The Origins of the Wars in Korea and Vietnam
The Korean war is often called the forgotten war. Of course there are many more wars far more forgotten for example the massive US invasion of the Dominican Republic that smashed the new democracy there from 1965-1966. However what has been forgotten is the massive bloodbath that resulted from the Korean War during which 3.5 million Koreans died. The Vietnam war is far more well known because it awakened a generation to the vicious nature of American Imperialism. Growing up (I was born a couple years after it ended) it was the last major war the US had waged since America's overt wars were kept brief specifically to avoid another Vietnam. The brief wars of the 80's and 90's Grenada, Libya, Panama, and Iraq. The long wars were the covert wars Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Angola. Vietnam was chiefly known to my generation through hollywood movies like Apocalypse Now and Platoon. Thus like most back then I never really even thought to ask why did the war begin in the first place. What was it all about. Never once in these films did they ever have a Viet Cong explain what they were fighting for. Actually in fairness to Platoon director Oliver Stone I should mention that he did eventually make the brilliant "Heaven and Earth" which attempted to tell the story of the war from the perspective of a Vietnamese woman. Of course not even this film is told from the perspective of the NLF the National Liberation front. Instead the protagonist survives by collaborating with the Americans eventually marrying an American soldier who turns out to be a War criminal a special forces soldier who committed all manner of atrocities as part of America's psychological operations against the Vietnamese. Sorry for the early tangent but I can't help but mention this forgotten classic. My point is that while the Vietnam war used to receive a great deal of attention the actual reasons for the war have been less discussed. Recently I did a bit of research on the Origins of both these wars the "Hottest" wars of the cold war. I relied on two classic but suppressed books on the subject. First there is "The Hidden History of the Korean War 1950-1951" by I.F. Stone. Next "The War Conspiracy" by Peter Dale Scott. Both works seek to re-examine the forces that lead us into these wars. I was rather surprised at certain similarities between the origins of these wars and the origins of the so called war on terror. The players had changed but the game remained much the same.
The Korean War marked a major escalation in the Cold War. It was used as the justification for a massive increase in military spending and lead to the dominance of the permanent ever growing military industrial complex. For Americans at the time the origins seemed clear. It was an attack by the Communist countries on the "Free World." America was embroiled in cold war hysteria and few dared question what had actually happened to do so meant being branded a communist. Thus it is remarkable that I.F. Stone decided to write such an iconoclastic book at the height of McCarthyism. He had decided to investigate the actual origins of the war. He writes his book like a mystery leaving it to the reader to draw their own conclusions. Thus I'll be discussing it based on the conclusions I've draw. Others (naive believers in American benevolence) might be more inclined to view things differently after reading the book.
First I.F. Stone examines the various motives of the players involved. First there is the North Koreans they wanted to reunite the Korean peninsula. However they stood the best chance of doing this peacefully as the South Korean Syngman Rhee dictatorship was unpopular and was extremely unstable at the time with his parliament in full revolt. Here I should point out the most important fact about both the Korean and Vietnamese wars. Although supposedly conducted in defense of democracy the real origin of both wars lay in America's determination to deny the Koreans and the Vietnamese the opportunity to vote on their status. This is because they knew that their designated puppets would lose the elections. Thus both countries were supposed to be allowed to be reunited after an election and in both cases America did everything it could to prevent this from taking place. Today the US is still the major obstacle to Korean unification. Instead they imposed corrupt dictatorships who outlawed the communist opposition and slaughtered them mercilessly. This is why the real reasons for either war are seldom discussed. I. F. Stone also points out that the North Koreans had not even fully mobilized when the war began. The Chinese seemed intent on keeping the North Koreans restrained. Likewise the Soviet Union seemed intent on keeping both the Chinese and the north Koreans restrained. In Contrast there were the motives of the US and it's allies. Actually the US position on the eve of war was divided. This is the part that reminded me of the Origins of the war on terror. There was at the time a war party with an ambitious series of goals linked to a corrupt foreign lobby. Their power centered around General MacArthur ultimately they wanted to reconquer China which had recently had a successful revolution placing the Communists in power, who had won great popularity battling the Japanese and then the corrupt Nationalist forces. These forces had only been left in charge of some Islands off the coast of mainland China the Largest being Taiwan then more commonly known as Formosa. I.F. Stone doesn't mention it and probably didn't know but the nationalist Chinese in Co-operation with the CIA were setting up a massive global drug smuggling empire. They supplied heroin to famous American Gangsters like Meyer Lansky (ironically closely connected to the Israel Lobby linked to our current wars.) Through their drug profits they funded a massive "China" Lobby (It should have been called the Taiwan lobby but they refused to admit defeat) This China Lobby was to play a major role in stoking cold war tensions. Ironically Richard Nixon owed his rise to the China Lobby. Ironic since he would eventually ally the US with Mainland China the opposite of what the China Lobby had long sought. Conveniently Peter Dale Scott covers the topic of the China Lobby in the "War Conspiracy" if your interested. I.F. Stone instead focuses on three closely allied figures all allied to the China Lobby. General McCarthur then defacto ruler of Japan he wanted to insure the continued US occupation of Japan as a base to attack Russia and China from. (In the interests of time I'll omit talking about some of the Fascinating shady things going on in Japan at the time involving gangsters, stolen treasure, and massive political corruption) Allied to him were Syngman Rhee in South Korea and Chiang Kai-Shek in Taiwan both wanted more US support for their brutal corrupt and unpopular dictatorships. It was necessary for their possible survival that the US expand their commitment. This was because on the eave of war the other faction linked to Truman and Acheson (and in a fun coincidence the then Senator Connoly who would later be wounded in the Kennedy Assassination) they had announced that the US was not committed to defending Taiwan or South Korea in the Event of a war. Although they were committed cold warriors they did not want an open war with either Russia or China. Of course they were secretly waging covert wars on both the soviets and the Chinese at the time, just like they are today, but they didn't want to escalate things too much. They wanted containment while the hawks wanted what was called rollback reimposing US control over Communist countries. The Hawks consistently tried to get the US involved in a direct war with China. Then they hoped that American military might would reinstall Chiang and overthrow Mao. Interestingly shortly before the war began the China Lobby engaged in a massive insider trading scam involving soy Bean futures based on their foreknowledge of the war. Amusingly the infamous Senator Joseph McCarthy was implicated in this scandal which was hushed up just like the Insider trading before 9/11 of our own times. Thus there is pretty strong proof that this faction knew the war was coming despite claiming surprise at the time.
They knew war was coming because the war party intentionally provoked it this is another major similarity between the two wars. Both involved a covert provocation plan. Unfortunately I.F. Stone was writing before anything had been declassified so unlike Vietnam I don't yet know at what level the provocations were authorized. However I.F. Stone does make clear that the US controlled South Korean Army had launched a number of provocative attacks on the north in the months leading up to the war. Specifically the war itself probably started after such an attack from the south I.F. Stone leads it up to the reader to decide on this point but he does give the North Korean account in which the South Koreans attacked and the North Koreans launched a counter attack. Interestingly the South Koreans had been given Orders to retreat to their pre-prepared defensive positions and this initial retreat gave the false impression that they were retreating under heavy onslaught. Later in the war I.F. Stone does a quite interesting job of deconstructing what really happened after the Chinese supposedly entered the war. Again MacArthur ordered a massive unnecessary retreat to give the false impression of what the press dubbed in typical racist fashion as "hordes of Chinese" I.F. Stone points out that while the press was claiming massive irresistible "hordes" the Air force was reporting a constant difficulty finding anyone to bomb. MacArthur emerges in I.F. Stone's account as a master manipulator. One subordinate when asked what he had learned from the general replied simply "dramatics." He was a brilliant liar turning battlefield situation reports which had once been dry statements of fact into dramatic propaganda pieces filled with lies and distortions. Reading I.F. Stone's book meant that I began to question things that I had long taken for granted about the Korean war like the massive Chinese offensive still talked about today. Clearly there is a need for a major reappraisal of the Korean War.
Thus the world was left with the impression that the Korean war was started by a massive unprovoked invasion from the north when in reality it began as a counter attack by the North after a long series of provocations including a large attack from the south the very very same day. Once the War began MacArthur constantly attempted to Stage Manage the whole thing so as to provoke a war with China. He insured Chinese intervention by threatening their main economic interest in North Korea a series of Hydroelectric damns providing desperately needed Power and electricity extremely valuable as China began it's long road to Industrialization that today has made it an economic powerhouse. Once the Chinese entered the War MacArthur again staged a massive retreat because he hoped to get permission to invade and even launch a Nuclear attack on China. Thankfully he went to far when he meddled in American politics and Truman had him fired. The world managed to avoid a possible Nuclear war.
