Why should the U.S. wage war on Iran?

Why should the U.S. wage war on Iran?

There are so many answers to that question, it's difficult to know where to begin. But here are a few right off the top of my head, based on our current foreign policy and the thinking mapped out by the truly remarkable collection of political leaders currently at the helm.  One of these real geniuses offers insights into the kind of guy he is in the above video.

Anyway, please stand at attention with your hands over your hearts, as I offer twenty-four of the reasons why we should wage war on Iran.

1)  Because we can.

2)  We have all these bombs.

3)  What good is a military if you don't use it?

4)  We love spreading chaos!

5)  Destroy, divide, conquer.

6)  Have you ever seen Hassan Rouhani on Dancing With The Stars?  Obviously he hates our freedom and our television shows.

7)  God told us to.

8)  Israel told us to.

9)  Saudi Arabia told us to.

10)  Lindsey Graham told us to.

11)  We want to start a world war (see #2 above).

12)  We got over the Vietnam Syndrome but now we have to get over both the "Afghanistan Syndrome" and the "Syria Syndrome".

13)  It'll piss off Russia.

14)  It'll piss off China.

15)  It'll piss off Hillary Clinton because she wanted to be the one to start it.

16)  Donald Trump will get re-elected because when we're at war we have to rally behind the president (I think it's somewhere in the Bible: "Don't change horses' asses in the middle of a war." Leviticus? Corinthians?)

17)  Hollywood needs new settings for its upcoming war movies.

18)  War Is A Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges.

19)  Americans love war as long as it's NIMBY.

20)  Jared Kushner.

21)  War makes lots of money for investors, especially the already ultra-rich.

22)  It'll hasten the Rapture.

23)  Peace is for pussies.

24)  Iranians revealed their diabolical anti-Americanism by putting their country in the middle of all our military bases.

There's more.  But I think this is a damn good start!

You have a problem with this?  Too bad.




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



Why should the U.S. wage war on Iran?

The Race To A Vanishing Point

 

The writing is on the wall. BIG writing! 

The U.S. has again unleashed forces it cannot control, to obtain some perceived geopolitical advantage, and give itself some edge in the grand game of chess, played on an immense, impersonal macro-cosmic scale __ which ignores individual tragedy, human suffering, destruction of peoples and cultures, wholesale slaughter of innocent civilians __ gradually edging the world toward the ultimate confrontation, the really big one, where we get to see what comes out of the other end of a nuclear confrontation.

We obviously learned nothing from our original meddling in Afghanistan, which produced Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda; our meddling in Iran, which produced the current regime we are still trying to dominate; our meddling and war with Iraq, which now has resulted in ISIS; our meddling and destruction of Libya, which now has the country in shambles and has helped spread chaos and carnage across the Middle East and northern Africa.

We just had to meddle even more, and create the current crisis in Ukraine by toppling the democratically-elected government there, then installing a fierce, racist, ultra-nationalistic "pro-Western" puppet regime which will ultimately put us eyeball-to-eyeball with Russia, a world power armed to the teeth with nuclear missiles.

David Swanson points out in an excellent article that prior to the both World War I and World War II, the public remained clueless as to the onset of war. This despite the fact that all the alarms, signals and flags were in plain sight, huge glaring signs that war was where things were inevitably heading. 

This despite concerned men and women, keen observers, highly visible pundits and scholars __ though admittedly they were in the minority and fatefully shouted down by the usual crowd of bombastic exceptionalists and grinning fools __ issuing grave and sober warnings, dire and thoughtful forecasts, based on sound and knowledgeable analysis, that the world was marching toward a disaster.

Similarly, the evidence is right before us, big pieces of a straightforward puzzle, which even the most simple-minded dolt could assemble into the frightening picture it is.

The insensitive, reckless, aggressive policies of the U.S. are precipitating World War III.

History has dramatically demonstrated that in the heat of major conflict, cooler heads never prevail. This coming war could and probably will go nuclear.

There is, of course, every reason to be concerned about putting food on the table, seeing our kids off to school, showing up for work, keeping the house and yard looking nice, making our homes comfortable for those we love.

