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Captain Mark Towner
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Updated 9 Point Plan on How to Win Over Iraq and the War on Terror
Originally Posted on Tuesday, December 12, 2006
How to Win Over Iraq and the War on Terror
By Mark E. Towner, Salt Lake City UtahTo show the people of Iraq that the United States wants their country to be free from terrorists and allow them to pursue peace, happiness, and prosperity the United States should propose to the people of Iraq the following.
How to Win Over Iraq and the War on Terror
By Mark E. Towner, Salt Lake City UtahTo show the people of Iraq that the United States wants their country to be free from terrorists and allow them to pursue peace, happiness, and prosperity the United States should propose to the people of Iraq the following.
(1) The United States will agree to deploy US forces to Iraq totaling (500,000) from January 1, 2008 to January 1, 2010.
(2) The President will then ask all healthy former servicemen and women up to age 65 including all former Vietnam veterans, reserve, and current military to re-up for a six month to a one year rotation in Iraq.
(3) The President would call upon young Americans to volunteer a 1-2 year service mission to assist the rebuilding of the infrastructure of Iraq.
(4) The United States Military will totally seal off the boarders of Iraq, not allowing any entry into Iraq. All supplies into Iraq will be brought in by US convoy.
(5) The reserve and older ex military personal would secure the Iraq boarders using the latest technology available and guard and protect the oil fields and pipelines. This experience will also help us to perfect how to secure our own boarders here in the United States.
(6) I would expect over 1 million signups of former military alone. I would expect 1-2 million US volunteer’s to assist in rebuilding Iraq if they can be assured of security in the nation.
(7) The active Military would completely seal Baghdad and other hot zones in Iraq. They would also surround small remote towns and order its evacuation, giving the residents 48 hours to leave. Then the military would do a clean sweep of any terrorists. Once the town was secure, the US volunteer’s would move into the town and rebuild the homes, infrastructure, electricity, phone service, internet etc. and just like on the TV show, these efforts would be documented and reported 24 hours a day worldwide.
(8) When completed, the residents would be allowed to return to their homes where they would have clean water, sewer, electricity, etc. After this procedure has been repeated over and over, the minds and hearts of the people will be changed. The people will turn against the terrorists and they themselves will police their own neighborhoods and once again take pride in their community and country.
(9) In December 2010, all the troops including all the Old Vietnam Veterans, the Volunteer’s, everyone can come home to the arms of a grateful nation, and the people of the world will again respect and thank America.
Mark E. Towner
The Political Spyglass
801.502.9134
Where is the Spine in Congress?
Originally Posted Friday, December 15, 2006
Those Who Do Not Learn From The Mistakes of History...?
The Left has been trying for some time now to morph the War on Terror into another Vietnam.
Those Who Do Not Learn From The Mistakes of History...?
The Left has been trying for some time now to morph the War on Terror into another Vietnam.
Vietnam, My Lai, pullout, deadline, cutoff -- all the old remembrances are returning, as the graying antiwar generation of the 1960s will not go quietly into the night.
Abu Ghraib and Haditha are the new Tiger Cages and napalm; George Bush is the Johnson or Nixon of our age; and 'no blood for oil' is similar to the old mythical conspiracies of why we were in Vietnam."And the report gives the Left just what it wants -- surrender; albeit with high-minded words and a pretty package.
And what will happen if we follow the report's recommendations and leave before the job is done... before the Iraqis are able to handle this situation themselves... before we have reasonable assurances that Americans will be safe from future terrorist attacks?Hanson has a few words on that as well:
Once we leave, the killing starts in earnest, not 20 or 30 per day, but wholesale slaughter of any Iraqis who taught school, or were clean shaven and wore Western dress, or fought to save Iraq. Millions of refugees flee to the West. Those who stay are killed or 'reeducated.' Islamism, like Communism, is empowered with the American defeat... Americans abroad will be ripe targets, since, like the Iranian hostage taking of 1979, there will be an unspoken assurance that the United States would not dare risk another Iraq/Vietnam.
Remember what happened when we let politicians run the war in Vietnam from thousands of miles away and pulled out before the South Vietnamese were ready to defend themselves?Mass murderer Ho Chi Minh executed and imprisoned numberless Vietnamese. Millions died. Hundreds of thousands fled the country, including the desperate boat people, many of whom drowned or died of exposure.
With American troops gone, the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot, a communist terrorist, took control of Cambodia; and during his reign of terror, 2 million Cambodians died of starvation, torture or execution -- approximately 30% of the Cambodian population.It can happen again! If we accept the recommendations of this report and cut and run, radical Islam will win and it WILL happen again!But it could be much worse this time!
Osama bin Laden, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Syria's leader Bashar Assad, the suicide bombers who kill in the name of Allah -- will see our withdrawal as the final defeat of America ("the Great Satan").
America will be humiliated by a bunch of third-world thugs -- drunk on ideology -- who will win because they believed while Americans doubted.
And we will see brutality that will shock the world as America's enemies realize they can strike at us at home and abroad with impunity because our political leaders lack the will to do what must be done!
That's why patriotic Americans MUST take action NOW!
Senators Hatch and Bennett, PLEASE DO SOMETHING!
Originally Posted by on January 16, 2004
Again on Tuesday, January 31, 2006
A Foreign Legion to Protect Our Borders?
Identification — I have been pondering recently about the Immigration proposal presented by President Bush, and how this does little to protect our southern boarders. Additionally we need the creation of a National ID / Work Card / Drivers License for all non US citizens. This would eliminate the practice of illegal aliens getting Driver’s Licenses in Utah, then moving to another state and getting a drivers License there using the Utah License as ID. Any non US citizen when pulled over for a traffic citation would present their ID card and this would alert the police that this person is not a US citizen, and they should do a little more checking before just writing a citation and letting them go.
As for driving, when they can demonstrate in the state of their jurisdiction the ability to pass both a written and practical test, their ID cards would be embossed with driving privileges from that state. This must be accomplished in 90 days upon arrival to the US. This would allow tourists visiting the US to be able to rent cars while here in the US without this restriction. (Since my original post in 2004, some of these ideas have been implemented)
Border Security — I would propose the creation of a "USA Foreign Legion" run and administered by the US Marine Corps. This force would recruit foreign nationals to enlist for 4 years. After successfully completing the normal Marine Corps Training program (failure of this training program would return them to the country of origin) they would be trained for a new Horse Calvary unit that would be stationed all along the southern border.
Although fully armed for any situation, these forces would be specially trained to intercept, and control border incursions using high tech non lethal measures. Those illegal aliens intercepted would be photographed and fingerprinted, then after processing they would be immediately flown by Chinook helicopter back over the border to a deportation base in Mexico.
Utilizing the old US Army training manuals for the upkeep of the animals, feeding, grooming, etc will keep these troops fairly busy.
After successfully serving a 4 year stint in the legion, they would be given fast track status for US citizenship.
They could choose to re-enlist into the regular Army, or continue with this force.
This force also could be deployed anywhere in the world for peacekeeping proposes, reserving our shock fighting forces for quick deployment.
Coordinated ops with military helicopter units along the boarder directing the cavalry forces to the locations of incursion, these forces by utilizing infrared and other Military technology would finally secure our southern boarder.
The benefits to the US would be a bilingual force that is familiar with the region, creates an avenue to US citizenship, and they are trained soldiers who are proud to be part of the US military. Upon honorary discharge they could enter the US civilian status with the education and tools to be successful in life.
How to Secure Air Travel — To travel by air in the United States, you should have a passport.
The new generation passports should have RF ID chips and holographic pictures that can be read automatically when you go through security.
Arm the pilots, X-ray all cargo and baggage and create special transponder beacon codes that airline flights are assigned that they must squawk at a designated time during the trip.
Originally Posted by on January 16, 2004 03:37 AM
Again on Tuesday, January 31, 2006
A Foreign Legion to Protect Our Borders?
Identification — I have been pondering recently about the Immigration proposal presented by President Bush, and how this does little to protect our southern boarders. Additionally we need the creation of a National ID / Work Card / Drivers License for all non US citizens. This would eliminate the practice of illegal aliens getting Driver’s Licenses in Utah, then moving to another state and getting a drivers License there using the Utah License as ID. Any non US citizen when pulled over for a traffic citation would present their ID card and this would alert the police that this person is not a US citizen, and they should do a little more checking before just writing a citation and letting them go.
As for driving, when they can demonstrate in the state of their jurisdiction the ability to pass both a written and practical test, their ID cards would be embossed with driving privileges from that state. This must be accomplished in 90 days upon arrival to the US. This would allow tourists visiting the US to be able to rent cars while here in the US without this restriction. (Since my original post in 2004, some of these ideas have been implemented)
Border Security — I would propose the creation of a "USA Foreign Legion" run and administered by the US Marine Corps. This force would recruit foreign nationals to enlist for 4 years. After successfully completing the normal Marine Corps Training program (failure of this training program would return them to the country of origin) they would be trained for a new Horse Calvary unit that would be stationed all along the southern border.
Although fully armed for any situation, these forces would be specially trained to intercept, and control border incursions using high tech non lethal measures. Those illegal aliens intercepted would be photographed and fingerprinted, then after processing they would be immediately flown by Chinook helicopter back over the border to a deportation base in Mexico.
