Democrat September-October (Number 65)
Points of view by Arthur Smelt
Regime change US and EU style
'Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defence of peace must be constructed'
- Constitution of UNESCO
Within the Labour and Trade Union movement, there is a view reported in our leader - Stop the War - that rather than be drawn into US hegemony we would be better off in EU.
A factual examination of aspects of foreign policy pursued by US administrations since the end of World War two may appear to give credence to such argument. The truth is however, that EU is much the same dastardly package in a somewhat different wrapper. The techniques used to persuade masses of people that what is being carried out, is in the interests of freedom, democracy and ultimately the common good is the same in both camps.
A remarkable aspect of the appalling events of 11th September last year is that the US has not been targeted more often by similar shock brigades from any of the countries subjected to severe and brutal US oppression.
Successive US governments over decades have pursued a policy on behalf of US corporate fundamentalism of `kicking ass' on a world scale. The direct and indirect interference in the internal affairs of independent nation states has resulted in the deaths and blighted lives of millions of innocent people across the globe.
After the horrendous death and destruction in Manhattan, Tony Blair had the brass neck to say that there can be no justification for the killing of innocent people.
In Vietnam alone, casualties amongst innocent civilians ran into millions. Not only were the most horrendous weapons used in this murderous atrocity but also dioxin, used to destroy vegetation and crops leaving behind incalculable environmental damage by the deadliest of chemicals. Human health was seriously damaged in the form of cancers and grotesquely malformed births. US personnel were also caught by this asinine act.
Tens of thousand of people have died at the hands of terrorists trained in the US and armed by the US government on behalf of the most brutal despotic political elements in the world. In Central and South America and the Middle and Far East. By coincidence it was 11th September 1973 that the US government backed Pinochet's fascist coup in Chile to topple the democratically elected government of Allende because the political colour was wrong for the US. Over 30,000 people were murdered and thousands imprisoned and tortured.
These policies continue unabated. A recent attempt to overthrow the leadership in Venezuela by fomenting internal strife, failed. Without doubt it is still being worked on and ways will be found to bring Venezuela, a big oil producer, under US control.
The term `regime change' is now in the public domain and more nearly describes what this is really all about. That is to force independent nations to put in power leaderships prepared to allow US interests to do just as they wish.
Yugoslavia is a classic example in which the EU played a major role in ruthlessly bringing about regime change alongside the US in the form of NATO. Palestinians have been told to replace Arafat. The US and its acolytes set up the chaotic and despotic regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. Both these countries have been pounded with bombs to make them compliant. All Saddam has to do to avoid more pounding is to hand over control of oil to Bush, then the fact he is a vicious dictator could be forgotten.
There is little doubt that a significant number of people, including Americans, regard Bush as a rogue president of a rogue government. The idea put about that people hate the US and Americans in general is a contemptible ploy to drum up jingoism and solidarity against an enemy without, along with the blackmail `If you're not for us you're against us.'
The US is the Mecca of the corporate world and Corporatism is on the rampage red in tooth and claw. Corporate activity is geared to corporate power and enrichment by every means possible including using governments to act for them, that is what EU is all about.
By mounting massive propaganda campaigns, employing huge doses of mendacity, using politicians and governments as front men to pass laws, rules and regulations to favour corporate aims, they have managed, with the exception of Yugoslavia, to bring about multiple regime changes without resorting to military coercion. The European Union is just about the biggest confidence trick ever perpetrated by a relatively small, but extremely powerful group of men over hundreds of millions of their fellows.