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Name: Mike Silverman
Location: Milford, MA
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BLOOD ON THE PRESIDENT'S HANDS

It was bound to happen sooner or later that President Obama's natural liberal hatered and loathing for all things military slipped out for all to see in a highly palpable and deadly way. Now all this attempt to denigrate General McChrystal is out there. The General has only made what might be considered an indirect appeal for his plan to be implemented. People should keep in mind that a Bush white House and an Obama White House are different creatures when it comes to attitude toward the military. Obama, Clinton, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, the usual liberal suspects.. have exhibited contempt, flagrant contempt..., for our military men and women attempting to achieve success in war during the Bush administration, and it was pure... politics. The military rank and file and the commanders know very well the disdain that liberal polticians hold for the military. It is clear, to everyone, that Obama is following personal political considerations in his choice of how to permit the war in Afghanistan to be waged. He has forced General McChrystal to make a public appeal because a private appeal only falls on deaf ears. If I was in his place , knowing that the lives of the men in women under my command are being lost daily due to... what is clearly a political tactic ..., of delaying what is needed to wage the war adequately, of rules of engagement that are handcuffing his troops. I would be outraged. As a citizen I "am" outraged over all of this, as are many in our nation.
 
There should be no Democrat party political motivations involved if Obama is interested in doing what is right to protect the country, if he has to take a hit politically, then so be it, he should be ready and able to take it.  Bush was slammed like hell by the press , the Democrats and even  moderates in his own party almost EVERY DAY that he committed to the war in Iraq.
 
Every time we get caught up in arguing about whether McChrystal leaked some of the info in his report, or made an indirect appeal for his stratregy, we are losing focus on the real engagement of the war, and getting caught in the minutia. There is far..., far too much time being spent on hand wringing and groaning over what McChrystal is doing to get his plan implemented and not enough outrage that Obama is putting the war, the country, and our reputation of military excellence in jeapordy every moment he delays in doing the right thing.  The villian is not McChrystal, and not Obama... it's the enemy we are trying to kill. BUT...we've got a weak, liberal socialist egotist for a President and a General who desperately wants to be able to make things happen without needing to have that liberal leftist's approval, and that just isn't going to happen.  Personally I'm torn, because it seems the only way McChrystal is going to get Obama to consider his plan at any level is for him to put on the Presidential kneepads and ..., well you get the idea.  And the thought sickens me. Our President is failing in his most important role, defense of the country.  On the other hand, we have to win this battle.  the consequences of losing are far too devastating. And pulling out... is losing. McChrystal is put in an impossible situation.   He has to try to complete the mission goal without employing the strategy he has developed to do that.  Obama is sticking his thumb in McChrystal's eye and treating him like a second stringer.  If I was a fighting man in Afghanistan in the Marines or Army or whatever branch, I would be wondering how much more of our own military's spilt blood the President needs to see on his hands before he does the right thing.

It's obvious that Obama lied heartily and thoroughly during his campaign when asked about his strategy on fighting terrorism.
 
Below are actual quotes of Barack Obama when asked about the war on terror during his campaign....;
 
* "The Afghan government needs to do more. But we have to understand that the situation is precarious and urgent here in Afghanistan. And I believe this has to be our central focus, the central front, on our battle against terrorism," ....
 
* "I think one of the biggest mistakes we've made strategically after 9/11 was to fail to finish the job here, focus our attention here. We got distracted by Iraq," he said.
"...troop levels must increase in Afghanistan."
* "For at least a year now, I have called for two additional brigades, perhaps three," ( he told CBS.) "I think it's very important that we unify command more effectively to coordinate our military activities."

Here is a source you can check for yourself for the above three quotes made by Obama... 
 
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/20/obama.afghanistan/
 

- Mike Silverman

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TOILET PAPER TYRANNY

I've never heard Obama sound so negative on the future and economy and then spin his own agenda as being so positive, such a dichotomy of contradictive statements, as he did in his most recent speech.  Is this the hope and change he campaigned on?
 
