Tuesday, October 08, 2013

Did you think that we'd be in Afghanistan 12 years later?

(My new American Thinker post)

 12 years ago, President Bush announced the Afghanistan War:    

 "In a televised address that evening, Bush informed the American public that "carefully targeted actions" were being carried out to crush the military capability of al-Qaida and the Taliban, with help from British, Canadian, Australian, German and French troops. An additional 40 nations around the world provided intelligence, as well as bases from which the operations were conducted.     
Bush touted the multinational effort as proof that America, in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, was "supported by the collective will of the world." He also warned that the war in Afghanistan would likely be only the first front in a long struggle against terrorism. He vowed to continue to take what he called the "war on terror" to those countries that sponsored, harbored or trained terrorists."   

 It was a Sunday morning as I recall.  We were leaving mass and running to a "Pony fall ball doubleheader" that I was coaching and two of my sons were playing in.  

Like most people, I was for the attack because of 9-11.   I remember speaking with some of the parents at the game about the beginning of this war.  It was very common for us to bring radios to hear the Cowboys' game and other sports.  We spent a lot of  that afternoon hearing reports of attacks in Afghanistan.  

I thought to myself:  Would these 14-year old boys playing baseball that beautiful fall afternoon be going off to a war in a few years?  I couldn't help but think about it!   

Frankly, I never thought that we'd be there 12 years later.  I never thought that we'd have 100,000 troops there.   

Where are we now?   The public support is gone.  4 more soldiers were killed over the weekend and the total is up to 2,146.   

I was always more comfortable with the Bush approach, or targeting leaders without the huge footprint, than the Obama approach of "surging" and then announcing a "withdrawal".   

Also, President Bush gave us updates.  President Obama never does, except when he is telling his leftist base that we are getting out.   

Today, I'm conflicted.  Our youngest son, 11 back then, is in the US Army and may be sent there.  I also know that a lot of women and little girls will be slaughtered if we pull out.   

Tough choices.  I just didn't think about any this that afternoon back in 2001.  

P.S.  You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).  If you like our posts, click send, and drop a dime here.



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Beware: Obamacare Scammers on the loose

(My new American Thinker post)

 Here is a bit of friendly advice for President Obama:  Delay ObamaCare for one year. 

Why?  It isn't ready for prime time, drive time, trash time or any other time. 

The computers are still a mess:    

"The website is troubled by coding problems and flaws in the architecture of the system, according to insurance-industry advisers, technical experts and people close to the development of the marketplace."   

 I am not computer smart but it looks like a big problem.  This has all of the looks of a major recall!   

The second problem may be a lot bigger, scammers:   

"Scammers look at opportunities where there's confusion, where people don't really understand what perhaps the new law is bringing to them. ... There's plenty of confusion over this, and this a great opportunity for scammers to confuse you further to try and get into your pocketbook. ... We're getting reports even here in Birmingham of people going door-to-door, telling homeowners that they are with an insurance company or they are with Medicare and that they're going to have to have an Affordable Care Act Card. And so, in order to get their new card they've got to give their Social Security number, their bank accounts, all these things that people need to protect with everything they have and we've gotten report of them just handing these out... It's a perfect opportunity for your identity to be stolen, for your bank accounts to be... your payments to be re-routed. It's just so critical that people understand what the Affordable Care Act is, what it will do and what it won't do, and you're not going to get that information from strangers knocking on your door or calling you on the telephone. ... [The federal government is not soliciting door-to-door for people to sign up for the Affordable Care Act], and they're not going to...  HealthCare.Gov is where you can go for real information..."

We know that this is the president's baby or his signature legislation.  However, sending it back to the shop may be the only way to save the baby. Otherwise, people will throw the baby out with the water.

 You can hear CANTO TALK here.


New Politics Podcasts with Silvio Canto Jr on BlogTalkRadio



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More 'Caracas blues' and 'fake fights' with the US

(My new American Thinker post)
As you may know, the US and Venezuela have been expelling diplomats:   

 "Late Tuesday, the State Department said it was expelling Venezuelan charge d'affaires Calixto Ortega Rios and Second Secretary Monica Alejandra Sanchez Morales at the Washington embassy and Consul Marisol Gutierrez de Almeida at the Houston consulate. It gave them 48 hours to leave the U.S., the same time frame set by Venezuela for the U.S. envoys.    
"It is regrettable that the Venezuelan government has again decided to expel U.S. diplomatic officials based on groundless allegations, which require reciprocal action. It is counterproductive to the interests of both our countries," the State Department said.    
Maduro said earlier Tuesday that socialist-led Venezuela will not have cordial relations with the United States as long as U.S. diplomats continue what he alleges are attempts to destabilize his country.  
Speaking from the government palace, Maduro said that "while the government of the United States does not understand that it has to respect our country's sovereignty there will be simply be no cordial relations nor cordial communication."  
"The day that the government of President (Barack) Obama rectifies the situation we will establish new points of contact to discuss common issues," said Maduro, the hand-picked successor to late President Hugo Chavez.  State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the allegations were related to the U.S. Embassy workers' travel to Bolivar state, which is home to troubled state-owned foundries and Venezuela's main hydroelectric plant.  "They were there conducting normal diplomatic engagement, as we've said in the past and should come as no surprise," Psaki said."
Of course, this is all a big distraction.  President Maduro is trying to stir a little nationalism to distract people from a collapsing economy, from mass shortages, and a devalued currency.

 We did hear from friends in Venezuela that the diplomats were not happy with President Maduro creating this little "problem" at this time. They wanted to stay in the US. One of these diplomats apparently got into a huge shouting match with President Maduro.

 It has to be the baseball playoffs. Maybe they had tickets to watch their countryman Miguel Cabrera swing the bat. 

 In the meantime, Venezuela keeps deteriorating on a second by second basis.

 P.S. You can hear my chat with Comandante Cazorla, an opposition leader here



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Why didn’t Pres Obama address the nation about the military action in Africa?

(My new Babalu post)
Looking for President Obama!
Maybe I got spoiled watching presidents from Nixon to GW Bush. I really want our president to go on TV and tell us about military operations and their objectives.  We deserve it, specially those of us with sons in the military.
Again, where was President Obama? Why didn't he make a brief statement on TV?
Perhaps President Obama does not want to talk about the new war developing in Africa.    
"The Administration has seemed reluctant to act forcefully against al Qaeda in Africa lest it undermine President Obama's claim that the terror network is defeated. The raids are a tacit admission that Mr. Obama has been overselling victory, but we're nonetheless glad to see the U.S. going back on offense."
Al Qaeda is alive and well. It's time for President Obama to admit it publicly and tell us that we are back on offense.
We need to be on offense against terrorists.

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The income tax turns 100 this week

It was 100 years ago that the income tax was born:

 "Congress passed an income tax to fund the Civil War in 1862 but allowed it to expire a decade later. In 1894, it passed another — a 2 percent flat-rate income tax that kicked in at today’s equivalent of $110,000. 

 It was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court because it was not apportioned among the states, as the U.S. Constitution required.

Then, during the Progressive era, supporters of the tax passed the 16th Amendment, giving Congress the power to tax income, and in 1913 Congress approved a tax with a series of rates ranging from 2 to 7 percent. 

 But high personal exemptions meant that fewer than one out of every 50 Americans owed any tax at all."

 The federal tax code is one gigantic mess that no one understand.  There are too many rules or too many people not paying any taxes.

 It's time to take the next step and for a flat tax, or a simple tax that everyone pays & understands.
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