Confessions of a Political Junkie.... where doing BAD is doing GOOD

No more NUKES R US for you lil Mahmoud

2012-01-26T14:22:00.000-08:00

So finally Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to come out and play with the international community. The situation in the Iranian playground with his superior, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, must be really souring. Normally they agree on all the important things; the destruction of Israel, calling a fatwa (assassination) against author Salman Rushdie (FEB 1989), financing and weaponizing Hezbollah, junkies you know the important stuff. Lil Mahmoud is not revered for his capacity to share his toys with the West, especially when his toys are nuclear weapons.

Junkies can we really blame him ? Last time the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), scheduled a play date with Iran’s nuclear representatives their assessment of their purported “ nuclear civilian facilities” was severely questioned. In fact, their November 2011 report stated, “Iran had carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device” The junkie fails to see the correlation between explosive devices and civilian energy lil Mahmoud ? Maybe we took different physics classes? The only optimistic pieces of information found in the report were that Iran had failed to master the Uranium enrichment process and could not be certain when they could finish assembling a weapon. Junkies download it and take a look !!! http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Board/2011/gov2011-65.pdf

So surprise surprise, the Iranian government has been subject to harsh economic sanctions both from national and international actors. Its effect on Iran has not gone unnoticed, and unfortunately has really impacted the livelihood of those least connected with the Islamic regime, its civilian population. Iran’s financial asphyxiation is quickly reaching the point of no return, as its currency, the Rial, which has been continually decreasing in value, took another massive plunge this week. This lack of Iranian consumer confidence in its monetary policy is contagious, as countless Iranians flocked to banks to exchange rials for US dollars. For only the saving grace of Moscow and Beijing on the Security Council, these sanctions could have been far more debilitating. If the weakening of their currency wasn’t enough, unemployment is high and shows no sign of recovery.

Now faced with additional sanctions that “prohibit the import, purchase and transport of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products as well as related finance and insurance.” (EU Restrictive Measures against Iran 2012/35/CFSP) lil Mahmoud has no choice but to at least publically entertain the idea of negotiations. If even the motivation is privately to buy himself and his scientist more time to complete the enrichment process. What is strikingly bizarre for the junkie is that the deal being proposed by the West in these informal negotiations is actually quite reasonable for the suspension of enrichment, “ long-term comprehensive arrangement which would allow for the development of relations and cooperation with Iran based on mutual respect and the establishment of international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program”

Tehran’s rebuff has only poisoned the already delicate lines of dialogue with the West leading to the above mentioned proposed sanctions. The stakes are only going to get higher, as Iran’s aggressive assertion to counter these sanctions is manifested by blocking the Strait of Hormuz. As the gateway of energy exportation for so many dependent countries, any sort of flow disruption would immediately raise energy prices worldwide in an already volatile position. Not a phenomenon, even the junkie is anxious to experience.

Based on all of this, the junkie gets the feeling that maybe Iran and lil Mahmoud shouldn’t have such dangerous toys. If you boys aren’t willing to share and get along, then no more

shopping sprees at NUKES R’ US !!

You are cordially invited to the Cirque de Crazy.... A GOP production

2012-01-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

The junkie’s absence was starting to have debilitating effects on his perception of society and human nature, I must have been high for a while I actually started crushing on Ann Coulter !!! This prolonged reclusion abruptly ended thankfully while witnessing the freakish odyssey that has become the Republican leadership race. In observing the varying degrees of derangement that highlights the GOP race, the junkie can’t help but notice a striking familiarity between the Republican candidates and Rabelais’s16^th century characters of Gargantua and Pantagruel. Despite the candidates initially all lobbying for the welfare of the country, like Gargantua their development has noxiously evolved, “… by order of his (Gargantua) father, was brought up and grounded in all the appropriate disciplines… He was forever wallowing in the mire, dirtying his nose, scrabbling his face ; he would pee in his shoes, shit over his shirt tales and go galumphing about.”

Starting in August a contingent of GOP candidates ranging from a Georgian pizza-sex crazed CEO to an obsessed children collector from Minnesota began their presidential ambition by stumping and travelling across the country in order to secure votes from the 2,286 eligible delegates who will determine the Republican presidential candidate. Keep in mind fellow junkies, a candidate must accumulate 1,144 delegate votes to win. The platforms by large are all composed of the same content and hollow assurances; small government and limited taxation (except if your poor and stupid), pro-Christian values, economic recovery solutions, and good ole fashion loud promotion of American hubris. The commonality between all the candidates is the staunch guarantee of the removal of that incognito communist in the Whitehouse, you know this guy Obama from Chicago, who is running the red-white and blue ! Shhhh Junkies don’t tell anybody but apparently based on a well informed hair piece from Trump Towers he's not American.

3 primaries and 3 winners latter, and still nothing is any clearer for either Republics or Democrats. Due to the influx nature of the American primary system, regional issues and voter demographics are constantly subject to impulsive change. Confirmation of this is apparent in Iowa where that sweater vest wearing sketch ball Rick Santorum from Pennsylvania completed a massive coup d’état thanks to God fearing and gun clinging voters or Newt Gingrich and BBQ’s in South Carolina. As a result candidates have concentrated resources on states issues as opposed to federal issues to derive voter confidence. This polarization of topics in each primary couldn’t be more welcomed by the Democrats, who are strongly applauding the internal fighting among GOP candidates. This phenomenon ALMOST rivals the cat fighting between Kim and Khloe Kardashian. Kourtney is actually my favorite.

What has become super apparent to the Junkie is that the brain trust of the GOP, regardless of how underdeveloped their cognitive functions are, is nowhere near satisfied with their potential candidates. They lack a true superstar candidate like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to really rival Obama. The remaining candidates, headlined by Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich at best has been an experiment in venomous finagling. That is not to say junkies we haven’t obtained some useful knowledge from this experience that will prove to be invaluable for the showdown on November 6. Two glaring facts must be recognized; the emergence and force of Super PACS (Political Action Committees) on the campaign dynamic cannot be underestimated nor can the sharpening of debate and public speaking skills by GOP candidates, most notable Romney.

Super PACS have proven to be a revelation during these Republican primary contests, just ask Newt. After his double digit beat down of Romney in South Carolina, Gingrich received a $5 million dollar donation to his super PAC that all of sudden leveled the financial playing field between himself and Romney going into Florida (NY Times, 01/24/12) Unlike conventional campaign financing rules that are governed by strict regulation, super PAC’s are officially considered “independent-expenditure only committees” that allow them to solicit unlimited sums from corporations, individuals and even unions. If the second fact is a surprise to you Junkies, you only have to revert back to the Democratic contest between Hilary Clinton and Obama in 2008. Despite Clinton being a better qualified candidate in every category, Obama hung in there and honed his skills everyday getting better at deflecting criticism and engaging voters on his agenda.

Forecasting the conclusion of the GOP candidate race with any sort of accuracy is useless. Even for the Junkie, predicting the actions of these nut balls is as easy as Rush Limbaugh not popping back a couple of oxycontin after a day’s work. What we can all hope for is a drawn out campaign that is not only financially exhausting but physically crippling that leaves the sole survivor in state of entropy. Like Rabelais, the Junkie suggests checking your preconceptions at the door if you want to follow this GOP version of the Cirque de Crazy !!! Rabelais's intro to Gargantua and Pantagruel

"Reader, friends if you turn these pages

Put you prejudice aside

For, really there's nothing here that's outrageous

Nothing sick or bad - or contagious

Not that I sit here glowing with pride

For my book : all you'll find is laughter :

That's all the glory my heart is after

Seeing how sorrow eats you, defeats you.

I'd rather write about laughing then crying

For laughter makes men human, and courageous "

Be Happy

Chinese stealth... not so undetectable on the world stage

2011-08-16T17:21:00.000-07:00

Anything and absolutely everything that Barack Obama could have experienced in his first term as president has reached an unfathomably level once again. If; dismantling a failed mission in Iraq, balancing ineffective combat operations in Afghanistan (and most recently Libya), job creation, attempting to bring peace to the Israel-Palestine conflict, neutralizing a recession, singing into law a universal health care system and steam cell research, killing the world’s most wanted terrorist, battling the greatest lummox John Boehner over raising the debt ceiling, and overseeing every natural disaster and impending political revolutions abroad, and preparing for the 2012 campaign, then Barack Obama’s graying hair and occasional golf game is more than justified ! Despite the massive cognitive dissonance among American’s of what Obama inherited in 2008 and what has subsequently manifested, my main man is still fighting and not showing any inclining of submission. Unfortunately for him, he has become all too accustomed to the spawning of new problems threatening American hegemony.

Despite the volatility of the above mentioned scenarios, an additional form of toxicity has materialized between a defective ally and emerging superpower. According to a Financial Times article in its Sunday edition, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/09700746-c681-11e0-bb50-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1VE1jN2r8 Pakistani authorities have granted Chinese personnel in depth access to the downed stealth helicopter abandoned after the OBL raid in early May. Chinese officials were even allowed to take a sample of the “stealth skin” for further examination of its composition. Although the hierarchy of the CIA had made vehemently clear to its Pakistani counterparts that the stealth copter was not to be made available for public inspection (as it is American property), the decision to spur the CIA in favor of China is a monumental indicator of the greater changing world perception of American dominance and influence.

Although no country has been immune from the recent contagion of the financial markets, America’s woes and very public domestic discomfort seems to have intensified their pending collapse in the minds of their allies and enemies. The once unshakeable aura of American invincibility and longevity now has entered a trying period of maintaining basic sustainability. Standard and Poor’s recent decision to downgrade American government bonds from AAA to AA + could not symbolize a more accurate allegory of its hardships. Is the sun actually setting on the American Empire and rising in the Far East?

This phenomenon has not gone unnoticed, as jackals like Russia, China, and Brazil all prepare to exploit America’s disintegration and collect their respective spoils. This new uncertainty about America is not the lone reason why Pakistan opted to aid the Chinese, but it certainly played a pivotal role in confirming their readjustment strategy regarding their relations with America. What was once unthinkable for Pakistan to demote America in favor of China, may soon come to be common practice. It is not unfounded speculation to expect other countries, again both allies and enemies, to modify their current position to enhance their standing with a drowning America.

What is most detrimental about the Chinese potential acquisition of this militarized technology is that in the marathon of international relations to reign unabated, China is quickly narrowing the gap of disparity between itself and America. This is not to say that America has stalled, just that it is not producing its outputs at its regular frequency. Where the Chinese in unprecedented time have accelerated every facet of their economy, military, and innovation, America has damaged itself with self inflicted wounds and unnecessary obstacles. The Chinese pace it not only freighting but can be measured in tangible terms such as ; muscling out Japan and Philippines over islands in the South China Sea as well as destroying a space satellites. It seems now that the question is not if China will develop into a world power, but when it will ultimately make its formal introduction as the duel superpower.

In spite of the rise of the China and the lack of confidence associated with America version 2011, the Junkie still can’t completely discount Uncle Sam’s capacity to resurrect. It would be pompous and ignorant of us all, including the governments of China and Russia, not to expect anything less than a drastic turnaround and reassertion of America as the unilateral guardian of the international community. America’s most precious resource to revert back, lies dormant in its distracted citizenry waiting to be awaken, thankfully all of us junkies know that only one man is capable of such a resurgence, and his name is Barack Obama….

NOT THE GOP !!!

sorry its Foxnews... had too many cocktails

America checks into the heartbreak hotel with Pakistan… and leaves with an Indian address

2011-05-17T21:25:00.000-07:00

When any new partnership starts, it is traditionally highlighted by much promise and optimism. The prospect of learning about your partner’s unique idiosyncrasies can be motivating, enabling one party to become more accustomed to the true disposition of your significant other. Despite the temporary moments of hardship that every partnership is subject to, you are confident that the functionality of the partnership can be restored through some minor reconfiguration. Unfortunately, this perception and lack of coherency sets you up for failure. Sometimes, you are too blind or ignorant to realize you are being cheated on. As Plato stated in, The Symposium, 385 – 380 BCE, love possess the capacity at times to make us do irrational things, “So not every type of loving and Love is right and deserves to be praised, but only the type that motivates us to love rightly.”

Despite Plato’s death in 348 BCE, he still seems to hold some level of relevancy when describing the contemporary partnership between Washington and Islamabad. Like a bored house wife cheating with the hired help, it is time for Washington to realize they have been playing second fiddle to Pakistan’s mistresses; Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. And like the husband who finds out with disgust about the indiscretion of his wife, Washington must re-identify a viable partner who can enhance their mandate to eradicate terrorism as well as their propaganda and recruiting tools.

The degeneration of the Washington-Islamabad relationship reached its climax recently, with the discovery that for some time now Pakistan had been voluntarily harboring Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. President Asif Ali Zardari’s administration could have not produced a greater discourtesy towards their apparent “ally” on the War on Terror. Since 9/11, Washington has made unbelievable financial and arms concessions to Islamabad to the tune of an estimated $13 billion, in the hopes of cultivating a transparent and reliable relationship to reduce the operational capacity of terror networks located in the mountainous boundaries between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Domestic support from local Americans and the Congress for this cause has been limited and the subject of harsh criticism.

The commitment from Pakistan to engage these terrorist hostilities has been far from reciprocated and utterly farcical at best. Despite the increase of Predator drone attacks since Obama took office, it has merely hampered the threat of Islamic radicalism as oppose to totally eliminating it. Unfortunately, Obama and his spy agencies can only do so much, even when consistently infringing the national sovereignty of Pakistan. The failure of the Pakistan regime to honor their War on Terror commitment was introduced under the regime of General Pervez Musharaff, 2001 to 2008, who was more preoccupied with securing electoral support rather than hunting suspected Al-Qaeda cells and Taliban shelters. Like the junkies bored house wife scenario, not only does the help (Pakistan) get some physical compensation, they in addition get paid in cash for their services rendered. Pakistan unbelievably mimicked this scenario for almost a decade, making Washington the laughing stock of their cricket matches.

As a result, no time is more appropriate for the USA to identify a new ‘date’ to destroy terror, and her lovely name is India. Unlike the military oriented rule of Pakistan, India manages to hold democratic elections in a country that houses over a billion citizens, second worldwide. Political accountability is tangible! Their economic rise and regional influence has not gone unnoticed internationally either, with Obama lobbying extensively for them to be introduced as a new member of the permanent United Nations Security Council. A little known fact about India that profits Washington, they have the most consults in Afghanistan than any other country. Washington’s decision to alter their strategic course of action on terror and their realignment with India would represent the ultimate form of retribution to punish Pakistan for their imprudence and exploitation of American generosity.

The cheated husband who resided at the heartbreak hotel is by no means obliged to remain a permanent tenant. The option always exists to look around and find a new more suitable location of residency. For Washington that new hotel is India as it is finally time to check out at the Pakistani front desk without paying

anymore bills !

DSK dooms his domination of France

2011-05-16T17:49:00.000-07:00

The month of May in France is usually a period reserved for fantasy and decadence thanks to the Cannes Film Festival. This year’s installment, the 64^th overall, has all the conventional gilts and glamour that attracts celebrities and socialites alike to the French Riviera. The sounds of super cars and the abundant sight of bikini clad models and haute couture is a normal occurrence, where the biggest quandary facing visitors is ensuring that they don’t drown in champagne or overdose on foie gras. For the record the junkie prefers Veuve Clicquot to Crystal, sorry Jay-Z Ace of Spades is for amateurs!

Under normal circumstances, the whole of France is preoccupied (in some manner or another) with the film festival, diverting major media resources and coverage to the event. Unfortunately there is nothing normal about what happened over the weekend in New York City to potential socialist French presidential candidate and current International Monetary Fund (IMF) president Dominique Strauss-Kahn. The political embroilment of Strauss-Kahn has captivated potential voters and assumed top priority in the French and European press, whereby the accounts of the festival have been demoted to the back pages of the news.

DSK, as he is commonly referred to as in France, was arrested 10 minutes prior to take off for Paris, in first class by the NYPD for allegedly attempting to rape a hotel maid at his Sofitel Hotel suit close to Times Square. In addition to the attempted rape charge he was also charged with a “criminal sexual act” and unlawful imprisonment. It is worth wild to note that despite his hierarchical position in the IMF as managing director, DSK is not subject to any form of diplomatic immunity. Also unlike the arrest of film director of Roman Polanski in Switzerland in September of 2009, do not expect current French President Nicolas Sarkozy to be in be any rush to lobby for the release of a potential threat to his second term as president. Despite his presumption of innocence, DSK’s abrupt and ultra public arrest has all but eliminated or significantly diminished his chance of securing the French Socialist Party’s nomination for the 2012 April election. After being defeated in the 2008 ballet run-off by Segolene Royal, DSK looked poised to regain the party’s nomination and confidence and mount a serious campaign against Sarkozy and far right opposition Marine Le-Pen of the Front National.

Although the junkie is staunch supporter of Sarkozy (there are not many of us left), it is massively disappointing to see one of France’s political juggernauts ruled out of contention so early on due to his lapse in judgment and character. The political competition and combativeness of the candidates during the campaign would have only helped France truly identify their most capable leader, and challenge for influential supremacy with Angela Merkel’s German.

This self inflicted wound by DSK, is profoundly frustrating and demoralizing to opponents of Sarkozy who envisioned a change of guard in the French political spectrum with DSK spearheading the movement. Supporters of DSK who are familiar with him should not be too surprised by this recent incident, as their man also apparently likes to spearhead women. The sexual indiscretions of DSK or the “Great Seducer” is not a new phenomenon, as there have been multiple documented incidents that suggest DSK is frequently inappropriate and lewd towards female subordinates and journalists. This consistent pattern of sexual aggressiveness discredits any arguments of a presupposed “smear campaign” by the opposition that has been circulating in foreign press recently. All politicians regardless of their origin always fail to take responsibility for their porous actions and divert attention based on a senseless claim, why should we expect DSK to be any different ?

