The world does not stop while the United States is distracted by Iraq
Or, while the cat is away, the mice will play.
In the history of the world, no country or regime has been omnipresent forever. Even Rome (600 years) and Byzantium (1,000 years) are now history book subjects. The same may happen to the United States. I hope our new world status and culture may help us in surviving. Who knows.
It is times like today that make me more concerned that some leader of some country, tribe, or cause will feel emboldened to act because our country is presently distracted by events in Iraq. This idea presumes if the USA was not distracted by Iraq, such leaders might be more intimidated and restrained.
The world is always in turmoil. The offensive conflicts are normally some combination of military, economic, religious, and megalomaniacal pursuit of objectives, perceived or real. The defensive conflicts often revolve around maintenance of the status quo, protection of nation-state, tribe, and families, and preserving earlier gains, which can be recent or even very old.
Do we deserve to be more concerned during this period? Does a healthy united USA that is also not distracted have an intimidation effect on our enemies, foreign and domestic? And in reverse, are our political leaders going to respond the same whether we are distracted or not? The answer to all is that I do not know.
I do know it is in our national interest to preserve our new world country and its way of life. That we will fight for. Don’t tread on me.
I also think that we all recognize we cannot conquer the world, nor do we want to do such. That is not us.
Where are the potential world locations or people that make me concerned during this period?
A. Iran and its slightly lunatic president, its theocratic dictators, and their proxies in Iraq and Lebanon
B. North Korea and its dangerous criminal leader who inherited his job
C. Venezuela and its ego driven leader
D. Russia and its energy policies as a state diplomatic tool
E. Civil war in China
F. Control of our USA borders
G. Islamic terrorism as a tool of these fascists
H. Syrian left-over Baathist leaders who ignore their present “president”
I. Oil barons and their energy funded policies
J. Left over 60’s types in the USA who seek to tear us down internally.
K. Japan going nuclear. It already has, I think, but now it will say so. And going nuclear is easier than you think. A USA test in 1962 using power plant uranium is a good example. This is all open source, by the way.
L. State Department types who have always ignored the vote of the people and the directions of their current political leaders
M. Civil war in Pakistan
N. Things I have not imagined, but wish I had.
There are many other problems, foreign and domestic, but I don’t think of them as being more exploitable during this Iraq distraction. The Hamas-Fatah friction in Palestine will go on in all cases, for example. The pursuit of affordable universal health care is another.
Being concerned is one thing. Even recognizing the potential problems is another. But so what if one cannot act on these concerns. Yet we can. There are three courses of action to consider.
A. Make an example of one concern. That will send a message to the others.
B. Warn each foreign concern through any means. The obvious means are diplomatic, economic, and military that there will be consequences. This tells our enemies we have not let down our guard during the Iraq distraction.
C. Warn each domestic concern that while civility reigns, action counts. All actions will be exposed to the light of day, and we citizens who vote. In other words, there can be honest differences of opinion, and these opinions and underhanded actions will both get equal exposure. Include the President's veto power as part of this. Give the main stream media and the blogosphere the same information.
a. Clean house in the State Department. The recovery should take 5 or more years. The benefit will be for over a 100 years.
We, the USA, have a long history of threatening consequences, then doing little. This goes back a long way to include our cultural disposition to isolationism, use of diplomacy always and first in foreign frictions, and compromise always in domestic frictions. Given all this, the threat of consequences by the executive must be real, as in a follow-up if required. This will be a change. I believe the option of making an example will occur just for that reason.
Last I am concerned about the potential consequences of the last 2006 congressional elections. It appears, to me, that many people were elected to make things happen from the country’s point of view. Yet many elected congressional leaders still seem to act from their party and their agenda’s point of view. They seem like the old time politicians from the 60’s and 70’s who wish to tear down our country, or more often, exploit it. My cause for concern in this period of “not-knowing” is what the newly elected people will do. I am apprehensively hopeful. The aforementioned is a good example of why times like this are cause for concern.
What can we do, collectively, as American citizens. My view is that we listen, observe, read, communicate with our local politicians, and then vote in 2008. This course of action is not too shabby, however it turns out. And it is much preferable to civil war, or revolution.
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Thursday, January 11, 2007
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
For lack of knowing what to do, we do what we know.
We are a sharp nation and possess a sharp military. The old Vietnam term the “best and the brightest” could readily be applied to our military today, the American citizen military. Mostly the “best and the brightest” term reflects many citizen’s resolve to “serve” our country and “personally contribute” to our country’s future.
Education levels count. As a former recruiter, education levels show resolve and hard work as an indicator of the ability to succeed. Add in the actual education, and the bad guys are in trouble.
Watching a History Channel show recently about our medical people serving in Iraq and taking care of our heroes who have been hurt so badly by the bad guys, just makes me proud to be an American. I am proud of the heroes, their families, wives and kids, and the medical people who serve over there, in Germany, and here.
I also know to ignore the media reports about the bad news in Iraq. I hope you do the same. There are better ways to find out what is really going on, and where.
Our military and other militaries of the world all have created officer corps for a good reason. While the real gunfighters of the military are led and motivated by Staff Non-Commissioned Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, regular Commissioned Officers also serve a purpose. Military air and naval forces have their similar versions, by the way.
It is tough being a Commissioned Officer in the Marines. Those who serve under the officer in the chain of command often look in a derisible way upon whether he is up to their standards. This is fair, by the way.
But standards, and military education, do apply. And at this time I can say that having officer corps’ and educating them is not an “elitist” idea where power and ideas are a means to control. This is more simply another case, where we are all working together to accomplish the mission, and in this we all serve in our own way.
The preceding is all-basic, so far.
Our officers go through a career path process that includes much education paramount to advanced college educations. We the country are the beneficiaries.
But as in the old days, then and now, our best educators deliver the past, the educational fad of the decade, or often some other last war principles.
And often these schools have educated their officers to prosecute and fight wars, and not lesser levels of politics and war, often called small wars or even counter insurgency. Later our officers during a campaign reflect this in often doing what they know and are trained for. We dance with who we brought.
All of our military officer schools are different. They should and do reflect their service culture, missions, and histories. One service cannot do it all.
At the expense of over generalizing, in the past the Army has had a heavy mechanized and European defense focus. The Air Force has had a focus on strategic missions. The Navy and Marines have focused on third world littoral missions locally, and a world mission globally. And this is in the past.
All services are constantly changing for the better we hope as we continue to educate our officer corps for the future. This is where the expression “for lack of knowing what to do, we do what we know” applies.
Our Naval and Marine Corps’ schools have been and still tend to be more third world oriented, and their graduates will benefit when appropriate.
The catch is that the people we assign to lead our militaries went through this school education process in their past. We can only hope they are better prepared for the future conflicts they get involved in. And then there is much we learn out of school, and we expect learning during this time also. Another example of learning out of school is the Professional Reading Lists of each of the services.
Of course, the schooling process is not everything, thank goodness. But as always, for lack of knowing what to do, we do what we know.
I just wish we had education schools for our President, the Secretaries of Defense and State, their appointed minions, and national political and media leaders. I’ll bet most of them wish that, too. I think JFK even said this, in his words.
We are a sharp nation and possess a sharp military. The old Vietnam term the “best and the brightest” could readily be applied to our military today, the American citizen military. Mostly the “best and the brightest” term reflects many citizen’s resolve to “serve” our country and “personally contribute” to our country’s future.
Education levels count. As a former recruiter, education levels show resolve and hard work as an indicator of the ability to succeed. Add in the actual education, and the bad guys are in trouble.
Watching a History Channel show recently about our medical people serving in Iraq and taking care of our heroes who have been hurt so badly by the bad guys, just makes me proud to be an American. I am proud of the heroes, their families, wives and kids, and the medical people who serve over there, in Germany, and here.
I also know to ignore the media reports about the bad news in Iraq. I hope you do the same. There are better ways to find out what is really going on, and where.
Our military and other militaries of the world all have created officer corps for a good reason. While the real gunfighters of the military are led and motivated by Staff Non-Commissioned Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers, regular Commissioned Officers also serve a purpose. Military air and naval forces have their similar versions, by the way.
It is tough being a Commissioned Officer in the Marines. Those who serve under the officer in the chain of command often look in a derisible way upon whether he is up to their standards. This is fair, by the way.
But standards, and military education, do apply. And at this time I can say that having officer corps’ and educating them is not an “elitist” idea where power and ideas are a means to control. This is more simply another case, where we are all working together to accomplish the mission, and in this we all serve in our own way.
The preceding is all-basic, so far.
Our officers go through a career path process that includes much education paramount to advanced college educations. We the country are the beneficiaries.
But as in the old days, then and now, our best educators deliver the past, the educational fad of the decade, or often some other last war principles.
And often these schools have educated their officers to prosecute and fight wars, and not lesser levels of politics and war, often called small wars or even counter insurgency. Later our officers during a campaign reflect this in often doing what they know and are trained for. We dance with who we brought.
All of our military officer schools are different. They should and do reflect their service culture, missions, and histories. One service cannot do it all.
At the expense of over generalizing, in the past the Army has had a heavy mechanized and European defense focus. The Air Force has had a focus on strategic missions. The Navy and Marines have focused on third world littoral missions locally, and a world mission globally. And this is in the past.
All services are constantly changing for the better we hope as we continue to educate our officer corps for the future. This is where the expression “for lack of knowing what to do, we do what we know” applies.
Our Naval and Marine Corps’ schools have been and still tend to be more third world oriented, and their graduates will benefit when appropriate.
The catch is that the people we assign to lead our militaries went through this school education process in their past. We can only hope they are better prepared for the future conflicts they get involved in. And then there is much we learn out of school, and we expect learning during this time also. Another example of learning out of school is the Professional Reading Lists of each of the services.
Of course, the schooling process is not everything, thank goodness. But as always, for lack of knowing what to do, we do what we know.
I just wish we had education schools for our President, the Secretaries of Defense and State, their appointed minions, and national political and media leaders. I’ll bet most of them wish that, too. I think JFK even said this, in his words.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
What is the National Interest?
First there are current events.
The war in Iraq and the Global War on Terrorism take much of our best people’s time in figuring out a best course of action for our nation. Our best people are both elected politicians and their appointed minions, and then we citizens. None of them or us wake up in the morning wanting to do a bad job.
Often, as humans do, these people can be distracted by too many things on their plate at one time. Our National Interest can get short shrift in their thought processes.
Then there are future events.
The past is, the past. Most of us focus on the future.
The future for our National Interest has both domestic and foreign impacts on us, we the people.
To take the time to back off and consider what is our National Interest brings up the fact that there are differences of opinion.
Many differences are honest, as in our heart and minds.
Other differences are political, mostly from politicians from our national past.
Some differences are from political scientists who would impose their vision on us.
There are historical analogies.
One is the “fat and lazy” theme that suggests why tribes and civilizations have been superseded, often by barbarians.
Another is the “kill the goose that lays the golden egg” theme. In this scheme, too much of a good thing can kill or replace the tribe or civilization.
If we the people understand and believe in and dictate what is our National Interest, then the elected politicians and their appointed minions should have an easy time of deriving policies and laws that give us what we vote for. Don’t we wish it were this easy. But between the honest differences, the politician motivated differences, and the social do gooder differences, it is confusing and full of friction. There is hope for the future, however.
I have several suggestions about our National Interest. What follows is my definition of our National Interest.
We must do everything we can to preserve our new world special experiment and country.
We must defend our experiment against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That our founders included the term “foreign and domestic” says much about their concern about the fragility of our government based on a constitution. Our enemies, in my opinion, are either overt, covert, or coincidental.
We must be prepared to use all means available to achieve our National Interest.
Is there anything new in this discussion. YES! That there is always friction in the world is normal. What is new is US, the experiment, the country, we the new world people. The rest of the world’s people pouring towards the USA says our National Interest is important to them. We have something worth preserving, and that is the National Interest.
None of the preceding suggests either an offensive or defensive implementation of policies in support of our National Interest. To me it is as simple as an old historical term…don’t tread on me.
First there are current events.
The war in Iraq and the Global War on Terrorism take much of our best people’s time in figuring out a best course of action for our nation. Our best people are both elected politicians and their appointed minions, and then we citizens. None of them or us wake up in the morning wanting to do a bad job.
Often, as humans do, these people can be distracted by too many things on their plate at one time. Our National Interest can get short shrift in their thought processes.
Then there are future events.
The past is, the past. Most of us focus on the future.
The future for our National Interest has both domestic and foreign impacts on us, we the people.
To take the time to back off and consider what is our National Interest brings up the fact that there are differences of opinion.
Many differences are honest, as in our heart and minds.
Other differences are political, mostly from politicians from our national past.
Some differences are from political scientists who would impose their vision on us.
There are historical analogies.
One is the “fat and lazy” theme that suggests why tribes and civilizations have been superseded, often by barbarians.
Another is the “kill the goose that lays the golden egg” theme. In this scheme, too much of a good thing can kill or replace the tribe or civilization.
If we the people understand and believe in and dictate what is our National Interest, then the elected politicians and their appointed minions should have an easy time of deriving policies and laws that give us what we vote for. Don’t we wish it were this easy. But between the honest differences, the politician motivated differences, and the social do gooder differences, it is confusing and full of friction. There is hope for the future, however.
I have several suggestions about our National Interest. What follows is my definition of our National Interest.
We must do everything we can to preserve our new world special experiment and country.
We must defend our experiment against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That our founders included the term “foreign and domestic” says much about their concern about the fragility of our government based on a constitution. Our enemies, in my opinion, are either overt, covert, or coincidental.
We must be prepared to use all means available to achieve our National Interest.
Is there anything new in this discussion. YES! That there is always friction in the world is normal. What is new is US, the experiment, the country, we the new world people. The rest of the world’s people pouring towards the USA says our National Interest is important to them. We have something worth preserving, and that is the National Interest.
None of the preceding suggests either an offensive or defensive implementation of policies in support of our National Interest. To me it is as simple as an old historical term…don’t tread on me.
Monday, January 08, 2007
The Iraq analogy, and how do I explain?
There is much friction in our country about how things have gone in our campaign in Iraq. I think most would say things could be better from our USA point of view, and I am being kind.
The more I read the more I don’t know whether to assign my venom to the President, or to his hired (appointed well educated fools) who have done their best in Iraq. In the end, the President did hire them, and it is his problem in the end.
I do think the President has gone through a thought process, and things will change for the USA advantage. We will see.
Does anyone think we are winning the peace in the Baghdad/Sunni area? And yes, we are winning the peace in Kurdistan, and southern Iraq. Thank goodness the Brits are being themselves in the Basra city area of southern Iraq.
The way I grew up was to reinforce success, not failure. If our President does not or can not do this, then we and he are dead in the water. There is much hope given our President’s style that he will reinforce success.
Let me describe reinforcing success to the layman. This means about three things, to make it sound simple.
A. Change the military rules of engagement so we can go on the offense in the bad Iraqi areas. Not only seek out and destroy the people who oppose us, but impose our own solution and strategic goals. If the present Iraqi government doesn’t get it, then so be it. “Surge” is fine, but unless we unlease our military to fight, we are doomed by the present strategy.
B. Put one person in charge of the effort (assuming the President will not step up the plate, as he should). The State Department and all the D.C. procurement rules be damned. Let the military and CIA spread money around to accomplish the mission, which is the establishment of a democracy in the middle of the middle east. If I had a family to support, any money would help me, my family, and my loyalty.
C. Go regional. Apply all our national resources to accomplishing regime change in Iran and Syria. I think we are doing this already, and times are ripe, from their point of view. But in the meantime, change the military rules of engagement along the borders to let our people to take control of the borders (not the Iraqis), and then kill or confine the invaders from Iran and Syria. It will be a shock if finally some government from the west finally tells these eastern governments to quit.
Back to trying to explain. My opinion is that our strategy and resulting rules of engagement are part of why we are losing in Baghdad and the Sunni Triangle. When we let go captured bad guy leaders to satisfy our newly installed/elected Iraqi leaders for their problems, we are not in control. Control was earned by war, not by other means.
Let’s go to our local city for another analogy. If our local police seek out and find and arrest some bad guys, we expect the justice system to follow up. If local politics let’s them go, then we will lose faith in our system.
Enough said.
There is much friction in our country about how things have gone in our campaign in Iraq. I think most would say things could be better from our USA point of view, and I am being kind.
The more I read the more I don’t know whether to assign my venom to the President, or to his hired (appointed well educated fools) who have done their best in Iraq. In the end, the President did hire them, and it is his problem in the end.
I do think the President has gone through a thought process, and things will change for the USA advantage. We will see.
Does anyone think we are winning the peace in the Baghdad/Sunni area? And yes, we are winning the peace in Kurdistan, and southern Iraq. Thank goodness the Brits are being themselves in the Basra city area of southern Iraq.
The way I grew up was to reinforce success, not failure. If our President does not or can not do this, then we and he are dead in the water. There is much hope given our President’s style that he will reinforce success.
Let me describe reinforcing success to the layman. This means about three things, to make it sound simple.
A. Change the military rules of engagement so we can go on the offense in the bad Iraqi areas. Not only seek out and destroy the people who oppose us, but impose our own solution and strategic goals. If the present Iraqi government doesn’t get it, then so be it. “Surge” is fine, but unless we unlease our military to fight, we are doomed by the present strategy.
B. Put one person in charge of the effort (assuming the President will not step up the plate, as he should). The State Department and all the D.C. procurement rules be damned. Let the military and CIA spread money around to accomplish the mission, which is the establishment of a democracy in the middle of the middle east. If I had a family to support, any money would help me, my family, and my loyalty.
C. Go regional. Apply all our national resources to accomplishing regime change in Iran and Syria. I think we are doing this already, and times are ripe, from their point of view. But in the meantime, change the military rules of engagement along the borders to let our people to take control of the borders (not the Iraqis), and then kill or confine the invaders from Iran and Syria. It will be a shock if finally some government from the west finally tells these eastern governments to quit.
Back to trying to explain. My opinion is that our strategy and resulting rules of engagement are part of why we are losing in Baghdad and the Sunni Triangle. When we let go captured bad guy leaders to satisfy our newly installed/elected Iraqi leaders for their problems, we are not in control. Control was earned by war, not by other means.
Let’s go to our local city for another analogy. If our local police seek out and find and arrest some bad guys, we expect the justice system to follow up. If local politics let’s them go, then we will lose faith in our system.
Enough said.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Kids can be mean to each other, and devious…what’s new mom and dad?
Getting older can have advantages such as having heard it before. Such is the subject of this article. Since all of us were kids we all know about the experience and what I speak about.
People are people, to include kids.
Technology does change. For example, some private academies have wi-fi umbrellas over the campus to help teach kids about computers.
All this technology, after listening, is that it offers new ways for kids to be kids, often being mean to each other. Nothing has changed, but for the method to be mean to each other. Insults to egos, sex, drugs, and standards are the norm. Thank goodness for parents who monitor all this, and can talk to their kid.
I am prejudiced about young girls’ vulnerability in their formulative years, in all means. But this also applies to boys who go through the same dimulative process. Bottom line for this article, all the computer type stuff we parents advance for our kids does not include the costs and problems of kids being mean to each other. Again, all that has changed is ways in how to be mean, kid to kid.
And then is there is technology gone awry another way, as it applies to kids. Even in private Christian academies in Tennessee, kids are required to turn off their cell phones to prevent them from using text messaging during exams to pass answers.
Is anything new in this report?
Getting older can have advantages such as having heard it before. Such is the subject of this article. Since all of us were kids we all know about the experience and what I speak about.
People are people, to include kids.
Technology does change. For example, some private academies have wi-fi umbrellas over the campus to help teach kids about computers.
All this technology, after listening, is that it offers new ways for kids to be kids, often being mean to each other. Nothing has changed, but for the method to be mean to each other. Insults to egos, sex, drugs, and standards are the norm. Thank goodness for parents who monitor all this, and can talk to their kid.
I am prejudiced about young girls’ vulnerability in their formulative years, in all means. But this also applies to boys who go through the same dimulative process. Bottom line for this article, all the computer type stuff we parents advance for our kids does not include the costs and problems of kids being mean to each other. Again, all that has changed is ways in how to be mean, kid to kid.
And then is there is technology gone awry another way, as it applies to kids. Even in private Christian academies in Tennessee, kids are required to turn off their cell phones to prevent them from using text messaging during exams to pass answers.
Is anything new in this report?
Let’s wait and see about the new democratic control of congress
Here’s why. We the people have elected many new representatives to the congress, both in the house and the senate. I believe most are more USA country oriented than party oriented. In English, these new people who changed control of the congress will seek and vote the country first, then their party, and then their ego. Right or wrong, that is what I think.
Never the less, the old time democratic leaders who get to assume the mantel of control in both houses appear to be out of touch. By that I mean, they can no longer dictate their politics and policies and votes to their minions, even if they think so based on the old days. In turn, many democrats (and republicans) are from a newer school of politics that thinks of our nation’s interests first. That there are differences of politics is obvious; that representatives will vote their personal and local politics is the change from the past. Intimidation from the leaders will fail, or at least be diminished.
This idea is not a fluff piece, as in a Rodney King “can we all just get along?” idea.
It is about the serious issues of our country, which is the best in the world’s history, but also can fail like Rome.
I am hopeful, but let’s wait and see. If things do not sort out, then we can vote again in two years. Hopefully our country will still be around.
Here’s why. We the people have elected many new representatives to the congress, both in the house and the senate. I believe most are more USA country oriented than party oriented. In English, these new people who changed control of the congress will seek and vote the country first, then their party, and then their ego. Right or wrong, that is what I think.
Never the less, the old time democratic leaders who get to assume the mantel of control in both houses appear to be out of touch. By that I mean, they can no longer dictate their politics and policies and votes to their minions, even if they think so based on the old days. In turn, many democrats (and republicans) are from a newer school of politics that thinks of our nation’s interests first. That there are differences of politics is obvious; that representatives will vote their personal and local politics is the change from the past. Intimidation from the leaders will fail, or at least be diminished.
This idea is not a fluff piece, as in a Rodney King “can we all just get along?” idea.
It is about the serious issues of our country, which is the best in the world’s history, but also can fail like Rome.
I am hopeful, but let’s wait and see. If things do not sort out, then we can vote again in two years. Hopefully our country will still be around.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Thrashing back at our politicians
Our national politicians in congress have alarmed me. Mostly it is the old time democrats who have assumed control of the senate and house based on election results.
Yet I also think we Americans have voted for our country first, to include at the local congressional level. I used to think I was a republican, but often the local democrat says what I want to hear. It is our country first. And what I really expect is the proclaimed “let’s debate and vote on the issues”.
There are I think dinosaur-type politicians from the past that still think their time is finally here. I disagree. The country has changed, but they may not have changed. Only time will tell.
Then there is the American character that believes in individuals and ideas and elections and debating ideas. That the George Washington idea of avoiding royalty pretensions may be superseded by the oncoming Speaker of the House going through anointing ceremonies tells me she has other agendas and personal defects. Again, what a dinosaur.
I think most politicians of the old times don’t get it. It is the change of our body politic. Whoa be to those who don’t figure it out. I think the new representatives do get it.
As much as I can’t believe it, there are different visions for our country’s future. That we are still the “new world” in the idea category is the hope for most of the world peoples. That many politicians seek to mine the wealth is something to vote against when the privilege to serve is abused.
Talk is cheap. And there are those who “talk the talk” but do not “walk the walk”. We shall see, and then vote.
Our national politicians in congress have alarmed me. Mostly it is the old time democrats who have assumed control of the senate and house based on election results.
Yet I also think we Americans have voted for our country first, to include at the local congressional level. I used to think I was a republican, but often the local democrat says what I want to hear. It is our country first. And what I really expect is the proclaimed “let’s debate and vote on the issues”.
There are I think dinosaur-type politicians from the past that still think their time is finally here. I disagree. The country has changed, but they may not have changed. Only time will tell.
Then there is the American character that believes in individuals and ideas and elections and debating ideas. That the George Washington idea of avoiding royalty pretensions may be superseded by the oncoming Speaker of the House going through anointing ceremonies tells me she has other agendas and personal defects. Again, what a dinosaur.
I think most politicians of the old times don’t get it. It is the change of our body politic. Whoa be to those who don’t figure it out. I think the new representatives do get it.
As much as I can’t believe it, there are different visions for our country’s future. That we are still the “new world” in the idea category is the hope for most of the world peoples. That many politicians seek to mine the wealth is something to vote against when the privilege to serve is abused.
Talk is cheap. And there are those who “talk the talk” but do not “walk the walk”. We shall see, and then vote.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
America is the future, bumpy though the road may be
This article is about all our personal and national integration efforts of bringing former slaves from Africa into our national fabric.
We are great as a country. No other country in the world has done integration of former slaves in the way we have, and are doing. There have been bumps in the road along the way, to include a civil war and Jim Crow laws where integrating slaves was a factor.
My major bump today is quotas; mostly called racial preferences and set asides and even called affirmative action.
From my point of view, this often becomes a lowering of standards to achieve a social goal. While well intentioned, it denigrates the standards that our American society demands, and gets. For example, when in the medical system trying to live, I demand the best of what our medical schools can produce to help me live. And in the same vein, what an insult to those who have made it through the wickets, only to be suspect of being quota babies that got advantages that may kill me, in the end.
As a Marine, one learns that those who follow and observe do watch what the leaders do with the good people, and the bad people. Toleration of bad people will drive out those good people who just want to do well.
Then there is the racial intelligence question I sometimes hear. As a Marine and later President of a small company, my style was to listen to the smart people in deciding what to do. Bottom line: the old time people (in this case ebony black rural people in SC) were trusted more by me than the PhD’s on the same subject. I am not stupid, so I did listen to both. And I never let myself get confused between brains and education.
And then, last, there is the “out of wedlock” issue, though I call it a custom that is not American. This is definitely a bump in the road. It is unsatisfactory. From this comes the other question of recent immigrants who bring the “American” tradition of families with fathers and mothers who raise children. Their customs reinforce the American way.
All negro’s are Americans, at least in this country. Some are better than others. It is important for me to say this from an intellectual contribution point of view.
When racial intermarriage becomes usual, then another bump may have been removed. Let the boys and girls use their judgment and experience to decide their future. I hope the present leaders can move away from making new genealogy categories such as “Latinos” and “mixed race”. We are just Americans. Of course, ignore Hollywood’s elitist offerings of the same.
Am I bitter? No. And I frustrated? Yes. Do I have hope for our future? Yes.
We are the New World.
This article is about all our personal and national integration efforts of bringing former slaves from Africa into our national fabric.
We are great as a country. No other country in the world has done integration of former slaves in the way we have, and are doing. There have been bumps in the road along the way, to include a civil war and Jim Crow laws where integrating slaves was a factor.
My major bump today is quotas; mostly called racial preferences and set asides and even called affirmative action.
From my point of view, this often becomes a lowering of standards to achieve a social goal. While well intentioned, it denigrates the standards that our American society demands, and gets. For example, when in the medical system trying to live, I demand the best of what our medical schools can produce to help me live. And in the same vein, what an insult to those who have made it through the wickets, only to be suspect of being quota babies that got advantages that may kill me, in the end.
As a Marine, one learns that those who follow and observe do watch what the leaders do with the good people, and the bad people. Toleration of bad people will drive out those good people who just want to do well.
Then there is the racial intelligence question I sometimes hear. As a Marine and later President of a small company, my style was to listen to the smart people in deciding what to do. Bottom line: the old time people (in this case ebony black rural people in SC) were trusted more by me than the PhD’s on the same subject. I am not stupid, so I did listen to both. And I never let myself get confused between brains and education.
And then, last, there is the “out of wedlock” issue, though I call it a custom that is not American. This is definitely a bump in the road. It is unsatisfactory. From this comes the other question of recent immigrants who bring the “American” tradition of families with fathers and mothers who raise children. Their customs reinforce the American way.
All negro’s are Americans, at least in this country. Some are better than others. It is important for me to say this from an intellectual contribution point of view.
When racial intermarriage becomes usual, then another bump may have been removed. Let the boys and girls use their judgment and experience to decide their future. I hope the present leaders can move away from making new genealogy categories such as “Latinos” and “mixed race”. We are just Americans. Of course, ignore Hollywood’s elitist offerings of the same.
Am I bitter? No. And I frustrated? Yes. Do I have hope for our future? Yes.
We are the New World.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Do American politicians know how to fight wars in pursuit of national objectives?
This is a difficult article to write because I fear any criticism will be selectively used by my political opponents. My fear is of politicians and their employees who know how to complain, but not offer any solutions other than giving in to our enemies national and tribal objectives. I am from the school of thought that says complain all you want, but then offer up other courses of action for decision makers.
This article is also difficult to write because I can use hindsight, and who wouldn’t. I can also say hindsight for me is more an “I told you so” than “things turned out differently than I expected”.
This article is also difficult to write because it exposes a defect in our American culture and persona that I really don’t want my adversaries knowing about.
Last, this article is difficult to write about because we are in a shooting war, and the timing of criticisms is best postponed in most cases.
I hope this article does just the opposite and leads to achieving our national objectives.
I got the first hint of concern about our ability to prosecute a war when Congress and the President could not even declare war after 9/11. The alternative was a bill authorizing this and that, but it was not an old fashioned Declaration of War. The idea of wars being between states is historical, but we have also waged war against groups, as in the Barbary Pirates. Yet our leaders avoided the Declaration of War intimations by seeking the alternative legislation. The mistrust left over from the Gulf of Tonkin resolution was still there, even though New York City and the Pentagon and Pennsylvania were still smoldering. Hard to believe.
I got the first hint of hope in the prosecution of the Afghan campaign. It seemed the unity of effort between the Department of Defense, CIA, and the State Department implied one person was in charge, probably the President.
I got the second hint of concern right after the brilliant campaign to take Iraq in the three weeks it took to take Baghdad. It became obvious to me that while we had a plan to win the war, we did not have a plan to win the peace. I ate a lot of crow over this. Later even TV pundits were saying things like we have two months left in the window of opportunity to win the peace. Well the window closed, and look at the bag of worms we have today. I fault our President for not putting one person in charge for all to see, or stepping up and being that person who knocks heads to get unity of effort. Even today, I cannot find one person in charge of our Iraq effort below the President.
Along the way in Iraq, our Department of Defense started rebuilding the Iraqi military. What a monumental strategic mistake. Militaries are trained and equipped to defend borders. That’s where our time and money went in this area. What Iraq needed first was a trained and equipped constabulary to provide the normal police protections we expect. That got second shrift, and we are still paying for this mistake in winning the peace. If this seems confusing, just think about how our military is equipped and trained compared to our local police. In the case of Iraq, which force would you bring up first?
The third hint of concern I got was the apparent miasma and symbiosis of the media and the Democratic Party and left over anti-Vietnam types. Two things stuck out to me. One was the euphoria of the old 60’s in marching and protesting for all that is good in the world. The other thing was the use of old fashioned propaganda. Say one idea often enough, and it “must be true”, even if it isn’t. This was shameless work by those who thought differently about the war in Iraq. There are more responsible ways to proceed.
The fourth hint of concern was the inception of the “Green Zone”. If I were in charge, I would have done the same. After all, personal safety is a basic tenet of any government. Yet out of this good effort has come skewed perceptions and decisions and reporting that would come out of any protected bastion in any part of the world. Those who operate in a vacuum probably don’t know what is going on elsewhere. The best example today is the parachute type reporting of the horrible sectarian fighting in Baghdad. I suggest our reporters on TV most likely have no idea of anything else going on in Iraq. And if I were them, I probably would stay safely inside the Green Zone. Ditto for the State Department types.
If one gets out of the “Green Zone” in Baghdad, as in military people or engineers or NGO’s then much is happening to make an American and European proud. This is where the rubber meets the road. It has been a difficult process, and still is. We are good people, and without imperialistic ambitions.
The fifth, and last hint of concern is the blurring of the war against terror, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. To me it is as obvious as day and night. They are different, yes associated, but different. The Islamic fascist terrorists, yes I’ll say these words, are primarily Arabs, but the war is more cultural than locally tribal. I fear any Democratic Party opposition effort, if successful, may drag down another effort of our government to “fight terrorism”.
One of my heroes in life is Colin Powell. He has bridged the gap between national and party politics, the Department of Defense, and the State Department. His “Doctrine” is right on the mark to me. For those who may need a primer here is his doctrine:
The questions posed by the Powell Doctrine, which should be answered affirmatively before military action, are:
Is a vital national security interest threatened?
Do we have a clear attainable objective?
Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed?
Have all other non-violent policy means been fully exhausted?
Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement?
Have the consequences of our action been fully considered?
Is the action supported by the American people?
Do we have genuine broad international support?
One thing his Doctrine lays out clearly is our American impatience. We are willing to get involved, and even fight, but we must get it over with and then get out. I agree. Most of our impatience is with do gooders, mostly with incompetence with these do gooders, be they Republicans or Democratics; civilian or military. This vulnerability is big enough for our enemies to drive a train through. All they have to do is drag things out while our do gooders stew.
During Vietnam, I thought all the ignorant, although well intentioned, appointed civilian leaders were Democrats. Now I know Republicans can suffer from the same, and have.
My father used to refer to educated fools. Now I think I understand him a little better.
I will digress to today and the problems in Iraq, most importantly Baghdad. As I read the news today, one option is a quick and short step up for more American troops in the capital city of Baghdad.
Back to the subject question: Do American politicians know how to fight wars in pursuit of national objectives?
Unless the elected leaders and their appointed civilian scribes dictate any “rules” change, no amount of extra military fighters will change things. Today’s rules proscribe a way of war that has failed. I am from the school that says “reinforce success” not “failure”.
Until our President and his minions change what they have been doing to date, then they have already ordained their losing to the dedicated opposition in Iraq, I think. And this will spill over to the entire war on terror if these same D.C. people have their way.
In the President’s defense, all of his predecessors in the Oval Office have passed the buck, starting with Carter in my calendar. Those in Congress are about as bad. At least this President is “not passing the buck”, be that good or bad. I just wish the decisions had been different.
It is my opinion that our politicians don’t know how to fight wars in pursuit of national objectives. They do know how to be American politicians that may reflect the public. More often they reflect themselves.
It is up to us voters to decide. Thank goodness.
This is a difficult article to write because I fear any criticism will be selectively used by my political opponents. My fear is of politicians and their employees who know how to complain, but not offer any solutions other than giving in to our enemies national and tribal objectives. I am from the school of thought that says complain all you want, but then offer up other courses of action for decision makers.
This article is also difficult to write because I can use hindsight, and who wouldn’t. I can also say hindsight for me is more an “I told you so” than “things turned out differently than I expected”.
This article is also difficult to write because it exposes a defect in our American culture and persona that I really don’t want my adversaries knowing about.
Last, this article is difficult to write about because we are in a shooting war, and the timing of criticisms is best postponed in most cases.
I hope this article does just the opposite and leads to achieving our national objectives.
I got the first hint of concern about our ability to prosecute a war when Congress and the President could not even declare war after 9/11. The alternative was a bill authorizing this and that, but it was not an old fashioned Declaration of War. The idea of wars being between states is historical, but we have also waged war against groups, as in the Barbary Pirates. Yet our leaders avoided the Declaration of War intimations by seeking the alternative legislation. The mistrust left over from the Gulf of Tonkin resolution was still there, even though New York City and the Pentagon and Pennsylvania were still smoldering. Hard to believe.
I got the first hint of hope in the prosecution of the Afghan campaign. It seemed the unity of effort between the Department of Defense, CIA, and the State Department implied one person was in charge, probably the President.
I got the second hint of concern right after the brilliant campaign to take Iraq in the three weeks it took to take Baghdad. It became obvious to me that while we had a plan to win the war, we did not have a plan to win the peace. I ate a lot of crow over this. Later even TV pundits were saying things like we have two months left in the window of opportunity to win the peace. Well the window closed, and look at the bag of worms we have today. I fault our President for not putting one person in charge for all to see, or stepping up and being that person who knocks heads to get unity of effort. Even today, I cannot find one person in charge of our Iraq effort below the President.
Along the way in Iraq, our Department of Defense started rebuilding the Iraqi military. What a monumental strategic mistake. Militaries are trained and equipped to defend borders. That’s where our time and money went in this area. What Iraq needed first was a trained and equipped constabulary to provide the normal police protections we expect. That got second shrift, and we are still paying for this mistake in winning the peace. If this seems confusing, just think about how our military is equipped and trained compared to our local police. In the case of Iraq, which force would you bring up first?
The third hint of concern I got was the apparent miasma and symbiosis of the media and the Democratic Party and left over anti-Vietnam types. Two things stuck out to me. One was the euphoria of the old 60’s in marching and protesting for all that is good in the world. The other thing was the use of old fashioned propaganda. Say one idea often enough, and it “must be true”, even if it isn’t. This was shameless work by those who thought differently about the war in Iraq. There are more responsible ways to proceed.
The fourth hint of concern was the inception of the “Green Zone”. If I were in charge, I would have done the same. After all, personal safety is a basic tenet of any government. Yet out of this good effort has come skewed perceptions and decisions and reporting that would come out of any protected bastion in any part of the world. Those who operate in a vacuum probably don’t know what is going on elsewhere. The best example today is the parachute type reporting of the horrible sectarian fighting in Baghdad. I suggest our reporters on TV most likely have no idea of anything else going on in Iraq. And if I were them, I probably would stay safely inside the Green Zone. Ditto for the State Department types.
If one gets out of the “Green Zone” in Baghdad, as in military people or engineers or NGO’s then much is happening to make an American and European proud. This is where the rubber meets the road. It has been a difficult process, and still is. We are good people, and without imperialistic ambitions.
The fifth, and last hint of concern is the blurring of the war against terror, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. To me it is as obvious as day and night. They are different, yes associated, but different. The Islamic fascist terrorists, yes I’ll say these words, are primarily Arabs, but the war is more cultural than locally tribal. I fear any Democratic Party opposition effort, if successful, may drag down another effort of our government to “fight terrorism”.
One of my heroes in life is Colin Powell. He has bridged the gap between national and party politics, the Department of Defense, and the State Department. His “Doctrine” is right on the mark to me. For those who may need a primer here is his doctrine:
The questions posed by the Powell Doctrine, which should be answered affirmatively before military action, are:
Is a vital national security interest threatened?
Do we have a clear attainable objective?
Have the risks and costs been fully and frankly analyzed?
Have all other non-violent policy means been fully exhausted?
Is there a plausible exit strategy to avoid endless entanglement?
Have the consequences of our action been fully considered?
Is the action supported by the American people?
Do we have genuine broad international support?
One thing his Doctrine lays out clearly is our American impatience. We are willing to get involved, and even fight, but we must get it over with and then get out. I agree. Most of our impatience is with do gooders, mostly with incompetence with these do gooders, be they Republicans or Democratics; civilian or military. This vulnerability is big enough for our enemies to drive a train through. All they have to do is drag things out while our do gooders stew.
During Vietnam, I thought all the ignorant, although well intentioned, appointed civilian leaders were Democrats. Now I know Republicans can suffer from the same, and have.
My father used to refer to educated fools. Now I think I understand him a little better.
I will digress to today and the problems in Iraq, most importantly Baghdad. As I read the news today, one option is a quick and short step up for more American troops in the capital city of Baghdad.
Back to the subject question: Do American politicians know how to fight wars in pursuit of national objectives?
Unless the elected leaders and their appointed civilian scribes dictate any “rules” change, no amount of extra military fighters will change things. Today’s rules proscribe a way of war that has failed. I am from the school that says “reinforce success” not “failure”.
Until our President and his minions change what they have been doing to date, then they have already ordained their losing to the dedicated opposition in Iraq, I think. And this will spill over to the entire war on terror if these same D.C. people have their way.
In the President’s defense, all of his predecessors in the Oval Office have passed the buck, starting with Carter in my calendar. Those in Congress are about as bad. At least this President is “not passing the buck”, be that good or bad. I just wish the decisions had been different.
It is my opinion that our politicians don’t know how to fight wars in pursuit of national objectives. They do know how to be American politicians that may reflect the public. More often they reflect themselves.
It is up to us voters to decide. Thank goodness.
How knowledgeable about the Middle East area are we Americans?
I am not sure of the answer the more I listen and read and use my prior education, civilian and military.
Forget TV in all its media means.
Most of my fellow citizens are just as well intentioned as I am, and often come to different conclusions. I suspect the reason is mostly personal experience. The other main reasons I suspect is their homework and their sources of information.
I also suspect this friction and dichotomy is as old as human history. It could be as short as American history.
Now I get to live the history during my life. I think most of the people reading this article are well informed and educated to their satisfaction. It is the rest of our citizens I will guess about.
Our nation has a long history of isolationism and withdrawal from the old world. FDR dealt with it, and this national instinct is still alive and well today. Now we will deal with it. Between our oceans’ protections and our new world principles, the idea is that we are better than the rest of the old world, and let the rest of the old world sort it out, without us. Another way it is expressed is “give peace a chance” and “diplomacy” first. Another way it is expressed is in terms of national strength, that is, we are simply too weak to do much about things without a national mobilization.
On to the latest old world problem that affects us USA types. On 9/11 we were attacked out of nowhere, and 3,000 people who simply went to work died just for being Americans in America. Somehow the oceans were no longer a simple defense, assuming we needed a defense.
Now I read and sense the political cross currents of those analyzing the people who killed 3,000 American citizens, and why and how. In this process, I evaluate how much information those who are still alive know and use. I also recognize the political aspect of all this, in that politicians and maybe media types will taint the information to promote their cause and be obtuse to the rest of us citizens, who vote by the way.
The preceding is a fancy way of saying politicians and media types can be disingenuous. We all know this.
What I think is that we American citizens are smarter than many politicians and maybe media types. We all know directly or indirectly the difference between Sunnis and Shiites; and Persians, Arabs, Kurds, Jews and the other polyglots of groups; Bathists and other dictatorial groups; and lastly nation-states and tribes. And we are familiar with all their frictions.
I just wish the oncoming Democratic head of the Intelligence Committee in the House knew as much, and he is a good guy.
Then there is the appalling (to me) ignorance and perceptions about our military, based mostly on lack of experience by those not trained in this most ancient and noble art. Yes, few of us are born to anything; most of us have to be trained. When I hear armchair generals describing why and how we can’t even subjugate a little country like Iraq, I wish they knew to look to their civilian leaders (both elected and appointed) first. And when I read about using nukes in Iran as a regional version of MAD, I often wonder if these proponents have thought about the tom foolery of Iran’s enemies, or the down range fallout pattern effects on Pakistan and India. Last on this subject, military experience is no guarantee of good judgment. Kerry and Rangel come to my mind.
The Middle East is a caldron of competing histories, ideas, religions, frustrations, and expectations. The USA would normally use our trained State Department in the old days to deal with this area. The 9/11 attacks changed everything, and now when we go to bed at night we often think about our USA security for us and our children. Often when we wake up, many go to their news to see what atrocity has occurred in the rest of the world while we were sleeping.
It is to our advantage to learn as much as we can, assuming we are starting from scratch. Then keep learning. And I think most of us are way past “scratch” in determining America’s national interests and America’s path to going forward.
I am not sure of the answer the more I listen and read and use my prior education, civilian and military.
Forget TV in all its media means.
Most of my fellow citizens are just as well intentioned as I am, and often come to different conclusions. I suspect the reason is mostly personal experience. The other main reasons I suspect is their homework and their sources of information.
I also suspect this friction and dichotomy is as old as human history. It could be as short as American history.
Now I get to live the history during my life. I think most of the people reading this article are well informed and educated to their satisfaction. It is the rest of our citizens I will guess about.
Our nation has a long history of isolationism and withdrawal from the old world. FDR dealt with it, and this national instinct is still alive and well today. Now we will deal with it. Between our oceans’ protections and our new world principles, the idea is that we are better than the rest of the old world, and let the rest of the old world sort it out, without us. Another way it is expressed is “give peace a chance” and “diplomacy” first. Another way it is expressed is in terms of national strength, that is, we are simply too weak to do much about things without a national mobilization.
On to the latest old world problem that affects us USA types. On 9/11 we were attacked out of nowhere, and 3,000 people who simply went to work died just for being Americans in America. Somehow the oceans were no longer a simple defense, assuming we needed a defense.
Now I read and sense the political cross currents of those analyzing the people who killed 3,000 American citizens, and why and how. In this process, I evaluate how much information those who are still alive know and use. I also recognize the political aspect of all this, in that politicians and maybe media types will taint the information to promote their cause and be obtuse to the rest of us citizens, who vote by the way.
The preceding is a fancy way of saying politicians and media types can be disingenuous. We all know this.
What I think is that we American citizens are smarter than many politicians and maybe media types. We all know directly or indirectly the difference between Sunnis and Shiites; and Persians, Arabs, Kurds, Jews and the other polyglots of groups; Bathists and other dictatorial groups; and lastly nation-states and tribes. And we are familiar with all their frictions.
I just wish the oncoming Democratic head of the Intelligence Committee in the House knew as much, and he is a good guy.
Then there is the appalling (to me) ignorance and perceptions about our military, based mostly on lack of experience by those not trained in this most ancient and noble art. Yes, few of us are born to anything; most of us have to be trained. When I hear armchair generals describing why and how we can’t even subjugate a little country like Iraq, I wish they knew to look to their civilian leaders (both elected and appointed) first. And when I read about using nukes in Iran as a regional version of MAD, I often wonder if these proponents have thought about the tom foolery of Iran’s enemies, or the down range fallout pattern effects on Pakistan and India. Last on this subject, military experience is no guarantee of good judgment. Kerry and Rangel come to my mind.
The Middle East is a caldron of competing histories, ideas, religions, frustrations, and expectations. The USA would normally use our trained State Department in the old days to deal with this area. The 9/11 attacks changed everything, and now when we go to bed at night we often think about our USA security for us and our children. Often when we wake up, many go to their news to see what atrocity has occurred in the rest of the world while we were sleeping.
It is to our advantage to learn as much as we can, assuming we are starting from scratch. Then keep learning. And I think most of us are way past “scratch” in determining America’s national interests and America’s path to going forward.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Sex as young people, has anything changed?
The buzz word today is: a friend, with privileges. To this naïve old guy this means she puts out.
And oral sex is not considered a sexual act by many of todays high school and earlier girls. God, I wish I could go back to high school. And damn Clinton. A blow job is a blow job. I like it.
I could go on, but the bottom line is the principal of boys and girls and hormones raging is something we parents want to try control, but they probably will do what we tried to do, in our way. I think my parents thought the same, and I think teenage sex in the back seat of cars is more normal than parents money buying motel rooms. Maybe I am out of step.
Girls help me out. Hormones count both ways.
We adults need to promote chastity and marriage. That is a good solution.
Now I read books about the obvious. The style and politics have changed, but boys and girls want to get together in the mean time. Nothing has changed, in the end.
Maybe some of the third world (to include Islamic) friction has to do with the ability of our society to ignore boys and girls getting together.
As a parent of a daughter, I want to protect her from hormonal male instinct to have sex with her. I think I know all the lines about putting out. As a father, I also think she wants to connect because of her hormones, albeit with some counseling, I hope. Wish me luck. I will be hard and direct. I may lose.
You know what. Maybe some of our old time old world standards may still apply. To me this means women run the world, albeit indirectly. Their control of birth control has huge implications, to include in the west and the east, and is an obvious example. Mature women know this, teenage girls don’t.
Reinventing the past may be a path to our future.
The buzz word today is: a friend, with privileges. To this naïve old guy this means she puts out.
And oral sex is not considered a sexual act by many of todays high school and earlier girls. God, I wish I could go back to high school. And damn Clinton. A blow job is a blow job. I like it.
I could go on, but the bottom line is the principal of boys and girls and hormones raging is something we parents want to try control, but they probably will do what we tried to do, in our way. I think my parents thought the same, and I think teenage sex in the back seat of cars is more normal than parents money buying motel rooms. Maybe I am out of step.
Girls help me out. Hormones count both ways.
We adults need to promote chastity and marriage. That is a good solution.
Now I read books about the obvious. The style and politics have changed, but boys and girls want to get together in the mean time. Nothing has changed, in the end.
Maybe some of the third world (to include Islamic) friction has to do with the ability of our society to ignore boys and girls getting together.
As a parent of a daughter, I want to protect her from hormonal male instinct to have sex with her. I think I know all the lines about putting out. As a father, I also think she wants to connect because of her hormones, albeit with some counseling, I hope. Wish me luck. I will be hard and direct. I may lose.
You know what. Maybe some of our old time old world standards may still apply. To me this means women run the world, albeit indirectly. Their control of birth control has huge implications, to include in the west and the east, and is an obvious example. Mature women know this, teenage girls don’t.
Reinventing the past may be a path to our future.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Sometimes you have to fight for your way of life
I never thought I would get to this point of even mentioning the subject. It is all too obvious to me.
But here it is for those who think we can always talk our way out of confrontation with those who want to do us and our children in.
The talk-our-way-out-way solutions tend to follow three lines of reasoning as I hear them.
A. Our society and beliefs are the problem.
B. We can change to win the hearts and minds of those who want to kill us and our children.
C. We can wait them out, and it will all go away.
Then there are the realist solutions that tend to follow three lines of reasoning, again as I hear them.
A. The third world middle east is culturally a cesspool that only dictators and oil oligarchies can manage to our benefit; if we support them militarily, financially, and with policy of our country to continue them in control.
B. Let them kill themselves, all.
C. The Israeli and Palestinian friction is the real cause of today’s problems in the region. Get them to sing Kum Ba Yah together and the rest will go away.
Last there is the U.N. question about why establish a Jewish Homeland, and where. The idea came out of WWII after the holocaust, and then where. Sites all over the world were considered to include Alaska, Ohio, Madagascar, west Africa, the present location, and even parts of Europe. In the end it was a political decision, and our President Truman had something to do with strong-arming the decision of the U.N. to establish Israel where it is today. Good or bad, it is a legal U.N. decision. I personally think it was a bad decision, but it was legal and I support it today.
For even doing this history in an earlier article, I have been threatened by a muslim. So much for public debate and free discussion. And where I live, his life is in jeopardy just by showing up. He will find out.
Back to the point of this article. Three thousand of my fellow citizens who just went to work on 9/11 died under attack, no fault of their own. The attack worked in my mind tactically because it cost us lives and billions of dollars in our economy. The bad guys attacked our centers of gravity, and affected some of them. Strategically, they lost. Between our President and our citizenry, they awakened a “sleeping giant”. Subsequent political efforts to say otherwise are off the mark. Even the terrible results reported in the main stream media about the war in Iraq don’t change my idea of going to sleep in my home tonight and thinking I and my children are safe. I thank my government for this good feeling, to include federal, state, and city people. Good on ‘em and thank you.
Now it is time to fight. I mean in Iraq to chose sides and kill our local enemies that interfere with OUR goals. It will be amazing how quick this can be done within Iraq; and then we can revert to the nation building ideas where Iraqi normal people like you and me can do the things that help their families to include expecting safety and yes, having to pay taxes to the government and not the local mufti.
Now it is time to fight the Syrians and Iranians by war. No holds barred. Just using intelligence and attacking the sources is reasonable. Borders of these nation states are now a two way street. They started it, now let’s use it. Eventually, enough people will run away, be killed, or the politicians who send them in harms way will have to recalculate.
In the end, the question I have is are we willing to fight for our way of life? Others may pick another course of action. But, by golly, this is my recommended course of action.
I never thought I would get to this point of even mentioning the subject. It is all too obvious to me.
But here it is for those who think we can always talk our way out of confrontation with those who want to do us and our children in.
The talk-our-way-out-way solutions tend to follow three lines of reasoning as I hear them.
A. Our society and beliefs are the problem.
B. We can change to win the hearts and minds of those who want to kill us and our children.
C. We can wait them out, and it will all go away.
Then there are the realist solutions that tend to follow three lines of reasoning, again as I hear them.
A. The third world middle east is culturally a cesspool that only dictators and oil oligarchies can manage to our benefit; if we support them militarily, financially, and with policy of our country to continue them in control.
B. Let them kill themselves, all.
C. The Israeli and Palestinian friction is the real cause of today’s problems in the region. Get them to sing Kum Ba Yah together and the rest will go away.
Last there is the U.N. question about why establish a Jewish Homeland, and where. The idea came out of WWII after the holocaust, and then where. Sites all over the world were considered to include Alaska, Ohio, Madagascar, west Africa, the present location, and even parts of Europe. In the end it was a political decision, and our President Truman had something to do with strong-arming the decision of the U.N. to establish Israel where it is today. Good or bad, it is a legal U.N. decision. I personally think it was a bad decision, but it was legal and I support it today.
For even doing this history in an earlier article, I have been threatened by a muslim. So much for public debate and free discussion. And where I live, his life is in jeopardy just by showing up. He will find out.
Back to the point of this article. Three thousand of my fellow citizens who just went to work on 9/11 died under attack, no fault of their own. The attack worked in my mind tactically because it cost us lives and billions of dollars in our economy. The bad guys attacked our centers of gravity, and affected some of them. Strategically, they lost. Between our President and our citizenry, they awakened a “sleeping giant”. Subsequent political efforts to say otherwise are off the mark. Even the terrible results reported in the main stream media about the war in Iraq don’t change my idea of going to sleep in my home tonight and thinking I and my children are safe. I thank my government for this good feeling, to include federal, state, and city people. Good on ‘em and thank you.
Now it is time to fight. I mean in Iraq to chose sides and kill our local enemies that interfere with OUR goals. It will be amazing how quick this can be done within Iraq; and then we can revert to the nation building ideas where Iraqi normal people like you and me can do the things that help their families to include expecting safety and yes, having to pay taxes to the government and not the local mufti.
Now it is time to fight the Syrians and Iranians by war. No holds barred. Just using intelligence and attacking the sources is reasonable. Borders of these nation states are now a two way street. They started it, now let’s use it. Eventually, enough people will run away, be killed, or the politicians who send them in harms way will have to recalculate.
In the end, the question I have is are we willing to fight for our way of life? Others may pick another course of action. But, by golly, this is my recommended course of action.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
It’s a wash
I’ve just read another D.C. based article about the near political future. It’s boring for one who seeks to be an informed citizen. The article implies that those who write can influence the D.C. types, which I believe; and even extrapolates that these words can influence us unwashed citizens of the country, sometimes called the USA.
