Refugee crisis escalating

[Argus]

3 minutes ago, Spiderfish said:

The government has a plan at least...let them in without a hearing if they are  from Syria, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Burundi, Egypt, and Yemen .  That should clear the backlog quickly...

Well... until the people who are living in Syria, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Burundi, Egypt and Yemen find out that we have an open door policy and they can just fly over, claim their welfare cheque and pick up their passport at the door. I expect that will then draw a flood of new 'refugees'.  The combined population of these countries is around 230 million. If one tenth of one percent come here that's another 230,000 migrants we'd be taking in, and these are among the nations Canada Immigration has identified as producing the least economically successful immigrants.

[capricorn]

2 minutes ago, Argus said:

Well... until the people who are living in Syria, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Burundi, Egypt and Yemen find out that we have an open door policy and they can just fly over, claim their welfare cheque and pick up their passport at the door. I expect that will then draw a flood of new 'refugees'.  The combined population of these countries is around 230 million. If one tenth of one percent come here that's another 230,000 migrants we'd be taking in, and these are among the nations Canada Immigration has identified as producing the least economically successful immigrants.

Immigration lawyers are hard at work relaying Trudeau's open door policy in the far reaches of the third world. Billable hours need to multiply.

[Argus]

2 minutes ago, capricorn said:

Immigration lawyers are hard at work relaying Trudeau's open door policy in the far reaches of the third world. Billable hours need to multiply.

Pretty sure Somalia will be included on the list, too, given we gave the job of immigration minister to a Somali refugee.

[capricorn]

1 minute ago, Argus said:

Pretty sure Somalia will be included on the list, too, given we gave the job of immigration minister to a Somali refugee.

Hey the more the merrier. Think of all the delicious ethnic food available around every corner of our cities. And what about all those colourful ethnic festivals? What's not to love?

[PIK]

Trudeau is going to turn a very great country into the largest refugee camp in the world. And now with the new rules about natural resources we will have no money to pay for anything. But trudeau will live large in a community that these immigrants would be arrested if they try and enter.

[PIK]

41 minutes ago, Argus said:

Pretty sure Somalia will be included on the list, too, given we gave the job of immigration minister to a Somali refugee.

Look how the somali community has made ottawa a great place to live and get shot.

[PIK]

Watching a show on the edmonton airport and a lady from africa was heading home for a birthday party and she was travelling on a refugee passport. She says she travels home all the time on it. Is there something wrong with that picture?

[hot enough]

4 hours ago, PIK said:

A lot of that invading was to save people being raped and brutalized by thier own people. Why does everyone want to come here?

To escape the murder an mayhem the US/UK causes. The three countries that have the most refugees are Syria, where the US has been committing terrorist acts for years. Then comes Afghanistan and Iraq, two countries that were illegally invaded by the US/UK/... all based on US/UK blatant lies.

Because Islam has not YET destroyed our country ,like every other country, that they are involved in. If you were right and they are fighting because of america, then they would be killing westerners, not slaughtering thier own people, raping thier women and children. Did you see the story on the little boy 2-3 yr old being used as a human shield by the same cowards you support, being saved by iraqi special forces and how they look after him. Why do you support people that do such horrendous stuff to children.

The US/UK murdered from 500,000 to a million Iraqi children under five in a" planned, we [USA] know it will happen" genocide during the 1990s. The UN stopped counting the deaths and it doesn't include the million adults or the children above five years old. Then these same war criminals illegally invaded and murdered how many hundreds of thousands more. Iraq was a prosperous vibrant country before the US destroyed it. 

The USA has done the same thing to myriad countries the world over, just to steal the bread from children's mouths. 

 

[hot enough]

Canada has always had racists. They pop up like weeds in Spring. It's deja vu all over again.

Quote

A History Of Exclusion They have been in Canada 150 years, but for much of this time Chinese Canadians were unwelcome in this country. It started in 1885 when the Canadian government imposed a Head Tax on all Chinese immigrants entering Canada. By 1923, the government intensified its anti-Chinese efforts by making it virtually impossible for Chinese people to immigrate to Canada. This period of exclusion and legislated racism lasted until 1947. No other ethnic group was targeted in this way. Why did the federal government take such severe actions against Chinese people? To understand the motivation behind these discriminatory acts, it is necessary to trace the arrival of the Chinese in Canada. Arrival of Chinese in 1858  The first wave of Chinese came to Canada in 1858 to pan for gold in British Columbia. Most of these migrants were young, landless, illiterate men from the province of Guangdong in southern China. They were drawn by the lure of “gold fever” as much as they were escaping harsh conditions in China such as famine, internal rebellions, population pressures and the threat of Western colonialism. Most of these “sojourners” sent remittances to their families back home while hoping to save enough money to retire in China. Construction of the CPR The next wave of Chinese migrants came to Canada in the 1880s to build the final section of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in British Columbia. Recruited from China, they were given the most dangerous tasks like working with explosives, tunneling and carrying massive rocks. Due to the harsh conditions they faced, approximately four Chinese died for every mile of the CPR[1]. They earned one dollar a day -- two-thirds of the wage a white man earned[2]. As soon as the CPR was completed in 1885, British Columbia was hit with an economic recession causing massive unemployment. Fearful that cheap Chinese labour would take jobs away from whites and push wages down, various labour groups pressured the federal government to intervene. At the same time, many politicians in British Columbia raised alarm about the consequences of uncontrollable Chinese immigration. The federal government thus took steps to limit the Chinese population in Canada. Anti-Chinese Legislation  Passed in 1885, the first anti-Chinese policy[3] took the form of a $50 Head Tax imposed on almost every Chinese person entering Canada. Despite the Head Tax, Chinese immigrants continued to come to Canada as conditions in China were much worse. As a result, the Head Tax was raised to $100 in 1900 and $500 in 1903. In the early 20th century, $500 represented two years of wages for Chinese labourers. Unable to curtail immigration from China, the federal government enacted the Chinese Immigration Act (also known as the Chinese Exclusion Act) in 1923, prohibiting almost all Chinese immigration to Canada. The Exclusion Act came into effect on July 1st or Dominion Day (later Canada Day). Though a time of celebration for most Canadians, the Chinese observed July 1st as “Humiliation Day” and closed their businesses and boycotted festivities each year. By 30 June 1924, all Chinese were legally required to register that they were residents of Canada. Those who did not comply faced a $500 fine; one year imprisonment or both. To help enforce the Act, immigration officers were allowed to arrest anyone suspected of being in the country illegally[4].  After the Second World War, racist attitudes towards the Chinese began to soften and calls for the repeal of the Exclusion Act became stronger. In 1941, China and Canada fought as allies in the war along with the United States and Great Britain. As well, around 500 Chinese Canadians volunteered to serve in the Pacific while others raised relief funds and bought victory bonds. Newspapers across the country began to praise Chinese Canadians for their patriotism and contributions to the war effort. At the same time, the United States repealed its Chinese Exclusion Act in 1944 while Canadian efforts to eliminate the Exclusion Act grew more forceful. After much deliberation, the federal government repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1947. Consequences of the Head Tax and Chinese Exclusion Act  By the 1950s, most of the discriminatory policies aimed at the Chinese had been eliminated. Chinese Canadians now had the right to vote in federal elections, become citizens of Canada, and practice previously barred occupations that required one to be a citizen, such as pharmacy, law, teaching and politics[5]. However, six decades of legislated racism had taken its toll on the Chinese Canadian community. During the 24 year period that the Exclusion Act was in place, fewer than 50 Chinese people were allowed into Canada. Census data shows that the Chinese population declined between 1921 and 1951, from 39,587 to 32,528[6]. In Alberta, the Chinese population fell from 3,581 in 1921 to 3,122 in 1941[7]. Aside from a drop in numbers however, the most devastating effect of the Head Tax and Exclusion Act was on the family Unable to afford the costly Head Tax fees, most Chinese men could not bring their wives and children to Canada. During the exclusionary period, the federal government banned Chinese men from bringing their families to Canada period. As a result, the Chinese Canadian community became a “bachelor society.” Wives and families were separated from their husbands and fathers for almost a quarter of a century or longer — some were never reunited. Chinese pioneer, Cecil Ing came to Canada in 1923 and worked as a dishwasher and waiter for many years. He returned to China to find a wife, but was unable to bring her back to Canada because of the Exclusion Act. “Isn’t that ridiculous?” he asked. “I’m only human. How would you like that?” [8] Discriminatory Immigration Laws Continue until 1967 Although the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed in 1947, the federal government did not eliminate all restrictions on Chinese immigration to Canada. Against the backdrop of Cold War anti-Chinese feeling, immigration policy still favoured Europeans over Asians. Where as other immigrant groups only had to be residents to bring their families to Canada, Chinese Canadians had to be citizens. They were also prevented from bringing their children over 18 to Canada. In 1967 the federal government finally issued one set of