Not So Young But Angry Conservatives Unite

Getting sick of the progressively worse slant and obvious bias of the media? Got booted out of other sites for offending too many liberals? Make this your home. If you SPAM here, you're gone. Trolling? Gone. Insult other posters I agree with. Gone. Get the pic. Private sanctum, private rules. No Fairness Doctrine and PC wussiness tolerated here..... ECCLESIASTES 10:2- The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

OLD STORY, OLD TRICKS, NEW ELECTION

Recently some of you heard about the story issued by the media that the US Army had negligently allowed Iraqi terrorists (they say militants) to steal over 300 tons of explosives. That story was correct minus some glaring contradictions.

The contradictions are that this:

First, the theft occurred in 2003, April, before our troops could even occupy that area of Iraq. The commanders of the 101st Airborne up to CentCom even said this. An embedded journalist, with NBC even gave the facts. Wow, that was almost a time bomb for Bush. I guess it wouldn't be too suprising that the explosives are being used, due to all of the bombings and the fact that the Iraqis still have RPGs and AKs all over. They found buried jets and tanks, right? Right.....

Second, CBS and 60 Minutes were going to air this as a new story. And right now their reliability is less than that of Michael Jackson running a Child Day Care Center. CBS is still recovering from the Dan Rather Memogate problems with the Bush Air National Guard Allegations. CBS, sorry you guys are a contradiction claiming to be neutral and then report so slanted...

Third, theft may be a bad term to use. Technically, the Iraqi explosives were in the hands of the Iraqi Army and Republican Guard. In a manner of speaking, they weren't stealing their own explosives. That's their argument and their logic. Hey, fair and balanced right? Bill O Reilly would be proud.

Fourth, Kerry said there were no WMDs in Iraq, despite years of contrary speeches and statements. Now, Kerry says those explosives could be WMD compliant and used for worse attacks. Well, John if there were no WMDs then why did you read the same intel and vote for the war, that sent our troops, to get the explosives, that were stolen by the terrorists, that were near the warehouse, in the town near the house that Jack built......

This is a weak attempt to smear Bush as an incompetent leader. Many said let the generals fight the war, which they did. Bush could not possibly intervene in every decision. He acted more like Roosevelt or Lincoln and let the troops do their thing. This is also an indirect slam to our troops. Why not just ask why the troops didn't get there fast enough?

This is an old story, used in an old tactic, in an old tradition, but in a new race.

That is deception and mudslinging.


ELECTION PREDICTION SITES

OK, for those of you paying attention. There are 6 days and 6 nights until this election is over. There are many sites and blogs predicting the outcome.

Here are some projections. www.electionprojection.com predicts a tie at 269 to 269, Bush v. Kerry. Making a constitutional vote and situation apparent.

www.electoral-vote.com has Bush at 274 and Kerry at 257

www.realclearpolitics.com has similar.

Can any of this be reliable? I am for Bush, BUT I do wonder about the giant leads Kerry is predicted and am likewise skeptical about a blow out for Bush. Cheney may rue the day he said this would be a 52 to 48% victory. He may not.

Gallup was swinging to Kerry but now points to a Bush win. Rasmussen does the same. Zogby has a narrow 1 point lead for Bush.

One may wonder why so many different polls and so many different results. Same election? Same folks right? Wrong.

There are two groups of people surveyed. First, there is the official random sampling that is done in NYC or LA, just there. Second, a more random selection in a few more cities maybe a rural county or two. And then, there's the third one which I like to call the FINAL RANDOM SAMPLING, which is the actual voters and the actual outcome.

While there are many indicators favorable to Bush. Anything could happen. This could be a Reagan victory for Bush, a blow out for Kerry OR a Truman v Dewey nail biter and a repeat of the 2000 Election.

Remember this old addage- "There's lies. There's damned lies. And then there's the polls and statistics."

Beware of the stats and vote whom you know you're voting for before you enter that booth on November 2.


Thursday, October 21, 2004

Parallels between Baseball and Election 2004

OK. I am a bit of a sports nut, but only a warped political mind like mine can draw a parallel between the 2004 Election and the running for the 2004 World Series and Major League Baseball Playoffs. Here are some thoughts:

First the Geographic Parallels, Houston or St Louis versus Boston is a good parallel to draw between Bush and Kerry. Kind of odd, maybe not. First, there's the two men. President George W Bush, though born up North, is a Texan by heart and by the time he's spent in Texas. John Kerry from Boston, Up North and well travelled.

The Astros, of course, are from Texas- Houston, good ole H Town. The Red Socks- Sox, whatever, are Boston's team and from way up North. The election sure feels North versus South, some of you may be loosening your collars fearing North and South 1861, but don't worry. Now Houston has slowly established its record despite falls, like Bush had in business, as Texas Governor and his first term in office. Kerry is from a loooong line, like the Socks and is now in a recently elevated state.

Second, there's how both are rated. Bush is the underdog by default and highly ignored by the press, except when he screws up. Kerry is lauded by all and cheered on, by most of the press. the Astros have gotten little national coverage, except when they pull of some supposed miracle in sports. Isn't some of sports just beyond most of our own logic, though? Boston, lauded and raved about. Minus the last game, it was close. Bush is rated as less than Kerry. Although, like the Astros, even the Cardinals, this Midwesterner can come from behind. However, Kerry and his Socks mirror image are hard players and will take it to the wire....

Third, the games. The first few games favored the other guys- Boston then NY, then Boston won out in the end. Tonight, is uncertain for Houston. First, St Louis won the first few, then Houston had a 3-2 lead until last night. However, changing the bull pen and other factors gave St Louis a win and 3-3 tie in this series. It will be close.

In the election, let's look at the polls and how it went. In July and Early August Kerry enjoyed a comfortable lead in some polls in his post DNC Convention bounce. Then, the swiftboat vets came in with their ads and the book Unfit For Command. These were curveballs Kerry could have seen, but did not. Second, Bush got his convention bounce and tax cuts and some market ups. Now Bush had his sweet spot from August 31, to about early October, then a bounce which is on, after the debates and other factors. Bush could have seen some Market and Iraq worries, but those balls went by also.

The way it can be seen, this game is tied and the decisive will have to win this race. It will be a close win, but one that complements the victor but shows the ability and agility of the opponent also.

BUT, in the case of the election. Winner will take all, and second place will be forgotten, ask Presidents George H Bush, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.... In this election, the winner will set the pace and direction for the next seasons and how this game must be conducted. It can go the right way or the wrong way. That outcome boils down to one vital moment.

Go Astros! Go Bush!

REVISION 10/22/04: Go Cards! Go Bush!

Revision as of 10/27/04- Go whomever, and Bush better win!

Article on Why This Election will determine the Fate of the US.

Election determines fate of nation"Ellensburg Daily Record (Ellensburg, Washington)... ^ Wed 06 Oct 2004 Mathew Manweller
Posted on 10/12/2004 10:17:05 AM PDT by yoe
One of the best dissertation on the importance of this election. A must read! written by Mathew Manweller... Central Washington University political science professor...
"In that this will be my last column before the presidential election, there will be no sarcasm, no attempts at witty repartee. The topic is too serious, and the stakes are too high.
This November we will vote in the only election during our lifetime that will truly matter. Because America is at a once-in-a-generation crossroads, more than an election hangs in the balance. Down one path lies retreat, abdication and a reign of ambivalence. Down the other lies a nation that is aware of its past and accepts the daunting obligation its future demands. If we choose poorly, the consequences will echo through the next 50 years of history. If we, in a spasm of frustration, turn out the current occupant of the White House, the message to the world and ourselves will be two-fold.
First, we will reject the notion that America can do big things.
Once a nation that tamed a frontier, stood down the Nazis and stood upon the moon, we will announce to the world that bringing democracy to the Middle East is too big of a task for us. But more significantly, we will signal to future presidents that as voters, we are unwilling to tackle difficult challenges, preferring caution to boldness, embracing the mediocrity that has characterized other civilizations. The defeat of President Bush will send a chilling message to future presidents who may need to make difficult, yet unpopular decisions. America has always been a nation that rises to the demands of history regardless of the costs or appeal. If we turn away from that legacy, we turn away from who we are.
Second, we inform every terrorist organization on the globe that the lesson of Somalia was well learned. In Somalia we showed terrorists that you don't need to defeat America on the battlefield when you can defeat them in the newsroom. They learned that a wounded America can become a defeated America.
Twenty-four-hour news stations and daily tracing polls will do the heavy lifting, turning a cut into a fatal blow. Except that Iraq is Somalia times 10. The election of John Kerry will serve notice to every terrorist in every cave that the soft underbelly of American power is the timidity of American voters. Terrorists will know that a steady stream of grizzly photos for CNN is all you need to break the will of the American people. Our own self-doubt will take it from there. Bin Laden will recognize that he can topple any American administration without setting foot on the homeland.
It is said that America's W.W.II generation is its 'greatest generation'. But my greatest fear is that it will become known as America's 'last generation.' Born in the bleakness of the Great Depression and hardened in the fire of WW II, they may be the last American generation that understands the meaning of duty, honor and sacrifice. It is difficult to admit, but I know these terms are spoken with only hollow detachment by many (but not all) in my generation. Too many citizens today mistake 'living in America' as 'being an American.' But America has always been more of an idea than a place. When you sign on, you do more than buy real estate. You accept a set of values and responsibilities.
This November, my generation, which has been absent too long, must grasp the obligation that comes with being an American, or fade into the oblivion they may deserve.
I believe that 100 years from now historians will look back at the election of 2004 and see it as the decisive election of our century. Depending on the outcome, they will describe it as the moment America joined the ranks of ordinary nations; or they will describe it as the moment the prodigal sons and daughters of the greatest generation accepted their burden as caretakers of the City on the Hill."
Mathew Manweller

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/1242796/posts

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Faith and The Ballot Box

OK, despite what same may tell you about the separation of church and state, there is no rule saying you can't think about whom God would vote for. Kerry has touted that his faith is more genuine than George W Bush's. Bush lets God do his talking. Let me list a few things that God my disagree with John Kerry about.

MARRIAGE PROTECTION/SAME SEX UNIONS ISSUE:

BUSH: For marriage amendment and protection of Marriage Act. Does not outlaw the lifestyles many many choose, but does not elevate their same-sex unions to full marriage status. Is for traditional values. FYI- Bush had been married once and is still married.

KERRY: Kerry says he is not for gay marriages, but voted against the Protection of Marriage Act saying it is divisive. Kerry maintains he is a good Catholic, BUT supports gay rights.

GOD: Leviticus 18:22, Romans 26-28. In short, God says it is unnatural to be homosexual, and even says it an abomination, like all sins. God would not favor his institution of marriage being warped by man.

ABORTION:

Bush: Against Abortion. Passed Unborn Victims Act, which passed through Senate, aka Laci and Connor Law. Trying to get conservative, less interpretive justices in the federal and Supreme Courts. Not outlawed all abortion, but Congress did pass the Late Term Abortion Ban.

Kerry: For individual choice in abortion. Said ban is a breach of constitutional rights. Voted against some of Bush's legislation. Colleague Ted Kennedy voted against many con justice noms Bush had. Kerry is pro-choice.

GOD: Against taking of lives, refers to person who causes harm to little ones ought to be tied to millstone and thrown into water, rather than cause more harm. "I knit you in your mother's womb...." "I knew you before you were born...." God is for life, all of it.

Bush could win again.

WAR JUST OR UNJUST:

Bush: War in Iraq fought to stop spread of WMDs, still yet to be found; but also stated stability to Middle East, Iraqi people desire real freedom, a gift from God NOT Man; and to stop genocide that Saddam committed- over 100,000 Kurds, and 200,000+ other Iraqis murdered. More graves being found. 12 years of UN Resoultions and nothing had been done.

Kerry: Voted for War Resolution in 2003, but in late 03 to present- said he is against the war.... Kerry said that the US should have negotiated more, and got more international support like France and Russia and Germany (all in the Oil for Food Scandal, all vetoed actions by US and Britain, and all have said they will never send troops or much aide to Iraq). Kerry said WMD info was false, and that Bush was deceitful. The 9/11 Report, Lord Butler's Parliamentary Inquiry in the UK, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Egyptian & Jordanian intel info for General Tommy Franks, and even some of our own troops say the WMDs may still be out there. I guess they were all wrong, right Senator Kerry?

GOD: No Scriptures on starting or waging war, but rather to defend and stand firm for Him and His people, all of them. St Thomas Aquinas made the case for a just war. The Old Testament did talk of self defense and upholding justice. God would not want us to be conquerors, but to be liberators.

God may push for Bush, but that is up to Him not I.

STANDING IN GOD'S EYES:

Bush- We know he wears his faith on his sleave. Read A Man of Faith by Thomas Aiken and The Faith of George W Bush by Stephen Mansfield and you will see where Bush came to meet God. You will see that he made mistakes before and after seeking Salvation, but is seeking God daily. Read many news articles and all talk about Bush's faith. Read his speeches and Scriptures are all over the board and in most of his messages. Bush is not perfect, but he professes Christ to all who want to and need to hear it.

Kerry: Grew up Roman Catholic, attends Mass when he can. Said he believes in a God. Says his faith is not a loud of exclusive faith, and does not wear his faith on his sleave. However, Kerry does support abortion, some same-sex homosexual rights, and voted against measures to protect most of God's and America's rules.... I know not his walk, only God knows where John F Kerry stands, but is was said or written that a man's deeds and what comes from his mouth are an outpouring of our heart. Chokes me up at what I say, but makes me disturbed at Kerry asserting God in mouth but not in deeds or even actions. What Say You?

God will make the call on both. However, it is written in the New Testament- They that acknowledge me in word and deed before Men, so shall I procclaim before my Father, The Lord. However, if you deny my words and works, then so shall you be denied before God... I pray Kerry does not deny God or his power. I pray Bush keeps his walk with God. I pray all of us continue to seek his face. Let both study Philippians 3: 12-16, in summary do not act like you have attained the goal of salvation with God, but keep striving for it, and keep seeking him. Remember to seek him, but tell others also. GO unto the ends of the earth, says the last verses of Matthew.

Who would God vote for? I don't know his answer, but I can guess he may pick George W Bush over John Kerry, if it is His Will. If it is not, we may end up like Israel and its slough of bad kings and of course, wrath. Pray for the election, pray for Bush, and pray for us all. Also, pray for Kerry, that if he gets in, that there are those of Godly character to help him and direct his path.





VERDICT: KErry loses God on this issue.

