The Colombia Drug War -- America's Longest War

Accompanied by a hooded informant, members of a Colombian Police anti-narcotics unit land at a coca field in the rural area of Cumbitara, in southern Colombia, Sept. 25, 2004. The informant, a former worker in cocaine labs in the area, marked the sites that were blown by the unit. (Ricardo Mazalan - AP)

America's Forgotten War -- Washington Post

On June 17, America's longest-running war reached another milestone -- 37 years and counting, with no end in sight. Hardly anyone noticed. Neither of the leading presidential candidates mentioned the struggle that has cost hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars and countless American lives. A Senate hearing was held to mark the anniversary, but hardly anyone came.

A few weeks later, there was a major breakthrough in the war when three hostages -- the longest-held U.S. captives in the world at more than five years -- were freed in a dramatic military rescue. But few Americans had ever even heard of Marc Gonsalves, Keith Stansell or Thomas Howes or knew that when they were captured by guerrillas in Colombia, they had been fighting on the front lines of the U.S. war on drugs.

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