|
|
home / subscribe / donate / tower / books / archives / search / links / feedback / events
|
Did Oprah Pick Another Fibber? Truth and Fiction in Elie Wiesel's Night In his special report Alexander Cockburn interviews former Wiesel colleague and Holocaust survivor Eli Pfefferkorn. What Raul Hilberg, the Holocaust's greatest historian, really thinks about Wiesel's "Night". Also in this special issue: Is Hugo Chavez Hitler or Father Christmas? Larry Lack tells the full story of Venezuela's hand-outs to Uncle Sam's Shivering Poor. Plus, Jeffrey St Clair profiles the Endangered Visigoth and traces the rise and possible fall of Rick Pombo, destroyer of nature. CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation for the online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! |
|
Today's Stories March 11 / 12, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Paul
Craig Roberts Ben
Tripp John
Strausbaugh Landau
/ Hassen Robert
Bryce Gary
Leupp Fred
Gardner Ron
Jacobs Jonathan
Scott Jordan
Flaherty Joe
Allen Julia
Kendlbacher Website
of the Weekend
March 10, 2006 Ben
Rosenfeld Lila
Rajiva Saree
Makdisi Elena
Shore Joshua
Frank Dave
Zirin Aura
Bogado
March 9, 2006 John
Walsh Annie
Zirin Brian
McKenna Chris
Floyd Rachard
Itani Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Wylie
Harris Alexander
Cockburn Website
of the Day
March 8, 2006 Patrick
Bond Brian
Concannon, Jr. Pat
Williams Lance
Selfa Mokhiber
/ Weissman Walter
Brasch Vijay
Prashad Website
of the Day
March 7, 2006 Werther John
Blair Dave
Lindorff Mike
Whitney Warren
Guykema Sen.
Russell Feingold Robert
Jensen Norman
Solomon Bernie
Dwyer Website
of the Day
Ralph
Nader Dave
Zirin Vanessa
Redgrave Walter
A. Davis Joshua
Frank Nate
Mezmer Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
Alexander
Cockburn Jennifer
Van Bergen Steven
Higgs Winslow
T. Wheeler Ron
Jacobs Rev.
William E. Alberts Colin
Asher Fred
Gardner "Pariah" John
Scagliotti Seth
Sandronsky Joan
Roelofs Arjun
Makhijani Ardeshr
Ommani Diana
Barahona Ben
Tripp St.
Clair / Socialist Worker Staff Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend March 3, 2006 Laura
Carlsen John
V. Whitbeck Chris
Floyd Mohamed
Hakki Pratyush
Chandra John
Scagliotti Website
of the Day
March 2, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Dave
Lindorff Ramzy
Baroud Saul
Landau Joe
Allen Steve
Shore Denise
Boggs Norman
Finkelstein Website
of the Day
March 1, 2006 Mairead
Corrigan Maguire Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Faheem
Hussain Antony
Loewenstein Elizabeth
Schulte Mike
Whitney John
Ryan Michael
Donnelly Tom
Reeves Website
of the Day
February 28, 2006 Sen.
Russ Feingold Ralph
Nader Joshua
Frank Aziz
Haniffa Benjamin Dangl Norman Solomon Mike
Ferner Sharon
Smith Website
of the Day
February 27, 2006 Buncombe
/ Cockburn Paul
Craig Roberts Ingmar
Lee Ron
Jacobs Dave
Lindorff Pat
Wolff Lila
Rajiva Website
of the Day
February 25 / 26, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Lila
Rajiva Lee
Sustar Jennifer
Van Bergen / Madis Senner Justin
E.H. Smith Paul
Craig Roberts Jason
Leopold Gilad
Atzmon Zahid
Shariff Fred
Gardner Dick
J. Reavis David
Stocker John
Bomar Mike
Marqusee Pratyush
Chandra Ben
Tripp Dr.
Susan Block Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
February 24, 2006 Alan
Maass William
S. Lind Dave
Lindorff Pierre
Tristam Meg
Bannerji Robert
Jensen Mark
Engler Jennifer
Loewenstein Website
of the Day
February 23, 2006 Chet
Richards Jonathan
Feldman Joshua
Frank Ron
Jacobs Amira
Hass Samah
Sabawi Norman
Solomon Christopher
Reed Website
of the Day
February 22, 2006 Robert
Pollin Phil
Doe Pirouz
Azadi Saul
Landau Brian
McKinlay Sam
Smith Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Diane
Farsetta Website
of the Day
February 21, 2006 Paul
Craig Roberts Franklin
Spinney Dave
Lindorff Alevtina
Rea Bruce
K. Gagnon Dave
Zirin Bill
Quigley Website
of the Day
February 20, 2006 Jennifer
Van Bergen Rachard
Itani Gideon
Levy Joshua
Frank Newton
Garver Pratyush
Chandra Seth
Sandronsky Cockburn
/ St. Clair Website
of the Day
February 18 / 19, 2006 Werther Uzma
Aslam Khan Joe
DeRaymond Edward
F. Mooney Paul
Craig Roberts Elaine
Cassel P.
Sainath Thomas
P. Healy Brian
Concannon, Jr. Fred
Gardner Rep.
Cynthia McKinney Brian
Tokar Chan
Chee Khoon Andrew
Freedman St.
Clair / Walker Poets'
Basement Website
of the Weekend
February 17, 2006 Floyd
Rudmin Gervasio
Rodríguez Gary
Leupp Ramzy
Baroud Amira
Hass Matthew
Koehler Niranjan
Ramakrishnan Debbie
Nathan Website
of the Day
Febrauary 16, 2006 Lila
Rajiva Norman
Solomon Ron
Jacobs Paul
Craig Roberts Website
of the Day
February 15, 2006 Brian
Conacnnon, Jr. Dave
Lindorff Saree
Makdisi Joshua
Frank Amira
Hass CounterPunch
Wire Robert
Bryce Website
of the Day February 14, 2006 John
Sugg Don
Santina William
A. Cook Ray
McGovern John
Ross Website
of the Day
Lila
Rajiva Christopher
Brauchli Dave
Lindorff Ron
Jacobs Mike
Whitney Michael
Neumann Website
of the Day
February 11 / 12, 2006 Alexander
Cockburn Ralph
Nader Paul Craig
Roberts Pat Williams Fred Gardner Saul Landau John Chuckman Roger Burbach Seth Sandronsky Website of
the Weekend
February 10, 2006 Carl
G. Estabrook Sen.
Russell Feingold Roxanne
Dunbar----Ortiz Saree Makdisi Website of
the Day
February 9, 2006 Dave Lindorff Mike Marqusee Paul Craig Roberts Peter Phillips William S. Lind Christine Tomlinson Innocent Targets in the "Long War": False Positives and Bush's Eavesdropping Program Will Youmans Robert Robideau Richard Neville Peter Rost Website of the Day
February 8, 2006 Ron Jacobs Stan Cox Sen. Russ Feingold Robert Jensen Rep. Cynthia McKinney Niranjan Ramakrishnan Don Monkerud David Swanson C.L. Cook Christopher
Fons Jeffrey Ballinger Website of
the Day
February 7, 2006 Edward Lucie-Smith Robert Fisk Paul Craig Roberts Neve Gordon Joshua Frank Peter Montague Jackie Corr Jeffrey St.
Clair Website of the Day
February 6, 2006 Christopher
Brauchli Robert Fisk John Chuckman Jenna Orkin Paul Craig
Roberts
February 4 / 5, 2006 Alexander Cockburn Mike Ferner James Petras Alan Maass Fred Gardner Ralph Nader Bill Glahn Saul Landau Laura Carlsen James Brooks Mike Roselle John Holt Sarah Ferguson William S.
Lind Niranjan Ramakrishnan Seth Sandronsky Derrick O'Keefe Michael Donnelly Ron Jacobs Elisa Salasin St. Clair / Vest Stew Albert Poets' Basement Website of
the Weekend
February 3, 2006 Toufic Haddad Heather Gray Tim Wise Conn Hallinan Eva Golinger Daniel Ellsberg Dave Zirin Robert Bryce Website of
the Day
February 2, 2006 Winslow T.
