Highlights of the “Benign Empire”

Aug 6, 2018

A brief sampling of the U.S. wars fought to impose “The World Order” that we are told equals peace and prosperity today:

Syria (1949) - The State Department under President Truman instigates an overthrow of the government to force quick approval for the building of a U.S. corporation’s oil pipeline.

Korea (1950-53) - U.S. forces bomb and invade the peninsula to prop up its puppet dictator in the South. Millions of Korean people die.

Iran (1953) - The CIA under President Eisenhower engineers the overthrow of nationalist leader Mossadegh, who was attempting to end the strangle-hold of big British and American oil companies on the country’s economy. The U.S. installs the Shah as dictator. He and his son brutally rule the country for 26 years.

Cuba (1960-present) - A nationalist revolution led by Fidel Castro topples Batista, a dictator who ensured Cuba’s riches flowed to U.S. corporations. The new government tries to build an economy that keeps more of Cuba’s resources for the Cuban population. The U.S. begins a systematic campaign of attempted invasions and embargoes to reassert its dominance.

Vietnam (1955-75) - After the defeat of French military forces largely paid for by the U.S., the U.S. then engineers the division of the country and props up a puppet government in the South to protect U.S. corporate interests. Armed popular opposition grows, and the U.S. sends hundreds of thousands of troops to try to quell the growing rebellion. They destroy much of the country and kill millions of Vietnamese people both North and South in retaliation for the population’s show of defiance.

Chile (1973) - Under the Richard Nixon administration, the CIA engineers the overthrow of the Allende government—which dared to impose limits on U.S. corporate profits—by the Chilean military. Chilean General Pinochet takes power and brings down a reign of terror on much of the population. Thousands are rounded up, imprisoned, tortured and killed.

Iraq (1990-present) - To punish Saddam Hussein for daring to act without U.S. approval, President George Bush, Sr. sends hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops with air and sea support to destroy much of the Iraqi army. The U.S. then regularly bombs the country for a dozen years, including under President Clinton. Iraqi food, water treatment and medical facilities and supplies are destroyed and embargoed. Over one million people—and possibly twice this number—die as a result, particularly children, old people and the sick. In 2003, under President George Bush, Jr., U.S. forces bomb and invade the whole country, supposedly looking for “weapons of mass destruction.” None are ever found. President Barack Obama and then President Trump continue the occupation of the country. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are killed by U.S. and Iraqi forces in the fighting.

Afghanistan (2001-the present) - Under the pretense of a fight against terrorism, the Bush, Jr. and Obama administrations deploy hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops to invade and occupy the country, killing hundreds of thousands of Afghanis. The occupation continues under President Trump.

Libya (2011) - Under Obama, the U.S. helps to engineer the toppling of Libyan leader Muammar Qadaffi. The country is plunged into chaos that continues to this day.

Syria (2014-present) - 11,200 U.S. air strikes are carried out under Presidents Obama and Trump. U.S. attempts to destabilize the Assad regime help foster civil war, which provides an opening for ISIS. The U.S. goes to war against ISIS and continues to maneuver to retain influence. Hundreds of thousands are killed and half the population is displaced in a continuing war for domination of the region.