On Wednesday, President Obama visited Argentina and promised to release classified files related to the United States’ role in the military coup which took place 40 years ago today.
After speaking with Argentine President, Mauricio Macri, Obama announced that he would declassify new US military and intelligence files from Argentina’s “Dirty War.” The release of the new documents marks the first time since 2000 that related files have been declassified. President Macri said he hoped the visit would mark “new mature and intelligent relations” between the two countries.
“We are absolutely determined to do our part as Argentina continues to heal and move forward as one nation, and I hope this gesture also helps to rebuild trust that may have been lost between our two countries,” said President Obama.
On March 24, 1976, General Jorge Rafael Videla declared martial law after leading a military coup that lasted until 1983. The coup led to the deaths of nearly 30,000 people, including victims who were killed by throwing them alive from helicopters into Atlantic Ocean. Thousands more were illegally detained and tortured. General Videla was sentenced to prison for human rights violations and died behind bars in 2013. President Macri called the Dirty War, “the darkest chapter in our history.” On Thursday morning, President Obama and President Macri will visit the Parque de la Memoria, a memorial park for victims of the dictatorship.
Despite President Obama’s statements of support, he seemed unwilling to outright acknowledge the role the U.S. government played in installing and supporting dictatorships across South America. Obama’s silence, coupled with wounds that are still fresh for many Argentine families, has sparked a number of protests and boycotts of Obama’s visit. The Guardian reports:
But both the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo and the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, who continue to search for missing victims and babies born to their imprisoned daughters, have announced they will not be present at the ceremony.
“It’s a provocation, it’s our date,” said Nora Cortiñas of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, who feels Obama’s presence will encroach on a day of painful remembrance for many Argentinians.
The two groups, together with other human rights groups, are instead organizing what they expect to be massive marches in Buenos Aires and across the country for Thursday afternoon.
To understand Argentina’s Dirty War, you have to understand Operation Condor, and to understand Operation Condor we must talk about former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Depending on your view Kissinger is either the greatest statesman that ever lived or a blood thirsty war criminal. Either way, Henry Kissinger is no stranger to controversy. In recently released memos it is made perfectly clear that in 1976 the former Secretary of State gave his approval for Argentina’s Dirty War.
The Dirty War was only one part of a larger plan known as Operation Condor. Condor was a campaign of political repression and terror involving assassination and intelligence operations implemented in 1975 by the dictatorships of Chile and Argentina. The former Secretary of State was heavily involved in Operation Condor.
Kissinger’s approval of Argentina’s decision to move forward with their repressive campaign has been suspected for years and confirmed since at least 2004 when the National Security Archive released a secret memo recounting a conversation between assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, Patt Derian, and the US ambassador in Buenos Aires, Robert Hill. The two met in April 1977 and discussed a meeting between Henry Kissinger and Argentine Foreign Minister Cesar Augusto Guzzetti. Kissinger gives Guzzetti explicit permission to move forward with whatever they must do to repress “terrorism.”
In 1987, Martin Edwin Andersen reported that Kissinger had given the Argentine Generals permission to carry out their state-sponsored terrorism. In 2014, Andersen released another memo which is even more clear than the National Security Archive file. The memo contains the conversation between Ambassador Hill and Secretary Derian discussing Argentina’s fears of lecturing from the United States.
The Argentines were very worried that Kissinger would lecture to them on human rights. Guzzetti and Kissinger had a very long breakfast but the Secretary did not raise the subject. Finally Guzzetti did. Kissinger asked how long will it take you (the Argentines) to clean up the problem. Guzzetti replied that it would be done by the end of the year. Kissinger approved.
In other words, Ambassador Hill explained, Kissinger gave the Argentines the green light.
In the memo Kissinger expresses concern over new human rights laws requiring the U.S. to certify that foreign aid would not go towards terrorism. Kissinger wanted the generals to hurry their campaign and get back to normal by the end of the year. Kissinger is well known for promoting the idea of taking action whether legal or not. A leaked transcript from Monday, March 10, 1975 outlines Kissinger’s thoughts on the legality of government sponsored crime.
Kissinger: Before the Freedom of Information Act, I used to say at meetings, “The illegal we do immediately; the unconstitutional takes a little longer.” [laughter] But since the Freedom of Information Act, I’m afraid to say things like that.
Kissinger has evaded questions and legal summons by investigators in France, Spain, Chile and Argentina. They seek answers about his involvement in disappearances of citizens in the US and other countries in regard to Operation Condor. On September 10, 2001, the family of General Schneider initiated a civil action in federal court in DC, claiming that Kissinger gave the agreement to murder the general because he had refused to endorse plans for a military coup in Chile.
November 13, 2002, 11 individuals brought suit against Kissinger for human rights violations following the coup. They accused him of forced disappearance, torture, arbitrary detention, and wrongful death. The suit claims that Kissinger provided practical assistance and encouragement to the Chilean regime with reckless disregard for the lives and well-being of the victims and their families.
Both cases were dismissed based on sovereign and diplomatic immunity.
It’s been forty years since Henry Kissinger gave the “green light” to Argentina’s campaign of death and destruction yet the wounds are still fresh. It is more important than ever to understand the truth about U.S. history. If the free hearts and minds of this land are going to create a new world based on freedom and justice, we must learn from the past and hold criminals accountable for their actions.
For a deeper understanding of the crimes of Henry Kissinger, check out this report.
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the Lead Investigative Reporter for ActivistPost.com and the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com. Follow him on Twitter.
Derrick is available for interviews.
This article may be freely reposted in part or in full with author attribution and source link.
Serbs are remembering today the start of bombing :
17 years ago, on March 24th 1999 US/NATO has started the bombing of Serbia without the UN resolution and in massive lying/diabolizing media attacks!
Today two Muslims’ states exist on Serbian lands: Kosovo and B&H – both are Muslims sleeping cells where Islam is the law!
Now SHAME on satanic US foreign policies !
You should remember Chile (killing a democratic elected president Aliende and instaling Pinoche dictatorship), remember stealing 700 bilion Iraqi petrol dolars and poisonoig through radioactivity the entire land, stealing Gaddafis gold from Libyian people, stealing Ukraninian gold, El SAlvador massacers, Nicaragua terror, Panama injustice, destroying Syria… (google: US crimes all over the world)
Japan (1945)
China (1945-46)
Korea & China (1950-53)
Guatemala (1954, 1960, 1967-69)
Indonesia (1958)
Cuba (1959-61)
Congo (1964)
Peru (1965)
Laos (1964-70)
Vietnam (1961-1973)
Cambodia (1969-70)
Grenada (1983)
Lebanon (1983-84)
Libya (1986)
El Salvador (1980s)
Nicaragua (1980s)
Iran (1987)
Panama (1989)
Iraq (1991-2000)
Kuwait (1991)
Somalia (1993)
Bosnia (1994-95)
Sudan (1998)
Afghanistan (1998)
Pakistan (1998)
Yugoslavia (1999)
Bulgaria (1999)
Macedonia (1999)
US Use of Chemical & Biological Weapons
The US has refused to sign Conventions against the development and use of
chemical and biological weapons, and has either used or tested (without
informing the civilian populations) these weapons in the following
locations abroad:
Bahamas (late 1940s-mid-1950s)
Canada (1953)
China and Korea (1950-53)
Korea (1967-69)
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia (1961-1970)
Panama (1940s-1990s)
Cuba (1962, 69, 70, 71, 81, 96)
And the US has tested such weapons on US civilian populations, without
their knowledge, in the following locations:
Watertown, NY and US Virgin Islands (1950)
SF Bay Area (1950, 1957-67)
Minneapolis (1953)
St. Louis (1953)
Washington, DC Area (1953, 1967)
Florida (1955)
Savannah GA/Avon Park, FL (1956-58)
New York City (1956, 1966)
Chicago (1960)
And the US has encouraged the use of such weapons, and provided the
technology to develop such weapons in various nations abroad, including:
Egypt
South Africa
Iraq
US Political and Military Interventions since 1945
The US has launched a series of military and political interventions since
1945, often to install puppet regimes, or alternatively to engage in
political actions such as smear campaigns, sponsoring or targeting
opposition political groups (depending on how they served US interests),
undermining political parties, sabotage and terror campaigns, and so forth.
It has done so in nations such as
China (1945-51)
South Africa (1960s-1980s)
France (1947)
Bolivia (1964-75)
Marshall Islands (1946-58)
Australia (1972-75)
Italy (1947-1975)
Iraq (1972-75)
Greece (1947-49)
Portugal (1974-76)
Philippines (1945-53)
East Timor (1975-99)
Korea (1945-53)
Ecuador (1975)
Albania (1949-53)
Argentina (1976)
Eastern Europe (1948-56)
Pakistan (1977)
Germany (1950s)
Angola (1975-1980s)
Iran (1953)
Jamaica (1976)
Guatemala (1953-1990s)
Honduras (1980s)
Costa Rica (mid-1950s, 1970-71)
Nicaragua (1980s)
Middle East (1956-58)
Philippines (1970s-90s)
Indonesia (1957-58)
Seychelles (1979-81)
Haiti (1959)
South Yemen (1979-84)
Western Europe (1950s-1960s)
South Korea (1980)
Guyana (1953-64)
Chad (1981-82)
Iraq (1958-63)
Grenada (1979-83)
Vietnam (1945-53)
Suriname (1982-84)
Cambodia (1955-73)
Libya (1981-89)
Laos (1957-73)
Fiji (1987)
Thailand (1965-73)
Panama (1989)
Ecuador (1960-63)
Afghanistan (1979-92)
Congo (1960-65, 1977-78)
El Salvador (1980-92)
Algeria (1960s)
Haiti (1987-94)
Brazil (1961-64)
Bulgaria (1990-91)
Peru (1965)
Albania (1991-92)
Dominican Republic (1963-65)
Somalia (1993)
Cuba (1959-present)
Iraq (1990s)
Indonesia (1965)
Peru (1990-present)
Ghana (1966)
Mexico (1990-present)
Uruguay (1969-72)
Colombia (1990-present)
Chile (1964-73)
Yugoslavia (1995-99)
Greece (1967-74)
US Perversions of Foreign Elections
The US has specifically intervened to rig or distort the outcome of foreign
elections, and sometimes engineered sham “demonstration” elections to ward
off accusations of government repression in allied nations in the US sphere
of influence. These sham elections have often installed or maintained in
power repressive dictators who have victimized their populations. Such
practices have occurred in nations such as:
Philippines (1950s)
Italy (1948-1970s)
Lebanon (1950s)
Indonesia (1955)
Vietnam (1955)
Guyana (1953-64)
Japan (1958-1970s)
Nepal (1959)
Laos (1960)
Brazil (1962)
Dominican Republic (1962)
Guatemala (1963)
Bolivia (1966)
Chile (1964-70)
Portugal (1974-75)
Australia (1974-75)
Jamaica (1976)
El Salvador (1984)
Panama (1984, 89)
Nicaragua (1984, 90)
Haiti (1987, 88)
Bulgaria (1990-91)
Albania (1991-92)
Russia (1996)
Mongolia (1996)
Bosnia (1998)
US Versus World at the United Nations
The US has repeatedly acted to undermine peace and human rights initiatives
at the United Nations, routinely voting against hundreds of UN resolutions
and treaties. The US easily has the worst record of any nation on not
supporting UN treaties. In almost all of its hundreds of “no” votes, the US
was the “sole” nation to vote no (among the 100-130 nations that usually
vote), and among only 1 or 2 other nations voting no the rest of the time.
