The Conservative Mind

I have tried for a long time to explain why I can't be a Conservative or a Liberal. I have found some articles recently that show the reason against Conservativism clearly. They both relate to the death and the "legacy" of Pinochet and his regime. The first is referenced in my post Through the Looking Glass. The article talks about how Pinochet should be remembered for developing the economy of his country. This mentality is consistent with the Conservative view that economic development is more important than anything else. It is also interesting to read the US reaction to the events at the time. The CIA was notified by contacts of the impending Pinochet coup two days in advance, but contends it "played no direct role in" the coup. On September 16, 1973, after Pinochet had assumed power, the following exchange about the coup took place between U.S. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and President Richard Nixon: Nixon: Nothing new of any importance or is there? Kissinger: Nothing of very great consequence. The Chilean thing is getting consolidated and of course the newspapers are bleeding because a pro-Communist government has been overthrown. Nixon: Isn't that something. Isn't that something. Kissinger: I mean instead of celebrating – in the Eisenhower period we would be heroes. Nixon: Well we didn't – as you know – our hand doesn't show on this one though. Kissinger: We didn't do it. I mean we helped them. [Garbled] created the conditions as great as possible. Nixon: That is right. And that is the way it is going to be played. (citation here) There is no evidence that the U.S. instigated or provided material support to Pinochet's successful coup in 1973, but the Nixon administration was undoubtedly pleased with the outcome; Nixon had spoken with disappointment about the failed coup earlier that year.. The U.S. did provide material support to the military regime after the coup, although it criticized them in public. A document released by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in 2000 titled "CIA Activities in Chile" revealed that the CIA actively supported the military junta after the overthrow of Allende and that it made many of Pinochet's officers into paid contacts of the CIA or U.S. military, even though some were known to be involved in human rights abuses. So, why might the US be so interested in the Pinochet rise to power? His economic policy may have something to do with it. It seems very friendly to US business interests, which we know is the most important thing to the "Conservatives". This opinion is supported by NRO writer Jonah Goldberg in this article. This article addresses many peripheral subjects, such as the economic decline of Cuba, which would be easy to attack and dis-assemble; for example, we can show that the Cuban economy was destroyed as much, if not more, by US sanctions as by Castro and Communism. However, I will try to stick to the premise of the article, rather than the minutia. I read this article very similarly to the other NRO article I referenced, which is an apology for Pinochet and his human rights violations. The author(s) argue that economic development makes his other crimes tolerable. I have very little patience for the justification of torture and imperialism in any form, even if it improves the United States' potential for economic expansion in that country. Since this seems to be the prevailing opinion among the "thinkers" and "intellectuals" in the Republican Party, I cannot support their politics.