You reminded me of something else Chalmers Johnson said that has always haunted me::
"The ‘defense’ budget is three quarters of a trillion dollars. Profits went up last year well over 25%. I guarantee you: when war becomes that profitable, we’re going to see more of it."
Piker's has apologized for that one quote from seven years ago, and his explanation is not so different than what Trent says here - from a Young Turks episode:
Uygur: So you said America deserved 9/11. Did you mean that?
Piker: No. Obviously not. Especially considering the fact that ... well ... that is a very viral quote that is going around currently. If those people were at least even remotely charitable or cared about the actual truth of what I was talking about they would understand that within context, I was simply referencing the fact that all of the foreign policy decisions, and our arming of insurgent groups in the region, and our efforts in destabilizing the Middle East have a direct consequence — a boomerang effect rather, if you will — in in causing 9/11. Of course, every part of what I advocate for is against violence. I abhor violence. I think it's awful.
Piker is just doing what liberals do; caving under pressure and ignoring principle. His answer to Cenk’s question should have been ‘yes’, if not ‘absolutely’. Then he could have followed with context if he desired, framed using the term blowback.
America deserved 9/11 just like America deserves Trump; the empire is rotten to its core, and until enough of our citizens reckon with that uncomfortable truth, any attempt at ‘pragmatic reform’ will fail.
You cannot end a genocide by voting for its enablers. Ever. No amount of lesser evil rationalization excuses that stupidity. When Little Bill is lying on the floor in Unforgiven, looking at Muny and the rifle pointed at his face, he utters the words ‘I don’t deserve this’.
After seeing the evil Bill has committed prior to this moment, most viewers are thinking, ‘Yeah Bill, you kinda do deserve it’.
Ultimately, Muny defines the blowback: ‘Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.’
Major oil companies reap massive profits as US and Iran fighting drives energy prices higher
NEW YORK (AP) — American oil and gas giants raked in massive spring profits while fighting between Iran and the U.S. impeded petroleum shipments and consumers around the world paid more for fuel and confronted shortages.
...
U.S. oil and gas giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron more than doubled their profits in the second quarter as fighting between Iran and the U.S. impeded petroleum shipments.
Probably the best discourse I have ever read on the foundational moral question underlying our foreign policy. When will we recognize our profound and multitudinous sins in our dealings with the rest of the world, much less atone for them? An excellent piece. Thanks, Corbin.
It is called hegemony. Bullying with a payout. Gangster capitalism leading to disaster capitalism. The end game is to profit, to acquire, to own, to control. To carry out a decision to destroy persons, innocent biota, foul the air, the water, the soil, crush untold years of societal development in a few days or weeks, the aggressor has to function with malice aforethought -- Killing and destruction is desired because it allows sadism and perversion to thrive. This is the paternal twin of of hegemony, most probably the driver of it. Feelings only matter when accompanied by actions -- one feels hungry for power, money, property, resources, so, one uses Acts of Aggression to acquire the dopamine high, the nor-epinephrine high of succeeding with that aggression. Dominance leads to constant manipulation, just as the first Lie requires repeated lies, often growing exponentially until Every Act is a Lie. If we look closely at 'murkan business/societal/political/LE-military behaviors across time, it is crystal clear that 'murka is an aggressor nation that never believed it own founding philosophy. Those documents were nothing more than cynicism perpetrated on the fledgling citizens, in their name, and once taxation became the law of the land, the citizenry paid for all of it, time and time again. As usual, Corbin says the quiet part out loud. Now we blame govt. for this. Correct. But who/what controls govt.? NOT the citizenry at large. The corporation of 'murka and its private corporate oligarchies control govt. We all know this, we have seen it for two centuries and counting. We even allowed the Extreme Sport of Injustice, the SCOTUS, to copulate, grow and birth the corporation as an individual citizen, a person of standing. And yet the oligarchy labels us whiners, malcontents, terrorists for having a thought that does not worship The Company Store. Hmmmm. . .
I thought it was obvious Silverstein and other Americans and Israelis in intelligence were involved. PNAC themselves said the USA needed a New Pearl Harbor.
You reminded me of something else Chalmers Johnson said that has always haunted me::
"The ‘defense’ budget is three quarters of a trillion dollars. Profits went up last year well over 25%. I guarantee you: when war becomes that profitable, we’re going to see more of it."
And what's obvious to each of us is if nations turned their 'defense budgets' into global 'plowshares' there would be no need for wars.
