Colombian president's popularity soars - 29 May 08

He's been accused of having had close ties with right-wing paramilitaries and of being corrupt yet his crackdown on the Farc rebel group has meant that Alvaro Uribe, Colombia's president, has the highest ratings of any leader in the Americas, as Al Jazeera's Mariana Sanchez discovers.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Colombian
• president
• Alvaro
• Uribe
• FARC
• Mariana
• Sanchez
• Al
• Jazeera

[mengwise36]

Well the Colombia army IS funded and trained by the US military.

[Morris1962]

What Colombia needs is the rule of law. The corruption and right wing paramilitaries are just as poisonous to a nation as narco-terrorists (i.e. the FARC). The fact that members of parliament can and are being investigated is as important as any military victory. I wish you peace Colombia.

[empirikal23]

Uribe has the highest level of popularity in this fucking continent, then Chavez can suck Uribe's dick and stick his fucking sukoys up his fucking ass, down with that cocksucker, if chavez is brave enough to start up a war against us, we Colombian troops will be fucking prepared for killing as many venezuelan fucking communists as we fucking can

[DieGoth74]

Haha. Colombian president popularity is still over 70%! This news is fake!

[bacardishots]

If you've never been to Colombia and see what it is really about, don't comment. Your silly perspectives are just that. What arm chair quarterback quite a bit around here. I've been to Colombia. Believe me, President Uribe HAS the recipe for success and progress for that country. Name a better person for the position. Viva Colombia y Pa Delante Uribe.

[aznluvr7]

I certainly know my history, friend. The communist government in Afghanistan was set up by Russia. They generously funded the movement. Mao's army was funded and advised by the Soviets to overthrow the nationalist government. As far as Korea, Stalin gave the go ahead, there was no opposition. Also, a great many of the MiG-15 pilots and ground controllers were Soviets, that's well known, but proven in declass Soviet documents. I know my history, but thanks for the personal attack.

[mengwise36]

Just to show how little history you know. In Afghanistan, the PDPA took power BEFORE the Russians invaded. In China, the communist party took power without much Russian assistance. In Korea, the north invaded the south DESPITE Russia and China's opposition. The US army was fighting the Chinese army in Korea. The Red Army was nowhere to be seen.

If you knew just a little bit of history, you would not have made a statement like "Russia's history is far uglier than the US".

[aznluvr7]

However, the US, as powerful as it is, can't control people. Under successive admnistrations the Shah was admonished and cut off from arms aid and told to spend more on the economy. He simply bought from elsewhere. In Korea the US intervened to save Kim Dae Jung's life and his execution was stayed. The national security strategy at the time was to support anti-communist leaders where they could be found and try to straighten them out later. Straightening out is an elusive goal at best.

[aznluvr7]

Did Russia go around toppling governments? Well let's see, they certainly tried a bit of Gunpoint diplomacy in Afghanistan, in China, north Korea wouldn't have invaded if not emboldened/encouraged to do so by Stalin and what of all the surrounding countries who were annexed? Russia's history is far uglier than the US and the outcomes are far uglier as well. Sure the US helped out some nasty dictators and under some administrations attempted to reign them in.

[mengwise36]

If the FARC is nothing but a drug cartel, I would have agreed with you. However, it is not. As a matter of fact, the drug cartels own the government.

US is a superpower but what we are spreading is NOT democracy. It is fascism at best. Can anyone adopt democracy at the point of a gun? Meanwhile, how did Russia spread communism? Did Russia go around topple governments so they can convert to communism? They might have helped AFTER the government was topple by the communists.

[aznluvr7]

No I don't disagree that the US helps out Columbia, it's in our interest to do so, it hurts the drug trade, which the FARC is a big proponent of. Myself I feel alot more comfortable with the US as a superpower and spreading democracy than Russia spreading communism.

[mengwise36]

While the Columbian military would have existed with or without the US support, it would not have been the 3rd most powerful on this continent WITHOUT US support.

I am not arguing that FARC is the Boy Scout. Or Venezuela and Ecuador have not ulterior motives. But you discounting US involvement is more ingenious.

If the Russians won the cold war, they will be bullying other countries like the US is doing right now. They will be spreading their ideology at the point of a gun too.