However for the Korean People it may as well have been a nuclear war for all the damage the Americans wrought. Both the Korean and Vietnam wars (along with the Massive US sponsored blood bath in Indonesia and then East Timor) well justify the renaming of the cold war as World War 3. Millions perished 3.5 Million in Korea alone. Fresh from leveling German and Japanese cities during world war 2 the US air force was eager to practice what it called strategic bombing. That meant bombing so heavy that it would supposedly break the enemies will to fight. The US attempted to carpet bomb every square inch of north Korea and much of south Korea as well for good measure. In a deliberate and systematic fashion they targeted every city and every village nothing was left standing. Thus instead of mocking the North Koreans for their paranoia and siege mentality we should understand it's origins in the apocalypse they had to endure during the war. They often survived only through hiding in caves or underground. Over 30% of the population was killed. One striking feature of the war was the behavior of the "allies" after retreating from Korean cities. They attempted to destroy absolutely everything even Seoul the South Korean Capital was callously leveled to the ground by the retreating UN forces.
Vietnam and it's neighbors Laos and Cambodia would also experience this apocalyptic style of War. I recommend Nick Turse's excellent "Kill Anything That Moves" if you want to get a sense of what Vietnamese civilians suffered. Bombed, shelled with artillery, and periodically invaded by brutal and unpredictable US troops who might hand out candy one day and stage a massacre the next. US troops had reason to be paranoid they were actually just bait sent to march around until they got ambushed so that they could then call in the overwhelming firepower of US artillery and airpower. Nor did Vietnamese civilians problems end there, their crops were sprayed with the herbicide agent Orange Orange a toxic poison that caused cancer and birth defects(Courtesy of Monsanto) They were forced out of their villages into "model villages" where they could be closely spied,on by the tyrannical US installed government. Or else they became part of massive tide of refugees flooding the city slums many forced to become beggars or prostitutes to survive. Even seemingly harmless things like the trucks needed to move around supplies became deadly because the American drivers had zero regard for the life of the vietnamese and ran them over at an alarming rate. Millions died from these various causes.
American involvement was only the most recent stage of the War from the Vietnamese perspective. The Vietnamese under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh had in 1954 Finally beaten the french who had engaged in a brutal war on the Vietnamese dating back to the 1860's. Then the US had taken over promoting Diem as the new Dictator. After the French were forced out the Geneva agreements ending the war called for elections to install the new Vietnamese government. However since the immensely Popular Ho Chi Minh would have won them the US instead held sham elections in South Vietnam Installing Diem who proceeded to violently crush all opposition wether nationalist or communist. The war really began in the 50's with the CIA sent in to try to build a viable south Vietnam puppet government. However the war truly became an overt conventional war after the Two Tonkin Gulf incidents. This lead to the bombing of North Vietnam and then sending of a massive conventional force to occupy the country.
It is the origins of this overt phase of the war that I will Address. In 1963 Kennedy was considering beginning troop withdrawals from Vietnam. Although hardly the saint he is portrayed as by some he correctly sensed that disaster loomed and Peter Dale Scott Speculates that he may even have had plans to trade US withdrawal from Vietnam for Russian withdrawal from Cuba. What is definite is that he had ordered the troop withdrawals in his NSAM 263 he had ordered 1000 advisers to be redrawn to start with and hoped to withdraw them all after the 64 elections in 1965. Regardless these plans to withdraw were quickly reversed when he was Assassinated. Vietnam, Cuba and Israel were probably the three biggest foreign policy reasons why he was assassinated. Shortly afterwards the new President Lyndon Banes Johnson Authorized National Security Memorandum 273 and buried in it's clauses were plans to stage a series of provocations. These were known as Oplan 34A. North Vietnam would be bombed from private and hence deniable planes. Covert land raids would be launched across the border using CIA trained Death Squads made up of Vietnamese criminals recruited from prisons as well as Hmong tribes. In Nearby Laos incidentally the CIA had built a massive private army during this period. They were flying in weapons to them and flying out Heroin going to the same American Gangsters as during the 50's. The Airline Civil Air Transport (Later Air America) was officially majority owned by the Taiwanese but did the bidding of the CIA. I mention it to point out that what Scott would call the the same "deep political forces" were operating in both Korea and Vietnam. In Fact an Amusing series of historical Parallels Emerge. Chiang Kai-Shek's brother was a major Drug Dealer, so was Diem's Brother and more recently the former president of Afghanistan Karizai's brother was a major drug Dealer. The more things change the more they stay the same.
To return to the series of provocations it was the naval provocations that would prove decisive. First the US sent a failed commando raid on the strategically important island of Hon Me then quickly they sent a destroyer steaming into the waters. Fearing the ship was part of an effort to take the Island of Hon Me where they had an important radar station the North Vietnamese retaliated however in this the first gulf of Tonkin incident the US sank two North Vietnamese ships and received a single harmless bullet hole in return. Instead of ordering it to redraw the US sent it back into North Vietnamese waters. The crew were so on edge that they misinterpreted a radar anomaly as an attack. This is what started officially started the Vietnam War a completely imaginary attack. In retaliation for a single bullet hole and a radar anomaly Millions of Vietnamese would be killed. It was only the latest in a long string of provocations that had resulted from OPLAN 34A. Peter Dale Scott goes into painstaking detail analyzing the incident discovering that intelligence was manipulated to keep the truth from becoming known before war was declared. Sound familiar?
In Reality the US intervened because the South Vietnamese Viet Cong with help and prior training from the north were quite successfully launching a revolution against the South Vietnamese puppet government and was capturing control of the countryside. This fact had lead only shortly before the Kennedy Assassination to the Coup against their own Puppet Diem. Diem was not a viable ruler thought one faction while the other China lobby linked position was total support for Diem. The Anti-Diem faction staged a coup and Diem was killed. In One of Scott's Favorite historical episodes Diem's widow Appeared in America warning of bloody retribution for this treachery shortly before Kennedy's death. Wanted Posters of Kennedy appeared in Dallas and the recent Diem Coup was listed prominently among his supposed crimes. Whether JFK actually even supported the coup is unclear and I've read a number of conflicting accounts. I mention it chiefly because the Kennedy Assassination was probably one of the major causes of the Vietnam War. Thus it would be interesting if Diem's death had helped lead to Kennedy's death. Diem was replaced by a string of scheming generals who were overthrown in a series of power struggles. Men like Big Minh, Khanh, Thieu, and Ky. They remained in power solely due to the massive occupation force the US sent to reinforce them. As Mentioned this force engaged in a brutal Total War on the Vietnamese populace. Like all it's counter-Insurgency campaigns the US engaged in a massive campaign of torture and Murder in co-operation with the south vietnamese forces called the phoenix program however I'll discuss this aspect in detail at a later date.
An interesting and extremely frightening parallel between the Korean and Vietnam wars was threat of Nuclear war in the background. Kennedy had been elected in part on the issue of a supposed missile gap. American's were lead to believe that the Soviets had more missiles then the Americans. The truth was the opposite and pentagon planners back in 1961 saw the ideal time to launch a nuclear first strike as in December of 1963. This was revealed by former ambassador James Galbraith back in 1993. I strongly recommend you read his article on the topic yourself. We can only hope that todays anti-russian hawks are only bluffing unlike their Cold war predecessors who were quite determined to start a nuclear war. This incidentally is why the US built all those fall out shelters they would have been useless if the US was struck with a massive nuclear attack however they may have protected americans from the fallout resulting from a successful first strike on Russia.
Thankfully Nuclear war was avoided throughout the cold war. However for the people of Korea and Vietnam the Apocalypse came anyway. Millions would die Millions more would become homeless refugees. Both wars had their real origins in secret aggressive provocations by the US. Both wars were plotted by a faction of hawks. However in Korea MacArthur was fired by Truman while Kennedy's efforts to restrain the hawks lead to his death and by next year a massive expansion of the war. On the other Hand in Vietnam the Viet Cong were able to force a withdrawal of the American occupation forces and Vietnam was united. In Korea in contrast the US occupation force remains and the country is still divided. North Korea's government is completely mocked and Vilified. The US Constantly threatens to launch a war on North Korea every spring as the Yearly tensions help the US sign up allies for it's renewed attempt to encircle China. Vietnam is ironically an ally in this attempt to encircle China. Like in Angola although US hard power lost the war US soft power has brought Vietnam back under US domination. On the other hand the brave sacrifice of the Vietnamese people doubtless saved many other countries from a similar fate. It inspired a generation to oppose their governments criminal policies and it would not be until the launch of the war on terror that the US would again have the Hubris to undertake long term wars of occupation and counter-insurgency. By then a new foreign lobby was king the Israel lobby. Too savvy to directly engage in the massive drug dealing the China lobby once engaged in AIPAC instead helped set up a turkish lobby which as FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds has revealed currently plays the same role funneling drug money to American politicians to help buy support for Perpetual war. (On the other hand there is quite a lot of dirt out there on the Israel's special relationship with organized crime (American Ukrainian and Russian), as well as cliques of corporate crooks.) Unfortunately today Outrage over the war in Iraq has seemingly turned to apathy. Millions of Iraqi's have been killed as a result of the 1991 Gulf war, the Sanctions, and the 2003 invasion and Occupation. Last Year the US launched it's third Iraq War with little public opposition. The War in Afghanistan meanwhile continues endlessly and the US has just cancelled plans to cut troop levels. The War in Syria continues with US backed death squads engaged in endless atrocities as part of a giant Psyop to paralyze the will of the Syrian People to resist this tide of barbarism. Studying the wars in Korea and Vietnam can teach us a great deal about our current wars. It is time we began to properly remember the millions who have perished in America's apocalyptic wars always sold as a triumph of democracy when in reality they aimed at denying the populace the right to determine their own destiny. Yet despite overwhelming odds the people of Vietnam, managed to eject the American's and then topple the corrupt puppet government it left behind. And North Korea is still defiantly resisting American bullying. Instead of mocking their eccentric leaders I urge you instead to remember the genocidal war the US waged on the Korean people. Nearly 1 in 3 North Koreans died in only 4 years of war. Worse some still seemingly seek to use North Korea as a means of starting a nuclear war. Of course these days even North Korea has a lot of competition as a spot for a potential nuclear flashpoint. Syria, Ukraine, The South China Sea there is no telling where and when some new American Provocation might lead to nuclear war that is the terrifying lesson studying the cold war teaches us the US ruling classes are full of crazy people and even the saner ones always seem to get caught up in periodic manufactured mass hysterias that periodically grip the country. We must work tirelessly to return the world to sanity a hard task in our age of competing hysterias. For the average westerner still caught in the grip of mass media propaganda it must be difficult to decide who they are most terrified of Muslims, Russians, or Chinese. For the rest of the world it is the Obvious that the real danger is the out of control American Empire and it's corrupt and subservient allies.
Sources
For my younger readers who might not have seen them yet you can get hollywoods version of Vietnam in films like "Full Metal Jacket" "Platoon" and "Apocalypse Now" and Oliver Stone's sequels to "platoon" "Born on the Forth of July" and "Heaven and Earth" and the related "JFK" Obviously one could write whole articles examining the portrayals of the war in each of these films. The first three were supposedly anti-war films that simultaneously glamorized the war.
On a more Serious note I recommend you read some actual books on the subject. First there is "The Hidden History of the Korean War 1950-1951" It has recently been re-released as part of the Forbidden bookshelf project. Fans of my work should look into them as they also re-released Christopher Simpson's "Blowback" on the CIA and the Nazi's one of the best books I read last year.(See my June 2014 Nazis and the CIA) also they've re-released Douglas Valentine's "The Phoenix Program" about the CIA's torture and Assassination program in Vietnam which I'm currently reading and is the best Book on the CIA I have ever read. I also recommend "Kill Anything that Moves" by Nick Turse for it's shocking portrayal of the war in Vietnam. Finally of Course I Recommend "the War Conspiracy" by Peter Dale Scott which deals not only with the Origins of the War in Vietnam but also the covert Wars in Laos and Cambodia. It was re-released in a new edition with an afterword examining the surprising similarities between the JFK assassination and the 9/11 attacks. Also on the topic of JFK is Peter Dale Scott's classic "Deep Politics and the Death of JFK"
For a wealth of free Peter Dale Scott Articles, Audio and Video interviews go to his website
http://peterdalescott.org/q.html
Michel Chossudovsky on the Massive number of deaths inflicted in the Korean War
http://www.globalresearch.ca/north-korea-versus-the-united-states-who-are-the-demons/28342
James Galbraith on plans for a nuclear war in 1963
http://www.maryferrell.org/wiki/index.php/Essay_-_Did_the_US_Military_Plan_a_Nuclear_First_Strike_for_1963
The Sibel Edmonds Gladio interviews which include her discussion of the Turkish Lobby and explains the even more shocking origins of our so called war on terror.
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/usa-the-creator-sustainer-of-chechen-terrorism/
I also recommend you search for some Doug Valentine interviews and Articles for more information on both the Phoenix Program, the War on Drugs (ie CIA Drug dealing) and the CIA Role in the provoking the war in Ukraine. Sorry I'm too exhausted to hunt them down for you right now but you can be certain that I will soon be discussing his work in greater detail.
While your searching the internet see if you can find some of the Martin Luther King speeches where he brilliantly lays out the real reasons for the Vietnam War and his opposition to it. It is long past time that the radical Martin Luther King be rediscovered since his beliefs have been censored in order to turn him into a mainstream icon. Recently the war mongers Bush and Obama attempted to co-opt his legacy marching in Selma. Trust me if he was alive today they'd have to order his death. He may have been a pacifist but unlike the liberals who hide behind his legacy today he was no coward. America is the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today he announced then. It is equally true nearly 50 years later.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Venezuela & Novorossia Defying The Empire
Venezuela Under Threat and Recent Events in Ukraine
Venezuela recently foiled a US backed coup plot that hoped to topple Venezuela's democratically elected government and destroy the Achievements of the Bolivarian revolution. However the US is once again showing that it is an extremely poor looser. In response to some largely symbolic retaliation (See my March 2015 Venezuela Argentina Russia) Obama has now declared Venezuela a threat to the National Security of the United States. However this insane policy has already backfired as it has largely mobilized the entire region to condemn recent US actions. Meanwhile in Ukraine the Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) torpedoed the recent Minsk agreements by declaring Novorossia "occupied territory." Ironically they revealed that it is the territory it still controls in Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts is that is the real occupied territory with the brutal manner they smashed protests in the Town of Konstanikova which exploded into protests and riots after Ukrainian soldiers ran over a 8 year old girl in an APC. I'll also discuss the treacherous assassination attempt against Ghost Brigade Commander Alexei Mozgovoi that happened a little more then a week ago.
In a sane world perhaps the US would apologize for attempting to Murder half of Venezuela's government. Too bad we don't live in a sane world we live in what Pepe Escobar calls the Empire of Chaos. Thus in our insane world Venezuela is instead condemned for daring to foil a terrorist plot aiming to bomb the centers of government. Apparently they should have just meekly let themselves be blown to bits. Nothing is more democratic after all then allowing the losers in an election to assassinate the president and take power anyway. At least according to the State department. Newly promoted spokeswoman Jen Psaki infamous for all the silly stupid and things she said about the war in Ukraine last year; Declared that everyone knows America never backs coups. All of the Latin American Countries which suffered many decades of horror under US installed dictatorships must have been shaking their heads in disbelief. Perhaps many in what Gore Vidal called the United States of Amnesia don't remember but the rest of the world certainly does that long string of coups in every corner of the globe from Iran to Guatemala from the Congo to Vietnam and most recently in Ukraine. In Latin America both Honduras and Paraguay have suffered US sponsored coups in the past decade. There have also been recent failed Coup attempts in Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba, Argentina, Brazil and of course Venezuela. In fact both Brazil and Argentina are both currently experiencing destabilization attempts. Thus it shouldn't be surprising that the arrogant US handling of it's recent failure in Venezuela united the region in condemnation of the US declaration that Venezuela is a threat to the US and the entire region. Down in Latin America everyone can see the obvious it is the US that is the threat to Venezuela and the entire region along with the rest of the planet. Thus CELAC UNASUR and ALBA issued declarations condemning recent US behavior and declaring their support for Venezuela. UNASUR includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia (ironically implicated in the recent coup attempt) Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. ALBA Includes Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela and many small Caribbean islands. Both emerged as part of Chavez's efforts to integrate the Americas along political and economic lines than envisioned by those in Washington. He sought an Independent Latin America integrated for the mutual benefit of the nations involved and not for the benefit of wall street speculators the self styled "Masters of the Universe." Now these organizations made clear that they would not tolerate a return to the Monroe doctrine days when the US dominated Latin America installing corrupt and brutal regimes and toppling anyone who dared to show the slightest independence or desire to improve the lives of their citizens. From Cuba came the strongest expressions of support with both Raul and Fidel Castro writing beautiful and Powerfully honest letters of support.
Here is a long Excerpt From Raul Castro's Speech
ALBA brings us together today to reaffirm our firmest support for the Bolivarian people and government in the face of the latest interventionist measures and threats from the U.S. government against Venezuela.
The facts demonstrate that history can not be ignored. The relations between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean have been marked by the “Monroe Doctrine” and the objective of exercising domination and hegemony over our nations.
Bolívar had anticipated that the United States, “seems destined by Providence to plague America with misery in the name of Liberty” and Martí fell in combat before concluding the letter in which he explained the “duty of preventing the United States from spreading throughout the Antilles as Cuba gains its independence, and from overpowering with that additional strength our lands of America.”
