Nexus - 1101 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

Economically, as David happily acknowledged in 1985, the Reagan Administration performed to his expectations: It is heartening that the current administration in Washington is dedicated...to encouraging the private sector and lessening the role of government.” the three regions appears in doubt. Splits have appeared; Trilateral Commission meetings in Washington and Prague in 2002 were reportedly marred by angry debates between US supporters and mostly European opponents of Bush's plans to invade Iraq.” With Bush seemingly prepared to sacrifice the trilateral relationship, David's modest assessment in Memoirs of the Trilateral Commission as an "invaluable forum for dialogue" and a "vigorous and effective collaborator on the world scene" now seems unduly optimistic.* It would be premature, however, to declare the Trilateral Commission to be finished. With the United States clearly overextended and losing control in Iraq, the opportunities for Bush's trilateralist opponents to retake the White House in 2004 have not completely disappeared—although, even if Bush is ousted, his administration's unilateralist course has set back the David Rockefeller trilateralist agenda of building a more unified global community for some years yet. jon as an “invaluable forum for dialogue" and a Through a combination of aggressive rhetoric and a defence Trilateral Commi build-up, Reagan also restored some sense of America's superpower "vigorous and effective collaborator on the world scene" now status while still sidelining the United Nations. The only problem seems unduly optimistic.* with Reagan, according to David, was that his electoral campaign It would be premature, however, to declare the Trilateral had been critical of the Trilateral Commission. But this soon Commission to be finished. With the United States clearly changed when "Reagan ultimately came to understand Trilateral's overextended and losing control in Iraq, the opportunities for Bush's value and invited the entire membership to a reception at the White trilateralist opponents to retake the White House in 2004 have not House in April 1984". completely disappeared—although, even if Bush is ousted, his The limits of the Trilateral Commission's influence became more — administration's unilateralist course has set back the David apparent during the first Bush Administration. There were relatively Rockefeller trilateralist agenda of building a more unified global few trilateralists in the administration, especially at cabinet level— | community for some years yet. no more than six, according to some sources. George H. W. Bush had resigned from both the Commission and the CFR in 1978 onthe | Under David Rockefeller's Shadow... rounds they were "too liberal". Davi n October , after near! ears g hey "too liberal". David In October 2002, af ly 10 yi Korten, however, suggests that Bush's of work, David Rockefeller finally commitment to the trilateralist agenda 5 . released his autobiography, Memoirs. It was evident in his support for global Splits have appeared; was not a true autobiography in the free trade and NAFTA—goals also sup- Trilateral Commission meetings sense of David personally writing it, but ported by David Rockefeller. As for his in Washinat dP . a group effort befitting a billionaire plu- foreign policy record, however, despite In Washington an rague In tocrat. The project, overseen by the his Gulf War rhetoric about creating a 2002 were reported ly marred Rockefeller family historian Peter J. "new world order", Bush arguably fell Johnson, employed during that period at short of the liberal internationalist by angry debates between US least 15 other people who assisted in vision championed by the Commission supporters and mostly European researching archives, transcribing inter- and its founder. As one trilateralist later q views and constructing a chronology of complained, contrary to Bush's "dis- opponents of Bush's plans David's life. According to a New York tinctly Wilsonian note of idealistic to invade Iraq. Times report, David "talked his memoirs internationalism", Desert Storm was out" and then edited the transcripts and actually "dedicated...to preserving the subsequent drafts in a time-consuming sanctity of international boundaries...and process that "tested the patience and the notion of national sovereignty". Also, by failing to live up to his —_ diplomacy of all involved".” rhetoric, Bush had given "the forces of isolationism an even greater Reactions to Memoirs were wide-ranging. Many reviewers were opening" (Talbott). impressed by David's account, praising the plutocrat as a The Clinton Administration, in contrast, which had a much "charming, low-key gentleman" (Frank), a "discreet and diplomatic higher trilateralist membership, showed considerably greater fealty banker" (Lenzner), and a "decent, hardworking man" (Auchinloss). to the Trilateral Commission's goals. Indeed, Clinton seemed to There were a few dissenting opinions, with some reviewers adopt the recommendations of Triangle Paper No. 41, "Global expressing alarm at his "tone deafness—even eagerness—to do Cooperation After The Cold War" (1991)—co-authored by Joseph business with unsavoury regimes" (Stern), and observing that David Nye, later Clinton's Assistant Secretary for Defense—as its foreign seemed "coldly aloof from the horrors that his friends and contacts policy agenda. Arguing that in the post-Cold War world "the need perpetrated", having spent "much of his career at Chase doing for Trilateral cooperation in a wider global context is as great, business with tyrants" (Brooks). One reviewer blasted Memoirs as perhaps greater than ever", the report proposed a 10-point agenda "completely unrevealing", "soporific and self-important" and "not for "broad multilateral cooperation" to prevent the break-up of the worth reading", noting that although an important figure warranting world economy into "separate blocs". This agenda was a book, David Rockefeller, a man of "mediocre intellect", was subsequently reflected in Clinton's "enlargement" strategy, "obviously not the one to write it" (Schwarz).” announced by his National Security Advisor, the trilateralist However, with most reviewers of Memoirs indifferent to some of Anthony Lake, in 1993. Lake argued that the "major market the more questionable aspects of David Rockefeller's life, this ven- democracies" must "act together" to prevent "economic disaster" by _ ture has been a public relations success for the now 87-year-old plu- "updating international economic institutions” and "striking hard" tocrat. An image of David as a genial and well-intentioned globe- for global free trade. Such pronouncements would have been music _ trotting philanthropist and banker has been successfully cultivated; to the ears of David Rockefeller, and combined with Clinton's other —_ we are even encouraged to find some humour in his apparent obliv- globalist policies would explain David's reported efforts to protect iousness to his great wealth and remarkable access to (and influence Clinton from impeachment over the Lewinsky scandal in 1998. over) world leaders. For NWO researchers, however, although Now, however, some 30 years after its foundation, with relations | Memoirs provides some valuable clues and admissions, it is hardly between the US and Europe dramatically eroded by the aggressive a comprehensive source of information on David's lifetime of effort imperialist agenda of US President George W. Bush, the Trilateral Commission's effectiveness in promoting a coordinated policy by Continued on page 75 Splits have appeared; Trilateral Commission meetings in Washington and Prague in 2002 were reportedly marred by angry debates between US supporters and mostly European opponents of Bush's plans Pens eee een to invade Iraq. 38 * NEXUS Continued on page 75 www.nexusmagazine.com DECEMBER 2003 — JANUARY 2004