For those who are unaware, at a military theater the National Anthem is played before every movie.
From a Chaplain in Iraq:
I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3,' here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way
through The National Anthem the music stopped.
Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is if they had stood for the National
Anthem in the first place.
Here, the 1,000 soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The music started again and the soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the same point, the music stopped. Even here I would imagine laughter as everyone finally sat down and expected the movie to start, but here, you could have heard a pin drop.
Every soldier continued to stand at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers finishing where the recording left off:
“And the rockets red glare, bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through
the night, That our flag was still there. Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave, O'er the land of the free, And the home of the brave.”
It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq.
I want you to know what kind of soldiers are serving you here. Remember them as they fight for you! Be always in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad, and for the many have already paid the ultimate price.
Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins
LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq, north of Baghdad.
Sunday, July 27
Sunday, July 20
PLENTY OF OIL IN USA
It seems the US Government and Congress are keeping something from us.
The US Geological Survey recently reported new oil discoveries in the United States. They've found 3.65 BILLION barrels of oil in N. Dakota and Montana -- a field that stretches into Canada. Those billions of barrels of oil are not included in the present U.S. oil count.
That's a 25-fold increase in the amount of recoverable US oil compared to the Survey's last estimate, published in 1995.
It's called the Bakken Oil Formation. Google it and see what you find.
If oil companies would begin, using modern horizontal drilling techniques they could easily retrieve the oil and drive the price of oil down to $16 a barrel.
Of course that would cut into the oil company's high profits so it's pretty unlikely they'll do it without being forced by Congress. And Congress is solidly in the pocket of oil lobbyists UNLESS we kick them all out and replace them. See more here: "The Bakken Formation estimate is larger than all other current USGS oil assessments of the lower 48 states and is the largest "continuous" oil accumulation ever assessed by the USGS. A "continuous" oil accumulation means that the oil resource is dispersed throughout a geologic formation rather than existing as discrete, localized occurrences. The next largest "continuous" oil accumulation in the U.S. is in the Austin Chalk of Texas and Louisiana, with an undiscovered estimate of 1.0 billions of barrels of technically recoverable oil.
"It is clear that the Bakken formation contains a significant amount of oil - the question is how much of that oil is recoverable using today's technology?" said Senator Byron Dorgan, of North Dakota. "To get an answer to this important question, I requested that the U.S. Geological Survey complete this study, which will provide an up-to-date estimate on the amount of technically recoverable oil resources in the Bakken Shale formation."
The USGS estimate of 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil has a mean value of 3.65 billion barrels. Scientists conducted detailed studies in stratigraphy and structural geology and the modeling of petroleum geochemistry. They also combined their findings with historical exploration and production analyses to determine the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil estimates."
Check out these resources:
http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/bakken-oil-trade/658
http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news2.13s.html
http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/peak-oil-bakken+formation/1313
The US Geological Survey recently reported new oil discoveries in the United States. They've found 3.65 BILLION barrels of oil in N. Dakota and Montana -- a field that stretches into Canada. Those billions of barrels of oil are not included in the present U.S. oil count.
That's a 25-fold increase in the amount of recoverable US oil compared to the Survey's last estimate, published in 1995.
It's called the Bakken Oil Formation. Google it and see what you find.
If oil companies would begin, using modern horizontal drilling techniques they could easily retrieve the oil and drive the price of oil down to $16 a barrel.
Of course that would cut into the oil company's high profits so it's pretty unlikely they'll do it without being forced by Congress. And Congress is solidly in the pocket of oil lobbyists UNLESS we kick them all out and replace them. See more here: "The Bakken Formation estimate is larger than all other current USGS oil assessments of the lower 48 states and is the largest "continuous" oil accumulation ever assessed by the USGS. A "continuous" oil accumulation means that the oil resource is dispersed throughout a geologic formation rather than existing as discrete, localized occurrences. The next largest "continuous" oil accumulation in the U.S. is in the Austin Chalk of Texas and Louisiana, with an undiscovered estimate of 1.0 billions of barrels of technically recoverable oil.
