We now have a situation where President Musharraf is being spotlighted by his own country as being a supporter of the United States. What is wrong with that? Rising criticism amongst the Pakistanis threatens the balance of peace in this area of the world. And it also threatens the peace of the world. The United States is more and more being viewed as an occupier in Iraq rather than a defender of democracy. President Bush has no clear strategy on how to deal with the situation. What happens if there is a coup in Pakistan? There already has been a military coup in 1999 which brought the standing president Musharraf to power. What are the implications if radical islamists take power in Pakistan? Take a look at this quote from the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). “Pakistani authorities claim that their nuclear weapons are not assembled. They maintain that the fissile cores are stored separately from the non-nuclear explosives packages, and that the warheads are stored separately from the delivery systems. In a 2001 report, the Defense Department contends that “Islamabad’s nuclear weapons are probably stored in component form” and that “Pakistan probably could assemble the weapons fairly quickly.” However, no one has been able to ascertain the validity of Pakistan’s assurances about their nuclear weapons security.”

We now have a situation where our worst nightmare as Americans could come true. What happens if the unrest escalates into chaos? What happens if radicals gain access to these materials? America should be more outwardly concerned over this situation. The present crisis in Pakistan could be the conduit by which radicals obtain nuclear materials.

How will all of this play out in the hearts and minds of the Iranian people? There are two scenarios. The United States hopes that the new sanctions will fuel criticism within the Iranian republic towards the current hard-line government. But, what if this scenario backfires? The Iranians were all witness to the harsh sanctions imposed on Iraq during the 1990s. Many Iraqis starved to death or became fatally ill from lack of proper medicine.

The Iranians could see this as the “enough is enough” point. Will they bow to international pressure and be willing to see a change in leadership through or will this be the rallying point? We do not want to add to the already growing international criticism of the United States. Diplomacy should have a chance to run its course.

[tags]Iran, Politics, War[/tags]

We as Americans are not strangers to oppression. Humans beings tend to unite under a common cause and find resolve under the oppression of aggressors. This situation should not be handled with a stiff hand. The Islamic world is all eyes and ears right now. They are noticably concerned about their own futures just as we are with ours. Russian president Vladimir Putin was also quoted as saying, “Not long ago it didn’t seem possible to solve the situation with North Korea’s nuclear program, but we have practically solved it relying on peaceful means”.

We continue to hope for our futures and the futures of our fellow man. Global peace has been a long standing goal for man. We must show compassion and understanding for our neighbors. It is much easier to have diplomacy with an open hand than a closed fist.

[tags]Iran, politics, war, Islam[/tags]

Casting all guilt aside, the inmate should have been allowed to at least had their appeal heard. Society has a severe lack of compassion for their fellow man/woman. The poor should continue to be poor, because….they are poor? The homeless and destitute should continue to live their lives without opportunity, because… they are homeless and destitute? The criminals and less savory members of society should not have the opportunities that “others” in society have? The “ME” in society has become a cancer on our morals and compassion. Justice was not served here because, someone had to go shopping or go to a stylist. The “society gap” , as I will call it, is growing exponentially with the income gap. If you don’t know someone with pull or you don’t own the summer vacation house, you are not on the same level with some people. Simply because you are not one of them. This inmate could have been unequivocably guilty. That is not the issue. The issue is: Was justice served?

Many individuals go through their daily lives without even thinking of anyone but themselves. This nation was NOT built on individuals and their agendas. This nation was built on a common idea. A common goal. A common struggle.

[tags]scoadams, justice, politics, society, capital punishment[/tags]

Why is Iran important? Iran borders the Caspian Sea. The majority of the Caspian Sea region was under Soviet control for many years. The fall of the Soviet union and the splintering of small soviet states made the possibility of having a controlling interest in the flow of oil from the Caspian region very real. Plans for an oil pipeline through the Afghan/Soviet/Caspian region have been on the books for many years. This area of the world represents a sphere of influence through which the controlling entities would have much geo-political power. Armies that have no fuel are not an army. Nations that have no fuel are not a nation.

[tags]scoadams, Iran, Oil, 9/11, caspian sea[/tags]

Now, I know that the names are similar. But, if you watched the speech, in my opinion, this guy is standing up there like a robot. He is being fed these speeches and comments by advisors that are nothing more than “political chef’s” and we the American people are the dinner guests. It’s like all the spin doctors, advisors, and financial backers are all trying to come up with a new recipe for the American people. Will they like this seasoning? Can we garnish with anything more appealing? I don’t want to single out Mr. Romney either. There are several potential candidates that are falling into this category.

This speech is a glaring example of why our government and elected officials can get into office and just screw completely up! They have no idea what they are talking about. I sometimes wonder if any of these people can actually think for themselves. Why would America be willing to elect a person that can’t even get “America’s Most Wanted Fugitive” and one of his political opponents names correct? Is he truly concerned with bringing Osama Bin Laden to justice and concentrating on what our priorities as a nation should be? I suspect there are MANY Americans that are.

[tags]Politics, Election, Mitt, Candidate, President[/tags]