Update from the
Heartland
No.612
2.9.13 – 8.9.13
Blog version: http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/
To all,
The follow-up news items:
-- The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 10-7-1-0(0)
to approve a congressional resolution authorizing the President to use military
force against Syria as a consequence of the al-Assad regime’s use of chemical
weapons on 21.August.2013 [611]. The Senate should vote on their version
of the resolution next week.
Congress returns on 9.September, and the House will begin its
deliberations.
If
I was a conspiracist or inclined toward the reasoning President Vladimir Vladimirovich
Putin of Russia, we have not seen proof beyond a reasonable doubt that
President ordered
and Syrian military forces executed the chemical attack, using Sarin [GB] gas
that killed 1,400+, included 400+ children. Imagine if you will, as an al-Qa’ida strategist, the perfect
plan . . . release some Sarin gas, kill a bunch of innocent people, stimulate
the U.S. to eliminate the regime’s air assets, command & control,
communications, intelligence, armor, and other resources of the Syrian
government. In essence, we get the
United States to take out the government, so our Islamist brothers can take
control and create another fundamentalist Islamic state. In my conspiracy scenario, al-Qa’ida
must have developed the means to produce, store, transport and deploy the chemical
agent.
While
the above scenario is plausible, I do not believe it happened that way. The al-Assad family spent many years
purposely creating and stockpiling chemical weapons. I also suspect the USG has more direct evidence. The Executive is charged by the
Constitution to protect our national security. They are not obligated to expose means and methods to feed
our curiosity. A bloody, brutal,
civil war is one thing; the use of chemical weapons is entirely a different
matter. I trust the President to
make the correct decision for our protection.
I love this one .
. . he said with all the sarcasm he could muster.
“EU Backs 'Clear and Strong' Response to Syria Attack –
Foreign Ministers Say There Is 'Strong Evidence' Regime Was Behind Use of
Chemical Weapons
by Laurence Norman
Wall Street Journal
Published: September 7, 2013, 8:44 a.m. ET
Yeah, ain’t it nice, let’s encourage Barack to do the dirty
work, so we don’t have to get out hands dirty or piss off the Muslims anymore
than we already have. I am not
sure what this really means. At
least France has stood up to the mark.
The administration claims there are double-digit, unspecified nations
prepared to participate in or support a military action against the Syrian
regime.
Juxtaposed against the backdrop of Syria,
the nonsense from Europe, and the President’s request for a congressional
sanction, a friend and frequent contributor passed along the following opinion
piece.
“SPEAKING FREELY – Obama challenges pathology of power”
by Dallas Darling
Asia Times
Published: 3.September.2013
Straight up, I cannot agree with much of anything in
Darling’s opinion, but he does seem to express a perspective maintained by more
than a few who hold the economic, financial and military power of the United
States of America with some degree of contempt. To the point, the last time the United States used its power
for questionable purposes was the Spanish-American War (1898), in my humble opinion. We might argue for the inclusion of the
Grenada incursion (1983), but I think President Reagan had some but not
overwhelmingly compelling reasons for pulling the trigger in that instance. However, the notion that U.S. military
power or the President’s authority to use that military power is the greatest
menace to peace ignores history and defies logical observation.
Then, we have this little gem.
“U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon warns G-20 leaders against possible
military action in Syria”
by Colum Lynch
Washington Post
Published: September 6, 2013
My question to Ban Ki-moon: diplomacy has had more than two
years to work its magic, so how’s that workin’ for you? As Generalmajor Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz so
succinctly and eloquently observed, “War is diplomacy by other means.” Bashar al-Assad chose his path. Now, it is time for the consequences. Diplomacy has failed to deter al-Assad
and his henchmen from using chemical weapons against innocent civilians. If we
do not enforce international conventions and protocols, we will return to the
horror that began on 22.April.1915, when the German army initiated the first
chemical attack on the battlefield, releasing Chlorine gas.
At 22:00 [D*] {17:30 [Z]; 13:30 [R] EDT},
12.September.2012, three teams of five each, young, suicide, Taliban fighters
infiltrated Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan. They managed to kill
several Marines and did millions in damage before they were eliminated. The attack was the worst loss of
aviation assets by the United States since Vietnam. This is the best public representation of the Battle of
Bastion I have seen to date.
“Enemy Inside the Wire: The Untold Story of the Battle of
Bastion”
by Matthieu Aikins; illustrations by Matthew Woodson
Gentleman’s Quarterly
Published: September 2013
I am gobsmacked! News items like this one drive me
crazy.
“24-hour waiting period proposed for D.C. tattoos, piercings”
by Mike DeBonis and Victoria St. Martin
Washington Post
Published: September 6, 2013
The audacity and idiocy of the District of Columbia
Department of Health in proposing such nonsense is one thing. For the District Council to even
consider such ridiculousness is something all together different and more
ominous. Government has a
responsibility and obligation to regulate tattoo and piercing establishments,
as there is a real and bona fide public safety health concern, as blood-borne
pathogens are commonplace in contemporary society. Every state, district or territory under the authority of
the United States should have regulations regarding hygiene, record keeping and
licensing of such facilities. However,
a 24-hour waiting period has absolutely nothing to do with the proper public
safety concerns; it is a moral judgment on the part of someone or some bunch of
someones in the District executive.