Wednesday, October 13, 2004

American in Europe

Here's something that may shock some of you. http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=15464


An American in London
By Carol GouldFrontPageMagazine.com October 12, 2004
Something remarkable has been happening to me in the past nineteen days. Wherever I go, no-one launches abuse at me. When I open my mouth to speak, I am received with civility and the occasional ’ Have a good one.’ I am not attacked or intimidated to the point of abject fear and loathing. Where have I been visiting for the past two and a half weeks? And where do I live?
The answer lies in a conversation I had with my sister in a charming ice cream parlor in Philadelphia’s historic Suburban Station this afternoon. I looked up from my dessert and said, ‘My God, I’ve gone for nineteen days without anybody -- not taxi drivers, shop clerks or waiters -- launching an abusive tirade at me.
Here is the background scenario: Exactly one month ago today, I was traveling on a London bus when a well-dressed woman boarded with her equally-respectable son in his school uniform. Ahead of her was an elderly American woman, who said, ‘I beg your pardon, I didn’t mean to bang into you.’ This prompted a tirade from the Englishwoman -- let’s call her Lady E -- that resembled a verbal assault by a brownshirt against a hapless Jewish pedestrian in 1933. The American -- call her Mrs. A -- sat down and cowered as the tirade continued: ‘I rejoice every time I hear of another American soldier dying! You people all deserve to die in another 9/11. You are destroying the world.’ Mrs A fought back: ‘I personally am NOT destroying the world.’ This only provoked Lady E more, and as the bus driver and passengers laughed, she screamed into the American’s face ‘I wish every one of you would leave this country and not set foot in it ever again,’ and Mrs A began to wince, crying. ‘Thank you for ruining my day and my trip.’ At this point Lady E lunged at the American and began to shake her. I jumped up and shouted at the top of my voice for the driver to stop and for her to leave the woman alone, prompting Lady E to come over to me and grab me. ‘Another bloody American accent! You come here and think you can strut about, well, you are scum.’ Thankfully, the woman next to me pushed her away. I left the bus as the American woman sat sobbing.

Did I imagine this? No. Was the Englishwoman a crazy? No.

A few weeks before, I had attended a party at which I was lambasted, intimidated and mocked by a group of people I had known for some twenty-odd years. It reminded me of a comment made to me by an American expatriate shortly after 9/11: ‘Now I know what the Jews felt like in pre-war Germany.’

Frankly, I don’t like what is happening in Britain and am shocked and dismayed at the level to which anti-Americanism has peaked in recent months. Does anyone say ‘George W Bush’ or ‘Donald Rumsfeld’ or Dick Cheney’ when they fly into these tirades? No. In fact, the visceral, hurtful and in-your-face America-hatred goes back long before the days of the Bush 43 regime. When Bill Clinton was in the White House I attended a Human Rights Conference at my local synagogue in St John’s Wood. During the tea break I asked a man at one of the booths for a leaflet. Instead of welcoming me and asking for a donation, he had detected my accent and duly launched into a loud and red-faced screeching session about the evils of the American Empire and of the ‘Naziism’ and ‘Fascism’ promulgated by the United States. A black man came over and began shouting about America having ‘invented slavery’ and soon a delicate elderly lady joined the fray to bellow about the Zionists running America (did she mean Robert Rubin, Dennis Ross, Sandy Berger -- after all, it was the pre-Wolfowitz/Perle time zone) and the ‘genocides’ perpetrated by Americans since the days of William Penn. I remember wondering why I had ventured out on a Sunday to be with like-minded people concerned about human rights issues, only to be reduced to a gibbering jelly as the ugly, strident and deeply uncivil crowd soon grew around me. (Remember what it was like being surrounded in the school playground at recess by all the bullies?) The English are not known for public displays of fury except perhaps at soccer matches, but there is something about an American accent that brings out their pent-up rage.

This brings me to an incident that was the cherry on the sundae. Just before leaving for the United States nineteen days ago, I went to my favorite tape duplicating shop to have copies made for the actors who had appeared in the video of my new play in London. I handed the master tape to the proprietor, whom I have known for some ten years. He seemed unusually agitated and flushed. He looked at the material and snarled, ‘Is this another one of your Jewish-Holocaust things?’ I was speechless. He scowled and continued, ‘You know, Carol, I want to get something off my chest that I’ve been dying to say to you for years. Number one, just don’t say Israel to me. Number two, you people should look at yourselves in the mirror and wonder why every so often there is a Holocaust or massacre or pogrom. You bring it on yourselves. Just look at the way you are and then figure out why the rest of the world wants to flatten you. Number three, America throwing money at Israel has to stop, and hopefully all hell will break loose. Israel is not a country. I just hear the word and I turn peuce.’ By this time his anger was so visceral that I wanted to head for the door, but I had to take a stand. ‘Let me tell you,’ I said, ‘If the USA or Israel came under threat I know many Americans who would die for either country,’ to which he replied, ‘ Israel is not a country. The Jews have no right to a country. What makes you people think you have a right to a country? ‘ Me: ‘There are over a hundred Christian countries and fifty-five Muslim countries.’ He:’ The Jews have no right to a country.’ Me:’ What, a strip of land the size of Wales?!’ He (grinding his teeth and close to hitting me) ‘ Just say Israel and I can’t be depended upon for the consequences of my actions, Carol.’ His litany of offences committed by the Jews, Americans and Israel continued for another twenty minutes or so and I came away realizing that a man who had always greeted me with genteel, cheery sweet nothings was actually a rabid Jew-hater.

So, what does this all mean in the scheme of things? I have lived in Europe for all of my adult life and from the day I arrived as a youngster have been aware of an oft-blatant anti-Semitism and resentment of Americans amongst colleagues, teachers, social circle and neighbors. What is significant about this rage is that it emanates not from the great unwashed but from the educated and intellectual classes. We all know about the academic boycotts of Israeli scholars. We all know about poor Philip Lader, former US Ambassador to the Court of St James who was reduced to tears on BBC ‘Question Time’ on 15 September 2001 as the moderator, Davis Dimbleby, sat and dispassionately watched a crazed studio audience stomping its feet and shouting anti-American epithets two days after the Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. What I find so frightening is that I cannot conduct business or even take a taxi ride in London, Bournemouth or Edinburgh without a scathing tirade about the scurrilous Yanks. The day after 9/11 I was obliged to keep a consultant’s appointment and the minicab driver informed me that the ‘yellow Americans’ on the four hijacked planes were typical of the way ‘the Yanks do battle’ -- they chicken out and let the Brits do the dirty work. I was in such a state of shock from the events of 9/11 that I could not find an answer, and he continued with a further lecture about the cowardice and stupidity of Americans and their pilots when they are threatened, and added the assertion that had Brits been on those planes, not one would have come down.

Getting back, however, to the ’Independent’ and ’Guardian’ reading classes, my hunch is that the daily dose of relentless America-bashing in the European media,
combined with the abundance of criticism of Israel has created an atmosphere of anger and hostility that for the first time in my lifetime makes me fearful for my safety in my beloved adopted country, Great Britain. The anger of the video manager went beyond a whining session. He was physically smoldering every time he said ‘Jewish,’ Israel’ or ‘Holocaust’ ( this is now the tool used by more than one person I have encountered in polite circles to accuse Jews of ‘manufacturing an excuse’ for a state). The fury of the otherwise elegant woman on the bus fell just short of serious assault.

The paradox is that we have Islamic extremists in our midst in Britain preaching all manner of mayhem and holding ‘festivals’ to celebrate the ‘magnificent nineteen of September 11th.’ In 1998, when I was producing a documentary about the three monotheistic faiths, I filmed with ease at the local church and synagogue. When it came time to film at the mosque, my cameraman, a Libyan, beseeched me to stay at home, as I would be ‘killed’ if I came to the London central mosque on a Friday. He explained that ‘the crazies’ came out in force on the Sabbath and that if they realized I was American there would be an incident that would reverberate as strongly as the killing of Yvonne Fletcher in April, 1984 outside the Libyan Embassy. He begged me to stay away and I did. It was the first time I had ever stayed away from my own production shoot. Throw your minds back, dear reader, to that date: 1998. There was no wall in Israel and no Intifada. Bill Clinton was President and there were no neo-cons to blame for the Gulf’s ills. But event then, the hatred of America and of Jews was already a palpable force in British life.

