Politics Blog

It has been one month since Michael Moore wrote his open letter:

We aren’t kidding around, Democrats, and if you don’t believe us, just go ahead and continue this war another month. We will fight you harder than we did the Republicans.

Michael Moore

The Iraq War is now the property of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, I hope they “enjoy” it.

As the sun is now setting on the East Coast in the USA, Happy Chanukah my friends!!!

I only wish that I could raise a glass of Manischewitz with all of you right now and enjoy a bowl of warm borscht. Hey,I have to have it warm.

Shalom

Here is a fictitious scenario prepared to solely elicit thoughts:

Courtesy of The New York Times, Soldiers have been able to get a glimpse of the “Baker Report” that is calling for “a gradual pullback of the 15 American combat brigades now in Iraq but stop short of setting a firm timetable for their withdrawal.” The Soldiers were “impressed” that such strategic thinkers as Sandra D. O’Conner and Vernon Jordan were involved.

Soldiers have also read that “President Bush will take weeks rather than months to start making changes in Iraq policy.” It is amazing that this is the first war where American Soldiers have news at the same time as their families. Hell, they can listen to live talk radio with streaming.

That brings us to the xyz Infantry Battalion currently conducting operations in Iraq. After reading the above information most of the Company Commanders are adopting a “wait and see” approach before being overly “gung-ho” in executing current offensive operations. Most of those Company Commanders have already written letters to family members expressing their personal condolence of unit members that have perished. They will carry out their responsibility, do their job description but they are packing away the “hooah.”

One of the Company Commanders, CPT Hardcore wants nothing to do with this wait and see attitude. He is hardcore right down to the underwear that he buys at Clothing Sales. In oder for him to bein Iraq, he signed a one year promotion declination.Until he gets orders, in writing, notifying him of a pullback, he is going to push his men 110%, period. Hell, he plans on conducting offensive combat operations right until the last hour. CPT Hardcore, no wife/children, figures that the men signed a contract and volunteered so it is his “duty” to make sure the taxpayers get their moneys worth.

As more and more Afghan Public lose faith in the American Public, we will read more and more articles like, “Taliban Truce in District of Afghanistan Sets Off Debate.”

For those readers that are Staff College Graduates, they may “get” this comment by GEN Peter Pace:

Pace was asked if the advice of generals is becoming less important because of the upcoming Iraq Study Group report and the fact that power in Congress has shifted to Democrats, some of whom have been critical of the war.

“This is a very complex problem, and the more 10-pound brains we can bring to bear on the problem for our nation, the better,” Pace said.

When the old media covered military deaths everyday before November 7, the never said, “God Bless them:”

Cpl. Jonerik Loney, 21, of Hartselle, Ala., died Nov. 28 in Hit, Iraq, of injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Loney was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

When you are an Army Officer that happens to be a graduate of the Naval War College, whom do you cheer?

May you rest in peace:

Spc. Chris Kleinwachter, 29, of Wahpeton, N.D., died Nov. 30 in Ghazni, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when his vehicle rolled over during combat operations. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery, Grand Forks, N.D.

Arlen Specter wants Congress to have oversight over NSA operations:

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, who has criticized the Bush White House’s secrecy about national security issues, said he would welcome detailed congressional oversight of the National Security Agency’s warrantless eavesdropping.

I think Arlen Specter should offer up a deal. Once members of Congress have real security clearances, instead of “hand shake clearances,” they can do all the oversight they want:

Meanwhile, members of congress are not subject to any type of background check. They are merely asked to promise not to reveal any of the nation’s secrets. That’s it. According to a seasoned professional, Winslow Wheeler, with 31 years experience on Capitol Hill, members of Congress are granted security clearance simply by being elected. Winslow worked for the Senate Budget Committee for six years as a security official. He recently published a book about Congress and national security.

Surely Arlen could agree to that? Or is Congress above the people?

Unless you follow Michigan Economics/Politics, you might not have realized that Ford Motor has pledged all of its assets, in order to gain an $18 billion cash infusion:

On Wednesday, two days after Ford said it had arranged to raise $18 billion in loans and credit lines, the automaker revealed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it expected to consume $17 billion in cash over the next three years – roughly half of which would be burned next year alone.

This is actually “good news” in that we will finally get closure one way or another. In three years, there will either be a healthier Ford Motor or there will be a new Ford Motor owned by the creditors.

If there is a new Ford Motor, a replacement Corporation that takes over the old entity’s assets, it will have jettisoned the retiree health care promises that they never funded (taxpayers are not responsible) and the pension plan they underfunded (taxpayers are responsible). Also, some members of the Ford Family, though still wealthy, will be far from hyper rich.

Either way, GM will not be far behind. They will have to jettison their unfunded liabilities, one way or another, to compete with a new Ford Motor.

This is indeed bold and it is good for Michigan as it does provide closure.