SYRIA REDUX

Some of our regular readers will recall that last Friday our staff at Two for Texas questioned why as yet the Obama administration had not shelved war plans until at least Syria's neighbors had evidenced concern about that nation's use of chemical warfare against its own citizens ("HAS THE U.K. TAKEN THE WIND OUT OF OBAMA'S SYRIAN SAILS?" 8/30/2013).  Two days following (on Sunday), the foreign ministers of the Arab League, meeting in Cairo, issued a statement in which they condemned the Assad regime and called for international action.  Although the statement was not specific as to what sort of international action would be appropriate, it did suggest that the matter should be referred to the U.N.  In the meantime, President Obama, AKA the "Amateur," has backed off from his infamous "red-line" and has indicated that he is tossing the ball into Congress's court.

All of these developments are causing astute observers to wonder why some of these steps were not taken months ago; and, if the role of Congress is seen as a major one by the White House, why isn't Congress being summoned back now, as its summer recess is winding down?

Although the pages of Two for Texas have been, on the whole, less than kind to George W. Bush, we can't help comparing the actions of President Obama to those of President Bush, who began to put his coalition together and went before the U.N. before his tough talk led to action on Iraq.  In contrast, President Obama in "telegraphing" his intentions to the world before garnering international support for such a move, has emerged from the Syrian fiasco with much diplomatic egg on his face. Hopefully, Secretary of State Kerry has a few underlings at the Department of State with some sort of understanding about international protocols which have banned chemical warfare and are also savvy concerning the need for subtlety in gaining international support against Syria .

Owing to the use of chlorine gas in 1915 by Germany, a pell-mell rush ensued by the participants in World War I to build up their reserves of chemical weapons.  After the war, the losing parties were prohibited from producing and stockpiling chemical agents.  During the Bolshevik takeover in Russia and also in the post-war era in the Middle East, gas warfare continued to be resorted to. Despite efforts in 1925 in Geneva which produced a protocol against chemical weapons, the use of poisonous gases persistently showed up as a military option. During World War II, although the Allies and Germany possessed tons of reserves of chemical weapons, they were not resorted to, and most of these stockpiles were eventually disposed of.  Throughout the Cold War, both sides were capable of producing and using chemical weapons, but refrained from doing so.  Of course, more recently, the Iraqi government of Sadam Hussein used gas against his own people and against Iran, during their war of 1980-1988.  By the end  of the 20th century, though, the original protocol against chemical weapons had gained traction and was widely understood throughout the international community to have proscribed chemical warfare, both during times of war between nations and during internal conflicts within nations.

With the historical background and development of a world-wide intent to interdict chemical weapons, there should be no hesitation on the part of the United States to pursue its case in the court of world opinion, and this includes the U.N., and the Court of International Justice at the Hague. To belligerently posture before exhausting every possible means internationally to paint Syria as a rogue country is not reasonable.  And, right now, it would  seem more than a little plausible that the Arab League and the Arab foreign ministers should be encouraged to at least consider a trade embargo against Syria.  After all, it's their neighborhood!

For now, the U.S. should be exerting itself to regain diplomatic prestige lost in the recent debacle over Syria. If there is a lesson to be learned in all of this, it might be that our leaders should always be mindful of the need for discretion in their words; but, along with that, they should realize, as well, the necessity of having  the ability and resolve for an option of confrontation when all else fails.  I seem to recall that there was a past president who used an expression that went something like this:  "Speak softly and carry a big stick."  Perhaps this was not covered in the curricula at Columbia and Harvard.

"THAT'S ALL, FOLKS!" JUST A SNIPPET ON YOUR TAXES AT WORK

From the pages of National Review, August 5, 2013:

BUGS & DAFFY AT THE WHITE HOUSE

"A magician who uses a rabbit in his act got an eight-page letter from the USDA (with the folksy salutation 'Dear Members of Our Regulated Community') demanding, as the magician told blogger Bob McCarty, 'a written disaster plan detailing all the steps I would take to help get my rabbit through a disaster, such as a tornado, fire, flood, etc....[and] what I will do after the disaster, to make sure my rabbit gets cared for properly.'  It turns out that the USDA has a full-time 'rabbit police' division, with licenses and inspectors and rules governing work hours for animal performers.  There's no insurance mandate yet, but they're probably working on one."

