Deja vu and The “Forever War Crowd”

The lies and deceit used for the continuation of the Vietnam war in 1968 failed. Fifty years later those very same distortions are supported. 

Why?  What’s the difference?

In 1968 we were told that our exit from Vietnam would surely spell Armageddon.  Vietnam would be the first domino to fall resulting in a Communist takeover of all of Southeast Asia and from there the rest of the world.  It didn’t happen.  Surprise – Surprise. 

Yet all the 24/7 cable news outlets are dragging out every retired American general on the face of the earth and every politician who owes their allegiance to the billions of dollars made through our war machine.  Their old, tired, deceitful Vietnam Arguments are as erroneous today as they were in 1968. 

This Is What "Minimal Casualties" Look Like

Today we are told our military exit from the Middle East will be – you guessed it – Armageddon, i.e. if we exit the Middle East Isis and al-Qaida will remerge as powerful forces.  Hence the argument for us to never cease fire - for us to fight those wars forever.  Retired General Ramsey Clark recently stated; “We are taking minimal casualties.” These are the same generals and the same politicians who demanded President Kennedy attack – bomb – Cuba as a solution to the 1962 missile crisis.         

Here is what the “Forever War” crowd wants us to ignore: 

·      Most recent pew poll – 69% of Americans want us out of the Middle East.

·      We spend $50 Billion a year in Afghanistan ALONE.

·      In both Syria and Afghanistan delusions, i.e., “democracy building” keeping our shores safe (911 was planned in Hamburg, Germany) fuel continued fighting.

·      Afghanistan resolution – Seek out those responsible for 9-11 attacks.

·      Osama Bin Laden is dead - al-Qaida has lost its Impact

·      Resolution said nothing of “associated Force(s)”, War in Syria, Yemen or Mali

·      Pakistan aids enemy in Afghanistan – Do we declare war against Pakistan?

·      Stated objective - Drive Isis out of Syria.  Isis has lost 99% of its territory.

 Finally, with our exit from our current war theaters we do NOT lose our capability to respond militarily to a legitimate threat.   We have submarines patrolling every body of water on earth.  We have military bases, aircraft carriers and other surface capabilities worldwide.  We could launch an attack anywhere in the world on a moment’s notice. 

 The “Forever War” crowd does NOT want peace.  They pursue their wanton destruction because it benefits them financially.  It also acts as an arrogant source of pride.  It affords them the opportunity to demonstrate to the entire world that they are the most effective at killing people and breaking things.  

 War in American has become no different than our tax policies.  Once a tax is enacted, rest assured, it’s never going away.  Today, once we militarily enter a country, the mindset in government is exactly the same.  We are never going away.  We are not only fighting an 18-year war in Afghanistan, but also fighting in seven different war theaters around the world. 

 This is the end result of American silence over our wars.  The reason this didn’t happen in 1968 is because we had a forced conscription – a draft.  As a result, most American families were invested in the Vietnam war.  We had a news media that reported on our wars which they seldom, if ever, do today.  We also had strong voices in Robert Kennedy, Eugene McCarthy and Martin Luther King Jr. to lead us away from the dark demise.   We have no such voices of influence today. 

White Males Easy Prey For Female Bullies

Recently watched the movie “Crash.”  To be certain it is one of Hollywood’s finer moments of which they have very few these days.  The movie dovetailed with the interview below and created a needed realization. 

In an interview with Jon Stewart when he was hosting The Daily Show, Nancy Pelosi was asked what her number ONE objective was as Speaker of the House.  She replied by saying that she wanted to get more women elected to congress.  Not campaign finance reform, not ending homelessness or poverty, not single payer universal health care, not ending our never-ending wars, not gun control, not a greater minimum wage.  The results of this year’s mid-term elections have placed more women in congressional seats than ever before, while the afore mentioned has grown to plague us like never before. 

In a recent interview on PBS News Hour, Judy woodruff spoke with departing senators Claire McCaskill and Heidi Heitkamp.  It is a marvelous exchange that contains key wisdom and proper perspective for today’s political climate.   

Heidi Heitkamp; “Whoever gets nominated (Democratic Nominee) should have three characteristics. They should have character. They should have charisma. And they should have competence.” 

Claire McCaskill; “..one of the mistakes we make as a party is spending too much time talking about a gender thing.  You know, we are a party of all kinds of people… white men, white working-class men have traditionally been a huge part of our party.  We have lost a lot of them.  And one of those reasons is, we have had a tendency to talk too much about gender.” 

“I want someone who is…inspirational, charismatic…. who is competent and strong and authentic, and I don’t care if they are a man or a woman.” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5befXLNJkg 

We are bigoted nation because we promote and accept many forms of bigotry.  If someone espoused the point of view that the only way things are going to get better is if we elect more white males to congress, that person, that statement, would be attacked as being bigoted and discriminatory, which, to be certain, it is.  

Yet, if that same someone says the only way things are going to get better is if we elect more blacks, Latinos, Hmongs, or women to congress, we applaud the thinking and statement even though there is no evidence or validation for the contention and even though it is as bigoted and discriminatory as the white man statement.  We are clearly our own worst enemy. 

As McCaskill astutely insinuates; there is no law, mandate or even a perceived suggestion that we are best served by men or women.  To hold that one frame of mind is discriminatory and bigoted, while accepting the other, is an oxymoron.  And yes - lets be frank about it.  It’s just plain stupid.  But then stupidity is the cornerstone for the definition of bigotry. 

Wittingly or unwittingly, the Democratic Party has created a safe haven for female bullies.  For Dems to achieve the level of influence they desire in the political area, they will have to embrace the wisdom of McCaskill and Heitkamp and abandon as their primary focus “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and promoting the electing of ONLY women.