The Burdens of Empire

For the better part of a year before the gratuitous invasion of Iraq, along with others I wrote often about the real neocon plan, the secret one not disclosed to the American people. It involved the use of Iraq as the U.S. political and military base in the Middle East, dictation of terms to surrounding nations, protection of our oil dependencies, long term occupation, and the construction of permanent military bases. All of this would be administered by a proconsul of Roman proportions, safely sequestered behind a multi-billion dollar fortress now known as the Green Zone.

Yesterday, President Bush signed the Defense Authorization Bill, including Section 1222 prohibiting permanent military bases in Iraq, with the now customary "signing statement" declaring that he has no intention of enforcing the law of the land, including this provision, though bound by oath and Constitution to do so.

To seal the deal, with the expectation of binding future presidential successors, Mr. Bush and Iraq president Nouri al-Maliki are in the process of negotiating a "status of forces agreement" that would commit the U.S. military to combat any internal or external factions the Iraqi government deemed a threat. This represents a one-directional security treaty cloaked in the form of an agreement not subject to Senate ratification. And it guarantees U.S. involvement in age-old Iraqi sectarian conflict for decades to come.

As John Isaacs, the knowledgeable director of the Council for a Livable World has noted, this "ignores the 1969 National Commitments Resolution which holds that assisting a foreign country through the 'use of Armed Forces' is a 'national commitment' that requires a treaty, statute, or concurrent resolution (of Congress)."

Now Congress must hold hearings not only on the legal implications of this major end run of the Constitutional process but also on the current status and planned expenditure on permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq. The costs to the American taxpayers, who the Republicans constantly say they care about, of a fifty year American presence in Iraq will be in the hundreds of billions of dollars, not to say the potential tens of thousands of American casualties ("casualty;" killed or wounded).

Of course, the next Democratic president can simply cancel this back-door deal. But Karl Rove, Jr., will have those pictures of half-finished bases to use in future elections to prove the Democrats soft on terrorism. By the way, al Qaeda still represents less than ten percent of the attacks still underway in Iraq. The rest are still carried out by sectarian tribes, clans, and gangs. But Mr. Bush still finds it politically profitable to call them all "al Qaeda."

Though the press doesn't seem interested in finding out, my guess is that the bases now under construction are garrisons outside the cities. They will be fortresses in the desert reminiscent of French fortresses in the jungles of Indochina. Future occupying troops will provide target practice for mortar and rocket attacks for decades to come. Thus does one empire repeat the folly of another.

Comments

[ajax2]

Naomi Wolf in "Letter to..." painted a funny but tragic scene where the Italian Parliament continued with the 'dance of democracy' long after Mussolini completely ignored their laws.

[Not Blind]

What is totally inconceivable is that the legislators have, and are still allowing this administration to shred our Constitution and circumvent our own and international laws without a whimper. The Constitution was written precisely to protect the legal and civil rights of citizens, and to provide for a balance of power with checks and balances.
Two years ago, Congress was given a mandate by the citizens of this country to restore the laws of our land, respect international laws, and to end this de-facto dictatorship. Since 2000, we've seen nothing but secrecy, deception, illegal (warrantless surveillance) spying on our citizens, illegal detentions, suspension of Habeas Corpus, torture, immunity for thieves, liars and murderers (no-bid contractors, Libby, Blackwater mercenaries). Yet, Congress still capitulates to every Bush-Cheney whim and desire without even so much as a debate. After knowing there were 935 lies which predicated their vote to authorize military action in Iraq, seeing these "signing statements" which circumvent all legislative authority and power, an economy that is crashing (tax cuts with massive increased deficit spending) to the tune of nearly $10 trillion national debt, one must wonder what our so-called "representatives" are thinking and doing. Either the administration has some dirt on them or is bribing them into complete submission.
This administration has no credibility, and now our Congressional leaders have the disdain of most citizens, yet keep going along with an agenda that's destroying this nation.

[Norge]

Yes, read http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com to find the dictator of your choice for this year's holloween party of American Friends.

[Caniculus]

The Democratic and Republican Parties are morally and intellectually bankrupt, both co-opted by Neo-conservative operatives.

The traditional bastions of the Fourth Estate are long dead. Those who persist in the hard life of tireless, poorly compensated investigation and truth telling are mainly relegated to backwater publications or are drowned out in the cacophony of the blogosphere, while the loudest voices in so-called journalism are all sell-outs -- those who merely play act as journalists but who serve as propagandists, and those who have traded the difficult role of journalists for the comfort, fortune and fame of banal entertainers.