Later came the military interventions, the coup d’états, the maneuvers to overthrow nationalist or progressive governments, the backing of bloody military dictatorships, the undercover operations, the support for terrorism and subversion, as well as the appropriation and plundering of our resources to perpetuate dependence and underdevelopment.
The triumphant audacity to carry out a socialist revolution just 90 miles from the United States, has meant immense sacrifices, suffering, loss of life and material deprivation for the Cuban people, subject to, since that very revolutionary triumph, 56 years ago, every kind of hostility, including the support and organization of armed bands in the mountains from the end of that same year of 1959 – that is, since the very year of the triumph of the Revolution – the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961 and the formalization of the blockade in 1962, all with the stated intention of defeating the Revolution and changing the political, economic and social order we freely chose and subsequently confirmed in a constitutional referendum.
The result has been a resounding failure, the harming of our people and the complete isolation of the United States in its intentions, as recently recognized by President Barack Obama on announcing a new policy and resolving to open another chapter. However, his government spokespeople insist on clarifying that the objectives persist and only the methods change.
The triumph of the Bolivarian Revolution was an extraordinary milestone in the history of Venezuela and the whole region, which had begun to awaken from the long neoliberal slumber. An era of change commenced in the continent and other nations decided to embark on the path towards full independence and integration and again take up the flags of our national heroes.
Alba, Unasur, CELAC were born, which united, in their diversity, previous groupings and initiatives of genuine Latin Americanist and Caribbean calling, founded on principles of solidarity, cooperation, social justice and defense of sovereignty.
PetroCaribe was an extraordinary, generous and humanistic contribution of President Hugo Chávez Frías. Now they want to destroy PetroCaribe to threaten its member states, submit them to the oil multinationals and separate them from Venezuela. They do not realize that our peoples have decided, irrevocably, to continue our unstoppable advance and fight for a multipolar and just world, where those who were historically excluded have a voice, hope and dignity.
U.S. imperialism has attempted, without success, practically all possible formulas to destabilize and subvert the Bolivarian Chavista revolution, to recuperate its control of the largest oil reserves on the planet, and deliver a blow to the integrationist, emancipation process underway in Our America.
The arbitrary, aggressive, unjustified executive order issued by the President of the United States regarding the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela’s government, describing it as a threat to its national security, shows that the United States is able to sacrifice the peace and the direction of hemispheric and regional relations, for reasons of domination and domestic politics.
The idea is untenable that a country like Venezuela – which has shown so much solidarity, never invaded or harmed any other, and contributes in a significant and altruistic manner to the energy security and economic stability of a considerable number of nations of the continent – could represent a threat to the security of the greatest super-power in history.
We support the honorable, valiant, constructive position taken by President Nicolás Maduro, (applause) who, despite the seriousness of this threat, has extended his hand to the President of the United States, to initiate a dialogue based on international law and mutual respect, which could lead to the unconditional revocation of President Obama’s executive order and the normalization of relations. (Applause) Alba and CELAC should join in this proposal.
Today Venezuela is not alone, nor is our region the one it was 20 years ago. We will not tolerate the violation of sovereignty or allow peace in the region to be broken with impunity.
As we have reiterated, threats to the peace and stability of Venezuela represent threats to regional stability and peace, as well.
The peace which Venezuela today demands and which we all need, a “peace with justice, with equality, the peace on our feet, not on our knees, is peace with dignity and development,” as Maduro said, is the peace to which we committed ourselves in the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, adopted by the II CELAC Summit in Havana. Raul Castro said.
Latin America was not alone in expressing it's support for Venezuela Russia also signaled it's support and even offered increased co-operation on defense with Venezuela. Even Europe seemed disgusted with the threats emanating from the US. In Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro held massive military exercises demonstrating Venezuela's resolve to resist any attack from the US. We can only hope that the US is too busy pivoting to Asia, fighting wars in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan and fighting a proxy war in Ukraine to launch an actual invasion of Venezuela. Venezuela is a symbol of resistance to empire. Venezuela represents the hope of a better world for millions around the world.
Now to turn to events in Novorossia. There was an attempt to assassinate the legendary commander of the Ghost Brigade Alexei Mozgovoi a week ago. Mozgovoi is beloved for his strong stand against the Oligarchs and represents one of the most revolutionary factions in the NAF (Novorossian armed forces.) Apparently some one feels this makes him a threat. As he drove home from a meeting with the LPR (Lugansk People's Republic) government someone detonated a roadside explosive apparently something went wrong and although Mozgovoi was injured the car destroyed he survived and no one else was killed. In a statement afterwards he refused to name those responsible and promised he would not pursue revenge. This is the second attempt on Mozgovoi's life and as he hinted both occurred right after he met with the LPR. In the first attempt someone shot at his car but he wasn't in it now this. Someone clearly wants him dead. I can only express my hopes for his continued safety. Hopefully someone will get to the bottom of this disgraceful incident and prevent any further attempts on Mozgovoi's life. What a disgrace if after fighting so many battles against the Ukrainian Fascists he should end up dead at the hand of some corrupt traitor from Novorossia. Mozgovoi could prove vital to the liberation of Fascist occupied Ukraine. He has made many appeals to the People of Ukraine to rise up against their Oligarch controlled Fascist government offering the vision of a Socialist future for Ukraine. He is already admired around the world. He should be protected as a national treasure.
There was a brief uprising in the town of Konstantinovka on March 16th. After Months of Occupation by the Ukrainian army and the Fascist National Guard the town which last year voted for Autonomy exploded in rage when Drunken Ukrainian soldiers in an APC ran over a Mother and her 8 year old daughter. The mother was badly injured the girl died. The Crowd attacked the guilty soldiers demanding justice the Authorities had to rescue the soldiers. A massive crowd began to gather demanding justice. They began burning government vehicles and attacked a hostel where Ukrainian soldiers were lodged. They chanted for their independence shouting "Donbas is strength" and hurled obscenities at the troops. They surrounded the municipal courthouse demanding justice. According to Colonel Cassad the guilty soldiers had to be evacuated by helicopter. Unfortunately as night fell the Kiev regime launched a massive attack using Nazi Militias and Government troops to disperse the crowd. There is no telling how many people will be arrested tortured, disappeared and murdered in retaliation. There is no telling how many are already dead or held prisoner. Torture of those suspected of separatism is widespread in Ukraine, as is the murder of those suspected of separatism. Hopefully one day Konstantinovka will be liberated by the NAF until then it's people will live in deadly danger for the crime of demanding justice for the callous killing of an 8 year old girl.
As expected the Minsk Ceasefire has proved largely Illusory with the fighting continuing and kiev continuing to shell the people of Novorossia. While the Novorossians claim to have withdrawn their heavy weapons they accuse Kiev of refusing to do the same. Also as expected there was no way Ukraine's parliament drunk on it's fascist brand of Ultranationalism would ever agree to vote to provide the necessary concessions granting autonomy and self rule to Novorossia. Instead they did the exact opposite declaring Novorossia to be occupied territory and claiming the lawful authorities are those from the Yanukovych era. In other words they are completely delusional. It's like Novorossia refusing to recognize the Kiev government until they reinstall Yanukovych. the prime minister of the Donetsk People's Republic Alexander Zakharchenko declared that the Rada had basically killed the Minsk 2.0 agreements and threatened to go back on the offensive. However it's more likely that the "Ceasefire" will last until Ukraine has had time to regroup it's forces for it's next big offensive which will likely prove yet another disaster. Zakharchenko promised the NAF would inflict as many defeats and create as many cauldrons as are necessary to bring the Ukrainians to their senses. How much death and humiliation must Ukraine suffer before it tires of the insanity of Fascism?
Unfortunately even if the Ukrainian people should ever come to their senses the United States will never tire of this war. Let's be honest here this is what the pentagon and the CIA have been dreaming of for 70 years a war with Russia. Here albeit in miniaturized proxy war form it can finally engage in that apocalyptic battle they once planned to fight in the middle of Europe. They spent trillions preparing to wage this massive conventional battle even though in reality they knew that things would quickly go nuclear making it all rather pointless as there would shortly be no more Europe and probably no more planet. Yet now After fighting the illusion of Al Qaeda for the past 13 years it is relieved to finally be facing something real and tangible. What an effort of will it must take for our military members not to connect the dots between the funding of Syrian rebels and the expansion of ISIS. Now they face Something Americans have been trained to hate for almost 100 years the Russians. And Russia also has been training itself for a hundred years for this battle. Russia is where empires go to die first Napoleon then Hitler now the American empire will likely suffer defeat here as well. Such is the peril of being completely oblivious to history after loosing in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, it is absolute folly for the US to start a war with the Russians. Unfortunately I doubt they will be able to help themselves from continuing to escalate things. They are already planning to openly send trainers disgracefully they have even announced that they plan to train the notorious national guard units largely recruited from Neo-Nazi street fighters. A recent poll shows a year of intensified anti-russian media coverage has already lead Americans to see Russia as the number one threat.
