Message from Maung Zarni

 

Dear All,

 

Trump-Rubio military adventure in Venezuela has triggered an explosion of analyses and commentaries, serious or simply mantra-like.  I have watched and compiled a short list of these discussions which I think shed light on the fundamental issues, regarding the run-away US imperialism, the imperialism that is arrogant enough to wield its unchecked power, but not confident enough to claim itself as "Empire".

 

I have closely followed the US foreign and domestic policy making since its rival USSR collapsed in the early 1990's.  I wasn't a fan of the Soviet Union.  During my 24 formative years growing up in Burma - I don't call my country Myanmar for 2 reasons:  language-wise it is patently false (I won't get into this) and it was changed by the junta in 1989 to whitewash the bloodbath it triggered in its crackdown of nationwide uprising that took place in 1988, one month after I left the country for California.  We nicknamed prisons and torture centers "Moscow".  That's how we felt as youth towards the USSR.

 

Our feeling and views towards the United States, on the contrary, was rosey and filled with admiration.  

 

But after having lived, studied and worked in USA - and spent much of my waking moments in various policy and political circles, I decided I didn't want anything to do with the country whose elected governments, democrat and republic, have been doing far more mass-murderous and inhumane things to hundreds of millions of humans around the world.   The junta at home in Burma was nasty, criminal and brutish.  But their oppression is confined to a population of 50 millions and their presence is of no consequence to the world at large.

 

In sharp contrast,  the USA has been a major center - probably most consequential - of all major powers, and Washington's policies do matter to every human, because of its military might, cultural and ideological influences and economic power.    

 

I will state firmly that the United States is 1) a failing state at home, with its current oligarchic and neo-totalitarian turn, with very visible mixed strains of White Nationalism (Fascism with American characteristics) and Zionism and 2) it is fast-becoming the most feared and reviled state - call it rogue, criminal, cowboy, etc. - worldwide, with the record of destroying societies, countries, economies in 18 countries - by Mearshmier's count, within the Cold War period.

 

As Chris Hedges noted pointedly in his America the Rogue State, the world doesn't want to see this rogue state becoming far more deadly and devastating in its conduct abroad.   But we are definitely seeing the American run-away train.  

 

It gives me chill down my spine to think where the bottom of the world, really an abyss now.

 

Of course, the Believers of the Second Coming - and also other non-Christian faiths -  are having a field day, thinking that the Judgement Day is around the corner.

 

 

Zarni