Washington's self-deception
The new US national security strategy in domestic policy is leading to an ever greater profanation of democratic freedoms, their de facto replacement by totalitarian institutions, and in the external one - to hegemony through the implementation of aggressive globalist concepts.
In early February, 2015, the United States announced a new national security strategy. This political memorandum was presented by US President Barack Obama. On closer examination, many of the original positions of the speech of the American leader turned out to be either, to put it mildly, inconsistent with the real state of affairs, or an attempt to pass what was desired.
“Today, the United States,” said Barack Obama, “is stronger and in the best position to take advantage of the opportunities of the new century and protect our interests from the risks of a troubled world.”
But the restless world is generated by the Americans themselves. All his history The United States has participated in more than 200 wars and armed conflict, almost always acting on foreign territory. Already in this century, the United States became the direct organizers of several civil wars.
20 March 2003, with the invasion of US forces and their allies to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime, the Iraq war began.
8 August 2008 of the year. Bloodshed in South Ossetia. The failed US attempt to start a war with Russia, using Georgia.
19 March 2011 of the year. Western countries with the filing of the United States created a reason for the invasion of Libya.
Autumn 2013 of the year. Attempt to invade Syria under the guise of protecting its citizens from the anti-people regime.
March 2014 of the year. 300 armed American mercenaries - employees of a private security firm openly land in Kiev to assist euromaidan.
September 2014 of the year. The beginning of the bombing of the territory of Iraq and Syria, controlled by ISIS terrorists, without UN sanction.
American Dreams
“Strengthening America’s economic power,” the American leader said in his speech, “is the foundation of our national security and the most important source of our influence abroad. After the Great Recession, we have created almost 11 millions of new jobs, and this is the longest period in our history of increasing employment in the private sector. Unemployment fell to its lowest level in six years. We have become the world leader in oil and gas production. We continue to set the pace for the development of science, technology and innovation in the global economy. ”
After five percent growth in 2014, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the second time this year lowered the forecast for US economic growth to 2,5 percent in 2015 and to three percent in 2016.
The main reason for the future crisis could be the huge and ever-growing US government debt. Currently, its size is a record 17,786 trillion dollars. The size of public debt is constantly growing, since government spending almost always exceeds revenues. All less profitable is the banking sector. In addition, the accelerating aging of the US population is an imminent future threat. Thus, despite the growth observed at the beginning of the year, economic cyclicality will still prevail over the national economy system, which, according to experts, in the year 2015 expects a decline. This will bring a decrease in profits to American corporations, as well as a reduction in shale oil production. By the way, in May 2015 for the first time in five years, Russia came out on top in the world in terms of oil and gas production.
“We also benefit from our young and growing workforce, from a solid and diversified economy,” says the US president. “At the heart of our economic advantages lies the entrepreneurial spirit of American workers and companies.” Our higher education system is the best in the world, and every year it attracts more and more of the most talented students from all over the world ... Immigrants from all over the world are still coming to us, enriching our country with their energy and entrepreneurial talents. ”
Since 1997, in a number of countries, including the USA, the IQ of the population has been steadily falling, and half of the public schools have not reached the level of national standard indicators. 85 percent of Americans have completed secondary education, but 80 percent of the adult population do not know what a molecule is. For a long time, the need for strong mathematicians, physicists, IT-technology specialists, chemists, and US biologists is met by immigrants from the republics of the former USSR, China, India, and other countries.
“We have renewed our alliances from Europe to Asia,” reports Barack Obama.
20 April The 2015 round of talks between US and EU representatives on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTDT) began in New York on April 9. Officials on both sides of the Atlantic cite the 100 number of billions of dollars as the main argument in favor of the treaty. Allegedly, the cumulative GDP of the USA and 28 of the EU member countries will increase by that amount. First of all, there is a huge free trade zone for the population of 800 million people. All duties for EU countries and the USA will disappear, and for foreign markets, such as Russia and China, they will rise sharply. At the same time they will be equalized in the rights of the state and corporation. There will be a unification of everything, including industrial standards, qualifications and legal norms. The “super state” will coordinate more closely the legislation of the EU member states. That is, immigration loopholes at the national levels will disappear.
If you look at this process on a global scale, it becomes obvious that the United States is simultaneously approaching the conclusion of a free trade agreement with the Asia-Pacific region. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) project covers the 12 countries of the region (excluding China). TTP is intended to be an alternative to ASEAN and APEC, which the United States considers insufficiently effective. It should provide US control of the Pacific as opposed to China. The treaty with Europe will be the original basis of this system. After the conclusion of two mega-agreements, the United States will take in ticks the main competitor and geopolitical rival - China.
At present there are serious concerns that the TTIP and TTP projects will be implemented, despite all objections. Thus, the United States rely on building its own megablock, in which both Europeans and Asians will play a subordinate role. This will deal a serious blow to the concept of a multi-polar world.
All shades of hegemony
The US President also spoke about serious challenges that threaten national security, about extremism, terrorism, cyber attacks and, of course, Russian aggression threatening America.
At the same time, according to former US intelligence officer Edward Snowden, the NSA is not limited to total surveillance, but also develops offensive technologies in the network space. The goal is to disable the enemy’s infrastructure in the event of a conflict, from command centers to ATMs. Up to 40 thousands of people are engaged in electronic espionage and digital wars in the NSA, and billions are spent on this program.
As for the Russian aggression, Washington is so obviously promoting the anti-Russian line in its foreign policy that it is no secret to anyone. However, the reasons for this behavior are not those that are voiced by the State Department. While the Western media continues to demonize Russia and heighten the international situation, Washington’s most well-thought-out plans are facing new obstacles and are crumbling. Many are beginning to understand that Russian weapons are pursuing defensive ends.
