A question for today is; "Who is the enemy in Iraq?".
It seems that whenever there is fighting and killing in Iraq "we the people" are ALWAYS told that whatever happens it is due to the dreaded "al-Qaeda". They are everywhere and control all things. Right?
But wait, the fighting and killing that is happening at this very moment is between opposing Shite militia factions BOTH supposedly backed and trained by Iran (who has no ties with al-Qaeda) and the Iraqi government forces backed by the United States.
We have been "paying" the Sunni militias (in our effort to get them to denounce al-Qaeda) to stop killing American troops or their fellow Iraqi citizens, which must make the Sunni's our "friends" now. Well, as long as they keep getting paid we "hope" they remain relatively passive.
The Mahdi Army, under the control of Muqtada al-Sadr, has been effectively under a cease fire for several months but now appear to be unwilling to restrict their fighting to the political arena. As a result, Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki ordered curfews and issued ultimatums to what he is calling "criminal gangs" in the Sadr neighborhoods of Baghdad and Basra and elsewhere. Are these "criminal gangs" al-Qaeda? Are they Iranian "insurgents"? Are they "terrorists"? Are they "Shite freedom fighters"?
Just who is the "ENEMY" we are "fighting" in Iraq? Just who are we protecting in Iraq?
The US fired hellfire missiles into Sadr neighborhoods during the past twenty four hours and rockets continue to reach areas of the "so-called" Green Zone or International Zone. Who is firing into this area and why? Is it al-Qaeda (aren't they the cause of everything?) or is it the al-Sadr militia or some other Shite milita faction both spurred on by our new "most evil enemy", Iran?
One of the real and main problems for the United States is and has been our inability to properly define exactly what we mean by "winning" and just who we are fighting and dying for and just who we are protecting. We "protect" the Kurds in the north. The group of Kurdish "freedom fighters" in that area became too troublesome so we provided Turkey with real time intelligence and other support to launch attacks inside Iraqi territory recently. But when the Turkish troops got a bit carried away and the uproar of protests a bit too loud, we gave the Turks the sign that it was time to back off. Turkey could tell their people they did something (just what was actually accomplished isn't known) and the Kurdish people who watched yet another foreign army invade their land was quieted and the Iraqi Government (controlled by the Shite factions) didn't have to pretend that they really cared what happens to their Kurdish "brothers". Are those Kurdish "freedom fighters" really "terrorists"? Are they al-Qaeda? Are they funded and controlled by the Iranians? Who is the enemy?
So, as we "engage the enemy" (whoever they may be) during these days perhaps some clarity may be presented with respect to the true identity of our enemy. At some point, "we the people" deserve to know if we are dying for the Sunni's or the Shite's or to protect our oil interests or to defeat "terrorism" (which won't happen without killing everyone), or to battle the "evil" Iran, who is supposedly backing and training the Shites, who just happen to be in control of the Government (that we established) of Iraq! No wonder we can't get a real definition of what "winning" means. We don't even have a real definition of who our "enemy" is in Iraq!
It is "TIME TO THINK AGAIN"
Friday, March 28, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
1827 DAYS AND NO END IN SIGHT
On November 1st, 2006 I made a posting in which I tried to discuss the ONLY numbers that really mattered and they were not the election numbers. I wrote about the fact that as of that date, 2817 United States military personnel had perished during the invasion and occupation of Iraq and that 21,419 individuals had been reported as wounded. I made another posting on November 13th, 2006 (only 12 days later) after the mid-term election results were in and the Democratic Party gained control of both the House and the Senate. This vote was supposed to be a signal to the Democrats and indeed the current Administration that "we the people" wanted a distinct change in our policy in Iraq and Afghanistan and our so-called "war on terror". In those 12 days, an additional 31 US military personnel were no longer among the living and an additional 153 soldiers had been wounded. The Democrats showed their lack of ability or lack of resolve to affect any change and the Republicans have, for the most part, remained in lock step with our failed policy.
I realize that for the most part my posting and calls for an end to the insane direction our Government has been following for the past six and a half years goes unnoticed. But that doesn't diminish the need to write them and continue to write in favor or "we the people" and for the safety and security of all our troops.
It is now March 20th, 2008 and Americans now enter the beginning of the SIXTH YEAR of putting our troops in harms way in Iraq and we are well into our SEVENTH year in Afghanistan.
During the days and weeks and months since my November 2006 posting we have now reached 1827 days of occupation in Iraq (more in Afghanistan). The DEATH TOLL for American military personnel is now reported to have reached 3,992 in Iraq and an additional 483 deaths (of a reported coalition total of 772) in Afghanistan. The military has reported "at least" 29,395 of our troops have been wounded in Iraq and an additional 1,894 wounded in Afghanistan.
This means that EVERY DAY (on average) almost 2.5 humans in the Unites States military have been killed "in the line of duty" and EVERY DAY another 17 of your troops are reported "wounded".
THINK ABOUT THIS!!
As horrendous as the above numbers they do not include the casualties of any other nations involved, any dead or wounded among the tens of thousands of private contractors, and certainly doesn't count the almost countless number of civilians (in Iraq and Afghanistan) who have been killed or wounded, which has been estimated to be anywhere between 100,000 and 600,000!
As our President and others in the administration and proponents of this foreign policy continue to try to convince "we the people" of the righteousness of our actions and "spin" success stories and the need to "win" (without fully explaining just what THAT means), THEY and WE seem incapable of actually "winning" in a decisive manner.
Our brave troops have served with honor and would continue to do so for an additional 5, 10, 20 or more years if they are ordered to do so. You hear some tell us that if we were to withdraw it would not honor those that have fallen in battle. I submit that it is the primary duty of our Government to protect and honor those in uniform by REMOVING THEM FROM HARM'S WAY! We continue to have a policy that has shown that simply a military victory (over whom?) is not only not attainable but would not, by itself, constitute "winning". The Iraqi Government, now in place for at least 3 years, continues to flounder, argue and fail to reconcile with its own factions and despite a few agreements has only met a fraction of the so-called "benchmarks" that we expected them to meet over a year ago. Is the current administration "protecting" our troops or US citizens by allowing the Iraqi government to drag its collective feet while our men and women are fighting and dying FOR THEM? I think not. How long should WE die for THEM?
How long? How many? How much? 12 BILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH! The cost of these wars will reach ONE TRILLION DOLLARS very shortly and will surely exceed that number in the coming years.
The "progress" and "success" we keep hearing about doesn't seem to be as evident on the ground in Iraq. We "bought" the Sunni militias by paying them a monthly stipend NOT to shoot at us. Reports that the cash payments may be drying up will lead to what? Most Iraqi citizens are extremely lucky if they get more than six to eight hours of electricity each day (which is worse than they had it before we invaded). Is that progress? The water supply in most of the country is either limited or tainted. Is that progress? The latest figures indicate that Iraqi oil production in basically at the same output levels it was prior to our invasion. WE were told by the current administration that Iraq would easily be able to pay their own reconstruction costs through oil revenues. Recent reports indicate that because of much higher prices for oil (not because of increased production) Iraq will see revenues of between 80 and 100 BILLION DOLLARS in 2007 and 2008. Yet, most of the funding for whatever reconstruction that is taking place in Iraq still comes from US taxpayer dollars! WHY?? A majority of the teachers, doctors and other professionals have fled the country. There are an estimated 4 MILLION Iraqi citizens that are displaced from their homes, villages, or cities. How can this be viewed as progress?? Unemployment in most areas of Iraq is at least 50%, the majority of schools opened during the past few years in Afghanistan have since been closed or deemed too dangerous to attend. Is this progress? In the beginning of 2001, the Taliban (as oppressive as they were) had virtually stopped growing of the crop used to produce the deadly opium (and heroin) that has been a scourge on the earth and brought death and ruin to so many Americans and people around the world. Since the invasion and occupation by the Untied States and NATO, each of the past FOUR years have shown RECORD CROPS! How can this possibly be viewed as progress when this instrument of death has been ALLOWED to gain ground as Afghanistan produces about 93% of the world's supply??? That is unforgivable!!
