President Trump's first few days in office have surprised many, and he has managed to delight and dismay in fairly equal measure, but his first task as Commander in Chief is not an easy one.
Gone are the days when America's adversaries would test the mettle of her newest leader, and today it is her allies lining up to confront or dupe their powerful 'friend'.
We see the "President" of the European Council declaring that America is now an existential threat to Europe, although I don't recall ever voting for a European President, so the opinions of this Tusk chappie may serve little purpose, except to demonstrate why over 17 million British voters chose to leave the EU in last year's referendum.
Of much greater concern, is Poroshenko's push into Eastern Ukraine.
For all the mellowing tone towards Putin from the new administration, these latest attacks - coinciding with the largest deployment of NATO troops to Russia's border in recent years - demonstrates just how difficult it could be to reverse some of Mr. Obama's more insidious handiwork.
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
Saturday, 12 November 2016
US: Why we should welcome President Trump
So, the votes have been cast; America has elected a new President, and the world is a little bit safer for all of us.
There's still a long way to go, but the possibilities are encouraging.
What is not encouraging though, is the refusal of media and many 'democrats' to accept the will of the people. Their disappointment is understandable, but their actions are not.
The same broadcasters who accused Mr. Trump of being headstrong and extreme, are now complaining that his post-election moderation is a sign of backtracking, while the rioting on US streets is nowhere portrayed as the threat to Democracy that it surely is.
That America chose a brash and arrogant billionaire over a corrupt and duplicitous millionaire should have surprised nobody, but it has truly shocked those who would have us believe that they know better than everyone else. Go figure that one out.
But the biggest challenge to popular revolution is yet to come.
Europe has a plethora of elections in 2017, and the defending elite will now be on their guard following Brexit and Trump. These are also countries that are not native English speaking, so their media outlets have a captive audience for the globalized and deceitful propaganda that passes as news and commentary, but success is a great incubator, so we can remain hopeful for the future.
Can President Trump succeed in making America great again?
Why not, he has identified many of the problems, which is the essential first step, and although some of his 'solutions' are no such things, he has skilled advisers and voters on his side, so he has a chance.
As someone taking time off from a minor property development of my own to write this post, I can appreciate that despite his wealth, Donald is part of the real world, knows it's restrictions and understands that the laws of physics and economics cannot be defied, unlike those fiat financiers who have for too long held the rest of us to ransom.
Anyway, Good luck Mr. Trump.
There's still a long way to go, but the possibilities are encouraging.
What is not encouraging though, is the refusal of media and many 'democrats' to accept the will of the people. Their disappointment is understandable, but their actions are not.
The same broadcasters who accused Mr. Trump of being headstrong and extreme, are now complaining that his post-election moderation is a sign of backtracking, while the rioting on US streets is nowhere portrayed as the threat to Democracy that it surely is.
That America chose a brash and arrogant billionaire over a corrupt and duplicitous millionaire should have surprised nobody, but it has truly shocked those who would have us believe that they know better than everyone else. Go figure that one out.
But the biggest challenge to popular revolution is yet to come.
Europe has a plethora of elections in 2017, and the defending elite will now be on their guard following Brexit and Trump. These are also countries that are not native English speaking, so their media outlets have a captive audience for the globalized and deceitful propaganda that passes as news and commentary, but success is a great incubator, so we can remain hopeful for the future.
Can President Trump succeed in making America great again?
Why not, he has identified many of the problems, which is the essential first step, and although some of his 'solutions' are no such things, he has skilled advisers and voters on his side, so he has a chance.
As someone taking time off from a minor property development of my own to write this post, I can appreciate that despite his wealth, Donald is part of the real world, knows it's restrictions and understands that the laws of physics and economics cannot be defied, unlike those fiat financiers who have for too long held the rest of us to ransom.
Anyway, Good luck Mr. Trump.
Friday, 7 October 2016
US: Obama's last stand?
Exactly when the Department of Defense went rogue may be uncertain, but it's refusal to comply with the terms of Syrian ceasefire went a long way to scuppering a unified assault on International terrorism, so what's next?
Talk of a 'no fly zone' which we all know is a euphemism for regime change by any and all means necessary, could only result in open conflict with Russia, and the question remains, just how many lunatics are running amok in the pentagon?
But there is method in their madness, too.
If Donald Trump becomes favourite to defeat Hilary Clinton, then America may find itself following the dark and well trodden path of despots and non-democratic governments, and start a war, thus creating an external adversary to either gain public support, or as a way to impose martial law, and suspend the presidential elections.
When Ben Carson first floated this idea back in 2014, the idea seemed extreme and merely paranoid conservatism, but current warmongering and media compliance to the general softening-up of public opinion, means that the Anarchy he warned about could be within US government, and not on the streets.
Can President Obama resist the madmen and women closest to him, or is he really the lame duck they perceive him to be?
This is another question that presents itself, and the answer may determine his true legacy and all our futures.
Talk of a 'no fly zone' which we all know is a euphemism for regime change by any and all means necessary, could only result in open conflict with Russia, and the question remains, just how many lunatics are running amok in the pentagon?
But there is method in their madness, too.
If Donald Trump becomes favourite to defeat Hilary Clinton, then America may find itself following the dark and well trodden path of despots and non-democratic governments, and start a war, thus creating an external adversary to either gain public support, or as a way to impose martial law, and suspend the presidential elections.
When Ben Carson first floated this idea back in 2014, the idea seemed extreme and merely paranoid conservatism, but current warmongering and media compliance to the general softening-up of public opinion, means that the Anarchy he warned about could be within US government, and not on the streets.
Can President Obama resist the madmen and women closest to him, or is he really the lame duck they perceive him to be?
This is another question that presents itself, and the answer may determine his true legacy and all our futures.
Friday, 16 September 2016
UK: Damned if you do...
It is not for me to defend a Tory ex-Prime Minister, but one of the benefits of hindsight, is people's poor memory of circumstances and selective recall of 'facts', totally out of context.
For all Cameron's later failings over Libya, the initial urgency to prevent murder on what was shaping to be a monumental scale, should not be understated.
When a regime which was capable, and willing, to murder 1,270 prisoners in secret, then describes protesters as rats and cockroaches, and announces that rebels should surrender (their weapons) or face "slaughter" [Gaddafi also threatened to purge Libya "house by house" and "inch by inch"] we must conclude that the outcome would have been bloody, possibly beyond our feeble imagination.
Those who now complain that there was large loss of life in any case, might be too young to remember, or even care, about what happened in Cambodia in the mid 1970's, or Rwanda in the mid 1990's, but those of us forced to live through the utter and callous complacency of Western leaders and governments to what was happening, are not so dismissive of the sometimes need for humanitarian intervention.
We are also old enough to know that 'intervention' is more usually a euphemism for regime change or other geopolitical maneuvering, and that is why acting over Libya was so important, because most dictators go to great lengths to hide their murderous instructions and cover-up the deeds of their followers, so it is rare to have a situation where military action is so clearly called for.
The aftermath of such an intervention is quite another matter, and the subsequent abandonment of Libya to the Islamic State is part of an ongoing, global distress.
For all Cameron's later failings over Libya, the initial urgency to prevent murder on what was shaping to be a monumental scale, should not be understated.
When a regime which was capable, and willing, to murder 1,270 prisoners in secret, then describes protesters as rats and cockroaches, and announces that rebels should surrender (their weapons) or face "slaughter" [Gaddafi also threatened to purge Libya "house by house" and "inch by inch"] we must conclude that the outcome would have been bloody, possibly beyond our feeble imagination.
Those who now complain that there was large loss of life in any case, might be too young to remember, or even care, about what happened in Cambodia in the mid 1970's, or Rwanda in the mid 1990's, but those of us forced to live through the utter and callous complacency of Western leaders and governments to what was happening, are not so dismissive of the sometimes need for humanitarian intervention.
We are also old enough to know that 'intervention' is more usually a euphemism for regime change or other geopolitical maneuvering, and that is why acting over Libya was so important, because most dictators go to great lengths to hide their murderous instructions and cover-up the deeds of their followers, so it is rare to have a situation where military action is so clearly called for.
The aftermath of such an intervention is quite another matter, and the subsequent abandonment of Libya to the Islamic State is part of an ongoing, global distress.
Monday, 12 September 2016
US: A timely reminder
Security planners and personnel around the world should breathe a shared sigh of relief that 9/11, for this year at least, has gone off relatively peacefully with possibly only a minor skirmish in Kenya to note. Of course this was not for the want of trying, and we may never know how many planned attacks were foiled, but let's take our blessings as they come, and be thankful.
The jihadist's unrelenting attempts to commemorate and highlight their deeds of 15 years ago, are already well known, but there is more to this grim anniversary than that.
For as soon as the clock struck midnight the media and politicians (for the most part, anyway), put away their sad faces for another year, and reverted to their jolly 'islam is a Religion of Peace' mantra, while continually wondering how so many muslims could read koranic texts and then act upon them. And, as September 12th began, the never ending guilt by association with events that may have upset muslims, continued anew and refreshed.
This is why 9/11 is such an important day in all our calendars.