There is no denying the fact that DSK is an ultra skilled and competent politician who possesses all the attributes necessary, as well as social and financial support, to tackle the task of dislodging Sarkozy from the Palais de l’Elysees. His high intellectual pedigree is supported by his education as a lawyer in public law, as well as his Ph. D and ‘agregation’ in economics from the Univeristy of Paris X, Nanterre. Prior to his political career, DSK established himself as a regular professor in both microeconomics and macroeconomics at various French universities from 1977to 1981. He also notably worked at the prestigious SciencePo in Paris from 2000 to 2007. DSK has also spent extensive time working within the French government, first as a junior Minister for Industry and Foreign Trade from 1991 to 1993, as well as Minister of Economics, Finance, and Industry from 1997 to 1999. Since 2007 he has assumed the role of managing director of the IMF, often being asked to counsel countries through economic hardships.

The wide variety of academic and political experiences DSK has accumulated would have been an invaluable resource that could have aided his navigation through the volatile and treacherous theatre of French presidential politics. The contemporary social and economic issues engulfing France like; immigration reform and subsequent integration as well the Eurozone debt crisis (thank you Portugal, Greece, and Spain) all are topics DSK might have been able to resolve or stabilize better than Sarkozy. Too bad he couldn’t reform his libido.

Despite the gravity and seriousness of the charges laid against DSK, the real tragedy for the junkie is that French electoral community will once again not have the strongest selection of candidates to choose from. Victory for Sarkozy is by no means guaranteed despite this revelation, although it has certainly been made easier without DSK’s participation. Maybe this time next year if DSK is not in jail, he will stick to what he is good at; models and champagne!

The curious case of Mike Huckabee and prolonging Republican Presidential chances

2011-04-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

Junkies the 2012 American Presidential election is in its nascent stages, but already the contest for the White House has indirectly started with the race for the NOT so coveted Republican nomination. After the abysmal campaign that John McCain and Sara “I see Russia” Palin ran in 2008, the GOP brain trust looks determined not to fumble any slim opportunity they have of dislodging my man Barack Obama.

Despite experiencing some temporary periods of massive discontent, the President has quelled the storm of unpopularity and steered the American financial engine back into operations. Obama’s time consuming recovery package appears to be functioning as planned with encouraging signs evident in the areas of employment, activity on the NYSE, as well as the housing market. Regardless of what the GOP and Eric Cantor say (comment if you dislike), a full recovery was not going to happen instantaneously. Apart from offering terrible advice, Republican’s memory needs improvement as well, as it was due to Republican financial policies that Obama inherited such a nightmarish situation. All Americans should be counting their blessings and luck that Treasury Secretary Tim Geitherner did not cave to unfounded GOP pressure and alter his course of action.

The GOP brain trust is consequently faced with a sitting President who has; stabilized and improved the economic standing of the country, terminated a costly war in Iraq, legitimized justice and punishment regarding terrorist at Guantanamo Bay and passed universal health care. Barack accomplished this all of these objectives in his first term, and he is sure as hell not done changing America for the better. Guns got to go !

What also needs to get better is the potential incumbent nominees for the GOP nomination if they are to have any chance of staying competive in primary season. In 2008 the lack of minority votes, notably registered Latino voters almost single handily lost McCain the election. As a result a more balanced candidate is necessary in order to gain a portion of the valuable minority votes. The typical Republican misfits; Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and Massachusetts Governer Mitt Romney have all taken the first step in the presidential race by forming Exploratory committees. And yet in the background the GOP has a curious candidate in former Arkansas Governor and Presidential candidate Mick Huckabee who simultaneously possess the traits to beat both Barack and himself.

Huckabee possess all the tangible elements and dispositional qualities a pure breed Republican must have in order to combat the academic left; strong religious character, engaging personality, political experience at both state and federal level, restrictive stance on immigration, anti homosexual and lesbian rights, being pro-Israel, limited government, and above all liberal guns laws. Based on these prerequisites Huckabee should frontline the list of candidates. But he doesn’t and will not until he learns how to play the game of Presidential politics. Making offensive and inappropriate statements like he did in a January 2008 interview with the website Beliefnet “I think the radical view is to say that we’re going to change the definition of marriage so that I can mean two men, two woman, a man and three woman, a man and a child, a man and animal” will not earn him any sustainable support or financing resources. Both essential elements for a long Presidential showdown.

Does he or the GOP expect Obama to ever go on the record and say something so volatile and toxic? Oh yea Obama’s long time family pastor did that already and where is he now? Huckabee’s inability to play the game of politics on a national level and for such a grueling schedule makes him a wildcard player that can’t yet be discounted. His capacity to be ultra engaging and persuading might at times outweigh the risks associated with his tendency to speak off of emotion not logic. I am supremely confident in Barack but the junkie must yield to rationale thinking not totally eliminate curios Mike from prolonging the Republican chances for the Presidency in 2012.

The balance of power and the budget…is the pen mightier than the pistol ?

2011-04-18T11:32:00.000-07:00

Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind - JFK

The nature of the relationship between defense contractors and members of the legislative branch of the American government is quietly distressing and expensive. Its costs and benefits to America are not always clear or tangible prompting the junkie to further analyze this phenomenon, commonly referred to as the military industrial complex. The need for massive defense spending is predicated on the perception that the changing dynamic of the international community is becoming more aggressive and volatile, increasing the chance of attacks towards America. Maintaining America’s already dwindling balance of power and influence (China, Brazil, Gulf States and India’s rise cannot be discounted) is critical to their alpha position in the world. As a result, the necessary precautions and policies to isolate and destroy threats qualify America’s long standing experience with defense contractors.

Instead of resorting to the use of preventive diplomacy to engage hostilities, America has for some time assumed a reactive and preemptive diplomatic stance that requires the creation and use of devastating weaponized technology. It is rather extraordinary to view the precision and quantity of carnage technology and weapons can produce when combined in harmony. The modernization of weapons has significantly intensified; producing true machines of death that echo JFK’s above mentioned sentiment on war. This concept overtly satisfies defense contractors who regularly demand infinite financial resources without any transparency or accountability from their end. Thankfully like most things that need correction in the USA, President Obama has addressed this issue.

With a budget showdown looming between GOP Speaker of the House John Boehnar (comment if you dislike) and President Obama, trimming the fiscal deficit will be filled with many obstacles and a lack of bipartisan politics. THIS IS THE GOP’S FAULT! Obama has identified defense spending as one area that can be reduced and reconfigured in order to free up spending resources for areas like education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. The needs of these areas far outweigh defense in spurring innovation, tangible growth and beneficial progress for the future generation of America. Based on a December 2010 issue of the trade publication Defense News, the White House Office of Management and Budget has ordered the Pentagon to cut its budget by $90 billion over the next five years, beginning with a $12 billion cut in fiscal 2012. Judging by current Secretary of Defense Gates comments on the issue, “My greatest fear is that in economic tough times that people will see the defense budget as the place to solve the nation’s deficit problems”, it is unlikely this will be a smooth process for Barack.

Obama’s willingness to trim of defense spending is justified, last year defense spending accounted for 20% of federal spending. The Pentagon’s fiscal budget request for 2011 was $549 billion; it is expected to escalate to $566 billion in 2012. It should be noted that these numbers exclude additional war spending in Iraq and Afghanistan. What is not always recognized about defense spending is that it is categorized as non-discretionary spending. Unlike discretionary spending which is subject to regulation and oversight, defense contracts circumvent those rules and responsibilities resulting in lagging programs and overtly exaggerated program costs.

Consequently, the American public has been left to foot the bill for the amateur discretions of contractors like, Lockheed Martin and Halliburton, without even so much as a public inquiry or commission to investigate these federal spending abuses. Support of this is found in the Pentagon’s current largest weapon program, the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 Joint Striker Fighter program. Additional “restructuring” is needed and could increase the program’s research and development phase by two years. The program was only just restructured for the first time last year, adding 13 months of research and development.

One area of defense that Obama has actually increased resources towards is cyber defense. This concept is one of the most underrated areas for security concerns in America, especially form the sophisticated network of hackers as well as bot and malware creators in Russia and China. The technological infrastructure of government and financial institutions and state energy grids are all easy targets and susceptible to compromised situations. Firewalls are not sufficient means to combat these threats. Congratulations to Barack once again for indentifying the one segment of defense spending that justifies an increase in resources and funds.

Despite the advanced warning of this troubling bond by Five star general and 34^th president Dwight D. Eisenhower’s farewell addresses in January 17, 1961, the military industrial complex continues to dominate the US political spectrum. What continues to be most vexing about this is how detached and uninterested the American public appears to be when it comes to observing the financial collusion among their government and defense contractors.

Foggy in Libya... United Nations Coalition Confused ?

