Hostages freed while McCain campaigns

What a PR stunt! As many as 15 FARC hostages were freed in Colombia yesterday and it all happened while US presidential candidate Senator John McCain was campaigning there.  

Many of these hostages –including the famous French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt– waited up to six years to be rescued and they got the chance to be reunited with their relatives and friends just at the moment while the eyes of the world where focused on senator McCain’s visit to the South American country. Anything wrong with this picture?

Not really when we should be glad that these hostages are free and finally out of the hands of these terrorists.

However, when rumors of a possible US involvement in this operation start to trickle down in the media, it raises questions on whether McCain knew about it taking a free-ride and gaining more popularity as a result of it or if it was just one of those rare coincidences that make you wonder.

Regardless of the scenario, the fact is that US has been involved in this whole mess since day one, when in 2003 they sent a plane to Colombia with three American contractors to surveillance possible narcotics dealings in the highly forested jungles of Caquetá. The plane was shot down by the FARC rebels, the soldiers captured and the whole six-year ordeal unfolds.

Now, this does sound pretty shady; just three soldiers, in a jungle, and perhaps a narcotics transaction that may have been just a rumor?

It is hard to understand when the fact is that a new study just found that the United States is the number one country of illegal drug use. Wouldn’t have been better to send that plane to do some surveillance in Washington DC?

Too bad McCain didn’t run against George W. Bush four years ago. These hostages could have been freed a bit sooner.