Fedstats
10 years of making statistics from more than 100 agencies available to citizens everywhere.
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education.
Recovery.Gov
Recovery.gov is the U.S. government’s official website that provides easy access to data related to Recovery Act spending.
StateMaster
StateMaster, a unique statistical database which allows you to research and compare a multitude of different data on US states.
The 2010 Statistical Abstract -The National Data Book
The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States.
The United States Misery Index
The misery index was initiated by economist Arthur Okun, an adviser to President Lyndon Johnson in the 1960′s is simply the unemployment rate added to the inflation rate.
USA.GoV
A-Z Index of U.S. Governmental Departments and Agencies.
News websites
Foreign Policy.com
Website devoted to foreign policy discussions and news.
The AfPak Channel
Website devoted to the news of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Featuring Peter Bergen.
Non-Partisans
CREW- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
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Follow the money.org
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Open Congress.org
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Open Secrets
Is your nonpartisan guide to money’s influence on U.S. elections and public policy
Public Citizen-Congress Watch
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The People Decide.us
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Hey everybody it’s Friday and today we celebrate all things wacky and fun from around the internet. I’ve assembled some videos and pictures that you might get a kick out of. Enjoy! (more…)
General Stanley McChrystal’s piece in the magazine Rolling Stone is being talked about in the media about all the “offensive” things that him and his aides say about the Obama administration. After reading the article it becomes clear that there is a hidden message between the lines. Afghanistan cannot be won. The war is un-winnable. It’s gone on longer than Vietnam and there is still no end in sight. The article in Rolling Stone is a great read and the media will love the quotes that bash Obama and make the General look like a sophmore on spring-break more than the leader of the greatest military in this world. To me the most offensive thing in it was the fact that the General drinks “Bud Light Lime”.
After reading it I don’t know if I like the guy or hate the guy. One thing is certain I respect the guy. Here is a comment from the article-
McChrystal dismissed the counterterrorism strategy being advocated by Vice President Joe Biden as “shortsighted,” saying it would lead to a state of “Chaos-istan.” The remarks earned him a smackdown from the president himself, who summoned the general to a terse private meeting aboard Air Force One.
I hate to admit it but Biden may be on to something. He envisions small groups of Special Forces and drone strikes. I hate Biden and think he’s a clown but the current strategy is not working.
He (Obama) ordered another 21,000 troops to Kabul, the largest increase since the war began in 2001. Taking the advice of both the Pentagon and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he also fired Gen. David McKiernan – then the U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan – and replaced him with a man he didn’t know and had met only briefly: Gen. Stanley McChrystal.
He accumulated more than 100 hours of demerits for drinking, partying and insubordination – a record that his classmates boasted made him a “century man.” (concerning McChrystal’s record at West Point)
Obama got his guy. McChrsytal. If Obama didn’t know what or who McChrystal was then shame on him. Just another indication of his amateur hour Presidency that we witness on a day by day basis.
According to sources familiar with the meeting, McChrystal thought Obama looked “uncomfortable and intimidated” by the roomful of military brass.
He should be. He knows that he’s in a room full of guys who have accomplished some major things. Some men and women who have sacrificed everything in their lives “to protect and defend the Constitution”. These are people Obama has no clue how to interact with. He knows they expect results from their underlings and when they say things lives hang in the balance. Obama is very unfamiliar with that.
Then, without ever using the words “victory” or “win,” Obama announced that he would send an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, almost as many as McChrystal had requested. The president had thrown his weight, however hesitantly, behind the counterinsurgency crowd.
McChrystal wanted 40,000 troops. Obama sent 30,000. If your willing to send 30 why can’t you send 40? Obama wants to appear like he’s a hawk on this issue. The numbers show the truth. Either your all in or your not.
“It’s not going to look like a win, smell like a win or taste like a win,” says Maj. Gen. Bill Mayville, who serves as chief of operations for McChrystal. “This is going to end in an argument.”
This is what the Chief of Operations has to say. Very cryptic.
In private, Team McChrystal likes to talk shit about many of Obama’s top people on the diplomatic side. One aide calls Jim Jones, a retired four-star general and veteran of the Cold War, a “clown” who remains “stuck in 1985.” Politicians like McCain and Kerry, says another aide, “turn up, have a meeting with Karzai, criticize him at the airport press conference, then get back for the Sunday talk shows. Frankly, it’s not very helpful.”
That is pretty self explanatory. And disturbing.
“Fuck, when I came over here and heard that McChrystal was in charge, I thought we would get our fucking gun on,” says Hicks, who has served three tours of combat. “I get COIN. I get all that. McChrystal comes here, explains it, it makes sense. But then he goes away on his bird, and by the time his directives get passed down to us through Big Army, they’re all fucked up – either because somebody is trying to cover their ass, or because they just don’t understand it themselves. But we’re fucking losing this thing.”
The soldiers serving over there are left feeling vulnerable and feeling like they are fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. Would you want to fight the Taliban with one hand tied behind your back? Notice the words “we’re losing this fucking thing.” It’s not being said by a member of Code Pink.
“It’s all very cynical, politically,” says Marc Sageman, a former CIA case officer who has extensive experience in the region. “Afghanistan is not in our vital interest – there’s nothing for us there.”
I would assume that all the members of Al-Qaeda who were participants in 9/11 have been captured or killed except for the big two. Zarquairi and Bin Laden. Who are we fighting now? Taliban? Afghans? What do we gain by staying there?
Celeste Ward, a senior defense analyst at the RAND Corporation who served as a political adviser to U.S. commanders in Iraq in 2006. “That’s the game we’re in right now. What we need, for strategic purposes, is to create the perception that we didn’t get run off. The facts on the ground are not great, and are not going to become great in the near future.”
Is that what this is all about? War for war’s sake. Keep throwing men, machines and money into the meat grinder in some satanic game of chicken? Are we trying to avoid another Saigon? Is it a sin for a country to realize that a war is a lost cause? When America left Vietnam did America survive after that? Yes. We did our damage to Al Qaeda and we killed a lot of enemies over there. How many more young Americans have to lose arms and legs and lives for us to get the message that Afghanistan is a sewer not worth our effort?
“There’s a possibility we could ask for another surge of U.S. forces next summer if we see success here,” a senior military official in Kabul tells me.
If that is the case then re-instate the draft. It’s too much to keep asking people who volunteer to serve to have to be in a un-winnable situation. If it’s so important to America then all Americans should have to step up to the plate. And start the draft with the children of the highest tax brackets first. None of this poor and black go first garbage. Then we will see how committed our country is to Afghanistan.
“Winning hearts and minds in COIN is a coldblooded thing,” McChrystal says, citing an oft-repeated maxim that you can’t kill your way out of Afghanistan. “The Russians killed 1 million Afghans, and that didn’t work.”
I can say honestly if Afghans can’t decide or won’t decide if they want to support America or the Taliban then they need to get what’s coming to them when the Taliban role back in country en mass. There should be NO DEBATE about winning hearts and minds. If they can’t decide if THEY want to risk their lives to save their own country or they would prefer the Taliban then we need to leave.
As for McChrystals’ comment that “The Russians killed 1 million Afghans and that didn’t work.” Well it’s not like they fought Russia alone. They had tremendous support from America in the form of weapons and manpower and money from the Middle East. Take away America’s stinger missiles and it’s a different war. We all know that Pakistan is helping the Taliban. If that is not a sign of how messed up the situation is then what is?
There is a reason that President Obama studiously avoids using the word “victory” when he talks about Afghanistan. Winning, it would seem, is not really possible. Not even with Stanley McChrystal in charge.
All the major media will drone on and on about McCrystals’ comments that are disparaging to Obama and his advisors but the serious subject matter is the question of “Can America win this war?” “How long do we have to be there?” “How much will it continue to cost?” “How many more lives of Americans do we have to deliver to Afghanistan for victory? “Do we even know what victory is?”
I like war just as much as the next average American. I supported Iraq and I still think it was poorly executed but strategically sound. It took out Saddam Hussein and put Iran in a tough position. But even that war wasn’t won til the Iraqi’s got a taste of Al Qaeda in their neighborhoods, turned on them and literally chased them out of An-Bar province, and the surrounding provinces.
When do the Afghani’s decide what they want? Only then will America understand what they will get. Either go in full throttle or get out. No in-betweens. We can’t keep our troops in Afghanistan to die a death of a thousand cuts. If you feel that I’m being a lefty or a liberal, then sign up your son or daughter, and we can debate who’s a patriot another day.
