Chalmers Johnson - The Pentagon Strangles Our Economy: Why the U.S. Has Gone Broke
Posted May 3rd, 2008 by Michael Nystrom
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Who is Chalmers Johnson? Watch the first 5 minutes of this video from 2003 to get a flavor (you'll likely get hooked and watch the whole 50 minutes!). Then read his article below.
60 years of enormous military spending is taking a dramatic toll on the rest of the economy.
Absolute must read by Chalmers Johnson
Le Monde diplomatique. Posted April 26, 2008.
Found at Alternet.org
As a result, going into 2008, the United States finds itself in the anomalous position of being unable to pay for its own elevated living standards or its wasteful, overly large military establishment. Its government no longer even attempts to reduce the ruinous expenses of maintaining huge standing armies, replacing the equipment that seven years of wars have destroyed or worn out, or preparing for a war in outer space against unknown adversaries. Instead, the Bush administration puts off these costs for future generations to pay or repudiate. This fiscal irresponsibility has been disguised through many manipulative financial schemes (causing poorer countries to lend us unprecedented sums of money), but the time of reckoning is fast approaching.
There are three broad aspects to the U.S. debt crisis. First, in the current fiscal year (2008) we are spending insane amounts of money on "defense" projects that bear no relation to the national security of the U.S. We are also keeping the income tax burdens on the richest segment of the population at strikingly low levels.
Second, we continue to believe that we can compensate for the accelerating erosion of our base and our loss of jobs to foreign countries through massive military expenditures -- "military Keynesianism" (which I discuss in detail in my book Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic). By that, I mean the mistaken belief that public policies focused on frequent wars, huge expenditures on weapons and munitions, and large standing armies can indefinitely sustain a wealthy capitalist economy. The opposite is actually true.
Third, in our devotion to militarism (despite our limited resources), we are failing to invest in our social infrastructure and other requirements for the long-term health of the U.S. These are what economists call opportunity costs, things not done because we spent our money on something else. Our public education system has deteriorated alarmingly. We have failed to provide health care to all our citizens and neglected our responsibilities as the world's number one polluter. Most important, we have lost our competitiveness as a manufacturer for civilian needs, an infinitely more efficient use of scarce resources than arms manufacturing.
Absolute required reading. Continue at Alternet.org
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this was really awesome... I
this was really awesome... I was hooked the whole time...
I guess this kind of validates Aaron Russo's claims about the Rockefellers...
The Energy Non-Crisis, by Lindsay Williams ...
I'm posting links to a talk given by Lindsay Williams ... a 1970s missionary in Alaska who worked among the men building the pipeline and who had access to a great deal of inside information.
Lindsay is not as polished as Mr. Johnson, but he lays out the entire US oil agenda: (the why, the how and the what for), and how an absolutely phony oil "scarcity" is being used to control us. I would bet the farm that Henry Kissinger concocted the whole senario. By the way, oil is NOT A FOSSIL FUEL ... it is a renewable resource created in the earth's core by heat and pressure. Also, CO2 and global warming are GOOD THINGS ... everything on earth thrives during warm spells.
The Linsay Williams video has 8 parts:
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Part 7 http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Part 8 http://www.youtube.com/wa...
LE MONDE DIPLOMATIQUE IS COMMUNIST!
I know very well this magazine, i am european, this is a french communist 100% anticapitalist magazine!! I dont need to read communist magazine to support a libertarian non-interventionist foreign policy.
??? I'm little confused. Why are you talking
about Le Monde Diplomatique? Did anybody mention this name? I'm just confused since I don't see this name anywhere on this page besides in your posts. What did I miss? Coul you or someone else tell me?
"first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks...will deprive the people of all property" -Thomas Jefferson
Simply at the begining
..you can read
"Absolute must read by Chalmers Johnson
Le Monde diplomatique. Posted April 26, 2008."
But some minutes ago i have made clear my position. Simply i prefer to choose libertarian sources. Everyone is free to choose, its true that truth can be in many different places.
In Liberty.
Never mind. I see it now. I just didn't see it for a while.
