War Leaders

(Two recent observations led to this article.)

We are at war, and if we are to survive we must become soldiers of peace.

The recent media blitz of fear, represented by the TIME magazine cover story and picture of a woman mutilated by the Taliban and the 60 minutes piece last night about the CIA officer who directed the “secret war” to defeat the Taliban government after 9/11, reminds me of a quote that made the rounds before our two present wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“Why of course the people don’t want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don’t want war, neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Hermann Goering (1893–1946), Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, President of the Reichstag, Prime Minister of Prussia and, as Hitler’s designated successor, the second man in the Third Reich.

The new Communist, Saddam, Al-Qaeda, is the Taliban.

As St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of Jesuits, said, we must choose between two leaders and armies. One leader and army calls for teaching war in our schools, more and more money for war, to be patriotic by supporting our troops, support of politics as usual and being a military empire. The other leader calls for justice; money for human needs, not war; being in solidarity with the poor, oppressed and marginalized; and risking honor and glory to “speak the truth”.

It is interesting to note that the woman in the TIME magazine feature was mutilated by her own relatives in Afghanistan a few years ago during the USA military occupation. The article completely ignores groups like the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan, RAWA, who strongly oppose the Taliban but believe that the USA occupation has increased violence against women. Also the CIA agent on 60 minutes who led the secret war of terror that forced the Taliban government out of power after 9/11 failed to mention that the tactics he called a “carrot (join us) or stick (or be killed)” to tribal leaders ultimately failed. Although President Obama reportedly is moving back to counter terrorism, the tactic always eventually fails. When will we ever learn that we cannot ever occupy a country by violence and military might?

How do we fight our war? I propose it is not by avoiding conflict like the local Peace Action steering committee; it is not by thanking our congresswoman who consistently under the present administration has voted for more money for more war when the vote counted; and as my friend Frank reminds me, it is not by demonstrating or protesting. It is too late for change by electoral process or protest.

I believe the only way we can fight is by realizing that we are the ones that allow these constant wars. We are the ones that Goering was talking about. By our talk without action, by our belief that “politicians” can change the direction of our country, by our fear of conflict, by our silence and by our failure to “speak truth to power” we allow the militarization of the USA.

What can we do? I believe all we can do is admit defeat on the bigger question of the military empire, but bring the war home, at the local level, by Breaking the Silence. Here are a few examples:

The Breaking the Silence movement locally is involved in two ways to bring home the maxims of Teach War No More and No More War Spending. This base community may not be able to stop all teaching of war in the USA, but may be able to close the base School of Army (SOA not ROTC) at Marquette. Peace liberals at Marquette support closing the School of America’s, SOA, at Fort Benning that trains soldiers from Latin America in counter insurgency tactics, reflexive killing techniques, and following orders over conscience. However, when the same things are taught at the School of Army at Marquette, “peace liberals” do not want to hear about it and ignore it.

General Westmoreland of Vietnam fame said that the “Military does not start wars, politicians do.” The same can be said for stopping wars. Our local politician Rep. Gwen Moore has voted, when her vote counted, for every money-for-war bill since President Obama took office. When her vote was not needed for a military spending bill, or the bill was doomed to defeat, she was allowed to not vote for it. A move to hold her accountable for her war spending ways was sidelined by “peace liberals” of Peace Action and Progressive Democrats. When she voted against the next Defense Budget Bill she even had me fooled that she had changed her ways. However, I found out the vote meant nothing since the Democrats had decided to let the military budget go for awhile. When she voted for the supplementary war bill I was more cautious. When her vote was needed she voted for the war money bill, but when it came back and her vote as not needed for passage she voted no. Some even said we should thank her for the second vote although she has consistently voted for war spending when the vote counted and has, like other congresspersons, put a lot of “military pork” into the budget and other bills.

Yes, we can close the SOA (not ROTC) at Marquette, and we can hold Rep. Gwen Moore accountable for war spending votes if we can put aside our differences and work together. Will these two actions, if successful, stop our endless wars? No, but if SOAs in private schools are closed and other congresspersons are held accountable for the billions and billions of our money they spend on endless wars, we can Make A Difference.

Make A Difference

MILWAUKEE FREEDOM MARCHES, SUMMER 2010

Wisconsin State Fair
Saturday, August 7th, 1pm
Meeting Place: West side of Parking Lot at Petit Center.

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