KAMALIKA PIERIS

USA was ready to take over as the centre of the capitalist world, at the end of World War II. The US President was spoken of as ‘Leader of the free world’.  But the USA   never had the easy run into a global power that Britain had. The USA was never able to acquire its own empire. Apart from the fact that times were different and sovereign rights of a country had been enunciated, the US simply did not have the military power to conquer the whole world.

In order to rule the world, the US created a Cold War with Russia, arguing that Russia was going to take over the world and that US was forced to become the champion of the Free World. Russia, China, Cuba were demonized relentlessly.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was created by third world countries that wished to remain independent of this Cold War.  But NAM also wanted reforms in the UN, Bretton Woods, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. The US   neutralized the movement. Only 10 developing country leaders attended the 17th NAM Conference held in Venezuela in 2017, with India being the most notable absentee.

US devised its own method of controlling other countries. It installed puppet governments in the countries they were interested in. The modus operandi was to find a pro-US local politician, who says he wants to transform the country. Then using NGOs, ethnic and religious minority groups, opposition political parties, and the English language media in the country, low-intensity internal conflict is created and the USA nominee installed in power. USA did this covertly, in the past,    now it is done openly, said observers.

The media was paid to discredit designated popular governments.  concocted statements were put out, repetitiously and in great volume.  ‘Democracy’ and ‘human rights’ promotion groups were set up. ‘Scandals’ were created. Colors were given to newly constructed ‘opposition’ movements, and deadly weapons used at the ‘protest’ sites.   

USA took action to ensure that developing countries were kept politically unstable. USA encouraged fissiparous separatists and other groups which will keep the developing countries weak and unstable. When countries were unstable, it was easier for USA to manipulate them. National Endowment for Democracy, Freedom House,    Albert Einstein Institute and Open Society Institute of George Soros were the US agencies that funded these activities.  

US recruited anthropologists, whose methods are found to be of use for intelligence and defense. Some have entered employment in the government defense and intelligence sectors. There is a Commission on the engagement of anthropology with the US Security and Intelligence communities”.

There was also the opposing view that anthropologists should not directly assist the US military in combat, through advice or whatever.  They are expected to ‘do no harm’. Also that anthropologists should do not do secret research. American Anthropological Association had to develop an ethics code for this in 1971. An independent ad hoc network of anthropologist seeking to promote ethical anthropology emerged, the Network of Concerned Anthropologists.

Without exception however, governments brought in to power through American backed conspiracies have failed, said Kamal Wickremasinghe.  The failure is due largely to the poor quality of the persons selected to wield power. They were chosen for political expediency rather than for any level of competence in economic and other policy making or management in general. Such governments make poor economic decisions influenced by USA’s insistence on capitalist thinking. These poor policy choices drive the economy to the ground, giving rise to increased debt burden and deep social crises, leading to the demise of such puppet governments.

Prof. Levin of Carnegie Mellon University, a leading expert on American and Russian interventions in foreign elections says the U.S. has intervened  81 times in general elections worldwide between 1946 and 2000. By his estimate, the Russians have interfered in 36 elections during the same time period.  These interventions are often directed from the highest levels of US government, such as the White House/senior cabinet secretaries. Local US embassy staff and ambassadors also participate. . The CIA  attends to campaign funding and “dirty tricks.” .

The US has infiltrated, invaded, bombed, and destroyed many countries. There were unlawful US interventions in Iran (1953), Guatemala (1954), Cuba (1961), Vietnam (1964),  Dominican Republic (1965), Chile (1973), Nicaragua (1981–1984), Grenada (1983)  Panama (1989), Balkans (2000) , Iraq (2003) and Libya (2012). There were  US sponsored dictatorships in countries such as Nicaragua, Chile,  and Philippines. US dropped Agent Orange  and napalm on Vietnam, poison gas and other toxics were tried out.

USA has killed many heads of state and leaders of movements. In 1953, the democratically elected Iranian PM Mossadeq was replaced by the Shah of Iran, in a coup d ‘etat. Mossadeq was seen as an emerging strong leader with nationalist views. CIA organized and executed the overthrow with support from Britain, and Reza Pahlavi took over as Shah.

USA also killed Lumumba of Congo, Allende of Chile  and two heads of state in Iraq, Kassem and Saddam Hussein. Numerous unsuccessful attempts were made on Fidel Castro’s life. Osama Bin Laden was killed in 2011, in Pakistan with Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton watching from the White House. A photograph of this group watching was circulated to the world. The last assassination so far, was the killing of Iran’s most powerful general, Soleimani, in 2020.    Not a word was heard from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch when Soleimani was assassinated commented observers.“

US engages in illegal invasion and military attacks on foreign countries. US President does not have the power to authorize military attacks without Congress approval, but they do it all the time.” Clinton sent troops to Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Rwanda and Kosovo without Congress approval.  US Congress however, approves the action and provide funding for such interventions. It is illegal to supply arms to rebels but US as well as Europe and UK continue to do so.

The Colour revolutions of Ukraine 2004, Kyrgyzstan 2005 were actually coup d’etats. The new rulers simply shifted their foreign policy towards US interests, without any benefit to the people. In Ukraine, the west wanted to get in and clean Ukraine of all its resources. Ukraine refused. These ‘color revolutions’, later became ‘Arab Spring.’

Washington has been associated with every one of the military conspiracies and coup d’états in Central and South America, for many decades, said analysts. CIA trained and funded Nicaragua contras. USA has openly supported dictatorial regimes from Mexico to Chile. The modus operandi has been to cause food and drug shortages, then start violent mob reactions to the shortages.

USA has instigated rebellions against the governments of Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Brazil and Ecuador. The United States had never hidden its hostility towards the Cuban and Venezuelan revolutions. Any Cuban dissident, any thugs that take up arms against the Cuban system get immediate funding from US. In 2018 USA called for hardening of the economic blockade of Cuba and hinted at US plans to influence the outcome of the general election.

USA asked the neighboring governments to help overthrow of Venezuela’s President Maduro, who was elected with a large majority at a democratically held election, and replace him with Guaido. USA also hinted at military intervention. But when Guaido called for street protests against Maduro, in 2020 only a few hundred turned out, reported analysts. . ‘The rest went to the beach.’

In March 2012, President Mutharika of Malawi accused USA of plotting to bring down his government. He refused to give in to USA demands. Mutharika died of cardiac arrest just two weeks later. He was replaced by Joyce Banda. Within the first week of her presidency, the USD 350 million US grant was reinstituted. Banda devalued Malawian currency by 33 per cent against the US dollar, overturning Mutharika’s refusal. Banda became involved in a corruption scandal and was heavily defeated in the presidential election by Peter Mutharika, brother of the former President. Banda went to the US and was given a position as fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Centre International Centre for Scholars.

USA has established large army bases in strategic places. Two bases of interest to Sri Lanka are Kosovo and Diego Garcia. The largest American military base in Europe today is Camp Bondsteel at Kosovo. Kosovo is strategically positioned between Eastern and Western Europe.

Kosovo Liberation Army fought a war of independence against Yugoslavia in1998, with the support of NATO. .Yugoslavia withdrew from Kosovo, in 1999 to make way for an international presence USA moved in. USA has set up a huge army base, Bond steel in Kosovo on1000 hectares of land. The details of this army base are kept secret.

Washington quickly recognized the Republic of Kosovo.  Kosovo is loyally pro-American. Kosovo has named places and streets after US leaders. There is Bill Clinton Avenue, George W. Bush Street and Woodrow Wilson Street. Support for USA is higher in Kosovo than anywhere else in the world. Kosovo has been one of the largest recipients of U.S. foreign assistance. An MCC was signed in 2017.

 In 2008, H.L.de Silva drew Sri Lanka‘s attention to Kosovo. He observed that US and NATO intervened in the Yugoslavia break up because this would give them a foot hold in a region. US quickly establish a giant military base, Bondsteel in Kosovo, and to secure the strategic oil and transportation lines of the region.

US will probably hold total dominance over Kosovo, continued H.L. de Silva. An International Civilian Representative had been appointed by US and NATO to run Kosovo. He has complete power. EU will establish a European security and defense policy mission ESDP and NATO will establish an international military presence. There with full control. So the so-called independence will be a fake. Kosovo has mineral resources which will be exploited by the giant western multinational corporations, concluded de Silva.

The US military base in Diego Garcia is of concern to Sri Lanka.  The Chagos archipelago which includes Diego Garcia was taken away from Mauritius, by Britain in 1965, paying 3 million to Mauritius as compensation. UK then rented the Chagos archipelago   to USA for military purposes for 50 years with provision for extension for further 20 years, for the sum of USD 14 million.  Since 1971 Diego Garcia was a major overseas US military base.

However, from 1980, Mauritius started agitating to get Chagos back. Mauritius went to the UN. UN asked the ICJ for an opinion. ICJ stated, in 2019, that Britain must return Chagos to Mauritius. The United Nations then asked UK hand over administration of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and gave the British government a six-month deadline.  Instead Britain challenged the decision. It is clear, however, that USA will have to give up Diego Garcia soon and find another base.  The closest roosting point is Sri Lanka .( continued)