New Years Eve

New Years eve. Checked the Iraqi blogs to see what is really happening there. They describe long days and a series of explosions, but no news of the events is reaching them on the news. We don't seem to be getting much either. It's as if Iraq has gone into mirage mode - it's hard to tell what's real or not.

I do not want to get out on the freeways tonight and risk getting hit by a drunk, so it's a low key night at home - maybe one of the last for awhile. Traveling to New Hampshire in January for a conference. I'm told several Prez candidates would come by since our group of 200 plus is 10 times the usual 20 a candidate for President usuallly has in New Hampshire. If W were running he'd probably drop in also.

I released another newsletter, focusing on what I think is happening -- Osama's attempt to kill the Pakistan President and get control of their nukes. The guy is ruthless and smart enough to go for the ultimate prize. Regime change is a global game anyone can play, even terrorists.  Osama with Pakistan's nukes will make the chaos in Iraq look like a tiny problem in comparison. Very possible.

I would not be surprised by anything happening in the days ahead. 2004 could hold many surprises - good, bad and ugly.

Weather has turned gray and overcast after days of gorgeous clear, cool blue. We had some wild weather move in but I was so busy there was no time to notice it --just stay focused on getting things done.

Better Times Ahead - April Fool?

Christmas 2003

We've been having beautiful blue days lately, but it started clouding up and sprinkling as Christmas Day wore on.

I've been so busy the past few days I've had no time to write. There's been a 2nd assassination attempt on Pakistan's President. It tells me Osama is after the Paki Nukes - and that Osama is out to do some regime change of is own.

News here is how well things are going in Iraq. Yet I read the Iraqi blogs and it sounds a lot different in Baghdad.

A lot will happen next week. Later...

Wife Laura and I were driving to church early yesterday morning when my cell rang--something it normally doesn't do early on a Sunday --

It was a TV station wanting me to talk about the capture of Saddam. They ended up taking a cell phone tape that they were going to use with some kind of picture --to run until I was able to go in and make a tape after noon.

Amazing, Saddam caught in a rat hole with (literally) rats. I had always said that he was too much of a coward to go out shooting. He had a pistol.
With Iraq now the wild west and every global criminal pouring in to add to the mess, Saddam's trial will add a new ring to the circus.
Ended up going back in to News24 this morning to make a follow up tape. To my amazement there are no plans to put troops and intelligence back on Osama bin laden after they were shifted from Afghanistan to Iraq. Nuts. Bin laden is the real global killer;

FULL COLD MOON

FULL COLD MOON today, a Monday. It's the full Moon in winter, hence full cold moon - vastly different from Harvest Moon in the fall or the blazing summer moon. It was blue skies and Cool in Houston, not like the frozen northeast which just caught a huge Nor'easter (sp?).

Reports from Iraq that U.S. troops are surrounding villages with razor wire. I think it will cause great anger and will create more backlash, from citizens who feel imprisoned in their own country. I fear that we will increasingly look to them like Saddam -- who also imprisoned them at will and was quick to shoot anyone who got out of line. We are cutting ourselves off from Iraqis instead of engaging them.

In Afghanistan, 9 kids were killed in one of our bomb attacks against a terrorist, who was not killed. It's the forgotten war but its the real war against bin laden who is near there - but it doesn't seem to be getting any attention and not enough troops. A military friend sent me a memo about an operation - and the planners forgot to consider that Al Qaeda would already have people on the same mountain pass. They shot down a couple helicopters and the small team was shot to hell - one guy fell out and was surrounded, but they never got him out. Warlords are running the place and Opium harvest is back to boom, so things aren't as great as the politicians here keep claiming...and people are so preoccupied with their lives that the politicians can get by with it. Amazing.

So it is indeed, a Cold Full Moon, in many parts of the world tonight...

Whirlwind Days

It has been a whirlwind since last entry, so I'm behind. Even Iraq became a distant blur for a time. Weather has been wild - East coast getting buried under snow while Texas has been getting some fierce COLD air and stiff winds from the North. BRRRR. And I grew up on a farm as a kid, trudging thru snowbanks. Texas has nothing in cold compared to the frozen North, but even this is too cold for comfort for this warm-climate guy.

