Dream vacation: Sea, sand, and depleted uranium at Vieques

[donsu]

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1992.shtml


For nearly 60 years, Vieques, a tiny island off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico, was used as a heavy weapons target range for the U.S. Navy. In addition, says columnist Juan Gonzalez: “The U.S. government (was) not content to simply use Vieques for its own military. It (had) the audacity to rent out the island to the armed forces of Latin America and Europe.”

This deal earned Washington $80 million in 1998 alone but the roughly 9,000 residents of Vieques faced socio-economic disaster. The fishing and tourism industries were wrecked and 50 percent of residents were unemployed while 72 percent lived in poverty.

The situation attained international prominence when, on April 19, 1999, two F-18 fighter jets getting in some last-minute target practice before heading off to radiate the Balkans dropped two 500-pounds bombs on an observation post and killed David Sanes Rodriguez, a 35-year-old civilian worker. The incident sparked massive, sustained demonstrations and by 2003, the navy packed up and left.

Fast forward to 2007 and you’ll find travel articles extolling Vieques as an “untapped environment” with “pristine beaches” and “chic restaurants” perfect for the “upscale city dweller,” the “nature lover,” and the “spring breaker.” And the depleted uranium comes at no extra charge.

-snip-

Also real: Vieques, the new tourist hot spot, registers a 73 percent higher incidence of cancer than Puerto Rico as a whole. As Johnny Rotten howled: “A cheap holiday in other people’s misery.”
------------------------


a neo con war crime of magnitude and duration forever

[ananda]

1. geez..

tourist -hot- spot indeed! Shame.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

2. i was stationed there in 1972

it is beautiful.

[donsu]

3. beautiful and deadly

a poison that you cannot see, smell, taste, or feel


the world needs MANY more labs that can test for DU poisoning

our reproduction depends on it

[madfloridian]

4. Vieques moved to Avon Park, Florida. Don't get me started.

I have written about it here several times, but it gets few comments and drops quickly.

Avon Park Bombing Range is Vieques II.

[madfloridian]

5. Found one post about it...Adam Putnam's baby. He loves his bombs

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2882722&mesg_id=2882722

[donsu]

6. I didn't know that! missed your threads, good grief now there is

another spot on earth that will remain deadly.

[madfloridian]

7. Here are some more articles about Avon Park.

I can't do a search on my other posts here dating back to 2002, may try a google. They are replacing Vieques with a small town in Central Florida.

U.S. Forces to Train At Avon Park Range
More than 250 troops will practice techniques they will put to use in Iraq.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060330/NEWS/603300385&SearchID=73278647988314

Avon Park Bombing Likely to Go Up
Navy plan may pose a threat to several species, including the protected
Florida scrub-jay.
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051101/NEWS/511010335&SearchID=73278648134392

Navy to Sharpen Its Aim In Polk
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060629/NEWS/606290455&SearchID=73278648205416

[Javaman]

8. This wasn't rented out, this was a place that the military could study...

the after effects of it's weapons on the population.

I know it sounds like a :tinfoilhat: theory, but I bet you that's what they were thinking.