Liars as far as the eye can see? — the view from Realists' Corner

© 2016 Peter Free

 

12 October 2016

 

 

How gullible should we be?

 

Do you really think that the Russian Federation is clumsily attempting to manipulate our 2016 presidential election via cyber-hacking — as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security accuses?

 

And do you believe the Obama Administration's implied statement that raggedy Yemeni rebels launched missiles intended to hit the American destroyer, USS Mason, north of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Monday this week?

 

 

Both allegations sound suspiciously like warmongering propaganda

 

The first (cyber-hacking) allegation is very arguably a Democratic Administration's attempt to elect Democrat Hillary Clinton to the White House.

 

The "blame the Russians" tactic also has the "virtue" of drumming up increased Cold War-like hostility, so as to further profit our already out-of-control Military Industrial Complex:

 

 

The Obama administration on Friday officially accused Russia of attempting to interfere in the 2016 elections, including by hacking the computers of the Democratic National Committee and other political organizations.

 

The denunciation, made by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security, came as pressure was growing from within the administration and some lawmakers to publicly name Moscow and hold it accountable for actions apparently aimed at sowing discord around the election.

 

“The U.S. Intelligence Community is confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of e-mails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations,” said a joint statement from the two agencies. “. . . These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the U.S. election process.”

 

Hours after the administration called out Russia, WikiLeaks released some 2,000 emails apparently hacked from the personal Gmail inbox of Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta. They included excerpts of speeches Clinton made to Wall Street banks that she had resisted making public.

 

© 2016 Ellen Nakashima, U.S. government officially accuses Russia of hacking campaign to interfere with elections, Washington Post (06 October 2016) (extracts)

 

 

The second propaganda twist — if it be such — is intended to divert public attention from American-sponsored Saudi war crimes in Yemen.

 

Those crimes came to a head at the same time that the missiles allegedly (and conveniently) shot toward the American destroyer:

 

 

The United Nations’ chief has demanded accountability for the “appalling conduct” of the war in Yemen amid mounting outrage and calls for an international probe into the bombing of a funeral service over the weekend by a coalition led by Saudi Arabia.

 

“Aerial attacks by the Saudi-led coalition have already caused immense carnage, and destroyed much of the country’s medical facilities and other vital civilian infrastructure,” Ban Ki-Moon said on Monday. “More broadly, there must be accountability for the appalling conduct of this entire war.”

 

Earlier, the UN’s human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein had called for an international investigation into war crimes in Yemen, describing the weekend attack that killed more than 100 people and wounded over 600 “outrageous” and warned of a “climate of impunity” surrounding the war.

 

© 2016 Kareem Shaheen, Missiles fired at US navy destroyer from rebel-held Yemen, The Guardian (10 October 2016)

 

 

The more familiar with American history that one is . . .

 

Recall the bogus bomber and missile gaps that American Government invented — also using the Russians as bad guys — in the 1950s?

 

 

The goal then was to motivate immense and unnecessary armaments buildups.

 

Today, we seem to be killing three birds with one stone — more arms and more cyber security, as well as getting this Administration's favorite Secretary elected.

 

 

And with regard to the USS Mason attack — remember the USS Maddox and the alleged Tonkin Gulf incidents during the Vietnam War?

 

 

The Johnson Administration mostly falsified the Maddox reports, so as to escalate public support for our disastrous involvement in Vietnam.

 

 

And don't overlook President George W. Bush's "weapons of mass destruction" lies — which led to the United States' extended (and very profitable) bout of deadly strategic idiocy in the Middle East.

 

I could easily go on. As could anyone else familiar with American government's frequent duplicities.

 

 

The moral? — American culture's love of self-serving liars is catching up with us

 

When Government's lips are moving . . . beware.