Squeezin’ the Juice
by SVEA SAUER
Folks, we have a serious problem. Europe is turning against war! Secretary Gates calls “European Mood a Danger to Peace” in a New York Times headline. (He said what?)
I read an article recently about the cut in the Coast Guard’s budget. The Coast Guard defends our shores, risks its vessels to aid Haiti, loses its men and women in daring rescues at sea and in all ways represents the most peaceful use of military power. No doubt this is the reason it is not included in the defense budget and always suffers a shortage of funds. You see, it is a danger to peace. It saves lives.
The Pentagon’s budget is untouchable because it is for peace. (Say what?) Remember, some of these countries in Europe are opting out. We have to bear the whole burden of doing unto others as they would do unto us. Peacefully, of course.
We at home are so determined to make peace by war that we are willing to have the domestic budget cut but leave the Pentagon’s intact, even adding goodies when requested. This means the states can stop looking to Uncle Sam for much help.Their job is to pay in, not take out. In the meantime, the military budget includes ten C-17s costing $330 million per plane, not requested by the Pentagon. The lobbyists have been busy.
After plans for Pentagon spending in 2011 were announced, the stock market jumped up benefiting General Dynamics (military aircraft, submarines and munitions), Northrop Grumman Corp. (unmanned spy planes), Boeing Co. (aircraft carriers), Lockheed Martin (jet fighters), Raytheon Co. (missile supplier), L-3 Communications Holdings (intelligence gathering and monitoring equipment), and Harris Corp (tactical radios using encryption technology). Congratulations to the military-industrial complex. Stockholders are rejoicing.
Obama has followed the thinking of the Bush administration, yet in his inauguration speech he indicated he understood the need to reverse our national security policy. Now, he follows the lead of the former administration in approving a defense budget that will require greater long-term spending, even adding supplements. We are willing to destroy ourselves before the enemy does.
The generals are happy to dominate our foreign policy at the same time they show little skill in managing wars. Hillary Clinton, our Secretary of State is being pushed aside by the secretary of defense. I cannot imagine why Cheney is complaining so much. The military budget is growing each year and it is estimated that in ten years it will have grown by 25 percent and we are in perpetual war. War is eating us alive, but we do not complain.
If we intend to lead the world at whatever cost, let it be in educating our children and protecting their health. If we must fight, let us fight the enemies within – pollution and unhealthy food, faithless politicians, corrupt businesses, and our own complicity.
President Eisenhower said it best when he warned us about the military-industrial complex, only now it is we who are in partnership with this “peace” – making folly of war and the killing of youth and civilians.
I have respect for the real dangers we face but it is all too obvious that greed and ego determine our foreign policy. We lie when we say we want peace when it is obvious we glory in war. We feed the beast and starve our children. War is our god whose appetite can never be satisfied.
