The recent about face in U.S. foreign policy and its decision to reactivate its military presence in Latin America is causing consternation among the socialist ALBA leaders across the region, and according to them "stirring bad memories of U.S. interventionist history."
Colombia's military head, Freddy Padilla, has confirmed the U.S. will open three bases in the country and be granted access to four others, marking the biggest US military build-up on the South American continent in 40 years.
The US army, air force and navy will all potentially have a military presence in the northern South American country by the end of the year. The U.S. has also reconstituted its naval Fourth Fleet, covering South America, for the first time in 59 years.
Many South American leaders (an obvious reference to the socialist ALBA Alliance) will gather in Ecuador on Monday where the bases are expected to dominate discussion.
''Obviously, history has a role here,'' a Venezuelan analyst living in Canada, Vladimir Torres, said. ''Nobody has forgotten the role the US played in South America in the past.''
According to the ALBA socialist version of events, between 1945 and the 1980s, the US supported (supposedly directly or behind the scenes) at least 16 coups d'etat in Latin America that put in place oppressive military dictatorships. Note: these have long since been replaced by the current socialist dictatorships such as the Castro brothers 50 year old dynasty in Cuba, Hugo Chavez's de facto dictatorship in Venezuela, and another 7 countries that have been manipulated by socialists pirates financed by Hugo Chavez and his anti American "Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas."
The new and powerful military presence in Latin America appears to be at odds with U.S. President Barack Obama's initial policy of hands off charm that allowed and actually supported Hugo Chavez and the Castro brothers' meddling and intervening in the internal affairs of South and Central American countries.
Since the announcement of the new U.S. military build-up, the leaders of ALBA Alliance nations have condemned the U.S. move. Although some of the more politically savvy leftists have now backed off from their initial harsh rhetoric, discomfort remains.
The smarter of these opportunistic leftists have obviously realized that this realignment of forces and the changes in the regional balance of power is for real, and if they don't quickly reassess their alliances their own ambitions for perpetuating their personal dictatorships might be put in jeopardy.
''I don't see why we need an American military presence on our continent,'' said Brazilian President Lula da Silva. ''They should concern themselves with things closer to home.'' I can only suppose that Lula da Silva was referring to Canada or Mexico, the U.S.'s closest neighbors.
Reality is, that in today's world nothing or anyone is "far from home" or far removed from our national interests.
The U.S. and Colombia have been at pains to reassure these regional leftist leaders there is no hidden agenda behind the bases deal. The obvious reasons given should be the same as those given by Russian officials and Hugo Chavez when questioned regarding the joint naval maneuvers between Russian and Venezuelan forces: The reason for our presence in the region is simply to strengthen our interdiction efforts against drug smugglers and narco terrorists.
Although none of these conscientious "leaders" complained of Hugo Chavez's blatant meddling in the internal affairs of other countries, nor of his intimidating military build-up with the latest Russian Sukhoi fighter-bombers, tanks, ships and varied weapons.
We don't even hear a single peep from any of these consternating leaders when the Russian navy carries out their exercises with Venezuela forces, or when the ultra modern Russian missile frigate, Peter the Great, visits Venezuelan and Cuban ports.
The U.S. recently sent National Security Adviser James Jones to Brazil to discuss President da Silva's concerns. Brazil's Ignacio Lula da Silva is a inoffensive moderate and his non interventionist foreign policy in no way resembles Chavez or his ALBA Alliance meddling that constitutes the basis for U.S. concerns.
Colombia's President, Alvaro Uribe, the only close US ally in the region, completed a rapid-fire, seven-nation tour that ended in Paraguay yesterday. It's clear that among Latin American nations there has to be at least the appearance of solidarity, and the official Colombian position remains that ''this is strictly about drug interdiction.''
The deal with Colombia comes after Ecuador voted to close the U.S.'s only actual sovereign base in the country by the end of this year. Ecuador with its socialist president Rafael Correa, is another of the ALBA Alliance anti democratic group of nations that have instigated the current crisis they are all up in arms about.
''We still have concerns, but our discussions were constructive,'' Argentine ALBA President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said after meeting Mr. Uribe on Thursday.
Bolivia's ALBA President, Evo Morales, reportedly told the Colombian President he felt ''threatened'' by a US military presence. Note: And "threatened" he should definitely feel, because the U.S. is all done playing Obama games, and these pseudo democratic socialist birds could be plucked very soon.
