Press Conference on HCR107 with Rep. Walter Jones & U.S. Retired Military

I found especially the first video very insightful and well worth watching in its entirety. It's the first time I have seen a high US military official openly coming out so strong against the current situation in which the US President is able to wage war against any country without the approval of congress. It is encouraging to see that a debate is going on in high places about the legality of such wars. It's important because in the case of Lybia and Iran, going to war with these countries has the potential to spark off an escalation in the Middle East that will draw Russia and China into the conflict, which would be truly disastrous. It's something everyone should be aware of and deeply concerned about.

Feh. It's Republican sniping at Obama. We've had the War Powers Act for decades which says pretty much the same thing, and it has been ignored by every president since its passage.

Where was Waldo when Bush launched his undeclared war in Iraq? I doubt he was wrapping himself in the Constitution.

Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.

I rant on:

There aren't any high military officials in the video. There is a retired associate deputy attorney general (not to be confused with a military general) from 20-plus years ago, and a couple of retired lieutenant colonels.

Wasn't it just a couple of months ago that fellow Republican John McCain was jumping up and down and telling Obama to do MORE in Libya? These Republicans need to get their stories straight.

Well, Wilkerson may be retired but he served under three presidents and last as Chief of Staff to Powell. I think it is fair to say that he has some insight. Whatever party he belongs to, many of the points he makes are very valid IMHO. And you can be sure that I am not leaning towards the Republican party at all. I am not even American. If I were and had to choose between the two leading parties, I would probably vote for the Democrats. The lesser evil, maybe. Doesn't take away from the fact though that the US went to war against Libya without the involvement, let alone approval, of Congress. This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. The fact that a few people surrounding and including the US president can start a war is not only wrong but nothing less than tyranny as aptly pointed out in the first video, not just by Wilkerson. There are no just wars but if a country goes to war, it needs to be in line with the country's constitution and with the backing and approval of those "representing" a country's people.

More importantly though, there are serious question marks over the idea that waging war against a foreign country to change its government is legitimate at all. In essence there is no justification for it. What standards will you base that decision on? It is difficult to see how any of the wars that were waged in recent years were not done with other aims and goals in mind. Democracy certainly was not the reason, nowhere. It's a smokescreen for geopolitical manoeuvring. At the end of the day it is almost always about resources and the securing of them, whether this is Oil or other important resources. I don't want to front any conspiracy theories here but none of us has even the faintest idea of what is really going on and the media is just there to keep everyone in line. Truth be told few journalists, if any, have a grasp on the whole picture, make the effort to research properly or have the guts to tell the truth. Those that do will either be silenced or are not taken seriously. Nor do we, the ordinary people, make enough of an effort to understand what is going on around us, me included. Where do you start and what to believe? We wouldn't accept the truth as truth, if it were presented right in front of our eyes. Yet we do choose to believe that which is repeated over and over again in the public domain or that which is fed to us by the so called reputable papers and TV channels. Noam Chomsky referred to it as Manufacturing Consent.

The real issue though and the reason I put up this thread is to encourage people to think about what it will mean, if the West were to go to war against Syria and/or Iran. It's not something anyone should contemplate because the repercussions of a military conflict in that region will be unpredictable. Unfortunately certain people are already beating these drums, including Romney, he more so than Obama. But you would be a fool to think that it couldn't happen under Obama as well. But of course it goes further, Israel, Britain, other parts of the world. I believe that we the people play a part in this and that our actions or lack of them can influence what will or will not happen. Now is the time to look at this issue thoroughly, each one of us, educate ourselves as best we can and reflect on what is at stake. It will require some effort on our part but it's time and effort well spent.

ATB

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