Utilizing the old US Army training manuals for the upkeep of the animals, feeding, grooming, etc will keep these troops fairly busy.
After successfully serving a 4 year stint in the legion, they would be given fast track status for US citizenship.
They could choose to re-enlist into the regular Army, or continue with this force.
This force also could be deployed anywhere in the world for peacekeeping proposes, reserving our shock fighting forces for quick deployment.
Coordinated ops with military helicopter units along the boarder directing the cavalry forces to the locations of incursion, these forces by utilizing infrared and other Military technology would finally secure our southern boarder.
The benefits to the US would be a bilingual force that is familiar with the region, creates an avenue to US citizenship, and they are trained soldiers who are proud to be part of the US military. Upon honorary discharge they could enter the US civilian status with the education and tools to be successful in life.
How to Secure Air Travel — To travel by air in the United States, you should have a passport.
The new generation passports should have RF ID chips and holographic pictures that can be read automatically when you go through security.
Arm the pilots, X-ray all cargo and baggage and create special transponder beacon codes that airline flights are assigned that they must squawk at a designated time during the trip.
Originally Posted by on January 16, 2004 03:37 AM
McCain-Kennedy bill comes up short
McCain-Kennedy bill comes up short
By Deroy MurdockScripps Howard News Service
NEW YORK — To judge how important assimilation is to Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., peruse their immigration bill, now before the Senate. "Assimilation" appears only once in this legislation, and not until the 343rd of 347 pages. "Americanization" never emerges.
Too bad the most sweeping immigration measure since 1986 shortchanges assimilation. Whether America ultimately absorbs 12,000 or all 12 million illegal aliens estimated to live here, it will be better for them and this nation if they speak, study and vote in English, understand America's Constitution and political culture, respect our history and civic traditions, and honor our flag and national heroes. Otherwise, bedlam awaits.
McCain-Kennedy does little to forestall such cultural disarray, and it probably exacerbates it. Unfortunately, as Hudson Institute senior fellow John Fonte told the House Immigration subcommittee May 16, "There are no serious assimilation components to the legislation." Dual citizenship, naturalized Americans voting here and overseas, non-English classrooms and multilingual ballots all thrive, despite McCain-Kennedy's "comprehensive" scope.
"Under this bill, every immigrant and every American citizen is his own little bubble of linguistic entitlement," says Jim Boulet Jr., executive director of English First. This is so, thanks to President Bill Clinton's Executive Order 13166. As Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., told the Senate Tuesday, this is "an entitlement for a translator in any language you want other than English ... if you are a recipient of federal funds."
Under EO 13166, for instance, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development on Jan. 22 mandated language outreach by subsidized-housing providers. HUD, for instance, recognized one housing sponsor for hiring "translators fluent in Hindi, Urdu, Dari, Vietnamese and Chinese to translate written materials and advertising for the local press in those languages."
HUD's regulations state: "No matter how few LEP (limited-English-proficient) persons the recipient is serving, oral interpretation services should be made available in some form." McCain-Kennedy would codify EO 13166, so only Congress could repeal it.
Until then, President Bush unilaterally could cancel Clinton's executive order. This, too, he has failed to do.
Illegals also could gain amnesty without English proficiency. Up to four years after receiving brand-new, permanently renewable Z (amnesty) visas, they merely must "demonstrate an attempt to gain an understanding of the English language." This is like saying that thinking about maybe asking someone out means you are dating. Z-visa holders can "demonstrate an attempt" through "placement on a waiting list for English classes." For McCain-Kennedy, waiting equals speaking.
Also under this legislation, the Homeland Security secretary would disseminate amnesty information to illegals "in no fewer than the top five principal languages ... spoken by aliens who would qualify for classification under this section, including to television, radio and print media. ..." McCain-Kennedy's English and assimilation shortcomings should aggravate cultural conservatives and annoy almost everyone else.
Fiscal conservatives should faint at Heritage Foundation scholar Robert Rector's estimate that this bill creates "a net cost to taxpayers of $2.3 trillion in retirement-related benefits" for amnestied illegal aliens. One fresh entitlement: Free immigration attorneys for illegal-alien farmworkers. Cops and counterterrorists should worry that McCain-Kennedy requires that eligible illegal aliens receive probationary Z visas by the "end of the next business day." Within that deadline, law-enforcement and national-security officials simply cannot isolate innocent aliens from those who aspire to rob, rape or plant bombs. Alas, there is no single, searchable, international-scoundrels database. "A one-business-day time limit is madness, particularly if 48,000 aliens applied in a single day," warns Kris Kobach, counsel under former Attorney General John Ashcroft. "Would 48,000 daily applications be unusual? Try dividing 12 million illegal aliens by 250 business days, if they all applied the first year."
