The reason why the US only commits "mistakes" or "errors" but never war crimes is because, under the ideology of "American Exceptionalism," we are always virtuous, moral, and just. Therefore, if our wars, which are intended to "spread freedom and democracy," cause death and destruction, it is all for the greater good. And if the wars do not exactly go as planned, well it is only because mistakes and errors were made. This is the narrative always presented by the US political class. In short, unless and until the entire mindset and ideology of "American Exceptionalism" is excised from the US body politic, not a damn thing is ever going to change. The cause for all the endless/eternal wars, obscene military spending, war criminals never being prosecuted, the revolving door between the Pentagon and the weapons merchants, etc....all of these are symptoms. The cause is the ideology of "American Exceptionalism." Like all diseases, unless you eliminate the cause, the disease continues to fester and spread.
Yes. And of course we have to remember that war is always profitable for a few, i.e. a "racket," so there's always a financial incentive to spread and reinforce the ideology you mention.
In fact, you can take this further. War enriches the few while impoverishing the many, even in America, ensuring there will always be a underclass in America to be exploited.
And when that underclass asks, why can't we have nice things?, the answer is "too expensive," even as there's always plenty of money for war.
The US is constantly kicking hornet's nests wherever "we" want to make problems that need solving. I do not believe that the lack of reflection is a failure, it is purely intentional. War, for the War Dept., is just job security. It is a fundraising exercise. It is their path to glory. The only way to end it is for the public to complain. As long as most people remain silent, this will go on indefinitely.
Apr 15, 2023·edited Apr 15, 2023Liked by Bill Astore
Given the fact that the American military has not won a war in 78 years and the amount of money that has spent on those losses, one begins to suspect that the purpose of America's Wars is not to "win" them ~ regardless of whatever "win" may actually, really mean [or ever did] ~ but simply to HAVE them. And to lay the groundwork and foundation for the Next one.
The people back home never seem to get that the US military is "ruthless" and our armed forces haven't ever been the good guys, at least in this Vietnam veteran's lifetime.
Bill, I think the military is and essentially always has been an organization designed to promote power and greed. History tells us that - look at Roman, Greek or Persian history and on through the ages to Europe and all the wars the kings fought for no apparent reason other than greed and power. It goes on to America. I'm sure you've read Smedley Butler's book "War is a Racket" where the most decorated soldier in the world at the time wrote that all the wars he fought in were for big American corporations - as they are today. I note that any General or Admiral today who speaks the truth about not going to war with China or Russia is no longer around to speak out. Are there any left in any of the military sections -Army, Navy, Marines? The current foreign policy under Biden,Blinkin and CIA Jake is so childish and ill considered that I wonder if there are any adults left in our government or the military. I sure don't see many examples in our Congress, though there are few, but their attempts are awfully timid. The MSM is totally missing when it comes to comment on war or the environment, they want to talk about Trump (for or against). Millions of us protested against the Iraq war 20 years ago even in small towns as well as major cities and D.C. It didn't do any good I know - I marched in several of them. I appreciate the fact that you are out there trying to get people to grow up, but do you think there is any hope?
The idea that there are lessons to be learned presupposes that the people in charge are interested in learning lessons rather than just flexing their muscles. In our case that's probably a mistaken assumption.
It is not the function of the U.S. military, Bill, to question, second-guess, or evaluate the decisions made in the White House and rubber stamped by Congress about why, when, where, and how to go to war. It is the function of the military to go to war when, where, and how ordered.
And to learn lessons from those wars ~ at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels ~ so that the next one can and will be more successful. That is the purpose of the After Action Review or AAR; to answer the questions: What happened? What went right? What went wrong? And what needs to happen to make things better next time?
Nor is it the function of the military ~ as an institution ~ to learn anything about How and Why a particular war was or is based on lies, is illegal, immoral, and evil [to say nothing of undeclared].
That is the function of the INDIVIDUAL SERVICE MEMBER AS AN INDIVIDUAL HUMAN BEING, who has to then decide whether she or he will continue to be an accomplice to the crimes committed by the military as directed by whoever is sitting closest to the red buttons in the Oval Office.
And it is not the military who hasn’t learned the “Lessons of” Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria, and so forth.
It is, first and foremost of all, the American People who have learned absolutely nothing, and continue to have their individual and collective heads comfortably jammed up their asses when it comes to what the American Empire has been doing all over the Planet since first 9/11, and then since the end of World War II.
But America’s Ruling Political Class [RPC] has learned a great deal about how to get away with all this BY keeping the American Peoples’ heads posteriorly inserted. And it has been and is learning how to do it more and more efficiently, effectively, and optimally efficaciously every day. Case in point: The Chinese Weather Balloon Goat Fuck last January and February.
The only way the American military could refuse to go fight another war ~ to keep the MIC awash in profits and the RPC comfortable in their delusion that the American Empire is not failing but just going thru some “challenging” changes ~ would be to overthrow the government in a military coup. Or for a critical mass of mission-critical service members to go out on strike.
On the other hand, there are any number of ways that the American People could bring all this bullshit to an end. But that would take a critical mass of conscious, concerned, and committed Citizens united against The War Machine. And that ain’t gonna happen any time soon. Or at least not soon enough.
A military of warriors and warfighters goes to war because that is its essence.
But a military composed of citizen-soldiers has a larger duty to the U.S. Constitution. Wars that are fundamentally unconstitutional shouldn't be waged, no matter what the White House and Congress say.
This is why our military now identifies as warriors and warfighters. They don't want any moral obligation. They simply want to follow orders and blow things up.
When's the last time the American military was composed of "citizen-soldiers" with a "larger duty to the U.S. Constitution," Bill?
When the only way it could meet its personnel requirements was by virtue of a Draft, aka Involuntary Servitude?
Was the American military in Vietnam composed of "citizen-soldiers"? And how did those folks exercise that "duty" to that Constitution? How about during Korea, or even World War II? My guess is that they were all much more concerned about surviving those wars rather than debating and doing something about their constitutionality.
And what happened to those citizen-soldiers when they did object to the blatant unconstitutionality ~ let alone the immorality and pure, unadulterated EVIL of any and every American war since World War II? How many of those who didn't revolt even knew that all of those wars WERE unconstitutional? Or if they knew that, how many of them cared about anything but getting home in one piece?
Just like a nation and a people get the government they deserve, so do they get the military they deserve. How many Americans knew and know that every war since WWII was and is unconstitutional? Or believed and believe that they were and are illegal, immoral, and evil?
More importantly, how many Americans not in or in any way associated with the military really, actually care about that, and are prepared to actually, really DO something about it?
When's the last time there were any anti-war protests that actually made any difference whatsoever in the course of any of those wars?
So You confirm my claim that we do NOT have a so-called "citizen-soldier" military; and haven't had one more than eighty years.
Did we have a citizen-soldier military for World War I? How about for the Spanish-American War?
Depending on how the term is defined, i would say that the last time America had a "citizen-soldier military" was during what may end up being merely America's FIRST Civil War, when there were two militaries and two distinctive sets of citizens: one for the Union, and one for the Confederacy.
And to open a whole new can of worms: WAS World War II "necessary"? If so, necessary for exactly Who and Why?
The primary reason WW II was "necessary" for America to get involved in was because that was the only way it could get out of The Great Depression. That was in fact the only way that the entire Planet could get out of the Depression.
And, World War II was viewed as the next phase in America's ascent to Empire [which started with the Spanish-American War], what with the European colonial Empires in total collapse and disintegration.
I disagree with you, Jeff, on the purpose and necessity of World War II.
Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan were expansionist and murderous empires. The USA, of course, was also an empire, not an innocent, but not as militaristic as Germany and Japan circa 1940.
World War II was a necessary war for the USA. The last one.
Do You think that Germany and Japan had the capability to invade, seize, occupy and rule the United States? Germany couldn't take Russia and Japan couldn't take China; neither of which required crossing an Ocean just for starters. On what basis would they have been able to take the U.S.?
And how does the expansionism, murderousness, and militarism of the American Empire today compare with that of Germany and Japan in the 40s?
The logic of your comment, Jeff, suggests that U.S. troops must follow orders or bad things will happen to them. You're suggesting they simply have no choice, which recalls the refrain of unrepentant Nazis in World War II: "I was just following orders." That excuse was rejected at Nuremberg, and rightly so.
So if US troops don't follow orders, Bill, do bad things happen to them?
And i am by no means suggesting that "they have no choice."
They do have a very real choice: Refuse to follow the illegal, immoral order and then face the legal [as in going to jail], administrative [as in getting dishonorably discharged], and/or actual physical, bodily consequences [as in getting shot].
Like i said yesterday about military personnel reacting and responding to the lies about, and the illegality. immorality, and pure evil of America's Wars: "That is the function of the INDIVIDUAL SERVICE MEMBER AS AN INDIVIDUAL HUMAN BEING, who has to then decide whether she or he will continue to be an accomplice to the crimes committed by the military as directed by whoever is sitting closest to the red buttons in the Oval Office."
Making this comment because I truly don't know for sure, so bear with me. As far as I do know, the average grunt soldier, sailor, marine, or airman/woman goes where he/she is told and does what he/she is told. In other words, becomes cannon fodder, if that's how it happens. At this point, that decision is now voluntary.
But don't the people in charge of the military, the admirals, generals, Joint Chiefs, etc., make their own plans? That is, the concept of "full spectrum dominance," for instance, came organically from the military, and not from civilians, yes? Where I'm going with this is that, yes, the Sec Def is supposed to be a civilian (Austin notwithstanding), but the military gins up its own raison d'etre, from what I see. These days, it's proactive, not reactive. In short, it holds the reins of power when it comes to many aspects of foreign policy. Congress and the President are no longer the ones calling the shots, and haven't been, for over 60 years, from what I read.
So, yes, U.S. citizens are indeed HUA, as you say, but it's primarily the MIC that needs to be called to heel, because they're making the decisions. Congress needs to get a wake-up call to take back its power.
Denise, Ike put his finger on it in 1961 when he initially included Congress with the MIC. Hence the MICC. Or, as you've heard, the MICIMATT, which adds the sprawling intelligence complex along with the media, academe, and various think tanks.
It's so large, powerful, and pervasive that it's almost impossible to challenge. Perhaps it'll eventually collapse under its own weight. The problem is that it may take the U.S. and much of the world with it.
And why did Eisenhower eliminate any naming of or reference to Congress while condemning the military and industrial parts of the "complex"?
And why did he do nothing about it during the time he was President, instead of waiting until the day before he was ready to retire to the farm?
For the simple reason that he wanted to retire to that farm, and not have Nixon become President, like when Johnson became President after Dallas.