"first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks...will deprive the people of all property" -Thomas Jefferson
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Keep your mind open
Take truth where you find it.
If I had had your attitude, I would have never been open to hearing Dr. Paul's message. I would have said, "I don't need to hear anything from another Republican from Texas. The last one screwed everything up!"
Luckily, I have an open mind, and I suggest everyone else keep an open mind, too. I'm sure Mr. Johnson didn't pick where his article was published. He spoke to whoever was interested. Obviously, that is not the US MSM.
Michael Nystrom
Editor
www.dailypaul.com
I could have used the same words, manystrom
though I must say, ten month ago, even I wouldn't have believed anyone telling me my great hope would be a Republican from Texas.
EuropeanLibertarian do relax. The Ron Paul movement is diverse, even the (yet) small European movement. I see a lot of people on various political path and not only líbertarians who wake up.
LeMonde diplomatique is for sure a leftist paper, but they have a lot of background reports that are hard to get in other newspapers. Communist? Thats a big word.
Dr. Paul cured my apathy
I understand your arguments, but 'communist' is the precise word
Director of Le Monde Dimplomatique is Ramonet, a so famous european anti free trade, anti-libertarian globalization, friend of communist countries and leaders and an old supporter of French Communist Party. Obviusly Le Monde Diplomatique can have interesting articles, same that Pravda or Nazis newspapers, neocons newspapers, or others. Posibly i can agree with some articles in these kinds of magazines..
Simply I prefer reading libertarian literature. Everyone is free to choose his sources.
I am reading now Ron Paul´s manifesto, i am thinking to buy more antiwar american libertarian-paleoconservative literature, like 'Reclaiming American Right' by Justin Raimondo.
At least in USA there is an antiwar Right (really in US antiwar original movement is much more right-wing than left-wing), in Europe there isnt, there have never been an antiwar Right.
God bless libertarian America
I understand
It is just safer to read inside a media that is totally emersed in a line of philosophy that you can advocate. Because, for example, the neocons on our radio sound so good, but then they throw in a twist. Also the liberal agenda sounds so humane, giving of self, etc., but they fail to look at the other side. Propaganda is fed in that way. Only parcelling out bits that will be accepted and make sense on the surface. It is really necessary today to have all antennae working to discern the true meaning of what is being said and the underlying meaning.
Today, I only have one question, "Who does the person support for president." If they don't say Ron Paul, I don't donate, I don't listen, I don't promote. I have been too misguided in the past. Globalists are masters of propaganda and it never hurts to err on the side of caution.
Health and well-being to Dr. Paul.
EuropeanLibertarian
Maybe you are right. One should should have a look on the background of the media sources. But for a libertarian mind it is a hard choice in Europe. By the way, I got in contact with libertarianism via my interest for Ron Paul not vice versa, so I am not (yet) very deep in it. But I doubt if libertarianism can be located in the political left-right pattern.
An anti-war right in Europe you may find among traditional catholic politicians. In Germany I think of Peter Gauweiler who is a CSU (purports to be a conservative party) MP member and (aside with only one other member of the Union) who voted against German troops in Afghanistan, took a (successful) legal action against the EU-Constitution, now voted against the new EU-Treaty and even recently against a law forcing internet and telephone providers to save connection datas for half a year. He is a real maverick, and though I don't like him as a person I have great respect for him. I guess, among German politicians he comes nearest to Ron Paul.
BTW From which part of Europe are you posting? Do you have contact with other European paulists?
