The More Things Change...

''In Latin America, there are no terrorists -- only hunger and unemployment and delinquents who turn to crime'',[ he was quoted as saying]. ''What are we going to do, hit you with a banana?''

So says retired general Rene Vargas, the former head of Ecuador's military. Apparently Donald Rumsfeld, not content with conducting his own perpetual war, is now urging Latin American defense ministers to get their militaries involved in domestic police work in the name of fighting "terrorism". No matter that these same countries have spent the better part of three decades getting out from under the shadow of military "dirty wars" conducted against their own citizens. Does the phrase "death squad" mean anything to you?

"...during the drafting of the final communiqué, Rumsfeld's delegation resisted a Canadian move, backed by Brazil and Chile, to balance its anti-terrorism provisions with explicit references to international human rights and humanitarian law..."

Our neighbors to the south seem to be somewhat sceptical of this new paradigm, but look for the administration to push for this sort of "cooperation" in future dealings with them.