Russia's Iron Fist

Russia is enormously resurgent (as is China), and they are modernizing their military, while we are "busy" and distracted with ridiculous dysfunctional political infighting here in the U.S.

- Between Republicans and Democrats. 

- Between Trump and Hillary.

- Between running mouths and utter corruption. 

- Between what our values are and aren't.

- Between racism and cop killings. 

- Between sequestrations, filibusters, and government shutdowns. 

- Between fighting terrorism and not even being able to say it's name and origin. 

- Between support for NATO and our allies and abandoning them. 

- Between invading Iraq and Afghanistan and then hasty and wasty retreats. 

- Between capturing terrorists and locking them away in Gitmo and then throwing them back out on the streets to plot and attack again. 

- Between calls for a strong military, policing the world, and keeping the peace and that being replaced by leadership from behind, disengagement, appeasement, and weakness.

- Between a healthy, vibrant economy and a shallow recession, failing Obamacare, slowing innovation, and ballooning national debt and welfare state. 

In the meantime, the Russians, if no one has noticed is moving critically forward in the world. 

- Ukraine's Crimea has been gone since 2014, separatists are fighting in the east, and tens of thousands of troops are massing on the border. 

- Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia was  occupied by Russia in the war in 2008

- Chechnya was taken by Russia in 1999 and Grozny, the capital, was completely leveled. 

- Bases around Damascus and in Iran have been built up and are in active use in the civil war in Syria going on today, and Aleppo, the largest city in Syria is becoming apocalyptic. 

- The Baltics are under threat by encroaching Russian forces. 

- U.S. military ships and planes and being regularly "buzzed" and Russia is flying mock nuclear bombing runs on the U.S.A. and Europe. 

- Russia is proposing a counter-alliance to NATO by them, China, India, and arch enemy, Iran. 

So while the U.S. spends more on military than the next 8 nations combined, with the U.S. at $610 billion to Russia's much more modest $85 billion, nevertheless, we are falling over our own feet, while Russia is clearly on a determined march.

We can't afford to play politics and suck our thumbs here at home, while Russia is determined and strategic in their moves geopolitically advancing their interests.

We are playing a losing hand and wasting valuable blood and treasure unless we get our democratic house in much needed order, focus, and resolve. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Russia's Iron Fist

What The Pope Knows That Our Leadership Doesn't

In response to the deluge of terrorist attacks across Europe, but also all around the world, culminating this week in the murder of an 85-year old Christian priest in France (his throat was slit in church by ISIS), the pope said the following:

The world is at war, because we have lost the peace."

But at the same time, our leader is self-congratulating himself, declaring his next in line for the Pennsylvania Avenue throne, and mocking the daily terror threats we face, calling ISIS the "JV [junior varsity] team" declaring them "not an existential threat, and insisting "no boots on the ground." 

From the attacks on 9/11 to Orlando and Fort Hood, from the attacks on Charlie Hebdo to Paris and Nice, from the multiple attacks on Germany this past week to those in Belgium in March, from the Madrid train bombing in 2004 to the London bombing in 2005, to the daily terrorist attacks throughout the Holy Land of Israel, and the non-stop violent killing of  millions around the Arab countries of the Middle East, North Africa, Asia and beyond, I ask:

Why is the Pope better informed than our leadership, and who will fight for us? ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

What The Pope Knows That Our Leadership Doesn't

Defeating Terrorism Not Optional

So in today's New York Times Sunday Review, David Rieff provides some insights on the state of terrorism that we are living with. 

Two very concerning points he makes:

1) A resignation that not much can be done: There are limited security resources, but infinite points for terrorists to strike. As he says, "Not all these attacks can be stopped....there is no way to police every subway station, cafe, and public square."

2) Many of our leaders are in convenient denial or disengaged: They see the daily terrorist attacks and their response is a rote rejoinder to either join for a brief memorial, slough it off altogether, or even make a joke of it (as if murder is a laughing matter). Rieff repeats even a recent interview with President Obama where he makes light of the impact of terrorism in that doesn't pose "an existential threat to the United States of the world order." Unless of course, it escalates and involves weapons of mass destruction or potentially taking out significant portions of our nation's critical infrastructure.

This just seems so different that how our nation has raised itself up in past conflicts and to win them: 

In World War II, the Allies were committed to defeat Nazi Germany, and they did, including through D-Day, one of largest and bloodiest invasions in history. 

President Reagan helped win the Cold War, by labeling the Soviets the "evil empire" and setting America on a major military buildup, one that the Soviet Union could not afford and eventually withdrew from. 

After 9/11, President Bush vowed that we would get Osama Bin Laden "dead or alive," no matter how long it takes, and eventually we did!

Over and over, the odds were not great and the stakes were enormous, but a positive attitude and the commitment to win took us a long way. 

In contrast now a attitude of defeatism has set in with Rieff declaring that "the stark truth is that the number and lethality of terrorist attacks are far likelier to rise than to diminish in the near future," and as he quotes the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls as saying, "Times have changed, and we should learn to live with terrorism."

How can anyone agree with that--should we really resign ourselves to learn to live with random acts of violence, murder, and terror? 

Rieff ends with that "the best we can hope for is to hold on to enough of our humanity to have a chance of clawing back the rest when the war ends, as all wars do."

I do not believe that this is good enough!

Not identifying the enemy, disengaging from global events or leading from behind, appeasement of sworn enemies, removing sanctions and releasing terrorists from GITMO, getting soft on terror saying it's not so bad out there that "the birds were [still] chirping and the sun was out,", and giving up on defeating it...is a losing attitude and proposition and one that will only result in more heartbreaking and innocent deaths. 

Dismissing or belittling the issue, defeatism, and jokes will not defeat terrorism, but a commitment to do whatever it takes to save lives and protect our nation will, as has been the case from Hitler to Bin Laden, and so it will be again. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Defeating Terrorism Not Optional

How's Things Looking 4 Months Before The Election

Let's see how are we doing in the last 4 days just 4 months shy of the next election for President of the United States Of America:

- Thursday night...another major terrorist attack in Nice, France left 84 dead and 204 wounded. Terrorism is now so deadly and commonplace that graphic on Facebook shows 4-step cycle of terror attack, pray for x, put up flag profile on Facebook to show unity, and return to state of stupor and await next ISIS rampage. 

- Friday night...another major Arab country in turmoil with a unforeseen coup attempt in Turkey leaving 290 dead and another 1,400 wounded and now 6,000 arrested in a "purge." Arab Spring has turned into one ongoing murderous chaos in the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia with Syria and Libya still in civil war, Iraq and Afghanistan fending off ISIS in it's cities and the annual Taliban Summer offensive respectively, and a succession of coups in Egypt 2013 and Yemen 2015. 

- Sunday morning...another breakdown of law and order with 3 more murdered police officers in Baton Rouge, LA following up on 5 cops shot dead a little more than a week prior in Dallas, TX. Friday was supposed to be a Day of Rage across major cities in the U.S. with warnings for people to stay away and seek safety in what's being seen as a significantly worsening racial divide in a country that has until recent history prided itself on being a successful "melting pot" and driven to equality. 

As anyone who follows the news knows, this is only the tip of the iceberg, and despite vigorous attempts by some to put rose-colored glasses on everything and try to create a forced-air of stability and calm...the truth of the disharmony and discord is loud and getting louder. 

From Brexit to Zika to millions of refugees running for the exits, from Bill Clinton meeting with the Attorney General right before Hillary's non-indictment, from our exploding national debt and to long foretold bankruptcy of the triad of our social entitlement system, from Russian and Chinese militaristic resurgence in Georgia, Ukraine, the Baltic States, and the South China Sea, respectively, from Iranian and North Korean nuke-capable missile launches, things are getting quite out of control and just 4 months from the election...and the truth is making it to the surface despite all attempts to silence Freedom. 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

How's Things Looking 4 Months Before The Election

Weakness Begets Terror

A terror truck plows into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France killing at least 84--many of which are children!

How many terror attacks do we have to undergo before someone wakes up and does something?

I watched Judge Jeanine express outrage on Fox News video about what is going on with radical Islamist terrorism across the globe.

Moreover, there is spiraling inner-city violence here at home with presumed racial killings of black people and the murder of 5 police officers in Dallas, Texas and more warnings about a Day of Rage in 36 cities today. 

Things are out of control!

OMG, the list of terrorist attacks just this year alone in 2016 is so long that wikipedia had to break them up into separate lists by month.

Some still can't get up the courage or leadership skills to identify the enemy.

Moreover, they vow not to put boots on the ground. 

Instead, they prefer platitudes and implications that Western civilization is at fault rather than the murdering terrorists. 

Choosing disengagement, withdrawal, and appeasement over defending our national security. 

Just this week again, Iranian attack boats swarmed a U.S. battleship in International Waters that had our 4 star general in charge of U.S. Central Command, and we do nothing but lift sanctions on them, release $100+ billion, and encourage the opening of finance and trade with them as they continue to chant "Death to America."

Russia and China continue to buzz our planes and ships and extend their boundaries into Crimea and the South China Sea, respectively, while North Korea tests ballistic nuke missiles that may soon be able to reach our shores. 

Moreover, instead of making things better, we are continuing to make them worse, with our own military warning against the change in policy to a stated "no-first-use" weapons policy in an age of dangerous nuclear proliferation and resurgent and modernized adversaries. 

After 9/11, we overreacted with almost 10-years of war, lashing out at enemies real and imagined, and now for the last years, we have become disengaged and withdrawn--either too afraid, unwilling, or ridiculously "political correct" to defend our own national security. 

The pendulum has swung wild and reckless for too many years...it is time for a normal and balanced course of action to protect our people and country--can anyone say radical Islamists? ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Weakness Begets Terror

Getting "Unf*cked"

So on July 4th, I wrote and did a short video about how messed (f*cked) up things are in the world today (of course, technology-aside), and I advocated for people being a good influence and for constructive change. 

On the positive side, I saw this neat bumper sticker to "Unf*ck The World," and I checked out their website utwnow.org. 

It was impressive to see people advocating for, banding together, and engaging to do good things to help others such as assist the homelessness by giving them haircuts, doing laundry, providing "mobile hygiene," and helping with a thrift shop and job opportunities.  

In contrast again, it was interesting in the Wall Street Journal today, there was an editorial on how Brexit (Britian leaving the EU) has nothing on Amexit (America's disengagement from global affairs). 

Around the world, there is cause for not only pause, but great concern.

- From allowing Syria to cross the red line in using chemical weapons (on civilians!) to the recommendation to not charge the former First Lady, we are in moral and leadership retreat.

- Russia takes over Crimea and agitates in Eastern Ukraine and the Baltics, while China continues its island buildup in the strategic South China Sea.  

- ISIS continues to hold ground across the Middle East and Northern Africa and attacks targets literally everywhere in the world and routinely takes, enslaves, and sells women to the highest bidder on the Internet.

- North Korea and Iran test ballistic missiles, and nukes are a forgone conclusion for them. 

- South America and Europe are in economic and political turmoil with varying degrees of recessions, runaway inflation, shortages, impeachment proceedings, voter recalls, and fractioning. 

- The U.S. is struggling to maintain its leadership role as we fluctuate between recognizing the dire need and pulling back all around. 

In the election cycle, I think just about every single person I have heard from now says in near hopelessness something like, "If only there was another candidate that I could vote for."

What we can do locally to help--and certainly there is a lot more to do there with poverty and homelessness--perhaps people can do nationally and globally in demanding more--not material things, but rather a real caring about others and not just ourselves, a genuine discourse on policy and not just punch lines for the next election or media soundbite, a solutions-oriented mindset rather than a gaming the system one, and a big vision to settle the stars, cure vicious diseases, pull everyone out of poverty, and resolve endless cycles of global conflicts.

Do you hear much of anything on this these days and is anyone taking the high ground or is it just who is more crooked and untrustworthy--this cannot be the answer. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Getting "Unf*cked"

What Terror Attack?

Haven't we all heard it before...

Another terrorist attack, and there is an appeal for calm.

Radical Islam, no way...we can't even say the words.

I'm sure we'll hear the typical...that it was just a lone crazed gunman.

Forget that he avowed allegiance to ISIS.

And that he had previously been investigated by the FBI.

Also, that it is just 3 days since ISIS threatened to attack Florida.

We need the public to think there is stability and safety, especially right before the election.

DON'T ROCK THE POLITICAL BOAT!

The public is perceived as stupid.

Part of the echo chamber with the media. 

Feed them some crap about this being gun violence and attack the 2nd Amendment and call it a day.

The sheep will go back to their slumber and still vote for who the elites tell them to.

Over 50 DEAD.

Over another 50 wounded, many (or most) in CRITICAL CONDITION.

The WORST mass shooting in US history.

We're tough on terrorism...keep repeating that.

Don't flinch when the cameras are on you.

Make a remark that it's because the enemy is angry about GITMO or Palestine or whatever.

In other words, it's justified--we deserve it!

Close GITMO and resolve the Palestinian issue and all will be well in the world and there won't be any more of this terrorist, murderous, violence against civilians, women, children, people at worship or at weddings or at funerals, or going to work in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, or on a bus or train, or sitting in a cafe or pizzeria or club.

Let's stop more sanctions and release more money to Iran, the world #1 sponsor of terrorism.  

Let's leave Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen and more...all will be well.

Blood shed, treasure spent. 

Time to go home.

The enemy is not coming here.

Everyone rest assured. 

The unity rally after the attacks in Paris...we're a no show. 

The attack in Tel Aviv last week...tell them to show some restraint. 

Orlando...forget about it, really--it's over.

Let's focus on the election now.

Tell them about glass ceilings and redistributing the wealth--they'll eat that up.

Power, 4 years...maybe 8.

Citizens, sleep well...the Ambien is being carefully administered to each and every one.  Zzzzzz.  ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

What Terror Attack?

Held Hostage To Hate

So isn't it bad enough that the radical Iranian regime is the #1 state sponsor of global terrorism and human rights abuses, and threatens the West with nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and genocidal actions.

Iran continues to spread disgusting hatred and bigotry--against the West, and journalists, and gays, and Sunni Muslims, and Jews. 

Now Iran is conducting 2 vile and despicable anti-Semitic cartoon contests: 
- Making fun of, desecrating, and denying the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, and
- Threatening and terrorizing the people of the Holy Land of Israel. 

Yet, this is the Iran we lift sanctions on and free $100+ billion to pour into yet more hate, weapons, and terror. 

The results of tolerating disrespect, hate and bigotry is no doubt more of the horrible same. 

What then will be the result of acquiescing to and attempting to appease threats, terror, and weapons of mass destruction?  ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Held Hostage To Hate

Have A Nice Doomsday

This was a photo of a photo I took at Washington Artworks this past weekend.

An anti-nuke demonstration outside the White House with signs that say:

"Live by the bomb, die by the bomb."

and 

"Ban all nuclear weapons or have a nice doomsday."

This was particularly interesting juxtaposed to the editorial in the Wall Street Journal yesterday by the UAE Ambassador to the U.S. who reflected on "one year after the Iran nuclear deal" and outright stated:

"Don't be fooled. The Iran--we have long known--hostile, expansionist, violent--is alive and well."

And he goes on to cite the multiple ballistic missile tests by Iran (October, November, and March), the firing of rockets by Iran dangerously close to a U.S. aircraft carrier (December), the detaining of US Navy sailors on their knees broadcast to the world (January), an $8 billion purchase by Iran of Russian fighter jets, planes, and helicopters (February), and the seizure of shipments by Iran of large weapons caches supporting terrorism around the world (February, March, and April) including just yesterday when the U.S. seized thousands of AK-47s and RPGs headed for Yemen. 

The editorial ends...

"Our hope for a new Iran should not cloud the reality that the old Iran is very much still with us--as dangerous and as disruptive as ever,"

Let's pray that our earnest yearnings for peace with Iran (and North Korea for that matter) does not end in the polar opposite...a "nice" nuke doomsday scenario by the leading state sponsor(s) of terrorism worldwide. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy from Washington Artworks)

Have A Nice Doomsday

The Voter Psychology Behind A Trump

Over and over again the left AND the right try to get a knockout on Donald Trump. 

But what happens?

He's not knocked out.

He's not even knocked down.

To the contrary, he is still standing and seems to become stronger!

What is going on with this phenomenon?

Some would like to call it perhaps a psychosis of the masses. 

Other like to belittle those that like him by dissing their intellectual status and calling them stupid. 

Many even seem to go to every extreme to to make him out as crazy, fascist, bigoted, hateful, and a con man. 

Yet, for the most part it's doesn't seem to be working--people are still flocking to him. 

It's like the more they try to gang up on him, torment him, bash him, and zing him--and rather than buckle, he is still there standing and remains strong--perhaps, the more "proof" it is for people that he can and will stand up for America!

With dismal ratings for the President, Congress, and government overall, the outsider, the business man, the billionaire, the dealmaker, the one who isn't afraid to speak his mind and to say to the people the non-politically correct thing is coming across refreshing to many who are seeking change from the the last 7 years, 15 years, or further. 

With many seeing the current politics of the U.S. as leading from behind, appeasement, weak, divisive, and disengaged, it is not surprising to see bands across America yearning for something more. 

Is Donald Trump strong and anti-establishment or truly bad and dangerous?

This is for America to seek the truth on and wisely decide. 

What's riding on this?

Whether Trump OR another candidate to be determined --(someone/anyone) -- can potentially get things positively and constructively done in our large and complex political machine that has in many ways become increasingly stymied by bureaucracy, obstructionism, defeatism, game-playing, selfishness, pork barrel politics, (corruption,) sequestration, government closures, and political fighting across the aisle/behind the aisle/and in the aisle.

Let's hope for America and the world's sake the voters get it right.

But keep bashing Trump and you are keeping his message of superior strength and hope very much alive. ;-)

(Note: This is not an endorsement for any candidate or political party)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Voter Psychology Behind A Trump

Iran Man

Today, Iran warns a U.S. Navy ship and fighter jet to stay away from military exercises they were conducting.

And what did we, the Superpower, do? 

We hightailed it out of there. 

Yet, presumably we were in international waters this time, so it's curious why the U.S. military would take it's orders from Iran if we were legitimately there. 

This is just...

- A little more than 2 weeks after Iran seized 2 U.S. Navy ships and 10 sailors and put them execution style on their knees and broadcast this to world.

- And less than a month after Iran fired missiles within 1.3 km of the U.S. aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman.

Wonder why did Iran warn us this time and not last month with the aircraft carrier--should we be "thankful" again to them, this time for warning us.

- And just less than 2 weeks ago, Iraq-based Shiite terror militias (alleged proxies for Iran) abducted 3 more Americans (almost simultaneously with their prisoner swap with us--refilling their human cache).  

- All this, plus the 2 ballistic missile tests (those capable of carrying nukes) that Iran conducted in October and again in December in violation of U.N. resolutions, and what do we have? 

A new "Iran Man" (not Iron Man) in town--with over $100+ billion to spend on global terrorism while chanting "Death To America"--and he most certainly isn't a superhero. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Iran Man

Iran Outsmarts And Humiliates

Iran so far continues to outsmart us at every turn...

Take just last week:

We released 7 Iranians for 5 Americans hostages plus a $1.7 billion settlement to Iran, even though our victims of terrorism haven't received their settlement money from Iran. 

Good deal?

Well after Iran released the 5 Americans, the Shitte militias in Iraq "whose funding and direction come from Iran" immediately took 3 new Americans hostage.

Oh well.

How about with the nuke deal with Iran?

We got short-term commitments from the Iranians to restrain their nuke program in return for $100+ billion and a removal of sanctions.

Good deal?

Well after Iran agreed to this, they immediately tested 2 ballistic missiles capable of carrying nukes in violation of UN resolutions, and then Iran threatens to pull out of the deal if we impose any new sanctions. 

Oh well. 

Then again, what about our naval vessels seized?

Iran took 2 US naval vessels and 10 American servicemen/women and after releasing them, we profusely thank Iran. 

Good deal?

Well after we thank them, Iran broadcasts humiliating images of the Americans on their knees captured, and it is reported that Iran kept SIM cards from the sailors handheld satellite phones presumably to hack these communications in the future. 

Oh well. 

They win some and win some more--AND--we lose some and lose some more. 

Ready for the next humiliating round? ;-)

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Scott Joseph)

Iran Outsmarts And Humiliates

Rose-Colored Glasses Make Everything...More Rosey

Yesterday, Iran detains 2 U.S. naval vessels...

And 10 of our brave military men and wome (from the world's superpower) are literally on their knees held captive and broadcast for all the world to see.

Yet the truly unbeleivable response is "We don't see this as hostile intent."

However, Iran's most unfriendly overtures to the U.S. also include:

- Taking 60+ Americans taken hostage for 444 long days. 

- Bombing Marine barracks, through Hezbollah proxy, killing 241 American servicemen and women in Beirut. 

- Shooting live missiles within just 1,500 yards of  our aircraft carriers

- Blowing up a replica of a U.S. warship

- Testing multiple ballistic missiles capable of carrying nukes

- Continuing to hold 4 Americans hostage

- Threatening genocide against the Holy Land

- Regularly chanting "Death to America" and burning our flag

What do we do?

A deal to release $100+ billion dollar to the world's #1 sponsor of terrorism and remove sanctions.

Funny thing is we've seen this story before...

- ISIS attacking and threatening American cities with a new 9/11 attack and seeking to build a dangerous Caliphate

- North Korea testing an H-bomb and ballistic missiles with nukes to hit the U.S.  

- Russia annexing Crimea and settling into Syria to bolster Assad

- Syria continuing to use chemical weapons, laying seige and starving tens of thousands of their own people, and killing, wounding, and displacing millions to be absorbed by the West. 

But we open our hearts and borders and seek to take in more refugees with a questionabe vetting process, not even use the term "radical Islamist," and to whiteout any red lines that we've drawn to protect our national security. 

Surely, our sworn enemies of the Axis of Evil don't want to hurt us...perhaps, kill and destroy are more accurate terms. ;-)

(Source Photo: here with attribution to Jim Simonson)

Rose-Colored Glasses Make Everything...More Rosey

What Do Red Lines Mean Anyway?

Whether with chemical weapons or nuclear capable ballistic missiles, we set red lines with Syria and Iran and what happens?

These are weapons of mass destruction we are talking about!

What message do we send our dangerous adversaries, when we say we are going to do something and then we hesitate or don't follow through?

Respect is earned and without that we are as good as roadkill. 

When we say something is crossing our red lines we ought to "say what we mean and mean what we say."

Our national security is important, and so are our red lines and follow through actions. ;-) 

(Source Graphic: Andy Blumenthal adapted from here with attribution to hobvias sudoneighm)

What Do Red Lines Mean Anyway?

Heading Askew

I thought I'd end the year with this photo that I took yesterday at the Hair Cuttery. 

There is this mannequin's head just laying on top of the washing machine. 

Is that what happens to customers' heads who don't cooperate with their haircuts or perhaps if they don't tip enough? 

More seriously though...

Maybe this is a good picture to summarize 2015--heads are down and the hair is all messed up, but it won't stop us from trying to wash the darn clothes going out there. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Heading Askew

Can You Say Coalition?

So count up the number of times the word coalition was thrown around last night in the DNC Presidential Debate. 

Every last sentence to every question asked was like: 

We need a coalition to defeat ISIS.

We need a coalition outside the U.S. to defeat terrorists grabbing land, and inside the U.S. to defeat the lone attackers. 

We need a coalition for climate change. 

We need a coalition to get our economy back on track.

We need a coalition to better regulate guns. 

We need a coalition on immigration reform. 

Of course, as the superpower, we can't seem to do anything for ourselves anymore. 

We are disengaged, leading from behind, and have no real answers to any of the big problems we face. 

No matter that we have been using a coalition to fight ISIS these last number of years, and success has been marginal at best as they keep recruiting on social media. 

No matter that we can't get binding agreements with Iran as they shoot off new ballistic missiles capable of carrying nukes into the ether, or on global warming because each country in the end will do what they want in their own best interests. 

No matter that ISIS, Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea does what they want and don't need permission, forgiveness, or anything from anybody--they pursue what is good for them and they are relentless in getting it. 

No matter that we constantly show fear and weariness and helplessness in the face of our enemies that have the resolve, patience, and determination to fight as long as it takes and do whatever it takes to win. 

One candidate spurted something about, "Do you know how many coalitions I've put together" or "I've been putting together coalitions for years" (like that has achieved what exactly)?"

Terrorism is on the rise from Paris to California, ISIS is on the move grabbing up territory from Iraq and Syria and now even in Libya, the world is an unstable powder keg from Taiwan to Sudan, and our problems at home are growing worse (national debt, racial discord, etc.)

Oh, we need to get Saudi Arabia and Qatar and Iraq to step up to the plate, so said another one of the candidates last night. 

But we spend billions and billions training them, and they are happy to take the American dollars, but when the first shot is fired, the troops head for the hills...why should they get killed fighting a war that we care about and against their own brothers.

You can't relegate your problems to others or ask others to pick up your slack, while you sit back and drop some bombs from the air--la la la la. 

Are we in a complete and utter leadership void and stupor?

Coalitions are only effective when there is leadership and resolve.

Coalitions are a cop-out when we are stymied to fight for ourselves, to stand up for our beliefs and values, to demonstrate we are committed, and to lead the charge. 

Cowardice will lose the war and much else...if we don't get off the coalition's dime. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Can You Say Coalition?

Global Chaos But G-d Is On Watch

We are continuing to see the number 613 (a critical number representing G-d's commandments to us in the Torah).

I wrote about this in my post last month (Nov 26).

Yesterday, I randomly looked up at this guy cleaning in front of one of the GW University buildings and there it is...613. 

On Sunday, we stopped for something to eat (see receipt total with the scrambled 613 in it)...$16.38.

The principle of divine intervention in everything we do in our lives is a paramount religious belief, and in Judaism, we learn that not a leaf falls from the tree without it coming from G-d. 

The times we are living in is certainly not normal with terror and war on nearly every horizon (ISIS, Iran, Russia, North Korea, and China to name just a few around the globe), a growing threat from WMD, the economy in shambles, government debt exploding, energy, mining, and other commodities in free-fall, and global warming continuing to heat things up. 

Further, with immense conflict and political dysfunction in how to deal with these challenges, and amazingly little to no resolve to seemingly even address many of them at all, the views and positions are moving toward extremes and the people's emotions seem to range from generalized frustration to genuine fury.

The story isn't over on all these fronts for America or the rest of the world, but I believe even if leadership's heart is hardened and progress seems almost completely stymied in the face of emerging global chaos, G-d is watching and guiding things very closely at this historic time. ;-)

(Source Photos: Andy and Dossy Blumenthal)

Global Chaos But G-d Is On Watch

If Terror Fits

There is the old saying that "If the shoe fits, wear it" or as this holiday shopping sign says, "Buy it!


I know everyone has their personal filters through which they see the world--many of these come from family, friends, community, teachers, religion, personal experiences, or even innate personality.


One thing that I think many people are struggling with these days with politics is what possible filters are guiding many concerning policies of our country resulting in:


- The tepid response to terror attacks on this country as well as in Paris, London, and Jerusalem.


- The clamping down on free speech in the wake of terror.


- The lax immigration checks on refugees.


- The dangerous spread of ISIS after the withdrawal from Iraq.


- The disappearing red line in Syria.


- The emboldening Iranian nuke deal.


- The bias perceived against friend and ally, Israel.


- The unbriddled Russian resurgence.


- The lumbering pivot to address Chinese militarization.


We are living in chaotic world times, and we need strong hands on the rudder to safeguard the people and future of the country--for that we need to understand where politics and politicians are coming from that may be leading to either sound or compromised decisions and the resulting return and risk to the fate of us all. ;-)


(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

If Terror Fits

Unwillingness To Face Inconvenient Facts

The Wall Street Journal today has a poignant editorial by Daniel Henninger on the fractured nation we have become. 

Henninger describes the feeling of a country ranging from fury to depression when an underlying vibrant free nation is overcome by a political fantasy of global disengagement and a doctrine of leadership from behind.

And it's not just the continued downtrodden state domestically--see photo above from this morning's homeless and hungry on Washington, D.C.'s streets. 

But blinded by a fearful political undertone that can't even utter the words radical Islamists, we have taken it yet another wayward step further unable to utter the words terrorism.

With respect to the mass murder of at least 14 in California yesterday by--multiple Islamist attackers blasting off AR-15 assault rifles--the FBI in Los Angeles says this, terrorism "is a possibility, but we don't know that yet, and we're not willing to go down the road yet."

There is not even anymore a facade of objectivity where we say perhaps something like: it certainly look's like terrorism, but we need to investigate and verify--instead what we get is an unwillingness to face down our enemies and the terror of our times or even to openly consider the possibility. 

Ha, it COULD BE that these are 2 completely non-radicalized folks, who happen to have terrorist ties and communications, just found the guns and pipe bombs on the side of the road, got abducted by aliens who brainwashed them to commit mass murder, and just coincidentally after ISIS threatened attacks in the U.S.--anything is possible.

But terrorism--that's RIDICULOUS!

From the disgraceful suffering of the downtrodden and needy individuals on our streets across America to the global disorder that we are seeing daily, we are continuing to lose ground, respect, and time. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Unwillingness To Face Inconvenient Facts

ISIS Ruined Our Vacation

So we rolled the dice this Thanksgiving vacation and came up sort of empty.

We were supposed to go to Las Vegas, but then there is ISIS threatening to strike the U.S. 

Already, ISIS is claiming 71 soldiers in 15 states in the U.S., and the FBI is saying that ISIS terrorists are being recruited in all 50 states. 

Yet our leadership doesn't want to fight ISIS while they are still over there--instead, we are foolishly waiting for the next big terror attack over here, as if 9/11 with 3,000 dead wasn't enough!

We are stubborn, deaf to the terror threats, reactive, and refuse to wake up to the danger that is facing our country. 

Dancing around the issue with some drone and airstrikes--no matter how lethal--is not going to remove this enormous terror threat--coming from some of the most barbaric of enemies that we have ever faced. 

My sister told me from a lecture she heard recently about the terrorist threats we are facing, "We are used to fighting finite wars--there is a start/middle/end. [But] they [ISIS] fights infinite wars--not defined [by time or space]."

So how did we come to cancelling our Vegas holiday vacation?

Here is our story...

The number 613 in Judaism is very important--it represents the number of commandments in the Torah.

We have been seeing this number lately wherever we go: We look at the clock, it's 6:13. We are driving and look at the license plate in front of us--613. We go shopping and the receipt is for $6.13. We rolled a pair of dice (above), that's right 613, and much more. 

We asked what this means and were told it's a warning and to do teshuva (repentance) and follow the commandments more stringently. 

On Shabbat this week, I was reading the Wall Street Journal, and then saw an article on a new illustrative book of the commandments called, "The 613."

That night, I dreamed the entire night about 613--and the need to unlock the code of what it meant for us. 

The next day, my wife said "I have a really bad feeling about Vegas, let's go visit your parents graves."

When we got there, my wife touched the tombstone, and said she could hear my dad telling her not to go to Vegas--was this just playing on her imagination?

So she calls her father who is chasidic and he contacts a famous, pious and mystical Rabbi, the Vizhnitzer Rebbe--and without asking him about the trip--the Rebbe just pops out to my father-in-law that he should tell us not to go on our trip, and if we have to go, to take a different path.

My wife tells her father that we already made plans, have tickets, and don't want to cancel the trip, so we are instructed to give charity (so I immediately write a check for $613!) and do other deeds for repentance instead. 

Then the night before we are supposed to fly out, my daughter comes out with her iPhone and a news items on the State Department issuing a global travel alert "amid concerns that terror groups and individuals plan more attacks after the Paris massacres."

If all this wasn't enough, my back which has been hurting the last week, then completely gives out out on me--and in enormous pain, we simply can't go anywhere.

One warning, two warnings, three warnings...we can't be deaf to G-d's message.

So on this Thanksgiving, a sincere thank you to Hashem (and the Vizhnitzer Rebbe) for guiding us and keeping us from danger.

And a not so thank you to ISIS for implicitly spoiling our Thanksgiving holiday plans to Vegas. 

A small and insignificant, but nevertheless a casualty to our political disengagement, false appeasement, fearfulness to recognize the enemy, and war-weariness to take the bastards down and take them down hard and for good before something, G-d forbid, serious and much worse happens. ;-)

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

ISIS Ruined Our Vacation