I wonder if Hitler and Nazi Germany called their aggressive wars that they were tried and convicted of war crimes for, PREEMPTIVE WARS. That is an euphemism for PREVENTIVE WARS.McCain like most of the U.S.crime family is just another CORPORATE SOLDIER and when he says " it depends on the the threat the U.S. faces" he means the threat to wealth and power of the corporate and banking elite.

Some techy nerd with computer smarts please help me understand how I can lift the great illustration off this story on the home page (and regrettably not used in the story--boo, hiss!)and save it. I have Windows xp operating system.

By the rules of "preemptive war", Iran has the right to kill McCain along with any innocent associates or family members who happen to be around. Very sophisticated thinking.

McCain keeps the fear factor alive, the main ingredient of fascist control of the masses: "it depends on the threat that the United States of America faces."

Yes, of course, with its more than 725 military bases set on foreign soil all over the planet, its stockpile of thousands of nuclear warheads ready to be fired off at a moment's notice, its nuclear submarines patrolling every ocean of the world, its warplanes and satellites circling the globe, the United States of America faces many threats!!!

When are folks finally going to see through this bullshit ideological talk of a theat to a military capable of blowing up the solar system?

Poet - try 'right click' and 'save as'.

Is anyone for Premptive Peace?

How is this news?

The title might as well have read...

"Bush's Term Three Successor: Pre-emptive Bombing of Brown People - Ok"

-James
www.thepoliticus.org

Parsing Republican rhetoric about "war" is a waste of time. It's extremely simple:

The guy with the biggest gun makes the rules. We are that guy.

We reserve the right to attack anyone at any time to preserve the stability of the US economy specifically as it relates to the accumulation of wealth by those that already possess it.

That's it. Everything else is hypothetical nonsense.

If Iran wants to bomb Washington pre-emptively, it needs to have biggest gun status first.

Nothing about this has anything to do with the law, unless one refers to the law of the jungle. The big gorilla, the big dog, does as he pleases.

But, in this case, we don't just attack willy-nilly for sadistic pleasure. It's all tied to bombing the risk out of the economy. National security is the security of the potential for economic gain for those that don't need it.

McCain looks nutty. It shows right in his eyes. The war-mongering kool-aide drinker just doesnt get it.
America does not want a war with Iran-or any other country for that matter. This nation is war weary.
We-as a people-are sick and tired of crazy political conservatives rattling their sabers/penises at every country out there. McCain needs a hobby!

It is hard for anyone as superstitious as I am to look at a picture of John McCain and not see a bloated Nosferatu, a preview of the next stage of America's dementia. Bush's madness was at least understandable madness: a tiny brain, the moral depth of a Texas wood tick, a nature disposed to become the stooge of acquisitive masters. We've met people like Bush, making asses of themselves at fraternity parties, throwing up in roadhouse parking lots. But McCain is straight from the crypt, pasty white like you get after laying in a box of native earth in the basement of some Transylvanian castle, and black eyes that pop open when the sun has gone out of sight. I don't understand him at all. Like Gollum he probably went mad after months of torture turned him into the homicidal, lopsided troll who today proposes himself as leader and spokesman for a nation of rudderless zombies. Something awful lies barely hidden inside John McCain, waiting for America to make one final stupid choice, itching to drag us the rest of the way into bedlam.

There are many good reasons to defeat John McCain, but maybe not (yet) enough sound strategies to do so. Being "shocked" about the idea of pre-emptive war is not among them, by the way, since most of the many current and former Bush supporters already do embrace this idea positively. (Maybe not so many "in public", but a whole bunch more in the secrecy of the voting booth.)

Here, once again, though, is a little-talked-about detail on McCain that should very well be in the arsenal used to defeat him. He and his wife, Cindy, have gotten wealthy on her large inherited beer distributorship, Hensley & Company, in Phoenix. This has gone on for all the 25 years he has been in Congress and continues to this day. It has power to sway a few voters away for two reasons:

1) Some evangelical conservatives WILL NOT vote for a first family that has facilitated on a large scale the social problems of alcoholism, drunk driving, domestic abuse and underage drinking----IF THEY KNOW ABOUT (which most of them still don't.)

2) An argument could be made that the election of McCain as leader of the "west" will further inflame the radical Muslim world against America as their "Great Satan." Us electing alcohol people to lead will be seen by many practicing Muslims (who do not drink alcohol) as proof positive that America is totally evil and must be destroyed.
Why would we want to give those folks a whole new talking angle from which to recruit terrorists? (When we could just as easily elect Obama and skip the alcohol downside with all the Muslims with whom we share this planet.)

