JULY 2006
JUST IN THE NAME OF 'DEMOCRACY'
[Col. Writ. 6/3/06] Copyright '06 Mumia Abu-Jamal
The word 'democracy' is a kind of verbal narcotic.
To mention it is to daze us; to dull us; to lull us into peaceful slumber.
That's why the Bush Regime, perhaps the least democratic of governments in generations, calls the Iraq invasion and occupation a 'war for democracy.' It is ironic that a government that is profoundly
autocratic, that relies on elite authoritarianism, secrecy, wireless wiretaps, secret prisons and torture, can claim to be fighting for something that is becoming so rare in the U.S. (ahem -- democracy).
But, don't trip; this ain't a Bush thing. Writer and historian, Michael Parenti in his book, *Super Patriotism* (San Francisco: City Light Books, 2004), tells us that democracy has been wiped out in a host of countries -- *by the U.S.!* Parenti writes:
US leaders have long professed a dedication to democracy, yet over the last half century they have devoted themselves to overthrowing democratic governments in Guatemala, Guyana, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Syria, Indonesia (under Sukarno), Greece (twice), Argentina (twice), Haiti (twice), Bolivia, Jamaica, Yugoslavia, and other countries. These governments were all guilty of pursuing policies that occasionally favored the poorer elements and infringed upon the affluent. In most instances, the US-sponsored coups were accompanied by widespread killings of democratic activists.
"US leaders have supported covert actions, sanctions, or proxy mercenary wars against revolutionary governments in Cuba, Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Iraq (with the CIA ushering in Saddam Hussein's reign of repression), Portugal, South Yemen, Nicaragua, Cambodia, East Timor,
Western Sahara, and elsewhere.
"US interventions and destabilization campaigns have been directed against other populist nationalistic governments, including Egypt, Lebanon, Peru, Iran, Syria, Zaire, Venezuela, the Fiji Islands, and Afghanistan (*before* the Soviets ever went into the country).
"And since World War II, direct US military invasions or aerial attacks or both have been perpetrated against Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, North Korea, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Libya, Somalia, and Iraq (twice). There is no 'rogue state,' 'axis of evil,' or communist country that has a comparable record of such criminal aggression against other nations." [pp. 133-34)
The point? The next time you hear about a 'war to bring democracy' -- question it.
Decades ago, a US Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles, gave the quintessential recipe for American military adventures abroad. Speaking during the Eisenhower years, Dulles said, "In order to bring a nation to support the burdens of maintaining great military establishments, it is necessary to create an emotional state akin to war psychology." Dulles added, "*There must be the portrayal of external menace*." To do this, Dulles explained, one must depict one's own country as the shining hero, while portraying the adversary as the embodiment of all evil.
We have, all of us, seen this recipe cooked all of our lives, all around the world, and on every continent. It works, because people allow it to work. Yet, while Dulles explains how such a thing happens, he doesn't explain why.
Years ago, an American president was explaining why the Vietnam War was necessary. This man said:
"Now let us assume that we lost Indochina, the tin and tungsten that we so greatly value from that area would cease coming. So when the United States votes $400 million to help that war, we are not voting a give-away program. We are voting for the cheapest way that we can prevent the occurrence of something that would be of a most terrible significance to the United States of America, our security, our power and ability to get certain things we need from the riches of the Indo-Chinese territory and from Southeast Asia." [p. 67]**
These words were spoken by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Now, why is that remarkable? Isn't it merely the case of an American president talking turkey? These words were spoken in 1953 -- *eleven years before the U.S. entered the Vietnam War!*
Why are wars fought? For 'democracy' -- or for profit? Think about this the next time you hear a plea for your patriotism.
Just say, "No."
Copyright 2006 Mumia Abu-Jamal
**["Source: Carmichael, Stokely. *Stokely Speaks: Black Power Back
to
Pan-Africanism*. (New York: Vintage, 1971), p. 67. The author was
giving an anti-war speech to students at Morgan State College,
Baltimore, Md., Jan. 28, 1967. He cited as his source a book
entitled
*Vietnam, Vietnam* by Felix Green.]