Obama And Afghanistan

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Points on which I generally agree with President Obama are few.  The one point I strongly agree on is that the U.S. should be out of Afghanistan.  It is a war that should not have been fought because it is a war that never had an overriding reason to be fought... and it has become a money-pit and a cultural cul-de-sac for Islam meets and rejects West.

Has there been some good achieved?  No doubt.  There are individuals... mainly women... who have benefited from the U.S. presence.  But it is a tenuous benefit hardly supported by the many of the population who would happily revert to 7th century misogynistic Islamic customs of southwest Asia.

Yet, the reasons for the U.S. presence in Afghanistan have expanded well beyond reasonableness.  Nation-building has become its own reason with flimsy arguments that it is needed to fight the illiterate, but fierce, Taliban.  The reality is that the Taliban held sway in a largely tribal area simply because it reflected the values of that area.  In its place, the U.S. has installed a largely corrupt and devious Karzi government that tries to play all sides against themselves for the sake of power, not progress as defined in Western terms.

The only way I differ from President Obama's perspective about Afghanistan is that I would have ceased sending new troops to Afghanistan long ago and told Karzi to figure it out for himself how to deal with the Taliban or leave.  The U.S. has no overriding interests... strategic or humanitarian... to send its young men and women into harms way in Afghanistan.  That is even more true given the politically correct approach to fighting opposing forces which has done little more than make targets out of our troops.

Better to have let things stay as they were in Afghanistan.  At least everyone knew where the military targets were.  It would have made great target practice for drones.

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Third Response To "Afghanistan: The Forgotten Nightmare"

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This is the content of emails sent earlier this year to my congressman and senators for the state of Michigan:

I wish to express my concern regarding the present military tactics being employed in Afghanistan that place our soldiers at unnecessary risk. 

Please refer to this article:
http://www.businessinsider.com/one-marines-views-on-afghanistan-2012-8 

My concern is more than abstract; I have a niece who will deploy to Afghanistan before the end of the year as a medic.  She will be one of those soldiers who will have to venture into hostile territory unarmed as a result of the politically correct insanity that serves as leadership these days. 

I would like to see funding sharply curtailed for this military fiasco since the CIC has determined that there is no real long term vision, strategy, or goals for our involvement... only that we want to stand our soldiers up before hostile forces in the name of hope and change. 

Forgive my sarcasm. 

Sincerely, 

Bruce Hall

From Sen. Carl Levin in response to my email.

Thank you for contacting me about the drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.        

On June 22, 2011, President Obama announced the withdrawal of 33,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan, to be completed by September 2012.  As the first phase of this drawdown, 10,000 U.S. troops left Afghanistan at the end of 2011.  By the end of summer 2012, an additional 23,000 U.S. troops are scheduled to be withdrawn from Afghanistan.  And, in March 2012, President Obama and President Karzai reaffirmed their common commitment to transfer full responsibility for Afghanistan’s security to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) by the end of 2014.      

It has always been my belief that success in Afghanistan depends on building the capacity of the Afghan Army and police so that Afghans are in the lead in providing security for their own country. [emphasis mine - see link at bottom of post]  The best way to ensure this happens is to continue to reduce our forces.  During my trip to Afghanistan in May 2012, I witnessed firsthand the conditions justifying the drawdown of U.S. surge forces, including the progress U.S. and Afghan troops and our allies have made to improve security in Afghanistan; the growth and improvement of the Afghan security forces; the increasing confidence of the Afghan people in the Afghan security forces; and the decreasing number of al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan.        

The partnership between the United States and Afghanistan has been critical to this mission at all levels, from NATO training missions, to partnering with units in the field, and on up to advisers in the Ministries of Defense and Interior.  That partnership has been tested by the disturbing events of the last few months, including the violence following the unintentional and regrettable burning of Korans at a U.S. military base and the tragic and incomprehensible killing of 16 Afghan civilians in Kandahar province, apparently by a U.S. soldier.        

These events underscore the importance of transitioning responsibility for Afghanistan’s security to Afghan forces.  That’s what I heard when I met with village elders at a council meeting in Helmand province two and a half years ago.  When I asked how long U.S. forces should stay, one elder said: Only long enough to train our security forces and then leave.  After that you will be welcome to visit us, not as soldiers but as guests.      

Increasing the size and capability of the ANSF, which are scheduled to meet a target of 352,000 by the end of this year, is reaping benefits.  The transition of selected regions to Afghan control is on target.  The proportion of Afghan troops conducting missions has significantly improved, and the Afghans are increasingly in the lead.  The ability of the ANSF to protect the Afghan people is the key to the success of our mission.  The vast majority of the Afghan people detests the Taliban and tolerates their presence out of fear.  In addition, the Afghan Local Police program, where U.S. and coalition special operations forces live among the local population and train the local Afghan people selected by the village elders to defend the village, has demonstrated some important early successes.      

These are signs of progress, but they have come at great cost.  Many brave American troops have been killed or injured.  The strain on our extraordinary troops and their families and on U.S. civilians in Afghanistan is great.  But despite the stress, their morale is high, and regardless of whether one agrees with the mission in Afghanistan, those men and women deserve praise from all Americans.      

There also are significant threats to the Afghan mission, including the threat emanating from Pakistan.  Due to the successful efforts of Coalition and Afghan forces to diminish Taliban havens in southern Afghanistan, the Taliban are increasingly focusing their efforts in eastern Afghanistan.  Consequently, the Pakistan safe havens for the Haqqani Group and the Afghan Taliban Quetta Shura pose a greater threat than ever.  These safe havens allow those insurgents to cross the border to attack U.S., Afghan and coalition forces and then return to their sanctuaries.  While the Pakistani Army takes on terrorist groups within their borders that attack them, often at great cost in Pakistani lives, they have not taken on the Haqqani Group and the Quetta Shura.  To that end, I have told the Pakistanis, including Prime Minister Gilani, President Zardari and Chief of Army Staff General Kayani, that their working to eliminate those safe havens is essential to a closer relationship between the United States and Pakistan.      

In the coming months, I will continue to work with President Obama and General Allen toward further reductions of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, as well as for the continued buildup of the ANSF and the transition of responsibility for Afghanistan’s security to those forces.   

Sincerely, 

Carl Levin 

levin.senate.gov

Note that there was no response to the concerns expressed in my original email to the senator.  Not surprising.  This politically-correct military adventure under President Obama has been an unmitigated disaster and will crumble into dust as the U.S. withdraws.  Apparently, this is the will of the majority of American voters.

RELATED:

• Hall of Record: Afghanistan: The Forgotten American Nightmare
  Sep 30, 2012
• Hall of Record: One Response To "Afghanistan: The Forgotten ...

  Oct 03, 2012
• Hall of Record: Second Response To "Afghanistan: The Forgotten ...

  Oct 12, 2012

ALSO RELATED:

Afghan Army’s Turnover Threatens U.S. Strategy

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COIN: Afghanistan Counterinsurgency Strategy

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If you search below the masthead or select the label for "Afghanistan," you will find many posts related to my frustration with the conduct of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan.  Unlike many, I don't have a problem going after anyone connected with the 9/11/01 attack on the U.S.  What I do have a problem with is the blatant misuse of the military sent into Afghanistan.

This comes via Wheat and Weeds and presents the case that the U.S. military leadership has pursued a flawed strategy with complete disregard for the lives of American soldiers.

Harry D. Tunnell, IV; Col. US Army is a controversial figure.  He espouses the same approach to fighting against al Qaeda and the Taliban that I have: strike and destroy.  Nothing about nation building.  Nothing about avoiding casualties among civilians who harbor and support them.  Nothing about respecting their religious beliefs.  Strike and destroy... and move on.  If they return... strike and destroy and move on again.  Become the Satan that they fear and respect and avoid at all costs.

