Rich Man's War

Steve Earles rockin country anti-war album The Revolution Starts Now is not only a political challenge to the powers that be in the US and their Warfare State, but its as I said rockin, C&W. Not a single song that ain't a toe tapper and left wing. I give it five cowboy boots out of five. Kick ass album.

I was impressed with the album but even more so now that it takes on a more international flavour with his song Rich Mans War. It mentions of course Kandahar, where Canadian Forces are now covering for the American Empire's exit. US forces in Bhagdad need us in Kandahar.

Which is why WE MUST oppose our excursion in Afghanistan. That and it is still a rich man's war. Our armed forces like the Americans are a working class volunteer army. People joined to get jobs and skills, not to go and fight and die for the capitalists and their state. Something the Progressives For War keep forgetting.

Afghan mission is proving ground for Canada's future military leaders

Their performance will influence, accelerate or kill their future careers and the Afghan veterans who rise up the ranks will help shape Canada's armed forces.

But a spokeswoman at National Defence headquarters says there's no crush of volunteers looking to burnish their personnel files with a stint in Kandahar.

"There hasn't really been a bunch of people saying 'I want to go to Afghanistan so I can further my promotion possibilities.,' " says Cmdr. Denise Laviolette, chief of public affairs at military personnel, the office that handles promotion and selection boards.

The military wants well-rounded leaders, she says, which means along with overseas deployment, holding staff appointments, serving as training instructors and undertaking academic and language studies.

Only about 400 soldiers in Canada's Kandahar contingent belong to the "sharp end" - the units conducting actual combat patrols. The rest are in crucial logistical and planning positions.

Artist/Band: Earle Steve
Lyrics for Song: Rich Man's War
Lyrics for Album: Revolution Starts Now

Jimmy joined the army ‘cause he had no place to go
There ain’t nobody hirin’
‘round here since all the jobs went
down to Mexico
Reckoned that he’d learn himself a trade maybe see the world
Move to the city someday and marry a black haired girl
Somebody somewhere had another plan
Now he’s got a rifle in his hand
Rollin’ into Baghdad wonderin’ how he got this far
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war

Bobby had an eagle and a flag tattooed on his arm
Red white and blue to the bone when he landed in Kandahar
Left behind a pretty young wife and a baby girl
A stack of overdue bills and went off to save the world
Been a year now and he’s still there
Chasin’ ghosts in the thin dry air
Meanwhile back at home the finance company took his car
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war

When will we ever learn
When will we ever see
We stand up and take our turn
And keep tellin’ ourselves we’re free

Ali was the second son of a second son
Grew up in Gaza throwing bottles and rocks when the tanks would come
Ain’t nothin’ else to do around here just a game children play
Somethin’ ‘bout livin’ in fear all your life makes you hard that way

He answered when he got the call
Wrapped himself in death and praised Allah
A fat man in a new Mercedes drove him to the door
Just another poor boy off to fight a rich man’s war

Sarangel Music (ASCAP)

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