Mind Control Through The Promise of Goodies - "Join Military Now - Drink When You Are 18!"

And now They Now Want to Control You by Giving You "Special Rights" if You Joint The MIlitary - Including Drinking at 18...

"Kentucky state Rep. David Floyd, R-Bardstown, who said he thinks the legal drinking age should be 18, told ABC News that military personnel exhibit their ability to handle alcohol-drinking responsibilities while serving their country."

Anyone who thinks this is acceptable in any way shape or form is obviously a complete slave to militarism, imperialism.

WHAT THE FUCK makes anyone think members of the military are any more responsible in the way the consume alcohol? Or more important than anyone else for that matter?

Kentucky state Rep. David Floyd, R-Bardstown is saying that if you serve the United States military then you can enjoy alcoholic beverages at a younger age - A BRIBE and this is seriously dangerous propaganda that everyone should think about. What now they want to control the people by letting you have "goodies" if you fight for the cause? What's next - tobacco, marijuana? Completely fucking disgusting. Military special rights are WRONG. PERIOD.

Military recruiters will be saying shit like this...
"Hey man, what ya doin' after high school? join the Air Force man. We got all kinds of stuff for you to do. Start a career with us and you'll be set for life. PLUS you get to drink when you're 18!"

out of control.

"Missouri, South Dakota, Vermont and Minnesota are debating laws that would allow all residents to take advantage of the lower required age."

this is how it should be. ALL RESIDENTS.

Article: Seven states consider lower drinking ages

They Want Us Out

In an article from Think Progress, Satyam writes an overview of the the British Parliamant’s Select Committee on Foreign Affairs report of 36 recommendations for changes that must be made in the Middle East. They urge the British government to consider the political implications of joining forces with the US and their 'surge' in Iraq.

Many worry that the war has only magnified judgments, international racsism, and hatred. In the same affect, British citizens are led by the propaganda surrounding the 'war on terror' and the 'oversimplifications' of the terms used to describe the war and the people.

"216. We conclude that the use by Ministers of phrases such as 'war on terror' and 'arc of extremism' is unhelpful and that such oversimplifications may lead to dangerous policy implications. We agree with the Minister for the Middle East that these phrases cause unnecessary resentment. We recommend that the Government should not use this or similar language in future. "

"We are concerned that the damage done to the Government's reputation in the Arab and Islamic world may affect its ability to influence the political situation in the Middle East. We recommend that, in its response to this Report, the Government set out what action it is taking to improve its influence and reputation in the Arab and Islamic world. "

Hopefully, the British government will begin to make changes and withdrawal from Iraq and show effort for 'political reconciliations'. This just might jump start US withdrawal. If the Brits get out of there, I doubt there will be any Bush supporters left. The British can admit that the 'war on terror' is failing miserably, why can't Bush?

The policies adopted by Tony Blair have proved to be more detrimental to the UK than before. Bush is not winning his propoganda war, and we have little homeland security. Approval rates are low, and people are getting anxious, for something to change because the current path is crumbling fast along with America's infrastructure.

The Nation: Personal stories of Iraq war combat veterans

Recently published in The Nation is an exhaustive and extensive journey into the soldiers minds who witnessed the immoralities being carried out in Iraq. Beginning in July 2006, The Nation interviewed forty soldiers, eight marines and two sailors for seven months. - the resulting piece is entitled The Other War: Iraq Vets Bear Witness.

From The Nation: "American troops in Iraq lacked the training and support to communicate with or even understand Iraqi civilians, according to nineteen interviewees. Few spoke or read Arabic. They were offered little or no cultural or historical education about the country they controlled. Translators were either in short supply or unqualified. Any stereotypes about Islam and Arabs that soldiers and marines arrived with tended to solidify rapidly in the close confines of the military and the risky streets of Iraqi cities into a crude racism."

Above: Michael Harmon (Army Medic) recalls U.S. troops "using derogatory terms for Iraqis."

Broken Promises and the Military Industrial Complex

A commentary by Clarence Page ran in my local paper today. The piece begins with the story of a marine who returned from Iraq in 2004 and committed suicide a few months later. His family is suing the Department of Veterans Affairs for denying him medical treatment:

The parents, who joined the antiwar group Military Families Speak Out after their son's death, do not seek money damages. They only hope their lawsuit will force the Bush administration to take swift action to overhaul the VA, they say."

