The engine of American foreign policy has been fueled not by a devotion to any kind of morality, but rather by the necessity to serve other imperatives, which can be summarized as follows: * making the world safe for American corporations; * enhancing the financial statements of defense contractors at home who have contributed generously to members of congress; * preventing the rise of any society that might serve as a successful example of an alternative to the capitalist model; * extending political and economic hegemony over as wide an area as possible, as befits a "great power." This in the name of fighting a supposed moral crusade against what cold warriors convinced themselves, and the American people, was the existence of an evil International Communist Conspiracy, which in fact never existed, evil or not.
The United States carried out extremely serious interventions into more than 70 nations in this period.
China, 1945-49: Intervened in a civil war, taking the side of Chiang Kai-shek against the Communists, even though the latter had been a much closer ally of the United States in the world war. The U.S. used defeated Japanese soldiers to fight for its side. The Communists forced Chiang to flee to Taiwan in 1949.
Italy, 1947-48: Using every trick in the book, the U.S. interfered in the elections to prevent the Communist Party from coming to power legally and fairly. This perversion of democracy was done in the name of "saving democracy" in Italy. The Communists lost. For the next few decades, the CIA, along with American corporations, continued to intervene in Italian elections, pouring in hundreds of millions of dollars and much psychological warfare to block the specter that was haunting Europe.
Greece, 1947-49: Intervened in a civil war, taking the side of the neo-fascists against the Greek left which had fought the Nazis courageously. The neo-fascists won and instituted a highly brutal regime, for which the CIA created a new internal security agency, KYP. Before long, KYP was carrying out all the endearing practices of secret police everywhere, including systematic torture.
Philippines, 1945-53: U.S. military fought against leftist forces (Huks) even while the Huks were still fighting against the Japanese invaders. After the war, the U. S. continued its fight against the Huks, defeating them, and then installing a series of puppets as president, culminating in the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
South Korea, 1945-53: After World War II, the United States suppressed the popular progressive forces in favor of the conservatives who had collaborated with the Japanese. This led to a long era of corrupt, reactionary, and brutal governments.
Albania, 1949-53: The U.S. and Britain tried unsuccessfully to overthrow the communist government and install a new one that would have been pro-Western and composed largely of monarchists and collaborators with Italian fascists and Nazis.
Germany, 1950s: The CIA orchestrated a wide-ranging campaign of sabotage, terrorism, dirty tricks, and psychological warfare against East Germany. This was one of the factors which led to the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
Iran, 1953: Prime Minister Mossadegh was overthrown in a joint U.S./British operation. Mossadegh had been elected to his position by a large majority of parliament, but he had made the fateful mistake of spearheading the movement to nationalize a British-owned oil company, the sole oil company operating in Iran. The coup restored the Shah to absolute power and began a period of 25 years of repression and torture, with the oil industry being restored to foreign ownership, as follows: Britain and the U.S., each 40 percent, other nations 20 percent.
Guatemala, 1953-1990s: A CIA-organized coup overthrew the democratically-elected and progressive government of Jacobo Arbenz, initiating 40 years of death-squads, torture, disappearances, mass executions, and unimaginable cruelty, totaling well over 100,000 victims -indis
Their jobs in Government? Facilitating the siphoning of public coffers into the pockets of corporations which offer dubious returns to holders of common-stock, while advancing the fortunes of officers and cronies.
It's like this in private-sector, too. Just so, in Government the objective is not profitablility - so th eoversight tends to be more severely lacking.
I watched a crappy little 2 man dev shop bilk a retirement planning group in a major finacial services corporation. They wrote crappy dBase code, with crappy multi-user kludges that all required lifecycle maintainance, patches, rewrites and updates. They could never port off of dBase/NetWare, and I finally helped evict them with the coming of IP networking.
Moebius was also very much responsible for the look and atmosphere of the original ALIEN film. Of course, everybody remembers H.R. Geiger's contribution of the Alien and it's discovery. But the whole human world was Moebius and Ron Cobb. Cobb is a genius in his own right, but it's clear how much O'Bannon plied him with work Giraud had done for the pre-production of the geat, unmade DUNE.
Slashdot Mirror
Yeah. I just get my caf via Sumatran French Roast or Ethiopian/Somali Espresso.
Mt. Dew is corn-poison. I'm a San Pelligrino guy - cos I like the size of the bubbles.
SPA FON!
SQUA TRONT!!!
STOP THESE PEOPLE!
Decaffeinated, Sugar Free, Low Fat Guardians to the GAtes of Hell!
Those things are not a problem.
This was written over ten years ago.
Can I haz cheezburger? They don't think it be like it do, but it does?
Are you telling me that you can't unlock one of these phones, without a PhD?
Ho Chi Minh would have been as anti-Soviet or PRC as he was anti-US. More so. He'd been a student in France.
"Some one is definitely going to rape that bitch. Well then, I guess it should be ME!"
The manual was misssing? Maybe we could "lose" it again...
