Pentagon

Unqualified And Controversial Trump Appointments Abound In Early Selections!

admin 35 Comments

When one observes Donald Trump’s early appointments, one concludes that he has decided to name unqualified individuals to a multitude of major positions.

When one can say that Florida Senator Marco Rubio becoming Secretary of State is the “best” appointment of a horrendous list, that summarizes what a disaster the nation is facing!

Rubio has 14 years of Senate experience, and is on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and while no great intellectual, he meets the minimum requirements to lead our foreign policy establishment, but is no star in any sense.

But then, one looks at other appointments:

Pete Hegseth, a Fox News Host, as Secretary of Defense
Kristi Noem, South Dakota Governor, as Secretary of Homeland Security
Elise Stafanek, NY Congresswoman, as United Nations Ambassador
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas Governor, as US Ambassador to Israel
Tulsi Gabbard, former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii as Director Of National Intelligence
Lee Zeldin, former NY Congressman, as head of the Environmental Protection Agency

Pete Hegseth is a total surprise to the Pentagon with no real credentials to head the Pentagon.

Kristi Noem has ZERO experience to head Homeland Security, and has been an embarrassment as Governor of a very small state, South Dakota.

Elise Stefanik is an ultimate example of an individual who transformed, conveniently, from being a moderate Republican to a MAGA Republican, as a way to advance her career.

Mike Huckabee is a Christian Zionist, whose ultimate aim is to convert Jews to his radical brand of Christianity, the last thing that American Jews would support, but may be acceptable to the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, as he works to take over the Palestinian territories.

Tulsi Gabbard is a former Democratic Presidential contender, who has gone over to the Republican Party, after going off the rails in her foreign policy views, and now will be more powerful over intelligence gathering than anyone else .

Lee Zeldin has no desire to promote environmental protection, so can be described as a fox put into a chicken coop.

It seems clear that the major qualification to be in the Trump Cabinet is to be slavishly loyal to his agenda, with no concept of considering what is constitutional and legitimate!

Add to this list Robert F. Kennedy Jr. possibly being Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Billionaire Elon Musk everywhere, trying to have a major influence.

This list will become even more controversial as the days pass, and fireworks are possible on some of the appointments.

And now, as I am writing, controversial Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has been chosen to be Attorney General, which would seem extremely divisive.

It also means now THREE Republican House members, including Mike Waltz of Florida as National Security Adviser, along with Stefanik and Gaetz, will be removed from that chamber, endangering, at least for the short term, having a Republican majority, which seems a lunatic move!

The last 24 hours have been shocking, and will continue to be in the coming hours and days!

Tragic First Year Foreign Policy Nothing New In American Presidency!

admin Leave a comment

The tragic events in Afghanistan continue a tradition that in most Presidencies, first year, there are events which affect the historic role of Presidents in American history.

We have the Bay of Pigs Fiasco (Cuba) in 1961 under President John F. Kennedy.

We have the conquest of South Vietnam by North Vietnam, and the sudden tragic exit from the embassy in Saigon in 1975 under President Gerald Ford.

We have the attack on the World Trade Center, and the tragic exit from terrorism in Somalia in 1993 under President Bill Clinton.

We have the September 11, 2001 Al Qaeda attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon under President George W. Bush.

And now we have the horrifying situation in Kabul, Afghanistan going on under President Joe Biden, similar in many ways to the exit from Vietnam in 1975.

Looking Back 17 Years To September 11, 2001, And This Day A Tuesday, Not To Happen Again Until 2029

Ronald 4 Comments

It is hard to believe, but it has been 17 years since the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Today is a Tuesday, the actual day of the week of the attack, not to be repeated again until 2029.

America lost whatever innocence it had on that day, when we lost 3,000 innocent human beings, and then lost 4.500 in the unnecessary Iraq War, that was planned as an excuse to go after Saddam Hussein, as well as the endless war in Afghanistan, where we have lost 2,400.

Additionally, about 2,000 firefighters, police, and rescue workers involved in the recovery have died from inhaling dust at the World Trade Center site, and many more are dying of cancer, so soon, we will have more victims in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks domestically, than actually died on that day.