Referring to the global challenges of human civilization and the accelerating impact of climate change and the outbreak of infectious diseases, Barack Obama stressed that the United States has a unique opportunity to mobilize the world community. But more and more experts say that American influence in the world is steadily declining. Increasingly, countries, including those in the Latin American region, are trying to protect themselves from the military influence and intervention of Washington. Abroad there are more than 730 US bases, most of them in Germany (305), Japan (158) and South Korea, but in general they are located in 38 countries. In addition, the US military presence is still observed in 123 states, whose peoples are increasingly protesting against foreign influence on their lives and sovereignty.
“A successful strategy for ensuring the security of the American people and advancing the interests of our national security must begin with one indisputable truth — America must be a leader,” said the US President. “Strong and sustainable American leadership is essential for the well-being and rule of the international order, as well as human dignity and the rights of all peoples ... The question is not whether America should lead or not. The question is how we should lead. ”
Different concepts of the undoubted, from the point of view of overseas political scientists, the US global leadership began to be created from the beginning of the 90s. Discussions among the political and academic elite of America are conducted only about the nature and prospects of this global leadership.
Igil, Ebola and Russia
Representatives of the Republican Party substantiate their ideas about the need to implement the concept of US hegemony by the fact that there are no countries in the world that are comparable in military power with the United States. And in these conditions it is necessary to make maximum efforts not only to strengthen, but also to increase the gap in military capabilities with other countries. And by strengthening the position of NATO in regions where the US has no strategic interests, it is possible to reduce economic and military spending. American political scientist and specialist in the history of international relations Andrew J. Bacewicz notes the following features. In particular, the implementation of imperial power lies not in direct influence on the satellites, but in the development of intermediate institutions, that is, international and regional organizations, in whose activities the United States plays a determining role. Thus, in the political establishment, a neo-imperial vision of the place and role of the United States on the world stage is formed, giving America the opportunity to spread its liberal democratic experience globally through moral persuasion and political co-optation or through violence, if necessary.
“We are leading international coalitions that are struggling with serious challenges from aggression, terrorism and disease,” said Barack Obama. “We are leading a team of 60 and more partners in a global campaign to weaken, and ultimately, defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq and Syria.”
At one time, in an interview with Vice News, Barack Obama reported that the creation of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is the result of an ill-conceived policy of the administration of President George W. Bush, as a result of which the American army invaded Iraq in 2003. The President noted that in this case only indirect wine was blamed - as a result, Al-Qaeda’s activities became very active, the branch of which was ISIS. However, the American special services did not say anything about the financing of ISIL and Al-Qaida by the American special services and the support of these organizations by the Arab sheiks, allies of the United States.
The following statement by Barack Obama deserves a special comment: “Among other things, we are working to stop the influx of foreign fighters in these countries, and at the same time exert pressure on Al-Qaida.” We are leading international efforts to stop and stop the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. Acting in tandem with our European allies, we implement tough sanctions against Russia, increasing its costs and restraining its aggression. ”
At the same time, the US Department of Defense disclosed the results of a secret meeting in early June of 2015, during which the Pentagon recognized the ineffectiveness of sanctions against Russia. The West believes that they have influenced only the Russian economy. Not seeing the intentions of Moscow to change course, the Pentagon decides to adjust its own. As an alternative to anti-Russian sanctions, it increases the military support of European countries.
Potential difference
“We are trying to create historical opportunities for ourselves,” says the President of the United States. “The rebalancing of our efforts towards Asia and the Pacific leads to a deepening of ties with all new allies and partners. After implementing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, we will get new opportunities in trade and investment, as well as new high-quality jobs at home and in the whole region, where more than 40 percent of world trade is carried out. We are ready to unleash the full potential of our relationship with India. ”
The development of Russian-Indian military cooperation has confused Washington with all the maps. Strengthening military ties with New Delhi, he planned to replay Moscow’s diplomatic successes in Asia and deepen the contradictions between India and China.
The strategy failed. Contradictions between the two largest countries of Asia exist, but their opposition in severity is much inferior to the confrontation between the United States and China.
Contrary to the official rhetoric of high-ranking representatives, who arrogantly argue in public about the growing bilateral cooperation and the possible establishment of new type of relations between the great powers, in reality in the American-Chinese relations the spirit of rivalry is strong, not to mention the fundamental differences in ideology, value system, political-economic models.
The confrontation between the United States and China can be most intense in connection with the idea actively promoted by Beijing to create a new regional security system in the Asia-Pacific Region, which should replace the currently functioning, based mainly on bilateral allied US relations with five countries in the region. Based on statements made by Chinese high-ranking officials in Washington over the past year, Beijing concluded that it intends to stimulate the creation of a new regional security system without US participation, based on the principle of "Asia for Asians."
Barack Obama also spoke about increasing investments in Africa, which, according to the American president, hastens the access of this fast-growing region to energy, health care and food security.
In recent years, the US military expansion on the African continent has become increasingly apparent. Russian experts have already noted that the struggle for Africa initially manifested itself in the appearance of pirates off the coast of Somalia. The growth of their activity occurred in the 2006 – 2007 years - the beginning of the active implementation of China’s economic program for the development of Africa. There is reason to believe that this activity is monitored and directed. It is worth noting that the main opponents of the adoption of international legislation on combating piracy are the United States and the United Kingdom, blocking relevant initiatives promoted by other countries at the UN level. It is obvious that the center of foreign activity of the Pentagon moves from Europe to the eastern and southern regions of the globe, and military bases are lined up along the so-called arc of instability, which stretches from Africa through the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central and South Asia to the Korean Peninsula. In fact, there is a global redistribution of the American military presence. In October, 2008 was created a special unit - the African Command of the US Armed Forces (AFRICOM), symbolizing the desire of the United States to expand its military presence in the Black Continent. The action theater of the African Command extends to 53 countries. The USA and France are still the largest players on this scene. But the relationship between them is more like a rivalry. It is most clearly manifested in the desire to provide its largest companies with access to African oil resources.
