OAS Permanent Council Approved Declaration on the Situation in Venezuela.

This joint statement was the product of seven hours of consultation behind closed doors. It was released on the second day of the session after being approved. There were 29 votes in favour with three against and two abstentions. Canada, Panama and the United States of America voted against and the Bahamas and Grenada abstained.  Panama was the member that had requested in February that the Organization of American States "consider the situation" in Venezuela. The Permanent Council met on February 27 to decide whether to convene a meeting to consider Panama's request. This meeting was scheduled for March 7. On March 5, Venezuela announced that it had broken diplomatic ties with Panama because of its interference in their internal affairs. President Maduro called Panama a lackey of the USA. Panama protested its innocence and insisted that it only "longs for its brother country to find peace and strengthen its democracy." and then promptly began to shakedown its "brother country" to repay a debt. Panama professes to want democracy but decided not to wholeheartedly like, recommend, share, follow or vote for the OAS'  joint statement in support of Venezuela's democracy.

OAS Permanent Council Approved Declaration on the Situation in Venezuela.

March 7, 2014

"The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today approved the following declaration at its special meeting convened to discuss the request of Panama to consider the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela:

SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS, DIALOGUE, AND PEACE IN THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA 1/ 2/

(Adopted at the meeting held on March 7, 2014)

In relation to the recent events in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Permanent Council hereby declares:

Its condolences to and solidarity with the victims and their family members, the people, and the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and its hope that the investigations can be brought to a swift and just conclusion.

Its respect for the principle of nonintervention in the domestic affairs of states and its commitment to the protection of democratic institutions and the rule of law, in accordance with the OAS Charter and international law.

Its emphatic rejection of all forms of violence and intolerance, while calling on all sectors for peace, calm, and respect for human rights and fundamental liberties, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, freedom of movement, health, and education.

Its appreciation, full support, and encouragement for the initiatives and the efforts of the democratically-elected Government of Venezuela and all political, economic, and social sectors to continue to move forward with the process of national dialogue towards political and social reconciliation, in the framework of full respect by all democratic actors for the constitutional guarantees of all.

Its interest to remain seized of the situation and dialogue under way in Venezuela.

FOOTNOTES

1. The Republic of Panama enters its reservations to this Declaration.

i. It does not agree with the inclusion of the word “solidarity” in the title of the Declaration, because the point is to lend support to dialogue, peace, and democracy.

ii. Moreover, it considers that support and encouragement of the initiatives and efforts of the democratically elected Government of Venezuela can be construed as partiality toward the Government, vis-à-vis the other social actors. The reference to their continuing to move forward in the national dialogue process could be construed in the sense that we only support the current dialogue.

iii. With reference to the last paragraph, the Republic of Panama considers that the OAS must take a more dynamic approach and keep track of the situation and the dialogue in Venezuela and not just declare its interest in staying abreast of the national dialogue already under way.

2. The United States supports the call for peaceful resolution of the situation in Venezuela based on an authentically inclusive dialogue. However, the United States cannot support this declaration because … it does not adequately reflect this Organization's commitment to promoting democracy and human rights in the hemisphere. Furthermore, the declaration places the OAS in a position of taking sides, something it cannot do.

Specifically, paragraph 2 suggests, incorrectly, that an alleged need to maintain order and respect the principle of non-interference takes priority over the commitments of all OAS member states to promote and protect human rights and democracy. The declaration contradicts Article two of the OAS Charter and the principles enshrined in the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

While paragraph 4 mentions dialogue, it lacks a key element to resolve Venezuela’s problems. To succeed, it must be a genuine dialogue encompassing all parties. The declaration only offers one-sided support to a government-sponsored dialogue which has been rejected by important sectors of the opposition.

The United States believes genuine dialogue will require the participation of a third party all sides can trust. It will also require an end to attempts to suppress free speech and a release of political prisoners. Unfortunately, the declaration does not sufficiently advance these goals. The OAS cannot sanction a dialogue in which much of the opposition has no voice and no faith. Only Venezuelans can find the solutions to Venezuela’s problems, but the situation in Venezuela today makes it imperative that a trusted third party facilitate the conversation as Venezuelans search for those solutions.

Finally and most importantly, the United States cannot agree to the declaration's call for "full OAS support" to a dialogue process orchestrated by only one actor. The OAS has a responsibility to remain neutral; it cannot take sides.

Dr. Neil Parsan, Ambassador of T&T on Country's Success. [Video]

Published on Jul 14, 2013
Uploaded by FocusWashington

"A strong energy sector and visionary leadership have made Trinidad and Tobago one of the most politically stable and economically successful countries in the Western Hemisphere, Trinidad and Tobago's ambassador to the United States said in an interview on Focus Washington."

..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

¡Viva La Evolución!

United we stand, divided we fall. Growing up, the elders would diffuse our youthful impatience with a calming, "Nothing before its time." Tonight I am celebrating the time that has arrived, and the hope that we continue to embrace our region and every nation within it. I anticipate that on many levels horizons will continue to expand for us all.

I want to share some excerpts about the Helms-Burton Act or The Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996 from the article that I've been reading, "Who's Isolating Whom?: Title III of the Helms-Burton Act and Compliance with International Law." Contributors: Antroy A. Arreola - author. Journal Title: Houston Journal of International Law. Volume: 20. Issue: 2. Publication Year: 1998. Page Number: 353-379.

"The Helms–Burton Act was condemned by the Council of Europe, the European Union, Britain, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and other U.S. allies that enjoy normal trade relations with Cuba. The governments argued that the law ran counter to the spirit of international law and sovereignty."

"Some regions and countries have found ways around it. The EU, for example, "introduced a Council Regulation (No 2271/96)[7] (law binding all member states) declaring the extraterritorial provisions of the Helms–Burton Act to be unenforceable within the EU, and permitting recovery of any damages imposed under it. The EU law also applied sanctions against US companies and their executives for making Title III complaints."

