Witness - World and the Underworld - 08 Oct 08 - Part 1

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Political Economies: Explained Using Cows

United States: You have two cows. The government pays you subsidies not to milk your cows. Imports of dairy products from South America increase.

China: You have two cows. The government takes both cows and shoots you.

Iraq: You have two cows. They end up in Guantanamo Bay, but receive excellent medical care.

India: You have two cows. You worship them.

Poland: You have two bulls. You get killed trying to milk them.

Russia: You have two cows. You drink vodka and see four cows.

Argentina: You have two cows. Néstor and Cristina Kirchner take the milk and export it. They tax you 44%, leaving you without enough money to cover production costs. Too bad! On the plus side Cristina is able to pay for Botox injections and pays off some political cronies. Read more!

Seeking Operación Cóndor Information

I am working on a research project which involves U.S. State Department and intelligence services through the research of documents spanning back to the mid 1970's that have been released through the FOIA, Freedom of Information Act.

While the focus of this project is the involvement of the USA in the Southern Cone of South American during this period, I would also be interested in accounts from people who were here, or had family here at that time. The nationality of the individuals is of no importance, nor is the ability to speak English.

Specifically, I was wondering if any of you out there had any first or secondhand knowledge of Operación Cóndor, or if you had any first or secondhand experiences relating to that period in history. More specifically, I am interested in accounts of life in Buenos Aires during the period between about 1972 or '73 up until around 1983. Memories, stories, letters, photos, etc. are all of interest. And of course, anyone with info relating to other member countries of Operation Condor is of interest as well.

While notes and/or recordings might upon occasion be used to insure the accuracy of the project, personal information can and will be withheld from others upon request.

I will provide some brief background for those of you unfamiliar with Operation Condor, Operación Cóndor in Spanish. Operation Condor was a shadowy Latin American military network created in the 1970s whose key members were Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. This group was later joined by Ecuador and Peru. The operation was a covert intelligence and operations system that enabled the Latin American military states to hunt down, seize and execute political opponents across borders. Refugees fleeing military coups and repression in their own countries were "disappeared" in combined transnational operations.

Of particular interest is the fact that Operation Condor was not only the result of the joint work of intelligence and security services of those member nations, but it also received direction, support and financing from the USA through its State Department, intelligence and security services.
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Thoughts on Today's Inauguration

I find it interesting the changes I have seen in the USA in my own life time, although the election of a black man to the presidency is a far cry from completion of the battle for equality.

I grew up in Texas and still remember mandatory busing, banning of blacks from certain places, events, opportunities.


My mother died weeks before Clinton's first inauguration and I am sure she would have been proud to see this day as well. Since that time, my father has entered into a long term relationship with a black woman.

My father and I always love sitting around and reminiscing about the "good ole days". A topic of frequent discussion is places, restaurants, events from years gone past. It is interesting when my father and I engage in one of our "blast from the past" talks and his girlfriend is around. My father and I excitedly discuss things from the past and she remarks: "we were not allowed to go there", "we could not attend", "we could only sit in the balcony of Wednesday nights"......

We have certainly come a long way in recent years, but there is yet much work to be accomplished. Read more!