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To quote Mark Twain, “The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated”

Hillary, the Comeback Chick is back! Bill, aka Slick Willie, is on the attack! Obama\’s Soul Train is toppled off the track! Pundits are \’eating crow\’ while Hillary backers are wiping their respective brow (sighing with relief).

The pundits are saying that Hillary won the sympathy vote (especially by women) because of the media attacks and the ganging of Obama and Edwards on a poor woman during the debates. They claimed she found her own voice and displayed feminine traits such as crying, hugging MSNBC Chris Matthews and showing her vulnerabilities - I\’m human…I\’m not a machine; I\’m all woman…not a super woman within a 24 hour period.

On the other hand, MSNBC pundits are saying Obama might have suffered the effect that visited L.A. Mayor Tom Bradley\’s California Gubernatorial Race; Virginia Governor L. Douglas Wilder; Congressman Harold Ford\’s Tennessee Senatorial Race; Harvey Gantt\’s North Carolina Senatorial Race against the notorious Jesse Helms.

What is the effect?

The effect that race is a steep hill that still needs to be traversed in American politics. Howbeit, Hillary has to battle sexism and the infamous glass ceiling, too. She has to battle a mountain range of sexism, not only by the Good Old Boys Club, but also sexism perpetrated by right wing women who thinks while a woman\’s place is in the house - barefooted…it should not be in the Whitehouse - well-heeled/ high heeled.

My case against Obama…. On foreign policy, I\’m not sure of his positions. On the domestic front, Obama\’s healthcare proposals are worse than Hillary\’s and Romney\’s proposal. Mind you, Hillary\’s and Romney\’s proposal are not different from Nixon\’s and Kaiser\’s proposal to have Big Healthcare Insurance and the Pharmaceutical Industry have a run of the healthcare industry to their profitable content at the expense of the American people (including doctors and their patients). Edwards\’ and Kucinich\’s healthcare proposals are best. Unfortunately, they will not be nominated unless they inspire an October Revolution because they will not be elected by an October Surprise. In addition, Obama received the most money from the healthcare industry, in both parties, outside of Hillary Clinton. Hillary correctly pointed to the fact that Obama\’s co-chair for his New Hampshire Primary is a lobbyist in the Healthcare Industry.

My case against Hillary…. In comparison to Hillary, Obama is the lesser of two evils. On foreign policy, she is \’bought and sold\’ by the Neocons. On the domestic front, I loved the Hillary of 1993 who pushed for a universal healthcare mandate. Unfortunately, she was attacked by war criminals such as former Dan Quayle\’s Chief of Staff, former Harvard roommate of the hapless but eloquent Republican Presidential Candidate Alan Keyes, New York Times (former home to \’Pulitzeresque\’ reporters Judy Miller and Jayson Blair) Columnist and Weekly Standard\’s editor William Kristol. William Kristol who \’flipped the bird\’ to the American people - the true red, white and blue; the U.S. Constitution - of the people, for the people and by the people in the interest of his narrow, alien, selfish, criminal and immoral ideology. Also, she was attacked by the healthcare industry that stabilized their prices for eight years until George W. Bush stole the 2000 elections. Afterwards, healthcare prices jumped through the roof when Hillary\’s threat was removed. Hillary could argue that she\’s the number one beneficiary (in campaign contributions) of the healthcare industry because of her 1993 track record on the universal healthcare issue - they fear her.

Last night, Hillary was able to pull a Truman (who defied media and pundits\’ predictions of his inevitable defeat to Thomas Dewey) but I doubt she\’ll be able to pull a Justice William J. Brennan (who turned out to be a liberal lion on the Supreme Court after he was nominated by President Eisenhower who thought he was sending a moderate/conservative to the Bench as an appeasement to his conservative Catholic base). In other words, I don\’t think Hillary is going to flip the switch to the old Hillary of 1993 after her purchase by the healthcare industry. To the contrary, Hillary is more likely to pull a New York Governor Alfred E. Smith - a progressive and liberal champion, in the early years, who morphed into a tool of Big Business, in the later years, who tried to torpedo FDR\’s New Deal and fanatically attacked FDR\’s progressive policies as being anti-business and anti-rich.

