It is a statement so many times heard – especially from those who have served.
However …
As a member of America’s armed forces, your job is to never question authority.
Your duty as an American citizen is to regularly question and challenge the powers of government, so as to ensure the liberties of future generations.
So why is it - that so many who dutifully performed the first are found treasonous in the latter?
"Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionaries and rebels- men and women who dared to dissent from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
Vladmir Ilych Lenin was allowed to travel from Switzerland across Germany to St. Petersburg by the Kaiser's German government after riots broke out in Russia. The Czar was not a "benevolent" fellow. He was out of touch with the realities in Russia. He had approved the massacre of the demonstrators in St. Petersburg in 1905 before World War I started.
Most wars are the result of rival ecomonic interests. Bankers, and industrialists benefit financially from wars; but they do not always start them. Japan needed oil, and other natural resources. Roosevelt put an oil embargo on them due to their encroachment on American, and British interests in southeast Asia, and China. Japan committed a presumptive strike on Pearl Harbor. Since Hitler had signed a pact with Japan, he was required to declare war on the U.S. He regretted being required to make the the declaration according to Goring. Once war was declared on the U.S.; Roosevelt could have the U.S. enter the war, and the increased military budget and industrial production brought the U.S. out of the Depression. It makes for great conspiracy theory; but Fascism, and Imperialism had to be stopped.
The current talk of nuclear war is talk. The talker is Israel. Iran is not going to launch a one bomb attack on Israel. Israel would launch an attack on Iran if it thought the U.S. would back it up. Iran has the muscle to disrupt the oil shipping through the Persian Gulf. If that happened, oil prices would soar. This country, and the world would enter a second Great Depression. The President did not meet with the foriegn heads of state today when he gave his U.N. speech. If he met with any of them, he would have had to meet with the prime minister of Israel also. The President dished Iran today; but he did not praise Israel even in an election year. Israel needs to be diplomatically put in it's place. The prime minister has stuck his nose in U.S. politics during an election year. That does not benefit either U.S. political party. It only benefits Israel. Wars can be avoided by diplomacy. Wars can be started by economic interests; but they can be prevented by economic interests also. Conspiracy theories abound; but they are hard to prove if one wants proof.
"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war.......".
I agree and we all watched George W. Bush do this with Iraq and now I fear Mr. Obama is doing it with Iran and Syria and of course we had boots on the ground in Libya.
Read the book "Who got what out of the war in Iraq, Nothing for the Nation", by former congressman Hostettler of Indiana. He served for 4 terms and during the 9/11 time period and highly questioned our going in to invade Iraq. He was right.
http://www.amazon.com/Nothing-Nation-Who-What-Iraq/dp/0980058805
For now I am a registered Republican but soon will be registered as either Constinution party or Independent. I can not stand the Democrats and will never support their platform however the GOP is beginning to really piss me off, especially the GOP in Illinois. We can't seem to win the good races that count.
I say all that to make note that while I supported George W. Bush I would not do so if I could do it all over again simply because of Iraq and what you see happening after 9/11/
While some here may not think there is a conspiriacy, I believe it has been over one hundred years in the making and a darn good plan in deed. They are very patient.
It is the bankers and the globalist Cabal who wants this to occur.
One day soon, one day soon, they will have their war and it will be a doozy. I only hope I'm not around to see that one. WW III is on their list of things to accomplish and to what end I do not know but a global governement will be just one of the attrocities and the liberals who are loving socialism and Marx now will be running for their lives then as these evil men will come for all not just for us conservatives.
Reject both the Repubs and the Dems, they both serve the same master, and it ain't us.
Shapemaster; It is interesting that you choose to comment on my comment of Sept. rather than at the end of the comments. Your supposedly new in commenting. I have not seen any of your comments except for three Discussion Forum articles which very few read. Your comment contents, and style are familiar. I have found myself arguing with deceptive people with simpleton views. I will let you, and Pen work out the problems with America to yourselves on your exclusive Discussion Forum. Have fun with the treehouse club Pen.
'...except for three Discussion Forum articles which very few read...' - SS
Oh? So you have the ability to know that? Man, those are some kinda magic meds...
What was the alternative to World War II? Yes; bankers, and industrialists made fortunes from World War II. In the case of IBM, Standard Oil, Ford, ITT, and others; they made money from both sides involved in World War II. What was the alternative though? Fascism, and Imperialism; or some semblence of Democracy? The Iraq Wars, and Afganistan were other matters though.
You forgot to mention then Sen. Prescott Bush (yep, the daddy of George H W and grand-daddy of George) who was censured by the Senate for giving aid to Hitler...after we had declared war on Nazi Germany. I'm sure you already knew that, just forgot. Time to defrag the gray matter, SS.
To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, right or wrong - is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. - Teddy Roosevelt
Of course, post-9-11 and the passage of the Patriot Act, it is now just the opposite. What's wrong with this picture?
Comments
News-Gazette.com embraces discussion of both community and world issues. We welcome you to contribute your ideas, opinions and comments, but we ask that you avoid personal attacks, vulgarity and hate speech. We reserve the right to remove any comment at our discretion, and we will block repeat offenders' accounts. To post comments, you must first be a registered user, and your username will appear with any comment you post. Happy posting.