Ngabe uMichele Flournoy Uzoba Yingelosi Yokufa Yombuso WaseMelika?

NguMedea Benjamin noNicolas JS Davies, Septhemba 22, 2020

Uma amaDemocrats ekwazi ukusunduza uJoe Biden entanjeni okhethweni lwangoNovemba, uzozithola esengamele umbuso owonakele nowehlayo. Uzoqhubeka nezinqubomgomo eziholele umbuso waseMelika ekuwohlokeni nasekunciphiseni, noma athathe umzuzu wokuhambisa isizwe sethu esigabeni esisha: inguquko iye esikhathini esizayo esinokuthula futhi esimeme ngemuva kombuso.

Ithimba lenqubomgomo yezangaphandle iBiden lihlangana lizoba ngukhiye, kufaka phakathi ukukhetha kwakhe njengoNobhala Wezokuvikela. Kepha intandokazi kaBiden enamahemuhemu, uMichele Flournoy, akayona igal kulo mzuzu oyingqophamlando. Yebo, uzophula uphahla lwengilazi njengoNobhala Wezokuvikela wesifazane wokuqala, kepha, njengomunye wabadwebi bezimpi zethu ezingapheli futhi aqophe isabelomali sezempi, uzosiza kuphela ukuhambisa umbuso waseMelika ezansi nendlela yawo yamanje yezimpi ezilahlekile, impi eyonakele nokwehla kokugcina.

Ngo-1976, uGeneral UJohn Glubb, umkhuzi waseBrithani osethathe umhlalaphansi we-Jordan Legion yaseJordani, wabhala a incwajana encane okubizwa ngokuthi Ukuphela Kwemibuso. UGlubb waphawula ukuthi umbuso ngamunye wezwe wavela kanjani ngezigaba eziyisithupha, azibiza ngokuthi: i-Age of Pioneers; Inkathi Yokunqotshwa; iNkathi Yezentengiselwano; iNkathi Yokunotha; iNkathi Yokuhlakanipha; kanye neNkathi Yokuwohloka Nokwehla. Yize kunomehluko omkhulu kwezobuchwepheshe, ezombusazwe namasiko phakathi kwemibuso nezikhathi, kusuka kwabase-Asiriya (859-612 BC) kuya kwabaseBrithani (1700-1950 CE), yonke le nqubo ecaleni ngalinye yathatha cishe iminyaka engama-250. 

Abantu baseMelika bangabala iminyaka kusuka ku-1776, futhi bambalwa kithi abangaphika ukuthi umbuso waseMelika use-Age of Decadence neDecline yawo, ohlukaniswe yizo kanye izici uGlubb azikhomba kulesi sigaba, kufaka phakathi uhlelo, inkohlakalo ejwayelekile, inzondo yangaphakathi kwezepolitiki, kanye ukuheha osaziwayo ngenxa yayo.

Ukwehla kombuso akuvamile ukuba nokuthula, kepha akubandakanyi ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuhlasela, ukubhujiswa noma ukuwa kwenhliziyo yasebukhosini, inqobo nje uma abaholi bawo ekugcineni bebhekana neqiniso futhi baphathe ushintsho ngokuhlakanipha. Ngakho-ke kuyadabukisa ukuthi ukhetho lukamongameli lwango-2020 lusinikeza ithuba lokukhetha phakathi kwababili abazongenela ukhetho olukhulu olungafanelekile ukuphatha inguquko yaseMelika yangemva kombuso, bobabili benza izethembiso eziyize zokubuyisa izinhlobo zezinganekwane zakudala zaseMelika, esikhundleni sokwenza izinhlelo ezibucayi zokuthula, ikusasa elizinzile nelichumayo ngokubanzi langemva kombuso.

UTrump kanye ne “Make America Great Again” yakhe ingqikithi yamakhosi asezindlini zombuso, kanti uBiden ucindezela umbono osushiywe yisikhathi wokuthi iMelika kufanele “ibuyele ekhanda letafula” emazweni omhlaba, kube sengathi umbuso waseMelika wobandlululo wawusesezingeni lawo. Ngokucindezelwa okwanele okuvela emphakathini, uBiden angancengwa ukuthi aqale ukusika isabelomali samasosha ombuso sokutshala izidingo zethu zangempela, kusuka kwiMedicare For All kuya kuGreen New Deal. Kepha akunakwenzeka ukuthi uma ethatha uMichele Flournoy, isosha elinamandla elibambe iqhaza kwezimpi ezihlulekile zaseMelika nasezigemegeme eziyinhlekelele zombuso kusukela ngawo-1990.