Thus, the analysis of the argumentation of the American leadership’s justification of its globalist ambitions testifies, on the one hand, to a clear misconception and reappraisal of opportunities and democratic gains, and on the other, to deliberately rigging and distorting the information that becomes the basis of the national strategy.
The desire of the United States at all costs to maintain the leading geopolitical position is the main content of their foreign policy, which is stated openly in the new national security strategy.
The traditional message to US Congress President Barack Obama, voiced by him in February 2015, was in fact a development of the theme of American exclusivity. Calling for “to try to demand from ourselves actions in accordance with the highest standards — our own,” the US president did not even recall the norms of international law. In general, this statement, like the memorandum itself, can be considered primarily a tool to manipulate public consciousness within its own state, in the camp of today's and potential allies, as well as in countries that risk disagreeing with the values, interests and strategic goals of the United States.
In the name of democracy and human rights
Introducing the new US national security strategy, Barack Obama said that Americans are still determined to implement the Prague agenda, including preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. “At present,” the American leader said, “we are checking whether it is possible to find a comprehensive solution to convince the world community that the Iranian nuclear program is peaceful ... We are strengthening our own energy security by taking breakthrough emissions with China greenhouse gases ... We are creating an international consensus aimed at curbing climate change, as well as global standards for cybersecurity and creating an international mechanism for disrupting and studying chi berrorz ".
Commenting on this statement, first of all it is worth noting: the Kyoto Protocol of the Russian Federation signed in 1998 – 1999 was ratified in 2004, and in 2006 – 2010 it was actively implemented in practice. In the USA, until recently it was not even ratified. As for cyber threats, according to a study by the British company NCC Group at the end of 2012, it was the United States that was the leader among the rest of the countries in terms of the number of outgoing hacker attacks.
“We are playing a leading role in shaping the international agenda for the period after 2015 of the year to eradicate extreme poverty and ensure sustainable development with regard to future needs, giving priority to women and young people,” Barack Obama said. “We support all this with our enduring devotion to the promotion of democracy and human rights, creating new coalitions to fight corruption ... In the process of this activity we support democratic transformations, and also turn to the main driving force of change for the new century - youth and entrepreneurs” .
This statement sounds particularly strong against the background of the fact that, according to the American specialized publication California Prison Focus, there has not yet been a society in the history of mankind that would keep as many of its members in prisons as the United States. If we add to the number of prisoners Americans who are subject to conditional and parole procedures, it turns out that, in fact, the punishment system covers a total of 7,3 million people, that is, approximately every fortieth resident of the country or every twentieth adult.
As for corruption, according to the data of the organization Transparancy international 36, the percent of Americans believe that its level in the United States has greatly increased, and only seven percent has gone down. 38 percent of respondents believe: corruption is a serious problem for America and only six people from 100 think the opposite. 76 percent of Americans stated that political parties are corrupt.
According to a Gallup poll in June 2014, the level of trust of US residents in government bodies fell to extremely low levels. The presidential rating dropped to a six-year low and amounted to 29 percent, and for the Supreme Court and Congress a historical anti-record was established - only 30 and 7 percent of trust, respectively.
The power of example
“I believe,” said Barack Obama, “that America is at its best as a leader when we draw strength from our hopes, not from our fears. To be successful, we need to use the power of our own example. And this means that we should regard loyalty to our values as an advantage, not as an inconvenience. That's why I'm working to ensure that America has the necessary capabilities to respond to threats from abroad, while acting in accordance with our values: prohibit the use of torture, advocate restrictions on the use of new techniques such as Dronesstand by our commitment to civil liberties and privacy."
The American media portray their country as a society of abundance, freedom, and general welfare. The general dynamism of the population is emphasized, such characteristic features of life as credit on credit, automation and computerization stand out. The American way of life is unthinkable without a high degree of religious pluralism, which was originally laid down in the genesis of North American civilization.
They believe that competition discovers the best in a person, forcing everyone to do everything in their power. For many US Peace Corps volunteers working as teachers in various educational institutions in developing countries, the lack of competition in the class is of great concern: what seemed to be one of the universal human characteristics turns out to be a local value in real life.
American values contradictly combine Christian love with religious fanaticism, science, progress and humanity - with cultural limitations, the idea of group supremacy and racism, puritan ethics - with increasing flexibility of sexual morality, democratic ideals of equality and freedom - with totalitarian tendencies.
In November, 2014 of the United Nations Committee against Torture expressed concern about the persistent inability of the United States to fully investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment of suspects held in custody, and urged the country to ensure that the perpetrators and their accomplices, including commanders and those providing legal cover for torture.
This was preceded by a similar appeal from the UN Human Rights Committee in April. Both committees called on the United States to declassify and publish the full version of the report of the United States Senate Intelligence Committee (KSDR) on the CIA's secret detention program.
As for the statements of the American president regarding the drones, the United States is the world leader in the production of UAVs and is actively using them in military operations in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In February, 2015, the United States announced that it would allow third-country governments to export military UAVs, and buyers would have to give only certain guarantees regarding the use of machines.
The so-called Freedom Act in the United States, adopted by the Senate 67 with votes for, is a continuation of the Patriot Act approved in 2001. He significantly expanded the rights of special services to counter terrorists, including in terms of collecting personal data and wiretapping. The new law resumes the surveillance program, but with other powers of the National Security Agency.
Difficult decisions
Saying that on many fronts America is leading from a position of strength, Barack Obama stressed that this nevertheless “does not mean that we can and should dictate to the world the trajectory of all events occurring in it”. “Although we are strong and will remain strong,” continued the President of the United States, “our resources and influence are not unlimited. In this complex world, many of the security problems we face do not have quick and easy solutions. The United States will always protect its own interests while maintaining its commitment to its allies and partners. ”
In this regard, it is pertinent to note that the United States, which initiated the introduction of sanctions against Russia in 2014, acknowledged the fact that Europe suffered from restriction more strongly. White House press secretary Josh Ernest on the sidelines of the G7 summit said that the European Union sacrificed a number of countries by launching appropriate restrictive measures. “The imposition of these sanctions requires more sacrifices from some European partners than from the United States,” said a White House spokesman, calling the main reason much greater integration of the European economy with the Russian, rather than the American.
