Making Sure War Occurs

by Jeff Thomas

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“The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists.”   – Ernest Hemingway

Recently, Patrick Clawson, who heads the Washington Institute’s Iran Security Initiative, answered a question at a conference as to what should be done if negotiations with Tehran fail.

In his answer, Mr. Clawson first stated that, “Crisis initiation is really tough. It’s very hard for me to see how the United States President can get us to war with Iran.”

If Mr. Clawson said nothing more following this statement, he would have said a mouthful.

Unlike much of America, who appear to hope that war can be avoided, Mr. Clawson not only does not appear to hope to avoid war with Iran, he describes war as an objective.

This, in itself, should give Americans, and indeed all of the world, pause. However, Mr. Clawson continues.

The traditional way America gets to war is what would be best for US interests. Some people might think that Mister Roosevelt wanted to get us into World War II. You might recall that we had to wait for Pearl Harbour. Some people might think that Mister Wilson wanted to get us into World War I. You may recall that we had to wait for the Lusitania episode. Some people might think that Mister Johnson wanted to send troops into Viet Nam. You may recall that we had to wait for the Gulf of Tonkin episode. We didn’t go to war with Spain until the Maine exploded. May I point out that Mister Lincoln did not feel he could call out the federal army until Fort Sumter was attacked, which is why he ordered the commander at Fort Sumter to do exactly that thing that the South Carolinians said would cause an attack. So, if, in fact, the Iranians aren’t going to compromise, it would be best if somebody else started the war… We could step up the pressure… We are in the game of using covert means against the Iranians. We could get nastier at that.

Scary stuff, indeed, from someone in his position. But, exactly what is he saying in his references to the triggering of previous wars?

World War II is Triggered

Readers may or may not be familiar with the fact that President Roosevelt set out to provoke the Japanese into war. On 2nd July, 1940, he signed the Export Control Act, giving himself the authorization to prohibit the export of essential motor fuels, lubricants, heavy melting iron and steel scrap. Next, he placed an embargo, effective 16th October, 1940, on all exports of scrap iron to the orient.  Then, on 26th July, 1941, Mister Roosevelt froze Japanese assets in the United States. The following week, he embargoed the export of commercial oil to Japan. In doing all these things, he knowingly froze their economy.

Whilst readers may not be familiar with the above, they may know that, at that time, the US had broken the Japanese naval code and were able to monitor their plans, including the intent to bomb Pearl Harbour. Mister Roosevelt consciously kept this information from the US Naval Commander in Pearl Harbour, as he knew that an attack would make it easier for him to convince Americans that the US should go to war (something that they had, until then, been opposed to). 

World War I is Triggered

Similarly, it is documented that President Wilson was well aware that the Lusitania, bound for England from America, was to be sunk by German U-boats. In order to create an excuse for war with Germany (which, again, the American people opposed), the Lusitania was loaded with armaments and that information was provided to the Germans, knowing that, as they were at war with Britain, they would sink it. Incredibly, the German Imperial Embassy was responsible enough to actually take out advertisements in fifty prominent US newspapers, warning Americans not to travel on the Lusitania and even gave the reason why they should not. But, the US State Department warned the newspapers not to print those advertisements. (One slipped through – in the Des Moines Register.)

When the Lusitania was sunk, Mister Wilson, acting outraged, called for war, and the American people complied, not knowing that they had been duped.

Viet Nam War is Triggered

On 4th  August, 1964, President Johnson claimed that North Vietnamese forces had twice attacked American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. This claim succeeded in convincing the American people (who, until then, opposed war with Viet Nam) to go to war. It was later concluded that the attacks never happened. (Duped again.)

Spanish-American War is Triggered

The sinking, in 1898, of the USS Maine was used by President McKinley to convince the American people that the US should declare war on Spain. He succeeded, even though there was no substantial evidence that Spain had sunk the Maine. To this day, it is uncertain who sank the Maine. However, the resultant “outrage” from the President worked – America went to war.

US Civil War is Triggered

As Mister Clawson himself states above, the US Civil war was triggered through an order from President Lincoln, in the knowledge that his act would bring about war between the States.

All of the above examples speak ill of American Presidents, in their repeated decisions to allow the loss of American lives, through false flag attacks, to stir the American people into wars that they did not want. However, this is not to say that other countries have always behaved honourably. “False flag” attacks have been used in many countries to provoke wars that were not desired by the citizenry on either side. Adolf Hitler, in particular, is famous for the false flag attack he created to allow him to declare war on Poland. He has rightly been demonized in the history books for this act.

Winston Churchill famously said, “History is written by the victors,” and this is so, which explains why Mister Hitler’s act is in the history books, whilst Mister Churchill’s part in the sinking of the Lusitania is not. He was party, along with Mister Wilson, in the plan to get the US into World War I, over the sinking.
Throughout history, false-flag attacks have been created by those wishing to attack another country, when the people of that country clearly do not wish to go to war. It might be said that a false flag attack is the “polite” way to start a war. “We want to create a war, but we do not wish to be seen as the aggressor… It is not seemly.”

And so, in light of the above history, if we read again the statement above by Mister Clawson, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that, as he refers to each of the above wars that were triggered by false flags, then actually spells it out with regard to the Civil War, his conclusion, although thinly veiled, is clear. Again…

If the Iranians aren’t going to compromise, it would be best if somebody else started the war… We could step up the pressure… We are in the game of using covert means against the Iranians. We could get nastier at that.

At present, the economies of the First World are crumbling under a mountain of debt, greater than the world has ever seen. As history shows, no single factor increases debt more dramatically and more rapidly than war. In light of these facts, the absolute worst development at this time for the US and its people (as well as the world in general) would be for the US to go to war.

I personally dislike conspiracy theories; however, I must agree that there are those who unquestionably would profit greatly if the US goes to war, especially during an economic crisis. It is also clear, in watching the American news programmes, that the media are stirring the pot in favour of war in the Middle East.

The American people have now been suitably programmed to believe that war will be necessary “to preserve democracy and the safety of the people.” The ball and powder are in the cannon, and all that is required is to touch the match to the fuse. It should not be surprising, therefore, if we turn on the news one evening and hear the announcement that an Iranian fighter has strafed a village in Israel, or an American ship has been sunk in the Strait of Hormuz. If and when such an “attack” is announced, regardless of whether it actually occurred, few Americans will ask whether it was a false flag attack. They will, instead, be immediately angered and say to their president, “Go get ‘em.”

The lesson to be learned from warfare is that it almost never serves the populations of the countries involved. It is also almost never sought by those populations, as they realise that they will bear the brunt.

War is almost always sought by those who stand to profit from it – traditionally, the major banks who will finance it, the industries who will provide the supplies and armaments, and the political leaders who will increase their power, due to the emergency situation.

Yet, off we march.

http://www.internationalman.com/articles/making-sure-war-occurs