The Big Con: US Imperialism, Russian Hubris and Ukraine (The Patsy)
The Big Con: US Imperialism, Russian Hubris and Ukraine (The Patsy)
Major General Smedley Butler, a two-time recipient of the Medal of Honor during his distinguished 33-year career (1898-1931) as a US Marine Corps officer, published in 1935, a short but brutally honest and powerful book, War is a Racket, only four years after he retired from military service.
Point of fact, Smedley Butler is only one of three individuals to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Marine Corps Brevet Medal. Whether fighting America’s wars or writing a book on why America fought those wars, Butler did not disguise or mince words within his provocative book.
Thus, unsurprisingly, Butler brought the same intensity of purpose, intellectual bravery and unquestioned valor to the pages of his book, War is a Racket, as he did in combat. It should be noted that his actions in battle earned him five medals for heroism.
In 1933, two years into retirement, Major General Smedley Butler was offered by an angry, wealthy, and powerful cabal of businessmen and Wall Street elites, a key position within a future US government.
A government created due to the election in 1932 of Democratic Party candidate Franklin Delano Roosevelt. FDR, as he came to be identified as by the media and voters in America throughout his presidency, was targeted to be destroyed, or at least neutralized, by a group of self-absorbed and paranoid power brokers within the United States.
Put succinctly, Major General Butler, and others, were to supersede FDR's administration. President Roosevelt was to be nothing more than a figurehead executive. This cabal was to install and enforce a ‘silent’ coup - if you will. These ‘patriots’ were essentially plotting to destroy American democracy itself.
Sound familiar?
In the end, Smedley Butler said "No" to their offer. Instead, Butler went directly to the FBI and told FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover about the ‘plot’ and its true purpose - to destroy FDR and his administration.
So, why am I writing this commentary?
Why am I writing about Smedley Butler and his heroic effort to save American democracy?
Well, to be quite honest, I am beginning to get that same ‘cabal’ feeling again, only about the current war in the Ukraine this time. Point of fact. The US has recently agreed to ship an additional 15 million cubic feet of gas every year to Europe until 2030. And much more afterwards. In essence, America has now taken the place of Russia in supplying energy to Europe.
While Russia is killing innocent civilians and destroying several cities in Ukraine, America is busy cutting energy deals. The world is told that this US brokered ‘business deal’ will undercut Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. In reality, it will only make the rich and powerful American energy companies - richer.
NATO is once again viewed, quite correctly, as a "tool" of American power. Its leaders appearing emasculated and ineffective. And, of course, sadly, they are.
Without argument, much of NATO will now depend on the US for its natural gas to heat their homes in the winter!
In the meantime, the West gives Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy standing ovations in the European Parliament and in the US Congress. Yet, President Zelenskyy’s constant and desperate pleas for greater military assistance falls upon deaf ears.
Zelenskyy is told that Ukrainians are brave and patriotic fighters, but no NATO troops are coming to assist them - any time soon; nor are any fighter jets arriving soon; nor are any significant military hardware going to be provided. Zelenskyy and Ukraine know the score. They are on their own!
In truth, the Ukrainians are being used as cannon fodder. Just like millions of soldiers during World War I. They died fighting in the endless miles of trenches on the Western Front. A fact that still haunts Western Europe a century later.
Smedley Butler was right almost ninety years ago. War is indeed a racket. The only winner in this unseemly mess in the Ukraine is America. Russia appears to be fighting a losing war - no matter what the outcome.
US financial sanctions are crippling Russia’s economy. The Russian oligarchs’ assets are being frozen and/or confiscated by primarily the US government. American banks and businesses are benefitting from Russia’s financial ruin. Europe, as usual, looks inept and overly dependent on the US.
Nevertheless, without any resistance, The Big Con is occurring right before our eyes. Europeans get a new energy deal with America. And the US banks get their hands on Russian assets. Meanwhile, the rest of the world looks on as mere spectators. America has reestablished its influence and power in Europe.
But America is not as strong as one thinks, especially economically. This unholy shitstorm in Ukraine may yet come back to haunt the US in the very near future.
In fact, you can count on it. We are broke. Over $30 trillion in debt - and counting. And the world knows it - especially the Chinese. Which, inadvertently, makes America a very dangerous country. Why? Because the US is desperate to hang on to its global influence and power.
Yet, there are two inescapable facts confronting the US empire.
First, its financial foundation is badly eroded. The nation is choking on debt. And millions of Americans are either unemployed, or they are working ‘poverty’ jobs. Over half the country does not make a living wage. Signs of national poverty are everywhere.
Second, the American military has not won any major wars since World War II. Gulf War I ended as quickly as it began. The US government spends a king’s fortune on the military, but the results over the past almost eight decades has not been impressive.
China, Russia, and India are quietly beginning to move away from using US Dollars as their means of payment with respect to their international trading agreements.
If they (and others) succeed in diminishing the power and influence of the US dollar, the US Dollar's international value will plummet - dramatically. The economic fallout throughout America will be beyond horrific. Financial chaos will erupt. Enough said!
Finally, is China watching? I mean, are they really watching the events in Ukraine? Of course they are! Why? Because they are next. Taiwan will be the next flash point. And, like NATO, America has many powerful allies in the western Pacific.
If a military confrontation occurs in the western Pacific, concerning the fate of Taiwan, it will be much more destructive, and dangerous, than the current one in Europe. Why?
First, East Asia (and Asia in general) has become the economic engine of global trade.
Second, over 60% of the world’s population lives in Asia. The human costs would be much greater than that of Europe. And there is a greater chance of war spreading throughout the Asian continent.
Third, the US, China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan are all militarily powerful. the US and China possess nuclear weapons. If the military conflagrations widen, then India and Pakistan, perhaps even the Russians, all nuclear powers, will make any geostrategic military confrontation(s) a very dangerous gamble.
Ladies and gentlemen, in my opinion, we are far, far from being done with geopolitical and hegemonic conflict and warfare in Eastern Europe and East Asia.
Quite the contrary, in 2022, we could be witnessing just the beginning of a new world order being established. At heart, President Joe Biden is a hawk. He has never spoken out against any war at its origins. He has never learned (or wanted to learn) any lessons from the multiple American setbacks in the Middle East or Asia since 1945.
And the US military has been desperate to recover its self-respect and global reputation since its humiliating losses and setbacks in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen, and the South China Sea.
According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, it is the year of the Tiger. From what I have seen, so far, in Europe and Asia in 2022, never has there been a more appropriate zodiac symbol for a new year.
It appears, in 2022, that the Tiger is hungry. How hungry? How dangerous?
We may all find out very soon. Smedley Butler was right. War is indeed a racket!!