----- Original Message ----- From: Marta Russell To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 1:57 PM Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] The Military, the Church, and the Police
>Doug wrote:
>The European countries polled have small militaries, many of them
>staffed by draftees, that don't do all that much abroad. We have a
>large professional military that regularly bombs and invades other
>countries. The populations polled are respecting very different
>things. And, according to Gallup, 40% of Americans think that our
>"national defense" isn't "strong enough." Our favorite service
>branch is the most bellicose, the most disciplined, and the most
>likely to invade: the Marines.
>
>Doug
The professional military is likely to get worse. Conservative pundit Max Boot had a commentary in the LA Times recently about what to do about the troops shortage. In short, he said recruit from all over the world - take those desperate to escape poverty and uniform them up. That would be an international force that the US could run without the need to get approval from the EU.
So no matter what Americans did, it would seem, the US would keep its military at the top of the heap.
Marta -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's my favorite part:
"El Salvador, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan were all going to be the "next" Vietnam before winding up U.S. victories."
http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/554
I think it shows that part of the world view promulgated by the neofasc... cons is based on creating chaos... and profitting... skimming if you would, from the top.
It's the only rationale for claiming "victory", and not just a good start, for whatever definition of "democracy" is currently in vogue.
R. James Woolsey also works for Benador Associates http://www.benadorassociates.com/woolsey.php
~~~~~~~
Advocates of War Now Profit From Iraq's Reconstruction
Lobbyists, aides to senior officials and others encouraged invasion and now help firms pursue contracts. They see no conflict.
By Walter F. Roche Jr. and Ken Silverstein Times Staff Writers July 14, 2004
<...> "Former CIA Director R. James Woolsey is a prominent example of the phenomenon, mixing his business interests with what he contends are the country's strategic interests. He left the CIA in 1995, but he remains a senior government advisor on intelligence and national security issues, including Iraq. Meanwhile, he works for two private companies that do business in Iraq and is a partner in a company that invests in firms that provide security and anti-terrorism services."
"Before the war, Woolsey was a founding member of the Committee for the Liberation of Iraq, an organization set up in 2002 at the request of the White House to help build public backing for war in Iraq. He also wrote about a need for regime change and sat on the CIA advisory board and the Defense Policy Board, whose unpaid members have provided advice on Iraq and other matters to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld." <...>
[dead link, in archive$] http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-advocates14jul14,1,3012803,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines =====