Inside al-Qaeda Meetup Groups
by William H. Huff All sorts of organized as well as random "meetup groups" happen all over the world all the time. People meet to discuss their needs, plans, goals, dreams, hobbies, politics, religion, problems, friends, enemies, prospects, safety, security, jobs, money, diets, health, war, peace, life, death, sex, drugs, rock and roll, and so forth. They may even review American foreign policy in their own humble way. While it may be difficult to imagine what goes on inside of al-Qaeda [especially if it doesn’t exist] it may not be as hard as you think, to make a list of goals that any real meetup group in Afghanistan or Iraq might have in common with a meetup group in the USA or anywhere else. Those two nations have been invaded and occupied. Is it so strange that pockets of resistance are encountered from time to time? Ron Paul keeps bringing up the Golden Rule with regard to foreign policy and unlawful warfare. But who is our Neighbor in such remote places with such alien cultures? McCain’s idea of committing troops to Iraq for up to 100 years may not be what ordinary Iraqis had in mind. Given the present levels of delusion and deception I would eat my Keffiyeh if "al-Qaeda" turns out to be all our handlers pretend it to be. I knew all along that Emmanuel Goldstein was behind 9/11. Some well-traveled friends have told me that the interests of common people [meetup groups] the world over are much the same. Boy meets girl. They decide to marry and raise a family; put food on the table; build lives together; pursue education and careers; rock their grandchildren on their knees, and finally they go to meet their Maker – they All go to meet their Maker – just as we do. Very few of them want to lift their eyes to the hills from whence cometh a thousand fighter jets interspersed with cruise missiles. An "al-Qaeda" does not just happen. It has to be planned or made up by someone somewhere. Common people do not spontaneously have fantasies about going across the oceans to burn up the homes and mangle the children of imagined enemies. Someone has to convince them that there is a real threat from a real Enemy. Once this is accomplished, and especially if it is promoted by government, "free" public education [or madrasahs], clergy, and Media, it becomes a shameful act Not to go and kill, kill, kill someone far away, whose culture is so remote from your own that you may never know the grievousness of the acts you were duped into. Once "those foreigners" are dehumanized in your mind you can become the Exterminator and expect to be decorated for it. Euphemisms rule the public consciousness: "Innocent Civilian Deaths" becomes "Non-Combatant Deaths," which becomes "Collateral Damage." If it were happening in our own backyard we might call them "Precious Loved Ones" or "Defenseless Women, Children and Elderly."
[from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s "South Pacific"] If you have ever realized that beliefs or positions you held in the past were based on contrived information you understand that you have been brainwashed to some degree. But you cannot begin to discover the depth of your delusions until you make your own effort to explore the many ways in which you have been deceived and become aware of the classical tools used to do the job. Is it possible that most of what you "know" – just Ain’t so? Self-deception is probably the most effective. We all seem to do it quite well. To be fair, most of us are "Messin" with Mr. In Between," most of the time. Most of us are not secure enough to form our own opinions based on documented facts. We prefer lullabies to wake-up calls. We want to be part of the group, the herd, the club, or the posse. Once enculturated our behavior is quite predictable unless and until conflicting information makes such a dramatic impact that we are shaken into beginning a soul-searching process that could result in a paradigm replacement or modification. This is a very stressful process that most humans would rather avoid. Not everyone has the mental or intestinal fortitude to be a trail blazer. Not everyone has the integrity. Most of us will find a comfortable place to jump off and avoid the cognitive dissonance.
WARNING: Speaking the truth to power can have its downside. After the Roman Orator Cicero was beheaded by the Roman Centurion Herennius, Mark Anthony’s precious wife Fulvia ripped out his tongue and stabbed it repeatedly with her golden hair pins. Algernon Sidney was executed based on writings found among his possessions which he had never published or spoken of to any living soul. Sidney’s last words: "We live in an age that makes truth pass for treason." The list goes on an on… William Wallace was hanged, drawn and quartered by Edward the Longshanks and his body parts were put on public display. Wallace had testified: "I could not be a traitor to Edward, for I was never his subject." This technicality didn’t seem to trouble Edward. How do we wake up from bad paradigm? Is there a formula? The process can begin when you notice an anomaly – a glitch in "The Matrix" – something just doesn’t add up. For instance, consider the following questions:
You can start your own list today.
