Disaster Capitalism in Action
EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI HELPS U.S. PLANS TO DOMINATE LATIN AMERICA OIL RESERVES
Don’t ever give the U.S. government a lack of credit for not being opportunistic. The disaster in Haiti not only gives the U.S. and its willing partner, the U.N., an opportunity to look good by leading relief efforts it also accelerates their ability¹ to expand their military bases in Haiti^2,3. These new bases are in addition to the seven new bases being built in Columbia as part of a March 2009 pact between the Obama administration and Columbia.⁴

As Namoi Klein puts it, "(the) disaster-capitalism complex….all conflict - and disaster - related functions (waging war, securing borders, spying on citizens, rebuilding cities, treating traumatized soldiers) can be performed by corporations at a profit."⁵

Disaster beneficiaries are the companies making serious money in war-torn areas. They are already on their way to reaping great profits from this disaster.⁶ In 2008, Dyn-Corp, the company with deep ties to Washington and the beneficiary of numerous no-bid contracts, started work on building a large base in a shanty-town, Cite Soleil, near Port-au-Prince and conveniently located adjacent to the current airport. In addition to the profits made on government contracts, there have been reports that Dyn-Corp employees have trafficked in amphetamines and heroin.⁷

Over 9,000 U.N. troops were previously stationed in Haiti and more are on the way. As Nytimes.com reported, “The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday unanimously approved sending an additional 3,500 police and peacekeeping troops for Haiti, both to maintain public order and to guard deliveries as the aid effort gathers steam.” ⁸

The article also notes that “With the government of President René Préval largely out of public view, many Haitians are grateful that Americans and others have stepped forward.”

What dos all this mean? The U.S. can step up its efforts to secure access to the rich Venezuelan oil reserves.³

References
1. October 9th, 2008, The UN beefs up its military presence U.N. Military Base Expanding: What is Washington up to in Cité Soleil?

2. 9/04/2008, “UN Military Base Expanding: What is Washington up to in Cité Soleil?” Kim Ives, Haiti Liberté | DynCorp Building Military Base in Cite Soleil

3. 22 November 2009, US builds up its bases in oil-rich South America From the Caribbean to Brazil, political opposition to US plans for 'full-spectrum operations' is escalating rapidly By Hugh O'Shaughnessy.

4. August 7, 2009 by CommonDreams.org, Seven New US Military Bases in Colombia Is Hardly a Move to the Left

5. October 2007 • Harpers Magazine, Disaster capitalism: The new economy of catastrophe by Naomi Klein

6. January 18th, 2010, US "Security" Companies Offer "Services" in Haiti, By Jeremy Scahill -

7. July 10, 2001, DynCorp's Drug Problem, By Jason Vest, The Nation.

8.January 19, 2010, U.S. Troops Step Up Haiti Role, By MARC LACEY and and SIMON ROMERO

Notes

January 30, 2006, Max Blumenthal Senior Writer for The Daily Beast, Uncovering A US-Planned Coup In Haiti: The Original Version

January 29, 2006, Mixed U.S. Signals Helped Tilt Haiti Toward Chaos, By WALT BOGDANICH and JENNY NORDBERG, Nytimes.com

Jul 16, 2004, The other regime change, Did the Bush administration allow a network of right-wing Republicans to foment a violent coup in Haiti?

21 April 2002, Ed Vulliamy * The Observer, Sunday, Venezuela coup linked to Bush team http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/apr/21/usa.venezuela

Venezuela Continues to Purchase Russian Weapons May 13, 2007, Venezuelanalysis,

November 21, 2009, After instigating Hondurus coup–is US/Columbia invading Venezuela? by Moin Ansari. /

Latin America's New Cold War?, Venezuela's and Colombia's ambassadors to the United States tell their sides of an increasingly tense story.