End U.S. Imperialism - "Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases"

end u.s. imperialism.jpg

Pretend you're at a carnival game booth and when you knock a U.S. foreign military base off the map you get a cute little stuffed animal. For every subsequent base you knock off, you can trade up for a bigger prize. Maybe even free health care and college education FOR ALL! `

Seriously, please consider endorsing this effort to help bring attention to the very serious problem that is U.S. militarism and imperialism.

Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases

http://noforeignbases.org/

"The Coalition Against Foreign Military Bases is a new campaign focused on closing all US military bases abroad. This campaign strikes at the foundation of US empire, confronting its militarism, corporatism and imperialism. We urge you to endorse this campaign.

On the occasion of its announcement, the coalition issued a unity statement, which describes its intent as “raising public awareness and organizing non-violent mass resistance against U.S. foreign military bases.” It further explains that US foreign military bases are “the principal instruments of imperial global domination and environmental damage through wars of aggression and occupation, and that the closure of U.S. foreign military bases is one of the first necessary steps toward a just, peaceful and sustainable world.”

https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/07/31/close-all-us-military-bases-on-f...

It can't hurt. Those of us who want to end imperialism and militarism need to keep pounding the drums against the insane wars and killing.
Innocent children are getting killed every day by the U.S. government and it's so called allies and friends. That should be enough reason.

[video:https://youtu.be/6lMzNcvx4Ps]

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Big Al's picture

Which one will they go after first?

http://www.globalresearch.ca/north-korea-or-iranwhere-will-president-tru...

The national government of this country is fucking crazy. Both major political parties along with the corporate media are doing everything they can to filter everything into the two party system and prevent any citizen uprising against their policies. It's time to push them aside.

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CB's picture

as world hegemon. The US dollar as the world reserve currency is what had enabled the USG to finance its massive military conglomerate since 1944. All other nations in the world have to produce material wealth in order to finance their operating expenses. Not so with the US. All it has to do is print colorful pieces of paper and use it to trade for what it requires. Any resultant inflation is borne by the entire world.

There is a direct link between the US$ as reserve currency, American military might and the 1000 plus, overt and covert, military bases scattered around the world.

There are a number of factors that could spell the demise of US world hegomony. The first is the lessening of the world's need for oil, the pricing of oil in currency other than the US$ and the Chinese/Russian rise in economic power and influence in Asia/Africa. We are now witnessing all of these occurring at an ever increasing rate.

The first signs of the fall of the American Empire will be the same as those in all other empires. Decrease in military spending won't be one of these because empires tend to increase military spending at their terminal phase in an attempt to forestall the inevitable. What we have witnessed historically is that the internal conditions of a nation in decline deteriorate. These are infrastructure, health care, education and job opportunities. This deterioration brings with it increased internal dissatisfaction and the rise of an internal, heavily armed police presence to deal with it. When empires fall, they rot and fester from the inside.

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Big Al's picture

@CB Just thot I bring it up in case people get tired of talking about the democratic party. A little change of pace.

I'm still naïve enough to think a people's revolution could do it. Maybe it's like religion, I just want to believe it's possible.

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@CB
If you think about it a military is needed to defend the country against imminent threat of invasion. Canada, Mexico? We use our military as a political instrument to enforce America's version of world order. This can and has lead to nothing but trouble.
Take North Korea as an example. We could attack them and watch South Korea be demolished along with major cities in Japan and perhaps Seattle and San Francisco, and enjoy the nice radioactive breeze. They bear a severe grudge against the US, for good reason, and understand that they will be bullied if they oppose the US and attacked militarily if they don't have nukes. There are other much better choices. Try taking moderate measures and not threaten them. Or even better, try to work with them, figure out how to guaranty their security, perhaps with the help of China and Russia, and transition them to a full trading economy. Leave the nukes in place, get rid of US presence on the Korean peninsula. Not being threatened they will not use them, the price is way too high. Their nukes are useless if the US is not threatening them, but critical for defense in the current situation.

I think that the transition to a sane foreign policy goes hand in hand with eliminating all foreign bases. The cost of the US war budget has been staggering and the choice is always guns or butter. Building war machines and paying for a million men and women to do almost nothing really hurts the economy. We sometimes confuse all economic activity with useful economic activity. For instance, as a thought experiment consider having half the population stop doing useful economic activity and have them build war machines. The economy of useful productivity would be cut in half, although the GDP would look the same. There is no economic use for war except perhaps if the economy is stuck in a depression, and there are much better ways to deal with that. As an example of what our war machine is doing to us, China's GDP is growing at around 7%+, Russia's at 3% and North Korea's at 4%. Our economy Q1 2017 grew at 1.2% -re Forbes. Our wealth goes to the oligarchs and the war machine. And in fact, one of the prime purposes of our war machine is to assert the economic interests of the oligarchs around the world.

