John McCain, who has harshly criticized the idea of sitting down with
dictators without pre-conditions, appears to have done just that. In
1985, McCain traveled to Chile for a friendly meeting with Chile's
military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet, one of the world's most
notorious violators of human rights credited with killing more than
3,000 civilians and jailing tens of thousands of others.

The private meeting between McCain and dictator Pinochet has gone
previously un-reported anywhere.

According to a declassified U.S. Embassy cable about the meeting secured
by The Huffington Post, McCain described the meeting with Pinochet "as
friendly and at times warm, but noted that Pinochet does seem obsessed
with the threat of communism." McCain, a member of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee at the time, made no public or private statements
critical of the dictatorship, nor did he meet with members of the
democratic opposition, as far as could be determined from a thorough
check of U.S. and Chilean newspaper records and interviews with top
opposition leaders.

At the time of the meeting, in the late afternoon of December 30, the
U.S. Justice Department was seeking the extradition of two close
Pinochet associates for an act of terrorism in Washington DC, the 1976
assassination of former ambassador to the US and former Foreign Minister
Orlando Letelier. The car bombing on Sheridan Circle in the U.S. capital
was widely described at the time as the most egregious act of
international terrorism perpetrated on U.S. soil by a foreign power.

At the time of McCain's meeting with Pinochet, Chile's democratic
opposition was desperately seeking support from democratic leaders
around the world in an attempt to pressure Pinochet to allow a return to
democracy and force a peaceful end to the dictatorship, already in its
12th year. Other U.S. congressional leaders who visited Chile made
public statements against the dictatorship and in support of a return to
democracy, at times becoming the target of violent pro-Pinochet
demonstrations.

Senator Edward Kennedy arrived only 12 days after McCain in a highly
public show of support for democracy. Demonstrators pelted his entourage
with eggs and blocked the road from the airport, so that the Senator had
to be transported by helicopter to the city, where he met with Catholic
church and human rights leaders and large groups of opposition activists.

Mark Schneider, a foreign policy aide and former State Department human
rights official who organized Kennedy's trip, said he had no idea McCain
had been there only days before. "It would be very surprising and
disappointing if Senator McCain went to Chile to meet with a dictator
and did not forcefully demand a return to democracy and then to publicly
call for a return to democracy," Schneider said.

McCain's visit with Pinochet took place at a moment when the Chilean
strongman held virtually unrestricted dictatorial power and those
involved in public, democratic opposition were exposed to great risk.

McCain's presence in Chile was apparently kept as quiet as possible. He
and his wife Cindy arrived December 27 and traveled immediately to the
scenic Puyehue area of southern Chile to spend several days as the guest
of a prominent Pinochet backer, Marco Cariola, who later was elected
senator for the conservative UDI party.

The trip was arranged by Chile's ambassador to the United States, Hernan
Felipe Errazuriz. According to a contemporary government document
obtained from Chile, Errazuriz arranged for a special government liaison
to help McCain while in Chile for the "strictly private" visit, and
described him as "one of the conservative congressmen who is closest to
our embassy."

Errazuriz also arranged the invitation for the McCains to stay at the
farm of his wealthy friend, Marco Cariola, according to Cariola, who did
not know McCain previously. The McCains spent the three and a half days
fishing for salmon and trout and riding horses. The area is one of
Chile's most beautiful tourist attractions, with dozens of crystal clear
lakes and rivers surrounded by luxurious estates such as the Cariola
farm where the McCains were staying.

On December 30, McCain traveled back to Santiago for a 5 pm meeting with
dictator Pinochet, followed by a meeting with Admiral Jose Toribio
Merino, a member of the country's ruling military junta.

McCain's meeting with Pinochet in 1985 are described in a U.S. embassy
cable, based on McCain's debriefing with embassy officials:

"Most of his 30-minute meeting with the president, at which foreign
minister [Jaime] Del Valle and a ministry staff member were present, was
spent in discussing the dangers of communism, a subject about which the
president seems obsessed. The President described Chile's recent history
in the fight against communism and displayed considerable pride in the
fact that the communist menace had been defeated in Chile. The President
stressed that Chile had stood alone in this battle, and complained that
United States Foreign Policy had left them stranded. The congressman
added that talking to Pinochet was somewhat similar to talking with the
head of the John Birch Society."