The doddering dunderhead McCain says he'd consult "not with every member" of Congress before starting a war, but with "the leaders"....Isn't that what Congress is for? Then again, ARE there any leaders in Congress? Is anyone in doubt now that McCain would be More Bush?

BTW, the American concept of preemptive war was forged by The Pilgrims in 1623 (two years after concluding their phony peace among New England tribes); when, after long refusals to listen to Native American complaints about Plimoth's behaviors (which The Pilgrims assumed were plots: didn't speak the language), Guvnah Bradford and the holy elders sent "Captain Shrimp" Myles Standish and other men to ambush the Native leaders, inviting them to a feast and then killing them with their own knives. It killed Plimoth's economic hopes for years (to say the least), until an Englishman who knew how to listen came to town, Thomas Morton of Mrrymount---the country's first poet in English and, of course, its first "criminal exile." http://ancientgreece-earlyamerica.com

To save the article, try emailing to yourself...you can put it on wordpad and save it forever!!!

War to protect the US...the economy....the rich and powerful...

They declared war on the American people long ago and it went unnoticed...they just need to finish things off now and enslave the people, destroy the Constitution, declare martial law, and file people into the 600 camps for "re-education ie accept it or die.

While they run wars all over place and overtake and set up puppet governments, they are quietly...or not so quietly running a cold war here and winning.

McCain is no different...he is dangerous.

If you ever find a site where you cant save the image when you right click or you would like the text included try using Print Screen on your keyboard and then pasting it into an email or a photo program and save it from there.

In most cases you dont have to do that though.

Of COURSE McBUSH is interested in ANYTHING that furthers the Authoritarian agenda on a global scale..OF COURSE HE IS!
The man is a...YES MAN, an ASS KISSER, a HAND LICKER...and like most dogs..HE HAS HIS TONGUE SO FAR UP THE ASS OF CORPORATE AMERICA AND THE ARMS AND DEATH INDUSTRY, THAT HE CAN TASTE THEIR $50 CIGARS..
McBUSH is FOUR MORE YEARS FOR FOUR MORE YEARS...etc...ad nauseum..
They will have to STEAL FIVE MILLION VOTES THIS TIME, TO GET HIM IN..AND IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE. WITH THE ARMS INDUSTRY, THE INTELLIGENCE "COMMUNITY" (recall "ex cia" employees delivering "absentee ballots" by the BOX LOAD to Florida Elections officials in rural Florida..) so with all of this, and new secrecy procedures so that we will NEVER KNOW how it went down...YUP! He will most likely be our next 'President' and that my friends...is the end of our democracy..period!
If McBUSH is "elected" be prepared for the eventual Fox News "Breaking News" bulletin.."McAIN SUSPENDS CONSTITUTION, NATIONAL EMERGENCY MARTIAL LAW IS IN EFFECT..." AND THEN THEY GO OFF THE AIR..OR ACTUALLY MOST LIKELY BEGIN 24 HOUR PROPAGANDA OF AN INSANELY OBVIOUS TYPE, DOING EVERYTHING TO PLACATE THE MASSES INTO JUST 'ACCEPTING' THE "NEW RULES" WHILE BLACKWATER THUG-RUNTS ROAM THE STREETS LOOTING AND RAPING AND MURDERING..
AND YOU WILL PAY FOR IT ALL..
GET READY FOLKS..IT'S COMIN'

Preemptive war is nothing short of preemptive takeover of another government...it is plan A...plan B...and plan C....if all else fails and they make fools of themselves and get caught...plan D might...might... be considered...that would be diplomacy and reason.

jcrumb,

I have been saying that for months...but it will be a miracle if this doesn't happen BEFORE the elections...leaving the current "fearmongering" leader in place forever... until death do us part.

Based on their criteria for justifying pre-emptive war, if the gang of pirates now running the US (that includes W and MCClone) had been in charge during the Soviet era (1945-1989), they would have attacked the Soviet Union and the human species would now be extinct, and surviving species would be adapting to the post nuclear planet.

America's fascist right-wing leaders simply LOVE war and sending others to battle; however, they don't go and neither do their children.

Why else do you think they name everything a "war?"
"Cold War," "War on Poverty," "War on Drugs," "War on Terrorism," "War on Marijuana," "War on Sex," War on Science," http://memepunks.blogspot.com/2006/06/americas-war-on-science.html Bush's War on America, http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1102-22.htm etc., etc.

John McInsane is itching to start a war with Iran, ANOTHER country that is NO threat.
:(

Pre-Emptive war is such a sound philosophy. It's the same as pre-emptive arrest from law enforcement. Just Taser and beat somebody because they MIGHT commit a crime. How about Pre-Emptive traffic control where they write you out a ticket because you just MIGHT speed. How about Pre-Emptive masectomy - the doctors just remove your breasts because they MIGHT get a tumor one day.
People that think like this should get some Pre-Emptive birth control so they don't accidentally reproduce and further pollute the gene pool.

