[lbo-talk] "Russian armed forces" behind quake-weapons report

[Carrol Cox]

The treatment of Chavez in U.S. media, when he's mentioned at all,
reminds me of the campaign (which at the time I fell for) to exhibit
Mossedegh as a nutcase prior to his overthrow. And of course it also
resembles the treatment of Aristide. Post-Cold War policing of nations
that do not maintain a firendly climate for business is not easy to
justify. Hence, perhaps, both the War on Terror and thepresentation of
various rulers as dangeorus loose cannon, etc. 

Outside the core capitalist nations, the struggle is not for socialism,
not for democracy, but for national independence. Possibly that is a mad
goal and they should all fall in line. Capitalism offers rich recompense
to the ruling strata plus the more privileged strata of other classes to
nations that do fall in step. And of course such states can commit
endless horrors on their population without either the governments, the
media, or the liberal parties paying particular attention to them. Count
up the number of posts on e-lists, blogs, etc which gave or ar givin
great attention to Iran but are tut-tuttin about Egypt, Colombia,
Indonesia, HOnduras, etc.

Resistance to overwhelming power is apt to generate varying degrees of
paranoia, but even if the form tha takes is really 'nutty,' the fact
remains that the U.S. the European powers, Japan are really "out to get
them." I really think u.s. leftists shoud shut up about defects in
nations (whatever their domesitic or foreing policies) that are
atteempting to establish some real independence -- security against
foreign intervention in their affairs.

Carrol