John Chuckman
COMMENT POSTED TO AN INTERVIEW WITH AMY CHUA IN CBC NEWS
" when tribalism takes over a political system, 'that's dangerous, because then you start to see everything through the lens of your own tribe and facts start not to matter.' "
I like that statement very much. it is genuine insight.
My only problem with Amy Chua is that her vision doesn't seem to be a little larger.
The tribalism is occurring especially in the Trump political base, and I think there are many reasons for it.
However, something even larger is happening at a much higher level, and it is the effects of this other activity which to a great extent drives the tribalism.
I'm referring to the American power establishment's new hyper-aggression. Over the last 15 or so years, they've managed to kill about 2 million souls, destroy several countries which were well-run for their people, and to create tens of millions of refugees.
Those refugees the United States refuses to take any responsibility for, and reports of their difficulties and the difficulties of European countries trying to deal with them are a lot of what is driving the tribalism of Trump's ugly crowd. And Trump openly encourages it, willing to take any political support he can get and having zero empathy for others also.
America's establishment senses its relative decline in the world from post-WWII glory and unparalleled prosperity, and its reaction is anger and aggression. It wants to dominate and direct future affairs across the planet for its own benefit. You talk about dangerous, this is the real thing.
A sense of frustration and anger over the abilities of the only two countries in the world, Russia and China, to stand in its way is what is driving the flood of hate and hostility in America towards them, especially in the case of Russia.
And that's because Russia has been able directly to thwart the American dark intentions in two major events. In the US-induced and paid-for coup in Ukraine – we know these facts from former State Department Neocon, Victoria Nuland, who used to brag a good deal - against an elected government, the coup intended to render a major border of Russia insecure.
And again, Russia was able to thwart American dark operations in Syria – undertaken in covert partnership with Saudi Arabia, Israel, Britain, France, and originally Turkey - intended to topple a government America doesn't like (though most of its people do) and to Balkanize Syria for the benefit of Israel, its colony in the Middle East.
