Day: January 21, 2011

20th Anniversary Of The Gulf War And Operation Desert Storm!

It is hard to believe, but it is now 20 years since Operation Desert Storm, the six week Gulf War of the United Nations, President George HW Bush, and General Norman Schwarzkopf, dislodging Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein from Kuwait.

The war was justified, and thankfully, caused few casualties, with 148 deaths and 467 wounded, and about half a million Americans serving in the war, but many other nations participating as well.

This period of the first Bush Administration was a shining moment of leadership, and Bush rightfully has been commended for his courage and principle at this moment of history.

Since the war had limited purposes, criticism that Bush should have had US troops go to Baghdad is unfounded, but conservatives attacked him for keeping to the UN resolution, which Bush believed was inviolable.

Certainly, in the long run of history, George HW Bush will be best remembered for this moment, and plaudits go out to Norman Schwarzkopf, Colin Powell, and imagine this, even Dick Cheney, all of whom handled their responsibilities with perfection!

So this is a time to celebrate that war and thank those who sacrificed for America and the world at that point of history!

The GOP And Tea Party War On Cities And Quality Of Life In America! :(

The Republican Party and the Tea Party Movement have declared war on American cities and the quality of life in America, with their insane call for massive cuts in spending, while continuing to promote a tax policy that will add to the already massive redistribution of wealth to the top two percent of the American people at the expense of everyone else! 🙁

When we are faced with loss of police, firefighters, sanitation workers, teachers, nurses, social workers, librarians, prison guards and other essential public service workers, and are ready and willing to add millions of people to the unemployment rolls, that is a crime against humanity, and particularly those living in cities!

When the cuts will endanger everyone and cheat the poor, the sick, the young, the elderly, and the quality of life for all of us on a daily basis, that is a crime against humanity!

When the bulk of the loss will be visited against the “blue” areas of America–with the biggest assault against New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco, it is clear that this attack on the deficit is just a political assault by the Republican Party against Democratic strongholds!

If these and other cities and major metropolitan areas are to suffer losses that will impact everyone’s life in a massive way, then the country is not just losing temporarily, but is being fundamentally harmed for decades and generations long term!

What the GOP is trying to do, in league with the Tea Party Movement, is return America to the 19th century, to a time before this nation became an urban, modern society! The Gilded Age time of maldistribution of wealth and exploitation of minorities and immigrants is returning after decades of real progress toward social justice!

The government has been starved from tax revenue by policies of Republican Presidents and Congresses, who have been very willing to add to the national debt instead, rather than make those who have more to pay more as a part of the responsibility of success and opportunity that this country has offered them!

The “American Dream” is being destroyed by those who never have cared about the middle class, the poor, and the vulnerable in our society. They think mouthing about “Christian values” replaces real commitment to practice what one preaches.

This has all been done in the image of promoting religion but forgetting the basic teaching of Jesus Christ that we are our “brother’s keeper”.