PRESIDENT JOHN MCCAIN--A DISASTER IN THE MAKING
By Schuyler ThorpeAuthor and Political ActivistAsk me
again as to
why some people want to repeat another disastrous mistake in the coming election–by voting in more of the same bellicose policies which have train wrecked our nation’s economy and worn out our military past the breaking point?
Despite recent attacks on the Green Zone and the increase in violence (plus the apparent unraveling of the cease-fire by the Mahdi army), McCain has clearly signaled that he won’t change course either–echoing Bush’s recent comments on how history will perceive his failed Iraq policy: "One day, people will look back at this moment in history and say, 'Thank God there were courageous people willing to serve, because they laid the foundations for peace for generations to come.' "
McCain
himself believes that the US troop surge is ‘succeeding’–despite the ratcheting violence and the fact that we have hit another grim milestone (or two): 4,000 dead American troops and almost 30,000 wounded.
Does he care? From his recent statements: “Sen. John McCain declared Monday that "we are succeeding" and said he wouldn't change course -even as the U.S. death toll rose to 4,000 and the war entered its sixth year.”
Apparently not.
Imagine for the moment that McCain is President for the next 8 years–having won the 2008 primary by a slim margin (2016):
Iraq has descended into complete chaos by 2012; 8,200 troops are now dead–with as many as 62,000 US troops wounded; with many more raw recruits having to come and fill the gaps left behind, through an unregulated draft put into place 2 years into McCain’s presidency.
On top of that, $1.5 trillion dollars have been spent on the conflict so far (not counting the money needed to take care of our wounded troops), Malaki’s government no longer exists in the form that the previous administration had installed–forcing the current administration to take steps to ensure that some semblance of democracy still
exists in that war-torn region.
Between 160,000 to 1.2 million Iraqis have died so far and as many as three million more displaced by the war. Iran’s influence in the region is simply overpowering, but there is little that McCain can do to affect any real change with that country; after it succeeded with its uranium-enrichment program the year before.
At this stage, McCain is consistently accusing Iran of wanting to destroy the world with its phantom nuclear arsenal–while Afghanistan has collapsed into complete anarchy. (NATO left in 2011-2012–having been unable to turn the tide against a now entrenched Al-Qaeda; with the country in complete control of the warlords which now operate without fear.)
Pakistan is now no longer our ally in the war against terror; having given up its pursuit of democracy. That in turn has left Al-Qaeda a new place to call home--even as its operations have started to expand on a
global scale; instead of just isolated to one or two countries. (As many analysts were quick to point out that the Iraq war conflict has deeply inflamed anti-American sentiment abroad and given groups like Al-Qaeda the money, resources, and manpower to carry out their deadly terrorists attacks against European and American interests; and a few recent attacks here in the states.)
Public opinion has so soured over the war (with a scant 15% still supporting the administration), that they see themselves unable to connect with their representatives over the war–let alone the government that’s
supposed to represent them.
However, things at home are much worse than they were when Bush took office. The economy is still mired in a deep recession brought on by the collapse of the housing market, the credit crunch, a near worthless dollar, and $170 oil. (Not to mention nearly $7 gas.)
High energy costs have left the majority of Americans dependent on their federal government to make ends meet–rather than the now scuttled wage earners which had helped prop up many of the former middle-class Americans in years past.
Chronic homelessness and rampant poverty now grips the nation, with no end in sight.
McCain’s tax cuts for the rich and the continued war has pushed the US deficit to nearly $14 trillion dollars–as federal revenue has fallen to its lowest level in recent memory; coupled with the strain of the insurgent population of baby boomers on Social Security and Medicare (whom retired in 2008), healthcare costs which have transcended levels not seen in a generation, and the
surge of illegal immigrants into our country has put a severe strain on our country’s medical and social services. (Thanks in part to McCain’s successful ‘amnesty’ bill; pardoning many immigrants from breaking federal law and not paying their share in back taxes–while working here illegally.)
But McCain is up for re-election and he’s once again claiming that despite the high costs of lives and money, the US is “winning the war in Iraq”. (The same ploy which Bush used in his last year in Iraq.)
And this time, the
majority of the country doesn’t support or share his views. Even a larger majority of Republicans whom blindly supported Bush’s push for war during the early 2000s, don’t rush to his defense of the conflict as they did before many years prior.
But will a change in the American public’s perceptions finally end what McCain said would be a “100 year occupation” of Iraq by 2012–almost 10 years after Bush invaded that country?
It all depends on how the people in there and
now vote.
The above scenario is little less of a fantasy and more on the
reality we all face if we let someone like John McCain in the White House–based on current trends and an equally dismal future for
all Americans.
Schuyler Thorpe is an author, a political activist, and a frequent letter writer to The Everett Herald of Snohomish County. He can be reached at: starchildalpha1 at yahoo.comLabels: elections, healthcare, Iraq, Iraq war, Iraqi civilians, McCain, milestones, national deficit, President Bush, recession, troop surge
GRANTING IMMUNITY JUST MAKES US LOOK WORSE
By Schuyler ThorpeAuthor and Political ActivistWe all saw this one coming.
I mean–after all–the US government is
always looking out for its movers and shakers–even if the majority of them are scum and corrupt to the core.
Why should it matter if it’s just some lawless mercs? Nothing’s wrong with that, right?
Condoleezza Rice says that the Blackwater gang is desperately needed to protect US diplomats and other high-target officials in a war zone.
The head of the security company claims that no one died under their tenure.
So why the
secret deal to grant these killers immunity–from killing Iraqi civilians out of spite?
