When Democracy Gets in the Way, The U.S. Squashes It.

[chaska]

Important read.

http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0107-27.htm

(snip)

Kinzer summarizes the U.S. problem: We cannot promote democracy if it means nations "would begin acting in accordance with their own interests rather than the interests of the United States."

As a corollary, Americans might consider the possibility that some elements of our nation might not tolerate democracy at home if it threatens their interests.

Another corollary: Americans can dreamily accept the myth of a beneficent nation spreading its values only so long as the material wealth flows back to them. Who cares about bloody tragedies and thwarted aspirations of oppressed peoples so long as coffee and gasoline stay cheap?

But what happens when the supranational corporations with their distaste for democracy come knocking on our door? Can we defend our self-interest any better than the Guatemalans, Cubans or Iranians?

Look at the shambles of the social safety network, the political subservience to corporate interests, the high-level corruption and ineptitude in government and business, the "anti-terror" attack on constitutional liberties, the concentration of wealth as wages stagnate. Could these be elements of a neocolonial experience?

Like peasants around the world, we might find ourselves without health care or pensions, with little education and low pay, without power or much hope of a future.

Events suggest that what we have done in the world could come back as a beast slavering over our freedom and wealth.

[Mrspeeker]

1. Freedoms only free if we say SO!

Its been going on for many years, another good read about what we actually do to other countrys and how we do it is John Perkins Confessions of and Economic Hit Man

[chaska]

2. It's on my list. So many books so little time ... and cash.

[Doctor_J]

3. Michael Parenti's thesis, to a T

If it is a choice between promoting democracy and promoting market exploitation, democracy goes off the table without a second thought. In the current debacle, we attacked Iraq not to free the country, but to get the oil.

[chaska]

4. What hasn't made it to common public discourse though is....

the notion that the economic interests are coming after us now.

It's the whole 'they came for the jews, but I'm not a jew, so I said nothing' thing. Well, now they're coming for us.