It's true: United for Peace and Justice, the antiwar group that organized the biggest marches against the Iraq War, has appointed a veteran as its chief lobbyist in Washington. Apparently all the non-killers were taken.
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American culture has become so rabidly militant that even the anti-war movement has succumb to the fatal philosophy of "I believe in some wars, but this isn't one of them".....which means that war is always an option....which means it will always be given consideration in ever debate....and the pro-war interests will always win.
ReplyDeleteOver 70% of Americans supported the invasion when it happened. This isn't because they all believed..this is because Americans always support warfare over other actions. They're trained to, Ted.
Face it...until this country is invaded and occupied, and it's population subjected to the intimate violations that are a consequence of war as the ultimate violation of law and decency, then Americans will never actually believe it's a bad thing.
Even our opposition to the war has been co-opted.
I think your strategy of bashing all things military to gain media attention has been played out, Ted. No more FOX NEWS appearances I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteEither that, or the lack of outrage is due to the fact that many people have come around to my way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteFaux news Who needs it? Even repukes admit it's obviously slanted to the right. As far as war vets go, it was the Vietnam Vets against the war that finally started grabbing the media attention. Remember the riots in Washongton,D.C.? Anyone against this war is on my side.
ReplyDeleteThat Erich Maria Remarque, that dirty killer. Why does anyone listen to that murderer? Him and Joseph Heller, that killer. Them and Vonnegut, all three killers! And the "Thin Red Line" guy- murdering murderer! Didn't we have any non-killers to speak up?
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing killers like them don't contribute to the anti-war movement.
Erich Maria Remarque fought on the German side during World War I. Though he participated in a war of aggression, he was drafted. He did not volunteer.
ReplyDeleteThe others did volunteer. However, Vonnegut and Heller served in World War II, a declared war authorized by Congress. "The Thin Red Line" is about the Battle of Guadalcanal, during World War II.
The U.S. military has not fought a legally authorized conflict, or indeed in any battle in which they were defending the United States, since 1945. Indeed, every war the U.S. has participated in since 1945 has been undeclared, illegal, and one of unbridled aggression.
Until this situation changes, there is no excuse for volunteering to serve such an organization.
We're united for peace and justice including Iraq War vets. This is not a bad thing, Ted.
ReplyDeleteIt's reminiscent of the Vietnam era.
Yeah, come on Ted, I thought everyone knew that ex-military men can be very passionate, almost militant (chuckle) about pacifism, having seen war for themselves they often turn against it.
ReplyDeleteLike Wilfred Owen or Smedley Butler, (who wrote "War Is A Racket") - come on, Rall, you're a leftie, you know this stuff!
http://www.rjgeib.com/heroes/owen/owen.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler
Times have changed since Owen and Butler. Joining the military of a nation that hasn't fought a morally justifiable war since 1945 is a morally indefensible position.
ReplyDeleteBack then, people were drafted or could reasonably be suckered into serving for patriotic reasons. Not any more.
The real patriots are those who refuse to participate in militarism.
And what of those who serve and have served because of desperate economic reasons? Or who have been bamboozled into serving?
ReplyDeleteKilling people for money is even more evil than killing them out of some misguided sense of patriotism.
ReplyDeleteNo-one is beyond redemption. Really
ReplyDelete"Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?"
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, the campaigns against insurgents aside, what about soldiers who are serving in a purely peacekeeping role, acting as no more than overarmed security guards?
what about soldiers who are serving in a purely peacekeeping role
ReplyDeletegood question. I entertained the idea of joining the military for peacekeeping when I was 19. I liked the idea of stopping Hutus from killing Tutsis. However, When Clinton started talking about Iraq, I quickly realized that I could be sent to kill for oil at any time, so I gave up on that idea. Glad I did, too. Aren't you?
But Butler wasn't drafted either, - he was a career soldier who saw the light. Owen was also an enlisted volunteer.
ReplyDeleteIn those days they didn't even have the memory of WW2 to make them want to fight. Britain was an out-and-out imperial power competing with Germany, and America similarly competed with Spain (Butler fought in the Phillipines).
Today's anti-war veterans are simply continuing that tradition. What you say about them you would also be saying about Butler and Owen, that's fair enough if that's what you originally wanted to do, I suppose, but it comes across as a bit judgemental to me.
These are people who thought they were doing the right thing; many enlisted in the aftermath of 9/11, also the US military routinely recruits people from the slums, even setting up schools in the ghettoes.
If we were fed on a diet of constant propaganda and had a choice between being drug dealers or pimps and "serving our country" we'd probably enlist too - I'm only glad these men saw the light and are now speaking out.
Great cartoon today btw!