25 October 2009
That is the best description of the Obama administration regarding the Afghani conflict. After almost 60 days that General McChrystal presented his report to the President regarding his request for an additional 40,000 troop to be dedicated to the theater, Obama continues to remain absolutely clueless of any decision. Or, and that is the most disconcerting aspect of the man’s inaction, he is trying to buy political time on the death and sacrifice of our troops.
The latest “accomplishment” of this so-called Commander-in-Chief is that he is eying a hybrid solution. Part will be giving McChrystal a smaller number of troops and part will be to listen to that buffoon of Joe Biden who advocates using unmanned drones to bomb Taliban positions in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According to a Fox News report, Obama is considering giving McChrystal up to half the troops he requested, while giving the counter-terrorist approach championed by Biden more resources for the aerial persecution of terrorist locations.
In the first place, the use of armed Predators and Global Hawks to attack training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan is already a reality. It has been going on for years in a covert mode, at least until Sen. Dianne Feinstein blurted it out during a senate hearing, and its results have been somewhat positive, even if these attacks angered people in both countries and the death of civilians, which unfortunately is a common dividend of such type of warfare, has been used by our enemies for propaganda purpose. So the President is considering continuing or expanding this strategy, even after the military strategists at the Pentagon were not able to provide reports indicating any significant benefit for such action. The task of writing these reports was undertaken by Biden’s people, who obviously are better equipped and informed than the Pentagon, a move that is eerily revoking images of Johnson and McNamara deciding in Washington every action taken in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, as the President’s indecision remains decisive, the troops in Afghanistan continue to perform their job even as the lack of determination on the part of their C-I-C leaves them with a disturbing lack of resources.
An article on the UK Sunday Times is describing how the morale of the Marines in the Helmand Province is suffering due to the lack of cooperation on the part of some of the local tribal leaders who are reluctant to give information regarding the Taliban.
The article is from a reporter, Stephen Gray, who was talking with members of the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.
The principal complaint is that some of the local tribal leaders are not cooperating with the ISAF forces in regard to the location of Taliban forces, some because of the long standing business alliance with the terrorists in the opium trade and some because the presence of Marines is not enough to give a sense of security to the various villages.
Some elders expressed their resentment toward ISAF forces taking over land for their bases, but the argument is just an excuse as the places where most of the Combat Outposts are located are so remote that no living creature calls them home, except for lizards and camel spiders.
Other elders are happy to see the Marines because the troops bring some freedom for the locals from the oppression of the Taliban and because of the construction of schools and irrigation projects.
All the efforts are, though, plagued by the total absence of central government presence in the region. Some of the locals were not even aware of the elections that had taken place just few weeks prior and just found out that there is to be another run-off election soon.
There is a high price being paid for the politicization of the war in Afghanistan on the part of the Liberal leadership in Washington. As the Republicans, and some Democrat, in Congress support the increase in troop level requested by McChrystal, it is the leadership that is more concerned about the 2010 elections than to provide our fighting forces what they need to accomplish the mission. It is the Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid who, just as they have been doing for the last eight years, are using the men and women in uniform to advance their agenda. And it is the President, flanked by hacks like Emanuel and Axelrod, who is incapable and unwilling to make a decision putting the needs and necessities of our troops as a priority in the decision-making process. His disdain for our Military has been described by me and by many others for months now and continues to haunt the families of those who are serving. The cry of “give them what they need or bring them home” is resounding across America, but just as the administration and this President are usually doing for all other national issues, it is being ignored, with the exception that the man’s ignorance and thug-like attitude costs American lives.
This is a clear example of dereliction of duty on the part of a President who is clearly more interested in his personal TV appearances, his multi-million dollars fund raisers, his global apology for America than the safety and security of America’s sons and daughters. This is, I hope, an aspect of the man’s presidency that will be remembered when the 2012 elections are upon us. In the meantime, there is hope that the 2010 mid-term elections will tell the current corrupted politicians in Congress that the American people are tired of their elitism.
It sure would be a great day for America to witness Pelosi, Reid, Emanuel, Axelrod, Schumer, Murtha, Durbin, Boxer and many others being taken out in handcuffs and charged for treason against America. One can always dream!
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Depressing Observation
21 October 2009
On Monday night, I had the fortune to attend the Chargers – Broncos football game in San Diego with my son. The stadium was full and the atmosphere electric as in any similar situation.
As the game progressed, the public address announcer gave the attendance for the game and the number was just over 68,000 people. I don’t know the stadium capacity, but by the fans reaction, it appeared that the game was a sell out.
But for me, whose mind and thoughts have been pretty much occupied by the single concern about my son’s pending deployment to Afghanistan; the announcement triggered a chilling observation: the number of people attending this Monday night football game was equal to the total number of American troops currently in Afghanistan.
I looked around at the stands and immediately in my mind I felt that as much as from the point of view of a game attendance it appeared to be impressive, from the point of view of operation and safety in a belligerent country slightly smaller than the state of Texas, 68,000 was not that impressive.
Contemplation of the indecisiveness on the part of Obama over the conduct of the war in Afghanistan is disturbing. While I always had a lot of commiseration for the Commander-in-Chief who had to make the painful decision to send America’s best into harm’s way, I have no such inclination in the case of Obama. His lack of experience and his political pandering is all I see in his conduct.
Call me cynical, but there has not been any inclination from this man to have any interest in what happens to our men and women in combat, in Iraq or Afghanistan outside of the political significance of their use. The “good war” of campaign times is not good anymore, as the fringe Left is calling in their favors to Obama.
And today, Obama is using the elections debacle in Afghanistan to prolong the stalling of any meaningful decision about something, the Gen. McChrystal report, which is not at all connected to the political vicissitudes in Kabul.
And the latest piece of news coming out of the White House certainly adds to the uneasiness over Afghanistan: John Kerry, Massachusetts senator, appears to be tasked by the administration to take a more prominent role in the conduct of the war. This is the man who promptly trashed Vietnam Veterans in order to promote his political career.
God watch over our troops!
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
On Monday night, I had the fortune to attend the Chargers – Broncos football game in San Diego with my son. The stadium was full and the atmosphere electric as in any similar situation.
As the game progressed, the public address announcer gave the attendance for the game and the number was just over 68,000 people. I don’t know the stadium capacity, but by the fans reaction, it appeared that the game was a sell out.
But for me, whose mind and thoughts have been pretty much occupied by the single concern about my son’s pending deployment to Afghanistan; the announcement triggered a chilling observation: the number of people attending this Monday night football game was equal to the total number of American troops currently in Afghanistan.
I looked around at the stands and immediately in my mind I felt that as much as from the point of view of a game attendance it appeared to be impressive, from the point of view of operation and safety in a belligerent country slightly smaller than the state of Texas, 68,000 was not that impressive.
Contemplation of the indecisiveness on the part of Obama over the conduct of the war in Afghanistan is disturbing. While I always had a lot of commiseration for the Commander-in-Chief who had to make the painful decision to send America’s best into harm’s way, I have no such inclination in the case of Obama. His lack of experience and his political pandering is all I see in his conduct.
Call me cynical, but there has not been any inclination from this man to have any interest in what happens to our men and women in combat, in Iraq or Afghanistan outside of the political significance of their use. The “good war” of campaign times is not good anymore, as the fringe Left is calling in their favors to Obama.
And today, Obama is using the elections debacle in Afghanistan to prolong the stalling of any meaningful decision about something, the Gen. McChrystal report, which is not at all connected to the political vicissitudes in Kabul.
And the latest piece of news coming out of the White House certainly adds to the uneasiness over Afghanistan: John Kerry, Massachusetts senator, appears to be tasked by the administration to take a more prominent role in the conduct of the war. This is the man who promptly trashed Vietnam Veterans in order to promote his political career.
God watch over our troops!
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Monday, October 19, 2009
A Good Crisis Not To Be Wasted
19 October 2009
Never let a good crisis go to waste. These were the words of WH Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel referring to the ability of using a crisis to push a political agenda.
And faithful to that concept, Mr. Emanuel demonstrated on CNN on Sunday that the Obama administration is following the same train of thought.
What is the crisis? The debacle of the last Afghani elections, marred by fraud and corruption (wonder where ACORN was), and what the Kabul government will do about it.
What the crisis affords the occupant of the White House is the ability of using a new convenient excuse to delay making a decision regarding the Military policy in Afghanistan.
Certainly Mr. Emanuel is a master at spinning, but the election problems in Afghanistan proved to be too good of an opportunity for his boss to remain and justify total inaction regarding our troops.
As usual, the American Military is used for political purposes and this is an attitude that really sickens the American people.
Mr. President, stop the bullshit and make a decision: either give Gen. McChrystal what he asks or take the troops home and we will deal with the consequences, hopefully once the Liberal traitors are thrown out of Congress in 2010 and you are escorted out of the White House in 2012.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank Semperpapa
Never let a good crisis go to waste. These were the words of WH Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel referring to the ability of using a crisis to push a political agenda.
