War, Politics, Rambo III

Apparently those in government haven't seen Rambo III. If you dear reader, also have not had the pleasure, I will give you a brief synopsis. This is the one where Rambo has to go on another mission, this time in Afghanistan, where his mentor Col. Trautmann (I think that's his name) is being held captive by the Russians. Wait, why the fuck are the Russians there in the 80's? Oh ok yeah Afghanistan was Russia's version of Vietnam. They spent a lot of time, and many people needlessly died so they could gain control of Afghanistan. This, like Vietnam (and Iraq, now) didn't turn out so well. We all know what happened next. So wait ok, why was an American military guy there in the 80's? Because we liked to fuck shit up for the Russians wherever and whenever possible in our 50 year pissing match otherwise known as the Cold War. Yeah, American military and CIA people trained the Afghan resistance to use the missile launchers that they now so lovingly use on us. This isn't me making shit up. It's fact. So why do I bring up Rambo III? There's a line in the movie that somehow seems very relevant right now. I'm paraphrasing but in the quote a resistance fighter says to Rambo that no foreign invader will ever take Afghanistan or its people. Something about not being slaves, and so on. This idea is repeated several times in the movie, almost as an abstract lesson about the futility of it all. Maybe something about freedom. Or maybe it's still just Rambo blowing shit up with exploding arrows, snarling at the bad guys as he dispatches them by the hundreds. Maybe President Obama needs to watch Rambo III.

Yeah, I watched the speech. My assesment? This war is Vietnam II. It was mismanaged from day one and will continue to be so. No amount of troops will change that. All it will do is send more kids home in flag covered coffins. Yes, I am opposed to a troop surge. I am opposed to war as a whole and nothings ever going to change my mind. This is not what I voted for. I voted for the end of two useless wars and health care. Looks like Santa (or in my case Hanukkah Harry) isn't bringing me what I want this year. I should also mention that in no part of the speech did he mention how we are supposed to pay for the surge. Isn't this supposed to be the worst economic climate since 1929? Obviously, our President's not worried about it. The money will magically appear for this I'm sure. Yet, we just can't seem to find the cash for a free health care system in our country. Nor can we find the cash to rebuild New Orleans. But fuck it, we got plenty of money for blowing shit up. Want proof? Watch the same Republican congress people and Senators that blast the public option every day trip over themselves to be the first to praise a troop surge. I'm sure that GI Joe Lieberman will practically drool on camera when he goes on the cable news network rounds in the next few days. Hell, none of their kids have to go fight so what does it matter to them? But pay for a system that guarantees health care coverage to all Americans? Absolutely not. That's socialism.

Maybe everybody needs to see Rambo III.

Jello Biafra (of Dead Kennedys fame...I hope I didn't have to tell you that) has a new cd coming out with his new band. It's called "The Audacity of Hype". That's exactly how I feel right now. Lotsa hype, nothing else. I am pretty close to being at the end of my tolerance rope for this administration. When a Republican takes office, you know what to expect. So when they make horrible foreign policy decisions or have insanely backward ideas about social issues, you shouldn't be surprised. In an odd way, it's almost comforting. Like finding the last roll of toilet paper when you're sure you ran out. In some even weirder way, it's far worse when the Democrats take office. When they take these same batshit crazy policy positions, and act on them, it's almost like a kick in the face. Some recent examples: NAFTA, health care, troop escalations, etc. It hurts because these people supposedly know better. They pretend at least to have progressive ideas and they talk them up constantly. Then we stupidly elect them, and they are reminded by their corporate masters who really runs things. "Fuck up kiddo and we'll make sure you get nothing out of us when it comes time to re-elect your silly ass", "you just keep things normal. Don't get all FDR on us". Then suddenly we hear things like "be patient", "we have a lot of work to do", and other lovely catch phrases of the political bullshit planet. This typically follows another disappearing campaign promise. So I guess maybe we are the ones to really blame. No politician is as progressive as they pretend. If they are, they are promptly taken care of. Ask the Kennedy's if I'm lying. We know this, so we should know better. Now in a year I might eat my words. Obama might pull some crazy stunt and maybe this country will change for the better. I doubt it though. The same people who fucked this country up still have their jobs. Even if no one else here does. Audacity of Hype. I wish I thought of that.