Facism at home - Imperialism Abroad

“I’m the commander in chief, see, I don’t need to explain, I do not need to explain why I say things. That’s the interesting part about being president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don’t feel like I owe anybody an explanation.” G. W. Bush (Bob Woodward’s book, Bush at War).

This belligerent declaration comes from a president who holds himself above the law. His “govern from the gut” bullying style, given mythic praise after 9/11, made way for his breathtaking power grab and an unprecedented secrecy in government that would horrify the founding fathers.

With a stroke of the pen, Bush has asserted the right to disobey more than 1,149 laws passed by congress. In 2006 he suspended Habeas corpus, and in May 2007, he signed a presidential directive, allowing him, in a “catastrophic event,” to declare martial law and become what is best described as a de facto dictator. Surely, this is enough to put chills down the spine of every American.

But, perhaps most threatening to many is his secret authorization of illegal wiretapping and domestic spying. Our privacy and personal liberty have always been the foundation of our democracy; we’ve passionately held that the government will not, MUST NOT, illegally invade our lives. No brownshirts in the middle of the night!

And yet, Bush asserts the right to declare anyone he wishes, including American citizens, an “enemy combatant” and “disappear” that person at will. Gonzales said in 2004, “…enemy combatants...may be detained for the duration of hostilities. They need not be guilty of anything…”

Might one involved in civil disobedience be declared an enemy combatant? How about a political opponent or a war protester? Should we worry that the same mercenaries in Iraq are walking our streets at home? Will we actually buy the Orwellian claim that keeping us safe requires breaking the law without our consent?

This should strike a cautionary note with those who mistakenly believe “if you do nothing wrong you have nothing to fear.” The Constitution was not written just to protect those who do nothing wrong. More importantly, it was written to protect people from government abuse and to guarantee their protection under the law.

Think about it. Wiretapping and data mining aren’t major deterrents to terrorists - they know electronic communications are vulnerable. FISA court or not, they’ll not likely do much planning and blabbing on their wireless. The real threat is to OUR liberties and OUR privacy. Dossiers targeting citizens for blackmail or any other purpose are there for the tapping.

Imperial arrogance and flagrant disregard for international law have also made our country a world pariah. The illegal invasion of Iraq, violation of the Geneva Conventions and massive human rights abuses have damaged our country in ways that terrorists never could.

Bush’s face presides over Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, rendition flights, and secret prisons. It also presides over the unspeakable human suffering in Iraq (if, for one day, we could see, would shame our souls) and an estimated 1.2 million civilian deaths – a scale tantamount to genocide.

In 2006, Former UN Human Rights Chief, John Pace said, “…as many as 90% of all Iraqi prisoners are innocent.” Today, an estimated 24,500 (nearly 50% increase since the surge) are being held without trials or charges. So much for democracy!

Of course, “spreading democracy” is Bush doublespeak to justify attacks on uncooperative regimes. His foreign policy is based on the world view of the neocons who call for establishing, in the words of Bill Kristol, “benevolent world hegemony”- or, plainly stated, an American Empire with unchallenged control over the world’s dwindling natural resources – beginning with Middle Eastern oil.

The neocon “enlightened elites” unabashedly admit that war is central to their theory of government which they cynically dress up as “peace through strength.” Based on their calculus, the “war on terror” is, by definition, a permanent war, and the US is to be the permanent global police. Troops don’t “come home” from a permanent war.

Their plan involves telling “noble lies” to us, the unwashed masses at home, and fomenting endless instability and violence abroad. As laid out in their PNAC, military action was to begin with dusting off Iraq – moving on through the Middle East - finally bringing l + billion Muslims under sway. Cheney glibly referred to it as, “the war that will not end in our lifetime.”

Though the dust in Iraq has turned to quagmire and Afghanistan has become a narco-state, Bush remains undeterred. 630 companies, bankrolled by untold billions of our tax dollars, continue their obscene profiteering from the deaths of our soldiers and the Iraqi people.

Moreover, credible voices are predicting yet another horror – a military strike on Iran. Scott Ritter, (US arms inspector in Iraq 1991-1998) says the NIE assessment that Iran stopped its nuclear program in 2003 ((which Ritter doubts ever started) will not deter the Bush Administration. The policy remains regime change – period!

While mad crusaders advance the Doomsday Clock, the roll over congress and the bottom line media play blithely to the gallery. Only the American people can quell the tide. Surely, in our sanest moments, we must know that choosing comfort over courage and personal safety over global justice will bring neither comfort nor safety – and certainly never freedom. If we still have a pulse, we’d better oppose this insanity while we can.

Eva Knapp - Member of Seneca2