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Either You Are With Us, Or you are with the Terrorists: US ImperialHegemony at the eginning o! the "#st $entury

International $on!eren%e on &lo'ali(ation: )igration, $iti(enship an* I*entityUni+ersity o! I'a*an, I'a*an, igeria

o+em'er -./, "001

)o23'4ol3 Ol3!3n56 O5ome, 7ro!essor o! 7oliti%al S%ien%eroo5lyn $ollege, $ity Uni+ersity o! ew Yor5

At /:08 pm, on Septem'er "0, "00# 7resi*ent &eorge W9 ush

a**resse* a oint Session o! $ongress an* the Ameri%an people, an*

pro%laime* that Ameri%a was a %ountry awa5ene* to *anger an* %alle* to

*e!en* !ree*om9 He then as5e* the %ountries o! the worl* to %hoose i! they

woul* stan* with the US or with those he *u''e* terrorists9 In his own

inimita'le way, he sai*, ;E+ery nation in e+ery region now has a *e%ision to

ma5e, you are either with us, or you are with the terrorists9; On the +ery *ay

o! the /a!e'er, The ush ?o%trine

?iplomati% History, p9 "@B9 y Septem'er "00", the a*ministration ha*

pro*u%e* its ational Se%urity Strategy =SSB *o%ument, %hapter C+e o!

whi%h was title* 7re+ent our Enemies !rom Threatening us, our Allies an*our Drien*s with Weapons o! )ass ?estru%tion, in whi%h the a*ministration

summari(e* its i*eas a'out the use o! !or%e an* arti%ulate* the ush

?o%trine9 This was a reiteration o! the post /


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The Spee%h 'e!ore the &ra*uating $lass at West 7oint on une #,

"00"9

The threat towar* the US was %ast as in%lu*ing ra*i%alism !rom Islami%

!un*amentalists who ha* a%%ess to sophisti%ate* weapons an*

tele%ommuni%ations te%hnology, an* were intent on *estroying the US an*

its people9 In this statement, 7resi*ent ush ma*e a *ire%t an* eFpli%it

%onne%tion 'etween religious eFtremism an* Weapons o! )ass ?estru%tion

=W)?B9

The gra+est *anger to !ree*om lies at the %rossroa*s o!

ra*i%alism an* te%hnology9 When the sprea* o! %hemi%al an*

'iologi%al nu%lear weapons, along with 'allisti% missile

te%hnologyGwhen that o%%urs, e+en wea5 states an* small

groups %oul* attain a %atastrophi% power to stri5e great

nations9 Our enemies ha+e *e%lare* this +ery intention an*

ha+e 'een %aught see5ing these terri'le weapons9

This paper will !o%us on the imperialisti% an* hegemoni% %hara%ter o! the

ush a*ministrations post


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'een impli%it in Ameri%an strategy sin%e the Unite* States

'e%ame a great power a %entury ago9 )oreo+er, what is new is

generally reasona'le gi+en the nature an* magnitu*e o! the

threats that ha+e emerge* in the post


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%riti%s o! US !oreign poli%y9 It also !a%ilitates the %ategori(ing o! those who

want to a%%ess resour%es !rom the US, an* !rom whom the US nee*s

%on%essions, to a%t as though they 'elong among those who are with us;

e+en while they ha+e a history o! supporting those to whom the US re!ers as

;terrorists9; At 'ase, the statements also restate* an* %lariCe* a longie'er an* >ie'er,

Dour 5ey themes o! the ush SS ha+e generate* %ontro+ersy9 Dirst,

the SS %alls !or pre


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A*ministration to the )ayague( in%i*ent in #/18, the Porean Tree in%i*ent in

#/1-,, when the US !elt %ompelle* to in+a*e $entral Ameri%a, IraJ =&ul!

WarB, Poso+o war, an* %onLi%t resolution9 >ie'er an* >ie'er, who Cn* no

pro'lem with the ush a*ministrationKs use o! preempti+e war, %ite many

histori%al eFamples o! the use o! all the !un*amental arguments use* to

support the US position in the SS "00" *o%ument9

Drom the perspe%ti+e o! the ush A*ministrationKs "00" SS, the

preempti+e use o! military !or%e against terrorists an*or state sponsors o!

terrorism that try to o'tain or *eploy W)?9 As state* in the *o%ument, 999as

a matter o! %ommon sense an* sel!


