JFK Files Released

 

More documents related to the John F. Kennedy assassination have been released. A total of 80,000 documents. The release was done through executive order. Some are wondering why this took so long. The argument was that some documents had to be held for national security reasons. There was also speculation that the US government did not care about the assassination of a liberal head of state. At the time, Dallas Texas was rabidly anti-communist, anti-liberal, and supported racial segregation. Documents have been released before the recent executive order, but just add to the mystery. By law the government has to release all the documents. However, thousands of documents remain secret. This indicates that the criminal action had a much wider reach. Many Americans believe that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone. Others suspect that either the CIA itself or Cuban exiles who were part of the Bay of Pigs invasion were involved. Decades of scholarship, independent researchers, and historians have not been able to solve the case. The attempts to undermine the Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 is apparent. Withholding information just allows more conspiracy theories to develop. While making all the documents public might not provide answers, it ends one dispute. The Warren Commission was an inadequate investigation, which made the wrong conclusion. Oswald was not a sole culprit. He is charged as the assassin, but never was tried due to being killed by Jack Ruby. Seeing as Oswald was never tried or convicted this would make him an alleged assassin. The documents might not solve the criminal case, but are useful for the preservation of American history. 

President James Carter Praises Shah Mohammad Pahlavi (1978)

 

President James Carter wanted to make human rights a priority in his administration. This was more of a sentiment, rather than actual policy. The US supported Shah Mohammad Pahlavi. Iran was engaging in oppression of its own citizens. The CIA helped train Savak. This was a secret police force that was designed to crush dissent and gather intelligence. President Carter during his administration praised the Shah as being a stabilizing force. There was a growing political opposition to the monarchy in Iran. The Iranian Revolution would occur in 1979 and the Iranian hostage crisis became a major concern. US support for Iran was part of a Cold War strategy directed at the Soviet Union. Russia having access to Iranian oil was not acceptable to Washington. President Carter stated that Iran was " an island  of stability in one of the more  troubled areas of the world." Protests were beginning in 1978. The difference was that the US did not expect the Shah to be deposed. He was placed back in power in 1953 by both the UK and the US. The Carter administration could not resolve the hostage crisis and the take over of the US embassy. The hostages did get their freedom, but the poor management of the crisis cost President Carter the presidency. 

President Richard M. Nixon on Hatred

 

It was 50 years ago that President Richard M. Nixon became the first to resign from office. The Watergate scandal damaged his administration and made him lose most of his political support. Richard M. Nixon announced his resignation on August 9, 1974. The burglary and attempted espionage of the DNC offices in the Watergate complex showed that the administration was criminalizing its political opponents. What brought the Nixon administration down was the cover-up and the secrecy surrounding unethical practices. Rather than face impeachment and a trial, Nixon decided to resign from the presidency. Nixon made a farewell address to staff before leaving the presidency. He stated some might despise you as a person, but they win if you hate them back. The sentiment is not wrong, yet it is advice Richard M. Nixon did not follow. The tapes revealed Nixon's racism, prejudice, and disdain for political opposition. It was President Nixon's paranoia and authoritarian tendencies that caused his downfall. 

John F. Kennedy Discusses A Change In Vietnam Policy (1963)

 

President John F. Kennedy gave his final press conference on  November 14th , 1963. What was different about this discussion with the press was a change in Vietnam policy. After the coup that saw the death of Ngo Diem it was clear that the policy with South Vietnam had to be adjusted. The Honolulu conference was proposed by Kennedy's administration to address the issues surrounding the instability and war in Vietnam. President Kennedy expressed he wanted Americans out, but did not want to abandon the conflict. This seems like a contradiction, because a military industrial complex would not allow such a policy. President Kennedy articulated that he wanted the South Vietnamese military powerful enough to fight the Viet Cong by itself. The desire to make South Vietnam democratic was not possible. To a degree it was more of a puppet state with military rulers. Some have theorized that the reason Kennedy was assassinated was because he wanted withdraw from Vietnam and an eventual peace with the Soviet Union. When American and South Vietnam officials met in Honolulu in 1966, policy had been dramatically altered. From that point onward, the war would be escalated. If President John F. Kennedy had lived, the US Military might not gotten trapped in a violent conflict. 

Lee Kuan Yew Discusses Southern African Liberation Struggle (1966)

 

Zimbabwe and South Africa were  during the 1960s attempting to liberate themselves from white minority rule. The racial oppression could not be hidden . African and Asian leaders took notice. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore spoke on the matter of white minority rule in Southern Africa. The people of Zimbabwe he stated would have to form their own Viet Cong. No one was coming to help free Africans in the white minority regimes. While China and Russia did provide aid to liberation movements, it was the job of the colonized to free themselves. Prime Minister Yew predicted that the Rhodesian Bush War would last a long time. The war lasted from 1964 to 1979. The Zimbabwe National Liberation Army and Zimbabwe' People's Revolutionary had to fight an extended conflict to defeat colonialism. This parallels the Vietnam War. The war in Indochina lasted from 1954 to 1975. Both were caught up in Cold War geopolitical maneuvers between the superpowers. Lee Kuan Yew expressed once the liberation movement becomes formidable, then the world will take notice.   