Other than to describe the warmth of the encounter, the cable does not
contain any account of what McCain said to Pinochet. There is no
indication that the subject of human rights or return to democracy was
raised with Pinochet. At this time in history, Pinochet was overtly
ostracized by most world democratic leaders because of his refusal to
move toward a restoration of democratic, civilian rule.

A second declassified U.S. diplomatic cable refers to a letter from
then-U.S. Ambassador Harry Barnes giving further detail of McCain's
meeting with Pinochet.

From his meeting with junta member Merino, however, McCain passed on an
tidbit of political intelligence that the embassy found useful. "The
most interesting part of the conversation, according to the congressman,
was Merino's statement that he and other members of the Junta had
recently told Pinochet that he should not expect any support from the
junta if he should decide to be a candidate for president in 1989."

In fact, three years later Pinochet was defeated in a plebiscite in
which he was the only candidate, and free elections a year later
restored democratic government. A healthy list of U.S. congressmen
traveled to Chile in support of the transition to democracy, including
Republican Senator Richard Lugar. McCain, by then a first term senator,
did not return to Chile.
In addition to the Chilean document and the U.S. cable cited above, at
least four other declassified documents refer to McCain's meeting with
Pinochet and his interest in Chile.

McCain campaign press office said no one was available to comment on the
story.

Former ambassador Errazuriz, reached by phone, said repeatedly "it is
not true" that McCain met with Pinochet, that he would have known about
it if it had, and that the state Department cable was possibly a
fabrication.

On September 11, 1973 Army General Pinochet led a bloody coup that
overthrew the democratically elected government of President Salvador
Allende. The four-man military junta that seized power bombed the
presidential palace, padlocked the congress, outlawed all political
activity and actively persecuted its opponents. Pinochet remained in
power until 1990 and in 2006 he was charged with 36 counts of
kidnapping, 23 counts of torture and one count of murder. He was spared
a trial for health reasons and died at age 91 in December 2006.McCa

Boater wrote:
John McCain, who has harshly criticized the idea of sitting down with
dictators without pre-conditions, appears to have done just that. In
1985, McCain traveled to Chile for a friendly meeting with Chile's
military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet, one of the world's most
notorious violators of human rights credited with killing more than
3,000 civilians and jailing tens of thousands of others.

Pinochet is an amateur.

Lenin killed many more.

Stalin killed millions more.

Mao killed millions more.

Ho killed millions more.

Castro killed hundreds of thousands more.

Pot killed millions more.

Ortega killed tens of thousands more.

Any petty dictator in Africa in the 60's, 70's or 80's wouldn't give
Pinochet the time of day.

Boater wrote:
John McCain, who has harshly criticized the idea of sitting down with
dictators without pre-conditions, appears to have done just that. In
1985, McCain traveled to Chile for a friendly meeting with Chile's
military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet, one of the world's most
notorious violators of human rights credited with killing more than
3,000 civilians and jailing tens of thousands of others.

The private meeting between McCain and dictator Pinochet has gone
previously un-reported anywhere.

According to a declassified U.S. Embassy cable about the meeting secured
by The Huffington Post, McCain described the meeting with Pinochet "as
friendly and at times warm, but noted that Pinochet does seem obsessed
with the threat of communism." McCain, a member of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee at the time, made no public or private statements
critical of the dictatorship, nor did he meet with members of the
democratic opposition, as far as could be determined from a thorough
check of U.S. and Chilean newspaper records and interviews with top
opposition leaders.

At the time of the meeting, in the late afternoon of December 30, the
U.S. Justice Department was seeking the extradition of two close
Pinochet associates for an act of terrorism in Washington DC, the 1976
assassination of former ambassador to the US and former Foreign Minister
Orlando Letelier. The car bombing on Sheridan Circle in the U.S. capital
was widely described at the time as the most egregious act of
international terrorism perpetrated on U.S. soil by a foreign power.