More specifically: Who bankrolled and equipped and supported the French in their bid to re-establish their colonial Empire in Indochina to the very, bloody bitter end at Dien Bien Phu in 1954? Who overthrew the democratically-elected governments of Guatemala and Iran during that same time frame? And that's just for starters.
The single most important element of that MICIMATT is the "C" part; because if Congress didn't abandon its Constitutionally-mandated Formal War Declaration Function to the White House and ~ more importantly ~ if it didn't fund all these escapades and failed crusades, they would not and could not have happened, and are happening still.
And the Pentagon does not control Congress.
America's Ruling Political Class ~ with its intimate links to the corporatist military-industrial complex [along with all the other corporatist cartels and cabals like Big Oil, Big Pharmaceuticals, Big Agriculture, and so forth] ~ controls Congress, the White House and the entire Executive Branch [including the Pentagon], and the entire Judiciary Branch.
All that the MICIMATT is is the primary means, method, and mechanism by which America's Quest for Empire was launched and has been and is maintained and sustained.
Even today as that Empire is failing and well on its way thru "Decline" to "Fall."
I agree with what you say, Bill. I'm just wondering about the impetus for the extreme MIC, or MICIMATT, we see today. In other words, I can't imagine a bunch of Congresscritters sitting around, amid world maps, and speculating, "OK, where can we put the next base? Who can we invade now?"
I think the military has become a monster that's taken on its own life, totally separate from any ideas the State Department or the President might have. It's no longer subservient to civilian authority, whatever the Constitution or the laws might say. Rather, it exists to grow and perpetuate itself, with "defense" having been relegated to a fig leaf. The military brass are the ones sitting with the maps, planning the next incursion/escalation/deployment/weapons shipment. Then U.S. "policy" is developed to provide a rationale.
Maniacs like Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, and company are useful to the military cause. The admirals and generals love them because they're handy tools with demented worldviews to be employed in the service of using up all the toys, creating a supposed need for more.
Congress, naturally, enthusiastically goes along for the sake of pork for their districts. But from what I see, there's no mistake about who's really in charge: the bigwigs in that five-sided building in Arlington County.
Yes. It's a Byzantine system of power in which likeminded people coalesce in the pursuit of power. Nowadays, the "civilians" are often retired military and the whole idea of being a citizen has been replaced by the exaltation of hard warriors. Everyone is a "hero" in uniform and the military must be saluted because it is protecting you from harm. The ideology is pervasive and to question it is to be dismissed as naive, aberrant, or traitorous.
All of which translates to an even more remote possibility of dislodging this Borg creature than you describe, Bill. Just ask all the military whistle-blowers who've achieved accolades and promotions for their revelations. Oh, wait.....
Congress isn't going to wake up to anything, Denise, unless and until the American People wake up. And given the state of the Economy, the promise of another Pandemic, and the new existential threat of China, that ain't gonna happen.
Agree about the people and Congress. Congress knows better, but it's to their tremendous advantage to keep their heads in the sand. The people are too preoccupied, mostly, with just getting through each day.
As for the existential threat of China, I'm not as convinced about that. There are technogical and economic rivalries to take into account, certainly. But the Chinese culture always tends toward long-term planning and perspectives. They have a history of being a practical people. Given that mindset, I believe there's an enormous opportunity for cooperation on the biggest threat of our age, climate change, as well as other worldwide issues. IMO, a President with the wisdom and foresight to propose a cooperative relationship---vs. an antagonistic one---could make a world of difference, perhaps forge an alliance that would save the planet.
Heh. Well, Denise, You and the rest of the American People don't need to be convinced about the "existential threat" of China because You and the rest of the American People have and will have absolutely nothing to say whatsoever about what happens between the US and China.
As far as the White House, Congress, and their owners/operators in America's Ruling Political Class are concerned: What You and the People think about that threat is totally irrelevant and inconsequential.
Having said that, i agree completely that there is tremendous opportunity for China and the US ~ along with Russia, Europe, and Japan [along with Brazil and India] ~ to work together and deal with not only climate change [and its attendant Ecocide], but more immediately pressing problems like Poverty, Hunger, Disease, Illiteracy, Injustice, Inequity, Insecurity, Genocide, Democide, Tyranny, and War.
But let me ask You a question: Do You think China has a legitimate claim on Taiwan and can do whatever it wants to bring it back under Beijing's control?
Nope, nobody in this country who isn't a member of the handful of wealthiest people will have one iota of influence about what happens with China.
As for Taiwan, inasmuch as the Republic of China was formally created over a century ago, it has established legitimacy. I don't think China has a claim to it. Therefore, I don't believe the People's Republic has a legal or moral right to exert force to integrate the ROC back into the mainland country. How the controversy would be best resolved, I don't know. But for sure, starting WWIII to settle possession is NOT the answer.
I'd add that it's up to China and Taiwan to sort this out. The less the USA is involved, the better. Since it seems our "contribution" is visits by corrupt politicians like Nancy Pelosi along with lots and lots of weapons sales. And, of course, more U.S. military bases in the region.
I think it started with Vietnam. We put our foot in the quicksand under Eisenhower, and Kennedy was reluctant to act courageously for fear of being painted red by the fervent anti-communists. (Truman set the stage at the end of WW2 by refusing to support Ho Chi Minh, choosing instead to support French colonialism.) The domino myth drove US policy, so we continued to escallate, never questioning the mantra that technology could negate the righteousness of the cause, determination of the VC and the brilliance of their leadership. When a significant anti-war movment arose in the US, our military and politicians "solved" the problem by eliminating the draft. After our withdrawal, the military industrial complex learned an important lesson from the "peace dividend": diversifying base and factory locations so they could pressure every Congressional Representative amd Senator with the prospect of lost jobs in the event of budget cuts. There was never an admission that we lost the war, and even today many labor under the delusion that we won. To the extent that the reason for our defeat were studied, it involved taking a page from Hitler's book, blaming protesters and pacifists for the outcome. This set the standard for future behavior.
In our workplaces and poverty lines across our world, plutocrats and fake union bureaucrats collude to persuade us to see other workers as competitors and enemies. We are pushed by powerful, corrupt Big Labor sellouts to believe that it is now the business of trade unionism to put our brothers and sisters out of work. We see how this dog eat dog attitude towards all workers, with whom we have everything in common, is on the same evil, competitive continuum as war.
War is the ultimate, evil competition.
We say that war is the eventual outcome of dog eat dog competition.
We see that competition against other workers diminishes those workers in our eyes.
We see that in war, soldiers - the production workers of war - lose not only their jobs but also their lives while the rich profit.
We call on workers everywhere to stop the competition between us and to fight for a world based in solidarity.
Everyone can at least talk and we ask that our talk include what we can all do to make the world a safe and happy place.
We call on workers to simply talk about returning to the traditional DIY tools of the labor movement.
We call for an international conversation about redeveloping our traditional weapons - slowdowns, sitdowns, work to rule, and strikes - to bring down those who kill our work, injure and kill us and ship our jobs to slaves.
We want to protect our work, equalize wages and working conditions at the highest possible level throughout the world.
If we must fight, let us fight against those who constantly divide us and play us against each other for their own profit even to the point of forcing us to kill each other.
If we must fight a war let it be a war against selfishness and poverty. Let us fight to unite all workers against the warmongering, dictatorial greedy and to see that those who have the least everywhere in our world, gain equality in wages, health care and education and the right to a happy life. Let our war begin with the peaceful exchange of words and ideas. A simple conversation started amongst workers who believe in the working class values of solidarity, equality and democracy can change the world.
Thank you for your comment Denise. Perhaps I should have been clearer about greed and power. The land grabs I believe were exactly done for both power and greed, and when you look at it almost all wars in the past were done for that, even the religious wars like the crusades.
Might makes right because it frees the perpetrators from responsibility while giving them the vicarious means of enjoying power at the expense of their fellow citizens who join the military lower ranks. They literally cannot do wrong. GWB is a war criminal, among many, but there is no power that can hold him accountable, least of all his conscience. He dabbles in painting with a supremely sunny disposition, as removed from what he directed as someone might be who went to Las Vegas and, darn it, didn't win. For those at the top, tomorrow is always another day completely removed from yesterday.
When people think of the Pacific as a Theatre for War, they automatically think back to Japan and World War II, and now of China and Cold War II. They tend to forget ~ or ignore ~ that our enemy in Ukraine, Russia, has significant military capacity of its own in the Pacific, and not just in Eastern Europe… :
DAILY MEMO: RUSSIA’S PACIFIC FLEET ON HIGH ALERT; China's Defense Minister Will Visit Moscow Next Week. by Geopolitical Futures 041423
SNAP DRILLS. Russia’s entire Pacific Fleet was put on high alert on Friday for snap drills in the Far East region. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the exercises were necessary “to work out methods of action to prevent the deployment of enemy forces in the operationally important region of the Pacific Ocean.” Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov called the surprise check a “usual practice.”
Meanwhile, China announced that its defense minister will visit Russia from April 16-18 for talks with Shoigu. The growing collaboration between the two countries is causing concern in the West, especially after the Chinese military announced last month its readiness to cooperate with Russia.
The reason why the US only commits "mistakes" or "errors" but never war crimes is because, under the ideology of "American Exceptionalism," we are always virtuous, moral, and just. Therefore, if our wars, which are intended to "spread freedom and democracy," cause death and destruction, it is all for the greater good. And if the wars do not exactly go as planned, well it is only because mistakes and errors were made. This is the narrative always presented by the US political class. In short, unless and until the entire mindset and ideology of "American Exceptionalism" is excised from the US body politic, not a damn thing is ever going to change. The cause for all the endless/eternal wars, obscene military spending, war criminals never being prosecuted, the revolving door between the Pentagon and the weapons merchants, etc....all of these are symptoms. The cause is the ideology of "American Exceptionalism." Like all diseases, unless you eliminate the cause, the disease continues to fester and spread.
Yes. And of course we have to remember that war is always profitable for a few, i.e. a "racket," so there's always a financial incentive to spread and reinforce the ideology you mention.
In fact, you can take this further. War enriches the few while impoverishing the many, even in America, ensuring there will always be a underclass in America to be exploited.
And when that underclass asks, why can't we have nice things?, the answer is "too expensive," even as there's always plenty of money for war.
The US is constantly kicking hornet's nests wherever "we" want to make problems that need solving. I do not believe that the lack of reflection is a failure, it is purely intentional. War, for the War Dept., is just job security. It is a fundraising exercise. It is their path to glory. The only way to end it is for the public to complain. As long as most people remain silent, this will go on indefinitely.
Mission still not accomplished. It never is.
Given the fact that the American military has not won a war in 78 years and the amount of money that has spent on those losses, one begins to suspect that the purpose of America's Wars is not to "win" them ~ regardless of whatever "win" may actually, really mean [or ever did] ~ but simply to HAVE them. And to lay the groundwork and foundation for the Next one.
The people back home never seem to get that the US military is "ruthless" and our armed forces haven't ever been the good guys, at least in this Vietnam veteran's lifetime.
Bill, I think the military is and essentially always has been an organization designed to promote power and greed. History tells us that - look at Roman, Greek or Persian history and on through the ages to Europe and all the wars the kings fought for no apparent reason other than greed and power. It goes on to America. I'm sure you've read Smedley Butler's book "War is a Racket" where the most decorated soldier in the world at the time wrote that all the wars he fought in were for big American corporations - as they are today. I note that any General or Admiral today who speaks the truth about not going to war with China or Russia is no longer around to speak out. Are there any left in any of the military sections -Army, Navy, Marines? The current foreign policy under Biden,Blinkin and CIA Jake is so childish and ill considered that I wonder if there are any adults left in our government or the military. I sure don't see many examples in our Congress, though there are few, but their attempts are awfully timid. The MSM is totally missing when it comes to comment on war or the environment, they want to talk about Trump (for or against). Millions of us protested against the Iraq war 20 years ago even in small towns as well as major cities and D.C. It didn't do any good I know - I marched in several of them. I appreciate the fact that you are out there trying to get people to grow up, but do you think there is any hope?
Agree completely, ranney. Although I'd note that the wars in the time of European empires involved land grabs, as well as greed and power.
The idea that there are lessons to be learned presupposes that the people in charge are interested in learning lessons rather than just flexing their muscles. In our case that's probably a mistaken assumption.
Alex, the #1 lesson they usually draw is: We need bigger muscles. #2 might be we need more equipment to make our muscles bigger.
It is not the function of the U.S. military, Bill, to question, second-guess, or evaluate the decisions made in the White House and rubber stamped by Congress about why, when, where, and how to go to war. It is the function of the military to go to war when, where, and how ordered.
And to learn lessons from those wars ~ at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels ~ so that the next one can and will be more successful. That is the purpose of the After Action Review or AAR; to answer the questions: What happened? What went right? What went wrong? And what needs to happen to make things better next time?
Nor is it the function of the military ~ as an institution ~ to learn anything about How and Why a particular war was or is based on lies, is illegal, immoral, and evil [to say nothing of undeclared].
That is the function of the INDIVIDUAL SERVICE MEMBER AS AN INDIVIDUAL HUMAN BEING, who has to then decide whether she or he will continue to be an accomplice to the crimes committed by the military as directed by whoever is sitting closest to the red buttons in the Oval Office.
And it is not the military who hasn’t learned the “Lessons of” Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria, and so forth.
It is, first and foremost of all, the American People who have learned absolutely nothing, and continue to have their individual and collective heads comfortably jammed up their asses when it comes to what the American Empire has been doing all over the Planet since first 9/11, and then since the end of World War II.
But America’s Ruling Political Class [RPC] has learned a great deal about how to get away with all this BY keeping the American Peoples’ heads posteriorly inserted. And it has been and is learning how to do it more and more efficiently, effectively, and optimally efficaciously every day. Case in point: The Chinese Weather Balloon Goat Fuck last January and February.
The only way the American military could refuse to go fight another war ~ to keep the MIC awash in profits and the RPC comfortable in their delusion that the American Empire is not failing but just going thru some “challenging” changes ~ would be to overthrow the government in a military coup. Or for a critical mass of mission-critical service members to go out on strike.
On the other hand, there are any number of ways that the American People could bring all this bullshit to an end. But that would take a critical mass of conscious, concerned, and committed Citizens united against The War Machine. And that ain’t gonna happen any time soon. Or at least not soon enough.
I disagree with you here, Jeff.
A military of warriors and warfighters goes to war because that is its essence.
But a military composed of citizen-soldiers has a larger duty to the U.S. Constitution. Wars that are fundamentally unconstitutional shouldn't be waged, no matter what the White House and Congress say.
This is why our military now identifies as warriors and warfighters. They don't want any moral obligation. They simply want to follow orders and blow things up.
When's the last time the American military was composed of "citizen-soldiers" with a "larger duty to the U.S. Constitution," Bill?
When the only way it could meet its personnel requirements was by virtue of a Draft, aka Involuntary Servitude?
Was the American military in Vietnam composed of "citizen-soldiers"? And how did those folks exercise that "duty" to that Constitution? How about during Korea, or even World War II? My guess is that they were all much more concerned about surviving those wars rather than debating and doing something about their constitutionality.
And what happened to those citizen-soldiers when they did object to the blatant unconstitutionality ~ let alone the immorality and pure, unadulterated EVIL of any and every American war since World War II? How many of those who didn't revolt even knew that all of those wars WERE unconstitutional? Or if they knew that, how many of them cared about anything but getting home in one piece?
Just like a nation and a people get the government they deserve, so do they get the military they deserve. How many Americans knew and know that every war since WWII was and is unconstitutional? Or believed and believe that they were and are illegal, immoral, and evil?
More importantly, how many Americans not in or in any way associated with the military really, actually care about that, and are prepared to actually, really DO something about it?
When's the last time there were any anti-war protests that actually made any difference whatsoever in the course of any of those wars?
