September 26, 2010
By Ann-Marie
Brazil, the 5th largest country in the world, has become much more than a fun-loving albeit somewhat naughty tourist spot. The Obama administration and their pal George Soros have been ramping up efforts lately to help guide Brazil towards becoming a major Global World Leader. Let's explore how this is happening.
It seems Brazil has recently become a major player in world politics. All I previously knew about Brazil basically amounted to 'Carnival' in Rio de Janeiro, Samba dancing, soccer player Pele and of course the famous Brazil nut. (Which I'm not actually positive originated in Brazil…)
But lately this 5th largest country in the world has become much more than a fun-loving albeit somewhat naughty tourist spot. The political wooing of Brazil has been taking place quite awhile but recently the Obama administration has ramped up efforts to make Brazil a major Global World Leader. Let's explore how this is happening.
MILITARY: In 2005, President Bush vetoed the sale of Brazilian Super Tucano fighters to Venezuela because 'they had US avionic components.' However the Obama administration has opened all new doors in dealing with Brazil and selling military technology to them. Currently the US is in a bidding war with France to sell them 36 Boeing F-18 Super Hornets. To ease Brazil's mind that the US is serious about this military sale, Ellen Tauscher, Secretary for Arms Control, has assured Brazilian President Lula de Silva that 'the administration of President Obama "would not have the same attitude as the previous Republican administration of George Bush.' According to an article in Mercopress.com, Tauscher said:
"This is a new administration, and a new sale. We can guarantee the transfer of Boeing technology, the world's main aerospace industry corporation. And we still are the United States of America". She added that if Brazil chooses Boeing 'it will ensure that relations between both countries are even deeper and more dynamic'. The purchase with technology transfer is part of the Brazilian National Defense Strategy launched by President Lula da Silva with the purpose of increasing patrolling in the Amazon and along the 8.000 kilometers of coast, where in 2007, mega-reserves of hydrocarbons have been discovered, possibly some of the world's largest and most promising. According to the Brazilian press the aircraft contract involves six billion US dollars and is part of Brazil's aspiration of developing a strong defense industry with its own technology in the coming ten years."
Tauscher said the transfer of these jets would be 'a big departure from what the US typically does, adding that "the sale would be important because 'the relation with Brazil is so prized, so significant for us."
Along these military-linked lines, an article in airlines.net says:
"Brazil topped the list of developing nations in arms-transfer agreements, signing deals worth US $7.2 billion last year, according to a recent report for the US Congress. The deal with the UAE (United Arab Emirates) would represent the first significant foray for Brazil into the Gulf since the 1980s, when its defense industry suffered a major setback at the end of the Iran-Iraq War. Brazil was a major arms supplier to Saddam Hussein's regime at the time."
And from defensenews.com, "Brazil's aim is not only to renovate its armed forces, which have long been getting by with outdated materiel, but to defend increasingly valuable natural resources and to put muscle behind an expansive foreign policy which has seen Brasilia take on an important role in the region and beyond."
So again, my question is why is the US so concerned about helping militarily build Brazil, a country whose population is made up of predominently poor people? One guess might be that it has something to do with our recent oil involvement.
BRAZILIAN OIL/ECONOMY: The US recently loaned $2 billion of YOUR money to Brazil to help their drilling efforts. This was not done so much to increase America's oil supply but rather to help with Brazil's own explorations and boost THEIR economy.
In addition to our US dollars, Brazilian oil company Petrobras loaned Brazil $64 billion for drilling. Petrobras execs said this amount is ''flexible' and will give more if needed.
Interestingly, the same administration that sternly scolded the American oil industry for deepwater drilling (and has yet to lift the moratorium on future drilling) is now supporting deep water drilling in Brazil. Oh—I'm sorry, I meant to write ULTRA-deepwater drilling. This type of drilling goes down at least 7,500 feet into the ocean—much deeper than the Deepwater Horizon drilling in the Gulf. I guess Obama's concerns about deepwater drilling only go as far as our US borders…
And of course, no one should be surprised that huge Obama supporter George Soros is heavily invested in Petrobras, donating over $1 billion into the Brazilian company. Don't worry–I'm certain Mr. Soros will make back all the money he's investing…
All this oil biz is great news for the economy of Brazil, creating jobs and money for the Socialistic country. Ironically, while trying to lift Brazil's poor economy out of the darkness Obama's moratorium on US deepwater drilling is all but killing oil ownership in America and making us even MORE dependent on foreign oil. (Anyone know where we can get some? Brazil, maybe?? ) But I digress.
BRAZIL ELECTIONS: Lastly, Brazil is in the midst of a presidential election. According to theindependent.com, the probable winner will be Workers Party candidate Dilma Rousseff, whose lovely qualifications include being a former guerilla, Marxist teacher, community activist/Labor Union leader. If she wins in next week's election, Rousseff would stand to be the most powerful woman in the world. As head of state, she would outrank Angela Merkel, Germany's Chancellor, and Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State.
It's probably worth noting that Ms. Rousseff has many famous supporters, including actor/brooder Benicio del Toros, filmmaker Oliver Stone and of course the French Socialist Party…
Thanks to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's advice, Obama won't visit Brazil until after the October elections. One reason may be because the Clinton's are friends with Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso from the opposition party, Brazilian Social Democracy, PSDB. However we can probably foresee a visit from the Obama family soon after the elections. After all, Brazil stands to be one of the most powerful countries on earth. Hugh O'Shaughnessy of theindependent.com says, "the enormous country of 200 million people is reveling in its new oil wealth. Brazil's growth rate, rivaling China's, is one that Europe and Washington can only envy."
Ann-Marie
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