56Rebels
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I have to admit sometimes I’m blinded by things. I see things and I want to believe they are true. I want to believe that other people have no idea what they are talking about. That they are just chicken little’s with their sky is falling chatter. What makes me great though is I will admit when I was wrong. I’m not some Chris Matthews who will defend, defend, defend. I cut people the benefit of the doubt. I judge them by their actions. Or inaction’s. I give them the rope to hang themselves with. I was wrong. I have said before many a time “I like Obama. I think he’s a cool guy”. I don’t always agree with all his policies but he’s the President, he’s smarter than me, and let’s see where he’s going with this. The problem is that, though I may like Barack Obama, I don’t think he likes us. Why J.P. do you feel this way? Well yesterday I heard the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard in my adult life. It appears that Barry went into the Lions Den and appeared on the Today Show. He sat down with that hardest of hardcore political reporters. Matt Lauer. Yes THE Matt Lauer. Matt asked him the toughest question ever.
Lauer: “Have you spoken directly to Tony Hayward the C.E.O. of BP?
Barry: “I have not spoken to him directly and here is the reason…” “My experience is when you talk to a guy like the BP C.E.O he’s gonna say all the right things to me.”
Lauer: “In all due respect that feels strange to me….I’m curious as to why you wouldn’t pick up the phone and give him a piece of your mind.”
Lauer: “He doesn’t work for you (C.E.O of BP) but if he did would you want him out?
Barry: “He wouldn’t be working for me after any of those statements.”
Back to reality. “He wouldn’t be working for me after any of those statements???” Don’t mind the huge nature holocaust on the Gulf Coast or the destruction of people’s livelihood. Those statements are where I draw the line! The guy was in charge of the company that continuously violated safety rules and he would only get fired for those statements? Chef Ramsey of Hell’s Kitchen fired a guy for undercooking the risotto twice! Are you kidding me Barry! Give me a break. And yes I refer to you as Barry until YOU start acting Presidential and get s**t done! Your on every f**king TV show breaking down the NBA finals and yet you honestly don’t give a rat’s tail about the people of the Gulf. Hmmm. I wonder why? Oh I know why.
Red States will defend America from the oil. Because if you didn't vote Obama your not part of America.
It’s politics. Pure and simple. These states have no impact on whether Obama gets re-elected and he knows it and Rahm Emanuel knows it. So they don’t care. It’s hysterical that “Mr. I Hate Corporate America” leaves everything in the hands of a foreign corporation. It’s so funny I want to cry.
Enough of my rant. Yesterday I recieved a complaint from an old friend who was upset that I ridiculed Joe Biden‘s family fun fest. And by family fun-fest I mean him, his family, white house insiders, and media people. As DaisyJacobs said to me,”It’s not a coincidence that the administration is in such bad shape that they are inviting reporters to Bar-B-Q-’s.” She’s smart. My friend also went on a rant about my comment that “Rahm secretly wished he was shooting children with a shot gun.” Now come on. Does he even know Rahm’s reputation? Does he really think, I think, Rahm wants to shoot children with a shot-gun? In honesty I think he does, but Rahm would never admit it. If anyone was offended by that joke I apologize. And to Rahm Emanuel please don’t confront me while your naked in a shower. That’s too much.
I have to admit though Barry Obama wasn’t lying. He promised to create jobs and he has come through. He’s created a whole bunch in the beach oil cleanup field. One minuscule caveat- You must sign a waiver releasing BP from all cancer causing chemical claims. This is great! The longer the oil gusher goes the more jobs created! Barry you are more than a “community organizer”! You are a genius economist! I love you Barry!
For people who claim that since the oilspill is on Obama’s watch then it’s his responsibility. Than 9/11 must be Gorge Bush’s. I agree. My rule is if you have gone on one vacation, than you are responsible for EVERYTHING, that happens during your administration. It’s just a silly rule.
BP has made a statement that net proceeds from oil recovered will go to benefit the wildlife of the region. When asked when they could expect the payments, BP responded, “Once the wildlife open a bank account or fill out this 10 page form with their current address. We will get the checks on their way.” BP really cares! They really do!
When asked for comment by 56 Rebels about how they planned to compensate the world for the all the dead animals and the murder of endangered species? BP responded,” Not even Noah saved all the animals!” Now get the f**k out of here!” (In a British accent of course)
Bill Clinton calls Louisiana Senator David Vitter a “sinner“. (Insert any joke you want here)
Not only does she talk on cell phones but she throws them at maids as well.
who has quite a reputation is refusing to “use stairs“. Now Ms.Campbell, how are you ever going to get into heaven if you don’t use stairs? Editor’s Note-She really is a disgusting human being.
Speaking of disgusting human beings Gary Coleman’s wife has sold his death pictures for $10,000. And is requesting $50,000 for interviews. Who does she think she is Sarah Ferguson?
The funny thing about Obama’s campaign is everyone compared him to Superman. When what we really needed is Aquaman.
