America's Valentines To The World...More Military Bases

Straight up propaganda I tell you. No not Valentines Day, which I may or may not address later, but this fluff piece in my very own local rag (Sacramento Bee). I do not believe in conspiracy theories, but I do believe in the truth. As one war winds down, mighty American exceptionalism looks for the next country to bully. Hello Ugandan rebel, Joseph Kony (and his 200 soldiers), leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, you are our new raison d'etre. After all America's Christian army needs a new focus.

"Americans are favored by God, wherever that are in the world," said Bassiri Moke, a local chief. "We ask God to save us and the Americans came. We hope we won't have to die like before (Sac Bee)."

While posing no direct threat to America or Americans (this place is way way out in the sticks of Africa) our mighty Christian army is setting up base, again (the Koreans, Filipino's and Japanese are all sighing right now "Don't forget us."). The article claims that the troops are there because of "this influence of human rights campaigners who, with evangelical Christians, lobbied Congress to pass a law requiring renewed US efforts against the LRA." Ughhhhhh

I wonder, the article doesn't say, but are these the same American evangelicals that influenced the Kill All The Homo's bills from this year and last year in Uganda. Just wondering.

Just like in my beautiful Philippines the U.S. Army's official stance is that we are providing training and logistics to locals so they can police themselves bla bla bla.... (gee where have we heard that before, besides large parts of The Middle East, S.E. Asia, South America-did I leave any part of the world out).

The current GOP presidential candidates constantly claim the President Obama doesn't believe in America, but they wrongly label it American exceptionalism; or rather that the Black Prez does not believe that America has an ordained spot at the top of the world because "he" said so (that's what American exceptionalism is). Well, I don't believe that. But I do see these words in this article. I see the money quote from 'a local chief'. I see evangelical Christians are involved. I see another America armed force base pop up in the middle of nowhere. Lastly, I see the beginnings of another long drawn out occupation that will surely waste 1,000's and 1,000's of lives.

Stop The Madness

When will the madness end. The battle for secular society and the war on reason are fights that must, absolutely, MUST be won. Fo sho the universe we live in is finite and it will end one day, but dagnabit, we can't let humans, we can't let ourselves accelerate the process. Nature is cruel and cold, biology favors the aggressor and the animal kingdom is viscous...peeps, we are not animals.

Today is the day that Israeli Soldier, Gilad Shalit, has been released from five years of captivity in exchange for 1,000's of Palestinian prisoners of war. Sheez, where do I start on this one. First of all, 'lil old me is not brain-y enuff to tackle the whole Israel/Palestine thang. I'm not a scholar and I'm not a historian. What I'am is human. I'am a human being. I may not know all the politics and the super long history that involves that region, but I do know feelings and emotions, the qualities that all peoples have.

On one of the reports, I believe it was NPR, the reporter talked about how each side is equal and opposite in their reactions. Both sides are jubilant to have their own return home. I'm sure the family and friends of both sides are totally stoked to have their peeps come back. Think about all the mothers. It is really quite touching to think of.

Both sides are also pissed that their 'boys' were imprisoned in the first place. Shalit was in captivity for five years and most of it was spent in solitary confinement. I'm sure that the Palestine prisoners were not treated much better. Both sides basically have committed crimes against humanity. We now call the effects of war PTSD, but it's fucked up, that is what it is. A concern is that with the release of the Palestinian war criminals (or are they freedom fighters, or both simultaneously) is that with their new found freedom, they will choose terrorism over a peaceful life. They have been hurt tremendously and they will seek revenge.

So when will this end, the killings, the madness, the imprisonment, the torture etc...Who will be the first to turn the other cheek. Who will be the first to say "this ends with me, there will be no more violence." All sides have lost loved ones, all sides have heroes and villains. No one is innocent in this one. Who cares who started what first, at this point everyone has blood on their hands. This is why the battle for secular society and the war on reason are so important.

What little I do know about the situation is that they are fighting for land and for a place to call home. Why? Because their ancient bronze age books, the books that were written in times of illiteracy and not scientific understanding, tells them that an invisible sky daddy said it's OK to take someone else's land and property. This sky father has told each side that you are better than them, you can and must rule over them (dominion), or you will face my wrath. I understand that in ancient times religion may have been an effective way to inspire and ultimately control the population. What I don't understand is how evolved humans, intelligent peoples, in 2011 can subscribe to such nonsense, esp when it means hurting other humans.

What is that saying I keep forgetting. What does it take for good people to do horrible horrible things...religion. Stop the madness.

* NPR

When Will "It" End

Protesters chanting "I heart American, I heart American." Not.

