[Peace-discuss] The message of wiki-leaks…

[David Green]

Mort, it's not at all clear that Rich thinks we should get out. Although he is 
an editorial columnist, he says nothing throughout of his own views. The closest 
he comes is this: As the president conducts his scheduled reappraisal of his war 
policy this December, a re-examination of 1971 might lead him to question his 
own certitude of what he is fond of calling “the long view.” 

That's obtuse, and for a reason. And indeed the lessons of "1971" aren't at all 
clear, if one is serious about making even this argument re what "might lead" 
Obama. Neither the army nor the population is rebelling against the war, and the 
economic downturn that has accompanied it does not seem to be bothering the 
interests of capital, broadly speaking. In fact, it has benefitted them 
greatly--the economic world is very different than it was in 1971, and the 
resource stakes are much higher in the ME than in Southeast Asia.

There is no certainty at all, as Rich suggests, that we are on the downside of 
this war. So his column is counsel for complacency.

With you, it has seemed to work.

DG



________________________________
From: Morton K. Brussel <brussel at illinois.edu>
To: David Green <davegreen84 at yahoo.com>
Cc: C. G. Estabrook <galliher at illinois.edu>; Peace Discuss 
<peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Mon, August 2, 2010 10:44:24 AM
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] The message of wiki-leaks…

Again, you beg the question with the statement below. It's clear that Rich 
thinks we should get out of Afghanistan. That's specific, and positive, despite 
all else. I also want the U.S. forces "out". That's the most important thing at 
the moment, in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere.    


As for Carl, he can twist anything for his purposes, as with use of the word 
"quagmire" as an excuse for hiding criminality. 

It is one thing to say that you are not satisfied, or strongly dissatisfied with 
the positions and writings of someone like Rich, but I believe your twisting of 
what can be helpful in stopping the killing is perverse. Get off your 
ideological horse.


--mkb


On Aug 2, 2010, at 8:57 AM, David Green wrote:

On a broader level, everyone wants peace, albeit on their own terms.



      
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