Hornberger's Blog

America’s Soldiers Did Not Fight or Die for Freedom

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 13, 2019

One of the sacred myths promulgated on Veteran’s Day by U.S. officials, especially those in the deep state (i.e., the Pentagon, the CIA, and the NSA), is that American soldiers have fought and died for freedom. It’s all false propaganda, however, as an examination of each foreign war in which U.S. soldiers have fought and died will ...

Foreign Aid and Sanctions

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 12, 2019

Amidst all the political brouhaha regarding foreign aid, it is important that we keep in mind the nature and purposes of this particular federal program, as well as its related program, sanctions. Foreign aid is money that the U.S. government sends to certain foreign regimes. The purpose of the money is to secure loyalty to the ...

Cuba Was Never a Threat to “National Security”

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 11, 2019

Of all the ludicrous aspects of the Cold War, among the most ridiculous was the notion that Cuba posed a threat to U.S. “national security.” For some 30 years, the U.S. deep state (i.e., the Pentagon, CIA, and NSA) maintained that Cuba was a communist “dagger” pointed at America’s neck and, therefore, was a grave threat to ...

Another Drug-War Massacre

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 7, 2019

Drug-war proponents are scratching their heads over what to do about the latest drug-war massacre in Mexico. They are considering three options. Option 1. Have the Mexican military crack down even more fiercely than it already has during the past 10 years of fierce military drug warfare. ...

Military Suicides Shouldn’t Surprise Anyone

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 6, 2019

The title of a recent New York Times op-ed by Carol Giacomo is an attention grabber: “Suicide Has Been Deadlier Than Combat for the Military.” The article points out that “more than 45,000 veterans and active-duty service members have killed themselves in the past six years. That is more than 20 deaths a day — in ...

Washington Post Obtuseness on the U.S. Deep State

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 5, 2019

An article in yesterday's Washington Post provides a perfect example of the obtuseness of the mainstream press to the U.S. deep state and its dark-side practices. The article is entitled “Iran’s Hostage Factory” by Jason Rezalan. Rezalan’s article revolves a condemnation of Iran’s dictatorial regime. No surprise there. Criticizing Iran, which is considered an “enemy” ...

Who Is Responsible for the Deaths of Those Three Children in Syria?

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 4, 2019

I received an interesting critique of my recent article “Were the Deaths of Those Three Children Worth It?” My critic said that since the deaths of the three children were caused by the suicide bombing by ISIS head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the U.S. troops who were doing the raiding could not be held responsible for ...

Immigration Controls Lead Us into Temptation

by Jacob G. Hornberger November 1, 2019

The Lord’s Prayer exhorts, “Lead us not into temptation.” Yet, that is precisely what certain government programs do — programs that are ardently supported by many American Christians. A recent incident in Texas involving a death, an arm amputation, and broken limbs, ankles, and backs provides a good example of this phenomenon.

Were the Deaths of Three Children Worth It?

by Jacob G. Hornberger October 31, 2019

One of the interesting aspects surrounding the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was the simultaneous deaths of three of his children who were near him when he exploded his suicide vest rather than be taken captive by U.S. forces. The question naturally arises: Were the deaths of those three children worth it?

In Search of Baghdadi to Destroy

by Jacob G. Hornberger October 30, 2019

In celebrating the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, U.S. interventionists are emphasizing how vicious and brutal the man was and, therefore, that the world is better off that he is now dead. How vicious and brutal? Well, let’s do some comparison asking.

The Never-Ending Wars on Terrorism and Drugs

by Jacob G. Hornberger October 29, 2019

Not long after President George W. Bush declared a “war on terrorism,” I wrote that this war would end up being as perpetual as the federal government’s war on drugs. Some 18 years later, the U.S. government’s killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Syria confirms how right I was. After all, ...

The Evil of the Drug War

by Jacob G. Hornberger October 28, 2019

With the exception of the U.S. national-security state and its foreign policy of empire and intervention and its torture, state-sponsored assassinations, coups, alliances with dictatorial regimes, invasions, occupations, wars of aggression, illegal and unconstitutional wars, mass secret surveillance, indefinite detention, secret prison camps, drug experimentation on unsuspecting people, denial of due process, denial of trial by jury, ...