I can hardly believe that you could read the story of a man´s family almost wholly destroyed by the fantasies of world domination that have gone on in this country for the last 60 years, carried out by a group of very evil men and women with no care for the collateral damage done, like M. Halfbright declaring that 5000 children´s deaths per month was completely acceptable, and that was just sanctions, and make these insensitive remarks . These people have their agenda planned, have had for all these 60 years so diplomancy has only played a part as window dressing. Please try and remember that people like 11m1017 are your betters and you need to show respect.

May I remind you that the parent of Znet is a corporation.  Therefore, by definition, Znet is corporate media.

victor, you are right, no congressmen sons and daughters but they must haves relation to profiteers stocks.. When a beautifull $$$$ opportunity rise, your congressmen is first to volonteer and it does not matter how many poor people get killed.. also , I cnat believe the foley issue capture the attention of the media but not issues covering the death of Iraqis. nowadays journalists have no integrity..

If one were to quickly check for a dictionary definition of 'escapism'-

You would quickly find something similar to the following

"an inclination to retreat from unpleasant realities through diversion or fantasy"

And this is precisely what has happened to the corporate media and will continue to happen. One thing I'm still torn on at a certain level, though is whether they all conciously collude to storytell or that they are all simply products of the system and therefore - (ie Chomsky - M Consent) entertain views that got them to where they are in the first place. In essence the paradox of mainstream media - they wouldn't be there if they had progressive views like are eredite friend Paul Street.

I haven't heard much of this 'Foley' situation in England but from far a way it sounds like a way to divert the media from the central key issues that would destroy the Republican in the Mid terms.

That reminds me, did anyone read the recent sustainer article about the minipulation of the Gas price as an indicator of the timing between polling - whether mid term or full election.

Always a pleasure to hear all your views.

Phineas

mtbrad - you are spot on. Republicans, Democrats. It really doesn't matter who is in power. The problem is that those in power, ALL of them, believe religiously in a capitalist growth-based and unsustainable system that is literally eating the world alive. This cancerous system must be changed or we will all be driven into oblivion. There are three major problems faced by humankind and the natural world today: 1. Human over-population and the resulting demand upon food, water and other limited and unsustainable resources (including and especially fossil fuels, upon which we all heavily depend and for which there are no available alternatives that will meet the demand required in time) 2. The inability to meet that demand in the next few years, even in the resource-grabbing G8 countries. 3. Climate Change which will soon, because of humankind's voracious appetite for the above resources, will likely soon reach a tipping point (if it hasn't already) that will drive us back to the caves. We must break the comsumption cycle we are on, break free of unsustainable resources, and manage our burgeoning population. That is impossible under a capitalistic, growth-oriented economy. Another set of economic and political structures must be put into place in the near future, or we will not ever be able to return to a decent quality of life for even a few. There will be massive loss of life throughout the world, the entire international monetary system will fail, huge resource wars will come and public services will fold under the strain, as will most businesses which depend upon favourable climate and low transport and distribution costs. The US government has known about this for some number of years and have taken a "last man standing" approach to solving the problem, which means that under the neo-cons they have opted for a "take-it-by-force (Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, etc.)-while-we-still-can-and-stay-in-the-driver's-seat" view - let the world then come to America for its needs. But it is going badly wrong for them and for that strategy, which seems to be why the neo-cons are suddenly losing their grip on power - they couldn't deliver. But the Democrats would never make the structural changes required to get it right either - they would put into place their own form of oppression, as you have rightly stated. In the end, America must give up her claim to the "American way of life", or the world is, frankly, doomed.

Here is were I would depart from you Paul and I admitt from most on the left. The democrats winning both houses of congress will not be a good thing for anyone. In fact it will only make the situation worse. The dems will simply devise new forms of US imperialism based on economic and cultural forms instead of military. Moreover, the polity will settle in for another eight years of sleep as the US empire reestablishes its franchises across the globe. Look how good the stock market is doing on the prospect of a big Dem win. The corporate and finacial bourgeoisie knows that the Dems will return the accumulation rates of the Clinton era. Then to paraphrase idiotboy, Iraq will just be a coma in history. One should vote for the candidate the represents their interests and ideals, not against someone and pragmatically, this leads to the good cop/bad cop cycle of Rep/Dem political rule. It is a false choice constructed to lure us in. The foley scandel and democratic outrage is the ten minute hate to maintain the rule of big brother by focusing our anger not at the captialist system and its many minions, but rather on the evil neo-cons.

