The 'American Way'

"The USA wouldn't be stuck in conflicts abroad if only we could stop believing that the American way is the best way." Exactly. In his recent article for AlterNet John Dolan couldn't be more right.

Excerpt from the article:
Montaigne tried to learn from the other cultures Europe was encountering around the world in the 1500s, rather than simply condemning them for all the ways in which they differed from Europe. He compared the cruelties of cannibal tribes with those of European "justice." His point was not that one culture was superior to the other, but that every human ever born finds it dangerously easy to revile the savagery of other tribes, but very difficult to see the brutalities of their homeland: "...while we quite rightly judge [the cannibals'] faults, we are blind to our own."

It is this nationalist psyche the majority of Americans have, that are sheltered from the rest of the world and brings conflict and irritation to other cultures. As Dolan states, "even if the [Iraq] war really was about liberation, it was an arrogant invasion born of the ancient belief that our tribe is the only one that knows how life should be lived." Precisely.

Read the full article.

How Republicans Hype Fear to Keep 1-Party Rule

In a series of columns and essays that renowned journalist and former presidential adviser Sidney Blumenthal wrote in the three years following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a unifying theme began to emerge: that Bush, billed by himself and by many others as a conservative, is in fact a radical--more radical than any president in American history. In "How Bush Rules: Chronicles of a Radical Regime", Blumenthal provides a vivid account of the progression of Bush's radical style--from his reliance on one-party rule and his unwillingness to allow internal debate to his elevation of the power of the vice president.

Taking readers through pivotal events such as the hunt for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and the rise of the foreign-policy neoconservatives. Foreign policy is one of Bush's key areas that he needs to succeed in his power struggle. However, people are catching on now, coming together and realizing to propaganda and lies that the american public is being subject to. Bush is trying to change the Geneva Conventions and the way we go to war - Department of Defense, more like "Department of Offense" these days.

"From the experience of the Bush disinformation campaign used to justify the invasion of Iraq the congressional Republicans have apparently learned that they must advance disinformation campaigns even more aggressively than before. What the Republicans have to fear is the absence of fear itself." Read the rest of Sidney Blumenthal's post at The Huffington Post.

Europe may meet with Iran without U.S.

European diplomats are considering a meeting with Iran on the sidelines of next week's U.N. General Assembly in hopes of de-escalating the standoff over Tehran's nuclear program - but the United States won't be getting an invitation.

I think this a very good approach to handling the situation because bringing the U.S. face to face with Iran at this point in time may cause even more tension and resulting frustration. The U.S. is accusing Iran of all these things there is no proof of, and the Bush Administration continues to pour fearful thoughts all over the public.

People need to realize here what the U.S. government is doing, like making dishonest statements about Iran, and trying to get the American public hyped up about a threat that does not exist and even if it does exis, there is no solid evidence to go on. There is a pattern here going back to the Bush Admin's pre-war Iraq ideas and agenda.

The Bush administration, which is pushing for U.N. sanctions against Iran, has said it will join European-led negotiations with Iran only if it stops its uranium enrichment work first.

Full article via Washington Post