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Drinking the Kool-Aid
Middle East Policy Council ^ | summer 2004 | W. Patrick Lang

Posted on 05/31/2004 5:12:50 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe

Throughout my long service life in the Department of Defense, first as an army officer and then as a member of the Defense Intelligence Senior Executive Service, there was a phrase in common usage: "I will fall on my sword over that." It meant that the speaker had reached a point of internal commitment with regard to something that his superiors wanted him to do and that he intended to refuse even though this would be career suicide. The speaker preferred career death to the loss of personal honor.

This phrase is no longer widely in use. What has taken its place is far more sinister in its meaning and implications. "I drank the Kool-Aid" is what is now said. Those old enough to remember the Jonestown tragedy know this phrase all too well. Jim Jones, a self-styled "messiah" from the United States, lured hundreds of innocent and believing followers to Guyana, where he built a village, isolated from the world, in which his Utopian view of the universe would be played out. He controlled all news, regulated all discourse and expression of opinion, and shaped behavior to his taste. After a time, his paranoia grew unmanageable and he "foresaw" that "evil" forces were coming to threaten his "paradise." He decided that these forces were unstoppable and that death would be preferable to living under their control. He called together his followers in the town square and explained the situation to them. There were a few survivors, who all said afterward that within the context of the "group-think" prevailing in the village, it sounded quite reasonable. Jim Jones then invited all present to drink from vats of Kool-Aid containing lethal doses of poison. Nearly all did so, without physical coercion. Parents gave their children the poison and then drank it themselves. Finally Jones drank. Many hundreds died with him.

What does drinking the Kool-Aid mean today? It signifies that the person in question has given up personal integrity and has succumbed to the prevailing group-think that typifies policymaking today. This person has become "part of the problem, not part of the solution."

What was the "problem"? The sincerely held beliefs of a small group of people who think they are the "bearers" of a uniquely correct view of the world, sought to dominate the foreign policy of the United States in the Bush 43 administration, and succeeded in doing so through a practice of excluding all who disagreed with them. Those they could not drive from government they bullied and undermined until they, too, had drunk from the vat.

What was the result? The war in Iraq. It is not anything like over yet, and the body count is still mounting. As of March 2004, there were 554 American soldiers dead, several thousand wounded, and more than 15,000 Iraqis dead (the Pentagon is not publicizing the number). The recent PBS special on Frontline concerning Iraq mentioned that senior military officers had said of General Franks, "He had drunk the Kool-Aid." Many intelligence officers have told the author that they too drank the Kool-Aid and as a result consider themselves to be among the "walking dead," waiting only for retirement and praying for an early release that will allow them to go away and try to forget their dishonor and the damage they have done to the intelligence services and therefore to the republic.

(Excerpt) Read more at mepc.org ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iraq; patricklang; wpatricklang
Who is W. Patrick Lang? He is the source of the "Chalabi spied for Iran" rumor.

This charge is an element of the larger "Neo-con cabal duped Bush into war" theory, originating with the LYNDON LAROUCHE organization.

Will YOU drink the Lyndon LaRouche Kool-Aid?

1 posted on 05/31/2004 5:12:51 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe
Joe, can you tell me if the Chalabi thing was a rumor or not?

Last weekend, it appeared there was a whole lot more to it than just a "rumor."

What have I missed.

2 posted on 05/31/2004 5:18:45 PM PDT by sauropod (Paleo-cons make better lovers)
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To: Tailgunner Joe

As long as I live, I will NEVER understand these people who follow losers like LaRouche and his ilk. They KNOW that their vote is meaningless, little more than an ego-massaging gesture. And yet, every election, there are the dummies who throw away their vote in the name of their "principles." It's just plain stupid. Yeah, I know there will be flamers here defending the stupidity of throwing away their votes, but still, I will NEVER understand it. So flamers, save your breath; you WON'T be convincing me EVER. Vote with your brain, not your touchy-feeling emotions.

</rant>


3 posted on 05/31/2004 5:27:29 PM PDT by EggsAckley (............Al Gore: I rant, therefore I am............)
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To: sauropod

The FBI is investigating it. Allegations were made to the media, not by the government.


4 posted on 05/31/2004 5:27:42 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
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To: Tailgunner Joe
I personally think that Divine Providence made use of the Taliban to destroy the giant ghastly idolatrous twin Buddha's hulking in the cliffs, that both liberal and conservative kool-aid groupthink said was such a horrible idea.

