Sunday, April 24, 2011

Another example of how America is so duped

Chomsky: Is the World Too Big to Fail? The Contours of Global Order By Noam Chomsky

"The U.S. and its Western allies are sure to do whatever they can to prevent authentic democracy in the Arab world. To understand why, it is only necessary to look at the studies of Arab opinion conducted by U.S. polling agencies. Though barely reported, they are certainly known to planners. They reveal that by overwhelming majorities, Arabs regard the U.S. and Israel as the major threats they face: the U.S. is so regarded by 90% of Egyptians, in the region generally by over 75%. Some Arabs regard Iran as a threat: 10%. Opposition to U.S. policy is so strong that a majority believes that security would be improved if Iran had nuclear weapons -- in Egypt, 80%. Other figures are similar. If public opinion were to influence policy, the U.S. not only would not control the region, but would be expelled from it, along with its allies, undermining fundamental principles of global dominance."

This is yet one more example of distortions of the truth by the propaganda machine - our "information supply" - that goes right to the core of America's gravest problem: we've been duped, we're being duped, and if we don't do something about it, we'll continue to be duped.

You see, with one proven case, such as this, of our information supply actually being a propaganda machine, we come to realize the scope of the problem. Does this problem only exist in one area - or does it exist across the board? What else is propagandized? Could the whole frame of reference by which Americans who read the "news" be nothing more then propaganda to feed some causes at the expense of others?

Noam Chomsky makes this point again and again through his essay here, yet he doesn't seem to acknowledge THIS is core of the problem.


Bill

Monday, April 18, 2011

Throw Out the Money Changers

Throw Out the Money Changers By Chris Hedges

Once again, Chris Hedges goes to the core of America's gravest problems. This is must read for all concerned Americans


Bill

Friday, April 15, 2011

Justice, the biggest casualty of our times

The two-tiered justice system: an illustration By Glenn Greenwald

If you've read anything by Glenn Greenwald, you know he's a very smart fellow, and you'll find this article among his best.

The issue he discusses here is justice, more specifically the lack of it, at the highest levels of our so-called government.

I think that of all the issues we face today, the military invasion of the Middle East, our dreadful economy, unemployment, etc. etc., NOTHING touches the core of what's gone so terribly wrong with America then what's happened to our so-called justice system.

We're massively engaged in an illegal invasion of the Middle East, and we've literally been robbed blind by the Wall Street barons, and not a single individual behind these monumentally obscene crimes is behind bars or even put on trial.


Bill

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The real reason we rushed into (another) war

The real reason we rushed into (another) war By Ned Resnikoff
"But whereas Drum and Klein addressed only how the outsize political influence of the rich affects economic and fiscal policy, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz noted that it also distorts how we go to war. In a recent piece for Vanity Fair, he wrote:

Inequality massively distorts our foreign policy. The top 1 percent rarely serve in the military -- the reality is that the "all-volunteer" army does not pay enough to attract their sons and daughters, and patriotism goes only so far. Plus, the wealthiest class feels no pinch from higher taxes when the nation goes to war: borrowed money will pay for all that. Foreign policy, by definition, is about the balancing of national interests and national resources. With the top 1 percent in charge, and paying no price, the notion of balance and restraint goes out the window. There is no limit to the adventures we can undertake; corporations and contractors stand only to gain.

In other words: The more powerful the rich have become, the more they've shifted the cost of war downward. And because the interests of the rich are effectively the only interests now being represented in government, politicians have no incentive to avoid policies that exert pressure on the middle and lower classes. For the people in charge, war has gotten cheaper than ever."


Bill

Monday, April 4, 2011

2 more families who will never see their child again

Attack by enemy forces leaves 2 American soldiers dead in Iraq, US military says By Associated Press

You may have noticed this mention in the press this morning, or perhaps you're just immune and unaffected by it all so you just ignore these accounts. Or, perhaps, much much worse, you still cheer them on.

At this point, I'm convinced that only the hard-core Neocon supporters are still doing the cheering, while the vast majority of Americans are truly sick and disgusted by it all. I believe this fact is being buried by the "news" wing of the Neocon gang who continue to control our "news" and who frame the issues and decide what's important (headlines) and what's not (which is buried or ignored).

At this point, it's been well established that the invasion of Iraq was illegal, so why does it continue, and more importantly why are the perps of this monstrous crime still at large?

One thing is clear: there is absolutely no point in continuing the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. If we do nothing and the course of events continues without interruption, the day will come when the so-called Green Zone may as well be the Alamo, because it's fate will be sealed by Iraqi's, not Neocon mercenaries.

Get behind bringing justice to the Middle East by putting Bush and the Neocon gang on trial for mass murder and war crimes.

Sen. Graham Presses for Continued US Occupation of Iraq Insists Iraq Would 'Go to Hell' if Left Alone by Jason Ditz

Please see the reader comments to this article to get a sense of how people react when a Neocon gang member like Graham rants his shit.


Bill

Friday, April 1, 2011

Libya and the Obama Cult

Libya and the Obama Cult. How the President conned his supporters – and his enemies by Justin Raimondo

"Libya is but a prelude to a major extension of US power and influence in the region, the first war in a series that will culminate in the final assault on Iran. This is what the Israelis, lurking in the background, are counting on, and what their energetic American lobby is furiously campaigning for. The Clinton faction, having seized control of the foreign policy-making apparatus, is fully on board, and there’s no one of any consequence in the Democratic party to oppose their course. "


Bill