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evildoers, eh?

2013-01-21T21:34:00.002-08:00

If initial word out of Algeria is accurate, and that's a big if. Looks like we have some Canadians playing terrorist in North Africa.

Canadians joining up with terrorist groups isn't anything new. Whether it's the Tamil Tigers, Al-Shabab or even Al Qaeda.

Some of our fellow citizens have decided to sign up.

Ideally, these individuals perish like most terrorists do through the natural course of being a terrorist. Less ideally, they come back to Canada with some stories, scars and a sudden desire to fundraise.

Justice is justice. It is neither swift nor fair.

But wait. Not so true, the 'thing' about justice not being swift.

Welcome to the world of drone warfare. A robotic flying 'Judge Dredd'; judge, jury and executioner.

Not really, there's a pilot, an intel officer and a military lawyer on the other end.

It's *not* a video game.

On Sept. 30th, 2011, the Obama administration authorized a drone attack, in Yemen, on an American-born imam suspected of being a senior Al-Qaeda leader, Anwar al-Alwaki. Alwaki was killed along with his son (also a US citizen).

Anwar al-Alwaki was a terrorist ideologue. He had proclaimed 'jihad' against America and Americans. He had made fiery speeches imploring Muslims to kill Americans. He may have influenced Fort Hood shooter, Major Nidal Hasan who killed 13 soldiers in 2009. He may have also been on the periphery of the Sept 11 attacks. He may have been Osama Bin Laden's chosen successor. He also 'may' have been innocent.

What we do know is Al-Alwaki was born in New Mexico, therefore an American citizen. While he had narrowly avoided being charged with passport fraud and visa related crime. He had never been formally charged, tried and convicted of any terror related crime in the United States. He was arrested twice for soliciting a prostitute in 1996 and 1997. Go figure.

Back to our little dilemma.

In the case of the Algerian gas facility attack, it appears Algerian special forces dealt with the suspected Canadian attackers the old fashioned way, with bullets. But, it appears the attack may have been planned and co-ordinated by another suspected Canadian jihadi whose status is unknown.

Imagine...

Stephen Harper gets a call from Barack Obama. The Americans have identified the Canadian terrorist leader that planned the Algerian attack. They have the individual in the crosshairs and are ready to fire.

What would, could or should the Prime Minister do?

Extra-judicial killing isn't on the books in Canada, or anywhere else even remotely democratic.

Constitutional guarantees in Canada and the United States are meant to protect it's citizens from summary justice. The nature of the crime or allegations should have no bearing on the granting of due process by the government to it's citizens and non-citizens alike.

-A

TGIF: Weekend Homework

2013-01-18T08:53:00.002-08:00

Things I'll be thinking about this weekend;

Debt Ceilings...

As if narrowly avoiding the "fiscal cliff" wasn't enough, America is going to have to 'duck' to avoid the "debt ceiling".

What is a "debt ceiling"? From what I gather, it's an amount of money that Congress has decided the President can't borrow past.

The President has responded to Congress by 'showing the hand' while also calling bullsh*t.

Will hitting the "debt ceiling" have the same cataclysmic impact on the american economy that falling over the "fiscal cliff" would have had?

We'll see, I guess.

Though, I'm certain falling off an imaginary cliff would hurt waaay more than hitting one's head on an imaginary ceiling.

GOP are meeting next week to formulate a plan to protect America from another imagined abyss.

Golf, bourbon and hookers are excellent for strategizin'.

Suggestion. 'It's about spending, stupid.'

Algeria...

The terrorist attack on a gas refining facility in Algeria is quite the mystery.

Who, what, how and when are still questions that need to be answered and/or confirmed, and we're approaching 48 hours later.

The State Dep't has decided to admit it's ignorance and shrug it's shoulders. Which is a good sign that the White House wants to control the story. Odd choice. How's did Benghazi work out for'em?

The DoD and the Intelligence community have also clammed up.

Once the fog lifts the administration may have a Benghazi II on their hands. Certain if American lives are lost.

This time, military retaliation against Al-Qaeda elements in Algeria or Mali may be put on the table. I know that would feel good to a lot of Americans.

The watch-word is escalation.

Football...

Patriots beats the Ravens in OT.

49ers stomp the Dirty Birds of Atlanta.

Bad weekend for bird-watching in the NFL.

Have a good weekend.

-A

War on Guns? Hardly.

2012-12-17T09:25:00.000-08:00

It's said that within every crisis there is an opportunity. Sunday night, President Obama decided that 'enough is enough' and fired the first shot in his War on Guns. One can question the timing and locale. But you have to impressed by the President's boldness.

It will be argued, even amongst Democrats, whether the President has the authority or the political capital to wage a War on Guns. Fiscal Cliff, Obamacare and mid-term elections will certainly limit what the President can do about guns.

Likelier than a war, the Republicans will appear to compromise and Congress will agree to an assault weapons ban that will neither be retroactive or enforceable. There will be a press conference at the Rose Garden with Dems and GOP congressional leaders mugging for pictures with the President. Sound familiar?

Why can't there be a real War on Guns? First, the 2nd Amendment. Second, the Supreme Court. Finally, people will get killed. Waco, Ruby Ridge are examples of what a War on Guns will look like at it's very worst with more innocent loss of life.

Even if you could wage a War on Guns, you could never guarantee that you got them all. A black market trade in guns would flourish. Guns would join drugs as a valued commodity amongst smugglers. The bad guys would keep their guns and gun violence, while diminished, would still be a spectre.

What can be done to avoid more 'NewTowns'?

I believe the solution may be as simple as encouraging people to keep guns away from any individual that may not have the mental capacity to understand the ramifications of their actions; minors and people with diagnosed mental illnesses.

Unfortunately, the only way to get help with a adult or child who may be dangerous is through the criminal justice system and the courts. Two paths that are often painful, expensive and ultimately ineffective.

Perhaps, allowing mental health care professionals to mandate the removal of guns from the home of a patient before discharge or upon diagnosis. But, how would that be enforced and monitored.

Ultimately, the solution to gun violence must be derived from common sense. Suppose before 9/11, someone had envisioned the possibility of such an attack and mandated that cockpit doors be reinforced and locked at all times. How different would the world be?

A similar perspective is required when contemplating solutions to gun violence.

-A

NewTown Tragedy

2012-12-14T12:42:00.001-08:00

For some unimaginable reason, someone decided to wake up this morning. He armed himself to the teeth. Headed over to a school and killed children.

I'm sad and I'm angry. I'm mad at the killer. What in the world was so wrong with his life the solution was massacring innocents.

Unfortunately, the young man who perpetrated this heinous crime killed himself. So, we may be left guessing with regards to motives. But, that doesn't make asking 'why' any less important than 'how'.

The gun control argument has already begun, like clock-work. Psychology 101 suggests this is a natural and protective response to a tragedy. And, that may be the case and I empathize. But, lets get over it.

It's too early too turn today's victims in statistics. It's too early to resurrect the ghosts of past horrors inflicted on children by other children. The time for all that will come.

I'm just a little ashamed of being a human being today.

Thoughts and prayers with NewTown, Conn.

-A

Moving on from Benghazi.

2012-12-14T09:56:00.000-08:00

Susan Rice played the 'sacrificial lamb' wonderfully yesterday. Rice decided to withdraw her name from consideration for the soon to be vacant SecState job.

Whatever her role subsequent to the 9/11 Benghazi attack no longer matters. And don't worry about Susan Rice. She'll be back.

Rice's decision placates a Congress that is split and in no mood to give anyone a smooth confirmation. Well, unless the nominee is one of 'them'. <wink> John Kerry and Chuck Hagel. Most important, the President needs Congress in a better mood re: fiscal cliff.

This administration enjoyed a very short honeymoon post-Bin Laden hit. Who would have believed the first major terrorist attack post-Bin Laden would have resulted in the death of a working Ambassador coinciding w/ the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

With an election looming, it's clear the WH and State Dep't decided the expedient thing to do was to blame the incident on a few bad eggs who decided to bring RPGs and automatic weapons to a popular protest over a YouTube video. And, not call the Benghazi attack an act of organized and planned terrorism.

It's difficult for me to believe that Susan Rice was *not* involved in the decision to spin the story away from terrorism. Her subsequent public statements and appearances lend credence to that assertion.

Moving forward, it appears the President has decided to appease Congress by turning over the foreign policy and defense secretariats to a couple of Congressional veterans, John Kerry at the State Dep't and Chuck Hagel as SecDef.

In return, I imagine the President will get the Congressional support he and John Boehmer need to break the log-jam and avert the looming "fiscal cliff"

-A

Me Vote? No Thanks.

2012-12-11T14:42:00.000-08:00

My hometown city council decided that "internet voting" will not be available to citizens for the next election. Apparently, voter turnout is so bad council felt the need to appropriate some tax dollars to a study on the issue. Not that they've needed a reason before.