Here’s a representative sample of US votes from 1978-1987:
US Is the Sole “No” Vote on Resolutions or Treaties
For aid to underdeveloped nations
For the promotion of developing nation exports
For UN promotion of human rights
For protecting developing nations in trade agreements
For New International Economic Order for underdeveloped nations
For development as a human right
Versus multinational corporate operations in South Africa
For cooperative models in developing nations
For right of nations to economic system of their choice
Versus chemical and biological weapons (at least 3 times)
Versus Namibian apartheid
For economic/standard of living rights as human rights
Versus apartheid South African aggression vs. neighboring states (2 times)
Versus foreign investments in apartheid South Africa
For world charter to protect ecology
For anti-apartheid convention
For anti-apartheid convention in international sports
For nuclear test ban treaty (at least 2 times)
For prevention of arms race in outer space
For UNESCO-sponsored new world information order (at least 2 times)
For international law to protect economic rights
For Transport & Communications Decade in Africa
Versus manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction
Versus naval arms race
For Independent Commission on Disarmament & Security Issues
For UN response mechanism for natural disasters
For the Right to Food
For Report of Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination
For UN study on military development
For Commemoration of 25th anniversary of Independence for Colonial Countries
For Industrial Development Decade in Africa
For interdependence of economic and political rights
For improved UN response to human rights abuses
For protection of rights of migrant workers
For protection against products harmful to health and the environment
For a Convention on the Rights of the Child
For training journalists in the developing world
For international cooperation on third world debt
For a UN Conference on Trade & Development
US Is 1 of Only 2 “No” Votes on Resolutions or Treaties
For Palestinian living conditions/rights (at least 8 times)
Versus foreign intervention into other nations
For a UN Conference on Women
Versus nuclear test explosions (at least 2 times)
For the non-use of nuclear weapons vs. non-nuclear states
For a Middle East nuclear free zone
Versus Israeli nuclear weapons (at least 2 times)
For a new world international economic order
For a trade union conference on sanctions vs. South Africa
For the Law of the Sea Treaty
For economic assistance to Palestinians
For UN measures against fascist activities and groups
For international cooperation on money/finance/debt/trade/development
For a Zone of Peace in the South Atlantic
For compliance with Intl Court of Justice decision for Nicaragua vs. US.
**For a conference and measures to prevent international terrorism
(including its underlying causes)
For ending the trade embargo vs. Nicaragua
US Is 1 of Only 3 “No” Votes on Resolutions and Treaties
Versus Israeli human rights abuses (at least 6 times)
Versus South African apartheid (at least 4 times)
Versus return of refugees to Israel
For ending nuclear arms race (at least 2 times)
For an embargo on apartheid South Africa
For South African liberation from apartheid (at least 3 times)
For the independence of colonial nations
For the UN Decade for Women
Versus harmful foreign economic practices in colonial territories
For a Middle East Peace Conference
For ending the embargo of Cuba (at least 10 times)
In addition, the US has:
Repeatedly withheld its dues from the UN
Twice left UNESCO because of its human rights initiatives
Twice left the International Labor Organization for its workers rights
initiatives
Refused to renew the Antiballistic Missile Treaty
Refused to sign the Kyoto Treaty on global warming
Refused to back the World Health Organization’s ban on infant formula abuses
Refused to sign the Anti-Biological Weapons Convention
Refused to sign the Convention against the use of land mines
Refused to participate in the UN Conference Against Racism in Durban
Been one of the last nations in the world to sign the UN Covenant on
Political &
Civil Rights (30 years after its creation)
Refused to sign the UN Covenant on Economic & Social Rights
Opposed the emerging new UN Covenant on the Rights to Peace, Development &
Environmental Protection
