Observations from the Frontier III

[kfrancis]

Final update !!

Mi amigos,

Last words from me on this subject.

I have to get ready for a 4 day trek into the Barhorucos with friends visiting next week and then off on the 17th on a walkabout for two months. As I go with no computer, cell phone etc, will see what you all are up to when I get back.

Hopefully, this subject will be off the pages and you all will be into discussing something more pertainent. I think this starts the 25th page on the subject.

Mirador, you will like this source but let's not get carried away with your rebuttal, OK.

Report:

Tuesday, am standing in line at the BanReservas ATM. Seeing that all ATM's were down in Barahona on the " holiday " the day before the line was quite long. As usual, I end up helping the folks who have a card but do not know how to work the machine do their thing. As the line moves along eventually there comes up to the machine " another white guy " and as we leave the area, conversation begins.

Seems he is non-military security specialist ( read: spook ) here in support of the US troops. Seems his company has a contract for keeping an eye on the various factions who are expressing their views on the " occupation ".

Now, he did not have " first hand " knowledge ( not at scene at time of protest ) but he did get briefing from those at the scene.

Size of protest: estimated a about 150. Good size.

No bullets fired by police ( before mentioned non-lethal projectiles used ) but just before the hostilities there was a " shot from somewhere " which started things off. From where, who knows ??? By whom, who knows ??

However, after that the police decided to break things up.

There were injuries...cuts and bruises from the projectiles being fired into the " ground " in front and around the crowd. Note that the street along which the protest was moving is NOT PAVED and the glancing projectiles sent up sharp rocks and such into the crowd. Cuts sufficient to require " stiches " at a local hospital were the result of this action, this the wounded report.

All injurys were treated and ALL those hurt released the same day..

Another tidbit of information gleemed.

Local merchants have been " jacking " up " price marked " merchandise to the soldiers so they have been advised to cut back spending with local vendors. Seem the boys from Puerto Rico do not have not problem bartering but the kids from Kansas did not receive a briefing on the process. So we probably lost a few $$ here.

Interesting side bar: The National Guard troops involved in this " occupation " DID NOT BRING ARMS INTO THE REPUBLICA DOMINICANA.

ALL small arms weapons are provided by the DOMINICAN GOVERNMENT. Even the heavier weapons for the coptors are under tight control, needing US Embassy approval before they can even be mounted.

That is it amigos.

See yu on the flip side.

kFrancisco de Cabral

 

[FuegoAzul21]

People want something to protest about

Everyone knows the only thing the troups are doing there is building hospitals and carring out training exercises ,they are not building a base there(its not like its much of a strategic place,if anything they can build one in PR) these people are bored and want a reason to get off of work.

 

[leromero]

Like I stated before, "La gente critica por criticar."

 

[Chirimoya]

Ok, folks - looks like it isn't just the Left that's got its knickers in a knot over this.

Last night I was speaking to a Dominican gentleman, let's call him "Don O", who is definitely not of that persuasion, yet he surprised me with the following discourse:

I paraphrase: "I'm concerned about the US troops presence in the southwest. It has to do with the fact that France, Canada and the US want to unify the island".

Now, I've heard this before, usually in the form of shrill paranoid ultra-nationalist ravings of certain posters past and present, and I was taken aback to find that an apparently sensible gent like Don O. was of the same mentality.

I tried to reason with him: "what exactly would the international community, and those three countries in particular, get out of a unified Hispaniola, as opposed to one basket case and one relatively stable and functioning third world country?"

- "Oh, of course, they'd be ridding themselves of a problem", said the venerable Don O.

Chiri: "You mean poverty, instability and the resulting flow of immigrants?"

DO. "Yes".

So unification means that the island will become stable and prosperous, because that's the only thing that will stem the flow of immigrants, isn't it?

Where can I sign up?

Come on, this is even more far-fetched than the other conspiracy theories.

Me, I'm somewhere in between. I doubt whether Barahona and environs are a serious contender for a replacement for Vieques or Guantanamo Bay, or whether the DR's southwest could really be a staging point for a US invasion of Venezuela, or even a convenient monitoring point.

I don't see why they would station a whole bunch of troops to watch events in Haiti from there, because there's not much stopping them from doing it in Haiti, and a 'hearts and minds' type operation would not go amiss there either.

If I do have any reservations, it's the pointlessness of this kind of so-called humanitarian work. I've worked in this sector for long enough to know that anything that's not preceded with consultation with the local communities and a participative methodology (i.e. involving the locals) is simply not practical or sustainable beyond the immediate short term. The DR and countries like it are littered with the debris of such well-meaning but poorly thought out initiatives. The US has USAID and the Peace Corps. If they really wanted to invest so much energy and resources in developing these communities why not channel the funds through these agencies, who at least know about sustainable development.

Incidentally, I heard from a source close to the US Embassy that they are about to scale up their personnel here significantly. That should keep the conspiracy theorists busy!

 

[RHM]

If I do have any reservations, it's the pointlessness of this kind of so-called humanitarian work. I've worked in this sector for long enough to know that anything that's not preceded with consultation with the local communities and a participative methodology (i.e. involving the locals) is simply not practical or sustainable beyond the immediate short term. The DR and countries like it are littered with the debris of such well-meaning but poorly thought out initiatives. The US has USAID and the Peace Corps. If they really wanted to invest so much energy and resources in developing these communities why not channel the funds through these agencies, who at least know about sustainable development.

Incidentally, I heard from a source close to the US Embassy that they are about to scale up their personnel here significantly. That should keep the conspiracy theorists busy!

Chiri, when does the DR government EVER consult its communities? Why would it be any different with this?

I still laugh at all the talk over a few hundred revolving weekend warriors. They will be gone soon. And when they are I won't hold my breath waiting to hear all of the conspiracy theorists, including the "gentleman" you mentioned, say they were wrong. His argument about "unification" of the island shows that even the so called "educated" can be completely ignorant.

Remember all the talk of attack helicopters and "tanks"? People believe what they want to believe. Most are looking for drama in their otherwise meaningless lives. It was funny at first. Now it is just sad.

Scandall

 

[Chirimoya]

Who ever mentioned the government? I'm talking about selected international organisations who carry out successful development projects, as opposed to armies. Hence the reference to USAID and Peace Corps.

 

[RHM]

Who ever mentioned the government? I'm talking about selected international organisations who carry out successful development projects, as opposed to armies. Hence the reference to USAID and Peace Corps.

That was kind of my point. The US Military can't do all the community outreach stuff because they are working through the Dominican government and we know that the DR Government rarely, if ever, coordinates with anybody.

More clear?

Scandall

 

[Chirimoya]

So why don't they do it through their own experienced development agencies?

 

[RHM]

So why don't they do it through their own experienced development agencies?

Excellent question, young lady. There are several answers:

These reserve soldiers serve one weekend a month and then for an extended service tour each year (2 weeks to 2 months) called AT (Annual Training). Ideally, AT should be spent abroad doing exactly what their MOS (Military Occupational Specialties) dictate. In short, they need "real life training" and a place like the DR presents both an opportunity for them to do so while fulfilling a real need. (I personally heard from Pres. fernandez's lips that there are only so many resources and assistance like this helps both sides...even Chomsky nodded his head in agreement).

So, it fulfills a need and gets them the training they need. I do agree that politically it is better done with civilian organizations. But the military reserve had a mission, the means, and the budget to get this done. Apparently all of the other organizations have their own plans.

Scandall

 

[Chirimoya]

So in your opinion, young man, there's no strategic reason for choosing the DR, and that area in particular?

 

[Mirador]

As you can see from the map of the Caribbean, the Barahona-Loma del Curro region is centrally located relative to all Caribbean basin countries,, and also represents the shortest lineal distance to the main petroleum producing region of Venezuela (the large red circle)..

