U.S. in Peril
What’s the single scariest thing happening in the United States right now?
The breakdown of military justice, thus encouraging American soldiers to commit war crimes?
Unrestricted environmental damage?
The probable acquittal of Donald Trump in the Senate, signaling the end of rule of law?
America’s gutless abandonment of its allies abroad?
The rampant bribery and corruption of the U.S. law-making process?
Here’s another strong candidate: the government suppression of journalists, in direct violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. As reported here:
As part of a coordinated effort that undermined the freedom of the press, the U.S. government tracked, detained, and interrogated journalists who were reporting on conditions at the U.S.-Mexico border….No journalist should have to fear government interference for having the persistence, courage, and commitment to expose the truth.
We’re actively moving towards becoming a country where the news media is blocked from investigating its government, enabling it to commit all manner of criminal atrocities…in the dark.
Craig,
Or then again, could it be ” single scariest thing happening in the United States” is the plethora of hysterical, activists blending opinion, ideology and fantasy to be presented as fact?
It’s an old propaganda trick to replace analysis of complex issues with simplistic slogans containing lots of emotion but little reasoning.
Let’s take an objective look at your wild claims, without all the hubris and hysteria, shall we?
1) “Acquittal of Donald Trump in the Senate, signaling the end of rule of law?” Really? Isn’t that exactly the due process of law as laid down by the Constitution?
2) “The breakdown of military justice, thus encouraging American soldiers to commit war crimes?” Wrong again! US soldiers are apprehended, indicted, tried and convict of various crimes committed in war time.
Part of the legal process are appeals and even Clemency or Pardons to the Commander-in-Chief.
This process recognizes the impossible contradictions of modern warfare where soldiers are often expected to behave like police and “terms of engagement” become unrealistic.
War is a brutal, desperate business requiring clear objectives and deadly force. Soldiers are not Police. Their job is to hate, despise and kill the enemy.
That description may sound morally repugnant to civilian “arm chair heroes” and ambitious politicians back in the safety of Santa Barbara, but in some god-forsaken war in a strange and violent land where the enemy are fighting without rules or mercy, that’s the reality confronting the modern service personnel. This sort of warfare has no “rules”.
A 10 year old child will kill you, just as easily as a combat soldier. The enemy don’t wear nice uniforms and fight as you see in the movies. The nice family you pass by every day and wave at will one day be part of a mob which will hack you to death slowly and drag your body through the streets.
The shepherd will place cunning landmines and roadside bombs, or become a suicide bomber. Hesitate or show compassion and watch your comrades die or be crippled because you hesitated.
Modern warfare isn’t clear cut. There are no “civilians” in a civil war. just victims and participants depending on the moment.
Let’s see what else is on your list, oh yes, “America’s gutless abandonment of its allies abroad?”.
In reality, America, like any large nation, only has two sorts of allies. Strategic partners, or “allies of convenience”.
The US has a long history of abandoning both strategic allies and “allies of convenience”. For over two hundred years the US has consistently broken treaties, agreements, promises etc leaving allies to their fate when convenient.
President Trump has done very well in restraining the Turks from decimating the Kurd’s while withdrawing US from the Syrian quagmire.
I didn’t hear you condemning the US for withdrawing troops from Vietnam, or Cambodia, despite leaving US allies to be imprisoned or slaughtered.
Save your false piety, you will need it during the long political battles of 2020.
The mainstream media has earned the contempt of everyone for its relentless pursuit of sensationalism, bias and blurring opinion with reporting.
The problem with the media, starts and ends with the media. The media has lost credibility due to preferring popularity before accuracy, advocacy instead of analysis, and sensationalism instead of the public interest.
Journalists don’t have a free pass to break the law! The Constitutional right to free speech doesn’t excuse journalists to aid, abet law breakers or other breaches of the law.