BEMUSED - SEIZE THE MOMENT - NOVEMBER ELECTION CRITICAL

BEMUSED - we begin at mid stream with the RUBAIYAT OF OMAR KHAYYAM

AWAKE! for Morning in the Bowl of Night

Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:

And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught

The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.

Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky

I heard a voice within the Tavern cry,

"Awake, my Little ones, and fill the Cup

Before Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry."

And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before

The Tavern shouted -- "Open then the Door!

You know how little while we have to stay,

And, once departed, may return no more."





Each of us may choose at each moment what part to play in the human comedy “the theater of the absurd” to freely choose to accept indoctrination, authority, beliefs based on faith, slogans, myth, dissembling spin to inspire action - or find the adventurous spirit, and curiosity, to examine dissenting critique, history, life experience to try to know reality - as a basis to consider options and likely “play of the game” (action and reaction – blowback - on the world stage) to give a pragmatic basis for belief and action.

Strong set beliefs and tradition for patriotism, nationalism, a grand and romantic view of history, trust in authority (president, minister, or statesman) – with little impulse to question national policies – in this quite complex world – allows the power elite of the moment – politico, military, business chiefs – to feed simplistic spin and slogans to the public– immanent danger, prosperity and progress ahead – critics must be demonized, and silenced when possible.

As foreign Oligarchs and America's Puppets rise and fall from favor, the “street” ‘round the world appears less inclined to bow down and accept the USA as lord and master, intimidated by current USA policy reliance on “shock and awe”, unilateral and pre-emptive war, the "dissembling spin" that our vision is freedom and democracy for the second and third world, as the USA continues the folly of it’s push towards world empire.

Arrogance of power, limited intelligence – of history, foreign societies and cultures, critique and dissent, as well as machinations of “others” – the Neocon-Cabal currently in charge appears consumed by fixed ideology, a mixed coalition of advantage for particular constituencies, support to compel conformance to several faith based concepts and "feel good" slogans - (America first - can do no wrong, we honor life so take away woman's choice on abortion - but foreign "adventures" that kill millions is ok, individual freedoms, "market democracy", entrepreneur, minimize government action and oversight, a free market assures "equity - progress" for all - have faith in "trickle down") The follies of World-com, Enron, financial firms now under investigation - "cooking the books", military firms, farmers, oil, many others - tax breaks - government "bail out" ??




When the system, the government policies, are out of sync with reality, we should welcome a new regime to try to analyze, critique, debate, consider options, priorities, cost and benefit, for who - and try to "fix it". The Neocon-Cabal is blind to reality, chooses to deny dissent, critique, error - stand firm to continue the folly of pre-emptive war in Iraq with "shock and awe" the principle "strategy in play" to achieve "stability", compliance with a new economic structure and constitution (see Naomi Klein - "Pillaging Iraq in Pursuit of Neocon Utopia", Harpers Mag. Sept. '04, also Christison's "Dual Loyalties - The Bush Neocons and Israel", Sept. 6, 2004, and Herbert Docena "Silent Battles of "Democracy"" Sept. 3, - for the vision behind current USA - Iraq folly), Domestic economy in distress, federal deficit in the trillions, "hold firm - deny reality", let your children pay - "there's pie in the sky" - can you believe it?)

Ideas firm and fixed – no interest in critique – stop here!

Speculation begins here: – hypothesis – analysis – as related to our knowledge and understanding of history – actions, words, beliefs we’ve had and of other players, actors, reporters, scholars, fools and knaves.

As the USA found the opportunity following the world wars of the 20’th century the US policies moved to replace the colonial powers of earlier times with new forms of hegemony inspired and sold as a defense against the danger of international communist expansion – an economic, social and godless threat against the “freedoms and capitalist system” favored by the American elite – a USA continuation on a world scale of the strategy underway in South America denoted as the “Monroe Doctrine”.

With direct and under-cover intervention the USA played a consistent role to keep the indigenous peoples (with or without communist ideological or significant foreign help) from achieving national power, rather promoting and supporting military junta, or oligarchs receptive in the main to economic policies that assured favorable USA corp. investments, trade and repatriation of profits. The “domino theory” was invoked as a guide – if one country fell into the communist camp – then others might likely follow – an evil outcome to be avoided – whatever the cost.

Training foreign military teams in Georgia, the USA with the world bank and IMF, the UN and diplomatic corps assisting, the CIA engaged in covert actions, economic, political and military power all “in play”, the USA put a despot on the throne in Iran to replace a democratically elected regime, helped Suharto in Indonesia assure his reign with the murder of half a million of opponents (deemed communists PKI sympathizers), supported the genocidal government of South Africa as they created Bantustan prisons for the natives, and initiated the folly of war in Vietnam (1964 – 1973) based on a fiction of provocation in the Tonkin Gulf.





An indigenous revolt against the French attempt to re-establish it’s colonial control after WW-II was portrayed as an international communist collaboration supported by China and Russia, blind to realities and criminally outrageous in destruction of people, agriculture and infrastructure in Vietnam, and in neighboring Cambodia.

As Condaleeza Rice claims a new policy underway to facilitate (by force of arms) democratic regimes in the middle east, the USA continues to give military, economic and political support to Israel's Zionist inspired Likud government now accelerating it’s five decade policy of dispossession and genocide against the indigenous Palestinians.

Training, directing and supporting Muslin militants to help encourage Russia to leave Afghanistan the USA then lost interest in that region, and a Theocratic Taliban regime evolved providing cover for Osama Bin Laden to create and train what became the Al-Queda militants dedicated initially to “persuade” the infidel American forces to leave Saudi Arabia, hopefully then to see a Saudi regime change in favor of Bin Laden. Current limited follow through following USA high tech. war to displace the Taliban in Afghanistan finds the country in chaos, with an economy based on production of drugs, former "war lords" in positions of power, as we await the results of the current election, and presumption that a viable democratic national government may soon be in evidence.

The pre-emptive USA war to occupy Iraq, likely has subliminal support (not politically polite or courageous to recognize same) for "control" of the oil resources, essential to American well being, putting aside our spin and beliefs in free trade, globalization, and the likely critical need for countries 'round the world to put their oil into the world market. Next I expect we may choose to restrict "others" from access to the seas of the world, to assure control of the fish in the sea, essential for our tradition of Friday fish dinners, in our secular - "Judeo-Christian market democracy".

All the claims of WMD, biological labs., nuclear program underway, threat to US nation and interest, collaboration with Al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups, and that the Iraqi people would welcome the American occupation as liberators, has proved to be "snake oil" sold to the American public to get their support for pre-emptive war in Iraq.

.


As we observe "the human comedy" it appears that each man and woman may have a different sense and priorities for personal, family, societal, national, ethnic, religious, economic, moral, ethical, concepts and connections for mind and for action.

All of the above critique I believe, suggests a critical incentive to remove the current Bush Neocon-Cabal from their position of power, along with a those in congress committed to pork for special interests, forgetting the needs of "the street" - the American people who now requires their action based on reality rather than myth and spin. Wake up America - Seize the moment - the November elections are critical.

SNB