| Page 3 of 3 < |
In Colombia Jungle Ruse, U.S. Played A Quiet Role
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Although the Americans and Colombians work together closely, Colombia's Defense Ministry does not always tell the American Embassy what plans are in the works. U.S. officials discovered on their own that a rescue plan was taking shape.
In June, the Americans noted that three FARC units, all of them known for holding hostages, began moving together into a region southeast of the Guaviare capital, San Jose.
Brownfield said he and his team deduced that the Colombians, using fake communications, were executing a deception plan aimed at freeing the hostages. Later that month, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos told Brownfield about Operation Check, as in checkmate.
"One worry was, in fact, was the FARC here in Guaviare falling for this?" Brownfield recalled. "Or were they in essence playing us, when we thought we were playing them?"
Brownfield said that he also thought to himself, "We're not dealing with a bunch of bozos here in FARC-land."
In the frantic days before the operation, Colombian and U.S. officials discussed details of the operation at length, troubleshooting and considering all possibilities.
Brownfield said the opinion among U.S. officials was that the risk to the American hostages -- key leverage in the FARC's negotiations to win the freedom of guerrillas in Colombian jails -- would be low. Should the FARC discover the deception, the ambassador reasoned, they would simply disappear into the jungle with their trophy prisoners.
The Americans also thought that the Colombians were well prepared, ready to make it work.
"So we took a deep breath," Brownfield recalled, "and said, 'Proceed.' "