J. Robert Oppenheimer Discusses The Use Of Nuclear Weapons (1965)

 

J. Robert Oppenheimer did have regrets about the creation of nuclear weapons. At the time, it was thought it was the fastest way to end World War II. The ethics of killing Japanese civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki continues to be debated amongst historians. Large investments were made in building the atomic bomb, so at some point was going to be used. It was an estimated 2 billion dollars.  Using such a weapon was also a means of threatening the Soviet Union. Oppenheimer does not hide the fact that all scientists had different opinions about the project and nuclear weapons. Some hoped that the war would be over before the atomic bomb was completed. The hope it was not going to used in a war. J. Robert Oppenheimer understood the world would not be the same and that the use of  atomic energy posed risks. His efforts at regulation of atomic energy was met with resistance. He was a victim of the anti-communist witch hunts in the early 1950s. As a result he lost his security clearance and was no longer allowed to work in US government. Nine countries have nuclear weapons in the world today. The technology will spread and it makes J. Robert Oppenheimer's arguments about atomic energy regulation more relevant.   

Ne Win Threatens Protesters (1988)

 

The military has dominated Myanmar throughout its recent history. Ne Win  had control of the country since 1962, but by the late 1980s his grip was slipping. The year 1988 saw a mass uprising against the regime. Ne Win made a notorious speech in response to the challenge to his rule. The military would use extreme force he asserted. The police  Ne Win expressed were more lenient . The army would not as articulated "shoot up in the sky." The Burma Socialist Programme Party was losing legitimacy among the public. Protests did happen before 1988, but the 8888 uprising was more massive. Previous protests mostly were done by workers and students. The 8888 uprising involved people from various sections of the Burmese public. The state responded with violence. Ne Win was forced into resigning and then it triggered another coup by the State Law and Order Restoration Council. The total deaths are not known, but Ne Win never was criminally charged for the abuses of his regime. Ne Win would have some influence in the new military junta. Around the 1990s, his influenced waned and he was put under house arrest. Ne Win was never punished for the state violence that occurred for 26 years. 

Mikhail Gorbachev BBC Interview (2019)

 

Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022)  gave an interview to  the BBC in 2019. What was discussed were the tensions between teh Russian Federation and the West. Gorbachev cited nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction as creating causing more hostility between nations. The tension will always bet there if the US and Russia continue to expand their arsenals. What he also condemned was America's nuclear attack on Japan during World War II. To him, it was more about threatening other countries rather than a fast end to the war. Russians do not favor war nor are they seeking another large conflict. Mikhail Gorbachev as General Secretary found out that most of the Soviet citizens were more concerned about a confrontation with the United States compared to other problems. The tension between the EU and Russia now is not another Cold War. The world is falling into a network of proxy wars and a shift to multipolarity. The  choice not to intervene in Eastern Europe in 1989 was out concern for a mass conflict. Gorbachev reveals some were opposed to German reunification, even those who celebrated the fall of  the Berlin Wall. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was not supportive of German reunification. His thoughts on President Putin explain why he is popular among the Russian citizens. The turbulence of the 1990s created a desire for some order. Vladimir Putin is viewed as a stabilizing force. The price paid for that is a more authoritarian system  based around one individual. Gorbachev shows an astute understanding of Russian politics and foreign policy in the interview. The concerns mentioned should be taken seriously by every world leader. 

George Shultz Answers Questions About The Iran Contra Scandal (1986)

 

George P. Shultz (1920- 2021)  served as secretary of state under the Ronald Reagan administration. He went on Face The Nation to defend US policy in Latin America. The US was attempting regime change in Nicaragua by funding the Contras. The funds were generated from arms sales to Iran. Congress forbid this, but the Reagan presidency went ahead with covert action. Shultz in hi testimony denied having any knowledge of the arms for hostages agreement. The truth however was that he had knowledge of arms sales between December 1985 to May of 1986. The image of George P. Shultz being an honest figure in the Reagan administration  was more so a fabrication. Shultz during the interview states that the USA was being tough on terrorism and the arms embargo directed at Iran. The reality is that the US was sponsoring multiple terrorist organizations and armed groups globally. The scandal could no longer be covered up and members of Reagan's cabinet were charged. Shultz was able to avoid criminal charges, but that did not mean he was innocent of wrong doing. George P. Shultz was aware of the sale of TOW and HAWK missiles. 

Former Chadian President Hissene Habre has died

 

The former president of Chad has died of COVID-19. Hissene  Habre  was serving time in prison for crime against humanity during his rule from 1982 to 1990. The regime was supported by both the US and France. The reason why he was important to both countries was that Chad was fighting a war against Libya. The Ronald Reagan administration was seeking Qaddafi's removal and  using Chad was a means of carrying out that objective. Chad was fighting Libya for control of the Aouzou Strip. France and the US had interest due to the area having being rich in uranium deposits. The Chadian-Libyan conflict became another part of Cold War conflict. As the US got more aggressive with Libya, its diplomatic ties to the Soviet Union grew. Although Chad retained control of the Aouzou Strip and won the war, Habre's rule did not survive. He was deposed by Idriss Deby in 1990. The controversy around his trial was that he was the first former  head of state to be convicted for human rights abuse in another nation. His trial was in Senegal not Chad. Before, there were other attempts to have him stand trial. No French or American officials have been brought to justice for their role in the Chadian-Libyan conflict. Habre leaves behind a legacy of oppression, support for neocolonial imperial interests, and war crimes.