David Zephyr
David Zephyr's JournalBring All of Our Troops Home from Afghanistan Now, President Obama.
There is simply no plausible rationale or even an excuse anymore either militarily, economically, strategically for the United States of America to continue on one day longer in this war-without-end that once was Bush's War, but is now, sadly, President Obama's war. This mayhem has gone on and on for far too long. The promise of a scheduled pull-out should have been expedited, not delayed. Our troops are worn out and have sacrificed enough of their mental health, their blood, limbs and lives in a war that, as John Kerry initially said, should have been a police action. Instead we are still occupying a nation (I use that word "nation" loosely only for sake of geographically defining the quicksand in which our brave men and women in uniform are allowed to remain stuck) whose people do not want us there and whose corrupt leaders line their pockets with wasted American treasure as they mock our country openly.
Other nations, especially China, are building railroads, energy pipelines and mining for Afghan minerals and metals while our sons and daughters are in harm's way protecting their enterprises which have no financial benefit to the American people. To paraphrase an old song, they are getting the gold mine and we are getting the shaft.
Several years ago, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton brazenly told Pakistani government officials to their faces that she couldn't believe that they did not know where Osama bin Laden was hiding. It turns out that they were indeed hiding the man that killed 3,000 Americans on September 11th in 2001 while the American taxpayers were pouring billions of dollars into the government of that "ally". And in the end, the capture of Osama bin Laden turned out to be exactly what our current Secretary of State had called for..."a "police action". Both the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were never necessary. Never.
Osama bin Laden attacked us and we invaded two nations -- that did not attack us -- and occupied them for years causing the deaths of millions and burdening our nation financially and in the end we wound up having to violate international law without the knowledge of our Pakistani "ally" and cross into their nation to bring that murderer to justice.
Trillions of dollars of staggering debt and bills to pay for these two wars now invoiced to the war-weary and jobless American people. And how are we asked to pay for those wars? Our fellow country men and women now are facing horrific cuts and "reforms" to their promised Medicare, Social Security, public education and more. Our nation's infrastructure is crumbling in front of our very eyes from our electrical grids and harbors to our bridges, roads and freeways. We all know this. And we are too god-damned silent about it. Rebuilding that infrastructure here at home would create millions of direct and indirect jobs. Again, right here at home where charity should begin.
Across the country our mayors and city councils are cutting and cutting back on vital services, laying off workers and even going bankrupt while we are continue with idiotic war that we can not afford! Listen to my former Los Angeles Mayor Anthony Villa Vallaraigosa:
"How did we get to a deficit and a debt larger than at any time not only in U.S. history but in human history? We got involved in two wars that, no matter what you think about those wars, we haven't paid for...That we would build bridges in Baghdad and Kandahar and not Baltimore and Kansas City, absolutely boggles the mind."
Enough is enough. We as a People must raise our voices and end this god-damned war and bring our troops home to their families because if we don't this shit is just never going to end.
There is a time and place for use of our military. President Bill Clinton used it in the Balkans to stop genocide. I believe he should have used it in Rwanda to prevent another genocide. And while some may argue about our recent limited use of the military in Libya, everyone should be glad we did not wind up occupying that nation, too.
But Afghanistan? It's almost 2014. Some of the babies that were born at the beginning of that war are actually entering high school! This is simply madness.
President Obama, it's time to lead. You alone -- not the Generals, not defense contractors, not our corrupt allies -- are the Commander and Chief. Prepare your speech now and get on national television and declare to the American People before Thanksgiving that you will be ordering a speedy end of the War in Afghanistan and you will bring our sons and daughters home.
President Obama, Secretaries of State and Defense John Kerry and Chuck Hagel
President Obama, Secretaries of State and Defense John Kerry & Chuck Hagel. There's sure a lot of second guessing about these three men. Some of the posts here lately attempt to falsely reduce them to bloodthirsty, trigger-happy men. It's beyond preposterous. It's pathetic.
Anyone who actually thinks these men are warmongers with itchy fingers needs to have your head examined. Seriously.
I did not just not support the War in Iraq, but I also, unlike the majority at the DU way back when, also opposed the entire War in Afghanistan from the beginning. It's all in the archives.
But just because I am old and my eyes are bad and I don't post like I used to because I can't doesn't mean that I don't come to this site and I must tell you that some of the swarm pseudo-liberalism that is I read here tearing down these three men who have stood in the gap to keep us out of or to temper wars (John Kerry said in the very beginning that the Afghanistan War should have been "a police action" and guess what? In the end it was a clandestine "police action" that took out the monster that killed our citizens on September 11, 2001. It did not require the occupation of another nation) is really gotten to the point of the absurd.
Do you actually think President Franklin Roosevelt did not understand that his nation was war weary after the stupidity of World War I? Do you actually think that he did not grasp the hypocrisy of the the Republicans at that time who were doing everything they could in Congress to keep us at peace with Germany? Do you think that he was itching to go to war? Hardly. But while we dithered let me remind you that SIX MILLION Jews were being murdered systematically including one million Jewish children and two hundred and fifty thousand homosexuals.
