https://socialistaction.org/2017/04/08/u-s-missile-attack-on-syria-first-casualty-multiplied/
U.S. missile attack on Syria: ‘First Casualty’ multiplied
/ 2 days ago
May 2017 Tomahawk missile
By BILL ONASCH
Hiram W. Johnson, a long-serving Republican Senator from California, is
generally credited as being the first to use the phrase “Truth is the
First Casualty of War,” in 1917—directed toward the duplicity of Woodrow
Wilson. President Wilson, after winning reelection by bragging “he kept
us out of war,” a few months later took America in to what he promised
would be the War to End All Wars—and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his
effort. His lies and reputation are still revered by today’s bipartisan
Establishment.
It is unlikely the current liar in the White House will be treated so
gently even by official historians. The mainstream media removed their
kid gloves even before he took office. Still, that doesn’t mean they
deliver the whole truth and nothing but about war.
Just a few days ago, Trump astounded friend and foe alike by announcing
he was prepared to accept an agreement to end the bloodshed in Syria
that would leave the regime of Bashar al-Assad in power. Past
multilateral negotiations had failed mainly because of U.S. insistence
that Assad must go.
But Thursday evening, Trump made a brief address to “My Fellow
Americans” motivating a missile strike he had launched against Syria. He
claimed it was in retaliation for a gas attack ordered by Assad against
his own people, resulting in about 80 deaths. Trump described it: “It
was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were
cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. No child of God should
ever suffer such horror.”
The deaths were real. Whether they were intentionally inflicted—and if
so on whose orders—are contentious. But Trump’s touching sensitivity
about all children of God was not offered for the 300 civilian residents
of Mosul, Iraq—mainly children and their parents—who perished in
American bombing of their shelter.
A Syrian air base alleged to have been involved in the gas attack was
pulverized by dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles ($1.5 million a piece
plus fuel and labor) launched from Navy destroyers on the eve of a
summit with the president of China. Advance warning was given to Russian
personnel on the base, who presumably relayed it to their Syrian hosts.
Still there were at least 13 fatalities.
The First Casualty principle makes convincing culpability in the gas
attack difficult to establish. We shouldn’t forget the outright lie of
Weapons of Mass Destruction used by Bush II and Blair to launch the
disastrous and illegal Iraq war. You don’t have to be a supporter of
Assad to recognize how foolish it would have been for him to so quickly
blow off the diplomatic victory Trump had just given him by launching a
gratuitous gas attack on a small village.
In the past, the America First Trump rejected a world cop role for the
USA. But with stinging defeats for his domestic agenda, bitter
infighting within his administration, and alarming drops in opinion
polls, he could not resist the temptation to try to rally patriots
around the flag, as so many of his predecessors did with mixed results.
Among those saluting the Liar-in-Chief was the candidate who finished
first in the popular vote last November.
Nothing good comes from the attack on Syria. Regime change in Syria
needs to be accomplished by Syrian workers and peasants—not by more
foreign bombs and troops.
Whether Trump’s illegal Thursday attack was a one-off stunt or an
embrace of the Bush Doctrine, expanded by Obama, remains to be seen.
Either way our response should be clear.
Hands Off Syria! Bring All the Troops, Pilots, and Sailors Home Now!
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April 8, 2017 in Anti-War, Middle East, Trump / U.S. Government. Tags:
Assad, Syria
Related posts
Seymour Hersh, false flags, and sarin gas
U.S. Hands Off Syria!
U.S. imperialist war in Syria: Acid test for antiwar movement
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Socialist Action statement on the U.S. missile strike on Syria →
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https://socialistaction.org/2017/04/08/u-s-missile-attack-on-syria-first-casualty-multiplied/
U.S. missile attack on Syria: ‘First Casualty’ multiplied
/ 2 days ago
May 2017 Tomahawk missile
By BILL ONASCH
Hiram W. Johnson, a long-serving Republican Senator from California, is
generally credited as being the first to use the phrase “Truth is the
First Casualty of War,” in 1917—directed toward the duplicity of Woodrow
Wilson. President Wilson, after winning reelection by bragging “he kept
us out of war,” a few months later took America in to what he promised
would be the War to End All Wars—and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his
effort. His lies and reputation are still revered by today’s bipartisan
Establishment.