War is not about being a Christian and turning the other cheek.  It is about the destruction of those who would destroy us.  Those who talk about taking the "moral high ground" are delusional.  There is no "moral" once a war has started.  There was no "moral" when Japan was bombed into submission.  There was no "moral" when Germany was bombed into submission.

Nothing about dying for the illusion of a "moral high ground."  Let the politicians agonize between "moral" and war.  Soldiers should have to concern themselves only with strike and destroy... or don't send them into the fray.

Col. Tunnell has no patience for fanciful strategies that simply do not work and jeopardize his soldiers.  At the same time, he creates fierce loyalty or fierce opposition among his contemporaries.  This is what he sent to John McHugh, Secretary of the Army:

[read it all here]

Just in case you think he alone in his views and frustration, watch this:

RELATED:

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

Afghanistan: The Forgotten American Nightmare

2012 IS HERE

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Second Response To "Afghanistan: The Forgotten American Nightmare"

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The original post: Afghanistan: The Forgotten American Nightmare Sep 30, 2012.

This response from Sen. Debbie Stabenow:

Dear Bruce,

Thank you for contacting me about the redeployment of troops from Afghanistan.

After ten years fighting in Afghanistan, we must reevaluate our war strategy and begin redeployment of our troops.

I signed Senator Jeff Merkley's letter to President Obama, strongly supporting a sizable and sustained reduction of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan beginning this July. A free and stable Afghanistan can only be secured by the Afghans. They must embrace responsibility for their collective future and commit to ending corruption to build lasting peace.
Further, I supported an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requiring the President to develop a plan to reduce troops in Afghanistan and speed up redeployment.
I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that we do all that is possible to support our troops who are in harm's way.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.

Sincerely,
Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator

Read the original post if you have not done so.  Obviously, this is a form letter triggered by the words "soldiers," "deploy," and "Afghanistan."  Regardless, I'll presume that it was considered appropriate by Sen. Stabenow's staff.

I will not presume to assume that "I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that we do all that is possible to support our troops who are in harm's way" includes the elimination of "rules of engagement" that places our troops at unnecessary risk and disadvantage.  But I'm open to learn about the specifics.

2012 IS HERE

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One Response To "Afghanistan: The Forgotten American Nightmare"

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Within this post was the email sent to my congressman and senators regarding the execution of the war in Afghanistan: Afghanistan: The Forgotten American Nightmare - Sunday, September 30, 2012.   

I wish to express my concern regarding the present military tactics being employed in Afghanistan that place our soldiers at unnecessary risk. 

Please refer to this article:
http://www.businessinsider.com/one-marines-views-on-afghanistan-2012-8 

My concern is more than abstract; I have a niece who will deploy to Afghanistan before the end of the year as a medic.  She will be one of those soldiers who will have to venture into hostile territory unarmed as a result of the politically correct insanity that serves as leadership these days. 

I would like to see funding sharply curtailed for this military fiasco since the CIC has determined that there is no real long term vision, strategy, or goals for our involvement... only that we want to stand our soldiers up before hostile forces in the name of hope and change. 

Forgive my sarcasm. 

Sincerely, 

Bruce Hall

The following is from my congressman, Mike Rogers:

Dear Mr. Hall:

 

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns with the war in Afghanistan. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me on this issue.

I believe America’s goal in Afghanistan should be to ensure it never again becomes a safe haven for al Qaeda or their allies to plan attacks on this country or any other. America’s national security depends on denying al Qaeda and the Taliban a safe haven in Afghanistan.

Working with our NATO allies, our men and women in uniform have made tremendous progress to achieve this goal. Thanks to the brave sacrifice of so many American service members, we have made great progress in denying al Qaeda safe-haven in Afghanistan. The gains we have made so far are fragile and could easily be reversed. That is why I have serious concerns with President Obama’s policy to begin an early withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

The ongoing effort in Afghanistan marked an important milestone recently: the completed draw down of the 33,000 troop surge that President Obama committed in December of 2009. This leaves roughly 68,000 American military members who remain in a tough fight in Afghanistan. Like all Americans, I support bringing our troops home, but I want them to come home having accomplished a lasting, strategic victory for the United States. Withdrawal from Afghanistan should follow a plan for victory, and not a political calendar.

The death of Osama bin Laden is important in our effort against al Qaeda, but should not be a reason for premature withdrawal from Afghanistan. The intelligence gathered from the raid on the compound in Pakistan is an important step in defeating al Qaeda and its affiliates around the world, but that success is distinct from our efforts in Afghanistan. Success in Afghanistan means that global terrorist networks will not have a safe haven in that country in which they can launch attacks against the America.

America’s military men and women who have sacrificed so much must know that the new way forward in Afghanistan is a plan in which the military mission and the rules of engagement are clearly defined, and specific benchmarks are outlined for Afghanis to take over so our troops can come home. I am encouraged by the leadership in place at the Department of Defense and the Army to tackle this extremely difficult, yet vitally important mission for America’s nation security and standing in the world.

To that end, progress, stability, and democratization in Afghanistan will go a long way towards stability in that region. Afghanistan used to be a severely isolated country, where the people lived at the mercy of a brutal regime supported by international terrorists. In contrast the nation now has a democratic constitution, a robust free press, more than 11,000 miles of paved roads and eight million children in school, more than a third of whom are girls. In 2001, fewer than one million Afghan children went to school, and all of them were boys. There has also been an exponential expansion of health services. Today about 80 percent of the Afghan population has access to basic health services. Afghanistan has emerged from the dark isolation of the Taliban regime. All of these accomplishments are due to the hard work of our military forces which have dramatically improved Afghan army operational skills, and all could be be reversed with a premature withdrawal. 

Sending young men and women to war is the most serious decision of any President and Congress. As Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, rest assured I will keep your views in mind as Congress continues to debate this important issue.

 

Again, thank you for your correspondence. Please keep in touch.

This, of course, is a form letter with the first sentence, the last paragraph, and the closing added on for a "personalized response."

You can judge for yourself if it responds to the criticism outlined in my email to Rep. Rogers.  From my perspective, this is a blind eye and deaf ear couched in platitudes.  After 12 years, we have the statement, "The gains we have made so far are fragile and could easily be reversed."  That tells me there is no real military leadership allowed by the civilian overseers in our government, otherwise the battle against al Qaeda and the Taliban would have long been over. "The military mission and the rules of engagement are clearly defined" except that the "rules of engagement" have been translated to the operational and tactical levels in a way that recklessly and unnecessarily endangers our soldiers... hence the article linked above.

I'm sure Rep. Rogers means well, but he believes the mission is nation building which will lead to the defeat of al Qaeda and the Taliban.  We disagree.  The military mission is... or should be... the elimination or permanent crippling of our enemies.  Instead, we are guaranteed an Obama led reenactment of what has happened in Iraq.

A comment on another post from a frequent commenter was, "Read your Constitution. It provides Congress and the President with the authority to issue letters of marque and reprisal against private actors who try to harm American citizens without the need for major military action. Given the fact that al Qaeda only had a few hundred members and was quite hated in some quarters of the local population it should have been very easy to get rid of every last fanatic at a reasonable cost."  

The suggestion, translated into current language is that all we had to do was establish a bounty for every member of al Qaeda and Taliban and we wouldn't need any military action at all.  Unfortunately, things don't work out so well in the real world.  We spend a lot of money and get a few results, but it still takes our military doing the dirty work.  No one else is handing them over to us... and they seem to be in a position to "easily reverse" the gains that have been made.  Why?  Because they know we have "rules of engagement" and a deadline to leave.  What's to fear?  All they have to do is wait and use our soldiers for target practice until they withdraw.

Fantastic military minds in action.

2012 IS HERE

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Afghanistan: The Forgotten American Nightmare

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This stupid war gets worse and worse and ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX, and nearly all other networks conveniently let it slide by.  After all, there are only 100,000 Americans there... just another "bump" for the Commander In Chief.  But hardly a bump for the families of those who are serving in the military there.

