| ID | 112635 |
| Title Proper | Hunt for Martín Caballero |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Porch, Douglas |
| Publication | 2012. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | While the success of Colombia's fight against illegal armed groups, led by Fuerzas armadas revolucionarias de Colombia - ejército del pueblo (FARC-EP), is generally lauded as evidence of the effectiveness of both COIN doctrine and security assistance, the configuration of Colombia's counter-insurgency effort remains largely unstudied. This article will explain the success of one of those campaigns carried out principally by the Colombian marines (Colmar) in an area of northern Colombia known as the Montes de María. Contingent factors shaped the success of this campaign, beginning with the fact that the Montes de María forms an area where insurgents, relative late comers to the region, found it difficult to put down deep roots. However, operations to eradicate them were complicated by the inexperience of the Colmar, and by constraints placed by Colombia's Constitutional Court on COIN methods modeled on those successfully applied by the British in Malaya and Kenya. Therefore, Colmar officers initiated their five-year campaign by building up a base of popular support in the towns and targeting insurgent logistical networks. This bought time to strengthen the Colmar's combat and intelligence capabilities, and take the offensive that eventually isolated and killed the leader of the FARC in the Montes de María, Martín Caballero. Unfortunately, the failure of the Colombian government to follow up the Colmar victory by installing a regional and local governments viewed as legitimate by the population, and to resolve long standing land tenure issues, has meant that, so far, the Colmar looks to have delivered a tactical victory in a strategic vacuum. |
| `In' analytical Note | Journal of Strategic Studies Vol. 35, No.2; Apr 2012: p.243-270 |
| Journal Source | Journal of Strategic Studies Vol. 35, No.2; Apr 2012: p.243-270 |
| Key Words | Colombia ; COIN ; Security Assistance ; FARC |