U.S. citizens derive no benefit, but instead suffer great loss, from endless war in the Middle East. But their interests are irrelevant to decisions of bipartisan Washington.
Let me get this straight: President Trump planned to remove all US forces from Iraq, but the Pentagon said no, so we still have US forces in Iraq, and now we need to bomb Iraqis to defend the US Forces that are still in Iraq, but shouldn't be. Okay, makes sense. Good plan.
One of my biggest disappointments with Trump was his failure or inability, or both, to actually pull us out of Iraq. He was a disrupter, but I wanted him to disrupt a little bit more.
I am critical of trump for his getting duped by the cia hoax of chemical gas attacks in Syria and bombing them during the russiagate hysteria.
But give him credit for reducing the troop numbers from 15000 to 2500 in Afghanistan. He was doing the right thing there and we were supposed to be completely out of Afghanistan by may this year as per the deal trump got with taliban. Biden postponed that deal.
If it weren’t for the Russian bounty hoax, this would have happened in September last year.
Also the military generals were lying to him about troop numbers in Syria. So is that Trump’s fault?
The problem is how can a general knowingly lying to his/her supreme commander get away with it? Effectively they openly bragged how they misled Trump about the number of troops in Syria and dragged on the clock until the new administration is in place. What kind of command structure is this, should it be trusted? What is the next order they will disregard? Very scary symptom of internal decay.
That's been Glenn's theme with many of his recent articles. Institutional rot as infected all of these massive, unrestrained and unchecked government behemoths. And nobody is bothered that Biden countered the original intent of the 2nd Amendment by threatening citizens could no longer fight back against the Military being used against them because they'd need F-15s and nukes. I promise you the 2A crowd took note of that.
Trump wanted to privatize the war in Afghanistan with Eric Prince becoming a viceroy. There are more contractors than troops. Among the dead contractors number more than troops. So I wouldn't be suggesting that Trump really made any significant difference to the numbers.
He did negotiate the withdrawal. Let's see how it proceeds.
I gave credit where credit is due. Although complaining about a lack of substance is rich coming from you, whose "arguments" consist of paranoid name-calling.
His die-hard followers would have preferred he burn Washington to the ground, literally, if necessary. His disastrous original cabinet made sure that could not happen. Trump did himself zero favors through blind loyalty to the likes of Kellyanne Conway, aka the big leaker, idiots like Omarosa, wimps like Sessions, and inexperienced lightweights like Reince Priebus. And of course, Tillerson and the Generals...
There hadn't been any peace deals with Palestine yet. So not sure what you expect. The goal was to get all the neighbouring countries signed up which would build pressure on Palestine to sign on too.
Honest question, Sasha. Can you tell me, at least in your opinion, why the political left is against/derides/mocks (or the like) the Abraham accords? I just can't see anything but good coming out of normalizing relations between Israel and Muslim states. I understand these agreements leave the Palestinians out of the loop. But that is not the only important issue in the region. I see the accords more through the prism of states seeking to contain the threat that Iran imposes to them.
In my opinion, the answer is that the cause of Palestinians was sold out. That's what was suggested at the time and now with the Israel assault on Gaza we know it's true.
There is a lot of talk about the threat of Iran, but isn't it just propaganda? When was the last time Iran attacked anybody?
Saudi Arabia is a much graver threat - all over the world - with its exports of Wahhabism.
British can (and should) be blamed for most of the chaos in the ME today.
I kinda like it how you gloss over the displacement of Palestinians by saying 'Jewish population grew'. Yes, at the expense of genocide of Palestinians.
Or an inability of two neighbors to peacefully coexist. British imperialism certainly was disruptive, but then again the land was divided in mostly equal terms. Proof exists that the two factions can coexist and that proof is the peace between Egypt and Israel. If they can share a border that’s relatively peaceful, so can Israel share a border with the rest.
You make good points. I recall a lot of complaining from Dems and the MSM about how many ex-military leaders he was appointing. It should have been the populists who complained. Whether they knew, or not, establishment Dems and GOP got better than they could have expected - a bunch of forever war statists. Trump very clearly failed to create a cabinet in sync with what he wanted to accomplish.
To assert, as some do, that Trump was a rebel, an “outsider” challenging the “Deep State”, Wall Street, and the “establishment" is absurd. Trump WAS the establishment. His support for Wall Street, multinational corporations, the military-industrial complex, financial, corporate, and environmental deregulation, unprecedented tax breaks for the rich, etc., completely reflected the "values" of the establishment. In a prescient act of neoliberal psychopathy, Trump directed John Bolton to gut Obama’s pandemic response team in 2018. To institutionalize his sociopathic agenda for decades to come, Trump stacked the Supreme Court with ultra-conservative right-wing judges who lack the intellect, judgment and the morality of the 60’s pop band, “The Supremes”.
Possible responses: 1. I didn't read the date on the comment. 2. What I wrote is nonsense. 3. What I wrote is responsive to his comment. 4. You, like many others, add nothing to the conversation, but enjoy criticizing others.
Next time you feel like getting dirty, watch the news and notice how the US is always "defending our interests in the Middle East" (or indeed any and everywhere around the world). It's never a case of defending the US, it's always a case of defending "US interests". Indeed, your government, whose primary reason for existing is nominally to defend the US' territorial integrity, steadfastly refuses to do so. It's almost as if the government's interests and your interests are in conflict.
I think your making a general argument when you say, "your government" and "your interests," but it's not clear. If you're saying the United States government's primary reason for existing is to defend US' territorial integrity, that's up for debate.
If you're suggesting that Obama and then Trump only pursued ISIS territory in Syria because it contained oil fields, and does not relinquish the seized territory for the same reason, I would have a hard time disagreeing. One can appreciate Trump's candor because it shines so much light on the influence peddlers. I suppose we can see Biden's carefully scripted lack of candor for the same. When Biden said diplomacy should be "predictable," he meant, never say what you mean, and then everyone knows what it is you truly want. Trump too often broke this rule by actually speaking his desires, which embarrassed the rest of the world. The one thing no head of state ever wants to be is embarrassed.
On multiple occasions, Trump fully expected that the military would carry out his will, and then it didn't, because of course he couldn't have really meant it, right? And if he later changed his mind that was validation for inaction. Democrats enjoyed pointing to how many senior military leaders openly opposed Trump, but they should not have been proud of that support.
I don't think Syria has enough oil to bother with, honestly. Oil was merely Trump's justification for the war on that country. Obama I think was still pushing the "we're fighting ISIS" charade.
Point of Order: being in possession of a working memory and an ability to search does not make one a stalker. He may be a stalker, but you haven't made a case yet, just an accusation.
I have been and am being stalked by the Russo-phile, anti-Classical-Liberal M. russian_bot. I believe he and M. Feral Finster, another Russian plant/lover have loyalties to Russia's historical Authoritarian Socialism, and post here to subvert the nascent re-discovery of the Classical Liberalism of America's founding.
Nope. Sorry, but your lies won't fly anymore. TDS and Putin-love go hand-in-hand. Maybe Putin hasn't informed you: We call it Russia-gate, now, because we all know it was a hoax. But you knew THAT, right?
You are simply a deranged idiot. What you write makes zero sense. You are wrong on every single subject. What you call Russiagate now, I was calling Russiagate for years.
Which leads me to this conclusion - you are a CIA troll. CIA has a budget for infiltrators like yourself. Carry on. You've been unmasked.
You don't do subtle, do you? Did Trump pull troops from Iraq despite Pentagon saying "no"? No, he didn't. Hence he "said" OK even if he didn't utter the word. Get it?
"Subtle" is not the word you're looking for. I got your point the first time you made it: Trump was quietly complicit. The problem with that argument is that Trump made the order in November, after the election, and the Pentagon Brass, who had openly defied him for years, was not about to capitulate to a President who had lost the power of the bully pulpit.
"Trump was quietly complicit". You're playing dumb now, aren't you? What is the effect? What does it matter what he promised if he did not accomplish it submitting to whomever in the process?
Politicians always make promises and more than often break them providing tons of excuses in the process. Your idol Trump did the same whether quietly or loudly, and the effect is zero - as in "zero, zilch, nada" if you only understand Limbaugh lingo.
