Subject: Re: THANKS
From: "R. M. Ryan" <rmryan@mixcom.com>
Date: 7/7/10, 01:32
To: Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com>

Brown--

If the situation you intend to correct are these perpetual wars for perpetual peace (I think the phrase is Gore Vidal's), I wish you luck.  This is a giant business that uses up something like 50% of the government's budget--probably more, if the truth were known.  There's just a huge vested interest in having these winless wars that go on and on.  No one in power really cares that people like McChrystal are empty blowhards.  The military is filled with people like this, and the media is filled with synchophantic reporters.  So what?  The game is blowing up production that has to be replaced.  Since we seem to have given up the car business, wars may be America's last business.  I think all of this used to be hidden, but Donald Rumsfeld brought it out into the open, as did Cheney.  I think it's so interesting that the government is going after the lowly PFC who provided WikiLeaks with that stunning video close up of the American war machine at its usual work.  He will go to jail as did those Abu Grab kids.  I wonder if the public really cares.

But if you think you can end this system, I'd be curious to hear what your effort is.

Rick
On Jul 6, 2010, at 5:04 PM, Barrett Brown wrote:

Ryan-

Thanks for getting in touch. Would you be interested in joining our effort to correct the current situation if I were to persuade you that we were capable of doing so?

On Tue, Jul 6, 2010 at 12:06 PM, R. M. Ryan <rmryan@mixcom.com> wrote:
Dear Mr. Brown:  Thanks for the column in VANITY FAIR and please, as well, pass on my thanks to Michael Hastings.  He's a hero of mine.  It's about time someone spoke the obvious truth:  aside from the conflict in Grenada, the United States hasn't won a war since World War II.  Our supposed military might, purchased with deaths of so many people, has brought prosperity to defense contractors and debts, both spiritual and financial, to the country.  As was the case in the late 1970's, America stands on the brink of ruin caused by the lies we tell about our wars.  I could gag on the Lara Logan comment that Hastings has never served his country the way McChrystal has, though, on second thought, perhaps we should be grateful that we don't have any more braggarts losing wars for us.

In any case, please keep up the fight.  Many of us out here appreciate your work.

All the best,

Rick Ryan



--
Regards,

Barrett Brown
Brooklyn, NY
512-560-2302