Let's stop doing this - Iran edition

The CIA has admitted that it was behind the 1953 military coup in Iran that overthrew the government of radical nationalist Mohammad Mossadegh, and the US has declassified documents detailing how the CIA’s secret operation brought the country’s Shah back to power.  (Iran was going to nationalize the company that later became British Petroleum.) 

This led to the 1979 Iranian Revolution when Iran grew weary of our puppet. 

This led to every other Mid-East regime (with the exception of Israel) hating America. 

This was part of what led to the 9/11 terror attacks. 

This helped justify our responsibility for almost half of the world's military spending.  It "saved and created jobs" for Lockheed, Bell, General Dynamics, and scores of others. 

It gave us plenty of reasons to fund both sides of an Arms Race between Israel and everyone else in the region.  Lockheed, Bell, General Dynamics, and scores of others are quite pleased with the results. 

It created enemies that we needed protection from, hence the need for stronger "leaders". 

For the last couple of decades, Colin Powell, Condi Rice, She Whose Name Is Not Spoken, and John Freakin' Kerry have been stomping around the globe making things worse.  Our armies follow in their paths. 

Let's bring them all home.  Let's stop doing this.  Please.

"Coming Home" - by Sabrina Brady

This morning's Google logo features a heartwarming drawing by Sabrina Brady called "Coming Home". 
I can't imagine what this feels like for a kid - being reunited with a parent who has been in harm's way for months and months. 

But it's getting to the point where you can't go to a football or baseball game without seeing an orchestrated surprise reunion between a soldier/sailor/airman and his family.  These things are great.  But they distract us from the bigger issue. 

We have enough Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Coast Guard personnel on active duty to put a soldier, sailor, pilot, marine or coast-guarder at every 20 feet of the U.S.'s borders.  I figured it out the other day.  Every 20 feet. 

On the other hand, we have Secretary's Of State like John Kerry, She Whose Name Is Not Spoke, Condi Rice and Colin Powell wandering the earth, sticking our noses into other people's bidness, drumming up more and more business for Lockheed and General Dynamics.   

Do you think that maybe, just maybe, fewer soldiers would experience tearful reunions if we kept John Kerry at his house for a couple of years? 

Guess who didn't get the dress code email

Why We Owe Barack Obama

Despite the Porkulus Program, Cash For Clunkers, The Bailouts, TARP, the unemployment rate, the cabinet that didn't want to pay taxes, the GM Takeover, and the fact that my dogs won't let me sleep....
In spite of all that, we still owe Barack Obama a huge debt of gratitude.

She Whose Name Is Not Spoken recently did a Q&A session someplace in Africa. It wasn't pretty.



If it weren't for Barack Obama.... I don't even want to think about it.

The Richardson Snub

The Richardson Snub
by Ruben Navarrette


Check out this gold-plated resume: Seven-term member of Congress; special envoy to North Korea, Iraq, Cuba and Sudan; U.N. ambassador; energy secretary; governor; and five-time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize.
You would think such an overachiever would be a shoe-in for secretary of state in the Barack Obama administration, especially if that person was also a member of a highly sought-after ethnic group that gave two-thirds of its votes to Obama and helped him win four battleground states. And what if that person also happened to be a former presidential candidate who had stuck his neck out to endorse Obama over Hillary Clinton and wound up persona non grata among Team Clinton and even likened to "Judas" by ever-loyal Clintonista James Carville?

Finally, what if that person had the backing of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, an association of 26 national and regional Hispanic civil rights and public policy organizations. The NHLA recently sent a letter to President-elect Obama recommending New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as secretary of state. John Trasvina, the group's chairman who also serves as president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, wrote: "No one is more qualified to serve as our country's chief diplomat than Gov. Bill Richardson." Board member Janet Murguia, the president and CEO of the National Council of La Raza, added this about Richardson: "His appointment would send a powerful message to Latinos throughout our country as well as to our neighbors in this hemisphere."

You can click the link above to read the rest of the article. It's greatness - a devastating indictment on the politics of choosing She Whose Name Is Not Spoken for Secretary of State, instead of Bill Richardson. (I took the opportunity to read some of Ruben Navarrette's other editorials. Here's his bio on the Washington Post Writer's Group Website.)