Honduras and the battle for the Americas

[Downwinder]

http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/812/41801

[EFerrari]

1. This article reminds me of something that I've wondered about a long time.

Socialism and communism both have elements that simply fit in culturally better with most native cultures -- and cultural borrowings into mextizo culture -- than capitalism. I've never heard or read anyone who knows more than I do discuss that

Funes isn't the first socialist elected in El Salvador. The elections (something like our midterms) that preceded the Matanza of 1932 were overwhelmingly won by socialists and communists. The first sweep of that kind in our hemisphere. None of those people were seated and things went horribly wrong from there.

But this discussion about imperialist hegemony or even the simpler one about capitalism isn't a new one and it didn't begin with this new blue wave in Latin America. It may be the oldest topic of public discussion in the region. :shrug:

[Peace Patriot]

2. Some interesting news items in this article...

"US Southern Command chief General Douglas Fraser has admitted that the US-run Palmerola military base in Honduras was used during the coup against Zelaya."

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"Most regional countries are raising varying levels of concern about the Honduran coup and the plan to increase the number of US bases in the region, but most are unwilling to directly confront the US.

"Rather, they hope a “new relationship” can be built with the administration of President Barack Obama, seeing hope in Obama’s mantra of 'change'.

"Taking advantage of this situation, USSouthcom co-organised an August 4-5 conference on 'South American security' with the Colombian military in Colombia.

"Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay — which have all expressed concern regarding the bases — took part, but no ALBA country was invited.

"These same countries also took in the September 12 USSouthcom led-exercise, PANAMAX 2009, organised under the pretext of ensuring the security of the Panama Canal.

"They were accompanied this time by two ALBA member nations — Ecuador and Nicaragua."

http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/812/41801

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I don't think this US/Pentagon "divide and conquer" strategy has worked, or will work--but it's interesting to read of its concrete expression re the above-described Pentagon maneuverings. None of the leaders of the countries mentioned has any illusions about the Pentagon or about the thrust of US policy in Latin America (domination, one way or another). They have faced and defeated the "divide and conquer" ploy time and again over recent years. It is also notable that US tool Colombia has played an obstructionist role on Brazil's proposal for a South American-only "common defense" in the context of the South American-only "common market," UNASUR (formalized last year). The overwhelming majority of South America's leaders are now leftists, and they are both unified on fundamental goals--prime among them, regional independence--and capable of being cagey. Their cooperation with the US military is quite possibly an aspect of the latter--caginess. Their militaries thus gain valuable experience of US military strategy and technology, and also valuable experience coordinating with each other, that could greatly assist them in forming a South American-only "common defense." They are also better able to keep tabs on what the Pentagon is up to, by joint maneuvers and cooperation (and also on what Colombia is up to--a dangerous US ally). The leaders of the excluded countries--Venezuela, Bolivia--are closely allied with the above participants, notably Brazil, on virtually every fundamental issue, and are allied on some important matters with Chile. (Chile, for instance, played a big role in fending off the Bushwhack-instigated coup attempt in Bolivia in Sept 2008.)

[Judi Lynn]

3. Thanks for the info. Some important meetings coming up later this month. n/t