Most pundits express their thoughts about Ron Paul with condescending epitaphs about how his philosophy of government is out of touch with reality. If reality is a policy of imperialism, aggression and ignoring our constitution, then perhaps they are correct on those charges. However there is another reality that should be considered; self-destruction. America is like the Titanic, raging through the night, fully staffed on the bridge, but out of control on many issues, especially foreign policy.

Let there be no doubt about the intents of the public document, "Naval Aviation Vision 2012", an interesting look at our present capabilities and plans for the future. [1] For all to see, friends and enemies alike, it shows that we are well prepared for endless global conflicts with clear published threats of might and fury. Of course, a warm soft-sell for the peaceful use of force, socially-acceptable rescue missions was included. Humanitarian mission capabilities aside, this means that the Veterans Administration and their hospitals will be functioning for many decades to come. That is, unless the whole business implodes. Oh, you say, that couldn’t happen?

We might be well on the way; what the neoconservative protagonists group "Project for the New American Century" [2] pushed for so long is now in full bloom, a crusade. They didn’t come right out and say, a crusade against other religions, as that wouldn’t sell. True to form, now 15 years later after PNAC started pushing for the use of U.S. military force in 1997, we are well entrenched in the melee and obviously planning for a protracted encounter. PNAC faded from the scene in 2006 but their influence remains and their desire to strike seems to have been taken to a higher level if one watches the war channels. Daily, the war analysts and commentators speak of deep targets and larger bombs. Could the nukes be far away?

Totally ignoring the warnings of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Dwight Eisenhower about the dangers of getting involved in foreign entanglements our latest generation of political leaders could not wait to jump into the trap set by the AIPAC (American Israel Political Affairs Committee). On September 19, 2001, the Christian Science Monitor ran an article by Peter Ford where President Bush calls war against Iraq a "Crusade". [3] The AIPAC crowd must have been elated with his choice of words.

Now in 2012, new adherents of a crusade policy were seen speaking at the AIPAC 2012 Policy Conference. [4] The list of speakers also included the American president and all the Republican candidates except one, Ron Paul. That about sums up American foreign policy and how it is influenced by organizations that openly represent a foreign government. We are not only friends of Israel, but we have joined the crusade against their religious enemies. Crusades usually run for about three years but we are approaching the point where at a moments’ notice it is possible to end “everything” including life itself. When religious military zealots get access to the launch codes anything is possible, on either side. If the unspeakable happens, the only sound left will be that of the wind. Apparently, the AIPAC is still enthusiastic since they keep inviting the crusaders to speak at their conventions.

It is reminiscent of the Spanish Armada in 1588 under King Philip II setting sail for England to conquer her but having not a clue as to why. At least the armada of 30,000 men in the 150 ships didn’t know. As is usually the case, the arbiter of right and wrong resides on the throne or in another bastion of power. The heavy lifting of determining the fate of the legions is done by the intellectual giants in positions of power. When human engagement occurrs, the lowly crusader needs only to know that his oppoment is the "enemy".

Though the soldiers might not have known, there was a cause. Philip II had a penchant for going after religious enemies, The Christian Moors of Spain, the protestants of the Netherlands and it was he who introduced inquisition to the New World (South America). In 1587, he obtained the blessing of Pope Sixtus V for his planned invasion of England. The plan was deemed a Catholic Crusade. [5]

Fast forward 425 years; both major American political parties and all their candidates except the one lone holdout, have pledged their support to a crusade of imperialism, and religious domination just as the Spanish too envisioned. Should we take a time-out and rethink the the plans of some opportunistic think tanks and their lackey candidates? The plans to take us to the edge of darkness? Over-confidence and self-righteousness reign supreme. How could we lose? How could the Spanish Armada have lost? They were the most powerful nation in the world at that time.

Citizens take note; this crusade is different. Does God know that his children are flaunting nuclear weapons like toy swords and cap-pistols? It could be that we will see the last crusade but we do have a choice for a short time, slim that it is. We are standing on the edge of a cliff like lemmings ready to take the suicidal plunge. Do we jump with the flock or do we have the sense to resist?

One candidate offers perhaps the best chance to reverse the almost inevitable course of self-destruction and to allow the nation to demonstrate the values it so proudly claims as its most important attributes; equality, justice and freedom for all. His platform of government reform might serve as a model of how powerful nations should get along their neighbors. Who knows, it could even cause global peace to break out.

Global peace? What a ridicules thought.

Good luck Ron Paul.

1] http://www.public.navy.mil/airfor/n... [2] http://www.newamericancentury.org/i... [3] http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-490807 [4] http://www.aipac.org/ (Note: 2012 Policy Conference speaker schedule) [5] The Voyage of the Armada: The Spanish Story, by David Howarth, 1981.

Originally published at Media Monitors Net, 14 March 2012

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