Jeff, the last time we had a citizen military was World War II, which was also the last time we fought a necessary war. That is not a coincidence.
So You confirm my claim that we do NOT have a so-called "citizen-soldier" military; and haven't had one more than eighty years.
Did we have a citizen-soldier military for World War I? How about for the Spanish-American War?
Depending on how the term is defined, i would say that the last time America had a "citizen-soldier military" was during what may end up being merely America's FIRST Civil War, when there were two militaries and two distinctive sets of citizens: one for the Union, and one for the Confederacy.
And to open a whole new can of worms: WAS World War II "necessary"? If so, necessary for exactly Who and Why?
The primary reason WW II was "necessary" for America to get involved in was because that was the only way it could get out of The Great Depression. That was in fact the only way that the entire Planet could get out of the Depression.
And, World War II was viewed as the next phase in America's ascent to Empire [which started with the Spanish-American War], what with the European colonial Empires in total collapse and disintegration.
I disagree with you, Jeff, on the purpose and necessity of World War II.
Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan were expansionist and murderous empires. The USA, of course, was also an empire, not an innocent, but not as militaristic as Germany and Japan circa 1940.
World War II was a necessary war for the USA. The last one.
Do You think that Germany and Japan had the capability to invade, seize, occupy and rule the United States? Germany couldn't take Russia and Japan couldn't take China; neither of which required crossing an Ocean just for starters. On what basis would they have been able to take the U.S.?
And how does the expansionism, murderousness, and militarism of the American Empire today compare with that of Germany and Japan in the 40s?
See "UP TO SIX MILLION PEOPLE: The Unrecorded Fatalities of the ‘War on Terror' at https://bylinetimes.com/2021/09/15/up-to-six-million-people-the-unrecorded-fatalities-of-the-war-on-terror/ .
And that's just the cost in Blood. It says nothing about the cost in Treasure, American and Otherwise.
And if they don't follow orders and go blow things up, what happens to them?
Legal -- or illegal -- orders?
Let me rephrase your question: What happens if they do follow orders and blow things up?
We know what happens. Lots of dead Vietnamese, Iraqis, Afghans, etc. And the wars and killing go on.
Let me ask my question again: What happens if they DON'T follow those orders?
They get shot, or thrown in jail, or dishonorably discharged.
And there will always be somebody available to take their place and FOLLOW those orders.
The logic of your comment, Jeff, suggests that U.S. troops must follow orders or bad things will happen to them. You're suggesting they simply have no choice, which recalls the refrain of unrepentant Nazis in World War II: "I was just following orders." That excuse was rejected at Nuremberg, and rightly so.
So if US troops don't follow orders, Bill, do bad things happen to them?
And i am by no means suggesting that "they have no choice."
They do have a very real choice: Refuse to follow the illegal, immoral order and then face the legal [as in going to jail], administrative [as in getting dishonorably discharged], and/or actual physical, bodily consequences [as in getting shot].
Like i said yesterday about military personnel reacting and responding to the lies about, and the illegality. immorality, and pure evil of America's Wars: "That is the function of the INDIVIDUAL SERVICE MEMBER AS AN INDIVIDUAL HUMAN BEING, who has to then decide whether she or he will continue to be an accomplice to the crimes committed by the military as directed by whoever is sitting closest to the red buttons in the Oval Office."
Making this comment because I truly don't know for sure, so bear with me. As far as I do know, the average grunt soldier, sailor, marine, or airman/woman goes where he/she is told and does what he/she is told. In other words, becomes cannon fodder, if that's how it happens. At this point, that decision is now voluntary.
But don't the people in charge of the military, the admirals, generals, Joint Chiefs, etc., make their own plans? That is, the concept of "full spectrum dominance," for instance, came organically from the military, and not from civilians, yes? Where I'm going with this is that, yes, the Sec Def is supposed to be a civilian (Austin notwithstanding), but the military gins up its own raison d'etre, from what I see. These days, it's proactive, not reactive. In short, it holds the reins of power when it comes to many aspects of foreign policy. Congress and the President are no longer the ones calling the shots, and haven't been, for over 60 years, from what I read.
So, yes, U.S. citizens are indeed HUA, as you say, but it's primarily the MIC that needs to be called to heel, because they're making the decisions. Congress needs to get a wake-up call to take back its power.
Denise, Ike put his finger on it in 1961 when he initially included Congress with the MIC. Hence the MICC. Or, as you've heard, the MICIMATT, which adds the sprawling intelligence complex along with the media, academe, and various think tanks.
It's so large, powerful, and pervasive that it's almost impossible to challenge. Perhaps it'll eventually collapse under its own weight. The problem is that it may take the U.S. and much of the world with it.
And why did Eisenhower eliminate any naming of or reference to Congress while condemning the military and industrial parts of the "complex"?
And why did he do nothing about it during the time he was President, instead of waiting until the day before he was ready to retire to the farm?
For the simple reason that he wanted to retire to that farm, and not have Nixon become President, like when Johnson became President after Dallas.
More specifically: Who bankrolled and equipped and supported the French in their bid to re-establish their colonial Empire in Indochina to the very, bloody bitter end at Dien Bien Phu in 1954? Who overthrew the democratically-elected governments of Guatemala and Iran during that same time frame? And that's just for starters.
