Why you should know Gen. Jack Keane »
Posted By jovial 9 months, 3 weeks ago in Political News
In part two of our interview with Gareth Porter, we examine the roots of Obama's break with the military leadership over Iraq. In doing so, we examine the leading voice for continuing the occupation, Gen. Jack Keane. Keane, like many so-called 'retired' military officials, has continued to participate in policy-making at the Pentagon, while simultaneously working in the private military contracting sector and commenting publicly on US foreign policy. In this sense, he serves as an example of the military-industrial complex at work.
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jovial
Grew up In Brooklyn. Joined the Navy in 1976 stayed in 10 years. Aircraft Electronics tech. Worked for Major Govt. contractor then settled in California ...
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jovial9 months, 3 weeks ago
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hyperbola9 months, 3 weeks ago
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I don't think Obama is really going to clean them out.
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Change (In Rhetoric) We Can Believe In and the American Empire
The Obama administration will not produce any significantly worthwhile change in US foreign policy; little done in this area will reduce the level of misery that the American Empire regularly brings down upon humanity. And to the extent that Barack Obama is willing to clearly reveal what he believes about anything controversial, he appears to believe in the empire.
The Obamania bubble should already have begun to lose some air with the multiple US bombings of Pakistan within the first few days following the inauguration. The Pentagon briefed the White House of its plans, and the White House had no objection. So bombs away — Barack Obama's first war crime....
...I wish I could be an Obamaniac. I envy their enthusiasm. Here, in the form of an open letter to President Obama, are some of the "changes we can believe in" in foreign policy that would have to occur to win over the non-believers like me.
Iran...
Russia...
Cuba...
Iraq...
Saudi Arabia...
Haiti...
Colombia...
Venezuela...
Bolivia...
Afghanistan...
Israel...
North Korea...
Central America...
Vietnam...
Kosovo
Stop supporting the most gangster government in the world, which has specialized in kidnaping, removing human body parts for sale, heavy trafficking in drugs, trafficking in women, various acts of terrorism, and ethnic cleansing of Serbs. This government would not be in power if the Bush administration had not seen them as America's natural allies. Do you share that view? UN Resolution 1244, adopted in 1999, reaffirmed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to which Serbia is now the recognized successor state, and established that Kosovo was to remain part of Serbia. Why do we have a huge and permanent military base in that tiny self-declared country?
NATO...
School of the Americas
Latin American countries almost never engage in war with each other, or any other countries. So for what kind of warfare are its military officers being trained by the United States? To suppress their own people. Close this school (the name has now been changed to protect the guilty) at Ft. Benning, Georgia that the United States has used to prepare two generations of Latin American military officers for careers in overthrowing progressive governments, death squads, torture, holding down dissent, and other charming activities. The British are fond of saying that the Empire was won on the playing fields of Eton. Americans can say that the road to Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and Bagram began in the classrooms of the School of the Americas.
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Endoscopy9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Spadecaller9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Good story jov.
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Before we have the right to condemn President Barack Obama for making promises that require deeper understanding and widespread support from the government by the people, must we not first contact our representative to demand the facts?
Are we ready to demand full disclosure from our representatives regarding their reliance on the military industrial complex? Are we not obliged to demand the ledger from those who accept money from the corporations profiting from war?
Are we ready to demand that they shut down "K" Street once and for all? Are we depending on everyone else to do the dirty work that we know must be done before we can expect real change? Have we elected a President, who we are willing to support in deeds beyond our emotional displays of vainglory and idealism? In whose hands does our future belong?
I find it amazing how much dialogue is wasted on the symptoms of our problems and how few are willing to address the real causes to our indiscriminate and misguided use of military force, which is really the product of a nation that has an economy integrally connected to the corporations that profit from war and conflict.
How the media (owned by GE) skirts these issues without opposition from the American people presents a most disconcerting quandary. The only way to bring this to an end is to identify those politicians who rely on the funds and support from the lobbyists and to vote them out of office. It is this kind of activism that stems from the public that is lacking in our nation. For this reason, criticisms against Obama lack credibility and are, in fact, blindly hypocritical. -
libsRfunnyComment removed: Hard Banned2 Replies
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earthlingerer9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Yeah, Keane doesn't have any vested interest in a prolonged occupation of Iraq.
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It's not like he's a defense consultant, or on the board of directors at General Dynamics, or something that would outright taint any impartiality he had.
Right??? -
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FrankHummel9 months, 3 weeks ago
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jovial, I certainly agree with THAT.
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But the REAL problem is that "we" as a SOCIETY, really CANNOT AFFORD much of what "these characters are doing" (as you put it).
However, "we" have at this point been more or less CONDITIONED to live beyond "OUR" OWN means --- in considerable measure by THESE very people, who ALSO would live beyond "our" means as well (which of course COMPOUNDS the problem!), which has now CRASHED the WHOLE SUPPOSEDLY INVINCIBLE US ECONOMY!
Welcome to the twenty-first century.-
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hyperbola9 months, 3 weeks ago
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We need to immediately cut the Pentagon in half (back to the level before Bush and the Zioncons went wild) and extirpate all the corruption along the way.
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Economic Death Spiral at the Pentagon
Like much of the rest of the world, Americans know that the U.S. automotive industry is in the grips of what may be a fatal decline... A similar, if far less well known, crisis exists when it comes to the military-industrial complex. That crisis has its roots in the corrupt and deceitful practices that have long characterized the high command of the Armed Forces, civilian executives of the armaments industries, and Congressional opportunists and criminals looking for pork-barrel projects, defense installations for their districts, or even bribes for votes.
...Given our economic crisis, the estimated trillion dollars we spend each year on the military and its weaponry is simply unsustainable. Even if present fiscal constraints no longer existed, we would still have misspent too much of our tax revenues on too few, overly expensive, overly complex weapons systems that leave us ill-prepared to defend the country in a real military emergency. We face a double crisis at the Pentagon: we can no longer afford the pretense of being the Earth's sole superpower, and we cannot afford to perpetuate a system in which the military-industrial complex makes its fortune off inferior, poorly designed weapons.
...The inevitable day of reckoning, long predicted by Pentagon critics, has, I believe, finally arrived. Our problems are those of a very rich country which has become accustomed over the years to defense budgets that are actually jobs programs and also a major source of pork for the use of politicians in their reelection campaigns.
Given the present major recession, whose depths remain unknown, the United States has better things to spend its money on than Nimitz-class aircraft carriers at a price of $6.2 billion each (the cost of the USS George H. W. Bush, launched in January 2009, our tenth such ship) or aircraft that can cruise at a speed of Mach 2 (1,352 miles per hour).
However, don't wait for the Pentagon to sort out such matters. If it has proven one thing over the last decades, it's that it is thoroughly incapable of reforming itself. ....
http://www.propeller.com/story/2009/02/04/economic...
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jordan119 months, 3 weeks ago
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Gen. Jack Keane. Keane, like many so-called 'retired' military officials, has continued to participate in policy-making at the Pentagon, while simultaneously working in the private military contracting sector and commenting publicly on US foreign policy. >>>>>
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Now would I be 'unpatriotic' to think there's a possibility of a conflict of interest there?
Certainly some will disagree with Obamas decisions. And quite predictably they will more often be republicans or military minded folks. But the people gave the decision making to Obama, & those who fight against him need to remember that. Should their disruptions cause a problem for him, it's up to the people who eleccted him to rail against them.....& the media which appears to give them far more voice than they're giving the other side of the coin. -
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cowboygrandpa9 months, 2 weeks ago
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How strange. We have retired military big wigs who are supposed to be for America. Instead they are for their own wallets.
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Yep !!! America is going to hell in a hand basket with these leaders of the greedy blood for money gang.
Makes me sick to know these people consider money more important than Americas future and her citizens.
Oh well they know what is coming, hope they repent before it is to late and they end up in hell.
It is like the song War Pigs says. Generals' gathered in their masses just like witches at black masses. Politicians hide them selves away they only started the war, why should they go out and fight they leave that up to the poor. Yeah !!!!
Then at the end of the song it says something to the effect of On their knees the war pigs crawling begging mercies from the king. Satan laughing spreads his wings !!!
The whole thing is an attack on all of mankind, we all pay for the evil that is done. One way or another we suffer for their pleasure.
Thanks for the invite jovial-
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Endoscopy9 months, 2 weeks ago
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"How strange. We have retired military big wigs who are supposed to be for America. Instead they are for their own wallets. "
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Why do you believe this story. Just because it says what you want to believe? Why the belief that these people are not saying and doing what they really believe is best for the country? -
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cowboygrandpa9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Endo:
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I have been around enough to know that those who work their way to the top, do it for their own benefit, not to benefit others. Especially in General Officers cases. They are the most politically motivated group of people in the service. They are always seeking to find favor with the money bags in congress and the muckety mucks in business.
They espouse a love for this country, which I'm quite sure they have. But their views are skewed by the power they wield, and the filth they associate with. People whose only morals are the numbers in the bank account. Whose idea of America is not that of the founding fathers, but instead a controlling and demeaning money making machine. Greased by the blood of those thought to be insignificant in the scheme of things.
Kind of like the Pharaoh's of Egypt, who at first thought of the Jews a welcome addition, because of the wisdom of Joseph, but then came to despise them and fear them. So they enslaved them and punished them for the Pharaohs' sickened minds.
Look at the changes being brought upon our nation in the last 40 years. What do you see. The military industrial complex has all but consumed our economy, we are slaves to the will of those in control of the military and the leaders in the services are bowing to the corporate masters.
I am not a litle boy who believes in the tooth fairy any more Endo, I have seen the evil and listened to the pompous and arogant lies that lead to more death and destruction.
What is sad is the ones who buy into the lies, for they are the ones who believe the fairy tale.
Bottom line. This world is going to have war that will make all the other wars seem like a school yard brawl. So because we know this we continue to build bigger and more destructive weapons in hopes we will be the ones to survive.
Guess what, most of the world dies. So yeah go ahead and believe as you will.
Me personally, I want to go to God and say I claim the blood of Jesus Christ. I knew you would handle it all your way God because You were always on the throne.
I didn't buy into the lies, that we could somehow change what was written. I wanted to spend the money on making life better through medicines and reach out to all my neighbors feeding them, helping them to see Christ in love instead of war.
God doesn't need us to fight one another to prove His Love. He needs us to show love to our neighbors as we love ourselves.
Yes we must be prepared to fight. But we must not seek to destroy others for our gain.
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PatrioticAmerican9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Endo i guess we have not learned yet that the only people who can name call and bash presidents and try to say what is right and wrong in America, and the only 1s that have the freedom of speech are those on the left, after all they spent the last 8 years bashing the former President everyday for what they Think are the right reasons. But HELL no, not one of us on the right (and even some on the left) better never ever bash the new president because the people voted him into office(they did the same with Bush But that does not matter to them) so what ever he says or does should be okay with everyone, and those that speak out against him are traitors and Unpatriotic and just want our Country to fail, and we are just not willing to work with the new president. whats the matter Dems and libs You don't like the facts being put out there that there are alot of people who think some choices that Obama has made are not the right choices????? you guys went 8 years saying that Bush was wrong everyday. I for 1 Will never blindly follow anyone and say that every decision they make is the right 1 i didn't with Bush and i certainly will not with Obama you had the right to Bash Bush we have the right to Bash Obama and those that follow him. exp of how Obama is treated like a god to the left, I was at the video store a couple days ago and there was this kid there talking about how he worships the ground that Obama walks on and when i asked him Why ? he says because Obama is (the one) and only one who can Fix what Bush did again when asked what Bush "did" he could only say what he heard others say, and when asked what he will do if Obamas "plan" dosent work, He said "that wont happen because Obama is above mistakes" LMAO what an idiot
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jovial9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Sounds like sour grapes to me. Bush got bashed because he was screwing up. Conservatives tried to cover for him, but the truth eventually came out anyway. If i hear another story about the "one" or the "messiah", I think i'll barf. The only nuts running around calling the President that are right wing nutjobs, so that's how I know your whole story is contrived. Liberals and progressives don't use those words like "the one' and other nonsensical words I see thrown around constantly by the right wing. It's an insult for you and other conservatives to imply that people are idol worshipers, because they voted for someone to be President and that person won. Get over it. Look at the people you put into office more closely next time, and reevaluate your positions. If your right wing ideology was so popular, why did McCain win the Republican nomination? He was one of your most liberal Republicans. It seems to me that being a patriotic American has more to it, than what I see here displayed by you.
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Spadecaller9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, history has repeatedly proven that the will of these profiteers have overpowered the interests of peaceful diplomacy in favor of the use of military force. From the escalation of the Vietnam War in the 60's and 70's to the covert sales of weapons to Iran, and from the secret military operations of Latin America to waging the contrived war in Iraq, a realistic proposal of change today would require President Barack Obama to openly acknowledge the political machinery of the military industrial complex that shapes our foreign policies, exploits our resources, and provides for the livelihoods of millions of Americans. Without the financial support provided by the lobbyists representing the military industrial complex, the majority of our so-called trusted public servants would have to sacrifice their campaigns for reelection. How can change occur when the corporations that profit from military conflict own our representatives?
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The big question remains. How can President Barack Obama promise change without addressing this central issue? In President Obama's inaugural speech he stated: "As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake."
The chilling reality, however, is that we have given "them up for expedience's sake." For eight long years, our government has defied the rule of law, imprisoned the accused without fair legal recourse, spied on its citizens illegally, and waged an illegal war without sound justification. Can we overlook the consequences? Hundreds of thousands are dead, maimed, and homeless.-
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icono19 months, 2 weeks ago
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Good point;
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..."Without the financial support provided by the lobbyists representing the military industrial complex, the majority of our so-called trusted public servants would have to sacrifice their campaigns for reelection. How can change occur when the corporations that profit from military conflict own our representatives?"
And therein lies the crux of the real problem with our govt..irregardless of who our president is at any given time. Our government reps are 'owned by' outside business and financial interests that are more interested in how the govt can benefit them, special interests, instead of the common 'We The People' segment of the population the govt is supposed to represent.
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EDWARDIII9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Which of our weapons should not have been procured? The Osprey VTOL aircraft? The M16? The current stable of sniper rifles? Predator drone? Appache? The Abrams?
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If you critics of the pentagon want to attack proven corruption I'm with you. Let's attack corruption and work together to build a stronger military to defend our country in a world where many enemies exist who want to destroy us.
As for you who think the solution is to weaken our military and do away with our defense industry, please come clean and admit you are one of those enemies.-
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hyperbola9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Well Edward, read the article I linked above and you will find a detailed analysis of the rampant corruption in our military-industrial complex, including numerous "defence" projects that are simply pork barrel politics.
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Economic Death Spiral at the Pentagon
http://www.propeller.com/story/2009/02/04/economic...
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m-simon9 months, 2 weeks ago
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If we would all just submit to Islam there would be peace for our time. The thing is you can't just go submitting to any version. Only the one true version will do. When you find out which one let me know.
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Peace for our time. It has such a pleasant ring.-
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hyperbola9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Ah, a zioncon turns up to try to kill more americans for israel's religious wars. Time to get the israel-firsters out of our politics, government and media.
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Obama and the Politics Of Bollocks
There is a lot of bollocks about at the moment.... Far from "deconstructing [sic] the war on terror", Obama is clearly pursuing it with the same vigour, ideological backing and deception as the previous administration. George W. Bush's first war, in Afghanistan, and last war, in Pakistan, are now Obama's wars – with thousands more US troops to be deployed, more bombing and more slaughter of civilians.
...What the childish fawning over Obama obscures is the dark power assembled under cover of America's first "post-racial president". Apart from the US, the world's most dangerous state is demonstrably Israel, having recently killed and maimed some 4,000 people in Gaza with impunity. On 10 February, a bellicose Israeli electorate is likely to put Binyamin Netanyahu into power. Netanyahu is a fanatic's fanatic who has made clear his intention of attacking Iran. In the Wall Street Journal on 24 January, he described Iran as the "terrorist mother base" and justified the murder of civilians in Gaza because "Israel cannot accept an Iranian terror base (Gaza) next to its major cities". On 31 January, unaware he was being filmed, Israel's ambassador in Australia described the massacres in Gaza as a "pre-introduction" - dress rehearsal - for an attack on Iran.
For Netanyahu, the reassuring news is that Obama's administration is the most Zionist in living memory – a truth that has struggled to be told from beneath the soggy layers of Obama-love. Not a single member of Obama's team demurred from Obama's support for Israel's barbaric actions in Gaza. Obama himself likened the safety of his two young daughters with that of Israeli children while making not a single reference to the thousands of Palestinian children killed with American weapons - a violation of both international and US law. He did, however, demand that the people of Gaza be denied "smuggled" small arms with which to defend themselves against the world's fourth largest military power. And he paid tribute to the Arab dictatorships, such as Egypt, which are bribed by the US Treasury to help the US and Israel enforce policies described by the United Nations Rapporteur, Richard Falk, a Jew, as "genocidal".
It is time the Obama lovers grew up. It is time those paid to keep the record straight gave us the opportunity to debate informatively. In the 21st century, people power remains a huge and exciting and largely untapped force for change, but it is nothing without truth. "In the time of universal deceit," wrote George Orwell, "telling the truth is a revolutionary act."
http://www.propeller.com/story/2009/02/06/obama-an...
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jovial9 months, 2 weeks ago
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Another load of trash form Edwards and m-simon. The stupid idea that "either you're with us or you're with the enemy". So that's the justification for buying more weapons and trying them out on populations by giving them to Israel to use against the Palestinians. The idea is to pulverize all countries that don't willingly accept our colonialism and our "bottomless pit" of desire for control of the world's resources. The problem is that we have become blind to the needs of the people in our own country. We build a damn good smart bomb, but our bridges and roads are crumbling. We build a damn good attack helicopter, but education in America is second rate in our Public Schools. We build one mean friggin' tank, but our auto industry is on the ropes. The progress we count is if Iraqi's have purple fingers, or our puppet regime presidents get elected, and there is fruits and vegetables in the markets of Mosul. To the people of America who get sick or need a job, or need a good education, etc., we say tough! Tough Sh!t!!! I don't buy that. True Americans aren't buying it either.
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rightfromwrong9 months, 2 weeks ago
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it was a good story and the USA's military complex has generated more hated in the last years and because of it there likely will be released a nuclear weapon inside the USA.
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All for the greedy elitists and their corporate fascism.
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