"In
Haig's presence, Kissinger referred pointedly to military men as 'dumb, stupid
animals to be used' as pawns for foreign policy."
–
Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, The Final Days, p. 208
Of
course that would have been more than a little insulting to Haig, a career
military man. But Haig had never really been part of the 'grunt' world that
Kissinger was referring to. From the beginning Haig was one of those officers on
a special trajectory. Only certain types of people end up in the general class
of officers. He was certainly the type of person to be 'in control'.
I
could go on for pages about Haig and those like him, but I'm far more
interested in what can be harvested from Kissinger's statement.
Kissinger
accurately demonstrates the contempt that the elites, the people in power have for
the pawns beneath them. No doubt some US presidents, Lyndon Johnson and Bush for
example, become emotionally affected by the deaths their policies have
generated. But largely people in power care very little for the lives they put
at risk in order to effect policy.
America's
modern wars are largely a case of the poorer classes carrying out policies
which ironically decimate the impoverished classes in other countries.
The
military (especially the enlisted ranks) is filled with minorities, way beyond
their proportions in the general population, and of course hosts of poor white
kids from the Rust Belt, Appalachia and the most impoverished areas of the Deep
South.
That's
a generalization but I'm not alone in noticing it and my own experience
confirms this.
Every
future leader from the past generation did their time during World War II, but
the subsequent generations of elites have been far less interested in military
'service'. Yes, you have the occasional John McCain or John Kerry, but for the
most part the George Bush's and Dick Cheney's are the types that end up making
the decisions to send people to war.
Of
course we all remember when Bill Clinton was called a Draft Dodger and declared
unfit to be Commander-in-Chief, but the Republican leadership has proved little
different and Bush's record on Vietnam was pretty shaky. The media which had
sought to make hay over Clinton's drug use and Vietnam record gave George Bush
a free pass.
It
shouldn't surprise us that the elites despise the peasant class and look down
on the fools who give their lives to help make others rich.
But
here's the thing... Kissinger is right. Not because his view is morally
justifiable, but because it is demonstrative of reality. Mr. Realpolitik is
just explaining the world as it is. I appreciate that about him. He's not a
hypocrite in the way many political leaders are. He wasn't going to pretend
that power is somehow concerned with good and evil.
I
don't say this to suggest we should despise military people. They are to be
pitied, not for a fictitious sacrifice but for the fact that they are in moral
and spiritual bondage and in many cases have seared their consciences.
We
don't despise them, but pity them because they literally are cannon fodder and
yet have been so heavily propagandized they can't see it.
Of
course for many of them and their families, in light of injury and death even
the consideration of any alternative to the 'hero' narrative is unthinkable.
Only
the Holy Spirit can smash such walls.
Kissinger is nothing. How about John Brennon? He's on RECORD as having voted for COMMUNIST candidates in past elections...and then they let him RUN THE CIA!? Did I fall down the freaking rabbit hole or what?
ReplyDeleteJon Brennan learned a thing or two about hating America and how to take it down in his many years in Saudi Arabia and his conversion to Islam.
DeleteI agree the former CIA director is an unsavoury fellow but what communist candidates are you referring to?
ReplyDeleteHa, I take it back. He did vote Communist Party USA in the 1970s. But he hardly stands for that now.
DeleteKisinger is a German Jew protege of Rockefellers and others. A careful analysis of his deeds show that America is a powerful tool for him to use in pursuit of other interests, not American interest. For example, while working in the White House, when Nixon was disabled by Watergate, Kissinger assumed command of our armed forces and sent our European armor to Israel against the advice the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He laid us open to attack by the Soviets if they had wished to do so. When General Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, made a formal complaint to Nixon, Brown was summarily fired. The list of Kissinger betrayals is very long.
ReplyDeleteI think the Rockefeller clique would argue they were pursuing America's interests and the interests of the world. Actually I think the two were closely related in their minds. Yes, things got pretty crazy during Yom Kippur. Nixon was drunk and incapacitated and Kissinger and Haig pretty much took over and elevated the DefCon. That incident coupled with 1962 and 1983 were the 'scariest' moments of the Cold War. Kissinger continues to be very influential even in his very old age.
DeleteAre you the same anonymous that says the former CIA director is a muslim? Rather than post as Anonymous it would be better if you picked a name.
The Candid Kissinger
ReplyDeleteNow his 'group', runs the Trump train.
Another anonymous or are you 1,2 or 3?
ReplyDeleteYes, there have been connections between the Trump admin. and Kissinger. Trump's group is something of a mixed bag and yet for the most part it is compromised of a faction that would be opposed to the Kissinger-Brzezinski-Rockefeller-Baker-GHWBush crowd. See my 'Establishment Civil War' for a breakdown of the various factions. I tell you what, the elevation of Pompeo to SecState and Bolton to NatSecAdv are not moves in accord with the Kissinger mindset. These are not Detente or Realpolitik types.