Speaking of the media they recently made complete fools of themselves speculating on Putin's disappearance and hoping desperately he was dead. Now that he has reappeared alive and well they'd be embarrassed if they weren't totally shameless.
It has been one year since Crimea wisely voted to secede from Ukraine and Putin daringly sent in Spetsnaz to secure the peninsula. Russia and Crimea are currently celebrating. Russia even released a film revealing the details of the liberation of Crimea. Hopefully an English language version will be available soon. I offer my best wishes to the people of Crimea and my Hopes that one day Novorossia will be equally secure from attack.
Venezuela and Novorossia two countries under siege by the empire. Both have become Icons of Resistance along with Syria which has withstood the worst horrors of all. In the words of Simon Bolivar "Venezuela is not a threat but a hope. Independence or Nothing." All three countries offer us hope. All three have so far been successful in resisting multiple attempts by the US and it's allies to destroy them. Their survival is an inspiration to the world. Paradoxically in this sense they do provide a threat not to the American People themselves but rather to America's Global Hegemony. Venezuela's example has already freed a continent. Hopefully the example of these centers of resistance may one day free the world. Until then we will live in the Empire of Chaos where billions starve so that a couple hundred people can have billions of dollars, and where millions die in America's war on the world.
Sources
Raul Castro's speech
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/18/alba-in-solidarity-with-venezuela/
Nicolas Maduro letter to American People
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/letter-to-the-people-of-the-united-states-venezuela-is-not-a-threat/
James Petras on Venezuela
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/us-war-in-our-hemisphere-and-venezuelas-national-liberation-struggle/
Col. Cassad on events in Konstantinovka
http://cassad-eng.livejournal.com/143059.html
Kazzura footage from Konstantinovka
http://youtu.be/Wfk_XVB5qqc
As I've said before Kazzura's Youtube channel is invaluable for providing subtitled footage from Novorossia you can find clips of Mozgovoi's interview shortly after the failed assassination attempt
http://youtu.be/Hv6UvdZXjB0
and Zhakharchenko's recent statement on Minsk
http://youtu.be/SHYPihfRqgk
Venezuela recently foiled a US backed coup plot that hoped to topple Venezuela's democratically elected government and destroy the Achievements of the Bolivarian revolution. However the US is once again showing that it is an extremely poor looser. In response to some largely symbolic retaliation (See my March 2015 Venezuela Argentina Russia) Obama has now declared Venezuela a threat to the National Security of the United States. However this insane policy has already backfired as it has largely mobilized the entire region to condemn recent US actions. Meanwhile in Ukraine the Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) torpedoed the recent Minsk agreements by declaring Novorossia "occupied territory." Ironically they revealed that it is the territory it still controls in Donetsk and Lugansk Oblasts is that is the real occupied territory with the brutal manner they smashed protests in the Town of Konstanikova which exploded into protests and riots after Ukrainian soldiers ran over a 8 year old girl in an APC. I'll also discuss the treacherous assassination attempt against Ghost Brigade Commander Alexei Mozgovoi that happened a little more then a week ago.
In a sane world perhaps the US would apologize for attempting to Murder half of Venezuela's government. Too bad we don't live in a sane world we live in what Pepe Escobar calls the Empire of Chaos. Thus in our insane world Venezuela is instead condemned for daring to foil a terrorist plot aiming to bomb the centers of government. Apparently they should have just meekly let themselves be blown to bits. Nothing is more democratic after all then allowing the losers in an election to assassinate the president and take power anyway. At least according to the State department. Newly promoted spokeswoman Jen Psaki infamous for all the silly stupid and things she said about the war in Ukraine last year; Declared that everyone knows America never backs coups. All of the Latin American Countries which suffered many decades of horror under US installed dictatorships must have been shaking their heads in disbelief. Perhaps many in what Gore Vidal called the United States of Amnesia don't remember but the rest of the world certainly does that long string of coups in every corner of the globe from Iran to Guatemala from the Congo to Vietnam and most recently in Ukraine. In Latin America both Honduras and Paraguay have suffered US sponsored coups in the past decade. There have also been recent failed Coup attempts in Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba, Argentina, Brazil and of course Venezuela. In fact both Brazil and Argentina are both currently experiencing destabilization attempts. Thus it shouldn't be surprising that the arrogant US handling of it's recent failure in Venezuela united the region in condemnation of the US declaration that Venezuela is a threat to the US and the entire region. Down in Latin America everyone can see the obvious it is the US that is the threat to Venezuela and the entire region along with the rest of the planet. Thus CELAC UNASUR and ALBA issued declarations condemning recent US behavior and declaring their support for Venezuela. UNASUR includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia (ironically implicated in the recent coup attempt) Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. ALBA Includes Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela and many small Caribbean islands. Both emerged as part of Chavez's efforts to integrate the Americas along political and economic lines than envisioned by those in Washington. He sought an Independent Latin America integrated for the mutual benefit of the nations involved and not for the benefit of wall street speculators the self styled "Masters of the Universe." Now these organizations made clear that they would not tolerate a return to the Monroe doctrine days when the US dominated Latin America installing corrupt and brutal regimes and toppling anyone who dared to show the slightest independence or desire to improve the lives of their citizens. From Cuba came the strongest expressions of support with both Raul and Fidel Castro writing beautiful and Powerfully honest letters of support.
Here is a long Excerpt From Raul Castro's Speech
ALBA brings us together today to reaffirm our firmest support for the Bolivarian people and government in the face of the latest interventionist measures and threats from the U.S. government against Venezuela.
The facts demonstrate that history can not be ignored. The relations between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean have been marked by the “Monroe Doctrine” and the objective of exercising domination and hegemony over our nations.
Bolívar had anticipated that the United States, “seems destined by Providence to plague America with misery in the name of Liberty” and Martí fell in combat before concluding the letter in which he explained the “duty of preventing the United States from spreading throughout the Antilles as Cuba gains its independence, and from overpowering with that additional strength our lands of America.”
Later came the military interventions, the coup d’états, the maneuvers to overthrow nationalist or progressive governments, the backing of bloody military dictatorships, the undercover operations, the support for terrorism and subversion, as well as the appropriation and plundering of our resources to perpetuate dependence and underdevelopment.
The triumphant audacity to carry out a socialist revolution just 90 miles from the United States, has meant immense sacrifices, suffering, loss of life and material deprivation for the Cuban people, subject to, since that very revolutionary triumph, 56 years ago, every kind of hostility, including the support and organization of armed bands in the mountains from the end of that same year of 1959 – that is, since the very year of the triumph of the Revolution – the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961 and the formalization of the blockade in 1962, all with the stated intention of defeating the Revolution and changing the political, economic and social order we freely chose and subsequently confirmed in a constitutional referendum.
The result has been a resounding failure, the harming of our people and the complete isolation of the United States in its intentions, as recently recognized by President Barack Obama on announcing a new policy and resolving to open another chapter. However, his government spokespeople insist on clarifying that the objectives persist and only the methods change.
The triumph of the Bolivarian Revolution was an extraordinary milestone in the history of Venezuela and the whole region, which had begun to awaken from the long neoliberal slumber. An era of change commenced in the continent and other nations decided to embark on the path towards full independence and integration and again take up the flags of our national heroes.
Alba, Unasur, CELAC were born, which united, in their diversity, previous groupings and initiatives of genuine Latin Americanist and Caribbean calling, founded on principles of solidarity, cooperation, social justice and defense of sovereignty.
PetroCaribe was an extraordinary, generous and humanistic contribution of President Hugo Chávez Frías. Now they want to destroy PetroCaribe to threaten its member states, submit them to the oil multinationals and separate them from Venezuela. They do not realize that our peoples have decided, irrevocably, to continue our unstoppable advance and fight for a multipolar and just world, where those who were historically excluded have a voice, hope and dignity.
U.S. imperialism has attempted, without success, practically all possible formulas to destabilize and subvert the Bolivarian Chavista revolution, to recuperate its control of the largest oil reserves on the planet, and deliver a blow to the integrationist, emancipation process underway in Our America.
The arbitrary, aggressive, unjustified executive order issued by the President of the United States regarding the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela’s government, describing it as a threat to its national security, shows that the United States is able to sacrifice the peace and the direction of hemispheric and regional relations, for reasons of domination and domestic politics.
The idea is untenable that a country like Venezuela – which has shown so much solidarity, never invaded or harmed any other, and contributes in a significant and altruistic manner to the energy security and economic stability of a considerable number of nations of the continent – could represent a threat to the security of the greatest super-power in history.
