US Special Ops actively & secretly engaged in war & war preparations in over 2/3 of nations on earth

[kpete]

We live in an age in which the most important facts are not seriously disputed and also not seriously known or responded to.

The United States’ biggest public program of the past 75 years, now outstripping the rest of the world combined, is war preparations. The routine “base” military spending, not counting spending on particular wars, is at least 10 times the war spending, or enough to totally transform the world for the better. Instead it’s used to kill huge numbers of people, to make the United States less safe, and to prepare for wars that are — without exception — lost disastrously. Since the justification of the Soviet Union vanished, U.S. militarism has only increased. Its enemies are small, yet it does its best to enlarge them. U.S. Special Operations forces are actively, if “secretly,” engaged in war or war preparations in over two-thirds of the nations on earth. U.S. troops are openly stationed in 90 percent of the nations on earth, and 100 percent of the oceans. A majority of the people in most nations on earth consider the United States the greatest threat to world peace.

The U.S. military has brought death, terror, destruction, and lasting damage to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya — and spilling out of Libya into Mali, sparked a Sunni-Shiite civil war in Iraq that has spread to Syria, rendered Pakistan and Yemen more violent and insecure with drone strikes, and fueled violence in Somalia that has spilled across borders.

These facts are well-established, yet virtually incomprehensible to a typical U.S. news consumer. So, if they can be repeated brilliantly and convincingly, I say: the more times the better.

.......



http://my.firedoglake.com/blog/2014/10/19/shadow-facts-about-shadow-government/

[DirkGently]

1. We've made lethal force our #1 priority. Who

really thinks that should be the case?

Great post.

[KG]

3. it's also the first, last and every choice in between...

[DirkGently]

4. It pays the right people.

"Defense spending" is our ultimate upward wealth funnel. Somehow no one is angry that we all pay thousands per year in taxes (and untold additional human and economic costs in casualties of war) to support it. But we are supposed to be angry about pennies going to infrastructure and social programs.

If we can ever get people to acknowledge this huge, glaring contradiction in our priorities, we will all immediately be much better off.

[lonestarnot]

6. Why don't people get this?

[99th_Monkey]

10. Terror! AQ! Terror! ISIS!

n/t

[DirkGently]

19. Exactly. Fear, fear, & more fear.

I think there's actually a study showing conservatives harbor a special wariness of the danger of outsiders. Like a physiological difference in the brain or something.

So everything is a threat from outside the "village." Foreigners. Foreigners with bombs. Foreigners with drugs. Foreigners with diseases. Foreigners with strange religions. Foreigners bringing socialism.

So the solution to everything is to be ever more prepared, ever more lethal; ever more "pre-emptively" self-defensive.

Which conveniently sends billions of politically tradable dollars all over the place.

[marions ghost]

20. I'm waiting for people to really get this point

totally agree

[CJCRANE]

2. It's time to end the self-inflicted wars.

It's time to quit arming both sides.

It's time to stop using American troops as toy soldiers.

It's time to stand up to the chickenhawks, neocons, warmongers, war addicts and warfare queens!

[Man from Pickens]

15. It's time to treat those who incite these wars as traitors

These wars unambiguously damage the United States and degrade our national security - the evidence is in, there is no more serious debate to be had on the point.

The only thing I have to say now to anyone who wants a war: "You go first!"

And if they're not willing to go first, it's time to discuss the fine art of rope knotting.

[NightWatcher]

5. Hey, if the Dutch ever attack us, we've got to have a plan

(If I have to say 'kidding', you're missing the point)

In all seriousness the DIA game plans out a million different scenarios. That's what they do with their time. If the Dutch hit us, we've a plan on where to hit them to cripple their power, water, command and control (I guess the Dutch have those), and other facilities.

We are always ready for the next war, even if we have to go start it. Hey, we've got bombs to sell and replenish.

[Faux pas]

7. As a country

we are an ass.

