Sunday, July 15, 2007

Is This World War III?

Are we in the midst of World War III? Or is this merely the third global battle in a One Hundred Years' War? The debate had already begun by the time Newt Gingrich recently opined that the current conflict is World War III. More recently, Media Matters for America noted that CNN Headline News host Glenn Beck began his program of July 12 with a discussion with former CIA officer Robert Baer by saying "we've got World War III to fight"! He warned of an impending apocalypse. On July 13, in a similar discussion, Beck said of World War III: "It is here."

Gingrich says it's World War III

Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich says America is in World War III and President Bush should say so. In an interview in Bellevue this morning Gingrich said Bush should call a joint session of Congress the first week of September and talk about global military conflicts in much starker terms than have been heard from the president.

"We need to have the militancy that says 'We're not going to lose a city,' " Gingrich said. He talks about the need to recognize World War III as important for military strategy and political strategy.

Gingrich said he is "very worried" about Republicans facing fall elections and says the party must have the "nerve" to nationalize the elections and make the 2006 campaigns about a liberal Democratic agenda rather than about President Bush's record. ...

Some background on the road to World War III. The 20th Century proved to be the most tragic, the most horrific century in human history --an outcome that might have been avoided had we but listened to a single voice, the economist John Maynard Keynes. Keynes (1883-1946), an important English economist, wrote the prescient The Economic Consequences of the Peace. He attacked the effects of Versailles Settlement for its disastrous effects on Germany. It is widely believed that the Settlement contributed to beginning World War II.

Keynes revolutionized economics with The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money (1936), generally regarded as the most influential social science treatise of the 20th Century. It changed the way the world looked at economics and the role played by government in society. Few books have had such impact. We are still not paying attention to Keynes! Pete Seeger asked: "...when will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?"
If the European civil war is to end with France and Italy abusing their momentary victorious power to destroy Germany and Austria-Hungary now prostrate, they invite their own destruction also, being so deeply and inextricably intertwined with their victims by hidden psychic and economic bonds.

--John Maynard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace, 1919

Keynes understood as perhaps no one else the long term effects that punitive reparations would have on Germany and, eventually, the rest of the world.

The 21st Century promises to be at least as horrific, at least as tragic. For the same reasons, Bush's campaign of atrocity, torture and oil theft lays the ground work for an endless series of future wars. It is the self-fulfilling prophecy of those who have seen in the Middle East a powder keg. Unless Bush can scrape off the tar baby, the quagmire will morph into a wider war. This may have been what Bush had in mind when he urged Israel to attack Syria during Israel's recent incursion into Lebanon. Certainly, that action would have led to a longer, wider war. Possibly World War III.

Fight against terror could take 15 years

By Patrick Hennessy, Political Editor
Last Updated: 1:46am BST 09/07/2007

Britain faces a 15-year battle to end the threat posed by Islamist terrorists, the Government's new security supremo has admitted.

Admiral Sir Alan West, the former First Sea Lord, said the overall danger facing the country, from both home-grown and foreign terrorists, was at its greatest ever level and that a new approach was badly needed to tackle it.

In his first interview since his surprise appointment by Gordon Brown as security minister, Sir Alan called on people to be "a little bit un-British" and even inform on each other in an attempt to trap those plotting to take innocent lives.

"Britishness does not normally involve snitching or talking about someone," he said. "I'm afraid, in this situation, anyone who's got any information should say something because the people we are talking about are trying to destroy our entire way of life."
Talk about World War III risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. This war has already lasted as long as World War II and there is no end in site. Bush policies are wedded to the ruthless ambitions of big oil --Bush's partners and sponsors. There is no chance that Bush will change his policies. Impeachment and removal are our only options.

We had been promised a different kind of war, a shadowy war in which "evil doers" would be smoked out and brought to justice. Typical of a "bait and switch" administration, we got a quagmire! Promised limited government, we got Big Brother. Promised no "nation building", we got "nation destruction". Promised "faith based initiatives", we got a half-assed theocracy based on junk theology and claptrap!
This war will be more ambiguous, more shadowy. In at least one respect, it will resemble the French and Indian War of the 18th century, fought in the wilderness by small, mobile forces. It will be more like the war on drugs, or the war on poverty, or the ongoing war against crime, in that it is unlikely ever to be won decisively. Unconditional surrender by the terrorists is an unreasonable expectation, and the defeat of "every terrorist group of global reach," as promised by Bush, is a hugely ambitious goal.

