Greetings to all.
I just finished reading the latest article at Tomdispatch by Mr. Nick Turse. His article deals with the drone aircraft and their bases around the world. He tells how the use of these weapons has increased and how the US military continues to expand their use and the "need" for ever more and new bases for them.
This is not all that new to you who have followed the US military and the weapons and tactics used by the US military. What did strike me as the most frightening regarding the use of drone aircraft is that the military is testing newer models that require NO human intervention. These "autonomous" drones are being/have been tested at Fort Benning, GA. These are "true robot" drones that quote" Hunt, identify, and kill the enemy based on calculations made by software, NOT (my capitalizing) decisions made by humans." This is where the drone war is going folks. Totally automated weapons and weapon systems with NO human input as to who, when, or where they kill some "enemy".
Also, take note that it may be quite soon that drones will be used here in the US. One does not need to stretch the imagination very far to realize that the cops in New York City would love to be able to use them right now so they could keep close tabs on the OWS movement. No doubt many local police forces here in the US want to be able to have use of drones. This WILL be the norm sooner than we think. I am NOT trying to claim any "special" knowledge here, it is just a logical step in the continuing use of these weapons/weapon systems. We can look at the typical police force in any city here at home and see how they are now using equipment that got its start in the military. The use of drones by local police is just the next step. This is NOT a "chicken little" the sky is falling cry, just an opinion of an old guy who has been watching how America has changed during my own life time. I have seen police in America become ever more militarized and am certain that some time in the very near future some police force in some large US city will begin using drones as a cheaper means of surveillance.
On another topic, it seems that OWS is gaining and the "too big to fail" gangsters are getting worried. Finally! YES, in my opinion, we all need to do what we can to keep the OWS movement alive. We also need to insure that the movement is not co-opted by any supposed "liberal" outfit. The first one that comes to my mind is MoveOn. In my opinion MoveOn had best move over as the OWS will sweep by that faux "liberal" outfit and then MoveOn will be left in our dust. I don't think MoveOn was ever concerned about the working class in America. I am sure that they want to be a part of the power structure, the rest of be damned. Again, this is my own opinion of MoveOn. I have never seen any criticism of Gobomber by that group and doubt they would ever be in any way critical of him. In that respect, they are not much different from any other "liberal" group in the US. As more than one commentator has written, if the wars that Gobomber has started (Libya) or expanded (Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan) they "liberals" would be up in arms yelling about the "aggressions" of Shrubbie. Oh, but now "we" have a member of the donkey gang occupying the White House so, no way will they be the least critical of him. That sure as hell shows me just how little these "liberals" care about the working class who have the job of invading/occupying the countries that the US is at war with.
My opinion, if the war in Libya would have been unjust under Shrub, it is ALSO unjust under Gobomber. My opinion of the majority of supposed "liberal" in the US is that they have VERY selective morals. If a member of the elephant gang holds the office of president, they will be against his/her new wars. Now, when a member of the donkey gang holds that office, well, you see how "much" protest has come from the "left" in America. Damn near none at all! I call that selective morality. Fine when "our" guy/gal does it, not so good when the "other" does the same thing.
again, I hope that OWS does not get co-opted by any "liberal" group. We all need to work hard to insure that this movement stays true to the working class and poor people who belong to OWS. This IS class war folks, us against the top 1%. It has been going on for decades and now, it is finally (I hope) coming to a head.
As we do what we can to continue the OWS and try to make it a truly nation wide movement, take a glance or three to the skies every so often, there just may be some drone watching you. NO, I do not think that is being paranoid at all. It never hurts to be cautious though.
semper fi
9 comments:
Great thoughts.
99% vs. 1% has to be the path to victory.
Not right vs left.
Society demands it.
Elitists fear it.
The one thing that the powers that be fear the most is exposure.
The more the masses see and start to understand that their true freedom is at stake.
The more will join the files of the protesters.
Lets face it, we are a nation that has grown accustomed to the face of war.
All wars are forgotten, no one is held accountable.
So the next Masters of War repeat and recycle the masks of death.
100 "advisers" "trainers" were sent to Uganda.
Sound familiar. - - Nam - -
War is peace, peace is war.
These Neolibs will not rest until we have sent humanitarian aid [shock and awe] to the rest of the non-white world.
Their crusade continues.
On the drones...
Man oh man, Charlie... the pieces are falling into place and the picture is as ugly as can be.
I saw a youtube the other day wherein a Fox person spoke with someone named Mike Scheuer, who said of the Iran assassination scam :
"..both Israel and Saudi Arabia are much more dangerous enemies to the U.S. than the Iranians are..."
and carrying on in that vein. I haven't watched Fox News in at least 10 years, but they never used to be in the habit of painting not only American aggression, but Israel(!) in a bad light. Is warfare becoming unpopular at Fox? Maybe just the full-blown, expensive kind of warfare.
Now we read about the expansion of drone warfare, which strikes humans as monstrous, totally immoral, illegal, and inhumane... but which strikes the Wehrmacht as the means of channeling possibly shrinking 'defense' dollars directly to themselves, without having to pay for food and funerals for tradtional American armed forces they send to die overseas.
I remember a piece by Paul Craig Roberts right after the S&P downgrade of US debt, wherein he defined the clash in Washington for dwindling pieces of flesh still on the bones of the carcasse of American Empire (we the people are totally out of it) as being between the Bangksters and the Wehrmacht.
It all 'adds up', according to the corporations that make money from warfare. Fewer dollars overall for wars, but fewer expenses on the 'externalities' of warfare actually allow more dollars to fall through to their bottom lines.
The fact that the 'wars' are now no more than 'glorified' gangland murders is not a problem at all for them.
For them war has always been a racket.
On the OWS...
I read Linh Dinh at counterpunch.org who seemed to be saying that the The 99% Declaration was a good thing :
' The anti-Wall Street protesters will convene a National General Assembly in Philadelphia from July 4th, 2012 until October of 2012, resulting in a “PETITION OF GRIEVANCES to be submitted to all members of Congress, The Supreme Court and President and each of the political candidates running in the nationwide Congressional and Presidential election in November 2012.” If these grievances are not redressed within one year, the 99% “will organize a third independent political party to run candidates in the 2014 mid-term elections.” '
2014!!?? How about yesterday! This seems for sure a move to co-opt the OWS. I wrote and asked counterpunch on it... and got back that I was "the most annoying" guy who writes to them.
OK, I can take a hint. But what do you all think of the 'The 99% Declaration' and who the hell is this glossy, googlesque clique that is speaking for 99% of Americans? Click on their 'who are we?' link at the bottom of their page for a clue.
That's the bad news... here's the good news Veteran rants against police brutality [15-Oct11].
Marine Sergeant Shamar Thomas tells the cops in NYC just how it is.
RZ
Thank you for your comments.
I agree that the 1% does fear being exposed. They want to keep the illusion going and if they are exposed, that will become near impossible.
The country HAs become used to war and this needs to stop. War is NOT peace, peace is NOT war. We need to do all we can to get the truth out.
The neo-libs are no different than the neo-cons. Just a different label. Much the way there is so little, if any, difference between the donkey and elephant games. Two sides of the same damn coin.
Oh yes, I DO get the "advisors" to Uganda and the Vietnam connection. Ike sent advisors to Vietnam. JFK sent more. LBJ sent in the First Marine Division. How long will it be until combat troops are sent to Uganda? We'll be watching this.
John,
I caught that video from Faux Noise. It was on the program that a retired judge has on Faux. It WAS quite interesting. Scheuer has had articles posted at Anti-war.com. Apparently, on the program in question, it is not that unusual for this judge to stray from the typical Faux Noise line. I am not 100% certain of this as I do not watch Faux Noise. Sorry, but my small brain will not allow me to watch more than at best 60 seconds of anything on that channel. This video is an exception.
I read that article by Paul Roberts. I have read all his articles that were posted at Counterpunch and I have seen others at ICH. I don't always agree with him, but I do trust that he is truthful and I respect him.
The "Iranian plot" is a total joke. Of course it will be believed by some, the brain dead, which seems to include congress, will buy most anything that the TV tells them.
As to the OWS, I read that article by Linh Dinh and I read most of the "declaration". Yes, why wait until 2012? A very good question. Maybe it is just old me, but I would think that they could start to elect representatives next month at the latest and meet no later than this coming January. Again, that is just me "thinking out loud" as it were. There may be other considerations that I am unaware of. I do hope that this is not some stalling tactic to co-opt the OWS movement. THAT would be a crushing blow to what just might be our best hope of real change.
Stay tunes for more. Also, watch the skies folks, we may soon have drones above the USA, looking for "subversives" like me.....LOL, to think that I could be so "important" makes me laugh. Never gonna happen, I could never be so "important" to anybody. Impossible.
The coming drones... Charlie and posters, you said a lot. I am dealing with someone who made a deal with the devil. Kind of like a certain drone controlled by "minds all their own" government. I know the secret and that makes me a person to obstruct. I am as harmless as a kitten. It's not my deal or karma! I have my own deal and karma. I feel like I am practicing psychic Aikido. Allowing the anger of others as a mirror for them to see themselves as I step aside.
The Drones are pernicious. How does a human cope? My son wants to work for nasa and control drones! It is not my generation. He is born with all the same dna encoded that I have and that of his father and he is his own unique person. I already feel outdated. And yet I carry with me the wisdom of the ages. Raised on Mt Olympus (literally) in Hollywood, CA. What a trip. How can a drone be used for good?
Grace,
I don't know how to reply .
As for drones and being used for some good, they could be used to overfly the nuclear plants in Japan. That could be a good use of them as it would put no pilots in danger of radiation. Actually for any disaster and in particular if in a remote part of some country. I may be playing a bit of the devils advocate here, but even drones could have a positive use.
Just my 2 cents.
I do oppose the use of them as weapons, and even more so the newer types that have no human input, that operate totally by their software programs.
Thanks Charlie! It helped to hear the possible good uses of a drone. Indeed, it could b very helpful!
Regarding the rest, it's a great story and i wish I could speak more openly as it is highly classified.
Have a great day!
:)
Grace,
No problem at all.
I was just "thinking out loud" as it were on how drones might serve a useful purpose. That was all I came up with.
As to any classified information, I have no desire to ask about any at all.
Thank you for reading and commenting on the old corner. I enjoy all comments.
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