| Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT) |
From: "Mark Marshall" <jimzy_-at-_sympatico.ca>
To: <no_to_nato_-at-_flora.org>, "anarchism" <anarchism_-at-_yahoogroups.com>
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2001 08:47:16 -0500
References: <001701c161cb$722a1360$c73c8d18@bubr1.on.home.com>
"The liberal Sandinista party"? That's the first time I've heard the Sandinistas described as liberal. Do words have meaning? "Were the Soviet Union to sink tomorrow under the waters of the ocean, the American military-industrial establishment would have to go on, substantially unchanged, until some other adversary could be invented. Anything else would be an unacceptable shock to the American economy." Former U.S. diplomat George F. Kennan, 1987. ----- Original Message ----- From: Lysander Zimmerman <LAMZ@sympatico.ca> To: anarchism <anarchism@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 12:18 AM Subject: no_to_nato US Sets Its Sights on Nicaragua/Jeb Bush Threatens Nicaragua > AP. 30 October 2001. U.S. Renews Military Assistance to Nicaragua Ahead > of Election, Wary of Ortega Win. > > MANAGUA, Nicaragua -- The United States is renewing military aid to the > Nicaraguan armed forces for the first time more than two decades after > determining they are no longer controlled by the liberal Sandinista > political party, the U.S. ambassador said Tuesday. > > U.S. Coast Guard personnel will come to Nicaragua to provide technical > support and equipment, while a small number of Nicaraguan naval > engineers will be trained at Coast Guard installations. Nicaraguan > officers will also receive anti-narcotics training at Fort Benning, Ga., > Ambassador Oliver Garza said. > > Joint operations under a treaty to combat drug trafficking that went > into effect last week will mark the first U.S. support for Nicaragua's > military since the country was run by dictator Anastasio Somoza in the > 1970. > > For more than a decade, Nicaragua's armed forces were heavily influenced > by the socialist Sandinista guerrilla army, which overthrew Somoza in > 1979 and installed Daniel Ortega as president. > > Guided by Cuban and Eastern European advisers, the guerrilla-controlled > armed forces battled U.S.-backed Contra rebels until Ortega lost the > presidency in 1990. > > Since then, the military has edged away from its identification with the > Sandinistas and now represents all of Nicaraguan society, Garza said. > "Nicaragua has taken ... steps to develop its democracy ... and > depoliticize its armed forces," he said. > > But the Bush administration is concerned about the prospect of Ortega > recapturing the presidency in elections Sunday, the ambassador said > during a ceremony at his residence in Managua. > > Ortega, the Sandinista candidate, insists his party is no longer the > group of crusading socialists that nationalized properties, expropriated > businesses and squelched critical news coverage in the 1980s. > > The latest polls showed Ortega and Enrique Bolanos of the governing > Constitutionalist Liberal Party in a statistical tie as the vote > approaches. > > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Morgan" <morgan@afgj.org> > To: <imf-wb-protest-discuss@yahoogroups.com>; <acc@vhost.twowrongs.net> > Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 11:20 PM > Subject: [IMF-WB-Protest-Discuss] JEB BUSH THREATENS NICARAGUAN VOTERS > > > > ACTION ALERT -- JEB BUSH THREATENS NICARAGUAN VOTERS > > ACT NOW: CUSS OUT A BUSHIE! DETAILS BELOW. > > > > Dear friends of Nicaragua and concerned global citizens, > > > > Wouldn't you like another good reason to cuss out a Bushie? Or tell a > > Florida senator to put a muzzle on Gov'nor Jeb? Well this one might just > > put you over the edge, as it has us at the Nicaragua Network. Florida > > Governor Jeb Bush took out a full page advertisement in the October 29 > > Nicaraguan national newspaper La Prensa to tell the Nicaraguan people they > > would be electing "an enemy of everything the United States represents" if > > they vote for Daniel Ortega for president this Sunday, November 4. > > > > Nicaragua has had enough of Bush father and sons sabotaging their > political > > process. Jeb needs to know that US citizens are watching this egregious > > violation not only of Nicaragua's right to self-determination without fear > > of US reprisal but also of his jurisdiction as governor of a single state > > claiming to represent US foreign policy. For this reason, the Nicaragua > > Network is asking you to 1) call, email, and fax letters to Jeb to let him > > know how inappropriate his action was and 2) call and fax letters to the > > Tallahassee office of Senator Bill Nelson, who sits on the Foreign > Relations > > Committee, and tell him to reprimand his governor for meddling with US > > foreign policy. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW FROM > FLORIDA. > > > > Below are the text of Jeb's ad, a sample letter to send, and all the > > appropriate contact information for Jeb and Senator Bill. > > > > ***** JEB'S AD IN LA PRENSA ***** > > > > In small letters above the headline: The Brother of the President of > the > > United States (in blue) > > Massive Headline: GEORGE W. BUSH SUPPORTS ENRIQUE BOLANOS (blaring red) > > > > "This November, Nicaragua will choose a new president. This decision rests > > where it should, in the hands of the Nicaraguan voting public. At the same > > time, we in Florida want the people of Nicaragua to know that they are not > > alone in making this decision. > > > > "The elements which have made of Florida and the United States a place > where > > exiles from diverse countries have found success - democracy, respect for > > law, transparency and confidence in public institutions - are being > > developed in many Latin American countries. Florida benefits when its > > neighbors adopt the successful formulas - free elections, open markets, > the > > integrity of the public sector - which have produced such good results in > > our country. > > > > "However, this formula for success is not automatic. Not everyone has the > > same commitment to these successful free institutions .... As I look at > > Latin America today, I'm reminded of the motto which is written above the > > entrance to the US National Archives: "The Past Is Prologue." The past is > > without doubt the key indicator of the future. In a world which has been > > transformed during the last decade through political and economic > openings, > > it is inconceivable that a people would choose to return to a totalitarian > > past. > > > > "The past and present of Daniel Ortega clearly indicate that he neither > > understands nor accepts the basic principles of freedom, democracy and the > > free market. Some say he has changed, that the years out of power have > > convinced him of the necessity for genuine democracy, for open markets, > and > > for the maintaining of good relations with his neighbors and with the > United > > States. This is what Ortega would want us to believe. > > > > "Daniel Ortega is an enemy of everything the United States represents. > > Further, he is a friend of our enemies. Ortega has a relationship of more > > than 30 years with states and individuals who shelter and condone > > international terrorism. > > > > "By contrast Enrique Bolanos is a man whose past promises a future of > > freedom. I knew him for the first time fifteen years ago, before the end > of > > the Cold War, when freedom was not yet secured in many parts of the world. > > He spoke with clarity of purpose and with precision about the importance > of > > democracy, of the free market, and of the absolute necessity to have a > > public sector with integrity. He not only spoke about these ideas but also > > defended them valiantly in the hostile and repressive climate created by > the > > Sandinistas. Thanks to this experience, I can say that Enrique Bolanos > will > > be an excellent leader for Nicaragua. > > > > "To construct democracy is not easy. It puts a leader's commitment to the > > test as well as his will to hold to the true path. This is why Latin > America > > needs people whose valorous past points to a promising future. Latin > America > > needs leaders like Enrique Bolanos, people whose history shows a > commitment > > to the construction of prosperous economies and solid democracies which > are > > the necessary base for reinforcing bonds of brotherhood with Florida, just > > as with the whole United States of America. > > > > Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida." > > > > ***** SAMPLE LETTER ***** > > > > Dear Governor Bush, > > > > I am writing to express my outrage at your paid ad endorsing Nicaraguan > > presidential candidate Enrique Bolaņos in the October 29 edition of > > Nicaragua's La Prensa newspaper. It is incredibly insensitive and > unethical > > of you in this time of agressive US military action abroad to tell the > > Nicaraguan people that their future president will be viewed as "an enemy > of > > everything the United States represents" if they choose to elect Daniel > > Ortega. In the 1980's, the Nicaraguan people suffered through years of > > terrorism financed by the United States and declared criminal by Congress > in > > the Iran Contra hearings. It is sick of you to evoke memories of the > grave > > sins which our government committed against the Nicaraguan people. > > Nicaraguans deserve the right to determine their own destiny through free > > and fair elections without fear of military reprisal from the United > States. > > > > As a government official elected to represent only the state of Florida, > you > > violate your jurisdiction to speak on the behalf of United States foreign > > policy. For this reason, I am contacting Florida Senator Bill Nelson of > the > > Foreign Relations Committee that he might reprimand you for recklessly > > meddling with a delicate relationship the United States has with a country > > in which we are already despised for our past mistreatment of its > citizens. > > > > Since you are accountable to the citizens of Florida who pay your salary, > I > > am going to contact all of your constituents that I know so they might > > themselves be aware of the unethical activity you have undertaken on their > > paid time. I am confident they will let you know their opinion of your > > behavior by their vote in the next elections. > > > > You owe an apology to the people of Nicaragua for trying to intimidate > them > > and to the citizens of Florida for shamefully representing them. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Your Name > > > > CC: Senator Bill Nelson, Foreign Relations Committee > > > > ***** CONTACT INFORMATION ***** > > > > Governor Jeb Bush's contact information > > Tel: 850/488-4441 > > Fax: 850/487-0801 > > Email: fl_governor@myflorida.com > > > > > > Senator Bill Nelson's Tallahassee office > > Phone: 850-942-8415 > > Fax: 850-942-8450 > > > > <This alert is brought to you by YankeeGoHome, a listserv of the Nicaragua > > Network which confronts US intervention in the Nicaraguan democratic > > process. To subscribe, send a message to nicalist@afgj.org with the > subject > > "subscribe yankeegohome." To unsubscribe, send a message to > > nicalist@afgj.org with the subject "unsubscribe yankeegohome."> > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> > > Internal Cell Phone Antenna > > Boosts reception on all cellular phones. > > Just $19.99 at Youcansave.com > > http://us.click.yahoo.com/L11sED/PkNDAA/ySSFAA/XgSolB/TM > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > IMF-WB-Protest-Discuss-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > > > > Unsubscribe by sending an email to <Majordomo@flora.org> with the following command in the BODY of your message: unsubscribe no_to_nato