Drat! No peace candidate in 2016 election

The saddest aspect to the 2016 presidential election is the absence of a peace candidate, or even a healthy debate about bellicose US war mongering. The Republican field is horrific, with the nine candidates left veering as right as possible bragging about how tough they will be with our imagined enemies. They promote no fly zones in Syria, rescinding the Iran nuclear deal, even refusing to talk to Russian President Putin or any other world leader they deem hostile. US weapons makers, beneficiary of their tough talk would be ecstatic if any Republican would ascend to the presidency.

Alas, they don't have much to fear from the Democratic contenders as well. The frontrunner Hillary is a proven ally. Senator Clinton voted to invade Iraq before declaring it a mistake. As Sec. of State she was the driving force behind regime change in Libya which got thousands killed, turning Libya into a failed state. She borders on matching Republican rhetoric promoting regime change in Syria, an utterly senseless policy that has only led to more death there and threatens wider regional war. Even My Boy Bernie is skittish about opposing our endless criminal bombing against mostly innocents throughout seven countries in the region, calling for expanded detente with Iran and refusing to condemn the atrocities perpetuated by the Saudis and Israelis against their imagined enemies. Hell, he's willing to keep funding their efforts to avoid irritating the US war party which prospers on those murderous policies.

Enabling all candidates from avoiding the peace issue is the compliant media in the tank for the war party. Debate moderators frame every foreign policy question from the war party scrip asking how we'll deal with hyped threats from Russian, Syria, Iran, even ISIS. Raising the specter of withdrawal from Middle East militarism will never pass their lips if they want to stayed employed in America's Fawning Corporate Media. The last sensible media peace pundit, Phil Donahue, was summarily fired by MSNBC for opposing the Iraq war in 2003, despite high ratings.

Dammit! We deserve better. The welcome peace initiatives of the Obama administration; ending most ground operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; baby steps towards detente with Iran; re-engaging with Cuba; are not enough. It was painful to hear the President waste seven minutes of the State of the Union bragging about how America squanders it treasure outspending the rest of the world combined on murderous munitions. He gloated how Russia's become bogged down by its two client states Iran and Syria, omitting how we've become bogged down trying to rule the world.

Oh, I forgot. In 21st century America, war is still the health of the state.

Walt Zlotow

Glen Ellyn