Appalling

One of the most troubling line one can never fail to meet when reading many American newspapers and American blogs as well as when listening to American politicians, is that the military needs to enjoy an unconditional support from the population because it protects the country.

- Protect the country? Against which enemy?

- "Against the enemy of America!"

- But who are they? Are Canada and Mexico, your closest and only neighbourgs, about to launch a massive attack against the US?

- "You're so naive... The enemy of America, those who hate us because we're free."

- Huh?

- "Yes, the Iranians, that's why they want the bomb: They want to attack America because we're free and that's why they hate us. Like did S. Hussein with his WMDs."

- Huh?

- "And don't forget the terrorists" Do we have to bear another 9/11 before we realize how dangerous they are for the survival of the US?"

- Huh? But there haven't been any terrorist attack in the US since 9/11. And far more people have been killed in the so-called war on terror than the terrorists ever killed.

- Yes, and that's because the military has done a helluva great job of protecting us against these devilish criminals.

- But maybe is it only because no "terrorists" have ever set foot in the US since then whereas they could enter the country at will through the Mexican and Canadian borders if they wanted to.

- You're so naive and anti-American! Why don't you support the troops? Don't you realize they're heroes who protect the country? Do you wish another attack against the American people who's so helpful to the rest of the world living in tyranny?

- Huh?

Now, during the last presidential campaing, in the US John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, had issued a clip where he presented himself and the values he stood for. McCain was from the military, like his father was and his grand-father too. Needless to say he had a certain mindset concerning foreign relations. It looks like it's a major asset among a large segment of the American population to the point where he could hum "Bomb bomb bomb Iran" or suggest that the US may well stay in Iraq for the next 100 years.

I can't think of any European country where a politician could seriously compete for the highest political position with such warmongerish rhetoric. But there has been such a brainwashing in the US regarding the supposed endangered security of the country since WWII that such an appalling approach of international relations is heralded as unequivocal evidence of statesmanship.

And you wonder why the rest of the world sees America as the current greatest danger for world peace...

Appalling!