Excerpts:
In fact, after you read Woodward's book, you'll split a gut every time you hear a politician or a government teacher talk about "civilian control over the military." The only people really making the decisions about America's wars are across the river from Washington in the Pentagon. They wear uniforms. They have lots of weapons they bought from the corporations they will work for when they retire.
_______________It matters not whom we elect. The Pentagon and the military contractors call the shots. The title "Commander in Chief" is ceremonial, like "Employee of the Month" at your local Burger King.
_______________
So here's your assignment for tonight: Watch Eisenhower's famous farewell speech. And then start thinking about how we can tame this beast. The Soviet Union had its own military-industrial complex, which is one reason they got into Afghanistan...which is one reason there's no more Soviet Union. It happened to them.
Don't think it can happen to us?
Here in Canada we've got stevie and petey ginning up the military apparatus to improve Canada's status on the world stage.
Great.
Let's follow the US' lead, that oughta work out just fine.
Here's how to assemble this taste treat:
Take your basic army, navy and air force on hand for defence of your nation. Add in the fact that the corporate-owned media is on the side of spinning conflicts globally to increase ratings. Stir in profits to the bottom line of the media giants plus military contractors and your recipe for disaster is ready to go in the oven.
Follow directions in this post title . . . .
"The Soviet Union had its own military-industrial complex, which is one reason they got into Afghanistan...which is one reason there's no more Soviet Union. It happened to them.
ReplyDeleteDon't think it can happen to us?"
Uh, no. Why? Simple. Two reasons:
1) Canada and the U.S. are not the Soviet Union and are totally different in development and infrastructure (for example, compare Soviet conscripts with our NATO forces in Afghanistan); and 2) analysis shows that the same objective conditions do not exist.
I don't like American politics, I don't like Stevie either. But, anti-Americanism should not blind analysis. The desired collapse of the American empire will come to pass, but it will take longer than we like or have patience for. Ironically, the best way to hasten its demise is to encourage American conservatives: we need more disparity, not less.
Sorry, Edstock, can't agree with your comments, re: desiring a collapse of the USian empire (can't see how that benefits the Canadian economy, with them being our largest trading partner) nor encouraging USian conservatives in any way, shape or form.
ReplyDeleteI've seen what conservatism does to the "small people" and it's not pretty no matter the outcome . . . .
"I've seen what conservatism does to the "small people" and it's not pretty no matter the outcome . . . ."
ReplyDeleteYes, that's right. But, consider that the disparity of wealth is like Tsarist Russia, and that the military-industrial complex has the economic "game" rigged for that top 5% of Americans who now own something like 40% of the wealth.
The opposition is ineffectual. So, what does it take to overhaul this?
I fear that things may have to get worse, before reform can happen. When enough Americans discover the joys of dumpster-diving, perhaps they will turn on the oligarchs.
It's just my benighted opinion, but I believe that 200 years from now, historians will say that 9/11 was significant because —
1) It signified the last gasp of Islamic fundamentalism; and
2) It caused the American state to fortify the organs of state security to such a degree that the advent of the 2nd American Revolution was delayed for 50 years. (I hope I am wrong on this, but, unfortunately, I don't believe I am.)