JAMES WOOLSEY & CO. WILL OUTLINE WORLD WAR IV STRATEGIES at a forum scheduled two weeks from now on Wednesday, 29 September, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The forum is disconcertingly titled: “World War IV: Why We Fight, Whom We Fight, How We Fight,” and is sponsored by the Committee on the Present Danger and the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
They won’t let you in the door as the conference is being organized as a watering hole for like-minded supporters of the Iraq War and those committed to broadening America’s military engagement with other “problem nations” (think Iran and Syria). It runs from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. in case you want to peek in the doors at the Mayflower; there are big open hallways there.
The intro blurb on the announcement reads:
The Cold War is now being called by some “World War III” because it was global, had an ideological basis, involved both military and non-military actions, required skill and the mobilization of extensive resources and lasted for years. Today’s “war on terrorism” has the same elements, hence a broader name, “World War IV.” Our speakers will explore its antecedents, its methods and its possible outcome.
Featured speakers in the program include Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz (invited), Senator Jon Kyl (invited), Senator Joseph Lieberman (apparently confirmed — Joe, what are you thinking?!), R. James Woolsey, Norman Podhoretz, Eliot Cohen, Rachel Ehrenfeld, and others.
I can just see Jim Woolsey soon releasing bumper stickers at these events and maybe tee-shirts, coffee mugs, and buttons that say “WORLD WAR IV: Test of Loyalty,” or some other sticky absurdity.
I am going to try and attend this meeting, but if there are readers out there who make it through the “non-transferable invitation” guards at the door, inquire about how Woolsey can live with himself encouraging Americans to sacrifice lives and treasure on one hand while personally profiting off of their defense of our democracy on the other.
War profiteering is a disgusting trade. But someone of James Woolsey’s credentials should either recuse himself from commenting on national security policy — or forfeit his defense/war-related profit-making activities.
Another alternative might be for Woolsey to contribute all the profits he is making at Paladin, Fluor, Booz Allen and other firms to those servicemen and women (and their families) who have been killed, are missing or wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
— Steve Clemons
