Saturday, December 19, 2009

Starve the military beast/Who Benefits From Global Violence and War: Uncovering a Destructive System.

www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bal-ed.le.letters180dec18,0,4723519.story

baltimoresun.com

Starve the military beast

December 18, 2009

Over the years I have appreciated Jules Witcover's perspectives. But what he wrote in "War president makes case for his peace prize" (Dec. 15) went down with a thud. Mr. Witcover was unconvincing when he gave this alibi for President Barack Obama's Nobel Prize acceptance speech: "... he seized upon it to make a measured and rational defense for his decision to send 30,000 more Americans to Afghanistan, straightforwardly observing that 'some will kill and some will be killed.'"

The column is a misguided rationalization for this awful decision to escalate the war, ensuring more death and devastation in desperately poor Afghanistan.

Mr. Witcover well knows how a similar decision destroyed another presidency. While the masters of war greeted the decision to escalate with war whoops, this decision is an insult to the ideal behind the Nobel Peace Prize. It will cost $1 million for every soldier sent to Afghanistan. Yet we are closing recreation centers and fire stations in Baltimore. And we are in a depression unlike anything seen in 70 years.

We, the activists, will continue to march, hold vigils and demonstrate against this misguided use of tax dollars for weapons rather than for social programs and projects. But we need the support of the commentators to convince the legislators to fund health care, not warfare; small business loans, not drones; farms, not arms. We must lobby our legislators to starve the military beast in order to feed the people.

Max Obuszewski, Baltimore

Who Benefits From Global Violence and War: Uncovering a Destructive System.

 As we fight our immediate struggles the hidden levers of that larger system continue to turn. This system is inordinately influenced by a small, interconnected group of corporate, military and government leaders with the power to instill fear, to protect and to increase their excessive fortunes and to restrict information, particularly about their own clandestine dealings. Who Benefits From Global Violence and War: Uncovering a Destructive System by Marc Pilisuk with Jennifer Achord Rountree.  Westport, CT: Greenwood/Praeger (2008) removes the veil providing us with clearer understanding of just what must change if mass violence is to end.

Royalties from this book are contributed to organizations supporting peace and justice.

Publications and bloggers may obtain review copies by fax requests, preferably on letterhead, to  203-222-1502.

20% Discount on purchase may be obtained using the reference code #F238  from www.greenwood.com or 800-225-5800

             Email  orders@greenwood.com


The book is on sale at half price through the end of 2009, for $24.98.

<http://www.greenwood.com/catalog/C9435.aspx>

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net

 

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs

 

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