We Need to Listen to the Founders and Stop the Forever War

[unhappycamper]

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/thom-hartmann/58658/we-need-to-listen-to-the-founders-and-stop-the-forever-war

We Need to Listen to the Founders and Stop the Forever War
War
by Thom Hartmann | September 30, 2014 - 10:14am

Just a little over a year ago during his speech at the National Defense University here in Washington, DC, President Obama talked about winding down Bush's war on terror.

But as US bombers continue to strike against ISIS in Iraq and now Syria, it now looks like the war on terror will be with us for years to come.

~snip~

You see, aside from the return of the British Empire, there was nothing that scared our founding fathers more than multigenerational war - essentially, war without end.

The founders were scholars of classical history, and they knew that when given too much power, armies, like the armies ancient Rome, would push for more and more war, regardless of whether or not it was actually necessary for the safety of the people.

[loudsue]

1. This is so true.

That's why they said congress had to approve war. Of course, they did not foresee that corporations would be people, either. And that those corporations would own the congress people who would vote however their sponsoring corporations told them to vote.

[joshdawg]

2. A simple solution:

Stop all our military activity in the M.E. and bring all our troops home ASAP!
Naaah! Too sensible.

[Dustlawyer]

3. We allowed this to happen. We allow our politicians to be bribed with campaign contributions!

Even today on DU, most people here are not willing to do what it takes to stop the donations. To make the change for publicly funded federal, state, and local elections. Instead, we express outrage at the way things are. We see government's revolving door with Wall Street and ZERO Banksters going to jail for the crimes that ultimately led to the meltdown of the world economy. We have billionaires buying our elections outright, while the front runners for the Republicans interview with and fawn over a crooked casino magnate, yet we do nothing!
Now we are run by the MIC to stay in war. Wall Street makes sure there is no real reform for their theft of our tax dollars and homes. The sick are preyed upon by big Pharma and insurance companies. There is no relief because we cannot afford speech as we have no money, yet we sit on our hands. We watch as these corporations pollute our world when the technology exists to save it!
How bad will it have to get before we do something?

[blackspade]

6. There is no 'we' here...

And there hasn't been for 50+ years.

[raouldukelives]

7. Apparently quite bad. Much worse than we are seeing today.

With the TPP & TTIP we are currently being prepped for America 2.0. A leaner, lighter, stripped down version. Free of pesky labor & environmental restrictions. Ready for pinpoint attacks against whomever has the bad luck of being born on land the corporations desire. Prepped to squash any attempts at basic human rights. Willing to shoot in the back any who block the wheels of money.
We will watch, many more will invest in the same corporations and industries literally dooming us all. Ironically, many of them will still wonder just how it all went wrong.

[Thinkingabout]

4. On this point when the terror ceases then the wars, acts of wars and other actions

Will have to continue. Instead of complaining about defense spend the time and thoughts on how the terror can be stopped. It is a cancer, it pops up in other places. Just as the curing one person of cancer does not stop others from ever getting cancer. If our forefathers thought there would never be any more wars why would they have written the Second Amendment about a militia?

[Enthusiast]

5. The Founders had no plans to send the militia to invade nations that never attacked us first.

Contrary to the claims of the Chickenhawks® these wars have not reduced the numbers of terrorists. In fact they might serve as a recruitment tool for terrorism.

There is no historical justification for the size and scope of the present day US military mission.

The American people have had enough of these goddamned wars!

[Thinkingabout]

8. You dont know, two hundred years ago things was much different.

Perhaps you have forgotten we have had two American citizens beheaded, this is an attack. Do I like war, NO, but an attack has occurred so by your justification action will be taken.

[Enthusiast]

9. So every time an American citizen is abused in some other nation that is justification for war?

Most of us would disagree with that.

We need to stay out of their countries. Unless we want our guys beheaded.

[whereisjustice]

10. Our war on terror is as fucked up as our war on drugs. We are farming war for corporate profits.

War - its our national crop.

[Owl]

11. So true!

K&R