General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAmerica's Coup Machine: Destroying Democracy Since 1953
http://www.alternet.org/world/americas-coup-machine-destroying-democracy-1953Soon after the 2004 U.S. coup to depose President Jean-Bertrand Aristide of Haiti, I heard Aristide's lawyer Ira Kurzban speaking in Miami. He began his talk with a riddle: "Why has there never been a coup in Washington D.C.?" The answer: "Because there is no U.S. Embassy in Washington D.C." This introduction was greeted with wild applause by a mostly Haitian-American audience who understood it only too well.
Read more at the link.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)Good for Wall Street and its well-heeled owners.
Stephen Kinzer has written a boffo bio on the brothers Dulles.
Kirkus Reviews via Amazon:
A joint biography of John Foster Dulles and Allen Dulles, who led the United States into an unseen war that decisively shaped todays world
During the 1950s, when the Cold War was at its peak, two immensely powerful brothers led the United States into a series of foreign adventures whose effects are still shaking the world.
John Foster Dulles was secretary of state while his brother, Allen Dulles, was director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In this book, Stephen Kinzer places their extraordinary lives against the background of American culture and history. He uses the framework of biography to ask: Why does the United States behave as it does in the world?
The Brothers explores hidden forces that shape the national psyche, from religious piety to Western moviesmany of which are about a noble gunman who cleans up a lawless town by killing bad guys. This is how the Dulles brothers saw themselves, and how many Americans still see their countrys role in the world.
Propelled by a quintessentially American set of fears and delusions, the Dulles brothers launched violent campaigns against foreign leaders they saw as threats to the United States. These campaigns helped push countries from Guatemala to the Congo into long spirals of violence, led the United States into the Vietnam War, and laid the foundation for decades of hostility between the United States and countries from Cuba to Iran.
The story of the Dulles brothers is the story of America. It illuminates and helps explain the modern history of the United States and the world.
A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of 2013
The Dulles Brothers played a major role in getting us into Vietnam and bringing the BFEE to power for much of the 20th and 21st century. Terry Gross interviews Kinzer on the book:
http://www.npr.org/2013/10/16/234752747/meet-the-brothers-who-shaped-u-s-policy-inside-and-out
Ramses
(721 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)A great article from Katya Soldak of Forbes from two years' back.
Message from Condoleezza Rice to Ukraine:
"The World is Watching You"
Katya Soldak
Forbes, 9/19/2012
Recently, Condoleezza Rice, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Gordon Brown, Ukrainian president Victor Yanukovych and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan congregated at Livadia Palace in Southern Ukraine, the summer retreat of the last Russian tsar, Nicolas IIa Renaissance style building on the top of a hill, with the Black Sea rolling below. The same place as where Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin met at their famed Yalta conference of 1945.
The difference is that back then the rulers of the powerful countries met to make real decisions about the worlds future. This past weekend, Rice, and other guests of the 9th annual Yalta European Strategy meeting came to share their thoughts about the worlds challenges. Discussions today could influence policymakers and lead to making tomorrows decisions.
Among the matters discussed were the economic future of Europe and the role of the United States in dealing with economic and political issues of today. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian theme continued throughout the two-day conference. The government imprisoned former prime minister and opposition leader, Yulia Tymoshenko, and this has drawn criticism by the West; Ukraine tightens conditions for independent media and freedom of speech; the parliamentary elections coming up this October have already caused concerns among democratic observers on the subject of fairness and transparency.
Condoleezza Rice made it clear in her speech that the world is interested in Ukraine and is carefully watching all its developments: Country like Ukraine with consolidation of democracy is watched carefully, she said. Rice emphasized the importance of freedom of speech and free elections. If Ukraine speaks in one voice, this voice would be heard.
SNIP...
Indeed, the 9th annual Yalta conference by many opinions, one of the best international platforms for discussions among high-profile politicians and innovative thinkers is organized by Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuks foundation and is taking place in Ukraine at a time when European leaders have recently boycotted the Euro 2012 soccer championship over Tymoshenkos arrest and detainment. The fact that American politicians like Condoleezza Rice and Britains Gordon Brown attended, cant be attributed to good relationships between Ukrainian and Western governments.
CONTINUED...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/katyasoldak/2012/09/19/message-from-condoleezza-rice-to-ukraine-the-world-is-watching-you/
In retrospect, it appears the Neocons -- the axis of Wall Street and Secret Government -- have stayed on top the entire time since Reagan. And, like their ilk did to Iran in 1953, the Ukraine Operation will not benefit the American people as a whole. It will benefit the owners of Big Oil and Condoleeza Rice.
Ramses
(721 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)JFK Conference: James DiEugenio made clear how Foreign Policy changed after November 22, 1963
As a Democrat, a DUer and as a citizen of the United States, I was proud to attend the Passing the Torch: An International Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy at Duquesne University. One of the many important things discussed there was what author, historian and teacher, James DiEugenio reported on the important change in foreign policy JFK represented from his predecessor and his successors, immediate and otherwise.
DiEugenio said President John F. Kennedy did not undergo a change of heart from Cold War hawk to liberal dove Democrat only after the hair-raising nuclear crises he experienced in office. "John F. Kennedy was never a Cold Warrior," DiEugenio said. Throughout his 16-year career in the House and Senate, President Kennedy sided with the People, Justice and Democracy -- across the United States and around the world. This is a world view radically different from Eisenhower, and his foreign policy makers, principally the Dulles Brothers and their allies, including young Dick Nixon.
The JFK Administration may have represented a break in the action, H20 Man's Father explained to him and I agree. It was a special interlude, indeed. In only 1,037 days, we launched the nation toward the moon, creating a new type of economy; maintained the peace when several times the heads of the military and the secret organs of the national security state counseled all-out war; and started the nation on a path where all men are equal under the law, no matter race, color, or creed, and justice extended to economics and health, as under FDR and the New Deal.
DiEugenios research shows President Kennedy was working to defend the interests of democracy over those of colonialism, not only in Europe, as evinced in divided Berlin, but in Africa, Asia, South America and around the world. During less than three years in office, Kennedy turned official U.S. support from that of Eisenhower and the Dulles Brothers for supporting US commercial and colonial interests over democracy, such as in Guatemala and Iran, to respect for the nations and their democratically elected leaders, like Lumumba and Sukarno. In matters of war and peace, JFK always sided with peace, making overtures to North Vietnam. The Dulles Brothers and Nixon sided with France and the colonial powers, even drawing up plans to nuke the North Vietnamese Army at Dien Bien Phu, Operation VULTURE.
The record shows JFK's Foreign Policy of democracy over colonialism was immediately reversed by Lyndon B. Johnson, who reversed course in Vietnam and supported the pro-colonialist forces in Congo, Vietnam, Brazil, Dominican Republic and elsewhere around the world. Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and most who followed continued the Business-As-Usual, advancing the interests of Big Money, Big Oil and Big Wars for Profit.
One of the things I am most proud of is how Democratic Underground covered many of these salient points on its boards, from DU1 through the present day. At the Duquesne conference, I was listening and nodding, knowing that many times we had discussed this on DU. In looking back to one particularly important post through GOOGLE, I found we sourced this information back to DiEugenio. That's what the Internet can do: Spread Truth.
Why it matters.
Democracy depends on Truth. The Republic depends on Justice. That is, the reality that ours is a nation under law.
Once a criminal is, or criminals are, allowed to go free, Justice has been denied. We find ourselves operating under a falsehood, we are living a Big Lie.
We as a Nation have been on the criminal path since November 22, 1963.
DUers know you dont need to read a history book or watch a tee vee special to know: It shows. Since 1964 and the Gulf of Tonkin, its been a series of wars without end for profit. And in the process, the rich became super-rich -- the richest and most powerful people in history.
Thanks for reading. Keep spreading the Truth, DU! The next 50 years can be different -- they can be decades of peace and prosperity for ALL: They can be Democratic.
Ramses
(721 posts)Show how for decades the US has been doing this right wing shit in dozens and dozens of countries.
DisgustipatedinCA
(12,530 posts)malaise
(269,188 posts)Watch them spin this.
Ramses
(721 posts)The US is and has been a war mongering nation for decades, and its always been against workers/laborers/common people.
Its NEVER been a war for truth or justice, except for the 1%, in every time period. Its disgusting, being an American to see what my government infested by sociopaths have been able to abuse, use and steal from.
malaise
(269,188 posts)just ask Obama about comments since his address to the prayer breakfast. All he stated were facts.
Downwinder
(12,869 posts)Ramses
(721 posts)in Honduras at the time. Talk of labor rights and increases in the minimum wage in Honduras by the leading politician was quickly silenced by Hillary's full support of the military dictatorship now firmly in charge in Honduras. Workers and the people suffer while the rich get richer
Just like here in the US
Downwinder
(12,869 posts)My hopes are not doing too well these days.
Ramses
(721 posts)We will have a conservative disaster Capitalist loving warmonger either way. Unless Sanders runs, in which case the people might have a choice, but the DNC and RNC will make sure to it he is never heard from if he decides to run.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)the dangers of running, he would have to have the backing of millions. He said that because he knows the real dangers to himself and family.
Ramses
(721 posts)car, plane, boat, food, etc before they would EVER allow him to run. Its really sad, JFK,MLK, etc were really warnings to the rest of us to NEVER fight too hard or we will be taken "care of". These sociopaths wouldnt hesitate for a second if they thought a real people's revolution were to happen, to drop a couple nukes on progressive cities and blame it on Russia, or North Korea or Iran, or whoever their boogieman du jour was
tech3149
(4,452 posts)It's much easier to destroy him in the eyes of the public. After all those who rely on corporate media for news and have no idea DU exists probably don't know who Bernie Sanders is.
Ramses
(721 posts)but Ive found apathy and disconnect unfortunately. Too many people are struggling to get by. Many more care about the Kardashians. More still dont care either way. Its all very effective propaganda by the media to have us disconnect from matters important, and Capitalism takes care of the rest by impoverishing tens of millions
seveneyes
(4,631 posts)By now you realized, you have to be
relentless to survive
Repress your memories,
bury all emotions and thrive!