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| The book's cover (left), The author (right) |
A
certain privilege speech by Miriam Defensor-Santiago created quite a stir some
years back. I forgot which national broadsheet covered it (Philippine Star or
Philippine Daily Inquirer?) but one detail stood out: in her speech, she lashed
out at an American firm known only by the initials, “EAGLE”. She claims the
firm has been undermining the Philippine’s economic policies for many years
now. Hadn’t she uncovered them, they would’ve continued to do so indefinitely.
I found her claims back then absolutely absurd – the Americans have long since
then left us, how could they still have a grip on our nation? Other news items
talking about her mental state further eroded the credibility of her claims. I
was about to dismiss her as totally nuts until John Perkins released his book.
The
Western powers have taken neo-imperialism onto a whole new level in his
eye-opening expose. His introductory life story aside, he draws in the reader
to the origin of the EHM profession (EHM – shorthand for “economic hit man”)
starting with the CIA-engineered overthrow of Iranian nationalist leader Mohammad
Mossadeq. In realizing the dangers of any US agency meddling in world affairs,
the US government turned to the multinational corporations to do their dirty
work. He also reveals the tight grip such companies have on the White House.
That control has lead Perkins to coin a new word to describe them:
corporatocracy. In today’s America, the multinational companies have become the
de-facto ruling force. They dictate US policies to guarantee more profits for
them. One of the nefarious tactics they employ is the use of US foreign aid
peddled by EHM to shackle targeted Third World countries. Burdened by the huge
debt incurred, these countries are reduced to a state of serfdom – making them
pliant servants to US dictates (the Philippines among them). Perkins also
narrates the factual instances that the corporatocracy has ruined economies of
developing nations using that tactic, citing his experiences in Indonesia and
Panama. The clincher of his memoir lies
in the shocking revelation behind the reason for the Second Gulf War: Saddam
threatened the corporatocracy to invoke the “euro option” – to trade Iraqi oil
for euros. Doing so would compel a coalition of international creditors to call
in US debt in euros as well. Invading Iraq not only would allow the US
corporatocracy to control Mid-east oil but also prevent that precedent.
A few,
but significantly stinging, critiques were made by a writer about the book.
Notable are those claims of attempts by Perkins to disassociate himself from
EHM affairs – in spite of stating his involvements a matter-of-factly. We can
understand his allusions of guilt from voluntarily involving himself in these
(which may explain his attempts), but many expected this to be a memoir – a
form of release from his past. Many expected him to unburden himself from it,
by putting his guilt into words so as to stare at it straight up. From that
(many claim), his book suffers greatly. They believe it’s unthinkable for him
to claim it’s a “confession” when he simultaneously avoids admitting them. It
is inevitable then for doubts on it to ensue. With Perkins being formerly
involved with the CIA, readers can’t help to think: when you’re with dubious
company, wouldn’t their reputation rub on you? (You are who your friends are.)
What if this work is an indirect CIA propaganda then - a red herring to mislead
many from the real culprit? Thus, for that matter, is it so naïve to believe
that the US government had something to do with using multinational
corporations as their front liners? For some, they immediately assume it is
a textbook prose made in the CIA mind-managing tradition. Yet oddly,
majority of his prose echoed old truths – truths written by Felix Greene, the
anti-Vietnam war writer. He cited the abuses of the United Fruit Company in
Guatemala, with US backing. Furthermore, his diatribes against US foreign aid
are instructive – in that, it informs how it used to impose Yankee policies
upon targeted Third World nations. Conventional thinking defines
imperialism as any action by a powerful state upon a weaker state – be it
through colonization or direct subversive diplomacy (i.e. US-sponsored foreign
aid). But such interactions between nations are merely a macrocosm of
small-scale social relationships. If we want something from someone, there are
“a thousand ways to skin a cat”; so the saying goes. One doesn’t need to go to
the target directly to get it, wouldn’t it? Sounds theoretical or far-fetched,
but for a nation long been hated and branded as a swindler of nations, wouldn’t
it be logical for the US to use a cat’s paw? Besides, isn’t the world aware
that big-time contributors to US presidential campaigns are the multinational
corporations themselves? It’s impossible there’s no tit for tat in such
transactions… I often draw the Mossadeq affair as solid truth. I firmly believe
it was the genesis of the EHM and neo-imperialism for the motives of the event
aptly describes the US national psychology: she can deny the accusations of
imperialism heaped upon her by the world, but she still subconsciously
compelled to do so – in a covert manner nowadays, if I may add. Hence, readers
from Third World nations would then have this constantly nagging thought: must
they then sympathize with a nation merely following its instinct for survival?
Or must we hate it as expected – and staunchly believe that is what the book’s
purpose for? As we must hate one’s misdeeds and not the person, the same is
true with an imperialist power. WE MUST
HATE ITS MISDEEDS AND GUARD AGAINST IT – BUT NEVER POUR BLIND RAGE ALL OVER
HER. Perkins may retain some CIA loyalties in his soul, but at least he spoke
the truth though hesitant he may be. In the fighting arts, when two contenders
brawl, one fighter has to spot what is called a “telegraphed move”. He then
acts to anticipate it, parry and counterattack. Lucky for us, Perkins has
offended Third World nations a godsend with that “telegraphed move”. His book
may be deemed a half-truth but that is enough to rouse us.
Maybe
Miriam wasn’t so crazy after all. We recommend you visit amazon.com for the book...
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