Monday, May 12, 2014

THE LAST PROPOSAL



The nations of the world will have to unite for the next war will be an interplanetary war. The nations of Earth must some day make a common front against attack by people from other planets.
-General Douglas MacArthur



What the the United States and the world ought to do to put a halt to the mad arms race was shockingly revealed in Washington last week at the annual International Conference of Amalgamated Aerospace Engineers. The conference was attended by aerospace executives, government officials and wealthy stockholders. It was closed to the Press. But fortunately one clever reporter, sporting himself as a well-to-do stockholder, slipped by security. Here is what he heard and saw.
Near the conclusion of the conference, after some very impressive and glittering speeches from all sides, a slim, old, weary-eyed gentleman stood up and took his position in front of the podium. He addressed the audience only when there was total silence.
"Gentleman, all of us here are children of the Atomic Age. Most of you cannot imagine a world devoid of earth-destroying weapons and neither can I. We have come too far to think such liberal and utopian nonsense. What I now propose, however, is the least but best option open to the international aerospace community and to the world at large. It is a proposal which can enhance profits and technology while simultaneously smooth a way for a safer earth. I propose that the United States and all nations immediately and jointly begin development of sophisticated space weapons to be used against the Aliens. You may laugh gentlemen, but mark my words, those Aliens are out there and they are fast-approaching us. Some say they are here already. They will have their weapons ready. If the nations of the world do not stop their silly shenanigans and disagreements on this planet, and soon, then those Aliens will find us like sitting ducks. It is now or never, gentlemen.
The audience, initially skeptical, now showed rising approval, and finally gave a standing ovation to the wise, old man. When the thunderous applause stopped, a listener jumped from his seat (he had not stood up like all the rest). He spoke to the old man.
"Sir, you forget, we are in a global war against terror. The aerospace industry cannot just drop its guns and stop its friendly and prosperous contract with the Pentagon. This will be disastrous! We cannot act as if we are at peace with terrorists, and that there is no war."
Then the old man spoke.
"Yes. I believe we can. We must. And the sooner the better if this world is to remain in our hands and not the Aliens."
The next day the reporter was able to get his story out. White House spokespersons were at first quiet. Then they denied such a proposal was ever given. Then they admitted that there was such a proposal. A White House official gave this report from the President on the proposal:
"The President believes that Terrorism will always be a far greater threat to our National Security than any aliens...even if they did exist. The government recognizes no enemy as permanent and irreconcilable as Terrorism. We shall, therefore, not retreat to any schemes of the far-fetched imagination. Our official policy is and shall continue to be a vigilant and strong Peace Through Strength strategy. Our national security policy for Victory in Iraq and the military defense of the Homeland will continue until the Global War on Terror is won. After that we can think about those aliens."

[I published a different version of THE LAST PROPOSAL in the
Guam Tribune in 1982. It was the year that I attended the Anti-Nuclear Weapons/Great Peace March in New York City. It was also the year that my obsession with UFOS began.]


Here is an edited version I just sent to the Nation magazine:


The nations of the world will have to unite for the next war will be an interplanetary war. The nations of Earth must some day make a common front against attack by people from other planets.
-General Douglas MacArthur



What the the United States and the world ought to do to put a halt to the nuclear arms race was shockingly revealed in Washington last week at the annual International Conference of Amalgamated Aerospace Engineers. The conference was attended by aerospace executives, government officials and wealthy stockholders. It was closed to the Press. But fortunately one clever reporter, sporting himself as a well-to-do stockholder, slipped by security. Here is what he heard and saw.
Near the conclusion of the conference, after some very impressive and glittering speeches from all sides, a slim, old, weary-eyed gentleman stood up and took his position in front of the podium. He addressed the audience only when there was total silence.
"Gentleman, all of us here are children of the Atomic Age. Most of you cannot imagine a world devoid of earth-destroying weapons and neither can I. We have come too far to think such liberal and utopian nonsense. What I now propose, however, is the best option open to the international aerospace community and to the nations of the world. It is a proposal which can enhance profits and technology while simultaneously pave a way for a safer earth. I propose that the United States and all nations immediately and jointly begin accelerated development of sophisticated space weapons to be used against the Aliens. You may laugh gentlemen, but mark my words, those Aliens are out there and they are fast-approaching us. Some say they are here already. They will have their weapons ready. If the nations of the world do not stop their silly shenanigans and disagreements on this planet, and soon, then those Aliens will find us like sitting ducks. It is now or never, gentlemen.
The audience, initially skeptical, now showed rising approval, and finally gave a standing ovation to the wise, old man. When the thunderous applause stopped, a listener jumped from his seat (he had not stood up like all the rest). He spoke to the old man.
"Sir, you forget, we are in a global war against terror. The aerospace industry cannot just drop its guns and stop its friendly and prosperous contract with the Pentagon. This would be disastrous! We cannot act as if we are at peace with terrorists, and that there is no war."
Then the old man spoke.
"Yes. I believe we can. We must. And the sooner the better if this world is to remain in our hands and not the Aliens."
The next day the reporter was able to get his story out. White House spokespersons were at first quiet. Then they denied such a proposal was ever given. Then they admitted that there was such a proposal. A White House official gave this report from the President on the proposal:
"The President believes that Nuclear Terrorism will always be a far greater threat to our National Security than any aliens...even if they did exist. The government recognizes no enemy as permanent and irreconcilable as Nuclear Terrorism. We shall, therefore, not retreat to any schemes of the far-fetched imagination. Our official policy is and shall continue to be a vigilant and strong Peace Through Strength strategy. Our national security policy, and the military defense of the Homeland, will continue. After that we will worry about aliens."


No comments: