Nicaragua: A Nation's Right To Survive
8.00
Ratings: 8.00/10 from 39 users.
Almost all the people in Nicaragua rose up against a tyrant called Somoza, whose family had been in power for more than 40 years, put there by the United States marines. That uprising costs 50,000 lives, almost as many as died for America in Vietnam, but out of a population of less than 3 million people.
In 1979, the Sandinistas won a popular revolution in Nicaragua, putting an end to decades of the corrupt US-backed Somoza dictatorship. They based their reformist ideology on that of the English Co-operative Movement, but was to prove too 'radical' for the Reagan administration. In this film, Pilger describes the achievements of the Sandinistas and their "threat of a good example".
This is an immensely important documentary (!!!!)...more so today than when it was made, for it helps put into context the current actions of the US Military this very moment.
Pilger as always is excellent in his analysis.
As a US citizen, my entire life time I have witnessed the symbol of our national freedom (the Flag) become drenched and stained with the Blood of innocents around the world defending so called "freedom" from communism (the old-tired excuse for such actions...today they say "Terrorism").
As One who served in the US Army at nearly the time this film was made...you need to attempt to understand my following message with an open mind while withholding scorn or judgment (I'm asking you to actually think using your Brain for a moment).
The US Gov't is directed into these conflicts not at the behest of the Citizens, but rather Corporate interests seeking to maintain the Iron grip on their personal fiefdoms- and for you the Citizenry to PAY FOR IT from the National treasury with your Taxes and the blood of naive Citizens whom merely possess (manipulated) National pride.
Privatizing the Profits, Socializing the Costs.
These are the real "Socialists" we should all be concerned about...because they will steal your very Country from you by Hook or by Crook...!
Today we call this type of influence gripping Washington: Corporatism...it is the most dangerous type of Fascism.
Corporate interests imbued with the power and authority of Government .
The most misunderstood term in the American system by it's Citizens is the Word Democracy. We claim to be fighting to "bring them Democracy"...to "Liberate them from...(name that "isim)".
Much was the case with the Sandinista's we were told by "Officials" in Washington. (Remember...Dick Cheny was at that time part of this foul core in the Administration, as was Donald Rumsfeld, Bush, Kissinger, and Negroponte).
But the point in fact is this folks: (Capitalist) Democracy is the worst form of Gov't for a country desiring self determination and the Constitutional rule of Law (rather than a Progressive Socialist Democracy).
(Hold on...) Why...?
Tyranny of the Majority in a nut shell (read that: undue influence of monied Wall Street backed powers). In fact, the US is NOT a (Social) Democracy...the word itself IS NOT mentioned in the Constitution, nor in the Bill of Rights, nor the Declaration of Independence. (Look it up)
The form of Gov't enshrined in those documents is called a Constitutional Republic...! The difference...? Guaranteed protections to the Citizenry (whom possess inalienable rights) from abuses of power by the Government...protection of the "Minority" from the "Majority...elected Representatives (accountable by the People). The documents embody what is the essence of a Social Democracy...a Gov't of, by, and for the People.
The claim by my Gov't to be bringing "Democracy" to these Nations is a bold face LIE...and is in fact a disguised methodology to continue to advance & tighten the agenda of Capital...actually EMPIRE where ever it sees fit upon the Globe....all in the name and interest of "National Security".
It is a "Stealth" attack upon all the people of the World by concentrated Money Power Elites..! It has no relation to an actual Democracy of, by and for the peoples it pretends to serve.
(See "The War on Democracy" to understand better...found on this site).
Mr. Sanchez (The Sate Dept. employee interviewed whose words are cleverly veiled) openly admits as much...as well as can be seen-proven by the long bloody history from Administration to Administration through out my country's history.
General Smedly Butler's impressive book (and His famous quote found within it: "War is a Racket") blows the cover off the real agenda for all to see and understand...which is still playing out to this very day.
Witness current events in Iraq and Afghanistan.
We are continually being lied into these foreign campaigns solely for the enrichment of the few within the Plutocracy at the expense of the many.
Take a moment and reflect to yourself...exactly WHY would such dirt poor Countries (Nicaragua, El Salvador) be of any threat to the US ???
They are not a military threat, but represent a political threat to the owners of the United Fruit Co., or Dole, Chiquita Brands, Folgers, etc, etc.- whose sole interest is to continue their immensely profitable operations any way they can without hindrance nor answering to anyone (read that: the populace and rightful owners of those lands).
People using self determination to throw out the US installed Dictators (remember the Shah of Iran..?)...eventually organizing (reordering the National priorities of THEIR Country) and (Gasp..!) actually feeding themselves, educating the illiterate, providing meager health care, creating their own possible future on a National path of their own (Nicaragua) without fear & intimidation from outsiders....WOW....now there is the real threat to these Corporate overloads.!!!
For no longer will they tolerate living under fear nor the thumb of this Neo-Colonial style of rule....and NOR WOULD YOU or I in their shoes.
This Film IS MUST see for all Americans who might still possess today any remaining questions as to "WHY" the Country insists that great National treasure and Blood is expended for the sole benefit of the Wealthy Global Plutocracy.
As always...SeeUat videos brings the best to enrich our understanding of the World around us....and I am deeply Thankful to You Vlatko (Sp.?) for a great site...!
incredibly well stated, mike... hats off to a reagen era vet that can look at the world with his own eyes, without allowing the constant flag waving to block you view, nor cloud your judgement... in the post 9-11 world, the vast majority of our generation have donned blinders to those self-evident realities you point out, seemingly hellbent on nationalistic denial of reality... thanks for a breath of fresh air
Not only did I find this film to be a pure treasure and very important to the continued understanding of the war mongering that has been carried out for so long, and continues to be carried out by these sociopathic "leaders" of the U.S, I also found your response very poinent and dead on. And thank you for giving me the knowledge that our Constitution was set up to be a nation supported by a Constitutional Republic. Thier has probably been more murders and deaths carried out in the name of democracy, than in the name of War itself. It's a shame I feel that such a small number of our population dosn't care enough to research and find out truths for themselves. They are so pacified with what they are told, and more likley sold to even give a shit if you put the truth right in front of them. Because they have so many built in systems of denial, conspiricy, fear, obedience, propaganda, that the truth is completly irrelevant to thier lives of Sunday Football, slave work, credit card debt, etc. that our capitolist economy drills into thier subconscience. That's why I think that we should not look upon such people as our enimies, which is often our first reaction, but to look on them with aa degree of pity and sympathy, and we need to labour and toil much to try and ease these people back into the reality that they seem so blatently against. Of coarse I am talking about the so called "normal" everyday people who adopt the ideals of the state controlled world mindlessly. Not the arcitechs of slavery and evil, the masters of power, deciet, and death. Not the ruthless rulers and conquers who care only about destruction and monoply and control. No these are the real enimies that deserve our resistance. Our dissent. Our contempt. That's all for now. I love this site and have learned endless pearls of wisdom through it, that I can hopfully pass on to as many people as I'm able.
I real appreciate the website... for the past few years I didn't understand the political game that the US have been playing... but know we are in the same table with the Washington. We as a students of political science we have to real know the truth so that we can evert the damage in the future societies... why can US stop this b@##$%^&... I hope its the right time to put Gandhi theory in practice... BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IT IN THE WORLD... American people wakeup and be the one can change the world... for the future better life.
Sadly, Nicaragua is an example which shows how much the US really care about people and democracy, on a global level. Perhaps a democracy within its own borders, but a terrorist on a planetary scale. And it continues......