The Alphatraz Gazetteer Nov 10

The Official Newsletter of the Alphatraz Deathcamp Survivor’s Society
Alphatraz
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Gazetteer
Official Newsletter of the Undergound Conservative Resistance
&
6th Resurrected Detroit Edition Ya’ can’t Dog a DOG! 25 November 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
From the Alphatraz Gazetteer
[Type text] The Beatings will continue unitl morale improves!!!

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in the Lame Duck Congress, before not be going to some dark, deep, general. How many strikes should
he looses his majority. dank hole like Menard, Sing Sing, a woman who circumvented the
Korea or Walla Walla. He will be going to Senate confirmation process and
They are currently Club Fed. boasts a sordid history of abusing
working on a three stage rocket Tom? Sorry, but it sucks public office get?
that will burst after launch and fan to be you, today. Better luck next Pushing the question --
out towards, three cities on the US time. and shining a bright, hot spotlight
West Coast. Depending on when it Thanksgiving Wishes on Browner's behind-the-scenes
maneuvering -- should be a top
breaks apart, it could be Seattle, I want to take a second to
priority of the new House GOP
San Fransico and Honolulu, or wish each and everysingle one of
majority. Not least of all because
Honolulu, Los Angeles and San my readers the absolute Happiest Washington insiders are still
Fransico. And without a realistic of Thanksgivings, EVER!!! And buzzing about possible White
means of Missile Defense… Well, more and continued Joy House plans to increase her policy
you get the picture. Throughout the Christmas Season! role and elevate her status with
I don’t expect any major God Knows, I Love You All and Team Obama.
ramp up to Korea. I think this is look forward to our next meeting! First, the BP oil spill
Kim Jong Il trying to make the With Warmest panel dinged her for disseminating
world take him seriously. The one Possible Regards, misleading information to the
thing that is certain is, the Mark E. Juppe public about the scope of the
Chairman doesn’t not have the
testicular fortitude to take on The S-1 Report disaster. In the aftermath of the
spill, she falsely claimed that 75
My two cents… Ahmadinejad, and it is therefore 12 November 2010 percent of the spill was "now
HIGHLY doubtful that he will want completely gone from the system"
By Mark E. Juppe, Exulted to grab this tiger by the tail. and falsely claimed that the
& Imperial Editor for Life Thelma Grey administration's August report on
November Election The woman who in a the disaster was "peer-reviewed."
Yeah, it went well. But townhall meeting, expressed how The false claim "contributed to
NOT WELL ENOUGH! We tired she was defending him & his public perception" of Browner's
Should’ve had a hundred seats in calculation as "more exact and
policies. About how she was still
the Congress and taken the Senate complete" than it was ever
waiting for that ‘meaningful
designed to be, the oil spill
as well. Here in the Union Lacky change.’ Well she lost her job a commission concluded in October.
State of Michigan, Carl Levin still few days ago. Probably because This week, the Interior
sits on his throne as well as most of she had the audacity to confront Throw Carol Browner Department inspector general
the Democrats. At least our
Governor will be right minded.
the Chairman, in PUBLIC and on
CAMERA! How do you like this
Under the Bus singled out Browner's office for
butchering peer-reviewed
START Treaty & Missile change Thelma???!!! Take this! By Michelle Malkin scientists' conclusions in a key
Defense Now EAT IT AND LOVE IT!!! Energy czar Carol report about the administration's
I do NOT believe that the Lame Duck Congress Browner needs to go the way of preordained deepwater drilling
State Department EVER holds US If you thought that disgraced green jobs czar Van moratorium. The scientists first
Defense Policy as ANY Obamacare was corrupt in it’s very Jones: under the bus and stripped blew the whistle on the
consideration when it comes to of her unbridled power to destroy administration's monkey business
foundation and creation, just wait.
negotiating treaties. So I believe jobs and lives in the name of this summer. A federal judge
Once these guys see the exit door
saving the planet. ASAP. sided with the misrepresented
that we can expect them to throw looming, we will see their truest One of the Beltway's scientists and blasted the Interior
US Missile Defense to the curb as a colors. most influential, entrenched and Department's big green lie that its
bargaining chip with Russia. Tom Delay unaccountable left-wing radicals, moratorium was "peer-reviewed"
Given the NUTLESS wonder that If he is in fact guilty; Browner has now been called out
currently occupies the White Good riddance! However, If this and endorsed by "seven experts
twice by President Obama's own identified by the National
House, it is small wonder why he is was a travesty of Justice, and we all federal BP oil spill commission and
so desperate to shove this through Academy of Engineering."
know it happens, I’m sure he will Interior Department inspector
[Type text] The Beatings will continue unitl morale improves!!!
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As the court concluded: games on her work computer that large businesses, unions and Any death due to such
"Although the experts agreed with she was trying to erase. insurers are clamoring for reckless behavior is tragic. But by
the safety recommendations During her tenure as EPA Obamacare waivers in droves. "saving lives," what cell phone czar
contained in the body of the main chief, she was also caught by a Jihadists are making a mockery of LaHood really means is
Report, five of the National congressional subcommittee using homeland security. And border "controlling lives." There are
Academy experts and three of the taxpayer funds to create and send chaos reigns. So, what's one of the already 30 states with laws in place
other experts have publicly stated out illegal lobbying material to Obama administration's top regulating drivers' cell phone
that they 'do not agree with the more than 100 grassroots domestic policy agenda items this and/or texting habits. The District
six month blanket moratorium' on environmental lobbying
month? Combating distracted of Columbia and Guam also passed
floating drilling." organizations. Browner exploited
drivers. bans. The safety benefits of such
It was Browner's office her office to orchestrate a political
What? You missed the laws are in dispute.
behind the hatchet job. After campaign by left-wing groups,
cutting, pasting and tweaking the who turned around and attacked
Million Anti-Distracted Drivers The Insurance Institute
drilling moratorium report, one of Republican lawmakers for Protest March on Washington and for Highway Safety examined
Browner's staff members sent a 2 supporting regulatory reform. the Great Grassroots Groundswell insurance claims and driving
a.m. e-mail back to the Interior According to the left- for federal intervention on our habits in Louisiana, Washington,
Department on May 27 with edited leaning Atlantic, Obama has highways and byways? Don't Minnesota and California, which
versions that implied that the increasingly relied on Browner's worry. You weren't the only one. all passed texting bans two years
outside scientists endorsed the counsel on issues beyond her Making the cable TV ago. Its study found that when
moratorium. The Interior environmental portfolio. Which rounds to unveil a public service compared to neighboring states
Department inspector general tip- means he's listening to her advice announcement campaign against that had not yet banned texting
toed around Browner's and strategizing on how to apply "epidemic" cell phone use and while driving (Arkansas, Texas and
responsibility for fudging the her truth-fudging, transparency- texting on the road, Transportation Mississippi), the no-texting states
truth, using passive language to evading tactics to the rest of the Secretary Ray LaHood revealed actually reported higher accident
describe how the edited versions economy and domestic policy. bizarre and alarming plans on rates among young drivers -- while
"caused the distinction" between Browner, a darling of Wednesday to install devices in the states with no bans maintained
what the administration wanted left-wing billionaire George Soros' cars that would block a driver's constant accident rates. Safety
and what the scientists believed environmental justice circles and ability to communicate. officials theorized that drivers in
"to become effectively lost." the wife of a top energy lobbyist, "There's a lot of no-texting states may have
Nonsense. The distinction is a dangerous woman whose
technology out there now that can adjusted their habits to hide their
didn't "become" lost. Browner's ideological zeal has helped power
disable phones, and we're looking cell phone use from visual
office disappeared it, doctored it the Democrats' war on prosperity.
and obliterated it. Browner's Sunlight, as always, is the best
at that," he threatened. LaHood -- detection by police -- incentivizing
wordsmiths played Mad Libs with disinfectant -- and a much-needed a liberal Republican and pork- even riskier behavior.
the report until it fit their agenda. monkey wrench in the Obama job- addicted Chicago crony who _LaHood and his fellow
There was "no intent to mislead killing machine. embodies Obama "bipartisanship" social meddlers have lashed out at
-- envisions centralized the study and any other evidence
the public," Browner's office 19 November 2010 government mechanisms to shut that state enforcement of these
claims. But this eco-data
doctoring fits a long pattern of off commuters' BlackBerries and bans is futile. But there's a long
politicized science over which iPhones. history of government safety
Browner has presided. And that's just the start. regulations backfiring on central
While head of the Clinton "We need to do a lot more if we're planners. Back in the 1970s, the
administration's EPA, she ordered
a staffer to purge and delete her
Ray LaHood: Obama's going to save lives," LaHood
vowed, while paying obligatory lip
federal drive to require child
safety-caps on aspirin bottles
computer files to evade a public Power-Mad Cell Phone service to encouraging "personal resulted in no reduction in child
disclosure lawsuit. Lambasted by
the judge for "contumacious" Czar By Michelle responsibility." Will the cell phone
banners ban radios, GPS devices,
poisoning deaths. In fact,
renowned risk analyst Kip Viscusi
behavior and contempt of court, Malkin makeup and fast food in cars next? at Harvard Law School found that
Browner claimed it was all an America is in debt past its All are also listed as causes of the regulations induced many
innocent mistake -- and blamed eyeballs. Unemployment remains distracted driver-induced parents to leave the caps off
her young son for downloading stuck near double digits. Small and accidents. altogether because they were
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inconvenient and difficult to "commoner," my response was year war should visit
remove. even worse: "Who cares?" http://www.FreedomAlliance.org.
_Moreover, the push for It didn't take long to The masters of the
federal policing of our driving learn that was the wrong answer. mainstream media also chose the
habits comes just as the federal Apparently, everyone in the media British monarchy over another all-
government itself reports that the cares about it. By the time we re- American story: the successful
rate of teenage-related car boarded the book tour bus, the extradition from Bangkok of
accidents has fallen. Yes, fallen. royal engagement was the lead notorious Russian Viktor Bout, an
story on every network and accused gunrunner. The former
Despite increased cell phone use,
newswire. It dominated the Soviet air force officer is accused
the Centers for Disease Control
blogosphere. And the next day, it of running a high-tech illicit arms
and Prevention (CDC) shows that What Are They was in every newspaper -- local delivery service for despots and
when the years 2004 through
2008 were compared, there was a Thinking? and nationwide. Photos of the terrorists around the world. For
attractive couple were two years, Moscow waged a sub
38 percent reduction in the By Oliver North everywhere. It all brought to mind rosa fight to prevent the Thai
number of car accidents involving MIDLAND, Texas -- A decade ago, the question Joe Foss put to me: government from turning Bout
16 and 17 year olds. I was hunting not far from here "What were you thinking?" over to U.S. justice. How he was
So what's really driving with my now-departed friend Joe "If it bleeds, it leads" is a apprehended in a Drug
LaHood? He's pursued an anti-car Foss, the World War II Marine canon of today's mass media, so Enforcement Administration sting
ideological zeal from Day One -- fighter ace and Medal of Honor bad news usually trumps good operation, was taken into custody
from entertaining proposals to recipient. I made an impatient news for editors and producers. and arrived here Tuesday night to
impose mileage taxes on drivers long-range shot at a fast-moving But this week proves there is an face U.S. justice is more exciting
and to track drivers' routes, to deer -- and missed the target. Joe even more powerful maxim: than a John le Carre novel. But it
redistributing tax dollars to pie-in- shook his head, looked at me and "Trivial celebrity news beats all." lost out to the sappy story of how
said, "What were you thinking?" The carefully choreographed royal William toted around Princess
the-sky high-rail projects that no
Joe's challenge came to pronouncement pushed at least Diana's ring before popping the
private business will touch, to
mind repeatedly this week during two other events -- far more question to his soon-to-be.
peddling a "livability initiative"
interviews about my new book, important to Americans -- well This week's shallow
that would discourage suburban "American Heroes in Special
growth and corral residents in into the background of U.S. print coverage of a living Medal of
Operations." Almost invariably, and broadcast media. Honor recipient and the intriguing
high-density areas dependent on young reporters asked a question The English engagement story of how brave DEA agents
public transportation. or two about the best-selling book eclipsed coverage of the Medal of captured a major crime figure
Like the rest of Obama's and then shifted to queries about Honor presentation for U.S. Army accused of aiding and abetting
radicals, the Transportation events during the Reagan Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta. He's murder and mayhem on a global
Department's self-appointed cell administration. Finally, they got but the eighth recipient of our scale doesn't come as a surprise.
phone czar is a power-hungry around to what was really on their nation's highest award for valor What passes for "reporting the
busybody hiding behind children minds, the hot story of the day: "above and beyond the call of news" these days would shame
to expand government's reach. If "Do you have any comment on duty" in the war against radical any real newsman. Perhaps that's
only federal agencies came Prince William's engagement to Islam. The Iowa soldier's the principal reason newspapers
equipped with anti-big government Kate Middleton?" combination of courage, humility lose circulation every day and
ignition breathalyzer locks. Now, I have to admit that and self-sacrifice make a viewers have largely turned off
Michelle Malkin is the I suffer from what my kids call compelling narrative. Yet, thanks the evening news on the "big
author of "Culture of Corruption: "cultural-deficit disorder," or CDD. to our media's infatuation with the three" networks.
Obama and his Team of Tax The first time I was asked about rich and famous, we now know The inability or
Cheats, Crooks & Cronies" the royal nuptials, my feeble more about a British prince's unwillingness of the mainstream
response was: "Who?" fiancee than we do about one of media to cover and report that
(Regnery 2010). Her e-mail
When the reporter our bravest and brightest which really matters to Americans
address is malkinblog@gmail.com.
explained that Princess Diana's countrymen. Those who want to begs the question: "What are they
COPYRIGHT 2010 eldest son, William, had just
CREATORS.COM know more about what Giunta did thinking?" Maybe they aren't.
announced his betrothal to a to become the only living recipient
19 November 2010 20 November 2010
of the Medal of Honor in this nine-
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happened. They were not foisted That may be the only thing they you have to wonder whether
upon the country. The one have in common. Obama is mistaken or malign. Is
exception is Social Security reform. 20 November 2010 he simplistic or socialist? An idiot
He tried to change the system and or an ideologue?
got hammered. Aside from that, As you study President
Obama vs. Bush Bush basically watched events Obama, you keep coming back to
these basic questions. Did he
By Bill O'Reilly dictate which way his presidency
really think that his stimulus
America is a fascinating turned.
spending would end the recession
country. If you don't believe me, Contrast that with Who Is Barack despite the failure of the George
President Obama's administration,
consider this: In the space of just
ten years, we have elected two men and you have two different Obama? W. Bush stimulus of 2008 and the
to the presidency who could not be galaxies. Obama is proactive to the By Dick Morris and Eileen Japanese Lost Decade of similar
economic policies? Or did he want
more opposite. That fact was max, seeing his mandate as to McGann to expand the public sector at all
clarified for me last week when I reshape the nation into a more just Is Barack Obama a costs and seized this opportunity
spent some time with George W. society. Obama has a huge agenda socialist? A Muslim? Anti- to do so?
