This Damn American Shame! by Philip A. Farruggio

by Philip A. Farruggio
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
May 21, 2011

Image via Wikipedia

Imperialism: The policy of extending a nation’s territory or power by establishing dominance over other nations. Sound familiar? Well, if we research all the major wars anywhere we find that they were all caused by imperialism. WW1 and WW 2 are prime examples. These were wars conducted by all the principal imperialist nations, whether they are the Axis or the Allies. Germany, Russia, France, Britain, Japan, China, the United States… all imperialist nations! Here at home, if you read General Smedley Butler’s essay from the 1930s: War Is a Racket, you see the evidence of what was done in our name in the Philippines, Mexico and Latin America. Of course, what we did to the American Indians is well documented. ‘Might makes right ‘should be added to any national anthems they sing before our many sporting events.

The Vietnam War was an abomination! Once again, for our own imperialist reasons, under the infamous cover of the domino theory as to communism, we got entangled in a civil war in Vietnam. The imperialist French ruled this place and were beaten off by patriotic Vietnamese. Then, the United States and the other western imperialist nations decided to not allow a United Nations sponsored free election to consolidate Vietnam… meaning, they would not allow the Vietnamese to decide their own future. The rest is history: a land destroyed along with hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of its inhabitants, and over 50,000 young American soldiers dead. For what? Well, if you read General Butler’s essay, mentioned above, you will ‘follow da money ‘and see who profited from the Vietnam War. Each time a Huey helicopter went down, it meant another one million dollars (by 1960s standards, much more now) paid to the manufacturer for a replacement. All in all, Vietnam was a huge moneymaker for the right contractors… and a huge loss for the taxpayers and families of the killed and wounded.

The sad reality is that our current occupations of Iraq & Afghanistan are even worse than Vietnam (don’t forget the new air attacks on Libya). In the 1940s right through to the 60s, they used the expression ‘Guns & Butter ‘to help justify conducting wars from strictly a financial standpoint. After all, the war industries stimulated the economy with more jobs. Not anymore. This debacle of foreign policy has just about bankrupted us. When it costs we taxpayers over one million dollars a year to keep a soldier in Afghanistan, and one million dollars for a B-1 bomb (as example) whatever jobs are created back home cannot justify the ledger sheet imbalances. When we invade and destroy the infrastructure of sovereign nations, plus kill countless civilians, there is a spiritual imbalance that can never be justified. Our nation is hated as it is feared by most of the world’s population. No, not the average American who clerks the store or packs the groceries for you. Our leaders and their corporate handlers are hated for the damage they are doing and have done… in our name! The propaganda spin machine that is our mainstream media keeps telling us the lie of a ‘War on Terror ‘. We were lied to about 9/11, as the so called 9/11 Commission was a whitewash. We know that the whole ‘Saddam is Hitler and has WMDs ready to strike us ‘was a lie. He was our gangster the same as a few other dozen are who rule countries that our imperialism owns and controls. His error was that he decided to stand up to his handlers in Washington. The rest is history.

As a salesman and a writer, I speak to many average Americans each and every day. When I engage them on what I just wrote about in this column, I am amazed as to how naïve most of them are. They either believe the distortions and lies fed to them daily by the spin machines, or they simply do not care! Reminds me of the Vietnam War and what transpired with my dad. He bought all the rhetoric that the Republican Party was selling during the 50s and 60s. When it came to Vietnam, it seems that my dad never really cared one way or the other. After all, in this foolish con game of Democrats vs. Republicans, it was the Democrats who ran the war show under Kennedy and Johnson. So, my dad had no real feelings as to Vietnam…. Until…. His sons came of draft age and 1A status. Then, he stood up at a family Easter dinner and stated to all my aunts and uncles “Before I see my sons get drafted, I will personally drive them to Canada! ‘ Oh, by the way, my dad’s guy, Nixon, was in the White House by then. I guess self interest can even trump politics at times.

I love my country… but fear and despise its leaders. I see through this whole 2 Party (and now Tea Party) shell game. Whether it is an Obama, a Clinton, Bush Sr. or Jr., they all dance to the tune played by the Fat Cats who own us all!! What a shame so few speak out about it. If only we realized that they cannot conduct phony wars without us. If only…..

Philip A. Farruggio is son and grandson of Brooklyn NYC longshoremen. A graduate of Brooklyn College, class of ’74, Philip has been an anti war activist since the Vietnam War.  Philip is now Volusia Cty spokesperson for the nationwide 25% Solution to cut military spending.  Since the 2000 elections, he has written over 250 columns posted on various sites, including, most recently, Dandelion Salad, dissidentvoice.org and progressivepatriots.net, or at his own blog at http://www.opensalon.com. Philip can be reached at paf1222@bellsouth.net.

Related articles

• The Cart before the Horse – A Coincidence? by Philip A. Farruggio (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
• Serving the “Three War Party System” by Philip A. Farruggio (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
• The Phony Peaceniks by Philip A. Farruggio (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
• Budget Cut Protesters Slightly “Off Target” by Philip A. Farruggio (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)