MEME: Iraq war (and war in general) is the ultimate cronyism

[yurbud]

Now that about 98% of the public is disgusted by the cronyism of appointing Brownie at FEMA & Harriet Myers to Supreme Court, it's worth reminding them that oil company execs, defense contractors, and building contractors in the administration planned the Iraq War, and started that planning well before 9/11.

As a result, we invaded the country with the second largest oil reserves, using a lot of military hardware, and awarding no bid contracts to those building contractors, who then make the money vanish without much work to show for it.

This seems remarkably similar to what Marine Corps General and Medal of Honor winner Smedley Butler said in his "War Is a Racket" speech:

I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we'll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.


I helped make Honduras "right" for American fruit companies in 1903. I helped make Mexico, especially Tampico, safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. The record of racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.

http://www.fas.org/man/smedley.htm

[bullimiami]

1. Who needs a meme. Its reality.

Stark brutal reality uncontrolled under bushco.

[indepat]

2. Would following the money provide the real motivation for pre-emptive war?

[yurbud]

3. there's a couple of angles to come at that would lead to the same place

This should be what the Democrats shold be shouting about instead of staying on the "War on Terror" script.

[indepat]

4. Amen!