Meeting Dr. Spook
“We Live in a dirty and dangerous world. There are some things the general public does not need to know, and shouldn’t. I Believe democracy flourishes when the government can take legitimate steps to keep its secrets and when the press can decide whether to print what it knows.” Katherine Graham - Heiress and Owner of the Washington Post 

The commercial flight was full and heavy, but the pilot executed a perfect takeoff. I sat next to a terse looking man in his early 40’s with a slightly grown out US military buzz-cut. We were in it for the long haul. Before too long I realized he knew more about the effects of flying on the human body than even a commercial pilot. The hours ticked by. He consumed a bottle of Aussie Red. He seemed familiar with Australia. Not Sydney or Melbourne. But the remote terrain of central Australia, near the bases. We talked about the Iraq invasion. “The liberation? It’s good for the Aussies…we don’t buy French wines anymore”. It was the first time he’d laughed. “But polls show that the Australian public doesn’t want the war.” I argued. But I knew by now, that we spoke a different language. He gave another brittle laugh as though I’d just made a joke. It was clear he considered the concept of electors as ludicrous and irrelevant. To his view there was no connection between what the voters want and what the government does. “What’s the problem?” he asked, “we (the US) paid for the Aussie planes anyway and they (the Aussies) get the reconstruction contracts.” Silence. We retreated into our corners for a while pretending to sleep. Both of us had already quite accurately sized the other up. 

“I spent 33 years in the Marines. Most of my time being a high-class muscle man for Big Business…” 

Smedley D. Butler, Major General US Marines

“The hidden hand of the market will never work without a hidden fist – McDonalds cannot flourish without McDonnell Douglas, the builder of the F-15. And the hidden fist that keeps the world safe for Silicon Valley’s technologies is called the United States Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.” Thomas Friedman New York Times Magazine March 28, 1999

He asked me where my ultimate destination was. I lied. And he knew it. I told him I was invited to give a talk. That part was true. He asked me about my work. I told him. “A writer on the politics of the health care industry, among other things; exploding the myths.” “What do you mean?” his interest was sparked. 

Briefly overcome by the pointlessness of sharing my views with him, I continued anyway. “How strange is it that ‘they’ tell us that the world population is still growing out of control when the west has had close to zero population growth for many years now and up to 80% of Africa and Asia are infected with HIV and dying of AIDS, famine and war?” He pretended disinterest but cocked his head toward me. I continued. “How strange is it that ‘they’ tell us that our life expectancy is increasing because of good health care, when cancer is raging in epidemic proportions, nearly 42% of Americans will die of heart disease and western medical care has moved up to being the number one killer in the west. (8,9) Asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders have risen by 40%, AIDS, and other epidemics old and new rage out of control. Obesity, mental illness, Alzheimer’s, addiction and suicides are epidemic, a quarter of children in the west and most in the third world now live in poverty without basic necessities and medical care. Doesn’t anyone die from these? In addition 86% of US children cannot pass a standard fitness test. Isn’t it manifestly obvious that neither the US nor the world’s life expectancy is increasing?” 

He had developed a slight facial twitch. “You’re wrong“. He said, “dead wrong”. “I’m right” I said stubbornly. “No you’re not,” he said. “I was an analyst for the Pentagon. I analyze information.” There, he’d actually said it. I stopped a while to take it in. “What do you do to the information” I asked, not expecting a reply. 

“The CIA is well placed throughout the American business scene as well as in the national media”. – Doug Fedor in A weekly view from the foothills of Appalachia 27/6/99

“Where did you get your information from?” he asked ignoring my question. “It’s out there in the public domain.” I quoted a few studies. “Since big Pharma and corporations took over health care, it’s been killing people. Millions.” I said defiantly. 

Are you out there saying that in public? He demanded. “Sure, “I said. “You can’t go out there and say that,” he repeated. “But it’s true.” I insisted. 

“You’ve got no proof,” he challenged. 

“…it is a government by the Corporations for the Corporations” – Ruthford B Hayes 19th US President 

“Consider some proven facts about US health care and join the dots”, I said. I quoted sources that the US, whose health care system is monopolized by corporations, has the worst infant mortality rate compared to 23 other wealthy countries whose health care system is still in partly in public hands. “US health care corporations are a powerful lobby and generous financial benefactors to politicians on Capitol Hill, and with this flood of cash, the US has nearly the lowest life expectancy of 23 other wealthy countries. The US has 5 % of the world’s population and it spends 45% of the world’s health dollars. Despite this, Americans’ life expectancies are the lowest of 23 other wealthy nations’ and lower than some third world countries like Costa Rica. (1,2,4,5). “But not for long,” I speculated, “globalization is exporting this model to the rest of the world.” He seemed agitated, but I had to finish. “This can only mean that corporate health care creates sickness, disability and death and profits from it.” I said. 

“You can’t say that,” he hissed. 

“Yes I can”, I answered. 

“No you can’t” he repeated more grimly. 

“Why not?”

“Because”, he hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s classified.” 

A long silence came between us. He sipped the last drop of red from his plastic airline cup. I sat back in my seat trying to look relaxed. Perhaps it was foolish of me, I thought. But at least I found out who “they” are. 

“But that’s the whole point of corporatization-to try to remove the public from making decisions over their own fate, to limit the public arena, to comtol opinion, to make sure that the fundamental decisions that determine how the wolrld is going to be run – which includes production, commerce, distribution, thought, social policy, foreign policy, everything, - are not in the hands of the public, but rather in the hands of highly concentrated private power. In effect, tyranny unaccountable to the public.” – Noam Chomsky in interview with Corporate Watch.

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