Shorter Gareth Porter: "US is a fundamentally aggressive and exceptionalist entity"

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Interesting article, this:

"In his latest book, Washington Rules, historian Andrew Bacevich points to this largely un-discussed aspect of recent U.S. wars. The “Washington rules” to which the title refers are the basic principles of U.S. global policy that have been required beliefs for entrance into the U.S. political elite ever since the United States became a superpower. The three rules are U.S. global military presence, global projection of U.S. military power and the use of that power in one conflict after another. 

Bacevich suggests that personal and institutional interests bind the U.S. political elite and national security bureaucrats to that system of global military dominance. The politicians and bureaucrats will continue to insist on those principles, he writes, because they “deliver profit, power and privilege to a long list of beneficiaries: elected and appointed officials, corporate executives and corporate lobbyists, admirals and generals, functionaries staffing the national security apparatus, media personalities and policy intellectuals from universities and research organizations.” 

That description of the problem provides a key to understanding the otherwise puzzling serial denial by the political elite on Iraq and Afghanistan. It won’t do much good for anti-war people to demand an end to the war in Afghanistan unless they are also demanding an end to the underlying system that has now produced quasi-permanent American war."

Well, quite. Although I'm not sure what's so "undiscussed" about it.

HOW fucking stupid?

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So an American friend on farcebook posted the following:

"So where are all the "Save the Gulf" concerts? Where are the TV benefits with celebrities and musicians giving heart felt speeches on the poorf ishermen, wildlife, beaches, loss of income and gulf economy? I find it rather strange how these people were so quick to help Haiti and other countries but sit on their backsides for this one. Repost if you agree!!!"

I didn't think it inappropriate to point out that Haiti is a failed state, as opposed to the largest economy in the world. Do you think I was being harsh?

Nup. Didn't think so.

the Battle for Bolivia

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The US is up to its old imperialist tricks in Latin America. The continued push by Latin American countries to divest themselves of the malignant influence of America and its proxies suh as the World Bank has reached a new level of intensity as the Bolivian President, Evo Morales, has asked the US Ambassador to leave the country and accused him of promoting seperatism and inciting violent opposition. The country's right-wing minority, which politically dominates the Media Luna region, have been charged by Morales with mounting a 'civil coup' against the poor, 60% indigenous majority of the country. Morales recently won a two-thirds majority in a referensum to confirm his leadership and is attempting to push through sweeping progressive reforms including land redistribution and distribution of revenue from Bolivia's extensive gas reserves to the population. The violent right-wing minority, in line with the "Washington Consensus" dogma of free trade and elimination of government services in favour of tax breaks for wealthy foreign investors and corporations seem to be fighting to keep the country in the 19th century.

Naomi Klein's awesome history of US disaster capitalism, "The Shock Doctrine" is particularly essential reading to understand the history of US imperialism that is driving its violent, anti-democratic support of the right-wing factions.