Keeping Promises Among Partners

In any partnership, the coin of the realm is trust and responsibility--in other words, saying what you mean and doing what you say. In the dramatic rescue July 2 of 15 hostages, including three Americans, held captive for many years by guerrillas and terrorists, deep in the Colombian jungles, we saw a powerful reminder that the U.S. has no better partner in South America than the government and people of Colombia. Colombia's leaders, especially President Alvaro Uribe, had promised us that our three abducted citizens would be treated no differently than the many Colombian men and women who shared their fate. Colombia never wavered in this promise, and never cut any side deals with the guerrillas that could have freed their citizens at the expense of ours. This was not an easy act of solidarity, but Colombia remained true to... [read full story]