There are some 260,000 Jews in Britain and more than two million Muslims, but at dinner parties all one hears about is the ‘birthplace of terror, Menachem Begin’s Israel’ and the ‘world’s number one terrorist state, the United States.’ Last November when President Bush visited the United Kingdom and London’s Mayor, Ken Livingstone, boycotted the State Banquet, ordinary folk gathered in Trafalgar Square to burn and stomp on the Stars and Stripes.

I hesitate to blame my own profession, the media. However, the ‘Guardian’ ran a lead article by Faisal Bodi in January 2001 entitled ‘Israel Simply Has No Right to Exist,’ and on a daily basis Robert Fisk, whom my British friends and colleagues think is God, runs an ’Independent’ piece brutally critical of the United States and Israel. I have stopped attending meetings of my trade union, the National Union of Journalists, because I cannot listen to incessant vitriol about the crimes of my native country, the United States and of Israel when we should be dealing with the problems unions are supposed to address. It is likely the readers of this paper do not know that many British trade unions, including that of the teachers, have been adopting resolutions condemning Israel and the United States. Yes, the Sharon government is the one I have loved the least and yes, there is much to worry about in present American policy, but how many American unions spend hours devising resolutions to censure their most trusted and valued ally? How many Americans invite expat Brits to their dinner table only to abuse and intimidate them, especially if they are Jewish? Another mantra thrown at me daily these days is the news that the United States is one giant Fundamentalist Christian nation peopled by raging Bible-thumpers on every street. I have had otherwise enlightened colleagues tell me that the USA is ‘running wild with religious extremism that threatens the world far more than bin Laden.’ I am also informed that coupled with the religious fervor is the ‘dangerous fact that America, Carol, has no culture to speak of, and that is a lethal mix.’

When I am tearfully overcome with emotion when ‘Jerusalem’ is played every year at the Last Night of the Proms, I am received with considerable bemusement. Many people want to know how on earth an American could ’feel’ British and others are very blunt with, ’But shouldn’t you people really become Israelis?’

Where will it all end? I know Jews -- including Anglo-Jews -- who have ceased socializing because of the abuse they receive from old friends. The much-loved British actress Maureen Lipman and her eminent playwright husband, the late Jack Rosenthal, attended an Israel Solidarity Rally in London two years ago much to the astonishment of her fans. In her long career Lipman had never been political but one suspected she felt as marginalized as the rest of us who turned up for the rally (it was severely hampered by pro-Palestinian demonstrators with loud-speakers.)

I know expat Americans -- including non-Jews-- who receive punishing dressings-down at social and professional gatherings. The standard reprimand contains the list of American misdemeanors: the Project for the New American Century taking over the world’s governments; Wolfowitz, Perle and other ‘Zionists’ bullying the Bush and Blair Administrations into waging war with Iraq to allow Israel to expand across the Gulf and beyond and American Jews running the world’s media, banks and industries. When Barbara Amiel, wife of beleaguered Hollinger executive Conrad Black, stopped writing for the British papers when her husband fell under a cloud there was unmitigated glee amongst the chattering classes and expressions of joy that we would no longer have to read ’ Zionist diatribes.’

Here is what I perceive as the explanation: Europe has always been a seething hotbed of anti-Semitism. England, sadly, has the distinction of being the very first country to expel its Jews and initiate the Blood Libel. The Jews were not allowed back into England until the time of Cromwell and feel to this day that they worship by the grace of the Sovereign. It is impossible to convey to Americans inside the United States, or to American Jews, the open loathing of both groups that dominates daily life outside the United States today. What is so disturbing to me is that I am no longer accepted at face value in my daily encounters. If the media set out some years ago -- even before Bush 43 -- to turn the public against America and Israel, they have done a magnificent job. I have stopped counting the number of unfair accusations hurled at both nations in the course of a day on the airwaves or in the print media. Long ago I stopped wearing a flag pin (how wonderful to be able to wear one as I walk down a Philadelphia street without fearing for my life). Just the other day I had a tongue-lashing from an old acquaintance about the ‘appalling flags the Americans put outside their homes, like Nazis all over again.’

In a recent review of James Naughtie’s book, The Accidental American, Lord Gilmour in The Guardian (18 September issue) asserted that the ‘neo-cons’ or ‘axis of evil’ who comprise Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Feith, Bolton, Libby, Abrams, Perle and others are ‘not only passionate about Israel, they are Likudists to a man.’ He adds that the American ‘Likudists’ are happy to let Sharon create more ‘apartheid settlements.’ Imagine what it is like these days to emerge from one’s home to attend a dinner party or tea and be browbeaten about ‘Zionists’ running America as if it is a criminal offense to be ‘passionate’ about Israel. And, Dammit, I AM passionate about the remnant of my people who made a go of it after the Euro-generated Holocaust. Lord Gilmour quotes a Blair aide making the other accusation that is hurled at Americans abroad these days: ‘the only special relationship is between America and Israel.’

I am aware that many Americans are leaving their homes abroad and returning home after decades in foreign countries. Notwithstanding the loss of free medical care and pills (and that is one hell of a sacrifice!) afforded by their adopted countries, they can no longer endure the daily abuse and the ugly posters and stickers that proliferate across European cities. When the many anti-war rallies were held in February 2003 young people in European cities were seen wearing headbands with slogans wishing death upon Jews and Israel. I went to hear Seymour Hersh speak and he suggested that Americans with dual nationality value the other passport and to ‘keep that villa in Italy.’ I see it, dear Sy, from a different perspective: Europe created the Holocaust, the Inquisition and other genocides. Anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism proliferated long before the Bush Administration came onto the scene in 2000. Anti-Americanism is not a result of Abu Ghraib or of a Rumsfeldian pronouncement. It is a disturbing and hurtful form of psychosis that is rapidly eroding the all-important special relationship.

At present I do not yet fear for my life in jolly little St John’s Wood, but it sure is heaven strolling around the artists’ studios at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Virginia and being greeted as me, not as a bloody American or an accursed Jew.

DAY AFTER TOMORROW REVIEW

OK I know this came out this past summer, but I feel I must review this latest effort by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, the geniuses who re-made Godzilla, but did good flicks like The Patriot, with Mel Gibson, and Independence Day. I'll try and be gentle, but maybe not.

First, I am glad I waited til this came out on DVD to watch. It wasn't much costlier than wasting time at the multiplex and I can zip through the annoying parts. This is a summer flick, pure and simple. Very little plot, but lots and lots of loud booms and death and destruction. That did not irk me. The 2-D characters got to me, but not so much them as why this film was hyped.

What got me zonked and ready to spit nails was who was endorsing this. Al Gore and MoveOn.org. That's right the nice folks who say Bush betrayed this nation and the org that showed a commercial with Laura Bush smiling and reading a kid's story over the graves of dead Iraqi children. They are radicals of course, and they feel that The Day After Tomorrow is a preview of things to come. Why, you may ask?

Well, the USA decided NOT to sign the Kyoto Accord, Environmental Pact. Why didn't we sign it? Well, Bush and Secretary Powell argued that this pact would hurt American business. Our economy would be brought down to a Third World Level. Second, no other major polluters were pressured to sign this as much. Russia is re-considering, but many like China, Indonesia, and others will not. I doubt Mexico or Brazil will sign on to such a treaty as it would impose expensive environmental regulations. Mexico City is still the city where the cops wear gas masks to direct traffic. Russia is not much better. Gore and company will have you believe that the movie shows what will happen due to our not signing the pact.

Emmerich and company zero in on the percieved menace of a Bush administration, not the hundreds of years of industrialization or even the Third World's contributions to the disaster. In the film the smart and liberal climatologist Jack Hall- Dennis Quaid, argues his case at the Dehli Accord for Global Warming to a skeptical and conservative Vice President Beck (Dick Cheney look alike)- Kenneth Welsh. The VP and developed nations diplomats all laugh at the theory that the world will sustain weather changes of cataclysmic proportions. Later, the same VP is asked to make the decisions by an incompetent MidWestern Born President played by Perry King, can we say George W Bush? OK, they got the Administration in a ringer and have started in on them. Theme- the UN if led by the conservatives and pro-industrialists is evil, they'll get theirs.

