opines's Comments (508)

“The current Afghan stalemate is a dream come true for the Military Industrial Complex (MIC). Neither side can win for the foreseeable future. We cannot be driven out nor can we bring the Afghanis to heel. So the two decades long record for spending more on weaponry than the rest of the world combined will continue.

Congress can be counted on to meet or even exceed Pentagon budget requests and the illegal arms market will supply the Afghanis with weapons to oppose us.

So, the military budget and interest on the Federal debt will leave slim pickings for healthcare, social programs, infrastructure, the environment and education.

Obama knows it but lacks what it would take to oppose the MIC at this point.

Massive street demonstrations of the sort that brought an end to our Southeast Asia adventure and work stoppages will be required to end the current invasion/o­ccupations­.”

“many 50 year olds and up just hope that they can make it through their lifetime before the lethal economic tidal wave that is now passing over our heads lands with full impact.

Krugman must know that a bubble-bursting caused by the outsized amounts of Federal, State, Municipal, Corporate and Personal debt cannot be repaired by distributing more unbacked greenbacks.

It would also help if he would acknowledge that we are already in the early stage of what will be a 1930s magnitude Depression instead of referring to the current status as the "Great Recession". Were it not for Unemployment Insurance and its extensions we would be seeing the breadlines of the early 1930s.

Recognizing that we are in the early years of a depression would generate a more realistic appraisal of what our priorities should be. Continuing our failed attempt to achieve world dominance through muscular military adventures (invasion/­occupation of Islamic countries) and maintaining military bases in over 100 countries would probably no longer be feasible.

But, we seem to prefer listening to those who tell us that hard, hard, times can be avoided by printing more dollars.”

“Rather than acknowledge that we are in the early stages of what is likely to be a 1930s type Depression, Mr. Krugman has introduced the term "Great Recession". One might well wonder what the border line is between Great Recession and Depression.

If both the Times and Krugman camps would accept that we already are in a depression rather than one that can be avoided, they could deal more realistically with what must be done to sustain the growing number of distressed individuals and families and what structural repairs are necessary to enable us to arrest fdurther decline and begin a recovery.

The delusional hope that a depression could be avoided led to the wasteful trillions given to Wall Street. Surely if we knew that the collapse was inevitable we would not have put the fat cats at the head of the line for handouts. Instead the cupboard was emptied for a short-term delay in full impact.

Acknowledging that we are in the early stages of what will be an extended period of hard times would place the question of whether or not we any longer can afford to spend more than the rest of the world combined on weaponry and overseas adventures. It would occasion a far truer appraisal of our national priorities.

Neither party to the Times/Krugman offer realistic alternatives because they are unwilling to acknowledge the severity of our economic collapse.”

“We are in an advancing stage of 'system failure'. No sane person (let alone 'the Founders') would claim title to the way we are currently making our governance decisions. The major issue for our elected officials is who will bear the lion's share of blame for the economic collapse that is just beginning to gain momentum.

It is apparent that a 'democracy' is not capable of applying the harsh medicine necessary to cure our current disease (massive Federal, State, Municipal, Corporate and Personal debt). There no longer is Native American land to capture and donate to excess population. Nor are we willing to suffer through hard, hard times.

So our elected officials will continue to point figures rather than provide leadership.”

“Yank:

How'd you feel about Commander-in-Chief Bush? You must have really chewed him out for his "Mission Accomplished' aircraft carrier photo-op. Just can't recall how you blasted him.”

“Were Obama to acknowledge that our decade long attempt to establish worlwide hegemony through muscular military imperialism has failed, that our invasion/o­ccupations of Afghanistan and Iraq must be ended because we can no longer bear the costs, he would justify his Nobel Peace Prize. He would be revered worldwide for his wisdom and courage, opposed only by American 'endless war' jingoes and the State of Israel.

Were he to couple it with the announcement that he would have the United States lead an effort to rid the world of all nuclear weapons...

I can dream, can't I?”

“For a nation auditioning its form of governance on the world stage to offer a candidate for its second highest office with the paucity of Ms. Palin's credential is to tell the world audience to look elsewhere for leadership.

It is as though we are unaware that there is a tuned-in world outside the Red States. That she is taken seriously by as few as 25% of the American electorate and her opinions given prominence by our media can only make our former foreign friends wonder at the disconnect between what we profess to represent and our current political reality.”

“Gregor 53:

Imagine the following statement:

For any 'democratic' nation that vies for world leadership to take seriously the opinions, let alone the candidacy of Sarah Palin for any position of leadership in its governance, is to so blacken the reputation of the democratic form of government that its electorate would laugh it off the ballot.

The statement is untrue, but not incorrect.”

“Why is this newsworthy? Just because what she wrote isn't factual, doesn't mean it's incorrect. Isn't it more important to have a leader with a vibrant imagination than a fact fixated one.

America needs change and Sarah isn't small change.”

“At the Beijing Olympics the Chinese captured the gold medal for future leadership. They offered a vision of world harmony which a majority would welcome, embrace.

Obama's message should be that we are prepared to let them lead.”

“The most profound effect of the continuing dollar decline will be a hastening of the end of our attempt to achieve world domination through muscular military imperialism.

For that to succeed two things are necessary. First, preeminent military strength. We are okay on that one. Second, you must be the bank. Since WWII the dollar has been almighty, enabling us to support foreign rulers who allied themselves with us. With the greenback no longer almighty, we simply lack the wherewithal to prop up overseas factions who we would like to install. Lacking that ability, military victories accomplish little and are a waste of resources.

It was quite a party while it lasted.”

“The Great Depression that began with the Stock Market crash in November 1929 was described by the media of those times as a recession until mid-1931. About then, with unemployment and breadlines mounting, it began to be called a depression.

We are now in the equivalent of early 1931. Unemployment continues to rise. Were it not for unemployment insurance extensions, the breadlines would appear in every city.

The trillions given to bail out Wall Street financial giants have provided an ephemeral boost to the Stock racket, but has done little to shore up the cratering economy.

The sheer enormity of our debt (Federal, State, Municipal, Corporate and Personal) assure that a collapse is inevitable.

Instead of feckless, doomed to failure efforts to prevent a collapse, Obama should be focusing on how to sustain the nation when when the destructive wave rolling over us makes full impact.

We still will have the same amount of food and housing inventory as in good times and as in the past 13 depressions, after enduring hard times, we could emerge with our system intact. But giving away precious resources to avert the inevitable will induce a runaway inflation and system change.”

“Alex Rodriguez cheated on his wife. Does that mean he can't hit a baseball? JFK cheated on Jackie. Brad Pitt...”

“Declaring an end to our failing attempt to establish world domination through muscular military imperialism would qualify Obama for a Nobel Prize.

It is understandable that after the Soviet Union collapsed and the U.S. gained the status of 'the world's only superpower', that we would use our military superiority aggressively, rather than seize the moment to lead the world toward nuclear disarmament and more pacific means of resolving international disputes.

Instead, for two decades we have spent more on weaponry than the rest of the world combined. Our invasion/o­ccupations of two Islamic nations have produced stalemates, not victories. Though we cannot be defeated militarily, 'success' in those wars cannot be defined, let alone achieved.

Were Obama to acknowledge that our campaign in Afghanistan is no longer worth its cost (in blood and bucks), however correct and courageous that decision would be, he would lack the support to carry it out.

So, even without a credible plan for 'success' or an exit strategy, expect more troops and resources to be sent. And within a year a new request/demand for more troops.”

“This leaked misinformation is intended to increase the pressure on Obama to cave to the Pentagon/n­eocon/hawk­s. Obama by delaying his decision has afforded time for opposition to widening our military commitment in Afghanistan to organize and coalesce.

The hawks know that there is diminishing public support for a build-up. But absent Vietnam magnitude public demonstrations against the war, Obama probably lacks the political capital to challenge the Pentagon now.

The military has failed to give Obama an 'exit strategy' nor has it been able to define the 'success' that 40,000 additional troops would assure, They are correct that we cannot be driven out. But the situation is a stalemate and additional forces will not change it.

Acknowledging a stalemate and withdrawing would be a 'defeat' but one that will cost far less than the cost of an extended, escalated occupation. Even if Obama were convinced of the long-term wisdom of such a policy, he surely understands the storm that would erupt here and now if he were to be its champion.

At the moment, 'dithering' seems his best option.”

“I had doubts about the assassination but now that I know the photo of Oswald with a weapon was not fake, what more proof do I need? Doesn't this authentic phpto prove Oswald did it alone?

If only there were an authentic photo of Oswald with a box of magic bullets.”

“Asking the Pakistani Government to be our ally and support our ongoing invasion/o­ccupations of neighboring Islamic countries is a tough sell.

Would we withdraw all out troops from Iraq and Afghanistan if Pakistan handed us Osama Bin Ladin?
Perhaps Hillary should make that offer.”

“It should be clear that our attempt at world domination through muscular military imperialism (invasion/­occupation­s) has failed. Though we cannot be 'defeated' on the battlefield, even with an unquestioned superiority in weaponry/t­echnology, we cannot impose our will either in Iraq or Afghanistan.

It is understandable that when our country became 'the World's Only Superpower' we would choose to use it aggressively rather than lead the way toward establishing a more peaceful world order with nuclear disarmament at the top of the agenda.

