The making of American foreign policy
AntiWar.Com
by Justin Raimondo
04/21/10
We’re an empire now, and it’s perfectly rational for every state actor in the world who wants something from Uncle Sam to not only show up at the imperial court in Washington and seek the favor of the most powerful ruler in world history, but also to make an appeal to his subjects. Since Congress long ago ceded its war-making and oversight powers to the executive, an American president, once in office, can wreak considerable havoc in the conduct of our foreign affairs. Yet even Caesar operates under certain constraints: i.e. the vicissitudes of domestic politics, which require him to hand out favors to his supporters in order to remain in power beyond the next election. It is safe to say, with certain rare exceptions, that every political leader acts purely out of his own self-interest: that is, with an eye to either achieving political office or else retaining that office once elected. This is merely a restatement of a simple axiom: every ruling class acts to preserve its rule...
http://tinyurl.com/y5hftry
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=empire
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=imperial
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=ruling+class
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=foreign+policy
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=raimondo
by Justin Raimondo
04/21/10
We’re an empire now, and it’s perfectly rational for every state actor in the world who wants something from Uncle Sam to not only show up at the imperial court in Washington and seek the favor of the most powerful ruler in world history, but also to make an appeal to his subjects. Since Congress long ago ceded its war-making and oversight powers to the executive, an American president, once in office, can wreak considerable havoc in the conduct of our foreign affairs. Yet even Caesar operates under certain constraints: i.e. the vicissitudes of domestic politics, which require him to hand out favors to his supporters in order to remain in power beyond the next election. It is safe to say, with certain rare exceptions, that every political leader acts purely out of his own self-interest: that is, with an eye to either achieving political office or else retaining that office once elected. This is merely a restatement of a simple axiom: every ruling class acts to preserve its rule...
http://tinyurl.com/y5hftry
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=empire
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=imperial
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=ruling+class
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=foreign+policy
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=raimondo
rudkla - 21. Apr, 10:42