Wheeler Stan Cox Rachard Itani Mike Whitney Amira Hass Norman Solomon Michael Simmons Christopher
Reed Website of the Day
February 1, 2006 Sharon Smith Jason Leopold Cindy Sheehan Joseph Grosso Earl Ofari Hutchinson Steven Higgs Robert Robideau R. Siddharth Jim Retherford Rep. Cynthia
McKinney Paul Craig
Roberts Website of
the Day
Subscribe Online
|
Weekend
Edition PowerPoint on VideoWhy "We" Fight "Their" WarsBy SAUL LANDAU
Americans get confused about fighting wars, but traditionally salute the flag--at first. In his last presidential speech, Eisenhower recognized this phenomenon. He warned of the dangers inherent in the newly created military industrial and scientific complexes. President Bush refers to an ever growing, albeit vague, "terrorist" threat. Terrorism, however, is a tactic used by the weak and desperate to win advantages or by States to intimidate; not something you make war against. It won't surrender. In the post 9/11 days, Ike's words of caution receded. Bush and his Halliburton military-industrial complex Vice President dominated with their "Iraqi threat." Indeed, "threat" has established the axiom of the time. After World War II, both Parties agreed that the Communists threatened to conquer the free world. Facts, 20 million dead, 20 million wounded, 200 cities destroyed, no food or boots for the army, apparently did not create sufficient public skepticism about Soviet capacities to invade Western Europe. The media emitted a stream of threat language. Politicians colored world events with an anti-Soviet brush. The 1949 Communist revolution in China forged a supposedly unbreakable marriage with the Soviet giant. This coincided with witch hunts at home, a high profile search for "subversives" and "fellow travelers." This turned into McCarthyism by 1950. It set the stag for the sweetheart relationship between the military and the industrial and scientific producers, which has now infected all of society. If Eisenhower would speak today, he would specify Halliburton, the company that lives from war and threats of war. In the age of "perpetual war for perpetual peace" (Gore Vidal), the public doesn't question the existence of this "complex." Nor did 19th Century Americans question the Indian, British, French and Spanish "threats." They all inspired military interventions from. "We live here in the United States of Amnesia," says Vidal, referring to Americans' ignorance of history. Even college students read little these days and watch more. Instead of getting analysis from print, the public now examines the world through audio-video media--news documentaries on TV, computers, and the large screen. The new docs feature talking heads ("experts," typically seated) and archival footage (with background elevator music). These heads scrutinize issues ranging from Iraq and the Bushies' role in the 9/11 conspiracy to Wal-Mart and Fox News (films by Robert Greenwald). These power point videos play in theaters and offer good information and solid critical thinking. How much does the audience retain? Director Eugene Jarecki's ("The Trials of Henry Kissinger") latest endeavor, "Why We Fight," begins with Eisenhower's farewell warning of the deleterious effects of the military-industrial complex. Amplified by digital surround sound on the big screen, we feel the magnitude and urgency in Ike's face and voice. Unfortunately, as emblematic of the current documentary-power point complex, his prophecy competes with a distracting "thump thump thump"--the background score. Does excessive noise technology that pervades "Why We Fight" connect with Eisenhower's alert about the dangers to democracy of the military-science complex? Jarecki inexplicably (time problems?) omits Ike's reference to the science apparatus. "Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades," where "research has become central more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government." Today, universities and private research companies routinely get military-related research contracts. University budgets depend on government money. In turn, the military relies on university research for weapons programs and training. An aero space engineering student, for example, graduates and begins works on missiles at the Jet Propulsion Lab. Congress slashed programs for the poor, but fear "unpatriotic" labels in these terrorist times. So, they don't touch military research funds. The film argues that American leaders have ignored Ike's warning. The invasions of Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003) led the military-industrial complex to forge deeper attachments to Congress. It also used powerful DC think tanks, like the neo-conservative Project for the New American Century-a scriptwriter and cheerleader for the Iraq war. The citizen, remote from the policy world, can find no accountability, says retired Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, a former Pentagon analyst who worked in the Office of Special Plans. She witnessed how Scooter Libby and Douglas Feith from Vice President Cheney's office distorted intelligence in order to make the case for war in Iraq. In the film, she worries about the impact of this "coup" on her fellow soldiers. Some of them amuse "typical" civilian families by flying their fighter jets in death-defying tricks in the sky--at air shows. "Why do we fight," Jarecki asks the aerial viewers. "Freedom," "ideals," "values", respond these "average" Americans. Jarecki doesn't mention the "e" word. However, empire is Chalmers Johnson's theme. The historian and former Cold War promoter (Blowback, The Sorrows of Empire) places the imperial context over Bush's motives. "We are the New Rome," Johnson declares. "That's their strategy: on 9/11, they began to implement it." Arizona Republican Senator
John McCain also comments. "We have, not an obligation to
go out and start wars, but certainly to spread democracy and
freedom, throughout the world." How to accomplish this mission
without fighting wars? The film implies that it is not possible. Ultimately, even the engaging wisdom of Johnson, Kwiatkowski and Vidal cannot make a selection of choppy sound bites into a cohesive movie. Power point on video has limits. Clarity gets lost. Films need drama, so Jarecki uses Sekzer. As Lila Lipscomb mourned the loss of her son in Iraq in Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," so too does Sekzer demand retribution. Put his son's name on a 2,000-pound guided bomb -- "In loving memory of Jason Sekzer." The military told Sekzer they complied and dropped it on Iraq. Later, Sekzer discovers that Bush lied about Iraq's alleged Al Qaeda connection. In 2003, however, Bush told a reporter that "we've had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved withSeptember 11." Sekzer exclaims, "Well, if he [Saddam] didn't have anything to do with 9/11, why did we go in there? I was mad. My first thought is: you're a liar." ("Democracy Now," February 10, 2006) The film omits references to the Bush Administration's September 2002 National Security Strategy, a blueprint of post 9/11 intentions. Indeed, the Security Strategy paper answers the "why do we fight" question. "We will never forget that we are ultimately fighting for our democratic values and way of life. Freedom and fear are at war, and there will be no quick or easy end to this conflict." The Strategy emphasizes the US' right to maintain 700 plus overseas bases and wage pre-emptive war. "The presence of American forces overseas is one of the most profound symbols of the U.S. commitments to allies and friendsTo contend with uncertainty and to meet the many security challenges we face, the United States will require bases and stations within and beyond Western Europe and Northeast Asia, as well as temporary access arrangements for the long-distance deployment of U.S. forces." Justifying pre-emptive war, which Bush waged against Afghanistan and Iraq, the Strategy insists "we will not hesitate to act alone, if necessary, to exercise our right of self-defense by acting preemptively againstterrorists, to prevent them from doing harm against our people and our country" President Bush asked for $439.3 billion for the 2007 defense budget, not counting $120 billion more for Afghanistan and Iraq, plus intelligence and nuclear weapons costs. A whopping $700 billion for the military-industrial complex! "Their" wars are profitable. So why do "we" fight? Lt. Col. Kwiatkowski believes "not enough people are standing up saying, 'I'm not doing this anymore.'" Eisenhower pleaded for "an alert and knowledgeable citizenry" as the means to "compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together." Right now, we would settle for an alert and knowledgeable citizenry. Saul Landau is a fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies. Farrah Hassen is a Seymour Melman fellow of the
Institute for Policy Studies. She can be reached at fhuisclos1944@aol.com
|
from CounterPunch Books! The Case Against Israel By Michael Neumann  Grand Theft Pentagon: Tales of Greed and Profiteering in the War on Terror by Jeffrey St. Clair          Sick of sit-on-the-Fence speakers, tongue-tied and timid? CounterPunch Editors Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St Clair are available to speak forcefully on ALL the burning issues, as are other CounterPunchers seasoned in stump oratory. Call CounterPunch Speakers Bureau, 1-800-840-3683. Or email beckyg@counterpunch.org.                  |
