The Monroe Doctrine, Revisited: How 200 Years of U.S. Policy Have Helped to Destabilize the Americas

This weekend, _Democracy Now!_ co-host Juan González gives the opening plenary at American University's one-day conference, "Burying 200 Years of the U.S. Monroe Doctrine," marking 200 years since the Monroe Doctrine, the foreign policy directive from President James Monroe that effectively declared all of Latin America a U.S. sphere of influence. For the past two centuries, the Monroe Doctrine has been repeatedly used to justify scores of invasions, interventions and CIA regime changes in the Americas. On today's show, we speak to two other conference guests, CodePink's Medea Benjamin and The Red Nation's Nick Estes, about the Monroe Doctrine's long and brutal legacy within U.S. imperialism.

[LaMichiganR]

*I wish people in the US would understand that our war machine is tied to the corporations; we are collateral damage.*
*"War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people.* *Only a small inside group knows what it is about.* *It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses."* -Smedley Butler

[Marxist]

Wow, as a Mexican woman, I want to thank Juan for bringing up all these historical events, that many of us were not aware or know about.

[Rhythmicons]

From the Monroe Doctrine, to the Big Brother Policy, to the Roosevelt Corollary, the switch from the Big Brother Policy to the Good Neighbor Policy, to the Latin American School for the Americas that trained a slew of dictators, there is some major history here that needs explaining. Let's not forget the Border Wars and the US' tampering in the Mexican Revolution...the list goes on and on.

[admir]

"Grandpa killed the Indians, and stole their land. Papa killed the snakes, and worked the land"

John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath

[KaliFissure]

The USA really could hardly have played world politics any worse.
Instead of building allies and helping build an infrastructure which they could have benefited from, this whole post slavery mentality meant they are despised almost universally.
American colonialism isn't lost on the rest of the world.

[wseanculkin]

The History of USMC General Smedley Butler is very relevant to this topic. He was a member of the forces that did the corporate bidding, and then came to realize the wrong of it all. He did stop a Nazi movement supported by the father of Bush 1. He did stand up for WW1 veterans. He did admit that he was the muscle for illegitimate American Government actions.

[Marxist]

Thank you for having nick Estes & the great Medea Benjamin.

[curtrice]

I hope every Representative & Senators is watching this teaching 😊.

[cheri]

American history on all sides done with dignity and truth this morning.
May we all honor Howard Zinn's, incredible book,
"A People's History of the United States." 1922-2010.
RIP 🙏Howard Zinn and for all whom participated in this discussion this morning towards know their works for social justice.
Thank you, Amy, Juan, and Team Democracy Now .

[sandrajones]

Thank you for introducing me to Nick Estes and the Monroe Doctrine. I recently came across information that indicates ALL reservation land is "held in trust" by uncle sam? Not really belonging to the people... concentration camps? Maritime Law vs
Law of the Land.... This continent was fully inhabited with culture and societal centers before European arrival. Whose laws have been calling ALL the shots?

[rippingtons]

“Dangerous to our peace and safety”, More like dangerous to out PROFITS and POWER.

[Hannahable]

That is one reason to teach HISTORY TO PEOPLE😢

[jasonlacroix]

I've spent a lifetime visiting many Caribbean nations and wish that my nation would let them have sovereignty. They are wonderful, peaceful people that don't bother anyone.

[BailelaVida]

Bravo! About time you came back to your original purpose Democracy Now. Good segment.
Let's have a little more of this please.
Thanks.

[charmyzard]

Maybe this quote puts it the best:
"'The Monroe Doctrine' is a uniquely American brand of arrogance that will crumble down once tested." - Wilhelm II, last Kaiser of Germany.

[thecynic]

Residential schools were used in Australia and New Zealand as well.

[stevemcelmury]

America sent troops to the Dominican Republic in 1955, not 1965. LBJ was nowhere near; it was President Eisenhower that authorized the deployment.

[AngelRodriguez-ztnv]

Democracy now is educational news and I'm so proud to be a Puerto Rican being represented by you guys 😁👍👏

[nawatlsol]

Latin America has been the Ukrane of modern Europe for over 200 year's.

[ClarityDetermination]

Nick Estes is very well spoken. I learned a lot from him.