The USA only has one officially acknowledged military base in Latin America, namely the Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras.
Other than that, the USA has military installations all over Latin America that the USA does not call “bases.”
That’s one of the hallmarks of power: it lets you control language, and therefore the mass mind. For example, an imperialist attack is not a smash-and-grab orgy. It is an “intervention.” A military base is not a “base.” It is a “forward operation installation.” And so on.
In Honduras the constitution does not permit a “permanent” foreign presence, and yet the permanent US base is there anyway. The Honduran government calls it “semi-permanent” – i.e. permanent.
There are about 600 U.S. Marines in Peru. Another 3,200 will arrive later this year. Admiral Luis De La Flor Rivero, the commandant of the Peruvian Marine Corps, wants at least 6,000 U.S. Marines in Peru. This is one reason why the US Southern Command is now begging the US Congress for more money.
On 29 Jan 2015 the Peruvian Congress approved the entrance of 18 separate U.S. military groups for 2015. Their mission in Peru is to crush a populist rebellion by the poor, and to make sure that the CIA continues to control the flow of cocaine to the USA, just as the US military is in Afghanistan to make sure that the CIA continues to control the flow of opium and heroin. Afghanistan is now the #1 producer of heroin, and Peru is the #1 producer of cocaine.
Thus, the US military has bases all over Latin America — but no “bases.”
Great picture, Konrad. Unfortunately, a very accurate comment too.
They should ask for the removal of US military PRESENCE, not bases. How do you say “base/data base” in Arabic? I forgot. Oh, yes, Al Qaida…
Does anyone remember a couple of years ago when there was a bit of a stink about Argentina daring to stop a US military plane from unloading some rockets upon arrival in BA and the US complaining of the unlawful search and detention, blah, blah, claiming the Argentine gov was being disingenuous, knowing full well they had arrived there for the agreed upon joint military exercises? I don’t remember details but I remember my surprise at finding out they even had “joint military exercises.” Maybe now not so much… On he other hand I heard with distaste that Uruguay will have some joint exercises with the US soon. What does Uruguay need military “preparedness” for? Are they thinking of putting some rockets at Fray Bentos to defend the pulp mill from an Argentinean attack?
@ ariadnatheo:
“Does anyone remember a couple of years ago when there was a bit of a stink about Argentina daring to stop a US military plane from unloading some rockets upon arrival in BA and the US complaining of the unlawful search and detention, blah, blah…?”
Yes, that involved a breakdown in communication at a time when Obama was not popular with the Argentine government.
On 10 Feb 2011, a US Air Force C17 landed at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires with military equipment and ammunition to be used in training for officers from Argentina’s Federal Police GEOF special operations group. That is, the weapons were to be used in a hostage rescue training exercise.
However the local police didn’t get the memo. They found a briefcase containing morphine and “psychotropic medication,” (i.e. sedatives) plus a chest full of expired medication, plus various weapons and narcotics.
The local police wanted to know what this weird stuff was for, but US officials at the embassy ignored them. So the local police and customs authorities confiscated everything. Foreign minister Héctor Timerman personally supervised the seizure as perplexed U.S. officials looked on.
Later the USA said the medication, including morphine, was part of a first aid kit belonging to an Army medic who participates in the training courses. The course uses real weapons and live-fire exercises, making it necessary to have medication available in an emergency. The U.S. training team that arrived with the C-17 included eight special forces officers from Fort Bragg, N.C., plus the medic.
“On the other hand I heard with distaste that Uruguay will have some joint exercises with the US soon. What does Uruguay need military “preparedness” for? Are they thinking of putting some rockets at Fray Bentos to defend the pulp mill from an Argentinean attack?”
All Latin American countries are plutocracies except the 11 ALBA nations (Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, etc). The ALBA governments believe that the purpose of government is to help all citizens, not only the rich. The rest of Latin American governments agree with Washington that the purpose of government is to serve the rich.
Uruguay is a plutocracy, although it had a very leftist president in José Mujica up until 1 March 2015. However most of Mujica’s “leftist reforms” were somewhat cosmetic, such as the legalization of marijuana. Mr. Mujica did not dethrone the plutocracy.
Any Latin country that is a plutocracy may occasionally seem to have differences with the USA, but these are only surface issues. Their governments are all U.S. allies. That includes Uruguay and Argentina.
Hence the joint exercises with the USA are no surprise.
https://quatloosx.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/us_liberation.jpg
The USA only has one officially acknowledged military base in Latin America, namely the Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras.
Other than that, the USA has military installations all over Latin America that the USA does not call “bases.”
That’s one of the hallmarks of power: it lets you control language, and therefore the mass mind. For example, an imperialist attack is not a smash-and-grab orgy. It is an “intervention.” A military base is not a “base.” It is a “forward operation installation.” And so on.
In Honduras the constitution does not permit a “permanent” foreign presence, and yet the permanent US base is there anyway. The Honduran government calls it “semi-permanent” – i.e. permanent.
There are about 600 U.S. Marines in Peru. Another 3,200 will arrive later this year. Admiral Luis De La Flor Rivero, the commandant of the Peruvian Marine Corps, wants at least 6,000 U.S. Marines in Peru. This is one reason why the US Southern Command is now begging the US Congress for more money.
On 29 Jan 2015 the Peruvian Congress approved the entrance of 18 separate U.S. military groups for 2015. Their mission in Peru is to crush a populist rebellion by the poor, and to make sure that the CIA continues to control the flow of cocaine to the USA, just as the US military is in Afghanistan to make sure that the CIA continues to control the flow of opium and heroin. Afghanistan is now the #1 producer of heroin, and Peru is the #1 producer of cocaine.
Thus, the US military has bases all over Latin America — but no “bases.”
Konrad speaking of bases in Honduras.
http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/US-Military-to-Launch-Special-Force-for-Latin-America-20150401-0037.html
Great picture, Konrad. Unfortunately, a very accurate comment too.
They should ask for the removal of US military PRESENCE, not bases. How do you say “base/data base” in Arabic? I forgot. Oh, yes, Al Qaida…
Does anyone remember a couple of years ago when there was a bit of a stink about Argentina daring to stop a US military plane from unloading some rockets upon arrival in BA and the US complaining of the unlawful search and detention, blah, blah, claiming the Argentine gov was being disingenuous, knowing full well they had arrived there for the agreed upon joint military exercises? I don’t remember details but I remember my surprise at finding out they even had “joint military exercises.” Maybe now not so much… On he other hand I heard with distaste that Uruguay will have some joint exercises with the US soon. What does Uruguay need military “preparedness” for? Are they thinking of putting some rockets at Fray Bentos to defend the pulp mill from an Argentinean attack?
@ ariadnatheo:
“Does anyone remember a couple of years ago when there was a bit of a stink about Argentina daring to stop a US military plane from unloading some rockets upon arrival in BA and the US complaining of the unlawful search and detention, blah, blah…?”
Yes, that involved a breakdown in communication at a time when Obama was not popular with the Argentine government.
On 10 Feb 2011, a US Air Force C17 landed at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires with military equipment and ammunition to be used in training for officers from Argentina’s Federal Police GEOF special operations group. That is, the weapons were to be used in a hostage rescue training exercise.
However the local police didn’t get the memo. They found a briefcase containing morphine and “psychotropic medication,” (i.e. sedatives) plus a chest full of expired medication, plus various weapons and narcotics.
The local police wanted to know what this weird stuff was for, but US officials at the embassy ignored them. So the local police and customs authorities confiscated everything. Foreign minister Héctor Timerman personally supervised the seizure as perplexed U.S. officials looked on.
Later the USA said the medication, including morphine, was part of a first aid kit belonging to an Army medic who participates in the training courses. The course uses real weapons and live-fire exercises, making it necessary to have medication available in an emergency. The U.S. training team that arrived with the C-17 included eight special forces officers from Fort Bragg, N.C., plus the medic.
“On the other hand I heard with distaste that Uruguay will have some joint exercises with the US soon. What does Uruguay need military “preparedness” for? Are they thinking of putting some rockets at Fray Bentos to defend the pulp mill from an Argentinean attack?”
All Latin American countries are plutocracies except the 11 ALBA nations (Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Ecuador, etc). The ALBA governments believe that the purpose of government is to help all citizens, not only the rich. The rest of Latin American governments agree with Washington that the purpose of government is to serve the rich.
Uruguay is a plutocracy, although it had a very leftist president in José Mujica up until 1 March 2015. However most of Mujica’s “leftist reforms” were somewhat cosmetic, such as the legalization of marijuana. Mr. Mujica did not dethrone the plutocracy.
Any Latin country that is a plutocracy may occasionally seem to have differences with the USA, but these are only surface issues. Their governments are all U.S. allies. That includes Uruguay and Argentina.
Hence the joint exercises with the USA are no surprise.