(VIETNAM HISTORY) term coined by the authorities in South Vietnam to refer to the patriotic insurgency against the Saigon regime. The term has been traced to the head of Ngo Dinh Diem's secret police, although at this time (1960) the insurgents were not always Communist. The correct term is "National Liberation Front" (NLF).
"Cong" is used to mimic the term "Com," for "Communist." The Vietnamese language does not really allow speakers to pronounce "Com."
The National Liberation Front was originally an association of many organizations, including religious organizations. The leader, Hua Tho, was not a Marxist at all. However, the Diem administration organized the physical extermination of all opposition, including peaceful opposition, so the result was that only underground guerrilla movements could actually engage in politics. Naturally, the survival of the NLF depended on its ability to fight the Saigon regime, which meant rural insurgency, which meant gradual integration into the PAVN command structure.
The NLF grew quite strong; by 1968, it was able to carry out crucial operations in the Tet Offensive. Unfortunately, it was almost eradicated by the US military in the offensive, and had to be recreated.
"Cong" is used to mimic the term "Com," for "Communist." The Vietnamese language does not really allow speakers to pronounce "Com."
The National Liberation Front was originally an association of many organizations, including religious organizations. The leader, Hua Tho, was not a Marxist at all. However, the Diem administration organized the physical extermination of all opposition, including peaceful opposition, so the result was that only underground guerrilla movements could actually engage in politics. Naturally, the survival of the NLF depended on its ability to fight the Saigon regime, which meant rural insurgency, which meant gradual integration into the PAVN command structure.
The NLF grew quite strong; by 1968, it was able to carry out crucial operations in the Tet Offensive. Unfortunately, it was almost eradicated by the US military in the offensive, and had to be recreated.
The most popular aspect of the National Liberation Front program was the promise to take the land from the rich and to distribute it to the peasants.
After Diem had gained power in South Vietnam, he reversed Viet Minh land reforms, causing his regime to be bitterly hated by most peasants. So they joined the Viet Cong.
After Diem had gained power in South Vietnam, he reversed Viet Minh land reforms, causing his regime to be bitterly hated by most peasants. So they joined the Viet Cong.
by Primus Intra Pares July 24, 2010
Former name of BP, p.l.c. The name "British Petroleum" remains in use because "BP" is useless for internet searches. Third largest oil company in the world, by sales (behind Exxon Mobile and Royal Dutch Shell; in 2009, these were $246.1 billion.
BP is the largest oil and gas producer in the US.
Lessor of Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. On 20 April 2010, a fire and explosion on the Deepwater Horizon killed eleven crew members and was followed by a blowout, during which perhaps four million barrels of crude oil were poured into the ecologically sensitive area.
Company was founded in 1909 by William Knox D'Arcy as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC), and used its ties with the hapless Qejar Dynasty ruling Iran.
In 1925, Reza Khan (formerly an employee of APOC) had himself proclaimed Shah; his ascendancy from commoner to emperor was stimulated by Iran popular anger at the way APOC was pumping billions of pounds from Iran's land to the Exchequer of the UK, while a ridiculously small amount went to Iran itself. Shah Reza promised to revise the agreement with APOC, but after 7 years of negotiating with the company, got nothing more than a name change (to Anglo-Iranian).
In 1951, Prime Minister Muhammad Mussadegh nationalize the company's assets in Iran. On behalf of AIOC, MI-5 and the CIA staged a coup d'etat that ousted the democratically elected Prime Minister in favor of absolute dictatorship by the Shah (1953).
BP is the largest oil and gas producer in the US.
Lessor of Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. On 20 April 2010, a fire and explosion on the Deepwater Horizon killed eleven crew members and was followed by a blowout, during which perhaps four million barrels of crude oil were poured into the ecologically sensitive area.
Company was founded in 1909 by William Knox D'Arcy as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC), and used its ties with the hapless Qejar Dynasty ruling Iran.
In 1925, Reza Khan (formerly an employee of APOC) had himself proclaimed Shah; his ascendancy from commoner to emperor was stimulated by Iran popular anger at the way APOC was pumping billions of pounds from Iran's land to the Exchequer of the UK, while a ridiculously small amount went to Iran itself. Shah Reza promised to revise the agreement with APOC, but after 7 years of negotiating with the company, got nothing more than a name change (to Anglo-Iranian).
In 1951, Prime Minister Muhammad Mussadegh nationalize the company's assets in Iran. On behalf of AIOC, MI-5 and the CIA staged a coup d'etat that ousted the democratically elected Prime Minister in favor of absolute dictatorship by the Shah (1953).
Until 1997, British Petroleum was part of an industry-wide consortium that funded climate change "skepticism."
Although it is financially and legally unrelated to the British government, BP has historically been treated by the British FCO as if it were an arm of the state.
Although it is financially and legally unrelated to the British government, BP has historically been treated by the British FCO as if it were an arm of the state.
by Primus Intra Pares July 16, 2010
(VIETNAMESE HISTORY) artificial state created by the 1954 Geneva Agreement (to end the First Indochina War). Parties to the agreement were the People's Republic of China, the USSR, and France; the Vietnamese were stuck with an agreement that perpetuated colonial rule over the majority of their population.
ROVN expected to be a clone of Republic of Korea; however, in ROK, there were a lot of nationalist leaders with a broad popular following, whereas in South Vietnam there weren't; instead, Vietnamese loyalties lay with Vietnamese nation created in May 1945 (by the Viet Minh). This had little to do with Communism, and more to do with the fact that there was nothing Vietnamese about the ROVN. It was not a republic, because there was no legitimate system of choosing the ruler, and no accountability to the people. And it wasn't Vietnamese.
Political opponents of the regime were routinely executed.
Eventually, US withdrew its support because there was an irrepressible conflict between the "realists" in the Pentagon, who understood that the approach to the war had to address widespread peonage, and the neoconservatives, who were ideological fanatics. The ROVN instantly collapsed, because it had no base of support left in the Vietnamese population.
ROVN expected to be a clone of Republic of Korea; however, in ROK, there were a lot of nationalist leaders with a broad popular following, whereas in South Vietnam there weren't; instead, Vietnamese loyalties lay with Vietnamese nation created in May 1945 (by the Viet Minh). This had little to do with Communism, and more to do with the fact that there was nothing Vietnamese about the ROVN. It was not a republic, because there was no legitimate system of choosing the ruler, and no accountability to the people. And it wasn't Vietnamese.
Political opponents of the regime were routinely executed.
Eventually, US withdrew its support because there was an irrepressible conflict between the "realists" in the Pentagon, who understood that the approach to the war had to address widespread peonage, and the neoconservatives, who were ideological fanatics. The ROVN instantly collapsed, because it had no base of support left in the Vietnamese population.
The "Republic of Vietnam" was a comic opera creation, with no legitimacy, no law, no legitimacy; no Vietnamese loved it, its army would not fight for it, its generals mainly sought power of money, and the US military was completely deceived by the whole imposture.
by Primus Intra Pares July 25, 2010
specific object; explicit and sole goal. Used to describe the reason one committed a particular act, especially if the motivation is somewhat unusual.
"Disaster capitalism" sometimes takes advantage of natural disasters, such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. But in 1973, Pinochet and the US Central Intelligence Agency carried out a coup d'etat with the express purpose of imposing neoliberal policies against the democratic will of the Chilean people.
by Primus Intra Pares July 11, 2010
(CURRENT EVENTS) offshore oil drilling platform located off the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi. The platform was owned and operated by Transocean, LTD., under lease to British Petroleum (BP).
The well, which was in 1 mile of water, blew out (or ruptured) on 20 April 2010, and gushed millions of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. On 14 July, the main rupture appeared to have been capped. By then, probably 4 million barrels of crude had been released into a sensitive habitat, destroying the livelihood of tens of thousands of people.
According to some estimates, the Deepwater Horizon blowout was the worst peacetime oil well blowout in history.
The well, which was in 1 mile of water, blew out (or ruptured) on 20 April 2010, and gushed millions of barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. On 14 July, the main rupture appeared to have been capped. By then, probably 4 million barrels of crude had been released into a sensitive habitat, destroying the livelihood of tens of thousands of people.
According to some estimates, the Deepwater Horizon blowout was the worst peacetime oil well blowout in history.
The Deepwater Horizon platform killed eleven crew members when it exploded. The operator and its lessor, BP, had been cited hundreds of times for major safety procedure violations.
by Primus Intra Pares July 15, 2010
(1) Citizenship and Immigration Services; the successor to the investigations and processing arm of the former Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) of the USA. In 2003, the INS was dissolved and its enforcement arm transferred to the new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The INS had formerly been part of the Justice Department; the CIS is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
(2) Center for Immigration Studies, a thinktank founded by John Tanton as a project of FAIR. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) lists the CIS as a racist nativist organization with extensive connections with other rightwing organizations.
(2) Center for Immigration Studies, a thinktank founded by John Tanton as a project of FAIR. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) lists the CIS as a racist nativist organization with extensive connections with other rightwing organizations.
(DEF1) She spent the better part of a week struggling through the CIS website, trying to imagine how anyone could get a work permit without violating the laws of physics.
(DEF2) Some at CIS have also written for a nativist hate site, VDARE.com, which is named after Virginia Dare, said to be the first English child born in the New World. They include CIS Fellow John Miano and board member Carol Iannone.
(Heidi Beirich, "CIS: The 'Independent' Think Tank," Feb 2009)
(DEF2) Some at CIS have also written for a nativist hate site, VDARE.com, which is named after Virginia Dare, said to be the first English child born in the New World. They include CIS Fellow John Miano and board member Carol Iannone.
(Heidi Beirich, "CIS: The 'Independent' Think Tank," Feb 2009)
by Primus Intra Pares June 16, 2010
(UK GOVERNMENT) also spelled MI6; the Secret Intelligence Service. Under the control of the Home Secretary, along with MI-5 and General Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).
There is no simple division of labor between the two agencies; MI-5 usually is involved with domestic operations, and MI-6 is usually involved in overseas operations, but the real distinction is that one houses one group of agencies, and the other houses another. Like MI-5, the SIS/MI-6 was founded in 1909 as a joint operation between the Admiralty and the War Office.
During the Cold War, the agency was badly compromised by pro-Soviet staff (the "Cambridge Spy Ring"). It later recovered from Soviet penetration and recruited Col. Oleg Penkovsky.
There is no simple division of labor between the two agencies; MI-5 usually is involved with domestic operations, and MI-6 is usually involved in overseas operations, but the real distinction is that one houses one group of agencies, and the other houses another. Like MI-5, the SIS/MI-6 was founded in 1909 as a joint operation between the Admiralty and the War Office.
During the Cold War, the agency was badly compromised by pro-Soviet staff (the "Cambridge Spy Ring"). It later recovered from Soviet penetration and recruited Col. Oleg Penkovsky.
MI-6 was involved in several notorious schemes, such as Operation Ajax (Iran) and the ouster of Patrice Lumumba (Congo) and Jeddi Kagan (Guyana).
by Primus Intra Pares July 18, 2010