I'm not specifically referring to President Bone Spurs or members of his administration - or for that matter, the tough-talking ex-generals like Jack Keane (who saw combat in other countries) or the vast majority of the US military.
I'm speaking of all of us as a country. It's been over 160 years since we've had major battles in the U.S. with cities burned and looted, civilians killed and bodies everywhere, with the filth and smells of war. And even with the Civil War, it wasn't everywhere.
We've never had to look up in the sky for the sounds of bombs or missiles falling on us.
We've never had to fight - unless we are native Americans - on our own lands with our families behind us.
But the lust for power of an empire in terminal decline may change Americans' experience with war.
Classic Trek Episode, around the same time as another Classic Marvin Gaye, "What's Goin On" Father, father We don't need to escalate You see, War is not the answer For only love can conquer hate You know we've got to find a way To bring some loving here today, oh (Oh) That was 1971, and we're still singing about that & the Ecology too (Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) yes.., History may not repeat, but it often rhymes.
60th. Anniversary of Star Trek the original Series this yr. too...! One of my fave. Classic Episodes "Arena" with the Gorn Race. Another War Theme Episode worth seeing. In my STTOS Collection.
Well what else are you going to do when you spend a trillion plus on a Department of War, formerly the Department of Defense? It turns out we really don't need to defend ourselves so we'll just start wars instead. (sarc)
From the article: "During a White House press event on Aug. 25, President Donald Trump remarked that the Department of Defense name “didn’t sound good” to him.
“Department of Defense, I don’t want to be defense only,” he continued. “We want defense, but we want offense, too."
I don't remember that being a campaign promise from Trump. Quite the opposite actually. MABA: Make America Belligerant Again. (sarc)
Hello Bill Astore... Now DJT, 'The-Real-Stable-Genius', wants to let Saudi Arabia further Enrich its Uranium with no International Oversight.... What-Could-Possibly-Go-Wrong?...
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Matthew 5:9 KJV
As the article rightly notes, escalation isn’t peace. Jesus called peacemakers the children of God — may we have the wisdom and courage to pursue that path instead.
The problems are, 1) how many Christians follow Jesus' teachings and 2) how many of those who follow Jesus' teachings are in Congress or the administration?
That’s a fair challenge. Jesus knew His teachings would be hard to follow — that’s why He said the gate is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14).
Here’s a verse that gives me hope on this very point:
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
— Philippians 4:13
May God raise up more believers with the courage and humility to actually live out the Sermon on the Mount in every sphere — including government. Grace and peace to you.
Matthew 7:21 – Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
James 1:22 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
The warmongers don't want peace, they want more and more money. Who cares about the people and the planet when there's profits to make?
"As reported by A More Perfect Union, as the apocalyptic red and smoky skies choke everything that breathes, “six of the world’s largest oil and gas companies will earn roughly $94 billion in profits in 2026. That’s nearly $3,000 every second.
The world’s top 100 oil and gas firms made $30 million every hour in excess profits during the early days of the US-Israeli war on Iran. That’s $23 billion in just a few weeks.
And we subsidize those companies at a cost of $10 billion every year. Total global fossil fuel subsidies are expected to reach $1.1 trillion in 2026.”
Added Trump: “It’s an escalation, but it’s also an escalation that could help lead to an end.”
Yup, and if applied to the Cuban Missile Crisis, just change to “that could help lead to THE end.” But as noted, we skip over those jaunty “thirteen days,” as well as Korea, as well as Vietnam, when the use of nuclear weapons was also considered, as to this day we view WWII as central to our identity, our moral virtue, our superiority. World War II was a war of production (think of the mile-long Willow Run factory turning out B-24 Liberator bombers at the rate of one every 63 minutes) and technology (radar, the proximity fuse, the atomic bomb, the V-2 too late). So we think we won the war single-handedly (Kursk, anyone? 22-27 million Soviet dead?), so let’s just reapply the formula, updated with drones and AI on the battlefield and whatnot. Why bother with diplomacy, which pretty much by definition means we don’t get everything we want, except for a reasonable chance at peace, which we profess but aren’t really all that interested in?
Quips: The motto of SAC (Strategic Air Command) during the Cold War, until the command was ended and recast to others, was “Peace Is Our Profession.” Insiders had these takes on it: “War is Our Hobby”; “Peace Through Strength – Victory Through Devastation.” Some other Air Force mottos: “Mors Ab Alto” (“Death From Above”); “Aut Vincere Aut Mors” (“Win or Die”); “Attaquez et Conquerez” (“Attack and Conquer”): “Combat Ready Combat Proven”; “We were going by there anyway”; “Death on call”; “Defensor Fortis” (“Defenders of the Force”); “War is our Profession Peace is our Product”; “The Force Behind the Force”; “The world’s most lethal war fighting team”; “Fire From the Clouds”; “Attack to Defend”; and in closing, “SEEK, ATTACK, DESTROY.”
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The warmongers don’t want peace — they want more and more money.