It is otherwise easy to pronounce that French cartoonists were killed because they drew cartoons, or that innocents are being murdered across Europe and America, because of their government's actions. But remembering the murder of thousands on that day should, and will, also serve to remind us that the Afghan invasion was the result, and not the cause, of 9/11.
And while the invasion of Iraq was undoubtedly a crass piece of settling scores by the younger Bush, following on from the unfinished work of his father; the purpose of that first Desert Storm, was to remove Kuwait from the clutches of Sadam Hussein and had no Western Imperialistic intentions, other than those usual drivers of money and oil.
It is also noteworthy that just a few days ago permission was given to build a wall in France to prevent 'migrants' from attacking lorries and their drivers. Yet, while all our sympathies are engineered towards the humanitarian plight of these 'victims of war', and by implication, our wars, we should remember that iterations of the infamous 'jungle' camp have been around since 1999 - long before 9/11, et al.
Lastly, the distaste at muslim attempts to build a victory mosk on the murder scene, may also become an annual pointer to the reality and depth of stealth jihad, and if so, then the families and friends of the victims of 9/11 should find more than a little comfort from knowing that the ones they remember, really did not die in vain.
The jihadist's unrelenting attempts to commemorate and highlight their deeds of 15 years ago, are already well known, but there is more to this grim anniversary than that.
For as soon as the clock struck midnight the media and politicians (for the most part, anyway), put away their sad faces for another year, and reverted to their jolly 'islam is a Religion of Peace' mantra, while continually wondering how so many muslims could read koranic texts and then act upon them. And, as September 12th began, the never ending guilt by association with events that may have upset muslims, continued anew and refreshed.
This is why 9/11 is such an important day in all our calendars.
It is otherwise easy to pronounce that French cartoonists were killed because they drew cartoons, or that innocents are being murdered across Europe and America, because of their government's actions. But remembering the murder of thousands on that day should, and will, also serve to remind us that the Afghan invasion was the result, and not the cause, of 9/11.
And while the invasion of Iraq was undoubtedly a crass piece of settling scores by the younger Bush, following on from the unfinished work of his father; the purpose of that first Desert Storm, was to remove Kuwait from the clutches of Sadam Hussein and had no Western Imperialistic intentions, other than those usual drivers of money and oil.
It is also noteworthy that just a few days ago permission was given to build a wall in France to prevent 'migrants' from attacking lorries and their drivers. Yet, while all our sympathies are engineered towards the humanitarian plight of these 'victims of war', and by implication, our wars, we should remember that iterations of the infamous 'jungle' camp have been around since 1999 - long before 9/11, et al.
Lastly, the distaste at muslim attempts to build a victory mosk on the murder scene, may also become an annual pointer to the reality and depth of stealth jihad, and if so, then the families and friends of the victims of 9/11 should find more than a little comfort from knowing that the ones they remember, really did not die in vain.
Thursday, 25 August 2016
France: Bucking the burka
What looks like a bizarre and unnecessary ban on a stupid piece of swimwear may have more going for it than we like to accept.
A country that has just suffered a series of deadly attacks on it's innocent and defenseless citizens, must surely do, and be seen to do, something decisive. The obvious question now is whether this (effectively a hijab ban) is a suitable measure.
There are many debates about French secularism and islamic sensibilities, but from a security perspective, sunny beaches are the ultimate in 'soft' targets for terrorists, and having just returned from a European holiday, when my mind did drift back to the muslim who murdered 38 people on a sunny Tunisian beach, I can attest that anything which helps prevent such attacks is to be applauded and supported.
But there is another side to this story, and it appears that muslims are not to be inconvenienced or challenged about their behavior or dress, despite their community's overt and covert, support for the jihadi's living among them.
This is almost amusing, having spent several hours lining up to be screened and inspected at airports on the aforementioned holiday, all measures imposed courtesy of jihadist murderers, it is difficult to sympathize with those who complain that their lives are adversely affected by the brutal actions of their coreligionists.
This is one bit of assimilation that they cannot avoid; welcome to life in the West.
One could compare women being required to dress according to their surroundings on a beach, with women not being allowed to wear shorts and t-shirt in mosks, but a more realistic question is to ask how long would it take for the cloaking of women to become normalized, such that those who chose not to cover up while relaxing, would be frowned upon and made to feel inappropriately dressed?
It is sad though.
Just a couple of years ago on a lakeside in France, I was struck at how hard a group of young muslims were trying to join in with the fun, The mothers wore headscarves and loose clothing while their children played with everyone else, in what appeared to be two cultures living differently yet together, but much has happened since then, and it is becoming clear that the people of France have some big decisions to make on how their country is to continue.
