Maybe The Pope Was Right

Last week in a speech in Germany, Pope Benedict XVI quoted from a little-known medieval text recording debates between a Byzantine emperor and an educated Persian. The Pope recalled that the emperor had told his adversary: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." The Pope acknowledged the "startling brusqueness" of these remarks, but went on to express his view that "spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable".

Now, the Islamic world has erupted in anger, again. There have been demonstrations demanding his replacement, clerics have demanded his death, a hit-man imprisoned in Turkey has warned of his assassination if he visits Turkey, five churches in Palestine were attacked and a nun was shot in Somalia by gunmen. It is just like the aftermath of the Danish cartoons that made fun of the Prophet, or Salman Rushdie's book, The Satanic Verses that vilified Mohammed. Anger, outrage and violence were followed by death threats. Hmmm…what do we learn here?

Maybe the Pope was Right?

Our Bi-Polar Foreign Policy

In discussing the current state affairs in the world, my oldest son, Aaron, mentioned that the major cause of the distress we encounter world wide is a result of our “bi-polar foreign policy. Every eight years we completely flip-flop our policies, cancel long-term commitments and created a whole new batch of enemies.” As I pondered his remark, I was struck with the succinct nature of his comment.

In the 1950’s, we secretly sponsored, funded and encouraged Ho Chi Mien to rise up against the French in Indo-China. We thought that the French would just roll over and let go of this colony and we would have a solid friend in Southeast Asia. Much to our surprise, the French not only refused to allow Vietnam independence, but they asked for our help to quell the rebellion. So, we dropped Ho Chi Mien like a hot potato and supported the French. In his anger over our betrayal, he went to Communist China and asked for their help. They were more that happy to supply support and assistance. Thus began a decade and a half of the most decisive conflict the U.S. had experienced since the Civil War.

In the 1980’s when Russia invaded Afghanistan, Osama Bin Laden formed an underground resistance to counter this move. Because the Cold War was still in full swing, we took the opportunity to support and encourage him to drive out the Russians. We covertly supplied and trained him and his forces, but when the reality of victory faded, we left him high and dry, and he hasn’t forgotten. His hatred at our betrayal has continued for another decade and a half with no light at the end of this tunnel

As a ruthless dictator, Saddam Hussein was no friend of ours when he rose to power in the early 1980’s, but as soon as he declared war on Iran, he became our ally. Iran infuriated us in the 1970's when the religious Ayatollah rose up against the Shaw of Iran and took control of the country. We were branded as decadent and evil in the eyes of Islam. American hostages were taken and held for years. Not only were we powerless to resolve the situation diplomatically, but our covert military operation sent in to rescue the hostages, crashed in the desert and a second team had to be sent in to rescue the first. Because of our history with Iran, we supplied Saddam with arms and expertise in an effort to defeat Iran. Then, when we lead Saddam to believe that we might turn a blind eye if he attacked Kuwait, we turned around and trounced him when he did.

This perpetual policy of bait and switch has been the bane of most of our international ills. Had we been better at choosing our friends, and supported them through their trials, we would be much better off today. We have felt that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, but when conditions change, the definition of enemy changed along with our support and allegiance.

Our standard should read: The United States of America will support and uphold any government and/or people that foster the principles of human dignity, individual security, personal property ownership, freedom of expression and economic stability.

Why should we spend billions of dollars to sustain the economies of those who support regimes and principles that run counter to the values that made us great? Or to replace enemy leaders with others that are just as bad for their counties, but give lip service to America? If our aid was reserved for only those countries that adhered to such principles, because we are actually the only bank in town, dictators and totalitarians around the world would modify their practices to qualify for the aid they need to survive. China and Russia have enough economic problems of their own that they could not continue to feed the rest of the world.

It may not be right to prohibit private economic ventures and trade to continue with such countries, but we have no obligation to give tax dollars in aid or grants to support governments that thwart our goals. We would still have the choice to intervene if lives were at state, but it would be a choice, not an obligation and our funding could be channeled through third party entities such as the United Nations, UNICEF or The Red Cross.

