Difference between revisions of "US/Bombing campaigns since 1945"

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'''Countries the US has bombed since 1945''' is the most memorable part of listings detailing violent interference in the affairs of other countries by the United States of America. However, US terrorism is often less noticeable and more damaging than high-profile attacks.
+
'''Countries the US has bombed since 1945''' is in fact only the most memorable part of the listings that show violent interference by the United States of America in the affairs of other countries. In practice, US led assassinations, overthrows of legitimate government and interference with elections may be just as damaging, these are also listed here.
  
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''This article is intended as an adjunct to two Wikipedia articles, being the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations Timeline of United States military operations] and the list of covert [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covert_United_States_foreign_regime_change_actions US Regime-change actions]. There is a great deal of bias in many parts of the Wikipedia articles, and the detail overwhelms the picture. There are no useful "summaries" or totals of the interventions and articles confusingly put the earlier interventions (going right back to 1776) at the top of the page.
+
''This article is intended as an adjunct to two Wikipedia articles, being the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations Timeline of United States military operations] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covert_United_States_foreign_regime_change_actions US Regime-change actions] (formerly entitled "Covert US foreign regime change actions"). There is a great deal of bias in many parts of the Wikipedia articles, and the detail overwhelms the picture. There are no useful "summaries" or totals of the interventions and articles confusingly put the earlier interventions (going right back to 1776) at the top of the page. This article aims to be even-handed, clearer and more relevant.
  
 
==Countries the US has bombed since the end of World War 2==
 
==Countries the US has bombed since the end of World War 2==
  
−
The US carried out 32 distinct and separate bombing campaigns on 24 different countries between 1945 and 1999.<ref name=bluminterventions>[http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Blum/US_Interventions_WBlumZ.html A Brief History of U.S. Interventions] 1945 to the Present by William Blum - Z magazine, June 1999.</ref> This listing includes later operations.<br>  
+
The US is said to have carried out 32 distinct and separate bombing campaigns on 24 different countries between 1945 and 1999.<ref name=bluminterventions>[http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Blum/US_Interventions_WBlumZ.html A Brief History of U.S. Interventions] 1945 to the Present by William Blum - Z magazine, June 1999.</ref> However, the listing below includes later operations as well. In most cases, bombings with aircraft cannot be denied, though in some cases this has been attempted.<br>  
  
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! align="left" width="10%"|<big>'''Country'''</big> !! <big>'''Year(s)'''</big> !! Details !! Denied?  
+
! align="left" width="10%"|<big>'''Date'''</big> !! <big>'''Country'''</big> !! Details !! Disputed?  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Libya|Libya]] || 2011 || Early US attacks under UNSC 1973 are followed by NATO attacks leading to regime change and death of Ghadaffi. || No
+
| 2011 || [[:Category:Libya|Libya]] || Early US attacks under UNSC 1973 are followed by NATO attacks leading to regime change and death of Ghadaffi. || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Iraq|Iraq]]  || 2003 - 2011 || Regime change against a previous ally. || No
+
| 2003 -<br> 2011 ||[[:Category:Iraq|Iraq]]  || Regime change against Saddam Hussein, an ally who had gone rogue. By all accounts, US Ambassador in Baghdad, April Glaspie, gave Saddam the green light to invade Kuwait in August 1990. She was totally silent on everything until her retirement in 2002 and has not spoken since.<ref>[http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11376.htm Is the US State Department still keeping April Glaspie under wraps?] Information Clearing House 12/25/2005.</ref> || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Afghanistan|Afghanistan]]  || 2001 - present || Regime change under the guise of trying to catch Osama Bin Laden. || No
+
| 2001 -<br> present || [[:Category:Afghanistan|Afghanistan]]  || Regime change under the guise of trying to catch Osama Bin Laden. || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Serbia|Yugoslavia - Serbia]] || 1999 || Television stations and the Chinese Embassy. ||  
+
| 1999 || [[:Category:Serbia|Yugoslavia - Serbia]] || Allegedly to stop an ethnic cleansing that had begun or might begin. Targetted television stations and bombed the Chinese Embassy. || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Afghanistan|Afghanistan]] || 1998 || Cruise missiles on Osama Bin Ladens compounds. || No
+
| 1998 || [[:Category:Afghanistan|Afghanistan]] || Cruise missiles on Osama Bin Ladens compounds. || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Sudan|Sudan]] || 1998 || Cruise missile attack on an antibiotic factory wrongly alleged to be producing WMD. ||  
+
| 1998 || [[:Category:Sudan|Sudan]] || Cruise missile attack on an antibiotic factory wrongly alleged to be producing WMD. || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Iran|Iran]] || 1998 ||  || ????
+
| 1998 || [[:Category:Iran|Iran]] ||  || ????
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Bosnia|Bosnia]] || 1995 || Serbian forces bombed. || No
+
| 1995 || [[:Category:Bosnia|Bosnia]] || Serbian forces bombed. Generally accepted as a "good war".  || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Somalia|Somalia]] || 1992-94 ||  || ????
+
| 1992-94 || [[:Category:Somalia|Somalia]] || Known to the West chiefly for "Black Hawk Down" || ????
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Kuwait|Kuwait]] || 1991 || Considerable use of Depleted Uranium, much subsequent concern about cancers. || No
+
| 1991 || [[:Category:Kuwait|Kuwait]] || See bombing of Iraq, below. Some of the attack took place within Kuwait, leaving quantities of Depleted Uranium, and causing much subsequent concern about cancers. || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Iraq|Iraq]] || 1991 || Bombing for 40 days and nights devastated the ancient and modern capital city of one of the most advanced nations in the Middle East. 177 million pounds of bombs fell in the most concentrated aerial onslaught in the history of the world.<ref name=bluminterventions/> Genuine multi-national effort and seen by most as a "good war". || No
+
| 1991 || [[:Category:Iraq|Iraq]] || Bombing for 40 days and nights devastated the ancient and modern capital city of one of the most advanced nations in the Middle East. 177 million pounds of bombs fell in the most concentrated aerial onslaught in the history of the world.<ref name=bluminterventions/> Genuine multi-national effort and seen by most as a "good war". || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Panama|Panama]] || 1989-90 || December 1989, a large tenement barrio in Panama City wiped out, 15,000 people left homeless. Casualties disputed.<ref name=bluminterventions/> || No
+
| 1989-90 || [[:Category:Panama|Panama]] || December 1989, a large tenement barrio in Panama City wiped out, 15,000 people left homeless. Casualties disputed.<ref name=bluminterventions/> || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Libya|Libya]] || 1989 || Attempt to kill Ghaddafi, Tripoli bombed. ||  
+
| 1989 || [[:Category:Libya|Libya]] || Attempt to kill Ghaddafi, Tripoli bombed. ||  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Iran|Iran]] || 1987-88 ||  || ????
+
| 1987-88 ||[[:Category:Iran|Iran]] ||  || ????
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Nicaragua|Nicaragua]] || 1981-90 || US taken to the World Court and condemned for terrorism. || Denied by some
+
| 1981-90 || [[:Category:Nicaragua|Nicaragua]] || US taken to the World Court and condemned for terrorism. || Denied by some
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:El Salvador|El Salvadore]] || 1981-92 || Officially, the U.S. military presence in El Salvador was limited to an advisory capacity. About 20 Americans were killed or wounded in helicopter and plane crashes while flying reconnaissance or other missions over combat areas, and considerable evidence surfaced of a U.S. role in the ground fighting as well. The war came to an official end in 1992; 75,000 civilian deaths at a cost of six billion dollars. Meaningful social change largely thwarted by 1999. A handful of the wealthy still owned the country, the poor remained as ever, and dissidents still suffered from death squads.<ref name=bluminterventions/> || Denied by some
