According to the twisted logic recently espoused by Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, the failure to support illegal, immoral and unnecessary wars defines me as a terrorist. But let me be clear about where I stand: I know who the real terrorists are and can name each one of them.
Everywhere you go in America you see the slogan, "Support our troops." You see it on bumper stickers, storefronts, flags and banners, yellow ribbons and even in the windows of private homes. But what does it mean to support our troops? Is it to send them into harm's way; to invade and occupy sovereign nations in illegal wars for empire? Is it to ask them to commit heinous crimes, to maim and to kill innocent civilians; to torture, insult, and to humiliate people who have done us no harm? Is it to steal the natural wealth that belongs to other nations and turn it over to American corporations?
If that is what it means, then I cannot support our troops. I cannot wish them well if their purpose is conquer other people, and plunder the wealth of other countries that have done us no harm. That would require me to endorse crimes against humanity conducted under the guise of national security and patriotism. I cannot do that-I will not. It is simply wrong.
Neither should we, as we so often do, confuse supporting our troops with supporting the president, or wrongful and immoral policies of corrupt government. The president and his ilk do not support our troops or he would not use them as pawns; he would take care of them when they come home broken and torn with psychic scars. He does not care about them-they are only a means to an end.
No, the best way to support our troops is to take a principled stand; to hold the moral high ground-to bring them home alive and whole. A government must not be allowed to require any of its citizens to engage in immoral or criminal behavior on its behalf. When a government behaves like a crime syndicate it does not mean that the people should follow its example-they must provide a better alternative, and refuse their allegiance to it.
So if the failure to support a government's wrongful policies makes me a terrorist-so be it. If speaking truth to power makes one a terrorist-sign me up; move me to top of the NSA and FBI lists of suspects. Send forth the assassins with their rifles. If exposing the lies and corruption that attends power makes me a terrorist-I will proudly wear the crown and bear the cost. I will cheerfully take my place alongside other terrorists with names like Thoreau, Debs, King, Gandhi, Einstein, Zinn, and Christ.
Charles Sullivan is a photographer, social activist and free lance writer residing in the hinterland of West Virgina.
I still support our conscientious objectors, and discourage anyone from joining the military. The military is a concept whose time has expired, and the sooner the world adjusts to that fact, the better.
Remember: Hitler killed no one but himself; bin Laden killed no one; GB killed no one. Others did it for them. Killing is murder, no matter how you slice it. If you murder several people, you are a mass murderer. Why should anyone support mass murderers, let alone be one?
I went to a military college for a year and a-half, and I quit when these things became clear. (And for anyone who gives a hoot, I happened to be valedictorian for that short time, at Norwich University, 1965-67.)
by
Daniel Geery (26 articles, 75 quicklinks, 123 diaries, 750 comments)
on Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 9:05:56 AM
It should be widely understood that the real terrorists are the administration and their tool the CIA. For decades the CIA has overthrown governments at the behest of large multinational corporations, replacing duly elected democracies with, in many cases, brutal military dictatorships that torture and murder their own.
That one of the most incompetent members of this administration, and that list is far from exclusive, says that to criticise is to lend support and comfort to the enemy shows how desperate they become. Rumsfeld forecast that the conquest of Iraq and the installation of a friendly and well supported government there would take a matter of a few weeks, perhaps six months at worse. He ignored the advice of his own general staff and sent far fewer troops than advised, with farless equipment than needed to expediciously complete the mission.
We see the talking points in the run up to the coming election and they are born of desperation and reek of failure. I watched the Bill Maher show last evening and one of his guests was Congressman Issa (R), of Lebanese ancestry by the by, and he was almost brutally critical of the President and his strategies, as well as the abysmall strategic blunders of Israel during the recent crisis in Lebanon.
I suspect we will see any number of GOP incumbents breaking with the administration in attempts to keep their jobs. The only way to avoid replacing many of these rubber stamping clowns is for the Democrats to continue to keep silent, an act, by the by, which I consider to be abetting and aiding terrorists, our own govenrment.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments)
on Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 9:34:05 AM
You are right the real terrorists have been walking free, but only the innocent people they might be from United States of America or Tribal Areas of Pakistan are being killed and maimed. I want to bring in your notice that the real terrorists who are called political agents have been full control of the tribal areas. They have been killing and arresting the innocent tribesmen as they have they have licence to declare anyone terrorist. They can declare terrorist any time. Though I am a journalist, but still I have been living in state of fear. Terrorism can only be controlled if the sincere leadership of the Unites States emerges. When it will happen I do not know, but I pray that some sincere people come forward and save this world from further destruction. We the people of tribal areas situated on Pak-Afghan border have great love for the Americans, but we the real terrorists have been giving very wrong picture to the world. I invite all the Americans who have heart to come come to Bajaur Agency, tribal Areas of Pakistan you will see with your own eyes who are the real terrorists.
Simply I want to tell you neither you nor the poor like me are terrorists. The terrorists are those people who have been fighting for getting this world, which is impossible task. You are not a terrorist. You are a nice person. Please help the poor of tribal areas so they can live a peaceful life.
by
Muhammad Khurshid (298 articles, 31 quicklinks, 194 diaries, 158 comments)
on Saturday, September 2, 2006 at 2:24:34 PM
No but you are an idiot, since Rumsfeld is the Secretary of Defense not "of State". But that's ok since it obvious that your supporters in this thread are idiots too. [since none of them notices and were so quick to agree with you]
BTW if you think the military is an outdated concept, then you must failed primate pyschology. Agression is a biological fact and has consequences in society.
by
Vulture (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 150 comments)
on Sunday, September 3, 2006 at 12:31:37 AM
When you point your finger at someones mistake also remember and notice that your 3 lower fingers are pointing back at you. Secondly, Rumsfeld is neither Secretary of Defense or State. He is a a disgruntled ambassador locked into the past of War memories that glamorized with propaganda the military complex. His acting simply portrays his obvious intellectual incompetence. He can neither bring back the past or satisfy his inquenchable desire to bring back the good old days. Instead he is defending the past instead of building the future. The military does not provide security to any nation, they demand War to justify their existence. You can teach aggression or you can teach benevolence. Sow the seeds of aggression and you will harvest it.