Ake sibheke irekhodi lakhe:

NjengoMsizi kaNobhala Wezokuvikela weQhinga ngaphansi kukaMongameli uClinton, uFlournoy wayengu- umbhali oyinhloko ka-May 1997 Ukubuyekezwa kwe-Quadrennial Defense (QDR), eyabeka isisekelo semibono yezimpi ezingapheli ezalandela. Ngaphansi “Kwamasu Okuvikela,” i-QDR yamemezela ngempumelelo ukuthi i-United States ngeke isaboshwa yi UN Charter ukuvimbela ukwesatshiswa noma ukusetshenziswa kwamandla empi. Umemezele ukuthi, "uma izintshisekelo ezisemqoka zibalulekile,… kufanele senze noma yini edingekayo ukuzivikela, kufaka phakathi, lapho kunesidingo, ukusetshenziswa kwamandla wezempi okuhlangene." 

I-QDR ichaze izintshisekelo ezibalulekile zase-US ukufaka phakathi "ukuvimbela ukuvela kobumbano lwesifunda esinobutha" noma yikuphi eMhlabeni kanye "nokuqinisekisa ukufinyelela okungavinjelwe ezimakethe ezibalulekile, amandla kagesi nezinsizakusebenza." Ngokwakha ukusetshenziswa okuhlangene nokungekho emthethweni kwamasosha emhlabeni wonke ngokuthi "kuvikelwa izintshisekelo ezibalulekile," i-QDR yethule lokho umthetho wamazwe omhlaba okuchaza njengolaka, "Ubugebengu obuphakeme emhlabeni wonke" ngokwamajaji aseNuremberg, njengendlela “yokuvikela.” 

Umsebenzi kaFlournoy uphawulwe ngokuzungeza okungekho emthethweni kweminyango ejikelezayo phakathi kwePentagon, ukubonisana namafemu asiza amabhizinisi ukuthola izinkontileka zePentagon, kanye namathangi okucabanga ezempi njengezezimboni Isikhungo Sokuphepha Okusha KweMelika (CNAS), ayisungula ngokubambisana ngo-2007. 

Ngo-2009, wajoyina abaphathi baka-Obama njengoNobhala Ongaphansi Kwezokuvikela weNqubomgomo, lapho asiza khona ekuthuthukiseni izinhlekelele zezombusazwe nezokusiza abantu Libya futhi Syria nokukhula okusha kwempi engapheli ku Afghanistan ngaphambi kokusula ku-2012. Kusukela ngo-2013-2016, wajoyina iBoston Consulting, ehweba ngaye Ukuxhumeka kwePentagon kuya umfutho izinkontileka zempi yenkampani zisuka ku- $ 1.6 million ngo-2013 zaya ku- $ 32 million ngo-2016. Ngo-2017, uFlourney uqobo bekungena ngaphakathi $ 452,000 ngonyaka.

Ku-2017, uFlournoy kanye nePhini likaNobhala Wezwe lika-Obama u-Antony Blinken basungule ibhizinisi labo lokubonisana, Abeluleki be-WestExec, lapho uFlournoy aqhubeka nokuthola imali koxhumana nabo ngu izinkampani ezisizayo uzulazule ngempumelelo i-bureaucracy eyinkimbinkimbi yokuwina izinkontileka ezinkulu zePentagon.

Ngokusobala akanakho ukuzihlanganisa nokuzicebisa ngemali yabakhokhi bentela, kepha kuthiwani ngezikhundla zakhe zenqubomgomo yezangaphandle? Njengoba kunikezwe ukuthi imisebenzi yakhe ekuphathweni kukaClinton no-Obama yayisemaceleni amasu kanye nezikhundla zenqubomgomo, akasolwa kakhulu ngezinhlekelele ezithile zempi.

Kepha izindatshana, amaphepha kanye nemibiko uFlournoy no-CNAS abashicilele amashumi amabili eminyaka kuveza ukuthi uphethwe yisifo esingelapheki esifanayo nayo yonke inqubomgomo yezangaphandle yaseWashington "blob". Ukhokha imilomo ekusebenzisaneni kwezombusazwe kanye nokusebenzisana kwamazwe amaningi, kepha lapho kufanele ancoma inqubomgomo yenkinga ethile, uhlala exhasa ukusetshenziswa kwamabutho empi ayezimisele ukuwenza ngokusemthethweni kwezombusazwe ku-1997 Quadrennial Defence Review (QDR). Lapho ama-chip esehlile, ungomunye wabasebenza ngesando kwezimboni ngesando-banger kuye lapho zonke izinkinga zibukeka njengesipikili esilinde ukushaywa ngesando se-trillion, isando sobuchwepheshe obuphezulu.

NgoJuni 2002, ngesikhathi uBush neqembu lakhe besongela ukuhlasela i-Iraq, UFlournoy utshele the Washington Post ukuthi i-United States “kuzodingeka igadle kuqala ngaphambi kokuba kuqubuke inkinga yokucekela phansi izikhali zesitha” ngaphambi kokuba “ikwazi ukuvikela lezo zikhali, noma ivele izichithe.” Ngenkathi uBush embula "imfundiso yakhe esemthethweni yokukhululwa" ezinyangeni ezimbalwa kamuva, uSenator Edward Kennedy ngokuhlakanipha wayilahla njenge "unilateralism run amok" kanye "nekhwelo lama imperialism yaseMelika yekhulu lama-21 okungekho elinye izwe elingayamukela noma eliyivume." 

Ngo-2003, njengoba iqiniso elibi "lempi yokulungiselela" lafaka i-Iraq ebudloveni nasezinxushunxushwini ezingalawuleki, uFlorournoy nethimba lama-Hawks eDemocratic iphepha enesihloko esithi "Progressive Internationalism" ukuchaza uhlobo lwempi "oluhlakaniphile nolungcono" lweDemocratic Party okhethweni lwango-2004. Ngenkathi ivezwa njengendlela phakathi kwelungelo le-neo-imperial kanye ne-non -ististist kwesobunxele, yaqinisekisa ukuthi "amaDemokhrasi azogcina amasosha asezingeni eliphezulu kakhulu kwezobuchwepheshe emhlabeni, futhi ngeke silibale ukulisebenzisa ukuvikela izintshisekelo zethu noma kuphi emhlabeni . ”

NgoJanuwari 2005, njengoba ubudlova kanye nezinxushunxushu zamasosha ase-Iraq ayenobudlova zaqala ukudlondlobala, uFlournoy isayinwe ku- incwadi evela kwiProjekhthi yeNew American Century (PNAC) icela iCongress ukuthi "inyuse kakhulu ubukhulu bomsebenzi osebenzayo i-Army and Marine Corps (okungenani) ngamasosha angama-25,000 unyaka nonyaka eminyakeni embalwa ezayo." Ngo-2007, uFlournoy wasekela ukugcina i- “Amandla asalayo” yamasosha angama-60,000 ase-US e-Iraq, nango-2008, wabhala ngokubhala iphepha eliphakamisa inqubomgomo “Yokuzibandakanya Okunemibandela” e-Iraq, UBrian Katulis eCentre for American Progress ibize ngokuthi “izaba zokuhlala e-Iraq” “okuyindlela yokuphuma.” 

NjengoNobhala Ongaphansi Kwezokuvikela Wenqubomgomo ka-Obama, wayeyizwi eliphikisayo lokukhuphuka e-Afghanistan nempi neLibya. Ushiye phansi umsebenzi ngoFebhuwari 2012, eshiya abanye bezozihlanza. NgoFebhuwari 2013, ngenkathi u-Obama eletha uChuck Hagel njengomshintshi wezinguquko onobudlova esikhundleni sikaLeon Panetta njengoNobhala Wezokuvikela, izibalo zephiko langakwesokudla ephikisana nezinguquko zakhe ezihleliwe, kufaka phakathi uPaul Wolfowitz noWilliam Kristol, wasekela uFlournoy njengenye indlela ye-hawkish.

Ngo-2016, uFlournoy waxoshwa njengoHillary Clinton ekukhetheni uNobhala Wezokuvikela, futhi wabhala no-a Umbiko we-CNAS enesihloko esithi "Expanding American Power" nethimba loKlebe elihlanganisa owayengumsizi waseCheney u-Eric Edelman, umsunguli we-PNAC uRobert Kagan noMeluleki Wezokuphepha Kazwelonke kaBush uStephen Hadley. Lo mbiko ubhekwe njengombono wokuthi inqubomgomo kaClinton yakwamanye amazwe izohluka kanjani kweka-Obama, ngezicelo zokusetshenziswa kwemali ephezulu kwezempi, ukuthunyelwa kwezikhali e-Ukraine, ukuvuselela izinsongo zamasosha ezibhekiswe e-Iran, ezempi ezinamandla eSyria nase-Iraq, nokwenyusa okunye uwoyela wasekhaya. nokukhiqizwa kwegesi-konke lokhu okwenziwe nguTrump.

Ku-2019, eminyakeni emine empini eyinhlekelele eYemen lapho iCongress izama ukumisa ukubamba iqhaza kwe-US futhi imise ukuthengiswa kwezikhali eSaudi Arabia, eFlournoy waphikisana ngokumelene nokuvinjelwa kwezikhali. 

