In a major blunder, Bogot is ceding large chunks of the country to the guerrillas as sanctuaries.

FORBES: Fact And Comment

Currently Bogot believes it can negotiate a settlement with the rebels and lure them into participating peacefully in the country's civic and political life.

FORBES: Fact And Comment

The White House is not working with Bogot to help ensure there are markets for the legitimate crops of farmers who give up cultivating coca.

FORBES: Fact And Comment

Another factor of importance is that that Quito and Bogot are in the middle of a diplomatic mess over the fumigations of coca in the border by Colombia.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Scandal in Colombia �C is Chavez behind it?

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has been given an area the size of Switzerland. (Colombia itself is 1.5 times larger than Texas.) To the consternation of local residents, Bogot now wants to hand over territory almost the size of Delaware to a group called the Army of National Liberation (ELN).

FORBES: Fact And Comment