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S E C R E T BOGOTA 010933 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PMARR PTER CO
SUBJECT: PLAN PATRIOTA - THE SEQUEL 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor John S. Creamer 
Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (S)  Building on the progress of Plan Patriota, Colombia's 
Ministry of Defense is in the process of planning its 2006-10 
campaign.  The outlines which follow are still tentative. 
Operationally the new Plan is more a natural evolution of 
Plan Patriota than a change of course.  The COLMIL's main 
effort would remain in the 'Omega' area, supplemented by a 
joint offensive force deployed in Tolima/Huila and Narino. 
Greater force would be applied on the Pacific coast, key 
borders, coca zones, and specific FARC centers of gravity. 
The plan's broad goal is consolidation of territorial control 
via integration of COLMIL force with GOC presence and 
programs.  End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------- 
New War Plan - Still Only a Draft 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C)  On November 14, ending a first 100 days in office, 
Defense Minister Santos outlined his "new war plan against 
terrorism" to Colombia's military high command.  Saying Plan 
Patriota had mostly run its course, he unveiled a new 
four-year campaign for President Uribe's second term.  The 
Minister's main theme was of nationwide territorial control 
via coordinated COLMIL and GOC action, integrating military 
and police efforts with governance and provision of social 
services.  "We will arrive with a definitive presence in 
those zones where until now we have had only a temporary 
presence.  We will combine the use of legitimate force with 
social policies," he said. 
 
¶3. (U)  Santos also emphasized the more strategic deployment 
of professional soldiers to zones of most intense conflict, 
relying on conscripts to hold relatively calmer territory. 
To improve operational efficiency, he further announced the 
assignment of one colonel to each COLAR division to assess 
management of tactical units. 
 
--------------------- 
Priority Effort Areas 
--------------------- 
 
¶4. (S)  The COLMIL's joint chief of operations (J3) Captain 
Juan Antonio Rairan spoke with us about the new Plan, 
emphasizing it was still a draft not yet reviewed by the 
joint staff; he requested that we keep the information close 
hold.  Showing a map of future priority zones, CPN Rairan 
said Patriota's Omega area remains the COLMIL's main effort, 
led by the existing joint task force.  Continuity there is 
vital, but Rairan said the Plan would also plan for 
replacement of combat elements with fixed territorial 
brigades as areas stabilized.  The offensive units would then 
be redeployed to more intense conflict zones or to operations 
against high value targets (HVTs).  Despite press reports of 
MoD intent to dismantle joint commands (e.g. CCON-1) in favor 
of joint task forces (e.g. JTF-O), Rairan said that has not 
yet been decided. 
 
¶5. (S)  As a secondary effort, the draft calls for creation 
of a "Joint Decisive Action Force" (FCAD) of three Army 
mobile brigades plus Air Force and Marine elements directly 
under the Armed Forces Commander.  The three brigades are now 
in training.  The FAD is projected to have two areas of 
responsibility (AORs): Tolima / Huila, (narcotrafficking 
nexus and FARC leadership hideout); and Narino, key 
trafficking corridor bordering the Pacific and Ecuador. 
These AORs would be sequential, not simultaneous, but 
planners have not decided which would come first.  The FAD's 
timeline is as follows: planning (to 12/06), training (to 
8/07), action in first AOR (to 8/08), action in second AOR 
(to 8/09), and consolidation (to 8/10). 
 
--------------- 
Secondary zones 
--------------- 
 
¶6. (S)  The Plan's (tentative) map also shows these priority 
areas: 
 
(a) COLAR divisional efforts -- in FARC hot zones: 
     - Antioquia 
     - Southern Huila 
     - Putumayo 
     - Montes de Maria 
     - Catatumbo (N. Santander) 
 
(b) COLNAV interdiction bands -- now along the Pacific as 
well as Caribbean coast 
 
(c) "Special" efforts -- against FARC centers of gravity: 
     - Vichada and Guania: coca production and export 
corridors 
     - Guajira: against the FARC's 19th front 
     - Canon de la Llorono (Antioquia): coca cultivation 
 
(d) Sealing of borders -- by dedicated border brigades: 
     - Narino / Ecuador 
     - Amazonas / Brazil 
     - Guania / Venezuela 
     - Arauca / Venezuela 
     - Guajira, Cesar, N. Santander / Venezuela 
     - Choco / Panama 
 
-------------------- 
Strategies and Tools 
-------------------- 
 
¶7. (S)  When asked what specific assets and capabilities 
would differentiate the New War Plan from Plan Patriota, CPN 
Rairan listed the following: 
 
- improved intelligence 
- precision guided munitions (PGMs) 
- greater operational efficiency 
- mobility (especially high-altitude Black Hawks) 
- Police growth in key zones, relieving armed forces 
- Marine expansion in light riverine combat elements 
  (especially along the southern Pacific Coast) 
 
With this list CPN Rairan echoed recent comments by Vice 
Minister of Defense Pinzon: while a key achievement of recent 
years has been substantial growth in COLMIL troop strength, 
"it's now about quality rather than quantity."  Pinzon told 
us that the next phase will leverage so-called 'force 
multipliers' -- equipment and practices that will extract 
greater results from existing personnel. 
 
WOOD