
A computer-colored satellite photograph of the Panama Canal.
President Theodore Roosevelt’s most famous foreign policy initiative is the construction of the Panam Canal. Roosevelt believed that a US-controlled canal across Central America was a vital national strategic interest. Upon completion, it reduced the freighter distance between San Francisco and New York by 8,000 miles.
Panama was a province of Colombia when negotiations opened for the US to pay for permission to begin construction. A deal was signed by representatives of both nations, but the Colombian Senate refused to ratify the treaty, hoping for more cash. Roosevelt, no longer trusting the Colombians to bargain in good faith, facilitated a deal with Panamanian business interests to declare independence. In November 1903, Panama declared its independence from Colombia and had a draft constitution sent over from Washington. The President of the Municipal Council became the new head of state, the US recognized the new republic of Panama, and an invading contingent of Colombian troops were bribed $50 per soldier to surrender their arms and go home. Presto! A new nation was born.
Today, no one denies the US role in independence. But it took a long time for the American public to come to terms with this kind of raw realpolitik intervention and even accept what had happened. In a 1924 Time article on Panama’s reestablishment of diplomatic relations with Colombia, Roosevelt was defended as a mere bystander to the incident:
It is alleged that American interests stirred up the revolution. What did occur, however, was that the U. S. Navy prevented Colombia from putting down the revolt; Panama achieved independence, the U. S. got the Panama Canal route… President Roosevelt’s patience was severely taxed and he had seen a half a century’s dillydallying over the Panama question bring forth no fruit. He himself once said that one might as well “try to nail jelly to a wall” as to try and negotiate with Colombia. The President did not foster the revolt, but he sympathized with it and helped it after it had broken out. From a utilitarian viewpoint, if from no other, his actions were entirely justified. Even so great a critic as Lord Bryce endorsed his policy.
Certainly Panama at the time was seeing violent struggle between “Liberal” and “Conservative” forces, and the declaration of independence didn’t come from nowhere. But its quaint to see it morally justified even two decades after the fact.
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COMMENTS / 12 COMMENTS
Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace added these pithy words on 18 Dec 06 at 2:24 amThis is a great example of why I read CA every day… Thank you Lord C.
What say me added these pithy words on 18 Dec 06 at 7:57 amRaw intervention continues with the Panama Canal.
The intentional robbing of American infrastructure, its land and capacity to work the land along with systematic dismantling of the American currency, future and sovereignty is taking place as we speak; America is being looted—such as we see with the Panama Canal—and sold to the highest bidder. .. not as a result of any paralyzing bickering between the left and right in America—but by the “anarchy loving” third-way centrist communitarians who manipulate behind the false left/right polarity of American politics… people who plan to reduce American power and influence—averaging America down to the level of other nations … to promote Chinese adventurism and encroachment as an extortionist grip on Americans.
Entities that anticipate a “coming anarchy” seeking the opportunistic chance to create regional order at the expense of that pesky US constitution. A new order that speaks Victorian, but is VERY pagan: an order that condones Pinochet’s torture as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good of democracy and freedom. Yes, Pinochet written off as a so-called lessor evil… as long as his necessary deeds brought the fruit of a smiley-faced police state filled with Purpose Driven churches—designed to enforce a civil society in Western cultures. A comprehensive culture of pagan control… in sheep’s clothing.
We are in danger.
Case in point: the Associated Press reported that Hutchison Whampoa Ltd was given a no-bid contract by the US government to take over radiation detecting security just 65 miles away from Freeport in the Bahamas with no oversight. Hutchinson Whampoa is admittedly a holding of the Chinese navy and the People’s Liberation Army.
The US government has handed a no-bid contract directly to the Chinese military machine to handle key security infrastructure right as that country gears up for a future confrontation with America.
The modus operandi of communitarians: Donald Rumsfeld was on the board of directors for the Zurich-based company called ABB which provided sensitive nuclear technology to North Korea for the power plants used to create weapons grade plutonium.
America’s policy of nurturing and empowering its enemies indicates the US government is being steered by infiltrators who speak victiorian, but think VERY PAGAN; traitors who seek America’s demise in order to expand it into a North American Union similar to the European Union. Order out of Chaos is their guiding philosophy, and thus anticipate with glee the “coming anarchy” in order to expand and consolidate police state control over Iraq and finally the American people. A police state control that will be implemented in chaotic Iraq … as a practice for America.