Bush. and is not shy about blaming the American? Pro-Palestinian? Or just Did he ever really believe
After disappearing for country's problems on his a man who is right sometimes and he could lower health care costs
almost two years, President Bush is predecessor. It is hard to imagine wrong most of the time? Bill through his legislation, or was he
back in the public arena with a Obama going quietly into the night O'Reilly opts for the second option just saying that to socialize
book about his decision-making once his tenure is over. He sees in his new book, "Pinheads and medicine in America?
during the eight years he spent in himself as a reformer, a person Patriots." Does he truly think he
the Oval Office. But the former who must fight for change he can Bill rigorously focuses on can win hearts and minds in the
president is not interested in believe in. I don't think that will what President Obama does, not Islamic world, or is he just anti-
stop when he returns to private on who he is. He refuses to Israel?
commenting on Barack Obama,
life. speculate about motivation, Is he overly concerned
nor does he want to reinvolve
Bush did not seek much preferring instead the more solid with the details of his version of
himself in the political process. He
social change because he believes it ground of observing and our civil liberties, or is he not
simply wants to sell some books frequently condemning his mindful of the jeopardy we face?
and go back to the golf course. In a is not needed. He's a traditionalist,
policies. The whole is never larger Because he inherently
televised interview, he told me that a man who thinks the country is
than the sum of its parts in does not believe he can judge
he would most likely not campaign noble and doesn't require an
O'Reilly's book. In fact, they're not motivation, especially at a
for Republicans in 2012 and would extensive overhaul. Obama is the really added up at all. distance, O'Reilly presumes the
only offer private advice if it is exact opposite, believing that U.S. In a world fraught with best about the president's
sought. policy is flawed both at home and invective, Bill focuses instead on motivations and just criticizes his
Also, the former president abroad, and that a new set of rules programs, statistics and facts. policies. He questions Obama's
feels no obligation to comment on must be instituted. Both men are Abjuring adjectives, he speaks judgment, but never his good
his policy decisions (or lack sincere, but they could not be more only in nouns and verbs. faith. He lambasts the president's
thereof) that continue to this day -- opposed in their points of view. This style is refreshing in management style, but never his
things like Iraq, Afghanistan and But we the people elected the world of national politics core beliefs.
the brutal economy. Simply put, both of them. What does that say where any conservative is a But then he does not
Bush did his time and believes he about us? Well, it says we are open "sellout" and any liberal a take the inevitable next step and
has no further obligation to the to suggestions and are willing to "socialist." He takes Obama's call into sharper question the
public. give different philosophies a patriotic motivation for granted man's intellect and ability. After
This was my fourth chance. We remain, however, a and proceeds to dissect his all, the alternative explanation --
performance-driven society. The policies with precision and incisive that he's dumb -- lacks credibility.
televised conversation with Bush,
folks want results from our elected commentary. Barack Obama pulled off one of
and it is clear to me that he is a
leaders. But, somehow, the mind the major political miracles of our
reactive guy, not a proactive still gropes with the central
Both presidents have felt time. He swept into the
person. His major decisions were question about Barack Obama: presidency after only four years as
all made after something the sting of those expectations.
Who is he? As one reads his book, a U.S. senator -- two, really, since
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he campaigned the other two. He murders of 224 innocents, much time he will give him, and Scalia zeroed in on the arrogance
upended the major political including a dozen Americans. the judge can consider all the of the Supreme Court in
machine in the Democratic Party The outrage is growing as evidence at trial, including the attempting to dictate how these
to get the nomination and Americans learn more and more evidence on the acquitted counts. unlawful combatants ought to be
outmaneuvered the Republican about how utterly avoidable this To take those counts into dealt with:
attack armies to win in November. outrageous miscarriage of justice consideration in determining But even when the
And he swept into office a record was. John Podhoretz's and what sentence to impose, the military has evidence that it can
number of Democratic acolytes. Jennifer Rubin's criticisms are judge is only required to find by a bring forward, it is often
Such achievements do not stem
among the most pointed and both preponderance of evidence that foolhardy to release that evidence
from stupidity.
employ the damning word the defendant was involved in the to the attorneys representing our
And, until he was brought
"debacle" in the title, and criminal conduct for which he was enemies. And one escalation of
up short in the 2010 elections, he
was well on his way to
Powerline's Scott Johnson and acquitted. He's not being punished procedures that the Court is clear
transforming our nation. He had John Hinderaker weigh in with for the acquitted conduct, rather, about is affording the detainees
dug us into so large a pit of debt "The Failure Option." Eric Holder that conduct is to inform the judge increased access to witnesses
that new taxes seemed inevitable. who repeatedly declared his about the nature of the (perhaps troops serving in
His health care program had taken confidence in this process should defendant's character. Afghanistan?) and to classified
over one-sixth of the economy, resign and the president should I expect the judge will information. See ante, at 54–55.
and his big spending had apologize to the nation and give him life when all is said and During the 1995 prosecution of
increased the public sector share especially to the families of the done. Omar Abdel Rahman, federal
of our economy from 35 percent victims whose killed now has been I would like to say "of prosecutors gave the names of
to 45 percent in just two years. declared not guilty course the judge will give him life," 200 unindicted co-conspirators to
The intellect behind these An email from an but who knows? The terrorist the “Blind Sheik’s” defense
accomplishments must be individual very experienced in should be executed --should have lawyers; that information was in
staggering. But, if so, the federal criminal proceedings been executed long ago. He the hands of Osama Bin Laden
mendacity must be, as well. comments: murdered hundreds, including a within two weeks. See Minority
O'Reilly's critique of This smells like a dozen Americans, and his Report 14–15. In another case,
Obama is one of the sharpest and compromise verdict to me. On compatriots are cheering this trial testimony revealed to the
most well argued ever written. Monday you had the report that a carnival of the incompetent. enemy that the United States had
But, somehow, it still begs the
juror asked to be excused, America cannot protect been monitoring their cellular
basic question: Is Obama on our
claiming she was the lone holdout its citizens abroad nor avenge network, whereupon they
side after all?
and she feared continuing verbal them even when their killers are promptly stopped using it,
18 November 2010 assaults on her by the other jurors captured. First a bare majority of enabling more of them to evade
for refusing to agree with them. the Supreme Court repeatedly capture and continue their
I suspect the 11 jurors overrode first the decisions of the atrocities. See id., at 15.
wanted to convict on all counts, Executive and then of the And today it is not just
and this one juror refused. Executive and Congress acting the military that the Court elbows
In order to reach a jointly, and then hard left ideology aside. A mere two Terms ago in
Holder Should Resign verdict, the 11 jurors agreed to invaded the Department of Justice Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, 548 U. S.
Or Be Fired, and join her in acquitting him on all and was empowered by President 557 (2006) , when the Court held
counts but one, in exchange for Obama and Attorney General (quite amazingly) that the
Obama Should her agreeing to convict him on the Holder. The consequences are on Detainee Treatment Act of 2005
Apologize By Hugh one count -- which sounds the display. had not stripped habeas
Hewitt least serious based on its People should reread jurisdiction over Guantanamo
description in the indictment. Justice Scalia's dissent in petitioners’ claims, four Members
Outrage is growing at the
But, the potential Boumediene, the Supreme Court's of today’s five-Justice majority
intersection of ideology and
sentence for that count is a decision rejecting the other joined an opinion saying the
incompetence that is the jury's
minimum of 20 years and a branches' joint judgment on the following:
collapse in the trial of Ahmed
maximum of life. Its up to the subject of the application of habeas “Nothing prevents the
Ghailani, declared acquitted in the
district judge to determine how corpus to the terrorists. Justice President from returning to
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Congress to seek the authority [for But it does not matter. Hopefully at least one more with "al" in their names -- took
trial by military commission] he The Court today decrees that no Supreme Court Justice will blink in over commercial aircraft with box-
believes necessary. good reason to accept the sudden recognition of the awful cutters, the government banned
“Where, as here, no judgment of the other two injustice their "reasoning" has sharp objects from planes.
emergency prevents consultation branches is “apparent.” Ante, at produced and appropriately defer Airport security began
with Congress, judicial insistence 40. “The Government,” it declares, to the combined judgments of the confiscating little old ladies'
upon that consultation does not “presents no credible arguments Article I and Article II authorities knitting needles and breaking the
weaken our Nation’s ability to that the military mission at on a matter of national security. mouse-sized nail files off of
passengers' nail clippers.
deal with danger. To the contrary, Guantanamo would be Hopefully at least some
Surprisingly, no decrease in the
that insistence strengthens the compromised if habeas corpus on the the academic left will shut
number of hijacking attempts by
Nation’s ability to determine— courts had jurisdiction to hear the up about that which they nothing little old ladies and manicurists
through democratic means—how detainees’ claims.” Id., at 39. What about --the difficulty of trying was noted.
best to do so. The Constitution competence does the Court have to unlawful combatants with civilians After another Muslim
places its faith in those democratic second-guess the judgment of in the jury box and prosecutors terrorist, Richard Reid, AKA Tariq
means.” Id., at 636 (Breyer, J., Congress and the President on unable to use evidence both Raja, AKA Abdel Rahim, AKA
concurring).1 such a point? None whatever. But because of evidentiary standards Abdul Raheem, AKA Abu Ibrahim,
Turns out they were just the Court blunders in nonetheless. that ought not to be applicable to AKA Sammy Cohen (which was
kidding. For in response, Henceforth, as today’s opinion terrorists captured abroad and only his eHarmony alias), tried to
Congress, at the President’s makes unnervingly clear, how to because of the the fear of blow up a commercial aircraft with
request, quickly enacted the handle enemy prisoners in this compromising the methods and explosive-laden sneakers, the
Military Commissions Act, war will ultimately lie with the sources of intelligence gathering. government prohibited more than
emphatically reasserting that it branch that knows least about the If these are the results of 3 ounces of liquid from being
did not want these prisoners filing national security concerns that this case, perhaps the families of carried on airplanes.
habeas petitions. It is therefore the subject entails. the victims of the massacre All passengers were
clear that Congress and the The Supreme Court did perpetrated by Ahmed Ghailani required to take off their shoes for
Executive—both political branches not overturn the two branches' will receive some comfort that special security screening, which
—have determined that limiting decision to authorize military while the killer was acquitted of did not thwart a single terrorist
the role of civilian courts in tribunals in Boumediene. The five these murders, the manifest and attack, but made airport security
checkpoints a lot smellier.
adjudicating whether prisoners justice majority just made it more shocking injustice of that result has
After Muslim terrorist
captured abroad are properly difficult to ever execute the curbed at least for a while the
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab of
detained is important to success in terrorist convicted by the tribunals. insanity of the American legal left, Nigeria tried to detonate explosive
the war that some 190,000 of our But the long proceedings and especially its most prominent material in his underwear over
men and women are now fighting. and attendant confusion foisted on and powerful members, Barack Detroit last Christmas, the
As the Solicitor General argued, the country by the five justicies in Obama and Eric Holder. government began requiring nude
“the Military Commissions Act this case and those that preceded it 17 November 2010 body scans at airports.
and the Detainee Treatment Act … allowed the rise of this insane The machines, which
represent an effort by the political Obama-Holder approach the fruits cannot detect chemicals or plastic,
branches to strike an appropriate of which are now on display in would not have caught the diaper
balance between the need to New York City. bomber. So, again, no hijackers
preserve liberty and the need to Hopefully all but the most were stopped, but being able to
accommodate the weighty and ideologically blinded of the Napolitano: The Ball's see passengers in the nude
sensitive governmental interests cheerleaders of this manifestly boosted the morale of airport
in ensuring that those who have in unworkable and unnecessary in My Court Now security personnel by 22 percent.
fact fought with the enemy during process will now recognize their By Ann Coulter After explosives were
a war do not return to battle own folly and all future After the 9/11 attacks, inserted in two ink cartridges and
against the United States.” Brief proceedings for unlawful when 19 Muslim terrorists -- 15 placed on a plane headed to the
for Respondents 10–11 (internal combatants who are not American from Saudi Arabia, two from the United States from the Muslim
United Arab Emirates and one nation of Yemen, the government
quotation marks omitted). citizens will take place in military
each from Egypt and Lebanon, 14 banned printer cartridges from all
tribunals conducted at Gitmo.
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domestic flights, resulting in no about jobs Americans just won't fewer Transportation Security
improvement in airport security, do.) Administration agents and airlines
while requiring ink cartridges who You have to search for would be far safer than they are
traveled to take Amtrak. the terrorists. now.
So when the next Muslim Fortunately, that's the Instead, Napolitano just
terrorist, probably named Abdul one advantage we have in this keeps ordering more invasive
Ahmed al Shehri, places war. In a lucky stroke, all the searches of all passengers,
explosives in his anal cavity, what terrorists are swarthy, foreign- without exception -- except
is the government going to born, Muslim males. (Think: "Guys members of Congress and
require then? (If you're looking for Madonna would date.") government officials, who get VIP
a good investment opportunity, This would give us a treatment, so they never know
might I suggest rubber gloves?) major leg up -- if only the country what she's doing to the rest of us.
Last year, a Muslim weren't insane. Two weeks ago, North Korean Artillery
attempting to murder Prince Is there any question Napolitano ordered TSA agents to
Mohammed bin Nayef of Saudi that we'd be looking for Swedes if start groping women's breasts and Attack on a Southern
Arabia blew himself up with a
bomb stuck up his anus.
the 9/11 terrorists, the shoe
bomber, the diaper bomber and
all passengers' genitalia --
children, nuns and rape victims,
Island
Fortunately, this didn't happen the printer cartridge bomber had everyone except government North Korea and South
near an airport, or Homeland all been Swedish? If the Irish officials and members of Korea have reportedly traded
Security Secretary Janet Republican Army were bombing Congress. (Which is weird because artillery fire Nov. 23 across the
Napolitano would now be requiring our planes, wouldn't we be looking Dennis Kucinich would like it.) disputed Northern Limit Line
full body cavity searches to fly. for people with Irish surnames "Please have your (NLL) in the Yellow Sea to the west
You can't stop a terrorist and an Irish appearance? genitalia out and ready to be of the peninsula. Though details
attack by searching for the Only because the fondled when you approach the are still sketchy, South Korean
explosives any more than you can terrorists are Muslims do we security checkpoint." news reports indicate that around
stop crime by taking away pretend not to notice who keeps This is the punishment 2:30 p.m. local time, North Korean
everyone's guns. trying to blow up our planes. for refusing the nude body scan artillery shells began landing in the
In the 1970s, liberal It would be harder to find for passengers who don't want to waters around Yeonpyeongdo, one
ideas on crime swept the country. Swedes or Irish boarding appear nude on live video or are of the South Korean-controlled
Gun owners were treated like commercial airliners in the U.S. worried about the skin cancer risk islands just south of the NLL.
criminals while actual criminals than Muslims. Swarthy foreigners of the machines -- risks North Korea has reportedly fired
were coddled and released. If only stand out like a sore thumb in an acknowledged by the very Johns as many as 200 rounds, some of
we treated criminals with dignity airport. The American domestic Hopkins study touted by the which struck the island, injuring at
and respect and showed them the flying population is remarkably government.
least 10 South Korean soldiers,
system was fair, liberals told us, homogenous. An airport is not a It is becoming
damaging buildings and setting
criminals would reward us with Sears department store. increasingly obvious that we need
fire to a mountainside. South
good behavior. Only about a third of all to keep the government as far
As is now well known, Americans flew even once in the away from airport security as
Korea responded by firing some 80
crime exploded in the '70s. It took last year, and only 7 percent took possible, and not only because shells of its own toward North
decades of conservative law-and- more than four round trips. The Janet Napolitano did her graduate Korea, dispatching F-16 fighter jets
order policies to get crime back to majority of airline passengers are work in North Korea. to the area and raising the military
near-1950s levels. middle-aged, middle-class, white alert to its highest level.
It's similarly pointless to businessmen with about a million The S-2 Report South Korean President
treat all Americans as if they're frequent flier miles. I'd wager that Lee Myung Bak has convened an
potential terrorists while trying to more than 90 percent of domestic emergency Cabinet meeting, and
find and confiscate anything that air travelers were born in the U.S. November 23, 2010 | 0720 Seoul is determining whether to
could be used as a weapon. We If the government did GMT evacuate South Koreans working at
can't search all passengers for nothing more than have a five- inter-Korean facilities in North
explosives because Muslims stick minute conversation with the one Korea. The barrage from North
explosives up their anuses. (Talk passenger per flight born outside Korea was continuing at 4 p.m.
the U.S., you'd need 90 percent Military activity appears to be
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ongoing at this point, and the though the United States said it after the incident and called for the
South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff has no plans at present to support prevention of escalation. It later
are meeting on the issue. No doubt such a redeployment. warned of “stern retaliation” if
North Korea’s leadership is also While the South Korean North Korea launches additional
convening. reprisals — both artillery fire in attacks. Pyongyang responded by
The North Korean attack response by self-propelled K-9 threatening to launch additional
comes as South Korea’s annual artillery and the scrambling of strikes, and accused South Korea
Hoguk military exercises are under aircraft — thus far appear perfectly and the United States of planning
way. The exercises — set to last consistent with South Korean to invade North Korea, in reference
nine days and including as many as standard operating procedures, the to the joint Hoguk military
70,000 personnel from all sustained shelling of a populated exercises currently under way in
branches of the South Korean island by North Korea would mark different locations across South
military — span from sites in the a deliberate and noteworthy Korea.
