Submitted by: Mike Spindell, guest blogger
Our nation has become a military empire analogous to ancient Rome, another Republic that lost its bearings because it became the mightiest fighting force of its time. That we owe this to having spectacularly won what could be called “The Last Just War”, World War II, merely ironically underlines our descent into become the World’s most bellicose nation. This bellicosity has been masked by propaganda that makes us out to be the one nation responsible for ensuring “freedom and safety”. In this strife torn Earth, that idea cannot be supported since the truth is that we are the chief threat to peace in the world today. Now in truth, the use of the United States military to intervene in this Nation and other Nation’s affairs is not simply a phenomenon that began with World War II as you can see from this timeline linked here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations . What World War II marked though was the absolute dominant position in world military power which our country attained during our participation in that war. Given the magnitude of its scope it is easy to forget that for the United States World War II lasted only a brief four years. However, the incredible mobilization of troops and the supporting materiel of war were accomplished via a total mobilization that in the end fully turned the vision of Corporate America towards the great profits and benefits to be derived by American military dominance. Indeed, for generations to come there was a fluidity of personnel between leading corporate entities and the Department of Defense.
Since 2001 our Armed Forces have been totally engaged in two major, unjustified wars and various minor “peace actions”. A child born in 1990 in the U.S. grew up in a world where there has been constant warfare and warfare’s necessary companion glorification of military service. The admixture of America’s warlike behavior and the faux glorification of the nobility of our military has become a constant in that young persons mind, only to better make them future cannon fodder for our dominant Corporate/Military Industrial Complex. Sadly, the less educated that young person is the more they are gullible to the siren call of that propaganda of military glorification. As the Great U.S. General Smedley Butler said so long ago: “War is a racket”.
In truth we honor our soldiers far more in words than in deeds. “America’s Greatest Generation” as establishment mouthpiece Tom Brokaw put it, was also the one generation of military personnel that was actually very well treated in the aftermath of their service. The World War II returning troops were educated via the generous G.I. Bill, had their homes financed through special discount programs and entered the marketplace at a time of phenomenal growth of the U.S. economy due to our country’s new position as the World’s dominant power. Every generation of returning veterans before and after World War II was treated rather shabbily in comparisons, despite the lavish praise given them for their service. The huge backlog in receiving benefits and medical treatment for our latest generation of returning veterans is masked by our presumed “honoring of the troops”, which is constantly accomplished merely in words, with a paucity of actual services delivered.
The reality is that the only real bi-partisanship that exists in our politicians today is that the overwhelming majority of both Democrats and Republicans are enthusiastic supporters of American military hegemony and bought stooges of the Corporate/Military Industrial Complex. That many beyond their corporate donors are indeed true believers in American military supremacy is no doubt true. The fact is that if you were born after let’s say 1960, your view of the world was shaped by American interventionism and American military supremacy. Barack Obama was born in 1961 and one can count him as one of those who for the most part supports America’s military interventionism. The proofs of my assertions are simple. In this time of supposed budgetary crisis, there is barely minimal support for cutting anything out of our Military and Intelligence budget. I lump Military and Intelligence together because there has been such a blurring of the lines between these two formerly discrete government entities, that today it is impossible to distinguish boundaries.
When it comes to my premise for this piece which is that this country will soon be involved in its “next” war, let me explain my reasoning. First of all there is the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room of American politics that almost no one that I’m aware of talks about. We are mired in a recession with countless American unemployed. If we bring our troops home and cut our defense budget we will add hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people to our jobless rolls. Truly, the military has been the escape for many with otherwise poor employment prospects into obtaining a respectable job and the semblance of a future career. By cutting the military/intelligence budget, as things now stand economically in this country, we will recede from “recession” into “depression”. However, without something to justify the existence of our military budget, the U.S. spends more on our military budget than the next thirteen countries combined military expenditures, the truth that we are squandering the riches of this country to support the profits of private corporations becomes obvious. Therefore we need something to justify this unnecessary expense and that is another war.
As I see it there are three good prospects for that coming war, though I won’t preclude that we might fight all three at once. The first prospect is that ever handy, oil rich, example Iran. The justification would be similar to that of Iraq, which is “weapons of mass destruction”. The idea is that we can’t allow a country as unstable as Iran to have nuclear capacity. Underlying this justification is that Iran has a massive supply of oil riches and so would be a prize similar to Iraq and the oil leases we forced Iraq to agree to. Naturally, a partial excuse would be its threat to Israel, but in truth that is merely a convenient overlay for Saudi Arabia’s competition with Iran for dominance in the Muslim world.
A second possibility is intervention in Syria for humanitarian reasons. The Syrian dictator Assad is no doubt a brute, but we live in a world where a great many country’s are ruled by brutes. The “humanitarian” interest in Syria is its strategic location, the presence of American military bases close by and the various economic benefits to be supplied by controlling that country.
Now a third possibility rearing its ugly head comes from the clownish dictator of North Korea. Again we find a nuclear threat involved and also this is paired with the “humanitarian” need to rid this unfortunate country of its hereditary dictator. That North Korea is a failed state, unable to feed its people and geographically located next to one of the World’s great powers China may be ignored because the silly posturing of its’ “dear Leader” can be propagandistically twisted into a “threat” to our country.
It must be noted that possibly the most unstable country to possess nuclear capability in the World today is Pakistan, yet that ill-governed country is somehow never cited as a threat to the U.S., even with its harboring of Osama Bin Laden and of the Taliban, next door to the country we are currently deeply involved in.
These are my reasons for my believing that quite shortly our country will be involved in another war. Unless thinking by both parties in Washington changes drastically, which I don’t see as likely given the gravy train our politicians are on, we will receive the same propagandist buildup as a preparation of the American people for yet another war. We will squander the lives of our troops and the wealth of this country maintaining our role as the “Leader of the World”. We will move ever closer to Rome’s example as a republic turns to empire and the empire is ruled by military heroes and so it goes.
The reader will note that I used no links to back up my suppositions and in truth this guest blog was my meditation on the militaristic character that has prevailed in our nation. However, my musings are not merely the product of a fevered brain this morning, but actually a continuation of an ongoing theme of a portion of my guest blogs. The links below supply the information and detail that have influenced my feelings and a the combination of work that both Gene Howington and myself have produced in the past year or so.
Submitted by: Mike Spindell, guest blogger
http://jonathanturley.org/2013/02/09/petraeus-the-problem-with-heroic-hagiography/
http://jonathanturley.org/2013/02/02/why-they-hate-hagel-and-american-mythology/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/09/15/this-changes-everything/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/09/08/the-drum-beat-goes-on/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/08/25/lest-we-forget/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/06/23/missing-the-point-when-the-point-is-obvious/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/06/17/propaganda-102-holly-would-and-the-power-of-images/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/05/20/propaganda-101-what-you-need-to-know-and-why-or/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/04/01/defending-our-freedoms/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/03/17/a-real-history-of-the-last-sixty-two-years/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/02/25/hypocrisy-democracy-whats-going-on/
http://jonathanturley.org/2012/01/07/americas-transcendent-issue/
http://jonathanturley.org/2011/09/24/as-we-careen-towards-a-dream-of-armageddon/
http://jonathanturley.org/2011/09/10/the-president-has-been-afraid-of-what/
I believe the next “war” will be more QUIET than loud. And I know exactly who are threats are going to be without a doubt….
NOW BEFORE YOU JUDGE, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THIS ONE PERSPECTIVE ON THESE COUNTRIES WHO BURN OUR FLAGS IN THEIR PROTESTS AS IF THEY ARE AT FAMILY GATHERINGS AND AS IF THEIR FAVORITE FOOTBALL TEAM JUST TOOK HOME THE WIN.
The first two countries, who I don’t believe will be the bad guys quite yet (quite yet being the key phrase) who I believe NEED a war are N.Korea and Iran….although we aren’t all in unified agreement on this, and Kim has yet to fire anything at us yet so…and Iran are just more a thorn in our side so far…But!!!! One thing…
Before anyone reading this thinks we or, especially I, would enjoy the idea of another conflict, lets just get to the bare, inescapable facts shall we?
IRAN and NORTH KOREA are going to need either a small wrist slapping (covert action, which we’ve already been doing very, very small bits of since ’05) or a full scale “b*tch slapping” (so to speak) which it seems they will desperately need before the next decade is through.
You see, we are perceived as quite weak now that we’ve squandered so many military resources during such a heavy duty recession (not just economically, but militarily) and because of this, a weakened United States becomes quite a juicy, enticing target for those who have been just quietly biding their time for the chance to strike…like an abused, unfed cobra stuck in some dark, hot straw box in India.
NOW—-A more plausible idea.
If it is not either of these two more popular countries, it will be a place like Chechnya. They and Pakistan seem to really need to be looked at very carefully as they have undoubtedly become a threat to those around them. The peaceful places inside Chechnya may not require any military force being used in their presence, and should be left alone, but unfortunately, their more militant groups (like their own government) seem to need a serious reality check. Chechnya is NOT harmless (yeah, I know…Russia’s been doing dirty work out there already, but we need to end their madness once and for all…they breed terror and heartless genocide/ethnic cleansing since the days of Kosovo).
Before you think I belong in a rubber room with a straight jacket, think CAREFULLY about this one particular aspect of my point…..Pakistan and Chechnya are serious threats to our future and our children’s future (yeah i know how crazy I sound, but mark my words that these people are not about to turn the other cheek…and no, I’m not religious, so disregard the cheek comment). They, like N.Korea, have seriously (NO JOKE) made an actual promise to themselves (almost an oath, one that they make their own children at school recite very day like in N.Korea) to get the “evil US” before their time on this Earth is up.
If I was POTUS (President)….And thank the Lord I’m not right? lol…
I would first smoke every last bad guy in Chechnya that we would positively ID, then move to Pakistan’s equivalent to their SECDEF (in other words, their Defense Minister and his team), and let them know the gloves are off, no more drones/UCAVs/etc, and no more Hellfire strikes in the middle of the night, and that we are going to send in DOUBLE the number of JSOC assets we have been so far, and end those troublemakers in Waziristan and in any other corner of the Northern Provinces of the Pak’s backyard. No massing of reg troops, no Marines crossing their beaches or making any grandstanding entrances….no speeches….Just a series of quiet B&Es, so to speak, where we send JSOC’s finest (as I’m biased to Delta, I’d send their RECCE guys first to smokecheck the leadership elements that we DO currently know of) and these warriors are then given an entirely new set of ROEs (Rules of Engagement), with as much of Pakistan’s reluctant permission as we can con out of them, and let these target rich environments become free-fire zones…..Weapons free areas where our boys, who know the difference between bad guys and farmers who only keep that AK around to protect against the Ali Babas (thieves) hanging around, and then let them off their metaphorical leashes to conduct, plan, and execute as many strikes as they need until you can hear nothing but crickets and the sounds of children snoring safely in their beds and their mommies and daddies upstairs making more of their siblings.
THAT is and SHOULD BE our next war. And if we were smart (which I guess we’re not from what I’ve seen on the news lately), we’d stop ANY and ALL defense spending cuts and start cutting the fat off our politicians’ salaries and cutting their stupid “everyone deserves everything” policy start-up capital. And no, I’m not a Republican or Democrat (more of a neutral/independent…maybe with some capitalist/Republican sensibilities, but no…I’m not political really).
In summary, this is what we should do next once we hit 2014 and bail out of Afghanistan…which, on a final note, is stupid….To tell the Taliban (yeah i mean you Obama) when we plan to leave is just such an ignoramus move. Yeah we should leave at some point soon, but DONT TELL THEM WHEN…their game plan since we set foot there was to either kill us OR?….thats right….WAIT US OUT. And they just did. Great work, buddy.
Thats enough from me on some comment board….Just my humble two cents.
all you white illegal european trash get off our land!all the problems in the world is because of your colonial *** which is on our soil causing global problems.
Every country you invade had more freedom before you came.Hopefully one day you will become ancient as ancient rome…
for you to question any war is treasonous by DEFINITION jack ass. just because YOU think it was right or wrong is irrelevant, so please take your head out of your ass, you are a American. stand by your country and be proud of whatever it does otherwise you make us weak and please go liv in Libya or Syria an get a test of their life.
the worst thing we can have, is separation and demonetization upon the citizens of this country. the only thing that everyone of us has in common is that we are Americans. i dont always agree with the government or what the presidents choices are no. but i always remind myself that i am a citizen and i love this country and to question my country then separates me from the rest of the nation which makes this nation weak and vulnerable. therefor the worst thing we can do for this country and what she does and stand for is being rebels that dont agree and question its choices, not attacking the wrong country or lowering the SSI and making handguns illegal. no matter what i will gladly call myself a American and no mater what i will fight and die for this country, if every citizen believes this lik they did in 1942 we will be as strong as ever, but if we get people that question everything and think they can do it better we will be weak and crumble. a wall is only as strong ass the bricks which build it, one weak brick and confiscate the entire wall, to be strong and survive we must band together as “AMERICANS” first,for good or bad. not question everything, other whys we are a broken nation and a lost one.
