Of the 10,000 who peacefully protested at WHISC last November, a full 36 were given sentences of up to six months in federal prison, and it's anyone's guess how many new US political prisoners will result from the upcoming protest.
A bipartisan effort to shut down WHISC was narrowly defeated in the House last year, but a similar bill (HR 1810) has been reintroduced by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). HR 1810 already has 112 sponsors, and if passed would not only close the school but also establish a joint congressional task force "to conduct an assessment of the kind of education and training that is appropriate for the Department of Defense to provide to military
personnel of Latin American nations."
A bipartisan effort to shut down WHISC was narrowly defeated in the House last year, but a similar bill (HR 1810) has been reintroduced by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA). HR 1810 already has 112 sponsors, and if passed would not only close the school but also establish a joint congressional task force "to conduct an assessment of the kind of education and training that is appropriate for the Department of Defense to provide to military
personnel of Latin American nations."
Which is probably why the Bush administration is pushing through plans to set up a successor to WHISC in Costa Rica. With billions in US military aid funneled to dirty wars throughout Latin America, local fighters are needed to carry out Washington's agenda and their training cannot hinge on such niceties as law or public opposition. Case in point: Colombia has received military equipment and a $1.3 billion aid package- not to mention over 250 US military personnel on the ground - to help the government fight against what it calls counter-insurgents (frequently peasants or community leaders such as educators, union organizers and religious workers).
Add to that a full 10,000 Colombian WHISC/SOA graduates and plans to set up WHISC-oriented training locally, and it's clear the US is not only inviting mission creep, but more importantly entering a bloody and unethical quagmire.
The choice is ours: pay lip-service to fighting global terrorism as we secretly conduct terrorist training on the side, or confront this beast wherever it grows, both abroad and at home.
Heather Wokusch
http://www.heatherwokusch.com
Photo courtesy of School of the Americas Watch: http://www.soaw.org
The choice is ours: pay lip-service to fighting global terrorism as we secretly conduct terrorist training on the side, or confront this beast wherever it grows, both abroad and at home.
Heather Wokusch
http://www.heatherwokusch.com
Photo courtesy of School of the Americas Watch: http://www.soaw.org