Yellow Sea including escalation. Is North Korea Moving The incident is the latest
Yeonpyeongdo to Seoul and other The incident comes amid Another 'Red Line'? in a series of provocations by
areas on the peninsula itself. The renewed talk of North Korea’s Getty Images: Smoke rising Pyongyang near the NLL this year
drills have focused in particular on nuclear program, including from South Korea’s Yeonpyeongdo following the sinking of the South
cross-service coordination and revelations of an active uranium- Island near the border with North Korean warship ChonAn in March.
cooperation in recent years. enrichment program, and amid Korea on Nov. 23 Over the past several years, the
rumors of North Korean Summary NLL has been a major hotspot.
preparations for another nuclear North Korea and South While most border incidents have
test. But North Korea also on Nov. Korea exchanged artillery fire near been low-level skirmishes, such as
22 sent a list of delegates to Seoul their disputed border in the Yellow the November 2009 naval episode,
for Red Cross talks with South Sea/West Sea on Nov. 23. The a steady escalation of hostilities
Korea, a move reciprocated by the incident raises several questions, culminated in the sinking of the
South, ahead of planned talks in not the least of which is whether ChonAn. The Nov. 23 attack on the
South Korea set for Thursday. The Pyongyang is attempting to move South Korean island of
timing of the North’s firing at the real “red line” for conventional Yeonpyeongdo represents another
Yeonpyeongdo, then, seems to weapons engagements, just as it escalation; similar shellings in the
contradict the other actions has managed to move the limit of past were for show and often
currently under way in inter- “acceptable” behavior regarding its merely involved shooting into the
Korean relations. With the ongoing nuclear program. sea, but this attack targeted a
leadership transition in North Analysis military base. It also comes amid
Korea, there have been rumors of Special Topic Page an atmosphere of higher tensions
discontent within the military, and • Conflict on the Korean surrounding the revelation of
the current actions may reflect Peninsula active North Korean uranium
Low-level border miscommunications or worse North Korea and South enrichment facilities, South
skirmishes across the demilitarized within the North’s command-and- Korea exchanged artillery fire near Korea’s disavowal of its Sunshine
zone and particularly the NLL are control structure, or disagreements the Northern Limit Line (NLL), Policy of warming ties with the
not uncommon even at the scale of within the North Korean their disputed western border in North and an ongoing power
artillery fire. In March, the South leadership. the Yellow Sea/West Sea on Nov. succession in Pyongyang.
Korean naval corvette ChonAn was November 23, 2010 | 1755 23. The incident damaged as many
sunk in the area by what is broadly
suspected to have been a North GMT as 100 homes and thus far has
killed two South Korean soldiers
Korean torpedo, taking tensions to with several others, including some
a peak in recent years. Nov. 22 also civilians, wounded. The South
saw South Korean rhetoric about Korean government convened an
accepting the return of U.S. tactical emergency Cabinet meeting soon
nuclear weapons to the peninsula,
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seems that a North Korean nuclear two sides are having a We arrived in Istanbul
test would not result in military conversation about something during the festival of Eid al-Adha,
action, the ChonAn sinking and the which commemorates the
and using limited conventional
Nov. 23 attack seem to show that willingness of Abraham to sacrifice
force to get a point across. We his son Ishmael on God’s
an “unprovoked” North Korean
attack also will not lead to military should focus on what the command and praises the God
retaliation. If this pattern holds, it underlying issue is. who stayed his hand. It is a
means North Korea could decide to • What is it that South jarring holiday for me; I was
taught that it was Isaac who God
move from sea-based to land- Korea is afraid of in the North? saved. The distinction between
based clashes, shell border North Korea gives an American a Ishmael and Isaac is the
positions across the Demilitarized
guided tour of a uranium difference between Hagar and
Zone or take any number of other Sarah, between Abraham and the
actions that certainly are not enrichment facility, then fires
Jews and Abraham and the
theoretical. across the NLL a couple of days
Muslims. It ties Muslims, Jews and
The questions after the news breaks. The South Christians together. It also tears
STRATFOR is focusing on after the does not respond. It seems that them apart.
Nov. 23 attack are as follows: South Korea is afraid of either Muslims celebrate Eid
• Is North Korea real power or real weakness in with the sacrifice of animals
attempting to test or push back (sheep and cattle). Istanbul is a
the North, but we do not know
modern commercial city,
against limits on conventional which. stunningly large. On this day, as
Over the years, North attacks? If so, are these attacks
Korea has slowly moved the “red November 23, 2010 | 0955 we drove in from the airport,
meant to test South Korea and there were vacant lots with cattle
line” regarding its missile program its allies ahead of an all-out
GMT lined up for those wishing to carry
and nuclear development. It was out the ritual. There were many
military action, or is the North
always said that North Korea cattle and people. The ritual
would never test a nuclear weapon seeking a political response as it
sacrifice is widely practiced, even
because it would cross a line that has with its nuclear program? If among the less religious. I was
the United States had set. Yet the former, we must reassess told that Turkey had to import
North Korea did test a nuclear North Korea’s behavior and cattle for the first time, bringing
weapon in October 2006, and then ascertain whether the North them in from Uruguay. Consider
another in May 2009, without the juxtaposition of ancient ritual
Koreans are preparing to try a
facing any dire consequences. This sacrifice so widely practiced that it
indicates that the red line for the military action against South requires global trade to sustain it.
nuclear program was either Korea — perhaps trying to seize STRATFOR Editor’s note: The tension between and
moved, or was rhetorical. The main one or more of the five South This is the fifth installment in a within nations and religions is too
question after the Nov. 23 attack is Korean islands along the NLL. If series of special reports that Dr. ancient for us to remember its
whether Pyongyang is attempting Friedman will write over the next few beginnings. It is also something
the latter, then at what point will weeks as he travels to Turkey, that never grows old. For Turkey,
to move the red line for they actually cross a red line that Moldova, Romania, Ukraine and it is about a very old nation at
conventional attacks. If North Poland. In this series, he will share
will trigger a response? what I think is the beginning of a
Korea is attempting to raise the his observations of the geopolitical
• Is South Korea content to new chapter. It is therefore
threshold for a response to such imperatives in each country and inevitably about the struggles
action, it could be playing a very constantly redefine “acceptable” conclude with reflections on his
within Turkey and with Turkey’s
dangerous game. North Korean actions? Does journey as a whole and options for
the United States. search for a way to find both its
However, the threat South Korea see something in identity and its place in the world.
North Korea’s nuclear program the North that we do not? The Geopolitical Journey,
poses is more theoretical than the
threat posed by conventional
South Koreans have good Part 5: Turkey
awareness of what is going on in By George Friedman
weapons engagements. Just as it
North Korea, and vice versa. The
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West. It is one of the dynamics in
the Turkish-Western relationship.
Turkey’s emergence as a
significant power obviously
involves redefining its internal and
regional relations to Islam. This
alarms domestic secularists as
well as inhabitants of countries
who feel threatened by Turks — or
Muslims — living among them and
who are frightened by the specter
of terrorism. Whenever a new
power emerges, it destabilizes the
At the heart of the international system to some
domestic debate and foreign extent and causes anxiety.
discussion of Turkey’s evolution is Turkey’s emergence in the current
Islam. Turkey’s domestic context makes that anxiety all the
evolution has resulted in the more intense. A newly powerful For Ataturk, Turkish
Turkey’s Test creation of a government that and self-confident Turkey national survival depended on
Turkey will emerge as differs from most previous Turkish perceived to be increasingly
modernization, which he equated
one of the great regional powers governments by seeing itself as Islamic will create tensions, and it with the creation of a secular
of the next generation, or so I speaking for Islamic traditions as has. society as the foundation of a
think. It is clear that this process well as the contemporary Turkish The Secular and the Religious modern nation-state in which
is already under way when you state. The foreign discussion is Turkey’s evolution is Islam would become a matter of
look at Turkey’s rapid economic about the degree to which Turkey framed by the collapse of the
private practice, not the center of
growth even in the face of the has shifted away from its Ottoman Empire after World War I the state or, most important,
global financial crisis, and when traditional alliances with the and the creation of modern something whose symbols could
you look at its growing regional United States, Europe and Israel. Turkey under Mustafa Kemal have a decisive presence in the
influence. As you’d expect, this These two discussions are linked. Ataturk. Ataturk’s task was to public sphere. This would include
process is exacerbating internal At a time when the retain the core of the Ottoman banning articles of clothing
political tensions as well as United States is at war in both Empire as an independent state. associated with Islamic piety from
straining old alliances and opening Afghanistan and Iraq, and in That core was Asia Minor and the public display. Ataturk did not try
the door to new ones. It is confrontation with Iran, any shift European side of the Bosporus. to suppress Muslim life in the
creating anxiety inside and in the position of a Muslim country For Ataturk, the first step was
private sphere, but Islam is a
outside of Turkey about what rings alarm bells. But this goes contraction, abandoning any political religion that seeks to
Turkey is becoming and whether it beyond the United States. Since attempt to hold the Ottoman regulate both private and public
is a good thing or not. Whether it World War II, many Turks have regions that surrounded Turkey. life.
is a good thing can be debated, I immigrated to Europe, where they The second step was to break the
Ataturk sought to
suppose, but the debate doesn’t have failed to assimilate partly by hold of Ottoman culture on Turkey
guarantee the survival of the
much matter. The transformation choice and partly because the itself. The last decades of the secular state through the military.
from an underdeveloped country European systems have not Ottoman Empire were painful to For Ataturk, the military
emerging from the ashes of the facilitated assimilation. This failure Turks, who saw themselves
represented the most modern
Ottoman Empire to a major power of assimilation has created decline because of the element of Turkish society and
is happening before our eyes. massive unease about Turkish and unwillingness of the Ottoman
could serve two functions. It could
other Muslims in Europe, regime to modernize at a pace drive Turkish modernization and
particularly in the post-9/11 world that kept up with the rest of
protect the regime against those
of periodic terror warnings. Europe. The slaughter of World who would try to resurrect the
Whether reasonable or not, this is War I did more than destroy the
Ottoman state and its Islamic
shaping Western perceptions of Ottoman Empire. It shook its character. Ataturk wanted to do
Turkey and Turkish views of the confidence in itself and its something else — to move away
traditions. from the multinational nature of
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the Ottoman Empire. Ataturk burqas and headscarves. There is assertiveness that can’t be framework of secularism. This is
compressed Turkey to its core and a large school in the neighborhood ignored today. the AKP’s strength. It can reach
shed authority and responsibility where young men go to study the There is deep concern out to them while retaining the
beyond its borders. Following Koran and other religious among some secularists that the core of its Europeanism and
Ataturk’s death, for example, subjects. AKP intends to impose Shariah. modernism. The Turkish economy
Turkey managed to avoid This is particularly intense among is surging. It had an annualized
involvement in World War II. the professional classes. I had growth rate of 12 percent in the
Ataturk came to power in dinner with a physician with deep first quarter of 2010. That helps
a region being swept by European roots in Turkey who told me that keep everyone happy. But the
culture, which was what was he was going to immigrate to AKP also emphasizes that it wants
considered modern. This Europe if the AKP kept going the to join the European Union. Now,
Europeanist ideology moved way it was going. Whether he given how healthy the Turkish
through the Islamic world, would do it when the time came I economy is, wanting to join the
creating governments that were, can’t tell, but he was passionate European Union is odd. And the
like Turkey’s, secular in outlook about it after a couple of glasses fact is that the European Union is
but ruling over Muslim populations of wine. This view is extreme even not going to let Turkey in anyway.
that had varying degrees of piety. among secularists, many of whom But the AKP’s continued insistence
In the 1970s, a counter-revolution understand the AKP to have no that it wants to join the European
A private Koran school in the
started in the region that argued Carsamba neighborhood of Istanbul (Photo by
such intentions. Sometimes it Union is a signal to the
for reintegrating Islam into the STRATFOR) appeared to me that the fear was secularists: The AKP is not
governance of Muslim countries. The neighborhood deliberately overdone, in hopes of abandoning the
The most extreme part of this actually reminded me of influencing a foreigner, me, Europeanist/modernist project.
wave culminated in al Qaeda. But Williamsburg, in the Brooklyn of concerning the Turkish The AKP sends many
the secularist/Europeanist vision my youth. Williamsburg was filled government. such signals, but it is profoundly
created by Ataturk has been in with Chasidic Jews, Yeshivas, But my thoughts go back distrusted by the secularists, who
deep collision with the Islamist children on the streets and men to Carsamba. The secularists fear that the AKP’s apparent
regimes that can be found in talking outside their shops. The could ignore these people for a moderation is simply a cover for
places like Iran. sensibility of community and long time, but that time has its long-term intentions — to
It was inevitable that this awareness that I was an outsider passed. There is no way to rule impose a radical-Islamist agenda
process would affect Turkey. In revived vivid memories. At this Turkey without integrating these on Turkey. I don’t know the
2002, the Justice and point, I am supposed to write that scholars and shopkeepers into intentions of the AKP leadership,
Development Party (AKP) came to it shows how much these Turkish society. Given the forces but I do know some realities
power. This was a defining communities have in common. But sweeping the Muslim world, it is about Turkey, the first being that,
moment because the AKP was not the fact is that the commonalities impossible. They represent an while Carsamba can’t be ignored,
simply a secular Europeanist of life in poor, urban, religious increasingly important trend in the the secularists hold tremendous
party. Its exact views are hotly neighborhoods don’t begin to Islamic world and the option is not political power in their own right
debated, with many inside and overcome the profound suppressing them (that’s gone) and have the general support of
outside of Turkey claiming that its differences — and importance — but accommodating them or the military. Whatever the
formal moderation hides a hidden of the religions they adhere to. facing protracted conflict, a kind intentions imputed to the AKP, it
radical-Islamist agenda. That said, Carsamba of conflict that in the rest of the does not have the power to
We took a walk in a drove home to me the problem Islamic world is not confined to impose a radical-Islamist agenda
neighborhood in Istanbul called the AKP, or any party that rhetoric. Carsamba is an extreme on Turkey unless the secularists
Carsamba. I was told that this planned to govern Turkey, would case in Istanbul, but it poses the weaken dramatically, which they
was the most religious community have to deal with. There are large issue most starkly. are not going to do.
in Istanbul. One secularist parts of Istanbul that are This is something the The CHP cannot re-
referred to it as “Saudi Arabia.” It European in sensibility and values, main opposition secularist party, impose the rigorous secularism
is a poor but vibrant community, and these are significant areas. the People’s Republican Party that existed prior to 2002. The
filled with schools and shops. But there is also Carsamba and (CHP), can’t do. It has not devised AKP cannot impose a radical-
Children play on the streets, and the villages of Anatolia, and they a platform that can reach out to Islamist regime, assuming it
men cluster in twos and threes, have a self-confidence and Carsamba and the other religious would want to. The result of either
talking and arguing. Women wear neighborhoods within the attempt would be a paralyzing
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political crisis that would tear the religious, insufficient to satisfy the world, including the United States Turkish government to go forward
country apart, without giving truly secular. But it does hold a and Europe, to join them in with BMD was critical. Rejecting
either side political victory. The majority. In Turkey, as I have condemning Israel’s actions. I BMD would have cemented the
best guard against hidden said, it is all about the AKP’s think the Turkish government was view of Turkey as being radical
agendas is the inability to impose alleged hidden intentions. My best surprised when the general Islamist. But the point is that the
them. guess is that, whatever its private response was not directed against Turks postured on the issue and
Moreover, on the fringes thoughts and political realities are, Israel but at Turkey. The Turks then went along. It was the AKP
of the Islamist community are the AKP is composed of Turks who failed to understand the American trying to maintain its balance.
radical Islamists like al Qaeda. It derive their traditions from 600 and European perception that The reality is that Turkey
is a strategic necessity to separate years of Ottoman rule. That Turkey had gone over to the is now a regional power trying to
the traditionally religious from the makes Turkish internal politics, radical Islamists. This perception find its balance. It is in a region
radical Islamists. The more well, Byzantine. Never forget that caused the Americans and where Muslim governments are
excluded the traditionalists are, at crucial points the Ottomans, as Europeans to read the flotilla mixed with secular states,
the more they will be attracted to Muslim as they were, allied with incident in a completely predominantly Christian nations
the radicals. Prior to the 1970s the Catholics against the Orthodox unexpected way, from the Turkish and a Jewish state. When you
this was not a problem. In those Christians in order to dominate government’s point of view, one take the 360-degree view that the
days, radical Islamists were not the Balkans. They made many that saw the decision to allow the AKP likes to talk about, it is an
the problem; radical socialists other alliances of convenience and flotilla to sail as part of a radical- extraordinary and contradictory
were. The strategies that were maintained a multinational and Islamist agenda. Rather than mixture of states. Turkey is a
used prior to 2002 would play multireligious empire built on a seeing the Turks as victims, they country that maintains relations
directly into the hands of the pyramid of compromises. The AKP saw the Turks as deliberately with Iran, Israel and Egypt, a
radicals. There are, of course, is not the party of the Wahhabi, creating the incident for dizzying portfolio.
those who would say that all and if it tried to become that, it ideological reasons. It is not a surprise that
Islamists are radical. I don’t think would fall. The AKP, like most At the moment, it all the Turks are not doing well at
that’s true empirically. Of the political parties, prefers to hold turns on the perceptions of the this. After an interregnum of
billion or so Muslims, radicals are office. AKP, both in Turkey and the nearly a century, Turkey is new to
few. But you can radicalize the Turkey and the World world. And these perceptions lead being a regional power, and
rest with aggressive social The question of the to very different interpretations of everyone in the region is trying to
policies. And that would create a hidden agenda of the AKP touches what Turkey is doing. draw Turkey into something for
catastrophe for Turkey and the its foreign policy, too. In the In this sense, the ballistic their own benefit. Syria wants
region. United States, nerves are raw missile defense (BMD) issue was Turkish mediation with Israel and
The problem for Turkey is over Afghanistan and terror extremely important. Had the in Lebanon. Azerbaijan wants
how to bridge the gap between threats. In Europe, Muslim Turks refused to allow BMD to be Turkish support against Armenia
the secularists and the religious. immigration, much of it from placed in Turkey, it would have in Nagorno-Karabakh. Israel and
That is the most effective way to Turkey, and more terror threats been, I think, a breakpoint in Saudi Arabia want Turkish support
shut out the radicals. The CHP make for more raw nerves. The relations with the United States in against Iran. Iran wants Turkey’s
seems to me to have not devised existence of an Islamist-rooted particular. BMD is a defense support against the United States.
any program to reach out to the government in Ankara has created against Iranian missiles. Turkey Kosovo wants its support against
religious. There are some the sense that Turkey has “gone does not want a U.S. strike on Serbia. It is a rogue’s gallery of
indications of attempted change over,” that it has joined the Iran. It should therefore have supplicants, all wanting something
that came with the change in radical-Islamist camp. been enthusiastic about BMD, from Turkey and all condemning
leadership a few months ago, but This is why the flotilla since Turkey could argue that with Turkey when they don’t get it. Not
overall the CHP maintains a incident with Israel turned out as BMD, no strike is needed. least of these is the United States,
hostile suspicion toward sharing it did. The Turks had permitted a Opposing a strike and opposing which wants Turkey to play the
power with the religious. fleet to sail for Gaza, which was BMD would have been interpreted role it used to play, as a
The AKP, on the other blockaded by Israel. Israeli as Turkey simply wanting to subordinate American ally.
hand, has some sort of commandos boarded the ships obstruct anything that would Turkey’s strategy is to be
reconciliation as its core agenda. and on one of them got into a upset Iran, no matter how benign. friends with everyone, its “zero
The problem is that the AKP is fight in which nine people were The argument of those who view conflict with neighbors” policy, as
serving up a weak brew, killed. The Turks became enraged Turkey as pro-Iranian would be the Turks call it. It is an explicit
insufficient to satisfy the truly and expected the rest of the confirmed. The decision by the policy not to have enemies. The
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problem is that it is impossible to War II without an intelligence themselves as they undergo a Turkey will create enough tensions
be friends with all of these service, with a diplomatic corps profound shift that will affect the to force Turkey into the anchor
countries. Their interests are vastly insufficient for its postwar region. position.
incompatible, and in the end, the needs and without a competent Turkey, like many If Moldova is the proof of
only likely outcome is that all will strategic-planning system. Turkey countries, is dependent on the limits of geopolitical analysis,
find Turkey hostile and it will face is ahead of the United States of Russian energy. Turkey also has a Turkey is its confirmation. There is
distrust throughout the region. 1940, but it does not have the long history with Russia and needs endless talk in Turkey of
Turkey was genuinely surprised administrative structure or the to keep Russia happy. But it also intentions, hidden meanings and
when the United States, busy trained and experienced personnel wants to be friends with everyone conspiracies, some woven
finally getting sanctions into place to handle the complexities it is and it needs to find new sources decades ago. It is not these things
against Iran, did not welcome encountering. The Turkish foreign of energy. This means that Turkey that matter. Islam has replaced
Turkey’s and Brazil’s initiative with minister wakes up in the morning has to look south, into Iraq and modernism as the dynamic force
Iran. But unlike Brazil, Turkey to Washington’s latest demand, farther, and east, toward of the region, and Turkey will
lives in a tough neighborhood and German pronouncements on Azerbaijan. When it looks south, it have to accommodate itself to
being friendly with everyone is not Turkish EU membership, Israeli will find itself at odds with Iran that. But modernism and
an option. deals with the Greeks, Iranian and perhaps Saudi Arabia. When it secularism are woven into Turkish
This policy derives, I probes, Russian views on energy looks east, it will find itself at odds society. Those two strands cannot
think, from a fear of appearing, and so on. It is a large set of with Armenia and Russia. be ignored. Turkey is the regional
like the Ottoman Empire, so issues for a nation that until There are no moves that power, and it will have to make
distrusted by secularists. The recently had a relatively small Turkey can make that will not decisions about friends and
Ottoman Empire was both warlike foreign-policy footprint. alienate some great power, and it enemies. Those decisions will be
and cunning. It was the heir to Turkey and Russia cannot decline to make these made based on issues like energy
the Byzantine tradition and it was Please recall my reasons moves. It cannot simply depend availability, economic
worthy of it. Ataturk simplified for this journey and what brought on Russia for its energy any more opportunities and defensive
Turkish foreign policy radically, me to Turkey. I am trying to than Poland can. Because of positions. Intentions are not
drawing it inward. Turkey’s new understand the consequences of energy policy, it finds itself in the trivial, but in the case of Turkey
power makes that impossible, but the re-emergence of Russia, the same position as the Intermarium, neither are they decisive. It is too
it is important, at least at this extent to which this will pose a save for the fact that Turkey is old a country to change and too
point in history, for Turkey not to geopolitical challenge and how the and will be much more powerful new a power to escape the forces
appear too ambitious or too clever international system will respond. than any of these countries, and around it. For all its complexity, I
internationally. The term neo- I have already discussed the because the region it lives in is think Turkey is predictable. It will
Ottoman keeps coming up, but is Intermarium, the countries from extraordinarily more complex and go through massive internal
not greeted happily by many the Baltic to the Black seas that difficult. instability and foreign tests it is
people. Trying to be friendly with have a common interest in Nevertheless, while the not ready for, but in the end, it
everyone is not going to work, but limiting Russian power and the Russians aren’t an immediate will emerge as it once was: a
for the Turks, it is a better geopolitical position to do so if threat, they are an existential great regional power.
strategy now than being they act as a group. threat to Turkey. With a rapidly As a subjective matter, I
prematurely Byzantine. Contrary One of the questions is growing economy, Turkey needs like Turkey and Turks. I suspect I
to others, I see Turkish foreign what the southern anchor of this energy badly and it cannot be will like them less as they become
policy as simple and line will be. The most powerful hostage to the Russians or anyone a great power. They are at the
straightforward: What they say anchor would be Turkey. Turkey is else. As it diversifies its energy charming point where the United
and what they intend to do are not normally considered part of sources it will alienate a number States was after World War I.
the same. The problem with that the Intermarium, although during of countries, including Russia. It Over time, global and great
foreign policy is that it won’t work the Cold War it was the will not want to do this, but it is powers lose their charm under the
in the long run. I suspect the southeastern anchor of NATO’s the way the world works. pressure of a demanding and
Turkish government knows that, line of containment. The purpose Therefore, is this the southern dissatisfied world. They become
but it is buying time for political of this trip is to get some sense of anchor of the Intermarium? I hard and curt. The Turks are
reasons. how the Turks think about Russia think so. Not yet and not forever, neither today. But they are facing
It is buying time for and where Russia fits into their but I suspect that in 10 years or the kind of difficulties that only
administrative reasons as well. strategic thinking. It is also about so, the sheer pressure that come with success, and those can
The United States entered World how the Turks now think of Russian energy policy will place on be the hardest to deal with.
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Internally, the AKP is short supply. That gives Turkey We have answered such against the UPS and FedEx cargo
trying to thread the needle relative power as well as absolute requests from readers, and we aircraft, the threat has remained
between two Turkish realities. No strength. have done a number of media constant. As we have discussed
one can choose one or the other The next 10 years will interviews, but we’ve resisted for many years, jihadists have
and govern Turkey. That day has not be comfortable for Turkey. It writing a fresh analysis on long had a fixation with attacking
passed. How to reconcile the two will have problems to solve and aviation security because, as an aircraft. When security measures
is the question. For the moment, battles to fight, figuratively and organization, our objective is to were put in place to protect
the most difficult question is how literally. But I think the answer to lead the media rather than follow against Bojinka-style attacks in
to get the secularists to accept the question I came for is this: the media regarding a particular the 1990s — attacks that involved
that, in today’s Turkey, they are a Turkey does not want to confront topic. We want our readers to be modular explosive devices
large minority. I suspect the Russia. Nor does it want to be aware of things before they smuggled onto planes and left
desire to regain power will dependent on Russia. These two become pressing public issues, aboard — the jihadists adapted
motivate them to try to reach out desires can’t be reconciled without and when it comes to aviation- and conducted 9/11-style attacks.
to the religious, but for now, they tension with Russia. And if there is security threats and the issues When security measures were put
have left the field to the AKP. tension, there will be shared involved with passenger in place to counter 9/11-style
In terms of foreign interests with the Intermarium, screening, we believe we have attacks, the jihadists quickly
policy, they are clearly quite against the intentions of the accomplished this. Many of the responded by going to onboard
repositioning Turkey to be part of Turks. In history, intentions, things now being discussed in the suicide attacks with explosive
the Islamic world, but the Islamic particularly good ones, are rarely media are things we’ve written devices concealed in shoes. When
world is deeply divided by many decisive. about for years. that tactic was discovered and
crosscurrents and many types of November 23, 2010 | 1824 When we were discussing shoes began to be screened, they
regimes. The distance between this topic internally and debating switched to devices containing
Morocco and Pakistan is not GMT whether to write about it, we camouflaged liquid explosives.
simply space. Repositioning with decided that since we have added When that plot failed and security
the Islamic world is more a so many new readers over the measures were altered to restrict
question of who will be your past few years, it might be of the quantity of liquids that people
enemy than who will be your interest to our expanding could take aboard aircraft, we saw
friend. The same goes for the rest readership to put together an the jihadists alter the paradigm
of the world. analysis that reviews the material once more and attempt the
In leaving Turkey, I am we’ve published and that helps to underwear-bomb attack last
struck by how many balls it has to place the current discussion into Christmas.
keep in the air. The tensions the proper context. We hope our In a special edition of
between the secularists and the longtime readers will excuse the Inspire magazine released last
religious must not be minimized. repetition. weekend, al Qaeda in the Arabian
The tensions within the religious
Aviation Security We believe that this Peninsula (AQAP) noted that, due
camp are daunting. The tensions Threats and Realities review will help establish that to the increased passenger
between urban and rural are there is a legitimate threat to screening implemented after the
significant. The tensions between
By Scott Stewart aviation, that there are significant Christmas Day 2009 attempt, the
Turkey and its allies and Over the past few weeks, challenges in trying to secure group’s operational planners
neighbors are substantial, even if aviation security — specifically, aircraft from every conceivable decided to employ explosive
the AKP is not eager to emphasize enhanced passenger-screening threat, and that the response of devices sent via air cargo (we
this. It would seem impossible to procedures — has become a big aviation security authorities to have written specifically about the
imagine Turkey moving past these issue in the media. The discussion threats has often been slow and vulnerability of air cargo to
problems to great power status. of the topic has become even reactive rather than thoughtful terrorist attacks).
But here geopolitics tells me that more fervent as we enter and proactive. Finally, it is also
it has to be this way. All nations Thanksgiving weekend, which is Threats important to understand that the
have deep divisions. But Turkey is historically one of the busiest Commercial aviation has threat does not emanate just from
a clear nation and a strong state. travel periods of the year. As this been threatened by terrorism for jihadists like al Qaeda and its
It has geography and it has an discussion has progressed, we decades now. From the first regional franchises. Over the past
economy. And it is in a region have been asked repeatedly by hijackings and bombings in the several decades, aircraft have
where these characteristics are in readers and members of the press late 1960s to last month’s attempt been attacked by a number of
for our opinion on the matter.
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different actors, including North identify vulnerabilities and then those other items in cargo from A successful attack
Korean intelligence officers, Sikh, seek to exploit them. Indeed, last Sanaa, but the group has shown requires operatives who are not
Palestinian and Hezbollah militants September, when we analyzed the itself to be flexible, with the only dedicated enough to initiate a
and mentally disturbed individuals innovative designs of the underwear-bomb operative suicide device without getting cold
like the Unabomber, among explosive devices employed by beginning his trip to Detroit out of feet; they must also possess the
others. AQAP, we called attention to the Nigeria rather than Yemen. In the nerve to calmly proceed through
Realities threat they posed to aviation special edition of Inspire, AQAP airport security checkpoints
While understanding that more than three months before also specifically threatened to without alerting officers that they
the threat is very real, it is also the Christmas 2009 bombing work with allies to launch future are up to something sinister. This
critical to recognize that there is attempt. As we look at the issue attacks from other locations. set of tradecraft skills is referred
no such thing as absolute, again, it is not hard to see, as we Drug couriers have been to as demeanor, and while
foolproof security. This applies to pointed out then, how their transporting narcotics hidden remaining calm under pressure
ground-based facilities as well as innovative efforts to camouflage inside their bodies aboard aircraft and behaving normally may sound
aircraft. If security procedures and explosives in everyday items and for decades, and prisoners simple in theory, practicing good
checks have not been able to keep hide them inside suicide frequently hide drugs, weapons demeanor under the extreme
contraband out of high-security operatives’ bodies will continue and even cell phones inside body pressure of a suicide operation is
prisons, it is unreasonable to and how these efforts will be cavities. It is therefore only a very difficult. Demeanor has
expect them to be able to keep intended to exploit vulnerabilities matter of time before this same proved to be the Achilles’ heel of
unauthorized items off aircraft, in current screening systems. tactic is used to smuggle plastic several terror plots, and it is not
where (thankfully) security checks As we wrote in explosives or even an entire non- something that militant groups
of crew and passengers are far September 2009, getting a metallic explosive device onto an have spent a great deal of time
less invasive than they are for completed explosive device or its aircraft — something that would teaching their operatives. Because
prisoners. As long as people, components by security and onto allow an attacker to bypass metal of this, it is frequently easier to
luggage and cargo are allowed an aircraft is a significant detectors and backscatter X-ray spot demeanor mistakes than it is
aboard aircraft, and as long as challenge, but it is possible for a inspection and pass through to find well-hidden explosives.
people on the ground crew and resourceful bombmaker to devise external pat-downs. Such demeanor mistakes can also
the flight crew have access to ways to overcome that challenge. Look for the Bomber, Not Just be accentuated, or even induced,
aircraft, aircraft will remain The latest issue of Inspire the Bomb by contact with security personnel
vulnerable to a number of internal magazine demonstrated how This ability to camouflage in the form of interviews, or even
and external threats. AQAP has done some very explosives in a variety of different by unexpected changes in security
This reality is accented detailed research to identify ways, or hide them inside the protocols that alter the security
by the sheer number of screening vulnerabilities. As the bodies of suicide operatives, environment a potential attacker
passengers that must be screened group noted in the magazine: means that the most significant is anticipating and has planned
and number of aircraft that must “The British government said that weakness of any suicide-attack for.
be secured. According to figures if a toner weighs more than 500 plan is the operative assigned to There has been much
supplied by the Transportation grams it won’t be allowed on conduct the attack. Even in a plot discussion of profiling, but the
Security Administration (TSA), in board a plane. Who is the genius to attack 10 or 12 aircraft, a difficulty of creating a reliable and
2006, the last year for which who came up with this group would need to manufacture accurate physical profile of a
numbers are available, the agency suggestion? Do you think that we only about 12 pounds of high jihadist, and the adaptability and
screened 708,400,522 passengers have nothing to send but explosives — about what is ingenuity of the jihadist planners,
on domestic flights and printers?” required for a single, small suicide means that any attempt at
international flights coming into AQAP also noted in the device and far less than is profiling based only on race,
the United States. This averages magazine that it is working to required for a vehicle-borne ethnicity or religion is doomed to
out to over 1.9 million passengers identify innocuous substances like improvised explosive device. fail. In fact, profiling can prove
per day. toner ink that, when X-rayed, will Because of this, the operatives are counterproductive to good
Another reality is that, as appear similar to explosive more of a limiting factor than the security by blinding people to real
mentioned above, jihadists and compounds like PETN, since such explosives themselves; it is far threats. They will dismiss potential
other people who seek to attack innocuous substances will be more difficult to find and train 10 malefactors who do not fit the
aircraft have proven to be quite ignored by screeners. With many or 12 suicide bombers than it is to specific profile they have been
resourceful and adaptive. They countries now banning cargo from produce 10 or 12 devices. provided.
carefully study security measures, Yemen, it will be harder to send
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In an environment where There is frequent emphasized now more than ever. America's offer to
the potential threat is hard to mention of the need to make U.S. It is those soft skills that hold the mediate these claims, which
identify, it is doubly important to airport security more like that real key to looking for the bomber involve half a dozen other anxious
profile individuals based on their employed in Israel. Aside from the and not just the bomb. Asian nations, has been rudely
behavior rather than their
ethnicity or nationality — what we
constitutional and cultural factors
that would prevent American The S-3 Report rebuffed by Beijing.
