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<B> Amazon.com about John Perkins</B> |Amazon.com about John Perkins^General%[1945 - ], John Perkins is an economist and author. [http://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-American-Empire-Corruption/dp/B002GJU468/ref=pd_sim_b_1 ] [http://www.amazon.com/Hoodwinked-Economic-Reveals-Financial-Imploded/dp/0307589927/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307807992&sr=1-1 ] [downloaded 12th June, 2011] @[Here is a less than rosy perspective on foreign development and aid. It is included in the interests of fairness and balance:] ‘The Secret History of the American Empire: Economic Hit Men, Jackals, and the Truth about Global Corruption’- A book by John Perkins. Reviews found on Amazon.com - --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [From ‘Publishers Weekly’:] Having made a splash with ‘Confessions of an Economic Hit Man’, Perkins offers similarly entertaining but disturbing accounts of the American government wreaking havoc around the world in support of American business. In Perkins's view, American presidents willingly comply with their CEO masters, distributing foreign aid to corrupt Third World leaders who keep a share and return the rest to U.S. business for major projects, leaving their nations poor and massively in debt, and requiring more loans and slavish obedience to U.S. policy. If any leader objects, the CIA destabilizes his government, by assassination if necessary. Gathering evidence is not Perkins's strong suit. Typically, a shadowy figure pulls him aside, insists on anonymity, then reveals all. Critics will rightfully accuse Perkins of dreadful journalism and a taste for conspiracy theories. Yet economists admit that loans and "expert advice" to poor nations are often harmful. Few deny that America has ruthlessly undermined uncooperative governments and supported dictators including Saddam Hussein. Perkins's assertions that the U.S. assassinated Ecuador's reformist president and connived at genocide in Timor and Sudan are not absurd, merely unproven. This book's greatest value may be to encourage a competent journalist to cover the same ground. (June 5) [Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.] ---------------------------------------------------------- [Most Helpful Customer Reviews:]--------- 131 of 137 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Valuable Perspectives, Though Weak on Details, June 19, 2007 By Loyd E. Eskildson "Pragmatist" (Phoenix, AZ.) (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME) "The Secret History's" Prologue provides an outstanding summary of the dark side of American generosity as exemplified by the World Bank's actions. The U.S. holds veto power over major World Bank decisions, and its president is appointed by the U.S. president. Perkins asserts that the World Bank's mission quickly became synonymous with proving the capitalist system superior to communism, and to further this role, its employees cultivated cozy relationships with multi-national corporations. This opened the door for economic hit men (EHM) to channel funds from the Bank into schemes appearing to serve the poor while primarily benefiting a few wealthy people. In the most common scheme, staffers would identify a developing country possessing resources our corporations desired (eg. oil), arrange a huge loan for it, and then direct most of the money to our own corporations and a few collaborators. Infrastructure projects (eg. power plants, airports, industrial parks) would then spring up - however, they seldom helped the poor, and the nation was unable to be able to repay the loan about 50-60% of the time. The EHM could then demand eg. cheap oil, U.N. votes on key issues, and/or troops for eg. Iraq. Perkins substantiates his "American Empire" label by asserting that the U.S. is run by a big group who collectively act much like a king. They run our largest corporations, and through them, our government. They cycle through the "revolving door" back and forth between businesses and government, fund political campaigns and the media - resulting in a great deal of control over elected officials and the information we receive, regardless of who is elected. National disasters, like wars and aid projects, are highly profitable for big businesses. A great deal of money for rebuilding is earmarked for U.S. engineering firms and large corporations owning hotel, communications and transportation networks, banks, insurance companies, etc. Sometimes they also provide an opportunity for local governments to extend their oppression - eg. just prior to the 12/26/04 tsunami the Indonesian government was ready to reach an agreement with Aceh rebels largely favorable to them - however, after the disaster disorganized and weakened the Aceh, it instead sent in additional forces to break their resistance in the resource-rich (multinational target) Aceh sector. Overseas bribery is usually accomplished without violating U.S. law by leasing eg. equipment from companies owned by the target (and friends) at excessive rates; they can then subcontract portions to others at inflated prices. This model can be used to contract for food, housing, cars, fuel, etc. Another means is to offer to arrange for the target's children to attend prestigious U.S. colleges while covering all their expenses and paying consultant/intern salaries while they are in the U.S. U.S. companies also pay local militias for protection, thus weakening local control over them. Little specific proof of the preceding is offered - however, it follows Perkins' earlier "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" and numerous other sources. "The Secret History" then goes on to reference vague specifics in Asia, Africa, and South America in a conspiracy-mongering manner. Some useful specifics come through, however. Examples include privatizing water in South America and then significantly raising rates to the point of provoking a mini-revolt, engendering political change in another country through energy-extraction agreements that provide little for the resident nation, etc. Our "bottom-line" seems to be "go along with us or we'll foment revolution and/or assassinate you." Mid-East examples include Iran (early 1950s), and Iraq (early 1960s). (No wonder leaders are leery of American-style democracy.) Those wondering why the U.S. is so concerned about Israel's welfare have the answer provided by Perkins - Israel is America's foot soldier in the area, there to help keep the Mid-East in line. Where have we ended up? Over half the world lives on less than $2/day, over 2 billion lack basic amenities such electricity, clean water, sanitation, land titles, phones, police and fire protection, the cost of servicing Third World debt exceeds their spending on health and education and is about twice what they receive in foreign aid, developing countries' 1970 trade surplus is now an $11 billion deficit, and U.S. corporations now pay less than 10% of federal taxes - down from 21% in as recently as '01 and over 50% during WWII. Finally, Perkins is at his weakest in prescribing where we go from here. He senses environmentalism may offer the crisis for reform, and suggests that we all become less greedy. Bottom Line: Despite the general weakness and generally conspiratorial tone of the book, I still found "The Secret History" to offer compelling perspectives in enough areas to be highly worthwhile. ----------------------------------------------------- 45 of 46 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A View from the Seedy Underbelly, July 2, 2007 By Justin Case As a fifty-five year old man, my own history runs from a youthful idealism born in the frenetic 60's to a current disillusionment derived in part from a Supreme Court coup, a piecemeal destruction of the Constitution and a criminal Executive Branch that creates its own laws and ignores legislated ones. When I read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" a year ago, the questions we all have about how the world got to this point in history suddenly became much clearer. From a first-person perspective, Perkins exposed the seedy underbelly of the economic giant called the United States. As Americans we've gotten used to angry epithets being thrown at us from around the world; by "dirty commies", by "tinhorn" South American dictators, by various types of anarchists and by "ignorant" peasants. And the chant they repeated most often over the years was that the US was an IMPERIALIST nation. The absurdity of this accusation was enough to make make most Americans ignore whatever else these people might have been trying to communicate to us. But after reading this new Perkins book about the seriously evil deeds our national government and closely allied corporations have been up to for the last sixty years, we are forced to conclude that Empire is perhaps the kindest way to describe "unofficial" American foreign policy since World War II. Perhaps the most intriguing section of his book--and most pertinent to today's most unsettling issues--is his discussion of the the Mideast's modern history as planned and executed by the major Western powers. The perception and understanding by these powers that economic success depended on an unlimited and uninterrupted oil supply has underscored virtually every foreign policy initiative by the West since WWII. The anger and hatred felt by a growing number of Muslims, Asians and other third world citizens did not arise in a vacuum. It has been building for the last six decades--much longer in our own Southern Hemisphere. The West, with the US spearheading the assault, has focused with laser precision on exploiting and safeguarding any lands around the world that have oil under those lands. Most thinking people by now know that Saddam had nothing whatsoever to do with 9-11. So what the hell do you think we're over there for? For God's sake, it was our own economic hitmen and jackals (CIA) who put him in power there in the first place! Not content with only taking their oil, the corporations that do the actual work have exemplified the worst elements of unbridled capitalism by despoiling the land and water of those countries while giving almost nothing back to the people who are the rightful recipients. Over the years, I've seen the concept of "unquestioning patriotism" become preeminent in our nation. Those who we depend on to ask those questions--the national media--have become part of the ‘corporatocracy’ that conspires to create this world empire we call The United States. John Perkins spent the first part of his life as an important element in the drive to create this empire. He now intends to spend the rest of his life trying to undo what he helped to create. In a more-enlightened nation, these two books together would be required reading in every high-school history class. Only by seeing past the sophomoric belief that everything we as a nation do is good and that any criticism is unpatriotic will we also be able to hear beyond the angry slogans shouted at us throughout the world by those who have been victims of this; the American Empire. ----------------------------------------------- Editorial Reviews - Amazon.com Review - Robert Baer Reviews 'Hoodwinked' ['Hoodwinked: An Economic Hit Man Reveals Why the World Financial Markets Imploded--and What We Need to Do to Remake Them'] [John Perkins' book, written and released after 'Secret History...'] Robert Baer is the author of two New York Times bestsellers: 'Sleeping with the Devil', about the Saudi royal family and its relationship with the United States; and 'See No Evil', which recounts Baer’s years as a top CIA operative. 'See No Evil' was the basis for the acclaimed film 'Syriana', which earned George Clooney an Oscar for his portrayal of Baer. Baer has contributed to 'Vanity Fair', the 'Wall Street Journal', and the 'Washington Post'. He is considered one of the world’s foremost authorities on the Middle East. Read his guest review of 'Hoodwinked': 'I wasn’t twenty pages into 'Hoodwinked' when I realized Perkins nailed it. What got us into the mess we’re in today, the worst recession since the Great Depression, is the same grotesque capitalism cum corruption we shoved down the throat of the Third World since the end of World War II. (Yes, the Third World’s elites were cheerfully corrupted.) We, and the rest of the West, learned the trick of selling unneeded infrastructure, services, over-sophisticated weapons -- stuff that could never benefit anyone other than the people who lined their pockets. And yes, Perkins is right, the international economists and press were handmaidens to the thievery. It was all fairly routine until 9/11, when the real gorging started. Tell the people their roof is on fire and they’ll give you whatever you ask for. Between 2001 and 2009 the Department of Defense budget increased 74 percent, and that is not to mention the hundreds of billions of dollars in related contracts. Nigeria on the Potomac...' -------------------------------------------- [Please refer to: corporatism, corporativism, military industrial complex, U.S. Major General Smedley Butler, imperialism, IMF International Monetary Fund, World Bank, global/world reserve currency - US petrodollar - US dollar hegemony, etc.] " align=center frameborder=0 hspace=0 vspace=0 scrolling=auto>
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