However, Barack Obama said in a speech before the congress: “It is necessary to make difficult decisions among the many conflicting priorities. And we must always avoid the over-exertion of forces that occurs when decisions are made based on fear. Moreover, it is necessary to recognize that a wise strategy of national security is based not only on military power. ”
The reliance on an effective advocacy strategy, the attractiveness of culture, education, political values and the lifestyle of a mass consumer society is an attribute of the technology of dismantling political regimes. And the “color revolutions” are an effective tool for implementing the American strategy of controlled chaos. An example of this is the chaos of the Ukrainian political space as a condition that gives the United States the opportunity to create a hotbed of constant tension on the Russian border for its foreign policy wear. It also allows you to discredit the Russian Federation and its leadership to the world community with the help of the ongoing information war, to increase the degree of tension between Moscow and Brussels, so that the European Union will continue to limply agree with the US approaches towards the Russian Federation. In addition, this state of affairs guarantees preventing the formation of a new center of power in the form of a rapprochement between Russia and the PRC, stopping the integration processes in the Eurasian space, destabilizing the political situation in Russia, including by inciting ethnic hatred, activating Caucasian and Islamic factors, which generally provokes socio-economic crisis, weakens the industrial, military and scientific-modernization potential of the country.
“In the future, efforts to establish joint work with other countries to counter ideology and the root causes of violent extremism will become more important than our ability to destroy terrorists on the battlefield,” promises the American leader. “The challenges we face require strategic patience and perseverance.” We must take our responsibilities seriously and rationally strengthen the foundations of our national strength. Therefore, I intend to continue to implement a comprehensive agenda based on all the elements of the strength of our nation, an agenda that is geared to the strategic risks that we face and the favorable opportunities that we have. In doing so, I will be guided by the principles and priorities outlined in this strategy. Moreover, I will insist on drawing up and adopting such budgets that retain our strengths and advantages, and work with Congress to put an end to sequestration, which weakens our national security. ”
“Soft power”, as is known, is effective only in combination with dominance in the information sphere, thanks to which the technologies of organizing political upheavals can go unnoticed.
Ambitious agenda
Speaking about the ambitious tasks of the country, Barack Obama said: “Not everything can be done during my presidency. However, I believe that these goals are achievable, especially if we act confidently and restore the bipartisan center that has been a stronghold of American foreign policy for decades. ”
Barack Obama completely failed his foreign policy pledges, said human rights expert Medea Benjamin. During his presidency around the world, anti-American sentiment has increased, and the Al-Qaida terrorist group has not been eliminated; moreover, there has been a surge of terrorism throughout the Middle East and in Africa.
US political parties emerged in circumvention of the country's constitution (where there is not a word about them) and against the will of the founding fathers, who considered the party disastrous for national unity. They emerged as instruments of political struggle and in the conditions of polarization of opinions they become hostages of their most organized and ideologized pressure groups, promoting their agenda, often contrary to the opinion of the majority of the country's population.
The party presidency shows a heightened propensity for ideologized decisions, neglecting not only independent expertise, but also departmental professionalism. So it was during the preparation of the war in Iraq, which was conducted by a group of neoconservatives despite the fears of the State Department, the CIA and the Pentagon. Such a policy causes the alienation of the dissenting majority, undermines the credibility of political institutions as a whole. The lack of clear progress in finding ways out of the crisis, as well as in resolving painful foreign policy issues against the background of clearly inflated expectations from the Obama administration led to a decline in its popularity and weakening of the Democratic Party. According to the latest Gallup services, 53 percent of Americans negatively assess its activities, and the positive rating of Obama himself by the end of June 2014, fell to 42 percent. As a result, instead of a serious new regrouping of the electorate in favor of the Democrats, which the liberals so expected with the help of the crisis, there is a return to the approximate balance of power between the "red" and "blue" America.
Apparently, this tough confrontation will continue to continue, with serious consequences for US domestic and foreign policy. A quite likely return to power in 2017 of the Republicans will not change the situation of a political deadlock, in which the internal problems of the country are driven into the depths, and the rest of the world has to constantly react to Washington’s foreign policy zigzags.
The culmination of history
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Americans developed a number of theories about their position as the world's only superpower. The most popular of them was the one that postulated that the story came to an end in the form of the American political and economic system, since all other possibilities had exhausted or discredited themselves. The United States is the culmination of history, a system that the rest of the world should take. Americans view their society as a melting pot of many immigration subcultures, despite the dominant contribution of Protestant Anglo-Saxon culture. The policy pursued maintains a high level of American national pride, regardless of their immigration past. At the same time, secondary forms of self-identification have become common in society: African Americans, Hispanics, etc. Whites and blacks assess the achievements of the United States in establishing racial equality in different ways. According to 52, the percentage of African-American adults strongly disagree with the claim that the United States is a country where people are judged not by their skin color, but by their personal qualities. Among white citizens such turned out to be 16 percent.
“We are united by the nationwide confidence that America’s global leadership remains immutable,” Obama summed up his speech. “We recognize our exceptional role and responsibility at the moment when there is the most urgent need for our unique participation and opportunities, and when decisions we make today will help strengthen security and improve the well-being of our nation in the coming decades.”
Thus, the United States officially recognized its globalist aspirations for individual and unconditional hegemony in the conditions of a unipolar world based on the widespread use of force. The activities of the States are directed solely for the benefit of their own country. At the same time, they prefer to achieve this benefit at the expense of others and with someone else’s hands, redistributing costs and responsibilities to allies and international organizations.
Americans are convinced of their exclusivity, they are confident in the right to world domination and imposing on others their supposedly correct idea of how to live. At the same time, they are willing to act from their position of strength unilaterally in any part of the world, if they meet with disagreement with their values or resistance to their influence.
