Militarism: a Horrendous Waste

“America is the most militaristic nation on Earth, spending $1 trillion of taxpayer money yearly for warmaking — outstripping all other nations combined. Why? What’s the point of trying to police the entire planet, when other democracies don’t feel this compulsion? Especially when the policing doesn’t really work?

“Col. Andrew Bacevich knows war well. He graduated from West Point, fought in Vietnam, then earned a Ph.D. and became a professor at Boston University. His son was killed in action in Iraq in 2007.

“Dr. Bacevich now scorns America’s role as the sole remaining military superpower. He expressed his contempt in a book, The New American Militarism: How Americans are Seduced by War.  He said Americans love military swagger, such as former President Bush playing “Top Gun” as he landed in uniform on an aircraft carrier before a “Mission Accomplished” banner.

“Today, as never before in their history, Americans are enthralled with military power,” he wrote. If the U.S. “militaristic cast of mind” continues, he said, “America will surely share the fate of all those who in ages past have looked to war and military power to fulfill their destiny. We will rob future generations of their rightful inheritance. We will wreak havoc abroad. We will endanger our security at home. We will risk the forfeiture of all that we prize.”

“Last week, writing in the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Bacevich said … America pours hundreds of billions into militarism — burdened by “too many obligations piled high without the wherewithal to meet them.”  He said Washington indulges “the fiction of American omnipotence — persisting in our penchant for fighting distant wars of dubious purpose.” He added that “spending hundreds of billions vainly attempting to pacify Afghanistan is unlikely to help much.”

“He wrote that “Washington has become an intellectual dead zone” where “shoveling money into the maw of the military-industrial complex seems the top Republican priority.” (And Democrat too).
Washington is convulsing over the colossal national debt. But that debt easily could be curbed if militarism were reduced. The “official” Pentagon budget was $680 billion last year, but the total soars to $1 trillion when veteran care is added, plus interest on past military spending done with borrowed money, plus other off-budget outlays.

“America is bankrupting itself to remain an armed superpower. Other nations don’t do it. Why does America damage itself in this manner?”

(Editorial, Aug. 25, 2011: The Charlston Gazette)

Stop the Wars!  Create Jobs that Heal!

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc.
5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@interpac.net   http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Sept. 16, 2011 – 521st week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

What Have We Learned?

Many prominent scholars, scientists, physicists, engineers, architects, and ordinary people throughout the United States and around the world have asked the question — what have we learned since 9/11?  Many believe there are still important unanswered questions that need answering.  What really happened and why?   (See AE911truth.org)  Come and join the discussion and bring your questions and answers to share with others.  Your voice is important.

Whether you believe: 1.  the official U.S. government version that 9/11 was the work of Al Qaeda with no prior knowledge by U.S. intelligence; 2.  there was prior knowledge; 3.  the attacks were “an inside job”; or some other version of 9/11 events — some things have become clear since the attacks.  9/11 has had, and still has, devastating consequences, for the U.S. and for the world, especially in the expanding wars it has spawned, killing innocents, involving torture, targeted assassinations, the use of drones, Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation weapons, environmental destruction, increased surveillance and loss of civil liberties, undermining economies and wasting money on wars and militarism that could have been used to help people.  In short, U.S. actions since 9/11 have  weakened U.S. national security by increasing the level of international hatred toward the U.S. and its imperial policies of global domination.

SIGN-HOLDING:
Sunday, Sept 11, 9am-11am Hwy 11 fronting Walgreens in Hilo.

We stand adhering to the principles of non/violence and extending Aloha to the community.  To make eye-contact and wave opens connection to all who pass by.  We also stand to honor the innocent victims of 9/11 and their families and to bring support to first responders many of whom are now dying from lung cancer yet being denied health benefits.
Please bring a sign for 9/11 truth, if you can, and be prepared for a chance of (Hilo) rain.

PANEL DISCUSSION:
Sunday, Sept 11, 1pm-3pm, Kea’au Community Center
(Behind Kea’au Police Station)

Come hear community speakers share their insights about 9/11 and bring your own ideas and findings as there will be time for questions and comments following the speakers.

9/11 TRUTH CAN LEAD TO JUSTICE & PEACE!

Let us demand a truly independent investigation to prevent something this terrible from ever happening again, and to help our world restore sanity, cooperation, respect and liberty and justice for all.  The bottom line is we all want to leave a better world for future generations.

1. Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc.
5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@interpac.net   http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (Sept. 9, 2011 – 520th week) – Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office
Today marks 10 years of the Hilo Weekly Peace Vigil

BACKGROUND

The Army plans to fly helicopters out of Pohakuloa Training Area to landing zones (LZs) on the upper slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to train for Afghanistan. The LZs are on conservation land–ceded land which is supposed to be held in trust for all. An average of nine flight hours a day (and into the night) are planned for dates in October. After that, more may be planned.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

SEND E-MAIL ASAP (before Sept. 9th) TO

Adaline.F.Cummings@hawaii.gov

SUBJECT
Vote AGAINST C-4 (HAMET EA/ FONSI) and C-5 (HAMET permit) at BLNR 9-9-11

My sample testimony below

Dear BLNR members,

Hearings should be held on Hawaii Island concerning this military taking of public lands.

Nevertheless, at your September 9 meeting, please cut this whole process and vote AGAINST Army High-Altitude Mountainous Environment Training (HAMET) on two items

·          C-4: accepting the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact
·    C-5: granting a Right of Entry permit.

Our organization does not want the U.S. training anywhere to do to others what the U.S. has already done to Hawaii: overthrow and occupy its government and nation, desecrate its sacred sites, and contaminate its air, land, water, people, plants, and animals with a wide range of military toxins.  We want the U.S. to stop bombing Hawaii and clean up its opala (rubbish).

All of our mothers teach us that you clean up your old mess before you even think about making a new mess.  The military needs a mother and you the BLNR need to act as a surrogate.  No more military taking!  No more military mess.  It’s long past time for military clean up NOT further build up!

The military/industrial complex is out of control in Hawaii.  Hundreds of thousands of acres of land (and additional near shore waters) are littered with live explosives and other military toxins.

Actions needed:
1. Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation contamination exists on State leased land  at the Pohakuloa Training Area.  The lease doesn’t allow for that.  Cancel that lease but first make the military fund comprehensive independent testing and monitoring (with citizen oversight) to determine the full extent of the contamination.  And make them clean up their mess, not a 3rd rate job like Kaho’olawe, but first rate to habitable standards.
2.  The Hawaii County Council on July 2, 2008 passed resolution 639-08 by a vote of 8-1.  That resolution called for 8 action points but #1 was stopping “all live firing exercises and other activities at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) that creates dust until there is an assessment and clean up of the depleted uranium already present.” The military has ignored the Council’s call for action.  All 8 points!.  Now you the BLNR have an opportunity to act..  The proposed military helicopter training will create dust and likely spread the radiation already present at PTA.  Ground those helicopters.  Vote against HAMET.  In doing so, please be mindful of the military history of lying about it’s impacts.  The military got a state BLNR lease in Hilo’s watershed  –the Waiakea forest back in the 60s, to do weather testing.  The military lied.  They were not doing weather testing.  They were secretly testing chemical and biological weapons, including deadly Sarin nerve gas –1/50 of a drop kills you.  When the late Patsy Mink disclosed the secret testing, all hell broke loose and the BLNR did the right thing.  The BLNR canceled the Army lease.
3.  Today, the military is firing upwards of 14 million live-rounds annually at PTA, which is a radioactive contaminated base  They are creating a multi-billion dollar mess on State leased lands and you the BLNR are allowing them to do it without even requiring bonding for clean up.  Do the right thing.  Cancel that lease! I raise this to emphasize the cumulative impact of the military mess.  Do not allow 1 further square inch of state lands for military purposes.

I’ve used the following analogy in opposition to the TMT on Mauna Kea, but it equally applies to the military’s HAMET request.  I call it The Big picture –“One more for the road!”  The U.S. and Hawaii’s economy has become addicted to war. The truth is we have become military/industrial drunks, believing that one more military/warfare drink won’t hurt us.  In fact, many believe it is good for us.  One more for the road.  One more for jobs.  One more for training in “full spectrum dominance” in the war for empire disguised as a war against terrorism. One more for perpetual war to make peace.  We are either still a drunk in denial or believe in an illusion.

One more military drink on the road to global military and economic destruction is not the answer.   The first step in the 12 step program of recovery for an alcoholic is to admit to addiction and then seek help from Ke Akua and others to restore what is pono.  The same applies to military/industrial drunks.

I urge you the BLNR to Honor and Protect Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.  It’s time to train for peace not war if we are going to survive as a species.  Instead of approving HAMET, demand military clean up, cancel the military leases at PTA, and recommend the military drunks (Governor Abercrombie included) go to 12 step Rehab!

Aloha!
—

Jim Albertini

Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O.Box AB

Kurtistown, Hawai’i 96760

phone: 808-966-7622

email: JA@interpac.net

Visit us on the web at: www.malu-aina.org