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A Tale of Two Septembers



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 11th 03, 10:52 PM
Don't do it
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default A Tale of Two Septembers

http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16712

A Tale of Two Septembers

By David Morris, AlterNet
September 9, 2003

September 11th marks the second anniversary of the aerial attack by
terrorists that killed 2,700 people and profoundly changed American
society.

September 11th also marks the anniversary, in this case the thirtieth, of
the aerial attack by terrorists that led to the murder of more than 3,000
people and profoundly changed Chilean society.

American commentators probably won't mention the 1973 attacks on Chile and
their aftermath. They should, because in those attacks it was the U.S.
government that played the role of Al Qaeda - recruiting, training, arming,
financing and coordinating the terrorists.

Our involvement in this unsavory affair is now widely recognized. As
Secretary of State Colin Powell himself recently acknowledged, "It is not a
part of our country's history that we are proud of."

Powell's comment implies a feeling of contrition that I doubt his
colleagues in this Administration share. For the ties are remarkably
intimate between those who planned the attacks on Chile's White House and
those in charge of responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld worked in the Nixon cabinet. And in a most telling demonstration
of continuity, President Bush appointed Henry Kissinger, the central player
in the overthrow of the Chilean government, to chair the Committee
investigating the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
(Kissinger withdrew in the face of ferocious worldwide criticism.)
On September 4, 1970 Salvador Allende, founder of the Socialist Party and
four time presidential candidate, was elected President of Chile. That
Allende was duly and uncontrovertibly elected in a country with a long and
rich democratic tradition, a country whose voting turnout is double that of
the United States, was irrelevant to President Nixon and his Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger. "I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a
country go Communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people,"
Kissinger declared.

"Nixon was beside himself," Kissinger later wrote. CIA Director Richard
Helms remembers Nixon "wanted something done and he didn't much care how."
Initially the U.S. tried to forestall Allende's taking office by financing
the kidnapping of the head of the Armed Forces, General Rene Schneider.
Schneider resisted and was shot on October 22, 1970 and died three days
later. The CIA reportedly paid $35,000 to the assassins.
Having failed with Plan A, Nixon and Kissinger moved to Plan B. This was,
according to Nixon's CIA Director Richard Helms to "make the (Chilean)
economy scream".
Plan B was successful economically. By cutting off public and private aid,
encouraging U.S. corporations to stop sending replacement parts to Chilean
factories and fomenting strikes and sabotage in Chile, the U.S. undermined
its economy.

But Plan B failed politically. Even in the face of growing economic
instability Chile maintained its democratic traditions. And the percentage
voting for Allende's Popular Unity coalition continued to increase, from 36
percent in September 1970 to 44 percent in April 1972.

In June 1973 parts of the Chilean Navy attempted a coup and failed. A
million people marched to the President's office and demanded arms to be
able to defend the government. President Allende stood on the balcony and
firmly rejected their request. To the end he was a Constitutionalist.
As were several of the leaders of the Chilean military. These were arrested
in the early morning of September 11th. About 8:30AM rogue military units
began bombing the Chilean White House. Allende died in his office. General
Augusto Pinochet, an admirer of Adolf Hitler, seized power.

Pinochet's military dictatorship killed thousands, tortured tens of
thousands and drove more than a million Chileans into exile. A society with
a 150 year tradition of democracy and participation suffered under
totalitarian rule.
No elections were held at any level for 15 years. Women were arrested for
organizing soccer clubs. As Tina Rosenberg observed in the New York Times,
"Meetings of any kind were considered subversive - in the first year after
the coup, even Miss Chile was appointed."
The United States rewarded Chile by dramatically increasing both grants and
loans. On June 8, 1976, at the height of Pinochet's repression, Kissinger
met in private with the dictator and told him, "We are sympathetic to what
you are trying to do here".

