"Questions about the Gulf of Tonkin incidents have persisted for more than 40 years. But once-classified documents and tapes released in the past several years, combined with previously uncovered facts, make clear that high government officials distorted facts and deceived the American public about events that led to full U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War."
Pat Paterson, The Truth About Tonkin, US Naval Institute, February 2008
“A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes."
Major General Smedley Butler, War Is a Racket, 1935
"In his magnificent piece, War Is a Racket, Smedley Butler recognised two
forms of war profiteering by the industrialists who supply war material
and the bankers who finance the warring parties. However, other forms of war
profiteering can be identified as war is the ultimate enterprise. To start with,
imperialism and wars of aggression are motivated by the desire to secure raw
materials and markets for the industrialists.
Wars of aggression are triggered by factors such as exceptionalism, greed, nationalism, unleashed capitalism, blind patriotism, the desire for dominance and collectivism. Since wars of aggression are illegal according to international law, the aggressors justify them on the grounds of protecting civilians in the target country and in terms of self-defence involving pre-emptive strikes. The self-defence pretext can be sold more easily if a false flag attack is staged to demonstrate that the target country or parties related to it initiated an attack when the attack is staged by the country planning a war of aggression. A false flag operation can be costly, both in terms of blood and treasure, but for the aggressor it is a price worth paying to achieve the ultimate objective of benefiting war profiteers."
The argument put forward in this book is that wars are about money rather
than the noble causes often claimed to be the true causes. War involves the
transfer of wealth from taxpayers to war profiteers, from the defeated to the
victors, from the victims to the aggressors and from the oppressed to the
oppressors."
Imad A. Moosa, Professor of Finance RMIT, The Economics of War, 2 December 2019
"Human beings are so made that the ones who do the crushing feel nothing; it is the person crushed who feels what is happening. Unless one has placed oneself on the side of the oppressed, to feel with them, one cannot understand. As soon as men know that they can kill without fear of punishment or blame, they kill; or at least they encourage killers, with approving smiles."
Simone Weil, L'Iliade ou le poème de la force, 1939
Hope for the best, but prepare for the alternatives.
Stocks were slumping today as the realization sinks in that the current 'excursion' in the Mideast looks like a tragic misstep that will not present an easy off ramp to the proud and the ignorant.
Gold and silver were hit hard, as the Dollar rallied into the 100 handle.
This too shall pass. Wall Street is full of sound and fury, but only for the short term.
VIX continued to tick higher in an escalating pattern.
Bitcoin held on to 71k.
There is room for serious concern that desperate men will do desperate things, recklessly, when they are not restrained by wiser and clearer minds.
Never have so many failed in their oaths and responsibilities to protect the common people.
Those liars and breakers of oaths will be put paid, sooner or later.
Need little, want less, love more. For those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them.
Have a pleasant weekend.