It is personal.  I posted this a month and one-half ago.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012

R.I.P. Spc. Kyle McClain

But there is more than that.  This is the content of emails sent to my congressman and senators for the state of Michigan:

I wish to express my concern regarding the present military tactics being employed in Afghanistan that place our soldiers at unnecessary risk. 

Please refer to this article:
http://www.businessinsider.com/one-marines-views-on-afghanistan-2012-8 

My concern is more than abstract; I have a niece who will deploy to Afghanistan before the end of the year as a medic.  She will be one of those soldiers who will have to venture into hostile territory unarmed as a result of the politically correct insanity that serves as leadership these days. 

I would like to see funding sharply curtailed for this military fiasco since the CIC has determined that there is no real long term vision, strategy, or goals for our involvement... only that we want to stand our soldiers up before hostile forces in the name of hope and change. 

Forgive my sarcasm. 

Sincerely, 

Bruce Hall

I sent a copy of those emails to my sister whose daughter is referred to in them.  She wrote back:

Last night I spent the evening crying and went to bed at 1 a.m. and tossed and turned. I felt angry and moody all morning. This problem is very real to me- too real. And while I greatly appreciate your letters, I still believe they will do no good. You didn't get a response from Scott Walker when you wrote to him. I didn't get a response to Obama when I wrote to him. And frankly, Mitt Romney doesn't have a better idea of what to do or not do in Afghanistan either. None of them are talking about it and they simply do not listen anymore. When the vast majority of Americans are against this war and they are ignored, it is hard to feel like writing a letter will make a difference. I really can't walk around absorbing the full impact of this every day because what happened last night is the effect it has on me. When the girls and I were together we spent an evening on the beach. A beautiful evening with a fire, making "s'mores" like little kids on a camp out and drinking wine like big adults -  together for a brief time, all of us. And that lovely night reduced me to tears because we talked about what ----'s wishes were in the event she died in Afghanistan. You know, how much insurance she carried, who would get what, where she wanted to be buried or if she wanted to be buried. We also talked about what her wishes were should she be injured and maimed - where she wanted to be treated, etc. This is more real to me than you can know and my letter will not stop it. What it will do is make this emotional trauma even more real for me. My daughters are my life and I don't even have them near me. For my own mental health I need to have the illusion that ---- will come back from that hell physically and mentally sound. I have no religious faith - that has proven empty and hollow and I have no faith in politicians whose promises are equally empty and hollow. The country is too polarized to have effective leadership anymore and the result is innocent people getting caught in the crossfire. I don't expect the best. All I can do is control how I deal with it and my way of dealing with it is to tell and show ----, every day, how much I love her and how important she is to me so that she can carry that with her. No one has to remind me how bad it is. 

Someone needs to remind our politicians how bad it is.  But, of course, I'll expect another politicized form letter in place of a true response.

I don't expect honor from our politicians; I used to expect that from our military leaders.  Now I only expect self-serving, weasel-wording, dishonorable "leaders" regardless whether they call themselves "elected officials" or "military leaders."  Washington, D.C. is bereft of honor.  It is filled with dishonesty and cowardliness.  Our "leaders" are the antithesis of the person for whom the nation's capitol city they infest was named.

Should I get such responses, I will publish them here so that you can judge them for yourselves.  Not a threat; a promise.  It is time that our non-responsive Washingtonians be called out by name.

No comments accepted on this one.

2012 IS HERE

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U.S. Soldiers Not Respecting Cultural Diversity

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Could you?

The report is based upon extensive interviews with U.S. and N.A.T.O. troops. It shows they are disgusted with, and highly suspicious of, the Islamically sanctioned practices and behaviors of their Afghan military allies, the Afghan National Security Forces (A.N.S.F.) and A.N.A., as well as Afghan civilians:

US soldiers … reported pervasive illicit drug use, massive thievery, personal instability, dishonesty, no integrity, incompetence, unsafe weapons handling, corrupt officers, no real NCO [non-commissioned officer] corps, covert alliances/informal treaties with insurgents, high AWOL rates, bad morale, laziness, repulsive hygiene, and the torture of dogs (“given the standing of dogs in Islam.”). Perceptions of civilians were also negative stemming from their insurgent sympathies and cruelty towards women and children.