 

[gary short]

Very close Mirador.........very close....I wonder if this is lost on Chavez.
All right which one of you members out there is Chavez..............hmmmmmm.

 

[RHM]

So in your opinion, young man, there's no strategic reason for choosing the DR, and that area in particular?

Nope.

It just fits the mission.

Scandall

 

[Mirador]

...It just fits the mission. Scandall

Exactly! the mission to militarily occupy Venezuelan oil fields and production facilities...It is no coincidence that suddently there is an underground movement in the State of Zulia (main petroleum region) to secceed and create an independent republic, just like the Bush Administration is trying to do in Iraq by fomenting civil war and create three independent regions along ethnic lines: the Kurds, the Sunnis, and the Shiites...

-

 

[RHM]

Exactly! the mission to militarily occupy Venezuelan oil fields and production facilities...It is no coincidence that suddently there is an underground movement in the State of Zulia (main petroleum region) to secceed and create an independent republic, just like the Bush Administration is trying to do in Iraq by fomenting civil war and create three independent regions along ethnic lines: the Kurds, the Sunnis, and the Shiites...

-

Mirador,

If you promise to warn me in advance before your "mothership" lands, I promise to warn you in advance of the American invasion of Venezuela.

Deal???

Scandall

 

[Frank the Tank]

Exactly! the mission to militarily occupy Venezuelan oil fields and production facilities...It is no coincidence that suddently there is an underground movement in the State of Zulia (main petroleum region) to secceed and create an independent republic, just like the Bush Administration is trying to do in Iraq by fomenting civil war and create three independent regions along ethnic lines: the Kurds, the Sunnis, and the Shiites...

-

Oh Dear Lord

I think you've spent too much time in the hot Dominican sun.

 

[Rick Snyder]

I think everyone is forgetting that ‘Operation New Horizons’ is nothing new and has been going on for years. To date there has been no invasion in relation to these operations that have been carried out in a number of Central American countries and any speculation of such an invasion now just confirms your position as a war monger or an alarmist.

There are those in the US government that say ‘Operation New Horizons’ is an annual nation-building operation, where National Guard and Reserve units are invited to assist in building infrastructure, including clinics, schools, and bridges in Central American countries. This is true to a certain extent but its number one purpose is for enhancing the capabilities of US Armed Forces to deploy and train in foreign environments. Even the Pentagon admits that Operation New Horizon is mainly about training. Raul Duany, spokesman for the Pentagon's Southern Command, told the Miami Herald that the purpose of the "humanitarian assistance" program is to train troops and by "sending reservists or national guardsmen to remote areas instead of to a permanent established camp, they get the full extent of the training." With ‘Operation New Horizons’ nothing is simulated, Construction and utilities engineers actually build complete structures, and well drillers leave operational wells. Medical personnel provide badly needed care and medicines and practice patient management and referral. Military Police are armed and execute a full range of MP tasks from site security, traffic management, convoy escort, personal security and many more. The linguists and civil affairs personnel are crucial to the success of the mission as they interact with local leaders and the public. The quartermaster, maintenance, mess and other life support functions provide their actual wartime services to sustain the task force. The stark reality of rural Central American poverty is often an experience that makes participants not only better servants of their country but more grateful for its blessings.

An example of the types of military units used in these exercises are like the following that were used in Operation New Horizons 2005; Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 1 from Mississippi, 400th Military Police Battalion from Maryland, 699th Construction Battalion from Puerto Rico, 640th Water Purification Battalion from the U.S. Virgin Islands, 207th Aviation Battalion from Alaska, 4th Marine Civil Affairs Group from Washington, D.C., 478th Civil Affairs Battalion from Miami, Fla., Mobile Operations Command Centers from Willow Grove, Pa., and Jacksonville, Fla. and the Medical Readiness Training Exercise staffs from the U.S. Navy, Army and Air Force.

