NYT Discovers 'Profit' After Decades of 'Democracy' Expeditions
According to the NYT, Donald Trump's prospective security strategy prioritizes 'profit, not spreading democracy.' This, of course, implies past administrations were engaged in a selfless crusade for universal liberty. One might recall the 'democracy' spread via coups in Chile (1973), Nicaragua (1980s), or supporting 'moderate rebels' in Syria who later became, shall we say, less moderate. The
'profit' motive isn't new; it's simply a belated acknowledgement of what defense contractor stock indices have quietly indicated for decades. While Trump might frame it crassly, the U.S. has a long and storied tradition of mixing business with intervention. The 'democracy spreading' rhetoric often served as a convenient fig leaf for securing resources, strategic advantage, or lucrative arms deals.
To frame this as a novel Trumpian deviation ignores decades of bipartisan foreign policy where corporate interests, from oil to arms, were very much at the core. The only difference now seems to be the transparency of the sales pitch.