Tag Archives: U.S. military

Shopping Makes For Snarky Snippets!

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, cartoons, Humour, Law and justice, Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry

I spent several hours today driving through packed parking lots, wending my way through crowds in stores, and watching my bank balance take a nose-dive, all of which has only added to my normal snarkiness.  Yes, yes, it’s called “finish the last-minute Christmas & stocking shopping on the last Saturday before Christmas”.  Bah humbug. I am not a shopper … the various concoctions that humans put on their bodies to make themselves smell flowery sets off my asthma, I am uncomfortable in crowds, and I tire easily … all of which adds up to not being a very happy shopper.  When I returned home and sat down, removed shoes, and let out a deep sigh, daughter Chris said I looked like I had just come through a war zone.  In truth, the stores on the last Saturday before Christmas rather resemble a war zone.  Anyway … the end result is that I’m tired, wheezy, and snarky.  You know what that means, right?

An update …

First, I start with an update on an October post, titled Her Life Mattered, about Atatiana Jefferson, an African-American woman who was shot through her apartment window by a trigger-happy police officer, Aaron Dean.  In October, Dean was charged with murder, and on Friday a grand jury indicted him.  The county prosecutor’s office has announced plans to “prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law,” though a trial date has yet to be announced.  With so many cases in the past few years where a white officer killed an unarmed black person and the officer was let off with no more than a slap on the wrist, it is good to see this case being taken seriously.

Gotta love George Conway

George Conway, husband of the infamous Kellyanne Conway, is a smart man.  The first clue was that he turned down a job in the Trump White House, and I imagine he congratulates himself on a daily basis for that move.  I still wonder, though, how he manages to share a home and a dinner table with his wife, one of Trump’s biggest bootlickers.

After Trump’s impeachment on Wednesday, then Nancy Pelosi’s announcement that she will not send the Articles of Impeachment over to the Senate just yet, until she sees some signs that the Senate is prepared to hold a fair and impartial trial, Trump is fuming and stewing.  Oh wait … Trump is always fuming and stewing about one thing or another, isn’t he?

So what do you call a person who holds the most powerful office in the nation, stewing over his inability to influence a coequal branch of government that just accused him of high crimes and misdemeanors? George Conway has an idea …ImpotusWorks for me!  He’s always giving others nicknames, maybe it’s his turn to acquire one!  I can’t wait to hear if he likes it!

The “Space” is in his head!

Little boys and their toys … sigh.  Only problem is, this “little boy” is a 73-year-old juvenile delinquent who is using OUR tax dollars … some $4.7 billion in start up costs alone … to fund his stupid games!  Think about that one … do you know how many children could eat for a full year for $4.7 billion???  Approximately 3 million children could be fed for a full year … and he is spending it playing space games instead?  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Stupidest damn president this country has ever had!  I wonder which of his wealthy donors will benefit from this one?

With his signing of the defense spending bill on Friday, Trump created a sixth and completely unnecessary branch of the U.S. military called “Space Force”, joining the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, and Marines.  Senior military officials have previously raised concerns about what it will cost, and former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned against rushing into creating the force without clearly defined goals, but when does Trump listen to anybody?

According to the oaf in the Oval …

“Space, going to be a lot of things happening in space.  Space is the world’s newest war-fighting domain. Amid grave threats to our national security, American superiority in space is absolutely vital. And we’re leading, but we’re not leading by enough. But very shortly we’ll be leading by a lot.”

What “grave threats”???  The biggest threat to the security of this nation is Donald Trump himself!  War-fighting domain”???  What the hell does that even mean?  I tell you, the only space we need to be concerned about is the one between Donald Trump’s ears!

And now that I’ve managed to raise my own blood pressure, if not yours, I end with a bit of dark humour about the potential impeachment trial in the Senate …

impeach-1impeach-2impeach-3impeach-4impeach-5

The Question Is … WHY?

Posted on by under Global Issues, Political commentary

It’s a sad state of affairs that I will believe literally anybody over Trump.  The latest?  Trump claimed on Thursday that the U.S. military downed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz.  Why would he lie about that?  But, I think he did lie, for Iran denies that it happened, and has even released video they say proves that it was a lie.  If this had happened three years ago, under President Obama, I would never have questioned it, but whatever Trump says, I find there is usually at least a partial lie.

Why would Iran lie?  Tensions are high between the U.S. and Iran, and Iran would almost certainly be hopping mad and making threats if we had shot down one of their little boys’ toys.  (Needless to say, I have little respect for the use of drones). But I question the reason behind Trump’s lie, for undoubtedly there is an underlying, likely malicious reason.  You may recall that Iran did shoot down one of our drones last month.  Trump claimed it was in international airspace, but it turned out it was, in fact, in Iranian airspace and was spying on Iran.

Iranian leadership have frequently mocked Trump, and we all know that is the one thing that he cannot stand.  Back in May 2018, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani, said Trump “does not have the mental capacity to deal with issues,” and added that he “only understands the language of force.”  All of which is true, but surely got under Trump’s thin skin.

Ever since, there has been a back-and-forth poking by both parties, and Trump has at times seemed determined to plunge the U.S. into a war with Iran that nobody … nobody in this nation wants.  For the most part, Trump is filled with bluster and a sense that he is the all-important player in this game-that-is-not-a-game, while Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, taunts back, but seems to be finding humour in it all.

So, why is Trump trying so hard to provoke Iran, and why did he lie about shooting down the drone?  I don’t know the answers but have a few thoughts on the topic.

First, at the beginning of his term, Trump unconscionably withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear agreement with no reason, for even our own intelligence community agreed that Iran was upholding their end of the deal.  But … it was a deal that had been signed by President Obama, and that was the only reason Trump was so insistent on withdrawing.  He demanded that our European allies also withdraw, and when they didn’t, when they worked collectively to try to salvage the deal even without the help of the U.S., Trump made threats, as he is wont to do.  When our allies didn’t give in to his threats, but largely ignored him and continued trying to preserve the deal for the sake of world peace, he got even angrier and imposed sanctions on Iran.

Last month, then, two oil tankers, one of Japanese registry, the other Norwegian, were attacked in the Gulf of Oman.  Trump & Co. claimed to have video footage showing that Iran was behind the attacks, but the footage was fuzzy and really showed nothing of value.  Plus, the crew of one of the tankers stated emphatically that it was not Iran.  More lies on the part of Trump, Bolton, and Pompeo.  Iran denied culpability and said that Trump was spreading disinformation and warmongering.

Then they shot down our spy drone that was in their airspace, and now Trump claims, sans evidence, to have shot down their drone.  WHY???

A few possibilities come to mind …

First, the red herring theory.  Trump is coming under a great deal of fire from the public lately … not his base, of course, but the majority of us … for a number of things:

  • Conditions at the detention camps where children are being held in captivity, separated from their parents, denied such essentials as medical care, soap, toothbrushes, beds, blankets
  • His outrageously expensive and pointless, not to mention tasteless and insulting parade and “celebration” on July 4th that nearly bankrupted the city of Washington, D.C., and cost the taxpayers a bundle that we couldn’t afford
  • His heinous racist denigration of four members of Congress, all U.S. citizens, whom he told to get out of the country and go back where they came from

No doubt, Trump is eager to stop the bleeding that is a result of all these things (and more).  So … what better way than a red herring … something to distract attention from his domestic screw-ups … than an international “incident”?  Wouldn’t be the first time.

And second … there is a proven theory that when a nation is so divided that it is literally eating itself from within, as the U.S. is doing today, an external threat will bring the two sides together, if only temporarily, to fight the external threat.  If that is the thinking … and it would have come from either Pompeo or Bolton, for Trump hasn’t the intelligence to think of it on his own … then he has two choices:  North Korea or Iran.  Since he still seems to hold tight to the idea that his snow job on Kim Jong-un worked and that they now love each other, despite the fact that his summit failed to produce any tangible results, that leaves Iran.  National Security Advisor John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have both had itchy fingers for a long time … decades, in fact … to bomb Iran, to affect a regime change.  They are a well-matched pair of warmongers.