Regarding the real effect of government intervention, this is why we are seeing grass roots tea parties all around the country today.  I'm heartened by the idea of these rallies, but at the same time I'm concerned that they may not get the attention they deserve. The only real effect these tea parties will have is if they can inspire and rally more and more citizens to the cause of pushing back the grip that the Obama administration has put on our private enterprise and economic freedom.  In no way will these wonderful , inspired rallies turn Obama, Frank, Pelosi, Reid, Dodd et-al into a fiscally conservative bunch. The exercise of freedom of the press and to demonstrate and protest and to exercise freedom of association and also to celebrate the real meaning of freedom are meant to give those who feel helpless against what's happening in our federal government a voice with which to be heard, and a call to arms of a sort. The liberal press will not stop being liberal, and the spinning at CNN , NBC, and all the left lurching media will be in full bloom in the face of these gatherings, but this is a foundational war. It's a war to save our way of life from being destroyed by a terrible mistake made by..., us...., by our nation... in electing a terrible representative of the people. President Obama does not reflect our country's ideals, foundational principles or love of freedom. With his fascist agenda of government intervention in every aspect of our lives, and his hatered of free enterprise and his loathing of those who have succeeded and reaped the rewards of wealth that freedom can bring, and his congress of yes-men who genuflect to his altar of tyranny, he is bent on using the Constitution of our country as his personal roll of toilet paper while wagging his finger in disgust at those of us who he thinks are too ignorant to understand his great schemes of reshaping the country in his image. Our founding documents are not waste material to be thrown into a recycling bin and remade into something else. If the President does not respect every page and word of the Constitution he has sworn to defend, then his word and his promise means nothing at all.
 
- Mike Silverman
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LAY DOWN AND DIE - IS NOT THE AMERICAN WAY

The crew and Captain of the Maersk Alabama get's an A++ for actions above and beyond the call of duty and not giving up thier ship to the Somali pirates.  The Navy gets an A+ for it's professionalism, focus on objective and completion of the objective. President Obama gets an A for not messing it all up. The Maersk shipping company gets a C for being unwilling to allow arms on board for the crew even though they were aware of the likelihood that their merchant vessel would be attacked.
 
Quote..."Merchant crews aren't supposed to fight pirates, short of using high-pressure hoses to try to stop them from climbing aboard, said John F. Reinhart, president and CEO of Maersk Line Ltd.
 
Well, Mr Reinhart, do you perhaps suppose that this is why the pirates are so bold about attacking Merchant vessels? Hmmm? Do you suppose they've figured out that Merchant crews are not armed and are told not to fight the pirates if they board the vessel?  Hmmmmm?  Do you think the pirates would be so bold if the crews were prepared to repel any Somali pirate attacks with armed force?
 
We've got to get out of the mentality that laying down and submitting to the demands of terrorists and thugs is the best way to handle them. A mindset of submissiveness is exactly what these pirates and terrorists want.  People shouldn't do anything stupid, but if the opportunity presents itself to fight back people have the natural right to defend themselves and fight for their lives and property. One way of making that opportunity to fight back a reality is to prepare for a known probability of a deadly encounter by arming and training the good guys to do exactly that. I will close this for now with a quote from General George Washington as he addressed the Continental Army before leading them into the first major battle of the Revolutionary War...,
 
"The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them." ..., "Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or die." - George Washington.
 

- Mike Silverman
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WHAT DO WE HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR?

 There are many reasons to give thanks every day. When I think of all who have sacrificed thier own lives in fighting for our freedom, life itself is something to be thankful for. When I remember to consider the things I'm thankful for many things come to mind. My family members, especially my mother and my brothers, my niece and the grandparents I was fortunate enough to have known before they passed away. But I wanted to remember in a marked way, an event that many people may have forgotten about in recent years. It happened on an airline flight, on September 11th, 2001. It was United Airlines flight 93, hijacked by terrorists who were bent on flying it to our nation's capital to make a missile out of it. A man named Todd Beamer, 33 years old, an account manager at the Oracle Corporation, a man who might not otherwise have stood out from the crowd attempted to make an in flight call during the hijacking to warn others and let someone know what was happening. He managed to provide some information to a telephone operator about conditions on the plane, and then mentioned that he and some other passengers had formed a plan to strike back at the terrorists and try to regain control of the plane. His last known words were.. "Are you guys ready? Let's roll." The plane subsequently was brought down in a field over Pennsylvania killing all the passengers and the terrorists averting the terrorist's goal of striking a target in DC. It's believed that along with Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick formed the team of passengers who made the assault on the cockpit. We should always be thankful for citizen heroes who step up to do what needs to be done in times of crisis regardless of the consequences to themselves. So I will close this commentary with a simple phrase of tribute to all of the uncommon, everyday heroes of our country, without whom we would not be the strongest and greatest nation on earth..., "Are you guys ready? Let's roll."
 
- Mike Silverman
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PELOSI'S ASTOUNDING IGNORANCE

Last thursday Speaker Of The House Nancy Pelosi issued a public verbal warning to General Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq whose handling of the recent surge of US military action in Iraq played a key role in turning the tide and forcing embedded terrorists to flee the province. She basically warned him not to give congress any good news when he shows up to deliver his report on the recent outbreak of violence in Basra. She said, “We have to know the real ground truths of what is happening there, not put a shine on events because of a resolution that looks less violent when in fact it has been dictated by al-Sadr, who can grant or withhold that call for violence,”

Obviously Speaker Pelosi has already decided for herself what the report should be, and what the circumstances were regarding the violence.  So why bother with a report from the General?  This is shameful of her. Her comments were a demagogue's spew of pompous arrogance and toxic ignorance.  Madam Speaker..., you are not Commander In Chief of the military, much as you attempt to pretend that you are.  Not only has your own term in congress produced "nothing" of any substance, not only have you failed time-and-time-again to bring stability and unification to your own political party, not only have you failed to deliver on your promise of  "Earmark" ( political pork )reform and instead stood silently as it overflowed, but you have denigrated the men and women of the military with your comments against the war on terror.  Yet you slip away to clandestine visits with terrorist enablers like Basher Assad in Syria to extend him a hand of friendship, while stabbing your own country's military efforts in the back.  In my opinion your behavior makes you a traitor Ms. Pelosi, and in my opinion the worst Speaker Of the House in the history of our country.  That is your legacy. While General Petraeus will be remembered as a hero and a great leader of military successes.  Perhaps you should consider that, before attempting to tell the General that you will not accept his report unless it lives up to your own ignorant standards.
 
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ENDLESS FREEDOM

Hello and welcome,
 
With the existence of about 6 billion blogs ( seemingly:), this one is merely reminiscent of that Kansas classic tune "Dust In The Wind". But when the likes of  the Rosie O'Donnell and Barbara Streisand can, and do.., have thier own populist blogs how can anyone resist joining such purveyors of wisdom in the new vista of the corner soap box?
 
Some brief observations first;
 
*Pastor Wright is fully entitled and guaranteed his first amendment right to speak his mind. That his mind is overflowing with misinformation and ignorance ( deliberate or not ) , is not his fault. Let's get that out of the way.  Too many straw man arguments are being set up with such deflective comments as "... how can Obama control what his Pastor thinks?",  stylized to nullify debate. Barak Obama made a political calculation by making a connection with Pastor Wright to advance his career, a decision that is now coming back to hurt him. Whether he personally buys into the Pastor's conspiracy theories is debatable, especially given the comments of his spouse. Pastor Wright's controversial comments are shocking and fair game for debate given that Obama has presented him as a mentor and spiritual guide. The story has legs because this sort of liberal anti-American extremeism and overtly racist commentary is not often layed out for exhibition as it has been recently. When such diatribes are made to be media spectacles it is more typical for media to portray it in the context of the extreme political right. This is a new experience to see this sort of left-wing fanatacism in open exposure. Likely this is due to the rift in the Democrat base over the duel for the nomination.  Had a candidate already secured it, I suspect the Wright issue would have met a very swift end in the mainstream.
 
