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Washington Ought To Listen....
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There is still work ahead....
On the sidelines of the Hague Meetings, Mrs. Clinton noted that Richard Holbrooke and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister had a brief but cordial meeting agreeing to stay in touch. However the report was denied by the Iranian Embassy at the Hague. According to a report in the Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency Website, there were meetings held with other Foreign Ministers--none with Mr. Holbrooke.
Not withstanding this posturing, I view the presence of a Senior Iranian Official as a welcome development. Iran is a major player and has a strong interest in a stable and viable Afghanistan. There is no way but to seek the necessar rapproachment with Iran
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Is the Message Coming Through?
I have been making the rounds of the Sunday Talk Shows. NBC and ABC had Tim Geitner on and CBS' Face the Nation had the President on as well: (available at http://www.cbsnews.com).
As I listened to the Face The Nation Interview, I was glad that Bob Schieffer brought up Mexico. I have regarded Mexico as the soft underbelly that is indeed a major threat to the security of the United States. I did also find Meet the Press quite insightful in explaining in layman's terms how the plan is supposed to work. As I listened to all the shows, the central message I heard was that the Obama Adminstration views the strategies on both the economy and Afghanistan was on track. Time will only tell
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I am not surprised at the Republicans...
The President Arrives For His First Day....A Busy One too!!!
The first day of the Obama Adminstration has begun. The President began his day by attending the National Prayer Service and got down to work. I saw him when he met with the White House and signed off on the new Ethics Rules. He has also been meeting with the Economics and National Security Teams. They have hit the ground running. Unfortunately, the Senate has not done the job by confirming the nominees. At least three key members are yet to be confirmed. A new Era has truly begun
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..and now the real work begins......
A New Dawn Has Arrived
Barack Hussein Obama is now the 44th President of the United States. Throughout my lifetime, I have had the privilege to read on the traditions and was finally able to be a true witness to this momentous transfer of power due to the power of technology. I have continued to marvel at how someone with so much power gives it up so willingly because the people are truly sovereign in America. This was quite moving when the President and the First Lady escorted Former Mr. and Mrs. Bush
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Eagerly Awaiting The Seize Fire.....
As the bombing and the rocket firing was continuing, Tipzi Livni got U.S. guarantees on a prevention of Hamas rearming. Qatar and Mauritania cut their Israeli ties. There are reports coming through stating that Israel is nearing the "end game". I am still trying to understand what the "end game" is.
As the talking is going on, I continue to get reports on the grim statistics. So far, almost 1200 people are dead and over 5,000 have been wounded. I just saw a twitter update from Al Jazeera'z Zeina Awad noting, "...one of the biggest air strikes to date". Gaza's infrastructure has totally collapsed. I saw reports on two Israeli Human Rights groups petitoning the Israeli Supreme Court to compel the Army to begin allowing humanitarian aid to the civilans. There is of course a report on another UN school again being hit with injuries
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It shows how pathetic the man is
I wrote earlier about the useless Karzai offering to meet w/Mullah Omar. I actually tracked down and listened to his entire comment. To paraphase the fool, he said that if the foreign powers did not like his proposal, they can remove him. He just admitted that he is just a simple stooge and has no moral basis to occupy the position. Because of this, I hope the Foreign Powers who have kept him as a nominal figurehead will in fact remove the idiot. All of us have committed our treasure and our blood for Afghanistan. So far, nothing has happened. It broke my heart when walking around the local memorial to the fallen erected at Mission Viejo City Hall in Mission Viejo, California. The men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice were from all walks of life. They were fathers, brothers, sisters, sons and daugthers who were forever lost to all us. Yet, we have to continue to prop up a useless fool who readily admits that he has lost all crediblity. I do take comfort in Barack Obama having noted that there are problems with the people in charge in Afghanistan. This really proved to me why the Taliban has gained as it has. It is not because NATO has not tried. It is because NATO can't do it alone.
January 20th cannot arrive fast enough so that we can hopefully see some movement. TIme is of the essence. Barack Obama seems to realize that.
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Why is the world wasting its' time?
The so-called President of Afghanistan is in London. I was just listening to him on the BBC. He wants resources for the Afghan Government to do its' job to overcome drugs, the taliban threat and everything else. The question I have for the idiot is this: what do you think the world has done over the past seven years? The world has paid a heavy price. Yet the useless fool keeps asking for more. Until the fool is no more, Afghanistan will not change. As for the Taliban, they now seem to understand how to play the publicity game. There was a spokesman actually talking to the BBC. The Taliban are stronger while the world figures out what to do. At least Barack Obama is thinking about a bit more than just throwing more soldiers at the problem.
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Can anyone do anything about it?
I can't help but be worried. As I continue to write about our world, I want to remain hopeful. But, the bad news continues coming in. The Dow lost over 300 points on Friday. As America continues to be in the midst of a Presidential Campaign, the world seems to be falling apart. BBC is reporting on a very disturbing development in Colombia threatens to undermine all that seems to have been achieved in the so-called war on drugs. A number of Army colonels have been sacked because they apparently kidnapped homeless men and then killed them to secure body counts and in turn promotions. Colombia was the same country, of course, that pulled off the release of Ingrid Betancourt and others using the emblems of the International commitee for the Red Cross. I view it as a bothersome development because it will undermine the very perilous nature of achievements made in the war on drugs that the world seems to be losing. Look at what is going on in Mexico. I regard Uribe as the ultimate teflon, though. I think he would muddle through as he has through other crisis.
The more worrisome development, though, is the killing of foreigners in the center of the Afghan capital, Kabul. Afghanistan is on fire. Karzai is useless and is a lost case. I am heartened by Joe Klein's comments on Time.com about Barack Obama's views. According to Klein, Barack Obama (and General Petreaus) are in favor of negotiations with the Taliban. I would be interested in any alternative anyone could offer. Right now, I see none
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Is it the World's Vietnam??
There has been talk about applying the Iraq "surge principles" to Afghanistan. I have read of commanders complaining about the fact that adequate resources are not available. There was also an overture by the useless Karzai to engage the Saudis to have the Taliban come back to the negotiating table.
First of, as it stands now, the Taliban are winning. Karzai has no crediblity in my view. The Taliban's only requirements is for Foreign Troops to get out of Afghanistan. If that happens, the house of cards built around Karzai is going to collapse. Then, the world is back to square one after all the blood, sweat and tears that has been spent. I view the need to have a political settlement, though, as vital to this disastrous war coming to an end. Fortunately, I am not alone in this assessment. According to a story posted on the London Sunday Times for October 5, The Senior Military commander in Afghanistan for British Forces, Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, noted that a deal with the Taliban should be considered. In addition, the same report notes a memo from a French diplomat quoting the British Ambassador, nothing that the current strategy was "doomed to fail". We all must take note of such doubts and think through a strategy. The shooting war that has pursued has clearly not worked
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Mike Pouraryan
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