Hurrah's for the Bloggers

This past election has brought out one highlight that I wish to praise. We can only salute the work of the Bloggers to helping bring to light facts and issues that others of the media world would have preferred left in the shadows of locked closets.

So many of the left have lamented the supposed domination of the press by the right when in reality it has been the other way around. These Left leaning fingers always point at FOX news and the AM radio talk shows. I am always laughing a bit at the power of the talk shows. Why? I always picture the days when radio continued to shift towards FM and most of what was left on the AM dial would be Hog and Grain reports and I see the left chortling at the idea that the right was left on these AM stations while they had the TV networks, newspapers and FM to play their humanist dogmas across the air and land. It was only fitting that their socialist blinders could not seem to grasp the free enterprise system and the power of consumer desire for something beyond their message. Now we are left with the tears and lamentations of failed attempts to compete and political efforts to force an arbitrary equality of messages put forth on the air.

(Sorry I had left this in draft and had forgotten having started it.)

Apologies

I just wanted to take a moment to apologize for my extended tardiness at posting. I have avoided posting immediately after the elections just from the burnout of the election and the accompanying emotions. I am glad for the outcome. Of course this led into the holidays and my relocation to a new city, a Texas City of course. ;) I have taken the time to continue my reading and watching of the news and will be up and running again here very quickly since there are great issues to cover.

Vindication

I had just wanted to post a small note to the effect of mine and many others vindication in the polls this past election. As John Kerry suffered his defeat his friends that tried so hard to ensure his victory finally broke their self imposed silence on his character and campaigning. Newsweek broke out with a multi-series story about the behind the scenes of each campaign. Senator Kerry's flaws which most people and myself pointed to relating to character can now rest much mopre comfortably. My original posts reflected a concern for how he would treat those serving him.... he was shown to treat some of those around him as servants and above others. Newsweek reported this example of Kerry and his staffers enroute to a TIME interview and photo op:

"The morning after the Feb. 3 primaries, which vaulted Kerry into a virtual-ly insurmountable lead, the candidate was fuming over his missing hairbrush. He and his aides were riding in a van on the way to a Time magazine cover-photo shoot. Nicholson had left the hairbrush behind. "Sir, I don't have it," he said, after rummaging in the bags. "Marvin, f---!" Kerry said. The press secretary, David Wade, offered his brush. "I'm not using Wade's brush," the long-faced senator pouted. "Marvin, f---, it's my Time photo shoot"

Did anyone bother to ask stopping at a convenience store for a brush??? Is TIME not going to wait on the candidate who has a history of being late anyway??

The fact that people attacked his inability to make decisions and flip flop on issues became a leadership concern.... the press and his campaign had wanted us to believe he had his developed skills from being a Leiutenant and a Senator;Newsweek reported staffers hiding his phone to keep the Senator from continually calling for opinions before making decisions.

Newsweek also reported the offer to McCain of a Vice presidency that would give McCain Secretary of Defense duties. McCain rebuffed his offer with: "You're out of your mind. I don't even know if it's constitutional, and it certainly wouldn't sell."

Though we must now suffer through the reactions of the Democratic whine squad who will continue to screech about why they have lost, we can rest a little bit easier with the fact we have a determined leader in the White House.

I will be adding a story of some of the reactions we have suffered with since the election next.

Closer Than You Think....

As we progressed through this election year, we were rocked by the passing of Ronald Reagan. During the funeral, "Ronnie" ( I won't demean President Reagan's memory with addressing this small spirit as Jr) made an insinuation that someone (meaning President Bush) was no Ronald Reagan. In another instance during the debates, Kerry talked of being like Reagan.....who he adamantly opposed in case some wasn't paying attention in Kerry's previous years. Well, I hate to break it to them....President Bush is closer to Ronald Reagan than they think.

As both progressed through their elections much less their terms in office these two leaders were constantly berated by the press and stars of hollywood as being stupid, biggoted, confrontational, unilateral and reactionary, crazy with intent to war, and Far Right Evangelical. Amazing how little changes despite the lapse in the years between these two men's service, much less their generations. History has born out that these denegrations were not deserved by Ronald Reagan. He was a firm believer in the greatness of America and was not willing to let it fade by surrendering America much less the rest of the world to the totalitarianism of communism. He was smart and demonstrated in his abilities to write and work his speeches as well as hold his own in debates. The depth of his ideas were born out by the fall of the Soviet Union. President Bush has shown that he can grasp and execute national priorities and emergencies as they have arisen. This will be born out even more in the years to come as the historical documents of his terms of office are placed for review in his presidential library. One example I like came from the Newsweek article about the campaigns in which while analyzing the candidates, President Bush properly identified who he would face when his "Architect" Carl Rove ws betting on Dean.

I will extend the characters of the two are also alike in that both men have always been humble that they could joke about themselves, take criticism and not let it embitter them as it seemed to embitter their opponents in the other party's ranks, press and over rated, self infatuated celebrities. Both had firm belief in God and the blessing they felt He has brought the nation and the purpose he had for them to fulfill. They have both recognized the enemies of this nation much less the world to be totalitarian threats. Reagan had the threat of communism, we face the darker and ugly face of a form of fascism enhanced with a mutant form of a religion that is more threatening than that we faced with Hitler.

President Bush and Reagan are facng the two threats much the same way. Reagan stated once , "You and I have the courage to tell our enemies, 'There is a price we will not pay'; a line that they shall not cross." Our idea of Peace through strength, while encouraging the growth of democracy where theocratic despots, ruthless dictators are to be opposed as necessary with force and the peoples of these nations will be given the opportunity to enjoy democracy. One thing not publicized is that one of the towns where the shi'i had initially caused issues have now had city elections where some feared religious leaders controlling power, were instead defeated in all posts by opponents who represented the populace who did not want a threat of a theocracy. Both Presidents have or are showing that the power of the ideas of the ideals of freedom and democracy are the great combat multiplier against totalitarianism. It is this hope in the people of these nations that is helping fight this current religious terrorism. The hope is reflected by the people who continue to volunteer to support their new governments, the hope of boys and GIRLS going to school, and the attempt to move on with their lives despite the attacks.

President Bush and President Reagan faced contested election for their second term while confronted with their fights against totalitarianism. Both were hailed as such confrontational and unilateral leaders that this became the target of the election. The result of both elections though reflected mandates that the opposition could ever argue with. Reagan had an overwhelming number of electoral college votes as well as a great seperation in the popular vote. President Bush has a historical mandate in that not only did he win both the electoral college and popular vote by 3.5 million votes, but that it was made in record setting turn out that was predicted as supposed to be helpful to his opponents. President Bush won roughly 60.5 Million votes out of 117.6 Million votes cast. The first president to EVER receive this many votes.

So walking through these few items, we can see a close parrallel running through these two men's presidencies. Closer parrallels than "Ronnie" and the left ever would have guessed, much less cared for. A potential legacy that will irk the likes of the Clintons and the rest of the Democrats who could have only dreamed of having such leadership, but being to personally bankrupt to have ever had the courage or fortitude to ever have managed such an examples.

In Honor Of

Today is the day that we take a moment to recognize the efforts made by our soldiers for their service. We honor the fights that our nation has always put forth in freeing nations of the world of totalitarianism. Our latest election is reflective of the benefits maintained by our armed forces. Historic numbers of citizens turned out to cast their vote, exercising one of the freedoms that benefits people of the world.... inclusion of a free people to determine the direction of their nation. One more record added to our armed forces list of accomplishments is the addition of two countries to the list of the democracies in the world. We are honored today to take a moment to honor those alive and those who have passed for the sacrifices they have made. In honor of these soldiers, take a moment to appreciate the freedoms we have....and remember those who have made it possible. There are great reasons to be proud of being an American ........ don't let those who sell themselves to totalitarian efforts or act as pawns against America and other free peoples tell you otherwise.

God Bless America.

French Agression

Over the past two years as we ramped up to deal with Afghanistan and then Iraq, we were constantly reminded that we "needed" the French as our Ally to prevent our appearing as an international bully or tyrant. Let's be fair to take a look at France, their actions and our relationship. It could be time that we re-evaluate our "ally" and our "friendship" with the French government, re-evaluate who the real Bully is.

We have years of recalling service that both nations have provided aid to one another. Everyone always points to Lady Liberty as a reminder of the French aid that was rendered in our second to last fight for final liberty. I am leaving room for the War of 1812 to finally resolve the issue of American independence. Though in reality, this sacrifice was never made with the ideal that we were founding a democracy. France was a monarchy and had NO interest in a democracy. France did have an interest in tweaking the nose of Britain and causing them grief. Maybe the venerated memory is a bit more gilded than it was ever a solid ideal; a matter of political convenience than a steadfast friendship. We on the other hand reflect on the white crosses of Normandy, the battle fields of WWI our dedication to come to the aid of a fellow democracy even if it took a bit of debate and the alarm of Pearl Harbor.