You all should be more careful how you describe our next president!

We'd best study up in Orwellian terminology to describe the views of the world and country we will see.

I just cannot wait to see what chaos and violence John Hagee will encourage aginst all non-Christians in his role of Secretary of Religion.

Speaking of Hagee....I wonder how he handles the anti-Christian views in Israel...

If "proselytizing is persecution", why does the Jewish state spend a lot of their taxpayers' money (and it includes taxes collected from Christians, too) to proselytise and convert the Christians into Jewish faith? There is an official state program to convert 200,000 Russian Christians in Israel into the faith of "Jews against Jesus". The program is headed by a government official, and is quite active.

Revelationist believe there will be an attempt to set up a "world religion"...government approved and required...I guess Hagee will be running it...thats his endgame...

Matthew 7:15,16 - Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits....

Does anyone besides me think McCain stores grenades in his cheeks?

Daniel David April 10th, 2008 12:09 pm

"2) An argument could be made that the election of McCain as leader of the "west" will further inflame the radical Muslim world against America as their "Great Satan." Us electing alcohol people to lead will be seen by many practicing Muslims (who do not drink alcohol) as proof positive that America is totally evil and must be destroyed.
Why would we want to give those folks a whole new talking angle from which to recruit terrorists? (When we could just as easily elect Obama and skip the alcohol downside with all the Muslims with whom we share this planet.)"

Again, I have seen some stupid reasons to vote for or against someone but this takes the cake.

To appease Muslims because one's spouse owns a beer distributorship. Give me a break.

Lobo Gris

Daniel David April 10th, 2008 12:09 pm

"1) Some evangelical conservatives WILL NOT vote for a first family that has facilitated on a large scale the social problems of alcoholism, drunk driving, domestic abuse and underage drinking—-IF THEY KNOW ABOUT (which most of them still don't.)"

Just like some people will not vote for a person who's pastor regularly condemns the U.S. in his sermons, so what's your point?

Lobo Gris

#
claudius April 10th, 2008 2:10 pm

"Does anyone besides me think McCain stores grenades in his cheeks?"

He has or had cancer in the cheek on the left side of his face that was operated on if I remember correctly. I have no knowledge whether he stores grenades on the right side or not. :-)

Lobo Gris

If I'm not mistaken, there's no practical difference on this between McCain, Hillary and Obama.

Not very long ago, Hillary and Obama were trying to out-war-hawk each other on who would launch missile strikes into a country like Pakistan if they had 'actionable intelligence.'

The semantics might be different, but I really don't see any difference between 'pre-emptive war' and direct military strikes into another sovereign nation depsite the objections of that sovereign nation's government.

Note also that Hillary at least voted to authorize the 'pre-emptive war' in Iraq. And, I guess the language has been changed since the Clinton days of 'humanitarian war', but to the people on the receiving end of our bombs and missiles, I doubt they'd be very concerned as to whether they are dying in a 'pre-emptive war' or a 'humanitarian war' or 'strikes based on actionable intelligence'.

Face it, both parties agree on this. Only the mavericks in the parties like Kucinich, Paul or Gravel object. And on the Novemeber ballot, you are going to have to vote for a third party or independent candidate like McKinney or Nader if you don't want to vote for more of the same.

pre-emptive war is none other than an excuse or justification to attack another country based on trumped up or even outright false charges of its being a threat. It's aggression, pure and simple.

John McCain is clearly every bit as psychopathic as GWB, and only the ignorance and/or prejudice of the American people will get him elected. That being said, we cannot be responsible for what others choose to do, even if we must collectively suffer the consequences.

COMarc April 10th, 2008 2:33 pm

"If I'm not mistaken, there's no practical difference on this between McCain, Hillary and Obama."

Personnally I agree with you, how others see it remains to be seen.

Lobo Gris

'or have the capability to do so' you all missed that bit in the article. do you suppose this refers to eye-ran?

Gerson at the WaPo today was going on about what people want in a commander-in-chief. His postulate was that they want someone who is tough and willing to push the button at the slightest provocation. I submit that it would be much better to have someone who behaves like a mature, grownup rather than someone who picks a fight at the drop of a hat. McCain sure doesn't act very mature given the way he has prostituted himself in order to get the nomination and flipped on most of his previous positions in order to woo the radical right christianists. This business of solving every problem by sending in the Marines is just not what a serious human being is all about.

We might be the biggest gun but we know longer have all the money! Where did it go? War,Death,Destruction,Pain,Suffering and a yokel President Stuck on Stupid made it all go bye, bye while making all the greedy bastard war corporations filthy rich.

ALL -- speaking about preemptive,

We're still slugging it out on the 911 ANTI-TRUTHER article.

Please help get us up to 500 replies today, for a BIG PRIZE

Namaste

I have to agree with COMarc as well...

Two blanket statements already exist: the UN Charter and Article 6 of the US Constitution. Between them it makes premptive war illegal -- in fact from the Nuremberg trials, it is the ultimate war crime. The only 'pre-emptive'war permitted is in case of imminent attack by a another nation, as when they are actively massing on your borders or in the process of launching an attack (not just have the capability -- which could be ANY other nation). We've been through already with the war crime of the invasion of Iraq. If McCain doesn't know this he is incompetent; if he does he is evil. I think he's both, and crazy to boot.

If you like Bush and the Iraq war you'll love McCain as president.

Namaste...

The government should just allow a fair and thorough investigation...done by someone other than their cronies and own admin..and let the chips fall where they may...

They shout about the conspirasy theorists...but their own evaluation was a conspirasy theory...

Conspirasy definition: a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act

Theory definition: A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena

If you go by definitions...the gov's version is a conspiracy theory as well..

Investigate and let the chips fall where they may...unless the gov is afraid of exposing the truth. That would settle it all.

And Carl...

I think you are right about the grenades!!

lobo gris,

My "point" about some evangelicals not being willing to vote for John McCain if they know he's a beer distributor (since you were so dense as to ask) is that those lost votes--however few or however many-- would help defeat McCain.

You and some others here who are so bent on not seeing any differences between Clinton, Obama and McCain, actually don't have points but rather are completely satisfied throwing up your hands and yelling "Who cares?" Perhaps we should count you guys as neocons in disguise. After all, all that's needed for us to get some more of the neocons in our government is the very voter apathy that you so smugly recommend.

Daniel..

I had rather McCain distribute beer than war!!

I guess having a beer heiress for wife was much better than the one who waited all those years for him while he was being the "imprisoned warrier".

The man lives in the past and I think his time spent as a POW warped his mind...

He should have beer and do extensive reading on what murder, torture, and corruption is...then come back and try again...oops...he is too old to keep coming back...

To Whatfools and LeAnnG--

Mnay thanks for your helpful hints and suggestions--Hey CD editors--how 'bout putting the illustration with the story as large as the blah picture you are now carrying?!!

So I guess we know what President McCain will do...does anyone doubt that this man won't be president? I saw today he "erased" his 10 point difference with Obama..gee what a surprise...all hail President McCain!

Lobo Gris:

Fun facts- alcohol is an Arabic word.

If the US economy is going to collapse within the next 4 1/2 years, which does not appear all that unlikely at this point, does it matter if the US president is a bit unhinged and supported by the most reckless and short-sighted elements of the corporate kleptocracy? Would that change the probability that the US would launch a nuclear war that would likely result in annihilation and possible human extinction? And if the probability of that does not matter, WTF does matter?

Guess what, folks? Today McCain has taken over the lead in the polls. Apparently most people agree with him that killing in advance anyone who gets in our way is a good thing, along with corporate ownership of government, more tax breaks for the rich . . . Better get used to having the man around.

Preemptive war...thats what Hitler did against Poland, and kickstarted WW2.
Wil americans elect (?) a monster who promises to wage more wars for Israel?

'"I don't think you could make a blanket statement about pre-emptive war, because obviously, it depends on the threat that the United States of America faces," '

there was no threat before, nor was their by Poland toward Germany. But these can be manufactured!

McCain is just another dumb, power seeking "Yuck Yuck!" Don't expect any breaktrough thinking there! Like Bush, he's just another "Thumper" -- not a "Thinker!"

Should McCain be elected, will the Vietnamese be urged to apologize for torturing him?

Is he thinking of bombing Iran?

Daniel David April 10th, 2008 3:54 pm

"You and some others here who are so bent on not seeing any differences between Clinton, Obama and McCain, actually don't have points but rather are completely satisfied throwing up your hands and yelling "Who cares?" Perhaps we should count you guys as neocons in disguise. After all, all that's needed for us to get some more of the neocons in our government is the very voter apathy that you so smugly recommend."

Nobody, myself included, has recommended apathy. There are many, myself included, that have advocated for real change which means voting independent or third party. Continuing to vote for the lesser of evils means you still get evil, the death is a little bit slower is all.

Lobo Gris

heaven help us,if MCcain is our 44th president.....BE VERY AFRAID OF A 3RD BUSH TERM !