As it turned out, online voting would have required too many tax dollars to institute. Also, internet voting apparently doesn't increase turnout and there was something about 'dominant fathers' in households hogging everyones vote.

Regardless, sanity prevailed!

Btw, what's up with this never-ending drive to "get out the vote!"?

As far as turnout is concerned, when has voter turnout in municipal elections ever been good? Maybe the mid-1800s when the average population of the town was thirty and 100% of the voters were council members.

The only thing a strong voter turnout indicates to me is the possibility that you may be living in a psuedo-democracy like Saddam Hussein's Iraq where voter turnout hovered around 100%!

Is the worst kept secret in electoral politics that it's more important for a candidate to get out their "core" voter than to win over or steal a vote from another candidate? Code for, politicians don't really care if the average person votes or not.

Securing the "core" voter costs nothing, but in fact, puts money into the campaign coffers in the form of donations. Winning over and/or stealing votes costs lots of money and drains, like a black hole, the aforementioned coffers. Lawn signs aren't cheap.

City council elections are about as pure as electoral democracy gets. Btw, when using the word "pure" in ANY political context picture the love child spawned by Lindsay Lohan and Newt Gingrich.

I exaggerate. ;)

City councils are not tainted by conventional party politics. Therefore, there is far less partisanship wrangling but more corruption, bullying and ego-crushing.

Bottom line on electoral reform?

Putting any politician in charge of electoral reform is akin to giving a credit card to your 16 year old with strict instructions not to use it, in case of emergency.

Get old school.

"Don't vote. It just encourages the bastards." PJ O'Rourke

-A

Die, Two-State Solution, Die!

2012-12-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

Just read Conrad Black's latest on the Israelis-Palestinian kerfuffle. Black does an excellent job of documenting, if not simply listing, the litany of political and racial rhetoric spewed by Palestinians towards the Israelis. I don't expect balance from a columnist because that's not the nature of their gig. So, I won't criticize Black for his lack of balance.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/12/08/conrad-black-a-better-two-state-solution/

The title of Black's column promises a "better two state solution", but for the life of me I couldn't find it in the piece! All I could gather was the solution would consist of the Palestinians and the world accepting Israel's moral supremacy and doing whatever Israel wants. Done deal.

Of course this isn't a serious proposition, hopefully. But Black does raise what I believe is the most obvious deficiency in the peace process, lack of leadership. Specifically, lack of leadership from the Israelis. The Palestinians are divided and pawns in a greater geo-political game. Israel is the only real player. How?

Begins with Israel ditching the 'we're the victims' routine and admitting the survival of Israel is in Israelis hands and has been since they joined the nuclear club. That's the naked truth behind the fallacy. And, it forces Israel in a position of leadership in brokering a long-term peace plan.

Oddly, the example of South Africa's transition to black majority rule provides a viable road map to a solution. A process which began when the white minority accepted their survival would not be threatened by the change. And, a black majority which decided to forgive and move on. Overly simplistic, but note the paradigm shift that was required to forge a one state solution.

The paradigm shift towards a long-term one state solution between the Israelis-Palestinians will require new actors. I believe new leaders would emerge if and when Israelis and Palestinians accept their common enemy is 'everyone else'. Specifically, every other state and non-state actor that feels it has a stake in the peace. This list includes Canada.

-A

Not the only thing stealthy!

2012-12-08T16:12:00.002-08:00

Good times watching everyone feign indignation and cry 'foul' at the Conservative government over revelations that confirm fighter jets are really, really expensive, and the F35 isn't any different.

How'd we get here?

A LPC (Liberal Party of Canada) gov't started us on this journey. The F35 was a liberal's wet dream. It was dreadfully expensive and it came with a membership to *another* exclusive club. More importantly, the jet itself was science fiction which is code for "so far down the road *we* don't have to pay for it."

Not surprising really. The thing about liberals is they hate defence spending but love war . And it would naturally follow that conservatives love buying really expensive fighter jets but hate using them.

While the current manifestation of the F35 debate is focused on bad guess-timates made by the current Conservative gov't's DoD procurement offices. Who, btw, were guessing what the guessers at the Pentagon, Lockheed Martin and other club members were guessing the damn plane would cost to just buy, forget life cycle costs for 50 years!

The current leaderless manifestation of the LPC has little to say except the Harper-ites are even worse guessers than they were when they bought the plane. The Mulcair NDP should say more, but they seem a little busy with everything else. The Conservatives? After Christmas, they're off the hook. Nothing like a little confession to cleanse the soul, eh Mr. Prime Minister.

