South America, Future US Target

Fears on an incoming Pentagon military intervention into the region worry Latin Americans
According to analysts and several sources in the region, the new Washington's preventive war doctrine could be soon deployed in South America. The CIA and the Pentagon have two known targets and are currently working on them: Colombia and the "Triple Border" between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.

While Colombia's 40 years civil war is an example of an unresolved internal conflict, the "Triple Border" could have international repercussion. However, no matter the case, White House Hawks see terrorists where they aren't.

As for the situation in Colombia, even when some means used by the marxist rebel groups operating in the country could sound similar to the one used by terrorists, the history of the conflict says something different. The Revolutionary Armed Force of Colombia (FARC) and the National Army of Liberation (ELN) have more to do with the Cold War years than to the current global scenario.

FARC forces born as a reaction of impoverished farmers against the exploitation of landowners. The Communist Party of Colombia firstly organized this armed group to establish a Soviet style state in the country. Then, poor farmers joined FARC's and ELN's armies after local authorities banned coca crops production, main source of incomes for them.

Now, Washington says the FARC's and the ELN's are terrorists linked to the narcotraffic. At the same time, the current right wing Government of Alvaro Uribe, fails on its no-negotiation policy and claims for a US military intervention into its own country "similar to the one in Iraq". Perhaps, Mr. Uribe wants to see Bogota as destroyed, as it is Baghdad today.

Despite of the lack of evidence about terrorist activity found in the "Triple Border", Washington insists on the existence of a terrorism sanctuary in the small area that joins Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Neither Brazil's intelligence services nor Argentina ones found any sort of signal about the presence of al-Qaida members operating in the region. The CIA says yes.

In an operation in Afghanistan the US army said that found a picture of the Iguazu Falls, the amazing tourist attraction nearby the region. For them, this is enough to say that Osama Bin Laden or other al-Qaida members were there and to ignore detailed and full reports from South America on the negative.

The area, a profitable black market and money-laundering place for US based international banks, is alleged to host several Middle Eastern terrorist groups camouflaged among the large Arab community that has lived in peace for decades. Again, no evidence of this has been found either by governmental offices or independent researches.

All in all, there is something clear: as long as Mercosur countries keep on approaching economically and politically to Europe rumors about terrorist activities inside the block will increase. As per Colombia, Washington already has over 400 troops operating within the country. It is only a matter of time to see a larger force "securing" nation's natural resources.

Hernan Etchaleco PRAVDA.Ru Argentina

Picture: The Triple Border in Southern Brazil.

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