Rumsfeld I feel sorry for! He is a trouble man.
by
Dom Jermano (20 articles, 0 quicklinks, 40 diaries, 930 comments)
on Sunday, September 3, 2006 at 8:22:46 AM
Since you too deny his administrative position, I will have to put you in the idiot category also. I understand the liberals' need to ignore historical fact(since it is so inconvienent), but to deny present reality shows a true level of ignorance.
And the Swiss military despite at times impacting severely on the country (redoing the transport system,consription, eminent domain) has not had a war for how many decades?
As for the finger pointing, that is my trigger finger, the other three grip the pistol to stabilize my aim.
by
Vulture (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 150 comments)
on Sunday, September 3, 2006 at 8:37:37 AM
Trigger Fingers Work On Pissed Off Libertarians, Too
Funny you should mention trigger fingers. I was out yesterday busting caps with my Kimber .45. Hate to bust your bubble, Dudecycle, but not ALL gun-toters kiss Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice hiney.
I can't support our troops either. Between the torturing, random killings, rapes, war crimes, collective punishment and the endless lies told to start and continue this abortion, I am ashamed for my government and embarassed by the idiot who calls himself a "wartime President".
We need to send chickenhawks like Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice and their spawn to Iraq. Let them get their guts blown away for their neo-con Jihad. I also encourage you rah-rah types to enlist. Bush could always use more cannon fodder. It's a good way to trim our mouth-breathing, functional illiterate hordes a bit, too.
"There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people"
-- Howard Zinn
by
Bruce Bloomquist (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 5 comments)
on Sunday, September 3, 2006 at 12:51:00 PM
You pointed out a minor typographical error that was somehow overlooked in editiing my piece, and I am grateful to you for doing so. I made the one word correction. I know who Rumsfeld is and what office he holds in the government. Forgive me, I made a mistake; now lets move on.
I was not going to embarass you by pointing out your equally minor and silly mistake; but since you insist upon being an ass, I will. You use the term "eminent domain" in one of your posts, but you meant imminent domain. It is an easy mistake to make, as I have made the same one myself recently.
The word eminent means prominent or important. On the other hand, the word you should have used was imminent, which means about to happen or pending; as the taking of one's property through imminent domain. I will not refer to you as an idiot, as you so readily refer to others on this site. I will simply call you human and fallible like the rest of us. It is no big deal really.
So lets grow up and try to act like an adult shall we?
Charles Sullivan
by
Charles Sullivan (78 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments)
on Sunday, September 3, 2006 at 1:09:52 PM
Now as for your CONFUSING a person's office and calling it a
"minor typographical error" , I would say you also never understood the concepts of proofreading. Because no one who publishes would call that a typographical error.
Since I only only make comments, and I don't publish, like you have(50 articles, how many are inaccurate I wonder); I don't have the obligation to proof my response. You as a blogger (and obviously trying to be a psuedo journalist) can be held to a higher standard. Since supposedly you actually put some effort into your article and might even have taken a writing course or two.
As for the other commenterxs, my point stands, that did not notice a false fact in the first sentence. But only did the typical "oh he hates the gov, I must show my support".
by
Vulture (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 150 comments)
on Sunday, September 3, 2006 at 3:54:24 PM
If you can pry your self congratulatory face from the mirror in which you obviously stare as you type your pompously off topic garbage perhaps you might cease your self appointed role of english teacher long enough to deal with the issues involved.........but no, this would require an actual grasp thereof, something most of you glazedeyed, zombie like followers of the most incompetent and dishonest administration in American history do not have at all......
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments)
on Monday, September 4, 2006 at 9:21:57 AM
I added to this discourse by pointing out that the original commenterxs' zealousness had them overlook a salient fact in the very first sentence. To those who decry the existence of a military, I pointed out basic primate biology necessitates "those who defend your group". As long as the other guy is not enlightened , one needs defenses.
As for your little name calling, hey, I detest plenty of GWB admin positions, actions, and initiatives, but I do understand war and its reasons. Which is something people like you talk about it and decry what you perceve but never comphrehend the implications.
/Oh my side keeps winning, but you don't even know the game.
yet the stakes are your very way of life.
//But go ahead and dismiss me, it's far easier than doing something that matters or shows measurable reslults.
by
Vulture (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 150 comments)
on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 12:05:30 PM
I am a veteran of the Viet Nam war, I understand war all too well, especially wars fought for lies and deceits, prosecuted by men who never served, who went out of their way to gain deferrments (Cheney five times), by a Commander-in-Chief who went AWOL from a unit he should not even have qualified to be serving in at all.
You bring nothing here but discord and post in bad faith, you fool noone, excepting yourself. I hold views that oppose many here and speak them plainly and constantly..you have posted no contrasting view and post like a child.
by
ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments)
on Tuesday, September 5, 2006 at 6:21:45 PM
Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean
"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official."
~Theodore Roosevelt
Since I began speaking out on WAWA http://www.wearewideawake.org a year ago, the USA Government and the USA Military have consistently been in the Top 20 of readers.
Big Brother does NOT respond to my questions and comments, but just knowing they are reading and watching,
fills me with HOPE that I am doing something to break through their propaganda shield and the "truthiness" spouted by Big Brother!
"The greatest menace to freedom is an inert people."
~Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis
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