Egypt in the balance. Kum bay yah, my Lord, Kum bay yah.

True economic, political and religious freedom OR Islamic tyranny

It’s very hard for me to reconcile the idea that a dictator can be a good friend to us and not so good a friend to his own people.

This is where George Bush showed courage and dared “go where angels fear to tread.”

In no small measure, the attack on Iraq was a statement by the U.S. that we would not forever suffer oppressive leaders because they provided stability.    Saddam’s hatred of the “persians” as he referred to the Iranians was no secret.  He was tolerated for many years because he was considered a stabilizing counter to Iran.

Bush said no more.  Saddam was a brutal dictator, a threat to his own people and a menace to the world.   Saddam was given many opportunities to capitulate.  He chose otherwise.

Saddam was overthrown, tried and executed and the people of Iraq began the harsh and difficult path to self governance.  They have had their share of setbacks (many, brutal) yet, free elections take place and their fledgling government  is beginning to function.  To say it is imperfect is a vast understatement.  However, history shows that once people get a taste of freedom and self governance, they can be quite intolerant of moving backward.

As it stands now, the military has taken charge in Egypt.  We hope, those men in charge will keep it together until a new government can be formed and a path to democracy can be laid.   The main problem, as I see it, is that very few of these people understand how quickly it can all go so very bad.  The people of Iran ousted the Shah, another awful, horrible man.  There was joy not unlike the Egyptians feel today.  But the regime which took his place is in many ways worse.  The Iranian people remain oppressed by a new set of leaders.  I don’t think that is what they were shooting for.

We don’t know what is going on behind the scenes at the Obama White House.  I’m sure that the “Community Organizer” Obama is “one with the people” and
“power to the workers,”  and all that lefty sentiment.  On the other hand, President Obama, who has kept Guantanamo open, pursues terrorist with unmanned drones, and has asked for the extension of vital Patriot Act provisions sees the situation differently.  Unfortunately, his double mindedness has sent confusing messages abroad to both friend and foe.   I for one believe he is conflicted.  Maybe, just maybe, he is starting to see the world as it really is, with all its perplexity and peril.  Maybe countries won’t be our friends and sing Kumbaya with us just because we talk nice to them.   I really don’t know.  I speculate.

In the meantime, at a critical juncture in world history, U.S. leadership has failed to lead in any meaningful way.  Turn down your lights America.   The “shining city on the hill” is a much, much dimmer.

Moran

There, I said it. I’m not taking it back!

Image via Wikipedia

At the risk of sounding like a heretic, I’ll say that we can’t lay all the blame for the current scene on either Bush or Obama. This crisis has been decades in the making. Government fiscal policy of cheap debt, a housing market driven by government intervention and wall street profiteering laid the foundation for a massive bubble and subsequent collapse. It’s like a massive financial sink hole dragging all around into it’s maw!  (See the picture below, it’s really cool.) 

Bush, like EVERY president since the beginning of the 20th century presided over AN EXPANDED federal government. He showed almost no fiscal restraint, conducting 2 “unfunded” wars and creating a prescription drug entitlement of which any honest liberal would be proud. He also created the largest federal bureaucracy in history.   His tax cuts, which I SUPPORT, like all the spending was funded by borrowing money from the CHINESE because no administration or congress since forever will stop the crazy, out of control spending.

Obama, however, has taken spending to such dizzying heights that we may truly not recover.

In MANY ways I hold the Republicans as more responsible for this mess because WE WERE AND ARE supposed to KNOW BETTER.

We will see if this latest crop of legislators can make a difference and finally put the brakes on the FEDERAL JUGGERNAUT.

Moran

An aerial view of Washington, D.C.

Related Articles

• The Fiscal Reality (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
• Paul Krugman: Turning a Blind Eye to the Obvious (delong.typepad.com)
• Is a balanced budget possible? (politico.com)
• NYT: You know, a shutdown sounds good to us (hotair.com)
• Political Illusions (delong.typepad.com)

Will his crimes NEVER END?!!!

The Hague (international War Crime Tribunal) or the Norwegian Parliament (Nobel Peace Prize) What do you think?

If you read the article to which I have provided a link below, you’ll find one more thing to add to the list of President Bush‘s “crimes.”

Let’s catalog his previous misdeeds.

Without any provocation whatsoever, he deposed one of the Middle East’s most beloved rulers.  Simultaneously, he thrust the Iraqi people into the horrible dilemma of having to rule themselves and respect each other.

He water-boarded about maybe 5 or 6 Islamic Freedom Fighters who wanted nothing more than to create a world-wide  Islamic paradise, ruled by the  gentle benevolence of Sharia law and completely free of infidels. He felt this really urgent need to know about their secret plans.  How rude!

Also, without regard to personal privacy,  he listened in on the calls of other Islamic Freedom Fighters who just wanted to catch up with their all too few friends here in the U.S.

And get this, he also tracked and froze their bank accounts, all over the freakin’ world.  The nerve.

Well let’s add CYBER TERROR to his shameful rap-sheet!  Read the article .  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/washington/11iran.html?_r=1&sq=january%202009%20sanger%20bush%20natanz&st=cse&scp=1&pagewanted=all

Here are the Iranians, minding their own business.  Bothering no one.  They are so totally committed to “going green,” that despite having the THIRD LARGEST oil reserve in the world, they are engaged in a totally peaceful nuclear development program.  That’s right.  They are trying to save the planet.

So, what did that devil, Bush, do?  STUXNET!  Oh, you don’t know what that is.  It is perhaps his most insidious, devious act.  He authorized a virus attack on the computers that run the Iranian nuclear program!  I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a virus on my computer and it is a son of a bitch!  Poor Iranians.  Maybe they were only using the free version of AVG.  I don’t really know.  But I guess this Stuxnet virus won’t stay in the quarantine vault thingy.  They can’t get rid of it.  So, it looks like the Iranians will just have to keep using oil and ruining the planet for at least a few more  years.  Add this to Bush’s crimes, “hacker” and “planet earth hater.”

Moran

Related Articles

• Russia Calls on NATO to Find ‘Source’ of Stuxnet Virus (israelnationalnews.com)
• Stuxnet apparently as effective as a military strike (arstechnica.com)
• “Stuxnet Hit Five Iranian Sites” and related posts (worldthreats.com)
• Iranian Nuclear Program Setback (pinkbananaworld.com)

Well, let’s just wait and see.

I remember feeling pretty excited when Newt Gingrich masterfully engineered a kind of revolution.  For the first time in decades, Republicans had the power in Congress.  Republicans took over the House and Senate and pushed back against the very liberal policies of President Clinton.   A balance of power was brought about.  It seemed to work pretty well.  The economy expanded,  and we were fine on the world stage.

Tired of the Clinton’s and those associated with them, a scandal weary electorate elected George Bush president.  A Republican House and Senate were already in place.  To their shame, these nimrods expanded government and entitlements with no less abandon than their Democratic counterparts had for decades.

Midway during “W’s” second term, a war weary electorate threw out the Republican bums and installed a Democratic Congress.  Then they (we) gave the reins of executive power to Mr. Obama who along with his Democratic cohorts have run up more debt than all previous administrations COMBINED!

My point comes to this.  It seems that when any one party has the Presidency and the two Houses, it’s BAD.  VERY, VERY BAD. They can’t seem to help themselves.  There is too much momentum, too much agreement in the direction of throwing federal money at virtually everything.  Hardly anybody knows how or when to say “no.”  The few that do, are too few to make a difference.  And I can only imagine the pressure that can be brought to bear against a junior congressperson seeking to change the “way things are done.”

At least when neither party has “it all,”  there is enough disagreement on HOW to spend us into OBLIVION, that the momentum is somewhat slowed.  Sometimes the animus is enough to bring about gridlock, which is really pretty awesome.

If we go back to the Clinton and Reagan years.  We find that the President’s opposite party mostly controlled the Congress.  This seemed to work the best.  We will have the same situation with Obama for the next two years.  Maybe, it’ll get better.  Let’s just wait and see.  And if we get a Republican President in 2012, a small, very real part of me hopes the Democrats retain control of the Senate.  I can’t believe I said that.

Moran

“. . . with freedom and justice for all.” Unless you’re a loved one of a terror victim.

The ineptitude, among other faults, of the Obama Department of Justice went on full display today.

We’ve all heard the story by now. The Guantanamo detainee tried in federal criminal court was ACQUITTED on all counts but one, conspiracy to destroy government buildings and property. No conviction of murder or attempted murder, yet in two attacks (that we know of) in which he participated over 200 were outright killed and thousands maimed.

Imagine being on that jury, probably having at least some dim idea that this guy was supposed to go down. And wanting to put him down! Yet, by the rules of jurisprudence you must say, “not guilty.” There may be exceptions, but I bet most of them feel pretty shitty about it. How easy is it to live with that?

What is behind this massive failure? Surely the justice department picked a case in which they were confident of victory. No doubt many high level meetings were involved and great assurances made of success. All to prove a political point. That George Bush was wrong. That America was wrong. We’re not at war, these are just criminals.

There are three words, which like massive cobblestones, paved the road to this particular failure; arrogance, incompetence and delusion.

Obama just “knows best.” The prior administration was evil, corrupt and inhumane. Yet, in nearly every case, from the so-called “domestic wiretapping,” to the indefinite detention of TERRORISTS at Guantanamo, the policies of George Bush have proved to be wise and effective. Obama is arrogant.

It seems to me that this case had to be Holder’s best case. Why would he lead with anything less? He almost lost completely. Yeah, the guy goes away for at least 20 years, but he’ll probably spend a good bit of that time radicalizing short-termers who will be freed to wreak more havoc on our society. Further, I’m sure that those close to the men and women he murdered feel short-changed even betrayed. Run of the mill incompetence with catastrophic consequence. They just don’t know what they’re doing.

Finally, like many of us who “cling to our guns,” the administration clings to a belief that we are not really at war. That the framework of criminal justice is sufficient to deal with terrorist threat. Unfortunately I’m afraid it will take the severe loss of life, which only luck has kept us from thus far, before they come out of their delusion.

You can watch a video from CBS news here.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpCGzERhJls

Looks like a kid, don't he.