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Article: The people of Vieques, Puerto Rico vs. the United States Navy. (Review of the Month).
- Article from:
- Monthly Review
- Article date:
- February 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Monthly Review Foundation, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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David Brandishes a Slingshot
On April 19, 1999, two F-18 jets mistook the navy's red-and-white checked observation post on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico for a target, and dropped 500 pound bombs on it. Vieques resident David Sanes was working at the observation post as a security guard for the navy. He was killed almost instantly. Three other men from Vieques were seriously injured. Sanes' death sparked a wave of protest--civil disobedience, marches, petitions, resolutions, and lobbying--which resulted in the promise, made by then U.S. President Clinton and reiterated by his successor, that the navy will leave Vieques by May 2003. The navy says these plans ...