immigration rules for applicants for all countries, allowing the Chinese to enter Canada based on their own merit. The new points system favoured those who spoke an official language, had higher education and desirable job skills. Thus, the last vestiges of overt discrimination were eliminated from Canada’s immigration policy. Apology to Chinese Canadians On June 22, 2006, newly-elected Prime Minister Stephen Harper rose in the House of Commons and apologized for Canada’s treatment of Chinese immigrants between 1885 and 1947. “…On behalf of all Canadians and the Government of Canada, we offer a full apology to Chinese Canadians for the Head Tax and express our deepest sorrow for the subsequent exclusion of Chinese immigrants.” Harper went on to say that, “For over six decades, these race-based financial measures, aimed solely at the Chinese, were implemented with deliberation by the Canadian state. This was a grave injustice, and one we are morally obligated to acknowledge.” [9] Harper further announced that the government would offer “symbolic payments” of $20,000 to living Head Tax payers and living spouses of deceased payers. He also pledged to establish funds to help finance community projects and education programs that acknowledge the impact of past wartime measures and immigration restrictions on ethno-cultural communities. Though some argue that no amount of money can fully compensate those who suffered, many were pleased that the government finally acknowledged the harm done to generations of Chinese Canadians. “All I ever wanted was an apology and for the government to set the record straight,” said 81-year-old veteran Alex Louie[10]. Another early pioneer, Mary Mah said, “The sorrow and hardship cannot be erased. But we can now begin to feel. In truth, I did not expect to live to see this. I don’t know about you, but I am feeling very Canadian.” [11] In total, the federal government collected around $23 million[12] from roughly 82,000 Head Tax payers. In today’s currency, this would be around $1 billion[13]. Back Story to the Redress Nowadays, relatively few Head Tax payers remain and those who are alive are mostly in their 90s. Why did it take so long for the federal government to offer redress to Head Tax victims? One answer is previous governments did not feel obliged to make amends for past policies. When sent redress petitions by several minority groups in the early 1990s, Secretary of State for Multiculturalism, Sheila Finestone stated: “We wish we could relive the past. We cannot…We believe our only choice lies in using limited government resources to create a more equitable society now and a better future for generations to come.” [14] Others speculated that the government stalled for fear of being sued for financial compensation if it apologized for past wrongdoings. A Chinese Canadian victory would open the door to other ethnic groups seeking redress, like Italian, Ukrainian and German Canadians among others. Still others pointed out that unlike Japanese Canadians who received redress in 1988 for war-time injustices, Chinese Canadians were never interned nor were their belongings and property sold. Rather, the Chinese were fully aware of Canada’s Head Tax policy before they immigrated and thus had no right to complain. [15] Driven by their belief that the federal government should not profit from racism, the Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) continued its decades-long fight for justice. In 2000, it backed a class-action suit against the government arguing that the Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act had contravened the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Though unsuccessful, the CCNC intensified its efforts with a new redress website and campaign. In April 2004, a United Nations representative recommended that Canada should strongly consider paying reparations for the Chinese Head Tax. Failed Liberal Deal In 2005, the Liberal government headed by Paul Martin negotiated a $12.5 million deal with the National Congress of Chinese Canadians for a new community foundation to recognize the historic injustice of the Head Tax and Exclusion Act. However, the government refused to offer a parliamentary apology or financial compensation to victims and their families. By the time, the National Congress and 14 other Chinese Canadian groups agreed on the terms, the offer had been reduced to $2.5 million. Outraged with how the deal had been made, the CCNC rejected the government’s offer. Instead, they argued that the government needed to apologize for the harm done to generations of Chinese Canadians and make financial restitution to living Head Tax payers and their descendants. They continued to press for direct redress. [16] Conservatives offer Redress It was not until Stephen Harper’s minority Conservative government was elected in 2006 however that real progress was made. Susan Eng, Co-Chair of the Ontario Coalition of Chinese Head Tax Payers and Families, argues that it would be tempting to say that it was the “masterful handling” of a national grassroots campaign that won over the public, media and politicians, but it is unlikely. Rather, she contends within a few short months the Head Tax redress became an election issue, threatening the seats of several cabinet ministers unless resolved in a timely manner[17]. Others point out that 22 federal ridings had sufficient numbers of Chinese Canadian voters to influence the electoral outcomes and these groups traditionally voted Liberal[18]. Even so, some contend, it is important not to discount positive human regard on the part of the government even if the redress was politically strategic. Chinese Canadian Community Divided on Next Step in Healing Process As of December 2007, the CCNC reports that a total of 607 redress payments have been issued[19]. Meanwhile the Chinese Canadian community continues to grapple with the next step in the healing process. While some are satisfied with the current redress, others want compensation for the immediate descendants of Head Tax payers while others call for the government to extend compensation to those families where both Head Tax payer and spouse have passed away. Still others want the government apologize to all Chinese Canadians for the racist policies of the past. http://www.culturalcentre.ca/chinese_albertan_history/policies.htm