Ukubukwa kwe-hawkish kaFlournoy kukhathaza kakhulu uma kukhulunywa ngeChina. NgoJuni 2020, wabhala isihloko in Izindaba Zangaphandle lapho abeka khona impikiswano engenangqondo yokuthi ukuba khona kwamasosha aseMelika anolaka nangaphezulu esibhakabhakeni kuzungeze iChina kungenza impi ibe ncane kunokuba kube nokwethusa iChina ukuthi inciphise ukuba khona kwayo kwezempi egcekeni layo. I-athikili yakhe imane iphinda ivuselele ithuluzi elidala lokukhathala lokwenza konke okwenziwa ngamasosha aseMelika “njengokuvimbela” nazo zonke izenzo zesitha “njengolaka.” 

UFlournoy uthi “iWashington ayikayidlulisi i-'pivot 'yayo ethenjisiwe e-Asia,” nokuthi amabutho e-US esifundeni ahlala efana nalawo ayebeyikho eminyakeni eyishumi eyedlule. Kepha lokhu kufihla iqiniso lokuthi amasosha ase-US e-East Asia ziye zanda ngu-9,600 2010 kusukela ngo-96,000, kusuka ku-105,600 kuya ku-450,000. Ukuthunyelwa kwamasosha aphesheya e-US phesheya kwehle kusuka ku-224,000 kuya ku-21 ngalesi sikhathi, ngakho-ke inani lamabutho aphesheya kwezilwandle ase-US abelwe i-East Asia empeleni lenyuke lisuka ku-47% laya ku-XNUMX%.

UFlournoy futhi akakunaki ukusho ukuthi uTrump uselinyusile inani lamasosha aseMelika eMpumalanga Asia ngo phezu 23,000 kusukela ngo-2016. Ngakho-ke, njengoba enza ngo-2004, 2008 nango-2016, uFlournoy umane ebeka kabusha izinqubomgomo ze-neoconservative nezaseRiphabhulikhi azithengisele amaDemocrats, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi umongameli omusha weDemocratic Alliance ugcina iMelika iganene nempi, impi kanye nenzuzo engapheli isakhiwo sezempi nezimboni.

Ngakho-ke akumangazi ukuthi isisombululo sikaFlournoy kulokho akwethula njengosongo olukhulayo oluvela eChina ukutshala isizukulwane esisha sezikhali, kufaka phakathi imicibisholo yokunemba ye-hypersonic nebanga elide kanye ubuchwepheshe obuphakeme kakhulu izinhlelo ezingenamuntu. Ubuye aphakamise ukuthi inhloso yase-US kulo mjaho wezikhali osebenzisa isabelomali kungaba ukusungula, ukukhiqiza nokuhambisa izikhali ezingekho njengamanje ukucwilisa lonke ibutho lempi laseChina kanye nomphakathi imikhumbi yabathengisi (ubugebengu obubucayi bempi) emahoreni angama-72 okuqala empi. 

Lokhu kuphela ingxenye yohlelo olukhulu lukaFlournoy lokuguqula amasosha aseMelika ngezigidigidi zamadola imali yesikhathi eside kubuchwepheshe bezikhali obusha, okwakha phezu kukaTrump ukwanda okukhulu ekusetshenzisweni kwePentagon R & D. 

Ngomhlaka 10 Septhemba interview ne Nemigqa Iwebhusayithi yamasosha, uJoe Biden ubonakale esevele egwinye imithamo esindayo yeKool-Aid kaFlournoy ukugeza iMpi Yomshoshaphansi kaTrump. UBiden uthe akaboni ukwehla okukhulu kwisabelomali samasosha "njengoba amasosha egxila ekubhekaneni nezinsongo ezivela emandleni 'asondelene' njengeChina neRussia."

UBiden wengeze wathi, "Sengihlangane nabeluleki bami abaningi kanti abanye baye basikisela ezindaweni ezithile ukuthi isabelomali (samasosha) kuzomele sinyuswe." Sizokhumbuza uBiden ukuthi waqasha laba beluleki abangashiwongo ngamagama ukuze bameluleke, hhayi ukuthi anqume kusengaphambili izinqumo zomuntu ozongenela ukhetho okusamele aqinisekise umphakathi waseMelika ukuthi ungumholi esimdingayo kulesi sikhathi esinzima emlandweni wethu.

Ukuthatha uMichelle Flournoy ukuba ahole iPentagon kungaba yisibonakaliso esibuhlungu sokuthi uBiden uzimisele ngokweqile ngokuchitha ikusasa laseMelika emjahweni wezingalo onamandla neChina neRussia kanye nomzamo oyize, ongaba yinhlekelele wokuvusa amandla ombuso waseMelika anciphayo. 

Njengoba umnotho wethu – kanye nezimpilo zethu - zonakaliswe ubhadane, nezinxushunxushu zesimo sezulu nempi yenuzi zisongela ikusasa lempilo yabantu kule planethi, sidinga kakhulu abaholi bangempela abazulazula futhi baqondise iMelika ekuguqulweni okunzima kube nokuthula, ikusasa elichumayo langemva kombuso. UMichele Flournoy akayena wabo.