Russia Was Running Out of War Veterans, So It Made New Ones

With nothing else to offer the people of Russia to unite them, Putin sends hundreds of thousands to their early deaths.

The oldest “veterans” at the parade in Moscow today were in their early 90s. That means they would have been between 10 and 15 when the war ended or 6 and 11 when it started. Something tells me that these “boys” most likely weren’t fighting. This does not mean they made no contributions; it just means Russia has run out of “heroes.”

What do fascists do when they run out of heroes? They make more. American fascists, well, neo-fascists, during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Remember the story about the football player, Patrick Tillman, who supposedly died while saving his entire platoon? It was all fabricated. He was killed by friendly fire. The Army covered up the truth, gave Tillman a Silver Star and Purple Heart, and promoted him posthumously. He became a national hero. Then the truth came out, and his family resented that their son’s death was being used to drive enlistment.

Weaving fascism into the national psyche is a delicate process requiring the well-oiled movement of many parts. One of those parts demands that some be viewed as selfless heroes who willingly give their lives to protect…