War Games

 

I have been saying for some time that the U.S. wants a war with Russia.

Why? Because if it can cut Russia down to size, then the only country standing between America and total global domination is China. China and Russia have been cozying up lately.  Together they are a formidable threat. Take out Russia, China becomes a manageable opponent.  That's how the theory goes.

Let's cut to recent events.

Terrorist attack in Paris.  Refugee crisis escalates in Europe.  Russia is on the job offering serious opposition to ISIL.  France and other European countries are finally talking about working cooperatively with Russia to defeat ISIS.

French Prime Minister Hollande is scheduled to meet in the next few days with Putin to put their heads together and coordinate their military campaigns against the terrorists.

Turkey blows a Russian fighter jet out of the sky. Its F-16 were laying in wait. Probably the Russian fighter never crossed into Turkish air space. Even if it did, it was even by Turkey's own admission only allegedly in Turkish territory for 17 seconds.

In any case, blam! . . . down goes the plane.

IMMEDIATELY, Turkey turns to NATO -- America's proxy fighters -- to obtain unanimous support and approval for its unquestionably reprehensible deed.

Why?

Because under the terms of the NATO agreement, if any nation belonging to the alliance is attacked, it is regarded as an attack on all members and they must then fight together as a unified force against the alleged aggressor.

Are you seeing now how this works?

Russia had without any reasonable or legal justification one of its planes shot down.

Understandably, Putin has publicly announced that from this point forward, it will defend itself against any threat to its forces in Syria.  It now has a naval ship in the area with the deadly S-300 air defense system, and is sending the even more effective S-400 air defense system to the Syrian base in Latakia.

Voila!

If Russia shoots back in defense under any real or perceived threat -- like Turkish F-16s or Turkish ground defense locking Russian planes with target seeking radar -- in theory all of NATO must oppose it.

Total war!

Merry Christmas Ashton Carter, Victoria Nuland, and all of the other loathsome, wicked, hate-filled, neocon warmongers in our government.  Yeah, you get your big war, just like you wanted.

You don't think Mr. Peace Prize Prez is playing a role in this provocative and extremely dangerous scenario?  Right after the plane was shot down, Obama expressed no criticism of Turkey.  Instead, he asserted that "Turkey, like every country, has a right to defend its territory and its airspace."  Moreover, it is implausible that Turkey did this without either the knowledge or prompting of the U.S. government.  Understand that Obama has been on board with the Pax Americana imperialist program of conquest for most of his presidency. If not, how can you justify his precipitating and lying about the crisis in Ukraine.  How else can you interpret the buildup of troops right on Russia's borders, a direct provocation and chest-beating flaunting of our military power?  How else can you explain his unnecessary, counter-productive pivot to Asia, a publicly announced strategy for "containing" China?

Now the holiday season is upon us. We'll all be enjoying the cheer, the time together with family and friends, exchanging gifts, playing Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, Risk, Scrabble, Candyland and Boggle.

Just so you know, while you're having all sorts of innocent fun, here we have the lethal game our crazed leadership is playing.

But this particular game is not fun for the whole family.

War games will mean fewer members of your family to enjoy the holiday season next year.


[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

War Games

Let’s just shake hands and smile for the camera!

 

Corporate greed over sensible policy again was brazenly flaunted as the operating principle of our "forward-looking" leaders in Washington DC, as John Kerry just announced that the U.S. would not be party to a binding agreement fighting climate change, issuing from the upcoming UN climate conference next month in Paris.

President Obama, a man who is certainly never shy about aggrandizing himself and using any and all slippery language to give a flattering portrayal of his presidency for the history books, has at times crowned himself as the "environmental president".

But there is little doubt where his loyalties lie and what his priorities are. The man has become the "drill, baby, drill" standard bearer of Sarah Palin's ignorant, short-sighted vision for an America awash in oil and an Earth shrouded in a steamy blanket of CO2.

The oil and gas industry loves these guys, despite occasionally public grumbling.

Mr. Kerry's announcement was not only baffling, it was fiercely obnoxious, again showing what it means to deal with the biggest baddest bully on the block.  The stated purpose, the recognized agenda, the very raison d'être of this critical meeting of the world community is unambiguous: The EU, for example, made its position very clear in September, stating that the bloc “is pressing for a global, fair, ambitious and legally binding international treaty that will prevent global warming from reaching dangerous levels.” (My italics.)

