http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/clinton-thanks-oman-for-help-with-hikers-urges-pressure-on-iran/2011/10/19/gIQAoo9RxL_story.html
^^^ Linked
Recently the Afghan government has been attempting to come to some sort of cease fire with the Taliban, the former ruling party and seminal insurgent group. We have been fighting the elusive Taliban for 10 years now, and they show few signs of relenting.
So, basically, Hillary's off to Afghanistan to see if she can patch up the reconciliation process between the Afghan Government and the Taliban. Things haven't been going too well lately, what with the Taliban attacking during negotiations and, y'know, terrorist stuff. The US has been trying to work out a deal with the Taliban too, but on the DL, and Karzai ain't happy- so they're sort of combining the two talks.
On a separate note we're now trying to put more pressure on Iran for it's unusually freakin' stupid actions as of recent. Interestingly we seem to be having a modicum of success.
Personally I think that the negotiations should go ahead with the Taliban, but we better watch the suckers like a hawk. They'll strike from out of nowhere if they get the chance. We also need to accept the reality that we could very well be shooting ourselves in the feet and prepping Afghanistan for another Taliban takeover. In any case I'll be glad when we get our troops out of that hellhole- the sooner the better.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Obama's Report Card
Looks like he'll be juuuust scraping by on AB honor roll this time around.
Health Care: B-. In my opinion he could've fought harder against the GOP on this one, and as a result of his compromising we got a mildly disappointing result. I'm all for compromise but he should've stood his ground. But hey. It passed, right?
Economy: B-. Again, failing to take a hard stand against the GOP on taxes costs him a half a letter grade here. All things considered, we're not in another great depression (knock on wood) so on the whole he did do his part to keep this ship of fools afloat.
War On Terror: A. mostly-successful Iraq drawdown? Check. Osama dead? Check. America Safe for now (as far as is evident))? Check. No more terror attacks on American soil? Check. He earned this one.
Re-Election Bid: B. He hasn't really turned into dynamic campaign Barry (with chopping action and kung-fu grip!) but he sure has raised a lot (A LOT) of money already. The full verdict on this one will have to wait.
Health Care: B-. In my opinion he could've fought harder against the GOP on this one, and as a result of his compromising we got a mildly disappointing result. I'm all for compromise but he should've stood his ground. But hey. It passed, right?
Economy: B-. Again, failing to take a hard stand against the GOP on taxes costs him a half a letter grade here. All things considered, we're not in another great depression (knock on wood) so on the whole he did do his part to keep this ship of fools afloat.
War On Terror: A. mostly-successful Iraq drawdown? Check. Osama dead? Check. America Safe for now (as far as is evident))? Check. No more terror attacks on American soil? Check. He earned this one.
Re-Election Bid: B. He hasn't really turned into dynamic campaign Barry (with chopping action and kung-fu grip!) but he sure has raised a lot (A LOT) of money already. The full verdict on this one will have to wait.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Something that interests me
The first thing I go to look at when I check the news is anyhting involving budget cuts or reorganization in the Pentagon. I grew up in a military household, and i'm very interested in the power play between the Pentagon and Congress. Though I'm a big proponent of maintaining a powerful military, I also think that the bureaucracy needs to be drastically trimmed down to optimize the armed forces for the types of conflict we are facing today.
The funding question has always interested me, as it is one of the few platforms that are not quite totally predictable between the parties. Even now there is a growing faction of Republicans who support a decrease in defense spending. I like watching the opposing parties argue their positions, as it's always interesting to see how they've changed since the LAST time they had this argument.
The funding question has always interested me, as it is one of the few platforms that are not quite totally predictable between the parties. Even now there is a growing faction of Republicans who support a decrease in defense spending. I like watching the opposing parties argue their positions, as it's always interesting to see how they've changed since the LAST time they had this argument.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Current Event Numero 2
President Obama has announced the depoyment of 100 U.S. Troops to Uganda to help local forces in the tracking down and "removal from the battlefield" of Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony. The LRA is notorious for its use of child soldiers, rape, mass murder, and mutilation on a wide scale to weaken the Ugandan government in the aim of taking power. Kony claims he is a prophet from God and that he wishes to establish a "christian democracy" in Uganda, governed by the ten commandments.
After 9/11 the LRA was declared to be a terrorist organization; America has been keeping an eye on Kony. Obama has deemed that now is the time to act, and- following legislation passing through congress- he has ordered the force to Uganda.
Obama states that the American troops will be serving mostly in an advisory role.
I, personally, suspect that our troops will be more than "advising" the local troops. Believe me, I'm all for taking the bastard down, but I also advise caution. The LRA is extremely competent in jungle fighting; they massacred an American-trained Guatemalan SF unit back a few years ago- a unit equipped with the latest equipment. I have faith that our soldiers can bring about the downfall of the LRA, however; he's created a cult of personality, and they tend to go down hard when their leader has his heartbeat canceled.
After 9/11 the LRA was declared to be a terrorist organization; America has been keeping an eye on Kony. Obama has deemed that now is the time to act, and- following legislation passing through congress- he has ordered the force to Uganda.
Obama states that the American troops will be serving mostly in an advisory role.
I, personally, suspect that our troops will be more than "advising" the local troops. Believe me, I'm all for taking the bastard down, but I also advise caution. The LRA is extremely competent in jungle fighting; they massacred an American-trained Guatemalan SF unit back a few years ago- a unit equipped with the latest equipment. I have faith that our soldiers can bring about the downfall of the LRA, however; he's created a cult of personality, and they tend to go down hard when their leader has his heartbeat canceled.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Hey Boss Stroud?