[woo me with science]

21. "Have you looked at our caps recently?"

NSA Affiliated Spy Satellite Mission Patch Slogan: "NOTHING IS BEYOND OUR REACH."
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/12/new-us-spy-satellite-features-world-devouring-octopus/

[Dont call me Shirley]

28. Goodie or Baddie?

http://m.

[woo me with science]

30. "No cannibals anymore."

We can only wish.

Thank you for that.

[Faux pas]

41. Creepy!

[oldandhappy]

8. yep!!

I believe it.

[Enthusiast]

9. That majority of people around the world are right.

The United States the greatest threat to world peace.

"A force for good."

It almost hurts to that crap now.

[tclambert]

11. Tom Lehrer figured this out in the 60s

[WinkyDink]

24. Many did, in the 60's. Now we're called the greedy job-hoarding generation.

[woo me with science]

12. kpete, you are firing up DU with important OP's.

Thank you.

This war on leaks is unbelievable.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025686750

Secret CIA Document: Americans Are “Coarse,” “Emotional” and Lack Civility
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025686844

Bernie Sanders: “If I were to run for president, do you know how much money the Kochs would spend?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5675761

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Here is a more specific list of the Muslim countries we have attacked, invaded.

just since 1980!

14 countries :
dates ending in Hyphens indicate we are still there...

Iran (1980, 1987-1988),

Libya (1981, 1986, 1989, 2011),

Lebanon (1983),

Kuwait (1991),

Iraq (1991-2011, 2014-),

Somalia (1992-1993, 2007-),

Bosnia (1995),

Saudi Arabia (1991, 1996),

Afghanistan (1998, 2001- ),

Sudan (1998),

Kosovo (1999),

Yemen (2000, 2002-),

Pakistan (2004-)

and now Syria.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/even-if-we-defeat-the-islamic-state-well-still-lose-the-bigger-war/2014/10/03/e8c0585e-4353-11e4-b47c-f5889e061e5f_story.html

[cantbeserious]

14. The US Is An Empire - Extracting Wealth For The 1% - Global Enforcement Courtesy The US Military

Smedley Butler - Highest Decorated Marine Officer In US History - His Take On The US Military From The 1930s.

"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."

Source: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Smedley_Butler

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. But..but...we're nobly doing it for their own good!

Sorry about the millions of deaths...er...collateral damage...but we have to burn down a lot of villages, torture a lot of people, back right wing coups, in order to save them.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

17. Meanwhile, back in reality

From the poll itself:

The US was the overwhelming choice (24% of respondents) for the country that represents the
greatest threat to peace in the world today. This was followed by Pakistan (8%), China (6%), North
Korea, Israel and Iran (5%). Respondents in Russia (54%), China (49%) and Bosnia (49%) were the
most fearful of the US as a threat.
These results show that although the US is widely regarded as posing the greatest threat to peace, it
is, paradoxically, still the most desired country to live in. This could show that for many of the people
surveyed across the globe it appears that the notion of the ‘American Dream’ is still alive.

So, anti-American lunatics all gleefully hate this country, delighted to find anger because 1) Russians are incredibly upset that we're not letting them annex the Ukraine, and 2) Chinese who are upset that the U.S. isn't letting them illegally annex the entire south-china sea (opposed by every other nation in the region), and 3) Serbians are still upset about being spanked for trying that "ethnic cleansing" against Muslims in the 1990s. Oh, and the Arabs are having civil wars that they are simultaneously angry that we're peripherally involved in, and also not taking full responsibility for.

Typical.

Meanwhile though, back in reality:


http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/07/14/chapter-1-the-american-brand/

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[Luminous Animal]

18. Meanwhile, in reality reality. Gallopp/WIN poll: U.S. greatest threat to world peace

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/02/greatest-threat-world-peace-country_n_4531824.html

From Gallop/WIN's 2013 end of the year survey.

http://www.wingia.com/en/services/about_the_end_of_year_survey/7/

[Rex]

25. Typical how some only care about appearances and could care less about

the real world. "But what do our neighbors think about us" is just simplistic deflection away from the problem and done on purpose.

