by Philip Greenspan
(Swans - March 27, 2006) Over the years the U.S. has been involved in many wars. Were its adversaries -- the Native Americans, British, Mexicans, Spanish, Filipinos, Germans, Japanese, Italians, Koreans, Vietnamese, Serbs, Afghans, Iraqis, etc. -- really enemies of the American people? Were the naïve and misguided young men who enlisted or were drafted by the US government hated so vehemently by foreign troops that those troops willingly and eagerly killed them? Of course not. How could they? They didn't know them. Neither did the US boys really hate their opposite numbers. Oh, yes, hate was instilled into the troops on both sides to get them to perform their soldierly duties but it was an artificial hatred, used to facilitate an aggressor's ulterior objective -- an objective unknown to the poor saps whose lives were on the line.
Some time ago I learned that in 1914, the first year of World War I, a Christmas Truce occurred among some belligerents on the western front. On Christmas day German soldiers in the holiday spirit cordially approached their opponents, who readily reciprocated. They befriended each other, exchanged food, gifts, and even played a game of soccer. When the military brass learned of this "outrageous" conduct they promptly put a stop to it. This miraculous heartwarming incident showed significantly what wars demand -- a hierarchical discipline to impel the troops to commit the dehumanized perversions that define the military profession. Left on their own, the troops would in time fraternize with the opposition forces!
The character of the leaders and the character of the led were exposed. American Joes harbored no animosity for their opposite numbers, the enemy Joes. Proper indoctrination is necessary for Joes to readily respond to the demands of their leaders, who respond in turn to the elites in their countries -- and the same elites profit enormously from wartime activities at the expense of -- guess who? -- yes, those ordinary Joes.
It is tragic that millions and millions have been killed over the years because of the few elites who have instigated wars. Why must such killings continue? Because the populations in most countries do not realize that they are played for suckers by their real opponents. And it will continue indefinitely until the people learn who their real adversaries are.
In wartime, peacetime, any old time, who benefits and who gets screwed? Who does the government -- the supposed servant of the people -- really serve? Whose interests do the media promote? Aren't the answers to those rhetorical questions obvious?
Franklin Roosevelt, a master politician who won the presidency an unprecedented four consecutive times and might have won again and again had not death retired him from office, disclosed a procedure for becoming a leader: Find out where the masses are heading and then quickly run to the front of the crowd.
People in government are not ignorant, although they put on a good act. Today's politician is a professional who is most desirous of retaining his position indefinitely. With the aid of public and private polls he can gauge what issues the public is and will be considering, and is well aware of those troubling the public, some overwhelmingly. Yet, on issue after issue, after all the bombast and the pro and con discussions in committees and on the floors of Congress, the public loses again and again to the special interests.
A politician's constituents will from time to time flood him with well-composed messages explaining the substance of an issue. Will those messages enlighten him and influence his decision? Probably not. He has no time to read them. His staff gives him a count, so many "for," so many "against." And that's it! If the issue is one the elite must win, and they already have the votes locked up, he can be a hero to his constituents. But, if his vote becomes necessary, forget it!
To make it all seem quite palatable, the corporate media, an elite stronghold, will through their influential and highly regarded pundits spin a fairy tale of how the new legislation will improve the existing problems that trouble the public.
One of these days, perhaps, after the public has been screwed so many times that they can't take it any longer, the lightning may strike their mental processes and they will learn who their realenemies are: The elite, the super-wealthy billionaires, and the top corporate executives and directors and all of their allies who were pocketing windfalls while the public was suffering; the well-paid and highly-reputed -- by the elite media moguls who hire them -- columnists and pundits who were feeding them the elite line; and the government officials they elected to represent their interests, but who, instead, sold out to the elite. In fact, most did not actually sell out -- they are already members of the elite and represent their own interests.
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