Dr. Paul cured my apathy
I am a young Spanish Austrian School's supporter
Hello. I am 26 years old. I am libertarian activist. I live in Madrid, Spain. When I was 19 I knew Economic Austrian School and i reached anarcho-capitalism when I was 21-22 (rothbardianism). I know Ron Paul as congressman since those years, because i have always read Lew Rockwell. I have always admired to Ron Paul since 4 years ago more or less. In Europe libertarianism is a so strange ideology and much more light, and 99,9% of european libertarians are neocons in foreign policy. I have many libertarian austrian school friends here in Madrid and in Spain thanks to Internet. In Madrid many of my friends go to (anarchocapitalist economist) Jesus Huerta de Soto´s classes, the most important Austrian School Member in Spain. In his classes one day talked only about Ron Paul history and great ideas. In my spanish libertarian blog i usually talk about Ron Paul campaing and movement,
www.ude-uc3m.blogspot.com (Note that in Europe 'liberal' word means 'libertarian'. My nickname there is 'Libertarian')
Also, I belong with many of these friends to 'Instituto Juan de Mariana' like the spanish 'Mises Institute'. Juan de Mariana was a late spanish scholastic like Francisco de Vitoria or Francisco de Suarez (named by Ron Paul in his manifesto page 23). Spanish scholastics (17th century)were predecessors of Austrian Economic School 'founded' originally by Carl Menger and later followed by Mises, Hayek, Rothbard.. Really its in Spain where by first time are created these libertarian ideas (for example strong gold standard opposed to inflation and inflation as thieft by king or princes when they put in currency cheap metals,Juan de Mariana's ethic-political idea about just and fair murder of King when he increased coaction over people called by Mariana 'Tyranicide theory'..), not by Scottish or British.
I dont want to boring more you lol. Its amazing for me all ron paul movement. I have always loved Founding Fathers ideas, American Revolution and strong libertarian movement always in America.
I love America as liberty idea in which it was founded. In Liberty.
Very cool. Are you student of de Soto's?
Also, have you read his book? I've haven't read it, but have heard it is very good.
ps. congrats on reaching anarcho-capitalism at such a young age!
Thanks for chiming in
I love you!! I love people outside of the US who love Ron Paul. I think it is so informed, educated, awake, involved, activated. Just awesome. I love reading how you write English also. Very entertaining. Keep up the good work and keep spreading yourself and your views far and wide.
Thank you for your interesting reply
I knew Spain has a very interesting history of political ideas and practise, but I didn't know there is this strong libertarian tradition. Also delightful to see there is a working Spanish blog. Many blogs died during "Valley forge", but in Germany we got two new ones in the last month, and I have the feeling, even in Europe the tide is changing. You should definetly get in contact with those people http://bavaria-for-ron-pa.... Fabio is a long year libertarian like you and I guess one of the few persons in Germany who knew about Ron Paul before this campaign. And you also should leave a note here http://groups.google.com/... so people here (a loose band of Europeans and expatriates) know about you, get the blogs linked and perhabs start some common manifestation. There was one meeting in Straßburg last year http://strasbourgteaparty... and if enthusiasm rises again perhabs there may be some in summer.
I am myself a 42-year old lawyer rather frustrated about German politics. I came to know about Ron Paul via Alex Jones, interested by his anti-war and anti-surveillance state views. In the meantime I think there is really a chance he can make an impact even in Europe, though only on the long run. Though he and his anti-war and non-interventionism stance does already find sympathy (if he is ever fairly mentioned in the press) many of his other views are hard to digest for the state-minded Europeans, especially since it is nearly impossible to sort them along traditional party-lines. But that maybe just the chance to make them popular.
So much for today.
Dr. Paul heilte meine Apathie
Additional read
http://www.antiwar.com/en...
Chalmers Johnson is one of the American sages of our time.
Thank you for bringing him in, Michael.
Dr. Paul cured my apathy
A good read.
Thanks for the link Mike.. ;)
Blowback--here's a Chalmers Johnson article that explains.
http://www.thenation.com/...
Make sure you note the date of the article.
Who is Chalmers Johnson?
Looks like he wrote a book Blowback. Is this where Ron Paul learned about blowback or somewhere else? Does anybody know?
"first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks...will deprive the people of all property" -Thomas Jefferson
Chalmers Johnson book Blowback is in Ron's reading list
I said it below, but let me say it again up here: In the back of Ron Paul's new book, The Revolution, Dr. Paul has a reading list for a free and prosperous America.
