 The Horror Innocent Iraqis Face Daily. War in Iraq: Where Did It Go Wrong? In the very beginning: I’m not going to launch this essay with the tired notion that there were no weapons of mass destruction and we shouldn’t have been there in the first place. That way of thinking had nothing to do with proper military tactics, but the decisions that were made at the beginning of the war had everything to do with military tactics and accountability. The bottom line is that the missteps at the beginning of the War in Iraq should have warranted a change in leadership. Flawed Tactical Policy: The flagrant and tactical errors made in the execution of this dark and distressing war took a while to manifest. Initially we experienced the toppling of Saddam’s Hussein’s statue, and then the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner on the aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, and slowly but surely the euphoria of the honeymoon liberation of Iraq was over and things started to turn bad in Baghdad. Al Qaida terrorists then gained a solid foothold in Iraq, the death squads and the sectarian militias asserted their influence militarily, and now Iraq is experiencing a total unraveling with the emergence of an all out civil war that engulfs the country in every aspect. This is true throughout Iraq, except for the exemplary, uplifting growth of the fledgling democracy within the Kurdish nation. Except for the Kurds, all of the above failures could have been prevented if only the war had been prosecuted differently. The first and most prominent error was the lack of ground troops to handle the occupation. Occupation – not liberation. The shock and awe, blitzkrieg, scorched earth, or whichever you wish to call it, war policy, did not furnish the Army with enough warm bodies and boots on the ground to occupy conquered territories. Therefore, after the Army slashed its way through Iraq a breakneck speed, the land was reoccupied by whomever – beaten forces, insurgents, religious fanatics, Sunni insurgents, Shiite death squads, or individuals who relish breaking the law and enjoy bloodshed. Iraq is not a pretty sight. The next blatant error goes hand-in-hand with the shortage of troops. Disbanding the Iraqi army may just be the worst tactical error of all. The result of that action was the unleashing of a huge, armed to the teeth, combat force that was financially decimated and jobless. Broke, mad, seeing your country plundered, and carrying an AK-47 does not make for a rosy situation. The US and occupied Iraq have paid dearly for that shortsighted policy. Currently, our generals insist that the only issue holding the Iraqi army back is the training of its troops. Ironically, because of Donald Rumsfeld’s and Dick Cheney’s stratagems, a highly trained, well disciplined army was treated like the proverbial red-headed stepchild, and due to that, the training process had to be initiated from scratch. That specific job is far from done and no one wants to hazard a guess as to when that critical job will be done. The third costly blunder was not doing the research in regards to the ramifications of toppling a brutal dictator that had led his regime with an iron fist, and what might result from a foreign army occupying an ancient, religiously divided state. As soon as those errors surfaced and the results of those imprudent policies were unveiled, Rumsfeld should have been fired and Cheney relegated to head up the Peace Corps. Those errors were not the fault of George W. Bush, but the dogmatic refusal to change course is indeed George W. Bush’s responsibility and his only. Present Situation: Nothing has changed in Iraq with the troop surge. Multiple elements of combatants are killing each other at a still alarming rate; one day in April, 2007, being the bloodiest in years with 200 dead. Due to the present situation this war will not be won militarily on the battlefield unless all citizens of Baghdad are totally evacuated and a barrage of never seen before proportions is launched and the city is leveled. Nukes would do the trick. No one seems to have a plan other than stay the course or a definite date set for total withdrawal. Both courses of action mean defeat, capitulation, surrender, acquiescence, the ultimate wasting of precious lives and the assurance of a bloodbath to rival Pol Pot and Cambodia.  Missing Limbs: Maiming Most Common Injury. New Course of Action: What this war needs is a fresh start. The pursuit of oil was not a proper reason to invade Iraq, but it may well be a proper reason to stay. A smart commander-in-chief, if he truly had compassion for his troops and their families, not to mention innocent Iraqis who simply want to continue their lives in some sort of normalcy, would secure all the oil fields similar to Baghdad’s green zone. No one in, no one out unless approved by security that would be tantamount to Fort Knox. The U.S. soldiers now occupying Baghdad and other contested provinces would deploy as that security force and the current 300,000 man Iraqi Army and police force, would take charge of “their” country. Controlling the oil supply would solve a multitude of problems. The engine that runs the war would fall under US control. No more sabotage and no more wasted assets, and just maybe the Iraqi’s could begin paying for their own war and paying us back. This would effectively put a stranglehold on the Iraqi economy and everything in Baghdad would soon grind to a halt. That is everything we chose to grind to a halt. No fuel, no energy, no enemy – and eventually, no war. Worst case scenario in a calculated redeployment to the oil fields: the religious fanatics presently killing each other would merely continue killing each other. At least they wouldn’t be killing our soldiers. If needed, U.S. forces could reenter the conflict during special, contemplated or limited missions, to do what is necessary to protect Iraq’s Army and its democratic government. Over time, the war would simply wind down through attrition, affording the Iraqi government enough time to stabilize. If, in a reasonable amount of time, somehow the redeployment did not work, we would merely continue to occupy the oil fields – similar to Guantanamo. In essence, US occupation of the oil fields would be a stabilizing force in the Middle East. Strategic, Timeline Withdrawal: Should the US cut its losses by initiating a strategic withdrawal and getting the hell out? But if history has taught us anything, it has taught us we can’t get the hell out. Not unless we have the stomach for another killing fields the likes of the senseless massacre that took place in Cambodia after the US retreat from Vietnam. We would lose our foothold in a Middle East that would surely become immensely unstable and the United States’ woeful dependence on foreign oil would become catastrophic both economically and logistically. In addition, Israel would become totally isolated, inviting her enemies to take full military advantage of that cordoned off and quarantined condition. If military action actually occurred, it would pose an all too real threat of nuclear conflict. Israel is a nuclear bastion and it is certain that military aggression in force, against her could result in atomic retaliation. That would certainly embolden and tempt Israel’s sworn enemies in Iran and North Korea to flex its nuclear muscles. Where in that playbook would it leave the US? Do we really want to consider that? Yep, George, you’ve gotten us in a hell of a mess. For the sake of this great country and Iraq’s fledgling democracy, let’s hope you figure out something better than merely sending in 20,000 more troops and a brand-spanking new general, of if not, hopefully the president that follows you fares measurably better. ©Robert Bernard 
Sgt. Charles Bielecki (right), and Sgt. Frank Monfette wounded 6/5/51, died 6/6/51. Charles M. Bielecki, Sergeant, United States Army During the Korean War, Bielecki fought with the Army’s 7th Division, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry, Item Company, 2nd Platoon. Returning to his native Chicago after the Korean War, Bielecki served in various capacities of law enforcement. Through the years he has assisted well over 1,000 veterans find family or lost buddies and friends. In that same vein he has assisted hundreds of wounded veterans gain their rightful disability insurance. Early in life, Chuck, as his friends know him, had a burning desire to join the Army, trying to enlist for service in World War II at the tender age of fourteen. Rejected, he was finally able to fulfill his dream at age seventeen. His first combat duty was the epic landing at Inchon, then onto the historic Battle of Chosin, where out of over 3,200 of Task Force Faith’s men fighting east of Chosin Reservoir, Chuck became one of only 385 heroic soldiers still combat ready at the end of the 31st Regimental Team’s brutal four days and five nights of horrendous thirty-five below zero struggle against a massive Red Chinese army seeking total annihilation. It didn’t stop there as he continued on with the 1st Marine Division through Hell’s Fire Valley and onto the Sea of Japan where a stunning victory was claimed over a Chinese army that outnumbered American Forces eight to one. During Chuck’s heroic service he was awarded the Bronze Star for the single-handed blunting a Chinese attack that wrought severe casualties on a charging enemy After serving out his hitch in Korea, he returned to the Windy City where he still lives with his wife Ronnie and numerous offspring. Chuck’s son works with Chicago law enforcement, and his Marine grandson will soon be returning to Iraq for a third tour of duty. We salute and thank you Sergeant Charles M. Bielecki for your heroic service to your country and your unselfish contributions to the alter of freedom. The following is a synopsis based on Robert Bernard’s upcoming book, “The Fire, the Ice, and the Fury: The Untold Story of the Battle of Chosin, previously mentioned in Charles Bielcki’s story. The greatest war story never suitably told lies buried beneath the ice and snow in a place that appears to have no earthly business within the realm of God’s green acres. In the throes of winter, Chosin Reservoir, on the northeast end of the Korean Peninsula, is arguably one of the most isolated, desolate, and barren places the world has ever seen. And it is at Chosin that over 1,500 young men remain; forsaken for all time in unmarked confines far from home. They are left for all eternity, interred on a frozen hill, in a shallow ravine, or in a lonely glacial corner of some remote field in the wasteland that is North Korea. In this distant and faraway place the landscape is disturbed only by the melancholy moan of an arctic wind cascading down from Siberia’s frozen tundra. Nothing shows the horrors of war like this place and the battle that was waged here in the winter of 1950. With lightning speed and a fortuitous battle plan, South Korea was wrenched from the jaws of its North Korean oppressors. At that victorious moment, many expected the Allies to stand down, but General Douglas MacArthur opted instead to send his triumphant forces on a new mission: the conquest of North Korea itself. Through a quirk of fate, a troop of highly decorated, battle-tested World War II veteran officers were tasked with guiding a 3,000 man force consisting almost entirely of green American teenagers and young South Koreans unceremoniously yanked off the streets of the South’s cities and villages. The locals, thrown into battle with no training at all, were forged into soldiers alongside the fledgling Americans, some hardened only by two months already spent trading blood with the invading North Koreans. Their officers, borne from the bloodstained beaches of Normandy, the murderous fields of Bastogne, and the tremendous tank battles on the scorching hot sands of North Africa, could offer little more than determined grit and an unsurpassed legacy of combat leadership. The relationship between the veterans and the plucky young kids was one of teacher and student. As the battle raged and the students gained the increasing respect of their battle-hardened teachers, the needless loss of so many young lives was disheartening. From its inception, the 31st RCT was the victim of a series of horrific command decisions that ultimately left it surrounded by a 200,000 man Chinese army bent on their complete annihilation. Combating 35 below zero weather, running short of ammunition and medical supplies, and lacking cold weather clothing, the young force refused to surrender. Determined to fight, they performed a rare and extraordinary military feat: for four days and five nights these bold troops stopped the colossal Red Army in its tracks. In the process, despite suffering seventy percent casualties, these untested young troops prevented the Chinese from isolating and destroying the heralded US 1st Marine Division, who were blissfully unaware of the danger just fourteen miles away. This incredible checking action allowed the Marines to regroup, reload, and extend the Battle of Chosin; culminating in what most historians call their greatest victory ever Chosin was one of the bravest and most heroic battles ever fought. It is now time for the true story of this battle to be told. Battle of Chosin Photos: 
Lt. Col. Don C. Faith, Jr. Commander, 31st Regimental Combat Team 
Chosin Soldiers: Frank Dudding and Charles Bielecki 
At the Yalu: (left to right) Commanding Generals, Kiefer, Hodes, Almond, and Barr 
Chosin Column Stalled Fuchillin Pass December 1, 1950 
Chosin Column Stalled Fuchillin Pass December 1, 1950 
Chosin North Korean Prisoners  Sergeant Bill Rowland, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry A salute to Sergeant Bill Rowland, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry, survivor of, and Silver Star recipient for his heroic actions during The Battle of Chosen. Click here to read his story. Bill Rowland: Story and Photos. Korean War Stories and Photos Korean War Stories and Photos  If you don't stand behind our troops, please feel free to stand in front of them. Garfield on the Gas Crisis 
A lot of folks can't understand how we came to have an oil shortage here in our country. Well, there's a very simple answer: Nobody bothered to check the oil. We just didn't know we were getting low. The reason for that is purely geographical. Our OIL is located in California Coastal Florida Coastal Louisiana Kansas Oklahoma Pennsylvania and Texas Our DIPSTICKS are located in Any Questions? |
Politics is Perception:
Through the Eyes of Extremists: The following is a "hypothetical debate" between arch conservative radio host Sean Hannity of Fox News, and Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The hawkish Hannity, more so than any other conservative, represents the radical far right-wing of the Republican Party. He says he’s a Reagan Conservative, but that’s merely semantics, an effort by him to appear "fair and balanced." The only thing fair and balanced about Hannity is his haircut. The format is exceedingly different from the ludicrous shouting matches viewed on Hannity’s television show, "Hannity and Colmes." "Debate Protocol:" First, one party responds and then the other. Of course Ahmadinejad is everything he has been called. Besides being an Islamo-facist that denies the Holocaust and is totally committed to the destruction of Israel. The man who Hannity describes as a modern day Hitler is everything that is evil about the Muslim religion. He actually expects the world to believe he is developing nuclear energy for peaceful means. For anyone that buys into those platitudes, I’ve got a giant pile of Enron stock I’ll be more than happy to sell you. What better participants in a debate than each side of the spectrum’s most tenacious and impassioned orators. Following is the long-awaited debate between Hannity and Ahmadinejad. 
Sean Hannity Fox News Firebrand Hannity: Written by Robert Bernard. Ahmadinejad, you and your radical Islamo-facist scum sucking dogs have denied the Holocaust, threatened the extinction of Israel, and are laying plans to conquer the world, all in the name of Islam. You have no respect for human life. You raise your children to hate and disparage all elements of Christianity and that anyone not believing in Islam and the teachings of Mohamed should be murdered. You and your evil followers use small children as decoys and have no problem extinguishing their young lives for your barbaric cause. This is an altogether new tactic that should outrage every one in the free – dismiss that – the entire world. Your depraved and egregious actions should be treated as an unwarranted assault on the world’s entire non-Islamic population and you should pay for it with your own destruction. The United States is the leader of the free world, both morally and militarily. As the protector of those freedoms, we have a sacred duty to eradicate any threat to those time-honored freedoms, and at present you are unquestionably that threat. I am so sorry that your navy did not commandeer an American vessel instead of a British one. There is no question that President George W. Bush would have blasted you and your sailors out of the water. In fact, I believe we should anchor one of our carriers in the exact spot that you captured the British vessel and dare you to take action. The Briitish, they make me sick to my stomach, as well as the rest of Europe. That also goes for our own "cut and run," "submit and surrender" Democratic Party. They have all become pacifists with no backbone, unwilling to stand up to you and your fanatics. You, Mr. Ahmadinejad, have plans to develop militarily inspired – although you and your pack of liars deny it – tactical nuclear weapons by 2009. Unbelievable! This is absolutely unacceptable. We need to blockade your harbors and destroy your nuclear sites before you launch your evil-doers on the innocent people of this world. This is the salient and defining crisis of our time – and we must act now to annihilate you and your unholy kind from the very face of our wonderful mother earth. ©Robert Bernard  Ahmadinejad: Written by Al Vargas The United States used to be a great country before it became drunk with unbridled greed and a gluttonous pursuit of power. Sean Hannity, you are a radical right-wing lunatic, and soon, your Jesus will punish you and your murderous great Satan, George W. Bush. Mr. Bush and the hated United States will soon feel the wrath of the entire Islamic World, as we will carry this unholy battle Bush started by falsely invading our Islamic brothers in Iraq, right to your very doorsteps. Throughout history, the United States, whenever it felt like it, invaded countries, toppled governments, and randomly murdered the populous of these innocent sovereignties. History shows that South America, one of its own neighbors, has suffered countless coupes and violent occupations, strictly because they disagreed politically with the United States. 400,000 Laotians were bombed into oblivion because they were perceived to be communist. And you did this prior to your inhumane invasion of Vietnam. Why should you not be forced to abandon your nuclear weapons programs just as you have demanded others do? Why shouldn’t other countries be afforded the same protection from a marauding killer such as the United States that has wreaked more death and havoc on the civilized world than any other nation in history? Is the entire Arab world not laid bare to U.S. aggression? How are we to protect ourselves from this heinous “democracy” led by the great Satan that attacks without provocation? Your own senator, John Kerry of Massachusetts, has called the United States an international pariah. Its own congress has taken on the now daunting task of initiating peaceful foreign relations because the great Satan has failed and only cares about money, death, and oil. If the great Satan is so concerned about freedom, what about Darfur? Mr. Bush cares nothing about their freedom from the murderous genocide that has consumed that poor nation. Do they not have enough money or oil wells? No, they are poor and irrelevant. From a moral point of view, the people of the United States wallow in pornography and violence, defiling women as nothing more than slimy, deviant sex objects. Your blasphemers do not allow religion in the public schools and your children are raised in an environment of surreal death and video games. Despite only representing 5% of the world’s population the United States consumes a gluttonous 60% of the world’s illegal drugs. Your country pollutes the planet like no other and Mr. Hannity you are telling us that the methods and decorum of the United States are what we should impose on our own people. Mr. Bush: Wake up and smell the date palms; the world hates you. No thank you, Mr. Hannity. Our plans are to eradicate you from the face of the earth, as well as Bush the great Satan, and all like you. The debate did not end cordially as Hannity was heard screaming, "Answer the question, just answer the question, you mustached towel headed Mula." And Ahmadinejad was heard bellowing, "The Jihad will get you. Your Jesus will get all of you, the great Satan, and the anti-Christ." ©Al Vargas A fair and balanced debate. We report; you decide.  Bush Haters….Right Wingers Never Ask Why? I am a proud citizen of Colombia but I spend a great deal of time in the U.S., so I am very up to date on happenings in this country. My political philosophy is moderate conservative. I’m against abortion, higher taxes, big government, and for a strong military. I believe America needs a health plan that covers all Americans; if not all Americans, at least all children. I am a devout Catholic, but do not give a hoot in hell about gays getting married. You could say I’m close to my associate, Robert Bernard, in his political views. If he was a flaming liberal, I wouldn’t grace his website if he paid me a million bucks. I don’t need the money that bad. I listen to American talk radio and news TV to acquire a perspective on U.S. politics. It doesn’t work because one gets only the views from the right and a few weak-kneed liberals desperately trying to hold their own. I am deeply concerned about what’s going on in this country because it affects the entire world, and over the years, my native South America has been greatly influenced by U.S. foreign policy. For many years now, or at least since the beginning of the War in Iraq, I hear conservatives complain that Democrats and liberals want the U.S. to lose the war in Iraq just because they hate George Bush. The same Democrats want the economy to go bad because they hate George Bush. I even hear conservatives complain that Democrats pray for another monumental terrorist attack because they hate George Bush. In short anything that will make George Bush look bad, liberals are all for it. This is the constant rhetoric of Sean Hannity, Mark Levine, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, and most conservative pundits. But one response I never hear is any of those folks bothering to ask why is it that George Bush is so despised with such unwavering passion. So, as a lifelong conservative, I asked myself. Why is President George W. Bush attacked with such vitriol? Why is George Bush considered by almost 80% of Europeans to be the greatest threat to world peace? And by the way there are more than a few Republicans and conservatives that are not too fond of him either. I ask those Republicans, why aren’t you speaking out against this president instead of cowering under your desks in a fetal position, while this man does everything possible to trample on inherent conservative values. Let us examine the intricacies of this somewhat baffling paradox. In the beginning, I do not believe that most common people really gave much thought as to how the U.S. Supreme Court was responsible for getting George Bush elected in 2000. But as time went by and the Bush horror story unfolded that election started to grind on Democrats, and the reality that this election could have been bought and paid for suddenly slapped disenchanted Dems upside their gourds. Strike one. Then suddenly, Republicans began to realize that Bush was far from a traditional conservative. His declared “compassionate conservative” agenda had turned into a true conservative’s worst nightmare. The truth is Bill Clinton was more conservative than George Bush based on the record. Talk about your drunken sailors. In record time, Bush spent the Clinton surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury. He shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. History. Under his administration more bankruptcies were filed than in any other 12-month period and his administration holds the country’s record for the largest downward spiral in the stock market. One more thing, there have been more home foreclosures during Bush’s tenure than any other time in history. Then came the corruption. George Bush is the only president to enter the White House with a criminal record, and he has appointed more convicted criminals to his administration than any other president in history. The Bush administration has signed more executive orders effectively amending or ignoring the Constitution than any other. George Bush has removed more checks and balances, and the least amount of congressional oversight, than ay other president in U.S. History. On an international scale, Bush removed the U.S. from the World Court of Law, and is the first president in U.S. History to refuse United Nations elections inspectors (during 2002 elections). You want more. We all remember these guys. How could we forget? George Bush is the all-time world and U.S. record holder for corporate campaign donations, and his largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of his best friends, (Ken Lay, deceased CEO of the defunct Enron Corporation) presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. History. Enron contributed in other ways. The Republican Party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to plead the Supreme Court in regards to Bush’s 2000 presidential election. The Bush Administration is dirty inside as well as out. Bush and his cronies changed U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. Bush set an all-time record for allowing administration appointees who violated U.S. law by not selling their huge personal investments in corporations bidding for U.S. contracts. This administration has resided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene and use our national reserves as every other U.S. president has. The Halliburton controversy is for real. And the problem here is the Bush Administration does not care who knows it. They don’t try to hide it. No-bid contracts, indictments, convictions, the evidence of foul play, the lying, and the deceit are everywhere for the entire world to see. Someone pointed out that shortly before the 2004 elections Dick Cheney was asked by an interviewer how much deferred Halliburton stock he owned. His answer was, "Oh, a hundred thousand or so," but as evidenced by his last tax return, it was a cool eight million. George Bush said he never read the newspapers then later said, "I spread four or five newspapers out on my bed every morning." Granted, these are small indiscretions, but in the eyes of God and the law, a man that steals fifty cents is just as guilty as a man that steals fifty thousand. And there have been numerous instances of those sorts of slips of the tongue. Just recently, Scooter Libby was convicted even though he suffered selective amnesia. Roberto Gonzales was victim of the same amnesia over fifty times while testifying before congress about an incident that happened just five weeks prior and one of his own aides said he briefed him personally. This is an administration that admits nothing regardless of how petty the crime. George Bush claims he is pro-military, but is the country aware that on his administrations authority war benefits for veterans have been cut. Is the country aware that benefits for active duty troops and their families in wartime have been cut as well? And who’s not supporting the troops? There are more questions. Why is George Bush the first president ever to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission? He is the first president in U.S. history to have the U.S. removed from the United Nations Elections Monitoring Board. Bush has removed more freedoms and civil liberties from Americans than any other president in U.S. history. He has created the most divided country in U.S. history. Oh goodness, I almost overlooked this other small item – the War in Iraq. Bush saw an opportunity and he took it. There were no weapons….I refuse to say it. Colin Powell, one of the true military heroes of this country was duped against his own best judgment to lay out a phony story. At least he had the intelligence to distance himself after the 2004 elections. But his reputation has suffered permanent damage. This war is a nightmare. The Bush Administration wants to compare this to World War II. The only comparison is they have both lasted the same amount of time. Military psychiatrists report that a combat soldier can handle continuous action for 180 to 200 days without suffering serious battlefield fatigue. Bush has ordered some soldiers back into Iraq for the fourth tour of duty. You heard me right. That is deplorable military comportment. What happens is this. In the first tour a young trooper is pretty much gung-ho and upbeat, thinking I’m good, nothing can kill me. Upon leaving he’s pretty much ready for home. That second tour, he or she thinks, I need to be very careful and stay away from the front line. Guess what. When they step out the door American soldiers in Iraq are on the front line and peeping around corners. By the end of the second tour, he breathes a great sigh of relief. "I’m very lucky, I made it." That third tour, he says, "No matter what I do I’m going to get killed and he usually does." But if he’s very lucky, he makes it out, but he’s a basket case. His family and friends see his thousand yard stare as he wanders aimlessly and talks to himself. We won’t even talk about that fourth tour. Is there anything left for discussion? We could mention the Bush Administration’s immigration policy that certainly makes us safer in the war on terror. But that would be piling on. Come to think of it, I see no reason to dislike George Bush. Let’s all give him some badly needed love. Al Vargas A reference and citation list is available upon request: Documentations Request  Frick and Frack: Joined at the Hip. Buffoon of the Week None other than columnist and author Ann Coulter. This string-bean Olive Oyl look-alike continues with her toilet tongued mindless babble. The only reason her work sells is that it is so far offbeat from the mainstream that she has become little more than an out of control novelty of the far right, and she is playing the role to the hilt. Sort of like Howard Stern, we only read and listen, to catch what divisive and stupid statement she will make next. Global Warming Al Gore: Aren’t we tiring with the insidious attacks the right has continually bombarded Al Gore with. Are we tired of him being labeled a hypocrite because of his perceived opulent lifestyle? No one knows his schedule that may involve expediency to fulfill his agenda. And who really cares anyway? We have much graver concerns. Air Quality: It seems certain that the debate in terms of global warming will continue to rage with no consensus being verified in the short term, maybe the long term as well. We know the planet is warming. But the reality is, we do not know nor can we prove that the planet is warming due to man-made negligence. Ostensibly, there is little doubt that greenhouse gases are accelerating the process of global warming. What we do not understand is why the plethora of pontificating pundits are not addressing the very real problem of air quality and pollution that is marching in tandem with global warming. Are we okay with our children and grandchildren breathing the crud that is engulfing the country? I saw the result of air pollution up close and personal. For a trip to Los Angeles, my 6’ 7” brother-in-law, being his first venture into southern California, decided to purchase a very expensive white Stetson hat in keeping with his Texas traditions. Walking across the street in downtown L.A. it suddenly began to sprinkle. As we entered a restaurant, we both noticed that the raindrops on his hat had turned a rusty color. Thinking nothing of it, the next day he dropped his hat off at the cleaners. He was soon notified that the stains were impossible to remove, thusly ruining the hat. The moral to the story, is do not drink anything that falls from the sky in Los Angeles, California…….or Houston, New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Dallas. Thought for the Day A related question on global warming and many other issues concerning current political debate is “Why does every single Republican insist that humans have nothing to do with global warming and why does every single Democrat insist on just the opposite? It’s called blind partisanship and it has no business in a true democracy. It only exemplifies what the grimy politics of today has become. It makes one want to say, "Let’s just throw all the bums out and start over." ~~~ |
War on Terror American Soldiers: Always on the Lookout. Protecting our borders: How can the United States effectively fight a war on terror without protecting its porous, wide open borders? I don’t know about you, but I have observed on many occasion swarms of humanity and vehicles streaming across the border at Nuevo Laredo unimpeded. You can’t tell the difference between Jose and Hussein. The present administration in Washington wants us to believe they are successfully waging the war on terror while our borders contain more holes than a cheese shredder. It appears that some in Washington are far more interested in big business and cheap labor than protecting us from the radicals of the world that want to kill us.  Illegal I.D.'s available both sides of border. 
Illegal Immigrants at Broder Fence. Common Sight on the Border Immigration Rule of Law: The United States is a society based on the rule of law. Every illegal alien should be deported – bar none. And special consideration should be given to those of Muslim faith. Regardless of their situation, it would not bother me if every last Muslim is packed up and deported on a slow boat to Baghdad – every last one. Sorry Muqtada, since you believe in the Koran, you have to go. In Europe and the United Kingdom, radical Muslims are slowly taking over specific areas of this country, similar to the Cubans inundating Miami. If our immigration policies do not change and change quickly, because of greater economic opportunity, the U.S. will soon become the world’s largest melting pot, its language and culture disappearing faster than bugs in a henhouse. This is not just a Bush thing; the Democratic Party is just as guilty. Presidential Elections It’s amazing that everyone seems to believe that the candidate with the most money has the nomination and the election wrapped up. Forget the elections it’s simply a foregone conclusion. Most reports indicate that Hillary Clinton is “worried sick” that Barrack Obama has recently raised a few more bucks than she has. Is that what our elections have become? Are the American people really sheep that are now brainwashed because of repeated messages toasting a particular candidate? Don’t bet your life on it. My assessment of the candidates: By: Robert Bernard Hillary Clinton: I believe that the Republicans are secretly praying for Hillary to win the Democratic nomination. They know full well she can’t win. A good guess is that this phony will drop out of the race long before the election. What a nightmare of a commander-in-chief this flip-flopper would be. Any woman that has suffered such perverted abuses at the hands of the world’s worst philanderer just to advance her own political aspirations is someone I don’t want leading this country. The country needs someone with a moral compass, backbone, and brains. Two of the three will not do. Barrack Obama: An attractive Black candidate, but if anyone thinks this country is prepared to elect an inexperienced Black man in these troubled times, they’ve been smoking too much of something illegal. A possible governorship or vice-presidential nomination is the most likely position for this up and coming newcomer. John Edwards: Edwards is the only candidate telling the truth - on either side. Probably the most decent human being among the entire lot, but his stance on the military may derail this true intellect’s efforts. It is an issue he needs to address or he is certain to fall short. Rudy Giulliana: The Republican front runner for good reason. Oblivious to criticism, the former New York City Mayor is one tough customer when it comes to advancing his own agenda. He performed miracles in the resurrection of New York City. Soft on abortion and other Republican social platforms raises concerns among conservatives. John McCain: Hanoi’s most distinguished former resident, McCain blew it in 2000. You would be on solid ground if you believe McCain could have run as an independent and whipped both George Bush and Al Gore in 2000. His message of the “Straight Talk Express,” at the time was fresh, uplifting, timely, and in tune, rallying votes and inspiring voters who were starving for a change. Now he appears wishy-washy and out of touch, losing track of either a solid or popular message. Mit Romney: As phony as a $3.00 bill! Changes his positions as the wind blows saying whatever drives his agenda. Slick, hypocritical, and insincere, Romney will once again prove that money doesn’t buy elections. Newt Gingerich: Brilliant, savvy, and highly qualified. Mr. Newt says things to placate his Republican and Conservative base, but down deep inside believes that bipartisanship is the key to steering this country back to the right course. His past moral indiscretions are a weakness, but I believe Gingerich is well capable of casting those shortcomings aside. He should declare soon. Fred Thompson: An attractive newcomer that has yet to be seen on the campaign trail. Will this Republican have the success of another former actor?  Don't Under Estimate Hillary: Robert and I had a little friendly "scrap" regarding Hillary. I concede right up front, that he is more politically savvy than I. Frankly, I am generally just too busy trying to deal with the life that is too often dictated by the "rules" that the "good ole boys" and now a few "gals" have decided are "good for their constituents". When what they're usually agreeing on ends up stuffing their bank accounts rather than ours. There really is not enough room in Robert's WimpFree-Press columns for me to cover even just a few of the issues, but I have a slight "history" with Hillary. And when someone recently ask in what was probably laced with sarcasm, ""Who's going to vote for Hillary?" Well, without regard to my usual reserve of getting into political discussions, I heard myself singing out in a voice meant to be heard, "I am!" But I didn't stop with my declaration. During the silence that momentarily fell around the tables, with mouths gaping, I proceeded to tell whoever that wanted to listen, exactly "why" I plan to vote for Hillary. To explain, I am going to take an excerpt straight from my non-fiction book: "Retirement: Twice the Husband; Half the Pay." The particular issue has to do with Health Care, and I quote: "The cost of health insurance has rapidly become unattainable for many Americans. The issue is and has been a political football for a number of years. To go back in time to the beginning of the Clinton administration, some may remember that Hillary dared to submit a health care proposal to Congress. At the same time, the current Governor of Texas, Ann Richards, was establishing a Task Force to address health care in Texas. Also, at the same time, our household was receiving health insurance premium increases every six months. Premiums that had started out in 1987 for under $80 per month for both of us, had now escalated to over $300 per month by the time Hillary stepped up to look for solutions. Needless to say, her proposals went over like lead balloons for the most part. However, our insurance company did stop raising the premiums every six months and slacked off on the increased amounts for a few years. But… whoa! Let me back up on a couple of counts and fill you in. During the time that our insurance premiums kept going up, we were getting these nice little letters about how due to bad investments, our premiums had to go up to cover the costs of the insurance. To say that I was seeing red and a few other colors would be an understatement. Well, it just so happened that I had all of those letters. And I had records of all of the premium increases from beginning date to that time. But… what set things in motion was a letter to Governor Ann Richard's Office. Shortly after that, I got a phone call from a staff member asking questions. The Governor wanted to know if I had documentation. I did. She wanted it. When I got through compiling it all, the stack was about an inch and a half thick. I mailed it to the Governor’s Task Force per instructions. But… I did not stop there. By this time I was in full swing on a mission. I sent a package to First Lady Hillary Clinton, and then started addressing packages to members of Congress. In all, I sent out about a dozen packets. Governor Richards and First Lady Hillary Clinton wrote me thank you letters, and about two of the Congressmen bothered to acknowledge receipt. I can’t recall that Congress did anything significant with either Hillary’s proposals or my documents. However, those were the last letters that we got admitting to bad investments as the reason for the increases. Unfortunately, the slack off in the amounts of the annual increases only lasted a few years and then started escalating in larger amounts. When our total premiums increased to over $1100 per month, I had to drop mine and pray I stayed healthy until I reached 65 so I could get Medicare. Bring on 65 and Medicare! " .... end of quote. As for Hillary's actions upon learning of her husband's not-so-secret "mid-life crisis" - hey, we all know that is the usual "reason" why men do those things at that age - I personally think Hillary showed a whole lot of "class and grace under fire." Why must she lower herself and submit to being the "poor little woman"? Why should she suffer publicly and sacrifice her life for the "sins" of her husband? And by the way, check your history; Bill was not our only philandering President. As a woman, I am reasonably sure that Hillary was "putting her best foot forward" for the public, while in private - having been denied that advantage by having the whole world know - is it any wonder that Bill's hair turned white? Are there any men among you who would have wanted to face her? My guess is, answering to Hillary was a whole lot worse than answering to the Congressional Hearings. I, for one, admire the fact that Hillary held her head high and chose to rise above what had to be very humiliating for anyone. I think she showed guts and spunk. Yes, I hear the remarks that, "Oh, isn't she sounding 'tough'." The implication: "for a woman". Well, let me tell you, the way I see it, Hillary has more guts and spunk and motivation to stand up for what she believes than the average "hot air balloon" floating out of D.C. She is well educated and successful in her own right. As First Lady, she showed a willingness to be productive, but was cut down at every turn. I believe it is time for this Country - the USA - to concede to having a woman as our Commander-in-Chief. We need a drastic change. Women, for all practical purposes, already run this Country. Think about it. Women "own the marketplace". We are the ones who do the majority of the buying for our families. Send the average man to the grocery store, you're lucky if he comes back with the three items on his list. The average woman goes to the grocery store, time allowing, she ventures up and down every aisle, planning, picking, and choosing the food that she will cook and put on the table for her family. Sure, she doesn't have to cook over a hot stove like her grandmothers, but chances are her husband doesn't walk behind a mule and plow like his grandfathers. In today's world, the average woman not only runs the household, and keeps the family on track, she likely holds down a full-time, 40 hours per week job to boot. And for her efforts, generally brings home less than the man in her life. For the record, I am neither Republican nor Democrat. Unfortunately, I concede to my voting regrets on each side of the political fence. We no longer can vote "for" someone, it has turned into either voting "against" someone, or voting for "the party". I believe that if given the chance and the authority that goes with the Office of the President of our Country, that she has the ability, the intelligence, the first hand knowledge from having been a First Lady, and God help her, the sheer guts and audacity to stand up to the "good ole boys" attitude that has been going on for eons. As a woman who is tired of that attitude of telling us anything and everything to get elected, then doing what best pleases a chosen few, I am ready to give Hillary a try. She is a very strong person and unfortunately, very few women would venture to stand up to what she is going to have to endure just to be in this political race. Our Society still has a double standard where women and men are concerned, in both attitude and in the work force. It's time to change the "boys will be boys", while "girls..." well, I won't go in to what "girls" are called if they commit an "indiscretion". It is time for women to step up and claim the rights and freedoms that we are suppose to have. So... come on, Ladies, let's prove to the World just who runs this country. Let's take a "Giant Step for Women" and send Hillary "home" to the White House! ©2007 Doris Newnam, Author, Publisher. Hillary on Immigration Reform When Hillary visited Texas in March 2007, among addressing other issues on our minds, her response regarding immigration was brief, but "to-the-point". She said that illegal immigrants need to have a path to citizenship, and that "they should first pay a fine, learn English, and wait in line.". Unfortunately, our American motto of: "The Land of the Free" seems to have a very different meaning to the illegals who cross our Borders and literally get - even now demanding - all of the FREE benefits while you and I have to foot the bills. I personally know that our hosptials are frequently full. And while the illegals occupy the beds and services, many of our own tax paying citizens are unable to get some of those same services unless they have insurance, or declare poverty. The exception being that in Texas, anyone showing up in an emergency room needing emergency treatment, must be treated. Some of those same people had insurance, "once-upon-a-time", and for reasons beyond their control, following injuries, their benefits ran out and they were dropped through the cracks of our "FREE" system. As I write this, I know a man who lies in a hospital bed following a serious heart attack a couple of weeks ago. He was immediately rendered unconscious, and was on life support. About four separate tests have shown that he is "brain dead" and now the family has finally "pulled the plug". And contrary to the expected final moments of life, he still struggles to live, gasping for breath. This same man was told two years ago that he had heart blockage, but his company's insurance would not pay for the needed treatement because his blockage did not meet their 80% blockage rule. Now he lies in a state of not dead, but not alive. The anger and anguish felt by family and friends, knowing that his death most likely could have been prevented, if only he could have gotten the needed treatment two years ago, adds cruilty to their grief. Health Care and Immigration now go hand-in-hand. Both are critical issues that can not be fixed with "band-aids" and must be addressed. Obviously, our current President hasn't helped. The Medicare Drug "Benefit" only helped the poor seniors suckered into it until the next level deductible kicked in, then they had to kick in. Meanwhile, the drug companies were after us like a summer cricket envasion. Our calculations showed that we would be ahead to not join it, so we didn't. I blame Congress as much, if not more, than our Presidents, for by my count, 15 years have now passed since Hillary tried to address our Health Care crisis. Medicare now has almost a thousand dollars deductable, almost tripled in those 15 years. Medicare premiums continue to rise each year, along with a cut in benefits, and the suppliment insurance companies go up on their rates to cover that. The few dollars a month raise that the seniors get once a year, is always eaten away by those increases. Americans, I have news for you. It is time to take action; time to hold our ":leaders" accountable. And in this next election, I want the candidate to tell me what he or she will do, rather than mud-slinging each other. What a circus! We deserve more from the people who aspire to run our Country and our LIVES! Whether Hillary, or one of the other candidates, I want more than "hot-air balloons" from Washington, D.C. How about you? On the Lighter Side.. Speaking of Presidentail Candidates.... Presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and John Edwards were flying to a convention. Barack looked at Hillary, chuckled and said, "You know, I could throw a $1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody very happy." Hillary shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I could throw ten $100 bills out of the window and make ten people very happy." John added, "That being the case, I could throw one hundred $10 bills out of the window and make a hundred people very happy." Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said to his copilot, "Such big-shots back there. I could throw all of them out of the window and make 156 million people very happy." And speaking of the "Clinton's"... Chelsea Clinton was talking to a decorated combat soldier and she asked him the three things he feared most. He replied, "Osama, Obama, and Yo Mama." |
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