These men are American and German Peacekeepers.
The USA already has in place the ability to conduct Peacekeeping Operations. It is right and correct to also train citizens of afflicted countries to act as Peacekeepers. It is important for any country to have defensible borders.
I don't see the USA expanding it's military from it's present state. I see, however, an expanding military that specializes it's new units as Peacekeepers.
We all know the nightmare that is now Darfur ( Current US State Department Position). The 'idea' that sanctions are enough from a country as wealthy as the USA is grossly "W"rong. There needs to be a better and more immediate response from the USA in any aspect of threat to a nation afflicted with this type of methodology within it's borders.
The USA had dearly little problem recruiting soldiers when it was peacetime in the USA. Soldiers were relatively comfortable with the understanding there weren't major wars to fight and that most deployments are a matter of support to existing governments and in Peacekeeping roles. For that reason, citizens across the USA 'signed up' willingly expecting to be heroes in places where few heroes existed.
That reality was exploited by the Bush Administration when it declared an illegal war in Iraq.
The War in Afghanistan was never a priority by this administration and passed along to NATO because it reaped little to no profits for the cronies. As a matter of fact there were less 'Regular Army' deployed to Afghanistan than there were Police Officers employed in New York City or Los Angeles. Afghanistan was of little consequence to the USA as far as Bush and Cheney were concerned. When it was obvious the attacks of September 11, 2001 were committed by al Qaeda it took a month to move USA ships to battle readiness and deploy them to the Persian Gulf.
So, when the Reserves and National Guard were 'called up' in all aspects to serve it was to conduct Oil Wars for this administration with complete disregard to the UN Security Council and the legislation of the USA Congress. That belligerant focus by the Bush White House continues to exist today 'enabled' by a majority Republican House and Senate.
That type of exploitation has to stop. The wars the USA has to fight belong in smaller venues of power struggles that kill large numbers of citizens while destabilizing governments.
Legislation needs to address the global need for Peacekeepers. The legislation has to dedicate this military directive for THAT purpose only while leaving the current structure of National Guard, Reserve Units and Regular military in place. The Peacekeeper Units will be maintained even when war on a larger scale breaks out and in practice of their directives. This measure needs to be limited in it's scope and purpose and will attract many more people to it's ranks than illegal wars will.
The duration of such legislation is for 99 years and no more with the focus being to eliminate the need for Peacekeepers bringing about stability to regions where people now suffer and are easily killed by current regimes with little regard for life. If the USA is to participate in the United Nations it needs to be an active partner with a ready Peacekeeper force to deploy to areas when the need exists and NOT when it is convenient.
To allow nations to be attacked over and over again while abandoning allies such as Britain, when itself is a victim to terrorists, is not only a breech of USA Security but also the security of our allies. The USA has to be able to respond differently as Former General/Secretary of State Colin Powell stated as a future to the purpose of the American Armed Forces. To stop terrorist networks we have to address the stability of nations and the protection of it's citizens. If the USA cannot find it's way to providing global Peacekeepers, then we are destined to be victim to a growing threat at our borders.
Drug pipeline flows from Mexico to S.C.
Smugglers increasingly are crossing the southern U.S. border by land to bring drugs into the state.
...Mexican carriers transport cocaine on S.C. highways, harvest marijuana from rural fields and receive shipments of marijuana at some Hispanic stores, according to state and federal court records. They also have supplied methampethamines across the state as local meth production declines. And some even have been charged with distributing free samples of heroin to recovering addicts in the Charleston area.
Reviewing Revolt: The Price of Fire, New Book on Latin America Protest Movements
Benjamin Dangl has written a detailed and first-hand study of popular social movement in Bolivia which emerged in response to economic and military violence.
“My aim is to make complicated issues more accessible and give a human face to the looting and struggles of a continent,” he writes.
Venezuela pays off multilateral loans
CARACAS, Venezuela
Venezuela said Saturday it has paid off its debts to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank and is cutting ties to the two institutions, which the government of President Hugo Chavez accuses of perpetuating poverty and economic ills.
"My dear sirs at the World Bank, sirs at the International Monetary Fund -- goodbye to you. Venezuela is free ... and sovereign," Finance Minister Rodrigo Cabezas told state TV.
By making early payment on loans expiring in 2012, Venezuela saved US$8 million (euro6 million) in interest payments, Cabezas said.
"We are closing a historic cycle of indebtedness," he added. "We do not have any debts (with them)."
The quiet revolution of Chavez can find itself free of the limiting encumbrances of involvement of "USA interests" and allow a much different face to emerge in South America.
Venezuela's Chavez says Orinoco partners can sue if they want
By Peter Millard
Last Update: 6:11 PM ET Apr 13, 2007
CARACAS (MarketWatch) -- Oil majors at four extra-heavy oil projects can sue Venezuela should they wish to over an ongoing contract overhaul that puts the state oil company in charge of day-to-day operations, President Hugo Chavez said Friday.
"Whoever wants to sue can sue," said Chavez in a televised press conference Friday.
Venezuela has set a May 1 deadline for these companies to hand operations over to state-run Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. They will have an additional two months to sort out how much of an equity stake they will have in the restructured ventures.
PdVSA is demanding a minimum stake of 60% in each venture. PdVSA currently has stakes ranging from 30% to 49% in each of the four ventures.
"Everyone knows that on May 1 we will be taking control of the fields," said Chavez.
Over the past three years Venezuela has leveraged high oil prices to increase oil taxes and put the state in charge of all projects that were previously run by outside firms. Separately, Chavez reiterated he will shut off oil supplies to the U.S. if it "launches a new wave of aggression at Venezuela."
Venezuela accuses the U.S. of leading a failed military coup in 2002, and of plotting to assassinate him. The U.S. has repeatedly denied these allegations.
