Craig Peterson Jr.'s Blog, page 11
May 11, 2020
The Trio of Villains Is Still Around: A Look at Venezuela, Iran, and North Korea
While COVID-19 causes a frenzy around the world and gives governments an excuse to implement authoritarian measures, the United States government continues business as usual in its antagonistic approach towards noncompliant nations. The trio of “villains” must still be stopped and forced to change course, of course. Nicolas Maduro, Ali Khamenei, and Kim Jong-un have stood up to the might of the United States, but which one will break first?
The Trump administration has been eyeing Maduro’s Venezuela for some time, even recognizing the illegitimate leader Juan Guaido as president of the country. Despite Guaido’s failed attempts at gaining power, the United States has been finding creative ways of orchestrating soft coups against the legitimate leader without making it seem like there is too much American involvement. In March, President Trump indicted Maduro on narcoterrorism and other drug-related charges and issued a bounty of $15 million for information leading to his capture and a slightly smaller reward for those within Maduro’s inner circle. As a show of force, the United States sent a naval fleet down in the vicinity of Venezuela like it was attempting to repeat the 1989 invasion of Panama to capture Manuel Noriega. Some American mercenaries attempted to get involved in the fray, and after the botched coup attempt led to their capture, the Trump administration plausibly denied knowledge of the operation. Even if President Trump was unaware of the coup attempt, his indictment and reward bolstered the actions. Look out for future actions in South America because this will likely not be the last one.
Outside of the exchanging of rockets and missiles in Iraq, hostilities between the United States and Iran have been ramping up. President Trump is showing that he is ready to strike Iran after he vetoed a bill in both houses of Congress that would have limited his ability to wage war in the Persian nation. Although the mainstream media generally does not question why the United States even has its ships located in the Persian Gulf and awaiting a misfire that could easily provoke a war, Iranian boats encircled American Navy warships in an aggressive manner. President Trump has expressed interest in extending the conventional arms embargo against Iran that is set to expire soon as part of the 2015 deal that the United States withdrew from in 2018. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has vowed to give a “crushing response” if the United States pushes for furthering the embargo’s reinstatement. Whatever response that Rouhani was alluding to, we can be sure the United States will reciprocate. A war against a virus may not be the only conflict we see on the horizon.
During the last couple of weeks, the mainstream media had been spreading the false narrative that Kim Jong-un was dead without providing the evidence (something that fact checkers generally blame “unreliable” or “fake” news sources of doing). Since rising from the “dead,” the North Korean leader has condemned South Korea’s military exercises, seen a skirmish along the demilitarized zone, and continued construction on a nuclear facility that is presumed to be able to house missiles capable of reaching the United States. If North and South Korea end up engaging each other in armed conflict, whether intentionally or by accident, the United States is sure to join in to support its ally on the southern side of the border. This will be the excuse necessary to oust Kim Jong-un, a leader who has not backed down to American intimidation and has continually worked towards nuclear missile capabilities to ensure the survival of his regime.
Will war against any of these three nations occur with the coronavirus crisis occupying the United States’ time and energy? It is hard to say at this point, but the crisis is the perfect cover for covert coup operations because the entire country is fixated on the death tolls and the economic impact from a virus that is likely to not disappear for quite some time. It may be that the war hawks in Washington, D.C. will focus on confrontation with China, whether economically or militarily, in the upcoming weeks, but do not rule out the possibility of some behind the scenes operations in Venezuela, Iran, or North Korea. These countries have been targeted with economic sanctions, coup attempts, and military intimidation for years, and there is no reason to believe that this will end because of a virus.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
The Trump administration has been eyeing Maduro’s Venezuela for some time, even recognizing the illegitimate leader Juan Guaido as president of the country. Despite Guaido’s failed attempts at gaining power, the United States has been finding creative ways of orchestrating soft coups against the legitimate leader without making it seem like there is too much American involvement. In March, President Trump indicted Maduro on narcoterrorism and other drug-related charges and issued a bounty of $15 million for information leading to his capture and a slightly smaller reward for those within Maduro’s inner circle. As a show of force, the United States sent a naval fleet down in the vicinity of Venezuela like it was attempting to repeat the 1989 invasion of Panama to capture Manuel Noriega. Some American mercenaries attempted to get involved in the fray, and after the botched coup attempt led to their capture, the Trump administration plausibly denied knowledge of the operation. Even if President Trump was unaware of the coup attempt, his indictment and reward bolstered the actions. Look out for future actions in South America because this will likely not be the last one.
Outside of the exchanging of rockets and missiles in Iraq, hostilities between the United States and Iran have been ramping up. President Trump is showing that he is ready to strike Iran after he vetoed a bill in both houses of Congress that would have limited his ability to wage war in the Persian nation. Although the mainstream media generally does not question why the United States even has its ships located in the Persian Gulf and awaiting a misfire that could easily provoke a war, Iranian boats encircled American Navy warships in an aggressive manner. President Trump has expressed interest in extending the conventional arms embargo against Iran that is set to expire soon as part of the 2015 deal that the United States withdrew from in 2018. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has vowed to give a “crushing response” if the United States pushes for furthering the embargo’s reinstatement. Whatever response that Rouhani was alluding to, we can be sure the United States will reciprocate. A war against a virus may not be the only conflict we see on the horizon.
During the last couple of weeks, the mainstream media had been spreading the false narrative that Kim Jong-un was dead without providing the evidence (something that fact checkers generally blame “unreliable” or “fake” news sources of doing). Since rising from the “dead,” the North Korean leader has condemned South Korea’s military exercises, seen a skirmish along the demilitarized zone, and continued construction on a nuclear facility that is presumed to be able to house missiles capable of reaching the United States. If North and South Korea end up engaging each other in armed conflict, whether intentionally or by accident, the United States is sure to join in to support its ally on the southern side of the border. This will be the excuse necessary to oust Kim Jong-un, a leader who has not backed down to American intimidation and has continually worked towards nuclear missile capabilities to ensure the survival of his regime.
Will war against any of these three nations occur with the coronavirus crisis occupying the United States’ time and energy? It is hard to say at this point, but the crisis is the perfect cover for covert coup operations because the entire country is fixated on the death tolls and the economic impact from a virus that is likely to not disappear for quite some time. It may be that the war hawks in Washington, D.C. will focus on confrontation with China, whether economically or militarily, in the upcoming weeks, but do not rule out the possibility of some behind the scenes operations in Venezuela, Iran, or North Korea. These countries have been targeted with economic sanctions, coup attempts, and military intimidation for years, and there is no reason to believe that this will end because of a virus.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
May 4, 2020
The Tale of Tyrannical Tim
It had been four years since she laid eyes on her teenage son and watched as his body was being cryogenically frozen by a doctor who she recalled resembled a plump space worm. She remembered all of the late nights driving back and forth to the hospital wondering if he would ever be able to live a normal life again, and since the technology that would eventually save his life was not available at the time, her only option was to have his life put on pause through a bath that she described as carbonite. The surgery was a success, and she was finally ready to take him home. She walked over to his bed with excitement and touched his face. “Son,” she cried. “It’s so good to see you. I’ve missed you so much, Tim!”
As they caught up for a few moments, Tim started to wonder what the world outside would be like. “What kind of new videogames have I missed,” he thought to himself. “I’m going to hang out with my friends and go to the movies. I’m finally going to be able to go hiking and travel the world.” He was so excited at the thought of being able to explore the world as a healthy young man who was no longer bound to the four walls of the hospital. He headed down the hallway with his mother towards the door and the outside world, and he started to observe something that appeared a bit peculiar. “Why aren’t there groups of people walking down the street giggling like little school girls, or cars honking at idiots that need a driving lesson, and why are all of the tables flipped upside down at the cafes,” Tim asked his mother.
“Don’t worry about it, son. I’ll explain everything when we get home. Just get in the car, and we’ll be on our way.”
“But mom, this is creepy! It’s like we’re in a ghost town. Did something happen while I was asleep? I know, we’re living in a sci-fi world and aliens killed most of the population, and those still alive are hiding underground.”
“Close,” his mother joked. “But seriously, I’ll tell you when we get home.”
“Can we at least stop at the diner to get something to eat? I could eat a whale right about now, and I miss sitting back in the booth and having food brought out to me like I’m some kind of boss.”
“Tim, we can’t go to the diner.”
“Why not? I want to eat until I drop.”
“The diner has closed permanently, and to get food elsewhere, you have to order ahead and pick it up. There is no more eating at restaurants. We just need to get home. My authorization form to leave the house for essential business is about to run out.”
“What!? You need a permission slip to leave the house now? It’s the aliens isn’t it? They took over, and now they’re making us conform to their rules. That’s it! Isn’t it, mom?"
“You’re more right than you know, son.”
As they pulled down the street where their house was, Tim noticed that people were walking around the neighborhood with masks on. “Why do so many people have masks on,” he cried. “Are the aliens terraforming the planet and making it difficult for us to breath?” “Son,” she said. “It’s not alien overlords taking control of our daily lives and telling us how to live. It’s the governor.”
“The governor,” he screamed. “What do you mean?”
“See, there’s a virus that presumably escaped from overseas and is now wreaking havoc on the world and changing how we live.”
“So, it’s not aliens?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“So, we’re living in a zombie apocalypse, then?”
“Not quite. This is a virus that has infected and killed people worldwide. As a result, almost all countries have implemented national lockdowns preventing people from leaving their homes unless they are on official business. In the United States, each individual state has determined the extent of the measures meant to keep people at home. You can be fined or arrested for going to church or a bar, having friends or family over at your house, not wearing a mask in public, or going to the park to play basketball with your buddies. Businesses that the governor thinks aren’t important have been forced to shut down. Unemployment is sharply rising as a result, and businesses are failing. There’s even a hotline to snitch on those who keep their stores open or don’t practice mandatory social distancing. This is serious, son, and I’m sorry you have to spend your first several weeks out of the hospital like this. It’s not what I wanted for you, but the timing just didn’t work out.”
