Just say no to Syria

The civil war in Syria is none of our business. Countries have had civil wars throughout history, and there's no universal commandment now that states the US must intervene in civil wars if the death count rises. Syrians have to deal with their own problems, and the people of Syria have to decide if they want freedom or to continue living under the suppression of dictators.

Neo-cons and Progressive hawks believe the US can back the right faction of "democratic" rebels, but this is delusional. "Democracy" is not going to prevail in Syria -- it's not prevailing even in Turkey.

Obama now claims a red line has been crossed, that Assad has used chemical weapons to kill 150 people. What about the reports earlier that the rebels used chemical weapons -- what color was that line? Assad has no reason to use chemical weapons and draw NATO into the fight -- Assad is winning the fight at this point, so why risk chemical weapons? And if both sides have used chemical weapons, then why would Obama choose one side over the other?

This appears to be more of a diversion to take the American people's attention off scandals than a well planned, strategic, or even humanitarian, intervention. I'm sure Susan Rice and Samantha Power have a lot to do with this, also. Progressives know that their road to complete control is though foreign interventions and national security propaganda.

Demand that US withdraw from the Mideast

Perhaps when the American people find out just how corrupt and incompetent our statist system of government has become, they will apply appropriate scepticism to foreign policy and military operations. Obama will certainly run to foreign policy as more is revealed about the AP First Amendment violations and the IRS attacks on conservatives and libertarians.

The American people can't afford to let their respect for the military cause further entanglements in the Mideast. In order to save our military from abuse (see Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Egypt and Libya) by this administration and neo-con Republicans, and to show sincere respect, the American people must demand a withdrawal from the Mideast. Afghanistan has become a political situation, not a war to protect national security. Syria is a Mideast battle between rich oil dictators and power-mongers positioning themselves in the region. America's role is one of political manipulation, and our manipulations in the Mideast have never worked out. Plus, America must return to her principled stance of non-interventionism, if we're ever going to return to peace and prosperity after decades of wars and statism. We can't let Obama play Global Machiavellia to hide from his lies and deceptions at home.

Morning Joe 5/6/2013 -- Whoops, maybe the rebels did it

It was not long ago that Centrists and Leftists on Morning Joe were pushing for the US to do something in Syria to stop Assad and help the rebels, then when reports came out that the Assad regime had used chemical weapons, no one could believe Obama wouldn't step forward and intervene militarily. Now it appears the rebels could have used the chemical weapons, not the Assad regime. This is why Obama was floating the balloon. Obama wants to intervene, but he has to have a good excuse that makes the decision look necessary, like protecting Israel or something.

Progressives should re-assess their doctrine of Reponsibility to Protect. First the US would have to know who to protect, and our record making this judgement has been poor. Responsibility to Protect has been a political device to justify interventions that serve purposes other than protecting the innocent. Our involvement in Libya was a failure on all obvious accounts. I'm sure someone in power saw involvement in Libya as a necessary US action, but it's not anything that's immediately apparent.

The more we intervene in the mideast, the more our interventions backfire. All legitimate military responses after 9/11 have been carried out. Now, the administration's using intervention for purposes other than national security.

The Morning Joe crew stupidly ridiculed the NRA convention held in Houston. Mika made faces after each clip they played, especially one by Rick Perry target practicing with a rifle. Mika acted as if her viewers should automatically understand her disdain for the Perry clip, but I'm sure only robot Progressives got it -- everyone else would ask what is the big deal about a video showing target practicing. The pundits who populate Morning Joe live in a bubble, and they have no idea what Americans are like outside DC. It's sad in many respects.

Progressives and war

Because Benghazi is getting hotter for Progressives in the administration, on top of a long economic slog, we can expect Progressives to escalate military action to divert the public from growing corruption and economically damaging interventions like Obamacare.

After Obama visited Israel, Israel is now bombing Syria. Israel would not bomb Syria without US permission, so we're effectively going to war with Syria through the backdoor of Israel. Americans can't allow this to happen. The next thing we'll hear is that Syria's threatening to retaliate and then there's an attack on Israel -- Obama will give a speech stating we have to protect Israel, our forever partner in the Mideast. For what? Does anyone really think Israel is threatened by Syria? Why would Assad attack Israel when he's in a battle with terrorists in his own country?

Israel has to know that if Assad goes, Syria will be taken over by terrorists who are more of a threat to Israel then Assad. Israel is doing this for us -- some deal has been made. I guess Israel thinks that if Syria is further torn and weakened, it good for them short-term. The American people oppose war with Syria by 62% -- this should rise to 99%.

Morning Joe 4/30/2013 -- Ted Cruz should break

The Morning Joe crew criticized Ted Cruz for stretching the truth about his Senate GOP colleagues when Cruz spoke before a Freedom Works crowd and showed how the establishment GOP really thinks. Cruz accused the Senate establishment of yelling at him and Mike Lee and Rand Paul for standing on principles and not playing smart politics. Joe Scarborough said he's talked to the establishment Senators and he, Scarborough, knows that Cruz was twisting what the Senators said. First of all, the establishment Senators could be lying to Scarborough, and, secondly, Cruz was talking figuratively to show what was behind the scolding he and Lee and Paul received from establishment Senators who wish to break Cruz.

The Morning Joe crew said the Senate will break Cruz, and they said it with such obvious glee at the prospect that you would think the Morning Joe crew consisted of statists who frown on any Senator who challenges the status quo. John McCain and Lindsay Graham have done such a good job with the Republican Party, it would be a shame to interrupt their important work.

After Scarborough accused Cruz of twisting words and misrepresenting the establishment GOP Senators, he proceeded to twist the words of all who oppose the recent gun control legislation by accusing them of wanting to arm terrorists and rapists -- in other words, Scarborough didn't just twist the words, he put horrible words in the mouths of people who have no desire to arm terrorists and rapists. Scarborough lied and smeared his opponents because lies and smears are all he has left after being shown up as a hypocrite for his flip flop on gun control. Scarborough is digging a deeper hole as he smears his opponents rather than search for solutions.

If Toomey and Manchin would go back and clarify the language in their legislation and limit the legislation to background checks, then it would pass, but as the wording stands right now, it could give some government agencies the ability to start a national registry of gun owners. If Manchin and Toomey aren't willing to make the changes, and if proponents of gun control, like Scarborough, aren't willing to admit the legislation is flawed and in need of revision, then gun control advocates aren't serious when they say they aren't trying to re-interpret or weaken the Second Amendment.

Later, the crew talked about Syria. Half the panel rejected US involvement in Syria, while the other half thought the US should do something. I think the US should get completely out of the Mideast. Then, later, the conversation turned to the economy, and Scarborough got on his kick that government should invest short-term but deal with debt long-term. This Keynesian position is so tired it doesn't stand at all, doesn't even move when it's kicked around -- it's dead. We need sustainable economic growth based on production and services that people want and need. We need low or no taxes and we need regulations rolled back so that the private economy can start producing once again and start generating new wealth.