+
| 1981-92 || [[:Category:El Salvador|El Salvadore]] || Officially, the U.S. military presence in El Salvador was limited to an advisory capacity. About 20 Americans were killed or wounded in helicopter and plane crashes while flying reconnaissance or other missions over combat areas, and considerable evidence surfaced of a U.S. role in the ground fighting as well. The war came to an official end in 1992; 75,000 civilian deaths at a cost of six billion dollars. Meaningful social change still largely thwarted by 1999. A handful of the wealthy still owned the country, the poor remained as ever, and dissidents still suffered from death squads.<ref name=bluminterventions/> || Disputed by some
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Libya|Libya]] || 1986 || One of more than 50 attempts to assassinate foreign leaders (no listing in Pilger's "The World War on Democracy").<ref name=pilger>[http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28753 The World War on Democracy] One of more than 50 attempts to assassinate foreign leaders (but no listing) Global Research, John Pilger Jan 19, 2012, citing William Blum's "updated summary of the record of US foreign policy". Since the Second World War" of July 2011.</ref> || No
+
| 1986 || [[:Category:Libya|Libya]] || One of more than 50 attempts to assassinate foreign leaders (no listing in Pilger's "The World War on Democracy").<ref name=pilger>[http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28753 The World War on Democracy] One of more than 50 attempts to assassinate foreign leaders (but no listing) Global Research, John Pilger Jan 19, 2012, citing William Blum's "updated summary of the record of US foreign policy". Since the Second World War" of July 2011.</ref> || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Grenada|Grenada]] || 1983-84 || Or only guns? ||  
+
| 1983-84 || [[:Category:Grenada|Grenada]] || Was air-power used? ||  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Lebanon|Lebanon]] || 1982-84 || Shelled villages from war-ship. ||  
+
| 1982-84 || [[:Category:Lebanon|Lebanon]] || Shelled villages from war-ship. ||  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Cambodia|Cambodia]] || 1969-70 || More bombs than the whole of WW2. ||  
+
| 1969-70 || [[:Category:Cambodia|Cambodia]] || More bombs than the whole of WW2. ||  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Vietnam|Vietnam]] || 1961-73 || South Vietnam devastated. ||  
+
| 1961-73 || [[:Category:Vietnam|Vietnam]] || South Vietnam devastated. ||  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Laos|Laos]] || 1964-73 ||  ||  
+
| 1964-73 || [[:Category:Laos|Laos]] ||  ||  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Peru|Peru]] || 1965 ||  || Denied by some
+
| 1965 || [[:Category:Peru|Peru]] ||  || Disputed by some
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Dominican Republic|Dominican Republic]] || 1965-66 ||  || ????
+
| 1965-66 || [[:Category:Dominican Republic|Dominican Republic]] ||  || ????
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Guatemala|Guatemala]] || 1964 ||  || ????
+
| 1964 || [[:Category:Guatemala|Guatemala]] ||  || ????
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Congo|Belgian Congo]] || 1964 ||  || Denied by some
+
| 1964 || [[:Category:Congo|Belgian Congo]] ||  || Disputed by some
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Guatemala|Guatemala]] || 1960 ||  || Denied by some
+
| 1960 || [[:Category:Guatemala|Guatemala]] ||  || Disputed by some
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Cuba|Cuba]] || 1959-60 || 40 years of terrorist attacks, bombings, full-scale military invasion, sanctions, embargoes, isolation, assassinations.<ref name=bluminterventions/> ||  
+
| 1959-60 || [[:Category:Cuba|Cuba]] || 40 years of terrorist attacks, bombings, full-scale military invasion, sanctions, embargoes, isolation, assassinations.<ref name=bluminterventions/> ||  
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Indonesia|Indonesia]] || 1958 ||  || ????
+
| 1958 || [[:Category:Indonesia|Indonesia]] || Large scale killings || ????
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Guatemala|Guatemala]] || 1954 || A CIA-organized coup overthrew the democratically-elected and progressive government of Jacobo Arbenz, initiating 40 years of death-squads, torture, disappearances, mass executions, and unimaginable cruelty (peaking 1967-69) totaling well over 100,000 victims - one of the most inhuman chapters of the 20th century. Arbenz had nationalized the U.S. firm, United Fruit Company. The Russians had so little interest in the country that it didn't even maintain diplomatic relations.<ref name=bluminterventions/> || Denied by some
+
| 1954 || [[:Category:Guatemala|Guatemala]] || A CIA-organized coup overthrew the democratically-elected and progressive government of Jacobo Arbenz, initiating 40 years of death-squads, torture, disappearances, mass executions, and unimaginable cruelty (peaking 1967-69) totaling well over 100,000 victims - one of the most inhuman chapters of the 20th century. Arbenz had nationalized the U.S. firm, United Fruit Company. The Russians had so little interest in the country that it didn't even maintain diplomatic relations.<ref name=bluminterventions/> || Disputed by some
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:China|China]] || 1950-53 ||  || Denied by some
+
| 1950-53 || [[:Category:China|China]] ||  || Denied by some
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:Korea|Korea]] || 1950-53 ||  || No
+
| 1950-53 || [[:Category:Korea|Korea]] || At least 20% and perhaps up to 1/3rd of the population killed in order to prevent re-unification. || No
 
|-
 
|-
−
|[[:Category:China|China]] || 1945-46 ||  || Denied by some
+
| 1945-46 || [[:Category:China|China]] ||  || Denied by some
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==Countries where the US has attempted to assassinate a movement leader==
 
==Countries where the US has attempted to assassinate a movement leader==
  
−
The US has made more than 50 attempts to assassinate political party leaders according to William Blum in "Killing Hope: U.S. Military and C.I.A. Interventions since World War II"<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Hope Wikipedia description of "Killing Hope]: U.S. Military and C.I.A. Interventions since World War II". William Blum. 2003. Updated and revised version of his book The CIA - A Forgotten History.</ref> Noam Chomsky called it "Far and away the best book on the topic."<ref>[http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_kevin_ba_080507_william_blum_to_noam.htm "Far and away the best book on the topic.]" says Noam Chomsky on "Killing Hope" according to the Wikipedia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Hope</ref> Former CIA officer John Stockwell called it "The single most useful summary of CIA history."<ref>[http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/RepresentativePress/binLadenphoto.html&date=2009-10-25+09:44:13 "The single most useful summary of CIA history."] John Stockwell on "Killing Hope", according to the Wikipedia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Hope</ref>
+
The US has made more than 50 attempts to assassinate political party leaders according to William Blum in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Hope "Killing Hope: U.S. Military and C.I.A. Interventions since World War II"], 2003. Noam Chomsky called this book [http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_kevin_ba_080507_william_blum_to_noam.htm "Far and away the best book on the topic.]". Former CIA officer John Stockwell called the same book [http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/RepresentativePress/binLadenphoto.html&date=2009-10-25+09:44:13 "The single most useful summary of CIA history."]
  
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All such operations are illegal and almost all such killings are aimed at geo-political objectives. In almost no cases can a clear humanitarian benefit be identified, no matter how tyrranical the target.
+
All such operations are illegal and almost all such killings are aimed at geo-political objectives. In almost no cases can any clear humanitarian benefit be identified, even if the target is/was indeed tyrranical.
  
−
2011 - Osama Bin Laden
+
While bombings with aircraft leave evidence in most cases, covert operations may be difficult to prove.
  
−
2003 - Saddam Hussein and his two sons
+
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
 +
|-
 +
! align="left" width="6%"|<big>'''Year'''</big> !! <big>'''Country'''</big> !! Details !! Disputed?
 +
|-
 +
| 2011 || Pakistan || Osama Bin Laden. Killing of a captured man. || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 2003 || Iraq || Saddam Hussein and his two sons. Two killings and a semi-judicial execution. || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 2002 || Afghanistan || Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Islamic leader and warlord || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1998, 2001-2 || Afghanistan || Osama bin Laden, leading Islamic militant. Cruise missiles followed by a full-scale invasion. || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1993 || Somalia || Mohamed Farah Aideed, prominent clan leader. Failed attempt but he died later. || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1991 || Iraq || Saddam Hussein, leader. Attempt to kill him? || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1985 || Lebanon || Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, Shiite leader (80 people killed in the attempt) || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1984 || Nicaragua || The nine comandantes of the Sandinista National Directorate || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1983 || Nicaragua || Miguel d'Escoto, Foreign Minister || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1983 || Moroccan || Gen. Ahmed Dlimi, Army commander || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1982 || Iran || Ayatollah Khomeini, leader || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1980-1986 || Libya || Muammar Qaddafi, leader, several plots and attempts upon his life || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1976 || Jamaica || Michael Manley, Prime Minister || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1975 || Zaire || Mobutu Sese Seko, President || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1972 || Panama || General Manuel Noriega, Chief of Intelligence. Captured alive and been imprisoned ever since. || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1970s, 1981 || Panama || General Omar Torrijos, leader || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1970 || Chile || Gen. Rene Schneider, Commander-in-Chief of Army || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1970 || Chile || Salvador Allende, President || No
 +
|-
 +
| 1967 || Cuba || Che Guevara, revolutionary leader.  || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1965-6 || France || Charles de Gaulle, President || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1965 || Dominican Republic || Francisco Caamaño, opposition leader || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1960s || Cuba || Raúl Castro, high official in government || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1960s-70s || Cuba || Fidel Castro, President, many attempts on his life including poisoned cigars.  || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1963 || South Vietnam || Ngo Dinh Diem, President. Successful attempt to replace one puppet leader with another. || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1961 || Dominican Republic || Gen. Rafael Trujillo, leader || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1961 || Congo (Zaire) || Patrice Lumumba, Prime Minister || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1961 || Haiti || Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, leader || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1950s-70s || Costa Rica || José Figueres, President, two attempts on his life || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1960 || Iraq || Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Kassem, leader || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1959, 1963, 1969 || Cambodia || Norodom Sihanouk, leader || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1957 || Egypt || Gamal Abdul Nasser, President || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1955 || India || Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1951 || Iran || Mohammed Mossadegh, Prime Minister || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1951 || North Korea || Kim Il Sung, Premier || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1950s (mid) || Philippines  || Claro M. Recto, opposition leader || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1950s, 1962 || Indonesia || Sukarno, President || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1950s || China || Prime minister Chou En-lai, several attempts on his life || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1950s || Germany || CIA/Neo-Nazi hit list of more than 200 political figures in West Germany to be "put out of the way" in the event of a Soviet invasion || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1949 || Korea || Kim Koo, opposition leader || No
 +
|}
  
