This is sent in the spirit of adding information to something already mentioned. Not to agree with a viewpoint or statement, not to contest a viewpoint or statement, simply to add light. This remark goes for my interventions on other topics too. Of course there will be times when I offer my own opinions but this will not always be the case. Usually my point is to widen the debate without my personal viewpoint being important. I will expand on this later and especially in relation to Ireland. Bill said: >>The kingdom of Hawaii and her Queen were overthrown in 1893 and annexed to the United States in 1898, led by a small group consisting of businessmen and descendants of missionaries, mostly American, with the assistance of American troops.<<
Here's a quote from the life of General Smedley D. Butler, cited in Eduardo Galeano's "Open Veins of Latin America", which in turn gives the source as Leo Huberman 'Man's Wordly Goods' (NY: Monthly Review Press, 1952, p.265) "I spent 33 years and 4 months in active service as a member of our country's most agile military force- the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from a second lieutenant to major-general. And during that period I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street, and for the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer for capitalism. Thus I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank to collect revenues in. and I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras 'right' for American fruit companies in 1903." mike
