tuluum's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Politically Fired Article: US interference in the Americas and the Caribbean - REVD ERNLE P GORDON Date: Friday, March 28, 2003 Source: www.JamaiacaObserver.com - Jamaica Observer Link: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20030328T010000- 0500_41695_OBS_US_INTERFERENCE_IN_THE_AMERICAS_AND_THE_CARIBBEAN.asp IN order to understand the history of the various intrusions by the US in the region, it is vital that we look at the following evidence. Ever since the proclamation of the 'Monroe Doctrine' in 1823, and the 'Ostend manifesto in 1854, Latin America, Central America and the Caribbean, have been threatened constantly by the political ravens of the Pentagonian Manifest Destiny. After Emancipation in 1838 there were rumblings that Jamaica and Cuba would be annexed by the USA. Hector Mitchell, Custos of Kingston, wrote in his newspaper in 1847, advocating annexation which angered Sir Charles Grey. In 1848 certain speeches delivered in the US Senate by Lewis Cass, Senator Hannegan, and Jefferson Davis gave the impression that the US politicians did not favour the insatiable appetite of British Imperial expansion in the English speaking Caribbean. Senator Westcott argued that "Britain meant to emancipate the slaves in Cuba in order to strike at the South and the Yucatan with ex-slaves from Jamaica, as part of a scheme for surrounding Florida with a Cordon of Negro freedmen". The following events occured subsequently: 1) Many of the white people in Jamaica agreed that Jamaica should be annexed by the US, provided that it would not become a second Haiti. 2) Jamaican ex-slaves threatened to revolt if the annexation became a reality. This caused the British to strengthen the military presence in Jamaica. 3) The Americans raided Cuba in 1853. 4) In 1854,the Ostend Manifesto, which was drafted in Belgium, indicated that the US should seize Cuba by force if Spain refused to sell the island to the USA. The US should take unilateral action so as to prevent another Haitian-type revolution. 5) It was obvious that the military powers in the 19th century were terrified of the psychological effects of the Haitian revolution. 6) In 1900, Puerto Rico was occupied by US troops. 7) In 1901, Colombia - The US army undermined the National liberation struggles. 8) In 1903, Panama - US intervention in the National liberation struggles. 9) In 1903, Dominican Republic - US intervention during National liberation uprisings. 10) In 1906, Cuba - Invaded by US troops in order to suppress revolutionary activity. 11) In 1910, Nicaragua - US army invaded during the civil war. 12) In 1912, Honduras - US mercenaries entered the country illegally to the prevent the Government from acquiring a US owned railroad. 13) Between 1912-1920, Nicaragua - US troops occupied the country to maintain US control. Between 1915-1934, Haiti - US troops occupied the island. In 1930, Guatemala - US troops entered the country to protect US interests. 16) 1934, El Salvador - US troops prevented a strike by the Trade Unions, and the warships stood offshore during a peasant revolution, and subsequent massacre of 30,000 natives. 17) In 1947, Paraguay - US invaded to suppress the liberation movements. 18) In 1948, Costa Rica -- US mercenaries interfered with the sovereignty of the country. 19) In 1950, Puerto Rico -- US intervention to suppress the Independence Movement. 20) In 1954, Guatemala - Military coup planned and organised by the CIA. 21) In 1961, Cuba - Bay of Pigs invasion; planned, financed and executed by the CIA. 22) In 1964, Panama -- Suppression of Liberation Movements, which were against the US possession of the Panama Canal. 23) In 1965, Dominican Republic - 20,000 US troops landed to obstruct the National Liberation. Movements. 24) In 1970-1983, Jamaica - Conservative religious structures operated on behalf of the CIA. Nicaragua. US mercenaries and arms support the bloody Samosa regime in Nicaragua from being overthrown by the Sandinistas. 25) In 1980 - The Sante Fe document which outlined, that,"the US foreign policy must begin to counter (not react against) liberation theology as it is utilised in Latin America by the liberation theology clergy" 25) Between 1982-1986, El Salvador - (US trainees support Government in the Civil War); Honduras, Nicaragua (Contra Scandal) 26) Between 1999-2003, the undermining of the UN by the US, and the use of WTO as the new neo-colonial economic structure. This catalogue of interference by the US in the region, demonstrates that the time has come, when the new global world order cannot be dictated by the US, but, there is need urgently for a consensus among the Non-Aligned countries to maintain the sanctity of sovereignty, and to cement links with China, Russia, South Africa, Brazil and India. There has to be a counter force on all fronts. Pax et bonum. [End] **************************************************************************** Current Clix Ranking: 16 | Previous Clix Ranking: 14 1:02 a.m. - Tuesday, Apr. 08, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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