And a third possibility is financial.  War is profitable for arms manufacturers, and some of Trump’s best buddies manufacture arms.  Why do you think he’s trying so hard to sell arms to Saudi Arabia?  He has proposed often enough that we need to build up our supply of arms, but the proposal is not, overall, met with cheers of approval, for we have the largest national debt in our history, and more tanks just doesn’t seem as important to most of us as healthcare and feeding the poor.  But, if we enter a war …

Again, I don’t know what is behind Trump’s taunts, mockery and lies, but these are just the result of my sleepless nights spent thinking, spent pondering on the “why” of it all, and I think there is some thread of logic to these thoughts.  And now, I return you to your Sunday evening activities.

Au Revoir, General James Mattis 😢

Posted on by under Global Issues, Political commentary, Trump's Staff Picks

Yesterday, the world became a little less safe.  U.S. Secretary of Defense, James Mattis, announced his resignation effective 28 February 2019.  It is understandable, and nobody could possibly blame him, for his has been a thankless job since the day he took office, January 20th 2017.  Mattis has disagreed with Trump on many things during his nearly two-year tenure, from climate change to Russia to pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal.  But the straw that broke the camel’s back was Trump’s announcement that he would withdraw the remaining 2,200 U.S. troops from Syria.  I don’t blame General Mattis for finally saying, “I’ve had enough of this mess” … don’t blame him at all.  But with his departure, the world … not just the U.S., but the entire world … became less safe.

Here are some of the more pertinent parts from the General’s letter of resignation:

  • I believe we must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours. It is clear that China and Russia, for example, want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies.

  • One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships.

  • My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues.

  • We must use all tools of American power to provide for the common defense, including providing effective leadership to our alliances. 29 democracies demonstrated that strength in their commitment to fighting alongside us following the 9-11 attack on America.

The threat of a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria and also Afghanistan is a disaster on so many levels, not the least of which being that it is a proverbial slap-in-the-face to our allies in Europe.  As the UK’s Middle East minister, Alistair Burt said …

“There are no vacuums in foreign policy, certainly not in the Middle East. In a fragile region every action is a catalyst for another. If allies cannot be relied upon, others are sought to take their place. Jim Mattis understood – vital any successor agrees.”

And UK’s Defense Minister, Tobias Ellwood …

“The most impressive military mind I’ve had the honour to know. Jim my friend – our world will be less safe without you.”

The co-chair of the European council on foreign relations Carl Bildt had strong words …

“A morning of alarm in Europe. Sec Def Mattis is the remaining strong bond across the Atlantic in the Trump administration. All the others are fragile at best or broken at worst.”

Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group in the European parliament, said…

“A victory for Russia, Iran, Turkey, Turkish proxies & the Syrian regime. Unsurprisingly, it leaves Europeans more vulnerable – and shows how wrong it is that we do not have a defence force able to help stabilise our immediate neighbourhood.”

Neither the Syrian withdrawal nor the prospect of cutting troop numbers in Afghanistan were preceded by any serious consultation with his European allies, many of whom either have ground troops or air forces operating in both countries.

Trump’s selection of Mattis for Defense Secretary was, presumably, because he believed Mattis had the knowledge and experience to be a key advisor on foreign policy and matters of defense.  So why does he consistently ignore the advice of this very knowledgeable man?  Ego, pure and simple.  And that very ego is likely, if left unchecked, to have a number of very serious consequences for the world.  The Middle East is a tinderbox that could well turn into an inferno in short order.  Our allies may well determine they are finished with this alliance and to hell with the U.S.  Who could blame them?

It is said that Trump made the decision to pull out of Syria after a phone conversation with Turkey’s President Recep Erdoğan, who is planning an attack on Kurdish troops in Syria at some point in the near future.  According to Senator Lindsey Graham …

“What Turkey is going to do is unleash holy hell on the Kurds. In the eyes of Turkey, they’re more of a threat than ISIS. So this decision is a disaster.”

Vladimir Putin was also pleased, saying he agreed with the decision.  But, of course.

Even most conservatives are horrified at the thought of Mattis’ resignation, considering it to be the loss of the last adult in the house.  Neo-conservative editor and political analyst Bill Kristol said it best …

“Never been more alarmed for the nation since coming to DC over three decades ago.”

Republican Senator Ben Sasse expressed deep concern …

“This is a sad day. General Mattis was giving advice [Trump] needs to hear. Mattis rightly believes that Russia & China are adversaries. Isolationism is a weak strategy that will harm Americans.”

