[Peace-discuss] Fw: [laborsmilitantvoice] Fwd: The Long Bloodied Arm of U.S. Imperialism Points toward Venezuela.

Sun Nov 22 13:32:05 CST 2009

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Richard Mellor 
To: lmv 
Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2009 9:56 AM
Subject: [laborsmilitantvoice] Fwd: The Long Bloodied Arm of U.S. Imperialism Points toward Venezuela.

  Subject: FW: The Long Bloodied Arm of U.S. Imperialism Points toward Venezuela.

  "The United States of America appears destined by providence to plague the Americas with misery in the name of liberty."  - Simon Bolivar, the liberator of five countries from Spanish imperial rule.

  Hi all,

  The following report from Columbia illustrates the power of the U.S. military to dictate imperialism's next target. Everyday, it's becoming clearer to many observers that president Barack Obama is too afraid to challenge the omnipotent US "military-industrial complex" with respect to its policies in Latin America, and beyond. (See today's www.democracynow.org  for an extensive interview with a former Catholic priest who understands US imperialism and its intentions in the Americas).

  At the recent summit meeting, in Trinidad and Tobago, of leaders of the Organization of the American States (O.A.S.), Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, reportedly asked Obama if he were, in fact, a prisoner in the presidency, just like other historical puppet governments in Latin America were. I do not imagine that the placid and intimidated Obama would have the nerve to respond to such a pointed question. In truth, we don't really know how Obama responded, or even if he understood the implications of the question. But, he will be judged by his actions or inactions, globally.

  It would, in my opinion, be a grave mistake for the US military, in collusion with its Columbian proxy army, to wage war against Venezuela. They are a peaceful people, but they are well armed and are determined to resist all occupations of their homeland, just as their Founding Father, Simon Bolivar did.

  In solidarity,

  Thomas. 

  ----- Forwarded Message ----
  From: bravo pérez <bravoperez1929 at gmail.com>
  To: bravo pérez <bravoperez1929 at gmail.com>
  Sent: Thu, November 19, 2009 8:50:41 PM
  Subject: [vivabolivar] Imperial USA & Colombia prepare to attack Venezuela.

  A very good synopsis written by a friend on the situation in Latin America as it relates to Colombia, United States, Ecuador & Venezuela!

Imperial USA & Colombia prepare to attack Venezuela.

        As many people should by now be aware there is growing alarm in South America and especially in Venezuela as to the real reason for the recent agreement between Colombia and the USA for the installation of 7 US military bases in Colombia thus expanding the US military presence in a country that has long suffered from the results of US military and political intervention..
        Meanwhile around the world the press and news continue to give the masses the impression that Venezuela is under the sway of a communist dictator.
        It doesn't take a degree in rocket science to work out the pretext that the US wants to create and with a willing Colombian President (Uribe) and Government up to their eyeballs in scandals and court cases over connections with right wing paramilitary death squads, drug trafficking, bribes and corruption we don't have to stretch our imagination too far to see the likely results of such and unholy alliance.

        The Colombian TV and Press, along with the International media of course, wheel out the usual favourites such as "Chavez has terrorist connections" "Venezuela is a threat to regional stability" and so on and so forth. Meanwhile the preamble to the agreement between USA and Colombia invokes favorites’ such as "the defence of freedom and democracy."
        I think we can see where it all leads and if recent history is anything to go by we can expect more sleight of hand from Uribe and his military men.

        Last year with the help of US logistics Colombia invaded Ecuadorian territory, violating international law, in order to attack a FARC base just over the border. They made an aerial bombardment and after sent troops in. A Mexican Student who had been visiting the FARC camp survived and told how Colombian soldiers shot most of the wounded survivors in the back and raped other women survivors.  They justified the attack by invoking the war against terror and refused to pay heed to complaints from Ecuador about not being informed of the operation. Ecuador has 1000s of Km of border with Colombia and justifiably points out the difficulty of maintaining a constant vigilance of the rainforest border in the case a conflict that is not Ecuador’s spills into Ecuador... yet Colombia used the situation to give weight to claims that Ecuador are in alliance with the FARC.
        Furthermore, we were treated to the spectacle of the "Computer of Raul Reyes" a laptop supposedly belonging to FARC leader Raul Reyes, who was killed in the attack, found in the carnage of the bombardment , and, that after "close examination" by Colombian military, was "found" to have emails between the FARC and just about anybody that has at any time been slightly critical of the Uribe government including of course Chavez. Someone commented at the time that they would like to have a computer like that one as it had survived an aerial bombardment and appeared to have more information than a Google search engine not to mention internet access from the depths of the humid rainforest. 
        Meanwhile the bad guy of the piece, Hugo Chavez was busy organising the release of hostages held by the FARC and helping move the 60 year Colombian conflict toward a dialogue.

        This is just to touch the tip of the iceberg. Having lived in Colombia we know very well the real situation. In Colombia there is no freedom of speech and if you do speak up you risk death. An average of 3000 deaths and disappearances per year since 1948 is a conservative estimate. Every since popular leader Jorge Elicier Gaitan was assassinated by a CIA stooge Colombia has been in the midst of a bloody internal conflict.

