United States involvement in Colombian Politics has always aimed at counter-insurgency, but has been justified to the American people and to the rest of the world as a "war on drugs." Although this moniker is a blatant misrepresentation of U.S. objectives, it has served as an effective justification for the masses. However, as a lack of progress in this "war" has brought about more costly aid packages, criticism has mounted. Following the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the U.S. has ample justification for its counter-insurgency objectives in Colombia, namely a war on terrorism. This essay will be a discussion of information relevant to a "war on terrorism" in Colombia, and will propose how it ought to be proceeded.
             In order to provide a proper background for the current political situation in Colombia, I will begin with a brief history of Colombian Politics. Gaining its independence in the early Nineteenth century, Colombia has maintained a long tradition of democracy. The Liberals and the Conservatives formed competing political parties that have almost evenly split time in power . However, these factions frequently had ideological differences which led to outbreaks of violence. The origins of the modern political struggles began in 1948, with a 10-year period known as "La Violencia." In the late 1940's, Liberal and communist led agrarian and labor reform movements gained popularity. On April 9, 1948, Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, who had emerged from these movements as a leading presidential candidate, was assassinated. The killing of this Liberal leader triggered the "Bogotazo," an uprising of the liberal lower classes that resulted in looting and devastation in the Colombian capital . Similar Liberal uprisings occurred throughout the country in rural areas, pitting liberal peasants against conservative peasants. Liberal leaders fear...