Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The School of the Americas- The Training of Dictators and Assassins With U.S. Tax Dollars Continues


By John Amaruso


The "The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation", formerly known as the "School of the Americas" is a U.S. Military training institution owned by the Department of Defense in Fort Benning, Georgia.

The institute has produced some of the most notorious dictators known to the western world such as Gen. Manuel Noriega, former strong man of Panama, to Gen. Roberto Viola, former dictator of Argentina. Many of the institutions graduates have violated human rights, primarily in Latin America.

From Honduras to Guatemala, graduates of the university have funded and participated in violent revolts against democratic powers in an attempt to gain power for themselves and various foreign interests, leaving in their wake thousands of innocent civilians murdered, and countries torn a part.

All of these soldiers and mercenaries are being trained by the U.S. military with OUR tax dollars.

An annual protest is being held this Friday by LUCAP (Loyola University Community Action Program). Comprised of mostly Loyola students, the protest is annual and Nov 16, 2012 marks the 13 year anniversary of the assassination of Jesuit priests who dared to stand up and vocalize their discontent with the assassin training camp.

The organization "The School of the Americas Watch" plans on meeting with President Obama to sway him to sign an executive order to close down the institute.

The School of the America's changed their name to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation in an attempt to disconnect themselves from their bloody and controversial past.

If you are interested in more information, below are links to some of the organizations who will take part in the demonstrations. Also a list of the most conspicuous of graduates from the institute.

The School of the Americas watch-
http://www.soaw.org/about-us

LUCAP-
http://mm.loyno.edu/volunteer-service/loyola-university-community-action-program
List of those dictators in Latin America trained by the U.S. military at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. (provided by SOAW). Mind you, this is only a short list of the known dictators. There are countless other mercenaries around the world which have not been accounted for.






Monday, November 12, 2012

Why Can't We All Just Recognize Palestine Exists?

"Our image has undergone change from David fighting Goliath to being Goliath"  
          - Yitzhak Shamir, former Israeli prime minister on the state of affairs between Palestine and Israel


President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine at UN council meeting   
       
By John Amaruso



 "Facing a lack of progress in their statehood bid, Palestinian leaders said Monday that they would ask the United Nation's General Assembly by month's end to elevate their status in the international body from observer entity to nonmember state"- L.A. Times

         This is the opening paragraph of an article in the L.A. Times reporting on Palestine's second attempt in a year to solicit help from the international community in recognizing their right to exist. Last year a bid for full U.N. membership was largely denied, with help from the U.S. and Israel. This time it's for nonmember status. While it may be symbolic, it is a first step. 

         "On behalf of whom will you present a resolution in September? Mr. Abbas or Hamas?" said Israeli Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor after last year's attempt, insinuating that Hamas would lead the newly Palestinian state, and not the current president Mahmoud Abbas. 

         Hamas which opposes Israeli occupation of Palestinian land has operated out of the Gaza Strip and have used terror tactics to gain ground on Israeli forces. They have launched home made missiles and bombs over the Israeli border for years in an attempt to deter Israeli forces from entering Palestinian land. In 2008 the "Gaza War" was initiated by Israel to stop the rocket fire into Israeli territory and to cease the shipment of arms to the terrorist group. The war that lasted three weeks resulted in almost 2,000 Palestinian deaths and only 13 Israeli deaths. It is said that for every 1 Israeli soldier killed in the half century long conflict, almost 4 Palestinian civilians were killed.

         The Palestinian Authority which is the official government of Palestine has denounced the terror tactics employed by groups like Hamas, and does not recognize them as an official political party. Although the Palestinian Authority opposes Hamas's tactics, Israel tends to blur the difference and declare the whole of Palestine a terrorist ran government. Israeli settlements which encroach on Palestinian territory have provided Hamas the needed sympathy and political support from victims to continue their war against Israel from both civilians and government officials alike.

 
         President Mahmoud Abbas has been pragmatic in his approach towards Israel, and since his election in 2008 has reached his hand out to Israel and has warranted U.S. support to come to a peace treaty between the two warring states. He has denied claims that Palestine is attempting to circumvent negotiations between his country and Israel by seeking UN recognition. Mahmoud Abbas said his nation's desire for UN recognition did not have to prevent talks, but instead could potentially be a catalyst for well intentioned and productive talks between Palestine and Israel. UN recognition would give Palestine the ability to seek UN resolutions and support, ultimately undermining Israeli dominance over the region. This would in turn give Palestine the leverage necessary to impede Israel's desires to have the upper hand in negotiations 
 
President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia shaking hands with
President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine
         Several countries in Latin America have already recognized the state of Palestine, along with Russia, shown in the picture above with President Mahmoud Abbas and President Dmitry Medvedev shaking hands at UN council meeting. The Obama administration has not announced whether or not it supports Palestine's attempts at gaining recognition for statehood, but has indicated it does not like the unilateralism employed by Palestine to gain recognition by the UN. This comes to no surprise, as the U.S.'s long time alliance with Israel hinders almost any public support for Palestine in their actions. 
 
          Whatever the outcome may be, Palestine seems to be the underdog in this fight. Israel's advanced weaponry, sophisticated intelligence agency and strong security forces have given the nation the upper hand in almost any battle fought against Palestine. Palestine lacks a strong and advanced army, or even an infrastructure worthy of notice. Almost 80% of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip live in extreme poverty, while almost half in the West Bank live under the same conditions. This all comes as the result of Israeli sanctions and blockades against the state, which Israel claims is in favor of the national security of Israel to prevent the arms trade to Hamas, but many in Palestine say it is just an attempt to keep the Palestinian state from becoming functional and autonomous. 
 
          One thing is for certain, negotiations between the two countries have yielded nothing, and Israeli ignorance of the Palestinian civilian's livelihoods only further enrages terrorist groups that see Israel as an oppressor of it's people. Meanwhile Israeli citizens are fed propaganda and outrageous claims of Palestinian aggression and savagery against it's people. Both sides must come to an agreement that can facilitate a two state solution that can live side by side without conflict. Although this may seem idealist and paternally optimistic, crazier things have happened.
 
Israel Bombing of Palestine during the 08 Gaza War
         Israel's bullying of the weaker nation has left Palestine no other option but to seek support from the international community, which has normally batted an eye to the demonized state formerly ruled under Hamas. Now that light has been shed on Israeli aggression and violations against Palestine's people and international law, the tables have turned and sympathy has been given to the Palestinian state. Hopefully these two nations can live in peace, and it is in my opinion that the only way this can be achieved is if the playing field between Palestine and Israel are leveled. This will be done through UN recognition of Palestine, which will show Israel that Palestine can't just be pushed around anymore, and that it's violation of Palestinian autonomy won't go unpunished. It's this that Israel worries about, the loss of power over the Palestinian territory which it arrogantly claims is Israel's. 
 
         This could maybe be the beginning of fair and balanced talks between the two countries, and a gradual and eventual downgrade of military power from both sides. It is always said that the stronger party in negotiations does not have to negotiate. Now that Palestine may have the support of the international community, Israel will no longer have that luxury, and maybe the Palestinian people can finally regain their livelihood without the harsh and aggressive sanctions of it's Goliath like neighbor, Israel.