“I can’t even go to the park and play basketball? I thought this was a free country and we had rights? What about the legislature and the courts? I learned about those in school. We still have checks and balances in our republican form of government, right?”
“Sadly, no. The legislature took a vacation and left the governor in charge, and now the governor has declared that the legislative session this year is over. The courts have been suspended except for essential hearings. The executive branch is the only part of government that is currently active, and the governor has changed hundreds of laws and regulations without the approval of the legislature. His edicts have become the law of the land.”
“So, we’ve become a dictatorship?”
“Pretty much, son.”
“Is the virus deadly? I mean, is like half of the population dying from this or something?”
“Well, it’s infected a few million people worldwide, and the initial estimate put the death rate at about 4% of those infected. But, after studies have been conducted, it appears that the death rate may actually be well below 1%.”
“So, this is like comparable to the flu?”
“Yeah, kind of, but they say this one is deadlier and spreads faster. The models that they use are just their best guesses without any actual data or numbers to base it on being that the virus is new and not fully understood.”
“So, you or I could just die from it?”
“Not exactly, son. It mostly kills people over the age of 60 or those who have underlying conditions. We will both be just fine if we come down with it.”
“If it largely targets those over a certain age, why don’t we just isolate those people and let everyone else live their lives and maybe catch it and get immunity to it?”
“Son, you have to understand that people are afraid, and the media and the government are constantly giving us reports of how many people are dead, how many people are going to die, and why lockdowns are saving lives. People don’t know any better, and fear drives people to do irrational things.”
“You mean like give up our rights and live under an authoritarian regime like China or North Korea?”
“Yes, exactly, but people don’t know that they’re being manipulated and conditioned to accept these things.” They think that because you can still go to the grocery store on occasion to get food or that the police aren’t standing outside our doors stopping us from leaving that our rights aren’t being taken away. They’ve flooded the media with propaganda about flattening the curve and social distancing, and people now think that if you stand up for your rights, you are a selfish individual who has no compassion for people."
“What if the lockdowns aren’t lifted or the governor decides that he wants them to continue on and off for many years to come?”
“That is a real possibility, son. They are already beginning to tell us to expect a second wave of the virus and more lockdowns over the winter. This reminds me of 9-11, and how everyone was afraid after the terrorist attacks. The government put in place surveillance measures that were meant to halt the actions of terrorists, but instead, they’ve used them to spy on people. The wars in the Middle East were supposed to be temporary, but they’ve lasted for almost two decades with no end in sight. I can only imagine what the next crisis will be like. When the aliens finally do invade, the government will lock us in prison cells to keep us 'safe,' and everyone will be cheering as we’re forced away from our homes.”
“Lol, mom. I don’t even want to celebrate the 4th of July this year. What’s the point? We’re not free anymore. What about the military members who served the country thinking they were fighting for freedom, and now they have to come home to this? What a disgrace!? This isn’t the country I remember. It’s like a slap in the face!”
“I understand you’re angry, son, but the good news is that people are beginning to wake up and protest. Eventually, people might begin to use civil disobedience as a tactic. If enough people stand up to tyranny, maybe the measures will be pushed back.”
“I’m going to dress up like a mask-wearing sheep this year for Halloween because that’s what we’ve become as a nation. Baaaah, baaaah.”
“Haha, son. Let’s tune into the news. Governor Tim is giving his daily briefing.”
Governor Tim: “We are doing our best to flatten this curve, and I will not lift the restrictions on the economy until the experts give me the numbers. The models know all, and if you dispute the numbers we have, you’re a bad person. If you disagree with my policy, too bad. Leave the state. It’s my agenda, and this is what we’re going to do. Starting tomorrow, I will be issuing an executive order giving law enforcement full power to arrest those who do not wear masks in public or who visit their friends and family in gatherings or engage in any activity where people can’t be more than six feet apart. People need to learn that this kind of behavior is not acceptable and that we have to do this to protect everyone, even though people have already died despite the orders. People say that they’re losing their jobs, that suicides are on the rise, and that domestic and sexual abuse have gone up. To that I say, too bad. Those things don’t equal death. The virus equals death, and only the virus. I know we’re broke and can’t afford to pay unemployment, and I shut down all the businesses that I didn’t like or think were essential, but if you want to work, go out and get an essential job tomorrow. Places aren’t hiring, but still, go out and get one and stop pestering me about opening up the economy. It’s not going to happen. Get used to it. We all need to put our lives on hold because I said so, and this is my state. I have done such a phenomenal job flattening this curve, and it wasn’t God that did this. It was me. I’m pretty much invincible right now, and everyone loves me. I’m riding my way to the 2024 election, so just shut up and play my game. Thank you, and I will get you through this, so just trust in me. Good night and may I bless you all!”
Thank you for reading, and remember to never give up your rights even in this scary time we’re all facing. We will get through it, but the precedents that are set during this crisis will leave us scarred and broken for years. If you would like to check out my book, The Global Bully, please visit the website. May the Fourth be with you!
As they caught up for a few moments, Tim started to wonder what the world outside would be like. “What kind of new videogames have I missed,” he thought to himself. “I’m going to hang out with my friends and go to the movies. I’m finally going to be able to go hiking and travel the world.” He was so excited at the thought of being able to explore the world as a healthy young man who was no longer bound to the four walls of the hospital. He headed down the hallway with his mother towards the door and the outside world, and he started to observe something that appeared a bit peculiar. “Why aren’t there groups of people walking down the street giggling like little school girls, or cars honking at idiots that need a driving lesson, and why are all of the tables flipped upside down at the cafes,” Tim asked his mother.
“Don’t worry about it, son. I’ll explain everything when we get home. Just get in the car, and we’ll be on our way.”
“But mom, this is creepy! It’s like we’re in a ghost town. Did something happen while I was asleep? I know, we’re living in a sci-fi world and aliens killed most of the population, and those still alive are hiding underground.”
“Close,” his mother joked. “But seriously, I’ll tell you when we get home.”
“Can we at least stop at the diner to get something to eat? I could eat a whale right about now, and I miss sitting back in the booth and having food brought out to me like I’m some kind of boss.”
“Tim, we can’t go to the diner.”
“Why not? I want to eat until I drop.”
“The diner has closed permanently, and to get food elsewhere, you have to order ahead and pick it up. There is no more eating at restaurants. We just need to get home. My authorization form to leave the house for essential business is about to run out.”
“What!? You need a permission slip to leave the house now? It’s the aliens isn’t it? They took over, and now they’re making us conform to their rules. That’s it! Isn’t it, mom?"
“You’re more right than you know, son.”
As they pulled down the street where their house was, Tim noticed that people were walking around the neighborhood with masks on. “Why do so many people have masks on,” he cried. “Are the aliens terraforming the planet and making it difficult for us to breath?” “Son,” she said. “It’s not alien overlords taking control of our daily lives and telling us how to live. It’s the governor.”
“The governor,” he screamed. “What do you mean?”
“See, there’s a virus that presumably escaped from overseas and is now wreaking havoc on the world and changing how we live.”
“So, it’s not aliens?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“So, we’re living in a zombie apocalypse, then?”
“Not quite. This is a virus that has infected and killed people worldwide. As a result, almost all countries have implemented national lockdowns preventing people from leaving their homes unless they are on official business. In the United States, each individual state has determined the extent of the measures meant to keep people at home. You can be fined or arrested for going to church or a bar, having friends or family over at your house, not wearing a mask in public, or going to the park to play basketball with your buddies. Businesses that the governor thinks aren’t important have been forced to shut down. Unemployment is sharply rising as a result, and businesses are failing. There’s even a hotline to snitch on those who keep their stores open or don’t practice mandatory social distancing. This is serious, son, and I’m sorry you have to spend your first several weeks out of the hospital like this. It’s not what I wanted for you, but the timing just didn’t work out.”
“I can’t even go to the park and play basketball? I thought this was a free country and we had rights? What about the legislature and the courts? I learned about those in school. We still have checks and balances in our republican form of government, right?”
“Sadly, no. The legislature took a vacation and left the governor in charge, and now the governor has declared that the legislative session this year is over. The courts have been suspended except for essential hearings. The executive branch is the only part of government that is currently active, and the governor has changed hundreds of laws and regulations without the approval of the legislature. His edicts have become the law of the land.”
“So, we’ve become a dictatorship?”
“Pretty much, son.”
“Is the virus deadly? I mean, is like half of the population dying from this or something?”
“Well, it’s infected a few million people worldwide, and the initial estimate put the death rate at about 4% of those infected. But, after studies have been conducted, it appears that the death rate may actually be well below 1%.”
“So, this is like comparable to the flu?”
“Yeah, kind of, but they say this one is deadlier and spreads faster. The models that they use are just their best guesses without any actual data or numbers to base it on being that the virus is new and not fully understood.”
“So, you or I could just die from it?”
“Not exactly, son. It mostly kills people over the age of 60 or those who have underlying conditions. We will both be just fine if we come down with it.”
“If it largely targets those over a certain age, why don’t we just isolate those people and let everyone else live their lives and maybe catch it and get immunity to it?”
“Son, you have to understand that people are afraid, and the media and the government are constantly giving us reports of how many people are dead, how many people are going to die, and why lockdowns are saving lives. People don’t know any better, and fear drives people to do irrational things.”