So, as you watch and listen to all the candidates go around the country "talking" about what they would or wouldn't do in Iraq or Afghanistan or about "winning" (again without any definition of what that means), keep in the minds that REAL PEOPLE are dying EVERY DAY while they serve and follow their orders and WAIT for their Government to get them out of harm's way. Our troops should not be simply placed on some list of statistics along with budget numbers, stock quotes, unemployment figures, etc. They DESERVE much more that that.
Enough is enough! "We the people" along with the families and friends of out troops need to DEMAND that our "leaders" get this mess over NOW! We either have to literally kill every person that wishes harm and death to America (are we truly prepared to go to that extreme?) or we must bring this debacle to an end. If we withdrew in 1 year or 2 years or 5 years or longer the "risk" that there would be sectarian violence in Iraq (and Afghanistan) will still remain. We are simply prolonging that inevitable condition and losing Americans every day.
Another key thing for "we the people" to consider is the fact that even if every person (citizen or not) currently in Iraq or Afghanistan were to magically come forward and turn in all their weapons and stop the killing, would that end the so-called "war on terror"? No, it would not! Would America and it's citizens ultimately be safer from the "terrorist threat" if Iraq and Afghanistan were to suddenly become peaceful nations? No, it would not! We cannot continue to buy into the falsehood that Iraq is the heart of terrorism. It is not and never has been! Terrorism is an idea that resides in the hearts of desperate extremists throughout the world. There is no specific country to put down. The ideas and beliefs of the radicals will continue far beyond any military engagement in any particular country. Don't we get that yet?
I strongly suggest that you all do some soul searching and objective research into the REAL reasons and motives that our troops are dying for and then demand that our nation's leaders tell us the truth and stop this madness. Our troops and US citizens deserve nothing less than that.
It truly is TIME TO THINK AGAIN
For a review of casualty figures and a place to put faces to the numbers of dead Americans I would direct you to the following web sites (there are several others as well); http://icasualties.org/oif/ or http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/index.html
I realize that for the most part my posting and calls for an end to the insane direction our Government has been following for the past six and a half years goes unnoticed. But that doesn't diminish the need to write them and continue to write in favor or "we the people" and for the safety and security of all our troops.
It is now March 20th, 2008 and Americans now enter the beginning of the SIXTH YEAR of putting our troops in harms way in Iraq and we are well into our SEVENTH year in Afghanistan.
During the days and weeks and months since my November 2006 posting we have now reached 1827 days of occupation in Iraq (more in Afghanistan). The DEATH TOLL for American military personnel is now reported to have reached 3,992 in Iraq and an additional 483 deaths (of a reported coalition total of 772) in Afghanistan. The military has reported "at least" 29,395 of our troops have been wounded in Iraq and an additional 1,894 wounded in Afghanistan.
This means that EVERY DAY (on average) almost 2.5 humans in the Unites States military have been killed "in the line of duty" and EVERY DAY another 17 of your troops are reported "wounded".
THINK ABOUT THIS!!
As horrendous as the above numbers they do not include the casualties of any other nations involved, any dead or wounded among the tens of thousands of private contractors, and certainly doesn't count the almost countless number of civilians (in Iraq and Afghanistan) who have been killed or wounded, which has been estimated to be anywhere between 100,000 and 600,000!
As our President and others in the administration and proponents of this foreign policy continue to try to convince "we the people" of the righteousness of our actions and "spin" success stories and the need to "win" (without fully explaining just what THAT means), THEY and WE seem incapable of actually "winning" in a decisive manner.
Our brave troops have served with honor and would continue to do so for an additional 5, 10, 20 or more years if they are ordered to do so. You hear some tell us that if we were to withdraw it would not honor those that have fallen in battle. I submit that it is the primary duty of our Government to protect and honor those in uniform by REMOVING THEM FROM HARM'S WAY! We continue to have a policy that has shown that simply a military victory (over whom?) is not only not attainable but would not, by itself, constitute "winning". The Iraqi Government, now in place for at least 3 years, continues to flounder, argue and fail to reconcile with its own factions and despite a few agreements has only met a fraction of the so-called "benchmarks" that we expected them to meet over a year ago. Is the current administration "protecting" our troops or US citizens by allowing the Iraqi government to drag its collective feet while our men and women are fighting and dying FOR THEM? I think not. How long should WE die for THEM?
How long? How many? How much? 12 BILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH! The cost of these wars will reach ONE TRILLION DOLLARS very shortly and will surely exceed that number in the coming years.
The "progress" and "success" we keep hearing about doesn't seem to be as evident on the ground in Iraq. We "bought" the Sunni militias by paying them a monthly stipend NOT to shoot at us. Reports that the cash payments may be drying up will lead to what? Most Iraqi citizens are extremely lucky if they get more than six to eight hours of electricity each day (which is worse than they had it before we invaded). Is that progress? The water supply in most of the country is either limited or tainted. Is that progress? The latest figures indicate that Iraqi oil production in basically at the same output levels it was prior to our invasion. WE were told by the current administration that Iraq would easily be able to pay their own reconstruction costs through oil revenues. Recent reports indicate that because of much higher prices for oil (not because of increased production) Iraq will see revenues of between 80 and 100 BILLION DOLLARS in 2007 and 2008. Yet, most of the funding for whatever reconstruction that is taking place in Iraq still comes from US taxpayer dollars! WHY?? A majority of the teachers, doctors and other professionals have fled the country. There are an estimated 4 MILLION Iraqi citizens that are displaced from their homes, villages, or cities. How can this be viewed as progress?? Unemployment in most areas of Iraq is at least 50%, the majority of schools opened during the past few years in Afghanistan have since been closed or deemed too dangerous to attend. Is this progress? In the beginning of 2001, the Taliban (as oppressive as they were) had virtually stopped growing of the crop used to produce the deadly opium (and heroin) that has been a scourge on the earth and brought death and ruin to so many Americans and people around the world. Since the invasion and occupation by the Untied States and NATO, each of the past FOUR years have shown RECORD CROPS! How can this possibly be viewed as progress when this instrument of death has been ALLOWED to gain ground as Afghanistan produces about 93% of the world's supply??? That is unforgivable!!
So, as you watch and listen to all the candidates go around the country "talking" about what they would or wouldn't do in Iraq or Afghanistan or about "winning" (again without any definition of what that means), keep in the minds that REAL PEOPLE are dying EVERY DAY while they serve and follow their orders and WAIT for their Government to get them out of harm's way. Our troops should not be simply placed on some list of statistics along with budget numbers, stock quotes, unemployment figures, etc. They DESERVE much more that that.