This kind nonsense must stop.
The government has absolutely no place making personal or moral choices
for any citizen. I have mixed
feelings about the involvement of children under the age of majority. My inclination is to say the tattoos
and piercings are between parents and their children. Parents cannot abdicate their responsibility to the
government or a tattoo artist.
News from the economic front:
-- The Labor Department reported the U.S. economy added
169,000 jobs in August, but lowered by 74,000 the combined total gains in June
and July. The unemployment rate edged down slightly to 7.3% in August, from
7.4% in July. The lower than
expected employment numbers suggest the labor-market recovery is not gaining
strength as anticipated, which in turn potentially complicates the Federal
Reserve's calculus for pulling back its support of the economy.
Comments
and contributions from Update no.611:
“No time for complete response, but . . .
“...Re:
Holder's now-familiar announcement declining to enforce the law: I have no admiration for the thug in
the AG's office, and although I share generally your long-standing belief in
legalization of pot, I cannot rejoice in another example of Obama's
administration refusing to obey and enforce laws passed by the legislative
branch, acting quite confident that the present Congress is too wimpy to
impeach.
“I'll send by separate email a letter to the editor
containing a different perspective from yours on Obama's agenda with respect to
Syria and the Muslim world.
Contributor’s opinion submitted to Clarion-Ledger [of Jackson, Mississippi]:
“Why not insist on United Arab League action to save the
Arab people dying in Syria? Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries have
great weapon systems (many made in U.S.A.) and tactical intelligence (ours upon
request, and theirs which is better), but they urge our President to do their
dirty work with unilateral military action, assuring increased hatred from the
Muslim world. Well tuned to their published long range anti-Christian
agenda, Obama apparently wants to take action, but why? Could it be that
this Islamic sympathizer, the leading international critic of our country's
history, is again showing his colors, as he has all of his adult life?
Remember, he did so publicly by disrespecting our flag and national anthem in
his campaign and by apologizing to the world for the imperialistic past that he
thinks justifies hatred from the beneficiaries of our generosity, but most
voters forgot that. Has he now figured out that by helping overthrow Assad of
Syria he will expedite the most likely result, a new radical Islamic regime
largely controlled by Hezbollah and al-Qa’ida? This would fit with his
long demonstrated disdain for our constitutional democracy and serve the long
range and patient goals of a dangerous minority of Islamic leadership, goals
vocally denied by peaceful and loving Muslims without, of course, any real action
(echos of Nazi Germany). I hope our Congress will let him know in no uncertain
terms that this time we will not allow him to ignore the law and will tell him
to let Arabs help Arabs.”
My response:
To
my knowledge, none of our Allies (excepting of course the United Kingdom and
France) have long-range cruise missiles.
Yes, they have sophisticated weapon systems, primarily U.S., but they
all require human pilots.
I
do not share your perspective of President Obama, so we shall respectfully
disagree. He has a very difficult
line to walk and a very heavy burden to carry. I certainly do not agree with all his decisions, just as I
have not agreed completely with all of his predecessors. Regardless, he is President of the
United States of America. As I
said in the Update, if we do not draw the line here, where do we draw the line?
My very best wishes to all. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Cheers,
Cap :-)
2 comments:
The evidence shows, or seems to show, that sarin gas has been used in Syria. All sides claim to have evidence about who used it, but nobody has actually produced such evidence. The entire civil war might well go unnoticed here but for the important oil pipeline that crosses Syria for the export of oil from Iraq.
Your statement that, “The last time the United States used its power for questionable purposes was the Spanish-American War (1893)” takes my breath away. You exclude the Cold War, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Chile, Iraq and Pakistan along with sundry smaller actions. Grenada is a minor example.
At what point did we acquire the moral authority to punish or discipline other nations? If we have such a thing we need to rid ourselves of it as soon as possible. It costs us too much in money, lives and prestige.
Calvin,
Re: Sarin. The chemical is comparatively easy to manufacture, not so easy to store, transport and deploy safely. Nonetheless, other terrorist groups managed to overcome the difficulties, e.g., Aum Shinrikyo (20.March.1995). Saddam Hussein used Sarin with devastating results (16.March.1988). I have no doubt al-Qa’ida has the capability to produce Sarin. Yet, of all the players in Syria, the government is the only group that holds stockpiles of the chemical agent. They are the most likely culprits. I choose to trust the government as they have access to intelligence we do not and should not see for 20-50 years. We must trust the people we elect to those positions with such monumental decisions.
I must draw attention to your typo – the Spanish-American War began in 1898 vice 1893. The last time we fought a war for territorial gain was 1898. None of the examples you offered had territorial gain, not even World War II. We can argue the political motives in any of your examples. If you wish to debate those political motives, pick one and let’s get it on.
Re: “moral authority.” Good point. We do not. Nonetheless, there is a line out there somewhere. We could use the Catherine Susan ‘Kitty’ Genovese tragedy (13.April.1964) on the international stage as a worthy example. Do we simply observe murder and say, not my dog?
Life is full of hard choices. All of us must choose when presented with an immoral event.
“That’s just my opinion, but I could be wrong.”
Cheers,
Cap
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