We support the honorable, valiant, constructive position taken by President Nicolás Maduro, (applause) who, despite the seriousness of this threat, has extended his hand to the President of the United States, to initiate a dialogue based on international law and mutual respect, which could lead to the unconditional revocation of President Obama’s executive order and the normalization of relations. (Applause) Alba and CELAC should join in this proposal.
Today Venezuela is not alone, nor is our region the one it was 20 years ago. We will not tolerate the violation of sovereignty or allow peace in the region to be broken with impunity.
As we have reiterated, threats to the peace and stability of Venezuela represent threats to regional stability and peace, as well.
The peace which Venezuela today demands and which we all need, a “peace with justice, with equality, the peace on our feet, not on our knees, is peace with dignity and development,” as Maduro said, is the peace to which we committed ourselves in the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, adopted by the II CELAC Summit in Havana. Raul Castro said.
Latin America was not alone in expressing it's support for Venezuela Russia also signaled it's support and even offered increased co-operation on defense with Venezuela. Even Europe seemed disgusted with the threats emanating from the US. In Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro held massive military exercises demonstrating Venezuela's resolve to resist any attack from the US. We can only hope that the US is too busy pivoting to Asia, fighting wars in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan and fighting a proxy war in Ukraine to launch an actual invasion of Venezuela. Venezuela is a symbol of resistance to empire. Venezuela represents the hope of a better world for millions around the world.
Now to turn to events in Novorossia. There was an attempt to assassinate the legendary commander of the Ghost Brigade Alexei Mozgovoi a week ago. Mozgovoi is beloved for his strong stand against the Oligarchs and represents one of the most revolutionary factions in the NAF (Novorossian armed forces.) Apparently some one feels this makes him a threat. As he drove home from a meeting with the LPR (Lugansk People's Republic) government someone detonated a roadside explosive apparently something went wrong and although Mozgovoi was injured the car destroyed he survived and no one else was killed. In a statement afterwards he refused to name those responsible and promised he would not pursue revenge. This is the second attempt on Mozgovoi's life and as he hinted both occurred right after he met with the LPR. In the first attempt someone shot at his car but he wasn't in it now this. Someone clearly wants him dead. I can only express my hopes for his continued safety. Hopefully someone will get to the bottom of this disgraceful incident and prevent any further attempts on Mozgovoi's life. What a disgrace if after fighting so many battles against the Ukrainian Fascists he should end up dead at the hand of some corrupt traitor from Novorossia. Mozgovoi could prove vital to the liberation of Fascist occupied Ukraine. He has made many appeals to the People of Ukraine to rise up against their Oligarch controlled Fascist government offering the vision of a Socialist future for Ukraine. He is already admired around the world. He should be protected as a national treasure.
There was a brief uprising in the town of Konstantinovka on March 16th. After Months of Occupation by the Ukrainian army and the Fascist National Guard the town which last year voted for Autonomy exploded in rage when Drunken Ukrainian soldiers in an APC ran over a Mother and her 8 year old daughter. The mother was badly injured the girl died. The Crowd attacked the guilty soldiers demanding justice the Authorities had to rescue the soldiers. A massive crowd began to gather demanding justice. They began burning government vehicles and attacked a hostel where Ukrainian soldiers were lodged. They chanted for their independence shouting "Donbas is strength" and hurled obscenities at the troops. They surrounded the municipal courthouse demanding justice. According to Colonel Cassad the guilty soldiers had to be evacuated by helicopter. Unfortunately as night fell the Kiev regime launched a massive attack using Nazi Militias and Government troops to disperse the crowd. There is no telling how many people will be arrested tortured, disappeared and murdered in retaliation. There is no telling how many are already dead or held prisoner. Torture of those suspected of separatism is widespread in Ukraine, as is the murder of those suspected of separatism. Hopefully one day Konstantinovka will be liberated by the NAF until then it's people will live in deadly danger for the crime of demanding justice for the callous killing of an 8 year old girl.
As expected the Minsk Ceasefire has proved largely Illusory with the fighting continuing and kiev continuing to shell the people of Novorossia. While the Novorossians claim to have withdrawn their heavy weapons they accuse Kiev of refusing to do the same. Also as expected there was no way Ukraine's parliament drunk on it's fascist brand of Ultranationalism would ever agree to vote to provide the necessary concessions granting autonomy and self rule to Novorossia. Instead they did the exact opposite declaring Novorossia to be occupied territory and claiming the lawful authorities are those from the Yanukovych era. In other words they are completely delusional. It's like Novorossia refusing to recognize the Kiev government until they reinstall Yanukovych. the prime minister of the Donetsk People's Republic Alexander Zakharchenko declared that the Rada had basically killed the Minsk 2.0 agreements and threatened to go back on the offensive. However it's more likely that the "Ceasefire" will last until Ukraine has had time to regroup it's forces for it's next big offensive which will likely prove yet another disaster. Zakharchenko promised the NAF would inflict as many defeats and create as many cauldrons as are necessary to bring the Ukrainians to their senses. How much death and humiliation must Ukraine suffer before it tires of the insanity of Fascism?
Unfortunately even if the Ukrainian people should ever come to their senses the United States will never tire of this war. Let's be honest here this is what the pentagon and the CIA have been dreaming of for 70 years a war with Russia. Here albeit in miniaturized proxy war form it can finally engage in that apocalyptic battle they once planned to fight in the middle of Europe. They spent trillions preparing to wage this massive conventional battle even though in reality they knew that things would quickly go nuclear making it all rather pointless as there would shortly be no more Europe and probably no more planet. Yet now After fighting the illusion of Al Qaeda for the past 13 years it is relieved to finally be facing something real and tangible. What an effort of will it must take for our military members not to connect the dots between the funding of Syrian rebels and the expansion of ISIS. Now they face Something Americans have been trained to hate for almost 100 years the Russians. And Russia also has been training itself for a hundred years for this battle. Russia is where empires go to die first Napoleon then Hitler now the American empire will likely suffer defeat here as well. Such is the peril of being completely oblivious to history after loosing in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, it is absolute folly for the US to start a war with the Russians. Unfortunately I doubt they will be able to help themselves from continuing to escalate things. They are already planning to openly send trainers disgracefully they have even announced that they plan to train the notorious national guard units largely recruited from Neo-Nazi street fighters. A recent poll shows a year of intensified anti-russian media coverage has already lead Americans to see Russia as the number one threat.
Speaking of the media they recently made complete fools of themselves speculating on Putin's disappearance and hoping desperately he was dead. Now that he has reappeared alive and well they'd be embarrassed if they weren't totally shameless.
It has been one year since Crimea wisely voted to secede from Ukraine and Putin daringly sent in Spetsnaz to secure the peninsula. Russia and Crimea are currently celebrating. Russia even released a film revealing the details of the liberation of Crimea. Hopefully an English language version will be available soon. I offer my best wishes to the people of Crimea and my Hopes that one day Novorossia will be equally secure from attack.
Venezuela and Novorossia two countries under siege by the empire. Both have become Icons of Resistance along with Syria which has withstood the worst horrors of all. In the words of Simon Bolivar "Venezuela is not a threat but a hope. Independence or Nothing." All three countries offer us hope. All three have so far been successful in resisting multiple attempts by the US and it's allies to destroy them. Their survival is an inspiration to the world. Paradoxically in this sense they do provide a threat not to the American People themselves but rather to America's Global Hegemony. Venezuela's example has already freed a continent. Hopefully the example of these centers of resistance may one day free the world. Until then we will live in the Empire of Chaos where billions starve so that a couple hundred people can have billions of dollars, and where millions die in America's war on the world.
Sources
Raul Castro's speech
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/18/alba-in-solidarity-with-venezuela/
Nicolas Maduro letter to American People
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/letter-to-the-people-of-the-united-states-venezuela-is-not-a-threat/
James Petras on Venezuela
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/us-war-in-our-hemisphere-and-venezuelas-national-liberation-struggle/
Col. Cassad on events in Konstantinovka
http://cassad-eng.livejournal.com/143059.html
Kazzura footage from Konstantinovka
http://youtu.be/Wfk_XVB5qqc
As I've said before Kazzura's Youtube channel is invaluable for providing subtitled footage from Novorossia you can find clips of Mozgovoi's interview shortly after the failed assassination attempt
http://youtu.be/Hv6UvdZXjB0
and Zhakharchenko's recent statement on Minsk
http://youtu.be/SHYPihfRqgk
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Venezuela Argentina Russia
Coup Plot Foiled in Venezuela, Mysterious Death in Argentina, Nemtsov Murdered
Recently Venezuela managed to foil a coup plot aimed at overthrowing it's democratically elected government. In Argentina a mysterious suicide is being used in an attempt to undermine It's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner part of a larger US assault on Argentina's independence. A corrupt and criminal Russian Politician was gunned down in Moscow apparently in an attempt to stir up opposition to President Putin. America is currently engaged in an attempted regime change rampage although thankfully a largely unsuccessful one so far.