"The United Kingdom had previously introduced provisions by statutory instrument extending its Protection of Trading Interests Act 1980 (originally passed in the wake of extraterritorial claims by the U.S. in the 1970s) to United States rules on trade with Cuba. United Kingdom law was later extended to counter-act the Helms–Burton Act as well. This included criminal sanctions for complying with certain provisions of the Helms–Burton Act whilst in the UK.

"The Canadian Parliament offered amendments to Canada's Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) that could effectively counteract Helms-Burton. The amendments, called Bill C-54, have three purposes. First, Bill C-54 gives the Canadian Attorney-General the power to identify foreign laws that infringe upon Canadian sovereignty and grants the power to deny nationals and governments of the targeted countries access to Canadian records that may be used in litigation or criminal prosecution. Second, Bill C-54 blocks the enforcement of judgments rendered by courts of targeted countries and allows Canadians to recover court costs. Finally, the amendments provide stiff fines, some as high as US$1.5 million, for Canadian companies that comply with the boycott laws of targeted countries.

"Canadian investment in Cuba continues to grow. Canada is Cuba's largest trading partner with commerce totaling about US$500 million. While Canadian private industry prospers by investing in Cuban pharmaceuticals, nickel mines, and tourism, the Canadian Government refuses to be left out, agreeing to finance the construction of a new terminal at Havana International Airport.

"In a vote of 317 to 1, Mexico's Chamber of Deputies adopted an "Antidote Law" to counter Helms-Burton. The "Law for the Protection of Business and Investment from Foreign Regulatory Provisions that Contradict International Law" applies to all people or legal entities that (1) are located in Mexico, (2) take actions which have effect in Mexico, and (3) submit to Mexican Law. The law prohibits two types of activities. First, it forbids "acts that affect trade or investment, when those acts are a consequence of the extraterritorial effects of foreign laws." Second, the Antidote Law prohibits individuals and companies from providing information to foreign governments or foreign courts if the information relates to proceedings under the extraterritorial foreign law. Violators of the Antidote Law incur fines of approximately US$290,000 for actions in compliance with the invalid foreign law and fines of approximately US$145,000 for providing information to foreign courts. The Antidote Law empowers as well as penalizes, having both a "blocking effect" and a "mirror effect." Article 4 states that "National courts shall refuse the acknowledgment and enforcement of judgments, judicial requirements or arbitral awards issued on the basis of the foreign laws." Article 5 contains the mirror effect. The Article awards damages in Mexican courts to those who have been affected by the foreign laws. The statute awards the aggrieved individual a sum equal to the foreign judgment (hence the term "mirror effect") as well as other damages, economic losses, and court costs. While the damages awarded under the Antidote Law are considerable, it is unclear whether this Mexican law will ever be implemented."

"The Latin American Economic System (SELA) issued a report disputing the legality of Helms-Burton under international law. The 159 page report declares that the legislation "not only negatively affects Cuba's interests and its development, but also damages the interests of Latin America and the Caribbean and the international community by interfering in its sovereign decisions and the management of its foreign relations." The report denounces the United States for attempting to create a secondary boycott around Cuba, and questions the validity of the primary boycott."

I've been looking at the comments by online readers and it is not surprising that many of us do not understand this piece of legislation or the full implications of the blockade against Cuba. The less than sophisticated headlines "US BIG STICK FOR RAUL" and "CASTRO CRIES FOR HELP" betray the mainstream's contribution to the attention deficit. The problems faced by countries in our region - whether Cuba or Haiti or our own homeland, and anything more complicated than the "squawk-and-forget-about-it" scandals of which there is apparently a limitless supply, are not allowed the focus which they deserve.

We have continued to do business with Cuba and I hope that this will increase. Some persons seem to be assuming that the US does not also continue to do business with Cuba. Despite the embargo, the US was Cuba's fifth-largest trading partner in 2009, when American agricultural exports to that island totaled $528 million. This was made possible by a law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2000 - the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, which allowed American farmers and pharmaceutical companies to resume sales of agricultural products and medical supplies on a cash-only basis. This trade has fallen off a bit because of Cuba's diminished foreign exchange reserves and also as they have begun to establish relationships with other partners. It has been estimated that total sales of American agricultural products to Havana could easily top $1 billion if financing were to be made available to Cuba.

WikiLeaks Cablegate has provided us with some insight into how our relationship with Cuba is monitored by the US. As a favour to us, Title III of the Libertad Act has been suspended because "it is in the U.S. national interest to suspend Title III of the Libertad Act for Trinidad and Tobago, based on its contribution to U.S. energy security as a reliable supplier of oil and gas and its importance as an economic, political, and security leader in the eastern Caribbean." [See paragraph 7] Title III gives U.S. nationals and corporations the right to sue foreign companies that "traffic" in property expropriated by Cuba from the U.S. entity. I have no idea how having that waiver works to our benefit and I should be grateful if anyone would take the time to explain it to me. Anyway, periodically during each year, the US Embassy in Port of Spain does a Libertad Act, Title III Review for T&T, I assume to provide evidence that we continue to deserve the suspension of Title III. Over the period covered by Cablegate, I have seen basically the same questions being asked with a few slight changes at times. These questions seek information on developments, if any, in our interactions with Cuba.

If you would like to see the Libertad Act, Title III reviews for T&T see here. There is also an interesting report prepared in 2008 which describes the Embassy's appraisal of T&T's relationship with Cuba and that is also recommended reading.

T&T continues to maintain the stance that it is a friend to all and in the spirit of that enlightened openness, we may choose as our motto, this quote by Mahatma Gandhi:

“I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides
and my windows to be stuffed.
I want the cultures of all the lands
to be blown about my house as freely as possible.
But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.”
---Mahatma Gandhi

.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................A "Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

T&T Diaspora - Bridgeport, CT, USA

Trinidad and Tobago Association: Sharing a culture of tolerance and harmony.
Written by Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn
The Bridgeport News.com | Wednesday, 03 August 2011 11:02

[Top left, Michael Gittens, Sharon Brown-Stewart, Michael Capasso, Gita Capasso; and bottom left, Cornelius Medas and Denis Granado, gather at Seaside Park, where they hold the Trinidad and Tobago national flag. (Photo by Ria Ari)]

"Tucked away in the Caribbean, just 15 miles from South America, sits Trinidad and Tobago, small islands whose beaches, culture and annual Carnival attract visitors from around the world.

