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CounterPunch
March 19,
2003
Who Will Pay? Who Will Profit?
War is Theft
By WILLIAM HUGHES
Who's going to pay for this immoral, obscenely
expensive, clearly unjustified, totally unnecessary, fraudulently
induced and illegal war with Iraq? Answer: The American taxpayers,
that's who!
This is so, despite the fact the people
have not consented to this war. The only way they could have
given their lawful agreement is through a declaration of the
U.S. Congress. Only the Congress, under the Constitution, Article
1, Section 8 (11), has the power "to declare war."
The resolution the Congress passed in
Oct., 2002, on the possibility of war with Iraq issue, attempted
to unlawfully delegate that ultimate responsibility to the executive
branch of the government. This is not permitted under the Constitution
and our Republican form of government. In addition, the Bush
Administration now stands in violation of the Charter of the
United Nations, and Treaty obligations, too, affirmed by the
U.S. Senate, with respect to the creation of that international
agency, in 1945.
Leave it to the "most trusted man
in America," retired CBS TV Evening News anchorman, Walter
Cronkite, now 86, to put this matter in proper perspective. Speaking
at Drew University, in Madison, NJ, he said, "We are going
to be in such a fix when this war is over. Our grandchildren's
grandchildren are going to be paying for this war." He added,
that he saw America's future as "being very, very dark"
(Daily Record News, 03/19/03, by Rob Jennings).
Cronkite continued, "The arrogance
of our spokespeople, even the president himself, has been exceptional."
He also chided the do-little Congress for "not looking closely
enough at the war and attempting to ascertain a viable estimate
of its eventual cost, particularly in light of Bush's commitment
to tax cuts." In his blistering dissent, Cronkite expressed,
too, his concerns about the refusal of many traditional allies,
such as France, to join the war effort. He believes that this
signaled, "something deeper, and more ominous, than a mere
foreign policy disagreement."
On the media front, the vicious demonizing
of France, led by Rupert Murdock's rag, the NY Post, has reached
levels of venom not seen since the bashing of the Japanese after
its sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. The Post is
also encouraging the public not to support the work of Hollywood
and TV stars, who have dared to oppose the Iraqi war. It labeled
the celebs as "appeasement-loving" (Page Six, 03/19/03).
The price tag for this outrageous conflict
has been estimated in the $100 to $300 billion range. This includes
the cost of the military invasion of Iraq, the rebuilding and
occupying of that country after the bombing has stopped, and
the related Homeland Security expenses, as well. The occupation
of Iraq, which can last years, will require at least 90,000 U.S.
troops. The cost of the disability payments, that will be required
for the care of the returning veterans from Gulf War II, has
yet to be computed.
Missing, too, from these numbers are
the grants to be given to the likes of Israel and Turkey. One
economist, Thomas Stauffer, has estimated that since 1973, Israel
has cost the U.S. a total of $1.6 trillion (Christian Science
Monitor, Dec. 9, 2002 and WRMEA, March, 2003).
Back at home, the red ink at the local
level is running unchecked. According to a report of the American
Legislative Exchange Council, (03/03/03), state legislatures
are facing a $100 billion budget deficit for the coming fiscal
year. Social, educational and medical support services, as well
as funding for the Arts, will most likely be hit the hardest
when the time comes for the lawmakers to submit their draconian
cost-cutting budgets.
Our personal liberties are also being
systematically curtailed. The nation is already staggering under
the implications of the Orwellian USA Patriot Act, passed in
the middle of the night by the Congress, without a public hearing,
in the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy. And, an even more oppressive
Patriot Act II is presently being hatched for a furtive introduction
by government bureaucrats.
It is hard to trust any of our own statesmen,
when Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-CT), said, "Now is the
time for all Americans to join together in support of our commander
in chief, and the brave men and women of our armed forces."
He left out the fact that he is a notorious War Hawk, whose incestuous
ties to militant Zionism, Israel, and Ariel Sharon, have contributed
to the warmongering ethos. Also, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert,
sounding like a raving Salem witch hunter, accused Senate Minority
Leader Tom Daschle for his criticism of President Bush as being
"mighty close" to giving aid to the enemy.
Finally, Resolution 82, was introduced
in the Senate, on March 12. It looks like a script written by
that cunning Neo-con and Likudnik, Richard Perle. It targets
yet another Muslim country for regime change: Iran! Thank you
Tel Aviv!
Black's Law Dictionary (5th Ed.) defines
the crime of theft as follows: "The taking of property without
the owner's consent." The Bush-Cheney gang by engaging in
this war with Iraq is taking now, and will take in the future,
resources that rightfully belong to the people. They will be
doing so without the consent of those charged with paying for
this war. This act of grand larceny will burden future generations
of Americans with national debts for years to come. No matter
how it is paid off, by confiscatory inflation or on a dollar
for dollar basis, it will be satisfied by scuttling the liberty
and happiness of the present-day youth of this country.
The war without end, prophesied by the
great George Orwell in his tome, 1984, has started. And, so has
the extorted obligation of the duped taxpayers to fund it. If
this isn't theft, then there is no such crime.
© William Hughes 2003
William Hughes is the author of 3Baltimore
Iconoclast2 (Writer's Showcase), which is available online. He
can be reached at liamhughes@mindspring.com.
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