I am sorry Mr. Putin but you are absolutely wrong.

 

This week we were treated to an op-ed article from President Putin who decided to lecture the American people on the proper use of military force and international cooperation. The whole thing would be funny if it was not so tragic.

 

It is amazing that Mr. Putin would  lecture Americans on human rights when his previous employer, the KGB of the now debunked USSR, single purpose was to deny rights to its countries own citizens and deal with anyone who resisted the crushing communist government with violence only exceeded by previous USSR governments. 

 

It is ironic that Mr. Putin uses the violence in Afghanistan, since the US lead the invasion, as an example of the problem with the use of military force and states “We need to use the United Nations Security Council to preserve law and order in today’s complex and turbulent world”. I don’t remember any UN resolutions Mr. Putin when hundreds of thousands of Russian troops flooded across the Afghan border. I don’t remember any UN resolutions Mr. Putin when that action started the violent down-spiral that eventually lead to Al Qaeda having complete run of Afghanistan. I don’t remember any UN resolutions Mr. Putin that stopped Al Qaeda from using that county to train and plan attacks like 9-11. I don’t remember you or any representative of the USSR objecting to the mass killing of civilians with Mi-24 attack helicopters during the USSR occupation. You showed no concern for international law or UN sanctions as the government YOU worked for carted political prisoners off to Siberia or as your Russian tanks crushed Chechen rebels.

 

Save us the lectures Mr. Putin.

We do not need them from a man who worked for one of the most murderous governments in history. The USS has supported proxy wars throughout history.  Your country has always been and still is on the side of tyranny, ruthlessness and brutal governments. Even today, in the country where YOU are President, citizens are beaten, imprisoned and killed just for voicing opposition to your polices.

Maybe in your country, with government controlled media and thug police, maybe there you can get away with the outlandish lies your article expounds. But in a country with a free press, in a country that encourages free thinking people, YOU are a hypocrite and a clown. You have stumbled on to a political opportunity to increase Russian influence.  This opportunity was brought about mainly due to the total incompetence of the current US President and his team of advisors. But don’t assume the majority of Americans are as ignorant as our current leader.

Your biggest error, your biggest misconception, is your belief that America is not exceptional. It is not the individual per say but something much greater. What makes America exceptional is the concepts of individual liberty and individual freedom that allows Americans to achieve exceptional things.  There is a reason that America had to supply wheat to feed your Russian citizens during the communist reign of terror. There is a reason why the US economy dwarfs all others and is 8 times the size of the Russian economy. It’s not because America’s citizens are smarter or harder working than any others. History has shown the brilliance and resolve of the Russian people. The difference is, the American Constitution that allows American individuals to achieve their maximum potential and not be limited by a corrupt and overbearing bureaucratic government.

Immigrants flock to the United States of America because in the USA; you can be or achieve anything. Our country is not perfect:  we are lead and governed by imperfect people.  But, our Founding Father’s concept of unalienable rights is perfect. It is the light that lead the world out of 10,000 years of darkness; that proved that the individual has value.  A person has value not because it was granted by some government or some King or some President; a person has value just because the individual exists.

If you were a great leader, you would understand this concept.

If you were a great leader, you would emulate this concept.

But then, I did say “if”………

 

 

Does anyone remeber the last war?

As we contemplate going to war in Syria; it might be a good idea to remember that we still are at war in Afghanistan. When we think about the people dying in the Syrian conflict; it would be nice to not forget we still have soldiers, airman and Marines dying in far off lands. A scan of major newspapers and news web sites show little or no mention of the continued combat operations in Afghanistan. So if being a “war weary nation” (our President’s words) means that we ignore the sacrifices of our military, maybe it would be best if we do not engage them in any other conflicts. If we are so bored and complacent that we don’t even notice that there is a war is going on, maybe we do not deserve their continued service and sacrifice.  

Thankfully internet sites like “The War on Terror” (http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/) are doing an excellent job keep us informed about where our military is deployed and, like the reports below, remind us that some are still making the ultimate sacrifice.

Maybe we could take a minute away from talking about the next war to remember those that are dying defending us in the current war.

Today, the Department of Defense announced the deaths of service men that were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom for the last 30 days.

           Staff Sgt. Todd J. Lobraico Jr., 22, of New Fairfield, Conn., died Sept. 5, 2013, from wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 105th Security Forces Squadron at Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y

   Staff Sgt. Joshua J. Bowden, 28, of Villa Rica, Ga., died Aug. 31, in Ghazni, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire while on dismounted patrol.  He was assigned to the 242nd Ordnance Battalion (EOD), 71st Ordnance Group (EOD), Fort Carson, Colo

          Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, 24, of Staten Island, N.Y., died Aug. 28, in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device, small arms and indirect fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light), Fort Drum, N.Y.

       1st Lt. Jason Togi, 24, of Pago Pago, American Samoa, died Aug. 26, in Hasan Karez, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device.    He was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

       The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom   They died Aug. 23 in Haft Asiab, Afghanistan, from wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with an improvised explosive device during combat operations. Both soldiers were assigned to 2nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

           Spc. Kenneth Clifford Alvarez, 23, of Santa Maria, Calif., and

           Pvt. Jonathon Michael Dean Hostetter, 20, of Humphreys, Mo

     Master Sgt. George A. Bannar Jr., 37, of Orange, Va., died Aug. 20, of injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.

Died Aug. 11, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked their unit with indirect fire. The soldiers were assigned to the 4th Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.

           Staff Sgt. Octavio Herrera, 26, of Caldwell, Idaho,

           Sgt. Jamar A. Hicks, 22, of Little Rock, Ark., and

           Spc. Keith E. Grace Jr., 26, of Baytown, Texas

 

As citizens we have a responsibility to stay informed about things our nation is involved in.   I invite everyone to read “The War on Terror” blog regularly to stay informed. The main stream media has apparently moved on to the next big headline.  And remember, just because they are not reporting it, does not mean it is not happening.