--Is this WWIII, how will we know who's winning?

Bush's war began with a crisp new look and soon morphed into tired old Viet Nam, a bog of discredited ideology and even less effective strategies. Certainly, Viet Nam portended the future of warfare. In Viet Nam, the US took on the un-winnable task of defending a "string of faceless generals" none of whom had real legitimacy or the widespread support of the people. Despite CIA skullduggery, the US eventually lost because it never found a legitimate government to defend. Nor has it in Iraq.

Failed Presidents are most likely to kick off World War III. Bush is most certainly a failed President who sees in military adventure some "cover". When Israel attacked Lebanon, Bush encouraged the Israelis to take on Syria as well. Had Bush seen in a wider conflict some relief from his deteriorating position at home? There is a special place in hell reserved for Bush, indeed, anyone who finds in universal suffering and tragedy his own wasted "salvation".
In the latter stages of the war all the belligerent governments practised, from necessity or incompetence, what a Bolshevist might have done from design. Even now, when the war is over, most of them continue out of weakness the same malpractices. But further, the governments of Europe, being many of them at this moment reckless in their methods as well as weak, seek to direct on to a class known as 'profiteers' the popular indignation against the more obvious consequences of their vicious methods. These 'profiteers' are, broadly speaking, the entrepreneur class of capitalists, that is to say, the active and constructive element in the whole capitalist society, who in a period of rapidly rising prices cannot but get rich quick whether they wish it or desire it or not.

--John Maynard Keynes, The Economic Consequences of the Peace

Why the United States will continue to threaten the entire world:
So, I see a customer I hadn't seen in a couple months. He's ex-Navy, Republican, NRA member, mid-fifties. I've known him 15 years and he's always been a decent enough guy. Yeah, he watches Fox 'News' but he'd always listen to reason. He's really pissed off about the way Iraq was botched and about how it's all gone to Hell over there. So I ask him today, "I bet you're gonna vote Democrat next year."

"Nope," he says. "Republican across the board."

So I gotta ask. "Even after all this horseshit in Iraq?"

"Yup," he nods.

"How come?" I ask.

"Niggers and spics," he replies.

My jaw drops open. "What?"

"Niggers and spics," he says again. "The Republicans don't like 'em and neither do I."

--Alternate Brain
The fault lines run deep.

Send Liberals to "Gas Chambers."... Astonishing Right-Wing Extremism!

A good investigative journalist, if needed, can hide aboard a cruise full of white supremacists and manage not only to escape without punching someone and thereby blowing their cover, but also get out with one hell of a story. That is exactly what Johann Hari did when he joined the National Review cruise and their motley of hate. The result is breathtaking and incredibly frightening. One has to wonder how Jewish travlers aboard this hate vessel did not recognize the rhetoric and make way directly to the nearest inflatable device.

From the masterful Hari article, I give you The Ship of Fools:

"I am standing waist-deep in the Pacific Ocean, both chilling and
burning, indulging in the polite chit-chat beloved by vacationing Americans. A sweet elderly lady from Los Angeles is sitting on the rocks nearby, telling me dreamily about her son. "Is he your only child?" I ask. "Yes," she says. "Do you have a child back in England?" she asks. No, I say. Her face darkens. "You'd better start," she says. "The Muslims are breeding. Soon, they'll have the whole of Europe.""

If you are concerned that the hate constituency hates only Muslims, don't worry, they hate everyone who is unlike them and suggest not so novel ideas for taking care of undesirables (emph mine):

"I am getting used to these moments – when gentle holiday geniality bleeds into... what? I lie on the beach with Hillary-Ann, a chatty, scatty 35-year-old Californian designer. As she explains the perils of Republican dating, my mind drifts, watching the gentle tide. When I hear her say, " f course, we need to execute some of these people," I wake up. Who do we need to execute? She runs her fingers through the sand lazily. "A few of these prominent liberals who are trying to demoralise the country," she says. "Just take a couple of these anti-war people off to the gas chamber for treason to show, if you try to bring down America at a time of war, that's what you'll get." She squints at the sun and smiles." Then things'll change.""

The gas chamber, eh? Executions for fellow citizens? Is that where we are now?

Looks like the "cultural war" has gone psycho! The GOP is a crime syndicate. The right wing exemplifies institutionalized psychosis. However repugnant this notion is for liberals, it is time that we armed. If someone tries to "gas" you or herd you into a gas chamber, shoot to kill the sonovubitch!

Saudis’ Role in Iraq Insurgency Outlined

Although Bush administration officials have frequently lashed out at Syria and Iran, accusing it of helping insurgents and militias here, the largest number of foreign fighters and suicide bombers in Iraq come from a third neighbor, Saudi Arabia, according to a senior US military officer and Iraqi lawmakers. ...
Bill Moyers’ Roundtable On Impeachment Of Bush & Cheney

Naturally, you can expect the Faux Network to censor one of the most brilliant TV programs ever:

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11 comments:

Christopher said...

Those who say we are already in World War 3 are almost always those (like the draft evader Newt Gingrich) who’ve never been in a war. In terms of Americans so far killed in “World War 3”, the numbers are miniscule, 6000 or thereabouts? (9/11 and in Iraq and Afghanistan).

World Wars One and Two? Now, THOSE were wars!!!

If this is World War 3, it’s the first war in history where the people (and I’m confining “people” to Americans) haven’t had to sacrifice by having their taxes raised or being drafted to fight on a battlefield.

Americans even got a tax cut. How about that?!!!

I state the obvious by saying “World War 3” is a lovely appellation by which America’s rulers frighten the people into believing they’re actually in a war, so they'll acquiesce in their government assuming dictatorial war-powers.

And the drummed-up war-like atmosphere will frighten the people into voting for the party most associated with waging “World War 3”, namely the Republican Party.

In “1984” George Orwell portrayed a future world where there was a perpetual never-ending world war among three equal power blocs.

Looking at our perpetual never-ending world-wide “War on Terror”, we can see that Orwell got one prediction approximately right, at least in terms of the people believing the perpetual “War on Terror” is actually a war.

Your extracts from the stories about the race-hating ex-navy NRA member Republican, and the Buckleyites on the “Ship of Fools”, should remind us all that the modern Republican Party is a party of reaction – reaction to the forced abolition in the 1960s of the racial segregationist laws and practices in the Deep South,

We should remember that up to as recently as 1968, the Democratic Party dominated the Deep South, and only lost its hold there when the Kennedy and Johnson administrations began to enforce de-segregation, to the dismay of most white southerners who thereupon switched their allegiances en-masse to the Republican Party which, at least in the South, has since never looked back.

We should also remind ourselves that the America-wide electoral successes of the Republican Party – an almost exclusively “white” party - over the last twenty or so years have been during a period when “whites” as a percentage of the American population have been in steady decline.

Thus the Republican Party is becoming more and more a party catering to “white” sectarian interests, which explains why the Party is becoming more reactionary (right-leaning) as time goes on.

Anonymous said...

The US Congress has recently passed a series of hideous resolutions that give a virtual blank check for attacks upon Iran. The Senate has affirmed (97-0) as official fact that Iran has been involved in attacks upon Americans in Iraq. There is no evidence for this. And the House of Reps (411-2) has claimed that Pres.Ahmadinejad has called for the "destruction" of Israel (also untrue -his remarks have been mistranslated and taken out of context). The Pentagon, acting upon directions from VP Cheney, has drawn up contingency plans (conplan 8022) to be employed in response to any 9/11-type terrorist attack on the US which will include a large scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons. Notably, such an attack upon Iran can take place regardless of any demonstrated Iranian involvement. We are being led steadily to war. And the US Congress is enabling it by default.

Diane B said...

Yes, Damien we are very close to widening the War.

We will lose, after our economy is destroyed.

Bush, will be imprisoned, and,We The People,will suffer greatly.

Our Country may not survive.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't encourage you to take up arms against the government, Len. It's a mismatch you'll lose, and to the extent you might make them pay a price it will only escalate.

I recommend peaceful resistance.

Diane B said...

"Ship Of Fools", gave so much insight, into a Neocon, mind.Leaving me frightened, at what might happen with all this unchecked power Bush has seized.

These neocons are facist, wanting to murder and destroy Liberals, much like the Nazis, wanted to destroy the Jews.

Could this occur, with martial law?
I believe, this could happen.

Unknown said...

Christopher I said...

Those who say we are already in World War 3 are almost always those (like the draft evader Newt Gingrich) who’ve never been in a war.