2011-03-24T13:36:00.001-07:00

The United Nation’s military engagement in Libya is broken. Under the pretext of a Security Council resolution, the Collation or the “confused collation”, have failed to displace or dissuade Colonel Kaddafi from leaving Tripoli. Their mandate to enhance the accessibility to democratic reform in Libya has been inconsistent at best. Civilian deaths have rapidly accumulated, with Kaddafi still remaining relevant and semi-influential. As a result the junkie is applying his newly created litmus paper test, the “democratic – sacrifice proportionality test” to gauge the level of sacrifice needed to spur democracy. The junkie wants to recognize that there is no exact science to the formula and merely compares the experiences and truths of the situation, past and present

In the Name of Democracy

The efforts of the Libyan people to embrace democracy amidst the ongoing regional reform were categorically rejected by the Kaddafi administration. Acquiring the town of Bengazi in a violent coup confirmed their level of seriousness. Although no country or coalition willingly intervened in any of the previous regional reforms, it was obvious that Kaddafi in his weakened mental and physical state was not going to yield to the people. Unlike any of the tyrants before him, none resorted to such hostility and violence against their own people. Members of his military in February defected to Malta in protest of his conduct and disregard for Libyan human life. It is unquestionable now that Kaddafi should have sought asylum when given a precious window of opportunity. His behavior and actions over the years have incurred himself many enemies who were more than collectively willingly to remove him on a whim. Domestically like any long standing tyrant, he abused human rights, neglected to encourage employment opportunities, pillaged government coffers and fueled his extravagant personal lifestyle at the expense of average Libyans. For an extended period of time Libya was considered a state sponsor of terrorism, being subjected to harsh economic and financial sanctions. Kaddafi was immune to the punishment, his people were not.

According to this, the premise for hostile action was to grant Libyans the ability of self-government, one not oriented around religious scripture. It was long overdue! Despite this estrangement, the concept of self-government is still a political luxury not right; acquiring it does not come without encountering difficulty. As a result the military intervention was inevitably going to produce the loss of life.

Needed Sacrifice

Despite it being unacceptable the junkie realizes that the rising death toll of civilians is an unfortunate part of the ‘necessary’ process to grant reform. Applying the correct rules of engagement does not in any form alleviate the burden that comes with taking life. Narrowing the scope of collateral damage and unnecessary destruction is imperative to control the civilian bloodshed. It would be unfair and somewhat pretentious of the junkie to state that these deaths are justified, THEY ARE NOT. The polarization effects of democracy is curious as how can something so positive and progressive being so closely associated with negativity and regression?

Sum

The current situation in Libya is bleak, the final outcome might not be. A coalition commitment to oust Kaddafi is strong and motivated. Kaddafi simultaneously in his dwindling days of power is dedicated to inflicting chaos and strife. In the event that Kaddafi is killed, the junkie is unsure if any sympathy will be manifested, in the process of trying to outrun justice he ran his own people into the ground. Libyans will continue to struggle for the foreseeable future and contribute massive sacrifices, but the future will change for the better without Kaddafi. A chance at reform is within the reach for Libya, a tangible confirmation of this was the substitution of the official Libyan flag at international embassies and consulates in February with the pro-revolution version.

American Defense Sectary Robert McNammara,1961 – 1968, might have been able to satisfy my formula with his description on the fog of war, “… war is so complex it’s beyond the ability of the human mind to comprehend all the variable. Our judgment, our understanding, are not adequate. And we kill people unnecessarily…” A new theatre of change is needed in Libya, even if it’s foggy at first.

Never say NO to nuclear energy

2011-03-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

The worst was supposed to be over in Japan according to media reports and expert analysis. The aftershocks had stopped and some degree of tranquility like a coy garden was to be reinstated. With the aid and participation of the International Community, the pressure on Japan to rebuild was supposed to be alleviated and less daunting. The Japanese government has managed the crisis as well as they could have with limited institutional resources at their disposal. It’s hard to combat distress and frustration when a country is engulfed with such low morale. It’s even harder when the potential internal and external spread of radiation has triggered a state of paranoia and desperation. Unconfirmed reports suggest that fruits and vegetables with in a 100km radius of the collapsed Fukushima nuclear facility are contaminated and contain excessive amounts of radiation. As a precaution the Japanese government has been issuing iodine tablets to protect thyroid glands, young children and pregnant women are especially susceptible.

Despite basic societal features of life being reestablished, a massive concern for the Japanese government that has occupied much of their energy is how to appropriately contain the ruptured reactor. Many organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, and General Electric (they built the reactor), have all been collectively discussing the safest and most efficient course of action. Due to the lack of physical accessibility to the site much of their debates have yielded very little consensus. One proposed solution includes entombing the reactor in a body of concrete. As a result, as the level of panic has risen, so too has the unhelpful criticism of nuclear energy. The world, not just Japan is experiencing a crisis in confidence regarding the nature of nuclear power and the junkie still thinks it’s unfounded and unjustified.

In a previous confession the junkie charted major civilian disasters associated with nuclear energy. We concluded that human incompetency and complacency were the main culprits in the meltdowns. The critics of nuclear energy in the aftermath of the earthquake are too quick to condemn this source without sufficiently offering any alternative sources that are reliable, safe and sustainable. The primary alternatives to nuclear energy include; hydro, solar, wind, and geothermal. The above mentioned sources apart from hydro are still in the experimental stages of development and could never be relied on currently to support a state or major city. Transforming the reactions into pure and transferable energy is not simple. Major research and construction of infrastructure is needed before lobbying for the mass decommissioning of nuclear plants. Although we are making encouraging progress in developing alternatives, the access to this new energy must be tangible and so far it’s not.

Humans, especially in the developed world, consume energy without disregard. We abuse it so much we have come to ignore moments of conservation like turning the lights off when you leave your house or even having fewer appliances on while you’re at home. The junkie re-iterates the nuclear fiasco that is incrementally crippling Japan is an isolated incident and by no means an adequate representation of the world’s nuclear energy system. Until a resolution is confirmed and successfully applied, experts should harbor less animosity towards nuclear energy and focus more on improving operational procedure to ensure future accidents don’t materialize.

The American Presidency… the “Celebrity Apprentice” version in 2012

2011-03-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

The dynamic of campaigning for the American Presidency has been subject to many methods and strategies. From the nascent days of structured campaigning, both Democrats and Republicans have had to evolve and adjust their campaigns to reach voters. Campaigning today barely resembles its former self. From the 19^th century invention of stumping to enable more candidate accessibility, the rapid change in technological innovation has simultaneously been paralleled with new campaign methods. The use of audio and visual media has not only become an integral part in securing the Presidency, but also a source for the American people to derive confidence in times of despair. FDR’s famous “Fireside Chats” and the television debates between Republican Richard Nixon and Democrat John Kennedy, all confirm how utilizing media means effectively can not be disregarded. Failure to orient your campaign around the appropriate technological trends now represents the difference between wining and losing. Despite Nixon’s strong technical debate, voters did not approve of his sweaty and nervous demeanor compared to playboy Kennedy, the election was over immediately. Ask John McCain who in 2008 experienced massive failure in not maximizing his political potential through Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Not only did this failure limit his scope of exposure but severely restricted his financing capabilities. As a result on November 4, 2008 two radically different campaigns were on display; Obama was fresh, hip and popular and importantly had cash to burn (very telling stat of his campaign, over a million people made donations between $5 and $10), McCain was burnt out, broke, and supporting the negative baggage of Sarah Palin. The junkie is observing a trend developing, first Nixon and now McCain, Republicans and their ‘traditional” values consistently seem to lag behind in using technology. Republicans please continue to resort to religious scripture in 2012 for inspiration.

Apart from media exposure, sufficient financing composes the other essential element to running a competitive campaign. Being well financed is important, but as experience has shown us throwing money at the American Presidency does not in any way guarantee victory. If being well financed was the sole criteria for either securing your party’s nomination or even the Presidency, than failed candidates like Democrat John Kerry in 2004 or Republican Mitt Romney in 2008, both coincidentally from the state of Massachusetts would have fared better than the eventual outcome. The most successful attempt to gain the Presidency through utilizing financial resources was tried twice in 1992 and 1996 by Texas tycoon Ross Perot. Despite tough constitutional guidelines that make it almost impossible to run for President if you’re not either a Republican or Democrat, Perot made an impressive run in 1992 securing roughly 19 % of the popular vote. This accomplishment was negated as he received no Electoral College votes. Perot continued his quest for Presidency in 1996, but unfortunately regressed political (lobbying against NAFTA) and experienced waning support.

