Colombia and U.S. Policy: Seeking a Balance

摘要

Colombia's endless civil war usually hovers at the outer limit of our national consciousness. Policymakers focus on the problem and commit resources -- only when advancing chaos in Colombia seems to herald an uptick in the supply of cocaine on American streets. This paper argues that our tendency to view the bilateral relationship solely in an antidrug context is misguided and ignores the long-term risk of state failure in Colombia. We should shift to a strategy of sustained engagement, using diplomacy, aid, military assistance and other instruments to press the Colombian government and elites both to restore basic security for all citizens and to address the social and economic problems that underpin both the insurgencies and the drug trade. While this strategy has a military dimension, we should avoid the evolution of engagement into use of U.S. military force. Direct, substantial U.S. military involvement outside current statutory limits will not advance our long-term goals and should be used only if necessary to protect American lives.