To the Point

Latin America, Anti-Americanism and War in Iraq

The Bush Administration has asked Latin America for -solidarity- in the upcoming confrontation with Iraq. Chile, which sits on the UN Security Council, is saying not so fast, and Brazil-s new president, Lula da Silva, has ended that country-s traditional -silent diplomacy- to organize a Latin American coalition against a war in Iraq. Mexico-s President Vicente Fox refuses to vote with the US on the Council. Today, the Prime Minister of Spain, which does support the US, is visiting Mexico, and has promised to change Fox-s mind. What-s happening south of the border? Are this country-s closest neighbors anti-war or anti American? Where is Latin America when the United States needs it? We get some perspective from journalists from the US, Mexico and Brazil and Mexican historian Enrique Krauze. Making News: USF Professor Arrested for Presumed Terrorist Ties In Chicago and Tampa today, the FBI arrested eight people accused of supporting the violent terrorism of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. One of those paraded in handcuffs before TV cameras was Sami Amin Al-Arian, an engineering professor at the University of South Florida. The Tampa Tribune-s Michael Fechter talks about the indictment and complicated court battle ahead. Reporter-s Notebook: Double Standards in International Arms Race Germany, which says it will never participate in a war to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, is providing Israel with submarines capable of firing nuclear missiles. Israel has become the second largest supplier of weapons to India. LeRoy Woodson, who covered Iraq-s war on the Kurds in the 1970-s and edits MilitaryWeek.com, has more on these arms sales which have received little publicity in the US.