But there's even more reason for preserving a world where there are things like food, tables, kids, schools, places to work, houses, yards, homes . . . those we love.

Am I just being a pessimist? An alarmist? A paranoid?

That's what they said about those folks who back before 1914 who were trying to get people to pay attention __ over 17,000,000 people then died in the conflagration of World War I.

That's what they said about many alarmed but certainly better informed folks in the 1920s and 1930s, who said that the Treaty of Versailles was a prescription for major disaster and could only end in a catastrophic conflict. 72,000,000 dead bodies from the greatest war in human history __ so far __ proved them right.

History repeats itself again and again . . . until it doesn't.

Until there is no more history.

Until it's all gone, and there is no longer anyone left to be annoyed by pleas for sanity and prayers for peace.

Then the planet will be governed by a vast, all-embracing quiet, when only the scurrying of cockroaches across a dusty, barren landscape offers evidence of life on Earth.



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

We’ll just have to agree to agree.

 

Agree to disagree?

How about if we agree to agree?

Did you know that 72% of American voters want a federal minimum wage of $10.00 or more.

74% of American voters are for ending oil subsidies.

76% of American voters want to cut back on military spending.

79% of American voters want no cuts in Social Security and Medicare.

93% of American voters want labeling of GMOs in their food.

There is vast agreement that the Citizens United decision was bad for America, with 80% 
against it and 65% strongly opposing it.

In a very recent poll, 68% of voters said that taxes on the wealthy should be increased.

I was very surprised, considering the stream of anti-Iran invective issuing from Congress, 
that 61% of Americans think we should do everything we can to cement the recent deal on
monitoring and controlling development of nuclear technology by Iran, as
opposed going to war, as is being promoted by Israel, Saudi Arabia, and
a rabid core of saber-rattling warmongers here in the U.S.

Glancing at the headlines, the constant stream of partisan yelling, social
turmoil, reports of widespread anger, mistrust, alarm and frustration,
you would never know that on many extremely crucial issues, there is
such a broad range of consensus among us normal, sane folks. You know
the people I'm talking about __ real people who have better things to do
than rail at everything and hate everyone in sight.

I'm not a conspiracist. But it sometimes seems as if a certain minority of
self-absorbed miscreants, who don't agree with the majority of decent
people in our country, decided to mangle and manipulate the
conversation. They seem bent on keeping things stirred up, making sure
we don't have a civil, constructive exchange of ideas, try to work out
our differences, then join together to move things in a good, positive
direction.

It's as if they intentionally mislead and misinform us.

By keeping us divided, they control us . . . making it easy to get their own way.

This is nothing new to other countries who view America as the greatest threat to world peace, as a source of chaos, a force not for unity and order but mayhem and disarray.

What we are beginning to recognize within our borders is what the world has for a long time observed outside of them.

They see an America which wantonly uses its military and economic power to muck things up, keep people scrambling, divided, confused, desperate. They watch in horror and fear as we destroy entire nations, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people, and then claim we're safer now because those countries are in shambles and no longer organized enough to stand up to us, oppose our policies, our exploitation, our callous bullying.

Is this what we want?

Surely we don't really want to live in a nation that is at war with itself
and everyone else. That's not the America we believe in . . . that we
care about . . . that we're proud of . . . the America we hope to hand down to future generations.

We can agree on that, can't we?

I'd say that's a good start.

Let's agree to agree.

Go from there.


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

Hillary’s Secret Campaign Strategy

 

We have learned from a deep source at Hillary Clinton presidential
campaign headquarters, of a highly controversial, certainly
mind-boggling, but sure-fire plan which will clinch the 2016 election
for her. When it finally becomes public, this secret strategy will
consign all the nay-saying skeptics about her viability as the first
female president in American history, to eating vast quantities of
humble pie. 

Right now, of course, since no one knows of the plan, there's a wide range of
opinion and speculation in the media on her chances. Will she run? Will
she make the same mistakes she made against Obama? Can she walk the fine
line between appealing to the traditional Democratic base and raising
the money she will need from Wall Street and corporate America? Is the
country ready for a female president? Is the country ready for Hillary? 

