Many geopolitical observers and “experts” in my country India; are giving close attention and undue importance to the 2024 Presidential Elections in the USA.
India being a large mix of quasi–socialist, communist influenced left–wing intellectuals on one side of the political spectrum and with the currently very vocal Nationalist-pride infused influencers on the opposite side; are forecasting how bi-lateral relations between India and the USA will develop or deteriorate, based on whether the Republican or the Democrat candidate wins this 2024 election. The reality is that neither candidate is going to favor India, beyond the commercial and political requirements of their own country. As history is witness, the foreign policy of the USA is immoral, unethical and prone to violence since their very existence as an independent nation, as can be noted from the synopsis below.
The history of U.S. foreign policy, including military and covert actions, spans a wide range of events where the country has used its power to influence or destabilize other nations. Here, I will outline key periods and incidents with historical backing, focusing on those that involved direct or indirect use of violence or economic destabilization.
1. Early Years and Expansionist Policies (1776–1800s)
- War of Independence (1775–1783): While the American Revolution was a war for independence, it set a precedent for military action as a means to achieve political ends.
- Manifest Destiny and Displacement of the Natives of the Land: Throughout the 19th century, the U.S. pursued aggressive westward expansion, leading to wars and forced removals of Native American tribes, resulting in significant loss of life and cultural destruction.
2. 19th Century Foreign Interventions
- Mexican-American War (1846–1848): The U.S. invaded Mexico, leading to Mexico ceding large territories (present-day California, Nevada, Utah, etc.) under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
- Spanish-American War (1898): The U.S. intervened in Cuba's fight for independence from Spain. This conflict resulted in U.S. control over former Spanish colonies like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
3. Early 20th Century: “Banana Wars”
- Central America and the Caribbean: The U.S. military intervened in countries such as Nicaragua (1912–1933), Haiti (1915–1934), and the Dominican Republic (1916–1924). These interventions were largely aimed at protecting American commercial interests and maintaining regional stability.
- Philippine-American War (1899–1902): Following the Spanish-American War, the U.S. fought against Filipino independence fighters, leading to significant casualties and widespread destruction.
4. Cold War Era (1947–1991)
- Korean War (1950–1953): The U.S. led a United Nations coalition to repel North Korean and Chinese forces, creating a longstanding division of Korea.
- Vietnam War (1955–1975): The U.S. engaged in a prolonged conflict in Vietnam to counter the spread of communism, resulting in millions of deaths and widespread devastation.
- Coup in Iran (1953): The CIA orchestrated Operation Ajax to overthrow Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and reinstate the Shah, driven by concerns over oil nationalization.
- Guatemala (1954): The CIA-backed Operation PBSUCCESS overthrew President Jacobo Árbenz after he sought land reforms affecting American business interests (e.g., United Fruit Company).
- Chile (1973): The U.S. supported the coup that ousted President Salvador Allende, leading to the establishment of Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship.
- Nicaragua and the Contras (1980s): The U.S. funded Contra rebels in their fight against the Sandinista government, which involved significant human rights abuses.
- Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961): An unsuccessful CIA-sponsored attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba.
5. Post-Cold War and Modern Interventions
- Iraq (1991, 2003): The U.S. led a coalition during the Gulf War in 1991 to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait. In 2003, the U.S. invaded Iraq under the pretext of eliminating weapons of mass destruction, leading to prolonged conflict and instability.
- Afghanistan (2001–2021): The U.S. invasion was a response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, initially targeting Al-Qaeda and the Taliban but resulting in a two-decade-long war with significant casualties and an eventual U.S. withdrawal.
- Libya (2011): U.S.-led NATO forces conducted airstrikes that contributed to the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi, leaving the country in a state of ongoing conflict.
6. Economic Sanctions and Covert Operations
- Sanctions on Cuba (1960s–present): U.S. sanctions aimed at isolating Cuba economically following the Cuban Revolution.
- Iran Sanctions: Various economic sanctions to curb nuclear capabilities have impacted the Iranian economy.
- Interventions via Covert Operations: The CIA and other agencies have engaged in numerous operations to sway elections or destabilize governments, such as those in Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.
- The U.S. has utilized a combination of military might, covert
operations, and economic measures to influence global politics and economics.
Each of these actions seem to have complex motivations, including political,
economic, and ideological interests. However, in reality, the geopolitics of the USA
is never about winning a conflict, as can be seen that over the years the USA
has faced political and military defeat in almost every war that they started. The only purpose is to destabilize regions and the economies of the countries with the hope that the USA can then control these war torn economies.
The reality is that the President of the USA is not really a ‘leader of the free world’, a myth that has been propagated over the past few decades by a continuous and effective public relations strategy. The President of the USA is not the only power center of that country. There are three other centers of power that heavily influence the foreign policy of the USA.
The first is the military arms manufacturing lobby that has the backing and support of the military bureaucracy of the US government, and who in turn are heavily favored by the military lobby with regular and mostly immoral gifts. Corrupt money can be tracked and used in legal prosecution of the bureaucrats, but moral corruption in the form of easy access to contraband pharmaceuticals, illegal narcotics and sexual playmates (of all types) is part of a regular menu of favors in their politics.
The second center of power is the military–intelligence agencies mafia. With an annual budget of over a Trillion dollars (12 zeros after the initial digit), these agencies prepare “threat reports” for the political class and create a sense of constant insecurity among the members of their Congress and the people of their country. The intelligence agencies have no real audit or over-watch over their actions and have been caught many times in spreading misinformation and lies, but no high-ranking member of their organizations or the American military has ever been investigated, prosecuted or punished for illegality.
The third center of power is the cabal of the leaders of the two political parties. This cabal comprises of former Presidents (and in some cases their wives), former high-ranking officials of past administrations, political financiers, and political lobbyists. In many cases, some individuals are a mixture of some or all of the above defined roles.
The President of the United States is nothing more than a puppet of these three power centers; from the time they decide on the candidates for the election to controlling the winning candidate for the subsequent four years in power. And repeat every four years.
That is the reality of American politics, and instead of the overused cliché ‘God Bless America’ the people of that country should say: “God Save Us from America”.