In the last week or so we’ve had the undeclared war with Iran spiral out of control. Should anyone really be surprised? Shortly after it began the US destroyed a girl’s elementary school killing 175 people, most of them innocent young children.  They might have been spared were it not for faulty intelligence made worse because tough guy Pete Hegseth had gutted a Pentagon oversight organization established by Congress to guard against these types of horrific mistakes. All of this fits with his macho persona and desire to rid the warfighter of “stupid rules of engagement” designed to limit civilian casualties.  The school building had been part of an adjacent Iranian military base years ago, but not anymore. Imagine, you as a parent sending your little girl off to school in the morning only to learn latter that day that she was killed … and for what! Or you’re that little girl, happy as a clam, only to die in an instant. Just collateral damage … right Pete?

There have been no apologies or condolences from the regime. Instead the White House and Hegseth put out disgusting and immature memes, cartoons, movie clips, and sports footage spliced together with footage of U.S. military strikes glorifying the war like a Marvel comic movie. It’s like a dystopian video game or some kind of sick joke to them … but not to the innocent civilians and the American service members that have been needlessly killed or the families who mourn their loss. No worries though, the self titled “peace president” said “when you go to war, some people will die.”

At this writing, approximately 150 Americans service members have been injured and 13 killed. Trump attended the somber dignified transfer of the first six service members who made the ultimate sacrifice decked out in a white baseball cap embroidered with the letters “USA” in his favorite color … gold. And why not? You can purchase it at the “The Trump Store” for $55 along with all sorts of other kitsch, with the proceeds going to you know who. Can there be anything more disgusting?

But wait, there’s more! On Saturday, Mr. Wonderful asked our allies France, Japan, South Korea and Britain … and no, this isn’t a misprint … China … to send naval forces to help secure the strait of Hormuz now that it’s all but shut down to Western shipping. Too bad we pretty much chose not to consult with our allies before the war started. Oh and I’m sure China is going to rush in to bail us out this mess. Along with no clear set of goals or an articulated endgame in sight from civilian leadership, add their complete misunderstanding of the range of potential outcomes for this misadventure. Nice work.

Then there was the new information from the Epstein files regarding the leader of the free world and a then young teenage girl who had told the FBI that he sexually assaulted her. The explosions of the Iran war conveniently diverts attention from the bombshells that most certainly are contained in the files yet to be released or those made public but have been heavily redacted by Pam Bondi and the Justice Department. The war will have to end soon … the New York Times reported “ the United States on Thursday temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian oil that is currently at sea, allowing it to be shipped to buyers around the world as the Trump administration scrambles to contain energy prices that have been soaring because of the war in Iran.”  And when it does, the Epstein files will be back in the news and the chickens will surely come home to roost.

I’m not sure what is more pathetic, the junta leader or those that continue to support him, knowing all they know.

There was some good news though … Kristi Noem got fired, but not for the right reasons. Not because of the murders in Minneapolis or the many other ICE atrocities, but because of what she said during a Congressional hearing that embarrassed the dear leader.  Another example of women that become Trump butt girls and try to be one of the guys, only to become collateral damage themselves when their usefulness ends.  We can only hope that Pam Bondi will be next! And then, how about Pete the MAN Hegseth!

And in another tiny ray of sunshine Republican Senator Tom Tillis said it was time to get rid of Stephen Rasputin Miller!

All of this brings us to sad passing this past week of Country Joe McDonald one of the leading voices of the sixties and seventies bay area rock and roll music scene. His first album as part of Country Joe and the Fish came out in 1967 during the height of the Viet Nam War.  I remember first hearing it when I was thirteen. He was immortalized in the 1969 at Woodstock when he led the Fish Cheer and sang the “I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag” song. Fun fact: My older cousin and his buddies asked me if I wanted to tag along with them and go to Woodstock. My parents said no … probably a smart move, but damn that would have been epic! Check out the clip of him singing it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft0vkKCadgk

Here are the lyrics sung during that distant but in some ways not so different time. Different war, but so timely today. Sorry for the language.

“I-Feel-Like-I’m-Fixin’-to-Die Rag”

Give me an “F! …”F”! give me a “U”! …”U”!
Give me a “C”! …”C” Give me a “K”! …”K”!
WHATS THAT SPELL? …”FUCK!” (x5)

Well come on all of you big strong men, Uncle Sam needs your help again,
he got himself in a terrible jam, way down yonder in Vietnam,
put down your books and pick up a gun, we’re gunna have a whole lotta fun.

CHORUS

And its 1,2,3 what are we fightin for?
don’t ask me i don’t give a dam, the next stop is Vietnam,
and its 5,6,7 open up the pearly gates. Well there aint no time to wonder why…WHOPEE we’re all gunna die.

Now come on wall street don’t be slow, why man this’s war a-go-go,
there’s plenty good money to be made, supplyin’ the army with the tools of the trade,
just hope and pray that when they drop the bomb, they drop it on the Vietcong.

CHORUS

Now come on generals let’s move fast, your big chance is here at last,
now you go out and get those reds cuz the only good commie is one that’s dead,
you know that peace can only be won, when you blow em all to kingdom come.

CHORUS

(spoken)- Listen people I don’t know you expect to ever stop the war if you can’t sing any better than that… there’s about 300,000 of you fuckers out there.. I want you to start singing..

CHORUS

Now come on mothers throughout the land, pack your boys off to Vietnam,
come on fathers don’t hesitate, send your sons off before its too late,
be the first one on your block, to have your boy come home in a box

CHORUS

All right !!!!!!!

Man, I feel so much better now! But come on Country Joe, where are you when we need you now? I’m thinking of you though and wish you were still here, so how about singing a little song for us from wherever you are? You never know, there could be some real karma that might help us during these trying times!

Well, that’s all for now.  Next week back to my regular beat.

Stay well,

Michael