Did you know that in the nine months leading to the criminal war of aggression against Iraq in March 2003 by the Bush/Cheney administration, at least 300 retired, high-level establishment military, national security and diplomatic officials spoke out against the looming invasion? The list included retired Generals Anthony Zinni and William Odom and Vice Admiral Jack Shanahan. Even Brent Scowcroft and James Baker, two of President George H.W. Bush’s closest advisors, strongly opposed the invasion.
Unprecedented in U.S. history, these individuals and others wrote op-eds and letters to the editor, signed petitions, attended protests, and wrote to their members of Congress. Retired military, national security and diplomatic officials have great moral credibility―much more so than the typical neocon, war hawk talking heads that appear regularly on cable news. No one can question the patriotism or experience of those who have worked their careers in these federal agencies.
But, shockingly, these respected individuals were ignored by the war-drum pounding White House, a mass media mad with hysteria, and an abdicating Congress. We all know now how that three trillion dollar war of aggression turned out. The violent effects were tragically inflicted on millions of Iraqis and tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers and their families. The resulting blowback from the United States’ actions in Iraq are still being felt today with the carnage in Syria and the rise of ISIS.
For those who lived through this runaway insanity and felt their voices were ignored, the question now lingers―how can we avoid such calamity in the future?
To wage an information war, you need ample resources. What if a billionaire who understood the true cost of waging reckless war had funded a “secretariat” that would have provided an avenue for these valiant anti-war voices to multiply and get on the mass media—whether as guests or through ads—and get up on Capitol Hill to rebut the lies, propaganda and cover-ups of the Bush/Cheney war machine?
Mega-billionaire philanthropist George Soros fits the bill for such a role. He was, of course, very outspoken against the Iraq attack during that tumultuous period. Unfortunately, by the time he decided to fund organized demonstrations, it was after the invasion, in July 2003.
A sum of $150 to $250 million from George Soros, for whom $2 billion in profits is only a fair year, could have turned the tide in the lead up to that monumental ongoing disaster―that criminal, unconstitutional war of aggression.
On May 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th 2016 at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. a large gathering of civil society will take place to challenge the entrenched power of the corporate/political complex. The event is called Breaking Through Power. This “Civic Mobilization” will involve thousands of people at Constitution Hall and around the country via web streaming. The overall goal is to connect long-available knowledge to more long-neglected action. We want people to go to breakingthroughpower.org to see how they can attend this Super Bowl of Citizen Action.
On May 25, 2016, the case will be made for forming such a secretariat to George Soros or another enlightened billionaire with similar views. Speakers that day include: journalist Chris Hedges, retired U.S. Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former top-level CIA analyst Paul Pillar, peace activist Medea Benjamin, whistleblower lawyer Jesselyn Radack, military specialist William Hartung, broadcaster and filmmaker Phil Donahue and Michael McPhearson of Veterans for Peace.
The impulsive, unlawful plunge into military attacks has already happened again in Libya with far-reaching chaos and violence into adjoining African regions. It could happen again and again to embroil the United States in illegal quagmire wars and blowbacks unless serious efforts are made to create an outspoken, anti-war secretariat with the experience and the resources to counter the insatiable military-industrial complex and its war-mongering ideologues.
Visit breakingthroughpower.org to see how you can obtain tickets for these four days of historic events at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. or how to participate in other ways. Scholarships are available to help defer the costs.
We can make it happen; you can make it historic!