Back in England, the BBC news were all over the story of French police enforcing the ban, which is now portrayed as an attack on freedom, rather than a liberating act. I guess you pays your money and you takes your pick, but in a TV interview one irate muslima complained bitterly that she was being told what to do and what to wear or not.
What was that all about?
I can't find the news item online, but you get the picture: She sat stern faced and sincerely berated the state for daring to dictate her dress code, all the while wearing the black and ominous garb dictated to desert tribeswomen by a camel-trading pedophile, over a thousand years ago.
Now that is bizarre.
A country that has just suffered a series of deadly attacks on it's innocent and defenseless citizens, must surely do, and be seen to do, something decisive. The obvious question now is whether this (effectively a hijab ban) is a suitable measure.
There are many debates about French secularism and islamic sensibilities, but from a security perspective, sunny beaches are the ultimate in 'soft' targets for terrorists, and having just returned from a European holiday, when my mind did drift back to the muslim who murdered 38 people on a sunny Tunisian beach, I can attest that anything which helps prevent such attacks is to be applauded and supported.
But there is another side to this story, and it appears that muslims are not to be inconvenienced or challenged about their behavior or dress, despite their community's overt and covert, support for the jihadi's living among them.
This is almost amusing, having spent several hours lining up to be screened and inspected at airports on the aforementioned holiday, all measures imposed courtesy of jihadist murderers, it is difficult to sympathize with those who complain that their lives are adversely affected by the brutal actions of their coreligionists.
This is one bit of assimilation that they cannot avoid; welcome to life in the West.
One could compare women being required to dress according to their surroundings on a beach, with women not being allowed to wear shorts and t-shirt in mosks, but a more realistic question is to ask how long would it take for the cloaking of women to become normalized, such that those who chose not to cover up while relaxing, would be frowned upon and made to feel inappropriately dressed?
It is sad though.
Just a couple of years ago on a lakeside in France, I was struck at how hard a group of young muslims were trying to join in with the fun, The mothers wore headscarves and loose clothing while their children played with everyone else, in what appeared to be two cultures living differently yet together, but much has happened since then, and it is becoming clear that the people of France have some big decisions to make on how their country is to continue.
Back in England, the BBC news were all over the story of French police enforcing the ban, which is now portrayed as an attack on freedom, rather than a liberating act. I guess you pays your money and you takes your pick, but in a TV interview one irate muslima complained bitterly that she was being told what to do and what to wear or not.
What was that all about?
I can't find the news item online, but you get the picture: She sat stern faced and sincerely berated the state for daring to dictate her dress code, all the while wearing the black and ominous garb dictated to desert tribeswomen by a camel-trading pedophile, over a thousand years ago.
Now that is bizarre.
Saturday, 13 August 2016
EU: Not so silly, anymore.
Last minute packing for the family vacation, I am reminded of when this was called the Silly Season, as parliaments went into recess, schools closed and business slowed to a crawl, there was little news worthy of the title, and the media scrabbled for something to fill their allotted slots.
Photos of polar bears being furnished with ice to cool off during the less frequent heat waves, was the sort of image we came to expect, and were not even surprised if traffic caused by the occasional cat rescue from high in some central London tree made it to the 6 o'clock news.
How far away those days seem now.
Even the Olympic sports are struggling to maintain centre stage, with Zika and the drug fiasco and rioting in Rio. It appears that Brasilians haven't taken too kindly to their recent coup, not unlike Turkey and Ukraine.
We have major wars in Yemen and Syria, with 'lesser' conflicts in Libya and Iraq, but the bloody list continues, radiating out from the Arabian incubator through Africa, Asia and Europe.
In addition to being one of the front lines for islamic jihad, Europe also has multiple forest fires, some started deliberately, but no use seeking a motive there, because we will never trust the answer anyway...
Ah well, best get back to the suitcase.
Photos of polar bears being furnished with ice to cool off during the less frequent heat waves, was the sort of image we came to expect, and were not even surprised if traffic caused by the occasional cat rescue from high in some central London tree made it to the 6 o'clock news.
How far away those days seem now.
Even the Olympic sports are struggling to maintain centre stage, with Zika and the drug fiasco and rioting in Rio. It appears that Brasilians haven't taken too kindly to their recent coup, not unlike Turkey and Ukraine.
We have major wars in Yemen and Syria, with 'lesser' conflicts in Libya and Iraq, but the bloody list continues, radiating out from the Arabian incubator through Africa, Asia and Europe.
In addition to being one of the front lines for islamic jihad, Europe also has multiple forest fires, some started deliberately, but no use seeking a motive there, because we will never trust the answer anyway...
Ah well, best get back to the suitcase.
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