“Sacrifices,” the Cost of War and “War-Resistance” in the Ranks
Jack Dalton, Project for the OLD American Century
March 9, 2005
This March 19th is the two year “anniversary” of the Bush and Company war of choice in Iraq. To put it another way, it’s the anniversary of the unleashing of war in “perpetuity” or, as Gore Vidal aptly named it, “Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace.” For six months prior to the invasion of Iraq, and subsequent occupation, if not longer, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Condi Rice, Donald Rumsfeld, et al, conducted a “marketing campaign” to sell their “product” with all the fervor of a corporation introducing a “new” product or brand.
The “product” (invading Iraq) was then “bought” by a serious majority of the American people and the BushCo juggernaught was unleashed upon Iraq--to the chagrin of most the other nations of the world--as well as a large number of us in this country, who still need to mobilize into a more cohesive whole.
Ever since the unleashing of the “Dogs of War” in Iraq the BushCo PR and marketing campaign, the firm of OMINCOM at the head of that feeding trough, has continued, now telling all how well things are going in Iraq. And, additionally, Bush keeps repeating how, “This is a time of war, and in war sacrifices must be made.” It is that right there I want to take a look at to some degree—sacrifices. What are the sacrifices being made during this “time of war” and who is sacrificing what, if anything? Along with that, I want to briefly look at the cost of war, especially in terms of the individual people affected, as is Carl Webb, among many others, and who are being told, not asked, but told they must go participate in this war of choice or go to prison; with that list of people growing daily and almost exponentially. The cost of this current war is much more than just the huge amounts of money that keep disappearing, as the real cost of any war is borne by individual people, military and civilian alike.
Questions, Questions, and more Questions
When was it that we gave the state the power over our individual lives so that now the state, and not we, determines if, when and how we will go off to kill or be killed--for any reason, let alone this war of choice in Iraq? When was it the state gained the power to dictate to any of us when, where, how and if, we will participate in the killing of other human beings? When was it the state gained the power over us to now tell anyone of us we will go to jail if we are not willing to participate in the mass murder that is war, let alone one launched behind deliberate lies and disinformation as this one in Iraq? When was it we allowed U.S. multinationals to become the “ruling party” of this nation irrespective of the political party holding the “seat of power?”
These, among other questions roll around in my head on a daily basis and every time I speak with active duty war-resisters or their family members, more questions are added to the list of unanswered questions. Why are people being criminalized by this nation for no other reason than they will not take a life, or train to learn how to take a life? Like I said, nothing but more questions, and questions which need a lot of people demanding answers to and for.
The ultimate catch-22
People convicted of murder are put in prison, as that is where those who have been rightfully convicted should be (although there are so many innocents locked away for crimes and murders they did not commit—but that is for another discussion about the American Gulag). Now today, the cells next to convicted murderers will be occupied by people who refuse to commit murder, and will not train to learn how to kill—welcome to the “new” America and the “rule of law.”
The land where if you commit murder you go to jail; and where if you refuse to train to kill you will go to jail--then find yourself living in a cell next to one occupied by someone who has killed—something is terribly wrong with that picture, is it not? Did I mention that some of those in the cells convicted of murder are veterans with PTSD? Is that what is meant by “support the troops?”
Plenty of blame to go around
Make no mistake about it, I hold the so-called “people’s party,” as the Democratic Party likes to frame itself, as guilty and responsible for the mess this nation is in as I do the Republican Party and the BushCo administration; which is comprised of neo-con/neo-liberals, criminals from Iran/Contra, corporate and personal Bush “loyalists,” as they all have the very same “master”—U.S. multinational corporations, Wall Street and its investment bankers, whose desire for “profits over people” has them on the same page as was John Jay over 200 years ago when he and Alexander Hamilton, during the drafting of the Constitution and then the Bill of Rights, stated, “the people who own the country ought to rule the country.” BushCo shows us, in real terms, that battle over who will “rule” this nation is still being fought, and at a much higher level than ever.
We have “devolved” into a system of “party politics” and what is good for the people of the nation has gotten lost in the process. It is now what is good for the “party” which has nothing what-so-ever to do with the American people other than our so-called “leaders” attaching that term to everything they articulate. Everything is in the name of, and for, the “American people,” while those very same “leaders” take away more and more of our rights, liberties and freedoms as well as our right to choose if, how, when or where we will put our lives in the line of fire
It has been said that “truth is the first victim (cost) of war” and that is especially true with this BushCo war of choice in Iraq. One only need take a cursory look at the ever changing and evolving reasons for the invasion of Iraq coming out of Washington, D.C. to bear this out. One only need take a cursory look at the unbelievable amounts of taxpayer money which is disappearing in Iraq to know that something is terribly wrong. One need only take a cursory look at what the other nations of the world are saying about this country to understand this nation is now viewed as the single greatest threat to world peace there is on the planet, to grasp how far in the back-seat truth has been placed—by Republican and Democrat alike.
People in uniform see thru the rhetoric and disinformation
Is it any wonder that people in uniform currently on active duty are starting to stand up and tell the world they will not be participants in this or any other war? After all, just because they are in uniform does not mean they can’t read, or hear, or see the world around them. They hear those in uniform being called heroes, and at the same time hear about Wells Fargo Bank foreclosing on the home of one of those “heroes,” which, by the way, is not a singular event. They hear the rhetoric about “support the troops” and then hear about the wounded sent back from Iraq having to pay for meals at the hospital; they hear about the returned Iraq war vets that go weeks and months without pay due to administrative screw ups; they hear about those caught up in “medical holds” that go without treatment. They hear this at the same time they are being told they also will be going to Iraq; or, as in a lot of cases, back to Iraq.
They also hear about their fellow reservists and National Guard members being cast aside after coming back because they are not part of the full time active duty “regular” military; lives totally disrupted, marriages broken, families turned up-side down, homes lost, jobs lost, unemployed, homeless, rampant PTSD, suicides, and they find little to no real help because they are not “active duty military.” Even though they do the same job, go to the same places, have been in the same war, and a lot of them on multiple call ups and re-calls, get wounded, some die, caught up in the same stop-loss, they are treated in a totally different way by the military—our people in uniform see this also, and they are beginning to understand what Henry Kissinger said some time back when he told us that people in the military “…are dumb animals to do our bidding…” is pretty much how their own command structure sees them, and they are resisting this in growing numbers.
Not everyone shut down their cognitive minds or critical thinking when they put on one of this nation’s military uniforms. They are more than able to see the disparity between words and actions such as, “we are not occupiers” and at the same time seeing 12 permanent bases under construction as well as the largest “embassy” on the planet being built in Iraq. They see and hear about all the taxpayer money that was earmarked for them and their safety, as well as rebuilding in Iraq that which we blew up, going to companies like Halliburton, billions at a time, poof, now its here, now it’s gone; and the rebuilding has not happened nor have they been better protected.
They hear Bush & Co. pontificate about how “we” must make sacrifices, as this is a time of war; and when those in uniform look around, the only ones they see doing the “sacrificing” are themselves and their families, as well as other poor people and people of color, including the ones they are being told to go kill, or be killed, in Iraq. Our people in uniform are more than capable of seeing and understanding the economic “train wreck” headed our way due to the “profits over people” policies of BushCo.
In fact, a big number of them understand it more than most as it is they, their families and children, who go without health insurance, whose schools are closing due to lack of funds and whose homes are being foreclosed on while they have been ordered to go fight this war of choice. This war that has nothing to do with freedom and democracy and everything to do with trying to secure a continuous flow of oil, which world wide has reached its peak—peak oil has arrived. It has everything to do with creating a bigger U.S. “footprint” on the Middle East; it has everything to do with Empire expansion and spreading “freedom and democracy” is the “necessary illusion” to help BushCo “manufacture consent” for their megalomaniacal “policies.”
The “involuntary servitude” that is “stop-loss”
Some of the people who are being ordered to fight this war of aggression, empire expansion and war profiteering are telling us that while they are willing to fight for the defense of this nation, they are not willing to fight this BushCo war of choice which has nothing to do with our national defense or freedom and democracy, and everything to do with selfishness, greed, xenophobia, nationalism, self edification and self righteousness. Nor are they willing to quietly accept involuntary servitude, for that is what the stop-loss that Carl is caught up in is. You may place Carl Webb in this group of people and me right there in support of him. But I’m getting ahead of myself, so…
People have the right, uniform or no, to decide for what cause, what war, if any, they are willing to put their life on the line for; and be willing to kill for. If that is not true, then we are definitely not the nation of free people we keep telling ourselves or the world we are. A revolution was fought by this nation once upon a time and one of the grievances by the colonies leveled at King George in the Declaration of Independence < politicsforteens.com > was conscription (military draft, stop-loss, etc.)—which was rightly viewed as a form of indentured servitude, Slavery is another appropriate term! What, if anything, has changed since then?
For the majority of my life, starting as a young person going to school in the late 40’s and thru the 50’s, I, along with others my age, were taught about the human rights violations perpetrated upon their own people as did China and the Soviet Union, just to mention the two big ones back then. Today, those very nations this nation condemned for civil and human rights violations, now chastise this nation for the very same thing: This nation truly has become the “monster” it once professed to be fighting--and people in uniform are able to see that also, as they did not relinquish their cognitive abilities just because they signed on the “dotted” line. Is it any wonder that people in uniform are now coming out publicly in opposition to this BushCo war of choice and profiteering in Iraq?
Carl Webb—active, active duty war resister, one of many in their growing numbers
Carl Webb is just one of an ever increasing number of those on active duty who have become active, active duty military war-resisters. Where Carl is different than most, is that Carl has come out opposed to this war in Iraq, not all wars. It is this war in Iraq, the “reasons” for it, the people behind it, what it is costing this nation socially, economically, politically, in all ways that Carl openly opposes. Carl’s three year re-enlistment was due to be up in August of 2004. Less than 8 weeks before his enlistment was up, he was notified he would be kept on active duty for an addition 15-18 months and would be sent to Iraq on top of it. Carl had just been hit with a “stop-loss” order, more correctly called a back door draft and involuntary servitude.
Carl has not filed for status as a conscientious objector as have many others. When I asked him why not, he simply stated, “I’m not a pacifist” and “it is this particular war of imperialistic aggression I oppose,” and “stop-loss which is conscription against a person’s will.” But then this was not new for Carl, as for years he has been an activist in opposition to the very thing he was now being ordered to participate in—imperialistic wars of aggression. He has been opposed to this war in Iraq since it was launched two years ago and that opposition holds true today.
If you spend enough time talking with someone, even if just over the phone, you are able to discern a lot about that person, if you listen; and Carl and I have spent a great deal of time talking for the past 6 or 7 weeks and what really comes across to me most is his sincerity and compassion for others, as well as the depth of his convictions. He is an incredibly intelligent man and a man of strong character, and one the Army is trying to criminalize due only to Carl’s refusal to participate in a war of aggression, oppression, and corporate profiteering.
Carl Webb enlisted in the Texas National Guard as a medic in early August of 2001 for three years. He had been in the Guard prior to this from 1982—1995. He was a trained Army medic. Carl chose to become a medic for various reasons, not the least of which was his wanting to be able to help make people’s lives a little better thru the care he would be able to provide to his fellow human beings who were infirm, injured, sick and needing medical aid. And, for the better part of ten years, that is exactly what Carl did as an Army medic. At the same time, he has also been outspoken about his opposition to militarization and imperialism.
After spending 12 years in the Army, Carl went back to full civilian life. During the 12 years Carl was in the military he received additional training and schooling, studied and became a Licensed Practical Nurse. Now, back in civilian life and after being unemployed for a growing period of time, receiving an eviction notice and with no good job prospects, Carl re-enlisted. But, as he thought to himself, he would be working in his chosen field of health care and his financial crisis would be over, at least in the immediate short term. And, as Carl has said, “we’ve invaded about everyone we possibly could invade and it was relatively peaceful for the U.S.” so it was a win for the Guard, they got a medic and nurse; it was a win for Carl his immediate financial crisis was ended.
Good deal all around for the three years of the enlistment contract. That was until 9/11 happened and the subsequent national xenophobia, nationalism and politics of fear promoted by BushCo that swept the country.
Now, with a total of 15 years out of the past 22 of honorably serving this nation in the military, Carl Webb finds himself, as do so many others, being looked upon as a criminal by the U.S. military which has issued a federal warrant for his arrest. The reason: Carl refuses to report for duty behind the “stop-loss,” and because of his opposition to the war in Iraq, and has been listed as AWOL for the past 5 months. It is his right to choose to go to war or not, as it is everyone’s right, especially considering as how this war in Iraq was embarked upon behind everything but truth and fact; and definitely for reasons other than those stated by BushCo.
That brings up another question to add to the ones asked earlier: How have we allowed this country to get to the point where those that commit criminal acts are allowed to criminalize those that will not be participants in criminal acts? That’s pretty much what Carl now finds himself confronted with, as do so many others in uniform today behind the up-side down “policies” of the Bush war machine.
As this is getting longer than intended I’ll conclude this, for now
The attack on the World Trade Center and murders of 3,000 people on September 11, 2001 opened the door for three separate “groups” to unite under one banner, which I always refer to as BushCo: The religious right, the military/industrial/government ideologues, and the anti-environment pro-corporate deregulation FTAA, NAFTA, CAFTA ideologues, all under the banner of George W. Bush. This is the “radical, revolutionary movement” that is out to redefine this nation in “their” image. And “they” have no shame in the way “they” have “used” the horrific event of 9/11 to further “their” cause, which ultimately is our subjugation under the BushCo corporate banner. This is the movement that if not stopped will turn this nation into something else other than what it was created to be, a free Constitutional based Representative Republic, which “they” have already accomplished to a big degree—“free speech zones” and the “Patriot Act” are good examples, but there are many more.
In four short years BushCo has turned this nation on its head. Surrounding himself with hard core ideologues and neo-con hawks, Bush has propelled this nation into what are becoming endless wars; he has created the environment that now allows for the criminalization of people who object too loudly against the BushCo policies. By bringing criminals into the upper reaches of government decision making like Elliott Abrams, John Negroponte just to mention two, BushCo is looking more like a “crime family” than a governing body. But then “they” always have “Mr. Torture Memos,” Alberto Gonzales, to give “them” some appearance of legality and legitimacy. John Gotti would be proud of “them,” would he not? In the mean time, the level of secrecy < fas.org >under which “they” operate is still increasing, leaving the majority of us in the dark about what is really being done in our names.
These are also the very people that keep articulating how we are in a “time of war” and due to that “sacrifices” must be made. So they “sacrifice” by giving tax cuts to those who do not need tax cuts; “they” bury the nation in two way debt loads which are going to bankrupt the national treasury; “they” profess to be doing everything in the name of us, the American people, at the very same time “they” tell us “either you are with us or with the “terrorists,” whoever they may be? In other words, sit down, shut up, and do what you are told! “They” tell us, the American people “they” have our interests in mind while at the very same time put into effect “laws” that do nothing for the people of this nation but everything for the corporations that “own” the country and our congress. “They” pontificate on how we must “support the troops” when what “they” really mean is we must support BushCo policies, who are themselves throwing the “troops” aside like used dirty dishrags. Through “their” own actions “they” show us that the only thing “they” are really interested in is increasing profit margins and making “their” three-way strangle hold on our government, and us by extension, permanent.
Over two hundred years ago James Madison, in Federalist Paper #47 < federalistpapers.com >, stated (to paraphrase that whenever one person or one group controls all three branches of government, judiciary, legislative and executive, that rightly may be called the definition of tyranny.
The people serving this nation in uniform see all of this and much more. They see and understand the deliciousness and “double-speak.” The see and understand that what they signed up in the military to be a part of has been turned on its head by BushCo and are now being told, not asked but told they must be willing participants in the BushCo grand scheme of spreading “freedom and democracy” around the world—or go to jail! And they see that freedom and democracy vanishing in this country at the same time!
What surprises me is not those in uniform which have already gone public in opposition < tomjoad.org > to this BushCo policy of “perpetual war for perpetual peace” what surprises me is that a lot more have not as yet gone public as has, Darrell Anderson, who, after receiving one Purple Heart, was ordered to go back to Iraq and who choose instead to go to Canada, where he is now very active in anti-war efforts
www.oldamericancentury.org/darrell.htm >; or Carl Webb, who like Darrell, was more than willing to serve in the defense of this nation and did for 15 years; but not willing to participate in the current efforts of imperial aggression going on in Iraq currently and who objects strongly to the “stop-loss” orders that were extending his time past the three years of his contract—involuntary servitude, period!
< oldamericancentury.org >
Like I stated earlier, just because people are in uniform that does not mean they are not able to use the cognitive abilities, or think critically. They are more than able to discern the double-speak and dupliciousness coming from our so-called leaders. They are more than able to understand that what BushCo means when talking about the “ownership” < alternet.org >society applies only to “a less sanguine form of ownership—huge, absentee owned, business structures where those that make the decisions are very far removed from those who feel the impact of those decisions.” It does not mean that we “own” our bodies, our lives, our privacy, our dignity, or our right to decide how we will “spend” our lives as the “state” now believes it “owns” that part of our lives. This is not missed by those in uniform.
And it is that which has led so many to openly stand opposed to this BushCo war of choice in Iraq and its empire expanding, imperialistic driven war policies. That is not what any of them enlisted to be a part of. Like anyone else in this “free and democratic” republic, they have the absolute right to quit, just like anyone else once they start a job and then find out the job is not for them, or that is something else other than what they were told it would be. Anything less than that right and you then are confronted with indentured servitude which was once called slavery (and by any definition still is). Welcome to Bush and Company’s “New World Order.” |
