The Empire Strikes Back (here we go again)

[ensho]

http://counterpunch.com/hallinan01212011.html


The Republicans Target Latin America


For the past decade, American policy vis-à-vis Latin America has been relatively low-key, partly because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and partly because the region has seen an unprecedented growth in economic power and political independence. But, with Republicans taking over the House of Representatives, that is about to change, and, while the Southern Cone no longer stands to attention when Washington snaps its fingers, an aggressive and right wing Congress is capable of causing considerable mischief.

Rep. Lleana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fl), a long-time hawk on Cuba and leftist regimes in Venezuela and Bolivia, is the new chair of the powerful House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the rightist Rep. Connie Mack (D-Fl) heads up the House subcommittee on Western Hemisphere affairs. Ros-Lethinen is already preparing hearings aimed at Venezuela and Bolivia, and Mack will try to put the former on the State Department's list of countries sponsoring terrorism.

Ros-Lehtinen plans to target Venezuela's supposed ties to Middle East terrorist groups and Iran's nuclear weapons program, and to push for economic sanctions against Venezuela's state-owned oil company and banks. "It will be good for congressional subcommittees to start talking about Chavez, about Morales, about issues that have not been talked about," she told the Miami Herald.

The new chairs of the House Intelligence Committee and Judiciary Committee have also signaled they intend to weigh in on establishing a more hawkish line on Latin America.

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may trashy Lleana fall down

hoping Latin America will stay tough and get tougher when dealing with our Empire. wishing them well

[marmar]

1. The Empire can't even pay its own bills these days........

It's all coming to an end, and sooner than the hawks think.

[peace frog]

2. Her name is Ileana with a capital "i"

[Dogmudgeon]

3. That's Counterpunch's mistake

Just one of many in any given edition, sadly.

--d!

[Laelth]

4. k&r for exposure. This is important. n/t

-Laelth