Maybe in 2012 he'll run...or swim...whatever, just give me another option than Obama.
This was a great comment on Hot Air- about Barry Obama.
“Daddy, who’s ass did you kick today? Daddy did you play golf today or go to the beach and play with some tar balls? Daddy what enemy of the United States Ass did you KISS today? Daddy you are an awesome ass kicker and ass kisser as well! For the first time in my young life I’m proud of my role modeling daddy president!” Marcos -Commenter on Hot Air
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
You can subscribe to my blog in the top right by pressing the “Become a Rebel” button or by pressing the Feed Icon to get it delivered directly to your reader. Subscriptions are free. Do you think anyone would pay for this mindless drivel? And if my “picking on Obama” bothers you, go find a Russian immigrant and ask him what happened to people “who picked” on Stalin. Gotta love this country.
56 Rebels
“Telling Communists to tear down walls since 1987″
We live in a great country. Some people say the greatest country in the world. Ever. Some people in this country join the military and give everything they have. Life, limb, family. Everything. That’s why it’s disturbing when you see a news story where 2 men who live in America, apparently Americans in every way, decide to board a plane and head to Egypt for terrorist training. One part of America’s population joins the fight to stop terrorism and another part of the population joins the insurgency to spread terrorism. This is very hard to reconcile. I am past the point of comparing Muslims to terrorists. It’s a small number of Muslims literally destroying their own religion. For people who compare the Muslim religion to terrorism is like saying all “Protestants are Nazis’.” It’s just not true. How can it be stopped? I don’t know if it can. It’s understandable if you get people in Afghanistan or Pakistan joining the fight. They don’t know any better. But to have Americans and not just 2, but others joining to kill Americans is disturbing. For people who agree with racial profiling one of the men was named Mohamed Mahmood Alessa. The other was named Carlos Eduardo Almonte. Where do we start? And with whom?
Now on a brighter note let’s see what the headlines are around the web. On Gawker.com They have a post on Rahm Emanuel and Joe Biden having a water fight.
Rahm secretly wished he was shooting children with a shot gun.
I don’t know about you but with the state of America as it is there is something very Romanov about the situation.
They got shot by something other than a "Super Soaker"
Now I’m not saying Washington D.C. has to be in mourning for the destruction of the Gulf of Mexico. But be a little more sensitive. Don’t they see the connection to spraying each other with water? The Gulf is now filled with polluted water. Are you guys doing this sh!t on purpose?
Gulf fisherman said,"We would love to have a waterfight with our kids. But if we spray them with water from the Gulf they will get cancer."
Meanwhile in the bad to worse file BP refuses to tell the EPA what chemicals are in the dispersants they used to break up the oil spill. Some of the workers cleaning up the oil spill are starting to get sick. This was a quote from the article
“They didn’t supply us with nothing,” says Jackson. “Now they’re starting to disperse gloves and hazmat suits.”
This makes me SO sick. Get Mr.BP C.E.O and his cronies picking up their garbage! Or as the C.E.O. of BP previously said,”maybe it’s food poisoning“. It’s comments like that, that make me wish Hitler fire bombed your grandmother’s house during the Battle of Britain. Go to hell BP. Go straight to hell.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer hanging at the super-soaker party. It's pictures like this that make people think there is an Illumanati.
In other news Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard is retiring. Kurt famously drew the cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad which made him the most hated man in the Muslim world. He took the title of most hated man in the Muslim world from previous record holder President George W. Bush. Bush ironically took the title from Salman Rushdie who had held it for over a decade. Westergaard said he wanted to retire while he still had a head.
In York, England the discovery of a gladiator graveyard are giving scientists insight into how they lived and died. Some scientists think the discovery may shine alight on how the NFL treats their old players.
Neither the NFLPA or Commissioner Roger Goodell would comment on the discovery.
In a weekend interview Rep. Charlie Rangel took a dig at President Obama by implying he is borrowing his Iraq War Strategy from Bush and Cheney. Obama responded that Charlie Rangel borrows his political philosophy from Boss Tweed.
When asked to comment on the comparison, Rangel said,"It's not true. Boss Tweed never served in Korea."
“White House to Arkansas candidate: “Your on your own“. Arkansas candidate responds,” Thank You”.
Rand Paul compares himself to MLK in an op-ed piece.
In other news Danny Devito compares himself to Brad Pitt.
I can see the similarities.
