Like Ancient Nimrud--Are We Consigned for Rubble Too?

As just about everyone knows, I love history, especially ancient history. In fact, I consider myself a amateur historian. Ancient history tells us so much about ourselves; our origins; what motivated us; how we adapted and survived. It reminds us of our greatness and our weakness. In history too we see great leaps of knowledge, from reading and writing, to the use of the wheel and development of chariots, ways to harness nature such as improved ways to farm or animal husbandry. When reading about an ancient culture, I occasionally wonder who was the first person to come up with some unique idea? Was he a leader or perhaps a warrior? Perhaps some outcast or misfit? Maybe it was a woman who came up with the idea. Certainly they had more "free time" while the guys were out hunting or warring. What provoked the idea? Was it a survival need which had to be met or was it while relaxing and laying around daydreaming? Was it some group brainstorming? Maybe it was something like today. The guy get home after a week to two on the road pillaging and plundering, and the wife says "hey we have to find a way to do this or fix that, here's what I came up with" and the man goes off to tinker with it. He gets some of his pals over for a few beers and between them, they come up with a solution. Maybe it's true that nothing really ever changes.

I think that if I had it to do all over again, I would have been an archeologist, focusing on my two favorite historical epochs,

Mycenaean Greece (think Trojan War and the legendary epics of the "Heroes" like Jason, Achilles, Odysseus and Hercules) and the corresponding early Biblical period (think Moses and the Exodus up to the split between Judah and Israel). Most historians will tell you these people or events were real, at least partially real. Every myth contains at least a kernel of truth to it. But history, especially ancient history tells us something else. It tells us who we are. It is a reflection of our collective souls. That's why it really bothered me when I recently read about ISIS destroying some ancient sites and museum pieces recently. I couldn't help but think about what all those places and things had witnessed down through the centuries; what they had endured; the people and events which passed by them, only to be erased from history by a bunch of religious psychopaths.

One of the places destroyed was the ancient city of Nimrud, named after the mythical hunter and king, Nimrod and located about 20 miles outside of modern Mosul. According to legend, Nimrod built the foundations of the city. The city was enlarged by the historical king Shalaneeser 1 (1274 BCE - 1245 BCE) during the Middle Assyrian Empire. It was to remain the capital and royal residence of the Assyrian Empire until around 700 BCE when the Assyrian capital was moved to Nineveh. Nevertheless, it remained a principal city for several more centuries. The ancient Israelites, Greeks, Romans, and many others wrote about Nimrud. The site contained some of the best known statutes and other Near Eastern artifacts, with many ending up (thankfully) in the most exclusive museums in the world. Today, it's a thriving city and the region is, or rather, was the home of many of Iraq's Christians.

On March 5th, the terrorist group ISIS blew several locations at Nimrud, and then bulldozed the rest. Among the sites also destroyed was the Mosque and burial site of Jonah (as in the whale), Mosque of the Prophet Seth, and the Mosque of the Prophet Jirjis, located in Mosul along with thousands of ancient manuscripts and rare one-of-a-kind books. Earlier, in February, ISIS attacked a museum in Mosul, and using sledgehammers, destroyed even more ancient artifacts belonging to the Akkadian Kingdom, the first known kingdom in the world along with other ancient Assyrian, Babylonian, and Hellenists artifacts. ISIS also announced that it would destroy the famed gates of Nineveh. Meanwhile ISIS went on to destroy the ancient Parthian city of Hatra.

Hatra is located about 180 miles northwest of Baghdad and about 68 miles southwest of Mosul. Most people would recognize some of the monuments of Hatra from the opening scenes from the 1973 movie "The Exorcist", however, its ancient structures can be seen in just about any decent book about the Near East. The city itself was founded around the latter half of the second century BCE by one of Alexander the Great's generals, Seleucis 1 Nicator, founder of the Seleucid Dynasty. It was later capture by the Parthians around the 1st Century ACE, where it became one of the great cities of antiquity, known as an important religious and trading center. The city withstood countless assaults down through the ages, including those by the Roman generals Trajan and Septimius Severus. In time, Hatra became known as the "Alexandra of the East" for its peaceful infusion of regional cultures and religions.

