Damages
There are other damages to people, societal structures, and the cultural and natural environments of the occupied areas. In all of the cases, the presence of the U.S. military has created social problems ranging from the abuse of women and children, through the denial of social services and a true legal system, to the overall restructuring or destruction of a society. The environment, the native lands and oceans so important to indigenous survival anywhere, suffers from toxic pollutants ranging from standard industrial and agricultural chemicals to the unique chemicals and biological weapons of the military. The focus in these essays is on "traditional' weapons used in firing ranges on land and sea but also includes nuclear weapons in storage or transit and the use of depleted uranium.
The people who protest against these bases suffer from the lack of legal rights, the tendency for frontier justice in many places in Latin America and the Philippines, and the verbal and physical attacks perpetrated by the occupying forces. Since 2001, the role of terrorism has had a great impact on many of the protesters as terrorism becomes the new communism - the overall threat that is used to justify many new laws of control and the creation of outlaws - extra-judicial murder by declaring anyone opposed to the government as a terrorist. The Philippines is proposing to enact a National Identification System and an Anti Terrorism Bill "in which draconian measures are to be introduced to clamp down on critical and dissenting voices and curtail civil liberties and democratic rights." In Hawaii, terrorism in the form of "Homeland security" names an amorphous threat and simultaneously unleashes fantasies about assault and vulnerability. Within its terms, opposition is rendered unintelligible; to oppose the security of the homeland is unthinkable".Hawaii pays a high price."
International law obviously takes a definite hit under these conditions. Occupation of territory, environmental laws, laws about humane treatment of prisoners of war (Diego Garcia is considered to be a particular spot to which people are "rendered'), laws and actions of the International Criminal Court are all abrogated or avoided by the U.S. For the indigenous peoples of the Philippines, Hawaii, Diego Garcia, Latin America - for that matter all areas with U.S. military bases including the current occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan - all are subject to the UN declaration of indigenous rights, and are "aware of the rights to self-determination accorded to indigenous peoples under international law." Except for the U.S. who have not signed the declaration, for obvious reasons.
Be informed
One of the first steps in protesting and resisting U.S. occupation - at least for those not directly in the line of fire, literally or figuratively - is to become educated about the nature and principles that rule the world of the U.S. military occupations of foreign lands. The Bases of Empire is a well crafted study and an important contribution to the general understanding of the militarization of the globe and to specific problems as faced by individual groups. Collectively they represent a majority of the people within their regions and will need the support of as many outside voices as can understand their problems and concerns. This book contains a powerful set of ideas and well referenced information to help inform the world of the reality of U.S. militarization of the global community.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
