General Discussion

HiPointDem

(20,729 posts)

5. That's an interesting question and I don't have an answer. I've gotten this far:

Wed Mar 20, 2013, 06:31 AM

Mar 2013

1. Ultimately, it's always about power & control (over resources, people, territory).

2. It's not always about the governments of countries per se (i.e. it may be about factions within countries, global finance alliances, or other covert economic/political formations).

3. The big power players are always about 10 steps ahead of the proles in the cheap seats.

4. Things are not always what they are made to seem. Maybe never.

5. What's happened in the ME is likely of a piece with other global developments, i.e. the restructuring of the entire world economy along neoliberal lines, austerity, globalism/'free trade,' etc.

Roy implies it's deliberate. But the idea that we would foment conflict in order to get more customers for military contractors is too insane for ordinary people to fathom.

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Question: Why would the U.S. overthrow secular governments in the Middle East [View all] UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 OP

I don't know the logic, but empirical evidence suggests that Islamic fundamentalist government... JVS Mar 2013 #1

Arundhati Roy is saying similar things... HiPointDem Mar 2013 #2

Why do you think it is? UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 #3

That's an interesting question and I don't have an answer. I've gotten this far: HiPointDem Mar 2013 #5

Because the Neocons in think tanks are the ones who were too stupid to teach at Chicago? Recursion Mar 2013 #23

Perhaps because The Straight Story Mar 2013 #4

When Saddam left the dollar for payment for oil he sealed his fate and that of Iraq Fumesucker Mar 2013 #8

Good point and thanks for reminding me of that (nt) The Straight Story Mar 2013 #9

yes, that's part of it but I think it's more than a coincidence that so many NoMoreWarNow Mar 2013 #11

Arrogance and a limited understanding of the dynamics of the region. Spider Jerusalem Mar 2013 #6

I doubt it. Because they keep doing the same thing, despite the example of repeated HiPointDem Mar 2013 #7

perpetual war, which is good for govt and bankers NoMoreWarNow Mar 2013 #10

It is human nature that people do not like living under repressive kings/dictators. pampango Mar 2013 #12

most of humanity lived under repressive dictators for most of history. and the repressive HiPointDem Mar 2013 #17

We supported Mubarak for decades and Egyptians showed they were quite ready to overthrow him. pampango Mar 2013 #26

Good points. We'll have to see the what the outcome is like. stevenleser Mar 2013 #21

"unpredictable democratic governments" Paul E Ester Mar 2013 #35

Follow the money - Saudi Arabia gains. Who do you think owns many multinational oil corps along leveymg Mar 2013 #13

So you're saying U.S. polititians are overthrowing secular governments in the Middle East UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 #15

i think he's saying the us is hand-in-glove with the saudis to stabilize SA HiPointDem Mar 2013 #18

Essentially, yes, we are viewed by the Saudis as hired mercenaries. Useful, but only to a point. leveymg Mar 2013 #22

I've been reading these comments for a few years now. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 #14

Part of it is their Cold War mindset of the neocons JHB Mar 2013 #16

That's an interesting theory. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 #20

See the Wesley Clark interviews in this thread... JHB Mar 2013 #25

Whatever it gains by keeping America Fundamentalist Jesus. nt valerief Mar 2013 #19

To weaken them, basically. "Divide and rule". It's quite old. bemildred Mar 2013 #24

From what I read about Egypt, the Islamists provided a social safety net Lydia Leftcoast Mar 2013 #27

Well said. Dictators (and their foreign supporters) in the region have created the Islamist pampango Mar 2013 #32

"It's all the Republicans' fault." AnotherMcIntosh Mar 2013 #28

Because democracies are inherently unstable... Wounded Bear Mar 2013 #29

Continued instability and war, which feeds the MIC /nt demwing Mar 2013 #30

You're assuming. atreides1 Mar 2013 #31

I do not know what the gambit is all about Puzzledtraveller Mar 2013 #33

Economic hegemony Cal Carpenter Mar 2013 #34

they are only interested in creating chaos in secular governments (including the US) librechik Mar 2013 #36