I’ve recently read another article that suggests the times have changed. The bottom line is who cares what they write because we don’t care or give any credibility to this speech. Common and family sense applies. It is our sons and daughters, after all.
In a reverse sort of way, maybe we children of the 60’s can really implement the goals of bettering the world, in our vision.
So why is there any fashion interest in today’s media reporting. I do wonder when I hear that People magazine now makes more money than Time magazine, which I ignore. I did not leave Time, it left me.
Let’s go forward. People seeking to be informed citizens just need to shop around. Maybe 20 years from now, it will be easy, but that is not the case today.
I do not offer sales pitches as to what to read to be an informed citizen. You go figure. You do have good choices. Just know what comes out of NYC and D.C. may suffer from “union type” words, media megalomania, and the intense news cycle. None of this is natural. It has all appeared since the 60’s and will disappear of its own weight, eventually.
The present example is what to do in Iraq. I ignore anything written inside the beltway and NYC as the opinion of those writing to each other. Their words don’t help this common citizen think and decide. I have to throw my news net farther. In my case, any Iraq news from a media person reporting from the “Green Zone” in Baghdad is just reverberation reporting of other reports from mostly locals. And time after time this method has been subject to the normal propaganda methods that are endemic to the society that thinks deceit is normal, which it is to most. I know this. Why has most US media become complacent? I don’t think it is as much politics as ignorance. Either way, I tune them out.
All I want to be is an informed citizen who can debate the issues of our day in a civil manner. Today, this is difficult.
I’ve just read another D.C. based article about the near political future. It’s boring for one who seeks to be an informed citizen. The article implies that those who write can influence the D.C. types, which I believe; and even extrapolates that these words can influence us unwashed citizens of the country, sometimes called the USA.
I’ve recently read another article that suggests the times have changed. The bottom line is who cares what they write because we don’t care or give any credibility to this speech. Common and family sense applies. It is our sons and daughters, after all.
In a reverse sort of way, maybe we children of the 60’s can really implement the goals of bettering the world, in our vision.
So why is there any fashion interest in today’s media reporting. I do wonder when I hear that People magazine now makes more money than Time magazine, which I ignore. I did not leave Time, it left me.
Let’s go forward. People seeking to be informed citizens just need to shop around. Maybe 20 years from now, it will be easy, but that is not the case today.
I do not offer sales pitches as to what to read to be an informed citizen. You go figure. You do have good choices. Just know what comes out of NYC and D.C. may suffer from “union type” words, media megalomania, and the intense news cycle. None of this is natural. It has all appeared since the 60’s and will disappear of its own weight, eventually.
The present example is what to do in Iraq. I ignore anything written inside the beltway and NYC as the opinion of those writing to each other. Their words don’t help this common citizen think and decide. I have to throw my news net farther. In my case, any Iraq news from a media person reporting from the “Green Zone” in Baghdad is just reverberation reporting of other reports from mostly locals. And time after time this method has been subject to the normal propaganda methods that are endemic to the society that thinks deceit is normal, which it is to most. I know this. Why has most US media become complacent? I don’t think it is as much politics as ignorance. Either way, I tune them out.
All I want to be is an informed citizen who can debate the issues of our day in a civil manner. Today, this is difficult.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Maybe America may survive
The times they are a changing.
The recent takeover of Congress by the Democratic Party says many things.
One thing I feel in my Tennessee part of the country is concern for the country, not the party. This means those elected are more American patriots than blind followers of the old guard (and left over from the 60’s) that will assume leadership positions.
Those extreme politicians on the left and right that plot to take power have been superseded by patriots that act in the USA (our) interest. They may not know it yet.
I want to wish the new Democratic leaders bad luck in trying to impose their politics on their serfs. I am confident bad luck for them will follow. Unless the serfs take over, which is my hope, then it will take an election to do all this. I am also confident that good luck will follow those that vote for the country, be they be Republicans or Democrats.
Those media pundits (newspaper and internet) that write to each other are dinosaurs. For example, they cannot nominate and elect Barack Obama, only we citizens can.
And they cannot decide in their way how our Iraq war will turn out. We citizens will vote and decide all this after reviewing how our President is doing. After all, it is our sons and daughters. In Tennessee, we are harsh in our review of his performance to date. And always we think about how the bad guys may get us in our homes. Our thoughts and votes count more than all the daily articles that come out of the beltway and its associated urban links. I think we have advanced beyond Rome, I hope.
In the same way, our enemies who use a strategy of defeating the USA in Washington, D.C. appear to have a good plan. One can lose in the local area, but one can win in D.C.
For my fellow 3,000 citizens in the World Trade Center who went to work and died, and my fellow 240 mostly Marines who died in the Beirut barracks bombing I don’t forget. Add in Col. Rich Higgins.
Anyway, this is what I think and report.
The times they are a changing.
The recent takeover of Congress by the Democratic Party says many things.
One thing I feel in my Tennessee part of the country is concern for the country, not the party. This means those elected are more American patriots than blind followers of the old guard (and left over from the 60’s) that will assume leadership positions.
Those extreme politicians on the left and right that plot to take power have been superseded by patriots that act in the USA (our) interest. They may not know it yet.
I want to wish the new Democratic leaders bad luck in trying to impose their politics on their serfs. I am confident bad luck for them will follow. Unless the serfs take over, which is my hope, then it will take an election to do all this. I am also confident that good luck will follow those that vote for the country, be they be Republicans or Democrats.
Those media pundits (newspaper and internet) that write to each other are dinosaurs. For example, they cannot nominate and elect Barack Obama, only we citizens can.
And they cannot decide in their way how our Iraq war will turn out. We citizens will vote and decide all this after reviewing how our President is doing. After all, it is our sons and daughters. In Tennessee, we are harsh in our review of his performance to date. And always we think about how the bad guys may get us in our homes. Our thoughts and votes count more than all the daily articles that come out of the beltway and its associated urban links. I think we have advanced beyond Rome, I hope.
In the same way, our enemies who use a strategy of defeating the USA in Washington, D.C. appear to have a good plan. One can lose in the local area, but one can win in D.C.
For my fellow 3,000 citizens in the World Trade Center who went to work and died, and my fellow 240 mostly Marines who died in the Beirut barracks bombing I don’t forget. Add in Col. Rich Higgins.
Anyway, this is what I think and report.
Friday, December 01, 2006
It is a privilege in life to live and vote in the USA
There is much friction in our country, mostly about are we a best society the world can produce.
I think the New World idea still works as an objective for the whole world, and I mean the whole world. Two obvious things come to mind. The Old European style we emigrated from is not our USA style. And the Islamic voice from the past is also not our USA style. And there are many other styles around our globe, I call them tribes.
All tribes just want to reproduce their progeny, and along the way preserve a way of their life. Most are like normal humans, and will accept changes in their way of life based on circumstances. And all tribes will tolerate their leaders going about things in their way.
For us Americans, many bad people, mostly international thugs guised in religious and political causes, fight us, and the media is sympathetic to their cause. Why they are sympathetic is still up for grabs. Right now I predict this “child of the 60’s group” will die out in the end and the media will begin to look more like we American people. As a Marine, a thug is a thug. Sort of sounds like the USA in the 1930s fighting the then invaders, the mafia and its culture and the Nazi’s. I can go back to the Civil War but I will stop here now.
We Americans are a good people. Our ancestors made it this way when they invented a constitution for loyalty. We have a naturally golden rule idea of discourse.
I predict and encourage the idea of discourse. Let’s civilly debate ideas, argue, vote, and go forward. This idea is the American way.
I think we in the New World are the hope and example for the humans future on our globe. We in the USA are especially privileged. We may have to fight for this idea. Right now I think the light bulb is dim, but I think it will go on.
I am worried that some of my fellow citizens think our way of life is normal, that is there is no threat to this way of life. Others have felt this way, to include the Romans.
Our ideas can be different. Our goals can be similar, I suspect.
Clay Williams
There is much friction in our country, mostly about are we a best society the world can produce.
I think the New World idea still works as an objective for the whole world, and I mean the whole world. Two obvious things come to mind. The Old European style we emigrated from is not our USA style. And the Islamic voice from the past is also not our USA style. And there are many other styles around our globe, I call them tribes.
All tribes just want to reproduce their progeny, and along the way preserve a way of their life. Most are like normal humans, and will accept changes in their way of life based on circumstances. And all tribes will tolerate their leaders going about things in their way.
For us Americans, many bad people, mostly international thugs guised in religious and political causes, fight us, and the media is sympathetic to their cause. Why they are sympathetic is still up for grabs. Right now I predict this “child of the 60’s group” will die out in the end and the media will begin to look more like we American people. As a Marine, a thug is a thug. Sort of sounds like the USA in the 1930s fighting the then invaders, the mafia and its culture and the Nazi’s. I can go back to the Civil War but I will stop here now.
We Americans are a good people. Our ancestors made it this way when they invented a constitution for loyalty. We have a naturally golden rule idea of discourse.
I predict and encourage the idea of discourse. Let’s civilly debate ideas, argue, vote, and go forward. This idea is the American way.
I think we in the New World are the hope and example for the humans future on our globe. We in the USA are especially privileged. We may have to fight for this idea. Right now I think the light bulb is dim, but I think it will go on.
I am worried that some of my fellow citizens think our way of life is normal, that is there is no threat to this way of life. Others have felt this way, to include the Romans.
Our ideas can be different. Our goals can be similar, I suspect.
Clay Williams
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
I think we won in Vietnam…a long term perspective from the 60’s to today
Why should I even bring this subject up? We all know America lost the war in Vietnam…right!
Losing the war is written and in pictures and video, so it must be right! The evacuation pictures and video of Saigon says it all, right! The shots of panic are particularly disturbing, right! The North Vietnamese conventional army won, right! The South Vietnamese government was corrupt enough to deserve to lose, as it did! In the end the nationalists from the North won this civil war through determination and nationalistic objectives when throwing off the colonial restraints, right!
And back then the western “falling dominoes idea” had validity as part of a “containment of communism strategy” we were acting on. The communist politicians, mostly in the USSR, were aggressively trying to expand their influence and political power in the world. In hindsight, this seems hard to believe knowing the problems they had. The North Vietnamese were being used as pawns by China and the USSR to try extend communist hegemony over the entire South East Asia area. This meant Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Burma should fall to the North Vietnamese.
Now that reason for the USA engaging in war is long forgotten and seldom taught to younger people educated in conventional history.
And I will never forget Douglas McArthur’s advice about avoiding a general land war in Asia.
Fast forward to today.
Maybe the South took over the North. The entrepreneurial instinct bred in the South has taken over the whole country. Vietnam as a whole seeks to enter the world wide economic market, the communists and their dictatorship and failed ideas from the North be dammed. But the old nationalists and communists are the same today, I think, and did win; so today’s entrepreneurs must work through the obstacles the old time leaders continue to put up.
Just become friends with young Vietnamese forced to live and work in the USA. They communicate with family and friends in the “Old Country”, and many would generally go home but for the stupid communist dictatorship’s ruin of “their” country through its policies. Fortunately this dictatorship group is aging, and will die off. I also don’t think nepotism will survive against the entrepreneurs in this tribe.
Let’s go on. My suspicion back then that the North Vietnamese communist leaders were as much imperialists as civil war nationalists was confirmed when they did not stop in South Vietnam. Their successful efforts to take over Laos and Cambodia confirmed this to me. Thank goodness time and North Vietnam’s limited strength caused them to leave later, and the people of Laos and Cambodia threw off their latest yoke. Apparently, North Vietnamese civil war fervor was best appropriate to themselves, and not the neighbors.
Are these communist party people starting to sound like imperialistic politicians and not nationalists?
One thing really does bother me in all this discussion. It is the waste of all the mostly young men from North Vietnam whose lives ended in the war. In my mind a big chunk of a whole generation of young people died in this war. It is on such a scale that there are profound impacts decades later within the Country. What a waste. And Vietnam is still suffering from this gap in number of young men being killed in the war. Damn the old French Vietnamese revolutionaries who sent these young men to their deaths.
And the Vietnamese are a sharp tribe. As a retired Marine, I can say in my opinion that they are respected.
And we Americans are a sharp tribe, too. I think that all who went in harms way, to include those killed, injured, maimed, and served without injury should be thanked. They "done good".
If war is imposing one’s will, then I think we won from today’s perspective. The “falling dominoes” never came to pass, and Vietnam is becoming more prosperous and an economic ally of the USA. We have more in common than not. The nationalist forces deserve some credit (some in the South I would say), but so do some of our USA leaders at the time.
They imposed the USA’s will in their political judgment, and I think most of us are pleased with the results.
Why should I even bring this subject up? We all know America lost the war in Vietnam…right!
Losing the war is written and in pictures and video, so it must be right! The evacuation pictures and video of Saigon says it all, right! The shots of panic are particularly disturbing, right! The North Vietnamese conventional army won, right! The South Vietnamese government was corrupt enough to deserve to lose, as it did! In the end the nationalists from the North won this civil war through determination and nationalistic objectives when throwing off the colonial restraints, right!
And back then the western “falling dominoes idea” had validity as part of a “containment of communism strategy” we were acting on. The communist politicians, mostly in the USSR, were aggressively trying to expand their influence and political power in the world. In hindsight, this seems hard to believe knowing the problems they had. The North Vietnamese were being used as pawns by China and the USSR to try extend communist hegemony over the entire South East Asia area. This meant Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Burma should fall to the North Vietnamese.
Now that reason for the USA engaging in war is long forgotten and seldom taught to younger people educated in conventional history.
And I will never forget Douglas McArthur’s advice about avoiding a general land war in Asia.
Fast forward to today.
Maybe the South took over the North. The entrepreneurial instinct bred in the South has taken over the whole country. Vietnam as a whole seeks to enter the world wide economic market, the communists and their dictatorship and failed ideas from the North be dammed. But the old nationalists and communists are the same today, I think, and did win; so today’s entrepreneurs must work through the obstacles the old time leaders continue to put up.
Just become friends with young Vietnamese forced to live and work in the USA. They communicate with family and friends in the “Old Country”, and many would generally go home but for the stupid communist dictatorship’s ruin of “their” country through its policies. Fortunately this dictatorship group is aging, and will die off. I also don’t think nepotism will survive against the entrepreneurs in this tribe.
Let’s go on. My suspicion back then that the North Vietnamese communist leaders were as much imperialists as civil war nationalists was confirmed when they did not stop in South Vietnam. Their successful efforts to take over Laos and Cambodia confirmed this to me. Thank goodness time and North Vietnam’s limited strength caused them to leave later, and the people of Laos and Cambodia threw off their latest yoke. Apparently, North Vietnamese civil war fervor was best appropriate to themselves, and not the neighbors.
Are these communist party people starting to sound like imperialistic politicians and not nationalists?
One thing really does bother me in all this discussion. It is the waste of all the mostly young men from North Vietnam whose lives ended in the war. In my mind a big chunk of a whole generation of young people died in this war. It is on such a scale that there are profound impacts decades later within the Country. What a waste. And Vietnam is still suffering from this gap in number of young men being killed in the war. Damn the old French Vietnamese revolutionaries who sent these young men to their deaths.
And the Vietnamese are a sharp tribe. As a retired Marine, I can say in my opinion that they are respected.
And we Americans are a sharp tribe, too. I think that all who went in harms way, to include those killed, injured, maimed, and served without injury should be thanked. They "done good".
If war is imposing one’s will, then I think we won from today’s perspective. The “falling dominoes” never came to pass, and Vietnam is becoming more prosperous and an economic ally of the USA. We have more in common than not. The nationalist forces deserve some credit (some in the South I would say), but so do some of our USA leaders at the time.
They imposed the USA’s will in their political judgment, and I think most of us are pleased with the results.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
The American political world has changed, and DC and pundits don’t get it…yet
I would not even write about this except for two headlines I scanned today. One implied Kerry thinks his boo boo about troops is just a bloop in his coming 2008 campaign. He has a position he often points out about Reagan failing on his first try (in this case a Republican nomination). The second headline implied some Republicans are plotting an expose of Nancy Pelosi to gain some advantage by embarrassing her. Don’t they know most of us have figured her out, already. In this case, let her be herself, and that should work just fine.
I am from the common citizen view that we did vote, and sent a message along the way. Mostly, though, we voted locally. In the end, most of us citizens voted people to represent us, Party be dammed. Part of the vote is a return to civility in Congress. That means, in my simple citizen’s mind, being cordial, debating, and voting. To take this farther, I am a selfish citizen, and how people vote is more important than some Party affiliation.
I am particularly disgusted, not frustrated, at the inside the beltway pundits discussion of the Iraq war. Perhaps the General in charge there is correct when he said he senses despair when he comes to DC, but senses better things in Iraq. Since I think most pundits write and read to each other, and not JQ citizen or the people on the ground, his idea is plausible. I too am frustrated at the progress of our war, but most of my frustration is with the DC types. If any of these men and women in DC leadership positions had any practical experience in prosecuting a war in a third world place such as Iraq, I think things would be much simpler. Perhaps I am not intellectual enough to understand why we should lose this war. Losing a war means the objectives set by our President are not achievable, so come home and let them (the locals) kill themselves. I respectfully disagree.
I think most of us voted “centrist”. Whoa be to those who do not perceive the American change in DC, and are probably from the old 1990’s school. America is returning to its national personality. It is still an ugly picture, but civility and debate and voting are coming back. Most importantly, the nation’s interest is coming back. The recent ideas of Party power, control of the treasury, focus group policy, and dirty politics are fading. It will take time. One cannot turn the aircraft carrier around immediately is my naval analogy.
So where do we go as Americans. I have been trained never to complain unless I can offer a solution. Otherwise bitching is a waste of time.
My solution is too see what happens in Congress. I will also watch what our President does. I expect some semblance of returning to our national character and method of governance.
If they cannot govern because of all the past dredges, then in two years I get a chance to vote again. If they cannot ruin our county in the next two years, then God help them when the vote comes.
I would not even write about this except for two headlines I scanned today. One implied Kerry thinks his boo boo about troops is just a bloop in his coming 2008 campaign. He has a position he often points out about Reagan failing on his first try (in this case a Republican nomination). The second headline implied some Republicans are plotting an expose of Nancy Pelosi to gain some advantage by embarrassing her. Don’t they know most of us have figured her out, already. In this case, let her be herself, and that should work just fine.
I am from the common citizen view that we did vote, and sent a message along the way. Mostly, though, we voted locally. In the end, most of us citizens voted people to represent us, Party be dammed. Part of the vote is a return to civility in Congress. That means, in my simple citizen’s mind, being cordial, debating, and voting. To take this farther, I am a selfish citizen, and how people vote is more important than some Party affiliation.
I am particularly disgusted, not frustrated, at the inside the beltway pundits discussion of the Iraq war. Perhaps the General in charge there is correct when he said he senses despair when he comes to DC, but senses better things in Iraq. Since I think most pundits write and read to each other, and not JQ citizen or the people on the ground, his idea is plausible. I too am frustrated at the progress of our war, but most of my frustration is with the DC types. If any of these men and women in DC leadership positions had any practical experience in prosecuting a war in a third world place such as Iraq, I think things would be much simpler. Perhaps I am not intellectual enough to understand why we should lose this war. Losing a war means the objectives set by our President are not achievable, so come home and let them (the locals) kill themselves. I respectfully disagree.
I think most of us voted “centrist”. Whoa be to those who do not perceive the American change in DC, and are probably from the old 1990’s school. America is returning to its national personality. It is still an ugly picture, but civility and debate and voting are coming back. Most importantly, the nation’s interest is coming back. The recent ideas of Party power, control of the treasury, focus group policy, and dirty politics are fading. It will take time. One cannot turn the aircraft carrier around immediately is my naval analogy.
So where do we go as Americans. I have been trained never to complain unless I can offer a solution. Otherwise bitching is a waste of time.
My solution is too see what happens in Congress. I will also watch what our President does. I expect some semblance of returning to our national character and method of governance.
If they cannot govern because of all the past dredges, then in two years I get a chance to vote again. If they cannot ruin our county in the next two years, then God help them when the vote comes.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Hope for our future…the American people have voted for it
Boy, have I been surprised! I always assumed if the Democratic Party took over Congress, then the ultra-liberal leftist wing of the Party would run things lock step. Well it looks like the Democratic Party is changing towards the center of American politics, and we Americans may benefit.
It appears the almost evenly split Congress, in both houses, will have to cooperate to get things done. And getting things done is on the many Democrats and Republicans minds. The ultra-liberal Democratic process of just saying no is passé. It never was a policy, often called hate is not a policy.
The recent Democratic squabbles over leadership selections is a good example of their problems of the ultra-liberal leftist leaders against the rest of their Party. Business as usual the way they grew up is over. The countries interests come first.
Not that many seats changed on a percentage basis, so I think there is a latent desire to be civil, debate ideas, and vote.
Any statements out of the new Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, are suspect, especially in regards her leadership of the Democratic Party. Most of what she says reflects her San Francisco political background. The school board there just booted Junior ROTC from high schools, a citizen training program, by the way.
So I have hope for our future at the national level.
If the criminally and ethically challenged new Senate Majority Leader Reid thinks he can dictate how his people will vote, I think he has another thing coming. Let him plunder until he goes to jail. Somehow I expect Senators of both parties to vote for our countries interests and this will cross Party lines. Good luck telling Senators Leiberman and Webb how to vote.
When I read between the lines, the era of Arkansas politics as brought to our Nation’s Capitol by former President Clinton is almost over, also. He has been out of governance for now six years, and it is about time we return to our national personality of the talking, debating, and voting. The national interest has superceded his egotistical interest using the Democratic Party, I think.
If I am wrong, then the next vote is in two years.
