Southward bound.
Militaryless, democratic, non-conflict-having Costa Rica is the new front in the United States’ War on Inanimate Objects. The country’s national assembly has given the OK for a veritable US invasion force to enter Costa Rican territory: 7,000 marines on 46 warships, including the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship the USS Makin Island, pictured.
La Nación quotes a document from the US Embassy that states that, “The US personnel in Costa Rica will be able to enjoy freedom of movement and the right to carry out the activities that they consider necessary to complete their mission.”
Well isn’t that just permissively vague.
The legislation says the mission has to do with fighting drug traffickers, as well as a few humanitarian goals, though the humanitarian use of a Harrier jet is still somewhat unclear.
On a casual note, I would point out again that for all the Costa Rican smugness about not having an army, they do a pretty good job of borrowing one when they need it. On a more serious note, because this is bound to be extremely politically unpopular domestically, the government must have a damn good reason for inviting all this firepower in from up north.
My guess is that the government is secretly terrified it is losing control of the security situation. They probably should be.
A proportionally very large amount of cocaine is busted in Costa Rica every year, and the country has become something of a bodega for Mexican and Colombian drug smugglers, what with its good infrastructure, weak judicial system, ill-equipped police force, long coastlines, remote beaches, terrible immigration enforcement, and ample opportunities for laundering money through real estate transactions and layers of shell corporations.
I’m not sure how well-armed helicopters will change any of those factors, unless you could make the National Registry more transparent by slipping a few Hellfire missiles through the front door . Probably wouldn’t hurt.
Anyway, keep ironing around that wrinkle fellas. You’ll win the war on drugs any day now.
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12 Comments
Thanks for the article. Any day now lol!
Wow…it appears we know absolutely no bounds with our unnecessary foreign intervention and entanglements. Even the peaceful and mindful people of Costa Rica are not off limits from our totalitarian/imperial grasp. Goodbye Pura Vida, hello Pura Abismo. Sorry folks…Costa Rica was once a peaceful nation, I’ll miss my visits to Tamarindo before we sent our occupiers.
It’s not a permanent occupation. They’re not building a military base. There’s no long-term contract. Did you even read the article, before resorting to US bashing? Don’t be so foolish. Costa Rica is enlisting the US for help – it’s not as if we’re just barging in there uninvited with guns blazing ready for a takeover.
I can’t believe I’m actually defending US military foreign policy… but not EVERYthing we do is evil.
This sounds fishy.
YEA BABE,BULLSEYE!!!!! I AM THINKING THE SAME!~!!!!!!!!!!!
um.. Gulf of Mexico oil spill is about to rupture the fracture zone lying between the North American and aribbean Plates and potentially unleashing upon the America’s a catastrophic earthquake.
THIS LADY IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY.LISTEN AND CONSIDER!!!
Your opinion is respected; nevertheless, the sarcasm implied on it doesn’t express whatsoever the real scope being pursued. If you want to better understand what that is, let me know and I will be happy to explain. Respectfully, Mauricio Guzman. Costa Rica.
There are two possible reasons for all this military going to Costa Rica.
1. The Gulf situation is quite dangerous and the US is evacuating ships and personnel from the area.
2. We know the US allowed allowed BP to drill this dangerous well because it needed backup oil in the event Iran shut down the Straits of Hormuz during the impending war there. The oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico takes that source of oil off the table. Venezuela is an ally of Iran and may not provide its oil to the market if America attacks Iran. So, they’ll take Venezuela’s oil by force.
If #1 is the reason, then anyone with a brain should exit the Gulf immediately.
If #2 is the reason, then war is imminent. It also means that oil supplies are much tighter than most believe and the economic danger is great.
I place serious doubts that we will be seeing 46 warships heading to costa rica. It’s sort of like all the hub bub about there being two carrier battle groups in the persian gulf last week and that we were “sure” to be attacking Iran… nuh uh. Just normal 6 month rotation. Rumors are like buttholes. Everyone has one, they all smell terrible.
Do you have your finger on the pulse?All of us can,if we look for it.The lady named Amy is one THINKING lady.She most assuredly,has Her finger on the pulse.There are over fifty websites that I read every day,and multiple times, and the information is (and I say this loosely)…..varied.You simply cannot have an informed opinion if you aren’t doing some heavy duty research.I want to know what there is to be known so I can have an educated idea of what is truly occurring.I want to know.I HATE what is happening to this country and I feel very helpless about what to do.Do you?And I want to thank this aformentioned lady for her genuineness in seeking understanding.
The United States is about to attack Iran. Chavez and some other South American countries may intend to help Iran and that is why the military force is there. The United States also has a fleet of ships near Russia and China in case those countries interfere. That is what this is about, not drugs. Look for the feces to hit the fan. Our world as we know it is about to end and World War will begin.
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