“You mean like give up our rights and live under an authoritarian regime like China or North Korea?”
“Yes, exactly, but people don’t know that they’re being manipulated and conditioned to accept these things.” They think that because you can still go to the grocery store on occasion to get food or that the police aren’t standing outside our doors stopping us from leaving that our rights aren’t being taken away. They’ve flooded the media with propaganda about flattening the curve and social distancing, and people now think that if you stand up for your rights, you are a selfish individual who has no compassion for people."
“What if the lockdowns aren’t lifted or the governor decides that he wants them to continue on and off for many years to come?”
“That is a real possibility, son. They are already beginning to tell us to expect a second wave of the virus and more lockdowns over the winter. This reminds me of 9-11, and how everyone was afraid after the terrorist attacks. The government put in place surveillance measures that were meant to halt the actions of terrorists, but instead, they’ve used them to spy on people. The wars in the Middle East were supposed to be temporary, but they’ve lasted for almost two decades with no end in sight. I can only imagine what the next crisis will be like. When the aliens finally do invade, the government will lock us in prison cells to keep us 'safe,' and everyone will be cheering as we’re forced away from our homes.”
“Lol, mom. I don’t even want to celebrate the 4th of July this year. What’s the point? We’re not free anymore. What about the military members who served the country thinking they were fighting for freedom, and now they have to come home to this? What a disgrace!? This isn’t the country I remember. It’s like a slap in the face!”
“I understand you’re angry, son, but the good news is that people are beginning to wake up and protest. Eventually, people might begin to use civil disobedience as a tactic. If enough people stand up to tyranny, maybe the measures will be pushed back.”
“I’m going to dress up like a mask-wearing sheep this year for Halloween because that’s what we’ve become as a nation. Baaaah, baaaah.”
“Haha, son. Let’s tune into the news. Governor Tim is giving his daily briefing.”
Governor Tim: “We are doing our best to flatten this curve, and I will not lift the restrictions on the economy until the experts give me the numbers. The models know all, and if you dispute the numbers we have, you’re a bad person. If you disagree with my policy, too bad. Leave the state. It’s my agenda, and this is what we’re going to do. Starting tomorrow, I will be issuing an executive order giving law enforcement full power to arrest those who do not wear masks in public or who visit their friends and family in gatherings or engage in any activity where people can’t be more than six feet apart. People need to learn that this kind of behavior is not acceptable and that we have to do this to protect everyone, even though people have already died despite the orders. People say that they’re losing their jobs, that suicides are on the rise, and that domestic and sexual abuse have gone up. To that I say, too bad. Those things don’t equal death. The virus equals death, and only the virus. I know we’re broke and can’t afford to pay unemployment, and I shut down all the businesses that I didn’t like or think were essential, but if you want to work, go out and get an essential job tomorrow. Places aren’t hiring, but still, go out and get one and stop pestering me about opening up the economy. It’s not going to happen. Get used to it. We all need to put our lives on hold because I said so, and this is my state. I have done such a phenomenal job flattening this curve, and it wasn’t God that did this. It was me. I’m pretty much invincible right now, and everyone loves me. I’m riding my way to the 2024 election, so just shut up and play my game. Thank you, and I will get you through this, so just trust in me. Good night and may I bless you all!”
Thank you for reading, and remember to never give up your rights even in this scary time we’re all facing. We will get through it, but the precedents that are set during this crisis will leave us scarred and broken for years. If you would like to check out my book, The Global Bully, please visit the website. May the Fourth be with you!
April 20, 2020
What Happened to America: The Coronavirus Response?
A blaze of executive orders has been spreading across the country like a wildfire to the point where most states only have traces of freedom left. Liberty has burned out. The principle of democracy is crumbling as states have descended into monarchy, and for what? People have decided to flock to “benevolent” paternalism over fear that a virus may come to get them. Tyranny has consumed the nation.
Yes, viruses are serious and deadly, but should we sacrifice our liberties over them? The argument has been that you have the right to your liberties up until the time that you harm someone else, and therefore, everything must be restricted because you could potentially spread the virus to someone else. Wait a minute! So, a governor has the right to sit on a throne and say that every individual is going out harming others just simply because that person exists? I guess there is no more trial by jury. Everyone is just assumed to be “guilty” of having the virus, and therefore they should not be allowed to move about or associate with whoever they please. We are being punished before a crime occurs. This is ludicrous! When did my rights become conditional on whether I might do something? This does not even include the federal and state constitutional issues that nobody seems to care about anymore.
I submitted an inquiry into the New York governor’s office requesting the specific authority that allows the governor to restrict everything under the sun and issue executive orders at will, and the response was simply that this is a public health emergency. So, the government is able to suspend democracy and rights indefinitely because there is an emergency? This is dangerous because anything could be declared as an emergency and used as justification to steal rights. The governor’s office has yet to answer my follow up about specifically pointing me to the legal and constitutional authority.
This brings up the question of where do our rights come from: government or from outside of it? If our rights exist in our humanity or from God, there are clear principles that restrict government. If our rights exist within government, the government may justify any type of action as beneficial to the collective good. Who are we to say that the actions of government are unjustified? The government is the arbiter of morals from this perspective, and therefore even heinous acts like genocide are acceptable because there is no principle in which to classify these as morally repugnant. In this pandemic, why should the government stop at “flattening the curve” through mandatory measures? Why not imprison everyone in their homes indefinitely to prevent pollution or crime? Doing so would be beneficial to society, but people would not be free to live their lives in a manner that they choose.
States across the country have been dominated by the executive branch, and democracy has taken a back seat to the needs of monarchy. New York, for example, has become a dictatorship with the governor able to suspend any law he wants and to legislate in the name of executive orders that protect public health. Courts have been suspended across the state except for cases related to essential functions. The New York State Legislature has no definitive plans on when it will meet again, and Governor Cuomo called the 2020 legislative session over. Since the state legislature gave the governor his emergency dictator powers, the executive branch has been the only one actively operating, which makes a mockery of the republican form of government guaranteed to every state by the U.S. Constitution.
Freedom of assembly, the right to due process, and the right to practice one’s religion have been threatened by the actions of several states. In New York, all businesses and organizations that are deemed as nonessential by the governor himself have been forced to shut down, and this even includes gun shops and churches. Many small businesses across the state will likely never be able to reopen due to the damage done, but the large corporations that were permitted to remain in business will recover in a world with less competition. Many people have been forced into unemployment and financial difficulties, while the governor has continued to push for his pay raise.
Governor Cuomo has made it a “law” that everyone in public must wear a mask or an equivalent face covering when within six feet of another individual. People are now shaming those who do not wear masks, and law enforcement is allowed to issue fines for those who do not comply with the order. Any gathering of any size, even with family or friends, is strictly forbidden. The governor has established a means for filing or calling in complaints about any individuals or businesses that have gatherings or continue to operate. The state is attempting to create fascist snitches. In New York City, you can even take pictures of violations and text them to the police.
In Michigan, people are not allowed to go between residences, and essential stores that are allowed to stay open are required to close certain nonessential sections (sections that sell things like furniture, gardening supplies, and arts and crafts) and restrict the number of customers. New Jersey has banned all nonessential medical surgeries, Rhode Island has used the national guard to go from door to door in search of New Yorkers and stopped cars with out-of-state license plates in order to force visitors to quarantine, and almost every state has some variation of stay-at-home orders and closures of nonessential businesses.
State and local law enforcement officers are handing out fines and even arresting people who are not practicing social distancing. Though taking these drastic steps is generally not preferred, it does happen, and it disproportionately targets minorities. A few examples of arrests that have been made include a man in Maryland who had a bonfire gathering in his yard, a man in New York that had a nonessential gathering in his bar, and a pastor that held a church service in Florida. In Greenville, Mississippi, all attendees of a drive-in church service were given $500 fines (this was challenged by the U.S Justice Department). In New York, fines for not practicing social distancing have been increased to $1,000 statewide.
What has happened to America? We have all become a nation of sheep that is so terrified of a virus that we roll over and do whatever the government wants. Tyranny has taken a foothold, and states have yielded to authoritarianism. The Fascist States of America is no longer a free country, and if 9-11 is any indication, we may not get our rights fully restored. There is some good news though. People are beginning to wake up, and protests have sprung up across the nation urging governors to reopen the economy. Perhaps the compliant and sleeping public will finally realize what is really going on with these power-hungry governors, but will it be too late?
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
Yes, viruses are serious and deadly, but should we sacrifice our liberties over them? The argument has been that you have the right to your liberties up until the time that you harm someone else, and therefore, everything must be restricted because you could potentially spread the virus to someone else. Wait a minute! So, a governor has the right to sit on a throne and say that every individual is going out harming others just simply because that person exists? I guess there is no more trial by jury. Everyone is just assumed to be “guilty” of having the virus, and therefore they should not be allowed to move about or associate with whoever they please. We are being punished before a crime occurs. This is ludicrous! When did my rights become conditional on whether I might do something? This does not even include the federal and state constitutional issues that nobody seems to care about anymore.
I submitted an inquiry into the New York governor’s office requesting the specific authority that allows the governor to restrict everything under the sun and issue executive orders at will, and the response was simply that this is a public health emergency. So, the government is able to suspend democracy and rights indefinitely because there is an emergency? This is dangerous because anything could be declared as an emergency and used as justification to steal rights. The governor’s office has yet to answer my follow up about specifically pointing me to the legal and constitutional authority.