Former CIA Director John Brennan weighed in …

“Okay, Republicans. How much longer are you going to let this farcical ‘presidency’ continue? At a time of such political, economic, and geo-strategic turbulence – both nationally and globally – are you waiting for a catastrophe to happen before acting? Disaster looms!”

Remember when then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson referred to Trump as a “f**king moron”?  He was right.

General Mattis’ departure did not come as a surprise, for the rumour mill has predicted it for a while now but make no mistake … it is a devastating blow, not only for the United States, but for the world.  Nobody can predict where we go from here, for there is a thoroughly unpredictable madman at the helm of this ship.  In light of Trump’s comment this morning that he is willing to keep the government shut down “for a very long time”, and his reckless decisions regarding Syria and Afghanistan, today I can no longer consider myself a citizen of what was once a respectable nation.  I believe it is time for serious calls for Trump’s removal from office, else next year at this time the world may look much different than it does today – and not in any good way.

Au Revoir, General Mattis … you will be missed.

More of Filosofa’s Snarky Snippets

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Global Issues, Political commentary, Social commentary

Having just concluded a rant that has left me with a terrible headache, I am going with some bits ‘n pieces from last night’s news.

👍👍 Thumbs up to New York Times …

Thumbs up to the New York Times for refusing to publish government handout pictures.  Reporters have not been allowed in to the makeshift shelters and detention centers where the 2,000 children separated from their parents are being held.  Instead, the government provided pictures for news agencies to use, but the New York Times refuses to publish them.  I applaud their integrity!  There was a time I might have trusted the government, but not today.

Oh, and on this topic …Kirstjen Nielsen, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), told a group of reporters yesterday that the separation of children from their parents at the border does not constitute abuse because …

“We have high standards. We give them meals. We give them education. We give them medical care. There is videos. There is TVs. I’ve been visited the detention centers myself. That would be my answer to that question.”

Sheesh … the woman cannot even speak proper English!  Videos and television, so … no abuse.

Beware those space aliens!!!

Yesterday, Trump announced that he would direct the Pentagon to establish a sixth branch of the armed forces dedicated to protecting American interests in outer space.  I thought for certain this had to be a joke, but nope.  According to the New York Times …

“During a speech at a meeting of the National Space Council, Mr. Trump announced plans to protect American interests in space through monitoring commercial traffic and debris, initiatives he said would be “great not only in terms of jobs and everything else, it’s great for the psyche of our country.”

Minutes later, the president zeroed in on Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and tasked him with the undertaking of creating another branch of the military.

“General Dunford, if you would carry that assignment out, I would be very greatly honored,” Mr. Trump said from the podium, after searching for him in the crowd.

“We got it,” the general replied.”

aarghYour tax dollars hard at work, folks, monitoring space junk!  Good for the psyche of the nation??? How so?  Can somebody please ‘splain this one to me? Lawmakers and even some members of Trump’s administration appear to be troubled, cautioning that the action could create unnecessary bureaucratic responsibilities for a military already burdened by conflicts.  Y’think?

What the … ???

On Sunday, The Washington Post published a story about a previously undisclosed May 2016 meeting between Roger Stone and a Russian national who promised political dirt about Hillary Clinton.  Apparently Donald Trump didn’t take the news too well, and used it as an opportunity to double down on his personal vendetta against Jeff Bezos and The Post. trump-tweetThere is little doubt in the minds of the sane that this is just another strike against Bezos, a response to The Post’s coverage of Trump that is not rosy and glowing, as Trump would like.  👍👍 to Jeff Bezos and The Washington Post … keep up the good work!

👍👍 to the State of Hawaii …

It’s nice to be able to deliver some thumbs-up for a change!  The State of Hawaii just became the first state in the union to ban pesticides containing chlorpyrifos, the pesticide that has been linked to adverse side effects in humans, including debilitating neurological and developmental maladies.  This in the face of Scott Pruitt, who has gone to elaborate lengths to protect the manufacturers of chlorpyrifos, which is harmful to children and farm workers.

Last Wednesday, Hawaii Governor David Ige signed the bill into law, a law which also bars the spraying of any pesticide within 100 feet of schools during normal hours of attendance.