Venezuela survived the attempt last year to overthrow it's government and to destroy the bold revolutionary experiment under way there. Venezuela has seen an exciting rebirth in socialist attempts to improve the lives of the vast majority of it's poor population. The US response has been to attempt to destroy the Venezuelan economy with all the evil little tricks it has perfected in it's covert wars on countries like Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua and Cuba. The Venezuelans have attempted to create a direct democracy where ordinary people for the first time are increasingly allowed to have a direct say in how their country is run. The US response has been to try to destroy that new freedom paying the spoiled children of the Rich to wage war on their own country. Venezuela the most democratic nation on the world is portrayed in typical Orwellian fashion as some sort of sinister dictatorship. (See my July 2014 article "Venezuela a People's Revolution" for more on the Origins and goals of the Bolivarian revolution) No wonder William Blum titled his book on US foreign Policy "Killing Hope" Wherever the bright light of hope shines the US seeks to snuff it out. Thankfully the Venezuelan revolution has managed to survive the constant attempts to destroy it. The efforts are non-stop but the two major episodes were the failed coup of 2002 Which attempted to overthrow Hugo Chavez. Only the spontaneous resistance of the people enabled the coup to be reversed. Then Chavez died, I'll always believe he was poisoned somehow. After Venezuela's opposition failed to win elections against his hand picked successor Nicolas Maduro they launched a terror campaign aimed at destabilizing the country and terrorizing the poor back into submission 43 people were killed. That was last year and Somehow Venezuela managed to whether the storm despite all the economic sabotage by the Opposition and the US. And despite an information war demonizing Venezuela in the press and on social media. And Despite a covert war waged from Colombia America's ally. In Colombia the death squad still reigns yet it is hailed as a model of democracy by the US. Seemingly all of America's remaining latin American allies are failed narco-States like Colombia, Honduras and Mexico.
Colombia was going to be the launching pad for the latest coup attempt as well. The US supplied the plotters with a Super Tucano aircraft which would have attacked the capital. The plotters included ten traitors within the air force. They also included opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez, Antonio Ledezma, and Marina Corina Machado. The US even enlisted the former Presidents of Chile Sebastian Pinera, Mexico Felipe Calderon , and Colombia Andre Pastrana to endorse the new government. Thankfully Venezuelan intelligence known as SEBIN was able to infiltrate the plot and put a stop to the whole thing. The plotters intended to bomb the Presidential palace, the Ministry of defense, the General Staff, and the TV Station Telesur. It would have been a horrifying repeat of the Coup in Chile when the presidential palace was also bombed. This is what passes for democracy promotion according to the US if you don't win the elections bomb the president. Venezuela's opposition stand exposed yet again as dangerous Fascists mouthing empty phrases about democracy. Meanwhile the attempt to destroy Venezuela will no doubt continue.
Venezuela responded by ordering the US embassy to reduce it's staff from 100 to 17 the number of Venezuelans Stationed at their embassy in Washington DC. This will force some of the CIA agents infesting the country to leave. In a wonderful symbolic gesture they plan to ban US war criminals like George Bush and Dick Cheney from entering the country. As Maduro explained
"I have decided on a prohibition list for people who will not be permitted visas and who can never enter Venezuela, for a set of chief US politicians who have committed human rights violations. They have bombed the people of Iraq, the people of Syria, the people of Vietnam… It is an anti-terrorist list,” declared the head of state to an impassioned crowd.
Venezuela also launched new visa restrictions on US citizens who now must pay what Venezuelans pay to enter the US. This is because US citizens were caught among the Rioters during last years destabilization attempt. Hopefully they will take further steps to protect their country from both their own corrupt elites and from CIA subversion. The Venezuelan Revolution must survive an inspiration to the world.
Venezuela isn't the only country which has been targeted for regime change. The US is also meddling in Argentina. Argentina is being targeted merely for trying to chart an independent course in the best interests of the populace. Last year tensions grew when the US attempted to use it's vulture funds to destroy Argentina's economy. They used their court system to demand Argentina pay an enormous debt. They even had their ISIS proxies threaten Cristina de Kirchner's life. Kirchner who opposes the war in Syria exposed the fact that US controls ISIS and told her people if she is killed to blame the US not the mideast. Recently these schemes resulted in the mysterious suicide of one of her critics Albert Nisman who had been attempting to create a scandal by falsely accusing Kirchner of covering up the role of Iran in the AMIA bombing in 1994. He was apparently allied with elements of Argentine intelligence plotting against Kirchner and was basically a tool of the US and Israel. The former head of Interpol Roland Noble even criticized him for lying repeatedly about the case. It was eerily similar to what would happen in Russia. An enemy of the president is killed in the attempt to discredit the president. His supposed suicide occurred only hours before he was due to address the Argentine Congress. Just as Nemtsov was killed shortly before he was to lead a protest demonstration against Putin. Also both were discredited figures more useful dead then alive. The struggle to maintain Argentina's independence in the face of US Economic and covert warfare continues. Kirchner will attempt to gain control over Argentine Intelligence. One spy Antonio Stiuso has already fled the country.
In Russia Boris Nemtsov was assassinated. He was beloved in the western media but despised in Russia. A former Yeltsin lackey he was a strong supporter of the Brutal Crackdown on Russia's Parliament little remembered in the west when Yeltsin sent tanks to fire on parliament because of their opposition to his disastrous US backed Shock Therapy "reforms" which would further destroy Russia's economy. Later He was Yeltsin's corrupt prime minister who legalized the process of Oligarchic looting while claiming to be fighting corruption. This is when he became the wests golden boy. However in the Putin era he became increasingly irrelevant and in response liked to pose as some sort of democratic reformer participating in Russia's failed color revolutions. His party was unpopular and so the notion that he was a dangerous rival is a media myth. Putin's popularity is at 85% Nemtsov's party got less then 5% of the vote. His most recent sin was his support for both the Maidan coup and Kiev's new fascist government. In fact Aleksei Goncharenko a Ukrainian deputy who participated in last years Odessa Massacre was arrested when he came to Moscow to pay his respects. There were thus many people who wanted him dead either because of his politics or his criminal dealings. However the timing and place of the Assassination meant to implicate Putin right before a huge scheduled opposition protest means the US and it's allies are the most likely suspects. Even Gorbachev called it a provocation. However if the Assassination was meant to launch a color revolution it will no doubt be a complete failure. Although beloved by the western Media he was widely despised in Russia. It's foolish to believe Russian's will overthrow the government on his behalf. Russia is apparently blaming Chechen terrorists possibly allied to Ukraine.
The US is involved in all sorts of schemes to subvert democracies through coups and destabilization attempts. Although it's recent attempts in Venezuela, Argentina, and Russia have failed they'll continue to scheme to overthrow their governments along with many others. We can only hope that Argentina, Russia and Venezuela will survive the endless schemes of the CIA.
Sources
First let me recommend the book I am currently reading "Safe For Democracy: The Secret Wars of The CIA" by John Prados a great book on the history of the CIA.
The best English language site for news from Venezuela is Venezuelanalysis
http://venezuelanalysis.com
Eva Golinger on the History of US aggression against Venezuela
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/us-aggression-against-venezuela-the-facts/
Two descriptions of the Venezuelan Coup Plot
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/operation-jericho-obamas-failed-coup-in-venezuela/
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/cia-incites-bloodshed-in-venezuela/
Venezuela's response and the source of the Maduro quote
http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-human-rights-abusers-not-welcome-in-venezuela-president-maduro-calls-for-global-rebellion-against-us-imperialism/5434546
I only Scratched the surface on Argentina Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya does his usual masterful job of explaining the complexities in these two articles
http://www.globalresearch.ca/eagles-of-empire-and-economic-terrorism-are-vulture-funds-instruments-of-us-policy/5409730
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-politicization-of-the-amia-investigation-pretext-for-regime-change-in-argentina/5431563
Joaquin Flores on the Nemtsov murder
http://fortruss.blogspot.com/2015/02/did-us-murder-boris-nemstov-imminent.html
A scathing biography of Nemtsov
http://pando.com/2015/03/02/boris-nemtsov-death-of-a-russian-liberal/
James Petras wrote a Brilliant Analysis of the last 50 Years of US Imperialism
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/fifty-years-of-imperial-wars-results-and-perspectives/
Another Scathing Article on Nemtsov from a Russian Communist
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/death-of-an-enemy-rkrp-leader-on-assassination-of-boris-nemtsov/
Recently Venezuela managed to foil a coup plot aimed at overthrowing it's democratically elected government. In Argentina a mysterious suicide is being used in an attempt to undermine It's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner part of a larger US assault on Argentina's independence. A corrupt and criminal Russian Politician was gunned down in Moscow apparently in an attempt to stir up opposition to President Putin. America is currently engaged in an attempted regime change rampage although thankfully a largely unsuccessful one so far.
