25 August 2005

The engine of American foreign policy has been fueled not by a devotion to any kind of morality, but rather by the necessity to serve other imperatives

Famed television evangelist and past Republican presidential candidate Pat Robertson incited a media fracas over his over-the-air comments on his desire to have a democratically elected leader of a South American country "taken out". Of course, it's not the first time Robertson has committed such an egregious verbal gaffe, compiling a colossal compendium of such "foot in mouth" moments. I reckon when you can leg press 2,000 pounds, all of that brawny mass starts to interfere with one's cognitive capacity.

Besides illustrating what a blasted hypocrite Robertson is, in lieu of his support for autocratic dictators in other parts of the world, and showcasing himself to be a total embarrassment to Christians all around the globe, there's something more sinister at stew here. That being the underreported history of the United States engaging in such activity on a regular basis in recent times.

Any surprise at the notion of killing foreign leaders expressed by U.S. officials is certainly to be questioned -- since World War II, the U.S. has plotted to assassinate more than 40 foreign political leaders, most recently Saddam Hussein and his two sons. Of course, the U.S. attempted to overthrow Chavez in a failed coup attempt in 2002 and, through the National Endowment for Democracy, tried to remove him through referendum, so assassination is only one of the ways the U.S. government illegitimately interferes in the affairs of other states.

Not all of those targets were dastardly tyrants, and more than a few were democratically elected populist leaders, who angered the ranks of the wealthy and powerful. And it's a great part of the "blowback" that goes unheeded by a grossly misinformed American public.

So, what imperatives do these covert (and overt) campaigns serve?

  • making the world safe for American corporations

  • enhancing the financial statements of defense contractors at home who have contributed generously to members of congress



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