make-believe.org

Fun with the neocons

It's easy to get so fed up with those irascible neoconservatives that one forgets their rich potential as the butt of jokes. That's a crying shame, because so much of the hard work is done for you. To wit, Official Memento Ronald Reagan Jelly Beans. Can you think of a finer family heirloom?

There's only three shopping months left until Christmas, and if you're truly stumped as to what to get me, here's an unsubtle hint: the Reagan Library "Peace through Strength" hat and t-shirt. Oh my!

Also worth checking out is the Reagan Foundation's "Kid's Stuff" section.

PNAC

A few months ago, in the looming shadow of a wrongheaded and terrifyingly precedental war, I did a little research into the Project for the New American Century. This group is the most influential foreign policy thinktank in Washington right now. I would like to direct you in particular to its "Statement of Principles" for an overview of the group's vision. It was written, quite obviously, prior to September 2001. Here's the crux of it:

• we need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces for the future;
• we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to challenge regimes hostile to our interests and values;
• we need to promote the cause of political and economic freedom abroad;
• we need to accept responsibility for America's unique role in preserving and extending an international order friendly to our security, our prosperity, and our principles.

Such a Reaganite policy of military strength and moral clarity may not be fashionable today. But it is necessary if the United States is to build on the successes of this past century and to ensure our security and our greatness in the next.

What is interesting about that page, beyond the familiar hawkish lines and the extremity of their invocation, is the list of signatories at the bottom of the page. Some of the names are familiar to anyone with a vague knowledge of US politics and business, some are not. I went through this list and researched the names to find some fun facts about each of these people -- people who in my opinion can be rightly regarded as G.W. Bush's foreign policy puppeteers.

It should be noted that not all of the facts below I consider incriminating, but I do find all of them illuminating. Here we go:

This list is obviously incomplete. Some other significant names attached to the statement are Dan Quayle, Paul Wolfowitz and Donald Rumsfeld. Hopefully I'll find the time to complete it at some stage. If you're interested in the power wielded by PNAC, John Pilger has an article about the group that I found after the above list was written. And just a moment ago I came across PNAC.info, which is worth a look.

For more fun with neocons, I direct your attention to the list of Republicans (other than George W. Bush) who are seeking nomination for the 2004 presidential elections. There are so many fantastic quotes on that page; here's just one:

Fellure believes that President George H.W. Bush was responsible for fanning "the flames of international, Satanic, Marxist socialism to the exclusion of our national sovereignty." Further, Fellure said that President Clinton subsequently "shifted into overdrive the socialistic, Marxist New World Order agenda." He says our country is "being destroyed by atheists, Marxists, liberals, queers, liars, draft-dodgers, flag-burners, dope addicts, sex perverts and anti-Christians."

Joseph | 24 Sep 2003