Hillary And Hamid - Here They go Again

Why, oh why, do they bother? Karzai is in this country to make nice and Hillary is patting him on the head and telling him being a bad boy doesn't mean she doesn't love him. Boy, I'm getting tired of the charade.

In fact, The Wall Street Journal tells us, these differences only showcase the strength of the relationship. Heck, he's even going to Arlington to pay his respects. You might think all is well when Karzai says, "Afghanistan is known around the world for being a country that remembers a friend - and for long." I never knew Afghanistan was known for that. It's barely even known as a country! I also question the sincerity. They may indeed remember a friend, but are we one?

On the very same day, we get to see a report issued by the International Crisis Group that spells out the escalating corruption and ethnic rivalries within the Afghan military. You know, the guys that are supposed to be training to protect their own country so we can leave.

To make matters worse NATO is proposing a Courageous Restraint Award for those who show restraint when civilians may be present. Imagine how popular that one will be when awarded posthumously!

It's no wonder our allies are taking a good hard look at us and deciding to cool the relationship. Troop levels are being reduced; there isn't much stomach for this war even though all our allies suffer the same threats of terrorism. Many have suffered far worse than threats yet they have little stomach for this war.

Is it possible they have a better way of dealing with it? Is it possible for this administration to realize that it's strategy isn't working and that listening to advice from others might be prudent?

Nah. Not this administration.

What Do YOU Believe And More Importantly, Why?

What kind of a news person, reader, would rather have a terrorist be something other than what they are so as to de-emphasize prejudices? MSNBC's Contessa Brewer. Or as in Judith Miller's case on Fox News Watch , we have to learn to get inside these peoples heads so as to understand them. They both make me cringe and in their own way, they're saying the same thing. The poor mis-understood terrorist.

It's really not all that complicated, ladies. It's their religion. It's what they believe, for whatever reason and no amount of breast beating on our part is going to change that.

I got to thinking about people and their religious beliefs. How long has it been since you have sat down and actually thought about why you believe what you do? There are as many religions and offshoots as there are millions of people believing in their premises. Not all are the same by any stretch. Some promote peace and good will, others live and let live and yet others death to all who disbelieve. Somewhere in that hodgepodge there must be a common thread. I don't think it's the belief in a supreme being as much as it's the filling of an inner need. The need to understand our very existence and justify our place in the world.

Obama wasn't all wrong when he spoke of people clinging to their religion and their guns during times of turmoil. It's a comfort zone, sanctuary even, from the troublesome unknown and least understood. An excellent opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal speaks to how those who value their religious beliefs over any nation have found themselves disenfranchised no matter where they reside.

Think about it. This country was settled by people who were disenfranchised from the religious beliefs foisted upon them by England, the Jews, Catholics in Northern Ireland. To varying degrees, it is not just Muslim. They just happen to have the most violent of extremists.

It really has nothing the news folk would so like to find. They aren't necessarily loners, underachievers nor poor and uneducated. It's what they've come to believe and they are just as faithful to their beliefs as we are to ours. We are in a ideological fight with those who's beliefs are the antithesis of ours. Where we would open our arms to include them, they would cut ours off as a punishment.

To try to understand that is futile; better minds than Judith Miller's have tried and failed. And to hope a failed terror attempt was the act of someone other than one with that mindset displays a lack of intellect that should be banned from the air. Changing the color of the skin, the accent or religion makes it no less deplorable. What we don't need is more.

Joe The Duly Elected Official

I was happy to see our old friend Joe the Plumber is back in the news. I've been wondering what he's been up to. What a career he's made for himself since he first approached candidate Obama with a question to which we all should have listened to the answer more closely!

He talked about getting into politics but has really stayed pretty much on the sidelines as an "adviser". He's written a book, he served a brief stint as a war correspondent in Gaza and does pretty well on the rubber chicken circuit.

Now, however, he is a duly elected official. He has won a seat on a Republican Party committee in Ohio's Lucas County. It's a start.

He's a bit rough around the edges, but I'm beginning to appreciate the idea that he is a straight shooter. Politically correct he is not. He takes both parties to task for their stupidities with equal relish. You know, I wish all our politicians had his candor, if not his demeanor.

He appeals to certain folks much as Sarah Palin. The more you listen the more you understand why. He talks like the everyman that he is, that most of us are. Hence his popularity.

The day I would vote for Joe is not on my radar, yet I can seem him inching ever upward, at least at the local level. He hits the nail on the head when he exhorts a gathering of Tea Partiers not to "let a bunch of Liberal pansies" take away their rights. A little polish would help if he wants to be taken seriously. They say the same about Sarah. You betcha they do.

At the core of the matter, however, his solutions are simple and to the point. On illegal immigration, he says, "Put up a fence and start shooting." To the point. Problem solved. No profiling or bruised sensibilities to worry about. The job gets done.

You know what? Lots of people would never admit they agree, but at times I bet they do.

Everything Is Backwards!

One day another one of those home made bombs will go off. Timothy McVeigh proved it some years back. Those pesky bombs can indeed work.

I think the one main reason I will never again vote for a Democrat for President is because of their distaste for being prepared for war. Obama is gutting our defense much as Carter did. I'm all for nations being anti-war, too bad more of them aren't. But we really need to face facts. The world is at war with Islamic radicals. We've been lucky under Obama. The attempts on U.S. soil have so far been duds. The troublesome thing is so many are getting so close. Sure, they've been caught, but it's by their own lack of expertise rather than our intelligence working.

I just don't think we have a grasp on how wars are fought today. The enemy wears no uniform and many times live among us. We can't "profile" them for fear of offending their sensibilities. Foreign leaders who are in power thanks to us and us alone are constantly criticizing us for civilian casualties. So we try harder, putting our own at more risk to save theirs who won't turn in the culprits that would save everybody a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Everything is backwards!

Consider the administration's quest for nuclear disarmament. What do we do but tell them exactly what we have! Secretary of State Clinton tells us it's in our national security interest to be as transparent as we can about the nuclear program of the United States.

Here we are like sitting ducks for every discontented terrorist want-to-be who happens to be in the United States. They learn how to make their bombs from countries who hate us and everything we stand for. Sure it's going to get them in line by telling them everything we have and what we plan to do with it - other than shrink the stockpile. By the way, how many countries have followed suit to date?

It's all backwards. An administration that promised transparent and open government drafts and passes legislation that is the antithesis of transparent and expects us to be happy with us. They know best. We're too dumb to understand and it's for our own good.

Explain to me, please, why they are more transparent about our national security apparatus with enemies than with legislation under which we are going to be forced to live?

It's all backwards.

Lust

The minute I saw her I knew I had to have her. She was standing away from the crowd, close to a grouping of plants. Tall, stately. I moved through people busy visiting or nibbling goodies until I stood in front of her. She wasn't necessarily a she at all, more androgynous. Then I found out in order to have her I'd have to buy her. So be it.

When she arrived at my home she proved difficult. Awkward and gangly. Her parts seemed scattered everywhere and none wanted to fit together as I had imagined they should. Hub, swallowing his amazement, tried to help me get her together but nothing wanted to fit. Joints were confusing as to the direction they should be. Arms and legs everywhere. She'd not stand still, nor straight nor strong. She waffled and wavered as though she didn't want to be there at all.

Days, maybe a week later, the struggle ended. Even with parts seemingly backwards she finally resembled the beauty of the illusion that I had first seen. We waited with baited breath to see if she'd hold together. She looked so beautiful in a caressing breeze and I adorned her with flowers.

Then mother nature chose to test her. I trembled with fear that the reality would not hold up as well as the illusion. But she did. Today, after the hurricane strength winds, she has won her place in my heart. It matters not that the reality is not as beautiful as the illusion. Looks can be deceiving but it's the beauty within and what's done with it that counts. My love hasn't waned, but she, it, whatever, surely put it to the test!

The Costco Green House!

Dedicated to Cindy Hval who followed this relationship through Facebook! That's what "friends" do!