Saturday, August 12, 2006

Volume 25 - 'Ishmael and Isaac'

On January 1st, of this year, I posted Volume 16 - "The next Hitler and the 2006 Demonic Person of the Year" referring to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran. I state that "he undoubtedly will move with great speed and determination along the path of radical policies with continuing sponsorship of terrorism, and the drive to obtain and enact nuclear weapons."

I went on to state "is it not curious that religion, again, is used as the excuse to pillage and plunder? Race and color is not a factor, region of the world is not of importance, nor is the intellectual debate about the differentiation of the Christian, Hebrew or Islamic religions. Yet, it is religion as a structure, not the concept of spirituality,...that is the backdrop for murder, torture and mayhem."

Eight months later, we have 'Ishmael and Isaac' playing war games over the heads of innocent people. And, before my conservative friends gasp for air, I fully understand that the Hezbollah crossed over into Israel's territory, killed nine solders and captured two. I'm also fully aware of the UN's bill 1559 to disarm the terrorist Hezbollah (what a joke! Like the UN is actually going to do something constructive). And, everyone is fully aware that the government of Syria and the gangster president of Iran supports, the Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda and Hamas, as well as many other Muslim extremist/fascists groups bent on destroying any thriving economic society. Notice the words 'thriving economic society' versus using the word 'democratic' society, for it is economics that makes a country thrive, not its politics. It is education that makes economics thrive, to wit we have thousands of years of war in a region, a part of the world, certainly not known for intellectual thinkers or educational system.

In the twelfth century, at the close of the First Crusade (notice the word 'First', the Church has to love that...)the 'Holy Land is back in 'Christian' hands. The King of Jerusalem is not Muslim. The Crusaders after 'liberating' this part of the world take their plundered riches and go back to Europe. At that time, the Turks and the Muslims, who had lost much of their lands to the Christian armies, attack, robbed and kill, through gorilla warfare (you see their educational process of warfare started centuries ago) any pilgrims or foreigners to this land. With the exception that they used bows and arrows, large rocks, spears and fire, instead of missiles, rockets, grenades, and 'exploding people', the scene is the same.

For the simple sake of history, let's back this history up a couple thousand years prior to about 600 BC, or so, when the Chaldeans destroyed Solomon's temple, built around 950 BC. These invaders then took the Jews back to Babylon as slaves. 500 years later Herod (Arab origins) adopts Judaism, builds a new Temple in the Kidron Valley. Around 66 AD, after Herod's death, the Jews rebel and take control of Palestine. The Romans put an end to this uprise and take back control of Palestine. Hundreds of years later, a second Jewish rebellion with the same results, as the Romans vanquish this with superior world power. Six hundred years later with the rise of Islam, and the conquering of Jerusalem by the Arabs, the location is redefined by Mohammed's 'horse ascending to heaven'.

Enough of history, this should give one a pretty good idea of where this present 27 day war is headed; exactly NO WHERE. All the shuttle diplomacy, regardless of the country involved, and certainly not by the corrupt UN, will solve, in the 21st century, thousands of years of war. And, we haven't even mentioned the very modern scrimmages of 1967, 1973, and the early 80's, nor the constant civil war and hatred between the Shiite, and Shunni, regardless of what Mid-East region. Circumstances of war are terrible and tragic; but, there comes at time in history when countries, and people, must accept their responsibility, and be held accountable for their actions.

As much as I'm a believer in 'Globalization'; and as much of an optimist/positive thinker as I consider myself; there comes a time when we, the civilized world (normal acceptance of levels of crime aside), and in particular the United States, start to do those things necessary within our country, and with those countries that have mutual economic relationships (to be briefly discussed in the following paragraphs). It is also, about time, that we rethink our strategies when going to war (this is in no way an endorsement of 'pulling out' of Iraq, for those consequences involve an entire new subject and associated consequences). As already stated, circumstances of war are terrible and tragic, but if we, as a country have entered into those decisions, then we ought to engage the enemy to 'win' rather than be concerned about 'collateral damage' or 'image'. For example, Vietnam was never a war that this country had the stomach to win. Tens of thousands of young men died for a war entered by the government, with a phony 'domino' communistic scare tactic, but not 'stomached' by the government. More recently, in Iraq, and specifically in the first taking of the city of Falluja. There was no strategy to do what was necessary after the decision was made to 'take it' and now, we fight for the 'cameras', rather than the accomplishment, expending our soldiers lives rather than doing something right the first time.

With regards to the war in Iraq, and the recent incidents involving brave American soldiers ambushed, and taken hostage, murdered, tortured and butchered in the most horrendous way imaginable, where is the outrage for this brutality? Where is the protest about their human rights having been violated? Where is the ACLU? Where is the International community? Where is the media? Shouldn't there be a calling for the heads of those responsible? Instead of talk about withdraw, constant whining about human rights of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, we should let out all the stops, use whatever method necessary to eliminate these thugs. It's either time that we wipe off the face of the earth these Islamic militants, that have twisted their religion to allow the murder of innocent men, women and children, or we retreat, and allow the middle east to solve their own problems that have been unresolved since before Christ.

And finally, we must start doing those things necessary within this country for those United States citizens that must be 'accounted for', such as providing health care for the millions that go unprotected, yet are capable of so much accomplishment. Sounds very 'liberal', doesn't it? It may well be, but it doesn't lessen the needs of productive citizens, young and old, that if provided health care, their deeds of accomplishment would far outway any cost.

Sometimes these 'necessary things' are not 'things' at all, but an attitude. For example, five million of our older Americans have not signed up yet for their Medicare, Part D, drug plan. In many cases, the reasons are very simple, they are old, tired and confused. And, we, I'm told are not going to grant them an extension! But 'we' have fifteen million illegal aliens in this country, which we allow to stay, protest, procreate, receive support monies, attend schools, and demand services. What happen to legal immigration, the history of Ellis Island, working for a living, and respect for the law of this country (Volume 21 - Immigration).

As a country that relies on foreign oil, we started our crying in the 70's, then in the 80's, and now in 2006, we whine like spoiled children but don't have the resolve to solve the problem. Our politicians speak political double-speak, we open research again and again on solar energy, coal, corn, trees and any material that will push our SUVs down the road. But are we serious? If the futures market significantly lowered the price of a barrel tomorrow, all the alternative fuels would, and will again, take their rightful place 'on the shelf' until the next crisis. Too bad, for not only are there 'crazies' in the Middle East, but South America is rapidly developing into swarm of lunatics with no love of our country, and, unfortunately they control a significant amount of oil. Serious crisis is pending.

As one of my favorite authors, Patricia Cornwell, writes in 'Blow Fly', "...that the best way to identify a cottonmouth is to poke at it. If the inside of its mouth is white, whack off its head. Otherwise, the critter's nothing more than a harmless water snake."

No comments: