Thank You for Your Service

On this Memorial Day, there will be ceremonies all across America, honoring our brave soldiers in uniform, and thanking them for their service in our perpetual wars. Every politician will honor them, and speak of our disastrous escapades in other sovereign countries in hushed tones of reverence. That’s the essence of our “bipartisan” foreign policy.

Americans are inexorably “shocked and awed” by the incalculable expenditure of their own money in these pointless exercises of military might, but not in a rational, outraged way. Instead, they become like giddy fan boys pointing to the sky as the latest powerful aircraft conducts a fly over. Somehow, this brings them a sense of pride. It makes them feel safe, I suppose, from the various bogeymen we are always advised are out there seething because they “hate our freedom.”

Americans also have a strange reaction to the mind-numbing amount of human beings lost in these nonstop conflicts abroad. They allow these poor souls to be made into “heroes” who “fought for our freedom.” I would like someone to give me a single example of a U.S. soldier “defending freedom” in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else we have unwisely committed troops to in the last fifty years. In my next book, I will document many of the “heroic” deeds of our boys in uniform, in “good” wars like the Civil War and World War II.

While the deep state has succeeded in getting the vast majority of Americans to worship those who waste their money and kill innocent civilians abroad, they are okay with these soldiers getting inadequate health care once they return to our shores. And as I demonstrated in Hidden History, they have absolutely no interest in finding those purposefully left behind in Korea, Vietnam, or anywhere else as POWs or MIAs. They are simply discarded down the memory hole.

Exactly what is the point of American foreign policy? What are we attempting to accomplish in Iraq? In Afghanistan? In Syria? In Iran? If you discount the “sneak” attack on Pearl Harbor, which I will demonstrate in the upcoming Crimes and Cover-Ups In America: 1776-1963, was a false flag arranged by our own government, then this country has not been attacked by another since the War of 1812. We should only be fighting wars of defense, and only be concerned about protecting our shores.

Instead, all of America’s wars have been wars of aggression. They are never presented that way, of course. Invariably, some “dictator” or “madman” is accused of raping and pillaging, of bayoneting babies or throwing them out of incubators, and our wise and tolerant leaders are forced reluctantly to respond. Their motives are always pure, to spread “freedom” to the rest of the world, and to stop “tyrants” from abusing their own people. “Atrocities” are something other nations commit.

It took Americans to invent the concept of “war crimes.” This started with the legal lynching of Henry Wirz, the commandant of the confederate prisoner of war camp at Andersonville, Georgia. The confederates couldn’t feed their own populace (thanks largely to the “scorched earth” strategy of the “good guys” in blue, who were burning all their crops), so how could they be expected to have much food for their own prisoners of war? As I will show in my book, the confederates attempted not only to swap prisoners with the North, but eventually to just release their own prisoners, but the “good guys” refused to permit it.

Following World War II, this “war crimes” thing became standard operating procedure for the “good guys.” My book will be full of quotes at the time criticizing the Nuremberg Trials for what they were; an outrageous abuse of any notion of “justice.” And again, the inconsistencies are everywhere; why were some Nazis hung, while others went on under Operation Paperclip to become integral parts of our glorious military industrial complex?

The estimates for those killed in the Civil War have ranged from over 600,000 to more than 800,000. A whole generation of young southern males, especially, was essentially sacrificed on Abraham Lincoln’s sacred “altar of freedom.” The same altar, of course, his own son avoided by remaining safely at Harvard until the very end of the war, when he was given a cushy position that kept him far from any field of battle.

World War I, the “Great War” or “The War to End all Wars,” sacrificed more than 18 million young souls upon Lincoln’s blasphemous “altar.” I have yet to hear anyone, court historian or layperson, provide a rational reason for World War I. It was simply a massive bloodshed, which served no purpose other than to replenish the parasitic appetite of powerful bankers, and to make or increase fortunes for the elite, as shown by the great advocate of peace General Smedley Butler.

High-end estimates for total deaths in World War II run to more than 80 million. Of these, in excess of 50 million were civilians. Think about that; the majority of those who died in this “good” war weren’t in uniform, and were fighting no one. I will cover Allied atrocities quite a bit in my new book. The boys of the “greatest generation” certainly did us proud as they “defended freedom” in Africa, and at Normandy, and put an exclamation point on their heroics by dropping atomic bombs on an utterly defeated Japan. But the court historians tell us this was done in order to “save lives,” in perfect Orwellian fashion.

