The American Empire Under Donald Trump Has Become Increasingly Desperate, Dangerous & Insecure
Sun 11:39 am +00:00, 23 Apr 2017 2
Posted Friday Apr 21, 2017 at 11:29 am
My current working hypothesis is that the U.S. is a late-stage empire about to enter a more serious and dangerous period of collapse. In case you missed it, I outlined my broad brush view in the very popular recent post, Prepare for Impact – This is the Beginning of the End for U.S. Empire. Here’s a brief excerpt:
I believe last night’s strike represents the beginning of the end for U.S. empire. Although the U.S. has been declining domestically for this entire century, America has still been calling all the shots on the international front. This makes sense in late-stage empire, as the focus of the fat and happy “elite” becomes singularly obsessed with domination and power, while the situation back home festers and rots.
Trump won on an “America first” platform that promised to emphasize the well-being of American citizens over geopolitical adventurism. We now know for certain he’s been manipulated into the imperial mindset, and his recklessness will merely accelerate U.S. decline on the world stage, and in turn, back home.
When I came across reports yesterday that the U.S. Justice Department is trying to figure out a way to prosecute the world’s most courageous and effective news publisher, Wikileaks’ Julian Assange, I immediately saw it to be further evidence of the incredible insecurity and desperation of the American establishment.
The CIA is particularly enraged at Assange as a result of last month’s initial Vault 7 release. Rather than apologize for allowing zero day exploits in large tech companies to remain open and therefore vulnerable to hacking from anyone with the skills to do so (see: CIA Hacking Tools Allow for an Unaccountable Intelligence Agency Dictatorship), CIA director Mike Pompeo decided to respond with an unhinged nervous breakdown during a recent speech to the Saudi funded Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Here are a few excerpts from his deranged, incoherent, and unconstitutional remarks courtesy of the CIA:
WikiLeaks walks like a hostile intelligence service and talks like a hostile intelligence service. It has encouraged its followers to find jobs at CIA in order to obtain intelligence. It directed Chelsea Manning in her theft of specific secret information. And it overwhelmingly focuses on the United States, while seeking support from anti-democratic countries and organizations.
This is what’s called “projection.”
It is time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is – a non-state hostile intelligence service often abetted by state actors like Russia. In January of this year, our Intelligence Community determined that Russian military intelligence—the GRU—had used WikiLeaks to release data of US victims that the GRU had obtained through cyber operations against the Democratic National Committee. And the report also found that Russia’s primary propaganda outlet, RT, has actively collaborated with WikiLeaks.
We know this because Assange and his ilk make common cause with dictators today. Yes, they try unsuccessfully to cloak themselves and their actions in the language of liberty and privacy; in reality, however, they champion nothing but their own celebrity. Their currency is clickbait; their moral compass, nonexistent. Their mission: personal self-aggrandizement through the destruction of Western values.
They do not care about the causes and people they claim to represent. If they did, they would focus instead on the autocratic regimes in this world that actually suppress free speech and dissent. Instead, they choose to exploit the legitimate secrets of democratic governments—which has, so far, proven to be a much safer approach than provoking a tyrant.
More projection.
No, Julian Assange and his kind are not the slightest bit interested in improving civil liberties or enhancing personal freedom. They have pretended that America’s First Amendment freedoms shield them from justice. They may have believed that, but they are wrong.
Assange is a narcissist who has created nothing of value. He relies on the dirty work of others to make himself famous. He is a fraud—a coward hiding behind a screen.
Really? Seems to me he’s created the most powerful and impactful media organization of the 21st century, which is precisely why you hate his guts.
And in Kansas, we know something about false Wizards.
So we face a crucial question: What can we do about this? What can and should CIA, the United States, and our allies do about the unprecedented challenge posed by these hostile non-state intelligence agencies?
While there is no quick fix—no foolproof cure—there are steps that we can take to undercut the danger. First, it is high time we called out those who grant a platform to these leakers and so-called transparency activists. We know the danger that Assange and his not-so-merry band of brothers pose to democracies around the world. Ignorance or misplaced idealism is no longer an acceptable excuse for lionizing these demons.
Third, we have to recognize that we can no longer allow Assange and his colleagues the latitude to use free speech values against us. To give them the space to crush us with misappropriated secrets is a perversion of what our great Constitution stands for. It ends now.
And finally—and perhaps most importantly—we need to deepen the trust between the Intelligence Community and the citizens we strive to protect.
Deepen the trust? There is no trust.
At CIA, I can assure you that we are committed to earning that trust every day. We know we can never take it for granted. We must continue to be as open as possible with the American people so that our society can reach informed judgments on striking the proper balance between individual privacy and national security.
The first thing to appreciate from the above excerpts is how uncollected and unhinged Mike Pompeo appears to be, and let’s also not forget that Donald Trump appointed Pompeo of his own volition. Much of his commentary centers around simple name calling, for instance referring to Assange as a “narcissist,” a “false wizard” and a “demon” in the span of just a few short paragraphs. His seemingly unstable emotional state certainly doesn’t give me a lot faith in the CIA, not that I had much to begin with.
Moving along, Pompeo’s entire rant is filled with projection. First let’s define Psychological Projection:
Psychological projection is a theory in psychology in which humans defend themselves against their own unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others. For example, a person who is habitually rude may constantly accuse other people of being rude. It incorporates blame shifting.
Pompeo exhibits this behavior repeatedly in his remarks. For instance, he accuses Assange of “seeking support from anti-democratic countries and organizations.”
I mean, that’s basically the CIA’s mission statement, and its entire history is filled to the brim with “seeking support from anti-democratic countries and organizations.”
Moving along, he states “Assange and his ilk make common cause with dictators today,” and also says about Wikileaks, “they do not care about the causes and people they claim to represent.”
Both of these statements summarize U.S. foreign policy to a tee. After all, one of America’s closest foreign allies, Saudi Arabia, is not only one of the world’s most repressive, undemocratic states, it is also one of the leading propagators of radical Islamic terrorism across the globe, including the attacks of 9/11 (for more see: Meet the Lawyer Who’s Suing Saudi Arabia for Financing the 9/11 Attacks).
Finally, Pompeo justifies his attack on the First Amendment by pushing a false “us versus them mentality.” He states:
Third, we have to recognize that we can no longer allow Assange and his colleagues the latitude to use free speech values against us.
This implies that Assange and Wikileaks represent “the enemy,” while the CIA is somehow some shining white night. Unfortunately for Pompeo, this isn’t how many Americans see the situation.
Let’s recall the following tweet, and understand that John Harwood’s following isn’t exactly filled with anti-establishment types.
You can say that’s not a scientific poll, and that’s fine, but I’d argue a large percentage of Americans think Wikileaks is more patriotic than the CIA, and that poses an enormous problem for the deep state.
In fact, Americans as a whole no longer trust most of the institutions charged with managing the U.S. empire, because those institutions have completely and utterly failed the people. The only way to regain trust is to actually start doing some decent things for the nation, but that’s not what happens in late-stage empire. In late-stage empire, the corrupt and foolish “ruling class” continues to double and triple down on their own stupidity and theft until the whole thing falls apart. This is precisely what I expect to happen, and the ongoing Assange witch-hunt simply further confirms my suspicions.
To further prove the point, take a look at the following excerpt from CNN’s article on the topic:
US authorities have prepared charges to seek the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, US officials familiar with the matter tell CNN.
The Justice Department investigation of Assange and WikiLeaks dates to at least 2010, when the site first gained wide attention for posting thousands of files stolen by the former US Army intelligence analyst now known as Chelsea Manning.
Prosecutors have struggled with whether the First Amendment precluded the prosecution of Assange, but now believe they have found a way to move forward.
Think about what you just read for a minute. The DOJ apparently spent 7 years trying to figure out how to void the First Amendment, yet it couldn’t jail a single bank executive during that entire time. What does this tell you about where the government’s priorities lie? Even more disturbingly, it doesn’t matter which Goldman Sachs/deep state puppet sits in the White House, the agenda moves forward. It is an imperial agenda to protect and secure the wealth and power of the few against the well being and liberty of the many.
The U.S. empire doesn’t work for the people, it works for a small handful of elitists and insiders who have completely gamed a corrupt system for their advantage. The America people are starting to figure this out, partly due to the journalism of Wikileaks, which is why the deep state hates Assange so passionately.
The American empire is becoming increasingly insecure and desperate, which also makes it increasingly dangerous. Empires don’t reform, and as we can see from Trump’s first 100 days, we certainly aren’t going to see a reversal of course from him.
We the people need to keep our eye on the prize and stop bickering with one another over relatively trivial issues. That is precisely what the status quo wants and actively encourages us to do. They can’t keep us oppressed if we stand together, so let’s not make their jobs easier by constantly fighting with one another. We need to stand tall and say enough is enough. That we are sick of your puppets, your wars and your Wall Street bailouts. America is tired of being controlled by a small group of unaccountable, incompetent, greedy, unethical crooks running around stealing everything in sight.
Enough is enough.
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In Liberty,
Michael Krieger
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23 Comments
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Excellent analysis without question.
Well said. Hear hear!
Well said. The interesting revelation about Pompeo’s rant is how self deluded the apex elite’s managerial class has become in their thinking that they still control the conversation and that they also think their bluster and lying still passes muster with the thinking public.
Out of context, but telling in a Freudian way, are Pompeo’s words “…of what our great Constitution stands for. It ends now.”
While the managerial class is becoming more desperate in trying to control the situation and save their positions in serving their masters on Wall Street and beyond the Masters still see the situation as holding as their mechanisms for control, power and wealth extraction continue unabated. As long as they have control without challenge over the issuance, or withdrawal, of money and credit to the entire world economy, all created as debt as the primary control mechanism, these Masters feel secure in their ability to orchestrate any problem they wish to create, controlling the reaction and offering their solution. And they are correct in this assumption as long as they can keep this their omnipotent power over all from being discussed by the ordinary folk “that unfortunately populate the planet” – Banker David Lang speaking to a convention of bankers at the roll out of the Global Environment Facility Bank which as an adjunct to the World Bank writes off debt in exchange for sovereign land, complete with the usual ‘structural adjustments” such as the IMF enforces.
The people still do not see the larger structure and are still arguing over what the managerial class is doing to their precious Republic when that republic disappeared long ago through indenture to the banking class.
As an addendum I found this interview of a financial insider at the managerial level of the real world operational structure to be most enlightening and chilling to the bone. His message was “Unite. Unite.” “and this shit storm will end instantly.”
I think it is a mistake to talk/write of a US empire. The US state is the leader of the empire of global capital. All other capitalist states line up behind US leadership, and it looks like it will stay that way as long as the empire of global capital remains functional. There are many signs that the system has already broken down, but I fear current trends because they portend a global fascism. There are some counter-currents, points of resistance, but Donald Trump is a strange attractor if there ever was one. Chaos resolves itself into a new system, but the successor to the current one looks as dark as dark can be.
Interesting analysis, yet I tend to agree with Geoffreyskoll that the empire is bigger than the nation-state. Anyway, not exactly to the point but an observation: A lot of folks voted for Trump because they believed he was going to stick it to the status quo elites. Yep, that Trump who “loved” Wikileaks. If, by now, people cannot see that their vote Does.Not.Matter. and they continue to serve the deep state/global empire by participating in the democracy charade, the future is very bleak indeed.
Re: “The people still do not see the larger structure …” – they cannot ‘see’ the true picture of reality because it is deliberately obfuscated by ridiculous terminology… how about just plain ole, ‘The plutocrats control the supply of money… they turn the spigot off and on at will’. How about “the authority to create money belongs to the people (see the Constitution)… not private banks! …. let’s exercise that power (see the N.E.E.D. bill introduced by Kucinich; check Wiki for ‘The Chicago Plan Revisited’, etc, etc…. all the info is out there)… how can ‘we’ do any worse that the Fed/Bank Cartel that that brought us… Great Depresson, Great Recession, bubble after bubble, etc.