Venezuela survived the attempt last year to overthrow it's government and to destroy the bold revolutionary experiment under way there. Venezuela has seen an exciting rebirth in socialist attempts to improve the lives of the vast majority of it's poor population. The US response has been to attempt to destroy the Venezuelan economy with all the evil little tricks it has perfected in it's covert wars on countries like Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua and Cuba. The Venezuelans have attempted to create a direct democracy where ordinary people for the first time are increasingly allowed to have a direct say in how their country is run. The US response has been to try to destroy that new freedom paying the spoiled children of the Rich to wage war on their own country. Venezuela the most democratic nation on the world is portrayed in typical Orwellian fashion as some sort of sinister dictatorship. (See my July 2014 article "Venezuela a People's Revolution" for more on the Origins and goals of the Bolivarian revolution) No wonder William Blum titled his book on US foreign Policy "Killing Hope" Wherever the bright light of hope shines the US seeks to snuff it out. Thankfully the Venezuelan revolution has managed to survive the constant attempts to destroy it. The efforts are non-stop but the two major episodes were the failed coup of 2002 Which attempted to overthrow Hugo Chavez. Only the spontaneous resistance of the people enabled the coup to be reversed. Then Chavez died, I'll always believe he was poisoned somehow. After Venezuela's opposition failed to win elections against his hand picked successor Nicolas Maduro they launched a terror campaign aimed at destabilizing the country and terrorizing the poor back into submission 43 people were killed. That was last year and Somehow Venezuela managed to whether the storm despite all the economic sabotage by the Opposition and the US. And despite an information war demonizing Venezuela in the press and on social media. And Despite a covert war waged from Colombia America's ally. In Colombia the death squad still reigns yet it is hailed as a model of democracy by the US. Seemingly all of America's remaining latin American allies are failed narco-States like Colombia, Honduras and Mexico.
Colombia was going to be the launching pad for the latest coup attempt as well. The US supplied the plotters with a Super Tucano aircraft which would have attacked the capital. The plotters included ten traitors within the air force. They also included opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez, Antonio Ledezma, and Marina Corina Machado. The US even enlisted the former Presidents of Chile Sebastian Pinera, Mexico Felipe Calderon , and Colombia Andre Pastrana to endorse the new government. Thankfully Venezuelan intelligence known as SEBIN was able to infiltrate the plot and put a stop to the whole thing. The plotters intended to bomb the Presidential palace, the Ministry of defense, the General Staff, and the TV Station Telesur. It would have been a horrifying repeat of the Coup in Chile when the presidential palace was also bombed. This is what passes for democracy promotion according to the US if you don't win the elections bomb the president. Venezuela's opposition stand exposed yet again as dangerous Fascists mouthing empty phrases about democracy. Meanwhile the attempt to destroy Venezuela will no doubt continue.
Venezuela responded by ordering the US embassy to reduce it's staff from 100 to 17 the number of Venezuelans Stationed at their embassy in Washington DC. This will force some of the CIA agents infesting the country to leave. In a wonderful symbolic gesture they plan to ban US war criminals like George Bush and Dick Cheney from entering the country. As Maduro explained
"I have decided on a prohibition list for people who will not be permitted visas and who can never enter Venezuela, for a set of chief US politicians who have committed human rights violations. They have bombed the people of Iraq, the people of Syria, the people of Vietnam… It is an anti-terrorist list,” declared the head of state to an impassioned crowd.
Venezuela also launched new visa restrictions on US citizens who now must pay what Venezuelans pay to enter the US. This is because US citizens were caught among the Rioters during last years destabilization attempt. Hopefully they will take further steps to protect their country from both their own corrupt elites and from CIA subversion. The Venezuelan Revolution must survive an inspiration to the world.
Venezuela isn't the only country which has been targeted for regime change. The US is also meddling in Argentina. Argentina is being targeted merely for trying to chart an independent course in the best interests of the populace. Last year tensions grew when the US attempted to use it's vulture funds to destroy Argentina's economy. They used their court system to demand Argentina pay an enormous debt. They even had their ISIS proxies threaten Cristina de Kirchner's life. Kirchner who opposes the war in Syria exposed the fact that US controls ISIS and told her people if she is killed to blame the US not the mideast. Recently these schemes resulted in the mysterious suicide of one of her critics Albert Nisman who had been attempting to create a scandal by falsely accusing Kirchner of covering up the role of Iran in the AMIA bombing in 1994. He was apparently allied with elements of Argentine intelligence plotting against Kirchner and was basically a tool of the US and Israel. The former head of Interpol Roland Noble even criticized him for lying repeatedly about the case. It was eerily similar to what would happen in Russia. An enemy of the president is killed in the attempt to discredit the president. His supposed suicide occurred only hours before he was due to address the Argentine Congress. Just as Nemtsov was killed shortly before he was to lead a protest demonstration against Putin. Also both were discredited figures more useful dead then alive. The struggle to maintain Argentina's independence in the face of US Economic and covert warfare continues. Kirchner will attempt to gain control over Argentine Intelligence. One spy Antonio Stiuso has already fled the country.
In Russia Boris Nemtsov was assassinated. He was beloved in the western media but despised in Russia. A former Yeltsin lackey he was a strong supporter of the Brutal Crackdown on Russia's Parliament little remembered in the west when Yeltsin sent tanks to fire on parliament because of their opposition to his disastrous US backed Shock Therapy "reforms" which would further destroy Russia's economy. Later He was Yeltsin's corrupt prime minister who legalized the process of Oligarchic looting while claiming to be fighting corruption. This is when he became the wests golden boy. However in the Putin era he became increasingly irrelevant and in response liked to pose as some sort of democratic reformer participating in Russia's failed color revolutions. His party was unpopular and so the notion that he was a dangerous rival is a media myth. Putin's popularity is at 85% Nemtsov's party got less then 5% of the vote. His most recent sin was his support for both the Maidan coup and Kiev's new fascist government. In fact Aleksei Goncharenko a Ukrainian deputy who participated in last years Odessa Massacre was arrested when he came to Moscow to pay his respects. There were thus many people who wanted him dead either because of his politics or his criminal dealings. However the timing and place of the Assassination meant to implicate Putin right before a huge scheduled opposition protest means the US and it's allies are the most likely suspects. Even Gorbachev called it a provocation. However if the Assassination was meant to launch a color revolution it will no doubt be a complete failure. Although beloved by the western Media he was widely despised in Russia. It's foolish to believe Russian's will overthrow the government on his behalf. Russia is apparently blaming Chechen terrorists possibly allied to Ukraine.
The US is involved in all sorts of schemes to subvert democracies through coups and destabilization attempts. Although it's recent attempts in Venezuela, Argentina, and Russia have failed they'll continue to scheme to overthrow their governments along with many others. We can only hope that Argentina, Russia and Venezuela will survive the endless schemes of the CIA.
Sources
First let me recommend the book I am currently reading "Safe For Democracy: The Secret Wars of The CIA" by John Prados a great book on the history of the CIA.
The best English language site for news from Venezuela is Venezuelanalysis
http://venezuelanalysis.com
Eva Golinger on the History of US aggression against Venezuela
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/02/26/us-aggression-against-venezuela-the-facts/
Two descriptions of the Venezuelan Coup Plot
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/operation-jericho-obamas-failed-coup-in-venezuela/
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/cia-incites-bloodshed-in-venezuela/
Venezuela's response and the source of the Maduro quote
http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-human-rights-abusers-not-welcome-in-venezuela-president-maduro-calls-for-global-rebellion-against-us-imperialism/5434546
I only Scratched the surface on Argentina Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya does his usual masterful job of explaining the complexities in these two articles
http://www.globalresearch.ca/eagles-of-empire-and-economic-terrorism-are-vulture-funds-instruments-of-us-policy/5409730
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-politicization-of-the-amia-investigation-pretext-for-regime-change-in-argentina/5431563
Joaquin Flores on the Nemtsov murder
http://fortruss.blogspot.com/2015/02/did-us-murder-boris-nemstov-imminent.html
A scathing biography of Nemtsov
http://pando.com/2015/03/02/boris-nemtsov-death-of-a-russian-liberal/
James Petras wrote a Brilliant Analysis of the last 50 Years of US Imperialism
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/fifty-years-of-imperial-wars-results-and-perspectives/
Another Scathing Article on Nemtsov from a Russian Communist
https://libya360.wordpress.com/2015/03/02/death-of-an-enemy-rkrp-leader-on-assassination-of-boris-nemtsov/
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