Tag: empires

WORLD ORDER AND DISORDER: THE “GAMES” AND “GAMBLES” OF LIFE AND LIVES ©

Posted on by kathiemm
Temple of a million years of Rameses II – Ozymandias statue, Luxor, Egypt. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported. Author: Steve F-E-Cameron (Merlin-UK).

More than Nations . . .

by Guest Author Anthony Marsella

Contrary to the widespread myth, nations are not the sole source of massive international political, economic, and social international events, forces, and changes. It is true the story of history is often told with nations as the grand hand behind unfolding events. Reality, however, is very different. Nations are merely one player among many players shaping history each day amid a complex crucible of “games and gambles” serving many interests.

The myth of “nation” determinism is encouraged by a select group of individuals, organizations, and nations who seek to hide their wealth, power, position, and privilege in shaping the world order and disorder. It is to their advantage to function as shadow forces, often beneath the mantle of nations. Their immediate visibility may be hidden, but their influence is profound. The players are displayed in Figure 1.

worldorder
Figure 1

The question must be asked: Can any nation or groups of nations control and dominate the many powerful agencies, organizations, and rogue nations immune or resistant to a nation’s power? Have the times, which nurtured and now sustain, a new array of powers capable of cooperation or contention according to their interests, created a chaotic and desperate dance unresponsive to policies and strategies of control and domination once accepted as successful? A partially visible system now exists, dedicated to the preservation of powerful military-industrial-congressional complex, cited by President Eisenhower in his farewell address (January 17, 1961), as an emerging danger to our nation.

It is assumed nations will pursue the interests of their citizens and state. This too is a myth! What is accurate is certain powerful or rogue nations with access to unlimited military have the capacity to intervene at will to shape the world order through (1) imposed regime changes, (2) invasion and occupation, (3) war, death, destruction, (4) economic and financial controls, (5) sanctions, (6) cultural and religious systems, and (7) many other illegal and immoral policies and actions. Using secretive policies, strategies, and tactics, nations can become shills for private interests. But this Orwellian dystopian situation, relying heavily on military power and private wealth, is now leading the world toward disaster.

In today’s global community, many competing nations, and their hidden shadow groups, have access to military power and might. They also have access to other means of exercising power including economic, historic, moral, religious, and information communication technology (ICT). For the latter, the word and process becomes both a shield and weapon.

I must include “protest groups and factions” because they are present, and exercise some direct and indirect influence. Indeed, responses to these groups and factions (e.g., unions, abolish nuclear groups, Wall-Street protestors, environment activists, peace advocates) often require even more assertions of power and might by those in power. In this respect, the groups and factions are players, albeit often desperate amid their limited numbers and organizational stature.

The World Order: “Games” and “Gambles”

The seductive “games” and “gambles” to control and shape world order has been played for thousands of years by individuals, societies, and “nations.” The prize for winners: Empire! Global domination, control, and wealth! Why? With domination and control comes power to impose selfish interests on conquered people, regions, and societies. A certain “cache” is also sought! Etching the names of individuals, groups, and nations, amid the famous and infamous collection of empire, suggests “immortality.” We may despise those enshrined in history, but we cannot deny they remain alive in memory — now omnipresent in Google.

Even a passing knowledge of world history reveals the pursuit of “empire” has ancient roots (e.g., Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, Aztec, Inca, Ottoman, Mayan). The words of the romantic-era poet, Percy Bysshe Shelly’s (1792-1822), Ozymandias, capture the inevitable demise of empire. But while it lasts, it is an intoxicating and blinding stimulant, feeding heart and mind with the pleasures of adulation and comforts of power:

Ozymandias

I met a traveler from a distant land, who said:
“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert . . .
Near them, on the sand,
Half-sunk, a shattered visage lies . . .

And on the pedestal these word appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works ye mighty, and despair!”

Nothing beside remains
Round the decay of that colossal wreck,
Boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

The Pursuit of Empire

The pursuit of empire continues! Ozymandias embody the tragic impulse and result. Power, its inevitable rise and fall! No lessons learned! Only the deceptive rush of visions immune to reason! Empire remains the quest for nations and their private supporters seeking protection and opportunity. Empire is no longer confined to a sovereign state or nation. There are too many competing players. Most are unwilling to yield to a single supreme authority, but eager to use its mantle to pursue their interests.

As Figure 1 displays, the players in the “games” and “gambles” for world order and disorder, sow and protect their seeds. How can a sovereign nation control diverse powers having no loyalty to nation, but loyalty only to their own existence and security? Amid their privacy, they too often escape condemnation, but they too must know “empire” passes. Privatization, the preferred policy of the neo-liberal and neo-con establishments, provides an omnipresent petard on which to fall.