And faithful to that concept, Mr. Emanuel demonstrated on CNN on Sunday that the Obama administration is following the same train of thought.
What is the crisis? The debacle of the last Afghani elections, marred by fraud and corruption (wonder where ACORN was), and what the Kabul government will do about it.
What the crisis affords the occupant of the White House is the ability of using a new convenient excuse to delay making a decision regarding the Military policy in Afghanistan.
Certainly Mr. Emanuel is a master at spinning, but the election problems in Afghanistan proved to be too good of an opportunity for his boss to remain and justify total inaction regarding our troops.
As usual, the American Military is used for political purposes and this is an attitude that really sickens the American people.
Mr. President, stop the bullshit and make a decision: either give Gen. McChrystal what he asks or take the troops home and we will deal with the consequences, hopefully once the Liberal traitors are thrown out of Congress in 2010 and you are escorted out of the White House in 2012.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank Semperpapa
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Feminists Should Pay Attention
18 October, 2009
Following up on my rant of October 10 called I Hear Nothing! I would like for you to read the editorial from Wazhma Frogh on the Washington Post.
All American feminists should take notice of this woman. This is what a female gender hero really looks like.
Frank Semperpapa
Risking a Rights Disaster
By Wazhma FroghSunday, October 18, 2009
As an Afghan woman who for many years lived a life deprived of the most basic human rights, I find unbearable the thought of what will happen to the women of my country if it once again falls under the control of the insurgents and militants who now threaten it.
In 2001, when the war in Afghanistan began, the liberation of Afghan women was one of the most important justifications for military intervention. Has the world now changed its mind about Afghan women? Is it ready to let them once again be killed and tortured by militants? Does the world no longer believe in the principles it supported in 2001?
Handing over Afghanistan to those who intend to keep the country centuries behind most of the world -- to men who do not view women as human beings -- would not only call into doubt the global commitment to human rights, it would also raise questions about the commitment of Western democracies to such rights and to democratic values. Bearing in mind how fragile the Afghan government is at this moment, it will not take long for the country's women to come under attack again. The consequences will be even more bitter this time because no matter how limited our success, we have at least managed to act in the forefront of public life in Afghanistan. We have had a taste of what it's like to have rights.
And it is not us alone. On my way to Kabul's international airport recently, I noticed a crowd of taxi drivers sitting under a tree at the airport taxi stand. They were mourning the deaths of Italian troops and Afghans in the suicide attack on Sept. 17 near Kabul. As I talked with them, I realized that they were not only saddened by the deaths but frightened by what they might mean. "Today, after eight years, if the foreign troops leave . . . we will go back to the same Afghanistan that seemed like a funeral every day," one of the drivers said. "This time, the loss will be huge, because during the past eight years we have made significant progress in becoming part of the rest of the world, so much so that our enemies despise us for it."
There has been progress in Afghanistan, as many such people will tell you. But can it be maintained if Washington and its allies shift their focus solely to dismantling al-Qaeda while regarding the Taliban as a lesser threat? The answer to that question will be a life-or-death matter for many thousands of women in my country, and men as well. The fact that it is even being considered makes me wonder: Have people forgotten that it was the Taliban that put the lives of millions of Afghans at risk for the sole purpose of protecting Osama bin Laden -- thus making it clear that their loyalty was to him alone? What is to stop this from happening again under Taliban rule?
Afghans understand the need for international assistance, both for the country's development and for the strengthening of its military. This is especially evident now that the insurgency and the violence are less their own creation than an unwanted gift from the other side of the border with Pakistan.
We see some of NATO's allies rapidly losing interest in Afghanistan, even though they admit that if the country is left to the insurgents, the consequence will be many more incidents like the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. They are being persuaded by a propaganda war on the part of insurgents who seem to have convinced much of the world that they are winning the war. But in fact the enemy will win only if the international community allows itself to be influenced by this propaganda campaign.
The question to keep in mind for all parties involved is, what motivated them to come to Afghanistan in the first place? The answer: global security and the protection of human rights in Afghanistan. Are these two purposes no longer valid?
Afghans do not want to rely forever on such help. They want to take ownership of the war against terrorism and insurgents. History has proved that we have always fought in defense of our sovereignty, and that is why patriotism is central to this war. With good training and adequate weaponry, the Afghan army can win the trust of villagers, who will support it in protecting villages from suicide attackers and insurgents. To achieve this goal, the international community should work with the Afghan government as an ally and avoid creating a parallel government competing with that Afghan government.
It would be helpful to hold an international conference in Afghanistan to allow the government and parliament to come up with common solutions for all parties to adhere to. Such international engagement inside Afghanistan would give a sense of ownership to Afghans, offering a change from the international conferences of the past, where Afghans rarely found an opportunity to express their opinions and offer solutions.
At this time of violence and anxiety, it is important for the international community and the United States to reaffirm their commitment to Afghanistan rather than questioning whether it is worth defending an entire people against those who would install another brutally repressive regime under which women cannot be educated or seek to improve their lot, where "justice" is meted out in mass public executions, where repression is the rule -- and where new terrorist plots will inevitably be hatched to attack the United States and its allies.
The people of Afghanistan, and most fervently its women, desire a long-term and consistent relationship with the United States and European democracies. We do not want to become another Vietnam. We want to be an example of the success of global commitment to making the world a better and safer place for everyone, from New York to London to Helmand.
The writer is a graduate student at Warwick University in Britain and has been active in human rights work in her country. She is the recipient of the U.S. State Department's 2009 International Women of Courage Award for Afghanistan.
Following up on my rant of October 10 called I Hear Nothing! I would like for you to read the editorial from Wazhma Frogh on the Washington Post.
All American feminists should take notice of this woman. This is what a female gender hero really looks like.
Frank Semperpapa
Risking a Rights Disaster
By Wazhma FroghSunday, October 18, 2009
As an Afghan woman who for many years lived a life deprived of the most basic human rights, I find unbearable the thought of what will happen to the women of my country if it once again falls under the control of the insurgents and militants who now threaten it.
In 2001, when the war in Afghanistan began, the liberation of Afghan women was one of the most important justifications for military intervention. Has the world now changed its mind about Afghan women? Is it ready to let them once again be killed and tortured by militants? Does the world no longer believe in the principles it supported in 2001?
Handing over Afghanistan to those who intend to keep the country centuries behind most of the world -- to men who do not view women as human beings -- would not only call into doubt the global commitment to human rights, it would also raise questions about the commitment of Western democracies to such rights and to democratic values. Bearing in mind how fragile the Afghan government is at this moment, it will not take long for the country's women to come under attack again. The consequences will be even more bitter this time because no matter how limited our success, we have at least managed to act in the forefront of public life in Afghanistan. We have had a taste of what it's like to have rights.
And it is not us alone. On my way to Kabul's international airport recently, I noticed a crowd of taxi drivers sitting under a tree at the airport taxi stand. They were mourning the deaths of Italian troops and Afghans in the suicide attack on Sept. 17 near Kabul. As I talked with them, I realized that they were not only saddened by the deaths but frightened by what they might mean. "Today, after eight years, if the foreign troops leave . . . we will go back to the same Afghanistan that seemed like a funeral every day," one of the drivers said. "This time, the loss will be huge, because during the past eight years we have made significant progress in becoming part of the rest of the world, so much so that our enemies despise us for it."
There has been progress in Afghanistan, as many such people will tell you. But can it be maintained if Washington and its allies shift their focus solely to dismantling al-Qaeda while regarding the Taliban as a lesser threat? The answer to that question will be a life-or-death matter for many thousands of women in my country, and men as well. The fact that it is even being considered makes me wonder: Have people forgotten that it was the Taliban that put the lives of millions of Afghans at risk for the sole purpose of protecting Osama bin Laden -- thus making it clear that their loyalty was to him alone? What is to stop this from happening again under Taliban rule?
Afghans understand the need for international assistance, both for the country's development and for the strengthening of its military. This is especially evident now that the insurgency and the violence are less their own creation than an unwanted gift from the other side of the border with Pakistan.
We see some of NATO's allies rapidly losing interest in Afghanistan, even though they admit that if the country is left to the insurgents, the consequence will be many more incidents like the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. They are being persuaded by a propaganda war on the part of insurgents who seem to have convinced much of the world that they are winning the war. But in fact the enemy will win only if the international community allows itself to be influenced by this propaganda campaign.
The question to keep in mind for all parties involved is, what motivated them to come to Afghanistan in the first place? The answer: global security and the protection of human rights in Afghanistan. Are these two purposes no longer valid?
