Myths About Afghanistan
Victor Davis Hanson on whether Afghanistan is really the "graveyard of empires ..."
Courtesy of Blackfive here is a video of the recent seizure of an Iranian weapons shipment.
It’s the same pattern as before. Major Shipments of weapons has occurred in the past and will keep occurring. When this administration figures out that sugar and spice and everything nice won’t work as a foreign policy, a depression will set in at the State Department. War will eventually come to the Middle East, and Israel will be left to defend itself while the current administration sits in malaise and bewilderment.
Postscript: See also Michael Ledeen’s recent comments on this administration’s appeasement of evildoers here and here.
On November 6, 2009 at 12:33 pm, Warbucks said:
Continuing the hypothetical and make-believe world in which we currently find Warbucks frolicking, seemingly oblivious and naïve to the death, mayhem, and evil surrounding him, we venture into his wonderland rabbit hole and peak once again, at the risk to our own sanity, into his continuing thoughts: “Fewer Troops is Better: Riding Unicorns Over Rainbows”
(http://www.captainsjournal.com/2009/10/28/fewer-troops-is-better-riding-unicorns-over-rainbows/) on The Captain’s Journal.
On November 6, 2009 at 1:22 pm, Herschel Smith said:
Um, that should have been “Major shipments of weapons HAVE occurred,” not “has occurred.” We’ll leave it as is just to keep me humble (couch to Smith – “Do you really think that’s possible, you arrogant jerk?”).
On November 7, 2009 at 10:25 am, Warbucks said:
The answer on what is next [ (http://www.captainsjournal.com/2009/10/28/fewer-troops-is-better-riding-unicorns-over-rainbows/) on The Captain’s Journal] may lie in thinking through your visceral response after watching the video.
In the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=tCAffMSWSzY#t=28), we see our President’s edited actions, acting and claiming Muslim heritage and with a waist-deep bow of the body to the Arab King, the President is, through undeniable body language as certain as the body language of a Catholic priest crossing himself at the alter of Christ, the President submits his spirit and his post of office as the President of the United States, to that spiritual power represented by the Arab King….. the power of Allah.
Is the Western Christian mind ready for this kind of understanding?
The President’s submission and fealty to the Arab King is not state-to-state. This is the hard part for the western man to comprehend; if the act is sincere (which is entirely another question) the bow is instead intended as soul-to-soul. The President is saying (if he is sincere) your God is my God too …. The God of Abraham, the God of the Jew, the God of the Christian, the God of the Muslim. While we might want to label the President’s political actions differently, we do that at great risk of missing the linkage to the Arab mind that enables us to find the link of peace and conflict resolution in a state of understanding and joy. This isn’t about one-ups-manship of a Muslim President over a triked nation of Christian’s mislead during a campaign in a secrete pledge of fealty to an Arab King spreading a Caliphate into the US. This is about the deepest soul-to-soul spiritual acknowledgement between Christian and Muslim. It may be hard to accept these words as reliable, but I believe they put forth a truth.
Humbly, I respectfully present the continuing thread of this inquiry:
The war planners must take these matters into consideration eventually.
Possible Dramatic Symbols with Positive Global Impact:
Assumption and operating premise:
Theorizing in practical terms: Will we follow?
In conflict resolution results matter and a leader’s actions can make a difference.
A video clearly intended to disrupt and seed distrust on the level of state-to-state visceral politics in a time of war, holds the power when seen through different eyes, when viewed as a common respect for the lineage of deepest level spiritual truth of the God of Abraham, who’s duty it is for the Arab King to carry and preserve, is in truth intended by the President as a healing act.
But is this an example of “Possible Dramatic Symbols with Positive Global Impact” ? What kind of act(s) is (are) needed?
On November 7, 2009 at 5:49 pm, Herschel Smith said:
Please remember and consider a few things:
(1) This is not a “conflict resolution” blog. It’s a Milblog.
(2) The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is most certainly NOT the God of Muhammed.
(3) Keep comments related to the article.
On November 8, 2009 at 9:30 pm, rrk3 said:
On a related note I read the other day that HAMAS is also trying to aquire the more advanced Russian ATGM types. This will be trouble if the and when the IDF goes back into Hamas controlled territory. What troubles me is that between Hezbollah and Hamas they can hit nearly every corner of Israel with rocket fire. Granted these are unguided and not very sophisticated they are ideal as terror weapons. Also Hezbollah with Iranian help has used guided weapons against Israeli warships and has shown that it can use drones as well. This is technology that Israel has not had to contend with in the past.
During the last Hezbollah/Israeli war the Party of God showed itself to be very adept at defensive fighting. Something I am sure their Irainian sponsors have helped them with. It will only be a matter of time to see if their offensive capabilities beyond hit and run raids has developed as well. Even though I cannot see them at least for now running into open battle with an armored brigade.
Herschel, I agree war is coming and coming sooner than we would like to acknowledge. The Iranians are feeling empowered by our do nothing administration, Israel is feeling international pressure as usual, and is not being defended by the United States or the West. I would think that before the current administrations first term there will be another shooting match between Hezbollah and Israel. I wonder this time though if Hamas will join in and with it the rest of the Palestinians.
As the Chinese say “may you live in interesting times.”
On November 10, 2009 at 11:29 am, TSAlfabet said:
Truly our leaders live in a fantasy world framed by leftist ideology where our closest ally in the Middle East (Israel) is condemned for defending itself and the aggressors/terrorists are pitied as victims. For all we know, that shipment of weapons from Iran was the last one needed for the next attack on Israel.
It is only a matter of time until Reality crashes in and then what will this Admin do? Will it wake up and act appropriately? If Israel is attacked in force, will this Admin lend strong aid or “dither” ?