Having thwarted the possibility that Chile would become a model of
democratic socialism, the United States made Chile a model of dictatorial
capitalism. Under the hands-on guidance of University of Chicago
economists, the Chilean economy was restructured. Unions were outlawed.
Real wages plunged. Social spending was slashed. Of 507 public enterprises
in l973 only l5 remained in government hands by l980. Chile privatized its
social security system.
The experiment failed. Unemployment soared. Malnutrition soared. In l973
Chile had the second highest income in Latin America, next to oil rich
Venezuela. By 1988, when the military relinquished the reigns of
government, Chile's income had fallen behind that of many countries,
including Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

As a result of widespread protests, none of which were financed by the
United States, Pinochet agreed to step down. In 1989 a new government took
office and to some extent has undone the damage wrought by the Pinochet
years.
Today Chilean society remains scarred by the events of 9/11/73. The
military pushed through a Constitutional provision that allowed it
sufficient representation in Congress to block reforms. In l99l General
Pinochet declared that if Chile were to try to undertake the kinds of
economic initiatives embraced by Allende, "In such circumstances it will be
impossible to prevent" the military from intervening once again. Although
elections now take place in Chile and political activity has revived, its
dimension and vitality, once so rich, is circumscribed.
The United States also felt the effects of 9/11/73. Policymakers were
shocked at the revelations of our involvement. And at the same time they
learned of Nixon's increasing willingness to wield the powers of government
against perceived domestic as well as foreign enemies.

Nixon resigned in August 1974. Congressional investigations of our the use
of government here and abroad by the Nixon administration led it to
reinforce and strengthen the prohibition on domestic surveillance by the
CIA. It banned the use of assassination as a tool of foreign policy. CIA
director Richard Helms was indicted and convicted of lying to Congress
about US involvement in Chile.
Today the connections between the two September lls remain. While we are
pursuing Saddam Hussein in order to try him for war crimes, prosecutors in
four countries are pursuing Henry Kissinger to get him to testify about his
role in the Chilean coup.

In the aftermath of 9/11/01 the Bush White House has reinstated many of the
practices of the Nixon White House and has adopted a similar approach
regarding those who oppose its policies. Nixon had an enemies list. Vice
President Cheney declares, "You're either for us or against us." The policy
of covert interventions in foreign countries has been revived. The CIA now
is intimately involved in domestic surveillance. The White House has
formally re-established the practice of political assassination.

This September 11th we should remember two anniversaries and reflect on the
links between the two.




Ads
  #2  
Old September 11th 03, 11:58 PM
Matthew
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default A Tale of Two Septembers


"Don't do it" wrote in message
m...
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16712

A Tale of Two Septembers

By David Morris, AlterNet
September 9, 2003

September 11th marks the second anniversary of the aerial attack by
terrorists that killed 2,700 people and profoundly changed American
society.

September 11th also marks the anniversary, in this case the thirtieth, of
the aerial attack by terrorists that led to the murder of more than 3,000
people and profoundly changed Chilean society.

American commentators probably won't mention the 1973 attacks on Chile and
their aftermath. They should, because in those attacks it was the U.S.
government that played the role of Al Qaeda - recruiting, training,

arming,
financing and coordinating the terrorists.

Our involvement in this unsavory affair is now widely recognized. As
Secretary of State Colin Powell himself recently acknowledged, "It is not

a
part of our country's history that we are proud of."

Powell's comment implies a feeling of contrition that I doubt his
colleagues in this Administration share. For the ties are remarkably
intimate between those who planned the attacks on Chile's White House and
those in charge of responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld worked in the Nixon cabinet. And in a most telling demonstration
of continuity, President Bush appointed Henry Kissinger, the central

player
in the overthrow of the Chilean government, to chair the Committee
investigating the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
(Kissinger withdrew in the face of ferocious worldwide criticism.)
On September 4, 1970 Salvador Allende, founder of the Socialist Party and
four time presidential candidate, was elected President of Chile. That
Allende was duly and uncontrovertibly elected in a country with a long and
rich democratic tradition, a country whose voting turnout is double that

of
the United States, was irrelevant to President Nixon and his Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger. "I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a
country go Communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people,"
Kissinger declared.

"Nixon was beside himself," Kissinger later wrote. CIA Director Richard
Helms remembers Nixon "wanted something done and he didn't much care how."
Initially the U.S. tried to forestall Allende's taking office by financing
the kidnapping of the head of the Armed Forces, General Rene Schneider.
Schneider resisted and was shot on October 22, 1970 and died three days
later. The CIA reportedly paid $35,000 to the assassins.
Having failed with Plan A, Nixon and Kissinger moved to Plan B. This was,
according to Nixon's CIA Director Richard Helms to "make the (Chilean)
economy scream".
Plan B was successful economically. By cutting off public and private aid,
encouraging U.S. corporations to stop sending replacement parts to Chilean
factories and fomenting strikes and sabotage in Chile, the U.S. undermined
its economy.

But Plan B failed politically. Even in the face of growing economic
instability Chile maintained its democratic traditions. And the percentage
voting for Allende's Popular Unity coalition continued to increase, from

36
percent in September 1970 to 44 percent in April 1972.

In June 1973 parts of the Chilean Navy attempted a coup and failed. A
million people marched to the President's office and demanded arms to be
able to defend the government. President Allende stood on the balcony and
firmly rejected their request. To the end he was a Constitutionalist.
As were several of the leaders of the Chilean military. These were

arrested
in the early morning of September 11th. About 8:30AM rogue military units
began bombing the Chilean White House. Allende died in his office. General
Augusto Pinochet, an admirer of Adolf Hitler, seized power.

Pinochet's military dictatorship killed thousands, tortured tens of
thousands and drove more than a million Chileans into exile. A society

with
a 150 year tradition of democracy and participation suffered under
totalitarian rule.
No elections were held at any level for 15 years. Women were arrested for
organizing soccer clubs. As Tina Rosenberg observed in the New York Times,
"Meetings of any kind were considered subversive - in the first year after
the coup, even Miss Chile was appointed."
The United States rewarded Chile by dramatically increasing both grants

and
loans. On June 8, 1976, at the height of Pinochet's repression, Kissinger
met in private with the dictator and told him, "We are sympathetic to what
you are trying to do here".

Having thwarted the possibility that Chile would become a model of
democratic socialism, the United States made Chile a model of dictatorial
capitalism. Under the hands-on guidance of University of Chicago
economists, the Chilean economy was restructured. Unions were outlawed.
Real wages plunged. Social spending was slashed. Of 507 public enterprises
in l973 only l5 remained in government hands by l980. Chile privatized its
social security system.
The experiment failed. Unemployment soared. Malnutrition soared. In l973
Chile had the second highest income in Latin America, next to oil rich
Venezuela. By 1988, when the military relinquished the reigns of
government, Chile's income had fallen behind that of many countries,
including Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

As a result of widespread protests, none of which were financed by the
United States, Pinochet agreed to step down. In 1989 a new government took
office and to some extent has undone the damage wrought by the Pinochet
years.
Today Chilean society remains scarred by the events of 9/11/73. The
military pushed through a Constitutional provision that allowed it
sufficient representation in Congress to block reforms. In l99l General
Pinochet declared that if Chile were to try to undertake the kinds of
economic initiatives embraced by Allende, "In such circumstances it will

be
impossible to prevent" the military from intervening once again. Although
elections now take place in Chile and political activity has revived, its
dimension and vitality, once so rich, is circumscribed.
The United States also felt the effects of 9/11/73. Policymakers were
shocked at the revelations of our involvement. And at the same time they
learned of Nixon's increasing willingness to wield the powers of

government
against perceived domestic as well as foreign enemies.

Nixon resigned in August 1974. Congressional investigations of our the use
of government here and abroad by the Nixon administration led it to
reinforce and strengthen the prohibition on domestic surveillance by the
CIA. It banned the use of assassination as a tool of foreign policy. CIA
director Richard Helms was indicted and convicted of lying to Congress
about US involvement in Chile.
Today the connections between the two September lls remain. While we are
pursuing Saddam Hussein in order to try him for war crimes, prosecutors in
four countries are pursuing Henry Kissinger to get him to testify about

his
role in the Chilean coup.