The engine of American foreign policy has been fueled not by a devotion to any kind of morality, but rather by the necessity to serve other imperatives, which can be summarized as follows:
* making the world safe for American corporations;
* enhancing the financial statements of defense contractors at home who have contributed generously to members of congress;
* preventing the rise of any society that might serve as a successful example of an alternative to the capitalist model;
* extending political and economic hegemony over as wide an area as possible, as befits a "great power."
This in the name of fighting a supposed moral crusade against what cold warriors convinced themselves, and the American people, was the existence of an evil International Communist Conspiracy, which in fact never existed, evil or not.
The United States carried out extremely serious interventions into more than 70 nations in this period.
China, 1945-49:
Intervened in a civil war, taking the side of Chiang Kai-shek against the Communists, even though the latter had been a much closer ally of the United States in the world war. The U.S. used defeated Japanese soldiers to fight for its side. The Communists forced Chiang to flee to Taiwan in 1949.
Italy, 1947-48:
Using every trick in the book, the U.S. interfered in the elections to prevent the Communist Party from coming to power legally and fairly. This perversion of democracy was done in the name of "saving democracy" in Italy. The Communists lost. For the next few decades, the CIA, along with American corporations, continued to intervene in Italian elections, pouring in hundreds of millions of dollars and much psychological warfare to block the specter that was haunting Europe.
Greece, 1947-49:
Intervened in a civil war, taking the side of the neo-fascists against the Greek left which had fought the Nazis courageously. The neo-fascists won and instituted a highly brutal regime, for which the CIA created a new internal security agency, KYP. Before long, KYP was carrying out all the endearing practices of secret police everywhere, including systematic torture.
Philippines, 1945-53:
U.S. military fought against leftist forces (Huks) even while the Huks were still fighting against the Japanese invaders. After the war, the U. S. continued its fight against the Huks, defeating them, and then installing a series of puppets as president, culminating in the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
South Korea, 1945-53:
After World War II, the United States suppressed the popular progressive forces in favor of the conservatives who had collaborated with the Japanese. This led to a long era of corrupt, reactionary, and brutal governments.
Albania, 1949-53:
The U.S. and Britain tried unsuccessfully to overthrow the communist government and install a new one that would have been pro-Western and composed largely of monarchists and collaborators with Italian fascists and Nazis.
Germany, 1950s:
The CIA orchestrated a wide-ranging campaign of sabotage, terrorism, dirty tricks, and psychological warfare against East Germany. This was one of the factors which led to the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
Iran, 1953:
Prime Minister Mossadegh was overthrown in a joint U.S./British operation. Mossadegh had been elected to his position by a large majority of parliament, but he had made the fateful mistake of spearheading the movement to nationalize a British-owned oil company, the sole oil company operating in Iran. The coup restored the Shah to absolute power and began a period of 25 years of repression and torture, with the oil industry being restored to foreign ownership, as follows: Britain and the U.S., each 40 percent, other nations 20 percent.
Guatemala, 1953-1990s:
A CIA-organized coup overthrew the democratically-elected and progressive government of Jacobo Arbenz, initiating 40 years of death-squads, torture, disappearances, mass executions, and unimaginable cruelty, totaling well over 100,000 victims -indis
Oh, so it's good to commit terror when it's for "us".
The ISI which was a completely funded creature of Zbignew Brezhinski's strategy?
http://www.lewrockwell.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/US-bases-Iran11.jpg
The Taliban was created as a US proxy. Same with the KLA.
Israel created and advanced Hamas to create factional divisions within Palestinian political organizing.
Don't go that way. Iran is small potatoes in the proxy-warrior arena.
Their jobs in Government? Facilitating the siphoning of public coffers into the pockets of corporations which offer dubious returns to holders of common-stock, while advancing the fortunes of officers and cronies.
Iran has never initiated overt military hostility since the 19th century. This is over 6+ regeimes.
Israel, however? The US? Two rabid dogs.
It's like this in private-sector, too. Just so, in Government the objective is not profitablility - so th eoversight tends to be more severely lacking.
I watched a crappy little 2 man dev shop bilk a retirement planning group in a major finacial services corporation. They wrote crappy dBase code, with crappy multi-user kludges that all required lifecycle maintainance, patches, rewrites and updates. They could never port off of dBase/NetWare, and I finally helped evict them with the coming of IP networking.
"A criminal is a person with predatory instincts who has not sufficient capital to form a corporation."
-- Howard Scott
"A criminal is a person with predatory instincts who has not sufficient capital to form a corporation."
-- Howard Scott
Private contactors, low-bidding, on the public's dime.
"We'll be here forever, boys. No need to get it right the first time."
Vanz can't dance, but he'll steal your money,
Watch him - or he'll rob you blind...
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=7123
Hell, since 2003, you can use 'em to get a close up of that SWAT team in your yard...
That follows you home!
Here's a one-hour BBC documentary on Moebius.
"Moebius Redux: A Life in Pictures" includes interviews with Stan Lee and Jodorowsky.
Moebius was also very much responsible for the look and atmosphere of the original ALIEN film. Of course, everybody remembers H.R. Geiger's contribution of the Alien and it's discovery. But the whole human world was Moebius and Ron Cobb. Cobb is a genius in his own right, but it's clear how much O'Bannon plied him with work Giraud had done for the pre-production of the geat, unmade DUNE.