Minihan's World

Chinese Dissident Takes Obama Administration at its Word and Leaves Embassy

 May 2, 2012 Salt Lake City UT

US Diplomats leave Chen Guangcheng alone in a local Chinese Hospital

China is now demanding apology instead of completing 'Agreement'

Once again, the Obama Administration is in deep diplomatic trouble for the way it handled the case of the dissident Chen Guangcheng, who fled to the US Embassy in Beijing, and then got promises he and his family would be treated humanely, only to end up in a local hospital closely guarded. The major news services are all reporting the 'deal' that was made to make it easier for Hillary Clinton to speak to the senior Chinese leadership without a thorn in her side at the same time.

The US Embassy spokesmen are reporting that Guangcheng left freely for the hospital, CBS reported. 

As soon as Guangcheng had left the embassy, and was transported to the local hospital, he was immediately subjected to close guard, and, while his wife was allowed to see him, apparently he was told that he had to leave the embassy or his wife and child would be sent back to their province and possibly beaten or killed. Shortly after he left the embassy, a Chinese spokesman demanded that the US apologize for interference in China's internal affairs.  

Read the whole story on CBS, FOX, The LA Times, and ABC News.  We also provide a link to the official State Department Briefing this afternoon.

Any bets that Obama and/or Hillary will again kow-tow to the Chinese leadership? 

 

 

The real facts on Obama

April 30, 2012 Arlington VA 

President Obama's budget projects that the deficit for the current year will total $1.33 trillion, the fourth straight year of deficits over $1 trillion. Under President Obama, the nation's total public debt has reached a record $15.6 trillion.

This is an interesting video which anyone who wants the real scoop on Obama and his 'accomplishments' should see and hear.  See and hear it on YouTube. 

JT

 

 

 

 

What was achieved by Killing Bin Laden?

April 29, 2012 Arlington VA

Has the Administration over-stated its 'Great Accomplishment'?

An interesting article in USA Today, titled, "1 year after bin Laden's death: Al-Qaeda 'far from defeated" speaks to the actual value of the death of bin Laden. Jim Michaels, the author, points out, "The death of Osama bin Laden at the hands of U.S. Navy commandos a year ago was a setback to al-Qaeda, but the Islamic terror organization remains a potent threat around the world, intelligence experts say." 

However, the article also points out that a major desire to kill him emanated from his being on the Most Wanted List so long, and not necessarily because he was in 'command' on al-Qaeda. As the article continues, "In the past year, al-Qaeda affiliates have infiltrated whole provinces of eastern Afghanistan and pose a threat to the country's future, according to the Pentagon.'

'Al-Qaeda jihadists are insinuating themselves into many conflicts in parts of Africa, the U.S. Africa Command says.It is blamed for increasing bombings in Iraq and has gained strength in southern Yemen, where it has been holding off government troops and being targeted by U.S. drone strikes."

"l-Qaeda-linked terror plots continued in the years that bin Laden was in hiding and not believed to be in direct contact with plotters. Many were disrupted by foreign and domestic intelligence agencies. Police in New York have broken up several attempted al-Qaeda plots, including terrorists who tried to bomb Times Square and synagogues."He built affiliates," said Rick Nelson, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies."

So, what is the real deal on the importance of the bin Laden killing?  Is it more political? Is it the completion of a vengeance need? Or, is it nothing more than an opportunity for the Obama Administration to really DO something that would get headlines?

Decide for yourself.  Read the article here.  Then read here. 

 

 

 

TSA Allows Unvalidated Employees Access in Atlanta

April 26, 2012 Arlington VA

Airport Security Questioned on TSA 'Convenience'

The Associated Press is reporting this morning that the TSA has approved the utilization of uncleared employees, allowing them ID Cards that givem access to airport facilities, without the necessary completion of background checks.

This is apparently happening at Atlanta-Hartsfield International Airport, Atlanta, according to the piece in the Washington Post Today.  The travelling public should be concerned that virtually anyone willing to give the TSA their fingerprints to get a job could be working the planes and the runways at Atlanta. Hartsfield.  Read the whole story here.

TSA Screeners Indicted for allowing drugs at LAX Airport

Four current and four former  TSA screners have been indicted and are awaiting trial for allowing drugs to pass through screening at Los Angeles International Airport, according to today's LA Times.

As the LA Times article says, in part: "The man with eight pounds of methamphetamine in his carry-on bag stood in the snaking security line at Los Angeles International Airport's Terminal 4, inching toward the checkpoint, when a TSA screener approached.

But it wasn't to stop the contraband, according to prosecutors. It was to make sure it got through.

The screener, John Whitfield, allegedly told the man to get to the back of the line so he and his luggage would get to the X-ray machines when Whitfield's shift started. That way, he would be the one watching the meth show up on screen; and in exchange for $1,200, Whitfield allowed it through, according to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday.

Read the rest of the story here.

Yet another example why TSA's preference for hiring out of the local unemployment offices is bad policy and leads to  situations such as these.

Comments??

TSA is up to its old tricks

April 25, 2012 Arlington VA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is apparently up to its old tricks again, doing what it chooses without regard to either logic or common sense.  her are some examples:

4-Year Old frisked twice while she and mother are hysterical. 

Here's the mother's story -- In an interview with The Wichita (KS) Eagle on Tuesday, Brademeyer said she is telling her story, which has drawn attention from overseas media after she wrote about it on her Facebook page, “because other kids shouldn’t be treated like this.”

The 27-year-old said it happened like this: She, her 4-year-old daughter, Isabella, and her 6-year-old son, Oliver, were in the Wichita airport, headed back to Montana after her brother’s wedding at Exploration Place. The children’s maternal grandmother was taking the same flight on her way back to California. The children went through security screening with no problem, but their grandmother set off the alarm. Officers asked the grandmother to sit to the side and wait for a pat-down. That’s when Isabella saw her grandmother and “excitedly ran over to give her a hug, as children often do,” Brademeyer said. Their contact lasted a few seconds, she said. But the transportation security officers “responded to this very simple action in the worst way imaginable,” she said.

There is, of course, another side to the story.  Here is the TSA Response:  The TSA says its officers followed proper procedures, and the agency denies part of Brademeyer’s version of what happened around noon April 15 at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport.

The TSA wouldn’t respond to questions posed by the Eagle Tuesday, but did provide a statement, saying, “In this case … the child had completed screening but had contact with another member of her family who had not completed the screening process. While it was explained to family members why additional security procedures were necessary in this instance, TSA officers did not suspect or suggest the child was carrying a firearm,” the statement said.  “TSA has reviewed the incident and determined that our officers followed proper current screening procedures in conducting a modified pat-down on the child.” End of statement.

My comment:  What the TSA did, as usual with them, was to announce at the same time 'modified' procedures for working with children of this age to prevent future incidents.  There is where the question lies--if the TSA was simply following procedures, why change them? If the change is one of their routine cosmetic changes that won't last, but will get the press of their back, that is one thing. However, what is more probable is that they recognized that they screwed up, but still want to seem to be in charge.  Things like this, whatever the reason, should not be happening.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/24/3574162/mom-tsa-agents-at-wichita-airport.html#storylink=cpy

Then, there is the case of Congressman Canseco (R-TX) who says he was groped by a TSA inspector

Last week, a TSA agent at San Antonio International Airport patted down Francisco Canseco, who sits on the House Financial Services Committee.  The agent, an aide said, was so aggressive that he hurt Canseco — so the congressman moved the agent’s hand away.

[ Reported by Politico] A freshman Republican from Texas says the TSA got a little too friendly during a recent pat-down in San Antonio — leading to an exchange where the congressman and the TSA agent both said they were assaulted. Both Canseco and the TSA agent claimed they were assaulted, and the San Antonio Police Department got involved.  According to a Canseco aide, no citations were issued.

His side of the Story:  "The agent was very aggressive in his pat-down, and he was patting me down where no one is supposed to go,” Canseco told KENS 5 in San Antonio. “It got very uncomfortable, so I moved his hand away.  That stopped everything and brought in supervisors and everyone else." Earlier this week, Canseco was patted down again, the aide said. He asked the agent why he was being detained again so soon, feeling it wasn’t coincidental.  But eventually he was allowed to board. 

TSA's Response: The agency’s response, provided to KENS 5 (TV - San Antonio), was that the “TSA incorporates random and unpredictable security measures throughout the airport. Once a passenger enters the screening process, they must complete it prior to continuing to a flight or secure area."

The Rest of the Story: Earlier this year, he and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sponsored a bill known as the STRIP Act, which seeks to prohibit TSA agents from using any trappings of law enforcement.  For instance, it would prohibit TSA agents from being called “officer” and would forbid them from wearing uniforms or badges that resemble those worn by police officers.

Surprise, Surprise -- is this yet naother case of retribution by TSA for people doing things they don't like? I wonder.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/75588.html#ixzz1t46p2x7f

And then, there is the 'Note from TSA'"

Huffington Post Reports:  Ross Berenson had returned home from Los Angeles when he noticed his luggage had been tampered with. After a calm conversation with TSA workers, he was offered a complaint form to fill out. But, once on the subway, Berenson noticed that it had already been partially filled out, with a message saying "Go to hellllllllllllllllll."

This is not the first time that TSA workers have left notes in luggage, or simply refused to get serious about complaints.  When will they learn that this kind of stuff seldome stays private of quiet.

 

Politicians say some of the stupidest things

April 24, 2012 Arlington VA

With the ongoing political campaign in full swing, more and more laughable comments are coming out each day to rivone another with the daily 'stupidest comment.'  I thought perhaps a couple, or a few, might make for a good morning today.

Who better to start with than Nancy Pelosi:  Here's the background -- Pelosi and Democratic leaders have proposed a three tiered plan to pass what is known as the DISCLOSE Act, that would require corporations and other entities known as "covered organizations" to disclose the amount of money they spend on campaigns within24 hours. "Covered organizations" would include any corporation, labor union, 501(c) organization, Super PAC and 527 organizations. Most television and radio networks, newspapers, publishing houses, think tanks and movie studios are usually organized under a corporate umbrella.

Here's the statment -- "We have a clear agenda in this regard: Disclose, reform the system reducing the role of money in campaigns, and amend the Constitution to rid it of this ability for special interests to use secret, unlimited, huge amounts of money flowing to campaigns," Pelosi stated this at one of her recent press conferences.  Has she thought what her own party would so if this wwere applied to the Super-PACs, many of which belong to the Democrats, or their Hollywood surrogates?  Probably not.

Then, there is our owned lovable Joe Biden, the Vice President: Here's the background -- The Washington Examiner's Byron York wrote in late March about a Chicago Democratic fundraiser, with former Democratic Chicago Mayor Richard Daley in attendance..

Here's the Statement --  "I never had an interest in being a mayor 'cause that's a real job. You have to produce. That's why I was able to be a senator for 36 years."

There are others, such as, Rick Perry:   “And I will tell you, it’s three agencies of governments when I get there that are gone: Commerce, Education, and the uh, uh…what’s the third one there…”

How about Mitt Romney: "I believe in an America where millions of Americans believe in an America that's the America millions of Americans believe in. That's the America I love."

Ultimtely, it is President Obama that leads the pack.  How about:

"Ultimately, I'm confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented extraordinary step of overturning a law that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress," [Passed by a small majority in the house, and even closer in the Senate--all on party lines]

or, How about the classic conversation with the Russian President on space and missile defense --

The exchange:

President Obama: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him to give me space.

President Medvedev: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you…

President Obama: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.

President Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.  Unfortunate that this about serious matters rather than some of the drivel above.  And hoiw about..

Politics has always been siad to make 'strange bedfellows', but it also seems to make comedians and gaffers who do not realize the effect of their ad-lib comments.

There is much more where these came from, and probably a lot more as the campaign progresses

 

Obama in the News...

April 14, 2012 Arlington, VA

Presidential Secret Service Agents with hookers; Bolton on Obama's failed Korea Policy

The news just keeps getting better each day for Barack Hussein, as he starts in earnest on his never-ending re-election campaign.

First Stop: Cartagena with the Secret Service.  CNN is reporting that 12 Secret Service agents assigned to the Presidential detrail have been sent home and placed on administrative duty for drunken parties and prostitution charges. 

Dan Lothian, the CNN WHite house Correspondant says, " Secret Service agents sent to Colombia ahead of President Barack Obama were relieved of duty and returned home amid allegations of misconduct. The incident -- reportedly related to involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena -- overshadowed the start of the sixth Summit of the Americas, where the president was to focus on trade, energy and regional security."

Edwin Donovan, a Secret Service spokesman, said in an interview, "Before the president's arrival, an undisclosed number of Secret Service agents were relieved of duty and replaced, . There have been allegations of misconduct made against the Secret Service in Cartagena, Colombia, prior to the president's trip. Because of this, those personnel are being relieved of their assignments, returned to their place of duty, and are being replaced by other Secret Service personnel. The Secret Service takes all allegations of misconduct seriously."

Praise the Secret Service and full-speed ahead with yet another black eye to Barack Hussein.  He will probably announce the firing of the Secret Service Director, and claim that it was Bush's fault.  We'll see.

