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Military or Market-Driven Empire Building: 1950-2008 : Information Clearing House - ICH
I have posted this article in MB CIVIC and now in Michael Butler’s Blog. I have done this as I feel I need to bring its contents to your attention.
Increasing are the problems face our country. They are not being addressed by many of our politicians. The candidates for the executive rarely even touch on the borders of the areas covered here. However these problems and the philosophy behind them are affecting our lives now. They will continue to influence the wellbeing of our children and grandchildren in a very negative way.
Unfortunately most of the political and media elite seem to feel that Americans are not interested nor capable of pursuing these problems. I don’t make the mistake of feeling that amongst our citizens there is a lack of interest nor comprehension. Corporate media have done a pretty good job of dumbing down the populace. Thanks for the Internet we have access to such writing.
This article is not just a sound bite. It is a bit longer. However it is well written and easy to read.
The Butler’s have been in American since the 1600’s whence they came from an AngloIrish background. Reading this made me wonder if it might be time to move on. If the current situation persists wonder may no longer be the operative term.
Michael
Friday, May 16, 2008
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Here is an excellent description as to how the Bush/Cheney cabal have usurped the balance of power. Cheney more than anyone has led the rise of fascism in America. War making is the power of Congress while executing it is the job of the President. Too often Making war has really been the acts of the President with a compliant Congress. However in the current administration they have gone far beyond matters of war. What started under Nixon was augmented substantially by Reagan. Under Bush II stealth and secrecy have been carried to extremes. Transparency has become a lost word. What was put through by either Congress and not clearly desired by Bush II has subverted by signing statements which emasculated many of the acts of Congress. Corporate media went along with such betrayal of the common weal. Without independent media we would be still in the dark. Our founders must be turning in their graves. MB
Sunday, May 4, 2008
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IMPORTANT READ Chalmers Johnson who wote this piece is probably known to most of you with his trilogy of "Blowback", "Empire..." and "Nemisis". It is impressive the accumulation of research in those 3 books. This article is what one might call an 'executive summary' of the outcome from the positions taken in the trilogy.
The MIC (Military Industrial Complex) is to be the demise of America. The world for that matter. So many other matters are before us. Just take the problems of climate change, the population explosion, crumbling infrastructures, food shortages, draining the planets resources. Armaments do nothing to solve the problems faced by all. Peace is becoming a holy mandate for us. MB
Monday, April 28, 2008
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Well, you will not find this 'game' in any casino. Frought with danger this is high stakes. It is almost guaranteed to give our politicians another 'fear' to threaten us with. Their is no question that the Chinese have been rough with the Tibetans. Their actions remind one of the local treatment of the Native Americans. Ignoring the warnings of America's founders the American meddling in this game can only be resented by the Chinese. We are not dealing with a collapsing Soviet. We are faced with a much more astute government. This is another neo-con activity starting with the Reagan hubris as to the 'manifest destiny' of this country. What would we do if anyone started to act in such a way with the Native Americans? This is a 'game' played by the British, Germans and Russians all bent on controlling Eurasia. Disaster results in all cases. It is truly a fascinating story. In MB Civic, sometime back, I reviewed the book "Tournament of Shadows". It reads like a detective novel. You can score it from Amazon today for very little. I promise you will not be bored. While Tibet never has been a democracy that is the administration mantra. Strictly BS as what they are after are minerals and water. The State Department promotion of unrest, through the CIA and its surrogates, in many areas, currently Tibet, Sudan and Africa is simply the pursuit of hegemony for the American Empire. MB
Sunday, April 20, 2008
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This article is so sensible and makes such an important point it just resonates when you read it. Dr. Khalsa sent it to me knowing my concern for the subject. It is freedom and independence which is involved. The right of peoples with different ethnic, religious, cultural aspects to have their own existence. We can think of so many people who have been kept depressed by nation states. This kind of problem can last for a long time and be a festering sore. Countless peoples have been kept in such a state. Let us think of Tibetans, Kurds, Native Americans to mention a few.
Most politicians are proclaiming support for the family. This is a related problem. Think of the pattern of suppression of tribes, clans. The establishment does not want groups who might be in opposition to their rule. Governments are more interested in cooperative, docile, dumbed-down citizens. They are joined in this endeavor by corporate, media and religious entities. MB
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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This is a forum of various aspects of the New Deal as it applies to today. Quite an undertaking from several great sources. There are so many articles I have just converted the link into a .pdf and put it on my desktop so I can open them at will. Well worthwhile our time. MB
Saturday, April 12, 2008
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This original thesis comes from the era of Jack Kennedy's advent. It resonates with the period of the 60's which had a threshold in 1968, Forty years ago. At that time there was great concern that we would have a revolution. Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King assassinated, mayhem at Columbia University and the riots at the Democratic Convention created fear for security which gave us Nixon as President.
Now in 2008 we have in America a situation many times worse. What is frightening about the current crisis is the almost underground aspects it shows. The media is muzzled by government and profit seekers. Without the Internet we would know very little what is happening in the serious area of politics. In the 60's there was more street activism, the media was comparatively independent and more was seen. Nowadays it is not so visible except in the Internet. Today there exists a deep unease, disgust and anger. Not 'out' so much. Tricky, as feelings kept do under wraps have an inclination to explode. Buzzwords: health care, economy, greed, war, consumption, media, climate, civil rights, empire - what do this words bring to mind? Leaders, community, hope, constitution call for change.
Let us recall JFK, 'not revolution but evolution', MB
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
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Suzanne is a member of the Shoshonee HAIR Tribe and an alumni of Candlefish. A great artist and more so a super friend. MB
Sunday, March 30, 2008
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This article appeared awhile back. I stored it and read it again today. As we get close to the nadir of Bush/Cheney one has a fear that something again may appear to install fear in the public. Reaction to anything like 9/11 would allow a further step in executive control. Simularites and parallels abound with Nazi history. I, like most of us, feel this is an extreme case. However not to be vigilant would be foolhardy. MB
Saturday, March 22, 2008
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From Linda Hassler et al
I cannot recall the number of times this information has been sent to me. On MB Civic we received dozens of Bear Stearns articles which I kept to three. The other Editors may have there own say. For sure the Bear Stearns situations has really rocked the boat.
However the suspicion is the Gov. Spitzer stupidly walked into a trap (due to a situation of his own making) which was sprung by an administration salivating to get him out of the way. No Republican politico would have been so exposed by the current DOJ. Spitzer's
Op-Ed in the Washington Post, which we passed on in MB Civic, was very embarrassing to the Bush White House. No wonder it was rarely mentioned by any other media.
The good thing which Eliot Spitzer could do as great community service would be to make a cause of what Bush did about controlling the mortgage banker piracy. MB
Monday, March 17, 2008
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"This is Part II of a series on the strategies used by the conservatives to promote their worldview, and the lessons progressives can learn from them to promote our own."
A week ago I sent you Part 1 of Sara Robinson's great article. Now she has expanded the premise further. This is required reading for any of us who are trying to get the progressive message across. A roadmap to guide us out of the Dark Ages. MB
Saturday, March 15, 2008
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Not many choices here. We either take the High Road ot we take the Low Road. We have FDR to remind us that we have "nothing to fear except fear itself". Rulers for centuries have used the device of fear to control the populace. Give them bread and circus by dumbing down the media. Get the majority to not pay attention to the affairs of the nation as the politicos give away their patrimony. Also enjoy it now while letting our grandchildren to pick up the mess. MB
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
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As you know there are two Blogs: My personal one and MB Civic which I share with a dozen others. This is my personal blog and where I really express my own personal opinions.
I am doing that with a serious request that you read this article by Sara Robinson. It is the first of 3 which I will send over a short period of time. A fast read it is a bit over 5 pages. The deeper you get into it you be intrigued with the expose of the conservative battle plan which has been underway since the progressive days of the 60's & 70's. That period scared them. Now we need to retake America before it descends further into fascism. These papers-and I have the benefit of prior reading-will excite you and help all of us in formulating our path towards the future. MB
Friday, March 7, 2008
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My friends, here you have more of the same. The rising control of the Eisenhower (R) named MIC (Military Industrial Complex) who in the last 50 years have risen to make America the worlds largest Merchant of Death. The growth of the MIC has again sparked another arms race. The Asian countries have begun to rearm in fear for their own safety. Empire building has become the American mantra, following our pushing the British out. Meanwhile needs of our republic become greater every day. MB
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
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Bette: Very interesting and to the point.
It has been the business community who have destroyed the immigration
control. However is deporting all those illegals practical even possible? The Wall
- a farce and wasteful. Just enforce with businesses the existing laws. We have
plenty of people here looking for work. We should do what we can to help
Mexicans and other South Americans to have a better life. NAFTA has really
hurt Mexico's peons. Corn alone a disaster. Immigrants should learn english and
American customs. Americans should have a second language probably Spanish
or French maybe Chinese and learn about the rest of the world.
Globalization has hurt American people - helped the corporate world.
These are my thoughts off the top.
Abrazos
Bear
Sunday, March 2, 2008
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This article about the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) shameful rip-off of the Indians is a report long overdue. What is going to be done to rectify the problem remains to be seen. It involves billions due them.
It brings to mind a personal story. I was very concerned for the Indians. My grandfather who was a rancher used to tell me tales about the US treatment of the Indians.
When JFK was running for President we supplied planes for his campaign. This photo was taken of him reading that he had won the W. Va. primary a major step to his victory.
He asked me if I would like to go back to the Middle East or India for him. I said I would prefer to run the BIA. He said, "why do you want to get into that snake pit?". I replied that I wanted to disband the BIA and let the Indians run their own affairs.
It never happened as Dad wanted me to stay home to help him on some family matter. He would pay my salary during Jack's second term and I could work him for $1. That never happened. MB
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
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This doctrine is truly frightening. It makes 'Dr. Strangelove' so apparent. One can imagine the chanceries over the world reacting to such a plan. No matter how unrealistic it may be in actual happening they will be fearful. So the mantra of fear so dominating our government will now be exported to nations worldwide. The MIC (Military Industrial Complex) must be delighted. How can we expect other countries not to want nuclear capabilities.
There can only be one solution - Peace - and the coming together of nations to solve the world's problems.
Greed through the pursuit of economic hegemony will bring us all down. Money is truly becoming the route of all evil. MB
Friday, February 22, 2008
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