Empire and Inequality: America and the World Since 9/11"This is an impressive collection: well-informed, well-written, covering highly important topics over an impressive range, with no hesitation about taking an honest stand that gets right to the heart of the matter in case after case." Noam Chomsky A frequent columnist in Z magazine, Black Commentator, and other magazines, Paul Street has closely monitored the deterioration of civil liberties since 9/11. In his new book, Street challenges the widely accepted notion that 'everything changed' on 9/11. The event of 9/11 changed the lives of thousands of people in tragic and lasting ways, but some things it did not drastically alter were the long-term goals of the Bush administration. Rather, the terrorist attacks offered a way for them to fully realize these goals, through waging war against fictional enemies abroad and against civil liberties at home. By pointing out rampant injustices in society and doggedly pursuing the blatant contradictions in current government policies, Street reveals a very different America than the government or media portray. Empire and Inequality shows how the jetliner attacks provided a windfall opportunity to accelerate pre-existing trends towards greater global and domestic hierarchy, inequality, and repression. Street shows how the elites of American government and business used classic propaganda mechanisms in pursuit of this regressive and authoritarian agenda in the "post-9/11 era." Street offers a cogent critique of the myth of the powerless state, showing that U.S. government's cup runs over when it comes to serving the wealthy and privileged few and is empty only when it comes to meeting the needs of the non-affluent majority. Empire and Inequality is a powerful reflection on the inseparable, deepening, and mutually reinforcing relationships that exist between empire abroad and inequality and repression at home in the "post 9/11 era." |
Contents
Prologue | ix |
OUR TEARS THEIR OPPORTUNITY 1 | 5 |
Explaining the Popularity of 911 | 11 |
Copyright | |
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African Americans agenda al Qaeda anti-Americanism antiwar Arab assault authoritarian available online basic bin-Laden bombing Bush administration Bush administration's Bush Doctrine Bush's campaign Chicago citizens civil civilians claim corporate coverage critical defense democracy democratic domestic dominant economic elite empire false fascism foreign policy freedom George George W global historical home and abroad homeland House's imperial inequality invasion Iraq Iraqi John Pilger liberal-left mainstream March mass destruction massive Masters Masters of War Middle East military million networks Noam Chomsky noted nuclear official Osama bin-Laden Paul Street peace Pentagon percent policymakers political population post-September 11 poverty president protect Qaeda quoted Rachel Corrie racial radical recent regime regressive reported response Rumsfeld Saddam Hussein September 11 social story target tax cuts terrible terror attacks terrorist threat tion troops United victims war on terrorism weapons of mass White House York ZNet