Clinton and the FARC?

The Wall Street Journal reports today on another surprising find on Raul Reyes’ laptop: a suggestion that Congressman James McGovern (D-MA) may be more closely aligned with the terrorist FARC than with the government of our ally, Colombia:

Mr. Jones added that “a fundamental problem is that the FARC does not have, strategically, a spokesman that can communicate directly with persons of influence in my country like Mr. McGovern.” Semana reports that in the documents Mr. Jones “rules himself out as the spokesman but offers himself as a ‘bridge’ of communication between the FARC and the congressman.” Semana says when it spoke with Mr. Jones, he verified the letter and explained that “he made the offer because the guerrillas need interlocutors if they want to achieve peace and that it is a mistake to isolate them.”

There’s already quite a bit of finger-pointing over these documents. McGovern says that his communications with Jones were no more than an effort to secure the release of American hostages held by FARC for years. For better or for worse, McGovern made clear in January his willingness to meet with the terrorist leaders. So if McGovern is a ‘FARC sympathizer,’ at least he’s been pretty above board about it. Further, an activist identified as the Democrats’ ‘lead political analyst’ on Colombia says this is all bogus. What the Wall Street Journal fails to mention is some of the other sensational material found in Reyes’ laptop, and printed in Semana. One especially sensational item (my translation):

The Democrats of the USA, in Colombia, who were formerly in Venezuela, say they have a clear posture toward political negotiation with the FARC. [Gabriel] García Márquez is in charge of this mediation with the FARC on behalf of the U.S., and they want Panama to be the country through which they speak to the FARC. For that, García Márquez has already transferred that request to [Panamanian President Martin] Torrijos, and he accepted. Clinton told García Márquez in Cartagena, “I want a personal role. I want to help Colombia. There has to be an agreement with the FARC must be sought.” Senator McGovern [sic] told García Márquez that Bush wants to make Colombia what West Germany was against socialist Europe, and we have to stop him.

Clinton was in Cartagena with Marquez in 2007; it’s not hard to imagine him offering some statement of support along the lines of what’s included in Reyes’ laptop. But has the government of Panama really been approached — and agreed to help — in negotiating between the U.S. government (or, is it just with the Democrats?) and the FARC? Given the cryptic mention of gringos backing Obama already noted on the laptop, this is an area that could use further investigation. Is this all in the imagination of terrorist stuck deep in the jungle, or is there substance here? HT: Instapundit

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