The “Americans Are Coming”!
In a bold creative initiative, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, US Army General Martin Dempsey has offered to help his Russian counterpart, General Valery V. Gerasinov in assisting with the security of the forthcoming Sochi Olympics. More often than not, we Americans are conditioned to think of diplomacy as a sole province of the State Department or the White House. Gen. Dempsey’s hand across the table to his Russian counterpart literally marks a series of diplomatic initiatives that Gen Dempsey and the US military have taken in the past several years.
By definition, a military diplomatic overture appears to be an oxymoron. However, Gen Dempsey and other US military leaders have shown an uncanny ability to develop strategies and concomitant tactics that allow them to do what they do best—PREVENT WAR!
Yes, the true military combat officers are the ones who understand that war is a phenomena that can neither be controlled, no matter how well planned it is beforehand. Also Gen Dempsey and other US senior military leaders understand that engaging in preventive negotiations with a potential enemy, or should I say competitor like Russia, is wise if not exceedingly beneficial.
Yes, the true military combat officers are the ones who understand that war is a phenomena that can neither be controlled, no matter how well planned it is beforehand. Also Gen Dempsey and other US senior military leaders understand that engaging in preventive negotiations with a potential enemy, or should I say competitor like Russia, is wise if not exceedingly beneficial.
Clearly, this Dempsey initiative sanctioned by POTUS and the State Department allows for the US military to access Russian throughways into Afghanistan. Despite an apparent quid pro quo between the US military and the Russian military, there is a very noble element to Gen. Dempsey’s outreach program. He has taken the initiative as did the FBI to help the Russians attempt to protect the Sochi Olympics from impending terrorist attacks.
On the surface this may seem somewhat Machiavellian, possibly tying US military assistance to Snowden. However, Gen Dempsey has long shown an appreciation for the diplomatic route versus engaging in some sort of reflexive military action. In particular, I cite the clear public statement that Gen. Dempsey made where he clearly stated that military action into Syria PROMOTED by the Liberal “Warhawks” like Sec State Hillary Clinton, Ambassador Susan Rice and the ‘genocide voyeur’ Samantha Powers-- was both DANGEROUS and DESTABILIZING TO THE MIDDLE EAST. He had learned the terrible lessons of US intervention into Libya—creating eventual chaos.
From my extensive experience working with US Generals, I find Gen. Dempsey’s continuous assessment of international crises to be judicious and temperate. He tries to seek out solutions that are legitimate alternatives to placing US ‘boots on the ground’.
If you think that is easy, it is not.
Through several administrations I have witnessed the civilians comfortably ensconced in their bureaucratic cocoons browbeating our senior military officers to engage in some sort of conflict. Usually the berated Pentagon and officers try to stave off the civilian warmongering cries for ‘retribution’ or ‘military action’. Witness Sec State Madeleine Albright’s comment about whether our US military had ‘cajones’ [balls].
Then we all remember how Sec State Ex-General Colin Powell literally lied to the world insisting that a small bottle of Anthrax was recovered from Sadam Hussein’s non-existing arsenal of nothing.
In my humble opinion, General Dempsey is a new breed of military officers who have the strength of character and intelligence to allow the Pentagon a unique opportunity to assess military alternatives that do not involve ‘wars’, ‘incursions’, or ‘counter-offenses’. It takes a lot of guts to resist fighting a war when you are trained for war. But like any good professional, General Dempsey knows that war is not really the first recourse when “Hysterical Legislators” [McCain, Graham, McConnell, Cruz, Rubio, Feinstein, Pelosi, Reid] on both aisles of the legislative aisles want to initiate self-destructive conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, and other parts of the geopolitical spectrum in the name of some nonsensical ideology or human rights concern. But lets be real- the actual reason that these legislators are constantly calling for war is because their campaign funds are fueled by the war machine of the MI complex.
Gen. Dempsey, like all true military professionals, understands that war is too serious a matter for POTUS and Legislators or Think Tank Talking Heads on TV/ media.
War belongs to the province of the US military. Therefore, the pre-emptive actions to prevent any potential conflict belongs suis generis to the US military, DOD, and the Pentagon.