Sadly, Osama Bin Laden, although later tracked down and killed in 2011, has triumphed in dividing the nation into a polarized state, and taken away our freedom and sense of security, under attack not only from terrorists, but also from right wingers who want to destroy our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Their willing ally is President Donald Trump, who wishes to be President for life, and is systematically destroying our rule of law and constitutional order, without any intervention or opposition from the Republican party that nominated him. Now, he is being further assisted by the contested nomination of a Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh, who seems ready to back Trump in any legal action, and prevent prosecution of a President who has committed Treason, and engaged in collaboration with Vladimir Putin of Russia, to fix his election, despite losing the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.

America is in a constitutional crisis far greater than Watergate and Richard Nixon, with only the Civil War a greater event in its significance, and the crisis must be overcome by patriotic Americans who realize how dangerous Trump is, and MUST elect a Democratic Congress, and start the resistance to what Trump has been doing, in order to save everything decent that America represents.

Law Professors, Lawyers, And Donald Trump: A Time For Patriotism Over Sycophancy

Ronald 1 Comment

In the midst of the national and international crisis of Donald Trump’s “love affair” with Vladimir Putin, we are seeing law professors and lawyers who are acting like sycophants, and in the process harming their reputations, at a time when patriotism should win out over sycophancy.

Law Professors, including Alan Dershowitz and Jonathan Turley are finding ways to justify Trump’s illegal, immoral, and unconstitutional behavior, while Laurence Tribe is adding to his reputation as a respectable and legitimate scholar.

Meanwhile, well known attorney Joseph diGenova is promoting conspiracy theories about the “Deep State” and is undermining the FBI and the intelligence agencies, while Theodore Olson is showing how dignified, decent and credible he has always been.

And these are just the best known law professors and attorneys, splitting and dividing, as we learn who the legitimate law professors and lawyers really are, in this greatest of all constitutional crises.

Dershowitz, a former professor at Harvard Law School, and a renowned attorney in the O J Simpson case and many others, has said that Special Counsel Robert Mueller should never have been appointed, and that a “witch hunt” is being conducted against Donald Trump, using the exact language of the President. Dershowitz sees no evidence of any crimes by Trump, but also does not see it as likely that Trump would fire Mueller, although last June, Trump came close to firing Mueller, a month into the investigation. This is crazy legal judgment, and makes one wonder what Dershowitz’s whole purpose is.

Turley is a professor of law at George Washington University, claims there is no evidence of collusion by Trump with Russia, and he agreees with the idea of a second Special Counsel to investigate the FBI, a mind boggling example of sycophancy by Turley, undermining the ability to investigate the illegal actions by Trump. Turley has become a favorite to be on Fox News Channel, and it undermines his whole career as a law professor.

Tribe, a renowned professor at Harvard Law School, has been a strong critic of Donald Trump, and has advocated his impeachment, and is publishing a new book on that topic, out in May, but already number one on the Amazon list of best selling books. Tribe has been a credit to his profession and to the law school community for decades, and is not selling his soul to the Right Wing which has no problem with the disgraceful Presidency of Donald Trump.

diGenova has long been seen as an attorney who relies on conspiracy theories and undermining of respect for the law, so it is not surprising that he has now joined the Trump legal team, out to destroy the FBI and the intelligence community, and overlook the facts on the case against Trump.

And Olson is a well respected attorney, who defended George W. Bush in the 2000 Presidential election controversy; then lost his wife Barbara in the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001; followed by joining fellow attorney David Boies, his rival in the 2000 election controversy in fighting the case for gay marriage in court, leading to the Supreme Court decisoin in 2015. Olson has rejected the idea of joining the Trump defense team, and adds to his stature by doing so.

This is a time for patriotism and justice over sycophancy and demagoguery, so Tribe and Olson are to be commended, while Dershowitz, Turley, and diGenova are to be condemned!

Three Days Away, Hurricane Irma Overcome, So Return To Political Reality

Ronald 12 Comments

Three days away due to Hurricane Irma, with no problems, just inconvenience of loss of electricity, phones, internet, and very little damage, considering the intensity of the storm.

So now we are back to political reality, and this blogger will resume his coverage and interpretation of political and historical events which affect our present and our future.

Most important today is the 16th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and proper commemoration is in order.

But tomorrow, the future of this nation remains one of uncertainty with the erratic and weird leadership of Donald Trump, who now seems to be setting out to declare war on the Republican Party, which was taken hostage by him in 2016, and his sudden, momentary “affair” with the Democrats, who have not one ounce of trust in him, but will work with him if there is any temporary benefit to them.

This issue of Trump and the Republicans, and Trump and the Democrats, will be discussed further in future days.

Donald Trump And Afghanistan: No More Interest In Reform, Only Killing, A Prescription For Disaster!

Ronald Leave a comment

Donald Trump’s speech on Afghanistan last night was what this blogger expected: Trump the warmonger, a complete switch from his “isolationist” stand during his Presidential campaign.

It was very predictable, as again, Donald Trump proved to be what he has always been best at being, a massive liar and manipulator of the truth!

The man who was a draft dodger, on the basis of bone spurs in the 1960s, and said his “Vietnam” was avoiding sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) with women at that time of his life, now has become a war President, and is allowing his overly dominant military administration to “charge on” in Afghanistan, after 16 years, the most of any American war, and inability to resolve the matter.

Afghanistan caused the loss of Alexander the Great in ancient times; of the British Empire in the 19th century; and of the Soviet Union from 1979-1989.

It is a “hell hole” with no end, and already 2,400 Americans have died in that war, and the war has also cost an estimate of between $841 billion to $2 trillion dollars, a massive waste of money that has undermined the nation! And over 20,000 men and women have been wounded, many of them seriously, and mental issues have arisen among many of these veterans, and many others who were not physically harmed.

And to top it off, Trump has indicated there is no interest in trying to make life better for Afghan civilians, but rather just to kill terrorists!

That is a prescription for endless, constant war, and bitterness, and continued growth of terrorism for decades on end!

The Taliban control an estimated 35-60 percent of the nation, and opium production in the major province that produces the drug is 80 percent under their control.

The Afghan mentality is that you kill their relatives, for generations after, the goal will be revenge, so a war is unwinnable.

And Trump seems to be stirring up trouble with neighbor Pakistan, a Muslim nation with nuclear weapons, with his hostile rhetoric.

It seems as if Trump has decided to be a warmonger–continuing in Afghanistan, while fighting ISIL (ISIS), and stirring up China with threats of trade wars, while trying to deal with North Korea, without starting a new Korean War or using nuclear weapons on Kim Jong Un; and threatening to break the Iranian nuclear agreement; and also suggesting action in Venezuela; as well as trying to deal with the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, Syria, and Iraq.

All that Trump seems to be able to do is make money all of the time, while promoting American imperialism overseas, insuring engagement in more wars, and spending taxpayer money to glorify himself as a “tough guy” in international affairs, while avoiding diplomacy, and cutting the State Department budget by up to 40 percent, including NOT having many ambassadorial positions filled or even nominated after seven months in office!

Trump is a true proponent of unregulated capitalism and American militarism, precisely what has led to so much turmoil and suffering caused by the top few percent of the population who worship Wall Street and the Pentagon as the answer to all problems in America.

Meanwhile, the white and minority working class become the cannon fodder for Trump’s egotism and narcissism, as he continues to divide America, and has no concern about the tremendous damage he is causing, creating an atmosphere of civil anger and disrespect that has split America like no time since the 1960s, and in many ways, worse than that decade 50 years ago!

From 9-11 To 11-9: One American Tragedy To Another!

Ronald Leave a comment

The 21st century began with the horrific attack on September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3.000 civilians of many nations.

It ushered in a 15 year period of turmoil, division, and tremendous spending to fight terrorism and wage two unwinnable wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It has led to persecution of Muslims in America, and promotion of nativism, racism, and antisemitism.

It has caused the two major political parties to fight each other in a way that prevents any cooperation on just about anything.

And then, in the midst of all this chaos and anxiety, along came a charlatan, a rookie in politics, a crooked businessman, a narcissist to the extreme, who was able to convince working class white males that he was their “Superman”, and would end terrorism, crime, and fight Wall Street, all fabrications.

So from the 9-11 tragedy, we went to 11-9, November 9, 2016, the declared victory of Donald Trump, who has caused more division and hatred than anyone in the past 15 years.

And he won due to the quirks of the Electoral College, having only one serious opponent who won electoral votes, but only winning 46 percent of all votes cast.

And November 9 is also the day in 1938 when we had Kristallnacht, the “Night of the Broken Glass”, when thousands of Jews became victims of a pogrom, as businesses and synagogues went up in flames and ushered in the beginning of the Holocaust in Nazi Germany, which killed six million Jews by 1945.

With the rise of white supremacy, and characters such as Richard Spencer and David Duke backing Donald Trump’s attacks on Mexicans. Muslims, and all immigration under attack, one can sense that we might be moving toward Fascism, with only the scandals around Donald Trump giving us the hope that his agenda may be stalled and prevented permanently.

Afghanistan War 2001-2017: $800 Billion, And 2,249 Americans Killed In A Quagmire That Is Unwinnable With Troops!

Ronald Leave a comment

Fareed Zakaria spoke today on his CNN show about the Afghanistan War, which began on October 7, 2001, after the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

We still have more than 8,000 troops engaged in a war that never has really ended, and it is the longest war in American history.

About $800 billion has been spent fighting the Taliban and Al Qaeda, but one cannot say that the war has been won, or will ever be won.

2,249 Americans have paid the ultimate price, in a quagmire that is unwinnable with troops, by any sensible measure of success.

The Soviet Union collapsed by 1991, partly due to the invasion of Afghanistan that went on from December 1979 February 1989.

The British tried to gain control of Afghanistan as part of the British Empire and failed, and the same for Alexander the Great in ancient times.

The loss of life and treasure is enough, and the US should stop their ground war in Afghanistan, and utilize drones as the only worthwhile investment, since the government of Afghanistan is hopelessly corrupt and unable to win the war, with no one really knowing what “winning” means in any case!

August 9–One Constitutional Crisis (Richard Nixon) Solved, But Three Months To Potential New Constitutional Crisis (Donald Trump)!

Ronald 5 Comments

On this day, August 9, 1974, a major constitutional crisis was solved with the resignation of Richard Nixon, who had abused the law and the Constitution, and who finally decided to resign under pressure of an impending impeachment.

But there were concerns that he might declare martial law, and the Chief of Staff, Alexander Haig, told the Pentagon to ignore any such order that might come from the President, who clearly was unraveling mentally in his last days in the Presidency.

But Nixon had enough sense to realize that his historical reputation would be even worse, so he still had a sense of reality, as he fell from power.

Now 42 years later, we have a true maniac, a madman, a demagogue, a Fascist, a bully, a misogynist, a racist, a nativist, a xenophobe, an ignorant person on foreign policy, a threat to world stability, and a very mentally unstable individual, in Donald Trump!

And just today, on the 42nd anniversary of the Nixon crisis coming to an end, the present crisis grows as Trump called for “Second Amendment’ supporters to do what must be done if Hillary Clinton was to win, a hint of assassination!

Trump’s language today at a rally in North Carolina only encourages the nuts and whackos among us, and he should be prosecuted for what he said.

Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut has called for prosecution, and former CIA head Michael Hayden said that if any ordinary citizen said what Trump uttered today, he would be lo9cked up and prosecuted.

This is the time to stop Donald Trump, as he is emerging as a direct threat to civil order, with hints that he will not accept defeat, and will encourage violence among his lunatic and clueless followers, even after November.

This is, without a doubt, the worst moment in our political history since the Watergate scandal, and in many ways, more dangerous!

Donald Trump, The Conspiracy Theorist, With Innumerable “Skeletons” In His Closet!

Ronald 6 Comments

Donald Trump is a master of conspiracy theories, including:

Muslims in Hew Jersey applauded the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Barack Obama was not born in the United States, and is a Muslim. (The Birther Conspiracy)

Mexico is conspiring against the US, and sending drug gangs and criminals into the US.

Ted Crux’s father, Rafael Cruz, conspired with Lee Harvey Oswald to assassinate John F. Kennedy.

Vince Foster, an aide to the Clintons, did not commit suicide in 1993, but instead was murdered on order of the Clintons, as he had dangerous information on their activities.

Hillary Clinton “enabled” Bill Clinton to commit abuse on numerous women, and set out to destroy those women’s lives in the aftermath.

These and other conspiracy theories are the work of right wing extremists who will stop at nothing to defame the Clintons and President Obama.

Meanwhile, Trump has numerous “skeletons” in his closet, but is outraged at any investigation of them, and uses reports on his “skeletons” as the excuse for his vicious personal attacks on the Clintons, Obama, Muslims, and Mexicans, along with innumerable personal attacks on everyone else imaginable!