Blogger won't let me comment on other peoples' posts. Every time i try to comment it bounces me to a sign-in site, which bounces me back to my blogger site. Which then pops me back to the article I was commenting on. Without my comment. And then I try to comment again and it just keeps going in some sort of evil psychotic merry go round and i'm so scared.
News Event-10/2/11
So just let me link this article, for starters.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20113937-503544.html
For those who wish to read my condensed account, here we go:
Michele Bachmann (for all of you fortunate readers who haven't heard) is running as the Tea Party's contender for the 2012 GOP nomination. The Tea Party is a far- right conservative movement that has gaine (and lost) some large amount of steam in American politics.
Bachmann has gone on record saying that
- Arab spring is bad.
- Arab Spring is like the Iranian Revolution.
-Obama is at fault for weakening our power abroad
I have no idea what sort of angle Bachmann is playing on this one. She has proved in the past to be totally unpredictable and this is another manifestation of that. This is probably her way of assaulting Obama's foreign policy in respect to the middle east, though with this andidate and party it's hard to be sure.
On a more... editorial note, I gotta ask: What the Jesus are they thinking? Arab Spring is a democracy movement, or a combination of several! Arab Spring is one of our greatest victories in the middle east, and all it cost us was one fighter jet and a couple dozen bombs and missiles on Libya. Bachmann's actually going out of her way to support the brutal, autocratic leaders that are being replaced. God help us all if this harridan (good word) gains the White House; I have a feeling we're going to need it.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20113937-503544.html
For those who wish to read my condensed account, here we go:
Michele Bachmann (for all of you fortunate readers who haven't heard) is running as the Tea Party's contender for the 2012 GOP nomination. The Tea Party is a far- right conservative movement that has gaine (and lost) some large amount of steam in American politics.
Bachmann has gone on record saying that
- Arab spring is bad.
- Arab Spring is like the Iranian Revolution.
-Obama is at fault for weakening our power abroad
I have no idea what sort of angle Bachmann is playing on this one. She has proved in the past to be totally unpredictable and this is another manifestation of that. This is probably her way of assaulting Obama's foreign policy in respect to the middle east, though with this andidate and party it's hard to be sure.
On a more... editorial note, I gotta ask: What the Jesus are they thinking? Arab Spring is a democracy movement, or a combination of several! Arab Spring is one of our greatest victories in the middle east, and all it cost us was one fighter jet and a couple dozen bombs and missiles on Libya. Bachmann's actually going out of her way to support the brutal, autocratic leaders that are being replaced. God help us all if this harridan (good word) gains the White House; I have a feeling we're going to need it.
Question Of The Week: Episode 1
Like a growing number of youth my age, I do not align myself with one particular party or ideology; my personal views are a bit of a... hodgepodge? Blend? mix? Something like that, you get me. What I'm trying to say, really, is that this question of the week is irrelevant to me. In the interest of keeping on the good side of our brave leader, Kommandant Stroud, I'll lay my ideas out. Or something. God, what a dumb assignment.
All of the alignment tests I took put me slightly left of center. I'm a fiscal liberal in most categories; I'm reall big- especially- on raising taxes on the rich. I'm talking people up over the $200,000 mark salary-wise. History tells us that bad things (VERY bad things) tens to happen when the poor and the middle class have to hold up the financial stability of the nation while the rich are required to do nothing. I mean, the very concept is unsound; the financial burden of the nation's well-being should not rely on the taxes of the people who make up both the clear majority and the demographic that's most employment-unstable. Otherwise? Socializing healthare won't work- America's private healthcare system is too entrenched; we would've had to have gotten started about twenty years ago for it to have worked.We need to maintain the current controls on industry and business, yet minimize our interaction with commerce to allow trade to expand itself.
Ideologically I'm all over the damn place. I'm in favor of gun control (which is probably surprising to those of you that know me) but against all automatic weapons/ handgun/ firearm bans. I'm pro-choice- but only in the first trimester. I'm staunchly (love that word) pro-military: I believe that our superpower status requires us to ensure that our military is the most advanced and powerful in the world, especially with China ascendant. I'm in favor of gay marriage, too. So yeah.
Pretty moderate.
All of the alignment tests I took put me slightly left of center. I'm a fiscal liberal in most categories; I'm reall big- especially- on raising taxes on the rich. I'm talking people up over the $200,000 mark salary-wise. History tells us that bad things (VERY bad things) tens to happen when the poor and the middle class have to hold up the financial stability of the nation while the rich are required to do nothing. I mean, the very concept is unsound; the financial burden of the nation's well-being should not rely on the taxes of the people who make up both the clear majority and the demographic that's most employment-unstable. Otherwise? Socializing healthare won't work- America's private healthcare system is too entrenched; we would've had to have gotten started about twenty years ago for it to have worked.We need to maintain the current controls on industry and business, yet minimize our interaction with commerce to allow trade to expand itself.
Ideologically I'm all over the damn place. I'm in favor of gun control (which is probably surprising to those of you that know me) but against all automatic weapons/ handgun/ firearm bans. I'm pro-choice- but only in the first trimester. I'm staunchly (love that word) pro-military: I believe that our superpower status requires us to ensure that our military is the most advanced and powerful in the world, especially with China ascendant. I'm in favor of gay marriage, too. So yeah.
Pretty moderate.
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