Can A War Be Won By Appeasement?

While we await tomorrow's latest act of political theater, we should not forget about the rest of the world. Like Afghanistan.

President Obama started what is becoming a trend in the way we address the rest of the world. Other than showing how dysfunctional we are for all to see, we also are making a habit of apologizing.

It has long been the habit of Afghanistan's President Karzai to wag his finger under our nose and scold us for incurring civilian casualties. He seems to be taking great glee in this even though he knows full well there are two facts about war that will never change. People die. Civilians die.

We are now in the midst of a surge to take Marjah, a longtime Taliban Stronghold, where they use civilians as cover. We all know this. It has been going on since day one. Yet he goes before his Parliament waving a picture of a dead young child with his usual tsk, tsk. What happens? General McCrystal goes on Afghan TV and apologizes. What a way to fight a war.

The rules of engagement have changed to the point of making us far less effective than we could be. If an enemy combatant takes out three men then drops his rifle we cannot fire at him. We cannot call in air strikes until there is confirmation of a legitimate threat and collateral damage can be minimized. It is insanity.

We are propping up Karzai's government for some unclear reason. He literally has no army so why are we afraid of him? We allowed him to take office after a badly flawed election on the promise that he would clean up corruption. Why would we ever believe that he actually would?

He is throwing it in our face yet again. A commission was set up after the runoff election which put Karzai back in office to prevent another 1 million vote fraud. Three foreign members were appointed by the UN. Karzai has now signed a decree allowing himself the sole power in appointing commission members, relegating the UN experts to the sidelines.

He has also delayed anti-graft legislation which was to be completed by the end of February.

We can try to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people all we want. We may actually succeed here and there, but to what end? To provide them with a functioning, democratic government out from under the thumb of the Taliban but under the thumb of Karzai and his thugs? Some choice. I would guess the people will side with whichever entity is most likely to just leave them alone.

As we keep the Taliban at bay Karzai has the time to strengthen his hold. When we leave, just as in Iraq, everything will be up for grabs. Some choice. Taliban rule or a dictatorship under Karzai.

Will we ever "cowboy up" and do what needs to be done and let the chips fall where they may? We have to stop worrying about what rogue governments think about how we conduct a war. Or we shouldn't fight them.

Let's Roast These Wienies!

Have you ever wondered how the millions of people in the world have managed to survive? Consider the quake in Haiti, the droughts in Africa, the squalor of the slums in Rio not to mention war! All take their toll on the human condition yet somehow we manage to survive.

Of course in more advanced countries, like our own, Big Brother does all he can to protect us. From teddy bears whose eyes might be swallowed, from bikes whose paint may contain lead. On this level, especially, I wonder how I made it! I had my share of toys which had parts that surely put me at risk. I had a bike, though I never thought to eat any of the paint on it. Wash and shine it, yes. But eat it?

Ah, but even eating is becoming hazardous to our health. Especially kids who are prone to choking. It would seem I wasn't but apparently far too many are. Because of this, a group of pediatricians are pushing for the redesign of some of our more common foods. Especially the hot dog. The hot dog?

It's the shape, you see. Long and cylindrical. It poses a risk. What? If the kid tries to swallow it whole? They've really looked into this. A member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Injury had this to say,

"If you were to take the best engineers in the world and asked them to design a perfect plug for a child's airway, you couldn't do it better than a hot dog. It's the right size, right shape. It's compressible so it wedges itself in. When they're in that tight it's almost impossible, even with the correct training and the correct equipment, to get it out. When it's wedged that tightly, that child is going to die."

So would an adult, should one find themselves in the same situation, I should think!

Grocery manufactures, somewhat dryly I would imagine, suggested there be some responsibility assigned to parents, teachers and other care givers tending children. I should think!

It's not much fun living in this world of regulation that's being foisted upon us. Now they want to take away hot dogs as we know them. What to do at a ball game? Or around a camp fire? Or from the street vendors heaping it with onion and mustard and relish, maybe kraut or chili?

I won't even get into their suggestions about candy!

In thinking of the dangers of hot dogs, however, I would think pediatricians, of all people would be more concerned about the nutritious value of the ingredients rather than the likelihood a child would get himself into the stuffing of a hot dog down his gullet so tightly he suffocates!

Wouldn't you?

Blog Fest 2010

We here in Coeur 'd Alene, Idaho, have a very unique community of bloggers. Led for the past six years by the Spokesman Review's Dave Oliveria, it has gone through a lot. It waxes and wanes according to the mood of Dave and those who contribute. It is often contentious. It is often funny. It reflects the community from which it originates. It is unique.

Every year we have a Blog Fest, a time for all of us to put aside our pseudonyms and politics and celebrate that which binds us. Blogging. I've missed one over the years. In that period of time, last year, people have come and gone. Today I had the pleasure of greeting old friends and meeting new ones. As I roamed around with camera in hand I knew I'd never meet the name with the face test so I'm not even going to try. I'll leave that to those who are more connected with the community. Click on the montage, however, and those who could not attend will see familiar faces.

I'll add the video I took, while taking a walk through, to show you what our little community is all about. A huge thanks to Steve Widmyer and his staff at the Fort Ground Grill for hosting a wonderful spread.

A special thumbs up to Dave Oliveria, out host from Huckleberries Online for showing once again that we can all get along if we really want to. Those in attendance, from politicians to police officers to we ordinary folks who just enjoy blogging, do.

When Doing Right Isn't Enough

Much is being made about the Dalai Lama leaving the White House passing a huge pile of trash. It isn't as though he was forced to exit through a service entrance for kitchen deliveries. He was exiting through the Palm Room doors.

That being said, it makes me wonder if he had his meeting with the President as a gesture of palming off a problem! I know, that's a stretch. Our President is slow at learning, but he did realize refusing to meet with the Dalai Lama to appease China was also a mistake.

It seems to me it could have been more gracious. Knowing that the meeting was to be in the Palm Room, I'd have had the trash moved to another location temporarily. I can't imagine the Pope being put in such a position. Not even Jeremiah Wright! Probably not even a Chinese dignitary. After all, they hold so much of our paper one must give respect where respct is due!

One day politicians will learn that cameras are everywhere. Images such as this only reinforce the notion that this White House is a bit short on class.

Class is the Dalai Lama not making an issue of it.

The Mad Hatters Of The Tea Party Movement

Tim Burton has done it again! This time it's the casting of his pal Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter in his cracked looking glass version of Alice in Wonderland!

It got me to thinking about what a wonderful symbol he would be for our very own Tea Party movement, especially those who need something to differentiate themselves from the Republican right.

As I've listened to the speeches being given at CPAC I sense the Republican right is trying to shape the movement into their image. If they are successful it will be the demise of the Tea Partiers. Their strength is their support for candidates that embrace their core values , regardless of party.

• Fiscal Responsibility
• Constitutionally Limited Government
• Free Markets

If they get sucked into the ideology of the Far Left or the Far Right, they will lose their impact and become spoilers rather than agents of change.

Perhaps there needs to be a movement within the movement. One that makes sure they stay their course. I think the Mad Hatters would be fitting name for this group!. Depp's Mad Hatter is described as a human mood ring, his clothes changing color with his moods. Granted, our clothes can't change color according to the way we think but if they did the most effective Tea Partiers would be wearing purple rather than red or blue. They would be choosing the best ideas and candidates from each party.

Here's to the Mad Hatters! Oh yes. The idea is mad. Quite mad. Considering the political climate today, what could be more fitting?