The report also noted,

… numerous accounts of Canadian troops in Kandahar complaining about the rampant sexual abuse of children they have witnessed ANSF personnel commit, including the cultural practice of bacha bazi [dancing boys], as well as the raping and sodomizing of little boys …

U.S. soldiers were thoroughly revolted by such “abuse and neglect” of Afghan children, while excoriating the “poor treatment and virtual slavery of women in Afghan society,” which they found “repugnant.” [full article]

In March 2012, the military got sensitive:

12 News KBMT and K-JAC. News, Weather and Sports for SE Texas

Yes, soldiers must learn to respect the "culture" to win the "hearts and minds" of the people.  How's that working out?

At least thirty coalition service members have died this year at the hands of Afghan forces or insurgents disguised in Afghan uniforms, according to an Associated Press tally -- a dramatic rise from past years. The assaults have cast a shadow of mistrust over U.S. efforts to train Afghan soldiers and police more than 10 years after the U.S.-led invasion to topple the Taliban's regime for sheltering the al-Qaida leadership. [source]

UPDATE:

Now that the U.S. Is an Islamic State…

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 07, 2010

Afghanistan Rules Of Engagement

2012 IS HERE

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R.I.P. Spc. Kyle McClain

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Gov. Rick Snyder has ordered U.S. flags lowered to half-staff across Michigan for a 25-year-old Army National Guard soldier from suburban Detroit who was killed in combat in Afghanistan. 

The order honors Spc. Kyle McClain, 25, of Shelby Township.
Authorities say McClain died Aug. 1 when an improvised explosive device went off in Salim Aka, Afghanistan. He was part of an engineering company based in Kalamazoo, and four other unit members were seriously hurt in the blast. McClain was promoted to sergeant on the day of his death.  [full article]

He was a wonderful young man from a loving family.  Our family had the honor and pleasure of knowing Kyle through our nephew and our son.

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Obama's Afghanistan Strategy: We Gotta Do Something Until We Leave

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Today, it was announced that another three U.S. soldiers were killed by someone in an Afghan army uniform.  No one seems to know who did it or how they got in a position to do the killing.  Naturally, the Taliban takes "credit" for the killings.

Meanwhile, our military under the direction of the Commander In Chief continues to fret about whether or not our soldiers are behaving properly toward these "non-state" combatants.  Can't be too rough with them.  Can't attack them without verifying their proper IDs.  Need to apologize for offending anyone's local customs.

Similar to the Vietnam fiasco, this president has told the opposing forces, "Don't worry; be happy; we're leaving soon."  Well, then why the hell did he ratchet up the conflict in the first place?

Let's be clear: this started out as President George Bush's decision to send troops... which peaked at around 30,000.  President Barack Obama tripled the number of troops in that area and one might ask, "What has been achieved?"  This war only belongs to Barack Hussein Obama now.  Blaming Bush is not an option anymore.

[source]

RELATED:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Our Sorry Leader

2012 IS HERE

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Dying For Afghanistan: A Memorial To A Brave Soldier

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The war without purpose: Afghanistan.

The subject of the unnecessary and useless U.S. involvement in Afghanistan has been raised for several years in this blog.  We are sending our young, strong, smart sons and daughters to a land of corruption and antipathy toward our country and culture.  We have no plan for our involvement, no reason for staying there other than the fact we went there in the first place to kill a few terrorists who are often indistinguishable from those who are presently ruling and their minions.  Afghanistan soldiers seem to think it is a sport to kill their U.S. allies while our President and his commanders are more interested in public relations and making sure our soldiers are put in harms way without putting those they are fighting or the sympathizers of those they are fighting into harms way.  Soldiers die because of "rules of engagement."