From Newsmax, “According to a 1999 investigative report by the American Foreign Policy Council, “Hutchison Whampoa, through its Hutchison International Terminals [HIT] subsidiary or Panama Ports Company, has substantial links to the Chinese communist government and the People’s Liberation Army.
“The Panama Ports Company is 10 percent owned by China Resources Enterprise [CRE], which is the commercial arm of China’s Ministry of Trade and Economic Co-operation. In its investigation into China’s attempts to influence the 1996 U.S. presidential campaign, the U.S. Senate Government Affairs Committee identified CRE as a conduit for “Ëœespionage – economic, political and military – for China.’ Committee Chairman Senator Fred Thompson said that CRE has “Ëœgeopolitical purposes. Kind of like a smiling tiger; it might look friendly, but it’s very dangerous.’”Â?
Sen. Trent Lott has described the Hong Kong firm as “an arm of the People’s Liberation Army.”
“The company is headed by a Li Ka-Shing, the chairman of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. Intelligence sources say he has deep connections with the Chinese Communist government.”
Hutchison Whampoa owns ports all over the world and many charge that the Chinese are using the company to encircle the world in preparation for retaliation to opposition of China’s intended invasion of Taiwan.
It, is a means to put America into a savage extortionist grip.
In 1997 the Communist Chinese government took over the Long Beach Naval Air Base, the only major deep water port that can take large ships on the west coast. In 2000, the Communist Chinese, Hutchinson Whampoa which is run by the PLA, took over the Panama Canal and has stationed between 15,000 and 30,000 troops at the facility.
In 1997 the Chinese were caught bringing in heroin, RPG’s and 3,000 AK-47’s via Long Beach. Let me remind you that top Chinese generals continue to threaten nuclear attacks on America.
Americans selling-out to the Chinese is the first step on the road to the sacking of the American economy and pulling the plug on key US infrastructure.
It is a stated goal of the Bilderberg Group, the Trilateral Commission and the CFR to promote what they call ‘interdependence’ and to lobby governments to sell off key infrastructure such as roads, lakes, ports, and highways to international corporations so that corporations can grow to be bigger in size than government.
As a country we are not just being robbed of our ability to create wealth, we are being robbed of our infrastructure, our land and our capacity to work the land. Your currency, your future and your sovereignty is systematically being dismantled, looted and sold to the highest bidder.
It’s my suspicion this blogger is a deluded dupe in the movement to destroy America… a promoter of torturing and raping the babies and the wives of “designated enemies” in front of them—if deemed necessary for the greater good of the “American way”.
Mr. Communitarian Blogger … what say ye?
Francis added these pithy words on 18 Dec 06 at 2:33 pmThe SF book Yellow Eyes – due out in print early next year (2007) and in electronic form now has an interesting take on the history of Panama and the canal
lirelou added these pithy words on 19 Dec 06 at 6:48 amAh, Mr. Whatsayme. You really must get back on your meds, but you do draw your pearls of paranoia from wide bands of the spectrum. Hopefully, you’re not yet in Congress.
What say me added these pithy words on 19 Dec 06 at 7:14 amLirelou,
I am aghast. You always seemed so level-headed in your comments—devoid of ad hominems. Are you saying the facts about China being given America’s key infrastructure by traitorous Americans is … (gulp) ... fantasy?
What happened? Did they get you too?
RUN FOLKS! THE BODY-SNATCHERS HAVE WON!
Curzon added these pithy words on 19 Dec 06 at 1:33 pmWSM: You don’t appear to have read the post on which you commented. This post was about America’s support and ipso facto creation of the Republic of Panama a century ago, whereas you seem to be concerned about the aftermath of the Torrijos-Carter Treaty that returned control of the canal to Panama. It’s worth nothing that this agreement was left untouched by Presidents Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton (despite Reagan and Bush’s vocal opposition during presidential campaigns to the treaty in an attempt to appeal to those voicing similar concerns to you), and the reasons are obvious: were the US to maintain control of the canal it would be expected to fork over lots of cash to pay for the canal’s expensive maintenance and expansion, as the canal tries to meet the demands of 21st century shipping, most notably the fact that most major cargo ships and oil tankers are now too big to fit through the canal. The geopolitical concern is pretty much nil.
