First, it's about time you reared your ugly head around here again! ("Ugly head" is, by definition, a term of endearment and not related to how ugly you really are.)

Second, your post gave me some thought. How much of Britain's vaunted 17th and 18th century navy was designed to protect the commercial looting of the colonies? The Hudson's Bay Company was almost a British military operation as it expanded British interests. (And tried to exterminate beavers from North America so as to make it's pelt holdings more valuable.)

I've recently read of the causes of WWI, which weren't primarily financial but a fragile political situation which spiraled out of control. However, WWII certainly was fought over commercial interests, as was Vietnam and certainly Iraq. James Jones in "The Thin Red Line" has it nailed - "They spend out lives like dollar bills."

Countries such as Iran and Venezuela which believe that a certain percentage of their national resources should be utilized for the welfare of their own people are anathema to those commercial interests. Castro throwing out the Mob has resulted in almost 50 years of American demonizing. (And Castro didn't start out as communist - America was so protective of the Mob that Castro had no place to turn but the other superpower.) One could almost understand the Cubans who live in America hating him except that to do so endorses Batista, as corrupt and brutal as they come. Somehow they didn't seem to mind Batista.

Enlightened corporations have learned that it is not necessary to run a country to enslave it. Use capitalist governments to force treaties which not only enslave the workforces but require that money be spent upon multinational corporation products.

Governments such as that of the US still wants ownership, as in Iraq. That fits with the older idea of empire, which is well-nigh irresistable to some. The idea of "negotiating a long-term American presence" in Iraq at gunpoint is a case in point. As laughable as it is tragic.

It seems to be the same old thing described in different words.

Good to see you again.

Arf