Busting Conspiracy Theories (#1) -Blood for OilPart 4: Oil, Economy, Terrorism and National Security

In my post called Tipping Points, I left a closing remark about how the "broken window" theory might apply to Iraq. If you haven't read that post already, please take some time to read it and understand the premise of "broken windows" theory. Then, come back and read this entry. If you've read the entry, let's continue on.

Broken Window Theory and the Middle East

Think about "tipping points", "good epidemics" and "broken windows theory". The middle east serves as our "high crime" area. This is where most of the "terrorists" come from. The terrorists are able to plan and operate without impunity because there was no one that tried to stop them. There was no one that tried to "fix" the problem. The middle east has high poverty, low employment, little freedom, an extreme religious indoctrination of it's youth and many "broken windows". A breeding ground, as it were, for the enemy.

How could we effect a change? Fix the "broken windows"? For years, we have had a policy of "non-intervention" and "detente diplomacy" (accept whoever is in power of any given country, regardless of their stature as "dictator" or how they rule their people, do business as necessary and allow "the people" to sort it out for themselves). We did little but mouth "platitudes" and "request" that these leaders change their actions towards their people. We never insisted. We never demanded. As long as we were getting what we wanted from the current government, we took no action. The windows remained broken.

The leaders of these countries, fearing our power and possible ability to cause their demise, have sown fear and mistrust in their populations for the United States and western culture, thru real or perceived threats to their security. Couple that with people seeing that we continue to do business with these regimes and the people get the idea that we are some how complicit in their condition. That we support these governments. Enter the reactionaries or "terrorists". Somebody is responsible for their condition. They cannot strike out against the government or demand changes (they think) because we support that government and give it power. Hence, we are the bad guys to the common people who have no other exposure to the west but through government approved media. This allows the "terrorists", who have a grander scheme in mind, to have a plethora of people from which to obtain "followers" to carry out the battle plan against the west.

Now we have an area, full of "broken windows". It's obvious that our previous policies in the middle east did not effect the changes we wanted and certainly left us exposed to the kinds of attacks we experienced on September 11, 2001. I do not excuse this episode with this treatise, but simply point out the truth of the matter. The question remains, what can we do about it?

That Nasty Thing Called Oil

One area that continues to be a problem, as well as a rallying point for the anti-war folks, is the oil that flows from this region. Not just Iraq, we're talking Saudi Arabia, United Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Iran, etc, etc. The oil from this region, as I have previously pointed out, makes 30% or more of the world oil production. If countries, including the US, decided not to do business with these countries, the entire world economy would begin to crumble.

We are a world economy based on oil. Every aspect of our daily lives is directly related to the availability and cost of oil. The cost and availability of food, clothing and shelter, depends on the cost of oil. The more the oil costs, the more gas costs. The more gas costs, the higher delivery costs. The higher delivery costs, the more food, clothing and shelter costs. Those are just a few examples. Imagine trying to drive to work? Getting gas, parked in line, a la 1978? Gas that is $10/gallon?

So, we cannot simply stop doing business there without having a serious and immediate impact on the economy. Further, if the US decided to take the "high ground" and insist on this, other countries would not necessarily follow suit. They would continue to do business with little or no effect on their economy while ours went into the toilet. Our dollar would be worth nothing on the market. We would not be able to buy weapons, support the military, support our infrastructure (roads, schools, government programs), buy products from the world (or they would be 20 times the cost they are now).

In short, we would be in a severe depression. We would be vulnerable to internal and external conflict. Countries like China wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of the situation. Taiwan would be instantly re-annexed. Other countries now enjoying freedom under our umbrella of protection would be threatened if not find themselves at war because that umbrella would be gone.

Have I convinced you yet that the war is for oil? If your mind is going that way, you need to stop and expand your thought processes for a moment. What I've said so far is:

1) The middle east has many "broken windows"
2) We (the entire world) do business (buy oil) in these "broken windows" areas
3) Because we do business with the "broken windows" governments, we are perceived as the reason that the windows are broken
4) The policies (detente diplomacy) that we have used in the past have fostered the perception that we are responsible for keeping the windows broken
5) Islamist terrorists, who have a different plan (previously discussed but to be reviewed again), use this as a tool to recruit people for their terrorist activities
6) If we stop doing business with the broken windows governments, the terrorists will continue to attack us regardless
7) If we stop doing business in the broken windows region, we will severely decrease our ability to obtain oil
6) If we do not obtain oil from the broken windows region, our economy will suffer
7) If we do not obtain oil from the broken windows region, we cannot support our military
8) If our economy and military abilities are weakened, we are vulnerable to attack or at least, our international power is severely limited
9) If we are vulnerable to attack or have limited international power, our allies are vulnerable to attack (Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Israel, etc)

We are damned if we do and damned if we don't!

Ok...Let that swirl around in your mind for a moment and then, we will take a quick look at the "terrorists" plans and how international politics or power tug of wars are intertwined in this problem.

Islamist Terrorists and The New Caliphate (read, Greater Nation of Islam)

Think of these names: Osama Bin Laden, Abu Al-Zarqawi. What do those names bring to mind? Terrorists? September 11, 2001? Iraqi "resistance"? Islamists, if you're a little more advanced.

What about these: Al-Qaida; Hezbollah; Islamiya Al-Jihad; Hamas; Abu al-Sayyaf; Harakat al-Mujihidin; Palestinian Islamic Jihad; al-Jihad. Have you even heard of half of these groups? These groups are all "Islamist" organizations designated as "terrorists". If you want to see more, go to 2001 Designated Terrorist Organizations

Now, the question is: What do these groups all have in common? What are their goals? I have discussed this in a previous post Identifying the Enemy.

The enemy has one plan: to re-create the Caliphate or great Ottoman Empire that spread from China to France from 700 AD to 1569 AD and actually continued in some form to the 20th century. It had slowly lost territories over the millennia until it collapsed back upon itself through petty wars as well as being over run by imperialist European countries.

Under this plan to re-create the great Caliphate, they are planning to slowly take over those countries that, while practicing some form of "fundamental" Islam, do not meet their high standards and are in essence, corrupt. (...)

The US and the world have a reason not to want these "jihadist" to come to power. Not the least of which that these would be the most repressive regimes ever known to mankind (probably considered worse than the Nazis). Worse, is the prospect of these new "regimes" coming to power over countries that have large reserves of oil. This would give the Islamists power over the world economies and an undiluted source of income (...)

With an undiluted source of income and the power to screw with the economies of "non-believer" nations, these new regimes would be able to black mail these countries or worse yet, use the income to obtain WMD.

Contrary to popular belief, they don't "hate us" because of our foreign policies. Our foreign policies have certainly played into their hands, but is not the root cause of the situation. These groups want to establish Islamic theocracies in the countries they operate from. They abhor freedom. They will squash whatever society they come to rule. Anyone that does not believe as they do will be slaughtered: Muslims and Non-Muslims alike (see terrorists attacking normal Iraqi citizens).

In essence, we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. If we withdraw economic or diplomatic support for these countries (Saudi Arabia, specifically), there will be civil war beyond that which is currently taking place. The Saudi government is under attack by it's own extremists (yep, like Dr. Frankenstein and his monster). If we de-camp, it is very likely Saudi Arabia (largest single producer of oil) will fall to the extremists within. Let's review that:

1) Saudi Arabia Oil is worth about 432 trillion dollars (28mil bbls/day X $42.33 X 365 days)(you must wonder why they have such a shitty economy)
2) Wahhabi extremist who want to build a Pan Arab nation takes over the country
3) Sympathizes with OBL and sees western world as an impediment, if not a downright threat to their existence
4) Countries will still do business with Saudi (because they have no choice; there is nothing else to be had or their economies will go in the toilet; they go, we go)
5) Imagine 432 trillion dollars in the hands of people that really hate us
6) Imagine 432 trillion dollars in the hands of people that would like to control the region.
7) Imagine France, Germany and Russia, hoping to increase their influence in the region.
8) Imagine France, Germany, Russia and North Korea hoping to help their economies by selling weapons, materials and possible nuclear materials to a new state hungry for the technology and hates us.
9) Imagine a country and resources in the hands of Wahhabi extremists that don't really like the Iranian Shiite theocracy in Iran.
10) Imagine a country and resources in the hands of Wahhabi extremists that hate Israel and thinks that Jordan is a US puppet
11) Imagine a country and resources in the hands of Wahhabi extremists that would threaten the entire region with war
12) Imagine an entire region, rich in oil, that is in eternal warfare
13) Imagine what the world would be like without the oil from the middle east due to internecine wars

Now...If you have imagined all of these scenarios, imagine the final scenario: What would the middle east region look like in 3-5 years? What threats would we have to contend with? What would our economy and the rest of the world look like?

These are basically theories. Anyone of them could be wrong and anyone of them could be right. The point here is that the US and other countries must look out for their best interests. When considering these possibilities, we must choose the best option. The President (whoever that may be) and congress, have to make these decisions. Usually, we must err on the side of caution. In the instance of Saudi Arabia, we have obviously chosen the devil we know. In the past, this has gotten us into trouble (see Shah of Iran, South Vietnam, Cambodia, Panama, Chile, etc).

