Three Simple Lessons To Avoid Foreign Policy Problems

Whenever the Iraq War and all of it's bad repercussions are settled, there should be a few important learned lessons that should apply to all foreign policy for all future presidents.

During the Cold War, the U.S. did not like the government of the Soviet Union, yet effectively engaged this government in many ways including diplomatic. When nations at least talk, it tends to often soften hard feelings and may result in better security benefits for the public of both nations, perhaps even a genuine peace dividend at best.

After Iraq illegally invaded Kuwait in 1990, there was near universal world condemnation for this invasion. Countries like Saudi Arabia also even helped to pay the U.S. costs for this war. There needed to be a better peace agreement at the end of this war in 1991 that brought Saddam Hussein to arrest and international trial by world courts for this illegal invasion of Kuwait and other international crimes. His government leadership responsible for this war should also have been brought down at this time as well. This could have been the golden opportunity for the seeds of a new Iraqi Government and society to begin. Instead the second George Bush waits 12 years, with almost no international support this time around, restarts the 12 yearold Gulf War with Saddam Hussein to achieve what the 1991 peace terms did not. And now the country of Iraq is an unstable mess, threatening regional security.

Three lessons for all American presidents to post on the wall: #1.Talk to adversary nations. #2. End all wars with acceptable peace terms. #3.Don't restart old wars if you failed to properly conclude the matter in the first place. There you go, three simple ways to avoid some serious foreign policy problems. Three simple lessons not learned by the current administration.

Bush Still Looking For That Elusive Plan To Win The War In Iraq That Probably Doesn't Exist

One of the last of the "true believers" in the Iraq War has to be the main planner if it, George Bush. By stalling off his planned address to the nation about a change in policy to January gives time for Bush to allow the 8 month long Iraq Study Report recommendations to die a death in the short term memory shortcomings of the American public. It also gives Bush time to propose another unrealistic policy such as increasing troops in Iraq by 30,000 to 100,000 more than the current 140,000 levels in some sort of a desperate last ditch attempt to "win" this unwinnable war.

Besides raising troop levels, which is sure to be very unpopular with the public and fly in the face of the voter's message of the November elections, Bush may seek to replace the main generals involved in the Iraq War effort with some hardliners who believe that the war can still be won. Whether some latter day General Curtis Lemay type military leaders still exist in this day and age, who still believe that you can bomb your way out of any problem is a highly questionable notion. Many generals are more or less reasonable persons and often far more pragmatic about the situation in Iraq than Bush would probably want to hear. At some point even the generals view the situation as hopeless for real world reasons.

In an ideal world, it would certainly have been far better if the people of Iraq would have thrown roses at the feet of invading American and British forces after the 2003 war, as Donald Rumsfeld famously mispredicted. But it was only a matter of time before dead-enders such as Baathists, insurgents such as Al Qaeda agents and others would start a deadly cycle that Sunni and Shiite militia groups would eventually join. It was only a matter of time before the 1,300 year old conflict between the Sunni and Shiite sects would surface in this artificial nation created after WWI by Winston Churchill after oil was discovered in the region. Three Muslim sects with nothing in common were thrown together by Churchill in this new post WWI British occupation state that lasted until the 1958 rebellion in Iraq. This rebellion was inspired by 1956 Gamel Nasser Arab Socialist rebellion related to the Suez Canal rebuff of the British occupation forces in Egypt. After this 1956 rebellion in Egypt, Britain quickly began to lose all colonial occupation control in the MidEast.

In all fairness, Bush may now fear that the consequences of failure in Iraq are so high that no other course but victory is acceptable. Saudi Arabia apparently raised the stakes by threatening to put it's troops into Iraq to fight on behalf of the Sunni forces, which could only encourage Iran to put in it's forces and fight on behalf of the Shiites. The resulting regional war would probably end up with the Saudi oil fields in flames from Iranian missiles before very long, cutting off the MidEast oil supply to the Western world and only inviting Western nation's involvement and a possible world war. Private Saudi support for Sunni militia groups already exists, and Iran is certainly involved with some Shiite militia groups already. Rather than these neighbors of Iraq willing to act as peacekeepers, their role would quickly escalate to direct combatants for the Sunni and Shiite sects of the Muslim faith. Only 15% of the world's Muslims are Shiites, and Iran would have good reason to want to defend one of the only nations in the world, Iraq, with a Shiite majority, besides themselves.

Bush has a personal moltivation to want to see Iraq succeed not only for his place in history, but also because an American withdrawal will likely not result in sectarian peace in Iraq, but instead open up the serious opportunity for a serious regional war. This only illustrates how badly the Bush policy in Iraq has destabilized the region. Bush may be trying to desperately find a way to salvage this disasterous policy in Iraq. But likely too many people are unemployed in Iraq, up to 60%, too many support sectarian militia groups, and no easy way exists to change the minds of a public in Iraq where way too many people support lawlessness and the sectarian violence.

The ideal solution would be for far more persons in Iraq to support civil order, and oppose sectarian violence, and for domestic Iraqi military and police to maintain order, with all outside nations such as the U.S., Britain, Iran and Saudi Arabia out of Iraq. But how we ever get to this point is the vexing question. Bush continues to look for U.S. military solutions to resolve the situation in Iraq that probably don't exist. This is one complex Iraqi society social attitudes problem the U.S. cannot bomb it's way out of like WWII battles planned by General Curtis Lemay. A desire change among those living in Iraq is the key to peace. People in Iraq need to support civil order in their nation and need to be able to honestly and ethicly police their own nation. The U.S. or no other outside nation can really do this for Iraq, despite the political instincts of Bush that still seems to think that the U.S. can fix what we helped to break. Bush continues to look for that military solution that probably doesn't really exist, and will propose more grossly failing policies in January that will only eventually end the region up with the serious regional war that the world does not need.

Conan O'Brien's TV Show Avoids Possible FCC Problems By Creating Absurd Website That Becomes A Smash Hit With Nearly 5 Million Hits In First Week.

I deliberately avoided commentary on this huge story for days because it deals with some mildly offensive themes, which I do not care to glamorize on this Website, which I like to keep grounded in more serious themes, or entertainment news that is significant because it deals with moral or social psychology issues. But this Conan O'Brien story is now simply too big to ignore.

Last week's Monday night, LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN used another one of their cheap and juvenile costume or character humor bits. This humor program has had a long history of using this cheap stuff for laughs. But sometimes these humor bits including an absurd Frankenstein, a "self pleasuring" bear, or other cheap costume or character bits have proven surprising effective for this program. A few years ago an absurd phenomenon was created when Conan O'Brien created a phony crisis by claiming that the actor that played "Grady" on the 1970's TV Sitcom, SANFORD AND SON was missing. This joke only snowballed and built on itself for days until the actor that played "Grady" was brought on the show as though he was recently rescued from great danger, and given a loud heroes welcome.

Last week, the biggest phenomenon ever for this show was accidently created when a manatee costume was used for a cheap bit that was satire on adult webcams. This silly bit was destined to become a national phenomenon when Conan O'Brien joked about it being from a fictictional website called www.hornymanatee.com which has now received over 4.5 million hits by last night and probably about 5 million hits by today in just one week's time.

The fact of the matter was that www.hornymanatee.com did not really exist when Conan O'Brien first mentioned the site. It turns out that standards and practices at NBC notified Conan O'Brien that any website mentioned on the air must really exist or the rights to the name must be purchased for 10 years according to some obscure FCC rule. For $159, NBC purchased the name of the website www.hornymanatee.com and someone over at the CONAN O'BRIEN show decided to start building the website, which has not only become a PG rated satire on XXX websites on the internet, but has drawn many strange but very talented reader submissions. This website grows bigger by the day, although it includes some outrageous mildly offensive humor that may make some skittish. The website reminds you of a 1970's NATIONAL LAMPOON MAGAZINE gag.

It is interesting that an absurdly silly website like this has really taken off and become probably the biggest phenomenon ever for Conan O'Brien's TV show. It also proves that there is no justice in life, as serious websites like mine and others suffer from far smaller readership of generally less than 250 views a day at the peak of this website when it garnered national publicity for a feature such as an analysis of serious troubles in the MidEast. An absurdly silly escapist website like www.hornymanatee.com has become one of the biggest hits ever on the internet, now attracting decent paid advertising by big companies on a banner, and has become a money maker for NBC, which has started cost cutting measires that will result in more cheaper to produce programming next TV season. Why www.hornymanatee.com has become such a big phenomenon is probably huge surprise to even the producers of LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN which will probably see a ratings bounce as a result of this silly phenomenon. The next big marketing of this phenomenon should involve selling T-shirts, hats and coffee cups or manatee stuffed toys. NBC may be laughing all the way to the bank with this phenomenon which has turned out to be a huge surprise hit. Strange things happen.

Whirlpool Acquires Maytag, Eliminates Union Jobs That Can Devastate Small Communities

Whirlpool is the world's largest manufacturer of major appliances, and just like the ocean where big fish swallow up the small fish, Whirlpool acquired the much smaller 113 year old Maytag company recently. For the accountants and executives at Whirlpool, costing cutting became a major priority, and eliminating decent family wage union jobs became a high priority for the Christmas Grinches in the executive offices.

1,800 union jobs and 4,500 jobs nationwide will fall under the Whirlpool ax for thr Maytag workers. And small communities such as Newton, Iowa, Herrin, Illinois and Searcy, Arkansas will face closure, devastating the local economy's of these areas.

James Brown, a spokesman for the Machinists Union MidWest Territory summed up the problem with, " Lousy trade policies and a complete lack on enforcement of anti-trust and other measures to protect jobs and consumers leave American communities devastated". "Manufacturing jobs are the key to a strong middle class, stable families and vibrant communities. We cannot afford to lose them".

This is the trend of the last few years; a White House obsessed with one-sided "free trade" legislation that only encourages continued job exports to labor cheap nations. An antiworker and antiunion bias that favors companies that acquire others only to eliminate jobs not to continue to operate the company, but to resell the business for a profit to others including foreign concerns. Whirlpool reportedly sold Hoover Vacuum Cleaner to a Chinese company, Techtronic for $107 million last week, which effectively eliminates the jobs at Hoover and related brands such as Regina and Dirt Devil.

Small communities count on employment opportunities such as a major town supplier of work. When a large corporation pulls out of small communities, social problems such as increased family breakup, divorce, alcoholism, drug use, child or wife abuse, and crime may result. Right wing "family" organizations seem to miss this fact and are absent on economic issues that are really at stake in family and society breakdown issues created by the breakdown of the manufacturing economy. It should become a vital goal of the new Democratic controlled Congress to reverse this decline of the American manufacturing and the exodus of higher paying union jobs that support a middle class. The Bush Administration has unfortunately played the role of Nero all too well in the last few years, only "fiddling around" as the American manufacturing economy burns down and takes decent paying union jobs with it.

Support Family Living Wage Jobs And Buy Union Made Goods For The Holidays

In this holiday season, progressives should vote with their dollars and buy union produced goods that help to support family wage jobs. These products produced by union workers are not only high quality, but they they allow families to live in a decent home, drive a decent car, have enough food on their table, have health insurance and a retirement plan, and safe working conditions, unlike many nonunion companies that operate mainly to only enrich the lives if their corporate heads, sometimes with salary that runs into the millions while nonunion workers often work for the minimum wage around $5.15, have no retirement, and often seek public assistence from food stamps or public health programs. There is such a clear difference in the quality of employment between the union and nonunionized jobs that it should be a moral duty of progressives to spend as much money with union businesses as possible.

Some great union worker gift ideas include high dollar items such as Harley Davidson Motorcycles, produced by members of the Machinists Union and United Steelworkers members. Harleys are expensive, but what a great gift. They're the yardstick that great bikes are measured by.

If you're not into giving bikes as a gift, then maybe chocolates are more to your liking. Union made brands include Hershey's, See's Candies, Ghiardelli, Brown & Hailey, Russell Stover and even Hostess products. All are produced by union workers.

If giving food items is your style, then union workers are employed at Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons, Haggens, QFC and a few other businesses. And some food priducts such as Smuckers, Darigold, Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola and Franz Bakery support union workers. Among department stores, only Fred Meyer is unionized in Oregon and some other states. Most department stores are nonunion.

If you want to give toys, the U.S. made products by Colorforms, Hasbro, Parker Brothers, Golden Books, Fisher Price, Etch-A-Sketch, Radio Flyer Wagon, Lionel Model Trains, Testor Model Paints, and a few other brands are union produced as long as the items are roduced in the U.S. Lionel Train is partially owned by progreesive singer, Neil Young, who is a huge train lover, and extremely good products that are very collectable and make great gifts.

Among fragrances, some brands such as English Leather, British Sterling, Alberto Culver Beyond, Revlon's Charlie, and a few more brands are union produced and you shoild consider purchasing.

If you like to give tools, then consider union made brands such as Sesrs, Craftsmen, Ridgid, Snap-On, Armstrong and Klein Tools, many of which are guaranteed for life and American made by union workers earning a decent wage.

There are many more items that are both American made and union worker produced, so be sure to check for the union label before purchasing. And sending your items consider either the U.S. Postal service or United Parcel Service which are both unionized, unlike FedEx which is nonunion.

Buying American made goods keeps jobs in the U.S. and buying union made goods keeps good family wage jobs alive in the U.S. There is no better way to wisely spent your holiday dollar this season than to by American and buy union made.

Monday Is The Last Mailing Day To Ship Items To Soldiers In Iraq And Afghanistan

If anyone out there has loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan, or would simply like to send best wishes or gifts to soldiers to life their spirits, then Monday is the last mailing day to get items, postcards, well wishes, etc. to the soldiers by Christmas. Even if one has serious misgivings about the Iraq strategy, the fact of the matter is that these soldiers face serious danger in a attempt to prevent even more sectarian violence. They are saving lives of Iraq civilians by putting their lives in serious danger. Some U.S. military units will face 2% or more deaths, and 10% or more wounded. This is a great sacrifice and deserves the respect and well wishes of every American as a serious debate on Iraq strategy will ultimately decide how the U.S. mission is best achieved.

Every American should join in a chorus of be well, stay safe, and God bless for the U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mainstream Republican Senator Gordon Smith Offers A Blistering Attack On Bush War Strategy

Mainstream conservative Republican senators such as John Warner and Gordon Smith are becoming the driving effort to convince President Bush to drastically alter the failing war strategy in Iraq. As late as 2004, Smith was even the Oregon head of the 2004 Bush re-election campaign. Yesterday he offered a blistering attack in an deeply heartfelt speech on the Senate floor calling the current strategy of placing American lives in constant danger by having them patrol the same dangerous streets over and over, risking their lives both "absurd" and morally even "criminal". These are strong words for a sentor who noted that he tried to be a "good soldier" in offering support for the Iraq War policy of both Bush and Rumsfeld.

It is also mainstream Republicans who will likely warn the White House when they think this situation in Iraq is beyond redemption, and it's time to pull the plug. Between the possibility of a violent militia group coup in Iraq, and mounting American deaths in the face of a policing of the sectarian violence that clearly is not working, very soon the Iraq War is likely to break open and U.S. troops will likely begin to come home. Even previously unthinkable prospects such as allowing Syria some role in helping with the Sunni problems in Iraq, and Iran to offer some pressure on the Shiite community were given a boost by the Iraq study group this week. While many are right to be wary of giving Iran or Syria any attempt at boosting their regional power by involvement in Iraq, it is nonetheless a sign of how desperate the situation in Iraq has become.

What gives a Senator such as Gordon Smith so much credibility, was not only his previous strong suport for Bush, but also his deeply religious background as a Latter Day Saints Church Elder. Like the former Oregon senators, Wayne Morse who went from a Republican to antiwar Democrat, or very religious Baptist Republican Mark Hatfield, both of whom found deep moral reasons to oppose the continued Vietnam War, when a deeply religious senator such as Smith begins to break on war policy, then it starts to become a moral cause among many religious persons, creating a powerful argument against any failed policy that does little to stabilize Iraq or prevent more deaths and killing.

Just like the Biblically -inspired quotation, that "the hand writing is on the wall", new events and pressures from influential senators and others will soon result in major changs in the Iraq War policy or soon even send our troops home.