It is unlikely the current liar in the White House will be treated so
gently even by official historians. The mainstream media removed their
kid gloves even before he took office. Still, that doesn’t mean they
deliver the whole truth and nothing but about war.
Just a few days ago, Trump astounded friend and foe alike by announcing
he was prepared to accept an agreement to end the bloodshed in Syria
that would leave the regime of Bashar al-Assad in power. Past
multilateral negotiations had failed mainly because of U.S. insistence
that Assad must go.
But Thursday evening, Trump made a brief address to “My Fellow
Americans” motivating a missile strike he had launched against Syria. He
claimed it was in retaliation for a gas attack ordered by Assad against
his own people, resulting in about 80 deaths. Trump described it: “It
was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were
cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. No child of God should
ever suffer such horror.”
The deaths were real. Whether they were intentionally inflicted—and if
so on whose orders—are contentious. But Trump’s touching sensitivity
about all children of God was not offered for the 300 civilian residents
of Mosul, Iraq—mainly children and their parents—who perished in
American bombing of their shelter.
A Syrian air base alleged to have been involved in the gas attack was
pulverized by dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles ($1.5 million a piece
plus fuel and labor) launched from Navy destroyers on the eve of a
summit with the president of China. Advance warning was given to Russian
personnel on the base, who presumably relayed it to their Syrian hosts.
Still there were at least 13 fatalities.
The First Casualty principle makes convincing culpability in the gas
attack difficult to establish. We shouldn’t forget the outright lie of
Weapons of Mass Destruction used by Bush II and Blair to launch the
disastrous and illegal Iraq war. You don’t have to be a supporter of
Assad to recognize how foolish it would have been for him to so quickly
blow off the diplomatic victory Trump had just given him by launching a
gratuitous gas attack on a small village.
In the past, the America First Trump rejected a world cop role for the
USA. But with stinging defeats for his domestic agenda, bitter
infighting within his administration, and alarming drops in opinion
polls, he could not resist the temptation to try to rally patriots
around the flag, as so many of his predecessors did with mixed results.
Among those saluting the Liar-in-Chief was the candidate who finished
first in the popular vote last November.
Nothing good comes from the attack on Syria. Regime change in Syria
needs to be accomplished by Syrian workers and peasants—not by more
foreign bombs and troops.
Whether Trump’s illegal Thursday attack was a one-off stunt or an
embrace of the Bush Doctrine, expanded by Obama, remains to be seen.
Either way our response should be clear.
Hands Off Syria! Bring All the Troops, Pilots, and Sailors Home Now!
Share this:
Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
April 8, 2017 in Anti-War, Middle East, Trump / U.S. Government. Tags:
Assad, Syria
Related posts
Seymour Hersh, false flags, and sarin gas
U.S. Hands Off Syria!
U.S. imperialist war in Syria: Acid test for antiwar movement
Post navigation
← Grassroots immigrant rights struggle in Chicago area
Socialist Action statement on the U.S. missile strike on Syria →
Get Involved!
Donate to help support our work
Get email updates
Join Socialist Action
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Category Cloud
Actions & Protest Africa Anti-War Arts & Culture Black Liberation Canada
Caribbean Civil Liberties Cuba East Asia Economy Education & Schools
Elections Environment Europe Immigration Indigenous Rights International
Labor Latin America Latino Civil Liberties Marxist Theory & History
Middle East Palestine Police & FBI Prisons South Asia Uncategorized Vote
Socialist Action Women's Liberation
View Calendar
Blog at WordPress.com.