We pay so much attention to China, Korea, Russia and the Mid East and, for reasons I don't understand, we pay little attention to South and Central America and the Islands in the Gulf and Caribbean..
Those Nations are our neighbors, they are all based in Western Civilization and they can be a great boon to us or our worst nightmare.
The boon? They gave an abundance of resources, oil, minerals, timber and crops. Plus, they are a huge market, with many millions eager to buy quality products.
The nightmare? Well, they don't much like or trust us. With good reason. Over the years, we have supported brutal governments ib their lands so long as they supported our businesses. Remember Somoza in Nicaragua. Batista in Cuba. Remember how we led the overthrow and assassination of Allende in Chile (by the CIA's own admission). Don't remember? They do. And these were not isolated incidents. Add that enmity into a hellish impoverishment and you have a fine recipe for terrorism, Terrorists are not all Islamic.
Nothing to do about the past except move on and we can do that by helping these Countries when we cam. WE do this by treating them like adults, Do business when both sides are ready to trade as equals. Stop telling them how to run their own governments. Refuse to deal with them when they brutalize their own people and do nothing to end extreme poverty. Brazil has vast wealth, but most live in deep poverty, while the elite party in Rio.
And definitely refuse to deal with them when they tolerate drug smugglers shipping their products to the US. Cut off Nations like Peru, Columbia and Mexico until they get a grip on the production and smuggling of drugs in their own back yards,
In addition, we, Americans, need to learn more about our neighbors. They have rich and fascinating cultures. Understanding them will enrich us all.
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