Friday, Dec. 21, 2007

Time to acknowledge the elephant in the room: Israel is a nuclear state

Why is Israel not being held accountable for their nuclear toy box, while Iran is under the international microscope for their nuclear ambitions?

Look at Israel’s avoidance of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and other international agreements on matters of nuclear energy, technology, materials, facilities and weapons. At the same time, it is proceeding forward in her pursuit for development and acquisition of materials by any means necessary for the purpose of weapons development. She has surpassed other members of the nuclear club, both in capability and volume, and in sophistication in her varied weapons systems, both in the range of these delivery systems as well as lethality of their yield potential.

These devices number more than several hundred, the most ominous being her neutron bombs, a developing nuclear submarine fleet, the Nautalis and Thell Laser Systems, and atomic mines and cannons. That does not even include Israel’s other programs in the biological and chemical arenas. Much has been authored on these matters from very reliable sources from inside the Israeli nuclear and defense lair.

The contradiction between the international community’s positions on the Iranian nuclear ambitions and Israel’s policy of nuclear ambiguity is reckless and obsolete. It is perceived as an arrogant posture, and is counterproductive to peace.

Unfortunately Israel is a nuclear state. Partiality shown toward one state over others in the international realm amongst the great powers has become a game of favors and privilege, and is similar to the child’s game of “Mother, May I“. Israel has slipped through the net of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s inspections and scrutiny due to the influence of nations having mutual objectives.

Pressures are truly rising in the Middle East. The stakes are very high, yet the international community lacks the political maturity to meet these issues with real solutions, even though the risks in not doing so, more than likely will result in a war, economic or ecological crisis or all three. The stakes are too high to ignore the situation. If it is not addressed, there will be catastrophic reverberations.

The answer should be the establishment of a nuclear-free zone from North Africa to the Pakistani frontier with the inclusion of Israel under a NATO umbrella of protection and eventual incorporation as a full partner. There should be an inventory taken of the nuclear assets of the Israeli program. Command and control should be dually managed by both Israeli and NATO personnel until the arsenal is scaled down to point 0.

A verifiable regional cooperation treaty on such matters should be established.

Craig Scott Aberle
Dayton, MN

Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007

Koch vs. Gore: Americans should sacrifice their lifestyle to stop global warming

So Ed Koch thinks it wrong that a Nobel Peace Prize winner should criticise his government. A bit over the top.

Ed thinks that Al Gore should be held accountable for his comments on global warming, while at the same time holds that America should be allowed to maintain their living standards, regardless of the cost to others. Those so-called living standards were gained (in part) at the expense of the pollution caused by the very activities that created them.

This global emergency is not about living standards but about living or at least the right to live. The fact that all Governments recognise the problem is a rare moment in our history.

it is important to remember that tens of thousands die every day of starvation, and if the climate problem intensifies then many more will die. Is this the cost humanity must bear to maintain the living standards of Americans? This is Orwellian (two legs bad, four legs good)and is not the stance that should be taken by the nation which is recognised as the world leader. Simon Fraser
Dublin, Ireland

Monday, Dec. 10, 2007

U.S. out of South America?

So Ecuador is going to lease the Manta airport to the Chinese? There is another airport also. Expanded in 1990 by the USA to handle larger planes.

They were doing interdiction work over the Amazon jungle west of the crest of the Andes. It is located at Agri Lagria. Way out east near the Colombian border. I have been there and seen the airport.

We were teachers at the Inter-American Academy in Guayaquil. We drove out to Agri Lagria twice in our Isuzu Trooper II. Being bird watchers and driving around we soon found the airport.

On the first trip out there we passed what looked very much like an American motel with SA influenced architectue. We stopped and ask for a room. The owners' 19 year-old-son who spoke perfect English said, "wait a minute, I will get the forms...you are the first guests since the United States Air Force left". I can tell you the date. It was Jan 1, 1994. He said the USAF had been here for 3 years and had just left. I asked the DEA agent who was on our school board about this and he said, yes they were doing drug interdiction flights.

The runway looked like an 8000 foot model with a very new control tower. This would accomodate C130's, AWACS and other large planes.

