Secretary of Defense War Pete Hegseth might not seem to have much in common with techbro oligarchs META CEO Mark Zuckerberg and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, but all three are examples of the kind of elite impunity that marks late-state American empire as we slide headlong into the polycrisis.
They’re also deeply connected on multiple levels, but more about that later.
Let’s start with Greasy Pete, Hegseth, that is.
Pete’s DoD DoW Sure is Slippery When It Comes to Benefits for Killed Soldiers’ Families
The UK Telegraph had the slimy deets, but I have to lead with the tweet embed so readers can see how young, lovely, and “All-American” the dead pilot and his widow are:
From the Telegraph, via AOL:
Libby Klinner, a widow, wrote on social media that the US air force had deemed her ineligible for additional benefits following the death of Major Alex Klinner, her 33-year-old husband, because Congress had not officially declared war.
He was one of six crew members of a KC-135 refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq in March while supporting US strikes against Iran.
Since the Iran war began more than six months ago, 18 US service members have been killed and 780 wounded.
“My husband lost his life because we’re in a war – and then I was told that because it’s not technically a war, we lose out on something,” Ms Klinner told the Associated Press. “It all comes down to principle.”
After she expressed her frustration in an online post that went viral, the US air force clarified that his final pay cheque included hazard pay and combat-related tax breaks.
US officials also acknowledged that they had initially provided inaccurate information, and that her husband’s last pay cheque had included – but incorrectly itemised – “combat pay”, which amounts to $225 a month, and was not conditioned on a formal war declaration.
Major Alex Klinner, pictured with his wife Libby and their three children
Major Alex Klinner, pictured with his wife Libby and their three children
“What this experience made clear to me is how difficult it can be for a grieving family to navigate classifications, terminology and government processes at the very moment we are least equipped to do so,” Ms Klinner said in a statement.“No Gold Star family should have to become an expert in government language to understand what they are entitled to. Alex understood the risks that came with his service, and he trusted that if the worst happened, his family would be taken care of.”
Whether or not the fucking around with Iran is a war, Hegseth’s DoD is getting heat on Capitol Hill for not keeping accurate accounting, of the dead and wounded, that is.
Read the rest at Naked Capitalism.