"America doesn't torture," repeatedly claimed President Bush and others in his Administration. Yet the overwhelming evidence in Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and elsewhere told us otherwise.
Now the Obama Administration has released documents that confirm what much of the world already knew, that torture was rampant in the Bush Administration.
The justification for torture is secret memos issued by the Justice Department in support of the Bush Administration claiming it was legal under Presidential war powers. Winning the "war on terror" can be done through any means the President deems necessary.
Yet we Americans condemned the brutal practices of the Soviet KGB and the Nazi Gestapo. It is acceptable however to the U.S. if it's done by the C.I.A.
What forms of torture were used? We don't yet know all that was done but "waterboarding," which is simulated drowning as one is flooded with water and gasps for air, throwing prisoners into walls, multi-day sleep deprivation, food deprivation, extreme heat and cold and allegedly beatings, electricity to sensitive body parts and other forms of sadism. Was anyone tortured to death? We don't know.
At the Nuremberg Trials following World War ll, the Nazis could have offered similar secret documents in their defense, although their defense was that they were just following orders.
But under the Principles established by those Trials, such memos excuse no-one, nor does following orders. The Americans who committed these crimes knew what they were doing, saw the intense suffering they caused and should be given the trial most of those they tortured were not given.
The Nuremberg Principles have been used in recent times to try such criminals as those from the Balkan war and the Rwanda genocide. But should America now be allowed to excuse itself?
Despite the overpowering evidence, President Obama says none of the American torturers will be put on trial. If so, what happens the next time Americans violate U.S. or international laws, conventions or treaties? Do they too get a pass?
And what happens if another nation or group subjects Americans to "enhanced interrogation techniques" as President Bush called it. Where is America's moral high ground? Is it to ask others to abide by international laws the U.S. would not honor if it captured any of them?
"As a general view," said President Obama about this issue, "I think we should be looking forward and not backwards." I agree with him but when one's dog poops all over the house, the filth and odor will be overwhelming unless one cleans it up.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The U.S. Is Going Broke!
The U.S. is going broke! There are no if, ands or buts about it, America is going bankrupt.
I wish Barack Obama every success in trying to resurrect the U.S. financial system but he has gotten in far too late and he is going to fail. If you'd like to watch the stunning speed in which our national debt is mounting by the second, please click on: http://zfacts.com/p/461.html
The corporate bailouts have been a colossal failure at a staggering cost to you and me, as the U.S. sinks so far into debt, it has no idea how it will pay it back.
And if this wasn't bad enough, it is accumulating a stupendous amount of "toxic assets" from these giant corporations, as it races to insolvency.
The bailout process has been a sham perpetrated to save some of the most mismanaged but powerful political contributors using the money of hard working Americans.
But the situation is far worse than that, as so called "Stimulus" programs have also been a disastrous waste of money. Yet more of these programs are coming, and as Mr. Obama said, the U.S. will have "trillion dollar deficits for years to come."
So what is the answer? The U.S. must face the consequences of its horrendous actions. Wars, massive military spending, gigantic record breaking deficits, long importing goods it couldn't afford and shifting most of its manufacturing elsewhere.
Add to that unparalled corporate greed masked by false accounting, still not fully disclosed and lax, if any regulation. Now add rapidly growing defaults that started with real estate and are quickly spreading to car loans, credit cards and other debt and you have a towering tidal wave heading for us.
The U.S.'s creditors see this too and are beginning to wonder how the U.S. will pay them back. If such creditors as China and Japan close their check books, the U.S. government won't be able to pay its bills. That's how bad this mess really is.
The U.S. government can't borrow enough money right now to pay its bills, let alone for new "Stimulus" programs and so starting last September, it began running the printing presses to simply create more cash. This action in itself is a disaster waiting to happen.
Historically, the value of currencies have been tied to something other than the whims of governments. Usually, gold has been the underlying value. But since 1971, the U.S. has been off the gold standard.
This means the dollar has only the value you and I and others think it does. If we lose our confidence in it, it collapses into run away inflation. This is the track America is on.
So what can you do? If you want to protect your financial security and you can afford to invest, invest in useful tangible assets. As a 32-year real estate investor, I prefer residential real estate for even in the worst of times, everyone has to live somewhere and most people will pay their rent. As the dollar loses its value, the asset's value will rise.
To invest, select an area within an hour's drive of your home and get to know the area, its residents, its job base, its businesses, its shopping, its medical services, its schools, its police, etc. Do not buy in a second home community, because in bad times many of those properties are foreclosed.
Then, unless you are an experienced investor, start small. Buy a house or a duplex or a triplex. Finance its purchase with a down payment and a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. As time passes, you'll be paying back that mortgage with ever cheaper, inflated dollars using part of the money your tenants pay you.
Wait patiently for now as real estate values continue to fall but later this year and likely into next year, you'll have many attractive investment opportunities.
Other smart investments include businesses that will stay strong as the dollar declines. Well managed medical care and security businesses are two examples but don't invest if you're not knowledgeable and not going to be involved.
And here's an investment I strongly urge you to consider. Buy at least a small amount of gold. Buy it by the ounce or by a fraction of an ounce. Don't buy a "collector's set" or other TV promotions. As a safety net buy gold, such as U.S. Gold Eagle coins, as a commodity that will retain value as the dollar declines.
The current gold price is about $800 an ounce, and its price will fluctuate. But if the U.S. doesn't get off the track it is on now, over time it will soar in value when measured in U.S. dollars.
I'm no "gold bug" or "the sky is falling" type person. But this is a measure of the times we are confronted with and I'm encouraging you to diversify your holdings to include gold, even if it is in a tiny quantity.
If you are not an American, or you live outside the U.S. the value of your currency is likely to be affected by the U.S.'s irresponsible actions and so please consider what I've recommended for Americans.
Fortunately for all of us, life is about far more than money. I also encourage you to pray and/or to seek serenity through the pleasure of your family, meditation, exercise, smelling the roses or in reading good books or in so many other relaxing ways. And please help others.
Together we will get through this global economic collapse and times will become much better. We will hopefully also learn some valuable lessons from America's grossly irresponsible actions and even tragic conduct in Iraq and Afghanistan and become much wiser, more compassionate people.
Dick
I wish Barack Obama every success in trying to resurrect the U.S. financial system but he has gotten in far too late and he is going to fail. If you'd like to watch the stunning speed in which our national debt is mounting by the second, please click on: http://zfacts.com/p/461.html
The corporate bailouts have been a colossal failure at a staggering cost to you and me, as the U.S. sinks so far into debt, it has no idea how it will pay it back.
And if this wasn't bad enough, it is accumulating a stupendous amount of "toxic assets" from these giant corporations, as it races to insolvency.
The bailout process has been a sham perpetrated to save some of the most mismanaged but powerful political contributors using the money of hard working Americans.
But the situation is far worse than that, as so called "Stimulus" programs have also been a disastrous waste of money. Yet more of these programs are coming, and as Mr. Obama said, the U.S. will have "trillion dollar deficits for years to come."
So what is the answer? The U.S. must face the consequences of its horrendous actions. Wars, massive military spending, gigantic record breaking deficits, long importing goods it couldn't afford and shifting most of its manufacturing elsewhere.
Add to that unparalled corporate greed masked by false accounting, still not fully disclosed and lax, if any regulation. Now add rapidly growing defaults that started with real estate and are quickly spreading to car loans, credit cards and other debt and you have a towering tidal wave heading for us.
The U.S.'s creditors see this too and are beginning to wonder how the U.S. will pay them back. If such creditors as China and Japan close their check books, the U.S. government won't be able to pay its bills. That's how bad this mess really is.
The U.S. government can't borrow enough money right now to pay its bills, let alone for new "Stimulus" programs and so starting last September, it began running the printing presses to simply create more cash. This action in itself is a disaster waiting to happen.
Historically, the value of currencies have been tied to something other than the whims of governments. Usually, gold has been the underlying value. But since 1971, the U.S. has been off the gold standard.
This means the dollar has only the value you and I and others think it does. If we lose our confidence in it, it collapses into run away inflation. This is the track America is on.
So what can you do? If you want to protect your financial security and you can afford to invest, invest in useful tangible assets. As a 32-year real estate investor, I prefer residential real estate for even in the worst of times, everyone has to live somewhere and most people will pay their rent. As the dollar loses its value, the asset's value will rise.
To invest, select an area within an hour's drive of your home and get to know the area, its residents, its job base, its businesses, its shopping, its medical services, its schools, its police, etc. Do not buy in a second home community, because in bad times many of those properties are foreclosed.
Then, unless you are an experienced investor, start small. Buy a house or a duplex or a triplex. Finance its purchase with a down payment and a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. As time passes, you'll be paying back that mortgage with ever cheaper, inflated dollars using part of the money your tenants pay you.
Wait patiently for now as real estate values continue to fall but later this year and likely into next year, you'll have many attractive investment opportunities.
Other smart investments include businesses that will stay strong as the dollar declines. Well managed medical care and security businesses are two examples but don't invest if you're not knowledgeable and not going to be involved.
And here's an investment I strongly urge you to consider. Buy at least a small amount of gold. Buy it by the ounce or by a fraction of an ounce. Don't buy a "collector's set" or other TV promotions. As a safety net buy gold, such as U.S. Gold Eagle coins, as a commodity that will retain value as the dollar declines.
The current gold price is about $800 an ounce, and its price will fluctuate. But if the U.S. doesn't get off the track it is on now, over time it will soar in value when measured in U.S. dollars.
I'm no "gold bug" or "the sky is falling" type person. But this is a measure of the times we are confronted with and I'm encouraging you to diversify your holdings to include gold, even if it is in a tiny quantity.
If you are not an American, or you live outside the U.S. the value of your currency is likely to be affected by the U.S.'s irresponsible actions and so please consider what I've recommended for Americans.
Fortunately for all of us, life is about far more than money. I also encourage you to pray and/or to seek serenity through the pleasure of your family, meditation, exercise, smelling the roses or in reading good books or in so many other relaxing ways. And please help others.
Together we will get through this global economic collapse and times will become much better. We will hopefully also learn some valuable lessons from America's grossly irresponsible actions and even tragic conduct in Iraq and Afghanistan and become much wiser, more compassionate people.
Dick
7 Ways You Can Afford To Protect Your Health
In this rapidly sinking economy here are 7 ways you can afford to protect your health, even if you are uninsured:
1) COBRA. In the U.S. if you lose your job and it included health insurance, by law you have the right to continue your health coverage for a specific period of time. And it can include pre-existing medical conditions. The cost may be at your expense but the price for coverage you receive will be far better than what you can negotiate on your own. http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html
2) PICK A HIGH DEDUCTIBILITY. Make it $5,000 or even $10,000 deductible. It won't cover small medical bills but it will protect you from financial disaster should you become severely injured or deathly sick.
3) PAY FOR PRIMARY CARE. This includes doctor visits and medical checkups. It will catch medical problems before they get out of control. And many doctors will negotiate a much lower fee if you pay cash because you save them paperwork, time delay to get paid and the discount insurers will negotiate with them.
4) NEGOTIATE WITH THE HOSPITAL. If you have a hospital stay, review their bills in detail for hospitals routinely make billing errors. Then negotiate with them. They negotiate with insurance companies and the government and they can negotiate with you, and even set-up an affordable payment plan with you. Their objective is get paid, not bankrupt you.
5) PARTICIPATE IN A PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM. Wal-Mart and many other drug chains now have plans where you can pay just $4 a month for a wide variety of generic drugs. It includes a lot of commonly used medications which means you can afford to stay on many of your medications. Some of your best pricing may come from Mom & Pop local drug stores, anxious to compete with the big chains. http://www.walmart.com/pharmacy
6) MAINTAIN YOUR HEALTH. Diet and exercise are crucial. So is wearing your seat belt when driving or riding in a vehicle. Wear a helmet when you ride a bike. And please don't smoke. Many diseases or crippling injuries you can prevent by living a healthy lifestyle and by taking proper precautions.
7) MAKE YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY. Medical expenses are the second biggest cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. second only to job loss. Allow the time and make the effort to take good care of yourself and you'll live a far healthier and happier life.
Dick
Writer's Note: Thank you to Anne's and my youngest son Dr. Clayton Kazan, an emergency room doctor, who helped to prepare this article.
1) COBRA. In the U.S. if you lose your job and it included health insurance, by law you have the right to continue your health coverage for a specific period of time. And it can include pre-existing medical conditions. The cost may be at your expense but the price for coverage you receive will be far better than what you can negotiate on your own. http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html
2) PICK A HIGH DEDUCTIBILITY. Make it $5,000 or even $10,000 deductible. It won't cover small medical bills but it will protect you from financial disaster should you become severely injured or deathly sick.
3) PAY FOR PRIMARY CARE. This includes doctor visits and medical checkups. It will catch medical problems before they get out of control. And many doctors will negotiate a much lower fee if you pay cash because you save them paperwork, time delay to get paid and the discount insurers will negotiate with them.
4) NEGOTIATE WITH THE HOSPITAL. If you have a hospital stay, review their bills in detail for hospitals routinely make billing errors. Then negotiate with them. They negotiate with insurance companies and the government and they can negotiate with you, and even set-up an affordable payment plan with you. Their objective is get paid, not bankrupt you.
5) PARTICIPATE IN A PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM. Wal-Mart and many other drug chains now have plans where you can pay just $4 a month for a wide variety of generic drugs. It includes a lot of commonly used medications which means you can afford to stay on many of your medications. Some of your best pricing may come from Mom & Pop local drug stores, anxious to compete with the big chains. http://www.walmart.com/pharmacy
6) MAINTAIN YOUR HEALTH. Diet and exercise are crucial. So is wearing your seat belt when driving or riding in a vehicle. Wear a helmet when you ride a bike. And please don't smoke. Many diseases or crippling injuries you can prevent by living a healthy lifestyle and by taking proper precautions.
7) MAKE YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY. Medical expenses are the second biggest cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. second only to job loss. Allow the time and make the effort to take good care of yourself and you'll live a far healthier and happier life.
Dick
Writer's Note: Thank you to Anne's and my youngest son Dr. Clayton Kazan, an emergency room doctor, who helped to prepare this article.
How To Protect Yourself As The Economy Sinks
WARNING: What I'm about to tell you is very strong. It is the opposite of what most experts say will happen. Why should you believe me? In 2007, I published "How To Protect Yourself From The Coming Financial Crisis" on http://www.saneramblings.com far before most experts knew there was a problem.
Since then I've published updates that were also right, while the experts have been wrong as is obvious from the deepening financial disaster that confronts us all. I have nothing to sell you, no ax to grind:
Our ship hit an iceberg and is taking on water fast. The captain and crew are bailing out the water but they're rapidly losing the battle as the water rushes in and the ship will soon sink.
But the captain shouts, there are "glimmers of hope" and many passengers sigh in relief and return to their normal activities. But those who are more prudent quietly make their way to the life boats taking with them others who will follow.
How do you know this disaster is happening? When our financial ship hit the iceberg aside from the jolt, you may not have felt much more. But you will soon. Interest rates have been manipulated by the Fed to record lows. However, those interest rates will rise and then will skyrocket.
Here is why it will happen, how it will affect you and what you can do to protect yourself:
Why will this happen? The already staggering size U.S. debt is rising faster than a mushroom cloud over an atomic bomb explosion and is every bit as toxic.
As a result the Chinese and other major investors are fearful the U.S. will default on its debts or inflate its currency. Fed Chief Ben Bernanke calmed the global financial markets recently by assuring everyone the Fed would join with them and buy up to $300 billion in U.S. debt.
However, confidence soon fell through the floor as investors realized the Fed is creating the money out of thin air to buy that debt. Compounding their fears, the U.S. deficits are mounting faster than ever.
The current estimate of U.S. debt to be funded this year is $2.5 trillion but don't memorize that number because it will soon be higher. By comparison the Fed buying $300 billion of it is a drop in the bucket.
How will this affect you? Inflation. When the cost of money goes up so does the price of what you buy. At first the government will deny it but you'll know better as you pay higher prices at the grocery store, the gas station, and in your home for electricity and gas. The banks you bailed out will charge you more interest and fees and your taxes will jump as federal, state and local governments become strapped for cash.
What should you do? If you have long term financings planned, do them soon while interest rates are at record lows, and do them with fixed rate financing only. You will not see interest rates this low again for many years and you will be glad tomorrow that you locked in those low rates today.
Second, keep your job. Either become an expert in a field the public needs such as healthcare or become a jack of all trades by learning to perform many different functions.
Third, if you can afford it please invest in income producing assets. For example, buy residential real estate in major job centers, preferably in low crime, good school communities. Everyone needs to live somewhere and most people will make it a high priority to pay you. That money will be in ever inflating dollars as they pay off your property and give you income.
Forth, some sophisticated investors are already buying gold as a hedge against the dollar collapsing. You too may want to buy U.S. Gold Eagles or other one ounce or smaller gold coins.
Fifth, life is precious so enjoy each day you have. It costs nothing to give a hug or to smell a rose.
Because of the rampant greed and a broken system that rewards it with bailouts and stimulus plans, and a powerful dependence on military spending, the U.S. will pay whatever it has to get money. Please take some or all of these steps to protect yourself.
Eventually we will rise from the ashes, hopefully a better and more compassionate society, wiser from the experience. The good news is we are all in this together and together we can help one another, as we persevere and triumph together.
Dick
Since then I've published updates that were also right, while the experts have been wrong as is obvious from the deepening financial disaster that confronts us all. I have nothing to sell you, no ax to grind:
Our ship hit an iceberg and is taking on water fast. The captain and crew are bailing out the water but they're rapidly losing the battle as the water rushes in and the ship will soon sink.
But the captain shouts, there are "glimmers of hope" and many passengers sigh in relief and return to their normal activities. But those who are more prudent quietly make their way to the life boats taking with them others who will follow.
How do you know this disaster is happening? When our financial ship hit the iceberg aside from the jolt, you may not have felt much more. But you will soon. Interest rates have been manipulated by the Fed to record lows. However, those interest rates will rise and then will skyrocket.
Here is why it will happen, how it will affect you and what you can do to protect yourself:
Why will this happen? The already staggering size U.S. debt is rising faster than a mushroom cloud over an atomic bomb explosion and is every bit as toxic.
As a result the Chinese and other major investors are fearful the U.S. will default on its debts or inflate its currency. Fed Chief Ben Bernanke calmed the global financial markets recently by assuring everyone the Fed would join with them and buy up to $300 billion in U.S. debt.
However, confidence soon fell through the floor as investors realized the Fed is creating the money out of thin air to buy that debt. Compounding their fears, the U.S. deficits are mounting faster than ever.
The current estimate of U.S. debt to be funded this year is $2.5 trillion but don't memorize that number because it will soon be higher. By comparison the Fed buying $300 billion of it is a drop in the bucket.
How will this affect you? Inflation. When the cost of money goes up so does the price of what you buy. At first the government will deny it but you'll know better as you pay higher prices at the grocery store, the gas station, and in your home for electricity and gas. The banks you bailed out will charge you more interest and fees and your taxes will jump as federal, state and local governments become strapped for cash.
What should you do? If you have long term financings planned, do them soon while interest rates are at record lows, and do them with fixed rate financing only. You will not see interest rates this low again for many years and you will be glad tomorrow that you locked in those low rates today.
Second, keep your job. Either become an expert in a field the public needs such as healthcare or become a jack of all trades by learning to perform many different functions.
Third, if you can afford it please invest in income producing assets. For example, buy residential real estate in major job centers, preferably in low crime, good school communities. Everyone needs to live somewhere and most people will make it a high priority to pay you. That money will be in ever inflating dollars as they pay off your property and give you income.
Forth, some sophisticated investors are already buying gold as a hedge against the dollar collapsing. You too may want to buy U.S. Gold Eagles or other one ounce or smaller gold coins.
Fifth, life is precious so enjoy each day you have. It costs nothing to give a hug or to smell a rose.
Because of the rampant greed and a broken system that rewards it with bailouts and stimulus plans, and a powerful dependence on military spending, the U.S. will pay whatever it has to get money. Please take some or all of these steps to protect yourself.
Eventually we will rise from the ashes, hopefully a better and more compassionate society, wiser from the experience. The good news is we are all in this together and together we can help one another, as we persevere and triumph together.
Dick
The Afghan War Could Destroy The U.S.
Ear shattering explosions rocked the area and trembled the ground, lighting the night in bright orange flames as black billowing smoke rose high into the sky. The caustic stench of burning gasoline and heavy chemicals permeated the air as firefighters battled to put out the flames.
"Allahu Akbar," (God is Great), yelled out the men who caused this horrific scene. "Down with America."
Sunday night in Pakistan, an estimated 300 gunmen using rocket-propelled grenades brazenly destroyed more than 160 military vehicles at the Port World Logistic Terminal compound near Peshawar and at the Faisal depot close by.
These are the major facilities and the primary route used to supply U.S. and allied troops fighting the Taliban. It is not the first such attack but it is by far the biggest yet and the most successful one.
These gunmen demonstrated America's vulnerability. If the U.S. is to continue its war, it must secure these facilities and the long highway route to Afghanistan, which will require vastly more soldiers and weapons.
"Militarily insignificant," is how U.S. spokeswoman Lt. Col. Rumi Nielsen-Green termed it. "So far there hasn't been a significant loss or impact to our mission," she said.
Privately, the U.S. military was very likely stunned by the magnitude of the attack and is scrambling to protect those facilities and that highway from further aggression.
The U.S. military does not have the support of the Afghanistan government, which wants this seven-year-old war to end, nor does it have the support of the Pakistan government. Yet it continues its attacks, ignoring these nation's sovereignty and often killing innocent civilians as part of its "war on terror," an empty abstraction, and the basis for endless war.
Before this becomes another Iraq war, or one similar to the 1980's Soviet Union military disaster* in Afghanistan, the U.S. should work with the Afghan government and their neighbors to find a peaceful solution to the region's troubles. And withdraw the American military before any more blood is spilled.
The U.S. is financially and morally bankrupt from Iraq and should not further compound its problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. If you are an American citizen, please raise your voice in opposition to this war before it becomes another sorry chapter in U.S. and world history.
Dick
*The Soviets ultimately committed 620,000 soldiers to that war and over 14,000 of them were killed and more than 53,000 were injured. The costs of that war skyrocketed and played a key role in bankrupting and destroying the Soviet Union. The Afghan civil war that followed put Afghanistan under the control of the Mujahideen, a faction of which later became the Taliban, and Osama bin Laden.
For further details of the latest attack, please see the BBC report, "MIlitants torch Afghan supplies." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7769758.stm
"Allahu Akbar," (God is Great), yelled out the men who caused this horrific scene. "Down with America."
Sunday night in Pakistan, an estimated 300 gunmen using rocket-propelled grenades brazenly destroyed more than 160 military vehicles at the Port World Logistic Terminal compound near Peshawar and at the Faisal depot close by.
These are the major facilities and the primary route used to supply U.S. and allied troops fighting the Taliban. It is not the first such attack but it is by far the biggest yet and the most successful one.
These gunmen demonstrated America's vulnerability. If the U.S. is to continue its war, it must secure these facilities and the long highway route to Afghanistan, which will require vastly more soldiers and weapons.
"Militarily insignificant," is how U.S. spokeswoman Lt. Col. Rumi Nielsen-Green termed it. "So far there hasn't been a significant loss or impact to our mission," she said.
Privately, the U.S. military was very likely stunned by the magnitude of the attack and is scrambling to protect those facilities and that highway from further aggression.
The U.S. military does not have the support of the Afghanistan government, which wants this seven-year-old war to end, nor does it have the support of the Pakistan government. Yet it continues its attacks, ignoring these nation's sovereignty and often killing innocent civilians as part of its "war on terror," an empty abstraction, and the basis for endless war.
Before this becomes another Iraq war, or one similar to the 1980's Soviet Union military disaster* in Afghanistan, the U.S. should work with the Afghan government and their neighbors to find a peaceful solution to the region's troubles. And withdraw the American military before any more blood is spilled.
The U.S. is financially and morally bankrupt from Iraq and should not further compound its problems in Afghanistan and Pakistan. If you are an American citizen, please raise your voice in opposition to this war before it becomes another sorry chapter in U.S. and world history.
Dick
*The Soviets ultimately committed 620,000 soldiers to that war and over 14,000 of them were killed and more than 53,000 were injured. The costs of that war skyrocketed and played a key role in bankrupting and destroying the Soviet Union. The Afghan civil war that followed put Afghanistan under the control of the Mujahideen, a faction of which later became the Taliban, and Osama bin Laden.
For further details of the latest attack, please see the BBC report, "MIlitants torch Afghan supplies." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7769758.stm
Will A New Terrorist Attack Come To America?
"Soon we will launch an attack on Washington," proclaimed Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, "that will amaze everyone in the world."
In revenge for the U.S. drone missile strikes in Pakistan that have killed or injured large numbers of people, Mr. Mehsud's organization attacked the police academy in Lahore, Pakistan killing 12 people and vowing more attacks on those who support the U.S.
It's not only Mr. Mehsud making such threats but numerous organizations are vowing to retaliate against the U.S for killing or injuring or orphaning vast numbers of people. For those with money, black market weapons are plentiful including nuclear, chemical and biological.
U.S. officials claim terrorists aren't capable of launching another attack in America. But in 1995, Timothy McVeigh blew-up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City killing 168 people, the deadliest attack in U.S. history until 9/11. And he built his bomb from components available in hardware stores.
How did the U.S. get into such a dangerous position? Reeling from 9/11, the U.S. destroyed Iraq, a nation it still occupies, reeked Hell on Afghanistan, spread that Hell to Pakistan and threatened Iran. This is how America reacted to a small group of terrorists who caused 9/11.
America could have instead appealed to Middle Eastern nations to help bring the perpetrators to justice, but didn't. America could have offered to build schools, hospitals, feed the poor and conduct other humanitarian actions which would have created a close relationship with the people, but didn't. And still does not.
To America, it's about military might. Beating people into submission and killing those who oppose it, calling them "terrorists," "militants," "insurgents," "extremists" and other dehumanizing terms. And thanks to the endless U.S. brutality, American enemies are growing in number and in strength.
More weapons won't protect America for the U.S. already had far more arms and soldiers than anyone else long before 9/11. But a peaceful spirit can. Treat humanity not as enemies but as brethren. Or we can leave it to chance as we do now and I will join with you in hoping this prediction of an attack never comes true.
Please raise your voice and speak for those who have none, the victims of our nation. You really can make a difference if only you will apply yourself and speak from your heart as you send a message we can all hear.
Dick
In revenge for the U.S. drone missile strikes in Pakistan that have killed or injured large numbers of people, Mr. Mehsud's organization attacked the police academy in Lahore, Pakistan killing 12 people and vowing more attacks on those who support the U.S.
It's not only Mr. Mehsud making such threats but numerous organizations are vowing to retaliate against the U.S for killing or injuring or orphaning vast numbers of people. For those with money, black market weapons are plentiful including nuclear, chemical and biological.
U.S. officials claim terrorists aren't capable of launching another attack in America. But in 1995, Timothy McVeigh blew-up the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City killing 168 people, the deadliest attack in U.S. history until 9/11. And he built his bomb from components available in hardware stores.
How did the U.S. get into such a dangerous position? Reeling from 9/11, the U.S. destroyed Iraq, a nation it still occupies, reeked Hell on Afghanistan, spread that Hell to Pakistan and threatened Iran. This is how America reacted to a small group of terrorists who caused 9/11.
America could have instead appealed to Middle Eastern nations to help bring the perpetrators to justice, but didn't. America could have offered to build schools, hospitals, feed the poor and conduct other humanitarian actions which would have created a close relationship with the people, but didn't. And still does not.
To America, it's about military might. Beating people into submission and killing those who oppose it, calling them "terrorists," "militants," "insurgents," "extremists" and other dehumanizing terms. And thanks to the endless U.S. brutality, American enemies are growing in number and in strength.
More weapons won't protect America for the U.S. already had far more arms and soldiers than anyone else long before 9/11. But a peaceful spirit can. Treat humanity not as enemies but as brethren. Or we can leave it to chance as we do now and I will join with you in hoping this prediction of an attack never comes true.
Please raise your voice and speak for those who have none, the victims of our nation. You really can make a difference if only you will apply yourself and speak from your heart as you send a message we can all hear.
Dick
Your Money Is In Peril
Brace yourself for the following: Cash strapped governments trying to tax you 75% of your earnings, gas costing $20 a gallon and bread $20 a loaf. Prices rising daily and the value of your life savings deflating like a balloon with a hole in it. In this chaos 1 out of every 5 working people will be unemployed.
This is hyper inflation and it imperils your money and threatens the financial well-being of us all. Because of the government's actions, inflation and then hyper inflation will soon seize us. I tell you these things not to scare you or make money from you but to alert you because I want you to protect yourself. Here is what is taking place and what you can do about it:
Desperate to save the collapsing economy, the U.S. government is rushing a trillion dollars more into bailouts and debt manipulation. But their rescue is doomed to fail for one cannot solve massive problems caused by reckless spending and out of control borrowing by doing more of it on a grander scale. Nor can a people use credit to shop their way out of problems buying large quantities of other peoples' goods they can't afford.
Worse yet, the U.S. deficit is soaring. This year's deficit alone is now estimated at $1.8 trillion, the biggest in our history and far beyond what the Obama Adminstration had projected just days ago. This doesn't even count our multi-trillion dollar exposure on all the "toxic assets" the government has taken on, in which ironically, it proposes selling part of those assets for pennies on the dollar to some of the same people who caused the problems in the first place and finance it for them.
Meanwhile, our tax base is shrinking rapidly as people are thrown out of work, many large and small business' are failing and real estate taxes are falling. Taxpayers can't afford to pay for these sky-high deficits nor can the government borrow enough to cover them. So the government has begun printing dollars out of thin air to pay for it all.
How can they do this? In 1971, President Nixon took the U.S. off the gold standard because too many of our creditors wanted to be paid in gold instead of dollars. Without gold underlying the dollar's value and limiting its availablity, politicians were free to print money as they chose. Now they're doing it. Flooding the market with dollars will destroy confidence in our currency and trigger hyper inflation as far too much paper chases too few goods.
Some of our major creditors such as China are already worried. They don't want to be paid back in hyper inflated dollars and will likely slash future lendings to us, which means we'll run the presses that much more and inflation will grow worse as the situation spirals out of control. If you want to get a sense for what will happen next, Google Argentina.
Can this catastrophe be prevented? Yes! But it requires enormous sacrifice. President Obama spoke of sacrifice but he hasn't actually asked Americans to sacrifice anything. Instead we have endless bailouts and stimulus plans meant to avoid the consequences of our actions, not solve them.
This is what we must do to save our economy and prevent the collapse of our money:
1) END All U.S. WARS IMMEDIATELY! You don't keep spending money you don't have. It's common sense. Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and drug wars in Columbia, Mexico and Brazil, are fast draining our Treasury and draining our nation of its humanity. We must also close most of our nearly 1,000 military bases around the world, starting with gigantic money wasters such as the one separating North and South Korea. It has 37,000 U.S. troops plus an enormous support expense, which we've paid since 1953. We were rich then, we're broke now and both Koreas want the U.S military out.
We must also slash our war machine. For example, we've built nearly 200 F-22 fighter jets, none of which we need, at a cost of $143 million each. And with Congress's support, the military wants to build more and also wants to build a new generation of jet fighters. Why? Because they employ thousands of people. China and other nations won't keep loaning the U.S. the money to build these worthless jets and we can't afford them.
2) CREATE THE LARGEST RETRAINING OF AMERICANS IN U.S. HISTORY. The military industrial complex long ago took over our economy. As contractors and sub-contractors they provide millions of jobs, most paid for by taxpayers or by borrowings. These jobs come at a staggering cost and have led us to endless wars. We must reset our priorities and retrain ourselves for our finances leave us no other choice.
To avoid compounding our unemployment we must conduct this employee paid training on a scale bigger than America's ramp up to fight World War ll. But because we're broke it will require the cooperation of our creditors, who will work with us if they see we're taking sensible actions with their money, such as retraining our people to build products that benefit the world like clean and sustainable energy and health care breakthroughs instead of wars, weapons and bailouts.
IN SUMMARY, America is on the road to collapse. Radical changes are coming no matter what, so let's choose a wise course instead of continuing to be victimized by our nation's greed and by its military. If President Obama can find the courage to confront the military, with his charisma, he like Franklin Delano Roosevelt before him, could successfully lead this transition.
My proposal is vastly different than financial experts say is the answer, so why listen to me? Because in 2007 I published "How To Protect Yourself From The Coming Financial Crisis" on http://www.saneramblings.com, long before many financial experts saw ANY financial problems. Since then I've kept publishing articles to explain what is happening and what will happen next, each of which have been right. Meanwhile most financial experts keep supporting bailouts and stimulus plans despite the failure of them all.
But what I'm proposing is just pie in the sky if you don't get involved, for those in power will continue to make terrible decisions. If the U.S. doesn't change course, our economy will collapse in an explosion so powerful it will shake the world. We must rise to the occasion, and we must also help those in need for what ever happens they will be huge in number. Please believe in yourself and know you really can make a difference in rescuing America from financial and moral collapse. And then together we can lead this nation to become the greatest it has ever been, on behalf of our families and for families everywhere.
Dick
This is hyper inflation and it imperils your money and threatens the financial well-being of us all. Because of the government's actions, inflation and then hyper inflation will soon seize us. I tell you these things not to scare you or make money from you but to alert you because I want you to protect yourself. Here is what is taking place and what you can do about it:
Desperate to save the collapsing economy, the U.S. government is rushing a trillion dollars more into bailouts and debt manipulation. But their rescue is doomed to fail for one cannot solve massive problems caused by reckless spending and out of control borrowing by doing more of it on a grander scale. Nor can a people use credit to shop their way out of problems buying large quantities of other peoples' goods they can't afford.
Worse yet, the U.S. deficit is soaring. This year's deficit alone is now estimated at $1.8 trillion, the biggest in our history and far beyond what the Obama Adminstration had projected just days ago. This doesn't even count our multi-trillion dollar exposure on all the "toxic assets" the government has taken on, in which ironically, it proposes selling part of those assets for pennies on the dollar to some of the same people who caused the problems in the first place and finance it for them.
Meanwhile, our tax base is shrinking rapidly as people are thrown out of work, many large and small business' are failing and real estate taxes are falling. Taxpayers can't afford to pay for these sky-high deficits nor can the government borrow enough to cover them. So the government has begun printing dollars out of thin air to pay for it all.
How can they do this? In 1971, President Nixon took the U.S. off the gold standard because too many of our creditors wanted to be paid in gold instead of dollars. Without gold underlying the dollar's value and limiting its availablity, politicians were free to print money as they chose. Now they're doing it. Flooding the market with dollars will destroy confidence in our currency and trigger hyper inflation as far too much paper chases too few goods.
Some of our major creditors such as China are already worried. They don't want to be paid back in hyper inflated dollars and will likely slash future lendings to us, which means we'll run the presses that much more and inflation will grow worse as the situation spirals out of control. If you want to get a sense for what will happen next, Google Argentina.
Can this catastrophe be prevented? Yes! But it requires enormous sacrifice. President Obama spoke of sacrifice but he hasn't actually asked Americans to sacrifice anything. Instead we have endless bailouts and stimulus plans meant to avoid the consequences of our actions, not solve them.
This is what we must do to save our economy and prevent the collapse of our money:
1) END All U.S. WARS IMMEDIATELY! You don't keep spending money you don't have. It's common sense. Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and drug wars in Columbia, Mexico and Brazil, are fast draining our Treasury and draining our nation of its humanity. We must also close most of our nearly 1,000 military bases around the world, starting with gigantic money wasters such as the one separating North and South Korea. It has 37,000 U.S. troops plus an enormous support expense, which we've paid since 1953. We were rich then, we're broke now and both Koreas want the U.S military out.
We must also slash our war machine. For example, we've built nearly 200 F-22 fighter jets, none of which we need, at a cost of $143 million each. And with Congress's support, the military wants to build more and also wants to build a new generation of jet fighters. Why? Because they employ thousands of people. China and other nations won't keep loaning the U.S. the money to build these worthless jets and we can't afford them.
2) CREATE THE LARGEST RETRAINING OF AMERICANS IN U.S. HISTORY. The military industrial complex long ago took over our economy. As contractors and sub-contractors they provide millions of jobs, most paid for by taxpayers or by borrowings. These jobs come at a staggering cost and have led us to endless wars. We must reset our priorities and retrain ourselves for our finances leave us no other choice.
To avoid compounding our unemployment we must conduct this employee paid training on a scale bigger than America's ramp up to fight World War ll. But because we're broke it will require the cooperation of our creditors, who will work with us if they see we're taking sensible actions with their money, such as retraining our people to build products that benefit the world like clean and sustainable energy and health care breakthroughs instead of wars, weapons and bailouts.
IN SUMMARY, America is on the road to collapse. Radical changes are coming no matter what, so let's choose a wise course instead of continuing to be victimized by our nation's greed and by its military. If President Obama can find the courage to confront the military, with his charisma, he like Franklin Delano Roosevelt before him, could successfully lead this transition.
My proposal is vastly different than financial experts say is the answer, so why listen to me? Because in 2007 I published "How To Protect Yourself From The Coming Financial Crisis" on http://www.saneramblings.com, long before many financial experts saw ANY financial problems. Since then I've kept publishing articles to explain what is happening and what will happen next, each of which have been right. Meanwhile most financial experts keep supporting bailouts and stimulus plans despite the failure of them all.
But what I'm proposing is just pie in the sky if you don't get involved, for those in power will continue to make terrible decisions. If the U.S. doesn't change course, our economy will collapse in an explosion so powerful it will shake the world. We must rise to the occasion, and we must also help those in need for what ever happens they will be huge in number. Please believe in yourself and know you really can make a difference in rescuing America from financial and moral collapse. And then together we can lead this nation to become the greatest it has ever been, on behalf of our families and for families everywhere.
Dick
The Financial Crisis Made Simple
You're in a plush Las Vegas casino playing craps and the action is hot. You're making big money.
It's like the bankers did in recent years at what also turned out to be the craps tables. As happened with the bankers, the tide turns and you lose all the money. And like them you keep playing.
But instead of winning again, soon you lose all your cash and the cash the casino loaned you. Rather than acknowledge the stupidity of what you did and take your losses, you desperately pull out all your credit cards and double down taking them to their credit limits.
You toss the dice and lose again. Then it hits you, you are due to win if only you don't quit, so you double down again using your house and car and your children's college fund as collateral. You shouldn't take this risk but you're so close to recovering your fortune, just one winning bet away.
You close your eyes and toss the dice. Before you open your eyes, the crowd's mournful cry tells you, you lost everything! You're broke and deeply in debt.
But how can this be? You've always been as solid as a bank and people think you are rich. Now you can't pay your bills and will go bankrupt, damaging everyone who trusted you and lent you money.
Frantic, you call your Uncle Sam and beg for help. He wants to help but he too is deeply in debt. "But all is not lost," he tells you. "I'll get you the money you need so you don't go bankrupt and you can continue to live a lavish lifestyle and pay your creditors."
Your Uncle Sam quickly goes to his biggest lender the Bank of China. But they say, "You're already so deeply in debt to us, we've only been carrying you so you wouldn't go bankrupt and we'd lose our money.
"We'll keep carrying you," they tell him. "But we're going to cut back on what we're lending to you. You've become too big a risk."
Later that day however, your Uncle Sam arrives in Las Vegas and showers you with money. Stunned but joyful and relieved you ask, "Where did this money come from?"
"You're very lucky after all," your Uncle Sam replies. "I have a printing press and can print everything you need. We can keep this whole ugly affair our secret because I changed the accounting rules. Your family will only know I bailed you out."
"But won't this money be viewed as counterfeit and lose it's value," you ask. "Not for awhile," says Uncle Sam. "And in the meantime, enjoy it."
Dick
Dear Reader, What I've described in the preceding story is true. And it gets worse. For example, while the public expressed its outrage at the $165 million bonuses AIG paid itself, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac paid themselves $210 million in bonuses, with virtually no news coverage.
This system is badly broken and it's not going to fix itself. You have to get involved. Everything you've worked for is at risk. Please raise your voice and fight for it and you can succeed or it will be lost in your silence.
It's like the bankers did in recent years at what also turned out to be the craps tables. As happened with the bankers, the tide turns and you lose all the money. And like them you keep playing.
But instead of winning again, soon you lose all your cash and the cash the casino loaned you. Rather than acknowledge the stupidity of what you did and take your losses, you desperately pull out all your credit cards and double down taking them to their credit limits.
You toss the dice and lose again. Then it hits you, you are due to win if only you don't quit, so you double down again using your house and car and your children's college fund as collateral. You shouldn't take this risk but you're so close to recovering your fortune, just one winning bet away.
You close your eyes and toss the dice. Before you open your eyes, the crowd's mournful cry tells you, you lost everything! You're broke and deeply in debt.
But how can this be? You've always been as solid as a bank and people think you are rich. Now you can't pay your bills and will go bankrupt, damaging everyone who trusted you and lent you money.
Frantic, you call your Uncle Sam and beg for help. He wants to help but he too is deeply in debt. "But all is not lost," he tells you. "I'll get you the money you need so you don't go bankrupt and you can continue to live a lavish lifestyle and pay your creditors."
Your Uncle Sam quickly goes to his biggest lender the Bank of China. But they say, "You're already so deeply in debt to us, we've only been carrying you so you wouldn't go bankrupt and we'd lose our money.
"We'll keep carrying you," they tell him. "But we're going to cut back on what we're lending to you. You've become too big a risk."
Later that day however, your Uncle Sam arrives in Las Vegas and showers you with money. Stunned but joyful and relieved you ask, "Where did this money come from?"
"You're very lucky after all," your Uncle Sam replies. "I have a printing press and can print everything you need. We can keep this whole ugly affair our secret because I changed the accounting rules. Your family will only know I bailed you out."
"But won't this money be viewed as counterfeit and lose it's value," you ask. "Not for awhile," says Uncle Sam. "And in the meantime, enjoy it."
Dick
Dear Reader, What I've described in the preceding story is true. And it gets worse. For example, while the public expressed its outrage at the $165 million bonuses AIG paid itself, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac paid themselves $210 million in bonuses, with virtually no news coverage.
This system is badly broken and it's not going to fix itself. You have to get involved. Everything you've worked for is at risk. Please raise your voice and fight for it and you can succeed or it will be lost in your silence.
War And Death: A Soldier's Story
This powerful piece was written by Vietnam veteran Steve Banko, whose military awards include the Silver Star and four Purple Hearts. It is from an email he wrote to my friend Mary Ellen on 11/28/08 and is being shared with you with Steve's permission. Steve bares his soul about his inner conflicts such as having committed murder, which he has struggled with since before he left combat in 1970:
"Most Vietnam veterans I know still cling to the notion they could handle one more war and at least two more women. But all that I know of war and all I have heard of peace disavowed me long ago of such romantic illusions. I don't know that I'll ever be able to understand, much less handle, any women and I didn't handle my only war all that well. I once thought that made me less of a man, being traumatized by something we had all been told was some kind of rite of passage from adolescence to maturity. I never heard my father or his brother talk about being overwhelmed by World War ll and his brother had flown bomber missions over Germany. They survived and didn't complain so I thought there must be something intrinsically wrong with me. I was afraid that we were the 'least' generation of soldier: that we complained too often and too loud and that in so doing, we cheapened our service; we blurred our sacrifice, and we wallowed in our suffering.
"I had help, of course. Our own generation - if they thought about us at all - saw Vietnam vets as suckers. Our fathers' generation thought us losers for not being able to conquer a rag-tag bunch of rice farmers. And me? I didn't what to think. I was hurting. I was confused. And that guy that had carried me through the most terrifying times of my life was now a stranger to me and to those around me. It was but a blink of an eye from a violent Sunday night when I killed a man from ambush to a disoriented Friday night back home, among those I'd left behind when I went off to war.
"It's over they kept telling me. It's over. Just forget it.
"In real time, they were right, of course. But my reality was somewhere between what I'd left and what I couldn't fully walk away from. My war was indeed over - and over and over and over again in my mind, playing on an endless loop - the same heat, the same hurt, the same horror, always ending with me alive and so many of my friends dead.
"It didn't take long for me to realize that surviving combat was almost as bad as not surviving.
"So why did it take our government so long to realize it? Why did it take the psychiatric profession so long? Why didn't our fathers tell us the ugly, immutable truth about war: that never does anyone return as the same person who left?
"Primitive societies knew it. They had no Dr. Phils, no Sanjay Guptas, no plethora of pop psychologist[s] to gum the problem to death. But they had experience. They knew what war did to the soul and the mind as well as to the body. Reach back into antiquity. Go all the way back to Virgil [Roman poet, 70 BCE - 19 BCE] and his class "The Aeneid." In Book ll, Aeneis recognizes:
'In me 't is impious holy things to bear,
Red as I am with slaughter, new from war,
Till in some living stream I cleanse the guilt
Of dire debate, and blood in battle spilt.'
Aeneas knows he murdered and plundered. He knows he has offended the gods. His survival does not excuse it. His cause cannot justify it. He knows he must atone for his combat conduct and cannot even touch the cherished things of his life until he finds that living stream in which he can cleanse his guilt.
"Why didn't anyone tell us that which the ancients knew? Why didn't they tell us about the guilt of dire debate and blood in battle spilt? Why didn't they help us find the living stream of cleansing?
"Writing centuries after Virgil but with the same sting of truth, Rudyard Kipling [1865 - 1936] wrote of his son's death in World War l:
'When they question why we died,
Tell them, because our father's lied.'
"Kipling's generation lied by touting the grand romance of war. It's hard to look back at the horror of the trenches and mustard gas and blind rushes into machine gun nests and think of anything romantic. Our fathers lied by omission, allowing us to believe that our war was like their war; that our cause was as righteous as their cause; and most of all, allowing us to believe that a grateful nation would take care of us in our pain and our suffering and our loss.
"My generation lied in our silence as a new generation of warrior marched into battle. We failed to impart our experience. We did not share our knowledge. We committed the sin of our fathers - silently acquiescing to the necessity of war. In doing so, we ignored the lessons of our own combat survival and thus. inadequately prepared a new generation of survivors to understand, to recognize and to face the immutable, unalterable truth that we return from war different than we left. Instead of preparing our troops for that reality, we pump them full of 'army of one' philosophy. We imbue in them the warrior culture of the few and the proud. We challenge them to challenge themselves to face the test of honor that we say war is. Even as our military triumphs on the physical preparation of troops for war, it fails preparing for the psychological acceptance of the aftermath. Soldiers steeped in the warrior ethic and veneered by our national faith in force, saddle up for combat utterly unaware that the exhilaration of being shot at without result will one day be replaced by psychic damage deeply etched onto our brains.
"Certainly, the lack of preparation for social assimilation inhibits the assimilation process and in that, many of us share varying degrees of responsibility. But at the core of the problem is the ugly reality that combat and exposure to combat change us in ways that the individual could never imagine and that those entrusted with our care fail to address. Aeneas knew what we fail to acknowledge: the trauma of war changes an individual in such profound ways that ease reclamation to civilian life is the exception to the post-combat rule. In 1918. Americans hummed along to the song that asked "How 'ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've been [to] Paree?" That song spoke to some of the ways that doughboys [soldiers] returning from the First World War would change. I believe it was a gentle way of telling loved ones not to expect their returning soldiers would be the same people who left.
"A less gentle way would be to change the lyrics to ask how do we keep our soldiers sane after they've witnessed the horror. My generation went off to war in the tradition of the cinematic heroics of John Wayne. But I don't recall seeing Sgt. Stryker's soldiers blown into red mist by a booby trapped artillery round. I never saw one of Stryker's men with half a face missing after being shot in the cheek. I never saw a movie medic with his hands buried in a man's bowels working to stanch the flow of blood. I never saw traumatically amputated limbs littering a battle and I never heard the wailing of a dying soldier calling for his mother as life leaked into the rotten earth of a country half a world away.
"But we all saw that, or versions of it. We all experienced that mind shattering, sense numbing, stomach wrenching disgust of the reality of war. I didn't have to be in Baghdad or Bora-Bora to know that anymore than I needed to be at Gettysburg or Iwo Jima. I know that because I know war and in war, only the geography changes. War is brutal. It is ugly and it reeks with a stench that can never be cleansed. The ultimate truth is that war is a surrealisitic penal colony for the young patriots of the real world who must pay the price for the unbelievable myths of national furors and private enterprise. So if you watched men die at Hastings in 1066 or killed Cong in the Iron Triangle in 1966 we are all part of the same brotherhood of war altered spirits.
"The other aspect of combat survival that inhibits a survivor's journey from then to now is killing. I was raised a Catholic and of the grand prohibitions expressed in the Ten Commandments, the grandest was that against killing. I could find detours around most of the Commandments but killing was one that stood out as being pretty much immutable. I spent a life in my faith and still practice it devotedly, so when I went off to war I did so in the naive belief that I wouldn't have to violate this greatest of the Commandments. So when I did, when I shot an enemy from ambush and ended his life, I ended part of mine as well. I had crossed a line from which I knew there would be no return. I had become someone different and would never be who I was again. I was not only ready for punishment but almost eager for it; eager for the atonement that would expiate my guilt at violating the most inviolate Commandment of the Judeo-Christian ethic. Instead, I was rewarded. Truly Voltaire [renown French Enlightenment philosopher, 1694 - 1778] was correct when he reminded us that all men are punished for killing, unless in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets. Think of the mental Mixmaster stirring all those conflicting beliefs into some kind of amoral paste: standing over an enemy body and trying to muster the pride your comrades say you should feel, standing over a dead friend and feeling relief that it wasn't you who died.
"But no medals, no accolades, no matter how much approval my ability to kill earned, it was impossible to divorce myself from the notion that killing was wrong, that I was wrong. The survival instinct was strong and would get stronger as I went on but it would become the cause of the love-hate relationship I feel with my country to this day: loving it for what it has been and must be again in the world but hating it for what it made me do and endure in its name. Long after my shooting war ended, the battle with my conscience continued. That's a battle I've come to recognize as common to the combat experience and the essential reason that the combat soldier returns a different person.
"We come home from combat and struggle with myriad issues: relationships, finances, romance, jobs; but the biggest conflict is internal. We come home and reside in familiar surroundings with familiar people but it much harder to find the familiar version of ourselves. We left one person but we come back another and the other is often not who we long to be. Killing and almost dying will do that. Bodies battered and broken by bullets, bombs and booby traps will do that. The intrusion of violence and bloodshed will also.
"Aeneas knew it. Aeneas knew that he needed to cleansed. He knew he needed a living stream to make him human again. But he wasn't the only one. American Indians knew it too - the ones we called primitive savages. They were smart enough to know that warriors return from battle damaged body in body and spirit. Bodies heal themselves. Spirits need work. So the tribes sent returning warriors off to retreats distant from the tribe. They sent them off to decompress, to purge their guilt, to heal their spirits. In modern society, we assign to few to care for too many and take too long to do it. We tend to physical wounds but we don't talk much about spiritual wounds. Our belief in the righteousness of our causal justification and the refusal to understand the conflict between a collective national conscience and individual mores increase the odds against any quick or complete return to normalcy. As the soldier struggles in the bivouac of his private first class world, society proclaims combat a virtue. The dichotomy can be devastating. The veteran finds he is unable to be who he was, unable to connect with who he is and over time, becomes unable to be unable any more.
"And the tragic aspect of the story is that none of this is new. The ancients knew what the stress of mortal combat could do. They understood survival guilt as well as anyone. They knew that healing the spirit and cleansing the guilt were essential parts of recovery. They knew it and addressed it long before we did in modern society. What they recognized remains for us to do and perfect. It would be wonderful to believe we have the will and the willingness to make war obsolete but I'm not that naive. So we must instead, make the living stream of psychic healing part and parcel of our understanding of war. Time is not the only measurement of the distance we've traveled since the Roman poet Horace [65 BC - 8 BC] wrote 'dulce est decorum est pro patria morti.' It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country. We're much closer to the sentiments expressed by Ernest Hemingway [1899 - 1961] writing about WWll: 'In the old days, they wrote that it was sweet and fitting to die for one's country. In modern war, there's nothing sweet nor fitting. You die like a dog, for no good reason.'
"I will leave it to others to decide the reasons for which our soldiers die and I am not about to judge the merits of their deaths. I salute service and am humbled by sacrifice. My mission today has been to start the search for our living streams, for those of us whose lives are testaments to the effects of war, and for those who struggle still today with the need to heal, to cleanse, and to be relieved of guilt.
"I hope something I said this morning will help us all - veterans, caregivers, loved ones, and medical professionals - get to that stream."
"Most Vietnam veterans I know still cling to the notion they could handle one more war and at least two more women. But all that I know of war and all I have heard of peace disavowed me long ago of such romantic illusions. I don't know that I'll ever be able to understand, much less handle, any women and I didn't handle my only war all that well. I once thought that made me less of a man, being traumatized by something we had all been told was some kind of rite of passage from adolescence to maturity. I never heard my father or his brother talk about being overwhelmed by World War ll and his brother had flown bomber missions over Germany. They survived and didn't complain so I thought there must be something intrinsically wrong with me. I was afraid that we were the 'least' generation of soldier: that we complained too often and too loud and that in so doing, we cheapened our service; we blurred our sacrifice, and we wallowed in our suffering.
"I had help, of course. Our own generation - if they thought about us at all - saw Vietnam vets as suckers. Our fathers' generation thought us losers for not being able to conquer a rag-tag bunch of rice farmers. And me? I didn't what to think. I was hurting. I was confused. And that guy that had carried me through the most terrifying times of my life was now a stranger to me and to those around me. It was but a blink of an eye from a violent Sunday night when I killed a man from ambush to a disoriented Friday night back home, among those I'd left behind when I went off to war.
"It's over they kept telling me. It's over. Just forget it.
"In real time, they were right, of course. But my reality was somewhere between what I'd left and what I couldn't fully walk away from. My war was indeed over - and over and over and over again in my mind, playing on an endless loop - the same heat, the same hurt, the same horror, always ending with me alive and so many of my friends dead.
"It didn't take long for me to realize that surviving combat was almost as bad as not surviving.
"So why did it take our government so long to realize it? Why did it take the psychiatric profession so long? Why didn't our fathers tell us the ugly, immutable truth about war: that never does anyone return as the same person who left?
"Primitive societies knew it. They had no Dr. Phils, no Sanjay Guptas, no plethora of pop psychologist[s] to gum the problem to death. But they had experience. They knew what war did to the soul and the mind as well as to the body. Reach back into antiquity. Go all the way back to Virgil [Roman poet, 70 BCE - 19 BCE] and his class "The Aeneid." In Book ll, Aeneis recognizes:
'In me 't is impious holy things to bear,
Red as I am with slaughter, new from war,
Till in some living stream I cleanse the guilt
Of dire debate, and blood in battle spilt.'
Aeneas knows he murdered and plundered. He knows he has offended the gods. His survival does not excuse it. His cause cannot justify it. He knows he must atone for his combat conduct and cannot even touch the cherished things of his life until he finds that living stream in which he can cleanse his guilt.
"Why didn't anyone tell us that which the ancients knew? Why didn't they tell us about the guilt of dire debate and blood in battle spilt? Why didn't they help us find the living stream of cleansing?
"Writing centuries after Virgil but with the same sting of truth, Rudyard Kipling [1865 - 1936] wrote of his son's death in World War l:
'When they question why we died,
Tell them, because our father's lied.'
"Kipling's generation lied by touting the grand romance of war. It's hard to look back at the horror of the trenches and mustard gas and blind rushes into machine gun nests and think of anything romantic. Our fathers lied by omission, allowing us to believe that our war was like their war; that our cause was as righteous as their cause; and most of all, allowing us to believe that a grateful nation would take care of us in our pain and our suffering and our loss.
"My generation lied in our silence as a new generation of warrior marched into battle. We failed to impart our experience. We did not share our knowledge. We committed the sin of our fathers - silently acquiescing to the necessity of war. In doing so, we ignored the lessons of our own combat survival and thus. inadequately prepared a new generation of survivors to understand, to recognize and to face the immutable, unalterable truth that we return from war different than we left. Instead of preparing our troops for that reality, we pump them full of 'army of one' philosophy. We imbue in them the warrior culture of the few and the proud. We challenge them to challenge themselves to face the test of honor that we say war is. Even as our military triumphs on the physical preparation of troops for war, it fails preparing for the psychological acceptance of the aftermath. Soldiers steeped in the warrior ethic and veneered by our national faith in force, saddle up for combat utterly unaware that the exhilaration of being shot at without result will one day be replaced by psychic damage deeply etched onto our brains.
"Certainly, the lack of preparation for social assimilation inhibits the assimilation process and in that, many of us share varying degrees of responsibility. But at the core of the problem is the ugly reality that combat and exposure to combat change us in ways that the individual could never imagine and that those entrusted with our care fail to address. Aeneas knew what we fail to acknowledge: the trauma of war changes an individual in such profound ways that ease reclamation to civilian life is the exception to the post-combat rule. In 1918. Americans hummed along to the song that asked "How 'ya gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've been [to] Paree?" That song spoke to some of the ways that doughboys [soldiers] returning from the First World War would change. I believe it was a gentle way of telling loved ones not to expect their returning soldiers would be the same people who left.
"A less gentle way would be to change the lyrics to ask how do we keep our soldiers sane after they've witnessed the horror. My generation went off to war in the tradition of the cinematic heroics of John Wayne. But I don't recall seeing Sgt. Stryker's soldiers blown into red mist by a booby trapped artillery round. I never saw one of Stryker's men with half a face missing after being shot in the cheek. I never saw a movie medic with his hands buried in a man's bowels working to stanch the flow of blood. I never saw traumatically amputated limbs littering a battle and I never heard the wailing of a dying soldier calling for his mother as life leaked into the rotten earth of a country half a world away.
"But we all saw that, or versions of it. We all experienced that mind shattering, sense numbing, stomach wrenching disgust of the reality of war. I didn't have to be in Baghdad or Bora-Bora to know that anymore than I needed to be at Gettysburg or Iwo Jima. I know that because I know war and in war, only the geography changes. War is brutal. It is ugly and it reeks with a stench that can never be cleansed. The ultimate truth is that war is a surrealisitic penal colony for the young patriots of the real world who must pay the price for the unbelievable myths of national furors and private enterprise. So if you watched men die at Hastings in 1066 or killed Cong in the Iron Triangle in 1966 we are all part of the same brotherhood of war altered spirits.
"The other aspect of combat survival that inhibits a survivor's journey from then to now is killing. I was raised a Catholic and of the grand prohibitions expressed in the Ten Commandments, the grandest was that against killing. I could find detours around most of the Commandments but killing was one that stood out as being pretty much immutable. I spent a life in my faith and still practice it devotedly, so when I went off to war I did so in the naive belief that I wouldn't have to violate this greatest of the Commandments. So when I did, when I shot an enemy from ambush and ended his life, I ended part of mine as well. I had crossed a line from which I knew there would be no return. I had become someone different and would never be who I was again. I was not only ready for punishment but almost eager for it; eager for the atonement that would expiate my guilt at violating the most inviolate Commandment of the Judeo-Christian ethic. Instead, I was rewarded. Truly Voltaire [renown French Enlightenment philosopher, 1694 - 1778] was correct when he reminded us that all men are punished for killing, unless in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets. Think of the mental Mixmaster stirring all those conflicting beliefs into some kind of amoral paste: standing over an enemy body and trying to muster the pride your comrades say you should feel, standing over a dead friend and feeling relief that it wasn't you who died.
"But no medals, no accolades, no matter how much approval my ability to kill earned, it was impossible to divorce myself from the notion that killing was wrong, that I was wrong. The survival instinct was strong and would get stronger as I went on but it would become the cause of the love-hate relationship I feel with my country to this day: loving it for what it has been and must be again in the world but hating it for what it made me do and endure in its name. Long after my shooting war ended, the battle with my conscience continued. That's a battle I've come to recognize as common to the combat experience and the essential reason that the combat soldier returns a different person.
"We come home from combat and struggle with myriad issues: relationships, finances, romance, jobs; but the biggest conflict is internal. We come home and reside in familiar surroundings with familiar people but it much harder to find the familiar version of ourselves. We left one person but we come back another and the other is often not who we long to be. Killing and almost dying will do that. Bodies battered and broken by bullets, bombs and booby traps will do that. The intrusion of violence and bloodshed will also.
"Aeneas knew it. Aeneas knew that he needed to cleansed. He knew he needed a living stream to make him human again. But he wasn't the only one. American Indians knew it too - the ones we called primitive savages. They were smart enough to know that warriors return from battle damaged body in body and spirit. Bodies heal themselves. Spirits need work. So the tribes sent returning warriors off to retreats distant from the tribe. They sent them off to decompress, to purge their guilt, to heal their spirits. In modern society, we assign to few to care for too many and take too long to do it. We tend to physical wounds but we don't talk much about spiritual wounds. Our belief in the righteousness of our causal justification and the refusal to understand the conflict between a collective national conscience and individual mores increase the odds against any quick or complete return to normalcy. As the soldier struggles in the bivouac of his private first class world, society proclaims combat a virtue. The dichotomy can be devastating. The veteran finds he is unable to be who he was, unable to connect with who he is and over time, becomes unable to be unable any more.
"And the tragic aspect of the story is that none of this is new. The ancients knew what the stress of mortal combat could do. They understood survival guilt as well as anyone. They knew that healing the spirit and cleansing the guilt were essential parts of recovery. They knew it and addressed it long before we did in modern society. What they recognized remains for us to do and perfect. It would be wonderful to believe we have the will and the willingness to make war obsolete but I'm not that naive. So we must instead, make the living stream of psychic healing part and parcel of our understanding of war. Time is not the only measurement of the distance we've traveled since the Roman poet Horace [65 BC - 8 BC] wrote 'dulce est decorum est pro patria morti.' It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country. We're much closer to the sentiments expressed by Ernest Hemingway [1899 - 1961] writing about WWll: 'In the old days, they wrote that it was sweet and fitting to die for one's country. In modern war, there's nothing sweet nor fitting. You die like a dog, for no good reason.'
"I will leave it to others to decide the reasons for which our soldiers die and I am not about to judge the merits of their deaths. I salute service and am humbled by sacrifice. My mission today has been to start the search for our living streams, for those of us whose lives are testaments to the effects of war, and for those who struggle still today with the need to heal, to cleanse, and to be relieved of guilt.
"I hope something I said this morning will help us all - veterans, caregivers, loved ones, and medical professionals - get to that stream."
A $165 Million Outrage
"How do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat," said President Obama about AIG's bonuses. The U.S. news media is all over this AIG story and Americans are upset by it.
But in Iraq, where U.S. media coverage is minimal, $165 million won't even pay for 10 hours of war and this cost too is paid by the taxpayers. Where is the outrage for a war that has cost a trillion dollars and counting?
A trillion dollars is over $3,000 for every single American. In a family of four, that would be $12,000. And for what? Iraq is a U.S. military occupation, run as a prison lockdown and their economy, like their nation is in ruins.
Candidate Obama spoke of ending the war in 16 months. President Obama intends to continue it until at least the December 31, 2011 deadline negotiated by President Bush.
Americans are upset about AIG, silent about Iraq. Please don't be among them for your voice matters. Speak-up in the name of humanity and for sanity to end a war that can bring nothing but more heartache and financial and moral bankruptcy.
Yes, AIG's $165 billion in bonuses is outrageous. But I for one would pay them many times that amount if they would do as Mr. Obama will not, end the Iraq war.
Dick
But in Iraq, where U.S. media coverage is minimal, $165 million won't even pay for 10 hours of war and this cost too is paid by the taxpayers. Where is the outrage for a war that has cost a trillion dollars and counting?
A trillion dollars is over $3,000 for every single American. In a family of four, that would be $12,000. And for what? Iraq is a U.S. military occupation, run as a prison lockdown and their economy, like their nation is in ruins.
Candidate Obama spoke of ending the war in 16 months. President Obama intends to continue it until at least the December 31, 2011 deadline negotiated by President Bush.
Americans are upset about AIG, silent about Iraq. Please don't be among them for your voice matters. Speak-up in the name of humanity and for sanity to end a war that can bring nothing but more heartache and financial and moral bankruptcy.
Yes, AIG's $165 billion in bonuses is outrageous. But I for one would pay them many times that amount if they would do as Mr. Obama will not, end the Iraq war.
Dick
The Messiah Is Here
"I'm sick of Bush," said Jim, shaking his head in disgust. "His lies and his endless wars, torture, spying, corruption and greed. And he's responsible for that Wall Street bailout of rich thieves."
"Barack Obama is the answer," Julie said with fire in her voice. "When he's President, things are really going to change."
Across America people are speaking like this, as are others elsewhere in the world. In desperation some people talk of Obama as the Messiah who will save us from the ravages of war and a potential financial collapse while leading us into energy independence and out of global warming.
Those who think of Obama as the Messiah will be greatly disappointed as he is as imperfect as the rest of us. And our problems are so severe that waiting for him to solve them will fail.
As President he will face a power structure that gives little ground and his campaign promises mean nothing to them. The Pentagon and their contractors, national security organizations such as the NSA and the CIA, giant oil companies, big pharmaceutical firms and other huge entrenched interests and their lobbyists are determined to continue to have their way.
At best, Obama can offer inspirational leadership to accomplish a vision for America he can express and unite us behind. At worst, he can compound our problems by continuing the current policies of spending huge sums of money we don't have on endless wars and corporate bailouts and subsidies.
Ideally, he will spend money to help people in desperate need and to secure Social Security, Medicare and other vital social programs. But if he does it with unfunded dollars, meaning he doesn't slash the budget elsewhere a like amount or RAISE TAXES to pay for it, we will sink even deeper into debt, like a financial Titanic, for as the Wall Street bailout shows us we have now hit the iceberg. Our financial security is in grave danger.
But take heart for the Messiah is here.
Jesus, who some people claim is the Messiah, said the Kindom of God is within each of us. If so, the Messiah is you, me and the rest of humanity. And as imperfect as we are individually, together we can move mountains.
And move mountains we must because we have Mt. Everest size problems. Fortunately there are many quality organizations set up to deal individually with the elements which underly most of our problems: hunger, disease, ignorance, warfare and lack of government accountability.
We can each pick one organization and volunteer some time and/or make regular donations to them. We can encourage them with our commitment of resources and our supportive letters and emails, thus letting them know we are thankful for their work, not indifferent.
Or you take direct action. You can recycle and encourage others to. You can conserve energy. You can bring people together behind a common cause such as ending the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and you can support global disarmament before we destroy our planet.
If as Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within, we must now rise to that stature and take action to uplift our nation and to save humanity from disaster.
Dick
"Barack Obama is the answer," Julie said with fire in her voice. "When he's President, things are really going to change."
Across America people are speaking like this, as are others elsewhere in the world. In desperation some people talk of Obama as the Messiah who will save us from the ravages of war and a potential financial collapse while leading us into energy independence and out of global warming.
Those who think of Obama as the Messiah will be greatly disappointed as he is as imperfect as the rest of us. And our problems are so severe that waiting for him to solve them will fail.
As President he will face a power structure that gives little ground and his campaign promises mean nothing to them. The Pentagon and their contractors, national security organizations such as the NSA and the CIA, giant oil companies, big pharmaceutical firms and other huge entrenched interests and their lobbyists are determined to continue to have their way.
At best, Obama can offer inspirational leadership to accomplish a vision for America he can express and unite us behind. At worst, he can compound our problems by continuing the current policies of spending huge sums of money we don't have on endless wars and corporate bailouts and subsidies.
Ideally, he will spend money to help people in desperate need and to secure Social Security, Medicare and other vital social programs. But if he does it with unfunded dollars, meaning he doesn't slash the budget elsewhere a like amount or RAISE TAXES to pay for it, we will sink even deeper into debt, like a financial Titanic, for as the Wall Street bailout shows us we have now hit the iceberg. Our financial security is in grave danger.
But take heart for the Messiah is here.
Jesus, who some people claim is the Messiah, said the Kindom of God is within each of us. If so, the Messiah is you, me and the rest of humanity. And as imperfect as we are individually, together we can move mountains.
And move mountains we must because we have Mt. Everest size problems. Fortunately there are many quality organizations set up to deal individually with the elements which underly most of our problems: hunger, disease, ignorance, warfare and lack of government accountability.
We can each pick one organization and volunteer some time and/or make regular donations to them. We can encourage them with our commitment of resources and our supportive letters and emails, thus letting them know we are thankful for their work, not indifferent.
Or you take direct action. You can recycle and encourage others to. You can conserve energy. You can bring people together behind a common cause such as ending the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and you can support global disarmament before we destroy our planet.
If as Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within, we must now rise to that stature and take action to uplift our nation and to save humanity from disaster.
Dick
The Iraq "Surge:" Failed
Dick Kazan Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:48 pm
Dear Reader,
As this "surge" continues to fall apart, the Bush Administration is seeking scape goats. Aside from blaming Iran, the latest scape goat is the Iraq government, the one the U.S. keeps in power.
The Bush Administration is upset because the Iraq parliament is going on vacation for a month, without first doing what the U.S. told them to do. It seems hypocritical considering Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney and others in the Administration will also be on vacation, as will Congress.
I wonder if before they leave, they will first do what the Iraq government has asked them to do.
And given the crucial issues unresolved in Washington, such as the Iraq war, immigration, energy issues, environmental issues, the federal budget and other matters, it seems odd Mr. Bush isn't equally as critical of his own Administration and Congress.
The Bush Administration also claims the Iraqi government is corrupt and they have extensive evidence to prove it. This isn't news to the Iraqi people, which sees and feels it each day in the misery of their lives.
But we Americans are supposed to become upset because if only the Iraq government was more honest and effective, the U.S. military occupation of Iraq would be more successful
And for some it has been a tremendous success such as Haliburton, Boeing, Blackwater and many other U.S. military and civilian contractors who are profiting immensely from it.
But for the Iraqi people, the brutal U.S. occupation has brought death, lawlessness, kidnappings and has decimated their cities. It has taken away most of their hospital and medical services, and much of their electricity, sewage treatment, gasoline, schools for their children, neonatal care for their babies and almost everything else a civil society values.
U.S. soldiers, death squads, kidnappers and others kick in their doors and intimidate them, and sometimes do much worse, including killing them. And any Iraqi at any time is subject to being seized and tortured.
The Iraq war has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, and caused more than 2 million Iraqis to flee their country. If this is U.S. style democracy, they don't want it and I don't think anyone else would either.
If Mr. Bush and Congress want to find the people responsible for this colossal failure, they need only look in the mirror. And you and I as Americans share in this responsibility if we don't try to stop it.
Dick
Dear Reader,
As this "surge" continues to fall apart, the Bush Administration is seeking scape goats. Aside from blaming Iran, the latest scape goat is the Iraq government, the one the U.S. keeps in power.
The Bush Administration is upset because the Iraq parliament is going on vacation for a month, without first doing what the U.S. told them to do. It seems hypocritical considering Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney and others in the Administration will also be on vacation, as will Congress.
I wonder if before they leave, they will first do what the Iraq government has asked them to do.
And given the crucial issues unresolved in Washington, such as the Iraq war, immigration, energy issues, environmental issues, the federal budget and other matters, it seems odd Mr. Bush isn't equally as critical of his own Administration and Congress.
The Bush Administration also claims the Iraqi government is corrupt and they have extensive evidence to prove it. This isn't news to the Iraqi people, which sees and feels it each day in the misery of their lives.
But we Americans are supposed to become upset because if only the Iraq government was more honest and effective, the U.S. military occupation of Iraq would be more successful
And for some it has been a tremendous success such as Haliburton, Boeing, Blackwater and many other U.S. military and civilian contractors who are profiting immensely from it.
But for the Iraqi people, the brutal U.S. occupation has brought death, lawlessness, kidnappings and has decimated their cities. It has taken away most of their hospital and medical services, and much of their electricity, sewage treatment, gasoline, schools for their children, neonatal care for their babies and almost everything else a civil society values.
U.S. soldiers, death squads, kidnappers and others kick in their doors and intimidate them, and sometimes do much worse, including killing them. And any Iraqi at any time is subject to being seized and tortured.
The Iraq war has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, and caused more than 2 million Iraqis to flee their country. If this is U.S. style democracy, they don't want it and I don't think anyone else would either.
If Mr. Bush and Congress want to find the people responsible for this colossal failure, they need only look in the mirror. And you and I as Americans share in this responsibility if we don't try to stop it.
Dick
In The Bush Administration Lawlessness Reigned Supreme.
Dick Kazan Posted: Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:08 am
"CIA destroyed secret tapes of interrogations," headlined the Los Angeles Times.*
Aside from the CIA's brutal treatment of people, which in itself I find abominable, another piece of our democracy had died and we are just finding out about it.
The CIA will now investigate itself, joined by the Bush Administration corrupted Justice Dept. to see if criminal wrong doing took place. There is as much chance of the CIA finding itself criminally liable as the KGB, the old Soviet Union's secret police, finding itself criminally liable for its terrible acts.
The CIA confirms destroying two-video tapes containing hundreds of hours of their secret, brutal interrogations of two-terrorism suspects they'd seized and held indefinitely, with no charges.
I believe this will be the 1st of many tape destruction disclosures, and it was done to prevent the public from seeing the brutal techniques the CIA uses. The public would be sickened to see what "waterboarding" and other horrific techniques actually look like and what it does to its victims.
It also gets rid of legal liability for those CIA agents and their bosses who might otherwise be sued in U.S. or international courts.
In addition, it destroys the credibility in court of any coerced testimony but as we've seen with the Bush Administration, it is not their intent to have these terrorist cases brought to trial. In some cases they would allow them to be tried but in secret military tribunals, not subject to public review.
Between the lies that led to the Iraq war and all of its death and destruction, and secret prisons, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, denying prisoners the right of habeas corpus, the missing White House email records, illegal wire tapping, commuting Scooter Libby's prison sentence at the last second and so many other scandalous revelations it's become a blur of non-accountability.
As for the tapes, Congress, who funds the CIA and supposedly provides some oversight, wasn't told they were destroyed, nor was the U.S. court system. The 9/11 Commission wasn't even aware such evidence existed.
But in fairness to the Bush Administration, Congress never has held them accountable under our Constitutional "checks and balances" system so I doubt they gave Congress much thought when it came to the CIA.
The CIA claims those tapes were destroyed because they were "a serious security risk." I agree with them. Those tapes risked the security of the CIA and the Bush Administration, if Congress or the U.S. or international courts were to hold them accountable for their illegal actions.
If enough U.S. citizens take to the streets and raise their voices, Congress may finally do its job while there is still some form of Constitution to protect. Whether you and I can make a difference is questionable, but whether we tried is not for our actions or inactions will speak for themselves.
And there is hope. "There is a light in this world, a healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometimes lose sight of this force when there is suffering, and too much pain. Then suddenly, the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways." -- Mother Teresa **
Liberty doesn't come for free and our founding fathers risked their lives for ours. Now it's up to you and me. Otherwise it will remain as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in ignoring her Constitutional responsibility, "impeachment is off the table."
This means she is waiving Congress' Constitutional right to hold those in high office accountable for their illegal actions, a waiver not lost on the Bush Administration or the CIA that reports to it.
This video tape scandal will fade from public view as the media moves on to other stories. But that doesn't change the fact the CIA has evolved into a Presidential private army, nor that 100% of its budget is kept secret from you and me, as are its activities. This video tape scandal smacks us in the face with how terrible and systemic its evils are.
Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, among others in their Administration including the CIA better hope the world doesn't establish Nuremberg type trials for them, for they have overwhelmingly earned them.
Dick
Note: The Nuremberg Trials were conducted from 1945 to 1949 as the world led by the U.S. held accountable the captured "Major War Criminals" from World War ll.
* Los Angeles Times, 12/7/07
** Mother Teresa quote courtesy of http://www.MorningMantra.com
"CIA destroyed secret tapes of interrogations," headlined the Los Angeles Times.*
Aside from the CIA's brutal treatment of people, which in itself I find abominable, another piece of our democracy had died and we are just finding out about it.
The CIA will now investigate itself, joined by the Bush Administration corrupted Justice Dept. to see if criminal wrong doing took place. There is as much chance of the CIA finding itself criminally liable as the KGB, the old Soviet Union's secret police, finding itself criminally liable for its terrible acts.
The CIA confirms destroying two-video tapes containing hundreds of hours of their secret, brutal interrogations of two-terrorism suspects they'd seized and held indefinitely, with no charges.
I believe this will be the 1st of many tape destruction disclosures, and it was done to prevent the public from seeing the brutal techniques the CIA uses. The public would be sickened to see what "waterboarding" and other horrific techniques actually look like and what it does to its victims.
It also gets rid of legal liability for those CIA agents and their bosses who might otherwise be sued in U.S. or international courts.
In addition, it destroys the credibility in court of any coerced testimony but as we've seen with the Bush Administration, it is not their intent to have these terrorist cases brought to trial. In some cases they would allow them to be tried but in secret military tribunals, not subject to public review.
Between the lies that led to the Iraq war and all of its death and destruction, and secret prisons, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, denying prisoners the right of habeas corpus, the missing White House email records, illegal wire tapping, commuting Scooter Libby's prison sentence at the last second and so many other scandalous revelations it's become a blur of non-accountability.
As for the tapes, Congress, who funds the CIA and supposedly provides some oversight, wasn't told they were destroyed, nor was the U.S. court system. The 9/11 Commission wasn't even aware such evidence existed.
But in fairness to the Bush Administration, Congress never has held them accountable under our Constitutional "checks and balances" system so I doubt they gave Congress much thought when it came to the CIA.
The CIA claims those tapes were destroyed because they were "a serious security risk." I agree with them. Those tapes risked the security of the CIA and the Bush Administration, if Congress or the U.S. or international courts were to hold them accountable for their illegal actions.
If enough U.S. citizens take to the streets and raise their voices, Congress may finally do its job while there is still some form of Constitution to protect. Whether you and I can make a difference is questionable, but whether we tried is not for our actions or inactions will speak for themselves.
And there is hope. "There is a light in this world, a healing spirit more powerful than any darkness we may encounter. We sometimes lose sight of this force when there is suffering, and too much pain. Then suddenly, the spirit will emerge through the lives of ordinary people who hear a call and answer in extraordinary ways." -- Mother Teresa **
Liberty doesn't come for free and our founding fathers risked their lives for ours. Now it's up to you and me. Otherwise it will remain as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in ignoring her Constitutional responsibility, "impeachment is off the table."
This means she is waiving Congress' Constitutional right to hold those in high office accountable for their illegal actions, a waiver not lost on the Bush Administration or the CIA that reports to it.
This video tape scandal will fade from public view as the media moves on to other stories. But that doesn't change the fact the CIA has evolved into a Presidential private army, nor that 100% of its budget is kept secret from you and me, as are its activities. This video tape scandal smacks us in the face with how terrible and systemic its evils are.
Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, among others in their Administration including the CIA better hope the world doesn't establish Nuremberg type trials for them, for they have overwhelmingly earned them.
Dick
Note: The Nuremberg Trials were conducted from 1945 to 1949 as the world led by the U.S. held accountable the captured "Major War Criminals" from World War ll.
* Los Angeles Times, 12/7/07
** Mother Teresa quote courtesy of http://www.MorningMantra.com
AIG Owes You $500.
Collapsing yet again, AIG just got another $30 billion of U.S. taxpayer money, its forth bailout since September. It now has a staggering $182 billion of taxpayer funds.
To keep the math simple, dividing $150 billion by 300 million Americans means you and every other person is owed $500. A family of four is owed $2,000. Will we get paid back?
The stock market has so little confidence in AIG, that even after receiving the money its stock price closed at 45 cents a share. The U.S. Treasury and the Fed has so little confidence in them they said saving AIG "will take time and possibly further government support." They didn't say how much more time or money.
In September, when these AIG bailouts began, the government said a collapse of AIG, could endanger the U.S. and global financial system. But they never explained who they rescued by spending all this money nor how that rescue is now secure.
Alternatively, Hank Greenberg the Chairman/ CEO of AIG from 1968 to 2005 said in September the firm would fare better filing for bankruptcy then to receive a government bailout. He and others wanted to raise private capital to save the company. But instead the government rushed in with $85 billion.
Had AIG gone bankrupt in September, and had no viable plan to resurrect itself as is apparent today, the court would have identified its assets and sold them to the highest bidders to pay off its creditors.
Now AIG is on life-support with no clear direction, no acountability for what's happened to the money and seeking easier, cheaper terms for the money they've already received. How can this be? AIG has the leverage because it has already pocketed the $152 billion. Politicians can't afford the embarrassment of having them now go broke.
And catch this: If a bankruptcy liquidation had taken place in September, the assets would have sold for far more than they would today. They are continuing to lose value as the government keeps AIG alive. Currently, the government has no plan as it throws good money after bad.
As if this isn't bizarre enough, it gets stranger. AIG sued the government trying to avoid paying $306-million in taxes, interest and penalties the government claims they owe. And they are using our bailout money to pay their lawyers.
One solution to this strange situation is for the government to deduct the $306-million from the latest $30-billion, and stop the lawyers from running up their bills at our expense.
Meanwhile, as this grab of billions of taxpayer dollars is going on, last weekend the Los Angeles Dodgers announced they would hire more janitors and security guards for the coming baseball season.
Thousands of people arrived to interview for a handfull of seasonal, part-time jobs that will pay about $10 an hour. When asked why, person after person standing in long interview lines spoke of their need for the job to buy food and pay for gas and electricity for their families. This is the real world.
Our system is broken and we need to fix it. Representative government must represent all of the people and not simply those with money who lobby it. Bailing out the rich while families in crisis suffer shows us what a farce our system now is.
But these problems can be solved. What I'm about to propose will seem impossible. But think of what will happen when our economy collapses, as it is starting to do. No matter what, dramatic change is coming:
We need a new Constitutional Convention, one where we devise a system like most democracies use, a parliament in which we can call for a vote of no confidence and replace our representatives. This would also encourage many political parties to participate, rather than the two party monopoly we have now.
And as most other democracies do, elections would be kept brief, perhaps 30-days, rather than our current endless process. This will slash the costs, which will be paid for by the public, not lobbyists. If you think the current system saves us money, look at the cost of lax regulation, bailouts and stimulus plans, as our nation heads for financial collapse.
But for these or changes you propose to happen, you must raise your voice. Silence will bring more of the hypocritical injustice we've gotten because those in power don't reform themselves. Think of AIG and speak for fiscal sanity and for compassion for the fast growing list of people in need.
Dick
To keep the math simple, dividing $150 billion by 300 million Americans means you and every other person is owed $500. A family of four is owed $2,000. Will we get paid back?
The stock market has so little confidence in AIG, that even after receiving the money its stock price closed at 45 cents a share. The U.S. Treasury and the Fed has so little confidence in them they said saving AIG "will take time and possibly further government support." They didn't say how much more time or money.
In September, when these AIG bailouts began, the government said a collapse of AIG, could endanger the U.S. and global financial system. But they never explained who they rescued by spending all this money nor how that rescue is now secure.
Alternatively, Hank Greenberg the Chairman/ CEO of AIG from 1968 to 2005 said in September the firm would fare better filing for bankruptcy then to receive a government bailout. He and others wanted to raise private capital to save the company. But instead the government rushed in with $85 billion.
Had AIG gone bankrupt in September, and had no viable plan to resurrect itself as is apparent today, the court would have identified its assets and sold them to the highest bidders to pay off its creditors.
Now AIG is on life-support with no clear direction, no acountability for what's happened to the money and seeking easier, cheaper terms for the money they've already received. How can this be? AIG has the leverage because it has already pocketed the $152 billion. Politicians can't afford the embarrassment of having them now go broke.
And catch this: If a bankruptcy liquidation had taken place in September, the assets would have sold for far more than they would today. They are continuing to lose value as the government keeps AIG alive. Currently, the government has no plan as it throws good money after bad.
As if this isn't bizarre enough, it gets stranger. AIG sued the government trying to avoid paying $306-million in taxes, interest and penalties the government claims they owe. And they are using our bailout money to pay their lawyers.
One solution to this strange situation is for the government to deduct the $306-million from the latest $30-billion, and stop the lawyers from running up their bills at our expense.
Meanwhile, as this grab of billions of taxpayer dollars is going on, last weekend the Los Angeles Dodgers announced they would hire more janitors and security guards for the coming baseball season.
Thousands of people arrived to interview for a handfull of seasonal, part-time jobs that will pay about $10 an hour. When asked why, person after person standing in long interview lines spoke of their need for the job to buy food and pay for gas and electricity for their families. This is the real world.
Our system is broken and we need to fix it. Representative government must represent all of the people and not simply those with money who lobby it. Bailing out the rich while families in crisis suffer shows us what a farce our system now is.
But these problems can be solved. What I'm about to propose will seem impossible. But think of what will happen when our economy collapses, as it is starting to do. No matter what, dramatic change is coming:
We need a new Constitutional Convention, one where we devise a system like most democracies use, a parliament in which we can call for a vote of no confidence and replace our representatives. This would also encourage many political parties to participate, rather than the two party monopoly we have now.
And as most other democracies do, elections would be kept brief, perhaps 30-days, rather than our current endless process. This will slash the costs, which will be paid for by the public, not lobbyists. If you think the current system saves us money, look at the cost of lax regulation, bailouts and stimulus plans, as our nation heads for financial collapse.
But for these or changes you propose to happen, you must raise your voice. Silence will bring more of the hypocritical injustice we've gotten because those in power don't reform themselves. Think of AIG and speak for fiscal sanity and for compassion for the fast growing list of people in need.
Dick
The U.S. Self-Delusion Of Superiority Will End
How many times have you seen, heard or read these grandious American claims:
1) "America is the most powerful nation in the world." Really? How powerful is any nation when it goes so deeply into debt, that it needs much of the world to loan it money to pay its bills or it will collapse. This is what wasting ones resources en masse on an endless war time economy of costly military weapons and war can do. Quietly the U.S. is now pleading with the industrialized nations for financial support.
2) "America is the richest nation in the world." Really? America is by far the biggest debtor nation in the world. It owes money to practically everyone who has the resources to loan it. It's debts are now so big, it can't borrow enough money any longer, it has begun to print it - a path to financial disaster.
3) "America is the most generous and compassionate nation in the world." Really? Invading Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq in violation of the Geneva Convention and the United Nations charter, the U.S. helped to write is quite a breach. It also flouts the moral values Americans claim to hold dear. And what about America's secret drug wars in Columbia, Mexico and elsewhere?
3A) Yes, America used to be very generous. But today many people across the globe view the U.S. as the world's biggest terrorist, as it seizes and tortures and indefinitely imprisons or kills or threatens to kill "militants," "insurgents," "extremists" and "terrorists" in its "war on terror." Children and others are also killed in what the U.S. military calls "collateral damage."
3B) Meanwhile America ignores Darfur where hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or forced to live in refugee camps because the Sudanese government doesn't like the color of their skin. America ignores the intense pain and suffering it has caused in Iraq, where people struggle to survive with little food, clean water, medicines, electricity and sewage treatment. Doctors and medical staff are also in short supply as most have fled the country.
3C) At least 40% of the Iraqi workforce is unemployed and vast numbers must home school their children because there are no longer public schools for them. Millions of Iraqis have fled their nation, which the U.S. military runs like a prison lock-down.
Conclusion) Illusions don't allow the solution of reality's problems. And with the collapse of our economy, reality is overwhelming the illusions. Stimulus plans, corporate bailouts and an endless wartime economy won't solve it either.
We must slash our expenses in line with our revenues and redefine our priorities so that we once again become a compassionate and productive participant in the world. This is our day of reckoning and there is no soft landing.
We must willing help one-another as people did during the Great Depression, we must end our wars and close most of our military bases and apply our vast intellectual resources and abilities to create many of the 21st century's new industries.
And we must re-establish our Constitution and its Bill of Rights and respect, love and help one another, for to do as we have recently done and are doing will lead to our own destruction and take the world with us.
Dick
1) "America is the most powerful nation in the world." Really? How powerful is any nation when it goes so deeply into debt, that it needs much of the world to loan it money to pay its bills or it will collapse. This is what wasting ones resources en masse on an endless war time economy of costly military weapons and war can do. Quietly the U.S. is now pleading with the industrialized nations for financial support.
2) "America is the richest nation in the world." Really? America is by far the biggest debtor nation in the world. It owes money to practically everyone who has the resources to loan it. It's debts are now so big, it can't borrow enough money any longer, it has begun to print it - a path to financial disaster.
3) "America is the most generous and compassionate nation in the world." Really? Invading Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq in violation of the Geneva Convention and the United Nations charter, the U.S. helped to write is quite a breach. It also flouts the moral values Americans claim to hold dear. And what about America's secret drug wars in Columbia, Mexico and elsewhere?
3A) Yes, America used to be very generous. But today many people across the globe view the U.S. as the world's biggest terrorist, as it seizes and tortures and indefinitely imprisons or kills or threatens to kill "militants," "insurgents," "extremists" and "terrorists" in its "war on terror." Children and others are also killed in what the U.S. military calls "collateral damage."
3B) Meanwhile America ignores Darfur where hundreds of thousands of people have been killed or forced to live in refugee camps because the Sudanese government doesn't like the color of their skin. America ignores the intense pain and suffering it has caused in Iraq, where people struggle to survive with little food, clean water, medicines, electricity and sewage treatment. Doctors and medical staff are also in short supply as most have fled the country.
3C) At least 40% of the Iraqi workforce is unemployed and vast numbers must home school their children because there are no longer public schools for them. Millions of Iraqis have fled their nation, which the U.S. military runs like a prison lock-down.
Conclusion) Illusions don't allow the solution of reality's problems. And with the collapse of our economy, reality is overwhelming the illusions. Stimulus plans, corporate bailouts and an endless wartime economy won't solve it either.
We must slash our expenses in line with our revenues and redefine our priorities so that we once again become a compassionate and productive participant in the world. This is our day of reckoning and there is no soft landing.
We must willing help one-another as people did during the Great Depression, we must end our wars and close most of our military bases and apply our vast intellectual resources and abilities to create many of the 21st century's new industries.
And we must re-establish our Constitution and its Bill of Rights and respect, love and help one another, for to do as we have recently done and are doing will lead to our own destruction and take the world with us.
Dick
The Real Reason The U.S. Financial System Is In Chaos
Thus far no bailouts however massive have been big enough to get the credit markets to lend on a grand scale again. As a result our financial system in chaos.
Why won't they lend? Despite the excuses you may have heard, the real reason is because of a lack of integrity in the system. No-one trusts anyone else as a result of so many giant firms, like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Citigroup and others having falsified their accounting.
Or like Bank of America, didn't disclose until after the fact the gargantuan losses of Merrill Lynch whom they acquired, nor the multi-billion dollar bonuses Merrill Lynch paid itself. Then it turned out Bank of America also had previously undisclosed enormous losses.
Recently, there have been huge asset bubbles and loan bubbless and now no-one knows for sure what's real or what those assets are actually worth. Nor do they know if all the liabilities and losses have been disclosed or whether the borrower has the capacity and the inclination to pay them back.
But it gets worse. The U.S. government also falsified its accounting. For example, last year it declared a $455-billion deficit, a stunningly big number. Yet it was actually far larger, potentially twice the deficit they declared.
How could that be? No-one holds them accountable. They borrowed their monumental shortfall from the Social Security trust fund and did not declare it. Instead, they called it an "intragovernmental transfer." This allowed them to hide from the public how bad things really are and it endangered Social Security.
Now the U.S. government is saying it could have trillion dollar deficits for years to come. However, it doesn't have the borrowing capacity to obtain the money and has begun simply printing it. This puts the dollar at risk for there is nothing behind it except people's confidence it will hold it's value.
If too many dollars get printed, it could lead to rampant inflation and the destruction of the value that people worked so hard for and devastate the dollar as the preeminent global currency. Other nations could become fearful and stop lending to the U.S. government unless they can be paid back in strong currencies or in tangible assets including gold.
Now you know the magnitude of the potential exposure. That's why it's critical that integrity is restored throughout the financial system. And also that the U.S. government gets its financial house in order.
It needs to slash spending to be in line with its revenues. Military spending must be cut dramatically and fast, and rather than expand or continue wars it must quickly get out of them. And no more "stimulus" or bailout programs when we can't afford them or any of the government's other reckless spending.
If President Obama and Congress don't soon put America's financial house in order, your currency will eventually have little value. To protect yourself in case they don't, if you can afford to, please buy some one ounce gold coins.
And if you can affort to, please invest in tangible assets such as sharply discounted or foreclosed homes, condos and apartment buildings, preferably using cheap long term fixed rate borrowed money if you can get it. Because real estate values are falling, it's too soon to buy, but an excellent time to learn about it.
I suggest you buy residential real estate because even in bad times everyone needs to live somewhere and will make it a high priority to pay their rent. Buy in primary home communities with good schools and low crime rates, near job centers and hospitals because that's where people prefer to live.
If like many people you don't have the money to make these investments, mutual investment groups will be organized to make them so people can participate with small sums. Please do your homework so that you know who you are investing with. In recent times we've all seen many frauds committed.
Here's the bottom line. Together, we will get through these hard times the worst of which haven't nearly begun and then build a far better tomorrow. Hopefully from the harsh economic lessons we will suffer, we will thereafter hold our government accountable and we will also reign in our military spending and end our military invasions as we become a wiser, more compassionate people.
Dick
Why won't they lend? Despite the excuses you may have heard, the real reason is because of a lack of integrity in the system. No-one trusts anyone else as a result of so many giant firms, like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Citigroup and others having falsified their accounting.
Or like Bank of America, didn't disclose until after the fact the gargantuan losses of Merrill Lynch whom they acquired, nor the multi-billion dollar bonuses Merrill Lynch paid itself. Then it turned out Bank of America also had previously undisclosed enormous losses.
Recently, there have been huge asset bubbles and loan bubbless and now no-one knows for sure what's real or what those assets are actually worth. Nor do they know if all the liabilities and losses have been disclosed or whether the borrower has the capacity and the inclination to pay them back.
But it gets worse. The U.S. government also falsified its accounting. For example, last year it declared a $455-billion deficit, a stunningly big number. Yet it was actually far larger, potentially twice the deficit they declared.
How could that be? No-one holds them accountable. They borrowed their monumental shortfall from the Social Security trust fund and did not declare it. Instead, they called it an "intragovernmental transfer." This allowed them to hide from the public how bad things really are and it endangered Social Security.
Now the U.S. government is saying it could have trillion dollar deficits for years to come. However, it doesn't have the borrowing capacity to obtain the money and has begun simply printing it. This puts the dollar at risk for there is nothing behind it except people's confidence it will hold it's value.
If too many dollars get printed, it could lead to rampant inflation and the destruction of the value that people worked so hard for and devastate the dollar as the preeminent global currency. Other nations could become fearful and stop lending to the U.S. government unless they can be paid back in strong currencies or in tangible assets including gold.
Now you know the magnitude of the potential exposure. That's why it's critical that integrity is restored throughout the financial system. And also that the U.S. government gets its financial house in order.
It needs to slash spending to be in line with its revenues. Military spending must be cut dramatically and fast, and rather than expand or continue wars it must quickly get out of them. And no more "stimulus" or bailout programs when we can't afford them or any of the government's other reckless spending.
If President Obama and Congress don't soon put America's financial house in order, your currency will eventually have little value. To protect yourself in case they don't, if you can afford to, please buy some one ounce gold coins.
And if you can affort to, please invest in tangible assets such as sharply discounted or foreclosed homes, condos and apartment buildings, preferably using cheap long term fixed rate borrowed money if you can get it. Because real estate values are falling, it's too soon to buy, but an excellent time to learn about it.
I suggest you buy residential real estate because even in bad times everyone needs to live somewhere and will make it a high priority to pay their rent. Buy in primary home communities with good schools and low crime rates, near job centers and hospitals because that's where people prefer to live.
If like many people you don't have the money to make these investments, mutual investment groups will be organized to make them so people can participate with small sums. Please do your homework so that you know who you are investing with. In recent times we've all seen many frauds committed.
Here's the bottom line. Together, we will get through these hard times the worst of which haven't nearly begun and then build a far better tomorrow. Hopefully from the harsh economic lessons we will suffer, we will thereafter hold our government accountable and we will also reign in our military spending and end our military invasions as we become a wiser, more compassionate people.
