More on troops to Afghanistan

E-mail to Congress:

I listened to Pres. Obama's talk from West Point concerning why he was sending 30,000 more ground troops to Afghanistan.

He didn't say anything we already didn't know. Basically, he claimed to be doing so for "security" reasons. He didn't say what "security". He sort of skirted around the fact that Pakistan has atomic weapons, and he doesn't want those atomic weapons to fall into the hands of Al Qaeda or Taliban.

I found it much more interesting that later all the pundits were discussing the timetable of withdrawal, without any significant attention to the atomic weapon aspect. There was no mention of Western Europe or Russia, as their even having the slightest interest in the affair. It was as if they are somehow immune to any effects of atomic weapons falling into the hands of rogue countries. The pundit discussion was only about the United States and what it could and would do. There was some reference to all the great help that the NATO countries would contribute to the ground forces. In fact, Great Britain will send 500, and Italy later said they would send 1000. Is that a significant contribution compared to our sending 30,000? Will France, Germany, and Spain do it? Not on your life. The European Union has always taken the attitude that if there is tough work to be done, "let George (the US) do it".

Lets assume the worst for a minute. Let's assume that Al Qaeda and Taliban form a partnership and collectively they are able to confiscate the atomic weapons of Pakistan. So what? The partnership has no animosity toward Russia, Spain, European Union countries in general? Wrong! They will strike where it will be the easiest to strike, and that will not be the US. They have no intercontinental ballistic missiles for delivery and smuggling an atomic weapon into the US by sea and overland would be extremely difficult, compared to a nice drop on a close European country. Do you think that European countries haven't already anticipated this? They have! They are just waiting for bankrupt US to handle the problem for them, go deeper into debt, fall apart at the seams, and then they will see what they have to do on their own.

Troops to Afghanistan

E-mail to Representative Neugebauer:


I have read your November 30 Newsletter.

I see that you are basically in support of sending additional troops to Afghanistan. I am not, although I retain an open mind to see what President Obama offers in the way of strategy in his talk this evening.

The tentative reason for my position is that we should not be "nation-building". We have tried this before at great cost and have always failed. We obviously can't afford it now, with all of the ridiculous expenditures that Congress and the President have approved to astronomically increase our government debt and fiscal deficit.

If it is not "nation-building", but more a matter of security for the American public, there are other ways to obtain that security without ground troops. If the CIA has any validity, we have covert capability to determine locations of potential threat. These could be handled by significant strikes through use of intercontinental ballistic missiles or traditional aerial bombardment. Keep in mind also that both Russia and China have a stake in avoiding the use of atomic weapons by maverick countries or groups.

Now that President Obama has decided to send more troops, I hope his evening presentation will clearly define why we are doing so.


I think you are right on target with respect to "Climate Gate

Car Company Bailouts

E-mail to Congress:

EIN News says, "Saab Likely to Close As GM Fails to Sell Car Brand. A deal for General Motors Co. to sell Saab to a specialty carmaker has collapsed, leaving the storied Swedish brand born from jets in 1947 close to extinction. Koenigsegg Group AB, a consortium formed by Swedish luxury sports car maker Koenigsegg Automotive AB, said Tuesday it pulled out of the deal in part because it was unable to agree with investors on how best to move the brand from mass-market to premium. (google.com)".

This is good. There are too many car companies producing too many cars for the available market. The less efficient ones, with respect to market needs, should fail. If we can just get governments to keep their hands off the situation and let market forces work, rather than use bailouts, the situation will improve.

Patenting Ideas

EIN News says, "U.S. Supreme Court to Decide When Ideas Deserve Patents. It all started in 1997 when a little-known company wanted to patent a method for letting customers of utility companies pay a fixed, predictable sum each month. The patent office rejected their application on the grounds that it was "an abstract idea that simply solves a mathematical problem." Huge legal expenses and 13 years later, the two men behind the case, Bernard Bilski and Rand Warsaw, had their day in the U.S. Supreme Court on November 9. Most legal experts though, agreed that the duo had no chance of victory. (einnews.com)".

The obvious answer to this one is, "never". Ideas are a dime a dozen. They do have value as initiators for inventors to do work to obtain a bona fide practical invention. Even with this limitation, many inventions that qualify and achieve patent status have no practical value. Those inventions have been a waste of time and money for the inventor and for the US Patent and Trademark Office. If we start patenting ideas, we will be compounding the problems of a patent system, which is already overloaded, even when using the traditional limitations.

The meaning of "had their day in the US Supreme Court" is not clear. Perhaps it means that the court was obtaining information on which to decide whether to take the case. If so, I hope it gets no farther than that.

Americans Struggling Against Starvation

EIN News says, "New Report Says 50 Million Americans 'Struggle to Get Enough to Eat'. The nation's economic crisis has catapulted the number of Americans who lack enough food to the highest level since the government has been keeping track, according to a new federal report, which shows that nearly 50 million people -- including almost one child in four -- struggled last year to get enough to eat. (washingtonpost.com)".

I am always suspicious of astounding statements not supported by sufficient data. In this case, I suspect the unnamed federal department, which made the unspecified federal report, is motivated to establish that only big government can care for "the poor and indigent". Since most people are concerned with their own lives, government tries to establish a public compassion, whereby they will obtain approval to use public money for such projects.

Before we move down the abused compassion road, we need to ask a few other questions. How many of the 50 million starving people live in a family with the car (luxury)? In a family with one or more TVs (luxury)? Have a cell phone (luxury)? Receive food stamps (already on the dole)? Smoke (luxury)? Drink alcoholic beverages (luxury)? Use illegal drugs (obviously illegal)? Have been to a bar in the last week (luxury)? Have attended a sporting event or rock concert within the last month (luxury)? Are registered as unemployed but not looking for work (on the dole)? I bet I can think of others, but this is enough for starters.

Would the unnamed federal agency be so kind as to address those questions of the previous paragraph and publicly announce the date in an understandable form, such as percent of food struggling persons having the described asset or benefit?

Torture of Al Qaeda Suspects

EIN News says, "CIA Secret 'Torture' Prison Found at Fancy Horseback Riding Academy in Lithuania. The CIA built one of its secret European prisons inside an exclusive riding academy outside Vilnius, Lithuania, a current Lithuanian government official and a former U.S. intelligence official told ABC News this week. Where affluent Lithuanians once rode show horses and sipped coffee at a café, the CIA installed a concrete structure where it could use harsh tactics to interrogate up to eight suspected al-Qaeda terrorists at a time.
(abcnews.go.com)".

Torturing and the use of truth drugs on suspected Al Qaeda terrorists should be standard practice. Congratulations to the CIA. Maybe they are not the bunch of pantywaists I previously suspected.

I don't know what the use of an exclusive riding academy outside Vilnius has to do with it. It seems interrogation could be done anywhere. I also question the need for secrecy. It is likely that if Al Qaeda knows of the existence of such facilities and practices, they would be less aggressive. For those of public faint heart who might believe that this would intensify Al Qaeda antagonism, don't you believe it. These people already have an extreme ideology to the extent that they commit suicide in their operations.

Terrorist Trial in New York

E-mail to Sen. Cornyn:

I have read your, "Sen. Cornyn: Putting Political Ideology Ahead of the Safety of the American People is Irresponsible".
Congratulations!

I believe you are now seeing that the socialist Obama Administration is one to fight against.

While it would be nice to have cooperation between the Administration and Congress, and we have previously had that, there comes a time when demonstrating disagreement is absolutely necessary. This is the time.

You and your Associates have already given President Obama too many of his ridiculous requests. Cite bailouts as an example. It is past time to backtrack.