−
2002 - Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Afghan Islamic leader and warlord
+
Increasingly, attacks are being made on individuals or leaders of quite small groups designated "terrorists". In 2011/2012 there are killings of nuclear technicians in Iran.
−
 
 
−
1999 - Slobodan Milosevic, President of Yugoslavia
 
−
 
 
−
1998, 2001-2 - Osama bin Laden, leading Islamic militant
 
−
 
 
−
1993 - Mohamed Farah Aideed, prominent clan leader of Somalia
 
−
 
 
−
1991 - Saddam Hussein, leader of Iraq
 
−
 
 
−
1985 - Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, Lebanese Shiite leader (80 people killed in the attempt)
 
−
 
 
−
1984 - The nine comandantes of the Sandinista National Directorate
 
−
 
 
−
1983 - Miguel d'Escoto, Foreign Minister of Nicaragua
 
−
 
 
−
1983 - Gen. Ahmed Dlimi, Moroccan Army commander
 
−
 
 
−
1982 - Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of Iran
 
−
 
 
−
1980-1986 - Muammar Qaddafi, leader of Libya, several plots and attempts upon his life
 
−
 
 
−
1976 - Michael Manley, Prime Minister of Jamaica
 
−
 
 
−
1975 - Mobutu Sese Seko, President of Zaire
 
−
 
 
−
1972 - General Manuel Noriega, Chief of Panama Intelligence
 
−
 
 
−
1970s, 1981 - General Omar Torrijos, leader of Panama
 
−
 
 
−
1970 - Gen. Rene Schneider, Commander-in-Chief of Army, Chile
 
−
 
 
−
1970 - Salvador Allende, President of Chile
 
−
 
 
−
1967 - Che Guevara, Cuban leader
 
−
 
 
−
1965-6 - Charles de Gaulle, President of France
 
−
 
 
−
1965 - Francisco Caamaño, Dominican Republic opposition leader
 
−
 
 
−
1960s - Raúl Castro, high official in government of Cuba
 
−
 
 
−
1960s-70s - Fidel Castro, President of Cuba, many attempts on his life
 
−
 
 
−
1963 - Ngo Dinh Diem, President of South Vietnam
 
−
 
 
−
1961 - Gen. Rafael Trujillo, leader of Dominican Republic
 
−
 
 
−
1961 - Patrice Lumumba, Prime Minister of the Congo (Zaire)
 
−
 
 
−
1961 - Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, leader of Haiti
 
−
 
 
−
1950s-70s - José Figueres, President of Costa Rica, two attempts on his life
 
−
 
 
−
1960 - Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Kassem, leader of Iraq
 
−
 
 
−
1959, 1963, 1969 - Norodom Sihanouk, leader of Cambodia
 
−
 
 
−
1957 - Gamal Abdul Nasser, President of Egypt
 
−
 
 
−
1955 - Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India
 
−
 
 
−
1950s (mid) - Claro M. Recto, Philippines opposition leader
 
−
 
 
−
1953 - Mohammed Mossadegh, Prime Minister of Iran
 
−
 
 
−
1951 - Kim Il Sung, Premier of North Korea
 
−
 
 
−
1950s, 1962 - Sukarno, President of Indonesia
 
−
 
 
−
1950s - Chou En-lai, Prime minister of China, several attempts on his life
 
−
 
 
−
1950s - CIA/Neo-Nazi hit list of more than 200 political figures in West Germany to be "put out of the way" in the event of a Soviet invasion
 
−
 
 
−
1949 - Kim Koo, Korean opposition leader
 
−
 
 
−
Increasingly, attacks are being made on individuals or leaders of quite small groups. Or even individuals (eg Iranian nuclear engineers).
 
  
 
==Countries where the US has attempted to overthrow a democratic government==
 
==Countries where the US has attempted to overthrow a democratic government==
Line 170: Line 175:
 
The US has attempted to overthrow more than 50 national governments, most of them being popular/democratic rather than tyrannical.<ref name=pilger/>
 
The US has attempted to overthrow more than 50 national governments, most of them being popular/democratic rather than tyrannical.<ref name=pilger/>
  
−
1973 - Chile
+
While bombings with aircraft leave evidence in most cases, covert operations may be difficult to prove.
  
−
1953 - Iran
+
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
 +
|-
 +
! align="left" width="6%"|<big>'''Year'''</big> !! <big>'''Country'''</big> !! Details !! Disputed?
 +
|-
 +
| 1973 || Chile || 1970 attempts to kill Salvador Allende, President and Gen. Rene Schneider, Commander-in-Chief of Army. || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1964 || Brazil || Democratic government overthrown and replaced with a military dictator, and with American support military dictators dominated Brazil until the late 1970s. || Maybe
 +
|-
 +
| 1953 || Iran || In 1951 the Iranian parliament voted to nationalize the Iran's petroleum industry, threatening the profits of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. Declassified CIA documents show that Britain was fearful of Iran's plans to nationalize its oil industry and pressed the U.S. to mount a joint operation to depose the prime minister and install a puppet regime. Elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and his government were replaced by the Shah (overthrown 26 years later).<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/library/world/mideast/041600iran-cia-index.html Special Report: Secret History of the CIA in Iran] New York Times. 2000.</ref> || No
 +
|}
  
 
==Countries where the US has attempted to suppress a populist or national movement==  
 
==Countries where the US has attempted to suppress a populist or national movement==  
  
−
The US has has attempted to suppress a populist or national movement in 20 countries.<ref name=pilger/>
+
The US has has attempted to suppress a populist or national movement in 20 countries.<ref name=pilger/> Covert operations may be difficult or impossible to prove.
  
 
==Countries where the US has seriously interfered in democratic elections==
 
==Countries where the US has seriously interfered in democratic elections==
  
−
The US has interfered in some "gross" fashion in democratic elections in at least 30 countries.<ref name=pilger/>
+
The US has seriously interfered in democratic elections in at least 30 countries.<ref name=pilger/> Covert operations may be difficult or impossible to prove.
 +
 
 +
==Reliability of this information==
 +
 
 +
The shortage of material in the [[MSM]] means that some of this Wikispooks article has used sources which, while they are better than blogs, are not really subject to the kind of "editorial control" exerted by responsible publishers. In many cases, this comes down to the reliability of individual authors. While some of the authors used here may be opinionated, prone to using flowery language and (inevitably) accused of errors, none of them are known to deliberately distort the facts.
  
 
==Wikpedia bias==
 
==Wikpedia bias==
  
−
Substantial bias in many parts of the Wikipedia articles (eg no mention of the World Court action by Nicaragua). Concealment of the overall picture in the mass of detail. The writing of this Wikispooks article is not necessarily based on all good information, however.
+
Substantial bias can be seen in many parts of the Wikipedia articles (eg no mention of the successful World Court action by Nicaragua against the US). Partly this is simply concealment of the overall picture in the mass of detail.  
 +
 
 +
However, there are other clues which betray the impossible editing conditions which are tolerated and indeed imposed at the Wikipedia, whereby good editors are driven off by bad editors.  
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
  
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<references/>
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{{reflist|2}}
  
 
[[Category:US Intervention]]
 
[[Category:US Intervention]]

Revision as of 13:54, 8 May 2012

Countries the US has bombed since 1945 is in fact only the most memorable part of the listings that show violent interference by the United States of America in the affairs of other countries. In practice, US led assassinations, overthrows of legitimate government and interference with elections may be just as damaging, these are also listed here.

This article is intended as an adjunct to two Wikipedia articles, being the Timeline of United States military operations and US Regime-change actions (formerly entitled "Covert US foreign regime change actions"). There is a great deal of bias in many parts of the Wikipedia articles, and the detail overwhelms the picture. There are no useful "summaries" or totals of the interventions and articles confusingly put the earlier interventions (going right back to 1776) at the top of the page. This article aims to be even-handed, clearer and more relevant.

Countries the US has bombed since the end of World War 2

The US is said to have carried out 32 distinct and separate bombing campaigns on 24 different countries between 1945 and 1999.[1] However, the listing below includes later operations as well. In most cases, bombings with aircraft cannot be denied, though in some cases this has been attempted.

