Liberty, War & Politics – Iraq, conscription
“Threats, that is. Always with the threats. Supposedly we’re always under attack by a mortal threat. Yet they never quite seem to be as horrible as we’re always told. …”(1)
Pentagon Argues Against Conscription Proposals
“Many of today’s military leaders are veterans of the Vietnam War and oppose the draft because of problems with draftees during the conflict.” (2) There was a debate on the Lehrer Newshour where a military spokesman argued against Rangel’s proposals. At least the U.S. military leadership seems rational, but there are civilians who will justify the draft (3).
Sheryl Crow Preaches Peace
Jan 13, 2003 American Music Awards: “Crow accepted her award for pop-rock female artist wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with the message “war is not the answer”…” She says the peace movement is not getting covered in the media.(4)
Slouching into Iraq? by Alan Bock
Discusses some of the history of Iraq back to the colonial powers, the problematic borders, and the relationship with the United States in the 1980’s. An attack would be “an aggressive, imperial-like move rather than a response to Iraqi aggression or an imminent threat to the U.S….”(5)
They Know When You Are Sleeping
“Do we want to live in a society where fourth-graders are considered reliable sources, and in which cops probe children for information about their parents on the basis of political beliefs and activities that are legal?” (6)
Conscription is Collectivism by Rep. Ron Paul
“Ronald Reagan said it best: “The most fundamental objection to draft registration is moral.” He understood that conscription assumes our nation’s young people belong to the state. Yet America was founded on the opposite principle, that the state exists to serve the individual.” Involuntary servitude. (7)
“No to war!” Is anyone listening? by Alexander Cockburn
“…rallies in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, attended by vast throngs. But there have also been rallies and vigils by the score in small towns…” “Are they making a difference? …How can you ignore a turnout of 500,000 in Florence?” (8)
Al-Qaeda – a meaningless label
“Modern Islamic militancy is chaotic….Some are genuinely committed to a jihadi struggle, others are simply caught up in things beyond their understanding. This is not a structured coherent organisation taking orders from one man.” (9)
Comment: They’re human beings – deal with them justly. In the same way, cults recruit the young and naive.
The perils of Pax Americana
“Policies virtually identical to President George W. Bush’s national security strategy paper of last September, with its ambitious military, economic and political goals, have been produced since the late 1940s. … Things go wrong for every great nation whose ambitions exceed its power and reality, and the US is no exception. ” (10)
Notes
[1] http://www.lewrockwell.com/wallace/wallace89.html
January 13, 2003
[2] http://www.washtimes.com/national/20030114-27407742.htm
January 14, 2003, Defense disputes racial imparity , By Bill Gertz, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
[3] http://www.nationalreview.com/contributors/kurtz102401.shtml
National Review Online, Oct 24, 2001, Stanley Kurtz (Hudson Institute), Draft Realities An unpopular truth. National Review is a “conservative” magazine? He uses the word “rebellion” several times with respect to Muslim populations in their own countries. Summary: the draft would be needed for the U.S. to maintain the role of Darth Vader – Global Overlord – forever. Nostalgic for world war, he says “… many young people no longer share the eagerness of the “greatest generation” for battle”. They know too much. They want to live. It never occurs to these so-called “conservatives” that we’re not supposed to keep repeating these bloodthirsty 20th century wars that sacrificed “young people” on the altar of the State.
[4] http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030114/ap_wo_en_po/na_a_e_mus_us_
american_music_awards_vignettes_1
Yahoo! News, Tue Jan 14, Crow preaches peace … By BETH HARRIS, Associated Press Writer
[5] http://www.antiwar.com/bock/b011403.html
Antiwar.com, January 14, 2003 Slouching into Iraq?, Alan Bock
[6] http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030127&s=pollitt
The Nation, January 9, 2003, They Know When You Are Sleeping, by KATHA POLLITT
[7] http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul72.html
LewRockwell.com, January 14, 2003, by Rep. Ron Paul, MD
[8] http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemID=14336
workingforchange, Jan 9, 2003 “No to war!” Is anyone listening? Longtime peace activist says today’s peace movement is stronger than that before Vietnam, by Alexander Cockburn
[9] http://www.observer.co.uk/worldview/story/0,11581,872924,00.html
Observer, Sunday January 12, 2003, Al-Qaeda – a meaningless label, by Jason Burke
[10] http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/printpage/0,5942,5829495,00.html
The Australian, Jan 13, 2003, Gabriel Kolko: The perils of Pax Americana