Enough is enough! "We the people" along with the families and friends of out troops need to DEMAND that our "leaders" get this mess over NOW! We either have to literally kill every person that wishes harm and death to America (are we truly prepared to go to that extreme?) or we must bring this debacle to an end. If we withdrew in 1 year or 2 years or 5 years or longer the "risk" that there would be sectarian violence in Iraq (and Afghanistan) will still remain. We are simply prolonging that inevitable condition and losing Americans every day.
Another key thing for "we the people" to consider is the fact that even if every person (citizen or not) currently in Iraq or Afghanistan were to magically come forward and turn in all their weapons and stop the killing, would that end the so-called "war on terror"? No, it would not! Would America and it's citizens ultimately be safer from the "terrorist threat" if Iraq and Afghanistan were to suddenly become peaceful nations? No, it would not! We cannot continue to buy into the falsehood that Iraq is the heart of terrorism. It is not and never has been! Terrorism is an idea that resides in the hearts of desperate extremists throughout the world. There is no specific country to put down. The ideas and beliefs of the radicals will continue far beyond any military engagement in any particular country. Don't we get that yet?
I strongly suggest that you all do some soul searching and objective research into the REAL reasons and motives that our troops are dying for and then demand that our nation's leaders tell us the truth and stop this madness. Our troops and US citizens deserve nothing less than that.
It truly is TIME TO THINK AGAIN
For a review of casualty figures and a place to put faces to the numbers of dead Americans I would direct you to the following web sites (there are several others as well); http://icasualties.org/oif/ or http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/index.html
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Privacy Gone With the Wind
The subject of privacy for "we the people" continues to be debated in the halls of Congress today as the House Bill being pushed would, on the one hand, allow unspecified intrusion into the content of the communications (phone, email, I pod, web sites, etc.) by our Government, with the full cooperation (going forward) of the companies that provide us with those services. On the other hand, the current Bill being pushed (until the Democrats cave in as usual), would not provide "amnesty" for those communication entities that very likely DID violate the privacy agreements (in place until recently) they had with THEIR customers.
My first question is WHY? A key point missing in this discussion is a critique of the practice of communication interception that has been provided by the current Administration. We have been told (in typical sound bite style) that only communications of American citizens"suspected" of possible "terrorist activities" AND in communication with "suspected" individuals OUTSIDE the United States. Does any "thinking" American citizen actually believe that all the furor over the program and the "critical" need for amnesty and the recent changes sent to customers by the communications companies is ONLY about that stated practice??
Let's examine the "rest of the story". Ask yourself just how the various "intelligence" Departments could (or would) have gone about monitoring "suspected" communications. The probability that they have a list of potential "terrorists", both within and outside our borders should be a given. But, with the tens of millions of phone, email, and other communications that take place on daily basis, how could these agencies possibility know or learn of the "new" threats? Did they simply intercept all communications initiated by anyone with a Middle Eastern surname or names that "sounded" like terrorists? Or, more likely, did these agencies initiate a much broader and much more invasive practice of attempting to monitor the communications of ALL American citizens and "flag" any contact that contained "key words" in a manner similar to doing a Google search? When GW and his Administration pressured the communication companies to cooperate and provide the US Government open access to our communications and "assured" them that doing so was "legal" (even though it wasn't), did GW also "assure" the phone and internet service providers that he would insulate them from any potential legal action their customers might begin when (or if) it was discovered that they had violated their own privacy agreements? Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, President Bush authorized and began the invasion of privacy on American citizens by stating he had the power to do so because he had the "war time power" to do so. Excuse me for asking but, with all due respect, just exactly who (specifically) were we "at war" with in the direct aftermath of 9/11? Terror is not a country! Terror is a term and a description of an intended state on mind. When GW proclaimed the "War on Terror" he tried to convince us that this was a declaration of war in the historical context that most citizens would relate to, such as the Civil War, or World War I and II. A "War on Terror" declared without a specified opponent borders on the absurd. I suppose one could define or understand that declaration as a "war" on anyone and everyone who has a grievance or disagrees or wishes to do harm to the America or its current "allies". That all sounds powerful in a climate of sorrow and anger and plays on the instinct for revenge but a bit of thought about that declaration shows that it is first not a war that can defined and second it is a "war" that will never end and cannot be "won" unless the United States is prepared and willing to systematically kill or otherwise eliminate EVERY person on planet earth that doesn't like or agree or is willing to yield to America's will. I have no doubt that there are actually those in powerful positions that would proceed with that "final solution". Are "we the people" willing to allow our Government (the Executive Branch specifically) to set aside our assumed privacy rights (details unexplained by our Government) at their choosing and to allow the Executive Branch to independently make the "judgment" as to the legality of ANY action they decide to take without opinion or oversight by the other two branches (Legislative and Judicial) of OUR Government? These must be among the most disturbing aspects of the conduct of the current administration!
Somehow, this "war on terror" proclamation convinced this administration that any policy they adopted regardless of what Federal laws or what "rights" of American citizens needed to be disregarded was justified and that any intrusion into our lives must be accepted because GW decided it was acceptable and after all even the destruction of our freedom and our laws was fair game to provide us freedom and a nation of laws. Think about that for a moment.
At any rate, I would submit that among the REAL reasons that GW is so desperate to provide the retroactive immunity to the communications companies is the fact that should the courts (the supposed third Branch of Government) be able to rule on the legality of the actions of our current administration and the communication companies there would be a likely outcome that would determine that GW has , in fact, violated and abused his authority as President. A Federal Court may also be able to determine the ugly details of just how vast the invasion of privacy of American citizens has been these past seven years and you know GW doesn't wish to fully explain himself. Of course any such review would not be revealed to "we the people" because the details would fall into the "National Security" arena (which is true) but if Congress (the Second branch of our Government) or the Judicial (our third branch of our Government) continues to be stonewalled by the Executive Branch, what type of Government do we really have at that point? The current (as it stands today) does call for a commission to investigate the program utilized by the current administration but GW is also opposed to this or any inquiry into the activities engaged in under his watch. What a surprise!
It the end, protection and providing for "we the people" is (or should be) of utmost importance to all of us and is a fundamental duty of all three branches of our Federal Government. Implicate in those duties is the responsibility of ALL the branches to uphold the Constitution and all the laws and "rights" that are the essence of the United states of America. The question remains however of how many of our "sacred" principles are going to damaged or destroyed to accomplish the goal of "winning" (still an undefined term)? The stated goal of many around the world who wish to do damage to America and her way of life is to bring about financial and social ruin to America. Must our own Government assist in our enemies success?
If you are a thinking person you must realize that protecting ourselves and our freedom and the current policy undertaken by the current administration do not have to be one and the same. There are alternative tactics and other ways to keep America strong and safe other than just continuing to march in lock step with policies that are rapidly destroying our rights to privacy (and other "rights") but depleting our National Treasury at alarming rates and creating yet another generation of families crushed by needless death or injury. A reevaluation or change in direction DOES NOT equate to "surrender" as some would have you believe!
We are living beneath our privilege if we continue to walk like sheep to the cliff and then simply fall off without at least asking "WHY".
My first question is WHY? A key point missing in this discussion is a critique of the practice of communication interception that has been provided by the current Administration. We have been told (in typical sound bite style) that only communications of American citizens"suspected" of possible "terrorist activities" AND in communication with "suspected" individuals OUTSIDE the United States. Does any "thinking" American citizen actually believe that all the furor over the program and the "critical" need for amnesty and the recent changes sent to customers by the communications companies is ONLY about that stated practice??
Let's examine the "rest of the story". Ask yourself just how the various "intelligence" Departments could (or would) have gone about monitoring "suspected" communications. The probability that they have a list of potential "terrorists", both within and outside our borders should be a given. But, with the tens of millions of phone, email, and other communications that take place on daily basis, how could these agencies possibility know or learn of the "new" threats? Did they simply intercept all communications initiated by anyone with a Middle Eastern surname or names that "sounded" like terrorists? Or, more likely, did these agencies initiate a much broader and much more invasive practice of attempting to monitor the communications of ALL American citizens and "flag" any contact that contained "key words" in a manner similar to doing a Google search? When GW and his Administration pressured the communication companies to cooperate and provide the US Government open access to our communications and "assured" them that doing so was "legal" (even though it wasn't), did GW also "assure" the phone and internet service providers that he would insulate them from any potential legal action their customers might begin when (or if) it was discovered that they had violated their own privacy agreements? Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, President Bush authorized and began the invasion of privacy on American citizens by stating he had the power to do so because he had the "war time power" to do so. Excuse me for asking but, with all due respect, just exactly who (specifically) were we "at war" with in the direct aftermath of 9/11? Terror is not a country! Terror is a term and a description of an intended state on mind. When GW proclaimed the "War on Terror" he tried to convince us that this was a declaration of war in the historical context that most citizens would relate to, such as the Civil War, or World War I and II. A "War on Terror" declared without a specified opponent borders on the absurd. I suppose one could define or understand that declaration as a "war" on anyone and everyone who has a grievance or disagrees or wishes to do harm to the America or its current "allies". That all sounds powerful in a climate of sorrow and anger and plays on the instinct for revenge but a bit of thought about that declaration shows that it is first not a war that can defined and second it is a "war" that will never end and cannot be "won" unless the United States is prepared and willing to systematically kill or otherwise eliminate EVERY person on planet earth that doesn't like or agree or is willing to yield to America's will. I have no doubt that there are actually those in powerful positions that would proceed with that "final solution". Are "we the people" willing to allow our Government (the Executive Branch specifically) to set aside our assumed privacy rights (details unexplained by our Government) at their choosing and to allow the Executive Branch to independently make the "judgment" as to the legality of ANY action they decide to take without opinion or oversight by the other two branches (Legislative and Judicial) of OUR Government? These must be among the most disturbing aspects of the conduct of the current administration!
Somehow, this "war on terror" proclamation convinced this administration that any policy they adopted regardless of what Federal laws or what "rights" of American citizens needed to be disregarded was justified and that any intrusion into our lives must be accepted because GW decided it was acceptable and after all even the destruction of our freedom and our laws was fair game to provide us freedom and a nation of laws. Think about that for a moment.
At any rate, I would submit that among the REAL reasons that GW is so desperate to provide the retroactive immunity to the communications companies is the fact that should the courts (the supposed third Branch of Government) be able to rule on the legality of the actions of our current administration and the communication companies there would be a likely outcome that would determine that GW has , in fact, violated and abused his authority as President. A Federal Court may also be able to determine the ugly details of just how vast the invasion of privacy of American citizens has been these past seven years and you know GW doesn't wish to fully explain himself. Of course any such review would not be revealed to "we the people" because the details would fall into the "National Security" arena (which is true) but if Congress (the Second branch of our Government) or the Judicial (our third branch of our Government) continues to be stonewalled by the Executive Branch, what type of Government do we really have at that point? The current (as it stands today) does call for a commission to investigate the program utilized by the current administration but GW is also opposed to this or any inquiry into the activities engaged in under his watch. What a surprise!
It the end, protection and providing for "we the people" is (or should be) of utmost importance to all of us and is a fundamental duty of all three branches of our Federal Government. Implicate in those duties is the responsibility of ALL the branches to uphold the Constitution and all the laws and "rights" that are the essence of the United states of America. The question remains however of how many of our "sacred" principles are going to damaged or destroyed to accomplish the goal of "winning" (still an undefined term)? The stated goal of many around the world who wish to do damage to America and her way of life is to bring about financial and social ruin to America. Must our own Government assist in our enemies success?
If you are a thinking person you must realize that protecting ourselves and our freedom and the current policy undertaken by the current administration do not have to be one and the same. There are alternative tactics and other ways to keep America strong and safe other than just continuing to march in lock step with policies that are rapidly destroying our rights to privacy (and other "rights") but depleting our National Treasury at alarming rates and creating yet another generation of families crushed by needless death or injury. A reevaluation or change in direction DOES NOT equate to "surrender" as some would have you believe!
We are living beneath our privilege if we continue to walk like sheep to the cliff and then simply fall off without at least asking "WHY".
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Highjacking the 4th Amendment?
Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
The 4th Amendment to the US Constitution was originally ratified (along with amendments 1 through 10) by only 11 States between 1789 and 1791. Three States, Massachusetts, Georgia and Connecticut didn't ratify the first 10 Amendments until 1939. A point of interest is that the States currently part of the United States of America have not been allowed to re-confirm or ratify the original 10 Amendments.
The current administration, perhaps the most secretive and invasive since the World War II years, appears to have high-jacked the 4th Amendment (or at least the intent of it).
The need for discovering potential threats against the United States and its citizens is apparent. The United States has long prided itself (at least publicly) for being a nation of laws. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, this administration entered in a covert arrangement with several public communications companies to supply the US Government with the personal phone and email records of American citizens and to monitor the conversations of an untold number of United States citizens. The government suggested that this was a legal invasion on the privacy expected by US citizens under the 4th Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. The Executive Branch of our Government specifically excluded the Judicial Branch from making the determination on the legality of their actions. The communications companies (except for a few) ultimately yielded to the pressure from the United States Government and opened up records and provided the transmission of communications of United States WITHOUT any warrant or order approved by any court or judge of the Judicial Branch of our Government. The question of whether or not the communications companies have violated the privacy rights and agreements with their customers is still very much in question at this time.
The 1978 FISA law was deemed by this administration to be insufficient and the Bush people made the decision to disregard it as well as the tenets of the 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution which is "supposed" to protect citizens from illegal "searching" into the lives of private citizens.
Has martial law been declared? Is it being imposed even without declaring it?
This administration has told the American public that the monitoring of the communications is "limited" to "suspected terrorist activity". The obvious first question is; WHO DETERMINES which phone calls or emails are SUSPECT? Are only communications where one of the parties is outside the United States being monitored? Are the interceptions of American citizen communications determined by a person's surname or the content of the communication? If the latter, it would seem that ALL communications from ALL US citizens would need to be monitored. In light of the FBI statement this week about the gathering of "private" information of United States citizens prior to 2006 (if you believe it actually stopped then) it has become increasingly difficult to accept anything our Government says about the limits of their invasion on the privacy of American citizens. How far has and will our government go to "protect" us? How paranoid should we be? Are all United States citizens subject to arrest and detainment for having any phone conversation or email exchange that discusses this subject or contains any discussion of the policies of our own Government or the terrorist threat around the world?
I suspect that at the heart the President Bush's determined effort to secure a retroactive amnesty for the communications companies that provided access to our phone calls and emails is twofold. First, I believe the court would determine that the existing law was in fact violated and that the President himself instigated the violations. Second, I believe President Bush and his administration wish to avoid, at all costs, a court ordered disclosure of just how many American citizens were subjected to communication monitoring and also how it was determined just who would be monitored. Of course, as with all the other "suspect" activities done by this administration, the communication monitoring activities will be placed under the heading of "National Security" which is always the catchall haven when "we the people" are being violated.
The main questions are; "How long will it take before the "freedoms", of speech, of protection against unreasonable search, and others simply become a memory in the minds of Americans that will recall a time when the Constitution and the Bill of Rights actually meant something?"
ARE the FIRST AMENDMENT and the rest of the sacred Amendments soon to dissolve into history as our Government continues to "protect" American citizens from the illusive enemies? OR, is the enemy to our liberty closer than we realize?
IT IS; "TIME TO THINK AGAIN"!!
Questions NOT being asked
Now that the candidates of the office of President of the United States of America are basically defined by the results of the primary voting to date (Yes, there is still a question on the Democrat side) I am struck that none of these candidates are being asked some pertinent questions. I suppose it may be because the media is "afraid" or they have been told that certain areas are off limits. All "we the people" get are the sound bites that sound the best or a laundry list of promises that cannot be kept.
I am going to post a series of questions that (at least in my opinion) need to be addressed and answered because they cut through the "campaign speak" and get to a piece of the truth about our candidates and their intentions.
The first (and not necessarily in order of importance) is;
Will you, as President, continue to support the current military policy of paying militia (mainly Sunnis) in Iraq to "convert" and stop attacking American troops? If so, why not just give cash to everyone in Iraq and a bonus to those who turn in their weapons? Do you actually believe the practice of cash for support is an example of "winning the hearts and minds" that will lead to a lasting peace in Iraq?
Answer the questions! No "spin" please.
I am going to post a series of questions that (at least in my opinion) need to be addressed and answered because they cut through the "campaign speak" and get to a piece of the truth about our candidates and their intentions.
The first (and not necessarily in order of importance) is;
Will you, as President, continue to support the current military policy of paying militia (mainly Sunnis) in Iraq to "convert" and stop attacking American troops? If so, why not just give cash to everyone in Iraq and a bonus to those who turn in their weapons? Do you actually believe the practice of cash for support is an example of "winning the hearts and minds" that will lead to a lasting peace in Iraq?
Answer the questions! No "spin" please.
Monday, May 21, 2007
A CITIZEN'S VIEW OF THE U.S. IMMIGRATION ISSUE
On the subject of United States Immigration
As a citizen of the United States of America I have observed as our immigration policy has decayed into a situation that is now affecting the majority of Americans and believe that dramatic reforms are now critically needed if we are to maintain the integrity of this nation.
Two of the most fundamental elements of the foundation of the United States of America have been the acceptance of immigrants into the country and the democratic establishment of a system of rules and laws. Our society would fall into serious peril if not for the willingness of the vast majority to accept the necessity of following the established rules and laws of this nation. It is also a fact that the vast majority of Americans come from descendents who came to America through the process of immigration or have come here through the process themselves. As America grew and became industrialized in the latter part of the 19th century, the population of the country was also expanding rapidly. The leaders of the Government (and for a wide variety of motives) created the first of a continuing series of laws governing the immigration of people into the United States. There was no doubt spirited discussion and debate at that time and since about the issue of immigration and the question of who should be allowed to enter America and in what numbers and under which system. The point being that rules and regulations and laws were in fact developed and accepted by the American people and that system has been in effect for over 100 years. The privilege of citizenship (and entrance) in the United States of America is honored in our most sacred documents. The Constitution and Bill of Rights speak with reverence of the importance of citizenship in America. It may be the single most important element of our democratic society.
In this years of 2006 and 2007, more heated debates are being conducted to decide the future of the immigration policy of the United States. Our current system is broken and must be repaired in order to protect the social and economic stability of America. The reasons and the question of responsibility for the current status are many and can be equally distributed among both major political parties and this essay and suggested plan does not attempt to shift blame to a particular political party but rather to address the current situation and offer a series of suggestions to bring America out of this crisis. The effort must be a bold and monumental one if success is to be realized. The time for partisanship is past. The American people need to mobilize in a manner that would rival the rebuilding period that followed the horror of the Civil War or the climb Americans made to come back from the Great Depression or the massive effort made during World War II. The task before us is no less critical to the continuing survival and protection of the Untied States of America that has existed for 230 years.
The solution to the current status of illegal immigrants will not be easy to realize. The United States government and its citizens must be prepared to make sacrifices and accept responsibility for allowing the entire system to get this far out of control. During the correction period there may be shortages in certain goods or services. Prices of various items may increase as businesses adjust to wage changes or worker shortages for a limited period of time. Whatever developments that occur in the area of commerce simply must be accepted as a cost of correction. The American system has a long history of being able to adjust to virtually any obstacle.
An honest assessment and acknowledgement must be made by all the various Government agencies that in spite of their best efforts to date the actual results with regard to administering and controlling the immigration situation are simply not acceptable. Anything less than a completely objective review of the factual conditions of each agency followed by a series of corrective actions (with the involvement of both the management and the front line employees) will only result in a repeat of current failures in the future.
The border and port security issue is the key ingredient to the success of any effort. The government of the United States and all citizens and legal residents must acknowledge without compromise that the protection of this nation’s borders and ports must be implemented immediately by all means at our disposal. If America and its citizens are in fact at risk from forces around the world (which has already been demonstrated numerous times) then further delay is unacceptable. National security is simply more important than any aspect of immigration, legal or illegal.
The issue of the status of the millions of people that are currently in the United States without proper documentation will require an acceptance of responsibility by the citizens of the United States for the nation’s failures in the enforcement of the lawful immigration policy. This does not necessarily mean that every single person that is currently in the United States without proper documentation should automatically be allowed to remain or that they would all be deported. A main part of any corrective action must include the willingness by those undocumented individuals to come forward and register and subject themselves to the legal system. If the millions of undocumented truly desire acceptance into American society they must believe in the system and accept the values of this country. After a specified grace period, anyone who has not registered and been granted authorization to be in the United States should be sent back to their country of origin and not allowed to return for at least 10 years. The main point is that the act of entering or remaining within the borders of the United States without proper documentation is, in fact, in violation of the laws of this nation and is unacceptable for any reason. Additionally, current violations of other laws, by “illegal” immigrants must also be addressed during this process.
Seven Steps to Immigration Reform
1) Secure the borders and ports of the United States of America with no exceptions.
2) Order the unrestricted access to any and all information from any Government agency to the Department of Homeland Security that may assist in the identification of people that are illegally within the borders of the United States.
3) Begin the process of removing services now available to individuals without proper documentation, including access to education, medical services, driver’s licenses, etc.
4) Develop an American Worker’s Network to provide willing American workers to those industries most affected by the removal of illegal immigrants.
5) Enforce existing immigration laws and any other laws (such as identity theft or using false documents) that are being violated.
6) Review the current immigration policy with respect to entry quotas and personnel requirements to expedite the process for those applying for legal entry.
7) Create a workable system for employers to actually verify an applicant’s immigration status and then severely penalize any employer who knowingly hires any individual not legally in the United States.
In summary, America and its citizens must stand up and do the correct thing with respect to the issue of immigration. We are taught by our parents, our schools, and all civil authority that America is a great and successful country and that we are supposed to be honest and obey the laws established for the protection of all. If a specific law or policy is deemed unfair or outdated by the majority of the citizens, there is a procedure for abolishing or changing the law. When individuals violate our law or citizens participate in the violation it weakens all of us and this must be unacceptable. Respect for law and rules of society cannot be determined selectively. The entire issue of immigration has become a political tool used by both major parties to gain funding and votes and this practice must end. Current leaders are and have been misleading the majority of American citizens about the facts (which is typical of most issues) and this too, must end. Real people and real lives are being affected and exploited on both sides of the issue. Otherwise law abiding members of the churches, medical community, social services, and the educational system are being placed in situations where they have to balance their moral beliefs with their instinct to be lawful citizens and it is the responsibility of the Federal, State and local governments to remove this burden. Individuals from around the world are risking life and limb to illegally enter the United States because they yearn for a better life and realize that they do not need to follow the established rules of entry as long as the United States continues to allow their illegal entry. Hundreds if not thousands of individuals perish annually attempting to make the journey and their blood is on the hands of those empowered but unwilling to institute the necessary changes that would actually save lives. There is a sector that is currently campaigning for the “rights” of illegal immigrants. My comment to them is that individuals who are in the United States illegally have no rights as defined by the U.S Constitution and the laws currently reserved for American citizens and those here legally. The politicians and the American people must not continue to allow the melding of legal immigrants and illegal immigrants when discussing the immigration issue to exist. They are not the same. The United States of America certainly should not carry the banner of democracy (and the rule of law) to any other part of the world if America itself continues to ignore its own laws. The long term survival of this nation is at stake and it is up to “we the people” to keep it alive. What will we ultimately do?
On the subject of United States Immigration
As a citizen of the United States of America I have observed as our immigration policy has decayed into a situation that is now affecting the majority of Americans and believe that dramatic reforms are now critically needed if we are to maintain the integrity of this nation.
Two of the most fundamental elements of the foundation of the United States of America have been the acceptance of immigrants into the country and the democratic establishment of a system of rules and laws. Our society would fall into serious peril if not for the willingness of the vast majority to accept the necessity of following the established rules and laws of this nation. It is also a fact that the vast majority of Americans come from descendents who came to America through the process of immigration or have come here through the process themselves. As America grew and became industrialized in the latter part of the 19th century, the population of the country was also expanding rapidly. The leaders of the Government (and for a wide variety of motives) created the first of a continuing series of laws governing the immigration of people into the United States. There was no doubt spirited discussion and debate at that time and since about the issue of immigration and the question of who should be allowed to enter America and in what numbers and under which system. The point being that rules and regulations and laws were in fact developed and accepted by the American people and that system has been in effect for over 100 years. The privilege of citizenship (and entrance) in the United States of America is honored in our most sacred documents. The Constitution and Bill of Rights speak with reverence of the importance of citizenship in America. It may be the single most important element of our democratic society.
In this years of 2006 and 2007, more heated debates are being conducted to decide the future of the immigration policy of the United States. Our current system is broken and must be repaired in order to protect the social and economic stability of America. The reasons and the question of responsibility for the current status are many and can be equally distributed among both major political parties and this essay and suggested plan does not attempt to shift blame to a particular political party but rather to address the current situation and offer a series of suggestions to bring America out of this crisis. The effort must be a bold and monumental one if success is to be realized. The time for partisanship is past. The American people need to mobilize in a manner that would rival the rebuilding period that followed the horror of the Civil War or the climb Americans made to come back from the Great Depression or the massive effort made during World War II. The task before us is no less critical to the continuing survival and protection of the Untied States of America that has existed for 230 years.
The solution to the current status of illegal immigrants will not be easy to realize. The United States government and its citizens must be prepared to make sacrifices and accept responsibility for allowing the entire system to get this far out of control. During the correction period there may be shortages in certain goods or services. Prices of various items may increase as businesses adjust to wage changes or worker shortages for a limited period of time. Whatever developments that occur in the area of commerce simply must be accepted as a cost of correction. The American system has a long history of being able to adjust to virtually any obstacle.
An honest assessment and acknowledgement must be made by all the various Government agencies that in spite of their best efforts to date the actual results with regard to administering and controlling the immigration situation are simply not acceptable. Anything less than a completely objective review of the factual conditions of each agency followed by a series of corrective actions (with the involvement of both the management and the front line employees) will only result in a repeat of current failures in the future.
The border and port security issue is the key ingredient to the success of any effort. The government of the United States and all citizens and legal residents must acknowledge without compromise that the protection of this nation’s borders and ports must be implemented immediately by all means at our disposal. If America and its citizens are in fact at risk from forces around the world (which has already been demonstrated numerous times) then further delay is unacceptable. National security is simply more important than any aspect of immigration, legal or illegal.
The issue of the status of the millions of people that are currently in the United States without proper documentation will require an acceptance of responsibility by the citizens of the United States for the nation’s failures in the enforcement of the lawful immigration policy. This does not necessarily mean that every single person that is currently in the United States without proper documentation should automatically be allowed to remain or that they would all be deported. A main part of any corrective action must include the willingness by those undocumented individuals to come forward and register and subject themselves to the legal system. If the millions of undocumented truly desire acceptance into American society they must believe in the system and accept the values of this country. After a specified grace period, anyone who has not registered and been granted authorization to be in the United States should be sent back to their country of origin and not allowed to return for at least 10 years. The main point is that the act of entering or remaining within the borders of the United States without proper documentation is, in fact, in violation of the laws of this nation and is unacceptable for any reason. Additionally, current violations of other laws, by “illegal” immigrants must also be addressed during this process.
Seven Steps to Immigration Reform
1) Secure the borders and ports of the United States of America with no exceptions.
2) Order the unrestricted access to any and all information from any Government agency to the Department of Homeland Security that may assist in the identification of people that are illegally within the borders of the United States.
3) Begin the process of removing services now available to individuals without proper documentation, including access to education, medical services, driver’s licenses, etc.
4) Develop an American Worker’s Network to provide willing American workers to those industries most affected by the removal of illegal immigrants.
5) Enforce existing immigration laws and any other laws (such as identity theft or using false documents) that are being violated.
6) Review the current immigration policy with respect to entry quotas and personnel requirements to expedite the process for those applying for legal entry.
7) Create a workable system for employers to actually verify an applicant’s immigration status and then severely penalize any employer who knowingly hires any individual not legally in the United States.
