The Real "Enemies of the State"

The news that officers, as well as enlisted men, in the Colombian army are under investigation for the murder of civilians charged falsely with being members of FARC is hardly news at all.  This is standard operating procedure everywhere there is an internal conflict of some kind: the government will brand people as «enemies of the State» and it's open season on them. Once people buy into believing others are "subversives", killing them is looked upon as part of a just war and no questions are asked.

But, history has shown that peaceful members of the opposition or just ordinary men and women are frequently done away with - either killed or "disappeared" - under the mantle of "national security."  It's important that military operations be scrutinized, to "separate the wheat from the chaff" and hold murderers accountable for crimes committed under the guise of patriotism.

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