Category Archives: Military

‘War, War And War Some More’ For Some Time

Donald Trump, Foreign Policy, Middle East, Military, Neoconservatism, War

Do we have a president “whose words and actions are untethered to principle,” as Andrew J. Bacevich contends?

Consider the range of issues where President Trump has backed away from actions that as a candidate he had vowed to take, more often than not on ‘day one’ of his presidency. The US remains fully committed to the Nato alliance that Trump previously denounced as ‘obsolete’. The ‘One China’ policy of previous administrations remains intact, as does the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by his predecessor. That Trump will abrogate the North American Free Trade Agreement appears about as likely as Mexico paying for any ‘wall’ along the American border. The US embassy in Israel has not moved to Jerusalem and is unlikely to do so any time soon. Trump’s ‘secret plan’ to defeat Isis differs little from Obama’s plan, apart from more bombs and a handful of additional US troops. And Trump’s longed-for friendship with Vladimir Putin has yet to bloom. The Trump administration neither acknowledges nor provides any rationale for these shifts. Over the course of a single news cycle, positions once said to represent the President’s considered view simply become inoperative. Without explanation, the gunboat sent to Agadir weighs anchor and goes home, leaving behind bewilderment and relief.
In other circumstances, we might chalk up the disparity between what a president says while a candidate and then does on the job to mere politics. Or see it as evidence of an individual sobered by responsibility and ‘growing’ in office. Yet such explanations do not apply here. …
Like Wilhelm II, Trump is given to bluster and to striking poses. His compulsion to look tough is apparent. So too is his need to command attention and his affinity for military pomp. He loves generals.

We know of Syria, because the offensive there was launched, today, to great fanfare. But, says a Spectator writer, there’s been “War, war and war some more” for some time. This reality has been concealed by the Russia parallel reality created by Fake News media.

It’s often said that the Trump administration is ‘isolationist’. This is not true. In fact, we are now witnessing a dramatic escalation in the militarisation of US foreign policy in the Middle East, Africa and Afghanistan. This has not been announced but it is happening, and much of it without consultation with Nato or other key allies, or any debate in Congress or the media.
A few weeks ago, US aircraft carried out over 30 air strikes against Islamic militants in Yemen — almost the same as the number carried out there all last year. In Iraq and Syria there have been many reports of civilian casualties in US raids. As many as 200 are thought to have been killed in air strikes on Mosul, although Iraqi authorities dispute that.
Meanwhile, some 400 US troops are going to Syria to set up an artillery base to retake Raqqa. Another 1,000 may soon be sent to Kuwait as a reserve force. Another 400 have gone to Iraq and some 8,000 will go to Afghanistan.
Quite an active policy, for someone with no interest in it. A closer look at Trump’s senior aides helps to explain — they’re often from the military. The State Department may be downgraded but the military has never had a stronger influence on a president. …

UPDATED (2/7): BRAVO: A US Marine Who Puts Americans FIRST

Homeland Security, Islam, Middle East, Military, Nationhood, Neoconservatism

A neoconservative wish-come-true is for the Empire’s Army to be loyal to the satellite states (Iraq, etc.) and the mission; not to Americans first. These, unfortunately, can no longer be conflated. They should be, but are not, one and the same thing.

This remarkable US Marine, however, is unwilling to think as he is trained to think by a military brass that increasingly flouts its limited, constitutional obligations. Here’s a Marine whose fidelity isn’t to Empire, but to America First, to his fellow Americans. This Marine has certainly not been afflicted with a Lawrence of Arabia complex. Bravo.

RELATED:

“Beware The Values Cudgel.”
“Lawrence Of Arabia: Lionized Liar”
“Your Government’s Jihadi Protection Program”:

… the military is government. The military works like government; is financed like government, and sports many of the same inherent malignancies of government. Like government, it must be kept small. Conservatives can’t coherently preach against the evils of big government, while excluding the military mammoth.

UPDATE (2/7):

Not every public official is as faithful:


Suppression:


Weak:

UPDATED (1/17): How Corrupt Is The ‘Intelligence Community’ (IC)? Ask Chucky Schumer

Democrats, Donald Trump, Government, Intelligence, Military

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said this to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow: 

“Let me tell you, you take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday to get back at you. So, even for a practical, supposedly hard-nosed businessman, [Donald Trump] is being really dumb to do this.”

“What do you think the intelligence community would do if they were motivated to?” Maddow asked. Shouldn’t she be opposing such abuse of state power?

My money’s on President-elect Trump. WINNING.

UPDATE (1/17): Military-Industrial-Complex & the immaculate Intelligence Community (IC).

UPDATE II (1/15): Spooks Are NOT Us; They’re Government

Donald Trump, Government, Homeland Security, Intelligence, Military, The State

Julian Assange is one of us; working for the good of the people. Conversely, the “intelligence community” is an arm of The State, working to keep its enormous sphere of influence in tact (to say nothing of the perks and pensions of its members, going in perpetuity). There are good people among them, like Philip Haney. But they are often fired if they don’t get with the program.

UPDATE I (1/15): The “intelligence community” is trying to cow President-elect Donald Trump into submission. Keep fighting, Mr. Trump. “Trump slams outgoing CIA director Brennan after criticism over Russia threat.”

UPDATE II: What’s Fox News’ Bret Baier up to?

Far more reliable is Glenn Greenwald’s “The Deep State Goes to War With President-Elect, Using Unverified Claims, as Democrats Cheer.” Trump has taken on every aspect of a corrupt political system. It’s time for the Deep State, affectionately and deceptively called the Intelligence Community.