US Military to Obama: Put Up Or Shut Up

Now they've gone and done it - the U.S. military has called Obama's bluff on Afghanistan.  They need more troopos to effectively complete their mission.  They've in effect told the President 'put up or shut up.'

Obama, who opposed the effective surge in Iraq but had campained on beefing up the effort in Afghanistan, has been waffling lately.  Polls show the war there as unpopular at home.  The President's camapaign depended on Afghanistan being the smaller, managable war.  The surge in Iraq changed all that.  The battlefront has moved.  Now he's caught in a quandry of his own words.  Ironically.

AFP has the story;

WASHINGTON (AFP) – By openly declaring their views on the Afghan war, US military leaders have placed President Barack Obama in a bind as he faces a fraught decision over the troubled US-led mission.

Obama has refused to quickly approve a request from his commanders for a major troop build-up in Afghanistan, insisting first on a full vetting of the current strategy.

He may be waiting for winter - when activity in the country subsides.  But it doesn't do much other than buy him a few months.  If he's thinking politically, it may be a double edged sword.  If it becomes a campaign issue for 2010 as hostilities flare up - it might fire up his base of supporters if he can turn into into an electoral issue.  But it could just as well disillusion them about failed promises.  Not to mention the fuel it might add to the fire for independents, who are likely going to be wondering if he was the anti-war candidate or was it just more of a poorly considered (by the listener) message of hope and change.

Meanwhile, the military has to wait while the Presdient plays politics.

Saturday Learning Series - Point of View

The Saturday Learning Series continues with James Burke's masterpiece series The Day The Universe Changed, a Sequel to his series Connections.

This episode is entitled "Point of View". I don't know how anyone could watch an Episode of James Burke and not be hooked on history and the importance of it to our current society.

For more in this series and others, search Nonsensible Shoes for the term "Saturday Learning Series".

NOTE: This series is in 6 parts, unlike previous episodes displayed in 5 parts.

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



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Part 5:



Part 6:

Mobile Post: Shocked By The Failure of Hype

Chicago was the first city eliminated from the running for the 2016 Olympics. This after BOTH Obamas - Barack and Michelle - and Oprah spoke on behalf of the city.

The President's rock star persona really only exists in the minds of the mainstream media, his most ardent fans and of course - the Obamas themselves.

The shock of not only the loss by ChicagObama just proves the arrogance - they expect that because The One has spoken - all will listen and obey. It proves the disconnect - they really don't hear Tea Parties because they only hear themselves, and the same is true for the Olympics.

Most importantly it proves that Obama doesn't do due diligence. Why wouldn't he have assessed the odds prior to participating in the pitch? Either he did and was self-aggrandized to the point of believing he could sway the votes, or he didn't and was clueless. Like in his vetting of his appointees.

I'm shocked too - at the level of shock. The Obamas, the MSM and the idolizers of the President really are out that of touch.

Its good news for those looking for a change in 2010.

Mobile Post: Why Letterman's Confession Matters

Do I care about David Letterman's confession last night on his show? Normally I would say no, even though there was apparently an attempted blackmail connected to it.

Dave is an entertainer. I don't care about his unprofessional antics or his personal life. I don't care about his show. I've watched it. It can be funny and it can be dull. The point is there is no reason to care about it or him.

But - this is the same man who, prior to his apology took glee in tearing down one of Sarah Palin's daughters. That's something that should have been well out of bounds but it wasn't.

I take no glee in Letterman's confession. But, everyone who listens to him should consider the source of the jabs he gives out. And if he had any decency he would reconsider his barbs. Then again if he had any decency he wouldn't have made those "jokes" in the first place.

Friday Musical Interlude - October 2, 2009

Friday Musical Interlude.

A few from a band that should have been much bigger - The Wild Strawberries

Trampoline (From the Nettwerk Records album "Quiver")


http://www.wildstrawberries.com/


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I Don't Want To Think About It



Life Sized Marilyn Monroe



Wish

Obama, Schools and the 50 Experiments Theorem

Dynamism. The goal of a nation and the goal of an individual (at least a driven one) is to be moving forward at all times. Complacency begets second place. And then third place, along with acceptance of the new standing. President Obama sees American education as crucial to keeping America strong. Score one for the idea of not trying to deliberately wreck the country. So far so good. Along with his notion that socialism or government run anything is better for the country than the free market (not good), he's got some other ideas. One of his ideas is about making schools better so that American students can continue to develop and compete dynamically with an emerging educated class in China and India, as well as the coming generations in other developed countries (like those in Europe). Again, so far, so good. In contrast with what I call the 50 Experiments Theorem though, the President, in classic 'liberal elite' fashion, believes he has THE answer to the problem.