He
campaigned on promises to ‘drain the swamp’ and radically alter
the United States’ course in the world, but not even a week has
passed and President Donald Trump has already made it clear that
he’ll be following a very familiar agenda.
by
Whitney Webb
Part1
On the
campaign trail, Donald Trump successfully wooed many Americans
desperate for an end to Obama’s brand of neoliberalism. However,
his nationalist “maverick” persona has quickly unraveled as his
allegiance to the country’s real decision makers has become more
evident with each passing day of his young presidency.
Within his
first week, Trump has announced plans to build a missile defense
system to guard against attacks from Iran and North Korea and entered
into the early stages of moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to East
Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. He’s made clear departures from his
promises of anti-interventionism and neutrality in the
Israel/Palestine conflict, among other things.
Despite some
positive moves, like calling for peace with Russia and removing the
United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a deeper look at
Trump’s policies reveals a continuation of policies that suit the
political elite.
While
Trump’s about-face on some issues may come as a disappointment to
his supporters, it is not altogether surprising given that the vast
majority of past U.S. presidents have conformed to the same general
strategy of ensuring the continuity of American imperialism
regardless of political party affiliation or campaign trail promises.
The most recent example of such a drastic turnaround was Barack
Obama’s rejection of his own campaign rhetoric: His promises to
bring change and reform to Washington ultimately fell flat as he
expanded the drone war, brought catastrophe to the Middle East, and
launched a chilling crackdown on whistleblowers and journalists.
This
uniform, over-arching agenda is and has been set by the same handful
of powerful American oligarchs who rose to unprecedented prominence
on the heels of industrialization. Many of these titans of industry
and their descendents went on to establish influential foundations
and organizations that continue to guide U.S. political consensus.
Their hold over not just U.S. politics, but global politics, grew
following the formation of oligarch-owned central banks and private
international financial institutions such as the World Bank and
International Monetary Fund.
While these
institutions claim to work for the benefit of all humanity, their
actions are directed by a handful of “economic and political
heavyweights” who use loans, debt, and other financial tools to
force the hands of governments throughout the world. As the chief
vehicle for manifesting this imperialist agenda, the United States is
no exception. Indeed, private banking interests have had a
stranglehold on the American economy since the formation of the
Federal Reserve in the early 20th century.
It should
come as no surprise that Trump has surrounded himself with Bush-era
neoconservatives, including several architects of the Iraq War and
signatories of the highly imperialist and pro-war Project for a New
American Century. These individuals, John Bolton, Bill Bennett, and
James Woolsey among them, consistently proved their dedication to the
advancement of U.S. corporate and “deep state” interests during
the Bush years. Far from “draining the swamp,” Trump’s actually
filling it with an administration that promises to allow the nation’s
wealthiest inhabitants to continue to dominate political
decision-making.
Source
and links:
http://www.mintpressnews.com/maverick-lapdog-trump-already-serving-agenda-americas-oligarchs/224413/
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