From Richard Vlasic

I don't return here often--because I am out of the picture, but I did to-day, and I got my dander up.
I totally agree with Ted's comments. The people of the United States are perhaps the most manipulated and uninformed people on earth. Most of what they are taught is carefully designed to programme them. As an history teacher, I was always apalled at the mistakes and omissions in everything taught from the early settlement of this continent, the revolution, the dispossesion of the Indians, and almost every war the US has participated in or created. A good part of history is manufactured lies, as the past cannot defend itself. Only through careful study can one recall the truth.
That being said, let's look at the present state of affairs. Most of what is going on to-day is as much fabricated as was the propaganda that supported the Vietnam War. How can one as a Christian justify going across the world to destroy people, their homes, and their country? The 9/11 incident is used to support hurting others, but the truth has not been told as to what actually happened that day and who was responsible.
I do not "support the troops" in this war. Unlike Vietnam, it is a volunteer army. None of these people are required to go abroad to kill--it is their choice and on their conscience. In fact if the troops had any real moral purpose, they would stand down!
I knew a person who worked at a Baghdad hospital as the US first attacked. With tears she told me how civilians were indiscrimiately killed. Children and innocents were mangled by cluster bombs used by the invading forces. A teen-age mother came to her with no arms crying she would never hold her baby again. The hospital's mattresses were so stained in blood they had to reverse them.
Not only regular soldiers, but a mercenary army was and is used to continue a needless war. Nobody will have access to the truth easily, but we do know that George Bush and his minions have brought death to upwards of a million Iraq people, and over four thousand US troops. Countless more people have been maimed for life. Afghanistan is in a similar mess, albeit with less loss of life.
There are many complicit interests in this mess--among them Israel who holds a strong control over the US. Israel is no true ally--it is actually a dangerous partner. How many of you know that Israel attacked a US ship in 1967 (hoping to start a US war with Egypt) killing almost 40 sailors? The incident was covered up. Israel uses the great amount of money and arms it gets continually from the US (billions per year) to hurt others. Sure they are also attacked, but how many consider that the Zionists have massacred, disposessed, and stolen the land from innocent people who have lived in Palestine for thousands of years? Israel is no friend of Moslems OR Christians. Zionists attack Christian churches, burn Bibles, and limit freedoms to non-Jews. Israel and sympathetic Jews have a strong control of not only our government but our media. Their destructive grasp on us knows no bounds. The US is hated for being the stooge of Israel. This is the principal reason for terrorism.
The propaganda now threatens war with Iran for its nuclear experiments. How many of you know that it is Israel, armed to the teeth with over 200 nuclear weapons, that is the real threat to peace? Iran is a threat to Israel, not the US, but Israel will use us to make another unwinnable war.
I'm sorry--there is no excuse for war and international treachery--for which the US regime is totally responsible and guilty.
Unfortunately the cycle will probably continue to eventually destroy us. The Soviet Union destroyed itself by overspending on the military---ultimately you cannot have guns and butter!
I would like to think there is hope--but with an uninformed citizenry, manipulated to the teeth; very questionable voting procedures; the inability to elect a president by popular vote (electoral college nonsense); and a lack of real desire by the American people to put things to rights (yes, they still voted for George Bush and will vote for McCain too)--we will continue down a ever dangerous spiral of decay.
The unfortunate economic and energy problems are only a small prelude to what is going to happen. We are basically a bankrupt nation, manipulated beyond anyone's wildest dreams. God bless your children who will inherit this mess--those of you who have them--but God will not bless a nation with so many aggressive faults.
RAV