It's easy to lose focus on the critical question though. Why F35s and what does that commitment say about our future foreign policy direction. What is the Harper Doctrine and why does it require F35s to exercise? Note the Liberal gov't that ordered the plane is also off the hook about doctrinal questions.

Folks, we're buying the F35. The only question left is how many and *that* might not be up to us. Here's to hoping they rust in their hangers 'cause we never have to use them.

-A

2012-08-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

View the story "Breaking News: Local Reporters Expose Election Hijinx" on StorifyUrinalWatch: #kitwat #byelection #2012 DebateStorified by ash · Mon, Aug 27 2012 18:21:20Breaking News: Kitchener-Waterloo Waterloo Inn#PC #kitwat candidate Tracey Weiler's handlers have put her placards up on wall facing each urinal in men's washroom at #Waterloo Inn WR RecordLeave it up to me to state the obvious.now THAT'S a bad idea. @WR_Record candidate Tracey Weiler's handlers have put her placards up on wall facing each urinal in men's washroomashMy 'spidey senses' were tingling.@WR_Record ummm, i think your twitter account has been hacked.ash@WR_Record just checking. but, did you respect the #gendersanctity of the washrooms in question? #kitwatashHAD to ask. Important and sanitary.@ashboxlive I'm a guy, went to men's room. A female reporter of ours checked women's, it's clean Weiler operatives all male, it seems. WR RecordWhew! Impressed. Integrity.@WR_Record cool. what's a "clean Weiler operative" and could you identify them in a lineup? security camera footage? instagram? #kitwatashI mean it is the twitter account for a newspaper. Journalistic ethics, blah, blah, blah.Oops, the investigation continues.#Weiler's handlers missed 1 of 3 stall doors, though, with the placards. #onpoli #kitwat WR Record@WR_Record @ashboxlive "dirty female weiler operatives" #notrealparaphraseDavid DreweIndeed sir! #notarealphaseAh. Finally a response to my "hacked account" concern.@ashboxlive no, thanks, though. accidentally sent it twice with different wording; had our streams mixed up for a sec and didn't see the... WR Record@WR_Record glad you're on top of this. i think. and thks for the #sanctity thing. #kitwatashProps Kitchener-Waterloo Record!Bathroom beat, final report: some1 took down the #Weiler material. Don't know who, don't care. :-) 32 min to forum launch #kitwat #onpoli WR RecordAnd now the cover-up begins. #Urinal-Gate@ashboxlive My poor punctuation! Missed putting the period in after 'clean'. I'm now leaving this topic! :-) Cheers, Karlo Berkovich, WebEd WR RecordByline and plausible deniability.

DAMN YOU MATT GURNEY!

2012-06-18T10:32:00.000-07:00

I was going to examine the issue of assisted-suicide from a libertarian perspective. But, Matt Gurney of the National Post beat me to it.

You know, defining life in terms of "biographical" (the culmination of life experiences) vs "biological" criteria. Quality of life vs Quantity.

I'm of the "Free to Live, Free to Die" school. And, I'm not being flippant.

Life begins when you get spit out of the womb. THAT, is the crucible.

Nine months in the womb is like an all-exclusive time-share condo in the Bahamas. Good times. But, eventually you gotta leave.

Birth isn't just a "biological" process. It's also when "the story" begins. It's all very Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden-esqe, really.

There's God taking us by the hand and ushering us out of Eden.

"Listen kid, Eden is always going to be there. But you gotta go. Here's your soul so I can keep an eye on you. It's like a flight data recorder! And, just to help you out. I'm throwing in "free will". Heads up, that means you're on your own. OWN personal responsibility, and you'll be just fine kid. No thanks required. There'll be lots of time for that later. <wink and a PUSH!>

Oh well, read Matt Gurney's excellent piece on assisted suicide.

Prince Charles on Dalton McGuinty; 'He's worse than Mother. Security!'

2012-06-07T14:53:00.000-07:00

Source: google.ca via ashboxlive on Pinterest

"Write what you like; there is no other rule." O' Henry, who passed away on this day, June 5th, 1910.

2012-06-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

Source: en.wikipedia.org via ashboxlive on Pinterest

June 5th, 1968; RFK is shot by an assassin. He dies the next day. "All of us might wish at times that we lived in a more tranquil world, but we don't. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenging and filled with opportunity.", RFK

2012-06-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

Source: google.ca via ashboxlive on Pinterest

May 31, 1678; Lady Godiva begins her famous ride through Coventry in protest over her husband's imposition of oppressive taxes on his tenants.

2012-05-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

Source: google.ca via ashboxlive on Pinterest

May 30, 1989; The "Goddess of Democracy" statue is raised in Tiananmen Square by student demonstrators.

2012-05-30T06:57:00.001-07:00

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May 30th, 1778; Voltaire dies. Responding to a Catholic priest who was pleading that Voltaire renounce Satan. His last words were, "Now is not the time for making new enemies."

2012-05-30T06:55:00.001-07:00

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"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." President Dwight D. Eisenhower

2012-05-28T09:11:00.000-07:00

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VP Joe Biden; "Sorry I'm late. I had to shave my knuckles."

2012-05-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

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PM Stephen Harper and POTUS at 2012 NATO Summit; Harper; 'What have I gotten myself into. Don't panic, keep smiling awkwardly. Where's my wallet?' "Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none." Thomas Jefferson

2012-05-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

Source: nationalpost.com via ashboxlive on Pinterest

Quebec Student Riots Spring 2012; "What's the difference between a bright, inquisitive five-year-old, and a dull, stupid nineteen-year-old? Fourteen years of the British educational system." -Bertrand Russell

2012-05-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

Source: google.ca via ashboxlive on Pinterest

May 17th; IDAHO, International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. "Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood." Coretta Scott King

2012-05-17T10:08:00.000-07:00

Source: google.ca via ashboxlive on Pinterest

"There is no virtue in compulsory government charity, and there is no virtue in advocating it. A politician who portrays himself as "caring" and "sensitive" because he wants to expand the government's charitable programs is merely saying that he's willing to try to do good with other people's money. Well, who isn't? And a voter who takes pride in supporting such programs is telling us that he'll do good with his own money -- if a gun is held to his head." -- P.J. O'Rourke

2012-05-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

Source: google.ca via ashboxlive on Pinterest

Requiem of a fighter jet

2012-05-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Watched the 60 Minutes segment re: the concerns regarding the life-support system on the F-22 Raptor. So far, 2 pilots killed and 7 serious incidents (inflight). Now, thank goodness, the sheer number of problems with this aircraft resulted it being killed. But there are several hundred still deployed.

The manufacturer of the F22 is Lockheed-Martin. Yes, the same Lockheed Martin that is currently developing and testing the F35 Lightning II fifth-generation fighter. And yes, the life support system on the F22 and the F35 are the same. Oops.

The same F35 that may result in killing the political career of one, Peter MacKay. Maybe, we can stamp his face on nose of the plane. Four more ministers, or one Prime Minister and the F35 becomes an ace! And, without ever having to ever having to "take-off into the great white north" !

The Government assertion that no money has been spent on the F35 is dubious. Regardless, the writing is on the wall. Watching Chris Alexander, CPC MP, gasping for air while defending the government's handling of the whole F35 procurement process, has been admirable but at the same time sad.

It's time to bail. It defies imagination to believe that the F35 isn't headed for the same fate as the, aforementioned F22 Raptor.

Evidence?

After reviewing the list of problems the F35 has had through it's development. Btw, it's a long, scary and expensive list. There are only two conclusions with regards to F35 and it's systems in general, and the life support system specifically.

1. They haven't tested the aircraft anywhere near it's maximum limits; therefore, the life support system hasn't been tested along with almost everything else that makes the F35 a fifth-generation fighter.

2. Any problems that are occurring on F22 are being studied and anticipated for the F35. Cross your fingers Mr. Test Pilot.

Under questioning by House Standing Committee on National Defense. Rear Admiral Arne Røksund of Norway pegged his country's F35s to have a life cycle cost of $784 million.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=5272974

It's time for this government to stop defending the purchase of these aircraft for Canada. The Liberals were wrong to participate in the Joint Strike Fighter program and the Conservatives are perpetuating the error.

Eject! Eject! Eject! And watch your head on the canopy, Mr. Prime Minister.

-A

"The town of Fort Lee, New Jersey has begun issuing tickets for texting and walking. Running and texting will be punishable by lethal injection. "How did an allegedly free people spawn a vast, rampant cuttlefish of dominion with its tentacles in every orifice of the body politic?" -- P.J. O'Rourke

2012-05-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

Source: gizmodo.com via ashboxlive on Pinterest

On May 11, 1973, citing government misconduct, charges against Daniel Ellsberg for his involvement in releasing the Pentagon Papers are dropped. "Look, all administrations, all governments lie, all officials lie and nothing they say is to believed. That's a pretty good rule." Daniel Ellsberg

2012-05-11T11:33:00.001-07:00

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