Date: Thu, 03 Dec 1998 16:14:07 +0000
Subject: Foucault and Pinochet


Many of Pinochet's gunmen were trained at the U.S. Army School of the
Americas (Fort Benning, GA). Don't even ask how much military aid was
given Pinochet by the U.S.. Indeed, a multitude of people(s) have
something to gain from dissociating from Pinochet. The United States
tops the list.

There is no real interest, on the part of this Western democracy anyway,
in deterring would-be Pinochet's. His kind are always in demand when it
comes to protecting U.S. economic imperialist interests in Latin
America, Asia, etc. Real political reform was been thwarted numerous
times by U.S.-installed, non-democratic governments.

The prosecution of Pinochet is one way for the U.S. to whipe it's hands
clean.

The relation to Foucault thinking is clear to me. Terrorism and
"attrocities of war" are characterized by their contrast to "legitimate"
military action of the power-elite nations -- the U.S., Israel, France,
the U.K., etc. The solution defines the problem. Realistically, the
greatest distinction between "terrorism" and "strategic military action"
is illuminated by recognizing power imbalances and the inevitable
struggle that ensues.