Until recently, immigrants from these two countries didn’t realize how many of their fellow countrymen lived in Fairfield County, particularly in Bridgeport and Stratford.

“There’s a whole lot of people living here in Bridgeport alone, but no one knows each other,” said Michael Gittens, who hails from the islands.

Gittens said that he and a group of close friends often discussed hosting a party for Trinidadian and Tobagonians, but no one actually did anything about it until last summer.

After spearheading last August’s “Days in the Park” outdoor party at Seaside Park, Gittens said he was surprised to learn that Trinidadians often lived in the same neighborhoods without knowing one another.

The successful beach party drew 200 people and served as the inspiration for founding the Trinidad-Tobego Association, a group that endeavors to share awareness about its tropical homeland with the community.

The second “Days in the Park” event will take place on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 2:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Gita Capasso emigrated from Trinidad to Stratford in 2001. She said her husband, Mike, whom she met in the United States shortly after she moved her, saw a flyer for last year’s party.

The couple, their three grown children and friends had a great time consuming traditional luncheon fare, listening to calypso music and meeting new friends. “It was very relaxing,” Capasso said.

This year, Capasso said the association invite the entire community to attend.

“You do not have to be from Trinidad or Tobago,” she said. “We want to share our culture with people. I think it will be a lot of fun.”

Traditional food will be served, along with snow cones and popcorn, all available for purchase. Proceeds will be used to support a college scholarship for a Bridgeport student.

Entertainment includes live Calypso singers, steel pan music, Tassa music, and chutney music. For the children, face painting, arts and crafts projects and kite making will be available.

Cadet Roach is the steel drum band set to perform. A popular Trinidadian game, marble pitching, will also take place. Members of the Bridgeport Fire Department will be on hand to offer safety tips.

“It’s a huge undertaking because we’re still such a small group, but we wanted to do something for the community,” Capasso said. “The idea is to create some awareness about the islands in this part of the world.”

She explained that she left last year’s event feeling like she wanted to continue to meet with Gittens and help him organize a more formal gathering for this year. Like Gittens, she felt like “something was missing.”

Gittens said that people hailing from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago often participate in festivals and parades sponsored by other Caribbean countries because — until now — they didn’t have one that they could call their own.

The closest in feel to the Carnival that takes place annually in Trinidad and Tobago occurs on Labor Day Weekend in Brooklyn.

Gittens said that people often mistake him for being Jamaican, African American or Haitian. “People don’t even know where Trinidad and Tobago are located,” he said.

Denis Granado, formerly of Trinidad, describes 116-square foot Tobago as “paradise” and said it is even smaller than Connecticut.

With its French, West African, Indian, Creole and European influences, Granado describes the countries as the “original melting pot.”

Granado said that 45% of its population is African, 45% is East Indian and the remaining 10% of the people descend from Asian, Lebanese, Syrian and European countries.

The three members of the association said that although the country was ethnically diverse, its inhabitants are tolerant of each other’s differences and live in harmony despite those differences.

Gittens said Trinidadians and Tobagonians truly live out their country’s motto of “Many Faces, One People.”

“Everyone adopts the holidays and traditions of their neighbors,” Capasso said.

In forming the association, the group hopes to encourage that kind of unity in their respective American communities.

“We are used to coming together as a people,” Capasso said.

The founders of the Trinidad and Tobago Association hope that people “young and old, big and small” come out to experience a taste of their beloved country.

“We thank the mayor of Bridgeport and his team for helping to make this happen,” Capasso said. “We’re excited to relax, listen to music and have some good, clean fun.”

For more information, e-mail ttassocofbpt@gmail.com or twitter @ttassocofbpt2 or call 203-257-7006. The Trinidad and Tobago Association is also on Facebook." SOURCE

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"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

President Chavez: "Give Mr Palmer A Coffee From Me, Then 'Bye-Bye'."

Predictably ignoring the opportunities for introspection and soul-searching that the WikiLeaks' revelations have provided, it has been business as usual for Americay. In the Americas, Venezuela has provided them with their most recent opportunity to do some sabre-rattling and to appear to be promising to drop some retaliatory slaps on that country when the moment is right.

The story is that back in July of this year, following Ambassador-Designate Larry Palmer's confirmation hearing to be U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, Mr. Palmer was asked twelve questions about Venezuela by Senator Dick Lugar, the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In his questions, Senator Lugar covered:

"human rights and intimidation of citizens in Venezuela based on their political beliefs,
current and future governability after the elections,
a recent Government Accountability Office report stating that the National Guard is deeply involved in the narcotics business,
President Chávez breaking off ties with Colombia,
Venezuelan-Cuban military-to-military interaction,
President Chávez's meddling in the affairs of Colombia,
President Chávez's threat to cut oil supplies to the United States in case of a military attack from Colombia,
Venezuela’s economy and its Central Bank, and
whether the U.S. representation should be downgraded to a level commensurate with the attention and respect granted." SOURCE

You will have to read Larry Palmer's answers to understand why President Hugo Chavez decided at that point that this man was not going to be allowed to function as USA Ambassador to Venezuela. Would the USA accept Hugo Chavez, if he were a diplomat, in their country as Venezuelan Ambassador to the USA? The article below, preceded by the relevant quotes extracted, explains the reasons for President Chavez's antipathy that led to the actions which he took when his concerns were ignored by the sending country, the USA:

SELECTED QUOTES: "President Hugo Chavez's government formally rejected Washington's nominee for ambassador Monday, and the U.S. State Department said the decision will have consequences on relations with Venezuela."

"State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Venezuela's government presented an American diplomat in Caracas with a note withdrawing its consent for Larry Palmer to be appointed ambassador. Crowley reiterated that the U.S. stands behind its nomination of Palmer, who is awaiting Senate confirmation."

"Tensions flared over the issue as Chavez warned on Saturday that if Palmer arrives in Venezuela he would be detained and put on the next flight home. Palmer angered Chavez by suggesting during the Senate confirmation process that morale is low in Venezuela's military and that he is concerned Colombian rebels are finding refuge in Venezuela...."

