As soft power crumbles, the empire turns to the hard stuff
International affairs, US issues - - Posted on March, 11 at 11:02 pm by Ken L
Great guest editorial here from William R Polk outlining the implications of the USA’s blundering actions in the Middle East and the relentless efforts of the latest ‘Manifest Destiny’ crowd to rule the world. Since charm hasn’t worked, it’s time to use force.
The strategy behind these operations is what the Neoconservative advisers to President Bush have called “the Long War.” A leading member of the Neoconservatives, James Woolsey, a former director of the CIA, said he hopes it will not last more than 40 years. The cost of such a generational conflict has been estimated at more than $17 trillion dollars.
More important, in the long period of stress, the American way of life would be severely challenged, perhaps irreparably damaged. The real cost could be the destruction of the world in which we live and the replacement of our civic, cultural and material “good life” by something like nightmare George Orwell predicted in his novel 1984.
At minimum it would greatly increase the risk to us of terrorism.
But we should be aware that what Woosley and others have discussed is not just rhetoric or speculation – it is given substance by operational plans, dedicated military personnel, operating from 737 – I repeat seven hundred and thirty seven — existing bases worldwide, with already constructed and positioned weapons, and sustained by an already allocated budget.
No doubt Polk will be dismissed as another damn liberal traitor who hates America.
Nevertheless, it is hard to understand why there is not more concern in Australia about items such as this:
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait — U.S. Army Central is establishing a permanent platform for “full spectrum operations” in 27 countries around southwest Asia and the Middle East, its commander says.
Lt. Gen. James J. Lovelace said the Army has diverse capabilities here now but plans to reach a complete level of operational effectiveness by July.
The restructuring, which offers more flexibility for offensive, defensive and stability operations, is a major piece of transformation worldwide, said Lovelace.
This is our closest ally, one with whom we have close military ties. One with bases in our country and which either trains troops here or will do so shortly. And it’s establishing a ‘permanent platform’ for ‘offensive, defensive and stability operations’ in 27 countries as part of some unspecified global transformation … complete, as noted by Polk, with 737 military bases around the globe.
Given the history of the US wars against Afghanistan and Iraq and Somalia it must cause enormous concern that they are cranking up their capability to wage permanent aggressive war. Moreover, this relentless empire-building isn’t limited to the Middle East, North Africa and Western Asia. Efforts continue to encircle and isolate China with measures such as a uranium agreement with India and the Cheney-inspired joint ‘defence’ arrangements with Japan and Australia.
Even the poor old Filipinos are getting dragged into it. Having been kicked out of their military bases in the Philippines in 1992, six years after the Marcos dictatorship which they assiduously supported, the yanks have slithered their way back in and are well on their way to re-establishing permament new offensive bases under the guise of fighting terrorism and training the locals. It’s even been suggested that the USA might be behind recent stories in Manila that bring China into disrepute.
Does the present efforts to remove the President by agitating for another People Power uprising have the blessings of the United States? Is it part of a greater strategy against China, the only country that has been officially identified as the only country with “the greatest potential to compete with the United States”?
In short, it seems to be uncontested that the USA has established a world-wide network of military bases and is actively seeking to use military muscle in support of its interests. It is highly likely that this will bring about a military confrontation with China sooner or later; indeed it’s entirely plausible that many in Washington are actively seeking such a confrontation. Yet if Australia’s role in all this is ever questioned the vast majority of the population simply yawns and asks “So what?”, while much of the remainder launches hysterical rants about being saved in World War 2 and terrorism and the Cold War and democracy. It’s quite extraordinary.
Posted in International affairs, US issues |
March 12th, 2008 at 12:26 am
Geez, aren’t you doing some hardcore reading?
A few people have cottoned onto this idea of perpetual war in defence of influence and resources. Not enough of it penetrates the Aussie blogorena, though. As you say.
Shall I post you our copy of Globalistan?
PS What I should say about all this is from the perspective of a “peace practitioner” in-waiting. How the fuck does one build peace in divided societies when forces like these are at work? I’m doing some work on Sudan at present and while people talk about ethnic troubles and political settlements the real issues are oil pipelines and the involvement of outside parties like the CIA. It’s bloody frustrating, and I am rapidly losing hope.
March 12th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Blame that on Hillary Clinton.
