The India And Pakistan Problem

India, Pakistan, and Israel was the subject of one of my articles on 11/14/07 concerning their nuclear capabilities and the fact that they were not a member of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty like the U.S. and other nuclear powers.

 

Those three countries operate their nuclear facilities without checks and balances and are a threat to world peace.  The tragic terror attack on India at Mumbai recently points out the need to bring those WMD under control before they are used.  India has said elements from Pakistan had carried out the attacks and that those elements trained inside Pakistan.  Pakistan insisted it was not behind the attacks.

 

Both India and Pakistan have attacked each other for years over disputed territory.  Such attacks and now this major terror attack at Mumbai could push them over the top to resort to nuclear weapons. All it would take is one of their leaders to miscalculate.  President elect Obama and other world leaders should make it a priority to have all three nations join the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty so checks and balances can be put in place.  Diplomacy has to set in motion a means of communication that would take place instead of violence.  The U.S. should also take another look at its relationship with all three countries. 

Diplomacy From A Position Of Weakness

Secretary of State Condi Rice met with Indian officials in New Delhi and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen met in Islamabad, Pakistan with president Asif Ali Zardari.  The occasion was in response to the Mumbai terror attack that took place recently.

 

Rice and Mullen are looking for ways to have India and Pakistan act in a responsible manner in tracking down the terrorists and have Pakistan crack down on a Kashmir based terror group leading the list in the Mumbai attack.  Rice has asked both countries to cooperate and to do so transparently.  She also warned Indian officials against a hasty reaction to the attacks and not create other unintended consequences. 

 

The Bush administration and Rice have no creditability with either country on the terror problem and especially with Pakistan.  The administration has backed former Pakistan leader Musharraf with billions of dollars in aid, said he was an ally in the war on terror even though the Bush administration knew he let terror groups operate and train in Pakistan.  Rice and this administration have a real problem when they talk about being transparent and hasty reactions.  There was no transparency by Bush in the run up to war in Iraq and the consequences that followed are still acting out.

 

The U.S. is less safe now under Bush and the U.S. has lost its moral mantle of world leadership under Bush.  V.P. elect Joe Biden said long ago Bush had a Musharraf policy but no Pakistan policy and if the American people want to be honest with themselves, could make a good case that Bush has never had a foreign policy.  January 20th can not arrive soon enough.

Continuation Of A Corrupting War

America and the world found out long ago that the war and occupation of Iraq over WMD that did not exist was an unnecessary war and that Iraq was no threat to the security of the U.S. or the middle east.  The public also found out after the fact that the Pentagon urged retired military officers to appear on the cable networks during the run up to war to promote the war and talk about the Iraqi threat.

 

Now the war, approaching its sixth year at a cost of over $600 billion and over 30,000 U.S. casualties including over 4000 deaths and who knows how many innocent Iraqi's, David Barstow of the New York Times reports the following:

 

Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey who has appeared over 1,000 times on NBC and its cable sisters since the 9-11 attack signed a consulting contract with Defense Solutions, a tiny military contractor with a slender track record.  Four days later he swung into action with a personal note and 15 page briefing packet to General David Petraeus strongly recommending Defense Solutions and its offer to supply Iraq with 5000 armored vehicles from Eastern Europe.  McCaffrey did not mention his new contract with Defense Solutions in his letter to Petraeus, nor did he disclose it when he went on CNBC that same week and praised the commander Defense Solutions was now counting on for help.  Mr. Barstow also reported in testimony with congress McCaffrey criticized a Pentagon plan to supply Iraq with several hundred armored vehicles made in the U.S.A. by a competitor of Defense Solutions.

 

Barstow also reported, on NBC and other public forums, McCaffrey has consistently advocated wartime policies and spending priorities in line with his corporate interests.  But those interests are not described to NBC's viewers.  He is held out as a dispassionate expert, not someone who helps companies win contracts related to the wars he discusses on television

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Our men and women in uniform have been betrayed by those retired Generals who promoted this war and then went on to profit from this unnecessary war.  The Iraq war has been a corrupting enterprise in so many ways and the American people will never be told the truth.  President Kennedy was right during the Cuban Missile crisis in 1962 when he refused to accept a military invasion of that island as the only option that was being pushed by the military.  President Kennedy had the wisdom to implement another military option which prevented a war and saved thousands of lives.  President elect Obama needs to keep his promise to the people and end this war in Iraq and all the corrupting influence associated with it.

The Magic Word

President-elect Obama has held several news conferences lately to talk about the economy and what he plans to do early in his administration to address the severe problem the country faces.  He also said after the economy is back on track and working he would focus on returning to balanced budgets.  Those two words are magic.

 

The president-elect has assembled a good economic and fiscal team with the experience to create for the country and its people a sustained economy and job creation.  Fiscally, they know what is required to balance the budgets and create surpluses.  They also know the benefits that would produce.

 

The people have a right to be concerned about the billions of dollars committed to the bail outs already announced, however, that is a drop in the bucket compared to the record deficits and debt created by the last 3 republican presidents over the 20 year period they served.  Interest alone to pay for the money borrowed to finance the deficits and debt is almost half a trillion dollars a year.

 

Obama is right to make it policy to balance the budget and reverse the out of control spending that happened on the republican watch.  A sound fiscal policy will allow the U.S. to meet its obligations made to the people and do those things that really matter and make a difference for the country and its people.  Keeping the Magic alive is the right thing to do.

Corporate Betryal Of America And The Public

There is a sad and sorry story being played out in our current economic meltdown and unfortunately the average American is paying the price.  Loss of jobs, benefits and reduction in pay, higher unemployment, reduction in buying power, increase in poverty, loss in savings and retirement accounts and the list goes on and on.

 

And I hope the people and elected officials notice the businesses the tax payers money is bailing out and the businesses that are asking to be bailed out are all mega companies and large conglomerates who merged with or bought out other competitors over the years.  Some have ventured into businesses where there was no prior experience.

 

Every time these companies buy out competitors they increase their own wealth and reduce competition resulting in monopoly and higher consumer prices.  When they take over another company they issue talking points that go something like this:  The acquisition will make for a better and more responsive company to cut cost, give better service, products and prices for the consumer.  But it never happens.  What the CEO's do with the additional revenue and profits is line their own pockets with huge bonuses, stock options and other rewards at the expense of their workers.  It should also be remembered that all these mergers and buy outs of other companies result in a loss of jobs.

 

Corporate America also has a history of lying to congress and the people.  The mega banks were supposed to advance the quality of ones financial life and are now looking for a hand out.  The major oil companies who bought out many of the independents said it would allow them to increase drilling and production but drilling and production has been going down for years.

 

A priority of Congress should be to put a hold on any mergers or buy outs until further notice.  Corporate America has proved it can not be trusted.  They have not earned the respect of the people and during this crisis they have not displayed any leadership to accept responsibility and act with wisdom.  We know and are experiencing the havoc that greed has forced on the people and the country.

 

The time has come for our new President and congress to ask this basic question in their planning and future actions and decisions.  "Will the decisions be of benefit to the people and the country?"  The answer must be yes for true change.