Colombian troops steal rebel millions

[wizard]

Colombian troops steal rebel millions and disappear

By Phil Stewart, Reuters, 5/21/2003

BOGOTA -- More than 100 elite Colombian troops were on
the run yesterday after stealing at least $14 million
from a Marxist rebel war chest.

Dozens of officers and other men abruptly resigned or
disappeared after the counterguerrilla force stumbled
upon a huge stash of bank notes buried in a jungle
minefield in southern Caqueta province last month,
officials said.

Three officers, 16 noncommissioned officers, and 21
enlisted men have been arrested.

Another two soldiers surrendered to authorities
yesterday and 105 are on the run, the army said.

''A sergeant with the patrol stepped on a land mine.
Then they started looking for more mines and
accidentally found the cache,'' Ospina said.

Officials said the money was hidden by the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by its
Spanish initials FARC, which funds its four-decade-old
war by kidnapping for ransom and ''taxing'' the
world's largest cocaine industry.

Army General Francisco Rene Pedraza said officers
became suspicious when ordinary soldiers, who earn an
average of $175 per month, started throwing wild
parties, buying new cars, and exchanging US dollars at
a third of their value.

It was not the first time Colombia's security forces
have been stung by scandal. In 1990, army officers
pocketed a $19 million stash of drug money.

[Cali James]

... in response to Colombian troops steal rebel millions, posted by wizard on May 21, 2003

This story exemplifies what's wrong in Colombia IMO.  It looks like corruption is more the rule than the exception.  It begins at the top and filters down to the common man, even the foot soldier.  

[cancunhound]

... in response to Colombian troops steal rebel millions, posted by Cali James on May 21, 2003

Keep in mind the troops are not made up of the sons of the rich - a long standing complaint against the military there.  Hell, I'd probably keep "drug" money if I were lucky to stumble across it!

[Michael B]

... in response to Colombian Troops, posted by cancunhound on May 22, 2003

As Rudyard Kipling said: Single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints.

[Pete E]

... in response to Colombian troops steal rebel millions, posted by Cali James on May 21, 2003

Reminds me of the US soldiers who happened on that $400,000,000 in cash at a Saddam Housein Palace.Some of them took a couple hundred thousand.Somehow the brass figured out it was missing,rounded up all the soldiers and shamed the guys who took in to admiting it by talking about their comrades who had died.
A bunch of Cash stumbled across will tempt more than a Colombian.I would have been tempted myself.And we don't know we heard about all the money that was found.What was that WW2 movie,Donald Sutherland as a tank commander,they found out about some money or gold and the whole company switched gears to going for the $$$.
And of course it was the United States fault Iraqi children starved because of the embargo.Some knucklehead liberals will still tell you that.Not because their leader was
keeping the money or spending it on weapons.Biggest
a--hole of the 21st century so far.I don't think there is a literal hell.Too bad in this case.

Pete

[Brazilophile]

... in response to Some  US troops in Iraq took the cash, posted by Pete E on May 21, 2003

I apologize for being somewhat off topic.  But, Pete, some of those liberal knuckleheads you speak of feel the way they do because the US has an unfortunate history of putting bigtime a--holes into power in foreign countries.

Hussein was a "good guy"  in the 80's when he was gassing Iranians with US technology and CIA help!  The US gave Hussein intelligence on the locations of Iranians troops.  Noriega was on the CIA payroll for over a decade.  In Zaire (now Congo) Mobuto had CIA and French help in assassinating Patrice Lumumba in the 60's.  Some Americans feel the US is partly responsible for the horrible actions of the foreign leaders it supports.

To make this rant sort of on topic.  Many people in LA are very wary of our government, not us as a people though, because of its duplicity in their governmental affairs.  The latest example of that is the US support of last year's coup attempt against the democratically elected president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez.

[stefang]

... in response to Re: Some  US troops in Iraq took the cas..., posted by Brazilophile on May 22, 2003

You forgot Pinochet(spelling?) in Chile, our government helped him get rid of his opponents and he was a bloody leader to his people.

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Re: Some  US troops in Iraq took the..., posted by stefang on May 22, 2003

The CIA helped the opposition overthrow and murder Salvador Alende,who was a popularly elected president who leaned way to the left,like Chavez.Pinochet was a general who became leader and oversaw a very brutal regime.Human rights went out the window.I guess the state departments attitude at the time was he might be an a--hole,but he's our a--hole.
Pinochet was detained in England and Spain was trying to get him extradited 3 years ago or so.I think he went back to Chile and since he is old and feeble they decided not to press charges against him.I'm not sure how accurate it was but in the book and movie House of Spirits by Izabelle Alende there is alot of time spent on the Pinochet regeme.Izabelle Alende,the neice of Salvador Alende was a TV reporter and was allowed to keep
to keep her job,although she had like a society/social  type program. She got concerned for her safety and split for Venizuella.She now lives in Marin county north of San Francisco.

Pete

[Pete E]

... in response to Re: Some  US troops in Iraq took the cas..., posted by Brazilophile on May 22, 2003

Yes,we backed Saddam because we were against the Iranians.A big mistake,he was much worse than the Iranians.
Short sighted incorrect policy I think.
However,that was then.Bush couldn't change what happened in the past.I was talking about  us being blammed for dying Iraqi children when the money they did get,including alot more that skirted the embargo did not get spent to help the children.
We have done alot of unjust things in  the past,much of it out of fear of communism which we now know will die by itself.I was opposed to the war in Vietnam.
As far as Chavez,everybody,including Venizuella a would be better off if he were gone.Yes he was popularly elected,which we should respect,he did it out of a policy of class warfare.People with nothing like to believe those with money took it from them,which in South Ameica may even have some truth in it.But the direction is dismal failure and despotism,Castro style.
I think the US ,at least officialy,tried to steer clear of involvement in the Venizuelan coup.In times past,ala Chile and Allende,we would have just got rid of him.We are being more carefull,and can afford to now.Chavez will self destruct,its just a question of when.Castro type policies don't work and have no future.
AND,not all liberals are knuckleheads,just those blaming us for the death of Iraqi children.Its a cheap stupid shot.

Pete