The Secret History of the American Empire: The Truth About Economic Hit Men, Jackals, and How to Change the World (John Perkins Economic Hitman Series)

In order to assess this new volume I have looked at notes on John Perkins' autobiography, "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man." I have read it, but needed a refresher course, and am appalled all over again at its contents.([...])Perkins was recruited by the international consulting firm of Charles T. Main. He was an economist, with two primary objectives: justify huge loans for countries for huge engineering and construction projects to be carried out by American companies (think Haliburton, Bechtel et al.); after the companies had been paid, he was to help engineer the debtor's bankruptcy so that country would remain indebted to their creditors and remain pliable when the US wanted `favors' like military bases, access to natural resources, etc.Starting in Indonesia in 1971, a time when Indonesia was believed to be a key to Southeast Asian stability, he made economic forecasts that won him further projects. In 1972 it was Panama. Later, Saudi Arabia came under his spell, and a deal between it and the USA was consummated. With it came a relationship between the American government and the House of Saud, the bin Laden family, and the Bush family, to the immense financial benefit of the latter.His conscience bothered him since he felt that, by following Main's directives, he was causing much harm to the client states. Iran was his breaking point. As what Perkins called the "corporatocracy" supported the Shah, which led to class wars and hatred of the American companies, and the American government which it blamed for all its woes, especially the rampant corruption and despotic government. After the turn of the year in 1979, the Shah fled the country; less than a year later the American hostages in the Embassy were taken. He quit his job at Main in 1980."The Secret History of the American Empire" is another product of his reflections on his past and the changes in his work life. He talks a lot about American influence in Latin America, and the rise of home grown opponents to the Unite States with respect.As I learned a long time ago, every one is said to have his price; United States employees were outstanding at saving skeletons from other's closets. In fact, after learning of the trap set for President Clinton, he has that information confirmed by a retired CIA officer.Not unsurprisingly, the chickens came home to America to roost. Our policies in the Middle East blew up in our faces. Those in the Middle East caught on to our lust for oil as we established the Shah of Iran, the House of Saud, the ruling families in Kuwait and Jordan, and a friendly dictator in Egypt, and we supported Israeli militarism. They named America and the West as the enemy as the mullahs gained force, al-Qaida grew, and radical politicians replaced moderate ones, exacerbated by the hero worship of the martyrdom of suicide bombers.Here are the roots of our current political crises internationally. Moving to the continent of Africa, Perkins addresses the problems we have inherited from the European colonial expansion. Again, once there was a crack in the system, America rushed in, knowing that it was time to expand its influence. The stories are fascinating, and appalling. A letter he cites at length tells the effects of westernization seen through the eyes of an educated young woman, employed by a NGO.She balances the good that NGOs appear to do against the western influences that attack the fiber of their civilization. In sum she concludes that the bad outweighs the good and calls for a total change of system.Finally, he outlines and discusses briefly the questions essential to making the change the world needs. There are things each and all of us can do, not only in the face of global warming, but also the inequalities we see around us, not only here in the Americas, but also world-wide. Furthermore, he talked to university students who had been told, and believed, that they were America's future.I was most deeply moved by the mission statement of two high school students from Seattle who had established Global; Awareness and Change [GAC]. Perkins reduced several lines of type into this: "We commit to creating a stable, sustainable, and peaceful world far all peoples everywhere." Would that we ll could commit to this.I really urge you to get and read this book and resolve to follow at least some of the suggestions at the end. Bear in mind that if you are not to be part of the problem, you must become part of the solution.

After a life of `robbing from the poor and giving to the rich' as an economic hit man, thereby pocketing his commissions, John Perkins became an environment activist and a militant for change in the policies of the corporatocracy.CorporatocracyThe author delivers in this book many well directed punches into the face of his former employers, transnational companies which act as imperial dictatorships in the global economy.Together with their long arms (controlled or corrupt governments, the IMF, the World Bank, the WTO, intelligence services, infiltrated or outright controlled NGOs and the military) the corporations are building an empire for the wealthy few. Behind the rhetoric of `free trade', `free markets` and `free choice' the author discovers disinformation, corruption, oligopolies and market and export protection.This empire claims to defend democracy, but ousts or assassinates democratically elected presidents like P. Lumumba, S. Allende, O. Torrijos, D. Roldós).The corporations profit heavily from the empire's War Machine (a trillion dollar business) which invents its own enemies. After the fall of the Berlin Wall Islamic revolutionaries took the place of the Communists in order to justify bulging military budgets.A few examplesIn Nigeria, the great writer, Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged for opposing environmental havoc in the territories of the Ogoni people.In Diego Garcia the entire population was forced out of their country without compensation in order to build a military base.In East-Timor, the slaughtering of the population by Indonesian troops was approved by the US government.In Columbia, the drug war is a subterfuge for protecting oil interests.ChangeIf the many want to change the world, they must force change on the corporations. The latter are vulnerable because they need us as clients and consumers. We should impose on them policies of ecological sustainability and social responsibility. Governments should be elected by `real' democracy.The ultimate goal of all policies should be `a stable, sustainable and peaceful world for everybody.'Although this book is sometimes too anecdotic, it is a must read for all those who want to understand the world we live in.

This book is a gem.It is written not by a researcher peeking in and trying to figure it out but by an insider...one who was long-term involved and knows exactly what is going on and after much soul searching and being threatened and bribed not to did the right thing and is revealing all.And all is quite mind blowing.Our American empire is built on the tears of the countries around the world that it has systematically looted and continues to oppress with unscrupulous and brutal methods...This book very clearly reveals the inner workings of what the censored and muzzled mass media would never do...It reveals what and how the American empire has looted it's client states throughout the planet and continues to do so in such a way that few see just how devious and brutal this empire is beneath the benevolent rhetoric....Eye opening and informative..

IIRC, I read this book what feels like eons ago (a decade or so?), hot off my reading of his conspiracy-laden book CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN. Much of what he claims in these books is contested by other sources, but I will admit that much of what he writes about rings true and reflects certain categories of information that I have from first-hand accounts as well as to certain ruthless aspects of international affairs. However, although some of his interpretations and statistics may well be challenged, this does not diminish that his first-hand accounts and viewpoints are powerfully crafted, convincing and conform to a dark world view. The challenge is teasing out the truth in its fuller form from his writing, which is highly enjoyble. Will read again.

Si l on veut vraiment comprendre les enjeux économiques et politiques et ne pas se satisfaire de la soupe insipide servit aux informations pour les gogos

Excellent product at an excellent price with an excellent service.

sehr interessantes buch, das sehr ausführlich die systematik und methoden beschreibt, mit denen die amis alleine in südamerika über 50 demokratisch gewählte regierungen gestürtzt, und an deren stelle diktatorische marionetten gesetzt haben, weil ihnen die politische richtung nicht gefiel.unter anderem beschreibt perkins wie auch das aktuelle iran fiasko auf handlungen der cia in den 50er jahren zurückgehen.wo nämlich der demokratisch gewählte premier minister muhammad mossadegh von dem amis miot gewalt abgesetzt, und durch schah resa pahlevi ersetzt wurde.solche und dutzende andere brennende baustellen, die dei amis am planeten hinterlassen haben...wirklich sehr empfehlenswert!!

John perkinsによる、アメリカの新植民地主義（死語？）を暴く第２弾。開発コンサルタント、ビジネスマン、コールガールなど、途上国の権力者を懐柔あるいは抹殺するためのプレーヤーが続々と登場します。今回はインドネシアを舞台に怪しげな日本人（女衒）も登場します。