Armed Guards...Everywhere?

Recently, we wanted to mention something when several People got shot somewhere...where was it?  It is easy to begin losing Track.  Then, 13 People, including the Killer, got shot and killed at the Washington D. C. Navy Yard.

The Situation in some distant Places is also dire.  60-70 People died over the Weekend at a Shooting in a Mall in Nairobi, Kenya and it is not over yet.

Schoolchildren got killed.  Innocent People got shot at in Public Parks or, in some Cases, worse yet, killed, in Chicago and elsewhere.  An Arizona Congresswoman got horribly injured and several innocent People around her got killed in a Shooting.  People got killed while matching (albeit a violent) Movie in Colorado.  Students shot Students in Schools.  Some got caught in Time but others didn't and they wound up killing their fellow Students.  We could go on and on but it is not necessary, we don't think.

In the Middle of all this this comes Wayne la Pierre; he is the Leader of the National Rifle Association; with a Suggestion:  place more Guards, more „Armed Personnel” as he put it under the Scenario, „Arm more good Guys to Keep the bad Guys at Bay (or simply shoot them, we surmise)”

http://presspass.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/22/20636650-nras-lapierre-calls-for-more-armed-personnel-after-navy-yard-shooting?lite

Aside from what we think are the obvious Problems with that Line of Thinking, we see another Problem; we are wondering if Mr. la Pierre and others see the Problem too.  There used to be a Time when everything, well, almost everything, was easily accessible; Government Offices, Courts, Schools, Hospitals, Airports and more.  All this has changed now, of course.  What makes it particularly worrysome is not necessarily those who live and work in these armed Fortresses, but those who have been left outside.

Ordinary Citizens.  Be it in an Automobile, on the Street, in a Shopping Mall, even in a Home or an Apartment.  Clearly, there simply isn't enough Money, either in the United States or elsewhere to have Guards everywhere.  The logical Conclusion of such an Argument, ad Absurdum, would be to have almost as many Guards as People who Need to be guarded, Police and quasi Police everywhere.

All Firearms are by Definition deadly.  Having a Pistol for Self Defense or a Rifle for Hunting are Rights protected by the Constitution.

However, allowing the Citizenry to posess sophisticated automated or semi automated Weapons which have clearly been designed for Warfare, for Conflicts between States, in the Hands of everyone is simply bringing Warfare into our Cities, Communities, Places of Work, Places of Worship, Places of Entertainment, on Streets and Parks, everywhere.

And while Mr. la Pierre (and others) may think it is a swell Idea for a whole Bunch of „Good Guys” to posess such Kinds of Weapons, meanwhile, countless Individuals who are simply going about their ordinary every Day Business, who do not own such Weapons, who may not want to own them, who may not have the Money to own them, who may be too old or too young to own them, are simply unwitting Targets for an incredible Carnage which is taking place in Front of our very Eyes.

Lady Ga Ga...move over! Ma Donna...move over! Miley Cyrus is here!!!

Now that the ridiculous Michael Jackson Estate Lawsuit to recover some illusory Proceeds from a Tour that never took place has been dismissed by a Trial Judge, we can concentrate on something more current...

Miley Cyrus

 

This is Miley Cyrus „sans” Birthday Suit, but dressed up for the Beach.  You can see Miley Cyrus's Birthday Suit in the Video Link posted below.  We hope Christian Dior, from his Grave, can forgive not only Miley Cyrus, Ma Donna and Lady Ga Ga but also us for inadvertently aiding in their Publicity.

 

Forget Ma Donna with her ridiculous Pronouncements and her Burlesque Style Boobie Tassels.

 

Ma Donna in one of her Strip Tease Outfits, now rendered „Passé” by Miley Cyrus's Creativity

Forget Lady Ga Ga's „Creative” Outfits one of which was made out of Meatloaf, or the one where she tried to outdo Ma Donna by substituting Kalaschnikows instead of Tassels on her Boobies; these, just as Examples (we bet the NRA loved that Photo!)

 

Lady Ga Ga wearing her Kalaschnikows.  The NRA should have loved this Photo.

