Source: Activist Post
Good and evil doesn't have a grey zone. Killing and stealing is bad.
Violence is never "good" or necessary unless it is used to defend
against killers and thieves. Indeed, that is the morality behind the
"just war" principle as defined by international laws and treaties.
Yet, this simple concept of right and wrong gets muddled by differing ideas about religion, patriotism, economics and many other divisions. The "just war" rule has crumbled under the ambitions of empires throughout history. The American-led Anglo Saxon empire is no different.
This empire has been brutally conquering and colonizing territory since the fall of Rome. However, it has only gained an American face in the last century. The United States quickly emerged as the world's "superpower" primarily through its economic might. For some time, many believed the U.S. to be a shining example of economic freedom for other nations to emulate. Indeed, America was eager to promote "economic freedom" globally to open new markets for U.S.-based corporations.
Yet, this simple concept of right and wrong gets muddled by differing ideas about religion, patriotism, economics and many other divisions. The "just war" rule has crumbled under the ambitions of empires throughout history. The American-led Anglo Saxon empire is no different.
This empire has been brutally conquering and colonizing territory since the fall of Rome. However, it has only gained an American face in the last century. The United States quickly emerged as the world's "superpower" primarily through its economic might. For some time, many believed the U.S. to be a shining example of economic freedom for other nations to emulate. Indeed, America was eager to promote "economic freedom" globally to open new markets for U.S.-based corporations.
When foreign leaders refused to allow these corporate interests into their country, those leaders were replaced through a variety of covert actions. The form of government that would be installed did not matter to the empire makers so long as the corporate interests were served. In most cases these nations simply surrendered to the seemingly unlimited power of the almighty dollar, thus camouflaging the traditional method of forceful empire building.
However, some nations, especially in the last two decades, remained
stubborn and have refused to alter their banking systems while also
shunning Western companies. Despite the empire's best efforts to
diplomatically bribe or sanction them into submission, they ultimately
required an iron military fist to force their compliance. Until
recently, military action remained the last resort. But now, preemptive
military action seems to have become the preferred, and perhaps
necessary, method to conquer the last resource-rich nations out of their
grasp.
The empire's populations cheered this strategy out of fear of being attacked by these rogue nations who never attacked or even threatened to attack them. In the fog of fear, killing and stealing became acceptable. In fact, detention without charges and even torture became acceptable in the former capital of freedom. America has determined that the means justifies the end -- which is more power.
As with all empires, these "means" have become increasingly violent and destructive in the face of resistance. Yet, only a few more dominoes are left to knock over for America to complete a plan set in motion well before they were one of the colonies. That is unless, of course, other world powers break ranks and attempt to stop the conquerors, which could lead to a large scale conflict.
Regardless, when the dust settles and moral history is written, America and her Western cohorts will likely be viewed as the most brutal empire in history. Here are ten reasons why this is already the case:
The empire's populations cheered this strategy out of fear of being attacked by these rogue nations who never attacked or even threatened to attack them. In the fog of fear, killing and stealing became acceptable. In fact, detention without charges and even torture became acceptable in the former capital of freedom. America has determined that the means justifies the end -- which is more power.
As with all empires, these "means" have become increasingly violent and destructive in the face of resistance. Yet, only a few more dominoes are left to knock over for America to complete a plan set in motion well before they were one of the colonies. That is unless, of course, other world powers break ranks and attempt to stop the conquerors, which could lead to a large scale conflict.
Regardless, when the dust settles and moral history is written, America and her Western cohorts will likely be viewed as the most brutal empire in history. Here are ten reasons why this is already the case:
1. Support of Dictators: For all the happy talk of spreading
Democracy and protecting human rights, the empire has repeatedly not
only supported dictators, but in many cases overthrew popularly elected
leaders and replaced them with puppet tyrants. Examples range from secretly funding the Nazis, to installing the Shah in Iran, Pinochet in
Chile, supporting Musharraf in Pakistan, and their everlasting love
affair with the brutal Saudi royal family, to name a few. Actions speak
louder than words to those who can navigate the storm of propaganda
with a moral compass set to recognize good from evil. Dictators and
freedom cannot coexist.
