Democracy Uprising
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      Social Movements

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

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      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      Blog

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

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      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      2023-2025

      How to make sure your disruptive protest helps…

      Social Movements

      Why protests work, even when not everybody likes…

      Social Movements

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      Social Movements

      Strategy is a Craft

      Book Reviews

      The Pan American

      Book Reviews

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Book Reviews

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Book Reviews

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

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      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      Book Reviews

      Ordinary Outrages

      Book Reviews

      No Better Place

      Book Reviews

      In God’s Country

      Environment

      Why Wendell Matters

      Environment

      The Gulf at the Gas Station

      Environment

      Climate Disobedience

      Environment

      Farming the Everglades

      Environment

      The Winter of the Climate Denier

      Environment

      Climate of Change: An “Inside-Outside” Strategy Against Global…

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      Provoking an American Climate Crisis

      Environment

      The Real “Farmer” Story: So God Made High-Fructose…

      Essays / First Person

      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

      Essays / First Person

      On the Price is Right

      Essays / First Person

      The Last Porto Alegre

      Essays / First Person

      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      Essays / First Person

      Republicans Among Us

      Essays / First Person

      New York Says “No”

      Essays / First Person

      The Sideshow Rebels

      Essays / First Person

      A Week in New York

      Global Economy

      Meet the Bailout’s New Slush Fund for Corporate…

      Global Economy

      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Global Economy

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Global Economy

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Global Economy

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Global Economy

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Global Economy

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Global Economy

      The World Is Not Flat

      Immigration

      When Undocumented Activists Infiltrated ICE

      Immigration

      The Children of Intervention

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      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

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      Science Fiction From Below

      Immigration

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Immigration

      Treated Like a Criminal

      Immigration

      When Sanctuary is Resistance

      Immigration

      The Massive Immigrants Rights Protests of 2006 Are…

      Labor

      This new model for upholding labor law may…

      Labor

      Democrats Won Power in Several States. Will They…

      Labor

      The Case for a Social Distancing Wage

      Labor

      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Labor

      Reviving the General Strike

      Labor

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Labor

      There’s Still Power in a Strike

      Labor

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Latin America

      How movements can maintain their radical vision while winning…

      Latin America

      The Pan American

      Latin America

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      Latin America

      The Children of Intervention

      Latin America

      Against Shithole Nationalism

      Latin America

      The Last Porto Alegre

      Latin America

      Kissinger Is Not Our Friend

      Latin America

      Even If You Have Nothing to Hide

      Social Movements

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

      Social Movements

      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      Social Movements

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

      Social Movements

      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      Social Movements

      How to make sure your disruptive protest helps…

      Social Movements

      Why protests work, even when not everybody likes…

      Social Movements

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      Social Movements

      Strategy is a Craft

      Religion

      In God’s Country

      Religion

      Reverend Billy’s Holiday Shopocalypse

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      Toward the “Rights of the Poor”

      Religion

      The Pope and the Poor

      Religion

      Will the Next Pope Embrace Liberation Theology?

      Religion

      Remembering Romero

      Religion

      John Paul II’s Economic Ethics

      Religion

      Against the God of Free Trade

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Strategy is a Craft

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Think #MeToo didn’t make a real difference? Think…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      This new model for upholding labor law may…

      War / Militarism

      Does It Make Sense to Protest a President…

      War / Militarism

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      War / Militarism

      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

      War / Militarism

      War: The Wrong Jobs Program

      War / Militarism

      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      War / Militarism

      Those Who Don’t Count

      War / Militarism

      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      War / Militarism

      The Dangerous Dignity of War

  • Translations
    • All Thai Chinese Deutsch Español Français Italiano Japanese Português Arabic
      Translations

      Jordlösa kombinerar radikala visioner med praktiska reformer (Swedish)

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Thai

      Progressive Good Tidings of 2007 (in Thai)

      Thai

      2006: A Global Justice Year in Review (In…

      Thai

      WTO: Best Left For Dead? (In Thai)

      Thai

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (In…

      Thai

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (In Thai)

      Thai

      The Last Porto Alegre [Thai]

      Thai

      Globalizers, Neocons, or… ? (in Thai)

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Chinese

      Why Wendell Matters (in Chinese)

      Chinese

      Globalization’s Watchdogs (in Chinese)

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Als Martin Luther King seine Feuerwaffen aufgab

