Terrorist Mastermind, or Presidential Candidate?

Well, a new Osama tape has surfaced. Personally, I think that al-Qaeda is doing what the U.S.S.R. did when Stalin died. The Soviets let on that Stalin was still alive, until a suitable replacement could be found. In their desparation, it looks like they've found a double to be "Osama" (fake beard, anyone?). If these guys weren't dead serious, I would be laughing myself silly.

One segment of the tape purports that he's been following American politics closely. He said that it was our disapproval of the war that led to a Democrat-controlled Congress. Apparently, they were not paying that much attention. Look at how the Democrats won previously Republican seats in Congress; they jockeyed themselves into positions to the political right of the incumbents! The big issue that swung the election was border security, not the war.

Then comes the big sell: "Embrace Islam...There are no taxes in Islam, but rather there is a limited Zakaat [alms] totaling 2.5 percent.” Hip, hip, horray! Sure, sharia law is replete with honor killings, gang rapes, and is a hell of a lot less tolerant than Judeo-Christian value systems. Look on the bright side, though: you don't have to pay taxes. All he needs to do is throw in universal healthcare, and he could be a Democratic Presidential candidate.

Thank God (not Allah) that I'm an infidel.

Playing the Roman Fool

According to the latest report by the U.S. Comptroller General David Walker, the federal government is on the verge of collapse in a very similar manner to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire (read the Financial Times article summarizing the report). "The US government is on a ‘burning platform’ of unsustainable policies and practices with fiscal deficits, chronic healthcare underfunding, immigration and overseas military commitments threatening a crisis if action is not taken soon." Walker, a Clinton appointee, raises some valid points, but is certainly not the final word on the matter.

At the time of its decline and fall, Roman citizens were paying more than 25% of their income to cover taxes. The holidays to celebrate and honor Roman deities were reduced to being an excuse to indulge in gluttonous behavior. The empire covered vastly different cultural and geographic regions. Government officials were emptying the coffers by building palaces and putting on diversions for the plebes (gladiators and public executions at the Coliseum, anyone?). Fast forward to the 21st century. We have redistribution of wealth through taxation and government programs, mention of God has been removed from our institutions, and newcomers to our country are not encouraged to assimilate into our culture. Our elected officials bring home the bacon for their constituents in the form of pork spending attached to legislation that's supposed to help the men and women of the armed forces and secure our borders.

I wholeheartedly agree with Walker's assessment that “declining moral values and political civility at home [...] and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government" have set us on the path toward self-destruction. I would have to take issue with Walker's additional citations of "slashed government services" and an "over-confident and over-extended military". Maintaining and expanding "government services", like starting government-run healthcare, go hand-in-hand with the fiscal irresponsibility that is the hallmark of "The Great Society". In the face of retiring, and presumably ailing, baby boomers Congress should reform Social Security and healthcare regulations so that we of younger generations will be better prepared for our own golden years. Currently, we bear the burden of footing the bill for today's benefit recipients. Skyrocketing healthcare costs are a result of the rising costs of practicing medicine and fewer individuals choosing this profession. Who can blame today's college students for being turned off by the threat of malpractice suits and dealing with HMOs? Even in the face of higher doctor's bills, we're still better off than nations with "socialized medicine".

As to our military operations overseas, it is necessary to protect ourselves from the enemies without, as well as within. The Visigoths were able to cross into the Roman Empire and ultimately sack Rome itself, due to weaken border defense. Enforcement of immigration laws in addition to routing the enemy abroad is the key to ensuring victory in the battle that will define us for centuries to come, while preserving our civil liberties. I don't know about the rest of you, but I would rather not have to fight al-Qaeda in my own backyard (though I wouldn't hesistate to take pot-shots from my kitchen window). If we do not vanquish the people who have dedicated their lives to the destruction of everything that America stands for, we won't have to worry about falling our own sword.

Is the Pot Calling the Kettle Black?

Apparently Comrade... er, President Vladimir Putin didn't see the declassified Soviet files regarding his own country's behavior between the Bolshevik Revolution and the collapse of the U.S.S.R. Oh wait, he's a former KGB agent! He would know all about kidnapping, murdering, espionage, and stealing top-secret information. Putin has compared U.S. foreign policy to the Third Reich (read the International Herald Tribune article here). Of course, this is nothing new. We've had a poor excuse for a college professor from Colorado refer to the victims of 9-11 as "little Eichmanns". Even the former Chancellor of Germany (a member of the spin-off to der Fuhrer's political party) had called President Bush "Hitler". This is also not the first time that "our friend" has blasted U.S. policies abroad.

In a speech from Munich on February 10, Putin accused the United States of trying to establish itself as "one single center of power: One single center of force. One single center of decision making. This is the world of one master, one sovereign." First of all, if this were the case, we would have already conquered "Mother Russia", the Soviet satellite nations, and the entire Middle East...back when Reagan was President. We would have torn down the wall for Mr. Gorbechev (and spanked the Red Army in the process), dusted both Ayatollah Khomeni and Saddam Hussein, and put Kim Il Sung in a straight jacket. They'd all be English-speaking, Judeo-Christian, democratic societies, gas would be $0.50 a gallon, and we would all be vacationing in Cuba for Spring Break. Hugo Chavez ("Big Red"), Kim Jong Il ("Big Mac"), and Mahmood Ahmadenijad ("Small Fry") would not have had the opportunity to rise to the level of power that they have. Then again, we aren't bullies and would prefer the rest of the world to solve its own problems as peacefully as possible.

Secondly, does Putin even talk to Russia's ambassador to the United Nations? Is he getting the Cliff's Notes version of what goes on there, or is he taking a nap during the phone call? If there was ever a force at work in the world to establish One World Order, it would be the United Nations, and the Third World thugs that abuse the institution to line their pockets with foreign aid meant to feed their starving masses. They hate our guts, but love our money. It sounds like the kind of marriage that requires a pre-nup.

To top this off, Putin's largest point of contention appears to be our development of a missile defense system. What makes him think we don't already have it? It's not a new idea, and R&D is always a busy (and clandestine) business. Do we not have a right to defend ourselves and our allies? Or are we supposed to be like pre-WWII France and let our enemies roll through the nation's capital? Unfortunately, that may have to happen before people realize that this is real...and it's serious. "War is upon you, whether you'll risk it or not."