U.S., L American countries carry out sea landing exercise

U.S., L American countries carry out sea landing exercise
15:57, July 20, 2010

http://www.people.com.cn.nyud.net:8090/mediafile/pic/20100720/39/12651331987645494463.jpg

Service members from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay, and U.S. Marines carry out a sea landing exercise at the port of Ancon, north of Lima, during the Southern Exchange and Partnership of the Americas (SE/POA 10) military exercise, July 19, 2010. The Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 5, Amphibious-Southern Partnership Station 2010 (A-SPS 10) and USS New Orleans (LPD-18) participated in the military exercise. Service members from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay were deployed with the USS New Orleans in order to facilitate interaction between their navies and the U.S. Navy.

http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90783/91321/7073532.html

It would be interesting to know what went into this decision, re the Leftist leaders of these countries (also, how much say they had over it--a worrisome question). I can think of a lot of reasons why they might do it, but even more reasons why they would be totally against it. It was Brazil's president, after all, who said that the U.S. reconstitution of the U.S. 4th Fleet in Caribbean is "a threat to Brazil's oil" (everybody south of the border knows that it is a threat to Venezuela's), and it was Brazil, furthermore, which proposed that South America form a "common defense" in the context of UNASUR (their "common market" prototype) which excludes the U.S. as a member. Argentina's and Uruguay's leaders are of the same mind, as to U.S. intentions in the region. Was this an exercise in closely studying U.S. military systems and strategies? An opportunistic exercise to gain training and knowledge that might one day need to be used against the U.S. military? An operation designed by "School of the Americas" trainees within these countries' military establishments that these political leaders found that they couldn't say no to? A diplomatic gesture to try to improve relations with the U.S. which have been very bad since the U.S. treachery in Honduras? It is puzzling. I don't know enough about the decision to make a judgment of it, but I would guess that it has something to do with fending off U.S. aggression.

Also, in general: Where do these military forces imagine that they are going to make a sea landing onto? Latin America has no enemies, no imminent threats--except from the U.S. Whom do they imagine they would be fighting? On what shore?

A LOT OF WASTED MONEY, it seems to me, on wholly imaginary enemies. Why aren't these resources being used to clean up the goddamned Gulf? And how much oil did they waste and how much pollution did they cause playing this war game? And whose oil did they buy for it, at what price? But I guess there are war profiteers everywhere.

to put in their back pocket. You never know. :shrug:

the more likely I think it is. These Leftist leaders have proven to be savvy and smart on the geo-political front, esp. in dealing with our corporate rulers and war profiteers, and it would not surprise me if this was a cagey decision, to familiarize their militaries and intelligence agencies with U.S. military capabilities, strategies and plans, to be prepared for potential U.S. aggression. The risks are tighter ties between "School of the Americas" types within their military establishments, as to collusion with the Pentagon on nefarious schemes, and spying goes both ways, of course. The Pentagon is assessing them as well.

Politically, I would like to see them all soundly reject ANY U.S. military presence in Latin America, condemn the U.S. military buildup in Colombia and the Caribbean, and totally reject the corrupt, failed, murderous U.S. "war on drugs." But I don't know all the ins and outs of this scene, and don't know anything about this particular cooperative war game, and I do trust Lula da Silva and Cristina Fernandez to understand the situation fully. They are nobody's fools.

and is doing it as a friend of the US so as not to attract the negative attention that China does.

Even Lula's getting tired of Hugo.