So there. Flame away, "culture-sensitive" Freeps.

5 posted on 05/31/2004 5:28:23 PM PDT by Dark Glasses and Corncob Pipe (14, 15, 16...whatever!)
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To: Tailgunner Joe

It would seem Clintoon leftovers would need to consume cool aid due to their incompetence.


6 posted on 05/31/2004 5:28:42 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
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To: Tailgunner Joe
W. Patrick Lang President, Global Resources Group, Inc

Whatever that is.

7 posted on 05/31/2004 5:34:18 PM PDT by monkeywrench
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To: Tailgunner Joe

http://www.cfr.org/projects.php?id=304 You can find him mentioned at the CFR website, too. Sounds like a globalist koolaid drinker. Which is a point for chalabi.


8 posted on 05/31/2004 5:37:00 PM PDT by monkeywrench
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To: Tailgunner Joe
http://www.aim.org/cliff_blog_entry/1584_0_12_0_C/ From Cliff Kincaids Blog

"CBS and the Washington Post have also cited Lang as an expert. But Kenneth Timmerman reports, "In citing Lang as an expert on Iraq, neither CBS nor the Washington Post ever has mentioned that Lang has registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for an Arab government.

This government is identifed at the Justice Department as Lebanon. The name of the firm registered as the foreign agent is described as the following:

Future Millennium Foundation, Inc., #5202, 14 West Rosemont Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301, Fouad Makhzoumi

Fouad Makhzoumi is described as a prominent businessman and philanthropist from Lebanon. He funded a Council on Foreign Relations study on development of the Middle East and is said to be a member of the CFR."

9 posted on 05/31/2004 5:45:55 PM PDT by monkeywrench
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To: monkeywrench

save. good one.


10 posted on 05/31/2004 6:38:16 PM PDT by bitt
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To: monkeywrench; All

think someone ought to alert the 'personalities'?


11 posted on 05/31/2004 6:39:09 PM PDT by bitt
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To: Tailgunner Joe
"Jim Jones then invited all present to drink from vats of Kool-Aid containing lethal doses of poison. Nearly all did so, without physical coercion. Parents gave their children the poison and then drank it themselves. Finally Jones drank. Many hundreds died with him.
That is BS. Most were forced at gunpoint to drink the poison, the rest were shot.
12 posted on 05/31/2004 7:12:07 PM PDT by Abcdefg
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To: Tailgunner Joe
I remember when I worked with government contractors their favorite saying was "Don't just do something, stand there!"
13 posted on 05/31/2004 7:36:31 PM PDT by The Duke
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To: Tailgunner Joe
I don't want that stuff- will not drink it now or ever:

Will YOU drink the Lyndon LaRouche Kool-Aid?

14 posted on 05/31/2004 8:10:00 PM PDT by GOPJ (NFL Owners: Grown men don't watch hollywood peep shows with wives and children.)
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To: monkeywrench

Thanks for your research, link, information.


15 posted on 05/31/2004 8:22:01 PM PDT by PGalt
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To: Tailgunner Joe
I don't really care about WMD's, the Iraqi body counts, abuse and humiliation of terrorists in our custody, or whether or not it was a sinister cabal of "neo-conservative" Svengalis and Rasputins that got us into the war.

All I care about is crushing the Arab/Muslim cancer-culture under the Yankee boot, and grinding it into absolute submission, once and for all. If we have to wipe out half their population in order to accomplish this, then so be it.

It's them or us, and if Western civilization lacks the will to do what must be done to secure our future against the Arab/Muslim savages, then we deserve to be conquered and put under the Islamic yoke for our foolish short-sightedness and sentimentality.

It ain't fair, and it ain't pretty. But the barbarians started this war, and we'd damned well better be the ones who finish it, or it will mean the coming of a new Dark Age.

Draka Out!

16 posted on 05/31/2004 9:05:51 PM PDT by FierceDraka ("Party Before Country" - The New Motto of the Democratic Party)
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To: monkeywrench
So, the truth comes out. The guy is a registered agent of Lebanon, a puppet-state under the control of Syria.

That's Ba'athist, dictatorial, terrorist-supporting SYRIA.

And working for the Council on Foreign Relations, to boot. This guy sounds like a filthy, cretinous, Arab-boot-licking SWINE. (Nothing against swine - they're quite tasty, actually)

17 posted on 05/31/2004 9:14:47 PM PDT by FierceDraka ("Party Before Country" - The New Motto of the Democratic Party)
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