Book Excerpt Of The Week: Part 1- "Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go To War" By: Jimmie Briggs

"Though overshadowed by high-profile fighting in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, the American Military has maintained a significant presence and role in Columbia for a number of years. In the fall of 2002, the U.S. Congress approved a request from the Bush administration to allow American military aid, previously targeted against the drug trade, to be used against insurgents namely the FARC [The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia] and ELN [The National Liberation Army]. Both the Columbian and American governments insist that fighting drugs is a major component of dealing with the anti-government guerillas as well as the pro-government, right-wing paramilitaries. That was the initial reasoning behind "Plan Columbia," a $1.3 billion assistance package pushed by President Bill Clinton to combat the growth and production of cocaine in the mid to late 90s. Starting in the late 70s and going into the 1980s, illegal drugs became a factor in Columbia's civil war." -From, "Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go To War" By: Jimmie Briggs