But her innovative new approach undercuts all of this.

The idea is as revolutionary as it is simple.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton will be running for president on both the Democratic 
and the Republican tickets.

Yes! I know it sounds unbelievable.

But it's true.

She will make appearances at both conventions. A special secret poll of select
campaign consultants and political scientists predicts she will easily
garner delegate majorities at both events __ probably on the first round
of balloting __ to secure the nominations.

My source further explains that to make this a viable strategy, the canny 
Ms. Clinton will have two different vice-presidential running mates,
probably Kirsten Gillibrand for the Democratic ticket, and  
Megyn Kelly for the Republican.

Just think about that! All-female tickets running for president and vice-president 
via both major political parties.

Talk about a watershed moment in American history!

Stepping back and thinking about it, Hillary's running as both Democratic and
Republican candidates goes a long ways towards explaining some interesting
recent developments.

While her sewing up the Democratic nomination has for quite some time been 
a foregone conclusion, Ms. Clinton has, to the surprise of many observers, been 
wooing and gaining the support of many wealthy conservatives as well. Her openly 
coming out as a bona fide member of their "team" as the Republican nominee just 
makes sense.

Let me add that beyond being a brilliant tactical maneuver just in terms of sewing
up her future role as president, this unprecedented move is also a tremendous
leap forward for democracy itself, which has come under a lot of attack in 
recent years.

Voters complain they've had a great deal of difficulty trying to figure out the
differences between the policies and positions of candidates during the
long campaign season. Despite the rigorous scrutiny and tortured
analysis by experts across the entire political spectrum, quite often
it's hard to figure out what anyone stands for. This uncertainty has
evidenced itself as voter apathy. Confused voters stay home on election day.

By running on both tickets, Ms. Clinton will eliminate the petty bickering 
and political posturing, and more importantly the contentious nitpicking by
the media, which has only served to undermine candidate credibility
among voters and erode their confidence in our electoral system.

Another enormous benefit of Ms. Clinton's strategy is that with the election
in the bag, she won't have her time and energy squandered by all of the
distractions and foolishness that goes into presidential election
campaigning __ like interviews and televised debates.

Instead she can devote the entire time right up to taking the oath of office,
honing items which will be the hallmarks of her presidency: bombing Iran
and Syria; nuclear wars with both China and Russia; tripling of the
size of America's military contributions to Israel so that they can
finally put the wily Palestinians in concentration camps where they
belong; wiping North Korea off the map; building at least 1,000 more
American military bases around the world to protect everyone on the
planet from ISIS, Ebola, socialism, Putin and whatever other apocalyptic
threats might come along; mounting a Special Ops invasion of Moscow __
ala the Osama bin Laden assassination __ to capture Edward Snowden; and
burning down the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to flush out Julian
Assange.

She should be able __ as they say __ to really hit the ground running in January 2017.



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

This Is War

1992 © Kenneth Jarecke (Contact Press Images)

Until recently, this photo was never seen in the U.S.
It's a soldier making a last desperate attempt at climbing out of a
military vehicle after it had been hit by an incendiary bomb. This was
during Desert Storm in 1991.

This is the side of war our leaders don't want you to see. For us they want it
to be all about waving flags, marching bands, grandiose speeches,
stars-and-stripes lapel pins.

Remember Bush's order that there be no reporting of coffins flown in from 
Afghanistan and Iraq containing the remains of our dead soldiers?

But this photo is what war is really all about. That scorched corpse could be
your son or daughter, one of your grandchildren, an uncle, cousin,
nephew or niece, that freckled neighborhood kid that used to ride by on a
bike.

When our politicians speak about some new crisis that requires our military
intervention, some challenge to our national interests or terrorist
threat to the homeland, then with the appropriate somber expressions and
deeply furrowed brows reel off patriotic slogans and chest thumping
battle cries that beg for our bravado and self-sacrifice, they want you
to imagine proud soldiers in clean pressed uniforms, glorious fireworks
reflecting in the pool of the national mall, the flag majestically
waving in the background atop the White House, they want you embracing
that triumphant feeling of being a citizen of the greatest country in
the world. They most certainly do not want you thinking about that
photograph.

