An Action Plan For Peace – Occupy Peace
“How can you have a war on terrorism when war itself is terrorism?” – Howard Zinn President Dwight Eisenhower gave a chilling warning in his farewell address on January 17, 1961 about a threat to democratic government. This threat, he warned, was the infiltration of the military-industrial complex, which was a “formidable union of defense contractors and the armed forces.” In his 1961 address Eisenhower elaborates, “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.
The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist.”(1) According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the military spending for 2013 in the U.S was approximately $640 billion. China came in a distant second with $188 billion, and Russia spent a mere $87.8 billion.(2) The threat of any military conflict in the U.S from foreign invaders seems remote, yet like the Cold War, America overstated the potential threats in an effort to continue to support the military industrial complex. This ensured certain corporations continue to thrive, prosper, and benefit from the ongoing industrial military industry while millions suffer from the conflict and destabilisation these wars promote. Apart from the carnage and devastation and loss of life brought about by war, military spending has an inflationary effect on the economy. Typically military spending is non-productive to an economy, as most of the equipment, bombs, military aircraft, weaponry, and ships have no use outside military conflicts and don’t add anything to the overall economy.
The residual value of these expensive projects is minimal, which means war spending is the most inflationary spending governments can participate in.
The corporations that manufacture this equipment may benefit in the short-term. However, in the long-term society as a whole loses, as resources have been squandered on non-productive outcomes. (2) George Orwell famously put it in his classic novel 1984: “The war is not meant to be won, it is meant to be continuous. Hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. ...
The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects and its object is not the victory over either Eurasia or East Asia, but to keep the very structure of society intact.” The military industrial complex is effectively an offshoot of Orwell’s vision. Government, media, and corporations work seamlessly to deliver propaganda, keeping the masses confused and scared.
The objective is to keep the public in a state of potential fear, scared of every possible foreign invader, from the communists, socialist, a host of religions groups, and now terrorists. Gerald Celente is an American trend strategist and founder of the Trends Research Institute. He is the author of the national bestseller Trends 2000 and Trend Tracking and publishes the Trends Journal. Celente pulls no punches when it comes to the state of the economy, U.S and global politics, and the state of the nation. A self-proclaimed political atheist, and a ‘fearless teller of the truth,’ Celente is helping organize “Occupy Peace” in New York on the 20th of September. With over thirty years under his belt having been a regular guest on most of the mainstream media, Celente has witnessed the gradual demise of the U.S economy, justice, and liberty on which it is founded. He has had enough of the lies, incompetence, and military agenda the U.S. establishment keeps promoting. He is opposed to the U.S participating in ‘foreign entanglements’ which have devastated much of the Middle East and destabilised various countries. Occupy Peace is unlike any other peace initiative. Formally launching at a rally at noon on September 20, 2015, at the corners of John and Crown Street in historic Kingston, NY, this peace movement is designed to create a platform to hold elected officials accountable for senselessly promoting war. It will drive a nationwide initiative to put peace on the ballot. 1. Close foreign bases, bring troops home 2. Secure the Homeland 3. Military Works-Project: Troops rebuild America 4. Congress must vote to go to War 5. We the People will tell Congress how to vote The institute will work with inspiring and peace-minded historians and other experts to create a program that provides the tools to make peace a driving force in the halls of government and in the living rooms of Americans. Most notably, the movement will promote these tenets: » No foreign entanglements. » Wage war only when imminent threat exists. » Zero tolerance for illegal wars based on lies and retreaded failed reasoning. » Build communities here, not foreign nations elsewhere. » Let the people vote on whether to fund wars. (3) Article by Andrew Martin, author of Rethink...Your world, Your future. and One ~ A Survival Guide for the Future... (1/2) Rethink...Your world, Your future... (3) http://occupypeace.us/ .
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