Iraq looks strange, still, even after a break. Go check out the Iraqi blogs I referenced in an earlier blog--to see how Iraqi citizens feel about what is happening.

 It appears our U.S. picked GC (Governing Council) are making business deals for their personal gain and showing Iraqis that they aren't paying attention - when they claim they didn't know about a Iraq census plan for 2 months. It gives the Iraqis people the impression its a puppet government, and a corrupt one too. This is not what the U.S. needs.

Friday I was asked to be moderator at a Vietnam protest for religious freedom at Houston's City Hall. Their faces aren't as well known as Saddam's but their cause is the same - Viet gov't even tried to block the Vatican from appointing a Viet bishop as a Cardinal in Rome - talk about paranoid. They have the Buddhist leaders under house arrest, turning pagodas (their church) into jails.

Not cool. I think Americans are getting complacent, thinking Iraq is fixing itself - when bin laden, the real threat, is still open for business. Saddam sightings by Iraqis are common - one newspaper even showed a dual photo of Saddam with Bush during Bush's quick stop at the Baghdad Airport. Frankly, my opinion is that even if Saddam is captured or killed, the insurgents will continue - you have 20% with nothing to lose. It takes few killers to wreck a peace. You got to give them something to lose to bring peace to Iraq - or else this hundred billion dollar experiment will end in failure.

I imagine US TV jokersters Letterman or Leno would say something like: "Find the turkeys in this picture." Here's a link to it: http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/b.JPG

President flies into Baghdad's Missile Alley - Too risky?

A big surprise yesterday was President Bush’s pop-in first-ever flight to Baghdad, for a Thanksgiving Day unexpected visit with U.S. troops.  Risky, but it worked.

 

While it was a good impression, it was chancy flying the Commander in Chief to the same airport (Baghdad Int’l) where a cargo plane had been hit by a missile and lost an engine just a week before.

 

Iraqis let it happen once, but I doubt they’d be fooled a second time>OR they could just get lucky -- so I hope he doesn’t do another one before next election -- or there could be a sudden change in players. This visit was only 2 ½ hours long, which tells you how secure the President’s security felt during the visit – imagine what it’s like for everyone else who has to stay there. Imagine the impression if Iraqi insurgents had shot down Air Force One and killed the President, and it’s impact on the future.

 

The impact would have been tragic for the U.S. and a huge boost for the huge legion of Saddam loyalists with nothing to lose who create the mayhem and shoot the missiles.

 

It would also mean suddenly the President was Dick Cheney, who’s had at least 4 heart operations and a new V-P running the GOP ticket versus the Democrat nominee in Nov. 04.

 

It’s one thing to risk an international negotiator and USAF Aux pilot like myself and just my crew’s butt flying a not so fast blimp-like 747 into Baghdad’s missile alley -- and quite another if I'm flying in as President --

Mission Day #2

The 2nd day of Mission Day was a surprise. Clear skies gave way to storm clouds. First sortie out had to turn back as clouds rolled in. A COLD north front was pressing in. The weather seemed to clear break so we launched again -- my plane was like driving a roller coaster with 3 of us strapped in.

We ran into rain squalls and low clouds short of the search zone, so we had to twist and turn to stay clear of rain bands and sinking clouds. I looked out and saw we were BELOW some of the towers around us, although we were still at a legal altitude, it wasn't a situation to continue. So we headed back. We found a clear area and made a simulated search. I wondered how the landing would turn out in STRONG winds whipping up.

We dove for the runway, and when the wheels touched the check pilot said: "NICE landing." I was amazed. Long couple of days, but got the Mission Pilot training done. Early day tomorrow...

Mission Pilot training day

Just back from a long day working on a Mission Pilot rating with the USAF Auxiliary. It's a Volunteer organization but its a part of Homeland Security and I think with Iraq increasing terrorism and all the bombings going on around the world we can't let our guard down now. 

It was a madcap day because I also found out I was to attend a Bar Mitzvah, for the first time ever, at the same time the training was set up. So, I ended up going to the early briefing at the airport, then fought traffic in a car to make the service and part of the reception--with no time to change to my suit--then back to the airport to fly a mission before sunset. Just made it.

Have one more day of flying to be fully qualified, so will have to miss church and "just do it."  Then it's done and I can fly any upcoming emergency missions.

It was the USAF Aux (Civil Air Patrol) that was the first flight over New York after 9 11 - they did a video with some of our new equipment. We now fly clearance before Shuttle launches and a number of our pilots flew hours in the Columbia search mission early this year. Those of us who flew got a "V" Cluster, whatever that is since I haven't picked mine up yet.

Iraq news seems to be the same, the daily bombing. I had no negative responses, totally unusual, on my last Global American newsletter. Ummmmm. What's up with that.

Tired, and got to get up again EARLY to fly again - it was WINDY today, but bright skies and big billowing clouds above us. Sun was a big orange near the west as we flew circles, looking for the signal of a stimulated downed aircraft beacon. Our designated search grid was near Hooks Airport, so I had the controller watching us on radar to warn of traffic.

Then Monday it's back to business, but I'll be ready to fly a mission should we, God forbid, have another terrorism strike, or if a plane goes down. I still want to fly a mission to check for leaks on the nuclear plant near our base that could affect 5 million people who live within lethal radiation distance....America, the USAF Aux is working to help with volunteers who are ordinary citizens --teachers, salesmen, doctors, lawyers, etc, giving their time. In WWII, it was our aircraft that discovered the German sub that were sinking our ships as they left port. One German Admiral later said it was our "damn red and yellow airplanes" that drove them away. Now they are red, white and blue...

Floods in Houston today

Today was wild. We had the worst flooding since Allison hit in 2001. Tornados ripped thru houses, churches, etc. and cars were buried under water. One trucker was pulled off his air by a helicopter testing a new collar device--it worked great.

Another big rain wave moving in the next couple hours to hit us again. Roads are JAMMED, cars creeping at a snail's pace.

It reminded me of Allison, when we flew back from Washington DC and nearly drove into deep water in the night. It rose so rapidly. We need Amphibious cars!

Not sure what happened in the rest of the world today, too busy trying to survive - one tornado hit just a mile or so away to the West. Didn't get any work done either. Should be sunny rest of the week.

Iraq by Iraqis

Want to REALLY know what is happening on the ground in Iraq? Then check out these blogs by Iraqis living there. Listen to what they say instead of relying on either our government or media -both of whom slant the news:

http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

Post a comment if you want. Riverbend is a woman and very intelligent. Zeyad (Healing Iraq) has a different perspective -- but both are excellent. 

And don't criticize them if you disagree with something - if you were living there with your butt on the line every day you might have a different view than someone sitting safely 8,000 miles away in the U.S. 

I think we have a lot in common with ordinary Iraqis, if we take the time to listen to them. 

Economy & $87 billion to Iraq

They say the U.S. economy grew the last quarter faster than anytime since 1984. It missed a lot of folks if it did. We are now sitting on nearly a $500 billion deficit and about to send another $87 billion to Iraq. Try doing that as a consumer and see how fast you end up on (1) bankruptcy court or (2) jail. However, Bush still refused to back off the tax cut to the top 1% which would pay for the $87 billion. So its back to voodoo economics.

Over $20 billion of the $87B is for reconstruction - and it appears that the taxpayers are getting ripped.  Halliburton is charging $1.56 gallon for gas that can be purchased for 98 cents (apparently its resold to consumers in Iraq for 4 cents, yes, as in FOUR cents). Most of the companies getting contracts are also big contributors to the Bush admin-and leaving out a lot of Iraqi contractors that could do the same work a lot cheaper, so we are teaching Iraqi's that (1) they don't count and (2) it takes payoffs to run a democracy.  Some example we are setting. 

Whatever happened to corruption-free government? If Iraqis look at our judicial system they see that (1) millions of nonviolent drug offenders, mainly minority, who are POOR go to JAIL and (2) RICH drug offenders, mainly white, go to treatment facilities (e.g. Rush Limbaugh). Lesson? Our legal system treats rich different from poor, and color counts. Yet no politicians rail about the unfairness, nor do the radio talk shows.

Saddam killed a lot of people but our own system is finding people on death row who are cleared by DNA tests - how many innocents have we killed? Even after testing negative, the people have to fight like hell to get released. Is that a model system?

Bottom line: Saddam was a snake, but we have a lot of changes we need to make to our own system to make it a global model. If treatment is OK for rich, it should be OK for poor. If a jailed person is cleared by DNA, let them out (i.e. you caught the wrong person). Business corruption (buying contracts through "donations") is wrong in the 3rd world, and is wrong in America. Let's make America a real global model for humane treatment, justice and fairness.

Iraq Riots

Reports today of a riot in Iraq and 14 killed. Unfortunately, this will create even more ill will towards American soldiers if they did the shooting instead of Iraqi police. Bremer really screwed up when he failed to follow the James Baker Institute guidelines for a postwar Iraq and disbanded the Iraqi army, which chose to flee rather than fight for Saddam. Their reward? Dismissal and unemployment.

 

Iraq Riots

Reports today of a riot in Iraq and 14 killed. Unfortunately, this will create even more ill will towards American soldiers if they did the shooting instead of Iraqi police. Bremer really screwed up when he failed to follow the James Baker Institute guidelines for a postwar Iraq and disbanded the Iraqi army, which chose to flee rather than fight for Saddam. Their reward? Dismissal and unemployment. Not a good way to win friends and influence people.

Now the Bush administration is claiming Saddam is behind all the new attacks. I'll bet a year's pay that if they caught him tomorrow the attacks will continue regardless. They have taken on a life of their own, from leftover Fedayeen to the "freedom fighters" flooding into the country from surrounding countries--none of whom we stopped at the border.  One conservative commenator emailed me that we shouldn't stop them at the border "so we could kill them in Iraq."  I emailed back to point out that I didn't see us t killing scads of terrorists but they were killing our troops and Iraqis in the bombings, so I miss their "logic."

If you really want to know what is happening over there, check out a couple Baghdad writers and their blogs. One is called "Riverbend" an extremely intelligent woman. Here site is at: http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com

Another good one is: http://dear_raed.blogspot.com (the original Baghdad blogger).

Last Concorde Flight

Today ended an era - last flight of the Concorde. It could be decades before ordinary folks fly at twice the speed of sound. It will be a long boring wait.

I had the luck of flying the Concorde - it was during the oil boom when the order was "go first class, fly the Concorde if you want." And I did. A little over 3 hours from New York to London, instead of 8. We got back to New York a hour before we left London. Loved it.

The one trip I remember the best was the day after Thanksgiving, probably 1979. Because of the holiday there were only 4 of us onboard. Ambassador Averill Harriman, his wife Pamela, another passenger and me. I should have introduced myself but I left them alone. I can't even remember what that trip was about.

But I do remember the incredible ride. When the pilot hit the throttles, it was like a fighter launch. It knocked me back into my seat --nothing like the slow roll of a 747. The steep climbout was at such a steep angle it felt like a space shot.

It seems as though "progress" is marching backwards. Instead of going faster we are traveling no faster than the first 707 jetliner. Those 14 hour Pacific Ocean hops to Hong Kong are the same. Whatever happened to the "Tokyo Express" Reagan's vision for a 2 hour flight from DC to Tokyo? Sadly, it's no where near reality.

We need a new American commitment to advancement, technology and progress - not in weapons but in transportation, medicine, space travel. We need less bickering with our global neighbors and more cooperation for common purposes. I don't see it happening, not yet...what a waste.

GM's cultural screw up, or is it a sex car?

Ah, thanks to GM for making the point for me. They have to rename one of their cars, since "Lacrosse" in Quebec Canada is slang for masturbation. See story at: http://my.netscape.com/corewidgets/news/story.psp?cat=50900&id=200310231142000238100 

Remember its NOVA which in Mexico (no va) means "It doesn't go"...? 

 And Exxon used to be Esso, which in Japanese meant "Stalled car."

Yep, America, we'll conquer the world if these overpaid executives figure out what they are doing....LOL.

But then we are not alone. The Japanese have a drink which translates into Engish as "cow piss." Nope, don't think you'll sell many of those tasty sounding drinks in the States. Guess the whole world needs some cross cultural training....

Americans Must be Global - or risk our future

When the world is a blank slate to Americans, our leaders can manipulate the public. To be a valuable, educated citizen, Americans need to travel the world and write about what they see. We cannot be a global superpower and know nothing about our global neighbors. It's like driving at night without lights.

