The chatty schizophrenic fraud known to all of us as the American media has crunched some numbers and determined that the public is bored with Iraq War coverage. Aside from the obvious reason that nothing good ever happens, the country’s chickenhawk self has become sick of having to see its own cowardly reflection in the mirror. Flexing muscles and practicing our war face, at one point we saw Tony Soprano staring back. That delusional self image slowly became real, slowly became Arty Bucco wearing a wiretap.
Picking through a pile of scrap metal, 110 degree heat somewhere in Iraq right now, a teenage soldier’s hoping to score some ‘ghetto armor’ for his Humvee. We’re sick of hearing about this sucker, right? Black and poor folk have been telling recruiters to go pound sand, and being the chickenhawks we Americans have become, there’s apparently nothing to add but words, prayers, apathy and excuses. That’s who we are when the President who started the war is reelected and there aren’t enough soldiers to fight it. Only half of one percent of the American population is needed to fully staff our military.
Fact is, to the sons and daughters of Republican moms and dads living in suburban red districts, riding in SUVs with ‘Support the Troops’ bumper stickers on them, the Iraq War might as well be a cartoon. They’ve already seen this episode and have started changing the channel. Oh, I’m sure they “think about the war” as King George II does “every-single-day“, but to the Marine reservist whose extended tour cost him his civilian job while he was in Iraq, it’s useless.
The myth our populace has become comfortable with is those fighting their war can be ‘supported’ in the same way you would a child in the hospital having their tonsils out. Troops, training, equipment and planning win wars, but rather than enlisting, here in America the majority are going about it instead with ‘get well’ cards and bumper stickers. Always figuring it will just take care of itself, as we turn our gluttonous collective gaze on 4th of July fireworks extravaganzas that cost more than a year’s salary for most of the troops in Iraq today. While the troops can’t count on adequate vehicle or body armor, every community across the country gets their fireworks.
Why are we this far out of touch? One big reason is the unprecedented number of chickenhawks running the country right now. When I was a soldier, if the unit was in the field and you were in the rear, you put in seven day work weeks just like your brothers out in the woods. Your average American understands this concept, but quite typically that understanding isn’t followed up with disciplined, reverent action of any kind. Case in point, while our troops are redeploying on 12 and 18 month stretches in Iraq to account for recruiting shortfalls, King George II is racking up more vacation time than any President in our nation’s history. His pathetic, selfish example provides comfort to the very same voters who want the war, but don’t want to help ensure that we win it.
With an inexcusable lack of armor and recruits, diminished level of international support and an Iraqi Constitution being written that limits womens’ rights, you’d think the king would have more pressing matters to address than a buildup of brush along the fences of his ranch. But that’s what a chickenhawk does when the going gets tough. Robert Novak proved that much the other day on CNN. Anyone who’d seen a single episode of Crossfire before it was thankfully put out of its misery, knows full well that James Carville’s jive on this occasion was mild at best. Only after he ran away like the coward he is were we informed that questions regarding the Plame-leak investigation were going to be asked in the upcoming segment. he felt the heat and got the hell out of there.
Upon learning that the nation was under attack on 9/11, King George II wasn’t even that bold as he flat out froze for a full 7 minutes. Word of the attack was whispered in his ear and he went from ‘My Pet Goat’ to ‘My Sweet Ranch’. That’s who we have calling the shots here in America today, and the apathetic population is no better. With this in mind, is it any wonder why right-wingers go so out of their way to bash John McCain? Did it come as any surprise that Rush Limbaugh shamefully attempted to trash Marine Major Paul Hackett by saying he was “hiding behind his uniform” or that he only went to Iraq to “pad his resume”? Considering how Republicans have underfunded the VA budget, is there any more evidence needed for anyone to realize that in spite of all the rah-rah, these righties actually feel contempt for those who served?
Because what both Hackett and McCain represent is a chickenhawk’s worst nightmare. In the face of a real man, the psychology turns to notions of inferiority, and its then that they’re most vulnerable. Suddenly the false Tony Soprano image they have of themselves is threatened by someone who doesn’t have to pretend when they look in the mirror. This person must be destroyed or minimized in every way possible, and that is exactly what happens. A short list of men who threaten the right-wing facade include Wesley Clark, Max Cleland, John McCain, John Kerry and Paul Hackett. All trashed by men who never had the guts to enlist, let alone go to war. All living examples of how truly lost our society has become in accepting the poisoned rationale of these shameless frauds.
Now there’s a vast majority of Americans who never have to put on the uniform, yet have the nerve to take claim of a patriotic high ground over someone who did based on politics. How is this perversion of logic and justice rationalized? For the same reason Karl Rove first decided to smear Joe Wilson. An Army General (Clark) and Marine Major (Hackett) ran for office as Democrats, and that’s all you need to know. Truth is, General George S. Patton himself could run as a Democrat today and be branded a coward. That’s how apathetically self-righteous we’ve become. Thousands, if not millions of Republicans are driving with ‘Support the Troops’ bumper stickers on their cars, yet they can feel contempt on demand for whichever one of those troops happens to be a Democrat. Twisting like pretzels, they’ll find a loophole in the bumper sticker’s mantra, fed to them by politicatos who assure them that it’s not only acceptable to be such a hypocrite, but it proves they’re better Americans for it.
As this rationale erodes the mind, the arrogance of these people gets worse by the day. Suddenly a POW like McCain knows less about the usefulness of torture than Bill O’Reilly or countless conservative think tank suits who have never been involved with it before in their lives. Rush Limbaugh even has the nerve to profit financially off of a product line called ‘Club Gitmo’, which celebrates the mistreatment of detainees. The abuse scandal at Abu Gharib prison, strengthened the enemy in Iraq, and soldiers who took part are behind bars. This would lead one to think that the American government condemned the behavior, but if that were true, Armed Forces Radio wouldn’t be marketing ‘Club Gitmo’ gear to the insurgents, general Iraqi population or the soldiers five days a week. That’s right, the enemy doesn’t have to rely completely on Al-Jazeera and the mosques to misinform, enrage and recruit. They’ve got American right-wing radio, and one of our most notorious drug addicts in Limbaugh, trice divorced, providing a perfect example of what to hate about western society.
As the top rural Army prospects choose crystal-meth over military service, and suburbia grows weary of that ‘played out’ reality show called ‘Iraq’, the cowardice behind our fraudulent patriotism grows stronger. The first nation in the history of mankind to pass tax cuts during a time of war is none other than the United Chickenhawks of America. The rich get a better deal while veterans’ health care goes underfunded, troops go without the armor necessary to stay alive, and tours are growing longer by the month with no end in sight. An undercurrent of contempt for the military is becoming more and more transparent as are the reasons for it. America is a frightened country embarking on a task that requires a larger sacrifice than it’s willing to make.
King George II, a man much better suited to the role of Prince, has been in over his head since day one. Under his watch, our troops have been hailed as heroes when convenient and suckers always. Compounding mistakes with arrogance and apathetic negligence, the chickenhawks have had their day to lead this great nation. Our trust and faith continues to be fed through the chipper shredder, our pride becoming more ridiculous by the day. We cannot allow the deaths of our brothers and sisters to become nothing more to millions of us than a matter of ‘liberal bias’. This macho facade is a drug, nothing more. Whatever maintains the Tony Soprano image while looking in the mirror. Whatever gets the brush cleared.
Check out this link:
TPM CAFE
Scary stuff
From pandagon.net
Now that it looks like Iraq is going to go the way of Iran and Saudi Arabia and have the government run by misogynistic fundamentalists, I think it’s time to reconsider the roles of the religions known as Christianity and Islam in this entire fiasco. The hateful, scary, sexist fundamentalists of both religions are dead sure that the other religion is the opposite of theirs but I would argue that in fact fundamentalist Christianity and fundamentalist Islam differ only in the details. Both worship the same deity–male-dominated authoritarianism. The theological dressing is just a means to that end.
If you look at it from that angle–that fundamentalist Muslims and fundamentalist Christians are just two flavors of the same patriarchal religion–then one thing becomes quite obvious. The winners of the Iraqi War are not the Americans and not the Iraqis, but the fundamentalists. On both sides of the conflict, fundamentalists have been able to use this war as leverage to make progress towards their ideal society–a strict hierarchy where the men on top of society have absolute power over other men and men have absolute power over women.
