Category Archives: Military

Another Case Of Workplace Violence In Military (Yeah, Right!)

Barack Obama, GUNS, Homeland Security, Military, Propaganda

Barack Obama calls the Navy Yard shooting in the capital, today, “another mass shooting … on a military installation in our nation’s capital. It’s a shooting that targeted our military and civilian personnel.” It goes without saying that all those who’re part of the massive welfare system that is the US military—entire families are “enlisted” on the country’s payroll—are, in the president’s words, “patriots,” “protecting all of us”:

They know the the dangers of serving abroad, but today they faced the unimaginable violence that they wouldn’t have expected here at home.

In reply to a gun-control question, this dreadful cur of a man found the presence of mind to quip: “[We will] be investigating thoroughly what happened—as we do so many of these shootings sadly that have happened and do everything we can to try to prevent them.”

Note that the “Silent Conspirators in the Case Of Major Nidal Malik Hasan” are still at large. (Hint: Look at the role played by policy makers as well as that of the top brass of the US military.)

Nothing is likely to change on that front.

UPDATE II: The Proof Is In the Putin

Media, Middle East, Military, Propaganda, Republicans, Russia, The State, War

The punditocracy is shouting almost in unison that Russia and Syria have pulled one over us. The US, they say, has been weakened because someone halted the momentum of the American war juggernaut.

You see, the pundits and the pols cannot perceive of greatness outside the state because they are part of the state apparatus; and depend on it for status and income.

Individual Americas who have nothing to gain and only losses to sustain from a war are somehow mistakenly identifying with the state and its emissaries—politicians and pundits—who have everything to gain from the great theatre that is war. “In Syria (and all else), it’s ‘Us’ against ‘Them.'”

Think about it. Who benefits when America goes to war? Not you. Not ordinary Americans. Those who benefit “function within the nimbus of great power” in D.C. and around it—the media-military-congressional-industrial complex.

What happens to the bluster of Bill O’Reilly, his sidekick Dennis the Menace or Charles Krauthammer if the US is no longer dictating the terms of war (lots of it) and peace (too little of it) in the world? Their immense egos suffer. Maybe even their incomes, eventually. But not you, the ordinary American. Krauthammer, ridiculously, equates the failure to go to war against Syria with “Russia supplanting America as regional hegemon.”

But the proof is in the Putin, who stopped a war. Why is stopping a war tantamount to supplanting US power?

Rather, the Russians are replacing bully power with a balance of power. And this is good for Americans (if not for their overlords who art in D.C.)

He who saves you from war is better than he who sends you to war.

UPDATE I: Gerson, another neocon:

“This allows Moscow to supply proxies such as Syria and Iran with weapons while positioning itself as the defender of international law and peace.”

UPDATE II (9/15): Yet another Republican pundit (albeit one of the few talented ones) who depends on The Party for status and income. Here Ann Coulter praises Republican wars.

She promotes and profits from ’em; YOU fight ’em.

Diplomacy Or More Devastation?

Foreign Policy, Middle East, Military, Neoconservatism, Russia, UN, WMD

The latest Syria developments, as of Tuesday, September 10, are that “UN Security Council closed-door meeting called by Russia has been canceled, according to the Council’s current president Australia’s Ambassador to the UN, Gary Quinlan.” (Via RT)

And, via Politico:

President Barack Obama said Tuesday he wants Congress to delay its efforts to vote on authorizing the use of force in response to Syria’s use of chemical weapons until the round of diplomatic efforts that began this week has a chance to play out.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called on Obama to renounce the use of force.

Note that “Obama and Kerry … haven’t been shy about taking credit for the [Russian] proposal [to disarm Syria of chemical weapons], saying on Monday and Tuesday that they discussed the idea last week with their Russian counterparts.” (Politico)

Will the president go back to saving-face mode, or will diplomacy win out?

UPDATED: McMussolini Vs. Marshmallow Man (Man Reads McCain His Rights)

John McCain, Middle East, Military, Neoconservatism, War

In this clip, an intelligent, informed, Syrian American hammers “McMussolini,” exposing his ignorance and arrogance. The exchange shows the measure of the man. McCain’s reply to her amounts to platitudes. His message is clear: “It’s my way or the highway.”

Via Economic Policy Journal: