RebeldePorLaPAZ
27th September 2003, 00:31
This is something I wrote for my school newspaper. It has yet to come out at school so I haven't got any response but I just want to know what your opinions are. Thanks.
Present day imperialism, what does it mean? How can you support such an accusation against the most powerful nation in the world and why stand up to inform us about such things? Some of these questions may have already come to your attention by just looking at the title of this article. Regardless of your beliefs or support for this nation one must stand up to address the issue.
This is a basic definition of the word for those who aren’t familiar. im•pe•ri•al•ism ( m-pîr - -l z m) n. 1. The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations. 2. The system, policies, or practices of such a government.
So how does this definition fit to the imperialism of the United State? We are not looking at the early Roman Empire or early Russian Imperialism. This is similar to the British Imperialism that took over India, stealing everything from the Indians and leaving them with nothing. This type of US imperialism is a new form of tactical steps taken in order to expand the US presence in a country. To influence democracy in countries were democracy is not popular and in some cases to control and benefit from a countries economical resources. Such benefits can be seen very clearly such as oil from oil wells in a battered Iraq or the continuous purchase of US military supplies from Israel.
Israel is seen as a money maker to the US because it’s the only Jewish country in the middle of a Muslim area. War between the Palestinians and the Israelis have been going on for hundreds of years and yet we see the first steps being taken to bring peace to the area now. Before this year it was clear to see the United States and Israel getting what they want. The US gets money from Israel and the Israelis getting the US military supplies from the United States.
It is clear that without an international involvement to establish a successful road map to peace only one side wins. While the war continues so does the demand for new military supplies and as long as there isn’t any plan for peace the exchange of money for military supplies will keep going on. But we have seen somewhat of a road map placed on the table but sadly with no success as of this point.
It is also clear to see the abuse on the US part in the rebuilding efforts in Iraq. Such abuses are seen everywhere around the country for one part cannot be left without feeling the effect of another. George W. Bush proposed using Iraqi oil on order to pay off some of the $87 billion dollars he expects to get from congress for the rebuilding efforts in Iraq but who wants to trust U.S. government officials? They haven’t showed the American people any proof of weapons of mass destruction, they haven’t made any kind of obvious ties to Osama Ben Laden and Saddam Hussein and they already stated that they won’t take oil into there own hands to pay of some of the U.S. debt. The $87 billion will put us in more debt and we know that as of 1995 the US owes $862 billion dollars in debt.
The invasion of Iraq is only in its early age of being influenced by US Imperialism. Let’s look at a country such as Afghanistan. The deprived people of Afghanistan deserve more than having the capitalist markets of the US take over in such a way that it interrupts any other form of businesses to form. Such markets as Subway and McDonalds are finding way in a new Afghanistan and preventing any local business man to develop his own form of a Subway or McDonald because the money then becomes an issue. It stops the business man and the worker to hold any type of business competing with millionaires and billionaires. These capitalist markets hold billions of dollars on US soil and use countries such as Afghanistan to use the people to make even more money. And have we seen any high ranking government official stand up to address this to the economical developers. To seek a way to introduce new Afghani corporations so they can build in growth and hold billion dollar corporation on Afghani soil. As long as capitalist corporations from other nations find opportunities such as these seen in Afghanistan it will only expand the economy of the rich and the poor will still have to struggle and work harder to make money.