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Capitalism has always been the rule of the people by the oligarchs. You only have two choices, eliminate them or restrict their power.

Four Navy vessels attacked by the SS Minnow. I swear I saw Gilligan and the Professor on board. Our brave men in blue so feared for their lives they opened fire.
OK, I hate to go all Presidential, but we've become a nation of pussies.

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There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.

Big Al's picture

@ghotiphaze

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"defense" and de fence.

Secret service protection? Especially for members of Congress? Sure, bring it on. Homeland Security? You betcha! Military (especially before they get sick?) But, of course! The proper function of federal government is "defense." Border patrol? All day long. Weapons and fighter planes, even if they don't function as they ahould? Hey, if the generals want them, who are members of Congress and the President to get fussy?

And Democrats are rapidly following suit, deifying the military, "fellating the fabric," as hecate once put it, etc. In any event, if they want to get anything at all done, the likeliest way to get something through the House or Senate may be something that "protects" us.

Or makes investment bankers smile.

Or cuts taxes for the wealthy.

Or hurts unions.

After that, it's pretty much things like re-naming post offices and declaring Butter Pecan Ice Cream Day.

All that buy partisan stuff.

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detroitmechworks's picture

What bothers me is that the US Military yanks back money from their service members at every opportunity, but does it under the veneer of "Orders" and "Contracts". Of course the MIC assholes get no such treatment, because they're buddies with the political war pigs.

Any other military in history that fucked over its troops the ways we do would be unable to find recruits. The problem is that we rarely see the effect on the individual soldier because the MSM hides the abuses under layers of bullshit and fresh faced young soldiers.

Would love to do a photo journalism project of the true faces of US veterans. Just a documentation of how we live AFTER we give our blood and toil to the empire. It would not be pretty.

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I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

@detroitmechworks think that when "Defense" spending is increased that means the troops get a raise.... Yeah, right. Not even back in the 80's was that true. My niece has told me some very disturbing things about the Air Force, and I have already told her I wish she'd get the hell out. She's got another 3 years and maybe after that she'll get out, I sure as hell hope so.

She told me one about how they do a hearing test for anyone working on the flight line and how airmen will "fake" their responses in order not to be pulled out of that work. Made me cry thinking of that and I told her so. She's already lost hearing but they play around with the "baseline" so it doesn't look like it. And all that for profit for some greedy son of a bitch who'd send others kids to die and be maimed for shits and grins. I HATE these people.

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Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur

thanatokephaloides's picture

..... I can think of a few places we could afford to close some domestic military bases, too!

Wink

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Big Al's picture

@thanatokephaloides If we actually did close down foreign military bases, that would be the end of U.S. imperialism and global militarism, and the military industrial complex, and therefore much of the current infrastructure wouldn't be needed.

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@Big Al

And then the country's infrastructure could be properly rebuilt/repaired and maintained with plenty over for universal health care and other social programs. And then TPTB would want to conduct regime change on America...

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Strife Delivery's picture

Americans just don't care.

Somehow the American government can rape, pillage, torture, slaughter anyone in the world and its people just shrug.

Doesn't matter if we rape men, women, and children around the world.
Doesn't matter if we use chemical weapons on people.
Doesn't matter if we blow up vital infrastructure and resources that the people need.
Doesn't matter if we firebomb an entire city down.
Doesn't matter if we are the only nation to not only use nuclear weapons, but to do it twice.

They just don't care. Say you bring this up to someone. They will either:
A) Not believe you
B) No idea what you are talking about
C) Shrug
D) Say those people deserved it cause we had to protect our freedoms

Or
E) They will nod with you and agree with what you are saying.

We wrap ourselves in this veneer, this false sense of righteousness that we are a moral and just nation. The reality is that is the farthest thing from the truth. We are the greatest threat to world stability, we are the greatest threat for the survival of the human race. And yet, people continue to just walk on by, as if nothing has happened or is happening.

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@Strife Delivery

we are the greatest threat for the survival of the human race

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Big Al's picture

@Strife Delivery A telltale sign.
Most people are so ignorant it's incredible. Just have to admit that. And most are filled with such bullshit that when you try to carefully and logically explain it to them, they still can't register it the way it should be. Maybe it eventually sinks in for some, but most people are wrapped in some kind of cloak, whether it be religion, or being a partisan of a political party, or whatever, that they cannot free their minds.
From history, that's not unique, that's the way it is. Changes are made by small numbers with large numbers following along.

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@Big Al

... Changes are made by small numbers with large numbers following along.

Indeed, and I'm reading a site with a small number of very amazing people on it, brainstorming ideas and potentials, as well as sharing information and their individual expertise. I find hope here...

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Strife Delivery's picture

@Big Al You are right. This has happened throughout history and isn't exclusively an American phenomenon.

European nations with the "White Man's Burden" and colonialism of the 19th century.
Japanese during their build up and WW2.

I mean there are many more to showcase. Point is that often a nation can drum up support through a variety of methods, invoking a shield that is meant to protect the people from thinking negative thoughts about the ideas of conquest.

However, either the people slowly and barely start to change or the nation is hit with a brick wall and loses. I'm feeling like we are going to be the latter here.

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Big Al's picture

@Strife Delivery would get their heads out of the political system framework, stop falling for the astroturfing and dem party apparatus bullshit and realize what it really is we have to do.

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Strife Delivery's picture

@Big Al Out of any country on the face of this planet, America seems to be one of the last that I could actually see its people rising up and changing their government. Almost think that the North Koreans would have a better chance.

Looking throughout the history of this country there were 2 key moments I think (and others can bring up some other moments) that could have completely changed our political system:

Civil War and the Great Depression.

Particularly with the the cataclysmic depression the country faced, capitalism itself was on the brink of destruction there. But in the end, FDR saved capitalism from itself, facing a rising anger from actual socialists that were bubbling up. But what you can regulate you can deregulate. Once the smoke was cleared, both parties began to systematically tear down those programs and regulations while also making sure that they wouldn't have to face pressure from the people again.

I mean, who knows. Perhaps a completely difference economic model rising up during that time period could have been as a barrier against future lies for imperialism. The scare of communism in Asian countries during the mid-20th century there. Perhaps more people would have been resistant, or perhaps the government lies too obvious for people to fall for.

But that never happened, and so various groups through systematic destruction and brilliant propaganda, not only destroyed resisting groups but also pacified and controlled the citizens of America. In the end, Americans have voted for their own destruction and will continue to vote for their own destruction. Americans are imprisoned in a room of glass by their own free will, glass that is either red or blue. Instead of just taking the door out, people continue to spin in place, seeing red then blue then red then blue. If you spin fast enough, it all just blurs to purple.

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@Strife Delivery

May I say 'wow' while applauding loudly? The American people have been inundated with propaganda to an absolutely incredible extent, to the point where it's remarkable that so many can at least see through some of it.

The fact that the veil draping over the virtually absolute corruption of the US government at all levels, including its various intended checks/balances/public-paid/serving agencies, is being ripped open in places via the internet, courageous patriotic whistleblowers, journalists and publishers terrifies The Psychopaths That Be for a reason.

They can be taken down; all that they do against the public interest and against the world is both immoral and illegal and once this is more widely realized, many of those victimized, realizing that their backs are against the wall and that there's nothing left to lose by defending themselves, their more progressive Founders concept of democracy (modernized, natch,) and their country from those sucking their life-blood away, will ultimately do so, or perish, crouching in their corners as the walls close in.

Some of these will be in positions within the system, which must be wholly cleansed of corruption and protected with great vigilance against further infiltration and take-over by hostile self-interests corrupting from within.

Industry exists to serve human need, not the other way around. Business has no business regulating people, but the people must regulate industry to avoid abuses otherwise inflicted upon themselves. Nobody has any 'right' to inflict harm/death/elimination of rights upon others to gain increased profit and power.

It needs to be realized that there are many Americans who have been propagandized in line with what are framed as 'political beliefs' but, in reality, in one direction or another for the purposes of different self-interest groups demanding their acquiescence to their will, to the detriment and destruction of the very concepts of civilization and the ideals of true democracy, in what began essentially as a good cop/bad cop con routine and which has become an unfunny and deadly farce.

The propagandized divide is beginning to fail as more of the people begin to unite in the interest of their own survival.

Whether this will come in time is up to to the people themselves...

Feeling pretty groggy, so dunno if this is saying what I intended or not... but in case it is, I feel it needed to be said, lol.

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Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.