Confessions of an Economic Hitman

[The Backlash Cometh]

Okay, I'm into the 2nd Chapter and I'm wondering how this kind of information is freely available and the media hasn't seen the parallels with Bush's policies. Why hasn't this book even been whispered about in the mainstream media when it reveals Bush's hand, methods and motivations?

[dzika]

1. DemocracyNow interviewed the author of this book

Friday, December 31st, 2004

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man: How the U.S. Uses Globalization to Cheat Poor Countries Out of Trillions

We spend the hour with John Perkins, a former respected member of the international banking community. In his book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man he describes how as a highly paid professional, he helped the U.S. cheat poor countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars by lending them more money than they could possibly repay and then taking over their economies.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/31/1546207&mode=thread&tid=25

[JitterbugPerfume]

2. he was on C-Span Book TV recently

a very fascinating person

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. The man reveals the secrets of the kingdom and everyone

buries their heads? Go figure.

To cut to the chase, the U.S. has been doing their own version of exploiting and colonizing the world in the last thirty or so years, which has stirred up the ill will against us and resulted in 9/11. In a nutshell, Economic Hit Men scour third world countries to determine if we can provide humanitarian assistance through loans to countries. The aid comes in the way of loans for contracts for reconstruction and improvements, and those contracts go to selective corporations in the U.S.. Halliburton would be an obvious benefactor. The goal, however, is to put the country into default so that it will be pliable to the U.S. interest. Once a country is indebted to the U.S., the U.S. can negotiate the accruing interest for the countries U.N. votes or natural resources. And the country still has to repay the loan.

If the Economic Hit Men fail, then the spooks come in and finish off the leader who resists them. Omar Torrijos in Panama is an example. They snuffed him out, according to the book. Then Noriega comes in his place, and there is no question that Noriega was corrupt, and anyone who is corrupt, can be bought, until they get too cocky. If the hitmen fail, then the third option is used. Military action. Panama was an example of all three.

Anyway, the thought that crosses my mind is this: China and the Arab world are buying our debt, which Bush is kindly providing to them since he's taking us into debt at an astronomical pace. Why aren't we prepared for the possibility that China and the Arab world will do the same to our leaders once we become indebted to them, as we did to third world countries that were indebted to us?

[rman]

8. So did AAR Majority Report

Twice in fact, on 11-17-04 and on 12-15-04 (see www.airamericaplace.com/archive.php).
Why the MSM isn't covering this: essentially the MSM is owned by the same people who run the schemes exposed in John Perkins' book.
But i'd suspect you knew that already.

[Lilyhoney]

3. Great book.

.
Read it about a month ago. It put sooo much into prospective. This guy, while high enough in the food chain to matter, was not even near the top. Makes you really wonder about what's happening up there.

[cthrumatrix]

5. totally agree....it puts everything in perspective

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. I'm interested on whether those same methods have been used in

the U.S. Is it possible that China and the Arab world have so much U.S. debt that what we're seeing today in the loss of our competitive edge is due to the top of the food chain selling us out?

[Lilyhoney]

9. I think that's part of his lessen to us.

These EHM, the companies they work for, our government, they intertwine serving their own good, and not the people. At the top, everyone looks like ants. I don't thing nationality has any meaning at that level.

[K-W]

15. Which methods?

Perkins generally describes methods that could only be used on weak "undeveloped" nations.

[The Backlash Cometh]

18. Oh, I think that people that could have dreamed up this malicious system

on a global scale, could find a way to fine tune it and use it against their own. One of the first steps in doing something like this is exploiting people's weaknesses and finding the right people to serve as hit men. In this country, it's not too difficult to find people who have an air of superiority and entitlement over others, and it certainly wasn't difficult to convince the mainstream that "Greed was good" for the economy. Those kind of personality exploitations were critical to finding the right people to screw over entire nations. Do you really think it would be difficult to find Americans who are willing to screw over other Americans? Hell, it's a national pastime.

And it wouldn't be too difficult to do if the media were dismantled, which we all know, it is. The second step, in fact, would be to buy the media. That's been done. The third thing is to steal elections, which it has; and the fourth thing is to deregulate anything that can challenge them, which they're in the process of doing. All these procedures are part of the "Economic Hit Man" Role.

If that fails, then send in the spooks to blackmail the necessary people, or to help newspaper editors over the edge of buildings; or the ever popular, small plane accident.

If that fails, and if we start closing in on them, then all Bush has to do is start the draft and make sure he enlists a good chunk of Democrats into the Army where staying alive will be their first priority.

[punpirate]

12. I'm kinda hoping...

... that Henry Kissinger gets some weird disease that causes him to rattle off everything in his head in public, and someone then follows him around all day with a tape recorder. :)

But, as for the guys at the top... ever wonder why ex-presidents continue to get CIA briefings? Still in the middle of all the deal-making might be one of the reasons....

[newyawker99]

13. Hi Lilyhoney!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Robbien]

7. The only thing not emphasised is that

US foreign policy is only being used as a tool for the global corporate elite while the US taxpayer ends up paying the bill for their profit raiding.

[K-W]

16. Perkins was correct to focus on the most extreme victims.

Those people in the countries that we keep chocked full of violence and socially undeveloped so that we can continue to feast off of the resources.

And it isnt just rich Americans feasting off the resources.

[confludemocrat]

10. Since I read the book...

in early January, I have seen the book popping up alot lately, even here in Montana.

Ironically, we get Democracy Now on Worldlink on Direct TV (Murdoch-owned). Tivo every show.

[Kenneth ken]

11. to some extent it's all old news

this isn't just Bush's hand, methods and motivations - it's US foreign policy / empire building since post-WWII. The first example cited in the book of this method is Iran, and the toppling of Mossadegh to install the Shah. But truly, you can look at reconstruction of both Japan and Germany after the war, and see hints of it at work. Probably just took a few years to work out and refine the process for best effect.

Much of it is and has always been reported; just in diverse bits and pieces. IMF loans in international news; lucrative contracts in the business section; destabalizing governments mostly only gets hinted about, or comes out years later.

What really makes this book essential reading is that it ties all these disparate pieces together and lays them out nice and neat.

[yorkiemommie1]

14. yes, exactly

i recommend it to everyone i know.

as you say, this comes out in bits and pieces in the news, if at all. here, perkins puts his own experiences out there and in a readable form so that even a casual reader will learn something from it.

i am buying a copy for my Bush hating, adult daughter, because she is going to have to live in this world long after i am gone.

[K-W]

17. It is absolutely essential reading.

Its one thing to look at the world and know logically that these things must be going on, it is a very different thing to read a first hand account.