He got troop numbers down from 15000 to 2500 in Afghanistan and if it weren’t for the Russian bounty hoax by democrats we would be out of Afghanistan all together. Or if it weren’t for military generals lying to him about Syria troop numbers. There are valid criticism of trump but this ain’t it chief.
Trump spent much time adhering to the letter of the law. "If you dont want me to do this, change the law!" he said about caging children at the border.Biden, like Bush II is consideredd philosophically "perverse" since the law applies to all BUT him.
If you wonder why I vote Libertarian and detest politicians of both establishment parties, this excellent piece by Glenn is a great place to start. No wonder why generations of Middle Eastern youth hate America. "Same shit, different day".
I had not researched Trump when he first came on the scene. I started paying attention to the long list of people, media, and politicians who hated him. After more research, it was time to support him. Way better than Hillary would have been. One of his major failures was deficit spending. The only way to beat the swamp is to defund it, balancing the budget across the board would have accomplished that……and then I woke up.
He convinced most Republican voters they can vote their way out of the wreckage of empire. He's the Republican's FDR - the hero who saves the system by making it just marginally less abhorrent to them to give them hope.
I don’t think that’s true at all. Obama used drones against a US citizen and family. Not a dude in an active war zone, but a dude blogging about radical Islamic teachings. Killed em. That shit was bananas.
Agreed. Let's not forget, Obama invited Trump to prove him wrong when he cleaned the floor with Trump's face at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Unfortunately the current Libertarian party has devolved into the same critical race theory and BLM identity politics as the democrats have. They just don’t have any powers right now but if they did, I am sure they would be doing the same war mongering as everyone else in Washington.
I’d love to vote for a libertarian. But open borders and pot? Cmon. Pot legalization is high school (not that I think it should be illegal, I just don’t think it’s a real political
hot topic) and open borders are demonstrably disastrous.
I've commented elsewhere that I don't agree with the open borders idea. That, and the strange candidates the LP seems to come up with (Jo Jorgenson excepted), keeps me frustrated politically.
And it doesnt matter if the head honchos are Black, Hispanic, women, womyn, or LGBT either. Its all the same. In fact, those guys are used as a good cover story. Stil, im shocked regime change hasnt worked yet in Syria. Thats cuz Putin is still there. Which is why Russia has been wholly vilified over the last five years. Not because of Trump, per se, and the fact it suited the Hillary/Podesta spoon fed media narrative, but because the boys (and girls, and non-binary) in Langley were angry that they weren't going to get their regime change policy back. Its still early for Biden.
For eight long years, Obama cultists made excuse after lame excuse for the man. Even as he betrayed them, over and over again. Then we got to watch Trump cultists do the same.
Now it's time to make excuses for Biden, a man whose best days are long behind him, and whose best days weren't very good.
That just proves people are basically the same (to quote Depeche Mode). Whoever that is, as long as it's their guy/gal, they are the best. Look at the fraud squad giving Biden an A and exceeding their expectations. Lol!
You keep quoting those pop music experts! But of course, your only purpose is to dissemble and change the subject. Here is some shiny reference to our own Authoritarian Socialists, yeah, that'll fool them.
TDS is a real conditions. But to imply DJT is anything good/positive is just a lie. Yes, the deep state had a fit and we can attribute this to Donald's mouth, but that's all we can thank him for. It may be enough, though.
Ah. The proper, polite, graceful way to disagree with another's opinion is simply to say, "I disagree." But maybe they don't teach fair and respectful discourse in Authoritarian States.
I don't have to prove anything, let alone YOUR personal beliefs.
Oh, yes, I SO love the American "rapacious oligarchy," of which I am "a willing and eager bootlicker." Good luck convincing anyone who knows me in the slightest of THAT.
For me, it is possible to disagree with someone's assessment of one or more issues and not automatically conclude from such disagreement that this must mean that the other person is a paid plant.
But I'm not the one levelling such baseless accusations.
Biden does what he's told to do. He doesn't have a functioning brain cell left in his head to make an intelligent decision. That's the problem with electing nothing more than figureheads from one or the other party.
You are right and, then comes a time that you vote for AOC which “appears” useful but two minutes later she becomes one of them - another self centered useless slab of human flesh.
I know. I get it. But, he is better than the other Democrats we could have gotten and on the Commerce side at least, and in USTR and in parts of Treasury Dept (minus Yellen) he doesnt have a bunch of China doves and Davos Men and Women running around looking up ways to screw us all (even if that is not really their intention).
I think Bernie would have been miles better than any of them. The rest of the field (other than Tulsi) were just younger versions of the same venomous vipers.
Bernie bent over twice to give away the nomination. He used to be against illegal immigration until trump came. Then bernie became open borders dude. You think such a pathetic cuck would have been able to not bent over for the military industrial complex and foreign countries?
I suspect a President Bernie would have given the neocons the wars that they so crave, but they'd have to make some self-serving and hypocritical human rights talk first.
If though I agree with the assessment of Biden, unfortunately, Atlantic has been a POS since it moved to DC in 2006. There's no meaningful difference between it and The New Republic and Mother Jones.
Yup not recommending as unimpeachable source, but just something documenting Gates' assessment of Biden's lack of credibility as a foreign policy or strategic genius. YMMV.
Robert Gates is an interesting figure to me. Does he understand the dangers of today's over-bearing security State, or is he part of the problem? I want to be fair.
Seems most likely part of the problem. Kinda like Bill Barr. You think the guy is going to bring some accountability to the situation and then you realize he’s just blowing bagpipes. What is scary about that is it seems to confirm how deep and wide the problem is. No one in any significant role is untouched.
haha. I like being called dude. Aint gonna lie. What I MEAN is that he has three more years to fulfill Langley's recurring wet dream of regime change in Syria. The Project for a New American Century's "Securing the Realm" report would have been completed at long last.
Sadly, it is the best evidence of a horrible flaw in our system. The Founding Fathers couldn't foresee the creation of a ruling class of lobbyists (funded by corporations, wealthy individuals and even foreign governments) and permanent bureaucrats camped out in DC writing all the legislation and regulations that rule the country (spending money, telling people what kind of lightbulbs they can make and sell etc.). Biden (just an example) was groomed from the start to play the role of a captive legislator, grifting his way to the top and the surprise end of career role as the titular head of government. To now hear his creepy voice whispering how He got people "...one point nine trillion dollars..." says it all. Spending money we don't have and bragging about it. https://nypost.com/2021/06/24/biden-whispers-repeatedly-during-really-creepy-qa/ Just as chilling as his bragging about the one billion he threatened to withhold from the Ukraine unless the prosecutor was fired. https://youtu.be/UXA--dj2-CY Ugh. This isn't a Democrat or Republican thing, this is about abuse of power and there being no real accountability.
Biden is an accomplished arm-twister and abuser of the underdog. In 1976, my best friend died because he had long hair and no insurance. St. Mary's Hospital in Gr. Rapids, MI refused to admit him for treatment and he died that night. I was so shocked and stunned I neglected to renew my student health insurance. Four days after my insurance coverage lapsed, my wife had kidney failure and a year later I had to declare bankruptcy. Thanks to Joe Biden, my student loan was exempt from the bankruptcy and I paid and paid for years. No one can say Biden has been sitting on his hands doing nothing for 50 years. Where's Hunter?
Interesting comment. On of the reasons I’m attracted to Glenn’s stuff at substack. It’s a bit complicated to me but this raises the question of when it is “ok” to be opposed to bringing people and ideologies that would mean the end to the “American ideal” (speaking broadly here). This is as an important a question as how we have intervened and projected power around the world. I think most of us have grown up not thinking too deeply about these topics and now they are in our face. Hopefully we can muddle through and survive. No guarantees.
Sharia Law, if I am not mistaken, believes in female mutilation and "honor killings". If anyone applies for citizenship to the USA and supports Sharia Law, they should be given the same consideration as cannibals and mass-murderers. Without question, these characters should simply pay one of the cartels and waltz into the country with no questions asked: why invite controversy?
