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War begets war . . . And nothing else
By Robert C. Koehler
1074 words
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran . . .
Thanks, John McCain! Let’s mix a little humor in with war. It’s so much easier to take when we do. By the way, have you noticed that we’re always on the verge of war?
“The bombing will be massive, but will be limited to a specific target.” So said a U.N. diplomat recently, according to the Jerusalem Post. Guess which country he was referring to.
An act of war is how we “send messages.” So the Trump hawks (this term may or may not include Donald himself) are thinking — if the paper’s sources have any credibility — of bombing an Iranian nuclear facility as an act of punishment because Iran “has announced that it intends to deviate from the nuclear agreement signed in 2015 and to enrich uranium at a higher level than the maximum it has committed to within the framework of the nuclear deal.”
This is all hush-hush, of course. War has to be planned in secret. The public’s role is definitely not to be part of the debate in the lead-up process or to question the facts that justify taking action. Its role is to cheer loudly when the hostilities begin, fervently hating the specified enemy and embracing the new war as a necessary, last-resort action to protect all that we hold dear.
Its role is definitely not to question war itself or to bring up the inevitability of unintended consequences, whether that be the death of babies or the poisoning of the environment. Its role is not to suggest that creating peace is essentially the opposite of waging war, or to cry out:
“War-making must be renounced. It is past time for the paradigm shift. We have one planet and we must see ourselves as one and we must take a stand.”
These are the words of Dud Hendrick of Veterans for Peace, and I pause here and let the words settle — in all their complexity — into the collective consciousness.
Perhaps what is most stunning about them is their complete absence from the corridors and smoke-filled rooms of American government. Instead, in virtually every story I read about one aspect or another of national security, what I hear is the echo of John McCain’s humorous chant. National security is always seen, in the corridors of power, as a matter of striking back against some enemy or other, an attitude that strikes me as both stupid and cowardly.
I’m not saying security — either national or personal — is in any way a simple concept, or that acknowledging “we are one planet” leads to some obvious course of action. Indeed, the opposite is the case. Striking back is the simple course of action, and jumping on its bandwagon requires ignoring the absolute certainty of unintended consequences that will result from a bombing campaign or an invasion or a cyberwar or the imposition of sanctions.
The absence of “we are one planet” voices at the highest levels of government guarantees that the government will pretty much always make simple, impulsive — wrong — decisions about national security. The absence of such voices in the mainstream media, at least in its geopolitical reportage, guarantees that there will be no long-term accountability for such decisions or any memory of the resulting consequences. Welcome to the 21st century: the century of endless war.
Thus:
“Over the past few months,” Politico reports, “senior Trump aides have made the case in public and private that the administration already has the legal authority to take military action against Iran, citing a law nearly two decades old that was originally intended to authorize the war in Afghanistan.”
The law in question is AUMF: the Authorization for Use of Military Force, passed in 2001, in the wake of 9/11, which gave the Bush administration permission to go on a hunting spree for terrorists without the need for ongoing congressional approval. Critics at the time argued that this gave dangerous leeway to the executive branch to wage war whenever it felt like doing so, without any sort of accountability to the requirements of democracy — such as making a case that the war in question is necessary.
And so the Politico story quotes Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who, upon leaving a closed-door briefing in May held by acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, noted: “What I heard in there makes it clear that this administration feels that they do not have to come back and talk to Congress in regards to any action they do in Iran.”
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran . . .
Or whatever.
As Medea Benjamin, and Nicolas J. S. Davies point out: “Whether in Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea or one of the 20 countries under the boot of U.S. sanctions, the Trump administration is using its economic weight to try to exact regime change or major policy changes in countries around the globe.”
And the New York Times informs us that the United States and Russia are currently fighting a “daily digital Cold War” — each country playing nasty little games with the other’s power grid. The Pentagon even has an arm called the United States Cyber Command, which “runs the military’s offensive and defensive operations in the online world” — and it’s getting more aggressive.
“But now the American strategy has shifted more toward offense, officials say, with the placement of potentially crippling malware inside the Russian system at a depth and with an aggressiveness that had never been tried before. It is intended partly as a warning, and partly to be poised to conduct cyberstrikes if a major conflict broke out between Washington and Moscow.
“The commander of United States Cyber Command, Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, has been outspoken about the need to ‘defend forward’ deep in an adversary’s networks to demonstrate that the United States will respond to the barrage of online attacks aimed at it.”
Somehow the existence of this crazy game doesn’t make me feel safer. And the president, the story points out, doesn’t even know about it: “Pentagon and intelligence officials described broad hesitation to go into detail with Mr. Trump about operations against Russia for concern over his reaction — and the possibility that he might countermand it or discuss it with foreign officials, as he did in 2017 when he mentioned a sensitive operation in Syria to the Russian foreign minister.”
The U.S. government, I fear, contains a terrible void where it ought to have sanity.
–end–
Robert Koehler, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is a Chicago award-winning journalist and editor.
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The reviews are in! See what they are saying about Pinnacle Acting Company's production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane.
"This play is a great work of art... Well worth a see." -Utah Theatre Bloggers
The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh, directed by Jared Larkin. Running June 13-15, 21-22, 28-29, 2019 at 7:30PM with a 2PM matinee on June 29.
Set in a dingy cottage in a remote part of Galway, The Beauty Queen of Leenane tells the darkly comic tale of Maureen Folan, a lonely woman in her early forties, and her aging and dependent mother, Mag. Constantly at her mother’s beck and call, Maureen takes revenge by feeding her lumpy Complan and hurling the occasional insult. Escape comes in the form of Pato Dooley, who is about to go to Boston. When Mag interferes once too often, Maureen decides the time has come to break free.
This multiple Tony Award Winning play is written by the same acclaimed author as In Bruges and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Martin McDonagh. One of his several Irish dark comedies, The Beauty Queen of Leenane is a brutally surprising and darkly comedic story that captures the monotonous life of mother and daughter in rural Galway.
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Greetings from Angel Fire Resort, New Mexico -
Those late season May storms gave us a later than normal start to summer tourism. However, we’re seeing that as a positive with lower fire danger this summer over last.
To encourage more people that the snow has melted we have some drone video shot this week and are offering some deep discounts (free stays and activities) for families to come check out the New Mexico mountains.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cu9x4l6di1tluzf/AAAck44KqD5AJzT9wZUUdd8Wa?dl=0
Let me know if I can help answer any questions or line up additional interviews.
We’d love if you could help share with your readers.
Thanks,
Krysty Ronchetti
WITH A LATER START TO SUMMER ANGEL FIRE RESORT IS ADDING EXTRA INCENTIVES FOR FAMILIES TO VISIT THE MOUNTAINS
Record-Setting, Late Season Snowstorms Effecting Summer Travel to Mountain Resorts
ANGEL FIRE, NM – (June 20,2019) – While the New Mexico mountains saw the best snow in a decade over the ski season, some later-than-usual snowstorms have some mountain resorts seeing a slower start to their summer season. With the biggest snowstorm of the season dropping 24 inches in May it pushed back Angel Fire Resort’s summer opening. Several mountain communities have seen a slower start to summer tourism, but with less chance of forest fires. Angel Fire Resort considers this a positive trade-off.
“Yes, we’re seeing a slower start to summer this year, but we will take that over last summer. Keep in mind, by this time last year we already had the devasting Ute Park Fire. What a difference a year makes. With all of this moisture, these mountains and all of the Moreno Valley are so green. Now we want to offer more opportunities for families to come see how beautiful it is up here this summer,” Ralph added. “The snow has melted, and we’re definitely moving on all cylinders up here in Angel Fire.”
Angel Fire Resort was one of many resorts in the west that had to push back their summer opening dates. With May snowpack in the southern Rockies, Angel Fire Bike Park and the Angel Fire Golf Course pushed their opening back to Memorial Day Weekend, their latest opening in a decade.
