Wednesday: CIA asset shoots two soldiers in DC. Friday: Trump moves to pardon a man who trafficked 400 tons of cocaine. Saturday: Trump gets us closer to war with Venezuela over “drugs.”
Thank you for this extremely accurate analysis. I’m 77 years old, female so I wasn’t drafted, but I have a long memory: Vietnam War also have suffered so much physical and emotional damage from all the carnage e made them do to the Vietnamese. Enough that there was intense resistance within the US armed forces, even “fragging” their officers who sent them on horrific missions, and convincing the US govt to stop drafting Americans for war. “Burn down the village (and kill ALL the villagers) to save them from the communists.” Agent orange herbicide to kill the enemy’s forest cover — which caused grotesque birth defects (etc.!) there, and here, over years, caused more and more PTSD, deadly diseases, and widespread homelessness for our VN War soldier-survivors. One powerful must-read supporting this post:
“Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America” by historian Kathleen Belew.
I am thinking of Viet Nam too, and my friends and family who were injured mentally and physically in that war, also never declared as a war because it was initiated on a lie. Like Iraq.
Corbin, thank you for telling it like it is. We Americans are complicit in the killing of this young woman. We own it just as we own the crazy man destroying the White House.
What I can' t stop thinking about is what can we do to try to prevent (at least minimise) such things from happening? How can transparency be increased? National security is often invoked as the reason why the general pubic can't be given much info but I find this a very convenient way to keep a lot of important stuff under wraps.
This is an excellent essay. I was a nurse in the army during Vietnam. I have a great deal of respect for the military and grieve how they were treated then and now. But I can never forgive the old men who send these brave men and women to war to prove that they are powerful rather than to protect our nation. War is a nightmare and the ones who suffer are the soldiers )and their families). We should choose leaders who understand war before they send soldiers in to fight.
Excellent and accurate depiction of reality. Venezuela? It's about gaining profit from their oil. Keep saying it. Trump doesn't care about drug trafficking. His allegiance behavior is proof -- he supports lawbreakers. He pardons them. He sends billions in U.S. tax payer money to support them.
Thanks for linking Trump's Venezuela lies and crimes with his Honduras lies and crimes. He loves the idea of getting away with murder. We should be overwhelming Congress with messages to stop the boat murders and nix war with Venezuela.
“There is so much we could be building here at home.” Yes! Thanks for your cogent summary of the DC shooting, the hypocrisy of the regime, and all the rest. And thank you for reminding us what our sociopolitical landscape COULD look like!
Very well put! Thanks for bringing these truths home! Things will never start looking up until we take a long hard look at ourselves and admit where and what we've done wrong. This is what takes real courage, foresight, and leadership. Otherwise, the same old vicious cycle will be repeating itself. For the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and to expect a different result.
Thank you for this extremely accurate analysis. I’m 77 years old, female so I wasn’t drafted, but I have a long memory: Vietnam War also have suffered so much physical and emotional damage from all the carnage e made them do to the Vietnamese. Enough that there was intense resistance within the US armed forces, even “fragging” their officers who sent them on horrific missions, and convincing the US govt to stop drafting Americans for war. “Burn down the village (and kill ALL the villagers) to save them from the communists.” Agent orange herbicide to kill the enemy’s forest cover — which caused grotesque birth defects (etc.!) there, and here, over years, caused more and more PTSD, deadly diseases, and widespread homelessness for our VN War soldier-survivors. One powerful must-read supporting this post:
“Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America” by historian Kathleen Belew.
Please keep spreading your insights!
I am thinking of Viet Nam too, and my friends and family who were injured mentally and physically in that war, also never declared as a war because it was initiated on a lie. Like Iraq.
Not to mention, when Lakanwal was recruited to work with the CIA he was just a boy. By my calculations he was around 15 years old!
We don’t take care of the people we ask to kill for us. There is a high price to pay for that failure.
All wars are banker’s wars.”
You always get it right. Bless you.
Corbin, thank you for telling it like it is. We Americans are complicit in the killing of this young woman. We own it just as we own the crazy man destroying the White House.
dB
An addendum: Our military, including any state's national guard, DO NOT belong on U.S. city streets.
Well said Corbin. Every word a truth. Has the US ever instigated a regime change that resulted in a better government than the previous despot?
Isn't this because unfortunately, despite what we're told, this was never really the aim in the first place?
Yes, I agree. There is always a hidden agenda (masked by a false narrative of ‘self determination’ or ‘human rights’)
What I can' t stop thinking about is what can we do to try to prevent (at least minimise) such things from happening? How can transparency be increased? National security is often invoked as the reason why the general pubic can't be given much info but I find this a very convenient way to keep a lot of important stuff under wraps.
This is an excellent essay. I was a nurse in the army during Vietnam. I have a great deal of respect for the military and grieve how they were treated then and now. But I can never forgive the old men who send these brave men and women to war to prove that they are powerful rather than to protect our nation. War is a nightmare and the ones who suffer are the soldiers )and their families). We should choose leaders who understand war before they send soldiers in to fight.
Excellent analysis, as usual.
When I try to subscribe, my card is always declined, so I've just put a check in the mail.
Just such injustice on the part of our government
who is there to hear and stand up and support ALL our veterans ?
Excellent and accurate depiction of reality. Venezuela? It's about gaining profit from their oil. Keep saying it. Trump doesn't care about drug trafficking. His allegiance behavior is proof -- he supports lawbreakers. He pardons them. He sends billions in U.S. tax payer money to support them.
Great article, but it should've mentioned Ukraine (another war of choice) even though their broken vets wind up mainly in the EU ...
Thanks for linking Trump's Venezuela lies and crimes with his Honduras lies and crimes. He loves the idea of getting away with murder. We should be overwhelming Congress with messages to stop the boat murders and nix war with Venezuela.
“There is so much we could be building here at home.” Yes! Thanks for your cogent summary of the DC shooting, the hypocrisy of the regime, and all the rest. And thank you for reminding us what our sociopolitical landscape COULD look like!
Very well put! Thanks for bringing these truths home! Things will never start looking up until we take a long hard look at ourselves and admit where and what we've done wrong. This is what takes real courage, foresight, and leadership. Otherwise, the same old vicious cycle will be repeating itself. For the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and to expect a different result.