The US 'terror' training camp you've never heard of

[Judi Lynn]

The US 'terror' training camp you've never heard of


Mehdi Hasan on how the US Defence Department's School of the Americas has exported violence and coups.

29 Oct 2016 11:13 GMT




Panama's Manuel Noriega. Chile's Manuel Contreras. Members of Mexico's Zetas cartel. What do they all have in common?

They all graduated from the US Defence Department's School of the Americas, an "anti-communist" counterinsurgency programme to train Latin American military personnel.

After the "school" was kicked out of Panama, it relocated to the United States. It even, eventually, changed its name - but kept everything else.

Is it time to close down this so-called "terrorist" training camp?

In this week's Reality Check, Mehdi Hasan digs into the past of the US-run school that has led to the destabilisation of many Latin American countries.

- video at link -

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/upfront/2016/10/terror-training-camp-heard-161028120752370.html

Good Reads:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016169270

[TexasProgresive]

1. Maybe most people never heard of the School of the Americas but I certainly have.

I'm not positive, but I think my Dad might have instructed there. I learned more about it from "The Catholic Worker". It is a blight on the soul of the U.S..

[niyad]

2. would love to hear that it has finally been closed down.

[NBachers]

3. I had a friend who's dad was one of the generals who overthrew the Brazilian govt. in 1964.

Last edited Sat Oct 29, 2016, 11:30 PM - Edit history (1)

He told me in detail of how his dad went to the USA's training school before the coup.

[Judi Lynn]

4. That was a coup which destroyed a lot of people.

At some point the Catholic Church in Brazil took testimonies from people who had been tortured by the dictatorship, printed them in a collection and named it Nunca Mais "Never Again" so the world would know what happened to them. After the right-wing started getting revved up again during Dilma's Presidency, the ultra-right fascists started having parties in the street, passing themselves off as "protesters" and brought out signs calling for a return to the dictatorship.

The good, conscientious people of Brazil must be going through hell now, wondering if they are going to bring it back so they can cut all aid to the poor, privatize school, the natural resources, everything else, lock it up tight so only the 1% does OK again.

It's a real shame the US was involved in creating and enacting the one in 1964. Horrible.

[NBachers]

5. Yes, I'm afraid things have taken a very bad turn in Brazil. It must be very scary.