"It is clear that the Bakken formation contains a significant amount of oil - the question is how much of that oil is recoverable using today's technology?" said Senator Byron Dorgan, of North Dakota. "To get an answer to this important question, I requested that the U.S. Geological Survey complete this study, which will provide an up-to-date estimate on the amount of technically recoverable oil resources in the Bakken Shale formation."
The USGS estimate of 3.0 to 4.3 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil has a mean value of 3.65 billion barrels. Scientists conducted detailed studies in stratigraphy and structural geology and the modeling of petroleum geochemistry. They also combined their findings with historical exploration and production analyses to determine the undiscovered, technically recoverable oil estimates."
Check out these resources:
http://www.energyandcapital.com/articles/bakken-oil-trade/658
http://www.nextenergynews.com/news1/next-energy-news2.13s.html
http://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/peak-oil-bakken+formation/1313
Wednesday, July 16
MY ENERGY PLAN
1st I would ration gasoline. To each according to need. Just the very threat of such action would serve notice to oil speculators and foreign suppliers that we are serious and will stand for this hijacking no longer.
2nd I would initiate a Federal 60-mile-per-hour speed limit. (Since I restricted my own driving to 55 MPH during my 20 mile commute to work a month ago I've seen a significant saving on my gas bill. It works.)
3rd I would begin the process to re-open the FFTF advanced nuclear research reactor in the US that was shut down two years ago. Its primary capability is the production of fast neutrons -- is a key to nuclear development and the best hope this country has to solve its energy problem. It also had the capability to re-process nuclear waste.
4th I would ask Congress to provide incentive money to every homeowner who used solar, wind or anything else to cut their energy consumption by 75%.
5th I would impose a $1,000 fine on real estate brokers and sales people for EACH deal they made over the past ten years that the buyer clearly was not qualified to handle financially. As a former realtor I know better than most that the real estate profession has gotten away with murder in this mortgage crisis.
6th I would ask the private sector to set up a company to explore geothermal energy. They could begin by studying Iceland's research and develop from there.
7th I would insist the media report BOTH sides of the global warming debate rather than just the politically correct side. We can't afford to waste money, time and --yes--energy cutting back on emissions that won't make any difference. If we need to learn how to control sunspots and volcanos then it's high time we faced scientific fact and got on with it.
That's a beginning.
The most important thing is to do something NOW while doing the things that will make a difference in the future. Rationing gasoline and conserving what we're using would be a crucial step toward bringing down oil prices right away.
2nd I would initiate a Federal 60-mile-per-hour speed limit. (Since I restricted my own driving to 55 MPH during my 20 mile commute to work a month ago I've seen a significant saving on my gas bill. It works.)
3rd I would begin the process to re-open the FFTF advanced nuclear research reactor in the US that was shut down two years ago. Its primary capability is the production of fast neutrons -- is a key to nuclear development and the best hope this country has to solve its energy problem. It also had the capability to re-process nuclear waste.
4th I would ask Congress to provide incentive money to every homeowner who used solar, wind or anything else to cut their energy consumption by 75%.
5th I would impose a $1,000 fine on real estate brokers and sales people for EACH deal they made over the past ten years that the buyer clearly was not qualified to handle financially. As a former realtor I know better than most that the real estate profession has gotten away with murder in this mortgage crisis.
6th I would ask the private sector to set up a company to explore geothermal energy. They could begin by studying Iceland's research and develop from there.
7th I would insist the media report BOTH sides of the global warming debate rather than just the politically correct side. We can't afford to waste money, time and --yes--energy cutting back on emissions that won't make any difference. If we need to learn how to control sunspots and volcanos then it's high time we faced scientific fact and got on with it.
That's a beginning.