"Chavez, for his part, has publicly been saying for months that Palmer would not be welcome under any circumstances."

US: Chavez's rejection of diplomat to have impact.
By Ian James
The Associated Press
The Washington Post | Monday, December 20, 2010; 4:57 PM

"CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez's government formally rejected Washington's nominee for ambassador Monday, and the U.S. State Department said the decision will have consequences on relations with Venezuela.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Venezuela's government presented an American diplomat in Caracas with a note withdrawing its consent for Larry Palmer to be appointed ambassador. Crowley reiterated that the U.S. stands behind its nomination of Palmer, who is awaiting Senate confirmation.

Tensions flared over the issue as Chavez warned on Saturday that if Palmer arrives in Venezuela he would be detained and put on the next flight home. Palmer angered Chavez by suggesting during the Senate confirmation process that morale is low in
Venezuela's military and that he is concerned Colombian rebels are finding refuge in Venezuela.

Crowley said Venezuela's rejection of Palmer "has consequences in terms of our relationship with Venezuela."

He said U.S. officials have been discussing the issue with the Venezuelans for months and have warned that if Chavez's government withdraws approval for Palmer's appointment "it would have an impact on our ongoing relations."

Chavez, for his part, has publicly been saying for months that Palmer would not be welcome under any circumstances.

"They've made this decision, and obviously we will evaluate what to do," Crowley told reporters. "We will evaluate the consequences to our relationship."

He would not comment on possible U.S. responses.

A Venezuelan foreign ministry official, Temir Porras, presented a formal diplomatic protest on the matter to the U.S. Embassy's charge d'affaires, Darnall Steuart, during a meeting Monday in Caracas. Steuart said the U.S. regrets Venezuela's stance, and it "will bear the responsibility for that action."

Chavez, whose economy relies heavily on U.S. oil sales, initially expressed optimism that under President Barack Obama, years of hostility between Venezuela and the U.S. could ease. But tensions have persisted, with Chavez accusing Washington of trying to undermine him, and U.S. officials increasingly voicing concerns about threats to democracy in Venezuela." SOURCE

So now we have the USA making threats like:

US State Department spokesman Philip Crowley: "We regret this action taken by the Venezuelan government and it will bear responsibility for that action," he added. SOURCE

"He said the Obama administration will now "evaluate" what action to take.

"We're not arguing that it is within Venezuela's rights to take this action. What we're saying, having taken this action, there will be a consequence in terms of US-Venezuelan relations," Crowley said." SOURCE

So while the USA acknowledged that it is "within Venezuela's rights to take this action" the unspoken message is that rights become wrongs when they do not serve the USA's interests or when they provide a safe haven for those who do not agree with its worldview.

For those of you who are wondering, Venezuela is perfectly within its rights as the receiving state to refuse an ambassador selected by a sending state. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations [1961] covers this aspect of relations between states. Articles 2 and 9 are relevant to this particular event:

Article 2
The establishment of diplomatic relations between States, and of permanent diplomatic missions, takes place by mutual consent.

Article 9
1.The receiving State may at any time and without having to explain its decision, notify the sending State that the head of the mission or any member of the diplomatic staff of the mission is persona non grata or that any other member of the staff of the mission is not acceptable. In any such case, the sending State shall, as appropriate, either recall the person concerned or terminate his functions with the mission. A person may be declared non grata or not acceptable before arriving in the territory of the receiving State.

2. If the sending State refuses or fails within a reasonable period to carry out its obligations under paragraph 1 of this article, the receiving State may refuse to recognize the person concerned as a member of the mission.

Understand that no legal liability will be incurred by any State for refusing to send or receive diplomatic representatives and that every sovereign state has the right to make these decisions. President Hugo Chavez is of the opinion that "he [Larry Palmer] has disqualified himself by breaking all the rules of diplomacy, by prejudging all of us, even our armed forces." SOURCE

I consider this a plausible reason for refusing Larry Palmer.

Refusals based on plausible reasons should not be considered a cause of rupture but the problem in this case is that, for obvious reasons, the USA will NOT agree that President Hugo Chavez has based his refusal on plausible reasons.

"The Cyclopædia of Political Science, Political Economy, and the Political History of the United States" explains right of legation or diplomatic intercourse at paragraph I.23.7

"—II. RIGHT OF LEGATION. The right of legation is active and passive, that is, the state which has the right to receive diplomatic envoys has also the right to send them to other states. The right of legation is a consequence of sovereignty. Its exercise belongs to the representative of the state. It is optional and not obligatory. Nevertheless the refusal to receive the minister of a foreign power in time of peace may be considered as a cause of rupture, if the refusal be not founded on plausible reasons. Among these the most important may be the person of the minister himself, who may be objectionable to the government to which he is accredited. When one state denies to another the right to accredit ministers to it, it refrains from exercising the like right itself."

Keep in mind that last year the Vatican refused the last of three Ambassadors selected to represent the US at the Holy See. Caroline Kennedy was refused in April 2009 because she is not pro-life. According to the Vatican, their refusals were based on the "plausible reason" that these ambassadors support for abortion disqualified them from representing the USA to the Holy See.

What was the USA's response to that? Did they tell the Vatican that there would be "CONSEQUENCES"? Did they tell the Pope that they regretted his actions and that the Vatican would "BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE ACTIONS."? Not at all! Because monkey know which tree to climb, "The White House declined to comment on the matter."

Although I continue to refuse to put my head on a block for any human being [including myself], I cannot disagree with President Hugo Chávez Frías in this matter.

Update: Jan 7th 2011 - Chavez-Clinton surprise meeting reduces tension.
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"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

The Times They Are A-Changing

Apple Gabriel - The Times They Are A-Changing. See lyrics below.

US General meets with PM.
By Alexander Bruzal
Trinidad & Tobago's Newsday | Wednesday, December 8 2010

"DURING his first visit to TT, which lasted a little over 24 hours, General Douglas Fraser, Commander of the US Southern Command — met with various heads of State including Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and National Security Minister John Sandy.

