Stephen Kinzer's analysis of American covert regime change interventions

Kinzer and Overthrow

Objectiveness of Kinzer

Kinzer is a journalist and reported on several instances where America has been considered the instigator of regime changes in foreign countries. As a reporter he writes about events that he has witnessed or researched over the past century. There has been at least fourteen instances where heads of state and nations were influenced by American covert activity.

Argument: Understanding the Kinzer Perspective

The perspective is convincing as an argument about how American Diplomats, Statesmen, and even corporate powers use their influence politically and economically to forge alliances or dispose uncooperative leaders. A classic example is the entrance of American forces into Afghanistan to remove Saddam Hussein from power. The catalog of conquests span from 1893 to 2003 including Hawaii 1893(pp.21), Cuba 1898 (pp. 39, 48), Puerto Rico 1898 (pp. 48), Philippines 1902 (pp. 48), Nicaragua 1910 (pp. 56), Honduras 1911 (pp. 75), Iran 1953,

Guatemala 1954, Vietnam 1963, Chile 1973, Grenada 1983, Panama 1989 (pp. 5), Afghanistan 2001 (pp. 298), and lastly Iraq 2003, (pp. 125).

Biases and Credibility

Though many continue to disagree over the exact details related to coup activities, covert actions, hidden agendas, and resulting consequences only now surfacing in our present day history. Kinzer makes it obvious that America is not an innocent and can not claim to be removed from the initiation if not outright responsibility for the resulting government dictatorships (pp. 84, 99, 174). The willingness of such leaders to act on personal advancement and interest rather than rebuilding or strengthening their domestic stability oftentimes plays into the hands of American plans. In fact many major corporations expected total cooperation from these leaders due to preconditions that were given as they rose to power (pp. 95-106). Promises to share technology, weapons, trade secrets, even give millions to billions in grants and loans. All in return for favorable partnerships to use foreign resources, lands, establish refineries and manufacturing plants, even labor to boost American production and revenues.

For the covert section of the book the sources appear credible and the resulting problems have unfortunately been exposed by other journalists, citizens and media coverage. For example it is obvious that after finding no weapons of mass destruction in Afghanistan, the reason Sadaam Hussein was pursued was purely political, an act of avengement and worked to open up economic opportunities (pp. 314). America has gained millions of dollars for government contracts and revenue expansion in rebuilding that nation.

These factors are quite different from Part 1 Representing the Imperial Era

The main reason America was instrumental in supporting rebellion in Hawaii, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and even its interest in Cuba was related to access to rich resources and gaining global positioning to gain commercial trade avenues (pp. 89, 320). America was very aggressive in its pursuit of world leadership and global markets. Forcing its way into these countries without the support of its natives. For example the Filipinos lost over 35,000 civilians in a very bloody war with Spain against America in 1899 for control of the Philippines (pp. 37-50). Though the underlying arguments are similar gaining more representation in foreign lands for commercial purposes. The approach today is much more politically motivated and under the purpose or guise of expanding democracy. Today the reasons are presented as much more diplomatic as tokens of world peace.