Americans who want secure borders wonder why the 700-mile southern-frontier-fence Congress authorized last year stretches only 370 miles under McCain-Kennedy. And liberals fret that this bill's guest-worker program would depress the wages of low-skilled American citizens. This is a serious, albeit debatable, accusation.
By pushing this bill, McCain is alienating GOP primary voters. Come 2008, he may become one lonely maverick. Meanwhile, by embracing this legislation, Bush is smashing his loyal Republican base to smithereens. McCain-Kennedy is as wildly popular as algebra homework on prom night. Congress should dropkick it into the Rio Grande.
Deroy Murdock is a columnist with Scripps Howard News Service and a senior fellow with the Atlas Economic Research Foundation in Fairfax, Va. E-mail him at deroy.murdock@gmail.com.
Mitt Romney's skeletons in the closet
Mitt Romney's skeletons in the closet
By Joan Vennochi, Globe Columnist May 27, 2007
BLAME IT on his cheatin' heart. It's divorce: Mitt Romney v. the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The former Massachusetts governor paints a picture of irreconcilable differences, but that's not the whole story.
By Joan Vennochi, Globe Columnist May 27, 2007
BLAME IT on his cheatin' heart. It's divorce: Mitt Romney v. the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The former Massachusetts governor paints a picture of irreconcilable differences, but that's not the whole story.
Some guys break up via e-mail. Romney chose a television ad as the way to cut ties with the state he two-timed with a hotter date -- a White House run.
The ad's narrator darkly observes: "In the most liberal state in the country, one Republican stood up and cut spending, instead of raising taxes. He enforced immigration laws, stood up for traditional marriage and the sanctity of life." The candidate says: "This isn't the time for us to shrink from conservative principles."
No matter what the ad states, Romney has a problem. There was a time when he did shrink from conservative principles -- it was when he was running for governor of Massachusetts. Once he started two-timing Massachusetts and running for president, he talked the conservative talk. But, back home, he didn't always walk the conservative walk.
For example, he went from protector of Roe v. Wade as a gubernatorial candidate to abortion opponent on the presidential campaign trail .
And, instead of raising taxes, Romney raised $700 million by increasing fees and closing corporate loopholes -- a practice corporations consider a tax increase.
When it comes to another claim in the ad -- enforcing immigration laws -- the Globe last year reported that the Massachusetts State Police relied on a company to clean its barracks and headquarters that employed scores of undocumented immigrants. During the Romney years, additional state contracts were going out to other companies employing illegal immigrants. Besides, Romney never questioned the citizenship of landscapers who tended his own front lawn. Instead, he yelled out a friendly "buenos dias" to crews that included illegal immigrants.
In the campaign ad, Romney flashes photos of Senator John F. Kerry and former governor Michael S. Dukakis, superimposed over a headline that mentions "Ted Kennedy"-- all reminders of the liberals who conservatives love to hate. Yet a year ago, Romney posed with Kennedy and a panoply of Democratic politicians in historic Faneuil Hall to celebrate a new law that not only guarantees healthcare for the uninsured -- it mandates it; imposes penalties on individuals who refuse to comply; and requires the state and business to pay for a portion of the coverage. That's conservative?
The good news for Romney?
The test for his presidential quest isn't going to be whether he is conservative enough.
The bad news?
The test is whether he is trustworthy enough. How much trust can Republican primary voters reasonably invest in a politician who changed so many positions? How good is Romney's word today?
During the GOP primary season, liberals like Kennedy are naturally cast as demons. If Romney becomes his party's nominee, how long before that picture of Romney and Kennedy in Faneuil Hall becomes a centerpiece of his campaign? What if he goes back to being the fiscally conservative social moderate many Massachusetts voters believed they were electing?
Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, Senator John McCain of Arizona, and Romney all face challenges when it comes to pleasing their party's conservative base. Some quality beyond sheer ideology is going to tip the balance in one candidate's favor.
Romney has money, organization, a strong resume, and presidential looks. But he also has Massachusetts. He can run against its liberal politics, but he can't run against its memory. Voters here remember what he said to win and what he did once elected.
The Romney team probably believes there is nothing to lose by running against the Bay State; the former governor can't win the state in a general election. If their conclusion is accurate, it isn't strictly because Romney is Republican. Ronald Reagan won Massachusetts when he ran for president. The threat Massachusetts poses to Romney is not the loss of its 12 electoral college votes on ideological grounds. It's the Bay State's ability to challenge Romney where it really hurts, on matters of truthfulness and character. To this day, it's hard to tell what he really believes on abortion or immigration or healthcare.
Massachusetts was Romney's springboard. It could also be his trip wire. Friendly divorces are rare indeed.
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