When then Bradley Manning exposed the shameful behavior of US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, he was quickly branded a “traitor” and thrown in prison. Most Americans still think he was wrong to reveal just how our boys were “defending freedom” over there. You know, like playing soccer with decapitated human heads, and killing dogs for fun. And rape. Lots of rape. That’s something that seems to be a byproduct of every war, and American troops are, and have historically been, no different than the boys representing the “bad guys” in these perpetual battles.

Whether it’s Barack Obama, or Donald Trump, or any other American politician, we will inevitably hear homages to those “who gave their lives for us all” on Memorial Day. After all, this is their holiday. Sure, the government and most private businesses get a three day weekend out of it, but the public praise is all theirs. I’m sure that those who lay in shoddy veterans hospitals and await their less than stellar treatment, for injuries attained in their quest to “defend freedom,” take a great deal of solace in this political rhetoric.

The parents of those killed in our military action understandably accept the nonsensical official narrative that their children were “heroes” who made the “ultimate sacrifice” for all of us. We saw what happened when Pat Tillman’s brother tried to point this out at his memorial service, and how quickly he was whisked off the public stage. Can’t have anyone talk about the prevalence of friendly fire. Can’t have anyone raining on our nonstop patriotic parade.

Many of us will enjoy a holiday with a fine barbecue. Families will get together, and probably someone in every group will throw a bone to the brave troops who collectively are being worshiped for carrying out a vicious, misguided foreign policy. Few anywhere will even hint at what I’m saying here.

Even most anti-war activists will advise us that they “support the troops.” Does this mean they support their senseless killing, raping and pillaging? Aren’t we thereby giving our approval to the immoral, diabolical leaders who give them their orders?

They’re looking for a few good men. And women, too. The military builds character. Before we start chanting “USA! USA!” let’s all remember to thank and each and every soldier, past and present, for their “service.”

Putting Israel First

Yesterday’s festivities over the moving of the American embassy to Jerusalem brought home again just how faulty our foreign policy is. We saw only a small sample of the increased confidence an emboldened Israel must feel now, as they killed dozens at the Gaza border who dared not to be celebratory.

Whatever true terrorists exist outside of American intelligence must surely be boning up on their suicide bombing skills now. After all, what do they have to lose? The present American government has gone beyond previous sycophantic administrations, who ignored every UN sanction against Israel, and continued to throw more money at their out-of-control youngster. By moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, our leaders have sent a clear message to every Arab in the world.

It isn’t just Israel, of course. American foreign policy is absolutely, certifiably insane. While our own infrastructure crumbles into Third World status, we continue to bomb and then repair the infrastructure of other countries. The US Aid for International Development (USAID), for instance, is presently working to repair the infrastructure of Afghanistan, which we have occupied and terrorized for years, and continue to remain present there, against all logic and common decency.

During the nonsensical Iraq “war,” USAID was utilized to repair the infrastructure our misguided troops had destroyed. Meanwhile, we have basically let our own infrastructure atrophy since the 1950s. We always have the money for a new bombing or occupation, but somehow we can’t “afford” the crucial repair of America’s embarrassing airports, roads, bridges, and power grids.

Initially, Donald Trump was proposing cutting humanitarian foreign aid some 32%, but as always the deep state won out. Trump’s disastrous budget will in fact not cut foreign aid, and increases it in some areas. Not surprisingly, Trump’s favorite nation, Israel, is going to get an increase of some $200 million in aid under his 2019 budget proposal, for a total of $3.3. billion.

Meanwhile, six months after experiencing devastating hurricanes, 11% in America’s own colony Puerto Rico remain without power. President Trump blasted Puerto Rico’s “poor leadership” and declared, “They want everything to be done for them.” Trump never takes this hard-liner tack with Israel, who is certainly capable of standing on its own feet at this point after receiving a total of over $234 billion from American taxpayers since its birth in 1948, as of 2014.

Our tweeter-in-chief at times has expressed shockingly rational views on this subject. He once told the Washington Post that “…I watched as we built schools in Iraq and they’d be blown up. And we’d build another one and it would get blown up … And yet we can’t build a school in Brooklyn…” Those words are impossible to reconcile with Trump’s performance thus far in office.

Needless to say, President Trump has done nothing to put “America First” as he rattles sabers with North Korea and Iran, and indiscriminately bombs Syria for absolutely no reason. Like all neocons-the vast majority of whom strongly opposed his presidential run-Trump has thrown his full support behind Israel, our “strongest ally” in the region. Maybe they are our ally because we continue to shower them with financial and military aid they don’t need in the slightest?