      Deutsch

      Mikrokredite: Die Entlassung eines Nobelpreisträgers

      Deutsch

      CAFTA – am besten stillschweigend beerdigen

      Deutsch

      Bush in Mexiko

      Deutsch

      Das globale Duell in Evian

      Deutsch

      Die Rückkehr des Daniel Ortega

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Español

      ¿Adoptará el nuevo papa la teología de la…

      Español

      Wall Street quiere que les estemos agradecidos

      Español

      Si Las Monjas Se Fueran a una Huelga,…

      Español

      ALEC retrocede; a la derecha le da un…

      Español

      ¿ALEC disgustado ante la pérdida de patrocinadores? Se…

      Español

      La vida en la nación prisión

      Français

      La révolution non-violente a-t-elle échoué en Egypte?

      Français

      Le pari risqué du populisme au Pérou

      Français

      Hong Kong Phooey

      Français

      Bush Nuit Même Aux Compagnies U.S.

      Français

      Le dynamisme du mouvement pour la paix

      Français

      La déroute de l’ALCA dans une Miami en…

      Français

      Ceux qui ne comptent pas

      Français

      La guerre en Irak : une expo des…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Italiano

      La strategia di Gandhi per il successo –…

      Italiano

      Le promesse infrante di Obama

      Italiano

      Guantanamo deve sparire

      Italiano

      IL BANK TRANSFER DAY: UN SUCCESSO

      Italiano

      Come il movimento Occupiamo Wall Street si sta…

      Italiano

      Economia tabù

      Japanese

      ガンジーはどのように勝利したのか? (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Truth Versus Superpower (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Revenge of the Combat Cartoonist (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Uneasy Mexican Visita (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Mark Twain in Iraq (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Globalization’s “Lost Decade” (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Hawks Say the Damnedest Things (Japanese)

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Português

      A vida na Nação Prisão

      Português

      Outro pretexto?

      Português

      Imigração tem efeito positivo sobre emprego e salários

      Português

      O império hipotecado

      Arabic

      Abandoning the World Bank (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Return of Daniel Ortega (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Where’s The Jubilee? (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Last Porto Alegre (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Seattle At Five (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (in…

      Arabic

      Mexico’s Democratic Transition Still Incomplete (in Arabic)

    • Other Translations
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Democracy Uprising

  • About
    • About Mark Engler
    • About Democracy Uprising
  • Books
    • This Is An Uprising
    • How To Rule the World
  • Topics
    • All Book Reviews Environment Essays / First Person Global Economy Immigration Labor Latin America Social Movements Religion U.S. Politics / Elections War / Militarism
      Social Movements

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

      Social Movements

      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      Blog

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

      Social Movements

      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      2023-2025

      How to make sure your disruptive protest helps…

      Social Movements

      Why protests work, even when not everybody likes…

      Social Movements

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      Social Movements

      Strategy is a Craft

      Book Reviews

      The Pan American

      Book Reviews

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Book Reviews

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Book Reviews

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Book Reviews

      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      Book Reviews

      Ordinary Outrages

      Book Reviews

      No Better Place

      Book Reviews

      In God’s Country

      Environment

      Why Wendell Matters

      Environment

      The Gulf at the Gas Station

      Environment

      Climate Disobedience

      Environment

      Farming the Everglades

      Environment

      The Winter of the Climate Denier

      Environment

      Climate of Change: An “Inside-Outside” Strategy Against Global…

      Environment

      Provoking an American Climate Crisis

      Environment

      The Real “Farmer” Story: So God Made High-Fructose…

      Essays / First Person

      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

      Essays / First Person

      On the Price is Right

      Essays / First Person

      The Last Porto Alegre

      Essays / First Person

      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      Essays / First Person

      Republicans Among Us

      Essays / First Person

      New York Says “No”

