How many times will we have to watch tyrants come to power and try to destroy their neighbors before the world awakens and reacts?  Hitler in WWII and now Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran who seeks to control the entire Middle East.  Make no mistake, as soon as US Forces leave Iraq, Iran will be swooping in to fill the vacuum.  The history is there.  There was a 7 year war between Iran and Iraq back in the 80’s, and with Tehran’s links to Syria and Hezballah, the threat to sovereignty of the region is at question.  Iran’s best hope from manuevering Hezballah into action against Israel is to get Syria and Lebanon so unstable that they will come under the control of the Shiia and de facto take orders from Iran.  This is expansion through globalized theocracy.

Let’s not take this lightly, and be stupid to what the greater ramifications will be.

“I believe that international terrorism is a modern form of warfare against liberal democracies. I believe that the ultimate but seldom stated goal of these terrorists is to destroy the very fabric of democracy. I believe that it is both wrong and foolhardy for any democratic state to consider international terrorism to be ’someone else’s’ problem…. Liberal democracies must acknowledge that international terrorism is a ‘collective problem.’”

“I’m not a hawk or a dove. I just don’t want my country to be a pigeon.”

“If you believe in the cause of freedom, then proclaim it, live it and protect it, for humanity’s future depends on it.”

“The richest country in the world can afford whatever it needs for defense.” (1960, campaigning for Kennedy)

“We all want to put the brakes on the arms race…we all want to achieve arms control…but to those who say we must take risks for peace by cutting the meat from our military muscle, I say you are unwittingly risking war.”

After all, freedom isn’t free, who among you is willing to defend it?

Does Lieberman need defending as a Democrat? He has a pretty strong record. Check it out at http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0141103 But it seems that the “Anti-War”, single issue Green Party Democrats are attempting to hi-jack this election. If they do it here, it may spell doom and gloom for the Democratic party. The unfortunate thing is not that they are divided in thoughts about the war, but the fact that they are fighting amongst themselves about whether or not a candidate is electable based upon their position on the war.

This my friends is a very precarious position to be in. With North Korea launching rockets that can reach Japan and the US, do you want a Democrat who is torn between voting to protect America, and some bullshit anti-war stances that they ran on?

Many of the rants that I have read in places like Huffington Post, call Lieberman a “Zionist”, and those writers, pen it as if it was spoken by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who regularly denies the Holocaust. To accuse Lieberman of being a neo-con zionist is in effect suporting the likes of the Iranian President.

Maybe Lieberman is a bit too hawkish for some of you folks, but maybe you need to understand where it comes from, especially if you don’t live in New York or Connecticut. They don’t live far from the 9/11 epicenter. You don’t give folks from that region a black eye and expect for them to go home crying, after all, this is the area that was part of our original 13 colonies. There is a history of fighting.

I would imagine that, as an American Jew, Senator Lieberman has met many Holocaust survivors, and understands the history and need for Israel to exist as a country, the only Democracy in the region. As new generations come about that don’t have a grasp of the situation there, and play wed morning quarterback, because they weren’t there on monday or tuesday morning, and don’t even know a soldier who faught in WWII or a victim from a concentration camp. Yet these same people claim to have all the answers. I believe that Senator Lieberman has perspective that comes with a deeper understanding of all the facts, and unfortunately that is a constant underflow of anti-semitism that exudes from the far left of the Democratic party.

Cindy Sheehan maybe unwittingly is part of the problem of spreading that anti-semitism, she’s quoted:

“You tell me the truth. You tell me that my son died for oil. You tell me that my son died to make your friends rich. You tell me my son died to spread the cancer of Pax Americana, imperialism in the Middle East. You tell me that, you don’t tell me my son died for freedom and democracy…You get America out of Iraq, you get Israel out of Palestine”

Maybe Palestine should get out of Israel, read the FACT here at FLAME.

But the biggest reason that the Democrats should be taking Lieberman’s lead is because of what Colon Powell said. Like it or not, we have the Pottery Barn deal going. You break it, you buy it! We may not like it, but we created this mess, and it is ridiculous to believe that we can merely walk away and things will be alright. The smart thing to do is come up with an improved strategy and mission plan. Congress should be brief, just to be kept in the loop by the Commanders, on what the overall plan and desires are, and we should have defined goals and milestones, so we can achieve a status where our troops CAN exit without creating a vacuum.

Lieberman’s record is one of a true Democrat, you can read it yourself! He’s got your back, maybe it’s time for the Democrats to stop stabbing him in his.

I wonder who is priveed to what the executive branch of government is doing, since the legislative branch has been effectively shutout of executing this war on terror. The people of this great nation sign the paychecks of the people who are carrying out this war, but there needs to be some oversight. Oversight by our legislative branch, the Congress!

Since they fail to do their job, our last line of oversight seems to be The Press. That same press that has been accused of rolling over and not doing their jobs for the last 5 or so years.

According to Edward S. Herman in Z Magazine, the term “All The News That’s Fit To Print” comes from:

The New York Times’s masthead logo, “All The News That’s Fit to Print,” dates back to 1896, the first year of Ochs-Sulzberger family control of the paper, and both the family control and arrogant belief in the benevolence and superior judgment of the dominant owners persist to this day. The 1997 Proxy Statement of The New York Times Company explains the special voting rights that assure family control in terms of the desire for “an independent newspaper, entirely fearless, free of ulterior influence and tinselfishly devoted to the public welfare.”

So how can a newspaper that is not privied to “Classified” information be accused of releasing it? See the Wiki: Classified_information .

So if investigative journalists are told that everything that they do is being held for national security and the war on terrorism, then we run into the potential of a quasi-censorship situation. While papers, such as the NY Times has used candor to ensure that they don’t quickly jump to publish stories without considering National Security, because they are not the government, they have different standards and rules when it comes to publishing material to the public, and that public can be more than just US Citizens.

Can we rely on the Press to be the eyes and ears of the people when our Congress has failed us? What will the people who are relying on its government to keep us safe do? Who is watching the watchers? Maybe there is more news that’s fit to print.

I’m thinking Nuke ‘em, because if they want to burn something, I say we help them burn their whole country to the ground. It’s alot easier to use nuclear weapons to solve problems than it is to send troops to do that. I mean it’s a great thing to pass a law to protect that flag, but what’s the punishment? I hope utter DEATH!

You know all the troops have to pledge allegiance to the flag of United States of America, at least I think they do… hmmm…

I, Seaman/Airman Soldier, do solemly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed overme, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

Well, I guess they don’t take a specific oath to protect the flag. Darn! I guess if we change the constitution, then we can have all sorts of laws to help defend the Flag. Dang… wait isn’t there already laws on the books to defend the flag?

<a title="Flag Code" href="http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&#38;docid=Cite:+4USC3">That would be Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 3 of the US Code. </a>

Sec. 3. Use of flag for advertising purposes; mutilation of flag

Any person who, within the District of Columbia, in any manner, for exhibition or display, shall place or cause to be placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, or any advertisement of any nature upon any flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America; or shall expose or cause to be exposed to public view any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign upon which shall have been printed, painted, or otherwise placed, or to which shall be attached, appended, affixed, or annexed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, or drawing, or any advertisement of any nature; or who, within the District of Columbia, shall manufacture, sell, expose for sale, or to public view, or give away or have in possession for sale, or to be given away or for use for any purpose, any article or substance being an article of merchandise, or a receptacle for merchandise or article or thing for carrying or transporting Merchandise, upon which shall have been printed, painted, attached, or otherwise placed a representation of any such flag, standard, colors, or ensign, to advertise, call attention to, decorate, mark, or distinguish the article or substance on which so placed shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $100 or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, in the discretion of the court. The words “flag, standard, colors, or ensign’’, as used herein, shall include any flag, standard, colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard, or ensign of the United States of America.

I guess that used car dealer and sellers of those plastic commuter cups, and those paper flags that are used on cakes, and bikinis that ladies wear that look like the flag, are probably all Breaking the Law, by someone’s interpretation of this code.

I know that Energy policy, healthcare, our troops, and immigration are all less important than creating a band of Flag police, since there is such an outbreak of anti-american flag burning sediment here in the good ol’ US of A. If it is passed, don’t you worry! I’ll be first in line to pass out the fines!

I keep hearing that the Democrats aren’t cohesive. They aren’t consistent. They don’t speak with one voice. Well, the real problem is that some people have chosen to hi-jack the party. There are single issue items that fringe groups have chosen to beat on, in order to diminish and divide the party. And while the GOP is flailing with their own issues, it’s the Democrats who just don’t know how to control these fringe elements.

This is what I believe the Core of Values of the Democratic Party should be:

• Service to Country and Community


• Protectors of the Bill of Rights


• Defender of poor and middle-class

That’s it, and from there you build your philosophy.

Service to Country and Community means that you join the military and support and defend it. You run for public office, you help out in every and any aspect of community support. It should be a party philosophy that includes a high degree of ethical conduct. After all, as employees government, it really means we’re servants of the people.

Protectors of the Bill of Rights means that we stand by to protect all of the Bill of Rights, not just one’s that we agree in. Without #1, it is difficult to keep the rest, and we’re having a difficult time getting the youth of today to understand that. We can’t roll over and allow any of the US Constitution to be trampled upon.

The poor and middle-class represent the bulk of the working class of American Society. If our people, our citizens are unable to support themselves, then the downfall of America is assured. It is important that every segment of American life is presented the opportunity to succeed. Supporting programs that help give a step up to poor and middle-class citizens is an important way that everyone has a chance to be their best.

Probably a very controversial thing is this notion of War and Women. It is an interesting phenomena in the country that about 50% of the people who live here never live in fear of being called up for military service. By mere virtue of their gender, they escape this call to country, as a potential unwritten contract of American Citizenship.

I know that there are thousands of very fine and exceptional women who have served and continue to serve in this nations Armed Forces, and they do so in combat zones and a myriad of hazardous conditions, yet they do so voluntarily. I salute them all.

But lets talk about the women who have no vested interest in America, they sit and complain about taxes and the military, or better yet, they support sending a man to die in their place, just as it has been done for hundreds of years.

So where am I going with this? I suppose this is just one of those conditions where you have a hard time taking people seriously who just have no vested interest in the decisions that are made when it comes to war.

Sure we all pay taxes, and we have opinions as to the current crisis, but when it comes to a draft, that’s where the irony begins. Separate but equal. I thought that was abolished long ago.

And so my thought is that a woman who supports a draft is like a slap in the face for those MEN, who could be called to service.

Sure, there is no draft now, and we hope that it doesn’t come to that, but it could. I wouldn’t be so naïve to believe that there is no possibility of a draft, and it wouldn’t bother me if there was one. I am bothered that the process is too selective. I am bothered that not everyone is required to sign up. I’m bothered that when it comes down to it, we are not all equal in our responsibilities.

We live in a society that dreams that women can stay home and raise children, and yet for the vast majority of us, two income families aren’t merely for comfort and convience, its because its required.

We need to fix a very antiquainted philosophy of the defense of America, and make it the right of All Americans.

So in case you’ve been living either under a rock, or down in a submarine, you know by now that Jill Carroll, reporter for the Christian Science Monitor, has been released from her hostage ordeal. Yet it didn’t take the untasteful likes of the Imus Crew, specifically Bernard McGuirk, to make some comments without Ms. Carroll getting a chance to get back to her family and make an appropriate statement of the facts.  See http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/30/imus-carroll/

We know that any individual held in captivity will break under pressure to do things and say things that they wouldn’t normally do. There are plenty of examples of American Servicemembers who have been POWs, who have endured the extremes of what one human being will do to another with malice.

Brian Ross of ABCNews related in one of his recent podcasts that he had been a hostage in South America about 20 years ago, and he is lucky to have escaped. While Ms. Carroll may have a desire to see the innocent population of Iraq come back alive by telling the people’s story, I would be highly surprised if she will campaign for the people who kidnapped her, and killed her translator. Her statement, made through the CSM only reaffirms this is the case.

Those quick to condemn a person for their had work in an unbelieveably dangerous work environment should take a step back and apologize for getting it wrong!

Jake Tapper was in Iraq not too long ago, and has seen the effects of trying to tell the story of the people. It’s not an easy task. This administration wants those human interest stories told, and it is this administrations own attack dogs who are doing the most damage to ensure those stories are never told.

Let’s get real! When Imus and O’Really decide to broadcast live and direct from their new studies in the greenzone, then we can start to take ‘em seriously.

http://www.csmonitor.com/earlyed/early_world040106.htm

As you may or may not know, I’m a Navy Reservist… and I recently took the exam for Chief Petty Officer and now my “package” will compete with probably 400 other sailors for 10 to 30 slots for Chief.

At least I have a chance. If I didn’t pass the test and make board, I wouldn’t even have a chance.

This evening, I went to the gym, and after a pretty good workout, I hit the steam-room. That’s the place where the worlds problems are generally solved. If you’ve ever been to the Men’s side of the world, you might know about these things. Well, the steam-room was pretty full, and two older gentlemen in their 70’s were having a discussion about politics and the war. I thought oh good, an interesting conversation. Of course as I enter the steam-room, the cloud and hiss of steam being generated begins to fill the room, and I can’t hear or see a thing. But quickly they were back at it. Interesting, one guy thought that he had been lied to, and the other guy was steadfast in his support for the President.

My impression has become one of a stalemate when you try to have these discussions about the war. I think they are necessary to gain insight and perspective, however you have to realize that you probably aren’t going to change the minds of people who are so sure in what they believe. And the same goes pretty much for me, I don’t have plans to change what I believe. I do think though that I’m open minded enough to engage in debate and want to listen and become persuaded.

Many people are happy with thing regarding the war. There is no draft, no anti-war protests, and every time someone questions things, we just put up a poster of the twin-towers and say, remember New York, remember Pennsylvania, remember the pentagon. I don’t think that there is anyone who wants to have another 9/11 situation here in the US ever again, however, I believe that we need a draft to put the Army back to End Strength levels, where they will be able to easily do the jobs they are tasked to do.

We need our countrymen to take some ownership in the war. Promote the Military to your children, and tell them of the important sacrifices that honorable men and women have made and make everyday so that we can live in a free society. We need our countrymen at home to bring the call to shore-up our constitution and ensure that our bill of rights are not trampled on.

We live in the best country in the world. There is no one who can say that we don’t. Even with jobs moving overseas and many other issues that people come up with, but the fact remains, we are the country that all others envy. But just like Uncle Ben said in Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Let’s make our countrymen all stand up to answer that responsibility.