Colombia: April 13, 2005

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The war against the various rebel and drug gangs is being won, and without a lot of casualties. The army is losing about two dozen dead per month, although many of those get a lot of publicity because they are the result of spectacular ambushes. But day by day, troops and police conduct raids that shut down rebel camps, and capture rebel members and equipment, and cause even more rebels to scatter, and eventually leave the life of a lawless gunman. In the last year, about a third of the 30,000 rebel troops have surrendered or quit. But the drug gangs still operate, the cocaine is still made and shipped. But most Colombians are fed up with the drug gangs and rebels, and are supporting the fight against the lawlessness.