Americas Century of Regime Change - Admission/Application Essay Example

America’s Century of Regime Change Regime change has remained an integral part of the United States foreign policy for over a century. It is not an initiative of George W. Bush. Ever since the 1893 intervention and toppling of the Hawaiian monarchy, the United States has continued to overthrow governments perceived to bar or hinder the achievement of its economic and political goals. The Iraq invasion is just the latest example of the governments invaded and overthrown by the US. It shows the inherent dangers from these kinds of operations. Stephen Kinzer, in his book reveals several continuities and differences in us interventions. This paper evaluates Kinzer’s writing in parts I and II to show that the interventions are more alike than different. Reasons are given in support of this opinion with reference to Kinzer’s story. The two parts reveal the audacious political leaders, military commanders, spies, and business executives who actively engaged in deposing foreign regimes. Kinzer details three eras of the US regime change over a period of one century. The first of the three is the imperial era that brought Cuba, Philippines, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico under the US sway. Second is the cold war period when America exercised covert action against Guatemala, Chile, South Vietnam, and Iran. The last detailed era, the invasion era that saw US troops toppling governments such as Grenada, Afghanistan, Panama, and Iraq. In all these periods, America left the subject countries in ruins after overthrowing the governments. As shall be revealed in subsequent sections, America always consulted with foreign policy advisors before executing their plan1. Notably, America would go forth and execute their plan regardless of the opinions from the advisors. The 1963 Vietnamese President, also an ally of US called Ngo Dinh Diem revealed his will and intentions to negotiate with communist insurgents in Vietnam. The then US president John F. Kennedy met with various foreign policy advisor for consultations before going forth to overthrow Diem. America went ahead and conquered Vietnam despite the contrary opinions of the senior advisors consulted. During the final meeting, the advisors expressed fears and doubts that the invasion would cause chaos in the country. Kennedy never revealed his stand. Diem was executed three days after the final meeting. This trend has remained whenever America has intentions to invade and overthrow governments2. Whoever is in power in the US always poses as consulting from the world foreign policy advisors. This is to masquerade as conquering other governments to the common interests of the world. Whenever policymakers differ, leaders tend to act impulsively. Leadership, according to America depends largely on the action rather than patience. Each of the US presidents, according to Kinzer, would do anything to look fit for reelection. Interventions of other governments have been launched not necessarily because of decisive leadership. Instead, America’s presidents engage in inventions because America is highly susceptible to herd mentality. A close evaluation shows that America has largely targeted small nations with democratic governments. Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Philippines, Honduras, Nicaragua, Iran, South Vietnam, Grenada, Chile, Guatemala, and Afghanistan are all small nations that America invaded and overthrew the governments3. The quest for power is just impulsive and frantic. Commercial interests often spur US interventions with supporters of the same squashing doubters as lacking being weakly in patriotism. Kinzer reveals that America has often provided training and supplied arms to dictators and insurgents. These, however, turn to be the America’s fierce enemies several generations later. This is after the US loses interest in them, allowing terrorism and corruption to take a course. These patterns are evident in the US history of the invasion of foreign countries and governments. From Kinzer’s first page, he writes that the invasion of Iraq is not an isolated case in the US history. America has pursued countries that seem rich with natural resources. Seemingly, American officials fail to understand why small developing nations want to control their natural resources. This is evident from Henry Kissinger’s response that nothing good could come from the south. This was after the then Chilean foreign minister accused him of having little or no knowledge of the Southern Hemisphere4. America pursued short-term goals in all the overthrow cases referred by Kinzer. They never cared about the undesirable consequences that would follow decades later. Kinzer further highlights the interrelated events that followed regime changes in the Middle East. In 1953 for instance, CIA invaded and overthrew Mohammad Mossadegh, then the prime minister in Iran. The CIA then installed a dictator who lacked the qualms to welcome foreign oil firms in Iran. This intervention and the installation of the dictator who never cared about the welfare of the Iranians galvanized radical fundamentalists to orchestrate the 1978 revolt5. Ayatollah Khomeini, who led the fundamentalists, served as an example that motivated Islamic fanatics throughout the world. What we now know as the Lebanon’s Hezbollah guerillas is in fact a constituent of the spiritual heirs of the Ayatollah and Iranian religious leaders of that time6. Kinzer’s stories reveal how five American presidents nurtured the Afghanistan’s Taliban intended to thwart the Soviets and secure access to oil resources. Each of the overthrow plans by America throughout the century is shaky and brazen on paper. Kinzer, though, shows how the plans were carefully organized from the demonstration of intent through execution to the accomplishment of final goals. Financial accountability and national security are a major priority whenever America plans to intervene and overthrow a government. Throughout 80s, America channeled money to insurgents via Pakistan while the Soviets occupied Afghanistan. United States never and did not even intend to participate in making the decision over who would receive their gifts. Pakistan took advantage of America’s passiveness and utilized the money in building up the Taliban and destroying nationalists and secular movements7. Here, America used their common approach of causing confusion and destabilizing governments before their invasion. America came full circle in 2003 in the Middle East during the invasion of Iraq. The invasion boosted the influence of regional and world Islamic fundamentalist. Kinzer’s overthrow tales divulge intentional misjudgments in all the cases. He reveals that America never persuade a nation without special interests in it. In fact, he confirms that America would only invade a nation that seems resourceful. That, however, has never been indicated as being one of the reasons for intervention. The governments being overthrown are wrongly misinterpreted and blamed for wrongdoing8. The author, however, tackles America’s public apathy in foreign affairs. Throughout the 100 years, America seems to have supported policies that caused suffering and undesirable lifestyles in foreign lands. United States’ control of distant places is seen as pivotal in the country’s material prosperity. All the historical incidences where America pursued other nations had material prosperity behind the operation. American presidents involved in these operations ruse as working to the interest of the world rather than their own good. Americans have a deep-seated conception that US is a force for the good of the world. Though they recognize that the US intervention is a bully tactic9. They rationalize it that people from the foreign nations will later benefit from their (US) style democracy and capitalism. Surprisingly, they continue to be puzzled by repression and anti-Americanism attitude that has always emerged instead. Briefly, Kinzer lightly touches on critics of American interventions indicating that the American politicians have always ignored them. Political leaders often perceive of their critics as opponents of their leadership style hence the ignorance. In summary, the American intervention of foreign governments has persisted for over 100 years with over 15 governments toppled. An evaluation of the various interventions documented by Stephen Kinzer shows more similarities than differences. The motives behind the interventions have been revealed to be common. America seems to target seemingly small nations often with democratic governments. The targets are often rich in natural resources that seem to be a major interest to America. Further, the approach used is common in that America first nurtured their targets before the invasion. Kinzer emphasizes that American presidents during any of the invasion incidences covered had short term goals that they sought to achieve. That is the reason they still execute their plans regardless of opinions from foreign policy advisors. Remarkably, America does not show concern over whatever may befall countries that they intervene to overthrow governments. Bibliography Kinzer, Stephen. Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq. New York: New York: Times Books, 2006. Read More