At the G20 gathering in
refer to as focusing on the “how” airport screeners from ever 19 Nobember 2010 Seoul, South Korea, Barack
instead of the “who.” Instead of treating Muslim travelers the way Obama got an earful from China
relying on physical profiles, which they are treated by El Al, another about the Fed sinking the dollar
allow attack planners to select huge difference is simply the and learned that Beijing would not
operatives who do not match the amount of money spent on be revaluing its currency to help
profiles being selected for more salaries and training for screeners with our chronic trade deficits.
intensive screening, security and other security personnel. El Al Who Fed the Tiger? As China holds a huge
personnel should be encouraged is also aided by the fact that it has share of U.S. debt, Obama is not
to exercise their intelligence, a very small fleet of aircraft that By Pat Buchanan about to get sassy with our
intuition and common sense. A fly only a small number of Missiles fired from the banker, who might just cut off the
Caucasian U.S. citizen who shows passengers to a handful of Chinese mainland could destroy credit America, running a budget
up at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi destinations. five of the six major U.S. air bases deficit of 10 percent of gross
or Dhaka claiming to have lost his Additionally, airport in the Far East. So states a new domestic product, desperately
passport may be far more screening duty is simply not report of the U.S.-China Economic needs.
dangerous than some random glamorous work. Officers are and Security Review Commission, Napoleon said of the
Pakistani or Yemeni citizen, even required to work long shifts adding: Middle Kingdom, "Let (China)
though the American does not conducting monotonous checks "Saturation missile sleep, for when she wakes, she
appear to fit the profile for and are in near constant contact strikes could destroy U.S. air will shake the world." The shaking
requiring extra security checks. with a traveling public that can at defenses, runways, parked has begun.
However, when we begin times become quite surly when aircraft, and fuel and maintenance So the question arises:
to consider traits such as screeners follow policies facilities. Complicating this Who put us in this predicament?
intelligence, intuition and common established by bureaucrats at scenario is the future deployment Who awakened, fed and nurtured
sense, one of the other realities much higher pay grades. Granted, of China's anti-ship ballistic this tiger to where she is growling
that must be faced with aviation there are TSA officers who abuse missile, which could hold U.S. at all Asia and baring her teeth at
security is that, quite simply, it is their authority and do not exhibit aircraft carriers at bay outside the United States? Answer: the
not an area where the airlines or good interpersonal skills, but their normal operating range." free trade uber alles Republicans.
governments have allocated the anyone who travels regularly has Opposite Taiwan, China's Richard Nixon opened
funding required to hire the best also witnessed fellow travelers missile force has reached 1,600. China. His 1972 Shanghai
personnel. Airport screeners make acting like idiots. Beijing is also building communiqué pointed inexorably to
far less than FBI special agents or While it is impossible to rockets, submarines and surface what Jimmy Carter did in 1979:
CIA case officers and receive just keep all contraband off aircraft, fleets to extend her dominance break relations and abrogate our
a fraction of the training. Before efforts to improve technical out to the third chain of islands, security pact with Taiwan, and
9/11, most airports in the United methods and procedures to locate enabling the People's Liberation recognize the People's Republic as
States relied on contract security weapons and IED components Army to strike U.S. carriers and the sole legitimate government of
guards to conduct screening must continue. However, these bases as far away as Guam. China.
duties. After 9/11, many of these efforts must not only be reacting Since the demise of the In 1982, the Ronald
same officers went from working to past attacks and attempts but blue-water navy of Russian Adm. Reagan White House signed on to
for companies like Wackenhut to should also be looking forward to Sergei Gorshkov, the Pacific has a communiqué with Deng
being TSA employees. There was thwart future attacks that involve been an American lake. No more. Xiaoping's China by which we
no real effort made to increase a shift in the terrorist paradigm. China lays claim to all the agreed to reduce and eventually
the quality of screening personnel At the same time, the often- Paracel and Spratly islands of the end all arms sales to Taiwan as
by offering much higher salaries overlooked human elements of South China Sea, all the Senkakus tensions in the strait diminished.
to recruit a higher caliber of airport security, including in the East China Sea, and all the Under George H.W. Bush,
candidate. situational awareness, observation oil and gas beneath and around Beijing's crushing of the
and intuition, need to be those islets and reefs. Tiananmen Square protest with
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tanks was not allowed to interfere understand how the Global failed as it did this week in claiming that Ghailani led federal
with business. Economy works? You're not acquitting on all but one charge prosecutors to the witness only
Repeatedly, Republicans supposed to tilt the field in favor former Guantanamo detainee after Ghailani was subject to
voted to extend most-favored- of the home team. Ahmed Ghailani, an al-Qaida coercive interrogation methods at
nation status to China. Dissenters One knows not whether terrorist responsible for the deaths Guantanamo. But even without
were castigated as "isolationists to laugh or cry. of 224 people. A New York City this direct testimony, there was
and protectionists." The policy the Chinese jury managed to convict Ghailani more than enough evidence to
Under Bush II, the GOP are pursuing, economic on only one charge -- conspiracy convict on the more serious
made MFN permanent and nationalism, was virtually invented to destroy U.S. government charges.
sponsored Beijing's entry into the by the Republican Party. property -- in the attack on U.S. How is it possible that
World Trade Organization, despite Protectionism was the declared embassies in Kenya and Tanzania Ghailani conspired to destroy the
China's downing of a U.S. policy of the GOP from the day its in 1998. embassy but is not responsible for
surveillance plane and first president took office in 1861 But the failure is not just the deaths and destruction that
incarceration of its American crew to the day Calvin Coolidge left in that of one criminal jury but of the occurred when the conspiracy was
on Hainan Island. Colin Powell was 1929. Obama administration, which carried out? Only the jurors know
forced to apologize. Free trade was the policy decided to try enemy combatants how they managed to defy logic
For decades, corporate of a Great Britain whose clocks in American criminal courts. and common sense and ignore
America championed investing in those generations of Americans Instead of admitting their serious irrefutable evidence. Juries often
China and trade with China, cleaned, even as the Chinese are error in judgment, administration make mistakes in rendering
though the massive transfer of cleaning ours. officials said they were "pleased" judgment, letting off the guilty
U.S. factories, technologies and As for a U.S. policy of with the outcome because and, less often, convicting the
jobs was clearly empowering containment, we have no vital Ghailani would serve a minimum innocent. In the latter case, our
China and weakening America. interest in China's border dispute of 20 years in prison for his justice system has a failsafe
Now, with U.S. political, with India, or Beijing's claims to crimes. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, a allowing for judicial review and
military, industrial and strategic islands in the South and East Clinton-appointed federal judge appeal that can rectify the
decline vis a vis China manifest to China seas, or in China's claims who presided over the case, was injustice. And even in the former,
the world, we hear the wails of against Russia dating to the ninth even more reprehensible in his the acquittal of a guilty party does
American businessmen that they century. remarks after the trial. Kaplan not always pose a threat to
are not being treated fairly by the Time for our Asians complimented the jury on its society.
Chinese. And the politicians friends to take responsibility for verdict, suggesting that "American But this case is different.
responsible for building up China defending their own claims. As LBJ justice can be rendered calmly, Ghailani was not guilty of criminal
are now talking tough about said in 1964, "We are not about to deliberately and fairly by ordinary acts but acts of war. He was a
confronting and containing China. send Americans boys 9 or 10 people, people who are not soldier in a vast network that has
Sorry, but that cat thousand miles away from home beholden to any government, not declared war on the United States.
cannot be walked back. to do what Asian boys ought to be even ours." He was captured in Pakistan in
Review commission chair doing for themselves." This time, The jury heard hard 2004 and transferred to
Dan Slane says his members have let's mean it. evidence that Ghailani purchased Guantanamo in 2006. The courts
concluded that "China is adopting The day of the globalist the truck used in the bombing in have decided that enemy
a highly discriminatory policy of has come and gone. Tanzania; obtained some of the combatants such as Ghailani
favoring domestic producers over 19 November 2010 oxygen and acetylene gas tanks cannot be held indefinitely without
foreign manufacturers. Under the used in the bombing; stored the facing charges. But it was the
guise of fostering 'indigenous electronic detonators used in the Obama administration's appalling
innovation' ... the government of attack, one of which the FBI choice that those charges be
China appears determined to recovered in Ghailani's house brought not in a military but in a
exclude foreigners from bidding along with TNT traces; and gave civilian criminal court. And one of
on government contracts at the
central, provincial and local
Travesty of Justice the actual suicide bomber the cell
phone used in plotting the attack.
the reasons they pushed ahead
with Ghailani's trial under this new
levels." By Linda Chavez The jury did not hear evidence policy was that they viewed it as a
Imagine that! The Not since the infamous from a witness who sold Ghailani slam-dunk for conviction on most,
Chinese are ignoring WTO rules acquittal of O.J. Simpson has the the TNT used in the attack if not all, charges.
and putting China first. Don't they American jury system so utterly because the judge barred it,
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Critics have warned from Compromise, Congress passed issue, and it’s an issue that isn’t combination of sales taxes and
the beginning that this was sheer “Relief of the Parents of Theresa going away. It is most death panels. There’s that term
folly. Jury nullification is a fact of
Marie Schiavo”—a law that gave troublesome. again.
life in U.S. courtrooms today. the Federal court access to review Care rationing and the act But Krugman is not alone.
Juries, especially those comprised of the case to dehydrate my sister, of denying profoundly disabled There are plenty of proponents of
of jurors with axes to grind, Terri Schiavo, to death. President people ordinary care (such as food recent health care legislation that
ignore evidence when they feel Bush left his home in Texas—in the and hydration via feeding tubes, would be happy to tell you that
like it. And what more likely place middle of the night—to return to antibiotics, etc.) is as prevalent cooler heads need to decide who’s
to encounter jury nullification than
Washington, D.C. in order to sign now as it was when Terri’s case fit to live and who’s entitled to
in a case involving highly charged
this bill into law. was making its way through receive wanted care. Not
issues such as the war on terror,
Some would praise him as Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit. The surprisingly, they oftentimes point
detention at Guantanamo Bay,
and coercive interrogation?
a pro-life hero and a friend to the reason you don’t hear about such out older Americans and those
The only good that might disabled. Others sharply criticized things is clear: media leaders and with incurable conditions as the
come of this travesty of justice forhim for involving himself in a state public servants simply won’t talk ones who are no longer viable.
the 224 who died in Tanzania, circuit case. Yet nearly all would about them. If we are to protect our
including a dozen Americans, is remark that his actions were There appears to be a fear own lives then we must reject such
that the Obama administration will extraordinary and historic. of taboo in mentioning the Schiavo notions and be keenly aware of
now have to rethink its disastrous Why, then, has Bush not case, and perhaps that’s because of how the laws work, how to
policy. Enemy soldiers who recounted that experience in his how it played out and how advocate for ourselves, and why it’s
commit crimes against the United memoir? A friend has reasoned polarizing it ultimately became. important to do so. That includes
States should be tried in military with me that Bush may have some But, let’s not forget that Terri’s the sharing of knowledge on
courts. Maybe now Attorney regrets over the matter, or even case was one that was watched difficult cases, similar to Terri’s,
General Eric Holder and President embarrassment with how it was across the globe, was discussed by and how they find their way into
Obama will come to their senses. handled and eventually politicized civil liberties proponents, in our country’s courts.
20 November 2010 by both politicians and the religious communities, through My sister’s situation
corporate media. groups serving the needs of presented a unique opportunity for
I tend to think there is disabled people, and even in the those in the public eye to bring
something more at play. Indeed, halls of Congress. forward the issues surrounding
no major media outlets or political This was no small story health care, disability, personal
pundits have revisited Terri’s case and it brought to light a very scary liberties and retained rights. And
From Unthinkable to since her death in 2005. It’s almost proposition: that your rights fall prior to her death, they did. My
Ordinary as though a memorandum has
been circulated warning those in
into incredible jeopardy the
moment your life is touched by a
family and others touched by this
issue were grateful. But, where are
By Bobby Schindler positions of influence that Terri’s disability or complicated illness. they now?
Last week, former U.S. name is political poison, or that the The danger hasn’t gone It may go without saying,
President, George W. Bush notion of forced death died with away. Indeed, it might be getting but rarely does a day go by that I
released a memoir of his tenure in Terri on that day in March. worse. But the conversation that don’t think about my sister and the
office called “Decision Points.” In Unfortunately, it did not. favors life has dried up. The debate suffering she was made to endure.
this 500-plus page account, Bush As we have seen through our work over privacy interests has been I’m also very much aware that
revisits a number of official and to protect the lives of disabled dismantled. And the awareness of there are countless others who face
personal events, as well as choices people, cases like Terri’s persist. the rights of disabled and ailing the same fate, particularly so since
that shaped both his presidency They just simply aren’t getting the people is all but a memory. the organization we established in
and his attitudes in private life. “face time” anymore. When you do hear chatter Terri’s memory receives hundreds
I was disappointed to People like Sean Hannity, or witness opinion on life and of calls from people who are
learn that Bush’s actions in March Rush Limbaugh and so many death, it’s nearly always on the side desperate for help in defending a
of 2005—that led to the passage of others were tremendous of death. Recently economist and loved one’s life.
Terri’s Law—were not a part of this supporters of Terri’s rights in the New York Times columnist, Paul When Terri died,
account. On March 20, 2005 in years we fought to protect her life. Krugman, opined that the answer President Bush issued the
what was called the Palm Sunday Now they’ve fallen silent on the to our current financial crisis is a following statement:
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“Today millions of Alinskyites who will say and do contrary to the national security
Americans are saddened by the whatever they have to do to get interests of the United States. As
death of Terri Schiavo. I urge all their agenda implemented. critics of the treaty have noted, it
those who honor Terri Schiavo to For Obama, every policy would place severe restrictions on
continue to work to build a culture pursuit is an emergency as he U.S. missile defense, and its
of life, where all Americans are Just Say No to START frantically presses forward in his verification measures are wholly
singular quest to fundamentally inadequate. It would leave Russia
welcomed and valued and By David Limbaugh change America -- a goal the with a decided advantage in
protected, especially those who live While we focus our
American electorate resoundingly tactical nuclear weapons with
at the mercy of others. The essence scrutiny on President Obama's
rejected Nov. 2. There's never nothing accruing to our benefit in
of civilization is that the strong domestic agenda nightmare, we'd
time to thoroughly and adequately return, and it ultimately seeks to
have a duty to protect the weak. In best not take our eyes off another
examine a proposal because the disarm the United States at a time
cases where there are serious big ball: Obama's frantic effort to
sky is always falling. That's why when rogue nations and terrorists
doubts and questions, the get the New START ratified during
we end up with such outrageous are getting ever closer to
presumption should be in the favor the Senate's lame-duck session.
consequences as the acquiring nuclear capabilities, not
of life.” As usual, Obama is
administration's arbitrary issuance to mention the dangerous regimes
He’s correct, of course. engaged in a full-court press,
of 111 waivers from Obamacare to that already possess them.