The most important thing is to do something NOW while doing the things that will make a difference in the future. Rationing gasoline and conserving what we're using would be a crucial step toward bringing down oil prices right away.
OBAMA DOESN'T FLIP-FLOP
Okay. That does it.
There's no way I'll ever support Obama now.
Frankly, I can't imagine how anyone who takes the time to listen to him and who cares about what happens to the future of America could.
The man is just dishonest. And his only interest is (and looks like has been for many years) simply to get his hands on the power of the Presidency.
He originally promised that he would take only public funding for his campaign until it turned out that would cost him money. So he reneged on his promise.
When he was campaigning in the primary he dissed NAFTA -- but when Canadians got upset one of his campaign spokespersons said that was just campaign talk.
He has supported gun control for his entire (if short) career and now he supports the right to bear arms.
He threatened to filibuster a bill to protect telephone companies from liability for their cooperation with national security wiretaps at one time, now he has voted for that very legislation.
He once told the Israelis that he was for an undivided Jerusalem. Now he has changed his mind.
He calls the Bush Administration incompetent, yet now he promotes using faith-based institutions to deliver services to the poor.
His stand on Iraq is on quicksand. First he says he'll get troops out on a 16-month timetable no matter what. Then he says he'll go to Iraq and talk see what the situation is and talk to the commanders before he makes any such decision. Then he turns around again and says, in effect, to heck with the commanders, he'll get them out in 16 months. (All he wants is to get elected. To hell with the security of our country, troops and the Middle East -- he just wants to get elected NO MATTER WHAT.)
His campaign is beginning to have a touch of hysteria about it -- his "calm" is more and more studied.
He has the backbone of an amoeba -- he promised to support merit pay for teachers until he had to face the union. Then he did an about face.
First he disagreed with Sen. Clinton’s proposal to impose Social Security taxes on income over $200,000 and wanted to tax all income, he has now adopted the Clinton position. (Either way, taxes go up for us all.)
Obama's lack of concern about rising energy prices and his lack of interest in trying to do anything about it because we won't see immediate results is just downright dumb -- and potentially lethal. He is afraid he'll lose the votes of environmentalists if he advocates using our own oil reserves. If he has done his homework (which I'm sure he hasn't -- he's in too much of a hurry), he knows we need to begin now to secure the future.
He's charming. He looks and sounds smart and empathetic. But charisma doesn't guarantee competence.
I wouldn't have any trouble at all with his changing positions on issues when he learns new facts. For example, if he had shown any interest in learning what is really happening (and has been happening the past two years when he was in the Senate) in Iraq, changing his views would have some credence with me. But he hasn't learned anything new -- he is changing with the wind in a frantic attempt to get elected.
There is nothing in his past that demonstrates a willingness to sacrifice for his country. He has done nothing to demonstrate that he is a man of honor and integrity. He asks college students not to pursue money when they graduate but to serve selflessly when he has not done that himself. (At least John Kennedy had served in the Navy when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
Obama has served only his own ambition -- even when he did "community service" there was nothing selfless in the way he did it or in the result he enjoyed from it.
Obama is a sham. He doesn't flip-flop. He flounders.
There's no way I'll ever support Obama now.
Frankly, I can't imagine how anyone who takes the time to listen to him and who cares about what happens to the future of America could.
The man is just dishonest. And his only interest is (and looks like has been for many years) simply to get his hands on the power of the Presidency.
He originally promised that he would take only public funding for his campaign until it turned out that would cost him money. So he reneged on his promise.
When he was campaigning in the primary he dissed NAFTA -- but when Canadians got upset one of his campaign spokespersons said that was just campaign talk.
He has supported gun control for his entire (if short) career and now he supports the right to bear arms.
He threatened to filibuster a bill to protect telephone companies from liability for their cooperation with national security wiretaps at one time, now he has voted for that very legislation.
He once told the Israelis that he was for an undivided Jerusalem. Now he has changed his mind.