Sure, our leaders claim that they want to avoid at all costs sending our brave
soldiers into harms way. They claim to value every young man and woman
in uniform as they do their own children __ though for some reason their
own kids never get sent into battle.

They claim the decision to wage war, even to commit our troops to  "limited
engagement", is a very serious one, that putting "boots on the ground"
is something we do only when every other conceivable option has been
duly explored, considered, weighed, exhausted.

Warning! When you hear any of this talk about war as a last resort, be VERY
AFRAID. Because it means the bombs are about to drop and the bullets are
about to fly. Last resort is now pure cover, a charade, just one
component of a PR game to tenderize public opinion, just more cynical
role play to get people ready for the slaughter.

When our leaders say they hate war, be VERY ANGRY. Because their actions betray
their love __ their worship! __ of military power.  Just look at their
priorities.  Just look at the national budget. Just take out a world map
and try to identify the 1000+ military bases
the U.S. has in over 140 countries across the globe. If they really
wanted peace, these would be Peace Corps camps, not military
installations.

When they talk about "humanitarian war" and "R2P" __ responsibility to protect __
LAUGH, then CRY. Because any humanitarian concern is not about you. And
when you're getting your ass shot at, the only reason they want to
protect you is so you can shoot back.

On the increasingly rare occasions, when our leaders do give their token nod to
promoting peace in the world, be INDIGNANT __ be OUTRAGED __ at the
blatant hypocrisy. Why, our Nobel Peace Prize winning president even
used his award acceptance speech to make the case for "necessary wars".

Let's see . . . necessary wars. When I was in college, it was Vietnam. Commies
would take over the world if we didn't stop them. Then we had to stop
Saddam Hussein from taking over Kuwait, even though 9 out of 10 American
thought Kuwait was a tropical fruit. Then, of course, we had to bomb
the shit out of Afghanistan to catch Osama bin Laden, though he strutted
around the caves and continued to make threatening videos for the next
eight years. Then, we really had to get Saddam Hussein, this
time before he dropped an atomic bomb on Baltimore or Orlando, even if
he didn't have one and if he did had no way to lob it further than the
Sea of Galilee. Then there was Libya because we had to get rid of that
pesky Gadaffi. And Syria because . . . well, just because. And of
course, we've been having  a regular hissy fit about Iran for decades
now, so they're high on the hit list. And now we have the Ukraine, for a
lot of reasons, including Snowden, and Putin's making Obama look like a
warmonger, which frankly is not that hard, and the BRICS, and the
abandonment of the dollar, and the deranged neocons running amok in the
State Department, and the piles of military hardware which we're
bankrupting the country to buy __ after all, you can't just leave that
stuff laying around, because it's dangerous, so it's imperative we use it. Hell, 
let's throw some ordnance at the Russkies, and the Chinese . . . and . . . and . . .

Whew! All these "necessary wars" are exhausting!

As anyone who reads my blogs knows, I have never recommended any 
organization and directed readers to support its activities. There are hundreds __
thousands __ of good, hard-working, well-meaning, probably extremely
worthwhile groups out there trying to make a difference. My reluctance
stems from observing that despite their best efforts, not a lot seems to
be getting done.

But now, since time is running out and this might be our last best hope, I'm going to break tradition.

Please go to the website for World Beyond War. One of the founding members and its current director is a man I greatly respect and admire, David Swanson, who I've written about before. There is much more on the web site itself but here is a quick summary of their agenda:

• Creating an easily recognizable and joinable mainstream international movement to end all war.
• Education about war, peace, and nonviolent action -- including all that is to be gained by ending war.
• Improving access to accurate information about wars. Exposing falsehoods.
• Improving access to information about successful steps away from war in other parts of the world.
• Increased understanding of partial steps as movement in the direction of eliminating, not reforming, war.
• Partial and full disarmament.
• Conversion or transition to peaceful industries.
• Closing, converting or donating foreign military bases.
• Democratizing militaries while they exist and making them truly volunteer.
• Banning foreign weapons sales and gifts.
• Outlawing profiteering from war.
• Banning the use of mercenaries and private contractors.
• Abolishing the CIA and other secret agencies.
• Promoting diplomacy and international law, and consistent enforcement of laws against war, including prosecution of violators.
• Reforming or replacing the U.N. and the ICC.
• Expansion of peace teams and human shields.
• Promotion of nonmilitary foreign aid and crisis prevention.
• Placing restrictions on military recruitment and providing potential soldiers with alternatives.
• Thanking resisters for their service.
• Encouraging cultural exchange.
• Discouraging racism and nationalism.
• Developing less destructive and exploitative lifestyles.
• Expanding the use of public demonstrations and nonviolent civil resistance to enact all of these changes.

Is it naive to think that the human race can rise above its long history of savagery?

Noam Chomsky says we are a "strange species which attained the intelligence to discover
the effective means to destroy itself, but __ so the evidence suggests
__ not the moral and intellectual capacity to control its worst
instincts."

Let's hope he's wrong.


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

We know how this will end . . .

 

What if the citizens of Germany during the 1930s somehow could have known in advance how World War II was going to end. Would they have bought into the lies of Hitler and the Third Reich? Would they have gone along with the wanton aggression knowing it was a suicide mission and would turn their beloved homeland into a pile of rubble and put nearly 9,000,000 of them in early graves?

What about Japan? Before World War II, Japan was securely locked down. No dissent from the imperialistic designs of the emperor and his military class was permitted. Even so, if the vast majority had known that like Germany, their nation would be almost completely destroyed and they'd lose over 3,000,000 people for nothing, would they have so willingly and enthusiastically rushed to the battlefield to invite annihilation and defeat?

Our leaders __ our cowardly, divisive, destructive, unimaginative, delusional American leaders __ from Barack Obama to John Kerry to John McCain, are taking America into another war. Sure, the attack on Syria has been shelved for now. But only for now. Only because we have been humiliated and humbled by such sterling examples of brotherhood and compassion as Vladimir Putin, and reduced to looking like the big, dumb bully on the block by no less than Hassan Rouhani, the new President of Iran.

But make no mistake about it. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen. It's all part of the same flawed over-reaching strategy that predates even Clinton. That pathological plan for achieving unnecessary and ill-conceived hegemony over the Middle East may be on hold, but it has not gone away, and it won't unless we make it go away.

As uninformed and misinformed as we Americans generally are, we know how this is going to end. It doesn't take a genius to see that despite our incredible military prowess and huge advantage in the quantity and sophistication of weaponry in our arsenal, we are really bad at war. Maybe it feels good to thump our chests and yell "mission accomplished" with a big shit-eating smirk on our faces, but our self-congratulations bear no relation to reality. We lost horribly in Vietnam. We are losing in Afghanistan. We made a mess out of Iraq and now have little control over the developments in that country. Libya is in chaos. We had our finger on the launch button in Syria and instead of gaining credibility in the world, have become the object of derision, upstaged and shamed into backing down by taunts from overseas and a surprising and encouraging swell of antipathy at home.

The truth is, we have a terrible track record over the last sixty years of muscle flexing military escapades, and haven't even had to face what might be regarded as a formidable world-class enemy. God help us if we do go toe-to-toe with Russia or China.

Actually, god help the entire human race!

As we swagger into the OK corral twirling our guns and acting all cocky and cool, because after all we are so exceptional and so entitled and so self-righteous and so powerful and of course always have God on our side, what are the options? Apparently the only way we will actually "win" a real war against a serious enemy is if we go nuclear. And if we go nuclear, they will to.

And we all know how that will turn out.

So if we know in advance how World War III will end, why would anyone except the demented neocon imperialist cotorie of hell bent fanatics __ who can plead the insanity defense __ push for war? Which is the same as saying, why would anyone in their right mind go along with this madness?

Because we __ you and I __ do know how it will end.

Either we're going to get our asses kicked or we're going to destroy all civilization and risk the extinction of the human race.

Ask the Germans how things worked out for them when they tried to conquer the world.

Ask the Japanese.

I live in Japan. I already know how the Japanese feel about war. I know the shame they feel about their dark and vile history of aggression in pursuit of all manner of illusory glory and mountains of booty.

No, I don't live in America any more. But I'm still a loyal American. I deeply care for my country. And I know this.

We can't count on the lying liars who claim to have our interests at heart, the play-for-pay politicians who are the lapdogs for the military-industrial complex and the bankers who build their staggering fortunes on the corpses of our soldiers and the tens of thousands of civilians who are collateral damage for our drones, carpet bombings and ordinance.

We cannot look to the barbaric megalomaniacs in positions of power who claim to share our values, and have the unmitigated audacity to talk about humanitarian bombing and merciful intervention, to claim we are protecting innocent people against ruthless dictators __ killing thousands of innocent victims in the process __ all in the name of promoting democracy and human rights, when every one of these wars is about gas and oil interests for their corporate butt buddies. To add even more hypocrisy to the insults and injuries, it is our military which possesses and employs more weapons of mass destruction than any other country in the world and it is our nation which counts among its friends and allies some of the most ruthless tyrants on the planet.

We sure can't look to the leadership of the most sociopathic president in our history, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, who just said in his U.N. speech, "The United States of America is prepared to use all elements of our power, including military force, to secure our core interests in the region. We will confront external aggression against our allies and partners, as we did in the Gulf War."

That means it's up to us.

It's up to each and every American to say 'NO' to the madness.

It's up to us to stop all the talk about war.

It's up to us to demand a true and honest commitment to peace, not the simpleminded, hollow, meaningless blather that we're being fed as the trigger-fingers of our war mongers tingle and twitch, just waiting for the right moment to churn up more carnage, destruction and hatred in the rest of the world.

Yes . . . we do know how this story ends.

It's time for a new story.


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

War Is A Lie

 

We all know what's going on in Syria. There's been a civil war for some time now.  Many citizens there are very unhappy with the Assad regime. There are elements within the country, now joined by a variety of well-armed and well-funded terrorist organizations from outside, that have taken up arms in an attempt to overthrow the government.

We also know that Washington DC __ I obviously include here Obama, Biden, Hillary Clinton before and now Kerry, but also the huge imbedded coterie of neocon imperialists who never look at a military campaign they don't get all giddy over and have grandiose visions of American hegemony over the world that goes way beyond childish fantasy into the realm of delusional psychosis __ has been licking its lips for a long time now, waiting for the right moment and the most plausible opportunity to plunge our country into another pointless military conflict in the Middle East. Iran's alleged development of a nuclear weapon just hasn't gotten traction so far with the American public __ basically because it's a fabrication. Hmm ... what else might get everyone's hackles up?

We now see the claims of "irrefutable proof" that chemical weapons were used by Assad's forces against Syria's own people. We hear the "irrefutable logic" that this gross violation of proscriptions against use of such weapons __ international law in the form of treaties and legal instruments by the United Nations __ MUST be punished.

To their credit, most Americans are not buying the thunderous but hollow beating of the war drums. Tragically the express will of the citizenry is not deterring the warmongers. These guys are relentless. They'll keep pouring it on. They'll come up with whatever "facts and figures" it takes to turn the tide of opinion and convince us to get with the program.

But the simple truth is . . . it's all a lie.

Either it's a lie via the lack of certain evidence.

Or it's a lie which springs from America's own hypocrisy.

America MUST punish such immoral transgressions?

First of all, there are mechanisms in place for addressing any such violations. America is not required to be judge, jury and executioner here or in any other instance of misbehavior by other nations.

Second, our indignation at the atrocities committed in other countries rings very hollow when you consider how America tends to cherry-pick its moral outrage. For example, we looked the other way when Saddam Hussein was gassing Iran. You remember. Saddam Hussein, that evil bad guy we had to depose. The one we called the new Adolph Hitler. The one we supported with billions of dollars of foreign aid a few years before when we liked him, the despicable evil dictator of the country where we "initiated and supported much of the financing, intelligence, and military help that built Saddam's Iraq into the power it became" and "Reagan/Bush administrations permitted — and frequently encouraged — the flow of money, agricultural credits, dual-use technology, chemicals, and weapons to Iraq."