HAS THE UK TAKEN THE WIND OUT OF OBAMA'S SYRIAN SAILS?

Faced with a dead-end in the United Nations and the inability to find even a single ally to form a mini-coalition, President Barack Obama would seem to have backed himself into a corner with regard to his determination to undertake military action in Syria.

Yesterday's reluctance evidenced in the U.K. parliament made it even less likely that France or Germany would follow Obama's lead for a strike against Syria.  Unfortunately for the president, his dithering and delaying over the last two years has cost him a great deal of credibility, not only with America's allies, but also with foreign enemies, who increasingly see the U.S. as lacking in resolve.

It was two years ago that President Obama let it be known that Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad should remove himself from power.  That was followed one year later by the infamous "red-line" statement, in which the president informed the world that, if Syria transgressed by using chemical weapons, the U.S. would retaliate.  With evidence piling up to substantiate the use of sarin gas in Syria, President Obama, it appears, is a day late and a dollar short, neither convincing America's allies nor the American people that moving against the Syrian regime would be in their best interests.

While Secretary of State John Kerry  - the same John Kerry, who during the Vietnam era infamously threw his medals over the White House fence - pontificated today on why the evidence would compel this country to military action, speculation continued to mount that President Obama might unilaterally choose to order our armed forces into action, totally bereft of any sort of allied backup.

No matter how the analysts at Two for Texas have tried to slice this thing, it is difficult not to find barefaced inconsistency.  For example, how was it that an administration so gung-ho to hit Syria was so slow on the draw with the Benghazi abomination?  Why is it that, in a time of military draw-down and sequestration, the administration is bound and determined to initiate an action that, once again, might draw us into a Middle East quagmire?  If the Syrian regime has contravened its moral standing and has shown itself to be a pariah, has the administration consulted Syria's neighbors on the matter?  It might be imagined that Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan might wish to bring some pressure to bear on their renegade neighbor.  So far, we have heard nothing of that order.

Hopefully, before charging into action like the proverbial bull in the china-shop, cooler heads will counsel caution and patience.  What we have seen thus far seems to be a repetition of past diplomatic blunders.  And that brings to mind Edward Klein's best selling biography of President Obama, which was called "The Amateur."  Alas, dear readers, the Syrian affair has, so far, had a very amateurish feel about it, so amateurish in fact that someone, somewhere might be feeling a bit embarrassed.

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

From Comment Haven.com

For all those still laboring in the United States of America, best wishes go out for a wonderful Labor Day on Monday, September 2!

First celebrated as a national holiday in 1894, Labor Day came into being during a time of upheaval, as American workers struggled to organize and obtain collective bargaining rights.

These days, however, Labor Day is seen by most Americans as the last day of summer, a time for barbecuing and seeking out price rollbacks at Walmart and other commercial outlets.

During a time of government cover-ups concerning goings-on at the Department of Justice, the IRS and the Department of State, one is left wondering about the credibility of statistics emanating from Washington that concern American workers.

Although Americans were told this summer that the unemployment rate had dropped to 7.4%,  the sad fact of the matter is that, from all indications, there may be some manipulation of figures going on. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)  does not give an accurate picture of all areas of unemployment with the 7.4%  figure. Excluded are people who might have part-time employment but are searching for full-time positions and individuals who have not sought employment in the past month, simply because they are disheartened of finding  work.  Not showing up in any government data are those who have been looking for employment for a year or more, but have given up altogether on finding employment. Thus, if all of the data were taken into account, the real unemployment rate would likely be closer to 23%.

Nationally, however, the numbers of persons who are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP, or "Food Stamps") continue to grow.  From May 2012 to May 2013, SNAP recipients grew from 47,500,000 to 47,600,000.  In Texas, by May 2013, more than 4 million people had Lone Star Cards; and, in standing in grocery store lines in Brownsville, it often seems like every other person is checking out with Lone Star.  Because of SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, free phones and a host of other available benefits, the nation is in danger of nurturing a new generation which sees government as the source of its sustenance.

