I’ve got to draw issue with the esteemed Secretary General’s conclusion that the Israeli fire on a UN Observation Post (UNOP) was a “deliberate” and planned artillery and air attack. According to the Secretary General the attack lasted several hours and resulted in the deaths of four UN Personnel. (Can’t really call ‘em peacekeepers, can we?).
Many other people, journalists, commentators have spent hours talking and writing about this in recent hours.
So my two cents: If Israel wanted that outpost destroyed, they wouldn’t have taken several hours to do it. The Headlines instead of “Four UN Troops Killed”, would have been:
“UN Outpost Wiped Out in Moments by Israeli Artillery, Air Strikes”
So please, spare me the indignation – instead of accusing Israel of malfeasance (especially before an investigation is conducted – Rep. Murtha take note – take the official apology of the Prime Minister of Israel and wait to cast judgment until after an investigation is completed). If the UN was doing it’s job, none of this wouldn’t have happened anyway…
Again, I’m not calling for the disbanding of the UN. Keep it as a place for international dialogue. I just feel that all countries should contribute equally (set membership dues), and it needs to loose the apparatus. Keep the General Assembly, lose everything else.
Have fun trying to get rid of an entrenched bureaucracy, though…
24 July 2006
On skiing...
We’ll it peaked at 92 degrees at the ol’ Mountain Redoubt yesterday. But a breeze was blowing, and it was downright pleasant in the shade with a nice glass of ice water. Also, it was nice to begin the slow burn of anticipation of ski season with a hike into one of my favorite ski resorts a few days back, in preparation for a voyage up into the mountains for two days with my brother.
Now when I say up into the mountains, I mean at no time will I be more than 8 miles away from my house. My brother, who still mysteriously lives in Florida, will be in town for a few days, and I’m going to take him on an overnighter. We’ll camp on the other side of a ridge from one of the best ski resorts in the country. Being that that ski resort is blissfully uncrowded, I will leave it nameless. Nothing gets me more wistful for ski season than hiking into the resorts when there is no snow. I could definitely do without the deer flies, but the experiencing of going up where typically people only descend is quite fun, and the quad workout of gaining 3000 vertical feet, is a real boon to hitting powder stashes in the winter!
For all of you folks out there in the flat land, there are a few important things that you should do before you come to anyplace with altitude. You need to keep hydrated. Booze, soda and coffee do not count. You must drink a prodigious amount of water. If 64 oz. of water is recommended, drink 128 oz. a day. Being hydrated will stave off some of the more unpleasant effects of altitude sickness – namely the headache. Also in the week or two before setting out on your mountain trip, be it to ski, mountain bike, snowshoe, shop, whatever, you have to increase your intake of iron. If you like red meat, you are in luck. If you are a vegetarian, have fun and chew on some roofing nails. Altitude sickness sucks. Altitude sickness with a hangover is worse. Altitude sickness with a hangover to a ski resort (lots of bright, white snow) is the worst. Especially when the avy guns go off… People who complain on a chairlift suck.
For those of you who ski, you know what I mean. On every ski trip I took before chucking normal life and moving to the Mountain Redoubt, there’d always be one member of the group who’d get Altitude sickness and put a drag on the rest of the group. They’d resist drinking more water, but then be amazed after being force fed a bottle of water, bottle and all. I know because sometimes it would be me.
My piece of advice today, when coupled with a dollar wouldn’t buy you a cup of coffee: listen to people who know.
We’ll it peaked at 92 degrees at the ol’ Mountain Redoubt yesterday. But a breeze was blowing, and it was downright pleasant in the shade with a nice glass of ice water. Also, it was nice to begin the slow burn of anticipation of ski season with a hike into one of my favorite ski resorts a few days back, in preparation for a voyage up into the mountains for two days with my brother.
Now when I say up into the mountains, I mean at no time will I be more than 8 miles away from my house. My brother, who still mysteriously lives in Florida, will be in town for a few days, and I’m going to take him on an overnighter. We’ll camp on the other side of a ridge from one of the best ski resorts in the country. Being that that ski resort is blissfully uncrowded, I will leave it nameless. Nothing gets me more wistful for ski season than hiking into the resorts when there is no snow. I could definitely do without the deer flies, but the experiencing of going up where typically people only descend is quite fun, and the quad workout of gaining 3000 vertical feet, is a real boon to hitting powder stashes in the winter!
For all of you folks out there in the flat land, there are a few important things that you should do before you come to anyplace with altitude. You need to keep hydrated. Booze, soda and coffee do not count. You must drink a prodigious amount of water. If 64 oz. of water is recommended, drink 128 oz. a day. Being hydrated will stave off some of the more unpleasant effects of altitude sickness – namely the headache. Also in the week or two before setting out on your mountain trip, be it to ski, mountain bike, snowshoe, shop, whatever, you have to increase your intake of iron. If you like red meat, you are in luck. If you are a vegetarian, have fun and chew on some roofing nails. Altitude sickness sucks. Altitude sickness with a hangover is worse. Altitude sickness with a hangover to a ski resort (lots of bright, white snow) is the worst. Especially when the avy guns go off… People who complain on a chairlift suck.
For those of you who ski, you know what I mean. On every ski trip I took before chucking normal life and moving to the Mountain Redoubt, there’d always be one member of the group who’d get Altitude sickness and put a drag on the rest of the group. They’d resist drinking more water, but then be amazed after being force fed a bottle of water, bottle and all. I know because sometimes it would be me.
My piece of advice today, when coupled with a dollar wouldn’t buy you a cup of coffee: listen to people who know.
NAU – North American Union
NAU – North American Union
Jerome Cosri – has a piece - http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=16134
Also figures into Jack McDevitt's Engines of God. Not a bad book...
