Mark Small

If they protest in their home country, they are beheaded - or worse. They certainly cannot vote out of office the royal family that runs the show. In the early Twentieth Century, they took control of the country, on horseback on camels, and with bolt-action rifles. 7/22

“Saudi” comes from the name of the family that rules as an absolute, totalitarian monarchy. The members of the royal family have won that game of genetic roulette and can lounge on yachts in Monaco. 8/22

If a citizen of that country is less fortunate, and wants to complain - they can’t. If people are ruled by a dictator and cannot protest or vote, they’ll resort to politics by other means. The only problem is, the rulers have all the weapons, supplied by the USA. 9/22

Still, the people find solace in their religion. Except in 1990 U.S. forces in Gulf War I, set foot on their holy land. Their rulers invited us, and we were there to restore the dictator in Kuwait to power. 10/22

What happened on 9/11 was awful. Terrorism never is justified. Despotism tends to create terrorists. 11/22

A frequent response to criticism of U.S. military incursions is outrage that one would question what our troops do. That’s not the point. After U.S. political leaders have fed us lies, we have watched troops sent to places to kill or be killed. 12/22

Here in the USA fewer options for higher education exist. The military is the only recourse for some. And now we know a role this administration views as appropriate for our military: guns for hire. 13/22

So please spare me the red-white-and-blue “freedom” and “democracy.” We need to stop this militaristic state. A Republican President - and former five-star General - Dwight D. Eisenhower warned about the military-industrial complex. 14/22