Endless War category archive
Bush’s War: Origins Issue 1
Der Spiegel interviews Michael Flynn, former chief of the US Defense Intelligence Agency, on the origins of ISIS. Whether or not you agree with all of Flynn’s conclusions, it’s worth a read. Here’s snippet (boldface in the original):
Flynn: … yes, absolutely …
SPIEGEL ONLINE: … the Iraq war?
Flynn: It was huge error. As brutal as Saddam Hussein was, it was a mistake to just eliminate him. The same is true for Moammar Gadhafi and for Libya, which is now a failed state. The historic lesson is that it was a strategic failure to go into Iraq. History will not be and should not be kind with that decision.
Misdirection Play 0
Trevor Timm tries to track all the misdirection plays since the attacks in Paris. Two nuggets:
(snip)
As dishonest as the “debate” over encryption has been, the dark descension of the Republican party into outright racism and cynically playing off the irrational fears of the public over the Syrian refugee crisis has been worse. We now know the attackers weren’t Syrian and weren’t even refugees. It was a cruel rumor or hoax that one was thought to have come through Europe with a Syrian passport system, but that was cleared up days ago. But in the world of Republican primaries, who cares about facts?
Follow the link for the misdirection play-by-play.
And the Beat Goes On 0
Dan Simpson points out that making war doesn’t make peace. A snippet:
(snip)
Our ability to even incrementally ease back from our global policy of confrontation that invites attack at home is probably nonexistent. There would instantly be squealing about “surrender.” Employing “wisdom” or even “careful, farsighted calculation” would not be welcome to America’s arms manufacturers and salespersons, certain deep-pocketed campaign contributors and loud-mouthed, small-brained, cupidinous politicians.
Do please read the rest.
Land of the Free, Home of the Ch**kenshit 0
Elsewhere, Werner Herzog’s Bear looks at America’s long history of chickenshit and Bad Tux marvels at the cowardice of right-wing banty roosters.
Video via Raw Story.
Legacy, Bushie Style 0
Actions have consequences. When that action is war, the consequence is seldom what the mongers of war predicted.
The Blowback Strategy 0
I won’t pretend to understand the logic, if there is any, behind the attacks at Paris, but I am taken aback by the number of persons who do pretend to do so. At Gin and Tacos, Ed takes a stab at it, and, sadly, his theory has a sort of logic to it. I don’t know whether he is correct, but I do think it’s worth a read.
A snippet:
How Stuff Works, “Words Mean What I Want Them To Mean” Dept. 0
Scott Beauchamp tries to make sense of Pentagon speak.
Plane Truths 0
I just visited a newspaper website (no I won’t say which one; it doesn’t matter) to be greeted by a big ad saying “The F35B Is Ready for Deployment!”
“Thank You for Your Service,” Republican Style 0
There is a simple solution for situations such as this one, but you will not see it advanced in Washington, where the Republican Party underfunds government agencies (other than the military) so Republicans can then complain that government agencies (other than the military*) don’t work.
Fund the damned agencies adequately.
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*The military’s performance in accomplishing goals set for it is its own topic.
(Afterthought: The issue there, though, is not so much the military itself as it is policies that place a mystickal magickal macho man faith in the efficacy of building things by blowing them up.)