Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

Rushed out of Iran by Farhad. Together, they fly to the Rome home of Farhad’s father, an Iranian general, who predicts the shah’s imminent ouster and blames U.S. policy, corrupt leaders, and despotic governments for the hatred sweeping the Middle East. He warns that if the United States does not become more compassionate, the situation will deteriorate.

1979

Struggles with conscience as the shah flees his country and Iranians storm the U.S. Embassy, taking fifty-two hostages. Realizes that the United States is a nation laboring to deny the truth about its imperialist role in the world. After years of tension and frequent separations, divorces first wife.

1980

Suffers from deep depression, guilt, and the realization that money and power have trapped him at MAIN. Quits.

1981

Is deeply disturbed when Ecuador’s president Jaime Roldós (who has campaigned on an anti-oil platform) and Panama’s Omar Torrijos (who has incurred the wrath of powerful Washington interests, due to his positions on the Panama Canal and U.S. military bases) die in fiery airplane crashes that have all the markings of CIA assassinations. Marries for the second time, to a woman whose father is chief architect at Bechtel Corporation and is in charge of designing and building cities in Saudi Arabia—work financed through the 1974 EHM deal.

1982

Creates Independent Power Systems Inc. (IPS), a company committed to producing environmentally friendly electricity. Fathers Jessica.

1983–1989

Succeeds spectacularly as IPS CEO, with much help from “coincidences”—people in high places, tax breaks, etc. As a father, frets over world crises and former EHM role. Begins writing a tell-all book, but is offered a lucrative consultants’ retainer on the condition that he not write the book.

1990–1991

Following the U.S. invasion of Panama and imprisonment of Noriega, sells IPS and retires at forty-five. Contemplates book about life as an EHM, but instead is persuaded to direct energies toward creating a nonprofit organization, an effort which, he is told, would be negatively impacted by such a book.

1992–2000

Watches the EHM failures in Iraq that result in the first Gulf War. Three times starts to write the EHM book, but instead gives in to threats and bribes. Tries to assuage conscience by writing books about indigenous peoples, supporting nonprofit organizations, teaching at New Age forums, traveling to the Amazon and the Himalayas, meeting with the Dalai Lama, etc.

2001–2002

Leads a group of North Americans deep into the Amazon, and is there with an indigenous tribe on September 11, 2001. Spends a day at Ground Zero and commits to writing the book that can heal his pain and expose the truth behind EHMs.

2003–2004

Returns to the Ecuadorian Amazon to meet with the indigenous tribes who have threatened war against the oil companies; writes Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.

NOTES

Preface

1. The United Nations World Food Programme, http://www.wfp.org/index.asp?section=1 (accessed December 27, 2003). In addition, the National Association for the Prevention of Starvation estimates that “Every day 34,000 children under five die of hunger or preventable diseases resulting from hunger” (http://www.napsoc.org, accessed December 27, 2003). Starvation.net estimates that “if we were to add the next two leading ways (after starvation) the poorest of the poor die, waterborne diseases and AIDS, we would be approaching a daily body count of 50,000 deaths” (http://www.starvation.net, accessed December 27, 2003).

2. U.S. Department of Agriculture findings, reported by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), http://www.frac.org (accessed December 27, 2003).

3. United Nations. Human Development Report. (New York: United Nations, 1999).

4. “In 1998, the United Nations Development Program estimated that it would cost an additional $9 billion (above current expenditures) to provide clean water and sanitation for everyone on earth. It would cost an additional $12 billion, they said, to cover reproductive health services for all women worldwide. Another $13 billion would be enough not only to give every person on earth enough food to eat but also basic health care. An additional $6 billion could provide basic education for all… Combined they add up to $40 billion.”—John Robbins, author of Diet for a New America and The Food Revolution, http://www.foodrevolution.org (accessed December 27, 2003).

Prologue

1. Gina Chavez et al., Tarimiat—Firmes en Nuestro Territorio: FIPSE vs. ARCO, eds. Mario Melo and Juana Sotomayor (Quito, Ecuador: CDES and CONAIE, 2002).

2. Sandy Tolan, “Ecuador: Lost Promises,” National Public Radio, Morning Edition, July 9, 2003, http://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2003/jul/latinoil (accessed July 9, 2003).