Confronting the ‘World’s Leading Power’ Won’t Benefit Argentina …

Since late last year, a bitter war of words has broken out between the United States and Argentina’s former first lady and first female president, Cristina Kirchner, over whether Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez helped fund her election campaign. According to this op-ed article from Argentina’s La Nacion, whatever the truth of these charges leveled by U.S. prosecutors, allowing U.S.-Argentine relations to deteriorate over the issue is not a wise course of action.

“The anti-U.S. bias that Argentina has historically shown and which is confirmed by the polls, has led the Kirchners [Nestor and Cristina Kirchner, the previous and present Presidents] to dangerously escalate a conflict that has no precedent in our constitutional government.”

By U.S. Correspondent Rosendo Fraga

Translated By Barbara Howe

January 13, 2008

Argentina – La Nacion – Home Page (Spanish)

Historian Eric Hobsbawm recalls that since 1865, the United States has had seven presidents that never finished their terms either due to death or other unforeseen events, and that such circumstances have brought significant changes to the direction of the country. But he also contends that the rails upon which power rests are so stable that no matter who drives the train, there is little risk of derailment.

It is from this premise that the Argentine government should discuss the conflict with the United States, following the trial that has begun in Miami in regard to the suitcase of Antonini Wilson. The effects of this crisis have the potential to wreak substantial changes, no matter who wins the U.S. elections in November.

History shows that the relationship between Argentina and the United States has never been easy, but Presidents Roca, Yrigoyen and Peron avoided direct confrontation with Washington. Presidents Justo and Frondizi sought closer ties, while maintaining a certain autonomy. And relations were difficult during the last military government, when Argentina broke the embargo on grain imposed on the Soviet Union for its intervention in Afghanistan, and strained again during the Malvinas War.

[Editor's Note: The Malvinas Islands are called the Falkland Islands by the British. The author refers to the war that broke out between Britain and Argentina over possession of the islands in 1982 ].

With the restoration of democracy, bilateral relations were good, as happened under President Menem and Dela Rua, or slightly less good under Presidents Afonsin and Duhalde.

[President] Kirchner’s speech in front of President Bush at the Summit of the America’s at de Mar del Plata two years ago marked a turning point that President Christina Kirchner has now deepened.

READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US