Gassing and murdering children is beyond shitty, it's just about as evil as it can get and the United States of America -- even after our last two extremely stupid wars -- should be a united voice against murdering children with chemical weapons. Real WMD. Not trumped up WMD. Real WMD that murdered children.
President Clinton stopped one genocide in the Balkans using American might. He is to be commended for that. Unfortunately, as he himself regrets, he let another one take place in Africa.
To me standing up to bullies is a big part of being liberal.
Let's not dive any further into the deep waters of self-congratulatory delusion: Of course we don't have to go to war to weaken this shithead in Syria. Well, guess what? President Obama and John Kerry and Chuck Hagel understand that better than any of us here.
Please pardon me if I've interrupted anyone's parade of self-indulgence and self-righteous smugness. I will only point out to you that there is a time to do the right thing and to stand up to brutal monstrous oppressors, especially those who are murdering children who have no one to protect them or to turn to.
Most everyone knows that Bob Dylan's great song "Blowin' in the Wind" opens with the line
Before they're forever banned ?
But the song also points out the following:
Yes, how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see ?
If you are comfortable turning your head, then so be it. I'm not. And I am a liberal Democrat.
Stand Tall, President Obama! You Are Doing a Great Job!
You ended the War in Iraq.
You are ending the War in Afghanistan.
You saved the U.S. economy from another Great Depression.
You lowered the unemployment rate.
You have people all over the world investing in U.S stocks.
You won the health care debate even when I thought you couldn't do it.
You allowed gay and lesbian Americans to serve openly in the Armed Forces.
You expanded the hate crimes act.
You have encouraged green energy.
You have overseen the lowest importing of foreign energy in a very long time.
You were courageous and enacted the Dream Act all on your own.
You saved the U.S. auto industry.
You have made equal pay for women closer to reality.
You brought Osama bin Laden to justice.
You ended the murderous dictatorship in Libya.
You have done a lot with no help from Republicans and with a lot of second guessing from Democrats.
Stand tall. I support you and am proud to call you President. Don't be distracted and remember, you are the President of the United States until 2017. And I like that. A lot.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself to still believe it is true.
And I still get so much joy just saying these words: President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
Not a small thing, people. Thanks to all who worked and helped make it happen.
America is in very good hands and that bodes well for the world. Peace.
The Reasons Ashley Judd Can Not Win in Kentucky...
are the same reasons fearful and cautious Democrats said that...
Jerry Brown could never be elected if he ran for Governor...
Tom Bradley could never be elected Mayor of Los Angeles...
Hillary Clinton could never be elected as a Senator from New York...
John Kennedy could never be elected President...
Elizabeth Warren could never be elected Senator in Massachussettes...
Ann Richards could never be elected Governor of Texas...
And Barack Obama could never be elected if he ran for President...
And on and on and on and on...(I mean really goes on and on and on...)
If Ashley Judd runs, she will be elected.
Senator Ashley Judd. Yep. Sounds just fine to me, but what do I know? I supported all of the above when all I heard was "voters aren't ready for this yet."
Well, they are ready. And so is Kentucky.
(Edited for my typos: the hallmark of any of my OP's)
Jeb Bush Wants to Be President. Don't Laugh.
Jeb Bush wants to be President of the United States? Really?
Before you laugh it off, the list below is just a brief sketch of the stamp the Bush Family has left on our nation. It does not begin to address their cronies who they hand selected to fill the U.S. government from Cabinet positions to the lowest federal office in the land for over 60 years. It does not touch on the dictators (including those euphemistically we still call "Royal Families"
that they also put in power...or the ones they pulled from power when the Bush shit got a little to close to the fan.
No, the list below is just a sober reminder to all who think Americans are weary of the Bushes. Laugh it off if you will. Others have laughed before you. The Bushes usually get the last laugh.
The Bush Family is a fully operational government-in-waiting ready to take office on Day One in 2017. They always have been. Who do you think got Ronald Reagan up and running so quickly in 1981...and got those weapons delivered to Iran so quickly after the inauguration? You actually don't believe it was Ronald Reagan, do you? George did it. He later said "I wasn't in the loop" with Iran/Contra. Of course, not. He was outside the loop drawing it.
The 2016 Republican nomination might just already be a done deal. Karl Rove is ready to move all the other Republican primary candidates out of the way. Just pay close attention as to how any credible challenger to Jeb's chances in 2016 will be compromised...destroyed. Any challenger should watch their back or have their price ready to present to Karl for dropping out. Karl can arrange things. He's a win/win kind of guy. One by one they will be picked off or convinced not to run against Jeb.
They have the means and the motivation.
Yes, Prescott Bush's grandson has now told us all that he's ready to "serve". Why not, after all, what's another 100 years of America's future for anyway if it doesn't belong to the Bush Family?
