Listen to my February 17, 2022 Alternative Visions Radio Show and my discussion of the US form of Imperialism, how it functions similarly as well as differently from other prior forms. How does current events in Ukraine fit in relation to USA’s prior 16 wars of the last 70 years?
To listen GO TO: https://alternativevisions.podbean.com/e/alternative-visions-america-s-wars-of-imperialism/
SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT:
As events intensify in the Ukraine and possible conflict looms between the US and Russia—using the proxy of Ukraine—the question rises which is exercising imperialist policies: Russia in Ukraine or US via NATO in Ukraine? Or both? What’s an empire and what’s an imperialist war? Dr. Rasmus defines Imperialism and its key historical examples in the last few centuries. Is capitalist Imperialism different from other pre-capitalist examples? How have different countries managed their empires, especially contrasting British in past compared to USA’s today? Why wars and colonies are only part of the practice of Empire and imperialism. Wars are about obtaining and maintaining empire. But the management of empire in between is different. How imperial countries—especially the USA today—maintain its empire and how is that different from prior empires (British, French, etc.). Rasmus explains how the emerging conflict in Ukraine species of Imperialism fits in the broader historical Genealogy of Imperialism.
Interesting broadcast learned a lot. For example didn’t know that the economic engine behind the Roman empire was grain production. But take issue with dividing America’s wars into simple wins and losses. Economically the wars have been huge losses for the US with the exception of the narrow cluster of war industries. Understand for example that the Indochina fiascoes—— Vietnam Cambodia et al—– jump started Japan and the East Asian Tigers as well as triggered the recasting of the American economy with neoliberalism. When Eisenhower warned of the pernicious and dangerous nature of the military-industrial complex his speech was parallel to Khrushchev’s rants against Stalin. The USSR could not reform itself nor can the US hence the claim that Biden is a political placeholder akin to Brezhnev.