Colombia

Military Invasion Of Venezuela The Wrong Thing For America To Promote

Ronald 2 Comments

The situation in the South American nation of Venezuela is horrendous, with massive starvation and suffering, under a horrible dictator, Nicolas Maduro, and his refusal to allow food and medical aid to come in from next door Colombia.

There is no question but that Maduro must be removed from office, but that is not through US military intervention directly.

The United States has used military force in Central America and the Caribbean on a irregular basis since the time of Theodore Roosevelt, and helped to overthrow the South American Chilean government of Salvador Allende in 1973 during the Richard Nixon Presidency, although in that situation, no US troops were sent in, simply collaboration with military generals.

But the changes in government promoted by the US invariably led to more harsh right wing dictatorships, and have undermined the relationship of the United States with its neighbors in Latin America.

Many foreign nations have withdrawn recognition from the Venezuelan government, and Juan Guaido, the leader of the National Assembly, has been declared the de facto interim President by that body.

Economic pressure and attempts to win over the military are appropriate by all nations which love freedom, but the worst possible action would be to send in military forces, which would incite civil war, and likely make America the villain, and cause a long intervention and the loss of many lives, both Venezuelan and American.

But it seems as if Donald Trump, Mike Pompeo, and John Bolton are bent on military action, just as they seem to be moving in that direction regarding Iran.

So we could have two massive wars as the 2020 Presidential and Congressional elections come upon us next year, just as with George W. Bush and Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld and unwise, and unsuccessful military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, which have undermined America, and cost a great amount of treasure, both human and capital.

Presidents Who Served As US Ambassadors To Foreign Nations

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This author and blogger has so far examined the history of Presidents serving as members of the House of Representatives and the US Senate, as State Governors, and as Cabinet Officers.

Now, let’s examine those 8 Presidents who served as US Ambassadors to foreign nations:

John Adams as Ambassador to Great Britain during the Continental Congress

Thomas Jefferson as Ambassador to France during the Continental Congress

James Monroe as Ambassador to France during the George Washington Presidency, and to Great Britain during the Thomas Jefferson Presidency

John Quincy Adams as Ambassador to the Netherlands during the George Washington and John Adams Presidencies; to Germany during the John Adams Presidency; to Russia and to Great Britain during the James Madison Presidency

Martin Van Buren as Ambassador to Great Britain during the Andrew Jackson Presidency

William Henry Harrison as Ambassador to Colombia during the John Quincy Adams Presidency

James Buchanan as Ambassador to Great Britain during the Franklin Pierce Presidency

George H. W. Bush as Ambassador to the United Nations during the Richard Nixon Presidency and as Chief of the US Liaison Office in China during the Gerald Ford Administration.

The most common Ambassadorship was to Great Britain, where five of the eight Presidents listed above served.

National Security And Sexuality: Espionage And Blackmail Danger

Ronald 2 Comments

The scandal involving eleven Secret Service agents and five military personnel, engaged in drinking and prostitution in Colombia before the arrival of President Barack Obama at the Sixth Summit of the Americas meeting with other nations’ leaders, is extremely troubling in many ways.

It is not just the lack of ethics and high levels of immorality involved, but also it is not acceptable to say “boys will be boys” and excuse the misbehavior on that basis.

It is, more seriously, the issue of the dangers presented by these agents’ horrible judgment and reckless behavior.

The national security of the United States and the protection of the President were endangered by what occurred in Colombia.

Once an agent or military personnel engage in drinking and sexual behavior while working, the possibility of espionage and blackmail are opened up, and it means the area of immunity and safety is compromised, which could lead to some “pillow talk” leading to information being given that could compromise our nation’s safety and security, and even the possible “planting” of listening and video devices, and even biological, chemical, nuclear or other devices that could affect the health or life of the President, First Lady, children, Vice President, Presidential candidates, and other top officials of the government protected by the Secret Service!

Therefore, this situation is not be chuckled at, as it is reprehensible and dangerous, and such behavior must be fully investigated, and there must be a fail-safe system to prevent any such misbehavior and bad judgment such as this to occur ever again!

What it comes down to is that when people work in national security sensitive areas, particularly when involved with the highly responsible job of protecting the President even with their lives, such individuals MUST be informed that their behavior, on and off the job, is limited in special ways, as even off the job liaisons could lead to information being given that could compromise the national security and safety of our leaders, and reveal our national secrets.

Shocking, Horrible, Unacceptable Scandal In The Secret Service: What Have We Come To Regarding Presidential Security?

Ronald 1 Comment

A very shocking, horrible, and unacceptable scandal has erupted in the Secret Service, the agency responsible for the safety and security of the President and his family, the Vice President and his family, Republican Presidential candidates during the Presidential campaign, and others assigned protection by the US government!

Up to a dozen Secret Service agents have been sent home from the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Colombia, where Barack Obama is attending, in a nation infamous for drug cartels and violence that could endanger the President, because of accusations of consorting with prostitutes and covering up their illicit activities.

While supposedly none of these agents were directly involved with the personal protection of the President, it is still alarming and distressful that prostitutes apparently were brought back to the hotel the President was due to stay at, an utterly reckless violation of Presidential security.

What have we come to that those who are given the most responsible job, bar none, of anyone involved in any security detail in this nation, could be so reckless, irresponsible, and endanger the health and safety and security of our President? This is absolutely mind boggling beyond belief!

The author has often wondered whether the President, whoever he is, and specifically President Obama at this point, is in danger from “rogue” elements in the Secret Service who could be engaged in plots against the President, even at the point of realization that some of those might have to sacrifice their own lives to accomplish their despicable plan to murder the President of the United States! Particularly the fact that Obama is our first African American President, and is highly controversial, and causes tremendous polarization politically through no fault of his own, but simply the reality of politics in 21st century America, is enough to cause the author great concern and worry for his safety and security, and that of his wife and children, and other government and political leaders!

There is absolutely no room for error, no room for blunders, no room for any “hanky panky” by Secret Service agents at any time while employed by the US government to do the most important and responsible job that anyone has in this nation!

There can be no forgiveness if the charges are true, and the agents need to be exposed, prosecuted, and given prison time as a warning to others who might have irresponsible and reckless ideas about their role as Secret Service agents!

We need people in the Secret Service who are totally dedicated to their jobs, and never allow themselves to be compromised in any way at any time while in employment by the US government!

It is not acceptable to say “boys will be boys”, that all men, and even women, have sexual urges that must be acted upon! If that is the mentality, then get another kind of employment, but NOT in the Secret Service!

There will be a need for a full investigation, totally non political, by a joint committee of both houses of Congress, so that this will never happen again, as it has become the biggest scandal in the history of the Secret Service, and stains the record of those dedicated agents, both past and present, who have dedicated their lives, and in some cases lost their lives, in their commitment to service and protection of our top government officials!