2. Preemptive Wars of Aggression: It could be said that
all wars are preemptive in nature because so many entities benefit from
war. Yet, even before America's latest crusades, they covertly and
surgically attacked countries that never threatened them. This allowed
them to maintain the moral high road in the public's eye while
constructing the foundation of their empire. That was until the Bush Doctrine;
the use of preemptive military action to confront possible threats was
unofficially adopted to be the new foreign policy for combating terror.
Since then, America has become the violent aggressors, having
officially invaded two countries -- Afghanistan and Iraq -- without
legitimate provocation. Violent aggressors have always been judged by
history as evil. But it gets worse....
3. Torture: Torture has never been acceptable by those promoting a high moral standing in the global community. Nazis and Japanese soldiers were convicted
and executed for engaging in the exact same torture techniques that
America has redefined as 'enhanced interrogation'. "I was just
following orders," was not a justifiable excuse for such inhumane
behavior, much like it wasn't a good enough defense for the low-ranking
patsies who took the heat for the sinister Abu Ghraib torture scandal even though their actions were approved at the highest levels. Can state-sanctioned torture of prisoners held without charges ever be viewed as anything less than brutal?4. Suppression of Dissent: All tyrannical regimes throughout history have suppressed homeland dissent. As government oppression grows bolder at home and abroad, more citizens will naturally express outrage, resulting in even more oppressive controls. This is happening in the United States through the all-seeing eye of the Department of Homeland Security with warrantless spying, arbitrary watch lists, citizen spy campaigns, and TSA molestation to travel anywhere. Additionally, in an attempt to squash free speech, they arbitrarily seize websites and violently confront peaceful protesters. Unfortunately, as awareness of the topics in this very article expands, the U.S. will likely become even bolder in their pursuit of stifling dissent. In other words, the worst is yet to come, and history will judge the U.S. as not quite the beacon of freedom they have pretended to be.
5. Elimination of Habeas Corpus: Say goodbye to the notion of being innocent until proven guilty, the right to face charges and your accuser, and the right to a free and fair trial. Habeas corpus, considered the only humane path to "which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention," has been eliminated for those vaguely labeled 'enemy combatants' of the empire. As Guantanamo prisoners rot under such pretenses, prominent lawmakers in the empire propose the exact same lack of rights for American citizens if they're labeled an 'enemy belligerent'. Similar to the Spanish Inquisition, now you're guilty until you're tortured to admit your guilt. Can it get more evil? Why yes, it can. Read on.
6. Assassinating Citizens: That's right. No judge, no jury, no
conviction; just straight to execution. America has set another
precedent in their tyrannical march toward empire when they openly
assassinated an American citizen and government patsy, Anwar al-Awlaki, and his teenage son on the suspicion of terrorism. Paul Craig Roberts laments
"Now the US government not only can seize a US citizen and confine him
in prison for the rest of his life without ever presenting evidence and
obtaining a conviction, but also can have him shot down in the street or
blown up by a drone." Isn't this the reason America claims to be
knocking off dictators around the world -- the deliberate killing of
their own citizens?
But Awlaki was a bad apple because the intelligence community said so. What's most telling that America will continue this wickedness is that almost every US lawmaker turned a blind eye to the grotesque violation of Constitutional rights. Only Ron Paul said that assassinating an American citizen without charges is nothing less than an "impeachable offense". Too bad most of the country cheered the Awlaki killing as a "victory" in the war on terror, indicating that it is now an acceptable tactic. Americans beware: you may be moved from a secret watch list to a secret kill list in this brutal empire.
But Awlaki was a bad apple because the intelligence community said so. What's most telling that America will continue this wickedness is that almost every US lawmaker turned a blind eye to the grotesque violation of Constitutional rights. Only Ron Paul said that assassinating an American citizen without charges is nothing less than an "impeachable offense". Too bad most of the country cheered the Awlaki killing as a "victory" in the war on terror, indicating that it is now an acceptable tactic. Americans beware: you may be moved from a secret watch list to a secret kill list in this brutal empire.
7. Unauthorized Drone Wars: Unprovoked wars without
authorization, accountability, or independent oversight only seem to be
escalating; and with little resistance. The US Congress no longer votes
to "declare war". They simply give the Commander in Chief broad
"authorization" to use force against specific nations. However, even
that is not broad enough in the rapid pursuit of empire. Now, joystick
warriors directed by the CIA and Pentagon have targeted at least three
countries with "unauthorized" military strikes; Pakistan,
Yemen, and Somalia. Even worse, they waged a full-scale war for regime
change and resource plundering in Libya without any authority inside
the United States. Under the NATO flag, which is 75% funded by the U.S., they flew over 9200 strike sorties in Libya to
illegally topple Gaddafi. Drunk with success, the bloodthirsty empire
marches on to their next preemptive targets, Syria and Iran. Quick
morality check: unprovoked killing and stealing as a first resort is
still wrong, right?
8. Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction: How ironic that the world's policeman for weapons of mass destruction is the only one to use them on a mass scale. The United States is on record using chemical, biological and even nuclear weapons. From the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in WWII, to Monsanto's Agent Orange in Vietnam, to the depleted uranium used in Afghanistan and Iraq, America only condemns itself when speaking about the evils of WMDs. However, killers don't appear to care how the killing is accomplished, so long as it achieves their goals. The real firecrackers will likely be brought out in a confrontation with Iran, or if China and Russia are lured into the conflict. It won't really matter much what history says if the use of WMD escalates by either side, but the aggressors should rightly be blamed for the ensuing scorched earth, while the defenders against killers and thieves should be viewed as righteous.
8. Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction: How ironic that the world's policeman for weapons of mass destruction is the only one to use them on a mass scale. The United States is on record using chemical, biological and even nuclear weapons. From the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in WWII, to Monsanto's Agent Orange in Vietnam, to the depleted uranium used in Afghanistan and Iraq, America only condemns itself when speaking about the evils of WMDs. However, killers don't appear to care how the killing is accomplished, so long as it achieves their goals. The real firecrackers will likely be brought out in a confrontation with Iran, or if China and Russia are lured into the conflict. It won't really matter much what history says if the use of WMD escalates by either side, but the aggressors should rightly be blamed for the ensuing scorched earth, while the defenders against killers and thieves should be viewed as righteous.
9. World's Largest Drug Dealer: The American empire is the largest drug dealer in the world? Say it isn't so. Well, in addition to forcing legal drugs and genetically modified organisms
on nations, usually under the cover of foreign aid, America also leads
in the illegal drug trade. In fact, many researchers reveal that the
war on drugs is only utilized to control and monopolize the illicit drug
trade. The US government has been caught multiple times shipping in cocaine, colluding with certain cartels to control the industry, and now openly protects and transports opium from Afghanistan. In fact, Global Research points out
that in 2001, "according to UN figures, opium production had fallen to
185 tons. Immediately following the October 2001 US led invasion,
production increased dramatically, regaining its historical levels."
This month, the U.N. announced that Afghanistan now provides 93% of the world's opium
production; up 61% compared to 2010 to a whopping 5800 tonnes.
Although the empire tries to keep it secret, they can't hide the
hypocrisy forever.
10. World Reserve Currency Prison: Although using Weapons of Mass
Debt is a non-violent form of expanding the empire, it's perhaps the
most brutal and effective form of control. Requiring foreign nations to
purchase oil and other imported commodities with US dollars wields
immense power. Because all nations must acquire dollars to purchase
critical resources, they quickly become indebted to the US Federal
Reserve, their affiliate central banks, and the IMF. Before long, the
entire world is colonized by debt. It seems that only the nations that
don't need or refuse credit from Western banking institutions are the
ones in danger of facing the wrath of the imperial war machine.
Incidentally, most oil-rich nations in the Middle East have
outlawed usury (lending money with interest), making them impossible to conquer diplomatically through debt.
Controlling the world reserve currency means controlling the tap of
life itself, which is a dangerous weapon in the hands of an aggressive
empire. Debt is the ultimate WMD the empire uses to enslave the world,
which leaves dissidents with two clear choices: slavery or death.
Although this empire is infinitely more powerful than Rome was, it will likely suffer the same fate. For every negative action the empire commits, there's an equal and opposite good reaction. And the goodness of humanity will always defeat tyranny when it goes too far. However, an empire with so much to lose will go down swinging and slinging every weapon in its arsenal, thus putting the final stamp on their status as most brutal empire in history.