As for real household income, the picture is also dreary.  Americans now face an ongoing problem of inflation, negatively affecting their ability to support their families and pay their bills. More and more financial institutions, in the form of credit cards and loans, are doling out funds to cash-strapped consumers.  Since the recession began, the median household income in America has dropped from $56,000 to $52,000; and long-term prospects, owing to the distinct possibility of more inflation on the horizon, don't look encouraging. All told, Americans in 2000 were approximately 10% better off, as compared to their economic standing in 2013.

As America continues to allow socialism to embed itself into its economy, it might be well on this Labor day to consider traditional American methods of boosting our economy.  A good place to start is with limiting government spending; which, in the long-run, always has a way of taking away from capital available to spawn new enterprises.  We simply can't continue to mire ourselves in a swamp of  debt.

This morning, while making a run to the gym, I happened to notice that gas had overnight gone up by 10 cents a gallon, no doubt in response to the latest developments in Syria.  It doesn't take a John Sununu to figure out that we should not be dependent on the vicissitudes of the Middle East when it comes to our energy supply.  We are a gas- and oil-rich nation, and we should be utilizing our abundant resources, while we are developing alternate, renewable energy sources. But, somehow, the commissars in Washington do all they can to discourage exploiting these resources.

And, while we're at it, we are becoming one of the most regulated nations in the world.  Government regulation has and will continue to stifle our economy.  In Texas, the EPA is running a veritable vendetta against the gas and oil industry.  Only because the Lone Star State has a conservative state government, willing to take the fight to Washington, is this state able to hold its own and lead America in battling out of the Great Recession.

Most Americans don't realize it, but the United States has the highest corporate income tax rate in the world. And that certainly doesn't bode well for employment, when American businesses are tempted to set up shop in regions that are more business friendly and less tax happy.  If the tax rate could just be lowered 14%, American corporations would be less likely to flee to foreign shores, and the resultant growth in capital could spur job growth.

We can't continue to squander taxpayer money in ill-advised, pie-in-the-sky schemes such as Obamacare, which is not affordable, and  will  not be an efficient vehicle for the delivery of health care.  At this point, major parts of the law have been delayed, others have been so characterized by dispensations for various groups such as organized labor, and made so full of exceptions for political cronies and members of Congress, that it has less and less of a chance to succeed.  Speaker Pelosi's famous words were to the effect that Congress had to pass the bill so that it could be known what was in it. Now we know; and it is an unaffordable monstrosity.

The trial lawyers have contributed mightily to the socialists in Washington.  Consequently, the atmosphere in the U.S. is conducive to frivolous lawsuits brought against business and industry, which is in many ways is another waste of capital.  The punitive judgements arrived at in civil suits reach astronomical sums, and represent another halter on business growth.  More needs to be done in the area of tort reform.

So this coming Labor Day, there will be many Americans longing for the time when Washington's lefties will be sent packing and our country will return to proven strategies for economic growth.  With much determination and a bit of luck in the off-year elections in 2014, Labor Day 2015 might see us embarking on some real change that will offer not just hope but some positive results for American workers. Dear readers, let's keep those fingers crossed!

NEWS FLASH FROM THE PENTAGON: MY ANCESTORS AND I ARE "EXTREMISTS" !

Too incredible to believe - but, nevertheless, it's true - training materials and instructors in the armed forces have labeled American revolutionaries (the 18th century variety), our Founding Fathers, those who supported the Confederate States of America, members of conservative organizations, Evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics as "extremists."

Also in the military, a manual instructs soldiers to avoid negative comments about pedophilia and Islam, as if the two were somehow related!  But, come to think of it, perhaps they are. At the same time, military chaplains are being forced to perform same-sex marriages in locales where such is legal.  And, certainly, we must not indicate in any way that Pvt. Bradley Manning's gender confusion is bizarre!

Across the good old USA, it's political correctness running wild!

Talking head Chris Matthews now exclaims that somehow uttering "Chicago" may be taken as racist, but has not suggested a replacement label.  Maybe we can just say "Windy City."

And, for the anti-gender enthusiasts, in some locations the term "manhole" is being replaced with "maintenance hole."  Hopefully, that will save a lot of pain for some "persons."

And, out in the great state of New Mexico (which is rapidly filling up with peculiar folks from California), a state supreme court decision has ruled in favor of a lesbian couple turned down by a photographer, who on the basis of religious scruples, declined to contract with the women for wedding photography.  One can't imagine that this judicial blow against religious freedom will be allowed to stand, but any way you look at it, we live in strange times! And, boy oh boy, there are some really strange people out there!

This month in Seattle, city employees were encouraged - but not forbidden - to refrain from using the terms "brown bag" and "citizen," for fear of giving offense.  It seems that, in some quarters, the mention of a brown bag could be construed to be racially offensive, and calling one person a citizen could hurt the feelings of a non-citizen.

And those rodeo clowns had better be careful; otherwise, they could end up in "sensitivity training," such as what is now required at the Missouri State Fair. Or, the same fate could befall them as that of Tuffy the Clown: They could be banned for life! What, for goodness-sakes, have we come to when we can't even make fun of presidents?  

Seriously, dear readers, it was just a couple of decades ago that we were laughing our heads off about all of the politically correct weirdos. But, now, things have taken a hard turn to the left.  With a leftist government in power in our nation's capital, the weird has become normal.  At the rate we are going, Rushdie's Satanic Verses will soon be out the window, because of the fatwa placed upon it by the Ayatollah Khomeini and his minions. After all, we would not wish to hurt the feelings of those who passed and supported Rushdie's fatwa.

And, going a bit further with "the religion of peace," I can well remember when an ideology sworn to the overthrow of the U.S. was officially not acceptable.  That particular ideology held captive the people of numerous nations, who themselves were not a threat to America, but instead were enslaved by commissars and apparatchiks.  However, today, we face a greater threat from an ideology/religion which controls the brain waves of a considerable number of its adherents, who willingly submit themselves to the control of a specious religion and the domination of mullahs, ayatollahs and assorted theocratic dictators.  Yet, my writing these words is a grave breach of political correctness. And, so, the 1st Amendment be damned!

I have forgotten, but someone once said that those who control a culture control a nation.  But no truer words were ever spoken. And so, today, American culture is slowly but surely being eroded by leftists and their empty-headed legions of fellow- travelers who have no sense of where they came from, and no idea of where they are going.

I  grew up in a genteel setting in which I was raised to never give offense.  That time is past.  If we are to stand up for our country and our birthright, we must speak out in a forthright manner and not fret over to whom we might give offense!  Many of us have been deeply offended by the shenanigans of the far left and the insanity of political correctness.  As the saying goes, "What comes around goes around!"  It's "High Noon," and that means it's high time that we were heard from.

IN THE NAME OF REASON, NO DIRECT INTERVENTION IN SYRIA!

RUMSFELD AND HUSSEIN

It was a given in the early 1980's that Sadam Hussein was "our boy" in the Middle East.  Photo-ops with Sadam and various American political figures were fairly common in both the American and the Arab news media.  An unforgettable shot was of Donald Rumsfeld making nice with the Iraqi dictator, with little or no inkling that America's relationship with her client/dictator would eventually turn sour.

As America's stand-in during the Iran-Iraq War, Iraq lost approximately 300,000 military personnel and suffered an unknown number of civilian casualties.  Despite 8 years of fighting, the regime of Ayatollah Khomeini remained in power in Iran.

By 1990, Sadam imperiled Middle East stability with his invasion of Kuwait, and, in the process, vacated his role as American lackey.  The rest is a history that we know only too well, 2 gulf wars, the death of Sadam, and a mind boggling cost for the American taxpayer that is expected to hit $1.9 trillion.

And, in asking what we have gained by the expenditure of blood and treasure in Iraq, most would be dumbfounded to come up with a rationale for our misguided venture.  Iraq seems to be perpetually on the verge of civil war between Sunnis and Shias, Iran has been given an unprecedented opportunity to extend its influence into Iraq, and the Iraqi people will never show any gratitude for America's sacrifice.  Hopefully, something was learned about ill-advised schemes for "nation-building," but, from all appearances, it seems doubtful.

In the civil war now raging in Syria, it is clear that it is not the "good guys" versus the "bad guys."  Bashar al-Assad inherited a brutal dictatorship from his deceased father, who was known for the wholesale slaughter of his political opponents.  Rather than to adjust his political course toward moderation, the younger Assad has shown himself to be a chip off the old block.  Furthermore, the Assad regime is dominated by Alawites, whose offshoot version of Shia "Twelver" Islam accounts for no more than 14% of the Syrian population.  If Assad were ousted by the rebels, there would likely be a bloodbath in store for the Alawites.  This insures that Assad and his followers will do virtually whatever it takes to maintain their power.