One really bad idea…
Since when has this “super -nation state” thing been such a good idea? Has the European Union really been that astounding? Hell, they all don’t even still have the same currency. Their economy (ies) are still not exactly wowing the economists of the world. The French may have gotten rid of the frank, but I doubt the average Frenchman considers himself a citizen of the Mighty European Union. That was evidenced by the defeat of the supposed European constitution a while back in France and Denmark.
It is working out in Europe to an extent. Who’s to say that it would work here? If the United States became a part of a proposed North American Union, I doubt the world would change greatly, but what change did happen would not be happy change.
The modern nation state has been around for a while – and even though most nations are slouching toward socialism, the concept of Westphalian nation states has, for the most part, worked out pretty well.
I am firmly convinced that humanity will be irrevocably changed by bureaucracy. I dislike bureaucracy and all its forms. This is the true curse saddled upon the world by the Chinese. The Confucian system saw it codified for the firs time, and since then it has been perfected by a number of governments, but has truly found it’s stride in the American system. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone who has had to deal with our noble warriors of ICS the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
For example, I know someone named “Sara” who jumped through hoops that circus performers were scared of, to get into the country to get married. Took her years to get all of her paperwork squared away. During the time of filling out forms and paying fees, untold thousands of illegals crossed the border from Mexico.
She should have just went to Mexico on holiday and paid a couple of hundred dollars to Al Akbar Ahmad Ramdi -Gomez (friendly neighborhood Islamo-Nazi “Mexican” human smuggler), and skipped across the border. Easy, no muss no fuss.
Let this missive not be construed as an anti-immigrant rant. I know immigrants of all nationalities and legal status. The VAST preponderance of them come to his country in search of a better life. Doesn’t change the fact that the act of illegal immigration is still illegal. And for full disclosure, if there was a better job market in Mexico, Mexico had a terribly porous border (they currently do not) and ridiculous immigration laws, and my family was going hungry – Hasta la pasta, I’ll Western Union you with my first paycheck!
News Flash: The vast preponderance of Mexican illegals do not want US citizenship. They are proud of Mexico and their heritage as Mexicans. It is as simple as this, if you are poor in Mexico, your children may starve. If you are poor in the United States, you may not be able to top off the tank of your car with gas, as you drive your kids to soccer practice after getting burgers at Ruby Tuesday’s. (I am not belittling the poor in America - poeple do have hard lives, but no one can deny that American poor have it much better off than poor people in Somalia - we have fewer lions).
If there weren’t Islamo-Nazis in the world who wish for the destruction of the Western mode of civilization, I’d say open them borders right on up! Let the free market decide how resources get allocated. The American Dream of freedom and property will definitely light the way. It is too bad we are saddled with bureaucracy and a nanny state. Some, in power, apparently feel as though we need to create MexiAmeriCanada in order to be competitive with the non-competitive Europeans.
The same Europeans who in 10 years will all be part of a growing Islamist Caliphate, anyway…
But then again, what do I know? I’m just a paradoxically contradictory nationalistic Libertarian gun-nut.
Jerome Cosri – has a piece - http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=16134
Also figures into Jack McDevitt's Engines of God. Not a bad book...
One really bad idea…
Since when has this “super -nation state” thing been such a good idea? Has the European Union really been that astounding? Hell, they all don’t even still have the same currency. Their economy (ies) are still not exactly wowing the economists of the world. The French may have gotten rid of the frank, but I doubt the average Frenchman considers himself a citizen of the Mighty European Union. That was evidenced by the defeat of the supposed European constitution a while back in France and Denmark.
It is working out in Europe to an extent. Who’s to say that it would work here? If the United States became a part of a proposed North American Union, I doubt the world would change greatly, but what change did happen would not be happy change.
The modern nation state has been around for a while – and even though most nations are slouching toward socialism, the concept of Westphalian nation states has, for the most part, worked out pretty well.
I am firmly convinced that humanity will be irrevocably changed by bureaucracy. I dislike bureaucracy and all its forms. This is the true curse saddled upon the world by the Chinese. The Confucian system saw it codified for the firs time, and since then it has been perfected by a number of governments, but has truly found it’s stride in the American system. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone who has had to deal with our noble warriors of ICS the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
For example, I know someone named “Sara” who jumped through hoops that circus performers were scared of, to get into the country to get married. Took her years to get all of her paperwork squared away. During the time of filling out forms and paying fees, untold thousands of illegals crossed the border from Mexico.
She should have just went to Mexico on holiday and paid a couple of hundred dollars to Al Akbar Ahmad Ramdi -Gomez (friendly neighborhood Islamo-Nazi “Mexican” human smuggler), and skipped across the border. Easy, no muss no fuss.
Let this missive not be construed as an anti-immigrant rant. I know immigrants of all nationalities and legal status. The VAST preponderance of them come to his country in search of a better life. Doesn’t change the fact that the act of illegal immigration is still illegal. And for full disclosure, if there was a better job market in Mexico, Mexico had a terribly porous border (they currently do not) and ridiculous immigration laws, and my family was going hungry – Hasta la pasta, I’ll Western Union you with my first paycheck!
News Flash: The vast preponderance of Mexican illegals do not want US citizenship. They are proud of Mexico and their heritage as Mexicans. It is as simple as this, if you are poor in Mexico, your children may starve. If you are poor in the United States, you may not be able to top off the tank of your car with gas, as you drive your kids to soccer practice after getting burgers at Ruby Tuesday’s. (I am not belittling the poor in America - poeple do have hard lives, but no one can deny that American poor have it much better off than poor people in Somalia - we have fewer lions).
If there weren’t Islamo-Nazis in the world who wish for the destruction of the Western mode of civilization, I’d say open them borders right on up! Let the free market decide how resources get allocated. The American Dream of freedom and property will definitely light the way. It is too bad we are saddled with bureaucracy and a nanny state. Some, in power, apparently feel as though we need to create MexiAmeriCanada in order to be competitive with the non-competitive Europeans.
The same Europeans who in 10 years will all be part of a growing Islamist Caliphate, anyway…
But then again, what do I know? I’m just a paradoxically contradictory nationalistic Libertarian gun-nut.
21 July 2006
Environmentalism
Hottest in 2000 Years?
Couple of weeks ago CNN ran a science headline saying that the Earth is the hottest it’s been in 2000 years. So it was this hot 2000 years ago?
Anyone else seeing this as a major torpedo in the side of the “Western Civilization is destroying the Earth” argument? Was it this hot 2000 years ago because:
1) the Roman greed for consumer products and coal fired power plants were releasing far too many greenhouse gasses? Not to mention the Roman Republic’s insatiable need for gas guzzling SUV’s
Or
2) Earth’s climate is cyclical and self correcting?
Is the sky falling or is Mother Nature just being a bitch (she has every right to be – she’s a bitch that I have a HEALTHY respect for)?
This is not to say that I am calling for the massacre of every creature in the forest, clear cutting of those forests and immediate paving of all land in the world to build shopping malls.
I consider myself to be a conservationist. I am for pollution controls, national parks, endangered species protections (to a point). I don’t hunt, but I am happy for people who do, because I recognize that hunting serves an important purpose (herd management). I hike in the wilderness every chance I get, and I drive two low emission vehicles that get really good gas mileage (Go Honda). I support the return to Nuclear power plants for power generation.
At the same time forests have to be managed or they will burn. Intelligently log them, or let them burn. That’s the way nature works. Deadfall has to be cleared by man or by fire.
People who threaten endangered animals should be dealt with severely. Whalers who harpoon species protected by international treaty should be introduced to the US Navy’s Harpoon Missile.
We are the dominant species on the planet. We should husband the resources that are here, ‘cause until NASA gets off it’s safety obsessed ass, and gets back into the true exploration business, it’s all we’ve got.
I’ll go off on NASA soon…
Couple of weeks ago CNN ran a science headline saying that the Earth is the hottest it’s been in 2000 years. So it was this hot 2000 years ago?
Anyone else seeing this as a major torpedo in the side of the “Western Civilization is destroying the Earth” argument? Was it this hot 2000 years ago because:
1) the Roman greed for consumer products and coal fired power plants were releasing far too many greenhouse gasses? Not to mention the Roman Republic’s insatiable need for gas guzzling SUV’s
Or
2) Earth’s climate is cyclical and self correcting?
Is the sky falling or is Mother Nature just being a bitch (she has every right to be – she’s a bitch that I have a HEALTHY respect for)?
This is not to say that I am calling for the massacre of every creature in the forest, clear cutting of those forests and immediate paving of all land in the world to build shopping malls.
I consider myself to be a conservationist. I am for pollution controls, national parks, endangered species protections (to a point). I don’t hunt, but I am happy for people who do, because I recognize that hunting serves an important purpose (herd management). I hike in the wilderness every chance I get, and I drive two low emission vehicles that get really good gas mileage (Go Honda). I support the return to Nuclear power plants for power generation.
At the same time forests have to be managed or they will burn. Intelligently log them, or let them burn. That’s the way nature works. Deadfall has to be cleared by man or by fire.
People who threaten endangered animals should be dealt with severely. Whalers who harpoon species protected by international treaty should be introduced to the US Navy’s Harpoon Missile.
We are the dominant species on the planet. We should husband the resources that are here, ‘cause until NASA gets off it’s safety obsessed ass, and gets back into the true exploration business, it’s all we’ve got.
I’ll go off on NASA soon…
Globalization and the UN
Globalization - What is it good for?
Call me a simplistic, isolationist, rube, but why exactly is globalization being trumpeted as a good thing.
Let’s see:
Global oil market + Islamo-Nazis wishing to expand the ol' bank account = $80.00 a barrel oil and rising
American market + cheap Chinese labor and goods = staggeringly huge trade deficits
American Economic influence + Communist Governments = Communist governments taking our money + giving us goods +ignoring our "influence"
One of my dearest friends is dating someone who apparently has a degree in international finance and economics. She is being introduced to my circle of friends in just two weeks. After introductions, I plan on cornering her and getting someone to explain to me why globalization is a good idea economically.
Let it not be said that I don't have an open mind. All I ask of the Pro - Globalization crowd is all I ask of politicians - convince me that your course of action is demonstrably better than the opposing view point.
The UN - What is it good for?
Again, I will liken the United Nations to the League of Nations. If an international body wants to be respected, it has to have the ability to earn respect. In most cultures of the world, corruption, indecisiveness, lack of will power, inability to follow through, do not engender respect.
Put it simply, if you had a boss that told you to do something, changed his mind, threatened your job, and if you really screwed something up, sent a middle manager to sit across from you and monitor what you did, but wouldn't really do anything if you misbehaved, and could be paid off to look the other way as you were stealing office supplies and harassing your coworkers - would you really respect your boss or the company that you worked for?
What would the world look like if there was no UN? Since the inception of the UN has the UN really done anything of import - have they ever really stopped a war? It could be argued that the United Nations has merely allowed wars to continue, albeit in some instances a reduced level of hostility, with, for all intents and purposes - international approval. Who can forget the UN triumph that was Rwanda? Or the Korean War for that matter. It'll soon be the 60th anniversary of the commencement of that conflict and the two nations are still technically at war. True they don't actively shoot at each other on a regular basis, but the threat of a full scale war is there.
I challenge all of you readers out there - can anyone prove to me that UN "conflict mediation" is successful in truly ending conflicts that it purports to solve? Or does it merely force the conflict underground until the peacekeepers leave?
Do I call for the dissolution of the UN? No. It does provide a place where diplomats can come and speak. Do I think it needs all of the money that we and other nations send to it? No. Keep the building in New York, but make the diplomats have to pay for their parking tickets. That'll make them move with a purpose.
Even Mr. Spock disliked and had little use for Diplomats. For your viewing pleasure, may I suggest the Classic Star Trek Episode A Taste of Armageddon. Two societies decide that a "clean" war is the way to go - their societies continue humming along nicely, and computers calculate simulated attacks on major cities. If and Eminian or Vendikan city gets "hit", then the population is required to report to a disintegration chamber for execution.
Of course, CAPT Kirk, James T, UFP Starfleet and CDR Spock ignore the Prime Directive and threaten the two civilizations with real war, horrors and blood and all. Television writers in the 1960's realized that war is horrible, and the more horrible wars are the shorter they usually are and the quicker they end. For Peacekeeping to truly work, they have to be able to have simple rules of engagement: If a peacekeeper witnesses two people fighting, kill them both with maximum violence, while working on the root causes of the conflict. There are roles for NGO's (non governmental organizations) - those should be addressing root causes of conflict through infrastructure improvement and education, all while underneath the protection of scary Peacekeepers.
Peacekeepers should take on a motto of the mighty United States Marine Corps, "No greater friend, no worse enemy."
The UN should hire itself an Army of mercenaries and pay them well. Good ol' Executive Outcomes comes to mind. Give them clear rules of engagement:
Party A and Party B are fighting in Hajiland, the International Community has brokered a cease fire. Protect the NGO teams that are going into each side to rebuild the infrastructure and educating the populace on both sides. If you witness hostilities, destroy or capture the participating units with overwhelming violence. If you are engaged, destroy the engaging unit, and their support facilities again, with overwhelming violence - remove their ability to wage war. Also, if a faction begins to use threatening rhetoric, treat that rhetoric as an overtly hostile act and respond quickly and decisively.
If any of the soldiers in the Peacekeeping force are found to be misbehaving, corruption, siding with one side or another, abusing those who they are sent to protect, the individuals or units in question will be tried and, if found guilty by Courts-Martial, executed. Commanders of Peacekeeping forces will be held ultimately responsible for the actions of those units they command.
With an ROE like that, conflicts would end - with quickness! Unfortunately, people would have to be more afraid of the Peacekeepers than the opposing side. Force is the only factor in getting people to work together. Threats, especially from the UN, are merely laughed at, and then promptly ignored.
But knowing the current UN administration, the corruption would start from the outset. Kofi Annan has been the head of the UN for how long? Perhaps it's time that Mr. Annan retired? I'd really like to see a major shakeup at the UN and see Secretary Colin Powell be the new Secretary General. He'd never take the job, but if I was king of the planet and made decisions like that, I'd give him the job and the ROE above.
Call me a simplistic, isolationist, rube, but why exactly is globalization being trumpeted as a good thing.
Let’s see:
Global oil market + Islamo-Nazis wishing to expand the ol' bank account = $80.00 a barrel oil and rising
American market + cheap Chinese labor and goods = staggeringly huge trade deficits
American Economic influence + Communist Governments = Communist governments taking our money + giving us goods +ignoring our "influence"
One of my dearest friends is dating someone who apparently has a degree in international finance and economics. She is being introduced to my circle of friends in just two weeks. After introductions, I plan on cornering her and getting someone to explain to me why globalization is a good idea economically.
Let it not be said that I don't have an open mind. All I ask of the Pro - Globalization crowd is all I ask of politicians - convince me that your course of action is demonstrably better than the opposing view point.
The UN - What is it good for?
Again, I will liken the United Nations to the League of Nations. If an international body wants to be respected, it has to have the ability to earn respect. In most cultures of the world, corruption, indecisiveness, lack of will power, inability to follow through, do not engender respect.
Put it simply, if you had a boss that told you to do something, changed his mind, threatened your job, and if you really screwed something up, sent a middle manager to sit across from you and monitor what you did, but wouldn't really do anything if you misbehaved, and could be paid off to look the other way as you were stealing office supplies and harassing your coworkers - would you really respect your boss or the company that you worked for?
What would the world look like if there was no UN? Since the inception of the UN has the UN really done anything of import - have they ever really stopped a war? It could be argued that the United Nations has merely allowed wars to continue, albeit in some instances a reduced level of hostility, with, for all intents and purposes - international approval. Who can forget the UN triumph that was Rwanda? Or the Korean War for that matter. It'll soon be the 60th anniversary of the commencement of that conflict and the two nations are still technically at war. True they don't actively shoot at each other on a regular basis, but the threat of a full scale war is there.
I challenge all of you readers out there - can anyone prove to me that UN "conflict mediation" is successful in truly ending conflicts that it purports to solve? Or does it merely force the conflict underground until the peacekeepers leave?
Do I call for the dissolution of the UN? No. It does provide a place where diplomats can come and speak. Do I think it needs all of the money that we and other nations send to it? No. Keep the building in New York, but make the diplomats have to pay for their parking tickets. That'll make them move with a purpose.
Even Mr. Spock disliked and had little use for Diplomats. For your viewing pleasure, may I suggest the Classic Star Trek Episode A Taste of Armageddon. Two societies decide that a "clean" war is the way to go - their societies continue humming along nicely, and computers calculate simulated attacks on major cities. If and Eminian or Vendikan city gets "hit", then the population is required to report to a disintegration chamber for execution.
Of course, CAPT Kirk, James T, UFP Starfleet and CDR Spock ignore the Prime Directive and threaten the two civilizations with real war, horrors and blood and all. Television writers in the 1960's realized that war is horrible, and the more horrible wars are the shorter they usually are and the quicker they end. For Peacekeeping to truly work, they have to be able to have simple rules of engagement: If a peacekeeper witnesses two people fighting, kill them both with maximum violence, while working on the root causes of the conflict. There are roles for NGO's (non governmental organizations) - those should be addressing root causes of conflict through infrastructure improvement and education, all while underneath the protection of scary Peacekeepers.
Peacekeepers should take on a motto of the mighty United States Marine Corps, "No greater friend, no worse enemy."
The UN should hire itself an Army of mercenaries and pay them well. Good ol' Executive Outcomes comes to mind. Give them clear rules of engagement:
Party A and Party B are fighting in Hajiland, the International Community has brokered a cease fire. Protect the NGO teams that are going into each side to rebuild the infrastructure and educating the populace on both sides. If you witness hostilities, destroy or capture the participating units with overwhelming violence. If you are engaged, destroy the engaging unit, and their support facilities again, with overwhelming violence - remove their ability to wage war. Also, if a faction begins to use threatening rhetoric, treat that rhetoric as an overtly hostile act and respond quickly and decisively.
If any of the soldiers in the Peacekeeping force are found to be misbehaving, corruption, siding with one side or another, abusing those who they are sent to protect, the individuals or units in question will be tried and, if found guilty by Courts-Martial, executed. Commanders of Peacekeeping forces will be held ultimately responsible for the actions of those units they command.
With an ROE like that, conflicts would end - with quickness! Unfortunately, people would have to be more afraid of the Peacekeepers than the opposing side. Force is the only factor in getting people to work together. Threats, especially from the UN, are merely laughed at, and then promptly ignored.
But knowing the current UN administration, the corruption would start from the outset. Kofi Annan has been the head of the UN for how long? Perhaps it's time that Mr. Annan retired? I'd really like to see a major shakeup at the UN and see Secretary Colin Powell be the new Secretary General. He'd never take the job, but if I was king of the planet and made decisions like that, I'd give him the job and the ROE above.
20 July 2006
Political Questions
What the hell is worng with politicians?
When did America become an oligarchy?
How in the name of all that is good and just does Senator Edward Kennedy continually get reelected?
Why have Americans effectively raised the little white flag and surrendered their independence?
Why do the vast majority of us believe only what we want to hear?
Where has true, inspiring leaders in Congress and the executive branch gone?
Why don't the vast majority of Americans vote? Do they see the lack of leadership and the candidates thay have to choose from are both not very good?
Are we, as a country and as a world, really screwed?
These are the questions that bug me from day to day. Welcome to my world.
Author's note to everyone (ESPECIALLY POLITICIANS): If you complain about a problem without a suggestion for resolution, you are, in fact, whining. Either tell the American people what your ideas area and why they are better, and why they will work. Otherwise STFU.
Out.
When did America become an oligarchy?
How in the name of all that is good and just does Senator Edward Kennedy continually get reelected?
Why have Americans effectively raised the little white flag and surrendered their independence?
Why do the vast majority of us believe only what we want to hear?
Where has true, inspiring leaders in Congress and the executive branch gone?
Why don't the vast majority of Americans vote? Do they see the lack of leadership and the candidates thay have to choose from are both not very good?
Are we, as a country and as a world, really screwed?
These are the questions that bug me from day to day. Welcome to my world.
Author's note to everyone (ESPECIALLY POLITICIANS): If you complain about a problem without a suggestion for resolution, you are, in fact, whining. Either tell the American people what your ideas area and why they are better, and why they will work. Otherwise STFU.
Out.
The Next Few Weeks
The next few weeks are going to be quite interesting. Expect Israel to fully invade southern Lebanon.
I believe the Iranians (the true powers that be - the man behind the curtain) don't want to see the Israelis succeed in elinating Hezbollah.
Paridoxiaclly, the Iranians are not served by Israeli failure or capitulation either.
Iran needs time. A few months, but they need time. In a few months or weeks they will have enriched enough uranium to begin full scale production of atomic arms.
Odds are, the Iranians already have nukes. They probably bought them from one of the arsenals of the former Soviet Socialist Republics, back in the heady days after the Cold War ended. Problem is, and the only reason the Iranians haven't used one or more: they're not sure that they'd work.
The more the Iranians learn about nuclear arms, the less confident they became in their puchased stockpile of old Soviet missile warheads (or backpack nukes - depending on who you talk to). They have come to realize, and didn't take them long, because the Iranians are by no means stupid) that the weapons they had were degrading. The more they found out, the more they realized that the weapons they had were probably sold to them because they hadn't had their cores refurbished or been maintained in any way aside from having the dust blown of their storage cases before they signed the bill of sale. The arms dealers they bought them from were unscupulous, granted, but surely they realized selling weapons of mass destruction to religious fanatics who border them was probably a bad long term, life descision.
So, the Iranians realize that the weapons they have are probably not going to work as advertized. Knowing full well that if used and the weapons turned out to fizzle, they could tell the world that they were just low level dirty bombs, but the Nuclear powers would quickly figure out that the Iranians were attempting to initate a nuclear exchange and would then, especially Russia, commence pounding the absolute shit out of them, and with a quickness. Russia would act, knowing the weapon could be eventually traced back to them, and knowing that it could conveniently claim the Iranian oil fields in a post conflict world.
So the Iranians want the Israeli / Lebanese conflict to continue at a low roar for a while.
If the Lebanese Military decides to enter into the fighting on the side of Hezbollah, they'll get spanked and fast. Israel has air dominance, and their artillery is excellent. Israeli have excellent armor and a disciplined, professional infantry. Expect the Islamo-Nazis to use burned out Lebanese Army vehicles as containers for their IED's.
Watch for every time the situation begins to cool off, something on the Islamic side of things will push it back the other way. Iran needs this conflict until it can announce to the world that it can field a full production line of atomic weapons. Then they will try to hijack the world economy. Then the toothless international community will cower behind the US, wondering why we didn't act sooner to remove the threat to world peace.
Author's Note: I use the term Islamo-Nazi, due to the fact that the term Islamo-fascist doesn't carry the implied anti-semitic, genocidal bent that the modern Wahabist and Persian Nationalist movements have assumed fully. I also consider the Nazis to be what they are - a stain on humanity and the most vile force of evil that ever existed. I will not let my children play violent video games - unless the figures in the gun sight are wearing the uniform of the Waffen SS - then I will lean in and tell them, "Center of mass, my dears, center of mass!"
I believe the Iranians (the true powers that be - the man behind the curtain) don't want to see the Israelis succeed in elinating Hezbollah.
Paridoxiaclly, the Iranians are not served by Israeli failure or capitulation either.
Iran needs time. A few months, but they need time. In a few months or weeks they will have enriched enough uranium to begin full scale production of atomic arms.
Odds are, the Iranians already have nukes. They probably bought them from one of the arsenals of the former Soviet Socialist Republics, back in the heady days after the Cold War ended. Problem is, and the only reason the Iranians haven't used one or more: they're not sure that they'd work.
The more the Iranians learn about nuclear arms, the less confident they became in their puchased stockpile of old Soviet missile warheads (or backpack nukes - depending on who you talk to). They have come to realize, and didn't take them long, because the Iranians are by no means stupid) that the weapons they had were degrading. The more they found out, the more they realized that the weapons they had were probably sold to them because they hadn't had their cores refurbished or been maintained in any way aside from having the dust blown of their storage cases before they signed the bill of sale. The arms dealers they bought them from were unscupulous, granted, but surely they realized selling weapons of mass destruction to religious fanatics who border them was probably a bad long term, life descision.
So, the Iranians realize that the weapons they have are probably not going to work as advertized. Knowing full well that if used and the weapons turned out to fizzle, they could tell the world that they were just low level dirty bombs, but the Nuclear powers would quickly figure out that the Iranians were attempting to initate a nuclear exchange and would then, especially Russia, commence pounding the absolute shit out of them, and with a quickness. Russia would act, knowing the weapon could be eventually traced back to them, and knowing that it could conveniently claim the Iranian oil fields in a post conflict world.
So the Iranians want the Israeli / Lebanese conflict to continue at a low roar for a while.
If the Lebanese Military decides to enter into the fighting on the side of Hezbollah, they'll get spanked and fast. Israel has air dominance, and their artillery is excellent. Israeli have excellent armor and a disciplined, professional infantry. Expect the Islamo-Nazis to use burned out Lebanese Army vehicles as containers for their IED's.
Watch for every time the situation begins to cool off, something on the Islamic side of things will push it back the other way. Iran needs this conflict until it can announce to the world that it can field a full production line of atomic weapons. Then they will try to hijack the world economy. Then the toothless international community will cower behind the US, wondering why we didn't act sooner to remove the threat to world peace.
Author's Note: I use the term Islamo-Nazi, due to the fact that the term Islamo-fascist doesn't carry the implied anti-semitic, genocidal bent that the modern Wahabist and Persian Nationalist movements have assumed fully. I also consider the Nazis to be what they are - a stain on humanity and the most vile force of evil that ever existed. I will not let my children play violent video games - unless the figures in the gun sight are wearing the uniform of the Waffen SS - then I will lean in and tell them, "Center of mass, my dears, center of mass!"
19 July 2006
Getting older
Where does the time go?
I'm not as physically resilient as once upon a time...
Recently passed my birthday and the birthdays of the closest friends a man my age could have. I've known them forever, and really can't imagine life without them. This American has been feeling particularly guilty about not having seen any of them in two and a half years.
We all (almost all, you know who you are) have children, marriages and careers.
The activities we enjoyed are rather attention and time consuming, especially the hangovers.
My family and I are on the cusp of leaving my Mountain Redoubt for the flat land again to visit my old friends, let our children play together and reminisce over more than a few cold adult beverages.
Two weeks, and again I'll be in the company of friends, home no matter the time zone.
Looking forward to the hangovers, with a smile on my face and a song in my heart...
I'm not as physically resilient as once upon a time...
Recently passed my birthday and the birthdays of the closest friends a man my age could have. I've known them forever, and really can't imagine life without them. This American has been feeling particularly guilty about not having seen any of them in two and a half years.
We all (almost all, you know who you are) have children, marriages and careers.
The activities we enjoyed are rather attention and time consuming, especially the hangovers.
My family and I are on the cusp of leaving my Mountain Redoubt for the flat land again to visit my old friends, let our children play together and reminisce over more than a few cold adult beverages.
Two weeks, and again I'll be in the company of friends, home no matter the time zone.
Looking forward to the hangovers, with a smile on my face and a song in my heart...
We stall for a week... Does anyone care?
We (the US of A) have announced that we will give Israel a week before we side with the International Community and call for an end to hostilities in the LTO (Lebanese Theatre of Operations). If the decision is made that we will politically side against Israel (Boeing and Lockheed are still building the F15I and F16I, and I doubt that the Israeli M109A6's will be lacking for spare parts anytime soon), why not do it now. Why not do it now, so that when the IDF stops its operations, the Islamo-Nazis can kill or kidnap more Israeli's. Please note that the Iranians will not allow a cease fire to be implemented, at least until they have completed assembly of a few thermonuclear warheads. Expect the tempo of Hizbollah's operations (rocket and missile attacks) to increase steadily over the next week.
