Where did he get that idea? Compassion is not a visible trait among Americans. During an interview about his 2004 best seller Confessions of an Economic Hitman Perkins said that he thinks that once Americans know why other parts of the world have so much animosity for the US that Americans would change because we are “compassionate people”.
Uh, John…no, we’re not. Is it any mystery that America is the world headquarters of personal greed? Just look at the right wing attack on health reform. One of the biggest complaints opponents have is that they don’t want to face a tax increase, even for the ultra wealthy, to pay for “deadbeats” who can’t afford health care for themselves. American’s don’t even care about each other. What made you think there is enough “compassion” in America to believe we would change our behavior because of the opinion of another nation or culture? These are nations and cultures clearly below the standards set for consideration by most American’s. America is the ultimate superpower empire on earth. The place where the living standards are the highest and the rest of the world is beneath us. What, you didn’t get the memo?
For those not familiar, John Perkins was recruited by the National Security Agency to convince foreign nations to take out large international loans for domestic infrastructure projects and then collect the monies owed to US corporations. For example Ecuador owes 50% of their GDP (gross domestic product) to international lenders and corporations. When they can’t pay they have to turn over assets, like the Amazon rain forests, to energy companies. If they don’t turn over assets or pay then the “Jackyl’s” would be sent in. These Jackyl’s, which are CIA sanctioned operatives, would cause internal strife such as military coups and even assassinations. When they fail to get the assets US corporations are pursuing then “we send in our young men and women to die and to kill, like we are doing in Iraq today”. To date not one source has been able to scrutinize or denounce John Perkin’s claims. Those who tried to dispute his claims quickly retracted when confronted with evidence. In John’s words “it’s all about building Empire”.
Watch the interview and learn more than you want to know about the Empire that is larger and more powerful than the US government. It is the community of world corporations and their ambitions above and beyond all international laws. NAFTA and the WTO are their vehicles to legitimacy. The corporations grow rich regardless of any social or moral destitution they create. The mandate of their executives is profits at any cost, even lives.