Printed from Urbana-Champaign IMC : http://127.0.0.1/
UCIMC Independent Media 
Center
Media Centers

[topics]
biotech

[regions]
united states

oceania

germany

[projects]
video
satellite tv
radio
print

[process]
volunteer
tech
process & imc docs
mailing lists
indymedia faq
fbi/legal updates
discussion

west asia
palestine
israel
beirut

united states
worcester
western mass
virginia beach
vermont
utah
urbana-champaign
tennessee
tampa bay
tallahassee-red hills
seattle
santa cruz, ca
santa barbara
san francisco bay area
san francisco
san diego
saint louis
rogue valley
rochester
richmond
portland
pittsburgh
philadelphia
omaha
oklahoma
nyc
north texas
north carolina
new orleans
new mexico
new jersey
new hampshire
minneapolis/st. paul
milwaukee
michigan
miami
maine
madison
la
kansas city
ithaca
idaho
hudson mohawk
houston
hawaii
hampton roads, va
dc
danbury, ct
columbus
colorado
cleveland
chicago
charlottesville
buffalo
boston
binghamton
big muddy
baltimore
austin
atlanta
arkansas
arizona

south asia
mumbai
india

oceania
sydney
perth
melbourne
manila
jakarta
darwin
brisbane
aotearoa
adelaide

latin america
valparaiso
uruguay
tijuana
santiago
rosario
qollasuyu
puerto rico
peru
mexico
ecuador
colombia
chile sur
chile
chiapas
brasil
bolivia
argentina

europe
west vlaanderen
valencia
united kingdom
ukraine
toulouse
thessaloniki
switzerland
sverige
scotland
russia
romania
portugal
poland
paris/ãŽle-de-france
oost-vlaanderen
norway
nice
netherlands
nantes
marseille
malta
madrid
lille
liege
la plana
italy
istanbul
ireland
hungary
grenoble
galiza
euskal herria
estrecho / madiaq
cyprus
croatia
bulgaria
bristol
belgrade
belgium
belarus
barcelona
austria
athens
armenia
antwerpen
andorra
alacant

east asia
qc
japan
burma

canada
winnipeg
windsor
victoria
vancouver
thunder bay
quebec
ottawa
ontario
montreal
maritimes
london, ontario
hamilton

africa
south africa
nigeria
canarias
ambazonia

www.indymedia.org

This site
made manifest by
dadaIMC software
&
the friendly folks of
AcornActiveMedia.com

Comment on this article | View comments | Email this Article
Commentary :: Peace
Our Emerging Evil Empire Current rating: 3
18 Mar 2003
Hitler put his plans into action by launching attack after attack against other sovereign European nations. Of course, part of his plan was to always provide some type of justification for his actions. It was very common for him to manufacture enemies by greatly exaggerating any threat they might pose to the German people.
At one point, he went so far as to arrange the burning of his country's own Reichstag building where the Parliament held its sessions. Hitler and his cronies blamed the fire on the anarchists, and while history shows us that the whole affair had been contrived, the action frightened the people so much that they gave up all of their civil liberties in a vain attempt to increase their security. The Enabling Acts were passed, the Parliament was dissolved, and Germany fell into the hands of a ruthless dictatorship, which began a world war.
The history of humanity is scarred with endless wars; wars fought for conquest, religion. After all these thousands of years, one would hope that humanity would learn its lesson and find leaders who would implement more just ways of solving our differences. But apparently, history is repeating itself once again; and this time it is happening right here in the United States.
Back in 1992 the blueprint for our current foreign policy was being written by then-Defense Secretary Dick Cheney. In his writings he set out a new doctrine that called for U.S. power in the 21st century to be that of an aggressive and unilateral approach that would secure American dominance of world affairs "by force if necessary."
During the Clinton administration this new strategic planning continued with funding from the military-industrial complex, energy companies, and right wing foundations. Even as war weary Americans celebrated the election of Bill Clinton as president, the sinister planning continued.
Over time those working on these new strategic plans evolved into a new group called "The Project for a New American Century" (PNAC). Among it's members were and still are Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz.
In September 2000, the PNAC updated the original Cheney plan into a new report entitled, "Strengthening America's Defenses." The plans in this report called for unprecedented hikes in military spending, locating American military bases in Central Asia and the Middle East, the toppling of recalcitrant regimes, the violation of international treaties, the militarization of outer space, control of the world's energy resources, and the willingness to use nuclear weapons to achieve American goals.
Does any of this sound familiar? It should, because just such a policy has been unfolding since the day that George W. Bush took office. Considering that our current president was not elected by a majority of the American people, the actions of his administration have been brazen to say the least.
In recent months the Bush administration has launched an all-out assault against the environment, and our civil liberties. It keeps the people in fear with countless terror alerts and talk of various nations having weapons of mass destruction, while failing to mention that many of those weapons were at one time supplied by the United States.
In its beating of the war drums against Iraq, the administration recently mentioned a 1998 report drawn up by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which allegedly stated that Iraq either had or was close to having a nuclear weapon. Shortly afterward, the IAEA denied ever having written such a report. To those who pay close attention to the news it should be perfectly clear that something is dreadfully wrong with the actions of our executive leadership in Washington, DC.
These days I seem to remain in a constant state of astonishment. Truth be told, I have never seen a "president" so eager to send American soldiers off to their deaths. I have never witnessed a leader of our nation, while in negotiation (if you can call it that) with other countries, constantly undermining diplomatic progress by continuing to move the goal posts.
In the case of Iraq, no matter what they agree to, it isn't good enough. That country has agreed to open itself up to weapons inspectors once again. Yet, the Bush administration kept throwing roadblock after roadblock in the way of letting inspectors back in! Now Bush has orderedthem out like the dictator he is swinging the U.S. military club we all have payed so dearly for.
I think it's time that we, as Americans begin asking some hard questions. We need to begin connecting the dots between plans drawn up by Dick Cheney and the Project for a New American Century, and our country's current war-like policy. For if the connection is more than coincidence, then we are witnessing the transformation of our great country from one that stands for freedom, justice, and the rule of law, to a new evil empire.
We must start questioning the morality of our new policy of endless war; remembering that war is much more sinister than the flashing of lights and fires across a TV screen. It extinguishes the lives of countless innocent human beings; children, mothers and fathers, the elderly; people who love others and love life just as we do.
Some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony, but we must speak. We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak. For we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us.
We still have a choice today working together with all on this planet as one world towards peaceful co-existence or violent co-annihilation of humanity and the biosphere of earth. We must move past indecision to action. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without intelligence, might without morality, and strength without sight.

Add a quick comment
Title
Your name Your email

Comment

Text Format
To add more detailed comments, or to upload files, see the full comment form.

Comments

Re: One Nation Under God
Current rating: -3
18 Mar 2003
JK,

We seek not territory, but only protection from those who would do us harm. As for you statement:

"Some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony, but we must speak. We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak. For we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us."

You call your speaking a "vocation of agony". Don't you mean "It is agony for people who accidentally stumble upon your written drivel". You also speak of your "limited vision" and the darkness so close around us". The solution here is simple: Please remove your head from your own ass. Wake up and realize you live in the greatest country in the world.

Your Friend,

Jack
Great Statment! JK!!
Current rating: 3
18 Mar 2003
it is so true!
now for you JACK-ASS ryan you need to put a cork in that hole that crap you wrote came from, cause jack-ass ryan you are full of shit
Re: Our Emerging Evil Empire
Current rating: 0
19 Mar 2003
Although you really should acknowledge Martin Luther King when you use a direct quote
UBAwaho
Current rating: 0
20 Mar 2003
Dear Whatever the Hell your name is,

It is my policy to respond to each and every response I receive. However, due to the overwhelming responses I have received both positive and negative, I will no longer be able to respond to bicycle helmet wearing retards. I apologize for any inconveniece or the inevitable bed wedding this may cause you. No offense.

Take Care,

Jack