Bolivia/Morales - any influence in DR?

[samanasuenos]

Brazil..........

I agree with you on Brazil's potential as mini-super-power. They do have a lot of resources as well as trace minerals which are conveniently located on indigenous lands. Since the indigenous folks had no paper title and insisted on group/tribal ownership, story has it, the government decided that there was NO OWNER. Yes, since there was no one person or corporation to lay claim, there was no owner.

And so the government snatched it up. Then, it made nice for the press, and called those places "natural parks." JA!

In natural parks, the government can do whatever they please.

We in the great white north have a thing called the Arctic Wildlife Refuge/Phat Oil.

Anyway, this is a nice tangent.

Now to bring it back to the RD in some form or fashion ... what resources does the DR have that can keep it independent?

Let's see,

1 - LOCATION
Someone mentioned that its proximity to Panama/Colombia and the shared language make it a good place for major drug movement/smuggling. I am not for or against, just listing what folks here have said.

2 - Are the beaches a resource? I love them, but no.

3 - Oil - covered well by Mirador

4 - Anything else?

 

[gougeonit]

U.S. involment in the middle east

So indeed the U.S. will once again come to the rescue

In your opinion, how long will it take for America to deal with its other "preoccupation"?

Most people in the know, have a good Idea why the U.S unilaterally went into Iraq, and I will not dwell on those issues. The million dollar question that is plaguing the families at home is when there boys and girls are coming home? To answer that you have to look at the strategic picture. The U.S. is battling a hydra, they have upset the balance of power in the region. By taking Sadam out of the picture. The Iranians are using the same nuclear play book that the North Koreans have. (how to win friends and extort power)
That said I would guess that the U.S. is going to have to keep a military force there for at least twenty years(not at the current levels)

 

[easygoin]

I agree with you on Brazil's potential as mini-super-power. They do have a lot of resources as well as trace minerals which are conveniently located on indigenous lands. Since the indigenous folks had no paper title and insisted on group/tribal ownership, story has it, the government decided that there was NO OWNER. Yes, since there was no one person or corporation to lay claim, there was no owner.

And so the government snatched it up. Then, it made nice for the press, and called those places "natural parks." JA!

In natural parks, the government can do whatever they please.

We in the great white north have a thing called the Arctic Wildlife Refuge/Phat Oil.

Anyway, this is a nice tangent.

Now to bring it back to the RD in some form or fashion ... what resources does the DR have that can keep it independent?

Let's see,

1 - LOCATION
Someone mentioned that its proximity to Panama/Colombia and the shared language make it a good place for major drug movement/smuggling. I am not for or against, just listing what folks here have said.

2 - Are the beaches a resource? I love them, but no.

3 - Oil - covered well by Mirador

4 - Anything else?

The money drug trafficking is not out of Panam?..... that's marijuana. The money is made from cocaine and being Brazil is right next to Colombia, Peru, with the vast access of ports they will not pick the Dominican Republic.... to me that's just a joke.

As far as who owns the natural resources in Brazil has no meaning...... they have more than any Third World country and the technology to go along with it.

 

[qgrande]

The only resources that can make a relatively poor country a geopolitically influetial power are significant oil and gas reserves, or a nuclear weapon (or an enormous amount of money but then it wouldn't be a poor country anymore). You can have all the diamonds, uranium or gold of the world, but it won't make the big powers tremble. See how Chavez is playing with the US on oil, and Russia and the Ukraine skared the sh*t out of the EU with their little gas dispute. So, unless Brazil, or the DR, develop a nuclear weapon, they won't be really influential powers in geopolitical terms. In economic terms, that's a different matter, and then the beaches of the DR are a proper and valuable resource.

 

[aegap]

Most people in the know, have a good Idea why the U.S unilaterally went into Iraq, and I will not dwell on those issues.

I never questioned the motive

That said I would guess that the U.S. is going to have to keep a military force there for at least twenty years(not at the current levels)

Now look how far left Latin America has gone within the past few years. Imagine several more. I think your very naive in thinking the U.S. will be able to reverse the tide. Need I say Castro? Also you must acknowledge other places in the world won't remain stagnant either.
Most importantly, there's also a very strong posibility the U.S government (read, Congress and the White House) will change too. In fact, if I were a betting man my prediction for this coming November election is,ah, nevermind...What's Yours?

"Brazil." I love that movie

 

[aegap]

The money drug trafficking is not out of Panam?..... that's marijuana. The money is made from cocaine and being Brazil is right next to Colombia, Peru, with the vast access of ports they will not pick the Dominican Republic.... to me that's just a joke.

As far as who owns the natural resources in Brazil has no meaning...... they have more than any Third World country and the technology to go along with it.

easygoin, it is my opinion your prediction is too "in the long term". Furthermore I somewhat agree with qgrande...who's financing/investing in Brazil, and therefore who, once everything is said and done, will be getting a big piece of its "natural resources" pie?

 

[easygoin]

easygoin, it is my opinion your prediction is too in the long term. Furthermore I somewhat agree with qgrande...who's financing/investing in Brazil, and therefore who will be getting a big piece of its "natural resources" pie, once the dust settles?

Believe me there letting investors come in to build their own economy, which shows by the real incline over the past few years and is steadily rising. Natural resources is the key. And the most important natural resource that one can have in the long run...WATER, the Amazon.Just Russia has Lake Baikal which accounts for 20% of the world water and it is pristine.Another form of energy.... I believe is not far off. And when that happens, the tables will be turned on these oil countries.But I will never see it in my lifetime.

Just imagine putting up three Kool-Aid stands. One with a cup of rice, one with a cup of oil, one with a cup water... I'll take the water line, it will have the longest line and make the most money. like I said I will never see in my lifetime but that's what going to happen sooner or later.

 

[aegap]

Where's the Kool-Aid?
I still get my water for free; there's plenty of water to go around in the world. Kinda like dirt

If natural resources were the key, many 3rd world countries should have the strongest economies in the world, or be rich atleast.

Human resources/capital/intellegence/development is the key, IMO, FWIW.

 

[gougeonit]

Been called many things but

Over the years but naive hasn't been one of them. Aegap, l had no intent to cause you any ill will, I was just blurting out in a public forum, and needed a starting point. You ask me to imagine what the landscape in Latin hemisphere, in a couple of years; to that my guess will be that the Brazilian incumbent will not get the support he needs for a second term. The Bolivian coca farmer, will get a lesson in government greed and corruption, the business community will have something to say about his socialist reforms. In Cuba the people are tired of struggling. Last year I was in Varadero, there was a wedding going on at the hotel. The wedding party was serenaded by three guitarist's, each were engineers, who make more money playing there gig than they did at there professions for the whole month! The only real threat, for lack of a better term is Venezuela, because the Americans are addicted to oil.
But when you have a 11 trillion GDP, most problem are speed bumps.
As the saying goes" Life is like a sh*t sandwich..... The more bread you've got the less sh*t you have to eat".

 

[aegap]

Regarding Cuba: I was not referring to Castro's popularity; I was referring to his durability, despite the U.S. Cuba has very little natural resources, yet Castro has still managed to survive/ stay in power, which somewhat proves my human resources/intelligence theory.

If it weren't for the embargo and other U.S restrictions, Cuba's economy would be the envy of the rest of Latin America (in my humble opinion). America definitely deserves credit for that --for keeping Cuba down.

Regarding American support: Chavez didn't get any American support; Evo didn't get any American support; Castro has never had it either. I'm sure the left wingers in Brazil will do just fine without America's support, provided they keep their own "excesses" in check.
In fact, not having America's support seems to be a good thing these days. Heck, look who's favored to win the next Haitian election.
Hamas definitely didn't have any American support either, look how well it did, unfortunately.

P.S. Why hasn't the U.S. really pushed for democracy in Saudi Arabia and other places in the Middle East?....I don't think it would like/be comfortable with the results. Iraq has sadly demonstrated that. Too bad it has taken 238,180,000 billion, and still counting, U.S. taxpayers dollars. Thanks to it, America becomes even more popular in the region by the day.
I'm Not questioning the motives, just quantifying the cost.
I'm all for regime change, but would had loved it if part of that money had been used to fix the SSS, or our public schools, or the promised National Difficit reduction (which isn't but a drop of America's National Debt) and many other urgent domestic, kitchen table, issues. If I recall correctly, Bush was very adamant about that: No nation building, lets take care of America's most urgent domestic issues first. But that's just politicks, I suppose.

 

[gougeonit]

I still get my water for free; there's plenty of water to go around in the world. Kinda like dirt

If natural resources were the key, many 3rd world should have the strongest economies in the world.

Human resources/capital/intellegence/development is the key, IMO, FWIW.

The Americans tried to get the Canadians to include there water resources in the NAFTA agreement; the canucks were smart in declining/refusing.

 

[aegap]

My comment regarding water still stands.
There are hundreds of more precious resources I would give priority to, given and taking their available quantity into account. Caribbean beaches would be one of those

 

[gougeonit]

Regarding Cuba: I was not referring to Castro's popularity; I was referring to his durability, despite the U.S. Cuba has very little natural resources, yet he has still managed to survive/ stay in power, which somewhat proves my human resources/intelligence theory.

If it weren't for the embargo and other U.S restrictions, Cuba's economy would be the envy of the rest of Latin America (in my humble opinion). I give America credit for that, for keeping Cuba down.

I definitely agree that Fiedel is a smart old fox, and politically run circle around every U.S. administration JFK onwards. The one thing my wife and I really enjoy about Cuba is the nonexistence of any thing American, no Burger King , MacDonald's, so on and on. almost a virginal quality to it. We love it there. the sad thing is when Castro dies; there going to be a big vacuum

 

[easygoin]

My comment regarding water still stands.
There are hundreds of more precious resources I would give priority to, given and taking their available quantity into account. Caribbean beaches would be one of those

Let's see how you like that precious beach after three days with no water?:nervous:

 

[gougeonit]

My comment regarding water still stands.
There are hundreds of more precious resources I would give priority to, given and taking their available quantity into account. Caribbean beaches would be one of those

The beaches in the DR, are one of the most valuable commodities that the country has. They are there future

 

[aegap]

That has been my motto all along.
Anyhow, 'till we can develop/learn to substantially exploit, for the Dominican people not just some foreign corporation, something else, eg. gold.

 

[aegap]

Let's see how you like that precious beach after three days with no water?:nervous:

Easygoin, come on! please reread my comments again.

 

[easygoin]

Easygoin, come on! please reread my comments again.

I was teasing with you, I knew you'd catch it .

 

[samanasuenos]

Aegap

I agree with you that Cuba has few natural resources, but they do have...

LOCATION
LOCATION
LOCATION

They are so close to the USA, that various folks will want to help them, wil want a piece of them, and will be interested in them/Cuba.

What do you say?

 

[aegap]

I don't think it's a matter of helping Cuba out; more like helping-self out.
But yes, I do agree --Cuba does have great location; among other good things, like a highly educated population.