On January 17, 1706, Benjamin Franklin was born.
After the American Revolution, when asked what form of government the
American people now enjoyed, his answer was, "A Republic. If you can
keep it."
The Republic died on the anniversary of Ben Franklin's
birthday in 1893.
Today, January 17, 2003, is the 110th anniversary of the American Empire.
One hundred and ten years ago today, a group of rich white guys got
the US Armed Forces to invade the Hawaiian Islands and forcibly overthrow
the sovereign government of Hawaii. This invasion and overthrow of a
sovereign nation outside the North American continent signaled the death
of the American Republic, and the beginning of the AmeriKKKan Empire.
You can read the original NY times article describing the overthrow of the
Hawaiian monarch here
( www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0117.html ).
Bill Clinton acknowledged in writing that the Islands were stolen illegally,
and yet the United States Government refuses to discuss the issue of
returning control of the Islands back to its rightful owners.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
During World War II, Okinawa was invaded by the Japanese, and 'annexed'
in the same way the Hawaiian Islands were. America captured Okinawa
toward the end of the war. After the war, the US signed a deal with Japan
that ceded control of Okinawa to Japan, with an agreement that the US
could keep the best real estate on the island for military use. They
took nearly the entire east and west coasts of Okinawa, which they retain
to this day.
Naturally, the Okinawan people, who consider themselves Ryuku and NOT
Japanese, were given no say in any of this - no say in being ruled by
Japan, and no say in the theft of their land by the United States.
There have been endless protests against the US presence in Okinawa.
Hundreds of thousands of people have turned up at times to demand the
withdrawal of US troops. The rate of rapes and sexual assaults in Okinawa
is six times that of the rest of Japan.
The rape of Japanese girls by Americans, often girls under the legal
age of consent, has become commonplace in Okinawa. The majority of Okinawans
don't want the Americans there, which they express at the polls year
after year by electing anti-US candidates to press the issue with both
the US and Japanese governments. Despite their efforts, the Americans
won't leave.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
In Pakistan, the people have also expressed their view of an American
presence at the polls, where the Islamists made huge gains in the federal
election, and once again handed Musharraf his hat at the recent local
elections. The people don't want American bases there, but Bush has no
intention of leaving until the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Oil pipeline
is built.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
American troops in Kuwait are being attacked and shot at almost daily
as their presence increases in the Middle East. Even the Kuwaiti people
who were once invaded by Saddam don't want them there. But there is no
chance in Hell that the US troops are leaving until Bush has set up a
US friendly government in Baghdad and stolen Iraq's oil.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
Hugo Chavez was elected in a landslide in 1998. He believes that the
wealth of Venezuela's natural resources should be used to help the poor,
and not just to enrich a small number of George BushÕs friends.
Thus, Chavez is considered by Bush, who couldn't even win a majority
in a fixed election, to be an illegitimate leader. The Bush administration
attempted a coup in April, which failed. The coup leaders are now hiding
in the United States, where they were welcomed with open arms for their
Terrorist activities in Venezuela.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
In 1895, Jose Marti helped lead the Cuban people to freedom from Spanish
rule, after years of planning overseas. America promptly betrayed the
Cuban revolution, and set up its own puppet government, which ceded
Guantanamo Bay to the United States without consulting the Cuban people.
The United States has been asked to leave Guantanamo Bay for more than
forty years, but they refuse to do so.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
Now, Guantanamo Bay is being used to get around inconvenient things
like Constitutional rights, human rights, the Geneva Convention, and the
rights of man declared in America's own Declaration of Independence.
Like Rome and Nazi Germany, Bush is creating a two-tiered legal system
- one set of laws for those with the 'right papers', and another set for
everyone else.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
North and South Korea have been trying to establish a dialogue to work
toward re-unification. George Bush has been doing everything in his
power the prevent this from happening, and is trying his hardest to divide
and conquer, so the US can keep its base in Seoul and prevent a united
Korea from laying claim to the Spratly Islands.
Even the leaders in Korea have been protesting the US presence and
the Standard Of Forces Agreement (SOFA). The SOFA agreement is aptly
named, as it has been used by American GI's to turn places like Olongapo,
Okinawa, and Seoul into their own private casting couch.
Shops in Seoul have even taken to boldly displaying signs saying, 'AMERICANS
ARE NOT WELCOME HERE'. But the troops won't leave.
Re-unification of Korea is going to be allowed by the US only after
Exxon has laid its claim to the Natuna gas fields in the Spratlys. Until
then, the bases and large presence of US troops will remain, despite the
protests, despite the attacks on American troops in Seoul, and despite
the wishes of both North and South Koreans.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
Russia, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Cuba, the Sudan, Chile, Venezuela,
Brazil, Argentina, Vietnam, Cambodia, and many others who have dared
suggest that the mineral resources beneath their feet belong to them and
not to American companies have all suffered under attempted coups, invasions,
bombings, sanctions, and military blockades that have killed millions.
The people of these nations, who unlike Americans have no say in what
their government does, are innocent victims of these sanctions, and hundreds
are dying daily, deliberately being starved and denied essential medicines
by US sanctions.
But America is 'not an Empire'.
If it's not an empire, what is it?
What do you call 140 plus military bases, many of them in places where
they're unwelcome, unhelpful, and do nothing but add to the number of
little girls raped or killed by US Marines?
All information posted on this web site is
the opinion of the author and is provided for educational purposes only.
It is not to be construed as medical advice. Only a licensed medical doctor
can legally offer medical advice in the United States. Consult the healer
of your choice for medical care and advice.