Chalmers Johnson is interviewed by Amy Goodman on the matter of troop re-deployment. As usual, the devils are in the details.
George’s announcement shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone following the issue. I linked to a CBO study prepared at the request of the Senate Budget Committee back in May and if you’ve read Mr. Johnson’s latest book, The Sorrows of Empire, the writing’s been on the wall for some time.
The gullible American people, as Johnson coined those persuaded by what he believes is most likely a Rove tactic meant to trump Kerry’s recent pledge to reduce troop levels in Iraq, will likely have a rude awakening in 2005. It is expected that legislators will be arguing contentiously over base closures in this country whilst attempting to fund new ones being built not only in Iraq but in other countries lacking populist support, democratic leadership, and quality infrastructure.
He also restates an observation I’ve heard him make before but is vitually absent in reports on the situation, which is, that the United States of America is not safer today than it was before 9/11 and since the implementation of this “war on terror”. He speaks about the failure of our overly excessive military approach and the need, through the application of an informed and altered foreign policy, to separate incorrigible terrorist activists from their pacifist supporters. He offers up the example of Indonesia where 4-5 years ago 80% of the population was pro-US; today, that percentage is now anti-US and t-shirts sporting pictures of Osama bin Laden are regular wear for children there. During the years of ’93 thru ’01 al Qaeda managed to carry out 5 attacks internationally. Since 2001 they have successfully struck 20 times.
Much more discussed in the interview.