I wonder if it was this reputation, as ancient as it might be, for tolerance that lay at the core for ISIS destroying it. Nimrud

too became a city known for its infusion of cultures and religions. Perhaps there's something to that after all since tolerance is not a word to be found in their lexicon. However, I think it's best to hear what ISIS itself said about the destruction of all these site. They claim that their Prophet Mohammed order the destruction of all "idols", and that includes all places where they are to be found they say. One has to wonder if they gave any consideration to the fact that other Moslem figures, and those much closer in both time and relationship to Mohammed, visited many of these very same places and did nothing. In 2001, members of the Taliban destroyed two of the oldest and tallest statutes of Buddha. Not reported by the corporate media was the destruction of Hindu and Buddhists statutes and sites in the Maldives in 2012 by Moslem extremists. In October of the same year, 19 Buddhist temples were vandalized by Moslem mobs in Bangladesh not to the mention terror attack on Mumbai in 2008.

In June 2014, a Moslem Saudi student, visiting Japan vandalized a Buddhist Temple and destroyed many of its statutes. Dozens of Hindu temples and shops have been attacked and burned in recent years as well. From 2007 until recently, dozens of Christian religious sites have been looted, burned, and destroyed, with the promise that "all non-Moslem sites and idols will be destroyed". None of this includes the thousands of Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, and others who have been murdered, robbed, raped, and kidnapped and forced to convert and then sold into slavery---yes slavery. Some girls, as young as nine, have been reportedly kidnapped and forced into so-called "marriages" with men as old as 60. Most end up dead or worse.

Let's not forget the promise of ISIS to do the same to the Vatican and eventually all churches and temples, or for that matter, even the White House. You may think they are just mouthing off, but recent history has shown that not to be true. They mean what they say. This brings me to another interesting point---where is the outcry from liberals in the US or anywhere else? After all, these extremists do not tolerate 'free thinkers", no "free speech", or smoking---of anything, nor do they accept booze, drugs, no going out alone...especially with guys, and no way will there be sex before marriage. Gay? Bi? Transgendered? How do you feel about being roasted alive on a stake or crucified? That's the punishment for not being strictly hetero. And women, you will be covered head to toe. No shorts, crop tops, no going topless and certainly, no bikinis! Think of how your movies, TV shows, sports, video games, and basically, your entire life will be fundamentally changed. Hell, no sausage, pork chops, hotdogs or bacon! If anyone should be at the forefront it is the liberals. If they think they're going to somehow be exempt, they may just get their heads handed to them...literally. And while I'm at it, where are voices and actions of those Moslems who condemn this perversion of their religion in private; in hush whispers? Are they afraid to act? If so, then who will save them because sooner or later, they will come for them too.

So, here's the rub everyone. ISIS has demonstrated its intent to deny the people of Syria, Iraq, and we might as well say the entire Near East, Africa, and Asia and eventually the West, their past as well as their future. By destroying their history, which in a way is also our history, it is attempting to cast civilization adrift; to alienate humanity from itself. They have promised us the same destruction they have imposed on others. All we have to do is nothing. Set back. Be silent. Practice a little "political correctness". Argue about whether they "really mean it" while they load their rifles, build their bombs, and prepare their suicide vests. I'm not saying Islam is evil. True Islam is not. It's a very peaceful religion, but what we're seeing is not Islam as it was intended to be. We're seeing a perverted version of it being allowed to run amuck. It destroys to gain attention and inspire fear for fear engenders obedience. It is purposefully threatening the World and each one of us individually. It is demanding Armageddon-- Ragnarok--because it loves death more than life. Tolerance is what it fears. Freedom in all its forms is what it hates. Strength of Will is to it what light is to cockroaches. So, what's it going to be folks? Forget about Washington. It's is hopelessly broken. What can we do as a united People--as Americans?