Others can add to this list, but I'll just say this: Past is Prologue.
BUSH: 1953-1957 - President Dwight Eisenhower & VP Richard Nixon (Prescott Bush's protege)
BUSH: 1957 - 1961 - President Dwight Eisenhower & VP Richard Nixon (Prescott Bush's protege)
BUSH: 1960 - GOP Presidential Nominee - Richard Nixon (Prescott Bush's protege)
BUSH: 1969 - 1973 President Richard Nixon (Prescott Bush's protege)
BUSH: 1971 -1973 U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations - George H. W. Bush
BUSH: 1973 - 1974 President Richard Nixon (Prescott Bush's protege)
BUSH: 1976 - 1977 Director of the CIA, George H. W. Bush
BUSH: 1981 - 1985 President Ronald Reagan & VP George H. W. Bush
BUSH: 1985 - 1989 President Ronald Reagan & VP George H. W. Bush
BUSH: 1989 - 1993 President George H. W. Bush
BUSH: 2001 - 2005 President George W. Bush
BUSH: 2006 - 2009 President George W. Bush
Maybe Christian Mingle Thought Richard Mourdock Was "God's Match for You"
Click Photo of Sexy Person for God's Match: Why would anyone think "God" would hook you up with a personally-chosen flesh-squeeze from a commercial web-site? Apparently, many do think just that and pay for it. And rape, it seems, may be one of the surprise options that comes if one engages in business (and yes, it is a business) with Christian Mingle or so the Los Angeles Times has reported.CyberJesus: Christian Mingle -- appropriately headquartered in Beverly Hill$, California, right close to Rodeo Boulevard (I mean, would God have it any other way? -- either 1.) had their celestial wires crossed in hooking up their clients with a rapist or, 2.) they consider the rape of their clients as "God's match" , or 3.) the business is actually not really hooking people up with a hand-selected (by God) sex partner, but is just another participant in a long line of American hucksters who have made bucks by fleecing believers.
Now, I do understand that even suggesting the third option is near sacrlidge, but just the same, I'll choose Curtain Three for $500.
Dick Murdock of Indiana: Actually, when you think about it, Richard Mourdock, was a real Christian Mingle kind of guy, wasn't he? You all remember Dick Mourdock (Dick Dock) don't you? You know, that guy who told us all with a straight face that the rape of a girl or woman was "God's intention". Dick apparently thought he was also "God's match for you" if you happened to live in the State of Indiana where he almost was elected as a U.S. Senator. I guess a lot of people there are Christian Minglers.
Mike Huckabee, Baptist Preacher, Politican, Television Star, Bass Guitarist of Arkansas: In many ways, the Republican Party is a larger ChristianMingle. I mean, Fox News has that gas bag fraud, Mike Huckabee, as one of their top pitch men for their advertisers. For some reason, his audience resembles the zombies I saw in church back when I was a little redneck kid growing up in the Bible Belt.
Of course, we didn't call our church back then "ChristianMingle", we just called it church. But I did later learn from my mother that there had indeed been a lot of Christian "mingling" going on even way back then in the 1950's, but it was more dignified, it wasn't done on the internet.
My Old Preacher: Christian Mingle! It has a real ring to it, doesn't it? I bet my old preacher (now long dead and mingling with just worms in his casket) would have liked that catchy name: Christian Mingle. He could have gone far with that one.
The story linked below is from today's Los Angeles Times and I must say, it bothers me on sooo many dimensions.
Sean Banks of Del Mar is charged with rape, burglary and penetration by force involving a woman in La Mesa, according to court records. He was arrested Feb. 11 and has pleaded not guilty.
Banks, a computer technician, worked in various locations across the United States. Police said they are investigating whether he may have lured other victims through ChristianMingle and other websites, possibly using pseudonyms, including Rylan Butterwood and Rylan Harbough.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/02/la-mesa-christian-dating-site-rape-investigation.html
President Obama is the Best President in My Lifetime.
I don't post here much anymore, but I do visit a lot. I've been here since early 2001 -- in our darkest days -- and I just want to say to all of you who have worked so hard, posted with such fury and wisdom, and who have put their hearts, sweat, money and time on the line all these years should be proud of themselves. Stand back and take a little of it all in. It is majestic. We've won a lot back that we had lost. I thank you for it all.
And I also want to say that, in my own eyes, President Barack Obama is now the best American President of my life time (and I am a very old and progressive activist Democrat). Of course, he is not a perfect man, but he is a really good man. And a historic President on so many dimensions.
Better than John Kennedy? Better than Lyndon Johnson? Better than Jimmy Carter? Better than Bill Clinton? Yes.
While JFK has always been my gold standard up until now, I can with confidence say that America has never been in better hands than it is today.
What's even better?
I know that the best from this man, Barack Obama, is yet to come. Just watch. And be proud.
Put him and FDR on Mount Rushmore.
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Member since: 2001Number of posts: 22,785