Now this:

A 25-year-old Army soldier and 2005 Rochester High School graduate has been killed during combat operations in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department says today that Spc. Kyle McClain of Shelby Township died Aug. 1, in Salim Aka, Afghanistan.

His mother, Geraldine McClain said the combat engineer had been in Afghanistan for about six weeks after tours in Korea and Iraq. They were clearing roadways of IEDs when he was killed, she said.

“They had to get out of the vehicles and had to do foot search and that’s when he met the IED,” his mother said. “That’s the part of the story that’s hard to tell. But he is a hero to us.”

McClain was assigned to 1433rd Engineer Company, 507th Engineer Battalion, 177th Military Police Brigade in Kalamazoo.

Adopted from Korea, McClain spent his first year of service in the country.

“He was a gift to us; all through his 25 years has presented himself as a wonderful treasure,” his mother said, adding that the tour of Korea cemented his dedication to his home country. “He said he was so glad to be an American and there was no finer place to be than America.”

McClain attended Rochester Community Schools from Kindergarten, and he was part of the Falcon drum line in Rochester High Schools’ marching band. He and his wife, Lisa Morgan, who he met at Rochester High, were married in October 2010 and lived in Shelby Township.

After graduating from Rochester High, he attended two years of college, majoring in engineering at Ferris State University before joining the Army.

McClain enjoyed hunting and fishing with his father, Michael, and friends. He’s also survived by a sister, Kristyn, 33, his mother said. [source]

I knew this young man although not as well as some members of my family. His father helped me build our house. Kyle was always there to help his family and friends and was universally liked and respected. He was a model person and citizen. His death is another loss in the tragedy of this generation.

We have a niece who is about to go to that hellhole.  She is young, strong, and smart and we can only pray that she returns safely.

RELATED:

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Our Sorry Leader

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Ron Paul Should Not Have Debated

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Just finished watching a CSPAN video of Ron Paul speaking at the University of Maryland "Town Hall" meeting.  My conclusion: Ron Paul is a vastly more effective speaker than debater.  When he is not peppered with loaded questions and when he has time to present a coherent picture of his positions, he can be quite convincing.

When he debates, he has too many thoughts rattling around his head and he views like a bad video that skips and locks and gets a little garbled.  But when he speaks to an audience without the distraction of a 30-second time limit or a poorly framed question, he does quite well.  Unfortunately, the somewhat goofy image he created of himself during the debates lost many potential voters.  Watch the video HERE.  Watch the reaction of college students.

I still disagree with his position on the U.S. military in that without the U.S. military presence to hold evil and barbaric... yes, I'll use those terms... regimes in check, the world would be a far more dangerous place.  That said, my position on Afghanistan is quite clear and aligns with Dr. Paul's general position.  But my overall position regarding the military does not align with his.

Dr. Paul's economic positions resonate with me.  I even agree with his position about drugs because he says that it's your body, but be careful about what you put in it and don't expect the government to come to your rescue if you screw it up... but that's a peripheral issue.  Unfortunately, the realist in me says the "live and let live" attitude about drugs would be a very hard sell because the moralists will condemn it and the progressives will argue that drug abusers have a "disease" that must be treated with the money and support of everyone else. 

Really, it is his isolationist position makes him just another candidate that leaves me ambivalent.  He tries to argue that it is not he who is the isolationist, but rather those who participate in the wars.  But the big "I hope this slides by" is at about 16 minutes into the video when he cites how useless the military efforts were against communism and mentions the collapse of the Soviet system... a collapse precipitated by the military cold war which bankrupted them and freed all of eastern Europe.  What I will agree with Dr. Paul about is that the current military efforts are wrong-headed.  Go back and read the above link about my position on Afghanistan.

The one thing I can say about Dr. Paul is that you can take to the bank what he says is what he means.  I'm not convinced about that for any of the rest of the candidates... and I know that President Obama simply twists with the wind so his words are meaningless.

RELATED:

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2010 

A Drug On Our Society 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2012 

End The War On Drugs

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It's Arab Culture Not Islam That's The Problem

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When we see all of the so-called Islamic violence in Egypt, we stereotype Islam as violent.  But in reality it is the Arab culture that is violent.  Once again, this violence has shown itself as integral to the Arab culture as an Algerian Frenchman has gone on a rampage:

Toulouse shootings: France gunman 'wanted to kill more'

The Frenchman suspected of a spate of shootings in the Toulouse area planned more killings, prosecutors have said. 

Anti-terror chief Francois Molins said the suspect, named as Mohammed Merah, 23, of Algerian descent, intended to kill a soldier and two police officers. 

Merah, who says he was trained by al-Qaeda, is suspected of murdering three soldiers and four Jewish people.

If Islam were inherently violent, we would see it manifest in other non-Arab places like non-Arab Africa.  Oh, there is violence related to Islam in non-Arab Africa?  Well that's an aberration.  You won't see it in places like non-Arab Iran or Afghanistan.  Oh, you do?  Sure, but that's just a quirk of being close to the Arabs and getting some cultural contamination.  You won't see it where Arabs are not found like Indonesia and Malaysia and the Philippines.  Really?  Well, those East Asians are just violent people, too.

There is nothing about Islam that makes violent fanatics.  Nothing.  Just ignore anything you may see about that subject.  Anything.  Nothing.  We see nothing.  We hear nothing.  Nothing.

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Betting On The Future President

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Over at Intrade, people can express their opinions about almost anything... and put their money where their mouths are.  The current money is:

This is directionally similar with current polling numbers at Rasmussen Reports:

• 65% Now Expect Romney To Be The Republican Nominee

Of course, it is still early in the game, but this seems to be the current popular thinking.

But the current president has some daunting problems:

• going into the 3rd summer of recovery,  the unemployment rate is still over the 8% that Obama had vowed to avoid with his massive spending programs
• the housing market has not responded to any motivation supposedly in the President's bag of tricks
• the very visible price of gasoline is hovering in the $4.00 range [higher on the coasts]
• the President's expanded war in Afghanistan is floundering with no visible strategy and no visible goal
• the President's image as a Nobel peacemaker has been long forgotten in the reality of the Middle East

The President's saving grace?

"President Obama is the 2012 version of President Carter, seeking re-election in a country facing high unemployment and a lack of citizen confidence in the future of the economy or his leadership on those issues that matter most to them," said Wayne Lesperance Jr., a political science professor at New England College in Henniker, N.H. "The difference between Presidents Obama and Carter is there is no Ronald Reagan running for president" in 2012. [source]

RELATED:

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2012

Obama Likely To Be Re-elected

TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2008

James Earl Carter, III

I suspect that should Barack Obama become President of the United States, Iran will feel it has an opportunity to take some action[s] that, once again, hold the U.S. hostage.

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Obama The Great Satin Apologizes While Troops Face Trial

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The supreme ruler of The Great Satan, President Barack Obama - The Great Satin, apologized about some 7th century superstition being burned while NATO, The Great Nuttin, considers putting soldiers on trial for burning that nonsense [HT/ Gateway Pundit].

Hey, freedom of speech... the right to condemn nonsense to a fiery death!  If they are guaranteeing our freedom and rights, then their freedom and rights must be guaranteed as well.  That includes the right to be protected from the religious beliefs of others.

If they are not there to protect our freedom and rights, then The Great Satin should be impeached for sending them there.  The Great Satin turned a relatively small force in Afghanistan into a huge standing army.  Why?  For nation building?

Perhaps if they simply put the superstitious writings in a jar of pig piss and called it art, The Great Satin would rush to defend their rights to free speech.  Or if the soldiers were gay... then Obama might defend their rights.  But ordinary soldiers?  Forgetaboutit.  The Great Satin must support only important things.

Tell me again why we are in Afghanistan doing what we are doing.

Our Sorry Leader
Oh, "Great Satin?"  Gay writer, Kevin DuJan, explains that... and he hasn't been sued for slander.

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