America spends more money on our military than all other countries combined. It is sad watching people carry water for the MIC...but hey, right here on DU!

Sad. But predictable.

Who cares what is really going on, does Canada still like us?

[ConservativeDemocrat]

29. The difference between a tyrant and a savior is how they're viewed...

We are indeed the world police. It would be nice if the world didn't need police, but it does.

Our presence as a universal counterbalance actually significantly decreases the amount of overall global expenditures on weapons than it would otherwise have.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[Luminous Animal]

31. Ah. The White Man's burden. A universal counterbalance to what?

And please, tell us why we should care if Egypt would to spend more on weapons if we decreased our spending.


P.S. Noted. No comment on my previous post.

[Rex]

33. Of course not. Poster still lives in the Reagan Era.

How totally sad.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

40. I live in the Obama era

You sound like you live in the "Che" era.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[ConservativeDemocrat]

34. Wow guy, don't get so psychotic

I already gave examples, directly from the polling that was cites, showing that our "poor" showing about being dangerous comes largely from a decline in Russian attitudes towards us, and China's continued bad attitude. It's not remotely a majority of anyone in any nation who thinks the U.S. is "a danger to peace", just an incredibly tiny plurality.

Nor do I see the point of you cramming Kipling's "White Man's Burden" into this. Can you tell me what race Russians are? What color they are? I'm hoping you're bright enough to be able to tell me. Are you?


The reason why we should care of Egypt (and scores of other countries) spend more on weapons is because "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, represents, in the final analysis, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children." The fact that other nations so trust the U.S. to: A) Be reasonably fair in its dealings, and B) Come to the defense to them if they are attacked -- to the point where they cut their defense budgets and (hopefully) spend their national budgets on more humanitarian things, is a triumph for the U.S. Our gift to the world's hungry.

In your surfeit of Orwellian negative nationalism, I doubt you'll understand this. But effective world policing with teeth is largely the reason that right now, as we speak, there has never been a more peaceful time on Earth, and the chances of any random human dying from an Act of War is lower than it has ever been.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[Luminous Animal]

35. "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, blah blah blah.

Means that we, the mass producer of weapons and vendor of weapons, are thieving from poor.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

37. I know this will come as a shock to anti-American haters

...but according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in 2013 the #1 exporter of weapons was Russia. (2014 stats aren't out yet, naturally.) So unless you're Russian, that "we" business you're using is badly misplaced. (Though it is fairly typical knee jerk anti-Americanism.)

And again, we would be exporting vastly more weapons if we weren't the world's de-facto peacekeeper, which is what you're decrying.

So try to get your logic to at least line up with itself, okay? Either you're for a bunch of nations like Egypt blowing their national budgets on weapons thereby depriving the world's poor, or you're in favor of the US maintaining a dominant military position and a neutral posture, making such purchases unnecessary, and allowing them to buy less guns, more butter. It cannot be both.

Choose.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[Rex]

32. Nice apology for the MIC.

You really are delusional, those talking points died out during the Reagan Era. Are you really that far behind?

[woo me with science]

22. "Have you looked at our caps recently?"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025687093#post21

[WinkyDink]

23. I think the truth of our history vs. the jingoistic denial of it, is what truly separates Democrats

from Republicans. The latter are all about unquestioning Pledge of Allegiance rah-rah "USA! USA!" nuttiness.

[Rex]

26. This will piss off the authoritarians to no end.

Facts piss them off.

[Dont call me Shirley]

27. Global genocide :-(

[burrowowl]

36. Why are we not surprised!

And what else is new?

[woo me with science]

38. K&R

[WhiteTara]

39. Do you remember General Singlaub?

Everywhere he went, war broke out. He was from WWII and lasted for many years.