>Fernando, you spend an inordinate amount of time bashing the U.S.

Sorry, Tracy, you're right. It is not my intention to bash the U.S., really. I got so involved with this whole thing that I'm spending time searching and discussing with brazilian fellows about what's going on. Brazilian people is very attained to what's happening, not just the war, but the way U.S. is conducting things, and we are getting scared.

>If you feel so passionate, why don't you spend an equal or greater amount of time convincing your government to stop accepting all of this aid from the U.S.?

I do! I by any means agree with that, since the times of the dictatorship of brasilian military (supported by the U.S.). Me and a reasonable amout of brazilians (think lots of people in Latin America thinks the same way I do).

>I'm sure Brazil could fight narcotics on their own without the U.S. assistance. They could return the other aid also if the U.S. displeases the Brazilians so much. I thought Brazil no longer wanted to receive aid from the U.S., has it since stopped?

The U.S. gives assistance to Brazil to fight narcotics because its a problem THEY feel in their flesh. If U.S. didn't got affected by this, would they help?

Think the meaning of the word "aid" given by "rich" countries to Latin American countries, was somehow discussed in other threads.

IMHO the U.S. could spend they dollars with internal affairs and let other countries live by their own. But that is not good commercial politics, isn't?

>You might try marching in the peace protests instead. It may bring you more success.

I'll tell you: never in my life thought about that, but the way things are going, perhaps I will engage myself in protests when ALCA gets discussed in Brazil, or the Amazon or water.

Fernando