Conspiracy? Of Course . . .

Is conspiracy present? Yes! Conspiracy is an attempt to hide, conceal, veil, or secrete actual events and forces from recognition. Conspiracies exist to serve special interests, contrary to interests and welfare of others. Conspiracies use an array of methods and tactics to elude attention, lest the methods and tactics be recognized as immoral, illegal, and dishonest or criminal. Recall, the villainous lies, deceit, and abuses used by the Bush-Cheney government to invade Iraq, and cast the Middle-East into flames: Iraq has nuclear weapons; we must use torture to obtain information; a global war on terrorism is necessary. With their actions, they indicted our nation, embedding us in endless war. Citizens became co-conspirators by our passive agreement (See Abby Martin interview with Lt. Colonel Wilkerson, former assistant to General Colin Powell, who was tricked into claiming Iraq had nuclear weapons (see http://fktv.is/the-classic-decay-of empires-us-army-colonel-lawrence-wilkerson-27480). Wilkerson points out the massive deceit used by a small group with access to power to launch the USA into a “total” global war.

The ubiquitous iconic “back room” of politics is not a myth! It exists and functions to maintain public ignorance, under the guise the public does not need to know, for it would not understand what we must do. The conspirators: En loco parentis! We act for your welfare by protecting our welfare. “Trust us! Trust us! If you do not, do not stand in our way!

What tragedy! What a betrayal! What a despicable effort. This effort continues across the spectrum of “players” involved in the “games” and “gambles” of world order and disorder! The players have the political, economic, and military power to continue the “games” and “gambles.” They lack only moral justification. A tangled web of deceit!

Table 1 offers a list of policies and actions used by the world order players. It is frightening! These are not limited to nations or governments. They have become part of the options available to private individuals, groups, and commercial organizations. This is what is so frightening and dangerous! The foe and their methods escape visibility and prosecution. The justice systems normally relied upon to keep order and to protect, are part of the problem. There is an unbounded flow of mutual connections across the nations and groups via common board members, financial supporters, and shared visions of morality.

Table 1:

Policies, Actions, and Alternatives (Alphabetized)
In Support of Nation and Other Organization Aims and Goals

  • Assassinations/death squads/drones;

  • Bounties for info/capture, and assassination;

  • Bribery, purchase, and installation of pro-American leaders and dictators;

  • Celebration of national “morality” in the face of evil acts;

  • Collaboration/contracts with foreign universities, scientists, professional organizations, and intelligence agencies defaming their character;

  • Contingent “humanitarian” aid – implicit and explicit;

  • Contingent “foreign” aid;

  • Control of UN via vetoes and economic and political pressures;

  • Control of IMF and World Bank;

  • Cooperation with foreign nation security services (e.g., military, intelligence, corporations);

  • Development of domestic crowd controls (militarization of police);

  • Drones(Widespread use of drones by domestic/national groups and agencies);

  • Drug wars. Corruption of local officials;

  • Disproportionate support of “allies.” Enemification of others;

  • Entrapments of targeted individuals and groups – persons of interest;

  • Establishment of military bases [more than 700 known USA foreign bases];

  • Exportation of unpopular American culture (i.e., consumerism, materialism, commodification, competition, crony capitalism, corruption, celebritization)

  • False flag operations disguised military and/or economic interventions/invasions);

  • Foreign student/faculty/consultant exchanges (used for intelligence recruitment);

  • Fund development of disguised/pseudo-organizations used for national military and security purposes (e.g. Human Ecology Fund, ONR, AID);

  • Glorification of war, militarism, warrior mentalities and images, machismo;

  • Hegemonic globalization (i.e., control of socio-technical changes and economy);

  • Infiltration of peace, anti-war groups, and social activist organizations;

  • Invasion and overthrow, including regime change;

  • Justification of torture (“enhanced interrogation”);

  • Mass surveillance, monitoring, and archiving of info/communication data;

  • Massive growth in government/private intelligence agencies and organizations;

  • Media influence and control via biased news and biased news commentators;

  • Military interventions and occupation of nations and regions;

  • Mind control technologies (e.g., drugs, EMR, behavior control technologies);

  • Negotiation/conflict resolution delays are now policy;

  • No Prosecution of connected military, government, civilian law violators/abusers;

  • Military occupation of foreign nations, regions, and cities;

  • Promotion of nationalism, pseudo-patriotism, USA exceptionalism;

  • Project for a New American Century (Developed to insure USA Hegemony);

  • Project Infra Guard (Collaboration between FBI and hundreds of thousands of businesses in USA to report on citizens resulting in creation of mass list of citizens with no opportunity for contesting surveillance. (Every mall and every store provides video and other personal information;

  • Propaganda to instill citizen fear, and vilification of individuals and groups;

  • Recruitment of spies, informers, collaborators, agents among friends, neighbors. The best spy is a person who doesn’t now they are a spy, but in fact, as they share information on neighbors, friends, and family, the information is collected and archived;

  • Renditions in numerous countries;

  • Use surrogate nations and forces to accomplish military goals;

  • Use false-flag incidents;

  • Use major philanthropic foundations to influence policy and actions;

  • Vilification, demonization, enemification of domestic and/or international critics;

  • Weapons/arms dealer sales for money, and for promoting conflicts;

  • Witness protection programs.

What an array of possibilities! In a world of lawlessness, anything goes, and does! We remain in shock at the destructive events occurring across the world. Yet we too often ignore these events as consequences of the protected policies and actions of nations, individuals, private organizations, engaged in protecting their interests. Millions of lives and life are lost oblivious to the sorrow and grief exacted. Protected from harm, the perpetrators of harm are engage in the “games” and “gambles” of world order and disorder. To what end?

This essay was originally posted by Transcend Media Service, December 17, 2015; reprinted with permission.

Anthony J. Marsella, PhD, is emeritus professor of psychology, University of Hawaii, and former president of Psychologists for Social Responsbility (http://www. psysr.org). His recent publications include Marsella, A.J. (2012). Globalization and psychology. Journal of Social Issues, 68, 454-472; and Marsella, A.J. (2011). Nonkilling psychology and lifeism: I am what am. In J. Pim & D. Christie (Eds.), Nonkilling Psychology (pp. 361-378). Honolulu, HI: Center for Global Non-Violence.

 

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Does Nonviolent Resistance Work? Part 4a: The Curious Case of Palestinian Nonviolence

Posted on by kathiemm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=jV1BzE3C0i8

This is the first of three posts comprising Part IV of a series of posts in which Dr. Ian Hansen shares his thoughts on nonviolence.

See also Part 1a, Part 1b, Part 1c, Part 2a, Part 2b, Part2c, Part3a, Part3b and Part3c.

The majority of Palestinians these days prefer nonviolent strategies to violent ones, even if they hold ideologically to the right to use violence in self-defense.  If those undertaking nonviolent direct action in the name of Palestinian resistance could get more camera crews and U.S. distributors for the films made from their work, I think the Palestinians would probably be making a lot more progress than they are. The de facto American media blackout on almost all acts of Palestinian nonviolent resistance likely diminishes the effectiveness of the tactic.  Still the alternative—violent attacks on soldiers and civilians—is likely to be countereffective rather than just ineffective: worse than useless.

Talk of the uselessness of violence annoys revolutionaries schooled in violence-advocating ideologies, especially when they regularly see abusive governments and empires making good use of violence to serve their own interests.  If I say violence is useless for the Palestinians, would I also say it is useless for the Israelis?  Might Israeli goals be better achieved by nonviolence too, or does even asking that question make it seem absurdly rhetorical and thus expose how massively naïve and even system-justifying the nonviolent vision is?

I don’t think the question is rhetorical, though many would say Israelis could not achieve their goals nonviolently. I would argue that Israel has as much to gain from nonviolence (and to lose from violence) as Palestinians do. 

What if large deployments of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers (including Jewish Israelis, Arab Israelis, Druze, and others) were trained to do their work in the West Bank without material weapons, learning only minimally violent martial arts like Aikido, survival skills, and Arabic language as well as strategies of effective communication, peacemaking, and nonviolent direct action? 

Imagine this diverse troupe of well-trained, unarmed, nonviolent IDF soldiers going into West Bank villages to protect religious minorities (including but not limited to Jews) from attacks by violent religious fanatics.  Imagine them also acting to protect Palestinians from attacks by Israeli settlers and keeping the peace at nonviolent Palestinian protests against the settlements there that are illegal by international law. 

Imagine troops of IDF soldiers being ready to lay down their lives if necessary to do something decent, without taking any “enemy” lives with them.  This might be a first step towards ending the expansion of settlements and eventually dismantling them and fully ending the occupation of the West Bank—something that most ordinary Israelis claim to want as the end point of any peace deal with Palestinians.

Ian Hansen, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences at York College, City University of New York. His research focuses in part on how witness for human rights and peace can transcend explicit political ideology. He is also on the Steering Committee for Psychologists for Social Responsibility.