Second Stop: North Korea.  John Bolton, the former UN Ambassador under President Bush, has spoken out on the 'broken' policies that seem to guide the Obama administration with regard to North Korea. Bolton, speaking to the NRA on Friday said that "The United States has to have a better plan than counting on the other side’s missiles “blowing up in flight.” Bolton insisted that North Korea’s action demonstrates it believes it can continue to make progress toward a “deliverable” nuclear weapon, and that the major powers will complain, disregard, and the US will eventually come back to the negotiating table anyway.

According to the interview that followed his speech with Newsmax, Bolton suggested that the isolated north, using a long-range rocket launch to celebrate the 100th birthday of dead founding president, Kim Il-sung, and to mark the rise to power of his grandson, Kim Jong Un, is now widely expected to press ahead with a third nuclear test to show its military might. The North Korean rocket crashed into the sea after traveling a much shorter distance than a previous launch.

The real question is how much Barack Hussein has to screw up before his die-hard supporters realize they have a loser.

Read more on Newsmax.com: Bolton: US Defense Can’t Be Based on Enemy Missiles ‘Blowing Up’
Comments?

Israel proposes to deport 'activitists' supporting Palestinian Freedom

April 13, 2012 Arlington VA

What about the Israeli activists crowding our airlines here? Do we deport them?  No, We are a democracy, not an iron-curtain government.

CNN is reporting on YNET stories from Israel that the Israeli Government is determined to deport any activitists intending to support "Welcome to Palestine 2012" this coming weekend.  They report " Israeli security forces are preparing to deport hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists expected to arrive at the country's main international airport beginning Sunday to protest Israel's policies in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Police will be implementing measures inside and around Ben Gurion airport from the weekend in order to deal with the arrival of activists into the country," Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told CNN .

"We believe, like prisoners in prisons, we are entitled to receive visitors and Palestinians under Israeli occupation are also entitled to receive visitors," said event coordinator Mazin Qumsiyeh. "So we are entitled to get international visitors to come and visit and show solidarity with us to learn about the situation, but Israel chooses to prevent these people from coming,"

Israel's public security minister, Yitzhak Aharonovitch, has called the activists "provocateurs" and Israeli news portal Ynet was told they would "be dealt with in a determined and quick way," by Aharonovich, "If they arrive in Israel they will be identified, removed from the plane, their entry into Israel will be prevented and they will be moved to a detention facility until they are flown out of Israel."  Now that's the way a democracy acts!

What the US and other countries need to do is ban the myriad of Israeli politicians, speakers, and other 'activitists' that are pro-Israel from accessing our shores, our people, our media, and prevent them from stirring up anti-Palestinian sentiment.  Myabe then Israel will begin to realize that it needs to live by international rules if it expects to be taken seriously.  Of course, that won't happen because the Western nations don't have the guts to do it--they would rather listen to Netanyahu and his minions praise the genocide going on in Gaza and the West Bank.

Comments?

Obamacare costs out of control

April 11, 2012 Arlington VA

Administration official slammed by the White house for revealing true figures

In another stunning example of how spin at the White house is paramount, take the case of Chuck Blahous who holds the title of Medicare Trustee for the Obama Administration.  As a professor at George Mason, his Insitute there recently completed a study of the true impact of Medicare under the coming Obamacare rules.  His study disagreed with the Congressional Budget office (CBO) and claimed they were double-counting figures to reduce the impact on the deficit.

Enter the White House spinmeisters.  They accused Blahous of twisting the facts himself, and, instead of calling his by the title of the office to which he was appointed by Barack Hussein, they instead preferred to call him a 'Former Assistant to President Bush", which he was from 2001 until 2007.  The facts Blahous presented were completely lost in the context of their assault--something the White House wants to happen so the 'real' story of Obamacare is not told before the election.

See the entire story on the Times here.  Good reading.  Please comment.

 

Obama the Scholarly President

Arlington VA April 5, 2012

Is he for Real?

Any of you that have been following the incredible story of a President of the United States questioning the right of the US Supreme Court to decide on the constitutionality of laws, only to then try to say he meant something else but really did believe they shouldn't do it, must be falling over laughing. Even the child he has for a press secretary could not get the story right.

Clearly, former consitutional law professor Obama DID say that 'unelected' bodies should not be ruling on laws passed by the Congress. He must have momentarily forgotten that the Court does exactly that, and has over 150 times in recent years on a wide range of issues.  Of course, he said that he MEANT to say that court should follow its own precedents and leave the Obamacare Act alone.  Then his Press Secretary went even further--trying to undo what obama actually said in favor of a new spin--one that new included the appellate courts as well.  That really cleared everything up.

Now, it is true that the Court most often follows prior precedent in making decisions.  That is perfectly logical and expected--after all, the Court would make a real mess of the law if it changed its mind every few years.  However, there are times and circumstances where new precedent needs to be created. The Dred Scott case legalized separate but equal education. However, by the 1950's it was clear that education was NOT equal, and the court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that its prior rulings no longer held and a new standard (read that 'precedent') was now in play.

To say that the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution has been so completely litigated that there is no need to re-look precedent is, on its face, absurd.  There are new industries, new issues, and changing industries and technologies that did not exist years ago. Each needs to be considered on its own merits, precedents considered, and decisions made that reflect the true needs of the industry involved.

Almost no one disputes that the insurance industry is very large and complex. Just because it is, and is pervasive across society does not make an iron-clad case for requiring people to do something they have not done before, for many reasons, but must do now to ensure that the Insurance companies are able to keep paying dividends. That 'mandate' is the key consideration for the Court. It has to rule on whether the Obamacare Act, created in secret by the insurance industry, the White House and the Democratic-controlled Congress meets the constitutional bar that the mandate can be enforced.  Even the then-Speaker Pelosi admitted not to have even read the bill before it was passed.

Hopefully, two things will happen here. One, the Court will come to a reasonable decision and quickly on the constitutionality of the Act. Two, the White House, its leader, and his minions will let the Court do its work and not have to listen to the dribble coming out of the mouths of people who should know better.

Comments?

Israel vs the Palestinians. Who is right?

Arlington VA 22 March 2012

I put some comments on the Beast Blog today.  Like the WashingtonPost, they had 'technical problems' so i am putting the same here.

 

Read.

 

Like so many others, you split hairs to defend an undefensible position.  Yes, the Israelis and the Palestinians are both Semites--historically and factually.  They disagree on large numbers of issues, among them basic freedoms and rights they have to land that they have held for centuries--long before the migration of the first Jews to Palestine early in the 20th century.  It is true that the UN gave what had been Palestine to the Jews--with the provision that a Palestinian State--never created--would also be formed.  Instead, large numbers were expelled into Jordan and Egypt and remain expatriots not able to take back the land they legitimately own.
  Netanyahu insists that Israel is for Israelis.  What about the Palestinian israelis that tilled the land long before.  Have they no rights?  Should not the UN be able to send in their human rights inspectors to assure that what Israel claims is true.

Comments

Iran Prepared to take 'Pre-emptive Strikes'

Arlington VA  February 22,2012 [Updated]

The Associated Press reported today that the deputy head of Iran’s armed forces said that Tehran is ready to take pre-emptive action against its foes if it feels that it is in danger.

“We do not wait for enemies to take action against us,” Gen. Mohammed Hejazi, who heads the military’s logistical wing, was quoted by the semiofficial Fars news agency as saying. “We will use all our means to protect our national interests.”

Iran said the day before that it was starting air defense war games to practice protecting nuclear and other sensitive sites, the latest in a series of military maneuvers viewed as a message to the West that Iran is prepared both to defend itself against an armed strike and to retaliate.

The official news agency IRNA said the four-day air defense war games, dubbed “Sarallah,” or “God’s Revenge,” were taking place in the south of the country and involve anti-aircraft batteries, radar, and warplanes. The drill will be held over 73,000 square miles (190,000 square kilometers) near the port of Bushehr, the site of Iran’s lone nuclear power plant.

Iran has held multiple air, land, and sea maneuvers in recent months as the tensions increase, according to the AP article.

If iran has only 'peaceful' nuclear intentions, why the saber-rattling, why the naval forces to Syria, and why the Britain-France Embargo?  Only time will really tell what is happening here.

One of the latest analyses of the iran-Israel controversy was printed in the New York Times today in its world news report.  Several significant statements are here about the intent of the nuclear program, its potential effect on israel, and the overall effect of US and other sanctions.  read the article here.

Comments?

 

The Stupid Awards - US Health & Human Services

Arlington VA  16 February 2012

It has been a while since I have seen anything base enough to earn one of my stupid awards.  This time, it is the Department of Health & Human Services, and its Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who I had previously thought a reasonable politician.   However, the recent annoouncement, greeted warmly by religious leaders, that contraceptive and other types of care, including abortion counselling, etc, would be mandated for religious organizations that provided health care tipped the hat to this award.

 

While I am fervently a pro-life person, this is not my principal reason for the award.  Secretary Sebelius is simply doing her boss Obama's bidding to implement as much of Obamacare as is possible before the Supreme Court rules.  Please remember that this is the law written by the insurance companies for the insurance companies and includes such 'benefits ' for the American public as forced insurance, fines for not having commercial insurance, higher costs for drugs, reduced medicare and medicaid benefits, and a wealth of other things that only Obama and the insurance companies have decided to include in their best interests.  Even the then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi indicated that no one had read the bill before it was passed.

Now we have Sebelius stirring up virtually every religious group, who are resisting on freedom of religion grounds, and will eventually vote in drovesd to oust Obama.  That is not smart politics.  As a former governor she should know better, but then a good number of Obama appointees follow his socialistic pronoucements in lock step.  She is an immense disappointment-- A LOSER like her collegues.

Upcoming Conflict

Arlington, VA February 15, 2012

Oil as a variable

To say that the Mideast is a tinderbox is perhaps a misnomer.  Rather, it appears the fuses are already lit and, as usual, the US will be in the middle, primarily due to the ineptitude and stupidity of the Obama Administration.

The most important problem is, in my view, not Israel-Iran, as many think, but a more basis conflict--the production and delivery of oil.  We still have major conflicts ongoing in Bahrain, Syria, Egypt, and Libya--all contributing to the ever-fluctuating prices of oil at the barrel-head.  Until these regional flareups settle down, especially those in Egypt and Libya, there cannot be any stabilization of oil prices.

Much of this instability is tied to the greed, not of the producers, but from the refiners and distributors.  if one looks honestly at the oil market, it does not take a genius to realize that prices above those set by OPEC and others are set by the same distributors that bought the early through futures purchases months or even years earlier.  let's say for a moment that their price at the pipe was $60.00 a barrel for delivery in twelve months.  The market immediately takes over and the price rises because of  'market turmoil' to the extent that--a year later--that $60 oil is now $90 oil just as it is  now  out of the pipe today--a great profit for the distributors.  Take instability in Egypt, Libya, or even Greece and the price goes even higher long before the delivery and payment for the oil futures is required.

Add to that instability a number of conflicts, such as that in Bahrain, which affects the Saudi oil market, and even more instability occurs in both pricing and availability.

There are also a number of sources that point to the US - a major oil importer -- as one of the real problems in this set of equations.  US refiners have large supplies of oil, much of it heavier oil, although lighter oil for gasoline is also stored, and they are carefully limiting their refining and distribution processes to drive up the prices even further.  That doesn't help anyone, except the refiners that generally support the Obama administration with contributions.

Bottom line --oil is a major factor in the larger equation of Mideast peace.

Israel as a variable

The majority of the Mideast countries, despite their public statements, do not like Israel in their midst. Nor do they like the attitude of the current Israeli administation that continues to try to beat down both Hamas and the Fatah. In turn, Israel, relying on the US and its UN Security Council majority, could care less about true peace, relying on enforced cease fires with occasional invasions by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) Whenever they choose.

The argument, however, is not about Israel asa country.  it is about Israel as a religious entity--one that is anathema to Islam regardless of the individual sect.  It must be remembered that, while the Jews have a long history in Palestine, they were absent for many centuries, and other semitic peoples lived on the land that Israel now claims through UN Mandate.  Even that mandate was never completely executed and the only people left out were the original Palestinians, who were thrown from their land, given no rights, and displaced even further as European Jews filled the land spaces.

That having been siad, Israel is a recognized country and its citizens have a right to live in peace as well.  Unfortunately, neither side really gives way to the other; Israel is the strongest country in the area; its Government is strong and its military powerful; and its people dedicated to peace but prepared for war if needed to retain their space.

Faced on all sides by countries and governments that really do not support them, Israel has a continuing problem of preparation for conflict. Egypt started to close the underground portals to Gaza, but, with the "Arab Spring" has generally stopped that effort, and even opened the above-ground entry points between Egypt and Gaza to convoy trade.  Lebanon continues to harass the Israeli border guards and troops, and missiles still fire occasionally from Gaza and the West Bank.  Syria is decidedly not a friend of israel but, luckily, is engaged in its own burgeoning civil war.

Importantly, the Israeli people are tired of war and are gradually splitting into both peace-preferred and war-mongering factions.  The war faction sees Iran as its greatest threat and it looking for ways to justify its attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.  That might be a good idea, but Israel will have only one shot at that country, and the real question is whether they have the capability to pull off a complete destruction of those facilitate, the Iranian air defense system, and enough of the Revolutionary Guard and the Iranian Air Force to make their raid a success.  The US is already deeply involved in supporting that effort when it comes.  We will provide even larger 'bunker buster' bombs, refueling facilities, and everything else they need.  We (the US) will also be prepared to condemn their actions should the world not agree--that's the general response from the Obama Administration thus far).

The Israeli peace faction is turning quickly to Palestinian rights and, again, justifiably so.  Were the israeli Government to stop the indiscriminate settlement building, and provide rights to the Palestinians that peacefully worked the land for centuries, they might just find an ally for even more peace initiatives.  The full terms of peace among the Jews and Muslims will probably never be achieved after the two Intifadas, but it is worth the effort.

That attempt at pace means the US needs to become an honest broker and not just an Israeli ally.  The US needs to get out of the daily complaints, and into a view that encourages both EQUALLY toward peace.  Perhaps that means stopping much of the $50B in aid that goes out to Israel, or at least predicating the military support aid on real progress toward peace.  Support to Israel on Iran is a different issue.  Working out peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel through direct negotiations changes the equation, and removes the influence of iran on the issue.

Whatever we decide to do, and whatever Israel decides to do, it needs to happen before the Israelis attempt to destroy Iran.  Peace will not come from an incomplete effort.

Iran on a tightrope

Arlington VA January 4, 2012

Iran seems determined to walk a fine line between simple stupidity and outright idiocy in its current face-off with the US Navy in the  Straits of Hormuz. The last time they decided to close the straits by mining it, which resulted in an explosion aboard a US warship, they lost several craft in the return strikes.  This time, with their new surface-to-surface missiles, also recently tested, they   a giant again, but one with much more advanced firepower.

Iran is backed by China and Russia in their latest silliness, and has already indicated that, in the event of further UN/US sanctions (That is what this is really all about) they will close the straits and prevent oil export.  The Straits provide an avenue for export of a significant portion of exports from Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and other producers.  So, the Iranis believe they have a wild card and have chosen to insult and belittle the US into some kind of confrontation since they have their allies solidly behind them.

But do they?

Russia, in particular, has proved over time to be a blusterous but unfaithful ally to the countries it has tried to stir up against the US and its allies.  China wants Irani oil, but will only go so far in supporting Iran.  Both countries can veto UN Security Council actions, but do not have the power ro force the Security Council to stop independent actions by member states who choose to go around the UN.  An effective stalemate for both countries.

Then there is the ultimate wild card in the area, Israel.  it is clear from the dialogues over the past several months that Israel sees Iran as the  biggest thorn in their side.  The Israeli military would like nothing more than the green light to go in and take out the nuclear sites, and anything else of military value that supports Irani terrorism.  So far, they have kept their looming potential below the horizon.  That cannot last forever, and they will probably not ask for UN permission if they do decide to strike.

The US, in turn, is improving the arms capabilities of Saudi Arabia and Iraq so that they can defend themselves when needed, and especially if the Irani do decide to construct traffic in the Straits.

Since the Irani Military made it clear that they did not want the USS Stennis back in the straits the navy has announced that not only will the Stennis continue to patrol, but the Abraham Lincoln and another carrier group will join the patrols as well.  That represents over 1500 aircraft, ships, and supporting vessels and infrastructure that strike Iran within minutes of any attack.  If that eventuality occurs, a lot of people will be visiting with Allah.  Let's all hope it doesn't come to that.

Joy to the World (Maybe)

December 25, 2011
Arlington VA, USA

Just a moment to ponder....

Time Magazine - Person of the Year 2011.  As we barrel headlong into the rushing rapids that will inevitably be 2012, perhaps a few moments ought to be spent pondering where we are, what our nation is doing, and what directions we ought to pursue in the coming 2012.

First, it is interesting that Time magazine has announced its "Person of the Year" and named the protesters on Wall Street (and elsewhere in the Nation) as that honoree. Nothing could more succinctly express the general malaise of our society than that dedication.  If these protesters were genuine, and not a bunch of professionals that go from cause to cause where their stipends come from, or where they might get free food and lodging aside from the streets, then they just might make a good point on the decadence of Wall Street and the broader banking community.  However, just reading the signs, and listening to many of their 'spokesmen' on the airways, it is easy to tell that these people, in general, really don't know what they are protesting about, and, as usual, the range of topics goes far beyond the financial mess we are in right now.

Is Iran a sole threat or a conspiracy with others?   An interesting question brought up over drinks the other day at my favorite pub in Crystal City.  Some believe that Iran is a directed threat against primarily Israel, and that the US is simply exacerbating that threat by its support for Jewish State.  Others believe that Iran is either working in concert with or bankrolling other states, such as Syria, in their efforts to undermine US efforts at peace in the area.

Personally, I believe neither is the straight truth.  Iran is almost certainly bankrolling Syria, Hezbollah Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza, and probably a large wing of factions in Iraq that have popped up since the US withdrawal a short time ago.  Both Iran and Syria have, I believe correctly, gauged the international sentiment for reducing conflict over creating more brawling with either country.  Only Israel remains alone in realizing that these two countries are significant risks to its survival over time if not stopped in their tracks.  The US is now virtually powerless to stop that eventuality.  All the rhetoric at the UN and other venues; all the frozen assets, travel restrictions, and the Hillary Clinton speeches have done virtually nothing to stop their internal and external actions.  As long as either or both have the capability to produce nuclear weapons, they remain both a threat, and a danger that must be respected--even more than the danger currently posed by the succession in North Korea.

Iran has the oil, the partners, the customers, and supporters to prevent real action against it in the long run--all except Israel.  If Israel sees a significant or potential danger (beyond that already in place), it will strike first and ask for international permission later--and justifiably so.  Iran has at least a limited ability to respond with nuclear weapons, rocket-based, but will it really do so?  Can it afford to do so?  Probably not, leaving some measure of hegemony between Israel and Iran that will serve as a deterrent.  Either side can severely damage the other, and each side hassuppporters who would really prefer not to be deeply involved in that potential conflict.  Only time will tell, but I will bet that Iran and Syria will ratchet up the stakes, and either or both will find themselves on the other side of a massive attack in the next six months.

The future of Iraq.  With the US pullout, Iraq has quickly become a mess that will require future international attention.  The Government wants to arrest its own Kurdish Vice President, bringing the Sunni-Kurd wound out afresh--but without the US to mediate.  Terror squads are roaming the country at will bombing here and there as they choose--disrupting the Government, and showing the clearly that Iraq must either live with their decisions or face civil war.  Expect a full-blown civil war within 3 months here.

Implications for the US economy.  Much of what is discussed above is being steered by politics and the economy.  The Obama Administration is so clearly showing itself as the single most incompetent admistration since Warren G Harding - Even Jimmy Carter did a better job, and both got the Nobel Prize for their lack of effort.  Everything in the Obama White House from his first day in office has been directed toward re-election, and nothing, including war and diplomacy will stand in the way of that effort.  The economy is still in a shambles, unemployment remains too high, the banks continue to use Federal funds, supported by the Federal Reserve and Treasury, as they gouge customers, and Obama goes off to Hawaii as he has done something to merit a vacation.  He has inflamed Israel--not even realizing that every step he takes pisses them off even more as he claims to support them while crticizing at every opportunity.

Don't get me wrong here - unlike the jaded media who think a trip to Israel is mandatory and kissing Netanyahu's ass at every chance is obligatory, I disagree.  The US should be pursuing a policy as an honest broker in the Middle East, but now it is too late to get any government in the area to believe that story.  Even Hillary Clinton can't make that bitter pill go done anyone's throat.  In fact, it seems that Bill Clinton actually has more influence currently on the world stage that the President.  Something is amiss here for that to be happening.  Many overseas are actually hoping for a new Clinton Era.  Wonder how Hillary would work that out?

In any event, there are so many balls in the air for the US right now that something will be coming crashing down--bet it will be the economy again, since there will be less of a war to draw from the economy.  only time will tell, but you can be sureit will not be the Obama administration that will tell you.

Happy New Year

 

Homeland Security is a Complete Mess

October 26, 2011

The time has come for real change at DHS.

Secretary Janet Napolitano went to Capitol Hill this week to discuss the arms fiasco along the Mexican Border with Congressional committees.  in effect, she was reporting that no real review of the whole matter had occured in DHS; a few 'sacrificial lambs' (primarily those that spoke to committees while DHS and Justice were stonewalling) were fired or resigned; but no real action had been taken to stop these transactions.  In fact, both  Holder, the Attorney General, and his US Attorney in Arizona tried to make the case these were good investigations (Of course, Holder later denied he knew anything and the White House was quick to say he 'mis-spoke' earlier).  What trash for senior Federal officials.

The time has come to stop dangerous actions that bear no fruit, and start firing those who essentially commit illegal actions instead of supporting them.  While I recognize that the Mexican drug trade needs to be curbed, you don't do it in a sane sociaety by providng them the guns to defend themselves.

Still here and working

October 22, 2011

So many significant events ha ve been happening since I last wrote.  mostly, I have been busy working on a new book that should come out early in the year.  Have also been re-editing my first book, Bernie Minihan's DIlemma, and a new version of that volume should reach the public about March 1st.  Hope you will all respond to those new issues as you have in the past.

 

Well, let's see what is going on in the Middle East and Mediterranean area

The biggest news is probably the death of Mohamar Quaddafi in Libya  (Have anybody ever figured out the real spelling of his name?).  It came after a long series of battles across the desert, ending, for all practical purposes in Sirte as he was captured, beaten, and then carted away to an ambulance where a mysterious bullet ended up in his skull.  One son and his Chief of Staff were also among the dead hauled out of a series of culvert pipers where they had been hiding after a strafing run from a NATO drone.  Good riddance to Uncle Mohamar, but one has to wonder who the new strongman will be as the Transitional Council gets down to the real work of governing.  Only time will tell, but Hillary Clinton is there to help them sort it all out.

There is Egypt, of course, which first threw out Mubbarak and then the generals simply started a new ruling council, promising elections that will either never come, or be limited to those candidates the generals want elected.  Net plus up for the people - ZERO.  great frevolt though.

Syria, who acts as if it  doesn't care about the rest of cthe world continues to shoot and bomb its people to keep Assad in power, and, with the rest of the world simply looking on, seems to be winning at doing that.  We, of course, issued a strong condemnation, but no real action.

Israel finally got back Sgt Shalit from Hamas. They in turn got a promise of 1,000 arabs being held in Israeli jails (They must have large jails with still another 4,000+ remaining in their jails).  Several of the more prominent arab bombers were on the itial freedom list of over 400, with the rest to be released in stages.  Wonder how long it will take Israel to find a pretext for not returning the rest, and, conversely, for Hamas to take another prisoner?  Will israel now loosen its stranglehold on Gaza (as it promised months ago for the release of the soldier) or will it continue with its blockade  and international piracy that continues to starve and kill Gazans?  Again, only time will tell.

Abbas and the Palestinian Authority went to the UN seeking membership and creation of a Palestinian homeland.  In this situation the facts really get perverse.  The US has threatened a veto in the Security Council on full membership.  The Israeli prime Minister, Netanyahu was quoted as saying negotiations were the answer to Palestinian statehood and not the UN.  How quickly we forget that in 1946-7, when the Palestinians still held on to their land, Israelis asked for membership and a homeland, and the UN , led by the US ripped a space our of Palestine and called it Israel.  The US and most of Europe that were decidedly anti-semitic at the time, embarassed by the Holocaust, and not wanting back their jewish emigres, could not wait to create the state.  The Palestinians, many of them farmers on the land for generations were simply kicked out with no compensation.  Now they want their mand back, and have at least a chance at doing so.  The stupidity of politics at its best.  Sort of reminds you of the plight of the American Indians doesn't it?

More later.

Editorial: What is the US Thinking?

Arlington VA April 6, 2011

Virtually the entire Middle East is up in arms to some degree, but US policy seems to be in shambles.  When the first outbreak of violence and oppostion occured in Tunisia, we started out by defending the regime and quickly switched to the insurgents as it became obvious that the Tunisian Government would fall.  The same occured in Egypt, as we tried valiantly to support Mubarak until the vast crowds in the streets showed us a new light.  Then we quickly froze Mubarak's assets and moved on. Hillary even visited with a scarf on her head in deference to the Islamic Fundamentalists.

The outcomes in those two countries seemed to be a new, and more democratic direction and Hillary Clinton could not wait to be part of new blooming democracies.  In Tunisia, that view seems to be working, but in Egypt, that solution is far from certain.  While a new, interim constitution is in place, the local villages are increasingly coming uner the control of the Imams, and Shariah Law is quickly forcing itself on the populations.  That does not bode well for the US's desire for democracy.

In Yemen and Bahrain, the same scenario is playing out, as part of Yemen is now an "Islamin Emirate", whatever that is, and has created its own government.  In Bahrain, home of the US Fifith Fleet, similar marches and riots are occuring, but the US has not publicly stated its view of that government, fearing, we would assume, for the safety of the deepwater port that houses the fleet. Political inconsistency makes us (the US) look like fools to the Arab world.

Nowhere, however, has there been more disorder in approach than in Libya.  Here we started bombing Gadhafi's defense, convoys, and assaults, at least at first, and then allowed Gadhafi to move out against the rebels.  Our excuse has been that we want to evaluate if al-Quada has infiltrated the rebel forces, mostly because there was a rumor that al_quada fighters had joined the opposition..  Of course they have!  Get over it.  We surrendered our primary position even before the French (How unusual) and now NATO has to do what we seemed not inclined to do in opposing Gadhafi.  Instead, we ordered their embassy in the US closed.  That really impacted on Gadhafi--he must be really afraid of us for that action.

The US diplomatic approach is in shambles, as Hillary CLinton goes from safe place to safe place to discuss the issues with other countries who also want to be in safe places.  Meanwhile, the insurgents in these countries are doing what we don't have the guts to do--oppose tyranny and put their lives on the line to do so.

When will we learn?

Life as Usual in the Middle East

Arlington VA April 5, 2011

Gadhafi's son scrambling to be the next leader in Libya.

Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, has been not-so quietly offering proposals for him to take over from his father in exchange for peace in the country.  You remember Seif, he indicated a few weeks back on international television that there would be a bloodbath in the cities if the rebels did not capitulate.  Now he wants to be seen as a healer of his 'beloved country.'  The rebels are not buying it, so don't expect a Gadhafi in power for too much longer.

There were explosions in the major Gadhafi compounds in Tripoli on the weekend, and it appeared to some media stationed there that either an aborted coup was moving or some action being taken to prevent more of the major players from deserting the Supreme leader.  Who knows.

(In the rest of the Middle East...

Syria still has thousands marching in the streets each day.  Bashar Assad has promised reforms and a new government, but the killing goes on.  Soon, he will outreach his father's totals in killings.

Yemenhas apparently split into two countries--if you read the al-Quada press.  an 'Islamic Emirate' has been formed from part of the country, while gassing of protesters and indiscriminate shooting still occurs daily in the streets.  Now the Government has introduced a stronger version of tear gas that has, so far, injured over two hundred, and perhaps more.  The US has now dropped any pretenses of supporting the Government.

In Oman,a group of terrorists took over an ammunition factory and blew themselves up--another result of good training which killed over 75 people outright.  All in the cause of democracy.

Bahrain, meanwhile is still in the grip of their dictator/strongman who has banned the opposition and closed some newspapers.  it does not seem to be stopping the people however, and one has to wonder what are the next steps here.  The US carefully watching this nation, since the Fifth Fleet is based there in the harbor.

And in Israel..

Lots going on in that peace-loving nation.  With the palestinians calling for the General Assembly to grant their their own nation, Israel is broadly hinting that it will simply annex the West Bank and other lands where vthere are mixed settlements, and the palestinians will get nothing--the rest of the world be damned.  And, oh yes, we need more munitions, planes, and bombs from the US.

Netanyahu, the Israeli PM is now demanding the US abrogate the Goldstone report on the atrocities in Gaza since Lord Goldstone has revised his personal view of what happened.  Not sure why Goldstone changed, but the numbers in the cemeteries have not, and the deaths are still attributable to Israel.

Iran is quiet, but still sending funding and fighters wherever it will help overturn governments and create fundamentalist regimes.

 

And in the rest of the World....

16 March 2011 Arlington VA

Pakistan releases the CIA Contractor US had declared a Diplomat to hide his actual status

CNN News reported that "CIA contractor Raymond Davis has been released from jail in Pakistan after the families of two men he killed in January forgave him, a government official said Wednesday. Punjab province law minister Rana Sanaullah first told Pakistani media that the victims' families did not want to press charges and added soon after that Davis was free to go. The statement came just hours after the American was charged with murder in connection with the shootings."

"The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan declined to answer repeated CNN questions about whether Davis had left jail or where he is now. According to Davis, the January 27 shooting occurred after two men attacked him as he drove through a busy Lahore neighborhood, the U.S. Embassy says."

The US State Department had argued for weeks that Davis was a diplomat--implying that he was a Federal employee and entitled to immunity.

The Situation in Bahrain remains grim at best 

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that in Bahrain, "At least five people were killed and hundreds wounded when police cleared demonstrators from Manama's Pearl Square on Wednesday in an attempt to halt weeks of popular unrest. The violence, so soon after the Saudi-led intervention, will further embarrass Washington, which had urged dialogue to tackle Bahrain's problems and says Riyadh did not consult it before moving troops to the island where the U.S. Fifth Fleet is based."

"That may be the case, but U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Bahrain at the weekend. To many Arabs the timing smacks of U.S. complicity in King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa's decision to invite the Saudis in and declare martial law."

"That will create a narrative that does not make the U.S. look good," said Shadi Hamid of the Doha Brookings Center. "It puts the U.S. on one side of the conflict, which is with the status quo and the Bahraini ruling family."

Non-Arab Iran, which has in the past laid claim to Bahrain, has denounced what it sees as U.S.-backed Gulf Arab meddling. "It is not possible to stop a popular uprising by using armed forces of other countries," said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "These are ugly and failing actions."

"The clampdown in Bahrain suggests that a conservative wing of the ruling family, backed by its Saudi counterparts, has won out over reformers led by Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, who last month offered dialogue with the Shi'ite opposition and said protesters could stay in Pearl Square."

"A main demand of Bahrain's pro-democracy movement has been the resignation of conservative Prime Minister Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, who has held his post for 40 years. Bahraini Shi'ites have long complained of discrimination in housing and jobs, charges the government rejects. The protesters had sought to cast their movement as national, not sectarian"

And in Libya...

Voice of America reports that "Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi attacked rebels in the western city of Misrata with heavy artillery Wednesday, killing at least four people. Witnesses say the rebel-held city has come under attack from the east and south.  Government forces have also pounded the eastern city of Ajdabiya, but reports from rebels there say they have repelled pro-Gadhafi advances and are in almost total control of the city. The rebels disputed a Libyan state television report Tuesday that pro-government forces had regained control of Ajdabiya."

"The city is close to the opposition stronghold of Benghazi and would give access to roads leading to the opposition's base if retaken by pro-Gadhafi forces. The lightly armed and poorly organized opposition fighters have not been able to stop the advance of the Libyan army with its aircraft, tanks and heavy weapons. Over the past week, the previous rebel advance to the west has been pushed back nearly 200 kilometers."

Finally, the White House...

In the White House, it was business as usual, with president Obama urging people to stop filling out brackets for march Madness (The NCAA Tournament) to contribute to charities supporting Jpanaese re-construction efforts.  No mention of Libya today.

More on the King Investigation

March 14, 2011 Arlington VA

It is coming up on a week after Rep. Peter King (R-NY), started his investigation on the radicalization of the American Muslim population with the first hearings that made him look completely foolish.  At least Senator Joe McCarthy, in the early 50's, waved a few pieces of paper in the air which he claimed were lists of communists and their sympathizers.  King could not even do that.

 

A New Gallup Poll indicates that 52 percent of Americans say these hearings are appropriate, though support is split along party lines. Sixty-nine percent of Republicans say the hearings are the right thing, while only 40 percent of Democrats say they are appropriate. Independents' views track closely to the national average at 51 percent supporting the hearings. Overall, 49 percent of Democrats polled on Tuesday say the hearings are not appropriate, compared to 42 percent of independents and 23 percent of Republicans.  From that perspective, King has support for his views.

However, what King did not do--favoring a more general, sensationalist view--was to clearly define the purpose of his committee hearings.  Those hearings should be on radicalization of Americans across a number of groups who preach hate and destruction--including those terrorist groups that happen to be Muslim.  Instead he painted the Muslim community separately with a broad brush and that hurts everyone--not those he should have identified and exposed.

Rep. King has a long history of shooting off his mouth--starting hearings, or making claims, and eventually letting them peter out after he gets the publicity he seeks.  That is what these hearing are really all aobut--publicity for mr. King.  if he had the perspective, he could do good things with his hearings--but I will bet he won't, and the results of his efforts will be meaningless--except perhaps to get himself re-elected.

Will the US Do Nothing in Libya?

March 14, 2011 Arlington VA

It is beginning to look like the US has no intention of doing much more than let Secretary Hillary shoot off her mouth but take no real concrete actions.  We did more against Iraq, and are doing against the Mexican durg lords that we have done to provide concrete assistance to the Libyans opposed to Ghaddafi.  This kind of stance (Common to Democrats) is even weaker than the tepid response of Clinton the adulterer while he was President and Iraq and Afghanistan first came across the horizon.

We are quickly looking like fools in the world space and it really needs to stop.

Mark Thompson of TIme Magazine, in the current issue of his blog, reports, "Many of war's most important combat elements -- like time and momentum -- don't show up in order-of-battle calculations. That's why the international dithering over launching a no-fly zone over Libya is now all but OBE -- overcome by events -- even as France and the Arab League call for one. The U.N.  began discussing the topic in earnest on Monday, even as Muammar Gaddafi's warplanes continued to pound rebel positions.

Read more: http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2011/03/14/too-late-for-a-libyan-no-fly-zone/#ixzz1Gb08UWoN

 

Politico is reporting, "Hillary Clinton arrived in Paris on Monday, starting a week of efforts by the secretary of state to demonstrate U.S. support for pro-democracy forces in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia.

While in Paris, Clinton is set to meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and other European officials to discuss the instability in Libya as leader Muammar Qadhafi’s supporters regain some of their lost territory in the battle there. Sarkozy’s government was the first to recognize an anti-Qadhafi interim governing council as Libya’s legitimate government, a move the United States is considering.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/51229.html#ixzz1Gb1KBgDu

 

Now, it is true that Obama has a lot on his plate right now, with the major budget battles looming (with a decidedly unfriendly House, and a mixed-bag Senate where even his own party often leaves him hanging), along with the situations in Libya and Japan, but then, that's what he gets the big bucks to do.  he needs to make decisions that are not slippery and indecisive, but more focused on actual solutions and well-thought out actions.

Michael Falcone, on the ABC News Website, says today, "As the budget deal-making continues in Washington this week, the White House is facing growing pressure on a different front: how tough to get with Libya. Over the weekend, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney responded to the Arab League’s endorsement of a no-fly zone over Libya without specifically addressing whether the Obama administration would support it."

“We welcome this important step by the Arab League, which strengthens the international pressure on Gadhafi and support Libyan people,” Carney said. “The international community is unified in sending a clear message that the violence in Libya must stop and that the Gadhafi regime must be held accountable.”

"But how far will the White House go and when? Libya is fast becoming a situation with profound political consequences here at home, as ABC’s Jonathan Karl noted on “This Week”: “If Gadhafi is still in power next year, if Libya is still a mess, this will be a central issue for Republicans. They will say this is Exhibit A of what happens when you have a foreign policy where America does not show leadership. You're already seeing it with some on the Hill saying, look, the French are leading on this. Where is America?” (More from yesterday’s “This Week” roundtable:"

The more we talk (The administration that is), and the less we do, the more Ghaddafi is reinforced, and the opposition will be crushed over time with that swcar on our collective backs.  The US is already hated by most of the Middle East, and we are adding country after country as we practive 'diplomacy' in that area.

Comments?

 

 

King Hearings on Islamic Terrorism start

March 10, 2011 Arlington VA

Representative Peter King (R-NY) has opened his hearings on what he perceives as growning Islamic Extremism in America.  His initial witnesses, three democratic collegues and the representatives of the Committ on islamic-American Relations (CAIR).  They quickly became reminiscent of the McCarthy hearings of the 1950's.

The New York Daily News, reporting on the opening testimory of Representative Ellis (D-Minn) reacted this way, " The only Muslim member of Congress shed tears as he ripped Long Island Rep. Pete King's controversial hearings into the radicalization of U.S. Muslims as un-American.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) was overcome with emotion Thursday as he invoked a heroic NYPD cadet who was smeared for his religion. Ellison recounted how cadet Mohammed Salman Hamdani, who died trying to rescue people after the Sept. 11 attacks, was accused of being in league with the terrorists because he was a Muslim who vanished on 9/11.

"After the tragedy, some people tried to smear his character" because of his religion, Ellison said of Hamdani, who was posthumously declared a hero. It was only when his remains were identified that these lies were exposed. He gave his life for other Americans."

 
Rep. Peter King (R-NY) with Rep. Denny Johnson (D-MS) at the hearings.       (AP Photo)

Earlier, Ellison had called the hearings "unjust" for singling out an entire community for the evildoing of a few. He said King's hearings "will increase suspicion" about Muslim Americans, "making us all a little less safe." Ellison's unexpectedly emotional testimony silenced the hearing room, but King appeared to be unmoved by his wrenching words.

The Republican chairman of the Homeland Security Committee opened the hearings with a passionate defense. "Let me be clear today that I remain convinced that these hearings must go forward," he said. King has faced a surge of outrage from critics who say he's mounted a witch hunt against Muslims.

Richard Cohen, in an OpEd piece in the Washington Post, thought differently.  "Unlike Moses Herzog, the eponymous character of the Saul Bellow novel "Herzog," I do not feverishly compose mad letters to public figures and sinister government agencies (the IRS, for instance). But I often yell back at the TV set. This happened Sunday when CNN's Candy Crowley asked Rep. Peter King what his hearings into Muslim radicalism are really about. "Good luck, Candy," I yelled, having asked the same question of King's staff just the day before. Here, I am sure, is the answer: The hearings are about Pete King."  We could not agree more.

Roll Call, the Capital Hill Political rag, calls the hearings a "Witch Hunt", saying "Hearings on the radicalization of Muslim Americans set to begin today in the House have provoked a volatile national debate that is spilling into the election cycle. Threatening phone calls made this week to Rep. Peter King, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, were the latest sign that tensions are high as the New York Republican spearheads a probe into the threat of domestic terrorism."

"Battle lines are already being drawn. On one side are Muslim advocacy and civil rights groups that call the investigation a targeted witch hunt and liken it to Joe McCarthy’s anti-communism hearings. On the other are national security and tea party activists who argue that the inquiry is a necessary first step toward protecting Americans."

"King told Roll Call that he initiated the probe to highlight what he says is a rising threat of radicalization in Muslim communities. The hearings could stretch out over the next year, prolonging the topic just long enough to make Islam a wedge issue in the presidential primaries. “We’re starting to see increased anti-Muslim rhetoric and bigotry that seems timed for the political season,” said Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates. “The Republican Party is increasingly painting itself as the party of hate and divisiveness.”

"As candidates travel around the country testing the waters for presidential runs, the hearings could also revive last year’s polarized debate on a proposed Islamic center, which critics dubbed a mosque, near the site of ground zero in New York City. In the midterm elections, some conservative candidates used that issue to generate cash and attention for their campaigns."

These hearings will undoubetdly draw out, much as the mccarthy hearings did to try to rerail the Eisenhower Administration.  However, in this case, it is so patently obvious that this is a circus that even an average person should take what is said with a grain of wild salt.  We should not be painting an entire ethnic group for the sins of a few, or, at least, if he wants to do that the list should be expanded to others who are similarly committing senseless crimes and atrocities--many of which we shower with foriegn aid.

 

Comments?

 

 

Is Obama a war criminal yet?

Arlington VA 9 March 2011

The Washington Times, in its editorial pages today, posed the question, and it raises interesting issues.  The Dems were hot to call Goerge W Bush to account, and a number suggested he might be a war criminal for his actions in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as his continued detentions at Gitmo.  At the time, there were real concerns that he (Bush) might be grabbed in some foreign country, like Spain, that think they can prosecute anyone for anything throughout the world.

Not we have Barack Hussein Obama who has rescinded his previous orders to close Gitmo, decided to return to the flawed commissions, and might even just keep those at the detention facility forever without any formal charges--most of which would be thrown out by the real courts anyway over torture and delays in prosecution.  He calls this protecting us from terrorism. Add to this his order that native-bron American citizens can be killed overseas by the CIA because they are 'suspected' of terror activities, and you have a real mess.  What comes next?

The politics that pervades America today is slowly dragging us down into the sewers that breed contempt and aversion to law.  Obama's Justice Department is, at the least, worse than the Ashcroft regime and can't find good, ethical lawyers to staff its senior positions.  Stay tuned--it is bound to get worse at this administration gets closer to the next election.

Obama's Campaign Promises

Arlington VA 03-09-2011

Keeping Guantanamo open breaks the last (And biggest) of his campaign promises

As he has so often in the past, Obama has taken expediency over truth with the American Public on the Guantanamo issue.

Let's look at his record.

As CNN reported on January 22, 2009, "Promising to return America to the "moral high ground" in the war on terrorism, President Obama issued three executive orders Thursday to demonstrate a clean break from the Bush administration, including one requiring that the Guantanamo Bay detention facility be closed within a year. "

"During a signing ceremony at the White House, Obama reaffirmed his inauguration pledge that the United States does not have "to continue with a false choice between our safety and our ideals."

"The president said he was issuing the order to close the facility in order to "restore the standards of due process and the core constitutional values that have made this country great even in the midst of war, even in dealing with terrorism."

 

The administration put the military trials on hold for two years so that it could review the status of the 170 or so remaining detainees and make changes in the military tribunals, including rules of evidence and a review process for the detainees.  That was after the promise to close Gitmo within a year.

That quickly became a hollow statement as the administration was embarassed several times over trials in Federal Courts--cancelling the show trial that Eric Holder, the Attorney General, devised foir New York City, only to cancel it after a hugh backlash from the City, The State of new York, and the Congress.  Eventually, Obama had to eat crow when the 2010 budget resultion included language to prevent the use of Federal funds to close the facility.

Now come the new executive order, which revereses everything Obama had promised.

As NPR News reports, "The order lends formal permission to the policy by which the U.S. has held detainees at the prison — detainees who, in most cases, have not been charged or convicted but are deemed too dangerous to release. It also ends a two-year ban on the use of military commissions to try suspected terrorists."

"Obama said Monday that his new policies will help "bring terrorists to justice." But the new policy statement wasn't much more than a recognition of fact and frustration. Congress has forbidden the administration to bring terrorism suspects from Guantanamo onto American soil for trial or imprisonment and also has made it harder to send detainees to other countries."

"Obama has said he is still committed to closing the prison and trying terrorists in civilian courts. But Monday's announcement made it clear that he would not be able to fulfill one of his most famous promises: "I have said repeatedly that I intend to close Guantanamo, and will follow through on that," he said on 60 Minutes shortly after he was elected."

"This has turned out very badly for them," says Ben Wittes, an expert on law and terrorism at the Brookings Institution. The executive order "begins a process of breaking the paralysis that has gripped the administration on a subject that was, two years ago, supposed to be one of their early and very vivid accomplishments," Wittes says.

The order also acknowledges that the prison population has probably reached an irreducible minimum, he says. It's "an effort to create a process for long-term detainees at Guantanamo, whom they are not going to be letting go anytime soon and they hope to be eventually moving to the U.S. when they close Guantanamo," he says. "But that doesn't seem to be happening, either."

The administration put the military trials on hold for two years so that it could review the status of the 170 or so remaining detainees and make changes in the military tribunals, including rules of evidence and a review process for the detainees.  Now we go back to th4e commissions where the alleged terrorists can be tried, conviceted and sentenced without any right to even see the evidence against them.

Certainly sounds a lot like George Bush to me.

I have no problem with keeing Gitmo open--it is probably the best place for detainees.  What I do have a problem with is the constant backtracking on virtually every issue Obama raised in his campaign and promised to fix. Politics as usual.

"Gopher" Grandy forced from the airways

Arlington VA March 5, 2011

WMAL Host told to slow down discussions of Terrorism but resigns instead

In what has become a shockwave across the Washington DC area, Fred "Gopher" Grandy, former member of Congress, and host of the Grandy Group on WMAL- Washington, has apparently been forced to resign from his long-time morning talk show.

While Fred himself has said virtually nothing, his wife Catherine Mann-Grandy has been vocal on the subject, speaking with Fox ndews and others about their run-in with the new management at WMAL. The sudden departure immediately triggered rumors that the Council on American Islamic Relations, the country's largest Muslim advocacy group, was somehow involved -- a charge CAIR denied. Mann-Grandy said she thinks that's what happened, though she doesn't have evidence. "You're not allowed to talk about what's happening in your country," she said on FOX News.

According to the FOX News website, " Mann-Grandy, who did a regular segment called "domestic terrorism 101," hit a string of topics on their show last Friday. Though the segment was taken off the radio's site, she described it. She said that, on air, she quoted a rabbi who compared radical Muslims to Nazis, complained that President Obama was not doing enough to help Israel, warned that "Shariah-compliant" individuals work in the government and discussed several other Islam-related topics. "

"Perhaps sensing she might have stepped over a line, she warned on air about the possibility that she might not return the following week.  Sure enough, she didn't.  Mann-Grandy said her husband told her Tuesday that management told him she could no longer be on the show. Further, she said her husband was told to "really tone it down on the Islam stuff." 

Meanwhile, Right Side News suggested a more sinister reason for his departure than a simple tiff with management. In their piece, they quote Grandy and say, " The station (WMAL), a major source of news and information for the nation’s capital, claims that popular morning host Fred Grandy resigned on his own, but Grandy (says) that he was essentially forced to leave after his wife, who is also outspoken about radical Islam, was cut from the program. "

"The growing controversy over Grandy’s departure has resulted in some Grandy supporters charging the station with being “Sharia-compliant,” a reference to Islamic law, and with bending under pressure from the Council on American Islamic-Relations (CAIR), a Muslim lobbying organization that combats what it calls “Islamophobia” in the media."

"Grandy, a former actor and Republican member of Congress, told AIM, “My wife and I have used our program over the last several months to warn about the spread of radical Islam at home and abroad. Last week, Catherine (known on the show as Mrs. Fred) delivered a very tough indictment against stealth jihad, and for her efforts she was told she was off the show. I then told management without Mrs. Fred at the microphone, I could not remain either and have resigned effective this morning.”

The station General manager also released a statement, which said, " "To be clear, at no time has WMAL told Fred that he was not allowed to discuss his views on Islam over the air," he said in a statement to FoxNews.com. "In fact, he has done so on numerous occasions. Further, WMAL has not been contacted by any organization seeking to restrict his broadcasts."

"WMAL remains committed to its goal of providing a forum for discussing a broad spectrum of issues while delivering compelling programming including Chris Plante, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Mark Levin," he added.  Grandy does admit that the decision to resign was his, although it appears the principal reason is the insult to his wife, who was known on the show as "Mrs. Frede", and appeared at least twice each week.

Not the first time WMAL has buckled to criticism

Grandy told Accuracy in Media (AIM), : “We cannot affirmatively conclude CAIR or any of the prominent Islamic organizations had anything to do with this. We do know, however, in 2005 representatives of CAIR in D.C. were successful in getting midmorning host Michael Graham fired for anti-Islamic statements he had made on the radio and TV.”  Graham was fired from WMAL after describing Islam as a “terrorist organization” on his program and refusing to apologize or modify the description.

James Lafferty of the Virginia Anti-Shariah Task Force blames the controversy on the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “CAIR frequently criticized Grandy for reading FBI reports and court documents on his radio show which labeled CAIR as ‘an unindicted co-conspirator’ in the federal Holy Land Foundation terror finance trial,” Lafferty said.

 CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper acted surprised by the news of Grandy’s resignation and responded: “What is their evidence for that claim?,” when informed that his group was being blamed for his departure.

Lafferty told AIM: “I heard from two very good sources that CAIR was involved in this and not only targeting Grandy but Sean Hannity.” He said CAIR’s strategy was to knock Grandy off the air and then go after Hannity, a nationally syndicated radio host carried by WMAL in the afternoon. Hannity also hosts a Fox News Channel TV show.

Lafferty has urged supporters of the Grandys to protest on Monday, March 7, and Tuesday, March 8, during “Call Out WMAL Days.”  That seems like a great idea.  A call to the Station General Manager, Jeff Boden -- in fact, many calls to the GM -- might make a defference.

We need to stop with this artificial political correctness and this is as good a place to start as any.

Reasonableness versus lawlessness

November 29 2010

We had a lot of hits on my views on TSA (You know them--the TOUCH, SEARCH and ARREST agency).  Things calmed down a bit after the initial onslaught of complaints, and that is probably normal around here in the USA.  First, people tend to be excited about the cause de jour rather than be really concerned about any one issue. Second, those in the wrong, especially the Feds, have virtually unlimited funding to blanket a proble with PR to makle it seem like nothing.  Third, the incidents themselves did not happen to congressmen, senators, or their staffs so no really important damage occured in the minds of those with purstrings.

TSA gets a bit like the FBI at this time of year--create a lot of spurious threats of violence to get your budget passed, and then calm things down.  The FBI has done it successfully for years, and the TSA is quickly learning.

The biggest shame of this whole mess, other than those that were egregiously insulted by the TSA gestapo was the total lack of concern about the issues by Pistole, their Director.  He casually admitted that it was his decision not to publicize the new screening procedures ahead of their introduction--after all they had the RIGHT to do it--even though advance notice may have diffused the situation.  What was the most telling part of the mess was his complete lack of concern for the travelling public--and the abject defense of him by King Obama and his other minions.  People don't matter anymore--only the potentates of Washington.

 

When is the next election?

I'm back!

Well, after a prolonged period following surgery for cancer, it is time to get back on the soapbox on several events.

TSA has the most incredibly stupid management of any Federal agency--even the White House (And that is not saying much).  Starting this semi-legal grope with their blue gloved veterans of the unemployment lines and giving these people nearly absolute immunity from criticism and prosecution is a bit like sending a child molester to pass out candy in an orphanage.

Let's remember that their stated purpose--so often indicated by Pistone their Director--is to ensure that no more Reeds (Could not blow up own shoe) or the arab last Christmas (Could not blow up own underwear) would not be repeated.  Two acts have generated new rules designed to prevent such occurences, but will they prevent disaster?

My voice says NO THEY WON'T.  While we are molesting passengers at will, please note that only about 5% of cargo is ever checked more than cursorily (Perhaps because it can't be groped) but allowed to sit in the holds of planes (maybe like ink cartridges).

I agree with safety measures, but also think two incredibly stupid things happened here:

First, the TSA propaganda ministry failed in getting out the word sufficiently ahead to get people aware of what would happen.

Second, they apparently had little if any training (Other than a chance to grope Secretary Napolitano and the TSA Director) before the system went in place.  The horror stories are  coming out daily, but not the list of those being fired for their over-exuberance.  TSA simply rolls over everything because, after all, they are above all laws.

This foolishness needs to stop.  Sane heads need to prevail here, and the White House needs to DEMAND accountability and respectability in what TSA does.  for myself, i urge as many as possible to refuse screening in favor of a free grops to see for yourself what Washington has done for you lately.