But America is an exceptionalist nation, deemed by historical destiny to somehow float above all others. Things like international agreements, existential threats, the laws of physics and nature itself, apply to everyone except the United States of America.

We make our own rules and create our own reality.

Thus, those other non-entities which comprise the other 195 nations in the world hosting the 96% of the world's population who are not blessed to be Americans, should be honored that Mr. Kerry, as the personal ambassador of our environmental president, even takes the time out of his busy schedule to show up for some nice photo ops and to shake hands with the rest of the irrelevant world leaders who are attempting to do something constructive about a rapidly worsening crisis.

"Yes, Mr. Kerry and Ms. Merkel.  That's looks great.  How about if you shake hands and smile?  Perfect!  This will be right on the front page of our news website tomorrow!"



[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]


Let’s just shake hands and smile for the camera!

War Criminal as Stand-Up Comedian

 

President Obama said the following publicly at a fundraiser, poking fun at criticism of him by the Republican candidates during their first debate.

(You can watch the video here. Quote occurs around 4:48.)

“Have you noticed that everyone of these candidates say, ‘Obama is weak.  Putin is kicking sand in his face.  When I talk to Putin he is going to straighten out.  Just looking at him.  He is going to be ...'  And then, it turns out they can’t handle a bunch of CNBC moderators.”

We've come to expect this sort of cuteness from this charming man, who seems to think his role as a comedian trumps his responsibilities as the most powerful leader of the free world, whatever 'free' could possibly mean in this age of 24/7 surveillance.  This remark, while entertaining and clever, is instructive in many ways.  It says a lot about Obama as a man, that despite his air of constant cool, he is vulnerable even to the cheap shots of fools like the Republican candidates, and that he personalizes the challenges which America's role in international relations presents.  It's been very obvious to me for a long time that Obama perceives his differences with Putin as a schoolyard scrap, rather than a profound confrontation of ideas and alternative actions.  It seems to escape him that in our dealings with Russia, we are attempting to balance the national interests of two equally important and determined peoples, not fighting over who's going to be quarterback of the football team or who gets to take out the homecoming queen on a date.
 
 

That he uses the most visible public podium in the world to level cheap shots at Putin, personal insults unworthy of a street thug, much less President of the United States, is both dangerous and counter-productive.  He has squandered a ton of good will tendered by Mr. Putin.  Certainly a lesser man than Vladimir would have long ago written off Obama as a childish dilettante.  But as we've observed at the G-20 meeting, he keeps insisting that he is open to cooperation and constructive engagement whenever the U.S. decides to stop pouting over its humiliation in Syria, and its horribly misguided and murderous actions in the Middle East now being judged by the world as the shameful disgrace they are.

On an entirely different level, in broad strokes it says even more about what is wrong with America's entire world view, its self-sabotaging foreign policy, and its reckless insensitivity to the havoc and hardship we as a nation inflict on the world, all while beating our chests about our duty and entitlement as leader of all humankind to celebrate a new historic Age of American Splendor and Enlightened Empire.

However, lately we've seen an even more baffling dynamic playing out.  We have on one hand, the bellicose, dangerously provocative hyperventilating of Ashton Carter, Samantha Powers, and the Devil Woman herself, Victoria Nuland (the scary creature pictured here).
 


Carter lumps Russia in with ISIS as the greatest threat to America, Nuland blames the Syria conflict, the refugee crisis, the Ukraine, and probably her clogged kitchen drain on Putin, the increasingly shrill Samantha Powers (see photo at the head of this article) is the MICs best friend with her mad R2P obsession, putting her in Guinness Record territory for the number of countries she would bomb into peaceful mourning . . . do I have to go on?  If you watch the news programs, you get pounded with the insane rants of these saber-rattling war hawks.  So you know.

At the same time, our Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde president steps into a phone booth, does a quick costume-change ala Superman, and becomes Mr. Diplomacy, all ready to do the right thing and actually start fighting terrorism in earnest.  This is, of course, after he's wasted three years bombing camels and sheep dip in the desert, while caravans of white SUVs stretching as far as the eye can see, glide by on their way into Iraq and Syria, full of weapons provided at least in part by the CIA, paid for by our allies, smuggled in through Turkey, or air-dropped by the U.S. itself.

