"And in Iraq we tried to implement the same policy that was so successful in Saudi Arabia, but Saddam Hussein didn't buy. When the economic hit men fail in this scenario, the next step is what we call the jackals"
About this Quote
John Perkins's quote discusses the concept of "economic hit men", a term he popularized in his book "Confessions of a Financial Hit Guy". According to Perkins, economic hitman are specialists who use financial tools to push and manipulate nations into serving the interests of worldwide corporations and U.S. geopolitical objectives by indebting them and wielding impact over their policies.
In this quote, Perkins contrasts the U.S. policy's effectiveness in Saudi Arabia with its failure in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. In Saudi Arabia, the U.S. effectively cultivated a relationship where both celebrations found shared advantages; the U.S. got tactical influence and a stable oil supply, while the Saudi regime got security warranties and economic investments. The underlying idea is that Saudi compliance and beneficial policies were achieved through economic rewards and negotiations, which Perkins credits to economic hit men strategies.
On the other hand, in Iraq, Saddam Hussein did not capitulate to similar financial pressures or incentives. His refusal to align with U.S. and Western interests prevented the economic hitman's standard approaches. In Perkins's narrative, when these economic strategies fail-- when a leader declines to be controlled or affected-- more aggressive techniques are released, which he refers to as the actions of "jackals.".
The "jackals" are probably operatives who undertake more direct and often concealed actions, potentially consisting of managing coups, prompting revolutions, or even assassination, to destabilize or replace uncooperative routines. Perkins suggests that such techniques were thought about or used when economic persuasion did not yield the desired outcomes.
In general, this quote shows Perkins's important view of U.S. foreign policy as a continuum of intensifying coercive methods starting with economic manipulation and, if needed, advancing to more obvious or forceful interventions when initial strategies fail.
