Re-implement the Monroe Doctrine to Counter the Imminent Takeover of Brazil by the Far Left

Re-implement the Monroe Doctrine to Counter the Imminent Takeover of Brazil by the Far Left
by David T. Pyne, Esq., Columnist and Legal Analyst

October 8, 2002

Columnist David Pyne Note: This This is the final installment of a special two-part series on next week's presidential elections in Brazil.

The standard-bearer of a Communist electoral coalition, Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva, who has aligned himself with America's rogue state and terrorist enemies, seems poised to win the Brazilian presidential election as early as this Sunday. Latin America, long neglected by successive US Administrations as relatively unimportant, may be on the verge of being transformed into a "second front" for America in its ongoing war against terrorism. This disturbing development constitutes yet another warning sign for the Bush Administration involved as it is in a mad-dash to pursue a reckless and ill-considered invasion and long-term occupation of Iraq which will likely serve to bog down the already badly overextended US armed forces for decades to come at the cost of hundreds of billions of dollars.

Lula, the candidate of Brazil's Marxist-oriented Workers' Party, has worked hard to attempt to recast himself as a more centrist candidate with a pledge to continue current President Cardoso's successful economic program, which proved so successful in taming Brazil's runaway inflation of the 1980s and his selection of a widely respected centrist as his Vice presidential nominee. While he suggested earlier in the campaign that it might be in Brazil's best interests to default on its $250 billion debt, as the election moves ever closer he has suggested that he might honor Brazil's debt rather than repudiate it in a bid to ease the concerns of business interests and Brazil's upper class. Despite his more recent assurances to the contrary, Lula is likely to opt to default on Brazil's $250 million debt, which could spark another global recession similar to the one that began in Asia in 1998. A further major economic downturn in Latin America could go far to aid in Lula's and Castro's efforts to radicalize Latin America and help fellow Marxists take power in neighboring states.

Although Lula has backtracked somewhat from his earlier denunciation of President Bush's admittedly dubious plan for a regional trade grouping, the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), scheduled to be in place in 2005, as nothing but "a USA annexation project", it is clear that he remains very much opposed to Bush's FTAA initiative. While many Brazilians and even some US analysts genuinely believe that Lula has mellowed from his Marxist revolutionary days of a few years ago, it is apparent to many observers including myself that Lula's attempt to make himself appear more moderate is nothing but an attempt at window dressing and campaign posturing in order to maximize his chances for winning this month's presidential election.

Even though he was a longtime opponent of Brazil's past military dictatorships, Lula now openly courts the military. During an address to some of Brazil's top military thinkers on September 13th, he questioned Brazil's participation in nuclear nonproliferation treaties and suggested that it might be in Brazil's best interest to restart its nuclear missile program. Lula has used nationalism very successfully during his campaign to increase his popular support and the Bush Administration needs to try to counter his success and appeal to the opposition by recognizing and encouraging Brazilian national interests and by cooperating with them on regional security and economic issues on an entirely equal basis.

It is not at all clear that the Bush Administration has taken the time to carefully consider what a Lula victory in the Brazilian presidential elections this month would mean for Latin America or for US foreign policy for that matter. Brazil is the fifth most populous nation in the world with over 175 million people and has the world's eighth largest economy. In addition to threatening to restart Brazil's nuclear missile program, Lula has expressed his intention to ally Brazil with Communist China and increase pre-existing WMD and military cooperation with the PRC.

The Voice of America, still led by holdovers from the Clinton Administration decided to cease broadcasting in Brazil months ago and accordingly missed a very important opportunity to influence public opinion in Brazil and warn of the consequences of electing someone as far-left and anti-American as Lula. President Bush should appoint anti-Communist conservatives to head up Voice of America to replace the current crop of Clinton holdovers, which lead it. VOA Broadcasts to Brazil must be resumed immediately to try to convince Brazilians that it is not in their best interests to elect a Communist coalition candidate which will align their country with Communist Cuba and Communist China and Communist-led Venezuela and place their country at serious odds with the United States. The VOA could also serve to encourage the opposition to Lula in the likely event that he is elected President.

The Bush Administration needs to prepare a new strategy to counter the imminent takeover of Brazil by the far left. This new strategy should call for a return to the Monroe Doctrine in which the US takes whatever actions are necessary to prevent foreign aggressors and enemies such as Communist China and other terrorist supporting rogue states from establishing additional beachheads in the Western Hemisphere. The Administration should work with Brazil's traditionally conservative military and its disparate anti-Lula congressional leaders and parties to present a strong and united front against Lula's inevitable attempts to implement a Marxist, anti-US, pro-Communist program likely utilizing extra-constitutional measures to solidify his control over Brazil. ***

David T. Pyne, Esq. is a national security expert who serves as President of the Center for the National Security Interest, a pro-defense, national security think-tank located in Arlington, VA. He has served as an International Programs Manager in the Department of the Army responsible for the countries of the former Soviet Union and the Middle East among others and has traveled as a member of Department of Defense and Department of the Army-led delegations to Canada, South Africa, Israel, Brazil and Argentina. Mr. Pyne is a licensed attorney and former Army Reserve Officer. In addition, he holds an MA in National Security Studies from Georgetown University. Mr. Pyne also serves as Executive Vice President of the Virginia Republican Assembly. He is a member of the Center for Emerging National Security Affairs based in Washington, DC. Mr. Pyne serves as a columnist for American-Partisan.com , OpinioNet.net and America's Voices. He is also a regular contributor for Patriotist.com. In addition, his articles have appeared on Etherzone.com, Sierratimes.com, OriginalDissent.com and AmericanReformation.org where he serves as a national security policy analyst. He has been cited in the New American Magazine and was recently interviewed on Howard Phillips' Conservative Roundtable TV program.

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