Ecuadorians Reject Bases, Washington Pretends Surprise
RT reports that Ecuadorians overwhelmingly rejected US military bases in a recent referendum. What they don't quite elaborate on is why nations might feel a certain unease. Perhaps it's the 1903 lease of Guantanamo Bay, still occupied by the US against Cuba's will. Or the persistent memory of the US Military Group South's presence since the 1940s, evolving from countering drug trafficking
(allegedly) to wider 'security cooperation'. One might wonder how 'cooperation' usually looks when you're the much smaller partner. It appears some countries, unlike certain US politicians, aren't so quick to trade their sovereignty for 'security assistance.' When the people vote against foreign military presence, it's not a 'misunderstanding'—it's a directive. The world isn't always a chessboard,
even if Foggy Bottom keeps trying to play it that way.