Having invested more in weaponry than the rest of the world combined for two decades, it will be hard for our leaders to change course and for segments of the citizenry to accept it

Calling withdrawal 'stalemate' rather than 'defeat' would be helpful, realistic.

Look for Obama to 'kick it down the road' and waste more lives rather than end our misbegotten adventure. Were he to announce 'stalemate' and withdrawal, history would extol him as a strong and wise leader even though many of his countrymen now will brand him as 'weak'.”

“Even though the U.S. has the largest (and still growing) prison population in the world, it does not qualify as a 'gulag model' in your mind.

China, pre-Mao, was considered a hopeless, backward country by the Western countries who carved it up into neo colonies. We did everything we could to stir up counter-revolution and return Chain Kai Shek and the Nationalists to power. The 'gulag model' helped spare China from counter-revolution. In the 60 years since taking power, China has risen from the depths to the top echelon.

We have always tried to strangle the socialist/communist baby in its crib. We can only speculate how much better off Cubans would be without our embargo.”

“Are you suggesting that successful overthrows of corrupt capitalistic regimes should not 'repress' CIA led counter-re­volutionar­y plotters?”

“It should be easy to understand that a small country that has succeeded in throwing out the capitalists would have to be harsh in dealing with counter-re­volutionar­y plots. Our attempted invasion of Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in 1961 and our embargo policy thereafter surely would incline Castro to protect against our efforts to undermine the Cuban Government.

The democratically elected Socialist Government of Chile was overthrown and its President Allende murdered in a CIA operation that placed Gen. Pinochet and the Chilean military in power. It took more than two decades for Chile to free itself from Pinochet who then was convicted of crimes against humanity.

Our fostering counter-revolution necessarily results in repression where people's revolutions succeed.”

“No matter how many troops we send to Afghanistan, they will be matched by 'enemy'. The continuing presence, occupation of their country by our military will not succeed in bending the Afghanis to our imperialist aim.

Gen. McChrystal should be asked whether he (or the Pentagon) will ask for more troops if the additional 40,000 troops are insufficient. Or shall we expect annual 'surges' in troop demands?

In the Vietnam War, Gen. Westmoreland, by periodic increments, raised our troop level to over 500,000. Each increase, granted by President Johnson, was supposed to insure 'success'.

Sound familiar?”

“To the Pentagon and the entire Military-industrial complex, the election of Obama did not significantly change our 'endless war' policy. Having spent more than the rest of the world combined on weaponry over two decades, and with our economy drowning in debt, muscular military imperialism (invasion/­occupation­s) are what we are reduced to.

If you think Wall Street owns Congress, the thought of a majority of Congress shrinking the bucks for the military/i­ndustriali­sts is in the realm of fantasy. The Pentagon dictates to Congress. And rare indeed are those that dare oppose their dictates.

Absent Vietnam style "Out Now" street demonstrations, Obama lacks the power to confront the Bush/Chene­y/Rumsfeld­/ Secy. Gates, 'endless war', Pentagon gang.”

“The Bush/Chene­y/Rumsfeld (BCR) 'endless war' Pentagon hierarchy did not and do not accept that the election of Obama has changed anything regarding that policy.

By leaving Gates, GWB's handpicked Texan, as Secretary of Defense, Obama sought to delay a confrontation over 'endless war' policy until his next level down appointments gained traction and a more 'balanced' dialog within the Pentagon might take place. Unfortunately, like his attempt at consensus with GOP members of Congress, the hawks are not open to persuasion by discussion.

Understanding that time is working in Obama's favor as the public pressure mounts to end our invasion/occupation policy, the BCR-Gates faction want to force the issue ASAP. Absent Vietnam style massive public demonstrations to end our Afghan-Iraq wars, Obama holds a losing hand if he opposes sending more troops. .”

“There would have been far less drama in an Angels win if the home plate umpire had correctly called Lackey's 3-2 pitch to Posada strike three instead of ball four. Th e strike zone monitor showed the pitch, not on the edge of the zone but fully inside it. Lackey reacted with an uncharacteristic outburst and the inning that would have ended scoreless on Damon's flyout, led to Lackey's removal and six Yankee runs.

Just one of many blown calls that have marred these playoffs.

While calling balls and strikes will never be perfect, a big part of the problem stems from the misbegotten idea that calling strikes outside the strike zone is OK as long as the ump is consistent. Wrong! The first thing Little Leaguers are taught is to know the strike zone. Batters should not have to guess at how wide or narrow the plate umpires zone is. If he has a strike zone wider or narrower than regulation, let him bring a plate the size of his zone.

The "as long as he is consistent" is a poor excuse for poor umpiring. And, 'consistency' is never documented. Weeding out umps who have inconsistent strike zones would be in 'the best interests of baseball'.”