In early February, 2015, the United States announced a new national security strategy. This political memorandum was presented by US President Barack Obama. On closer examination, many of the original positions of the speech of the American leader turned out to be either, to put it mildly, inconsistent with the real state of affairs, or an attempt to pass what was desired.
“Today, the United States,” said Barack Obama, “is stronger and in the best position to take advantage of the opportunities of the new century and protect our interests from the risks of a troubled world.”But the restless world is generated by the Americans themselves. All his history The United States has participated in more than 200 wars and armed conflict, almost always acting on foreign territory. Already in this century, the United States became the direct organizers of several civil wars.
20 March 2003, with the invasion of US forces and their allies to overthrow the Saddam Hussein regime, the Iraq war began.
8 August 2008 of the year. Bloodshed in South Ossetia. The failed US attempt to start a war with Russia, using Georgia.
19 March 2011 of the year. Western countries with the filing of the United States created a reason for the invasion of Libya.
Autumn 2013 of the year. Attempt to invade Syria under the guise of protecting its citizens from the anti-people regime.
March 2014 of the year. 300 armed American mercenaries - employees of a private security firm openly land in Kiev to assist euromaidan.
September 2014 of the year. The beginning of the bombing of the territory of Iraq and Syria, controlled by ISIS terrorists, without UN sanction.
American Dreams
“Strengthening America’s economic power,” the American leader said in his speech, “is the foundation of our national security and the most important source of our influence abroad. After the Great Recession, we have created almost 11 millions of new jobs, and this is the longest period in our history of increasing employment in the private sector. Unemployment fell to its lowest level in six years. We have become the world leader in oil and gas production. We continue to set the pace for the development of science, technology and innovation in the global economy. ”
After five percent growth in 2014, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the second time this year lowered the forecast for US economic growth to 2,5 percent in 2015 and to three percent in 2016.The main reason for the future crisis could be the huge and ever-growing US government debt. Currently, its size is a record 17,786 trillion dollars. The size of public debt is constantly growing, since government spending almost always exceeds revenues. All less profitable is the banking sector. In addition, the accelerating aging of the US population is an imminent future threat. Thus, despite the growth observed at the beginning of the year, economic cyclicality will still prevail over the national economy system, which, according to experts, in the year 2015 expects a decline. This will bring a decrease in profits to American corporations, as well as a reduction in shale oil production. By the way, in May 2015 for the first time in five years, Russia came out on top in the world in terms of oil and gas production.
“We also benefit from our young and growing workforce, from a solid and diversified economy,” says the US president. “At the heart of our economic advantages lies the entrepreneurial spirit of American workers and companies.” Our higher education system is the best in the world, and every year it attracts more and more of the most talented students from all over the world ... Immigrants from all over the world are still coming to us, enriching our country with their energy and entrepreneurial talents. ”
Since 1997, in a number of countries, including the USA, the IQ of the population has been steadily falling, and half of the public schools have not reached the level of national standard indicators. 85 percent of Americans have completed secondary education, but 80 percent of the adult population do not know what a molecule is. For a long time, the need for strong mathematicians, physicists, IT-technology specialists, chemists, and US biologists is met by immigrants from the republics of the former USSR, China, India, and other countries.
“We have renewed our alliances from Europe to Asia,” reports Barack Obama.
20 April The 2015 round of talks between US and EU representatives on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTDT) began in New York on April 9. Officials on both sides of the Atlantic cite the 100 number of billions of dollars as the main argument in favor of the treaty. Allegedly, the cumulative GDP of the USA and 28 of the EU member countries will increase by that amount. First of all, there is a huge free trade zone for the population of 800 million people. All duties for EU countries and the USA will disappear, and for foreign markets, such as Russia and China, they will rise sharply. At the same time they will be equalized in the rights of the state and corporation. There will be a unification of everything, including industrial standards, qualifications and legal norms. The “super state” will coordinate more closely the legislation of the EU member states. That is, immigration loopholes at the national levels will disappear.
If you look at this process on a global scale, it becomes obvious that the United States is simultaneously approaching the conclusion of a free trade agreement with the Asia-Pacific region. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) project covers the 12 countries of the region (excluding China). TTP is intended to be an alternative to ASEAN and APEC, which the United States considers insufficiently effective. It should provide US control of the Pacific as opposed to China. The treaty with Europe will be the original basis of this system. After the conclusion of two mega-agreements, the United States will take in ticks the main competitor and geopolitical rival - China.
At present there are serious concerns that the TTIP and TTP projects will be implemented, despite all objections. Thus, the United States rely on building its own megablock, in which both Europeans and Asians will play a subordinate role. This will deal a serious blow to the concept of a multi-polar world.
All shades of hegemony
The US President also spoke about serious challenges that threaten national security, about extremism, terrorism, cyber attacks and, of course, Russian aggression threatening America.
At the same time, according to former US intelligence officer Edward Snowden, the NSA is not limited to total surveillance, but also develops offensive technologies in the network space. The goal is to disable the enemy’s infrastructure in the event of a conflict, from command centers to ATMs. Up to 40 thousands of people are engaged in electronic espionage and digital wars in the NSA, and billions are spent on this program.
As for the Russian aggression, Washington is so obviously promoting the anti-Russian line in its foreign policy that it is no secret to anyone. However, the reasons for this behavior are not those that are voiced by the State Department. While the Western media continues to demonize Russia and heighten the international situation, Washington’s most well-thought-out plans are facing new obstacles and are crumbling. Many are beginning to understand that Russian weapons are pursuing defensive ends.
