A little gem of truth about the war.

[txaslftist]

Naturally, the common people don't want war ... but after all it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.

[leftupnorth]

1. I've heard

something to that effect before. I'm gonna file that away in my LTTE arsenal if you don't mind....

[Lars39]

2. You forgot the attribute:

Hermann Goering, President of the Reichstag, Nazi Party, and Luftwaffe Commander in Chief

[Tennessee Gal]

3. Hermann Goering quote

sick how it applies to Bush

[leftupnorth]

4. it more than applies

if anything is Nazi like about these thugs, it's the techniques they use to co-opt the people. I think Rove is a direct descendant of Goebbels or Goering.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

5. He's a disciple, if not a descendant.

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. Even Snopes says this is an accurate quote by Herman Goering

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/goering.htm

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. More full quotation here:

We got around to the subject of war again and I said that, contrary to his attitude, I did not think that the common people are very thankful for leaders who bring them war and destruction.

"Why, of course, the people don't want war," Goering shrugged. "Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."

"There is one difference," I pointed out. "In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."

"Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."

http://www.snopes.com/quotes/goering.htm

[FloridaPat]

8. McCain was on This Week a while back and was told almost 70%

of the people were now against the war and most wanted the troops home. He said "That's why we're the leaders".

[DistressedAmerican]

9. You Mean This Fucking Sellout?

[willing dwarf]

10. These lines made me happy today

The Iraq "war, advocated by a narrow circle of decision makers for motives still not fully exposed, propagated publicly by demagogic rhetoric reliant on false assertions, has turned out to be much more costly in blood and money than anticipated."

Zbigniew Brzezinski: George W. Bush's Suicidal Statecraft

In some way, Brezinski's observation hints at the payback for the little guy, us poor slobs may get to witness the
liar in chief's comeuppance. Come on Fitzgerald!

[RedEarth]

11. "patriotism the last refuge of a scoundrel."

"the great English lexicographer and writer of the 18th century, Dr. Samuel Johnson a man of deeply conservative instincts famously called patriotism "the last refuge of a scoundrel." A century later, Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American essayist and poet, cast equal doubt on patriotism's worth by noting that, "When a whole nation is roaring patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and purity of its heart." Strong stuff."