"Indian," here:
Comment 36
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x30994In addition to making this racist comment, protocol rv is a Chevron-Texaco apologist. Protocol rv's opinions should be weighed accordingly. In this case, as with so many rightwingers and corpo-fascists, protocol rv is projecting. Since the U.S. provides the most significant outside support for the rightwing in Latin America--with lavish funding of rightwing groups throughout the region, via the USAID, CIA and other U.S. taxpayer-funded entities, as well as funding several fascist militaries and, by extension, their closely tied death squads in Colombia and Honduras, and possibly elsewhere, with billions of dollars in military aid--protocol rv spouts U.S. propaganda and U.S. goals, for instance, that "all talk of 'independence' will be mostly hot air." This is what Sec of State Clinton would like it to be, not what it is. Latin American talk of independence is anything but "hot air." It has already manifested in the region on numerous issues, and is a huge threat to U.S. corpo-fascist and war profiteer interests.
Some important issues on which Latin American independence has already manifested are: recognition of the Cuban government (most L/A countries); the Venezuelan people's peaceful defeat of the U.S.-backed rightwing military coup attempt in Venezuela in 2002, the U.S.-backed oil bosses' lockout in Venezuela in 2003, and the U.S. funded recall election against Chavez in 2004; the rejection by leaders of the left and the right of U.S. interference in Venezuela; the rejection by Brazil's Lula da Silva and others of the U.S. dictate to South American leaders that they must "isolate" Chavez in the 2004-2007 period; the complete condemnation by the Rio Group (all Latin American countries) of the U.S./Colombia bombing/raid on Ecuador in 2008; the complete rejection by UNASUR (all South American countries--prototype "common market") of the U.S. funded/organized white separatist coup attempt in Bolivia in 2008 (and UNASUR's help to Evo Morales to end that coup attempt); the rejection by many countries of the failed, corrupt, murderous U.S. "war on drugs"; the expulsion of the U.S. military from several countries (notable recently, Ecuador and Paraguay); rejection of World Bank/IMF loan sharks and imposed "neo-liberal" policies by many countries (the World Bank portfolio has plunged to almost zero in the region); Brazil's aid to President Zelaya in Honduras; near universal rejection of U.S. 'election' cosmetics on the rightwing coup in Honduras; Brazil's invitation to the president of Iran to visit Brazil* (concerning which Sec of State Clinton warned Brazil and others about "the consequences" if they defied the U.S. on this issue); and organization of the new unity movement through the Rio Group, partly in response to the secretly negotiated U.S./Colombia military agreement and the U.S.-backed rightwing coup in Honduras and in response to sentiment throughout the region against U.S. dictates and U.S. domination.
And this is just a partial list of issues/events on which Latin American countries have exhibited unprecedented independence in the current era. Sec of State Clinton is a little better at the U.S. "divide and conquer" tactic--or, rather, at trying to disguise it--than the Bushwhacks--but, despite some ravages, such as the death-squad murdered leftists in Honduras, and intimidation-bribery of a few U.S. client states, it is not working.
Protocol rv further says that "Latin American nations are divided, and will likely remain divided." This is the U.S. strategy against Latin American economic/political integration--"divide and conquer"--not the general reality. This strategy has manifested in everything Sec of State Clinton and the Obama administration has done thus far in Latin America. And it appears to have drawn countries together rather than torn them apart. There is vast disappointment in the Obama administration--after Obama promised "peace, respect and cooperation," followed by the U.S./Colombia military agreement and the outrage of Honduras. Latin American leaders have evidently decided that the need to pull together is more important than ever.
Protocol rv mentions specifically "ancient conflicts, such as Bolivia versus Chile." This should alert us to another U.S. "divide and conquer" effort that is likely in the offing. Chile, under outgoing leftist president Michele Batchelet granted Bolivia access to the sea, settling a hundred year old dispute (once a cause of war). The very corrupt, U.S.-dominated "free trade for the rich" government of Alan Garcia in Peru has tried to disrupt this accord. And though Batchelet (who was termed out) has an 80% approval rating in Chile, her successor was just defeated by a rightwing billionaire who may toady to the U.S. on this issue and try to cause trouble for Evo Morales, whom the U.S. was unable to topple in 2008. (Batchelet was also critically important to activating UNASUR to back up Morales, when he threw the U.S. ambassador out of Bolivia, during that white separatist coup attempt.) Why is protocol rv mentioning this (to most people) obscure issue? Interesting, huh?
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*(Protocol rv tries to downplay Brazil's defiance of the U.S. on Iran, harumphing that, 'well, Colombia and Mexico won't do it.' Of course Colombia won't do it--they are now the 'South Vietnam' of Latin America--a U.S. military occupied state that does nothing that is not okayed in Washington. And though I wouldn't write off potential Mexican defiance on this issue--Calderon is, after all, the rightwing president who publicly lectured Bush Jr., to his face, on the sovereignty of Latin American countries, using Venezuela as the example!--it is not that important whether all Latin American countries agree about Iran. What they DO agree on is that Latin American countries have the sovereign right to make their own alliances and other foreign policy decisions, without U.S. dictation. There is great unity and strength of this point--sovereignty. It is THE unifying issue. But I think we can gather, from protocol rv mentioning Iran, that this is another "divide and conquer" wedge that the U.S. has been trying to use, and may continue trying to use, to destroy the unity movement and most especially to destroy the leftist democracy movement that has swept Latin America. The U.S. wouldn't mind the unity of puppets. But our Corporate Rulers hate and will ruthlessly try to destroy the unity of leaders who are committed to social justice and to the sovereignty of their people.)