I began to worry about Mr. Crenshaw when he was so public in his support for the neo-con Ms. Cheney. However, to change the system, we must exhaust all possibility of doing it from within, and Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Crenshaw might be on board with being part of that.
And don't forget the next generation of bureaucrat generals need a war someplace so they can get their "foreign war" ticket punched, even if they never got closer to action than the officers' mess.
I like where you're going. Friendly amendment: instead of "some Syrians like their leader, Assad," try the majority of Syrians. Additionally, did you ever hear about Syrian refugees before Obama/Clinton/Kerry came up with "Assad must go?" ...no? Exactly. That's because Syrians did not have a reason to become refugees. The secular government in Syria always protected minorities such as Christians, Armenians, etc. The US wants to replace it with Saudi style/Al Qaeda thugs. This is why Syrians are resisting the US.
Here is a bit of history that will give much needed perspective. Syria had elected a democratic government in late 1940s. The U.S. and UK overthrew it. Syrians, banned together, and once again elected another democratic government in early 1950s and it again was overthrown and that is when Assad Sr. came to power and eventually his son, the current dictator took over. So, all this nonsense of America wanting to promote Democracy is bullsh*t ... the mendacity and hypocrisy is breathtaking as is the human suffering unleashed on these innocent people... Iran suffered the same fate as their democratic government was overthrown in 1953.
Sadly Frank is right. Which somewhat explains why they have become so hostile to even a semblance - that is the power that be - the money that buys the oafs that continue this shit - of any actual semblance of self-representitive democracy here...
True, with the main reason Russia got involved was the fall of Syria would have posed a serious National Security threat to Russia with the case in point being LIbya, one of the great war crimes of the 21st Century. Libya, one of the richest countries in Africa with one of the world's highest Human Value Indexes, is now a terrorist breeding ground with open air slave markets in Tripoli. Gen Wesley Clark was stunned to learn back in 2011 that the Pentagon had set its' sights on taking out 7 countries in the Middle East over the next 5 years. https://genius.com/General-wesley-clark-seven-countries-in-five-years-annotated
Indeed. The trolls spreading CIA talking points conveniently forget the crimes of the US empire. As long as they can demonize Russia, China, Iran, etc.
That 7 countries in 5 years plan is just incredible.
Pretty easy to forget, considering how small potatoes that scary "plan" is, compared to the death and misery caused by Communist-in-name-Totalitarian-in-reality empires you mention here, fellow traveller!
Now Amy.... I think you are a very intelligent and well-spoken person; but Russians ARE very attractive people. Possibly close to the Caucasian ideal of Sweden. Of course, Sweden will soon become the sickest and most crime-ridden nation in Europe (thanks to Merkel and America's intervention in Syria and NATO's destruction of Libya). We must look to the future with positivity. Our visitors from the 11th dimension will soon be mating with humans and creating the super-race dreamed of by Nietzsche and we will, ultimately, be able to stand up to Bill Gates, bugmaster Fauci, and the brain-dead Bidens and Milleys of the world.
Nobody has ever said or suggested that here. You are making shit up.
If you bothered to ask people what they think of Russia (based on facts), you'd be very surprised. I personally have a huge problem with what's happening in Russia. But I also understand that Putin and Russia play a very important role in retarding the insane US policies around the world.
I actually saw that episode and it was very disappointing to hear that from Glenn, Democracy Now, and if I remember correctly, also Naom Chomsky in another clip from about the same time. The "manufacturing consent" guy himself fell for the Syria is ruled by a "dictator," so it's okay to bomb, kill, and starve the Syrian people. We are all human after all and we make mistakes. Hopefully, they will realize their mistakes and admit they were wrong before it's too late.
I really appreciate your view point here, but would humbly put fourth some modifiers.
Like you, I feel far too many people (seemingly all, honestly) seem to ignore the role of "human nature" when they speak about societal issues. Not to digress too far, but I always find it ironic that the party of science (evolution) are the biggest deniers of our human nature when it comes to their policy proposals and even their distaste (disgust) at some of our most ubiquitous and understandable flaws. Dare I say it, but it's almost as if they hold us to some "divine" standard.
Nevertheless, your position on the welfare state is one that I also believe discounts human nature, and yet, fear I have slowly started to come around on..the concept anyway - with qualifiers.
I'd be interested in your thoughts on those qualifiers, but first, if you'll indulge me, do you also see the pitfalls of a welfare state as it concerns our nature, and just believe that it's a bare necessity to overcome?
This Capitalist would agree wholeheartedly to replace all welfare with a Universal Basic Income (a negative lowest income tax bracket was Milton Friedman's idea, but I prefer taxing consumption, not income).
Trump assassinated an Iranian general among other things. If you launch an illegal war and invade a country, you don't get to claim causus belli when the you come under fire. The illegal invasion and occupation by us is the causus belli. Trump cried about how he wanted to end wars while appointing John Bolton and Elliot Abrams to run his foreign policy. He's no better than Biden.
General Milley and Secretary Austin; how’s that White rage investigation going? Eh, we are bored with that. Let’s gets back to something we are really good at - bombardment and killing other POC that are not in the USA.
…….and the revolving door between corporations, connected law firms, and lobbyists continues to spin at light speed. This is corruption, plain and simple.
The only president in my memory who agreed with your position was Donald Trump. He understood that America needs to be militarily strong but not policing the entire world.
Raytheon manufactures the Tomahawk cruise missile that is used in so many of these attacks. They cost $1.5 million a pop. These attacks on Syria and Iraq are necessary because, after all, those missiles aren't going to launch themselves.
Note the age of our "leaders" -- Dianne Feinstein - 88 years, Nancy Pelosi - 81, Maxine waters - 82, Chuck Grassley - 87, Mitch McConnell - 79, Joe Biden - 78 -- a clear and obvious gerontocracy, where these people in both parties stumble out on stage and blink at the lights and wonder where they are.... still living in murderous fog of Allen and John Dulles brothers' hate of anything that can be remotely progressive
IT’S TIME TO BUILD by Marc Andreessen IT'S TIME TO BUILD - Andreessen Horowitz (a16z.com)
"....there is something to the baby boomers theory. Starting in the 1980s, they took control of all the institutions, just from a generational change standpoint. When you look at the statistics, it is really striking to the extent to which the boomers aren't releasing control. If you look at like the average age of university presidents (this is one example Eric Weinstein points this out), they're basically all boomers. At the corresponding point like 30 years ago, that wasn't the case. You see the same thing in politics to the point of absurdity. You have this clear and obvious gerontocracy, where these people in both parties stumble out on stage and blink at the lights and wonder where they are. At what point do you go from this being the esteemed senior politician representing a coalition to it being elder abuse? We're somewhere in that zone.
When you’ve got senators in their 90s running for re-election, and you’re the party of hope and change? The voters get a choice; they chose to vote for the gerontocracy, and that's what they're going to get. But they certainly shouldn't expect dynamism on the other side of that."
In the run-up to the 4th of July weekend, I found this to be a sobering and thoughtful read. I'll re-read the supporting links later in the week. You make a strong case for us having lost control over our military, if not our broader way in the world.
We have lost control of our leadership. The military does not act on their own. Trump was a further illumination of how bipartisan our elites actually are in opposition to the people of this country.
This action by President Biden is confusing. In several articles I would read he bombed Iran back fighters and he was trying to revive the nuclear treaty with them. I guess I could come up with a rational reason for both but it is strange. I don’t trust it and I do not believe any honest attempt has been made to explain. I think they think we are a bunch of idiots
Trump killed Top Tier Terrorists and Russian “mercenaries”. Biden usually kills civilians and talks tough. Dat “D” after his name is solid gold—gets a pass.
Let’s begin calling them out: Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld are war criminals; Obama/Biden/Clinton are war criminals; Trump/Pence/Pompeo are war criminals; Biden(again)/Harris/Blinken are war criminals. Unless and until the public starts calling for their prosecution, we will endure these endless wars because they enrich and empower the ruling class and keep us in fear of the “other.”
Calling them war criminals and calling for their prosecution is playing into their hands. It didn't work during Vietnam and it won't work now. We may swell with a sense of self righteousness for doing so but it will cause the American people to react in their defense; an outcome we certainly don't want. Glenn emphasis on its illegality and unconstitutionality is the better path. Photos of civilian suffering would also help.