ISIS Has 'Bulldozed' Ancient Nimrud Archeological Site
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/iraq-says-isis-bulldozed-ancient-site-near-mosul-n318266

ISIS Militants Destroy Iraq's Ancient Hatra City
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/07/isis-destroy-hatra_n_6822106.html

ISIS militants destroy ancient statutes, relics in Iraq
http://rt.com/news/235859-isis-video-destroy-statues/

35 Invaluable Hindu and Buddhists Statutes Destroyed in Maldives
http://www.chakranews.com/invaluable-hindu-amd-buddhist-statues-destroyed-in-maldives-by-extremist-islamic-group/2224

Japan: Muslim Saudi university student vandalizes, destroys ancient Buddhist statutes
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/06/japan-muslim-saudi-university-student-vandalizes-destroys-ancient-buddhist-statues

Obama's State of the Union Address

Did you watch Obama's State of the Union? I didn't. To be honest, I just couldn't bring myself to set there a listen to an hour long love fest between Obama and the Democratic members of Congress while the Republicans sat there and groused. And, of course, while you're watching Obama talk about his plans, not America's, you have to watch lap dog Joe Biden sitting there in the background with that goofy look on his face like he's waiting for a treat, and then there's Boehner. He always looks like he's trying to sneak out for a smoke. And in full disclosure, I didn't watch the Republican response which was delivered by rookie Senator Joni Ernst R-IA (as someone who worked on a farm castrating pigs and now Junior Senator, I think she's qualified to be the next President). From what I did hear, however, was well delivered and unlike Obama's speech, mercifully short and straightforward. If only they all could be.

Nevertheless, I did spend some time today reading reviews of the speech by liberal and conservative commentators. I figured it must have been interesting when the first article (from a liberal leaning news site) started out with "fact checking" Obama's speech. All I could think was "wow, he must have told some whoppers". Still, from what I read and the snippets of video I saw, it appears that Obama did take liberties with the truth; taking credit for things that either simply haven't happened (like jobs or the war on terrorism) to outright lies (Obamacare, tax rescue for the Working Class and those who formerly made up the Middle Class). He seems to have forgotten all about overturning Citizens United which gave corporations the same (and more) rights of flesh and blood human beings, or Benghazi, or securing our national borders, or efforts to destroy the net neutrality of the internet, or the increasing spying on US Citizens by various government agencies.

Obama did, however, cover topics like providing two years of community college "free" while not covering how the former Middle Class will shoulder this extra burden. He mentioned tax reform and helping the poor (always great topics in my book), but failed to explain how this would be accomplished while not ticking off the mega rich donors and the corporate oligarchs who now rule America. That should prove interesting. He touched on terrorism but without naming the culprits so to speak. He's repeatedly promised "no boots on the ground" while at the same time trying to find ways to do just that in Syria (Assad isn't exactly a "good guy" but as Middle Eastern dictators go, he's not all that bad). He failed to explain why ISSI or Boko Haram are still functioning (the former a creation of the US, which, like Al Qaeda, has become our "Frankenstein's Monster"). He didn't address our new status as the number two economic power in the world behind China, which happened in December. Not a peep about our declining academic rankings, crumbling infrastructure, or our falling quality of life and the purchasing power of the dollar.

President Obama also didn't address foreign policy. That may be because to most world leaders he's kind of a joke. Most of the major international leaders don't take him seriously anymore. He's proven long on rhetoric and short on follow through. In the world of the never-ending crisis that is foreign policy, credibility is everything, and sadly for the US, Obama has very little while that of Russia's Putin continues to grow. Obama has claimed in a few instances to speak for the American People when, in fact, polls show that he was at odds with opinions of most Americans. Just recently, the Obama Regime failed to send a representative to Paris in show solidarity with the French People following the murders at a French magazine, a police officer, and Jewish citizens by Moslem cowards-sum-terrorists.

Pretty much every European country, including Russia, had someone there---mostly their presidents. America? Nope. Nada. Nix. In Obama's defense, Secretary of State John Kerry did, however, ask folk rocker James Taylor sing a song to the French People a few days later. Seriously. To our French readers, we are terribly sorry; sorry for the pain you endured at the hands of those who do not speak for or represent Islam, and we're sorry for a American political regime which does not represent the American People. We value our long history of friendship and cooperation. Please know that the American People stand, not behind you, but beside you.

Finally, I would like add just a few more thoughts about Obama and his State of the Union address. Just a few months ago, the American People gave the Democrats a thumping at the ballot box. The thumping was not inductive of a sudden change of heart in support of the GOP. Hardly. The Republican Party is still viewed slightly above used car salesmen and bill collectors. The American People are overwhelmingly registered as Independents, followed by Democrat, and lastly, as Republican. The recent election results reflected America's disapproval with the failed policies of Obama, and those of his party. This results were more "anti" Obama Regime and less "pro" Grand Old Party. The American People will vote the newly ensconced Republicans out just as fast.

Americans are beyond sick and tired of being sick and tired with both parties and with politics as usual. The fact that Obama, Congress, and the Supreme Court haven't been tarred and feathered and run out on a rail is a testimony to the fortitude of the America People and the fact due to our crumbling infrastructure, there is no rail service to Hell currently running right now.
Obama's tenure as the worse American President thus far is coming to a close, amid the worse performances recently by Congress and completely moronic decisions by the Supreme Court. It will soon be up to us--not them---to write their legacy. Frankly, I have a feeling that Herbert Hoover and Warren G Harding will soon have company. As for us, America can do better; we must do better. We have no choice. Yes, the system bequeath to us by our Founding Fathers is gone. We are no longer the democratic republic they left to us. We are an oligarchy, controlled by the elite rich---the 1%-- and their corporations. But together, we can reclaim our country once more, but time is quickly running out.

Israel vs. Gaza: Where Do You Stand?

You know, I am seriously having trouble wrapping my head around all the anti-Israeli sentiment I'm seeing and hearing through the corporate media, and even to some extent in the blogosphere. I know I shouldn't expect much; certainly nothing approaching a pro-Israel message, but some...hell... most of these articles and TV programs are downright hostile to Israel. They claim that somehow the mess in Gaza is all Israel's fault. There was a time, not all that long ago really, where we stood shoulder to shoulder with Israel. What happened? Why have we turned against our best and most trusted ally--the only democratic nation in the Middle East? I think I know the answer and I would like to share my thoughts with you.

As I'm sure most of you know (or should know), the State of Israel was born out of the holocaust and horrors of World War II. I guess in a way, one could thank Hitler and the Nazis for acting as the mid-wife to the birth of Israel. Europe itself had for centuries a love/hate relationship with the Jews---they loved to hate them--unless, of course, the Jews were of some immediate use. In the years leading up to the election of Hitler to Chancellor in 1933, the anti-Semitic rhetoric was rampant, and not just in Germany, but throughout all of Europe. So, when the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP or "Nazi" for short) began their rise to power, no one was particularly bothered by the anti-Jewish speeches. In fact (and in retrospect, a little hard to believe), but the Nazis weren't even the most virulent of the anti-Jewish parties either in or out of Germany!

Nevertheless, the Nazis were elected to power and proved true to their word and murdered some 6 million Jews plus millions of Gypsies, gays, pacifists, and of course, political opponents (as an aside, in terms of population percentages, Gypsies lost a higher percentage of their population than any other group, including the Jews). Even after war, the Jews were still treated almost callously by the allied powers. However, thanks to the Belfour Declaration and the passing of the UN's Resolution 181, the British, who controlled Palestine and large areas throughout the Levant including Egypt, turned over territory for the creation of a state for the Jews---Israel. After decades of political backsliding, not to mention some not so subtle raids by Arabs on Jewish farming settlements, Israel came into being on May 14, 1948. Almost immediately, Israel was invaded by five Arab powers plus contingents from over a dozen other Moslem nations. Israel, using mostly surplus German weapons (oh the irony) bought on the black market, defeated the Arab coalition. These same Arab nations repeatedly attacked Israel---1956, 1967, 1973, and on into today. In addition there have been numerous terrorists groups like PLO and Black September, that hijacked planes, attacked the Munich Olympics, and murdered hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Each time, Israel acquired large amounts of Arab territory. Each time, Israel was willing to return it in exchange for peace. However, it seems that peace only begets time to prepare for more war.

