President Bush And The Great Myths Of Iraq

What a world we live in. Let's look at Iraq. We know the President said ostensibly that the reason for invading was to find weapons of mass destruction, and prevent Saddam Hussein from using them. His removal from office could create a new democratic Iraq. America invaded and found no weapons of mass destruction � not even a hint of them.

Now the media is basically reporting that we are involved in a Civil War in Iraq, and we are losing it. Somewhere in between the two ends of the story is the truth and you need to know it, so that you don't have to be inundated with bias from all sides of the media, both liberal and conservative. Let's go through the great myths of Iraq.

Myth 1 � Invading Iraq has helped us with the War on Terrorism

Nonsense, there is no war on terrorism in Iraq. Osama Bin Laden attacked the two World Trade Center buildings in NYC more than five years ago. Hello, has anybody heard recently whether anybody is looking for Bin Laden anymore. If so who, what resources are being devoted to taking down this awful, hateful man? I suggest very little is being done. Everyone's attention is on Iraq.

Saddam Hussein was not an exporter of terror. He used terror as an internal weapon inside Iraq to control the very people that we obviously can't control. These people do not want a democracy, if they did, they would fight for it. Instead, they fight each other, even in the same neighborhoods. It's a Civil War folks, pure and simple.

Myth 2 � The military's post war planning was okay, not great, but okay?

Really, Donald Rumsfeld's Defense Department could not have done a worse job if they had set out to do one as an objective. There was literally ZERO post war planning, compared to the actual invasion that took place. The looting of the civil infrastructure after our invasion, including the pilfering of museums was a tip-off as to how undermanned, and under planned we really were.

Myth 3 � If only we "Stayed the Course" as the President is fond of saying, it will work out in the end.

There's a line that goes, "If you always do, what you always did, you'll always get, what you always got." In life, if something isn't working, YOU CHANGE IT. You do something else. You do not just keep doing what you were doing. This President is stubborn without being wise. Perhaps more than anyone else in the history of the modern Presidency, he shows a reluctance to learn from his mistakes, and total lack of desire to inquire as to alternative options. He's LOCKED into a thinking that just doesn't work. He has never allowed the decision making process to be VETTED by opposing thinkers. In this behavior, he is unique, and foolish.

Myth 4 � Iraq will become Democratic in time.

Sure, and I believe in the tooth fairy. This is not the American Revolution, a unique era with a unique group of the best read, self-educated men in history. Unrivaled in courage, our founders had the desire to stand against England, and form a Republic for which it stands. President Bush is right, when he says; I haven't seen Thomas Jefferson in Iraq yet. Jefferson doesn't exist in Iraq, and perhaps never will.

Myth 5 � Our situation in Iraq has made our position stronger in the world?

Really, do you really want to argue this one? Iraq had the 4th or 5th largest standing army in the world. We demonstrated that we could take it apart, and destroy it in 29 days. This was a valuable lesson for the world to learn. In the aftermath, we demonstrated that we could not govern. We could not influence events. Our influence frankly just broke down, and we did it in the face of the world, while everybody was watching.

Our enemies and our friends recognize that we do not have the capacity to back up our rhetoric with military action anywhere else in the world, while we are bogged down in Iraq. Placing 140,000 troops currently in Iraq has made us incapable of operating anywhere else.

If North Korea were to create a provocative act TODAY, what would we do? If Iran were to send troops into the Iraqi desert, or better yet to Saudi Arabia, or Kuwait, what would we do? We no longer have a draft. The military is having major problems fulfilling their current manpower requirements. Has anybody noticed the disproportionate number of officers at the lieutenant level and above that are dying in Iraq. Last week, 3 lieutenant colonels were killed in action. This is unheard of in previous wars. It is because they are dying from roadside bombs that can strike anyone within a specified distance.

Myth 6 � Those roadside bombs are made locally in terrorist hideouts in Iraq.

Those bombs are being manufactured in Iran, and transported across the border with Syria's help, and we are doing NOTHING ABOUT IT. These are not simple devices. They are technologically sophisticated. They required advanced machinery, and skill to produce. This expertise is not available in Iraq. These are shaped charges, and they are adjusting to the changes that the United States is making on the battlefield. Only Iran can produce such technology in that area. The United States has never held Iran accountable for its actions, or even mentioned it on the world stage. What is going on here?

Myth 7 � The military was in agreement with Rumsfeld's policies or they would have protested?

Do you think so, do you really honestly think so? Very few generals have what it takes to blow away a career by protesting about decisions being made by superiors. What we are seeing is what many of us thought we'd never see again � the Viet Nam syndrome coming back to haunt us. During Viet Nam hundreds of officers knew our conduct of the war wasn't working. They kept their mouths shut, and said that some day when they had the power they would never allow this to happen again.

Here we are 30 years later, and you guessed it. The young officers who made those statements are now leading the armed forces of the United States, and they are just as quiet as their superiors were during the Viet Nam war. Every one of these officers knows that we went into Iraq on the cheap, in terms of our manpower. Oh yes, we had enough to destroy the Iraqi army, but certainly not enough to secure the peace.

Colin Powell who knows a thing or two about waging war felt 300,000 plus troops were needed. Powell was smart enough to get out of government before it hit the fan. So what do we do now? We declare victory in the field, and also declare an inability to build a democracy for a people where democracy is everybody's second choice. We then must concentrate on terminating Bin Laden, and being a responsible superpower.

Richard Stoyeck



(sources from Internet)

Are You Fired Up About America? Nothing Communicates Like Honesty

One day I was tuning up and down the radio dial as I drove down the Interstate. Time after time, I landed on talk shows featuring callers that were simply dismayed at the direction America is going.

They were frustrated that so many important issues were either being glossed over or ignored by federal, state, and local government. It was clear that a great many people were highly concerned, yet felt helpless to do anything about it.

That's when I decided to design some t-shirts with patriotic messages and try selling them at public events. Boy did it work! Typically we set up our tent and sell dozens of shirts to people who thank us right and left for putting their feelings into words on a t-shirt they can wear and be proud of.

And that brings us to an even more important point. Americans have a FIRST Amendment RIGHT to speak their minds. It's not the Fifth Amendment or the Thirteenth Amendment -- it's the FIRST and perhaps most important.

But while speaking our minds is clearly at the foundation of what it means to be Americans, the vast majority of us feel we can't make a difference. Therefore, we don't even try.

Over and over I hear from people who are fired up about major issues, yet keep their thoughts to themselves. Often they mistakenly feel they're the only one who feels that way.

After wearing one of my shirts they quickly see the purpose of our tees to stem the tide of division and empower those who are willing to STAND.

Instead of everyone going their own private way, concentrating on being politically correct, you have people enthusiastically sharing ideas, passions, and concerns. And you know what, folks? That's where real solutions come from.

We shouldn't plug away at our lives while we trust all the important issues to the government. There are a lot of good people in government, but they don't have all the good ideas. And government, by its nature, can't solve problems well WITHOUT the help of its citizenry.

So speak up! Write a letter to the editor, call a radio talk show, put up a website, and tell others what you think. And most important call your elected officials to let them know you're alive and well. You will feel better. You will have more impact. And you will be living the life of a truly patriotic American.

(sources from Internet)

Can Illegal Immigration Lead To Terrorism?

As I watched the evening news, I wondered why no one else seemed to understand that our porous southern borders were open doors for Middle Eastern terrorists. Perhaps it was fresh on my own mind because I'd had a recent conversation with a Virginia Police Chief, who told me his department had been notified by Homeland Security of the potential risk. Our government had received information that Middle Eastern terrorists loyal to al-Qaeda had arrived at the conclusion that the average white American would not know the difference between a Middle Eastern operative and a Latino migrant worker. They could easily get into Mexico, assume Hispanic identities, and simply walk across our borders along with millions of Latinos.

Once in the United States, the terrorists could live amongst the illegal immigrant community. Of course the immigrants would know these people did not belong in their midst, but they would never report them to local law enforcement. To do so would bring the law into their community, perhaps searching house-to-house, and the illegal immigrants themselves could be arrested and deported. Instead, they would mind their own business�even if terrorist sleeper cells existed alongside them.

This information became the basis for my latest suspense, Ricochet. Sheila Carpenter, who made her debut appearance in an earlier book, Kickback, is now attending the FBI Academy at Quantico. She finds information leading her to believe that her parents might not have died accidental deaths but were murdered. This hunch leads her on a journey where she follows her mother's footsteps in the days before she died�a journey that takes her into the heart of illegal immigration and terrorism within our own borders.

To date, there is an estimated 21 million illegal immigrants in the United States. That means there are 21 million people living amongst us that we know absolutely nothing about. We don't know their true identities, their history, their criminal records, or their intent. If only one tenth of one percent intend to harm us, that is an astounding 21,000 terrorists or criminals that could be living amongst us. In an age where an American sex offender is listed on the Internet, Americans' criminal records are made public, and Americans are tracked through a pyramid of electronic records, the illegal immigrant�or terrorist crossing our borders�has no record at all. On paper and electronically, they do not exist.

When I began writing Ricochet, I made the conscious decision not to inject my own opinions into the story. I would not judge the Hispanic illegal immigrant population, but I would instead lay out the very real threat that occurs when a country's borders are wide open. Since Ricochet was released, I have heard from many people on both sides of the issue.

I spoke to a school teacher who knew her third grade student was living under an assumed name; his mother actually had two fictitious names. The teacher was adamant and emotional about protecting "this poor family."

I spoke to an emergency room doctor who was to perform surgery on a man injured on the job; a man who could speak no English and who, it turned out, was working more than 200 hours a week. Realizing more than one person would have to be using the same identity, he refused to operate until he knew the patient's real name and true medical history�facts that saved him from medication to which he was allergic. It turned out that four people were using the same identity at the same meat processing plant.

I spoke to a landlord who rented his 1,000 square foot home to a nice, young Latino couple with an infant, only to learn that more than 70 illegal immigrants had moved in, completely destroying his home. Unable to pay for the repairs, the landlord has been forced to leave the house empty for months. He admitted the bank will probably foreclose.

I've spoken to more than one person who had their identities stolen. Though our judicial system is supposed to be founded on the principle "innocent until proven guilty" the victims of identity theft were presumed guilty of criminal activities and poor credit, and they were forced to prove they were NOT the culprits.

While the nation is debating whether the explosion of illegal immigrants are law-abiding citizens who simply want the American dream or are criminals who are taking over whole communities, there is a different picture the average American isn't getting: the nation's security. If a poor Latino who, as some allege, simply wants to work in our country can obtain a set of illegal documents, what could a terrorist do? The World Trade Center was attacked by only a handful of people, not an entire army. As long as our borders remain porous enough to allow men, women and children to simply walk across it, what would possibly prevent a terrorist from doing the same?



(sources from Internet)

8 Ways to speed up airport security

Political turmoil and terrorist activities have resulted in tightening of airport security. If you are unaware of rules and regulations you could be detained or delayed inordinately while passing through security checks before boarding the plane.

Here are a few insights:

1. Never pack any banned items in your carry on luggage. Ensure that the luggage is of the right size and weight as outlined by airline regulations.

2. Before you walk through the metal detector empty your pockets and place all items like coins, jewelry, hair clips, tie clips, watches, belts and buckles into the outer pocket for your carry on luggage so that it moves through the x-ray machine and does not cause a din when you walk through.

3. Wear sensible shoes with low heels, slip on shoes are preferable. If you are asked to remove the shoes do so with grace try avoid shoes which have a metal heel arch.

4. Be prepared to switch on your mobile, i-pod, laptop, PDA and so on if asked. Keep them all together. Be sure to switch all electronics off before take off and during landing.

5. As soon as you enter the security area place the lap top and other carry ons on the conveyor belt for checking by x-ray. Ensure that all baggage including your purse has the appropriate tags.

6. Keep a valid photo ID ready along with the boarding pass. If you like you can have a travel wallet with an ID window on one side and a pocket for the boarding pass and luggage stubs on the other.

7. Never carry any banned items. Buy what you need at your destination.

8. Don't lock your checked bags. Often, if the x-ray shows anything odd you may need to open the bag for inspection. Once it is through security you may lock the luggage.


If you keep updated on laws of the land or check with your travel agent or airline a few days before departure you will be quite prepared and will few problems. In case you are nervous about leaving your car in the lot until you return consider going to the airport by cab. Alternately ask a friend to drop you off. If you are being dropped then you can drive right up to the terminal and save yourself a long walk carrying your luggage. If you dress neatly, walk with self confidence, answer questions by security staff or airline employees with confidence and without hesitation there should really be no problem whatsoever. As a precaution try not to strike up any friendships with men or women you don't know. If you need to while away any time buy a book or magazine or window shop at the airport. Always eat a light meal before leaving for the airport, wear comfortable clothes and carry with you a jacket or coat in case it gets cold. Give comfort priority over style.

If you are sensible and practical your flight will be enjoyable and passage through airports without problems.

(sources from Internet)