In summary, America and its citizens must stand up and do the correct thing with respect to the issue of immigration. We are taught by our parents, our schools, and all civil authority that America is a great and successful country and that we are supposed to be honest and obey the laws established for the protection of all. If a specific law or policy is deemed unfair or outdated by the majority of the citizens, there is a procedure for abolishing or changing the law. When individuals violate our law or citizens participate in the violation it weakens all of us and this must be unacceptable. Respect for law and rules of society cannot be determined selectively. The entire issue of immigration has become a political tool used by both major parties to gain funding and votes and this practice must end. Current leaders are and have been misleading the majority of American citizens about the facts (which is typical of most issues) and this too, must end. Real people and real lives are being affected and exploited on both sides of the issue. Otherwise law abiding members of the churches, medical community, social services, and the educational system are being placed in situations where they have to balance their moral beliefs with their instinct to be lawful citizens and it is the responsibility of the Federal, State and local governments to remove this burden. Individuals from around the world are risking life and limb to illegally enter the United States because they yearn for a better life and realize that they do not need to follow the established rules of entry as long as the United States continues to allow their illegal entry. Hundreds if not thousands of individuals perish annually attempting to make the journey and their blood is on the hands of those empowered but unwilling to institute the necessary changes that would actually save lives. There is a sector that is currently campaigning for the “rights” of illegal immigrants. My comment to them is that individuals who are in the United States illegally have no rights as defined by the U.S Constitution and the laws currently reserved for American citizens and those here legally. The politicians and the American people must not continue to allow the melding of legal immigrants and illegal immigrants when discussing the immigration issue to exist. They are not the same. The United States of America certainly should not carry the banner of democracy (and the rule of law) to any other part of the world if America itself continues to ignore its own laws. The long term survival of this nation is at stake and it is up to “we the people” to keep it alive. What will we ultimately do?
Thursday, January 04, 2007
IT IS NOW JANUARY 4th, 2007.
Most Americans have just finished celebrating their holiday season and have spent time with their families and friends, watching football or playing in the snow or just being together. The spending frenzy that overtakes this country during this time of year has slowed down and now most people will be facing the task of how to actually pay for their indulgence. Again, most Americans simply add to their ever increasing credit debt and move on to the next spending spree. It's the American way.
But there is a dark cloud hanging over the American landscape. It is a cloud that is bringing death and injury home each and every day and originates in Washington DC and travels through Iraq and Afghanistan.
1,386 days ago the United States (along with a limited coalition) began an invasion of Iraq. The motivations and justifications for this invasion are shrouded in mystery and riddled with misinformation and outright lies (which is not unique in the annals of warfare). The point is that the Untied States has now found itself mired in an "war" in the middle of a country and a region that doesn't trust us and doesn't want us meddling in their lives. Again, this is certainly not unique when reviewing the policy history of the United States. This time we seem to be facing a resistance (to our supposed ideas about how the people of the world should live and what they should believe) that will prove to have a much broader global impact than when we engaged in the debacle that was Vietnam. If the situation isn't calmed down in the very near future (or at least contained) the Military Industrial Complex that planned and implemented these past four years (and the past 60 years of military action and control) will get exactly what they have wanted which seems to be an endless and all out war across the globe.
As of today, 3003 United States military personnel have died in Iraq and an additional 22,000 have been wounded. Those figures are the ones being reported and may not be fully accurate. Those figures do not seem to include casualties in Afghanistan which doesn't get much attention these days.
3003 AMERICAN LIVES have ended!! The lives of thousands of family members and friends have been changed forever! 22,000 AMERICANS have been wounded and their lives and the lives of hundreds of thousands of family members and friends have been changed forever!
There are many who argue that this sacrifice is simply part of the "cost of freedom" and no different than the sacrifices made by more than 130,000 in World War I or over 400,000 in World War II or 37,000 plus in Korea or 55,000 plus in Vietnam and many others in smaller battles. If we just consider the term "sacrifice" in the most basic understanding of the word that argument might stand. The key distinction (in my humble opinion) is in the determination of needless sacrifice versus actual defense of our freedom. It is in this area where the American mindset and opinion has been manipulated to the extreme.
Sacrifice in the face of LITERAL DEFENSE of this country (and not perceived or vague threats) should be understood and acceptable to all Americans. The key is how to determine when the defense of our freedom is literal and when it is just a furthering of the MIC agenda. In the coming days Americans will hear and learn that contrary to the "public will" and the results of our recent elections the President (controlled by the back room power (aka; MIC)) as Commander in Chief will inform the citizens of America that rather than starting a removal of US troops from Iraq, HE has determined that the BEST course for America is to escalate the conflict by INCREASING the troop levels in the form of a "surge" (we always like to disguise things with new terms). He will give us the same line about how this "war" simply must be "won" OR ELSE. The implied "or else" is that terrorist armies would be invading the shores of America in massive numbers should we leave Iraq. This policy of projecting fear has been used throughout our political history. Study the "fear" speech of the McCarthy years in the early and mid 1950's or the communist scare tactics that "justified" our 12 year involvement in Vietnam or the "Evil Empire" frenzy that was created during the Reagan years that allowed a huge buildup of military spending. Americans have always been easily controlled by a well planned fear campaign so the tactics of the current President and his minions are not surprising at all. Is there an actual hatred for Americans? YES. Does this "danger" need to be controlled? Absolutely. The only question that matters is how we go about protecting ourselves and to determine when the sacrifice of American lives is literally necessary. I personally believe that situation should only be accepted as a last resort. I personally believe that we Americans have become too accepting of the deaths of our troops. They seem to have become just a daily statistic on the news or internet. Many will continue to point out that the 3,003 deaths in Iraq pale when compared to the 55,000 in Vietnam or 37,000 in Korea or 400,000 plus in World War II. They will tell you that the current "war" deaths is relatively minor and when only making a numbers comparison that is a fact. My question is; "What's the point of the comparison?"
The sacrifice of each and every American should at least get the collective attention of American citizens. Each death should matter and be a call for real justification of our actions. What are we doing? What is the plan? What, exactly, does "winning" mean? Is there a number of American dead that will become too many? Is America and its people willing to literally kill EVERY person on the planet that wishes us harm or doesn't like us?
Listen well in the days and weeks ahead and you will see and hear the President trying to convince you of the crisis we face and despite all reason and dissenting opinions the BEST "way forward" (another catch phrase) is to commit additional troops in a "surge" to gain control of Baghdad (something that we've been trying to do for over three years). He will tell us (AGAIN) how the Iraqi forces are being trained to "take over" for American (and coalition) forces. He will tell us (AGAIN) that Iraq will become an oasis of democracy in the middle east and therefore, democracy (our version) will surely spread throughout the region. He will tell you that more sacrifice is necessary and how proud he and the nation is of the bravery of those who will soon give their lives to our cause.
The President will NOT tell you that the "war" that we've gotten ourselves so involved in has almost nothing to do with terrorism (at least the terrorism we should be fighting) and is really all about the internal religious struggle between factions within Iraq and surrounding nations. The President will NOT tell you that our presence is really all about preserving the oil interests and has very little to do with the welfare of the citizens of Iraq. The President will NOT give us a specific definition of what "winning" actually means. The President will NOT heed to the "will of the people" here in America. The President will NOT change the stubborn direction that he (and his minions) has taken America and its citizens during the past five years. The President will NOT fully explain to us why, if America is actually at risk of a terrorist "army" invasion on American soil, he and his administration has NOT implemented the steps necessary to actually prevent such an "invasion".
