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Global Corruption and the Role of Government

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The corruption of government officials seems to be as old as recorded history. For example, the ancient Roman senate passed laws against such political corruption in the first century, B.C. They defined a corrupt act as “whenever money is taken and a publicly-conferred duty is violated.” Local magistrates in the Roman Empire were permitted to legally receive cash gifts of up to 100 gold pieces a year, but anything beyond this amount was considered “filth.” There was also a separate criminal category against what was called concussio, or the “shakedown” and “extortion.” A Roman official might claim to have a legal order against someone, and demand a bribe not to enforce it against the individual’s person or property. Emperor Constantine issued one of the strongest decrees against corruption during this time in A.D. 331. Those found guilty of such crimes might be exiled to an isolated island or a far-off rural area, while others might even be condemned to death. A ...

A Mainstream Dose of Reality on Iraq

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Ever since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, we have been hit with a multiplicity of bromides, myths, falsehoods, and deceptions by U.S. officials and the mainstream media. “Saddam was coming to get us with his WMDs.” “Mushroom clouds were going to start appearing over U.S. cities.” “The troops in Iraq are defending our freedoms.” The troops are bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq.” “Occupation Iraqi Freedom is going to produce a paradise of freedom and prosperity.” And then every once in a while a small dose of reality about Iraq creeps into the mainstream media, which is what happened in the July 15, 2017, issue of the New York Times. The Times’ article pointed out what we here at FFF have been saying about Iraq for the past 15 years: that the winner of the U.S-Iraq War in 2003 was … Iran! Yes, Iran, the country that the U.S. government ranks among the top of its official-enemies list. The ...

A Constantly Shifting Array of Official Enemies

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After George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq ended up producing ISIS, which was quickly made into a new official enemy of the United States, I am sure that there were lots of Americans saying to themselves, “Oh my gosh, another official enemy. But once we vanquish this one, it will finally be over. We will finally have peace, tranquility, and prosperity.” Those people were living a pipe dream. Now that ISIS has been vanquished, is the Pentagon bringing the troops home? Is there going to be a ticker-tape military parade in New York City? Is George W. Bush going to do a painting entitled “Mission Accomplished”? Of course not. Everyone needs to resign himself to the discomforting reality of living under a national-security state and an overseas empire: There is always going to be an official enemy or official enemies. It never ends. The process is perpetual. How else could the Pentagon, the CIA, and the NSA justify their ever-increasing budgets, influence, ...

The National Security State: The Biggest Mistake in U.S. History

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REMINDER: FFF's blockbuster conference, "The National Security State and JFK," is this Saturday, June 3, at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott Hotel. Speakers: Oliver Stone, Ron Paul, Stephen Kinzer, Jeffrey Sachs, Michael Glennon, Doug Horne, Peter Janney,  Michael Swanson, Jefferson Morley, Jim DiEugenio, and Jacob Hornberger. We still have a few seats left and so if you able ...

Why Did the U.S. Government Prosecute Letelier’s and Moffitt’s Assassins?

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REMINDER: FFF's blockbuster conference, "The National Security State and JFK," is this Saturday, June 3, at the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott Hotel. Speakers: Oliver Stone, Ron Paul, Stephen Kinzer, Jeffrey Sachs, Michael Glennon, Doug Horne, Peter Janney,  Michael Swanson, Jefferson Morley, Jim DiEugenio, and Jacob Hornberger. One of the most interesting aspects of the Cold War was the Justice ...