Rather than focus on one central topic as we usually do, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at three events happening around the world, and where better to start than Iran?
Iran and I Lost: Tehran Gone Wild
With the conclusion of the recent presidential elections in Iran on June 12, ultra conservative religious clerics have assured the Iranian people that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad soundly defeated moderate Mir Hossein Mousavi fairly and squarely. As proof of the convincing reelection results, the Supreme Council of ruling clerics has cut off all outside communication with the world as the military beats and murders its protesting population into submission through rubber bullets, teargas, and other forms of “aggressive crowd modification devices” while allowing only partial recount. However, those pesky protesters who insist only something as trivial as an honest election have been using cell and picture phones, twitter, laptops, and every technological means at their disposal to get the word out that not only did Ahmadinejad lose the election, but that they are sick and tired of the oppressive hard line religious rule.
The question now is what will happen to Iran? Will any of the other nations recognize this electoral farce? Will the current crackdown result in another revolution, hopefully for a more moderate and progressive Iran? Certainly Ahmadinejad and the ruling religious zealots won’t go voluntarily, even when the people peacefully rejected the current administration at the polls. If Ahmadinejad remains in power, he may realize that his time is short. That may force him into a corner and cause him to move forward with developing his nuclear capability. If that should happen, Israel may be forced to remove them since Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel’s utter annihilation (and America’s afterward). For people like this, international sanctions mean nothing, and I seriously doubt Obama has the backbone to act first.
Midget Amuck
Speaking of oppressive hardliners, the dinky despot of North Korea is at it again. This time, Kim Jong II is testing another long range missile, but this time it’s aimed at Hawaii. The last time, as some of you may remember, Kim launched a missile directed at Japan (The Japanese have had some bad experiences with things nuclear and tend to get a little edgy). So, what is this nutcase with the bad haircut trying to do? My guess is that Kim is using these missile launches and the threat of a nuclear strike as a bullying tool directed at the West. In the past, Kim Jong II has used threats of developing and deploying medium and long range missiles with nuclear capability in order to get the West to “buy him off”. It’s nothing more than the old extortion racket of the Mob except on a global scale.
If he agrees to, let’s say, shut down a reactor, the West gives so many billions of dollars in food and aid to prop up his financially bankrupt nation of another six months or so. Once that’s used up, he does something else to threaten the West with unless we bail him out again. The trouble is that the West has paid his extortion terms in the past, and so now the paranoid pipsqueak thinks the West is responsible for keeping his regime afloat. Instead of a North Korean GNP (Gross National Product), we now have North Korean GNE (Gross National Extortion). Never ever negotiate with or back down from bullies boys and girls. The West needs to find some North Koreans who’ve had enough of seeing their country flushed down the proverbial toilet and who would be willing back a coup against this nutcase before it’s too late. The people of both Koreas deserve better.
Justice? We Don’t Need Any Stinking Justice.
I recently read an article that said Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is a member of La Raza (which translates to “The Race”), an organization devoted to creating an independent Hispanic country out of the American Southwest. La Raza believes that most of these states were “stolen” from Mexico, and its their duty is to either reclaim them for Mexico or to recreate a mythological nation called Aztlan under what is referred to as “reconquesta” or “reconquest” (for more information, I recommend visiting these two sites: http://www.limitstogrowth.org/WEB-text/aztlan.html and (http://www.mayorno.com/WhoIsMecha.html). To put this in better perspective, it would like a White person belonging to the KKK or a Black individual being a member of the Black Panthers and being nominated for Supreme Court Judge.
Additionally, Ms. Sotomayor was quoted as saying “a Latina, based on her experiences, would reach a better conclusion than a White male judge”. One could assume this would also include a Black or Asian as well. Somehow, I can’t see a White, Asian, or Black nominee getting away with saying the same thing can you? The Rule of Law does not care about race, age, physical disability, religion, gender or sexual orientation. It cares only about equality based upon fact of law. The person, regardless of any other outside factors like their race or gender that is best able to exhibit that ability should be considered for judge. Anything else is political grandstanding.
Book Review
Doug Stanton has written the gripping true story of American Special Forces fighting against and sometimes along side Afghan warlords in their hunt for the Taliban in what can only be described as the Wild West meets High Tech in his bestseller, “Horse Soldiers”. I remember when this story first broke a few years ago. I followed it closely on Fox News and CNN with both pride and fascination as I watched US Special Forces units, along with a host of colorful and often deadly array of individuals battling the Taliban from the air, ground, and on horseback as they transverse some of the most beautiful and inhospitable land on the planet.
Doug Stanton has done a wonderful job of relating their stories. Written from the perspectives of those who participated, “Horse Soldiers” provides outstanding examples of how to merge the high tech of today’s military with the needs of the mission, which in some cases, required US troops to take a backseat to the egos of Afghanistan’s ruling warlords who, without their assistance, we stood no chance of success. What I personally enjoyed the most as former military, was that in writing the book, Stanton doesn’t allow himself to get in the way of those telling the story, namely those who took on and fought the Taliban a some journalist do. Kudos to Stanton!
I can easily see this book becoming required reading at any of our nation’s military academies. As I commented to friend of mine recently, “Horse Soldiers” is like a Tom Clancy novel, only this is real! So, if you’re someone who is interested in the war on terrorism or simply enjoy high adventure, this book is for you.
Poll Results
Our last poll dealt with the issue of allowing multiple languages to be used in taking drivers exams. We had addressed how Kentucky Governor reversed his decision to required English only exams, and instead, to allow up to 22 languages to be used in taking the exam. An overwhelming 67% of you thought it was alright while a valiant 32% thought English only was the way to go. Personally, I believed this not only is it a waste of taxpayer money, which is desperately need for other services, it also says to those who don’t speak English that we will always make exceptions and the American Taxpayer must adapt to their needs at our costs. That to me is wrong on so many levels. It also creates a dangerous situation in that without understanding the language, how does one read the signs posted along the highway like “Left lane must merged in 10 miles” or “Congested area ahead. Reduce Speed”? Of course, I’m sure these with be posted in all 22 languages at taxpayer expense as well. As for speaking with other drivers or the police officer who just pulled them over, well we can only hope that a translator is on call somewhere.
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