What is this, the diplomatic version of good-cop/bad-cop?

Maybe it's the reincarnation of the Keystone Cops.

Why does anyone trust any of these people?

Yet here we see Obama, off in a corner, having a nice talk at the G-20 meeting with Putin, the same man he mocked and vilified both during his State of the Union address, and more recently with the eyes of the entire world watching at the United Nations.  How cozy.  How convenient.
 


Why does Putin still intimate that Russia is open to working with America, when time in and time out, America has proven it is entirely unreliable, lacking any concept or intent of dealing with others in good faith?  It negotiates treaties, then violates or walks away from them.  It grandstands, teetering like a circus clown on the high moral ground of dubious  self-proclaimed righteousness, while destroying countries, inflicting unprecedented levels of chaos and carnage, at the same time preparing for a major war with China or Russia, maybe both.  Is this hypocrisy, confusion, or just stupidity?

Moreover, why should we as U.S. citizens for a second believe that Obama and the motley collection of people HE CHOSE TO SURROUND HIMSELF WITH are at all sincere about engaging Russia -- and of course the countries in Europe we have flooded with refugees by  bombing the Middle East for two decades now -- in a serious discussion about a peaceful resolution to this mess?  Which one of these blowhards are we even supposed to listen to?  Talk about mixed messages.  This administration is at war with itself!

So what are we to do now?  Get our hopes up that things are turning around?  That policy makers have finally woken up and are ready to put things right?

Then again, what choice do we have?

Wait until after the next election to see which psychopath will lead the charge?

I guess we need to take stock and count our blessings.  Maybe personally, I should commit to being a dutiful patriot by firmly resolving to respect Mr. Obama and honor his service as our president . . . to our country . . . and to the world.

After all, he's the best smart-ass money can buy.

And as war criminals go, the guy can sure yuk it up!



[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]


War Criminal as Stand-Up Comedian

You say you want a revolution?

Bernie Sanders has called for a revolution!

Rah-rah-rah, sis-coom-bah.  Go Bernie!

But . . .

There's great danger in such loose play with inspiring and provocative language.
Not the danger that citizens might rise up and actually incite a radical and much-needed transformation.  But the danger that the idea of such a transformation will be trivialized and gutted of any substance by empty campaign rhetoric and fatuous sloganeering.

What is he really saying?  Will he stop the drone attacks?  Will he cut the military budget by 40%?  Will he close 500 bases and bring the troops home?  Will he end the special ops missions which have occurred in at least 135 countries so far this year?  Will he put a halt to our self-sabotaging aggressiveness in the world, driven by the greed of DOD contractors and stoked by the neocon delusions of world empire?  Will he open a constructive dialogue with Russia and China to promote peace and multi-polar power-sharing?  Will he end the contentious, chest-beating encirclement of China -- the silly sophomoric "pivot to Asia"?  Will he condemn the apartheid and aggression by Israel against the Palestinians?

I'm all for revolution.  But I'm for REAL REVOLUTION.

If Mr. Sanders wants to talk about revolution and stake out the higher moral ground, there is certainly a way to do it.  Refer to the above questions.

Understand there is more at stake here than the cosmetics of a campaign strategy.  Applying just a little common sense and a pocket calculator, one can only conclude that there is gross inconsistency and guaranteed failure in promoting an agenda of far-reaching domestic reform without conjoining it with a repudiation of America's out-of-control militarism and imperial visions of grandeur.

Mr. Sanders' critics from the right claim his socialist ideas will bankrupt the country.  And there is a lot of merit in this.  The simple, obvious truth is there will be no money at all for his wonderful ideas under the current budgetary regime, UNLESS we as a nation are cured of our addiction to war.

THAT is the revolutionary message.  War is bankrupting us and destroying any prospect of a good life for everyday Americans and a hopeful future for our children.

THAT is the sobering message we don't hear from any of the candidates.  Sure, Jill Stein has consistently been saying it.  But the sad fact is that Green Party continues to conduct a stealth campaign which is all but invisible to the public.  Her ideas are never heard.

