Having worked with Diplomats & Warriors and having met a number of Politicians, Foreign Policy and Politics intrigue me, annoy me, and astound me. While I recognize that "RealPolitik" is a reality that however distasteful, will not change, it seems that many blatantly ignore reality and prove falsehoods by simple repetition and the loudest bullhorns.
Realpolitik means that DoD costs will always be higher than necessary, because unless a DoD supplier employs people in the widest number of Congressional Districts, some other company will get the contract. I don't like that costs needlessly increase with transportation costs, but Congressman reality prevents change.
On the other hand, and my focus here, blatant denial of reality makes no sense. And I'll offer several instances of it. Let's begin with Iran:
For the last 3 decades, the Islamist regime in Iran has made a mockery of US attempts at Diplomacy. The most obvious symbol of this is the fact that the US Embassy in Tehran is occupied as the Headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard, spraypainted with anti-American graffitti. In diplomatic and international terms, that literally means that Iran is occupying US soil.
It is no secret that Iran is the center of terrorism and Islamism. It is a part of their Constitution. It is proven beyond all doubt. Iranian munitions are found on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. Shipments of rockets are regularly intercepted en route to Gaza's Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah terrorists. International conferences of terrorism have been sponsored by Iran and often held in Tehran. While Saddam was a reluctant ally of Al-Qaeda, Iran was a secret partner and still harbors bin Laden's sons.
Iran works relentlessly to spread its form of Islamist Tyranny, using every medium available to it. In Turkey & Lebanon, it works in the political spectrum, while in Lebanon, Gaza, and Iraq, it actively trains, equips, and funds terrorists. Add to that the continued propaganda efforts through Hamas TV to indoctrinate Palestinian kids to hate and suicide. Not only are its slogans straight out of Nazi propaganda, but so are many of the symbols and the name of the country itself is derived from Aryan.
The question of war with Iran has been open since 1979 but our best chance for a diplomatic solution to the problem passed in silence in the aftermath of the Iranian phony elections last year. If there were ever an opportunity to allow the Persian People themselves end their oppression, it was when hundreds of thousands stood up at risk of their lives against the Iranian Government, when not even the Iranian Military would support its oppression. Instead our POTUS expressed less outrage at the murders by Iranian Government, at the fraudulent elections, than he has about an Arizona law and its Governor that passed a law supporting Federal Law on Immigration.
Sensible Americans expressed disbelief when the candidate, now President, expressed desire to hold talks without preconditions with Iran. But politicians still express opinions that sanctions will work and that negotiations are possible with a tyrannical government that has toyed with diplomats as does a cat with a mouse. No reasonable person that has taken the time to understand Iran's history or follow its policies, could legitimately believe that Iran is going to negotiate away its "rights" to the Islamist nuclear bomb.
And then there is Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Peace talks surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even if one ignores the fact that Israel is our oldest ally in the MidEast, and most loyal despite abuse by our politicians, one should be able to look objectively at the issues. Israel's great "sin" is construction. They're allowing citizens to build apartments, schools, and homes. In response Israelis are murdered by rockets and bombs in their homes, schools, and malls. In self-defense, Israel attacks the sites and leaders of terrorist attacks.
Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran have stated their goal of exterminating Israel. Hence, it is no surprise that no matter what Israel concedes for peace, their enemy gives them no peace. The most accepted form of racism in the world is anti-Semetism, so it is no surprise that the allies of Nazis and Communists continue today as anti-Israeli and anti-Semetic. It is more surprising that the non-racist can support, even tacitly, the claim that building housing, even on contested lands, warrants murder and terrorism. In a worst case scenario, those settlements would be available for new families or bulldozed over, if Israel attempted another trade of land for peace.
And while there is a major difference between a Muslim and an Islamist, i.e. religious vs. political ideology, there should be no doubt in today's mind that an Islamist is bent on world domination and that their militant arm, terrorists, will kill anyone, Muslim, Christian, or Atheist, to achieve that goal, on a regional or international level.
The disturbing trend we're seeing in recent months are terrorists with American citizenship, whether naturalized or converted. Adam Gadahn, Jihad Jane, Nidal Hassan, Anwar al-Awlaki, along with Pakistani & Sudanese immigrants which have taken up the violent Islamist terrorist cause are coming to light at an alarming rate. Of course, Al-Qaeda planned to use Americans as its 3rd wave of terrorism, following its wave of European terrorists, such as Richard Reid, but it makes it no less troubling to see it today, years after it was anticipated.
This brings into question both our legal and illegal immigration policies. It should be a no-brainer that we should end illegal immigration and secure our borders. Our Southern border is threatened with Drug Trafficking violence spilling over, but also the realization that Islamists are slipping across with the fact that Arabs and Hispanics are very similiar in appearance. That any politician would attempt to rationalize the illegal immigration problem is simply astounding.
The legal immigration question is not as simple, but should certainly take into account the loyalty to this Nation of immigrants. It does not. There is simply no reason a Nation should feel compelled to accept immigrants that are openly hostile to the Nation. The test for that may not be simple, but certainly there should be one. As the Times Square Bomber stated, yes, he swore allegiance to the United States, but he didn't mean it. How does one prevent that? The only answer I can think of is not palatable. But, I say again, No Nation should feel compelled to accept avowed enemies into its country.
The American Nation is exceptional, but it is increasingly unaware of its position in the world. The number of people that want to immigrate here is one metric of how good things are, here. Basic electricity service is considered a luxury in many parts of the world, much less multiple TV's and gaming systems. Our "poor" would be considered rich in many parts of the world.
The United States is a generous nation, but our generosity is often glossed over to the benefit of our enemies and opponents on the world stage. The amount of aid we give to the world's needy dwarfs that of other nations, but so too does the good will we receive from it. Too often, it is stamped with UN symbols. And that's a problem because the UN works so ardently to undermine good will towards our Nation, while the EU and China leverage every dime they spend to increasing their economic power.
Some would take this evidence as reasons to argue for isolationism, but that is counter-productive to Our People, our way of life, and our success. The Korean Peninsula demonstrates the difference between isolationism versus global trade. The North is in tatters while the South is a successful world economic power. Our Economy is very dependent on exports and trade. Our success has come by means of selling to others. Isolation would shut that down.
Our Foreign Policy should be one that puts America first, designed to continue our success, that does not shy away from leveraging our strong points to the benefit of our citizenry, even as we reward friends and not enemies.
Perhaps the question of captured terrorists chaps me more than most, or perhaps it is politicians that refuse to admit we're at war. Captured Combatants, whether legal or illegal combatants, do NOT have Constitutional Rights. Their detention is subject to the Geneva Conventions, which plainly states that they can legally be held until a cessation of hostilities. Gitmo has been maligned by partisan politics despite the fact that they knew their allegations and claims were false. The fact that the current administration has laid down the Army Field Manual as the standard for its "elite" interrogation teams is proof that they understand the Military has performed honorably at Gitmo.
And it is offensive that this Administration has called the Wars Our Troops fight a "contingency." This is not the time to be cutting the military budget, or shifting it to stateside environmental projects. Certainly, there is room for certain items to be cut, but RealPolitik prevents transportation costs to be cut from necessary equipment.
Stumble It!
