Speaking of the fourth Reich

[gunny]

"Blackwater" by Jeremy Scahill seems to think that our lovely Reichsleader, will, before the 08 election, invade Iran. He has spent billions of our tax dollars to produce a Pretorian Guard called Blackwater as his private army. Very scary scenario. Pakistan and maybe Iran have nukes. Our brave leader would not be replaced with a real war. This Blackwater mercenary encampment is in Virginia minutes from the White House. We are becoming more a banana republic daily. Dig a deep foxhole and buy some ammo, it seems Bush is trying to destroy our republic. Archys in a thousand years will have some good digging areas.

[Rokcet Scientist]

"Blackwater" by Jeremy Scahill seems to think that our lovely Reichsleader, will, before the 08 election, invade Iran. He has spent billions of our tax dollars to produce a Pretorian Guard called Blackwater as his private army. Very scary scenario. Pakistan and maybe Iran have nukes. Our brave leader would not be replaced with a real war. This Blackwater mercenary encampment is in Virginia minutes from the White House. We are becoming more a banana republic daily. Dig a deep foxhole and buy some ammo, it seems Bush is trying to destroy our republic. Archys in a thousand years will have some good digging areas.

Dunno about that 'Blackwater' rumor (got a link?), but I fear that same scenario: he starts a war (prolly with Iran) and then claims he "cannot desert his post as commander-in-chief in the middle of a war", and BINGO, you got a coup and a bonafide dictator.
After all, sofar Bush c.s. have clearly demonstrated how they 'rule the world': they blatantly lied to the world and his own people (WMDs), they spent hundreds of billions of taxpayer money (that could have been spent on, i.e., a proper health system?), they've formally declared the citizens of ALL countries other than the US terror suspects (and US citizens informally: wiretaps etc.), they ignore every single constitution, and they flaunt the people's law (Libby's 'pardon').

For an administration that does all that a coup is.... logical!

[Minimalist]

http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a2728.htm#001


YOu may find this of interest.

[Digit]

For all of the anti Bush , anti US talk, I would prefer their rule to Shariac law as is desired by some of the antis.

[Rokcet Scientist]

That ought to be plastered all over the front pages of the world's newspapers! But, amazingly, hardly anybody seems to see what is really happening, and where it leads.
1933 all over again.

Well, we'll know on January 20, 2009, won't we?

I hope you're working on a contingency plan.

[kbs2244]

Someone will have to check my statements here. This is all top of the head recollection.
Blackwater is a prvt co. founded by a returned Viet Nam S F guy. His main source of employees is US trained, but disillusioned at the pay, vets.
They are a classic "guns for hire" outfit that saw a lot use in the Congo during Jimmy Carters regime.
As a "U S patriot" their owner has some principles as to where and for whom he will work. He has some strong political feelings, but is not in anybody’s “back pocket.” He reserves the right to refuse any request for his services.
The availably of a fast, good, but non-Goverment force that can pass the deniability test has had an irresistable effect on the Pentagon no matter who is inthe White House.
Being a military guy, without the overhead of political oversight, he is in a dream position in the view of many career military men, and has a lot of unofficial access to a lot of U S military sites, information, equipment, etc.
Every US administration since J C, and many non-US administrations, have used them.
They are not the only ones in this game. There are at least two others with a US, or European, Western politic leaning. One very good one based on Belgium, I believe. They make use of the same type of employee pool.
There are other, sometimes regional, outfits out there who don't care about the politics as long as the checks do not bounce.
I would have to say that this is one of the classic “unintended consequences” of training men to take orders without question, kill well and without remorse, and then suddenly telling them “we don’t need what we trained you for anymore.”

[Digit]

Civilisation, governmental systems seem to rise and fall like a sine wave KB. The rulers pull more and more power into their hands till eventually the people, or outside force destroys them, then we start all over again.
First it was priests, then it was kings, then it was dictators. When you destroy people's ability to influence things by legal methods they influence them by illegal methods.
History is littered with corpses of the rulers who failed to understand that simple fact.

[Rokcet Scientist]

Someone will have to check my statements here. This is all top of the head recollection.
Blackwater is a prvt co. founded by a returned Viet Nam S F guy. His main source of employees is US trained, but disillusioned at the pay, vets.
They are a classic "guns for hire" outfit that saw a lot use in the Congo during Jimmy Carters regime.
As a "U S patriot" their owner has some principles as to where and for whom he will work. He has some strong political feelings, but is not in anybody’s “back pocket.” He reserves the right to refuse any request for his services.
The availably of a fast, good, but non-Goverment force that can pass the deniability test has had an irresistable effect on the Pentagon no matter who is inthe White House.
Being a military guy, without the overhead of political oversight, he is in a dream position in the view of many career military men, and has a lot of unofficial access to a lot of U S military sites, information, equipment, etc.
Every US administration since J C, and many non-US administrations, have used them.
They are not the only ones in this game. There are at least two others with a US, or European, Western politic leaning. One very good one based on Belgium, I believe. They make use of the same type of employee pool.
There are other, sometimes regional, outfits out there who don't care about the politics as long as the checks do not bounce.
I would have to say that this is one of the classic “unintended consequences” of training men to take orders without question, kill well and without remorse, and then suddenly telling them “we don’t need what we trained you for anymore.”

I.o.w. 'Blackwater' is just your standard, average, mercenary outfit. So what's new? Ever heard of "Mad" Mike Hoare? I think he was an Englishman, a pro sergeant, then went mercenary and carried out some 30 or more coups in Africa in a 30 year 'career'.
There are many like him.
Hired guns with totally absent ethos or morals.
Easily in the same 'class' as the Saddams of this world.
And – unfortunately and unimaginably, but undeniably – also Homo Sapiens Sapiens like us...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Hoare

[gunny]

The difference in Mr. Hoare, is that Mr. Prince, head of Blackwater, has our president, and most of congress, convinced that his mercenaries, at a pay of $600-1000 per day, is better than using US troops. News this morning had more "contractors than US troops in Iraq. US chief of staff in a news conference this morning, suggested a return of the draft. His reasoning is that multiple redeployments of the same troops to Iraq disrupted their home life. Yes, ir would be not nice if you were killed. I know this is not archaelogy, but if things progress the way they are, we will not be using small bladed instruments to recover artifacts, but shovels to protect ourselves. Sorry about this thread, but you are the most intelligent----and perhaps can see my warnings of US democrocy.

[Minimalist]

On that TBR News site that I posted from before there was a prior discussion about the discrepancy between the number of military deaths reported and the actual number of caskets being delivered back to the states. TBR originally seemed to be suggesting that the Army was deliberately mis-stating the total number of casualties. It seems they were correct but for the wrong reason. Some 1,000 of those contractors have also been killed.

They are mercenaries. Less clear is the status of the actual military which is being given enormous recruiting bonuses to sign up.

As Machiavelli said, of mercenaries:

"...if one holds his state on the basis of mercenary arms, he will never be firm or secure; because they are disunited, ambitious, without discipline, unfaithful; gallant among friends, vile among enemies; no fear of God, no faith with men; and one defers ruin insofar as one defers the attack; and in peace you are despoiled by them, in war by the enemy.

[Rokcet Scientist]

I would prefer their rule to Shariac law

Apparently, you have no clue what's in store for you with "their rule", Digit.

By the time you do, it'll be too late.

It's clear you never read Nineteen-Eighty-Four.
Or learned lessons from what happened in Germany in 1933: exactly the same thing! Remember what that lead to?

Shariah law is clear, unequivocal, and un-ambivalent. Very strict, but very clear.
"Their rule" means you are not protected by the law anymore. You can be detained at any moment, for 'secret' reasons, and you will never get your day in an honest court, or a chance to legally defend yourself! They will own you! Totally! And you'll get a very shady, very scary society, where everybody spies and snitches on everybody else.

That is what 'America the beautiful' is now rapidly transforming into.

http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a2728.htm#001

[Digit]

Absolutely true RS, and I have read 1984, the grimmest tale I have ever read I might add.
I have no problems with Shariac law at all. I have major problems with the interpretations that some Moslems put on it.
Remember that the Koran is said by its supporters to be the infallible word of Allah and re runs the the old testament as part of that infallible word. Then some of its followers say that all Jews must be killed.
The Koran also states, according to an article by a Moslem on the net, that belief in the Koran requires you to accept that at the end of each day the sun sinks into a well of dirty water.
I also bitterly oppose the followers who use THEIR interpretation to oppress women as servants of men.
Also remember that Mohammad married a 9yr old girl, right or wrong, I also consider that unacceptable

[Barracuda]

Mercenary is such an ugly word!

I always preferred "security consultant"

Many of the Blackwater employees in Iraq are actually Filipinos, who make less than US troops.

[Rokcet Scientist]

I would prefer their rule to Shariac law

The choice is not between 'their rule' and Shariah law, Dig! That's just smoke & mirrors! 'They' are presenting it to you like that. Like the illusionist creates a whole shpiel to make you look one way while he quickly changes the playing cards on the other side. The side where you're not looking.
And the stupid Islamist terrorists play into 'their' hands without realizing it!

No, the real choice (if there still is one...) is between 'their rule', the fascist police state, and the US classical and still current legal and democratic system, with proper checks and balances.

Look at it good! And imprint it upon yourself. It will be a romantic memory soon.

[Minimalist]

Always found this a compelling argument. We have already acheived many of the 14.

http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html

Political scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt recently wrote an article about fascism ("Fascism Anyone?," Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, page 20). Studying the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile), Dr. Britt found they all had 14 elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The excerpt is in accordance with the magazine's policy.