I won't even get into the list of countries where we stood by and yawned as the slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent people occurred __ Rwanda immediately comes to mind __ our indignation on holiday. Nor will I get into the incredibly long list of countries ruled by ruthless autocrats supported by the U.S., who oppress and slaughter their own people often with the armaments we provide them.

While I'm on the subject of lies, I'm sure I don't have to remind you of all of the lies __ WMDs being first on the list __ told to the American people and the entire world which plunged us into the Iraq war, at the cost of 5,000 American lives and 190,000 Iraqis, 70% of them citizens. And how to make the medicine go down nice and smooth, we were told prior to that horrible fiasco, that we should be able to get in, get out, and wrap up the military campaign for a mere $50 or $60 billion, whereas estimates for the financial burdens just from the Iraq war are now at $2.2 trillion (yes, that's TRILLION!).

So . . .

Why all these lies?

Obviously, lies serve a specific timely function in terms of swaying public opinion. For example, whenever we're getting ready to put boots on the ground, we have to get people riled up before we send our young men and women into combat, or even waste billions more tax dollars raining down death and destruction on another country in the form of cruise missiles. Otherwise, some armchair generals might come to the conclusion that these wars are nothing more than senseless slaughter. Even if they are purely senseless slaughter, we can't have people thinking that!

But beyond the practical need that our amoral trigger-happy ends-justify-the-means political leaders perceive, I see something happening in our society. It's certainly nothing new but what is unprecedented is its scale.

I've come to believe that lying had become pandemic. Not only is it acceptable. It's become woven into the fabric of our culture, the way cancer cells weave their way into the anatomy of the human body.

Why do THEY lie and tell young girls they're not pretty enough, not thin enough, not sexy enough, and then lie to them about cosmetics, diets and weight loss pills, fashions that will turn you into objects of allure?

Why do THEY lie to young men and tell them might makes right and if you have a big gun or big muscles or a big mouth or a big dick, you now own the high moral ground and you can bully your way to the top?

Why do THEY lie to all of us regular folks and still call America the land of opportunity, where no matter how poor you are or what color your skin, you can rise to the top, when the truth is upward mobility in the U.S. is the worst in the developed world?

Why? Why? Why?

Why all the lies?

Amazingly enough, there is one simple answer. One size fits all. These mega liars kept it simple.
Money!

Behind every lie we're told is a profit motive. Every lie that succeeds takes money from you and I and puts it into the pockets of the liars.

The already appallingly wealthy just can't get enough. Already in possession of the vast majority of this country's wealth, they want more.

What's Syria about? The full explanation would take up an hour of your time. But it's about pipelines __ gas and oil pipelines. That's what Afghanistan was about. That's what Iraq was about. That's what Iran is about. That's what Syria is about. If you have the time and have a strong stomach __ it certainly made me sick __ watch here, here, here, and here to see why our soldiers are dying.

Wars are always built on lies. I am totally convinced of this now.

I want you to buy David Swanson's book (pictured above) . . . http://amzn.to/1cDHbYO

He doesn't know me and I get no commission. I have no stake in this.

But you do. If you don't read this book, you're choosing a lobotomy over understanding why we are immersed in gridlock, confusion, conundrum. Why we're perpetually at war. Why we, who have to go out and put our lives on the line for the rich and powerful, are always given this choice:

a) War
b) War
c) All of the above

Does this sound twisted or melodramatic? It's not.

When you see the reason behind all the lies, it's like when Dorothy arrived in Oz and suddenly her world went from black-and-white to dazzling, breathtaking color.

Let me say one last thing about lies and war. This applies to every waking moment of our lives, and why we must always be vigilantes for honesty.

When THEY lie to us and we believe them, we end up at war with ourselves, war with one another, war with everyone else in the world, and at war with the truth.

And if we continue to allow this to happen . . .

There will be no survivors.




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