As an extra incentive to encourage families to head to the mountains this summer Angel Fire Resort is offering deep discounts on lodging and activities, which include free nights at the Lodge, free chairlift rides for families, and free lake activities for those 14 and younger. More information on those deeply discounted offers here: https://www.angelfireresort.com/packages/stay-free-play-free/
The Resort’s Bike Park, ranked #1 in the Southwest, is open every morning at 9 a.m. One of the biggest events of the year, the Return of the Burner, a 12-hour endurance race takes place on June 22. Additionally, the resort’s Zipline Adventure Tour, Golf Course, and on-lake activities are open daily. They’ve also kicked off weekly, free live outdoor concerts, the Sunday morning Art & Farmers Market, and Movies Under the Stars.
CURRENT BROLL VIDEO OF ANGEL FIRE AND SOT WITH GREG RALPH/DIRECTOR OF MARKETING/ANGEL FIRE RESORT:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cu9x4l6di1tluzf/AAAck44KqD5AJzT9wZUUdd8Wa?dl=0
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CURRENT BROLL VIDEO OF ANGEL FIRE AND SOT WITH GREG RALPH/DIRECTOR OF MARKETING/ANGEL FIRE RESORT:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cu9x4l6di1tluzf/AAAck44KqD5AJzT9wZUUdd8Wa?dl=0
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THURSDAY, JUNE 20 at 4:30 p.m. – at Gunnerson Dental, 33 West 300 South, Payson, UT
Dr. K. Cheyn Gunnerson has chosen his dental patient Nate Gardner of Orem, UT, as recipient of a complimentary NuCalm high-tech stress-relief system. Dr. Gunnerson, who has built a reputation for introducing pioneering, leading-edge technologies and techniques, uses the revolutionary drug-free system to relax anxious patients. He wants Nate Gardner to use his system daily to help relieve his anxiety. The award-winning system has been featured on NBC’s Today show. The MSRP for the NuCalm Performance system is $4,695
Stress-Relief Guru Finds A Cure for His Own Stress
OREM, UTAH (Issued June 2019) -- Nate Gardner could be described as a perfectionist.
He wants his business to run smoothly. He wants his clients to benefit from his services. And he wants his staff to enjoy their work. But the stress caused by the pressure to perform well and meet everyone’s expectations (including his own) was dragging him down.
Nate, a 29-year-old native of Orem, Utah, launched his niche business, The Gym Spa (www.TheGymSpa.com ), 1½ years ago, designed for people seeking athletic massage and muscle recovery. Nate has been a certified and licensed massage therapist since 2013. The Gym Spa specializes in Ashiatsu massage and he’s the only resident Ashiatsu instructor in Utah. Among The Gym Spa offerings are pre/post workout and rest day massage.
During a networking event, Nate described his high anxiety to Dawn, Marketing Director, for dentist, Dr. K. Cheyn Gunnerson in Payson. Dawn suggested that Nate try to manage his stress with the same high-tech system the dentist uses to aid anxious patients. “Ironically, I realized I was so devoted to helping others relieve their stress, I ignored my own,” Nate says.
Shortly after, Nate went to Dr. Gunnerson’s office for a one-hour trial session with NuCalm, a drug-free, high-tech stress-reduction system developed a decade ago to treat anxious dental patients and people suffering effects of PTSD and addiction. Today, several thousand dentists have successfully used NuCalm with over 1.2 million patients. It’s gaining popularity among professional athletes, busy executives, cancer patients, and others. Within minutes, NuCalm takes the user to a state hovering between awareness and sleep.
After that session, Nate said he could not recall the last time he felt so relaxed. He says, “I studied psychology, behavior and neuropsychology. I do meditation and follow holistic medicine, but that experience was unlike any other. It put my body back into balance. I think it even made signs of an oncoming sore throat disappear.”