This brings up the question of where do our rights come from: government or from outside of it? If our rights exist in our humanity or from God, there are clear principles that restrict government. If our rights exist within government, the government may justify any type of action as beneficial to the collective good. Who are we to say that the actions of government are unjustified? The government is the arbiter of morals from this perspective, and therefore even heinous acts like genocide are acceptable because there is no principle in which to classify these as morally repugnant. In this pandemic, why should the government stop at “flattening the curve” through mandatory measures? Why not imprison everyone in their homes indefinitely to prevent pollution or crime? Doing so would be beneficial to society, but people would not be free to live their lives in a manner that they choose.
States across the country have been dominated by the executive branch, and democracy has taken a back seat to the needs of monarchy. New York, for example, has become a dictatorship with the governor able to suspend any law he wants and to legislate in the name of executive orders that protect public health. Courts have been suspended across the state except for cases related to essential functions. The New York State Legislature has no definitive plans on when it will meet again, and Governor Cuomo called the 2020 legislative session over. Since the state legislature gave the governor his emergency dictator powers, the executive branch has been the only one actively operating, which makes a mockery of the republican form of government guaranteed to every state by the U.S. Constitution.
Freedom of assembly, the right to due process, and the right to practice one’s religion have been threatened by the actions of several states. In New York, all businesses and organizations that are deemed as nonessential by the governor himself have been forced to shut down, and this even includes gun shops and churches. Many small businesses across the state will likely never be able to reopen due to the damage done, but the large corporations that were permitted to remain in business will recover in a world with less competition. Many people have been forced into unemployment and financial difficulties, while the governor has continued to push for his pay raise.
Governor Cuomo has made it a “law” that everyone in public must wear a mask or an equivalent face covering when within six feet of another individual. People are now shaming those who do not wear masks, and law enforcement is allowed to issue fines for those who do not comply with the order. Any gathering of any size, even with family or friends, is strictly forbidden. The governor has established a means for filing or calling in complaints about any individuals or businesses that have gatherings or continue to operate. The state is attempting to create fascist snitches. In New York City, you can even take pictures of violations and text them to the police.
In Michigan, people are not allowed to go between residences, and essential stores that are allowed to stay open are required to close certain nonessential sections (sections that sell things like furniture, gardening supplies, and arts and crafts) and restrict the number of customers. New Jersey has banned all nonessential medical surgeries, Rhode Island has used the national guard to go from door to door in search of New Yorkers and stopped cars with out-of-state license plates in order to force visitors to quarantine, and almost every state has some variation of stay-at-home orders and closures of nonessential businesses.
State and local law enforcement officers are handing out fines and even arresting people who are not practicing social distancing. Though taking these drastic steps is generally not preferred, it does happen, and it disproportionately targets minorities. A few examples of arrests that have been made include a man in Maryland who had a bonfire gathering in his yard, a man in New York that had a nonessential gathering in his bar, and a pastor that held a church service in Florida. In Greenville, Mississippi, all attendees of a drive-in church service were given $500 fines (this was challenged by the U.S Justice Department). In New York, fines for not practicing social distancing have been increased to $1,000 statewide.
What has happened to America? We have all become a nation of sheep that is so terrified of a virus that we roll over and do whatever the government wants. Tyranny has taken a foothold, and states have yielded to authoritarianism. The Fascist States of America is no longer a free country, and if 9-11 is any indication, we may not get our rights fully restored. There is some good news though. People are beginning to wake up, and protests have sprung up across the nation urging governors to reopen the economy. Perhaps the compliant and sleeping public will finally realize what is really going on with these power-hungry governors, but will it be too late?
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
April 2, 2020
Pay No Attention to What Is Behind the Corona Curtain
People are constantly getting bombarded with news about how many people are dying from COVID-19 and how if they do not play along and social distance themselves, there will be millions upon millions of deaths from the disease. There is much indoctrination going on, and those who challenge the official narrative or question the necessity of some of the executive orders that have been forced upon the populace are often looked down upon. Although the virus that is ravaging the world is very serious and people are unfortunately dying from it, we need to also pay attention to some of the other things going on in the world because if we are not vigilant, we may become subject to consequences that are unfavorable.
In terms of foreign policy and despite the pandemic, tensions with Venezuela and Iran have continued, and perhaps escalated. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been indicted by the United States government for conspiring with Colombian rebels and drug trafficking, and there are rewards to the tune of millions of dollars for information leading to his capture. The Trump administration is engaging in a soft coup to elevate opposition leader Juan Guaido to the top position in the South American nation, and the administration is now moving Navy ships to the region.
In addition, the United States has refused to lift economic sanctions on Iran, which is one of the hardest hit countries in the pandemic. The two nations just finished exchanging rocket fire and airstrikes in Iraq. Will these events lead to an invasion of Venezuela or Iran? Time will tell, but the war hawks may end up being temporarily preoccupied with pushing for action against China over COVID-19 after the virus slows down.
In addition to attempting to push through new actions that will infringe on gun rights with H.R. 5717 (116th Congress) and the overreach of state governments in suspending rights such as free assembly and due process, the federal government has been looking to reauthorize unconstitutional surveillance measures and even to suspend habeas corpus during the pandemic. The lone wolf (Section 6001 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act) provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (this allows the government to target an individual who does not have connections to a foreign government or terrorist group), business collection provision (Section 215) of the Patriot Act (this allows the government to force companies to hand over records and data without a warrant, but rather just the approval from a secret FISA court), and the roving wiretap provision (Section 206) of the Patriot Act (this allows the government to target an individual if he or she changes devices) were about to sunset, but they have been reauthorized until May when they will be discussed further.
The Department of Justice has proposed suspending habeas corpus (the ability to challenge one’s detention and be brought before a judge) during emergencies like the COVID-19 crisis. The federal government is seeking to indefinitely detain people, while the state governments are forcing people under a soft house arrest. These set a bad precedent for the future, and perhaps during the next crisis, the government will force “nonessential” people into concentration camps.
More underreported news items related to COVID-19 include the 2019 Military World Games in China and a country that is taking the world by surprise with an unusual approach to the coronavirus. Back in October 2019, roughly two months before the coronavirus outbreak, several countries met together in Wuhan, China to participate in an Olympic-style event for military members. Is it a coincidence that COVID-19 originated in the same city around the same time? Although there is no evidence of conspiracy at this time, officials in China and Iran have accused the United States of introducing the virus during the games.
Sweden has decided to take a different approach to COVID-19 by refusing to implement a lockdown like in most other countries. The government has recommended that people practice social distancing and many people are voluntarily doing so, but it has not been forced upon them. While Sweden is enjoying its freedom, citizens in most countries are having their lives controlled by an authoritarian force. At this time, there is little evidence that Sweden is suffering any more from the disease than other European countries like Norway, Finland, and Austria (all of which have implemented lockdowns). This challenges the official narrative, and perhaps we will learn that the authoritarian approach was not necessary.
As many people are choosing or being forced to stay home during the pandemic, there have been reports that pollution and crime have decreased, which in of itself is not bad, but this may lead to governments extending certain restrictions by arguing that they are necessary for the environment or to ensure people are behaving properly. Many people say that the restrictions on people’s lives will be temporary, but what if they are not? Governments may ease up on certain things, but will they reintroduce them arbitrarily when they deem it necessary? Will the measures be stricter the next time? Governments often do not give up power that they are given. Experts have already stated that the coronavirus will resurface during the winter, so will we see a new round of restrictions being enforced then? In New York, Governor Cuomo’s dictator powers do not expire until April 2021, so he has the ability to suspend laws and issue executive orders for anything that he deems necessary until then.
These are tough times, and people need to be prepared for things to come. Instead of fixating on the casualties and the arguments for more restrictions, we should be watching things that are going on behind the scenes. For example, state governments are now issuing fines and arresting people for being out of their houses and having gatherings. We know that this could happen in theory, but the fact that we are allowing this in a supposedly free country is troublesome. If we do not wake up, we could be looking at the inside of a cell, or we could be faced with the prospect of a large global war. Pay attention to the underreported news items, and stay healthy!
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
In terms of foreign policy and despite the pandemic, tensions with Venezuela and Iran have continued, and perhaps escalated. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been indicted by the United States government for conspiring with Colombian rebels and drug trafficking, and there are rewards to the tune of millions of dollars for information leading to his capture. The Trump administration is engaging in a soft coup to elevate opposition leader Juan Guaido to the top position in the South American nation, and the administration is now moving Navy ships to the region.
In addition, the United States has refused to lift economic sanctions on Iran, which is one of the hardest hit countries in the pandemic. The two nations just finished exchanging rocket fire and airstrikes in Iraq. Will these events lead to an invasion of Venezuela or Iran? Time will tell, but the war hawks may end up being temporarily preoccupied with pushing for action against China over COVID-19 after the virus slows down.
In addition to attempting to push through new actions that will infringe on gun rights with H.R. 5717 (116th Congress) and the overreach of state governments in suspending rights such as free assembly and due process, the federal government has been looking to reauthorize unconstitutional surveillance measures and even to suspend habeas corpus during the pandemic. The lone wolf (Section 6001 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act) provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (this allows the government to target an individual who does not have connections to a foreign government or terrorist group), business collection provision (Section 215) of the Patriot Act (this allows the government to force companies to hand over records and data without a warrant, but rather just the approval from a secret FISA court), and the roving wiretap provision (Section 206) of the Patriot Act (this allows the government to target an individual if he or she changes devices) were about to sunset, but they have been reauthorized until May when they will be discussed further.
The Department of Justice has proposed suspending habeas corpus (the ability to challenge one’s detention and be brought before a judge) during emergencies like the COVID-19 crisis. The federal government is seeking to indefinitely detain people, while the state governments are forcing people under a soft house arrest. These set a bad precedent for the future, and perhaps during the next crisis, the government will force “nonessential” people into concentration camps.
