U.S. And Colombian Military Cooperation Now Extends To Afghanistan

Colombian special forces soldiers rappel during a demonstration for visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates (not pictured) Oct. 3, 2007, at the Tolemaida military base in Colombia. Mauricio Duenas/Getty Images

Colombia To Aid U.S. In Fight Against Taliban -- CBS

COLOMBIA (CBS) ― U.S. forces are about to get some much-needed help as they fight the Taliban in Afghanistan, CBS News reports. U.S.-trained Colombian commandos could join U.S. troops in Afghanistan as soon as August, according to Gen. Freddy Padilla de Leon, Colombia's top military man.

"We don't have secrets -- we are a very open book," Padilla said of the relationship between Colombia and U.S. Special Forces.

Ten years ago, a group of leftist guerillas knows as the FARC ruled the country via a pernicious drug trade. The U.S. Green Berets worked to turn Colombia's best soldiers into an organized special operations force with the goal of fighting the FARC and the drug war.

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My Comment: On the one hand this is a surprising move. There are no interests for Colombia in Afghanistan ... none. But on the other hand this illustrates the close political/military relationship that has been forming between the two countries for the past few years. Colombia is helping an ally .... which in this context becomes understandable.

On the Latin American scene, this is going to be a shock for some of the countries in this region. How this will play will be amusing to watch.