MICIMATT for President!

Reprinted from Bracing Views with the author’s permission.

Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern coined the term MICIMATT to describe America’s sprawling national (in)security state. It’s an expanded version of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s military-industrial-congressional complex, which Ike warned America about in 1961. (Ike originally included Congress in his warning, but in the speech he gave he left it out so as not to offend the DC elites.)

MICIMATT includes the military, industry (the weapons makers), Congress, the intelligence “community,” media, academia, and various think tanks funded by weapons makers and seeded with “thinkers” beholden to the donors. The acronym’s awkwardness is more than compensated by its acuity and scope. In fact, even MICIMATT isn’t quite sprawling enough. You’d also have to add Hollywood (all those movies and TV shows that glorify the military and war) and the sporting world to the mix. MICIMATTHS, perhaps? And I’m sure we could think of another letter or two to add, perhaps another “S” for the State Department, which has become a tiny branch of the Pentagon.

At every Boston Red Sox game this year, I’ve been reminded that America needs to build more nuclear submarines. Imagine an ad along each baseline that read: “PromotePeace”

Given the sweep as well as the power of the MICIMATT over our lives in America, especially our mindset, our culture, our way of thinking and doing, the real president that America is electing this November isn’t personages like Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. The real POTUS is the MICIMATT, a colossus that rules much of our lives and which dominates and largely determines U.S. foreign policy.

To tackle that colossus, you’ve got to cut its funding in a major way: 25% immediately, and perhaps 50% over the next five years. You’ve also got to change our culture. End threat inflation, end fear-mongering, end the worship of all things military. And I don’t see this happening whether the POTUS is Harris or Trump.

On a related subject, I heard once again from my friend who believes I am too critical of Biden/Harris and insufficiently critical of Trump. For what it’s worth, here’s my reply:

Friend, as I’ve written time and time again, I’m against both Trump and Biden/Harris.

Lately, I’ve written more about Biden/Harris since the Dems are the party in power.  Though I hope Trump doesn’t win, you’ll see plenty of articles criticizing him if he takes office again.

Also, there’s no shortage of anti-Trump articles in the mainstream media.  I’m not about to repeat those.  It’s not what my site is about.  Why read BV if I just echo MSNBC?

I’m not confident that a Trump victory will produce a result that is more congenial to me with respect to the MICC and perpetual war.  Even with Tulsi and RFK Jr. in the mix.  Sorry, I can’t “own” that.

In my view, the worst outcome is another Trump victory.  Close behind that is a Harris victory for reasons you already know, e.g. genocide in Gaza, more wars, tight embrace of Pentagon lethality, praise for the Cheneys and other Republcian neocons, etc.

In contributing to Harris and voting for her with some enthusiasm, are you prepared to “own” her tacit support of genocide in Gaza as well as her celebration of U.S. military lethality and her embrace of Republican neocons as true patriots?

William J. Astore is a retired lieutenant colonel (USAF). He taught history for fifteen years at military and civilian schools. He writes at Bracing Views.

24 thoughts on “MICIMATT for President!”

  1. Trump’s supporters make him sound grand. Elon will cut the government. Tulsi will oppose the wars. RFK will do all sorts of wonderful things.

    Maybe none of it is real, but it’s like pro wrestling.

      1. Trump brand peanuts would have gold wrapping like a gold Wonka ticket. They’d have “buy American” across the front with “made in China” along the back. They’d be stale and cost twice as much. He’d have nothing to do with production but would have licensed out his name, for a price.

      2. Funny you should ask. I was just eating cocktail peanuts from a can last night. The problem with those is they tend to constipate me, being a very dense food. But they taste good so I overeat them and pay for it later.

        I expect whoever wins the election will continue to "constipate" the nation.

        Gabbard is a sell-out – no surprise there, since she's ex-military. RFK is, as I always say, a "left-over Kennedy". Who the hell needs another scion of one of the oldest criminal families in the US?

        Trump is a moron, a blowhard, and a mostly failed real-estate developer. The only good things about him are Melania and Ivanka, because they're hot (despite being privileged bitches.)

        As I said in my recent Substack articles, anyone who thinks there has ever been or ever will be either an "independent" President or a third-party President is delusional.

        And the fact that the US electorate is reduced to actually discussing which of these morons should be President is confirmation that the electorate of the country are morons and the US is doomed.

    2. Maybe Trump will abdicate his powers to them if he wins and he can just go on his revenge tour.

      1. He says if he turns senile he’ll crown Vance. Kennedy is so old, but he was supposedly offered the VP. Vance is younger.

        This is the movement I originally wanted, mostly; but it’s ostensibly very Zionist.

        I don’t understand opposition to IVF. The pro-life people have gone wild. I just have come to accept that you never know what he’ll say, nor Kennedy. Trump is talking about restoring SALT deductions for high tax states, but he reduced them… It’s always entertaining. I don’t care much about these issues, but it’s bizarre hearing what pro-lifers propose, like banning residents from abortions in other states. I dislike talk of rounding up illegals, as does Trump I think. Trump stole Pat Buchanan’s big beautiful border wall. He learned from Reform Party Pat.

        But “we” haven’t fully reformed the GOP.

        1. I dislike talk of rounding up illegals, as does Trump I think.

          Hasn't he been promising massive deportation? How's he going to do that without "rounding them up" first?

          4. If they attempt Operation Wetback II, it’ll be so heartrending that it won’t last long, will cause a backlash.

            He should talk about removing benefits, helping people to voluntarily return to their origins, targeting employers.

            Because it’s not fair for two reasons: They were welcomed in with promises; It’s not their faults. They frequently had their lives disrupted like in Venezuela.

            They should drop sanctions on Venezuela. Sanctions are working, but there’s no need to influence that state. Venezuela isn’t a threat.

        2. Pro-lifers are mostly hypocrites. Many of them are the biggest supporters of wars that cause the of people in other countries including infants and children.

    3. Right, I'm voting for him because of RFK and tulsi. Hope we don't get screwed, but taking a chance as i'm desperate.

  2. Trump and Harris are part of everything that supports the MICIMATT. They also support the AIPAC Industrial Complex.
    The real losers will be the American People for electing those goons into the White House.
    Being too close for comfort with Israel and the never ending wars gets people elected. There are too many military shows on TV and bumper stickers saying "If You Value Your Freedom, Thank A Vet".
    The USA is powerful enough to prevent other nations from taking over it and the wars they fight in do not make the USA more free and only cause more deaths of innocent people in war zones and veterans to die long before their parents do.

  3. Harris' "tacit support of genocide?" If she tells people disagreeing with her to keep quiet, it's not "tacit." She has been justifying the genocide almost daily by lying about the events on that day. Besides, she's likely to keep the same Biden team, with the exception of Blinken. The only difference between Trump and her is that she wouldn't call herself: "Palestinian!"

  4. True, America isn't electing a real president this November, it’s electing one of two synonymous breathers minutely differentiated by (R) or (D.) But neither is the real POTUS the MICIMATT.

    All serve the plutocracy, if one did not understand that before the past year should have opened eyes wide. If not, wait for the mushroom cloud :)

  6. AI controlled drone swarms. What’s not to love?

    Biden could be like a senile god controlling the ai to do his bidding. “Destroy that house blocking my view.” “Get rid of these scary homeless people.” “Get me an ice cream.”

    AI won’t refuse an order.

    “Genocide those Palestinians. Take no prisoners. Show Amalek no mercy.”

    There’s no need even for hate and lies in war anymore.

    “Destroy those innocent, harmless children.”

    “We’ve got to build a mighty drone swarm to compete with China’s mighty drone swarm.”

    With potentially just one man controlling it all.

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