Imperialism and invading other countrys

[Lyev]

Ok, this is a question that has been bugging me for a while. I might phrase it a bit funny in place, but here goes: so, when a country a invades another country, for example when NATO-led USA invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, who exactly decided to invade? Ie. what is it that the ruling class (the government officials, high-up politicians etc.) gain from the invasion? What I mean is, when a country invades another for imperialist reasons we say it is because a country is greedy, but how can a country, collectively be greedy? Surely it's only the ruling elite, the bourgeiosie that are greedy. Yet, when foreign capital is invested in said subjugated country and exported back home, doesn't some/most of that just go straight back into the invading country's government, as in to spend on more arms, healthcare, schooling etc.?* (apart from the capital that's re-invested, of course) *viz. does the ruling class actually benefit from an imperialist invasion and occupation? If so how? Actually there is one example I can think of, Dick Cheney gained a lot of "bonuses" from shares in oil companies involved in Iraq. But, then, how involved was Cheney in deciding to invade, and surely not every wealthy politician exploits a war like this. Basically what I mean is: it's the country's governmental administration that decides to go to war (eg. to Iraq) but a place like Iraq it's mostly the private oil companies that reap the benefits, yet surely the private companies that benefit from the imperialism don't decide to go to war. I hope you all understand my query :) as you can see, I'm thoroughly confused, and I might contradict myself several times in explaining myself. Thanks for taking the time to read my query.

[Winter]

Lobbying!

Our politicians are for sale! :crying:

[Tablo]

Politicians come into power through investment from the bourgeoisie and are continually bribed by these people. Also a lot of politicians have financial interest because they are the bourgeoisie that will profit from such an invasion.

[Drace]

Well this is interesting.

151 Congressmen Profit From War
http://www.roguegovernment.com/news.php?id=8694

[Lyev]

I see, thanks guys. Is this the case for most developed countries, too?

So politicians profit and so do private companies, like oil companies and such like.

Any other points? Do private companies somehow have any sort of influence in congress/parliament, as in influence over where/whether they go to war?

[Drace]

I just remembered. I sent an email to Noam Chomsky asking why senators and the congress supported imperialist acts.

This is what he responded with.

US imperial adventures are generally supported across the board by the educated classes, with at most tactical criticism. That's normal for great powers. And small ones too, except that they do less damage internationally. Furthermore it goes back through history, with very rare exceptions.

Short, but he probably gets hundreds of emails a day so I'm glad that he even answered.

[FSL]

Ie. what is it that the ruling class (the government officials, high-up politicians etc.)

it's the country's governmental administration that decides to go to war (eg. to Iraq) but a place like Iraq it's mostly the private oil companies that reap the benefits, yet surely the private companies that benefit from the imperialism don't decide to go to war.


You are a bit confused. Politicians have little importance in deciding policy. Think of them like janitors whereas capitalists are the owners of the place.

[Lyev]

You are a bit confused. Politicians have little importance in deciding policy. Think of them like janitors whereas capitalists are the owners of the place.
Thanks a lot, that's cleared it up. That's where my confusion was. But how do capitalists decided what happens? How do they come to be in a position above the government?

[Robocommie]

I just remembered. I sent an email to Noam Chomsky asking why senators and the congress supported imperialist acts.

This is what he responded with.


Short, but he probably gets hundreds of emails a day so I'm glad that he even answered.

Awesome! Noam Chomsky e-mailed you!

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

You may want to research the US Military-Industrial Complex.

Put short, Cabinet Ministers in the US do not have constitutional power - they provide advice to the President only. Often, they and others invovled around the President come from a business background, have business interests and when they finish a short stint in politics will return to business.

The best possible example of this is Dick Cheney, who had a strong financial interest in Halliburton, an oilfield company. They were the first people to get a contact (coincidentally enough) when the US went into Iraq. The security firm Blackwateer also has indelible ties to government figures via its industry and military connections, which will have been represented by the likes of Donald Rumsfeld.