Meddling As Foreign Policy Pt. 2 of 3

Americans live in a glass house and it is filthy. Consider the $450 billion spent annually at the Pentagon (with more on the way). For what? To bring about the "end of tyranny in our world"? Or to ensure that America is the last tyranny standing; ready, willing and able to impose its will and values on the other peoples and nations of the world? $450 billion (and counting) is being spent producing the kind of military needed to fight Rumsfeld's 'long war'. Bear in mind, this is money spent quite apart from the money allocated to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is seemingly no end to the voracious appetite of the Pentagon as it pursues new and ever more costly and deadly weapons systems. Sophisticated long-range weapons systems to do what? to fight guys with car bombs and RPGs? $450 billion in pursuit of this so-called "historic long-term goal"? Why is it that American foreign policy is always presented as some righteous cause to defeat some kind of 'ism' deemed a threat and conducted through intimidation, coercion and the use of military intervention? It's no small coincidence that the formulation of such policies and the pursuit of such 'lofty' and 'noble' goals will enrich an already rich military/corporate economic structure. The current administration has shown that it is clearly interested first and foremost in serving these interests as it continues to pander to fanatical group of moral 'terrorists' known as the religious right. The corrupt cowards that slither through the halls of the Congress, if not actively supporting and promoting this murderous Executive agenda are standing by; silent and without courage.

For many years now, the American people have been asked to believe this axiom: "What is good for business is good for America". And, as a result, over the years the various corporations of the United States have been put in the "driver's seat" when determining and deciding American domestic and foreign policy. However, in this age of globalization, this axiom no longer serves the American people (if it ever did). The power of corporate America in shaping American foreign policy overwhelms any influence the American people have on their government in shaping policy. The various corporations, ever more international in every aspect, and the politicians who represent them are selling out the people of the United States. Jobs continue to be lost and the American standard of living continues to decline; the rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer and the middle class, long the bedrock of American democracy, is fast disappearing . These corporations are loyal only to money, profit and power. The well- being (socially, economically and environmentally) of the people of the United States is of no interest or importance to corporate America what so ever.

It would appear that little or no thought or consideration is being given to the foreign and domestic policies that have helped manifest this era of global terrorism. That Americans are reaping what they have sown is simply lost on the people elected to represent and lead them. Shall the people and leaders of the U.S. give no thought to their responsibility in creating the conflict in which they find themselves? Should they not reconsider how they might do things differently? Should they not re-evaluate and reject policies designed to serve corporate interests rather than the true interests of the American people? As D. Cheney put it recently "the American way of life is not negotiable". Perhaps what he is really saying is that the wealth, privilage and comfort of a very few is "not negotiable". And there is apparently no limit to the amount of American blood and treasure they are willing to expend defending their wealth, privilage and comfort.

Indeed, the hubris, the arrogance, the greed and the crimes this band of murderers, liars and thieves are willing to commit apparently knows no bounds. Will the people of America continue to allow these neocon warmongers now in power to continue to expend American blood and American treasure in pursuit of policies that serve only corporations and a narrow, greedy and corrupt segment of America? These "war on terror" policies cannot and will not succeed; these are policies that can only result in more death, destruction, ever more suffering by more and more people and an ever growing number of people that wish America harm. Everyone of the criminals serving in the Bush administration ought to be arrested and prosecuted for the crimes they are committing.