Beginning Friday, October 3, and continuing through Friday, October 24, I intend to be positive, and provide three reasons to vote for each of the four best known candidates for President. Friday the 3rd: Independent candidate Ralph Nader. Friday the 10th: Libertarian candidate Bob Barr. Friday the 17th: Republican candidate John McCain. Friday the 24th: Democratic candidate Barack Obama.
John McCain, Republican
John McCain was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982 from Arizona. In 1986 he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he has served to this day. In 2004, he was re-elected to the Senate with 77% of the Arizona vote. He is a decorated Vietnam War veteran, who spent 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. The McCain-Palin website states that, "His naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross." click here to read more
Based strictly on data from that site, the following are three reasons to vote for McCain on November 4:
#1. Iraq War surge strategy. Whether you agree with our involvement in the Iraq War or not, you have to admire McCain for recognizing that the Bush-Rumsfeld strategy was not working, and for pushing for an additional troop deployment (surge). McCain took a lot of political heat from Republicans for his action. But the surge has been a success, vindicating McCain's position.
#2. The environment. I quote two bullet items from his website that I feel are most important, and speak for themselves:
(a) Climate Policy Should Be Built On Scientifically-Sound, Mandatory Emission Reduction Targets And Timetables.
(b) Climate Policy Must Facilitate International Efforts To Solve The Problem.
Considering (a), I like the "scientifically-sound" phrase, but would have appreciated a definition of the term. For (b), it is obvious that the USA is not the only polluter on the globe. A world-wide effort is required.
#3. Renewing America's civic purpose. This initiative's concept is described and specifics defined:
"John McCain will create a Service to America initiative to strengthen the teaching and understanding of American history, culture and core ideas, and to inspire Americans to serve causes greater than their own self interest. Civic participation by citizens over a lifetime, working in neighborhoods and communities, and service of all kinds - military and civilian; full-time or part-time; and national or international - can renew America's civic purpose and heal our fractured patriotism."
"Bolster volunteerism with an energetic and comprehensive national service initiative designed to increase opportunities for people willing to serve their communities and their country."
"Convene "Volunteerism Summits" so people can share with others the best ideas and most effective programs currently underway in their own communities." I found this idea particularly attractive. Sharing what works and what doesn't will add efficiency to programs (ALL federal programs, not just this civic initiative), and in so doing, curtail the 'reinventing the wheel' time and money wasting drag upon projects that exists in both the governmental and private sectors.
"Coordinate a network of private sector "venture capital" funds matched with government grants to support job retraining or vocational training efforts in high schools and targeted communities where job loss persists." This targeted approach to areas of specific needs sounds both promising and cost effective.
Next Friday: Democratic Party candidate Barack Obama.
Showing posts with label Surge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Surge. Show all posts
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Good News From Iraq: Al-Sadr Orders His troops To Lay Down Arms
The August 8 issue of the Chicago Tribune carried an Associated Press report that said, "Anti-U.S. Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr ordered most of his militiamen Friday to lay down their arms, and his spokesman said the young cleric might call off all resistance if the Americans accept a timetable to leave Iraq."
Who is Al-Sadr? Wikipedia describes him as, "Hojatoleslam Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr or Moktada al Sadr (سيد مقتدى الصدر Muqtadā aṣ-Ṣadr) (born August 12, 1973) is an Iraqi theologian, political leader and militia commander. Along with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, Sadr is one of the most influential religious and political figures in the country not holding any official title in the Iraqi government. Muqtada al-Sadr is the fourth son of a famous Iraqi Shi‘a cleric, the late Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr."
Al-Sadr's followers have been linked in the past with assassinations and terrorist attacks. But I suspect that the Iraqi people, Shia, Sunni, and Kurd alike, are weary of the violence and dissension. Maybe Al-Sadr recognizes this, or recognizes the futility of continued warfare.