Puerto Rico is a perfect example of a country's soil once pure and now poisoned by US Imperialism. It's powerless to do anything about it because the capitalist that run corporations and businesses refuse to deal with any opposing ideologies which leaves many with no choice but to be forced into a new age of colonialism. Yes, colonialism. Living under the United States witch treats it like a colony. As a commonwealth to the United States, Puerto Rico no longer can defend there own constitution. It has been harassed by the imperialist to the point were there is no more Puerto Rican control over its own constitution. It says in the constitution of Puerto Rico that there shall not be a death penalty and yet this year many saw the constitution violated and now turned to the hands of the US. The result of one brutal case that took place in Puerto Rico has lead the government to enact the death penalty on a land that strictly opposes it. US prosecutors have successfully argued that the case was serious enough to enable federal law to be applied. Once they have won, the 2 men involved in murder would be transferred to a prison in the state of Indiana and killed by lethal injection. They won the case and the two men were taken away from there island to be killed. This has now lead to US prosecutors having there way in finding Puerto Ricans that qualify to the death penalty and it wont be a hard task because Puerto Rico does have a higher crime rate than Chicago. Yet another sign of US invaders making there way to a country and taking advantage of its conditions and with the government getting involved in this case it has now shown everybody that Puerto Rico is indeed a colony. Another example of the US Imperialism that took over Puerto Rico came with the US Navel Base on the near by island of Vieques. Although the Puerto Ricans have stood up and this year the people on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques celebrated the departure of the US Navy which used the territory for military operations for the past 60 years. A victory and one step towards eliminating this imperialism and saving the island.
The examples stated above are only one of many tragic acts going on in this world. Imperialism, a game of monopoly played by the rich and powerful and the US government plays its own game. To become powerful, to avoid competition, to see things the way people in the government want to see it. They avoid the poor, the workers, and the innocent civilians being killed in the process of this imperialism. They concentrate on brainwashing the people to join the US ways of life. So they can benefit from a country, stealing from the people and leaving them with nothing. Israel is being used as source of money; Iraq is being used for the oil and to win the hearts of the people. Its being used as Puerto Rico is. Iraq will be converted as a country in were the US will have a place to organize relationships with surrounding Muslim country’s and spread the imperialism. Same thing is happening in Puerto Rico. The country is being used to establish communications to all Latin America to try to spread the imperialism. Afghanistan is another sign of the imperialist making way into a country and abusing it.
With all this I give you the meaning of present day imperialism. A fair look at the people that are being affected and the people that get the benefits. So when we hear on the news that our next targets for this war on terrorism is going to be Iran, Saudi Arabia, take a look at what these country’s have to offer. And then look at the country’s taken over by the imperialist. What you will be seeing is another attempt to influence those who look the other way.
Present day imperialism, what does it mean? How can you support such an accusation against the most powerful nation in the world and why stand up to inform us about such things? Some of these questions may have already come to your attention by just looking at the title of this article. Regardless of your beliefs or support for this nation one must stand up to address the issue.
This is a basic definition of the word for those who aren’t familiar. im•pe•ri•al•ism ( m-pîr - -l z m) n. 1. The policy of extending a nation's authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations. 2. The system, policies, or practices of such a government.
So how does this definition fit to the imperialism of the United State? We are not looking at the early Roman Empire or early Russian Imperialism. This is similar to the British Imperialism that took over India, stealing everything from the Indians and leaving them with nothing. This type of US imperialism is a new form of tactical steps taken in order to expand the US presence in a country. To influence democracy in countries were democracy is not popular and in some cases to control and benefit from a countries economical resources. Such benefits can be seen very clearly such as oil from oil wells in a battered Iraq or the continuous purchase of US military supplies from Israel.
Israel is seen as a money maker to the US because it’s the only Jewish country in the middle of a Muslim area. War between the Palestinians and the Israelis have been going on for hundreds of years and yet we see the first steps being taken to bring peace to the area now. Before this year it was clear to see the United States and Israel getting what they want. The US gets money from Israel and the Israelis getting the US military supplies from the United States.
It is clear that without an international involvement to establish a successful road map to peace only one side wins. While the war continues so does the demand for new military supplies and as long as there isn’t any plan for peace the exchange of money for military supplies will keep going on. But we have seen somewhat of a road map placed on the table but sadly with no success as of this point.