More underreported news items related to COVID-19 include the 2019 Military World Games in China and a country that is taking the world by surprise with an unusual approach to the coronavirus. Back in October 2019, roughly two months before the coronavirus outbreak, several countries met together in Wuhan, China to participate in an Olympic-style event for military members. Is it a coincidence that COVID-19 originated in the same city around the same time? Although there is no evidence of conspiracy at this time, officials in China and Iran have accused the United States of introducing the virus during the games.
Sweden has decided to take a different approach to COVID-19 by refusing to implement a lockdown like in most other countries. The government has recommended that people practice social distancing and many people are voluntarily doing so, but it has not been forced upon them. While Sweden is enjoying its freedom, citizens in most countries are having their lives controlled by an authoritarian force. At this time, there is little evidence that Sweden is suffering any more from the disease than other European countries like Norway, Finland, and Austria (all of which have implemented lockdowns). This challenges the official narrative, and perhaps we will learn that the authoritarian approach was not necessary.
As many people are choosing or being forced to stay home during the pandemic, there have been reports that pollution and crime have decreased, which in of itself is not bad, but this may lead to governments extending certain restrictions by arguing that they are necessary for the environment or to ensure people are behaving properly. Many people say that the restrictions on people’s lives will be temporary, but what if they are not? Governments may ease up on certain things, but will they reintroduce them arbitrarily when they deem it necessary? Will the measures be stricter the next time? Governments often do not give up power that they are given. Experts have already stated that the coronavirus will resurface during the winter, so will we see a new round of restrictions being enforced then? In New York, Governor Cuomo’s dictator powers do not expire until April 2021, so he has the ability to suspend laws and issue executive orders for anything that he deems necessary until then.
These are tough times, and people need to be prepared for things to come. Instead of fixating on the casualties and the arguments for more restrictions, we should be watching things that are going on behind the scenes. For example, state governments are now issuing fines and arresting people for being out of their houses and having gatherings. We know that this could happen in theory, but the fact that we are allowing this in a supposedly free country is troublesome. If we do not wake up, we could be looking at the inside of a cell, or we could be faced with the prospect of a large global war. Pay attention to the underreported news items, and stay healthy!
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
March 23, 2020
The Growing Fascism in the United States Amid the COVID-19 Crisis
The coronavirus hysteria has grown significantly in the last week or so, as officials warn that there is no end in sight for mitigating the spread of the virus. Draconian measures are continuing to become the norm, and the American people are now accepting of authoritarianism. In many ways, they have been convinced by the mainstream media and the government that this is the only solution to stop a virus where the vast majority of those infected recover. This is not to downplay the seriousness of the disease, but the responses to it have been irrational and overreaching. The media and the government have been playing the virus up to allow for measures that would otherwise not be tolerated. The people are being herded like sheep to their pastures, and if you argue against governmental action, you are considered unpatriotic and unsympathetic to the population. The state governments are creating fascist societies that will only get stricter (the federal government has done little so far to interfere in the crisis).
Many states, including New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, Ohio, and Louisiana, have adopted some variation of policies requiring residents to stay at home unless on official business or shopping for necessary supplies. In New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo, has dictatorial powers to shut down the entire state and issue executive orders in any manner that he sees fit (this power was granted by the NYS Legislature, and this allows the governor to suspend laws in response to the virus ). The governor has called his measures putting “New York State on PAUSE", which includes democracy. He now has unlimited authority throughout the entire state (there are no checks and balances on his power), and he has arbitrarily determined which businesses are allowed to stay open and which ones are forced to close. In order to determine if one’s business is essential, the company needs to get clearance from the state, or if they remain open as a nonessential business, the state will issue fines and likely shut the business down by force. Any public gatherings (including going to the movies or participating in team sports) for any purpose or of any size are outright banned by the governor.
New York has become an authoritarian state on the road to becoming fascist. Fascism comes in many shapes and sizes, but key elements of it would be ultranationalism, dictatorial power, and centralized control of the economy. As we can see these elements coming into play in New York State, other parts of the country are also starting to implement them. At the federal level, President Trump has thus far refrained from issuing a national lockdown (though he is being pressured to do so) or utilizing emergency laws such as the Defense Production Act, which would allow the federal government to force private companies to produce materials and supplies to combat COVID-19. The president is being criticized by many for not utilizing his powers, but reorganizing the means of production would be a socialist card that he may be wary of playing. It would be ironic if socialism were adopted by President Trump (Republicans would embrace it because it was under their president, all the while still claiming to oppose socialism).
Embracing central economic planning and supporting a large portion of people through government welfare (unemployment has skyrocketed, especially in New York and other states where businesses were forced to shut down) is not the only fascist principle that has taken hold throughout the country. If you question the official narrative or stand up for your rights, people look down upon you as if you are an evil person who does not care about the well-being of the country. This mentality is astounding because people are so willing to trade their rights for the illusion of security out of fear. I have been warning about the possibility of martial law and some of the types of draconian measures we are currently seeing for a few years, and people thought I was paranoid and crazy for even suggesting that something like that could happen. Now that these measures are being implemented right in front of us, those same people have embraced them, and I am again regarded as crazy for standing up for civil liberties and opposing what is happening.
The United States is on a rough road, and things are changing day by day. In New York, the governor stated that even with the draconian measures in place, we could see up to 80% of the population become infected with the disease, and he said that the business closures and mandatory stay-at-home orders could last as long as nine months. It seems from this announcement that the governor is stating that even though the authoritarianism is not going to be successful, he is still going to leave the measures in place. However, it is unlikely that President Trump will be able to resist the efforts by almost all of those in Congress and in the White House to push for a national lockdown. People around the Capital Region of New York (Albany area) are already reporting seeing military vehicles moving around the streets. Could they be getting ready for federal martial law? Although it is difficult to know exactly what will happen and things continuously change, one thing is for certain: the American people have been willing to throw away their liberties when things get difficult, and once these liberties are taken, they will not be returned in full.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
Many states, including New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, Ohio, and Louisiana, have adopted some variation of policies requiring residents to stay at home unless on official business or shopping for necessary supplies. In New York State, Governor Andrew Cuomo, has dictatorial powers to shut down the entire state and issue executive orders in any manner that he sees fit (this power was granted by the NYS Legislature, and this allows the governor to suspend laws in response to the virus ). The governor has called his measures putting “New York State on PAUSE", which includes democracy. He now has unlimited authority throughout the entire state (there are no checks and balances on his power), and he has arbitrarily determined which businesses are allowed to stay open and which ones are forced to close. In order to determine if one’s business is essential, the company needs to get clearance from the state, or if they remain open as a nonessential business, the state will issue fines and likely shut the business down by force. Any public gatherings (including going to the movies or participating in team sports) for any purpose or of any size are outright banned by the governor.
New York has become an authoritarian state on the road to becoming fascist. Fascism comes in many shapes and sizes, but key elements of it would be ultranationalism, dictatorial power, and centralized control of the economy. As we can see these elements coming into play in New York State, other parts of the country are also starting to implement them. At the federal level, President Trump has thus far refrained from issuing a national lockdown (though he is being pressured to do so) or utilizing emergency laws such as the Defense Production Act, which would allow the federal government to force private companies to produce materials and supplies to combat COVID-19. The president is being criticized by many for not utilizing his powers, but reorganizing the means of production would be a socialist card that he may be wary of playing. It would be ironic if socialism were adopted by President Trump (Republicans would embrace it because it was under their president, all the while still claiming to oppose socialism).
Embracing central economic planning and supporting a large portion of people through government welfare (unemployment has skyrocketed, especially in New York and other states where businesses were forced to shut down) is not the only fascist principle that has taken hold throughout the country. If you question the official narrative or stand up for your rights, people look down upon you as if you are an evil person who does not care about the well-being of the country. This mentality is astounding because people are so willing to trade their rights for the illusion of security out of fear. I have been warning about the possibility of martial law and some of the types of draconian measures we are currently seeing for a few years, and people thought I was paranoid and crazy for even suggesting that something like that could happen. Now that these measures are being implemented right in front of us, those same people have embraced them, and I am again regarded as crazy for standing up for civil liberties and opposing what is happening.
The United States is on a rough road, and things are changing day by day. In New York, the governor stated that even with the draconian measures in place, we could see up to 80% of the population become infected with the disease, and he said that the business closures and mandatory stay-at-home orders could last as long as nine months. It seems from this announcement that the governor is stating that even though the authoritarianism is not going to be successful, he is still going to leave the measures in place. However, it is unlikely that President Trump will be able to resist the efforts by almost all of those in Congress and in the White House to push for a national lockdown. People around the Capital Region of New York (Albany area) are already reporting seeing military vehicles moving around the streets. Could they be getting ready for federal martial law? Although it is difficult to know exactly what will happen and things continuously change, one thing is for certain: the American people have been willing to throw away their liberties when things get difficult, and once these liberties are taken, they will not be returned in full.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
March 17, 2020
Comforts of Authoritarianism Over Freedom Amidst COVID-19 Outbreak
The world is coming to an end! At least that is what the mainstream media, the government, and the toilet-paper hoarders will tell you. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 (a strain of the coronavirus presumably originating in Wuhan, China), the world has been in a state of panic, and countries, subnational entities, and cities have implemented strict rules to attempt to contain the disease. Elements of martial law are slowly being executed in the United States as the fear causes people to expect the monopoly of government to save them, and we will begin to see more government control over our lives in the upcoming days as our freedoms diminish.
With the continuing trend of government expansion, our society will not be able to restrain the power of government. We saw the growth of government significantly after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, and even after the Edward Snowden revelations, we as a society still accept that the government must have powerful surveillance tools (ones that do very little to curb terrorist attacks but violate many civil liberties and the Bill of Rights). When the coronavirus is finally contained, the federal and state governments will ask for more power, and the people and politicians will applaud this as necessary for future crises. Government power and control only expands. It never retracts (except with a revolution).
Although martial law is just beginning in the United States, we have already seen extreme measures taken in China, Italy, and Spain as a result of the virus. In my home state of New York, the state legislature has given the governor emergency dictatorial powers to combat the disease, and Governor Cuomo has deployed the national guard to New Rochelle to assist in a containment zone (potentially exposing the guardsmen to the disease), as well as used executive orders to ban gatherings over 50 people (down from the previous directive of 500) and shut down movie theaters, bars, casinos, in-house dining at restaurants, and schools statewide for an indefinite period of time. Connecticut, New Jersey, Vermont, and Massachusetts have also set similar laws.
There are many more examples of this throughout other states, but it is interesting how Americans are so willing to give up their civil liberties when there is an event such as this. If you oppose this type of government overreach, you will often be met with an argument along the lines of, “this is the only way to contain the disease, and we just need to trust our officials to get the job done.” This is a fascist and police state type of mentality that will only cause more theft of liberties. If we allow government to do this during a disease with a less than 4% death rate, what will happen when there is something much more significant. Will we be forced to get permission slips from the government to leave our houses, or will we allow the government to put us into internment camps where they may never let us leave?
Government monopoly over our lives is not the only solution. It is just the only solution that we are willing to accept because we do not want to take the effort of coming up with others. We can either live in a free society, or we can live in a police state. We cannot have both. As far as those who would argue that these measures are temporary, we must consider the historical norm that once government power is gained, it will not be retracted. Some of the measures may be lifted when the crisis is averted, but the laws and precedents from the event will remain on the books and be used again.
It is understandable and natural for people to be afraid and act in an irrational manner in a time of crisis, but the mass hysteria that we are seeing across the United States is unprecedented. Supermarket shelves have been empty, and people have been fighting over toilet paper and other products that have been picked over. Instead of fighting over supplies that will be restocked (there is not a shortage in supplies, but just an inability to deliver and restock quickly enough to counter the mass emotional purchasing), we should be helping each other and reaching out to the vulnerable among us (in this case, the elderly or those with underlying health issues). This should not be a time of hoarding and looking out for ourselves. We need to take care of each other, and we should not be relying on the government to come and save us. This is our time to step up and lend a helping hand and to work together as local communities.
It has now become apparent that we are not the civilized and mature nation that we thought we were, and we can no longer look down upon other nations that are going through their own crises from our high horse. Many people around the world are just trying to make it through war, genocide, extreme poverty, and natural disasters, and we are here fighting over toilet paper when a disease hits that has a 96% survivability rate. Perhaps our enemies around the world do not need to challenge us militarily. They simply need to introduce a virus into the country and let us destroy ourselves. Our irrational behavior and blind acceptance of any restrictive government measures show how weak and vulnerable we can be in times of uncertainty, and if we do not step up and change this, it could be our downfall. We as Americans have now accepted the comforts of authoritarianism over living in a free society.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
With the continuing trend of government expansion, our society will not be able to restrain the power of government. We saw the growth of government significantly after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, and even after the Edward Snowden revelations, we as a society still accept that the government must have powerful surveillance tools (ones that do very little to curb terrorist attacks but violate many civil liberties and the Bill of Rights). When the coronavirus is finally contained, the federal and state governments will ask for more power, and the people and politicians will applaud this as necessary for future crises. Government power and control only expands. It never retracts (except with a revolution).
Although martial law is just beginning in the United States, we have already seen extreme measures taken in China, Italy, and Spain as a result of the virus. In my home state of New York, the state legislature has given the governor emergency dictatorial powers to combat the disease, and Governor Cuomo has deployed the national guard to New Rochelle to assist in a containment zone (potentially exposing the guardsmen to the disease), as well as used executive orders to ban gatherings over 50 people (down from the previous directive of 500) and shut down movie theaters, bars, casinos, in-house dining at restaurants, and schools statewide for an indefinite period of time. Connecticut, New Jersey, Vermont, and Massachusetts have also set similar laws.
There are many more examples of this throughout other states, but it is interesting how Americans are so willing to give up their civil liberties when there is an event such as this. If you oppose this type of government overreach, you will often be met with an argument along the lines of, “this is the only way to contain the disease, and we just need to trust our officials to get the job done.” This is a fascist and police state type of mentality that will only cause more theft of liberties. If we allow government to do this during a disease with a less than 4% death rate, what will happen when there is something much more significant. Will we be forced to get permission slips from the government to leave our houses, or will we allow the government to put us into internment camps where they may never let us leave?
Government monopoly over our lives is not the only solution. It is just the only solution that we are willing to accept because we do not want to take the effort of coming up with others. We can either live in a free society, or we can live in a police state. We cannot have both. As far as those who would argue that these measures are temporary, we must consider the historical norm that once government power is gained, it will not be retracted. Some of the measures may be lifted when the crisis is averted, but the laws and precedents from the event will remain on the books and be used again.
It is understandable and natural for people to be afraid and act in an irrational manner in a time of crisis, but the mass hysteria that we are seeing across the United States is unprecedented. Supermarket shelves have been empty, and people have been fighting over toilet paper and other products that have been picked over. Instead of fighting over supplies that will be restocked (there is not a shortage in supplies, but just an inability to deliver and restock quickly enough to counter the mass emotional purchasing), we should be helping each other and reaching out to the vulnerable among us (in this case, the elderly or those with underlying health issues). This should not be a time of hoarding and looking out for ourselves. We need to take care of each other, and we should not be relying on the government to come and save us. This is our time to step up and lend a helping hand and to work together as local communities.
It has now become apparent that we are not the civilized and mature nation that we thought we were, and we can no longer look down upon other nations that are going through their own crises from our high horse. Many people around the world are just trying to make it through war, genocide, extreme poverty, and natural disasters, and we are here fighting over toilet paper when a disease hits that has a 96% survivability rate. Perhaps our enemies around the world do not need to challenge us militarily. They simply need to introduce a virus into the country and let us destroy ourselves. Our irrational behavior and blind acceptance of any restrictive government measures show how weak and vulnerable we can be in times of uncertainty, and if we do not step up and change this, it could be our downfall. We as Americans have now accepted the comforts of authoritarianism over living in a free society.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
February 18, 2020
Presidents' Day: A Day to Celebrate Unlimited War Powers or Peace?
This week we celebrate Presidents’ Day, which coincides with George Washington’s birthday. As the first president under the 1789 constitution and an advocate of peaceful relations with other nations, he, upon his departure from the presidency, warned the United States about getting involved in foreign conflicts and entangling alliances. Yet, today this warning is disregarded by Congress and presidents alike, and getting involved in other countries’ business and trying to control their actions is part of the day-to-day operations of American foreign policy. Washington and many of our other founding fathers would be appalled at the direction our government has moved in regards to relations with the world. The United States was never supposed to become an empire with a leader who can wage war in any country at any time, but that is exactly what it has become.
In recent years, presidents have believed that they can magically wave a wand to merge Article I Section 8 Clause 11 of the United States Constitution with Article II Section 2 Clause 1, and many politicians and legal scholars have cheered them on like they are watching wizards perform great wonders. Since the undeclared Vietnam War, Congress has been negligent in its duties to reign in the expansive powers of the executive branch and ignored many violations of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, including with the recent wars in Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan (the AUMF does not specify that the president was authorized to overthrow the Taliban). Congress cannot constitutionally issue a blank check to the president to wage war with whoever or whenever, but that is what many will argue that the AUMF does. In conjunction with an array of military troops and equipment spread out across roughly two-thirds of the world’s countries and the ability to utilize economic terrorism through sanctions, orchestrate coup attempts against leaders not favorable to American interests, and sign executive agreements with other nations without the advice and consent of the Senate (a requirement for treaties under the Constitution), the president has almost infinite power when it comes to foreign affairs.
Now that war with Iran has become a likely scenario, Congress has attempted to take back some of its power from the executive branch in regards to waging war with that country, but any finalized bill attempting to curb the president’s power will be vetoed without the ability for an override (a two-thirds vote is needed in both houses). Although this is being done for partisan reasons (many of those who oppose President Trump’s actions accepted undeclared wars under President Obama), at least there was an attempt made.
Congress needs to put away its partisan differences and limit the president on all operations overseas, including smaller wars like Grenada and Panama and regime change operations like Cuba and Venezuela. Although the president is the commander in chief of the armed forces, it does not mean that he or she has the authority to wage wars without congressional approval. Commander in chief does not equal king or emperor. What would George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson say if they only knew what power the executive branch would come to wield? This is something that all Americans should be concerned with as we reflect on the contributions of presidents throughout our history. American history polls and rankings generally place presidents who have waged wars towards the top, but perhaps we should flip this around and celebrate those who have attempted to steer clear of conflicts and limited the power of the presidency to its rightful place.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
In recent years, presidents have believed that they can magically wave a wand to merge Article I Section 8 Clause 11 of the United States Constitution with Article II Section 2 Clause 1, and many politicians and legal scholars have cheered them on like they are watching wizards perform great wonders. Since the undeclared Vietnam War, Congress has been negligent in its duties to reign in the expansive powers of the executive branch and ignored many violations of the War Powers Resolution of 1973, including with the recent wars in Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan (the AUMF does not specify that the president was authorized to overthrow the Taliban). Congress cannot constitutionally issue a blank check to the president to wage war with whoever or whenever, but that is what many will argue that the AUMF does. In conjunction with an array of military troops and equipment spread out across roughly two-thirds of the world’s countries and the ability to utilize economic terrorism through sanctions, orchestrate coup attempts against leaders not favorable to American interests, and sign executive agreements with other nations without the advice and consent of the Senate (a requirement for treaties under the Constitution), the president has almost infinite power when it comes to foreign affairs.
Now that war with Iran has become a likely scenario, Congress has attempted to take back some of its power from the executive branch in regards to waging war with that country, but any finalized bill attempting to curb the president’s power will be vetoed without the ability for an override (a two-thirds vote is needed in both houses). Although this is being done for partisan reasons (many of those who oppose President Trump’s actions accepted undeclared wars under President Obama), at least there was an attempt made.
Congress needs to put away its partisan differences and limit the president on all operations overseas, including smaller wars like Grenada and Panama and regime change operations like Cuba and Venezuela. Although the president is the commander in chief of the armed forces, it does not mean that he or she has the authority to wage wars without congressional approval. Commander in chief does not equal king or emperor. What would George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson say if they only knew what power the executive branch would come to wield? This is something that all Americans should be concerned with as we reflect on the contributions of presidents throughout our history. American history polls and rankings generally place presidents who have waged wars towards the top, but perhaps we should flip this around and celebrate those who have attempted to steer clear of conflicts and limited the power of the presidency to its rightful place.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
February 12, 2020
Getting the Boot in the Philippines
After hundreds of thousands of Iraqis showed up to protest the American presence and the country’s parliament passed a resolution asking the government to expel the United States military, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte took measures to end an agreement pertaining to US troops in his country. Just like with Iraq, the Philippines may now be looking to determine its own fate and not have it forced upon them by a foreign power. Will the United States government back down and allow such insubordination? Most likely there will be some kind of attempt to restore relations, but this does show a growing global aversion to American imperialism.
The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) is a “treaty” that governs the rules for American troops stationed in the Philippines, and Duterte has made it clear that the deal is unfavorable to his country because it prevents prosecution of Americans serving there, did little to prevent China from building islands in the South China Sea, promotes spying on Filipinos, and encourages nuclear weapons stockpiling that hurts relations with China. It seems that Duterte would like to move away from the dependence and restrictions that come with American occupation, and the proposed focus of his foreign policy relations will likely pivot towards China and Russia and away from the United States. This daring move will not necessarily prevent US troops from continuing operations in the Philippines because there are still two other pacts (Mutual Defense Treaty and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement), but it will likely weaken the United States’ ability to function there to its full capacity.
American officials will now try to argue (while brushing it off) that it will be more difficult to combat Chinese aggression and militarization in the region and to protect the international shipping lanes that run through the South China Sea, but these so-called “freedom of navigation operations” are little more than a method to ensure American dominance over the global economic system and to prevent China from being able to challenge it. Despite what government officials will claim, the alliance with the Philippines is not about ensuring the security and well-being of both nations.
The people of the Philippines should be able to choose their own destiny, and if the will is for Filipino independence, why should they not be allowed to have it? After the United States won the Philippines from Spain in 1898 and almost lost it afterwards because the country declared independence and did not want to be an American colony, the United States had to liberate the islands from Japan and allow for their official independence in 1946. Let us now give the country full independence by vacating the islands and allowing it to make its own decisions. Perhaps the move away from the agreement with the Philippines will ultimately show Americans that these foreign policy decisions and stationing of troops in most of the world’s countries are unacceptable, and perhaps a domino effect will sweep across the globe and other countries will begin to challenge American imperialism.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) is a “treaty” that governs the rules for American troops stationed in the Philippines, and Duterte has made it clear that the deal is unfavorable to his country because it prevents prosecution of Americans serving there, did little to prevent China from building islands in the South China Sea, promotes spying on Filipinos, and encourages nuclear weapons stockpiling that hurts relations with China. It seems that Duterte would like to move away from the dependence and restrictions that come with American occupation, and the proposed focus of his foreign policy relations will likely pivot towards China and Russia and away from the United States. This daring move will not necessarily prevent US troops from continuing operations in the Philippines because there are still two other pacts (Mutual Defense Treaty and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement), but it will likely weaken the United States’ ability to function there to its full capacity.
American officials will now try to argue (while brushing it off) that it will be more difficult to combat Chinese aggression and militarization in the region and to protect the international shipping lanes that run through the South China Sea, but these so-called “freedom of navigation operations” are little more than a method to ensure American dominance over the global economic system and to prevent China from being able to challenge it. Despite what government officials will claim, the alliance with the Philippines is not about ensuring the security and well-being of both nations.
The people of the Philippines should be able to choose their own destiny, and if the will is for Filipino independence, why should they not be allowed to have it? After the United States won the Philippines from Spain in 1898 and almost lost it afterwards because the country declared independence and did not want to be an American colony, the United States had to liberate the islands from Japan and allow for their official independence in 1946. Let us now give the country full independence by vacating the islands and allowing it to make its own decisions. Perhaps the move away from the agreement with the Philippines will ultimately show Americans that these foreign policy decisions and stationing of troops in most of the world’s countries are unacceptable, and perhaps a domino effect will sweep across the globe and other countries will begin to challenge American imperialism.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
January 29, 2020
Action First and Questions Later: Failures in Syria
Recently, one of the investigators of the OPCW (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) team in Douma, Syria, Ian Henderson, made a statement in the UN that there was no chemical weapon attack in 2018 and that the management of the so-called watchdog organization altered the report to make it seem like the Assad regime had committed an atrocity against his own people . This means that, gee surprise, the United States airstrikes may have been conducted based on intentionally falsified, or at least untrue, evidence.
This take action first (in this case bomb first) and ask questions later mentality in the United States government is detrimental to the interests of the American people, and the careless punitive actions by the Trump administration could have provoked a war with Russia, Iran, or the Syrian government. This was considered an acceptable risk at the time without congressional authorization, despite there having been little evidence of culpability on the part of Assad.
Through the constant blame by the United States and others about the use of chemical weapons, the Assad regime has continued to deny the allegations. Although a denial from another government is far from sufficient, it should be noted that from a logical standpoint, it would not have been in Assad’s best interest to utilize such tactics because it could have meant the destruction of his power at the hands of his Western enemies. Since it is safe to assume that Assad was not suicidal, there has to be another explanation. It could be that Assad was an imprudent leader who did not calculate his actions carefully, but perhaps Western powers really were attempting to manipulate the situation to gain support for weakening Assad. In this case, there would be little that Assad could have done to escape the accusations, including ensuring the world that the chemical weapons had been removed from Syria starting in 2013. Also, the rebels and ISIS would have had much to gain from the chemical attacks had either been responsible because the West would have been looking to weaken the regime and would have taken its attention off of ISIS for a bit of time.
Whatever the motivations were on the part of the Assad regime and the United States government, Assad has thus far been successful in thwarting the American covert regime change attempt, however, Washington, D.C. continues to pressure Syria with economic sanctions. Since Assad is not permitting the utilization of the US dollar within Syria and eyes are on the economic turmoil in the country, is it only a matter of time until there is a successful invasion to force the country into compliance?
The Obama administration also practiced the actions first and questions later policy when it armed and supported (directly and indirectly) rebel groups, some of which were linked to al-Qaeda, to undermine the Assad regime. Many of the weapons supplied to the rebel groups then made their way to the Islamic State, as many of the groups were defeated or decided to join the new caliphate. Russia even went as far as to make the claim that the United States directly supported ISIS to destabilize the country. Either way, indirect material support for ISIS should be enough to question the competency and prudence of the federal government’s actions and policies.
Both Presidents Obama and Trump failed at converting Syria into an American-compliant nation, and now it looks like the United States is losing Iraq. With tensions escalating between the United States and Iran and protests against an American presence in Iraq underway, it begs the question: why do we spend all that money on regime change operations if we gain nothing from it? Even if one argues that at least ISIS was destroyed, the argument could then be focused on how the United States caused ISIS to form in the first place by taking out a strong leader in Saddam Hussein, which left a vacuum in Iraq, and then attempting to oust the Assad regime covertly, which allowed ISIS to spread into Syria. The United States government’s military adventures in the Middle East have been one failure after another, and yet our divine-inspired leaders seem to think prudence is on the side of continuing the status quo. Why not just end these pointless wars and covert operations and bring our troops home where they belong?
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
This take action first (in this case bomb first) and ask questions later mentality in the United States government is detrimental to the interests of the American people, and the careless punitive actions by the Trump administration could have provoked a war with Russia, Iran, or the Syrian government. This was considered an acceptable risk at the time without congressional authorization, despite there having been little evidence of culpability on the part of Assad.
Through the constant blame by the United States and others about the use of chemical weapons, the Assad regime has continued to deny the allegations. Although a denial from another government is far from sufficient, it should be noted that from a logical standpoint, it would not have been in Assad’s best interest to utilize such tactics because it could have meant the destruction of his power at the hands of his Western enemies. Since it is safe to assume that Assad was not suicidal, there has to be another explanation. It could be that Assad was an imprudent leader who did not calculate his actions carefully, but perhaps Western powers really were attempting to manipulate the situation to gain support for weakening Assad. In this case, there would be little that Assad could have done to escape the accusations, including ensuring the world that the chemical weapons had been removed from Syria starting in 2013. Also, the rebels and ISIS would have had much to gain from the chemical attacks had either been responsible because the West would have been looking to weaken the regime and would have taken its attention off of ISIS for a bit of time.
Whatever the motivations were on the part of the Assad regime and the United States government, Assad has thus far been successful in thwarting the American covert regime change attempt, however, Washington, D.C. continues to pressure Syria with economic sanctions. Since Assad is not permitting the utilization of the US dollar within Syria and eyes are on the economic turmoil in the country, is it only a matter of time until there is a successful invasion to force the country into compliance?
The Obama administration also practiced the actions first and questions later policy when it armed and supported (directly and indirectly) rebel groups, some of which were linked to al-Qaeda, to undermine the Assad regime. Many of the weapons supplied to the rebel groups then made their way to the Islamic State, as many of the groups were defeated or decided to join the new caliphate. Russia even went as far as to make the claim that the United States directly supported ISIS to destabilize the country. Either way, indirect material support for ISIS should be enough to question the competency and prudence of the federal government’s actions and policies.
Both Presidents Obama and Trump failed at converting Syria into an American-compliant nation, and now it looks like the United States is losing Iraq. With tensions escalating between the United States and Iran and protests against an American presence in Iraq underway, it begs the question: why do we spend all that money on regime change operations if we gain nothing from it? Even if one argues that at least ISIS was destroyed, the argument could then be focused on how the United States caused ISIS to form in the first place by taking out a strong leader in Saddam Hussein, which left a vacuum in Iraq, and then attempting to oust the Assad regime covertly, which allowed ISIS to spread into Syria. The United States government’s military adventures in the Middle East have been one failure after another, and yet our divine-inspired leaders seem to think prudence is on the side of continuing the status quo. Why not just end these pointless wars and covert operations and bring our troops home where they belong?
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
January 7, 2020
Let Us Start Off Our New Year Right: War with Iran Here We Come
Iran and the United States are heading down the war path, and it appears that the Trump administration is not interested in halting the hostilities. Further military confrontation could lead to dire consequences for Americans because Iran is a more powerful and populous country than Iraq. Fighting such a war would not be quick or simple, and the conflict would have the potential to usher in World War III. Do we really need another war in the Middle East? Looking at historical precedents, a war with Iran would not solve the issues of the region, and it would likely just cause more down the road. So, why antagonize Iran then? Could it be because Iran is non-compliant in the United States-dominated global economic order and the military defense contractors are looking to make more money off of war?
Let us put aside the intentions for war, including with the military-industrial complex and ambitions for global empire, and dig into whether a war with Iran is justified and would be a rational choice for the American people, and let us do this outside of the influence of government officials and the mainstream media, which is only opposing the moves against Iran for partisan and anti-Trump reasons (President Obama also bombed several countries and killed thousands of civilians and military members alike without congressional approval). Iran and the United States have been in a de facto state of war since 1953 when the United States overthrew Iran’s democratically-elected government and replaced it with a brutal dictatorship, which led to the 1979 revolution and hostage crisis that most people are familiar with.
Because of this state of war, the United States has placed economic sanctions against Iran to curb the alleged nuclear weapons development, but these sanctions have devastated the Iranian economy and made life much more difficult for the average Iranians (a form of economic terrorism). In conjunction with this cruel form of “justice,” the United States has surrounded Iran with military bases and has made it clear that the intentions are to one day bring down the Iranian government. Iran has reciprocated and stood up to the United States, which is considered a no-no to the American Empire. Iran has supported proxy groups throughout the Middle East that have led to the deaths of American troops, but the United States has also supported terrorist groups within Iran. The United States does not have the moral high ground when it comes to Persia.
When President Trump approved the airstrike on Quds Force General Soleimani, it was clearly an assassination attempt and an act of war. Some will claim, though without citing evidence, that Soleimani was planning imminent attacks against the United States and that Iran was responsible for the attack in Iraq that killed an American contractor and the subsequent embassy breach. First of all, Soleimani was one man, and an operation does not cease because one man dies. Therefore, American troops will still be in danger (if the evidence of imminent attacks proves to be true) because the Quds Force and Iran’s proxies are still out and about in Iraq and other countries. Secondly, Iran has denied involvement in the attack, and although this does not necessarily mean that it was not involved in some capacity, blaming Iran for the work of Kataib Hezbollah is like blaming the United States for an Israeli attack on Gaza or Saudi Arabia for slaughtering civilians in Yemen. Supporting terrorist groups is terrible, but should you really justify bombing a country because of it?
American troops are in danger being in close proximity to Iran, and it would make the most sense if they were withdrawn and brought back to defend the United States and not the global empire. This would ensure that the United States would be able to defend its own borders and not cause more chaos in the Middle East (for example, Iraq). However, this would require more strength and restraint than most American presidents possess.
The Iraqi parliament has already taken the first step to kicking American troops out of the country anyway because the United States military decided to strike targets in the country without that government’s approval, so why not just take the next step? In order to feel less humiliated, the United States announced that it has largely ended its fight against ISIS and is now primarily focused on protecting Iraqi bases from Iran-backed groups. The question then becomes: if we are just defending coalition forces against Iran and that is it, why do we even need a continued presence there? Could we not just defend our troops from Iran in our own territory? We need to save our hard-working men and women in uniform from calamity by bringing the troops home, but of course, the Trump administration just decided to deploy thousands more to the region.
Ultimately, both sides have their hardliners and their own faults in the situation, but instead of keeping the conflict brewing, why not find a compromise? Politicians and corporations may benefit from a war, but Americans will not. A war will mean more American troops killed, the potential for a draft because Iran is not a small and weak country like some of the ones our government has invaded, destruction of infrastructure and death to civilians, the opening up of the United States to more terrorist attacks at home and abroad, and the possibility of the entrance of Russia and other countries into the fray. Not to mention, just like with almost every other country that is invaded by the United States, Iran will turn into a worse mess than it already is, and several years down the road, the United States will be at odds with the new regime in Iran. We need to end this conflict before it gets more out of hand and leads us down a road that we cannot return from, but I guess turning the other cheek and seeking peace is not in our culture.
This just in: Iran has fired missiles at U.S. facilities in Iraq in retaliation for the assassination of Soleimani, so um, yeah, here we go.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
Let us put aside the intentions for war, including with the military-industrial complex and ambitions for global empire, and dig into whether a war with Iran is justified and would be a rational choice for the American people, and let us do this outside of the influence of government officials and the mainstream media, which is only opposing the moves against Iran for partisan and anti-Trump reasons (President Obama also bombed several countries and killed thousands of civilians and military members alike without congressional approval). Iran and the United States have been in a de facto state of war since 1953 when the United States overthrew Iran’s democratically-elected government and replaced it with a brutal dictatorship, which led to the 1979 revolution and hostage crisis that most people are familiar with.
Because of this state of war, the United States has placed economic sanctions against Iran to curb the alleged nuclear weapons development, but these sanctions have devastated the Iranian economy and made life much more difficult for the average Iranians (a form of economic terrorism). In conjunction with this cruel form of “justice,” the United States has surrounded Iran with military bases and has made it clear that the intentions are to one day bring down the Iranian government. Iran has reciprocated and stood up to the United States, which is considered a no-no to the American Empire. Iran has supported proxy groups throughout the Middle East that have led to the deaths of American troops, but the United States has also supported terrorist groups within Iran. The United States does not have the moral high ground when it comes to Persia.
When President Trump approved the airstrike on Quds Force General Soleimani, it was clearly an assassination attempt and an act of war. Some will claim, though without citing evidence, that Soleimani was planning imminent attacks against the United States and that Iran was responsible for the attack in Iraq that killed an American contractor and the subsequent embassy breach. First of all, Soleimani was one man, and an operation does not cease because one man dies. Therefore, American troops will still be in danger (if the evidence of imminent attacks proves to be true) because the Quds Force and Iran’s proxies are still out and about in Iraq and other countries. Secondly, Iran has denied involvement in the attack, and although this does not necessarily mean that it was not involved in some capacity, blaming Iran for the work of Kataib Hezbollah is like blaming the United States for an Israeli attack on Gaza or Saudi Arabia for slaughtering civilians in Yemen. Supporting terrorist groups is terrible, but should you really justify bombing a country because of it?
American troops are in danger being in close proximity to Iran, and it would make the most sense if they were withdrawn and brought back to defend the United States and not the global empire. This would ensure that the United States would be able to defend its own borders and not cause more chaos in the Middle East (for example, Iraq). However, this would require more strength and restraint than most American presidents possess.
The Iraqi parliament has already taken the first step to kicking American troops out of the country anyway because the United States military decided to strike targets in the country without that government’s approval, so why not just take the next step? In order to feel less humiliated, the United States announced that it has largely ended its fight against ISIS and is now primarily focused on protecting Iraqi bases from Iran-backed groups. The question then becomes: if we are just defending coalition forces against Iran and that is it, why do we even need a continued presence there? Could we not just defend our troops from Iran in our own territory? We need to save our hard-working men and women in uniform from calamity by bringing the troops home, but of course, the Trump administration just decided to deploy thousands more to the region.
Ultimately, both sides have their hardliners and their own faults in the situation, but instead of keeping the conflict brewing, why not find a compromise? Politicians and corporations may benefit from a war, but Americans will not. A war will mean more American troops killed, the potential for a draft because Iran is not a small and weak country like some of the ones our government has invaded, destruction of infrastructure and death to civilians, the opening up of the United States to more terrorist attacks at home and abroad, and the possibility of the entrance of Russia and other countries into the fray. Not to mention, just like with almost every other country that is invaded by the United States, Iran will turn into a worse mess than it already is, and several years down the road, the United States will be at odds with the new regime in Iran. We need to end this conflict before it gets more out of hand and leads us down a road that we cannot return from, but I guess turning the other cheek and seeking peace is not in our culture.
This just in: Iran has fired missiles at U.S. facilities in Iraq in retaliation for the assassination of Soleimani, so um, yeah, here we go.
Thank you for reading, and please check out my book, The Global Bully, and website.