I choose to look on the positive side of this development, and hope that Al-Sadr will remain true to his word. He has urged his militia to become part of a new organization known as the Momahidoun. Posters promoting this new group proclaim, ""It is an ideological, cultural, religious and social army that will be charged with carrying out an intellectual and scientific holy war and to free the minds, hearts and souls from the secularist Western onslaught and is absolutely prohibited from the use of arms," I am not too concerned with the fiery rhetoric of "holy war" and "secular Western onslaught." After all, President Ford, in a speech on his plan to stop inflation, launched a short-lived public relations campaign in which he described the scope of his 'attack on inflation' as "the moral equivalent of war." Overblown rhetoric seems to afflict politicians regardless of national origin.
If Al-Sadr wants to engage in a war of ideologies based upon intellectual debate, then let the best philosophy win. No intimidation. No violence. Let the Iraqi people decide what their post-Saddam country should look like.
It's also time for Senator Obama to admit that the Surge has been a major success. The troop increase has resulted in what was once considered a pipe dream - a more peaceful Iraq. This advancement has been so dramatic, that it has led today to a point where a secure Iraq, complete with withdrawal of our combat troops, is being seriously discussed by all parties in this war.
Wouldn't you get a Surge of patriotism to see the following: a joint appearance by Senators Obama and McCain, in which Obama admits that he had backslid and fallen into the traditional politician's trap of being unwilling to admit an error. But now he wants to thank McCain for his foresight on the Surge, admit to its success, turn to McCain, shake his hand, and both turn to the camera, raising each other's hand and proclaiming loudly, "On this we are united - a free and independent Iraq taking its rightful place in the family of nations!"
Who is Al-Sadr? Wikipedia describes him as, "Hojatoleslam Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr or Moktada al Sadr (سيد مقتدى الصدر Muqtadā aṣ-Ṣadr) (born August 12, 1973) is an Iraqi theologian, political leader and militia commander. Along with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and Abdul Aziz al-Hakim of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, Sadr is one of the most influential religious and political figures in the country not holding any official title in the Iraqi government. Muqtada al-Sadr is the fourth son of a famous Iraqi Shi‘a cleric, the late Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Mohammad Sadeq al-Sadr."
Al-Sadr's followers have been linked in the past with assassinations and terrorist attacks. But I suspect that the Iraqi people, Shia, Sunni, and Kurd alike, are weary of the violence and dissension. Maybe Al-Sadr recognizes this, or recognizes the futility of continued warfare.
I choose to look on the positive side of this development, and hope that Al-Sadr will remain true to his word. He has urged his militia to become part of a new organization known as the Momahidoun. Posters promoting this new group proclaim, ""It is an ideological, cultural, religious and social army that will be charged with carrying out an intellectual and scientific holy war and to free the minds, hearts and souls from the secularist Western onslaught and is absolutely prohibited from the use of arms," I am not too concerned with the fiery rhetoric of "holy war" and "secular Western onslaught." After all, President Ford, in a speech on his plan to stop inflation, launched a short-lived public relations campaign in which he described the scope of his 'attack on inflation' as "the moral equivalent of war." Overblown rhetoric seems to afflict politicians regardless of national origin.
If Al-Sadr wants to engage in a war of ideologies based upon intellectual debate, then let the best philosophy win. No intimidation. No violence. Let the Iraqi people decide what their post-Saddam country should look like.
It's also time for Senator Obama to admit that the Surge has been a major success. The troop increase has resulted in what was once considered a pipe dream - a more peaceful Iraq. This advancement has been so dramatic, that it has led today to a point where a secure Iraq, complete with withdrawal of our combat troops, is being seriously discussed by all parties in this war.
Wouldn't you get a Surge of patriotism to see the following: a joint appearance by Senators Obama and McCain, in which Obama admits that he had backslid and fallen into the traditional politician's trap of being unwilling to admit an error. But now he wants to thank McCain for his foresight on the Surge, admit to its success, turn to McCain, shake his hand, and both turn to the camera, raising each other's hand and proclaiming loudly, "On this we are united - a free and independent Iraq taking its rightful place in the family of nations!"
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