The French seemed to always remain the elusive ally; elusive in rallying to the side of America. The French government refused to allow fly over authorization to American military aircraft to respond to different terrorist activities. France was finally drug into Desert Storm to only attempt a last minute deal with Saddam Hussein to withdraw part of their troops from Kuwait promising that "they" would prevent an American led attack.

During the final years before our attack into Iraq under President George W. Bush, America and Britain were being very diligent in trying to prevent irregularities under the Food For Oil Program of the United Nations. Challenges were made of some 1600 out of approximately 2800 reequests for purchases. The challenges included requests for more information to insure the purchase fell within the authorized realm of purchases. France pushed through a 10 day review process. Now the UN only had 10 days to review and deny pruchases or they were automatically approved. We were told we had to have them to go to war with, yet with every effort to bring them in with us, they were dogged in their refusal. Kofi Annan and France has made continued disparaging attacks about America and our attack on Iraq. Our own democratic party continued to hold France up as the epitomy of the ideals..the real democracy versus our slide towards supposed "fascism". France actively flew about the world campaigning against America's potential attack even threatening the New European democracies that were told if they really wanted to be a part of the European Union, they would stay in line with France. I guess this was France apparently demonstrating the real way of building alliances. Thankfully the courage of the leaders of these young democracies disregarded these not so subtle threats and provided immensely critical support to the effort even as a tip of the spear of the intial attack into Iraq.

Now after the fall of Iraq to the American forces we know why France was opposed to the war; corruption of the Food For Oil Program was paying individuals in the French governement, French companies and internationally to bribe and influence the decisions of those who were supposed to be watching the Iraqis. This failure provided billions of dollars in weapons to Saddam being manufacturesd and delivered months prior to the attack. Servicemen of our forces and allies have been assaulted with and some taken by the instruments that France provided to build Saddam up just before the war. Some of this equipment was night sights for RPGs, Roland 2/3 Anti-Aircraft missile and other rockets which have all been found. This isnt just sporadic amounts but stockpiles. The combined effort of France, Germany, Russia, and China provided up to 1,000,000 tons of items to the Iraqi's. You can venture a guess now as to why a "supposed" 300 tons of explosives raised in the election, in some circles didn't phase the more experienced in the arena. We can only hope that the "INTERNAL" investigation into the UN and those who participated helps make some necessary changes in these organizations.

But is this the end of their particpation, the end of their "Alliance Building", sadly NO. Now the French are pressuring the younger democracies of Europe to step up and raise THEIR taxes so that it will force the price of their goods to rise ...so that France's and the other SOCIALIST nations can better compete with their goods. It is a part of their program called "Tax harmonization". rather than lower their own taxes to allow more consumer money to flow into and stimulate their market, they wish to instead force others into raising their taxes. They wish to FORCE others to share the misery of languishing economies as these poor countries had suffered under communism; rather than working and stimulating the productivity of their own. I am not sure the government of France is not still controlled by the Jacobites of the original French Revolution or just plain marxists. In the end they remind me of a quote from Napoleonic Marshall Lefevre, "I have come to give you liberty and equality but don't lose your heads about it. For the first one of you who moves without my leave will be shot."

So who is really the bully, the US for encouraging alliances and delivering 50 million people from tyranny or those of the French who threatens free peoples with oppressions they thought they had left behind denying them opportunity for economic freedom or free thought, and supplied a tyrant for gain violating interantional sanctions?

Liberty and Equality INDEED! I think it is time to re-evaluate our "Alliance" and how we interact.. they may have earned an arms length "friendship".

Freemen or Slaves

Cicero wrote, “To Freemen, threats are impotent.”

In the 1970’s during the Nixon administration, we were faced with the might of the Soviet military forces at every corner. Our administration was determined to exit Vietnam and make concessions to the Soviets that would through repercussions allow the expansion of their domination of free peoples. These very concessions were made in private and were made to insure the continuance of the Nixon administration and ultimately that of the then Secretary of State, Henry Kissenger. These concessions would in effect guarantee that the soviets could export their ideology reinforced by military might by exporting not only equipment but also soldiers that they termed as “internationalists” to actively participate as they did in Angola. Our government betrayed the very ideals of democracy; treaties of our allies, and the oaths of our soldiers to be sacrificed for short term gain… which in the end considering Nixon’s demise….. to be short lived.

Even under the Carter administration, the surrender of initiative and of those who would want to be free continued. He fell into the communist’s traps of continued efforts to bring a co-existence through the use of treaties, failing to ensure fair and equitable terms while also failing to lock in securities for verification. This disparity became evident later proven by the sheer number of missiles and improved uranium that was discovered to be 45,000 missiles instead of the forecasted 30,000 and 1,200 tons of improved uranium versus the predicted 600 tons. Carter’s sellout didn’t stop with equipment. A family attempting to escape the Soviet Union was made to live in a small room that the marines guarding the American Embassy called the “dungeon”; while the Ambassador ordered them to not be allowed any embassy food. The American personnel acting against his wishes would instead go out and wait in Soviet food lines to buy these poor souls food. The Administration’s intent was to ensure that they did not offend the Soviets.

Ronald Reagan changed that approach. Rather than continue the strategy of appeasement and passivity, he raised the stakes. He had always believed that communism could not keep up with the desire of their people for freedom nor our free market even recorded in the Soviet’s own secret files. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, a Russian dissident in 1975 posed a thought that Reagan helped bring to fruition when he stated, “Yes, Yes, Of course we all know you cannot poke a stick through the walls of a concrete tower, but here’s something to think about; ..what if the walls are only a painted backdrop.” He demonstrated that despite threats, military maneuvering we would fight this on our terms and helped crush the Soviet Empire by not being swayed by fear, swayed by the threats of force by the Soviets.

Today, nations around the world face oppression again…staring into the face of the totalitarianism of extreme Islamic fundamentalism. They rule with fear and brutality. Brutalizing their own people with murders of honor killing and oppression of their women with denial of their ability to be educated or to vote. Brutalizing those that would bring their people out of the dirt by beheadings and killings of innocent people. Worse is the glorification and commission of the murder of thousands in the attack on the towers in New York City on 9/11 and the bombings in Spain.

Lessons throughout history to include dealings with Hitler, Stalin, and the Soviet Union, has demonstrated that dealing with such tyranny with anything less than strength and refusal to capitulate reduces nations of people to tyranny. This is reinforced by Lawrence’s writings from his experience with the Arab forces in WWII.

The right approach to this tyranny is the multilevel approach we are now engaged. We have exceeded all accomplishments in history by defeating religious zealots in Afghanistan bringing them democracy. We have freed a second nation that potentially poses more democratic pressure against the other non-democratic governments of the region. It also delivers from the terrorists the ability to hide, organize and eliminates free support in one more nation. We are seeing today evidence of other nations attempting appeasement while profiteering, nations surrendering the national will while still not receiving the peace they were proffered. Now, we have a video from Osama offering peace to the “States” that will vote as he wishes shall be free of his anger.

The choice is ultimately do we live as freemen…. facing and doing the things that we must to win this war...to defeat this tyranny…or do we surrender our freedoms to threats enslaving ourselves to the whims of fickle and ruthless masters. Spain has acquiesced yet the empty promise of the enemy has not stopped them from planning a new attack that was narrowly averted. Their claim of their “nation” is really a borderless state that can include a single person in another nation. Rules designed to standardize headwear in France is received as an attack on “their” nation of Islam.

We have seen tyranny before; to proactively attack it is a prudent resolution. As Cicero said, “To stumble twice against the same rock is a proverbial disgrace”. We cannot afford to always wait on the terrorist to strike but instead must carry the fight into his home and destroy his network. These are the times that when we strike that we must strike so that it rings clear that this type of activity isn’t rewarded and that there is no hope in it; while raising the newly freed with charity and support to stand on their own so they can have the true chance to fulfill their dreams. We cannot afford to stumble when the costs are related to terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and the freedoms of the world’s peoples. The nations we have freed are showing that the tyranny we face is a backdrop from which the oppressed hoped someone would penetrate, that is what we and our allies are doing. We are tearing that shroud of slavery and allowing the light of a new day to be seen. Let’s rise up as Freemen rather than cower as slaves against these terrorist's threats.