For the domestic programs the Federal Government gets high marks. But when historically we consider our foreign policy over the years the Feds failed miserably.
Beginning with the Russian Revolution in 1917 we have had a foreign policy directed toward destroying Bolshevism either militarily or politically. Our military budget and our political action was directed to that end for 74 years . To the capitalists of the world the successful Bolshevik revolution was a fearful nightmare. Here was an alternative option to plutocracy that might spread widely. Oh, my! So in 1918 with the paranoid backing of the capitalist power brokers the U.S. along with Britain, France and Japan militarily invaded Russia intending to overthrow the Bolshevik government. The U.S. and Britain also gave financial aid to the right-wing anti-Bolshevik White Russian armies. Herbert Hoover, who was Chairman of the American Relief Administration used humanitarian fund intended for starving civilians to supply the White Russian armies.
The U.S. Sent 40,000 troops plus naval vessels as part of the allied invasion causing many military and civilian casualties . It was a total waste of blood and money. Most American are not aware that we participated in this failure, not even Ronald Reagan who wrongly stated publicly in 1984 and directed his remarks to the Soviet Union that “our sons and daughters have never fought each other in war.”
Another reason for the invasion was, of course, the vast natural resources located in Russia. The Western Corporate investors hoped to invest in the natural wealth of the country before it was nationalized by the Bolsheviks. The corporate capitalists followed the armies and intended to pull out oil, coal, timber, ore and gold for use in the West.
Historically what is significant about this period is that although the invasion of Russia was a “hot war” in reality it was the beginning of the “cold war.” The “cold war” was based not on a fear of Russia attacking us but rather the corporatists fear of communism. After World War II the cold war as we know it kicked into high gear. At that time there was much talk about engaging the Soviet Union in war. But it became obvious after WWII when Field Marshall Montgomery paid a visit to the Soviet Union, he reported to Eisenhower that the Russians were in “no fit state to go to war.” They had lost 22 million citizens while at the same time cities, railways and industries were destroyed. Even our own military advisers admitted that the Soviets were not preparing for war. Yet the specter of a Russian attack was used all during the cold war to support a constant military buildup in the U.S. Today we understand the power of the military-industrial complex that produced endless weaponry and huge profits for the U.S. weapons manufacturers. Money that could have been well spent in other areas.
Poverty in the world frightens the world's capitalists because eventually people suffering in an unstable economy may rise up, smote the wealthy and drive them from their land. Free market globalization was introduced by the transnational corporations to deal with this problem. But as we have shown in previous blogs, it wasn't free nor was it a market and it only increased poverty. And remember the fear of communism in SE Asia made the Viet Nam war a reality based on lies and was a total waste.
Now returning to the 1920's during the rise of Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany, there was continual conflict between Western Capitalism and Soviet Communism. On the other hand, the corporate capitalists were extremely tolerant and approving of the Fascist countries in Europe.
Hitler and Mussolini supplied troops and weapons to Franco in Spain to crush the Republic. The Western Allies and the U.S imposed an embargo against the democratic Republic and supplied fuel to Franco's army.
The Western plutocracy did not look upon Fascism with the same fear as Communism. In fact they hoped that Germany would move against the Soviet Union. After all the Fascists were not a threat to business. Both Nazism and Italian Fascism had destroyed the labor unions and made business more profitable. Privatization increased in both countries. The power brokers of the West recognized that Nazism had destroyed the Communist movement in Germany and in the occupied portions of Europe. Fascism in Italy did the same in that country.
After WWII the cold war antagonisms continued for 50 additional years backed by the dread of Communism. The continued production of weaponry on both sides finally bankrupted the Soviet Union In effect Western plutocracy won the “war” but in the process traded off Bolshevism for the Russian mafia spreading thuggery, violence and drugs throughout Europe and the U.S.
We are now coming full circle with uprisings in the Middle East and with the “Occupy Wall Street: We are the 99%”. Poverty in the world has become a crushing burden, and people are no longer silent. The nightmare of the corporate capitalists continues.
Former President Eisenhower has often been quoted as warning the American public to be aware of the "military-industrial complex". But actually the original phrase that he used was the “military-industrial-congressional complex.”
Recently an observer from another source pointed out that wars occur today because:
“we invent enemies to buy the bombs.”
References:
Common Dreams
M.Parenti
B. Sanders
Wikipedia