Yes, Miley Cyrus (Miley who? for those of us who lead a sheltered Life) first managed to attract Attention to her with a Risqué Television Performance at an Award Show and then quickly moved on to a Video called „Wrecking Ball.”  Yes, the Video does indeed feature a Wrecking Ball, a plastic one, to be sure; it also features a Sledgehammer (likewise made out of Plastic) which Miley Cyrus lovingly licks and a Plastic Wall, too, of course, but the Masterpiece of it all is Miley Cyrus's Outfit...her Birthday Suit.  Total Genius and tossing Ma Donna and Lady Ga Ga into the Bin of „Has Beens,” Silent Movie Stuff, Ancient History, if you will.

You can watch the Video for yourself, here:

 

http://youtu.be/My2FRPA3Gf8

The Video features a Wrecking Ball (Plastic), a Sledge Hammer (Plastic), a Wall, of course, (Plastic, of course) and Miley Cyrus modeling a Couple of Outfits, notably her Birthday Suit.

But do not count on being one of the First...the Video has already gone „Viral” (we remember the Times when viral was an Adjective, not an Adverb and was used in Connection with Infections Diseases (Epidemics - a Word later revised to Pandemic) and has been seen by 25 Million People and counting.

The Real Question is, what is Rolling Stones Magazine going to do now, when looking for a Cover Shot?

Syria -- a difficult Choice

So, now, Syria has come to the Front Burner.  A Friend who wondered what would be the correct Choice on Syria also expressed the Inclination that to strike might be the preferred and logical Alternative.

It is a difficult Choice.  However, it does not appear that all of the necessary Variables of the Equation are available in order to make a correct Decision.  It might be appropriate to list just what the available Information is, at this Point in Time.  It also needs to be emphasized that the Information which is available, classified or not, is subject to re-Evaluation, literally, at a Moment's Notice as more Information becomes available.

Here is what we see so far:

The United Nations

It is clear that an International Intervention against Syria, limited or otherwise, is not possible within the Framework of the United Nations.  Russia and China are against a Security Council Resolution authorizing such Action and both have Veto Power.

This makes problematic any Action outside of the Scope of the United Nations, because such Action would be taken precisely because Approval cannot be obtained in the Security Council.  Simply put, one cannot easily make the Argument that the United States would go to the United Nations seeking Approval of such Action and, absent such Approval, it would act outside of the Scope of the United Nations or within another Framework or Coalition.

United States Domestic Policy Considerations

President Obama has set a courageous and correct Precedent by going to Congress to ask for Approval of a contemplated Military Strike.  We discussed the Implications of the Policy in an earlier Article.

Approval in Congress may be difficult but, it may prevail.  Straws in the Wind seem to indicate, however, that there might be some tough Sailing ahead.  Senator McCain, an outspoken Hawk in favor of Intervention, confronted some tough Questions at a Couple of „Town Meetings” which he has just held.  Polls seem to indicate that the Population as a whole is opposed to Intervention, limited as the President said it would be, by something around 48 to 28%.  There is a strange Coalition, composed of Liberal Democrats and Conservative Republicans which oppose Intervention of any Kind, leaving those who are in the „Mainstream” to carry the Weight and Responsibility for giving such Approval to the President.

The Situation in Syria

No one, including the Syrian Government disputes that they posess Chemical Weapons.

Less clear it is who used these Chemical Weapons in the latest Incident in which, according to credible Reports, approximately 1.400 People were killed, many of them, Children.  Truly a horrendous Act.  Some have suggested that the Rebels may have captured some of these Chemical Weapons and used them deliberately in order to entrap the Assad Government.

The United Nations Inspectors' Report will be available shortly and will become an important Factor if it corroborates the Intelligence Reports obtained by the United States establishing that the Assad Government used these Chemical Weapons against Civilians.

Even if the Rebels are aided as a Result of these contemplated Military Strikes, it is by no means a foregone Conclusion that Rebels associated with al-Qaeda or other Fundamentalist Movements would not inordinately benefit from them.  Interesting is the Position taken by a Veteran French Diplomat in an Open Letter to the French Parliament:

31 août 2013

Non aux frappes symboliques et de bonne conscience. Oui aux frappes utiles en Syrie.

31 August 2013

No to Symbolic Strikes (and for Conscience's Sake).  Yes to useful Strikes in Syria.

