Now, the peace movement has faced the fact that it cannot rely on the Obama Administration to stop the wars. At the same time, our economy is still in terrible shape, though it no longer is in free fall like it was in 2008.

Here's a great video from the Veterans for Peace conference, shot by the Punk Patriot, where a peace activist from CODEPINK connects the dots between our wars and the financial and social costs the American people are paying at home. (Hat Tip: Bruce Gagnon)



There is another connection between the wars and what ails our country: corporations corrupting our political system. (I originally had the Freudian typo, "poolitical system.") The efforts to keep us at war are supported by corporate interests who buy the politicians with big money campaign contributions. Under the oligarchic Citizens United ruling, those corporations now can run their own political ads. Media owned by huge corporations and advertised on by more huge corporations (the latter also applies to NPR) propagandize ruthlessly on behalf of the bloodshed, regardless of the economic devastation and loss of lives caused by these wars.

And, the vast majority of Christian churches side with these corrupt wars, engaging in a Christian jihad against Islam abroad, a jihad which is being extended to attacks on mosque construction here at home. These same churches, with corrupt and greedy leaders, oppose Wall St. regulation and taxes for the rich because the preachers want to keep speculating on church funds they have bilked from their congregations. They attack government spending on the poor at home because poor people are good excuses for church fundraising, almost none of which actually goes to helping the poor. Yes, there are a few honest preachers who don't do this, but the are, by far, the exception to the rule.

This isn't limited to Christianity or the United States. The mullah's in Iran who assault democracy and freedom there, as the Christian preachers want to do here, also are robbing their country blind. Their Revolutionary Guard have gotten themselves neck deep in corporate interests there. Religion, oligarchy, oppression, and violence have been common combos throughout world history. It doesn't really matter which country, faith, or time in history.

Corportions, churches, lies, corruption, and war are part of a vicious cycle which is destroying the country.