We certainly have received very little in positive terms from this incestuous relationship with the middle eastern mini-state we helped create. For decades, Israel’s inexcusable 1967 attack on the USS Liberty was covered up by our spineless politicians and kept press. Thirty four Americans were killed and 171 wounded in the attack, which was never sufficiently explained. Needless to say, no one was punished for this heinous crime, and our relationship with Israel went on, stronger than ever. The NSA continues to keep documents concerning the incident classified.

A few of these documents were leaked by the courageous Edward Snowden, who remains in exile. Our leaders still target and punish whistle blowers, so Snowden has good reason to fear returning to the United States. Donald Trump at one point called for his execution. Can’t have “traitors” like Snowden, or Manning, or Assange, revealing to the dumbed down American sheeple just how hopelessly corrupt their leaders are. The Naval Court of Inquiry held hearings about the attack on the Liberty in secret, and survivors were placed under gag orders forbidding them to talk.

Although I personally believe the life sentence given to Jonathan Pollard, an American citizen convicted of spying for Israel, was too harsh, Israel has never stopped trying to arrange his release. In fact, Israel granted Pollard citizenship in 1995. Powerful figures like Alan Dershowitz, George Schultz, Barney Frank, Caspar Weinberger, Lawrence Korb, Henry Kisssinger, Dan Quayle, and Anthony Weiner have all lobbied for Pollard’s sentence to be commuted.

The reality is, Israel is the power broker here. They hold the cards in the relationship with the United States. Even a consummate mainstream media organ like Newsweek would headline a May 6, 2014 article, “Israel Won’t Stop Spying on the U.S.” No less than The Jerusalem Post reported, in a March 24, 2015 story, “Israel Spied on US Nuclear Talks With Iran.” Or course, Israel’s new favorite U.S. president, Donald Trump, unwisely ended our deal with Iran, which was one of Barack Obama’s few accomplishments in office.

Our foreign policy has almost exclusively revolved around the interests of Israel, especially since the Reagan years, when neocons first came into prominence. No politician can get elected in America now without the support of the Israeli lobby. AIPAC, in particular, is the most powerful lobby in this country. Paul Findley was a Republican representative from Illinois. His political career ended when he took on the Israeli lobby, as he recounted in his 1985 book They Dare to Speak Out.

Much as we don’t get our money’s worth with any of our tax dollars, Americans certainly aren’t getting any value out of our massive aid to Israel. Despite being about the size of New Jersey, Israel hovers around the top ten in terms of military power among nations. This is almost exclusively due to American financial and technological aid. Without our aid, would Israel really be able to fight off all of its angry neighbors?

It isn’t “anti-semitic” to criticize our relationship with Israel. It’s not “hate” to point out their crimes against humanity. Israel’s treatment of the dislocated Palestinians, which continues as I write this, is an international crime. Do we really want our tax dollars supporting the destruction of Palestinian homes, the theft of their land, the murder of their children?

Our own country is rotting from within. Our infrastructure cries out in desperation, like a starving creature. Half of our country has literally nothing in terms of wealth. There aren’t enough jobs or resources to provide for American citizens, let alone immigrants both legal and illegal. Virtually every move our political leaders make is disastrous for the vast majority of Americans. We have the clearest example possible of taxation without representation.

In between the celebrating over the US embassy being moved to Jerusalem, and the consensus that the Trump administration is busy making Israel great, perhaps we could reflect on our own countless needs. The American roof is leaking, almost caving in, and the children need sustenance. Charity begins at home.

 

 

Fighting Our Corrupt System

In late March, I was fired summarily, with no warning, from the company I worked for my entire adult life. Forty four years, and whisked off the premises like a common criminal. I did nothing wrong. In fact, most people would say that I was guilty of doing a good deed for a handicapped co-worker.

I won’t go into the details, but suffice to say I think you could search for a long time, and still not find a single case of an employee being fired for essentially helping out a colleague who needed it, who’d been there for forty four years, without any warning. Or severance package, of course. Those are for the corrupt buffoons who have steered this country onto the precipice of a very large cliff, and towards an inevitable plunge down into Third World nation status.

Charles Dickens wrote, more than 150 years ago, about the clowns in charge of things during his age. “Experts in how not to get it done,” he called them. Clearly, things have not changed. We are all now subject to the whims of those who are “experts in how not to get it done.”