...“This is my first time here and I am pleased for this opportunity to visit a strong military partner and a long standing friend of the United States.

“I hope my visit will help us further strengthen our friendship and pave the way for continued security cooperation between our countries. This is why I have taken time during this visit to meet with my military counterparts and learn more about your armed forces,” Fraser said, during a press conference held yesterday at the Defence Force Headquarters in Chaguaramas.

...He explained that in the modern world, the security threats to both nations were no longer confined to any specific geographic areas, and as such, they required both countries to work with each other to develop regional solutions.

In light of this, he described his meeting with the Prime Minister as positive, saying that he had expressed his country’s appreciation to Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to regional security." Read entire article...

I have written about SOUTHCOM and AFRICOM in the past. I will not do so today. I have no idea whether any of my countrymen share my concerns. If they do, I have not seen them being expressed at length, although from time to time I spot brief comments posted by readers of the online newspapers which tell me that some are taking the time to notice the wider world in our backyard.

At the same time, I am aware of the problems at hand that demand our attention and eclipse the global scene. For most of us, these "outside" matters "do not change the price of curry."

It is difficult for the father, standing in his water-damaged home, scum marks around his calves as the muddy flood waters recede, to care about the rising cost of education in the UK. The Nigerian villagers being poisoned by oil companies do not cross the mind of the wife, who is almost unable to walk under the bone-chilling dread, as she enters the mortuary to identify her husband's remains. The physically battered and emotionally traumatised child being berated by his teacher for not ever doing his homework is not crying for the desperate illegal immigrants, destined for brothel work, disembarking on our beaches under the cover of night. The poverty-stricken mother of many standing in front of the vendor's stall on Charlotte Street, trying to ask as nonchalantly as possible for the damaged vegetables that are being thrown away, will not care a rat's erse about the millions of hungry children in the USA.

And why should they be asked to care? How will knowing that they are not alone in their suffering help them to stop the flood waters, to resurrect a loved one, to find love in their homes, to not be so hungry all the time, to not be forced to choose the dangers of prostitution and illegal immigrant status?

I've said it before. If we would each look to the persons nearest to us and take care of them, the improvements will be national. We first do it in our families, while also looking out for those in our communities. Soon T&T will be an even more humane place to live. Charity begins at home.

Outside of natural disasters, most nations' problems should be solved by their nationals unless there is a persistent and popular demand for foreign intervention. This is why I would never dream of telling Haitians that they should not take to the streets to demand justice. We have to be deaf and blind not to have some idea of what has been going on in that country, what has been done to that country by both locals and outsiders. If those people decide to surrender, nothing that we can do will win their battles for them or build a sustainable peace. As far as I can see, they are already being killed with "kindness". There are around 3,000 NGO's working in Haiti!! And this figure does not include all the other agencies that have parked themselves in there, or those that from a distance are fiddling with the lives and destinies of the Haitian people. These are hard facts.

I do not believe in foreign intervention in the internal affairs of any country. If ordinary Haitians continue to live like slaves for the next century, I believe that it should be because they make the decision to do so. Similarly, if citizens of Trinidad and Tobago prefer to complain about problems rather than to find solutions or to demand that government do its job, who else can we blame but ourselves for the sad outcomes?

So I am not going to make any comments about SOUTHCOM tonight. It all goes downhill a little too quickly when I begin. [Yes, you may conclude that I have already savagely edited this post.] My inner Canal Conks and La Bas crab are still sulking. They do not appreciate the censorship but tonight I want to accentuate the positive. I am going to try to rise above the temptations and say that because of certain brilliant T&T bloggers, I am feeling more hopeful than I have in a long while. I want to believe that there is a change in the wind and it is my prayer that we will transition peacefully to a better nation and world. Go home everybody and try with all that is in you to love and protect your own.

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING
By Bob Dylan
Performed by Apple Gabriel

Gather 'round people wherever you roam
Admit that the waters around you have grown
Accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you is worth saving
Then you better start swimming or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changing.

Come writers and critics who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide, the chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon for the wheel's still in spin
And there's no telling who that it's naming.
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changing.

Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway, don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside and it's raging.
It will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changing.

Come mothers and fathers throughout the land
And don't criticize what you don't understand
Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly aging.
Please get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand
For the times they are a-changing.

The line it is drawn, the curse it is cast
The slow one now will later be fast
As the present now will later be past
The order is rapidly fading.
And the first one now will later be last
For the times they are a-changing
For the times they are a-changing
For the times they are a-changing
For the times they are a-changing.
.............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

CABLEGATE: South of the Border

CABLEGATE RELEASES
[This listing will be updated but not always promptly. See WikiLeaks for all releases]

CARIBBEAN - SOUTH AMERICA - CENTRAL AMERICA

Many of the documents relating to the Caribbean and Latin America have not yet been made available but the graphs show that documents emanating from or relevant to the following countries are included and over the next few months they are going to become available for download.

Click on embassy locations under each country for cables emanating from that country:

Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina --From the US Embassy, Buenos Aires - 22 Secret, 664 Confidential, 1547 Unclassified

Aruba--

Bahamas--From the US Embassy, Nassau - 15 Secret, 171 Confidential, 208 Unclassified

Barbados--From the US Embassy, Bridgetown - 279 Confidential, 921 Unclassified

Belize--From the US Embassy, Belmopan - 37 Confidential, 189 Unclassified

Bermuda--

Bolivia--From the US Embassy, La Paz - 36 Secret, 768 Confidential, 495 Unclassified

Brazil--
--From the US Embassy, Brasilia - 54 Secret, 408 Confidential, 1,485 Unclassified
--From the US Embassy, Recife -
--From the US Embassy, Rio de Janeiro -
--From the US Embassy, Sao Paolo - 33 Confidential, 752 Unclassified

British Virgin Islands--

Cayman Islands--

Chile--From the US Embassy, Santiago - 281 Confidential, 1,171 Unclassified

Colombia--From the US Embassy, Bogota - 134 Secret, 1,106 Confidential, 1,176 Unclassified

