WARS OF ATTRITION GENERALLY DON'T GO OUR WAY

After reading Arianna Huffington's piece on why Vice President Biden should resign, it got me to thinking about the Vietnam War again.

Much like Vietnam, Afghanistan is also a "war of attrition." General McChrystal, just like General Westmoreland, wants more Troops. Nothing wrong with that. That's what generals do. Tell us we need more troops.

What gets them into trouble. Well not them really. But the poor Troops that have to go to battle for them and us, is that Vietnam, like Afghanistan, have been in wars of attrition since time immemorial. Like it or not, nobody is going to wait them out. No matter how many Troops are there.

The Soviets took cruelty to as an extreme level as possible in their war with Afghanistan. Cruelty didn't win either. They had to leave.

Our Forces have been there nearly eight years and we're no closer to a stable, democratic Afghanistan than before we invaded. If anything, the situation is worse and now Pakistan is on the edge instability and God knows what else.

One could say the Cold War was a war of attrition and that we won. The truth is, it's still going on. There might have been a brief hiatus during Yeltsin's time as Russia's president. But the guy in charge now, although he isn't president in name, Vladimir Putin, is a former KGB officer. The proxy war with Russia continues to this day. They don't have to build bombs to compete with us anymore. They've wised up. Just create instability. Or fight and obstruct any efforts to stabilize problem areas. They have tricked our leaders into focusing precious time and money on futile efforts. Each billion dollars we pour into Iraq is a billion less we have to rebuild New Orleans. To stabilize our markets and build and rebuild infrastructure. To invest in energy that comes from sources other than oil. Yes my friends. The Iranians are on the side of the Russians in this. As are the Saudis and Venezuelans and others.

We cannot win wars of attrition with bullets. We have more bullets than anyone. They have more oil. Replace oil, we win. Keep fighting with bullets. The war will last forever.

HE AIN'T HEAVY. HE'S RUSH LIMBAUGH.

Rush bashing is all the rage in NFL circles since Rush Limbaugh said he was thinking about buying the St. Louis Rams.

Several players have indicated they would not play for a team owned by Rush Limbaugh. As far as I can see, the current members of the St. Louis Rams don't play anyway. They suck. Even the Player's Union as said it was against Rush as an owner.

The fuss being raised shows a deeper problem with professional sports. We all know the great Baltimore Raven linebacker, Ray Lewis. The same Ray Lewis who's buddies killed a guy one night. But every player in the NFL would love Ray Lewis as a team mate. They would love Leonard Little. Current Ram. Killed a mother while driving drunk one night. Got another DUI not long after that. I won't bother bringing up Michael Vick. But face it. If Charles Manson helped a team win the Super Bowl, he'd get cheered.

I've always felt responsible, law abiding citizens have the right to own firearms. Just being an asshole doesn't disqualify one from the that. Just as it doesn't disqualify someone from being an NFL owner. I was watching the day Rush asked if the "liberal media" was easy on Donovan McNabb because he was black. I went nuts and swore at the TV and all the other stuff libs are required to say and do when a conservative makes an ignorant statement.

Rush says the bullshit he says because it makes him money. There is a certain percentage of the population that wants to hear this crap. If Rush wants to buy a crappy team like the St.Louis Rams with the money he made from saying crap then I say it's a match made in Heaven.

WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE?

Several well known and respected bloggers in this group have undergone tragedies recently. The most recent is a blogger I rarely interacted with but I certainly would have been a better person had I read more of her work. Jennifer of Thinking Out Loud gave Z a far better expression of sympathy than I could have and I encourage anyone reading now to visit both Jennifer and Z's blogs to express their sympathies.

Most posts I rattle off in a few minutes. This one is difficult because I don't know where to begin or how to say what I'm trying to say without sounding either hypocritical or holier than thou.

I wish these blogs had a filter so we knew when we crossed the line from getting our points across and perhaps being entertaining to just plain being cruel. I've self deleted a few of my own and I'm sure most of you have as well. Sometimes we're not that careful and we can really hurt someone.

I want everyone that visits here to feel welcome. I don't like deleting comments. I'd just as soon let everyone defend themselves. But if it comes down to it, like it or not. We're all blogging because we have a passion for politics and want what's best for our Nation. Some of us see the Lefts point of view. Some of us the Right's. A blog gives us a chance to get our views out there. I'll do my best to remember whomever I address a comment at is also a mother or father. A wife or husband.

Wish me luck.

NOBEL COMMITTEE OVERLOOKS KIND AND GENTLE FOR CELEBRITY

Well. Looks like the elitist bastards on the Nobel Prize Committee once again overlooked a true man of peace for the "Flavor of the Week."









Damn right I'm talking about this personal snub in favor of President Obama. It was TRUTH 101 that deserved this award and the money and prestige that goes with it! When has President Obama ever been called "Kind and Gentle 101"? Take that you Swedish bastards!









Who has called for higher taxes to pay for social programs?






Who leads the fight against misogynist religious fanatics?







Who is the calming voice that brings sanity Blogdom?






That's right! Good old TRUTH 101!









Where do Righties and Lefties from across America and the world go for civil discussion and rollicking good times? Not the freaking useless United Nations in New York for crying out loud. They gather here at the home of Truth, wisdom, kindness and gentleness.











On behalf of peace loving people everywhere, I accept the Nobel Peace Prize in absentia. I thank everyone that made this moment possible.

RICHARD NIXON: THE MOST HONORABLE REPUBLICAN I COULD THINK OF

I've been blogging all over about the right's unwillingness to sacrifice a few more dollars in taxes in order to successfully transform Iraq and Afghanistan into republics that respect human rights. Not that the righties would ever do anything like offer to pay for things when borrowing has worked so well for them since President Reagan's time in office.

That led me to one of the great ironies of our time. The last Republican I can think of that actually was fiscally responsible was President Nixon. While we all remember Cheney saying "deficits don't matter." And Reagan's massive redistribution of wealth to the wealthiest with his trickle down nonsense, it was Richard Nixon who said "Do whatever it takes. As long as it doesn't cost any money."

Nixon embodied what every Republican can only dream of. A twisted form of honest dishonesty. I for one say lets carve his face on Mt. Rushmore. As long as it doesn't cost anything.

THE BEST ARMY MONEY CAN BORROW

For all the talk, I really do wonder if Republicans actually want to win a war.

After the 911 attacks we all rallied behind President Bush and demanded justice and revenge. Nothing wrong with revenge. That is a big part of what justice is.

But all the while we were demanding war and invasions and occupations and nation building and freedom and democracy and apple pie and honoring our Judeo/Christian Forefathers and putting up Ten Commandment monuments everywhere we could, damn few of us were demanding we pay for all this.

Where were all the great right leaning Americans who said forget my tax cut Mr. President. We have a war to pay for. Our Troops need proper equipment. We need to focus on victory no matter what the cost.

But alas. My faith in the right wasn't shaken because there never was any. While our Soldiers went to fight in Afghanistan and then Iraq, the right decided it was more American I guess to dig our Nation into a gaping debt than raise taxes enough to pay for the wars and promises we made to those that fought them.

Now the General in Afghanistan is calling for more Troops. Not surprising. Generals always call fro more Troops. Republican senators will line up to attack President Obama if he doesn't send them. But how many will have the balls to say "Folks. This time, let's pay for it. We need to raise taxes."

Not one of them.

We have the best people in the world serving in our Nation's Armed Forces. And we can't even honor them enough to pay for the wars and occupations we send them to.

God Bless America, I hope.

BEING A REPUBLICAN MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE SORRY; EXCEPT TO RUSH LIMBAUGH

Congressman Alan Grayson recently said Republicans want you to die quickly. Of course he was pilloried by Republicans who actually want you to die slowly from torture which they say is just enhanced interrogation.

I figured Grayson would either outright apologise or do a John Lennon thing when Lennon said The Beatles were bigger than Jesus. Lennon said what he meant to say was he, Paul, George and Ringo were all taller than Jesus. The controversy went away and it was an abject lesson for history.

Grayson, to his credit, didn't apologise. And although I've given Nancy Pelosi hell at times, she's not apologising either. I say good for both of them. In fact, I say take it a step further. If Boehner or some other hypocritical, health insurance reform blocking bastard demands an apology, tell him to go shit in his hat. That's all these clowns deserve for toiling at diverting our Nation's eyes from the important issues in favor of nonsense.

A good crop of Righties has been visiting as of late. No doubt, a few of them will demand an apology for me calling Congressman Boehner a clown. To them I offer a sincere and heartfelt;

Go shit in your hats.