Chomsky on Anarchism.pdf - Zine Library
Chomsky on Anarchism.pdf - Zine Library
Chomsky on Anarchism.pdf - Zine Library
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OBJECTIVITY AND LIBERAL SCHOLARSHIP<br />
sociery disappeared <strong>on</strong>ce the American presence became dominant, however.<br />
Surely any Thai liberal reformer must have been aware of this by 1950, in the<br />
wake of the coups, the fa rcical rigged electi<strong>on</strong>s, the murder and torture of leaders<br />
of the Free Thai ami-Japanese underground, the takeover by the mili£ary of<br />
the political and much of rhe commercial system-particularly when he listened<br />
to the words of American Ambassador Stam<strong>on</strong> as he signed a new aid<br />
agreement: "The American people fully support this program of aid to<br />
Thailand because of their deep interest in the Thai people whose devoti<strong>on</strong> to<br />
the ideals of freedom and liberty and wholehearted support of the UN have<br />
w<strong>on</strong> the admirati<strong>on</strong> of the American people."<br />
"A notable trend throughout this period was rhe growing intimacy bervveen<br />
rhe Thai military leaders and rhe top-level military officials from rhe United<br />
Srates," who helped them obtain "large-scale foreign aid which in turn bolstered<br />
their polirical power." The head of the American military missi<strong>on</strong>,<br />
Col<strong>on</strong>el Charles Sheld<strong>on</strong>. stated that Thailand was "threatened by armed<br />
aggressi<strong>on</strong> by people who do nor believe in democracy, who do nor believe in<br />
freedom or rhe digniry of rhe individual man as do the people of Thailand and<br />
my counrry." Adlai Stevens<strong>on</strong>, in 1953, warned the Thai leaders "that their<br />
country was the real target of the Vietminh." and expressed his hope that they<br />
"fully appreciate the rhreat." Meanwhile, United States assistance had built a<br />
powerful army and supplied the police with tanks, artillery, armored cars, an<br />
36 air force, naval patrol vessels, and a training school fo r paratroopers. The police<br />
achieved <strong>on</strong>e of the highest ratios of policemen to citizens in the world-about<br />
1 to 400. The police chief meanwhile relied <strong>on</strong> "his m<strong>on</strong>opoly of the opium<br />
trade and his extensive commercial enrerprises for the income he needed to<br />
suppOrt his pers<strong>on</strong>al political machine," while rhe army chief "received an<br />
enormoliS income from the nati<strong>on</strong>al lottery."<br />
Ir was later discovered that the chief of police had committed indescribable<br />
arroci(ies; "rhe extent of (he t<strong>on</strong>ure and murder commi((ed by rhe former<br />
police chief will probably never be known." What is known is what came to<br />
light after Sarit, the army chief. took power in a new coup in 1957. Sarit<br />
"stressed rhe need to maintain a stable government and intensify rhe suppressi<strong>on</strong><br />
oflocal Communists to 'ensure c<strong>on</strong>tinued American trust, c<strong>on</strong>fidence and<br />
aid.'" The Americans were naturally gratified, and the official reacti<strong>on</strong> was very<br />
favorable. When Sarit died in 1963 it was discovered that his pers<strong>on</strong>al fortune<br />
reached perhaps $137 milli<strong>on</strong>. Both Darling and Roger Hilsman refer to him<br />
as a "benevolent" dictator, perhaps because he "realized that Communism<br />
could not be stopped solely by mass arrests. firing squads. or threats of bcutal<br />
punishment, and launched a development projecr in the N<strong>on</strong>heast regi<strong>on</strong>s,"<br />
al<strong>on</strong>g with various other mild reforms-without, however, ceasing the fo rmer<br />
practices, which he felt might "irnpress the Americans again with the need for<br />
more military and ec<strong>on</strong>omic aid ro prevent 'Communist' subversi<strong>on</strong>." He also<br />
imposed rigid censorship, abolished trade organizati<strong>on</strong>s and labor uni<strong>on</strong>s and