At the time of McCain's meeting with Pinochet, Chile's democratic
opposition was desperately seeking support from democratic leaders
around the world in an attempt to pressure Pinochet to allow a return to
democracy and force a peaceful end to the dictatorship, already in its
12th year. Other U.S. congressional leaders who visited Chile made
public statements against the dictatorship and in support of a return to
democracy, at times becoming the target of violent pro-Pinochet
demonstrations.

Senator Edward Kennedy arrived only 12 days after McCain in a highly
public show of support for democracy. Demonstrators pelted his entourage
with eggs and blocked the road from the airport, so that the Senator had
to be transported by helicopter to the city, where he met with Catholic
church and human rights leaders and large groups of opposition activists.

Mark Schneider, a foreign policy aide and former State Department human
rights official who organized Kennedy's trip, said he had no idea McCain
had been there only days before. "It would be very surprising and
disappointing if Senator McCain went to Chile to meet with a dictator
and did not forcefully demand a return to democracy and then to publicly
call for a return to democracy," Schneider said.

McCain's visit with Pinochet took place at a moment when the Chilean
strongman held virtually unrestricted dictatorial power and those
involved in public, democratic opposition were exposed to great risk.

McCain's presence in Chile was apparently kept as quiet as possible. He
and his wife Cindy arrived December 27 and traveled immediately to the
scenic Puyehue area of southern Chile to spend several days as the guest
of a prominent Pinochet backer, Marco Cariola, who later was elected
senator for the conservative UDI party.

The trip was arranged by Chile's ambassador to the United States, Hernan
Felipe Errazuriz. According to a contemporary government document
obtained from Chile, Errazuriz arranged for a special government liaison
to help McCain while in Chile for the "strictly private" visit, and
described him as "one of the conservative congressmen who is closest to
our embassy."

Errazuriz also arranged the invitation for the McCains to stay at the
farm of his wealthy friend, Marco Cariola, according to Cariola, who did
not know McCain previously. The McCains spent the three and a half days
fishing for salmon and trout and riding horses. The area is one of
Chile's most beautiful tourist attractions, with dozens of crystal clear
lakes and rivers surrounded by luxurious estates such as the Cariola
farm where the McCains were staying.

On December 30, McCain traveled back to Santiago for a 5 pm meeting with
dictator Pinochet, followed by a meeting with Admiral Jose Toribio
Merino, a member of the country's ruling military junta.

McCain's meeting with Pinochet in 1985 are described in a U.S. embassy
cable, based on McCain's debriefing with embassy officials:

"Most of his 30-minute meeting with the president, at which foreign
minister [Jaime] Del Valle and a ministry staff member were present, was
spent in discussing the dangers of communism, a subject about which the
president seems obsessed. The President described Chile's recent history
in the fight against communism and displayed considerable pride in the
fact that the communist menace had been defeated in Chile. The President
stressed that Chile had stood alone in this battle, and complained that
United States Foreign Policy had left them stranded. The congressman
added that talking to Pinochet was somewhat similar to talking with the
head of the John Birch Society."

Other than to describe the warmth of the encounter, the cable does not
contain any account of what McCain said to Pinochet. There is no
indication that the subject of human rights or return to democracy was
raised with Pinochet. At this time in history, Pinochet was overtly
ostracized by most world democratic leaders because of his refusal to
move toward a restoration of democratic, civilian rule.

A second declassified U.S. diplomatic cable refers to a letter from
then-U.S. Ambassador Harry Barnes giving further detail of McCain's
meeting with Pinochet.

From his meeting with junta member Merino, however, McCain passed on an
tidbit of political intelligence that the embassy found useful. "The
most interesting part of the conversation, according to the congressman,
was Merino's statement that he and other members of the Junta had
recently told Pinochet that he should not expect any support from the
junta if he should decide to be a candidate for president in 1989."

