The bin Laden Shell Game

So, bin Laden is dead and our mission is completed in Afghanistan and Iraq, right? Yeah, right!!
Americans have been fed the story of the boogie-man bin Laden while American imperialists and the same rich bastards responsible for the collapse of the economy will continue to cash in on oil rich Iraq and the land of a strategic pipeline, Afghanistan. And, lest we forget, wars create opportunity for the military industrial complex to profit greatly. Or, as Smedley Butler so aptly stated, "war is a racket!".
The ghoulish gathering of loud and proud Americans chanting "USA, USA" as if attending an Olympic hockey match at the gates of the White House and at "ground zero" in New York City sends a chill down my spine. I'm glad the threat of bin Laden has been eliminated from the many fears constantly provided us by our governmental "protectors". It seems preferable bin Laden would have been captured and put on trial but we all knew that was never in the cards. But, cheering the death of an individual in the manner the end of WWII was cheered is indicative of a nation that has lost its moral center.
I was touched at one report of a 9-11 survivor saying he was happy if it meant just on less violent death but he couldn't cheer for another violent death even if it was bin Laden. His was the voice of reason and reflection but his sentiment was far from the prevailing attitude in the US.
And, of course, the mainstream media has set up the circus tents of over exposure and sent the usual talking head clowns to bleed the story in celebratory glee. Mothers and fathers of troops killed in Afghanistan and Iraq have been sought out to comment on the death of the terrorist "monster". But only mothers and fathers who choose to hold on to the notion both wars were "good" wars and their children didn't die being duped by the masters of war who lack conscience and morality. Cindy Sheehan wasn't interviewed by the alphabet networks.
The sad truth is ignored about the military invasions of both Iraq and Afghanistan. Ground wars with large troop deployments are antiquated and insane in attempts to uncover terrorist cells intent on attacking this nation. It takes good investigation, good planning and elite troops trained in counter-insurgency to be successful. 24 Navy Seals were responsible for the mission of entering bin Laden's compound and basically assassinating him. Not 50,000 or 100,000 troops only barely trained to fight a ground war in nations they knew far too little about. It didn't take cruise missiles or 1,000 pound bombs, It didn't take indiscriminate attacks by mercenary troops trained by American tax dollars and then hired by private security companies contracted to "guard" high profile figures in the war zone to bring down bin Laden.
The question has to be asked why there will be over one million troops who have been exposed to combat in two wars having nothing to do with protecting the security of the American people. Why have thousands of American sons and daughters died or been maimed physically or emotionally for these meaningless wars? Why have up to a million or more civilians been killed purposefully or accidentally by this nation's careless wars?
Americans do not want to hear the truth. They don't want to hear the wars had nothing to do with national security. They don't want to hear over a trillion dollars of tax dollars has been for no other reason than padding the profits of a small group of powerful merchants of death. Halliburton, KBR, Blackwater and others earned huge profits in the most privatized national war in US history. The common thread of all these contractors was their ties with the Bush/Cheney/Rove cabal. And the bought off politicians of Congress. The winners of these wars and most wars are the masters of war who sacrifice nothing and profit obscenely in the blood of poor and middle class troops and helpless civilians.
Americans don't want to hear their alleged "voluntary military" is predominately staffed because of the "poverty draft". Mediocre and average students were met with a crashing economy and little or no employment or educational opportunities. The military offered them a "way out" by luring them with job security (unless they were killed), health benefits, tuition and housing. It is no accident recruiters focused their efforts in decaying urban centers and dying small towns. The poor and middle class have bore the brunt of American wars since this nation was born. And, in Iraq and Afghanistan, the sacrifice is once again unequally endured by the poor and middle class.
I have a vivid memory of attending the second inauguration of George W. Bush. I went with a petite young medical doctor who is an American citizen but has family in the southern part of Iraq. We went to voice our protest against the policies of Bush in Iraq and Afghanistan. For some bizarre reason the authorities directed Bush supporters decked out in fur coats and designer clothing down Pennsylvania Avenue right into the teeth of the members of the peace movement. My friend, all 95 pounds of her, confronted these rich supporters of Bush as they passed with the question, " are you sending your sons and daughters to Iraq and Afghanistan?". Most of the Bush elites said nothing but one did speak up. He told her his children were going to college because of our actions to protect our nation in these nations. Astounding! At that point I had to grab my friend to keep her from attacking the man.
This memory speaks volumes about the polarization of the nation we live in. There are the "haves" and there are the "have nots". And we all know who pays the price and fails to ever profit from the eternal flames of American wars.
Obama and the elite of the government and their puppet masters of industry would have us believe the economy's crash isn't tied to the wars and the profiteers. Amazingly, Americans continue to ignore the elephant in the room when it comes to reasons the economy is in a "depression"....not a recession, a depression. That elephant continues to be the willingness to sacrifice our children and the resources of our nation to violence in form of war or constant violent interference. Teachers, unions, state workers, even firefighters and cops are made the scape goats for the decline in the economy. These are all ploys to evade the truth. War is the great undertow dragging Americans down the economic drain. Except for those who are the profiteers, racketeers or gangster bankers and brokerage firms who finance the death and violence of war.
It all makes me want to holler!
And sing the old ballad about where have all the flowers gone.......when will we ever learn?