The "Shock Doctine" by Naomi Klein

I've been reading the Shock Doctrine lately. I had read parts earlier - but I finally got around to buying it over break (I had gotten a Christian Self-Help book in a blind gift exchange and I was able to exchange it for the book I wanted at Barnes and Nobles.)

I had seen where several people had said that it was the most important book that they had read. I had read "Confessions of an Economic Hitman" which covered some of the stuff with the CIA, but Klein's book lays out especially how people in the W. Bush Administration had been involved with forcing Friedman's "free market" ideas on various countries since the seventies.

Klein matter of factly describes how the "free market" is freedom for the rich and the multinationals to exploit resources and labor in various countries. And that it doesn't work where people can vote for their interests - because the system that is put in place is not in the interests of the majority of people in the countries.

Various Latin American countries, like Chile and Argentina, have been "shocked" into accepting the "free market". Generally people who would lead others to insist on their rights are tortured and/or killed. Klein also mentions Indonesia under Sudharto and the transitions that occurred in Poland and Russia.

I'm now reading about Iraq. I think what a lot of people (in the US) don't get about the people in Iraq fighting for their country against the US is that the US was and is trying to do their best to get the oil into the hands of American and British Oil companies. What had worked in the past - going in and traumatising a country didn't work in Iraq - perhaps because they were already traumatized. The Iraqis were probably resistant to it - what with Saddam plus living under sanctions.

Putting so many Iraqis out of work - out of their State sponsored jobs - freed them up to fight. The torture and killing strengthened their resolve instead of incapacitating them.

The so called "free trade" mentality, besides violating human rights is also in direct opposition to the environment. The only vision is for the multinationals - the executives and stock holders to make huge profits. Which means more and more people consuming whatever it is they are making. Which means more resources being used, more pollution being created. Regulations- environmental or otherwise - are taboos of their "religion".

There is certainly no concern for sustainability - or of making lasting products. The more disposable the better. And the toxic by-products and waste when the old things are replaced goes into the oceans (where the so-called Pirates are doing what they can to save their waters), or shipped to Africa - to create toxic landfills.


It's not a happy thing to be part of a country that has been doing this. There is the hope that with Obama will come improvements. He has appointed people into positions that matter who oppose torture- so there won't be lawyers making lame excuses for it, anymore. It will remain to be seen if he will give Iraq back to the Iraqis. And whether he ends up using the CIA and/or military to force "free trade" on anyone.

Meanwhile Israel has been bombing Gaza and seem more determined than usual. They seem to be taking advantage of this time before Obama is inaugurated -while Bush is doing nothing (not that he did much good, anyway - but perhaps there is the mentality that nothing is expected).