Chickenhawks always get off on tough talk and war talk. People who are, shall we say, less endowed, like to talk about things that actually "shoot" something other than blanks. Certainly, there is a reason the war in Iraq was overwhelmingly supported by chickenhawks who had never served militarily. They talk a good talk. Bush is a good example ..."smoke 'em out", "Brang it on", yada yada yada

Thus the Republican Party is becoming more and more a party catering to “white” sectarian interests, which explains why the Party is becoming more reactionary (right-leaning) as time goes on.

Those narrow minded, milky white bigots have reason to be concerned. One day the Southwest will be of an Hispanic majority. Having grown up with Hispanic neighbors, I can tell you: I like these people. I like their music, I like their food, I like their love of life. I am not posting the link to alarm people. It's happening and short of building a "Berlin Wall", there is probably nothing that can be done to stop it. In El Paso, TX I had many "Chicano" friends and some were overt revolutionaries ala Pancho Villa of an earlier generation. Most certainly, these people are a helluva lot more interesting than Newt Gingrich and Orrin Hatch! Here's another must read: MULTICULTURALISM, IMMIGRATION AND AZTLAN. Also -- Che Guevarra: When the forces of oppression come to maintain themselves in power against established law; peace is considered already broken. --Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Guerrilla Warfare

damien said...

The US Congress has recently passed a series of hideous resolutions that give a virtual blank check for attacks upon Iran.

There is a lot of "noise" about more "terrorist attacks" against the US, just in time to "justify" staying in Iraq, widening the war, attacking Iran and further cracking down on honest, hard working Americans. Recently, Congressman Ron Paul has stated that there is a good chance that the US government itself will pull off such an attack and blame "terrorists" for it. Wow! Someone in government dares to tell the truth!

whig said...

I wouldn't encourage you to take up arms against the government, Len.

I didn't say that I would take up arms against the government. I didn't even encourage others to do same. I will, however, state for the record that I will shoot to kill any sonovabitch who tries to gas me for being free, liberal and outspoken!


Diane B said...

These neocons are fascist, wanting to murder and destroy Liberals, much like the Nazis, wanted to destroy the Jews.

Just as I have known Chicano radicals and revolutionaries, I have also known and met some of the most "conservative" people in the world, including Bush Sr, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Sen. John Tower et al. I never trusted anyone on that list. The first time I met Bush Sr took place in West Texas as he was running for the US Senate, a race he lost to the venerable Lloyd Bentsen (RIP). Guess what? Bush Sr lied to me on that occasion with some horsehit about "law and order" yada yada yada ...Like papa, like son! That entire family is a waste of human protoplasm.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't encourage you to take up arms against the government, Len.

See:
I wouldn't encourage you to take up arms against the government, Len. -- - Pennsylvania Gazette, February 20, 1788

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." (Thomas Jefferson Papers p. 334, 1950)

"And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms...The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants." -- Thomas Jefferson (Letter to William S. Smith 13 Nov 1787 (Jefferson, On Democracy p. 20, 1939; Padover, editor))

One of the reasons Citizens have the right to bear arms is to take up the government when it no longer serves the will of the People. So yeah, when the critical mass is large enough, go ahead.

Unknown said...

I have never been a gun nut...having grown up among an entire state full of them. I did, however, learn to shoot.

On the other hand, I was outraged by Ruby Ridge and even more outraged by Waco. More than any other reason, the unlawful government move against the Branch Davidians accounts for my tepid support of Bill Clinton.

Clinton is barely tolerable. Bush is an abomination to humankind.

Anonymous said...

I've been a lifelong liberal (and even a feminist) but I can say without equivocation, that if the Democrats put up Hillary as their candidate or put Obama on the ticket, they are too stupid to have power.

Hillary is a MAGNET that will suck the stupids and dimwits out from under the rocks they have crawled and MOBILIZE them to vote for whomever the Rethuglicans put up.

Obama will simply give the closeted (and not so closeted) racists all over this country (yup, we've got em in the north and west too) a reason not to vote the Dem ticket in the privacy of the voting booth.

And I find deep irony that as a lifelong anti-gun pacifist I feel compelled to learn to shoot and own a weapon for self-protection, not from the bands of "criminals" roaming the streets, but from my own government or the private mercinary army they might hire to take the "rabble" away to their private camps.

Ultra-left and ultra-right shall meet at the barricades to fight the stupid middle.

Anonymous said...

Bush could very well be the I-bomb-a-nation the Lamb said Daniel talked about.

Anonymous said...

Dear God, make me a bird, so I can fly far. Far far away from here.~
Jenny Curran
From
Movie Forrest Gump