Who would have thought that the U.S. political class is now feverishly distancing itself from the Iraq war? After years of a genocidal, unethical and illegal war, everyone is now anxious to claim that he / she voted against it, spoke out against it. How times have changed. Hillary Clinton is continually having to fend off a barrage of attacks for her support for this war. Who would have believed that someone would have the guts to stand up and publicly call out George W Bush? For “lying,” creating a pretext for war?
Who would have believed that no politician wants to be part of the Washington “establishment,” is proud to be an “outsider.” The Republican establishment is reeling to control a rampant and victorious outsider, Donald Trump. The Democratic establishment is, likewise, watching wearily the advance of the “democratic socialist” Bernie Sanders. And, to top it all, proverbial Evangelicals are voting against the Republican establishment.
Who would have believed that there is a dawning recognition that it is U.S. war — in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, its Assad Must Go campaign, its part in killing the leaders of Iraq and Libya — that has created ISIS and brought terrorism closer to home? After years of denial?
Who would have believed that, now, the popular wisdom is that all those trading blocs, NAFTA, CAFTA, TPP, have been / would be ruinous to U.S. manufacture and trade; and the wages and survival of the American worker? And the populists are rushing like lemmings to disown, contradict and repeal them? And opting for protectionism?
Who would have believed that the corporate owners of the American government would have come under such vicious attack? Proclaiming independence from corporate ownership, Bernie Sanders is raising small donations, averaging $27 dollars; and Donald Trump is using his own money; to fund their campaigns. Former presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, in a speech endorsing Republican Tex Cruz, has called the U.S. government the “Washington Cartel.”
Who would have believed that the corporate media of the U.S. could have been called out? It has been called the most “dishonest” institution by Donald Trump, “more dishonest than politicians.” And for once, this media, with its panoply of well-placed pollsters, experts, pundits, spin doctors has not been able to force the agenda; has been, at each turn, wrong in its forecasts.
And who would have believed that everyone, business. president and commoner alike, are now rushing to get into Cuba? After branding this island state a terrorist nation, dictatorial and murderous? After a 50-year embargo, scores of attempts to destabilize it, starve it, and assassinate its leader? Who would have believed?
Who would have believed, that after decades of wars against Socialism, in Latin America, South East Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the left is gaining ground in America? As the right digs in its heels in Latin America and senior cadres decline — Chavez, Maduro, Fernandez de Kirchner and Morales — the left is pilgrimaging its way into the mecca of global capitalism.
Who would have believed that Donald Trump says he intends to take a neutral position on the bloody historical Israel / Palestine imbroglio? For the sake of making a negotiated deal? It would be most difficult he says, but he would give his best shot. Ted Cruz scoffs at him and calls him unpatriotic, a liberal Democrat. Donald Trump is trumping him in the polls.
Is American society coming of age? Or is America in the throes of a false dawn? If America continues to deal recklessly, bloodily, in trade and war, with the world, it would be defeated, to put it euphemistically. If it reforms, there are enormous possibilities.
