[Marxism] Stephen Gowans on Iran

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Which Side Are You On?
By Stephen Gowans

When US President George W. Bush identified an "axis of evil" whose
existence Washington pledged to topple through a program of regime change,
Iraq was not the only country the United States threatened with a virtual
declaration of war. North Korea and Iran were also singled out. According
to former Bush speechwriter, David Frum, who boasts he had a major hand in
coining the "axis of evil" phrase, the common characteristic that bound the
trio was "resentment of US power," another way of saying they resented US
efforts to encroach upon their sovereignty. (National Post, January 8, 2003.)

The quest by Washington to dominate other countries is ultimately rooted in
economic forces, and seeks advantage for the country's corporations, banks
and wealthy families. While many countries have been brought under
Washington's domination, and serve as profitable outposts for US trade and
investment, there are others that have broken free of the US orbit, or have
always been free and resist subordination to the interests of Wall Street.
These countries are variously denounced by US state officials, and in
train, the country's mass media, as outposts of tyranny, countries that
have, in the accustomed language, failed to reform their economies (i.e.,
opened their doors to US exports and investment on terms favorable to US
corporations, but injurious to domestic economic development.)

They are, as charged, resentful of the US, not for its wealth and power,
but for basing its wealth and power on the exploitation of other countries,
and for seeking to do the same to them. Significantly, Iran and North Korea
actively work to defend themselves against US economic predation, and Iraq
did the same under Saddam Hussein, pursuing state dirigiste economic
policies, which, from the perspective of the corporate interests that
dominate decision-making in Washington, amount to denial or restriction of
the profit-making opportunities of US transnationals.

Continued at <http://gowans.blogspot.com/>http://gowans.blogspot.com/


________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism