One Year Later...

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful.”
~ Edward R. Murrow

Full Speech: Obama on Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal (Transcript)
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The Propaganda of Politics?

"I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends - that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them." ~ Adlai E. Stevenson

President George Bush never gave a 'Mission Accomplished' speech on the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003? What if the Navy Seal mission into Abbottabad had failed? Would the Republican Party had made a repeat of a Desert One type failure a campaign issue in 2012?

Between the Eisenhower Administration and right up to the preemptive war in Iraq, the Republican Party was seen as the foreign policy leader on national security issues. This is no longer the case. While I have the deepest respect for John McCain, his recent statements about staying in Afghanistan forever completely lacks long term vision or insight.

Additionally, for as long as this blogger can remember, there has been an unwritten political rule NOT to attack or criticize the foreign policy efforts of a sitting President when he's not on American soil.



Update: Obama Needles Romney on Old Bin Laden Quotes?
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Under the terms of their collective bargaining agreement...

72 Virgins have permanently "locked out" Osama Bin Laden?

‎"People say Intelligent Design, we must teach Intelligent Design. Look at the human body, is that intelligent? You have a waste processing plant next to a recreation area." ~ Robin Williams




Weapons of Self Destruction (DVD)

Welcome to the Redundant Department of Redundancy

Can you name the first time in American history that the government cut taxes as it marched off to war?

What was the original mission in Afghanistan? To find, capture and/or killed Elvis Bin Laden. What was the original mission in Iraq? WMD? Oil? Tourism? I am NOT an isolationist.

After spending over $1,300,000,000,000s for two wars (with follow up military occupations of 7 & 10 years respectively), perhaps it's time to seriously reevaluate the economic, geopolitical & military wisdom of maintaining the rhetorical status quo. At least during World War II, the federal government sold WAR BONDS to build the factories required to support America's "arsenal of democracy". This time around, beyond those who serve in uniform (along with their families), what real sacrifices were the American people asked to make?

Have you seen the bumper sticker "Freedom is NOT Free"? It's true. Freedom has an actual price tag. Funding the Department of Defense requires real pennies, nickles, dimes and quarters.

The money for Iraq & Afghanistan has already been spent. So, how will this BILL get paid? Wishful thinking? Prayer? The Free Market? More Corporate Tax Breaks? The next generation? I guess asking folks to do the right thing for the right reasons is asking too much.



Photos of Afghan Soldiers & Burger King Sign by Peter Rimar.
The Iraq War (History Channel DVD)

Donald Trump does not believe Osama Bin Laden is DEAD?

Does he really need to see the death certificate?

Some of the theories being echoed by Pakistani politicians, mullahs and journalists: Bin Laden died of natural causes years ago in Afghanistan? He had his hands & feet bound by plastic straps, carried into the house on a helicopter & executed in a US operation to embarrass Pakistan? His bodyguard shot him in the heart, but he survived with "supernatural strength", until he requested his loyal follower shoot him in the head? 



In case you missed it, the following story is the best written account of the special operations' mission to get Bin Laden published to date:

The New Yorker
Getting Bin Laden
What happened that night in Abbottabad.
by Nicholas Schmidle
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Honestly, I have no secret, morbid desire to see the photos of Bin Laden's dead corpse. I agreed with President Obama's decision. Given the nature of our open & progressive society, at some point in the future, perhaps as a result of the Freedom of Information Act, the images of Bin Laden will be released. IF it's 50 years from today, so be it.

This was the most expensive manhunt in U.S. history. The original mission in Afghanistan was to find, kill and/or capture Osama Bin Laden. Perhaps his death will open the political door so our troops can return home.

American Heroes in Special Operations (Hardcover)