50th Anniversary of The Other 9/11: US Backed Coup in Chile

[Pennheel]

Right. Fifty years ago Americans were a lot more concerned about communism spreading than many (especially younger people) may appreciate now.

Unless you can foresee the future, unintended consequences are always a risk.

You're not wrong there. It's something that is interesting to look back on knowing what happened was wrong,but unfortunately it was a matter of the lesser of the two evils or in most cases,worse. Definitely a lesson worth learning from.

 

[EasternVol]

I posted a story this weekend that pointed out how the coup leaders in Niger were trained at Ft. Benning...

A lot of overseas officers, good and bad, study there.

 

[n_huffhines]

Fifty years after Chile’s coup, the region still not safe from US meddling

Destructive US efforts to control its “backyard” continue to this day.

www.aljazeera.com

On September 11, 1973, a military junta, led by General Augusto Pinochet, overthrew the democratically elected government of President Salvador Allende. What followed was a 17-year dictatorship which tortured 40,000, killed more than 3000 and “disappeared” more than a thousand others. Hundreds of thousands were forced into exile.

The Nixon administration in the United States encouraged and supported the coup that paved the way for these atrocities.

Fun fact, Pedro Pascal's parents fled Chile to the US because his Dad was a doctor who had helped a Pinochet protester. He had been shot by police and was in hiding. Pascal's Dad didn't wait around for people to come ask him any questions, and got out of Dodge.

 

[LouderVol]

Fifty years after Chile’s coup, the region still not safe from US meddling

Destructive US efforts to control its “backyard” continue to this day.

www.aljazeera.com

On September 11, 1973, a military junta, led by General Augusto Pinochet, overthrew the democratically elected government of President Salvador Allende. What followed was a 17-year dictatorship which tortured 40,000, killed more than 3000 and “disappeared” more than a thousand others. Hundreds of thousands were forced into exile.

The Nixon administration in the United States encouraged and supported the coup that paved the way for these atrocities.

is getting 36.2% of the vote, and having the election decided by Congress, after several military actions, both for and against Allende, actually democratic?

It mostly followed their Constitution, but I don't think its fair to call it a democratic process.

Its also not like Chile was some peaceful paradise before. The Communists/revolutionaries etc disappeared plenty of people after 1959, definitely not to the extent of Pinochet, but it was a constant threat to push change.