(Latin Pulse: 11, August, 2008) This region, long considered neglected by U.S. foreign policy is now the focus of renewed interest from U.S. security officials, thanks to a shift to the political left. Is this a strategic move or saber rattling to maintain dominance on what's been called "America's back yard?" Español Una región por largo tiempo considerada descuidada por la política extranjera del Departamento de Estado de los EEUU. Actualmente cuando la región esta experimentando un viraje hacia la izquierda, hay un renovado interés de parte de los oficiales de seguridad del departamento de estado. ¿Es esto parte de una estrategia? O simplemente un ardid para mantener la predominio en una región que ha sido llamada “el patio trasero de los Estados Unidos”. Guest Bios Geoff Thale Program Director WOLA, Washington Office on Latin América Geoff is the Program Director at WOLA (formerly Senior Associate for Central America and Cuba). As Program Director, Mr Thale consults with staff about all of WOLA's programs, from the Southern Cone to Mexico. In addition, he directly oversees the Cuba and Central America teams at WOLA, including the Central America Youth Gangs Program. Thale has followed Central America issues since the mid-1980s, and Cuba issues since the mid-1990s. Before coming to WOLA, he was the founder and Executive Director of the El Salvador Policy Project in Washington, DC. He holds a Masters degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Wisconsin. Ted Lewis Director of the Human Rights Program Global Exchange Ted Lewis directs the human rights programs of Global Exchange and is a long time democracy and antiwar activist. He recently organized Fair Election International (www.fairelection.us), which invited observers from all five continents to observe the November 2004 election in five key US states. Since 1994, Mr. Lewis has directed the Human Rights and the Mexico Programs of Global Exchange. He has supervised and coordinated multinational human rights teams in Nicaragua and some of the most conflictive states in Mexico and led the largest international team of delegates to observe the Mexican presidential elections in 2000. He visited Iraq in the summer of 2003, helping to launch the Iraq Occupation Watch.