SYRIAN REBEL CANNIBAL EATS VANQUISHED FOE'S HEART

Arrayed against the Assad regime are rebels, most of whom proclaim an attachment to Sunni Islam. As the rebels have charged full steam ahead into civil war, they have been joined by jihadists of various stripes flocking into Syria, most notably elements aligned with al-Qaeda. Their campaigns have been marked by atrocities that have even exceeded those of the Assad government.  Lately, the civilized world was shocked by photos of a rebel eviserating a dead government soldier and consuming his heart.

Compared to its neighbors, Syria is small geographically; and the Syrian population is essentially centered around two cities, Damascus and Aleppo. Thus far, the Assad regime has tightened its control over those regions; and, as seems likely, it will continue to do so.  Any intervention with "boots on the ground" must consider this reality and what it means for what could be a long-term military presence, which would be a very unpopular move from the standpoint of American  taxpayers. Most polls on the subject in the U.S. indicate that Americans overwhelmingly do not favor American involvement in Syria.

Concerning those who have made foreign policy for this country in the current administration and the disasters which have followed in Egypt and Libya, their involvement in policy making that would have an impact on Syria cannot inspire confidence.  It was not long ago that General James Clapper, the incompetent director of National Intelligence, was proclaiming that the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt was a "moderate secular group."  And, as for revelations concerning Libya and Benghazi, much more will likely unfold.

At a time when we are "sequestering" our armed forces, it appears nonsensical to contemplate a Syrian intervention, especially with a  history of long-running conflicts that have cost far more than originally envisaged by the government.  Even "leading from behind" in Libya ran a tab that went well beyond original projections. Past experience has shown that nation-building has a multitude of hidden costs.  Furthermore, the Obama administration's vacillation in arriving at a determined course of action has not won the U.S. many friends and supporters in Syria.  While Obama has dithered, 1000's more have died.

Syria's oil production is tapering off.  From a figure of 650,000 barrels produced per day in the 1990s, production has plunged to 350,000 barrels per day in the 21st century. At present, rebel forces and the Syrian army, jockeying over control of oil fields in the northeast sector of the country, have caused environmental nightmares in the form open-air, makeshift refineries, which have been resorted to in al-Raqqa province. If mega-producers Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were to curtail shipments to Syria, that in itself would have a devastating effect on the Assad regime.

The fate of religious minorities in the Middle East should have taught us something, and this is especially true when we consider what happened to the Christian minority of 1.5 million in Iraq.  Say what you will about Sadam, his dictatorial regime did not allow Muslim indignities to be visited upon Christians.  The American invasion, though, opened a Pandora's box of Muslim pogroms, to the extent that barely 100,000 Christians remain today.

ORTHODOX SYRIAN PRIESTS AT PRO-ASSAD EVENT

Syria, with a total population of 23 million, has a Christian population of well over 2 million, which has distinguished itself in the professions and in ministerial and managerial positions in the government .  Bashar al-Assad, as Sadam in Iraq, has not allowed Muslim excesses to affect the Christian community.  But, now, with the possibility of American involvement on the horizon, that situation may well change.

SYRIAN MUSLIM REBEL MURDERS SYRIAN CHRISTIAN

Already, the rebel forces in Syria have gone out of their way to attack Christians, and atrocities have occurred.  If the jihadists and various al-Qaeda factions in the rebel forces gain a free hand, Christian Syrians could very well suffer the consequences.

The Muslim mind, as represented in the rebel forces in Syria, is very much a 15th century mind, and it is worth remembering this when considering the Islamic calendar and the attitudes and actions engendered by by such a timeline. The odds are very strong that rebel forces coming to power with American assistance would spell another Middle East disaster for American foreign policy. Ill-informed individuals, such as Senator McCain of Arizona and Senator Graham of South Carolina, seem unaware of this, and show themselves badly in need of remediation in the history of the Middle East.

A surgical air strike against Syrian chemical weapons sites, in concert with the U.K. and France, would appear to be the most viable option for involvement at this point, and would at least avoid direct intervention. And, even that, is fraught with enormous risks of further fanning the flame of civil war into regional conflict..

In any case, the old adage that those who do not know or remember history are condemned to repeat it bears reiterating.  There is much at stake in Syria, including the survival of Syria's Christians.  And, with their past failures, those who make America's foreign policy have much to lose.  From this quarter, dear readers, the U.S. has nothing to gain from direct intervention.

AMERICAN MULIMS PLAN "MILLION MUSLIM MARCH" TO PROTEST DISCRIMINATION

9/11:  A DATE FOREVER ENGRAVED ON THE AMERICAN PSYCHE

September 11 is the date oddly chosen by the American Muslim Political Action Committee (AMPAC)  to protest what it calls "religious bigotry"  and "discrimination" in the United States.

After reading that the committee was calling for a "Million Muslim March" on Washington, I could not help but think about my own experience in living for 6 years in a Muslim country, where I was not even allowed to practice my faith of Christianity openly and without fear of state action being taken against me.

As a Christian in a Muslim land, I conducted myself in a respectful manner - as far as local customs and Islam were concerned.  Eventually, in learning more and more Arabic, I began to understand the sermons blasting from the speaker systems protruding from mosques.  On more than one occasion, I heard words demanding that Jews and Christians should be driven into the sea and exterminated.

Absolutely no allowances were made for my religious holidays, and I was expected to work on Christmas day.  Even Christmas trees were banned, and I eventually found a scrawny specimen of a tree in the desert, which somehow I managed to adorn with makeshift decorations.

Along with a small coterie of Christians, I worshiped secretly on weekends.  After six years, when I left the country, I later got wind that the small congregation of Christians had been discovered by the authorities and had been expelled.

Being one who enjoys a glass of wine or even sometimes a beer, I did not have the right to protest the fact that I was living in a "dry country."  If I had been so dense as to do so, I would have been expelled immediately.

As for the legal system, Sharia was the rule.  The Koran was the constitution.  If I had not given assent to my living under this arrangement, I would have been forthwith sent away from the country.

Because of my experience of living under Islam, I am more than a little skeptical when I hear about Muslims who wish to protest discrimination planning a massive march on 9/11, a day when Americans should be honoring the memories of those martyrs who fell victim to Islamic terrorism.

AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LIBERTY INCLUDES MOSQUES

As for the alleged discrimination, are Muslims denied the right to worship freely and openly?  Are they subjected to ear-shattering sermons demeaning their faith?  Are they able to move about in society and associate with whomever they wish?  Are they not given due consideration about their religious holidays? Are they forced to live under a legal system and a constitution which establishes only one religion?  Do not Muslims in this country have access to their religious symbols and the foods demanded by their dietary practices?  Somehow - at least, it seems to me - these Muslims are raising a "red herring" at a particularly inauspicious time.

Most of the 9 million Muslims in the U.S. seem to be completely cowed by radical Islam.  Too few of them ever speak out against terrorism.  Are their voices now being raised against the genocide against Christians that is now taking place in Egypt by the Muslim Brotherhood?  Why do they never protest the blasphemy laws in Pakistan which victimize Christians?

And, I would ask, do Muslims really want to enter into the mainstream of American life? Do American Muslims engage in joint efforts with non-Muslims in the U.S. for community betterment?  It is strange, but I have not heard of Muslims joining up in droves with the Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions clubs!  Do Muslims ever use their Zakat (a type of tithing prescribed by Islam) to benefit anyone other Muslims?  And, in Dearborn, Michigan, which has been totally taken over by Muslims, why does their city government proscribe freedom of expression for Christians?

Rather than protesting phony issues, I would hope that American Muslims would spend their time in disavowing 5th column organizations such as the Council on American Islamic Relations, which pose as "civil rights" groups.  I would also hope that American Muslims would initiate a crusade against their coreligionists funding terrorist organizations such as Hamas.  And, finally, American Muslims - if they really think of themselves as Americans - might wish to join other Americans in praying for the souls of the martyrs of 9/11 on a day which should be devoted solely to that.

In conclusion, and taking liberties with Shakespeare:  "Methinks these Muslims doth protest too much!"