Dick
Which Choice Would You Make?
America is going broke. People by the millions are losing their homes, their jobs, their life savings, their medical insurance and what remains of their self-esteem. These are families in crisis!
The result is that increasing numbers of families are living day to day in cheap motels and increasingly they are being forced to live on the streets. Food banks are overwhelmed by the unparalled numbers of desperate people coming to them.
Charities and shelters are trying to help but their donations have been cut sharply because many donors are struggling and can't afford to donate as much money as they used to.
States and local governments are short of money for schools, homeless shelters, parks, libraries, judicial systems and prisons and to pay unemployment benefits. They are being forced to make difficult choices and to raise taxes.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military occupation of Iraq continues as America spends $120 billion a year there! Money it is has to borrow. And for what? What can possibly be gained by continuing that war for anyone but military contractors, oil companies and grave diggers?
Now President Obama is escalating the Afghanistan war, and aggressively expanding it in Pakistan as well. Its costing many billions of dollars more and that number is growing fast. Once again, America is borrowing the money. And for what? Here comes yet another open ended war, involving two nations in addition to Iraq.
To provide the thousands of troops the U.S. needs, it pays premium rates to groups like Blackwater, and to save money, sends the National Guard for repeated tours.
When the National Guard goes, often they are people who enlisted thinking they'd do brief emergency support functions in America, such as helping flood victims or assisting police. But in war some are killed or severely injured, and because of their lengthy tours of duty, many lose their jobs and can no longer support their families.
Of course while this is going on, there is plenty of money for bailouts of corporate and banking giants. However grossly mis-managed they have been, they can still afford high priced lobbyists to protect their interests.
So which choices would you make? It's not an academic question. It's your money that's being spent, and much more money is being borrowed in your name in affect pledging your future welfare and that of your family.
Your voice counts. You can be silent or you can appeal to logic and compassion and demand a "change" in U.S. government policies and priorities. Either way, what you do will make a difference.
Dick
The result is that increasing numbers of families are living day to day in cheap motels and increasingly they are being forced to live on the streets. Food banks are overwhelmed by the unparalled numbers of desperate people coming to them.
Charities and shelters are trying to help but their donations have been cut sharply because many donors are struggling and can't afford to donate as much money as they used to.
States and local governments are short of money for schools, homeless shelters, parks, libraries, judicial systems and prisons and to pay unemployment benefits. They are being forced to make difficult choices and to raise taxes.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military occupation of Iraq continues as America spends $120 billion a year there! Money it is has to borrow. And for what? What can possibly be gained by continuing that war for anyone but military contractors, oil companies and grave diggers?
Now President Obama is escalating the Afghanistan war, and aggressively expanding it in Pakistan as well. Its costing many billions of dollars more and that number is growing fast. Once again, America is borrowing the money. And for what? Here comes yet another open ended war, involving two nations in addition to Iraq.
To provide the thousands of troops the U.S. needs, it pays premium rates to groups like Blackwater, and to save money, sends the National Guard for repeated tours.
When the National Guard goes, often they are people who enlisted thinking they'd do brief emergency support functions in America, such as helping flood victims or assisting police. But in war some are killed or severely injured, and because of their lengthy tours of duty, many lose their jobs and can no longer support their families.
Of course while this is going on, there is plenty of money for bailouts of corporate and banking giants. However grossly mis-managed they have been, they can still afford high priced lobbyists to protect their interests.
So which choices would you make? It's not an academic question. It's your money that's being spent, and much more money is being borrowed in your name in affect pledging your future welfare and that of your family.
Your voice counts. You can be silent or you can appeal to logic and compassion and demand a "change" in U.S. government policies and priorities. Either way, what you do will make a difference.
Dick
The U.S. Military's Own Stimulus Plan
These are wonderful times for U.S. military contractors.
Raytheon, which employs 73,000 people announced stellar financial results, as did L-3 Communications, which employs 64,000 people and General Dynamics, which employs 81,000 people. And Lockheed, which employs 140,000 people had record earnings.
Yet for U.S. military contractors, it gets even better. In 2001, Lockheed won a military contract to build 2,400 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet aircraft, at a cost to the U.S. taxpayer of $300-billion, with deliveries to start in 2012. This is the single biggest Pentagon award ever made.
Not wanting to lose out, Boeing is offering its old F/A-18 Super Hornet, the latest version the Navy began flying in 1998. Whereas the Navy version of the new Lockheed jet costs about $65-million each, Boeing prices its jet for as little as $49.9-million each.
And Lockheed's jet is ballooning in cost, so who knows how expensive it will be when shipments begin. Of course these jets would be insufficient without the latest weapons on board, the latest technology support systems and for the Navy, the aircraft carriers that will hold many of them.
Then there's Lockheed's F-22 Raptor Stealthfighter. It's a fighter jet the military doesn't need and we as taxpayers can't afford, as we borrow the money to pay for it. The Air Force has spent $65-billion in R&D and in buying 183 of them. That's over $300-million a plane.
Congressional Republicans and Democrats now want the Air Force to buy 60-more of them at a cost of $143-million each. Why? Because to make them employs 100,000 people between Lockheed and its sub-contractors, which include Raytheon and Boeing, and 1,000 parts suppliers in 44 states in Congressional districts nationwide.
So business is booming, financially and literally as wars are being fought in Iraq, Afghanistan and in pursuit of "militants" in Pakistan and the Pentagon prepares for future enemies as well, with seemingly endless spending.
It's unfortunate so many people must die so these profits can be made but then that's the nature of the military business. To make it more palatable, the Pentagon often censors the results of these weapons in action, for no-one wants to see men, women and children blown to bits and others covered in blood being rushed to makeshift hospitals, while what were their homes are left in piles of rubble.
Instead the military offers us air shows and promotional videos, and for a lot of people they are exciting to watch. And we're told those weapons protect us and "defend" our freedoms.
But there is a better way. We could instead try to resolve our differences with others peacefully, rather than attacking or threatening them. The money now spent on war could instead be used to create new sources of clean energy or applied to other constructive purposes as we redeploy the defense contractors and retrain their millions of employees to keep them working.
Some people would miss those colorful air shows and videos but suddenly we would be uplifting mankind rather than trying to destroy it. And we'd have millions of new and sustainable jobs that make the world a better place.
The choice is yours and mine. We can be silent and let the military continue to endanger the world in the names of security and jobs. Or we can speak with compassion and reason and reach out to our brethren in peace. And in the process, we may even save our economic system and our freedoms.
Dick
Raytheon, which employs 73,000 people announced stellar financial results, as did L-3 Communications, which employs 64,000 people and General Dynamics, which employs 81,000 people. And Lockheed, which employs 140,000 people had record earnings.
Yet for U.S. military contractors, it gets even better. In 2001, Lockheed won a military contract to build 2,400 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet aircraft, at a cost to the U.S. taxpayer of $300-billion, with deliveries to start in 2012. This is the single biggest Pentagon award ever made.
Not wanting to lose out, Boeing is offering its old F/A-18 Super Hornet, the latest version the Navy began flying in 1998. Whereas the Navy version of the new Lockheed jet costs about $65-million each, Boeing prices its jet for as little as $49.9-million each.
And Lockheed's jet is ballooning in cost, so who knows how expensive it will be when shipments begin. Of course these jets would be insufficient without the latest weapons on board, the latest technology support systems and for the Navy, the aircraft carriers that will hold many of them.
Then there's Lockheed's F-22 Raptor Stealthfighter. It's a fighter jet the military doesn't need and we as taxpayers can't afford, as we borrow the money to pay for it. The Air Force has spent $65-billion in R&D and in buying 183 of them. That's over $300-million a plane.
Congressional Republicans and Democrats now want the Air Force to buy 60-more of them at a cost of $143-million each. Why? Because to make them employs 100,000 people between Lockheed and its sub-contractors, which include Raytheon and Boeing, and 1,000 parts suppliers in 44 states in Congressional districts nationwide.
So business is booming, financially and literally as wars are being fought in Iraq, Afghanistan and in pursuit of "militants" in Pakistan and the Pentagon prepares for future enemies as well, with seemingly endless spending.
It's unfortunate so many people must die so these profits can be made but then that's the nature of the military business. To make it more palatable, the Pentagon often censors the results of these weapons in action, for no-one wants to see men, women and children blown to bits and others covered in blood being rushed to makeshift hospitals, while what were their homes are left in piles of rubble.
Instead the military offers us air shows and promotional videos, and for a lot of people they are exciting to watch. And we're told those weapons protect us and "defend" our freedoms.
But there is a better way. We could instead try to resolve our differences with others peacefully, rather than attacking or threatening them. The money now spent on war could instead be used to create new sources of clean energy or applied to other constructive purposes as we redeploy the defense contractors and retrain their millions of employees to keep them working.
Some people would miss those colorful air shows and videos but suddenly we would be uplifting mankind rather than trying to destroy it. And we'd have millions of new and sustainable jobs that make the world a better place.
The choice is yours and mine. We can be silent and let the military continue to endanger the world in the names of security and jobs. Or we can speak with compassion and reason and reach out to our brethren in peace. And in the process, we may even save our economic system and our freedoms.
Dick
The Stimulus Plan Will Disastrously Fail
The U.S. economy is collapsing.
In response, the government is rushing through another stimulus program. But as we saw in Japan during the "lost decade" of the 1990's and early 2000's and also during the New Deal of the 1930's, when America tried to spend its way out of the Great Depression, no giant stimulus plan is going to rescue it.
Despite last year's massive corporate bailout and last July's stimulus when the public got government rebate checks to spend, the situation has only grown worse. But of course new bailouts are in the works.
With the passage of the latest stimulus plan, there will at first be euphoria as Barack Obama uses his considerable oratory skills to promote it heavily. When this stimulus fails us as the others have, it will thrust our nation even deeper into debt.
Think of it like a guy who ran up huge credit card bills who can no longer afford to make the payments. In desperation, he tries to borrow more money rather than to face his day of reckoning. But eventually he will be forced to confront that painful day.
For now, the U.S. can borrow money because major lenders like China, Japan and Saudi Arabia are still loaning. But as America's debts mushroom, they are becoming seriously concerned. China recently said it publicly.
In addition, their economies are getting hit hard and they may need to keep much of their money at home to deal with their domestic needs. And with the abyss the global economy is facing, these nations may simply run out of money to invest elsewhere.
In any case, it is sheer arrogance for the U.S. to expect other countries to subsidize tax breaks it wants to handout, the rebuilding of its infrastructure and the rich lifestyle to which it is accustomed but long ago could no longer afford.
How bad is the America's situation? Not counting the gargantuan and never ending trade deficits, let's focus on government spending. Last year's deficit hit a whopping $455 billion. Now it is estimated it could reach a staggering $2.5 trillion this year!
But with the latest stimulus and bailout plans, no-one knows how high it will actually go. And there is no end in sight to these massive trillion dollar deficits.
To fund them the U.S. government is counting on global investors to buy ever greater amounts of U.S. debt but if they instead cut back their purchases, two ugly scenarios take place:
1) In order to attract funds, the U.S. will be forced to sharply raise interest rates. This will compound the already skyrocketing growth of the deficit.
2-A) The U.S. still won't be able to borrow enough money and so it will run the printing presses to make up the shortfall. The result of this action will be too many dollars chasing too few goods which will bring monumental inflation. The Fed has already begun to run the printing presses as of last September.
2-B) But it gets worse. The latest bailout is meant to flood the economic system with money. Its shortfall could be an astounding $2.5 trillion! The first $350-billion is supposed to come from what remains of the prior bailout money. The rest, aside from any money private investors provide in a plan not yet devised, is to be created by the Federal Reserve simply printing the money.
2-C) The value of the dollar is only that which we believe it to be, for since 1971, it has not been backed by gold or any other assets. If the Federal Reserve just creates tons of dollars out of the blue, the dollar will lose its credibility and with it, it's value.
How will you and I be affected by the disasterous failures of the stimulus and bailout plans? We will all be impacted by the terrible economic times to come. Some of your and my family and friends will lose their jobs, and may lose their homes. So might you and I. We must learn to live with less and to be generous in sharing what we have with others for we need to come together as family and as humanity to weather this frightful storm.
But we will survive it. And hopefully we will stop wasting our resources on weapons and wars and stop our vast consumption of much of the world's goods. Instead, we could become a more compassionate and giving people.
We could help pay for Malaria vaccines which would save millions of lives in poor nations. We could help to feed the hungry, invest in education, focus on cures for Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis and other dreaded diseases and invest in technology to heal and protect the earth. We could uplift the lives of tremendous numbers of people whose lives are mired in hoplessness and poverty.
If that seems impossible to you, think of what we've spent on weapons and wars in recent years and you'll realize the resources were there if only we had used them more wisely. But it's not too late. When our economy eventually recovers we could still become a beacon of light for the world, a blessing to all.
Dick
In response, the government is rushing through another stimulus program. But as we saw in Japan during the "lost decade" of the 1990's and early 2000's and also during the New Deal of the 1930's, when America tried to spend its way out of the Great Depression, no giant stimulus plan is going to rescue it.
Despite last year's massive corporate bailout and last July's stimulus when the public got government rebate checks to spend, the situation has only grown worse. But of course new bailouts are in the works.
With the passage of the latest stimulus plan, there will at first be euphoria as Barack Obama uses his considerable oratory skills to promote it heavily. When this stimulus fails us as the others have, it will thrust our nation even deeper into debt.
Think of it like a guy who ran up huge credit card bills who can no longer afford to make the payments. In desperation, he tries to borrow more money rather than to face his day of reckoning. But eventually he will be forced to confront that painful day.
For now, the U.S. can borrow money because major lenders like China, Japan and Saudi Arabia are still loaning. But as America's debts mushroom, they are becoming seriously concerned. China recently said it publicly.
In addition, their economies are getting hit hard and they may need to keep much of their money at home to deal with their domestic needs. And with the abyss the global economy is facing, these nations may simply run out of money to invest elsewhere.
In any case, it is sheer arrogance for the U.S. to expect other countries to subsidize tax breaks it wants to handout, the rebuilding of its infrastructure and the rich lifestyle to which it is accustomed but long ago could no longer afford.
How bad is the America's situation? Not counting the gargantuan and never ending trade deficits, let's focus on government spending. Last year's deficit hit a whopping $455 billion. Now it is estimated it could reach a staggering $2.5 trillion this year!
But with the latest stimulus and bailout plans, no-one knows how high it will actually go. And there is no end in sight to these massive trillion dollar deficits.
To fund them the U.S. government is counting on global investors to buy ever greater amounts of U.S. debt but if they instead cut back their purchases, two ugly scenarios take place:
1) In order to attract funds, the U.S. will be forced to sharply raise interest rates. This will compound the already skyrocketing growth of the deficit.
2-A) The U.S. still won't be able to borrow enough money and so it will run the printing presses to make up the shortfall. The result of this action will be too many dollars chasing too few goods which will bring monumental inflation. The Fed has already begun to run the printing presses as of last September.
2-B) But it gets worse. The latest bailout is meant to flood the economic system with money. Its shortfall could be an astounding $2.5 trillion! The first $350-billion is supposed to come from what remains of the prior bailout money. The rest, aside from any money private investors provide in a plan not yet devised, is to be created by the Federal Reserve simply printing the money.
2-C) The value of the dollar is only that which we believe it to be, for since 1971, it has not been backed by gold or any other assets. If the Federal Reserve just creates tons of dollars out of the blue, the dollar will lose its credibility and with it, it's value.
How will you and I be affected by the disasterous failures of the stimulus and bailout plans? We will all be impacted by the terrible economic times to come. Some of your and my family and friends will lose their jobs, and may lose their homes. So might you and I. We must learn to live with less and to be generous in sharing what we have with others for we need to come together as family and as humanity to weather this frightful storm.
But we will survive it. And hopefully we will stop wasting our resources on weapons and wars and stop our vast consumption of much of the world's goods. Instead, we could become a more compassionate and giving people.
We could help pay for Malaria vaccines which would save millions of lives in poor nations. We could help to feed the hungry, invest in education, focus on cures for Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis and other dreaded diseases and invest in technology to heal and protect the earth. We could uplift the lives of tremendous numbers of people whose lives are mired in hoplessness and poverty.
If that seems impossible to you, think of what we've spent on weapons and wars in recent years and you'll realize the resources were there if only we had used them more wisely. But it's not too late. When our economy eventually recovers we could still become a beacon of light for the world, a blessing to all.
Dick
How To Protect Yourself From The Coming Financial Crisis
Dick Kazan Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 5:17 pm
Dear Reader,
Are you prepared for the coming financial crisis?
We Americans haven't seen one like this since The Great Depression, as the dollar's value will get cut in half, real estate will lose 1/3 of its value and millions of people will lose their jobs.
As a veteran businessman and long term investor, I offer you suggestions to help protect you and your family and as many other people as you and I can reach.
Soon, everything you buy in dollars will cost more. The price of gas is just the start, and that price will fluctuate up and down, but the long term trend will be up.
And with it, so will the cost of groceries and other products you buy because the rising fuel prices make it more expensive to deliver them to the markets.
Those businesses not in a strong enough position to pass along price hikes will either fail, or have to slash expenses such as by laying off employees.
If you've recently traveled to Europe, Japan or Canada, you already know how expensive everything has become when paid for in U.S. dollars. And soon much of what you buy from retailors such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot will become more costly as well because a lot of it is imported.
As a result, dollars are flowing overseas so fast, that nations such as China, Japan, South Korea, as well as the Persian Gulf oil producers, Russia and others are flooded with them and need to invest them before they decline further in value.
They're buying U.S. assets and they're loaning the U.S Government money. Those who loan the money are in a strong position to dictate terms.
They can raise interest rates to make their loans more profitable, and to ensure their loans will be paid back they can encourage raising of taxes and the cut back of benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare and other reductions in essential services to Americans.
And the cost increases won't stop there. After next year's elections your taxes will rise to pay for the Bush Administration's vast overspending on weapons and war.
All of these factors will combine to throw a lot of people out of work.
So what can you do to protect yourself from the coming financial crisis?
1) Consult with a reputable and objective investment advisor before doing anything. Someone not trying to sell you anything and who can take an unbiased look at your current finances.
This includes tax advise, because taxes are already eating up nearly half your paycheck. It is hard to become financially secure with nearly half your income gone.
2) Invest in income producing assets so that you're not solely locked into the declining dollar. My favorite is residential real estate because we all have to live somewhere and paying the rent is a high priority to most people.
This real estate ideally will be in major job centers, not in 2nd home communities or time shares because in tough times, people walk away from them.
If you choose residential real estate in which to invest, please be aware the market is beginning a sharp drop in value. This is a good time to save your cash because values are falling faster than your dollar is and plan to invest in the months to come when purchase prices will be much lower.
3) Invest in strong foreign currencies or buy assets in countries with strong currencies, as some major investors have been doing. But please be well informed because you could lose everything you invest if you're not knowledgeable. You may find it best to select a well-established, highly credible mutual fund to make these investments for you.
This same approach applies to commodities speculation such as in gold or oil futures.
4) If you can, run an income producing business, preferably one that can adjust its costs during times of financial turmoil and one offering products people need in good times and bad such as food, medical care or other essential items.
Another good business choice in major U.S. cities is to run one catering to immigrants, or get into the travel business, specifically catering to visitors because the U.S. is becoming a cheap place to visit for those with stronger currencies.
