What do you say to a country that has become cynical of their government? (click title - thank you)

Rachel Maddow and Michael Moore Say Barack Obama Is Just Like George Bush (click here)
By John Cook
10:00 AM on Sat Mar 28 2009, 5,966 views
The attack from Obama's left flank began in earnest yesterday, as two reliably liberal forces openly compared Barack Obama's plan for escalating the war in Afghanistan to Bush's fiasco in Iraq.
Obama fangirl Rachel Maddow put together an Obama-Bush mashup on last night's show, playing Obama's speech announcing his Afghanistan plan next to clips of Bush talking about Iraq, and pointing out the eerie similarities. She hesitantly defended Obama—or at least seemed like she was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt—but it was clearly a shot across the bow.



It is somewhat alarming the "eerie similarities" of the 'vocabulary' that surrounds war. I am confident it appears to be 'the same war in the same way.' Is it? Some are saying Afghanistan is Obama's Vietnam. Is it? Are we following NATO into hell no different than Johnson's USA followed SEATO? Possibly.

However, there are MARKED differences in the rhetoric that some are NOT identifying or addressing and I have to alarmed at THAT reality as well.

In the years of Vietnam we were chancing a ghost called, The Domino Theory. Certainly if South Vietnam were to fall the rest of the nations and ultimately the USA would fall to a Cold War enemy called Communism. In FEAR of that reality, Nixon's USA built a faux government in Saigon and called it a progressive democracy when all it consisted of was a similar circumstance behind concrete walls such as Baghdad.


Some say CURRENTLY, Kabul is Obama's Saigon. The sad truth is that it isn't Obama's Saigon, it is a BUSH and RUMSFELD Siagon. One of the sad realities we all touted in opposition of the 'war agenda' was that Afghanistan was abandoned by Bush for an oil war in Iraq. Is that not true? I believe it is. Certainly, if the last five and a half years of Iraq and Baghdad were concentrated on Afghanistan the global community would be far safer than today and Afghanistan, Pakistan, Cashmir, India and Iran may already have a workable solution for a peaceful economy that ENHANCES the region of Arab Nations ALREADY conducting peaceful societies with benevolent agendas for their people. Jordan is not a peace based economy and nation? Egypt? Saudi Arabia? Hello?


The 'rhetoric' is really quite amazing. I was astounded to realize how the 'sameness in vocabulary' pervaded both administration when it comes to 'the choice' of addressing 'the enemy' and other 'aspects' of war. After all, it is Obama that never voted for war funding for Iraq and has demanded the return of troops from Iraq, regardless of the long drawn out reduction of forces now currently planned. Was promising a sixteen month troop reduction simply a way of saying to the American people sceptical at all of any withdrawal that, 'it was okay to vote for Barak, because he is the man of reason?' Hm?


To simply state, in terms not stated but expressed, our new President is as much a puppet to the military as perhaps Bush due to 'dictation' would be to say the USA has a Military Industrial Complex that is out of the rhelm of control by its people and we are subject to its demands. That my friends is NOT a deomcracy, it is a 'managed' political state whereby the military is in control. I see. Is the USA actually a Pakistan in disguise or in denial with a faux President that might be better called General? I don't think so.


Why then is there not a Gerald Ford solution to Iraq? Why do we have to RETURN to the 'theater' of Afghanistan? Haven't we suffered enough in the death of our children and can't this President simply bring home the troops and close the borders so we are safe? Would we settle for that? Is it realistic? Could NATO be the real issue and all the struggle in Afghanistan and Pakistan is simply an illusion like Vietnam where INDEED The Military Industrial Complex sincerely did have control of the USA's '? peace ?' agenda.


To begin, this is NOT the 1960s or The Silent Majority. We did learn from those idiotic and meaningless warring years. The troops from Vietnam were brought home and we enjoyed a 'peace time economy' for decades that followed. So, to say we as Americans are doomed to be dominated by our military isn't realisitic, it is reactionary.

Civilized societies do feel pain. They do not advocate torture or seek to war. Troop loses are profoundly felt and in the case of "W"rongful wars it is direly felt by all those that 'realize the truth' with every death like Chinese Water Torture. There goes those 'Chinese' implications again. Hm?


So. Like. What is it with the rhetoric? Did the military Psy-Ops actually kidnap the President in his sleep and 'do a number on him?' Nah, that is too sci-fi. Not to make light of an issue that has brevity, so like what's up?


It is the same military with Generals that have been around for decades. It is the same vocabulary because it is THE SAME military. Charlie, Baker, Einstein. It is also the same Secretary of Defense, oops, back in the day it was Rumfeld. But, sincerely, the military is regimented so in a 'sad' way there is a lot of 'sameness' in its mechanisms and 'cultural' implications. AND. What do you call a terrorist, except, a terrorist? How do you say there are known threats to the USA by terrorists, except to say, "There are known threats to the USA by terrorists." I remind, it was the days BEFORE September 11th that the Bush/Cheney White House completely dropped the ball. It was the "Bin Laden Known to Strike the USA" that Condi Rice could never explain away. It was the reports from Germany that was never given brevity. Remember? The 911 Commission and all that.

I mean there was a September 11, 2001. Certainly THAT is real enough to classify as THE TRUTH.

The profound difference, that rhetoric ignores and seeks to desanctify, is the enemy. In Vietnam it was a 'concept' of world domination. The enemy in Afghanistan and that has exploited Pakistan and probably Kashmir is real. We aren't fighting a 'concept,' we are fighting to defeat 'an entity' that is KNOWN to kill innocent people from within the borders of their country by using their own infrastructure. The 'enemies' in Vietnam AND Iraq were contrived. They were based in 'fear' and elements of 'possibility.' The USA does have enemies. Only. This time. It isn't a nation that can be invaded. It is THE LACK of a sincere government in countries sadly ignored and controlled by more powerful nations to keep war from the borders of powerful players and instead played out in regions such as Afghanistan.

I refuse to put blinders on to the dangers of terrorist networks allowed to grow in the last eight years, inspired by victories of al Qaeda and the weakening of civilization. I didn't expect, nor do I think, President Obama expect the sincere reality of the 'vigor' of The Taliban and its affiliations with al Qaeda that actually allows Mullah Omar to entertain a return to Kandahar. That is completely bizarre.


I am impressed by the prowess of Secretary Clinton and her 'rigorous' agenda with all the nations of region of Afghanistan. I am impressed by her ability to draw the attention of Russia to an agenda of peace and 'inclusion' of a NATO activity. I am impressed by a Karzai I witnessed yesterday with renewed consent to battle an enemy the world sincerely regards in 'unison' as an enemy worth defeating.


Karzai Says US War Strategy 'Better Than Expected' (click here)
By Barry Newhouse Islamabad
28 March 2009
The presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan welcomed the Obama administration's new plan for the conflict in the region on Saturday, with each highlighting key parts of the strategy for praise....

If I thought for one minute, I was reacting to fear, willing to endanger civilian lives or disregard the pain I feel for every military soldier facing a fate in battle for some irrational exchange of ideation or domination by the USA Military Complex, I won't entertain for one minute 'the idea' that a continued war in Afghanistan that also includes regions of Pakistan. I would be stating as I have always stated regarding Iraq. We don't belong in Iraq. We never did. I can sincerely say, there is UNFINISHED and ABANDONED business. It is NOT 'local' issues of civil war. It is not a matter of uniting Pakistan and Afghanistan as if it were a Kurdistan. It is about actual events, actual dangers and the desire for civlization to 'victor' its potential and win its safety.

This is about towers crashed to the ground, civilians dead, airplanes used as bombs and a Pennsylvania farm field evidenced to the struggle of our people against an invading force.


There is no one a bigger BELIEVER of the talent and insight of Michael Moore. There is no one that would seek to engage his ability to 'police' the government and its depersonalized ability to control the fate of its citizens more than I. The 'LEFT' as it is called has talent beyond anyone's willingness to say. It has insight that is disregarded for its potential to change the dynamics of business and wealth. It is characterized all too often as socialist when in fact it is conservative with an ability to 'realize' shortcomings of what any democracy is rightfully responsible. "The Left" in politics doesn't believe in causing pain. It believes in 'resulting' justice that a democracy, of...by...and for the people...is supposed to be responsible for. The Left believes in 'the promises' of our forefathers. It believes in a responsible society with 'realistic' platforms that work for its citizens. It isn't about postponing human issues, it is about addressing them in a timely and forthright manner that is dictated by compassion and human rights.

I don't seek to ridicule any of those I would consider as peers. I would seek to elevate their concern while advocating for reason and potential for shortsightedness, while indeed, I will examine any that I am guilty of.

I trust Barak Obama. At. Least. For now.

The Midwest may be catching a break. Click title for 12 hour loop.

March 9, 2009

1830z

UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of the North and West Hemisphere

As is the case in this dynamic called Human Induced Global Warming, it waxes and wanes and there have been innumberable instances that have exhibited exactly that.

It would appear the 'system' currently causing much of the percipitation and freezing temperatures is reaching a maximum and the 'contributing' water vapor is somewhat diminished.

The interesting aspect to all this is the 'arctic' circumstances that have kept ground water frozen and unable to contribute to higher flood levels may actually still be a problem if the temperature warms enough and ice becomes a tributary to the Red River. That dynamic will eventually become a reality as Spring moves into Summer, but, hopefully it won't happen in a manner that adds to the mass of water currently flowing south.

It is a bit too early to call this a prolonged break that will resolve so people can go home. In my opinion, the actual dynamic that desperately has to be addressed is the fact the flooding of the Red River has been consistently a problem and the likelihood of this river resolving to a SAFE level is not likely.

In recalling last year and I believe the year before, Spring and Summer saw a chronic arrival of drenching rains from the Gulf through the entire Midwest. There is no reason to believe this year will be any different and Hurricane Season is on the way. With all the 'seasons' of tornadoes and one type of storm or another extending beyond what is 'normal' there is every reason to believe this season will see an early hurricane season and probably a prolonged one was well. I doubt tornadoes will give us a break and if the 'trend' of the last four years continues, the less hurricanes we have the more tornadoes occur.

According to the 'predictions' there are a few 'significant' storms with a potential for fourteen named storms. (click here) That is somewhat of a mild season, except, these years since 2002 aren't 'normal' seasons as they are dynamically effected by Human Induced Global Warming. So, while the water vapor may be diminished in the number of storms that occur it is questionable to the degree they do damage as they are stronger, wetter and having a higher degree of unpredictability under 'warming' conditions.

So, in regard to the Red River, the conditions that exist in the region are of saturated ground, with erosion and undetermined damage in subsoil stability due to repeated flooding conditions. In other words, after the negligent administration of the last eight years, we don't know what we have and studies have to proceed to determine the degree soils have changed and subsoil conditions could be adverse to communities along the river.

In the short term, MONITORING the Red River needs vigilance and attendance to river gauges along the entire system. Astute scientists with knowledge of geology, hydrology and an understanding of the communities and their dependence on the river for its benevolence are essential to the future of these towns and states. Both climate specialists and biologists are also important as the dynamics of water movement is guaranteed to change weather patterns, hence, changes to species dynamics and potential for threatened, endangered and invasive species. The farming communities don't need tropical systems from Indonesia carrying a crop disease foreign to American farmers with an understanding too late to act to protect their yields.

The unfortunate reality this new administration has to face is the huge degree of negligence of the past eight years to these sciences and their potential to protect the interest of our nation, including its communities and agriculture. Literally, the country is a mess. It is a mess in every department of the President's cabinet and the disrepair we find ourselves in also includes the underfunding of our sciences that act as part of upholding the dignity of industries such as agriculture.

To accurately predict when communities will be safe from river levels is tenuous and knowing the American people at the first glimmer of hope that storms are abating and river levels are coming down, they will head to their homes and attempt to resume their lives. So, predicting 'safe' conditions isn't really the issue, it is protecting the public from themselves when they seek to return to reestablish their lives that is the issue. The Red River has to be a work in progress that starts today and goes forward with chronic monitoring, assessing and modification. There won't be a 'safe' situation so much as a 'managed' circumstance that has flux built in to its vigilance.

Public officials, hired or elected, can seek to reach communities to empower a sense of urgency for evacuation with daily reports of river conditions and weather anticipations. The public has to come to terms with its circumstances and realize suddenly they may have to move to safety. During this time productivity of daily living can continue and the work of agencies involved in 'controlling' the river to the extent they can to prevent damage to communities will eventually reach a point where 'the river' is simply a body of water that flows by. There will be a point in time when flooding will be a matter of history and the 'river rising' won't be so much a threat as a manageable reality.

The sad reality of this administration is that it has to pick up the pieces and actually do the work that should have been done for decades, but, certainly should have been done in urgency since 2002 when vortices began to dominate the troposphere and weather patterns and climate began to dramatically shift.

I hope all those effected by the Red River will return to their homes soon and we as Americans won't find it necessary to rush to 'sandbagging' the floods so much as building sustainable barriers that will simply protect the regions activities from a highly unpredictable climate pattern.

The Antithesis of Populism

Michele Bachmann Calls For Violent Revolution (click title of entry - thank you)

The bastion of the Republican Party is rhetorical populism that allows for faux beliefs that insults the USA Constitution, including, the government's role in 'individual' freedom and the laws that separate church and state. It is the only way the Republicans maintain a 'base' and without it they have no party.

It is people like Bachmann and Palin that feel there is no limit on hate mongering and advocating violence that make the party more than a poor choice in an election, but, a dangerous one.

Yesterday, Bachmann, crossed 'the line' AGAIN. Trying to maintain the level of hatred of the current administration started by Palin during her Vice Presidential Campaign, she actually called for citizens to arm themselves to fight a revolution to overthrow the government.

The problem is that people in the periphery of society, such as Timothy McVeigh and Eric Rudolph actually believe idiots like Bachman and take the call seriously. Perhaps the real question to Ms. Bachmann is 'Who's side is she on and does she actually know Osama bin Laden?'