“For the love of money is the root of all evil...” (1 Timothy 6:10 KJV)
They don’t care who suffers or what gets destroyed as long as the profits keep flowing.
But one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).
May God open eyes and turn hearts toward true peace before it’s too late.
The Ultimate Escalation that would bring "victory" would be to unleash nuclear weapons and literally incinerate virtually every resident of the nation designated as "enemy." But there's a "minor" drawback to that scenario: it would be dangerous to send humans, maybe even robots, in to recover the natural resources the aggressor nation covets. I reckon this is the major factor in the MAD doctrine's success-- thus far--in holding off on resort to that tactic. We don't hear about the lovely "Neutron Bomb" anymore. A "low-yield" weapon that would kill every living entity in the attack zone while leaving infrastructure largely intact. But that doesn't mean a desperate imperial power will never utilize that dastardly scheme. We should put nothing, and I mean NOTHING, "past" the insane men at the helm. As for the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia), it is a very firm vassal state of US Imperialism. So it would be perfectly okay for THEM to enrich uranium to weapons-grade product, right? But not so the Evil Iranians!! It would be otherwise if Trump's regime change effort had succeeded there, installing the son of the former Shah or some other puppet in charge.
"Maybe if we truly seek to end a war, we should deescalate attacks, then engage in diplomacy. No, that makes too much sense.”
We can’t expect sensible decisions by elected officials who are compromised by campaign donations, immersed in their own senseless babbling, lacking in moral compasses, MAKING MONEY by perpetuating endless war.
Neither major party offers candidates who now even fake an interest in peace, much less promote sensible policies and diplomacy. We have a government of war pigs.
The only alternative is for everyday citizens to put on the ballot, fully support and vote for “peace candidates”. Is this such a wacky idea?
I'd append....when you've never experienced it.
I'm not specifically referring to President Bone Spurs or members of his administration - or for that matter, the tough-talking ex-generals like Jack Keane (who saw combat in other countries) or the vast majority of the US military.
I'm speaking of all of us as a country. It's been over 160 years since we've had major battles in the U.S. with cities burned and looted, civilians killed and bodies everywhere, with the filth and smells of war. And even with the Civil War, it wasn't everywhere.
We've never had to look up in the sky for the sounds of bombs or missiles falling on us.
We've never had to fight - unless we are native Americans - on our own lands with our families behind us.
But the lust for power of an empire in terminal decline may change Americans' experience with war.
Classic Trek Episode, around the same time as another Classic Marvin Gaye, "What's Goin On" Father, father We don't need to escalate You see, War is not the answer For only love can conquer hate You know we've got to find a way To bring some loving here today, oh (Oh) That was 1971, and we're still singing about that & the Ecology too (Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) yes.., History may not repeat, but it often rhymes.
Great song. Truer now than ever.
60th. Anniversary of Star Trek the original Series this yr. too...! One of my fave. Classic Episodes "Arena" with the Gorn Race. Another War Theme Episode worth seeing. In my STTOS Collection.
And poor Marvin Gaye, killed by his father while trying to intervene in a "war" between his parents.
Seems to be true at all levels of existence.
Rhymes were really rock'n in the 70s!
Well what else are you going to do when you spend a trillion plus on a Department of War, formerly the Department of Defense? It turns out we really don't need to defend ourselves so we'll just start wars instead. (sarc)
I think it was originally the War Department, wasn't it.
Everything old is new, again.
Here it is, I looked it up:
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2025/09/17/why-truman-changed-the-war-department-to-the-department-of-defense/
From the article: "During a White House press event on Aug. 25, President Donald Trump remarked that the Department of Defense name “didn’t sound good” to him.
“Department of Defense, I don’t want to be defense only,” he continued. “We want defense, but we want offense, too."
I don't remember that being a campaign promise from Trump. Quite the opposite actually. MABA: Make America Belligerant Again. (sarc)
I think we can all agree, offense comes naturally to D. Trump.
I'm surprised it wasn't renamed the Department of Offense.
It is offensive.
Ha!
Hello Bill Astore... Now DJT, 'The-Real-Stable-Genius', wants to let Saudi Arabia further Enrich its Uranium with no International Oversight.... What-Could-Possibly-Go-Wrong?...
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Matthew 5:9 KJV
As the article rightly notes, escalation isn’t peace. Jesus called peacemakers the children of God — may we have the wisdom and courage to pursue that path instead.
The problems are, 1) how many Christians follow Jesus' teachings and 2) how many of those who follow Jesus' teachings are in Congress or the administration?
Appreciate the reply, wrknight.
That’s a fair challenge. Jesus knew His teachings would be hard to follow — that’s why He said the gate is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14).
Here’s a verse that gives me hope on this very point:
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
— Philippians 4:13
May God raise up more believers with the courage and humility to actually live out the Sermon on the Mount in every sphere — including government. Grace and peace to you.
Matthew 7:21 – Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
James 1:22 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
The warmongers don't want peace, they want more and more money. Who cares about the people and the planet when there's profits to make?
