Hostage rescue is blow to FARC

Only last week Uribe was facing controversy about whether he could run for president for a third term in 2010, and now he’s scored a political strike. This analyst says the infiltration of the FARC high command shows another blow for their movement, in addition to the three top leaders who have died recently. This analyst says the guerilla group has actually been declining since the mid-1990s when they got involved in the drug trade and corruption. In contrast the analyst says President Uribe’s President is reinforced by the successful operation. Uribe himself has tried to strike a conciliatory tone towards the FARC since the hostage rescue. The Colombian military had help from the US according to American officials, a fact which this analyst thinks will help American relations in Colombia. But this analyst is more skeptical and says most Colombian aid from the US goes to counter-drug operations which has been less successful.