U.S. Military Deaths (Afghanistan), 1,562
U.S. Military Wounded (Afghanistan), 11,191
U.S. Military Deaths (Iraq), 4,466
U.S. Military Wounded (Iraq), 33,080
Excess Iraqi Deaths, 655,000
Source: http://www.michaelmoore.com/ (accessed 08.13.2011)
The United States is a deeply religious country. More than 90 per cent of the population say they believe in god and while 80 per cent profess to believe in miracles. For the US military, dealing with its’ own religious identity has become an internal battle. Growing evidence points towards a rising influence of evangelical Christianity, and with two wars still raging in Muslim countries with significant religious overtones, there could be serious consequences for the US mission. Pentagon officials say incidents are isolated, aberrations occur, but others closely tied to the military and its’ religious leadership say a transformation is taking place with dire costs.
The United States is a deeply religious country. More than 90 per cent of the population say they believe in god and while 80 per cent profess to believe in miracles. For the US military, dealing with its’ own religious identity has become an internal battle. Growing evidence points towards a rising influence of evangelical Christianity, and with two wars still raging in Muslim countries with significant religious overtones, there could be serious consequences for the US mission. Pentagon officials say incidents are isolated, aberrations occur, but others closely tied to the military and its’ religious leadership say a transformation is taking place with dire costs.
“Perry’s endorsers are not just a random group of radical evangelists making outrageous statements,” researcher Rachel Tabachnick subsequently wrote at Alternet.org. “These are the apostles and prophets of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), the biggest international religious movement you never heard of.” Almost simultaneously, investigative reporter Forrest Wilder of the Texas Observer published an extensive article on Perry’s prayer event and his endorsers, “Rick Perry’s Army of God.”
[…] That exchange between a six-year-old and a stuffed tiger pretty well sums up the nonsensical political gamesmanship being played out today by the five-man lineup of corporatists on the Supreme Court: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, and Clarence Thomas. They are on an unrestrained ideological tear, making up their own rules to score big points for corporate power. Reasoning?
[If Obama were a progressive…] he wouldn’t continually accept Republican framing of issues and perpetually treat Republicans and “Conservative Democrats” (read: corporatist Democrats) as honest actors whom sincerely want to do what is best for America[.]
Why is religion featuring so prominently in the Republican presidential race? What happened to jobs? […] Melissa Harris-Perry argues that religion has been central to Republican party politics for more than a decade. After 9/11, faith became a central part of conservatives’ electoral strategy as politicians tapped anti-Muslim anxiety to gain votes.
His Saturday speech in South Carolina will make clear that he is entering the race for the White House and will spawn the ugliest and most expensive presidential race in U.S. history, and he will win. A C and D student, who hates to govern, loves to campaign, and barely has a sixth grader’s understanding of economics, will lead our nation into oblivion.
Always Question Authority 