All Too Familiar

I have been doing some reading up on Mussolini, and after reading a short version of his biography, I noticed a few telling similarities. Let me indulge you folks...

First, I should make a note that Benito Mussolini started the National Fascist Party in Italy during a time of turmoil. Many of the supporters of this new-found party were tired of the current conditions and economic turmoil of their country, and adopted the Nationally fueled party with great enthusiasm. While this doesn't match up quite the same as our current Commander in Chief's political start, some of the standard platforms and ideologies do match up with Mussolini's Fascist Ideals.

Mussolini defined fascism as being a right-wing collectivistic ideology in opposition to socialism, liberalism, democracy and individualism. He wrote in The Political and Social Doctrine of Fascism:

Anti-individualistic, the fascist conception of life stresses the importance of the State and accepts the individual only insofar as his interests coincide with those of the State, which stands for the conscience and the universal will of man as a historic entity.... The fascist conception of the State is all-embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value.... Fascism is therefore opposed to that form of democracy which equates a nation to the majority, lowering it to the level of the largest number.... We are free to believe that this is the century of authority, a century tending to the 'right', a Fascist century. If the nineteenth century was the century of the individual (liberalism implies individualism) we are free to believe that this is the 'collective' century, and therefore the century of the State.[10]

With the exception of being anti-democratic in nature, many of the other values do coincide, and it is certainly against anything considered to be "left of center" and filled with Nationalistic Pride. Two pervasive and aggressive tell tale symptoms in the current US political climate. Paired with the current administration's disregard for the Constitution, the backbone to our Democracy, I'd say its getting closer and closer to Fascist Party Line all the time.

The origin of Fascism goes on to tell us:

The term fascismo was first coined by the Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini[8] and Hegelian philosopher Giovanni Gentile. It is derived from the Italian word fascio, which means "bundle" or "union",[9] and from the Latin word fasces. The fasces, which consisted of a bundle of rods tied around an axe, were an ancient Roman symbol of the authority of the civic magistrates, and the symbolism of the fasces suggested strength through unity: a single rod is easily broken, while the bundle is difficult to break.

I want you to take a quick look at the left foot of the eagle in the Presidential Seal at the top of this post. What is it clutching? Oh, a fasces. Although the seal was designed prior to Mussolini's Fascist Party, the ideology is there, and ready for the exploitation. Not to mention the numerous times Bush has made mention of "Strength through unity" with regards to current US political affairs, wars and economy.

Now on to a little bit more history, not just comparisons to Bush Jr., but this also includes the works of his father, Bush Sr. as I believe that the son is no more than an extension of the father. (Emphasis and snarky remarks courtesy of yours truly).

His first international crisis as head of Italy made him an Italian hero.{Bush SR. made a similar impact that I believe set the stage for war in Iraq - "Bush's greatest test came when Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, then threatened to move into Saudi Arabia. Vowing to free Kuwait, Bush rallied the United Nations, the U. S. people, and Congress and sent 425,000 American troops."}

The crisis was a border dispute between Greece and Albania. Mussolini sent several men to the area representing Italy as part of an International Commission to dispute the issue. On August 23, 1923, all the Italians were murdered and discovered in Greek territory. {Sounds familiar enough to me, 11 years to the day that the father started a war in the Middle East, America was attacked, and although the US was sure of who did the attacking, we..."In a Rage" reacted much like Mussolini did}

In a rage, Mussolini sent the Greek government a list of demands, including a public apology, immediate inquiry into the killings, death sentence to those convicted and payment of 50 million Lira within 5 days. The Greeks refused the demand, since they did not know if it was Greeks who committed the murders.

Mussolini ordered the Italian navy to bombard Corfu (Kerkyra) off the Greek coast. {The US bombed the heck out of Iraq} The shelling was then followed by an amphibious landing of Italian marines. After the League of Nations condemned the act, Mussolini threatened to pull Italy out of the League. {Again, sounds like the conversations between the US and the UN with regards to attacking Iraq}

Mussolini found his country blacklisted by the League of Nations and it forced his relationship closer to Nazi Germany, which was also isolated for their actions. {The US, supporting nations like Pakistan who are enforcing Martial Law - making deals with the Devil}

Mussolini soon realized that the League of Nations did not have the backbone to stop Hitler or himself in gaining new colonies, so he pressed forward. {The US realized that before going into Iraq, and will continue to march on to Iran and any other country we seem to see fit - all met with little support and little success, just like Mussolini}

Italy would find limited success in the war, his conquests in Africa, Greece and Yugoslavia slowly vanished due to poor leadership in the military, and lack of fuel to power their forces. {Did someone say poor leadership, and lack of fuel? How many times has the Attorney General and National Defense Position among others needed to be filled? What is the current price of both oil, and economic and emotional fuel? How much is it costing our country, and how long can it be sustained, and at what price?}

Mussolini also started the "Black shirts" which Hitler copied with his "Brown shirts" which Bush has revived with the "Black shirt" private security company, Blackwater.

The list could go on and on, and indeed it will. Look out for part two.

For now however, I bid you good day.