[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bad news in the southern front of the war on terrorism***The U.S. government and the 15-member European Union have already branded the FARC a terrorist organization, alongside the right-wing Colombian United Self-Defense Groups.

Panama has also branded the FARC a terrorist group.

But Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela have separately rejected Uribe's request, arguing that they want to remain ''viable mediators'' in the event of future peace talks in Colombia.

They have agreed to condemn ''terrorist actions,'' but not to brand the FARC as a terrorist group. Ecuador's foreign minister, Nina Pacari, was even quoted as making the ridiculous assertion that labeling the FARC as terrorists would amount to ''intervening'' in Colombia's internal affairs.

Not surprisingly, the FARC was elated. In a banner headline on its official website, the FARC boasted on March 9 that ''neighboring countries refuse to take part in the war carried out by Uribe and [President] Bush.'' It added, ``Ecuador refuses to define the FARC as terrorists. Brazil and Venezuela had done so earlier.”***

[JSMosby]

Hello. I have a very good friend who is a Venezuelan exile here in the US. They are wondering what is going on, now that FARC is idendified as being active, with possible Chavez help. And, now that Gen'l Hill has id'd the presence of Hezbollah camps on the Venezuelan Columbian border. Do you have any observations or in clear sources that have a take on all this. I think we should shut Chavez down, once Iraq is stabilized. Terrorism has many forms and if he is harboring, he is toast. Your comments?