However it must be remembered that the US military is not the Red Cross or Habitat for Humanity and we should not confuse its mission as the armed wing of US foreign policy, for missionary work.

Pass history of ‘Operation New Horizons’ include but are not limited to;

As part of Operation New Horizons 97 a total of 3,900 National Guard and reserve soldiers were sent to the Central American country of Belize to build roads and schools and provide medical services. United States military troops from both the active and reserve components worked with the Belize Defense Force and the Ministries of Works, Education, and Health to improve roads, build eight new school buildings, and provide free medical screening and treatment for thousands of Belizeans.

Operation New Horizons 1998, a US military training, humanitarian and civic-action exercise in the Central American country of Honduras. The exercise built medical clinics and schools, and distributed medicine and supplies to the rural people. Several Army National Guard units rotated through Base Camp Alpha for their two weeks of annual training.

Operation New Horizons 99 for several weeks at a time through August 1999. Some 23,000 National Guard and Reserve troops rotated through the region to build 33 schools, 12 clinics, repair other key infrastructure including 52 more bridges and roads, drill 27 high capacity wells, and conducted 40 large medical outreach programs reaching between 70,000 and 100,000 patients. On any given day, some 1,200-1,300 troops were in the region.
New Horizons 2000 Exercise in El Salvador was a combined operation. The task force not only interfaced with its sponsor the 4th (El Salvadoran) Infantry Brigade, but also their engineer brigade, medical brigade, two other infantry brigades, communications command, and security (Military Police) brigade. El Salvadoran soldiers worked side by side with U.S. engineer, MP and medical professionals throughout the training. A Guatemalan engineer platoon joined the Task Force to make a three partner multi-national team.

During 2001, Southern Command conducted three New Horizons exercises in the Caribbean area -- Bahamas, St. Vincent, and St. Lucia. Fiscal year 2002 saw three more New Horizons exercises in Barbados, Dominica, and Jamaica.
New Horizons 2005 Haiti was a three-month humanitarian and civic assistance exercise sponsored by U.S. Southern Command. The task force's accomplishments over the three-month deployment included building three schools, providing more children the opportunity of education, drilling three water wells, securing new sources of fresh water and extending basic medical care, including preventive medicine for more than 15,000 people. The Medical Readiness Training Exercise teams also included veterinarians, who provided veterinary services to 2,400 animals. More than 9,000 pounds of humanitarian aid were donated to eight schools, two orphanages and a hospital in Gonaives. The task force also exceeded its assignment by setting up temporary housing for children at an orphanage in Gonaives.

U.S. Ambassador Hans Hertell has said, and I concur with him completely: “There's some people that you'll never be able to please. No matter what you do, no matter what you say, they'll be against whatever the United States is doing.”

Other Operation New Horizons projects are scheduled this year in Honduras, Peru and El Salvador.

Rick

 

[Mirador]

... ?There's some people that you'll never be able to please. No matter what you do, no matter what you say, they'll be against whatever the United States is doing.?

Rick

George W Bush and his neoconservative cabal are not the United States... Furthermore, at least two out of three U.S. citizens are against what the Bush Aministration is currently doing in Iraq...and most probably also what they are planning against Venezuela...

-

 

[Rick Snyder]

Gary said “All right which one of you members out there is Chavez..............hmmmmmm.”

I can assure you it isn’t the member with the user name starting with ‘M’ as I have met him and they don’t look anything alike. There seems to be a similarity in the way they think but other then that………………………

I see from today’s Dominican Today that Chavez plans on staying in power till 2031.

Rick

 

[gary short]

Gary said ?All right which one of you members out there is Chavez..............hmmmmmm.?

I can assure you it isn?t the member with the user name starting with ?M? as I have met him and they don?t look anything alike. There seems to be a similarity in the way they think but other then that?????????

I see from today?s Dominican Today that Chavez plans on staying in power till 2031.

Rick

By that time we'll all be driving electric powered whirlygigs.