The case for Obama…. Bill Clinton attacked Obama on his lack of experience. Obama had ten years of senatorial experience on the State and Federal level before his official Presidential Campaign which is equivalent to Clinton\’s ten years of gubernatorial experience in a small and rural state before his official Presidential Campaign. If Bill Clinton is the measuring stick, Obama is qualified (plus he\’s as talented as Bill Clinton).

To Hillary, Obama will be back!

Karl A. Mitchell

Today, I had a \’networking\’ lunch with four doctors at Ethos Restaurant located on 33rd & Third Avenue close to the NYU Medical Center. The doctors are females: a Jewish-American cardiologist residing in the Upper East Side; a Singapore-born oncologist residing in Forest Hills; a Philippines-born Ph.D. in Nursing (professor at Hunter College) residing in Jamaica Estates, and a Puerto Rican gynecologist residing in Bayside, specifically, Oakland Gardens.

The topic of our discussion was centered on the elections. They lauded me on a political article I wrote over a month ago. In turn, I decided to take an unscientific survey of their choice in the elections, even further, to take an informal survey of the choice of their family and friends.

The Gynecologist

Gynecologist: “I\’m not sure but I\’m leaning toward Obama most of my colleagues are Obamaistas!”
(aughing)

The Professor

Professor: “First, who\’s your choice?”
Karl: “I like the foreign policy proposed by Ron Paul and John Edwards.”
Professor: “I like Hillary although my colleagues like Obama.”
Karl: “Why Hillary? Is it because of Bill Clinton?”
Professor: “No! We need someone to stand up to the Muslims. Isn\’t he a Muslim or doesn\’t he favor the Muslims?”
Karl: “Actually, he\’s a Christian. George Bush and Dick Cheney have a cozy relationship with Saudi Arabia due to oil and geopolitical reasons. What is more Muslim than Saudi
Arabia? Would you say Bush and Cheney favor Muslims?”
Professor: “Interesting point….”

The Oncologist

Oncologist: (After some reluctance, she gave into my perseverance) “I am voting for Hillary despite all of the hoopla for Obama. I think Hillary is more conservative and is more experienced.”

The Cardiologist

Cardiologist: “First, I don\’t have any interest on the Republican side…not even for Giuliani. As for Obama, I wasn\’t impressed with his first debate. I think he was awful but I started to
be drawn to him over time. To be honest, he doesn\’t say anything of substance in his debates or speeches. I\’m not even sure of his positions unless I\’m a dense person.”
Karl: (I interrupted) “For the sake of your patients, I would hope not!” (Everyone laughed)
Cardiologist: She continued, “However, Obama has charisma. I love his charisma as
well as my colleagues. I will be voting for Obama unless Bloomberg runs on the Independent line. I\’m a Manhattan resident; I have to support Bloomberg because he\’s a great mayor.”
Karl: “Suppose Bloomberg\’s foreign policy is driven by a neoconservative agenda, in particular, a support of endless wars for ideological reasons?”

Cardiologist: “Karl, as usual, you asked good questions but I\’m not sure of Bloomberg\’s foreign policy”
Karl: “If Obama should gain the nomination; who do you think should be his running mate - Edwards or Hillary?”
Cardiologist: “Actually, I would want Oprah to be his running mate.”
Karl: “Are you serious?”
Cardiologist: “I\’m very serious!” (She smiled while everyone gave her a quizzical look)

Back by Popular Demand: Overheard in New Hampshire, Part II

• Obama is the Muhammad Ali of politics because he\’s a Muslim by his name but an American superstar by his game.

• Obama is the lady killer of politics because Hillary\’s campaign will be dead after New Hampshire. (We still love you, Hillary J).

• Obama is bringing back Reagan Democrats to the fold as Obama Republicans.

Karl A. Mitchell

African-Americans\’ early mistrust of Obama as a genuine \’Black man\’ or the Great Black Hope to lead them to the Promised Land of MLK\’s Dream: culminating in the first Black man (if you ignore claims of Thomas Jefferson\’s Black heritage although his contemporary and political opponent Alexander Hamilton was confirmed to be an octoroon from the British West Indies) to preside over the great U.S. of A. from the White House is based on the following circumstances….

First, Obama is not a descendant of slavery - American nor otherwise. For example, his mother\’s forebears owned slaves. Heck, Obama is a distant cousin of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America. On his father\’s side, Obama\’s father attended Harvard to pursue a Ph.D. after abandoning his family (Obama at age 2) although he could\’ve accepted a scholarship at the New School for Social Research in New York City that would have paid for his family to come with him. Before earning a Ph.D. with Harvard University, he accepted a job offer with the Kenyan government as a senior economist. In tow, Ruth Obama (Obama Sr.\’s third wife - Caucasian American and a Harvard classmate - bearing him two children) accompanied him to Kenya. Bear in mind, Obama Sr. had a Kenyan wife (the first wife) at his family\’s compound in his ancestral village.

Getting back on Obama\’s father\’s heritage, Obama Sr. was born a Muslim but he was an atheist (flirting with Marxism). Actually, the Marxist Kenyatta government wanted him to have attended Moscow University in the Soviet Union. Instead, he chose an American university. (If not, America would\’ve lost a favorite son and Russia would\’ve gained another PushkinJ). Now as far as slavery is concern, Obama Sr.\’s forebears, as Muslims, would\’ve assisted in the Slave Trade (African Muslims played a role in the Black Holocaust, too) instead of being slaves themselves. (For the sake of transparency, my mother\’s mother\’s mother\’s [born and raised as a Sephardic Orthodox Jew of Portuguese descent residing in Jamaica, West Indies] forebears were sea traders/merchants who invested in and profited from the Slave Trade [centuries ago]. Mind you, my maternal forebears were forbidden to own slaves because Colonial Jamaica did not allow religious Jews to be slave owners).

Growing up, Obama was insulated from racism by his doting White single mother and White grandparents. He didn\’t grow up with Black kids. He was one of two Black (albeit, mixed heritage) kids at his prestigious high school.

There you have it, an African-American who cannot claim a personal connection (via his family tree) to Slavery - the Black Holocaust. It would be similar to an Ashkenazi Jew not able to claim a personal connection (via a family tree) to the Nazi Concentration Camps - the Jewish Holocaust.

Let\’s not forget, many African-American family trees like Obama\’s family tree have \’White\’ branches. American icons like President Thomas Jefferson and Senator Strom Thurmond saw to it as \’wild oats\’ gentlemen farmersJ. As a matter of fact, Oprah Winfrey\’s family tree is one of the few African-American family trees that is unblemished (no White/European forebears) as depicted on a PBS program on DNA/Black Heritage.

We could look to the Biblical/Toraic Icon Moses as a symbolism of the potential of the Black messiah (please…no angry feedbacks…I\’m not equating Barack with the Christ nor the Moshiach) called Obama. Moses, a Hebrew, was nurtured in Pharaoh\’s House and raised as an imperial prince. As an Egyptian prince, he received the best education that Egypt - the Superpower of the time - had to offer. Later, he led his fellow Israelites (in nature [by blood only] and not in nurture) to the Promised Land (actually, to its gates). Moses (also marrying an Ethiopian) became the living symbol/hope of a people with a heritage of slavery - the enslaved Hebrews. He became the fulfillment of the dreams of his father; the Dreams of his forebear - Joseph (not direct lineage but as a member of the Tribe).

Does the dream end there? Did the fulfillment of the Hebraic Dream stop at Moses? Is the fulfillment of the MLK Dream (in the form of Obama) stop with African - Americans?

To the contrary, Moses (not by direct lineage but as a member of the Tribe) is one of the forebears of Jesus Christ - the Jews\’ Greatest Gift to the world. He is the Ultimate Fulfillment of the Hebraic Dream - extending God\’s Covenant with the Israelites to the Gentiles - in the form of a New Covenant/The Gospels (Good News) taught by His Jewish Lieutenants such as: Paul and Peter. The Dream\’s fulfillment preaches hope to both Jews and Gentiles, and Black and White (including non-Blacks). The Dream\’s fulfillment hopes to convert all of humanity (hearing His Voice and following Him) into Spiritual Jews. The Dream\’s fulfillment mercifully saves humankind from itself via Grace instead of the Law. The fulfillment of a Dream using the Hebrews, as the light of the world, to enlighten the Gentiles; culminating in the world\’s introduction to a Fair and a Just God - The Christ - The Prince of Peace. The Dream\’s fulfillment portrays the Love and the non-violence of the Prince of Peace. The fulfillment of a Dream that teaches that “the meek shall inherit the earth;” “if you live by the sword, you die by the sword,” and “love conquers all.” The fulfillment of a Dream that prophesized “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

The above, folks, is the potential of MLK\’s Dream just like it was for the Hebraic Dream (in its proper perspective, of course…no angry feedbacksJ) - in the form of Obama; bringing the fulfillment of MLK\’s Dream and the dreams of our fathers (Black or White; Jew or Gentile). Hence, African-Americans\’ early mistrust of Obama (in the spirit of MLK Day) is dissipating just in time as he meets Hillary in the South Carolina PrimaryJ.

Happy MLK Day………………..Karl!

“The great general is one who finds a way to win without fighting a single battle….” (Sun Tzu in the Art of War)

Karl A. Mitchell

When you receive the Seal you will see global warming approaching as the end-times. You will be interested to see the presidential contenders for 2008 are taking up the issue of global warming.

McCain has pulled ahead as the front-runner in the Republican race after Super Tuesday when he captured most of the delegates. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are nearly tied in their race for the democratic nomination.

Illinois senator Barack Obama has taken up the issue of global warming, claiming his plan is better than the plan of McCain. He has met with Al Gore and was encouraged to take action before the election.

All three of these candidates–Obama, Clinton, and McCain–have plans to fight global warming based on the “cap and trade” system where permits are sold to polluters. The more they pollute, the more permits they have to buy.

Obama claims his plan is superior because his plan would require “auctioning” where all the permits have to be bought up front. That is what the European Union is moving toward doing more of.

It may seem like good news this issue has come out in the open like this for the candidates. People are becoming more and more concerned about global warming and making changes will require sweeping legislation.

From around 1990 to 2005 Germany was able to cut its emissions by ten percent. And the United Kingdom cut emissions during that time by 3 percent. So it is possible to cut emissions with the cap and trade system.

But those cuts are not nearly enough and can not possibly happen soon enough. 2005 was another record year for emissions. Nearly 7.9 billion tons of carbon emissions polluted the air that year alone.

And the pollution has been growing at a rate of nearly 3 percent per year since 1900. Even with the United States making cuts in emissions, The US is currently the leader in pollution, and those cuts can not possibly be enough.

Eventually industry will switch to clean energy. Most of the carbon emissions are caused by burning fossil fuels to create electricity. The second-highest polluter is transportation which can be changed too.

But those changes will not happen for years to come. Meanwhile pollution is growing and developing countries are predicted to be the fastest-growing polluters in the coming decades.

Carbon dioxide is blamed for being a “greenhouse gas” and trapping in the heat of the sun but not letting it escape, much like a greenhouse stays warm inside. It is upsetting the delicate balance of the ecosystem of the earth.

There is a consensus among scientists all around the world on global warming. And they agree with the prophecy of Jesus about the end-times. Jesus taught the simple parable of the fig tree.

When the fig tree blossoms, Jesus said, you know that summer is near. Jesus likened the end of the world to a “summer.” And today that is what scientists agree the end of the world is coming like.

Now it does not matter much who you vote for. All the candidates have plans to fight global warming. But none of them can possibly do enough to change the world. And time is running out.

When you receive the Seal you will see global warming as the sign of the end-times as Jesus predicted. You will prepare yourself by reconciling with God when you receive the Seal.

And now Jason would like to invite you to get your FREE report Are You Making These Mistakes as a Christian? and “Get God\’s \’Seal of Approval\’ and Get the Victory Over Evil”
Jason Witt

Putin laid out a clear and ambitious agenda for his successor, First Deputy Minister Dmitry Medvedev. It is also expected that Medvedev will appoint Putin as the new prime minister.

Why is it that this is not in our political debates? We need to know where our candidates stand on further expansion of the ICBM Project. Does it work? Does Russia indeed have a system that is more advanced as they claim? Is it a waste of tax payer money?

These are all difficult questions that are not being raised and not being addressed by our news media. Does our media not have an obligation to raise these pertinent questions rather than repeat the same stale news hour after hour?

Russia has the money to quickly play catch up in the arms race and this primarily is being ignored by the general public in the United States.

I sat on a teleconference with my Congressman Patrick McHenry and submitted a question regarding our presence in Poland in the near future to the operator along with the RES40 NAFTA Highway question. It came to no surprise to me that my question was not one chosen for discussion.

Americans are clearly going to the polls and voicing their opposition to the status quo. They want change, but are they well informed as to the real issues facing the next president? I think not.

It is not enough to shout out “change” and hope for the best. We have an obligation to know all the issues and make judgments based not on what we are spoon fed from the 24 hour news channels.

Your vote this year is crucial. Have you taken the time to become informed on all the issues?

Mary Riggs is the Owner of Cute as a Bug Boutique in Hickory, NC
http://www.cuteasabug.biz

The fact that the Tories have elected a new leader will not turn their fates around.

Tony got in my stealing their cloths, and there are few policies in use by the Labour government now, that were not in place in John Major’s day.

In fact the only difference is that VAT is wider now than before. You are taxed at 17.5% at the start of a service, and taxed the same again at the end. By the time the product comes to the consumer it has been taxed so many times it no longer makes sense.

But apart from that crazy system, things are no better.

I can remember back in the good old days of the 80’s when the Labour conference was in chaos thanks to various left wing gangs. I was in the Militant back then, and fell foul of my leaders by suggesting we tell lies in order to get in. In other words, make out we were more middle of the road, and sting them once we had the reigns of power.

But of course back then all left wing organisations could not run the proverbial in a brewery, so the real right of the party were safe and they knew it.

I suppose its rather like saying : if only Christianity would work, we could all live in harmony. But the country is in some serious trouble and no thanks to New Labour.

Still Gordon Brown will be in No 11 soon so we’ll see if it makes any difference.
Having to back down on Grammar schools might be his undoing?

Steve

The pages of history are full of events where the little guy without a chance of victory destroyed the stronger opponent through shear obstinatnance. During the battle of the Coral Sea the Japanese plans were destroyed when a US naval forces consisting of a couple of cruisers and half a dozen destroyers encountered the main Japanese naval task force. Common sense would have dictated the US forces run for it, out numbered and out gunned the cruisers and destroyers instead steamed directly for the Japanese fleet.

The Japanese commander was astonished to see this weaker force begin to attack knowing the Americans weren’t suicidal and not in a position where they could afford to lose warships. He feared he was being lured into a trap the Americans were trying to hold him there until reinforcements arrived. The American commander felt he had no other option if they ran the Japanese could destroy them but if they fought it out they at least had a chance. The Japanese fleet turned and fled to the astonishment of the American commanders.

A lesson lost on this Congress, cowed and totally lacking testicles they bend and shuffle while mumbling, “Yes sir.” Apparently there is not a chess player in the bunch someone who knows the value of “check.”
Congress is made up of pool players aiming for angles not wanting to disrupt the shape on the table. Sheep who dream at night about becoming ninja warriors by just following along quietly and not making waves.

Legendary football coach Bear Bryant sent his team into a national championship game with this speech, “Go out there and make something happen,” The message was clear the time for talk was over. Whether his team was the favorite or the underdog was irrelevant it was what the team did on the field right now to make things happen that mattered.

The case for impeachment is clear and incontrovertible the only questions left are whether to list the crimes in alphabetical order or in order of heinousness. Dennis Kucinich is on the right tact by impeaching Cheney first a proverbial shot across the bow. But the sheep lift their heads and mumble, “shhh, don’t make them mad we don’t have the votes.” Even Al Gore who I consider a damn fine fellow is against impeachment but his argument that we don’t have time and that it would be counterproductive doesn’t hold water either.

The Democratic leadership by announcing their plans complete with a timetable handed their nut sack to the Republicans. All the Republicans need do is stall and the Democrats will appear impotent and so far the Democrats ability to horse trade rivals Jack with the family cow. There comes a time when temerity is not a virtue and politeness is but a shield for cowardness. Excuses such as not enough time or it would be counterproductive or we have to work with them on other issues so we mustn’t upset them is merely prolonged capitulation. Sun Tzu the military genius of the Art of War advises, “If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.” The Democrats have mastered the pretend to be weak strategy and Bush has achieved a famous level of arrogance, now is the time to irritate him.

Upwards of 80% of the American population has turned against the war make the Republicans explain to America why they support the continued illegal carnage. A solid majority believes the President lied to lead us into this war what possible advantage is there in giving the Republicans a free ride. Make the Republican candidates explain how they supported Bush and should be elected over those who didn’t!

