Apparent License to Challenge The United States

It was Vice President Biden who was prescient when he said that during the first six months of the Obama Administration that America’s enemies would challenge the new President because of his lack of foreign policy experience. I am not one of those conservatives who will fault our new president for such a dearth of experience because Bush, Clinton, Carter, and Ronald Reagan also lacked foreign policy experience. Instead, I take issue with the naïveté of President Obama in his dealings with these rogue states. Unlike the Europeans who are taken in by our president speeches, our usual despots are not moved. It seems that since President Obama took office, America’s enemies are having a field day taking license to challenge us in matters of our interests. Even in matters not wholly in the foreign policy realm, for example, the Somali pirate situation, the Obama Administration seemed hesitant, notwithstanding the eventual positive outcome--of more import are The North Koreans, the Iranians, and Hugo Chavez. To be fair, none of the recent administrations seem to know how to deal with the North Koreans-the Clinton and recent Bush Administrations failed miserably to deal with our Napoleonic Complex despot. The only solution is to cut off necessities to the North by asking the Chinese to intercede on our behalf-not that I expect the Chinese to do anything to help without prodding. We have the prod by letting the Chinese know that if they do not reign in their proxy, then we would have to spread the nuclear genie in that area of the world, a scenario the Chinese are adamantly against. This would mean arming South Korea, Japan, and Singapore; I do not know how effective this would be in light of the fact that the Chinese owns most of our debt. As for the Iranians, we have been given an opening with the recent uprising among the Iranian young for Democracy-this will not be an easy task, but overthrowing the Mullahs can be had. As a boy, I read in Time magazine how Pope John Paul and President Reagan, assisted with faxes, helped bring down the Soviet Union by supporting Les Walesa in Poland—we have heard how the advent of similar technologies (Facebook and Twitter) helped the students in Iran. We must foster these advents to support and hopefully get the same outcome like Reagan and the Pope had in Poland and eventually the crumbling of the then Soviet Union. I do not worry much about Hugo Chavez, but perhaps I should. It may be prudent to bribe neighboring friendly countries or call it what you may and place troops in these neighboring countries as a check to Chavez’s aims. Moreover, because of Venezuela’s proximity, it should be rather easy to be privy to Intelligence and being able to place assets which would assist us if there are any dire threats coming from Hugo. In addition, economically we could drill and lessen our dependence on oil imported from Chavez, but with the Democratic Party, on this particular issue, they value animals than the blood spill in wars to secure the black gold. It is a given that good will among the races cannot be legislated nor can peace be had by good intention speeches emanating from the presidential bully pulpit….

-Verily Prime

Obama’s Universal Health-Scare?

It is laudable to want to provide everyone with health care, but some of us are wary thinking that it will turn out like everything else that the Federal Government operates; examples, the Post Office and Amtrak. We must confess that we are ambivalent about the apparent coming changes in our health care system; case in point, notwithstanding what was said earlier about the government’s atrocious record in running things, we are salivating seeing the insurance companies complaining and sweating about having to compete with the Feds to provide services. The genuine sob stories are legion about many a small businesses and individuals who have felt the cold and callous decisions made by risk managers who were operating from the insurance companies’ mandate to maximize profits at all costs. Now, it seems like poetic justice to hear the insurance companies wined about having to compete with the Feds; they are suffering from what happens to monopolies and predatory institutions that meet the king of the business jungle-monopolies run by governmental bureaucracies. Another aspect of President’s Obama plan is the diminution of the status doctors will now hold in our society. If we are about to emulate the health care system in Canada and the United Kingdom where the doctors are paid like lower middle class citizens, then our doctors here must get accustomed to the profession being not as prestigious as it is now. The question is what doctor wants to make the pay his or her counterpart makes in Europe or Canada? And what of the half a million or so it cost to study at a decent medical school-will the expenses be curtailed or will there be incentives available to entice our brightest to enter the medical field? Members of Verily Prime are intimately familiar with the universal medical care offered in England because they have three uncles residing in the United Kingdom and have heard them berate many aspects of the health care system there. Our uncles refrain have always been the “wait” and what is tantamount to “rationing” of the services provided under England’s universal medicine-we are hoping that those aspects are not part of Obama’s version of universal health care, which seem to be imminent.

