That is a line from a song by Phil Ochs, a folk/protest singer who, in the 1960s, was dubbed "The Troubadour of the Left." Judge Julius Hoffman refused to allow Ochs to sing from the witness stand during the trial in United State v. Dellinger, et al, also known as The Chicago Seven (after Bobby Seale's case was severed from what had been The Chicago Eight. Ochs had sung in Grant Park during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. He was called by the defense to testify as to what had happened in the park. Ochs's song, "We're the Cops of the World" made a not-too-subtle point about United States military overseas.

   The Cold War is over. The military forces of other countries, finally, were used to overthrow a foreign dictator, Khaddafi (okay, I arbitrarily picked that spelling of his name). What countries pose threats to us now? Our military invasion of Iraq drew Al Qaeda to a place its people previously had not been. So that invasion was counter-productive, leaving aside for a moment that it was based on lies. 

   Today, on the podcast "Civil Discourse Now," at Big Hat Books, 6510 Cornell Avenue, we will discuss the necessity of maintaining a United States military presence overseas.  Jeff Cox will be one of our guest panelists.