Military Actions Criticism - Article Example

Number] Critical Review of “Disaster Capitalism: the new economy of the catastrophe by Naomi Klein”And ‘The everywhere War by Derek Gregory’ Naomi Klein is a renowned Canadian journalist and activist, who has produced award winning published, works like ‘No logo’, ‘Fences and Windows’, ‘The shock doctrine’, documentary (‘the take’) and film production. She is a regular columnist in ‘The Nation Magazine’ and ‘London Guardian’ for readers worldwide. Her article published in Harper’s magazine, “Disaster Capitalism: the new economy of the catastrophe, 2007” is a brief but comprehensive review of her book ‘The shock doctrine’. Her fundamental theme is an analogical representation of people struck by man-imposed-war or natural disasters and how big corporations take benefit of these disasters to earn massive profits. Klein suggests that war and natural disasters in underprivileged countries are not just because of frequent internal and external disputes, but they are planned by powerful corporate and nations to crumble their infrastructure and make necessities of life unavailable for them. This is done to launch a new social and corporate setup in a potential beneficial land (Iraq, Afghanistan). For the above argument, she presents the vivid analogical examples of Iraq and New Orleans, both hit by destructive hurricane Katrina, both divided into developed and undeveloped regions with apparent rupturing infrastructure in the poorer regions, but neglected by the responsible authorities purposely. In Iraq green and red zones have no governmental agencies to cater their sewerage, water, communication or infrastructure issues, people are on their own for security and other basic needs. ‘Free market forces’ have evolved the green zone into safe Haven with phone, pipes, road, electricity and security, but red zone is a complete view of sludge full streets and houses, broken and bubbling sewerage pipes, an unattended aftermath of Katrina (48-49). Klein stresses that the collapse of third world countries infrastructure is a result of unnecessary wars waged on them and these wars are basically commercial wars inaugurated by fetish privatized corporations for their regional and corporate benefits. Concurrently, the collapse of sewer system due to lack of investment by the public sector took 57 lives (swamped sewage) in the capital of Indonesia (Jakarta). Likewise, Minneapolis bridge collapse, flooded subway of New York, is due to the negligence of public sector in terms of developmental investment for infrastructure maintenance. Thus, these investments are later invested in the development of private sector. According to Klein with which even I agree, natural or man-made crises (wars) boost disaster capitalism. This capitalism entails influential, but sloppy corporates to manage crises with immense governmental funding. These organisations bring social structure changes in the region and set up their policies according to favourable agendas. The firms which developed green zones in Iraq received 60million dollars contract to reconstruct the military base. Thus, ‘Military industrial complex of Dwight D.’ changed into ‘Disaster Capitalism Complex’ which is managed and controlled by a private firm at a huge profit. Their functions entail waging war, spying citizens, protecting borders, reconstructing cities and taking care of traumatized solider. Similarly, a ghastly reputed firm ‘Black Water’ was hired to secure FEMA projects on dollar 950 per day for a single guard. Shoddy Parsons builders were recruited for Mississippi bridge project and in the same line more than 3.4 billion dollars were given to Flour, Shaw, Bechtell and CH2M hill, former Iraqi contractors hired by the Gulf authorities to construct mobile homes for the evacuees, when levees broke on the coast (50). These corporations have been working on temporary solutions with bigger amounts in payment. The government jerks off its disaster policy and responsibility and hires expensive disaster management firms to resolve intriguing issues without proper check on them. Simultaneously, these corporations have been suspected to franchise war in their likable establishment regions, so to gain immense social and economical benefit like one can observe from Wal-Mart and 7-Eleven reactions for Iraq. Klein has provided his readers with ample and accurate evidence to witness that war and natural disasters have become a profitable means of business for big corporates and they take full advantage of such situations to establish and develop an apparent line between rich and poor. Moreover, Klein describes that hurricane evacuation programs should be and have been based empathy, but Floridian private charter planes offer hurricane evacuation plans to rich, so they can be whisked out of the hurricane in no time and be landed to a safe haven of their choice (Disneyland or so) (Klein, 51). Another contrasting example with it is of Red Cross, it signed disaster response management contract with Wal-Mart. These charitable organisations amalgamating with profit oriented corporate are only going to end up in valueless human paucity dilemma; thereby, developing an air of surged prejudice and continuous war on Earth. ‘Black water’ a private firm stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq for the security of its esteemed people and spying projects, earns 90 % of its profit from only US governmental investments (51). FEMA, CIA and MPRI are poorly