In my haste I should have noticed this important comment that a friend and colleague pointed out to me. Great example of the Reuters reporter (and editors) succumbing to FARC propaganda and forgetting history (as I am now guilty of as well):
On a separate note: I noticed this interesting sentence at the end of this article:
"In 2008, the FARC freed three U.S. military contractors which it had held in captivity for more than five years after shooting down their plane. They were released together with former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt."
So nice of the FARC to free those four. I think the Colombian Special Operations had something to do with this.
I should not have missed that (see below)!
My original Comments:
If a Soldier was captured in Colombia on June 20th I would have thought we would have seen press reports on it. I did a quick google search and the only reference to it is this article. Perhaps he is a former Soldier or a reservist not on active duty and traveling in some other capacity in Central and South America.
V/R
Dave
Dave
Colombia's FARC says holding U.S. soldier, willing to release
2:34am EDT
BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's FARC rebels said late on Friday they were holding a U.S. soldier captured on June 20, but were willing to release him to a humanitarian commission as they pursue peace talks with the government.
The FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, said on its website it had caught the soldier, identified as Kevin Scott Sutay, in a jungle region in the south of the country, describing him as a mine clearance expert from New York who has served in Afghanistan.
"Despite the right we have to hold Kevin Scott as a prisoner of war, we have taken the political decision to free him in the spirit of talks that are advancing in Havana with the Colombian government," the statement said.
It was referring to peace talks in the Cuban capital under way since last November aimed at ending five decades of conflict.
The United States, which considers the FARC a terrorist organization, has helped Colombia's government in a military offensive over the last decade that has driven the rebels back into remote regions and diminished their numbers.
The guerrilla group called for a commission to be formed to assist in the soldier's release, headed by former Colombian Senator Piedad Cordoba and representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross and religious community Sant'Egidio.
(Continued at the link below)
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