Taking Care Of Us: The #No Foreign Bases Movement
University Students Force Pentagon Audit After Finding $21 Trillion In Unauthorized Spending https://t.co/a7PiDDrPjo
— No Foreign Military Bases (@NoForeignBases) December 23, 2017
Such unmitigated waste, but look what a group of students shed light on! I call that hopeful, silly me.
Did you know that people are actively meeting, planning and organizing to close hundreds of US foreign military bases and redirect that spending to national domestic priorities?
This is good news imo, since we have so many domestic needs being unmet and bazillions being siphoned off by Wall Street's War Profiteers. We can, and should close those bases.
Here is the statement by the coalition:
No Foreign Military Bases
@NoForeignBasesCoalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases has been organized by thirteen prominent peace, justice and environmental organizations in the U.S.
http://noforeignbases.org/345-2/
Unity Statement
Posted on July 26, 2017 by admin
Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases
Unity StatementWe, the undersigned peace, justice and environmental organizations, and individuals, endorse the following Points of Unity and commit ourselves to working together by forming a Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases, with the goal of raising public awareness and organizing non-violent mass resistance against U.S. foreign military bases.
While we may have our differences on other issues, we all agree that U.S. 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. Our belief in the urgency of this necessary step is based on the following facts:
While we are opposed to all foreign military bases, we do recognize that the United States maintains the highest number of military bases outside its territory, estimated at almost 1000 (95% of all foreign military bases in the world). Presently, there are U.S. military bases in every Persian Gulf country except Iran.
In addition, United States has 19 Naval air carriers (and 15 more planned), each as part of a Carrier Strike Group, composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft — each of which can be considered a floating military base.
These bases are centers of aggressive military actions, threats of political and economic expansion, sabotage and espionage, and crimes against local populations. In addition, these military bases are the largest users of fossil fuel in the world, heavily contributing to environmental degradation.
The annual cost of these bases to the American taxpayers is approximately $156 billion. The support of U.S. foreign military bases drains funds that can be used to fund human needs and enable our cities and States to provide necessary services for the people.
This has made the U.S. a more militarized society and has led to increased tensions between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Stationed throughout the world, almost 1000 in number, U.S. foreign military bases are symbols of the ability of the United States to intrude in the lives of sovereign nations and peoples.
Many individual national coalitions — for example, Okinawa, Italy, Jeju Island Korea, Diego Garcia, Cyprus, Greece, and Germany — are demanding closure of bases on their territory. The base that the U.S. has illegally occupied the longest, for over a century, is Guantánamo Bay, whose existence constitutes an imposition of the empire and a violation of International Law. Since 1959 the government and people of Cuba have demanded that the government of the U.S. return the Guantánamo territory to Cuba.U.S. foreign military bases are NOT in defense of U.S. national, or global security. They are the military expression of U.S. intrusion in the lives of sovereign countries on behalf of the dominant financial, political, and military interests of the ruling elite. Whether invited in or not by domestic interests that have agreed to be junior partners, no country, no peoples, no government, can claim to be able to make decisions totally in the interest of their people, with foreign troops on their soil representing interests antagonistic to the national purpose.
We must all unite to actively oppose the existence of U.S. foreign military bases and call for their immediate closure. We invite all forces of peace, social and environmental justice to join us in our renewed effort to achieve this shared goal.Signed (in alphabetical order):
— Bahman Azad, U.S. Peace Council
— Ajamu Baraka, Black Alliance for Peace
— Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK
— Leah Bolger, World Beyond War
— Sara Flounders, International Action Center
— Bruce Gagnon, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space
— Tarak Kauff, Veterans For Peace
— Joe Lombardo, United National Antiwar Coalition
— Alfred L. Marder, U.S. Peace Council
— George Paz Martin, MLK Justice Coalition; Liberty Tree Foundation*
— Nancy Price, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
— Alice Slater, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
— David Swanson, World Beyond War
— Ann Wright, CODEPINK
— Kevin Zeese, Popular Resistance
______________
* For identification purposes only.
Comments
Heh. Join together.... Happy Birthday, caucus99percent!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
What a good idea!
Perhaps we could use some of the bases to help the people whose countries we have destroyed. We could re-imagine them as peace bases to bring people clean water, green energy, and so on.
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Yes! Great idea. We will have a buttload of money
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Closure of bases
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
Interesting approach.
I'm on a few mailing lists so I've been aware of this. Received a message a couple days ago about a pre-conference rally in Baltimore on the 12th.
It's kind of an indirect way to challenge U.S. imperialism although I think it's primarily useful for public awareness.
