So Communism is dead? Read this! L.F.M

[Eddier1]

China, Russia to conduct first-ever joint military exercises on Yellow Sea peninsula

Wednesday, August 17, 2005
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia - Russia and China launched unprecedented joint military exercises Thursday involving air, sea and land forces that they say aren't aimed at any third country, instead symbolizing the two nations' warming ties since the end of the Cold War.

The eight days of war games began with the chiefs of the Chinese and Russian general staffs starting strategic consultations at the Vladivostok headquarters of Russia's Pacific Fleet, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.

The exercises, dubbed "Peace Mission 2005," include some 10,000 troops who will later stage a mock intervention on China's Shandong peninsula to stabilize an imaginary country riven by ethnic strife.

Analysts say Russia and China are unlikely to team up against a common foe in any real conflict despite their shared concern over U.S. dominance in world affairs. Instead, experts say the maneuvers are more of a sales pitch to the Chinese of Russian-made arms - including the country's long-range strategic bombers, which can carry nuclear weapons.

Still, both countries will be looking to prove their military might during the exercises being closely watched across the region.

The U.S. Defense Department said in a report last month that China's military was increasingly seeking to modernize and could become a threat to American and other forces in the Asia-Pacific region as it looked to spread its influence.

The Russian military is also eager to show it can still flex its muscle despite much-publicized woes. Its weaknesses were highlighted again earlier this month when Russia had to call for outside help to rescue seven men stranded in a mini-submarine off its Pacific coast in operations that involved the Vladivostok-based Pacific Fleet.

Russia and China are the dominant countries in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a grouping that includes four former Soviet republics of Central Asia and which this year took on Iran, India and Pakistan as observers.

At a summit in July, the group called on Washington to set a date for the withdrawal of its forces from Central Asia, where they have been deployed since after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks to help support operations in neighboring Afghanistan. Representatives from the organization's countries have been invited to watch the exercises.

The United States said it has been advised of the exercises by both governments but isn't sending any observers.

Despite Russia and China's shared interest in Central Asia, Beijing's main focus for now lies on Taiwan, which China lays claims to and has threatened to invade if the island declares formal independence.

Earlier Russian news reports said Beijing had pushed to have the exercises staged closer to Taiwan - making it appear to be a possible rehearsal for an invasion.

Analysts have noted the involvement of Russia's Tu-95 strategic bombers and Tu-22M long-range bombers in the exercises - warplanes that can carry conventional or nuclear-tipped cruise missiles and are not usually part of peacekeeping operations. The aircraft are expected to top China's shopping list both to deter U.S. assistance to Taiwan in the event of a conflict and project Chinese strength across the region.

During the drills, the Tu-95s will conduct demonstration flights in the area while the Tu-22Ms will test-fire missiles at ground targets, the deputy chief of Russia's Land Forces in charge of the exercise, Col. Gen. Vladimir Moltenskoi, said last week.

Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky, the head of the Russian armed forces general staff, said in a newspaper interview last week that the aircraft were taking part because the exercises are being staged far from Russian bases and would help enforce a simulated aerial blockade. But Russia's air force chief said earlier this year that the bombers would be involved in the exercises to showcase them to Beijing.

[El_Jibaro]

US Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, right, shakes hands with Paraguayan Minister of Defense, Roberto Fernandez, during their meeting in Asuncion, Paraguay, on Wednesday, Aug.17, 2005. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

U.S. TARGETS MARXIST EXPANSIONISTS WITH WARNING

August 17, 2005

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accused Washington's Nationalist-Socialist foes Venezuela and Cuba of trying to destabilize Bolivia, embroiled in indigenous revolts that have overthrown two presidents in two years.

"There is certainly evidence both Cuba and Venezuela have been involved in the situation in Bolivia in unhelpful ways," Rumsfeld told reporters on Tuesday while flying to Paraguay on an official visit. He did not provide details.

Indian Coca-growers and Marxist rioters were agitated into pushing the oust of Bolivia's President Carlos Mesa this year, the second leader to have been overthrown by Marxist street mobs since 2003.

New presidential elections are set for December and some radical Marxist Indian leaders have a chance of winning.

Rumsfeld's statement was a sign of Washington's growing concern that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban President Fidel Castro were fomenting Marxist and Anti-American riots in Latin America, especially in troubled and impoverished Andean countries like Bolivia.

The United States is increasingly focusing on Bolivia, one of the world's biggest suppliers of illegal cocaine, as a major foreign policy challenge in the region, political analysts say.

Many leftist Latin American experts dispute Washington's view of Venezuelan and Cuban influence, saying turmoil in Bolivia is due to home-grown factors like widespread poverty and growing political muscle of impoverished indigenous groups.

Leftist Polls also show considerable support for some Marxist Bolivian leaders.

But U.S. officials say they are worried that political upheaval in Bolivia could spill over into neighbors like Paraguay and Peru and spark further political riots across other vulnerable Andean nations like Ecuador.

Washington is trying to diplomatically isolate Chavez, who is moving Venezuela toward Cuban-style communism while pursuing an aggressive foreign nationalist policy in the region.