Costa Rica--From the US Embassy, San Jose - 133 Confidential, 623 Unclassified

Cuba--From the US Interests Section, Havana - 26 Secret, 400 Confidential, 81 Unclassified

Dominica--

Dominican Republic--From the US Embassy, Santo Domingo - 17 Secret, 322 Confidential, 1,336 Unclassified

Ecuador--From the US Embassy, Quito - 35 Secret, 685 Confidential, 730 Unclassified

El Salvador--From the US Embassy, San Salvador - 36 Secret, 337 Confidential, 746 Unclassified

Grenada--

Guatemala--From the US Embassy, Guatemala - 22 Secret, 336 Confidential, 903 Unclassified

Guyana--From the US Embassy, Georgetown - 17 Secret, 97 Confidential, 281 Unclassified

Haiti--From the US Embassy, Port au Prince - 17 Secret, 475 Confidential, 722 Unclassified

Honduras --From the US Embassy, Tegucigalpa - 121 Secret, 736 Confidential, 1, 101 Unclassified

Jamaica--From the US Embassy, Kingston - Some Secret, 240 Confidential, 878 Unclassified
Other cables that mention Jamaica

Martinique--

Mexico--From the US Embassy, Mexico - 26 Secret, 318 Confidential, 1,941 Unclassified

Montserrat--

Netherlands Antilles--

Nicaragua----From the US Embassy, Managua - Secret, Confidential, Unclassified

Panama--From the US Embassy, Panama - 61 Secret, 394 Confidential, 457 Unclassified

Paraguay --From the US Embassy, Asuncion - Secret, Confidential, Unclassified

Peru--From the US Embassy, Lima - 29 Secret, 396 Confidential, 983 Unclassified

Puerto Rico--

St. Kitts and Nevis--

St. Lucia--

St. Vincent and the Grenadines--

Suriname--From the US Embassy, Paramaribo - 71 Confidential, 476 Unclassified
Other cables that mention Suriname

Trinidad and Tobago--From the US Embassy, Port of Spain - 2 Secret, 82 Confidential, 307 Unclassified
Other cables that mention Trinidad and Tobago

Turks and Caicos Islands--

Uruguay--From the US Embassy, Montevideo - 22 Secret, 160 Confidential, 263 Unclassified

Venezuela--From the US Embassy, Caracas - 46 Secret, 1,950 Confidential, 344 Unclassified

SEARCH ACROSS ALL CABLES USING CABLE SEARCH BETA

NOTE: WikiLeaks exists to accept, host and distribute anonymously leaked documents from all over the world. See general index to leaked documents.
...............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

Advancing US-directed Hemispheric Policing

US ready to provide security experts as resident advisors in region.
Stabroek News | May 29, 2010

US Attorney General Eric Holder says America is ready to provide its federal experts as resident advisors to work with Caribbean agencies, as part of a partnership to improve law enforcement.

“…While we are committed to helping you address the pressing needs and challenges, we are eager to focus on long term solutions, now,” he said while delivering the main address at the recently concluded Caribbean-United States Security Cooperation Dialogue." See full text of the address here.

Guyana's Response:

Will Guyana want resident US security advisor?
By Stabroek staff
Stabroek News | Sunday, June 13, 2010

The US Government is willing to make resident security advisors available to Caribbean countries but will Guyana be interested?

"Stabroek News was unable to get a comment from Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee on the proposal. In a speech at the Washington event last month where US Attorney General Eric Holder made the offer, Rohee had said he welcomed cooperation between the two regions to improve the ability of relevant agencies to respect human rights while executing their duties. Rohee did not specifically address Holder’s offer.

"Some of the key factors responsible for deficiencies in the criminal justice system are outdated models, historical circumstances and a lack of human and material capacities, Rohee had said.

"He had further noted that there is a need for training and advanced technology to overcome this inefficiency and ineffectiveness.

"This collaboration will provide many advantages for the different judiciaries that will be sharing “best practices” with each other, Rohee had stated.

"But one security expert, whom Stabroek News spoke to, felt the US could better serve Caribbean countries by providing training and equipment in the area of security instead of resident advisors.

"The expert questioned the value of having advisors who at the end of their tenure would leave a vacuum behind in many cases.

"Stabroek News had solicited a comment from the expert on Holder’s statement that America is ready to provide federal experts as resident advisors to work with Caribbean agencies, as part of a partnership to improve law enforcement.

"Holder made the offer while addressing security ministers from the Caribbean at a Washington meeting which the US Embassy here had said was a result of talks with President Barack Obama at the Summit of the Americas last year in Trinidad and Tobago.

“…While we are committed to helping you address the pressing needs and challenges, we are eager to focus on long-term solutions, now,” Holder said while delivering the main address at the recently concluded Caribbean-United States Security Cooperation Dialogue.

Alliance for Change leader Raphael Trotman is also not of the view that resident experts are the answer to transnational crimes and he suggested that the option of “visiting experts” might be the road to take.

Collapse

Zeroing on Guyana, the expert said that America’s offer, coming on the heels of the collapse of the $1 billion UK-Funded security sector reform plan is certainly not a partnership that would sit well with Guyana.

“Coming in the wake of the British Security Sector Reform Plan collapse it [the proposal] is not going to work,” the security expert said.

Late last year the Brits had pulled the plug on the security plan as according to them a proposal by the Government of Guyana (GoG) moved away from comprehensive reforms originally requested. The UK had said that the proposal was a “fundamentally different” programme focused on police modernisation instead of wider reforms.

However, the government had said that it was forced to produce its own proposal since the British design, threatened the sovereignty of the country and included management features that seriously compromised Guyana’s ownership of the process. “When our new design re-established ownership that was more consistent with our notions of sovereignty, the plug was pulled,” Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon had said.

“What the Caribbean needs is training for their local personnel,” the expert, who preferred to remain anonymous, said.

He pointed out that the advisor is not going to remain in the post indefinitely and when that person leaves someone else would have to replace them and this in itself would create problems as the new advisor would be coming with his/her own ideas. But if trainers are brought in, when they leave trained personnel would be in place to use their expertise in the local crime fight.

The security expert also pointed out that the Caribbean is in need of equipment and because many are of complex nature it would be a good option to have experts on hand to teach locals how to operate them.