1. But we don’t have the votes!

No, and you never will until you try! Putting the issue on the front burner generates heat, a heat that cannot be tolerated by the Republicans it refocuses the issue from flag waving and posturing to was this legal? Or was this a sham? Want to be a patriot and wave the flag? Fine, now defend a sham, an illegal humbug a fraud perpetrated on the American people. Wave your flag and defend your Presidents illegal sham as the bodies pile up in your district. It’s damn difficult to lose an argument when you hold the moral high ground the logical high ground and 80% of American public opinion.

Even Custer wouldn’t charge blindly into that fight the Republicans will run from Bush faster than the rivers run in spring! John McCain has tied himself to the President’s positions and see how’s that working out for him among Republican voters?

2. We don’t have the time!

That’s easy enough to say sitting in your cozy Washington flat, however if you were in your trailer outside Baghdad ducking mortar rounds every night you might judge time a little more liberally. Or if you’re a mother in Omaha or Galesburg counting the days waiting on your son or daughter one day is sufficient enough for a lifetime.

3. We must work with the Republicans on other issues!

No, no you don’t they have to work with you! You are in the majority now. And besides if you back them into the corner defending Bush and Cheney with all the scandals and illegal war they won’t be around there much longer and you can work with the new guys. The Republican’s are in a quandary, contributions are falling, their base splintering, and their ideological philosophy totally debased. Bush hasn’t just broken the treasury or the military he’s broken the Republican franchise to smithereens.

4. It would be counter productive and we have so much work to do!

Point blank! Like what! What’s more important than American boys fighting and dying half way around the world more in service to multi national oil companies than to the American flag. They’re fighting and dying to defend their buddies not America, Tell me, what’s more important than that!

The reasons for impeachment are clear and justified; we are not talking blowjobs or indiscretions here.
We are talking about war crimes and if this President is not to be impeached none ever will be again and we lose the ultimate safety valve on our government. For any future President can call on history for his or her defense, by simply saying they didn’t impeach W so the charges against me must be frivolous or pure politics’ and he or she will be right. Maybe the current flock of sheep grazing on congressional paychecks are too afraid to upset the status quo.

I’m sure they have a lot of friends among the Republican’s and don’t want to herd them towards the cliff or force them into the butcher’s wagon. But we are past comfort zones here! There is a mad man at the helm who makes Richard Nixon look like a boy scout, was Nixon impeached for a blowjob or with good reason? But I will give them no respite they have no choice here in this, this isn’t about pandering or politics’ this is about procedure and justice for the American people. For the men who have died needlessly and those who will spend the rest of their days living with that truth and for all of us who must pay the bills yet to come due.

Just like the US navy in the Coral Sea the battle is forced upon you, if you run you will be defeated. You must move forward with the attack not just because it’s your best chance of victory but also because it’s your duty and it’s the right thing to do! So don’t you dare wrap yourself in the American flag and talk about our brave troops! They’re doing their duty while you mumble your weak excuses, excuses that make you an accomplice by refusing to act! To paraphrase our clueless leader, “Your either with us or against us”

Are you watching the news? It’s easy to look at the fighting between the Lebanese Armed Forces and Fatah al-Islam in Lebanon and dismiss this as the usual hodgepodge of conflict associated with the Middle East. After all, we’ve been seeing this for years. Or have we?

There is something distinctly different between this latest battle and past conflicts in Lebanon. Past conflicts have usually involved a strong Israeli element. But the latest incidents are the first involving a Sunni element that many claim is an offshoot of Al-Qaeda. Whether or not Fatah al-Islam is affiliated with Al-Qaeda isn’t clear. Everybody in the region has different views on who supports them. According to the press, Anti-Syrian groups claim that the group is backed by Syrian intelligence. Other media reporting claims it’s an offshoot of al-Qaeda. Every group seems to have a different opinion on both its origins and its purpose, and the various allegations only serve the agendas of the parties making them. The constant finger-pointing only muddies the issue, a scene reminiscent of the Bosnian conflict.

What cannot really be argued is the fact that Fatah al-Islam serves al-Qaeda’s purpose, intentionally or not. By taking the fight up in Lebanon Fatah al-Islam has put a different challenge to the Lebanese and Palestinian peoples and has brought Lebanon to the very brink of civil war. Al-Qaeda leaders are licking their chops at the prospect, hoping for a polarization of Shia and Sunni groups into their respective camps to justify their future actions in Lebanon, under the guise of defending Sunnis and their faith.

