Many geopolitical observers and “experts” in my country India; are
giving close attention and undue importance to the 2024 Presidential Elections
in the USA. India being a large mix of quasi–socialist, communist influenced
left–wing intellectuals on one side of the political spectrum and with the
currently very vocal Nationalist-pride infused influencers on the opposite
side; is forecasting how bi-lateral relations between India and the USA will
develop or deteriorate, based on whether the Republican or the Democrat
candidate wins this election. The reality is that neither candidate is going to
favour India, beyond the commercial and political requirements of their own
country. As history is witness, the foreign policy of the USA is immoral,
unethical and prone to violence since their very existence, as can be noted
from the synopsis below.
The history of U.S. foreign policy, including military and covert
actions, spans a wide range of events where the country has used its power to
influence or destabilize other nations. Here, I will outline key periods and
incidents with historical backing, focusing on those that involved direct or
indirect use of violence or economic destabilization.
1. Early Years and Expansionist Policies
(1776–1800s)
- War of Independence (1775–1783): While the American Revolution was a war
for independence, it set a precedent for military action as a means to
achieve political ends.
- Manifest Destiny and Displacement of the
Natives of the Land: Throughout the 19th century, the U.S. pursued aggressive westward
expansion, leading to wars and forced removals of Native American tribes,
resulting in significant loss of life and cultural destruction.
2. 19th Century Foreign Interventions
- Mexican-American War (1846–1848): The U.S. invaded Mexico, leading to
Mexico ceding large territories (present-day California, Nevada, Utah,
etc.) under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
- Spanish-American War (1898): The U.S. intervened in Cuba's fight for
independence from Spain. This conflict resulted in U.S. control over
former Spanish colonies like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
3. Early 20th Century: “Banana Wars”
- Central America and the Caribbean: The U.S. military intervened in
countries such as Nicaragua (1912–1933), Haiti (1915–1934), and the
Dominican Republic (1916–1924). These interventions were largely aimed at
protecting American commercial interests and maintaining regional
stability.
- Philippine-American War (1899–1902): Following the Spanish-American War, the
U.S. fought against Filipino independence fighters, leading to significant
casualties and widespread destruction.
4. Cold War Era (1947–1991)
- Korean War (1950–1953): The U.S. led a United Nations coalition
to repel North Korean and Chinese forces, creating a longstanding division
of Korea.
- Vietnam War (1955–1975): The U.S. engaged in a prolonged conflict
in Vietnam to counter the spread of communism, resulting in millions of
deaths and widespread devastation.
- Coup in Iran (1953): The CIA orchestrated Operation Ajax to
overthrow Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and reinstate the Shah, driven
by concerns over oil nationalization.
- Guatemala (1954): The CIA-backed Operation PBSUCCESS
overthrew President Jacobo Árbenz after he sought land reforms affecting
American business interests (e.g., United Fruit Company).
- Chile (1973): The U.S. supported the coup that ousted
President Salvador Allende, leading to the establishment of Augusto
Pinochet's military dictatorship.
- Nicaragua and the Contras (1980s): The U.S. funded Contra rebels in their
fight against the Sandinista government, which involved significant human
rights abuses.
- Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961): An unsuccessful CIA-sponsored attempt to
overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba.
5. Post-Cold War and Modern Interventions
- Iraq (1991, 2003): The U.S. led a coalition during the Gulf
War in 1991 to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. In 2003, the U.S. invaded
Iraq under the pretext of eliminating weapons of mass destruction, leading
to prolonged conflict and instability.
- Afghanistan (2001–2021): The U.S. invasion was a response to the
9/11 terrorist attacks, initially targeting Al-Qaeda and the Taliban but
resulting in a two-decade-long war with significant casualties and an
eventual U.S. withdrawal.
- Libya (2011): U.S.-led NATO forces conducted
airstrikes that contributed to the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi, leaving
the country in a state of ongoing conflict.
6. Economic Sanctions and Covert Operations
- Sanctions on Cuba (1960s–present): U.S. sanctions aimed at isolating Cuba
economically following the Cuban Revolution.
- Iran Sanctions: Various economic sanctions to curb
nuclear capabilities have impacted the Iranian economy.
- Interventions via Covert Operations: The CIA and other agencies have engaged in numerous operations to sway elections or destabilize governments, such as those in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.
The U.S. has utilized a combination of military might, covert
operations, and economic measures to influence global politics and economics.
Each of these actions seem to have complex motivations, including political,
economic, and ideological interests. However, in reality, the USA geopolitics
is never about winning a conflict, as can be seen that over the years the USA
has faced political and military defeat in almost every war that they started.
The reality is that the President of the USA is not really a ‘leader of
the free world’, a myth that has been propagated over the past few decades by a
continuous and effective public relations strategy. The President of the USA is not the only
power center of that country. There are three centers of power that heavily
influence the foreign policy of the USA.
The first is the military arms manufacturing lobby that has the backing and support of the
military bureaucracy of the US government, and who in turn are heavily favored
by the military lobby with regular and mostly immoral gifts. Corrupt money can
be tracked and used in legal prosecution of the bureaucrats, but moral
corruption in the form of easy access to contraband pharmaceuticals, illegal
narcotics and sexual playmates (of all types) is part of a regular menu of
favors in their politics.
The second center of power is the military–intelligence agencies mafia. With an annual budget of over a Trillion
dollars (12 zeros after the initial digit), these agencies prepare “threat
reports” for the political class and create a sense of constant insecurity
among the members of their Congress and the people of their country. The
intelligence agencies have no real audit or over-watch over their actions and
have been caught many times in spreading misinformation and lies, but
high-ranking members of their organizations or the American military have never
been investigated, prosecuted or punished for illegality.
The third center of power is the cabal of the leaders of the two
political parties. This cabal comprises of
former Presidents (and in some cases their wives and mistresses), former high-ranking officials
of past administrations, political financiers, and political lobbyists. In many
cases, some individuals are a mixture of some or all of the above defined
roles.
The President of the United States is nothing more than a puppet of
these three power centers; from the time they decide on the candidates for the
election to controlling the winning candidate for the subsequent four years in
power. And repeat every four years. That is the reality of American politics,
and instead of the overused cliché ‘God Bless America’ the people of that
country should say: “God Save Us from America”.