So...What can we do about it? Saudi Arabia is a state that oppresses it's people, limits their freedom, controls their religion and media, imprisons (and possibly tortures and executes) political dissidents. How do we change them and still maintain at least a halfway decent ally that isn't near as oppressive as the one that could come to power? We have already tried "talking". Invasion is out of the question (the whole world would be up in arms).

Iran oppresses it's people, limits their freedom, controls their religion and media, imprisons and definitely tortures and executes political dissidents. They have a massive army. They have economic ties with France and Russia. They are well on their way to having nuclear abilities (supposed for power only; thank you France, Pakistan and North Korea).

Syria...Secular government with Islamic terrorist ties. Oppresses it's people, limits their freedom, controls their religion and media, imprisons and definitely tortures and executes political dissidents. Small army, but brainwashed masses. They have economic ties with France and Russia.

(Does anyone notice a trend here? All of the countries that are a threat to the region and the security of the western world have economic ties with two of our "allies").

Now, the question begs, without actually invading all of these countries, how do you get them to change when current diplomacy has had little effect? Frankly, they must change because they are the broken windows.

Let's Talk About Other Countries Interests

Here's the reality: While the US is THE superpower in terms of economy and military, it doesn't mean that other countries aren't getting their piece of pie and eating it, too. They might try to claim some "higher moral ground", but the reality is that they have deep economic and political aspirations in the region.

Let's start with the Oil For Food fiasco over at the UN. So many countries had their hands in the cookie jar, it's hard to figure out if anyone is blameless (except the US, who was only buying the oil, not a contractor for the food). If you want to know how the whole scam worked, read these articles and a new site I found, dedicated to talking about this issue:

Did the UN Know What Was Going On?
Ditto

Where There's Smoke, There Is Fire

Yep, They Knew

How about a breakdown of the ongoing situation:

UNSCAM

How about a list of the companies and countries involved:
Fox News Gets Info

Guess Who Tried To Block The Investigation?

Ok...This is enough of that issue for now. But it should start making you understand some issues.

Let's talk about who was drilling and exporting oil from what Middle Eastern Countries. Many, many countries are involved in the drilling of oil in many of the middle eastern countries. I am about to direct you to a site called "Judicial Watch". For the record, this group is officially seeking information regarding the Cheney Energy Task force documents (of which they only supply you the parts that support their theory that the war was for oil, but you can read what you want).

Maps and Charts of ME Oil Fields

Two large companies stick out: France's Total Elf and Russia's Lukoil (recently raided by Russian government for supposed illegal activities). You will also notice that Canadian oil companies have some major contracts as well.   And China, too.  Let's not forget that they are in desperate need of oil for their growing industry and economy. 

You will notice that the majority of the contracts are held by countries that blocked the last UN resolution.

Cheney Energy Task Force

Speaking of economy, there was a big hoopla about the Cheney Energy Task Force. Depending on which side of the argument you get involved with, the Cheney Energy Task Force information might be construed as an inside lobbying job by companies in the industry. Some organizations like "Judicial Watch" are attempting to get the Task Force to release more documents under the Freedom of Information Act. The supreme court recently denied a suit demanding the release of information indicating that the President is allowed to have briefings and other consultations concerning policy making decisions remain "secret" as it could impair his ability to act. This will only stand as long as all of those on the panel were actually government officials. The problem lies in the task force asking companies in the industry for information.

Basically, everyone is attempting to split hairs on whether having gathered information from the industry could be construed as having members that were not government officials. The reality is, all members of the board were government officials. Information gathered from the industry does not mean they were part of the board.

Another organization Natural Resource Defense Council contends that much of the policy derived from this task force was actually cut and pasted from recommendations from the industry and this backs up their contention that this is not "privileged" information. However, the courts still contend that it is the make up of the panel that counts. That keeps the information largely "privileged" and out of the hands of the public (right or wrong).

Now, I have read the documents that were released. Many will contend that this was an inside job to help industry friends of VP Cheney and President Bush by trying to circumvent certain EPA and industry standards that are costly to these businesses. However, once I read what documents were released, it became apparent that there was very strong economic and foreign policy reasons for reviewing these issues.

First, a major issue here is our dependence on foreign oil and other resources (natural gas for instance). It has been a source of contention for both the left and the right. Dependency on foreign resources leads us to make foreign policy decisions that are "the lesser of two evils". The second issue here is that terrorism and other disturbances in the areas that largely produce these resources, are having a serious effect on the price of these resources. Like the price of a barrel of oil; no matter how much is being pumped out, the price continues to increase. If you read my previous posts on this subject, experts are estimating that a barrel of oil could go as high as $52/barrel in the next 2 years (or less). This has serious implications on the US and world economy.

I want to digress for a moment and explain some world economics here. France, Germany (all European countries) and England are already paying almost 5 pounds (British) for a liter (less than a gallon) of gas. This is largely because they have few refineries that produce gasoline (petrol) in their countries as well as the very strict rules that they have for pollution control on these industries. Pollution controls are nice, but they are costly. This, plus very large taxes used for social and public works, makes gasoline very high priced. This also means that these countries are very interested in what happens in the "broken windows" region. They just have a different idea of how to handle it (generally ignore the greater problems and just work through diplomatic channels as each new situation arises). The new US policy contends that this kind of behavior is leading to the very problems that we are seeing there and must have a more direct approach to curing it.

But, let's return to the Energy Task Force (ETF) and economics. Basically, the ETF is looking at how it can minimize the impact of the government restrictions on the industries and allow prices for these resources to remain the same or decrease. This basically fits in with the Bush/Cheney economic plan to insure that the money stays out in the private sector and does not impact the economic growth of the US. The economy has been well documented to have been declining in the the last year and a half of the Clinton administration. Growth in economy, whoever the President, cannot be sustained forever under one policy. Policies must grow with the changing economy. September 11, 2001 accelerated this problem with smashing of our economic center by the terrorists.

A little economic lesson...

The President then had to consider how best to get the economy back and fast. This would have been the job for any President, Republican or Democrat. Under the economic policy of this administration, they believe that less taxes and cost burdens on industries, means more money for the industry to expand, which means more jobs, which means more money in the private sector, which means more people buying goods and services, which means more money in businesses, which means more expansion, etc, etc, etc. A circular economy growth. This is the same plan that Reagan used in the 80's that continued to see it's prosperity in the 90's only to start slowly draining away as the government recognized new revenue paths for it's increasing government programs.

At first, the taxes seemed small enough not to effect business gains, but, after only a few years, it began to have a telling effect. This was covered up by the pronouncement of the "surplus" which was, in reality, only a 10 year projection based on a theory and did not actually exist. Unfortunately, that is not how it was presented to the public. In a very short period of time, the government taxation began to outstrip the economic growth which began the economic stagnation and downturn of 1999. Now, the other issue here is that, one year after taking office, the new administration had the gall to announce that this surplus did not exist. At which point, the Democratic party began it's campaign by stating that the current administration spent it all. This should be funny to anyone who remembers this story, because the supposed surplus was to be worth about $115 mil. Wow! In a government that spends over $400 trillion might actually have a "surplus" that gets spent? Really, if you want to know about the surplus, where it came from, how they made these projections and why they were false, please see this site: Budget Surplus Allocation.

Back to the Energy Task Force...

The ETF was also looking at maps of oil fields in many countries. Particularly, undrilled reserves. This included Iraq (where the whole blood for oil chant starts up), Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Caspian Sea, the Korean peninsula (off shore both North and South Korea),etc. This is appropriate for the government to look at in terms of their energy policy. You can't make good decisions on your energy policy without knowing all of the variables. These variables, or availability of resources, could insure that the price can be maintained or only increase slightly if these resources were made available (supply and demand economics).

The government, believe it or not, has also been putting money into looking at alternative fuel sources like fuel cell technology. This has been going on for sometime, it just seems to not have the funding some people would like. (My brother says that the government should stay out of the funding-except minimal-and allow private industries to research and develop as this usually leads to the most cost effective approach). The Department of Defense is actually heading a fuel cell study:
DOD Fuel Cell.

The President actually told us what the ETF was all about in his 2003 State of the Union Address:

Our third goal is to promote energy independence for our country, while dramatically improving the environment.

I have sent you a comprehensive energy plan to promote energy efficiency and conservation, to develop cleaner technology, and to produce more energy at home.

I have sent you clear skies legislation that mandates a 70 percent cut in air pollution from power plants over the next 15 years.

Even more, I ask you to take a crucial step and protect our environment in ways that generations before us could not have imagined. (...)

In this century, the greatest environmental progress will come about not through endless lawsuits or command-and-control regulations, but through technology and innovation.

Tonight I'm proposing $1.2 billion in research funding so that America can lead the world in developing clean, hydrogen-powered automobiles.

A simple chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy, which can be used to power a car, producing only water, not exhaust fumes.

With a new national commitment, our scientists and engineers will overcome obstacles to taking these cars from laboratory to showroom, so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free.

Join me in this important innovation to make our air significantly cleaner, and our country much less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

Here is a reality check for you: Some experts believe that the oil reserves from non-OPEC countries will peak within 26 years.  Some believe that it is less.  Some believe that the peak has already been reached.  Some experts indicate that OPEC oil reserves will peak in 88 years.  Some believe that is too generous an estimate and may be only 50 years.  See what theEnergy International Agency has to say about it.

National Security

There are many things we have to worry about on the front of National Security.

• North Korea would like to invade South Korea
• North Korea getting nukes
• North Korea selling nukes
  • to terrorists, other rogue states, etc
• Iran getting nukes
• Iran selling nukes
  • To terrorists, other rogue states, etc
• Iran interfering in Iraq
• Iran is harboring Al-Qaida
  • Seriously, Osama's son is a "guest" after his citizenship was revoked in Saudi Arabia
  • Question: Why does Saudi Arabia only "revoke" the citizenship of certain criminals?
  • Answer: Because imprisonment, torture and beheadings are only for the poor and the foreign
  • Imprisoning sons and grandsons of wealthy Saudi Citizens might cause a problem for the Royals. This would mean that they are not above the law either
• France is helping Iran obtain nuclear materials
  • Supposedly for energy reasons
  • Iran has one of the largest oil reserves, why do they need nuclear energy?
  • An elected official in France actually admits to wanting to arm Iran or other regimes in the ME with Nukes to counter the "Zionist": Nuke the Jews
• India has nukes
• Pakistan has nukes
• Pakistan has sold nukes 
  • The AQ Khan connection
• Pakistan still has Al-Qaida
• China would like to re-annex Taiwan
• China has nukes
• Saudi Arabia possible all out civil war
• SA civil war threat to allies in the region
  • Like Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, etc
• SA still has Al-Qaida
• Israel has or has not nukes
• Palestine and many other Arab nations want to wipe Israel from the map
• Syria sponsors terrorism and might be complicit in Iraq issues
• Afghanistan Taliban trying to retain power
• Afghanistan still has Al-Qaida
• Iraq possible collapse into a civil war
• Al-Qaida and Other Terrorist groups are planning to attack US
• Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups are planning to attack EU countries
• Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups are planning to attack US allies
• Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups are attempting to or have created chemical and biological weapons to use when they attackk

Does this mean that it's about oil?

Part of the national security plan is to protect American interests, both foreign and domestic. 

• America has some serious economical and energy interests in the Middle East. 
• America has serious interest in protecting her allies abroad from aggression.  Aggression against an ally is aggression against America.
• America is under threat within our own borders from "terrorists" who would like to take out our government

Can You Imagine How the Price of Oil Effects The Cost of a Cup of Coffee?

That was just a shock value header.  But you should think about it.  Something so simple as a cup of coffee can be effected by the price of oil.  Now, we could probably do without coffee.  We would have many people in caffeine withdrawal and probably some mass murders if the price of coffee became inhibitive.  Coffee could become a prized commodity.  What would happen in your neighborhood if half of your neighbors could no longer afford a cup of coffee?

Personal Story

The business I work in is home healthcare.  Specifically, we supply life saving equipment to patients in their homes.  This reduces the cost of healthcare by reducing the number of days a patient spends in the hospital or nursing home or other rehabilitation facility.  The equipment we supply is anything as basic as a wheelchair or a hospital bed, to oxygen or ventilators to respiratory compromised patients and chemo-therapy, intravenous antibiotics, intravenous nutrition (I'll explain this someday).

Part of the cost  of providing these services includes the cost of buying gasoline for our delivery vehicles.  Every year, the cost of gasoline has increased.  At the same time, the cost of equipment has increased.  At the same time, insurance companies and the federal government have continued to decrease the amount of reimbursement that we can receive for services.  So, our cost rises while our cash decreases.  What happens then?

In a previous post, I talked about "lay offs".  Whenever the cost to provide a service does not allow for the appropriate profit margin (about 15-20%) or is above our reimbursement, we have to review these services and consider whether we can continue providing them.  If we decrease these services, that means less personnel are required.  That means "RIF": Reduction In Force.  This also means that many patients cannot remain in their homes (remember I said it was cheaper?).  This means that their is a rising cost to the insurance carrier.  That means a rising cost of insurance to millions of workers like you and me.  There is also the factor that patients are known to recover better at home, in familiar settings.  So, now they don't recover and the cost is even higher.  That means that the company's cost of benefits for employees is higher.  That means our profit margins are lower.  That means....
 
You get the idea?  From a simple thing like rising oil prices, the industry I work in suffers, the patient suffers, and eventually, society suffers (over burdened with uninsured patients). 

In Summation...

We are reliant on oil.  The world is reliant on oil.  There are people from and in that area that would like to kill us or at least make us so weak we cannot interfere with there plans.  They will hold the world hostage with the oil.  They will use it to become militarily strong, including WMD.  Continued terror attacks are effecting our economy now.  Withholding oil from growing countries will cause an economic decline.  If their economy goes, ours go.  We have to be able to build new technologies.  This is a long term goal.  We must have oil while this is resolved.  We need oil to operate our military and supply daily needs (like food, healthcare, etc). 

There are people from the area that would like to kill us.  There are countries in the region that are threatening to us and our allies.  There are countries in the area that are a threat to each other.  ME region warfare is a threat to the security of the world.  They export it to our country.  Our economy cannot suffer another blow like 9/11.

There are countries/regimes that are killing their own people (Sudan).  Any country we do business with that is killing their own people en masse makes us complicit in their torture and death.  This in turn creates the atmosphere for new recruits to the New Caliphate calling.  The New Caliphate people would like to kill us.

Wow!  Am I sounding like a broken window?  It can be construed that this is all about oil.  Some ME citizen could read this post and think that, I am sure.  But the dangers and priorities are set based on the existing imminent threat.

Which threats that I have listed, energy, economy, terrorism and national (or international) security do you believe is the priority?  In what order would you list these priorities?  If you can list them in the correct order, why does anyone think that the US national security priorities are different than ours? 

So, once again, the question begs the answer:  How do we protect ourselves? 

Broken Windows
 
Why It's Not About Oil

So..I've talked about oil enough.  It exists.  It exists in the areas that are currently a threat to our national security.  Not just because of oil.  Tomorrow, if oil no longer existed and we were forced to create a new energy source (which we would), there would still be war and there would still be threats to the USA and the rest of the free world.  Why?  It is very simple, for the hundreds of thousands of years that man has walked this earth, he has always looked at what other men have and has always coveted it.  Whether that is a better hunting ground, a better field for growing produce, better grazing for herds, water rights, minerals, spices, precious metals, precious gems, property in general, wealth, technology, power...Man is an ambitious, often jealous and covetous beast.  No amount of failed utopias has ever been able to wipe this ambition from man's genetic make up.  It is, at it's very core, Darwinian in men's struggle to reign supreme over other men.  It is only through law and moral code, that some men are able to overcome the rampant desire to simply take from other men through treachery or force of arms.

Therefore, should these states, whose current economies are almost solely based on the dwindling resource of oil, become defunct, they will fall into the anarchy currently seen in Rwanda, Brunei, Sudan, etc.  These types of countries threaten our security far more than China, the next country seeking economic and strategic power.  A country like China, that has nuclear weapons, is in the same boat as the USSR.  To even approach war on this footing is the assurance of "mutual destruction".  China, in a very real sense, has been defeated by the global economy.  They need global acceptance in order for their country to prosper.  Threatening the USA, with whom China enjoys #1 trade status, would be the instant defeat, the economic ruin of that country. 

The threats we see from these other defunct states, including Iraq (pre-liberation), Iran, Syria, etc, is their ability to export, what T. Barnett refers to as, super empowered individuals.   These are people that learn their trade in the internecine wars of these 3rd world countries, use these countries as bases of operation and are free from impugnity because we do not (as yet) have a reach into those countries either economically or militarily.  We have become so advanced in weaponry, struggles between 1st world nations, on a state to state or global basis, would result in the destruction of civilization.  However, it is now the low-tech individuals, that can sneak with in our borders, that can threaten our entire infrastructure, our security, our existence. 

These men will espouse any number of ideologies for their reasons to attack the USA or other free countries.  Including religion, political, national and economical reasons.  They all hide the espousers true intent, which is to find their own niche in the power structure of the world.  In doing so, in creating their own dictatorships, they will continue to foster wars, famine, disease, poverty, massacres, slavery of whole nations for the purpose of creating their own power base.

This is a threat to the USA and other free countries because this generates a recurring cycle of violence that can have disastrous effects on economies and the very existence of some countries.  These people, often referred to as terrorists (which is very short on ideological explanation), cannot exist if we exist.  We, the free countries of the world, are an anathema to their ideology.  So, they will continue to attack us in order to weaken or destroy us, so that they can fulfill their own, terrible dreams of ruling other men through intimidation, murder and financial power.  To believe any less of these ideas, the intent of these men, is to hide from the reality of an ever changing, globalized world where such people can infiltrate and destroy any society if left unchecked.

What Are Our Options?

There are few options to be reviewed.  We could withdraw into our own borders, withdraw our military, close our borders to all and limit our trade.  The reality of this ideology, espoused by isolationists, is flawed because it would mean our own demise.  Since the moment that man first traveled to another town, another country to do business, we have been headed down a path to the globalization of economies.  To even pretend that we could stop such movement is ludicrous.  With the advent of internet and e commerce, this globalization already exists and people are refusing to recognize it's existence.  At most, closing our borders would only postpone the inevitable.  It would signal our defeat and leave us as vulnerable to attack as any economic or military failure. 

The option to ignore it and continue to try to work with these failed regimes through diplomacy (detente diplomacy), leaves us just as vulnerable as we will still represent a power standing in the way of the next tyrants dream and, therefore, we are still prime targets for attack.  Countries, such as France, Germany, Spain, etc, that have refused to recognize this probability, only create the very atmosphere in which these attacks can occur.

The last option, an option that is opposite to the very policies we have adhered to for the past 60 years, is that we must attempt to bring these failed countries on line and into the global fold, both economically and strategically.  They must become part of the 1st and, at the least, 2nd world countries that are participating in this global economy.  This can only be accomplished when these countries are ruled by the rule of law.  Where they are constrained to behave by certain international edicts because it is in their best interests, both as a country and as citizens of the world, to maintain this status.  Countries, such as China, that have joined the World Trade Organization, have enjoyed an incredible improvement in their country's and citizens living conditions and personal financial status, which leads to more interest in commerce and less interest in shooting somebody.

Applying the Broken Windows Theory

In order for these countries to join the global commerce movement and become a non-threat to the rest of the world, certain actions must be taken.  First, it is only free countries with free peoples who are able to act freely in trade and politics that will be successful.  Any countries that have dictatorships or mock democracies, cannot join this movement as they are not trust worthy.  Governments are not open to the people nor other countries.  Therefore, the first thing that must occur, the first window that must be repaired, is the government of these countries.  These governments can change through one of three methods:

1)  Self change to democracies or other free republics.  This can only occur in these countries, like Saudi Arabia, if the leadership is capable of recognizing it's potential down fall.  For instance, Bahrain, which has at least a symblence of elections and parliament.  Saudi Arabia maybe too far under the grips of it's ruling elites own narcissism and entanglement with the extremist religiosos of their country to extradite themselves without civil war.  As this is the least likely to occur, the US will continue to support it as a fringe country to the global world economy until it collapses and the US is forced to interfere to insure that the radical ideology that requires our demise, does not come to power.  Other countries include Columbia, South America where the division and drug sales has direct links to arms selling and terrorism.  Self change is the hardest and least likely.  This can be accomplished through economic and diplomatic pressure and is only useful in countries that are on the "fringe" of the global economy.  These countries can quickly fall back to the "third world" if the pressures from within result in civil war.

2) Change Through Economic Interaction with 1st World Global Economies.  This is only possible for countries like China and India where the infrastructure is wobbly, but in place to support free enterprise.  India, while having one of the largest populations in poverty today, is also one of the fastest growing economies.  Regardless of political persuasion, it is very unlikely any President, Democrat or Republican, will take any legal actions or try penalty taxes on companies that export jobs.  The creation of wealth and enterprise in other countries has a direct correlation with our financial abilities in the world economy.  Jobs in India, create stability and economic growth.  This leads to direct interaction with other global markets.  This is a long term solution that was used on China.  However, it is the country's cultural make up and desires of economic strength that will result in this sort of change.  This can occur with diplomacy and economic assistance (ie, IMF).  There are a limited number of countries in which this will actually work.  Countries such as France, Germany, Russia, etc. Prefer to use options number 1 and 2 to attempt these changes in almost all countries.  Unfortunately, the change brought by these actions is slow and certainly will not work in places like Rwanda, Sudan, etc.  Countries like Iran, Syria and Iraq that have some form of organization, might be able to move in this direction, but like Iraq, Syria and Iran are in the iron grip of totalitarian governments that will not let go lightly and, therefore, are likely to fall under option three:

3) Change Through Force.  This is everyone's least likeable change.  It means war in some shape or fashion, either against a known tyrannical dictatorship or interference in existing civil wars.  These are also long term commitments.  This means committing to stabilization efforts with troops and money.  As in the case of Iraq.  This country was threatening on many levels.

• Continued wars with neighboring countries
• Continued threat against same neighbors
• Support of terrorists (perjorative here, without their ideologies made public and maintstream, they will remain ambiguous), including material, monetary and actual physical bases
• Threatening to attack the US and other free countries through cooperation with said terrorists or by development of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear and biological)
• Threatening world economy through interdiction of neighboring "fringe" globalization countries flow of natural resources (like oil)

The "broken windows" must be repaired through political and economical reform or force as necessary.  This will require the development of financial packages, government development programs and specialized military forces that will need to be able to destroy combatant enemies and be able to build a country from scratch.

Every country, in it's own way, must be like a New York city block, that requires repair of infrastructure, small business loans to re-start commerce, education of free politics and security.  As in Iraq, when the terrorists bomb an oil pipeline or a gas pipeline, the pipeline is instantly repaired.  This causes little interruption in the output of this resource and keeps the economic flow of the country going.  Repairing the pipeline, quickly and every time, is like fixing a broken window.  And every time they attack it, we learn more about their tactics and are able to counter them through low and high tech means, further thwarting their plans of interdiction.  We have indefinite resources.  They do not.  Eventually, the security, thwarted attacks and repairs to the infrastructure will convince these people to move on or become part of the growing economic structure so they can get a piece of the pie that is being denied to them by their current practice (see, Al Sadr and Mehdi Militia defeat as example).  Just like the criminals in New York City.

This has greater implications in the entire region.   Iraq becoming a democracy, with the rule of law and free trade, is like the cleaned up neighborhoods of New York: the neighbors on the next block get the criminals back in their yard and are forced to clean up or continue to suffer the consequences.  Iraq will bring a unique internal pressure to bear on the surrounding countries.  As the neighboring citizens see it's prosperity, they will demand that for themselves and either politically or through force, change their government and lifestyle to reflect that of it's prosperous neighbor.  Again, "terrorists" will be forced to assimilate and become part of the positive change or will be slowly squeezed and then taken out all together by ours or the neighboring countries security forces as they threaten to derail that countries prosperity.

Iraq is the tipping point, the first broken window in an area rampant with broken windows.

Other Information:  After writing most of this treatise, I came upon a book and a website titled "The Pentagons New Map: War and Peace in the Twentyfirst Century", by Thomas Barnett, in which he surprisingly talks about the same theory, the tipping point, in the middle east.  And here I thought I was being original.  I haven't read the book yet, but have seen excerpts on this webpage and it seems to indicate the same message I am advocating and appears to be the message of the President, although softly-softly as this idea may cause a serious uproar in the US.  The reality is, after 9/11, the US was ready to hear this policy.  Three years later, it is not so ready.  The lack of additional attacks has somehow stagnated our country's understanding of the new world in which small groups of men from these 3rd world countries can attack us without impunity as long as we continue to allow these countries to exist.

Our choices are very limited:

• Countries change by themselves
• Countries change through diplomatic and economic pressure
• Countries change through force

None of these actions alone will resolve the problems.  We have been hoping that actions one and two would be more prevalent, but in reality, they are too slow a reactor on countries that are far down the food chain.

To protect ourselves from future, horrific attacks, we must confront the enemy directly as well as destroy their bases from which they recruit their foot soldiers.  By re-creating these countries, through any of the means specified, we narrow the field of operations, we destroy their ideology by replacing it with a proven and effective ideology (democracy and free markets) and we destroy them directly.

 Long Road to War

Excerpts and Analysis of the Bush Doctrine

Defense Planning Guide: Projections on World Threats and Reaction Capabilities of the US

Conclusion...

After reading this closing to the "Blood for Oil" conspiracy theory treatise, you should be able to come to the conclusion that there is oil in those countries and it is very important to the world economy.  However, the greater conclusion should be drawn that the absence of oil in these regions do not mean an absence of national security concerns.  Terrorist will breed wherever they are able to operate with out direct impact to their own operations.  The fact that some countries in this area have oil and are on the fringe of the global economic world, only makes them priority number one as the countries that have the most impact, would lend the most support with their financial capabilities, to the terrorists who would attack us.  If you can read all of this information and still conclude that the war was for oil or the personal gain of President Bush, VP Cheney and their associates, you are living in a very small world.  You should wake up before you find the larger world on your door and you missed the trip.

You can see by the actions in Iraq, that the "broken windows" theory or, better known as the "Bush Doctrine" of foreign relations, is taking shape and already having a serious impact on the region.  Some will proselytize doom and gloom.  But, the fact is that Saudi Arabia has already took it's first step towards offering local elections.  Libya has decided to disarm itself.  Syria, North Korea and Iran all feel threatened enough, without even the US making noises about attacking them beyond President Bush's speech on the "Axis of Evil" that they are shaking their sabers (rusted and bent as they are) trying to show their strength.  The reality is, it shows their fears and their weaknesses.

The questions to ask are:  Which one will be next? And, how will it fall? Option 1? Option 2? Or, Option 3?

You be the judge.

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Qualifying Statements: Excuse Me?

Have you ever noticed people often qualify their statements to try to make them "polite" or to show something is "bad", but really it's not "bad" because...?
 
I recently ran into somebody on a comment section who said:
 
"Jews in Israel are the new Nazis"
 
To which I replied:
 
"Are you an anti-Semitic?"
 
Return reply:
 
"I am not an anti-Semitic, I have many Jewish friends and they agree with me."
 
Excuse me?
 
Ummm....Does having "Jewish friends" not make you anti-Semitic?
 
That's like saying, "I'm not a racist, I have many black friends."  Does this somehow disqualify you from racist behavior?  I know some black people that think that Mexican immigrants are "wetbacks" and Korean immigrants are "slant eyes" and Vietnamese immigrants are "gooks" and all of these should go back to where they came from.  How about black people who refer to caucasions as "whities" or some other derogatory remark? 
 
Does the color of their skin disqualify them as "racists"?
 
In the world of "political correctness", why are any of these remarks ok? 
 
The Subjects That Started This Post
 
Lying Is OK Because the Other Guy Did It First
 
Recently, I have been party to two conversations that resulted in the other party "qualifying" their statements.   The first conversation was about the infamous Michael Moore film "F911".   I have personally said very little about this film.  I did a previous post regarding comments from an Iraqi citizen who was incensed at what he considered blatant lies about the supposed peaceful regime of Saddam, with children flying kites and everyone smiling and happy in the cafes.  He takes Moore to task because Moore did not see the underlying, dirty belly of the regime, nor does he know the personal pain of Iraqis:
 

Moore shows scenes of Baghdad before the invasion and in his weltanschauung, it’s a place filled with nothing but happy, smiling, giggly, overjoyed Baghdadis. No pain and suffering there. No rape, murder, gassing, imprisoning, silencing of the citizens in these scenes.(...)
 
Excuse me is this my Baghdad you talk about ,that Baghdad I live in for more than 20 year ,with all what we lived through ,how could we be happy and smiling ,and we got people bored to death ,under ground ,live ,because ,I cant give you a cause ,maybe you can ,you seems to know more than us ,how? we can be Happy ,and I got friends executed ,I got bothers in jail ,how? We can be happy, and we got nothing to eat, how? we can be happy ,and we got nothing to live for, Iraq was ruled by a regime that had forced a sixth of its population into fearful exile, maybe you have the answers?

 
If you haven't read Sarmad's impassioned discussion of this topic, you should do it now.
 
This topic was taken up on another blog, where a commentor, who I have talked to several times, agrees that the film had it's flaws, but begins to qualify that statement by saying that it was ok, because it is the Democrats way of combating the "propaganda" that is heard from Bush, "Rove & Co".
 
Excuse me?
 
Telling a lie is OK because the other side "lies"? 
 
My Grandmother always said, "two wrongs don't make a right".   Is it me, or are we losing are sense of right and wrong?

"Baby Killer" and "Murderer" Are Political Statements
 
Did you hear about the 23 year old DISABLED veteran of the Iraq War that was marching in his hometown parade in Bainbridge Island, WA where he was booed and called a "baby killer", "murderer" and a few other choice words?  
 
When I heard about it, I was incensed to say the least.  I quickly shot off an email be a number of people on my "contacts" list and said basically, "please support this young man.  Our soldiers deserve our respect", etc, etc, etc.  I gave out his email address and asked them to send him an encouraging email. 
 
Now, some of my friends on my "contact" list are admittedly (gasp) Democrats (qualifier?)!  That didn't stop me from sending it to them, because I believed that we were all on the same page regarding "supporting the troops."  At least they all claim that. 
 
I got back a reply from one of my friends that said (paraphrasing) "Did you know that he was carrying a 'Veterans for Bush' sign?  He left himself open for that." 
 
Excuse Me?

This sounded remarkably like the lame "apology" that the mayor of Bainbridge gave as well as the pass that the original writer of the report,R. L. Jamieson, Jr , gave in his follow up report.  And I quote:

I am willing to bet my last shiny penny that if Gilson were marching in a Republican stronghold -- say, Midland, Texas -- and carrying a pro-Kerry sign, he would be barbecued faster than a longhorn steer.
Aside from not being a family value, intolerance is hardly partisan.
It is clear the Bainbridge incident -- from start to aftermath -- extends beyond the island.

Excuse me?

Shortly after that, I saw the follow up article and a reply email from the mother of the young man and from the man himself, thanking everyone for their kind emails of support.  He, nor his mother mention anything political in their "thank you's".  When I saw this, I quickly sent an email to all of my "contacts" and said, "thank you for your support" and told them where they could find the direct "thank you" from these folks. 

Now...I found the follow up report and "thank you's" from the parties involved on Michelle Malkin's Blog.  Admittedly, "right of center" commentator who has also appeared on Fox News and a few other cable network news stations.

One of my "contacts" had originally asked me for a link to this information, so this time, I made sure I included it on the outgoing email, not thinking anything about the disposition of the blog owner.  To which I got a reply, "kat, you know the link you sent me was a 'right leaning' blog?" (paraphrasing now)"Did you know he was carrying a 'Veterans for Bush' sign?  Sorry, but he left himself open for that."

Excuse me?

So I asked my contact, how does that make a difference?  If he was carrying a "Veterans For Kerry" sign, would it make it less ok?  To which the reply said, (paraphrasing again) "No, I don't believe in that.  That is just rude. But...he was booed for carrying the Bush sign, it wasn't personal."
 
Excuse me?
 
I quickly pointed out to my contact that they must have missed the "baby killer" and "murderer" remarks from the original article (which I supplied a link to), because that is a personal attack and we should stop splitting hairs that it is "ok" on a political basis.  I also pointed out that I would never "boo" or make other remarks to a veteran with a "veterans for Kerry" sign (and I have seen some).  Never.  In which case, I respectfully disagreed with them on qualifying this behavior.
 
I haven't received a reply back from my contact on this last post, but I will close by saying....
 
Is it me?  Or, have we lost our sense of right or wrong?
 
And my friends wonder why I left the Democrat party.

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Life in Tornado Alley

Well..this is a break from our normal posting style.  I was brought violently awake by a crash of thunder outside of my window, followed by the ominous sound of the tornado warning sirens.  I ran outside (yes, stupid I know) and tried to get the dog to come in, but he kept hiding under the porch and wouldn't.  So, I was forced to abandon him and run down to the basement.  Where I turned on the spare TV to catch the weather news.
 
As usual, the reporters were a day late and a dollar short as I watched for almost 5 mins before they mentioned that a tornado was seen touching down appx. 6 miles north of me and moving south east.  Directly by my house.  If we had to rely on these guys only, people would die a lot more from these storms.  uuugh!
 
As it is, after huddling wet and cold (yes, it's summer but the central air was on) downstairs for 20 mins., the sirens finally shut down.  I walked upstairs and checked out the damage.
 
The glass patio table was a casualty.  Even though the umbrella was closed, the wind was strong enough to lift it up and pull the table over apparently.  I now have a giant pile of glass on the deck.  The umbrella had flown off into the yard, so I grabbed it and put it under the deck. 
 
I am happy to report that the stupid (lovable) mutt was fine and jumping all over me with his muddy paws.
 
Tornadoes in general are very scary.  They are random.  They don't care how rich, how pious, how poor, how big or how small your house is.  If it wants you, it will get you.
 
To make this whole thing worse, last year on June 7, 2003 (almost exactly a year ago), a tornado hit my area while I was away on business in San Diego, CA.  When I landed, I had 2 phone calls:
 
1) "Oh my God!  A tornado hit your area and we drove over afterwards to see what the damage was and we can't get down the street because they have it closed off and only people who live in the area can drive in but we can see your house from where we are and it looks like part of your roof it gone and the McDonald's across the street is missing it's roof and part of the sign is in your window.  Call me when you land!" - Brother
 
2) "Don't listen to that first call.  Your brother doesn't know what he's talking about.  The damage isn't that bad.  We can't see too much now.  We'll go over and check on it in the morning."  - Sister in law
 
Of course, I tried to turn around and get a flight back to KC that night, but none were available.  So, I had no choice, but to go to my hotel and check in.  I watched the national news (CNN, MSNBC, etc) and tried to see what had happened, but all it would report was "tornado in KC".  I fell asleep to the television.
 
When I woke up the next morning, 6:30 AM as requested for a wake up call, I set on the edge of the bed and tried to focus my eyes.  The TV was still on and I stared at it blankly for a minute.  On the screen was an image of complete devastation.  Houses looked like a giant had smashed them with a fist.  Trees were blown over or had all of their limbs missing.  Cars were every which way and there were scenes of rescue vehicles and people walking around like they were dazed.
 
The caption read: Gladstone, __.
 
That is my neighborhood.  So, at 6:42 AM I was on the line to the airlines trying to get a flight back.  Got one and proceeded to call my boss and tell him that the trip was off.  he was going to have to visit the branch by himself.
 
Got home and found that the damage was somewhere between call number 1 and call number 2.  Part of the roof had been damaged, but it mostly consisted of missing shingles and tar paper.  One of the windows had been broken, but it was not the big picture window that faces the McDonald's.  It was a side window and only one of the panes had been broken.  The inside pane was still intact.
 
There was a piece of the McDonald's roof in my mom's car's front window.  The McDonald's across the street was missing it's roof completely.  Lots of brush and limbs and debris in my yard.  The bank sign from down the street had hit my garage door and smashed into a thousand pieces. 
 
I live on a hill.  The tornado apparently came over the top of my house, doing minor damage, and landed in the housing development behind McDonald's.  Now, I have a nice house, but these homes are the $200k-$500k variety.  The tornado had woven a path of destruction through the entire neighborhood.  In the rhyme nor reason of tornadoes, some houses were perfectly fine, while right next to it, the house had been utterly destroyed.  Some houses looked ok, but were found to have been scooted off their foundation (very dangerous).
 
My Dad and some neighbors had come over sometime after the storm and put plastic on my house.  In short, it was in good and livable condition compared to the folks across the street.  My insurance company processed my claim quickly and I was able to get the repairs done.
 
However, I learned another valuable lesson: never do business with a distant "family member" who is vouched for by another nearly as distant "family member".  That's for another story, however.
 
Well...that is why I find this whole damn tornado thing scary.  If anybody tells you they don't hit in the same place twice, bonk them in the head for me, will you?

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Calling All Cars! Calling All Cars! Emergency! Flatulant Fat Fleabag Needs A Rabies Shot!This Boy Needs An Ass Kicking!

This post has been deleted by me. At first, I was so angry, that I wanted to fly to Canada and rip this guy a new asshole. However, as some saner people have pointed out, I am probably feeding his sick little fantasies by directing people to look at his site. Since I will not be party to spreading idiocy around the world, the connections have been deleted.

Believe me, if I was not a law abiding citizen, I would have advocated someone hacking his site and bringing it down. however, I am basically law abiding (with exception to the time I accidently ran a red light), so I am not doing so now.

Just goes to show, that even the most level headed of us can be driven to extremes.

I apologize to all those that may have read this previous post and thought I lost my mind. I did. But even we calm and rational types (LOL) can become agitated.

Thanks

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The Questing Cat and The Jersey Cowboy

The above indicated title is from a military blog. I drop by every once in awhile and see what they have to say. They are both possible future writers.

Today, "The Jersey Cowboy" posted a poem that he had written and was published in his hometown paper. When I read the poem, I was simply amazed. Here is an excerpt:

Oh I know the tears were flowing when I turned
and walked with purpose into the heart of war
I will not lie and tell her I ain't scared
I'm fighting, but my God, what am I fighting for?

I'm in a land where garbage can explode beneath my feet
I can't be too sure I trust any soul I meet
I try to keep faith, one day they'll see the light
For enduring freedom, God, is that why I fight?(...)

Please go over to Enduring Freedom and take a read.

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Still Working

Just an update to let you know that I am still hard at work on the final blood for oil treatise. It's long. I hope I don't burn anyone out. I am trying to put the economic history of the last few years into a few paragraphs, talk about the Energy Task Force, terrorism and tie it in a neat bow of National Security. The problem has been that the bow isn't very neat and I have to take breaks and actually do the work I am paid for.

Yes, it's sad, but true. Since I don't want to go on the dole, I actually have to look like I'm working. LOL

I have been getting answers to my questions from a few posts back and it's interesting to see how many people are interested in a flat tax, torte reform, etc.

Thank God I am not alone!

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An Addition to the Blood for Oil Series (humor)

Ok...while continuing to write la grande treatise on blood for oil, I came across this funny little cartoon. Click on the title here for a some humor circa March 2003

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Still Very Busy

Have you ever heard of Alan Jackson? He sings this song that goes, "Here in the real world, life's not simple at all...". That about sums it up. Super busy this week, but today rounds it up. I have to take our visiting dignitary to the airport and then I am free for the rest of the day. Yippeeeee!

Of course, I have 900 things to do and will have a few hours to do them in, but such is life.

In the meantime, I have hardly had time to make a run through the internet to read interesting material much less write the final chapters to "blood for oil". So, I continue to pass on some interesting reads from other places of interest.

Today, an article about deciding "who's side are you on, anyway?" Very interesting.
Before you read, I want you to ask yourself some questions...

1) Do you think that the US government has gone so far away from it's roots that it must be torn down and re-constituted?
2) Do you think that the US culture is so degenerate that we are causing our own destruction?
3) Do you think that we need more laws to insure we can try criminals without fear of overstepping their rights or do you think the laws we have serve the same purpose and need only to be re-enforced.
4) Do you think that people that are more successful should carry more of the tax burden because they have more money or do you believe that every person has the same opportunities as the other, is responsible for their own success and should carry a percentage of the tax burden based on their income just like everyone else?
5) Do you think that the US is bound by international laws as predicated by the UN and should subjugate herself to these rules for the betterment of the world or do you think that the US is a sovereign nation that must act in it's best interests regardless of "international laws", even if it means taking these actions alone, in order to insure her safety?
6) Do you believe federal government needs to take over healthcare and insure that every citizen is covered or do you believe that healthcare is the responsibility of the individual citizen?
7) Do you think that the terrorists would be better interdicted by police and intelligence agencies with cooperation from countries around the world and bring them to justice in our courts or do you believe that we need to take military action against them where ever we find them and destroy their base camps and kill them if necessary?
8) Did you like how the government was running the country before Sept 11, 2001 (including the Clinton Administration as comparison) and would like to return to that time or do you think that government focus needed to change on Sept 12, 2001?

OK...now go read this article for more thought provoking comments.

Civilization vs. Trivia

In summary, we need to start asking ourselves some serious questions as we approach the upcoming elections.

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Stay Tuned

To any reading the blog daily, sorry for the slow posts. The big boss is in town and we are spending 12 hour days (no test for the wicked, my Grandmother always said) on meetings and preparing for the next quarter of activities. I have literally come home and dropped in the bed every night.

The only good thing about it is that the big boss pays for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinner so far has comprised of a very nice filet mignon and glass of cabernet, so I try not to complain too much. LOL

We'll be back on track for the final entry of "Blood for Oil" by the end of this week. In the meantime, please see my previous post about Sarmad's blog. You can't miss what he has to say.

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The Road of a Nation

The Road of a Nation is an Iraqi blog that I like to visit. Sarmad, who runs the blog, is an architect in Iraq. He is currently working on helping design and build military bases for the ICDC. He routinely takes pictures of things happening in Iraq and shows them on his blog. This time is no different. A funny thing missing from his pictures compared to the media...there are no dead bodies and no gratuitous blood shed. Just wholesome pictures of daily life in a new construcive period.

This is a must see.

Also, he takes Michael Moore to task for trying to imply that Iraq was full of happy people with a benevolent dictator who meant no harm to anyone, least of all the Americans and the Iraqis who lived under him.

Dear Mr. Moor you lived the propaganda of “Saddam” and his fiat believes, we lived the realty of Saddam, we was dealing with him every minute every day ,weak[awake] sleep ,he was just every where ,you didn’t live through all this ,you don’t believe me if I told you that people with all the pain they got from Saddam cant tell know believe that, he is goon[gone] ,they cant speak, they are afraid that he will come back ,they learn to[be] beat[en] ,and humiliated, and never speak ,Saddam will be more than happy if he could attack America ,if he cot[got] the ability to do so ,I wish you was here in Iraq ,when you speak to your president and say to him sham [shame]on you ,I wish you could say that to Saddam ,and see how he will respond to you, any way if you are so worried about "Saddam " he is now in the hand of Iraqi justices you can afford him a lower[lawyer] ,and I assure you, that saddam will be well traded, and he will be given all his rights , and that he never did to any Iraqi he killed and executed .

Frankly...after Sarmad's impassioned post on the subject, there is really nothing else to say about Michael Moore's film.

Sarmad also has a forum which hosts Iraqis and others in discussion about life in Iraq. One of the new people in the forum was an Iraqi recently returned from exile in Iran, where he was "safer" than Iraq (his family was wanted by Saddam), but he was not exactly on the "A" list in Iran either.

I highly recommend this site as an excellent way to educate ourselves about the reality of Iraq. Please checkout Sarmad's photos so you can see that something other than daily bombings occur in the new, free Republic of Iraq.

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Happy Independence Day, July 4th, 2004! Let Freedom Ring!

The flag of the United States of America represents freedom around the globe. The 50 white stars represent each state within the union. The stars are on a blue field to represent a "new constellation" as described in the First Flag Act of 1777. The 13 red and white alternating stripes represent the original 13 colonies that rebelled against Britain and declared their independence July 4th, 1776.  

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Never Forget 

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Click here to hear the United States National Anthem. As a sign of respect, if you are a civillian and not a veteran, you should always stand and remove your hat whenever the flag passes by on parade or the national anthem is played. Your right hand (with or without hat) should be placed over your heart. Men and women currently in the military or who are veterans, commonly stand and salute on the same occassions. Men and women currently in the military will also salute the flag at morning revelry (raising of the flag) and evening taps (lowering the flag). For more information on appropriate flag etiquette, click here 

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Today we celebrate our freedom. Let us not forget those who served and guaranteed this day of celebration for 228 years. My family has 11 veterans, living and passed, that have served in every war since the Spanish American War. They served with honor and pride. Today, I am honored to be a part of that legacy. My brother was on active duty during Gulf War I, Somalia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Today, he is in the reserves and is a full time Air Force National Guard. My cousin is active duty Army. To all those that serve and all those that tend the fires on the home front, I salute you. 

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Here We Mark The Price Of Freedom

World War II Memorial. There are 400 stars on the wall. Each star represents 1000 casualties of war.  

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Celebrating 228 years of freedom.  

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Boring Technical Announcement

For those of you who may have visited previously and found yourselves unable to post a comment, I apologize. The error has now been corrected. Please forgive me as I am new to the blog world and have not mastered all of the intricate details of blog settings.

One item of note: this blog will not accept anonymous comments. You will need to sign up with a username, valid email and password. Don't worry, I won't ask for your mother's maiden name or your date of birth and it's free! LOL

You may have noticed that some unfriendly folks have already dropped by and left some less than complimentary comments. While I am open to honest debate and counterpoints to anything I offer, I do not accept insults or threats. Please leave those at the blogsphere door.

Otherwise, bon apetit'.

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The Tipping Point - You and I Make a Difference

I recently received an email from someone who found my blog while visiting another site Foolsblog. After exchanging several emails with my reader, I asked permission if I could place the original email concerning their discovery of my blog. The reader gave me permission as long as I kept their name anonymous, but I could supply their email address for authentication as necessary.

Now, the reason I am posting this email is not to give myself pats on the back. I wanted to share it and talk about how we, each in our own way, can have an impact on another person. Read this email and I will explain further:

Subject: I'm sitting here in shock...
From: Whitedeers@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 01 Jul 2004 17:18:29 -0700
To: kehenry1@hotmail.com
To: kehenry1@hotmail.com

...After reading your "Busting Conspiracy Theories" entries. The work and time you put into that is incredible!

I've never written to anyone like this before but you moved me enough to do so.. so this is all your fault :)

I'll try to make this as short as possible.
I started doing what you are doing a few weeks back, on a much, much smaller scale. I got tired of the extreme views on both sides as none of it seemed based on truth. I even bought into some of it! *hangs head* I knew the truth was in the middle somewhere, I knew it was going to take some time and I set out to find it. In doing so I found much more than I bargained for and the time involved was shocking to me. Everywhere I turned was a repeat of what everyone else was saying with no supporting facts offered and the only resources offered were other articles that had been copied and pasted. It was like looking into a mirror that was looking into another mirror with no true image.

Since then I can't begin to describe how I feel about our main stream media, I turned to blogs instead. There I found people who were willing to do the work to find the truth above all else as well as people who are living it and reporting it as they see it.. and more importantly people who do the work, post their findings (without spin) and allow ME to think with my very own brain!

I've now started to pick apart everything that I thought I believed or disbelieved... I've changed my views tremendously about almost everything relating to politics and current events! I've become a fiend for facts and blogs.

Your work helped me change my view on the "Blood for Oil" cries. I had just started digging when I found your piece on it. I was actually buying into the idea that our men and women were dying for oil, that all the Iraqis hated us, that they were better off before America "took over". I kept thinking "Please God don't let this be true" ... Then... I found Iraqi bloggers, I found Military bloggers writing from Iraq and more! And now.. I've found you. You've provided me with facts, ones that I can see for myself and go research myself.... that's all I wanted. The truth. I don't care if it's left, right, heaven or hell... I just want the truth.

Thank you..
Thank you for being a part of my discoveries.
Thank you for the incredible amount of time and thought you put into your work.
We will never know the truth until we start searching for it ourselves.
Keep doing what you're doing, it is important.
(BTW I found you through a link at www.foolsblog.com)

With much respect,
"Whitedeer"

I was pretty amazed when I received this email. Largely because the research I was doing and posting here was for my own benefit. I wanted to know, without review or interpretation from the media, what was the reality. After that, I thought that, at most, it might serve as debate points for those who were pro or anti-war. I've learned recently through by trips thru the blogosphere, that people are hungry for information, just like me. They are often in the middle of debates trying to "google" particular subjects or find back up material for their particular point of view, right in the middle of a chat session or comment board. I've actually enjoyed entering into these debates the last few weeks. It was very exhilarating and definitely sharpens the mind.

Tipping Points
When I received this email, it reminded me about a book I had read recently called The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. This book talks about the sociological, psychological, and physical "points" that cause a situation to "tip" one way or the other. It reviews the social atmosphere as well as the types of people that effect this change. It constantly refers to "good" and "bad" epidemics, how they get started, how they spread, etc.

I recommended this book to "whitedeers" and another recent acquaintance as a way to learn how we can make a difference.

Before you read this book, I will tell you that it is 294 pages and occasionally slips off into the intellectual desert (ie, dry). However, if you can get past those areas, the book points out several examples of how and who can foster changes, either in their immediate area or even world wide. One such example is the Crime Rate for the City of New York. The book talks about a program that can be loosely referred to as "The Broken Window Theory".

The Broken Window Theory

According to the data, crime in New York City was on an unprecedented rise from the 1970's through the 1980's. Do you remember Bernie Goetz the "subway vigilante"? Refresher for those who don't or are too young to recall: Dec 22, 1984, Goetz was on the subway in NY, NY when he was approached by 5 young black men. According to witnesses, the young men demanded that Goetz hand over his money. Goetz reached in his pocket, pulled out a chrome plated Smith & Wesson Snub Nose and preceded to shoot them. All of them. At the time, many hailed him as a hero. Crime was rampant in the city and the citizens acquitted Goetz on the basis of self defense.

In 1996, Goetz was sued in the Civil courts by one of his "victims". The "victim" won. Of course, there was the extenuating circumstances. Apparently, after shooting the unarmed men, one of them lay screaming in pain on the subway floor; Goetz approached him and was heard to say, "you seem fine, here's another one" and shot him one more time. The bullet lodged in his spine and he was paralyzed. In 1996, the good people of New York thought that was a little over the top and awarded the "victim" a monetary award.

Why did people's ideas change on the subject? Starting in 1990, crime had declined to such a degree, that people no longer recalled the "bad old days" when you took your life into your own hands when you rode the subway. How did this change? The book explores the different views of the subject. Malcolm Gladwell points out that sociologists believe it was the decrease in unemployment and poverty level that attributed to the decrease. While this is a good theory, it is not necessarily the thing that had direct impact on the problem. As he points out in the book, many areas had high unemployment and poverty levels, but it did not necessarily result in high crime areas. He links the change directly to a change in policy in the New York city government. This policy was based on the "broken window" theory.

The "broken window" theory works like this: you see a broken window you fix it. You see graffiti on the wall, you paint over it. You see trash on the street, you pick it up. If it gets broken or painted or trashed again, you go back and fix it again and again, however often it takes. Why? The theory states that crime will take root and grow in places where nobody is watching or nobody cares. Criminals feel comfortable operating "under the radar". When the windows are fixed, the graffiti is gone and the streets are clean, it looks like somebody is paying attention. Ergo, the criminals will want to go someplace else.

This is the policy that New York adopted. The city also spent more money on police and emergency services. Not just on quantity, but on quality of training and enforcement of the law. They spent more money on repairing infrastructure, garbage collection, general maintenance, etc.

In the 70's and 80's, the police were tasked with going after "big" crime. They often paid little attention to the petty criminals painting graffiti on walls and subway train cars, or jumping turnstiles or drinking beer on the sidewalks, etc. The theory there was to spend tax payers money "appropriately" on solving big crimes. In 1990, the orders changed. The police were to enforce every law, no matter how small or how "petty". In doing so, they were able to "harass" the criminals. Every time a police officer busted someone for jumping the turnstile, they were run through the NCIC for warrants, outstanding tickets, etc. This turned out to be a bonanza for the police as they were able to pick up many criminals without resorting to "door to door" searches. Further, it sent a signal to the criminals: we aren't putting up with you anymore. Stop, or you will go to jail.

The average NYPD precinct during the ten-year period studied could expect to suffer one less violent crime for approximately every 28 additional misdemeanor arrests made. Do Police Matter

Of course, many civil liberty groups called this "harassment" illegal and tried to get it stopped (imagine that), stating it impinged the citizens rights. It was thrown out over and over again. There was no "harassment" in enforcing the law. The laws were on the books and the police officers were simply enforcing them. Other folks thought that this was a waste of money that should be spent on "bigger" crimes. By 1996, these opponents had been shut down by the results: crime in New York city had declined to a point not seen since the 50's and 60's.

This is what is referred to as a "good" epidemic. Once it was started in one area and shown to have an impact, it spread to many areas (hence, neighborhood watches, etc), like an epidemic. Mr. Gladwell does not denigrate the contribution of better economics to the "good" epidemic, he simply points out that every change needs a direct catalyst, or point of impact, a tipping point, to get it rolling. The "broken window" theory was it.

You and I Make a Difference

You and I can make the same difference. With one action or word, we have the power to change, not only our own lives, but the lives of others. We can change our society, our culture, the world. The question remains: Do we have the gumption to commit ourselves to this change? This is the point of posting "whitedeers'" email. WE can make a difference. If there was nothing else or no one else that ever read this journal, I will have found my time spent on this project well worth it, for having given one person information that might change their life.

Another point, both "whitedeer" and another reader have posted links to my studies on the "Blood for Oil" issue on internet community boards. In this way, they have contributed to spreading a "good" epidemic or "the tipping point", where more people might be able to get information that is not readily available to them or is too time consuming to look up for themselves.

Make a Difference in Your Personal Life

I have used this in my personal and business life as well. Let me tell you a story. I have already referred to one of the facilities that I visit frequently in San Diego, California. This facility had many problems. One of which was the frequent "loss" of inventory and equipment. Every physical inventory we were taking huge write-offs. When I went to the warehouse area of this facility, I was appalled. Equipment and inventory was spread out without rhyme or reason. Laying around, not on shelves, parts that go with other equipment in one section of the warehouse while the actual equipment was someplace else. In short, it was a disaster.

I asked the facility and warehouse managers why this was allowed to occur. They pointed out things like employee turnover, rapid pace of business, etc as being the culprits. I looked squarely at them and said, "bullshit!". It was obvious to me that the employees didn't give a damn about the place (managers either) and thought, since no one paid attention or told them to be different, that it was "ok". I then explained to them the "broken window" theory. That their people would come to respect the warehouse area and, thus, control our inventory, if we demanded it of them. The first step was to clean it up. They were directed to have a plan for me within 2 weeks on how the warehouse would be cleaned and re-organized, who would participate and the date it would be done.

That was step number one. They drug their feet a little, but I kept applying the "broken window" theory to my relations with them. I called and emailed every few days to ask for an update; reminding them that it was important. Even while they continued to "hem and haw" about causing disruptions in the business and possibly pissing their staff off, I continued to insist that it was important. Finally, the day arrived when the warehouse was clean and the inventory organized. After praising them for their progress, I then demanded a schedule by which the warehouse would be regularly "cleaned" and a program by which they would enforce this with their staff. They were also to institute spot checks on paperwork, deliveries and equipment to insure everyone was following procedures.

This is three months later, I am telling you that the warehouse is almost unrecognizable compared to the beginning of the year. Inventory losses declined dramatically. The warehouse staff are happier than I have ever seen them and the delivery staff don't seem to be too "pissed" anymore.

Everytime I go to the facility now, I walk into the warehouse and speak to the staff. I tell them constantly that it looks good and I remind them constantly on the importance of keeping it clean and controlling our inventory.

This is how you apply the "broken window" theory to real life situations that you encounter.

Closing Thoughts, Things to Think About

I don't want to turn this section into a political statement, but I am forced to point out the relationship of this theory to the war in Iraq. First, let me explain that the former Police Commissioner for New York City, Bernard Kerik, is part of President Bush's "First Responders Team" in his Homeland Security council. He was not the creator of the "broken windows" theory (that was Police Commissioner William Bratton), but he certainly inherited it and was part of it's implementation. He did not influence the President's decision to go to war in Iraq, but he certainly bought into the plan and went over several times to give advice to the CPA on handling certain matters.

Think about "tipping points", "good epidemics" and "broken windows theory". The middle east serves as our "high crime" area. This is where most of the "terrorists" come from. The terrorists are able to plan and operate without impunity because there was no one that tried to stop them. There was no one that tried to "fix" the problem. The middle east has high poverty, low employment, little freedom and many "broken windows". A breeding ground, as it were, for the enemy.

I'm going to leave you with those thoughts. The next post will discuss the relationship of "broken window theory" or national security, economy, oil and the middle east.

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Do You Really Wanna Know?

I have never been one to take those silly IQ or "placement" tests that are supposed to tell you how brilliant you are or what your "career" path should be. However, early this morning I was browsing some news articles, when I accidently clicked on an IQ test.

At first, I was going to just close the window, but after little sleep last night, I thought, "what the hell" and proceeded to take the test.

The True IQ Test

Congratulations, Kathleen!
Your IQ score is 126

This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the True IQ Test relative to others.

Your Intellectual Type is Word Warrior. This means you have exceptional verbal skills. You can easily make sense of complex issues and take an unusually creative approach to solving problems. Your strengths also make you a visionary. Even without trying you're able to come up with lots of new and creative ideas. And that's just a small part of what we know about you from your test results.

I don't know how the scoring goes, you know, at what level you are a genius, but I think this isn't a bad score. Regardless of the rating, I thought that the description was pretty damn accurate.

So...If anyone else feels the need to torture themselves into another box with a label, please go to this site What's your IQ

Be warned, when you are done taking the test, it asks you if you want additional analysis of your IQ and proceeds to ask you for your credit card info after you have already given it your name, zip code, etc (I did not give them my credit card info and the personal stuff, like my address, was fake). I don't believe in giving this stuff out on the internet, regardless of how good the site looks.

So...Have fun, play it safe.

Update: Where Do You Place in the World of Intellects

Right after I gook the test, I just had to know where I placed:

Descriptive Classifications of Intelligence Quotients

IQ Description % of Population
130+ Very superior 2.2%
120-129 Superior 6.7%
110-119 High average 16.1%
90-109 Average 50%
80-89 Low average 16.1%
70-79 Borderline 6.7%
Below 70 Extremely low 2.2%

140 Top Civil Servants; Professors and Research Scientists.
130 Physicians and Surgeons; Lawyers; Engineers (Civil and Mechanical)
120 School Teachers; Pharmacists; Accountants; Nurses; Stenographers; Managers.
110 Foremen; Clerks; Telephone Operators; Salesmen; Policemen; Electricians.
100+ Machine Operators; Shopkeepers; Butchers; Welders; Sheet Metal Workers.
100- Warehousemen; Carpenters; Cooks and Bakers; Small Farmers; Truck and Van Drivers.
90 Laborers; Gardeners; Upholsterers; Farmhands; Miners; Factory Packers and Sorters.

Maybe I should pay attention to these damn things after all. NAAAAHHH....I don't like to be labeled. But it is interesting, no?

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Slavery is OK As Long As It Is a Muslim Master

This is a must read. At Life Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness gives us the heads up on the scummy underside of the appeaser media. The New York times prints what must be considered the all time low of apologetic appeaser tripe. After discussing the problems that slavery and genocide are causing in the Sudan, the New York Times gives the Muslim inslavers a pass, explaining how the slaves are treated so much nicer than the western civilizations ever did.

Across the Sahara and its edges, the Sahel, most of the coexistence is peaceful, linked by shared cultures and by Islam.

Arabs and most Western academics agree that the Arab form of African slavery, existing since at least the 6th century Arab conquest, generally has been less brutal and more open to advancement by slaves than the Western version.

African slaves in Arab households largely have labored as servants in households rather than farmhands on plantations, making for easier lives and less submerging of identity. They often ate and slept side by side with their masters, sometimes married into their families -- and occasionally even came to rule a Muslim kingdom.

Isn't that nice? The "Arab" academics agree that the "Arab" form of slavery is so much "nicer" and, besides, it's existed for 14 centuries. What could be wrong with that?

I don't know...this maybe?

``You, the black women, we will exterminate you,'' Amnesty International quoted one 20-year-old black African woman as telling them, speaking of the Janjaweed who abducted the women of her village in September 2003 and raped them for days.

Read Article(registration required)

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Who Would You Choose: Spiderman or Kerry?

Here's a thought, I am such a stickler for data you know, let's figure out how many people actually went to see M&M's film in the first weekend and what impact it would have of the election:

Avg Ticket price = 6.50
(after you avg in matinee and twilight show prices)

20 mil divided by 6.5 =3076923.0769230769230769230769231

people saw his movie

Population of the united States
293,632,989

This mean only 1% of the US population saw his film on it's opening night. With the average decrease of movie popularity and gross revenue, by the end of a 6 week span (normal movie runs) appx 4.3% of the US population will have seen his movie.

or 12626218.527 people

Take in account that roughly 1/4 of those that saw the picture were not of age to vote


9469663.5 are able to vote

take in account that the average voter turn out is appx 54% of registered voters (less among the disenfranchised that saw this movie, but we will stick to known numbers)

5113618.29

Take in account that appx 10% of those that saw it were republicans looking to see what the hell he was going on about, avg # of voters who were probably already inclined to vote for Kerry =

4602256.461

Is that enough to get one electoral vote in Florida?

If we compared that to Spiderman showing and did the same calculation (with a slightly higher percentage of underage, non-voting citizens as viewers) we might also be able to imply that Spiderman (or Toby McGuire) will be elected as president.

We report: You Decide!

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How Not to Get Your Ass Kicked By the Police - Chris Rock

In this day and age, you would think people would learn how to interact politiely with our officers of the law. Unfortunatley, there is always somebody who thinks that they can somehow get out of a ticket or keep from going to jail if they scream, curse and waive their hands around.

Personally, I've never seen this work. Always seems like the perpetrator becomes the center of scrutiny for every police officer within the county. At which time, you are guaranteed to have at lest one bruise and a few stitches from the altercation or correction in your manners.

Now, some of you might call this "Police Brutatlity", I call it a reminder to be civil when talking to a man/woman with a baton and a Glock .40, or....

How Not to Get Your Ass Kicked By the Police - Chris Rock

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What are you? Neo-con? Liberal? Isolationalist?

Take the test and find out if your not scared. LOL


Bet you don't know what I turned out to be! Take a wild guess!

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