"Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" by John Perkins

Just finished reading this extraordinary book, a tell-all tale of a guy who worked as an 'Economic Hit Man' (EHM) for the United States and went about helping the US screw countries like Ecuador, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Peru, Iraq and Venezuela (basically oil rich countries). He was trained to, and asked to make humungous growth forecasts for these regions and convince their respective leaders and world lending banks into letting the US infuse money in the name of modernization; wherein money was lent by US based organizations and the all round construction work finally granted back to a corporate from the US itself. 

Hence, lending and routing the money back to the US and in the process of which they would laden the region with debts that the latter cannot handle. Further favours would be granted to the US by these countries because of the debt and hence slowly US would try and take over the region itself or try to etch a deal which would solely benefit USA and its foray in being the most powerful country in the world.

 ..... Makes one imagine how less we know as naive citizens of other countries staring at the glossy image that media paints. Donno whether citizens in the US itself are aware of what happens in the political circles of their country, the inside details or are we all totally misled in just about every aspect of life. Leave alone the US, maybe all other countries are also up to such stratagems. Just about makes me more cynical, than I already am!