Posts in "US military"

Matt Cockerill's picture
By Matt Cockerill at 11:00PM

"Blessed be the Warmakers"?

If someone is a devout  Christian, or merely a libertarian believer in natural rights and individual responsibility, he can't deny the logic of  Laurence Vance's arguments on military service. Vance's belief that enlisting is morally wrong is uncomfortable, but the unadulterated  truth rarely is easy to swallow. Still, it is my conviction that  pure truth, bereft of disclaimers and sugar-coating,  is the only way to change minds. This is  especially important when talking to  fellow young people considering military service. If members of  YAL aren't going to speak the truth, no other group of young people will.

If you know of anyone who is thinking about enlisting, I'd recommend showing he or she this  great and highly relevant interview of Vance by Lew Rockwell:

Matt Cockerill's picture
By Matt Cockerill at 7:57AM

Think, American Youth

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(H/T Angela Keaton)

Nick Leavens's picture
By Nick Leavens at 10:55PM

U.S. to depoly Patriot missiles in Middle East

While at every turn President Obama attempts to distance himself from the policy decisions of the previous administration in Washington, the President sure seems to be following the same playbook in regards to foreign policy.  Several days ago during the State of the Union address, President Obama made a very decisive statement about Iran's 'nuclear capability':  "...Iran's leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be no doubt: They, too, will face growing consequences.  That is a promise."

There was certainly no hesitation in this decision, as today, British newspaper the Guardian reports:

Patriot Missile

The US is dispatching Patriot defensive missiles to four countries – Qatar, United Arab Emirates,  Bahrain  and  Kuwait – and keeping two ships in the Gulf capable of shooting down Iranian missiles. Washington is also helping Saudi Arabia develop a force to protect its oil installations.

It seems quite clear that the Nobel Peace Prize winner intends to remove diplomacy with Iran from the table and scrap any new 'hope' and 'change' in strategy with regards to how Tehran is approached.  It's also interesting to note that while they have operated oil installations for many years, Saudi Arabia appears to have realized a deficiency in its ability to protect their own interests.  You may read the entire article here.  

Matt Cockerill's picture
By Matt Cockerill at 8:31PM

Pro-state "Peaceniks": The betrayal of the formerly anti-war left

In addition to the paramount cause of peace, the anti-state, counterculture movement of the 1960s placed a high emphasize on liberty. The movement was successful in removing legal sanctions depriving gays, blacks, women, and other historically oppressed groups of their natural rights. Yet the New Left also promoted moral relativism, bizarre "religious" practices, and dehumanizing cultural hedonism.

Today, the establishment left promotes the sexual revolution, plant-worship, and socialism  full-throttle while treating peace and liberty as nothing more than slogans. Many liberals seem to think wearing tie-dye, watching "Ellen," and spewing wishy washy clichés  is the only prerequisite to ride aboard "the peace train." These folks believe we must support Obama because he is a political correctite who wants health "reform," "equal pay for equal work," and other "progressive" initiatives. The brown infants he kills and maims are really not that relevant since Obama is a well-intentioned guy. Indeed, putting an end to this murder and mayhem is a distant priority for most of them.

Call me a conspiracist, but I don't think this dumbing down is coincidental. At the very least, it "conveniently" serves the interest of the ruling elite. For they can now manipulate the left to support all sort of pro-state, pro-war, endeavors under the veil of the progressive social causes. Code Pink, for example, has been convinced to rethink withdrawing from Afghanistan on the basis of "women's rights."


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Nick Leavens's picture
By Nick Leavens at 5:33AM

Does Rising Violence in Pakistan mean more U.S. Involvement?

I posted only half a day ago that the United States appeared to be getting ready to ramp up its potential presence in Pakistan, as Hillary Clinton expressed concern over Pakistani sovereignty.  Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has affirmed the assertion today while making a visit to the neighboring country of Afghanistan.  Will 30,000 additional US troops ordered just days ago to the area be spread out and into Pakistan in the near future?

A bomb exploded near an intelligence office in central Pakistan on Tuesday, authorities said, damaging the building and killing at least 12 people amid a surge of extremist violence that has prompted the U.S. to offer additional aid in the country's battle against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

The attack came as U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Washington was ready to work more closely with Pakistan as soon as Islamabad expressed willingness.

"The more they get attacked internally .. the more open they may be" to help from the United States," Gates said during a trip to Afghanistan. "But we are prepared to expand that relationship at any pace they are prepared to accept."

Read more here.

Bonnie Kristian's picture
By Bonnie Kristian at 5:43PM

Laurence Vance on Military Doublespeak

Laurence Vance is always excellent on the subject of war, particularly when he writes about its relationship to Christianity.  I saw him speak in June, and he did not disappoint. I was particularily impressed by his boldness in discussing the biblical conception of war and countering arguments for a more hawkish perspective presented by the audience -- even those wishing to have their military records validated.

Now, he's composed a pretty long list of doublespeak our government and society use in relation to the military.  Here's a small sample:

  • Troop surge: escalation of a war we are losing.
  • Flying sorties: bombing civilians and their property.
  • Stationed overseas: helping to maintain the U.S. global empire of troops and bases.
  • Enhanced interrogation techniques: torture by the United States.
  • Extraordinary rendition: U.S. sanctioned torture by other countries.
  • Fighting terrorism: making terrorists.
  • Fighting our enemies: making more enemies.
  • Defending our freedoms: destroying our freedoms.

Read the rest of the list (there's a lot more) here.

Matt Cockerill's picture
By Matt Cockerill at 6:56AM

Onward Christian Killers?

While I'm hardly a believing Christian anymore, I nevertheless retain an appreciation for Biblical writings and Christ's general message. Thus, I have been highly appreciative of LRC columnist Laurence Vance's consistent adherence to the teachings of Holy Scripture and his resultant condemnation of the U.S. state's war machine, as well as individual participation therein.

Laurence Vance heroically decries pro-military attitudes as blatantly unchristian and contrary to Christ's message. His latest piece accurately compares blasphemous Christian worship of the military to the biblical account of the Jews worshipping Aaron's Golden Calf.... I recommend you check it out and forward it to all your pro-war Christian friends.

Matt Cockerill's picture
By Matt Cockerill at 1:14PM

Prayer Request

An almost-20 kid decides he's not happy being screamed at and ordered to help kill people for vastly overrated benefits, so he decides to quit his job. But when your "employer" is the Imperial Army of the state, quitting is not an option, and thus, our young friend is currently on the run from "law enforcement" personnel.

The poor guy probably thinks the whole world is set against him now, so I hope the good readers of this site can offer a prayer for his escape, or at least, eventual happiness.

Thanks to LRC for the link.

Seth Man's picture
By Seth Man at 7:35AM

8 years in Afghanistan

Nearly 800 American servicemen and women have died in Afghanistan since the invasion to oust the Taliban and exterminate al-Qaeda was launched 8 years ago todayOur grateful country will remember them. Their sacrifice is unimaginable.

The AP chart below shows the spike in US troop deaths in Afghanistan in 2009.

US Troop Deaths in Afghanistan


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