America is disgusted with the ‘neocon chicken hawks’; the Liberal Saviors of Democracy; and now those warmongers who insist that we need a stronger military presence all over the world—especially in the Middle East to protect Israel –‘our best ally’ [nonsense!]!
General Dempsey and his talented DOD staff have shown that with a few good men we can accomplish a lot more through peace and goodwill.
That is the true American Warrior!
An outstretched hand in need will always garner gratitude and fond memories, no matter whom our designated adversary may be.
Keep up the great work, DOD !!
General Dempsey is trying his best to implement a policy of war avoidance. the war advocates, of course, is the british empire with their banks on the front line. Obama is a complete puppet of the british banks and I'm not even sure he is running the presidency. his staff may be running the country because Obama's mental health has disintegrated to the point where he can't fulfill the duties of the office.
ReplyDeleteDempsey is credited with holding off the Syrian war with a late night visit to Obama the eve before the shooting was supposed to start. Obama had already given the order to commence the war but something Dempsey said changed his mind and he went to congress the morning.
It is important that everyone know who Dempsey's enemies, the war hawks are. They are the British banks who are all completely bankrupt and may well risk war rather than lose political power. the Russian terrorists are. they are Saudi Arabia and Israel - both appendages of the British empire.
this post is very timely.
I wouldn't read too much into our glorious empire! The financial institutions maybe but they reigned supreme in europe before coming to London and who knows where they move next? As for the "empire" well look at Ireland next door we really sorted that out and who knows Scotland may part company! No we are fast becoming an eastern European offshoot seen as the gates are open! Welcome to the Balkans Mr Bond
DeleteFUN FACT: General Martin Dempsey was born in the small town in New York where I now live.
ReplyDeleteJack Dempsey the fighter was a man's man. This Dempsey is a frail looking, whispy-haired old man who looks more like an English professor than a soldier.
DeleteFor that matter Patraeus also looked weak, frail and timid.
What ever happened to the Walton Walkers and George Pattons and Mark Clarks and Winfield Scotts?
Why don't our Generals have names like "old fuss and feathers" anymore?
Could any of these shit stains walk in the shoes of General Andrew Jackson ?????
Hell No !!
And Jackson prolly had no military education either.
It's because these ass-whipes are a bunch of whimps that they stupidly march off to war when it's unnecessary whereas a REAL MAN [ like yours truely not to bragg but no woman ever complained about my prowess or size ] WOULDN'T DO IT....
because REAL MEN DON'T NEED WAR. !!
Lighten up a bit MIT ! : )
DeleteMy mistake. Martin Dempsey was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and raised in Goshen, New York (Orange County). Daaable checked that.
DeleteOT: SPYING
The street lights on my block worked fine. I noticed yesterday that the street light looking into my house was "fixed"/"changed" yesterday--the only streetlight on the block that was attended to.
Not that my government would spy on me here in little old slow-motion Goshen...
Bandar's chemical corps preparing to attack Sochi... US preparing for mass casualty event, according to DHS and FEMA sources for this story...
ReplyDeleteWayne Madsen: Intelligence chatter abuzz with plans for chemical weapons attack on Sochi Olympics...
http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/articles/20140122_1
Methinks it's all hype to make Sochi a bust
If this were 2001 he would be one of the forward leaning guys with no hesitation about starting a new war. The only reason why these guys are now "judicious and temperent" is because they've had their asses whipped in the last thirteen years - THIRTEEN years of war with nothing to show for it and everybody's pretty disgusted with what they did !
ReplyDeleteAs for the offer itself what are we to make of it?
The last thing the Russians want is to admit they need help from anyone, especially the Americans. And what kind of help can the Americans give the most totalitarian and controlled society on earth anyway? Are we going to show them how to track their population or maybe monitor all their cell phone traffic? Oh yeah the Americans have become experienced in that of late.
It was a huge mistake to put the Olympics in a conflict ridden tyranny like the Russian empire, but then the Olympics is a corrupt bunch of shit anyway. Romney was able to negotiate it's bizantine bullshit but there you have it.