Evo Morales must have been feeling queasy about his future when he said, ''We do not accept US troops in Bolivia and we do not accept them in Latin America.'' "We?"
The bases decision follows the U.S. decision last year to reconstitute its Fourth Fleet, which covers South America. The fleet had been disbanded in 1950 and the decision appears entirely symbolic, as no ships have been assigned to the new fleet. Comforting, no....
Even the Brits put in the two cents worth by saying, ''It was all about some sort of message being sent to Latin America,'' retired British Royal Navy Vice-admiral William Reynolds said. ''Creating a fleet of ships without any ships can only be about sending a message.''
An Argentine political scientist who has published three books on the U.S. role in Latin America, Juan Batista, said the US moves to reconstitute an obsolete fleet under former president George Bush or the new bases under President Obama make ''no sense to me at all.'' ''Few on that continent see the US as a positive influence,'' he said.
Given the very strained relations between the U.S. and Venezuela, these messages are obviously intended for President Hugo Chavez, an ardent and outspoken foe of the U.S. who often criticizes U.S. policy in harsh terms.
However, the messages are being read in other Central and South American capitals as well.
The Castro brothers are obviously smarter than the boisterous Hugo Chavez, and have intelligently remained in the background only poking and encouraging Venezuela's eight hundred pound gorilla who now wishes he were a King Kong instead of an organ grinders monkey.
As for the once blusterous ALBA socialist leaders, they are clearly frightened by the U.S. changing policy, and now seem more and more like “the mouse that roared.” Manuel Zelaya became their first casualty and he simply road-off into the socialist sunset, while Arturo Valenzuela might as well go back to his old job at Georgetown University, because Obama is flip flopping again, and Valenzuela's leftist credentials certainly won't help him now to become the U.S. representative for hemispheric affairs.
Colombia's military head, Freddy Padilla, has confirmed the U.S. will open three bases in the country and be granted access to four others, marking the biggest US military build-up on the South American continent in 40 years.
The US army, air force and navy will all potentially have a military presence in the northern South American country by the end of the year. The U.S. has also reconstituted its naval Fourth Fleet, covering South America, for the first time in 59 years.
Many South American leaders (an obvious reference to the socialist ALBA Alliance) will gather in Ecuador on Monday where the bases are expected to dominate discussion.
''Obviously, history has a role here,'' a Venezuelan analyst living in Canada, Vladimir Torres, said. ''Nobody has forgotten the role the US played in South America in the past.''
According to the ALBA socialist version of events, between 1945 and the 1980s, the US supported (supposedly directly or behind the scenes) at least 16 coups d'etat in Latin America that put in place oppressive military dictatorships. Note: these have long since been replaced by the current socialist dictatorships such as the Castro brothers 50 year old dynasty in Cuba, Hugo Chavez's de facto dictatorship in Venezuela, and another 7 countries that have been manipulated by socialists pirates financed by Hugo Chavez and his anti American "Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas."
The new and powerful military presence in Latin America appears to be at odds with U.S. President Barack Obama's initial policy of hands off charm that allowed and actually supported Hugo Chavez and the Castro brothers' meddling and intervening in the internal affairs of South and Central American countries.
Since the announcement of the new U.S. military build-up, the leaders of ALBA Alliance nations have condemned the U.S. move. Although some of the more politically savvy leftists have now backed off from their initial harsh rhetoric, discomfort remains.
The smarter of these opportunistic leftists have obviously realized that this realignment of forces and the changes in the regional balance of power is for real, and if they don't quickly reassess their alliances their own ambitions for perpetuating their personal dictatorships might be put in jeopardy.
''I don't see why we need an American military presence on our continent,'' said Brazilian President Lula da Silva. ''They should concern themselves with things closer to home.'' I can only suppose that Lula da Silva was referring to Canada or Mexico, the U.S.'s closest neighbors.
Reality is, that in today's world nothing or anyone is "far from home" or far removed from our national interests.
The U.S. and Colombia have been at pains to reassure these regional leftist leaders there is no hidden agenda behind the bases deal. The obvious reasons given should be the same as those given by Russian officials and Hugo Chavez when questioned regarding the joint naval maneuvers between Russian and Venezuelan forces: The reason for our presence in the region is simply to strengthen our interdiction efforts against drug smugglers and narco terrorists.