The case of Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Lucey is tragic, but hardly surprising. The same conservatives who call liberals "unpatriotic" for questioning the invasion of Iraq, and accuse us of "not supporting the troops," and claim that Democrats have "invested in failure" have been consistently underfunding the troops to a degree that can only be described as criminal. According to a related broadcast of Democracy Now:

"[In July] two major lawsuits were filed that could put the [Bush] administration's treatment of veterans on trial. A class-action suit on behalf of hundreds of thousands of soldiers accuses the Department of Veterans Affairs of ignoring veterans' mental health care needs and overzealously denying medical care and benefits. The plaintiffs are two veterans groups. Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth say returning soldiers are denied care through outright rejection or the long waiting process in a backlog of some 600,000 pending claims."

It's an injustice in the military-industrial complex that isn't discussed very often: The million-dollar ad campaigns that encourage young people to enlist in the military with promises of money for college, career training, and a way out of poverty. Taxpayer money is being thrown at advertising agencies and media markets - not to mention defense contractors - but when veterans need medical treatment there's no money to be found.

Up to 800,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are said to suffer or risk developing post-traumatic stress disorder - and the administration that promised them better lives and to make them "Army Strong" has nothing to offer them but empty words and yellow ribbon stickers.

Defense Department and the Evangelical Crusades

The OSU (Operation Straight Up) is an evangelical entertainment group whose goal is to entertain active duty soldiers with their beliefs. They are planning, according to AlterNet, "to mail copies of the controversial apocalyptic video game, Left Behind: Eternal Forces to soldiers serving in Iraq. OSU is also scheduled to embark on a Military Crusade in Iraq in the near future."

"We feel the forces of heaven have encouraged us to perform multiple crusades that will sweep through this war torn region," OSU declares on its website about its planned trip to Iraq. "We'll hold the only religious crusade of its size in the dangerous land of Iraq."

Now, OSU is an official affiliate of Defense Department's 'America Supports You' program. I, as many others, ask what kind of separation of church and state is this? To send apocalyptic messages to the brave U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Isn't Iraq in such a state because of people's beliefs being forced on others? "The constitution has been assaulted and brutalized," Mikey Weinstein, former Reagan Administration White House counsel, ex-Air Force judge advocate (JAG), and founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, told me, [Max Blumenthal, TheNation.com]. "Thanks to the influence of extreme Christian fundamentalism, the wall separating church and state is nothing but smoke and debris. And OSU is the IED that exploded the wall separating church and state in the Pentagon and throughout our military." Weinstein continued: "The fact that they would even consider taking their crusade to a Muslim country shows the threat to our national security and to the constitution and everyone that loves it."

A good thing coming from the OSU is the fact that the are sending Freedom Packages to the soldiers in Iraq. In these packages there are socks, and baby wipes, and Left Behind: Eternal Forces the video game! WOW! According to Max Blumenthal of The Nation, "The game is inspired by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' bestselling pulp fiction series about a blood-soaked Battle of Armageddon pitting born-again Christians against anybody who does not adhere to their particular theology. In LaHaye's and Jenkins' books, the non-believers are ultimately condemned to "everlasting punishment" while the evangelicals are "raptured" up to heaven."

I would assume that the soldiers in Iraq would love to play a video game that requires them to kill people of unlike faith, kind of a reflection of the Iraqi's, is it not?

U.S. troops in Iraq reach record high, still having a hell of a time

With around 162,000 U.S. troops in Iraq now, this is the most ever since the beginning of the war. Will even the most troops we ever had there, partly due to the 30,000 surge, have any impact. The answer is no. It wouldn't even matter if there were double that. It's just going to be more American soldiers who die from a disgusting guerrilla war and the incompetence of out leaders who have destroyed and let Iraq go to shit.

And even with this new record high, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said, "There is no change to the level of effort and the combat power that we are projecting into Iraq." So what now there are people just sitting around doing nothing? Reuters

Who Guessed Weapons Would Come Up Missing?

Weapons missing? Yep-that's right! According to a report by the Washington Post today, the Pentagon has lost track of about 190,000 AK-47 assault rifles and pistols given to Iraqi security forces in 2004 and 2005, according to a new government report. Honestly, I really can't even begin to be surprised. Oh, yes, the report goes on, to say that there are fears now that these weapons might possibly be in the dangerous, destructive hands of the very same insurgents that the US troops are fighting!

How dare those Iraqi insurgents! Every good American knows that you aren't supposed to actually USE the weapons a country gives you, especially not towards them. And, ESPECIALLY not when you are at war with them! And, every good Iraqi knows that YOU DON'T GIVE WEAPONS TO COUNTRIES YOU ARE AT WAR WITH! Especially when you are in their country, meddling in their business!

Although, all this is just speculation. No one can really say for sure where almost 190,000 AK-47 rifles and pistols went off to, they are just missing, according to the Government Accountability Office (we have one of those?). What else does the GAO have to say? Well, they need to put the blame on someone. According to the GAO, weapons distribution was haphazard and rushed and failed to follow established procedures, particularly from 2004 to 2005, when security training was led by Gen. David H. Petraeus, who now commands all U.S. forces in Iraq.

If I were over in Iraq, I think I would have some kind of problem letting Gen. Petraeus run things. If he was in charge of security training, why are almost 190,000 weapons MIA? Oh, and that is up from only 14,000 last year.

Controls have been tightened since 2005, because of previous errors and unaccountability, but it seems serial numbers are too much for the Pentagon to handle. Without tracking which serial numbers were given to whom, it is nearly impossible for the US military to know whether it is battling an enemy equipped by American taxpayers.

I can only guess what kinds of unaccountability's, inconsistencies, errors, miscalculations and other misc. happenings are going on with the security back in the homeland. On second thought, I'll just leave it to Bush.

When is Murder Not Murder?

Murder. Think about that word, and what it means to you. To me, it means to kill someone. Now, obviously, there are a lot of different killings going on. A big one, the war in Iraq, the recent crumbling of the bridge, people killing people out of rage, revenge, all sorts of different circumstances. The question is, is one better than the other?

I'm looking at the Huffington Post's article about Sgt. Lawrence G. Hutchins III, who received 15 years in prison, was dishonorably discharged, reduced in rank to private, and also given a written reprimand this last Thursday in Camp Pendleton, Cal. The jury sentenced Hutchins Friday for the murder of an Iraqi civilian during a search for an insurgent.

Hutchins says he was only carrying out what he thought his superiors wanted. And I ask, how would one not be confused? Reflecting on the story about suspected terrorist activities in a junk-submarine (sorry to the men who made it), and the recent stories about suspected 'dry-terrorist runs' in the airport, where 65 year old woman are being asked if they know Osama bin Laden, I mean, are supposed to think the terrorists are everywhere?

My next question is, Hutchins and the rest of the brave soldiers in Iraq, are they not sent there to kill? What makes one right and the other wrong? Is the only difference that President Bush didn't say to kill 'that guy'? If I were Christian, I would think that the 6th commandment "Thou shall not KILL", would mean that thou shall not kill. Apparently, however, the bible, along with our constitution, is up for interpretation by the Bush administration.

Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations said, "If there is a perception that our soldiers can commit these crimes and only get a slap on the wrist, that's not going to send a very good message." But going into Iraq, meddling in their business, getting our soldiers killed, and killing other people, this is a better message? Interesting.

Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies, The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for own goodwill torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. - C.S. Lewis

Will it Take a Tet Offensive?

The Vietnam War was undoubtedly conflicted. Most people now understand that. We've all been shown the videos of protests in school. And we've all read about the social changes in history classes. Yet, despite the similar unpopularity of our current conflict, the youth of our country seem lounging.

The Tet Offensive was a major campaign by the Communist Vietnamese to retake land, and, "Although the offensive was not militarily successful for the Vietnamese Communists, it was a political and psychological victory for them. It dramatically contradicted optimistic claims by the U.S. government that the war had already been won." Will it take such an act of shock and awe to spark our current populous out of apathy?

Don't think there's nothing being done. There certainly is an effort. The digital roots movement is strong. There are thousands of websites that tout slogans against the war and its creators. But the Internet is nothing more than a canvas for us to shout at. And, unless those with the real ability to change the world and war's affect on it are reading sites like this, then a digital movement is faceless.

It's true that the Vietnam war did not end because of protests. Anyone looking at a time line can see that. But those protesters did have a face. They used their bodies to become symbols of what they believed in. And a body is always a better symbol than anything someone I or anyone else could type.

I know this is my first post. I know most readers don't know me. So I'll clarify a quick point about myself. I will never be the one to answer questions like the one I've posed in this entry's title. But I will do all I can to spur the idea that we can ponder such questions. And that we, the face-full, have the ability to make sure this and future wars don't require more casualties to stab us into using our bodies as weapons of example and our minds as fevers burning out the foolishness that creates war.

Source: http://www.reference.com/search?q=tet%20offensive

Loose Change producer Korey Rowe arrested for desertion

Korey Rowe, one of the producers of the movie Loose Change, about the U.S. government's possible involvement in 9/11, has been arrested for desertion. This arrest comes just as the final cut (3rd edition) of Loose Change is to be released before the end of this year. Interesting.

Rowe is a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq, and was arrested on a "military warrant" that Otsego County (New York) Sheriff Richard Devlin Jr. said was brought to the attention of deputies by the Oneonta, NY Police Department.

Additionally interesting: The Department of Homeland Security seems to have visited this blog which wrote about the story, from this IP pnxuser1.tsa.dhs.gov(129.33.119.12). Read More

Iraq: The Hidden Story [video]

For everyone who agrees that the occupation of Iraq is good, I think you should watch this. I think everyone should watch this video, including those sheltered from the realities that others face day to day, because of the U.S., it's imperialistic ways, and Bush's lies.

As Nicole Belle says, "The Beltway media and politicians are insulated and isolated. It's going to take a huge tidal wave from outside the Beltway for them to wake up."

At least $10 billlion wasted due to private war companies

"About $10 billion has been squandered by the U.S. government on Iraq reconstruction aid because of contractor overcharges and unsupported expenses, and federal investigators warned Thursday that significantly more taxpayer money is at risk."

Federal Investigators, "Urged the Pentagon to reconsider its growing reliance on outside contractors in wars and reconstruction efforts. Layers of subcontractors, poor documentation and lack of strong contract management are rampant and promote waste even after the GAO first warned of problems 15 years ago."

See more about War Profiteering

Of the $10 billion in overpriced contracts or undocumented costs, more than $2.7 billion were charged by Halliburton Co., the oil-field services company once headed by Vice President Dick Cheney.

Noting that auditors still have $300 billion of Iraq spending to review, Waxman said the total amount of waste, fraud and abuse "could be astronomical." Read [AP]

U.S. House tells Bush 'No More Troops'

From Yahoo News: "The Democratic-controlled House issued a symbolic rejection of President Bush's decision to deploy more troops to Iraq on Friday, opening an epic confrontation between Congress and commander in chief over an unpopular war that has taken the lives of more than 3,100 U.S. troops."

The vote on the nonbinding measure was 246-182, and within minutes, Democrats said their next move would be to challenge Bush's request for $93 billion in new funds for the Pentagon.

Apparently, "Bush made no comment on the developments in the House, and his spokesman said the president was too busy to watch the proceedings on television."

BUT, the the Pentagon added another 1,000 troops to the surge, despite House disapproval.

Addicted to War: Why the U.S. Can't Kick Militarism

Addicted to War by Joel Andreas is a compelling comic book showing the history of U.S. foreign policy and its effects on our society. It offers insight into the alternative, the things kids aren't taught in school. Until now. Yes, the book is going to be used in some San Francisco public schools.

Frank Dorrel, Publisher of "Addicted to War": "We're really glad that the San Francisco School District, which is apparently against the war in Iraq, well not apparently, obviously is, has chosen to do this."

According to ABC 7, "Frank Dorrel is now helping to supply the San Francisco Unified School District with 4,000 copies of the book for use in high school social studies and history classes. The books are being donated by a local anti-war activist."

From the 'Addicted to War' site: "With 77, hard-hitting, carefully documented pages, including 161 reference notes, this book reveals why the U.S. has been involved in more wars in recent years than any other country.

Packed with historical photographs and quotes from people in the military, the government, and big buisness, Addicted to War explains who benefits from these military adventures, who pays and who dies.

Addicted to War is being used as a history textbook in hundreds of high schools and colleges."

Escalation: a 1968 anti-war short film by Disney animator [video]

This was created by Academy Award-winning Disney animator Ward Kimball (1914 –2002). The 1968 film protests then-president Lyndon B. Johnson's escalation of the Vietnam war.

via Boing Boing

Update: Judge Declares Mistrial in Watada Case

On Wednesday, presiding judge, Lt. Col. John Head declared a mistrial, in the court-martial of First Lt. Watada, over a technicality. Beginning the court-martial, Judge Lt. Col. Head had Watada sign an agreement admitting that he failed to deploy to Iraq, and that he had given several antiwar speeches, for which he was charged with 'conduct unbecoming of an officer'. During exchanges in the trial, however, Watada disagreed.

“Your Honour,” he said. “I have always believed that I have a legal and moral defence. I realise that the government can make arguments and you can make rulings contrary to that, but that does not negate my belief that I have a defence.”

“To me,” Watada told the court, leading soldiers into battle in Iraq “means to participate in a war that I believe to be illegal.”

