Wrong Lesson Learned

Meanwhile back in Iraq elections have been held. The man we hand picked to run the country when "democracy" was introduced, al Maliki, has apparently lost.

Election observers, including those from the UN, have stated the few irregularities noted were not of enough significance to require a recall. Yet al Maliki insists on crying "foul". According to the London Telegraph the ink wasn't even dry on the ballots before his supporters were calling for a return to sectarian violence.

He learned a lesson well. It's just the wrong one. It worked for Karzai in Afghanistan to the point where his opponent withdrew from a run off allowing him to win by default. It worked for Ahmadinejad in Iran. People are still losing their freedom over that one!

It's interesting to me how we seem to following their lead rather than the other way around. When our politicians overstate common slang into incitement to violence, we're on the wrong track. This past nonpartisan conflict over health care shows that the pols have little interest what the people think. More, they worry about their place in the power structure. Not unlike those pesky Middle Easterners.

Too, just like their people, ours are beginning to protest more vigorously. Like their people, ours are tired of being ignored and if polite discourse won't get it done more drastic measures will be taken.

There seems to be a pattern of similarities developing here. We should all be concerned. So far we have managed to solve such conflicts at the ballot box without physical conflict yet we're being pushed. If the administration and the party in power doesn't take a good look at themselves to see why the people are so angry rather than pointing fingers, the power may well shift. In those Middle Eastern countries, when that happens, those fingers might well be whacked off as retribution.

Saying we've got someone in the cross hairs or someone is targeted, in the context it was meant, is child's play in comparison.

Can we all grow up now?

Generational and Ideological Disconnect

I was quite dismayed when I read that General McCrystal is closing down what few reminders of home and better times our young soldiers have at Kandahar Airfield.

The area, known as the boardwalk, has a Burger King, Subway, TGI Friday's and a Cold Stone Creamery, a hockey rink and basketball court along with other amenities bringing a bit of the U.S. to the unforgiving surroundings of Afghanistan. What better to keep some some semblance of morale?

Well, no. The rationale is it will free up much needed space for the incoming troops. Gee, I guess being fresh from home their morale will be just fine. For awhile.

Closer to the truth is that McCrystal is trying to convey that the U.S. has no intention of Americanizing Afghanistan. Don't our kids count? After all, they're over there trying to appease the Taliban while Karzai is wheeling and dealing with them at the same time. Probably working a deal to let him stay in office after the Americans leave in return for leaving the Taliban alone. Just saying.

Meantime, the youth of Afghanistan have other ideas. According to a story on the BCC there is a rock band calling themselves Kabul Dreams that is making quite a name for themselves. The three members are of different ethnicity's so they sing in English to convey unity. They are proud young Afghan men who want to show the world that Afghanistan is more than just a war torn backwater. Let's hear it for the young men!It's worth following the BCC link and listening to what they have to say along with some pretty darn good music!

I had high hopes that a younger generation in Washington would make a positive difference. Not this one. Pride is not conveyed by appeasement. Let's look to the next where the Afghan's choose western ways.

Maybe our young GIs and the young musicians from Kabul should get together and work out the whole sorry mess. I'm sure the Afghans would enjoy a Whopper or some of TGI's wings. I'm sure our young warriors would love the Afghan's music. After all, it's western in nature, instruments and all.

It's the old men of ego and war that are perpetuating it. I'd much rather see music and the ideas of youth as the great equalizer!

Of COURSE The People Are Angry!

All this breast beating going on about said threats to members of Congress is all over the news. I'm wondering if it's being exaggerated for effect. Yes, I'm wearing my cynical hat today.

I do not condone displays of bad behavior whether it be crude and unacceptable epitaphs hurled at people or property destruction. Yet in the case of what's happening now after the forcing through of health care reform, I understand it. After months of watching members fall from false convictions by accepting bribes for votes, the people are angry. They've been angry all along. As bits and pieces of the bill became known they let their Senators and Representatives know. When they found they were being ignored they started to form loosely organized groups to protest. This became the Tea Party Movement. Sure, some of them were more politically incorrect in their protests. Could this be frustration mounting?

Still the decimation of bipartisanship in Washington continued as though the people didn't exist. Finally enough bribes were made to get the legislation passed. Never mind that the people still don't like it. The frustration has turned to anger. Want to bet the militia movement is seeing an increase in membership?

As more and more of the details are coming out, like the funding of Viagra for sex offenders with our dollars and the Congress exempting themselves from everything in the bill, the anger is beginning to boil over. I'd not be surprised if this is the beginning of a serious revolution.

The politicians can stand up there and tsk tsk the bad behavior, the pundits can urge the people to take the fight to the ballot box but the frustration and anger needs to be vented now, not months down the road.

This war is yet to be won. Knowing how politics works, I'm not sure having a power exchange is the answer. The politicians are too bent on revenge. Yet in watching the arrogant stand of the administration and the Democrats and the people's reaction, it's no wonder the rest of the world is snickering behind their hands. Israel is slapping us in the face one more time, Russia is eking out more cuts in our defense mechanisms and the U.S. Military is scaling back the few comforts of home our soldiers have to enjoy so as not to offend the Afghans.

What's wrong with this picture? Everything. Can it be fixed? Who knows. We're a badly broken country who's government's ideology doesn't mesh with the people's. The government is fiddling with everything fundamentally American while the people burn.

Our adversaries are watching this tragedy of political theater and applauding the crumpling of a once solid, proud nation. One can only hope, however, there will be no curtain call!

Saving Face On Facebook!

Hub left me a column in the Financial Times to read. It is by Lucy Kellaway, a 50 something columnist, on the realization that if she doesn't grasp the concept of Facebook her generation will soon be relegated to a dark hole!

What made me chuckle is the fact that I'm a tad older than she, as are a great many of my "friends" on Facebook, and we all seem to "grasp" it quite well! Actually, I think it's because we're getting lazy in our old age. Oh sure, we can say it's because it's a great way to communicate with people around the world. That's what we said when we started blogging. But then most of us had something to say in our blogs other than the fact we planted bulbs in the garden this morning or some such.

All you have to do on Facebook to make worldwide acquaintances is play a game. My addiction of choice is the Zoo game. Not too many of my local "friends" are into it so I went on the help site asking for more zoos to visit. My friends jumped from 20 something to now over 70. There are an awful lot of zoo players out there with whom I share nothing in common except that silly game! Yet whatever they write about their life I get to see.

I'm not sure this is all good as Hub just came in from supervising the first stage of installing driveway gates at the entrance to our property! How can you be paranoid and be on Facebook at the same time?! As with blogging, I guess you trust luck and the idea that most people aren't going to take the time to track you down from Facebook if you happen to offend them.

One thing she mentioned I think she may have gotten wrong. She read that 36 million mothers in the U.S. signed up to keep an eye on their children. Talk about not grasping it! Now, if my mother were alive...no, never mind. She'd never have a computer. She wouldn't even have a microwave. Let's go back a generation or so.

If I had kids they'd probably let me friend them. The interaction, if wanted, is better than e-mail. But when kids, teens, hold the "friend" button I really doubt too many of those Mom's got the accepted notice.

Times, they are a changing. The best part about it is more and more old acquaintances try it out and you can reconnect. I've had a few over the past few days. Many of my blogging friends are also members and we see one another in an entirely different light than from blogs alone.

I suppose Twitter will continue to grow by leaps and bounds but I'm not there yet. I still have trouble entering a phone number in my cell address book and it does not have a keyboard to make twittering easier. Heck, it doesn't even take photos! So, I'm really not all that hip, or whatever the jargon of today may be. But I manage.

I'm not quite ready for that dark hole no matter my generation. I'm getting too close to one as is. I'm looking for technology from many sources to keep me out of it!

Just Who Should Apologize?

So things got a little contentious in the House as Bart Stupak was reneging on his promise to vote no on Health Care Reform. Representative Neugebauer shouted "baby killer" according to reports. Mr. Stupak took it personally, Neugebauer contended it was not. Stupak then added, if not perhaps Neugebauer should apologize to the House.

For the outburst, okay. The House seems to be sensitive to emotional outbursts. They consider it a lack of decorum. Threats and bribery are not, but outbursts are. Go figure.

Actually, Mr. Stupak should apologize - to the people. He changed his vote for $800,000 and a meaningless executive order from the President. Once the law is passed, which it was, an executive order cannot change it. If Mr. Stupak did not know that he should not be in the House.

Taking it a step further, the entire Democratic wing of Congress, especially the leadership, should apologize to the American people for their lack of decorum for the shenanigans involved in getting this legislation passed. Yes, deals are made all the time but usually not so blatantly nor so much against the will of the people.

Do we matter at all? Or only Congressmen who've had their feelings hurt.

On that note I'm off to see a chronic pain specialist while he's still taking Medicare patients.