Yes, it appears that it was very audacious indeed to hope for a change in the status quo. Live and learn, ladies & gents.

OK try to post again.....

Let's get something clear - Colombia is a mess, plain and simple, but a massively simplistic, binary view of the situation isn't at all helpful.

Uribe isn't a despot, he was "democratically" elected, and enjoys popular support not just amongst the wealthy, but also (surprisingly) amongst the poor. That doesn't mean he's a pleasant person; he's been accused of ties to the Paramilitaries and even the Cartels after all; and various members of his government have had to resign as scandals have come to light. However - just because he isn't a likely candidate for sainthood doesn't mean his opponents are.

These peaceful dissident movements the author mentions include FARC and ENL amongst others. Now FARC etc, started off with the best of intentions, but just because they're nominally left wing doesn't make them nice people either. Kidnappings, extortions, even bombs - what about the human rights of their victims? Massacres aren't ONLY carried out by Governments.

We need to throw away this binary world view of "white hats" and "black hats", and realise that all too often the tragedy of places like Colombia, is that the ordinary people are innocents trapped between two groups of thugs both swearing they're just defending the people when all they're really interested in, or care about, is power.

And the USA especially has to stop acting as active enabler to the abuses these groups carry out - either through aid in exchange for trade opportunities, or a massively

The problem with the very left leaning progressive part of the Democratic party is you all are just as judgemental as the right winged part of the Republican party. We can't solve every countries human rights problems. Don't forget China, parts of Africa, the Middle East and even in good ole USA. Geesh people, there are trillions of stories like this. It's interesting that he mentions an incident where Hilary chose deflect/ignore the problem but left out the many times where she chose to get involved.

Obama is not perfect and he won't do everything you want him to do. Bush has messed this country up soo much that even if Obama does 75% of what he promises people will still complain. Al, can you showed hold off and trust Obama's judgement and give Hilary a chance.

She's no longer beholden to her presidential aspirations, so maybe she'll be more inclined to do the right thing.

With each passing day, I too feel the air being sucked out of the celebratory "balloon" that came with Obama's election, it actually pains me to admit that. We can always hope that his personal ideals, at least his expressed ideals, will win over eventually, but it is looking less likely with each of the announced or potential appointments to his cabinet. We shall see.

I feel compassion for those who, like AG, have been severely disabled by Clinton Derangement Syndrome, but that compassion does not make me need to listen to their delusional thought-process.

I suggest you take AG for some sort of exercise on a daily basis, along with CBT from a competent professional.