Additionally, I think you’ll find that pithy, concise comments will get you a better response from the CA community.
lirelou added these pithy words on 20 Dec 06 at 12:33 amMr. Whatsayme. You’re right, it was a cheap ad hominem. I apologize. But, yes, I do believe that the arguments you have laid out are fantasy. Most particularly the view that: “In 1997, the Communist Chinese government took over the Long Beach Naval Air Base.” I would note, however, that your arguments are also being echoed in Chinese quarters about the very same Hutchinson Whampoa corporation, or more correctly, Li Kai Sheng, whom certain quarters in the Chinese government see as a threat to Communist China, given that the country’s major ports, being operated by the very same corporation, are under “foreign control”.
Harvard Man added these pithy words on 20 Dec 06 at 7:17 amLireLou, apologies accepted. A gadfly like me gets used to being swatted-at by the irritable cow of groupthink—a groupthink that would love to water-board my ass… that is… in defense of the “American Way”.
Below is a pithy statement by no other than our Robert Kaplan from his article called ‘How we would fight China’.
Kaplin writes: “All over the globe, in such disparate places as the troubled Pacific Island states of Oceania, the Panama Canal zone, and out-of-the-way African nations, the Chinese are becoming masters of indirect influence””?by establishing business communities and diplomatic outposts, by negotiating construction and trade agreements. Pulsing with consumer and martial energy, and boasting a peasantry that, unlike others in history, is overwhelmingly literate, China constitutes the principal conventional threat to America’s liberal imperium.”
Now, Lire lou and Corazon—- tell me: How is my fantasy about the assymmetical warfaring Chinese of no geo-political concern? Can a student be greater than his master? How can you boys suggest Kaplin is paranoid? I am curious. No… really, I am curious.
Harvard Man added these pithy words on 20 Dec 06 at 7:19 amOh, by the way. I changed my name: I am the Harvard Man.
I live on Harvard street.
lirelou added these pithy words on 20 Dec 06 at 11:16 pmDear Hahvahd. I’m not suggesting that Kaplan is anything. I’ve met the man (very likable, by the way, and even speaks some Portuguese), admire his intellect, and agree with some of his positions. Other than that, I think for myself. As, I believe you will have noted, do many others (to include yourself) on this blog. Again, I judge that the “threat” from Hutchison Whampoa is greatly overstated. It is a business corporation and presently the world’s largest port operator. It is not a clone of the PLA. They do not have the power to unilaterally decide to station a squadron of PLA bombers at Long beach.
Harvard Man added these pithy words on 21 Dec 06 at 8:12 amDear Lire Lou,
I am a Harvard man… and it’s very interesting that you met Kaplan. I admire Kaplan’s refusal to see the harsh realities of savagery in our world without resorting to the rose-colored lenses of muliticulturalism. Human nature is corrupted … and he knows it. Yes, human nature is deeply fouled and deceitful—- consider your first human instinct to crucify a true prophet such as me … by dismissing me as a paranoid off his medication. I take my pills religiously … thank you.
But, yes I do recognize that you self-flatter yourself as being above the SHEEPLE. You are an independent thinker. Yes, I believe that (smirk). For that reason, there may be hope for you. If you are truly concerned about understanding our current dillemma, then you are REQUIRED to investigate the following articles (I know you are sooooo busy at your cubicle …. but its incumbent on you to read them.
Check it out:
http://usinfo.state.gov/is/Archive/2005/Mar/23-209281.html
After this article disperses any doubt abou the reality of this conspiracy…
You MUST apprise yourself of the following article to understand how China IS incrementally being GIVEN —by Communitarians behind the left/right political polarity—a stranglehold on America through use of the NAFTA highway to flood our markets with Chinese goods produced by Falun Gong slaves. There is more, but an independent thinker such as you might experience overload.
Regardless, try for one more article to get your parnoid juices flowing. Access this following article by its title through a google search:
Bush Administration Quietly Plans NAFTA Superhighway
by Jerome R. Corsi
Be paranoid … it’s fun! I am a Harvard man.
lirelou added these pithy words on 22 Dec 06 at 12:56 amAnd, of course, once my ideas coincide exactly with your own, I will be a truly independent thinker.
