Nexus - 1206 - New Times Magazine-pages

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& REVIEWS CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC is still bearing fruit. In Saudi Arabia, for HIT MAN instance, he helped implement a covert plan by John Perkins that piped billions of Saudi petrodollars into Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco, 2004 the US economy and ensured a firm rela- ISBN 1-57675-301-8 (250pp hc) tionship between the Saudis and successive Availability: www.bkconnection.com US administrations—although it could become unstuck, now that the Saudis have declared in the wake of hurricane Katrina that it can't increase its oil production. hen John Perkins was first recruited by the National Security Agency in 1968 for training as an "economic hit man", he had some pangs of conscience about the Perkins has written a rivetting story that ethics of what he might be asked to do. So, speaks volumes about our need for a world when he finally quit his highly paid job in based on compassion, not power and greed. 1980 as a chief economist with the interna- _ tional consulting firm MAIN, he was BEYOND BELIEF - The British Bomb wracked by guilt over the dirty tactics he'd Tests: Australia's Veterans Speak Out by Roger Cross and Avon Hudson Wakefield Press, South Australia, 2005 ISBN 1-86254-660-6 (208pp tpb) Availability: www.wakefieldpress.com.au his is an important book about the British nuclear tests conducted on Australian territory during the 1950s to early 1960s, and about their fallout on the envi- ronment and on human health. It's impor- tant because it features testimony from eye- witnesses (and there aren't many of them left, so many having died from radiation- induced diseases in the meantime), and it reminds us not to forget the British and Australian politicians, scientists and military who, in their arrogance and ignorance, allowed these travesties to be perpetrated. Beyond Belief is a collaborative effort headed by Melbourne University senior fel- low Rog'er Cross, author of Fallout (see NEXUS 8/05), and Avon Hudson, a South Australian councillor, long-time campaigner for justice for those still suffering because of the tests, and an ex-serviceman who was in Maralinga during some of the disastrous minor trials. Other contributors include Patricia Donnelly, who gathered many accounts from civilians, Doug Rickard on his discovery of cobalt-60 pellets strewn over Maralinga, Alan Parkinson on the latest clean-up of Maralinga, and Ronald Price on employed to win over strategically impor- tant countries for US government and corpo- rate interests. He decided in 1983 to write a book exposing this high-level corruption perpetrated in the name of democracy, but four drafts and several threats and bribes later he still hadn't had it published. It was the events of 9/11 that made him realise he had to get the message out. Now a vocal critic of the "corporatocracy" (a term he coined to describe this coalition of governments, banks and corporations) as well as an alternative energy promoter and environmental activist working to protect indigenous peoples' livelihoods, Perkins confesses to a range of sins he committed in far-fl laces d th Id—Ecuador, an ; Indonesit Saudi Arabia Tran Panama. °F radiation and its effects on human health, Colombia. His job was to convince these All the major tests are covered in separate countries to accept enormous loans for infra- chapters: the Monte Bello Islands off north- structure development and to make sure the West WA in 1952 and 1956, Emu Field in projects were contracted to US corporations. Western SA in 1953, and Maralinga in the Once they agreed to these impossible terms, SA desert in 1956 and 1957. The narrative soon they were overwhelmed with debt and 18 interspersed with spine-chilling reports had to accept yet harsher dictates from for- from former defence personnel—sailors eign governments, corporations and the used as guineapigs in simulated nuclear war World Bank. When his attempts at convinc- _ at Sea scenarios, pilots forced to fly through ing the presidents of Ecuador and Panama clouds of fallout, servicemen who had to failed (in fact, he regarded them as like- gather samples from the Maralinga crater, minded friends), the CIA moved in and from owners of remote stations and local assassinated them. Of course, everywhere Aboriginal clans. If more Australians could he went, the poorest people lost out along become informed about the massive fallout with the environment. from these nuclear tests, they would demand Some of Perkins's handiwork from this era proper justice and compensation for the vic- tims and their families. This is a must-read. employed to win over strategically impor- tant countries for US government and corpo- rate interests. He decided in 1983 to write a book exposing this high-level corruption perpetrated in the name of democracy, but four drafts and several threats and bribes later he still hadn't had it published. It was the events of 9/11 that made him realise he had to get the message out. Now a vocal critic of the "corporatocracy" (a term he coined to describe this coalition of governments, banks and corporations) as well as an alternative energy promoter and environmental activist working to protect indigenous peoples' livelihoods, Perkins confesses to a range of sins he committed in far-flung places around the world—Ecuador, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Panama, Colombia. His job was to convince these countries to accept enormous loans for infra- structure development and to make sure the projects were contracted to US corporations. Once they agreed to these impossible terms, soon they were overwhelmed with debt and had to accept yet harsher dictates from for- eign governments, corporations and the World Bank. When his attempts at convinc- ing the presidents of Ecuador and Panama failed (in fact, he regarded them as like- minded friends), the CIA moved in and assassinated them. Of course, everywhere he went, the poorest people lost out along with the environment. Some of Perkins's handiwork from this era NEXUS = 71 OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2005 www.nexusmagazine.com