Most Americans are sick of war.  No voice is being given to the anger and frustration of the American public in this regard.  Even the constant demonizing by politicos and the media of Vladimir Putin and chicken-little fear-mongering about Russia is losing its punch.

Putting aside the current risks of moral bankruptcy, nuclear war, and economic collapse, it would be a shrewd and welcome move for Mr. Sanders to rethink his militarism, allegiance to the military-industrial complex, and tacit embrace of empire-building, and give voice to the truly revolutionary idea of America as a nation which promotes peace and harmony, democracy and freedom, cooperation and constructive engagement across the globe.

What a slick and audacious campaign strategy, eh?  Telling the truth to the American voter about how war is becoming a fast track to economic collapse and social disintegration.

Here's an even BOLDER STEP toward a real revolution . . . http://peacedividend.us

Yes, I'm involved in this groundbreaking effort.  And yes, we are DEAD SERIOUS.

Real revolutionary thinking, folks!



[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

You say you want a revolution?

How Bernie Sanders Can Win and Turn America Around

Who am I to tell Bernie Sanders what he should do?

Just an American citizen like you.

Just an individual participating in government of the people, by the people, for the people.

Just one person reaching out to other like-minded people -- and there are a lot of us! -- who think America is on the wrong track, that we need real leadership who will truly speak for us.

Here is a video of me making the announcement Bernie Sanders needs to make in order to win the presidency and turn this country around.  It's what I believe people need to hear.  It's a way for Mr. Sanders to rise far above the rest of the mealy-mouthed, cheap-talking Republican and Democratic candidates and win the trust and loyalty of the voting public.

Since I don't pretend to be as forceful or eloquent as Mr. Sanders, please cut me some slack here and just use your imaginations a bit.

Notice that the idea is NOT JUST ABOUT BERNIE.

He's only one man.  We need to make ALL CANDIDATES ACCOUNTABLE TO US!

I am convinced we need to take the guess work out of campaigning.

I believe we need to replace sound bites and photo ops with firm commitments.

I believe that the days of the honor system -- trusting candidates and taking them at their word -- is over.  But I believe that this actually works to the advantage of the "good ones", the ones we probably can trust, like Bernie.  

Thus . . .

I believe Bernie should challenge vague promises and nice-sounding campaign slogans of his competitors with a daring, LEGALLY-BINDING CONTRACT WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.  Not because we don't trust him.  But to show the voting public in very stark and unmistakable terms that Clinton, Trump, and the others are completely full of hot air. They're the ones who can't be trusted.

I also believe Bernie needs to renounce some of his prior commitments on foreign policy and support for military waste.  He needs to affirm himself to be a man of peace, so we don't have four more years of "talk" about peace, while America just promotes more war.  This commitment to less military aggression, reducing the DOD budget, ending the war crimes like drone bombing and illegal invasions, and getting the U.S. troops out of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, should be spelled out in clear language in the contract.

Whatever the specifics, the basic idea is right there in the video.

And the strategy is described in detail in my two recent political books.

Do what you have to do, folks.  We're still in the game . . . at least for now.

And, Bernie . . . if you're paying attention, think about doing what YOU need to do.

Bumper stickers, t-shirts, and underwear with your picture are fine.

But maybe you need to really step up to the plate, eh?

---

 

"Candidate Contracts: Taking Back Our Democracy" is available from all the usual suspects . . .

Amazon (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1QJRiNZ
Apple (iBook) . . . apple.co/1BXnPcy
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1Cuq0du
Barnes & Noble . . . bit.ly/1GpTTLq
Smashwords . . . bit.ly/1B4DQCp
Direct from printer . . . bit.ly/1MGjDnN




"Fighting for the Democracy We Deserve" was published just a few weeks ago. But it is available both as a Kindle ebook and in print from Amazon . . .

Amazon US (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1VMf2Ft
Amazon CA (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1in513n
Amazon UK (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1KfjtQO
Amazon JP (Kindle) . . . amzn.to/1OMslBG
Amazon (Paperback) . . . amzn.to/1L9SdIC





[ This originated at the author's personal website . . . http://jdrachel.com ]

How Bernie Sanders Can Win and Turn America Around