Table of Contents
Part I Global Depression 13
1 Financial Depression and World Crisis 16
The Demise of the Economic Expert 17
World Depression: A Class Analysis 22
From Over-Accumulation to the Dominance of Finance Capital 22
Indicators of the Onset of Depression 24
Regional Impact of the Global Crisis 26
Latin America 27
Eastern Europe and the Ex-Communist Countries 29
Asia: The End of the Illusion of De-coupling and Autonomous Growth 30
The Middle East: Depression and Regional Wars 31
An Unprecedented Crisis 32
The Failure to Address the Structural Basis of the Crisis 33
What Is Needed for Recovery 36
The Basic Priority of Public Policy: A Better Life for All 37
Twentieth Century Lessons for 21st Century Socialists 38
2 Bernard Madoff: Wall Street Swindler Strikes Powerful Blows For Social Justice 41
An Introduction to the Mega-Swindle 41
The Big Swindle 42
The Positive Side of the Big Swindle (The Inadvertent Hand of Justice) 43
Conclusion 46
Postscript 48
3 The Election of The Greatest Con-Man in Recent History 49
The Self-Opiated Progressive Camp Followers 51
Obama's Economic Con Game 52
The Two Faces of Obama 53
Obama, the Militarist, Outdoes His Predecessor 54
Conclusion 56
4 Lessons From The Collapse of Wall Street 58
5 Latin America: Perspectives For Socialism in a Time of World Capitalist Recession/Depression 63
Specificities of the Current Recession/Depression 63
The Uniqueness of the 'New Capitalism' in the Contemporary World 64
US Recession/Depression: The Domestic Consequences 66
The World Recession Hits Latin America 69
The New Statism 71
No Reprieve in Sight
The Recession's Potential for theLeft: Big Gains or Big Losses? 73
US-Latin American Relations: 1998-2008 74
The Demise of US Dominance: The Popular Uprisings of 2000-2003 75
The Period of Relative Autonomy: 2005-2008 76
From Economic Boom to Bust: 2008 78
Taking Stock of Present Conditions 80
Perspectives on Latin American Relations to the US Empire 83
The Impact of the Capitalist Crisis 2009 on US/Latin American Relations 86
Latin America: What Is To Be Done 88
6 Obama's Latin American Policy 90
The Export-Driven Model Breaks Down 93
G-20 Adopts Protectionism, Promotes Return of the IMF 97
Facing Up to De-Globalization-or Not 98
7 Addressing Economic Needs Via Electoral Processes: The Case of Venezuela 100
Electoral Systems and Democracy: Substance and Structure 100
The Role of the Mass Media in Influencing Mass Politics 101
Navigating the Barriers to Change through Democratic Process 107
The Transition to Democracy 108
Vital Steps Towards Deepening Venezuelan Democracy 109
Victories for Venezuelan Socialists in Crucial Elections: November 2008 110
Democratic Socialism and the February 2009 Vote on the Re-election Amendment 111
Continuing Obstacles to Democratization 113
Conclusion 114
Part II Regional Wars
8 Masters Of Defeat: Retreating Empire And Bellicose Bluster 119
The Geography of Imperial Failures 121
Iraq and Iran 121
Africa 122
South Asia 123
Caucasus 124
Israel and the Arabs 125
The Western Hemisphere
Overseas Consequences of Failed Military Strategies 126
Domestic Consequences of Failed Military Empire Building 126
Conclusion 127
9 The Obama Regime, The Zionist Power Configuration And Regional Wars 129
Obama Acquiesces to Major Israeli Positions 130
The Israeli Invasion of Gaza 130
Illegal Israeli Activities in Occupied Palestine 131
Israeli Condemnation of the World Conference Against Racism 131
The Appointment of Key Advisers and Policy Makers in the Middle East 131
The Charles Freeman Appointment 132
The Break-Up of the Syria/Iran Alliance 135
The Weakening and Destruction of Iran 136
Ignoring Iranian Concessions and Assistance 136
Punishing and Prohibiting Iranian Development of Nuclear Energy 137
A Wider Campaign Against Arabs, Muslims and Islam 137
Implementing an Illegal Claim to Jerusalem 138
Zionist Control of US Foreign Policy: Some Consequences 139
Now They're Obama's Israel-Fisters 139
10 Israel Supremacy From Gaza To Tehran: Imperial Overstretch? 144
Gaza Blitz: Dress Rehearsal for an Assault on Iran? 145
Invisible Threats and Visible Impunity 146
Gaza: Testing the Subservience of the US Congress and the White House 147
Promoting Israel's Big Lie 148
Israel's Military Threat to Iran 149
Zionist Penetration of the Obama Administration 151
The Dennis Ross Roadmap for war on Iran 156
Possible External Constraints on Zionist-Israeli-US War on Iran 158
Conclusion 162
Addendum 162
11 The Politics Of An Israeli Extermination Campaign: Backers, Apologists And Arms Suppliers 165
Overseas Allies: The Presidents of the Major American Jewish Organizations (PMAJO) 176
The ZPC and the Israeli War of Extermination in Gaza 177
Defending Israel's War of Extermination 178
Favored Themes of the Israeli Big Lie 179
The Propaganda Role of Jewish Religious Organizations 182
Where is the Outcry? 183
What is to be Done 185
Appendix: The 51 Member Organizations of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations 188
12 Iranian Elections: The Stolen Election Hoax 190
The Electoral Fraud Hoax 191
13 The New Agro-Industrial Neo-Colonialism: Two, Three, Many Mass Revolts 196
Old and New Style Agro-Imperial Exploitation 197
Neo-Liberalism and the Rise of New Agro-Imperialism 198
Target Countries 200
Present and Future Consequences of Agro-Imperialism 201
14 Regional Wars And Western Progressive Opinion: Commisserate With The Victims, Condemn Those Who Resist! 205
US Progressives and Third World Resistance Movements 206
15 Obama's Animal Farm: Bigger, Bloodier Wars Equal Peace And Justice 210
16 Obama's Foreign Policy Failures 215
Failures of Stimulus Proposals at the April 2009 G-20 Summit 216
Summit of the Americans: US Faces Isolation and Divergences 217
NATO Conference: Obama's Military Escalation in Search of Allies 220
Iran: The Zionist Presence and Lost Opportunities 221
North Korea: The Unmasking of a Policy 224
Afghanistan-Pakistan: Extending Warfare and Destabilizing a Client 225
Israel-Palestine Policy 226
Consequences of Obama's Failed Policies 228
Index 231