One More Time

© MMVIII v 1.0.7

Here's a summary of world politics that I sent to a supporter of rebuilding the Iraqi military and police — and sending Iraqi children to school, of course. He wants me to know the truth about what is going on in Iraq: Those benighted Iraqis are making progress, with our help, he thinks. "What's happening is their own fault. But we can help. We are helping."

Sadly, it's all a lie.

The truth is that Iraq is a cow being milked by the Empire (that's us). This started with World War I when the British Empire took over the Ottoman Empire and Persia. Oil may have been one of the more important reasons for WW I. After WW II, the American Empire took over running the Empire from the British. Who runs the Empire may have been one of the more important reasons for WW II. The institutions that are being rebuilt in Iraq (after we destroyed them) are apparatuses of the State (which we destroyed). Can Al Humpty Dumpty be put back together again? Can Al Humpty be turned into a loyal slave of the Empire? Not a chance. Iraq is worse than Vietnam and it has none of the things going for it that helped the Vietnamese defeat the Empire: no mountains; no jungle; no superpower sponsors; no disloyal 5th column undermining the Empire at home (unless you count me); no stab-in-the-back media (the Empire fixed the media long ago); no political opposition (the Democrats and the Republicans are both the same). All this is combined with an even greater technology and weapons advantage than the Empire had in Vietnam. Yet, despite everything the Empire has going for it, retired U.S. generals (the ones who have jobs don't talk) have been saying for years that the war in Iraq is lost and nothing can be done to change that.

The U.S.A. has lost more than respect. It has lost the Empire. The dollar is going down the drain. Economic power has shifted away from the Empire and it won't be coming back until we are competitive again. Dropping bombs and sending in the Marines won't help anymore. Where was your car built? Do you buy anything at Wal-Mart? Every military move the Empire makes drives up the price of oil and undermines the economy — driving down the U.S. dollar even further. The price of gas today is $4 a gallon. What will happen when the price of gas hits $12 a gallon? Will you be driving? What will happen to the long-haul trucking business? Will the Sixth Fleet [1] [2] be sailing? The Empire was built on oil [3] that was lower than $3 a barrel before 1972 when OPEC raised the price to $22. Today, after the destruction of Iraq, oil is approaching $150 a barrel. If we start bombing Iran, oil could hit $500 a barrel overnight, according to market watchers. The United States DoD (Department of Defense) is the world's largest single consumer of oil. The jig is up.[4] It's time to make some friends. It's time to put away the guns. We in the Empire can't be the bully in the sandbox anymore. We have to learn to play with the other children. Eventually, all evil schemes stop working (they come to nothing) and evil-doers pay the price. You can look it up.

That's the sad truth, the dirty lowdown.

- Morley

"Power for Peace" "Peace Through Strength" "Peace is Our Profession" are a few slogans of the military of the Empire's current master, the U.S.A.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_6th_Fleet
[2] http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/c6f.htm
[3] http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/citizenship/oil_products.html
[4] http://www.antiwar.com/engelhardt/