'Tis The Season To Bomb Civilians

Image: Anthony Freda

It's the dark time of year when we of the North get up before sunrise and eat supper after sundown. As we approach the turning point of the winter solstice, we are encouraged to be kind to one another, to keep the light of love burning in our hearts in order to help us endure the darkness.

So that's why the Pentagon and the White House have decided to send more special operations troops to Iraq and Syria. Veterans have told me that these troops are mostly scouts for where to bomb. Because the Pentagon and the White House are also planning to continue bombing civilians right through the Christmas season.

The doublespeak employed by the blood-spattered officials who try to explain and justify all this mechanized killing for profit is absurd.

Top brass could hardly be expected to talk about how they are counting on cushy post-retirement jobs in the military contracting corporations that are predicting a "significant uptick" in business as a result of more combat. 

So they make up other, implausible reasons e.g. more attacks on areas that sometimes produce terrorists will, in the magical thinking the U.S. government continues selling to a somnolent public, reduce terrorism emanating from those areas. Even though many of these very officials have observed that bombing innocent civilian populations and occupying their countries tends to breed still more terrorists. As Democracy Now! reported:

Speaking to Congress Tuesday, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said the U.S. special forces are authorized to conduct raids, gather intelligence, free hostages and capture members of ISIS. He also said the troops would conduct unilateral operations inside Syria. Facing questions from Virginia Republican Rep. Randy Forbes, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford acknowledged the U.S. is not technically at war in Iraq or Syria, even as the military ramps up combat operations. 

Randy Forbes: "You heard the Secretary of Defense say both in writing and verbally that we are at war. Who declared that war?"
Joseph Dunford: "I think what the secretary is saying, because we discussed this, is that we view the fight against ISIL as a threat to the United States and we are mobilizing all of the military capabilities that are necessary—"
Randy Forbes: "Who would have actually made a declaration? Is that something that you would make?"
Joseph Dunford: "Congress."
Randy Forbes: "Has a declaration been made?"
Joseph Dunford: "No, it has not."
Randy Forbes: "So how does the secretary say we’re at war? I only have five minutes."
Ashton Carter "I’m just going to tell you—"
Randy Forbes: "I would ask if he wants to elaborate, he can submit written statements, but he is taking my five minutes. General, can you tell me as the joint Chiefs, if you know?"
Joseph Dunford: "We are technically not at war."

When our system of government was founded, the intention to avoid the standing armies and endless wars of European monarchies was expressed by a plan to have the people's representatives oversee the military. 

Now that our government represents mostly corporations and other moneyed interest groups, that oversight has been rendered null and void.

"Defense" Aerospace Top Contributors, 2015-2016

Source: OpenSecrets.org

As a result, I think the dark days will extend far beyond December 21 this year.

As hate media pundits spew invective about Islam as an inherently violent religion, so-called Christians will ignore the ten commandments and the Golden Rule to bomb oil rich countries. 

Meanwhile, I am left worrying and wondering: is it World War III yet?