      Essays / First Person

      The Sideshow Rebels

      Essays / First Person

      A Week in New York

      Global Economy

      Meet the Bailout’s New Slush Fund for Corporate…

      Global Economy

      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Global Economy

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Global Economy

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Global Economy

      The Godfather of Microcredit

      Global Economy

      Capitalism as Catastrophe

      Global Economy

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Global Economy

      The World Is Not Flat

      Immigration

      When Undocumented Activists Infiltrated ICE

      Immigration

      The Children of Intervention

      Immigration

      Immigration Economics: An Interview with Professor Giovanni Peri

      Immigration

      Science Fiction From Below

      Immigration

      Four Ways of Looking at an Aztec Eagle

      Immigration

      Treated Like a Criminal

      Immigration

      When Sanctuary is Resistance

      Immigration

      The Massive Immigrants Rights Protests of 2006 Are…

      Labor

      This new model for upholding labor law may…

      Labor

      Democrats Won Power in Several States. Will They…

      Labor

      The Case for a Social Distancing Wage

      Labor

      The Seattle Protests Showed That Another World Is…

      Labor

      Reviving the General Strike

      Labor

      Jeff Bezos Has Enough! It’s Time for a…

      Labor

      There’s Still Power in a Strike

      Labor

      The Amazon Effect: Sweat, Surveillance, Exploitation

      Latin America

      How movements can maintain their radical vision while winning…

      Latin America

      The Pan American

      Latin America

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      Latin America

      The Children of Intervention

      Latin America

      Against Shithole Nationalism

      Latin America

      The Last Porto Alegre

      Latin America

      Kissinger Is Not Our Friend

      Latin America

      Even If You Have Nothing to Hide

      Social Movements

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

      Social Movements

      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      Social Movements

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

      Social Movements

      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      Social Movements

      How to make sure your disruptive protest helps…

      Social Movements

      Why protests work, even when not everybody likes…

      Social Movements

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      Social Movements

      Strategy is a Craft

      Religion

      In God’s Country

      Religion

      Reverend Billy’s Holiday Shopocalypse

      Religion

      Toward the “Rights of the Poor”

      Religion

      The Pope and the Poor

      Religion

      Will the Next Pope Embrace Liberation Theology?

      Religion

      Remembering Romero

      Religion

      John Paul II’s Economic Ethics

      Religion

      Against the God of Free Trade

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Could we be entering a ‘movement moment’ against…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Trump’s backpedaling shows he’s not invincible

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      It’s going to take multiple strategies to win…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      A new wave of movements against Trumpism is…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Harold Washington’s lessons for taking on a political…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Strategy is a Craft

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      Think #MeToo didn’t make a real difference? Think…

      U.S. Politics / Elections

      This new model for upholding labor law may…

      War / Militarism

      Does It Make Sense to Protest a President…

      War / Militarism

      Lessons from the Pledge of Resistance

      War / Militarism

      Is Rambo Still A Republican?

      War / Militarism

      War: The Wrong Jobs Program

      War / Militarism

      The Ascent of Niall Ferguson

      War / Militarism

      Those Who Don’t Count

      War / Militarism

      Six Essays About War and About Peace

      War / Militarism

      The Dangerous Dignity of War

  • Translations
    • All Thai Chinese Deutsch Español Français Italiano Japanese Português Arabic
      Translations

      Jordlösa kombinerar radikala visioner med praktiska reformer (Swedish)

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Thai

      Progressive Good Tidings of 2007 (in Thai)

      Thai

      2006: A Global Justice Year in Review (In…

      Thai

      WTO: Best Left For Dead? (In Thai)

      Thai

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (In…

      Thai

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (In Thai)

      Thai

      The Last Porto Alegre [Thai]

      Thai

      Globalizers, Neocons, or… ? (in Thai)

      Chinese

      泛美洲人 爱德华多·加莱亚诺的世界 (Chinese)

      Chinese

      Why Wendell Matters (in Chinese)

      Chinese

      Globalization’s Watchdogs (in Chinese)

      Deutsch

      Die nicht-reformistischen Reformen von André Gorz

      Deutsch

      Als Martin Luther King seine Feuerwaffen aufgab

      Deutsch

      Mikrokredite: Die Entlassung eines Nobelpreisträgers

      Deutsch

      CAFTA – am besten stillschweigend beerdigen

      Deutsch

      Bush in Mexiko

      Deutsch

      Das globale Duell in Evian

      Deutsch

      Die Rückkehr des Daniel Ortega

      Español

      Hacer Que Nuestras Demandas Sean Tanto Orácticas Como…

      Español

      Las reformas no reformistas de André Gorz

      Español

      ¿Adoptará el nuevo papa la teología de la…

      Español

      Wall Street quiere que les estemos agradecidos

      Español

      Si Las Monjas Se Fueran a una Huelga,…

      Español

      ALEC retrocede; a la derecha le da un…

      Español

      ¿ALEC disgustado ante la pérdida de patrocinadores? Se…

      Español

      La vida en la nación prisión

      Français

      La révolution non-violente a-t-elle échoué en Egypte?

      Français

      Le pari risqué du populisme au Pérou

      Français

      Hong Kong Phooey

      Français

      Bush Nuit Même Aux Compagnies U.S.

      Français

      Le dynamisme du mouvement pour la paix

      Français

      La déroute de l’ALCA dans une Miami en…

      Français

      Ceux qui ne comptent pas

      Français

      La guerre en Irak : une expo des…

      Italiano

      C’è più di un modo per colpire il…

      Italiano

      Richieste dei movimenti: sia pratiche che visionarie

      Italiano

      La strategia di Gandhi per il successo –…

      Italiano

      Le promesse infrante di Obama

      Italiano

      Guantanamo deve sparire

      Italiano

      IL BANK TRANSFER DAY: UN SUCCESSO

      Italiano

      Come il movimento Occupiamo Wall Street si sta…

      Italiano

      Economia tabù

      Japanese

      ガンジーはどのように勝利したのか? (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Truth Versus Superpower (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Bad Business Empire (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Revenge of the Combat Cartoonist (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Bush’s Uneasy Mexican Visita (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Mark Twain in Iraq (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Globalization’s “Lost Decade” (Japanese)

      Japanese

      Hawks Say the Damnedest Things (Japanese)

      Português

      As reformas não reformistas de André Gorz mostram…

      Português

      A vida na Nação Prisão

      Português

      Outro pretexto?

      Português

      Imigração tem efeito positivo sobre emprego e salários

      Português

      O império hipotecado

      Arabic

      Abandoning the World Bank (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Return of Daniel Ortega (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Where’s The Jubilee? (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      The Last Porto Alegre (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Seattle At Five (in Arabic)

      Arabic

      Is Market Access the Answer to Poverty? (in…

      Arabic

      Mexico’s Democratic Transition Still Incomplete (in Arabic)

    • Other Translations
  • Appearances
  • Archive
    • 2023-2025
    • 2021-2022
    • 2019-2020
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    • 2009-2010
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    • 2003-2004
    • 1999-2002
TranslationsIndonesian

Meraba Kebijakan Luar Negeri Pemerintahan Barack Obama

by Mark Engler December 4, 2008
written by Mark Engler December 4, 2008
Meraba Kebijakan Luar Negeri Pemerintahan Barack Obama

DALAM tiga pekan terakhir, presiden terpilih AS, Barack Obama, telah mengumumkan dua tim kabinet yang akan menentukan postur kebijakan luar negeri pemerintahannya. Dua tim itu, adalah tim ekonomi dan tim keamanan.

Tim ekonomi diisi oleh figur-figur pro-neoliberal seperti, mantan menteri keuangan jaman Bill Clinton, Lawrence Summers, sebagai direktur dewan ekonomi nasional (DEN), dan Timothy Geithner, presiden bank sentral New York, sebagai menteri keuangan. Komentator politik Naomi Klein mengatakan, Summers, bersama-sama dengan Robert Rubin dan Alan Greenspan, adalah arsitek utama dari deregulasi sistem keuangan Amerika di masa Clinton, yang membuahkan krisis saat ini. Ekonom Michael Hudson menambahkan, Summers adalah orang yang bertanggung jawab terhadap mewabahnya penyakit kleptokrasi di Rusia pasca runtuhnya Uni Sovyet.

Sementara itu, tim keamanan diisi oleh figur-figur yang secara terbuka mendukung perang Irak. Hillary Clinton, misalnya, memberikan suara setuju pada perang Irak, dan selama masa kampanye calon presiden Partai Demokrat, ia selalu mengindikasikan pendekatan diplomasi koersif dalam kebijakan luar negeri AS. Robert Gates, yang tetap ditempatkan sebagai menteri pertahanan, adalah orang yang bersama-sama dengan jenderal David Petraeus, menghendaki penambahan jumlah pasukan sebesar 20 ribu hingga 25 ribu untuk mengantisipasi skenario perang Irak berakhir gagal. Adapun James Jones, mantan admiral AL AS dan panglima komando NATO, yang didapuk sebagai direktur dewan keamanan nasional (DKN), adalah figur yang mewakili apa yang dikenal sebagai kompleks-industri-militer (industrial-military-complex). Jones adalah juga anggota board raksasa multinasional Chevron dan Boeing, serta president and Chief Executive dari U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy, yang sering mendapat kritik dari kelompok-kelompok lingkungan.

Yang juga menarik, seperti direkam oleh wartawan Amy Goodman, dari 23 anggota senat yang memberikan suara menentang perang Irak, tak ada satupun dari mereka yang dipilih oleh Obama dalam tim keamanannya. Orang seperti senator John Kerry, misalnya, terlempar dari bursa kandidat menteri luar negeri.

Mengembalikan Kepemimpinan Amerika

Pada masa kampanye, ketika menyinggung masalah kebijakan luar negeri AS, satu hal yang terus diulang-ulang oleh Obama, adalah frase “to restore American Leadership.”

Dalam dua periode pemerintahan George W. Bush Jr, kepemimpinan Amerika di dunia, dianggap sebagai yang terburuk dalam sejarah pasca perang Dunia II. Tidak ada satu masa, dimana suara Amerika begitu diremehkan, dimana nilai-nilai Amerika dinista, seperti saat ini. Misalnya, ketika pemerintah Amerika bicara demokrasi, maka pihak lain menafsirkannya sebagai imperialisme; ketika Washington bicara tentang perdamaian, yang dimaksud sebenarnya adalah perang; atau ketika Washington mengirimkan misi perdamaian ke medan konflik, maka sesungguhnya itu bermakna intervensi.

Pertanyaannya, ditengah krisis ekonomi saat ini, dengan cara apa Obama hendak mengembalikan kepemimpinan Amerika? Kita tahu, posisi ekonomi AS saat ini mendapatkan saingan dari negara-negara dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi yang tinggi seperti, Brazil, Rusia, India, dan terutama Cina (BRIC). Tetapi, harus segera di klarifikasi, adalah keliru jika mengatakan ekonomi dari kelompok BRIC terutama Cina, merupakan penantang sangat serius bagi ekonomi AS saat ini. Seperti dicatat profesor Pao-yu-Ching, benar bahwa pertumbuhan ekonomi Cina tinggi tapi, besaran GDP Cina hanya sepersepuluh dari GDP Amerika. Belum lagi, jika kita melihat bahwa ekonomi Cina sangat tergantung pada investasi asing dan pasar luar negeri.

Dengan kata lain, fenomena ekonomi semata tidak memadai untuk menjelaskan kebijkan luar negeri Amerika. Sebagai contoh, kita akan keliru jika melihat perang Irak di dorong oleh motif ekonomi an sich, karena kenyataannya, secara ekonomi Amerika memikul beban yang sangat besar akibat kebijakan perang itu. Kalangan korporasi, juga tidak melihat bahwa perang Irak mendatangkan keuntungan kepada mereka, ketimbang melalui taktik diplomasi. Hanya sebagian kecil korporat, yakni para kroni Washington di sekeliling Dick Dheney dan Bush, yang nyata-nyata meraih keuntungan dari perang tersebut.

Jika demikian, kita harus mencari jawabannya pada sejarah kebijakan luar negeri Amerika sendiri. Kalangan progresif Amerika, mengatakan, kita tidak bisa memahami AS sebagai sebuah negara kapitalis melainkan, memahaminya sebagai sebuah kekaisaran. Sebagai kekaisaran, kebijakan luar negeri Amerika berwatak imperialistik, dimana fenomena ekonomi dan politik saling bersinambung. Dan dalam prakteknya, kebijakan luar negeri Amerika pasca PD II berayun di antara dua pendulum: market-driven-empire dan military-driven empire. Atau dalam bahasa Mark Engler, kebijakan luar negeri Amerika berayun antara atas dua tipe: corporate-globalization dan imperial-globalization. Engler selanjutnya mengatakan, strategi corporate-globalization dengan tepat direpresentasikan pada masa pemerintahan Bill Clinton, sementara imperial-globalization, menonjol pada masa pemerintahan Bush Jr. Ilmuwan politik Joseph R. Nye, menyebut kebijakan luar negeri era Clinton sebagai kebijakan Soft Power, sementara era Bush, disebutnya sebagai kebijakan Hard Power.

