No World Order

This New World Order is not so new,
where the bombing of a city
is an all to familiar example
of one of those rare
transforming moments of history
one where the enemy remains unseen
so their humanity stays a mystery

The chorus of self-congratulation
is deaf to the screams
and the hero sings on unpeturbed
reworking Smith, just like they did with Jesus
promising all their sweetest dreams

They didn’t give the weapons to the retreating generals
and the Kurds and the Shi’ites were destined
to be mere footnotes in a Schwartzkopf biography
that’s now on remainder in K-Mart and army surplus stores

War heros always know their proper limits
if you want fame and fortune you have to follow orders
because some must be freer than others

Saddam you can kill your own
just don’t undercut our oil
we hope some general can overthrow you
but still let the masses toil
We’d be happy with our own Iron Fist
We await a suitable candidate
one just like Kuwait
another respected ‘client’, 
‘valued ally’ or ‘democratic tyrant’

All noble in crippling children
these great men, with their sandpit consciences
They are the stuff our histories are made of
but we mustn't be too judgemental,
after all flesh is a renewable resource

Once a CIA man, always a CIA man
and they're as benevolent as Teddy Roosevelt

Don’t stand in the way, no siree Bob,
Of "the dominant world race"
He always carries a big stick
And an even bigger cheque book
Doesn’t mess with any punk ass slob
Unless he’s on the make

The Vietnam (sic) spectre is finally conquered
the Gooks are going all the way with LBJ
with pretend Socialism driven from the land

The free market revolution is in full effect
but what of the march on oppression
Has it stopped, or will it travel on
To Anakara, Jakarta, Tel Aviv
Or do we merely pick and chose
Straining democracy through a sieve?

Please excuse the invasions
Which are just democratic actions
There’s nothing wrong with preferring
Ruthless right-wing factions

Suharto’s our muderer and
the Timor Gap is nicely covered
Silly Saddam just went too far
a pupil has to learn their limits
and keep their ambitions in the cupboard

But democracy is not allowed
cause unless it pays
It just gets in the way
we have to free the market
so that we might enslave