Date Country Details Disputed?
2011 Libya Early US attacks under UNSC 1973 are followed by NATO attacks leading to regime change and death of Ghadaffi. No
2003 -
2011		 Iraq Regime change against Saddam Hussein, an ally who had gone rogue. By all accounts, US Ambassador in Baghdad, April Glaspie, gave Saddam the green light to invade Kuwait in August 1990. She was totally silent on everything until her retirement in 2002 and has not spoken since.[2] No
2001 -
present		 Afghanistan Regime change under the guise of trying to catch Osama Bin Laden. No
1999 Yugoslavia - Serbia Allegedly to stop an ethnic cleansing that had begun or might begin. Targetted television stations and bombed the Chinese Embassy. No
1998 Afghanistan Cruise missiles on Osama Bin Ladens compounds. No
1998 Sudan Cruise missile attack on an antibiotic factory wrongly alleged to be producing WMD. No
1998 Iran ????
1995 Bosnia Serbian forces bombed. Generally accepted as a "good war". No
1992-94 Somalia Known to the West chiefly for "Black Hawk Down" ????
1991 Kuwait See bombing of Iraq, below. Some of the attack took place within Kuwait, leaving quantities of Depleted Uranium, and causing much subsequent concern about cancers. No
1991 Iraq Bombing for 40 days and nights devastated the ancient and modern capital city of one of the most advanced nations in the Middle East. 177 million pounds of bombs fell in the most concentrated aerial onslaught in the history of the world.[1] Genuine multi-national effort and seen by most as a "good war". No
1989-90 Panama December 1989, a large tenement barrio in Panama City wiped out, 15,000 people left homeless. Casualties disputed.[1] No
1989 Libya Attempt to kill Ghaddafi, Tripoli bombed.
1987-88 Iran ????
1981-90 Nicaragua US taken to the World Court and condemned for terrorism. Denied by some
1981-92 El Salvadore Officially, the U.S. military presence in El Salvador was limited to an advisory capacity. About 20 Americans were killed or wounded in helicopter and plane crashes while flying reconnaissance or other missions over combat areas, and considerable evidence surfaced of a U.S. role in the ground fighting as well. The war came to an official end in 1992; 75,000 civilian deaths at a cost of six billion dollars. Meaningful social change still largely thwarted by 1999. A handful of the wealthy still owned the country, the poor remained as ever, and dissidents still suffered from death squads.[1] Disputed by some
1986 Libya One of more than 50 attempts to assassinate foreign leaders (no listing in Pilger's "The World War on Democracy").[3] No
1983-84 Grenada Was air-power used?
1982-84 Lebanon Shelled villages from war-ship.
1969-70 Cambodia More bombs than the whole of WW2.
1961-73 Vietnam South Vietnam devastated.
1964-73 Laos
1965 Peru Disputed by some
1965-66 Dominican Republic ????
1964 Guatemala ????
1964 Belgian Congo Disputed by some
1960 Guatemala Disputed by some
1959-60 Cuba 40 years of terrorist attacks, bombings, full-scale military invasion, sanctions, embargoes, isolation, assassinations.[1]
1958 Indonesia Large scale killings ????
1954 Guatemala A CIA-organized coup overthrew the democratically-elected and progressive government of Jacobo Arbenz, initiating 40 years of death-squads, torture, disappearances, mass executions, and unimaginable cruelty (peaking 1967-69) totaling well over 100,000 victims - one of the most inhuman chapters of the 20th century. Arbenz had nationalized the U.S. firm, United Fruit Company. The Russians had so little interest in the country that it didn't even maintain diplomatic relations.[1] Disputed by some
1950-53 China Denied by some
1950-53 Korea At least 20% and perhaps up to 1/3rd of the population killed in order to prevent re-unification. No
1945-46 China Denied by some

Countries where the US has attempted to assassinate a movement leader

The US has made more than 50 attempts to assassinate political party leaders according to William Blum in "Killing Hope: U.S. Military and C.I.A. Interventions since World War II", 2003. Noam Chomsky called this book "Far and away the best book on the topic.". Former CIA officer John Stockwell called the same book "The single most useful summary of CIA history."

All such operations are illegal and almost all such killings are aimed at geo-political objectives. In almost no cases can any clear humanitarian benefit be identified, even if the target is/was indeed tyrranical.

While bombings with aircraft leave evidence in most cases, covert operations may be difficult to prove.