I have seen the pipeline in which the oil is transported to the coast. It paralells the road to Agri Lagria. About 30 inchs in diameter and nearly all of it mounted on pylons above ground.

I wonder, are the Chinese going to get this base also? Who will get the oil production in the end?

Joe W. Cullen
Cheyenne, Oklahoma

Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007

How intelligent is the public release of an intelligence estimate that defies belief?

Is it just me or does anyone else wonder why our National Intelligence Estimates are being release to the public? How can releasing this information and undermining our diplomatic pressure on Iran be in the interest of our national security as so stated by Assistant Deputy Director Donald Kerr? Once again, U.S. intelligence agencies have attempted to undermine executive branch policy and efforts on the world stage. While I believe whole heartedly in the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution, the fact remains that in order to survive in this era of high technology with weapons and enemies with global reach, it is lunacy to force a public debate over intelligence of "moderate confidence" over the status of a nuclear weapons program of a sworn enemy of the United States.

I see the release of the NIE not as evidence that our intelligence agencies are functioning but the reverse. If a nuclear weapon requires three main ingredients(fissionable material, means of delivery and the detonating device), how can anyone in the "intelligence community" with "intelligence" declare that the Iranian Nuclear Weapons program has been halted since 2003 when Iran is enriching uranium to fissionable levels with a growing capacity as they continue to bring centrifuges online and continue to build ever more advanced missile systems with increasing range and payload capacity as was evidenced in there latest missile test?

In reality, the nuclear device itself will be the one component of the weapons system that will require them the least amount of time to produce. In todays age of technology, encasing a sphere of enriched uranium in high explosive inside of a warhead with an atmospheric trigger device, is not the big problem as it was back in the days of the Manhattan Project. That can be done in a lab with material, equipment, circuitry and electronic components the Iranians already possess. They also likely already possess a blue print for such a device via A Q Khan and the DPRK. However, the ability to enrich uranium in sufficient quantity to a fissionable level is a more daunting and time consuming task. Likewise, designing, building and testing a long range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, also requires much time and testing. If then Iran is working on both of these components at breakneck speed, how is it they have halted their nuclear weapons program?

The NIE on Iran should have remained classified and should always reamin classified. Furthermore, it should have been written to read "We know factually that through 2003 that Iran was working on building a nuclear device and is currently working complete its capacity to enrich fissionable uranium on an industrial scale while simultaneously working on the means to deliver a nuclear device through it ever advancing long range missile program. Most importantly, these programs are being operated under the control of the IRGC, which Congress has declared and we have determined to be a terrorist organization with HIGH CONFIDENCE."

Timothy H Higgins
Covington, GA
siberianxpress@charter.net

Tueday, Dec. 4, 2007

Give Bush credit for the new political environment in the Mideast

In response to Mayor Koch's letter I'd like to submit that political progress is now only being made possible due to the surge working.

What politician was willing to stick their neck out when the Democrats were calling for immediate withdrawl.

President Bush was resolute and persistent which has now helped create an environment for the Iraqi's, and their Arab neighbors, to now work on the political aspects with more confidence.

David Stotler
Buena Park, CA

Tueday, Dec. 4, 2007

Memo to Koch: The facts about Gen. Shinseki

Mr. Koch needs to get his facts straight. Gen. Shinseki was not "forced to retire." He retired at the completion of his tour as Chief of Staff of the Army.

He was asked how many troops were needed to do the job in Iraq and his first response was to defer to the requests of the COMBAT commander, Gen. Tommy Franks. Then he goes on to opine that double the amount of Gen. Franks request would be needed before a shot was fired. It is clear in Gen. Franks book that Gen. Shinseki and the Air Force Chief of STAFF were trying to get a bigger piece of the action for their services, so as to increase their budget share, before the war started, much to General Frank's dismay.

General Petreaus has shown that only 30,000 additional troops were needed, not an additional 200,000 as Gen. Shinseki suggested.

The troop strength issue would not be a big deal if President Clinton had not pared the military troop strength down to bare bones.

Lt. Col. Tom Curtin
Clifton, Virginia

Tueday, Dec. 4, 2007

Re the 'savaging' of Savage: 'Political correctness has got to stop'

Thanks for your article regarding Michael Savage and his lawsuit against CAIR. Keep the spotlight on all groups that wish to destroy their political opponents by quashing free speech.

Political correctness has got to stop, it is being leveraged to attack anyone who has a differing thought than the media-majority (not necessarily the plural majority, just the ones who control the media).

Gordon Wells
Sunnyvale, California

Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007

Wishing away the China threat

I strongly believe that China is as big a threat, if not bigger then that of the Islamic world to the West.

In case we forgot, millions of American and Europeans, were lulling themselves to sleep during the late 1930's and 40's.When the world awakened millions were dead. All this while the liberal fools sang songs of peace for all.

Edward Stoler
Ghent, NY

Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007

Mindless news, empty heads, hate-Bush strategy

This story just shows — we're all asleep, fat, dumb and happy. Britney Spears, Dancing With the Stars, pop culture, all things that keep our attention away from what is really happening. As long as we hate George Bush and point our fingers at him in indignation, China can go along its merry way, eventually destroying us all — if the Islamic terrorists don't get us first.

By the way, Iran might be who vaporizes your kids, but just keep watching TV, you'll never notice. Just keep thinking that Vice President Dick Cheney is the evil one, and you'll never even see the swords headed for your neck. What head?

Tammi Moore,
Augusta, Maine, USA"

Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007

Is North Korea seeing the light?

Bob Howard
San Gabriel, Ca. USA

Sunday, Nov. 3, 2007

Time for the world's lone superpower to start acting like one

Mark Krause [ markk300691@yahoo.com ]
Butler,Pa

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007

'Praise Allah' for U.S. defeat of Al Qaida propaganda network

Oh Tham Eng
Singapore, Republic of Singapore

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007

Iran threatens no one. Bush threatens all humanity

Maxx Mitchell
Tonopah, Az.

Sunday, Nov. 3, 2007

Saluting the courageous employees of Blackwaters, USA

[See: U.S. contractors recruiting Africans for security jobs in Iraq, Nov. 2, 2007]

Yes, investigate and hold accountable firms like Blackwater for the conduct of their responsibilities and the federal bureaucracies for the sometimes horrendous glitches in oversight of government contracts. But don't lose sight of the fact that the U.S. citizens willing to sacrifice their lives not only for their nation (certainly not for the paycheck) but for people around the world who they don't know and can't relate to culturally are made of better stuff than ordinary inside-the-beltway mortals.

Jay Roberts
Washington, D.C.

Friday, July 13, 2007

Fairness Doctrine is not really about fairness

Not all voters are informed, so elections come out closer. The left needs ignorance to maintain its powerbase. The liberal left is again seeking to limit your knowledge so you do not have an informed decision at the polls.

The Democrats are seeking to restrict freedom of speech to advance their issues that do not resound with the American People and with the Constitution of these United States.

The “Broadcast Freedom Act” will counter attempts to restrict your right to know and maintain free speech in broadcasting. Contact your legislators and encourage support of the “Broadcast Freedom Act.”

The founding fathers considered “Freedom of Speech,” one of the foundations of liberty. We must honor them and insure that “speech” remain free. Where truth is suppressed, liberty wanes.

Roger W Hancock
Auburn, Washington

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Just send Beijing the tab . . .

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Yes, China can catch up . . . when the Party stands down

But China, unless it establishes these rights and freedoms for its people, will not have a chance to catch up with the U.S. no matter how fast it grows its economy. It's hard to enjoy that new TV set when the government censors what you get to watch on it. It's hard to enjoy that new computer when the government censors the internet.

Increased literacy among the Chinese will not acheive its full potential if the press is not free and if books are banned for their political or ideological content. So will China catch up to the U.S.? Only if they fire their current crop of leaders and create a democracy. Otherwise they'll be hamstrung by their government institutions and bureaucrats who fear change more than they fear poverty.

Patrick Curry
Irvine, CA