Comments on: John Edwards, Barack Obama and the Myth of Post-WWII U.S. Benevolence http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:51:44 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: FrustratedPatriot http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-21151 FrustratedPatriot Mon, 26 May 2008 05:45:52 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-21151 In ten years time we could be totally energy independent using the modalities of solar and wind power. Our own oil, natural gas and coal reserves could take up the slack. Using only American engineering talent, capital investment, labor, and raw materials, we could establish complete energy independence from foreign sources. The reason we haven't already accomplished this goal has to do with buck worshipping traitors on both sides of the aisle. Apparently, the status quo will prevail, illogical as it is, until our energy consuming backs are against the wall. By then, I expect the Chinese to be ahead of us in the development of clean, renewable energy. I love my country, the land of the spitting Ted Williams and the hippie Manny Ramirez. As we learn to march in ever straighter lines, we are nudging ourselves, like lemmings, ever closer to the cliff. How can aging hippie like myself be so ahead of my neighbors in desiring independence and health for my country? In ten years time we could be totally energy independent using the modalities of solar and wind power. Our own oil, natural gas and coal reserves could take up the slack. Using only American engineering talent, capital investment, labor, and raw materials, we could establish complete energy independence from foreign sources. The reason we haven’t already accomplished this goal has to do with buck worshipping traitors on both sides of the aisle. Apparently, the status quo will prevail, illogical as it is, until our energy consuming backs are against the wall. By then, I expect the Chinese to be ahead of us in the development of clean, renewable energy. I love my country, the land of the spitting Ted Williams and the hippie Manny Ramirez. As we learn to march in ever straighter lines, we are nudging ourselves, like lemmings, ever closer to the cliff. How can aging hippie like myself be so ahead of my neighbors in desiring independence and health for my country?

]]> By: JoAnnCr http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-11619 JoAnnCr Wed, 26 Dec 2007 02:11:48 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-11619 Think about it, Tim D. What would it do for John Edwards to sell his house and give it to the poor? Even if it is worth two digit millions, that would not go very far. If he becomes president, however, he can offer health care, college, jobs, tax fairness, second chance high school diplomas and more to give the poor a leg up. "Give a man a fish and he eats for one day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime." Think about it, Tim D. What would it do for John Edwards to sell his house and give it to the poor? Even if it is worth two digit millions, that would not go very far.

If he becomes president, however, he can offer health care, college, jobs, tax fairness, second chance high school diplomas and more to give the poor a leg up.

“Give a man a fish and he eats for one day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.”

]]> By: Alan MacDonald http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-8883 Alan MacDonald Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:07:36 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-8883 Both Paul Street (and Tony Smith) reference the academic and intellectual swing toward dismissing any seriousness to the Bush PR pap of 'democracy promotion', and clearly see the common strains of imperialist strategy in this common con by both neo-liberals and neo-conservatives. However, I would suggest two points: 1. The intellectual father for this common neo-lib and neo-con excuse for aggressive democracy promotion (and particularly democratic 'market' promotion) sits squarely with Francis Fukuyama (1992 "End of History"). Thus the most compelling proof that this conceptual theory is now bankrupt can be easily made by simply referencing the fact that Fukuyama has done a full 180 degree turn (most notably in his 2006 recant "America at the Crossroads"). 2. The fall to ‘imperialist temptations’ is not that of any American Empire, but rather the first modern post-nation-state empire (as Paul Kennedy might say); the global corporatist Empire hiding (in plain sight) behind this façade of ‘Vichy America’. Precisely, (and ironically) because the global or western capitalist Empire has sketched its Orwellian propaganda based on such absurdities as Bush’s ‘democracy agenda’ and most notably ‘democratic markets’, the fingerprints of this Empire are clearly that of a supra-national corporatist Empire and NOT an American Empire. Both Paul Street (and Tony Smith) reference the academic and intellectual swing toward dismissing any seriousness to the Bush PR pap of ‘democracy promotion’, and clearly see the common strains of imperialist strategy in this common con by both neo-liberals and neo-conservatives.

However, I would suggest two points:

1. The intellectual father for this common neo-lib and neo-con excuse for aggressive democracy promotion (and particularly democratic ‘market’ promotion) sits squarely with Francis Fukuyama (1992 “End of History”).

Thus the most compelling proof that this conceptual theory is now bankrupt can be easily made by simply referencing the fact that Fukuyama has done a full 180 degree turn (most notably in his 2006 recant “America at the Crossroads”).

2. The fall to ‘imperialist temptations’ is not that of any American Empire, but rather the first modern post-nation-state empire (as Paul Kennedy might say); the global corporatist Empire hiding (in plain sight) behind this façade of ‘Vichy America’.

Precisely, (and ironically) because the global or western capitalist Empire has sketched its Orwellian propaganda based on such absurdities as Bush’s ‘democracy agenda’ and most notably ‘democratic markets’, the fingerprints of this Empire are clearly that of a supra-national corporatist Empire and NOT an American Empire.