Year Country Details Disputed?
2011 Pakistan Osama Bin Laden. Killing of a captured man. Maybe
2003 Iraq Saddam Hussein and his two sons. Two killings and a semi-judicial execution. Maybe
2002 Afghanistan Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Islamic leader and warlord Maybe
1998, 2001-2 Afghanistan Osama bin Laden, leading Islamic militant. Cruise missiles followed by a full-scale invasion. Maybe
1993 Somalia Mohamed Farah Aideed, prominent clan leader. Failed attempt but he died later. Maybe
1991 Iraq Saddam Hussein, leader. Attempt to kill him? Maybe
1985 Lebanon Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, Shiite leader (80 people killed in the attempt) Maybe
1984 Nicaragua The nine comandantes of the Sandinista National Directorate Maybe
1983 Nicaragua Miguel d'Escoto, Foreign Minister Maybe
1983 Moroccan Gen. Ahmed Dlimi, Army commander Maybe
1982 Iran Ayatollah Khomeini, leader Maybe
1980-1986 Libya Muammar Qaddafi, leader, several plots and attempts upon his life Maybe
1976 Jamaica Michael Manley, Prime Minister Maybe
1975 Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko, President Maybe
1972 Panama General Manuel Noriega, Chief of Intelligence. Captured alive and been imprisoned ever since. Maybe
1970s, 1981 Panama General Omar Torrijos, leader Maybe
1970 Chile Gen. Rene Schneider, Commander-in-Chief of Army Maybe
1970 Chile Salvador Allende, President No
1967 Cuba Che Guevara, revolutionary leader. Maybe
1965-6 France Charles de Gaulle, President Maybe
1965 Dominican Republic Francisco Caamaño, opposition leader Maybe
1960s Cuba Raúl Castro, high official in government Maybe
1960s-70s Cuba Fidel Castro, President, many attempts on his life including poisoned cigars. Maybe
1963 South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem, President. Successful attempt to replace one puppet leader with another. Maybe
1961 Dominican Republic Gen. Rafael Trujillo, leader Maybe
1961 Congo (Zaire) Patrice Lumumba, Prime Minister Maybe
1961 Haiti Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier, leader Maybe
1950s-70s Costa Rica José Figueres, President, two attempts on his life Maybe
1960 Iraq Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Kassem, leader Maybe
1959, 1963, 1969 Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk, leader Maybe
1957 Egypt Gamal Abdul Nasser, President Maybe
1955 India Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister Maybe
1951 Iran Mohammed Mossadegh, Prime Minister Maybe
1951 North Korea Kim Il Sung, Premier Maybe
1950s (mid) Philippines Claro M. Recto, opposition leader Maybe
1950s, 1962 Indonesia Sukarno, President Maybe
1950s China Prime minister Chou En-lai, several attempts on his life Maybe
1950s Germany CIA/Neo-Nazi hit list of more than 200 political figures in West Germany to be "put out of the way" in the event of a Soviet invasion Maybe
1949 Korea Kim Koo, opposition leader No

Increasingly, attacks are being made on individuals or leaders of quite small groups designated "terrorists". In 2011/2012 there are killings of nuclear technicians in Iran.

Countries where the US has attempted to overthrow a democratic government

The US has attempted to overthrow more than 50 national governments, most of them being popular/democratic rather than tyrannical.[3]

While bombings with aircraft leave evidence in most cases, covert operations may be difficult to prove.

Year Country Details Disputed?
1973 Chile 1970 attempts to kill Salvador Allende, President and Gen. Rene Schneider, Commander-in-Chief of Army. Maybe
1964 Brazil Democratic government overthrown and replaced with a military dictator, and with American support military dictators dominated Brazil until the late 1970s. Maybe
1953 Iran In 1951 the Iranian parliament voted to nationalize the Iran's petroleum industry, threatening the profits of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. Declassified CIA documents show that Britain was fearful of Iran's plans to nationalize its oil industry and pressed the U.S. to mount a joint operation to depose the prime minister and install a puppet regime. Elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and his government were replaced by the Shah (overthrown 26 years later).[4] No

Countries where the US has attempted to suppress a populist or national movement

The US has has attempted to suppress a populist or national movement in 20 countries.[3] Covert operations may be difficult or impossible to prove.

Countries where the US has seriously interfered in democratic elections

The US has seriously interfered in democratic elections in at least 30 countries.[3] Covert operations may be difficult or impossible to prove.

Reliability of this information

The shortage of material in the MSM means that some of this Wikispooks article has used sources which, while they are better than blogs, are not really subject to the kind of "editorial control" exerted by responsible publishers. In many cases, this comes down to the reliability of individual authors. While some of the authors used here may be opinionated, prone to using flowery language and (inevitably) accused of errors, none of them are known to deliberately distort the facts.

Wikpedia bias

Substantial bias can be seen in many parts of the Wikipedia articles (eg no mention of the successful World Court action by Nicaragua against the US). Partly this is simply concealment of the overall picture in the mass of detail.

However, there are other clues which betray the impossible editing conditions which are tolerated and indeed imposed at the Wikipedia, whereby good editors are driven off by bad editors.

Notes

  1. ↑ a b c d e f A Brief History of U.S. Interventions 1945 to the Present by William Blum - Z magazine, June 1999.
  2. ↑ Is the US State Department still keeping April Glaspie under wraps? Information Clearing House 12/25/2005.
  3. ↑ a b c d The World War on Democracy One of more than 50 attempts to assassinate foreign leaders (but no listing) Global Research, John Pilger Jan 19, 2012, citing William Blum's "updated summary of the record of US foreign policy". Since the Second World War" of July 2011.
  4. ↑ Special Report: Secret History of the CIA in Iran New York Times. 2000.
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