        The current President Alvaro Uribe came to power in 2002. In the years prior to that there had been an especially vicious spate of Paramilitary terror. All round the country people were rounded up in village squares and had limbs and heads cut off by chainsaw wielding "Para’s" in a crackdown on supposed Guerrilla sympathisers. No one mentioned that in many cases people were judged as such merely for giving food to guerrilla troops that arrived on their farms. If armed men come to your house looking for food what do you do?
        When the elections came in many areas the people were forced to vote for Uribe at gunpoint.

         In reality we could fill a book with the stories we know of suffice it to say in Colombia one cannot speak lest you run the risk of being labeled by paramilitary spies. People will usually say on the buses in low voices if you get onto such themes of conversation " don't say more you don't know who is listening."
        When Uribe took office it was not long before an amnesty was declared with the main Paramilitary groups, whose ranks mysteriously swelled from 12,000 to 33,000 in a matter of months before Uribe took office, only to be disbanded and put on monthly salaries in exchange for information about their previous activities. A few were taken into custody and have spilt the beans hence the ongoing scandals as to political connections yet Uribe has ridden out all, seemingly untouchable and has even used the process to take out political rivals whilst himself remaining squeaky clean. Someone in a high place has been looking after Mr. Uribe very well. His close friendship with a certain US ex-President initials G.W. is well noted.

        So what now? Colombia and the US say that the bases are being installed in the ongoing war against drug trafficking. This coming from the biggest consumer country whose officials have been caught more than once with cocaine in diplomatic luggage and from Uribe of whom Pablo Escobar once said "If it wasn't for that boy we'd be out of business" when making reference to Uribe's work in granting pilot and plane licenses as head of civil aviation in Colombia. 
        Such justifications for the need to install a military apparatus that would give the US air coverage for the whole of South America raise great suspicion amongst the socialist thinking governments around the continent especially when we consider that Chavez and Venezuela have been labeled as Narco Traffickers... Up to now the US has invested billions of dollars in the war against drugs in Colombia without success. When Plan Colombia began in the late 90's there were 144.000 hectares of coca. 8 years later studies showed that there were still 144.000 hectares. What the statistics didn't say however, were that the real change was that now most of the coca production is under paramilitary rather than Guerrilla control. 

        Just as the war in Afghanistan had more to do with gas pipelines and the control of Opium production (a business in which the Bush family made its fortune) so too US intervention in Latin America has long been about control of resources both legal and illegal.
        Of course the fact that Venezuela has possibly the largest oil reserves on the planet and is conducting a social revolution, inspired by Cuba, that has spread to Ecuador, Bolivia and Nicaragua whilst gaining sympathy from Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay amongst others, has nothing to do with the reason for the military bases. Just as the coup in Honduras has nothing to do with the fact that Honduras was entering into close alliance with Venezuela and others in the ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the peoples of Our America) based on the ideas and philosophy of Simon Bolivar, the liberator of 5 countries from Spanish rule who once said; "The United States appear destined by providence to plague the Americas with misery in the name of liberty."

        Hugo Chavez meanwhile has remained firm and has rallied his people to the cause, warning of an imminent possible attack from Colombia, a stance for which he has been labeled a warmonger by Colombia who lodged a complaint to the UN.
        Nothing is mentioned of course about US involvement in the attempted coup against Chavez in 2002, an attempt that failed as the Venezuelan people took to the streets and demanded the reinstallation of their President who has won with huge majorities in numerous elections and referendums since taking power in 1998. Neither would the mainstream media mention that 150 Colombian Paramilitaries were caught on a farm just outside Caracas with plans to assassinate Chavez and nor would it be deemed appropriate by newsdesk editors the world over to say that the 2002 coup leader maintains a cosy University job in Bogota, Colombia.

        As one commentator said recently “It would be a stupid person he that maintained a contemplative silence rather than an attitude of defence after constant provocations in many forms, for to do so would be to invite a violation of the sovereignty of his people and his nation.”

        On this occasion the Imperial giant and its henchmen may be in for an unpleasant surprise should they carry out their plans, for the winds of change are blowing strong in South America and Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution have a moral and historical force that is to be reckoned with.

        Spread the word and defend the Bolivarian Revolution.

        Inti
        --  

  one love,
  bravo pérez 

  Comun-er at s es un grupo de comunes, en su mayoría colombianos, que lucha por mejorar la situación social en Colombia. 
  http://comun-eros.blogspot.com

  "El velo se ha rasgado, ya hemos visto la luz, y se nos quiere volver a las tinieblas. Se han roto las cadenas, ya hemos sido libres y nuestros enemigos pretenden esclavizarnos." 
  -Simón Bolivar
  http://www.simon-bolivar.org

  Camilo Torres nació en Bogotá el 3 de febrero de 1929.
  "Esperamos que los estudiantes respondan a la llamada que les hace su Patria en este momento trascendental de su historia y que para eso dispongan su ánimo para oírla y seguirla con una generosidad sin límites."
  http://www.camilovive.org

  We need your help to stop a gruesome cycle of murders, kidnappings and torture of SINALTRAINAL union leaders and organizers involved in daily life-and-death struggles at Coca-Cola bottling plants in Colombia.
  http://killercoke.org

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