Letters to the Editor
Dawggone
Published Letters: 451 Editor's Choice: 69
-
Not the failure of diplomacy but the lie of a doctrine
[Read the article: White House: It's "silly" to ask whether Bush was right on North Korea]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Pre-emption. That was the doctrine laid out by this administration in the fall of 2002. The claim, after identifying the "axis of evil" confronting the "guardians of good" was that the US would not wait to be attacked, but would attack any state that threatened the US with weapons of mass destruction.
It was this very doctrine that this administration stood upon to justify its invasion of Iraq. Now another third of that axis (shouldn't it be a 'tri-xes?") has possibly tested a nuke and threatens to put it on a missile capable of reaching the US or at least it's allies.
No carrier task force is steaming to the Sea of Japan. Condi Rice is not traveling to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or China to drum up a coalition of the willing to inflict regime change, thus saving them from the smoking gun of a mushroom cloud. Nothing. No talks, no military threats, just a proposed resolution for sanctions, made to of all enemies of freedom, the UN. This is not even a "Powell with Powerpoint" appeal to the UN, but a mere trial balloon looking for a soft landing in the lap of China.
By all accounts this appears to be the same strategy that this administration is following in the third axis (tri-xes) of evil, Iran. Feeble saber rattling, refusing to talk like a jilted girlfriend, and hoping the European Union can pull our bombastic asses out of the fire.
What do we make of the current state of affairs?
It is said that Admiral Yamamoto responded to the attack on Peal Harbor by declaring that "We have awoken a sleeping dragon." Five years ago that "Sleeping Dragon" appeared to bear its claws and roar its fire in an ultimatum to any country that even thought to threaten us with another devestating attack. Today the reality is, well, that wasn't what this administration was trying to say. And now it looks like the sleeping dragon is retiring to its den to lick its wound;, tail between its legs, smoke smoldering from its nostrils like an expletive filled hang up call from Dick Cheney.
So what happened?
I think I now understand why the certain Republicans so hated Bill Clinton. You know, the ones who financed the likes of the Whitewater investigation, the Arkansas sex harrasment suit, the demonization of Hillary Clinton (which drove an otherwise caring social worker and potential author into politics), the "little elves," Ann Coulter, even the "Don't Blame Me I Voted for Bush" that adorned bumpers even before Clinton was inaguarated. Richard Clark was right. This administration was stuck in amber, but for different reasons then he could find.
Understand this is just my opinion and if you do read other letters by Dawgone you may have second thoughts, but here goes.
The collapse of the Soviet Union left a lot of former oil, gas and mineral rich satellites hanging naked with no superpower support. If you are the type of person who believes in the philosophy of a Ken Lay, Fastow, or Baker, anyone that runs an oil company, you would understand that economics is not the pursuit of making a better mousetrap or a better argument for why you should choose Geico. It is about swallowing up your competition and any weakling that stands in your way. Buy out a competitor you get both their resources and their customer list.
The collapse of the Soviet Union left a lot of meat on the hoof if you get my drift. Lots of material resources and lots and lots of customer lists.
Or you can believe we sent soldiers into Somalia because George H. W. Bush really wasn't bending to pressure from his financiers but wanted to help murderous warlords. Just like Ike wanted to liberate Cuba.
Too bad Clinton had to screw it up by not winning. Yes, it's Congress's fault, but did you notice how much money the current administration has thrown at those same warlords? Thought not.
Worse, Clinton used our vaunted military to engage in nation building and in countries that were not under the sphere of Soviet influence and had nothing to offer but beets and bad sausage.
There were countries throughout the third world that were once propped up by the Soviets so they could get their mineral resources that were ripe for the picking in the 1990's. This administration was frozen in amber waiting to get Clinton out of office, as soon as possible to they could get those plums.
This was the doctrine of pre-emption. Treat this failing tinpot dictators as a real threat then invade and raid their country like Exxon making a run on Mobil.
This is a great doctrine for piracy. It is a lousy doctrine for national security.
Today, and it matters not whether the test was successful or not, it is proof that "pre-emption" isn't a failed policy.
It is a lie.
-
Damn Yankess
[Read the article: A plane crash in New York]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Obviously no one expected how hard being eliminated from the playoffs would affect this team. My only question is if George Steinbrenner is being rounded up for a one way trip to Guantanamo or given a free trip out of the country like some relative of Osama Bin Laden.
-
Which means...
[Read the article: Multistate analysis: Democrats poised to take the House in November]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]All of these are strong arguments for why Dems might lose. They are also a very important message that when you go to the polls (and I hope you all do) you will elect a Democrat to your state's house of representatives and a democratic governor. Thanks to the Supremes and the rape of Texas, redistricting need no longer wait for the next census. Each state's house can do it any time, including after this election.
Rember, if you are a values oriented type of person, vote early, vote often, and vote Democrat.