War Is A Racket

[SHRED]

Major General Smedley Butler, a Republican, said it 70 years ago:

War Is A Racket
http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html

[nookiemonster]

1. The parallels are mindboggling. Nothing's changed.

Here's another little tidbit, from another pubbie:

Military-Industrial Complex Speech, Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961

http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst306/documents/indust.html

[BrklynLiberal]

2. I have said that Gen Byrne may have been the Gen Smedley Butler

of our time, since Gen Butler was "drafted" by the corporatists to take part in a right-wing coup to get rid of FDR. He exposed the plot and the coup never came to fruition. Dimson's family was involved in the plot, of course.

Exposing the Legacy of American Corporatism
This issue of Press for Conversion! exposes a little-known, fascist plot to overthrow the U.S. government in the 1930s. We know about this scheme, and the corporate elite behind it, thanks to a high-ranking military whistle-blower: Marine Corps Maj.-Gen. Smedley Butler. Butler is largely forgotten today, but 70 years ago he was the most revered American military hero, the only man to have twice been awarded the Marine’s prestigious Medal of Honor. During his loyal 33-year military career, Butler led invasions, quelled nationalist rebellions and instituted regime changes to benefit U.S. business interests in Mexico, Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Honduras and China.
<snip>

President George Walker Bush’s grandfather (Prescott Bush) and great grandfather (George Herbert Walker) were among Wall Street’s ultra-right wing elite. Before WWII, they were among the key players who coordinated the flow of investments from American multimillionaires into Germany. They profited by helping to coordinate the American financing behind Hitler’s rise to power. During the war, they even profited from companies that armed the Nazi war machine and used slave labour at Auschwitz. Then, after the war, Prescott Bush was instrumental in helping to launder Nazi loot for Fritz Thyssen, who was one Hitler’s earliest and richest industrialist backers.
more....

http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/53-left.html

The Morgan-British Fascist Coup Against FDR
http://members.tripod.com/~american_almanac/smedley.htm

http://www.lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer42.html

http://co.quaker.org/Writings/SmedleyButler.htm

[moodforaday]

3. Except that Byrne

isn't talking.

And, you know, throughout his career, Butler had been doing all that was asked of him before he got wiser. There's little optimism to be had there. Still, his essay deserves to be read widely, at least as an example of a documented conspiracy in the making.

[AuntiBush]

8. Historically "CORRECT!" Yet, Many Either Choose to Not Agree

Believe or are in just plain denial. Imagine, loving your Prez that much, placing your fellow countrymen & women (especially your troops) after facts, historically correct.

[cascadiance]

10. The problem is that the fascist coup already happened...

in today's world in the 2000 election...

The old coup plot that was also dramatized in a similar fashion in Seven Day's in May would have to be altered in the remake to make those military folk looking to take over the government from the fascists in power to be the heroes instead of the other way around. Then of course hopefully the military types would turn it back over to the people and we could reassemble a true democratic republic again.

[BrklynLiberal]

14. Interesting. It seems that it is a faction of the military that is the

one that trying to keep the Fascists maniacs from pushing us to the edge of Armageddon. Wasn't it a group inside the German military that tried to assassinate Hitler? Perhaps there is where you find people that realize that loyalty is to country, not to one particular person?

[rasputin1952]

4. Smedley was quite the guy...He exposed a coup d'etat against FDR

and was active in many Socialist arenas. Back then, the whole Socialist/Communist ideology was different from contemporary realities, but the alternative was Fascism. Democracy won the day, fortunately, and little came from the proposed coup.

Smedley had no problem calling out what he saw, and he was opposed to many of the corrupt actions of the corporate world. He was of the belief that anyone who profited from war was basically corrupt, and that industries involved w/military contracts should pay their workers and officers no more than a Private in the trenches earned a month...:) (about $30/mo at that time)

He was a man of great integrity, and we could use him at a time like this. The closest we have, is Wes Clark, and he is short of what Smedley had.

[Karenina]

5. Kick!

:kick:

[BrklynLiberal]

6. kick

Randi Rhodes was talking about Gen Byrnes today....

[rman]

20. c o n s p i r a c y anyone?

Demopedia
Attempted Coup Against Franklin D. Roosevelt
http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/index.php/Attempted_Coup_Against_Franklin_D._Roosevelt

[steve2470]

7. kicked and nominated nt

[anarchy1999]

9. It should be required reading.

Peace and thanks for posting. It is very important to the times we live in.

[Jara sang]

11. He is the one who stopped the American fascist coup during the Depression.

Known as the 'The Whitehouse Putsch'. Not too many know about it, but it's there.

http://www.eclectica.org/v1n1/reviews/wharton_plot.html

[FrenchieCat]

12. Here's another insight from a Republican General......

and former President on some of our domestic issues....in a private letter to his brother-in-law....

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security,
unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes that you can do these things. Among them are a few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or businessman from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid"

--President Dwight D. Eisenhower, (R) 1952

Of course, the stupids he is referring to became a much larger group. And now, one of them is our President, and another is our Vice President. Let's hope Eisenhower was right about this too...and that once we get rid of them, we will not hear from this party again! That would be sweet.

[Jara sang]

15. George & Herman Brown are those Texas oil millionaires.

Kellogg, Brown & Root which is now Halliburton. They owned Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon. They have basically been the federal government since 1960.

[Ernesto]

13. DUH?..... needs a kick from this ol' Marine n-t

[Jara sang]

16. Kick

:kick:

[unhappycamper]

17. The man was a true patriot.

I'm proud to be a member of


(Picture taken at the 2005 Patriots Day parade in Concord, MA)

[rasputin1952]

18. Butler had such integrity, that although he knew many things about

corrupt politics and the military; he did not speak ill of administrations he fought under, until he was relieved of obligations under the Constitution upon retirement. He fought tirelessly for the 'underdog' and was fearless in taking on anyone who crossed his path.

He chose his battles well, and will always be remembered as a man of integrity and grit, not willing to sit back and let the chips fall where they may.

Another often forgotten general that did a lot for the 'common soldier' was Omar Bradley. While not as outspoken as others, he made many a milestone in the Army and was the last of the true 'foxhole generals'. His reforms are still felt throughout the Army in such areas as pay and areas of responsibility for leaders. It is not as easy now to shift responsibility for an error in judgment, in most cases, a leader has to suck it up and take responsibility for his/her actions.

No one compares to Butler though, and that is why he has been shuffled off to the rear of the library....there are people that do not want you to know of the things he spoke of...:(

[rman]

19. oh yes it is - www.warisaracket.org

http://www.warisaracket.org/