Doesn’t the State Department realize that it’s damning itself by doing so and impeding a federal investigation into the criminal acts by these barbarous individuals who care little for human life–except for the almighty dollar?
And how will granting immunity portray the US’s old desire for truth and justice?
I seem to recall a time when our nation stood for that: Truth, Justice, and the American Way.
With the war on terror, I guess that no longer matters.
Everybody has their price these days. Schuyler Thorpe is an author, a political activist, and a frequent letter writer to The Everett Herald of Snohomish County. He can be reached at: starchildalpha1 at yahoo.com
Labels: blackwater, immunity, Iraqi civilians, justice, money, price, Rice, State Department, truth
MURDEROUS ACTS ARE BECOMING A BLACK EYE FOR U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
By Schuyler ThorpeAuthor and Political ActivistLast weekend, a notorious security firm called Blackwater alleged to have killed as many as 20 Iraqis–in what they claimed was a firefight with supposed insurgents; following a car bomb explosion.
As sensational as this seems, there has been some serious deception on Blackwater’s part–a trend which befits their infamous reputation as the military’s “Dirty Harry” apparat.
These people were hired by the U.S.
government to provide security for the diplomat entourages coming in and out of Iraq.
But their dirty little secret had remained in contention over the tactics upon which they used to carry out their jobs:
Firing at Iraqi civilians out of spite, having a complete disregard for the people and their culture, sharing an equal disdain for authority and the Iraqi people, and completely acting out of sheer recklessness.
And now it shows. They claimed to have been fired upon first, but a tape appropriated by the Iraqi government clearly shows Blackwater’s security henchmen firing
unprovoked on unarmed civilians trying to escape and flee their fire.
Does it come as no surprise that Bush recently sidestepped any questions regarding Blackwater and their latest acts of attrition towards the Iraqis?
Because he had a hand in approving the hiring of these mercenary thugs. That's why.
But this debacle doesn’t end there.
In 2004, the US-led coalition passed an amendment which gives
complete immunity to all security firms and US forces–in the event that they indeed killed Iraqi civilians in the same manner they conducted themselves in the Abu Ghraib escapade in 2004 and the Haditha massacre in 2005.
This clears them of any wrongdoing. The perfect “escape clause” from which they freely and openly admitted committed crimes against the Iraqi populace.
Why?
In light of a recent conviction of a 22-year-old Marine involved in the killing of an Iraq civilian in Hamdania in April of 2006, Robert Pennington expressed his squad’s frustration that they could not find a suspected insurgent.
In fact, the murderous act went far deeper than that:
Many combat troops felt that too many insurgents were escaping the justice that they claimed to deserve.
Hence the plot to kill the unarmed man and make it look like he was their man.
Their suspected insurgent.And Blackwater is no different.
The problem is that both the security firms and our military has now deemed the Iraqi people as being nothing more than a minor annoyance in their continued occupation of their country-
not human beings.
So it has become their mission in life to see that this
annoyance is dealt with swiftly and with murderous intent.
Regardless of the consequences for our nation’s future.
Schuyler Thorpe is an author, a political activist, and a frequent letter writer to The Everett Herald of Snohomish County. He can be reached at: starchildalpha1 at yahoo.comLabels: Abu Ghraib, blackwater, Haditha, Iraqi civilians, Iraqis, murdered, troops
SURVEY SHEDS SOME SAD FACTS ON IRAQ WAR CONDUCT
By Schuyler ThorpeAuthor and Political ActivistWhat did we go to Iraq for? To find Saddam’s WMDs? Nope.
To overthrow a once US-supported impotent dictator? Nope.
To give the Iraqis their freedoms and liberties? Nope.
To make Iraq a model of freedom and democracy in the Middle East? Nope.
So what
did we go to Iraq for?
Well, according to a latest survey of US troops, we went there to torture the very people we are trying to save,
and to mistreat civilians while we’re at it.
Shocking?
Yes.The study by an army mental health advisory team found continuing problems with morale and that acute mental health issues were more prevalent among troops with lengthening tours or on their second and third deployment to Iraq.
So what does this mean?
It means that our troops mental facilities are
breaking down with each extended tour. It would explain a lot about the Haditha incident last fall and Abu Ghraib in 2004.
This report says that the burden of extending tours and an endless war is wearing down our military–and as a result–our government is either
blind or inherently ill-equipped to deal with the situation.
But more than that, it shows that our troops are beginning to show a
hardened, indifferent attitude towards Iraqi civilians:
Exhibiting behavior which would almost suggest a teenage
mentality.Examples:
About 10 percent of soldiers surveyed reported mistreating non-combatants or damaging their property when it was not necessary.
Less than half of the soldiers and marines would report a team member for unethical behavior.
More than a third of all soldiers and marines reported that torture should be allowed to save the life of a fellow soldier or marine.
Why is this happening now?
In the words of Major General Gale Pollock–the army’s acting surgeon general:
"These men and women have been seeing their friends injured and I think that having that thought is normal."And while Pollock is saying that because of their military leadership is
preventing them from acting on these thoughts, it makes one wonder:
How long will it before the military brass is burned out from constant war–and this mental “instability” starts affecting them?
Just one more reason why this war should end and end
sooner rather than
later.
But I doubt that Bush sees this as a problem. I seriously doubt that he understands the mental
strain our men and women are under.
Because to him, war is a game. But war profiteering? That is a horse of an entirely different
color.
Schuyler Thorpe is an author, a political activist, and a frequent letter writer to The Everett Herald of Snohomish County. He can be reached at: starchildalpha1@yahoo.comLabels: Bush, condone, Iraqi civilians, mental strain, report, torture, US soldiers