Pada masa Clinton, kebijakan market-drive-empire ini tampak dari promosi liberalisasi perdagangan seluas-luasnya dan seagresif-agresifnya. Segera setelah menginjakkan kakinya di Gedung Putih, Clinton langsung menandatangani pakta perdagangan bebas Amerika Utara (NAFTA), mensponsori percepatan pembentukan WTO pada 1995, dan selanjutnya mempromosikan pakta perdagangan Amerika (FTAA). Pada tahun 1999, ia menegaskan kebijakannya ini dengan mengatakan, “perluasan sistem yang berdasarkan pada aturan perdagangan ini akan bergerak selangkah lebih maju dengan perubahan ekonomi global dan perubahan masyarakat global.” Baginya, “keuntungan dari perluasan sistem corporate-globalisation tidak hanya akan didulang oleh Amerika tapi, juga akan mendatangkan kemakmuran bagi mereka yang mau bekerjasama.”

Di masa Clinton, strateginya ini dikawal oleh mereka yang dikenal sebagai kalangan “liberal internationalist” seperti wakil presiden Al Gore, menteri keuangan Lawrence Summers, dan president Bank Dunia, James Wolfensohn.

Tetapi, ketika Bush Jr. naik sebagai presiden, kebijakan luar negeri AS bergerak ke arah military-drive-empire, yang secara ideologis dipandu oleh kalangan neokonservatif. Kebijakan ini, menurut Engler, bisa ditelusuri pada tiga sosok penting yakni, Irving Kristol, William Kristol (anaknya Irving Kristol) dan Robert Kagan. Ucapan Kristol paling terkenal, setelah Amerika merengkuh puncak keemasan politik dan ekonominya pasca Perang Dingin, “apa artinya menjadi bangsa yang besar dan berkuasa di dunia tapi tidak memiliki peranan imperial? Itu tidak pernah terdengar dalam sejarah peradaban manusia. Bangsa yang paling berkuasa, senantiasa memiliki peran imperial.”

Dalam visinya neokon, tatanan dunia yang berdasarkan pada perdagangan yang damai mungkin indah untuk diimpikan tapi, kenyataannya dunia tidak seperti itu. Kebijakan soft power, yang menekankan aspek kultural-ideologis dalam pemeliharaan tatanan dunia yang kondusif bagi kepentingan Amerika, di mata mereka hanyalah ilusi. Dalam bahasa Kagan, tidak bisa dibayangkan bagaimana bisa Pepsi Cola diperjual-belikan secara bebas di Uni Sovyet tanpa didahului oleh kejatuhan komunisme. Baginya, tidak berarti para bisnismen itu jelek tapi, karena tujuan akhirnya adalah maksimisasi keuntungan maka seringkali kepentingan mereka bertentangan dengan moral, strategi, dan bahkan asirasi ekonomi bangsa.

Ini sekaligus menunjukkan, bahwa perbedaan utama kedua strategi ini bukan pada yang satu mempromosikan neoliberalisme dan yang lain menolaknya tapi, lebih pada penilaian neokon bahwa para korporat globalis ini keliru memahami apa yang mereka sebut “the very nature of American Dominance.” Michael Steinberger, koresponden senior the American Prospect, dengan jernih mengatakan bahwa apa yang neokon percayai bahwa “dunia adalah sebuah negara Hobbesian, kekuasaan itu ada diperutnya pesawat pembom B-52, dan satu-satunya jalan yang terbaik untuk menghadang kaum barbarian di pintu masuk adalah mendorong mereka ke luar pintu dan membunuhnya.

Demikianlah, ketika Bush berkuasa, ia segera mengisi pos-pos penting dan strategis dalam kabinetnya dengan figur-figur neokon yang semula bernaung di bawah bendera Project for New American Century (PNAC), yang didirikan oleh William Kristol dan Robert Kagan. Di antara mereka yang terkenal adalah, Elliot Abrams, Douglas Feith, Lewis “Scooter” Libby, dan Paul Wolfowitz.

Tetapi, terbukti, proyek military-drive-empire ini mengalami kebangkrutan, di dalam maupun di luar negeri Amerika. Karena itu, melihat susunan tim ekonomi maupun tim keamanan Obama, dimana aroma Clintonian sangatlah terasa, mungkinkah ia akan menggunakan strategi market-drive-empire atau kedua strategi ini dijalankan berbarengan seperti pada periode 1963-1973?***

Mark Engler

Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent magazine. His latest book, written with Paul Engler, is entitled This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century.

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The Author

Mark Engler is a writer based in Philadelphia and an editorial board member at Dissent magazine. His latest book, written with Paul Engler, is entitled This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-First Century (Nation Books). Mark’s full bio is available here.

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