Maybe that's why I kept a journal as I traveled and saw things. I grew up on a farm. But the travel gave me the insight to predict 9 11. Here's an excerpt from one trip:

DAMASCUS, Syria - It was raining in the night when our Lufthansa flight landed in Damascus. It was December, 1996, my first trip to Syria. The few who knew about the trip were convinced I would be shot on sight. Our mission was to get a 12-year old Texas girl out of Sidon, Lebanon - the headquarters of the terrorist group Hezbollah.

So there I was, within 70 miles of Beirut and Iraq on the eastern border. Travel into Lebanon by Americans was forbidden at the time so we picked Damascus, only a few miles from the Lebanon border.  On the plane flight from Houston I pulled out the latest Wall Street Journal and read an article about an underground chemical/biological weapons plant somewhere near Damascus. Twenty hours later we were driving through the dark, watching posters of President Assad flash by in the headlights...

----

How'd it come out? I died of course. (Full story is located at: http://www.intlegalgroup.com/generic124.html)  No, but it is part of a book I'm writing on America's future. A globally savvy citizen cannot be deceived and is a valuable asset in our future. Seek out the world Americans. We need more global Americans like you.

Baghdad Blogger

I just checked out the blog (weblog) site of the "Baghdad Blogger" aka Salam Pax http://dear_raed.blogspot.com/. I decided to find it to get the "real" news of what is going on in Iraq instead of the stuff we get.

I'm concerned about him because he has recently been on BBC and his identity is now known. There are new power groups forming in Iraq that probably would gladly put a bullet through the head of anyone who isn't saying what they want to hear - people like Mullah Sadr, who I still think may have been involved in the assassination of Al Hakim in the bomb that killed hundreds outside a key Mosque. I'd hate to lose him because I trust the info I get from his insight more than the "all is well" misleading crap the Pentagon always tells us.

I have caught a lot of flak from some Americans who misinterpret what I say. When I say that our troops need to be more culturally sensitive that is not being unsupportive. I'm just trying to avoid creating anger by the Iraqi people whose trust and support we need to obtain success. Salam Pax makes the same point in one of his blogs, and I'd say he's pro-American. But we make no friends when we ignore a country's culture. Going into a Muslim home before the women can cover themselves is as offensive to Iraqis as Arnold Schwarzeneggar putting his hand on someone's breast would be in America. Ignore that and you creat problems we don't need.  I don't fault 19-year old troops since they are clueless, but I do fault the Pentagon for not providing that training.

Anyway, I hope to establish a dialogue with the Baghdad Blogger and pass on some of that information in future newsletters I release. My Global American column now reaches some 4,300 newspapers and individuals in the U.S. and worldwide.

Like Salam Pax, I try to cover issues and provide information people don't see everyday.

Amazing changes - technology/teens

I was just thinking that when I was 18 there were no cell phones, no CD/DVD players, no MP3's, or even computers. Now I couldn't live without them.

I'm wondering what 18 year olds today will think when they are 50 plus and see what 18 years old have then that they don't have today. It's impossible to guess what technology that might be. In 1968, when I was 18 if you said "burning CD's" people would think you were setting something on fire. What was "cool" then is "hot" now.

Let's hope the adults can keep the world from blowing up so future generations of teenagers and the rest can enjoy their music and tech toys. I have more confidence in the kids then I do the adults.

 

No WMD's

I was right, but no one listened. I said Iraq was not an imminient threat, that Saddam was not connected to bin laden and 9 11. Well, the truth is coming out.

David Kay reported to Congress today - no Weapons of Mass Destruction found in Iraq - 6 months after taking it over. The whole premise of this war was WMD's and an "imminent threat." Now that mistake will cost hundreds of billions and the Iraqis will still want us out of their country. No guarantee that it will end up as a "democracy" as we know it. Meanwhile Osama is doing his thing with little attention from us.

Rush Limbaugh being investigated for prescription drug abuse, but his mouth got him fired from ESPN. Why is it he can fault blacks as quarterbacks but he will make any excuse for dumb white guys?  People like him give white people a bad name. Send him to Iraq to clear mines. All he has to do is talk and they'll blow up.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar apologized today for groping women. I give him a lot of credit for being honest about it and addressing it right away, unlike some in DC who apologize for nothing.

Any GOOD news to report? Ummm. Well, I'm still healthy and the brain still seems to function somewhat. Old Mercedes is still hanging in there - Former German leader Helmut Kohl was at the Baker Instittute yesterday. During Q&A I mentioned my German car "only" had quarter million miles on it and had saved my life once. He seemed to like that. Asked him why current leaders were so provincial compared to him, Poppa Bush and Jim Baker....even his successor, Schroeder won on an anti-American campaign, as Sec'y Baker mentioned.

Weather has been BEAUTIFUL. Blue skies, 80 degrees. Better Times Ahead...

Being a candidate

Two different parties have approached me to see if I would run for office next year, for Congress. They want me to make a 3rd try against Tom DeLay.

He'll be glad to know that my prior effort cost me a $150,000/year job and my 18 year advisory position with a major university in Texas.  The district was changed in 2001 and his people removed a large number of Black voters, which I think is a shame.

Ft. Bend County, the heart of the district has become very International, with Asians, Hispanics and all kinds of people from everywhere--not DeLay's crowd, but certainly is mine. He's been pushing the State Leg to change it yet again, supposedly to give the GOP more Congressional seats but really to change his district yet again to get rid of more people he doesn't like and make up for the internationalization of Ft. Bend where I got 25% without funding just by having my name on the ballot.

Honestly, if I got a great job, maybe teaching international studies or doing global negotiating again, I'd probably blow it off and forget running. I ran to make a point, that the U.S. leadership needed global expertise. I had been warning about a possible terrorist attack on the U.S. for years, but no one listened. Then came 9 11, but the signs had been there since the '93 bombing of the WTC.

We'll see. There is the possbility of yet a 3rd party that has a huge base and also stands a good chance of capturing the White House if it picks the right candidate, which is where I'd prefer to be --making global policy. It wouldn't be hard to do better than what's happened the last 3 years. I believe in building bridges not burning them. We are ignoring much bigger threats than Saddam -- who was a nobody, a paper tiger.

We'll see....America would be better off if we totally rolled over Congress every few years and eliminate the special interests. These characters get into "power" and forget about the people.

Crazy Week

Wow, crazy week. California recall election is something out of Comedy Central, Iraq is becoming a Black Hole sucking in billions, poverty is UP, sanity (mine) is DOWN.

Today would have been a good day to go to the Ft Bend County fair, but the Mercedes died - needs a fuel filter (I think) and a starter. It's only got a quarter million miles on it (yep, 250,000). Darn thing saved my life (when a deer bashed into it on an icy road a month after I got it) but may have to finally trade it.

2004 Prez race getting more interesting. Gen. Clark is IN. I was reading a foreign policy article he had written on terrorism, etc. Amazingly, I had been writing a lot of similar stuff during the past year. We've got to build bridges to our global allies instead of burn them.

Got to call it a day. Need a brain transplant. Wife is complaining. The world is spinning. Think I need a nice vacation to somewhere far away, Mars would be perfect.

Cadets Outside - Playboy Shoot Inside

Above: A young cadet tries her hand at the controls of a USAF Auxiliary aircraft. Are we having fun yet?

Today we had "O" Flights, USAF Auxiliary shorthand for "Orientation" Flights, where young cadets get to fly an airplane, many for the first time.

Halfway through the day an airport manager told me that Playboy and Hooters were doing a photo shoot in one of the hangars at the same time. From the outside, you would never know it.

Fortunately, the cadets didn't know it. The weather slowed things down, so they got to go to the military museum at West Houston airport and to see the WWII aircraft of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) which also has a hangar on the airport. Quite a combo of activity on one day.

Thanks to News24 we got some of the cadets some TV time.  It was a nice break from the world and the news. 

Then it started raining and I remembered my wipers on the Mercedes had stopped working, so I scrambled home. I discovered that the wind blows most of it off - as long as its not HEAVY rain. Many thanks to all the volunteer pilots who flew in to do this. None get paid and spend their own money for hotel, food, etc.

For more info on the Civil Air Patrol see the national website at: http://flashpages.prodigy.net/houston/TX447/

Bush Admits No Evidence Saddam was part of 9 11

Above: Looted Iraqi Ministry of Intelligence - apparently no one bothered to look at the documents, except this kid. Why?

