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Paul Craig Roberts, him of the former "Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. [...] Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal editorial page [...] Contributing Editor of National Review," etc... etc... fame and fortune and other adventures in stupid bad ideas - yes - that Paul Craig Roberts, has alas apparently woken to the startling realization that "Americans have been betrayed." Ding-ding-ding-ding!, the alarm clock tolls for thee, Paul C Roberts.

Roberts reviews The New American Militarism, by Andrew J. Bacevich:

January 18, 2005
Empire and Militant Christianity How Americans Were Seduced by War
by Paul Craig Roberts

Americans have been betrayed.

Sooner or later Americans will realize that they have been led to defeat in a pointless war by political leaders who they inattentively trusted. They have been misinformed by a sycophantic corporate media too mindful of advertising revenues to risk reporting truths branded unpatriotic by the propagandistic slogan, "you are with us or against us."

What happens when Americans wake up to their betrayal? It is too late to be rescued from catastrophe in Iraq, but perhaps if Americans can understand how such a grand mistake was made they can avoid repeating it.

[...]

The greatest threat to the US is not terrorists but the neoconservative belief, to which President Bush is firmly committed, that American security and well-being depend on US global hegemony and impressing US values on the rest of the world. This belief resonates with a patriotic public. Bacevich writes, "in the aftermath of a century filled to overflowing with evidence pointing to the limited utility of armed force and the dangers inherent in relying excessively on military power, the American people have persuaded themselves that their best prospect for safety and salvation lies with the sword."

If Americans persist in these misconceptions, America will "share the fate of all those who in ages past have looked to war and military power to fulfill their destiny. We will rob future generations of their rightful inheritance. We will wreak havoc abroad. We will endanger our security at home. We will risk the forfeiture of all that we prize."

"Americans have been betrayed." - !!!!! - Well no shit. Maybe I haven't been paying attention but when did Paul Craig Roberts figure this one out? I dunno. Perhaps being inducted into the French Legion of Honor has transformed Paul Craig into some kind of cheese eating pastry flake anti-American Christ-hater? Ya know?

In any event: A big hip-hip-hooray for PC Roberts for finally leaping to attention, rubbing the fishy scales from his bloodshot gaze, and slapping himself in the face with a cold wash cloth. Better late than never as they say.

But then again -- it's not like Roberts and guys like him weren't warned a long time ago that the onboard Kool Aide was spiked with funny bid'ness. They were warned plenty of times down through the decades. And lets face it, the obnoxious keg rolling swindlers and power drunk privateers currently steering our national "family values" party boat "Imperium" straight for the rocky shoals, those people, wouldn't be where they are right now this very moment (preparing to waltz their way through another inauguration) if it weren't for the persistent support and assistance and endorsement of dreamy Right-wingnut Good Ship Gipper party boy scull yankers like Paul Craig Roberts and his "morning in America" crew.

So thanks a lot Roberts. I guess. At least, apparently, you've still got enough walking around half-sense left in you to help scrub the deck of the mess you and your supply-sider military industrial complex doper pals have made of the place. These are your people Paul C. Roberts. You helped book this crazy rummy soaked moonlight "cakewalk" cruise a long time ago. At least it's right manly of you to help try to swab up the vomit all these watery sea-sickening miles later.

Hopefully we'll all safely survive the voyage back to some recognizable home port. Assuming the whole ship don't sink like a brick to the bottom of the drink in the meantime. Who can say for sure at this point. But, if we do make it home hi and dry, we can all hold a big counterpunchers clam bake on a beach somewhere and dance like wild horny bonvivants to the tsunami-like swing of Dick Dale's surf guitar and you, Craig Roberts, can invite Lew Rockwell (The Reality of Red-State Fascism) or that windy wop Justin Raimondo* (Today's Conservatives Are Fascists) and I'll bring along Kitty Deer and her sisters and a chick from Dixie and we'll screw Christopher Hitchens onto a sharpened stilt and spit roast the greasy fat marinated bastard over a crackling driftwood fire like a sacrificial bush pig. And then we'll heave the entire burnt offering to the crabs! Jeezis, what the hell am I talking about.....

[*Advice to Raimondo. Lose the groovy Fonzi pose will ya.]

Well, we'll see.... I'm starting to get carried away here. It must be the waves and the rum and the thundering drums of war. It's all making me weird. So go read what Roberts has to say. It's a good refreshing read. Coming from a Clownhall wanker with a compelling life story that is.

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