In the aftermath of 9/11/01 the Bush White House has reinstated many of

the
practices of the Nixon White House and has adopted a similar approach
regarding those who oppose its policies. Nixon had an enemies list. Vice
President Cheney declares, "You're either for us or against us." The

policy
of covert interventions in foreign countries has been revived. The CIA now
is intimately involved in domestic surveillance. The White House has
formally re-established the practice of political assassination.

This September 11th we should remember two anniversaries and reflect on

the
links between the two.


Obviously off topic post. And don't believe everything you see in the movie
theater.

Matthew



  #3  
Old September 12th 03, 01:39 AM
Gary Smiley
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default A Tale of Two Septembers

It's not off-topic when you realize that it's these same right-wing oil-guzzling
war-mongering fascist assholes who would just as soon run you off the road.

Matthew wrote:

"Obviously off topic post. And don't believe everything you see in the movie
theater.

Matthew


  #4  
Old September 12th 03, 02:49 AM
Ron Wallenfang
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default A Tale of Two Septembers

Yes it is. Get over to rec.bicycles.soc where you and Mike Vandeman would
make a good team. In fact, you make him look good by comparison.


"Gary Smiley" wrote in message
...
It's not off-topic when you realize that it's these same right-wing

oil-guzzling
war-mongering fascist assholes who would just as soon run you off the

road.

Matthew wrote:

"Obviously off topic post. And don't believe everything you see in the

movie
theater.

Matthew




  #5  
Old September 12th 03, 02:00 PM
matabala
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default A Tale of Two Septembers

And Fidel and his communist cohorts in all this? Another revisionist
pseudo-historian unfortunately playing fast and loose with historical facts
which merit much greater attention.

"Don't do it" wrote in message
m...
http://alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=16712

A Tale of Two Septembers

By David Morris, AlterNet
September 9, 2003

September 11th marks the second anniversary of the aerial attack by
terrorists that killed 2,700 people and profoundly changed American
society.

September 11th also marks the anniversary, in this case the thirtieth, of
the aerial attack by terrorists that led to the murder of more than 3,000
people and profoundly changed Chilean society.

American commentators probably won't mention the 1973 attacks on Chile and
their aftermath. They should, because in those attacks it was the U.S.
government that played the role of Al Qaeda - recruiting, training,

arming,
financing and coordinating the terrorists.

Our involvement in this unsavory affair is now widely recognized. As
Secretary of State Colin Powell himself recently acknowledged, "It is not

a
part of our country's history that we are proud of."

Powell's comment implies a feeling of contrition that I doubt his
colleagues in this Administration share. For the ties are remarkably
intimate between those who planned the attacks on Chile's White House and
those in charge of responding to the attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon. Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld worked in the Nixon cabinet. And in a most telling demonstration
of continuity, President Bush appointed Henry Kissinger, the central

player
in the overthrow of the Chilean government, to chair the Committee
investigating the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
(Kissinger withdrew in the face of ferocious worldwide criticism.)
On September 4, 1970 Salvador Allende, founder of the Socialist Party and
four time presidential candidate, was elected President of Chile. That
Allende was duly and uncontrovertibly elected in a country with a long and
rich democratic tradition, a country whose voting turnout is double that

of
the United States, was irrelevant to President Nixon and his Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger. "I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a
country go Communist due to the irresponsibility of its own people,"
Kissinger declared.

"Nixon was beside himself," Kissinger later wrote. CIA Director Richard
Helms remembers Nixon "wanted something done and he didn't much care how."
Initially the U.S. tried to forestall Allende's taking office by financing
the kidnapping of the head of the Armed Forces, General Rene Schneider.
Schneider resisted and was shot on October 22, 1970 and died three days
later. The CIA reportedly paid $35,000 to the assassins.
Having failed with Plan A, Nixon and Kissinger moved to Plan B. This was,
according to Nixon's CIA Director Richard Helms to "make the (Chilean)
economy scream".
Plan B was successful economically. By cutting off public and private aid,
encouraging U.S. corporations to stop sending replacement parts to Chilean
factories and fomenting strikes and sabotage in Chile, the U.S. undermined
its economy.