maintained and run governmental departments, which hire private contractors to perform their job and these contractors have created parallel economy in a state and have disrupted the infrastructure functioning completely. Derek Gregory is prominent member of Geography department at UBC. His work contains thorough researched theories of industrial and human geography, social and historical changes, crises revolutions and geographical space used for social change. Gregory in his article discusses the geographical significance of actions of wars and how they are planned to target certain spaces. Like Af-Pak, Amexia, and cyberspace. The mainstream spaces of war zone are Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. These wars have inaugurated mainly after 9/11 incident and they have introduced a modern war method drone attacks. ‘War on terror’ became a stretched war for US, which is in a state of constant war with every other Middle East and Asian country (Gregory, 238). To control terrorism across the globe, Washington chose war/terror to eliminate misery of dictators or corrupt governments. Now, US is a military pressure for the rest of the world that can gain national benefits with power display through its global surveillance controlled and managed programs by US CENTCOM. The author aptly puts the notion of a competitor like China here, if China imitate US for global surveillance, then how would US hide his military violence and infringes in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Iran, Somalia, Palestine, Chechnya, Yemen and Pakistan. September 11, 2001 incident generated invasion in Afghanistan with US and its allies. October war in Afghanistan was both high altitude and long distance (239). Gregory terms these borderlands as shadow-lands, which were ascertained by the US imaginaries according to geopolitical and geo-economic terms. They were manipulated and used to conquer strategic advantages on the native Afghanis. Similarly, Iraq war in the times of attack and after US military setup is divided into two zones Red and Green zone. Red zone is a destructive reality for native Iraqis and Green zone is a well constructed establishment of private corporate for residing in Iraq for their commercial means. The distinction of space is due to military interference as, red zone is a battle field and green zone is a profitable land for influential. The author in an intricate language, but detailed manner describes how lands close to war wagged countries (Durand line between Pakistan and Afghanistan) are acquired through influence. Since Taliban and Al-Qaeda were the root cause of American security issues therefore, CIA established its reapers and attacked on the amalgamated line. Where its 180 air strikes have killed hundreds of innocent and have shadowed its original motive of war ‘to impede terrorism’ (241). Since there is no proper system or identification prevailed in the area (ilaqa ghair) therefore, suspects are never valid and attacks are done on suspicion only (240). Thus, the author aptly co relates it with US constitution, which condemns torture on the bases of suspicion and here, frequent airstrikes are commenced on the bases of vague and suspicion. Gregory further on questions the report of CIA for air strikes on Afghan Taliban in a rational and most thought provoking manner. As, CIA is a privatized firm and does not exactly fall under the US air force regime therefore, the reports and concealed air strikes in Pakistan are not conducted by US air force command directly, but by a former congressman, Leon Panetta. At one point US government is disturb with the fact that these Islamic radicals can disrupt the security around globe and can act violently if left unattended. On the other hand, it is equipping a privately run military company to use advanced weapons to attack in their suspected direction relying entirely on their view for massive killings. What is terrorism, if the second scenario does not fall in the same line? Author has termed their action plan of war; a Bush-Cheney program of sequential surge of criminality in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan. Hence, assassination of Osama Bin Laden in 2011 clearly shows CIA undercover motives in Pakistan and its campaign (drone attacks) which in the name of self defence depicting a different purpose. Even Obama Administration continues to practice targeting suspects and claiming all is done in the name of law and within the constitutional limits. There is no sense of accountability or shame for innocent casualties. As, all targeted victims in FATA are considered suspects of war crimes or having anti-American inclinations (242). UAV and drone strikes, Drug and arms trafficking on Us-Mexican borders, cyberspaces for crime and DDS attacks are a new war zone through which attackers can disrupt and destroy the main data system of a Government. Kelvin and Gregory, both in their article shed light on the significant war events around the globe especially in Asia and Middle East and who is advantaging from these war fares. Hence, both authors depicted facts to shed light on the strategic economical and political benefits entailed from war, destructions and disasters. Work Cited: Top of Form GREGORY, DEREK. "The Everywhere War." The Geographical Journal. 177.3 (2011): 238-250. Print. Top of Form Klein, N. "Disaster Capitalism: the New Economy of Catastrophe." Harpers. (2007): 47-58. Print. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More