The Prt Model The Centerpiece for a New Us Strategy in Colombia

Colombia, one of the oldest democratic nations in the Americas, has been engaged in an internal conflict for over 40 years. Initially the conflict was a classic democratic-marxist ideological clash, however as cocaine entered the scene in the 80's, the ideology gave way to greed as the rebels dominated the Colombian drug trade. US aid and assistance began to flow in 1999, totaling over $4.5 billion by 2006. Nearly a decade later, Colombian cocoa production remains unaffected and the rebel groups are still operating effectively. While Colombia has seen decreases in crime statistics and achieved stable economic growth, the basic conditions that led to the conflict still remain. In 2007, the US agreed to extend its assistance to Colombia under President Uribe's follow-on plan to Plan Colombia. However, unequal wealth distribution, vast ungoverned areas, a government that cannot on its own solve the problem and conservative US policy, leads to more of the same. This research paper calls for the US to reevaluate its Colombian policy and move away from anti-narcotic assistance to pro-democratic or nation building assistance. It advocates the use of the Afghanistan Provincial Reconstruction Team concept as the centerpiece to this new approach. It is difficult to measure PRT success since it is still a new concept, however incorporating this type of organization into a more comprehensive strategy may advance the timeline for defeating of the narco-terrorist organizations.