US Foreign Policy

[MDE3 0]

Just one suggestion for some of you who would like a longer term perspective on what is happening in the Middle East and how US Foreign policy has been driven and created over many many years.....go to the library and check out a book called "Friends in High Places"..one of the most enightening books on US Foreign policy and it's links to private enterprise you may ever find....also relevant to those of you who are from Quebec....more than you will ever know perhaps.....

[asdfa 0]

would this have anything to do with the US becoming an empire? someone called Professor Suni Ram (i'm not sure how to spell his name, something like that) came to my school and gave a talk. he was a defense analyst and worked with the states and saw something about the us wanting to expand its sphere of influence into various countries and creating a colonial type country

[hattrick74 0]

from my own knowledge and belief, the middle east will never become peaceful. The US empire thing is an interesting concept and could be part of the 10 nation alliance that will be the next world empire. interesting concept i need to look into this more

[Eman24dx 0]

Didn't want to make a new topic but just wondering why the other topic was locked about the presidency? I felt even though everyone had there own opinions about it there was a lot of info in there and stuff I did not know.

I and im sure others felt it was a good debate and very interesting to see what everyones opinions of the election and candidates were, and its nice to put your feelings into words (freedom of speech) I know it wasn't about hockey, thats why it was in the Misc. section.

I just wish that certain topics wouldnt be locked because someone doesn't like it. Anyways I thought it was a good debate and would like it to remain open or at least an explanation. Thanks guys

[Chadd 916]

It had nothing to do with anyone liking it or not. It had nothing to do with the original topic.

[MDE3 0]

would this have anything to do with the US becoming an empire? someone called Professor Suni Ram (i'm not sure how to spell his name, something like that) came to my school and gave a talk.  he was a defense analyst and worked with the states and saw something about the us wanting to expand its sphere of influence into various countries and creating a colonial type country

Empire building....that's a good comprehensive term...

The book is a history of the Bechtel corporation...the other less public company rebuilding Iraq, and not getting the press that Haliburton has been recieving....Bechtel was in charge of rebuilding Kuwait after the first Gulf war, however the book was completed before those events took place. By the way..the rebuilding part of Haliburton is the division formerly known as "Morrison Knudsen Construction"....one of the primary companies engaged to rebuild Vietnam.

Those of you who remember the term "Military Industrial Complex" .... should have fun with this book. If you thought Chainey was in a position of influence....think back to a gentleman called George Schultz(if you are old enough) Secretary of State under Reagan....President of Bechtel, Casper Weinberger...Legal Secretary to Reagan....VP Legal Affaires Bechtel....If you think what we are currently seeing in Iraq is a recent phenomenon..it is nothing of the sort.....read the book....or any others you might find on the company Bechtel.....also known as "the world's most secretive company" Learn about a little group called "The Bohemian Club". Get a good perspective on our involvement in the Middle East and it's oil over the last century....then make your judgements about what might actually be happening.

Think about the information and digest it....some of this will make Michael Moore's "expose" seem only that of an amateur....The sources for this book are well documented in it's bibliography...

PS I worked on two different Bechtel Projects in Canada..where almost no one on the projects had any clue who Bechtel was ...at least at the labor and middle supervisory level...including myself at the time.

[Chadd 916]

My grandfather was an architect for Bechtel for a number of years.

[Vapor 0]

so what point are you trying to make from that post?

[JR Boucicaut 3803]

That it benefits certain people in high places that we're in these conflicts.

[Vapor 0]

If it wasnt common knowledge, I might be amazed. But everybody knows of these connections. To think that we purposley get in these conflicts, spend billions of dollars, and kill many troops is just ignorant and preposterous.

[jay 1]

Uhhh... it is?

[MDE3 0]

If it wasnt common knowledge, I might be amazed. But everybody knows of these connections. To think that we purposley get in these conflicts, spend billions of dollars, and kill many troops is just ignorant and preposterous.

The billions of dollars we are spending is ultimately coming out of whose pockets?

The profits reaped from the clean up, and the higher oil prices are going into whose pockets?

If Iraqi oil reserves were ultimately controled by "friendly faces"... what effect might this have on OPEC?

The campaign contributions are coming from where?

Sorry to seem so cynical.....

[MDE3 0]

so what point are you trying to make from that post?

Assuming your question was directed at me....the point was..go to the library, check out the book, read it, and come back and comment.....your lesson for the day.......

[Vapor 0]

all of that is pretty common knowlege, its not a good thing, but if your not ignorant you know that if you have friends in high places your going to get a sweetheart deal. If you belive the conspiracy theory, which you are entitled to do, that we intentionaly get into wars to line the pockets of our oil companys, I think you are a little cynical. I dont think our leaders are that sick in the heads, but hey, who knows

[MDE3 0]

It's having been there to see the workings that makes me this way..at a corporate level.....nothing is sacred when it comes to generating cash /power....ethics more often become a "necessary evil", and a "spin position", that takes time away from "reality"... that's what politicians are for.....

This cuts to the heart of why there is so much anymosity out in the world vis a vis our foreign policies and why the average person in the USA who does not think or behave this way, has so much trouble understanding why everyone else(in the rest of the world) seems to be having a problem with our "behaviour"....I ask you again..take the time to read this book..it will certainly open your eyes a bit.

Bechtel has been involved in developing and controlling energy resources on a global basis for almost a century. In fact at times it was hard to tell if the State Department was a division of Bechtel or vica versa.....

[Vapor 0]

If you are one of the left wingers who think that this was a war for oil... come on! Im not going to read the book, because I already know what it will be, it will be a bashing of the right wing, nixon, regan, bush 41, etc. Our main goal in Iraq was to insert a democracy into the middle east and to create a fly trap for local terrorist groups. You know we are fighting Iranians and Syrians in Iraq? I still think the theory is crazy, but hey, anything is possible

[MDE3 0]

If you are one of the left wingers who think that this was a war for oil... come on!  Im not going to read the book, because I already know what it will be, it will be a bashing of the right wing, nixon, regan, bush 41, etc.  Our main goal in Iraq was to insert a democracy into the middle east and to create a fly trap for local terrorist groups.  You know we are fighting Iranians and Syrians in Iraq?  I still think the theory is crazy, but hey, anything is possible

You infer that I am "one of the left wing" and decide without any other information that this book is about "bashing" people....try to be a bit open minded....it is actually just a factual history of the Bechtel corporation with no editorial viewpoint whatsoever, documented clearly and extensively with notes from the library of congress which served as a major source for the information....

The conclusions and inferences I have made are from a collection of life experiences..in "the real world", and what I have seen done with "power politics"..not fiction or fantasy, but actual events....The book is simply an eye opener if you dare to take a peak.

I actually come from a very long and very right wing traditional military background......father, grandfather, great grandfather....

Look I am not pretending that the terrorists are all flowers and light and martyrs, but suggesting that our traditional ways of doing business may be conducive to creating this kind of fanaticism as a reaction of people whom we have made feel both powerless and decieved.

The people of the middle East pride themselves on their ability to conduct shrewd commerce..to put it politely....and as a result a long and very duplicitous game has ensued over the years.....To those who feel they have been somehow cheated, and then bullied, and not necessarily those who were "part of the game" .... they may feel they have no avenue of recourse but what you are seeing.