Gulf War Syndrome

[poliphilo]

Gulf War Syndrome exists but the U.S. and U.K. governments won't admit it.

A. Because they'd have to admit to fooling around with lots of bugs and chemicals and radioactive shit of the kind they say they're too civilized to fool around with.

B. Because they'd have to pay compensation.

Soldiers are there for politicians to use and throw away. There are few things more disgusting than the sight of a politician praising the nobility and self-sacrifice of our "wonderful men and women in uniform."

All politicians are as bad. The price of high office is that you sign away your humanity. It's a Faustian pact. "I get to be famous and powerful and the downside is that I will have to kill people (at a distance of course) and lie, lie, lie? O.K. I'm up for that. Better me than that other fellow!"

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Hm, I guess I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Something I read the other day that I liked (this is a paraphrase): the reason the State hates terrorists so much is that terrorists infringe the State's monopoly on political violence.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think they'd find it impossible to do the job.

These guys are gangsters. The only difference between the President of the USA and Michael Corleone is that the Prez is running a much, much bigger organization.

Incidentally, this is why we like gangster movies so much- they tell us the truth about the way the world is run.

[besideserato.livejournal.com]

Your insight on a Sunday night is just what a girl needs to get over the idiocy of her shame attack and focus on what really matters.

Thanks for that little kick. I need it every once in a while.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Cheers. :)

[archyena.livejournal.com]

I'm inclined to believe that society is based on violence anyhow and it can be proven simply by pushing hard enough. The goal of civilization is to keep violence many times removed and slow. It's not unlike dueling in the Old South, it took months to have a duel most times. There were proceedings and formalities and statements that had to be made for the duel to be socially acceptable. The goal was simply to have both sides settle down and possibly start fearing their own mortality enough.

But that one commenter brings up a good point on Death, which English monarch (James?) stated that he was (to paraphrase) "God's lieutenant on Earth, with the power to make and unmake at will?"

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a Stuart. Divine Right of Kings and all that.

[morrison-maiden.livejournal.com]

There are few things more disgusting than the sight of a politician praising the nobility and self-sacrifice of our "wonderful men and women in uniform."

I agree 100% Everytime I hear "President" Bush speaking about their honor, I cringe. They're just so expendable to him :\

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It makes it worse that he skipped out of military service himself (and is now lying about it.)

People who have experienced war at first hand are usually a lot less willing to send others into harm's way.

[morrison-maiden.livejournal.com]

That's exactly how I feel about it. It's easier for him to send them off, because he doesn't know what it's like in battle :\

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

And it's true of nearly all these guys. Colin Powell was a professional soldier and he's the one whose been arguing (not hard enough) for moderation.

[kaysho.livejournal.com]

Of course, in part we bring it on ourselves, with our tendency to vote for the person who can tell the most pleasing lies, even if logically what they're saying makes no sense.

"I will cut your taxes, raise spending on [programme that you really really like], and reduce the budget deficit."

And we vote for them. :)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We're so easily fooled.