Referring to the global challenges of human civilization and the accelerating impact of climate change and the outbreak of infectious diseases, Barack Obama stressed that the United States has a unique opportunity to mobilize the world community. But more and more experts say that American influence in the world is steadily declining. Increasingly, countries, including those in the Latin American region, are trying to protect themselves from the military influence and intervention of Washington. Abroad there are more than 730 US bases, most of them in Germany (305), Japan (158) and South Korea, but in general they are located in 38 countries. In addition, the US military presence is still observed in 123 states, whose peoples are increasingly protesting against foreign influence on their lives and sovereignty.
“A successful strategy for ensuring the security of the American people and advancing the interests of our national security must begin with one indisputable truth — America must be a leader,” said the US President. “Strong and sustainable American leadership is essential for the well-being and rule of the international order, as well as human dignity and the rights of all peoples ... The question is not whether America should lead or not. The question is how we should lead. ”
Different concepts of the undoubted, from the point of view of overseas political scientists, the US global leadership began to be created from the beginning of the 90s. Discussions among the political and academic elite of America are conducted only about the nature and prospects of this global leadership.
Igil, Ebola and Russia
Representatives of the Republican Party substantiate their ideas about the need to implement the concept of US hegemony by the fact that there are no countries in the world that are comparable in military power with the United States. And in these conditions it is necessary to make maximum efforts not only to strengthen, but also to increase the gap in military capabilities with other countries. And by strengthening the position of NATO in regions where the US has no strategic interests, it is possible to reduce economic and military spending. American political scientist and specialist in the history of international relations Andrew J. Bacewicz notes the following features. In particular, the implementation of imperial power lies not in direct influence on the satellites, but in the development of intermediate institutions, that is, international and regional organizations, in whose activities the United States plays a determining role. Thus, in the political establishment, a neo-imperial vision of the place and role of the United States on the world stage is formed, giving America the opportunity to spread its liberal democratic experience globally through moral persuasion and political co-optation or through violence, if necessary.
“We are leading international coalitions that are struggling with serious challenges from aggression, terrorism and disease,” said Barack Obama. “We are leading a team of 60 and more partners in a global campaign to weaken, and ultimately, defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq and Syria.”
At one time, in an interview with Vice News, Barack Obama reported that the creation of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is the result of an ill-conceived policy of the administration of President George W. Bush, as a result of which the American army invaded Iraq in 2003. The President noted that in this case only indirect wine was blamed - as a result, Al-Qaeda’s activities became very active, the branch of which was ISIS. However, the American special services did not say anything about the financing of ISIL and Al-Qaida by the American special services and the support of these organizations by the Arab sheiks, allies of the United States.
The following statement by Barack Obama deserves a special comment: “Among other things, we are working to stop the influx of foreign fighters in these countries, and at the same time exert pressure on Al-Qaida.” We are leading international efforts to stop and stop the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. Acting in tandem with our European allies, we implement tough sanctions against Russia, increasing its costs and restraining its aggression. ”
At the same time, the US Department of Defense disclosed the results of a secret meeting in early June of 2015, during which the Pentagon recognized the ineffectiveness of sanctions against Russia. The West believes that they have influenced only the Russian economy. Not seeing the intentions of Moscow to change course, the Pentagon decides to adjust its own. As an alternative to anti-Russian sanctions, it increases the military support of European countries.
Potential difference
“We are trying to create historical opportunities for ourselves,” says the President of the United States. “The rebalancing of our efforts towards Asia and the Pacific leads to a deepening of ties with all new allies and partners. After implementing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, we will get new opportunities in trade and investment, as well as new high-quality jobs at home and in the whole region, where more than 40 percent of world trade is carried out. We are ready to unleash the full potential of our relationship with India. ”
The development of Russian-Indian military cooperation has confused Washington with all the maps. Strengthening military ties with New Delhi, he planned to replay Moscow’s diplomatic successes in Asia and deepen the contradictions between India and China.
The strategy failed. Contradictions between the two largest countries of Asia exist, but their opposition in severity is much inferior to the confrontation between the United States and China.
Contrary to the official rhetoric of high-ranking representatives, who arrogantly argue in public about the growing bilateral cooperation and the possible establishment of new type of relations between the great powers, in reality in the American-Chinese relations the spirit of rivalry is strong, not to mention the fundamental differences in ideology, value system, political-economic models.
The confrontation between the United States and China can be most intense in connection with the idea actively promoted by Beijing to create a new regional security system in the Asia-Pacific Region, which should replace the currently functioning, based mainly on bilateral allied US relations with five countries in the region. Based on statements made by Chinese high-ranking officials in Washington over the past year, Beijing concluded that it intends to stimulate the creation of a new regional security system without US participation, based on the principle of "Asia for Asians."
Barack Obama also spoke about increasing investments in Africa, which, according to the American president, hastens the access of this fast-growing region to energy, health care and food security.
In recent years, the US military expansion on the African continent has become increasingly apparent. Russian experts have already noted that the struggle for Africa initially manifested itself in the appearance of pirates off the coast of Somalia. The growth of their activity occurred in the 2006 – 2007 years - the beginning of the active implementation of China’s economic program for the development of Africa. There is reason to believe that this activity is monitored and directed. It is worth noting that the main opponents of the adoption of international legislation on combating piracy are the United States and the United Kingdom, blocking relevant initiatives promoted by other countries at the UN level. It is obvious that the center of foreign activity of the Pentagon moves from Europe to the eastern and southern regions of the globe, and military bases are lined up along the so-called arc of instability, which stretches from Africa through the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central and South Asia to the Korean Peninsula. In fact, there is a global redistribution of the American military presence. In October, 2008 was created a special unit - the African Command of the US Armed Forces (AFRICOM), symbolizing the desire of the United States to expand its military presence in the Black Continent. The action theater of the African Command extends to 53 countries. The USA and France are still the largest players on this scene. But the relationship between them is more like a rivalry. It is most clearly manifested in the desire to provide its largest companies with access to African oil resources.
Thus, the analysis of the argumentation of the American leadership’s justification of its globalist ambitions testifies, on the one hand, to a clear misconception and reappraisal of opportunities and democratic gains, and on the other, to deliberately rigging and distorting the information that becomes the basis of the national strategy.
