Colombian troops storm 3-year-old rebel stronghold

AP ^ | 2-22-02 | ANDREW SELSKY

[Oldeconomybuyer]

SAN VICENTE DEL CAGUAN, Colombia (AP) -- Colombian paratroopers and counterinsurgency forces stormed rebel territory under cover of darkness Friday, launching an offensive to reconquer an area twice the size of New Jersey after a 3-year-old peace process failed.

Some 200 soldiers entered an old army base near the main rebel town of San Vicente del Caguan on the western fringe of the rebel territory, raising the Colombian flag and singing the national anthem.

[ZOOKER]

Twice the size of NJ, heavy jungle.
Cooperation of the local population sounds doubtful.
Only 13,000 troops.
And the enemy has Billions in drug money and years to prepare.

This could take a while...