Sochi has not been the site of terrorism. Yes, the southern regions have had terrorism, but not the immediate regions around Sochi. The information has come out that Saudi Arabia is responsible for much of that terrorism along with elements in the United States.
DeleteNeocon warmongers, those that see perpetual war as a good thing, need to be made into politically radioactive garbage.
And fortunately, these people are being exposed for what they are and their influence is decreasing.
Dempsey appears to be a professional.
Professionals know that avoiding war is better than engaging in it, if not necessary.
And the military knows the truth:
Iraq was unnecessary, Afghanistan was unnecessary beyond dislodging the Taliban (if you believe the official conspiracy theory), Syria was unnecessary.
As Libya was also unnecessary.
Good warriors have the judgment to make the distinction between necessary and unnecessary wars.
I think the military is beginning to realize they have been badly used by civilian warmongers, as Dr. Pieczenik has pointed out above.
Neoconservatives don't care about the unprecedented suicide rate among returning service personnel, but the top brass has to have concern:
It means morale is low.
The mission is unclear.
And dispirited men are not good soldiers.
And the multiple deployments are wearing out our military men & women.
Dempsey knows this.
Dempsey was instrumental in stopping the imminent war against Syria.
But the gravest danger is the neoconservative drive for war against Iran.
If Dempsey is a humanitarian and a professional, he will do his best to avoid war with Iran.
That would be a strategic disaster for the United States of America.
Saddam was voted off the island !! Probably to effective for his own good in regards to most of his self interests, which seemed pretty well defined in his mind anyway. I presume this happened after deciding to trade Iraq's oil for other currencies other than the U.S. petro-dollar, which was his payback for his ass getting kicked out of Kuwait by Schwarzkopf and the coalition forces. (A bit of trivia: First American Oil Co. owned in Kuwait? - Zapata Oil, owned by the Bush Family sure good to know there was no conflict of interest for that war). Anyway remember the comedy hour with Bagdad Bob and his press conferences during our invasion, I mean liberation ? " ..."there are no Americans at our airport....we are cleaning the area of enemies"...blah blah blah blah blah..... What a cast of Characters ! Can you imagine being Saddam's doctor or his psychopath son's doctor, who liked to fire off his AK 47 at dance parties just for the hell of it? I don't miss them, but what a spectacle. And look at that Tariq Aziz guy The Deputy Prime Minister, what a F'd up position he had. Aziz probably had to have the brownest nose of all with Saddam as his boss. Who would take a job like that? And he claimed to be a Catholic? Baptized "Manuel Christo". Goes to show people can rationalize any of their actions, i.e. gas the Kurds, no problem. He may have been a man's man to some, but I am glad to not have lived under his tyrannical rule, or his psychopathic sons. Farewell and good riddance Saddam !
DeleteAre you freaking out of your mind?
DeleteHave you lost your senses?
Look at what happened to the place after he left and tell me you'd rather live in it while he was still there or after !!!
There's no debate on this at all --- he kept it from turning into a living hell, just as Tito did in Yougoslavia.
As far as gasing Kurds that's a small price to pay to save the whole country from the kind of hell that followed his demise.
The Kurds are no heros in my book either. There's no reason why they need their own state. They can live in whatever country they find themselves in just like I have to do.
Do you think I have any control over what goes on in this country ???
Hell no. So I'm in the same boat as the Kurds so they should shut up and like it.
I wouldn't have wanted to live there before or after Saddam. But your point is well taken, he kept a lid on a boiling caldron of all sorts of crap by being "strong", no doubt, and no dissent was tolerated either, I am sure, unless it was looking down the barrel of his 45 shortly thereafter. I would last all of about 5 minutes in an environment like that.
DeleteMy point exactly MIT, Saddam was too effective, he stood in the way of CHAOS, therefore, he had to go ! I think we are saying the same thing basically, up to a point.
DeleteBut if given a choice between the two, living in Iraq without Saddam is more appealing to me. I would adapt to the Chaos, I couldn't adapt to his authoritarian (complete; obedience, subjection or else) rule.
DeleteSaddam's ... son... who liked to fire off his AK 47 at dance parties just for the hell of it?
DeleteCome to think of it that would go quite well with the style of music that was popular at the time...
http://youtu.be/uduouXuX5UM
Does choubi even exist post-Saddam?
Thank you Casey Kasem for Iraqi Top 40 ! : )
DeleteAll I need now is a Belly Dancer
A shish kebob
And a gold AK
And no upstairs neighbors !
DeleteMit, you are unfortunately wrong, the neoconservative mind-set, if not ideology, regarding perpetual war, has great influence among "neoliberal" interventionists, i.e., Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice and Samantha Powers.
DeleteLook at your self, Mit, you are baying for an invasion of Syria, just like 90% of the neocons.
But the American People are getting wiser, as their full-throated objection to a military attack on Syria attests.
Your rationale for an invasion of Syria does not hold water. It would be Iraq all over again.
There is a much easier way: Stop the weapons from going into Syria. Saudi Arabia does not have a common border with Syria. If Saudi Arabia can not be persuaded to stop their support for the terrorists, then, Jordan could assist the U. S. in interdicting Saudi money, weapons, and terrorists at their border.
You're wanted Assad overthrown from the beginning and you still want it.
Apparently, you have personal animosity towards Assad from your time in that region.
Personal reasons don't cut it in geopolitical analysis.
Of course, Mit ignores the fact that these terrorists engage in the most heinous acts of barbarity.
Learn from history, sadly, in my opinion you are right, U. S. policy is to spread chaos in the region.
Why is the U. S. spreading chaos in a region where, you would think, it is in the United States' national interest to promote stability?
Well, to some degree, the U. S. has adopted Israeli foreign policy, where chaos is promoted to weaken the nation-states surrounding Israel, but also, there must be a view in U. S. policy circles that chaos is good for direct U. S. interests.
And where does this "view" come from?
Neoconservative and neoliberal interventionist ideology promoted within the Washington Beltway and New York City at the Council of Foreign Relations.
Dr. Pieczenik says the CFR has little influence, but I think that is wishful thinking on Dr. P.'s part because he doesn't agree with the dominant thinking at the CFR. Good for Dr. Pieczenik, but, again, letting personal pique cloud sound judgment doesn't get the job done.
Yes, it turns out Saddam was probably best for Iraq.
Saddam was a gangster and he was loosing contact with reality, but had control of Iraq.
The truth: Iraq's military under Saddam was degrading because of sanctions, but also because, at heart, Saddam was a small-time gangster, who couldn't rebuild his military.
With no Iraq War, Saddam would still be in control of a unified, but weak Iraq, and his sons were even less capable of rebuilding Iraq.
And the entire region would be more stable than today.
Yes, this is only a blog so Mit can be as nonsensical as he wants. Don't expect sound judgments regarding Syria from Mit.
Mit, what happened, did you have an associate who got taken into custody by Assad, who then was tortured or killed?
For my part, I keep moving towards Dr. Pieczenik's position that the time has come to take Saudi Arabia by the scruff of the neck and have a heart to heart talk about their foreign policy.
Saudi Arabian sponsored terrorism needs to be addressed by the U. S. in both direct diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and if that doesn't change their behavior, then take them to the Security Council (but likely that won't happen).
Saudi Arabia was not the main operator with regards to 911, but they have now become the main sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East and in southern Russia.
U. S. foreign policy is all screwed up and the U. S. military knows it.
You are conflating the progressive humanitarian interventionist leanings of Powers and Rice with the aggressive militarism of neo-cons, which are polar opposites.
DeleteNeo-cons are about huge interventions with regime change in large. LARGE countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, etc....always and only in the middle east and always and only by coincidence on issues of interest to Israel.
Neocons have nothing whatsoever to say about wars in Africa - what goes on in Congo, Sierra Leone, etc., is of no interest to them whatsoever.
Rice and Powers and those lilly-livered females who want to save the world instead of destroy it are about using force in small interventions - never regime change in any situation - and only to tip the balance against tyrants when the situation has gotten totally out of hand.
These girls were heavily influenced by what happened in Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Balkans in the 1990s ---- they don't have anything in common with the Richard Pearls or the Paul Wolfowitz's who are panty waste whimps who play out their masculinity fantasies by being warlike and violent. I wish I could have Pearl or Wolfowitz in a room alone for five minute so I could teach them what violence really is.
Judging from the tone, why do either the "girls'" intervention or the "girly men's" intervention.
DeleteSo far both have left death & destruction. And precious little else, other than fat war profits (which Pearl & Wolfowitz understood... and so do the girls).
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts would be my instincts if I were Russian
ReplyDeleteMy immediate thoughts as well del stead. Here is hoping goodwill comes of it just the same.
ReplyDeleteDr. Pieczenik's post on military cooperation could develop into the demonstrable evidence needed to convince Saudi Arabia it is not in their national interest to see any terror attacks in Sochi or the region during the Olympics.
ReplyDeleteThat could be the secret red line on deciding what happens to Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Pieczenik has his own style and it can be effective.
ReplyDeleteHere is another analysis regarding possible military cooperation between Russia and the United States to protect the Winter Olympics.
(As part of the original Olympic games, all the Greek city states would put down their weapons to compete in the games -- a significant achievement, if you think about it, as the Greeks were constantly at war, with various city states at war with one another over various issues, some petty, some profound.)
The West would be wise to respect & enforce this tradition of non-violence during the games. And Saudi Arabia would be wise to respect & follow this tradition -- That was a prime definition and test of whether a city state was civilized and truly part of the Greek community: Could you put down your weapons and compete peacefully in the Olympic Games?
Is Saudi Arabia part of the civilized community or is it a barbarian kingdom, beyond the pale of civilized men?
Such are secret red lines established and watched.
Well, before my digression into an ancient example of civilized behavior, as relevant today, as over two thousand years ago, I made reference to another analysis:
"Reportedly General Martin E. Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military’s highest body in the Pentagon, and others around President Obama are moving to distance Washington from the Saudi-Israeli war strategy which they have realized as against American interest." -- William F. Engdahl
Further, Engdahl echoes Dr. Pieczenik:
"The Volgograd bombings are a part of a global political shift taking place with factions declaring war inside major governments. Washington is split today between a 'pro-Israel' faction largely in Congress, and on the opposite side, a mix of nationalists who seem to be trying to define a genuine American interest in all the wars around the world.
General Martin Dempsey is a nationalist. This makes sense, as the military is not in the internationalist wine & cheese set.
They are men & women who care about their country. Their sworn duty is to defend America, not act as a hired mercenary for interventionists, who have little loyalty for the country they claim to represent.
Engdahl continues:
"The realization in and around the White House and State Department that the US Government was being manipulated by Israeli and Saudi false intelligence was the real reason, according to Washington reports, for the abrupt decision by President Obama last summer to halt the planned war against Syria. Obama was told that the “evidence” of a Syrian government chemical weapons attack on civilians had been doctored by Saudi and Israeli intelligence to force Obama to finally declare war."
Whether Washington was duped or complicit may be irrelevant; what is important is that Washington is making noises that the "blank check" to Saudi Arabia (and Israel) is over.
Especially, regarding the Olympic Games.
Don't screw with Putin's Olympic Games unless you want Russia to be a long-term enemy. Why alienate Russia with a terrorist attack during the games?
It's stupid and a sign of barbarity. Does Saudi Arabia want to be labeled as barbaric?
Engdahl: "Now this same network seems to have activated a revenge attack against Putin and Obama for foiling their stratagems. It’s a high risk gamble by Netanyahu and Saudi Prince Bandar that could severely boomerang against them."
Those who support Israel need to stop Netanyahu before he alienates a strong majority of the American People... because that is happening.
Please read the entire William F. Engdahl analysis:
Is Netanyahu Getting Back at Putin with Volgograd Bombings?
I'll go farther still, an attack on Sochi traceable to Saudi Arabia goes a long way to delegitimatization of that country and any other country whose fingerprints are found on a Sochi attack.
DeleteAre you listening Netanyahu and the Likud Party?
Part of me hopes that someone will strike at Sochi and make an embarrissment out of the whole thing because Putin's such a little whimpy tyrant dwarf shit-stain of a thing pretending to be a man when he's not that he deserves some real humiliation.
DeleteWhat Putin needs is to be reminded that he's a short, low-IQ little turd who comes from a country which has been a cesspool all of it's history and has nothing to be boastful about.
He needs to be dick-slapped.
Syria is interrelated, as Geneva two progresses: John Kerry' opening statement called for regime change, no Assad.
ReplyDeleteThat would be what was expected:
Everybody has an opening statement...
Before negotiations commence.
No, what is important is the final communiqué.
Facts on the ground, the Syrian National Army is winning and the cut-throats hired by the Saudis (and supported by the U. S.) and turning against each other -- slitting each others throats.
The Syrian National Army is nearly to the mop up stage.
The hired mercenaries are at the end of their rope.
Is Kerry going to give ground and officially recognize Assad is the leader of Syria and it is for the Syrian People to decide what happens in Syria?
Or does Washington stick with the talking points about "Assad must go." and further destabilized the region?
In total denial about the facts on the ground.
That is the true test of whether Dempsey's initiative is sincere.
Further partnering with Saudi Arabia in terrorist armies in Syria will demonstrate Washington still has not left the Saudi/Israeli axis.
What will the final communiqué from the Geneva two conference say?
The Geneva two conference has ended early, due to U. S. demand that "Assad must go" and Syrian government representatives rejecting that demand.
DeleteTalks Collapse
That's my headline.
The U S. Government is a dangerous animal, treacherous with no regard for human life.
No lie is too egregious, no demand too outlandish & arrogant.
U. S. diplomacy is turning the whole world against America,
John Kerry is a walking lie factory.
Geneva two degenerated into Kerry's kangaroo court.
DeleteWhat are other countries to think when U. S. foreign policy insists on demands that don't match reality on the ground?
Do they think, "Is it overweening arrogance or a psychological detachment from reality by leadership, or is there some deeper duplicity required for their stratagem to succeed.
According to their idiosyncratic ideas.
That's the rub.
It could be any of the above or some combination, but in any event, it's all a display of a basic, imperial cast, laced with personal ambitions, regardless of the consequences.
Example: Did you know that the U. S., Nato, EU, and various NGO's are supporting neo-fascist, even neo-Nazi in the Kiev riots attempting a coup.
Yes, John McCain took pictures with neo-fascists.
Yes, the U. S. and Nato are driving an attempted coup in the Ukraine.
Neo-fascist rioters storming government buildings to take over from the duly elected President of the Ukraine... and there is an election next year for president.
What should Russia conclude?
What should China conclude?
What should India conclude?
Where is this driving to? A world where every other country, save a few, is pointed against the United States of America.
Because there were people in positions of power who wanted to put themselves and their actions above the law cloaked in government action.
Things are bad and getting worse.
So, again, what do other nations' leaders take from an exhibition
It is not the mission of the American republic to put itself above the law and be the world's policeman.
DeleteFlouting international law shows contempt for the very standards you claim to be upholding.
Yet, there are multiple examples of the United States floating international agreements.
One thought, Kerry is so butt-naked out there, that the hypocrisy and moral rot will be so evident, as to cause a backlash from other countries and the American People.
I am always amazed at the sacrifices these self aggrandizing dictators ask their followers to make on their behalf, so that they may remain in power. Evil son of a bitches would rather 10's of thousands die than relegate their power. How many times do we have to see this sickening crap play out on the world stage? I think he should be taken out just because of his wanton disregard for 10's of thousands of people. Tired of these psychopaths. Assad equates his role as Syria's leader, to that of a surgeon, i.e. "merely saving a patient by amputating a limb that has gangrene". Kerry has Assad on his amputation list, it will be interesting to see what happens next, but I wouldn't want to be Assad to find that out.
ReplyDeleteAssad is a trained ophthalmologist apparently so he should see it coming!!!!
DeleteI agree with Dr. P about Martin Dempsey and the importance of his war avoidance negotiations with the Russians. In this geopolitical situtation, with the transatlantic economy collapsing and a weak and unstable President, we are very close to nuclear war.
ReplyDelete