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Description

This Strategic Forum paper analyzes the protracted internal conflict in Colombia and evaluates emerging strategic approaches to U.S. and Colombian policy at the onset of President Álvaro Uribe’s administration. It examines how the interplay of narcotics trafficking, insurgent violence, and state authority has shaped Colombia’s insecurity and constrained governance. The author argues that existing U.S. policy, traditionally framed through counterdrug and counterterrorism lenses, must evolve toward a comprehensive strategy that integrates governance, security cooperation, and institutional reform. The paper assesses how Washington and Bogotá can craft a cohesive campaign that strengthens public security, supports democratic institutions, and weakens illegal armed groups’ ability to exploit ungoverned spaces. It concludes by outlining strategic imperatives for advancing regional stability and strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Document Type

Policy Brief

Region(s)

Colombia, United States, Latin America

Topic(s)

National Security, Defense Policy, Strategic Competition

Publication Date

10-2002

Publication

Strategic Forum

Publisher

National Defense University Press

City

Washington, DC

Keywords

Colombia, internal conflict, insurgency, U.S.–Colombia relations, regional security, counterinsurgency, governance, counter-narcotics, strategic policy

Colombia’s War: Toward a New Strategy

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