An Utterly Shocking Expose of U.S. Foreign Policy You Can’t Afford Not To Read This Book!
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
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:
a.. Stop American Imperialism! spray-painted on the walls. b.. T-shirts with Osama Bin Laden pictured as a hero. c.. Protests outside American embassies. d.. Snide remarks made about Americans. e.. Jokes made about U.S. leaders and policies. Before I read “Hitman”, I thought people were just ignorant and jealous of our wonderful nation.
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
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:
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To read a transcript of an interview with John Perkins:
a.. http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/12/31/1546207&mode=thread&tid=25 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
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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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