Now the fun starts, there is a rebellious yet gifted son Sam Hall- Jake Gulleyenhal of Bubble Boy fame, who is stuck in NY at a prep school with a diverse class. Nothing wrong right? Of course not. He is in love with another girl and the real fluff floats in. Hey Roland, they tried this crap in Pearl Harbor, IT DIDN'T WORK and the only thing that saved Pearl Harbor was the battle and Jerry Bruckheimer, you idiots! OK, let's get back to this. The son, Sam, is the product of a broken home and is in New York, and then the birds and animals start acting up and birds are flying over New York eerily like The Birds with shades of September 11, 2001. Uneasy.

Don't get me wrong the sappy love stuff is OK, but I wanna see destruction. Albeit more uneasy nowadays in a post-9/11/01 World. There is plenty of it!!! There are ice glaciers separating having Dennnis Quaid dangle against the sheer side of ice. Tokyo gets pelted with basketball sized hail and folks are crushed by it. The crown jewels of destruction are reserved for the US, of course. Evil Americans! First, there is Los Angeles. Los Angeles is nailed, bad. There are typhoon winds, but tornadoes are the main harbingers of war in this city. There are big and little ones that hit the Hollywood sign and Hollywood Blvd itself, and an F-5, that's a big one, that levels Downtown Los Angeles. Tornadoes blow cars and buses onto news reports. One poor soul was from Fox News, what a chance accident! LA is hit because it is America's smog capital and of course #2 city in the US. The worst is reserved for good old New York. Why? Well, lots of banks and evil industries are based there. There is lots of oppulence and of course for asthetics, tall buildings and narrow areas that get hit. New York is in the middle of a horrendous rainstorm and flooding, first. Then a tidal wave hits New York. It covers the Statue of Liberty, Midtown, Wall Street, everything. Millions die and it's a shame, if you aren't paying attention to Sam the kid and his girl trying to wade into a building, the New York Public Library and ride out the Great Flood. Didn't they do this in DEEP IMPACT back in 1998? Color me crazy. New York then freezes solid. Climate change, right? Right.... Washington DC is not spared, like Independence Day the 3 major centers in America- NYC, DC and LA are all clobbered. The White House and Capitol are all buried under massive snow drifts. The American Political center is buried under snow and ice, Washington DC is gone. The financial and communications capital of America, New York City, flooded and then ices over. And LA our entertainment and another commercial center, is blown off the face of the earth. Roland, do you have it in for us, or will the audience look past you hammering the US for cool special effects? I think the audiences went Beavis and Butthead- hehehe cool. The theme in the destruction, is that the industrialized world, especially America gets creamed and it brought it on itself.

Roland also kills alot of people in this. Not just the nameless millions in North America, Europe and Asia, but faces and authorities get it. The Royal Family is stuck in an iced over castle in Scotland in the UK, where the freezing is starting, and they freeze to death as their rescue helicopters crash due to sudden flash freezing and their fuel lines going out. Then there's Japan. Several Businessmen on cell phones are pelted in the head with the gigantor hail. They die, clutching their materialistic cell phones. LA, celebs and Fox News reporters are killed by flying cars and others sucked into the wind like Dorothy and Toto. Evil materialistic Americans! The wrath is upon you! That's what MoveOn and Al probably were thinking when they pushed this film, as did alot of the enviro freak audience. New York, hey they clapped for Bush after 9/11 and are the epitome of workaholics. They gotta go. The President of the United States- President Blake or Bush or whoever, is stuck in his motorcade, when a flash freeze hits and kills him and most of his cabinet. The Vice President must take over, since his "boss" is dead. The VP Cheney clone then gets compassionate and suddenly sees the error in his ways. Too late, since millions are dead or dying, now. Anyone notice a pattern? If you are an authority or part of the urban legend of evil conservatives and non-entities, your death in this film is justified as you have pissed off the earth. Might as well say God is angry with you also! Kind of like a forward showing Florida after it got hit by 3-4 hurricanes in August through September of this year. All the counties appear to be Bush counties. Oh, what a shame. Roland, the nihilism ain't working. It's a shame you and Gore wanted Bush to freeze and die, but remember Cheney takes over, so have fun with Dick Cheney!

Now, what is funny about this film, is that it wants to be taken seriously. It wants to be The Pianist or Monster or something else. It is a joke, and could be a Rocky Horror Picture like cult classic. Glenn Beck, a radio guy out of Philadelphia, of course saw this film and laughed through out the whole film, ticking off the liberals in the theater. Beck of course hit upon another idea. Make The Day After Tomorrow a Rocky Horror Experience. When the snow hits, throw ice shavings in the air. When there is hail, pelt each other with ice cubes. Sing this song- Let's Do The Flash Freeze Again! (Let's Do The Time Warp). Others would mock the crappy dialogue between Sam and the girl by waving cheese in the air- cheesy dialogue. The Day After Tomorrow may be a cult classic.

WHY WOULD THIS BE A CLASSIC?

1. It's so bad it's funny. The probability of the world flash freezing and everyone dying in mere months is astronomical. Nobel Prize winning scientists dismissed this premise. They said that the global change could happen, but would take thousands upon thousands of years. Dennis Miller said it best in a rant: Some one says 'Hey what about your kids? The temperature is changing too much!' Dennis: "It's warmer today, I'll adjust the thermostat.' 'Well, what about your grandkids? 10 degrees in so many years.' 'Tell em I moved to Phoenix, it gets too cold anyway.' 'Well what about your kid's kid's kids?' 'I don't care. I could tell you I care, but I don't give a rip.' Needless to say many of the audience and MoveOn thought we did. Many of us laughed at this. Cheesey dialogue is rampant like Michael Jackon's felony charges.

2. Move On and Al Gore endorsed this film- If the producers of this film remembered that former Vice President Gore endorsed Howard Dean and Dean did not make it to John Kerry's nominee position, they would have thought twice. Apparently no, and the film did so-so, but was not the blockbuster or election changer. MoveOn tried to spin this as a preview of things to come. Glenn Beck and www.evilconservatives.com parodied this and had their own mock previews for this film. Move On is now hammering hard for Kerry, but their ads are being filtered to other less public areas. Wow, they must be awfully bad.

3. The Message They Wanted to Give- The earth is precious, stop messing with it, otherwise you'll get what you deserve! Well frickin duh! I think we know the passages in the Old Testament- Go forth, fill the earth and subdue and All in the earth is yours that I give you mastery of. Of course so are the New Testament passages- I shall take you talent since you dealt with it selfishly and foolishly. OR To much is given, much will be expected. To whom little is given, little is expected. We are aware of the world God created, and are trying to make it better. Short of petitioning God, what else would MoveOn and Enviro-Prez Al Gore suggest. Drive Jetsons cars? Rollerblade to work- have you seen how huge some of us Americans are? You wanna see me on Rollerblades- hey it's Roller Hog! I'll hog you, oink! We know where we live is our trust, we get the message.

4. THE MESSAGE WE GOT- Cheesey dialogue, hammy actors, hammy spokesmen like Gore and Move On. Style, but no substance.

This is not a terrible film, but it was given enough of a stain to turn off many a conservative or moderate. Had MoveOn not endorsed this, I'd have seen it sooner. Now, no one is going to ever convince me ever buy or watch Fahrenheit 9/11 ever again.

That was The Day After Tomorrow, crazy fantasy given a crazy tinge of credibility from the far left. Enjoy!!!




