this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2025
742 points (98.8% liked)

Memes

52057 readers
611 users here now

Rules:

  1. Be civil and nice.
  2. Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.

founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS
 
top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 76 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

Terrible the 9/11 with 3000 victims, Chile 1973, when the CIA organized an military coup and to kill an democratic elected president, Allende, substituting him with an bloody dictator, Pinochet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvador_Allende

Augusto Pinochet ruled Chile as a military dictator from 1973 to 1990, seizing power through a violent coup that overthrew democratically elected President Salvador Allende on September 11, 1973[^1].

Under Pinochet's regime, between 1,200 and 3,200 people were executed, up to 80,000 were interned, and tens of thousands were tortured[^1]. The Chilean government has officially documented at least 3,095 killings and forced disappearances[^1].

The dictatorship implemented radical free-market reforms under the influence of economists known as the "Chicago Boys." While these policies led to economic growth, they also dramatically increased inequality. The regime privatized social security, healthcare, and hundreds of state-owned enterprises, some sold below market price to politically connected buyers[^1].

Pinochet's rule was marked by systematic repression through Operation Condor, a U.S.-supported campaign that targeted political opponents across South America. The CIA maintained contact with Chile's secret police (DINA) despite knowing of human rights abuses[^6]. According to Peter Kornbluh in The Pinochet File, "routine sadism was taken to extremes" in prison camps, including widespread rape, torture, and executions[^1].

A 1988 plebiscite rejected Pinochet's bid to extend his rule, with 56% voting against him[^1]. He stepped down in 1990 but remained as Army Commander-in-Chief until 1998. He was arrested in London in 1998 on human rights charges, though he was released in 2000 on medical grounds[^1].

Pinochet died in 2006 while facing hundreds of criminal charges in Chile for human rights violations, tax evasion, and embezzlement. He was accused of amassing at least $28 million through corruption[^1]. His death sparked massive demonstrations across Chile - opponents celebrated while supporters grieved[^1].

Today, Pinochet's legacy remains deeply controversial. Recent polls show many Chileans justify the 1973 coup - a July 2023 survey found 66% agreed Chile needs "firm government" over individual rights[^2]. However, in 2011 a truth commission identified 40,018 victims of political repression during his rule, including 3,065 killed[^1].

[^1]: Wikipedia - Augusto Pinochet [^2]: AP News - A half-century after Gen. Augusto Pinochet's coup, some in Chile remember the dictatorship fondly [^6]: CIA Acknowledges Ties to Pinochet's Repression

[–] TheTurner@lemmy.zip 36 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 18 points 1 week ago

I know, I lived my youth in the cold War, seeing leaked secret US documents listing where they want to launch nuclear atacks in western EU contries, to stop an supposed Russian invasion.

[–] LinguisticKerosene@lemmy.wtf 27 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Nothing to see here, just exporting democracy the american way 🦅 /s

[–] Zerush@lemmy.ml 23 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Most of the current wars and bloody dictatorships wouldn't exist without the US

[–] Bronzebeard@lemmy.zip 21 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Eh... England and France left a lot of unstable shit behind from their colonization. Don't let them off the hook so easily

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 14 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Plus Europe still practices imperialism, even if they are secondary to US imperialism.

[–] bigfondue@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Exporting capitalism at any cost

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Expanding the net of imperialism, capitalism's final stage.

[–] ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

America has been an awful shithole for so many decades.

[–] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] mrbhootiya@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

2 centuries only /s

[–] Belly_Beanis@hexbear.net 5 points 1 week ago

Let's also not forget Pinochet had former SS and other nazis on his bankroll operating "orphanages." He helped them avoid prosecution for their crimes during WWII by hiding them in Chile. They were then put in charge of children whose parents were Pinochet's victims.

They tortured, abused, and murdered thousands. AFAIK, Chile is still trying to identify all the bodies of kids dumped in mass graves.

[–] lmdnw@lemmy.world 36 points 1 week ago (3 children)

The US deserved 9/11. You can’t be apathetic to the countless atrocities your government commits with your tax dollars and then act surprised when the consequences of those atrocities come back to bite you in the ass.

[–] mienshao@lemmy.world 26 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The people who died didn’t deserve it tho. I see that the US, as a country, fucked around and found out. I think we need to be mindful of our rhetoric tho cuz a lot of people brutally died that day and very much did not deserve it.

[–] brown567@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think this is a good attitude to have

America as a whole had it coming, but none of the victims deserved their fate. They should effectively be considered victims of America's actions in the Middle East

[–] Fredthefishlord@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

None? Are you intentionally forgetting that one of the planes hit the Pentagon?

[–] brown567@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Whoops, you right XD

I was just thinking about the 2 trade center planes. I'd forgotten about the other 2

[–] PolandIsAStateOfMind@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 week ago

I would discuss even that. Some of them sure didn't deserved it, but it was a fucking WTC, a lot of people working there directly and consciously participated in looting the global south.

[–] asg101@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"Surprisingly" few oligarchs died that day.

[–] NuclearDolphin@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 week ago

but the plane did hit their church

[–] sleeplessone@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 week ago

Imperial boomerang trvth nvke.

[–] HiddenLayer555@lemmy.ml 34 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Hot take: The US has ZERO right to "mourn" 9/11 or call it a tragedy because they have done 9/11 hundreds of times over in the Middle East. You don't get to "never forget" when you've forgotten what you did afterward. To be clear, the friends and families of 9/11 victims have every right to mourn, but not the US government.

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Pure narcissism

it's only evil when it happens to them as retaliation, when they do that for decades it's cute.

[–] Draegur@lemmy.zip 20 points 1 week ago

almost sounds something like "my son broke my grandfather clock so i forced him to watch while i smashed all his toys"

[–] humanspiral@lemmy.ca 19 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

The redactions to 9/11 report were entirely to protect KSA's full cooperation with US intelligence in making 9/11 happen. Dancing Israeli Mossad agents, and FBI letting them all escape, went home to Tel Aviv TV morning show to explain "they were there to document the event". Dick Cheney happening to supervise a NORAD training exercise, at all, much less on the same day, and directing response cannot be a coincidence. Larry Silverstein's $1B asbestos problem, raising insurance coverage, and authority over NYFD to pull WTC 7 the same day, shows not only abnormal prescience, but direct lines to higher authority to make his interests happen. The FBI never determined that OBL was responsible, because higher ups prevented their investigation.

[–] unconsequential@slrpnk.net 11 points 1 week ago

Don’t forget the School of the Americas training of particular saudi nationals. They’ve rebranded since then but still kicking it in GA.

[–] PillowD@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago

I was around then...the first three weeks the narrative was the trail can lead anywhere as long as it doesn't lead to Saudi Arabia...after that it was the trail can lead anywhere as long as it leads to Iraq.

[–] shath@hexbear.net 8 points 1 week ago

Neine Eleaven

[–] rickdg@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

you guise like soccer?

[–] Daft_ish@lemmy.dbzer0.com -2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

That ain't love, friendo.

If you think it is, its no wonder.