It is known that Washington leaders believe Latin America to be their “backyard”, where they are free to boss countries around as they please. That is, they are free to rob the local people and to establish U.S.-controlled governments. Why? Because once it so occurred to them. There is the so-called “Monroe Doctrine” in this respect. That is, they call it a “doctrine”.
We need hardly mention that the people of Latin America do not like to provide for the high standards of living of the U.S. population and the West in general, at their own expense. It is this fact that gives rise to the endless struggles for national liberation, and modern heroes like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez.
Let us recall the recent history that, by the way, is very significant.
In 1912, Nicaragua was occupied by the United States Army. In January 1933, the Nicaraguans, led by Sandino, liberated their country from American troops. In 1934, Sandino was killed by “national” guards, led by General Anastasio Somoza. Thus, he was killed by an American “son” who said once: “I intend to stay in power for 40 years, but if the U.S. thinks otherwise, I am ready to leave the president’s palace tomorrow.” In 1956, Somoza was shot by poet Rigoberto Lopez. Poor old Anastasio died in an American hospital. Where else would such a man die? The Somoza dynasty “democratically” ruled Nicaragua until 1979 and would have ruled for another two hundred years, if in 1979, the Sandinistas did not kick them out during a long armed struggle.
Washington claimed that the U.S. administration was fighting against the USSR and communism in Nicaragua. However, in 1912, the Soviet Union had not been even thought of, and the Communist Party was established in Nicaragua only in 1970, never having a significant influence. Yet even in 1912, the expeditionary forces of the United States were freely wielding their power here.
The guys from Washington and Langley were not satisfied after the overthrow of the Somoza family in 1979. The remains of the defeated Somozistas, or rather hired American thugs and others fled to Honduras where they became known as the “Contras”. It is known that in December 1981, they received material, financial and military assistance from the U.S. government and intelligence services. They were trained at U.S. military bases of Fort Benning (Georgia) and Fort Lewis (Washington) under the supervision of Brigadier General Scholz.
The U.S. Congress took decisions on the allocation of funds for the “Contras” in 1982 – $19 million, in 1983 – $24 million, in 1985 – $27 million, in 1986 – $100 million, in 1988 – $27 million, in 1989 – $67 million. However, these figures do not take into account the moneys provided via the CIA. The Congress eventually got tired of providing uncontrolled support to the “Contras” by the United States security services, and on the initiative of Congressman Edward Bolland, the U.S. intelligence organizations were not allowed to supply the “Contras”, without the approval of Congress. Then the CIA decided to ask foreign countries (Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, etc.) to assist its mercenaries, and these of course helped. This is the general scheme of the “terrorist international”, about the combating of which President Obama speaks so much today.
Ultimately, this story ended in the well-known “Iran-Contras” scandal (at the end of 1986 it became known that some members of the U.S. administration organized secret arms shipments to Iran, in violation of the arms embargo against the country. The further investigation revealed that the moneys, received from the sale of weapons, were used to finance the Nicaraguan Contra rebels, in circumvention of the prohibition by the Congress to finance them). The full investigation was completed only in 1994, yet in 1992, President George Bush Senior had already released all participants from responsibility.
What is the reason for such a great interest of the United States to this small Central American country? The thing is that Panama is also a very small country, but there is a well-known canal on its territory. Few people know that at one time, the Nicaragua Canal was considered as an alternative route. It was proposed to build it via the San Juan River and Lake Nicaragua. This project is still relevant at the present time. Its cost is estimated at about $40 billion, and its capacity can be made significantly higher than the capacity of the Panama Canal, which no longer satisfies modern cargo volumes.
Manuel Coronel Kautz, a Minister in the Government of Nicaragua, said the following in an interview with “International Affairs” in 2012: “We have held talks with Russia, Brazil, Venezuela, China and Japan. We have preliminary agreements with a number of other countries”. Nailya Yakovleva (Institute of Latin America) said that under the terms of the framework agreement recently concluded between Nicaragua and the Chinese corporation “HK Nicaragua Canal Development Investment”, investors undertook to conduct the necessary surveys and to build a canal, as well as to erect the appropriate infrastructure provided for by the subprojects within ten years. The starting of work is scheduled for 2015. The project has two main components: a) creation of the infrastructure of the canal and its subsequent management; b) preservation of the environment in the construction area. The estimated budget of the project was (at the time of signing of Law No. 840) about $40 billion.
The PRC has considerable funds available. The United States alone owes China so much money that it would be enough not only for the construction of a canal, but perhaps, even for the construction of a lunar base. However, what will be the geopolitical repercussions? Should the international community prepare for a new outbreak of banditry in Central America?
Let us ask ourselves a simple question. Why should Russia care about a small Central American country, which (like many others) has been terrorized by the United States for over a hundred years? – Because the U.S. is doing the same things in Latin America, Africa, and Europe (for example Albanian bandits). The U.S. intelligence services also have carried out similar “operations” in Russia not so long ago. Let us recall Chechnya.
The FBI employee Coleen Rowley, Person of the Year in 2002 according to Time magazine, states the following: “Chechen terrorists were used by the U.S. to exert pressure on Russia in much the same way the U.S. used Afghan mujahedeen and al-Qaeda in the anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan in 1980–1989. The truth is that many neocons enrolled in the ‘Friends of Chechnya’, including the former CIA Director James Woolsey”.
Who would doubt this, right?
These examples can be expanded and illustrated by the latest developments in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and other countries where militants, armed by the White House, actively participated in the overthrow of rulers undesirable to Washington, sowing the seeds of terror not only in these countries, but also across the region.
The problem is that Afghanistan is a foreign country to Russia, while Chechnya is a part of the Russian Federation, whose constitution does not have even a hint at the possibility of secession. The White House made a big mistake by relying on Chechen terrorists, as historical memory lives longer than American presidents.
Konstantin Penzev, author and historian, observer at the online magazine New Eastern Outlook.