He calls the Bush Administration incompetent, yet now he promotes using faith-based institutions to deliver services to the poor.
His stand on Iraq is on quicksand. First he says he'll get troops out on a 16-month timetable no matter what. Then he says he'll go to Iraq and talk see what the situation is and talk to the commanders before he makes any such decision. Then he turns around again and says, in effect, to heck with the commanders, he'll get them out in 16 months. (All he wants is to get elected. To hell with the security of our country, troops and the Middle East -- he just wants to get elected NO MATTER WHAT.)
His campaign is beginning to have a touch of hysteria about it -- his "calm" is more and more studied.
He has the backbone of an amoeba -- he promised to support merit pay for teachers until he had to face the union. Then he did an about face.
First he disagreed with Sen. Clinton’s proposal to impose Social Security taxes on income over $200,000 and wanted to tax all income, he has now adopted the Clinton position. (Either way, taxes go up for us all.)
Obama's lack of concern about rising energy prices and his lack of interest in trying to do anything about it because we won't see immediate results is just downright dumb -- and potentially lethal. He is afraid he'll lose the votes of environmentalists if he advocates using our own oil reserves. If he has done his homework (which I'm sure he hasn't -- he's in too much of a hurry), he knows we need to begin now to secure the future.
He's charming. He looks and sounds smart and empathetic. But charisma doesn't guarantee competence.
I wouldn't have any trouble at all with his changing positions on issues when he learns new facts. For example, if he had shown any interest in learning what is really happening (and has been happening the past two years when he was in the Senate) in Iraq, changing his views would have some credence with me. But he hasn't learned anything new -- he is changing with the wind in a frantic attempt to get elected.
There is nothing in his past that demonstrates a willingness to sacrifice for his country. He has done nothing to demonstrate that he is a man of honor and integrity. He asks college students not to pursue money when they graduate but to serve selflessly when he has not done that himself. (At least John Kennedy had served in the Navy when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
Obama has served only his own ambition -- even when he did "community service" there was nothing selfless in the way he did it or in the result he enjoyed from it.
Obama is a sham. He doesn't flip-flop. He flounders.
Tuesday, July 15
OBAMA SHAMELESSLY HANGS THE TRUTH
Obama says, “Here is the truth: fighting a war without end will not force the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future. And fighting in a war without end will not make the American people safer.
So when I am Commander-in-Chief, I will set a new goal on day one: I will end this war.”
Let’s look at what he’s saying here: “I will set a new goal…” And just what does he think the goal of our troops has been all along? They’ve been fighting to end this war. The planning all along has been to end it . . .that’s where they believed we were when President Bush stood in front of that banner. That’s NOT a new goal. It has been one of the goals since the beginning.
He is right about fighting endless wars but no one has ever planned for this to be an unending war. It may be a long one because Iraq and Afghanistan are just a small part of the problem. But it is irresponsible and self-serving (because he has to twist the facts to get elected) to claim that he is the only one who wants to end this war.
He implies in that statement, however, that a purpose of the war is to “force the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future.” That never has been a purpose. They don’t have to be forced. They need to be helped. Our troops have been clearing out the insurgents and terrorists, cleaning up their homes, and helping them to set up businesses. They don’t have to force them to take responsibility for their lives and their country (their voting numbers are higher per capita than ours!)
Obama sounds ignorant but he’s simply twisting the facts to make them come out the way he wants.
Truth be hanged, eh, Obama?
Shame on you. You are just like every other politician to come down the pike – except many if not most of those have found some way to serve their country before being elected to office.
So when I am Commander-in-Chief, I will set a new goal on day one: I will end this war.”
Let’s look at what he’s saying here: “I will set a new goal…” And just what does he think the goal of our troops has been all along? They’ve been fighting to end this war. The planning all along has been to end it . . .that’s where they believed we were when President Bush stood in front of that banner. That’s NOT a new goal. It has been one of the goals since the beginning.
He is right about fighting endless wars but no one has ever planned for this to be an unending war. It may be a long one because Iraq and Afghanistan are just a small part of the problem. But it is irresponsible and self-serving (because he has to twist the facts to get elected) to claim that he is the only one who wants to end this war.
He implies in that statement, however, that a purpose of the war is to “force the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future.” That never has been a purpose. They don’t have to be forced. They need to be helped. Our troops have been clearing out the insurgents and terrorists, cleaning up their homes, and helping them to set up businesses. They don’t have to force them to take responsibility for their lives and their country (their voting numbers are higher per capita than ours!)
Obama sounds ignorant but he’s simply twisting the facts to make them come out the way he wants.
Truth be hanged, eh, Obama?
Shame on you. You are just like every other politician to come down the pike – except many if not most of those have found some way to serve their country before being elected to office.
Tuesday, July 8
The McCain Boys
John McCain's Sons
"Talk about putting your most valuable where your mouth is!
Apparently this was not 'newsworthy'enough for the media to comment
about. Can either of the other presidential candidates truthfully come
close to this? ... Just a question for each of us to seek an answer,
and not a statement.
"You see...character is what's shown when the public is not looking.
There were no cameras or press invited to what you are about to read
about, and the story comes from one person in New Hampshire
"One evening last July, Senator John McCain of Arizona arrived at the
New Hampshire home of Erin Flanagan for sandwiches, chocolate-chip
cookies and a heartfelt talk about Iraq . They had met at a
presidential debate, when she asked the candidates what they would do
to bring home American soldiers - - soldiers like her brother, who had
been killed in action a few months earlier.
"Mr. McCain did not bring cameras or press. Instead, he brought his
youngest son, James McCain, 19, then a private first class in the
Marine Corps about to leave for Iraq . Father and son sat down to hear
more about Ms. Flanagan's brother Michael Cleary, a 24-year-old Army
First Lieutenant killed by an ambush ... a roadside bomb.
"No one mentioned the obvious:
In just days, Jimmy McCain could face similar perils.. 'I can't
imagine what it must have been like for them as they were coming to
meet with a family that .....' Ms.
Flanagan recalled, choking up. 'We lost a dear one,' she finished.
"Sen.. McCain, now the presumptive Republican nominee, has staked his
candidacy on the promise that American troops can bring stability to
Iraq . What he almost never says is that one of them is his own son,
who spent seven months patrolling Anbar Province and learned of his
father's New Hampshire victory in January while he was digging a stuck
military vehicle out of the mud.
"Two of Jimmy's three older brothers went into the military. Doug
McCain, 48, was a Navy pilot. Jack McCain, 21, is to graduate from the
Naval Academy next year, raising the chances that his father, if
elected, could become the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower
with a son at war."
"Talk about putting your most valuable where your mouth is!
Apparently this was not 'newsworthy'enough for the media to comment
about. Can either of the other presidential candidates truthfully come
close to this? ... Just a question for each of us to seek an answer,
and not a statement.
"You see...character is what's shown when the public is not looking.
There were no cameras or press invited to what you are about to read
about, and the story comes from one person in New Hampshire
"One evening last July, Senator John McCain of Arizona arrived at the
New Hampshire home of Erin Flanagan for sandwiches, chocolate-chip
cookies and a heartfelt talk about Iraq . They had met at a
presidential debate, when she asked the candidates what they would do
to bring home American soldiers - - soldiers like her brother, who had
been killed in action a few months earlier.
"Mr. McCain did not bring cameras or press. Instead, he brought his
youngest son, James McCain, 19, then a private first class in the
Marine Corps about to leave for Iraq . Father and son sat down to hear
more about Ms. Flanagan's brother Michael Cleary, a 24-year-old Army
First Lieutenant killed by an ambush ... a roadside bomb.
"No one mentioned the obvious:
In just days, Jimmy McCain could face similar perils.. 'I can't
imagine what it must have been like for them as they were coming to
meet with a family that .....' Ms.
Flanagan recalled, choking up. 'We lost a dear one,' she finished.
"Sen.. McCain, now the presumptive Republican nominee, has staked his
candidacy on the promise that American troops can bring stability to
Iraq . What he almost never says is that one of them is his own son,
who spent seven months patrolling Anbar Province and learned of his
father's New Hampshire victory in January while he was digging a stuck
military vehicle out of the mud.
"Two of Jimmy's three older brothers went into the military. Doug
McCain, 48, was a Navy pilot. Jack McCain, 21, is to graduate from the
Naval Academy next year, raising the chances that his father, if
elected, could become the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower
with a son at war."
Monday, July 7
Obama Financed By Middle Eastern Islam? Dowd Says So.
I received the most interesting e-mail today. It supposedly is an article by NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd but I can't find a copy of the piece on the NYT web site and, knowing how she hates President Bush and how extremely leftist her views are, I find it hard to believe that she wrote it.
If she did, it's proof that the "progressives" are lining up against Obama. If so, it will be fascinating to see if Obama's charisma is strong enough to bring out enough youth vote to win the election.
In this piece (which I will be glad to forward to anyone on request) Dowd claims that "one of the web site security monitors" of Obama's campaign noticed about two months into the primary that a number of contributions coming in seemed to be from individuals but actually "the funds were from only a few credit card accounts and bank electronic funds transfers. The internet service providers (ISP) they were able to trace were from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other Middle Eastern countries. One of the banks used for fund transfers was also located in Saudi Arabia."
Furthermore, Dowd adds that "Another concentrated group of donations was traced to a Chinese ISP with a similar pattern of limited credit card charges. It became clear that these donations were very likely coming from sources other than American voters."
Now if the campaign was aware of this it would seem to me that IF they were truly concerned about the American electoral process they'd call in the FBI to investigate. But no, Dowd writes, "This was discussed at length within the campaign and the decision was made that none of these donations violated campaign financing laws.
"It was also decided that it was not the responsibility of the campaign to audit these millions of contributions as to the actual source (specific credit card number or bank transfer account numbers) to insure that none of these internet contributors exceeded the legal maximum donation on a cumulative basis of many small donations."
So here we have a candidate for the Presidency of the United States who learns that foreign interests are financing his campaign and he doesn't ask what they want in return? Shades of Clinton's Chinese buddies!
So this may be the first and only time in my life that I can agree with Maureen Dowd. She writes, " believe the Obama campaign's internet fund raising needs a serious, in depth investigation and audit. It also appears the whole question of internet fund raising needs investigation by the legislature and perhaps new laws to insure it complies not only with the letter of these laws but the spirit as well."
AMEN. And the sooner the better.
If she did, it's proof that the "progressives" are lining up against Obama. If so, it will be fascinating to see if Obama's charisma is strong enough to bring out enough youth vote to win the election.
In this piece (which I will be glad to forward to anyone on request) Dowd claims that "one of the web site security monitors" of Obama's campaign noticed about two months into the primary that a number of contributions coming in seemed to be from individuals but actually "the funds were from only a few credit card accounts and bank electronic funds transfers. The internet service providers (ISP) they were able to trace were from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other Middle Eastern countries. One of the banks used for fund transfers was also located in Saudi Arabia."
Furthermore, Dowd adds that "Another concentrated group of donations was traced to a Chinese ISP with a similar pattern of limited credit card charges. It became clear that these donations were very likely coming from sources other than American voters."
Now if the campaign was aware of this it would seem to me that IF they were truly concerned about the American electoral process they'd call in the FBI to investigate. But no, Dowd writes, "This was discussed at length within the campaign and the decision was made that none of these donations violated campaign financing laws.
"It was also decided that it was not the responsibility of the campaign to audit these millions of contributions as to the actual source (specific credit card number or bank transfer account numbers) to insure that none of these internet contributors exceeded the legal maximum donation on a cumulative basis of many small donations."
So here we have a candidate for the Presidency of the United States who learns that foreign interests are financing his campaign and he doesn't ask what they want in return? Shades of Clinton's Chinese buddies!
So this may be the first and only time in my life that I can agree with Maureen Dowd. She writes, " believe the Obama campaign's internet fund raising needs a serious, in depth investigation and audit. It also appears the whole question of internet fund raising needs investigation by the legislature and perhaps new laws to insure it complies not only with the letter of these laws but the spirit as well."
AMEN. And the sooner the better.
Wednesday, July 2
Obama and East Berlin
The more I hear Obama, the worse he sounds.
Take this for instance: His "gut instinct that so many of us have, that America is the greatest country on Earth."
What gut instinct? America IS the greatest country on earth and instinct has nothing to do with it.
What other country in the history of the world rebuilt every nation they ever defeated in war?
What other nation in history airlifted food to a former enemy to keep them from starving (the Berlin airlift, for example)?
What other nation in history sent its youth to fight for other nations when they were under siege, although we "had no dog in the fight?" (Sending our pilots to fly to defend England, for example, before we got into WWII.)
What other nation struggles to right the wrongs that it perpetrated on its own citizens in earlier years?
In the 1982 I was lucky enough to get to go to East Berlin. That was before the wall came down and it was quite an adventure to ride through Checkpoint Charlie with a busload of American tourists. What we found on the other side came as quite a shock -- from being removed from the buses and lined up in the Soviet parking lot with machine guns trained on us by East German guards while the bus was being searched. The search when we entered East Berlin was impressive, but nothing compared to the search when we returned. There was, too, the shock of being required to give up our passports to the guards while we toured the city.
East Berlin was tragic: The condition of the buildings, homes and even the people on the East side of the wall was shabby, to say the least. The contrast between the bustle of commerce and just plain old living in the West and the quiet repression of the East made a deep impression on all of us.
Until I saw for myself, I had no real appreciation of what it means to live in a free society. It is obvious to me from so many things Obama has said, that he has NO idea -- and very little appreciation -- of what we have and who we are in America.
If he has to rely on "gut instinct" to believe that America is the best in spite of all our failures and mistakes, he has no business being President.
Take this for instance: His "gut instinct that so many of us have, that America is the greatest country on Earth."
What gut instinct? America IS the greatest country on earth and instinct has nothing to do with it.
What other country in the history of the world rebuilt every nation they ever defeated in war?
What other nation in history airlifted food to a former enemy to keep them from starving (the Berlin airlift, for example)?
What other nation in history sent its youth to fight for other nations when they were under siege, although we "had no dog in the fight?" (Sending our pilots to fly to defend England, for example, before we got into WWII.)
What other nation struggles to right the wrongs that it perpetrated on its own citizens in earlier years?
In the 1982 I was lucky enough to get to go to East Berlin. That was before the wall came down and it was quite an adventure to ride through Checkpoint Charlie with a busload of American tourists. What we found on the other side came as quite a shock -- from being removed from the buses and lined up in the Soviet parking lot with machine guns trained on us by East German guards while the bus was being searched. The search when we entered East Berlin was impressive, but nothing compared to the search when we returned. There was, too, the shock of being required to give up our passports to the guards while we toured the city.
East Berlin was tragic: The condition of the buildings, homes and even the people on the East side of the wall was shabby, to say the least. The contrast between the bustle of commerce and just plain old living in the West and the quiet repression of the East made a deep impression on all of us.
Until I saw for myself, I had no real appreciation of what it means to live in a free society. It is obvious to me from so many things Obama has said, that he has NO idea -- and very little appreciation -- of what we have and who we are in America.
If he has to rely on "gut instinct" to believe that America is the best in spite of all our failures and mistakes, he has no business being President.
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