The desire of the United States at all costs to maintain the leading geopolitical position is the main content of their foreign policy, which is stated openly in the new national security strategy.
The traditional message to US Congress President Barack Obama, voiced by him in February 2015, was in fact a development of the theme of American exclusivity. Calling for “to try to demand from ourselves actions in accordance with the highest standards — our own,” the US president did not even recall the norms of international law. In general, this statement, like the memorandum itself, can be considered primarily a tool to manipulate public consciousness within its own state, in the camp of today's and potential allies, as well as in countries that risk disagreeing with the values, interests and strategic goals of the United States.
In the name of democracy and human rights
Introducing the new US national security strategy, Barack Obama said that Americans are still determined to implement the Prague agenda, including preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. “At present,” the American leader said, “we are checking whether it is possible to find a comprehensive solution to convince the world community that the Iranian nuclear program is peaceful ... We are strengthening our own energy security by taking breakthrough emissions with China greenhouse gases ... We are creating an international consensus aimed at curbing climate change, as well as global standards for cybersecurity and creating an international mechanism for disrupting and studying chi berrorz ".
Commenting on this statement, first of all it is worth noting: the Kyoto Protocol of the Russian Federation signed in 1998 – 1999 was ratified in 2004, and in 2006 – 2010 it was actively implemented in practice. In the USA, until recently it was not even ratified. As for cyber threats, according to a study by the British company NCC Group at the end of 2012, it was the United States that was the leader among the rest of the countries in terms of the number of outgoing hacker attacks.“We are playing a leading role in shaping the international agenda for the period after 2015 of the year to eradicate extreme poverty and ensure sustainable development with regard to future needs, giving priority to women and young people,” Barack Obama said. “We support all this with our enduring devotion to the promotion of democracy and human rights, creating new coalitions to fight corruption ... In the process of this activity we support democratic transformations, and also turn to the main driving force of change for the new century - youth and entrepreneurs” .
This statement sounds particularly strong against the background of the fact that, according to the American specialized publication California Prison Focus, there has not yet been a society in the history of mankind that would keep as many of its members in prisons as the United States. If we add to the number of prisoners Americans who are subject to conditional and parole procedures, it turns out that, in fact, the punishment system covers a total of 7,3 million people, that is, approximately every fortieth resident of the country or every twentieth adult.
As for corruption, according to the data of the organization Transparancy international 36, the percent of Americans believe that its level in the United States has greatly increased, and only seven percent has gone down. 38 percent of respondents believe: corruption is a serious problem for America and only six people from 100 think the opposite. 76 percent of Americans stated that political parties are corrupt.
According to a Gallup poll in June 2014, the level of trust of US residents in government bodies fell to extremely low levels. The presidential rating dropped to a six-year low and amounted to 29 percent, and for the Supreme Court and Congress a historical anti-record was established - only 30 and 7 percent of trust, respectively.
The power of example
“I believe,” said Barack Obama, “that America is at its best as a leader when we draw strength from our hopes, not from our fears. To be successful, we need to use the power of our own example. And this means that we should regard loyalty to our values as an advantage, not as an inconvenience. That's why I'm working to ensure that America has the necessary capabilities to respond to threats from abroad, while acting in accordance with our values: prohibit the use of torture, advocate restrictions on the use of new techniques such as Dronesstand by our commitment to civil liberties and privacy."
The American media portray their country as a society of abundance, freedom, and general welfare. The general dynamism of the population is emphasized, such characteristic features of life as credit on credit, automation and computerization stand out. The American way of life is unthinkable without a high degree of religious pluralism, which was originally laid down in the genesis of North American civilization.
They believe that competition discovers the best in a person, forcing everyone to do everything in their power. For many US Peace Corps volunteers working as teachers in various educational institutions in developing countries, the lack of competition in the class is of great concern: what seemed to be one of the universal human characteristics turns out to be a local value in real life.
American values contradictly combine Christian love with religious fanaticism, science, progress and humanity - with cultural limitations, the idea of group supremacy and racism, puritan ethics - with increasing flexibility of sexual morality, democratic ideals of equality and freedom - with totalitarian tendencies.
In November, 2014 of the United Nations Committee against Torture expressed concern about the persistent inability of the United States to fully investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment of suspects held in custody, and urged the country to ensure that the perpetrators and their accomplices, including commanders and those providing legal cover for torture.
This was preceded by a similar appeal from the UN Human Rights Committee in April. Both committees called on the United States to declassify and publish the full version of the report of the United States Senate Intelligence Committee (KSDR) on the CIA's secret detention program.
As for the statements of the American president regarding the drones, the United States is the world leader in the production of UAVs and is actively using them in military operations in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In February, 2015, the United States announced that it would allow third-country governments to export military UAVs, and buyers would have to give only certain guarantees regarding the use of machines.
The so-called Freedom Act in the United States, adopted by the Senate 67 with votes for, is a continuation of the Patriot Act approved in 2001. He significantly expanded the rights of special services to counter terrorists, including in terms of collecting personal data and wiretapping. The new law resumes the surveillance program, but with other powers of the National Security Agency.
Difficult decisions
Saying that on many fronts America is leading from a position of strength, Barack Obama stressed that this nevertheless “does not mean that we can and should dictate to the world the trajectory of all events occurring in it”. “Although we are strong and will remain strong,” continued the President of the United States, “our resources and influence are not unlimited. In this complex world, many of the security problems we face do not have quick and easy solutions. The United States will always protect its own interests while maintaining its commitment to its allies and partners. ”
In this regard, it is pertinent to note that the United States, which initiated the introduction of sanctions against Russia in 2014, acknowledged the fact that Europe suffered from restriction more strongly. White House press secretary Josh Ernest on the sidelines of the G7 summit said that the European Union sacrificed a number of countries by launching appropriate restrictive measures. “The imposition of these sanctions requires more sacrifices from some European partners than from the United States,” said a White House spokesman, calling the main reason much greater integration of the European economy with the Russian, rather than the American.