Finally, after getting us into quicksand up to our necks in Iraq, Bush finally got honest and said there wasn't any evidence of Saddam being involved with 9 11.  Finally.

The trick worked. By substituting "Saddam" for "Osama" the American public assumed they were one and the same. It's the only thing that has propped up support for this mess we've fallen into--70% of Americans polled thought Saddam was involved in 9 11.  I wonder how Americans feel now? If you don't feel tricked then I'd like to sell you a bridge in Brooklyn. 

Now it's "Saddam was involved with Al Qaeda." They omit the fact that the Al Qaeda camps they refer to were in the far north part of Iraq controlled by the KURDS -- over which Saddam has no control --not since the 91 Gulf War and we set up a northern 'no fly' zone). It has been the Kurds giving Al Qaeda an Iraq base--yep, the same folks Saddam gassed in the 80's, the same folks the administration was shedding tears over before the war are the same ones giving Al Qaeda an Iraq base. We could some more honesty here, Mr. President.

Now terrorists are pouring into Iraq like water into a breached ship. Bush said "bring em on" and they are -- to the detriment of our military. Our military men and women are paying the price for thinking they were in Iraq to avenge 9 11 when it wasn't true. They too had been tricked by a bait-and-switch. We couldn't get Osama, the 9 11 killer, so we switched the fight to toothless Saddam -- in time to win the 2002 elections.

Then it turns out no one planned what to do when we won! It's led to a series of fiascos. We piss off the world we were too arrogant to listen to -- and now we can't understand why they won't rush in and pay for our mess.   I met a Defense official promoting the war, before the war, who didn't even know the U.S. backed Saddam in the 80's when he was fighting Iran!  Between father and son, the Bush's have now had 8 years. The Clintons have had 8 years. That's enough. We don't need family monarchies. For America's sake, it's time to pick a new team in 2004...one with global expertise and some common sense.

 

Space Terrorism

Released article on "Space Terrorism" two days ago (it's on the web site). Out of 4,300 on the mail list I had 2 requests to be removed, and several more signed up. Amazing, especially considering the list includes Republicans, Democrats, Independents and newspapers worldwide. Pretty tough to write anything that can accommodate such a cross section. Normally, less than .5% (one half of 1%) drop, also amazing considering the topics.

Wild day today, like a delayed Full Moon. While I scrambled on some documents at the home office for a client with a crisis the dogs were preoccupied barking at a squirrel in the backyard - reminded me of Republicans and Democrats, except that the squirrel was totally unconcerned about the yelping. He even ran down the fence from one tree to another just to prove his point. Maybe it proves we need more Independents in Congress to get around all the yelping.

Henri now weighs 100 lbs and needs a Dr. Phil for overweight dogs. He burned a few calories today.

Yesterday, found an article in NY Times on a poll they took in Iraq--getting Iraqi's opinions. It confirmed what I wrote some time ago--that our breaking down people's doors was increasing rage among Iraqis - just like we would do if someone was doing it to us. Funny how we never can see it from the other guys shoes. Wish our guys would follow the British lead - they have done a smooth job in their part of Iraq. Result: No one seemed pissed at the British. Hey Rumsfeld, put the Brits in charge.  I'd send Henri but he's busy eating...

Take Me to the Casbah

Great news via email! My wife's oldest son, Jon, has arrived safety in Morocco.

He joined the Peace Corps when no other job turned up. The kid is what we need for our future Presidents - he has more international experience than our present President Bush when he took office (who had been in only 3 countries, which probably explains why our foreign policy is such a mess -- unlike that of Poppa Bush, a true global guy). 

Jon's 25 and has had girl friends from Eastern Europe to Colombia. You American girls have got some competition there.

Morocco is home to Casablanca which had an Al Qaeda bombing a few months ago evne though its a Muslim country (remember Osama? Al Qaeda has done bombings from Bali to Saudi while we fixated on Iraq. Saddam never left Iraq, so he was less traveled than Bush the younger--which expains why they both made cultural gaffes. Saddam's was that the Americans would never attack; Bush's was that the Iraqis would run out offering flowers and wouldn't mind if we took over their oil). Actually, most Iraqis were glad to be rid of Saddam--until we started shooting civilians and seemed not to care about it. But I digress. Back to Jon.

For any young people reading this, consider the Peace Corps. It's a chance to show the world the best of our young people- Jon will be helping Morocco artisans find markets for their products. This is how we will win favor in the world. US AID is another option. Jon and those like him are Global Americans. It's the best "power" we've got.

I think part of being an American should require 2 years of public service right out of high school or college - 1 year working in a diffferent part of the the U.S. from where a person is raised, and 1 year somewhere overseas. This is how minds are opened to the world we are in - and global good is done. I'm really proud of what Jon is doing. We need more like him.

Photo above: A marketplace in Marrakech, Morocco. I'll be happy to give Jon's email address to anyone who wants to write and encourage him.

Oh yes, a "Casbah" is a village fortress or town.

Iraqi Civilians killed - It Will Cause backlash and Loss of Iraq

Yes, I support our troops. I have a young nephew over there, risking his life. But a lot of initial goodwill is being lost by incidents such as the one described below. The more Iraqi civilians that are killed, the greater the backlash against Americans and our troops. It will make Iraqis want to kill more Americans in anger, including my Daniel, who is just driving a truck.  Read this story from the UK:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12239,1037149,00.html

Our troops are in a difficult situation, but if they slide into a mindset like Vietnam when troops shot up a village of women and children at Mai Lai, it turns Iraqi supporters into bitter enemies consumed with anger and resentment against America.

Killing Iraqi police and civilians guarantees that the Iraq experiment will fail. If we had foreign troops here and they did this to Americans we'd be outraged and would want them out of our country.

Unfortunately, our troops do not get peacekeeping training. They are trained only how to fight opposing military forces instead of how to deal with civilians as is now necessary. If we don't treat ordinary Iraqi's like people with some respect, our days are numbered and it will blow up in our face --Bush's and Rumsfeld's face, our soldiers faces, possibly even Daniel's. This is the worst planned war by our so called experts. 

People don't want to hear this, but as a terrorism analyst I have to tell them the truth. It's important that now we are in this mess that it work - but the shootings of civilians and other blunders will cause it to fail. It will spike terrrorism backlash against the U.S. --there and here at home. And that will be another tragedy to come out of this war.

How the war in Iraq has helped Al Qaeda recruiting:

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,484590,00.html?cnn=yes

Call from TV Station - Size of the cat in the fight

Just in from shooting another news clip for News24 - Israel wants to eject Arafat. As I watched the monitor I saw the Pope on one channel and President Bush landing at Houston on another. I was standing at the tape ready to go but it got held up by the Prez. So I joked with the techs, saying "Call and tell him to hurry up!  And ask him if he can send the helicopter so I can avoid the traffic mess!" 

Yea, dream on. Shot the clip. Said "Israeli intelligence didn't want Arafat out since that left radical Hamas in charge" - and that "Arafat could no more control the Hamas because they are Arab any more then Pres. Bush can control the Democrats because they are Americans." Same deal. 

Then went out and got major stuck in Houston's TRAFFIC --an hour and half of driving to do a 3 minute taping!  Oh yes, photo is Minou ("Me New") the official computer assistant. She faces down the 100 lb Henri, proof its not the size of the cat in the fight but the size of the fight in the cat....

2nd Anniversary of 9 11

It's been such a sad day, I'm glad its nearly over. Full Moon and 9-11. It's been TOO quiet, like the calm before the storm.  I hope Daniel, my young nephew in Iraq stays OK. His tour has been extended along with everyone else. No Weapons of Mass Destruction. We just spent $150 billion to find nothing, and now we're stuck in Iraq while North Korea and Iran have got nuke missiles and serious stuff.  Meanwhile, we have got a half trillion deficit while Congress gives itself a raise as people struggle to find work. Congress should have to give back $100,000 to their $150,000/year salary so they can experience how ordinary Americans live -

The Future of America

It's the 2nd anniversary of 9 11, and I'm creating my first blog, after 20+ years of keeping a journal--two years to the day after going on TV as a terrorism expert for Fox in Houston. It's a new era. I will talk about the world and America's role in it. "Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18. I hope to share a vision of a better America that extends a hand to its global neighbors instead of a finger.