The new Congress, now "controlled" by the Democrats will undoubtedly make many speeches telling us how they wish to work with the President in a "bipartisan" manner and how they are going to make things better and how they are opposed to any "surge" of troops in Iraq. All of this will just be a show. The hard fact is that unless the Congress is willing to cut off funding for the "war" (and risk a huge political backlash), the President can and will continue the "war" and all that involves with little consideration to any opinions or suggestions that his policy may be wrong. Real protection of the United States and its citizens will always be the primary duty and responsibility of our President, the Congress, and our military. The critical question that defines that responsibility is (and will be) just how and when to commit US military personnel and exactly when America is threatened to the point where such actions are understood and accepted by the vast majority of American citizens. As that issue is debated Americans (and countless Iraqi civilians) will continue to be "sacrificed".
Americans may now be so used to the sacrifice and the mourning (we seem to love the mourning) that the collective "we" will continue to accept the deaths and the carnage for many years to come. Sadly, it's becoming the American way.
Most Americans have just finished celebrating their holiday season and have spent time with their families and friends, watching football or playing in the snow or just being together. The spending frenzy that overtakes this country during this time of year has slowed down and now most people will be facing the task of how to actually pay for their indulgence. Again, most Americans simply add to their ever increasing credit debt and move on to the next spending spree. It's the American way.
But there is a dark cloud hanging over the American landscape. It is a cloud that is bringing death and injury home each and every day and originates in Washington DC and travels through Iraq and Afghanistan.
1,386 days ago the United States (along with a limited coalition) began an invasion of Iraq. The motivations and justifications for this invasion are shrouded in mystery and riddled with misinformation and outright lies (which is not unique in the annals of warfare). The point is that the Untied States has now found itself mired in an "war" in the middle of a country and a region that doesn't trust us and doesn't want us meddling in their lives. Again, this is certainly not unique when reviewing the policy history of the United States. This time we seem to be facing a resistance (to our supposed ideas about how the people of the world should live and what they should believe) that will prove to have a much broader global impact than when we engaged in the debacle that was Vietnam. If the situation isn't calmed down in the very near future (or at least contained) the Military Industrial Complex that planned and implemented these past four years (and the past 60 years of military action and control) will get exactly what they have wanted which seems to be an endless and all out war across the globe.
As of today, 3003 United States military personnel have died in Iraq and an additional 22,000 have been wounded. Those figures are the ones being reported and may not be fully accurate. Those figures do not seem to include casualties in Afghanistan which doesn't get much attention these days.
3003 AMERICAN LIVES have ended!! The lives of thousands of family members and friends have been changed forever! 22,000 AMERICANS have been wounded and their lives and the lives of hundreds of thousands of family members and friends have been changed forever!
There are many who argue that this sacrifice is simply part of the "cost of freedom" and no different than the sacrifices made by more than 130,000 in World War I or over 400,000 in World War II or 37,000 plus in Korea or 55,000 plus in Vietnam and many others in smaller battles. If we just consider the term "sacrifice" in the most basic understanding of the word that argument might stand. The key distinction (in my humble opinion) is in the determination of needless sacrifice versus actual defense of our freedom. It is in this area where the American mindset and opinion has been manipulated to the extreme.
Sacrifice in the face of LITERAL DEFENSE of this country (and not perceived or vague threats) should be understood and acceptable to all Americans. The key is how to determine when the defense of our freedom is literal and when it is just a furthering of the MIC agenda. In the coming days Americans will hear and learn that contrary to the "public will" and the results of our recent elections the President (controlled by the back room power (aka; MIC)) as Commander in Chief will inform the citizens of America that rather than starting a removal of US troops from Iraq, HE has determined that the BEST course for America is to escalate the conflict by INCREASING the troop levels in the form of a "surge" (we always like to disguise things with new terms). He will give us the same line about how this "war" simply must be "won" OR ELSE. The implied "or else" is that terrorist armies would be invading the shores of America in massive numbers should we leave Iraq. This policy of projecting fear has been used throughout our political history. Study the "fear" speech of the McCarthy years in the early and mid 1950's or the communist scare tactics that "justified" our 12 year involvement in Vietnam or the "Evil Empire" frenzy that was created during the Reagan years that allowed a huge buildup of military spending. Americans have always been easily controlled by a well planned fear campaign so the tactics of the current President and his minions are not surprising at all. Is there an actual hatred for Americans? YES. Does this "danger" need to be controlled? Absolutely. The only question that matters is how we go about protecting ourselves and to determine when the sacrifice of American lives is literally necessary. I personally believe that situation should only be accepted as a last resort. I personally believe that we Americans have become too accepting of the deaths of our troops. They seem to have become just a daily statistic on the news or internet. Many will continue to point out that the 3,003 deaths in Iraq pale when compared to the 55,000 in Vietnam or 37,000 in Korea or 400,000 plus in World War II. They will tell you that the current "war" deaths is relatively minor and when only making a numbers comparison that is a fact. My question is; "What's the point of the comparison?"
The sacrifice of each and every American should at least get the collective attention of American citizens. Each death should matter and be a call for real justification of our actions. What are we doing? What is the plan? What, exactly, does "winning" mean? Is there a number of American dead that will become too many? Is America and its people willing to literally kill EVERY person on the planet that wishes us harm or doesn't like us?
Listen well in the days and weeks ahead and you will see and hear the President trying to convince you of the crisis we face and despite all reason and dissenting opinions the BEST "way forward" (another catch phrase) is to commit additional troops in a "surge" to gain control of Baghdad (something that we've been trying to do for over three years). He will tell us (AGAIN) how the Iraqi forces are being trained to "take over" for American (and coalition) forces. He will tell us (AGAIN) that Iraq will become an oasis of democracy in the middle east and therefore, democracy (our version) will surely spread throughout the region. He will tell you that more sacrifice is necessary and how proud he and the nation is of the bravery of those who will soon give their lives to our cause.
The President will NOT tell you that the "war" that we've gotten ourselves so involved in has almost nothing to do with terrorism (at least the terrorism we should be fighting) and is really all about the internal religious struggle between factions within Iraq and surrounding nations. The President will NOT tell you that our presence is really all about preserving the oil interests and has very little to do with the welfare of the citizens of Iraq. The President will NOT give us a specific definition of what "winning" actually means. The President will NOT heed to the "will of the people" here in America. The President will NOT change the stubborn direction that he (and his minions) has taken America and its citizens during the past five years. The President will NOT fully explain to us why, if America is actually at risk of a terrorist "army" invasion on American soil, he and his administration has NOT implemented the steps necessary to actually prevent such an "invasion".
The new Congress, now "controlled" by the Democrats will undoubtedly make many speeches telling us how they wish to work with the President in a "bipartisan" manner and how they are going to make things better and how they are opposed to any "surge" of troops in Iraq. All of this will just be a show. The hard fact is that unless the Congress is willing to cut off funding for the "war" (and risk a huge political backlash), the President can and will continue the "war" and all that involves with little consideration to any opinions or suggestions that his policy may be wrong. Real protection of the United States and its citizens will always be the primary duty and responsibility of our President, the Congress, and our military. The critical question that defines that responsibility is (and will be) just how and when to commit US military personnel and exactly when America is threatened to the point where such actions are understood and accepted by the vast majority of American citizens. As that issue is debated Americans (and countless Iraqi civilians) will continue to be "sacrificed".
Americans may now be so used to the sacrifice and the mourning (we seem to love the mourning) that the collective "we" will continue to accept the deaths and the carnage for many years to come. Sadly, it's becoming the American way.
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