 

[CITIZEN_2015]

23 hours ago, hot enough said:

The vast majority of refugees come from the very countries that the US/UK illegally invaded, commits acts of terrorism against, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Is there anyone in their right mind who doesn't know that the cause of all these problems is the USA? 

And I guess Russia had nothing to do with it right? Damn Russians invaded Afghanistan long before Americans did. But Russians screwed up Afghanistan for good which was enjoying its best years under Zhahir Shah, the golden years which never returned to Afghanistan thanks to Russian invasion but Americans saved Afghanistan from brutal Taliban and tried to save Iraqis from the mass murderer Saddam Hussein. And as for Syria, I guess you conveniently forgot to mention Russian bombardments of civilian targets killing thousands of innocent defenseless women and children in northern Syria. Down with Russia.

These people have been at war with each other as long as history remembers. But everything is USA's fault

Edited August 8, 2017 by CITIZEN_2015

[GostHacked]

On 8/6/2017 at 11:19 AM, Argus said:

It's always revealing when these Islamophile zealots who sweep aside any and all complaints about Muslim extremism reveal their loathing for Christianity.

Muslim extremism, like any other extremism needs to be dealt with. However it seems that some think ALL Muslims are extremists and cannot, or will not recognize the difference.

[jacee]

On 07/08/2017 at 9:09 PM, hot enough said:

Thirty years ago Haiti imported no rice; today, Haiti imports nearly all its rice. Though Haiti was the sugar growing capital of the Caribbean, it now imports sugar as well. Why? The US and the US dominated world financial institutions — the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank — forced Haiti to open its markets to the world. Then the US dumped millions of tons of US subsidized rice and sugar into Haiti, undercutting their farmers and ruining Haitian agriculture. By ruining Haitian agriculture, the US has forced Haiti into becoming the third largest world market for US rice. Good for US farmers, bad for Haiti.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/why-the-us-owes-haiti-bil_b_426260.html

Thanks for posting this hot enough.

Excellent example of how the US 'economic hit men' invade and destroy a country's economy. 

Edited August 9, 2017 by jacee

[drummindiver]

9 minutes ago, jacee said:

Thanks for posting this hot enough.

Excellent example of how the US 'economic hit men' invade and destroy a country's economy. 

Thanks for sharing more misinformation HE. Number one cause for collapse of Haiti rice? Environmental eradication. They can't grow enough. Those bastard US "economic hit men"  would let them starve if they had any morals. 

[jacee]

1 hour ago, drummindiver said:

Thanks for sharing more misinformation HE. Number one cause for collapse of Haiti rice? Environmental eradication. They can't grow enough. Those bastard US "economic hit men"  would let them starve if they had any morals. 

Oh yes, because letting people starve is the 'moral' thing to do. 

At least ... according to the US economic sharks that destroy countries.

[scribblet]

On 8/8/2017 at 1:46 PM, PIK said:

Trudeau is going to turn a very great country into the largest refugee camp in the world. And now with the new rules about natural resources we will have no money to pay for anything. But trudeau will live large in a community that these immigrants would be arrested if they try and enter.

Quebec is now building a camp at the border, if our gov`t doesn`t get a handle on this right away we could be looking at another Calais situation.  If they have to stay in camps for a long time there will be trouble.  

Trudeau seems to have walked away from this leaving us all vulnerable to many problems, our gov`t is failing Canada.

[drummindiver]

4 hours ago, jacee said:

Oh yes, because letting people starve is the 'moral' thing to do. 

At least ... according to the US economic sharks that destroy countries.

Lol. Seriously obvious sarcasm. Next time I'll make sure to hit the snarc button so you aren't confused.

[hot enough]

21 hours ago, drummindiver said:

Lol. Seriously obvious sarcasm. Next time I'll make sure to hit the snarc button so you aren't confused.

Except it isn't sarcasm, dd, it's you, expressing your utter disregard for the poor of the world that the US murders, terrorizes, destroys lives in so many ways. Here is an article that honestly describes what the US has been since its origins. But it only deals pretty much with post WWII, when we all know, those of us who are sentient anyway, that the world's problems are caused solely by the USA, with some help from lesser western lights. 

Some will throw up that silly, tired old argument that this is off thread. It is NOT!. It goes straight to the heart of the world's refugee problems, which are ALL caused by US war crimes/terrorism/illegal invasions, slaughtering millions of innocents, WHICH obviously causes others to flee for their lives. 

Quote

 

 

American Empire For Dummies

 

A talk given in Boulder Colorado

 

by William Blum

 

www.doublestandards.org/, October 21, 2002

 

 

 

Written by William Blum, author of Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II and Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower

 

---

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Blum/American_Empire_Dummies.html

 

 

Edited August 10, 2017 by Charles Anthony
copied article deleted

[jacee]

 

3 hours ago, scribblet said:

Quebec is now building a camp at the border, if our gov`t doesn`t get a handle on this right away we could be looking at another Calais situation.  If they have to stay in camps for a long time there will be trouble.  

Trudeau seems to have walked away from this leaving us all vulnerable to many problems, our gov`t is failing Canada.

Poor scribblet.

It must be difficult living in such a state of anxiety that you are constantly panicking about imaginary catastrophies. 

There is treatment for that disorder. 

[hot enough]

7 hours ago, jacee said:

Thanks for posting this hot enough.

Excellent example of how the US 'economic hit men' invade and destroy a country's economy. 

You're very welcome, jacee. Lest anyone think that these US economic hit men are a new phenomena, think again. The US has been doing this in earnest since its beginnings. 

Quote

Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940) was a United States Marine Corps major general, the highest rank authorized at that time, and at the time of his death the most decorated Marine in U.S. history. 

...

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902–1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

 

[GostHacked]

On 8/8/2017 at 1:09 PM, capricorn said:

Hey the more the merrier. Think of all the delicious ethnic food available around every corner of our cities. And what about all those colourful ethnic festivals? What's not to love?

Ottawa has a couple spots with a high concentration of Somalians. The numbers show that this group has a lot of issues with abiding to our laws. Shootings, bus station swarming assaults.  They do appear to cause a high number of problems for the population size.

[drummindiver]

12 minutes ago, hot enough said:

Except it isn't sarcasm, dd, it's you, expressing your utter disregard for the poor of the world that the US murders, terrorizes, destroys lives in so many ways. Here is an article that honestly describes what the US has been since its origins. But it only deals pretty much with post WWII, when we all know, those of us who are sentient anyway, that the world's problems are caused solely by the USA, with some help from lesser western lights.