The electorate is pacified -- too busy making a living or being entertained to notice America's rapid descent into empire and the dissolution of the Constitution. We will get more people to one football game today then to all of the political debates. We not only know more about Britney Spears than Hillary Clinton, we care more about Britney Spears. (In fact, aren't the paparazzi doing the best journalism?)

Allusions to Imperial Rome are now so obvious as to be trite -- America is an empire merely maintaining the trappings of a republic.

Mr. Hart, where do we go from here? Where CAN we go?

[OSUMercutio]

The longer this goes on, I blame Bush and the Republicans less and less. The Democrats have a right and responsibility to uphold the constitution. Unfortunately, they have shirked their responsibility in favor of political gains.

[Gelbert]

Rove said: "Both parties are suffering the consequences of seeing substantial parts of their 20th-century agendas adopted; both parties are struggling to fashion new answers to the new challenges of a young century.

But that's not to say that the Reagan legacy is exhausted".
TRANSLATION FROM CODESPEAK: The people have been suckered for so long by our Kabuki dance that they've figured out who has the top position(both political parties) in this pseudo-populist screwing. They're on to our con.
So we have to try to think of a new con.

MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH: The CEO tells congress to stuff it.
Ain't this a great time to live?

[NoPCZone]

I was just watching Chalmers Johnson speak on his trilogy, more specifically on Nemesis- The Last Days of the American Republic. Combine other great recent books like that of Naomi Wolf, Naomi Klein, Jeremy Scahill and others and we see a not very encouraging picture of the nation we will grow old in (or not).

Johnson said that history shows us that a civilization can have a democracy or an empire, but cannot sustain both. That would put us in the crosshairs for some substantial change one way or another, for we cannot sustain both for long.

He also commented upon the fiscal suicide we are in the midst of and the high danger of going insolvent as a nation. The record of nations that have gone through this is not pleasant at all and most endure a revolution. Yes, I said it. If the Dollar goes the way of the Continental the paper most of your life is invested in will become WORTHLESS. I would say that could trigger such a crisis.

Finally I remember that you, Senator, served on a commission that warned America BEFORE 9-11 that the Bushies and our society largely ignored. Just like Billy Mitchell's warnings approximately 20 years before World War II of the vulnerability of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor to air attack, it fell on deaf ears.

If we do not begin to learn the lessons of history we are finished as a nation. Maybe not today, but not too far down the road. I wonder if the Dark Ages started like this...

[oogabooga]

McInsane wants the wars to last 100 years. He said so on TV. Where's the 60s peace movement when you need it?

[smchris]

What scares me about the "50 year occupation" is that anyone in D.C. takes it seriously. And it tells us what power _does_ want.

Is contemporary Germany "bound" to treaties Hitler made? I don't think so.

It would mean doing the one thing "the politics of reconciliation" doesn't want to do though. Holding Bush accountable. Publicly acknowledging to the American people and the world that he had been the head of a criminal and mentally unstable regime.

[NJYankee]

History repeats itself. Those who do not study history will repeat it. Arabs and Persians have been at it since they exist. Sunnis and Shia have been at it since they splintered. No external force will stop these from their petty conflicts. Ask the British! W. has the audacity to think soldiers will make these people kiss and make up. They may, to kill the invasor and then continue with their petty conflicts...

[Garvagh]

Great piece, Gary! I agree completely. No stability can be achieved in Iraq until the US forces are withdrawn. This is the view of most Iraqis. Bush is a stooge of the militarists who think Israel can dictate its own terms to the Palestinians, even if that means suppressing their legitimate national aspirations for decades to come - - relying on the colossal US war machine for protection.

[PauCK]

Hmmm the notion of binding future presidential successors assumes no one like Bush is in office. He has no regard for the Constitution so if a future president decides to have no regard for Bush's "agreements" one would assume they could just void them. I'm sure that is what Bush himself would do.

[JWakkaJane]

Thank you for putting this together Mr. Hart, nicely done.

I remember when they were talking about going into Iraq, Bush and his gang saying it would take at least ten years, being not just cagey but downright clear about their intentions, if you were listening. And I remember Bush and his gang's references to the 'War on Terror' always being open-ended. You must have been listening too.

I can't believe no one in a position to be heard called Bush on the ridiculous concept of "War on Terror" and what exactly that meant when he first uttered it.