]]> By: Adam http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-1156 Adam Wed, 06 Jun 2007 23:09:25 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-1156 Tony Smith, <i>“It’s Uphill for the Democrats: They Need a Global Strategy, Not Just Tactics for Iraq,”</i> Washington Post, 11 March, 2007 This article's URL is now: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/09/AR2007030901884.html Tony Smith, “It’s Uphill for the Democrats: They Need a Global Strategy, Not Just Tactics for Iraq,” Washington Post, 11 March, 2007

This article’s URL is now:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/09/AR2007030901884.html

]]> By: Tim D http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-1144 Tim D Wed, 06 Jun 2007 15:31:27 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-1144 If John Edwards wanted to really impress upon us his concern for the poor and needy, he could sell his multi-million dollar house and donate that money to charities working with the people of the "other America". I'm sorry, but the man is all bluster and rhetoric. Check out these articles by WSWS: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/apr2007/edwa-a14.shtml http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/may2007/edwa-m07.shtml If John Edwards wanted to really impress upon us his concern for the poor and needy, he could sell his multi-million dollar house and donate that money to charities working with the people of the “other America”. I’m sorry, but the man is all bluster and rhetoric. Check out these articles by WSWS:

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/apr2007/edwa-a14.shtml

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/may2007/edwa-m07.shtml

]]> By: ExPat http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-1041 ExPat Sun, 03 Jun 2007 20:50:57 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-1041 The fact of the matter is this: Regardless of party affiliation or political ideology - they're AMERICAN politicians. The relentless quest to "spread freedom and democracy" around the world is and always will be a political agenda and/or earmark. Neocon or neolib - their all American politicians. Ideology is irrelevant when you're amongst the most powerful in the world. The fact of the matter is this: Regardless of party affiliation or political ideology – they’re AMERICAN politicians. The relentless quest to “spread freedom and democracy” around the world is and always will be a political agenda and/or earmark.

Neocon or neolib – their all American politicians.

Ideology is irrelevant when you’re amongst the most powerful in the world.

]]> By: Michael Kenny http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-1030 Michael Kenny Sun, 03 Jun 2007 13:47:20 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-1030 There's a lot of concentration in the US on WWII but US meddling in Europe goes back to American entry into WWI in April 1917. By the end of 1916 both, largely evenly-matched, sides were on their knees. Without American intervention, there would have had to be a negociated peace in 1917, far less harsh on Germany than the Treaty of Versailles. Equally, with the war over, the democratic revolution in Russia would not have been overthrown by the communists. Without US intervention, therefore, there would have been no Hitler, no Holocaust, no Stalin, no gulags, no WWII, no Cold War, no NATO. It was widely believed in Europe after WWI, that the continent had been manoeuvred into war by the Jews for their own profit. Whether or not their is any truth to that belief, the reasons for US entry into the war seem to be utterly cynical and commercial. Concentration on WWII, as if Hitler had dropped out of the sky into a smiling, happy Europe, hides the real extent of the wrong America has done to Europe over the last 90 years. There’s a lot of concentration in the US on WWII but US meddling in Europe goes back to American entry into WWI in April 1917. By the end of 1916 both, largely evenly-matched, sides were on their knees. Without American intervention, there would have had to be a negociated peace in 1917, far less harsh on Germany than the Treaty of Versailles. Equally, with the war over, the democratic revolution in Russia would not have been overthrown by the communists. Without US intervention, therefore, there would have been no Hitler, no Holocaust, no Stalin, no gulags, no WWII, no Cold War, no NATO. It was widely believed in Europe after WWI, that the continent had been manoeuvred into war by the Jews for their own profit. Whether or not their is any truth to that belief, the reasons for US entry into the war seem to be utterly cynical and commercial. Concentration on WWII, as if Hitler had dropped out of the sky into a smiling, happy Europe, hides the real extent of the wrong America has done to Europe over the last 90 years.

]]> By: Jenny Perry http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-993 Jenny Perry Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:41:32 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/06/john-edwards-barack-obama-and-the-myth-of-post-wwii-us-benevolence/#comment-993 Regarding: John Edwards, Barack Obama and the Myth of Post-WWII U.S. Benevolence “Imperial Temptations” by Paul Street In all honesty, there exists the same type of language that speaks of imperial temptations, in the Koran, and even in any Marxist polemic. So you're being less than genuine when you single the bible out for such criticism. Face it, these arguements are less in the interest in bringing about peace and making the world a safer and saner place to live in. The moral relativism that turns a blind eye to genocide, the oppression of the most powerless in other countries, attempting to hide behind the lie of not wanting to judge based on "culture" is little different than what the religious right does. Let's start by demanding that all start by taking a moral inventory, and then let's talk, shall we? Because otherwise all you achieve is nothing more than partisan bickering. Regarding: John Edwards, Barack Obama and the Myth of Post-WWII U.S. Benevolence “Imperial Temptations” by Paul Street

In all honesty, there exists the same type of language that speaks of imperial temptations, in the Koran, and even in any Marxist polemic. So you’re being less than genuine when you single the bible out for such criticism.

Face it, these arguements are less in the interest in bringing about peace and making the world a safer and saner place to live in. The moral relativism that turns a blind eye to genocide, the oppression of the most powerless in other countries, attempting to hide behind the lie of not wanting to judge based on “culture” is little different than what the religious right does.

Let’s start by demanding that all start by taking a moral inventory, and then let’s talk, shall we? Because otherwise all you achieve is nothing more than partisan bickering.

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