"As reported by A More Perfect Union, as the apocalyptic red and smoky skies choke everything that breathes, “six of the world’s largest oil and gas companies will earn roughly $94 billion in profits in 2026. That’s nearly $3,000 every second.
The world’s top 100 oil and gas firms made $30 million every hour in excess profits during the early days of the US-Israeli war on Iran. That’s $23 billion in just a few weeks.
And we subsidize those companies at a cost of $10 billion every year. Total global fossil fuel subsidies are expected to reach $1.1 trillion in 2026.”
Added Trump: “It’s an escalation, but it’s also an escalation that could help lead to an end.”
Yup, and if applied to the Cuban Missile Crisis, just change to “that could help lead to THE end.” But as noted, we skip over those jaunty “thirteen days,” as well as Korea, as well as Vietnam, when the use of nuclear weapons was also considered, as to this day we view WWII as central to our identity, our moral virtue, our superiority. World War II was a war of production (think of the mile-long Willow Run factory turning out B-24 Liberator bombers at the rate of one every 63 minutes) and technology (radar, the proximity fuse, the atomic bomb, the V-2 too late). So we think we won the war single-handedly (Kursk, anyone? 22-27 million Soviet dead?), so let’s just reapply the formula, updated with drones and AI on the battlefield and whatnot. Why bother with diplomacy, which pretty much by definition means we don’t get everything we want, except for a reasonable chance at peace, which we profess but aren’t really all that interested in?
Quips: The motto of SAC (Strategic Air Command) during the Cold War, until the command was ended and recast to others, was “Peace Is Our Profession.” Insiders had these takes on it: “War is Our Hobby”; “Peace Through Strength – Victory Through Devastation.” Some other Air Force mottos: “Mors Ab Alto” (“Death From Above”); “Aut Vincere Aut Mors” (“Win or Die”); “Attaquez et Conquerez” (“Attack and Conquer”): “Combat Ready Combat Proven”; “We were going by there anyway”; “Death on call”; “Defensor Fortis” (“Defenders of the Force”); “War is our Profession Peace is our Product”; “The Force Behind the Force”; “The world’s most lethal war fighting team”; “Fire From the Clouds”; “Attack to Defend”; and in closing, “SEEK, ATTACK, DESTROY.”
1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
The warmongers don’t want peace — they want more and more money.
“For the love of money is the root of all evil...” (1 Timothy 6:10 KJV)
They don’t care who suffers or what gets destroyed as long as the profits keep flowing.
But one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).
May God open eyes and turn hearts toward true peace before it’s too late.
"The warmongers don’t want peace — they want more and more money."
Somewhere along the way I came across a line that went something like this, "The legacy of America is one of insatiable gluttony."
The love of money truly is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)
When a nation’s legacy becomes “insatiable gluttony,” we shouldn’t be surprised by endless war for profit.
Scripture warns that those whose god is their belly and who set their minds on earthly gain — “their end is destruction” (Philippians 3:19).
We need repentance, not more subsidies for warmongers. Only Christ offers real peace and satisfaction.
Sounds like fun.
Barrels...
And those who were victims of genocide in the past, have now taken up the practice.
"What a piece (not peace) of work is man."
The Ultimate Escalation that would bring "victory" would be to unleash nuclear weapons and literally incinerate virtually every resident of the nation designated as "enemy." But there's a "minor" drawback to that scenario: it would be dangerous to send humans, maybe even robots, in to recover the natural resources the aggressor nation covets. I reckon this is the major factor in the MAD doctrine's success-- thus far--in holding off on resort to that tactic. We don't hear about the lovely "Neutron Bomb" anymore. A "low-yield" weapon that would kill every living entity in the attack zone while leaving infrastructure largely intact. But that doesn't mean a desperate imperial power will never utilize that dastardly scheme. We should put nothing, and I mean NOTHING, "past" the insane men at the helm. As for the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia), it is a very firm vassal state of US Imperialism. So it would be perfectly okay for THEM to enrich uranium to weapons-grade product, right? But not so the Evil Iranians!! It would be otherwise if Trump's regime change effort had succeeded there, installing the son of the former Shah or some other puppet in charge.
"How is killing even more people a way to peace?"
It's simple. When everyone is dead, there will be peace.
"Maybe if we truly seek to end a war, we should deescalate attacks, then engage in diplomacy. No, that makes too much sense.”
We can’t expect sensible decisions by elected officials who are compromised by campaign donations, immersed in their own senseless babbling, lacking in moral compasses, MAKING MONEY by perpetuating endless war.
Neither major party offers candidates who now even fake an interest in peace, much less promote sensible policies and diplomacy. We have a government of war pigs.
The only alternative is for everyday citizens to put on the ballot, fully support and vote for “peace candidates”. Is this such a wacky idea?
https://warismakinguspoor.com/a-nation-at-peace/
Wasn't D. Trump supposed to be a peace candidate?