5) If you work for a living, preferably be employed by a dynamic company in a fast growing field, whether in medicine, computers, debt collection, energy or other choices that play to your skills.
Also military contracting and law enforcement will provide a strong base of employment for a long time to come.
6) In hard times many financial institutions will fail. Put your savings in FDIC insured accounts.
7) This final choice is one of conscience. Make charitable donations. One of your best investments is to help make the world a safer place as you offer a helping hand to those in need.
Please understand, the U.S. is still a great country and has the world's largest economy. It remains a highly desirable place to live and to work. And for now, people overseas will continue to loan us money to pay our bills.
An informed populace would not have allowed the Pentagon's uncontrolled spending in concurrence with Congress to put us on a road to bankruptcy. Nor would it have let the Bush Adminstration trash our Bill of Rights, while Congress looked the other way.
To correct America's ills won't be easy. It will take a concerted effort, a unity of the American people to restore our nation's finances, its Constitutional government and to end the nightmare the U.S. is unleashing on itself and on the world. But it can and I hope it will be done.
Dick
Dear Reader,
Are you prepared for the coming financial crisis?
We Americans haven't seen one like this since The Great Depression, as the dollar's value will get cut in half, real estate will lose 1/3 of its value and millions of people will lose their jobs.
As a veteran businessman and long term investor, I offer you suggestions to help protect you and your family and as many other people as you and I can reach.
Soon, everything you buy in dollars will cost more. The price of gas is just the start, and that price will fluctuate up and down, but the long term trend will be up.
And with it, so will the cost of groceries and other products you buy because the rising fuel prices make it more expensive to deliver them to the markets.
Those businesses not in a strong enough position to pass along price hikes will either fail, or have to slash expenses such as by laying off employees.
If you've recently traveled to Europe, Japan or Canada, you already know how expensive everything has become when paid for in U.S. dollars. And soon much of what you buy from retailors such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot will become more costly as well because a lot of it is imported.
As a result, dollars are flowing overseas so fast, that nations such as China, Japan, South Korea, as well as the Persian Gulf oil producers, Russia and others are flooded with them and need to invest them before they decline further in value.
They're buying U.S. assets and they're loaning the U.S Government money. Those who loan the money are in a strong position to dictate terms.
They can raise interest rates to make their loans more profitable, and to ensure their loans will be paid back they can encourage raising of taxes and the cut back of benefit programs such as Social Security and Medicare and other reductions in essential services to Americans.
And the cost increases won't stop there. After next year's elections your taxes will rise to pay for the Bush Administration's vast overspending on weapons and war.
All of these factors will combine to throw a lot of people out of work.
So what can you do to protect yourself from the coming financial crisis?
1) Consult with a reputable and objective investment advisor before doing anything. Someone not trying to sell you anything and who can take an unbiased look at your current finances.
This includes tax advise, because taxes are already eating up nearly half your paycheck. It is hard to become financially secure with nearly half your income gone.
2) Invest in income producing assets so that you're not solely locked into the declining dollar. My favorite is residential real estate because we all have to live somewhere and paying the rent is a high priority to most people.
This real estate ideally will be in major job centers, not in 2nd home communities or time shares because in tough times, people walk away from them.
If you choose residential real estate in which to invest, please be aware the market is beginning a sharp drop in value. This is a good time to save your cash because values are falling faster than your dollar is and plan to invest in the months to come when purchase prices will be much lower.
3) Invest in strong foreign currencies or buy assets in countries with strong currencies, as some major investors have been doing. But please be well informed because you could lose everything you invest if you're not knowledgeable. You may find it best to select a well-established, highly credible mutual fund to make these investments for you.
This same approach applies to commodities speculation such as in gold or oil futures.
4) If you can, run an income producing business, preferably one that can adjust its costs during times of financial turmoil and one offering products people need in good times and bad such as food, medical care or other essential items.
Another good business choice in major U.S. cities is to run one catering to immigrants, or get into the travel business, specifically catering to visitors because the U.S. is becoming a cheap place to visit for those with stronger currencies.
5) If you work for a living, preferably be employed by a dynamic company in a fast growing field, whether in medicine, computers, debt collection, energy or other choices that play to your skills.
Also military contracting and law enforcement will provide a strong base of employment for a long time to come.
6) In hard times many financial institutions will fail. Put your savings in FDIC insured accounts.
7) This final choice is one of conscience. Make charitable donations. One of your best investments is to help make the world a safer place as you offer a helping hand to those in need.
Please understand, the U.S. is still a great country and has the world's largest economy. It remains a highly desirable place to live and to work. And for now, people overseas will continue to loan us money to pay our bills.
An informed populace would not have allowed the Pentagon's uncontrolled spending in concurrence with Congress to put us on a road to bankruptcy. Nor would it have let the Bush Adminstration trash our Bill of Rights, while Congress looked the other way.
To correct America's ills won't be easy. It will take a concerted effort, a unity of the American people to restore our nation's finances, its Constitutional government and to end the nightmare the U.S. is unleashing on itself and on the world. But it can and I hope it will be done.
Dick
An Open Letter To The Israeli Government
What do you hope to gain by striking fear in the hearts of every mother, father and child in Gaza? What do you hope to accomplish with death and destruction?
Crushing Gaza and killing its people will bring no peace to Israel. Instead it will plant the bitter seeds of hate, hopelessness and revenge and it will drain your treasury and destroy your credibility.
Is this what God would command you to do? Who is now the fanatic? Who is now the terrorist? You'll find the answer in the eyes of the people you've attacked.
As a man of Jewish heritage, I plead with you to reach out to our Palestinian brethren and make peace before another life is lost and try to correct the damage you've done. The esteem Israel has in much of the world, your well-being and perhaps even that of mankind may depend on it.
Dick Kazan
andreagiambrone wrote:
In Science of Mind, we sing, "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." Yet peace seems as elusive as unity. "Peace on earth," proclaim the Holiday cards. Until a neighbor takes down a tree you loved seeing from your own window without mentioning it; or someone cuts you off on a freeway. And the term, "road rage" is born.
Are we capable of Peace? Is mighty Israel, with its Self Image, of the Little Guy who has to fight for everything all the time capable of Peace?
How about this country? Without checking the statistics, I'd say we've been involved in some kind of war since our Founding.
Is Peace Possible? That is the question. Ironic that until we test it, we'll never know.
How right you are, Sane Rambler, to take Israel to task for this miserable killing of innocents. Surely they will answer, "Kill or be killed." And so the misery seems destined to continue. Until, with one mega-retaliatory bomb too many, we will blow ourselves apart.
I feel empty and sad. "Give peace a chance," the late John Lennon sang. Late is the operative word.
Always with a sliver of hope in my heart,
Andrea Giambrone, peace-seeker
AZBEN wrote:
Sorry, folks, but I have to agree with Israel's actions. They have been bombarded for months, their citizens living in fear and peril. They have not been the agressors in my opinion, they have been the victims. On all fronts they are in danger, from every country that borders them or is in near proximity. If it wasn't for their military strength and determination to defend themselves, they would have been overrun and annihilated years ago.
It is so convenient for folks, safe in their homes in the USA, to cast aspersions at the Israeli's for their counter-attack. I am sure that if Mexico was lobbing (3,000 plus) bombs into San Diego, Torrance or Palos Verdes, the USA would assume the same posture as Israel, and with the urging and backing of it's citizens. Think about it. Their country has been attacked with impunity. They are being bombed daily!! With real bombs, guys!
The Jews tried to turn the other cheek in the past and that didn't work. They were lambs led to the slaughter. They learned their lessons well... and refuse to relive them again.
It is a sad commentary but we live in hostile and dangerous times that often times require military intervention.
I know that I, a conservative hawk, will be a minority on this site but at least I have a platform to discuss my point of view with the liberal doves.. and that is the democratic process.
Thanks for listening, AZBEN
beachfnt wrote:
Let's all step back for a moment and ponder what is Israel's end game. Is it to peacefully coexist with the Palestinians in a "recognized nation of Palestine?" If so then Israel would have sincerely done everything in its power to make sure that Hamas successfully transformed from a militant organization to one that governs. The path Israel chose predictably led to this situation so that Hamas could be blamed for the crushing that the Israeli military is bringing down on them.
Instead of looking at this at an inning by inning basis and instead finding the best way to "win" the game then you must assume that people around the globe want to live out their life cycles in a way that lets them provide for their families and celebrate their celebrations. Deprived of this, desperation will sink in as has happened in all of recorded history (please let me know where the inmates appreciate their jailers). Gaza is a ghetto (or very large jail) and Israel controls almost all of what goes on with commerce, utilities and free travel that it isn't hard to see why Hamas who opposes this rule AND provides goods and services for Palestinians is more popular than Fatah (accused of being corrupt by the US and Israel). If we were Palestinians how would we behave? If one of our children were killed how would that change our outlook and for how many generations?
If look at this as a tit for tat then yes, Israel is justified in shooting back but if we want Israelis to enjoy their own peaceful life cycles then they and we should do everything we can to ensure that the Palestinians can enjoy theirs even if we do not like or approve of the winners of their election. This chess game was predictable and poorly played by Israelis that do not want a Palestine and wanted to punish the citizens for voting in Hamas. One has to wonder if a constant threat serves Israel's needs for aid better then peaceful coexistance with its neighbors...
Kevin wrote:
What about the missiles fired from The Gaza Strip into Israeli?
Kevin
Dick Kazan wrote:
Dear Reader,
As Gaza launched rockets into Israel, how would I respond if Mexico launched rockets into America?
If Mexico launched rockets, ASAP I would try to stop it peacefully by sitting down with their leadership to attempt to resolve our issues together. Not refuse to meet with them, nor ignore them and then attack them in return with far greater might. Nor would I sometimes shut off most of their food and medical supplies, electricity and their primary source of jobs.
When modern Israel was established in 1948, the Israelis didn't know how to govern, they knew how to fight. Arabs and the British called them "terrorists."
When Hamas was ELECTED as the governing body in Gaza 11/2 years ago, they too did not know how to govern, only how to fight. On occasion, they quietly reached out to the Israelis, and were shunned.
Instead, Israel tried to strike a peace in the West Bank as if that would solve their Palestinian problems. Clearly it hasn't and now their killing of men, women and children jeopardizes even that.
What Israel is doing in Gaza is so disgraceful, they're trying to censor it so the world doesn't see it, and trying to keep outsiders such as the Red Cross away so they can't help those in desperate need nor tell the outside world what they see.
No place in Gaza is safe from Israeli attack and even the United Nations has been forced to flee. What Israel is doing is shameful and like the Iraq war, it will encourage fanatics to retaliate in violence.
Dick
Kevin wrote:
I'm sorry, but I don't believe that it is within the human spirit to truly live in peace. There will always be aggressors and therefore the need for protectors. An argument can be made regarding which one is which in any particular situation, but the fact remains that the opposing forces exist. We are all multi faceted, and not all of those facets in all the people are good natured.
Kevin
Dick Kazan wrote:
"U.N. and Red Cross Add to Outcry on Gaza War," headlined The New York Times on today's front page.
"International aid groups lashed out at Israel on Thursday over the war in Gaza, saying that access to civilians in need is poor, relief workers are being hurt and killed, and Israel is woefully neglecting its obligations to Palestinians who are trapped, some among rotting corpses in a nightmarish landscape of deprivation.
"The United Nations declared a suspension of its aid operations after one of its drivers was killed and two others were wounded despite driving United Nations flagged vehicles and coordinating their movements with the Israeli military."
http://www.nytimes.com:80/2009/01/09/wo ... ?th&emc=th
And in a related New York Times story today: "Gaza Children Found With Mothers' Corpses"
"The International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday it had discovered "shocking" scenes - including small children next to their mothers' corpses - when its representatives gained access for the first time to parts of Gaza battered by Israeli shelling. It accused Israel of failing to meet obligations to care for the wounded in areas of combat." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/world ... wanted=all
A Message to the Israeli Government: No wonder you are trying to prevent news media coverage of this horrific war you've launched. The sickening sight of it would turn most of the world against you, including many Israelis.
If you think the ends will justify the means, think again. You're planting a very bitter harvest of anger, frustration, hate and revenge, and no military occupation will bring you the safety and security you seek.
It can only come from respect, consideration, foregiveness and love as you reach out to our Palestinian brethren in SINCERE brotherhood. At this point the ghosts of the Nazis may look at all of us of Jewish heritage and say, "Look how ruthless you turned out to be. We thought so all along, and now you have proven it to the world."
In the name of God, stop your attack and do everything in your power to correct the horrors you've inflicted. Let us all seek foregiveness and make amends for the incredible suffering we have brought these men, women and children.
Dick Kazan
Post Script: This Open Letter was emailed to the Israeli Government,
1) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, feedback@MFA.gov.il
2) Ministry of Communications, dovrut@MOC.gov.il
3) Ministry of Defense, pniot@MOD.gov.il
Crushing Gaza and killing its people will bring no peace to Israel. Instead it will plant the bitter seeds of hate, hopelessness and revenge and it will drain your treasury and destroy your credibility.
Is this what God would command you to do? Who is now the fanatic? Who is now the terrorist? You'll find the answer in the eyes of the people you've attacked.
As a man of Jewish heritage, I plead with you to reach out to our Palestinian brethren and make peace before another life is lost and try to correct the damage you've done. The esteem Israel has in much of the world, your well-being and perhaps even that of mankind may depend on it.
Dick Kazan
andreagiambrone wrote:
In Science of Mind, we sing, "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me." Yet peace seems as elusive as unity. "Peace on earth," proclaim the Holiday cards. Until a neighbor takes down a tree you loved seeing from your own window without mentioning it; or someone cuts you off on a freeway. And the term, "road rage" is born.
Are we capable of Peace? Is mighty Israel, with its Self Image, of the Little Guy who has to fight for everything all the time capable of Peace?
How about this country? Without checking the statistics, I'd say we've been involved in some kind of war since our Founding.
Is Peace Possible? That is the question. Ironic that until we test it, we'll never know.
How right you are, Sane Rambler, to take Israel to task for this miserable killing of innocents. Surely they will answer, "Kill or be killed." And so the misery seems destined to continue. Until, with one mega-retaliatory bomb too many, we will blow ourselves apart.
I feel empty and sad. "Give peace a chance," the late John Lennon sang. Late is the operative word.
Always with a sliver of hope in my heart,
Andrea Giambrone, peace-seeker
AZBEN wrote:
Sorry, folks, but I have to agree with Israel's actions. They have been bombarded for months, their citizens living in fear and peril. They have not been the agressors in my opinion, they have been the victims. On all fronts they are in danger, from every country that borders them or is in near proximity. If it wasn't for their military strength and determination to defend themselves, they would have been overrun and annihilated years ago.
It is so convenient for folks, safe in their homes in the USA, to cast aspersions at the Israeli's for their counter-attack. I am sure that if Mexico was lobbing (3,000 plus) bombs into San Diego, Torrance or Palos Verdes, the USA would assume the same posture as Israel, and with the urging and backing of it's citizens. Think about it. Their country has been attacked with impunity. They are being bombed daily!! With real bombs, guys!
The Jews tried to turn the other cheek in the past and that didn't work. They were lambs led to the slaughter. They learned their lessons well... and refuse to relive them again.
It is a sad commentary but we live in hostile and dangerous times that often times require military intervention.
I know that I, a conservative hawk, will be a minority on this site but at least I have a platform to discuss my point of view with the liberal doves.. and that is the democratic process.
Thanks for listening, AZBEN
beachfnt wrote:
Let's all step back for a moment and ponder what is Israel's end game. Is it to peacefully coexist with the Palestinians in a "recognized nation of Palestine?" If so then Israel would have sincerely done everything in its power to make sure that Hamas successfully transformed from a militant organization to one that governs. The path Israel chose predictably led to this situation so that Hamas could be blamed for the crushing that the Israeli military is bringing down on them.
Instead of looking at this at an inning by inning basis and instead finding the best way to "win" the game then you must assume that people around the globe want to live out their life cycles in a way that lets them provide for their families and celebrate their celebrations. Deprived of this, desperation will sink in as has happened in all of recorded history (please let me know where the inmates appreciate their jailers). Gaza is a ghetto (or very large jail) and Israel controls almost all of what goes on with commerce, utilities and free travel that it isn't hard to see why Hamas who opposes this rule AND provides goods and services for Palestinians is more popular than Fatah (accused of being corrupt by the US and Israel). If we were Palestinians how would we behave? If one of our children were killed how would that change our outlook and for how many generations?
If look at this as a tit for tat then yes, Israel is justified in shooting back but if we want Israelis to enjoy their own peaceful life cycles then they and we should do everything we can to ensure that the Palestinians can enjoy theirs even if we do not like or approve of the winners of their election. This chess game was predictable and poorly played by Israelis that do not want a Palestine and wanted to punish the citizens for voting in Hamas. One has to wonder if a constant threat serves Israel's needs for aid better then peaceful coexistance with its neighbors...
Kevin wrote:
What about the missiles fired from The Gaza Strip into Israeli?
Kevin
Dick Kazan wrote:
Dear Reader,
As Gaza launched rockets into Israel, how would I respond if Mexico launched rockets into America?
If Mexico launched rockets, ASAP I would try to stop it peacefully by sitting down with their leadership to attempt to resolve our issues together. Not refuse to meet with them, nor ignore them and then attack them in return with far greater might. Nor would I sometimes shut off most of their food and medical supplies, electricity and their primary source of jobs.
When modern Israel was established in 1948, the Israelis didn't know how to govern, they knew how to fight. Arabs and the British called them "terrorists."
When Hamas was ELECTED as the governing body in Gaza 11/2 years ago, they too did not know how to govern, only how to fight. On occasion, they quietly reached out to the Israelis, and were shunned.
Instead, Israel tried to strike a peace in the West Bank as if that would solve their Palestinian problems. Clearly it hasn't and now their killing of men, women and children jeopardizes even that.
What Israel is doing in Gaza is so disgraceful, they're trying to censor it so the world doesn't see it, and trying to keep outsiders such as the Red Cross away so they can't help those in desperate need nor tell the outside world what they see.
No place in Gaza is safe from Israeli attack and even the United Nations has been forced to flee. What Israel is doing is shameful and like the Iraq war, it will encourage fanatics to retaliate in violence.
Dick
Kevin wrote:
I'm sorry, but I don't believe that it is within the human spirit to truly live in peace. There will always be aggressors and therefore the need for protectors. An argument can be made regarding which one is which in any particular situation, but the fact remains that the opposing forces exist. We are all multi faceted, and not all of those facets in all the people are good natured.
Kevin
Dick Kazan wrote:
"U.N. and Red Cross Add to Outcry on Gaza War," headlined The New York Times on today's front page.
"International aid groups lashed out at Israel on Thursday over the war in Gaza, saying that access to civilians in need is poor, relief workers are being hurt and killed, and Israel is woefully neglecting its obligations to Palestinians who are trapped, some among rotting corpses in a nightmarish landscape of deprivation.
"The United Nations declared a suspension of its aid operations after one of its drivers was killed and two others were wounded despite driving United Nations flagged vehicles and coordinating their movements with the Israeli military."
http://www.nytimes.com:80/2009/01/09/wo ... ?th&emc=th
And in a related New York Times story today: "Gaza Children Found With Mothers' Corpses"
"The International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday it had discovered "shocking" scenes - including small children next to their mothers' corpses - when its representatives gained access for the first time to parts of Gaza battered by Israeli shelling. It accused Israel of failing to meet obligations to care for the wounded in areas of combat." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/world ... wanted=all
A Message to the Israeli Government: No wonder you are trying to prevent news media coverage of this horrific war you've launched. The sickening sight of it would turn most of the world against you, including many Israelis.
