This document discusses various interpretations of R.E.M.'s song "Welcome to the Occupation" from their 1987 album Document. Comments suggest the song refers to U.S. intervention in Central America during the 1980s, with references to liberation theology in El Salvador, death squads in Nicaragua, and mining ports in Nicaragua. Later comments expand that it more broadly criticizes U.S. exploitation of Latin America by supporting governments that align with its interests and attacking those that do not.

1. Welcome to the occupation
(Video + comments)
From:
http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/123386/

2. Dontkillwhitey on May 09, 2007
• I always heard this was about El Salvador--supposedly Stipe is on
record saying so.
-"hang your collar up inside"=possibly refers to the clerical collars
worn by priests. The Liberation Theology movement within the
Catholic Church claimed that the Church should support the
Sandinistas and other resistance fighters in Central America (The
Vatican officially disavowed this).
-"primitive and wild"=the official insult of colonialism. Stipe is
linking the current exploitation to the atrocities perpetrated by
Cortes and the conquistadores.
-"held and dyed and skinned alive"=the death squads' weapons of
choice were machetes.
-"Fire on the hemisphere below"=always reminded me of Conrad's
HEART OF DARKNESS in which the navy fires cannon shells into the
forest for no particular reason.

3. Rikdad on November 27, 2006
• his was definitely written when Nicaragua was a
possible target for US invasion, but there was US
intervention in other Central American countries and
Colombia as well, so it doesn't necessarily exclude
them.
The Reagan-era hostility towards socialist Nicaragua
was rather active and included the mining of ports.
The US actually invaded Panama just over one year
after this album was released, although the US troops
withdrew after only a very short "occupation".

4. Relinquo1 on April 17, 2004
• It's about the US exploiting Latin America, we
support governments who like us and attack
those that don't. It also has a lot of references to
deforestation. "Sugar cane and coffee cup
Copper, steel and cattle" come from the
rainforest and there are images of fire
throughout. The Occupation is probably being
one of the profiteers I suppose. I think it does
apply to Iraq - both the political motivations, and
the corporate/oil interest type stuff.