Here is were I would depart from you Paul and I admitt from most on the left. The democrats winning both houses of congress will not be a good thing for anyone. In fact it will only make the situation worse. The dems will simply devise new forms of US imperialism based on economic and cultural forms instead of military. Moreover, the polity will settle in for another eight years of sleep as the US empire reestablishes its franchises across the globe. Look how good the stock market is doing on the prospect of a big Dem win. The corporate and finacial bourgeoisie knows that the Dems will return the accumulation rates of the Clinton era. Then to paraphrase idiotboy, Iraq will just be a coma in history. One should vote for the candidate the represents their interests and ideals, not against someone and pragmatically, this leads to the good cop/bad cop cycle of Rep/Dem political rule. It is a false choice constructed to lure us in. The foley scandel and democratic outrage is the ten minute hate to maintain the rule of big brother by focusing our anger not at the captialist system and its many minions, but rather on the evil neo-cons.

cyrano Another mystery - why is it that you rarely see a Congressman's family, or that of one of our industrial leaders or the wealthy, directly involved in war? Somehow they always find a way to keep their sons and daughters out of the conflict they so vigorously supported, leaving the deaths, the injuries, the tortured and mangled lives to us and ours, the cannon fodder, the cattle, the great unwashed masses of expendable collateral. I believe it was Michael Moore who polled Congress to determine how many Congressional leaders had children or other close relatives serving in the war. I think he came across 1 who did....1. I consider that graphic insight into the character of those who lead us.

llm1017, last time I went for a walk in toronto , I met 3 US deserters(kids basically).one of them explained that "soldiers" lite up their dope and cigarettes off Iraqis burning corpses.. apparently the "cool thing to do.. you are right something is mentally wrong with these right wingers.. they are far from having a political opinion that is compatible with decency; their stance is closer to a medical diagnosis of mental illness

Just as long as it is not them - most people could care less who dies. That's my point, and people like that don't get it and can't get it. The only person they care about is themselves - pure animal - not fully human - not a conscious member of the human race - born and raised with a defective conscience - brain damaged and brainwashed. Just as long as it's not them that's killed or has their life or their family's life ruined "all you others" are just "Collateral Damage" - cannon fadder of the decision maker elite.

In their arrogrance and indifference lies the blood and lives of people who may have been fully human. Born with empathy for others. The inhumane indifference to the blood shed by others during War is the reason wars rage on. Man's inhumanity to man. Few men get the point. Most men have no conscience - absent at birth - not developed by expierience or life.

People die in war. What's your point? That we should let our emotions control our actions? When diplomacy fails, what do you suggest?  More diplomacy?  Casualties are an unfortunate by product of war and war is part of human history. 

WWI - My mothers uncle was injured during WWI aboard a Battleship Missouri when a steam pipe exploded. She and my aunt used to take their wagon and pick him up at a local tavern and bring him home thru neighborhood alleys many many years after the war to end all wars ended.

WWII - My dad a 2LT B-24 pilot 25 Missions and uncles Ray Sgt 82nd Airborne - Bob PFC Marine Korea - Bob Capt. B-17 Pilot Korea - George 1LT P-51 Pilot were WWII vets shot down, imprisoned by the Nazi's, torchered, and wounded but all luckily somehow survived. All but one had lives of crushing debilitating alcoholism, and three eventually died from their alcoholism as young old men. Their caskets were draped by a flag whose government had long ago abandoned them after using them for war.

My Dad was lucky he had my Mom who put up with his hell raising and BS for 41 years until her early death at 61. My old man was nail tough and took no shit from anyone and that included employers, consequently he was always loosing his job, coming home drunk and kicking the crap out of Ray and then me. I was scared to death of my Dad, just a boy I had no idea why he did what he did. As men Ray and I now know why, but it makes me wonder who my Dad would have been had he not gone off to war for 5 years and how his life and his brides and ours and that of our 5 siblings might have been better.  Same sad history just different for Ray and Bob and George. The government did not give a shit for any of them, but all survived a middle class life and were good men when sober. 

Vietnam - My brother Ray -an imposing Marine 1LT 6-2 180#'s  Illinois Power Lifting Champion and I - 1LT Army were Vietnam era Officers. Ray volunteered - I lost the draft in 68 while at Ohio State and went advanced ROTC, to stay the hell out of Vietnam as long as possible. 

I dropped Ray off in Columbus in the fall of 67. He met up with 3 other Marine LT's that day and all were on their way to VietNam. Ray was the only one of the three not to come home in a box with a flag draped over it. Ray was in Nam during the 68 Tet offensive. OIC of motor transports up and back on Hwy 1 in Nam - a virtual shooting gallery for the Vietcong. Many were killed and injured under his command. His Platoon Spec 4 while sitting next to him in the cab of his Truck had his head blown off and onto Ray's lap - blood and brains everywhere. Ray never talked about that or the war with anyone but our dad. I was lucky - Vietnam was ending when I was due in country, and never had to go. Ray told me to desert and not go, I thankful never had to make that choice as I trusted my brother's judgement way more than our f***ing government's.

Clearly, the Truth of my life's experience stands as witness to the many lives destroyed and changed by war. Ray had our Dad when he came home. Lived at home for years - lifting his weights and running - mom would bitch - dad would tell her to leave him alone. Eventually Ray went to Grad school and became a teacher. He would always start off his Class with "What is the first casualty of WAR?" and his class would have to reply like a bunch of marine recruits "THE TRUTH". 

"THE TRUTH" was clearly the first casualty in the War on Terror. Many men and women will suffer from our illegal war in IRAQ. Most US citizens could care less - just as long as it is not them or their loved ones, that are called to suffer and pay the price, and that's the TRUTH.

My Dad - now 90 - is a shadow of the man he once was, Ray now takes care of him out in California, as we sit and watch the insanity of humanity.

in that small detail, yes, I should have said they instead of he but we have become accustomed to using him as the point or front man because his role has been so clearly defined for us by Mr. Rove´s machinations.

BUT YOU SEEM TO HAVE MISSED THE POINT OF THE PIECE, OR WERE YOU JUST INTRESTED IN ONE-UP-MAN-SHIP? IF SO, CONGRATS, YOU WON.  

Congress cut the benefits, not the President.

Learn how the government works.

Only the People have true power....if they wish to use it.

There is no doubt in my mind that we will be in Iraq until there are millions of people in the streets here in the U.S.  What else could possibly compel U.S. elites to give it up?

 

--Eric

During the last years of Vietnam I had a neighbor who was doing a residency in psychiatry after being a GP in a small town for 13 or so years. He was at the veteran´s hospital in Houston and would often stop by my house to talk after work. He was seriously worried about the boys being sent back from Vietnam because they had become a danger to everyone around them. This was not one or two, but many, and he only got the worst cases. Bush is grabbing anything who ever wore a uniform and sending them to the inhuman situation in Iraq, not only with no thought of the harm he is doing to the Iraque people, but no thought to what he will be turning loose on the streets here at home. How many serious monsters will we get back after these people have done what is required of them in Iraq? We surely got a small city full of them from Vietnam and society suffered the sniper shootings, wife beating, etc., etc., and if you do not believe me, go read the newspaper in Fayetteville, North Carolina . WHY IS THIS NOT ENOUGH.........WE ARE ALLOWING OUR CHILDREN TO BE TURNED INTO MONSTERS.....WHO DO YOU THINK DOES THE TORTURE AND KILLING OVER THERE?  MY NEIGHBOR SAID, OVER AND OVER.....WE ARE SENDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN TO DO INHUMAN THINGS, THEN WE BRING THEM HOME AND EXPECT THEM TO TAKE UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF.......NOT POSSIBLE.  HE HAS EVEN CUT THEIR BENEFITS, SO THEIR MEDICAL CARE WILL BE POORER QUALITY.  When is it enough?       

Paul , keir, I give a standing ovation for these eloquent words.. real issues that matter seem to evades public attention..

The hypocrisy of democracy is a national tragedy. Most Americans are too busy to care. Those who try to make a difference are mostly powerless. Fewer still are capable of rational critical thinking. Monica and Foley become the focus of a sad social joke, so as not to look at the real social corruption caused by those who govern.

All governments through out history have been about one thing and one thing only - who gets the money!!!!!! It does matter who wins the Election, but neither party can change the curse of corporate greed controlling our society. A-Mare -Ika is in a financial meltdown. The government is living off credit cards and is headed for bankruptcy, it is running out of cash. 

Any nation controlled by irrationally religious voters who elect irrationally religious leaders who use fear and allow the greed of a capitalist society to rule and manipulate the masses will not survive. BJ's and boys is the focus of a sick fearful society that simply can't handle any other reality.

If you want the truth then follow the cash - "Cash is King". Iraq was about oil -period. All war is about cash, and who gets it.

Paul, you know I'm usually in agreement with you on a range of viewpoints, and yes of course I'm happy for Republicans to lose as many seats as possible. But I really think that when Democrats win their inevitable majority, or the White House, they will not only sit pretty, but so will their supporters. There will be a huge exhalation of relief when Bush and co. are out, and that will be that. The planet will continue to crumble and the D's will simply sell it better. You do say that Democrats should be relentlessly dogged and shamed by progressives. But I don't think they will be. To be honest, I think most of them deserve the same 'long term incarceration or worse' that those holding power now do, a point on which I suppose you agree. Keir The Hague

I don't know if "bought off" is the problem as much as just conservative and cautious (what they would call "realistic") by inherent institutional nature.

One thing that this blog post doesn't relate is that I DO want the Foley thing to help the Republicans lose majorities in Congress; God knows they richly deserve sex-addicted political blowback (no pun intended) in November.

With possible new majorities in the not-so representative branch, the Democrats should be renentlesslly dogged and shamed by progressives to go after the Cheney-Bush junta, which deserves not simply mere impeachment but actual long-term incarceration or worse. Their instincts will be to try and sit pretty and wait for more good fortune in 2008.

Iraq is a huge drag on social justice in the economy no matter what it's aggregate impact on GDP and the like. One thing among many that makes Iraq different from Vietnam is of course super-strategic Middle Eastern oil, which makes wlite U.S. policymakers of either bought off business party unlikely to withdraw. A President McCain or Hilary or Obama will have to be forced to withdraw by general populations at home and/or abroad is my guess.