Scott McLelland’s latest book “What Happened” has revelations on how the Bush administration and a complicit corporate media manipulated the climate of fear in the US to justify the invasion of Iraq. It is undoubtedly true that the neocons in the Bush administration treated 9/11 as “a new Pearl Harbor,” as their blessing in disguise.While some 9/11 Truth researchers focus on contradictions in “the official story” and possible administrative complicity with the terrorists, others argue that 9/11 was an “inside job” that would facilitate the project of the political right to dismantle long established constitutional protections and build an authoritarian state inside America. Of course, both of these scenarios would involve the worst form of treason.
Yet, even skeptics of this 9/11 theory have to admit that this reveals a significant emotional fact – just how little trust many Americans have in their government under the reign of this duplicitous administration that has constantly lied to us.
Alternative journalists and their blogs have covered “the three trillion dollar war” and many of the costs of the two counterinsurgency wars and military occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. The continuation of these wars has meant more resources for a more thoroughly militarized American. Not surprisingly, the 2008 request of a $515 billion dollar defense budget was combined with attacks on Medicare, Medical, Social Security, and myriad relief programs for the poor. It also meant less money was available for the development of renewable energy resources.
What does the future portend? A vastly expanded and costly homeland security budget is in the cards. The foolish “neocons” in the Bush administration have articulated and implemented a policy of worldwide US military supremacy, what some call “full spectrum dominance.” To accomplish this they need greater authoritarian social control of the American population at home. Apparently, the established media alone are not enough. Of course, China and Russia, who have brokered a military and energy alliance, may ultimately have something to say about this. So may the rest of the world.
Since 9/11, the US significantly expanded the homeland security apparatus and built a large invasive state bureaucracy around it. Even Republicans like Ron Paul are upset about this. This meant increased resources going into surveillance of American citizens and to domestic national security under the banner of protection and safety from terrorists. Immigrants from Mexico remain the most vulnerable targets in this climate of fear. We are building walls to keep them out.
In fact, America is rapidly becoming a walled fortress, a military Leviathan of historic proportions. Militarization of the border and the construction of an immigration wall and border outposts fits with the larger trend. This means greater repression of the so called “terro-immigrants.” Raids, roundups, deportations are already a fact. This whole repressive trend dehumanizes immigrant laborers. We already have a have a long history of dehumanizing native Americans.
In spite of all the talk about national security, the government did a miserable job in coming to the rescue when Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans, threatening the security of hundreds of thousands of Americans. When it counted, the Bush administration floundered in every conceivable way. New Orleans is still in a desperate condition.
In spite of these depressing trends, it is important to recognize that there are important counter trends since 9/11 that can still give us hope. People are fighting back. In spite of a lack of media coverage, there are signs that more young Americans are getting involved in the new peace movement. Also, there are many Americans involved in sending relief to New Orleans. Citizen groups are fighting corporate encroachment. American border and immigration activists are providing relief and help to stressed out immigrants. These are the post 9/11 heroes we never hear about!
Right now it appears that many of the American people are more progressive than their government. We can only hope.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Classic example of managed news. Simple Scotty was on CBS with Katie tonight. Yet the lead headline from CBS is who will Scotty vote for, McBush or Obama. Unless we can break up the marriage between the 4th estate and the military industrial complex we are all going down in flames.
Nice article -something besides just slamming the necons who of course need slamming. But Mr Nadeau did offer some hidden hope with the post 9-11 heros we never hear about. I agree with him but I am still looking for that peace movement. While I believe there are some bright motivated kids coming up I don’t think they are too focused on, or for that matter even think about the war and theier peers be maimed and murdered in country far far away.
You have to hand it to the neocons they have played the fear game well and are doing a good job of keep wars off the front page.
Stu – I’d like to refer you to my post about the new youthful face of the peace movement, posted in early April, entitled “The Peace Movement Shows Its New Face and It’s Beautiful” – check out what happened in Portland, for example. Okay, maybe the youth in OB that you see don’t appear to be that concerned, but at that die-in in downtown San Diego back in March it was all young people, including kids from Pt Loma High and OB.
To get more young people involved we need to be happier and less angry, cooler in my opinion.
Kids want to hang out and do fun things. Having parties or fundraisers at a fun club or rock shows etc is fun.
Mixing music and politics always works to bring more people in.
When it is a social event people will come into the group.
Having a march is great and is fun however it does not look fun to the outside world really. Reading and filling out papers and being angry and yelling at people does not appear to young people as fun.
Young people want fun and excitement. Young people want a concert and want social gatherings.
Instead of sitting behind a table at an event young fun people need to get out there and talk to people have pictures taken doing fun things etc.
Basic promotion 101.
Have tshirt contests, auctions, dances, parties, pickle eating contests for peace anything
We need to not focus so much on the facts or actual realities of our movement. We need to do what was done in the 1960s and make it fun again to get together and talk and dance and party and even make a difference.
Then you talk about the message and discuss the truth.
I went to a religious thing when I was in grade school and I do not believe in religion however I went to this event because they were building a 100 foot long sundae. I know I was sucked in for free ice cream. But hey it got me in there and I listened to the message even though I did not agree I can guarantee that there were kids who went back for another event because they liked the message or liked the ice cream.
There needs to be fun events for people to get together, listen to music, have fun dance jump around and get to know one another.
Its basically building a scene.
Not everyone is smart and has the time to read books.
The majority of people in my opinion became interested in the peace movement in the 1960s and the reason it was so huge then is because it was fun to go to concerts and dance around, open sex, drug movement and then the few people who read and were involved in politics brought the less read people to a few protests and they realized it was fun. Then maybe those less read people starting reading some things and really understood and really got involved.
But they first came to the movement because it was cool and fun.
The movement needs to be seen as cool and fun again and the young people will come.