Samir Amin, Imperialism and the 'Arab Spring'

[telesurenglish.net]

There's a relationship between Latin and South America with the Middle East for the Empire. It's the destruction of anything resembling a socialist style government and control of resources. This of course has been an agenda for at least since the Russian Revolution of 1917. The difference between south of us and the Middle East is one much like here in the US. The Middle East has a long history of radical religious sects struggling for control over their preferred beliefs and forcefully instituting them against the peoples will. They've been a use full tool for Empires to create strife in these regions. And caused leaders many pains to control and keep their countries civil with these countries being handed back their sovereignty in the earlier to mid 1900's for the most part. The proverbial iron hand has been almost a must way to rule at times. Which is what John Nixon got from his time with Saddam Hussein and how we went so wrong in Iraq. Outside we never should have been there period!

“Before me, there was only bickering and arguing. I ended all that and made people agree!” Saddam used every tool in his repertoire to maintain Iraq’s multi-ethnic state. Such tools included murder, blackmail, imprisonment, threats, and these were to be used to cow his enemies. For his friends, Saddam would dole out patronage to tribal leaders and supporters in the form of cash, elaborate gifts, land, and other largesse that was the lifeblood of an oil rich state."

I will argue we have reached that very height in the US as of 2016 with over 80% of the Evangelical helping to push Trump into the White House. The far right debacles and nationalism that came with it during the primary cycle. I posted a video last night of Chris Hedges and Abby Martin that went into this. I have little doubt this animal will raise its head again in 2020. But much in that paragraph from a Time article with Nixon you might see in the US and Trump administration today. Our entire political system today, period, really. We can only hope Hedges is right, that they'll stamp it out if it gets to far out of hand. As of today, they've seemed to have retreated to regroup in their many mini camps. Awaiting their call back to fame?