Friday, October 08, 2004

UN Weapons Report: No WMD BUT No Threat?

OK here it goes. Oddly enough this bomb shell hit the day before Bush debates Kerry a second time. I can hear him saying Bush lied, troops died. Terry McAuliffe, DNC Chairman, called Bush a liar yesterday and more or less implied Bush should be on trial. Well, let's go to the next step and just let Saddam take power and do what he did before.

Here is why Saddam was a threat, regardless of the WMDs

1. Saddam Hussein had waged several wars-

Saddam started a war with Iran in 1980, which went through 1988. Saddam Hussein and The Ayatollah Khomeni were in a battle, of secular Sunnis versus ultra religious Shiites. Saddam deployed chemical tipped missiles into Iran. He fired gas on Iranian troops and that war resulted in over 100,000 dead, just in Iran. In 1988-1989, Saddam Hussein would gas thousands of Kurds. He used nerve gas and other blister agents. Surely these weren't WMDs, either, right? Tell that to the Kurds who lived and are blinded or scarred for life. Saddam also invaded Kuwait in August 1990, in a grab for more oil and power. Saddam would test the resolve of the US Led and heavily US enforced UN Military Coalition. In Spring 1991, Desert Storm was launched, and the 100 hour ground war was in play. Most of this was the war in the air. At the same time, Hussein launched Soviet made SCUD missiles into US/Coalition positions in Saudi Arabia and at Israel. The allies and Israelis did not have gas masks for no good reason. Nor did our troops get issued Chem/Bio Warfare suits for a hoax. Saddam was beaten back, but not fully. We would have to finish where the first war left off and still are.

2. Saddam killed many of his own people-

If you read Con Coughlin's King of Terror- a bio on Saddam Hussein, you will know he killed close to 100,000 to 250,000 of his own Iraqi people. He gassed Kurds of course. However, in his rise to power, he had the entire National Legislature on TV and prodded anyone who opposed him to admit they did so on live TV. Many did, and they were taken out of the assembly room, by armed troops and some civilian guards. Saddam would congratulate those who stayed, and told them they would live. The rest were to be executed and they that remained would be the firing squad. Saddam also killed family. He had murdered cousins. In 1996-1997, two of his sons-in-law defected to Jordan and the US Intelligence to form a plot to kill Saddam and take over. The plot fizzled and both returned, since Saddam promised NOT TO KILL THEM. Both were brutally tortured and executed. Others were blown up with grenades tied to their necks, submerged/melted in acid, beheaded, pulled apart on a wrack, shot, stabbed, disembowled, and some fed to lions and tigers for Saddam's Amusement. Saddam was a main who cared not for his own. Many starved as he would not let the UN "bully" him. Interesting how Sean Penn went to Baghdad to negotiate with Saddam in 2002-2003. That would be like Kirk Douglas (Jewish) meeting with Hitler to persuade him not to gas any Jews, or invade any countries. Saddam was a danger to his own people and others. He had to be stopped, at least, to stop the mass murder and reign of terror he escalated.

3. Invades his neighbors- He invaded Iran, Kuwait and tried to do so with Saudi Arabia. He threatened the sovereignty of other lands. He infact threatened to invade Turkey if they fought in our coalition. Saddam also fired missiles at Israel.

4. Proof of building blocks of WMDs- In the WMD Report, there are no stockpiles of weapons, and no recent work or paper to prove that Saddam was building them. However, there was intent. As far back as 1981, Saddam wanted a nuclear bomb. That same year was when Israel launched an F-15 and F-16 strike to hit the reactor at Otsirak. Iraq said this French built reactor was for power and civilian use. Sure, that's why there was anti aircraft fire, and intel showing generals crawling all over it. Have there been many army guys around the Springfield Power Plant lately? NO. There were schematics and documents showing basic materials to build and refine nukes, chemical weapons, and bio warfare. Captured Iraqi cabinet ministers and generals all said that Saddam was wanting to pursue it for a while, but they never got a full go ahead. Apparently Saddam worried that inspectors would find too much, THAT or Saddam had a program so clandestine only he and his sons knew it. Uday & Qusay are dead, which leaves Saddam to spill his guts, eventually. The inspector said while there was no imminent threat, no stockpiles that were visible, and no recent proof of weapons pursuit, Saddam was wanting to start a program and time would be on his side for a while.

4. No 9/11 Connection, but Saddam did like the terrorists:

Al Qaeda Connection- no Saddam memos to Osama were found, no confirmation on training, and even the famous Prague meeting has come into doubt.

HOWEVER Saddam did support terrorists in other ways. He would pay about $25,000 to the family members of suicide bombers who blew themselves up, AND killed Israelis.

Saddam gave refuge to Abu Nidal. Nidal was a terrorist in the 1980s who hijacked airliners, bombed cars, and staged two massacres at the Rome and Vienna El Al Israeli Airlines ticket counters. Dozens where blown up and machine gunned. Nidal was found dead in Iraq, in 2002-2003, executed by Saddam. Apparently this dirty secret, hiding a terrorist this vicious, was a liability.

Abu Abbas was also a guest of Saddam's. Abbas masterminded and led the 1985 Achille Lauro Hijacking of the Italian Ocean Liner. Abbas and his thugs shot and killed Leon Klinghoffer. Klinghoffer was a 69 year old, parapalegic. He was a retired NY Businessman but was shot for being a Jew. Klinghoffer's body and wheel chair were dumped overboard, in front of his wife, at least within in earshot of her. Mrs. Klinghoffer lived through this ordeal, but died, from what her family called, a broken heart. Abbas and his gang docked in Egypt and then fled. Their escape flight on an Air Egypt Airliner was intercepted over Sicily by US Navy F-14s, and grounded. President Ronald Reagan ordered the NAVY SEALS and Special Forces to board that plane and get Abbas and his gang. Colonel Oliver North helped plan this. Both Reagan and North were overruled and through international intrigue and politics, Abbas and his gang were handed over to the Italians. Italy let them escape, and Abbas ended up in Iraq. Abbas was captured, BUT died in US custody of heart failure. He had a heart,amazing. Kind of an insult to the Klinghoffer family how the escape occurred, but also Iraq giving this murderer and others like him refuge.

Training camps have been found near Baghdad. In them are shooting areas, but more shocking fuselages to a Boeing 747, a DC-10 and British and French Airplanes/old airliners. These were training on how to take a plane over. Some were rumored to be where the 911 hijackers or others are told where to take over and then slam their payload into a high rise or populated city.


THERE ARE OTHER REASONS, BUT THIS COULD GO ALL DAY. Saddam was a threat to humanity and had to go. Anyone who wants him back, and says we had no right to so, has insulted and invalidated our troops and their noble efforts. They have spat on the grave of Leon Klinghoffer, the troops we lost in Desert Storm, the missing POW in Iraq's family, the victims of 911, the families of the hostages that have been beheaded (sadly as of today- Kenneth Bigley is now one of the fatalities). Saddam had to go and anything less would not suffice.

Pointers from Cheney v Edwards, Listen Up Mr. President!!!

On Tuesday 10/05/04. Vice President Dick Cheney went toe to toe with Senator John Edwards. The two sparred over Iraq, The economy, the war on terror and of course Halliburton. Cheney's main mistakes were two inaccuracies. The first was saying that he'd never met Edwards until that debate. He ought to have elaborated or said he was kidding, but did refer to Edwards as Senator Gone Edwards, due to John's lack of Senate voting and attendance. Zell Miller later videotaped a statement and had part of a speech delivered by Peggy Noonan, quipping that he will not play hookey on his duties. Cheney also mentioned factcheck.com, and meant factcheck.org. Aside from that Cheney held his own and even went on the offensive. Some polls would have you believe Cheney lost and Edwards won. Many said it was close to even, BUT Cheney edged past Edwards on his delivery and substance. In short, Cheney took a swipe for his recovering boss. We can hope that Round 2 of the Presidential Debates will go favorably for Bush.

Here is what Bush needs to do tonight:

1. Get some rest beforehand. HE was about to conk out last time and it showed. No excuses, rest and focus, George!

2. Pray to God- If God is on your side, then who is against you. And in such a tight race, all the help you can get will be handy.

3. Do not stammer- Enough with the ugh's, you see's, and wells. No, take some pointers from Cheney. Follow whatever prompter you may have. Remember, it needs to come out naturally.

4. Do not look angry or agitated- We all know Kerry's position is stuffed with more crap than a Christmas goose, but don't roll your eyes or sigh. That's what lost Al Gore the Presidency. Don't lose it, you are to cool and calm.

5. Do take charge, get aggressive- this may seem to contradict the 4th point, but you can go on the offensive without being half the jerk others are. You can hold Kerry to his Senate Record, the success of tax cuts, the continuing need of your vision on education, and without Homeland Security, no one can focus on other issues.

6. Hold your ground- never give an inch, or show wounds, as this shark can smell blood from miles away.

7. Focus on your plusses- Remember we have regained 1.5 M jobs since 9/11/01. Many we lost may never come back, due to that attack. We are regaining jobs, though slowly. Show that America is bouncing back and refute the Herbert Hoover allegations. "Hoover and FDR never had this type of recovery."

8. Congratulate the American people for their work. BEtween then US investing tax refunds and the economy rebounding, it is almost all due to them. Kerry would be suicidal to say well the economy sucks because you aren't carrying your weight. Remember 4 tax cuts in 4 years, more jobs in recovery, which tapers off in the fall anyway; interest rates are creeping back up, record home ownership among all people, especially minorities, and of course New York and their great recovery from such a vicious terrorist inflicted wound.

9. EDUCATION- we got halted due to a terrorist attack, focus on what is going well, but show that you need another term to complete this work or set it fully in motion. Make the case for vouchers and choice in school. If a parent wants their $$ to go to a private parochial school, then that's their $$ and vouchers and their choice.

10. Stem Cell Research- It's not a cure, look in many medical journals. It is a research method, not the full proof method. Focus that this is not banning research, rather cutting certain funding, to possible medical and ethical problems in the future. America is a technological and highly synthetic society. Show that we can artificially find a cure, without sacrificing the next generation of the unborn. Show that Ronald Reagan was even against it.

11. Marriage- show that you do not hate gays or lesbians, but do not condone changing the rules for a small percentage of the population. Stick to your guns and Christian values on this one. You won't go down for not standing up for Christ.

12. Medicare- It's a supplement for healthcare besides your savings and pensions. Show what will be done to rework that. Mention the prescription drug plan, but focus less on socialized medicine that Kerry wants (tax hike for you all), but let Americans choose their coverage and pay on their own.

Those are just a few points. Good luck Mr. President. You should do better tonight than last week. Good luck and God Bless.


Tuesday, October 05, 2004

Who Your Allies Are

Here's a little bit of what allies do and do not do in a crisis.

1. ALLIES do support other countries in a time of war.

2. ALLIES do not veto actions used to preserve lives and prevent future wars.

3. ALLIES send humanitarian aid and aid workers along with their troops, after the shooting has subsided.

4. ALLIES do not become embroiled in a Food for Oil Program, in which humanitarian aid and money is taken and used for money and a skim is paid for the UN and other nations to look the other way.

5. ALLIES keep their troops in, as long as they can.

6. ALLIES do not scurry off like rabbits at the first sign of trouble.

7. ALLIES help in rebuilding wrecked and fresh nations.

8. ALLIES do not withhold aid and then expect oil revenue and special treatment after the dirty work and rebuilding is done.

9. ALLIES are people like Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Ichiro Koizumi, John Howard, and Silvio Berlusconi, also Presidents Kwasniewski, Aznar, Lee, and others.

10. ALLIES are not Presidents Vladimir Putin, Jacques Chirac, Zapetro, or Zhiang, NOR Chancellor Gehrhard Schroeder.

11. ALLIES are now the smaller lands and developing countries once behind the Iron Curtain or part of a free world.

12. ALLIES are not the former superpowers of Western Europe and Russia or Asia.

In short, our allies are a coalition of the willing and appreciated, NOT a bunch of willing sideliners and bribe takers.

Friday, October 01, 2004

Massacre of the Innocent

In Beslan Russia, a terrible event occurred.
It was hard to believe all of what was heard.
Children take hostage, help at gunpoint.
Hoping that Russia will free men and women with whom they could join.
Instead shooting and bayonetting began.
It happened to the little ones, some as they fled.
In the back, the stomach, and heads did these wounds hit.
In short, it was some messed up..... can't say it here.
Putin sent troops in, to stop the bloodletting and carnage.
However the terrorists set off bombs, showing they are savage.
300+ souls gone for good, hopefully with God.
Putin has retaliation in mind, not so odd.
This massacre was live on TV, beyond a pity.
How bad would it be if it was in New York City?
Anyone who dismisses this incident as something that happens once or twice,
has no blood or feeling, but a heart of ice.
So if you think the poem is beyond mild.
Wonder what would be done, if the hostage was your child.
This enemy of our has no emotion or pity.
They have no qualms massacring a city.
Russia has been hit, Iraq has a daily occurance,
of tragedy and bloodshed all too current.
If something like this is done in a Houston suburb, how should we respond.
Take the sensitive route or retaliate with bombs?
It's sad to say that a day without terrorism will now be odd.
To prevent this here, watch out, and pray to God.


DEBATE 1: Round 1, Bush's Missed Opportunities

Last night President George Walker Bush entered into the arena of debate. It was far from gladiator or Spartacus, but some questions did get heated. Bush came across plainly, not too eloquent (but is most of America eloquent like Kerry?) Bush did re-emphasize the importance of Iraq and Afghanistan. He did emphasize staying the course, but no thousand points of light or no new taxes. He did not make errors Bush 41 did. George W Bush came across well in the content arena in hammering home that The War on Terror and rebuilding Iraq will take time. Bush did point out glaring inconsistencies in Kerry's stances. Also a morale crushing affect on our servicemen and women to say "you're fighting in the wrong war for the wrong reasons." Bush did not get too upset or blow up on stage. He seemed rather homey and John Q. Bush was able to keep firm in his positions.

However, he missed the opportunity to capitalize on some issues and statements Kerry made. Maybe Bush was being classy or maybe (more likely) he got advice by Karl Rove and other Cub Scouts to play nice. To not get too indepth. Here's where Bush could have gone, but did not last night.

1. Kerry's voting record- All last night Bush's record was belittled and scrutinized. Bush could have mentioned while Kerry claimed to be pro-troops, that Kerry voted against the $87 Billion that included Kevlar and armor for Humvees (actually to his credit, Bush did touch on that, though could have been more in depth). Bush lightly hit on Kerry's Senate Record but could have summarized the litany of items Kerry voted against, that Senator Zell Miller did at the GOP Convention. Kerry voted against the B-1 and B-2 Bombers, F-117 Stealth Fighter, F-22 Fighter, M-1 Tank, M-2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, M-16 upgrades and variants, Patriot Missiles, SDI- Star Wars Missile System in 1980s, Missile Defense in 2000, Bunker Busters, Apache Helicopters, Carriers, Submarines, and even basic defense salary increases for troops. Bush could have gone there, should have gone there, but did not. Kerry's record was wide open, flapping in the wind, and seemed so inviting of good rabbit punch or drop kick. That did not happen, but hopefully Bush will bring it up on the trail, again.

