Video -Irish Journalist Karen Coleman visits Colombia's Cocaine Towns at Buenaventura on the Pacific Ocean

Irish journalist Karen Coleman presents the award-winning radio show the Wide Angle on Newstalk106-108 every Sunday morning from 10:00-13:00.
In March 2009, Karen visited Colombia to investigate how the armed conflict and illegal drugs trade were affecting the Colombians. During her trip she visited the seaport town of Buenaventura on Colombia's west coast. Its strategic location on the Pacific Ocean makes it one of the biggest cocaine export ports in the world. Karen also visited slums on the edges of the port. In one of the slums, she met Fr Ariel Ruiz who's trying to stop right-wing paramilitaries from destroying his neighbourhood.

Dr Muravchik in staunch defence of US foreign policy on Newstalk FM

This morning Karen Coleman conducted a fascinating interview -with neoconservative Dr Muravchik-on US foreign policy.

Dr. Muravchik made a strong defence of US foreign policy.
He stated that it led to the defeat of Nazism , Fascism and Soviet Communism. Certainly the arms race which formed the cornerstone of Ronald Reagan's foreign policy helped bankrupt the Soviet economy and probably led to the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe.
He argued that with the weakness of the UN, US strength,generosity and self interest helped to prevent a Third World War. He stated that -depending on your point of view- we were either in the midst of a war on terror or in the initial stages. He stated that after 9/11 the US decided to wage war on terrorists. This fight back is making the war more intense.

He stressed that when -US invaded Iraq -that it was at war with Saddam Hussein but not with the Iraqi people. He agreed that the war in Iraq had not gone well but predicted that- if there were not a premature withdrawal of US troops -the world would be a safer place.