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an* prima%y o+er all other a%tors in worl* politi%s 'y ma5ing sure that there

are no threats !rom any a%tors that might *esire to atta%5 it9 A%%or*ing to

SS "00",

To*ay, the Unite* States en2oys a position o! unparallele*

military strength an* great e%onomi% an* politi%al inLuen%e9 In

5eeping with our heritage an* prin%iples, we *o not use our

strength to press !or unilateral a*+antage9 We see5 instea* to

%reate a 'alan%e o! power that !a+ors human !ree*om9999

in a**ition, the *o%ument says that: 999OXur !or%es will 'e strong enough to

*issua*e potential a*+ersaries !rom pursuing a military 'uil*


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intransigen%e in the !a%e o! the International Atomi% Energy Agen%yKs

in2un%tion that it shoul* *ismantle its sto%5pile o! Weapons o! )ass

?estru%tion9 Instea* o! a !o%us on 7a5istan, the lo%ation o! many o! the

ma*rassas that traine* the mu2ahe**in, an* re!uge !or many Tali'an lea*ers

who Le* a post


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tenuously an* with US helpB, the reins o! power, it is har* to see how IraJis

ha+e 'eneCtte* !rom this long war9

The worl* has witnesse* the es%alation o! %onLi%t 'etween the Sunni

an* ShiKa, the marginali(ation o! the Sunni, who ha* originally 'oy%otte* the

US sponsore* ele%tions as illegal an* illegitimate, the humiliating %apture,

trial, senten%ing an* eFe%ution o! Sa**am Hussein an* some o! his top

lieutenants, the es%alating spiral o! +iolen%e, US *etention o! thousan*s o!

men, women an* %hil*ren in oMshore an* in Iranian *etention !a%ilities

among whi%h A'u &hrai' an* &uantanamo ay ha+e attaine* a high le+el o!

notoriety9 Howe+er, there ha+e also 'een ren*itions, an* the transporting o!

*etainees who are suspe%te* o! 'eing terrorists to thir* %ountries !or

Juestioning9 There, they are su'2e%te* to torture, in%lu*ing water


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of the EarthB9 In a**ition, IraJ is 'eing Lee%e*, as are US taFpayers, an* it is

only hope* that the in%oming a*ministration un*er the lea*ership o!

7resi*ent


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to esta'lish a presen%e in post


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perspe%ti+es that are +ery *i%ult to re%ogni(e as *iMerent in any way9 In

a**ition, there has 'een a %onstru%tion o! Homelan* Se%urity as the

separation o! the patrioti% !rom the unpatrioti%9 In the Crst group are those

who un%riti%ally a%%ept an* repro*u%e the ush a*ministrationKs +ision o! the

worl*9 In the latter group, are those who s%rutini(e an* %riti%i(e the poli%ies

an* metho*s use* in the US war on terror9 Again, a worl* is %reate*, o!

those with us an* those with the terrorists9 An a**itional aspe%t o! this

pro'lem is that reporters in IraJ are em'e**e* with the troops an* woul*

naturally i*enti!y with them, an* are lia'le to see the worl* through their

eyes9 Ameri%ans get a saniti(e* reportage o! the goings on in IraJ an* are

not e+en allowe* to see the *ea* 'o*ies o! the !allen sol*iers when they are

'rought 'a%5 statesi*e or to see images o! their 'urials9 Instea*, Ameri%ans

ha+e to 'e %ontent with some me*ia outCtsK rea*ing o! the names o! the

*ea*, their age, an* pro+ision o! +ery 'rie! in!ormation a'out them9

One ma2or !un%tion that the me*ia per!orme* a*mira'ly !or the ush

a*ministration is that it 5ept the pu'li% !o%use* %onsistently on the message

*esire* 'y the US go+ernment . that the worl* is a +ery *angerous pla%e

where people hate Ameri%ans an* are e+er


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"00, almost all the stories %oul* 'e tra%e* 'a%5 to sour%es !rom the White

