Retired British Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely believes that from
a military point of view, the FARC have already lost their battle.
Kiszely, who began military service in 1969, compared the current strength of the armed group with the power they had in their early years.
“From the military point of view, the FARC attacked using battalions. Nowadays there aren’t many and the maximum they manage to use are platoons,” Kiszely said.
The Briton also commented on the massive popular rejection of the FARC in Colombia: “The total rejection is very clear, as showed in February last year when 8 million persons protested against them.”
But to say that the FARC are a lost case, would be going too far, according to Kiszely’s words.
“The FARC are still a dangerous organization. They have been exposed to the world as a terrorist and cruel organisation, and it is obvious that they are participating in drugs trafficking and abductions,” he concluded.
Thomas G. Mahnken, professor as the Merill Center for Strategic Studies, reveals a similar opinion and commented on the regional approach Colombia is trying to achieve.
“These conflicts have an international dimension. The terrorist group look for refuges and any anti-terrorist campaign should include this element. Colombia has a regional focus, as do the United States, and both have taken this very seriously. This effort should include neighbours, friends and allies,” Mahnken said.
The Colombian Government announced this week it would implement a new strategy to further marginalize the FARC.