In fact, three years later Pinochet was defeated in a plebiscite in
which he was the only candidate, and free elections a year later
restored democratic government. A healthy list of U.S. congressmen
traveled to Chile in support of the transition to democracy, including
Republican Senator Richard Lugar. McCain, by then a first term senator,
did not return to Chile.
In addition to the Chilean document and the U.S. cable cited above, at
least four other declassified documents refer to McCain's meeting with
Pinochet and his interest in Chile.

McCain campaign press office said no one was available to comment on the
story.

Former ambassador Errazuriz, reached by phone, said repeatedly "it is
not true" that McCain met with Pinochet, that he would have known about
it if it had, and that the state Department cable was possibly a
fabrication.

On September 11, 1973 Army General Pinochet led a bloody coup that
overthrew the democratically elected government of President Salvador
Allende. The four-man military junta that seized power bombed the
presidential palace, padlocked the congress, outlawed all political
activity and actively persecuted its opponents. Pinochet remained in
power until 1990 and in 2006 he was charged with 36 counts of
kidnapping, 23 counts of torture and one count of murder. He was spared
a trial for health reasons and died at age 91 in December 2006.McCa

It just slays you that you are not briefed on our diplomatic missions. Snerk

Do you seriously believe that McCain's visit was not directed and
monitored by our Department of State?

"Boater" wrote in message
...

John McCain, who has harshly criticized the idea of sitting down with
dictators without pre-conditions, appears to have done just that. In 1985,
McCain traveled to Chile for a friendly meeting with Chile's military
ruler .....


Whoopee. 23 years ago. Wow.
Things have changed a bit.

Kinda scraping the bottom of the barrel, huh?

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"Boater" wrote in message
...

John McCain, who has harshly criticized the idea of sitting down with
dictators without pre-conditions, appears to have done just that. In 1985,
McCain traveled to Chile for a friendly meeting with Chile's military
ruler .....


Whoopee. 23 years ago. Wow.
Things have changed a bit.

Kinda scraping the bottom of the barrel, huh?

Eisboch




Not quite as far back as when Ayers was active...you know, when Obama
was eight or nine years old, eh?

You know, if we hadn't been so chummy with right-wing dictators in the
20th Century, we might not have have had so many problems in places like
Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, Chile, Nicaragua, Cuba, et cetera.

I'm watching McCain at the moment give a speech in Colorado. The man
ought to be opting for a rocking chair...he looks old, sounds old, has
no ideas and repeats the same old crap that isn't working for him. He
just brought up the Cuban Missile Crisis with no context.

Boater wrote:
Eisboch wrote:
"Boater" wrote in message
...

John McCain, who has harshly criticized the idea of sitting down with
dictators without pre-conditions, appears to have done just that. In
1985, McCain traveled to Chile for a friendly meeting with Chile's
military ruler .....


Whoopee. 23 years ago. Wow.
Things have changed a bit.

Kinda scraping the bottom of the barrel, huh?

Eisboch



Not quite as far back as when Ayers was active...you know, when Obama
was eight or nine years old, eh?

When Ayers was murdering and attempting to murder innocent people.

You know, if we hadn't been so chummy with right-wing dictators in the
20th Century, we might not have have had so many problems in places like
Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, Chile, Nicaragua, Cuba, et cetera.

Oh ok.

I'm watching McCain at the moment give a speech in Colorado. The man
ought to be opting for a rocking chair...he looks old, sounds old, has
no ideas and repeats the same old crap that isn't working for him. He
just brought up the Cuban Missile Crisis with no context.

Obama has no ideas, he only regurgitates what the left has been trying
to force upon the USA for the last 40 years and which has been soundly
rejected by the voters. And, if you can get it voted in then you do the
next best thing and get a judge to make a liberal ruling granting rights
where none existed before.

On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:10:28 -0400, BAR wrote:


And, if you can get it voted in then you do the
next best thing and get a judge to make a liberal ruling granting rights
where none existed before.

They existed. "Certain unalienable Rights", covers quite a bit of ground.