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A HOLIDAY MESSAGE FROM VETERANS TODAY
A TRUCE…
The holidays are a time to remember what things are all about, why we are who we are, why we fight wars and why so many have sacrificed so much. It isn’t a time for blame, for envy, for recriminations. We would bring every American home, every soldier, sailor or Marine, back to a life we can no longer guarantee even exists to a country we haven’t looked after too well. This isn’t a time to talk about whether wars are right or wrong. History will do that for us and, as usual, the blame always lands on the blameless, the lame, the wounded, the damaged. We have all been down that road.
Veterans Today exists to end that cycle.
In 1914, a war America had not yet joined, two great armies faced one another on the Western Front, extending from the English Channel to the border of Switzerland, hundreds of miles of trenches, mud, a stench of death stifled only by falling snow and freezing temperatures.
That war would know three more Christmases, almost a fourth. Two decades later, another war, horrors untold but no Christmas truce.
I have my own memories of spending Christmas eve, now many decades ago, crouched along a trail in South Vietnam, waiting, not so innocently, for “insurgents” seeking warmth and shelter. They would find us instead.
Christmas day for Marines was spent trekking the mountains, the meal of the day a can of 20 year old lima beans (with ham) and a canteen of water collected from rainfall on a poncho.
That story continues, nearly a decade of wars, Americans on every continent, every ocean.
For the first time in our history, thousands of Americans, serving as private contractors, almost all veterans, serve also. We will remember them too.
Before we talk about our veterans, the 20 million families representing over 50 million Americans, we will take a moment to remember, as was done in 1914, that the enemy may not really be an enemy. We learned, in Vietnam, that America was capable of going to war against decent people, people defending their homes and that politics, deceit and evil infects our own land, sometimes even more than the nations deemed foes.
After nearly a decade of war, we all see that coming, the blame, the finger pointing, the excuses. Our troops are always blamed, our veterans are always at fault, this process started early in our current wars. Our veterans are not only forgotten but even being reviled long before the wars are over.
Our reasons for war this time are, it seems, even more ethereal than those that pushed us into the debacle of Vietnam. The tales of terror attacks and fiendish masterminds have unraveled revealing a darkness of heart closer to home, something that reminds the soldiers among us of our sacred oath, “enemies foreign and domestic.” Yes, domestic. We have them. They are among us.
Whatever we feel, whatever we believe, yes, believe as no one can ever say they know anything, not anymore. Certainty was sacrificed long ago when war and mythology, governance and deception became one.
All that is left, all that is real is the suffering and the loyalty and honor that has always been a part of those that serve and those who served and remember.
It is a time to end war and revile politicians and war profiteers, those who have created so much suffering and stripped America bare. It is also a time to make distinctions and to restore humanity. It is a time to honor those who serve, no matter the war, no matter the reason, to remember they are our comrades, our children, our brothers and sisters.
It is also time to remember that all people everywhere are our brothers and sisters and all are our children as well. This is why the wars have to end. War demands we sacrifice, not only our humanity but our honor as well. That is asking too much and too many have paid that price.
Long ago, looking back at World War I, the Christmas truce of 1914 and the promise and purity of soul it displayed, we failed to learn a lesson. Those who laid down their weapons were crushed and herded back to the slaughterhouse that would go on for years. That war was one of greed and manipulation, one that would soon breed another. It should have ended that night in 1914 as our current wars should end tonight. We know better.
Marine General Smedley Butler told us, not long after that war, the 1914 war, that all war is a racket.
Butler reminds us we have real enemies. I will remind you that they are not us, they are not the veterans sleeping in the streets of Los Angeles because the a wealthy homeowners group in Brentwood want to use the National Veterans Home for their own recreation.
Another great American, Colonel David Hackworth, once spoke of those who love war but hate fighting, love the sound of gunfire, but mostly on television. These are what David Hackworth, “Hack” to his friends, called the “Perfumed Princes of the Pentagon.” This pack of degenerate popinjays and their retired “pundit” friends, those who leave service bespeckled with honors earned on the golf course or parade ground, have been and continue to be the greatest enemy real American soldiers and veterans have ever had and ever will.
No insurgent, no terrorist can ever harm America as they have.
You know who you are, we know who you are. We will never forget.
Forget.
This is the problem in itself. We do forget. We trust the untrustworthy and forget those we owe everything to. Up to 1 million veterans are in need, homeless, stuck in eternal processing, pushed away, abandoned, many not able to live productively as they once did. Those that now serve will eventually join these ranks.
In a time when the few have benefited so much at the hands of the many, we all sit up night worrying about their special tax breaks for private planes and country club memberships, its time we stopped and remembered the many, the forgotten.