Footage on the Israeli Commando Massacre to be shown at the UN

June 10, 2010

Journalists release file footage at significant odds with official Israeli Version

This morning at the UN, filmmaker Iara Lee will show footage taken on the Marvi Marmara, a ship of the Freedom Flotilla, as it was attacked by the Israeli commando operation that left 10 dead and numerous wounded last week.  This film, one of the few not confiscated by the Israeli IDF, was sent out before the Israelis could confiscate it along with much other footage and tapes as they attacked the flotilla.

These tapes are raw footage, not the doctored and enhanced video the IDF has been slowly releasing as they finish doctoring to support their version of events.  It is graphic and worth seeing as another version of the events.

We show it courtest of WPFW in Washington DC where it was shown on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman.

Click here to view.

More gutless commando work and other topics

June 7, 2010

Another ship taken in International waters

The MV Rachel Corrie is yet the latest ship forcibly taken in International Waters by the masked goons of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).  This masked group tries to play at being commandos--they shot ten people--mostly from behind, in the Freedom flotiilla taking, and have now swept down on the Rachek Corrie to do the same thing--still masked of course.  Some many remember that Rachel Corrie was the woman crushed to death by an IDF bulldozer as she protesting Israeli construction on arab land several years ago.

The moves have incensed much of the Middle Eastern landscape, extending into Europe and Asia as more countries are demandi ng that the UN take action.  of course, Israel, protected by its mentor, the US, will veto any real effort to condemn Israel.  For now, they get to continue to act as lawlessly as they choose.

Egypt will keep the Rafah Gate Open.

Egypt, which had been supporting israel on the blockage has now decided that the blockage is useless and serving no good purpose--rapidly becoming unenforcible.  So, it has decided to keep open idefinately the Rafah Gate through which Palestinians from Gaza can travel to and from Egypt.  It is still unclear how much in the way of humanitarian supplies will move through the gate as well, although for now Egypt says it will not allow bulk supplies to enter.  Another of israel's 'friends' join Turkey in moving a distance away from Israel.

Egypt better be careful here--the same Israeli goons that descended on the ships can easily descend on the gate area and try to close it.  Wonder if they will be masked as well.  more important, will the Egyptians fire back?

Israel has been falsifying footage and press information from the Freedom Flotilla.  News reports from Israel indicate that the IDF doctored footage taken from the Freedom Flotilla to show that the civilians on the Mara were actually preparing for the arrival of the Israeli goons.  They also issued press releases indicating they had information that many of the 'civilians' were actually al Quaeda operatives.  After Max Blumenthal, a noted reporter and commentator called the IDFs hand, the videos were withdrawn and the press releases changed to eliminate the al Queda references.  That, of course, now leads to the inevitable question of what to believe when it comes from the IDF or the ISraeli Government.

Israel names Reserve general to probe the actions of the Freedom Flotilla Massacre.

Israel still conti nues to refuse to allow a complete international investigation of the massacre of the Freedom Flotilla passengers, but it has announced that a reserve general wiull lead a probe--limited in nature--to see what lessons can be learned from the action.  So much for Israel's boast that it would conduct a credible probe and did not need international supervision or direction.

Still more Israeli goons attack Helen Thomas

For those of you who don't know Ms. Thomas, she is, at 89 years old, the dean of the Washington DC Press Corps, and has been a WHite House Press Correspondent for over 60 years.  Yet, because someone put a microphone before her and she made offhand comments on Israel, the goons, in the form of Ari Fleischer and Lanni Davis, both directors of AIPAC (Israel-America Public Affairs Committee) and forced her retirement.

Ms. Thomas's sentiments, that many of those who called themselves Israeli, but were actually from Europe until WWII, should stop occuping arab land and move back where they came from to let the Palestinians live in peace.  If this were a comment about almost any other country, it would be laughed off.  No so among the Israeli-loving communities.  Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for George W Bush was the first, demanding that Hearst Newspapers fire her immediately.  Then came Lanni Davis, who worked for Bill Clinton, demanded that the White House remove her credentials.  Both were ready to respond before she announced her retirement.

At least this incident is different --these goons had the guts to not wear masks.

More later.

The Continuing Diplomatic Crisis over Gaza

June 3, 2010

Israel continues to be beaten up over the flotilla massacres

The news is not dying down as Benjamin Netanyahu expected and hoped.  Instead, the drumbeat continues, and probably will, as he makes his frequently absurd statements of twisted fact.  The latest, reported in the Washington Times today, is that "The flotilla was seeking to challenge the blockade, not to bring aid to Gaza.  if the blockade had been broken, it would have been followed by dozens, hundreds of boats.  Each boat could carry dozens of missiles."  So, at netanyahu's direction, the flotilla was forcibly stopped in international waters and seized with considerable loss of life by a group of inept commandos who were nearly scared off by firehoses and broomsticks--before simply starti ng to shoot unarmed civilians.

Other sources are reporting....

(Washington Post) U.S. citizen among those killed in Israeli flotilla raid

JERUSALEM -- A U.S. citizen of Turkish origin was among the nine people killed in a botched Israeli effort to stop a Turkish aid ship from reaching the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a Turkish official said Thursday.  The American citizen was identified by the Anatolia news agency as Furkan Dogan, a 19-year-old student. His body had four bullet wounds to the head and one to the chest, the news agency reported.  The killing of nine Turks has created enormous tensions in the relationship between Israel and Turkey.  (Read the Rest of the story here)

(Jerusalem Post)  ERGODAN:  Israel to lose closest ally.

Turkey is incensed over the deaths inflicted on its citizens last weekend and has made it clear by removing its ambassador that relations are going south for a long time.  Even a call from President Obama did not apparently reduce the anger being felt in Ankara by both the Government and its parliament.  (Read the story here)

MEANWHILE, the international community had demanded an investigation of the circumstances, which Israel has rejected out of hand, and has said that any investigation will be condicted impartially by Israel, probably with the help of its US ally.

(Christian Science Monitor) Israel rejects international investigation of Freedom Flotilla raid

Tel Aviv, Israel

As the Mo nitor reports, "Israeli leaders on Thursday rejected growing calls for an international investigation of its fatal intercept of the Gaza-bound "Freedom Flotilla." But they are weighing whether to include foreign observers in a domestic probe, a move that would help deflect international criticism after Israeli commandos killed nine pro-Palestinian activists. "

The article continued, "A decision to include international involvement would mark an evolution from last year, when, in the wake of the three-week offensive in Gaza, Israel resisted calls to set up its own independent investigation committee and refused to cooperate with the United Nations inquiry headed by Richard Goldstone

But part of the shift may be an Israeli perception that its prospects for vindication are greater this time around. An investigation of the isolated flotilla operation is seen as likely to be more straightforward than those that looked into the 2008-2009 Gaza war or Israel's 2002 invasion of a Palestinian refugee camp in Jenin that killed dozens.

(al-Jazeera) The Day the World became Gaza

"Since Israel's invasion and massacre of over 1,400 people in Gaza 18 months ago, dubbed Operation Cast Lead, global civil society movements have stepped up their campaigns for justice and solidarity with Palestinians."

"Governments, by contrast, carried on with business as usual, maintaining a complicit silence. Israel's lethal attack on the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza may change that, spurring governments to follow the lead of their people and take unprecedented action to check Israel's growing lawlessness."

"One of the bitterest images from Operation Cast Lead was that of smiling European Union heads of government visiting Jerusalem and patting Ehud Olmert, the then Israeli prime minister, on the back as white phosphorus still seared the flesh of Palestinian children a few miles away.Western countries sometimes expressed mild dismay at Israel's "excessive" use of force, but still justified the Gaza massacre as "self-defence" - even though Israel could easily have stopped rocket fire from Gaza, if that was its goal, by returning to the negotiated June 2008 ceasefire it egregiously violated the following November."

Read the whole story here.

AT THE END.......Both sides of the ocean (except, of course, that part that includes the Washington DC area) have spoken out loudly that this foolishness and lawlessness of the Israeli's must stop if there is to be real peace.  Both sides have much to atone for, but the people of Gaza are the mostly innocent pawns that feel the pain.

perhaps this will all end someday.

 

Another tragedy in Gaza

June 1, 2010

Israelis assault a ship in International waters and call it self-defense.  US agrees while the rest of the world condemns Israel

The confrontation between Israeli commandos  and  activists on ships bound for Gaza has led to yet another international cry for condemnation of Israel and ending the Gaza  blockade.  Commandos dropped from helicopters to the ships and were met by activists who decided to protect themselves from the invasion. Scullfles ensued, and 10 activists were killed by Israeli small arms fire.  Several members of the IDF storm troopers were also injured.  Israel, of course claims it was only protecting itself,  but who gave them the right to stop the ships in international waters?  That was a criminal act, and any defense against the criminal act cannot itself be criminal.  This foolishness has to stop.

Israel has an attitude that anything it does is legal, and everything it does is in self-defense.  Apparently humanitarian supplies are offensive weapons--instead let the Gazans life in filth and poverty and may be they will eventually go away.  Not likely to happen now or in the future.

The US, the small puppy for Israel, particularly now under Czarina Clinton at State, will let them do anything they choose.  The US, in the face of the rest of the UN Security Council got a resolution watered down sufficiently that Israel was not condemned--only the event was condemned.  Yet, the US claims it has standing to be peace-maker in the region.  RUBBISH.

Major nations ought to remove their ambassadors, as Turkey has done, and isolate Israel further until that Israeli Government stops its genocial actions in Gaza and the West Bank, and starts real actions toward peace in the region.  The festering sore in the Mideast is not Iran, or Syria, or the Hamas, it is the attitude of the successive Israeli Governments, supported by the US, that allows them to be international murders and killers, and get away with it under the protection of Uncle Sam.

Getting Wet in Illinois

May 31, 2010

The Obama Stupidity

Well, he's done just about everything else to make himself look stupid--and now he has proven it to the nation's veterans as well.  Barak Hussein decided the place to be was in Illinois instead of at Arlington National Cemetery laying the President's wreath on Memorial Day.  Instead, he sent the Vice President who, luckily, only made one gaff--on the number of dead in Afghanistan.

God was not kind to Barak Hussein--bringing down enough rain to cancel his speech and remind him of his obligations.  I wonder if he will heed to warning.  The millions that elected him should be ashamed of their vote.

What a Mess Obama has us in...

May 19, 2010

First in Iran..

The Irani Government has announced a deal brokered with Brazil and Turkey to completely circumvent the US at both the UN and in the court of world opinion.  The Iranis have agreed, under the supervision of the UN Atomic Energy Agency to transfer part of its uranium to Turkey in exchange of enriched product that can be used, according to them, in a medical laboratory.  Russia, China, and several other superpowers (or would-be superpowers) breathed a sigh and applauded the effort.  The US continued to press for sanctions, which they will now probably not get.  The PR effect alone was a significant slap in the face for Obama Diplomacy.  Let's see what comes next.

Then the Great Mexican Arrives...

Felipe Calderon, the President of Mexico, our welfare state to the south, has arrived for a state dinner with Obama and retinue.  Both spent part of the morning condemning the new Arizona law as unfair to Mexicans.  Well, it seems to me that, whatever you think of the new law, this guy coming to the US and condemning it is incredible.  If an American went the other way (Only God would know what for) he/she would be immediately facing a ten year sentence for illegal immigration--no probable cause before stopping you--racial profiling is OK in Mexico.  Their jails are somewhat different from ours, and many simply disappear in them.  Most are poorly treated--to keep the conversation at a higher level.

Hussain Obama loves the guy and will be feting him for dinner this evening when he should be sending him packing for interfering in our domestic policies.  It's our job--our incompetant Congress that is--to fix the immigration issue, not the President of Mexico.

And finally....

Tuesday was not a great day for the Democrats.  They lost and lost badly in states they needed to win.  They will lose more as time goes on until they lose in November.  Why?  Because their greatest cheerleaders are Hussain Obama and Wall Street.  The time has come--and it appears to have--that the American people are going to really take back their own government and put a lot of newcomers in DC to try to straighten out this mess that he has created.  No blaming anyone else for:

• 4 Trillion Deficit
• The worst economy in years (Perhaps since the great depression, or at least since Jimmy Carter)
• The worst set of cabinet officers in history
• A litany of failed campaign promises
• A healthcare reform debacle that will haunt our children for years
• and much, much more

What else can he do?  He still has two more years of screwing up ahead.  let's watch and wait.  I bet his future failures will be even more spectacular.

Around the blogs....

May 17, 2010

What is Terrorism anyway?

"There's a great problem with the American Mind Set. It's based on poor reasoning and false assumptions. We seem to take for granted that the United States could use force against anyone, anywhere, at anytime, for any reason and nobody will seek to avenge their own dead. How have we come to such dangerous and foolish thinking? Our history leads us to all the wrong conclusions."

Reported in the Huffington Post by Richard Greene, this is a very probing question.  The article suggests that we have a skewed idea of what terrorism is and is not.  A good read for an interesting point of view.

Grandstanding the Grandstanders....

Riehl World View discusses the grandstanding of Holder and the Justice Departrment which effectively blocked the New York City Police Department from gianing any meaningful credit for the Times Square Bomb Car caper.  of course, one of the major complaints of the Obama Administration was that the Bush administration was doing too much grandstanding of its own--particularly against the Democrats.  You know, it must be the water in DC that causes politician's brains to go to slop shortly after they arrive to govern.  read the article.

 Miranda Rights or Wrongs?

The Obama Administration has a horrible record on rushing to provide Miranda rights to virtually every major suspect they have captured instead of making them enemy combatants--all the while laying the groundwork for allowing the killing of American citizens overseas who virtually anyone in the administration even thinks is involved with terrorism.  Why treat a captured terrorist as a human being--many are not--they are merciless, dedicated killers with little care for human life.  Send them all to Guantanamo.  Even better, let them escape into Cuba.  Fidel and crowd will not put up with them very long. 

As Rudy Guilia ni said, "I would not have given him Miranda warnings after a couple of hours of questioning," Giuliani said on ABC's "This Week." "I would have declared him an enemy combatant. I would have asked the president to declare him an enemy combatant. We could have questioned him for a much longer period of time."

Giuliani added an emphasis on "political correctness" within the Obama Administration led to missed signals on instances of domestic terrorism, including the attempted Times Square bombing.  Read his comments in the Huffington Post.  By the way, Eric Holder waited only a few short minutes before he too was arguing for revised Miranda Rights, even though it was he who granted them to the Times Square would-be Bomber.  What cheek.

More later.

In the News......

May 3, 2010

DHS extends its stupidity to the farmlands

Franklin VT is a sleepy little town of mostly farmers--with one road biscting it that DHS and its Custom's and Border Protection Service decided needs to have a bigger and better inspection station to take care of what has been estimated at 2.5 cars per hour on a good day.  So, they intend one way or the other to take acreage from the Rainville VT Dairy Farm for that purpose.  In doing so, Secretary Napolitano, responding to VT Senator Leahy, apparently could not care less on its effect.

Brian Rainville, the farmer, has been quoted as saying " The arrogance of it is breathtaking.  Why are we being asked to make that kind of sacrifice when they can't demonstrate a public need?"

Secretary Napolitano's answer--"This is one of those things where we are trying to work with the owners to get down the footprint.. in terms of what CBP has determined it needs to actually do the kind of port improvement there--There's a certain amount, unless you do it, you might as well not do it at all."  Senator Leahy says nothing needs to be done. 

Napolitano's comment appears to be spurious at best, since, at the same time, the Rianville's received a letter from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).  That letter said, in part: "CPB, in coordination with USACE, is writing to inform you that it will be necessary to move forward with condemnation to acquire the necessary property interests.  We anticipate filing a condemnation action within the next 60 days through the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont."  Now that is sincerre negotiations if I have ever heard them.

The Government offers $39K for the land they will take--about a third of its value as a hay-producing property for the dairy farm.  The effect will probably be to force the farm into bankruptcy--thus allowing the Government, if it chooses, to take all the land they originally demanded from the Rainville's.

Napolitano claims she will order a public hearing.  In this administration, the hearing could easily be in DC.

Still more on the Arizona Immigration Law. 

We previosly reported on Mexican President Calderon's opposition to the new law.  It is interesting that this guy is so loud, considering that Mexico's own immigration law is much harsher with illegal immigration being a felony and subjecting illegal immigramtds to jail terms up to 10 years.  Their law, The General Law on Population (Reglamento de la ley General de Poblacion) was enacted in 2000 and has remarkably similar mandates for local police officers as is contained in the Arizona Law.

Seems like this is one issue that will not go away.  Secretary Napolitano, as expected, pointed out that she had previously vetoed versions of the law, and that its enactment would 'distract DHS from its priorities in activities", due, I gues, to the possibility that DHS just might have to take custody of the illegals from the state.  But then, isn't that their job anyhow?

And in Israel.....

Hillary Clinton, our energetic Secretary of State is up in arms over the possibility that Iran might bring up Nuclear Israel at the upcoming Nuclear Disarmament Conference at the UN this month.  Israel and the US have carefully prevented that issue from being addressed for years and they don't want Iran and Egypt to be brining it up now. That might force Israel, a signer of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty to formally admit its nuclear status--something neither the US or Israel wants.  Israel, of course, is perfectly willing to give up nuclear weapons if (1) they get treaties of peace from everyone in the region, and (2) Iran and other arab states are denied them. Otherwise, they keep the bombs they don't admit to having in the first place.  Those other countries, of course, do not have the sweet, secret deal Israel has with the US.

On a Lighter (But no less serious) Note...

April 30, 2010

Woman Steals House and calls it her own

Picture this:  You have a house for sale, and you advertise it.  A person comes calling to see the house; you give her a tour; and the following day she files papers with the local government that she owns the house and land--no payment made to the original owner.  Sounds crazy, right?  Not so, it actually happened recently in Missoula Montana.  Main Street: The Street Network reports the story in today's e-edition and it involves one Jackiya Dionea Ford, a member of the Soveriegn Citizens--a part of the growing Patriot Movement.  Read the story, it is hilarious if only it weren't so serious.  The F BI, by the way, is calling this type of activity domestic terrorism.

Don't you just love it!

April 26, 2010

The growing situation in Arizona is just ridiculous.  The Feds have done virtually NOTHING in years about the immigration problems experienced by the people there--the Dems, like the Repubs beofre them, don't quite know what to do with the illegals.  Bill Clinton started to 'solve' the problem by granting wholesale citizenship to them, but that did not work.  Then George Dubya took the opposite tack and tried to run them all out of the country.  That didn't work either--mostly because the illegals take jobs our own people think are beneath them--they just don't want them to have benefits.

SO.... the Arizona legislature passes a bill making illegal immigration a crime in Arizona.  The Governor (who replaced DHS Secretary Napolitano) signed the bill and that started the noise, protests, and whining of the Feds that only they had the right to deal with the issue not the state.  The whole mess will end up in court.

I'm not in favor of unlimited illegal immigration, but I do believe that the Government that let it exist for years with only token enforcement in the big cities now has to squarely face the issue and actually do something about it.  The DEMS, who usually have no guts to face serious issues--will probably want to legalize them all and hope they will vote democratic.  The REPUBS, who are now importing house servants, are mostly OK with having them deported.  Whicever way it works, two things have to happen here:

1- It has to be definitive, working, and fair system.  That means working with Mexico and Central America as partners to improve their economies and keep their people in their country.

2- Resolve the issue of the kids.  You can't just deport the parents and leave the kids--who are American citizens in limbo or here without parents.  They didn't commit the crime--they were just born here and have rights.

Let's stop with the noise and fix the problem.

In the News - April 20th

April 20, 2010

China wants more discussions on Iran

China, aiming to get the most mileage it can from continuing discussions with Iran rather than sanctions-- which also means that China gets to continue to receive oil and gas from that country as well--seems to be creating problems for the Obama Administration in its attempts to impose significant sanctions on that country.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu has reiterated that there is still room for discussions to overcome issues around Iran's nuclear energy program, reports PressTV.  Russia has been joining China in that quest. 

"We have always believed that dialogue and negotiations are the best channels for resolving the Iran nuclear issue," Jiang said."   Referring to the regular meetings of the five permanent members of the Security Council — Russia, China, France, the US and UK — plus Germany (P5+1), she added, "We have stated many times that the six countries launching the talks in New York does not mean that the door is shut to dialogue and negotiations."

Iran claims their nuclear conference a great success

Iran conducted its own nuclear disarmament conference, as it claimed it would, following the recent Washington Conference to which it, Syria, and North Korea were not invited.  Iran continues to indicate that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes and not for developing weapons.  Few countries in the West believe that position--something only time will tell.  Most recently Iran announced it would increase and extend its nuclear development program regarless of what the US wanted, and dared them, or others, such as Israel, to step in.

Al Qaeda leader in Iraq Killed in raid

Iraqi and U.S. troops, building on information provided by a captured al-Qaeda agent,  killed a regional leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq in an early morning raid Tuesday.  Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri were killed in a joint operation Sunday in what has been described as a "potentially devastating blow" to al-Qaeda in Iraq. The intelligence that led to the elusive leaders' desert safehouse about six miles (10 kilometers) southwest of Tikrit came from the same source — a senior al-Qaeda operative captured last month — that produced the information leading to Tuesday's raid, according to a senior Iraqi military intelligence officer who supervised both operations.  Security forces continue to put pressure on the terrorist organization following the reported deaths of these two top-ranking figures over the weekend, officials said.

Palestinians want the israeli security decision on expulsion of Palestinians reversed

The Palestinian leadership is exerting efforts to force Israel into cancelling the military decision on the expulsion of thousands of Palestinians out of the West Bank, Dr.Saeb Oraiqat, the head of negotiations in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said.  The Palestinian authority would head to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to demand the issuance of a resolution to black out the Israeli military decision.  Israel has reportedly started implementation of the resolution (1650) issued by the commander of the Israeli forces operating the West Bank to expel Palestinians residing in the city, claiming that they are classified as ‘infiltrators’.

Stupid Award - The Riot Squad in Tucson

April 16, 2010

Bringing out the tanks just in case an illegal alien is found is overkill

The most recent debacle by the various Gestapo units of DHS is to bring out nearly 800 full armed, armor protected Feds to try to capture a few illegals in Tucson.  This latest incident of overkill completely stopped the main arteries of the city while the DHS goon squads did their work.

How Stupid!

While I believe in a reasonable policy on illegal immigration, and finding ways to stop the illegals, this is decidely NOT IT.  What will happen one of these days is that the illegals WILL fight back and not try to melt into the communities as they presently do, and there will be bloodshed on the streets.  Much of that possibility is due, in my view, to the heavy-handed approach that former Governor of Arizona Napolitano practiced while she was Governor.

Seems to me that the firepower used in Tucson would have been better used along the border (Dah!) where you prevent them from coming in to begin with.  Of course, that would probably mean these goons would not then have anyone (other than the illegals) see all the fancy equipment and guns they insist on scaring the populace with as they did in Tucson.

In the news

April 15, 2010

TAX DAY USA

Today is the day the tax man screws us in yet another round of paying for the follies of the Obama Administration.  The Gallup Poll, meanwhile, in a poll conducted on April 7th produced the following on the American view of taxation:

63% of Americans expect their takes to be higher next year.  74% of Republicans, 64% of Independents and 49% of Democrats agree.  If that is the case, why is there no public uprising to make Obama a one-term President?  The deficit is the highest in history; forclosures are at the highest level since nearly Great Depression; banks are paying no or very little interest; unemployment is skyrocketing; and the banks are doing great.  Of course, they got stimulated with billions so they could pay their large bonuses to their executives.  That, my friends is the American Way!

Speaking of Obama, has anyone really counted up the number of campaign promises that he (1) has failed to keep; because (2) he blames it on the Bush Administration, or; (3) the Republicans in Congress are preventing him from being a success?  Holder, the Attorney General testifed yesterday before a Senate Committee that it is the Congress' fault that Guantanamo has not closed--they have no appropriated the money.  Of course, they were sort of tied up in Obamacare for a while which kept them busy.

In another poll just released (Associated Press/GfK Poll) some interesting statistics:

49% of people approve overall of the job Obama is doing (His high was 67% following his election)

44% like the way he has been handling the economy and healthcare

50% of the people now oppose the healhtcare law

76% rate the economy as poor

One third of those polled by the Roper GfK Organization and indicated they were probable voters in the fall elections considered themselves "Tea Party" adherents who were likely to vote Republican.

50% of those polled indicated they wanted to 'fire' their own congressman.

This poll was condicted between April 7 and 12 and had a margin of sampling error of 4.3 percentage points.

There is a lot to think about in these numbers.  If these and others stay as upset as they currently appear, the DEMs are in for trouble in the mid-term elections.  This is a particularly important election since whoever controls the state houses controls the redistricting that results from the census now on going.  A lot can happen between now and November, but you can be usre the Tea Party and the Republicans are going to be remining people constantly about how congressmen and senators supported Obama inb the events that led to the numbers above.

The Nuclear Summit is Going Nuclear

April 13, 2010

Has anyone seen any mushroom clouds down around the convention center in Washington DC? 

The air is thick down there with political posturing about what to do with the three meanies (N. Korea, Iran & Syria) that were not invited.  Guess it is important that when the powers that be want to talk about you in public the best thing is not to invite you to listen.  Sure works wonders in really diplomatic situations.

Madame Secretary Hillary is there, fresh from her shutdown by Obama--who indicated clearly she would NOT be in consideration for the Supreme Court.  That could have been an interesting confirmation hearing--with all the history from Arkansas--Papergrate, Billygate, and the other 'gates' involving the shading dealings of she and the former President while he was Governor.

A number of other leaders are also there among the 47 countries represented that have gone nuclear.  With so many (including Israel who continues to officially refuse to admit that it has the bomb), it almost seems time to give everybody a bomb and get back to detente like we had during the Cold War.  As Tom Lehrer said years ago, "First we got the bomb and that was good, cause we love peace and motherhood.."  Try to tell that to anyone who has to navigate in the District while this charade is going on this week.

When you get a chance, read the impassioned diatribe by Obama about how bin laden would dearly love to get a bomb.  Frankly he probably wants a bomb more than we want to get him.  Neither side has yet competantly achieved its desires.

More later.

On terrorism - II

April 12, 2010

The playing fields of terrorism

 

In my recent piece on the same subject, I broached the idea of ‘Who is a terrorist’ and made two points; (1) it could be anyone who decides to harm people, and (2) the person could be at any level of society.