And when the collapse gets serious, we can create our own money!! The colonies did it (among many other societies)… it worked well, and the BoE decided to eliminate it.
“Wikileaks is a non-state hostile intelligence service….”
No, no, Wikileaks is a counterintelligence organization. A fourth check and balance. Since the other three have been compromised.
“Psychological projection is a theory in psychology in which humans defend themselves against their own unconscious impulses or qualities (both positive and negative) by denying their existence in themselves while attributing them to others. For example, a person who is habitually rude may constantly accuse other people of being rude. It incorporates blame shifting.”
This sums it up pretty well, and that goes for the douchebags up top and unbelievably still the vast majority of the people.
I feel that anyone who agrees with Mr. Mike Pompeo and his Chaos- Instigation-Association. condones absolute, decades long criminal behavior.
By continuing your support for the establishment what you are saying Mr. & Mrs. America is that YOU support umpteen acts of the most egregious examples of hypocrisy, brutality, subversive meddling, murder, rape and plunder. May you feel absolute shame for your ignorance and indifference to the worlds suffering, maybe then you may begin to feel something again.
https://ourgreaterdestiny.wordpress.com/2017/04/21/gov-website-for-operation-gotham-shield-drill-apr-24-26-2017-connect-the-dots/
“….cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion….” George Washington’s Farewell Address.
https://christiantruther.com/government/trump/bombshell-trumps-son-law-jared-kushner-tied-elite-caused-911/
Where has the writer of this lame piece of opinionated rhetoric been for the last 20+ years? The entire world has “Become Increasingly Desperate, Dangerous & Insecure”, not like it all just happened under Trump’s watch! Just like Liberals though, never accounting for their own failed attributes…and always blaming someone else Pffffffft.
Here’s a question. Why do people so ignorant and uniformed as yourself feel the need to spout off while knowing absolutely nothing?
Where have I been the last 8 years? Writing daily pieces bashing Obama for his terrible policies. Is that liberal?
Where have YOU been?
https://aurorawatcherak.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/think-about-it/
Excellent reply to Todd without question. Obama was a disaster also.
This is a non-ending circle. The bankers controlling the FED and our money supply keep getting richer and richer. They buy politicians. First a politician cant even get started without the elites money. So the choice is one candidate the Elites named to run for office vrs another candidate the Elites named to run. Every once in a while a outsider slips through the cracks like Ron Paul or Bernie Sanders but they are so greatly out numbered they cant get anywhere in a meaningful way.
So these politicians rewrite the rules over and over. decade after decade favoring the Elites and giving them more money and power to spend even more on political favors.
400 people control more than half the wealth of our nation. They control the pocket books of 98% of the politicians.
The politicians tell the people one thing and turn around and do what the Elites want once elected.
Trump is proving to be no different then the others before him.
On and on it goes. Where it stops nobody knows.
Pompeo: “And in Kansas, we know something about false Wizards.”
And that would be Brownback, right?
Flocking around ideologies or political parties only serve to split people into group thinking. The only way out this is to realize that our goal as individuals are much more common on issues of importance. As nations and as humanity. Its time for humanity to take control. Some truths may be subject to change, other is constant and the same for everyone and can be recognized by each individual’s heart. And everybody can contribute because the world is chaotic and work on all scales. Butterfly effect is a real thing and it also work in conciousness. There are many possible futures and we must work and fight for the one we want to have. It will not be bleak.
I totally agree! Thomas Paine said: “Power concedes nothing without demand. It never did, and it never will”. We, the people, must demand a return to power!
This is the kind of article we need more of; good for zero hedge for carrying it! I agree with every word you said, Michael, and THANK YOU for what you are doing.
You made ZeroHedge, the No. 1 financial blog on the planet!
Keep up the great work!
freeflorida.org
Another great article, Mike. Unfortunately, so many people are brainwashed by FB and the evening news that I wonder what small percentage have even an inkling of what’s taken place and who’s setting our foreign policy? Not very many.