This!!!! Why don't we see the horrific pictures that truly show what happens in a war?
I think the naked, 9 year old girl running from the napalm strike in Vietnam made a lot of US voters ask "Why are we bombing this country?" We don't see the damage of US drone strikes and that is wrong.
Is there documentation showing that the famous naked girl was running from U.S. bombs? Couldn't she have been running from the Viet Cong, or the North Vietnamese Army? (I am someone who believes we never should have been fighting Communism in Vietnam to begin with. I just want to be fair, and not jump to conclusions like so many other anti-U.S. people seem to do.)
I don't know who deployed the napalm. My intent was to say we've censored pictures of the awful, horrible things that happen to human bodies in wars.
We've been bombing and droning and missiles for over 20 years in the ME. Maybe pics of reality of war will bring voters to pressure US govt to stop this madness.
Your question led me to google that girl. She wrote a book and it is on my reading list; Fire Road: The Napalm Girls Journey Through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness, and Peace
Thank you for the well-said reply, M. Hairy. And for doing some research on my behalf; I will check out that book, also.
I agree with you about not censoring the results of violence committed by States. The People should have ALL information, in order to decide, as you allude to, how to act to corral Statist war-mongering. But I do think it just as important that the information is accurate, and the proper agents are identified. The People are the ultimate judges of truth, of course.
"...emphasis on its illegality and unconstitutionality is the better path..."
Absolutely spot on. Also, this better path, being a "corrective," not just a roadblock, will lead to lasting change for the better. Alas, it is the more difficult and longer-to-take way forward. Patience is required, and so difficult to apply.
As someone who has been at on-street anti-war protests for decades, I truly appreciate this article. It does seem we have moved on from legality and now how an executive branch that commits us to wars by fiat. I actually felt like Trump was pretty restrained for a Republican. Biden has been, generally, against ground wars, over the years. I'm hoping he is making the decisions. The Clinton/Obama Cabal are definitely warmongers.
He was pretty restrained for a US president post 9/11. Dropped the least amount of bombs per year. Sadly those statistics are no longer collected so a comparison for Biden will be impossible.
I would not say droning is okay. I would say that ground wars are far worse. But yes, it may be that technology has made it less risky for presidents to start these messes. You raise a fair point.
Let me get this straight: President Trump planned to remove all US forces from Iraq, but the Pentagon said no, so we still have US forces in Iraq, and now we need to bomb Iraqis to defend the US Forces that are still in Iraq, but shouldn't be. Okay, makes sense. Good plan.
One of my biggest disappointments with Trump was his failure or inability, or both, to actually pull us out of Iraq. He was a disrupter, but I wanted him to disrupt a little bit more.
Or Syria. Or Afghanistan. Or Ukraine.
I am critical of trump for his getting duped by the cia hoax of chemical gas attacks in Syria and bombing them during the russiagate hysteria.
But give him credit for reducing the troop numbers from 15000 to 2500 in Afghanistan. He was doing the right thing there and we were supposed to be completely out of Afghanistan by may this year as per the deal trump got with taliban. Biden postponed that deal.
If it weren’t for the Russian bounty hoax, this would have happened in September last year.
Also the military generals were lying to him about troop numbers in Syria. So is that Trump’s fault?
The problem is how can a general knowingly lying to his/her supreme commander get away with it? Effectively they openly bragged how they misled Trump about the number of troops in Syria and dragged on the clock until the new administration is in place. What kind of command structure is this, should it be trusted? What is the next order they will disregard? Very scary symptom of internal decay.
That's been Glenn's theme with many of his recent articles. Institutional rot as infected all of these massive, unrestrained and unchecked government behemoths. And nobody is bothered that Biden countered the original intent of the 2nd Amendment by threatening citizens could no longer fight back against the Military being used against them because they'd need F-15s and nukes. I promise you the 2A crowd took note of that.
It's what Ike warned about 60 years ago.
Exactly, it’s frustrating sometimes that people don’t realize this is bigger than the past two decades. Eisenhower predicted and saw all of it.
Trump wanted to privatize the war in Afghanistan with Eric Prince becoming a viceroy. There are more contractors than troops. Among the dead contractors number more than troops. So I wouldn't be suggesting that Trump really made any significant difference to the numbers.
He did negotiate the withdrawal. Let's see how it proceeds.
Afghanistan could have been done better, but credit where credit is due.
Never reply to subtance. Always with anti-U.S. diversionary tripe.
I gave credit where credit is due. Although complaining about a lack of substance is rich coming from you, whose "arguments" consist of paranoid name-calling.
Yes. A liar can spot a liar.
Or Russia, amIright.
His die-hard followers would have preferred he burn Washington to the ground, literally, if necessary. His disastrous original cabinet made sure that could not happen. Trump did himself zero favors through blind loyalty to the likes of Kellyanne Conway, aka the big leaker, idiots like Omarosa, wimps like Sessions, and inexperienced lightweights like Reince Priebus. And of course, Tillerson and the Generals...
I dislike Jared Kushner but give him credit for the peace deals he got done in the Middle East.
He fired sessions and when he did, leftists were crying about abuse of power nonsense.
How are the peace deals working out now? The bribes go only that far. Are Palestinians any better today? Are the illegal settlements growing or not?
When did it become America's responsibility to help Palestinians?
How about the illegal settlements in the US caused by Mexicans? Should the US bomb them since thats how Palestinians respond to Israelis doing it?
Oh shit there goes all your fucking arguments.
Speaking of arguments, when you provide one for the Mexico's government policy of annexing US lands, then you can join the adults table.
When did it become America's responsibility to help Israel ethnically cleanse Palestinians from Palestine?
The same moment America decided to help Israel.
There hadn't been any peace deals with Palestine yet. So not sure what you expect. The goal was to get all the neighbouring countries signed up which would build pressure on Palestine to sign on too.
I guess bombing Gaza is a way of building up pressure, right?
Honest question, Sasha. Can you tell me, at least in your opinion, why the political left is against/derides/mocks (or the like) the Abraham accords? I just can't see anything but good coming out of normalizing relations between Israel and Muslim states. I understand these agreements leave the Palestinians out of the loop. But that is not the only important issue in the region. I see the accords more through the prism of states seeking to contain the threat that Iran imposes to them.
In my opinion, the answer is that the cause of Palestinians was sold out. That's what was suggested at the time and now with the Israel assault on Gaza we know it's true.
There is a lot of talk about the threat of Iran, but isn't it just propaganda? When was the last time Iran attacked anybody?
Saudi Arabia is a much graver threat - all over the world - with its exports of Wahhabism.
They are wonderful! More and more peace breaking out, if only the "Palestinians" could get a clue.
Yep, 'our dictators' are behaving for now.
British can (and should) be blamed for most of the chaos in the ME today.
I kinda like it how you gloss over the displacement of Palestinians by saying 'Jewish population grew'. Yes, at the expense of genocide of Palestinians.
Or an inability of two neighbors to peacefully coexist. British imperialism certainly was disruptive, but then again the land was divided in mostly equal terms. Proof exists that the two factions can coexist and that proof is the peace between Egypt and Israel. If they can share a border that’s relatively peaceful, so can Israel share a border with the rest.
You make good points. I recall a lot of complaining from Dems and the MSM about how many ex-military leaders he was appointing. It should have been the populists who complained. Whether they knew, or not, establishment Dems and GOP got better than they could have expected - a bunch of forever war statists. Trump very clearly failed to create a cabinet in sync with what he wanted to accomplish.
To assert, as some do, that Trump was a rebel, an “outsider” challenging the “Deep State”, Wall Street, and the “establishment" is absurd. Trump WAS the establishment. His support for Wall Street, multinational corporations, the military-industrial complex, financial, corporate, and environmental deregulation, unprecedented tax breaks for the rich, etc., completely reflected the "values" of the establishment. In a prescient act of neoliberal psychopathy, Trump directed John Bolton to gut Obama’s pandemic response team in 2018. To institutionalize his sociopathic agenda for decades to come, Trump stacked the Supreme Court with ultra-conservative right-wing judges who lack the intellect, judgment and the morality of the 60’s pop band, “The Supremes”.
One wonders why someone would reply to a thread that is more than two months old, and with nonsense, no less.
Possible responses: 1. I didn't read the date on the comment. 2. What I wrote is nonsense. 3. What I wrote is responsive to his comment. 4. You, like many others, add nothing to the conversation, but enjoy criticizing others.
You're replying on my thread, so... #2.
...I think it's #3.
Next time you feel like getting dirty, watch the news and notice how the US is always "defending our interests in the Middle East" (or indeed any and everywhere around the world). It's never a case of defending the US, it's always a case of defending "US interests". Indeed, your government, whose primary reason for existing is nominally to defend the US' territorial integrity, steadfastly refuses to do so. It's almost as if the government's interests and your interests are in conflict.
I think your making a general argument when you say, "your government" and "your interests," but it's not clear. If you're saying the United States government's primary reason for existing is to defend US' territorial integrity, that's up for debate.
Not to mention Trump twice attacked Syria on the basis of pathetic lies, and twice tried to pull out of Syria and then reversed himself "I like oil!".
If you're suggesting that Obama and then Trump only pursued ISIS territory in Syria because it contained oil fields, and does not relinquish the seized territory for the same reason, I would have a hard time disagreeing. One can appreciate Trump's candor because it shines so much light on the influence peddlers. I suppose we can see Biden's carefully scripted lack of candor for the same. When Biden said diplomacy should be "predictable," he meant, never say what you mean, and then everyone knows what it is you truly want. Trump too often broke this rule by actually speaking his desires, which embarrassed the rest of the world. The one thing no head of state ever wants to be is embarrassed.
On multiple occasions, Trump fully expected that the military would carry out his will, and then it didn't, because of course he couldn't have really meant it, right? And if he later changed his mind that was validation for inaction. Democrats enjoyed pointing to how many senior military leaders openly opposed Trump, but they should not have been proud of that support.
I don't think Syria has enough oil to bother with, honestly. Oil was merely Trump's justification for the war on that country. Obama I think was still pushing the "we're fighting ISIS" charade.
You're going to trigger the Pipeline through Syria conspiracy theorists. 30K barrels a day is a drop in the bucket, granted.
Not to mention that Syria is a lousy place to park big, expensive, vulnerable infrastructure like a pipeline.
Russia-loving TDS.
Redirect! Redirect! (try gambit #573. Claim all the U.S. ever wants is oil.)
I have never said that all the US wants is oil and if you read below rather than continued to shoot off your mouth recklessly, you would know that.
However, "I like oil!" are Trump's own words.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/i-like-oil-were-keeping-the-oil-trump-on-american-forces-in-syria/2019/11/01/772f0047-91ee-42de-af63-172c3fe6fb05_video.html
I like oil, too. Huh, ANOTHER reason to like DJT!
You do realize what a fool you are citing an article from the WAPO.
"the Pentagon said no" - and Trump said "OK". President Fucking Trump!
Russia-loving TDS.
Go get your lithium, Nazi psycho. And wear you brown shirt at all times.
"Russia and Russians are the world's festering wart" - Timothy Andrew Staples/pop122, Unterscharführer SS, practicing psychopath.
https://greenwald.substack.com/p/biden-reversing-trump-permits-a-key/comments#comment-2009756bra
Stalker.
Point of Order: being in possession of a working memory and an ability to search does not make one a stalker. He may be a stalker, but you haven't made a case yet, just an accusation.
I have been and am being stalked by the Russo-phile, anti-Classical-Liberal M. russian_bot. I believe he and M. Feral Finster, another Russian plant/lover have loyalties to Russia's historical Authoritarian Socialism, and post here to subvert the nascent re-discovery of the Classical Liberalism of America's founding.
Yes, J'accuse!
Do you realize that your three words make no sense in the context of TDS? Those suffering from TDS hate Russia.
Nope. Sorry, but your lies won't fly anymore. TDS and Putin-love go hand-in-hand. Maybe Putin hasn't informed you: We call it Russia-gate, now, because we all know it was a hoax. But you knew THAT, right?
You are simply a deranged idiot. What you write makes zero sense. You are wrong on every single subject. What you call Russiagate now, I was calling Russiagate for years.
Which leads me to this conclusion - you are a CIA troll. CIA has a budget for infiltrators like yourself. Carry on. You've been unmasked.
All of a sudden, out of ideas, eh. Poor you.
You're a CIA. I'm a CIA. She's a CIA. He's a CIA.
We are ALL CIA! (Sing it with us, yeah, man!)
No he didn't.
You don't do subtle, do you? Did Trump pull troops from Iraq despite Pentagon saying "no"? No, he didn't. Hence he "said" OK even if he didn't utter the word. Get it?
"Subtle" is not the word you're looking for. I got your point the first time you made it: Trump was quietly complicit. The problem with that argument is that Trump made the order in November, after the election, and the Pentagon Brass, who had openly defied him for years, was not about to capitulate to a President who had lost the power of the bully pulpit.
"Trump was quietly complicit". You're playing dumb now, aren't you? What is the effect? What does it matter what he promised if he did not accomplish it submitting to whomever in the process?
Politicians always make promises and more than often break them providing tons of excuses in the process. Your idol Trump did the same whether quietly or loudly, and the effect is zero - as in "zero, zilch, nada" if you only understand Limbaugh lingo.
You should run for office. Seems like you have an idea of how to get things done. You've got the needless insult thing down.
He got troop numbers down from 15000 to 2500 in Afghanistan and if it weren’t for the Russian bounty hoax by democrats we would be out of Afghanistan all together. Or if it weren’t for military generals lying to him about Syria troop numbers. There are valid criticism of trump but this ain’t it chief.
Trump was publicly obeying the law.
yes
Trump spent much time adhering to the letter of the law. "If you dont want me to do this, change the law!" he said about caging children at the border.Biden, like Bush II is consideredd philosophically "perverse" since the law applies to all BUT him.
60 Hearts! Hot shit.
If you wonder why I vote Libertarian and detest politicians of both establishment parties, this excellent piece by Glenn is a great place to start. No wonder why generations of Middle Eastern youth hate America. "Same shit, different day".
Trump was a fantastic finger in the eye of ALL of them.
I had not researched Trump when he first came on the scene. I started paying attention to the long list of people, media, and politicians who hated him. After more research, it was time to support him. Way better than Hillary would have been. One of his major failures was deficit spending. The only way to beat the swamp is to defund it, balancing the budget across the board would have accomplished that……and then I woke up.
He was a finger in the eye, but would not go as far as "fantastic."
Julian Assange is still in prison in the UK. Trump didn’t do fuck all.
I wish I could agree.
He convinced most Republican voters they can vote their way out of the wreckage of empire. He's the Republican's FDR - the hero who saves the system by making it just marginally less abhorrent to them to give them hope.
He didn't do anything to make it better. People just believed he would.
Thanks to DJT's SCOTUS, there is hope:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/the-supreme-court-just-delivered-a-major-win-for-election-integrity/ar-AALHxk9?ocid=msedgntp
He used more drones than even Obama.
I don’t think that’s true at all. Obama used drones against a US citizen and family. Not a dude in an active war zone, but a dude blogging about radical Islamic teachings. Killed em. That shit was bananas.
For which, in a just society, he would be in prison. I love America, but it sickens me that elites virtually never have to pay for their crimes.
Some animals are more equal than others.
I wish it were possible to buys stock in Orwell years ago. I'd be rich!!!
Perhaps I should let Daren speak for himself, but he used Obama as a *bad* example.
Agreed. Let's not forget, Obama invited Trump to prove him wrong when he cleaned the floor with Trump's face at the 2011 White House Correspondents' Dinner.
Reading comprehension problem.
Same one as the problem of peeps giving M. Amy hearts, eh. No one seems to be understanding you.
Well, I have to settle on having stalkers. Self-admitted stalkers. Yes, I'm looking at you, Pops.
Except that Trumps's eyes see the SAME as ALL of them: greed & war, (e.g. arms sales to Saudi Arabia & Israel, tax cuts to the rich, etc.)
was that finger shaped like a missile? The one Brian Williams pissed himself over for?