-Verily Prime

Hot Dog Diplomacy

There have been many forms of diplomacy from Kissinger’s shuttle diplomacy, which resulted in the Camp David peace accord between Israel and Egypt to the pending “Hot Dog” diplomacy planned by the Obama Administration scheduled for this coming Fourth of July. Peace is always a noble goal so I will not comment on the merits of extending an olive branch to the mullahs, especially since it has been a generation since the USA has had normal relations with the Persian state. Moreover President Obama may have legitimate reasons for being circumspect—critics say timid—for his conspicuous tempered support for the opposition’s clarion calls to throw out the results of what they deemed as tainted. It is reported that the previous Bush Administration made a deal with the Iranian Mullahs to keep one of their proxies, Muqtada AL Sadr, from wreaking havoc in neighboring Iraq-apparently many of the roadside bombing which caused much of our casualties in Iraq were carried out by Sadr’s militia. If this is true, I cannot and will not fault President Obama for acting on the behalf of the brave men and women fighting in the Iraqi theatre. If on the other hand this is not so, then it would look rather bad that the Germans and the British were more vocal than the USA in their support for the democratic process, which was the brain child of our heritage. Sometimes image is everything and President Obama does not want the lasting image borne out of his “Hot Dog” diplomacy--think of Neville Chamberlain holding in his hand the peace document he had signed with Hitler--of diplomats representing the blood stained hands of the mullahs taking part in our reverent celebration of the Democracy process on the Fourth of July.

-Verily Prime

Persian Saplings of Democracy

Over two thousand years ago, Alexander The Great sought and succeeded in having his men interbreed with what we know now as the Iranians so that to quell rebellion for his conquering of the Persian Empire. As I write, the seeds of Democracy are sprouting in Iran and the saplings need the support of their big brother to survive--that Oak of a tree known as the United States. We are witnessing an attempt in Iran by mostly students to have a revolution borne out of Democracy; the USA should be proud to see many of the students holding signs beseeching the United States for moral support, while being beaten and even killed. The powers that be in Washington should be wishing for the Iranian students success because, like me, they too should be having Geo-political dreams of grandeur. If the students succeed, we may see the petro funds cut off from Hezbollah, one of the Mullahs most lethal surrogates, who have wrought havoc in the Lebanon, Judea, and Samaria. The Mullahs have even sought to influence affairs in our hemisphere-note the recent visits by Amadinajad to Venezuela’s Chavez. Think of the possibilities of both Iran and Iraq being governed by Democratic principles and not having the internecine blood letting between Sunnis and Shiites, which have cultivated their respective soils. Democratic rule in Iran might keep the nuclear genie bottled up and preclude the nuclear arms race that would surely ensue if Iran were to go Nuclear. Because of the ingrained hatred between Sunnis and Shiites due to the dispute in succession to the Caliphate--their version of the Trinity--there is no trust between them to let one side have Nuclear weapons. If Iran goes Nuclear then Egypt and Saudi Arabia will want Nuclear weapons to balance the power in the region. It is an opened secret that it is the Sunnis--Egypt and Saudi Arabia—that want America and even the Israelis to prevent the Iranians (Shiites) from attaining the Bomb. I have laid out the Geo-political reasons--notwithstanding that we should always give moral support to anyone who are seeking to emulate our form of government--why we must support the saplings of Democracy sprouting in Iran. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Democracy is not perfect, but it is the best among the many forms of government we have….

-Verily Prime

A Policy Posture Imitating Art

Everyone who has deigned to read this blog knows that the members of Verily prime have little interest in anything that the Hollywood idiot savants have to offer to the political discourse-however, we are making an exception. In the movie ”The Untouchables,” Sean Connery, in his only Oscar winning role, plays a cop who is working for Kevin Costner who is playing Elliot Ness. In a pivotal scene in the movie, Connery tells Costner who is battling Al Capone played by Robert Dinero, “That if he (Al Capone) send one of yours to the hospital, you (Elliot Ness) must send one of his to the morgue.” We have a pigmy with a Napoleon Complex in North Korea threatening our West Coast and many of our enemies hiding out in caves threatening our way of life. These enemies have threatened us with nuclear annihilation and all pundits from either side of the political spectrum have said it is only a matter of time before we are hit with a nuclear bomb. Because I live in New York I am probably in the cross hairs since a hit on New York would be symbolic of destroying the heart of the capitalist system-some would say that the current administration is doing that already, but I digress. It should be our conspicuous posture that any country or surrogate who hit us with any weapon of mass destruction would feel the wrath of the God of the Old Testament. Like Sean Connery in “The Untouchables,” if you hit New York, we should take out that entire country. I have often thought that this should be Israel’s posture too, which means that if any of her enemies wishing to push her into the sea, that they too should be in Israel’s nuclear cross hairs. These enemies of America are no different from the bullies we faced in school--mine was Collin Manning who would beat me and interrupt my game of Cricket. I was fourteen when a boy named Bevis Hutchinson manned up and beat the crap out of Collin. We must persevere and willing to exact a punishment fitting of Sean Connery’s advice to Kevin Costner. Incidentally, I am told that Collin Manning is now a fire and brimstone preacher in the Bronx.

-Verily Prime

Blasphemy From The Left

It was something you never thought would happen during your life time, if ever; an apt example would be like seeing country and western female performers having black men as lovers in their videos. In recent days, there has been actual criticism of President Obama coming from, of all places, the left of the Democratic Party. From Bill Maher to a prominent member of the liberal San Francisco Chronicle newspaper--both have done the unthinkable and criticized the anointed one (President Obama). Maher critique had to do with President Obama not getting anything substantive done and his penchant for being seen on television. The Chronicle editor opined about how in the tank the general press has been in not objectively critiquing the Obama Administration. The same cult of personality that has over taken us when we deal with celebrities has devolved on our current president. The left of the Democratic Party will tell you it is because President Obama has not lived up to his promises to close “Gitmo” and for not prosecuting the Iraqi war to a full end, and therefore summarily bringing the troops home. The members of Verily Prime are more cynical as to the reasons why the left is engaging in blasphemy against President Obama: We think it has to do with all the talk of increase in taxes. As much as these lefties talk about universal healthcare and the like, they dread paying the taxes that will be needed because they lack the courage of their convictions. Take a look at many celebrities from England; many of these celebrities will confess that they don’t live there because of the burdensome taxes inflicted on them by the country of the Union Jack. Perhaps many of these lefties can move to the West Indies and still maintain their courage of their convictions without resorting to blasphemy against President Obama. Don’t fret Bill Maher, all deities have the power of forgiveness-oops, I almost forgot, Bill Maher is an avowed atheist….

-Verily Prime

GOD Seems To Have A Personal Vendetta Against Al Gore

Yesterday, it snowed in neighboring New Jersey; normally, this would be a non issue, but because of the time of year and the hoopla and unfounded predictions propagated by the environmentalist folks about “climate change,” it merited mention. The inclement weather in Jersey confirmed to me that God has a personal vendetta against Al Gore because it seems that every time Gore comes to Washington to advocate on behalf of Mother Earth, there is a deluge. I will confess that I know little about climate change and it supposedly many man made causes; I will also confess that even if I did know, I would not place much credence into the science surrounding t he current secular religion that is “Global Warming.” When I was a boy, many of the leading scientists of the day predicted that there was a coming ice age. There was actual consensus among many of these leading scientists on the issue of the imminent ice age--many of these scientists are still alive today, but Verily Prime do not know if they are now advising Al Gore. No doubt, Al Gore will still peddle the “Global Warming” dogma while making a killing, but I on the other hand will still be trying to acclimatize my life style for the coming ice age. I know many of the environmentalist loons would brand me as an apostate for not walking in lockstep with Gore’s position about the environment, but a fitting penance would be to force the members of Verily Prime to listen or read Al Gore’s book on the subject matter--I could here the whispers now, “they are such Philistines….”

-Verily Prime