Meet Mr. John Negroponte
Published on April 22, 2004 By Wahkonta Anathema In Politics
Do you think we are out of Iraq on June 30, 2004? I mean if President George Bush said it, it must be true, right ? If you think on it for a minute, you know that is not true, and even those who are saying it over and over in the, ‘controlled-media’ know it is not true, I mean not even close to true. What do you call a truth that is not even close to true ? A fib? Let’s be nice and just call it a fib.

I know there are those who believe anything told them by their cathode ray nipple. The un-informed, who think if Dan, Pete, or Tom say it, it must be truth; especially if there is a video or graphic to support it. Still others think, if you don’t want Bill O’Reilly to dis-respect you, cut you off, call you insulting names on national television, you’d better believe it, or at least not say anything about it in public (as in, “ …you pinko, communist, terrorist bottom-wiper. Got to go, my word will have to be the last word. I’ll be back with a comment on this un-American, terrorist lover after this commercial break”) or he may not accept you as his follower anymore.

We all know the facts though, and if you don’t, I’m getting ready to tell a few of them to ya. If it walks like an occupation, talks like an occupation, kills like an occupation, costs like an occupation, then folks - it’s an occupation. Occupations are those straws a government sticks in a loser-Nations resources to suck the life-blood and value out to the last drop. They just sit there and grow stale in our memory, like the American soldiers who were on trash detail in Haiti, picking up their refuse, long after we all but forgot we had troops there anymore.

Of course this is not as inexpensive as Haiti was, a place having only limited resources for our exploitation, more valuable geographically than naturally. In Afghanistan, our efforts have brought up the most productive tonnage of opium in years. We got tons now in Nepal, and our two ally former Soviet states, Uzbek, and Khazak, also growing new record crops to ship. Oh yeah, that’s crazy whacko conspiracy talk, and therefore can’t be happening, even though it is numerically recorded, to the ton, in several UN and foreign studies. As much money as these crops will generate for the NEW economy of ‘liberated’ States, it is dwarfed by what we are making – well, not we, just done under our flag – in Iraq. [Did you know the father of President Bush is jokingly called, “Poppy” Bush by close friends, one or two of whom killed themselves with shotgun blast suicides to the back of their own head one hour before testifying about him]

So on June 30, 2004, let me take a wild guess and say there will be film of troops boarding planes with signs - maybe even the same one Bush used a year ago – proclaiming, “Mission Accomplished”, in the background. There will be interviews with soldiers yelping about how they are so glad to be out of there, and can’t wait to get home to their own kid. They’ll get to try out that new ‘Diebold’ voting machine for democracy in America like they are supplying to Iraq. American youth, you got to love that innocent naivete. Then the smiling anchor will take us to a commercial break for some of that hemmoroid cream we need now.

Meanwhile, and behind the scenes, there will be John Negroponte as the new US ambassador in Baghdad. “Bush described Negroponte as, "a man of enormous experience and skill," who, in his current job as US ambassador to the United Nations, had done a "really good job of speaking for the United States to the world about our intentions to spread freedom and peace."

Now, “he is to function as an imperial proconsul, wielding unfettered power over a militarily occupied country. The embassy he is to direct will be the largest ever assembled by any country in the world, with a staff of close to 4,000. Initially to be housed in one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces, it will act as the US colonial administration.”

Those American troops are not going to be coming home for real, although many of our allies’ troops will be leaving. But don’t take my word for it, “As[Paul]Bremer made clear, the 135,000 US troops currently deployed in Iraq will remain indefinitely, exercising the only real sovereignty in the occupied country.”

Mr. Negroponte, “brings to his job no direct experience in the Middle East, and, while he
reportedly speaks five languages, they do not include Arabic.” Let’s look at his credentials a bit. “[As former Ambassador to Honduras during Iran-Contra years, and]under Negroponte's stewardship, …Honduras [became] a giant base of operations for the CIA-organized Contra war against the Sandinistas, which was to claim some 50,000 lives.”

From 1981 to 1985, Negroponte [oversaw] operations that included the illegal funding of the Contra mercenaries and a massive buildup of the Honduran armed forces, including the construction of bases, air fields and supply dumps throughout the country.

