STOP THE MERCHANTS OF DEATH
Presentation by G. Simon Harak
March 19, 2006
Summary by Janet Wahl
"Merchants of death" is neither a term most of us would associate with American citizens who play determining roles in U.S. policy and actions – nor, indeed, with the U.S. government. Yet, as long ago as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration, major corporations had (to quote him) "begun to consider the U.S. government as an appendage to their own affairs" – affairs that involved both wars and the deadly weapons involved in them. This situation has – as outlined by Dr. G. Simon Harak, S.J., on Sunday, March 19, 2006, at 1 p.m. in the Reidy Friendship Hall at All Souls Church – only worsened over succeeding decades and now in the war in Iraq.
Dr. Harak is very active in the peace movement. He is the Anti-Militarism Coordinator of the National Office of the War Resisters League and helped found Voices in the Wilderness, which was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001, 2002, and 2003. He has traveled to Iraq several times, coordinated many peace movement events, and was named Metro New York Peacemaker and National Peacemaker of the year by Pax Christi Metro New York and Pax Christi Long Island, New York. A former professor and published author, Dr. Harak, who entered the Society of Jesus in 1970, has a B.A. from Fairfield University , an M. Div. from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Ethics from the University of Notre Dame.
To the more than 100 people who attended his talk, Dr. Harak presented a riveting and persuasive case for labeling both many corporations and our government as "merchants of death," especially in respect to the war in Iraq . Even before it started, key figures in many corporations, who were poised to gain through war, were advising the U.S. government. First, weapons contractors and lobbyists for Northrop Grumman/Boeing were advisors to the U.S. Defense Policy Board. Chris Williams, an aide to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, was at the same time a lobbyist for Boeing Aircraft. Jack Sheehan, a U.S. Marine NATO commander, became the Senior Vice President of Bechtel, a repair contractor in Iraq .
Also involved in this close connection to the U.S. government, as merchants of death, were public relations firms and the media. To begin with, the Office of Global Communications made certain that U.S. news reports carried pro-war propaganda, created in foreign countries. Believing these reports to be true, Congress allocated $200 million to promote the invasion of Iraq . The Rendon Group (TRG), a public relations firm, was hired for $311.26 per hour to effect the removal of Saddam Hussein. In addition, TRG took over jobs formerly reserved for the CIA, with the result that this PR firm is working in the CIA to produce propaganda for the Bush Administration. Thus, there has ensued a vicious circle: these advisors and companies promote the war, profit from the war, profit from rebuilding, and continue to promote the war.
In this relationship, where government has become a tool of many corporations, business and politics have become a revolving door for key leaders. For example, in 1992, Dick Cheney, who was Secretary of Defense in 1989 under George H. W. Bush, paid a private company $9 million to outsource military logistics – a company that became Halliburton. When Cheney left office, he became CEO of Halliburton. From 1994 to 2004, many defense contracts were awarded to Halliburton. Moreover, while in 1998, Halliburton paid $302 million in taxes, the next year it not only paid no tax at all but received a refund of $85 million. In 2000, Cheney was back in office. Although he sold some Halliburton stock, he still retains stock options worth $8 million; and Halliburton continues to obtain no-bid contracts. The U.S. Navy awarded Halliburton $30 million to expand the prison at Guantanamo Bay for “temporary detention facilities” that might be needed for an unknown eventuality, an “immigration emergency.”
Where in the past profiteering began after a war started, this war was launched for the purpose of profiteering. Although more than 80% of the Iraqis want the United States out of their country, U. S. companies can make money if the war continues. Private security contractors are, in effect, a private army; and we have spent one hundred billion dollars using them to protect visiting dignitaries. Dr. Harak noted that a government that hires a private army, outside the jurisdiction of any branch of government, is following in the path of the Roman Empire, which turned from being a republic to being an empire (with private armies) and, finally, to being a dictatorship, which ultimately overextended itself and collapsed.
With the Iraq war, oil companies have earned their largest profits ever: Exxon’s profits were up 42% to $36.13 billion; Chevron made more than it had in 126 years. In addition, these companies have complete legal immunity from prosecution. Protected by U.S. forces, they are free to do as they please. At the time of the invasion, the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and the Ministry of the Interior were the only institutions protected by the U.S. military. Though on a list to be protected, the Iraqi Bank, the Museum of Antiquities , and twelve other Iraqi institutions were destroyed.
Dr. Harak described the devastation in Iraq as "the greatest cultural disaster since Genghis Khan destroyed Baghdad in 1258.” Not only was Iraq the cradle of civilization, the place where writing was invented, but its people today are highly educated. Under Saddam Hussein, all education -- including college and university training – was free. There are more Iraqi doctorates per capita than in the United States . Nonetheless, little if any rebuilding has achieved pre-invasion quality. With its $3 billion worth of reconstruction contracts, Bechtel has done extremely poor work. Reconstructed elementary schools are full of refuse, lack enough desks, and have no working toilets. Even worse, reconstruction companies are allowed to take 100% of their profits out of Iraq .
How can we as individuals stop these merchants of death? First, we must self-evaluate: "We must be," as Gandhi said, “the change we wish to see in the world.” Second, join a group -- don't try to act alone. Third, target companies like Halliburton: protest at their involvement at job fairs and schools. Fourth, join the War Resisters League and sign a pledge of resistance against Halliburton and the war in Iraq .
In conclusion, Dr. Harak quoted Voltaire: “Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities [such as that we're fighting this war to secure the Iraqis' freedom] has the power to make you commit atrocities.” Every generation must fight for freedom; otherwise we don’t deserve it. |
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