No Shortages Exist for US Privileged Class amid COVID-19 Crisis: American Analyst


No Shortages Exist for US Privileged Class amid COVID-19 Crisis: American Analyst

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An American political analyst said that “harm to ordinary people at home and abroad never deters the US from pursuing its imperial agenda”, noting that the White House serves the privileged class at the expense of the people.

“The world’s richest country exclusively serves its privileged class at the expense of the vast majority exploited to serve it,” Stephen Lendman from Chicago told Tasnim.

“As for shortages of ventilators, face masks for health workers, other equipment needed, and enough ICU beds, it reflects US indifference toward its ordinary people. No shortages exist for its privileged class,” he added.

Stephen Lendman is a writer, syndicated columnist, activist, News TV personality, and radio show host. He currently writes for MoneyNewsNow.com and VeteransToday.com and hosts, since 2007, a progressive radio show at The Progressive Radio News Hour on The Progressive Radio Network.

Following is the full text of the interview:

Tasnim: More than six weeks into the Trump administration’s response effort — which began Jan. 29 with the announcement of a coronavirus task force and, two days later, the declaration of a public health emergency — ramped-up testing for the virus has only just begun, hospital systems say they don’t have enough beds and medical supplies to handle the onslaught of anticipated patients, and there is a shortage of respirators, ventilators and other protective equipment for nurses and doctors on the front lines. The emergence of the coronavirus exposed the vulnerability of Western governments in the face of such pandemics despite their “advanced medical technology”. There are reports that elderly people are not receiving medical treatment across Western hospitals due to shortages. What do you think?

Lendman: Americans are ill-governed and abused by both the right wings of the nation’s war party. On major issues mattering most Dems and Republicans are on the same page, their rhetoric alone differing at times. On issues of war and peace, corporate empowerment, and police state crackdowns on nonbelievers, they’re equally hardline. The same goes for their policies toward sovereign independent states the US doesn’t control, wanting their legitimate governments replaced by pro-Western puppet regimes.

That’s what US hostility toward Iran is all about, along with wanting Israel’s main regional rival eliminated. It shows in how Dems and Republicans care little about the rights and welfare of ordinary Americans. At times like now when a national health emergency exists because of spreading COVID-19 infections, both parties are debating how much more to give corporate interests, including by bailing out favored companies with taxpayer money while doing little for the vast majority of Americans already or about to lose their jobs and stay unemployed for an unknown period.

Hospitals and other medical facilities have a woefully inadequate supply of ventilators for COVID-19 patients and protective gear for healthcare workers. The world’s richest country exclusively serves its privileged class at the expense of the vast majority exploited to serve it.

Tasnim: According to reports, the coronavirus outbreak across the US is getting worse, with damage accelerated by shortages of key medical supplies. As of today, there are 60,000 confirmed cases nationwide, with nearly 1,000 deaths. New York State has become the epicenter of the outbreak in the US and accounts for almost half of the country's cases. "We're about 10 days away from seeing widespread shortages," Bill de Blasio, the city's mayor, said on Sunday. "If we don't get more ventilators people will die." Warnings of such shortages have reverberated across the country as state governors have pleaded with the federal government to make more supplies available. A critical lack of testing kits. A shortage of ventilators. Not enough ICU beds. What is behind this mismanagement?

Lendman: Throughout its history from inception, the US used banned weapons. It waged a biological warfare against Native Americans, including by smallpox infected blankets. During America’s Civil War, both sides used chemical weapons, including chlorine gas. In WW I and II, the US used banned weapons, the same is true in all its succeeding wars. Today the US uses chemical, biological and radiological weapons in its war theaters. Was COVID-19 made in the USA? Last week, Pompeo falsely accused China, Russia, and Iran of conducting disinformation campaigns about the origin of the highly contagious/potentially deadly virus. Trump turned truth on its head, calling it the “Wuhan virus.”

Evidence suggests it was made in the US, not China, introduced in the country by US dark forces — the same likely true for Iran, victimized many times over by US war by other means. Since 2018, China had significant outbreaks of two strains of bird flu, African swine flu, armyworms that destroyed thousands of hectares of crops, since December COVID-19, and in January a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu. Was all of the above bad luck or US biowarfare to harm China’s economy and increase US exports of agricultural and other foodstuffs to the country? As for shortages of ventilators, face masks for health workers, other equipment needed, and enough ICU beds, it reflects US indifference toward its ordinary people. No shortages exist for its privileged class.

Tasnim: The Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, recently spoke out about the bizarre US offer to help Iran in its fight against the coronavirus epidemic. He pointed out that it is very, very strange that the Trump administration would be offering some form of unspecified help when it is blockading medical supplies and equipment from reaching Iran, thereby making this medical crisis vastly worse. What are your thoughts on this? How could the US help Iran when it is facing shortages?

Lendman: I agree with Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei about the bogus US offer. (Iranian) Foreign Minister (Mohammad Javad) Zarif said it well, stressing that if the US wanted to help Iran, it would cease waging economic and medical terrorism. Clearly the Trump regime is going all-out to crush Iran’s economy and immiserate its people, aiming for maximum human suffering.

Tasnim: In his speech, the Leader added, "Firstly, you have a shortage yourself and this is what American officials say. Secondly, you are accused of producing the virus. I do not know how true this accusation is, but when such an accusation is made, which wise person will ask for your help?" According to the Leader, "Part of this virus is said to have been made for Iran by using genetic backgrounds which they have collected from Iranians, which of course is part of their hostility". What do you think?

Lendman: I strongly believe it was made in the US for use as a bioweapon against targeted states and its people. It begs the question whether this plot, if accurate, backfired because of how widely the virus spread to most countries, including to Europe and across the US. We’ll likely have answers to key questions once further information is known. My view is that what’s going on is a US assault on targeted countries, along with a manufactured economic crisis at home, in the West and elsewhere. Why the latter: so powerful state and private interests can consolidate greater wealth and power. Harm to ordinary people at home and abroad never deters the US from pursuing its imperial agenda.

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