Sorrows of Empire: By Chalmers Johnson
Reviewed by NEOP, member Nigerian Village Square Johnson is no stranger to the world of American Politics. An ex-CIA analyst and a former naval officer; he brings several years of experience as an East Asian observer to bear upon this subject. Similar products Customer Reviews The Sorrows of Empire What Empire? 
In This Insightful Sequel to his highly successful "Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire" - Chalmers Johnson expands on an old theme. The Theme is Imperialism and this prominent scholar of Asian affairs tackles it with gusto.
According to Johnson; what the future portends for the United States and indeed, for the world is gloomy if the current trends of policies are followed. From its opening observation on the denial and ignorance that envelopes the American populace to revelations of Americas dealings with murderous Central Asian governments - The Sorrows of Empire is as fast paced as Ian Fleming and as provoking as Niebuhr.
The United States maintains over 700 Military bases in over 100 countries. The ostensible reason for these bases: The Cold War; is over. Yet the bases remain. Johnson reveals why.
The United States maintains a satellite of East Asian countries much like the USSR had its Peoples Democracies in Eastern Europe. These Satellites have Export oriented economies dependent on the American market and are hosts to countless numbers of American Military personnel. Johnson reveals why.
Some of the most profitable companies in the United States today are Military servicing companies. From Deliveries of Sunblock to supplying Chefs in outlandish exotic lands, to supplying cleaners that clean toilets 3ce a day; to outfitting expensive and massive retirement exchanges all over the world; Bechtel, Halliburton, Kellog Brown and Root etc etc have managed to turn a nice profit and become an intrinsic part of cyclic rejuvenation of the American economy. Johnson reveals why and how.
Naval submarines are for defense; but these days they are deployed towards giving expensive tours to civilian backers of the Military. The American congress has no oversight of Funds apportioned to either the CIA or the Pentagon, in clear violation of the thoughts of the Founding Fathers.
1 Trillion Dollars missing in Defense funds. Unspeakable corruption in Pentagon budgets. These occurrences are all common place in Americas Military-Industrial complex. Why and How? The answers are in this book.
Students of International Relations may have puzzled for years: Why has Japan been victim to a single ruling party for over forty years? What exactly is the nature of Americas involvement with Okinawa? Why Do American Generals in Charge of certain regions possess more clout than civilian appointed ambassadors? What exactly was the nature of Americas involvement with Indonesia and the Phillipines? In "Sorrows of Empire" a vast swathe of Intellectual territory is covered but the message is the same. The United States is taken over by a Militaristic cult hell bent on global hegemony and on the path to wrecking the very idea of the United States as a Republic.
And why should we in Africa care?
For one thing, No other people have suffered as much from Imperialism and Militarism as we have. For another; the United States quite cleary has its sights set on West African crude and it is plainly ready to victimize and crush all who stand in its way. A Third reason is that Hegemony by definition can only succed in an atmosphere of complicity.
In a sense, Johnsons narrative is one of complicity. Complicity by Japanese Militarists, Korean Dictators, Indonesian Kleptomanics, Filipino Murderers, South American Fascists etc as in their job as spear carriers for empire. In another sense, Johnsons narrative is one of resistance - as he catalogues the tens of millions of lives that have been lost through direct acts of American policy.
I sense that a new Imperialist assault is about the begin in Africa. To remain ignorant about the Worlds most prominent Empire at this crucial phase is to court disaster.
Pipelines in Central Asia, Pipelines in Iraq, Pipelines in Africa - and the Horrors that follow are catalogued in this book that traces Americas Imperial journeys right from the massacre of Native Americans to Teddy Roosevelt and WoodRow Wilson.
I have found only one serious deficiency in this work. That is; it ignores Americas sphere of Influence in Africa. Through its proxies; The World Bank and the IMF - Africa is not the same territory that was given to Europe to exploit after WWII. With projections of 30% of the United States' supply coming from West African crude in the next 15 years; Americas Imperial puppets and possessions in Africa would have made for a useful, if not critical, part of this annal. Bush's dalliance with Teodoro Obiang, Clintons support for Abacha's transition - From Mobutu to Rawlings, Savimbi to Moi, Tshombe to Doe - The record of American engagement in Africa is vital.
Nevertheless, this is a marvelous work. And unto those upon whom will fall the mantle of reform and resistance in Africa in a new generation; this piece of intellectual weaponry is a must have. It is heavily end noted. With a bibiliography that might prove to be a work on its own; "Sorrows of Empire" is a must have and it comes with my highest recommendations.
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Sorrows of Empire: By Chalmers Johnson
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'War is a Racket' - General Smedley Butler USMC 
Am I the only one who thinks the the rest of his countryman are nuts? For the past 60 years and three generations, Americans have been led to believe that that spending billions for the Defense of the country is not only necessary but patriotic.
Forget conspiracy theories and ideological agendas, just contemplate one fact: The USA spends more on military and intelligence funding in 2004 than it has spent at any one time in history. Fourteen carrier groups to defeat the two remaining countries of the axis of evil, N. Korea and Iran? 750 and counting military bases outside the USA? However, the government tells us it is powerless to defend the country against an attack from a terrorist group with WMD??? So, the next time you watch television and the commentator tells you why we need another aircraft carrier, more tanks, more F-16's, etc., ask yourself: Who are we defending ourselves against? And, as Chalmers Johnson points out, follow the money!
This book is an excellent primer on how our beloved country is being led down the road to ruin by a group of people who are lining the pockets of themeselves and their friends and supporters. All of this is being done in the name of Democracy, Freedom and Globalization. But, why do we want to liberate people who sit on oil while those countries being ruthlessly exploited and practcially enslaved are ignored since they can contribute little or nothing to the "world economy" (pick any poor third world country)?
This review is written by a conservative American, cold war supporter and US Navy veteran (like Chalmers Johnson)who believes in the old Republic (when is the last time you heard that word mentioned in the era of the imperial presidency). Forget whether you are democrat or republican, take the blinders off and seek the truth, excellently told by Chalmers Johnson.
I don't know if I have ever read anything as moving as this book.
The words come across like poetry, particularly in the last two chapters. In fact, I recommend that one read the book in reverse order and then again in finishing reading.
Our freedoms are slipping quietly away from us and our children will no longer enjoy the rights that we've had. And no one protests.
"And what rough beast, its hour came at least,
"Slouches toward Bethlehem to be born?"
William Butler Yeats
This book should be required reading for students as well as those who have forgotten their civics class and history of the Revolutionary War. 
Johnson's tirade may appeal to Leftist ideologues, but it is thoroughly weak on facts. Most obviously: What "empire"? Are bilateral, contractual, mutually-agreed military bases equivalent to imperialism? This seems ridiculous considering the fact that the US' partners can end their relationship at any time. The US presence around the world is about as "imperial" as Volkswagen factories in Brazil and Mexico. Perhaps there is some discriminatory aspect, then, of this interrogation. And secrecy?? Is he kidding? The US government couldn't keep a secret if it wanted to. Many a commentator had remarked that Watergate coudln't have happened in France because it would have been successfully covered up. I almost burst out laughing upon hearing this charge. Indeed, few countries have as transparent and open a political culture as the American one. End of the Republic? Rumours of its death are greatly exaggerated. Johnson is strong on melodrama, weak on facts. Perhaps this book will appeal to ideologues and foreign xenophobes wishing to demonize the US, but more critical minds must look elsewhere.
Johnson has made a career out of smarmy, America-bashing fare.
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