When Foreign Policy Is Foreign To The Policy Makers

It seems to me we still have no foreign policy.  While the Syrians have handed over their list of chemical weapons sites I can't help but wonder what's next.  Why is Iran all of a sudden getting so chummy by hinting they might talk and offering to moderate a peace process in Syria.  Russia seems to be coordinating all this nicey, nicey stuff and I don't trust it one bit.  I hope our government doesn't either.

This is so unlike our adversaries I wonder if they've come up with some new type of weapon or strategy of which we have no idea.  Therefore making nice about the current situation will have no lasting consequence. If we have a foreign policy we'd have a contingency.  Just in case. Do we?  I doubt it.

If indeed we don't it may be better for those who are warring. We've done Afghanistan no favors by decimating their country, losing the battle with the Taliban and pulling out before business is finished.

I've taken outgoing President Karzi to task multiple times for his corruption and complaints about the truths of war - that innocents get killed.  On the other hand, his frustration is understandable because in many ways we're leaving his country more vulnerable than it was before we went looking for bin Laden and ended up trying to appease the Taliban and the war lords.

They, the Taliban, have become far more aggressive as we've begun pulling our troops.  Though coalition forces are still suffering casualties, the percentage is far lesser than those being suffered by the still under trained Afghan army and police forces. Those casualties are three times higher than they were in 2010 and 2011.

Karzai reads those casualty reports but does not release them for concerns about morale. He mourns the fact they are all Afghans and he sees it getting worse, not better.

You see, as we leave we are also pulling our assets.  No more state of the art field hospitals.   No more med evac choppers.  Yet the enemy hasn't any fewer roadside bombs or ied's with which to attack.  And attack they do, under trained soldiers who are now deserting rather than facing what to them seems certain death.

Unintended consequences?  Not really.  Just a lack of sound policy and no forethought nor will to remedy it.

The lesson learned for this country, and I thing we've learned it even if the government hasn't.  Don't get into a war unless and until you know what you're doing and why. We're not the only ones who are hurt by cavalier decisions.

In An Aaron Alexis What Exactly Are We Looking For?

James, Holmes, Adam Lanza, Jared Loughner, Nidal Hasan and now Aaron Alexis.

What do these men have in common? They all had behavioral problems and patterns that warranted scrutiny.  They all snapped and killed massive numbers of unsuspecting victims.

It's ironic to me that we've been having a huge debate on privacy and governmental over reach yet not one of these people were "pinged" for untoward behavior. I suppose it's because nothing on their computers, cell phones or twitter accounts had the buzz words that would have indicated they were terrorists. Yet they are as surely as a radical Muslim.

The gun control advocates have their band wagon back and are already playing their tune but I don't think it will go any further than it has before.  Not even the most benign measures.  Americans are just not into it.

I think the debate needs to go back to privacy issues.  How many of us have met people who seem just a little off to us.  Maybe something we can't quite put our finger on but off putting never-the-less.  Should we pay a little more attention?  Or shy away which is the more natural instinct?

Every man on that list had red flags flapping in the faces of their acquaintances, bosses, friends and many times even family.  Yet nothing was done to forewarn authorities or their work places.  They just slipped through the cracks pretty much unnoticed until they struck.  Each and every one could have been stopped before it got to that point but weren't.

Political correctness?  Or discomfort with the situation? Sometimes I wonder if people like this are crying for help with their oddities just as a potential suicide victim does when he threatens to kill himself.  I don't know.

I do know that when those in the military are forgiven their misadventures or have a blind eye turned toward them we have a problem.  Where else in our society is there a structure that allows for scrutiny more then the military?

It's harder for families.  Even if you have a suspicion you don't want to admit to it. In school?  Don't the instructors and counselors have an obligation to their students, their communities and for that matter themselves to go to the proper authorities if someone is troublingly suspect?  But how do you know when that is?  It's a tough call.  But it's all an integral part of the problem that seems to be increasing in magnitude.

Guns are a means to an end.  I don't doubt for a minute pressure cooker bombs or the like would be used in lieu of them if guns were less available.

As our nation grows in numbers more and more unbalanced will be roaming our streets. How to curb their threat has no easy answer.  It would help, though, if we could understand why what would seem a minor grievance to most of us moves them to kill.  Kill. Therein lies the basis of the problem.  To date there is no cure.  Not even more gun laws.

Mr. President, Stop Beating The Drums Of War

I cannot believe that the President is already taking credit for something he had nothing to do with other than to not forbid John Kerry to talk with Russia.  That the threat of force has brought about this impasse with Syria.

Come on. He was no where near getting Congressional approval for credible force nor was the force he proposed exactly credible. A pinprick?  Unbelievably small?

That Putin grabbed onto a flip statement by Kerry and parlayed it into a framework for action is all we've gotten and all we're likely to get. Advantage Putin.  Advantage Syria.

We have no idea what  discussions Putin has had with Syria nor what they agreed to.  We do know Syria's civil war continues as well as the game of hide and seek with chemical weapons.

We know military action will be off the table in any U.N. Resolution as well as our arming of the rebels.  Putin will see to that.  So what is it we really have?  A frame work.  For what?

So why, oh why, are you trying to convince Iran that diplomacy paired with the threat of force will make them give up their nuclear program.  Especially since Putin is already in arms talk with them.

You undercut your own Secretary of State with your dithering.  You have completely demoralized the Free Syrian Army who desperately need weapons and our own military is exhausted with trying to keep up with your will we or won't we.  Congress is skeptical at best and the American people have probably tuned you out.

It is unbelievably unbecoming for you to be taking credit for what little has been accomplished.  If indeed anything has.  I'd think you'd have the good graces to keep your mouth shut or if you have to talk, give Kerry an "A" for effort! To you I give an "F" for false  and probably foolish bravado.

Not long ago when asked if you could change your approval rating with a speech you said you were good, but not that good.  Then you added you were still, pretty good.

No sir.  Sorry. You are not.

Government As Soap Opera - When Will The Other Shoe Fall?

The deal that has been made with Syria is so rife with "what ifs" I can't begin to count them.  On that issue I'll say little today other than it was far too easy and the one player who basically has been seldom heard is Syria itself.  As I watch the next episode unfold it will be to see who double crosses who and when.

Meanwhile back at the White House Obama is getting ready to go to Asia.  The pivot that he's been hyping off and on.  Shifting our attention to the next area of the world in which to impose ourselves.  That's a secondary story line. Do you feel the resentment building?  I do.  Especially in those predominantly Muslim countries.

While the cat is away the mice in Congress will parallel it with the upcoming battle for one more continuing resolution to fund the government.  It is like a soap isn't it?  Thirty years running you have the same main characters unless they die from old age and the same story lines.  It's amazing.

Back to the drama.  I'd like to see a change in the story line but fear I won't.  It isn't the time for the Republicans to remain being stupid but I fear they will.  The issue is defunding Obamacare or shut down the government.  Please.  Don't do this.  Get creative.  Yes, Obamacare is a mess. And the President should have learned from the Syria debacle he really needs Congress with him.  But he doesn't learn either.  The problem here is no foreign entity can bail him out of this one. No one will bail us out either if the government shuts down.

The military will be left without pay.  We seniors will be left without our social security checks and the poor without welfare and food stamps. That doesn't even scratch the surface of the total impact it would have on the country.  Remember, the bigger the government, the bigger the impact and we have a doozy.

The President, if he could be realistic for a brief moment, should delay implementation of the entire bill until it's sorted out.  He won't.  Harry Reid and the Democratic obstructionists like Chris van Hollen should resign.  The Tea Party purists should also resign.  Of course they won't.  It's the formula. Same story, 200th episode!

Shutting down the government won't solve anything but will succeed in making the people even more angry than they already are.  Maybe we need to contact our congressional delegations with the verve we did in opposing a military strike in Syria.  This time tell them to grow up, work together and get this budget mess straightened out.

While they're at it they should consider changing a few rules about how they do business.  It is flat out wrong when one individual be it John Boehner, Harry Reid or Barack Obama can prevent legislation from being debated or moved forward or enforced on personal whim.

If they find dictatorship so attractive I'm sure Syria or Russia would indulge them.

Op-Eds And Spin

Have you been following the flap over Putin's op-ed piece  in the NY Times? The one where he takes Obama to task for just about everything and makes himself out to be the greatest being ever to take an interest in the happenings in the Middle East?

Considering everything he said, most of what seems to irritate the pundits is the last paragraph where he in no uncertain terms parrots what Obama has said before, that we are not an exceptional people.  In many respects I can't disagree with what he sees because our exceptionalism has gotten lost in petty politics and those we've elected to engage in them.  In that arena we certainly are exceptional! On too many levels!

The next most irritating thing about the article was that the Times printed it. Frankly, I'm glad they did and that they were correct in so doing. We as Americans need to be aware of the propaganda  about us that is being spewed by the likes of Putin.  How else will we gain any insight into how others view us.  If what he says makes you angry, consider why.

The New York Post has even printed a tutorial for you. They've taken his piece and translated it into far more likely intent. It isn't flattering to say the least.

It's interesting to me that an American PR firm, Ketchem, has Russia as a client and makes an exceptional amount of money as such.  It's also true that Putin is not fluent in English and no doubt had help in polishing what he wanted to say.  It's discomforting in some way that an American company could make the villain look so darn good.

Having had a career in PR I can say Putin's piece is PR spin at it's best. And even though it's a spoof of sorts, the New York Post's piece nails the truth. Both have done Americans a public service.  Now, read them! And think about it.