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Latin America has a fairly good history of responding well over the long term to multi-disciplinary stabilization operations. In the Tri-border, Brazil is the key. In the north, Colombia is the foothold (I can't believe I just wrote that). Unfortunately I think we have ignored much of the area since the Reagan admin, not entirely without cause. I think its time to spend a little effort and resources before it becomes a big problem again.
Keep helping Colombia, do everything possible to help Venezuela get rid of Chavez - without playing any silly games. Do everything reasonably possible to befriend Brazil. Watch the area like a hawk. Continue to provide aid and assistance to the armed forces and police of the borderline states.
Get better at tracking funds and people moving into and out of conflict areas from LATAM. Most of these countries work with archaic immigration systems (of course ours isn't much better).
Arms trafficking needs to carry the same penalties as drug trafficking.
Cancel the embargo on Cuba and let Castro fade away under the McDonald's lights. There is still a lot of resentment over that on the Latin left.
And understand that there are going to be socialist governments in some of the places and there's nothing to be done about it.
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Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.
Still want to quit?
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