POLITICAL TENSIONS - Short, Sweet & To The Point

[HARDCORE]

No politician can survive in the absence of tension, and/or intrigue, national and/or international!? And if it is not there to begin with, any politician out for his pound of flesh and gallon of blood will certainly create it!

I once had an old rancher (now long deceased) tell me (with a twinkle in his eye) that: ?Calvin Coolidge was the best darn president that we ever had!?

To quote that old cowpuncher:

"Cal Coolidge never did much for us, or against us!"

Well, I guess that we haven?t come all that far from the days of ?Old Cal?, and at least today's politicos have the first half of Coolidge?s act down pat!

VERITAS

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/goering.htm

"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that 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 in America, 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."

"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, 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 pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

--- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

[BLUEHAWK]

Larry -
A chilling truth.

[HARDCORE]

Unfortunate but absolutely true! Governments start wars but tis real people that fight them!

VERITAS

[reconeil]

You got that right,...in that governments and/or politicos are the only ones starting wars for whatever reasons (right or wrong).

Hell,...even FDR's: "I don't want war". "Eleanor doesn't want war". "And,...even Fowler doesn't want war",...ACTUALLY WAS A FLAT-OUT lie,...which was proven to be so not that long ago, when exposed that the FDR knew of the impending Japanese Attack at Pearl Harbor LONG BEFORE OCCURING. Such Intel. was kept from The Commanders on scene at Pearl. "They" were probably the only people in authority on earth whom didn't know that The Japs were coming.

Thusly, and even despite sacrificing half a fleet and about 2400 lives, FDR got himself off of the political hook and/or the politically loosing proposition of declaring war on anyone so far away and at that time no threat to America. "Pearl Harbor" basically got FDR what was wanted all the time. Such being:...WAR.

Granted, The Japs certainly started it, and we most certainly finished it. Still, that so many thousands of American Soldiers, Sailors and Marines had to die and be wounded for political ends,...doesn't make it any better for those not making it.

Besides, and given world conditions nowadays, one wonders whether such a waste of Brave and Courageous American Lives,...actually made a difference? Also politicos now should realize they're presently putzin-around-with people whom have been fanatical nuts for thousands of years. Hell, and regarding deceit and/or pure political BS, those a-a-arabs actually make all politcos look good to me in comparison. So,...to me it seems like we're back to square one,...FDR or not. Good luck to us all.

Neil

[BLUEHAWK]

Not to go against the eternal truth being expressed here... I've sometimes thought that the only time a war would not be started by a central or a national government would be when it could be described as "domestic". An example would be the guy who shoots the brains out of a man trying to rape his wife in their own home. In which case, the war was started by a thug, and ended by a hero.

When translated to foreign policy, it is nearly impossible to get everyone on the same page, or either of the same pages.

Read an interesting definition of the word "patriot" last night, Sept. 22nd issue of THE NEW YORKER, page 118:

"An individual who, once the leadership of his country has declared that action is necessary, responds quickly, efficiently, and without wasteful unnecessary questioning of the declared nartional goal."

Mike-

If that definition were correct we would still be British.A patriot does NOT fight for a government.He fights for the people of a country.BIG diference.

[HARDCORE]

MIKE & NEIL -

Neil- Yes indeed, knowledge that World War II was about to become a reality was available. Whatever the real agenda and politically vested reasoning, the fact remains.

Some time back, I told you of an old friend who was with VP-14 at Kaneohe Bay NAS (Now Marine) on 7 December 1941. He was then Chief Aviation ordnance, and noted that they had been on alert several times in the period before the actual attack. As a matter of fact, the machineguns, normally removed from the PBY-5s and placed in the armories at night, were being left aboard, along with a guard. "This tells you something!"

According the old timer, 21 years in the Navy (1926-1947), and later a Mustang, they knew that an attack was imminent, and even though the name of the potential foe (according to him) was not readily mentioned, everyone knew that Japan was the culprit!
---------------------------------
SCAMP- Yes indeed, that is my definition of a patriot too, He (or she) may not always agree totally before the fact, but when the shit hits the fan, they are in for the count!

Of course, Uncle Sam don't breed many fools either. And when those little nieces and nephews catch on to any politically, power or money motivated scam, they are just as quick to sound off in verbal rebellion, do you not agree? :cd:


VERITAS

[the humper]

First, he fights for his own rear-end, and second the person covering him, then the other will fall in place!!!!!(No Exception)
SF
NC

[HARDCORE]

GUYS -

You all gave some mighty great reasons why a patriot fights!

VERITAS