Afghans do not want to rely forever on such help. They want to take ownership of the war against terrorism and insurgents. History has proved that we have always fought in defense of our sovereignty, and that is why patriotism is central to this war. With good training and adequate weaponry, the Afghan army can win the trust of villagers, who will support it in protecting villages from suicide attackers and insurgents. To achieve this goal, the international community should work with the Afghan government as an ally and avoid creating a parallel government competing with that Afghan government.
It would be helpful to hold an international conference in Afghanistan to allow the government and parliament to come up with common solutions for all parties to adhere to. Such international engagement inside Afghanistan would give a sense of ownership to Afghans, offering a change from the international conferences of the past, where Afghans rarely found an opportunity to express their opinions and offer solutions.
At this time of violence and anxiety, it is important for the international community and the United States to reaffirm their commitment to Afghanistan rather than questioning whether it is worth defending an entire people against those who would install another brutally repressive regime under which women cannot be educated or seek to improve their lot, where "justice" is meted out in mass public executions, where repression is the rule -- and where new terrorist plots will inevitably be hatched to attack the United States and its allies.
The people of Afghanistan, and most fervently its women, desire a long-term and consistent relationship with the United States and European democracies. We do not want to become another Vietnam. We want to be an example of the success of global commitment to making the world a better and safer place for everyone, from New York to London to Helmand.
The writer is a graduate student at Warwick University in Britain and has been active in human rights work in her country. She is the recipient of the U.S. State Department's 2009 International Women of Courage Award for Afghanistan.
The Real Racism
18 October 2009
Since Obama reached the national political scene and his political ambitions became known by the majority of the American people, the machine to elect him President went into overdrive. From the egregious members of Chicago politics to the black organizations, from the Liberal Left to the Main Stream Media (difficult to see the distinction there), Obama became their life work, their mission toward which they all threw themselves with reckless abandon.
Any of those who publicly and privately sounded the bells of alarm, weather due to the man’s obvious Socialist radicalism or from his absolute lack of any experience necessary to guide a country like the United States, were labeled as racist.
Those who denounced his demonstrated intent or inability to properly safeguard the safety and interests of America, those who pointed out the endless apologizing Obama did for America, were relentlessly accused of being racist.
And those who today continue to provide factual example of Obama’s mishandling of just about every critical situation afflicting our Nation, either by design or by just plain incompetence, have been labeled as racist.
And the ‘racist’ label has been used by the minorities in America, and especially by the black population, to advance their demands for special privileges.
People like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson have made a very sumptuous living out of racism. Avoiding to ever having to do an honest day of work, they became millionaires by exploiting the black population perception of racial discrimination, extorting millions from organizations who preferred to pay their ransoms and avoid negative publicity.
In return, Sharpton and Jackson have done little or nothing to improve the lives in the black neighborhoods, nothing to encourage the black population, especially the youth, to seek a betterment of their lot in life via education and self responsibility.
They are the racist! They are the 21st century slave drivers, because actually working for the improvement of the lives of the black population would put them out of business. Keeping blacks down remains a source of malcontent which is conveniently, and lucratively, addressed by these buffoons.
And I do not believe that the election of Obama was so welcomed by these new slave drivers, as they probably became very alarmed by the prospect of a thinning out of business now that a black man had been elected President, not to mention the two slave drivers, Sharpton and Jackson, did not get a place at the Obama table.
The American landscape is turning over as the real racism is overtaking our culture. Even in the instance of something as American as someone having the freedom of purchasing something, the racism brokers are using their ugly rhetoric to infringe on an American citizen right. Case in point how some prominent blacks, spearheaded by Al Sharpton, fomented resistance to talk show host Rush Limbaugh becoming a financial partner in an NFL franchise and they won. The pressure placed by the race mongers of America supposedly was enough to scare the people of the consortium into removing Mr. Limbaugh from their ranks. So today’s racism has won.
As much as racism has come to be expected by the race brokers like Sharpton and Jackson, the other aspect of racism that is even more disheartening for me is the one coming from the common man on the street, more specifically from the common black American. It appears to me that the election of Barak Obama and his so-called approval rating are the result of pure racism on the part of black America.
Obama, it has been amply documented, has accomplished absolutely nothing positive since his inauguration in January 09.
He campaigned on the promise of unite America and instead via his direct or otherwise use of race as a weapon to stifle opposition, he has accomplished exactly the opposite.
He campaigned on the promise of concentrating on a successful conduct of the “right war” in Afghanistan, and has not delivered anything, adding instead insult to injury by relegating the conflict to a low priority point in his agenda.
Financially, he has allowed the country to slip into a severe recession, punctuated by astronomical deficit, inflation and the dollar loosing its value at an alarming rate. Unemployment has reached levels that our country has not seen in decades and this man’s administration has the nerves to state that their uncontrolled spending is good for the country because if not for such spending, unemployment would be even more severe. Of course nobody can really measure the veracity of such a claim and surely the half million people who lose their jobs every month may have a different outlook on such claim.
And with all the other disastrous steps taken by Obama, together with the demonstrated intension to make the government the supreme controller of Americans’ lives, still a vast portion of Blacks supports the man. My question is why?
For a relatively small portion, the obvious answer is the convenience of having a government taking all the responsibility away from their lives, allowing these people to continue to live in the squalor of dependency without accountability.
But there is a large portion of Blacks that are professionals, have risen in their professions and achieved goals in their lives because of their abilities, and yet they support Obama and his attempt to diminish every individual’s ability and willingness to strive for improvement. The only reason I see for their support for Obama, then, is that he is black. And that, my friends, is racism!
During the 2008 Presidential Campaign I followed Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s campaign, not because he is Italian like I am, that detail being inconsequential in my decision to support for him or not. I supported some of his ideas, as on national security, but I disagreed with him on many others, like abortion. What would have said about my ability to recognize a good or bad policy for America to just support him because of his last name and his ancestry? That I was just a sheep!
Well, sheep eventually go to the slaughter house, and my country is too important to allow it to go to the slaughter house.
I am unfortunately aware of the reality that there are people in America that still maintain the position that they do not want to see a black President, but as despicable and revolting that mind set may be, I feel the same for those Black that support Obama because he is black. When it comes to the wellbeing of my country, the color of the skin or the gender or any other personal attribute of the President is completely irrelevant, in fact I hold a much higher level of contempt for Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod, Pelosi, Reid, Dodd, Frank, Murtha, Boxer, Schumer, all of them white.
Ideology is what counts: patriotism, love of country and its traditions. I hope that the true racism will be defeated and that America, its future and the future of the American people, will become once again the driving force for all in its service. Take a hint from the Military.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Since Obama reached the national political scene and his political ambitions became known by the majority of the American people, the machine to elect him President went into overdrive. From the egregious members of Chicago politics to the black organizations, from the Liberal Left to the Main Stream Media (difficult to see the distinction there), Obama became their life work, their mission toward which they all threw themselves with reckless abandon.
Any of those who publicly and privately sounded the bells of alarm, weather due to the man’s obvious Socialist radicalism or from his absolute lack of any experience necessary to guide a country like the United States, were labeled as racist.
Those who denounced his demonstrated intent or inability to properly safeguard the safety and interests of America, those who pointed out the endless apologizing Obama did for America, were relentlessly accused of being racist.
And those who today continue to provide factual example of Obama’s mishandling of just about every critical situation afflicting our Nation, either by design or by just plain incompetence, have been labeled as racist.
And the ‘racist’ label has been used by the minorities in America, and especially by the black population, to advance their demands for special privileges.
People like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson have made a very sumptuous living out of racism. Avoiding to ever having to do an honest day of work, they became millionaires by exploiting the black population perception of racial discrimination, extorting millions from organizations who preferred to pay their ransoms and avoid negative publicity.
In return, Sharpton and Jackson have done little or nothing to improve the lives in the black neighborhoods, nothing to encourage the black population, especially the youth, to seek a betterment of their lot in life via education and self responsibility.
They are the racist! They are the 21st century slave drivers, because actually working for the improvement of the lives of the black population would put them out of business. Keeping blacks down remains a source of malcontent which is conveniently, and lucratively, addressed by these buffoons.
And I do not believe that the election of Obama was so welcomed by these new slave drivers, as they probably became very alarmed by the prospect of a thinning out of business now that a black man had been elected President, not to mention the two slave drivers, Sharpton and Jackson, did not get a place at the Obama table.
The American landscape is turning over as the real racism is overtaking our culture. Even in the instance of something as American as someone having the freedom of purchasing something, the racism brokers are using their ugly rhetoric to infringe on an American citizen right. Case in point how some prominent blacks, spearheaded by Al Sharpton, fomented resistance to talk show host Rush Limbaugh becoming a financial partner in an NFL franchise and they won. The pressure placed by the race mongers of America supposedly was enough to scare the people of the consortium into removing Mr. Limbaugh from their ranks. So today’s racism has won.
As much as racism has come to be expected by the race brokers like Sharpton and Jackson, the other aspect of racism that is even more disheartening for me is the one coming from the common man on the street, more specifically from the common black American. It appears to me that the election of Barak Obama and his so-called approval rating are the result of pure racism on the part of black America.
