Quote from: The PredBen on May 02, 2011, 11:48:46 AM
Massachusetts.
That explains it. People there are usually more astute on these issues. The home of Noam Chomsky, who is "arguably the most important intellectual alive" (the New York Times).
A List of Governments (mostly democracies) overthrown by the United States
A List of Governments Overthrown by the USUS Document: "COUNTERING CHAVEZ AND REASSERTING U.S. LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION"
The Empire is apparently preparing to use it's traditional measures to rid itself of the 22th "cancer" in our hemisphere before the "infection" spreads to even more of it's "Third World domains".
Wikileaks has obtained secret documents, authored by current Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Craig Kelly, and sent by the US Embassy in Santiago to the Secretary of State, CIA and Southern Command of the Pentagon, along with a series of other US embassies in the region. Kelly was the so called leading "mediator" during Washington's military coup in Honduras against President Zelaya in 2009.
The document states the following:
QuoteA SOUTHERN CONE PERSPECTIVE ON COUNTERING CHAVEZ AND REASSERTING U.S. LEADERSHIP
REF: ASUNCION 396 Classified By: AMBASSADOR CRAIG KELLY; Reasons 1.4(b), (d)
------- Summary -------
This, part two in a series of joint cables from Southern Cone embassies, looks at ways the U.S. can counter Chavez and reassert U.S. leadership in the region.
From posts' perspectives, there are six main areas of action for the USG as it seeks to limit Chavez's influence: --Know the enemy: We have to better understand how Chavez thinks and what he intends; --Directly engage: We must reassert our presence in the region ; --Enhance military relationships: We should continue to strengthen ties to those military leaders in the region who share our concern over Chavez;
--Play to our strength: We must emphasize that democracy, and a free trade approach that includes corporate social responsibility, provides lasting solutions; --Get the message out: Public diplomacy is key; this is a battle of ideas and visions. Septel provides detailed suggestions. 2. (C) We should neither underestimate Chavez nor lose sight of his vulnerabilities.
-------------- Know Thy Enemy --------------
To effectively counter the threat he represents, we need to know better his objectives and how he intends to pursue them. This requires better intelligence in all of our countries.
------------------------------ Change the Political Landscape ------------------------------
Chile offers another excellent alternative to Chavez. FM Foxley seeks to integrate Chile more fully into the global economy.
Chile has not only stated but demonstrated -- e.g. Bachelet"s letter to House leader Nancy Pelosi expressing Chilean support for congressional ratification of FTAs with Peru, Colombia, and Panama -- its willingness to help bring along other Latin American countries into the global economy.
We should look to find other ways to give Chile the lead on important initiatives, but without making them look like they are our puppets or surrogates.
( C) With regard to Mercosur, we should not be timid in stating that Venezuela"s membership will torpedo U.S. interest in even considering direct negotiations with the trading bloc,
----------------------------- Play to our Mil-Mil Advantage -----------------------------
¶10. (C) Southern Cone militaries remain key institutions in their respective countries and important allies for the U.S. These militaries are generally organized and technically competent. Their desire to maintain interoperability, access to U.S. technology and training are something we can turn to our advantage. As they seek to modernize, professionalize, and transform, they seek closer relations with the US to assist in those processes.
Over the past several years we have seen a steady decrease in funds for critical programs such as International Military Education and Training (IMET) and traditional Commander Activities (TCA) and the elimination of other important programs such as Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and Excess Defense Articles (EDA) due to sanctions under ASPA.
To effectively maintain our mil-to-mil relations and guide pol-mil events in the region in support of our interests, we must reverse the slide. Now is precisely the time we need to be increasing our pol-mil engagement and programs vice decreasing and limiting them. We also need to revisit some long-held and frankly rigid positions on SOFA agreements and insistence on certain privileges and immunities with a view to gaining flexibility to negotiate new defense cooperation agreements with regional militaries.
-------------------------- Stress Our Winning Formula --------------------------
¶12. (C) Chavez has made significant inroads, particularly with local populations, by providing programs for the underprivileged and by casting the U.S. as elitist and only interested in promoting free trade to the benefit of big business. The slogans are facile: Neoliberalism makes the rich richer and the poor poorer; the Bolivarian Revolution guarantees our region's sovereignty and dignity. But they ring true with some local populations and make others feel better about their own lack of progress.
¶13. (C) Transforming our image does not mean we walk away from our commitment to free trade and the promise it delivers to impoverished populations. However, it does mean we should do a better job of promoting free trade by pointing to local and global success stories, making it easier to forge FTAs, and by expanding access to U.S. markets, and by promoting investment. Concluding the Doha Round is critical to revitalizing more local trade negotiations and bolstering our own credibility.
------- COMMENT -------
Add to that the bluster of his anti-imperial, anti-U.S. rhetoric, and a certain squirrelly charisma, both of which continue to find a sympathetic audience in much of Latin America, and he presents a formidable foe. But he certainly can be taken.
QuoteWikileaks: Documents Confirm US Plans Against Venezuela
By Eva Golinger. The Chávez Code
The Chávez Code
Friday, Dec 17, 2010
State Department documents published by Wikileaks evidence Washington's plans to "contain" Venezuela's influence in the region and increase efforts to provoke regime change
US Backed Kopassus Target CivilliansKopassus-US ties - secret documentsKopassus-US ties - secret documentsLeaked Kopassus documents reveal that one of Washington's favorite death squads, the Kopassus have been targeting churches and killing tens of thousands of civillians in West Papua Indonesia. The Obama administration
resumed military aid to the Kopassus in July 2010. Aid to the Koppassus had been banned by Congress after their US-backed large scale massacres in East Timor in the 1990's.
Leaked Kopassus DocumentLeaked Kopassus DocumentQuoteAs Obama Lands in Indonesia
US-Backed Death Squad Files Surface
By ALLAN NAIRN
Jakarta
Secret documents have leaked from inside Kopassus, Indonesia's red berets, which say that Indonesia's US-backed security forces engage in "murder [and] abduction" and show that Kopassus targets churches in West Papua and defines civilian dissidents as the "enemy."