Gulf Oil Spill: How Much Oil Is The Containment Dome Catching? My question is how many BP executives are they catching. Put these f**kers on playing cards and pass them out to the U.S. military like they did for Saddam Hussein and his goons. The funny things is they have caused more damage to the U.S. then Saddam could ever dream of. And when the people who are cleaning up this mess and the people who have to live down there start getting cancer by the cluster full. We will see the effect of chemical weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Let’s see if they lock someone up for this.
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Contact your Senator and demand that BP reveal the chemicals in their “dispersants”. I believe it’s nothing more than cancer in a bottle. The Senate switchboard is (202)-224-3121. Let them know that BP has done enough damage and they can’t be trusted. Don’t let the same health problems that befell the 9/11 rescue workers happen to the people of the Gulf.
Hey everybody it’s Political Fun Friday for 2/5/10 ! I bring you the most entertaing pics and videos from around the web. Today 56Rebels takes an Enquirer slant to it. Hope you enjoy!
Editor’s note- What kind of person calls a motion picture or film a program? Also I think but I cannot prove it, I think Joe Biden is having an affair on his beautiful wife Jill.
Jill: “Where were you tonight?”
Joe: “I went out”
Jill: “How come you didn’t answer your cell phone?”
Joe: “I was at the movies.”
Jill: “Who’d you go with?”
Joe: “I went with my friend Barack.”
Jill: “Oh, yeah! What movie did you go to see?”
Joe: “ um, is, uh, this uh, this, this, this new program that I looked at it and wished I were seeing it in 3-D. And you sit there and you watch this science fiction thing unfold in front of you.”
Jill: “Avatar?” (rolling her eyes)
Joe: “Yes. Avatar. Very good. There are others, there are some other real good ones out there. But I saw Avatar.”
Jill: “I’m going to bed.” (Slams the door)
(Joe reaches in his pocket and pulls out his cell phone)
Joe:”Hey Barack it’s Joe… Joe Biden….your VP! Yeah, good. Listen Barack if Jill calls you. Me and you went to see Avatar tonight. Ok? I know. I’m not asking you to lie! I know you don’t want to be caught in the middle. Please. Just do this for me. I will definetly get you back. I owe you one! Don’t worry when re-election time comes I will definetly give it to those Republicans! Your the best, ok…Talk to you later. Bye. And Barack…. Thanks.”
(Joe sits down on his leather couch and plops his feet up on the table grabs his remote and starts watching Everybody Loves Raymond. Joe snickers to himself along with the laugh track)
Editors note- Joe how smart can you be when you can’t remember the name of a movie that is one word? Starts with an A! Has never been used before on the silver screen! Even a 10 year old can tell you the NAME of the movie that was so groundbreaking ”They had to see it in 3-D”! Just a little help for your P.R. When your so out of touch. Don’t pretend to be in touch. How you got to where you are is the fourth mystery of the universe.
This is a great story about how the Lt.Gov elect Scott Lee Cohen is a crazy man! And by crazy I don’t mean fun! I mean telling your kids to stay away from that man. He went on T.V. with his ex-wife to explain some of his past. Let me say that again. He went on T.V with his ex-wife. You have to LOVE Illinois politics if you are a blogger! It’s the state that keeps on giving! http://gawker.com/5464785/hooker+beating-wife+raping-roid+raging-oh-my-illinois-dems-pick-another-winner
He actually paid for that? I guess HE'S not a fiscal conservative!
EDitors note- The woman appearing on TV is NOT a hooker. It’s his ex-wife.
Nancy Pelosi finds out Scott Brown wins in Massachusetts!
Finally what is a political Fun Friday without a tribute to our first black president. And by that I mean Bill Clinton.
Do you feel inspired? I know I do!
Remeber you can subscribe to my blog in the box underneath my picture and to leave a comment push the annoyingly small leave a comment button below. Thanks and have a great weekend.
J.P. Douglas
P.S.- No politicians were harmed in the writing of this blog. It’s all satire so don’t sue me!
Hey everybody it’s Political Fun Friday and what’s more fun than being scared. I watched this video on Youtube it’s “Joe Biden Gaffe Blooper Mix”. It scared the hell out of me. To think this man is next in line should something happen to President Obama. I never could understand when people would say they prayed for our Presidents. Now I do. Warning after watching this video you may be disturbed. To say the least.
Enjoy.
927. That’s the number of soldiers who have died in Afghanistan according to Washingtonpost.com- Fallen Heroes Project as of today. That’s almost 1000. Every life lost impacts a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, or even a son or daughter. And according to the powers that be we can expect a surge of casulties to increase as our planned troop levels increase. Not too appealing. Every American knows why we are there. And I have a plan to get us out or at least keep our troops out of the crosshairs.