From that viewpoint, the war ended up being a win-win situation for pious power-mongerers both both nations. If I were conspiratorially minded, I would almost think they planned it that way. But I’m not. Instead I’d suggest that the fundie power-mongerers in both nations simply and accurately concluded that there was no downside to escalating the hate on both sides.
The war makes more sense after reading this.
The most stunning part of that piece on Bangladesh was this link right here to the map:
Dig It
Will India become involved in this? They really should since it’s right next door. The Eastern religions are looking awfully good right now…this is why I became a Buddhist a long time ago! The inherent ‘good vs. evil’ thing stopped making sence to me as I grew older.
Right – they’re drafting a constitution that if not carefully crafted, will lead to civil war. If concessions are made around the oil revenues, with the Kurds and Sunni retaining a larger percentage in exchange for the Islamic authority the Shiite population wants, then we (the United States), have lost.
There are bargaining chips on the table in the form of oil profits that can be given in the negotiation to influence the document. So what happens is, people are bought off. Money changes hands and religion wins.
It’s religious extremists we’re ‘at war’ against right? Isn’t it religious belief that convinces the enemy to take their own life if it will kill a few Iraqis?
Right, you’ve argued many times here that Islam is the problem. Well, Islam is about to win out big in Iraq, yet you’re claiming the score is 98-3? How can you justify this position based on everything you’ve said in the past?
Now, if we defeated Germany, but the Nazis regained power…then it would make sense to compare that past conflict. If we defeated the Brittish, but loyalists outnumbered patriots in the year 1780…then it would make sense.
You’re changing the subject. France has nothing to do with this. Many people profited from the Oil for Food program, Americans as well.
I layed it out above. If Islam is the basis for they govern themselves, we wasted over 200 billion dollars and some 1850 American lives (not to mention the wounded, psychologically screwed) on this war. We flushed it all down the toilet.
I just read somewhere that the main goal of this war is to get control of Chinas’ oil supply. I don’t know if that is true, the biggest issue about this war is without a clear reason to be there, we cannot have a clear reason to leave.
Even though right and I disagree about what has been accomplished I think both of us agree that it is time to leave.
Heh – I don’t remember Right saying we needed to leave, but I’m with you on that score. Paul Hackett was on Bill Mahar’s show last Friday, and I agree with his point of view…I’ll try to find a transcription.
As for beating China to the oil…I see that as nations doing what they need to survive. I’m not as threatened by China buying up energy companies as I am them buying up our debt.
I just read somewhere that the main goal of this war is to get control of Chinas’ oil supply.
Yeah, I read that too, in the National Enquirer. The 300 lb. baby, Chupacabra and the Clinton hand shaking alien need the Chinese oil to power the shield that hides the “real” Area 51.
the biggest issue about this war is without a clear reason to be there, we cannot have a clear reason to leave.
Brain…hurt,…logic…circular
I think both of us agree that it is time to leave.
To quote Dana Carvey impersonating John McLaughlin “WRONG!!!!”
Now is the most critical time, to give the Iraqis enough time to build a democracy, develop a legal system and build a police force. America took decades to come together, why would we expect Iraq to be done in a year?
Right – if Islam were to be imbedded in the Constitution and 4 of the supreme court seats are reserved for clerics, will you call this step of the process a success? That’s where I hop off. Religion and government cannot be comingled…one will swallow the other. Being that the religion in question is Islam, Iraqi government doesn’t stand a chance.
You can’t create seperate classes of citizens based on religion. It will lead to widespread corruption, and the extreme will damage the entire system when a political struggle divides the population along the lines of religious faith.
Right – if Islam were to be imbedded in the Constitution and 4 of the supreme court seats are reserved for clerics, will you call this step of the process a success?
We’re not there to make litte-America but to give the Iraqis the opportunity to chose their own destiny. If their system of government is one as you describe above then they must have thought it though and they made the decision and are a free people.