What is most freighting about this phenomenon is that Perot set a precedent in the process of losing, having money does count for something. As a result enter lunatic and delusion real estate magnet Donald Trump. The Donald last Tuesday made an appearance on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and tackled a wide variety of issues. None of the issues discussed were more petrifying then the Donald announcing the possibility of his candidature as an Independent in the upcoming 2012 election. In his typical self aggrandizing manner, Donald stated that he would be willing to personally allocate an astonishing $600 million to back his own campaign for Presidency. Not bad for somebody who claimed he gets along better with the middle class and poor than the elite. The junkie is still speculating when he thinks Donald will put 1600 Pennsylvania avenue up for sale… the housing markets are improving? A set of astronomical circumstances will all have to be aligned in unison for the Donald to posse a legitimate threat to either the GOP or Dems. Having money counts in campaigning, but thankfully not for everything. Junkies we should recognize that stranger things have happened in American politics, a lipstick wearing pit-bull hockey mom who could see Russia from Alaska was almost your Vice President. Donald has had the luxury for an extended time to escape harsh criticism and managerial evaluation, the junkie speaks for America when he says there is a good chance Donald that in 2012 “You’re Fired !!!”

Obama gets gutsy with guns... lets play dirty

2011-03-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

President Obama’s organization, efficiency, and level of dedication to deliver tangible change in America too impressive! The junkie in an earlier confession stated that despite Obama’s high academic pedigree and healthy living style, he would not be able to continually manage such a burdening schedule. The grueling responsibilities of the Presidency would incrementally take its toll, making Obama that much more susceptible and pronged to committing errors. On a daily basis the American President is asked for his opinion and stance on a massive variety of domestic and international issues. It is perplexing how the President does not get lost in his own mind. In addition to fulfilling those requirements, President Obama has simultaneously maintained a motivation to deliver on his 2010 campaign promises. Although incoherent GOP members (please comment if you dislike John Boehner and Eric Cantor) still levy empty criticism of the President, Obama as advertised in 2010; has withdrawn troops from Iraq, passed his nation wide health care bill, stabilized the markets and economy, and now after the financial crisis started to produce jobs and lower the unemployment rate.

Now the next priority in his agenda, gun control, will be one of his greatest domestic challenges to date. The junkie like Obama agrees that “small towns cling to their guns and bibles”. To understand this phenomenon, that the right to possess a gun is a God given right, we must reduce the issue to the composition of the Second Amendment that was adopted on December 15, 1791; “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”. God for bid if it was ever infringed America, your communities and residencies dependency on gun possession is the essential element that keeps the American dream alive and safe from immigrants. This amendment was predicated on the basis that America in 1791 was still nation building and the rule of positive law had very little applicability. Protecting your security and interests was a real threat that needed to be addressed, unfortunately sometimes through violence. America of 2011 no longer faces the same imminent and unpredictable danger that their ancestors faced in 1791. Despite charting America’s security issues, the National Rifle Association’s propaganda encouraging paranoia about gun control and even total prohibition still rattles the masses to their cores. The junkie finds it troubling that to engage in such a conversation you must first reduce your academic standards an adolescent level.

President Obama has attacked the issue the best way he can, through executive action. SUCK IT Republicans, George Bush strategically used executive action during his administration to his advantage so Republicans do not be offended or shocked that Obama is as well. Obama’s intellectual creativity is on display, as he as ignored any attempt to try to resolve the issue through a constitutional amendment, it’s a waste of time for everybody. Not only will he not get the support from the House of Representatives and Senate, it will fuel the GOP fire that his “big government” mandate is infringing on personal – God given rights of Americans As a result Obama has started to play dirty like his Chicago White Sox’s. Some preliminary reports on meetings with the Justice Department suggest that tighter background checks and better federal data sharing programs are all issues on the table for discussion and hopefully implementation. Obama has also strengthened his case by allying himself with the coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. The junkie expects the NRA to counter any change rapidly with a swift aggressive message. If God does choose to do something willingly in America, hopefully it will be to restrict possession of small and large firearms and secure President Obama’s re-election in 2012 !!!

London is leading the race… 500 days away

2011-03-15T23:05:00.000-07:00

“First rule of business, protect your investment” Etiquette of the Banker, 1775

An amphitheatre supporting organized sport seems to be eternally popular and indiscriminate. As either a distraction from social panic (which we might qualify for) or a learning experience in athletics junkies are all curious to observe. The sophistication of the sports we approve has simultaneously developed with the enhancement of stadiums and user friendly cameras. The gladiators of the Roman Empire exhibited barbaric and violent behavior based on the will of the people. Today is no different. There are certain organized sporting events in the modern world that attract major global interest; the Super Bowl, the World Cup, maybe the UEFA Champions, and of course the Summer Olympics. The Olympic governing body, the International Olympic Committee, has over the course of Jacques Rogge’s (Count Rogge) leadership degenerated into a bureaucratic institutional nightmare. Unlike the Super Bowl or the FIFIA World Cup ( FIFA and EUFA are as bad as the IOC) which justifiably warrant the media attention they receive the Olympics, summer or winter, fail to inspire or motivate the human condition to forget their problems and unite collectively. Rogge and his posy of pencil pushers have the nerve to advertise products like coke-cola and McDonalds at an ‘elite’ athletic competition. On the real if Philip Morris or the National Rifle Association offered to completely finance either seasonal games would the IOC accept it ? “smoke and ski” “run and rifle”

Despite the organizational inefficiencies and blundering efforts of the IOC, the junkie cannot fault the London Olympic Committee for encouraging advanced ticket sales. The 2012 event in the UK capital will not start for another 500 days. In that time frame a lot will transpire; European and potential Canadian elections will take place, Japan will have dented its construction requirements after the Sendai earthquake, and hopefully Glen Beck / Rush Limbaugh / Sarah Palin / John Boehner and of course Anne Coulter will remain insignificant. Organizers are hoping to raise half a billion pounds from ticket sales, at the current exchange rate it is equivalent to roughly eight hundred million US dollars.

The games last a total of 17 days including opening and closing ceremonies, and as a result will apparently yield close to forty seven million US dollars each day. Junkies forget that Olympic athletes the majority of the times are amateur athletes that are barely able to finance for national team qualification events that are held worldwide. Can we not figure out a better and more beneficial way too allocate these profits as oppose to the coffers of the IOC ? The urgency to sell tickets so early by the London Olympic Committee is justified. With such hefty and unrealistic financial expectations I would want to protect my investment also.

Nuclear energy… Never again?

2011-03-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

As the debris settles and corpses begin to be identified, Japan has transitioned from a state of shock and helplessness to a state of inquiry. How do we rebuild? How do we begin to live again? How long will this process take? The aggregate ramifications of Friday’s massive natural disaster are still not totally evident, leaving PM Naoto Kan with a wide variety of issues to address swiftly; improving the short term standard of living in the harshest hit areas, providing major domestic economic and social aide, propping up the Nikkei from collapsing and evoking foreign investment confidence. After the initial effects of the quake, the presence of PM Kan could have been justified in multiple areas. With streets in ruin and mounting deaths, it would have been more than appropriate for PM Kan to give a shot of confidence to the masses and pledge to his people that they would overcome this tragedy. Nobody in Japan or aboard would have faulted him; the scenario is reminiscent of George Bush visiting Ground Zero days after 9/11.

Instead PM Kan decided to make his first official visit to the Fukishima reactor site, which at the time was tittering on a core meltdown. As we have witnessed over the course of the last four days the threat to exposure and massive radiation fallout has increased dramatically as a result of aftershocks and a dysfunctional cooling system. PM Kan must be applauded for his logical and rational approach to prioritizing the most dangerous issues facing his country in the short and the long term. Economic stability is a critical component to Japan’s reconstruction but pales in comparison to the necessity of securing the Fukishima nuclear facility.

Although the concentration of media attention has been oriented around the economic consequences, a more pressing issue that must be investigated is the actual sustainability and level of safety regarding the use of civilian nuclear energy. In a nutshell, harnessing nuclear power is conducted by non-explosive nuclear reactions using instead fission reactions to heat water to produce steam. The junkie was shocked that by 2009 estimates, roughly 15% of the world’s electricity came from nuclear power plants. Nuclear power is an easy target to be critical of; the 1986 Chernobyl meltdown in the Ukraine and the partial Three Island meltdown in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania all demonstrate how complacency and temporary lapses in procedure can have long term devastating consequences. The exact conversation is now being fiercely debated in Germany. The 17 current nuclear power stations that provide Germany with energy have recently been extended by another 12 years after Chancellor Merkel fought off opposition to keep the plants running. Vocal opposition to nuclear energy has also developed in France as well, who despite 75 % of the energy being generated from 19 plants deem the technology to be outdated and a potential cause for concern.

Before a blanket consensus against nuclear technology is assumed, it is necessary to recognize that all the above mentioned incidents were isolated and primarily caused due to human error, not volatile science. The nuclear industry has sophisticated its energy techniques and provided a platform that could support massive energy distribution worldwide. The process of rebuilding Japan’s energy structure and grid will be complicated; administrators and experts alike should not be so quick to reconsider an alternative source without totally analyzing the benefits of this technology.