However, Barack Obama said in a speech before the congress: “It is necessary to make difficult decisions among the many conflicting priorities. And we must always avoid the over-exertion of forces that occurs when decisions are made based on fear. Moreover, it is necessary to recognize that a wise strategy of national security is based not only on military power. ”
The reliance on an effective advocacy strategy, the attractiveness of culture, education, political values and the lifestyle of a mass consumer society is an attribute of the technology of dismantling political regimes. And the “color revolutions” are an effective tool for implementing the American strategy of controlled chaos. An example of this is the chaos of the Ukrainian political space as a condition that gives the United States the opportunity to create a hotbed of constant tension on the Russian border for its foreign policy wear. It also allows you to discredit the Russian Federation and its leadership to the world community with the help of the ongoing information war, to increase the degree of tension between Moscow and Brussels, so that the European Union will continue to limply agree with the US approaches towards the Russian Federation. In addition, this state of affairs guarantees preventing the formation of a new center of power in the form of a rapprochement between Russia and the PRC, stopping the integration processes in the Eurasian space, destabilizing the political situation in Russia, including by inciting ethnic hatred, activating Caucasian and Islamic factors, which generally provokes socio-economic crisis, weakens the industrial, military and scientific-modernization potential of the country.
“In the future, efforts to establish joint work with other countries to counter ideology and the root causes of violent extremism will become more important than our ability to destroy terrorists on the battlefield,” promises the American leader. “The challenges we face require strategic patience and perseverance.” We must take our responsibilities seriously and rationally strengthen the foundations of our national strength. Therefore, I intend to continue to implement a comprehensive agenda based on all the elements of the strength of our nation, an agenda that is geared to the strategic risks that we face and the favorable opportunities that we have. In doing so, I will be guided by the principles and priorities outlined in this strategy. Moreover, I will insist on drawing up and adopting such budgets that retain our strengths and advantages, and work with Congress to put an end to sequestration, which weakens our national security. ”
“Soft power”, as is known, is effective only in combination with dominance in the information sphere, thanks to which the technologies of organizing political upheavals can go unnoticed.
Ambitious agenda
Speaking about the ambitious tasks of the country, Barack Obama said: “Not everything can be done during my presidency. However, I believe that these goals are achievable, especially if we act confidently and restore the bipartisan center that has been a stronghold of American foreign policy for decades. ”
Barack Obama completely failed his foreign policy pledges, said human rights expert Medea Benjamin. During his presidency around the world, anti-American sentiment has increased, and the Al-Qaida terrorist group has not been eliminated; moreover, there has been a surge of terrorism throughout the Middle East and in Africa.
US political parties emerged in circumvention of the country's constitution (where there is not a word about them) and against the will of the founding fathers, who considered the party disastrous for national unity. They emerged as instruments of political struggle and in the conditions of polarization of opinions they become hostages of their most organized and ideologized pressure groups, promoting their agenda, often contrary to the opinion of the majority of the country's population.
The party presidency shows a heightened propensity for ideologized decisions, neglecting not only independent expertise, but also departmental professionalism. So it was during the preparation of the war in Iraq, which was conducted by a group of neoconservatives despite the fears of the State Department, the CIA and the Pentagon. Such a policy causes the alienation of the dissenting majority, undermines the credibility of political institutions as a whole. The lack of clear progress in finding ways out of the crisis, as well as in resolving painful foreign policy issues against the background of clearly inflated expectations from the Obama administration led to a decline in its popularity and weakening of the Democratic Party. According to the latest Gallup services, 53 percent of Americans negatively assess its activities, and the positive rating of Obama himself by the end of June 2014, fell to 42 percent. As a result, instead of a serious new regrouping of the electorate in favor of the Democrats, which the liberals so expected with the help of the crisis, there is a return to the approximate balance of power between the "red" and "blue" America.
Apparently, this tough confrontation will continue to continue, with serious consequences for US domestic and foreign policy. A quite likely return to power in 2017 of the Republicans will not change the situation of a political deadlock, in which the internal problems of the country are driven into the depths, and the rest of the world has to constantly react to Washington’s foreign policy zigzags.
The culmination of history
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Americans developed a number of theories about their position as the world's only superpower. The most popular of them was the one that postulated that the story came to an end in the form of the American political and economic system, since all other possibilities had exhausted or discredited themselves. The United States is the culmination of history, a system that the rest of the world should take. Americans view their society as a melting pot of many immigration subcultures, despite the dominant contribution of Protestant Anglo-Saxon culture. The policy pursued maintains a high level of American national pride, regardless of their immigration past. At the same time, secondary forms of self-identification have become common in society: African Americans, Hispanics, etc. Whites and blacks assess the achievements of the United States in establishing racial equality in different ways. According to 52, the percentage of African-American adults strongly disagree with the claim that the United States is a country where people are judged not by their skin color, but by their personal qualities. Among white citizens such turned out to be 16 percent.
“We are united by the nationwide confidence that America’s global leadership remains immutable,” Obama summed up his speech. “We recognize our exceptional role and responsibility at the moment when there is the most urgent need for our unique participation and opportunities, and when decisions we make today will help strengthen security and improve the well-being of our nation in the coming decades.”
Thus, the United States officially recognized its globalist aspirations for individual and unconditional hegemony in the conditions of a unipolar world based on the widespread use of force. The activities of the States are directed solely for the benefit of their own country. At the same time, they prefer to achieve this benefit at the expense of others and with someone else’s hands, redistributing costs and responsibilities to allies and international organizations.
Americans are convinced of their exclusivity, they are confident in the right to world domination and imposing on others their supposedly correct idea of how to live. At the same time, they are willing to act from their position of strength unilaterally in any part of the world, if they meet with disagreement with their values or resistance to their influence.
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