2017 is over. I wish the new year is
more peaceful and prosperous than the last one. I hope for a miracle because we
seem determined to destroy ourselves. We are doing it on two fronts:
- By not doing enough to reverse the climate change, and
- By increasing the chances of a nuclear war.
On issue # 1, most of the world is
trying to push things in the right direction, but the USA remains opposed to
take its share of responsibility. Instead, it dropped all pretenses and is now
ruled by the most dangerous organization in human history,
which controls all branches of power.
On issue # 2, we see an aggressive
militaristic USA blaming Russia (and its "dictator" Putin), or North
Korea, or China, or Iran... for everything that is wrong in the World, even
though most of the problems are of USA's own doing. Instead of resolving
conflicts, the USA creates them.
Because of its superpower status,
the USA plays the major role in both of humanity's existential problems.
Unfortunately, they play a negative role, and drag the entire World to disaster.
The global warming goes on steadily
and its disastrous effects are usually seen as acts of God by most people. The
capitalist system is fundamentally unsuited to deal with a problem that
requires limiting consumption and growth, but the USA, which was trying to
limit or sabotage all international climate change initiatives, will never
allow any altering of this destructive system.
The fundamental reasons for the
increased risks of nuclear war are not much different. The USA's
military-industrial complex needs an enemy for its existence and growth. The
main-stream media (MSM) portrays the NATO as a "defensive" alliance. It was created to
counter the "Soviet threat". The Soviet Union collapsed more than a
quarter of a century ago, but the NATO remained. And not only that - it grew
up, and tries to grow further...
Of course, the idea that the NATO is
a defensive alliance is preposterous. No NATO country has ever been attacked by
another country! But the NATO has been waging wars all around the globe.
I am often surprised how many
Europeans believe in the myth that NATO is a force for peace. NATO is an
instrument of the US empire. In the words of Lord Ismay, the 1st
NATO secretary general, the original goal of NATO was to “keep the
Soviet Union out, the Americans in, and the Germans down”. To understand the
current goal of NATO, watch here
George Friedman, the boss of Stratfor, or listen
to Noam Chomsky.
Without the MSM the growth of the
military-industrial complex (and NATO) would not be that easy. It would be
difficult to justify all the wars if people had accurate information and knew
what is going on. The fact that most Americans don't know much history and even less about their
country's atrocities abroad, demonstrates the success of the US corporate media
in justifying the American policy. The objectivity of the media is getting
worse every year. Laws get tightened, the pressure against whistleblowers is
growing, and people like Julian Assange are deprived of freedom, even if there
is no legal basis for that. Who would dare to leak something like this after the ordeal of Chelsea Manning?
It is painful to watch the blind
belief of so many people that "it's just that crazy Trump", and if we
impeach him, everything will get better. The problems is not Trump, but the corrupt system that made him possible. I
don't see anything good after Trump's removal, if the system remains. The only
difference will be the new face on top of the same machine. Only a
Christian fundamentalist can believe that Pence will be a better president than
Trump!
Do you remember Obama? Do you
remember the hopes that he would end the Bush era militarism? The only thing
that Obama changed was the rhetoric. He was a smarter, more eloquent salesman
for the same policy. Not surprisingly, the US military footprint increased. The
drone-strikes, the mass surveillance, the war on whistleblowers... all these
increased under Obama.
According to the US constitution,
the Congress has the power to declare war, but the last time that was done was
in 1942. Was USA in peace with the rest of the World since then? Not at all. It
is hard to count the number of wars the USA was engaged since the end of the
WWII. Every administration, including Obama's, finds pretexts to justify
whatever wars they want.
Now we have Trump and he also tries
to show his strength by giving more power to the military. The pattern is so
obvious. Every US president gives more power to the military-industrial
complex. The only exception is probably Kennedy and we know how he ended...
So, the only hope for the World is
if the USA changes its policy, but I don't see how this can happen before it
changes its system. Some very smart people foresee
the end of the US empire, but I don't see how this can happen
without violence.
In theory, the non-violent change can
come through democratic elections, but this would require at a minimum, to end
the money influence on politics and an objective media that reports the real
news. Unfortunately, the rich and powerful elites are increasing their wealth,
and together with it, their grip on the government and the media. The latter
does its job superbly - keeping the US population ignorant, confused, and
divided, so that it continues to vote against its own interest. Therefore, it
is most likely that the change comes with the collapse of the system, but this
can easily lead to internal and/or external violence. Given the number of
weapons in the USA, including the nuclear weapons, the violent end of the US
empire might mean the end of life on Earth...
To end this post on a positive note,
I must admit that I cannot imagine every possibility. Therefore, non-violent
change in the USA and anywhere else in the World is possible. Miraculous
changes in human consciousness and society are possible. Let's hope for a
miracle in the new 2018!