When a president declares "War" on something as ambiguous (and unable to defend or 'represent' itself) as "terror" on legal terms, in all seriousness, and none of our major politicians or members of the fourth estate balks and calls him on it, nevermind breaks out laughing in disbelief, you know we are in trouble.

[MajorKong]

If Bush is going to do whatever he wants anyway, maybe we should just get rid of those other two pesky branches of government.

[Tantivy]

Thank you for an informative article, but it is NOT ENOUGH. We who comment cannot get interviewed on TV. You can. A story isn't "news" unless it's on television; an op-ed has a very brief shelf-life and accomplishes very little.

Your intentions are admirable and helpful to many readers here, but someone must get this story into the mainstream and on television. Who among us can get airtime and make this a news story? YOU CAN.

Please help us who have no voice. We're an audience. You can make news.

[paixa3]

and, it is a damn shame that BUSH/CHENY et al were NEVER IMPEACHED.

The USA past version of democracy and a nation IS FINISHED.

[Rickandanumber]

"reminiscent of French fortresses in the jungles of Indochina."

I would have thought that French fortresses in the desert were good enough. Beau Geste, Fort Zinderneuf. Ah, to die for the tricolour, pour le legion, pour la France.

Ah, to die covered in flies, amidst the donkey and camel droppings...

'If any question why we died, tell them 'because our fathers lied'."

[Economike]

This economy and war and environment are not sustainable anyway.

[realistic2008]

Gary as usual a masterful definition of the current administration and the future if we don't stand up, not to give the president an ovation but to demand the World Court begin charging him and his neocons with crimes against humanity.

[shadow322]

This President is clearly a lame duck. With November elections, even his own partyn does not dare defend him. THEN WHY aren't we able to insist he follow the laws of this great nation? Are we allowing a dictator? You tell me the diference.

[shadow322]

Both the House and Senate should show that this is another axample of this administration's waste of American funds $$$ - in that it is unconstitutional and does not reflect the will of Congress or the American people and will not through default, committ the next administration from having their say in governing. Why is it that we are not enforcing our laws with this President anyway? This is not a dictatorship and there are lots of people that will stand up and protect the laws of our country. Why?

[enoughalready]

Bush has created his own line item veto - which all know that Supreme court has thrown out as unconstitutional. It's now up to Congress to bring forth artiles of impeachment of a President that has continually thumbed his nose at the constitution.

Stop funding the war, period! There simply is no other choice. The problem is the obstructive GOP Congress that will simply not stand up for our Constitution/American people.

With Edwards out of the race today. I shift my support to Obama. Hillary has been a hawk on war and I simply don't trust her to get us out.

Obama 2008

[LewisWalsh]

I could comment on a great deal contained within this article, but I'll keep to just several points.

The Romans were a thinking people who studied history. They knew that an occupying power must gain the support of the indigenous people. They brought the conquered people into government and often bestowed Roman citizenship upon them. When necessary they added their gods to the Pantheon.

Unfortunately, military power alone does not equal success; apparently the lesson of Viet Nam was not well understood.

The US behavior throughout the world indicates that the US is no Rome.

[wrabbitt]

About two hundred and thirty years ago our fore fathers put down into words a wonderful document with laws to help our government police itself and protect the people from atrocities. Now here we are in the new millennium where one at a time greedy politicians have circumvented these laws designed to protect the people,and are using them to get rich while the taxpayers foot the bill. Legal roadblocks were put in the way so lobbyists could not buy votes, congress removed them, for monetary gains i'm sure. Term limits or age limits have never been enacted for congress because that is not in the best interests of congress, and the people are sheep so we won't know! Now we are hearing about free elections! but, every candidate has taken money from special interests. Our legal system has stopped working also, criminals have more rights than victims! whats up with this? If in the infinite wisdom of our founding fathers they had thought that government would have become so unfeeling, greedy and self centered, one wonders why this country has survived as long as it has. I am sure this is not what was supposed to happen, And government service used to be a job, now its a way to get rich. Now that the government is to top heavy to stand on its own. And lobbyists control all of congress and the senate, the people need to make a decision business as usual? Or tear it down and start over.

[DeccaDo]

Politics 4 Dummies:

Q 1: If someone takes $100 from you and offers to give you back $1, do you:
1) vote for this "economic stimulus"
2) know you are being swindled

Q 2: If your government borrows trillions from two of the most opressive and
heavily armed countries in the world to invade and occupy a country that has
no weapons of mass destruction, only oil, do you:
1) think that this promotes democracy
2) know that democracy is for sale.