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Posted on
02/15/2007 11:58 AM EST
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América’s new manifest destiny
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Ramón Del Castillo
America’s contemporary definition of manifest destiny is an extension of its grandiose collective self-image that is self-imposed at best which includes its responsibility to stop terrorism throughout the world. Coined just before the Méxican American War by John O’Sullivan, this ostentatious phrase was used by the United Stats to practice historical expansionism. Richard Griswold del Castillo in, The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo: A Legacy of Conflict, argues that manifest destiny morally justified any and all actions used by the government to illegally confiscate land. Its meaning has been transformed; however, at the core of its essence, is still expansionism and control in some despicable form.
It’s time to stop manifest destiny before another 55,000 American troops die in an unjust war in Iraq. Progressive politicians should have the courage to use the process of impeachment to oust President George Bush, use a filibuster to stall the passing of the current budget that includes an increase of funds to finance more in troops in Iraq or create some other creative alternative to bring the troops home.
Politicians have blatantly refused to open doors to debating the immorality of the iniquitous war in Iraq during Congressional hearings. Refusal to debate this issue has been rationalized through arguments about how premature exodus would be devastating. Pro-war mongers argue that it would leave Iraq in complete disarray, as if things could get worse. Debates in Congress have been about how much more money should be allocated towards this travesty.
The red herring has dug its own grave. This is occurring as coffins filled with American soldiers, mangled bodies covered with sangre molida, ready to be draped in ole glory, travel the long weary road home, prepared for permanent residency into mother earth turning into the dust that seems to be human beings ultimate destiny.
The Bush administration denies any similarities between the Iraq and Vietnam wars. They are not exact replicas; but the human and economic costs Americans are paying for this atrocity is exorbitant. América has lost respect in the international community, death counts are rising, people have lost faith in their government, and fiscal costs of the war have surpassed expenditures spent during the Vietnam War.
If the rate of spending with the proposed increase of 11.3% for the affairs of the Pentagon is passed, it will rise above the costs of the 13-year War in Vietnam. It has been estimated that Bush’s $2.9 trillion budget, sent to Congress includes $100 billion dollar line item budget for the continuation of the war in Iraq.
The sea of denial that exists protects politicians as they gorge on little fish at cocktail parties, wearing tails and top hats, making sure that their sons and daughters don’t have to enter into the fray.
As America’s awakens to the realities of the war, let’s hope peace activists do not make the same mistakes that their predecessors made in the past. One of the biggest lessons that we learned from the Vietnam War was that casting aspersions on the soldiers is equally immoral. We should never abandon brave warriors whose consciousness has been filled with the malarkey used to propagate support for this war.
Media pundits have bought off hook, line and sinker on the concept of the “surge.” Although just another euphemism conjured up by congressional semanticists paid to protect the president and his cadre of capitalists who are only interested in what lies at the margin, it is now penetrating the consciousness of the American public.
Bush was quoted as saying, “Today we submit a budget to the United States Congress that shows we can balance the budget in five years without raising taxes ... Our priority is to protect the American people. And our priority is to make sure our troops have what it takes to do their jobs.”
Translated, this means, I have a responsibility to protect the vested interests of the rich in this country and will continue to use the arguments of a pre-emptive strike, weapons of mass destruction and protecting borders from terrorists in order to perpetuate the fear that is needed to employ my strategy of continuing the war.
In the onset, politician’s dilly dallied around refusing to admit that entering into fisticuffs with the Iraqis was a mistake. The general public was led to believe that this war would go down in history as a brief encounter with immense paybacks. It was sold as a response to the tragedy of 9-11. Rationalizations for entering the war were created by political leaders in cahoots with media pundits, creating intellectual nomenclature for the craziness of the times.
The war has drained the current economy at the expense of elderly and the poor, building insurmountable debt the next generation will be unable to pay. President Bush’s brazen attitude about wasting human lives under the guise of protecting Americans from terrorism has lost its impetus. The abuse of his powers is evident.
He has crowned himself king, immune from the rule of law, using the concept of Commander and Chief of the military as a facade. Bush’s self-proclamation as King reeks of authoritarianism, especially since it is antithetical to the will of the people. You cannot have a temporary totalitarianism in a free society without creating a temporary totalitarian government. Divine right stands in contradiction to the collective will of the people unless they themselves have succumbed to despotic rule.
Democrats control Congress and have the moral responsibility to make critical budget and moral decisions that don’t compromise the will of its own citizens. They too are under glass and could face protests on Denver’s streets next year as the city prepares for the National Democratic Convention. If Denver’s vision is to climb to the top, the convention can either be a jumping board or it can be a political fiasco.
Stop the War!
Ramón Del Castillo, Ph.D. is an independent journalist.
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