Newspaper Page Text
Among the most bizarre symptoms of the blindness is the
tendency of most deficit hawks to become big spenders on
Iraq and Afghanistan, at least until lately. The direct costs
of the war, which is to say those unfunded costs in each
year's budget, now come to Si.23 trillion, or $444.6 billion
for Afghanistan and $791.4 billion for Iraq, according to the
National Priorities Project.
But that's another sleight-of-hand, when one considers the
so-called indirect costs like long-term veterans' care. Leading
economists Joseph Stiglitz and Linda Bilmes recently testified
to Congress that their previous estimate of S4 to $6 trillion in
ultimate costs was conservative. Nancy Youssef, of McClatchy
Newspapers in D.C., in my opinion the best war reporter of the
decade, wrote recently that "it’s almost impossible to pin down
just what the United States spends on war." The president him
self expressed "sticker shock," according to Woodward's book,
when presented cost projections during his internal review of
2009.
The Long War casts a shadow not only over our economy
and future budgets, but our unborn children's future as well.
This is no accident, but the result of deliberate lies, obfusca
tions and scandalous accounting techniques. We are victims
of an information warfare strategy waged deliberately by the
Pentagon.
As Gen. Stanley McChrystat said much too candidly in
February, 201U, "This is not a physical war of how many people
you kill or how much ground you capture, how many bridges
you blow up. This is all in the minds of the participants." David
Kilcullen, once the top counterinsurgency adviser to Gen. David
Petraeus, defines "international information operations as part
of counterinsurgency."
Quoted in Counterinsurgency in 2010, Kilcullen said the mil
itary officer’s goal is to achieve a "unity of perception manage
ment measures targeting the increasingly influential spectators'
gallery of the international community."
This’new "war of perceptions," relying on naked media
manipulation such as the treatment of media commentators
as 'message amplifiers' but atso high-technology information
warfare, only highlights the vast importance of the ongoing
WikiLeaks whistle-blowing campaign against the global secrecy
establishment.
Consider just what we have learned about Iraq and
Afghanistan because of WikiLeaks: tens of thousands of civil
ian casualties in Iraq never before disclosed; instructions to
U.S. troops not to investigate torture when conducted by IJ.S.
allies; the existence of Task Force 373, carrying out night raids
in Afghanistan; the CIA’s secret army of 3,000 mercenaries;
private parties by DynCorp featuring trafficked boys as enter
tainment; and an Afghan vice president carrying $52 million in
a suitcase. The efforts of the White House to prosecute Julian
Assange and persecute Pfc. Bradley Manning in military prison
should be of deep concern to anyone believing in the public's
right to know.
The news that this is not a physical war but mainly one of
perceptions will not be received well among American military
families or Afghan children, which is why a responsible citizen
must rebel first and foremost against The Official Story. That
simple act of resistance necessarily leads to study as part of
critical practice, which is essential to the recovery of a demo
cratic self and a democratic society.
Read, for example, this early martial line of Rudyard Kipling,
the English poet of the white man's burden: "When you're left
wounded on Afghanistan's plains and the women come out to
cut up what remains/just roll to your rifle and blow out your
brains/ And go to your God like a soldier." Years later, after
Kipling's beloved son was killed in World War I and his remains
never recovered, the poet wrote: "If any quest’on why we died/
Tell them because our fathers lied."
Tom Hayden
After more than 50 years of activism, politics and writing. Tom Hayden
is a leading voice for ending the wars in Afghanistan. Iraq and Pakistan
and reforming politics through a more participatory democracy. Pt. 2 of
his editorial will be published next week.
Five Points
Bottle Sho
BEER WINE LIQUOR CIGARS
BEST SELECTION • EVERY DAY LOW PRICES
FRIENDLY, KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF
WE HAVE
v %£ ALL OF YOUR
, 45 TAILGATING
* / NEEDS!
Beer, Wine,
Liquor, Kegs,
Ice and Gallon
or Half Gallon
GROWLERS!
JOINTS,
GROWLERS
beer b brew supply
www.5pointsgrowlers.com
1655 S. Lumpkin St. 3687 Atlonto Hwy
706-543-6962 706-316-2369
v-v ^Tr.
NO FAKE I.D.s * NO CRYBABIES £ \
www.FIVEP01NTSB0TTLESH0P.com
Join Our Mailing List tor Information on Events & Specials!
CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER!
1 655 S. LUMPKIN ST.
706-543-6989
3685 ATL. HWY.
706-316-2337
G^ U &
LOCOS LIVE
MUSld
on the patio!
SEPTEMBER 7
Classic City Soul
SEPTEMBER 14
Redneck Greece
Wednesday Nights 6pm
2020 Timothy Rd.
Athens, GA 30606
706.549.7700
Wednesday
WING NIGHT!
Home of the Best Wings in Town
50< WINGS • s 6 PITCHERS
Thursday
THIRSTY THURSDAYS
All Draft Pints $2 after 7pm jCStfel
LIVE MUSIC with 3ESPI
THE WELFARE LINERS
Friday
jfWfk
LIVE MUSIC with ^*0^
CRANNY'S GIN
LIVE MUSIC with
BORDERHOP FIVE
HAPPY HOUR ALL DAY!
PIZZA & BEER SPECIALS
$ 10 Large One Topping Pizzas
$ 6 Pitchers ALL DAY
of Bud, Bud Light, Yuengling & Miller Lite
TWO for $20
Any TWo Pasta Entrees,
Two Side Salads and Two Drinks for $20
HAPPY HOUR 3-7pm
$3 Wells • $3 Craft Beer Pints
$2 Select Domestic Bottles
233 E. CLAYTON ST.
706.353.0000
AMICI.CAFE.COM
i
You have enjoyed our food for years...
Now know us as an Athens original...
Kioopue
Opening Soon!
NOW HIRING ALL POSITIONS
Pick up application at the restaurant or
email us at changosnoodles@yahoo.com
320 E. CLAYTON STREET
(next to Mellow Mushroom)
SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 • FLAGPOLE.COM 9
