Global Depression and Regional Wars: The United States, Latin America and the Middle East Book

Part I Global Depression 13

1 Financial Depression and World Crisis 16

The Demise of the Economic Expert 17

World Depression: A Class Analysis 22

From Over-Accumulation to the Dominance of Finance Capital 22

Indicators of the Onset of Depression 24

Regional Impact of the Global Crisis 26

Latin America 27

Eastern Europe and the Ex-Communist Countries 29

Asia: The End of the Illusion of De-coupling and Autonomous Growth 30

The Middle East: Depression and Regional Wars 31

An Unprecedented Crisis 32

The Failure to Address the Structural Basis of the Crisis 33

What Is Needed for Recovery 36

The Basic Priority of Public Policy: A Better Life for All 37

Twentieth Century Lessons for 21st Century Socialists 38

2 Bernard Madoff: Wall Street Swindler Strikes Powerful Blows For Social Justice 41

An Introduction to the Mega-Swindle 41

The Big Swindle 42

The Positive Side of the Big Swindle (The Inadvertent Hand of Justice) 43

Conclusion 46

Postscript 48

3 The Election of The Greatest Con-Man in Recent History 49

The Self-Opiated Progressive Camp Followers 51

Obama's Economic Con Game 52

The Two Faces of Obama 53

Obama, the Militarist, Outdoes His Predecessor 54

Conclusion 56

4 Lessons From The Collapse of Wall Street 58

5 Latin America: Perspectives For Socialism in a Time of World Capitalist Recession/Depression 63

Specificities of the Current Recession/Depression 63

The Uniqueness of the 'New Capitalism' in the Contemporary World 64

US Recession/Depression: The Domestic Consequences 66

The World Recession Hits Latin America 69

The New Statism 71

No Reprieve in Sight

The Recession's Potential for theLeft: Big Gains or Big Losses? 73

US-Latin American Relations: 1998-2008 74

The Demise of US Dominance: The Popular Uprisings of 2000-2003 75

The Period of Relative Autonomy: 2005-2008 76

From Economic Boom to Bust: 2008 78

Taking Stock of Present Conditions 80

Perspectives on Latin American Relations to the US Empire 83

The Impact of the Capitalist Crisis 2009 on US/Latin American Relations 86

Latin America: What Is To Be Done 88

6 Obama's Latin American Policy 90

The Export-Driven Model Breaks Down 93

G-20 Adopts Protectionism, Promotes Return of the IMF 97

Facing Up to De-Globalization-or Not 98

7 Addressing Economic Needs Via Electoral Processes: The Case of Venezuela 100

Electoral Systems and Democracy: Substance and Structure 100

The Role of the Mass Media in Influencing Mass Politics 101

Navigating the Barriers to Change through Democratic Process 107

The Transition to Democracy 108

Vital Steps Towards Deepening Venezuelan Democracy 109

Victories for Venezuelan Socialists in Crucial Elections: November 2008 110

Democratic Socialism and the February 2009 Vote on the Re-election Amendment 111

Continuing Obstacles to Democratization 113

Conclusion 114

Part II Regional Wars

8 Masters Of Defeat: Retreating Empire And Bellicose Bluster 119

The Geography of Imperial Failures 121

Iraq and Iran 121

Africa 122

South Asia 123

Caucasus 124

Israel and the Arabs 125

The Western Hemisphere

Overseas Consequences of Failed Military Strategies 126

Domestic Consequences of Failed Military Empire Building 126

Conclusion 127

9 The Obama Regime, The Zionist Power Configuration And Regional Wars 129

Obama Acquiesces to Major Israeli Positions 130

The Israeli Invasion of Gaza 130

Illegal Israeli Activities in Occupied Palestine 131

Israeli Condemnation of the World Conference Against Racism 131

The Appointment of Key Advisers and Policy Makers in the Middle East 131

The Charles Freeman Appointment 132

The Break-Up of the Syria/Iran Alliance 135

The Weakening and Destruction of Iran 136

Ignoring Iranian Concessions and Assistance 136

Punishing and Prohibiting Iranian Development of Nuclear Energy 137

A Wider Campaign Against Arabs, Muslims and Islam 137

Implementing an Illegal Claim to Jerusalem 138

Zionist Control of US Foreign Policy: Some Consequences 139

Now They're Obama's Israel-Fisters 139

10 Israel Supremacy From Gaza To Tehran: Imperial Overstretch? 144

Gaza Blitz: Dress Rehearsal for an Assault on Iran? 145

Invisible Threats and Visible Impunity 146

Gaza: Testing the Subservience of the US Congress and the White House 147

Promoting Israel's Big Lie 148

Israel's Military Threat to Iran 149

Zionist Penetration of the Obama Administration 151

The Dennis Ross Roadmap for war on Iran 156

Possible External Constraints on Zionist-Israeli-US War on Iran 158

Conclusion 162

Addendum 162

11 The Politics Of An Israeli Extermination Campaign: Backers, Apologists And Arms Suppliers 165

Overseas Allies: The Presidents of the Major American Jewish Organizations (PMAJO) 176

The ZPC and the Israeli War of Extermination in Gaza 177

Defending Israel's War of Extermination 178

Favored Themes of the Israeli Big Lie 179

The Propaganda Role of Jewish Religious Organizations 182

Where is the Outcry? 183

What is to be Done 185

Appendix: The 51 Member Organizations of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations 188

12 Iranian Elections: The Stolen Election Hoax 190

The Electoral Fraud Hoax 191

13 The New Agro-Industrial Neo-Colonialism: Two, Three, Many Mass Revolts 196

Old and New Style Agro-Imperial Exploitation 197

Neo-Liberalism and the Rise of New Agro-Imperialism 198

Target Countries 200

Present and Future Consequences of Agro-Imperialism 201

14 Regional Wars And Western Progressive Opinion: Commisserate With The Victims, Condemn Those Who Resist! 205

US Progressives and Third World Resistance Movements 206

15 Obama's Animal Farm: Bigger, Bloodier Wars Equal Peace And Justice 210

16 Obama's Foreign Policy Failures 215

Failures of Stimulus Proposals at the April 2009 G-20 Summit 216

Summit of the Americans: US Faces Isolation and Divergences 217

NATO Conference: Obama's Military Escalation in Search of Allies 220

Iran: The Zionist Presence and Lost Opportunities 221

North Korea: The Unmasking of a Policy 224

Afghanistan-Pakistan: Extending Warfare and Destabilizing a Client 225

Israel-Palestine Policy 226

Consequences of Obama's Failed Policies 228

Index 231