One of the books listed is Johnson's book, Blowback, which is the first in a trilogy of books on the American Empire, the second being The Sorrows of Empire, and the final one being Nemesis, in which he develops the idea of Military Keynesianism.
Johnson was a professor of Asian Studies at UCSD, I think. I read some of his work on Japan back when I was an undergraduate in the late 1980's. As an Asian scholar, he was convinced that America's unfair policies around the world would eventually come home to haunt us in the form of blowback.
This is a 3 minute clip of Johnson. I believe it is from the documentary "Why We Fight"
In the clip below, he says, "blowback is not just unintended consequences, it is the unforeseen consequences of actions that have been kept secret from the American public. Therefore when (not if) the retaliation comes, the average citizen has no way to put it in context or to understand what is happening or why. Hence you get absurd remarks like our president stated after 9/11, "Why do they hate us?"
You want to say - "[Well, Mr. President,] you have standing around you people who are responsible for the Afghan operation in the 1980s, the largest clandestine operation we ever carried out, who could easily explain to you why they hate us. That is, Dick Cheney, Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld, Condeleeza Rice -- all of them know with precision why they hate us."
Hopefully, this helps you understand a bit more who Chalmers Johnson is and what he stands for.
See:
See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/w...
Chalmers Ashby Johnson is an author and professor emeritus of the University of California, San Diego. He is also president and co-founder of the Japan Policy Research Institute, an organization promoting public education about Japan and Asia. He has written numerous books including, most recently, three examinations of the consequences of American Empire: Blowback, The Sorrows of Empire, and Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic.
Ron Paul Explorer: The All Paul Search Engine
I don't like wikipedia. I just don't trust them. Any other info?
"first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks...will deprive the people of all property" -Thomas Jefferson
Take Your Pick
Results 1 - 10 of about 448,000 for chalmers johnson.
http://www.google.com/sea...
Ron Paul Explorer: The All Paul Search Engine
Thanks. I mainly want to know where RP learned about blowback.
Was it from Johnson's book or elsewhere?
Did RP said anything about Johnson?
When did he quit CFR?
Trying to figure out if he's a good guy or not since he was a CFR according to the post below.
"first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks...will deprive the people of all property" -Thomas Jefferson
I believe that Ron has
I believe that Ron has attributed the concept of "blowback" to the CIA.
In one of the debates i believe he said something along the lines of "even our own CIA says this is true." That's no where near an exact quote but it was a long those lines.
Ron Paul Explorer: The All Paul Search Engine
"blowback"
I really, really wish that Ron Paul had NOT used the word "blowback" in that first presidential debate --- the word is obscure or meaningless to most people. What he should have said was "repercussions", or "negative consequences", or something like that. It muddled the very clear idea he was trying to convey.
Chalmers Johnson is in Ron's reading list
In the back of Ron Paul's new book, The Revolution, Dr. Paul has a reading list for a free and prosperous America.
One of the books listed is Johnson's book, Blowback, which is the first in a trilogy of books on the American Empire, the second being The Sorrows of Empire, and the final one being Nemesis, in which he develops the idea of Military Keynesianism.
I have only read the last one - Nemesis, and it blew me away. Well worth your read. If you ever run across anything by Chalmers Johnson - read it!
OK. Thanks to both (above post and below).
"first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks...will deprive the people of all property" -Thomas Jefferson
Quick reference...
"Blowback" is a CIA term first used in March 1954 in a recently declassified report on the 1953 operation to overthrow the government of Mohammed Mossadegh in Iran. It is a metaphor for the unintended consequences of the US government's international activities that have been kept secret from the American people.
As used in that context... also see...
1. The backpressure in an internal-combustion engine or a boiler.
2. Powder residue that is released upon automatic ejection of a spent cartridge or shell from a firearm.
As alternate definitions.
Chalmers Johnson is a pretty
Chalmers Johnson is a pretty cool guy.
He once described himself as the only person to have ever resigned from the CFR. I don't know if that's strictly true, but I like his style.
Ron Paul Explorer: The All Paul Search Engine
wars in outer space?
Fortune Favors the Bold
i