Sarah Palin’s Litmus Test
Reading and watching accounts of the recent “Tea Party” convention, in particular the appearance and speech by Sarah Palin, gives grave cause for concern.
Palin mouths off well-rehearsed sound-bites (for hefty speaking fees) regarding returning to “old” American values – with lower taxes and more respect for the Constitution. Then in her next breath suggested the US should fight a war with Iran and get “serious” with its war on terror.
What her and her ilk refuse to face up to is that the waging of wars by the US is a very expensive endeavour and that the perennial “war on terror” precludes any form of reduction in government spending – and as a result, taxation.
I find it outrageous that a nascent movement like the Tea Party is already being co-opted by the political establishment with a view to furtherance of their own nefarious warmongering ends.
As a result, I propose this litmus test. Any person standing up for freedom cannot, at the same time, stand as a warmonger. The two are mutually exclusive. War increases the power of the state – so any form of ignorant warmongering is a sure sign of an “enemy of freedom” – and certainly proof that such a person is wedded to state power.
As I have said many times, this so-called “war on terror” is a ruse, and fraud. Terrorism is not, and cannot be, an existential threat to any nation state. Terrorism cannot bring a nation to its knees. It is random acts of violence – similar to what the Brits had to put up with from the Irish when they were bombing London.
But the British government did not declare a “war on terror” as a result, and they did not bomb Ireland to smithereens. Nor did the British order their military to attack the USA, as a source of “terrorist funding”.
The war on terror is a crock. It is intended solely as a way of increasing government power and intimidating citizens to accept it.
It’s time to wake up and put a stop to this nonsense!
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Yes, a world without war—whatever type it is—would be wonderful. And, yes, war is costly—very costly—both in terms of military and human costs. The problem I find with America’s gutless leadership in Washington is that they do not authorize the brute power that we have to wipe out the enemy is the shortest span of time. Yes, we would kill civilians. But we’d win in a short period of time, thus minimizing both economic and human cost.
Your statement that the terrorists are not real is simply untrue. Go to Israel and see what living in terror conditions 24/7 is like. The religion of Islam states that we Americans and Jews are infidels and must be killed. Let them get the atomic bomb and I hope they come to your house and not mine so you can sample a little bit of “not real.”
And, yes, your litmus test is flawed too. Jesus said that we’ll have wars and rumor of wars until he comes. And that was uttered by the Prince of Peace. Your understing of human nature is flawed. We are capable of producing great pain as well as great mercy.
Terry, I did not say “terrorists are not real”, I said that terrorism is not an existential threat to any nation state. I think, if you go to the Middle East, that living in the Gaza Strip would be a much worse experience than living in Israel.
I have no interest in what Islam says. There is no way their religion can take over the Western World. They won’t be able to do it by converting us, and they simply do not have the means to do it by force.
Why is it that people living in Israel only ever seem to see out of one eye. Is it not possible for them to see that the State of Israel acts like a terrorist towards Palestinians. Their defence for anyone uttering any criticism of Israel – however justified – is to dismiss it as Anti-Semetic. Can we please hear from Israeli’s who have the open-mindedness to see both sides. Perhaps then it will be possible to hear intelligent comment.
One of my favourite online papers is Haaretz. There you will find writings from the sort of Israelis who can see both sides, as well as good, objective reporting and biting commentary, the sort of which you will not find in the US media.
I read the concerns of many, about the subject of Terrorism. I don’t see any attention paid to the Very worst form of Terror, in the history of Human Kind. That of the Torchure Murder of Abortion. I see the talk shows like “The View” and Opera, giving a heartfelt warning about the dangers of Texting, on the Cell phone, while driving. What we have in America is State Sponcered Terrorism. This is to Our Collective Shame, as the Greatest Nation the world has ever known…Our enemies know that to defeate America, they must destroy our sense of Self Respect, and change it to Self Worship. America will be held accountable for the Our increasing disregard for the Value of Our Unborn Children. The Amalikites actually thought that the act of Throwing their children, Three years and younger, onto a large searing pan, heated so as to cook their children, to honor Bale. The god of enjoyment… Has the wonderful America, sunk to that level, for the sake of Convenience? The first official act of our new president was to free up the money to pay for this Torture Murder, far and wide…The Soverign of The Universe is looking on, feeling each Abortion. He makes the promise “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, I will hear from Heaven, and heal their land” Even that great Love, will not protect our freedoms if we continue to if we continue to shove this great demonic sin, in His face, indefinately.
David, say Iran has a couple dozen nukes. Say they also have “missiles” capable of delivering payloads to anywhere on earth (like say, one supposedly made for sending satellites into orbit). Now imagine they decide to blow up those nukes at the appropriate altitude, in the appropriate coordinates. How will you keep your online business when the EMP blasts send western civilization back to the dark age?
Andre, what’s the point in positing unrealistic scenarios. What say Israel starts World War III by waging a pre-emptive war on Iran and drawing in the whole Arab world – to be followed lockstep by the USA and allies, who blow their nukes at the appropriate altitude and cause EMP blasts?
The point is Iran has no recent history of aggression – whereas other western countries do. There is no case to assume that Iran would seek to start any war. To engage in flights of fancy and consider various doomsday scenarios is a waste of time when it’s based on false assumptions.