arraya: You want to have some fun? Read up on Marine Corps Major Smedley Butler. He was like the Zelig of the 1920s and 1930s for the US Government and is the main source behind the US Marine Corps Small Wars Manual (circa 1940), which was the guidebook we used in Central America during the 1980s.

Fascinating dude, and extremely outspoken when it came to US involvement in that part of world (Latin America and the Caribbean Basin). He referred to US interests as a “racket” in that part of the world and said that he, in his role with the Marines, maintained “a going concern” on three continents.

Extremely interesting reading and proof that, the more things change, the more they stay the same.