Among these facilities was the El Aguacate air base, built on the pretext of providing a temporary facility for the thousands of US troops that were rotated through Honduras on "training" exercises. In reality, it was used to provide a permanent facility for the Contras and to funnel aid to these right-wing mercenaries in violation of restrictions imposed by the US
Congress.

In 1999, mass graves were discovered at the site, along with blood-stained jail cells.

But before we sell him short, observe that, “Negroponte supervised a 20-fold increase in US military aid to the country, which he aggressively defended as a model of democracy in Central America.” Great, go hide your tax-dollars everyone.

While issuing report after report that there were not political prisoners in the Country, “hundreds of people were kidnapped and "disappeared," including a number of union leaders, student organizers and other opponents of the military-dominated regime. Prisoners were routinely tortured on the direct orders of the chief of the Honduran armed forces.

Much of this dirty work was carried out by a unit known as Battalion 316, whose members were trained in the United States and "advised" by the CIA in Honduras. While issuing his glowing endorsements of the Honduran regime's human rights record, Negroponte was intimately familiar with the grisly work of these killers.

He worked to silence reports of the killings and torture, threatening dissenting Honduran officials by accusing them of aiding "communism." When the head of Honduran military intelligence fled into exile and publicly warned about the "death squad" activities of Battalion 316, Negroponte dismissed his testimony as unfounded.”

Also on his resume, Mr. Negroponte was in Saigon embassy from 1964-68; worked under Henry Kissinger, 1969-1973; “Thus, for nine years he played a direct role in prosecuting a US war that killed millions of Vietnamese.” BUT before you go saying the Democrats are the solution, “Democrats had no qualms about approving an individual directly tied to acts of terrorism carried out against the people of Central America.” It was with their votes in the Congress, this man was installed in power.

As a matter of fact, let’s just say something really whacko and crazy, like Bush IS NOT GOING TO BE RE-ELECTED. Well, if not, what a coincidence; it seems, “One of [Mr. Negroponte’s] most enthusiastic backers is Richard Holbrooke, who served as US ambassador to the UN under the Clinton administration and has been named as a likely choice for secretary of state in a Kerry administration.” What a coincidence that the newly installed occupying General Consul of Iraq will be a friend of our new Sec. of State. I mean if the whacko idea of Bush losing the election turns out to be true that is. Watch me now.

So have a happy June 30th everyone, because the next day, reality will have to be faced - and paid for, for the next decade.

Feel free to comment or e-mail: wahkonta@graffiti.net
The source document with regards to Mr. Negroponte is found at the link provided. Blog ON.

Comments
on Apr 22, 2004

Usually I find your articles way to extreme, but this one I happen to agree with.

It seems that this June 30th date when we turn over power (even though we're still not sure what entity we're turning it over to), will not at all change the REAL involvement we have there.  It's sort of like changing the name of a resturant without having new management, furniture or chef.  Just a different sign out front.

on Apr 22, 2004
Bush didn't say the US was leaving Iraq after the supposed handover of power. Why do you think they're sending 20,000 more troops?
on Apr 22, 2004
Why thank you JeremyG. By neither of us 'blacklisting' the other, we can disagree and be civil as you attest in your reply.

They'd be more truthful to say, "June 30th the REAL action starts."
on Apr 22, 2004
One of your best ever! And, apparently, my insightful clicks are very broken. Because even with brand new articles and comments, it will not let me give an insightful, but claims I already have and that I'm not allowed to change the rating score. So, for what it's worth, guys, this is an insightful article and so are the comments so far.
It is really incredible to watch it all unfolding, isn't it?
on Apr 22, 2004
Find me the quote from any reputable news source with GWB saying that our troops would be out of Iraq and I will come back and diligently read the rest of this article. Without that quote it is meaningless. Every quote I have seen from him said that the governmental handoff would be on the 30th of June, not our troop withdrawal. A quote mind you, not Al-jazeera saying he said without actually citing an instance or anything, an attributable quote.
on Apr 22, 2004
greywar:
Agreed that we won't be out by 6/30/04 or 6/30/05 for that matter. The point isn't that we will be out, but the whole matter will be taken off your viewing list from then on. It's a technique that says, "out of sight, out of mind". The political aspect of the un-just war will be removed from our awareness all at once, as if 'poof' , Iraq disappeared. It won't work of course, as it is a done deal that Bush is gone, but the crimes and mis-appropriation of our tax dollars, the deaths and maims, will no longer be there for us to see or read, as Kerry has pledged to keep us there even if frat brother A or B is elected. The statements that we 'hand over control to the Iraqi's' is sleight of hand to make you think something happened and the situation is changed when it really hasn't at all.

