Another record defense budget.  How disappointing.

We need to redirect our resources.

For those of you not wondering how this propaganda venture might be connected somehow to our nation’s warrantless wire tapping scheme, now is a good time to consider the obvious.  Marketing, it’s such a simple blameless word, but in large part it’s the key component to an almost ubiquitous methodology across all channels of human communication here in the US.  Consider the Bush Administration’s continued and repeated attempts at connecting Iraq with Al Queda.  Lies, repeated frequently, become truths.
As sinister as this may seem, today’s world of instant data mining, voice to text keyword analysis and syntax-based automated flagging of certain conversations (via tap, phone, email, or postings like these) all have one thing in common: the NSA’s word hopper.  Analysis that deep and wide takes incredible amounts of time and resources to filter and assess, but most importantly – and here’s the thing that the media rarely reports on – the actionable intelligence gathered from this mining effort is eventually released as spin through our airwaves, cable lines and internet news sources as legitimate, sourced news. 
http://www.democracynow.org/2006/4/7/amy_goodman_questions_fmr_chief_military
Consider the amount of cash, human effort and material required to keep the US war machine lubricated.  Look in terms of the number of land mines, cluster bombs, chemical munitions, depleted uranium warheads, dense inert metal explosive devices among a myriad of other more esoteric systems launched covertly into orbit, or built into the bulkheads of nameless submarines, and you will readily see the need to keep a secret.  The US’s national forward face is one that extends an open hand to those that would appose us, so long as they unclench their fist, and accept our helping hand…but what’s not mentioned in those stump speeches is our very dependence on war across the world to fuel the US’s gross national product. 
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=3715
McCain let the cat out of the bag last year.  He posited a halt to all government spending in order to stop the hemorrhaging…though he did so with one caveat - the elephant in the living room would still get to gorge itself – this halt would not apply to any military spending.  Not even our faithful Truthdig editors – seemed willing to discuss the irony here. 
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4821236.ece
Now, it’s the AP of all US media lapdogs, that’s spilling the beans on the budget for advertising and lying. Perhaps we’re finally seeing the galvanization of media forces, where any disclosure, no matter how profound, or implausible, simply is a just another story in a tumbling economy laden with billions lost here and there, hundreds dumped in to failing banks, 9 billion or so – in cash – unaccounted for in Bremmer’s office at the beginning of the Iraqi occupation, what’s another story about an inconceivable amount of money for something as harmless as a marketing campaign? 
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/10/iraq_billions200710
The harm is that this cash is actively seeking to deceive the public, and doing so in conjunction in conjunction other national security groups, to ensure that the lies spun around us really feel and seem like a good idea.  Never mind another car bomb in Tikrit, and the 1.2 million dead.  Look at the good coming out of the occupation: a democratically elected president, just like Saddam Hussein.  See, we really can make a difference if we put our hearts and minds together and work for change.  Even if that change we believe in is a legitimate war crime.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/101408d.html

It’s illegal for the US government to foist propaganda on the American people. If they don’t stop it, the perpetrators must be prosecuted.  But in their misguided and out of control zeal, the Pentagon scoffs at the law and insults the people they are supposed to serve. 

If our military stuck to its job of protecting America (as opposed to protecting “US interests”, an entirely different thing, always left implicit because it would be indefensible in an open discussion),  most all of us would be deeply appreciative.  Instead, our military has become a voracious parasite sucking the moral and economic lifeblood from our country.  They’re not keeping us safe; they’re making the whole world more dangerous.

Nor am I very hopeful.  There is nothing more disturbing to me about our new president than his intention to continue US imperial aggression around the world.  Obama already has the blood of innocent Pakistanis and Afghans on his hands.  He speaks correctly and often eloquently about right and wrong on many issues, but when it comes to US or Israeli military aggression, suddenly justice and morality disappear, replaced by their counterfeit, propaganda. 

And I’m sick and tired of the attitude that we should have only uncritical unthinking respect and gratitude, even subservience towards our military, and keep our mouths shut, as if that’s somehow patriotic.  It’s not, it’s against democracy.  War criminals and propagandists never deserve approval, let alone approbation, and it’s our duty as citizens of a democracy to speak out against them. 

I’m with those crazy founding fathers of ours. It’s time to cut out the biggest most wasteful government program of all.  There is no defending a military budget as big as the rest of the world’s combined.  To continue it at current levels, even as our economy collapses, would be madness.

What a waste of money. time & Lives ! America needs to stop advertising peace (through strength) and all it’s military image building efforts. Propaganda advertises one thing while behind the scenes the policy continues training killers (like it did in Guatemala, el Salvador, Nicaraugua & much more recently Georgia), propping up dictators (like Sadaam Hussein or the Shah of Iran) or supplying freedom fighters/terrorists (Bin Laden), while producing and selling more weapons of war than anyone one else. The promotional costs are a drop in the bucket when we consider the costs of the distruction, the suffering and the wholesale slaughter America has created with it weapons industry. Of course, it’s unpatriotic to consider giving up on our guns for roses. The new administrations certainly has it’s challenges on all fronts. Of course it has been said that those who control the currency don’t need to control the government. Present situation in point…

Some Propagnadaist, a former CIA deputy, on the New hour last night tried to claim their tactics had made Gains in the Afghani/Pakistani border. I nearly fell off the couch! Waht ‘Gains’ could he possibly think we would consider when a main passage was just blown Up and 10 supply trucks torched?
Just because the Bushies have refused to watch any real News, does not mean Americans have decided to be as ignorant.
To add insult to injury the Airing of Cheney’s Terrorist tape without review by counterterrorist experts is appauling. What would spare Dicks ass from prosecution for High crimes, What would serve his ‘Grand Scheme’ more than another attck on US soil? Anyone considered reviewing this ‘interview’ fro subliminals? Lest we forget it was during his time that aid and comfort was proved to those ‘Afghani Freedom fighters’ during the’80’s. Allowing Bin laden to rise in the Ranks of Fame & Glory. Not to mention the fact the Bush admins tactics have been Great Recruitment posters for their ‘Jihad’.
I still wonder about the entire Saddam Trial- why did we not get the satisfaction of hearing everything he said in his defense? Could it be he rightfully indicted the Reagan Admin for supplying the Biologicals he used on Iranians and the Kurds? Reason McCain KNEW the Anthrax came from Iraq, because it was the strain our Gov’t had supplied. Saddam was going to spill the beans, so he had to be quickly eliminated.
Cheney is not only a War criminal from acts committed during the last 8 years, he’s been a Global terrorist for Decades! Who ever it was who set up the noose for Saddam should be rehired to act as executioner when we finally convict DICK fro his War Crimes, Crimes against Humanity and Treason.I fact have a defibulator ready so we can jump start Dick’s pace maker and hang him again, and again and AGAIN!

We have the Congress, the Executive, the Judiciary, the Pentagon, and the Federal Reserve as our five branches of government. Guess which of the five holds the other four hostage?

Which of the five is the least transparent and will not be audited when it cannot account for 2.3 trillion of its budget? (Do not include the Federal Reserve when answering this question.)

Which was generally regarded by our Founders with the greatest fear & loathing?

If you answer “the central bank” for the latter question, you are close, but no cigar. A few of the founders liked central banks, but fear and loathing of standing armies was universal.

We have two features in common with banana republics: we are vulnerable at any time to a military coup, and we’re essentially broke.