This week Secretary of State John Kerry became the Sham-Wow man for the latest war by the United States. Here is how a Sham-War pitch works. Kerry announced that the Arab countries will pay for our entire war if we invade Syria. That’s right, we can simply rent out U.S. personnel like mercenaries for Saudi Arabia and Gulf nations. First we have Nancy Pelosi explaining the war literally in five-year-old terms and now John Kerry doing his imitation of Offer “Vince” Shlomi.
Kerry told Congress that “With respect to Arab countries offering to bear costs and to assess, the answer is profoundly yes. . . . They have. That offer is on the table.” When Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) pressed on how much we could get from the countries, Kerry said it was an absolute bargain: “In fact, some of them have said that if the United States is prepared to go do the whole thing the way we’ve done it previously in other places, they’ll carry that cost . . . That’s how dedicated they are at this. That’s not in the cards, and nobody’s talking about it, but they’re talking in serious ways about getting this done.”
Note the reference to “go do the whole thing the way we’ve done it previously in other places.” That is the new way to refer to an invasion as in Iraq and Afghanistan. The clear suggestion is that we might be able to go to war on a Saudi credit card . . . if we act now. Indeed, as Congress contemplates whether it would buy a war for zero down, Kerry could offer to get a second war at the same cost.
What is astonishing is that the offer of a free war was viewed as Kerry as a positive contribution to the pitch for war. Many people have already criticized the United States for engaging in such operations at the behest of either the Saudis or the Israelis at the cost of U.S. lives and treasure. Even Offer “Vince” Shlomi would blush at the pitch of a war that is too good a deal to pass up.
Source: Washington Post
Mike and Gene,
It is possible that the Saudi’s might write a check,(not likely) but it won’t be worth any American lives if we do more than shoot cruise missiles.
Ah, ye olde war whoredom, gotta luv it.
What I wrote my Congress persons today: (P.S. Israel wants us to do a regime change as well and is lobbying Congress to authorize it.)
So Israel wants the US to attack Syria? Here is my letter to my congress members:
Our military is not the mercenary force of Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations.
In a bid to convince fiscal conservatives that this war won’t cost a dime, Kerry told Congress: ‘With respect to Arab countries offering to bear costs and to assess, the answer is profoundly yes. . . . They have. That offer is on the table.” When Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) pressed on how much we could get from the countries, Kerry said it was an absolute bargain: “In fact, some of them have said that if the United States is prepared to go do the whole thing the way we’ve done it previously in other places, they’ll carry that cost . . . That’s how dedicated they are at this. That’s not in the cards, and nobody’s talking about it, but they’re talking in serious ways about getting this done.”
This is disgusting. We are offering to trade American blood for their money. I would like to know if this offer includes a commitment to pay for American soldiers who become disabled or die in this undertaking. What about their survivors? How can any person of conscience accept such a evil bargain? It is an insult to our service members who take an oath to the United States, not any other nation.
Kerry is admitting we do not have the money for this war. We don’t. If Israel, Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations want this war, let them speak up plainly as to why they believe it is legal. Let them further come forward with their own equipment and personnel to fight it.
“It makes no difference what this foolish and illegal undertaking might cost. Saudi Arabia will not write a single check to the American people.”
Yep.
It makes no difference what this foolish and illegal undertaking might cost. Saudi Arabia will not write a single check to the American people.
Gene H. 1, September 5, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Nope. It was Churchill.
Gene – You were right, I was wrong.
After years of suffering President Obama’s surly disdain for us dirty-f***ing hippie Vietnam veterans against perpetual imperial wars, a woman after my own heart — FireDogLake‘s “coctailhag” — lays it all out in a beautiful and cogent piece of prose. I couldn’t have said it better and would not even think of trying.
http://firedoglake.com/2013/09/05/late-night-punch-drunk/
Ooops. Sorry, The “@lotta” should have been to “@michael.”
Mea Culpa.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
@lotta:
Uh. . .ahem… er. . .I was being sarcastic. Read it again please, in that light.
Thank you!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Squeaky,
“Free” means “zero cost.” Put another way, it means 100% profit, since Profit = Revenue – Cost. So a “free war” means a war that will cost Americans nothing and will generate a 100% profit from all loot and plunder that American corporations regard as their just return on campaign contributions.
You and your Republican ideas of capitalism surely do need a course in remedial arithmetic. Your comments on “capitalism” (using someone else’s money to make more money) sound like what Vice President George H. W. Bush called his boss Ronald Raygun’s lunatic concepts: namely, “Voodoo Economics.” It took Democratic President Bill Clinton nearly eight years to balance the budget and pay off the enormous deficits run up by the self-styled “fiscal conservative” Republican stock speculators. Of course, then came the Republicans again with galactic dimwit G.W. Bush who brought back monstrous deficits along with a general economic collapse not seen since another group of Republicans in government brought us the Great Depression from 1929-1941.
So please spare us the inane babble about Republicans and their understanding of capitalism, which for them just means boundless opportunities for sanctified theft at someone else’s expense.
When I studied for my bachelor’s degree in Economics, they taught us — as our first and most important lesson:
“There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
Everything costs somebody something. Profit or loss just depends on who pays the costs.
I found much sanity and reason listening to this Chomsky lecture tonight.
Gene,
Just making light while we wait for the next 2 or 3 weeks to see if one of those idiots, that we know are out there, around the world that has been sitting 20-30 years with their itchy trigger finger on a nuke button decides to see what happens if he finally pushes it.
Dredd:
Thank you sooo much for putting that link up to the cream.gun study!!! I have been trying to make that same point for a few days without a lot of success. I have bookmarked it!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Oky,
Take it up with Bron. He’s the one who brought up Rand and her oh so insufficient understanding of political science.
nick spinelli 1, September 5, 2013 at 9:31 am
Elaine, Times do change and our views evolve. But, if you have core values and integrity, they don’t get corrupted.
================================
Is math a core issue or value? Without math value is just a feeling isn’t it?
Politics corrupts even that area:
(Yale Study). Freedom, being free, could be just another word for nothing left … if we get the math wrong.
Geeezus Gene H,
Can’t you focus & stay on topic?
The topic is Cute Gals, NYC models are to skinning & Hollywood starlet’s fake boobs are disgusting. 🙂
Bron,
That was nothing new. I’ve explained all of that to you before.
Gene H:
that was brilliant. You have learned well.
A “free” war??? This is just palpable proof that Obama doesn’t understand capitalism. “Free” just equates to “non-profit.” My goodness, if you are going to have a war, then you should have enough sense to make some profit off of it!
Why don’t we let somebody with some sense do the negotiating for us, like Donald Trump maybe. That way, we could probably talk the Saudi’s into paying for the war, and giving every American $1,500 tax free to us. Trump could probably get the rights to put a few casinos in Saudi Arabia in special “Shariah Free Zones” where he could sell alcohol and other Western delights. Plus, get the Saudis to kick in some development funds to boot.
You see people, this is what happens when you send the Democrats to do a man’s job. They end up leaving most of the money on the table.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter