“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” ~ from The Wizard of Oz

In 1939 America marveled at Hollywood’s masterful adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy. The story is a metaphor for the twentieth century’s social and political times. While the movie is entertaining, the book is astonishing. Watch for the allegory as you read the story or watch the film.

Many words describe the tactic of distraction, a derivation of distract; another is obfuscation, a derivative of obscure; both deal with concealment and, in the context of this essay, hiding the truth.

As you read this essay, consider the following single-word question: WHY?

This one-word query is on the lips of every toddler, discouraged as annoying by parents, and missing from the minds of most adults. We’ve learned not to ask.

How sad that we’ve lost our curiosity. It may have prevented our present dispiriting circumstances. Then again, knowing and doing something about it is considered un-American.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower (#34, 1953 – 1961) warned America of an alliance he called the Military-Industrial Complex.

Military–Industrial Complex (MIC) describes the relationship between a country’s military and the defense industry that supplies it, seen together as a vested interest that influences public policy. A few cognoscenti added Congressional to the phrase because of its complicity in encouraging and authorizing these appropriations.

I like the addition, so; Military-Industrial Congressional Complex (MICC) it is.

Notably, the defense industry and other supporting players are significant donors to political campaigns. Funny how this incestuous relationship works. We never saw it coming… because we weren’t meant to…

The twentieth century is a cavalcade of examples of the MICC’s impact on America. Each instance necessitated a rationalization to justify our involvement. Rather than exposing the reality of our intercessions, we hear that we’re preserving democracy worldwide.

I think the phrase is:

“Making the World Safe for Democracy.” ~ Woodrow Wilson 1918 (#28, 1913 – 1921)

It’s been used ever since to sell nationalism and patriotism, even though that’s rarely the case.

* I need to interject that I am a patriot. I pledged my life to preserve this republic. I will do what it takes to ensure that the America I love will persevere. I don’t believe in useless, silly wars that support the MICC. When we are under attack, as we are now from within, I will stand and fight…

In the 100 years of the twentieth century, 231 million people died in wars or conflicts due to human decisions. As this number and its magnitude sink in, consider that each situation required a pretext for engagement – A Call to War.

Few men rush to war for no reason, and most governments have compelling reasons.

As for America, over 2.8 million died in wars; of those, 1.740 million were killed in the twentieth century. [link] Not only are we more efficient in combat, but we’re also much more adept at obscuring the real reasons.

The MICC’s primary rationale is preserving democracy; in reality, it’s the gains generated by waging war.

The only true democracy is in the Swiss Cantons of Appenzell, Innerrhoden, and Glarus. Only 96 of the 197 world countries have a democracy of sorts. America is a Democratic Republic. That means that we elect our political representatives.

~ Here ends the civics lesson. ~

Americans are not imbeciles, but we are awfully gullible… We love a hard-luck story and rush to support an impassioned cause or sincere plea for help, regardless of the legitimacy of the inducement, but especially if it involves nationalism.

Every war of the twentieth century involved the pretense of valid reasons as a component, yet the results are always the same. Americans invested their lives, the MICC gained power, and the system profited at our expense.

I’m not saying that all of the wars were unjust. My point is that a significant factor in each conflict was the power and financial gain of the MICC.

In the latter half of the twentieth century – post-1950 – America has been in a couple of wars.

The final 50 years of the twentieth century:

* The Korean War – 1950 thru 1953

* Truman & Eisenhower

* The Vietnam War – 1953 thru 1974

* Laotian Civil War – 1959 thru 1975

* Permesta Rebellion – 1958 thru 1961

* Lebanon Crisis – 1958

* Bay of Pigs Invasion – 1961

* Dominican Civil War – 1965 thru 1966

* Korean DMZ Conflict – 1966 thru 1969

* Cambodian Civil War – 1967 thru 1975

* Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford

* Lebanon – 1982 thru 1984

* Carter, Reagan

* Grenada – 1983

* Reagan

* Libya – 1986

* Tanker War / Persian Gulf – 1987 thru 1988

* Panama – 1989 thru 1990

* Gulf War – 1990 thru 1991

* Iraqi No-Fly Zone – 1991 thru 2003

* Somali Civil War – 1995 thru 1995

* Bosnian & Croatian Wars – 1992 thru 1995

* Haitian Intervention – 1994 thru 1995

* Kosovo War – 1998 thru 1999

* Serbia – 1998 thru 1999

* GHW (Big) Bush

* WJ (Slick-Willy) Clinton

That takes us through the final 50 years of the twentieth century. The next twenty-three years are the beginning of the new century:

* Afghanistan War – 2001 thru 2021

* GW (Little Bush – The Shrub) Bush

* B Obama

* DJ Trump

* Joey (O’Biden) Biden

* I call this interdiction the Iraquistan War since it involves the countries in this garden spot of the middle east bounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Russia, China, and Pakistan.

The common thread in all of these American involvements is keeping the world safe for democracy, even though less than 50% of the world has anything that resembles a democracy. The caveat to twenty-first-century wars is the veneer of retribution. Our participation in Iraquistan was a response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001.

US Spending/Foreign contributions follow:

* FY 2023 Foreign aid $60.4 Billion

* An interesting read…

* $113 Billion to Ukraine

* Since 1946, America’s provided $346 Billion to the Middle East and North Africa

We’re buying friendship, and it’s not working!

America is the like the rich parent of an out-of-state college student mastering gender studies or library sciences, and for some reason, can’t seem to work within a budget. “Please, sir, I want some more…”

Reliable sources claim that our misleadership was aware of the attacks upon America but delayed actions to acquire power through their MICC alliances.

While lazing in the shade of The Shrub (Little Bush #43, 2001 thru 2009), Americans learned a new acronym – WMD – Weapons of Mass Destruction courtesy of Saddam Hussain, the lucky megalomaniacal target of America’s latest conflict distraction. Irrefutable evidence pointed to vast caches of arms stashed throughout Iraquistan.

It was the latest selection from the menu of fabricated distractions by the MICC to bolster a flagging economy, get a little payback and fill their coffers with Gubmint money by initiating another much-needed war in the Middle East. Let’s not forget it was a reprisal for 9/11. America stood ready to protect the region from this madman with his finger on the trigger of a chemical and thermo-nukular Armageddon and “Make the World Safe for Democracy.”

America’s MICC entourage searched every sand dune, Oasis, palm tree cave, and bunker in Iraquistan. There were no hordes of weapons, just one disgruntled old man filling clay pots with explosives, and viola, the IED – Improvised Explosive Device, aka the Irquistani Cocktail, was born…

No one in the region had heard of Molotov, and gasoline was available but only for sale to the USA… but they do love Comrade Kalashnikov.

The real story surfaced several years later when America discovered that the terrorists came from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, The United Arab Emirates, and Lebanon, everywhere but Iraq…[link] But, they are all supporting members of Al Qaeda – and that’s the origin of Iraquistan!

I’ve discovered a new use for WMD. Weapons of Mass Distraction, I’m not the first, but I find it more appropriate because that’s what this is… A Massive Distraction. It’s political legerdemain.

Research on the interdictions of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries shows that they all – yes, all – have their origins in the use of WMD.

WMD is not just to wage war. It plays a pivotal role in modern politics, as well.

I’ll limit my examples to the twenty-first century. It’s the most relevant and closest to our short-term memory duration.

The 2020 presidential campaign provides a breathtaking civics lesson. Still, to truly appreciate this election cycle, we must step back to the transition from GW Bush (#43, 2001 thru 2009) to BH Obama (#44, 2009 thru 2017).

Obummer, as he’s known, began weaponizing the justice department during his reign. According to the Cato Institute, Obama’s administration persecuted and prosecuted adversaries based on religious and political preferences. Since Joey Marionette Biden (#46, Incumbent) worked for #44 as VP, he learned at the feet of the master about the leverage available to his puppet master. I firmly believe that Obummer is still pulling the strings.

My theory is that Obummer was instrumental in Joey’s appointment as president.

I contend Obama is running America. Biden, the puppet, is a distraction – the useful idiot. “What we have here is” – the continued dismantling of the American Republic to create a New American Order – aka Democrat-Socialism.

As of March 3rd, 2023, Joe Biden has signed the following:

* 107 Executive Orders

* 127 presidential memoranda

* 390 Proclamation

* 97 notices

Each is different in authority and implementation. The initial set was the De-Trumpification of America, and the last group extended presidential reach, aand he’s not done.

The O’Biden administration has an unprecedented hatred of DJ Trump (#45, 2017 thru 2021). This animosity is so all-encompassing that Trump is the scapegoat and fall guy for every failed policy of the #44 – #46 regime.

I just noticed that the result of this calculation gives an exceptional description of their reign. #46 – #44 = #2. Tell me that the presidencies of these two masters of WMD weren’t absolute shit.

The crux is that the Department of Justice (DoJ) is now the presidential political police freely used to intimidate rivals and anyone that opposes the Democrat-Socialist (DemoSoc) agenda.

Joey used the DoJ to hide damaging evidence of his influence-peddling as VP and subsequent financial entanglements with our enemies. His involvement in Trump’s Russian collusion allegations is relevant, as is his disregard for advice from his squirrely staff. And the list goes on. Joey’s administration paid the DoJ to do his political dirty work.

Classified documents stored in a garage and in many of his multiple mansions, a Chinese-sponsored university, and a “think-tank” went unchallenged by the DoJ. Still, Trump’s Secret Service (SS) guarded and secured storage elicited an armed swat-team raid.

The protection of Supreme Court Judges’ families by DoJ was ignored in support of abortion rights protesters. Locations of the Judges and their children were posted to BTSM. Yet, a person of interest admitted his ambition to assassinate one of the judges – he was arrested for the theater it created.

The mostly peaceful 2020 protests were termed the “Summer of Love,” resulting in over 500 violent demonstrations and riots that caused approximately $2 Billion in damages. They were anything but amicable or harmonious. Honestly, things rarely resemble what we are told.

Where is the DoJ in these destructive demonstrations, yet they have no issue persecuting a catholic pro-life advocate who offered to surrender voluntarily? A dozen stormtroopers arrested him as his wife and seven children watched. He had the unmitigated audacity to pray in front of an abortion clinic.

Objectivity exposes the reality of WMD. The apparent bias of the Mainstream Media Mafia (MMM) and Big Tech Social Media Censors (BTSMC) is evident, considering how these stories were covered and that the public knew nothing about these covert operations until well after these events.

The repercussions are downplayed by the MMM and censored by BTSM. Any coverage by alternate media sources offering a different interpretation is deemed as fringe lunacy, in contrast. The broadcasters are held in contempt and ridiculed.

Our southern border with Mexico is closed and secure. Yet, over 5 million migrants cross from 107 countries. They smuggled over 57.7 million Chinese fentanyl-laced pills and 13,700 pounds of fentanyl power – 9 Million doses.

An estimated 13 million undocumented immigrants in America enjoy the generosity and social services meant to service US citizens. The cost is over $1 Billion per year. The costs to Arizona so far exceed $2.57 Billion – which is not covered by the federal government.

* Statistics are available online – Google it!

AND – No peeking behind the curtain… it’s closed and secured.

The media was to be our window to the truth; what it became is a terrifying tool to obscure weaponization and disguise WMD.

BTSM was an opportunity to share ideas openly to exercise our constitutional right to free expression. It’s federally-sponsored censorship and a perfect tool to control the narrative. The MMM and BTSM are the tools of choice to program America, present the latest WMD, and provide ample caution for dissidents.

* Beatings will continue until morale improves…

One need only look at the recent actions of the DoJ for salient examples of justice’s two tiers; one for the elite and another as a weapon to encourage compliance, much like the Stasi and Gestapo.

Congress – the opposite of progress – convened hearings to investigate the allegations. Their illustrations are spellbinding and equally damning. Each instance presented is a clear case of government overreach and violation of constitutional principles and rights.

Disturbingly, nothing will ever be done to correct this at their level or above. In fact, the only recourse is in our purview. We can vote these misleaders out of office or revolt – peacefully.

Making an intelligent selection requires accurate information. Since the MMM and BTSM control what we hear and see about the candidates, we’re limited to their recommended choices. Discerning the truth and finding a candidate meeting our political needs becomes impractical and arduous. But then, anything worthwhile requires effort. Isn’t our republic worth the work?

Unfortunately, Big Brother controls elections as well. I wonder if my vote even counts. We have a veneer to present the impression of fair and open elections. Presently, we get what Big Brother wants us to have.

Yes, they have that much power.

They appointed Biden and Fetterman, didn’t they?

Look at the sterling examples of leadership in the cabinet and other delegated posts. If brains were gunpowder, they couldn’t blow their collective noses. But the DemoSocs don’t want leaders – they want loyal, obedient drones, not free-thinking leaders.

That last option, revolt, has enormous consequences in this environment. The fallout from any behavior judged counter to the administration will incur the wrath of this weaponized DoJ.

Hitler exterminated his nonconformists.

Stalin sent his detractors to the Gulag.

Where would the DoJ send us?

Look what they did with the January 6th protestors. Some of them are still in solitary confinement after over two years.

Tragically, this weaponization extends into the private sector to the Mainstream Media Mafia (MMM) and Big Tech Social Media (BTSM), the paid accomplices of the MICC and Empower O’Biden – #2.

WMD implies that citizens never see the truth. We’re fed a steady diet of lies, distractions, and obfuscations while this New American Order – Democrat Socialism -DemoSoc – drives America over the cliff to fulfill their socialist agenda.

The old saw – “what you don’t see can’t hurt you” is just another rationalization. This axiom means that not knowing about a problem keeps you from worrying about it. It plays nicely with the “ignorance is bliss” and “out of sight out of mind” DemoSoc Mantras.

What we ignored jumped up and bit us squarely on the ass. We’re on the verge of losing this country. And looking at the present situation with sterling examples in leadership like John Uncle Fester Fetterman, George Trust Me Santos, Elizabeth Pocahontas Warren, Kackling Kamala Harris, Pothole Pete Buttigieg, and Joey O’Biden running the country, it may be too little too late.

Taking back control will require more effort and energy than most citizens are willing to invest. The decision facing us is… Is America worth the investment, or are you content to live in a world described by George Orwell in his novel – Nineteen Eighty-Four?

So, who is the man behind the curtain?

My money’s on Barack Hussein Obama.

Why???

They want to control you and every facet of your life.

March 9, 2023

~ The Author ~
Charles R. Dickens was born in 1951, is a veteran of the Vietnam war, for which he volunteered, and the great-great grandson of the noted author, whose name he shares.

He is a fiercely proud American, who still believes this is the greatest country on the planet, with which we’ve lost control and certainly our direction. He grew up in moderate financial surrounding; we’re not rich by any stretch, but didn’t go hungry – his incredibly hard working father saw to that. As most from that era, he learned about life from his father, whose story would take too long to tell, other than to say that, he is also a fiercely proud American; a WWII and Korean war, veteran Marine.

Charlie was educated in the parochial system which, demanded that you actually learn something, and have capability to retain it before you advance. He attended several universities in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree, and chased the goose further to a master’s, and has retained some very definite ideas about education in this country.

In addition, Charlie is a retired blues guitar and vocalist – a musician. This was his therapy career. Nothing brings him as much joy as playing music, and he wishes that he could make a living at it… but alas… life goes on!