So Canada supported the Haitian coup too.
It looks like Paul Martin is already putting his mark on foreign affairs, with a shameful pandering to America in this. It was interesting to watch the hesitation in Foreign Affairs as the old hands working to save democracy in Haiti got the rug pulled out from under them by what Jamaica is already calling “new Canadians” – not meant to imply an improved version. I guess the business at any price types in the Liberal party have finally gotten their way.
So Americans, have no fear, or minor annoyance anyway – Canada will once again help hold the bag for you while you fill it with the corpses of anyone who dares to oppose your God given right to tell everyone else in the world how to manage their economy and live their lives. Sorry for the little slip up in Iraq – that Chretien must have been one of those old European types, like that asshole Trudeau. Don’t worry, Mr. Martin is as American as they come – hell, he already has off shore companies to hide his cash from the state, and although that might be pretty minor league compared to American style corruption- well, hey, this is the minor leagues after all. But at least his heart is in the right place.
The Latin America coup machine – Noeriega, Reich and the death squad boys (not really neocons, just cons) have shown that everything still works. Business, or I guess, slaughter, as usual for them as well. They might have been afraid that the mass media, shamed over the whole WMD fiasco, or perhaps even the public, angered by the same, might have their doubts.
But no worries – it’s baaahsniness as usual there too. Funny how Aristide, a democratically elected president with a term still to run, no army, no secret police, no concentration camps, no mass graves, a vocal and active in country opposition, accused of maybe a dozen or so atrocities carried out by mobs very partially under his control, has magically become a bloodthirsty drug running dictator. Just like that. Black is white, a circle is a square REPEAT! The terminology was put in place before the coup even half started. I knew something was up when Aristide supporters – or supporters of democracy- were suddenly being branded as ‘Aristide militants’. Where have I heard that one before?
Ahh, the media bullshit. The rebels showing up for a press conference waving “a motley collection of WW II vintage” guns. A little history management there. Independent observers noted that these supposedly spontaneously generated rebels were armed with M-16s, grenade launchers, and had all terrain vehicles. They were in fact much better equipped than the Haitian police. And they also slipped in from the American puppet Domican “Republic” next door. And yet here they are with M 1s – kind of reminds me of the statue toppling moment in Baghdad.
And from what I can see we the public are lapping it all up. It seems like everyone is eager to put all that unpleasantness “behind them”, to pretend that everything is ok – that having virtually the entire establishment and mass media lie to and manipulate them over Iraq was just an aberration, and not simply business as usual. We are so desperate to go back to our ‘cozy’ image of being the good guys again we will believe any lie that makes it seem like we are. So the truth is out there in the alternative media for anyone who bothers to go check, but how many really will? Who really wants to know? Better to live in happy ignorance.
So what’s next? Why, Venezuala of course- with that other democratically elected leftwing president with no secret police and no camps, etc., being magically transformed into an evil dictator. Like I said, the machinery has been tested and shown to be still in order. New evil demon coming up! And this one has a lot of oil , but it will be about democracy and human rights.
And maybe security too – Venezuala is a dagger pointed at the heart of America. Venezualan toxic spray cannons can wipe out Washington in 30 minutes! …Mexico will fall next and Texans will have to go to reeducation camps! Chavez is 2 months from having an atomic bomb! al Quaida is setting up shop in the Venezualan jungles! ..No, that won’t fly. Well, it might – hell, they bought the “Communist menace” thing for Nicauragra, and that was a real stretch…
But no, better keep it simple and go for the traditional Allende play instead- use upper and upper middle class anger at long overdue social reforms to organize an American directed fifth column, coupled with a campaign of economic sabotage to spread general discontent and a media villification campaign. Have the coup, install the puppet dictator, then have everyone look the other way while the death squads clean out the leftwingers in time for the next “free election”. Oh well, whatever storyline they choose we’ll swallow it whole just the same. Or will we?
COLIN PIQUETTE teaches at Suncheon First College in Chollanamdo, South Kore. He can be reached at: aclpiquette@hotmail.com
