Very pertinent points. In this sense I can tell that Chavez, aided by Castro's inanity machinery, is simply rewriting history through the propagandistic e-conduits. The other day someone here in london told me "oh but Chavez nationalised Venezuela's oil industry and made education and healthcare free for everyone". Now this is simply a lie and can easily be demonstrated. However how many other lies are being spread? What sort of Western person, respectful of laws, institutions and authorities, ever questions the statements of a president of a country? Thus protected by the mantle of credibility provided by its investiture Chavez travels the planet talking nonsense and a lot of people fall for his crap. Worrying indeed and the US is at the receiving end of an extraordinarily powerful propaganda campaign of global scope.
Since the US is the Leading Nation in many UN/NATO/counter narcotics and other operations, the US becomes the largest target on the enemies radar screen. Whether Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, Columbia, Iraq or Afghanistan; we are the real movers and shakers behind the scene and if we pack up, the bad guys win. It really is that simple. If we leave Afghanistan today, all other will follow suit just as they did in Somalia.
Most our enemies know they can not win in conventional war. As in Vietnam the enemy tries to divide and conquer. Even within our own boarders there are cracks and weaknesses that can be exploited. The “real” lesson learned in Vietnam is that you can defeat a military giant against whom you loose EVERY SINGLE BATTLE by breaking the public will of the masses in the US. That’s no lesson the liberal wants to accept and unfortunately Kerry, Kennedy, the Sheehan’s, France, Germany, and Michael Moore’s out there prove it right.
Stalin once said, “The Capitalist will sell you the rope with which you’ll hang em.” There is a lot of truth in that. Look at our media, politics internal, other allied nations, etc.
The internet can make any crackpot weirdo appear as an “expert” or “official”. It’s a great place to leak information and hide anonymously while feeding selected tid-bits of information that supports ones cause. Global in reach (Unlike FM or TV), cheaply and highly effective, the Internet is a fantastic place to wage a Psyop campaign against someone. It’s easy for even two 16 year olds to appear as “official” or authoritative! Of course we can poke fun at this fact as well:
http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html
The issue here is simple. The US has a tight noose around it’s neck legally what the intel community and DoD is “allowed” to do. While our enemies are not necessarily all united and working together in concert, they do realize what our weakness is and since we are the lead in many issues and places we become the ones whose nose they try to bloody. Example: ½ of all RAF dead are Americans. Many Lit path attacks in Peru are against Americans. N. Korea used to target? The Abu Sayyef group in the Philippines? The Islamic terrorist in the Middle East or Caucasus? Being the leader of the pack carries a price tag!
Red6