The expert pointed out that there should be some sustainability in the support provided and stressed that the training must not be centralized but should be of a duration that ensures that those trained can become experts and trainers themselves in the field. “We don’t need a two-day seminar or workshop,” the expert said.

Tension with sovereignty

Meanwhile, Trotman said Holder’s proposal could ultimately lead to a tension with sovereignty.

He said such a proposal is even more difficult to accept in the light of the saga that surrounds Jamaican drug kingpin Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke who is wanted in the US for drug trafficking and other serious crimes. The Jamaican government had initially refused to act on an extradition request from the US as it objected to the manner in which evidence against ‘Dudus’ was gathered as it was not in conformity with the country’s laws. In the end the government gave in and issued an arrest warrant for ‘Dudus’, which subsequently saw over 70 people killed in gun fights between security forces and gunmen close to ‘Dudus’ in his hometown, Tivoli, in Kingston, Jamaica.

According to Trotman, while governments and security forces are going to want the help and assistance to suppress the drug problem they “will naturally be uncomfortable with resident ‘experts’ watching over them.”

However, he said the very serious issues arising from transnational crimes including trafficking in narcotics and weapons that are common to Caricom “and the US should be sufficient to ensure that an arrangement is worked out to ensure non-resident but ‘visiting’ experts [are provided].” He said these experts could ensure that aid is being properly applied and is targeted at the right areas.

“Also, I can envisage a situation in which Caricom states, acting through their law enforcement agencies, can engage experts (drawn from a pre-approved panel) from time to time, and based on the prevailing circumstances and situation, to be in place,” Trotman told Stabroek News.

He said he believed that at the Caricom level and not individually as states, the offer of experts should be accepted “but not in an open-ended and ill-defined way”.

In his presentation Holder had said that a partnership is the key to improving the capacity of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes while respecting human rights. He had stated that the US and the Caribbean share many priorities.

These include securing borders, eliminating gangs and violence, curbing drug trafficking, reducing recidivism and fighting terrorism. Threats such as those listed, Holder had said, burden not only the US and individual law enforcement communities but it also places citizens throughout the Caribbean at risk. The best way to address this risk is through partnership, he added."

..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare

The People of Africa Reject AFRICOM - A U.S. Bid for Military Dominance

The People of Africa Reject AFRICOM - A U.S. Bid for Military Dominance (Updated)
By Les Blough, Editor
Axis of Logic | Sunday, Sep 14, 2008

(Originally published February 20, 2008; updated, Sept. 14, 2008) In the BBC news article at the bottom of the page, US Shifts on Africom Base Plans, we are told, "... the US has decided to keep its new African Command in Germany for now", after hosting it has been rejected by every African country except Liberia. From Europe (e.g. Italy) and the Middle East - to Latin America and Africa, people are done with living under the shadow of U.S. military bases on their lands. Below, we explore CENTCOM'S US military dominance and some of the reasons they are being rejected by their former hosts in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

AFRICOM
Although those in control of the U.S. government have carried out military attacks and covert CIA operations in Africa for decades, last February they unveiled their plan to create a "military command" in North Africa which they are calling "AFRICOM". The name itself is enough to understand U.S. intentions for AFRICOM. It is similar to CENTCOM - the acronym for Central Command which assumes the right of U.S. military intervention in 25 nations that stretch from the Horn of Africa through the Arabian Gulf region, into Central Asia. Currently, CENTCOM's predominate occupation is the war in Iraq. The name is also similar to SOUTHCOM which assumes the same rights throughout Latin America. The name, AFRICOM, communicates an intention to influence, control and dominate and the African people appear to be rejecting AFRICOM.

SOUTHCOM
To understand the composition and purpose of this attempt to dominate Africa, one only has to look at the government's "Southern Command" known as "SOUTHCOM". Origins of SOUTHCOM can be traced all the way back to 1903 when U.S. Marines arrived in Panama "to protect" the Panama Railroad, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They remained in Panama "to provide security" for the construction of the Panama Canal. Through the decades, U.S. military presence steadily grew to dominate additional territory under a number of other pretexts and in 1946 the Truman regime placed military control of the region under a single commander.

In 1963 the plan for U.S. military domination in Latin America was designated "SOUTHCOM" and the government formally declared all of Central and South America to be its "area of responsibility". When the Panama Canal treaties were implemented in 1977, SOUTHCOM headquarters were moved from Panama to Miami, Florida. In 1996 and 1997 the U.S. DOD completed another plan it named the "Unified Command Plan" (UCP). Leading up to 1997, each change in the UCP added more land to the SOUTHCOM domain. These geographic areas include a number of U.S. and European "territories". They include 13 island nations, currently occupied by the U.S. and Europe, the Gulf of Mexico, and portions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In 1999 an additional portion of the Atlantic Ocean was added to SOUTHCOM's "area of responsibility" and in 2000 the waters adjacent to the northern quadrant of Brazil were added.

Today, SOUTHCOM assumes the right to dominate 32 nations (19 in Central and South America and 13 in the Carribean). These encompass 14.5 million square miles or 23.2 million square kilometers. In the late 1980s, powerful resistance to this U.S. military domination of Latin America began to develop in the people of Venezuela. This resistance has grown under the leadership of Hugo Chavez Frias who was democratically elected president of Venezuela in 1998 and re-elected twice since then. Resistance to U.S. military domination has now spread to other countries in Latin America. For example, Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, elected in 2007 promised that the country will not renew the 30 year lease that allows the U.S. access to its Manta Air Base when it expires in 2009. The Manta Airbase was opened under a corrupt U.S.-backed Ecuadoran regime in 1978.

Economic Dependency and Military Domination
The U.S. used "protection" of the Panama Canal as a reason to move U.S. Marines there in 1903. It continues to use a number of other pretexts for SOUTHCOM's military domination of Latin America. It claims the Manta Air Base is being used to fight cocaine trafficking. It incorporated "humanitarian assistance and disaster relief programs" to justify its military domination throughout Latin America. It constructed disaster relief warehouses, emergency operation centers, shelters and schools "to promote peace and stability" and developed "civilian infrastructure for economic and social reforms ... [to] improve the living conditions of impoverished regions in its area of responsibility". Meanwhile, the U.S. has created "impoverished regions" in these nations through its exploitation of natural resources and domination of Latin American economies via the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Thus, economic dependency has become the midwife of U.S. military domination.