Throughout almost all of this, America had Israel's back. Some would cite the so-called "Jewish Lobby" in Washington. To be sure, that may be true; they are perhaps the second most powerful political lobby behind the NRA, but who can blame them? They're interest is the continuing support of Israel, a tiny nation of around 6 million, surrounding the tens of millions of Arabs whose sole agenda is to drive the Israelis into the Mediterranean Sea to drown. Historically, the Arabs have been armed and supplied by the Soviets, Chinese, and North Koreans. Israel has had some support from a few other nations, and lukewarm backing from Europe, but their key supporter--the one they literally couldn't survive without---the United States. But, now something has happened, and it seems at least to me to go beyond the mere question of US support for Israel.

In recent years, America has lost its way. We are no longer the democratic republic with its Constitution our forefathers had bequeath to us. We have lost that America. Today, we are an oligarchy. Officially. The government (notice I didn't say "our") represents the top 1%; the global corporate interests. We are on the fast slippery track toward fascism and a police state. Somewhere along that slippery slope to serfdom, we simply stopped caring. We stopped caring about our allies, and we stopped caring about ourselves as a nation. That's not to say we don't feel apathy. We do. We're still the most giving nation ever. But we stopped caring about our freedoms. We stopped caring about what kind of government we had. We stopped caring about the character of those we elected to office. maybe we got preoccupied with so-called "reality" shows, video games and other distractions. It didn't matter we told ourselves, after all, "they're all corrupt". And now, it really doesn't matter. Government moved from petty larceny to the arrogance of a plutocracy. We now have the political class we were warned about which is all but isolated from the People thanks, in part, to gerrymandering, a rigged election process, and the Supreme Court errors of McCutcheons and Citizens United.

Through all this, we've also come to blame the victim. We are more concerned about what happens to the individuals who commits the crimes than to the victims or their families. We want to vilify those who take a stand or fight back. We've come to embrace Hollywood's "values" that has "wussyfied" the US male while celebrating the limousine liberal who doesn't have to live with the reality they espouse. We shout down those who disagree with us rather than to listen with an open mind. We demonize all those who don't share our opinion. People who raise questions are labeled "racist" or "haters". And this same sort of distorted rationality is being applied to Israel's actions in Gaza.

It was Hamas, a bona fide terrorist organization, which is part of Gaza's Unity Government, whose Preamble calls for the destruction of Israel, who instigated this. They were the ones who first (and indiscriminately) began shelling Israel. They were the ones who dug tunnels into Israel in order to murdered or kidnap Israelis. They were the ones who routinely attacked, stabbed, or threw rocks at innocent passersbyers. And they did this year after year. Israel pleaded with the Unity Government to stop. They pleaded with the UN. They asked the international community to intervene. But no one responded. Even President Obama turned his back on Israel's pleas. In fact, Obama has shown himself to be weak in the face of Islam, including groups like Hamas. He has allowed them, especially the most extreme, to believe they can act with impunity. As a result, churches throughout the region are decimated. Historical artifacts are destroyed. Christians are attacked or murdered--mostly beheaded---while children are ripped from their parent's arms and forcibly made to convert, and then sold into slavery or married off as young as 9 years old. Residents are burned out of their homes and communities. Even now, Christians and other non-Moslems in some areas have been ordered to covert immediately and pay a special tax or die. Even moderate Moslems aren't immune. They are often beaten or even crucified--yes, nailed to cross or other structure. Hindus and Buddhists have faced the very same terrors. So has the Taoists. So has the Shamanists. We mistakenly think that we are somehow safe. Israel, however, can not afford that kind of illusion.

So, Israel did what it had to do. It fought back as a last resort. But, it did so in way which I believe is unique in the annals of war. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) called every person in the Gaza phone directory and warned them to leave days before. They sent notices to every resident of Gaza; it allowed them time to buy food, medicines, to store water, and seek shelter; they sent commando units into Gaza and posted warning notices. When Israel attacked, they again alerted the residents. They sent over phosphorous warning shots and waited before actually shelling a building. Did the Germans warn the Poles or French first? Did the Russians warn the Latvians or Germans or for that matter, anyone in Eastern Europe first? Did North Korea warn South Korea? Did the US warn the Vietnamese?

Israel, the victim, has shown an amazing commitment to humanity in fighting an enemy who has repeatedly refused to stop sending missiles over; who has repeatedly refused a cease fire; and who has continually used schools, hospitals, Mosques, and ordinary homes as launching sites for it missiles knowing full well that Israel will hit back. Whenever residents sought to leave, they are forced back in at gunpoint by Hamas. They have chosen to hide behind their own people; to make them victims too in order to use their dead bodies as a gruesome propaganda tool; a tool the weak minded have chosen to embrace...both in the Middle East and in the West. Again, as in America, the victim has been condemned as the guilty while the criminal has been allowed to escaped punishment. So much for our new inverted idea of justice.

Yes, innocent people have been wounded and some have died. That is the nature of war. It's not a pillow fight. But it's even worse when your own side has already declared you a victim for its own propaganda purposes. You just haven't been told were to lay down at yet. To end the deaths and the conflict, the people of Gaza need to stop Hamas. It cannot operate without their support, either openly or by their silence. America too is no longer the country we once knew and cherished. The light of freedom has grown dim as "We the People" have chosen to do nothing.

Your silence, like in Gaza, is your consent. Israel knows that most of the American People still have their back, even if the government in Washington doesn't. America has always been willing to stand up and fight for what's right...until recently that is. Evil, in whatever its forms or wherever it lives, must be confronted. It must be fought with whatever weapons we have at our disposal. It cannot be ignored. It cannot be reasoned with. It cannot be negotiated with. So I again ask you, what are you prepared to do?



List of Wars Involving Israel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Israel

ISIS Detroys Jonah's Tomb
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/25/isis-jonah-tomb_n_5620520.html

Heads on sticks: ISIS video shows 50 beheaded Syrian soldiers
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2707322/Heads-sticks-Sick-ISIS-video-emerges-showing-50-beheaded-Syrian-soldiers-impaled-poles-held-aloft-Raqqa-city.html

After 2000 Years Last Christian Is Forced To Leave Mosul
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/07/20/After-2-000-Years-the-Last-Christian-is-Forced-to-Leave-Mosul

The New Crisis in Iraq

In what can only be described in terms of Vietnam, thousands of US trained, financed, and equipped Iraqi soldiers tucked tail and ran in face of the onslaught of "The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISSI). Those of us old enough to have fought in Vietnam, or at least remember the unwhitewashed version of events will recall how, after announcing the gradual withdrawal of US combat troops from Vietnam, the US military undertook what was called the "Vietnamization" of the South Vietnamese troops ("ARVN"), starting with the development of a core of group leadership within the South Vietnamese military, followed by upgrading of equipment, which included weapons, tanks, artillery, helicopters, and training of regular soldiers. However, as North Vietnamese regulars ("NVA") and Viet Cong, the guerrilla irregular forces also known as the "NLF", advanced, the South Vietnamese military crumbed and fled; throwing away weapons and uniforms along the way. Not much different here.

The ISSI is an extremist Sunni Moslem guerrilla force with a history of fighting in Syria's long and bloody civil war, which makes them battle hardened. It's goal is to create a strictly interrupted Sunni oriented Islamic state. What sets them apart from other Islamic groups, including Al Qaeda, is their brutality; so much so that even Al Qaeda (which is also Sunni) has disavowed them and Iran, which is predominately Shiite, may intervene. When Al Qaeda and Iran are nervous, that's worth noting. With Obama's announcement of a US withdrawal timetable from Iraq, a tactical mistake, groups are rushing in to fill the void in light of a highly unstable, untested, and corrupt government (much like Afghanistan). You will recall that the US trained Iraqi (and Afghani) soldiers have proved to be unreliable, especially in light of their sudden attacks on fellow US soldiers, much like the Viet Cong did after infiltrating the South Vietnamese military (in both cases, usually reported by the corporate media as "friendly fire").

In quick succession, the ISSI has overrun towns and cities that took months for US forces to bring under control, not including the hundreds if not thousands of US and Coalition troops wounded, maimed, and killed in the attempt. Thus far, thousands of retreating and deserting of Iraqi soldiers and civilians have been executed or wounded, with hundreds of young girls and women reportedly raped. United Nations observers report a stream of some 300,000 refugees pouring into neighboring countries, which are already overflowing with refuges from previous wars. Their economies are already stretched to the breaking point (the US had previously taken in some 85,000). And, as in all situations such as this, food, water, shelter, medicine, and sanitation become very real life or death issues. Meanwhile, the ISSI have captured several weapon depots full of US military equipment and material; much of it expected to see action in the seizure of Baghdad and the rest of Iraq and perhaps even in Syria or against neighboring Iran or Jordan;. While their goal is nothing short of establishing a strict Sunni oriented Islamic State, the Shiite majorities in Southern Iraq and neighboring Iran may still have something to say about this. However, if there's one positive in all of this, the much maligned Kurds have use this opportunity to seize areas long claimed in the north.

