January 17th 1991 the air war begins against Iraq. The 100 hour ground war began on February 24th. I remember watching the video of the bombing on CNN.
I also remember the air bombardment being called Shock and Awe. This is a quick link associated with 1991 shock and awe. Operation Desert Storm January 1991
yet Wikipedia reports the term was popularized by Ullman in 1996. Shock and awe - Wikipedia
many links reference the second gulf war and 2003 shock and awe campaign.
somehow history evolves and truth changes.
Truthfully CNN was used as a deception asset to disguise the tank movement into Iraq. So, we had the media working with the foreign policy establishment to pursue the greater good I suppose.
Freedom of the press, versus a free press, versus press pursuing the greater good, which may be an asset press.
WE know that our intelligence capabilities expanded tremendously after the National Security Act of 1947. Certainly, there was a bipartisan foreign policy consensus after WW2 as we engaged in battles for hearts and minds. Those capabilities included utilizing propaganda to support friendly governments, resist hostile regimes, and effect change seen in the vital interests of The United States. The voice of America began broadcasting in 1947. Intelligence services became experts at utilizing media as a tool to achieve desired results. Interestingly, the United states supported many dictators after the war.
Along with Intelligence capabilities diplomacy was a vital part of protecting strategic interests during the cold war. Between 1962 and 1990 the State department budget increased from 457 million dollars to 4.796 billion dollars. The wall fell on November 9th, 1989. What happened to the State department budget since 1990? Well, it gradually grew through the 90’s to 6.687 billion on FY 2000. Between 2001 and 2009 spending increased up to 21.427 billion. The spending peaked in 2016 at 29.449 billion according to the OMB outlays by agency. Does China explain the increase in diplomatic core spending? Then comes Trump and he proposes a nearly 25% cut in the state department budget.
First, he says he wants to end regime change wars. Wait, that is what the CIA does with the assistance of State. That ruffles some feathers and we have Collusion. Then he cuts the state department budget and now we have bribery and irregularity. How dare you strangle our aggrandizement. Then we have a major recipient of defense industry campaign contributions put in charge of the intelligent impeachment process. All cry out the establishment must resist Trump. Impeach 45! He is a threat to our democracy.
Yet, we know that the State and intelligence communities specialize in regime change. WE know they used the media in the Gulf War and Arab Spring. We know they are propaganda experts. WE know they have done exactly what they accuse Trump of doing but are beyond review for some unexplainable reason. WE know they are driven by a higher calling.
WE know that Congress has oversight over the bureaucracies. What we do not know is if those bureaucracies see regime change and ever-expanding budgets as vital national security interests we need to protect, even if the people do not think so and vote to drain the swamp. Some can even smell Trump voters.
These vested interests are globalists not nationalists. They have a broader perspective than God and guns. They see things that the average Trump supporter cannot even imagine. They supported dictators during the aftermath of the cold war because stability was preferable to liberty. These vested interests are masters of subversion and developing assets. Chairman Schiff welcome aboard.