(Le Monde)

http://syrie.blog.lemonde.fr/2013/08/31/non-aux-frappes-symboliques-et-de-bonne-conscience-oui-aux-frappes-utiles-en-syrie/


(in French)

The Allies

Crucially important are the Allies who would be participating and/or supporting such Strikes.

So far, they are Canada, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and France.  After Canada, however, Things get murky when analyzing these Allies.  Saudi Arabia, which has Regional Political Considerations, that is one Thing.  Turkey which has been an arch-Enemy of Syria and would like nothing more than to have Syria destroyed, is another.  France; France has just announced that they will wait for the United Nations Report which seems to be an eminently sensible Thing to do.

Notably not joining in such a Coalition are Countries which normally can be counted upon:  Germany, Japan, Italy and, most importantly, the United Kingdom, where Prime Minister Cameron's Motion to join in such a Coalition was voted down by Parliament, putting his Government on a rather shaky Footing.

The Damage in Syria has been done.  There may be more Damage done if there are no Strikes.  However, the Likelihood appears to be that there will be more Damage done even if there are such Strikes and that Prudence and Patience are the best Choices as the Order of the Day.




 

The Problem caused by Wildfires and not so Wild Fires

 

Firefighters at Work in a Dangerous Environment

There is a Fire raging in and around the Yosemite Park in California, the oldest National Park, putting a Damper on Visitors as well as Vistas during Labor Day, the last Holiday of the Summer Season.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/28/20218572-yosemite-wildfire-blankets-region-with-choking-smoke?lite

Before this, there was a Fire in Arizona where 19 Firefighters („Hotshots”, we were not familiar with this Term before) some say, needlessly died.  Before that, there was a Fire in Idaho.  Before that, one in Colorado.  Before that, one in Wyoming and several others in California.  The List goes on and on.

All this Firefighting costs Money and Lives, „Blood and Treasure” as President Obama so eloquently put it in another Context.

And, obviously, Fires must be fought, before they cause greater Danger and Damage, irrespective if they were true „Wildfires” caused by some Act of Nature or caused by a malicious or negligent Human Act.  Such Fires can put at Risk the Electric Grid or the Water Supply System, to cite to Examples from what is happening at the „Ring Fire” (Yosmite), right now.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/25/20169597-raging-california-wildfire-threatens-more-of-yosemite?lite

Furthermore and this is just so we can see this in Perspective, if a Fire erupted in some major City or Metropolitan Area, be it New York, Los Angeles or Kansas City, just to name Examples, the Fire Department is responsible first, to save those Lives which are in Danger and then, to the extent possible, either the affected or the adjacent Property.

Carried further, this might seem to imply that there is a Responsibility which, in this Case, extends beyond Local, County and State Lines, to also save Property located in some of these Areas which are not only indescribably pictureques but also, very, very inaccessible.

Clearly, the Local, State and Federal Authorities have a Responsibility to defend and protect Infrastructure which happens to be located in an Area threatened by Fire.  However, when it comes to private Property, often built at the Expense of literally invading the Natural Habitat, for the Pleasure and Enjoyment of Few (and not for agricultural or industrial Purposes, such as Mining), a Reexamination of the Policy that Public Resources, Fire Equipment, Helicopters, DC 10 Jets, not to mention Human Lives, should be placed at such a Level of Risk and Cost, appears to merit re-examination.  The Cost of fighting These Fires, this, in Addition to the Cost in Human Lives, has been stratospheric.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/20/20110054-spending-to-fight-raging-wildfires-tops-1-billion?lite

When Lives are in Danger, a Rescue Effort should be made.  However, when it comes solely to saving Property, simply because it was built somewhere where it is so inaccessible,(sometimes only by Air, for Fire Fighting Purposes) a Re-Examination of Priorities could be in Order, so that those who choose, simply for their personal Pleasure and Enjoyment, to build lavish or even not so lavish Properties out in the Middle of Nowhere, know that they are doing so at their own Risk and at the Risk of their Fire Insurance Provider.

