Saturday, May 19, 2018

War Is Love (David Swanson)



War Is Love

Photo by Truthdig.
By David Swanson
http://davidswanson.org/war-is-love/
On Monday I was arrested along with many other people in the street in front of the U.S. Capitol, participating in the new Poor People’s Campaign, the first multi-issue coalition we’ve seen in years that properly takes on militarism rather than indulging the fantasy of a $1 trillion a year military coexisting with decent humanitarian and environmental policies.
Yet it was hard at this peaceful gathering and in the “training” before it not to notice people’s habitual shouts of “fight back!” and “go to war!” and “we must be warriors!” — not to mention the handing out of U.S. flags.
What bothers me far more than peace activists talking war talk, however, is war activists talking peace talk. I recently debated a “military ethicist” who literally claimed to support wars out of love. The Pentagon, of course, has a peace pole in it. While no peace activists ever claim that peace will help bring the world to a state of war, war activists are constantly claiming that war will produce peace — in fact they’ve been doing so for 100 years now in the face of ever growing evidence to the contrary.
On Thursday, the department formerly known as the U.S. War Department posted this headline: “Army Leader Focuses on Empathy, Compassion.” The article made no mention whatsoever of “humanitarian” propaganda, of how to pretend that massive violence and slaughter can be used to prevent greater suffering. It included no comment on winning the “hearts and minds” of the people you are killing and occupying. It suggested no techniques for properly empathizing with those you kill or injure or torture or render homeless or force to obey foreign or domestic tyrants.
The War Department article focused entirely on how a U.S. military commander can empathetically and compassionately command subordinates to engage in the mass killing of which war consists. There’s no mention of the fact that U.S. veterans are much more likely to commit suicide, or the fact that they are much more likely to go on committing murder beyond the permitted times and places.
In fact, there’s actually no mention at all of any ways in which to be empathetic or compassionate even to subordinate soldiers. The obvious first steps of allowing “volunteers” to stop volunteering, of providing non-evil career options, of investing a few percent of the military budget in making college free, of firing John Bolton before he blows up Korea and the rest of us with it, etc., would clearly not be acceptable. But nothing else is offered instead.
So, what’s in the article? Virtually nothing. We’re told to use something called “hard leadership,” but not what it is or why it’s called that, or why it has to be called something that makes it sound cartoonishly and barbarically stupid. The article fully exhausts its vocabulary in avoiding saying anything, to the point where it is reduced to telling us that there are “many lessons on the hard things of leadership,” but neither what those lessons are, nor what those hard things are.
“I’ve never had a retention problem in any of my organizations, and I’d like to think I can attribute it to the command climate that we provided,” says an Army maestro. Call me an ignorant civilian, but I’d attribute it to the contracts members of the military have signed that can result in their being sent to prison if they “desert.”
Nonviolent activists filling the streets for peace and justice are doing so at the risk of going to jail. Violent soldiers bombing and shooting up distant streets are doing so lest they be sent to jail for refusing. One of these movements is a place for great leaders. The other is a place where leadership is more than “hard,” it’s impossible.
--
David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. Swanson's books include War Is A Lie. He blogs at DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org. He hosts Talk Nation Radio.He is a 2015, 2016, 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee.
Follow him on Twitter: @davidcnswanson and FaceBook.
Help support DavidSwanson.org, WarIsACrime.org, and TalkNationRadio.org by clicking here: http://davidswanson.org/donate.

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121 Bombs A Day ~ World War News Roundup

From David DeGraw:

A new Bombshell Report…
121 Bombs A Day - World War News Roundup: Analysis of Battlefield Operations #1
Here's an in-depth look into the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. taxpayer-funded War Racket. This is our first Analysis of Global Battlefield Operations, as the “War on Terror” escalates… [Read More]
Please note: the site may take awhile to load, we have been under constant attack.
In the face of ongoing attacks on the website and all sorts of online suppression, we are still gaining momentum...  THANKS to all of you who have been sharing these reports.
Much Gratitude & Respect to Lee Camp for blowing up the War Profiteers report with an informative & hilarious 12-minute segment on his TV show Redacted Tonight.
Lee has also written an article on it, which is currently Truth Dig’s Most Popular post.
I’m doing everything I can to put out these reports as quickly as possible… still have a mountain of evidence to release and it is getting increasingly expensive to keep the website online.
If you appreciate the work, please subscribe or make a one-time donation. Every dollar helps keep me reporting...
Thank you,
~ David


I'm posting regularly to these algo-suppressed social accounts: Facebook ~*~Instagram ~*~ Twitter 










Conspiracy emerges to push Julian Assange into British and US hands

From WSWS:




Julian Assange is in escalating danger. Moves are afoot to force Assange out of Ecuador’s London embassy, where he sought political asylum close to six years ago and has been forced to live as an effective prisoner. If he is taken into custody by British authorities, he faces being handed over to the US government, which has long sought to place him on trial on espionage charges that potentially carry the death sentence.

Read the Full Report

Guardian opinion writer James Ball was blunt. The WikiLeaks’ founder, Ball asserted, “should hold his hands up and leave the embassy.”

The Guardian’s lead article declared: “If he walks out of the embassy, he can expect arrest and could spend up to a year in prison for breaking his bail conditions. The US might then seek to extradite him. He would contest any attempt, and might win, but would face a long, uncomfortable spell behind bars while his case is decided.”

We urge workers and young people everywhere to come to Assange’s defence and demand his immediate freedom. Help spread expose what is happening! Share this article as widely as possible on social media!

The Socialist Equality Party (UK) and IYSSE are holding public meetings against War, Internet censorship and the persecution of Julian Assange, beginning May 17 in Glasgow, May 19 in Bradford, and May 20 in London, followed by meetings in Manchester, Sheffield, Oxford, Liverpool, Cambridge and Dublin, Ireland.

The Socialist Equality Party in Australia is holding a meeting in Brisbane, Queensland, on May 20, following meetings in Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle.

Sincerely,
The World Socialist Web Site
The defense by the imperialist powers of Israel’s murder of over 60 Palestinian demonstrators Monday makes clear that they have adopted the mass killing of unarmed civilians as a legitimate policy tool.
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Articles: Copyright © 2017 wsws.org, All rights reserved.









Isakson Statement on Nomination of Robert Wilkie to be VA Secretary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Amanda Maddox, 202-224-7777
Friday, May 18, 2018
Camlin Moore, 202-224-9126

Isakson Statement on Nomination of Robert Wilkie to be VA Secretary
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today responded to President Donald J. Trump’s announcement that he plans to nominate Robert Wilkie to be secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Wilkie has served as acting secretary of the department since March 28, 2018. He was previously serving as the Pentagon’s undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

“As acting secretary of the VA, I’ve enjoyed my time getting to know Robert Wilkie and working alongside him to advance community care legislation through Congress,” said Isakson.“I congratulate Undersecretary Wilkie on his nomination and look forward to learning more about his long-term views for the VA, including how he plans to implement the VA MISSION Actwhen it becomes law, as we work through the confirmation process.

Next week, the Senate is voting on the John S. McCain III, Daniel K. Akaka and Samuel R. Johnson VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act, called the VA MISSION Act for short. The VA MISSION Act builds on legislation previously introduced by Isakson to consolidate and improve VA community care programs. The legislation also includes provisions to improve VA’s ability to hire high-quality healthcare professionals, expand VA caregiver benefits to veterans of all eras and establish a process to evaluate and reform VA’s existing facilities to best serve veterans.

The legislation passed the U.S. House on May 16 by a vote of 347-70.

###

The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs is chaired by U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., in the 115th Congress. Isakson is a veteran himself – having served in the Georgia Air National Guard from 1966-1972 – and has been a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs since he joined the Senate in 2005. Isakson’s home state of Georgia is home to more than a dozen military installations representing each branch of the armed services as well as more than 750,000 veterans.

$21 Trillion! Blowing the Whistle on the Largest Theft Ever


From David DeGraw:


$21 Trillion! Blowing the Whistle on the Largest Theft Ever ~ Lee Camp on #PentagonAudit
A hilarious 3-minute video on the Department of Defense Inspector General's reporting...  (Watch Video)
You can also watch it on Facebook here.
 
This pic sums up why I've always preferred collaborating w/ comedians...
I'm looking forward to "Truth & Laughter" at tonight's show w/ Lee Camp & Jimmy Dore... 8pm, El Rey Theatre, 5515 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. They have another show in LA tomorrow, check future dates here.
 
If you haven't read yesterday's explosive report yet, here it is...
 
121 Bombs A Day - World War News Roundup: Analysis of Battlefield Operations #1
An in-depth look into the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. taxpayer-funded War Racket. This is our first Analysis of Global Battlefield Operations, as the “War on Terror” escalates… [Read More]
Please note: the site may take awhile to load, we have been under constant attack.
 
It is becoming too time consuming and expensive to fight off the attacks and keep the website up and running. I'm looking for other ways to publish my reporting, still have a ton of evidence / info to get through & publish. If you have any suggestions, send them by replying to this email.
 
If you appreciate the work, please subscribe or make a one-time donation. Every dollar helps keep me reporting...
Enjoy your weekend,
~ David

Posting regularly to these algo-suppressed social accounts: Facebook ~*~Instagram ~*~ Twitter 



Academics protest Google’s role in drone murder


From the WSWS:

 


Three prominent technology scholars published an open letter Monday, which has now received over 900 signatures, condemning Google’s collaboration with the Pentagon’s illegal “targeted killing” program.

The academics published their letter in support of over 3,100 Google employees who issued their own open letter last month protesting the company’s participation in a Pentagon program called Project Maven, designed to leverage the power of artificial intelligence to analyze footage collected by US military drones.

Read the Full Report

The US drone murder program is based on “extrajudicial killing that is not accountable either to US or international law,” Lucy Suchman, one of the co-authors of the statement, told the World Socialist Web Site Thursday.

Dr. Lilly Irani, another co-author, who supported the World Socialist Web Site’s open letter opposing Google’s censorship of the Internet, said that the issue of Google’s integration into the military-intelligence apparatus was closely linked to the company’s role in “muting political opposition through its ‘search quality’ policies.”

Update on Julian Assange
 

On Friday, Ecuador announced that it has removed all additional security measures at its embassy in London implemented to protect Assange. The move follows indications that Ecuador is in discussions with the UK to force Assange out of the embassy.

See also:
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Articles: Copyright © 2017 wsws.org, All rights reserved.









Iraq

A coalition led by anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has won Iraq's May 12 parliamentary election, official results say



Of course, Shi'ite cleric and movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr could also be described as pro-Iraq -- especially since his objection is to US forces (still) on Iraqi soil.


In 'only the heart has stopped beating' news, Lucas Tomlinson's determined to find a bright side.

In sign of how much ISIS war has changed in a year, in April 2017 U.S. and allies dropped 3,274 bombs in Iraq/Syria. Last month: 254




One wonders how Lucas Tomlinson would respond to just one bomb -- just one -- being dropped on his neighborhood?  I seriously doubt he'd be selling that as an improvement.

We've destroyed Iraq and now, when we destroy it just a tiny little bit less, we're the abusive spouse saying, "Baby, I just hit you in the face this time, I didn't break your arm" -- saying that and wanting credit for it.

Moving over to Iraq's neighbor Iran, let's note this high horse rider:


  1. This man digs the trash maybe to find something to eat. Millions are living below the poverty line while 's rulers are sending billions to Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq & Syria


    0:16
    783 views





Sorry, IRAN HRM, that's true of nearly any country -- especially the United States.  Is it right?  Hell no.  But it's nothing you can finger point at Iran for.  The world community is guilty of it.  It's called awareness -- look into it some time.

Back to Iraq.








If true, that would mean all the non-stop whining the 'reporters' who think they work for the US government was for naught.




The following community sites updated:





  •  

  • And here's Cindy Sheehan's SOAPBOX:




    May 19, 2018

    Guest: John Barbour
    Topic: The American Media and the Second Assassination of
    JFK
    https://www.amazon.com/American-Media-Assassination-President-Kennedy/dp/B073XWW9C3/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1526776027&sr=1-1&keywords=the+american+media+and+the+second+assassination+of+jfk
     CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH FILM


     John Barbour 
     Will be LIVE on the Hagmann Report
    Weds, May 23rd
    8-10 eastern to speak about his film.

    ********