Free Republic

The Mexican navy has selected Sukhoi’s Su-27 over the Saab/BAE Systems Gripen to equip its first air defence unit. Head of the service Adm Armando Sánchez Moreno says the new fleet of 10 fighters will enable the navy to carry out “strategic surveillance” over key areas of Mexico’s coastline. Preliminary selection work was initiated in early 2005, and the navy is now entering into contract negotiations with Russia’s Rosboronexport agency for the purchase of eight single-seat Su-27s and two Su-27UB two-seat trainers. Local sources indicate that the entire package – which also includes spare parts, tools and personnel training...

San Rafael, Mexico, Aug 7 (EFE).- Subcomandante Marcos, leader of Mexico's Zapatista rebels, said early Sunday he would like to form an alliance with grassroots organizations and launch "another campaign" to take on the traditional political parties at the national level, including leftist parties. The proposal came after Marcos appeared in public for the first time in five years on Saturday and accused leftist presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of "treason." Wearing a ski mask and escorted by five people, Marcos appeared at a rally in the village of San Rafael, in the southern state of Chiapas, to...

What does everyone think of the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas? Are these people 'terrorists' and 'drug traffickers', or revolutionaries seeking freedom? Should the 'war on terror' be extended to them? Should the U.S. do something about the American factories in the area? How do these people compare to the American Revolutionaries?