[Peace-discuss] You've been censored by Google, CONGRATULATIONS

[Phil Stinard]

My editor at vheadline.com indicated to me than an opinion piece that I 
posted today on Colombian paramilitaries was censored by Google's news 
search engine, and won't come up searches.  I didn't think that it was 
particularly special, but I'll post it here, just because google thinks it's 
special.  Speaking of censorship, did everyone see Colin Powell's palm tree 
this morning on NBC's Meet the Press?

--Phil

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=21182

So, what do I need to do to get a small acreage and a bungalow near Bogota?

VHeadline.com's Philip Stinard writes: Last Thursday, the world media 
reported a deal between the Colombian government and the United Self-Defense 
Forces of Colombia (AUC) ... a right-wing Colombian paramilitary force 
responsible for the deaths of tens of thousand of Colombians ... and more 
than a few Venezuelans.

The Colombian negotiations with terrorists resulted in a deal in which ten 
AUC commanders (according to the Miami Herald, or 400 if you believe the 
Associated Press) are to live in a cordoned-off 142 square mile zone (Miami 
Herald; 230 square miles according to the AP), protected from US extradition 
requests.

The Colombian government has agreed to lift arrest warrants against the 
leaders, and the armed forces have promised not to attack them.

    * In fact, the Colombian Army promised to protect them from "rebels."

The paramilitary leaders will be concentrated in northern Colombia, about 
180 miles from the Venezuelan border ... which is about a three-hour drive 
in a conveniently made-available Baruta Municipal police bus.

The Organization of the American States (OAS) will serve as an "observer" 
... in other words, the murderous paramilitary leaders were given a very 
large ranch with bodyguards, a babysitter, and freedom from prosecution.

According to the Associated Press: "The AUC, which now funds much of its 
military operations through cocaine trafficking, is considered a terrorist 
organization by the United States."

The US government has been eerily silent about this deal. Perhaps that is 
because they are embarrassed by an ally government negotiating with 
terrorists and giving them a sweetheart deal.

    * It's unclear what the Colombian government will get in return for 
setting up a paramilitary resort and country club, but the AP hints that 
negotiations for the eventual demobilization of the paramilitaries will take 
place in the future.

In the meantime, the paramilitaries are demanding an amnesty for all crimes 
and human rights violations they've committed ... and freedom from 
extradition.

So, what do I need to do to get a small acreage and a bungalow?

Philip Stinard
Philip at VHeadline.com