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By Kendra Pearsall, N.M.D.
From the introduction of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man:
"Economic Hit Men are highly paid professionals who cheat
countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. They funnel
World Bank, US government, and other foreign 'aid' funds into
the coffers of international businesses and the pockets of a few
wealthy families who control the planet's natural resources. Their
tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections,
payoffs, extortion, and murder. They play a game as old as Empire
but one that has taken on new and terrifying dimensions during
this time of globalization.
"I should know; I was one."
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (number 22 on the NY
Times Nonfiction bestseller list as of April 17, 2005) is a riveting
and utterly shocking book about the clandestine tactics the U.S.
government and corporations have been using for years to enslave
weaker third-world countries for monetary and political gain.
John Perkins' jaw-dropping true story of his life as an economic
hit man (EHM) could have easily been a best-selling fiction novel
on par with any of the popular conspiracy thrillers written by Dan
Brown, Tom Clancy or John Grisham.
Except for the fact Perkins' story is not fiction. It's all
true.
In this book, Perkins shares how he was hired by a consulting firm
where his job was to create bogus economic reports on how selected
third-world countries would "benefit" from borrowing huge
sums from the U.S. government for infrastructure development. After
Perkins convinced the leaders of these third-world countries to
accept loans, the consulting firm--in concert with U.S. development
corporations--would make billions on the infrastructure work financed
by U.S. taxpayers.
Once these countries were deeply in debt, the United States essentially
owned them, enabling it to take over their natural resources
(i.e., oil) and forcing them to become political and economic slaves.
For 10 years, Perkins traveled the world over--Indonesia, Panama,
Ecuador, Columbia, Saudi Arabia, Iran--and convinced the leaders,
like Panama President Omar Torrijos, to go along with the massive
borrowing from the United States.
Furthermore, it was Perkins who, with the help of a blue-eyed,
blond prostitute, convinced the House of Saud (political power of
Saudi Arabia) to allow the United States to build billions of dollars
of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. Such powerbrokering cemented
the intimate relationship between U.S. political leaders and the
House of Saud that continues to this day.
More Dirty Tricks
This is just one small example of the underhanded tactics EHMs
used in order to further U.S. imperialism. If an EHM could not accomplish
his or her objectives, the established protocol was that the
jackals (the CIA) would be sent in to finish the job by arranging
for the unyielding political leaders to die in fatal plane or car
accidents and have the leaders replaced with U.S. puppet-politicians.
Confessions
of an Economic Hit Man describes the behind-the-scenes intrigue
of historical events such as the fall of the Shah of Iran and the
invasions of Panama and Iraq that were never about "restoring
democracy" as the government and press would have you believe,
but were all about removing leaders who stood in the way of the
goal of U.S. globalization.
As you can imagine, an explosive expose such as the one described
in this book is very threatening to those involved in the clandestine
EHM world. While Perkins was writing the book, he had many monetary
bribes and death threats to persuade him not to publish it.
It wasn't until the terrorist attacks of 9/11, when the general
sentiment of Americans was one of shock and horror that terrorists
could wage an unprovoked attack on an innocent country like ours,
that Perkins knew he had to step forward with his story to help
Americans understand why the United States is not a popular country
all over the world.
A Well-Deserved Reputation
In his book, Perkins explains the specific U.S. actions that incited
Osama Bin Laden's retaliation and provides a foundation for understanding
why there are ongoing conflicts between the Arab nations and the
United States. It is especially important these days for Americans
to gain another perspective on our foreign policy.
Why? Because Americans tend to see ourselves as the good guys
and the defenders of freedom and democracy, most cannot imagine
why anyone would have animosity toward us.
Before I read this book, I couldn't understand it either. In every
country I've visited throughout the world, I have witnessed anti-American
sentiment in many forms:
- Stop American Imperialism! spray-painted on the walls.
- T-shirts with Osama Bin Laden pictured as a hero.
- Protests outside American embassies.
- Snide remarks made about Americans.
- Jokes made about U.S. leaders and policies.
Before I read “Hitman”, I thought people were just ignorant
and jealous of our wonderful nation.
This book reveals the dark side of the United States as a nation
where the big corporations and the government have joined together
to control as many countries as they can in order to further their
insatiable desire for power and money.
But there is hope. Perkins lists many things America can do to
become a more peaceful, unobtrusive nation. One of them is to get
involved in his nonprofit organization for transforming global
consciousness. You can also find
out more about Perkins at his Web site.
After reading this review, I suspect some of you may be curious
and want to buy the book, and others will feel angry about the allegations
and dismiss it as un-American, unpatriotic falsehood. Both groups
need to read this book and judge the veracity for yourself, because
I cannot do it justice with a simple book review. In my opinion
however, it is the best political commentary I have ever read.
If you would like to comment on the book review, e-mail: hitman@mercola.com
To read a transcript of an interview with John Perkins:
Table of Contents
PART I: 1963-71
1: An Economic Hit Man Is Born
2: "In for Life"
3: Indonesia: Lessons for an EHM
4: Saving a Country from Communism
5:Selling My Soul
PART II: 1972-74
6: My Role as Inquisitor
7: Civilization on Trial
8: Jesus - Seen Differently
9: Opportunity of a Lifetime
10: Panama: the President and Hero
11: Pirates in the Canal Zone
12: Soldiers and Prostitutes
13: Conversations with the General
14: Meeting the Novelist Graham Greene
PART III: 1974 - 81
15: Entering a New and Sinister Period in Economic History
16: The Saudi Arabian Money-laundering Affair
17: Financing Osama Bin Laden
18 : Panama Canal Treaty Negotiations
19: Iran's King of Kings
20: Confessions of a Tortured Man
21: The Fall of a King
22: Colombia: Keystone to Latin America
23: American Democracy Vs. Global Empire
24: Ecuador's President Battles Big Oil
25: I Quit
Part IV: 1982 - Present
26: Ecuador: Presidential death - CIA Assassination?
27: Panama: Another Presidential death - CIA Assassination?
28: My Own Energy Company, Enron, and G. W. Bush
29: A New Breed of EHM
30: U.S. Invades Panama
31: Venezuela: Another EHM Failure
32: Ecuador Revisited
Epilogue
Endorsements
"[A] gripping tell-all book..."
--The Rocky Mountain News
"This riveting look at a world of intrigue reads like a spy
novel.... Highly recommended..."
--Library Journal
"As a senior economist in several development agencies and
a lead economist at the World Bank over the past decade, I find
John Perkins's book provocative and disturbing. With honesty, remorse
and compassion, Perkins describes the motivation of 'economic hit
men' (EHM) and the corporations they serve as being far more prevalent
than many of us would like to believe. Moreover, Perkins makes a
good case that most of us help further the agenda of EHM and such
corporations by unknowingly and unwittingly doing their bidding,
failing to appreciate the sinister architecture behind the global
empire. The book succeeds as a wake up call because the reader cannot
help but assess his or her role on a personal level, thus providing
an impetus for change."
--R. Paul Shaw, Formerly Lead Economist, Currently Program
Adviser, Human Development Group, World Bank Institute
"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is a brave and potent
book written by a man whose commitment to the truth transcends any
personal concerns about revealing his own previous blindness. Perkins
reveals, bears witness, lifts the veil, and talks straight about
what he personally has seen and knows intimately as the dark damage
that has been done and continues to be done in the name of economic
development and progress. This is a stunning and groundbreaking
book that is a must-read for anyone who cares about our world."
--Lynne Twist, global activist and author of The Soul of Money
"John Perkins has broken the pact of L'Omerta-the infamous
code of silence in the old-style Mafia that was enforced by assassination-to
reveal the inner workings of corporate empire. Written like the
best crime novel, the book is a page-turner that shows the real
menace of organized crime being run out of ritzy boardrooms and
seedy dictatorships, using 'economic hit men' who are the murderous
technicians of corporate crime as a way of doing business. A brave
and timely book not to be missed."
--Kenny Ausubel, Founder and President, Bioneers, author of
Seeds of Change and When Healing Becomes a Crime, award-winning
film-maker of Hoxsey: How Healing Becomes a Crime
"John Perkins has written a book that shakes one's confidence
in the ethics of the prevailing economic system. We are in troubling
times and need to understand realistically the price we are paying
for the 'free' market we enjoy. Perkins has written an extraordinary
tale."
--Jim Garrison, author of America As Empire, President of
the State of the World Forum
" Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is a fascinating insider's
view of how private multinational companies legally rob the poor
of the third world , country after country .His overview of Panama
is particularly edifying. As Anarchasis said 2500 years ago 'Laws
are like spider webs. They trap the poor and defenseless and the
rich and powerful tear them apart.'"
--Josh Mailman, Cofounder, The Threshold Foundation, Social
Venture Network, and Business for Social Responsibility; entrepreneur,
businessman, activist/philanthropist
"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man Is a unique book, brave
because it is personal. With unflinching honesty, John Perkins narrates
his moral awakening and struggle to break free from the corrupt
system of global domination he himself helped to create. This book
possesses an immediacy that separates it from the numerous studies
we already have of American Empire. It comes from the heart. I highly
recommend it."
--Michael Brownstein, author of World on Fire
"John Perkins has told a thrilling story. But what makes it
even more relevant is that his tale is the true account of a deeply
dedicated and courageous man who exposes information that is crucial
for the survival of many people in the world. I couldn't put it
down and now want all my friends to read it. Read this book!"
--Stephan Rechtschaffen, M.D., cofounder, CEO, Omega Institute
and author of Timeshifting: Creating More Time to Enjoy Your Life
"John Perkins speaks for many of us-citizens in our country,
citizens of the world-who are trapped in our own personal and national
histories, who struggle with temptation, power and ultimately our
own souls. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is his story, one
that through necessity and courage offers us a way back, beyond
salvation, to human justice."
--Gary Margolis Ph.D., Director, Center for Counseling and
Human Relations, Associate Professor of English, Middlebury College
and author of Fire in the Orchard and Falling Awake
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Kendra Pearsall,
N.M.D. is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor specializing
in weight loss, diabetes and hormone imbalances. She received
her B.A. in psychology from Western Michigan University in 1995
and her N.M.D. degree from Southwest College of Naturopathic
Medicine in Tempe, Ariz., in 2001. She was a co-author on Dr.
Mercola's Total Health Program and was the medical editor
for The Hormone Handbook (to be published). |
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