Blowback and U.S. policies

Blowback... a term invented by the CIA for its own internal use, defined as the unintended consequences of American policies, has become a very grim reality as U.S. forces continue their efforts to reconstruct and stabilize Iraq, even after that country held its historical election in over 50 years.

A historical perspective must be made here. During the Gulf War years, 1991-1998, our U.S. government raised a blockade against Hussein in Iraq, which contributed to the deaths of approximately 500,000 Iraqi civilians due to disease, malnutrition, and inadequate medical care. By 1999, the policy move still had not brought down Hussein's regime of terror, but perhaps ensured that surviving Iraqis were likely to hold a grudge against the U.S. government and its citizens.

Even during this time, teams of weapons inspectors were given the responsibility of uncovering Hussein's efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction. Nothing significant which would garner domestic and international media attention was discovered. History of course, is known to repeat itself.

The intimate details of foreign policy is not usually followed by an American public, this fact which supports the belief that misdirected misunderstandings regarding U.S. policy is greatly misconstrued, hence the division within its citizenry. For example, as a part of history's timeline, it is a fact that at one time, the U.S. was the top salesman of military weapons to countries such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and China and Taiwan, selling arms to these nation states in ongoing conflict, one of its biggest customers, Hussein, with almost a limitless line of credit because of his country's oil reserves.

Putting historical references in proper perspective assists one in understanding the mindset of a nation of people who strongly believe in a cause that they would fight for, given the circumstances that surround them. By my own admission, this is a rather simple discipline of thought and certainly does not challenge or explain more complicated affairs that would refute this writing. However, a different perspective is welcome from time to time, given the highly volatile and emotional nature of the American people.

With a second term, a new Cabinet, and an Iraqi election, will President Bush invoke a new international diplomatic policy in post-election Iraq and what are the political consequences at home and the international community?

"Blowback- The Costs and Consequences of American Empire" by Chalmers Johnson, clears away the cobwebs from the reader's mind about U.S. global policies and its historic disastrous effect on those abroad and its lasting consequences at home.

Article Author: Sapere Aude

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