"He who forgets history is bound to repeat it." - Winston Churchill
Dwight D. Eisenhower's Farewell Address January 17, 1961
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together. MORE
Bush is no statesman. He has conspired to undermine the very principles of freedom he is sworn to defend. The forces of the rich and powerful drive government and foreign policy. Our tax dollars and the tax dollars of our children are poured by the billions into the wealthy's pockets, in a grand giveaway. It's no coincident that the amount of tax cuts and giveaways to the rich are on the order of all of the tax dollars taken from the rich through income and corporate taxes since the New Deal policies of FDR. We need to learn in detail how they have done this, so they will never do so ever again.
Corporations like Halliburton and Carlyle group have incredible influence on foreign policy in the United States. You can see from the article below, they strive for influence throughout the world to further market their wares. Thanks to Seeing the Forest for a link to this article on corporate ties to foreign policy makers. Former political officials retire to consult as policy analysts to current political officials and corporate think tanks.
SFGate.org
The Carlyle Group, as in a secretive Washington, D.C., investment firm managing some $14 billion in assets, including stakes in a number of defense- related companies. Carlyle counts among its chieftains former Defense Secretary (and deputy CIA Director) Frank Carlucci, former Secretary of State James Baker and, most notably, former President George Bush. Until October, the Carlyle Group also maintained financial ties with none other than the family of Osama bin Laden, but those links were severed when it was agreed that the relationship was becoming a tad embarrassing for all concerned.
[...]The Carlyle Group has cultivated and enjoyed a decidedly low profile for the past 14 years. Yet it has succeeded in attracting to its ranks not just a who's who of Republican bigwigs but also a dazzling array of international politicos.
John Major, the former British prime minister, is a Carlyle adviser, as are former Philippine President Fidel Ramos and former Thai Premier Anand Panyarachun. So is a former president of Germany's Bundesbank and a former head of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Connected? That's an understatement where Carlyle is concerned. And because the Carlyle Group remains privately held, it is not required to disclose details of its investments or business activities. It is commonly known, though, that the firm favors the defense and aerospace sectors, with a wide array of investments in Pentagon affiliates. "Their defense holdings are quite extensive," said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a Washington public interest law firm. "Because of their investments, they are a major contractor for the Pentagon." Among Carlyle's holdings is United Defense Industries, a maker of armed vehicles and weapons, which filed in October 2001 to raise up to $300 million in an initial public offering of its shares.
Judicial Watch filed suit last week to obtain documents shedding light on Carlyle business activities undertaken by President Bush's father, who reportedly met with bin Laden's family in Saudi Arabia at least twice prior to the Sept. 11 attacks. He also has had dealings with a variety of foreign governments. "The appearance is awful," Fitton said. "For the father of our current president to be doing business with foreign governments, there is a clear conflict of interest."
Carlyle spokesman Chris Ullman said the elder Bush does little more than give speeches on Carlyle's behalf when abroad and does not call up his son to lobby for Carlyle's business interests. Ullman also said there is nothing improper about the Carlyle Group's phenomenal political connections throughout the world. "These are all former government officials who have chosen to team with us in various capacities," he said. "I stress the fact that they are former government officials."
Critics of the Carlyle Group have grown increasingly vocal in recent weeks, particularly over the perception that a private organization with unmistakable links to the White House is benefiting from America's military action in Afghanistan.
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