Preserving the Positive Legacy of an Empire in Decline
REPOST: Preserving the Positive Legacy of an Empire in Decline, by Alfred W. McCoy / TomDispatch, May 24, 2018
At this critical turning point in world history, the choice is still, to a surprising degree, ours to make. But not for long.
New Torture Files
Repost: “New Torture Files- Declassified Memos Detail Roles of Bush White House and DOJ Officials Who Conspired to Approve Torture” by David Cole for justsecurity.org “…the CIA was only one part of this conspiracy to commit war crimes. The scheme had the participation and express or tacit assent of many others…Not one of these people said no…”
The Smart Weapons Fallacy
“There’s no such thing as a smart bomb.” Repost of a December 2017 article by Patrick Cockburn / CounterPunch
White Phosphorus Munitions
“The assaults on Fallujah by the United States military in April and November 2004 involved the use of white phosphorus. White phosphorus has extremely damaging effects on the health of victims, including severe burns and irritation of the respiratory system. [This analysis concludes that] the use of white phosphorus was illegal (per Chemical Weapons Convention, Protocol III to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and international humanitarian law) as it could be argued to be a chemical weapon, a riot control agent, or incendiary weapon…”
Nuclear WMD
The U.S. accounts for more than 40 percent of the planet’s military spending and has more than 5,500 strategic nuclear weapons, enough to blow the world up 5 to 50 times over. Risks include the ego-driven childish exchanges between president tRump & Kim Jong-un of N. Korea and nuclear maintenance errors detonating a weapon
Depleted Uranium
Depleted Uranium is a long-term life-threatening nuclear weapon that the U.S. currently uses. It meets the definition of weapon of mass destruction in two of three categories under U.S. Federal Code.
Chemical Warfare – Poison Gas
Despite numerous efforts to reduce or eliminate them, some nations continue to research and/or stockpile chemical warfare agents. A summary of the nations that have either declared weapon stockpiles or are suspected of secretly stockpiling or possessing CW research programs include United States and Russia…
Agent Orange
The Vietnamese who were exposed to the chemical have suffered from cancer, liver damage, pulmonary and heart diseases, defects to reproductive capacity, and skin and nervous disorders. Children and grandchildren of those exposed have severe physical deformities, mental and physical disabilities, diseases, and shortened life spans. Forests and jungles in large parts of southern Vietnam have been devastated and denuded. If they grow back, it will take 50 to 200 years to regenerate. Animals that inhabited the forests and jungles have become extinct. The rivers and underground water in some areas have been contaminated. Erosion and desertification will change the environment, contributing to the warming of the planet and dislocation of crop and animal life.
Learning to Kill
Learning To Kill / Combat Training FACTS Humanity, in general, is averse to killing another individual. A study of soldier/marksmanship effectiveness after WWII affirmed that only 10% to 15% of our “combat troops” actually shot at the “enemy” in that war. Military... 
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