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War uber alles

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The United States government cannot get enough of war. With Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi's regime falling to a rebelling population, CNN reports that a Pentagon spokesman said that the U.S. is looking at all options from the military side.

Allegedly, the Pentagon, which is responsible for one million dead Iraqis and an unknown number of dead Afghans and Pakistanis, is concerned about the deaths of 1,000 Libyan protesters.

While the Pentagon tries to figure out how to get involved in the Libyan revolt, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific is developing new battle plans to take on China in her home territory. Four-star Admiral Robert Willard thinks the U.S. should be able to whip China in its own coastal waters.

The admiral thinks one way to do this is to add U.S. Marines to his force structure so that the U.S. can eject Chinese forces from disputed islands in the East and South China seas.

It is not the U.S. who is disputing the islands, but if there is a chance for war anywhere, the admiral wants to make sure we are not left out.

The admiral also hopes to develop military ties with India and add that country to his clout. India, the admiral says, "is a natural partner of the United States" and "is crucial to America's 21st-century strategy of balancing China." The U.S. is going to seduce the Indians by selling them advanced aircraft.


If the plan works out, we will have India in NATO helping us to occupy Pakistan and presenting China with the possibility of a two-front war.

The Pentagon needs some more wars so there can be some more "reconstruction." Reconstruction is very lucrative, especially as Washington has privatized so many of the projects, thus turning over to well-placed friends many opportunities to loot. Considering all the money that has been spent, one searches hard to find completed projects. The just-released report from the Commission on Wartime Contracting can't say exactly how much of the $200,000 million in Afghan "reconstruction" disappeared in criminal behavior and blatant corruption, but $12,000 million alone was lost to "overt fraud."

War makes money for the politically connected. While the flag-waving population remains proud of the service of their sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, cousins, wives, mothers and daughters, the smart boys who got the fireworks started are rolling in the mega-millions.

As General Smedley Butler told the jingoistic American population, to no avail, "war is a racket." As long as the American population remains proud that their relatives serve as cannon fodder for the military/security complex, war will remain a racket.

 

http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/

Paul Craig Roberts was an editor of the Wall Street Journal and an Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. His latest book, HOW THE ECONOMY WAS LOST, has just been published by CounterPunch/AK Press. He was awarded the Treasury Department's (more...)
 

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Jingoism by Donald on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 8:28:56 PM
Donald by Paul Craig Roberts on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 8:37:39 PM
Mark Twain said it well, too by Philip Zack on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 9:35:40 AM
the War Prayer by Jack Flanders on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 9:54:54 AM
I do recommend The War Prayer, by Daniel Geery on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 2:20:40 PM
As America really is by GUY P. FRASER on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 11:33:02 AM
No it isn't! by Bryna Hellmann on Sunday, Feb 27, 2011 at 5:40:23 PM
Recruiters by Bia Winter on Monday, Feb 28, 2011 at 9:59:47 AM
America is THE sickest society on Earth by 911TRUTH on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 8:38:04 PM
911Truth by Paul Craig Roberts on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 8:44:49 PM
About the War Profiteers by Cliff Carson on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 5:00:55 PM
As Roberts reminds us by Peter Duveen on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 9:03:04 PM
The movie Gremlins by Steven G. Erickson on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 10:07:56 PM
Dr Strangelove or When Fiction becomes Fact by Lewis Yang on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 10:37:05 PM
stop them by Paul Craig Roberts on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 10:49:21 PM
stop them by Paul Craig Roberts on Friday, Feb 25, 2011 at 11:04:13 PM
Wisconsin people are protesting~ by Debbie S on Monday, Feb 28, 2011 at 2:48:47 PM
What will it take to eliminate war for profit. by Jim Reinhart on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 3:54:54 AM
What it will take... by Bia Winter on Monday, Feb 28, 2011 at 10:06:33 AM
Thank you Dr. Roberts (and the Zapruder tape). by Jim Reinhart on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 4:25:36 AM
watched Moyers' "Secret Goverment... by BlessUsAll on Wednesday, Mar 2, 2011 at 8:22:18 AM
What's the difference between US soldiers and Nazis? by sherry mann on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 8:07:07 AM
Support our troops by Jack Flanders on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 10:08:52 AM
Ever heard by Bia Winter on Monday, Feb 28, 2011 at 10:10:11 AM
Support our troops?? by Ceric on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 9:45:44 PM
Pride by Bob Gormley on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 9:06:01 AM
no Wonder! by Bia Winter on Monday, Feb 28, 2011 at 12:15:50 PM
Imperialism by David Gray on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 10:30:16 AM
is anyone familiar with... by BlessUsAll on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 11:29:08 PM
Imperialism by Linda Ferland on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 10:39:28 AM
The racket needs a new game by McMicah on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 1:22:40 PM
An anti-Christian bigot? by Roberto Benitez on Wednesday, Mar 2, 2011 at 9:59:55 PM
Besides Twain's War Prayer... by Richard Girard on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 3:04:37 PM
The comparisons in 'medalia' is striking by larry on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 6:33:39 PM
An Addition to the War Prayer by Edward Ulysses Cate on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 8:02:25 PM
KC-x aerial refueler by Ceric on Saturday, Feb 26, 2011 at 9:19:44 PM
The warfare state by John Cooper on Sunday, Feb 27, 2011 at 6:48:47 AM
And thus.......... by 911TRUTH on Sunday, Feb 27, 2011 at 9:44:04 AM
Not As Serious, But by Jim on Monday, Feb 28, 2011 at 10:53:21 AM
Exactly, James! by Bia Winter on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2011 at 6:32:51 AM
waiting for a pale afternoon by zonie on Tuesday, Mar 1, 2011 at 9:20:30 AM