 Let's see if I can squeeze one out before I finish my first cup of coffee and cigarette. Very early this morning it was reported that American-Yemeni cleric, Anwar-al-Awlaki, has been killed in an air-strike. Dude was totally on any and all enemy combatant lists and soooo wanted. Another notch on the achievement belts of the military and the awesome black President. Any who...

In the post Would You Kill The Fat Man I talked briefly about killin' peeps, like when you should or could do it, would I do it and is it ever the correct thing to do. Basically, my personal feeling is that if you have to sacrifice one to save many, then ya, I would kill another human being. Unfortunately, the business of killin' is never cut and dry.

Is the death of al-Awlaki for the greater good? Sure, he has called for the killin' of Americans, and I'm sure he has given that "order" many a time. If the end of his life was the end of it, then that would be having cake while a very large woman sings. Alas, it is not the end. In fact...

Gee, I dunno, are his homies gonna go all revenge-y-n-stuffs and go all...revenge. If it ended with his death, then we can all go home. So, is his death for the greater good if his death means more killing down the line, in the future.

There is this really great Hong Kong Kung Fu movie called Duel To The Death. In this movie, and many others like it, these two super awesome warriors battle it out to see who is the best. Many assassins come to kill them, but they all fall by the waist-side. Spoiler alert...What ends up happening is that once the killin' begins, it never stops. All the parties involved believe in that stupid "eye for an eye" philosophy (and ya know how the sayin' goes...it leaves us both blind). So at the end of the movie the two heroes both get so fucked up that die. Where is the greater good in that.

Will we ever "turn the other cheek", or who will be the first. Many have been killed on both sides, no one is innocent, everyone is guilty, everyone has won and everyone has lost. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that Anwar-al-Awlaki went bye bye, he was a bad bad dude. I guess I'm just wondering, before I finish my first cup of coffee...when is this shit gonna end?

Many Ways To Win

There are many ways to win a war besides the obvious. There is a mental battle going on also, a battle of spirit. If two ultimate fighters are going at it in the ring, both dudes get beat up and do some beating, one wins on points, thus winning the match, but he also dies at the hospital later; a loser to attrition. Win the match but you lose your life...who is the winner then.

I just read the CNN article Heavy Security...and thought, "Are they winning?" Sure Seal Team 6 just executed dude and news reports, seemingly, update the public weekly on the next in command and the next in command getting whomped on. But are things getting better or are they getting worse (haven't done this one in a while)? Supposedly, we are scaling back on the occupation thingy (good), but are we really going to leave (bad). When I read articles like this...I think for the worse.

"A heavy security presence permeated lower Manhattan on Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, as authorities continued their search for possible plotters of another terrorist strike.

Information considered credible but unconfirmed indicated up to three attackers could be trying to use an explosives-laden vehicle for an attack in New York or Washington, according to various sources. Authorities stressed that while they were taking information of a possible attack plot seriously, there was no evidence so far that an actual terrorist operation was underway.

"Again, it's not confirmed yet, but we're not relaxing at all."

 federal security agents -- some wearing body armor -- deployed in the area.

Roads were blocked and police checkpoints for both vehicles and pedestrians surrounded the memorial, with backpacks checked by bomb-sniffing dogs and put through x-ray machines.

Two of the three individuals believed to be involved in the potential plot on the 9/11 anniversary are Americans of Arab descent who traveled to the United States last week, 

However, another law enforcement official said there is no evidence so far that any of the three individuals came to the United States or are here now.

No other corroborating evidence of an attack has been uncovered, 

Three stolen trucks were added to a New York Police Department database because of the threat, said Deputy Police Commissione

Two of the trucks were owned by a construction company that operates at the World Trade Center site. They were reported stolen over a week ago and had about $70,000 worth of tools on them, Kelly noted.

A Transportation Security Administration statement said the security steps were taken "out of an abundance of caution."

Police also were sweeping parking garages for explosives and using digital license plate readers to check for stolen vehicles, officials said (CNN)."

Paranoid much. Sure we have been safe since the attacks (and I totally appreciate that)...but at what price. The simultaneous wars on foreign soil has depleted money that could have gone to other endeavors, the country is polarized and, seemingly, growing further and further apart. The war on terror is so far reaching that it can be associated with many issues, everything from gun control to immigration. Are we living in fear or is fear a fabrication of the media, or is it a little bit of both. Regardless, there is palatable tension in the air.

The only thing we can do, both individually and collectively, is have hope. The terrorist, the government and the media...they can't take away hope. 

* CNN article