Social Forces and the Revolution in Military Affairs: The Cases of Colombia and Mexico

253 Pages·2007·1.02 MB·English

by  James F. Rochlin

Social Forces and the
Revolution in Military Affairs
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Social Forces and the
Revolution in Military Affairs
The Cases of Colombia and Mexico
James F.Rochlin
social forces and the revolution in military affairs
Copyright © James F.Rochlin 2007.
All rights reserved.No part ofthis book may be used or reproduced in any manner
whatsoever without written permission except in the case ofbriefquotations
embodied in critical articles or reviews.
First published in 2007 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN™
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Houndmills,Basingstoke,Hampshire,England RG21 6XS.
Companies and representatives throughout the world.
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint ofthe Palgrave Macmillan
division ofSt.Martin’s Press,LLC and ofPalgrave Macmillan Ltd.Macmillan® is a
registered trademark in the United States,United Kingdom and other countries.
Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries.
ISBN-13:978-0-230-60282-3
ISBN-10:0-230-60282-7
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Rochlin,James Francis,1956–
Social forces and the revolution in military affairs :the cases ofColombia and
Mexico / James F.Rochlin.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-230-60282-7
1. Colombia—Military policy. 2. Military planning—Colombia.
3. Mexico—Military policy. 4. Military planning—Mexico. 5. War—Effect
oftechnology on. 6. Low-intensity conflicts (Military science). 7. Social
problems—Colombia. 8. Social problems—Mexico. 9. Military art and
science—Technological innovations. 10. Insurgency—Colombia.
11. Insurgency—Mexico. I. Title.
UA625.R62 2007
355'.033072—dc22 2007021997
A catalogue record ofthe book is available from the British Library.
Design by Westchester Book Group
First edition:December 2007
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States ofAmerica.
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Contents
List ofTables vii
Acknowledgments ix
Acronyms xi
1 Introduction 1
2 Historical Aspects ofColombia’s Strategic Landscape 21
3 Plan Colombia 43
4 Colombia and the Privatization ofWarfare 63
5 Historical Aspects ofMexico’s Strategic Landscape 93
6 Fight or Flight:Insurgency and Migration,Surveillance
and Complexity 113
7 Economic Dimensions ofthe RMA:Privatized War,Neoliberal
Strategy,and Public Resistance 139
8 Conclusion 169
Notes 185
Bibliography 215
Index 233
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List of Tables
2.1 Growth ofParamilitary Troops by Year 35
2.2 Number ofDisplaced in Colombia,1985–2000 40
3.1 U.S.Military Aid to Colombia,1990–1996 44
3.2 U.S.Military Aid to Colombia,1997–2007 44
4.1 Human Rights Violations against Colombian Union Members,
2000–2005 75
4.2 Displaced Persons in Colombia,Selected Years 79
7.1 A Comparison ofthe Indigenous Populations in Chiapas,
Guerrero,and Oaxaca 161
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Acknowledgments
I would especially like to thank Dr.Bruce Bagley for his helpful encouragement
and crucial support.I am deeply grateful for the generous research grants from
the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council ofCanada,and for the out-
standing research assistance ofRyan MacKay,Barbara Sobol,and Laura Mandel-
baum. I am also grateful to the faculty members of the Unidad Academica de
Filosofia y Letras of the Universidad Autonoma de Guerrero,the Departamento
de Ciencia Politica at the Universidad de los Andes,and the Instituto de Estudios
Políticos y Relaciones Internacionales at the Universidad Nacional, Bogotá, for
their inspiration.I am grateful to the University of British Columbia for the re-
search assistance offered in many areas.I especially want to thank Ruth for her
loving support.