Although none of these conscientious "leaders" complained of Hugo Chavez's blatant meddling in the internal affairs of other countries, nor of his intimidating military build-up with the latest Russian Sukhoi fighter-bombers, tanks, ships and varied weapons.
We don't even hear a single peep from any of these consternating leaders when the Russian navy carries out their exercises with Venezuela forces, or when the ultra modern Russian missile frigate, Peter the Great, visits Venezuelan and Cuban ports.
The U.S. recently sent National Security Adviser James Jones to Brazil to discuss President da Silva's concerns. Brazil's Ignacio Lula da Silva is a inoffensive moderate and his non interventionist foreign policy in no way resembles Chavez or his ALBA Alliance meddling that constitutes the basis for U.S. concerns.
Colombia's President, Alvaro Uribe, the only close US ally in the region, completed a rapid-fire, seven-nation tour that ended in Paraguay yesterday. It's clear that among Latin American nations there has to be at least the appearance of solidarity, and the official Colombian position remains that ''this is strictly about drug interdiction.''
The deal with Colombia comes after Ecuador voted to close the U.S.'s only actual sovereign base in the country by the end of this year. Ecuador with its socialist president Rafael Correa, is another of the ALBA Alliance anti democratic group of nations that have instigated the current crisis they are all up in arms about.
''We still have concerns, but our discussions were constructive,'' Argentine ALBA President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said after meeting Mr. Uribe on Thursday.
Bolivia's ALBA President, Evo Morales, reportedly told the Colombian President he felt ''threatened'' by a US military presence. Note: And "threatened" he should definitely feel, because the U.S. is all done playing Obama games, and these pseudo democratic socialist birds could be plucked very soon.
Evo Morales must have been feeling queasy about his future when he said, ''We do not accept US troops in Bolivia and we do not accept them in Latin America.'' "We?"
The bases decision follows the U.S. decision last year to reconstitute its Fourth Fleet, which covers South America. The fleet had been disbanded in 1950 and the decision appears entirely symbolic, as no ships have been assigned to the new fleet. Comforting, no....
Even the Brits put in the two cents worth by saying, ''It was all about some sort of message being sent to Latin America,'' retired British Royal Navy Vice-admiral William Reynolds said. ''Creating a fleet of ships without any ships can only be about sending a message.''
An Argentine political scientist who has published three books on the U.S. role in Latin America, Juan Batista, said the US moves to reconstitute an obsolete fleet under former president George Bush or the new bases under President Obama make ''no sense to me at all.'' ''Few on that continent see the US as a positive influence,'' he said.
Given the very strained relations between the U.S. and Venezuela, these messages are obviously intended for President Hugo Chavez, an ardent and outspoken foe of the U.S. who often criticizes U.S. policy in harsh terms.
However, the messages are being read in other Central and South American capitals as well.
The Castro brothers are obviously smarter than the boisterous Hugo Chavez, and have intelligently remained in the background only poking and encouraging Venezuela's eight hundred pound gorilla who now wishes he were a King Kong instead of an organ grinders monkey.
As for the once blusterous ALBA socialist leaders, they are clearly frightened by the U.S. changing policy, and now seem more and more like “the mouse that roared.” Manuel Zelaya became their first casualty and he simply road-off into the socialist sunset, while Arturo Valenzuela might as well go back to his old job at Georgetown University, because Obama is flip flopping again, and Valenzuela's leftist credentials certainly won't help him now to become the U.S. representative for hemispheric affairs.
This is another reason the US needs to get off of their addiction to oil. From the Arabian peninsula, to Kenya, to South America the individuals who have the petro dollars are usually not ones you would bring home to meet your parents. How the political paradigm would change if the US could have a home grown fuel source whether it is coal, ethanol, nuclear, or a combination of these. The US has had many a strange bedfellows in the past and it usually has had to do with our need for oil. Chavez, if he knows history, should be shaking in his fascist little boots. If he's not careful he'll end up with a 5.56mm in his thinking spot and his countries oil reserves controlled by Exxon Mobil.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with your analysis and with your conclusions. If we follow the money trail, we'll certainly end-up at the corner Exxon Mobil. We haven’t surpassed our hunger and 'need' for oil simply because there is still plenty of profit to be made from it. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete