“In fact, almost all military strategy comes not from a large mahogany desk with maps strewn across it with a calculating general hovering above, but rather from institutions like AEI and other corporate-funded think-tanks including the Brookings Institution or the RAND Corporation. Frederick Kagan, along with other “resident scholars” at AEI, have also developed the current strategies being employed in Afghanistan and soon in Pakistan [6]. One might say that Petraeus, and many other lack-luster officers in the United States military are nothing more than empty vessels with administrative and operational capabilities merely carrying corporate-funded, crafted, and serving policies onto the battlefield, while equally empty vessels for politicians sell the policies and their tremendous costs back at home to the American people.
AEI’s board of trustees represents a wide variety of corporate-financier interests including those of the notorious Carlyle Group, State Farm, American Express, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (also of the CFR). Dick Cheney also acts as a trustee. Joining policy wonk Frederick Kagan as members of AEI’s “research staff” are warmongers Newt Gingrich, John Bolton, Richard Perle, John Yoo, and Paul Wolfowitz. AEI’s work is done entirely with the concept of “American exceptionalism” in mind, or in other words, American global hegemony. The AEI’s own annual report is rife with talk of US strategic preeminence and its assertion over the sovereignty of foreign nations in the form of sanctions, military operations, invasions, and occupations. The AEI, in tandem with the Heritage Foundation, Foreign Policy Initiative, and many others, all with interconnecting memberships and corporate-financier sponsors, are literally the “Project for a New American Century (PNAC)” in motion.If a general commanding the summation of America’s military might and now America’s immense, omnipresent intelligence network, being bent to the will of corporate-financier interests who literally write the script from which he acts isn’t frightening enough, then maybe is the fact that these same apparently “Neo-Conservative,” “right-wing” organizations are also engineering and executing the latest “liberal-humanitarian” war in Libya.
In fact, as notorious “Neo-Con” Paul Wolfowitz, an AEI “visiting scholar,” expounded the merits of “Obama’s war” in Libya [7] and the desirable effect it could have on helping topple regimes in Syria and Iran, one might recall Wolfowitz’ aspirations back in 1991 where he spoke with General Wesley Clark about an opportunity to clean up the old Soviet “client regimes” before the next super power rose up and challenged western hegemony [8]. Amongst these “client regimes” were Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, and Iran. It would appear than one linear agenda serving these corporate-financier interests unfolds regardless of who is in office.
With this in mind, we see that Petraeus is in no shape, form, or way a “political” or “establishment” outsider, or by any means a hero capable of saving America from its decline. He is amongst one of the most entrenched “insiders” there are, with his position in the CIA digging him in even deeper. His, or others like him, potentially entering into the political fray will be nothing more than a dangerous new ploy used to manipulate the American public. As Republican hopefuls flounder in front of an increasingly skeptical and angry public and the path for real political outsiders is being opened, the American people must be ever vigilant against pretenders like Petraeus, or other “military men” who might attempt to cross the proverbial Rubicon and pose as “reformers,” or “saviors” here to rescue us from our flawed form of government.”
Video: The indispensable Dr. Webster Tarpley discusses Libya, the global economy, and the prospect of General Petraeus’ potential role in bringing Bonapartism openly to America’s shores. Via Tarpley.net.
….Notes
[1] The Telegraph, “David Petraeus for President: Run General, run,” April 3, 2010
[2] The Guardian, “Petraeus in profile: the man who could be president,” April 27, 2011
[3] Council on Foreign Relations, Membership Roster, letter ‘P’ for “Petraeus,” as of September 30, 2011
[4] Council on Foreign Relations, Company Membership, as of September 29, 2011
[5] AEI Speeches & Testimony, “The Surge of Ideals,” May 6, 2010
[6] The Stanley Foundation, “The Case for Larger Ground Forces,” by Frederick Kagan & Michael O’Hanlon, April 2007
[7] AEI via the Wall Street Journal, “Why Gadhafi’s Fall is in America’s Interests,” by Paul Wolfowitz, June 23, 2011
[8] FORA.tv Conference Channel, “Wesley Clark: A Time to Lead,” October 3, 2007
[9] Foreign Policy Magazine, “Rick Perry, the “hawk internationalist,” August 10, 2011