All jokes aside, I can relate Damian…the more these insane nations neglect their social services and build up their military & expand their bases & bare their teeth and salivate over other nation’s energy sources the more I dream I am ORR in CATCH 22.
How many soldiers across the World are beginning to have the same dreams, I wonder?
MAKE LOVE NOT WAR…& ALL THE WAY WITH ENERGY INDEPENDENCE never sounded more attractive.
BTW, excellent pieces Ken. Maintain the Sane.
March 12th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Get round to reading the lot later.Alan Ramsey is copping it from two Jewish lobby groups,who think he is being a bit hedonistic in his criticisms and seemingly pro-Palestinian views.I guess my attitude is irresponsible too.I mean if we were living on Mars could we have reinvented the history of Israel and Palestine!?Probably not,why dont the Israeli lobby give up,to serious say.. a continual admiration of Israeli activities as nation permeates the whole population is bare-faced .I mean seeing any kids in pain from either side of the declared Israeli border,and claim all sympathy is with the righteous Israelis defending themselves,I mean, it cannot even meet a standard of, using the word, baloney!We all know Jews are wonderfully equipped with high I.Q.s etc. but reducing the observation powers of all Australians by insisting matters they cannot claim honestly defeats their attempts to persuade Australians there actions are mostly always right in destroying life hope and housing.If they, this lobby group combination,cannot accept sympathy and empathy for victims doesnt have to come with their replay of what is history,then it is clear!?.Australian Zionists are as much a danger to this land as much as they are to the world,because they travel.That doesnt mean my sympathies are with Palestinian users of weapons,and yet I do know,and its part of the bragging rights of Israel,they have a very large standing Defence Force.And the build ups mentioned here,means a sort of American Israeli craziness is now universally being applied.And some of those dual citizens who seemingly have robbed American Jews of their birthright to consider themselves decent Americans,is being replayed in Australia with the dual citizens,unable to handle a number of people who cannot accept Israeli history and doings should be viewed with an innocent pair of beyond Kosher rose coloured glasses.I keep a picture of Begin and Mao in my Japanese tea-room so I am reminded of beginings!?!!!!!!!Wear I eat muffins.. Cosmic Brand.
March 12th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Thanks for the mention surfdom.
March 12th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
“…the vast majority of the population simply yawns and asks “So what?”.
That’s because the vast majority of Australians are friggin idiots who have no idea of what’s going on out there, and much less care, as long as they’ve got their beer, footy and sheilahs.
As for our sheilahs themselves, if it wasn’t in the Womens Weekly or No Idea then they’ve definitely got no idea.
They say ignorance is bliss.
March 12th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Word kennel.
Since reading “Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee” as a youngster I have had an uneasy feeling about the machinations of US global designs.
Your musings are the first I’ve read to articulate this observation in the public eye (although I’m sure there are others I’ve not yet encountered, after all I am a technology philistine, to be sure, this whole blogging thing is new [& revelatory] ground for me). I’ve made the point myself numerous times, the usual result being predictable acusations of anti-Americanism from the morally bankrupt.
The whole disgusting impetus behind “Manifest Destiny” certainly seems to have at least a corollary with the apparently indicative contemporary Imperial behaviour of the US Corporatocracy.
US “allies” are rapidly becoming little more than staging zones for US military expedience.
March 12th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Sometimes it feels like we’re living in a sewer:
UK top cop who led CIA probe found dead
Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Michael Todd, left, with Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown
By ROB HARRIS, Associated Press Writer Tue Mar 11, 2:45 PM ET
A city police chief who led an investigation into charges that Britain cooperated with secret CIA flights to transport terrorism suspects without formal proceedings has been found dead, his deputy said Tuesday.
Manchester Chief Constable Michael Todd, 50, was found dead in Snowdonia, about 240 miles northwest of London, Deputy Chief Constable Dave Whatton said. He had been missing since going out for a walk Monday during his day off.
———-
A coincidence perhaps. But there sure has been alot of them.
March 13th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
The neocons are not economists, and they are poor historians.
At the start of the Cold War the US produced about half of world output and spent a little over half of world military spending. It now has about a fifth of world output (and declining) but still spends about half of world military spending. That’s not sustainable.
One of the big lessons they should be drawing from the fall of the USSR is that spending too much money on guns makes you weaker, not stronger, in the long run.