* Hillary's Lie. Yes, she lied.  She did it with gritty determination and absolutlely no aplomb. What I found fascinating is that Mrs.Clinton's lies are delivered with no shred of the charisma and charm her oft-wayward husband could bring to his bold mistatements. She apparently learned nothing from him on the art of prevarication. Were it Bill who delivered such a hearty fallacy the press would simply have written it off as a mistaken memory and posed a counter intuitive argument that Republican's were somehow the source of the lie. Of course, that would only have been possible during Bill's Presidency. What the Clinton's miscalculated was that the loyalty that the press held for them while in the White House would sustain them while running against liberal insider of color who has an even greater ability to charm progressives than Bill did.
 
* Now the main thrust of this blog I will make about the recent morbidity toll milestone reached in Iraq regarding US soldiers.
 
4000 dead is a high number and should be examined closely. Since a soldier who goes to war is fighting on behalf of all US citizens, the question that needs to be asked is, how does the sacrifice of these lives measure up to the values we hold dear as United States Citizens? What are the universal values we agree on as the people of a free country, where our liberties are the key to everything we have? Freedom as a nation, the safety of our daily existence from external threats, the opportunity to thrive and pursue a course that leads us to better our lives individually. To me, and to many citizens, these are basic values that this country could not exist without. These values encompass freedom of the press, freedom to practice our religious beliefs..., the full Bill Of Rights..., and on 9/11/2001 the continuity of our country's most basic values were threatened via a horrifying mass murder. When something on this scale this happens, it is the duty of our President to respond swiftly. It is the duty of our great volunteer military to answer that threat. And it is the duty of every citizen who values the basic foundation on which our country was formed, to do whatever they can to aid and support the cause of defending our country's liberties. Every life that met an end on the field of battle defending the very pillars that hold this country up, is a scion of the courage born of the love of freedom for all of us. There is no greater sacrifice that any individual can make than laying down the life that beats in the human heart so that other lives will survive with liberty and freedom. No one deserves higher honor or more respect, and the fight itself to defend us deserves the same respect.  I do not look upon the deaths of our fellow citizens in combat as a tragedy, but as evidence that the willingness of our citizenry to defend freedom is as strong today as it was over 200 years ago. I look upon our fellow citizens in combat as carrying the same fight on thier shoulders that the minute-men of the Revolutionary war carried on thiers, ready at a minute's notice to stand against an enemy that would gladly see us crumble and fall.
 
Many years ago my brother Craig was in England studying law as an exchange student and had booked a flight home. The flight he was booked on was Pan-Am flight 103, December 21st, 1988. By a scheduling error he was bumped from that flight and the plane took off without him. That plane was blown-up by terrorists over Lockerbie Scotland. Many of his fellow students who traveled with him to England were on that plane. As a result he changed his legal studies to international law and dedicated himself finding a way to bring international terrorists to justice. He succeeded at getting a treatise on punishment of international terrorists that he co-authored with his law school professor read before the United Nations. Sadly, no agreements were reached, and his work did not influence the tyrants of the middle eastern nations to agree to punish terrorists uniformly. The reason I mention this is because , Craig did what he could in his own way, but it was not enough. The only way terrorism is going to be brought down is through direct confrontation and cooperation from our allies. The war on terror is absolutely vital and I salute our fellow citizens for thier courage and determination in pressing it and our President for not relenting under enormous pressure from Democrats.
 
Thank you.
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