Why are Russo-phile talking points and whataboutisms all from so long ago? i am sure Mr. Putin has updated those tactics and instructions.
And every other country the US has its dirty fingers in-- don't limit it to the Middle East. Look around the world -- how many bases do you have?
Unfortunately the current Libertarian party has devolved into the same critical race theory and BLM identity politics as the democrats have. They just don’t have any powers right now but if they did, I am sure they would be doing the same war mongering as everyone else in Washington.
Agreed.
I’d love to vote for a libertarian. But open borders and pot? Cmon. Pot legalization is high school (not that I think it should be illegal, I just don’t think it’s a real political
hot topic) and open borders are demonstrably disastrous.
The War on Drugs SHOULD be a political hot topic. The fact that it isn't is why it quietly rolls on.
I've commented elsewhere that I don't agree with the open borders idea. That, and the strange candidates the LP seems to come up with (Jo Jorgenson excepted), keeps me frustrated politically.
I hear ya.
Excellent point David, and one I explore on my platform
https://riclexel.substack.com/about
And it doesnt matter if the head honchos are Black, Hispanic, women, womyn, or LGBT either. Its all the same. In fact, those guys are used as a good cover story. Stil, im shocked regime change hasnt worked yet in Syria. Thats cuz Putin is still there. Which is why Russia has been wholly vilified over the last five years. Not because of Trump, per se, and the fact it suited the Hillary/Podesta spoon fed media narrative, but because the boys (and girls, and non-binary) in Langley were angry that they weren't going to get their regime change policy back. Its still early for Biden.
For eight long years, Obama cultists made excuse after lame excuse for the man. Even as he betrayed them, over and over again. Then we got to watch Trump cultists do the same.
Now it's time to make excuses for Biden, a man whose best days are long behind him, and whose best days weren't very good.
That just proves people are basically the same (to quote Depeche Mode). Whoever that is, as long as it's their guy/gal, they are the best. Look at the fraud squad giving Biden an A and exceeding their expectations. Lol!
Tribe is a poor substitute for thinking.
You keep quoting those pop music experts! But of course, your only purpose is to dissemble and change the subject. Here is some shiny reference to our own Authoritarian Socialists, yeah, that'll fool them.
Keep quoting? You are having a vertigo, my friend.
You did it! I am speechless!
Yes, throw in Trump with Biden and Obama. That always tricks out a few TDS hearts.
TDS is a real conditions. But to imply DJT is anything good/positive is just a lie. Yes, the deep state had a fit and we can attribute this to Donald's mouth, but that's all we can thank him for. It may be enough, though.
No, it is NOT "a lie." It is an "opinion." But what would supporters of Authoritarian Socialism care about the difference, eh.
OK, you win. Your opinion is wrong. Is that better?
You are making wild accusations about me. Care to prove that I support Authoritarian Socialism?
I can tell you that I oppose the rapacious oligarchy, that's for sure. Of which you are a willing and eager bootlicker.
Ah. The proper, polite, graceful way to disagree with another's opinion is simply to say, "I disagree." But maybe they don't teach fair and respectful discourse in Authoritarian States.
I don't have to prove anything, let alone YOUR personal beliefs.
Oh, yes, I SO love the American "rapacious oligarchy," of which I am "a willing and eager bootlicker." Good luck convincing anyone who knows me in the slightest of THAT.
Wow, that proves...something. I guess.
For me, it is possible to disagree with someone's assessment of one or more issues and not automatically conclude from such disagreement that this must mean that the other person is a paid plant.
But I'm not the one levelling such baseless accusations.
Well, I don't agree with myself all of the time.
Biden does what he's told to do. He doesn't have a functioning brain cell left in his head to make an intelligent decision. That's the problem with electing nothing more than figureheads from one or the other party.
You are right and, then comes a time that you vote for AOC which “appears” useful but two minutes later she becomes one of them - another self centered useless slab of human flesh.
They all do and did
...while they watch the MSM, Colbert, Seth Meyers, MSNBC, and don't understand what all the fuss is about.
I still the voice in his earpiece is Obama’s.
I know. I get it. But, he is better than the other Democrats we could have gotten and on the Commerce side at least, and in USTR and in parts of Treasury Dept (minus Yellen) he doesnt have a bunch of China doves and Davos Men and Women running around looking up ways to screw us all (even if that is not really their intention).
You didn't learn anything from the past four years. It doesn't matter who the president is if the deep state can make all the decisions.
LOL!!!! keep telling yourself that to feel better
I think Bernie would have been miles better than any of them. The rest of the field (other than Tulsi) were just younger versions of the same venomous vipers.
Bernie bent over twice to give away the nomination. He used to be against illegal immigration until trump came. Then bernie became open borders dude. You think such a pathetic cuck would have been able to not bent over for the military industrial complex and foreign countries?
But that home on the lake sure is sweet!
I suspect a President Bernie would have given the neocons the wars that they so crave, but they'd have to make some self-serving and hypocritical human rights talk first.
We will never know.
Well, Bernie endorsed Biden and Hillary. That shows me who he really is--a sheepdog.
Russia would never waste time with talk, would it.
You should try and listen Putin talk. It will learn you a few things.
Dude, you had me until the last sentence! Still early for Biden? Really? Anyone believes that?
Biden is way past his use by date. Like Robert Gates said: "I think he has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades.” https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/01/robert-gates-thinks-joe-biden-hasnt-stopped-being-wrong-40-years/356785/
Even before his due date, he was a tool for whatever monstrous, pocket-filling policy was in vogue.
If though I agree with the assessment of Biden, unfortunately, Atlantic has been a POS since it moved to DC in 2006. There's no meaningful difference between it and The New Republic and Mother Jones.
The Atlantic is worse, because it passes itself off as moderate, and the Left uses this fake "authority" as cover.
Yup not recommending as unimpeachable source, but just something documenting Gates' assessment of Biden's lack of credibility as a foreign policy or strategic genius. YMMV.
Robert Gates is an interesting figure to me. Does he understand the dangers of today's over-bearing security State, or is he part of the problem? I want to be fair.
Seems most likely part of the problem. Kinda like Bill Barr. You think the guy is going to bring some accountability to the situation and then you realize he’s just blowing bagpipes. What is scary about that is it seems to confirm how deep and wide the problem is. No one in any significant role is untouched.
Being “wrong” is exactly what these military industrial complex people consider right.
haha. I like being called dude. Aint gonna lie. What I MEAN is that he has three more years to fulfill Langley's recurring wet dream of regime change in Syria. The Project for a New American Century's "Securing the Realm" report would have been completed at long last.
Why should Russia have to quit Syria, when Russia is there at the behest of the legitimate and UN recognized government of Syria?
Yeah, why can't Russia "empire," too!
Let us know when the United States is invited into Syria.
Apologist for Russian aggression and war-mongering.
Russophobe.
Yep. Those Russians need to stop their own Authoritarian Socialist leaders, which they have been burdening the free world with for more thn 100 years.
Not gonna happen. Russia's strategic interest in Syria is much greater than the U.S.'s.
Sadly, it is the best evidence of a horrible flaw in our system. The Founding Fathers couldn't foresee the creation of a ruling class of lobbyists (funded by corporations, wealthy individuals and even foreign governments) and permanent bureaucrats camped out in DC writing all the legislation and regulations that rule the country (spending money, telling people what kind of lightbulbs they can make and sell etc.). Biden (just an example) was groomed from the start to play the role of a captive legislator, grifting his way to the top and the surprise end of career role as the titular head of government. To now hear his creepy voice whispering how He got people "...one point nine trillion dollars..." says it all. Spending money we don't have and bragging about it. https://nypost.com/2021/06/24/biden-whispers-repeatedly-during-really-creepy-qa/ Just as chilling as his bragging about the one billion he threatened to withhold from the Ukraine unless the prosecutor was fired. https://youtu.be/UXA--dj2-CY Ugh. This isn't a Democrat or Republican thing, this is about abuse of power and there being no real accountability.
According to The Iron Law Of Oligarchy, all systems eventually end up as oligarchies.
