Just a reminder, it remains a dangerous world out there:
Gaza: Rocket Fire and Israeli Strike Disrupt Cease-Fire
Hamas fired dozens of rockets at Israel from the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after Israeli forces killed at least five Palestinian militants in an eruption of violence that disrupted a four-month-old truce
The Arab Israeli conflict seems as intractable as ever, which does not bode well for the region. If conflict erupts, it will likely pull the whole region into war.
Rwanda: Fighting Exposes Congolese Soldiers
Currently, the media is awash with stories of recent fighting in eastern Congo. Quite often, the turn of events can be ugly….Last week, Congolese soldiers were reported to have looted, raped and maimed civilians in DRC’s town of Goma-sending many people fleeing to Rwanda.
Africa will continue to fall victim to poor governance, ethnic and tribal conflicts, terrorism, and corruption. This slide will not stop in the next 4 years. Quote me on that.
MOSCOW – RUSSIA will deploy Iskander missiles in its western enclave of Kaliningrad in response to plans by the United States to build an anti-missile system in Europe, President Dmitry Medvedev said on Wednesday….Mr Medvedev said Russia would electronically jam elements of the proposed US system and that Russia had scrapped plans to stand down three missile regiments.
Sending bombers to Venezuela, now challenging missile defense. Russia seems bent on challenging the US at every opportunity. Again, unlikely to ebb anytime soon.
As much as we tend to look inwards in America, most of the world will continue to fixate on the myriad of problems that existed yesterday, and will likely last for quite a while longer… .
If Hope & Change is heading east at the speed of light, and Cold Hard Reality is headed west at a steady marching pace, when will they collide?
And how big a mess will it make?
It’s starting all over again…lowering expectations and trying to equivocate everything obviously by the post above. Our enemies smell blood in the water already and all these people can do is obfuscate and make excuses.
It’s going to make a big mess, especially for a President who is extremely wet behind the ears.
Chris – what are you trying to say?
We don’t know:
o who the new SecDef will be.
o the composition of the House and Senate Armed Services & Military Construction committees.
o if the GOP will go for slash-&-burn politics mimicking the Dems;or, more likely, be a loyal opposition.
Hope&Change is powered by those things, not by those of us here. Also, how successful those of us here are depends upon Hope&Change. In short: the defense of our great Nation is not the sole responsibility of our military.
President-elect Obama and his team have promises to keep, and expectations to meet.
Hey DaveO
I thought my comments were quite clear – and not meant to be taken as anecdotal. I’ll address your concerns.
> “who the new SecDef will be.” ???
Bush Names Rumsfeld Defense Secretary, Thursday, December 28, 2000 source: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/showtransition2001.php?fileid=bush_rumsfeld_1228
That was less than a month before the Inauguration. I know you’re going to point out that we are in wartime – but it seems as Obama is well on the way to having this handled. He’s Harvard educated – I doubt Gomer Pyle made the list.
> “the composition of the House and Senate Armed Services & Military Construction committees.”
I see your concern. However, “…the designation of members of standing committees of the Senate occurs during the first session of a Congress at a date later than January 20.” As well, The chair of each committee and a majority of its members represent the majority party. The chair primarily controls a committee’s business. Each party assigns its own members to committees, and each committee distributes its members among its subcommittees.” I’m sensing some bias and apprehension about Dems from you – well they aren’t all Hippies. I remember a certain Balkans conflict which was handled very well. Somalia not so much, but from what I can recall from recollection and accounts I’ve read – that was a Command issue moreso than Executive or Congressional. Er’ hey I’m just 26 I was but a wee little lad when all that happened. Maybe I’m too dumb to know what a library looks like???
> “if the GOP will go for slash-&-burn politics mimicking the Dems;or, more likely, be a loyal opposition.”
Oh God, let’s hope not. Again, I’m only 26 but I was wise beyond my years. And being a Georgia resident I do remember a brilliant move by Newt Gingrich that successfully shut down government. Now I’m not partisan but didn’t that help Clinton get elected to a second term? For Conservatives sake after this blowout I wouldn’t pull any funny moves. (By the way, though by many “standards” I’m a Liberal with Conservative views I really like Newt.)
And point well taken, you guys in the military can’t do it by yourselves. In fact I did not lay sole responsibility at the feet of our Servicemen. I just praised and admired you for it. Unfortunately, I have family obligations and they asked me at my graduation not to serve in the Marine Corps as was my intention. I regretfully to this day obliged. As for my responsibility, I abide by the 2nd Amendment proudly ;-) Oh and I’m soon off to law school.
Look, my comment was not to lower expectations. And, if you would’ve read it in the context it was posted you would’ve seen that. But I think maybe you focused on one point – that in which I said ALL U.S. Presidents have made military mistakes. Was I wrong in that assertion? Actually, I believe it historically recorded fact. And I’m sure Obama has no interest in losing his seat as President or seeing the downfall of this country because he failed to do Violence against Evil Men.
I look forward to your rebuttal.