But if Mr. Bush is not writing and pretending that there is some
employers, insurers and unions In addition, Obama's
reflecting about it today—and if urgency to formalizing this ill-
and the reported acceleration of meaningless promise to add $4
we’re not talking about it—then conceived nuclear arms treaty
hospital job losses because of billion more toward our nuclear
with Russia, when the sole
we’re not educating people like we Obamacare, to name just two. But arsenal is not only unenforceable;
urgency is the upcoming change
should. Consequently, we’re not Obama well understood that he it would come at the expense of
in the Senate's partisan
doing what’s necessary to spread could never get the bill passed if other important defense
composition.
that message. We’re pushing the people truly understood what was expenditures. Plus, as The
To his credit, Republican
issue aside and pretending it’s no in it. Heritage Foundation has noted,
Sen. Jon Kyl announced his
longer a problem. Avoidance and With START, we've got "the billions in 'modernization' are
opposition to a vote on the treaty
denial of what happened to Terri is deja vu all over again. Obama actually being dumped into federal
this year, which sent Obama into
not going to save lives or protect apparently thought he could slip labs and universities without
overdrive. He dispatched Defense
the liberties of individuals today this through under the radar, spelling out a clear military
Secretary Robert Gates to buy off
before Sen. Kyl wisely decided to mission for their activities."
and in the future. Aggressively Kyl's opposition with an illusory
stand athwart his madness. So This is all about Obama's
working to teach the public the promise to spend an extra $4
Obama summoned all kinds of effort to take America down to
truth about this vital topic so that billion on nuclear programs.
dignitaries to the White House for size and to show the rest of the
innocent Americans can never be Kyl was wise to see
a Thursday meeting in a flagrant world that we are no longer the
starved and dehydrated to death through this sham, understanding
PR move to gin up support for his big bad evil aggressor we were
again is the right course and that Obama has no authority to
plan. Attending were Secretary of before he took office. White House
commitment. fulfill much of this spending
State Hillary Clinton, Senate press secretary Robert Gibbs let
The people who do not commitment, which would occur
Foreign Relations Committee the cat out of the bag when he
value your life have plenty to say; in later years after his term or
Chairman John Kerry, Sen. admitted that passing this treaty
and they are rather bald-faced terms expire. Plus, we've now
Richard Lugar, former Sen. Sam is crucial to international relations.
about it. seen ample evidence of Obama's
Nunn and former Secretaries of Obama is already on
cynical approach to dealmaking
If people like President State Madeleine Albright, James record lamenting that we are still
with his confession that he knew
Bush truly believe the lives of Baker and Henry Kissinger. a military superpower, is
there were no real shovel-ready
vulnerable people are worthy of At least Obama's guests Mirandizing terrorists on the
jobs at the time he promised
protection, they need to come back did not wear white lab coats in the battlefield, has changed the war
otherwise in order to push
to the table and defend those lives manner of his rent-a-doc photo op on terror to "overseas contingency
through his stimulus bill. Add to
with vigor and resolve— now, preceding his final push for operations," refuses to consider
that Rahm Emanuel's recent
tomorrow and for years to come. Obamacare. Islamic radicalism to be the
admission that the administration
No matter how many driving force behind many acts of
19 November 2010 hasn't been sincere in its
heavyweights Obama trots out to domestic terrorism, and is
overtures toward bipartisanship.
support his plan, it will still be insisting on trying terrorists in
This is a confirmed group of
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civilian courts (already with earmark reform is the be-all and politics, even while being labeled a gratitude for some of these things
disastrous results). end-all to recognize that it was an self-hating woman who deserved and so much more. Although we
We mustn't close our issue in this election. And, as with to be burned at the stake. held panels and had book signings
eyes on this one, folks. the health-care legislation that was I'll frequently find myself and dealt in all things political, it
21 November 2010 passed in the spring, to go from a debating feminists, arguing about was impossible not to notice that
Washington that wasn't listening feminism and how it has made the people cared about much more
to American voters to a world worse. I'm frequently told than that. There was a gratitude for
Washington feeling a new kind of that I'm an ungrateful witch, life, and an appreciation that
responsibility toward them -- this except that's not actually the word politics is not an end in itself.
is good. How we do this in such a used. I'm reminded that I have And on the Cayman
Giving Thanks, on relatively peaceful manner is Gloria Steinem to thank for the fact Islands, when I stopped by a
Land and Sea something to be grateful for. that I'm even allowed to have an perpetual adoration chapel at St.
There is gratitude for opinion, never mind get paid for Ignatius Catholic Church, I was
By Kathryn Lopez those who have been true having them in such a man's world. grateful to be reminded that
He saw this homeland for trailblazers in the fight for truth Well, I was grateful for Schlafly, a whatever is going on, someone,
the first time in 51 years. and justice. woman who has been successful in somewhere is on their knees in
I've spent the last week on Liberal feminists are politics and philosophy without prayer. Men in the middle of their
a fundraising cruise for National forever honoring those they deem walking away from faith or family work day, students dropping by for
Review magazine. We dropped by heroines in the face of supposed or femininity. a word, young women between
the Cayman Islands, Grand Turk oppression. But one woman who I, along with many others errands. Even on a random
and Cozumel. (I gather there are was among the first females to I've been talking to, am grateful for Thursday afternoon, they were
harder jobs.) It was more than just graduate from Harvard is not on a constitutional system worth there. The Thursday before the day
people listening to seminars, their list of honorees. protecting. Americans dedicate to gratitude:
meeting one another, sharing The scene: our nation's We are grateful for the day that we should seek to
gratitude for people and principles capital, around three decades ago. enduring institutions. Even as make every day. And if you need
they appreciate and hold dear. The Senate had passed it 84 to 8. Nancy Pelosi thanked God for any inspiration to do so, think of a
And we passed by Cuba. A The House had passed it 354 to 23. liberal religious sisters who bucked Cuban exile on a cruise ship,
usual late-riser, our Cuban exile Thirty states had approved it in the up her dangerous health-care snapping photos, seeing old
cruiser says he was given "a gift first year after it was sent for legislation in the run-up to memories flash before him, with
from God," when he found himself ratification. Only eight more states Thanksgiving, the Catholic only gratitude in his heart. And
awake, to look out and see the were needed. The Equal Rights bishops' conference showed that it hope for the freedom there that he
country he fled as a youth. A flood Amendment was going to be the understands these are not times of enjoys in his adopted home,
of memories came back, and a next Constitutional amendment. business at usual in a church America.
dream that a future cruise might But it's not, because Phyllis bureaucracy. Breaking with Have a happy
bring him home. Schlafly stopped it. tradition and seniority, they chose Thanksgiving this week, and every
He was so grateful. Not She was a Mamma Grizzly a leader over the next in line. A day.
bitter. Not sad. Just grateful. long before John McCain would leader who has helped train and 20 November 2010
This entire ship has been pick Sarah Palin as his running inspire an orthodox, faithful army
full of gratitude. Yes, because the mate. Born in St. Louis, a place of young priests willing to take on
midterm elections saw some right- where I'm not sure that grizzly the lies of secular culture.
leaning wins and this is a right- bears are all that comfortable. But Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New
leaning crowd. Speaker John comfortable she is. York, based on Fifth Avenue, now
Boehner became a little more She's a lady who saw has a second leadership base in our Attacking “The
official while the USS NR was on threats to marriage and family nation's capitol, as president of the
water. Mitch McConnell listened to itself being pushed by the ERA and U.S. Conference of Catholic Wealthy” Hurts
the tea-party movement and its proponents, and she would have Bishops. I'm certainly grateful for Everyone
embraced an end to earmarks. none of it. We have a lot to thank that.
There is gratitude for these things. her for -- including for being a lady On the Review's
By Nicole Kurokawa
You don't have to agree that who modeled fearlessness in fundraising cruise, there was true
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All eyes are back on and will decrease incentives to be economy; the Small Business high benchmark, it’s certainly
Congress as the lame duck successful. Administration’s September 2010 possible for a couple of Chicago
session continues. One topic on Many “wealthy” small report “Global Entrepreneurship schoolteachers or public officials
everyone’s mind: extending the business owners are women. and the United States” ranks the to hit that threshold.
Bush tax cuts. In fact, the According to the Oct 2010 U.S. third out of 71 countries on Despite the government’s
showdown over the cuts is likely Department of Commerce report its Global Entrepreneurship and best efforts at class warfare, to
to be one of the biggest policy “Women-Owned Businesses in the Development Index, which attack “the wealthy” will only
fights of President Obama’s term 21st Century,” 6.7 percent of all provides a comprehensive serve to slow the overall economy
to date. women-owned firms had sales of measure of entrepreneurship – hurting everyone in the process.
For months, the $250,000 or above in 2002 – a drawing on economic freedom, In order to maintain the nation’s
Administration officials said they year that boasted 6.5 million competitiveness, and global competitiveness, it is
would only accept an extension for women-owned firms in total. entrepreneurial activity. Women critical to not raise rates on
the middle class, and fully Breaking those numbers down, have taken advantage of the engines of growth and mobility.
intended to raise rates on “the that means that 435,500 women- United States’ business-friendly By penalizing the most productive
wealthy” (defined as those making owned firms saw sales of environment; according to members of society, small
over $250,000 per year). So who $250,000 or above. Given the “Women-Owned Businesses in the businesses, and entrepreneurs,
are “the wealthy,” exactly? number of women-owned 21st Century,” between 1997 and our country’s leaders will
In many cases, the businesses jumped to 7.8 million 2007, the number of women- discourage the virtues that made
“wealthy” are small businesses. in 2007, that number is sure to owned businesses grew 44 this country great. The only true
Given that many small rise (the Census Bureau will percent – twice as fast as men- solution to the nation’s fiscal crisis
businesses aren’t structured as release more detailed data from owned businesses. is for the economy to grow – not
formal corporations, their owners 2007 regarding women business The American economy is to tax itself to irrelevance.
file as individual taxpayers – owners in December 2010). The extremely dynamic, and income 19 November 2010
meaning they are subject to report goes on to note, however, mobility is considerable. A 2007
increases in the income tax rate. that women-owned businesses are report from the U.S. Treasury
According to the Internal Revenue often smaller than men-owned Department notes “the analysis
Service’s 2008 Statistics of businesses, and "average found that more than half of
Income Data, there are 30 million sales/receipts for women-owned taxpayers (56 percent by one
small business owners in the
country – 22 million sole
businesses are only 25% of
average sales/receipts for men-
measure and 55 percent by
another measure) moved to a
Alaskans' Hypocrisy
proprietors, and 8 million owned businesses." With a different income quintile between By Armstrong Williams
partnerships and S-corporations. narrower margin, higher taxes 1996 and 2005.” Importantly, Lisa Murkowski was
Ryan Ellis, director of tax policy at bills can mean the difference however, not only do people have finally declared the winner of the
Americans for Tax between staying open or shutting the chance to move up, but the Alaskan Senate race over the
Reform, estimates that two-thirds the doors for these companies. top bracket is not set. The report official Republican and Tea Party
of small business profits face tax The “wealthy” are also also states that, “the composition backed candidate Joe Miller. This
rate hikes under the White the upwardly mobile. Americans of the very top income groups race might not seem like much,
House’s plan. are an aspirational people. changes dramatically over time. but is a dismaying representation
Those successful small Although many Americans are not Less than half (40 percent or 43 of how, when confronted with a
businesses – the ones with profits “wealthy” in the White House’s percent by different measures) of candidate espousing principals
– are the ones who hire workers. eyes, many would like to be. those in the top 1 percent in 1996 they clam to hold dear, many
They are the ones who purchase College enrollment continues to were still in the top 1 percent in people will instead choose the
goods and services from other increase, demonstrating the 2005.” Taxing the “wealthy” peddler handing out the most
companies. These are the people priority that individuals place on doesn’t just affect those at the candy. To say this race was
who will be hit with tax increases. education as the stepping stone to top, but slows the ascent of those business-as-usual and a
In an increasingly interconnected a better life. who dream of making it to the disappointing example of
economy, it is impossible to In addition, top, discouraging the innovation hypocrisy is an understatement.
penalize the few without injuring entrepreneurship – the very and hard work needed to grow the Alaskans pride
many. Pillaging these businesses' essence of trying to better one’s economy. themselves on being tough, salt of
profits will mean less expansion, station in life – has long been a And bear in mind – the earth folks. They count
fewer jobs, and diminished output hallmark of the American although $250,000 seems like a wearing Carharts and hoodies as
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their Sunday best. Subsistence from the federal government to the effects of China’s currency whatever it takes to cheapen the
fishing and hunting is their maintain two huge military bases manipulation. U.S. unemployment value of the U.S. dollar. The
heritage even when they have two just outside of Anchorage just to hovered around 5 percent, and Federal Reserve has significantly
years worth of salmon and moose keep many Alaskans employed growth averaged about the same. increased its production of money
in their freezer. and directly tied to federal dollars. Even though U.S. jobs got shipped in the past two years. As a result,
Joe Miller’s platform Native Alaskans don't overseas, cheap Chinese imports the purchasing power of the U.S.
appealed to this self-perception: just live in small villages flooded the markets and softened dollar has plummeted versus other
Alaskans are tough people who preserving their noble way of life; the impact of declining consumer world currencies. The value of all
value their freedom and want as they control huge native
purchasing power. China helped to the Treasury bonds the Chinese
little government as possible in corporations that depend entirely
further bolster our consumption by purchased has similarly
their lives. Alaskans don't need on federal contracts, including
purchasing more than a trillion plummeted. The Chinese
welfare, their own self- missile testing, an all-inclusive
determination and Mother Nature "natives only" hospital, and
dollars in U.S. debt. government grumbled early this
provides for all their wants and general aid packages. At the same Times have changed. year — encouraging the U.S. to be a
needs. Joe Miller declared that he time, they do not pay federal With official unemployment more responsible debtor. The west
would take a stand against taxes due to their native status. hovering at around 10 percent, and countered by awarding the Nobel
earmarks, pork, and the way And, in case you didn't inflation near zero, China’s Peace Prize to a jailed Chinese
Washington works. know, Alaska also has the highest currency manipulation poses a dissident.
After the primary, amount of millionaires per capita. severe problem to the U.S. Neither side wants to
Alaskans woke up to the hangover A poor rough in tumble folk, recovery. Cheap Chinese imports resort to the nuclear option —
of reality, showed their true Alaskans generally aren’t. — cheapened by the subsidies outright trade restrictions.
colors, and stabbed Miller in the Lisa Murkowski had to China gives to its producers — Banning Chinese imports would
back. Miller won the GOP primary, spend millions of dollars and doled prevent U.S. manufacturers from have immediate and drastic effects
but rather than retire from the out hundreds of promises that producing and selling goods in the on the Chinese economy. Factories
field gracefully, Lisa Murkoski could eventually cost American United States. This makes a would close. Millions of people
mounted a furious write-in taxpayers billions to retain her recovery in domestic employment would become instantly
campaign to continue to hold the Senate seat. She reminded all the more difficult. unemployed. And a rapidly
seat to which her father appointed Alaskans of how much they It appears the two developing Chinese consumer base
her. There were no Sharron Angle needed the federal government to nations’ interests have diverged to would essentially disappear
or Christine O’Donnell gaffs and subsidize their Alaskan
the point where a trade war is overnight.
bizarre statements from Miller; “independence”. Now, she is upset
almost inevitable. We see the On the U.S. side, further
rather, Murkowski simply because Republicans are prepared
appealed to Alaskans true nature to pass earmark reform.
opening salvos already. China’s reductions in the value of the U.S.
as federal government moochers, Fortunately for America, most recent announcement that it will dollar would hurt savers, especially
and Alaskans gladly acquiesced. Republicans listened to the restrict rare earth mineral exports seniors who have saved for
Despite the image, all People's cries for financial is basically a move against Japan, a retirement by investing in U.S.
Alaskans depend on welfare. With responsibility. Good news for U.S. ally in the G-20 coalition of bonds. Furthermore, U.S. retailers
a population of less than 700,000, America, bad news to the industrial economies. The Chinese would see a drastic increase in
Alaska received by far the biggest moocher state of Alaska. premier is going around embracing costs. Inflation would rise rapidly,
per-capita chunk of federal 16 November 2010 the Greek government, offering to and consumer purchasing power
stimulus spending. All told, buy worthless Greek bonds — would plummet.
Alaskans receive 8 dollars for again to try to weaken the U.S. Both sides would suffer
every dollar they pay in federal coalition within the G-20. In a bitter losses, and the question
taxes. If you thought getting a further saber-rattling maneuver, arises as to who could outlast the
one-time $500 dollar check from China banned imports of chicken other. Arguably the Chinese have
the IRS was nice, try the at least
$1600 tax free, per family
China and Our feet from the U.S. — a food less to lose. They already
considered a delicacy in China, but experience a relatively low
member-not just tax payer- that Economic Future? a useless byproduct of poultry standard of living. But that
Alaskans are guaranteed by Uncle
Sam each year. Additionally,
By Armstrong Williams production in the U.S. standard has been improving of
When times were good, it For its part, the U.S. has late, and many Chinese could be
Alaska receives enormous sums
was easy for America to overlook signaled that it is willing to do loath to return to the days of mass
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starvation they experienced under debt will soon drown if they do not quantitative easing (generally expert, as a solid Bernanke ally on
previous governments. Americans spend less and produce more. referred to as QE2), which the Fed, one given to justifying
by comparison are spoiled. Could Perhaps we can learn from China’s involves buying $600 billion in the chairman's policies to the
we really do without our creature example of prolific productivity Treasury bonds by next June. outside world, and he voted with
comforts and endure a bare level of gains. That requires paying down Both are widely Bernanke on QE2. But in the
subsistence? The recent declines in our debts, retooling the work force interpreted as attempts to lower Journal, he wrote, "I consider the
employment and housing may with better education and the value of the dollar to make (Fed's) action as necessarily
have conditioned us for such a reinvigorating the spirit of American exports cheaper and to limited, circumscribed and subject
reduce the huge export earnings to regular review." Translation:
reality. creativity and innovation that got
of countries as varied as China, Ben, you haven't got my vote for
It also comes down to us to the moon and back in record
Germany and Brazil. long.
which economy is more nimble. time. How will these competing Not surprisingly, Chinese Similarly, many were
Both are like huge aircraft carriers, aims translate into a viable trade and German leaders are surprised to see World Bank
and turning on a dime is policy that averts a destructive squawking loudly, complaining President Robert Zoellick write in
impossible. China is riding the conflict? The answer is not easy, that the United States is the Financial Times Nov. 9 calling
tiger of growth, and holding on for but it starts with communicating attempting to use their strength attention to the risk of inflation.
dear life. It’s not a beast that’s and fostering mutual long term to compensate for our own "Markets are using gold as an
easily tamed in a country of more interests. A strong U.S. economy is weakness. Brazil's finance alternative monetary asset today,"
than 1 billion people. The best the arguably in the long term interests minister, Guido Mantega, minced he wrote.
government can do is to attempt to of China. no words when he called the Fed's He urged economic
guide it in the right direction. Could it make some action the beginning of "currency policymakers to consider
America, on the other hand, has sacrifices in the short term that wars." "employing gold as a reference
tried to use government policy to would aid in the U.S. recovery? Obama's efforts to get point of market expectations
waken a slumbering bear. If it The answer seems fairly obvious. agreement at the G-20 conference about inflation, deflation and
succeeds, the bear may wake up were not successful. Seldom if future currency values." Gold
18 November 2010 ever has an American leader been prices, as viewers of cable news
angry and strike at whoever’s
around. Thus, artificially pummeled with such criticism at ads know, have been rising to
stimulating growth may have an international economic near-record levels, so inflation is
destructive inflationary effects. conference. what Zoellick is worried about.
During the 2008 Zoellick is no fringe
This does not have to be a
campaign, we were told that character. He worked for James
zero sum game however. China The Fed's $600 Billion foreigners would once again Baker at Treasury and State and
faces difficulties in growing its
domestic economy if it does not Bond Buy Is Bad Here respect America if voters elected was George W. Bush's special
Obama. That wasn't apparent in trade representative and deputy
open up to other ideas. Its and Abroad By Korea. secretary of state.
Draconian government policies —
the one child policy, restricting free
Michael Barone In Washington, too, there This week, a group of
I don't claim to be an have been complaints coming predominantly Republican
speech and political organizing — from a surprising source. Shortly economists, financers and writers
expert on monetary policy or
won’t work in the information- international finance, but I've after Bernanke announced the wrote an open letter to Bernanke
based economy of the future. been astonished by the degree of Fed's QE2 policy, Federal Reserve calling for ending QE2. "The
Perhaps they could do well to disrespect expressed here and Board member Kevin Warsh wrote planned asset purchases risk
import some of our social and abroad to the latest economic an article for The Wall Street currency debasement and
political freedoms. They also have policies of President Barack Journal saying that there won't be inflation, and we do not think they
to begin stimulating internal Obama and Federal Reserve much easing and that the Fed will achieve the Fed's objective of
demand — and that requires the Chairman Ben Bernanke. can't compensate for bad fiscal promoting employment." Searing
higher wages that would result The policies in question policy. "The Federal Reserve is not words. It's highly unusual for such
from a realistic currency policy. are the Obama administration's a workshop for broken fiscal, a group to put out such stinging
On the other hand, the attempts to convince other trade or regulatory policies," he criticism of a Fed chairman's
law of consumption has all but countries (especially China) to wrote. policy.
strengthen their currencies and Warsh has been In announcing QE2,
derailed the U.S. economy.
the Fed's renewed bout of regarded, by me and others more Bernanke stressed the Fed's
Consumers up to their necks in
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statutory obligation to hold down Other than being the giving Iowans a referendum to and driving wedges through
unemployment. That was inserted highest-profile Republican victims decide if they wish to outlaw it. Obama's national base.
into the Fed's charge by of Tea Party candidates, what do Tea Party types and Iowa Consider. Establishment
Democrats in the 1970s but has Lisa Murkowski, Mike Castle, conservatives were not only Republicans recoil from the issue
clearly been considered of Charlie Crist and Arlen Specter opposed to the idea of men of gay marriage. But, in 2008,
secondary importance by have in common? marrying men, they detest the idea while McCain was winning 5
Chairmen Paul Volcker and Alan Other than being tea of judicial dictatorship. percent of the African-American
Greenspan to the Fed's primary party insurgents who routed In Arizona, Ward vote in California, blacks in
duty to hold down inflation.
establishment Republicans in Connerly's anti-affirmative action California, urged on by pastors and
I suspect that Bernanke
high-profile primaries, what do Joe initiative, which prohibits race, preachers, voted 70 percent to
is less focused on reducing
Miller, Marco Rubio, Christine gender and ethnic preferences, outlaw same-sex marriage.
unemployment than he is on
preventing deflation. His scholarly
O'Donnell, Pat Toomey, Sharron won with 60 percent of the vote. The pro-life position is
work has concentrated on the Angle in Nevada, Ken Buck in Michigan, California and also a far more popular cause
disastrous deflation that struck Colorado and Mike Lee in Utah Washington have already adopted among black and Hispanic
America and much of the world in have in common? the Connerly amendment. Americans than is the Republican
the 1930s. As a Fed board The answer, writes Tim Tea Partiers also united to Party.
member in 2003, he delivered a Carney of The Washington back the Arizona law that requires Oklahoma's prohibition
widely noticed speech warning of Examiner, is that all the former are cops to determine the immigration against any use of Shariah law
deflation and indicating how the pro-choice on abortion, all the status of any whom, in a routine should be seen as a cry from the
Fed could fight it. latter pro-life. police encounter, they suspect of heart of America that we are and
He once wrote, Tea Party types and pro- being an illegal alien. wish to remain a Western nation, a
presumably whimsically, that if life conservatives seem to be twins Passage of the law last predominantly Christian country,
deflation was a great enough separated at birth. Carney April brought crazed comparisons and we wish to be ruled by our
threat, the Fed chairman could go continues: "Almost without fail the with Nazi Germany. Opponents Constitution and laws enacted
up in a helicopter and throw strongest advocates of limited tended to go mute, however, when pursuant to it.
money down into the streets. But government in Congress are pro- they learned that 70 percent of The national outpouring
now it looks like a lot of people life and vice versa. Think of (Jim) America stood with Arizona. GOP of support for Arizona after that
want to ground Helicopter Ben. DeMint and (Tom) Coburn in the candidates for governor state came under attack for its law
QE2 may have seemed a
Senate and Ron Paul and Jeff subsequently ran on pledges to requiring suspected illegal aliens to
good match for the Obama
Flake in the House. They top the adopt similar statutes. show ID demonstrates how
administration policy of
strengthening China's currency
scorecards of the National In Oklahoma, a explosive the immigration-
and in the process weakening the Taxpayers' Union and also have proposition to prohibit use of amnesty issue is. Republicans
dollar. But it seems a poor match perfect scores from National Right Shariah law in state courts passed should not run away from it, for
with the incoming Congress -- and to Life." with 70 percent. Shariah law is the our elites are further out of touch
with the heads of many of the Carney's point: While all basis of law in many Muslim with the people on this issue than
world's other leading economic Tea Party insurgents and Tea countries, as the Bible was once any other.
powers. Can the Fed persist in a Party-backed candidates seemed to the basis of much law in America. As for the Connerly
policy that has stirred such agree on the economic issues -- What do these overlooked amendment abolishing affirmative
scathing criticism? deficits, debt, taxes, Obamacare -- stories of Election Day 2010 teach? action, if the GOP wishes to win in
16 November 2010 they also seem united on other Far more than the 2012, the party will put this
issues. Looking at the down-ballot Beltway Right, the Tea Party is in measure on every possible state
battles in 2010, being pro-life is tune with the heart of America -- ballot, especially crucial states like
just one of them. not only on taxes, spending and Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Three Iowa Supreme Obamacare, but on social, cultural What this panoply of
Court judges who ruled that the and moral issues. National issues testifies to is the true
Tea Party's Winning state constitution requires Republicans may stay out of these identity of the Tea Party. These
recognition of same-sex marriages bloody battles, but they hold great folks are not single-issue voters,
Hand were denied retention, and Gov. potential for bringing out voters and they are not motivated by
By Pat Buchanan Terry Branstad campaigned for pocketbook issues alone.
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They have seen the many years by Republican and compare them to pigs and Southern Baptists can be
America they grew up in virtually Democratic administrations. The monkeys? (3) Why are young persuaded to drink alcohol.
vanish. proposed 90-day freeze, says the children portrayed in videos as A lot must change before
Look at how far we have newspaper, would "break an future "martyrs," dressed in anything approaching "peace"
traveled. impasse in the peace negotiations suicide garb, guns in hand, with between Palestinians and Israelis
We seem no longer able with the Palestinians." mock bombs strapped to their occurs. Israel has changed and
to balance our budgets, win our There can be no "peace chests? (4) What agreements given enough. It is long past time
wars or secure our borders. negotiations" unless the have you made with Israel in the for serious reciprocity from the
Palestinian side is prepared to past that you have kept (answer: Palestinian Authority. If none is
Compared to what our culture was,
compromise on its demands. But none) and why should any future forthcoming, Israel should keep
it is a running sewer today.
since those demands include the concessions by Israel be sufficient building and agree to no new
Working-class wages and middle- acquisition of all the land -- to cause you to make peace with concessions.
class incomes seem to have been
stagnant for decades. Factories and
including those 1949 boundaries the Jewish state, which you won't 16 November 2010
that in today's world would be even acknowledge as a Jewish
jobs continue to hemorrhage to indefensible against Israel's state?
Asia. Company towns become numerous enemies -- the very All of this posturing is a
ghost towns. Made in China has word "negotiate" is meaningless. fiction and, to borrow a phrase
replaced Made in America. And as The United States is from Ecclesiastes, nothing more
one drives through cities and
suburbs, one encounters vast
sending another $150 million in
aid to the Palestinian Authority on
than "chasing after the wind." It is
not -- nor has it ever been -- what
Deficit Reduction
concentrations of people who top of the $400 million President Israel does or doesn't do that By Thomas Sowell
speak some language other than Obama promised to send in June. threatens peace in the region. It is Another deficit reduction
our own. The Jerusalem Post's Caroline Israel's existence that riles the commission has now made its
The Tea Party people are Glick (http://www.jpost.com/) Palestinians and every Muslim recommendations. My own
rising up to take their country writes about what our money is state. Any negotiation that does recommendation for dealing with
back, and that's why they're not buying us: "the death penalty for not lead to the weakening of deficits would include stopping the
going away. any Palestinian who sells land to Israel on the road to its eventual appointment of deficit reduction
Jews, the confiscation of an annihilation is of no interest to the commissions.
18 November 2010 estimated $1 million in Israeli Palestinian leadership. Can It is not the amount of
products, including foods, anyone prove that statement money that these commissions cost
cosmetics and hardware from wrong? that is the issue. It is the escape
Palestinian stores." This is the The United States is
hatch that they provide for big-
equivalent of "protection money" playing mind games with itself
spending politicians.
in the days of Al Capone, but it and with Israel's future. This
Diminished Capacity protects nothing except the fiction country thinks people who believe
Do you go ahead and
spend the rent money and the food
By Cal Thomas that propping up the their god has ordered them to kill
money-- and then ask somebody
If the definition of mischaracterized "moderate" Jews and others they regard as
Palestinian leadership of Prime "infidels" (that would be all else to tell you how to escape the
insanity is repeating the same
Minister Salam Fayyad is going to Americans and anyone else who consequences?
mistake over and over again, then
U.S. policymakers over several magically deliver peaceful co- don't embrace Islam) can If President Obama or the
administrations should be existence between Israelis and somehow be persuaded by infidel Congress were serious about
institutionalized and relegated to Palestinians. diplomats, like Secretary of State keeping the deficit down, they
padded cells. Before again forcing Hillary Clinton (and previous could have had this commission's
The latest, but certainly Israel into concessions, several secretaries of state) and recommendations before they
not the last example of this fundamental questions should be politicians like President Obama spent hundreds of billions of
craziness, is the pressure the posed to the Palestinians: (1) If (and previous presidents) to act in dollars, handing out goodies hither
Obama administration is exerting your goal is to live in peace with ways that are opposed to what and yon to their pet constituencies.
on Israel to stop building Israel, why does Israel not appear they believe their god has I don't know why people
settlements in the West Bank. A on your maps? (2) In your school commanded them to do. One agree to serve on these bipartisan
Nov. 14 New York Times story textbooks and on TV, why do you might as well believe staunch commissions, which save the
repeats the fiction accepted over continue to denigrate Jews and political hides of the big spenders
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after they have run up huge reduction of the tax rates would politicians than collecting more I turned to the Rough
deficits. Back in the 1950s, there increase the tax revenues. What revenue when there is a deficit, Rider of my financial team,
was a saying: "If you didn't invite actually happened? then let the voters know that. Secretary of the Treasury Hank
me to the take-off, don't invite me In 1920, when the top tax And spare us so-called Paulson, a natural leader with
to the crash landing." rate was 73 percent, for people "deficit reduction commissions." decades of experience in
Deficit commissions make making over $100,000 a year, the international finance.
16 November 2010 “The situation is
it politically possible to spend federal government collected just
money first and get somebody else over $700 million in income extraordinarily serious,” Hank
said. He and the team briefed me
to recommend raising taxes later. taxes-- and 30 percent of that was
on three measures to stem the
They are a virtual guarantee of paid by people making over
crisis. First, the Treasury would
never-ending increases in both $100,000. After a series of tax cuts guarantee all $3.5 trillion in
spending and taxes. brought the top rate down to 24 Bernanke and the money market mutual funds,
Why provide political percent, the federal government
cover? Leave the big spenders out collected more than a billion Financial Crisis which were facing depositor runs.
Second, the Fed would launch a
there naked in front of the voters! dollars in income tax revenue-- By George W. Bush program to unfreeze the market
Either the elected officials will and people making over $100,000 “Mr. President, we are for commercial paper, a key
change their ways or the voters can a year now paid 65 percent of the witnessing a financial panic.” source of financing for businesses
change the officials they elect. taxes. Those were troubling across the country. Third, the
There is no special How could that be? The words coming from Ben Bernanke, Securities and Exchange
information or wisdom available to answer is simple: People behave the mild-mannered chairman of Commission would issue a rule
unelected deficit commissions that differently when tax rates are high the Federal Reserve, who was temporarily preventing the short-
is not available to elected officials. as compared to when they are low. seated across from me in the selling of financial stocks. “These
Nor are they more far-seeing than With low tax rates, they take their Roosevelt Room. Over the are dramatic steps,” Hank said,
previous two weeks, the “but America’s financial system is
politicians. money out of tax shelters and put
government had seized Fannie at stake.”
Cutting defense spending it to work in the economy,
Mae and Freddie Mac, two giant Editors' note: this is an
to save money? That is one of the benefitting themselves, the
housing entities. Lehman Brothers excerpt from George W. Bush's
oldest moves in the liberal play economy and government, which had filed the largest bankruptcy in Decision Points, out now by Crown
book. Some soldiers may pay with collects more money in taxes American history. Merrill Lynch Books.
their lives for this, but that could because incomes rise.
be years from now-- and after the High tax rates which very
had been sold under duress. The 12 November 2010
Fed had granted an $85 billion
next election, which is as far as few people are actually paying, loan to save AIG. Now Wachovia
most politicians think. because of tax shelters, do not and Washington Mutual were
The biggest immediate bring in as much revenue as lower teetering on the brink of collapse.
tax issue is whether the Bush tax tax rates that people are paying. It With so much turbulence
cuts will be extended for everyone. was much the same story after tax in financial institutions, credit
Here, as elsewhere in politics, cuts during the Kennedy markets had seized up.
sheer hogwash reigns supreme. administration, the Reagan Consumers couldn’t get loans for
Nancy Pelosi claims that administration and the Bush homes or cars. Small businesses
the "tax cuts for the rich" cannot be Administration. couldn’t borrow to finance their
continued because it would be "too The New York Times operations. The stock market had
costly." Although former reported in 2006: "An taken its steepest plunge since Backtrack
the first day of trading after 9/11.
Republican Majority Leader Dick unexpectedly steep rise in tax
As we sat beneath the oil
By Oliver North
Armey says, "Demagoguery beats revenues from corporations and SAN ANTONIO -- The world's
painting of Teddy Roosevelt
data" in politics, here are some the wealthy is driving down the most famous teleprompter reader
charging on horseback, we all
data anyway. projected budget deficit this year." has lost his audience. For two
knew America was facing its most
The first big cut in income Expectations are in the dire economic challenge in years, President Barack Obama
taxes came in the 1920s, at the eyes of the beholder-- and in the decades. had the American electorate and
urging of Secretary of the Treasury rhetoric of the demagogues. If class world leaders eating out of the
Andrew Mellon. He argued that a warfare is more important to some palm of his hand. At virtually every
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U.S. and overseas venue, he was The president's rhetorical told reporters: "It was wrong to set Afghanistan to win. The time for
welcomed by huge cheering flourishes and quests for applause the date of July" for withdrawing equivocation has long since
throngs. His oratory was described lines on this trip provide striking U.S. troops. "It sent out the wrong passed. In the case of his
as "magnetic," "eloquent" and examples of his chaotic, uncertain message, and it created a "withdrawal date," he must do
"spellbinding." Just nine months leadership at home and abroad. problem." some serious backtracking.
into his term, his While he was reiterating his The former prisoner of 12 November 2010
"accomplishments" were deemed campaign pledge to bring all war is right -- but he understates
worthy of a Nobel Prize. Not American troops home from Iraq, the case. The original Obama
anymore. his defense secretary, Robert promise to start bringing American
After being chastened by Gates, was suggesting the newly troops home from the shadows of
the voters in one of the greatest formed Iraqi government may the Hindu Kush -- a pledge made
electoral reversals in American want U.S. troops to stay beyond to placate the anti-military base of
history, the president flew away on the 2011 deadline for withdrawal. his party -- created a whole host of
the most expensive foreign junket But on Afghanistan, new problems. It told the Taliban
ever taken by an American head of Obama may have begun to they can wait us out. It told the
state. But his appearances this backtrack. This week, he said: Iranians and elements in Pakistan
week in India, Indonesia and "While I have made it clear that to increase efforts to control the
South Korea have made it vividly American forces will begin the outcome. It told our allies to start The Fed Trashes the
clear to all that Obama is incapable transition to Afghan responsibility packing their bags for home. And it Dollar
of shaping events. next summer, I've also made it told Karzai and every corrupt By Pat Buchanan
Though he still panders to clear that America's commitment government official in Afghanistan
If it is the first
every audience, his obsequious to the Afghan people will endure. to steal as much as they can while responsibility of the Federal
bows to foreign potentates and The United States will not abandon the gringos still are writing checks. Reserve to protect the dollars that
apologies for America's misdeeds the people of Afghanistan -- or the Perhaps worst of all, Americans earn and save, is it not
no longer hold the allure and region -- to violent extremists who Obama's "withdrawal promise" dereliction of duty for the Fed to
cachet they carried just months threaten us all." told the American people we aren't pursue a policy to bleed value
ago. In New Delhi, he reiterated He says he has "made it there to win -- that the sacrifice of from those dollars? For that is
his Utopian plea for a world clear," but he hasn't. Ever since he their sons and daughters was what Chairman Ben Bernanke is
without nuclear weapons and announced the "surge" in futile. That's not how Christine and up to with his QE2, or
spoke of supporting India's bid for Afghanistan a year ago, he has Terry -- the parents of Marine "quantitative easing."
a permanent seat on the U.N. been talking about commencing Lance Cpl. Terry E. Honeycutt Jr. Translation: The Fed is
Security Council -- without the withdrawal of U.S. troops next of Waldorf, Md. -- feel, nor should committed to buy $600 billion in
mentioning that both India and July. Now he says we will "begin they. Their son died Oct. 27 after bonds from banks and pay for
Pakistan hide their atomic arsenals the transition to Afghan being wounded by an improvised them by printing money that will
from U.N. arms inspectors. responsibility next summer." Does explosive device in Helmand then be deposited in those banks.
He paid homage to that mean we're going to stay long province. Anti-military protesters The more dollars that flood into
Gandhi, danced with enough to finish the job -- to intended to disrupt their son's the economy, the less every one
schoolchildren in Indonesia and actually win in Afghanistan? No funeral, until the Patriot Guard of them is worth.
Bernanke is not just
went to the G-20 summit in Seoul, one seems to know. Riders were alerted to the
risking inflation. He is inducing
where he continued to whine about While Obama was protesters' plan. Instead of having
inflation.
trade imbalances and currency enjoying state dinners across Asia, to endure a disgusting graveside He is reducing the value
manipulation while defending Sens. John McCain, Joe demonstration, scores of God- of the dollar to make U.S. exports
further devaluation of the Lieberman, Lindsey Graham and fearing veterans will honor a fallen more competitive and imports
American dollar. Along the way, he Kirsten Gillibrand were in Marine and his grieving family. more expensive, so that we will
missed yet another opportunity to Afghanistan for a firsthand look at Obama owes all who are consume fewer imports. He is
define our enemy as radical Islam what's happening on the ground. fighting this war -- especially Gold trying to eliminate the U.S. trade
and ignored American troops in After meetings in Kabul with Gen. Star families like the Honeycutts -- deficit by treating the once
harm's way by treating Iraq and David Petraeus and Afghan a clear and unambiguous universally respected dollar like
Afghanistan like flyover country. President Hamid Karzai, McCain declaration that we are in the peso of a banana republic.
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Sarah Palin has nailed put into savings accounts and CDs trillions to buy Chinese goods and Jimmy Carter was such
cold what Bernanke is about: will be rapidly eaten up by Fed- now we are robbing them by an abominable president we got
"We shouldn't be playing created inflation, so they will run depreciating the dollar- Ronald Reagan, tax cuts, a
around with inflation. It's not for out and spend that money now to denominated Treasury bonds they booming economy and the
nothing Reagan called it 'as get the economy moving again. accepted in return for their goods. destruction of the Soviet Union.
violent as a mugger, as Whatever the economics Pay back your banker in Two years of Bill Clinton
frightening as an armed robber of this, the morality of it is Monopoly money, and you will find and a Democratic Congress got us
and as deadly as a hit man.' appalling. you are soon unable to borrow the first Republican Congress in
"The Fed's pump-priming Imagine a husband and from anyone anywhere.
half a century, followed by tax cuts,
addiction has got our small wife with a bright child who are In four years, the
welfare reform and a booming
businesses running scared and our saving to send the boy to the best American people have delivered
economy –- all of which Clinton
allies worried. The German finance prep school, then Princeton, then, three straight votes of no
minister called the Fed's proposals hopefully, Harvard or Yale Law, so confidence in the U.S.
now claims credit for.
'clueless.' When Germany, a the boy can realize his dream of government. The Fed, however, Obama's disastrous
country that knows a thing or two being a great lawyer and perhaps retains a confidence that it does presidency has already produced
about the dangers of inflation, one day sitting on the Supreme not deserve, when one considers Republican senators from
warns us to think again, maybe Court. that, when it was created in 1913, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and
it's time for Chairman Bernanke to Krugman is a $20 bill could be exchanged for Illinois; New Jersey's wonder-
cease and desist. recommending that the Fed goose a $20 gold piece. governor Chris Christie; and the
"We don't want the money supply to cause a Today, it takes seventy largest House majority for
temporary, artificial economic general fear of inflation, so that $20 bills to buy a $20 gold piece, Republicans since 1946.
growth bought at the expense of couple will run and get their which means the dollar can buy in We deserve more. Clinton
permanently higher inflation which money out of the bank and start 2010 what you could get for 2 only threatened to wreck the
will erode the value of our spending it, because, if they don't, pennies in 1910. Quite a record health care system; Obama
incomes and our savings." their own government will start for a central bank set up to actually did it. We must repeal the
Egging Ben on is the destroying the value of their protect the dollar. 26th Amendment.
Nobel-prize winning New York savings. If Bernanke's inflation Adopted in 1971 at the tail
Times columnist Paul Krugman. This is Weimar does not generate growth, end of the Worst Generation's anti-
Fed policy is too timid, says economics. confidence in the Fed will also war protests, the argument for
Krugman. As for inflation, are not vanish. Then a crisis of capitalism
allowing children to vote was that
When Bernanke said we the prices of gold, silver, oil and will be at hand.
18-year-olds could drink and be
are not "going to try to raise other commodities flashing signals Historians will not deal
inflation to a super-normal level," that it is on the way? kindly with the men who traded
conscripted into the military, so
he blew it, says Krugman, and In denouncing Bernanke, the horse of U.S. economic they ought to be allowed to vote.
"there goes the best chance the even the Chinese are not all nationalism for the rabbit of the But 18-year-olds aren't
Fed's plan might actually work." wrong. They have followed the Global Economy. allowed to drink anymore. We no
longer have a draft. In fact, while
What the Fed should do, monetary policy we created at 10 November 2010 repealing the 26th Amendment, we
he says, is change expectations Bretton Woods in 1944, where we
"by leading people to believe that tied the dollar to gold at $35 an ought to add a separate right to
we will have somewhat above- ounce, while other nations tied vote for members of the military,
normal inflation ... which would their currencies to the dollar at irrespective of age.
reduce the incentive to sit on fixed rates of exchange. As we have learned from
cash." China is being denounced ObamaCare, young people are not
But "sit on cash" is a for manipulating its currency considered adults until age 26, at
definition of saving. Is saving when Beijing is adhering to a which point they are finally forced
bad? Once, Americans were strict dollar-renminbi exchange to get off their parents' health care
taught that saving was a good rate, while our Fed is manipulating plans. The old motto was "Old
thing. the dollar price to seek
Not to Krugman. He competitive advantage.
Repeal the 26th enough to fight, old enough to
vote." The new motto is: "Not old
wants to panic the public into The other Chinese Amendment! enough to buy your own health
believing the money they have complaint is that they lent us
By Ann Coulter insurance, not old enough to vote."
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Eighteen- to 26-year-olds deficient in their frontal lobes, books or ratting out their parents Republicans ought to
don't have property, spouses, which control decision-making, to the Stasi yet. (Of course, before fight for their own electorate,
children or massive tax bills. Most rational thinking, judgment, the teaching them book-burning, at which at a minimum ought to
of them don't even have jobs ability to plan ahead and to resist least their professors would be mean voters with fully functioning
because the president they felt so impulses. forced to teach them what a book brains and the possibility of a tax
good about themselves for Unfortunately, we didn't is.) bill. Not old enough to buy your
supporting wrecked the economy. know that in 1971. Those of you It would make more sense own health insurance, not old
The meager tax young who have made it to age 26 to give public school teachers and enough to vote.
people paid for vehicle licensing
fees on their cars threw them into
without dying in a stupid drinking
game -- and I think
college professors 20 votes apiece
than to allow their impressionable The S-4 Report
such a blind rage that in 2003 they congratulations are in order, by the students to vote.
uncharacteristically voted to recall way -- understand how insane it is The Re-Education Camp
the Democratic governor of to allow young people to vote. Effect can be seen in how these
California, Gray Davis. Wait until It would almost be slackers living at home on their
they start making real money and tolerable if everyone under the age parents' health insurance voted in
realize they share a joint-checking of 30 just admitted they voted for the middle of the Republican tidal
account arrangement with the Obama because someone said to wave this year. Youths aged 18-29
government! Literally wait. Then them, "C'mon, it's really cool! voted for the Democrats by 16
we'll let them vote. Everyone's doing it!" points. But the kids aged 18-24 --
Having absolutely no idea We trusted them, and having just received an A in
what makes their precious cars now we know it was a mistake. Professor Ward Churchill's college
run, by the way, young voters are True, Reagan tied with class on American Oppression --
the most likely to oppose offshore Carter for the youth vote in 1980 voted for the Democrats by a
drilling. and stole younger voters from whopping 19 points.
How about 10-year-olds? Mondale in 1984, but other than Young people voted for
Why not give them the vote? that, young voters have Obama as a fashion statement.
Then we'd have consistently embarrassed One daughter of a friend of a friend
politicians wooing voters with themselves. Of course, back when of mine spent her whole college
offers of free Justin Bieber tickets Reagan was running for president, summer in 2008 working at a
instead of offers of a "sustainable young voters consisted of the one restaurant and then, with teary
planet" or whatever hokum the slice of the population completely eyes, sent everything she made to
youth have swallowed hook, line uninfected by the Worst the Obama campaign.
and sinker from their teachers, pop Generation. Today's youth are the Luckily, she doesn't have
culture idols and other authority infantilized, pampered, bicycle- to worry about paying for tuition,
figures. (Along with their helmeted children of the Worst rent or food. Or property taxes,
approved-by-the-authorities Generation. electric bills, plumbers and
"Question Authority" bumper They foisted this jug- electricians. After being exploited
stickers.) eared, European socialist on us by the left, she'll end up paying for
Like 18-year-olds, the 10- and now they must be punished. it for the rest of her life, with
year-olds would be sublimely Voters aged 18 to 29 years old interest.
unaware that they're the ones who comprised nearly a fifth of the Liberals fight tooth-and-
will be footing the bill for all these voting population in 2008 and nail to create an electorate
"free" goodies, paying and paying they voted overwhelmingly for disposed to vote Democratic by, for
until they die of old age. Obama, 66 percent to 31 percent. example, demanding that felons
Brain research in the last And it only took 12 to 14 and illegal aliens be given the vote.
five years at Dartmouth and years of North Korean-style But it's at least possible that illegal
elsewhere has shown that human brainwashing to make them do it! aliens and criminals pay taxes or
brains are not fully developed until At least their teachers haven't have fully functioning frontal
age 25 and are particularly brainwashed them into burning lobes.
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The Best Commercial Ever!!!
From Pete Chyler
C:\Users\Mark E.
Juppe\Documents\Video\Best
Comercial EVER!.wmv
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The Official Newsletter of the Alphatraz Deathcamp Survivor’s Society

[Type text] The Beatings will continue unitl morale improves!!!

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