Now, I bet you’re wondering who manufactures this lethal chemical, aren’t you?  Well, of course it is none other than chemical giant Dow Chemical.  That would be the same Dow Chemical that gave a cool $1 million to Donald Trump’s inauguration and did not want chlorpyrifos to be banned.  Shortly after the inauguration, Scottie Pruitt of the EPA announced that he would not follow the recommendation of the agency’s own scientists to ban the use of chlorpyrifos.

And now?  Now Dow Chemical has a new request.  Dow sent letters to three of Trump’s cabinet heads asking them to ignore government studies regarding the harmful effects of a group of pesticides on endangered species.  They want to bury a scientific study.  I wonder … how many lives, human and animal, can $1 million buy?  Draining the swamp?  I think not.

I sincerely hope to see other states follow Hawaii’s lead and place human life above politics and greed.

U.S. vs Human Rights …

I just saw that at 5:00 this evening, Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo will announce the withdrawal of the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council.  This, in my opinion, is a black day in the history of this nation.  I may have more to say about it later, but as yet haven’t had time to fully process the information.  I am appalled, but then I think that we are in violation of human rights in more ways than one, so I suppose that to remain in the council would be hypocrisy.  😞

Well, that’s all for today, folks.  I haven’t run out of either snark or snippets, but have run out of time and energy.  Have a great evening!

Transcript Of Fallen Military Hero’s Widow Myeshia Johnson’s 10/ 23/17 Interview On TV ABC’s GMA

Posted on by under Global Issues, Political commentary

On October 4th, four Green Berets were attacked and killed in Niger. One of them, Sgt. La David Johnson, left behind a pregnant wife and two children. Sgt. Johnson’s widow, Myeshia Johnson, has many questions about his death, but is being stonewalled and has received no answers. And then, as if she hadn’t enough troubles already, she has been publicly disrespected by none other than Donald Trump. Gronda has written the details of Ms. Johnson’s ordeal, and I would like to share this story. The nation needs to see/hear this. Please take a few minutes to read Gronda’s post and think about what this says of the man some call ‘president’. Many thanks for this post and permission to share, Gronda!

Gronda Morin

Image result for PHOTOS OF George Stephanopoulos AND MYESHIA JOHNSON WIDOW: MYESHIA JOHNSON

The widow, Myeshia Johnson  of the soldier Sgt. La David Johnson who was one of the 4 US fighters fatally injured on October 4, 2017 in Niger, participated in an 10/23/17 ABC TV interview with the host of, Good Morning America, George Stephanopoulos.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNP0Q39km00

No sooner had the interview ended, when the republican President Donald Trump tweeted the following:

  

 I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!
19,585 replies4,409 retweets 20,664 likes 
On October 23, 2017,  ABC News published the following report: TRANSCRIPT: Widow of fallen soldier La David Johnson speaks out.”

Excerpts:

“In a wide-ranging interview, Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, spoke out on “Good Morning America” about her husband’s death during a mission in 

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Number Of US Military Soldiers Being Sent To Puerto Rico Is Woefully Inadequate

Posted on by under Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Finally, after 8 long days, the Trump administration has waived the Jones Act and is sending troops and aid to Puerto Rico, where people are still living without the essentials: food, water, shelter, medicine. But the aid we are sending is woefully inadequate … a case of too little, too late. Trump will no doubt be patting himself on the back, but he should receive no kudos, for he wasted more than a week waging a war with the NFL players and mocking John McCain, rather than helping the people of Puerto Rico. Blogger-friend Gronda’s post explains what the needs are, what we are doing, and what we SHOULD be doing. Please take a few minutes to read this very informative post. Thank you, Gronda, for keeping us informed and for allowing me to share!

Gronda Morin

CARTER

On September 27, 2017, NPR’s Robert Siegel posted the below report of an interview which included himself, another host Ailsa Chang and the guests Phillip Carter, director of the Military, Veterans and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security and Edwin Rivera who lives in Puerto Rico, about aid the U.S. military could provide to Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Mr. Carter is stating that at least 50,000 military service members are required to adequately address the crisis in Puerto Rico after it was razed by Hurricane Maria around September 20, 2017. But according to a Stars & Stripes report, only 7,500 military personnel will be heading to Puerto Rico where the infrastructure has been decimated and where a humanitarian crisis exists.

With the recent rhetoric from the republican President Donald Trump’s administrating announcing the deployment of military troops to Puerto Rico and its…

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