"Now, bear with me a moment here. Back in 2002-2003, officials in the Bush administration and their neocon supporters, retro-think-tank admirers, and allied media pundits, basking in all their Global War on Terror glory, were eager to talk about the region extending from North Africa through the Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the former SSRs of Central Asia right up to the Chinese border as an "arc of instability." That arc coincided with the energy heartlands of the planet and what was needed to "stabilize" it, to keep those energy supplies flowing freely (and in the right directions), was clear enough to them. The "last superpower," the greatest military force in history, would simply have to put its foot down and so bring to heel the "rogue" powers of the region. The geopolitical nerve would have to be mustered to stamp a massive "footprint" -- to use a Pentagon term of the time -- in the middle of that vast, valuable region. (Such a print was to be measured by military bases established.) Also needed was the nerve not just to lob a few cruise missiles in the direction of Baghdad, but to offer such an imposing demonstration of American shock-and-awe power that those "rogues" -- Iraq, Syria, Iran (Hezbollah, Hamas) -- would be cowed into submission, along with uppity U.S. allies like oil-rich Saudi Arabia."
my way or my way
Just skimmed a bit of the Engelhardt and saw "Iraq is the poster-boy for the Bush administration's ability to turn whatever it touches into hell on Earth. "
As we get closer to the end of this nightmare administration we have to face to what extent the "footprint" isn't Bush's policy but corporate policy, military policy, US policy. Eventually we won't have Bush to blame for a much larger presumption that we need 700 bases around the world with the highest concentration in the "arc of instability." Will Hillary or Obama reverse this presumption? Doubtful.
sadly i have to agree with you. they cant even get a decent health care proposal on the table with 20% of the country uninsured. ceo salaries are up another 300%, the military budget up over 25% since '04, 50000 mercenaries on the payroll in iraq and we pay $400 billion a year servicing the national debt.
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- dave 4-11-2007 4:06 pm
my way or my way
- bill 4-11-2007 4:10 pm
Just skimmed a bit of the Engelhardt and saw "Iraq is the poster-boy for the Bush administration's ability to turn whatever it touches into hell on Earth. "
As we get closer to the end of this nightmare administration we have to face to what extent the "footprint" isn't Bush's policy but corporate policy, military policy, US policy. Eventually we won't have Bush to blame for a much larger presumption that we need 700 bases around the world with the highest concentration in the "arc of instability." Will Hillary or Obama reverse this presumption? Doubtful.
- tom moody 4-11-2007 5:57 pm
sadly i have to agree with you. they cant even get a decent health care proposal on the table with 20% of the country uninsured. ceo salaries are up another 300%, the military budget up over 25% since '04, 50000 mercenaries on the payroll in iraq and we pay $400 billion a year servicing the national debt.
- dave 4-11-2007 6:38 pm