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Cynthia McKinney Interview: What Are The Prospects For Peace?

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Q. Here's a chicken-or-egg question: The U.S. accuses both Russia and China of rapidly expanding their military capabilities, claiming its own posturing and increase in weaponry is a response to its hostile adversaries, Russia and China. Both Russia and China claim they are merely responding to intimidation and military threats posed by the U.S. What's your view? Do Russia and China have imperial ambitions or are they just trying to defend themselves against what they see as an increasingly aggressive U.S. military?

A. Interesting. I have visited Malaysia many times; it has a vibrant population of people from India and China. Yet, I was in the audience when Tun Dr. Mahathir stated that Malaysians had less to fear from the Chinese than they did from the British. In fact, the U.S. and their cousin English colonizers are responsible for the trafficking of individual Indians and Chinese all over the world. Add to that, the annihilations by French conquerors and Spanish Conquistadores and you're talking about the murders and subjugation of untold millions of individuals. The U.S. allies were not the victims of the colonial atrocities of Spain, Britain, France, Belgium, Holland. U.S. allies are the perpetrators of incalculable physical and psychological pain in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Interestingly, the friends to the colonized peoples were the Soviet Union and Mao's China, which was divided as a result of U.S. hegemony over Taiwan and Britain's sovereignty over Hong Kong. Neither Russia nor China, at their worst, can count the globally pervasive international crimes against humanity that are owned by the so-called West. Even worse, the U.S. has turned those reprehensible international behaviors onto the people of the U.S. Even going so far as testing potential bioweapons on the U.S. domestic population.

Q. The U.S. always denies that it has imperial ambitions. Most unbiased experts say that by any objective standards, the U.S. is an empire; indeed the most powerful, sprawling empire in history. Does the U.S. have to be an empire to be successful in the world and effectively protect and serve its citizenry?

A. Well, it depends on how one defines success and what it means to effectively protect and serve U.S. citizens. Clearly, the U.S. empire is successful for some people and it protects and serves some people. I have learned to always believe the opposite of U.S. government proclamations. In the words of a former U.S. President, "Trust, But Verify."

Q. The highest ranking commanders of the U.S. military recently sounded the alarm. They have concluded that the U.S. widely regarded as the most formidable military power in history can't defeat either Russia or China in a war. These military commanders are saying we need to dramatically increase our military capabilities. What do you make of this claim and the resulting demand for more DOD spending?

A. The "Missile Gap" propaganda won't work a second time, although it's probably true this time around! And, more than likely, it would be Russia AND China against the U.S. because U.S. policy has driven the two countries into a "Strategic Partnership." The Pentagon shouldn't receive another penny until they pass an independent forensic audit with prosecutions for fraud. Military contractors should be treated worse than the insatiable welfare queens that they are. If the military cannot fight either Russia or China, let alone the two of them together, it is the fault of the military and the Members of Congress who have allowed the complete mismanagement and neglect of true U.S. national security. Members of Congress and the Executive have misdirected true U.S. national security for generations and gotten away with it. The impunity must end. And justice must be meted out to those guilty of the treachery. Unless stern action is taken, and those who have been irresponsible with taxpayers' dollars and U.S. national security are confronted publicly with their actions, the only thing that will happen is that yet another generation of criminals will move into positions of public trust.

Q. In 2009, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton announced a reset with Russia, heralding greater cooperation and understanding. By 2014, Obama had made a sharp reversal. A sweeping regime of sanctions has since been imposed on Russia to cripple its economy. Hillary Clinton and the Democrats now relentlessly demonize Russia and Putin, blaming them for every imaginable ill. Both in the media and from official pronouncements by government officials, Russia has become the favorite whipping boy for both the U.S. and its "special friend", Great Britain. Why? What happened?

A. I believe the people of the U.S. would choose peace and a multipolar international political structure rooted in truth, justice, and dignity if they were engaged as important partners in an information-laden, transparent national dialogue.

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John Rachel has a B.A. in Philosophy, and has written eight novels and three political non-fiction books. His political articles have appeared at OpEdNews, Russia Insider, The Greanville Post, and other alternative media outlets. Since (more...)
 

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