Let’s not sugarcoat it: the United States has spent decades honing the art of propping up fascistic forces and dismantling anti-fascist resistance, all under the guise of maintaining "stability" or "spreading democracy." The result? A global resurgence of authoritarianism fueled by policies born in Washington think tanks and implemented by dictators, death squads, and oligarchs worldwide. But the effects don’t stop at the borders of the empire—the same tactics and ideologies have returned to the U.S., fueling the rise of homegrown fascism. In 2024, this feedback loop is no longer just a hypothetical—it’s an unfolding catastrophe.
The architects of U.S. imperialism have long known the playbook: co-opt or crush anti-fascist movements, install pliant regimes, and weaponise reactionary forces to safeguard elite interests. What they didn’t anticipate—or didn’t care to acknowledge—was that empowering fascists abroad would embolden their counterparts at home. The "traditional order" they’ve worked so hard to restore globally is now engulfing the United States itself.
Fascists as Partners: A Long and Dirty History
After World War II, the U.S. decided that fascists could be useful allies, provided they were willing to serve the empire’s interests. Washington quickly went from fighting Nazis to recruiting them. Reinhard Gehlen, Hitler’s top spy on the Eastern Front, was welcomed into the fold to run intelligence operations against the Soviet Union. Klaus Barbie, the “Butcher of Lyon,” escaped justice with the help of the CIA and later trained death squads in Bolivia. These were not anomalies—they were the foundation of a new world order built on suppressing anti-fascist resistance at all costs.
This strategy persisted long after the Cold War. In the Philippines, for example, the U.S. supported Ferdinand Marcos, whose kleptocratic rule relied on martial law and the violent suppression of leftist movements. Decades later, Washington backed Rodrigo Duterte, whose so-called “war on drugs” masked widespread human rights abuses, including the extrajudicial killings of thousands of poor Filipinos. Today, the U.S. quietly supports Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son of the original dictator, as he cements dynastic rule. It’s no coincidence that his administration targets labor unions and activists while cosying up to American military interests.
In Eastern Europe, the U.S. has continued its tradition of collaborating with far-right forces, most recently in Ukraine. While it is necessary to oppose Russian aggression, Washington’s willingness to arm and train groups like the Azov Battalion—a militia that openly embraces neo-Nazi symbols and ideology—exposes the hypocrisy of its rhetoric about defending democracy. The logic is as cynical as ever: fascists are tolerable as long as they’re useful.
The Global Feedback Loop: Exporting Fascism, Importing Chaos
The tools the U.S. developed to crush anti-fascist resistance abroad are now being repurposed by authoritarian regimes around the world. Leaders like Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro took careful notes on Washington’s playbook, combining militarised policing, media disinformation, and evangelical mobilisation to entrench power. Bolsonaro’s alliances with agribusiness and mining companies mirrored decades of U.S.-backed land grabs in Latin America, where indigenous and peasant communities were violently displaced to make way for corporate exploitation.
In Hungary, Viktor Orban has become the poster child for a new wave of authoritarianism. Orban’s attacks on independent media, academic institutions, and judicial independence are eerily reminiscent of tactics used by U.S.-backed regimes in places like Chile under Pinochet. Orban even coined the term “illiberal democracy” to describe his vision—a nod to the fact that his rule retains a veneer of electoral legitimacy while systematically dismantling the rights of opposition groups and minorities. The U.S. may not have directly created Orban’s regime, but the methods he employs bear an unmistakable resemblance to those exported by Washington for decades.
In the Middle East, the U.S. approach to “counterterrorism” has been a thinly veiled effort to suppress popular movements. The Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 briefly challenged the traditional order, but Washington’s response ensured they failed. In Egypt, the U.S. tacitly supported General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s coup against the democratically elected Mohamed Morsi, restoring a military dictatorship that tortures dissidents and crushes unions. In Libya, NATO’s intervention toppled Muammar Gaddafi but left the country in ruins, overrun by militias and slave traders. These outcomes aren’t failures—they’re features of a system designed to eliminate challenges to U.S. economic hegemony.
The Boomerang Effect: Fascism Comes Home
What happens when an empire exports fascism for decades? Eventually, it comes back. The militarised tactics perfected abroad—torture, surveillance, propaganda—are now being deployed domestically, targeting dissent and empowering reactionary forces.
The militarisation of U.S. police forces is a direct consequence of the War on Terror. Local law enforcement now boasts tanks, drones, and military-grade weapons, justified by the same rhetoric used to crush resistance in Iraq and Afghanistan. Protesters in Ferguson and Standing Rock were met with armored vehicles and tear gas, treated not as citizens exercising their rights but as enemy combatants. This is the language of empire turned inward.
Meanwhile, far-right militias like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers have flourished in this environment. These groups draw on the tactics of paramilitaries funded by the U.S. in places like El Salvador, where death squads were deployed to silence opposition. In the U.S., these militias serve as unofficial enforcers for politicians like Donald Trump, whose rhetoric emboldens their violence while demonising antifascist activists.
The demonisation of “antifa” in U.S. discourse mirrors the way grassroots movements have been labeled “terrorists” abroad. From Palestinian activists to indigenous land defenders in Latin America, anyone resisting exploitation has been branded a threat. Now, that same logic is being applied domestically, creating an environment where antifascist resistance is criminalised while fascist groups operate with impunity.
2044: A Dystopian Forecast
If these trends continue unchecked, the future is bleak. By 2044, the global resurgence of fascism—fueled by U.S. imperialism—could dominate both international and domestic politics. Imagine a world where, in this grim scenario, surveillance technologies perfected by China and Israel but eagerly adopted by Western states make dissent nearly impossible. Every protest, every organising effort is tracked, silenced, or pre-empted, ensuring that resistance is snuffed out before it begins. The U.S., far from being a beacon of freedom, becomes the epicenter of a global surveillance state.
Authoritarian regimes like Orban’s Hungary and Netanyahu’s Israel form alliances with reactionary powers like Saudi Arabia and Modi’s India, creating a bloc that openly coordinates repression across borders. This network isn’t just tolerated by the U.S.—it’s actively supported, as long as it preserves the neoliberal order.
Climate collapse exacerbates this repression. As rising seas and desertification displace millions, governments use the chaos to justify martial law, border fortifications, and militarised crackdowns. Refugees fleeing unlivable conditions are met with bullets, while corporations profit from privatised water, land, and energy.
Conclusion: Fighting the Fascist Future
The resurgence of fascism is no accident—it’s the result of deliberate U.S. policy. The same tactics used to crush anti-fascist movements abroad are now creating a world where authoritarianism is the norm, not the exception. The only way to stop this is through international solidarity and uncompromising resistance. The stakes couldn’t be higher: either we dismantle the structures that enable fascism, or we prepare for a future where resistance itself is impossible. The choice is ours, but the clock is ticking.
No comments:
Post a Comment