Our veterans are forgotten as much as our troops. America is sick of war, sick of hearing about suffering but more than happy to talk about new wars. We cheer them on, “let’s invade Iran,” but please, not my kids, no, let’s borrow the money from our grandchildren.”
The time is now. We stop. We clean up our mess, we pay our bills and we grow up. We have veterans strewn from one end of America to another, forgotten and abused. This Christmas is a time to dedicate ourselves to ending this national shame.
It may be time we listen to Jesus and “go and sin no more” (John 8:11)
—————————————
Праздничное поздравление от VETERANS TODAY
Праздник — это повод вспомнить и осознать, кто мы и почему мы есть, почему мы сражаемся в войнах и почему многие приносят такие жертвы. Это не время для зависти, вражды или взаимных обвинений. Мы можем вернуть каждого американского солдата, каждого морпеха домой, жизни, которую мы уже даже не можем гарантировать, в страну, за которой мы не слишком хорошо приглядывали.
Не время говорить о том, правильно или неправильно это — воевать. История рассудит за нас и, как обычно, вина может лечь на невиновных — на агнцев, на раненых, на убитых. Мы это уже проходили.
Но VETERANS TODAY существует чтобы положить конец этому замкнутому кругу.
В 1914 году на войне, к которой Америка ещё не присоединилась, две огромные армии стояли лицом к лицу вдоль гигантской линии фронта, от Ла-Манша до швейцарской границы: сотни миль траншей, грязи и смерти, запорошённые снегом и стянутые морозом.
На той войне было ещё три Рождества, даже четыре. Через несколько десятилетий пришла и другая война, ещё ужаснее.
У меня есть собственные воспоминания о рождественском сочельнике, теперь уже этим воспоминаниям десятки лет. Мы лежали в засаде, и целью нашей были вьетнамские «инсургенты», которые искали тепла и убежища, а нашли нас.
Морпехи провели Рождество в горах, и праздничным ужином у них были консервы из бобов с ветчиной и дождевая вода, собранная в пончо.
История эта продолжается: спустя десятилетия американцы по-прежнему на войне, по всем континентам и океанам.
Впервые в нашей истории тысячи американцев также служат, как частные контрактники, при этом почти все — ветераны. Мы будем вспоминать и их.
Прежде чем говорить о ветеранах, о 20 000 000 семей, представляющих 50 00 000 американцев, мы обратим внимание, как это было сделано и в 1914 году — противник не всегда на самом деле враг. Во Вьетнаме мы убедились, что Америка может вступать в войну против невинных людей, защищающих свои дома и землю, а политика обмана и зла может поражать нашу собственную страну, даже больше, может быть, чем это кажется возможным другим нациям.
После десяти лет последней войны мы уже видим, что приближается: обвинения, указующие персты, извинения. Наши войска всегда обвиняют, наши ветераны всегда виноваты — это всё началось уже давно, в прежних войнах. Наши ветераны бывали уже неоднократно забыты и поруганы.
Наши мотивы воевать в этот раз кажутся ещё более эфемерными, чем те, что толкнули нас во Вьетнамскую катастрофу. Сказки о терактах и их дьявольских вдохновителях показали солдатам, что зло совсем рядом с домом, как бы напоминая слова присяги — защищать страну от врагов внешних и внутренних. И это правда. У нас есть внутренние враги, и они среди нас.
Во что бы мы ни верили, мы не можем знать наверняка того, во что верим. Уверенность была принесена в жертву обману и политике, войне и власти уже давно.
Что осталось — так это страдания, верность и честь, то, что всегда будет у тех, кто служит и помнит о тех, кто служит.
Пришло время прекратить войну и судить тех, кто наживается на ней и поджигает её. Тех, кто причинил так много страданий и раздел Америку донага. Пора также вынести определения и восстановить человечность. Пришла пора воздать должное и честь тем, кто служил, без разницы, на какой войне и по каким мотивам велась та война. И помнить, что это наши товарищи, дети, братья и сёстры.
И пришло время также вспомнить, что все люди – это наши братья и сёстры, и наши дети. Вот почему надо положить конец войнам. Войны забирают не только наши жизни, но и нашу честь. Это слишком дорогая цена, которую уже слишком многим пришлось заплатить.
Оглядываясь на Первую мировую, на 1914 год, когда в канун Рождества братались солдаты из противолежащих окопов, мы не извлекли урок. Тех, кто перешагнул тогда через не нужную им вражду ради общего света, вернули затем в бойню и смерть. Ту войну породили жадность и манипуляции, как и следующую. Ей следовало закончиться в ту ночь в 1914 году, так же, как нынешним войнам стоит закончиться сегодня. Мы это уже знаем.
Генерал морской пехоты Смэдли Батлер сказал нам ещё после Первой мировой: любая война — это жульничество.
Но давайте вспомним, что есть у нас и настоящие враги. И они — это не мы. Это не ветераны, вынужденные спать на заснеженных улицах Лос-Анджелеса потому, что богатенькие домохозяева из Брэнтвуда хотят использовать Национальный дом ветеранов для собственного отдыха.
Другой великий американец, полковник Дэвил Хэкуорт, как-то говорил о тех, кто любит войну, но не любит сражаться, любит звук баталий, но больше по телевизору. К таким полковник, которого друзья называли Хэком, относил и «надушенных принцев Пентагона». Эти дегенеративные щёголи, вкупе с их советниками из числа уволившихся со службы после парадной карьеры, обвешанные незаслуженными наградами — были и остаются врагами американских солдат и ветеранов.
Ни одному террористу, ни одном инсургенту не удавалось принести столько вреда Америке, как им.
Вы знаете, кто мы, а мы знаем, кто вы. Мы не забудем. Так что расслабьтесь.
Но память — это проблема. Мы всё же забываем. Мы верим тому, кто этого недостоин и забываем тех, кому мы обязаны. До миллиона ветеранов живут в нужде, без дома, малообеспеченные, заброшенные, избегаемые, не способные более быть такими же деятельными, какими они были когда-то, до войны. Те, кто служит сейчас, очевидно, будут пополнять эти ряды.
И в таких условиях, когда столь немногие получают столько благ за счёт многих, мы всю ночь должны сидеть и волноваться за специальные налоги на их частные клубы и самолёты… Пора остановиться и вспомнить о забытых.
Наши ветераны забыты так же, как и наши войска. Америка больна войной, ей надоело слушать о страданиях, но она готова говорить о новых войнах. Мы не против их планов вторгнуться в Иран, но вот только просим, чтобы именно наших детей туда не отправляли. «Давайте лучше одолжим денег у наших внуков», — говорим мы.
Пора остановиться. Мы выросли, мы сыграли свои игры и уплатили по счетам. У нас от края до края страны полно забытых и нуждающихся ветеранов. Это Рождество — это повод посвятить себя тому, чтобы положить конец национальному позору.
Это может быть время послушать Христа и «идти и не грешить».
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=69094
Posted by Gordon Duff on Dec 24 2010, With 0 Reads, Filed under Vet News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Veterans Today. Veterans Today said: Post Edited: A HOLIDAY MESSAGE FROM VETERANS TODAY http://bit.ly/eKpfrX [...]
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE !!!
p.s: what is this “Happy Holidays” crap I keep hearing?
Merry Christmas everyone.
“Charlie Brown Christmas Tree”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Hv9YmhGpw
Merry christmas to all decent persons on earth.
Nicole
You can be more generous than that.
Santa is going to have a short flight this year.
g
I heard he canceled Christmas because he didn’t want to go through the TSA screening at the airport.
Merry Christmas all..Its time to listen to the words of Peace
ancient and mostly ignored, may we wise up soon.
May Contentment be known by all.
And may Veterans everywhere come out and speak to and assist the next wave of soldiers
in understanding that it is better not to sign up for these illegal invasions that America has
been subordinated to by the banksters and armaments profiteers.
Take a look around the globe, if America withdrew, all its troops and bases…. the World would know Peace and America would return to being a good citizen rather than a Pariah. We all would benefit. To say nothing of the economic situations everywhere.
The manipulators and the “Perfumed Princes” of the House of Blood i.e. the Pentagon would be forced to take a vacation, to sit down and shut up and get in the back, enough already. No more blood for them.
We’re getting closer to this reality Gordon and thanks to YOU and Your Brothers and Sisters at VT for All that You do in getting the word out, the Genie is out of the bottle.
Peace and Joy to ALL
[...] in: Uncategorized Gordon Duff: “Our veterans are forgotten as much as our troops. America is sick of war, sick of hearing [...]
A very Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all on this site, and a large thank you to those who obviously contribute so much to help keep us moving toward truth and the light.
Article => “We learned, in Vietnam, that America was capable of going to war against decent people, people defending their homes and that politics, deceit and evil infects our own land, sometimes even more than the nations deemed foes.”
T.G.=> I visited a small jewelry store today (Christmas Eve) on an emergency run for a watch battery. It was my first time ever in this store. It was cold for Houston so I donned a baseball cap — one the doctors had me get at the VA to shelter my skin and the ‘nutcake psychiatrist’ said I needed to wear to face old realtiies. The cap proudly proclaimed Viet Nam and First Cav Veteran — 1959-1975.
It was my first time ever in this store. The proprietor, as it turned out, was from Nam. I immediately went into my decades old apology mode for being there and leaving with the job undone for him, his parents and his family.
I then told him about Palazzo’s and others apology rants (sorry, Chuck, sorry Duff) about how wonderful Viet Nam is today, and he had the most amazing response:
“Thank you for being there for us. Yes, the job was not finished, but except for the politicians and media, you guys did a good job and sacrificed so much for us. We truly appreciate it. Here, my family and I are free. Viet Nam today is a terrible dictatorship. There is no freedom. The communist government, their police and their army bust in and rob peoples’ homes, terrorize and murder the populace. But, my family here in America is safe.
Thank you so much.”
I stood a little taller, a little straighter and told him, “Thank you for being here in America. Many of us are so proud we could help. Merry Christmas to you.”
Texas Vet
You want the history of Vietnam? I teach that class. You know where it will go. Enjoy the damned holiday and the weather down there. As for Vietnam…you and I know better.
The war was stupid. It destroyed a generation of Americans and left the scum of the planet rulng our country.
I lost friends there. You did also.
It was a total waste. It was wrong.
g
I will take a rain check on ‘listening to Jesus’ preferring to put my time into listening to those few people in the US Congress, the patriotic ones, the real Americans who want the best for the country and realise that the war/s you are fighting now are dangerous and unnecessary, far more danger coming from disregarding the war you need to fight, an internal domestic war against an evil fifth column..
How did those words ‘the enemy within’ get forgotten over the years.
It seems to me that if the removal of the Zionist influence is not commenced in 2011 it will too late by the time of the next election in 2012 when the current newly-elected extreme right wing incumbents in Washington expand their numbers even further thanks to the ineffective policies of the current administration and the timid do-nothing attitude of Obama, now on holidays in Hawaii.
How he had the gall this week to speak of his productivity over the past two years when all he has done is give tax benefits to the wealthy, allow for the don’t ask / don’t tell policy to be incorporated into the military and finalise an arms limitation treaty with Russia. Nothing for the middle east, reducing crippling debt, stopping the erosion of civil liberties or halting the Zionist control of his country.
He has been a disappointing President and owned lock, stock and barrel by Israel, full of false rhetoric, an abject failure and unworthy of the high office he was elected to with great anticipation in 2008.
He should and certainly will not be re-elected in 2012 but if Americans have not taken back the ownership of their country by then, it will be the end of the empire as we know it.
An excellent essay, Gordon. I’m so glad that you mentioned Col. Hackworth…I followed his website for years until he passed. You guys are more than warriors, you are the good guys, the sane guys who help us to make sense of all of the madness.
Godspeed and Merry Christmas.
I`m not going to get on my high horse, not today and anyway, the article and subsequent comments pretty much say what is on my mind.. I want to tell you about an e-mail I recieved yesterday, from my friend in Iraq. I don`t hear from him very often, sometimes months, sometimes years go by between e-mails and calls, so when I recieved those few lines yesterday, wishing me happiness in the coming year and letting me know that he is allright, it made my Christmas just that little bit more special. I have been visiting your site for such a short time but I have a good feeling that you guys will “put things right” for my friend in Iraq and all the other victims in the world of those who promote senseless, costly (lives + monetary) wars. Merry Christmas to all of you and best wishes for the future..
Awesome article as always.
Gets my neurons bouncing around everytime I read another Gordon Duff offering.
War is definitely so much much more than JUST a “racket”. It has a multi-tasking role of fulfilling numerous functions for a number of agendas as well.
It has absolutely also always been a ritual of eugenics and bloodletting, a ritual of blood sacrifice to the elites God(s). (Victims are either completely willing, forced by lottery (unless u have a boil on your ass or a CIA daddy), hand – picked or just plain old duped into nationalistic fervour from the peasant masses – of course never the elites own bloodlines or offspring make it to the front lines.)
The Gallipoli mistake itself was no “accident” *(As the history books attempt to paint it as) the Gallipoli massacre of Aussie and NZ troops was actually Senior British Officers culling the expendable criminal class colonies children of their population numbers. Simple as that.
Nothing stimulates an economy like a little killing + destruction.
War MEANS Destruction is inevitable.
Destruction MEANS Construction is inevitable.
Construction MEANS Jobs are inevitable.
War tends to clear up the jobs market pretty good also, meaning boom times ahead for everyone. Win-Win situation for the companies, the governments and for the mistreated and forgotten war widow and her newborn hungry baby, or two fatherless children she now has to support herself.