MIKE SPINDELL. you are asking and answering the wrong questions, i am sure you have never seen active battle therefor would not understand this. as a citizen it is not our duty to question where or why we are at war. yes irag had nothing to do with 9/11 but that is not an issue if you are a marine or air pilot. i grew up around war. i love this country and will gladly die for her. i pray and hope that it will be for a just cause but above all i am a citizen and have plunder the joy that this country has offered and i am not about to question “why” if i am told to go to war, i will simply obey, i owe her that much. if you dont agree with that then you need to get your ass out of this country i think
“if you dont agree with that then you need to get your ass out of this country i think”
Ben,
I’ve got 69 years here to your 24. I came first – – you leave. Besides that I understand the Constitution and you don’t since if you did you would never write: “for you to question any war is treasonous by DEFINITION jack ass.” Ever hear of the Bill of Rights Ben. People have died in wars for this country to protect it and you just throw it away with an intemperate statement like that. I love this country and want to see it live up to its greatness which is embodied in our Constitution. Before you question me you should look at what YOU are writing and understand that it is Un-American
weather we go to war for money, oil, freedom. weather it be right or wrong. i am a American and i love this country. its is not our choice to question why, it is our duty to do and die. i am a highly educated 22 year old male =, i want peace and prosperity for every one, however i see what America is capable of good and bad. and most countries weather they hate us or not have adapted many western concepts, the America we have today is not the greatest but it is a necessity in this world, abd even if i dont agree with the leader or even like him. im sorry i will obey an listen to him because i am not selfish and i love my country, all i can do is put my faith in this country and hope we come out better, if we dont then that is that but ether way if you live here your duty is to this country, no question, AND IF YOU ASK ME IF YOU ARE SO SELF-RIGHTEOUS TO QUESTION THIS YOU CAN BURN IN HELL.
Ben 🙂
You make a good intellectual argument but it’s not reality I’m afraid. But to say that these wars were “Unjustified” is either naive or treasonous.
When America is provoked, we answer back because it is in our best interest to “Keep The Peace”. In order to do that and as you are a student of history, the one with the big gun gets to make the rules.
The U.S. is young compared to most existing and fallen nations. We are new but we are also the most advanced (..that is if President Obama doesn’t spend us out of the existence.) of all nations combined.
We have always been celebrated, honored, and appreciated only by nations that contribute to mankind and hated by those nations that have taken and maimed.
I am just glad that we are still the nation that do not have to apologize for being who we are. If we need to put more blood and sweat into another war to kick more hater’s rear end? Then so be it, count me in.
#americantiltheend
Eric Sotelo what service branch did you serve in and where did you serve?
Also please explain why we attacked Iraq after 9/11? As far as me questioning those wars just how is that treasonous, because I’m certainly not naive. I think GW Bush and Dick Cheney were traitors afyer 9/11 because they should have attacked the Saudis. I think you need to study the Constitution more and FOXNews less.
The real world has many dangers and if America were to disband its military who would replace us as the worlds super power? If somebody has to be the rich kids it might as well be us. Look around your house that palace you live in, you know the one with the SUV and Volvo parked in the garage, that would soon be empty without running water and electricity if we let our guard down. Then you would complain about how we disbanded our military and we are now poor. The luxuries of the modern American life would soon disappear without the Military Complex to maintain our form of economic domination throughout the world. I do not dislike America, I embrace it and support our capitalist way of life and completely enjoy our position as the number one military in the world. Denial is futile! Acceptance is bliss!
Our country is scared of its own shadow. But maybe, in hindsight, it should be.
My thoughts exactly! I was pleased to hear that President Obama voted against his advisors (Hilary Clinton and Leon Panetta) to take action is Syria. But when I heard we had ships moving strategically towards N.Korea, I laughed and said to my husband, “We’ll go to war with anyone who says, ‘Boo!'”
How about Elizabeth Warren for president? Her head is in the right place with regards to banks and guns. She probably won’t run if Hillary does but if Hillary does not I think she will.
Eric,
Most politicians in Washington bow to the big banks. Check out what happened near the end of Bill Clinton’s second term. I’m glad that Elizabeth Warren was elected to the Senate–and is on the Banking Committee.
“why our governement has been doing certain things — even though they do not seem be working as to the stated purpose. Here’s my theory:”
Eric,
I find your analysis to be accurate.