Many Latin American countries fear losing good relations with Venezuela, the chief regional oil supplier, and which in theory has a democratically-elected leader.

It is Rumsfeld's third visit to Latin America in a year amid not only worries about Anti-American riots but also security concerns that Islamic militant groups could try to infiltrate the United States from the region.

Paraguay, one of the South America's countries most friendly to the U.S., has allowed US troops to train there and has cooperated in efforts to police the tri-border area, a lawless region of arms and drugs smugglers. The tri-border area also has a large Muslim population and U.S. officials say some of its members could be bank rolling Islamic militant groups like Hamas.

But the presence of U.S. troops has already sparked criticism from many leftist politicians and Marxist human rights groups in Paraguay.

[AnotherRican]

And then there are the naive independentistas that think that Chavez would not tamper with PR should it become independent? What a laugh! The two biggest Marxists of this forum know quite well that once PR becomes independent, they then have almost Carte Blanche to start instituting a police state that doesn't give a damn about a constitution or civil rights. Martial law can go into effect with guns in your hands.

[L_F_Miranda]

It's useless to argue with extremes. If both of you guys are convinced that we are still living in the Cold War, well what can I say?

Can I argue with people who say they saw the Virgin Mary in a tree, like they did on Long Island recently?

Can I argue with people who say they were abducted by UFO's?

Can I argue with Puerto Ricans who spend millions on the Puerto Rican Day parade instead of using the money giving hundreds scholarships to Kids to study Business and science?

Can I argue with Ricans who prefer to spend their money buying expensive Reggaeton CD's, buying expensive sneakers and computers for entertainment for their spoiled foul mouth kids?

Wouldn't it be better to spend that money making sure their kids got a good education to compete in the Globalized economy?

Can I argue with people who think the world stood still in 1952? ( By the way the movie, The Day the world stood still, is GREAT!)

Yes, we still see the effects of the cold War and its isms, but they will taper off in the next 50 years when Eddier, Suki, El Jibaro and Another Rican are ready for the glue factory.

And about the recent return of Socialism, or whatever, to Venezuela.

Yes, Chavez has come to power bringing with him socialist type reforms. Read again, REFORMS, not a Revolution! Traffic jams still clog Caracas and Venezuelan TV is still blasting cheap novelas like there is no end in sight.
To the anger of Miami Cubans, the shopping malls in Caracas are going full blast! How can that be, they say, what type of Communist revolution is this?

In my opinion taking away some power and Money from the oil companies and the addicts of the Miss Universe contest is no great loss.

Spreading the wealth to the poor by giving them a shot at education and health care is a good investment for the future, Like Munoz did to us in P.R. back in the 50's. Despite protests by the people who only cared to visit Disney world and give publicity to Miss Venezuela, I think the Chavez reforms were long overdue. By the way gas is still 12 cents a gallon!

But, if anyone here disagrees, then the best I can say is to put your protest to action, get a gun and go to the mountains and join the counter revolution, if there is one. However, most of the protesters have gone to Miami to plot a counter revolution, Cuban style, from there.

Bottom line, it's more comfy to zip rum and coke under a palm tree, watching bikini clad girls in Miami than to sweat it out in the mountains South of Caracas.

NEXT!

[El_Jibaro]

Ecuadorian president Alfredo Palacios (left), greets the Venezuelan secretary of state Ali Rodriguez at the Ecuadorian government palace in Quito on August 2, 2005.

MARXIST RIOTERS STOP ECUADOR OIL SHIPMENTS

August 19, 2005

Five days of Marxist riots in two provinces have forced Ecuador’s state oil company to stop shipment of oil.

Hundreds of masked Marxist rioters in Sucumbios and Orellana have hijacked the oil facilities and airports.



The Marxist rioters demand that the country’s oil be used to pay for new government jobs and new houses.

Ecuador is the fifth oil producing nation in South America.

The Ecuadorian Army was sent to quell the riots using tear gas and other non-lethal measures.

An Ecuadorian general said: “We have been ordered to restore law and order”. That doesn’t stop the local regional government officials from fearing for their lives, and some even support the Marxist rioters.

The news on the oil shipment stoppage has sent oil prices once again to the $64 level; US crude is up 29 cents to $63.56 a barrel, and Brent crude rose 20 cents to $62.60 a barrel. That is still lower than last week’s price of US crude of $67.10 a barrel.

This is the worst crisis faced by the current Ecuadorian president, Alfredo Palacio, who came to power last April. Alfredo Palacio was elected on the platform of Socialism and Nationalization of the country’s industries, all of which he has not delivered yet. But, it is rumored that he is using the present riots to accomplish that.

The Ecuadorian society is divided into three ethnic enclaves of a tiny minority of 100% Spanish descendents who are light skin, a large Mestizo population that speaks Spanish, and a sizeable Indian minority who speak three native languages. The tiny 100% Spanish minority have gained 60% of the profits from oil revenues, the Spanish Mestizo majority have taken most of the rest, while the sizeable Indian minority has gotten little if any of the oil revenue money.

Oil revenues make a third of Ecuador’s GDP. Those oil revenues pay the salaries of government employees and also pay most Ecuador’s debt to the IMF.

[AnotherRican]

It's useless to argue with extremes. If both of you guys are convinced that we are still living in the Cold War, well what can I say?

We are not in the Cold War. It is a totally new kind of war that includes old Marxists and New Marxists and Islalmofascists + USA/Israel haters of sorts. Don't pigeon hole me.

Can I argue with people who say they saw the Virgin Mary in a tree, like they did on Long Island recently?

The difference, Miranda, is that we can show you evidence and post links and news articles of actual Marxists, Islamofascists, etc. where we cannot do that with apparitions. That's a major difference. You are comparing apples to oranges.

Can I argue with people who say they were abducted by UFO's?

Can I argue with Puerto Ricans who spend millions on the Puerto Rican Day parade instead of using the money giving hundreds scholarships to Kids to study Business and science?

Can I argue with Ricans who prefer to spend their money buying expensive Reggaeton CD's, buying expensive sneakers and computers for entertainment for their spoiled foul mouth kids?

Wouldn't it be better to spend that money making sure their kids got a good education to compete in the Globalized economy?

Can I argue with people who think the world stood still in 1952? ( By the way the movie, The Day the world stood still, is GREAT!)

Yes, we still see the effects of the cold War and its isms, but they will taper off in the next 50 years when Eddier, Suki, El Jibaro and Another Rican are ready for the glue factory.

Your examples are not good ones. As for the "glue factory"... we'll all be there, young and old. That's the sad thing about your ostrich thinking and despite you being shown sources and articles about the fact that Marxism is not dead. Is Bras and Berrios dead? Are there Marxists in the PIP? Looking the other way isn't going to help you, Miranda.

And about the recent return of Socialism, or whatever, to Venezuela.

Yes, Chavez has come to power bringing with him socialist type reforms. Read again, REFORMS, not a Revolution! Traffic jams still clog Caracas and Venezuelan TV is still blasting cheap novelas like there is no end in sight.
To the anger of Miami Cubans, the shopping malls in Caracas are going full blast! How can that be, they say, what type of Communist revolution is this?

I used to travel quite a bit to Caracas, Valencia, and other places in Venezuela. It was very hard for the Venezuelans under Carlos Andres Peres and it is now worse with the Chavez Clown. Eventually, the middle class in Venezuela will disappear. That's what Chavez wants. The middle class, like in the USA and PR are the worst enemy of these Marxists.

In my opinion taking away some power and Money from the oil companies and the addicts of the Miss Universe contest is no great loss.

Spreading the wealth to the poor by giving them a shot at education and health care is a good investment for the future, Like Munoz did to us in P.R. back in the 50's. Despite protests by the people who only cared to visit Disney world and give publicity to Miss Venezuela, I think the Chavez reforms were long overdue. By the way gas is still 12 cents a gallon!

So you admit you are a socialist.

What does it matter if 12 cent gallons of gas are available but everything else is super-expensive? Gas price does not indicate quality of life by itself. How come many from the middle class hate Chavez?

But, if anyone here disagrees, then the best I can say is to put your protest to action, get a gun and go to the mountains and join the counter revolution, if there is one. However, most of the protesters have gone to Miami to plot a counter revolution, Cuban style, from there.

You are being a clown here. That's not true any longer. How about doing that and closing the border to Mejico? That's better use of your time. You sound like an adolescent in your thinking, Miranda. You want to see what you want to. You refuse to see the reality of the new geopolitical threats to our freedoms. It is not the old cold war, as I said. No longer. It is a different animal now.

Bottom line, it's more comfy to zip rum and coke under a palm tree, watching bikini clad girls in Miami than to sweat it out in the mountains South of Caracas.

Not for long if you don't protect our freedoms by fighting terrorism, open borders, etc.

[Eddier1]

L.F.M., aside, the extreme individual who pampers himself thinking that he has an inside track to praxis, i.e., real politik, and what an ego!, and the Maitreya El_Jib who wrote:

Hundreds of masked Marxist rioters in Sucumbios and Orellana have hijacked the oil facilities and airports.

are examples of benighted paradox and contradiction in what they opine
and write!

We, who like Suki a neo-Marxist belonging to the bourgeois class, and myself of the proletarian class, who am an old-time commie revolutionary, mostly orthodox in thought, and at times eccentric in the application of tactical measures, ought to be very satisfied at the way Marxist revolutionary activity is unfolding in Venezuela and the other countries of Latin America.

I see it all as historically determined and those who oppose it will be swept away in the tides of history.

Even L.F.M. with his misanthropic dislike of the forum and for all that
participate in it cannot stem the tides of history. He will be like a beached
whale, his whale of an egotist burning in the sun, but he will not be able to
get afloat again as long as he doesn't change his dogmatic ways and thinking.

As for the Maitreyas, the phoney, false, fake christians, who want to usurp
the throne of Jesus, they will get their punishments naturally in these
obviously apocalyptic times. They will not be able to do their evils with impunity!