House, the 7entagon, an* the State ?epartment- ussertKs response

seeme* to imply that the opposition to the war ha* nothing to say9 To the

%ontrary, there were many instan%es o! ?emo%rati% opposition to the war

that were ne+er %o+ere* in the news, in%lu*ing the !a%t that the ?emo%rati%

partyKs "00- plat!orm in%lu*e* a +ery strong plan5 on opposition to the IraJ

war, an* the ?emo%rats were a'le to ta5e the ma2ority away !rom the

epu'li%ans91 u*ith )iller, $S news reporter who was !or%e* to testi!y in a

lea5 o! the i*entity o! alerie 7lame, Am'assa*or oseph $9 WilsonKs spouse

as a $IA agent a!ter Wilson ma*e a report that it %oul* not 'e su'stantiate*

that the yellow%a5es =!or manu!a%turing uraniumB that were purporte* to 'e

in iger, an* were lin5e* with IraJKs nu%lear am'itions9 Wilson pu'li%ly

%riti%i(e* the ush a*ministration in an op


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%riti%i(e*9 The ush a*ministration also in%rease* the 'u*get !or pu'li%

relations !rom / million to NN9" million in "00@9N All these !a%tors

%om'ine* ma5e the news a %onstru%tion to !a+or the in%um'ent

a*ministration 'y spinning the news to generate C%tion on a large s%ale9

While the US has an anti


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I agree with s%holars an* analysts who i*enti!y the !ollowing as the lin%hpin

o! US !oreign poli%y un*er the ush a*ministration:

&uarantee* a%%ess to hy*ro%ar'on resour%es,

A 'ase !rom whi%h to laun%h atta%5s on IraJ when ne%essary, an*

The nee* !or rights to ensure %ontinue* a%%ess to Sau*i oil, an* use its

airspa%e when ne%essary ha+e %om'ine* to ma5e Ara'ia a %ountry

that is ;with us9;

I! one %onsi*ers the !a%t that as the ush a*ministration entere* into

o%e, it ha* to %onsi*er a 'a%5groun* o! *rasti% shortages in the supply o!

petroleum an* its *eri+ati+es, an* the wi*esprea* per%eption that there was

a *eep


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US national energy se%urity *epen*s on su%ient energy

supplies to support US an* glo'al e%onomi% growth99 we %an

strengthen our own energy se%urity an* the share* prosperity o!

the glo'al e%onomy ='y ma5ingB energy se%urity a priority o! our

tra*e an* !oreign poli%y9

Thirty C+e proposals were ma*e 'y the E7?& on how to se%ure petroleum

imports9 One thir* o! them were on how to get it !rom !oreign %ountries9

Spe%iC% %ountries an* worl* regions were name*, an* suggestions ma*e on

how politi%al, e%onomi%, legal an* logisti%al o'sta%les woul* 'e eliminate*

to engen*er a%%ess to petroleum in these pla%es9 Dor eFample, the

se%retaries o! energy, %ommer%e an* state were urge* to: *eepen their

%ommer%ial *ialogue with Pa(a5hstan, A(er'ai2an, an* other $aspian states

to pro+i*e a strong, transparent an* sta'le 'usiness %limate !or energy an*

relate* in!rastru%ture pro2e%ts9 In a**ition, they were eFhorte* to ensure

that wars re+olutions or %i+il *isor*er *o not impe*e !oreign *eli+eries to the

US The *o%ument sai* that the 7ersian &ul!, whi%h %urrently supplies a'out

#N\ o! US petroleum nee*s, will remain +ital to US interests9 ?i%5 $heney

%lariCe* this position in a spee%h to eterans o! Doreign Wars on August "-,"00", when he sai*:

Shoul* Sa**amKsX am'itions to a%Juire weapons o! mass

*estru%tionX 'e reali(e*, the impli%ations woul* 'e enormous !or

the )i**le East an* the Unite* StatesVArme* with an arsenal o!

these weapons o! terror an* a seat at the top #0 per%ent o! the

worl*Ks oil reser+es, Sa**am Hussein %oul* then 'e eFpe%te* to

see5 *omination o! the entire )i**le East, ta5e %ontrol o! a great

portion o! the worl*Ks energy supplies, an*X *ire%tly threaten

Ameri%aKs !rien*s throughout the region9

23


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Howe+er, all the top a*ministration o%ials *enie* that oil ha*

anything to *o with the in+asion9 Ari Dleis%her, White House

spo5esperson sai*: The only interest the Unite* States has in the

region is !urthering the %ause o! pea%e an* sta'ility, not in IraJKs

a'ilityX to generate oil9 Out o! pu'li% s%rutiny, the a*ministration

planne* to ma5e sure that IraJ oil Cel*s woul* 'e prote%te* e+en i!