 

I don't know who supports terrorists more, you or this fella you quoted.

What our leaders and pundits never let slip is that the terrorists-whatever else they might be-might also be rational human beings ; which is to say that in their own minds they have a rational justification for their actions. Most terrorists are people deeply concerned by what they see as social, political, or religious injustice and hypocrisy, and the immediate grounds for their terrorism is often retaliation for an action of the United States.

[GostHacked]

On 8/8/2017 at 0:56 PM, Argus said:

Well... until the people who are living in Syria, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Burundi, Egypt and Yemen find out that we have an open door policy and they can just fly over, claim their welfare cheque and pick up their passport at the door. I expect that will then draw a flood of new 'refugees'.  The combined population of these countries is around 230 million. If one tenth of one percent come here that's another 230,000 migrants we'd be taking in, and these are among the nations Canada Immigration has identified as producing the least economically successful immigrants.

Why would people be leaving Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Afghanistan??  I mean it's paradise over there right?

[Omni]

On 8/8/2017 at 9:56 AM, Argus said:

Well... until the people who are living in Syria, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Burundi, Egypt and Yemen find out that we have an open door policy and they can just fly over, claim their welfare cheque and pick up their passport at the door. I expect that will then draw a flood of new 'refugees'.  The combined population of these countries is around 230 million. If one tenth of one percent come here that's another 230,000 migrants we'd be taking in, and these are among the nations Canada Immigration has identified as producing the least economically successful immigrants.

Once again, nothing but erroneous and ridiculous assumptions. 

[hot enough]

40 minutes ago, drummindiver said:

I don't know who supports terrorists more, you or this fella you quoted.

What our leaders and pundits never let slip is that the terrorists-whatever else they might be-might also be rational human beings ; which is to say that in their own minds they have a rational justification for their actions. Most terrorists are people deeply concerned by what they see as social, political, or religious injustice and hypocrisy, and the immediate grounds for their terrorism is often retaliation for an action of the United States.

I know who supports terrorists more, just for the sake of this singular argument you have raised. It is drummindiver by many hundreds of country miles!

Surely you know the US has had a terrorist training camp IN THE USA since right after WWII. You know that the US set up the terrorist Operation Gladio program in European countries right after WWII. You know that the sum total of terrorist actions by the USA vastly outnumbers all other world wide terrorist actions COMBINED. 

Quote

America’s Terrorist Training Camp

30th October 2001

What’s the difference between Al Qaeda and Fort Benning?

byBy George Monbiot. Published in the Guardian 30th October 2001

“If any government sponsors the outlaws and killers of innocents,” George Bush announced on the day he began bombing Afghanistan, “they have become outlaws and murderers themselves. And they will take that lonely path at their own peril.” I’m glad he said “any government”, as there’s one which, though it has yet to be identified as a sponsor of terrorism, requires his urgent attention.

For the past 55 years it has been running a terrorist training camp, whose victims massively outnumber the people killed by the attack on New York, the embassy bombings and the other atrocities laid, rightly or wrongly, at Al-Qaeda’s door. The camp is called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, or WHISC. It is based in Fort Benning, Georgia, and it is funded by Mr Bush’s government.

Until January this year, WHISC was called “the School of the Americas”, or SOA. Since 1946 SOA has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers and policemen. Among its graduates are many of the continent’s most notorious torturers, mass murderers, dictators and state terrorists. As hundreds of pages of documentation compiled by the pressure group SOA Watch shows, Latin America has been ripped apart by its alumni.

In June this year, Colonel Byron Lima Estrada, once a student at the school, was convicted in Guatemala City of murdering Bishop Juan Gerardi in 1998. Gerardi was killed because he had helped to write a report on the atrocities committed by Guatemala’s “D-2”, the military intelligence agency run by Lima Estrada with the help of two other SOA graduates. D-2 coordinated the “anti-insurgency” campaign which obliterated 448 Mayan Indian villages, and murdered tens of thousands of their people. Forty per cent of the cabinet ministers who served the genocidal regimes of Lucas Garcia, Rios Montt, and Mejia Victores studied at SOA.

