BOGOTA -- America's "War on Drugs" has lost all credibility. It is all now a "War on Terror".

President Bush is quick to condemn Wednesday's bombing in Colombia with a strongly worded statement that expressed support for new President Alvaro Uribe and his administration's fight against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Despite nobody claiming responsibilty, Bush said in a written statement, "I condemn these heinous acts," "The terrorists in Colombia have made their goals clear: to kill the aspirations of the Colombian people for a free, prosperous and democratic state."

Bush gave his backing to the Colombian government whose president has been alleged to have had connections to the infamous Medellin Cartel of Pablo Escobar and the Ochoa brothers in the 1980s.

At least 13 people were killed in Wednesday's blasts in Bogota, which occurred near the building where Uribe's inauguration was being held. Four others are missing, and at least 20 were wounded.

There is no credible evidence to suggest that FARC has ever targeted members of the Colombian peasantry or working class as part of their military operations or political standpoint. To the contrary, they are supported by Colombia's poorest and have thousands of locals as members in their rank and file and are increasing in size.

Why were security forces unable to prevent the attack? Why did people begin throwing stones at police and military patrols? Why are the right wing paramilitaries, who are connected to Colombia's new Cali Cartel, eluded by the corporate media? There is undisputed overwhelming evidence that the paramilitaries target, murder, and torture, Colombia's weakest and poorest and on many ocassions have never claimed responsibility.

Like the attacks in New York and Washington on September 11, we still do not know what happened. What is Washington now up to in Latin America?

It has been well documented that Colombia is in a violent class war between a right wing authoritarian state and the oppressed. It is part of a much larger legacy held by the Latin American people for over half a century in their fight for independence from U.S. imperialism and their struggle for social justice and freedom.

Propaganda by imperialism is not new and will continue to trumpet through corporate media.

What was strange was not the attack, but the 'conspiracy of silence' that is creeping around the discourse and practice of America's "War on Terrorism".

Not one member of Colombia's officialdom or foreign diplomats present was hurt.

In support of the FARC revolutionary guerilla struggle of peasants, workers, and slum dwellers.

Joe Marshall.
Washington DC