A Change Gonna Come, but Let's Hope it's Not for the Worse.....

I want to discuss these major outbreaks of revolt in North Africa and the Middle East. I am all for change believe me, but it has to be the right change. I can only imagine what it means to be living under a so-called repressive government, although, the U.S. regime is oppressive in its own right. My heart goes out to all of the young people. Yet, I think the youth in these countries have to understand that when you overthrow your government it tends to lead to a regime change backed by a nation with its own interests in mind. Oftentimes these regime changes tend to put in power dictators, these changes rarely produce "democracies", which is what is being called for. The U.S. explicilty calls for "democracy" on a global scale usually because it is in their best interests; and they have plotted many a coup d'etat. I implore all young Arabs fight for change, but make sure it is a lasting change that you and future generations of your nations will be proud of.

The U.S. has a long history of overthrowing democratic governments through coups and military interventions, as well as supporting dictatorial and suppressive regimes, including:

• Iran (1953): The CIA with the help of the MI6 engineered a coup and overthrew the democratically elected government of Dr Mohammad Mossadegh who had attempted to nationalize Iran's petroleum industry. The U.S. backed Pahlavi monarchial regime rules the country with an iron fist for 26 years after the coup.
• Guatemala (1954): The CIA successfully engineers a coup to overthrow the democratically elected government of Guatemala led by Jacobo Arbenz. The military dictatorships which rule the country for the next four decades, a succession of military rulers kill between 140,000 – 250,000 Guatemalans.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (1960): The CIA in concert with Belgium overthrows the democratically elected government of Patrice Émery Lumumba who was a leader of the anti-colonial struggle in the country.
• Brazil (1964): The democratically elected government of President João Goulart was successfully overthrown by a CIA coup in March 1964. A military dictatorship rules the country for the next 21 years.
• Indonesia (1965-1967): With U.S help., a military coup ousts President Sukarno from power and installs army General Suharto as the new president. An estimated half a million Indonesians are killed in the process and 1.5 million are arrested for being “pro-communist.” Suharto rules Indonesia for the next 32 years.
• Ghana (1966): Kwame Nkrumah, the democratically elected leader of Ghana was overthrown in a CIA backed military coup while he was on a state visit to Vietnam.
• Iraq (1968): The CIA backed the coup by Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr of the Baath Party, bringing Saddam Hussein into power. Sadadam Hussein ruled Iraq from 1979-2003, becoming one of the greatest tyrants of the 20th century.
• Chile (1973): In September 1973, the democratically elected President of Chile Salvador Allende was overthrown by a CIA backed military coup. General Augusto Pinochet is installed as head of a new military dictatorship which rules Chile until 1990 using draconian measures and widespread human rights violations.
• Argentina (1976):  The democratically elected government of Isabel Martínez de Perón is overthrown by a US backed military coup. The military junta takes over the country and rules until 1983 during which time more than 30,000 people, most of whom were trade unionists and students, are tortured and killed.
• Nicaragua (1981- 1990): The Reagan administration directs the CIA and the National Security Council to undermine the democratic Sandinista through financing, arming and training Contra rebels.