Bells, Whistles and Bright, Shiny Objects
As predicted, the Trump administration has concocted an "event", their very own Reichstag Fire, in order to distract the inmates of Idiot Nation from the rolling scandal that defined the first hundred days of its existence. During the long campaign of 2016, the Donald repeatedly warned the voters what a "catastrophe" it would be to involve America in the conflict that is presently playing out in Syria. He specifically warned President Obama against making any move that would complicate international affairs. His position was in perfect compliance with the isolationist policies adhered to by he and his closest advisors - Steve Bannon in particular. On Thursday they were forced to make an ideological U turn. When in doubt, wag the doggy. It seems to have worked out quite well for them. This morning no one is talking about treason. Nonetheless, Trump's buddy, Putin, is not amused. Nice.
In this latest move they were merely ripping a page out of the old Reagan playbook. In November of 1985, the day after a military barracks in Beirut was bombed and over two-hundred sleeping marines were killed, the Reagan Mob was desperate to turn the media's attention away from the tragedy. Their scheme involved invading the Caribbean island of Grenada. Their excuse was that they had detected a cabal of sinister commies, scheming to take over the tiny nation. It was all bullshit but that didn't matter. In the process nineteen people were killed - including one American serviceman - all for no other reason than to score a few, cheap political points. In order to ensure that the scam worked out to perfection, the media was banned from covering the invasion. Yeah, I've seen this movie before. Be forewarned: It doesn't have a happy ending.
Why is this administration showing such righteous, moral indignation at the atrocities being committed against the people of Syria while they show such utter indifference to the plight of refugees fleeing this atrocity? I'll wait for their answer. Don't hold your breath.
Why is this administration showing such righteous, moral indignation at the atrocities being committed against the people of Syria while they show such utter indifference to the plight of refugees fleeing this atrocity? I'll wait for their answer. Don't hold your breath.
This is not meant to downplay the tragedy of one-hundred men, women and little children being murdered by poison gas this week. The vile brutality of the Assad regime is without question, and is an insult to decency; I just refuse to buy the theory that - overnight - Trump has become much of a humanitarian. What happened in Syria a few days ago has been happening intermittently for the last seven years. This is not the first time Assad had used these banned weapons on his own people. Since the beginning of that civil conflict over half a million people have been killed. It's never mattered at all to Donald Trump before. Why does it matter to him all of the sudden? My guess is that, had it only been reported in the New York Times or the Washington Post, it never would have registered to his little mind. This time, it was reported on Fox Noise - complete with images. No, I'm not buying this at all, not for a minute.
It seems interesting to me that Trump spent an entire year forewarning the nation that Obama was all set to embark on entering the conflict in Syria, and that today he is blaming what is happening there on Obama's "inaction". Predictably, so few Americans were paying close enough attention to notice this little discrepancy. We really do live in unusual times.
It might do Bashar al-Assad some good to get the hell out of town while the getting is good. The people, if they are ever able to get their hands on him (and that day will come), will tare the bastard into a million itty bitty pieces. As was once observed by Gandhi, dictators eventually fall of their own weight. This is a consequence that is as natural as the setting sun.
The news is not much better in the long run for Donald Trump: The investigation into possible Russian collusion with his campaign last year will continue. Our attention may be averted for the time being, but only temporarily. How many future "events" will they invent to keep us distracted? This is going to be interesting.
There aren't any solutions to humanity's descent into chaos and barbarism; or at least there are no easy solutions. As long as men stubbornly continue to make their earthly fortunes by mass-producing weapons designed to murder the innocent, this dilemma will continue to confound. It's unsetting to observe that, as far as I can tell, there has been little mention in the electronic or print media that two days ago marked the centennial of America's entrance into World War One (or "The Great War" a it was known then and for a generation thereafter. No one then ever dreamed that a second cataclysm of such magnitude would again occur). Donald Trump - and most of the people who comprise his inner circle - are just reckless and foolish enough to ignite a third planetary conflict.
Most of the people I talk to are not seriously alarmed by what is happening. Again, they're not paying attention. I am. You are, too, I'm sure. If you weren't you wouldn't be reading this.
Cheerio! Pip! Pip!
Cheerio! Pip! Pip!
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
SUGGESTED VIEWING:
The Rise of the Third Reich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTQ4TILv3RQ
How did it happen in as "civilized" a nation as Germany? This documentary explains it pretty thoroughly. Don't worry, it can't happen here (ya think?) It's over two hours but well-worth your precious time.
SUGESTED LISTENING/VIEWING:
So Long, Mom!
by Tom Lehrer
SUGGESTED VIEWING:The Rise of the Third Reich
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTQ4TILv3RQ
How did it happen in as "civilized" a nation as Germany? This documentary explains it pretty thoroughly. Don't worry, it can't happen here (ya think?) It's over two hours but well-worth your precious time.
SUGESTED LISTENING/VIEWING:
So Long, Mom!
by Tom Lehrer
Tom Lehrer once remarked that if any memorable songs are going to come out of the third world war, we'd better start writing them now. He kindly obliged:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrbv40ENU_o
Recorded in 1965
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrbv40ENU_o
Recorded in 1965
posted by Tom Degan @ 12:23 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
I'm not buying his 'conversion' either. Nor do I buy the idea that he has any plans.
The man's brain is chaos. Meanwhile, Russia looms.
I keep trying to understand why nations like Russia defend Assad when he uses banned weapons (agreed on by all civilized nations) or why China defends North Korea. Both are beyond the pale for how they treat their own people. They have no chance to develop a reasonable life for their citizens and threaten the rest of the world-- like North Korea threatening to hit the US with a nuke. If self-interest is all Russia and China care about, why defend those who would destroy their own chance for a better life with possible wars that never benefit anybody in the end. I would have thought no one would defend using sarin gas and yet Russia remained silent about that, maybe even helped Assad keep some of it back. The use of it on children has to be called out for what it is-- pure terrorism. I understand the weak, those who don't have strong countries do benefit from terrorism but Russia and China? I want to think of both of them as civilized nations with long histories of cultural development and yet time and again here we in the world are.
Really Tom, you really believe President Trump's action was a smoke screen?
Did you also believe Susan Rice this past January when she said Syria no longer had poison gas because Obama had convinced them to get rid of it?
As for Russia, isn't there a story line that says Russian helped Trump become President and this is how he thanks them?
If Obama had done this years ago when Syria crossed his red line in the sand, before Russia was so chummy with Syria, this world would be a much safer place.
What's insane is the actions of the radical left since Trump became President.
Get a grip man.
After the IRS targeting Tea Party groups with opposing opinions and Merkel and other world leaders having their phones tapped, should anybody be surprised that Susan "there's no chemical weapons in Syria" Rice was wire tapping Trump and his team up to 1 year before the election?
Thank God and Allah that the police state of Barry Obama is over.
Rain,
As we wonder why nations like Russia defend Assad when he uses banned weapons, we should know the US has done the same. The US supported Saddam's gassing Iranians AFTER he gassed Kurds.
http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/08/26/exclusive-cia-files-prove-america-helped-saddam-as-he-gassed-iran/
Exclusive: CIA Files Prove America Helped Saddam as He Gassed Iran
The U.S. knew Hussein was launching some of the worst chemical attacks in history -- and still gave him a hand.
The sad truth is nations abide dictators and their brutality because they are not so innocent themselves or they have military/economic reasons to do so.
Another sad truth is the US seems upset only by the gas attacks, yet is coldly indifferent to the refugees, and hundreds of thousands of innocents killed by conventional weapons.
Rain Trueax: "I keep trying to understand why nations like Russia defend Assad when he uses banned weapons..."
and...
"I would have thought no one would defend using sarin gas and yet Russia remained silent about that, maybe even helped Assad keep some of it back."
Ms. Trueax, there has not been any verifiable and substantiated evidence presented that proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that Assad was behind this. So far the United States government has only presented opinions that amount to nothing but hearsay.
Please don't allow yourself to get sucked in, as the American people did during the last Republican administration when confronted with "evidence" of WMD in Iraq.
Yes Rain and 9-11 was an inside job...snicker snicker.
I think sarin gas was an issue because it's been banned as not acceptable for even against soldiers-- let alone civilians. I also read that our military claims they could follow the plane on its flight thanks to satellite data. The survivors said it was a fixed wing aircraft, which ISIS doesn't have. The world does consider it different for how it kills.. the civilized world that is. Some gases have convinced the world that they are a step too far-- wars though aren't outlawed, much as some of us might wish they were...
Majormajor, you honestly believe 9/11 was an inside job??? I don't go for conspiracy theories with no proof. Now maybe our military did lie about what they said they saw. Maybe someone else flew out of the airport. Russia is already claiming it wasn't Assad... even though he's done it before and Obama wanted originally to also hit him after the one in '13.
Yes Rain and 9-11 was an inside job...snicker snicker.
...coldly indifferent to the refugees, and hundreds of thousands of innocents killed by conventional weapons.
Assad lies. Putin lies. Trump lies. Rebels lie.
Yes, there was an airstrike. Nobody disputes this. That doesn't in itself mean it dropped Sarin. It is possible conventional bombs hit an AQ/ISIS affiliate ammo dump, as Russia indicates. Why wouldn’t rebels have their own CWs, since they have captured much of Syria?
Reasonably objective people understand we need proof. Evidence speaks louder and truer than Putin, Trump, Rebels and Assad. The Pentagon, Trump and our corporate media have the loudest voices. We know what they all want us to believe.
Leaders in our country have once again sunk to attacking fellow Americans who merely ask for evidence to prove the case for military action. Tulsi Gabbard is one such reasonably objective person now feeling the mob mentality wrath from both parties.
Even the lessons of recent history in Iraq are lost on this easily manipulated and gullible population.
And how has that misplaced faith in our leaders’ saber-rattling worked out for us and the world?
When cons admit Bush’s war based on falsehoods spawned ISIS, maybe we can get a basic grip on reality. I’m not optimistic this will ever happen. Their fondness for the military and war, and their reluctance to admit being duped or wrong, will continue to send our nation down the path of self-destruction.
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