..follow the money.. I would recommend check couple of things..

1) the number of cops and soldiers BEFORE and AFTER(look at the differences, if any from 1998 to present)

2) the average salary of cops and soldiers BEFORE and AFTER(look at the differences, if any from 1998 to present)

3) tax income of COL during fr 1998 to present

4) what was the police and army budget fr 1998 to present

You know how much Plancolombia paid, i would be interesting how much(if at all) went to helping COL govt hire and paid for more cops and soldiers. Which HAS led to a improve security situation in the major cities. I think MED & BOG benefited tremendously from this improved security. Million dollar question, how much was that due to US help? Hmmmm...

bufalo says on Sep 19, 2005, 17:54:

THE LAST GODDAM WORD!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST (and I´m an atheist for cyring out loud) THE LAST FREAKING WORD IN THAT ARTICLE IS "COLUMBIA"!!!!!!!!!
I imagine it probably wasn´t the author, since he lived, or spent a lot of time there, but the shmucks a Podogy screwed up.

Nice article

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

helen says on Sep 19, 2005, 18:22:

thanks goose and caslug

i have been looking into all the military contracts, the local and US, for some time and it strikes me that there is so much money being made in the fight against both the drug traffickers and irregular groups that there is too much to lose by ending the wars on both. that's not meant to say that there isn't real desire to make things right here, it just seems the powers that be, irregular as well as official, will do their upmost to prevent it happening. war is huge money.....

CaryGrant says on Sep 19, 2005, 18:31:

"Taxes are not raised to fight wars. Wars are fought to raise taxes." I forget the source, but I think we could easily add that wars are also fought to keep the masses (ie, us) in our place, to cull the poor periodically, to inflate some fool's ego, to benefit those with pull, etc. On extremely rare occasions, wars are actually necessary to make the world a better place (eg: WWII).

Given that, and given the US history of protecting its "interests" by installing puppet governments, economic coercion, and outright invasion, I think you can count on the US being up to something in Colombia. I agree that it is partly a collision of mindless bureaucracy, but I do believe that the decisions to send money/troops/etc., into Colombia were and are political - meaning the US expects to gain in some way.

Some possibilities:
1. The war on drugs - blaming Colombia helps elide the fact that, without users, there would be no drug problem in America.
2. Oil.
3. Oil.
4. Oil.
5. Other natural resources.
6. US-based countries in or wanting to do business in Colombia.

goosekirk says on Sep 19, 2005, 19:46:

umbia Bufalo, thanks for the vote of confidence. You're right, that last line was the creation of the editor. I had nothing to do with it. Good news is, he just fixed it!

Rubiazo says on Sep 19, 2005, 23:09:

Estratos Estrato 1 is NOT the shanty towns. Those are off the Estrato map. If you lived in a shanty town and get a chance to live in Estrato 1 you are doing a hell of a lot better. Estrato 1 is just a very poor neighborhood, but an actual neighborhood nonetheless, with running water electricity, etc.

elmodefoque says on Sep 20, 2005, 04:42:

Rubiazo, you cachaco modefoque, you’re absolutely correct! Estrato l is not bad. When my family arrived in Barranquilla after walking from la Guajira, we used to look at those people in estrato 1 as (ricos hijueputa) or rich modefoques and envied their incredible wealth. I remember the first time I saw south barranquilla from a distance, I was amazed at all the black electrical wires coming from every home and connected to one electrical pole, the entire neighborhood looked like it was covered by a gigantic spider web. It turns out everyone of those modefoque was stealing electricity. At that point of my life I felt just like Thomas “fuckin� Edison, I had never seen light before so I was one flabbergasted filthy, unwashed little balls, head liced, stinking little Indian modefoque. Some of their homes even had out houses, something so modern and unheard of in my village; we just took a dump where ever to later accidentally step on it. Man, I wanted to live in estrato 1 real bad, I wanted all the big city life.

Rubiazo says on Sep 20, 2005, 09:58:

hahah I love the cachaco because I would die from that fucking heat down there without AC. I walk around all the time in Bogotá on a cloudy day with shorts and short sleeves and sometimes still sweat my testicles a little bit! If that sun comes out, forget it. I duck and hide in a café somewhere.

I wanna go to BAQ carnival one day so we can drum together but I dunno how im gonna deal with it. My ezcema flares up and turns me into a leper in that kind of heat and humidity :((((

elmodefoque says on Sep 20, 2005, 11:36:

Rubiazo, don’t worry about your azcema (WTF is that?)flaring up. That Barranquilla sun is gonna fried your ass up and you’ll be walking around with a pretty shade of lobster but only for about 5 days, after that you’ll be just fine. I’m brining my daughters to the Carnaval (their first time in Colombia) and they party NYC style and will be showing them Colombians how to dance salsa and reagatton, the new yorikan way.