Now to win in Afghanistan we need to set clear goals . I was under the impression that we went to Afghanistan to kill Osama Bin Laden and drive out the Taliban who were harboring him. Eight years later and we have no trace or intelligence that leads us to believe we know where he is at. Is he in the Swat Valley? Maybe he is and maybe he’s not. America had our chance to kill him at Tora Bora and the powers that be were either too incompetent or were not interested in letting America’s Boogie Man get taken out of the picture for any myriad of reasons.
Vice President Joe Biden likes to throw out some bizarre mathematics when he says “we have $1 invested in Pakistan for every $30 we have invested in Afghanistan”. Joe Biden would like to see that number reversed.With reasons that range from “that’s where Al-Qaeda is” or that “Pakistan is the country with nukes” and that endangers America more than Afghanistan. Well Joe your wrong. Afghanistan needs that much because they have nothing. Zilch. Zero. Pakistan is getting more than enough money. They have an economy. They can even afford nuclear weapons. You know those pointy things that demolish a city. Yeah, they have them and fighter planes. So excuse me if I don’t think that we should have to buy them billions of dollars of weapons and equipment so the Afghans can beat back the Taliban with prayer rugs. According to Joe Biden’s philosophy we should give all the college funding money to rich white kids. Why? Because their the ones who go to college. We need to build up Afghanistan period. Pakistan is playing us. I’m not saying that they haven’t done a good job in the War on Terror. They caught Khalid-Sheik Mohammed, the mastermind behind 9/11, and other Al-Qaeda cronies. Back during the Cold War nations knew that if you went to America and told them you had Communists in your country and needed help the money would pour in. That is the same situation with Pakistan. They will do just enough to make us happy but not enough to destroy the problem because big money is to tied to their struggle with Al-Qaeda. Once AQ is done, so is the gravy train.We must continue funding Afghanistan.
Every talking head on television loves to come on the screen and sprout off “Afghanistan is ruled by warlords”. And? That is a bonus. A country ruled by lords of war. Because we are fighting a war. The game is to get the “warlords” to fight our enemy. Basically in a nutshell what we need to do is give these “warlords” an incentive to keep their territory free from Taliban and Al-Qaeda. How? Real simple. There is an old Afghan saying,” you can’t buy an Afghan. You can only rent him”. Now what we need to do is make these warlords rich by having them deliver peace. We need to have our CIA/Military figure out who has muscle in that country. Who can protect civilians and keep peace and quiet. Who are the political and military Alpha-males. Once we identify these people we need to make them this offer. If you can get roads paved and built in your area we will give you x amount of dollars. For every school and clinic that opens and does not get destroyed or harmed. We will give you x amount of dollars. For every IED or soldier that gets harmed in your territory you will forfeit a percentage of your monthly income that you generated by the roads, schools, and clinics. For every Al-Qaeda you capture or kill you will be rewarded. You can get more bees with honey.
Buy up the poppy crop. We are continously told that the poppy crop is funding the insurgency or the Taliban/Al-Qaeda. Ok. We know the farmers are going to grow the poppies. We have to accept that. In return we buy up the crop so that our enemies can’t use it for funding. Once we have it we then destroy it. Now the farmers have a customer in us and not an adversary. And the Taliban will have to find another way to make money.
Finally use Americans as the backup for the Warlords. If the Warlords are having problems with Taliban and Al-Qaeda they can ask for help and it will not hurt their financial bottom line. We need to know where and who the insurgents are then we can destroy them. To have our soldiers playing Kabul Policeman is ridiculous. Afghans need to learn to protect their country. We have bought them enough time. Now we are there to help. But to drive from town to town and get blown up by I.E.D.’s is only going to lose the war. We need to make progress every day and every hour. Progress is a semblence of normalcy.
These are just some ideas that I feel could help. Afghanistan is an empire killer. But America does not fall into the trap that other countries have in the past. We do not want to own Afghanistan. We want them to be able, so that when we leave, they can beat back the Taliban. Without a Taliban then there is possibly no free hand for Al-Qaeda to build camps and re-start up the process that was before America came. No Taliban in Afghanistan. No Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. And then when we look at Afghanistan we can see cleary that we have won.
J.P. Douglas
I'm 34 years old. Politically I am a moderate. I believe firmly in Free Speech. Any comments are allowed. I do not censor. I only moderate for SPAM. You can contact me directly at 56Rebels@gmail.com