Agenda

What are the big issues?

Financial meltdown.
2 wars.
Health care crisis.

Naturally I have opinions on all these subjects. Who doesn't?

I could rant endlessly about the financial meltdown alone. And probably will.

Why isn't it enough that the Iraqi government wants us out? The clearest thing I can say on this subject is that our military presence in the middle east is part of the problem. Would we like it if there were a lot of Arabs with guns patrolling our streets? Democracy is a flower that grows only in its native soil. It can't be artificially grown in an American military hothouse. The idea that all violence must cease before we can withdraw is a self-canceling phrase. These remarks are not intended to criticize the American military. It would be helpful, however, if they and their political leaders would learn to recognize what are military problems and therefore solvable by armies and what are not. Kuwait was a military problem fully solved by a military response. The present activities in Iraq are best described as nation building.

Off the subject question: Would someone please explain to me why placing missiles in Poland is not a provocation to Russia? "Because we say it isn't" will not be regarded as responsive. Suppose Khrushchev had said the missiles in Cuba were for shooting at Mexico and therefore not a provocation to the US? Would we have bought that?

After spending all this money on the bailout, health care starts to sound cheap. Just do it and get it over with. This is a problem we can fully expect to simply go away.