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A Great Perhaps?: Colombia: Conflict and Divergence
No country has managed as rapid and positive a turnaround in governance and security conditions this century than Colombia. In 1999, rebels of the FARC and ELN were, literally, at the gates of Bogota, Colombian known more for rapacious corruption, weak government, drug smuggling and criminality, a country synonymous with the antics of Pablo Escobar. Fifteen years later the guerrillas and the government are at the peace table in Havana, the economy has been a top performer in Latin America, and drugs are no longer the pervasive scourge they once were. To date, however, there has been no comprehensive examination of the different elements employed by government to combat the guerrillas, to win local and international political and military support, extend government authority to the 75 percent of the countryside where it was seldom felt, and to turn the Colombian economy into a success resembling the high-growth examples of Southeast Asia. How the Colombians did all of this is the subject of this book by four international specialists with untrammelled policy and practical expertise in counter-insurgency campaigns in Colombia and elsewhere, bringing a unique comparative perspective. Based on field-work in Colombia's regions, the study provides a history to the conflict, compares it to other historical and contemporary case-studies, examines the war from the perspective of the government and the guerrilla, delves into the development of special Colombian capabilities notably in intelligence and the use of airpower and special forces, and explains the economic dimension in terms both of historical exclusion and ongoing attempts at growth and inclusion. Finally, it concludes with an assessment on the country's prospects: can the combination of improved security, a flourishing economy and the peace process offer an opportunity to finally translate Colombia from, in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's words, 'a great perhaps' into something more permanent?
Book Details
- Publisher: Hurst & Co.
- Publish Date: Apr 1st, 2016
- Pages: 288
- Language: English
- Edition: undefined - undefined
- Dimensions: 8.70in - 5.70in - 1.10in - 1.00lb
- EAN: 9781849046282
- Categories: • Military Science• Developing & Emerging Countries• World - Caribbean & Latin American
About the Author
Dickie Davis is an Associate of the Johannesburg-based Brenthurst Foundation and a retired Major General in the British Army. He served three tours in the Balkans and three in Afghanistan. David Kilcullen is a Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, studying insurgency and unconventional warfare. He has served in Colombia, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia and is the author of, amongst other books, The Accidental Guerrilla. Greg Mills directs the Brenthurst Foundation. An adviser to several African presidents and to COMISAF in Afghanistan, he is the author of the best-selling Why Africa is Poor. David Spencer is Professor of Counterterrorism/ Counterinsurgency at the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies. He has worked in various positions in support of Plan Colombia.
Praise for this book
'This book not only explains the steps the Colombian government has taken in its search for peace and prosperity, but highlights the areas where international co-operation can extend this model and its success. ... I recommend it to all engaged in what I see as the responsibility of my generation: ending conflict, ensuring stability and promoting development.' --Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
'A Great Perhaps? explains the drivers behind the success of Colombia's recent transformation: better governance and improved security. By illustrating the importance of local ownership of both the problem and the solution, and the role to be played by foreign partners, this volume is a handbook for those countries intent on dealing with problems of insecurity and violence.' --General Richard Myers (rtd), former Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff'Colombia is a valuable analogue for those African and other countries engaged in the struggle to extend governance while meeting the often linked threats of criminality and political insurgency. A Great Perhaps? makes a unique contribution to explaining this hitherto relatively unknown campaign. It should be read widely, not least since it shows what is possible with dollops of leadership, application, vision, organisation and energy.' --President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya'To understand how centuries-old grievances can burst into violence, and the ways to resolve violent conflict while preserving the ethical foundation of democracy, I encourage everyone interested in guerrilla warfare in the modern world to read and savour this book, and to ponder its implications.' -- Ambassador Juan-Carlos Pinzon, former Minister of Defence, Colombia
'A Great Perhaps? explains the drivers behind the success of Colombia's recent transformation: better governance and improved security. By illustrating the importance of local ownership of both the problem and the solution, and the role to be played by foreign partners, this volume is a handbook for those countries intent on dealing with problems of insecurity and violence.' --General Richard Myers (rtd), former Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff'Colombia is a valuable analogue for those African and other countries engaged in the struggle to extend governance while meeting the often linked threats of criminality and political insurgency. A Great Perhaps? makes a unique contribution to explaining this hitherto relatively unknown campaign. It should be read widely, not least since it shows what is possible with dollops of leadership, application, vision, organisation and energy.' --President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya'To understand how centuries-old grievances can burst into violence, and the ways to resolve violent conflict while preserving the ethical foundation of democracy, I encourage everyone interested in guerrilla warfare in the modern world to read and savour this book, and to ponder its implications.' -- Ambassador Juan-Carlos Pinzon, former Minister of Defence, Colombia