While many will be quick to jump on the Obama Administration for this latest crisis, let's not forget that it was George W. Bush and Dick Cheney who got us into the quagmire in the first place. Under the guise of "weapons of mass destruction", Bush decided to pick up where his daddy, George Bush Sr. left off in the first Gulf War ("Desert Storm"). There was no need to invade Iraq as we all now know. Saddam Hussein had no "weapons of mass destruction". His ground and air defenses had been decimated previously by coalition troops. There was an effective "no fly" zone in place, and what's more important, Hussein, for the tyrant he was, kept the religious extremists in check. He ruled Iraq with an iron fist. He had demonstrated repeatedly that he could be far crueler than his enemies; an important treat in a maniacal dictator. The main reasons I suspect were to install a regime friendly to US and Western corporate interests and to gain some measure of control of Iraqi oil facilities, and to be able to put US troops on the doorstep of Iran. Hussein, the US installed strongman, had become to unreliable. The invasion of Iraq and subsequent death of Hussein will long be remembered as a tremendous intelligence and political blunder and perhaps the turning point in US global dominance. As the old saying goes, "the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know".

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently said that the ISSI and its rapid success was a total surprise. If she really means that, then her competence in strategic analysis is truly lacking. Given the history and instability of the region, there was no way a political void would be tolerated. The Iraqi (and indeed, the Afghani and Syrian) government is ineffective. It has little to no credibility with the majority of the people. While the West and other nations may think the democracy is the greatest thing since sliced bread, democracy is not for everybody. In fact, of the nations around the world that have embraced democracy, not a single one has embraced the American form of democracy. Instead, they adopt the English form of proportional representation . Some societies, however, prefer a "strong arm" government. They feel secure. Crime is not much of an issue since these types of governments have a serious "zero tolerance" attitude toward crime (except their own). The economy is generally stable and they're free from fear of the types of uncertainty that a democracy can bring. Theocracies, on the other hand, have often proven to be the most oppressive and retardant forms of government.

Of course, I'm not praising dictatorships. Not at all. But what I am saying is that we have to have a foreign policy which respects the traditions and desires of other peoples. Too many times the US has intervened to overthrow a democratically elected government because it didn't fit with our foreign policy objectives (but ironically, we've usually supported the installation of right wing military juntas; most of which have proven to be very brutal), which is more often than not dictated by corporate interests rather than humanitarian interests.

As of this writing, Obama is trying to figure out how to salvage the situation. It should be an interesting decision for him. Obama's Presidency has been, up to now, a near complete failure (he's likely to go down in history as America's worse, and perhaps most divisive President). He desperately needs "something" to show that he can be a tough and effective leader (he could learn much from Russia's Vladimir Putin in that regard). This crisis in Iraq may well be that "something". He didn't start the war. It was something he inherited from the previous administration. But how he resolves it may show whether or not this rather politically inexperienced former community organizer has the right mettle. But, as always in such matters, at what costs to the American People will his legacy be forged?

Hillary Clinton Warns Of Jihadists
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/hillary-clinton-syria-islamist-state_n_5486133.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl13%7Csec3_lnk4%26pLid%3D488630

Iraqi Kurds Seize Oil Rich City of Kirkuk
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/12/iraq-kurds-seize-kirkuk_n_5487184.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular


UN: 300,000 Iraqis Became Refugees This Week
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/13/iraq-refugees_n_5491139.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Iraqi Insurgency: Hundreds May Have Been Killed During Sacking Of Mosul
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/13/iraq-insurgency-mosul-human-rights-reports_n_5491023.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

4 Key Things To Know About The Islamic Surge In Iraq
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/06/12/321376130/four-key-things-to-know-about-the-islamist-surge-in-iraq?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social