In 1993, the United Nations Truth Commission on El Salvador named the army officers who had committed the worst atrocities of the civil war. Two-thirds of them had been trained at the School of the Americas. Among them were Roberto D’Aubuisson, the leader of El Salvador’s death squads; the men who killed Archbishop Oscar Romero; and 19 of the 26 soldiers who murdered the Jesuit priests in 1989. In Chile, the school’s graduates ran both Augusto Pinochet’s secret police and his three principal concentration camps. One of them helped to murder Orlando Letelier and Ronni Moffit in Washington DC in 1976.

Argentina’s dictators Roberto Viola and Leopoldo Galtieri, Panama’s Manuel Noriega and Omar Torrijos, Peru’s Juan Velasco Alvarado and Ecuador’s Guillermo Rodriguez all benefitted from the school’s instruction. So did the leader of the Grupo Colina death squad in Fujimori’s Peru; four of the five officers who ran the infamous Battalion 3-16 in Honduras (which controlled the death squads there in the 1980s) and the commander responsible for the 1994 Ocosingo massacre in Mexico.

All this, the school’s defenders insist, is ancient history. But SOA’s graduates are also involved in the dirty war now being waged, with US support, in Colombia. In 1999 the US State Department’s report on human rights named two SOA graduates as the murderers of the peace commissioner Alex Lopera. Last year, Human Rights Watch revealed that seven ex-pupils are running paramilitary groups there and have commissioned kidnappings, disappearances, murders and massacres. In February this year a SOA graduate in Colombia was convicted of complicity in the torture and killing of 30 peasants by paramilitaries. The school is now drawing more of its graduates from Colombia than from any other country.

The FBI defines terrorism as “violent acts …intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of a government, or affect the conduct of a government”, which is a precise description of the activities of SOA’s graduates But how can we be sure that their alma mater has had any part in this? Well, in 1996, the US government was forced to release seven of the school’s training manuals. Among other top tips for terrorists, they recommended blackmail, torture, execution and the arrest of witnesses’ relatives.

Last year, partly as a result of the campaign run by SOA Watch, several US congressmen tried to shut the school down. They were defeated by 10 votes. Instead, the House of Representatives voted to close it then immediately reopen it under a different name. So, just as Windscale turned into Sellafield in the hope of parrying public memory, the School of the Americas washed its hands of the past by renaming itself WHISC. As the school’s Colonel Mark Morgan informed the Department of Defense just before the vote in Congress, “Some of your bosses have told us that they can’t support anything with the name ‘School of the Americas’ on it. Our proposal addresses this concern. It changes the name.” Paul Coverdell, the Georgia senator who had fought to save the school, told the papers that the changes were “basically cosmetic.”

But visit WHISC’s website and you’ll see that the School of the Americas has been all but excised from the record. Even the page marked “History” fails to mention it. WHISC’s courses, it tells us, “cover a broad spectrum of relevant areas, such as operational planning for peace operations; disaster relief; civil-military operations; tactical planning and execution of counter drug operations.” Several pages describe its human rights initiatives. But, though they account for almost the entire training programme, combat and commando techniques, counter-insurgency and interrogation aren’t mentioned. Nor is the fact that WHISC’s “peace” and “human rights” options were also offered by SOA in the hope of appeasing Congress and preserving its budget: but hardly any of the students chose to take them.

...

http://www.monbiot.com/2001/10/30/americas-terrorist-training-camp/

 

Edited August 9, 2017 by hot enough

[hot enough]

42 minutes ago, drummindiver said:

I don't know who supports terrorists more, you or this fella you quoted.

 

I know that you did what all far right winger conservatives and even many "moderates" do, you totally ignored all the fact contained in the article that demolish your delusional right winger world view. 

You folks are the first to defend the US's retaliation against Iraq and Afghanistan, even when you know that these were illegal invasions brought about by voluminous US/UK vicious lies. But none of you will ever consider that all these myriad countries the US has illegally invaded since WWII might have a "right" to retaliate against the USA. 

Why the stunning hypocrisy, drummindiver? Can you explain it? It's very puzzling.