Public Awareness should be
enough,
. If the public isn't outraged by $21 Trillion unaccounted for I don't know what would. That $21 Trillion pays for the FDR Safety Net forever. Anyone even dare speak about cutting Social Security should receive a verbal smackdown, "Senator, you're forgetting the $21 Trillion. Sit your ass down and STFU."the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Wink yes am sure that most people are clueless about
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
I haven't yet seen
the welling up of public outrage,
, that it's going to take to get people off their dead asses and get to the polls this year. As such, unless there is substantial change in the status quo, we can expect the same results as we had in 2016. That is, no change in power. And if, as expected, that holds true, we can kiss 2020 goodbye. The Repubs likely arguing - successfully - that "we don't need no stinking elections," thank you very much. Welcome to the apocalypse!the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
FWIW gjohnsit just quoted some interesting figures about
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Hell, we've got six
or seven Dem candidates running right here in NY-21,
. Three or 4 of them women!I'm supporting the "Justice Democrats"-supported candidate, becuz he's a Berniecrat who worked on the Bernie 2016 campaign and has his ducks in a row, but the other candidates aren't terrible even if most lean corporate. So, yeah, there are Tons of candidates out there! It remains to be seen, of course, if any of the Benie wing candidates get elected. Therein lies my skepticism. I still hold out hope, though. Still a long way to November.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
This is why we can't have nice things.
This shit is bananas.
Me, too. Tired to the
bone,
. But there ain't nobody coming to the rescue any time soon, no cavalry on the horizon. We're it. We stand on the wall, look out, and what we see ain't pretty, similar to what Davy Crockett looked out at at the Alamo. His challenge was Way more imminent than ours, but we're in the same boat: no help coming any time soon. I feel some responsibility to the mess were in, but this ultimately is not my fight. Still, I can't ride away. Tired or not I'm one more in the way of the oligarchy winning the day. I plan on staying in the way.the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
I found out about it through World Beyond War on Twitter
Hey, re: the word 'Imperialism' really dates us, no? Who outside of Boomers even know what that means? 'Imperial' seems so archaic to me. Rarely ever see the word in print anymore, but that could be just me. Have been looking for word that is more in line with the times. US 'Bullying', perhaps? Oh well, just a thought.
At any rate, this movement will probably need to be complemented by divestment and join with efforts like New Energy Economy in NM, toward transformation and Economic Conversion:
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
There's a long history of anti-imperialism
Which is one of my disagreements with most of the groups listed in your essay, they tend to tiptoe around the problem.
Love to know names of groups who are working on this now
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Todays kids (under 30)
like to whittle multi-syllable words down to one or two syllables. That's pretty hard to do with imperialism, a word which perfectly captures the meaning.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Maybe we could shorten it to
@Big Al Or borrow NY's
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
Decommissioning silly
"I call that hopeful, silly me."
It's been inflicted before, all across the U.S. anyway. That's my point however dull.
Clinton Signs Off on Base Closure List
I'm too lazy too dig up more old Clinton crap, plus it triggers bad memories of loved ones long-term unemployment. As long as the swords are turned to plowshares and not just left to rust, I am down with the decommissioning. There will be toxic cleanups galore if it ever happens. Keep hoping.
thanks
There is plenty of work to be done
here in the USA to which returning soldiers, airmen and women, sailors and marines could be deployed. Such as fire fighting. And other kinds of disaster relief. Refurbishing dilapidated housing stock. Rebuilding roads and bridges. Teaching in poor neighborhoods, urban and rural. Establishing clinics in those same neighborhoods. And so on.
Mary Bennett
Soundhole flashback thanks
My big giant crush was on Bill Gibson the drummer, he was the man. I think soon after Huey Lewis showed up and wrecked everything, but wow what a blast while it lasted. My gf crushed on Mario Cipollina, we followed them all around the clubs, had to sneak in. Good memories, thanks a lot!
Soundhole - Work To Do - 11/26/1974 - Winterland (Official)
Berkeley? Yeah, that was bad.
Okay, okay, I apologize. Just thinking out loud,
Heh.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
Right.Same thing for the Coal workers. There needs to be a net.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
I wish I had bookmarked the article
that was about either a lawsuit or a congressional suggestion about the government being responsible for full time employment. When big fires break out I wonder if there are enough people fighting them? They seem to be too big for just a few hundred or thousand fighting them. The ones in California are still burning. And there aren't enough homes for the people who lost their homes to the fires and hurricanes. Not enough people still working in construction.As Nastarana stated, there are plenty of job opportunities that need to be filled by returning veterans. I'll see if I can find it.
California has made ZERO progress
"But we're prepared for fires" NOPE
"We have fire departments" Yep, more private more better, NOT.
Fighting the Pocket Fire with the The Highland Brigade
Insurance firms dispatch private firefighters in California
Don't forget our prisoners! Slave labor is cheap labor, just like immigrant labor. Exploited.
Fire insurance is a criminal racket if you ask me, so of course D-Values want to make it mandatory. We'll see.
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones releases report addressing fire insurance availability issues
First, kill all the robots. AI must die, so the rest of us can live. Thanks.
god damn the pusher man
Heh. I am really sorry you had family members who
suffered from base closures. But keeping bases open in so many foreign countries is a non-starter for me, especially since they increasingly support actions which result in huges numbers of civilian deaths.
The huge majority of contracted civilian military base jobs need to go imo, are a big part of the problem. The big money is made at the top, just like in the rest of corporate war profiteering. Our military spending is unsustainable. Fact.
Beyond hoping, though, we did it in Austin, and it was huge win.
My hope comes from seeing the concrete success of base conversion in Austin.
Bergstrom AFB became Austin Bergstrom International Airport, and that became one of the engines of Austin, TX economy which barely noticed the 2008 failures. After the base conversion the former city airport became a wonderful place turned into housing and retail.
So yeah, if people are not taken care of many will suffer. How can we take care of them is a quality question.
In Austin, amazing things happened . A model, really.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austin%E2%80%93Bergstrom_International_Air...
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
I looked up Austin Homelessness Facts
http://frontsteps.org/advocate/austin-homelessness-facts/
After Austin solves homelessness, then I am happy to hear about big decommissioning programs. In fact, I might even consider voting for a politician that advocated such things if there is such a thing. First things first.
peace
Putting people first, with you on that!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
If "they" closed the base
here,
, there would be more than G.I. Joes heading southbound. Hundreds if not thousands of civilian jobs would be following the G.I. Joes out of Dodge. And, along with them would be the Red Robbins and Ruby Tuesdays and DQs and Tullys and Applebees and... and... collectively employing hundreds of workers. The negative trickle down effect huuge.I don't think it happens here becuz it's the biggest base in the entire northeast, but you never know. And, if all those businesses flee - and they will - much of NY-21 follows. The deer and antelope waving everyone buh bye along I-87 and I-81, northern NY reduced to a game preserve. Not that I care one way or another, there's less and less keeping me here. But there's no doubt the impact would be yuuuge.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
base closure impact
I can verify what you're saying by noting what happened the last time Fort Carson had a major deployment to Iraq. Even without closing the base, all of these things happened. Southwestern El Paso County rolled up the sidewalks and the last man out of Fountain turned off the lights.
DOD money; it's as bad as heroin!
And the Haudenosaunee get their old stomping grounds back!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Point!
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
LoL. They can have
it,
. Most injun tribes left long long ago, couldn't get anything to grow. That's changed, of course, over the last 150, 200 years, but native Americans moving back here would likely find their number one crop to be marahooch. They'd make a fortune! And there still are native Americans here. a mid-70s bud of mine still plays guitar in a rock'n'roll band. "I've been playing rock'n'roll longer than the Rolling Stones!" Don't know about that, but I know he's been playing since the early '70s. At least. So, where's the rest of your tribe? "We're everywhere. Carpenters, road workers, bartenders... just like everybody else."the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Did you see that DOD first audit announced?
I saw the article earlier about the student effort that found $24 trillion not accounted for
I sent it off to a friend but thought I would check if there was any fall out
Well, the DOD on 12/7/17
Officials Announce First DoD-Wide Audit, Call for Budget Certainty
I didn't see this until now. So much is going on as the empire collapses, I missed this story
DOD OIG Newsletter
http://www.dodig.mil/In-the-Spotlight/Article/1393563/dod-oig-newsletter-december-2017/
thanks, I looked at the OIG Newsletter page but did not make it to the end, I am on fail overload sorta. Oof, look at all the fail, I guess this is where the audit reports will appear:David Norquist kicks my guts, just like his brother. What is happening with sequestration? Is that what the Ds caved on this last $70 billion or so increase over what was requested. Or will they "negotiate" some fresher hell? I don't know.
2017: Interview: David Norquist, Pentagon comptroller/CFO, sets sights on 2019
I don't like their plan.
Yes, saw that.
Who knows if it will get done but this pressure by the coalition is good to see imo.
A truth of the nuclear age/climate change: we can no longer have endless war and survive on this planet. Oh sh*t.
I'm always 'amused' by the Pentagon as a building
It has to be one of the ugliest buildings in the world, both 'inside' and out.
Looks like some Stalinist piece of crap that Ceausescu might have put up in the late '60's/early '70's.
It has no aesthetic merit and is clearly a money pit. Time to pull it down.
(Edited)
Gëzuar!!
from a reasonably stable genius.
Your comment about the Pentagon made me wonder.
"It was basically an accident that was born out . . . [of] war-time emergency," Steve Vogel, a Washington Post reporter and author of "The Pentagon – A History"(Random House, 2007), told Live Science.
As Vogel explained in his article, on a Thursday in July 1941, Somervell instructed his design team to come up with a plan for a building that could accommodate 40,000 people; include parking for 10,000 cars; and be no more than four stories tall, in order to conserve steel and avoid blocking views of Washington.
What's more, Somervell wanted this plan the following Monday.
… Roosevelt ordered the construction team to put the new building south of Arlington Farm in what was then a somewhat seedy neighborhood called "Hell's Bottom," Vogel wrote in his book. [In Photos: A Museum Honors Teddy Roosevelt]
Essentially, it had the geometric benefits of a circle, in terms of shortening within-building distances, but it had straight sides, which meant it was easier to build than a round building would have been, Vogel explained."
What else could a monstrosity like that inspire, then more war. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see a Christo interpretation of the building. It needs to be wrapped up, permanently.
Thanks for the essay and information!
I've read claims about the Foundations of numerous politicians funneling money into terrorist training and the like; have no way to verify this, though.
The video interview included a statement, as far as I recall, that over 11 trillion was 'lost' within the Army alone, though later I thought an interviewer said 8?...
From OP link:
Would be good to know where that money came from, and how it was laundered through, by whom, and why...
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.