If you think the ends will justify the means, think again. You're planting a very bitter harvest of anger, frustration, hate and revenge, and no military occupation will bring you the safety and security you seek.
It can only come from respect, consideration, foregiveness and love as you reach out to our Palestinian brethren in SINCERE brotherhood. At this point the ghosts of the Nazis may look at all of us of Jewish heritage and say, "Look how ruthless you turned out to be. We thought so all along, and now you have proven it to the world."
In the name of God, stop your attack and do everything in your power to correct the horrors you've inflicted. Let us all seek foregiveness and make amends for the incredible suffering we have brought these men, women and children.
Dick Kazan
Post Script: This Open Letter was emailed to the Israeli Government,
1) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, feedback@MFA.gov.il
2) Ministry of Communications, dovrut@MOC.gov.il
3) Ministry of Defense, pniot@MOD.gov.il
The Biggest Government Bailout Of All
"Giving $17 billion to General Motors and Chrysler is a waste of money," said Janet in disgust. "Even their shareholders won't put money in and the firms have no plan and the same bad management."
"Yes, but it will stop them from going bankrupt," replied Tom, "while Barack Obama starts his stimulus plan which could save them. And besides, AIG got almost 10 times as much money and what great plan do they have?"
As this hypothetical conversation illustrates, Americans are heatedly debating the massive $750 billion taxpayer funded corporate bailout, yet in silence there is a far larger corporate bailout taking place.
This silent bailout will soon top ONE TRILLION DOLLARS and it is rapidly growing as every day it devours more money. It is now one of the largest public works projects in U.S. history. What is it? The Iraq war.
By making relatively small campaign contributions, the merchants of death receive the public's money and profit immensely from it. They often don't even compete as contracts are sole sourced to them.
So what has our TRILLION DOLLARS bought us? It was used in the killing of over one million Iraqis, well over 4,000 U.S. and allied soldiers and it has left Iraq in ruins, leaving the surviving Iraqis to struggle in a living hell.
Another 30,000 U.S. soldiers are severely injured and will require a lifetime of medical care at public expense, and tens of thousands more soldiers are traumatized by what they've seen and participated in. May God help the Iraqi children cope with what they've seen and sadly been the victims of.
But these are the choices the U.S. government made and continues to make.
Alternatively, America could have used this money to secure Social Security or Medicare and Medicaid, or its educational system or sheltered the homeless, or used it for any number of other worthy causes.
Instead, the money is gone, unaccounted for as no one watched over it. But we can easily measure how it was used by looking at Iraq when the Pentagon doesn't censor the pictures and listening to the Iraqis or seeing what remains of their healthcare and educational systems when the Pentagon allows us to.
This is bad but it gets worse. Because America didn't have the money to fight this war, it was borrowed and more continues to be borrowed and will have to be paid back with interest for many years to come.
If you are offended by this biggest of government bailouts and/or if you are outraged by the taking of the lives of innocent men, women and children, all done in your name as an American, then speak up!
What you think is important. Our brethren are being killed and maimed. Raise your voice to stop this war before more lives are wasted, before more of your money is spent. Your conscience will thank you.
So will numerous greatful senior citizens, if in the future the U.S. still has Social Security and Medicare worth anything, for you will have helped to do something wonderful for them and for all of mankind.
Dick
Note: The idea of an Iraq corporate bailout connection came from a young man in a video rental store.
"Yes, but it will stop them from going bankrupt," replied Tom, "while Barack Obama starts his stimulus plan which could save them. And besides, AIG got almost 10 times as much money and what great plan do they have?"
As this hypothetical conversation illustrates, Americans are heatedly debating the massive $750 billion taxpayer funded corporate bailout, yet in silence there is a far larger corporate bailout taking place.
This silent bailout will soon top ONE TRILLION DOLLARS and it is rapidly growing as every day it devours more money. It is now one of the largest public works projects in U.S. history. What is it? The Iraq war.
By making relatively small campaign contributions, the merchants of death receive the public's money and profit immensely from it. They often don't even compete as contracts are sole sourced to them.
So what has our TRILLION DOLLARS bought us? It was used in the killing of over one million Iraqis, well over 4,000 U.S. and allied soldiers and it has left Iraq in ruins, leaving the surviving Iraqis to struggle in a living hell.
Another 30,000 U.S. soldiers are severely injured and will require a lifetime of medical care at public expense, and tens of thousands more soldiers are traumatized by what they've seen and participated in. May God help the Iraqi children cope with what they've seen and sadly been the victims of.
But these are the choices the U.S. government made and continues to make.
Alternatively, America could have used this money to secure Social Security or Medicare and Medicaid, or its educational system or sheltered the homeless, or used it for any number of other worthy causes.
Instead, the money is gone, unaccounted for as no one watched over it. But we can easily measure how it was used by looking at Iraq when the Pentagon doesn't censor the pictures and listening to the Iraqis or seeing what remains of their healthcare and educational systems when the Pentagon allows us to.
This is bad but it gets worse. Because America didn't have the money to fight this war, it was borrowed and more continues to be borrowed and will have to be paid back with interest for many years to come.
If you are offended by this biggest of government bailouts and/or if you are outraged by the taking of the lives of innocent men, women and children, all done in your name as an American, then speak up!
What you think is important. Our brethren are being killed and maimed. Raise your voice to stop this war before more lives are wasted, before more of your money is spent. Your conscience will thank you.
So will numerous greatful senior citizens, if in the future the U.S. still has Social Security and Medicare worth anything, for you will have helped to do something wonderful for them and for all of mankind.
Dick
Note: The idea of an Iraq corporate bailout connection came from a young man in a video rental store.
You Choose The Topic
Dear Reader,
As I listen to Judge Mukasey try to avoid defining "water boarding" (simulated drowning) as torture, I'm embarrassed for him and for the rest of us for this is indicative of how low our government has sunk.
Seizing suspects and shipping them off to secret prisons, to be held indefinitely with no charges brought, no legal representation allowed, no family communication and likely no religious services and the prisoners are tortured at will.
Any American who questions these practices is "soft" on terrorism and is willing to place the security of the U.S. at risk to protect the rights of the terrorists.
However, these practices violate the U.S. Constitution, the United Nations charter, the Geneva Convention, particularly the third Convention "relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War," the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the list goes on. The Bush Administration just ignores them.
It is doubtful Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney and others in their Administration believe they will ever be held accountable for their deeds. Congress has taken no action to impeach (indict) them and no international court has a police force strong enough to arrest them, so they can be put on trial as war criminals.
And so it comes back to us, as U.S. citizens to oppose them rather than to accept their actions in silence. And I'll leave you with a quote from the late, successful businesswoman, Anita Roddick. "If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room."
Dick
Back to top
Alex Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:45 pm
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 Waterboarding Used to Be a Crime
By Evan Wallach
Sunday, November 4, 2007; Page B01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... ailarticle
{ ... That term is used to describe several interrogation techniques. The victim may be immersed in water, have water forced into the nose and mouth, or have water poured onto material placed over the face so that the liquid is inhaled or swallowed. The media usually characterize the practice as "simulated drowning." That's incorrect. To be effective, waterboarding is usually real drowning that simulates death. That is,
the victim experiences the sensations of drowning: struggle, panic, breath-holding, swallowing, vomiting, taking water into the lungs and, eventually, the same feeling of not being able to breathe that one experiences after being punched in the gut. The main difference is that the drowning process is halted. According to those who have studied waterboarding's effects, it can cause severe psychological trauma, such as panic attacks, for years. ...}
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:02 pm
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
Thanks to Alex, I now understand the horrors of "water boarding" much better and I trust this information is useful to you as well. For anyone to debate whether it is torture is a shameful use of time that could be better spent attempting to convince our government not to do it.
Dick
Back to top
Alex Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:32 am
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 Vets make up quarter of nation's homeless
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... ome-center
Thanks to our fearless leaders especially in our War Party (AKA Republican Party) who always are at frontlines of sacrifice (!) a QUARTER of the nation's homeless are veterans. Wooow they are really supporting our troops!!!
( Google "Number of Homeless in US")
According to some sources there are 3.5 million homeless in US of which 1.35 Million Children. So approximately .875 Million adults are US veterans, that is 875,000 Men and Women. I am guessing that significant number of this sum is from Kuwait War & Iraq War and some from Vietnam era. Probably Korean War vets have diminished significantly. If we take that number and compare it to those who actually served in those two wars, then proportions will be astonishing. These are people who trusted our leadership with their lives and families to take up arms based on the Judgment of our fearless leaders. Another proud moment.
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:40 am
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
What Alex posted is almost never covered in the media, the psychological destruction of many U.S. soldiers from their participation in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. As one person in the story said, "We're going to have a tsunami of them eventually because the mental health toll of the war is enormous."
Quoted extensively in the article Alex posted is John Keaveney, co-founder of New Directions, Inc. headquartered in west Los Angeles. John was one of many thousands of drug addicted Vietnam war vets who wound up homeless.
Eventually he and some of those other vets pulled their lives together and founded New Directions to help other deeply troubled Vietnam vets do the same, as they provide them with shelter, medical care, drug treatment and job training.
I've had the pleasure of speaking with John and he told me New Directions is already ramping up to take care of some of the deeply troubled Iraq and Afghanistan war vets of which there will be tens of thousands.
I strongly encourage you to read Alex's article and if you are an American, the odds are you will have deeply troubled Iraq and Afghanistan war vets near you. Hopefully, there will be organizations to help them and perhaps you might even find a way to assist, if you can find it in your heart to do so.
Dick
Back to top
Alex Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:00 am
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 Sometimes is good to see our planet in peace
http://www.texasjim.com:80/NASApix/NASA%20pix.htm
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:42 am
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
Alex shared some beautiful pictures with us taken high above the earth.
Dick
Back to top
beachfnt Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:39 am
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 66 I thought you all might find this comment by David J. Cynamon of interest regarding Supreme Court challenges by Guantanamo detainees: http://news.google.com/news?btcid=506c7607018baf7e
I particularly found the statement from the Supreme Court in a ruling from 1866 to be apropos (at the end of the comment).
Back to top
Alex Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:22 pm
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 1/1 Pasadena Rose Bowl Impeachment
Cindy Sheehan to Join Activists Planning Impeachment / Pro-Peace Protest at New Year's Rose Parade
Local and national pro-Impeachment and pro-Peace American citizens will stage non-violent protests and demonstrations throughout the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 beginning at 6:00 a.m.
YES, get up early: 6 a.m.
The convergence of activists at Orange Grove and Colorado, by Pasadena's Norton Simon museum, is called the White Rose Coalition in honor of the resistance movement in Munich in 1942. The White Rose Coalition includes members of the Los Angeles National Impeachment Center (LANIC), CODEPINK, Troops Out Now Coalition, World Can't Wait, ANSWER, Progressive Democrats of America, the Green Party, Veterans for Peace, United for Peace and Justice, and others.
The peace and impeachment activists will march down Colorado from the Norton Simon to the steps of Pasadena City Hall where Cindy Sheehan and other peace activists will hold a press conference on Impeachment and the Iraq War at 11 am.
MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.bcimpeach.com
Back to top
Alex Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:47 am
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 Dear Mr. President
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQYHKILX ... ets/sf.swf
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:50 am
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
President Bush is not likely to ever see this 5-minute protest song video from Pink, but it's nicely done and you may find it of interest as I did.
Dick
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:35 pm
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
Ben of Ben & Jerry's ice cream fame has created a 2 minute colorful video showing us symbolically how massive the U.S. nuclear arsenal is. It is well worth the two minutes. http://www.truemajorityaction.com:80/bensbbs/
Dick
Back to top
Alex Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:50 pm
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 This is a video of a former active duty US army infantryman, criticizing US policy in the middle east. and supporting Ron Paul candidacy
http://stewart-rhodes.blogspot.com/2008 ... lains.html
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:37 am
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
The U.S. Army Sgt speaking on the video Alex shared with us describes his 1st hand experience in Iraq. He reads it which makes it a bit less compelling but it is a powerful story.
Speaking of a powerful story, the U.S. Economy has begun a sharp downward spiral that will impact not only most Americans, but people across the globe. A key element of that sharp downward spiral stems from massive and rapidly increasing military expenditures.
Retired professor and military consultant Chalmers Johnson explains the vast Pentagon spending and its immense impact on Americans as taxpayers in "How To Sink America." http://www.antiwar.com/engelhardt/?articleid=12248
Dick
As I listen to Judge Mukasey try to avoid defining "water boarding" (simulated drowning) as torture, I'm embarrassed for him and for the rest of us for this is indicative of how low our government has sunk.
Seizing suspects and shipping them off to secret prisons, to be held indefinitely with no charges brought, no legal representation allowed, no family communication and likely no religious services and the prisoners are tortured at will.
Any American who questions these practices is "soft" on terrorism and is willing to place the security of the U.S. at risk to protect the rights of the terrorists.
However, these practices violate the U.S. Constitution, the United Nations charter, the Geneva Convention, particularly the third Convention "relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War," the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the list goes on. The Bush Administration just ignores them.
It is doubtful Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney and others in their Administration believe they will ever be held accountable for their deeds. Congress has taken no action to impeach (indict) them and no international court has a police force strong enough to arrest them, so they can be put on trial as war criminals.
And so it comes back to us, as U.S. citizens to oppose them rather than to accept their actions in silence. And I'll leave you with a quote from the late, successful businesswoman, Anita Roddick. "If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room."
Dick
Back to top
Alex Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:45 pm
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 Waterboarding Used to Be a Crime
By Evan Wallach
Sunday, November 4, 2007; Page B01
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... ailarticle
{ ... That term is used to describe several interrogation techniques. The victim may be immersed in water, have water forced into the nose and mouth, or have water poured onto material placed over the face so that the liquid is inhaled or swallowed. The media usually characterize the practice as "simulated drowning." That's incorrect. To be effective, waterboarding is usually real drowning that simulates death. That is,
the victim experiences the sensations of drowning: struggle, panic, breath-holding, swallowing, vomiting, taking water into the lungs and, eventually, the same feeling of not being able to breathe that one experiences after being punched in the gut. The main difference is that the drowning process is halted. According to those who have studied waterboarding's effects, it can cause severe psychological trauma, such as panic attacks, for years. ...}
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:02 pm
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
Thanks to Alex, I now understand the horrors of "water boarding" much better and I trust this information is useful to you as well. For anyone to debate whether it is torture is a shameful use of time that could be better spent attempting to convince our government not to do it.
Dick
Back to top
Alex Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:32 am
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 Vets make up quarter of nation's homeless
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... ome-center
Thanks to our fearless leaders especially in our War Party (AKA Republican Party) who always are at frontlines of sacrifice (!) a QUARTER of the nation's homeless are veterans. Wooow they are really supporting our troops!!!
( Google "Number of Homeless in US")
According to some sources there are 3.5 million homeless in US of which 1.35 Million Children. So approximately .875 Million adults are US veterans, that is 875,000 Men and Women. I am guessing that significant number of this sum is from Kuwait War & Iraq War and some from Vietnam era. Probably Korean War vets have diminished significantly. If we take that number and compare it to those who actually served in those two wars, then proportions will be astonishing. These are people who trusted our leadership with their lives and families to take up arms based on the Judgment of our fearless leaders. Another proud moment.
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:40 am
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
What Alex posted is almost never covered in the media, the psychological destruction of many U.S. soldiers from their participation in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. As one person in the story said, "We're going to have a tsunami of them eventually because the mental health toll of the war is enormous."
Quoted extensively in the article Alex posted is John Keaveney, co-founder of New Directions, Inc. headquartered in west Los Angeles. John was one of many thousands of drug addicted Vietnam war vets who wound up homeless.
Eventually he and some of those other vets pulled their lives together and founded New Directions to help other deeply troubled Vietnam vets do the same, as they provide them with shelter, medical care, drug treatment and job training.
I've had the pleasure of speaking with John and he told me New Directions is already ramping up to take care of some of the deeply troubled Iraq and Afghanistan war vets of which there will be tens of thousands.
I strongly encourage you to read Alex's article and if you are an American, the odds are you will have deeply troubled Iraq and Afghanistan war vets near you. Hopefully, there will be organizations to help them and perhaps you might even find a way to assist, if you can find it in your heart to do so.
Dick
Back to top
Alex Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:00 am
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 Sometimes is good to see our planet in peace
http://www.texasjim.com:80/NASApix/NASA%20pix.htm
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 9:42 am
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
Alex shared some beautiful pictures with us taken high above the earth.
Dick
Back to top
beachfnt Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2007 11:39 am
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 66 I thought you all might find this comment by David J. Cynamon of interest regarding Supreme Court challenges by Guantanamo detainees: http://news.google.com/news?btcid=506c7607018baf7e
I particularly found the statement from the Supreme Court in a ruling from 1866 to be apropos (at the end of the comment).
Back to top
Alex Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:22 pm
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 1/1 Pasadena Rose Bowl Impeachment
Cindy Sheehan to Join Activists Planning Impeachment / Pro-Peace Protest at New Year's Rose Parade
Local and national pro-Impeachment and pro-Peace American citizens will stage non-violent protests and demonstrations throughout the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 beginning at 6:00 a.m.
YES, get up early: 6 a.m.
The convergence of activists at Orange Grove and Colorado, by Pasadena's Norton Simon museum, is called the White Rose Coalition in honor of the resistance movement in Munich in 1942. The White Rose Coalition includes members of the Los Angeles National Impeachment Center (LANIC), CODEPINK, Troops Out Now Coalition, World Can't Wait, ANSWER, Progressive Democrats of America, the Green Party, Veterans for Peace, United for Peace and Justice, and others.
The peace and impeachment activists will march down Colorado from the Norton Simon to the steps of Pasadena City Hall where Cindy Sheehan and other peace activists will hold a press conference on Impeachment and the Iraq War at 11 am.
MORE INFORMATION:
http://www.bcimpeach.com
Back to top
Alex Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2008 11:47 am
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 Dear Mr. President
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQYHKILX ... ets/sf.swf
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:50 am
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
President Bush is not likely to ever see this 5-minute protest song video from Pink, but it's nicely done and you may find it of interest as I did.
Dick
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:35 pm
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
Ben of Ben & Jerry's ice cream fame has created a 2 minute colorful video showing us symbolically how massive the U.S. nuclear arsenal is. It is well worth the two minutes. http://www.truemajorityaction.com:80/bensbbs/
Dick
Back to top
Alex Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:50 pm
Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 251 This is a video of a former active duty US army infantryman, criticizing US policy in the middle east. and supporting Ron Paul candidacy
http://stewart-rhodes.blogspot.com/2008 ... lains.html
Back to top
Dick Kazan Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:37 am
Joined: 28 Nov 2006 Posts: 576 Dear Reader,
The U.S. Army Sgt speaking on the video Alex shared with us describes his 1st hand experience in Iraq. He reads it which makes it a bit less compelling but it is a powerful story.
Speaking of a powerful story, the U.S. Economy has begun a sharp downward spiral that will impact not only most Americans, but people across the globe. A key element of that sharp downward spiral stems from massive and rapidly increasing military expenditures.
Retired professor and military consultant Chalmers Johnson explains the vast Pentagon spending and its immense impact on Americans as taxpayers in "How To Sink America." http://www.antiwar.com/engelhardt/?articleid=12248
Dick
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