there was a war9 The 7entagon sai* that US military !or%es un*er the

lea*ership o! &en9 Tommy Dran5s ha+e %ra!te* strategies that will

allow us to se%ure an* prote%t those Cel*s as rapi*ly as possi'le in

or*er to preser+e those prior to *estru%tion9 IraJKs oilCel*s were also

to pro*u%e the resour%es to !un* the re%onstru%tion a!ter the

%ountryKs *estru%tion 'y a US


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A!ghanistan an* has also esta'lishe* military 'ases in Pyrgy(stan an*

U('e5istan, ostensi'ly to %om'at terrorism9 &eorgia, whi%h also has a

pipeline running through it also was gi+en military instru%tors that pro+i*e*

%ounter


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approFimately "8per%ent larger than our own pro+en reser+es, ma5es )eFi%o

a li5ely sour%e o! in%rease* oil pro*u%tion o+er the neFt *e%a*e9 ene(uela

has 'oth oil an* hea+y oil, an* ene(uelan su%%ess in ma5ing hea+y oil

*eposits %ommer%ially +ia'le suggests that they will %ontri'ute su'stantially

to the *i+ersity o! glo'al energy supply an* to our own energy supply miF

o+er the me*ium to long term9 Howe+er, 'oth )eFi%o an* ene(uela while

*esirous o! tra*e, are wary o! US go+ernment %ooperation, to prospe%t !or

an* eFtra%t petroleum !rom their *omesti% 'oun*aries, 'e%ause they are

wary o! imperialisti% mo+es into their territories9 )eFi%oKs legislature an*

ene(uelaKs 7resi*ent Hugo $ha+e( ha+e oppose* !oreign in+estment in the

petroleum se%tor9 ene(uelaKs #/// %onstitution 'ans su%h %ooperation an*

in "00, Hugo $ha+es also sa%5e* o%ials o! the 7etroleum %ompany owne*

'y the state who supporte* %olla'oration with !oreign in+estors =)i%hael T9

Plare, US: 7ro%uring the Worl*Ks Oil $ounter%urrents9org

www9%ounter%urrents9orgusUSIO

The US un*er 7resi*ent &eorge W9 ush maintaine* a *i%hotomous an*

%ontra*i%tory +ision9 It i*entiCe* allies an* enemies on the 'asis o! a

*eCnition o! national interest that is geare* at enhan%ing an* maintaining US

imperial hegemony 'ut without *rawing upon reser+es o! so!t power . the

relian%e on *iploma%y, negotiation, suasion, multilateralism an* %olla'orati+e

approa%hes to sol+ing worl* pro'lems, in%lu*ing terrorism9 The per%ei+e* US

nee* to %ontrol the sour%es o! strategi% %ommo*ities on whi%h it *epen*s has

*ri+en an aggressi+e !oreign poli%y stan%e that uses e+ents su%h as the /##

atta%5s as an eF%use to *eCne the states that it see5s to *is%ipline an*

*omesti%ate as 'elonging to an ;aFis o! e+il; against whi%h measures

in%lu*ing war, will 'e use* to %reate a worl* that Cts 'etter with the US

goals9 The US also preten*s that its *ri+e !or in%rease* a%%ess to relia'le

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http://www.countercurrents.org/us-klare280404http://www.countercurrents.org/us-klare280404


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petroleum supplies is not the lin%hpin o! mu%h o! its !oreign a*+enturism, 'ut

no one %an miss the %oin%i*en%e that ush a*ministration wants to

guarantee more relia'le a%%ess to oil an* also guarantee what it per%ei+es to

'e inse%urity an* %hallenges to its national interest9 It wants *ominan%e an*

pre


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1Jonathan Karl, Habibullah Khan, and Brian Ross, Outra! as "# Bo$bs %a&istan Bord!r %ost, Killin 11 #oldi!rs'%a&istan (hr!at!ns (o )nd *+oo!ration* -n .ar On (!rror/ B+ !s, Jun! 11, 2008

htt'abn!soo$Blott!r#torid5045626a!12O$ar .araih, nn! %!n&!th and ndr! Buno$b!, %a&istan bla$!s "# raids :or hot!l bo$bin' %a&istan %r!sid!nt

l!ads ith Bush to r!;!rs! oli as B an!ls all :lihts to ountr (u!sda, The Independent23 #!t!$b!r 2008htt'ind!!nd!ntou&n!sorldasiaa&istan

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