Obama, it has been amply documented, has accomplished absolutely nothing positive since his inauguration in January 09.
He campaigned on the promise of unite America and instead via his direct or otherwise use of race as a weapon to stifle opposition, he has accomplished exactly the opposite.
He campaigned on the promise of concentrating on a successful conduct of the “right war” in Afghanistan, and has not delivered anything, adding instead insult to injury by relegating the conflict to a low priority point in his agenda.
Financially, he has allowed the country to slip into a severe recession, punctuated by astronomical deficit, inflation and the dollar loosing its value at an alarming rate. Unemployment has reached levels that our country has not seen in decades and this man’s administration has the nerves to state that their uncontrolled spending is good for the country because if not for such spending, unemployment would be even more severe. Of course nobody can really measure the veracity of such a claim and surely the half million people who lose their jobs every month may have a different outlook on such claim.
And with all the other disastrous steps taken by Obama, together with the demonstrated intension to make the government the supreme controller of Americans’ lives, still a vast portion of Blacks supports the man. My question is why?
For a relatively small portion, the obvious answer is the convenience of having a government taking all the responsibility away from their lives, allowing these people to continue to live in the squalor of dependency without accountability.
But there is a large portion of Blacks that are professionals, have risen in their professions and achieved goals in their lives because of their abilities, and yet they support Obama and his attempt to diminish every individual’s ability and willingness to strive for improvement. The only reason I see for their support for Obama, then, is that he is black. And that, my friends, is racism!
During the 2008 Presidential Campaign I followed Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s campaign, not because he is Italian like I am, that detail being inconsequential in my decision to support for him or not. I supported some of his ideas, as on national security, but I disagreed with him on many others, like abortion. What would have said about my ability to recognize a good or bad policy for America to just support him because of his last name and his ancestry? That I was just a sheep!
Well, sheep eventually go to the slaughter house, and my country is too important to allow it to go to the slaughter house.
I am unfortunately aware of the reality that there are people in America that still maintain the position that they do not want to see a black President, but as despicable and revolting that mind set may be, I feel the same for those Black that support Obama because he is black. When it comes to the wellbeing of my country, the color of the skin or the gender or any other personal attribute of the President is completely irrelevant, in fact I hold a much higher level of contempt for Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod, Pelosi, Reid, Dodd, Frank, Murtha, Boxer, Schumer, all of them white.
Ideology is what counts: patriotism, love of country and its traditions. I hope that the true racism will be defeated and that America, its future and the future of the American people, will become once again the driving force for all in its service. Take a hint from the Military.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Friday, October 16, 2009
Nobody Really Cares
17 October 2009
Well, now that Eva Longoria-Parker said so, it's all settled.
The actress from that pinnacle of art called Desperate Housewives stated in an interview that it is time for the US government to address the illegal immigrants in the US in regard to the Health Care reform debacle. Ms. Longoria, married to the NBA star Parker, has been a long time supporter of the legalization of illegal immigrants, especially from Mexico.
The illuminating statements of Ms. Longoria come on the trail of several other Hollywood celebrities who have given their opinions over the need for social justice and, in the case of Michael Moore, against Capitalism.
Personally, I am past being sick an tired of these retarded poor excuses for oxygen consumers and their sanctimonious standings. It is really disturbing when the louder calls for "social justice" come from multi-millionaires who trash the system that has made them rich in the first place. And royally pisses me off when these hypocrites imply that the main problem with our country is the everyday Conservative American, who happens to reject the ideology of entitlement that appear to have become the norm these days.
The celebrity elites are so accusatory toward those of us who work for a living and struggle daily with the issues of raising families and making a living.
Call me extremist, but forgive me for not giving any importance whatsoever to the calls for financial sacrifice from someone who is not equipped to understand the meaning of the word.
Their idea of sacrifice is to slap themselves on their back for writing a million dollar check which they promptly claim on their taxes even if it is but a minimal part of their regular income.
My idea of sacrifice is to make sure I meet my financial responsibility, even if it means cutting down recreational activities so that I have enough to put gas in the tank of my car and being able to maintain some sort of standard of living.
Sorry but I cannot take seriously someone who uses 'only' Evian water for her dog's bath (another Hollywood activist Demi Moore) while I try to save some money by drinking Brita filtered tap water.
Or take seriously someone like Mike Farrell (sp) who makes millions by allegedly 'acting" as a moron and then complains about high pay CEOs.
I could not care less about the amount of money these jokers make (there is a reason I don't attend professional sport events or go to the movies regularly), if there are people willing to pay for these 'celebrities' salaries, that is Capitalism. What I have a problem with is these ignoramuses spewing their self-righteousness to the rest of the population, basing their elitist 'expertise' on the fact that they have recognizable names.
So I wish they would realize that the only people who really care about their opinions are those blinded by the glamour of their celebrity status. As far as the majority of level minded Americans, nobody really cares.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank Semperpapa
Well, now that Eva Longoria-Parker said so, it's all settled.
The actress from that pinnacle of art called Desperate Housewives stated in an interview that it is time for the US government to address the illegal immigrants in the US in regard to the Health Care reform debacle. Ms. Longoria, married to the NBA star Parker, has been a long time supporter of the legalization of illegal immigrants, especially from Mexico.
The illuminating statements of Ms. Longoria come on the trail of several other Hollywood celebrities who have given their opinions over the need for social justice and, in the case of Michael Moore, against Capitalism.
Personally, I am past being sick an tired of these retarded poor excuses for oxygen consumers and their sanctimonious standings. It is really disturbing when the louder calls for "social justice" come from multi-millionaires who trash the system that has made them rich in the first place. And royally pisses me off when these hypocrites imply that the main problem with our country is the everyday Conservative American, who happens to reject the ideology of entitlement that appear to have become the norm these days.
The celebrity elites are so accusatory toward those of us who work for a living and struggle daily with the issues of raising families and making a living.
Call me extremist, but forgive me for not giving any importance whatsoever to the calls for financial sacrifice from someone who is not equipped to understand the meaning of the word.
Their idea of sacrifice is to slap themselves on their back for writing a million dollar check which they promptly claim on their taxes even if it is but a minimal part of their regular income.
My idea of sacrifice is to make sure I meet my financial responsibility, even if it means cutting down recreational activities so that I have enough to put gas in the tank of my car and being able to maintain some sort of standard of living.
Sorry but I cannot take seriously someone who uses 'only' Evian water for her dog's bath (another Hollywood activist Demi Moore) while I try to save some money by drinking Brita filtered tap water.
Or take seriously someone like Mike Farrell (sp) who makes millions by allegedly 'acting" as a moron and then complains about high pay CEOs.
I could not care less about the amount of money these jokers make (there is a reason I don't attend professional sport events or go to the movies regularly), if there are people willing to pay for these 'celebrities' salaries, that is Capitalism. What I have a problem with is these ignoramuses spewing their self-righteousness to the rest of the population, basing their elitist 'expertise' on the fact that they have recognizable names.
So I wish they would realize that the only people who really care about their opinions are those blinded by the glamour of their celebrity status. As far as the majority of level minded Americans, nobody really cares.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank Semperpapa
Thursday, October 15, 2009
No NFL Ownership for Limbaugh
15 October 2009
The consortium of investors interested in buying the St. Luis Rams, consortium of which radio talk show Rush Limbaugh was a minority participant, has caved into the new racism in America by removing Mr. Limbaugh from its ranks.
The news of Mr. Limbaugh interest in participating in the purchase has sparked a deluge of attacks on the part of just everyone with an agenda of divisiveness. Besides the usual suspects like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson, who finally got an opportunity to feel relevant again, many have come out to every microphone they could find to give their two cents worth of brain power and opinion. Including Democrat Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (TX).
I am wondering if the tickets offices of the NFL will ask the question "Have you ever listened to the Rush Limbaugh radio show?" to every person that want to purchase a ticket for a game. And if the person has, will they refuse to sell the ticket?
What has happened to my country!?
Just my thoughts.
Frank Semperpapa
The consortium of investors interested in buying the St. Luis Rams, consortium of which radio talk show Rush Limbaugh was a minority participant, has caved into the new racism in America by removing Mr. Limbaugh from its ranks.
The news of Mr. Limbaugh interest in participating in the purchase has sparked a deluge of attacks on the part of just everyone with an agenda of divisiveness. Besides the usual suspects like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson, who finally got an opportunity to feel relevant again, many have come out to every microphone they could find to give their two cents worth of brain power and opinion. Including Democrat Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (TX).
I am wondering if the tickets offices of the NFL will ask the question "Have you ever listened to the Rush Limbaugh radio show?" to every person that want to purchase a ticket for a game. And if the person has, will they refuse to sell the ticket?
What has happened to my country!?
Just my thoughts.
Frank Semperpapa
Saturday, October 10, 2009
I Hear Nothing!
10 October 2009
Is the protest of women across America that I hear? No, the silence is deafening!
In another revolting turn of events, Obama is now talking about sitting down and welcome the Taliban in the political process of Afghanistan. Sure, he will not allow the fundamentalist group to regain power in Kabul, but he believes that the Taliban culture is so ingrained in the Afghani way of life that its extirpation is not achievable (was Nazism not ingrained in German culture or Japanese Imperialism in the Japanese culture?).
The message from the White House is that Obama would be even willing to allow the Taliban to have control of certain areas of the country.
So what are the women of America, those females who crucify Conservative Republicans about their pro-life stance, saying about the President’s intention to give legitimacy to an Islamic sect that consider women as inferior beings?
What are the Code Pink losers saying about the President who will allow the Taliban to legally kill women who just want to go to school?
What are the members of the National Organization for Women telling the administration about this new “strategy” about one of the most brutal, anti-female Islamic ideology?
And the answer is: absolutely nothing!
The hypocrisy of the Liberal ideology shows its ugly face at every turn.
The militant feminists in America are always ready to attack any conservative idea, because they are convinced that the basis of it is the desire for conservatives to stop women from having abortions. That is all the feminist movement cares about.
I lost the little respect I had for such movement when I witnessed their reaction to the shenanigans of Bill Clinton. Surely Clinton’s use and abuse of women should have raised some opposition on the part of feminists across America, instead they remained silent as long as Clinton supported their desire for free and unchecked abortions.
Today, as the American Military is affording women in Afghanistan liberties they would have never dreamt of, once again the feminist movement, whatever is left of it, remains silent at the Obama proposal to give one of the most anti-female religious fanaticism in history, legitimacy.
After all, Obama has never seen an abortion that he did not like!
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Is the protest of women across America that I hear? No, the silence is deafening!
In another revolting turn of events, Obama is now talking about sitting down and welcome the Taliban in the political process of Afghanistan. Sure, he will not allow the fundamentalist group to regain power in Kabul, but he believes that the Taliban culture is so ingrained in the Afghani way of life that its extirpation is not achievable (was Nazism not ingrained in German culture or Japanese Imperialism in the Japanese culture?).
The message from the White House is that Obama would be even willing to allow the Taliban to have control of certain areas of the country.
So what are the women of America, those females who crucify Conservative Republicans about their pro-life stance, saying about the President’s intention to give legitimacy to an Islamic sect that consider women as inferior beings?
What are the Code Pink losers saying about the President who will allow the Taliban to legally kill women who just want to go to school?
What are the members of the National Organization for Women telling the administration about this new “strategy” about one of the most brutal, anti-female Islamic ideology?
And the answer is: absolutely nothing!
The hypocrisy of the Liberal ideology shows its ugly face at every turn.
The militant feminists in America are always ready to attack any conservative idea, because they are convinced that the basis of it is the desire for conservatives to stop women from having abortions. That is all the feminist movement cares about.
I lost the little respect I had for such movement when I witnessed their reaction to the shenanigans of Bill Clinton. Surely Clinton’s use and abuse of women should have raised some opposition on the part of feminists across America, instead they remained silent as long as Clinton supported their desire for free and unchecked abortions.
Today, as the American Military is affording women in Afghanistan liberties they would have never dreamt of, once again the feminist movement, whatever is left of it, remains silent at the Obama proposal to give one of the most anti-female religious fanaticism in history, legitimacy.
After all, Obama has never seen an abortion that he did not like!
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
My Thoughts on the Nobel Peace Prize
9 October 2009
It was a good moment when this morning I fired up my computer at 0415 with my first cup of coffee, and upon checking the news, as I do every morning, I found the “Breaking News” of Obama receiving the 2009 Peace Nobel Price from the Academy in Norway.
Luckily I have learnt, since Obama has been President, not to take a sip of coffee as the news screen comes up. I learnt this “monitor/keyboard safety” lesson at a high replacement price.
It was immediately obvious to me that it was not a joke, not a part of some comic endeavor. It was actually real. And just as 90% of non-Obama cultist in America and the whole world, my first question was: For What!?
What I did not know was that the Nobel Prize committee made its final selection of potential recipients 11 days after the Obama was sworn in, meaning that he was awarded the prize for 11 days worth of work. Considering that God created the universe in only 6 days, I guess it all make some sort of sense.
It is only obvious that Obama got this so-called recognition because the socialist elitist in Europe just wanted to praise anyone who bashed and contradicted George W. Bush.
The question “what for?” is easily answered, especially if one is informed or familiar about European socio-political mind set. I, born and raised in Italy, feel knowledgeable enough to shed some light on it.
For decades, the ruling classes in Europe have had a love-hate vision of the United States.
On one side they hate the fact that such an unsophisticated society, the American society, is able to master such a greater level of prosperity on an individual basis. Europeans have a self-praising concept of personal superiority toward the common American citizen. They believe they are in a much superior social class compared to the unsophisticated, cowboy type American.
And yet, as America over the last century left Europe in the dust in regard to technological, medical, military, and just about every other possible achievement, as America enjoyed and utilized the abundant natural resources, Europe has become increasingly dependent on America, as the European elite concentrated mostly on the application of Liberal Socialist, feel-good policies.
But as much as hate was directed toward the US, every time the chance offered itself to come to the US, Europeans would grab it as the prospect for a better life and liberation from increasingly overbearing governments posed too much of an enticement.
If that was not enough, Europeans were very happy to see the Yanks arrive in the continent to free them from the oppression of Imperial Germany in 1916 and Nazi Germany in the 1940s.
The blood of American troops on European soil was good enough for the local elitist to welcome America.
And even after WWII, while the people of Europe felt that American bases in their countries were sort of an affront to their elitist national pride, they also loved the continuous and lucrative economic benefit they provided to the local economies. As several bases closed down in the 1990s, entire towns’ economic status was devastated.
And there was also the small issue of protection. The United States and its Military was the only entity that deterred the Soviet Union from gobbling up the rest of the continent at the end of WWII and in the following three decades.
Many in Europe will argue that NATO was the deterrent for any further Soviet expansion, but they conveniently leave out the small detail that NATO was the US for the duration of the Cold War.
Does anyone really believe that Stalin and his Red Army was deterred in 1946 by what was left of the French Army? Or the Belgian Army? Or the Italian Army?
It is in the spirit of this love-hate feeling Europeans have toward America that the adoration for Obama is manifesting itself these days. The everyday European person on the street is usually more interested in making it to the next day without the government screwing up their lives. But there are the ruling classes that are enamored with Obama, especially the Liberal Socialist countries like Sweden and Norway, mostly because of his relentless march toward bringing the United States down from its position as Super Power. They see in Obama the agent of what they have been trying to do for the last 100 years: bring the US economy and power down to their level. They want America to be the first to run to their rescue as soon as it is needed, but America must do it in a humble and submissive way, apologizing along the way. That is where, and why, Obama meets their criteria for an American President deserving of acknowledgement.
The Nobel Prize organization is nothing more than the royal European branch of the United Nations. The destruction of America is their common goal and Obama is their pet project.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
It was a good moment when this morning I fired up my computer at 0415 with my first cup of coffee, and upon checking the news, as I do every morning, I found the “Breaking News” of Obama receiving the 2009 Peace Nobel Price from the Academy in Norway.
Luckily I have learnt, since Obama has been President, not to take a sip of coffee as the news screen comes up. I learnt this “monitor/keyboard safety” lesson at a high replacement price.
It was immediately obvious to me that it was not a joke, not a part of some comic endeavor. It was actually real. And just as 90% of non-Obama cultist in America and the whole world, my first question was: For What!?
What I did not know was that the Nobel Prize committee made its final selection of potential recipients 11 days after the Obama was sworn in, meaning that he was awarded the prize for 11 days worth of work. Considering that God created the universe in only 6 days, I guess it all make some sort of sense.
It is only obvious that Obama got this so-called recognition because the socialist elitist in Europe just wanted to praise anyone who bashed and contradicted George W. Bush.
The question “what for?” is easily answered, especially if one is informed or familiar about European socio-political mind set. I, born and raised in Italy, feel knowledgeable enough to shed some light on it.
For decades, the ruling classes in Europe have had a love-hate vision of the United States.
On one side they hate the fact that such an unsophisticated society, the American society, is able to master such a greater level of prosperity on an individual basis. Europeans have a self-praising concept of personal superiority toward the common American citizen. They believe they are in a much superior social class compared to the unsophisticated, cowboy type American.
And yet, as America over the last century left Europe in the dust in regard to technological, medical, military, and just about every other possible achievement, as America enjoyed and utilized the abundant natural resources, Europe has become increasingly dependent on America, as the European elite concentrated mostly on the application of Liberal Socialist, feel-good policies.
But as much as hate was directed toward the US, every time the chance offered itself to come to the US, Europeans would grab it as the prospect for a better life and liberation from increasingly overbearing governments posed too much of an enticement.
If that was not enough, Europeans were very happy to see the Yanks arrive in the continent to free them from the oppression of Imperial Germany in 1916 and Nazi Germany in the 1940s.
The blood of American troops on European soil was good enough for the local elitist to welcome America.
And even after WWII, while the people of Europe felt that American bases in their countries were sort of an affront to their elitist national pride, they also loved the continuous and lucrative economic benefit they provided to the local economies. As several bases closed down in the 1990s, entire towns’ economic status was devastated.
And there was also the small issue of protection. The United States and its Military was the only entity that deterred the Soviet Union from gobbling up the rest of the continent at the end of WWII and in the following three decades.
Many in Europe will argue that NATO was the deterrent for any further Soviet expansion, but they conveniently leave out the small detail that NATO was the US for the duration of the Cold War.
Does anyone really believe that Stalin and his Red Army was deterred in 1946 by what was left of the French Army? Or the Belgian Army? Or the Italian Army?
It is in the spirit of this love-hate feeling Europeans have toward America that the adoration for Obama is manifesting itself these days. The everyday European person on the street is usually more interested in making it to the next day without the government screwing up their lives. But there are the ruling classes that are enamored with Obama, especially the Liberal Socialist countries like Sweden and Norway, mostly because of his relentless march toward bringing the United States down from its position as Super Power. They see in Obama the agent of what they have been trying to do for the last 100 years: bring the US economy and power down to their level. They want America to be the first to run to their rescue as soon as it is needed, but America must do it in a humble and submissive way, apologizing along the way. That is where, and why, Obama meets their criteria for an American President deserving of acknowledgement.
The Nobel Prize organization is nothing more than the royal European branch of the United Nations. The destruction of America is their common goal and Obama is their pet project.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Thursday, October 8, 2009
My Thoughts on Obama's Olympic Adventure
8 September 2009
It was just last Friday, October 2nd, that the dreams of so many Americans were dashed by the IOC decision to award the 2016 Olympic Games to Rio de Janeiro. It has been a long time since I have witness so much pain on the faces of a group of people, specifically since the last time I attended the funeral of an American soldier that had been killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
I have been listening to the radio talk shows and read the comments of countless Americans on various blogs, and having been more interested in the situation in Afghanistan, I have not formulated any personal thoughts about the whole thing, until now.
Initially, I was fairly amused by the whole Obama Copenhagen mission, incredulously observing the President actually fly his whole entourage, the one that follows him everywhere for his security, across the Atlantic to go make a pitch for the games. I asked myself what the thought process must have been to induce him to make such a decision, considering the much greater issues our country is facing, that one would think should be higher in priority for the current President. Sure, I realize that Air Force One is set up so that the President can conduct business as if in the White House, but he cannot have an in-person meeting with Robert Gates or Admiral Mullen while flying. And then there is always the ‘perception’ factor in regard to how the American people see their president behave.
I consider perception important, as it increases or defeats confidence in the President. My personal level of confidence in the man’s ability to do nothing other than damage my country not withstanding, I feel that choosing to go to on the Letterman’s show, the excursion at the UN the trip to the G-20 and definitely the trip to Denmark do not inspire the belief that this man has his priorities in the correct order.
But then again, as I wrote previously in another rant, the push Obama made for the Olympic Games in Chicago was, in my opinion, aimed at appeasing the pressure that the Chicago political machine must have placed on their puppet, sort of like a loan shark calling some of his loans or time to call in some of the favors due.
On the other hand, I also found amusing the amount of giddiness on the part of the radio talk show personalities for the exclusion of Chicago as the host city for the Games. I really felt no personal satisfaction for the way the event turned out. I felt no vindication for the humiliating defeat Obama suffered. Anyone with an ego the size of Obama sooner or later will meet their match, someone, like in the case of the corrupted IOC members, who have a bigger ego and do not take lightly the arrogance of someone like Obama.
Regarding the City of Chicago itself, it appears to me that the failure to be the host of the Games is actually a positive thing. Besides the legendary corruption rampant in the city, having to prepare for the event is an undertaking that always results extremely taxing for the host city. At a moments in city history when crime is out of control, unemployment is sky rocketing and corruption is crippling, engaging in such a gargantuan operation was going to bring the place further deep in the gutter, both financially and socially.
Fingers have been pointed at several sources in the attempt to identify who was responsible for the virtual slap in the face of Obama from the IOC. The Left blamed the IOC (what else? Racism), and even former President Bush (the always convenient point of blame). The Right blamed Obama and appeared to be rejoicing in the defeat.
I personally see the adoring Media as one of the main culprits.
It started with Michelle Obama and Oprah planning their triumphal trip to the Danish capital for the announcement. The Media went into a frenzy, behaving as if the only missing component to an all royal entourage was the presence of a Kennedy. Personal involvement by such new iconic American personalities, gave the Media the impression that the award was a sure thing. The assumption was even further cemented by the announcement that Obama himself was going to attend the ceremony and pitch for Chicago.
For the Media, the issue was a no-brainer: Obama, wife and Oprah were going to charm the rings out of the Olympic Committee. It was inconceivable to believe that those European elitist would not be transported by the captivating story telling and ceremonious gum-flapping from the American king and his queen.
To prove this point, I only need to bring up the name of Tony Harris, of CNN. The video of his reaction to the rejection news is destined to become a classical comedy moment in the infamous history of the Obamedia. Upon hearing that Chicago had been eliminated in the first round, Tony could not mask his disappointment, continuously stating “Chicago is out!” and “What!?”
I actually felt sorry for the dude, as I thought for a moment his bold head was going to explode.
And then there is the always entertaining mental patient Ed Schultz of MSNBC. In an obvious lack-of-chemical-mental-balance-medication induced moment, compared those rejoicing at Obama’s failure to the infamous Hanoi Jane, the lovely Jane Fonda, sitting on the NVA antiaircraft battery in Vietnam. I sure hope Ed Schultz’s family keeps all sharps objects away from the man when he refuses to take his meds.
If there is one aspect of those European elitist, specifically the IOC members, that has been proven over the years is that they do not take lightly even a hint of strong harming on the part of anyone, including heads of states. The arrogance demonstrated by the American media was probably enough, together with who knows what other reasons, to tip the scale against Chicago.
All things considered, I am glad of the outcome, because the last thing our country needs at this moment is the expenditure of that magnitude, because I am certain that the unions and political corruption would have eventually meant that the whole country would end up having to pay for the charade.
And who knows, maybe instead of endless media coverage of Obama personally supervising the construction of the badminton stadium (properly named Obadminton Stadium), the President will have more time to dedicate to establish a winning policy for our Military in Afghanistan.
These days and this leadership, one can only hope.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
It was just last Friday, October 2nd, that the dreams of so many Americans were dashed by the IOC decision to award the 2016 Olympic Games to Rio de Janeiro. It has been a long time since I have witness so much pain on the faces of a group of people, specifically since the last time I attended the funeral of an American soldier that had been killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.
I have been listening to the radio talk shows and read the comments of countless Americans on various blogs, and having been more interested in the situation in Afghanistan, I have not formulated any personal thoughts about the whole thing, until now.
Initially, I was fairly amused by the whole Obama Copenhagen mission, incredulously observing the President actually fly his whole entourage, the one that follows him everywhere for his security, across the Atlantic to go make a pitch for the games. I asked myself what the thought process must have been to induce him to make such a decision, considering the much greater issues our country is facing, that one would think should be higher in priority for the current President. Sure, I realize that Air Force One is set up so that the President can conduct business as if in the White House, but he cannot have an in-person meeting with Robert Gates or Admiral Mullen while flying. And then there is always the ‘perception’ factor in regard to how the American people see their president behave.
I consider perception important, as it increases or defeats confidence in the President. My personal level of confidence in the man’s ability to do nothing other than damage my country not withstanding, I feel that choosing to go to on the Letterman’s show, the excursion at the UN the trip to the G-20 and definitely the trip to Denmark do not inspire the belief that this man has his priorities in the correct order.
But then again, as I wrote previously in another rant, the push Obama made for the Olympic Games in Chicago was, in my opinion, aimed at appeasing the pressure that the Chicago political machine must have placed on their puppet, sort of like a loan shark calling some of his loans or time to call in some of the favors due.
On the other hand, I also found amusing the amount of giddiness on the part of the radio talk show personalities for the exclusion of Chicago as the host city for the Games. I really felt no personal satisfaction for the way the event turned out. I felt no vindication for the humiliating defeat Obama suffered. Anyone with an ego the size of Obama sooner or later will meet their match, someone, like in the case of the corrupted IOC members, who have a bigger ego and do not take lightly the arrogance of someone like Obama.
Regarding the City of Chicago itself, it appears to me that the failure to be the host of the Games is actually a positive thing. Besides the legendary corruption rampant in the city, having to prepare for the event is an undertaking that always results extremely taxing for the host city. At a moments in city history when crime is out of control, unemployment is sky rocketing and corruption is crippling, engaging in such a gargantuan operation was going to bring the place further deep in the gutter, both financially and socially.
Fingers have been pointed at several sources in the attempt to identify who was responsible for the virtual slap in the face of Obama from the IOC. The Left blamed the IOC (what else? Racism), and even former President Bush (the always convenient point of blame). The Right blamed Obama and appeared to be rejoicing in the defeat.
I personally see the adoring Media as one of the main culprits.
It started with Michelle Obama and Oprah planning their triumphal trip to the Danish capital for the announcement. The Media went into a frenzy, behaving as if the only missing component to an all royal entourage was the presence of a Kennedy. Personal involvement by such new iconic American personalities, gave the Media the impression that the award was a sure thing. The assumption was even further cemented by the announcement that Obama himself was going to attend the ceremony and pitch for Chicago.
For the Media, the issue was a no-brainer: Obama, wife and Oprah were going to charm the rings out of the Olympic Committee. It was inconceivable to believe that those European elitist would not be transported by the captivating story telling and ceremonious gum-flapping from the American king and his queen.
To prove this point, I only need to bring up the name of Tony Harris, of CNN. The video of his reaction to the rejection news is destined to become a classical comedy moment in the infamous history of the Obamedia. Upon hearing that Chicago had been eliminated in the first round, Tony could not mask his disappointment, continuously stating “Chicago is out!” and “What!?”
I actually felt sorry for the dude, as I thought for a moment his bold head was going to explode.
And then there is the always entertaining mental patient Ed Schultz of MSNBC. In an obvious lack-of-chemical-mental-balance-medication induced moment, compared those rejoicing at Obama’s failure to the infamous Hanoi Jane, the lovely Jane Fonda, sitting on the NVA antiaircraft battery in Vietnam. I sure hope Ed Schultz’s family keeps all sharps objects away from the man when he refuses to take his meds.
If there is one aspect of those European elitist, specifically the IOC members, that has been proven over the years is that they do not take lightly even a hint of strong harming on the part of anyone, including heads of states. The arrogance demonstrated by the American media was probably enough, together with who knows what other reasons, to tip the scale against Chicago.
All things considered, I am glad of the outcome, because the last thing our country needs at this moment is the expenditure of that magnitude, because I am certain that the unions and political corruption would have eventually meant that the whole country would end up having to pay for the charade.
And who knows, maybe instead of endless media coverage of Obama personally supervising the construction of the badminton stadium (properly named Obadminton Stadium), the President will have more time to dedicate to establish a winning policy for our Military in Afghanistan.
These days and this leadership, one can only hope.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The New Greatest Generation
7 October 2009
The past weekend was a costly one for our Military in Afghanistan, with the loss of eight US soldiers in that well coordinated Taliban attack in the remote base at the border with Afghanistan, in the Konar/Nuristan province.
But some of the details are emerging and they prove, once again, the caliber of Americans that are today manning the ranks of our Military.
According to a report from an ABC journalist, who accompanied the Medevac helos into the battle, when the chopper was loaded with wounded and ready to lift, the Medevac crew was told that only three wounded were leaving: one American and two Afghani soldiers. The Medics told that the other wounded were refusing evacuation in order to remain with their buddies in the fight, which lased about 12 hours.
Moreover, the Medics reported to the Medevac crew that soldiers were donating blood in the thick of the battle, to be transfused into their wounded friends, all, again, while the battle enraged around them.
I have said it before, and I will repeat it again: this is the New Greatest Generation.
In a time in our country when the majority of people get really stressed and down because the fast food order is wrong or the coffee house is out of their favorite exotic flavor, in an time when people are depressed because they had to cancel the vacation or are upset about the latest Dancing with the Stars elimination, I am somewhat encouraged by the testimony of the very best our country has: our Military.
These are the samples of dedication to the man to the right and the one to the left that we civilians find hard to comprehend. How many of us would do the same for a co-worker?
And yet, I do not hear the cry of indignation from the American people over the open disregard our politicians in Washington have for the same men and women they send into harm's way. I don't hear a general uprising of public voices protesting a Commander-in-Chief who is only interested in his image and popularity.
And while politicians in Washington renege daily the oath of office they took when they were elected, our Military bleeds and dies for the one they took, including the unspoken oath they take to remain true to their comrades in arm.
It is a lesson that I hope the American people who have reach such a self-destructive level of apathy and selfishness will learn before our beloved country, the same country people like these soldiers are voluntarily serving, is damaged beyond repair.
May God bless our Military.
And these are my Thoughts!
Frank Semperpapa
The past weekend was a costly one for our Military in Afghanistan, with the loss of eight US soldiers in that well coordinated Taliban attack in the remote base at the border with Afghanistan, in the Konar/Nuristan province.
But some of the details are emerging and they prove, once again, the caliber of Americans that are today manning the ranks of our Military.
According to a report from an ABC journalist, who accompanied the Medevac helos into the battle, when the chopper was loaded with wounded and ready to lift, the Medevac crew was told that only three wounded were leaving: one American and two Afghani soldiers. The Medics told that the other wounded were refusing evacuation in order to remain with their buddies in the fight, which lased about 12 hours.
Moreover, the Medics reported to the Medevac crew that soldiers were donating blood in the thick of the battle, to be transfused into their wounded friends, all, again, while the battle enraged around them.
I have said it before, and I will repeat it again: this is the New Greatest Generation.
In a time in our country when the majority of people get really stressed and down because the fast food order is wrong or the coffee house is out of their favorite exotic flavor, in an time when people are depressed because they had to cancel the vacation or are upset about the latest Dancing with the Stars elimination, I am somewhat encouraged by the testimony of the very best our country has: our Military.
These are the samples of dedication to the man to the right and the one to the left that we civilians find hard to comprehend. How many of us would do the same for a co-worker?
And yet, I do not hear the cry of indignation from the American people over the open disregard our politicians in Washington have for the same men and women they send into harm's way. I don't hear a general uprising of public voices protesting a Commander-in-Chief who is only interested in his image and popularity.
And while politicians in Washington renege daily the oath of office they took when they were elected, our Military bleeds and dies for the one they took, including the unspoken oath they take to remain true to their comrades in arm.
It is a lesson that I hope the American people who have reach such a self-destructive level of apathy and selfishness will learn before our beloved country, the same country people like these soldiers are voluntarily serving, is damaged beyond repair.
May God bless our Military.
And these are my Thoughts!
Frank Semperpapa
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Can You Get Some Important Work Done Now, Mr. President?
3 October 2009
Ok, the children field trip to Denmark is over. The children got to see Copenhagen, enriching their public education geography knowledge. Can the President now get some work done with the war in Afghanistan? Is there any other distraction coming up that is going to take priority over the lives of our men and women in combat and the success of the mission in Afghanistan?
According to a late Fox News poll (I know, right wing conspiracy stuff), the American public is of the opinion that our war in Afghanistan is important to keep us safe at the tune of 6 out of 10 people. Exactly, 25% feel it is extremely important and 35% think it is very important (yes, adding the two together makes 60%, not to mention the additional 27% who believes it is somewhat important, which leaves 13% who believes that the Afghanistan mission is not important for our national security or do not have an opinion).
So, I ask, isn’t it time for the war to climb up on the priority scale a little? Isn’t time for Obama to consult with Gen. McChrystal more than one teleconference or few minutes on Air Force One?
Since the White House has been deluged with criticism over Obama apparent lack of decisiveness about the request for additional troops on the ground in Afghanistan, the Obama machine has been trying to spin the whole thing, with the President finally having a meeting about it and requesting inputs from various sources. And that’s where my concerns get heightened.
Of course I expect the report of Gen. McChrystal to be scrutinized at several levels, but my fear is that the scrutiny and the rebuttal will be left in the hands of people like Ramh Emanuel and David Axelrod, more than those who really would have a clue about it aside from the political liability point of view.
Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mullen and Gen. David Petreaus agree with the analysis McChrystal presented in his report to Obama over a month ago. Several politicians, all Republicans, are expressing their opinion in favor of a troop surge. There are those who are either against our effort or who are standing on the fence, calling for a more detailed assessment before committing more resources to Afghanistan. These are those in Congress who are up for re-election in 2010 and want to make sure they can gage their constituency leaning, postponing taking a stance until they can turn it into a political campaign slogan.
And while all these delays are used for political reasons, our Military is paying in blood for an undefined policy designed by a group of liberal incompetents. Our Service Members are sacrificing, their families at home are sacrificing, without a definite policy guiding our effort toward a victorious solution of the conflict.
Doesn’t our Military deserve at least that?
But there is another factor that continues to be disturbing to me. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on the discussions that took place in the White House Situation Room, discussions that related to some of the details of what was covered and of the positions of some of the participants including Sec of Defense Robert Gates. The WSJ also specifies that the official who divulged the details did so anonymously as he was not authorized to speak to the Media. Which brings me to two lines of thinking.
The first is that the deliberations that took place, as lame and inconclusive they may have been, became common knowledge not only to the American people and the Military, but also to our enemies. It is my opinion that any kind of strategic talks regarding our conduct in the war, should remain classified and kept out of the public knowledge. Granted that I am one of those Americans that seek to remain as informed as possible when it comes to our Military and their mission, I still believe that some of the information that is made public is detrimental to our troops, both as morale and security issues.
Any information to the Media should be coming in the form of official statements carefully designed to minimize the exposure of sensitive material that can be used by our enemies, be it tactically or in the form of propaganda.
The second thinking is that the “anonymous” type of leaks are designed and implemented for political reason. Weather from the White House or their opponents, these types of leaks are utilized to forward a political agenda. The administration may be using them to stem the flood of criticism they are receiving from increasing numbers of Americans who are finally discovering the level of incompetence of Obama and his cronies by showing that they are actually meeting in regard to Afghanistan.
Administration opponents may be using this approach to further highlight the incompetence and indecisiveness of the President and even accentuating the notion that there is really little interest on the part of Obama for anything that relates to our men and women in uniform.
Regardless of which thinking is closest to reality, I personally have great resentment for either approach, as I truly feel that the use of our Military, especially while involved in a conflict, to advance an internal political agenda is despicable. I despised the Liberals that used our Military for eight years to undermine everything that President Bush was doing, with no regard for the consequences their vitriol would have on our Forces and their families at home. I considered highly immoral when Harry Reid came out to the first microphone he could find and declared the war in Iraq as lost, just as the casualties expected from the surge of troops were increasing.
I equally consider it immoral when I hear conservatives use a similar line of thinking just because now Afghanistan is “Obama’s war”.
The troops dyeing and getting hurt in Afghanistan are NOT Obama’s troops. They are American troops and they deserve our support and especially respect, regardless of who their Commander in Chief is.
So it is time to back off the partisan truck up, allow Gen. McChrystal and Petreaus to do their job. It is time to let our so-called representatives in Washington know that we want them to stand for our troops and pressure the White House to act swiftly to assure that our troops have all they need to accomplish their mission and achieve victory. Yes VICTORY, as that is the only goal that justifies our Military’s sacrifice, regardless of what Obama says.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Ok, the children field trip to Denmark is over. The children got to see Copenhagen, enriching their public education geography knowledge. Can the President now get some work done with the war in Afghanistan? Is there any other distraction coming up that is going to take priority over the lives of our men and women in combat and the success of the mission in Afghanistan?
According to a late Fox News poll (I know, right wing conspiracy stuff), the American public is of the opinion that our war in Afghanistan is important to keep us safe at the tune of 6 out of 10 people. Exactly, 25% feel it is extremely important and 35% think it is very important (yes, adding the two together makes 60%, not to mention the additional 27% who believes it is somewhat important, which leaves 13% who believes that the Afghanistan mission is not important for our national security or do not have an opinion).
So, I ask, isn’t it time for the war to climb up on the priority scale a little? Isn’t time for Obama to consult with Gen. McChrystal more than one teleconference or few minutes on Air Force One?
Since the White House has been deluged with criticism over Obama apparent lack of decisiveness about the request for additional troops on the ground in Afghanistan, the Obama machine has been trying to spin the whole thing, with the President finally having a meeting about it and requesting inputs from various sources. And that’s where my concerns get heightened.
Of course I expect the report of Gen. McChrystal to be scrutinized at several levels, but my fear is that the scrutiny and the rebuttal will be left in the hands of people like Ramh Emanuel and David Axelrod, more than those who really would have a clue about it aside from the political liability point of view.
Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mullen and Gen. David Petreaus agree with the analysis McChrystal presented in his report to Obama over a month ago. Several politicians, all Republicans, are expressing their opinion in favor of a troop surge. There are those who are either against our effort or who are standing on the fence, calling for a more detailed assessment before committing more resources to Afghanistan. These are those in Congress who are up for re-election in 2010 and want to make sure they can gage their constituency leaning, postponing taking a stance until they can turn it into a political campaign slogan.
And while all these delays are used for political reasons, our Military is paying in blood for an undefined policy designed by a group of liberal incompetents. Our Service Members are sacrificing, their families at home are sacrificing, without a definite policy guiding our effort toward a victorious solution of the conflict.
Doesn’t our Military deserve at least that?
But there is another factor that continues to be disturbing to me. The Wall Street Journal is reporting on the discussions that took place in the White House Situation Room, discussions that related to some of the details of what was covered and of the positions of some of the participants including Sec of Defense Robert Gates. The WSJ also specifies that the official who divulged the details did so anonymously as he was not authorized to speak to the Media. Which brings me to two lines of thinking.
The first is that the deliberations that took place, as lame and inconclusive they may have been, became common knowledge not only to the American people and the Military, but also to our enemies. It is my opinion that any kind of strategic talks regarding our conduct in the war, should remain classified and kept out of the public knowledge. Granted that I am one of those Americans that seek to remain as informed as possible when it comes to our Military and their mission, I still believe that some of the information that is made public is detrimental to our troops, both as morale and security issues.
Any information to the Media should be coming in the form of official statements carefully designed to minimize the exposure of sensitive material that can be used by our enemies, be it tactically or in the form of propaganda.
The second thinking is that the “anonymous” type of leaks are designed and implemented for political reason. Weather from the White House or their opponents, these types of leaks are utilized to forward a political agenda. The administration may be using them to stem the flood of criticism they are receiving from increasing numbers of Americans who are finally discovering the level of incompetence of Obama and his cronies by showing that they are actually meeting in regard to Afghanistan.
Administration opponents may be using this approach to further highlight the incompetence and indecisiveness of the President and even accentuating the notion that there is really little interest on the part of Obama for anything that relates to our men and women in uniform.
Regardless of which thinking is closest to reality, I personally have great resentment for either approach, as I truly feel that the use of our Military, especially while involved in a conflict, to advance an internal political agenda is despicable. I despised the Liberals that used our Military for eight years to undermine everything that President Bush was doing, with no regard for the consequences their vitriol would have on our Forces and their families at home. I considered highly immoral when Harry Reid came out to the first microphone he could find and declared the war in Iraq as lost, just as the casualties expected from the surge of troops were increasing.
I equally consider it immoral when I hear conservatives use a similar line of thinking just because now Afghanistan is “Obama’s war”.
The troops dyeing and getting hurt in Afghanistan are NOT Obama’s troops. They are American troops and they deserve our support and especially respect, regardless of who their Commander in Chief is.
So it is time to back off the partisan truck up, allow Gen. McChrystal and Petreaus to do their job. It is time to let our so-called representatives in Washington know that we want them to stand for our troops and pressure the White House to act swiftly to assure that our troops have all they need to accomplish their mission and achieve victory. Yes VICTORY, as that is the only goal that justifies our Military’s sacrifice, regardless of what Obama says.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”
Friday, October 2, 2009
Organized Crime Failure
The Olympic Committee has dealt a blow to Organized Crime in Chicago by awarding the 2016 Games to Rio de Janeiro, regardless the despicable waste of taxpayers' money that brought Obama, his wife Michelle and their entourage all the way to Denmark. Chicago political criminal environment is without a doubt at this moment scrambling to see what other favor they can try to cash out of Obama.
Obama and Michelle, with her Highness Oprah, are left to return to America with empty hands, having failed to charm the Olympic Committee, who apparently hates America more than they love Obama.
Surely, few days of shopping will quell Michelle and Oprah pain. I can already see the accusations of racism that the Media is going to level against the IOC. And I am waiting to see how the Liberal idiots will blame this on President Bush.
The only good thing We The People got for our money out of this Obama picnic is a few minutes he actually allotted, out of his precious gallavanting time, to meet with General McChrystal.
I guess our sons and daughters in Afghanistan and Iraq need to appreciate any "spare" time his Majesty can spare.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank Semperpapa
Obama and Michelle, with her Highness Oprah, are left to return to America with empty hands, having failed to charm the Olympic Committee, who apparently hates America more than they love Obama.
Surely, few days of shopping will quell Michelle and Oprah pain. I can already see the accusations of racism that the Media is going to level against the IOC. And I am waiting to see how the Liberal idiots will blame this on President Bush.
The only good thing We The People got for our money out of this Obama picnic is a few minutes he actually allotted, out of his precious gallavanting time, to meet with General McChrystal.
I guess our sons and daughters in Afghanistan and Iraq need to appreciate any "spare" time his Majesty can spare.
And these are my thoughts!
Frank Semperpapa
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