Guest guest Posted October 12, 2002 Report Share Posted October 12, 2002 The Waldman Political Report > >> > >> Costa Rica Moves Toward Invasion of U.S. > >> > >> 2002-10-11 > >> > >> October 11, 2002 - San Jose, Costa Rica. The government of Costa Rica is > >> beginning preparations for a possible invasion of the United States, Costa > >> Rican officials have said. > >> > >> In a speech to a group of business leaders in San Jose on Thursday, Costa > >> Rican Foreign Minister Roberto Tovar said that the government of George W. > >> Bush constitutes a " continuing threat that will only worsen, " making > >> military action a requirement. " It is better to act now than to wait until > >> bombs are raining down on San Jose, " he said. > >> > >> " Costa Rica has a stronger democracy than any other country in Latin > >> America, " said Tovar. " As such, we realize the threat we pose to the Bush > >> regime. For all we know, they could attack at any moment. " > >> > >> Tovar and Costa Rican president Abel Pacheco have been working to convince > >> their country that they ignore the danger at their peril. " George W. Bush > >> has massive stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, nuclear, chemical > >> > >> and biological, " Pacheco said in a recent speech. " Nothing he has done > >> indicates he would have the slightest hesitation to use them against his > >> neighbors. " Pacheco cited the numerous instances in which the U.S. > >> government has initiated overt or covert military action against its > >> neighbors, listing Panama, Grenada, and Nicaragua, among others. > >> > >> Costa Rica also announced it would seek a U.N. resolution officially > >> identifying the U.S. under Bush as a " rogue state, " given its support for > >> military dictatorships, its role as the world's leading arms trader, and > >> Bush's recently announced doctrine of " preemption, " under which the U.S. > >> will attack any nation with whom it has a disagreement. While acknowledging > >> that the U.S. would inevitably use its Security Council veto to scuttle such > >> a move, a foreign ministry spokesperson said it was important to have the > >> nations of the world on record in support of Costa Rica before any military > >> action is taken. Nonetheless, Pacheco has said that if the decision is made > >> to invade the United States, Costa Rica would proceed with or without the > >> support of its allies and the world community. > >> > >> The Costa Rican president also cited recent domestic moves by the Bush > >> administration and Bush's human rights record as causes for concern. " Bush > >> executed more prisoners than any governor in modern U.S. history, and has > >> clamped down on human rights since he assumed the presidency. While the > >> United States has a proud tradition of democracy, Bush's eagerness to > >> undermine constitutional protections and the separation of powers makes us > >> nervous, " said Pacheco. " Once he has concentrated all power in the executive > >> branch, who knows what he'll do. " > >> > >> Costa Rican television stations have been contributing to preparations for > >> war by repeatedly showing a clip in which Bush is seen standing on a balcony > >> firing a rifle into the air. Although the clip is nearly two decades old, it > >> airs as many as twenty times a day on state television, enhancing the image > >> of Bush as a belligerent war monger preparing to do harm to Costa Rica. > >> Costa Rican news magazine covers have also featured Bush in menacing > >> close-ups, under titles such as " War - Before It's Too Late? " and " Who's > >> Afraid of the Big Bad Bush? " > >> > >> Nonetheless, Costa Ricans are far from unified on the need to invade the > >> United States. " We all know that Bush is a brutal dictator, " said Sonia > >> Picado, leader of the opposition National Liberation Party (PLN). " But how > >> many Costa Ricans need to die to get rid of this one man? Unless he makes an > >> explicit move against us, it's better to use international pressure to keep > >> him in his box. " Picado questioned the rationale for moving against Bush > >> now. " One thing we know about Bush, he values his own power above all else. > >> So why would he risk it by attacking Costa Rica? And why is the threat > > > suddenly greater than it was six months ago, or a year or two years? " > >> > >> Picado also raised the possibility of the tens of thousands of inevitable > >> American casualties that would result from an invasion to depose Bush, but > >> added, " To be honest, that argument doesn't mean very much here. Costa > >> Ricans don't particularly care how many civilians get killed in a military > >> action we undertake, particularly if they speak a different language than we > >> do. " > >> > >> The outcome of the debate between Picado's PLN and Pacheco's Social > >> Christian Unity Part (PUSC) could determine whether the western hemisphere > >> is engulfed in war. PLN officials have charged that Pacheco is ratcheting up > >> the war rhetoric to boost his sagging poll numbers as parliamentary > >> elections approach, something Pacheco's aides vigorously deny. " The > >> president doesn't use polls to make his decisions, " said political advisor > >> Carlo Rovero, under whose direction the PUSC has spent over a million > >> dollars on polls this year. " Anyone who would dare even imply such a thing > >> must really hate his country. " > >> > >> For now, the Costa Rican government is continuing to plan for a move on > >> Washington, which some say could come by year's end. > >> > >> Copyright 2002 The Waldman Political Report> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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