Piker's has apologized for that one quote from seven years ago, and his explanation is not so different than what Trent says here - from a Young Turks episode:
Uygur: So you said America deserved 9/11. Did you mean that?
Piker: No. Obviously not. Especially considering the fact that ... well ... that is a very viral quote that is going around currently. If those people were at least even remotely charitable or cared about the actual truth of what I was talking about they would understand that within context, I was simply referencing the fact that all of the foreign policy decisions, and our arming of insurgent groups in the region, and our efforts in destabilizing the Middle East have a direct consequence — a boomerang effect rather, if you will — in in causing 9/11. Of course, every part of what I advocate for is against violence. I abhor violence. I think it's awful.
Piker is just doing what liberals do; caving under pressure and ignoring principle. His answer to Cenk’s question should have been ‘yes’, if not ‘absolutely’. Then he could have followed with context if he desired, framed using the term blowback.
America deserved 9/11 just like America deserves Trump; the empire is rotten to its core, and until enough of our citizens reckon with that uncomfortable truth, any attempt at ‘pragmatic reform’ will fail.
You cannot end a genocide by voting for its enablers. Ever. No amount of lesser evil rationalization excuses that stupidity. When Little Bill is lying on the floor in Unforgiven, looking at Muny and the rifle pointed at his face, he utters the words ‘I don’t deserve this’.
After seeing the evil Bill has committed prior to this moment, most viewers are thinking, ‘Yeah Bill, you kinda do deserve it’.
Ultimately, Muny defines the blowback: ‘Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.’
'Splains a lot:
Major oil companies reap massive profits as US and Iran fighting drives energy prices higher
NEW YORK (AP) — American oil and gas giants raked in massive spring profits while fighting between Iran and the U.S. impeded petroleum shipments and consumers around the world paid more for fuel and confronted shortages.
...
U.S. oil and gas giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron more than doubled their profits in the second quarter as fighting between Iran and the U.S. impeded petroleum shipments.
https://apnews.com/article/oil-companies-profits-exxon-chevron-9375fbf8f6f40426f7428e07d54000c7
No one deserves a thing like that but the US sowed the seeds of it by treating the developing world as their personal playground.
Probably the best discourse I have ever read on the foundational moral question underlying our foreign policy. When will we recognize our profound and multitudinous sins in our dealings with the rest of the world, much less atone for them? An excellent piece. Thanks, Corbin.
It is called hegemony. Bullying with a payout. Gangster capitalism leading to disaster capitalism. The end game is to profit, to acquire, to own, to control. To carry out a decision to destroy persons, innocent biota, foul the air, the water, the soil, crush untold years of societal development in a few days or weeks, the aggressor has to function with malice aforethought -- Killing and destruction is desired because it allows sadism and perversion to thrive. This is the paternal twin of of hegemony, most probably the driver of it. Feelings only matter when accompanied by actions -- one feels hungry for power, money, property, resources, so, one uses Acts of Aggression to acquire the dopamine high, the nor-epinephrine high of succeeding with that aggression. Dominance leads to constant manipulation, just as the first Lie requires repeated lies, often growing exponentially until Every Act is a Lie. If we look closely at 'murkan business/societal/political/LE-military behaviors across time, it is crystal clear that 'murka is an aggressor nation that never believed it own founding philosophy. Those documents were nothing more than cynicism perpetrated on the fledgling citizens, in their name, and once taxation became the law of the land, the citizenry paid for all of it, time and time again. As usual, Corbin says the quiet part out loud. Now we blame govt. for this. Correct. But who/what controls govt.? NOT the citizenry at large. The corporation of 'murka and its private corporate oligarchies control govt. We all know this, we have seen it for two centuries and counting. We even allowed the Extreme Sport of Injustice, the SCOTUS, to copulate, grow and birth the corporation as an individual citizen, a person of standing. And yet the oligarchy labels us whiners, malcontents, terrorists for having a thought that does not worship The Company Store. Hmmmm. . .
I do hope you are well protected by security, Corbin Trent! Trump's goons may be after you
for writing this. I think those of us who are fans are concerned for your safety. After all, you
have dared to "call a spade a spade," and that is not allowed in our anti-islam sad little
country.
I thought it was obvious Silverstein and other Americans and Israelis in intelligence were involved. PNAC themselves said the USA needed a New Pearl Harbor.
Yep. Sow the wind reap the whirlwind.