America Will Survive

Considering the passage of the healthcare bill and what it means for our country I can't help but think our country will come through this. It will take more than one man or one bill to change the core of what makes America great. We survived the Great Depression. We are the country that came out victorious in World War II and won the Cold War through the leadership of Ronald Reagan. We were attacked on September 11 and rose from the ashes of that tragedy. The US is a beacon to the world, a symbol of hope and freedom. It takes more than one president to alter what makes America exceptional. It takes more than one man to fundamentally alter age old alliances. Just as we always have done we will bounce back. Our history and what makes us so great are bigger than President Obama despite what he thinks. This is something we must remember.

The Dutch Inquisition

By Johanan Raatz

To my fellow serfs, knights and lords, I wish to inform you of a great crime that hath been committed in the Netherlands. The apostate Geert Wilders, of the infamous Party for Freedom, hath knowingly and willingly denied and rejected the sacred doctrines of tolerinthe and diverthity, therein committing a mortal sin.

For those of you who have not been following this story, allow me to back up and start from the beginning. In 2008, Wilders produced a blasphemous video called Fitna, wherein he portrayed Islamist ideology negatively and drew comparisons between the Koran and Mein Kampf. This hateful speeth offended a politically correct minority, thereby promoting hatthred and intolerinthe in the community.

For his shameful sin, Geert Wilders hath been arrested and brought before the Dutch Inquisition on charges of heresy and hate speeth. If he refuses to recant his heresy and repent his hateful speeth, he will be sentenced to one year in jail and/or burning at the stake.

Wilders, however, remains defiant in his sin against political correctness and denies that he hath insulted Islam. Instead, he insists that he was merely telling the truth. In his defense, he has asked that the court consider eighteen expert witnesses, among them renowned academics who have studied Islam as well as radical Islamists.

However, the court in its supreme wisdom hath rightfully rejected fifteen of these witnesses. With these witnesses, Wilders was attempting to use unholy means to obtain knowledge through rational analysis and empirical investigation. For example, instead of obtaining knowledge through the divinely-inspired dogmas of political correctness regarding oppressed minorities, he intended to interview radical Islamists themselves in an attempt to learn their views first-hand. The court, however, knoweth that justice can only be reached if the proceedings are based on politically correct dogma.

This tactic by the fiend Wilders is especially pernicious though. If he were to convince the masses that true knowledge could be obtained by such unholy means he would corrupt them, leading many souls to believe that the holy writ of Political Correctness is false. Heresy would then run rampant and many would go astray.

Lest any are tempted to follow Wilders in his heresy, let your faith not be shaken. If sound testimony and scientific observations from pagan academics side with Wilders, knowest that your ears and eyes are deceiving you for it contradicts the divinely inspired dogma of Political Correctness.

Many in the heathen land of the Americans have taken part in Wilders heresy and so damned their souls. These impious Americans say that Wilders is exercising his right to free speech and that this is necessary for a free and democratic society to flourish. However, we should not follow them into the evil of reason and vain philosophy that dares to exalt itself above the Divine Dogma of Political Correctness. Let us never forget that Western Europe hath the One True Enlightenment of Progressivism and Political Correctness, and that any who espouse that enlightenment is based on reason rather than sacred dogma are in grave error.

In closing, let us remember to intercede to Saint Marx on behalf of Geert Wilders’ soul. Perhaps after his mortal body is burned at the stake for hate speech the God of Progressivism and PC will have mercy and save him from eternal damnation.

This article first appeared in the The February 15th edition of the UWM Post.

The US and the Crisis in Haiti: A Case for American Exceptionalism

The response of the US in the wake of the humanitarian crisis in Haiti should show the world as well as fellow Americans how exceptional this country is. This American Exceptionalism that has been on display is something President Obama failed to acknowledge in the series of speeches in his first year in office.

This exceptionalism goes beyond just what our political leaders and military do though, although that should not be dismissed. This extends to what the average American does. It is average Americans who, when disaster happens, reach into their personal finnaces to give to those in need even when they do not have much to give. It is also these Americans who are the ones acting as missionaries in Haiti before the earthquake occurred that exemplify how the US is the nation who provides the most support.

I've heard some say we owe Haiti due to the fact that due to their rebellion against France the US was able to acquire Louisianna. I don't agree with this line of thinking for two reasons. Firstly, it is not known that the United States would not have acquired Lousianna then, what can be said though is that it would've been acquired if not at that time then soon after. Secondly and more importantly, we are not providing aid to the Haitians because we owe them, not at all. We do it because it is what makes us exceptional. When we see another nation in dire straits we provide help because it is the right and just thing to do and as a people it is in our nature as compassionate people to reach out and help those who could benefit from our resources.

The Perils of Trying KSM in New York

The recent decision by the Obama Administration to try the 9/11 conspirators in New York City, but blocks from the attack on the World Trade Center will prove to be an awful one.

This is an awful decision for a number of reasons. The most prominent is the fact that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will use the trial as a venue to espouse his belief in jihad and put the victim, the United States, on trial. He will discuss why al-Qaeda attacked the US in the first place, for our support for Israel, and the overall Middle Eastern policy of the United States. After he's done that him and his defense team will put the Bush administration and the CIA and their usage of enhanced interrogation techniques on trial. This serves no purpose. He'll make sure to divert attention from the fact that the US was attacked to why al-Qaeda felt compelled to attack.

Secondly, there is no precedent upon which the US has tried such a figure who has been captured in another country. Since KSM was captured in Pakistan the FBI was not able to follow its regular proceedings. After his capture he was taken to a secret prison where he was interrogated and although he eventually ended up giving lectures on al Qaeda, he was initially subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques, including waterboarding. It was these techniques that got intel that allowed the US to prevent further attacks such as the one on the Library Tower in Los Angeles. This evidence though will not be admissible in a federal court whereas it would've been in a military tribunal.

When these facts are revealed in an American court the information will be disseminated throughout the world and be displayed on al Jazeera where it will inflame the Muslim world. These trials will do more damage to the effort against Islamic extremism than help in showing the world how humane the US is. This decision will go down as one of the worst in the Obama administration and drag out for years in a media circus.

A Runoff Election Won't Make a Difference

On 20 October Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he would allow a runoff election to take place to assuage the concerns of the Obama Administration.

The problem that the administration has not yet realized is the fact that a runoff election will not make much difference. Whether Hamid Karzai or Dr. Abdullah Abdullah is in office the culture of corruption that reigns in Afghanistan will still be present. Troops on the ground are what is really needed.

One of the primary needs in a counterinsurgency strategy is to control the population. Different strategists have different force ratios, yet all agree one needs a sufficient amount of troops to provide security to the population. Unless a populace feels secure they will not likely provide the intelligence necessary to track down the insurgents/terrorists the US is seeking. Even Vice President Biden's counterterrorism strategy will not work without more troops. That's why it is so essential.

Even though having a legitimate government in power is important in counterinsurgency, it appears that regardless of who wins, the government will remain a weak one with the same entrenched corruption in its bureaucracy. That being said, the administration should focus on getting General McChrystal the resources he requires. This decision should not be postponed on these merits any longer. Considering in a country with such a history of corruption Karzai could still win, and the corruption could continue, it leaves the United States in an obvious bind.

The establishment of security is what is required. Once that can happen the other issues can be addressed in the proper fashion, as they should be so as to fully succeed in this strategy.

An American President Wins the Peace Prize

This morining it was announced that President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize. This is absurd, so absurd even liberal supporters are surprised.
 
President Obama has been in office a little over 8 months, and has not accomplished anything that would warrant him being awarded such an honor. Could he accomplish something in the future? Of course he could. He could surge in Afghanistan and bring stability to the country for instance. That would be an accomplishment worth praising, but as of now he hasn't done anything to deserve it. So why give it to him?
 
This is clearly a political move. The committee obviously chose to bestow such an honor upon him because he is the opposite of George W. Bush. But wait, is he? Currently he is prosecuting two wars, Iraq and Afghanistan, and is considering sending additional troops to the latter. Hopefully he does. He is using UAVs en masse in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a tactic that kills more civilians. He is using rendition, which is far worse than anything that happened at Guatanamo Bay.
 
So what say you?

An Evolving Afghan Policy

It appears as if the Administration is split over how to proceed in Afghanistan, a split they cannot afford to have.

General Stanley McChrystal wants an additional 30,000-40,000 troops, something Admiral Michael Mullen and General David Petraeus support and Secretary Clinton and Richard Holbrooke are leaning toward. On the other hand Vice-President Biden and National Security Advisor Jones do not. Secretary Gates is on the fence.

This is a problem that needs to be amended quickly. President Obama, lacking in experience, is dependent on these advisers and when a split of such proportions exists, he is in trouble. Whereas he does in fact need to listen to his advisers he also must choose a side and stick to it, preferably in favor of sending more troops.

Afghanistan cannot be lost. If the US was to pullout it would be an enormous triumph for the forces of Islamic extremism, al-Qaeda would once again gain a foothold, and the return of the Taliban would likely destabilize Pakistan. If he decides against it, also his campaign rhetoric of committing to Afghanistan will appear to be all for nought.

He does have an important decision to make; go all in, in a counterinsurgency campaign that succeeded in Iraq, and is manpower intensive, continue strategic assaults with UAVs and Special Forces units, as Biden is recommending, or as many in his party and especially the left wing are saying, leave entirely. It is time for President Obama to sit down, listen to all sides in his Cabinet, and make a choice.