Lebanon is faced with the ever-growing challenge of remaining secular in the face of pressure to polarize along religious lines. The role of the Shias and the Sunnis is a bit obvious. But the immediate challenge is for the Lebanese Armed Forces to step up and quell the conflict. The predominant Shia political and militant group, Hizbollah, has its finger on the trigger waiting for the Lebanese military to fail in rounding up Fatah al-Islam and putting down Sunni militant groups. If the Lebanese military fails in this respect Hizbollah, which enjoys the monetary and logistical support of Iran, will step up and stake a claim as the defenders of Lebanon, providing a significant boost in the popular support they need to sweep into power, either by political means or via civil war. The true challenge is faced by the Lebanese military, to rise to the challenge and crush a direct threat to Lebanon’s status as a secular society. If they are unable to do so, get ready to watch the fireworks.

Author is a 42 year old Canadian with a working background in military affairs, experience in politics etc.

My wife and I just got back from Washington DC, Memorial Day. We attended the 20th Anniversary of Rolling Thunder. That’s the annual motorcycle event honoring POW’s and MIA’s from the Vietnam Era. That’s the guys our government left behind. Unbelievable! The Park Service announced there were between 275,000 and 300,000 motorcycles riding up Constitution Avenue, past the Capitol and back down the other side to the Wall. You know the Wall, the one with over 58,000 names of those killed in Vietnam.

We went on the invitation of my old Gunny from Nam. He trained us as snipers in 1966. It turns out he is one of the founders of this great event. So me and a couple of my sniper team had a reunion of sorts with us and about a million other people who made the trek to DC. It was something, riding up front with the Gunny. It was even more so seeing the hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets in support of the effort.

While I was there I met a young Marine, a sniper no less. I was a sniper and served two consecutive years in the Vietnam War. So this guy was one of my own. Get this … 25 years old and home from his fourth, countem’, four seven month tours in Iraq. A Marine, a sniper, lots of combat. I wish everyone could meet him and hear what I heard. What an honor for me to listen to this guy make more sense than our President.

He says to me, “What’s wrong with the American People?” Now that’s a good question. He says, “They’re up the street there on Capitol Hill wasting time talking about how long we’ll have to stay in Iraq. Hell, we’re still in Korea, Japan and Germany. What’s wrong with us?” He’s got one heckuva’ point. What is wrong with us? I guess other than being the spoiled brats of the world.

You see we have the luxury in this country to debate crap like that. We debate gay rights, animal rights, environmental rights, you name it. All while people are starving everywhere, even in our country. Forget your politics for a minute. I’m a Marine and before you write me off to be some right wing war monger, I’m not. I didn’t think we should go to Iraq. Saddam was already a paper tiger. But you know what, we did. We did! And 99.5% of the bozos in DC we elected voted to go to war.

So where does that leave us? We removed a horrible Dictator. We established a presence next to Iran’s Abinnanutjob. We screwed up the prosecution of the war because there are more Chief’s than in any war and way too few Indians to fight it. What you don’t see on TV is that in the ‘Green Zone’, the safe part of Baghdad, they have Starbucks and 31 Flavors while the guys on the outside get blown to bits. We have more lawyers over there ‘advising’ than we do medics. I met a CIA fellow home for a month from Iraq who told me that he couldn’t count the pages in his Rules of Engagement Manual. He said it is far easier to arrest someone for DUI than it is to detain a terrorist. What is wrong with the American People?

And now we have Congress debating publicly exactly when we should leave a war. For Gods sake this isn’t a picnic we’re talking about. Didn’t we learn anything from Vietnam? Every single Iraqi who ever supported us is dead if we pullout. It’s that simple. My 25 year old Sergeant friend knows it. Why don’t we? Where is our illustrious media? Why aren’t they informing the American people what happened on the fall of Saigon? Or maybe it’s not politically correct to paint the North Vietnamese to be the murderers they really were. At a cookout while in DC I met a Vietnamese woman who was rescued as a child escaping after the fall of Saigon. Her father was just released from a ‘reeducation camp’ three years ago. He served nearly 30 years. His crime? He was a South Vietnamese Army Officer. The fate of the Iraqi’s will be far worse given the enemy over there.

I talk about and teach change to businesses across America. So to the masses I say, its time for a change. Forget Republican and Democrat … that’s what got us into this mess. We have to stop putting up with the never ending talk in Washington. Let’s let them know its time for a change. Write your Congressman and Senators, email them; crash their inboxes. What is wrong with America? We’re asleep at the wheel.

It’s been said that evil conquers when good men do nothing. We live in a time when the news covers more of Paris Hilton going to jail, poor thing, than digging up the do nothing officials we have spending our money in Washington. You have moron’s out there who have made the Marine humvee’s so heavy with armor that our Recon teams have to carry scuba gear in case end up in the river they can suck air while they set a charge to blow their 500 pound doors open – under water!

I’m not for war and I’m not for the Iraq War. But you know what, we started it, so lets let these kids end it. If you go to war then let them fight. I heard stories from some Army guys who couldn’t put up concertina wire around their night positions in the streets because it would look ‘too aggressive’. It’s a shame. These kids are fired up to help democracy prevail, let’s finish what we started or we’ll have choppers on the rooftops all over again. It’ll be welcome to Saigon 1975 for the good people of Iraq. Don’t sit back and let it happen again. Wake up and smell the cordite from the battles a half a world away. The time is now!

Ed Kugler

Ed Kugler has been living change since the jungles of Vietnam where he was a Marine Sniper for two-years in the Vietnam War. He came home to a country he hadn’t left and began work as a mechanic and truck driver. Since then he has worked his way into the executive suite of Frito Lay, Pepsi Cola and Compaq Computer where he was Vice President of Worldwide Logistics. He is the author of Dead Center - A Marine Sniper’s Two Year Odyssey in the Vietnam War and many others. He makes change happen. http://www.nomorebs.com

If you picked up a newspaper today you undoubtedly would see stories about the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. Chances are the articles would contain information about air strikes, bombings, broken cease-fires and other clashes that have made this part of the world a hotbed of violence for decades.

While it may be important to read such stories and to know what is going on, it is also important to realize that for every article you read that makes you believe peace is impossible, there are other stories, you haven’t read, that offer hope.

As publisher of The Good News Network, the #1 site on Google for good news, I seek out positive stories that add balance to the negative ones reported by conventional news media.

Here are some recent good news stories about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict you might enjoy reading about:

Peace Camp Grows Friendship between Middle Eastern Kids

If you were invited to sit down with your enemy for a cup of tea and to discuss your conflicting views, would you do it? More than 2,500 Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian, Pakistani and Indian kids have done just that. In fact, they spent three weeks with their “enemies” at summer camp in the U.S. arguing, understanding, and ultimately coming to respect the humanity behind every face – even the humanity of their enemies. The program that makes this happen calls these youth, Seeds of Peace.

Women Cycle around the Middle East for Peace

Nearly 250 women from 30 Western and Arab countries – including the daughter of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat – rode their bikes through the streets of Lebanon for six hours to promote the cause of peace. The women were taking part in the third annual Follow the Women – Women for Peace Ride. In addition to bringing attention to their quest for regional peace, many of the women formed close friendships and were uplifted by the large crowds that lined the streets to watch the women roll by.

Palestinian, Israeli Doctors Discuss Pediatric Diseases

One hundred Palestinian doctors joined 300 Israeli doctors and other professionals at the Israeli sponsored First International Congress on Chronic Disorders in Children. The doctors sat, listened and talked to each other. Palestinian doctors were able to participate because the Peres Center for Peace assisted their passage through security at border crossings. During the past four years, The Peres Center has brought 4,000 Palestinian children to Israeli hospitals and arranged and paid for 100 residencies of Palestinian physicians.

Lawyer Floats Mideast Peace Plan

Josef Avesar, a successful Encino lawyer, has created a plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The concept was intriguing enough to keep 300 Israelis, Arabs and Americans engaged during a recent three-hour symposium at UCLA, reports the Jewish Journal. Avesar’s plan involves the creation of a confederation that would serve as a mechanism for establishing projects of mutual benefit, such as utility grids, transportation systems, and hospitals. The confederation would be composed of 300 independently elected delegates from every region of Israel.

Geri Weis-Corbley celebrates her tenth year as managing editor of the Good News Network. The web site receives more than a quarter of a million hits per month. After receiving a degree in TV/Radio production, Weis-Corbley worked in TV news for 10 years in Washington, DC.

Want more good news in your life? Visit http://www.goodnewsnetwork.com to find compelling good news stories about business, life, health, the environment, celebrities, government and animals.