Japan's trouble is another country's gain

2011-03-14T11:37:00.000-07:00

“Bear the unbearable and endure the unendurable” Emperor Hirohito ‘s radio announcement of Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945 to America

The Friday earthquake and tsunami, that rocked Japan has reduced the country to a state of total entropy. Essential services and movement has been severely restricted, forcing emergency response teams to use unorthodox means to reach and transport victims. Despite the heroic efforts of hospitals, first response teams, and every day Japanese citizens, the torment of this situation is only now starting to fully materialize. Estimates of the death count, unconfirmed, are hovering around the 10,000 person area and will surely rise when search and rescue effort are finished. One positive in these bleak times in Japan has been the unwavering financial and social support from the international community. The support will be critical to Japan navigating through its financial and potential nuclear fallout. Although it is premature to make any sweeping assumptions, the impact of this goliath like natural disaster will have a debilitating effect on local, regional and world economies. Prior to the earthquake, Japan which represented the third largest economy in the world was experiencing some political turmoil. This is not a new phenomenon in Japanese politics as current PM Naoto Kan has been subject to votes of confidence as well as low levels of domestic support.

This incident is not for the first time the Japanese people have been asked to be resilient and strong. Japan has incurred major infrastructure damage before; from the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945, to the Great Hanshin earthquake in Kobe (southern Japan) that measured 6.8 on the Richter magnitude scale in 1995, to the current Sendai earthquake that was measured at a 9. As a result out of necessity and survival, the Japanese have developed the stamina and energy to regroup after destruction. This fortitude will prove to be their greatest resource when the daunting challenge of reconstruction starts.

The gravity of the situation in Japan cannot be underestimated, but simultaneously the junkie has made some important observations during this huge fiasco. The destruction and chaos that has engulfed Japan has yielded the perfect distraction that Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was searching for, to at least temporarily alleviate international and domestic pressure. Gaddafi has harnessed the potential of this opportunity by intensifying bombing of ‘rebel’ sites, as well as the level of violence and aggression against his open people. Japan’s recent shortcomings should not be negatively exploited by Gaddafi to permit him the license to terrorize his citizenry.

The shift in media attention has been radical to say the least; with all news coverage and all social media tools (twitter and facebook) allocating masses resources to the story in Japan. This is supremely encouraging, but the international community cannot neglect or ignore other pressing issues that still dominate the political sphere. Balancing so many complicated and opposite issues will prove to be a tireless task that often does not appear to produce tangible results. It is imperative for junkies not to assume a defeatist attitude and to press on to evoke reform and sustainable change. The junkie does not have to revert back too far to a similar incident, where social dissonance and intellectual complacency eventually capitulated with the world forgetting about the victims and abhorrent living conditions from the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The Haitian experience has taught us a lot and can prove to be a useful reference point in speculating about the Japanese future. Hopefully Japan will not be as easily forgotten as Haiti was when the world grew tired and board of their misfortunes.

Rushing for callers ... Limbaugh is not loveable

2011-03-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

"However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him" - Nicholas Boileau, 1636 -1711, French poet

The word fool is not harsh enough to describe what right wing nimrod Rush Limbaugh is. The word foolish is reserved for situations where a temporary lapse of judgment is exhibited, like it was foolish to order an additional cocktail at lunch. We are all guilty of acting foolish, especially over the weekend. What we are all not guilty of, is a delusional though process that promotes illogical ideas and dangerous messages. Rush is very much disoriented times three (the test police administer to see if your drunk or high) !!! Thankfully idiots usually commit their own self inflicted errors, and junkies Rush has made a few. Apart from being a prescription drug addict who was charged with doctor shopping in 2006 (being treated by numerous physicians for easy access to more drugs), his filter connecting his peanut brain and mouth is always broken. He never fails to give the left wing material to expose his ill-considered views. The only rival he posses in terms of sheer mental deformity is Anne Coulter, she thinks Canada participated in Vietnam, shhh don’t tell her. In 2005, The Wall Street Journal published his Op-ed piece, " I love being a conservative. We conservatives are proud of our philosophy. Unlike our liberal friends, who are constantly looking for new words to conceal their true beliefs and are in a perpetual state of reinvention, we conservatives are unapologetic about our ideals." Rush "a perpetual state of reinvention", is that not what the American spirit of capitalism in predicated on ? Reinvention is the reason you have a job. Reinvention is what is going get America out of its current economic crisis. What you are unapologetic about, is being a massive contradictory speaking infection that gradually corrodes and corrupts the airwaves of America. I almost bought a gun driving down to Boston after listening to him, true story.

This makes me feel better, an unconfirmed report today in the Huffington Post stated that Rush employed an audio service called, Premiere On Call. Premiere supplies genuine voice talent to radio shows to artificially enhance their script and better promote the host’s message. Am I surprised ? No, it kind of makes sense to the junkie, you have to be categorized as insane to ever call in to his show. In Rush fashion this report was crudely addressed today on his nation wide syndicated radio show where he vehemently denied these charges. His detractors he claims, the liberal media are the culprit behind this defamation. Them are fighting words Rush !!! Maybe you should have finished university before picking fights and making sweeping assumptions against the intellectual elite of America ? I hope to God a portion or even a sliver of this story is credible, MSNBC will not be able to keep with the demand for coverage on this. Please rehire Keith Olberman you will not regret it !!!

Re-Writing the Right in France

2011-03-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

The power players of Europe never remain constant. The lack of political continuity and large influx of power transitions has long dominated the political experience of the continent, resulting in an ever changing sphere of power and influence. From the House of Medici in Florence, 14^th century, to the Napoleonic Wars of 1803 -1815, to the Austria-Hungarian Empire of 1867-1918, maintaining prolonged supremacy is a daunting challenge that is ever rarely successive. The contemporary composition of European politics is now less oriented around territorial gain and concentrated more towards collective co-operation. Junkies must recognize that this concept is not unanimously accepted. The impact of this concept will be tested and debated in great length as multiple European presidential elections are set to take place in the next 24 months ; Germany 2013, Spain 2012, and France 2012. England and Portugal recently held their elections, resulting in David Cameron defeating Gordon Brown and José Sócrates retaining power.

Despite Germany almost single handedly saving austerity ridden Greece and Ireland (Spain and Portugal are close) to prop up the Euro, by far the most fascinating upcoming European election has to be that in France. Nicolas Bruni, I mean Sarkozy who assumed power after Jacques Chirac in 2007 has experienced many positives and negatives domestically. Under Chirac French policies towards trade, especially in regards to the USA, as well as social and government reform had become farcical. France’s European swagger and mystic had all but eroded. Insert Sarkozy who has stood strong on major issues despite major unpopularity on issues like the minimum retirement age, over hauling government spending as well as his notorious relationship with Italian model and singer Carla Bruni. Ohhh Silvio you got some major competition !!!! Unfortunately for Sarkozy his competition in the upcoming election is not just any women (comment if you dislike Ségolène Royal), she is a "Le Pen".

In a recent online poll conducted by Le Parisien, results show that Marine Le Pen daughter of ultra-nationalistic right wing fanatic Jean-Maire Le Pen would secure enough support to qualify for the second round of presidential voting. Although the reliability of the poll is in question, her remarkable 23 % is two full percentage points ahead of Sarkozy. Despite the anti-immigrant and anti-abortion rhetoric which composes much of her platform policies, average French woman seem to respond well to her message and image. Junkies of Europe be scared, what is most dangerous about her is that unlike Sarah Palin she is educated, experienced, and adequately financed. Le Pen’s legitimacy as a Presidential candidate must not be taken for granted. Any ignorance displayed by Sarkozy in his campaign preparation could significantly diminish his chance of re-election.

What is most troubling about this potential scenario in France is that the right wing culture that supports restrictive immigration, privatization of state responsibilities (health care, prisons) and outdated social laws has found a solid footing and following. The junkie is still trying to figure out how Le Pen’s daughter has garnered so much support in such a short amount of time as head La Front National. Hopefully the combination of Sarkozy’s resourcefulness, support by influential contacts, and tireless work schedule will be sufficient enough to combat the threat of Le Pen winning.

Lousy times in Lahore

2011-03-03T15:59:00.001-08:00

Barack can’t really be happy he is President. I just don’t believe that one individual regardless of their academic pedigree, possess the stamina and intellectual ability to accurately gauge every domestic and international situation put his way. Obama’s domestic agenda, which had been relatively on course with many of his promises during his election campaign, has been forced to reprioritize his agenda. The looming budget show down with the GOP in Washington and the fiasco dominating Wisconsin has stifled any chance at more liberalized reform in America. Comment if you dislike John Boehner ! Internationally, the recent murder of two U.S Airmen in Frankfurt as well as the ongoing toppling of Middle Eastern and Maghreb regimes continues to occupy his time. In an earlier confession, the junkie exposed the spy story about CIA contractor Raymond Davis who allegedly murdered two Pakistani’s thieves in Lahore. Some attempts at finding a diplomatic and beneficial resolution based on Davis qualifying for diplomatic status under Geneva Convention have now completely been abandoned. The seriousness of the situation is supported by CIA chief Leon Panetta’s direct involvement now with his counterpart in the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence)

As more information begins to surface, junkies have learned two important facts that were not initially known about the case. First, Davis’s purpose as an “administrative” member of the consult was not to collect and store reports. Again this is not confirmed and only speculative information, but it appears that his cover story was to enable him to gather information and reconnaissance on the Lashkar-e-Taiba group. The United States and European Union have classified Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terrorist group that receives safe haven and preferential treatment from the current Pakistani administration of President Asif Ali Zaradi. The mandate of Lashkar-e-Taiba is to cultivate and introduce an authentic Islamic state in South Asia, while also liberating their Muslims brothers residing in Indian Kashmir. Second, the CIA’s decision to hold direct and frank talks about Davis most likely confirm the above mentioned reports. Although the CIA has had the distinguished honor of criticizing the ISI in the past, for the first time the ISI has some tangible leverage in negotiations. It’s unclear what they will be motivated to gain in return. To further complicate matters, because the situation as it stands was not hard enough already for Obama, both the US and Pakistan will have to deal with a massive public fallout from the streets of Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad. Expect some flag burning !