In place of the news coverage will be this war chief consulate and the genocide and corruption will go un-noticed, much as the Iran-Contra affair went, which Mr. Negroponte was also involved in covering up. Tell me again, "Why did we go into Iraq" ? It was something about Saddam poised to deliver nuclear bombs on our cities, wasn't It ? Oh, no need; I got a post on that in three parts at my Condoleeza Rice testimony and the 'Waxman Report". You're right, time makes things fade, and statements change to meet political expediencies.

Pay no attention to the man, Negroponte, behind the occupied Iraqi curtain. As of June 30th it will all go away.

Anyway, what is the difference between 'handoff' on June 30th and continued military 'occupation' to the soldier who is first to be maimed or killed on that date? The semantics may be important to some, not me though. I just provide the information of what is next and help people stay up to speed as to the next 'gig' they have planned for our tax dollars and our youth's lives.

p.s. - Again, I remind you, I never mentioned Bush, just Negroponte as being installed by him. You are quick to defend Bush when the post is about another. Why? Hearing a little 'cree, cree, cree' again.
on May 16, 2004
Had to come back to this now that my insightful works again.
on May 16, 2004

You found this "insightful"? The whole thing is premised on a misconception.

Bush never said we'd be out of Iraq on June 30.  June 30 is simply the date in which sovereignty passes from the Coalition authorities to the Iraqi's.

Moreover, Wahkonta seems to be new to the realization that yes, we are occupying Iraq. Hence Bush and his administration's regular statements of how it is an occupation. 

Troops won't be leaving on June 30. They'll be there at least until January 2005 when the Iraqi elections bring in the full new government and at that point they'll have to decide whether the US should keep forces or not.

on May 16, 2004
Good blog, Wahkonta. I think this 'handover" is a sham. The US troops will remain and somehow I can't see them taking orders from an Iraqi government.
on May 17, 2004
"You found this "insightful"? The whole thing is premised on a misconception."


Yep. I found it insightful when he wrote it in April and I find it insightful now.
on May 17, 2004
Well it does explain why you are so easily duped by propaganda I guess.
on May 17, 2004
I guess what Anathema was trying to say is that a "hand over" seems to imply that sovereignty will also be handed over. With troops still occupying the country, true sovereignty and self determination cannot exist.

This hand over date would seem to be a convenient time to stop the cameras rolling and obscure the whole mess from the people back home and from memory. Anathema attempted to give a credible list of precedents for this political move, but it seems that the tactic of obfuscation has been amazingly effective.

It is so easy to persuade and bamboozle a people when they have such short memories. People guilty of massive international crimes seem to be the same people who find it very easy to find jobs in consequent administrations. This implies that there has been a persistent tendency in several US administrations to hire personalities that are adept at the black arts of politics and international intrigue. For too long there has been too fine a line between competence and criminality in the US government and its agencies.

We live in a dangerous era where the media has basically become an arm of government and foreign relations. The media can either make an event or situation real or non-existent. We have to ask ourselves the question - when did the media start getting into the business of body removals and disposal? Isn't that the Mafia's job?

The terrifying thing is that the global media is more responsible now than its ever been and it's still a danger to undistorted perception and a friend to ignorance.

One hell of a good article Anathema

on May 17, 2004

No, what he was trying to imply is that Bush and co had somehow implied that US troops would be leaving on June 30 which is a fantasy invented by him.

Please feel free to provide a quote where Bush or someone else in the administration implied that US troops would pull out on June 30.

on May 17, 2004
Well it does explain why you are so easily duped by propaganda I guess.


I am easily duped by no one. Wahkonta is not here to answer. But I'm hoping he'll be back.
on May 18, 2004
Wisefawn: You either believe that Bush claim that the troops would be coming home on or shortly after June 30 or you don't. So which is it? If you believe Wahkonta's premise, that the June 30 date was claimed to be the date when the US would be bringing the troops home enmasse then you have been duped.