“An extraordinarily ambitious book . . . America, América reads at times as the historical equivalent of the great epic novels of Gabriel García Márquez.”
Mar 22 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Fidel Castro as university student and follower of the social dem Eduardo Chibas gave a pro Israel speech in 1947, calling for solidarity with Jewish national liberation. Cuba itself voted against in 47, saying Balfour illegal: London “was offering something which…1/4
did not belong to it.” Cuba recognized Israel in 49. Israel was one of first states to recognize Castro and provided tech assistance to grow citrus. Castro declared 3 days of mourning in 1963 when Israeli president died. 2/4
Nov 11, 2019 • 7 tweets • 1 min read
pro tip 1: there has never been a coup in Latin America where the president being overthrown wasn't, um, "problematic." (yes, not even Allende)
pro tip 2: there has never been a coup in Latin America that didn't have some degree of popular support (ie, not linked to CIA or international capital) . (yes, not even the one against Arbenz, or the two against Aristide, or Zelaya, Lugo -- remember him?).
Oct 7, 2019 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
Lest anyone think Trump's sacrifice of the Kurds is exceptional, here's a bit from Kissinger's Shadow: "In the early 1970s, Kissinger had plotted with the Shah of Iran to destabilize Baathist Iraq by supporting the Kurds, providing them with weapons (supplied by Israel so as 1/6
not to alert the State Department) to wage an insurgent war for independence in northern Iraq. Kissinger didn’t expect the Kurds to triumph. He often complained about the unworkable size of the United Nations and the last thing he wanted was yet another member state ... 2/6