It is also clear to see the abuse on the US part in the rebuilding efforts in Iraq. Such abuses are seen everywhere around the country for one part cannot be left without feeling the effect of another. George W. Bush proposed using Iraqi oil on order to pay off some of the $87 billion dollars he expects to get from congress for the rebuilding efforts in Iraq but who wants to trust U.S. government officials? They haven’t showed the American people any proof of weapons of mass destruction, they haven’t made any kind of obvious ties to Osama Ben Laden and Saddam Hussein and they already stated that they won’t take oil into there own hands to pay of some of the U.S. debt. The $87 billion will put us in more debt and we know that as of 1995 the US owes $862 billion dollars in debt.
The invasion of Iraq is only in its early age of being influenced by US Imperialism. Let’s look at a country such as Afghanistan. The deprived people of Afghanistan deserve more than having the capitalist markets of the US take over in such a way that it interrupts any other form of businesses to form. Such markets as Subway and McDonalds are finding way in a new Afghanistan and preventing any local business man to develop his own form of a Subway or McDonald because the money then becomes an issue. It stops the business man and the worker to hold any type of business competing with millionaires and billionaires. These capitalist markets hold billions of dollars on US soil and use countries such as Afghanistan to use the people to make even more money. And have we seen any high ranking government official stand up to address this to the economical developers. To seek a way to introduce new Afghani corporations so they can build in growth and hold billion dollar corporation on Afghani soil. As long as capitalist corporations from other nations find opportunities such as these seen in Afghanistan it will only expand the economy of the rich and the poor will still have to struggle and work harder to make money.
Puerto Rico is a perfect example of a country's soil once pure and now poisoned by US Imperialism. It's powerless to do anything about it because the capitalist that run corporations and businesses refuse to deal with any opposing ideologies which leaves many with no choice but to be forced into a new age of colonialism. Yes, colonialism. Living under the United States witch treats it like a colony. As a commonwealth to the United States, Puerto Rico no longer can defend there own constitution. It has been harassed by the imperialist to the point were there is no more Puerto Rican control over its own constitution. It says in the constitution of Puerto Rico that there shall not be a death penalty and yet this year many saw the constitution violated and now turned to the hands of the US. The result of one brutal case that took place in Puerto Rico has lead the government to enact the death penalty on a land that strictly opposes it. US prosecutors have successfully argued that the case was serious enough to enable federal law to be applied. Once they have won, the 2 men involved in murder would be transferred to a prison in the state of Indiana and killed by lethal injection. They won the case and the two men were taken away from there island to be killed. This has now lead to US prosecutors having there way in finding Puerto Ricans that qualify to the death penalty and it wont be a hard task because Puerto Rico does have a higher crime rate than Chicago. Yet another sign of US invaders making there way to a country and taking advantage of its conditions and with the government getting involved in this case it has now shown everybody that Puerto Rico is indeed a colony. Another example of the US Imperialism that took over Puerto Rico came with the US Navel Base on the near by island of Vieques. Although the Puerto Ricans have stood up and this year the people on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques celebrated the departure of the US Navy which used the territory for military operations for the past 60 years. A victory and one step towards eliminating this imperialism and saving the island.
The examples stated above are only one of many tragic acts going on in this world. Imperialism, a game of monopoly played by the rich and powerful and the US government plays its own game. To become powerful, to avoid competition, to see things the way people in the government want to see it. They avoid the poor, the workers, and the innocent civilians being killed in the process of this imperialism. They concentrate on brainwashing the people to join the US ways of life. So they can benefit from a country, stealing from the people and leaving them with nothing. Israel is being used as source of money; Iraq is being used for the oil and to win the hearts of the people. Its being used as Puerto Rico is. Iraq will be converted as a country in were the US will have a place to organize relationships with surrounding Muslim country’s and spread the imperialism. Same thing is happening in Puerto Rico. The country is being used to establish communications to all Latin America to try to spread the imperialism. Afghanistan is another sign of the imperialist making way into a country and abusing it.
With all this I give you the meaning of present day imperialism. A fair look at the people that are being affected and the people that get the benefits. So when we hear on the news that our next targets for this war on terrorism is going to be Iran, Saudi Arabia, take a look at what these country’s have to offer. And then look at the country’s taken over by the imperialist. What you will be seeing is another attempt to influence those who look the other way.