Sampling of Deaths >From US Military Interventions & Propping Up Corrupt
Dictators (using the most conservative estimates)
Nicaragua
30,000 dead
Brazil
100,000 dead
Korea
4 million dead
Guatemala
200,000 dead
Honduras
20,000 dead
El Salvador
63,000 dead
Argentina
40,000 dead
Bolivia
10,000 dead
Uruguay
10,000 dead
Ecuador
10,000 dead
Peru
10,000 dead
Iraq
1.3 million dead
Iran
30,000 dead
Sudan
8-10,000 dead
Colombia
50,000 dead
Panama
5,000 dead
Japan
140,000 dead
Afghanistan
10,000 dead
Somalia
5000 dead
Philippines
150,000 dead
Haiti
100,000 dead
Dominican Republic
10,000 dead
Libya
500 dead
Macedonia
1000 dead
South Africa
10,000 dead
Pakistan
10,000 dead
Palestine
40,000 dead
Indonesia
1 million dead
East Timor
1/3-1/2 of total population
Greece
10,000 dead
Laos
600,000 dead
Cambodia
1 million dead
Angola
300,000 dead
Grenada
500 dead
Congo
2 million dead
Egypt
10,000 dead
Vietnam
1.5 million dead
Chile
50,000 dead
Other Lethal US Interventions
CIA Terror Training Manuals
Development and distribution of training manuals for foreign military
personnel or foreign nationals, including instructions on assassination,
subversion, sabotage, population control, torture, repression,
psychological torture, death squads, etc.
Specific Torture Campaigns
Creation and launching of direct US campaigns to support torture as an
instrument of terror and social control for governments in Greece, Iran,
Vietnam, Bolivia, Uruguay, Brazil, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Panama
Supporting and Harboring Terrorists
The promotion, protection, arming or equiping of terrorists such as:
. Klaus Barbie and other German Nazis, and Italian and Japanese fascists,
after WW II
. Manual Noriega (Panama), Saddam Hussein (Iraq), Rafael Trujillo
(Dominican Republic), Osama bin Laden (Afghanistan), and others whose
terrorism has come back to haunt us
. Running the Higher War College (Brazil) and first School of the Americas
(Panama), which gave US training to repressors, death squad members, and
torturers (the second School of the Americas is still running at Ft.
Benning GA)
. Providing asylum for Cuban, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Haitian, Chilean,
Argentinian, Iranian, South Vietnamese and other terrorists, dictators, and
torturers
Assassinating World Leaders
Using assassination as a tool of foreign policy, wherein the CIA has
initiated assassination attempts against at least 40 foreign heads of state
(some several times) in the last 50 years, a number of which have been
successful, such as: Patrice Lumumba (Congo), Rafael Trujillo (Dominican
Republic), Ngo Dihn Diem (Vietnam) Salvador Allende (Chile)
Arms Trade & US Military Presence
. The US is the world’s largest seller of weapons abroad, arming
dictators, militaries, and terrorists that repress or victimize their
populations, and fueling scores of violent conflicts around the globe
. The US is the world’s largest provider of live land mines which, even in
peacetime, kill or injure at least several people around the world each day
. The US has military bases in at least 50 nations around the world, which
have led to frequent victimization of local populations.
. The US military has been bombing one Middle Eastern or Muslim nation or
another almost continuously since 1983, including Lebanon, Libya, Syria,
Iran, the Sudan, Afghanistan, and Iraq (almost daily bombings since 1991)
This, then, is a sampling of American foreign policies over the last 50
years. The FBI uses the following definition for Terrorism: “The unlawful
use of force or violence committed by a group or individual, who has some
connection to a foreign power or whose activities transcend national
boundaries, against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a
government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in furtherance
of political or social objectives.” This sounds like the terrorism we just
experienced. It also sounds a lot like the US policies and actions since
1945 that I’ve just described.
Kinda like The Bush Administration over Iraq. No doubt it will be a case of Diplomatic Immunity.
ZioJewmerica will be destroyed.
It is a disgrace that Hillary Clinton has access to Henry Kissinger for his advices to her but that the governments of Chile, Argentina, The hands of US in the assassination of thousands of Chileans and Argentines are epitomized in the picture above of Kissinger and his lap dog General Jorge Rafael Videla.