A Step in the Right Direction: President Obama requests a Congressional Resolution on Syria

Unexpectedly the News Wires carried the White House Announcement that President Obama has decided to seek Congressional Approval Prior to bombing Syria or engaging in any Type of Military Conflict with Syria.

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/31/20270696-obama-will-seek-congressional-approval-before-any-military-action-against-syria?lite

This would appear to signal a signficant Departure from what has been the Norm for several Prior Administrations, Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton and, most recently and most disastruously, Bush Jr., who managed to get the United States not in one but two Wars concurrently, one of which is still being fought.

By a strict Interpretation of the Constitution, the Power to declare War rests with Congress. Article 1, Section 8,

„The Congress shall have Power...to declare War.”

This was something which was observed with fairly consistent Regularity until 1941, when Congress declared War on Japan (8 December 1941) followed by Declarations of War on Germany and Italy.  There was even a Time, including up to the Vietnam War Era and beyond, when, officially, such Events were not referred to as Wars but rather Conflicts; obviously, because no War had been declared by Congress and, how could you be involved in a War if there is no Declaration of War?  Duhhhhh!

Over the Course of History, going to War has never been an easy Thing to get into and, often, not an easy Thing to get out of either, the Latter, even more so.

Witness the still on going Conflict in Afghanistan, the Mess in Iraq which is still going on, or earlier, the Vietnam Saga.  Back to Vietnam in a Moment.  First an interesting Footnote.  Although nobody thinks of it in those Terms, from a purely technical Point of View, until today, there is no Peace Treaty which has ever been signed between the United States and Japan or, for that Matter, between the United States and Germany or Italy ending World War II.

Vietnam.  Vietnam was a Situation all its own.  The Involvement began with President Kennedy and deepened under President Johnson.  Faced with a broadening Conflict, President Johnson went to Congress and obtained a Resolution (much as President Obama appears to be seeking now), known as „The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution” (7 August 1964) and proceded to justify all further Actions during the Vietnam Conflict based upon that Resolution.  Only two Senators (Wayne Morse was one of them), voted against it.  There was considerable Debate afterwards over what the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorised and what it didn't but one Thing is indisputable; President Johnson had a Resolution.  Nobody after him bothered, even if it meant getting embroiled into Conflicts which were just as messy, or even messier, in Terms of what President Obama was later to refer to as „Blood and Treasure.”

 

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

The Situation in Syria is complex.  If one were to listen to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President Assad of Syria should forcefully be removed immediately, by the United States, of course, with Turkey in a „Supporting Role.”  But it may be easier to speak from Ankara, especially if one doesn't have to pay the Bills.

President Bashar al Assad of Syria is not an Angel.  Far from one.  The Mess in his Country is enormous.  So is the Mess in his neighboring Countries, Egypt, Iraq and, yes, Turkey as well, to name a Few.

Despite what the Evidence laid out before President Obama may indicate, the Situation is complex and laden with Perils.  Moreover, as suggested by German Philosopher and Journalist Peter Scholl-Latour, the Evidence may lead different People to reach different Conclusions and this, with the United Nations Inspectors' Report yet to be made (Peter Scholl-Latour characterises a possible Military Intervention in Syria as senseless and dangerous).

http://www.tz-online.de/aktuelles/politik/scholl-latour-analysiert-syrien-drama-der-militaerschlag-sinnlos-gefaehrlich-tz-3081517.html

(in German)

But, back to President Obama.  Earlier, Critics noted that after „drawing a Line in the Sand” with Syria, he was not left with any good Choices.

As President Obama gets ready to head to Moscow, where the Chinese and others, not to mention President Putin, will also be, to take part in the 2013 G-20 Conference, the Decision to seek a Congressional Resolution on Syria effectively moves the Target Date from last Thursday (as it was urged on President Obama by some), to at least September 9, when Congress is scheduled to return to Washington after a „well deserved” Vacation.  Prime Minister David Cameron who was required to get a Resolution of Approval from the British House of Commons before committing to Military Action against Syria, surprised many, including, not the least of all, himself, by failing to get it.

Perhaps it would be nice for someone to send a Note to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan informing him that if he wishes to remove President Bashar al Assad all on his own, he is welcome to do it but, otherwise, he just needs to cool his Heels and wait until September 9 or maybe a Little later.