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He now states that he opposed the invasion of Iraq before it
began, so vividly that it seems he now believes it really did happen as
he claims. Here's why it is so real in his mind. He knows, as the
American public should, that if he had the passion against the war that
he now describes, if he did foresee the chaos it would leave in its
path with hundreds of thousands dead and displaced, he was the one man
who could have launched an opposition that may have energized the
anti-war movement from the Right, in a way that could have possibly
changed the course of history.
Let me take a step back to my
own memory of an event during that period of his life that shows his
ability to manipulate not only the City of New York, but the major
organizations of retired members of the military . It shows how he only
thought of this as a means of personal self aggrandizement without
even a fleeting thought about the benefit of our country or civilization
itself.
I was part of crowd viewing what the New York Times described as . ...."the largest military parade since WWII along Fifth Avenue of New York City on Veterans Day 1995."
Planes roared overhead, tanks rumbled by, cannons boomed salutes and church bells pealed across the city and the nation as huge crowds turned out and more than 33,000 marchers -- led by Medal of Honor winners and veterans of many conflicts -- joined the Nation's Parade, the official culmination of four years of celebrations marking the Second World War's 50th anniversary.
I felt there was something very wrong
with who was taking salutes as the Grand Marshall of this parade. Donald
Trump had amassed a fortune, and like most who do, it was not by being a
self effacing nice guy. This man whose closest participation in the
U.S. Military was the uniform he wore in prep school, had the audacity,
and charisma to take a place usually reserved for Medal of Honor winners
or heads of state. He received the salutes of those who risked their
lives, were maimed and suffered in combat against our enemies, without
any shame at all.
From the same N.Y. Times article:
Also in the reviewing stand was the developer Donald Trump, who provided the only note of controversy in an otherwise positive day. Many veterans were angry that organizers had agreed to name Mr. Trump, who is not a veteran, as grand marshal in exchange for his contribution of $200,000 and help in raising additional funds.
After 911, Trump was never the man he now describes as the "antiwar activist,"
yet he has become so intoxicated with adulation of his supporters that
he now knows that mere lies will not change their love of him. (He knows
that his besotted supporters will not even be deterred, when it's his own words that belie his current claim- see end of this essay) He expressed this clearly at a recent campaign speech when he said, almost incredulously,
"I could take a gun and shoot a (random innocent) person on fifth
avenue, (bang, he demonstrates) and I wouldn't lose a vote. The people
love me!"
This story of his trying to stop the
Iraq invasion has been jumped on by the media like no other, as he then
expanded on his fantasy of anti-Iraq war protester by turning on the the
entire George W. Bush administration. Politicians change their minds
all the time, or find ways of explaining a position that had seemed like
a requirement for long term political viability, such as voting for the
2002 Iraq War Resolution. Those such as John Kerry and Hillary Clinton
who had such aspirations, at least both acknowledge their actions then
with regret for their error.
Trump, while amazing
on one level, but true to his character, is doubling down, not only
revising his own recent words where he publicly acknowledged he only
turned against the war when it started to bog down during the
occupation, but now challenging everyone, Republican, Democrat or
independent, every who refuses to line up to drink in his delusion that
he is courageously leading a battle against the world wide media
conspiracy that goes under the false flag of "reality."
I
remember my own feeble efforts against the Iraq war in front of a few
thousand people in the audience in Cannon park in Carlsbad CA, as the
country was counting down for the invasion. People had parked their
cars dozens of blocks away to walk to this demonstration, and I waited
with those who wanted to speak. I got the microphone and my anger at
what was our country was about to be led into overcome any self
consciousness. I started by quoted the statistic that something like
half of Americans believed that Iraq was responsible of 9-11. And
asked, "Was it Iraq who attacked us on 911?" The crowd roared back,
"No." I felt the passion of those united against this illegal, immoral
invasion.. After a couple more such calls and response, I felt I had
not only expressed my feelings, but led the audience in shouting out
theirs. It felt good, yet I was aware of the futility of my efforts and
those thousands in the park.
There were rallies
like this held not only across the country, but throughout the world.
Millions joined in, but one individual with the wealth, media savvy and
misguided respect from the military, had he the will to use it, just may
have made a difference. Just as he was able to be the linchpin that
organized the largest military parade in the history of New York City
he could have organized such as an anti-war parade. And those who knew
the suffering of combat would have joined in with him. And that man,
someone with such courage, the fictional creation of those who have
become cynical over decades of the obfuscation of political discourse,
may well have been the person who two decades later is worthy of being
elected President of this country.
But the actual
man, Donald J. Trump, did nothing to prevent this war. And as such,
tacitly supported this illegal immoral war for regime change that lit a
fire of then unknown consequences, with the dire effects now becoming
tragically clear.
---------------
His own words from last years debate where he gives the date of his opposition to the war 16 months after it began:
"In
July of 2004, I came out strongly against the war in Iraq because it
was going to destabilize the Middle East," he said at the Aug. 6
Republican presidential debate hosted by Fox News. "I am the only one on
this stage who knew that and had the vision to say it. And that's
exactly what happened. The region became totally destabilized."
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