We seem to be illustrating this.
No, your beloved Russia does.
Your sophomoric humor is not that amusing. Splinter in somebody else's eye, log in yours.
https://dailycaller.com/2021/06/29/journalists-publish-story-minister-russian-authorities-raid-homes/
Biden is an accomplished arm-twister and abuser of the underdog. In 1976, my best friend died because he had long hair and no insurance. St. Mary's Hospital in Gr. Rapids, MI refused to admit him for treatment and he died that night. I was so shocked and stunned I neglected to renew my student health insurance. Four days after my insurance coverage lapsed, my wife had kidney failure and a year later I had to declare bankruptcy. Thanks to Joe Biden, my student loan was exempt from the bankruptcy and I paid and paid for years. No one can say Biden has been sitting on his hands doing nothing for 50 years. Where's Hunter?
Interesting comment. On of the reasons I’m attracted to Glenn’s stuff at substack. It’s a bit complicated to me but this raises the question of when it is “ok” to be opposed to bringing people and ideologies that would mean the end to the “American ideal” (speaking broadly here). This is as an important a question as how we have intervened and projected power around the world. I think most of us have grown up not thinking too deeply about these topics and now they are in our face. Hopefully we can muddle through and survive. No guarantees.
Sharia Law, if I am not mistaken, believes in female mutilation and "honor killings". If anyone applies for citizenship to the USA and supports Sharia Law, they should be given the same consideration as cannibals and mass-murderers. Without question, these characters should simply pay one of the cartels and waltz into the country with no questions asked: why invite controversy?
Thanks for the education, Amy.
C’mon Gabbard and Crenshaw are both deep state, NWO, Great Reset pawns. No reason to be fooled by their “cloak” of military service.
I began to worry about Mr. Crenshaw when he was so public in his support for the neo-con Ms. Cheney. However, to change the system, we must exhaust all possibility of doing it from within, and Ms. Gabbard and Mr. Crenshaw might be on board with being part of that.
Has Putin changed his mind on the presence of gays in Russia?
And don't forget the next generation of bureaucrat generals need a war someplace so they can get their "foreign war" ticket punched, even if they never got closer to action than the officers' mess.
Agreed. It's only a matter of time before The View celebrates a transgender person who manages kids in cages.
I like where you're going. Friendly amendment: instead of "some Syrians like their leader, Assad," try the majority of Syrians. Additionally, did you ever hear about Syrian refugees before Obama/Clinton/Kerry came up with "Assad must go?" ...no? Exactly. That's because Syrians did not have a reason to become refugees. The secular government in Syria always protected minorities such as Christians, Armenians, etc. The US wants to replace it with Saudi style/Al Qaeda thugs. This is why Syrians are resisting the US.
Here is a bit of history that will give much needed perspective. Syria had elected a democratic government in late 1940s. The U.S. and UK overthrew it. Syrians, banned together, and once again elected another democratic government in early 1950s and it again was overthrown and that is when Assad Sr. came to power and eventually his son, the current dictator took over. So, all this nonsense of America wanting to promote Democracy is bullsh*t ... the mendacity and hypocrisy is breathtaking as is the human suffering unleashed on these innocent people... Iran suffered the same fate as their democratic government was overthrown in 1953.
Sadly Frank is right. Which somewhat explains why they have become so hostile to even a semblance - that is the power that be - the money that buys the oafs that continue this shit - of any actual semblance of self-representitive democracy here...
Absolutely spot on!
U.S. OUT of the Middle East, to borrow a decidely English term, including aid to Israel.
Hey, I'll drink to that!
Things like this are usually glossed over or skipped completely by those indoctrinated into the CIA talking points.
Cute. Almost coy.
Hey, we agree here. We probably will disagree on the reasons why US does do this around the world...
But you agree with Russian/Putin empiring. Come on, be honest.
I don't agree that Putin is creating empire. I think he is smart enough to have learned from history.
If you have the proof of that, please present it.
Empiring? Where do you people even get this shit?
It is the US that's empiring all over the world. Just admit this and your cognitive dissonance will get better.
Wow! Thanks
Assad didn't fall because his friends in Moscow lent a helping hand.
True, with the main reason Russia got involved was the fall of Syria would have posed a serious National Security threat to Russia with the case in point being LIbya, one of the great war crimes of the 21st Century. Libya, one of the richest countries in Africa with one of the world's highest Human Value Indexes, is now a terrorist breeding ground with open air slave markets in Tripoli. Gen Wesley Clark was stunned to learn back in 2011 that the Pentagon had set its' sights on taking out 7 countries in the Middle East over the next 5 years. https://genius.com/General-wesley-clark-seven-countries-in-five-years-annotated
Indeed. The trolls spreading CIA talking points conveniently forget the crimes of the US empire. As long as they can demonize Russia, China, Iran, etc.
That 7 countries in 5 years plan is just incredible.
Pretty easy to forget, considering how small potatoes that scary "plan" is, compared to the death and misery caused by Communist-in-name-Totalitarian-in-reality empires you mention here, fellow traveller!
Just forget about the Communists. They will not satisfy you as well as thinking about me will.
Why bother with minor details. In her world "orc-looking ugly" people can do no good.
Hahaha! :)
I hear nervous giggling.
I bet you hear many, many voices.
Now Amy.... I think you are a very intelligent and well-spoken person; but Russians ARE very attractive people. Possibly close to the Caucasian ideal of Sweden. Of course, Sweden will soon become the sickest and most crime-ridden nation in Europe (thanks to Merkel and America's intervention in Syria and NATO's destruction of Libya). We must look to the future with positivity. Our visitors from the 11th dimension will soon be mating with humans and creating the super-race dreamed of by Nietzsche and we will, ultimately, be able to stand up to Bill Gates, bugmaster Fauci, and the brain-dead Bidens and Milleys of the world.
Bugmaster Fauci! That alone was worth this cesspool of comments :)
Nobody has ever said or suggested that here. You are making shit up.
If you bothered to ask people what they think of Russia (based on facts), you'd be very surprised. I personally have a huge problem with what's happening in Russia. But I also understand that Putin and Russia play a very important role in retarding the insane US policies around the world.
"I personally have a huge problem with what's happening in Russia."
I do not believe you.
Pictures of Moscow's Beautiful Subway Architecture
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/...
Nyc Subway Graffiti Photos and Premium High Res Pictures ...
https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/nyc-subway-graffiti
Amazingly, the link to the pictures of Moscow's subways disappeared faster than an Internet article about Ivermectin.
But it's because of Freedumb! :)
The totalitarian regimes always maintain law and order, right?
Are you OK?
I actually saw that episode and it was very disappointing to hear that from Glenn, Democracy Now, and if I remember correctly, also Naom Chomsky in another clip from about the same time. The "manufacturing consent" guy himself fell for the Syria is ruled by a "dictator," so it's okay to bomb, kill, and starve the Syrian people. We are all human after all and we make mistakes. Hopefully, they will realize their mistakes and admit they were wrong before it's too late.
I really appreciate your view point here, but would humbly put fourth some modifiers.
Like you, I feel far too many people (seemingly all, honestly) seem to ignore the role of "human nature" when they speak about societal issues. Not to digress too far, but I always find it ironic that the party of science (evolution) are the biggest deniers of our human nature when it comes to their policy proposals and even their distaste (disgust) at some of our most ubiquitous and understandable flaws. Dare I say it, but it's almost as if they hold us to some "divine" standard.
Nevertheless, your position on the welfare state is one that I also believe discounts human nature, and yet, fear I have slowly started to come around on..the concept anyway - with qualifiers.
I'd be interested in your thoughts on those qualifiers, but first, if you'll indulge me, do you also see the pitfalls of a welfare state as it concerns our nature, and just believe that it's a bare necessity to overcome?
This Capitalist would agree wholeheartedly to replace all welfare with a Universal Basic Income (a negative lowest income tax bracket was Milton Friedman's idea, but I prefer taxing consumption, not income).
What do you think of UBI, M. Ian?
As you say, Russia is not a 'communist country'. So, why bring it up?
i.e. crony-Capitalism, i.e. neo-Fascism. 100% State control, 0 (zero) individual rights and freedom.
Those wonderful Authoritarian Socialist "friends" helping out all the lower, lackey Authoritarian Socialists the world over. Comrades UNITE!
Remember when Trump had casus belli to bomb Iran and chose not to despite the urging of all the generals and pundits?
Anyone missing that kind of leadership yet?
Trump assassinated an Iranian general among other things. If you launch an illegal war and invade a country, you don't get to claim causus belli when the you come under fire. The illegal invasion and occupation by us is the causus belli. Trump cried about how he wanted to end wars while appointing John Bolton and Elliot Abrams to run his foreign policy. He's no better than Biden.
"Trump assassinated an Iranian general" who happened to be on Iraqi soil and directly involved in the attack on a US embassy there just days before...
Attacking a US embassy is an act of war. I'd say that taking out the person responsible is a rather lenient move.
It was just bad luck the guy happened to be in Iraq! If he had been in bed he'd still be alive!
Let's see, we attacked the Venezuelan embassy in D.C. What would you call that?
Well stated, and I'm drinking Petrov Vodka while reflecting on your comment.
Trump is an arrogant sociopathic lunatic, and an idiot. What "domestic and foreign policy successes?" The ones for billionaires and warmongers?
Nope.
General Milley and Secretary Austin; how’s that White rage investigation going? Eh, we are bored with that. Let’s gets back to something we are really good at - bombardment and killing other POC that are not in the USA.
Probably used as a distraction from an action already initiated.
…….and the revolving door between corporations, connected law firms, and lobbyists continues to spin at light speed. This is corruption, plain and simple.
The only president in my memory who agreed with your position was Donald Trump. He understood that America needs to be militarily strong but not policing the entire world.
And here I thought only "intelligent" Leftists understood nuance.
Raytheon manufactures the Tomahawk cruise missile that is used in so many of these attacks. They cost $1.5 million a pop. These attacks on Syria and Iraq are necessary because, after all, those missiles aren't going to launch themselves.
Note the age of our "leaders" -- Dianne Feinstein - 88 years, Nancy Pelosi - 81, Maxine waters - 82, Chuck Grassley - 87, Mitch McConnell - 79, Joe Biden - 78 -- a clear and obvious gerontocracy, where these people in both parties stumble out on stage and blink at the lights and wonder where they are.... still living in murderous fog of Allen and John Dulles brothers' hate of anything that can be remotely progressive
IT’S TIME TO BUILD by Marc Andreessen IT'S TIME TO BUILD - Andreessen Horowitz (a16z.com)
https://a16z.com/2020/04/18/its-time-to-build/
"....there is something to the baby boomers theory. Starting in the 1980s, they took control of all the institutions, just from a generational change standpoint. When you look at the statistics, it is really striking to the extent to which the boomers aren't releasing control. If you look at like the average age of university presidents (this is one example Eric Weinstein points this out), they're basically all boomers. At the corresponding point like 30 years ago, that wasn't the case. You see the same thing in politics to the point of absurdity. You have this clear and obvious gerontocracy, where these people in both parties stumble out on stage and blink at the lights and wonder where they are. At what point do you go from this being the esteemed senior politician representing a coalition to it being elder abuse? We're somewhere in that zone.
When you’ve got senators in their 90s running for re-election, and you’re the party of hope and change? The voters get a choice; they chose to vote for the gerontocracy, and that's what they're going to get. But they certainly shouldn't expect dynamism on the other side of that."
In the run-up to the 4th of July weekend, I found this to be a sobering and thoughtful read. I'll re-read the supporting links later in the week. You make a strong case for us having lost control over our military, if not our broader way in the world.
We have lost control of our leadership. The military does not act on their own. Trump was a further illumination of how bipartisan our elites actually are in opposition to the people of this country.
This action by President Biden is confusing. In several articles I would read he bombed Iran back fighters and he was trying to revive the nuclear treaty with them. I guess I could come up with a rational reason for both but it is strange. I don’t trust it and I do not believe any honest attempt has been made to explain. I think they think we are a bunch of idiots
You are getting warmer.
Well, by all means, tell us what you know, M. Feral. Always with the coy-ness.
I think it was a huge projection when you called people stalkers. You are exhibiting the classic signs of the behavior.
That is why you decided to follow me around?
Oh, that's rich! It was you who replied to me for the very first time.
And then admitted to stalking me. So, shut up while you are a head.
I am not "a head." Are you M. Feral Finster?
And, what country do you reside in?
Unfair to idiots.
😀 I was wondering after I posted my comment if someone was going to call me on that
“we are a bunch of idiots”
Are they wrong though considering they “elected” Biden and Kamala?
Thank you -- the title and the subtitle succinctly tell all the horror in which we live.
Ruled by corrupt DNC and GOP oligarchs, living in an unprecedented kleptocracy, ruled by oligarchs in their 80s...
Shame, shame on us -- vote a third party, the ONLY long term solution.
I wish I could believe voting third party was a solution.
If voting made any real difference, it would not be allowed.
Trump killed Top Tier Terrorists and Russian “mercenaries”. Biden usually kills civilians and talks tough. Dat “D” after his name is solid gold—gets a pass.
Let’s begin calling them out: Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld are war criminals; Obama/Biden/Clinton are war criminals; Trump/Pence/Pompeo are war criminals; Biden(again)/Harris/Blinken are war criminals. Unless and until the public starts calling for their prosecution, we will endure these endless wars because they enrich and empower the ruling class and keep us in fear of the “other.”
Calling them war criminals and calling for their prosecution is playing into their hands. It didn't work during Vietnam and it won't work now. We may swell with a sense of self righteousness for doing so but it will cause the American people to react in their defense; an outcome we certainly don't want. Glenn emphasis on its illegality and unconstitutionality is the better path. Photos of civilian suffering would also help.
"Photos of civilian suffering would also help."
This!!!! Why don't we see the horrific pictures that truly show what happens in a war?
I think the naked, 9 year old girl running from the napalm strike in Vietnam made a lot of US voters ask "Why are we bombing this country?" We don't see the damage of US drone strikes and that is wrong.
Is there documentation showing that the famous naked girl was running from U.S. bombs? Couldn't she have been running from the Viet Cong, or the North Vietnamese Army? (I am someone who believes we never should have been fighting Communism in Vietnam to begin with. I just want to be fair, and not jump to conclusions like so many other anti-U.S. people seem to do.)
I don't know who deployed the napalm. My intent was to say we've censored pictures of the awful, horrible things that happen to human bodies in wars.
We've been bombing and droning and missiles for over 20 years in the ME. Maybe pics of reality of war will bring voters to pressure US govt to stop this madness.
Your question led me to google that girl. She wrote a book and it is on my reading list; Fire Road: The Napalm Girls Journey Through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness, and Peace
Thank you for the well-said reply, M. Hairy. And for doing some research on my behalf; I will check out that book, also.
I agree with you about not censoring the results of violence committed by States. The People should have ALL information, in order to decide, as you allude to, how to act to corral Statist war-mongering. But I do think it just as important that the information is accurate, and the proper agents are identified. The People are the ultimate judges of truth, of course.
"...emphasis on its illegality and unconstitutionality is the better path..."
Absolutely spot on. Also, this better path, being a "corrective," not just a roadblock, will lead to lasting change for the better. Alas, it is the more difficult and longer-to-take way forward. Patience is required, and so difficult to apply.
As someone who has been at on-street anti-war protests for decades, I truly appreciate this article. It does seem we have moved on from legality and now how an executive branch that commits us to wars by fiat. I actually felt like Trump was pretty restrained for a Republican. Biden has been, generally, against ground wars, over the years. I'm hoping he is making the decisions. The Clinton/Obama Cabal are definitely warmongers.
He was pretty restrained for a US president post 9/11. Dropped the least amount of bombs per year. Sadly those statistics are no longer collected so a comparison for Biden will be impossible.
I would not say droning is okay. I would say that ground wars are far worse. But yes, it may be that technology has made it less risky for presidents to start these messes. You raise a fair point.
“The three greatest threats to freedom are a standing army, a sitting legislature, and a lying executive.”