Those who have gone through major paradigm shifts have sometimes documented their journeys and occasionally they have done such a good job that their accounts create patterns or roadmaps for the rest of us. For Major General Smedley D. Butler the lights began to come in when he started analyzing the money trail of WWI as well as the disparities and inequities involved in how the US treated its soldiers and its veterans. If you haven’t read his pamphlet: "War Is A Racket" please read it at least once at this time [Free Online Version]. Read it again and again until you can see parallels and draw inferences that help you see through the rhetoric, propaganda and brainwashing being foisted on us 24/7/365 by Media, Academe and the people in DC who have long ago forgotten the mandates of Representative Government. Consider this: Smedley Butler began a Quaker [we don’t get a lot of Quaker Marine Corps Generals]. He became a warrior and leader in the Spanish American War and in WWI, being awarded Two Congressional Medals of Honor and many more decorations. Before WWII he was solicited to lead an army against the US Government and take over the country on behalf of some powerful American business interests who had observed the early activities of fascist governments in Europe, e.g. Mussolini’s Italy, and thought a fascist government would be just the right thing for our country. Instead of cooperating and agreeing to lead an army of 500,000 men against Washington D.C., where it was hoped by the cabal that he would arrest FDR and install himself as a fascist military dictator, he testified against the conspirators before the Congress. None of them were ever brought to justice for their acts of Sedition. Can you imagine the gut wrenching General Butler must have endured as he gradually became completely disillusioned and realized the truth about war for profit? Any career military man can follow Butler’s example – provided he has the courage. He can start by reading the book and comparing it with his own career, insights and experiences. Our Marine Corps vets are fond of saying Semper Fi [Latin for "Always Faithful"]. But what is the object of their faithfulness? Is it to the Constitution they swore to uphold and defend against All enemies foreign AND domestic – or is it to a chain of command, or some concept of "honor" or fraternity? Can they discern between a Lawful and an Unlawful order? How many have ever disobeyed an unlawful order based on their understanding of the Constitution? Perhaps Colin Powell is starting to "get it" now that everyone knows he was used as a shill for the Bush II Administration when he spoke before the UN to sell their cock and bull WMD story. Are generals politicians, soldiers or used car salesmen? Mr. Powell may continue his quest for truth or he may be arrested in the redemption process. It is entirely up to him. We all know he was Had. It is conceivable that he may have been racing Obama for the White House right now had it not been for his gaffe in not checking his UN script. It is one thing for the Administration to get thousands of enlisted personnel killed and maimed for a Lie. But occasionally scorned generals may suddenly turn away from the Dark Side and become more of a liability than an asset. Most of the time they just fade away gracefully:
What would happen if Colin Powell had the perspective and mettle to say to himself and the President, "What Would Smedley Butler Do?" or how about "What Would Michael New Do?" Perhaps we could have saved a Trillion or two? Perhaps we would have fewer grieving mothers, spouses and children? According to Ron Paul we might even be rebuilding our own bridges. What about you? Are you a veteran? Did you serve as well as you knew at the time? If so, Bravo! We have no issue, unless you leave it at that. It may be time to reenlist your mind and your conscience on the side of the rule of law and the Constitution – once you have acquainted yourself with the real battle, and determined to confront your country’s domestic enemies, who have always been a greater threat than her foreign ones. You don’t remember too much emphasis on Constitutional Correctness during your military training do you? No! It was all about following orders. That’s how they trained Eichmann isn’t it? I am looking for the Nerve. Did I hit it yet? Please consider some further reading at Mises.org. February 6, 2008 Bill Huff [send him mail] is a Classical Libertarian and proprietor of LEXREX.com; a former public school music teacher turned home schooling advocate; a US Navy veteran, and host of WarIsARacket.com. He is available as a guest lecturer or for interviews on talk radio. Copyright © 2008 William H. Huff |
