The consipracy theories about the sinister right-wing group who supposedly plotted the ousting of Saddam Hussein as far back as 1997, and who are the puppetmasters behind the Bush presidency, have been knocking around for a while. Rarely have they been as prettily presented as in this little animation (well, I say little – it’s actually a fairly large Quicktime movie, but has some fantastic animation and makes a simple point).

The Project for the New American Century’s website is strangely disconcerting. How many evil shadow governments advertise their presence, and state their aim for world domination so blatantly?

“We seem to have forgotten the essential elements of the Reagan Administration’s success: a military that is strong and ready to meet both present and future challenges; a foreign policy that boldly and purposefully promotes American principles abroad; and national leadership that accepts the United States’ global responsibilities.”

Lest we forget, the Reagan administration was also responsible for funding and training Osama Bin Laden, engaging in illegal covert interventions in support of friendly military dictators in Central and Latin America, and that whole – somewhat dodgy – Iran-Contra business… Hardly a great role-model.

As has been well advertised, the signatories to the Project’s June 1997 Statement of Principles include certain names which have become rather more familiar over the intervening years: Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz – as well as a fair few others which you may recognise.

More can be found here, here and here.

Especially since the advent of The X-Files, conspiracy theorists have usually been dismissed out of hand as a bunch of nutters looking for plans and order amidst the chaos.

The trouble is, this one seems to have a bit more truth to it than most. The Project for the New American Century may well not be anything more than a coalition of like-minded public figures, but they seem to be having a tad too much success with what is, let’s face it, a rather scary plan revolving around one central idea: “what America wants, America gets, or we bomb the shit out of you.”

Considering that Republicans have traditionally been opposed to military intervention overseas lest brave young Americans be killed, how can they continue to support a President who is so closely linked to a group committed to interfering all over the world, a President whose decision to go to war has already cost the lives of over a thousand brave US soldiers?

Or do those Americans planning to vote for Bush in three weeks really want the US to become Team America: World Police?