2011-03-02T15:34:00.001-08:00

Beating a Belarusian

2011-03-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

The junkie is still undecided if he wants to visit Minsk anytime soon. It’s not thing against the people of Belarus, or even former Soviet States, apparently all that hunting they do contributes to a mean beef and mushroom stew. No I’m hesitant about visiting the former Warsaw Pact ally state, due its lackadaisical policy on observing human rights. Long time President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994, has dismantled any form of political or social opposition by enforcing his will through violence and torture. Since he has assumed power, many international regulatory election associations have fiercely discredited the three apparent ‘legitimate’ election results. Apart from the beef stew and our love of hockey, Lukashenko and the junkie do not have much in common. State wide protest criticizing the “transparency” of the government held on December 19, resulted in multiple arrests based on charges of public incitement. One victim of the mass arbitrary detention was opposition candidate Ales Mikhalevich. Mr. Mikhalevich who was recently released, confirmed what the international community has been exposing for some time but failed to act on, that Lukashenko uses both physical and mental torture to dissuade opposition. The incident involving Mr. Mikhalevich is not an isolated incident, and in fact composes only one small element of a worldwide inability to protect human rights.

Charting human rights abuse is not difficult; it constitutes one of the oldest aspects of organized society. Society has apparently civilized incrementally, weeding out areas that are categorized as unprogressive and barbaric. Curious I don’t know if former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ever got that memo? Can you say Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib ? It’s adorable to periodically hear from world leaders, especially those from the West, who preach the need to reduce crimes against humanity and outlaw torture. It is blatantly obvious that the Western political community intentionally neglects and ignores human rights when it is convenient for their agenda. A major disproportionality exists between what they theorize about and what actually materializes, this is not an accident. Western governments trade and interact daily with regimes that trample human rights, if they didn’t who would we trade with ? There are few places in the world that are immune to this horrific phenomenon, it seems to be enhanced and ultra prevalent in developing regions like Africa, South Asia <HELLO CHINA>, the Middle East, and South America. This brings us full circle with President Lukashenko, who still as a ruler of a ‘semi’ European state ignores any request or calls to halt his treatment of political prisoners. If we can’t fix Belarus which is the closest country in proximity to United Nations offices in Geneva, what makes us think we have a tangible chance of correcting the rest of the world ? Are continual empty stance on human rights in the West must change or in times of unrest and civil disobedience we could all become victims like Mr. Mikhalevich.

Dior and Dumbow walk into a Paris Café

2011-03-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

It’s hard not to like radical and wild British fashion designer John Galliano. For a long time now professionals and socialites alike, have diluted their fashion sense with predictable and bland outfits from couture templates. YES haute couture was more like yuck couture, let’s forget the shoulder pads of the 1980’s please !!! Galliano who was born in Gibraltar, an overseas British territory in Spain has been making waves for a considerable time in fashion. Prior to assuming the title of head designer at the house of Dior, his work was critically acclaimed internationally being named British designer of the year on multiple occasions. His unusual sense of style and inspiration was highlighted by his 1984 nascent collection, Les Incroyables, which was inspired by the French Revolution of 1789.

Expect for his pencil thin mustache, not many people would assume that Galliano and former Fuhrer of the Nazi regime Adolf Hitler had much in common. Well today in Paris junkies all found out Galliano did, and it’s not for men in uniform. Despite the unconfirmed reports and shady video swirling around the internet, Galliano apparently at a Paris Café uttered the words “I love Hitler” and issued a strikingly offensive anti-Semitic statement to some of its customers. “People like you would be dead today – your mothers, your forefathers would be gassed” Not only are these comments unacceptable and deplorable, they confirm the high levels of anti-Semitism that still exist in Europe and abroad. There is no reasonable or logical explanation for such comments. Galliano’s reckless behavior was appropriately dealt with as he was justly sacked and heavily condemned at Dior.

There is no question that Galliano not only resurrected a stagnant Dior brand, but also re-energized the fashion world. THIS DOES NOT GIVE HIM LICENSE TO ACT FASCIST, OR ABUSE THE CONCEPT OF FREE SPEECH. The risks he took not only paid major dividends financially, but solidified his status as a fashion icon and phoenix. Just like the fall of Paris to the Nazis, Galliano has simultaneously fallen to the Nazis. Predictably a statement will be issued shortly on his behalf, apologizing for his lewd and obscene actions. Some lucky fashion house will get his damaged goods and talent a bargain basement price, there will be some fallout and collateral damage to any acquisition of his services. The risk is worth it though, I think? Supreme credit must be give to Dior’s administration team who unequivocally reacted with confidence in a timely matter and expelled one of their most important assets. Dior’s core competencies might have diminished, but their ethical and moral determination to uphold basic human dignity rallies the brand beyond expectations.

How to forget religion the Turkish way

2011-02-28T09:09:00.000-08:00

The junkie has concentrated a vast majority of his recent confessions to the ongoing political strife in the le Maghreb and the Middle East. It’s hard not to be fixed and consumed by such an epic event. As the birthplace of civilization, the region for an extended period has suffered from a chronic abuse of power, lack of transparency, and low standard of living. This model for governance served its purpose unilaterally for the elite and royalty of the region. Thankfully after much turmoil and oppression, the cyclical theme of tyranny is on the decline. The new Middle East must ensure that their new democratic experience excludes the use of religious doctrine as a primary tool in policy making.

While everybody is only now catching up, Turkey has been the role model of Islamic based countries, perfecting the balance between observing religion and effective government. Ataturk who founded the country after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1923 explicitly drafted the framework of the country to react positively to Western principles like international commerce and creative technologies. Did this decision as a consequence dilute the religious observance of Turks? Not in the slightest, Turks like other Muslims commit themselves five times a day to prayer and hold the Qur’an scripture in high regard. The relationship between religion and government cannot co-exist; unfortunately Turkey’s first Islamist PM Necmettin Erbakan didn’t get the memo. Erbakan who led the Islamist based Welfare Party, was PM from June 1996 to June 1997, died yesterday at the age of 84. His death underlines the necessity that governments regardless of the region cannot use religious prescription to resolve societal issues, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Erbakan who surprisingly won 20% of the vote in the 1995 general election, influenced little change. His one year mandate demonstrated the low level of support from Turks. Turkey’s devotion to continual societal progress was confirmed again in 1998 when the Welfare Party was deemed illegitimate by Turkey’s Constitutional Court based on charges of undermining the strict secular political system.

I mentioned in an earlier confession that the Middle East needs to reach out for advice to best become a sustainable democratic region. Middle East if it is too hard at first to ask that bullying buddy the WEST, maybe your brothers in Turkey could have you over for a chit chat about democracy and religion.

Too Ripe for Reform ? part 2

2011-02-27T17:03:00.000-08:00

In order to best understand the current Middle Eastern situation, it is necessary and beneficial to go backwards. Anglo-Irish political scientist Edmund Burke has been dead for some time, yet he stills seems to remain current and have a valid opinion about the volatile situation. In Burke’s political manifesto, Reflections on the Revolution in France, 1790, he charts the “unjustified” cause leading up to the revolution, and the subsequent consequences of such a rash change in government. A constructive method to analysis the protests in the Middle East would be to review the fall of “ Les ancien regimes d’Europe”. When we conceptualize the French revolution certain distinct images are evoked; the fall of the Bastille, abolition of feudalism, and the execution of Louis XVI. Apply these facts to any one Middle East country experiencing protests and they seem identical. Like the Middle East now, democracy was a foreign concept in Europe as Kingdoms dominated the political form of governance. Just like the dictators now who bock at surrendering power, it was no different then. The Middle East must learn from the mistakes and faults from Europe in order to maximize their democratic potential. Arabs don’t often like acknowledging they are in need of help and resources, why would they it’s the cradle of civilization. An exception must be made for such a monumental event, as taking some European advice is for the utilitarian benefit of the region. DON’T BE SELFISH

Some of Burke’s most scathing criticism related to the French Revolution oriented around the revolutionaries disregard for institutionalized principles and needs, the incomplete foundations for justifying the revolution , and failing to appreciate the complexity of the relationship between human nature and the needs of society., “ The legislators who framed the ancient republic knew that their business was too arduous to be accomplished… They had to do with men, and they were obliged to study human nature. “The masses that gathered at Tahir Square and abroad must recognize this feature of their revolution and not allow complacency to dictate policy and legislation. Intertwining all the collective elements of a sustainable democratic system will face inevitable obstacles, the continual reorganization and analysis of policy will be the true indicator of the success of the democratic experience in the Middle East.

Compared to the French Revolution, Burke outlined the foundation for recourse for which the English people possessed:

“ … by the principles of the Revolution, the people of England have three fundamental rights, all which, with him, compose one system and lie together in one short sentence, namely, that we have acquired a right :

(1) To choose our own governors

(2) To cashier them for misconduct

(3) To frame a government for ourselves

The theatre of revolution does not follow a unilateral blueprint or hinge on specifics. Its manifestation is always predicated on circumstance and the will of the people. Burke is not correct or incorrect about the repercussions of the French Revolution, it is just his opinion. The justifications for the mass reform in the Middle East are very much justified and in the opinion of this junkie long overdue. Please new Middle East ask for advice we like the new look at lot in the West !!!!!

Too Ripe for Reform ? part 1

2011-02-27T16:10:00.000-08:00

The recent political entropy that has engulfed le Maghreb and the Middle East appears only to be picking up in momentum. The unpredictability of the situation continues to surprise analysts and experts alike, as the January collapse of Ben Ali’s government in Tunisia has capitulated the entire region into a state of protests and revolts. The junkie again has to recognize the removal of the House of Hosni in Cairo. This accomplishment cannot be undervalued, as the stamina of regular Egyptian protestors eclipsed the once steel-breaded Mubarak. The collapse of Mubarak certainly appeared to have signaled the potential end for other countless regimes; Kingdom of Bahrain, Libya, Syria, and Yemen. As noted in previous confessions is Saudi Arabia about to shake ? The possibility can no longer be disregarded as easily as it was only a short month ago.

Very similarly to the waning days of the Soviet Union in the late 1980’s and earl 1990’s, Lech Walesa’s influence in Poland, a parallel situation appears to be spawning across the Arab world. It was unthinkable and farfetched to the citizenry of these countries that they possessed the capacity to break these impenetrable and ultra intimidating regimes. As the last couple of months have demonstrated, some dictators are more than willing than others to subject their citizens to death and violence in an attempt to cling to the little power and legitimacy they still have. As regime changes in Tunisia and Egypt were met with limited hostility towards protestors, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya has anchored his policy of power in violence and empty rhetoric. Junkies collectively stand in unison for Libya’s already fallen and those on the front lines who have been forced to protect themselves from their own government. Gaddafi has shown no restraint or compassion for his own people, ordering the military to target anti-government rallies, thankfully some Libyan military personal are still rational defecting to Malta after refusing to comply with order to bomb civilian targets.

An effect of the regional protests that has failed to garner any analysis that is significant to identify is the staggering rate of rapid revolutionary action and the political framework that accompanies it. Nobody has stopped and asked if the region can actually handle such a high turnover rate of disposed dictators. This begs the question, is the radical shift in newly promoted transitional governments going to encourage and sustain democratic reform or merely resemble it in the short term ? I get the feeling that the mass change has come too fast leaving the citizens susceptible to incur massive mistakes in constructing their proper democratic system. The democratic experience in the Middle East is underway and very much influx, let’s hope the rate of change is paralleled with the ability to cope with the change …. For everybody’s sake !!!

The Hidden War in Washington

2011-02-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

The relationship between the Presidency and the Pentagon has not always been harmonious. The tension between the political executive and the armed forces has usually been more exacerbated under Democratic administrations. Who could forget the military fallout that President Kennedy experienced after the 1961 Bay of Pigs fiasco. The antagonistic trend with left leaning presidents seems to be continuing with Obama. The civilian leadership and command of defense resources has always irked many high ranking military officials. Their frustration is often fuelled by their perception that certain Presidents lack experience and the knowhow of military principles and needs. One of the greatest contemporary needs of the American military is financing, and lots of it !!! That issue like other American sectors that are desperate for the replenishment of funds revolves around the current budget crisis that is dominating the House and Senate. As usual not much progress has been made, nor will it likely materialize in the near future. Please comment if you dislike Speaker of the House John Boehner J

Unlike the Department of Agriculture or any other non-militarized department, the Pentagon has always had a competitive advantage in securing their funding, “The national defense of America must supersede any other priority” Although today, things must be getting pretty desperate at the Pentagon. The ongoing debate surrounding governmental budget reform has forced defense strategist to employ an unconventional form of persuasion to guarantee their defense increases. In a startling story that surfaced last week, Lt Gen William Caldwell while lobbying for additional funding for Afghan troop training allegedly exercised the use of trained “psy-ops” personnel to aid him in persuading legislators to support the Pentagon’s budget increase. In a scene that is somewhat reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984 “Thought Police”, the military application of information warfare on civilians, especially lawmakers is remarkably disturbing and desperate. According to the U.S Department of Defense, psychological warfare is define as : The planned use of propaganda and other psychological actions having the primary purpose of influencing the opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behavior of hostile foreign groups in such as to support the achievement of national objectives” Funny how restrictive the definition is regarding its use domestically.

The Pentagon has categorically denied these claims, despite the Gen Caldwell demanding for a “deep analysis of pressure points” regarding legislators weakness’s. The legislators in this case are notable, and include former Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain, as well as former Democratic Vice President Candidate Joe Liberman. For the junkies of the world, is it wildly insane to assume the American military has used these methods before on lawmakers and on its civilian population for control purposes? If they did, would we really ever know? After all they did invade Iraq without finding any WMD. Without credible and substantial evidence it would be reckless to assume such a dangerous precedent. Please junkies, lets hold some intellectual standards to our analysis.

I guess all we can hope for is that we don’t have the same misfortunes of Winston Smith, “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself – anything that carried with if the suggestion of abnormality, or having something to hide.” Chapter 5 , Nineteen eighty-four

Barack is busy and about to get busier in Lahore diplomatic row

2011-02-22T09:43:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama is a busy president; domestically he has had to continually fend off Republicans desire to repeal his health care bill and cut government spending, while internationally, he has had to sit patiently and react appropriately to the civilian protests engulfing the Middle East and Northern Africa. Unfortunately for the President, he is about to get a little bit busier in South Asia. A touchy and complicated situation involving an ‘ apparent ‘ US consulate employee accused of murder and possession of illegal weapons is reaching its tipping point in Lahore, Pakistan. Since January 27, Raymond Allen Davis, 36, has been in Pakistani police custody for murdering two Pakistanis. Davis has constantly reiterated that it was an act of self-defense as he was being threaten and robbed by the two men. The public outrage of the incident has quickly intensified, with mobs of protestors calling for his immediate execution. What has complicated the prosecution of Davis in Pakistan is the longstanding Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations, 1961. Based on this convention, diplomatic immunity is granted to all non citizens working for consulates and embassies in foreign countries. Diplomat’s accused of a crime are given safe passage home and are not subject to lawsuits or imprisonment under the host country’s law. Davis has been imprisoned for almost an entire month, questioning the commitment the Pakistani government has to this binding international convention.

It will not be easy for Barack for tip toe around this situation. Since the departure of former general and president Pervez Musharraf, the inconsistent level of support from Pakistan related to the War on Terror and their somewhat ‘hostile’ conduct towards India has frustrated Washington. What once was considered a major ally for the US on the War on Terror has quickly slumped, despite the mass financial aid Pakistan receives each year, estimated to be at $1, 5 billion annually. What makes this unique incident so volatile, is the recent report from the BBC and The Guardian, that suggest Davis was covertly contracted by the CIA to work in Lahore. In a true tangible sign of panic, Obama sent top diplomatic problem solver and former Democratic Presidential nominee John Kerry to Islamabad to resolve the issue, he flew home empty handed. Pakistani authorities have issued a March 14 deadline date to determine if Davis qualifies for diplomatic immunity. If Kerry’s failed attempt to get Davis’s release was not discouraging enough for Washington, one of the widows of Davis’s victims hung herself citing that the government would not be able to properly administer justice. Pressure to satisfy the angry masses in Lahore will not be an easy task.

It is unlikely that the activity of this situation will be dampened anytime soon. The citizenry of Pakistan are fiercely anti-American and have no qualms about playing out a long and hostile protest towards their government. What seems to be the unpredictable element in this scenario is to who the Pakistani government will eventually yield to; their financing Western ally, or their disenfranchised population? The polarization the government’s potential option only heightens how difficult it will be to remedy the situation for both parties involved.

Attached is the article by The Guardian that gives a comprehensive breakdown of Davis’s past training and the very undiplomatic like materials confiscated from his car the day of the shooting. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/20/us-raymond-davis-lahore-cia?INTCMP=SRCH