Islamic Nations

Are Presidential Apologies Acceptable? YES, Depending On Circumstances!

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President Barack Obama has been criticized by his Republican Presidential opponents for apologizing for the burning destruction of copies of the Koran in Afghanistan, which has led, regrettably, to mass rioting and deaths of two American servicemen in east Afghanistan.

This apology was designed to protect Americans fighting and living in Afghanistan, and to improve relations with the Islamic world, and also remove the swaggering attitude that existed under George W. Bush for eight years, making our nation extremely unpopular around the world, not only in Islamic nations.

Historian Robert Dallek correctly stated that we cannot say as a nation that we are without sin or blame. And it is not as if no other President has dared to apologize, as they have.

Ronald Reagan apologized for the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II in 1988.

Bill Clinton and George W. Bush offered issued several apologies, not always well received in America, but done nevertheless. Of course, apologizing for past actions are easier than for those occurring in one’s own administration.

The criticism of Republican Presidential candidates is not shared by many conservatives who understand the need for a close relationship with the Afghan government to accomplish anything in that nation’s war effort.

George McGovern’s Advice To President Obama: Worth Considering And Pursuing!

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Former Senator and 1972 Democratic Presidential nominee George McGovern, now 89, has just published a “Letter To President Obama” in the September issue of Harper’s Magazine, and what he wrote deserves our and the President’s attention.

McGovern, much loved by those who supported him 40 years ago, including this author, said that President Obama has faced greater economic challenge but also greater attacks from the opposing party than anyone since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

McGovern said Obama should pursue the following ideas:

1. Withdraw from Afghanistan over the next year, as no one has ever been able to overcome that nation in war, and it would save a trillion dollars or more over time.

2. Withdraw most of our troops from overseas commitments, as it is no longer necessary in the modern world to have so many troops overseas, and it would save trillions of dollars.

3. Withdraw our troops from the Islamic nations, as they see our military presence as a sign of American and Christian imperialism over their holy lands and territories.

4. Find ways to cut the defense budget over time, by getting rid of unnecessary missile systems and the returning of troops to America, with the amount on defense being cut from the present $700 billion to $500 billion and eventually to $200 billion through the use of intelligence utilized by the Department of Homeland Security.

5. Tax the wealthy the way they used to be assessed, bringing in large amounts of additional revenue to the nation.

6. Spend money on health care through nationalizing Medicare for all; providing government supported educational opportunity for all at the college level; and building high speed rail systems that will lower the energy drain and the power of oil over our lives.

While it might be argued that there is no way to pursue all of these goals in the short run, it certainly is worth consideration, although in reality the accomplishment of much of this is hard to conceive in the present political climate.

However, there is a growing feeling in this country, and even in the Republican Party, that our overseas commitments MUST be cut as we can no longer afford the kind of financial burden that we are dealing with at this time in our history.

Much of our focus must be on improving our own country which is in dire need of domestic investment at this time, and cutting of foreign commitments as long as we have good intelligence gathering, excellent military special forces, and the ability to use drones and other technology to fight the enemies we have in this world!

Lingering Debate About Obama Being A Muslim, And Yet US Is Fighting Al Qaeda and Taliban In Six Muslim Nations!!

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There remains even now an underlying belief of some Americans that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim, out to undermine Christian values and American democracy and freedom.

This comes despite the killing of Osama Bin Laden and the addition of troops to Afghanistan by President Obama in December 2009.

This comes despite his constant sending of drones and CIA operatives into SIX Muslim nations, and his cooperation with NATO in fighting Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

This comes despite the killing of more high level Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership than under George W. Bush.

Realize that we are involved in some form militarily in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Pakistan, and now, as revealed this morning, in Somalia with armed drones!

How in the world can critics still claim that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim, when he is condemned by Al Qaeda, as well as many Muslim leaders? If anything, he has engaged the United States against Muslim nations and radicals MORE than George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan combined!

And yet the poison and lies continue, and it is not just by right wing extremists, but by so called “responsible” and “sensible” Americans who should hang their heads in shame!