War itself has been a defining tool of population reduction for so long that Peace movements now threaten business as usual for the elite masters and their share prices in Raytheon, Northrop and Boeing. Peaceniks in the 21st century have fast become the new Homeland Security “terrorist threat” those pesky long haired lentil eating, sandal owning, incense burning, unwashed and ungroomed tree huggers I’m sure they are planning their next big bong hit even as we speak.
It is with scant surprise or wonder that The 5 five pointed star of America is symbolically synonymous with the red 5 pointed star of Russia, and the yellow 5 pointed star of China + Vietnam which appears on nearly ALL war machines that “kill, burn, blow up or simply murder human beings” be it either friend or foe machine. All war machines of death seem to display this symbol somewhere on them. So what does it actually represent? It is Baphomet.
The elites’ deity of choice second only to MOLOCH And LUCIFER when it comes to killing and murder. See:
http://southeastasianews.org/copwatch/baphomet.html
Many are aware these days about the baphomet star designs in the streets of Washington DC, and the masonic designs of parks in London. See:
http://loveforlife.com.au/content/09/10/24/great-pyramid-sydney-m5m7-interchange-connects-sydney-nwo-playground-head-office-so
What is even more disturbing is the fact that In Australias capital: Canberra; is a building that War Criminal Henry Kissinger personally assisted in designing: Australias new parliament House. Over budget, Oversized, way too big for its needs and fully stocked with 13 lower levels of underground bunkers, supplies, emergency equipment and food stores. What exactly are they anticipating? Who knows.
Interestingly also embedded in it’s design when seen from google earth is a pyramid shape and “illuminating circle” surrounding it that can be seen clearly. If one were to transpose the $1 American bill All-Seeing eye pyramid over the top of this triangle, one would see it Fits inside the design neatly when scaled to size. See: 8MB.gif :
http://southeastasianews.org/images/canberra_illuminati_3.gif
One must ponder the further implications of this Pyramidal co-incidence with the fact that down the very centre of the pyramid is a LONG RED Stone avenue and multi lane road, not unlike the long line of blood flowing down the steep steps of an Aztec or Mayan pyramids during their sacrificial rituals and bloody death related ceremonies.
See:
http://southeastasianews.org/images/canberra_illuminati_2.jpg
and
http://southeastasianews.org/images/canberra_illuminati.jpg
Where does this red avenue eventually lead to? It leads directly to the front steps of the Australian War Memorial. Where it is said within this building that we remember the Soldiers and fighters whom “sacrificed their lives” to keep us free. Go figure.
Ask yourselves why we don’t have a Soldiers Memorial or a Veterans Memorial, ask yourself why the elite have their “memorial” for WAR for us to visit once or twice a year, particularly to remember war on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour on the 11th minute. The NWO numerology as obvious as it appears is quite sickening when “Remembrance day” is about the futility of it all, yet continues with the blessings of pollichickens who beat the war drum with excitement of a SuperBowl Final. I personally never ever wish to fondly remember the killing and systematic genocides of ANY human beings through the ages, enemy nation or not.
In conclusion:
War is not a healthy human activity.
War is really only very good for Governments seeking power and businesses seeking profits.
War SHOULD be 100% politically incorrect and offensive to us as a specie, however it sure is a hell of a useful tool to employ in times of political crisis.
-Steve J.
I flew medivac mission x eve through New Year day central Highlands. I don’t enjoy the holidays much. I stay inside and many of you know what I’m not saying. Seems like every holiday in a zone so many Americans get wounded because they are thinking about “home” instead of the zone. Never really agrred with the hot chow drop off on Thanksgiving either….we actually exposed those guys on a hilltop that day and by the next morning they were were overrun…Never made any sense that one, but most of it never made any sense; thus my reflection is it was really a senseless time. Be glad (me that is) when these flase hallmark card holidays pass.
“We know when you are sleeping
We know when you’re awake
We know when you been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake…
Oh ya better watch out..ya better not cry
There’s a predator drone, coming to your sky
Big sisTER is watching…tonight”
–Janet Napolitano and the Homeland Security Singers
Well written – well said, Gordon. (You have come a long way from 8 block.) “Ham and Lima Beans?” Wow – THE worst c ration meal ever. Happy New Year to every Vet – their families and supporters. We will protect America, always folks! Take care.
Respectfully
Dale R. Suiter
Dale
Ham and MF’s
g
…..don’t forget the pound cake,…it was the only thing at a certain so called Christmas I enjoyed. Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and keep writing the ‘make people think’ articles.