2. United Nations- The Oil For Food Program is one of the largest frauds and scandals in human history. It was a debacle in which billions of dollars meant for humanitarian aid were laundered in from oil revenue to buy arms. Some say Bush Sr. had his hands in this, but the main parties seem to be the vetoeing countries. France, Germany, Russia, and China. All sold weaponry and technology to Iraq, and all had billions to make off of helping harvest Iraq's oil supply which was stagnant since Desert Storm. Odd that George Bush did not chide the UN being our main crutch or permission slip granter, when they weren't honest to the Iraqi people.

3. International Test- could have taken the Zell Miller route or his own State of the Union earlier this year. We don't need a permission slip to defend our land and allies from the threat of terrorism or their allied states. Bush should have gone into the ludicrous nature of asking Paris or Berlin to fight back, after our cities have been levelled and thousands killed. Bush should have stressed the past 12 years of resolutions (to his credit he did some of this), but could have done more. Good work Karl Rove, or whatever strategist told Bush that one.

NOW, Here's what Bush did touch on, very well.

1. Iraq- the importance of this state to succeed is about as important as the reconstruction of Germany after WWII and Japan after that war also. If Freedom works here, then it may work elsewhere. Bush stressed that our troops want home and will get home. However, it does not make sense to pull troops out early and then send them back after unfinished business- thus this war to finish Gulf War 1991.

2. Homeland Security- The creation of the Department of Homeland Security is fine. Our Firefighters and Police funds were good to cite. Should stress much of this is state and local responsibility also. No terrorist attacks inside the US since 2001. Stress that we are safe and more still can be done under this administration. I sure hope Rudy Guiliani wrote some of this and not the trained monkeys that did some of the other speakings.

3. Afghanistan- liberated people from a decade of a theocracy. Women are ready to vote. Despite Osama not being found, he will be caught. Pakistan is helping in this. Afghanistan has an able leader and elections will be held, very soon. Although, Bush could have stressed that Afghan troops were used as they would be seen more as the liberators and us less likely occupiers, but helpful friends.

4. Terrorism- London police busting cells, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad caught, most of Al Qaeda caught or killed, many attacks foiled. Philippines helpful against Abu Sayaf extremists. Ongoing operations in a very long and very different war.

Bush missed some opportunities and should be able to catch other opportunities in other areas. Note to Bush, fire some of your writers and handlers. Americans like laid back, but are waiting to see fired up, firm, and ready to go.



DEBATE 1: Kerry's Plan & Flaws.

Last Night, President George W Bush and Senator John Kerry Debated on Foreign Policy and the War on Terror.

Last night Kerry gave a murky position, I have a plan that can be found at www.johnkerry.com. How does that frickin' help? That caters to couch potatoes and the ill informed. Kerry more or less says part of his new foreign strategy is to not just get US Troops out in 6 months, but also hunt down and get Osama better than Bush has done. Kerry stressed acting unillaterally, getting permission from the rest of the world before going into IRan or North Korea to remove their nukes. Kerry also said Saddam was a threat, contradicting himself and others who said Saddam was no real threat. Kerry said he voted based on a deception. Kerry may have offered a differing view but here are some flaws on what he did wrong.

1. Getting our troops out of Iraq- any commander will tell you it takes about 6 months to mobilize and demobilize troops out of a territory. That's assuming Iraq is calm in the next three months or so. Kerry more or less sounded like Zapatero of Spain, pull them out no matter what. Any commander would object because they would probably get sent back in to complete unfinished business. Gulf War 91 ring a bell, came close to resolving Saddam, but the UN and our Arab Coalition Allies disapproved. Kerry would pull our troops out and leave a vaccum. Iraq could degenerate into another Afghanistan theocracy, or Somalia- land of chaos.

2. Acting diplomatically not rash- considering there were over 14 UN Resolutions since 1991, Inspections that were halted and started and stopped again, numerous embargos, and 12 years of haggling, the US gave the false peace a chance. In the next situations in Iran, Iran may be able to build one nuclear weapon. If Kerry's peace plan hits the street, there will be enough years and months for Iran to increase it's WMDs. In North Korea- Kerry would have us believe that the US should head up negotiations with North Korea directly and that the Bush administration does nothing about the N Korean situation. First flaw on that North Korea walked away from our negotiations in the 1990s, and the fact that the US would be better with China and other allies, besides us doing it. Kerry needs to get his crap straight. In the time it takes to get Kim Jong Il to the table, they'll have more WMDs also. Time is not on our side if we drag out the diplomats.

3. Saddam was never a threat- yeah that's why Kuwait and Saudi Arabia needed our help in 1990, NO THREAT. Saddam was so nonthreatening that the US sent Patriots to shoot dragonflies out of the sky over Israel, not SCUD Missiles, that could be poor man's ICBMs. Saddam was also not a threat in gassing and murdering close to 500,000 of his own people and Iranians during his wars. Sure Saddam was no threat, like Michael Moore is a body builder. I guess Saddam was not a threat as Senator Kerry stated back in 1998, when President Bill Clinton had air strikes launched, nor was Saddam a threat when Kerry read a statement into the Senate records in 2002, or even in 2003 when he voted for the war. Can we say inconsistency? Saddam is in custody and no longer a threat, but how long would he have been loose to wreak havoc if Kerry's diplomacy overridden any security needs.

4. Deception vote- All of the Senators who voted for the war, read the same intel and classified info that President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, CIA Director Tenet, Generals Myers, Franks, and others read. How can it be deception when the chiefs and Kerry came to the same conclusion? How is it deception when Britain's Attorney General and a Parliament Inquiry ruled that some info was flawed but no malice, aforethought or deception were in play? How is it deception of WMDs when Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of Saddam seeking to use WMDs on Coalition Troops in 2003? Russia voted against our use and probably had it's hands in Saddam's Cookie jar, but warned us. Why do that, if there was deception? In the book American Soldier by General Tommy Franks, Franks even mentions Jordan and Egypt warning on Iraqi WMDs and their possible deployment, along with some being smuggled. How is it deception when so many sources found the same thing that Kerry, Bush and our intel did? Saddam was a threat, and though there were flaws, there was no deception. The only deception is that of the truth, we acted on probable cause.

5. Kerry will get more allies- Sorry John. The French and Germans have more or less implied that they WILL NOT Send troops or aid to Iraq regardless if Kerry is elected or Bush is re-elected. Also, calling a coalition of our allies the coalition of the bribed or coereced will not get new friends. Kerry said that this is not a real coalition. Here are some of the countries that were and are with us. Great Britain, Australia, Italy, Poland, Holland, Denmark, Oman, UAE, Bulgaria, Romania, Japan, South Korea, and others...... I guess all of them had bribes, huh John? Tell me how insulting these economic and political stars will make us more regarded. Kerry is making more double time and work by insulting then having to apologize to these nations and heads of state. Kerry also knocked Iraqi Prime Minister Alawi, when he came to the US last week and gave a speech thanking us for our help and imploring that we stay there as long as necessary. Necessary, not forever. Allawi is a marked man, his bodyguards are US Special Forces/SEALS, and survived Saddam's Gestapo and torture tactics. Allawi was made out by a Kerry spokesperson to be a puppet. Real puppet, chosen by a council of leaders, that the free people chose. Hardly part of Saddam's Revolutionary Council, Senator Kerry. Also, if these "allies"- France, Germany, Belgium (they matter how?), China, and Russia didn't deploy this time, then why now?

There are no doubt more flaws, but I have limited space time, and blood pressure to post some of this. I do say this, if this is a plan, it is the wrong plan for America, our troops, our allies, The Free World, and the world that deserves the freedoms God can give them but man seeks to take away. Kerry has an inconsistent plan, consistent with failure and appeasement.