The single most important element of that MICIMATT is the "C" part; because if Congress didn't abandon its Constitutionally-mandated Formal War Declaration Function to the White House and ~ more importantly ~ if it didn't fund all these escapades and failed crusades, they would not and could not have happened, and are happening still.
And the Pentagon does not control Congress.
America's Ruling Political Class ~ with its intimate links to the corporatist military-industrial complex [along with all the other corporatist cartels and cabals like Big Oil, Big Pharmaceuticals, Big Agriculture, and so forth] ~ controls Congress, the White House and the entire Executive Branch [including the Pentagon], and the entire Judiciary Branch.
All that the MICIMATT is is the primary means, method, and mechanism by which America's Quest for Empire was launched and has been and is maintained and sustained.
Even today as that Empire is failing and well on its way thru "Decline" to "Fall."
I agree with what you say, Bill. I'm just wondering about the impetus for the extreme MIC, or MICIMATT, we see today. In other words, I can't imagine a bunch of Congresscritters sitting around, amid world maps, and speculating, "OK, where can we put the next base? Who can we invade now?"
I think the military has become a monster that's taken on its own life, totally separate from any ideas the State Department or the President might have. It's no longer subservient to civilian authority, whatever the Constitution or the laws might say. Rather, it exists to grow and perpetuate itself, with "defense" having been relegated to a fig leaf. The military brass are the ones sitting with the maps, planning the next incursion/escalation/deployment/weapons shipment. Then U.S. "policy" is developed to provide a rationale.
Maniacs like Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, and company are useful to the military cause. The admirals and generals love them because they're handy tools with demented worldviews to be employed in the service of using up all the toys, creating a supposed need for more.
Congress, naturally, enthusiastically goes along for the sake of pork for their districts. But from what I see, there's no mistake about who's really in charge: the bigwigs in that five-sided building in Arlington County.
Yes. It's a Byzantine system of power in which likeminded people coalesce in the pursuit of power. Nowadays, the "civilians" are often retired military and the whole idea of being a citizen has been replaced by the exaltation of hard warriors. Everyone is a "hero" in uniform and the military must be saluted because it is protecting you from harm. The ideology is pervasive and to question it is to be dismissed as naive, aberrant, or traitorous.
I don't know how it ends but it won't end well.
"....it won't end well."
Yeah....look what happened to the last guy who tried to use his C-i-C authority to rein in the military.
All of which translates to an even more remote possibility of dislodging this Borg creature than you describe, Bill. Just ask all the military whistle-blowers who've achieved accolades and promotions for their revelations. Oh, wait.....
Congress isn't going to wake up to anything, Denise, unless and until the American People wake up. And given the state of the Economy, the promise of another Pandemic, and the new existential threat of China, that ain't gonna happen.
Agree about the people and Congress. Congress knows better, but it's to their tremendous advantage to keep their heads in the sand. The people are too preoccupied, mostly, with just getting through each day.
As for the existential threat of China, I'm not as convinced about that. There are technogical and economic rivalries to take into account, certainly. But the Chinese culture always tends toward long-term planning and perspectives. They have a history of being a practical people. Given that mindset, I believe there's an enormous opportunity for cooperation on the biggest threat of our age, climate change, as well as other worldwide issues. IMO, a President with the wisdom and foresight to propose a cooperative relationship---vs. an antagonistic one---could make a world of difference, perhaps forge an alliance that would save the planet.
Heh. Well, Denise, You and the rest of the American People don't need to be convinced about the "existential threat" of China because You and the rest of the American People have and will have absolutely nothing to say whatsoever about what happens between the US and China.
As far as the White House, Congress, and their owners/operators in America's Ruling Political Class are concerned: What You and the People think about that threat is totally irrelevant and inconsequential.
Having said that, i agree completely that there is tremendous opportunity for China and the US ~ along with Russia, Europe, and Japan [along with Brazil and India] ~ to work together and deal with not only climate change [and its attendant Ecocide], but more immediately pressing problems like Poverty, Hunger, Disease, Illiteracy, Injustice, Inequity, Insecurity, Genocide, Democide, Tyranny, and War.
But let me ask You a question: Do You think China has a legitimate claim on Taiwan and can do whatever it wants to bring it back under Beijing's control?
Nope, nobody in this country who isn't a member of the handful of wealthiest people will have one iota of influence about what happens with China.
As for Taiwan, inasmuch as the Republic of China was formally created over a century ago, it has established legitimacy. I don't think China has a claim to it. Therefore, I don't believe the People's Republic has a legal or moral right to exert force to integrate the ROC back into the mainland country. How the controversy would be best resolved, I don't know. But for sure, starting WWIII to settle possession is NOT the answer.
I'd add that it's up to China and Taiwan to sort this out. The less the USA is involved, the better. Since it seems our "contribution" is visits by corrupt politicians like Nancy Pelosi along with lots and lots of weapons sales. And, of course, more U.S. military bases in the region.
Tactically the neocons should stick a missle up their arse
I think it started with Vietnam. We put our foot in the quicksand under Eisenhower, and Kennedy was reluctant to act courageously for fear of being painted red by the fervent anti-communists. (Truman set the stage at the end of WW2 by refusing to support Ho Chi Minh, choosing instead to support French colonialism.) The domino myth drove US policy, so we continued to escallate, never questioning the mantra that technology could negate the righteousness of the cause, determination of the VC and the brilliance of their leadership. When a significant anti-war movment arose in the US, our military and politicians "solved" the problem by eliminating the draft. After our withdrawal, the military industrial complex learned an important lesson from the "peace dividend": diversifying base and factory locations so they could pressure every Congressional Representative amd Senator with the prospect of lost jobs in the event of budget cuts. There was never an admission that we lost the war, and even today many labor under the delusion that we won. To the extent that the reason for our defeat were studied, it involved taking a page from Hitler's book, blaming protesters and pacifists for the outcome. This set the standard for future behavior.
WE AMERICANS ARE A CURIOUS PEOPLE…
As such, we demand, we need,
we hunger and thirst for,
we live and die by Answers.
And not Questions.
We depend for our livelihood and well-being,
-- for our sanity and security,
for our sense of our Self and the Real --
we depend on the expert, the anchorman,
the spokesperson, talk show host,
reliable source, and, ultimately,
The Leader [or hero, savior, guru]
who provides us with All the Answers.
This way, we can make an immediate determination
as to whether or not his [seldom her] Answers agree
with ours.
And, if they don't, then, without having to bother
with the process of thinking,
We can dismiss his Answers out of hand
and continue our search for The Answers
that agree with Ours.
A curious people indeed….
A gnome, a pitiable creature of sorts,
stopped looking for the right Answers
to The Terror Event of September 11
when he realized exactly how ready and able
the government and its media were to provide
exactly those Answers.
That happened on the morning of September 12.
And that happened again with Saddam's WMDs in 2003,
the 2008 financial "¢risi$," The COVID Event,
January 6, and most recently, Ukraine.
So….. Instead, he chose to focus
on finding the right Questions.
Because, he reasoned, if you can ask the right Questions,
you will ultimately get to The Truth.
Because out of the right Questions
The Truth must inevitably emerge.
If, on the other hand, your focus is on finding the right Answers,
all you can get are the Answers you were looking for
in the first place.
And what you will get are the Answers
that the Answer-Man on the White Horse
intends for you to embrace.
###
Workers for Peace
In our workplaces and poverty lines across our world, plutocrats and fake union bureaucrats collude to persuade us to see other workers as competitors and enemies. We are pushed by powerful, corrupt Big Labor sellouts to believe that it is now the business of trade unionism to put our brothers and sisters out of work. We see how this dog eat dog attitude towards all workers, with whom we have everything in common, is on the same evil, competitive continuum as war.
War is the ultimate, evil competition.
We say that war is the eventual outcome of dog eat dog competition.
We see that competition against other workers diminishes those workers in our eyes.
We see that in war, soldiers - the production workers of war - lose not only their jobs but also their lives while the rich profit.
We call on workers everywhere to stop the competition between us and to fight for a world based in solidarity.
Everyone can at least talk and we ask that our talk include what we can all do to make the world a safe and happy place.
We call on workers to simply talk about returning to the traditional DIY tools of the labor movement.
We call for an international conversation about redeveloping our traditional weapons - slowdowns, sitdowns, work to rule, and strikes - to bring down those who kill our work, injure and kill us and ship our jobs to slaves.
We want to protect our work, equalize wages and working conditions at the highest possible level throughout the world.
If we must fight, let us fight against those who constantly divide us and play us against each other for their own profit even to the point of forcing us to kill each other.
If we must fight a war let it be a war against selfishness and poverty. Let us fight to unite all workers against the warmongering, dictatorial greedy and to see that those who have the least everywhere in our world, gain equality in wages, health care and education and the right to a happy life. Let our war begin with the peaceful exchange of words and ideas. A simple conversation started amongst workers who believe in the working class values of solidarity, equality and democracy can change the world.
Let's talk about that.
Thank you for your comment Denise. Perhaps I should have been clearer about greed and power. The land grabs I believe were exactly done for both power and greed, and when you look at it almost all wars in the past were done for that, even the religious wars like the crusades.
Might makes right because it frees the perpetrators from responsibility while giving them the vicarious means of enjoying power at the expense of their fellow citizens who join the military lower ranks. They literally cannot do wrong. GWB is a war criminal, among many, but there is no power that can hold him accountable, least of all his conscience. He dabbles in painting with a supremely sunny disposition, as removed from what he directed as someone might be who went to Las Vegas and, darn it, didn't win. For those at the top, tomorrow is always another day completely removed from yesterday.
When people think of the Pacific as a Theatre for War, they automatically think back to Japan and World War II, and now of China and Cold War II. They tend to forget ~ or ignore ~ that our enemy in Ukraine, Russia, has significant military capacity of its own in the Pacific, and not just in Eastern Europe… :
DAILY MEMO: RUSSIA’S PACIFIC FLEET ON HIGH ALERT; China's Defense Minister Will Visit Moscow Next Week. by Geopolitical Futures 041423
SNAP DRILLS. Russia’s entire Pacific Fleet was put on high alert on Friday for snap drills in the Far East region. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the exercises were necessary “to work out methods of action to prevent the deployment of enemy forces in the operationally important region of the Pacific Ocean.” Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov called the surprise check a “usual practice.”
Meanwhile, China announced that its defense minister will visit Russia from April 16-18 for talks with Shoigu. The growing collaboration between the two countries is causing concern in the West, especially after the Chinese military announced last month its readiness to cooperate with Russia.
Further details at https://geopoliticalfutures.com/daily-memo-russias-pacific-fleet-on-high-alert/
Sounds like a great instructions as we ramp up our militarization in the Pacific. #leavechinaalone