The patented NuCalm system, made by Solace Lifesciences, is FDA-approved and drug and side-effect free. Jim Poole, President and CEO, explains, “This stress-relief technology allows you to enter a deeply relaxed state so you feel, think, and sleep better. After 30 minutes of wearing the headphones with a specially-designed neuroacoustic software, along with topical cream, microcurrent stimulation, and eye mask, your body might feel as it would had it just gotten two to four hours of restorative sleep.”
Because stress is so common, it’s often ignored. About 80% of Americans say they encounter stress in their daily lives. Experts say stress can affect your body, thoughts, feelings, and behavior, and being able to recognize stress symptoms can help you manage them. Left unchecked, stress can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Nate says, “I appreciate the technology behind NuCalm, aiming for a healthy mind and body in a quick and efficient way. Clients noted a difference in my stress level and my massage therapists recognized something had changed. I’ve had a second session and look forward to future NuCalm sessions. The sessions make me more effective and help me bring to the work environment an amazing new culture. We’re doing a better job of relieving our clients’ stress by my having less stress. I’m in a good place!”
NuCalm was featured on www.wellandgood.com, it won several awards and five-star reviews at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. In April, NuCalm was featured on NBC’s Today show as a standout stress-reliever at New York City’s prestigious ReCover Studio.
For more info, visit www.nucalm.com or contact David Poole, Chief Business Officer of Solace Lifesciences: 617-259-0877 / david.poole@nucalm.com / 1-877-6NuCalm. To find a NuCalm provider near you: https://www.nucalm.com/find-a-pro
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NEPA Process Begins on Uinta Basin Railway
Railway to bring economic stability while maintaining environmental regulations
Uinta Basin, Utah (June 19, 2019) - The U.S. Surface Transportation Board kicked-off the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process today for the Uinta Basin Railway project, sponsored by the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition (Coalition). This is one step in the process towards to building a railway connecting various Uinta Basin industries to regional and national markets, which will lead to a boost in jobs and economic stability for Uinta Basin communities.
Through the NEPA process, the Surface Transportation Board and other federal agencies will evaluate potential environmental impacts and identify reasonable mitigation measures. The Coalition is working closely with the federal agency to identify the route that has the lowest cost to construct and operate, the least potential environmental impacts, and the smallest potential impact on residences, communities and irrigated farmlands.
A 45-day public comment period of the Draft Scope of Study begins today and will include six public meetings July 15-19 in Ft Duchesne, UT; Craig, CO; Price, UT; and Price, Roosevelt, and Salt Lake City, UT.
“We are committed to the public process of the Uinta Basin Railway study and look forward to working together with the Surface Transportation Board, federal and state agencies, the Ute Indian Tribe and the public to find the best solution to build this necessary railroad. We know the strong desire for economic stability and sustained quality of life in the basin and believe this railway will provide the best solution to transport goods in and out of the Uinta Basin,” said Mike McKee, executive director of the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition.
The need for additional transportation infrastructure in the Uinta Basin has been well-known for many years. Both private and public agencies have completed multiple studies showing that rail is the most economic and environmentally protective mode to transport goods in and out of the Basin.
“The Ute Indian Tribe has been engaged with the Seven Counties Infrastructure Coalition regarding the proposed Uinta Basin Railway for many months. The Ute Indian Tribe, like all of those who live in the Uinta Basin, understands the significance that a railroad would have for our community. Our isolated basin has long dealt with transportation constraints which prevent much needed economic diversification from moving forward,” stated the Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee.
Currently, those goods are shipped via long-haul trucks on two-lane highways. This can be costly and dependent on road and weather conditions. The railway will improve highway safety, decrease highway congestion and lower the public costs of highway maintenance and capacity expansion.
The Draft Scope of Study and public comments can be made on the STB website at uintabasinrailwayeis.com. Public meeting dates and locations, which will be managed by the STB, are also posted on the Coalition website at uintabasinrailway.com.
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About the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition: The Coalition was formed in 2014 in an effort to promote cooperative regional planning, increase economic opportunities, and implement sustainable infrastructure projects. Member counties include Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, San Juan, Sevier, and Uintah. Visit SCIC-utah.org.