What ever system of government they have they choose it for themselves and that is always a victory. Only if a Socialist or Communist government were instituted would there be trouble in the future.
Religion and government cannot be comingled…one will swallow the other.
In America, it is true religion and government doesn’t work. It’s not our place to tell other people how to govern themselves once they are free to do so.
Being that the religion in question is Islam, Iraqi government doesn’t stand a chance.
How do you qualify this statement?
DI: Right – if Islam were to be imbedded in the Constitution and 4 of the supreme court seats are reserved for clerics, will you call this step of the process a success?
OK, so when the Sha was thrown out of Iran, that country turned itself around? How are people in Saudi Arabia and Palistine doing with religion as the governing authority?
When a holy book is held up as the supposed ‘standard’ by which the government will enforce the law, it means there’s going to be trouble. It means there’s going to be some brutal uses of power someone will have to justify in the future, so why not tie in ignorant peoples’ religion for the sake of confusing right from wrong?
In Saudi Arabia they can behead foreigners for political reasons – Allah tells them it must be so.
This is a cop-out Right. Freedom is essential for democracy to work and not just become a veiled dictatorship. If speech or secular behavior is punnished based on a portion of that society subscribing to a specific religion, the supposed ‘benefit’ these people are bestowing upon the nation is false.
Because in any government there will be a decision made that will lead to social unrest. Politics dictate action, and good politics sometimes claim the lives of things and people who don’t deserve it for the sake of one’s power. I mentioned the Somalis who were beheaded in Saudi Arabia…perfect example. You put on a show to convince the masses that everything is under control, or create something to scare people to your side.
When religion…when anything mystical is used to exact this result, not only is it incredibly dishonest and prejudicial, but sadly it tends to work better than anything else.
A politician under pressure will leverage Islam to reach a personal goal, which will enrage the secular portion of Iraq and open a can of worms this entire thing was supposed to close.
Right – if Islam were to be imbedded in the Constitution and 4 of the supreme court seats are reserved for clerics, will you call this step of the process a success?
If this is the will of the people and not just a few dictator-in-training then it is a great success. If the resulting country then begins to prosper in peace and contribute to the world at large then that is a success. Creating a 51st State was never why we were there.
If this new Iraq then goes on to create stability and prosperity in the region and tackles terrorism head on so America doesn’t have to protect the world then that is a success. If the new Iraq can persuade countries like France, Germany and Russia to not go into countries to solely exploit a revaged population then that is a success. Get my drift?
OK, so when the Sha was thrown out of Iran, that country turned itself around?
Turned itslef around to what? Iran is like China, it’s a country with a captive population.
When a holy book is held up as the supposed ’standard’ by which the government will enforce the law, it means there’s going to be trouble. It means there’s going to be some brutal uses of power someone will have to justify in the future, so why not tie in ignorant peoples’ religion for the sake of confusing right from wrong?
That is an American point of view and goes to show why only 29% of people think the democratic party is not hostile to religion. The most populous muslin country is quite peaceful.
This is a cop-out Right. Freedom is essential for democracy to work and not just become a veiled dictatorship.
Not everyone appreciates the freedom we have and some cultures actually flurish under condidtions where some decisions are made for them. Again, and American point of view.
Iran has been a place where religious extremists are safe to stay and grow. I don’t see Chinese immigrants with guns flowing into Iraq. In China, their God is the same as it has been here in America…the currency, the stock market points…Iran and China are dangerous for completely different reasons, and while one can find success working in both…terrorism of recent years is tied in with Islam. The Ayatollah took over in Iran and our people were hostages in short time.
Your confidence in Islam in the middle east is baffling to me. I don’t understand it.
OK – let’s use this as an analogy…the abortion clinic bomber that was sentenced a few weeks back. He’s got evangelicals who view him as a hero, but it’s not a legit point of view in terms of what’s considered ‘mainstream’. A news station would be wrong to give voice to this point of view without a tone of condemnation.
When the religious point of view is given as much legitimacy in society as it will be in Iraq, you’ll have that point of view relayed in the media without the condemnation. It will be put forth as your run of the mill political opinion, but shouldn’t play a role.
The adaptation of American Democracy from the monarchy cluster in Europe had a crucial element in it that we forget now. The cardinal, priest, minister, etc…they had no say in how free men would govern themselves, and were relegated to symbolic ‘plugs’ only for specific reasons. Mostly the fact that when combined, religion and government, corruption and oppression follow.
Not so – secular Iraqis are threatened by this draft of the constitution. That article on the reality show was interesting in this way, as there are people over there just like people everywhere in the world who don’t give a damn about mysticism in any way and just want to live their lives, mind their own business and be happy.
Have you read anything on Islam’s effect in Basra? The police force has become a religious police force…the Brits are in charge of that area and when presented this problem by the people there, they claim it’s none of their business. That’s fine…ignore it now for political or logistical reasons, but I think that deep down we all know the inherent danger with this elevation of Islam in the key foundation documents.
Islam took down the towers. Faith is what did it. Are we to just ignore this fact for the sake of politics at this point?
Chris,
I have been on record as saying I don’t and never have supported the Iraq war. I disagree with it for different reasons than your claptrap bullshit Blame Bushco agenda but my thinking remains the same.
what I am not is a traitor, and while your opposition to the war is a noble discussion what it is not is a debate about what is constructive here on this day. Given what Iraq is, there is little doubt that America could turn Iraq into either a 911×2,356 if we wanted or we could turn it into Japan if we wanted. I think the fledgling Iraq is a great visualization of the divide we share amongst ourselves. We can’t even agree anymore n this country.
We can’t even let bullshit politics aside in order to allow Iraq to succeed. I am not going to project onto you Chris, but I have to ask you aquestion on a personal level. Are you so opposed to Bush and the Iraq War that you wish it to fail? Is the inevitable “I told you so” that important to you?
I know you will have some snide justification for your point, but think about it for a while.
What do you really want to be the outcome of this war?Aside from your “we knew it wasn’t true” politics, what do you want to happen in Iraq?
I want there to be a balance between the nuts and the dehydrated fruit. Shiite politics are dominated by folks who play the game much like I described above, using religion as a wedge to keep public opinion and power in their hands rather than leading based on the needs and concerns of the people.
When religion is used in politics, most of the time it’s for the sake of the politician and not the people that politician is paid to lead.
It’s fine for things to be this way as long as the rest of the country has the freedom to exist without the mystical beliefs of these people infringing on their ability to persue happiness. In other words…Pat Robertson can run his mouth, but when he’s given 4 out of 9 seats on the Supreme Court written into the Constitution – it’s a setup that’s bound for trouble down the line if not right away.
Islam is written into the Constitution in such a way that any law that’s passed cannot break what’s ‘interpreted by religious politicians’ as Islamic teachings. How far can this be stretched? When something the entire country needs is blocked by this stipulation, the role of religion in the lives of those who don’t subscribe to said religion is put there by force.
Manwhore – my anti-Bush stance…it’s a label placed on me my right-wingers and moderates who disagree with my positions, but rather than debate them as Right Thinker and Michael do, can only muster up a lable.
I’ve felt from the beginning that the happenings in Iraq were none of our business. If you want to categorize me as ‘something’…lump me in with Gore Vidal if you want, as when it comes to Iraq, Guatemala, El Salvador, Vietnam, Afghanistan…me and him see eye to eye.
Not only is it costing us too much money, but the role Islam played in the attacks on NYC should have geared our policy in a way that reduced the Koran’s influence in that region, not increaded it!
It’s neither your fault nor mine that the operation was so poorly thought out. On a very basic, VERY BASIC level, it’s easy to interpret this as a reward for those who did us wrong.
Islam is written into the Constitution in such a way that any law that’s passed cannot break what’s ‘interpreted by religious politicians’ as Islamic teachings. How far can this be stretched? When something the entire country needs is blocked by this stipulation, the role of religion in the lives of those who don’t subscribe to said religion is put there by force.
Wow, you just described a fattwah! It can be stretched to the point of saying that you can kill other people to get your agenda through.
If you understood Islamic society you would understand why Muslims piss and moan when we bomb muslims and cheer when they bomb themselves.
