Washington's 'backyard' obsession

[Judi Lynn]

Washington's 'backyard' obsession
Friday 04 March 2011
by John Haylett

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attempted to drive a wedge between Latin American states this week, suggesting that left-led Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela were failing to make economic and democratic progress.

She had special praise for Brazil, Chile and Colombia in testimony to the Senate appropriations committee as she discussed her proposed 2012 budget.

Brazil "is booming," she claimed.

"It is a real success story. They have the highest tax-to-GDP ratio in the hemisphere and they use that money to invest in social inclusion, improve their education and health systems."

Clinton's praise for Colombia is unsurprising, since Bogota remains the second-highest recipient of military aid from Washington after Israel.

More:
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/101846

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. "...attempted to drive a wedge ..."

Look, I'm no Clinton fan but that's opinion.

:shrug:

[Judi Lynn]

2. That has been the S.O.P. for ages, the source of deep resentment in Latin America.

They mostly resist, and resent being manipulated, and seeing U.S. American efforts to pit them against each other.

_{George W. Bush's} widely protested-in-the-streets trip to Latin America near the end of his occupation of the White House was one great attempt to isolate Venezuela's elected President from the other Latin American Presidents. He was told by Argentina's President Kirchner, "but he's my brother." He was warned even by Mexico's Calderon about attempting to control Latin American relations among the national leaders. He got absolutely NOWHERE with them, and before he returned, Mayan priests went to great pains to cleanse an ancient Mayan temple grounds with a purification ceremony after he left.

Latin American leaders have been saying since the new President's attitude toward Latin America has started becoming manifested, that there has been NO CHANGE whatsoever since _Bush. A recent article posted at D.U. discussed the fact President Obama has been mainly engaged in the MidEast and domestic affairs and has left, to the total detriment of desperately needed progress AWAY from our old, exploitive, destructive position, Latin American matters to the State Department.