- by HF
- The Guardian
- Issue #2200
The United States military industrial complex is not only one of the most politically destructive military forces in the world, but also the most environmentally damaging. Abby Martin’s documentary illustrates the unfathomable climate destruction which the military causes, as well as its absolute lack of accountability.
The American military has over 800 overseas bases. The ultimate goal of these military bases is to maintain capitalism and imperialist domination through violence. There’s simply no comparison with the militaries of any other country. China, currently being hyped as a threat that must be countered (it isn’t) has one overseas base.
In an era when climate change is becoming the biggest existential threat to humanity, international climate agreements exclude the military from a nation’s climate statistics and emissions targets for so-called national security reasons. The US military has unchecked permission to destroy the planet while the burden of climate change is put on the global working class. Thus, the fight against climate change is inevitably an anti-imperialist struggle.
This documentary details the harrowing environmental results of the US military in places like Iraq, Hawaii, Okinawa, and in the USA itself.
Hawaii is essentially a colony of the US. Stereotyped as a holiday destination, it is home to a substantial US military presence. There is an indigenous protest movement there, who are interviewed for the movie.
Also tropical and also colonial is Okinawa. An independent kingdom for centuries until the takeover by the Japanese mainland, Okinawa has had 40% of its landmass given over to the US military. Okinawans have many reasons to resent armed forces. Protest there is mainstream, and Martin gives serious weight to Okinawans.
The movie also looks at Iraq, not only host to US bases, but still paying the price for the two US invasions. Billions of bullets and other discarded armaments cause damage to drinking water and farmland.
The military affects the oceans too, with sonic damage to wildlife. The freedom from accountability the miltary enjoy comes up here too, as it means freedom for the US to dump anything anywhere.
This impunity applies to the US itself, and Martin gives some serious attention to the catastrophic affects of the armed forces in their home country.
The audience is left in no doubt as to the catastrophic results of an unchecked imperialist military. This is shown not just in statistics but in the impact on real people and the environment around the world.
The protest movement is examined closely through interviews and documentary footage. It’s inspiring to see people who have been protesting against the armed forces’ unchecked operations for years, sometimes for decades.
Martin makes the impact of the US military on the countries where it operates vivid and visceral.
Abby Martin herself was on tour in Australia this July.
The screening led neatly into the Independent Pacific and Australia Network (IPAN) National Conference held in Adelaide attended by a coalition of left-wing organisations committed to peace and an independent Australian sovereignty.
Earth’s Greatest Enemy is now streaming on Apple TV and Prime Video. J