Aaron Glantz (GNN) reports that Col. Head had ruled that Watada’s claim—that the war is immoral and illegal—would not be a permissible defence at trial, and that Watada had hoped to argue under the so-called Nuremberg Principals which arose from trials of Nazi war criminals after World War II.

Lt. Watada's attorney, Eric Seitz, had this to say about the trial; “Every time the government has tried to prevent political speech, which they are attempting to punish, from infusing the trial proceedings it has created a major mess and many of those cases resulted in mistrials.”

“The government tried in artificial ways to prevent the defendants from explaining in their own way why they were there and why they did what they did,” Seitz said. “But there is a contradiction, because they are the core issues of what led the defendant from being there in the first place.”

Many antiwar activists cheered for the mistrial declaration. Mike Wong, a San Francisco social worker who deserted the Army rather than fight in the Vietnam War, stated that A GI Rights hotline has been set up for the men and women fighting the war, who want to get out of Iraq. Wong says that the army is now receiving 2000 calls a month.

“The military doesn’t want the American public to know that soldiers are talking about this in the barracks. Some soldiers think he’s a disgrace and others think he’s a frickin’ hero. But what it’s causing is for soldiers to discuss, to debate, and what’s really frightening to this administration is that soldiers are thinking. They don’t want soldiers to think. They want soldiers to follow orders.” -Geoff Millard (about the court-martial)

Every Soldier has a Right, a Duty to Disobey Illegal Orders

Today, in Fort Lewis, Washington, the court-marshal of First Lt. Ehren Watada begins (see interview with Watada). He is charged with "missing movement" and "conduct unbecoming an officer" including the "use of contemptuous words for the President." Ehren, from Hawaii, has questioned the legality of the war in Iraq, and refused deployment.

His defense includes all the lies Bush has fed to us about the war : the fraudulent basis for the war, the absence of a formal declaration from Congress (which has no constitutional authority to transfer its war-declaring power to another branch), the war crimes, and the flagrant violations of international treaties such as the United Nations Charter. However, prosecutors told the presiding judge that Watada's truthfulness is irrelevant to the case. They do not mean to allow Watada to prove what he has said about the President is true.

"The war in Iraq is in fact illegal," Watada told TruthOut.org. "It is my obligation and my duty to refuse any orders to participate in this war. An order to take part in an illegal war is unlawful in itself. So my obligation is not to follow the order to go to Iraq."

Lt. Col. Head, the presiding judge at Watada's trial has already stated that he will uphold a motion "to prevent the defense from presenting any evidence on the illegality of the war."

Via Alternet

Interview with Ehren Watada, first Officer refusing to fight in Iraq

Truthout interviews 1st Lt. Ehren Watada to find out why he's chosen to be "the only known U.S. military officer to publicly refuse to be sent to Iraq."

Watada believes the war is illegal and that "he is duty-bound as an officer under international and military conventions to refuse unlawful orders." Watada's court-martial begins today and he faces up to 4 years in prison and an Army dismissal.

Watch the interview...

Bush to Seek Record $716 Billion for Defense Spending

Next week, Bush is putting in a request for $716 Billion for defense and to fund the war on terror. According to Tony Capaccio (Bloomberg.com), the budget will go something like this: $93.4 billion in additional money for fiscal 2007 to cover costs of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The remaining $622.6 billion would cover the year ending Sept. 30, 2008 and include $141.7 billion for the wars.

Capaccio also writes, "The military funding request is greater than the annual gross domestic product of all but 14 countries." Meanwhile, Bush has pulled funding for healthcare programs, such as Access to Care, for citizens with no insurance to receive affordable health care. So now we have people who can't afford their medications, and who are walking around with disease and pain with no way to receive help, however they will be defended by Bush, with $716 billion!

Patriot$ don't a$k Question$. United Republik of Amerika

Rep. McGovern Introduces HR 746 - "Safe and Orderly Withdrawal from Iraq Act"

Rep. McGovern's bill, the "Safe and Orderly Withdrawal From Iraq Act," (H.R. 746) gives the Bush Administration 6 months to complete the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

"I believe that we must change the dynamic in Iraq. We must end our occupation, engage the countries in the region to help the Iraqis negotiate an end to the sectarian violence tearing their country apart, and let the Iraqi people determine their own destiny," Rep. McGovern said today on the House floor.

McGovern seems to understand that there will never be a military 'victory' in Iraq. Why doesn't Bush? He does, he just won't admit it and has a hidden agenda.

Sign the petition for a Safe and Orderly Withdrawal From Iraq...