A simple matter of following the book they worship and getting an okay from a cleric somewhere.
And before you can say Saddam was secular, inevitably there would be some power to overthrow his regime. He was no freind to muslim leaders, and he personally paid off suicide bombers to destabilize the ME. Enter Iran as a rival and oil for greed.
BTW, the only reason I am against the war is the way it was sold to us. We have plenty of legitimate reasons to go after him. Clinton wanted him out too. I think Bush did a poor job of making it seem like it was going to be easy and cheeap with a pot of black gold at the end of the rainbow.
My grandfather was in Viet Nam and likens many aspects of Iraq to it. to win we need ground forces, and lots of them. We also need a public that is so pissed off they will let our troops go ape shit and crush our enemies like we did in ww2. That takes a lot of grown up talk we never really recieved to the extent we needed to be told. so now every time our guys sneeze out in the feild they are penalized, and we will never win until we are not fighting with one hand tied to our torso.
As for the Islamic stuff, it is not a religion but a way of life. It can be compatible with western society like some countries demonstrate. it is no more the boogey man you describe than saying “In God we Trust.”
Many of the aspects of our society piggy back religious tradition.
If they want an Islamic inspired goverment, that is fine. It just needs to not be the rule of law, and America will never allow a country we liberated to become an Islamic theocracy.
Mkay?
As eloquent as Chris Austin tries to phrase it, he obviously has NEVER served day 1 in uniform in defense of America or served and forgot. He neither has any idea what the soldier is thinking while behind a moving tank or in a Humvee with rifle ready to deploy rounds against an enemy who is not distinguishable from the surrounding population. He could at least thank the soldiers for giving him the freedom to express such one sided opinion. To those of you who can READ it, should stop and thank a teacher for teaching you how to read. If all of the people who protest the war in one way or another are so inclined on believing they can do it better instead of playing the blame game, let me see you put on a uniform and go to Iraq and put your life where your mouth is. Or better yet, let me see you on a national ballot running for office to change things. Oh well, I guess neither invitation suits so speak to the hand. Try saying what you’re saying in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Valenzuela, China, North Korea or one of those other countries. Each of you would be meat for their zoo lions in no time flat.
Chuy:
I am pretty sure that Chris has served in the milatary.
Their is a big difference between critisizing the mission and critisizing the people that are stuck fighting. Right now the milatary does not have enough resources to complete the mission, so the men and women in uniform are getting stuck in a no-win situation.
Nice to see new faces here
Welcome Chuy – I served four years in the Army, 2.5 in 2/2 Infantry Bn in Vilseck Germany. If you would read my military articles, I think you’ll see that I do have a good understanding of who’s getting squeezed in all of this.
I’ve been alive on this earth long enough to know that some are lucky, and some aren’t. The fact is, these young Americans who decided to volunteer around 2000-2001 have it 100 times worse than I did, and I spent a LOT of time out in the woods. I’m alive…mostly because I graduated high school in 1996 and not 1999. The pride your loved ones get to feel whenever they visit the gravesite fades over time, out of necessity. Because if they insist on trying to hang on to the memory, it’ll drag them into the grave as well.
None of us can trully empathise with the mother, father, sister or brother who buried one of their own and feel like they were lied to about why that had to happen. Nor can we come even close when it’s a kid with one arm, no legs and a long wait at the VA.
You sign up, you go to war, you die and that’s it. That’s the life you were given. Death is not in the immediate plans of the overwhelming majority of Americans eligible to enlist – and with patriotism, the flag and billions of dollars worth of fireworks going off in this country in a given year…if the people aren’t willing to step forward, and the President isn’t willing to reinstate the draft…those people who no longer have a choice are the ones who draw the shortest straw. There’s nothing fair about it. It’s a social injustice, and I’m not a coward for saying that.
The macho you droped on us up above…neither the country nor the President has the cahones to live up to any of it. Tax cuts, social security and every other thing these politicians have been waiting years to try domestically was worth more than ensuring the Iraq War was won.
That’s what’s happened. Lots of graves – but maybe they’ll be able to get rid of the Estate Tax and hook up Paris Hilton with some more money.