Army's School of the Americas

by Kenneson 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  Kenneson

  On the weekend was the 13th annual protest at this military training school at Fort Benning, Ga. Approximately 6,500 demonstrated the killings of 6 Jesuit priests in El Salvador in 1989, by soldiers who had trained there. More than 90 people were arrested, including 6 nuns, for entering on base property. The Army's School of the Americas has been renamed since last year to the Western Hemisphere Insitute for Security Cooperation. The new school still trains Latin American soldiers, but also focuses on civilian and diplomatic affairs.

  Now to my questions: Do you think this school should be closed (per the view of the demonstrators)? Should the Dept. of Defense train foreign soldiers?

  Open to comments.
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  Reborn2002

  Jim, at the risk of another 15 threads started by you in detailing some vast Zionist conspiracy, I have a simple question for you.

  Please be very careful and clarify the statements you make before you post. You make yourself look foolish otherwise.

  For example, Kennison asked:

  Should the Dept. of Defense train foreign soldiers?

  to which you replied:

  They have been doing it for years, why stop now!

  And while we at it, they been finacing every terroist gov in the world at taxpayers expense.

  One has to assume given the context of your statement that "they" refers to The Department of Defense which Kenneson mentioned, and then ultimately, the United States government.

  So you are stating plainly that the United States government has been financing every terrorist government in the world at taxpayer's expense? Your own words state this.

  Let me guess: The US is financing the Al Aqsa Martyr's Brigade which is linked to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement and has claimed responsibility for several suicide attacks on Israelis. (then again you like seeing Jews suffer or trivializing events as though they never happened, so I am not surprised at such a statement. After all everything is a vast conspiracy right?)

  Or maybe the PLO?

  Maybe the US Dept of Defense is financing Al-Qaeda so as bolster it's military operations to boost profits?

  How about Libya? You KNOW the US is financing all of the terrorist activities of Libya and Moammar Gadhafi. <rolls eyes again>

  I got it! The Bush Administration is actually financing the activities of Saddam Hussein and Iraq (which undoubtedly meets your criteria of a terrorist government, and according to you, the US finances every terrorist govt in the world) so that Dubya has a reason to go after Saddam to finish what his daddy started 11 years ago.

  Right.
• 

  joannadandy

  Reborn do you deny the fact that Osma Bin Laden, and Saddam Hussien were the products of training by the US government? Just curious...
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  cookie

  Kenneson:

  Before anyone could answer your questions insightfully shouldn't we all ask and answer the question WHY? the US is training foreigners? And while at it, perhaps we should ask and answer WHAT they are teaching them?

  Cookie
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  Kenneson

  Cookie:

  From what I have read, the school was originally set up in Panama (even training Manuel Noriega), but was removed in 1984 to Ft. Benning when Panama demanded it. The original training manuals (since modified) were said to condone practices such as executions of guerrillas, extortion, physical abuse, coercion and false imprisonment. Graduates have included Bolivian dictator Hugo Banzer, Salvadoran death squad leader Roberto D'Aubuisson, who ordered the assassination of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, and several of the Salvadoran officers cited for the rape and murder of four U.S. nuns in 1980 and the assassinations of the six Jesuit priests, their coworker and her daughter in 1989.

  The why? I have not read anything on that. But since it was called the School of the Americas, I suppose it was trying to create better relationships between the U.S. and Latin American countries. Whatever its original intentions there have certainly been wrongdoings committed by its graduates. Now that there have been changes in the manuals, perhaps things will be different. But, in the meantime, the demonstrators haven't forgotten atrocities committed all over Latin America by its graduates and they are very leery.
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  pomegranate

  Osma Bin Laden and Saddam Hussien ARE products of training by the US government.

  Jim's statement rings true. Reborn's not.
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  cookie

  Kenneson:

  Thanks for the response. In it you wrote:

  The why? I have not read anything on that. But since it was called the School of the Americas, I suppose it was trying to create better relationships between the U.S. and Latin American countries.

  I don't have an extensive enough library to answer that question either, but I was able to find a quote from the Washington Post that said The School of The Americas "counts so many important Latin officers as alumni...that it is known throughout Latin America as the 'escuela de golpes' or coup school".

  Do you know how long this school has been in existence? Who pays for it?the other countries or ours? Does anyone know if this is the only school of its kind that trains foreign military?

  Cookie
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  Kenneson

  Cookie,

  I only know that it was open in Panama in 1946. Don't know the other particulars.