 

Without seeming naïve or simplistic, any person who knowingly causes harm to another could be considered a terrorist.  That kind of harm can be physical, emotional, intellectual, or even virtual (i.e. the actual ‘person’ may not exist, but the persona adopted by another to mask their identity causes the person to think they are being terrorized by someone (Who doesn’t actually exist).

 

Physical terrorism is relatively straightforward.  Someone simply decides to harm to harm another.  That may be under the color of war  but goes beyond the established conventions for what is allowed in conflicts.  It includes those unconventional conflicts (Such as Mr. Bush’s great global war on terrorism) or the Serbian genocides in the former Yugoslavia.  It can also include conflicts such as that ongoing in Sudan and Gaza (Which is also a good emotional example).  Both supposed ‘friends’ and foes can commit physical terrorism.  Hamas and Hizbollah are well-known for their consistent, but inaccurate rockets attacks into Israel that cause physical damage in border towns.

 

Emotional terrorism is more difficult to define and involves more the threat to cause harm and damage, but is also found, as we described above, to physical terrorism.  Emotional terrorism can keep people agitated and afraid as a means toward their subjugation.  It can involve blockages and denials of basic necessities, such as food, water, electricity or gas that people need for their homes and businesses.  From a governmental perspective, it can mean denials of assistance by governments to other countries in times of need.

 

Intellectual terrorism takes a completely different tack.  Here, the propaganda organs of a government, or those associated closely with a Government attempt to overwhelm an issue with their viewpoint, even if that viewpoint is contrary to the facts.  Israel is famous for its intellectual terrorism.  Recently, a series of blunders by the Israeli government ended up in a major embarrassment for their an for the US as it involved an insult to the Vice president.  Within days, the entire event had been turned over to AIPAC—the American Israeli Political Action Committee, who immediately enlisted their mouthpieces in the Congress, such as Sen. Joe Liberman (I-CT) and, within a short time the airways were full of inaccurate and misleading information that made Biden and the Obama administration appear to be the ones in the wrong.  A simple example of intellectual terrorism.

 

Other examples of intellectual terrorism involve the actions the US often takes to locate and smother anti-government publications, books, and messages. The Justice Department will threaten legal action, jail, or anything else it takes to stop publications they disagree with.

 

As is clear from the descriptions, the terrorist can be anyone, at any level of society from the soldier in the field to the Attorney-General of the US or a foreign head of state.  Physical terrorists are most frequently seen at the lower levels of society which the emotional and intellectual terrorists are found higher up but this does not always have to be the case.  The person only has to be committed to the actions and capable of committing them.

 

Comments?

In the News on April Fools Day 2010

April 1, 2010

Homeland Security

Along the Mexican Border - Arizona.  Following the killing of Robert Krentz a few days ago, the Arizona Governor and others along the border are asking for--but apparently not receiving--assistance from the Federal Government to maintain effective patrolling the sourthern border with Mexico.  Krentz, a farmer, was killed by an unknown assailant, and locals are suggesting that it was an illegal trying to cross the border on his ranch.  Gov. Jan Brewer (AZ) told Fox News on Wednesday that after repeatedly calling on the federal government to send in 250 National Guard troops, she hasn't ruled out making the call herself. Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico is considering similar measures.  Secretary Napolitano's spokesman has onlyu insignificant off-point comments to make when asked by Fox what here intention were since this is a Federal issue.

DHS Inspector General - Washington DC.  Meanwhile, the investigators in the various DHS agencies are in conflict with the DHG Inspector General on who leads in conducting internal corruption probes.  Assistant Inspector General Thomas M. Frost has told agencies that the DHS IG decides who participates in probes or provides information to other agencies.  The Washington Post broke the story on the internal spat on Monday and the noise continues to reverberate throughout the Agency offices.  At the heart of the story is the The conflict between the inspector general's office , Customs and Border Protection (CBP),  and the FBI.  Read the story in the Post and see if you feel, as i do, that we have children playing badly in the sandbox.

Former DHS official convicted in immigration case - Boston MA.  The Boston Globe reports that Lorraine Henderson, the former Port Director for Customs and Border Protection was convicted in Federal District Court for encouraging illegal immigratioin.  In this case, her former housekeeper, an illegal from Brazil. CBP, when informed of the housekeepr's status by Ms. Henderson, wired hte housekeeper up and conducted a sting operation to snare Ms. Henderson.  Appeals are expected.  Ms. henderson was fired by CBP following her disclosure of the illegal employee.

More bad news later.....

Responding to Zogby on DEM Dominance

March 26, 2010

This morning's Huffington Post had an article by James Zogby, founder and president of the Arab-American Institute which railed on the Republicans, having lost the 2008 election, for thinking they represented the people.  My respoinse to him in the Huffington Post COmments sections is as follows:

While I normally respect the views of Mr. Zogby, in this instance I believe he has been smoking something. First, in 2008, the DEMs got the most votes among the candidates--not a majority or even near it, but a plurality that was significantly less than 50%. Does that still mean they speak for ALL the people, as he would ascribe to the Republicans while retaining it for the DEMs?

Let's look at other facts about 'the people'. Rassmussen, in their latest poll gives the Obama Administration pretty poor grades. Of course the DEMs would perfer their USA Today poll which is marginally better--but both rate Obama at less than 50% approval rating. The Rassmussen poll goes further and indicates that over 50% of the public want the new healthcare law repealed, and nearly the same number indicate they will actively vote to unseat those who passed the legislation. Now, i believe that is 'the people' speaking--especially since those numbers have been out there in similar form in different polls for weeks--long before the DEMs insisted that Obamacare HAD to pass--for political and not socal benefit reasons.

Mr. Zogby--you have joined the train to try to convince the people that what they feel is irrelevant and that only Obama and his henchman know what is good for America. That's too bad.

Comments?

The president's numbers are still bad

March 25, 2010

Strong negativity still about in Obama numbers

The latest version of the daily Rasummsen presidential approval poll was released this morning and the numbers are still bad for obama--even after his crowning achievement--health care reform passage.  A majority of those polled felt the laest law should be repealed.

This is what the overall numbers on Obama approval look like from Today's poll:

Look at the RED ink.  Even his strong showing from the Democrats does not help.  One should certainly consider that this poll-one of the more objective in the Nation--shows a terrible story of the man who promised everything and, so far at least, has delivered nothing.  

Don't you just love the dancing going on

March 23, 2010

In the News......

Washington, DC. You just have to love the scenes going on around the AIPAC meeting now underway in Washington.  (PS:  The clue is that they always seem to have some kind of meeting after Washington decides not to agree with the Israeli Government over some issue)

In any event, here is Hillary Clinton extolling the 'rock solid' support of the adminstration for Israeli Security while continuing to demand that the settlement  buulding in East Jerusalem stops.  Ofcourse, they are not going to stop the building efforts because that would possibly enable the Palestinians to get their land back for the capital of their country--something decidedly against Israeli policy.  So they dance around the issue and us AIPAC to pressure the congressmen and senators they have in their financial back pocket to exert pressure on the obama administration for them.

Now the Obama people, including the President, know they can only go so far, but this president does not go all out to extol everything the Israelis do like his ass-kissing predecessor George Bush who assumed that anything they do is simply defense of their nation--like the Gaza genocide and massacres.

The next set of steps are today when the Israeli PM Netanyahu meets in a private meeting in the Oval Office where he will promise that no more public announcements of building will be made that will embarass Washington.  In direct words, the Israelis are going to dpo whatever they want, and Washington will allow it as long as nothing is announced.  Sounds a bit like "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to me.  But that's just good politics I guess.

London.  The Brits have decided to expel the local head of Mossad from Britain as a reaction to the use of fraudulent British passports by the Mossad to kill the Palestinian leader in Dubai a short while ago. Better message than the ass-kissing going on in Washington.

This is not the first time that the Israelis have had their hands slapped for forgery of British Passports. Former PM Margaret Thatcher also expelled Israeli diplomats in 1986. That time 14 diplomats went home and the Mossad Station was closed.  Don't know what will happen this time until Millibrand, the Foriegn Secretary speaks to parliament today.

Beijing.  Google has stopped censoring its internet pages for the Chinese Government, and re-directed its customers to their Hong Kong site.  This does not mean the end to censorship, but it will highlight the fact that the Commie Goverment will do the censoring now instead of hiding behind Google.

 

Editorial: Democrats prove they care about politics more than people

March 21,2010

The incredibly stupid majority vote to screw the public simply because they can in health care

Barbara Pelosi and Stenie Hoyer have now proven they are the comsumate pair of stupid, uncaring  politicians in the effort to screw the American Public, as Obama apparently wants them screwed, with regard to health care.

The House voted this evening with 224 Democrats, most of whom had not even read the healthcare legislation, voting to approve it simply because Obama told them to--a typical political reaction.  Otherwise, no more rides on the presidentail plane apparently.  The net result is that the insurance companies--who have carefully read the bill--will undoubtedly be offering 'changes' to their policies to increase overall premiums to account for the millions that will get insurance under the bill--insurance they are forced to take under the proposed law.

At least 34 states plan to take the Government over the law, once signed, but Obama--more concerned with getting something he can call an achievement, apparently does not care.  That's the state of the Democratic Party and hopefuilly the people will remember it in November as they pay the higher prmiums.

We are sliding into socialism with this untutored and uncaring President.

On terrorism

April 2, 2010

A few thoughts on the state of the art

Over the past several years, both through this blog and my books, I have attempted to stress that there is far more to terrorism than a few individuals laying mines and arranging the detonation of IED's.  Acts of terrorism have several attributes that are important to recognize so that steps can be taken to mitigate the risks involved.

First, there is the nature of terrorism itself.  The definition in Webster says, "The systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion."  That means terrorism occurs in many places beyond established battlefields--in fact, it clearly can make the traditional battlefield an obsolete anachronism of the past.

Second, the asnychronous character of terrorism needs to be considered.  There are no 'rules' to terrorism.  of course, there are many books from mostly weekend and armchair warriors that propose to 'teach' people terrorism--many call it 'urban warfare' or some other glorifc term that still means the same thing--injure and kill as many innocent people as possible.

Third, the sense that terrorism can be practiced by anyone, in any given  circumstance, and under any conditions needs to be examined.  We have seen too many highly educated people turning to terrorist activities to disregard this aspect of the problem.

My first book, Minihan's Dilemma, sets the tone for my thoughts on terrorism as it is practiced--not as it is publicized in the media.  I see the conflict among parties as one of two intelligent and dedicated groups (or more in some cases) who have what they perceive to be urgent needs and complaints that require some solution.  I also see a number of highly intelligent people on both sides applying their skills to defeat the other.  This is certainly true of the American--Bernie Minihan-- and is equally true of his protagonist Fatool.  Each has been schooled and gained experience in their 'brand' of terrorist/anti-terrorism actions.  Both believe they are right; both believe they know the other's game plan; both believe they will win over time.  yet, the best they can do is essentially a draw.  Why?

Looking back to the Minihan-Fatool duels, it is clear that both rely on rules of engagement--but that those rules are vastly different.  Minihan relies on established practice of an organized agency--bending them as he chooses, but keeping those rules as the central pole of his actions.  Fatool, conversely, has the zeal of his religious beliefs, which are often contradictory, and is limited only by his ability to construct scenarios and actions that meet his purpose--for Fatool there are 'rules' unless he creates them.

What allows the success that Minihan achieves--however fleeting--is his ability to try to put himself in Fatool's head and see what Fatool sees, think like Fatool thinks, and move to counteract what he perceives might be Fatool's course of action.  As they act and react against each other, they learn from each other, respect each other, and continue to operate.  neither becomes complacent--instead, they adapt and change into new ansychronous behaviors that require constant rethinking by the other.

Applying my views on Minihan to the more general view of terrorism described above, it is clear to me that much of our policy to date has been to try to establish parameters within which we expect terrorist activities to be bounded, and we are not being successful in that endeavor.  For that matter, nor are the Europeans, the Israeli's or anyone else who claim to have a handle on this issues involved.  Instead, we apply palliatives to the problem to make it look less dangerous, such as reacting to specific situations (We take off shoes in airports because of Reed, etc.) instead of doing the harder work of looking at broader trends and trying to gain an undestanding of how the Arab mind (or any other mindset which spawns terrorists in any country, including some of our own allies) acts and reacts when stimulated.

One final point is that terrorism is generally a cycle.  One action produces a reaction, and another action and another reaction--until people have forgotton the origin of the conflict.  Most of the time, such as the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza this morning, we simply start the cycle moving again without regard to consequences.  In other instances, we try to apply other pressures, such as sanctions, to force a change in attitude or action.  In still others, we think that reliance on International bodies, such as the UN, will, by their nature, force change.  Witness only the reaction of Iran to UN and US threats to see the wisdom of that approach. 

Breaking the cycle is the way to stop terrorism.  That requires some honest broker(s) who will listen to the parties with respect and not condescension; have the ability to put the parties together in discussion, and not in other rooms or other cities; and who will listen to  ALL of the issues in trying to fashion a solution.  Real solutions take time and until they are apparent, terrorism will continue to be a useful way to bring issues to the public.  it will go away in the mainstream when its value as a method declines.

Comments?