Olly Greenish

Panama's 'Little Hiroshima' (El Chorrillo) .....Once upon a time, the United States was good buddies with a fellow named Manuel Noriega, a longstanding CIA asset and the dictator of Panama in the 1980s.

Then one day, Noriega outlived his usefulness as an imperial lackey and needed to be sent packing. And so with a straight face, the gringos accused him of the unpardonable offence of drug trafficking and undertook to overthrow him in 1989.

(This was funny - since 1972 the US had known about – and intermittently benefitted from – Noriega’s links to the drug trade. Furthermore, the US president spearheading the dictator’s removal was none other than George H W Bush, who as director of the CIA in 1976 had ensured Noriega’s preservation on the agency payroll)

Anyway, boundless hypocrisy has always been America’s strong point. And it was once again on full display in the selection of the name for the unilateral US military operation to bring “democracy” to Panama by killing a bunch of Panamanian civilians, pulverising the impoverished Panama City neighbourhood of El Chorrillo to the extent that local ambulance drivers began to call it “Little Hiroshima”, and hauling Noriega off to Miami.

Following some heavy contemplation, the preliminary title “Operation Blue Spoon” was changed to “Operation Just Cause”. The late Colin Powell, who was then serving as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, explained in his 1995 autobiography, A Soldier’s Way, that he preferred the “inspirational ring” of the revised title – and the fact that “even our severest critics would have to utter ‘Just Cause’ while denouncing us”.

Plus, Powell reasoned, Blue Spoon was just “hardly a rousing call to arms… You do not risk people’s lives for Blue Spoons”.

Of course, the change in labelling was irrelevant to the civilian inhabitants of El Chorrillo – the site of Panama City’s central military barracks – who bore the lethal brunt of the ensuing “just cause”. Then again, it wasn’t their lives that Powell was concerned about risking. Just after midnight on December 20, 1989, the neighbourhood was jolted awake by the fanatical show of US firepower that would quickly earn it the moniker “Little Hiroshima”.

As US General Marc Cisneros, one of the operation’s commanders, admitted in 1999 on the 10th anniversary of the invasion, the military’s approach was probably a bit overzealous: “We made it look like we were battling Goliath… We have all these new gadgets, laser-guided missiles and stealth fighters, and we are just dying to use that stuff.”.........
(Extract from an article, amongst many others, in Al Jazeera online)

Well yes, the rumours are in fact true. It is time to come clean. Olly Greenish is also Oliver Hill ( facebook oliver.hill.509 and YouTube Oliver Hill or Olly Greenish). It's a sort of alter ego thing. All very, very low profile. Just for the record, possibly the odd historian (well done sir/madam). Olly is aware of slowing down a bit due to advancing years, although he is in absolutely amazing physical form for his age. Who knows what my future holds.
For the time being I won't be posting on here. Going inwards to unexplored territory.
So check out my other fb page (oliver.hill.509) for my latest posts. I send Love and Light to you on your journey x

A tribute to Mick Softley who wrote so many very original songs. Very poetic, mystic and some say prophetic lyrics. It was a privilege to know him if only for a short time.

Olly Greenish sings 'From The Land of the Crab' written by Mick Softley I vividly remember hearing Mick playi this haunting song at The Half Moon in Putney around 1972. Love the meanings you can read into the lyrics. Mick was a ...

Goldwatch Blues sung by Olly Greenish This is a Mick Softley song from way back in the 1960s. Still relevant today - although a lot has changed. But the points, so wittily made in this song, are...

Hello Holly and band members

Holly Throsby - Now I love Someone Holly Throsby - Now I love Someone

Just good music played by the greats on good form

B.B. King - The Thrill Is Gone [Crossroads 2010] (Official Live Video) Blues master B.B. King performs "The Thrill Is Gone" in Chicago at the 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2019 collec...

A summer experience on the Island of Jersey. Perhaps

Jersey Thursday sung by Olly Greenish Olly fell in love with this Donovan song in 1971 (off Donovan's beautiful 'FairyTale' album). Olly has derived great pleasure and comfort from playing and d...

Here I am singing Copper Kettle (which is also on the upcoming album some of which already available on streaming services).

Copper Kettle Olly Greenish American moonshine laid back song. Helps you to relax - like you've just finally been able to flop into a chair and are now feeling the warm effects of your ...

Here is my version of this classic and beautiful song (which has some wisdom in the lyrics)

Donna Donna sung by Olly Greenish Here's my version of the classic and beautiful Donna Donna. The photos are mainly by Clive Hayward who loves getting out into the natural world with his dog...

https://youtu.be/CRP_9s2G8qI

Goldwatch Blues sung by Olly Greenish This is a Mick Softley song from way back in the 1960s. Still relevant today - although a lot has changed. But the points, so wittily made in this song, are...

https://youtu.be/4YtwZxrnfNU?t=44

Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, BB King, Jimmie Vaughan (Rock me baby)

https://youtu.be/7vZPrI95Ku8

The Wanderers Provided to YouTube by CDBabyThe Wanderers · Lacy J. DaltonThe Last Wild Place Anthology℗ 2006 Song Dog RecordsReleased on: 2006-01-01Auto-generated by YouTube.

Sunday meditation How can I better utilize my being?