Unfortunately, relatively few people, including libertarians, comprehend that the Pentagon, along with the CIA and the NSA and, to a certain extent, the FBI, are the part of the federal government in which ultimate power is being wielded. They are the ones who are ruling the roost in America. That's why that memo is so important. It's declaring how things will be.
This overwhelming power is usually exercised behind the scenes in order to make Americans feel comfortable that their government is different from other national-security governments. While the national-security branch of the government is driving the overall direction America will take, especially with respect to foreign affairs, it permits the other three branches to maintain the appearance of power. The idea is to convince Americans that the federal government operates the same as a national-security state as it did when it was a limited-government republic.
But it's a lie, a very dangerous lie, one that unfortunately is lived by all too many Americans, especially those within the mainstream press.
If you haven't read the book National Security and Double Government by Michael J. Glennon, you owe it to yourself to do so so. This is Glennon's thesis — that the national-security establishment is the part of the federal government that is wielding and exercising the ultimate power within the governmental structure. At the same time, however, it permits the legislative, judicial, and executive parts of the government to continue appearing to be in charge.
Glennon is not some crackpot writer. He is professor of international law at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He has served as a consultant to various congressional committees, the U.S. State Department, and the International Atomic Energy Agency. You can read a more complete biography here.
If Glennon is right — I am firmly believe that he is — then it requires people, including libertarians, to reevaluate everything they understand about the country, especially foreign affairs.
Consider, for example, the many laments against America's "forever wars." It's a popular mantra, including among libertarians. But what good does it do to complain about "forever wars" if the root cause of such wars is left in place, where it is in charge?
In other words, the national-security establishment needs those forever wars, just as it needed the Cold War. Any national-security state necessarily depends of fear, crises, chaos, and emergencies — or "threats" of such things to sustain its existence, its power, and its money. They will always find something for people to be afraid of, even if they have to instigate it. Communism, terrorism, drug dealers, illegal immigrants, Muslims, Russia, China, North Korea, Cuba, ISIS, al-Qaeda, Iran, Syria, insurrectionists, revolutionaries, invaders, or whatever. Without such fearful things, people are apt to ask why they need a national-security state instead of a limited-government republic, which was the type of governmental structure on which America was founded.
What is the distinguishing characteristic of a national-security state, as compared to a limited-government republic? Power — raw, unadulterated power. With its vast military and arsenal of weaponry, along with extreme powers of assassination and surveillance, a national-security establishment has the means of imposing its will on government and on society. No one wields the countervailing power to resist.
This why precisely why our American ancestors opposed the creation of a national-security state or what they called "standing armies." They understood that once such a governmental apparatus comes into existence, there is no practical way for the citizenry, even a well-armed citizenry, to oppose it. In fact, if the Constitutional Convention had proposed a Constitution that called into existence a federal government that was a national-security state, rather than a limited-government republic, there is no way that Americans would have approved the Constitution.
Practically from the beginning of the conversion to a national-security state, the other three branches have deferred to the overwhelming power of the Pentagon and its vast military-industrial complex, the CIA, and the NSA. All three of those branches have understood the nature of power.
For example, in the 1950s the Pentagon insisted that the Supreme Court grant it a state-secrets doctrine. Ordinarily, that is a legislative function; that's the way things are ordinarily done in a democracy. The Supreme Court went along with what the Pentagon wanted, thereby circumventing the legislative process.
Consider assassination. The Constitution did not delegate such a power to the federal government. The Bill of Rights expressly prohibits the federal government from killing anyone without due process of law. Nonetheless, when the national-security establishment insisted on having the power to assassinate people, including Americans, the Supreme Court acceded to its demand.
Look at GItmo, where people have been held for for more than a decade without trial. Never mind that the Bill of Rights requires the federal government to grant people speedy trials. That doesn't matter when it comes to the military and the CIA. The federal judiciary is not going to interfere.
Congress has proven to be just as deferential. For one thing, Congress is filled with people who could be considered to be self-designated assets of the national-security establishment. This especially includes the military and CIA veterans. They are almost certain to go along with whatever the national-security establishment wants. For those who strenuously object, they encounter the threat of having military bases or projects in their districts canceled, in which case the mainstream media in their districts will go after them with a vengeance. And there is always the possibility of being "Hoovered" with the threat of having friendly assets in the mainstream press reveal compromising secrets about one's personal life.
And woe to any president who takes on the national-security establishment. They all know this. That's why there hasn't been a president since John F. Kennedy willing to challenge them. For a while it looked like Trump was going to do so but it wasn't long before Americans saw that he too quickly fell into line.
It's time for Americans to do some serious soul-searching and to ask themselves some penetrating questions: Is a root cause of America's many woes the fact that it is a national-security state, just like China, Russia, and North Korea? Is it time to restore America's founding system of a limited-government republic? Which governmental structure is more likely to lead to liberty, peace, prosperity, and harmony?
Reader Comments
I'm pretty sure he meant:
But it's a lie, a very dangerous lie, one that unfortunately isR.C.livedbelieved by all too many Americans, especially those within the mainstream press.
BTW: Did you know that Shakespeare actually said "Rules the roast"? True.
RC
Was he ever anything but paid opposition? Having fun with his duplicitous tweets?
Having followed Trump for years through the "media" and listening to him with Howard Stern for hours... I'd have to guess he's both.
Trump made himself into a brand, a strange mix of marketing with touch of actual real estate meddlings. I think at his core though Trump is an insecure man with a common garden variety of narcissism. He desperately wants to be liked which probably led him to the chief puppet role. From his whole background acting like a Republican wasn't hard (the bible nonsense)and not too far off from perhaps who he is.
He misjudged his political adversaries though by viewing politics through a simplistic real estate lens.
The basics of negotiations are the same but he wasn't prepared for the true immersion in Evil. The very blackest, deepest, depraved humans(or otherwise) probably shocked Donald quite a bit.
If I were Trump I'd want an exit strategy from that pit ASAP after arriving. There's no way to 'win' and you'd have to be able to tolerate them killing everyone you ever loved. Such is the nature of Evil and I don't think he stood a chance.
Just a guess....
Alice Cooper, GREAT album: Love It To Death, Ballad of Dwight Fry: [Link]
(Jeez - that's 1971.)
R.C.
"Mommy, where's daddy?; He's been gone for so long; Do you think he'll ever come home?"(It's followed up by Sun Arise, [Link] )
I was gone for fourteen days; (ONLY! A two week lockdown! ) I could've been gone for more; Held up in the intensive care ward; Lyin' on the floor; I was gone for all those days; But I was not all alone; I made friends with a lot of people; In the danger zone
See my lonely life unfold; I see it every day; See my only mind explode; Since I've gone away
I think I lost some weight there; And I, I'm sure I need some rest; Sleeping don't come very easy; In a straight white vest; Sure like to see that little children; She's only four years old, old; I'd give her back all of her play things; Even, even the ones I stole
See my lonely life unfold; I see it everyday; See my lonely mind explode; When I've gone insane
I wanna get outta here; I wanna get outta here; I, I've gotta, I've gotta get outta here; I, I gotta get out of here; I, I gotta get outta here, I gotta get outta here, I gotta get outta here; I gotta get out of here; Ya gotta let me out, I gotta; Let me, I gotta; I gotta get out, I gotta; Let me out, I gotta; I gotta get outta here; I gotta get outta here; I gotta get outta here, I gotta get outta here, I gotta get outta here
See my lonely life unfold; I see it everyday; See my only mind explode; Blow up in my face
I grabbed my hat and I got my coat; And I, I ran into the street; I saw a man that was choking there; I guess he couldn't breathe; Said to myself this is very strange; I'm glad it wasn't me; But now I hear those sirens callin'; And so I am not free; (I didn't wanna be); (I didn't wanna be); (I didn't wanna be)
See my lonely life unfold; (I didn't wanna be); (I didn't wanna be); (Leave me alone, I didn't wanna be); (Don't touch me!); See my lonely mind explode; When I've gone insane
R.C.
Rolf Harris and Jimmy Savile. Disturbing. - [Link]
Notice how Savile handles children the same way that Biden does
*(Actually, I'm now thinking that I only forgot what I learned ~ 1972!):
BUT (AND COOL!) as I am hearing this, I believe it is tickling a memory. My father LOVED Aussie music, and and I am recalling his mere words, "that's an old song" - he probably even said from AU.!!! (He also said the same about that African song used in a early 60's hit the lion in the jungle...) (I know a lot of the AU songs from that era, W Matilda, Tie Me Kangaroo, et al...)
THANK YOU!
RC
Took a while to recall the original - the didgeridoo was the clue
The drummer made me laugh
As re the guitarist, I new knew that the Beav could play guitar, Wally.
RC
Rolf Harris was an Australian folk artist who often made use of aboriginal instruments, e.g., the digeridoo. He made some interesting music back in the 60s. It came out later that he was a notorious pedophile.
How do I know that you're not?
Of course, all that was only just me being me and emphasizing the logic and, indeed, need, for the presumption of innocence, which is being tossed into memory holes and onto the piles burning books by Voltaire, Twain, Jefferson, et al.
If needed, sorry. In order to show I mean that, I present this incredible three legged version of the gentleman on Lawrence Welk that I saw yesterday: [Link]
RC
It's a cyclical thing, not a lost cause.Another battle in The Eternal War . . .
Thumbs up.
When it comes to idiots, WE RULE! Hell, we even have our own rock opera about it! [Link] The lyrics on that album, protesting our INSANE invasion of Iraq are PHENOMENAL.
Don't wanna be an American idiot; Don't want a nation under the new media; And can you hear the sound of hysteria?; The subliminal mind fuck Americaet al.
Welcome to a new kind of tension; All across the alien nation; Where everything isn't meant to be okay; Television dreams of tomorrow; We're not the ones who're meant to follow; For that's enough to argue
Well maybe I'm the faggot America; I'm not a part of a redneck agenda; Now everybody do the propaganda; And sing along to the age of paranoia
Welcome to a new kind of tension; All across the alien nation; Where everything isn't meant to be okay; Television dreams of tomorrow; We're not the ones who're meant to follow; For that's enough to argue
Don't want to be an American idiot; One nation controlled by the media; Information age of hysteria; It's going out to idiot America
Welcome to a new kind of tension; All across the alien nation; Where everything isn't meant to be okay; Television dreams of tomorrow; We're not the ones who're meant to follow; For that's enough to argue
RC
Read your history, dammit.
As it so happened, for those who have bothered to learn, the SAME forces running the government today, were the SAME who created the Federal Constitution, despite objections to their doing so being voiced during the convention debates.
The majority of Americans DID NOT approve of the Constitution.
“Even the most enlightened inhabitants of the interior of New Hampshire—and of the Berkshire Hills and Worcester County, Massachusetts, and of Pennsylvania west of Harrisburg, and of the piedmont of lower Virginia and all of North Carolina and the South Carolina up-country—normally did not have contact with national authority from one year to the next, felt the existence of their state governments only through the militia muster and the annual visit of the taxgatherers, and encountered information, ideas, or people from the outside world only two or three times a year. To them it was as unreasonable to suppose that the thirteen states could be well governed by a single national government as it had been to suppose that the thirteen colonies could be well governed from London. Accordingly, for most people all the force of inertia was opposed to the Constitution, and it took something special to bring them to think otherwise.” p196-7 E Pluribus Unum, Forrest McDonald
"...I cannot be brought to believe that America is in that deplorable ruined condition which some designing
politicians represent; or that we are in a state of anarchy beyond redemption, unless we adopt, without any
addition or amendment, the new constitution proposed by the late convention; a constitution which, in my
humble opinion, contains the seeds and scions of slavery and despotism. When the volume of American
constitutions [by John Adams] first made its appearance in Europe, we find some of the most eminent political
writers of the present age, and the reviewers of literature, full of admiration and declaring they had never
before seen so much good sense, freedom, and real wisdom in one publication. Our good friend Dr. [Richard]
Price was charmed, and almost prophesied the near approach of the happy days of the millennium.
We have lived under these constitutions; and, after the experience of a few years, some among us are ready to
trample them under their feet , though they have been esteemed, even by our enemies, as "pearls of great
price." AntiFederalist 16
“All the monarchical governments are military. War is their trade, plunder and revenue their objects. While such governments continue, peace has not the absolute security of a day. What is the history of all monarchical governments, but a disgustful picture of human wretchedness, and the accidental respite of a few years' repose? Wearied with war, and tired with human butchery, they sat down to rest, and called it peace. This certainly is not the condition that Heaven intended for man; and if this be monarchy, well might monarchy be reckoned among the sins of the Jews.” p205 Tomas Paine Reader
It is known since the days of Paine at least that Republics are the most vulnerable to dissolution from within, we can easily add them to Monarchies. It was the first thing Washington did with the Whiskey Rebellion. Hamilton, who was sent at the head of the Army, wanted to execute the protestors on the spot.
There is none (read Herodotus, the arbitration between the Cabal of Seven):
GOVERNMENT:
1 a) the exercise of authority over a state, district, organization, institution, etc.; direction; control; rule; management b) the right, function, or power of governing
2 a) a system of ruling, controlling, etc. b) an established system of political administration by which a nation, state, district, etc. is governed !we need honest government" c) the study of such systems; political science
It is a fallacy, perpetuated in the Federal Constitution, that Peace and Liberty can be established by government under a Constitution. Liberty is ALWAYS curtailed by government. That's the only tool it has--Control. Liberty exists when people are NOT controlled. Peace exists when there is no aggression, and governments are always the chief perpetrator of aggression--hence the need for militaries.
“The law is the organization of the natural right of lawful defense. It is the substitution of a common force for individual forces. And this common force is to do only what the individual forces have a natural and lawful right to do: to protect persons, liberties, and properties; to maintain the right of each, and to cause justice to reign over us all.” p3 The Law
Government and Law are not synonymous. In Dances with Wolves, the law among the Lakota said that No man has the right to tell another what to do. Likewise, in a property dispute, No man has the right to take the property of another without agreeable, just compensation. Notwithstanding these laws among the American Natives who lacked a formal government, they still warred and plundered each other--relentlessly.
the JCS have declared that Joe Biden will be the new president of the United StatesThat statement is wrong on so many levels....and clearly illustrates that the military in this country should no longer be respected, listened to or supported in any way, shape or form....
Planet Lockdown: The REAL Reason For The PlanDemic (bitchute.com)
Or maybe there already is.....