The United Nations, will, in a week become as effective as the League of Nations. The so called International "Community" will put it's mighty foot down and immediately the Israelis and Iranian Hizbollah will drop the firing lanyards of their artillery pieces and rocket launchers. A silence will resound over the battlefield, and tentatively, soldiers and Islamic warriors will emerge from their bunkers and fire direction centers and embrace on the shell and rocket pocked landscape.
Birds will sing, and the sun will illuminate the rainbow, that the doves of peace will fly before.
My ass.
There will be a cease fire, mind you. Israel might stop firing on the condition that the Islamo-Nazis stop their launching of rockets. Both sides will agree, taking the opportunity merely to reload. Until the attacks stop and, most importantly, the Soldiers are returned, this will continue. I think most everyone in the world has forgotten about those soldiers, save the Islamists and the Israeli's. So Israel will probably just ignore the international "Community". If a friend or family member of mine had been kidnapped and was being held by someone shooting at my family, the choice of action would be obvious and simple.
The Islamo-Nazis will simply not stop until their STATED GOAL of eliminating the Jewish State has been achieved.
We should take a side already. We should stand strong with an ally who does virtually everything we ask, including letting Iraqi dictators bombard their cities, so we don't encounter political opposition to the only war we've fought for oil (Gulf War 1990-1991).
As for picking sides. I have read the commentary of exactly one honest anti-war individual. Joel Stein, writing for the LA Times, said that he didn't support the troops because he didn't support the war. One person out of all the John Kerry's and Teddy Kennedy's of the American "anti-war" movement. When I first read Mr. Stein's piece, I was incensed. But after reflection, I reread his piece and was impressed by his insight and his honesty.
This is not to say that this Crazed American is a full fledged supporter of the methods employed in the Occupation of Iraq. But I support the mission (removing a sadistic and cunning military dictator - also book ending Iran geographically and leaning on the House of Saud / Wahab), and I definitely support the troops.
This war has been going on since Pope Urban II kicked off the first Crusade in 1096. To think that "dialogue and negotiations" between proxies (Israel is a proxy of the Americans and Hizbollah is a proxy of Persian Iran) will solve this 906 year old war, is as naive as it is ridiculous.
This is far from over, if it ever ends.
The United Nations, will, in a week become as effective as the League of Nations. The so called International "Community" will put it's mighty foot down and immediately the Israelis and Iranian Hizbollah will drop the firing lanyards of their artillery pieces and rocket launchers. A silence will resound over the battlefield, and tentatively, soldiers and Islamic warriors will emerge from their bunkers and fire direction centers and embrace on the shell and rocket pocked landscape.
Birds will sing, and the sun will illuminate the rainbow, that the doves of peace will fly before.
My ass.
There will be a cease fire, mind you. Israel might stop firing on the condition that the Islamo-Nazis stop their launching of rockets. Both sides will agree, taking the opportunity merely to reload. Until the attacks stop and, most importantly, the Soldiers are returned, this will continue. I think most everyone in the world has forgotten about those soldiers, save the Islamists and the Israeli's. So Israel will probably just ignore the international "Community". If a friend or family member of mine had been kidnapped and was being held by someone shooting at my family, the choice of action would be obvious and simple.
The Islamo-Nazis will simply not stop until their STATED GOAL of eliminating the Jewish State has been achieved.
We should take a side already. We should stand strong with an ally who does virtually everything we ask, including letting Iraqi dictators bombard their cities, so we don't encounter political opposition to the only war we've fought for oil (Gulf War 1990-1991).
As for picking sides. I have read the commentary of exactly one honest anti-war individual. Joel Stein, writing for the LA Times, said that he didn't support the troops because he didn't support the war. One person out of all the John Kerry's and Teddy Kennedy's of the American "anti-war" movement. When I first read Mr. Stein's piece, I was incensed. But after reflection, I reread his piece and was impressed by his insight and his honesty.
This is not to say that this Crazed American is a full fledged supporter of the methods employed in the Occupation of Iraq. But I support the mission (removing a sadistic and cunning military dictator - also book ending Iran geographically and leaning on the House of Saud / Wahab), and I definitely support the troops.
This war has been going on since Pope Urban II kicked off the first Crusade in 1096. To think that "dialogue and negotiations" between proxies (Israel is a proxy of the Americans and Hizbollah is a proxy of Persian Iran) will solve this 906 year old war, is as naive as it is ridiculous.
This is far from over, if it ever ends.
18 July 2006
Pick your World War / A Bone to Pick
Pick a World War
My favorite Chinese Curse: "May you live in interesting times."
Where to start? Civilization is falling apart, the Mandate of Heaven has been lost by all involved and uninvolved.
Are we, as one would like to say, in the blissfully ignorant days of August 1939?
No. We are not in a time analogous to the days pre World War II.
In my humble opinion, we are in June - July 1914. The war that is coming - it is coming, mind you will bear a much greater resemblance to the First World War. We see the same signs. An alliance system, rampant "isms" (in this case nationalism and religious fanaticism), and a proliferation of advanced and unadventurous weapons. All that is currently needed is an event that will spark a conflagration.
Will there be a long drawn out conflict? No. Modern technology will see that this war will be short in terms of the length of full fledged nation state combat.
Will the aftermath be long? Yes indeed. These events will echo throughout History. History is definitely proceeding, not dead as some stated at the end of the cold war.
Who will win? Depending on one critical element, that has only become apparent in the past 40 or so years - an element of politics and warfare that could not be imagined as even being called into question during the first or second World Wars -
The attention span of the American public.
That is the decisive element in modern warfare.
America is an empire, like it or not. No matter what political spectrum you ally yourself with, know that America is the most powerful Empire that the planet Earth has ever seen.
From time to time it is crucial for Empires to act Imperial. For those out there that decry Imperialism, you must know that everything that you take for granted, every luxury you have ever know was bought and paid for by one empire or another. Face it, Homo Sapiens functions in an Imperial manner and force is its most direct currency. As the top dog on this little rock we call a planet, America has no choice but to be involved when our interests are involved. Since our interests are the whole world...
Got a bone to pick: People calling for restraint from the Israelis.
Analogy and metaphor time:
A group of men come into your home, spraying gunfire, and breaking your hard earned property, then proceed to begin kidnapping your children and commence raping your wife. You have a handgun. Now - show restraint!
Fools.
Note to those of you who are not cognizant of the methods employed by a modern, professional military force. Israel is showing restraint. If Israel wasn't showing restraint, they'd be firing MLRS and 155 AP and HE into downtown Beirut (because chemical and nuclear weapons are so messy!). Civilian casualties would be measured in the tens of thousands PER DAY. Israeli tanks and APC's would be running through bombed and shelled towns and villages killing the wounded and innocent.
Vladimir Putin, sir, your call for restraint rings hollow. Would you have the Israelis show as much restraint as your forces have in Chechnya? Or Berlin in '45? I know why you said that, sir, but please...
Israel will conduct its operations according to the accepted laws of war. I have no doubt that Israel will be very thorough in it's quest to secure their land from the enemies of peace. Not to mention - just who does Israel approach to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the return of it's kidnapped soldiers?
Something tells me that Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's not taking calls from the Tel Aviv area code...
A war avoided is not a war that will not be fought.
My favorite Chinese Curse: "May you live in interesting times."
Where to start? Civilization is falling apart, the Mandate of Heaven has been lost by all involved and uninvolved.
Are we, as one would like to say, in the blissfully ignorant days of August 1939?
No. We are not in a time analogous to the days pre World War II.
In my humble opinion, we are in June - July 1914. The war that is coming - it is coming, mind you will bear a much greater resemblance to the First World War. We see the same signs. An alliance system, rampant "isms" (in this case nationalism and religious fanaticism), and a proliferation of advanced and unadventurous weapons. All that is currently needed is an event that will spark a conflagration.
Will there be a long drawn out conflict? No. Modern technology will see that this war will be short in terms of the length of full fledged nation state combat.
Will the aftermath be long? Yes indeed. These events will echo throughout History. History is definitely proceeding, not dead as some stated at the end of the cold war.
Who will win? Depending on one critical element, that has only become apparent in the past 40 or so years - an element of politics and warfare that could not be imagined as even being called into question during the first or second World Wars -
The attention span of the American public.
That is the decisive element in modern warfare.
America is an empire, like it or not. No matter what political spectrum you ally yourself with, know that America is the most powerful Empire that the planet Earth has ever seen.
From time to time it is crucial for Empires to act Imperial. For those out there that decry Imperialism, you must know that everything that you take for granted, every luxury you have ever know was bought and paid for by one empire or another. Face it, Homo Sapiens functions in an Imperial manner and force is its most direct currency. As the top dog on this little rock we call a planet, America has no choice but to be involved when our interests are involved. Since our interests are the whole world...
Got a bone to pick: People calling for restraint from the Israelis.
Analogy and metaphor time:
A group of men come into your home, spraying gunfire, and breaking your hard earned property, then proceed to begin kidnapping your children and commence raping your wife. You have a handgun. Now - show restraint!
Fools.
Note to those of you who are not cognizant of the methods employed by a modern, professional military force. Israel is showing restraint. If Israel wasn't showing restraint, they'd be firing MLRS and 155 AP and HE into downtown Beirut (because chemical and nuclear weapons are so messy!). Civilian casualties would be measured in the tens of thousands PER DAY. Israeli tanks and APC's would be running through bombed and shelled towns and villages killing the wounded and innocent.
Vladimir Putin, sir, your call for restraint rings hollow. Would you have the Israelis show as much restraint as your forces have in Chechnya? Or Berlin in '45? I know why you said that, sir, but please...
Israel will conduct its operations according to the accepted laws of war. I have no doubt that Israel will be very thorough in it's quest to secure their land from the enemies of peace. Not to mention - just who does Israel approach to negotiate a ceasefire and secure the return of it's kidnapped soldiers?
Something tells me that Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's not taking calls from the Tel Aviv area code...
A war avoided is not a war that will not be fought.
A beginning...
Now I have arrived, kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.
This blog will be an insight into someone who believes in right and wrong and the tenant that people should be allowed to do what they want, as long as they don't hurt anyone or anything else. I will be profane, irreverent, forgetful, and "stream of consciousness" as possible.
I am not a Democrat, Republican, but I am conservative and liberal. I hate stereotypes and racism. I most of all hate ignorance. People who can vote but chose not to should keep their mouths shut.
I will comment on events of the day, history, politics, friends, and things I find interesting.
Read this or don't, I really don't care. I'm doing this to clear my own headspace issues.
If you do wish to continue reading this, welcome aboard! I'll try not to bore you.
This blog will be an insight into someone who believes in right and wrong and the tenant that people should be allowed to do what they want, as long as they don't hurt anyone or anything else. I will be profane, irreverent, forgetful, and "stream of consciousness" as possible.
I am not a Democrat, Republican, but I am conservative and liberal. I hate stereotypes and racism. I most of all hate ignorance. People who can vote but chose not to should keep their mouths shut.
I will comment on events of the day, history, politics, friends, and things I find interesting.
Read this or don't, I really don't care. I'm doing this to clear my own headspace issues.
If you do wish to continue reading this, welcome aboard! I'll try not to bore you.
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