Behind AFRICOM
AFRICOM's spokesman, Ryan Henry, is the leader of the U.S. delegation to Africa to sell AFRICOM to Africa. He is the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy. Of AFRICOM's mission he stated that "the main mission for the command would be to stabilize weak or poor countries by training local security forces and doling out humanitarian aid." After meeting with Morroccan officials, Henry stated, "It's mostly a headquarters and planning focus. AFRICOM doesn't mean that there would be additional U.S. forces put on the continent." The Washington Post adds, "Defense officials acknowledge that one reason they are paying more attention to Africa is because the continent provides an increasingly large share of the United States' supply of imported oil and natural gas."

It is also interesting to note that Israel also has a "Southern Command" which it imposes on the Negev (6,700 sq miles, 13,000 sq kilometers), Arabah (103 square miles, 166 sq km) and Eilat, rich in marine resources and favored tourist site on the Red Sea - all in the name of "security" in ravaged Palestine.
In 2001, the U.S. created the "perfect war" for military domination anywhere in the world - the war that knows no temporal or geographic boundaries - the "war on terrorism". It assumes the right to attack with bombs, missiles, troops, economic sanctions or covert operations - anywhere it can dig up a "terrorist". In the last few weeks it uncovered a spurious "terrorist cell" to justify putting U.S. military in the nation of Guyana. The corporate media ramped up fear of a terrorist plan to blow up Kennedy Airport - providing support for this insertion of U.S. military in this sovereign nation on Venezuela's northeast border. In the case of AFRICOM, according to the Washington Post, the U.S. government has "touted the new command as a key part of their strategy for countering terrorism threats on the continent". The Post continues, "Al-Qaida-affiliated groups have experienced a resurgence in North and East Africa in recent years."

The People's Resistance
As in Latin America, the resistance to U.S. aggression in Africa is first and foremost coming from "the people" - and not the regimes under which they live. Rachid Tlemcani is a professor of political science at the University of Algiers and also a scholar with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (a Washington-based organization that also supports the wealthy, minority opposition in Venezuela). He indicated that the rejection of AFRICOM "was a reflection of public opposition to U.S. policies in the predominantly Muslim region". Tlemcani stated,

"People on the street assume their governments have already had too many dealings with the U.S. in the war on terror at the expense of the rule of law ... The regimes realize the whole idea is very unpopular."

The peoples of North Africa are students of history and their parents didn't rear fools, regardless of the racial stereotypes cultivated by western propaganda. They have learned from other U.S. occupations and regional dominations of the world including Latin America and the Middle East. The beast's smile has turned to a grin and baring its fangs in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine, it is bleeding itself dry, both economically and militarily. Revealing its true nature, it has underestimated the intelligence of "the people" and opened the door for formidable world-wide rejection and even military resistance. One of the U.S. government's mouthpieces, the Washington Post, opens it's news report of Northern Africa's rejection of AFRICOM with the following line: "Nations in mostly Muslim region are reluctant to host military command". So according to the Post, the U.S. plan is rejected by Algerian and Lybian "Muslims" - not the peoples of North Africa. But the WP article also laments,

"Morocco, which has been mentioned as a possible site for the new command and is one of the strongest U.S. allies in the region, didn't roll out the welcome mat, either."

You bet the 4th World War is being played out, fought out in these post 9/11 years. It is a war between those in control of governments and the people who are realizing their own power. As responsible citizens of the United States we must do everything in our power to stop our government's international aggressions, not only for the sake of those being exploited and dominated in foreign lands, but also for the survival of our own civil rights, our economy and ironically for the survival of our own national sovereignty.

� Copyright 2007 by AxisofLogic.com

http://axisoflogic.com/cgi-bin/exec/view.pl?archive=156&num=24801

Sources:

U.S. Southern Command

USCENTCOM

U.S. Dept. of Defense

Warfare 2050

Joint Force Quarterly

US Army War College

US Dept of State

Washington Post

MSNBC

Axis of Logic

US military presses its spearhead into strategic Triple Frontier

U.S. Military in Paraguay Prepares to "Spread Democracy"

Ecuador: President Gutierrez on the brink

International Conference for the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases

US Military Base in Ecuador Shrouded in Corruption

Wikipedia

---

Biography and additional essays by Les Blough

This article is available for republication for any non-commercial use: verbatim copy of the translation in its entirety may be freely reproduced, respecting its integrity and citing the author and original source.


US shifts on Africom base plans.
BBC
February 18, 2006

The US military has decided to keep the base of its new Africa Command in Germany for now, after only one African nation, Liberia, offered to host it.

Most African countries have been wary of plans to base the command, Africom, on the continent.

Africom's commander, Gen William Ward, said there were no plans to create large US garrisons on the continent.

The military command was created last year to unite responsibilities shared by three other US regional commands.

The US plan had been misunderstood by some African countries, Gen Ward told the BBC.

The key aim of Africom was to build the capacity of African countries for security and peacekeeping, he said, adding there were no plans to move the headquarters for at least a year.

African doubts

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua announced in November that he would not allow his country to host an Africom base and that he was also opposed to any such bases in West Africa.

South Africa and Libya have also voiced strong reservations.

Only Liberia, which has historic links to the US, has offered to host it.

There has been concern that Africom is really an attempt to protect US oil and mineral interests in Africa, amid growing competition for resources from Asian economies, says the BBC's Alex Last in the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Then there are fears about the continent being drawn into the US war on terror, our correspondent adds.

Gen Ward said Africom was not about militarisation but consolidating existing operations under one single command, while helping Africans with military training and supporting peacekeeping and aid operations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7251648.stm

This article is available for republication for any non-commercial use: verbatim copy of the translation in its entirety may be freely reproduced, respecting its integrity and citing the author and original source.
..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare