Nancy C. Thomson
Events seem to indicate another war is on the way. Time was when few would question our military involvement anywhere, anytime, but no more. Researchers using the Freedom of Information Act have enlightened us as to why we are always involved in a "Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace."
"A naval incident" caused our entry into World War I, 1914-1918. The passenger ship Lusitania (though actually it was an armed cruiser of the Royal Navy) departed from New York and headed for England with military weapons in its hold to be used against Germany. Both the American and English governments knew of the military cargo. Consequently the Germans, who had tried to warn the passengers, sank the Lusitinia with 42 Americans on board. It is against international law for a "passenger" ship to transport weapons. (1) Nevertheless, this incident propelled America's entrance into the First World War due to the U.S. loss of lives. "This was the war to end all wars."
President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill's plans to involve the U.S. in World War 11, 1930-1945, are chronicled in a number of books and articles. America's entry to the war trough the European route wasn't politically possible. Therefore events were set up to start the U.S. involvement via the Japanese war first.(2) "We were making the world safe for Democracy."
President Truman and General MacArthur were principals in the Korean War. This was the first of the U.S./UN wars, 1950-1953. Korea was divided into the north, controlled by communist Russia, and the south under the supervision of the U.S. (UN) The border -line was called the 38th parallel. Political pressures were responsible for allowing Russia to become part of the Korean solution. On June 25, 1950 North Korean communists drove across the border in a massive surprise invasion of South Korea. U.S. troops (representing the UN) were brought in from other areas to stop the aggression. (3) This became known as "the war of the 38th parallel."
President Lyndon Johnson called for an undeclared war (1965-1973) due to a 'supposed Vietnamese attack' on an American ship in the Gulf of Tongkin. As has been substantiated by witnesses and papers released after the war, this "attack" never took place. This UN poorly directed war by the "Whiz Kids " in Washington, ended in a victory for the communists. Actually our military was winning. However the home front faltered psychologically. The strain of a long war together with the media's insistence that the communists had won brought the military action to a halt.(4) Talks with the communists for cession of hostilities followed. "Search and destroy, and "body counts" might well be the title for this war. Besides the failure of our tactical command the UN Security Council (with China and Russia) were given advance knowledge of all battle plans. Henry Kissinger signed a treaty in Paris with the communist "Viet Cong" leaving 5,486 U.S. prisoners missing and presumably in communist hands. We have now established diplomatic relations with Vietnam allowing them IMF loans and aid from the U.S. This despite the fact the same communist repressive regime is still in power.
The Gulf War, 1990-1991, was another UN coalition with the funds and most of the weapons donated by the United States. Our ambassador to Iraq, in her only visit to Iraq's leader Saddam Hussein, assured him the U.S. wouldn't object to his invasion of Kuwait. So Hussein invaded this tiny country. America's UN coalition sprang to action using the latest in military weapons and made short shrift of Iraq's unorganized forces. (5) This Iraqi episode was known as our "one hundred hour" war.
The war in Kosovo Yugoslavia started on March 23, 1999 with an announcement by Marxist NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana. Unilateral presidential action got us into the UN Korean/Vietnam hostilities. Again, congress played no role in committing the American people to a war. (6) NATO was formed to act as a defense against Russian expansion. With the invasion of Yugoslavia, NATO became an offensive organization. The United States IS NATO, and without our participation there wouldn't be this military arm of the United Nations. Acting contrary to international law NATO planes bombed civilian targets. Later, American taxpayers were paying for rebuilding the same areas that they bombed.
Peacekeepers in Kosovo include the U.S., Britain, France, Germany and RUSSIA! In fact Russia is becoming a partner in NATO. This could be called "the war that goes nowhere" there is no ending. The true purpose of this operation was to get independent areas under international governance.
On June 8, 1967, the U.S. intelligence gathering ship, the USS Liberty was in international waters off the Sinai Peninsula. For more than 6 hours low-flying Israeli aircraft kept buzzing the Liberty with intense photo-reconnaissance. Intercept operators heard the surveillance pilots telling Israeli headquarters that an American flag was flying and sailors were sunning on the deck. Not long after the reconnaissance planes departed, a carefully orchestrated attack on the Liberty began. High performance Israeli jets began the attack and were then followed by planes carrying napalm. Sailors on the deck were strafed and those trying to escape in life rafts were killed. Israeli torpedo boats closed in for the kill and grabbed one of the Liberty life rafts as a souvenir. Although Israelis jammed their communications, the Liberty crew managed to get out a distress call to the American 6th fleet that had promised help in case of trouble. During this 2 -hour battle there were 3 occasions when the 6th fleet planes took off to aid the limping Liberty. Each time, despite the pleading from the rescue ship commander, his fighter- bombers were sent back. Calls for assistance went through channels to President Johnson. It was the President who had ordered the American rescue fighters back because "we don't want to embarrass an ally."
A determined Liberty Commander, though badly wounded, managed to steer his ship to the 6th fleet. Thirty -four sailors were dead and another 171 seriously wounded. Immediately a gag order was placed on the U.S. sailors and those who were able were transferred all over the world. Despite efforts by some in congress there was no investigation. Media propaganda mills in the U.S. took the Israeli view that the whole Liberty episode was an "accident." Those who claimed otherwise were called "anti-Semites." What caused the Israelis to attack the Liberty? The Six Day War was in its fourth day. Israel was preparing to take the Golan Heights from Syria despite President Johnson's objections. The only source able to intercept the advance information about the seizure was the USS Liberty.(7) It had to be destroyed and all sailors killed. Israeli military left the scene with the damaged ship still afloat because they feared American military might be on the horizon. Though witnesses were still alive the advanced message to Washington concerning Syria was interrupted. Yet we are told Israel is our only friend in the Middle East, and our interests are inter-linked.
We entered World War 1 because 42 Americans were killed on a ship carrying munitions. The Vietnam War started over a falsified report that a rocket was sent across the bow of an American ship, but the USS Liberty has been eradicated from history. Hawks in our government are agitating for a second war with Iraq although China and Russia are the real enemies. Iraq is Israel's problem. All conflicts have been planned and all result in more wars whose goal is international government. Without our interference everywhere the plan would be unattainable. In view of history, isn't it time we sit out the next war they have planned for us?
References:
Simpson, Colin, The Lusitania, 1972
Stennet, Robert B, Day of Deceit, the Truth About FDR and Pearl Harbor, 2000.
Miller, David, A Century of War, 1997.
Op cit.
Op.cit.
Chenoweth, Helen, Our Illegal War, The New American, 4/26/99