But Plan B failed politically. Even in the face of growing economic
instability Chile maintained its democratic traditions. And the percentage
voting for Allende's Popular Unity coalition continued to increase, from

36
percent in September 1970 to 44 percent in April 1972.

In June 1973 parts of the Chilean Navy attempted a coup and failed. A
million people marched to the President's office and demanded arms to be
able to defend the government. President Allende stood on the balcony and
firmly rejected their request. To the end he was a Constitutionalist.
As were several of the leaders of the Chilean military. These were

arrested
in the early morning of September 11th. About 8:30AM rogue military units
began bombing the Chilean White House. Allende died in his office. General
Augusto Pinochet, an admirer of Adolf Hitler, seized power.

Pinochet's military dictatorship killed thousands, tortured tens of
thousands and drove more than a million Chileans into exile. A society

with
a 150 year tradition of democracy and participation suffered under
totalitarian rule.
No elections were held at any level for 15 years. Women were arrested for
organizing soccer clubs. As Tina Rosenberg observed in the New York Times,
"Meetings of any kind were considered subversive - in the first year after
the coup, even Miss Chile was appointed."
The United States rewarded Chile by dramatically increasing both grants

and
loans. On June 8, 1976, at the height of Pinochet's repression, Kissinger
met in private with the dictator and told him, "We are sympathetic to what
you are trying to do here".

Having thwarted the possibility that Chile would become a model of
democratic socialism, the United States made Chile a model of dictatorial
capitalism. Under the hands-on guidance of University of Chicago
economists, the Chilean economy was restructured. Unions were outlawed.
Real wages plunged. Social spending was slashed. Of 507 public enterprises
in l973 only l5 remained in government hands by l980. Chile privatized its
social security system.
The experiment failed. Unemployment soared. Malnutrition soared. In l973
Chile had the second highest income in Latin America, next to oil rich
Venezuela. By 1988, when the military relinquished the reigns of
government, Chile's income had fallen behind that of many countries,
including Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

As a result of widespread protests, none of which were financed by the
United States, Pinochet agreed to step down. In 1989 a new government took
office and to some extent has undone the damage wrought by the Pinochet
years.
Today Chilean society remains scarred by the events of 9/11/73. The
military pushed through a Constitutional provision that allowed it
sufficient representation in Congress to block reforms. In l99l General
Pinochet declared that if Chile were to try to undertake the kinds of
economic initiatives embraced by Allende, "In such circumstances it will

be
impossible to prevent" the military from intervening once again. Although
elections now take place in Chile and political activity has revived, its
dimension and vitality, once so rich, is circumscribed.
The United States also felt the effects of 9/11/73. Policymakers were
shocked at the revelations of our involvement. And at the same time they
learned of Nixon's increasing willingness to wield the powers of

government
against perceived domestic as well as foreign enemies.

Nixon resigned in August 1974. Congressional investigations of our the use
of government here and abroad by the Nixon administration led it to
reinforce and strengthen the prohibition on domestic surveillance by the
CIA. It banned the use of assassination as a tool of foreign policy. CIA
director Richard Helms was indicted and convicted of lying to Congress
about US involvement in Chile.
Today the connections between the two September lls remain. While we are
pursuing Saddam Hussein in order to try him for war crimes, prosecutors in
four countries are pursuing Henry Kissinger to get him to testify about

his
role in the Chilean coup.

In the aftermath of 9/11/01 the Bush White House has reinstated many of

the
practices of the Nixon White House and has adopted a similar approach
regarding those who oppose its policies. Nixon had an enemies list. Vice
President Cheney declares, "You're either for us or against us." The

policy
of covert interventions in foreign countries has been revived. The CIA now
is intimately involved in domestic surveillance. The White House has
formally re-established the practice of political assassination.

This September 11th we should remember two anniversaries and reflect on

the
links between the two.






 




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