A Bomber Jacket Doesn't Cover the Blood

[IndianaGreen]

A Bomber Jacket Doesn't Cover the Blood

Norman Solomon
Author of a dozen books, including "War Made Easy."
Posted: March 29, 2010 11:04 AM

President Obama has taken a further plunge into the kind of war abyss that consumed his predecessors -- named Johnson, Nixon and Bush.

On Sunday, during his first presidential trip to Afghanistan, Obama stood before thousands of American troops to proclaim the sanctity of the war effort. He played the role deftly -- a Commander-in-chief, rallying the troops -- while wearing a bomber jacket.

There was something candidly macabre about the decision to wear that leather jacket, adorned with an American Eagle and the words "Air Force One." The man in the bomber jacket doesn't press the buttons that fire the missiles and drop the warheads, but he gives the orders that make it all possible.

One way or another, we're used to seeing presidents display such tacit accouterments of carnage.

And the president's words were also eerily familiar: with their cadence and confidence in the efficacy of mass violence, when provided by the Pentagon and meted out by a military so technologically supreme that dissociation can masquerade as ultimate erudition -- so powerful and so sophisticated that orders stay light years away from human consequences.

The war becomes its own rationale for continuing: to go on because it must go on.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/norman-solomon/a-bomber-jacket-doesnt-co_b_516999.html

[ShortnFiery]

1. +1

Excellent article. Well done Norman Solomon :patriot:

[jefferson_dem]

2. Typical reductionism.

While pacifism is kind of groovy it's not always reality-based.

Facts: Afghanistan is not Vietnam. Not all wars are dumb. Obama is neither LBJ nor W. He is carying out his foreign policy agenda as he promised he would in the campaign.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Thank you. nt

[ShortnFiery]

6. There's a difference between Just Wars and Pacifism. Many of us don't recognize the

continuing occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq as "JUST."

Obama will be a one term President largely because he will bankrupt our country (another Trillion dollars) with wars of convenience that only prove to SERVE the corporations comprising the Military Industrial Complex.

Even if we BEGIN to pull out at the end of 2011, Americans, at home and abroad will NOT be any safer NOR Afghanistan any more tamed and less "tribal."

This escalation serves no purpose other than to enrich "The Corporate Masters of War." That's it's only POSITIVE GOAL.

It will not serve the poor Afghan citizens.
It will not serve our Puppet in Kabul, Hamid Karzai.
It will not serve Pakistan as more and more Taliban push into their territory and threaten their leadership.
It certainly will not serve the TROOPS and their FAMILIES who are all but "burned-out" from seemingly endless occupations.

It serves the mighty BEASTIE known as Corporate Greed.

[Captain Hilts]

3. The troops give the coat to the prez. If he had not worn it, he'd be catching a lot of static. nt

[ShortnFiery]

7. "The Troops"? More like some Field Grade or General Officers had it made for him.

The troops? That cracks me up ... like Corporals Smith and Jones went to the PX just for him? :spray: :rofl:

[Captain Hilts]

8. No. Those jackets are not expensive. nt

[ShortnFiery]

9. A 100% leather leather jacket NOT expensive? Beyond that, I don't believe it was "the troops"

because I've seen too many presents bestowed on the glorious leaders that are given in the name of "the troops." It's always the Field Grade Officers who kick in more and task the NCOs to do the leg work. No, I seriously doubt the rank and file enlisted as well as lowly company grade officers had much to do with President Obama's latest prop. I would hope not and based on my past experience within Protocol, I seriously doubt it.

[FiveGoodMen]

5. Amen

[amborin]

10. K&R

[Jokerman]

11. But he looks so cool!

Nothing like a good testosterone spiked photo-op to show those anti-war pussies once and for all that killing brown people is a bi-partisan sport.