Boy, have I been surprised! I always assumed if the Democratic Party took over Congress, then the ultra-liberal leftist wing of the Party would run things lock step. Well it looks like the Democratic Party is changing towards the center of American politics, and we Americans may benefit.
It appears the almost evenly split Congress, in both houses, will have to cooperate to get things done. And getting things done is on the many Democrats and Republicans minds. The ultra-liberal Democratic process of just saying no is passé. It never was a policy, often called hate is not a policy.
The recent Democratic squabbles over leadership selections is a good example of their problems of the ultra-liberal leftist leaders against the rest of their Party. Business as usual the way they grew up is over. The countries interests come first.
Not that many seats changed on a percentage basis, so I think there is a latent desire to be civil, debate ideas, and vote.
Any statements out of the new Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, are suspect, especially in regards her leadership of the Democratic Party. Most of what she says reflects her San Francisco political background. The school board there just booted Junior ROTC from high schools, a citizen training program, by the way.
So I have hope for our future at the national level.
If the criminally and ethically challenged new Senate Majority Leader Reid thinks he can dictate how his people will vote, I think he has another thing coming. Let him plunder until he goes to jail. Somehow I expect Senators of both parties to vote for our countries interests and this will cross Party lines. Good luck telling Senators Leiberman and Webb how to vote.
When I read between the lines, the era of Arkansas politics as brought to our Nation’s Capitol by former President Clinton is almost over, also. He has been out of governance for now six years, and it is about time we return to our national personality of the talking, debating, and voting. The national interest has superceded his egotistical interest using the Democratic Party, I think.
If I am wrong, then the next vote is in two years.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Going down the tubes…and we voted for it
We have a wonderful country compared to the rest of the world.
We can screw our country up, as in make it fail and be replaced. Just read about Rome.
This article is about our future, not our past.
We do have foreign enemies, believe it or not. Our foreign enemies are motivated by both our decadent excesses, mostly cultural; and envy of our system that promotes our common citizen, and not theirs. And many are just despots trying to advance and protect themselves, their families, and their tribe until they can collect the loot and then leave. Unfortunately, our western nation-state legacy even gives these despots political cover that we presently respect. And most global companies deal with these despots just to get through the local loops.
We do have domestic enemies, believe it or not. These people represent a scattering of objections to our way of life. Some are idealistic, some are anarchists, and some are politicians who thrive on power. Almost all know the power of control of the national treasury is important.
I think our most recent 2006 election provides we citizens a path to our future. And things in the media have changed, also.
I believe the fear that we citizens are too stupid to do the things that are best for us is just wrong. I also believe that the media cannot manipulate we citizens in order to favor one group or opinion or even a Presidential candidate. We citizens can see through all this, I think. And last, I think most of us do think long range, mostly for our progeny.
I think the change in Party control of Congress is a big yawn for me. It is how they vote that is very important to me.
In this I am enjoying the friction I read about within the Democratic Party. The friction I read about is between the leftists and the more conservative centrists. Let me say that again, just in case you can’t believe it, the Democrats can also have more conservative lawmakers. I enjoy this because I am selfish, and want a choice of who to vote for when the time comes. The Republican Party no longer owns the centrist idea, I think.
The media, in this case the Associated Press (AP), shocked me with its investigative report about Senator Reid’s (Nevada and soon to be Majority Leader of the Senate) criminal and political use of his power to make money for himself. While this story was later suppressed leading up to the election, it will not die if the AP example is followed up on, which it will be, I believe. He can use all his new power to suppress ethics investigations within the Senate, but he can’t run from the law. And don’t leave out the House lawmakers such as John Murtha’s ethics problems; and Alcee Hastings congressional impeachment and integrity problems. Just how will the latter get a security clearance given the same rules that apply to we common citizens?
Within the Democratic Party, it will be interesting for this common citizen to observe the friction between the leftists and the centrists.
If the leftists take control, then we are potentially going down the tubes, in my opinion. Only the Presidential veto and override votes are up for grabs as I read the tea leaves. For Iraq, the cut and run idea, now stated as a “an announced phased withdrawal by the leftist Democrats”, will bring on the invigorated bad guys. God help us and our children and our way of life. And if we pass an amnesty law for the illegals, then God help us again as our way of life and customs and laws change. As I said before, it is not the Party, but how they vote.
I am personally pleased the Republican Party got the boot in 2006 in Congress. Spending excesses via earmarks and corruption is a non-starter. And if the Democrats do it again in during the next two years and in their own way, then they will suffer the same fate from our smart voters, I believe.
Sometimes we are not sure who to vote for, but we can often be certain about who to vote against.
While this article has focused on the national parties, the importance of state and local lawmakers serving us common citizens is just as important. For example, I have personally had children in both private and public schools. I today support public schools because the private schools have let me down. But with Gwinnett County Schools in the Atlanta metro area having an annual budget of well over a billion dollars, this is a big deal, and a good example of local lawmakers importance to our children’s future.
This article is about the future for we common citizens, and not the past.
We have a wonderful country compared to the rest of the world.
We can screw our country up, as in make it fail and be replaced. Just read about Rome.
This article is about our future, not our past.
We do have foreign enemies, believe it or not. Our foreign enemies are motivated by both our decadent excesses, mostly cultural; and envy of our system that promotes our common citizen, and not theirs. And many are just despots trying to advance and protect themselves, their families, and their tribe until they can collect the loot and then leave. Unfortunately, our western nation-state legacy even gives these despots political cover that we presently respect. And most global companies deal with these despots just to get through the local loops.
We do have domestic enemies, believe it or not. These people represent a scattering of objections to our way of life. Some are idealistic, some are anarchists, and some are politicians who thrive on power. Almost all know the power of control of the national treasury is important.
I think our most recent 2006 election provides we citizens a path to our future. And things in the media have changed, also.
I believe the fear that we citizens are too stupid to do the things that are best for us is just wrong. I also believe that the media cannot manipulate we citizens in order to favor one group or opinion or even a Presidential candidate. We citizens can see through all this, I think. And last, I think most of us do think long range, mostly for our progeny.
I think the change in Party control of Congress is a big yawn for me. It is how they vote that is very important to me.
In this I am enjoying the friction I read about within the Democratic Party. The friction I read about is between the leftists and the more conservative centrists. Let me say that again, just in case you can’t believe it, the Democrats can also have more conservative lawmakers. I enjoy this because I am selfish, and want a choice of who to vote for when the time comes. The Republican Party no longer owns the centrist idea, I think.
The media, in this case the Associated Press (AP), shocked me with its investigative report about Senator Reid’s (Nevada and soon to be Majority Leader of the Senate) criminal and political use of his power to make money for himself. While this story was later suppressed leading up to the election, it will not die if the AP example is followed up on, which it will be, I believe. He can use all his new power to suppress ethics investigations within the Senate, but he can’t run from the law. And don’t leave out the House lawmakers such as John Murtha’s ethics problems; and Alcee Hastings congressional impeachment and integrity problems. Just how will the latter get a security clearance given the same rules that apply to we common citizens?
Within the Democratic Party, it will be interesting for this common citizen to observe the friction between the leftists and the centrists.
If the leftists take control, then we are potentially going down the tubes, in my opinion. Only the Presidential veto and override votes are up for grabs as I read the tea leaves. For Iraq, the cut and run idea, now stated as a “an announced phased withdrawal by the leftist Democrats”, will bring on the invigorated bad guys. God help us and our children and our way of life. And if we pass an amnesty law for the illegals, then God help us again as our way of life and customs and laws change. As I said before, it is not the Party, but how they vote.
I am personally pleased the Republican Party got the boot in 2006 in Congress. Spending excesses via earmarks and corruption is a non-starter. And if the Democrats do it again in during the next two years and in their own way, then they will suffer the same fate from our smart voters, I believe.
Sometimes we are not sure who to vote for, but we can often be certain about who to vote against.
While this article has focused on the national parties, the importance of state and local lawmakers serving us common citizens is just as important. For example, I have personally had children in both private and public schools. I today support public schools because the private schools have let me down. But with Gwinnett County Schools in the Atlanta metro area having an annual budget of well over a billion dollars, this is a big deal, and a good example of local lawmakers importance to our children’s future.
This article is about the future for we common citizens, and not the past.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Over intellectualizing, and steadfastness
In wars, physical combat, one can win buy killing the enemy and reconstructing their society in the way victors do. In the USA’s case, we have only done this after being physically attacked, as in WWII. And then we imposed ourselves on the defeated. What a good deal for the western defeated, it turned out to be. The alternative eastern Russian rape of the German land is the obvious least preferred alternative.
Now we are in another war for our survival, in my opinion. As in WWII, we were attacked. I thought what we were gonna do was obvious, but now I am not so sure.
The attack on the USA with about 3,000 deaths of innocent people at work seems to be a sideshow for many of my fellow citizens. I add in the billions of dollars damage to our economy and wonder what is forgotten or assumed? Am I missing something?
When I joined the Marines it was rough and tumble. It still is, but today it better reflects our kids schooling, and is more intellectualized. It is easier to mess with a persons mind than their body. In all cases, the Marines hone their minds and bodies.
But can we be too smart for our own good? Can we be educated fools?
The answer is yes.
Let me define steadfastness. It, in my Marine term, simply means being able to calmly aim in and pull the trigger of my rifle. Being smart or dumb is not a factor. Accomplishing the mission is paramount. This is steadfast for a Marine.
So the friction comes in with the State Department. If this group is not a cabal of over educated people, no organization is. There are books written about this, to include the Small Wars Manual of 1940. My friction today with the State Department is the apparent intuitional loyalty to itself compared to whoever the people elected.
So what do the people want?
In wars, physical combat, one can win buy killing the enemy and reconstructing their society in the way victors do. In the USA’s case, we have only done this after being physically attacked, as in WWII. And then we imposed ourselves on the defeated. What a good deal for the western defeated, it turned out to be. The alternative eastern Russian rape of the German land is the obvious least preferred alternative.
Now we are in another war for our survival, in my opinion. As in WWII, we were attacked. I thought what we were gonna do was obvious, but now I am not so sure.
The attack on the USA with about 3,000 deaths of innocent people at work seems to be a sideshow for many of my fellow citizens. I add in the billions of dollars damage to our economy and wonder what is forgotten or assumed? Am I missing something?
When I joined the Marines it was rough and tumble. It still is, but today it better reflects our kids schooling, and is more intellectualized. It is easier to mess with a persons mind than their body. In all cases, the Marines hone their minds and bodies.
But can we be too smart for our own good? Can we be educated fools?
The answer is yes.
Let me define steadfastness. It, in my Marine term, simply means being able to calmly aim in and pull the trigger of my rifle. Being smart or dumb is not a factor. Accomplishing the mission is paramount. This is steadfast for a Marine.
So the friction comes in with the State Department. If this group is not a cabal of over educated people, no organization is. There are books written about this, to include the Small Wars Manual of 1940. My friction today with the State Department is the apparent intuitional loyalty to itself compared to whoever the people elected.
So what do the people want?
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