I have talked a great deal about the truly awful job market in America, propped up by bogus government statistics that only count those who are currently receiving unemployment benefits. Since I was denied unemployment, for instance, the government doesn’t consider me unemployed. There are millions more like me.

While I mull over my options in fighting this unjust termination, I reflect back on some other engagements I’ve had with the system in recent years. It’s never fun to take it on, at any level. As I can personally attest, it’s also very, very difficult to ever beat it, no matter how strong your case is. The wit who came up with “You can’t fight city hall” could not comprehend just how hard it is to fight “city hall” now.

A few years back, my employer ended our traditional pension plan. They gave us the option of taking a lump sum amount, or a very modest monthly payment. I chose the lump sum. The person they directed me to, to work with me on how to invest this, outright robbed me of $8,000 in upfront fees that were never properly disclosed. I talked to her superiors to no avail. I spoke to several attorneys, none of whom would work with me. I know that I was cheated out of a substantial sum, and honest people representing an honest system would have seen that and acted in my favor.

Just prior to this, I was involved in the first car accident of my long driving career. I was sitting at a red light, when a speeding car plowed into my rear, destroying the car but fortunately leaving me with only minor injuries. The young man who hit me had no insurance of his own, and was driving his girlfriend’s mother’s car. People told me I should have a slam dunk case against him, but again no lawyers were interested. I needed to have been hurt bad physically, which I wasn’t. That’s really the only way the average person can “win” under this system; to become devastated in some way. Or to die prematurely, which is the only way to “win” at life insurance.

Last year, I was hit yet again in the rear by an elderly woman. Being the kind of guy I am, I felt sorry for her (she was clearly distraught), and just took her personal information without involving the police. I figured she’d just pay for the relatively minor damage (but still all body work can be expensive). I told her I’d send her the estimate. After speaking to her husband, he seemed to be okay with that. However, during our second phone conversation, he changed his tune completely, and told me that his wife denied hitting me, claiming that I had backed into her! To top it off, despite the fact that the rear impact alone is enough proof to demonstrate fault from the driver behind, an arbitration panel set up by the insurance companies ruled against me somehow.

I could cite other examples, but my record in confronting this system isn’t good. In fact, it’s never once worked for me. Thus, I really don’t trust them to do the right thing in my unfair termination case. I certainly am not going to plunk down a lot of money for an attorney that has to face that same system. So it’s been hard to interest a lawyer, given that I’m looking for one to work either pro bono or on a contingency basis. After talking with so many lawyers, albeit briefly since they won’t tell you anything for free, I’m reminded constantly of what Shakespeare said about them.

Next week, unless I find a lawyer to work under my conditions, I’ll probably shift gears. One strategy is to alert local media to the facts in this case, which are absolutely unbelievable and should interest any reporter worth their salt. But again, given what I know about establishment “journalists” and their reluctance to question authority of any kind, I’m not exactly confident that they will be interested, in spite of the circumstances, which add up to a crackerjack news story.

It’s strange being unemployed. I have never been unemployed in my adult life. The last time I wasn’t working, Richard Nixon was president. But the government doesn’t consider me unemployed. And the unemployment fund I paid into for over 44 years took my money, like it took the money of so many others, and won’t even give me back the measly $9,000 it claimed I was entitled to, when I really need it. That’s a populist proposal for you; workers who never use the unemployment fund they pay into their entire working lives being given some kind of refund when they retire.

I’m luckier than most. I won’t go homeless anytime soon. But I deeply resent being fired by a company I was loyal to for decades, for a reason no one would ever believe. It’s one thing to write about the injustices other people face; it’s another to face them yourself. It’s disillusioning to experience just how corrupt this system is first-hand. To hear the voices, and see the faces, of those who are helping to bring this country down. As I told the young girl who unemotionally fired me, “You’re helping to build a nightmare, which you’re going to have to live through.”

Workers have no rights in today’s “new normal” world. Unions are toothless. Raises are rare for anyone outside management. Bonuses are the exclusive province of upper management, which gives themselves bigger ones every year. Benefits are being reduced across the board, and pensions are a thing of the past. Except for government pensions, that is. The irony of a population being largely denied any pension, forced to finance the very healthy pensions all government workers enjoy is apparently lost on everyone. I don’t see Ayn Rand “greed is good” disciples like Paul Ryan refusing to accept his own lucrative pension. But then again, Ayn Rand herself accepted Social Security and Medicare, in a monumental act of hypocrisy.

I am very blessed in many ways, but I am indeed now living my very own personal Survival of the Richest scenario.