Arms trafficking and Colombia /
Kim Cragin, Bruce Hoffman.
- xxvi, 81 pages : maps ; 23 cm
"National Defense Research Institute."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-81).
Introduction -- Violence in Colombia -- Patterns of Small-Arms Trafficking into Colombia -- Patterns of Small-Arms Trafficking Inside Colombia -- The Wider Context -- Policy Implications -- Appendix: Research Methodology.
Colombia has experienced significant political instability and violence over the past century due to a number of factors--the drug trade, a protracted insurgent conflict, internal corruption, and small-arms proliferation, the last being among the most serious of the country's problems. The authors identify the sources and routes used by arms traffickers to acquire, buy, sell, receive, transfer, and ship weapons. They also examine the various guerrilla groups, paramilitary organizations, criminal factions, and ordinary citizens who purchase and use these munitions. The authors then examine Colombiaâ‚‚s political conflict through the lens of small-arms trafficking and conclude with policy implications for the U.S. government. The authors find that small-arms trafficking patterns--the manner by which arms and munitions are acquired and distributed--provide useful insights into the strategies used by insurgent groups engaged in conflict and a conflict's future evolution.