In case you missed it, there’s a war of sorts going on between Russia and Ukraine. And preposterous as it sounds, there’s an outside chance we won’t get involved for a change, at least beyond funding. As soon as we figure out which side we’re on.
That’s going against the grain. The room temperature iq types that recently staged a coup in this country already are agitating for us to get over there and show those knuckle draggers what’s what. Bring out the big guns, they say… from behind their desks in their senate building offices.
And for the first time in their lives, they may have a point. But not just in this war.
We’ve become really good at international meddling and maybe we need to be doing more.
Why, the list of countries we haven’t fought for or against yet is astonishingly long. Think of the fun we could have in, say, Nauru, Malta, Paulu and other little places and set them on the path to The American Way. And it’s not just little specks of land. We could do a world of good sending troops to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Thailand, North Korea and Canada.
Of course that takes a lot of troops. But fear not. There’s a solution to that problem too. Right now, there are about 1.4 million active duty members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines. And reserves in all branches total about 900-thousand.
That’s not nearly enough.
We need at least 100-million professionals. Maybe 150-million.
Think of the added benefits: Employment would rise. So would the economies of places where they have to reopen closed bases. Housing starts would skyrocket. So would the stock market.
A huge increase in soldiers would bring a sense of order to the world of all those “responsible” gun owners. Arms makers would be doing so much military business, they wouldn’t have the capacity to build all those assault rifles civilians use to shoot deer, school children, and other targets of opportunity… like guys who send texts while in a movie theater… or guys who play loud music outside convenience stores or hooded teens just out walking… and each other.
So score one for gun control and Mike Bloomberg wouldn’t have to spend a nickel, nor would Sarah Brady have to spend a bundle in postage.
News organizations would have to hire and train tens of thousands of journalists, hair and makeup people, technicians, producers, directors, lighting specialists and military analysts.
Again, good for employment levels.
And this world war wouldn’t take all that long. We’ve lost our talent for winning.
Shrapnel:
--What do we think we’re buying with that billion dollar bribe to Ukraine? For that matter, why are we involved in any way? And can Putin really push a few buttons and cut off the gas supply to western Europe?
--The answer to the third question above is “yes.” The reason? Czars, Commissars and now the evangelists of predatory capital don’t have to contend with the Russian version of tea bag obstructionists… they put the tea in a samovar of boiling water and nature takes care of the rest.
I’m Wes Richards. My opinions are my own but you’re welcome to them. ®
Please address comments to wesrichards@gmail.com
© WJR 2014
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