When we set standards that coincide with our values and adhere to them as we expect others to do, we will have others throughout the world support us and rally around us. If we don’t, then the next election will be the time to solidify another enemy.

Why Don’t We Believe The Terrorists?

I have been trying to understand why so many people don’t believe the terrorists? Or is it that they believe them but don’t know what to do about it? Maybe they just don’t know how you deal with a bully?

We have Islamic extremists all around the world predicting dire and devastating consequences if the Western, Christian world doesn’t accept and embrace Allah and Islam as the perfect society. Their method of proselytizing is terror, death and destruction until we acquiesce to their request. And these are people that have shown that they can convince others to die to promote this ideology. Rather than following the advice of General George Patten and allowing them the opportunity to die for their beliefs, many people are claiming that we need to not fight them but give diplomacy a chance.

When Iran says that Israel will be annihilated and Fatah, Hamas and Hezbollah agree to help, why do are we critical of Israel for preventing it? In an interview with Haaretz Magazine, Prime Minister Tony Blair from Great Britain responded to the question:

Regarding Iran, do you agree with the comparisons to the 1930s that we often read about?

Mr. Blair:
When you have the President of a country as powerful as Iran say those things, it may be very foolish of us to assume he doesn't mean them. And when he's also trying to acquire a nuclear weapon, then I think the warning signs are pretty clear... I think for a president of a country to say they want to wipe another country off the face of the earth and at the same time he's trying to acquire a nuclear weapons capability - if we don't get worried about that, future historians will raise a few questions about us and about our judgment.

The sad truth is that diplomacy, discussion and compromise only work when both parties want to agree. When either or both parties are determined to get what they want and not give an inch to the other, no amount of talking will change the situation. That is exactly the course that Hitler took in his conquest of Europe. He would take a country, raise the ire of the world and then say that it was all he wanted and he would take no more. A short time later, he would do the same trick again.

We had exactly the same situation occur in Bosnia and Croatia with Slobodan Milosevic. He had no intention of discussing any of the United Nations resolutions until he had accomplished his objectives. When he reached a goal, he would then agree to discuss a cease fire. He would drag the discussions out until he was ready to advance his next agenda, walk away from the table and begin his next offensive. And the world waited while he massacred nearly 200,000 people.

Saddam Hussein put off the United Nations for 10 years, not defying their demands, just not following them. In spite of all the mis-information regarding weapons of mass destruction and how imminent a threat Iraq was to the United States, there was an interesting development that occurred with in the months after our invasion that has been overlooked. Within six months, the Irish Republican Army called a cease fire and disarmed, Libya offered to allow the UN in to inspect their nuclear program and Iran also agreed to discuss their nuclear program. These entities had defied the world for more than 20 years. They saw that the US would do more than cry foul and pout on the sidelines. They realized that they could be next.

Iran reversed its position when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad came into power and he saw the quandary we faced with the lack of support at home over the Iraqi war. Now he feels that he can do anything he wants because we wouldn’t dare take on another problem and there is no one else capable of stopping him.

What do we do now? Our position of strength has been eroded at home and our media has convinced the world that we are the source of all their problems. What do we do when Muslims around the world chant, “Death to America” and plot activities to realize it? People complain about the 45,000 Iraqis and 2500 Americans that have been killed in the 3 1/2 years of this war, that’s about 12,000 per year, but forget that under Saddam, 15,000 – 20,000 Iraqis were killed every year for 25 years. And those Iraqis who have been killed the past two years have been killed by the insurgents, not the US.

What we need to do is decide if we can sleep in our warm beds with full stomachs and not fear that the police or army will bust down our door and haul us off to be tortured or killed, while millions of people all around the world live with these fears every day as their leaders skim billions of dollars from the aid we send to pad their own retirement funds.

No one wants to be the world police. But, by a raise of hands, who wants to see the atrocities around the world continue? We need to show the millions of good people in Iraq that the few thousand insurgents can be defeated if they stand up and help us stamp them out. Then we must stay the course and see that it happens for if we leave before the job is done, democracy may never recover from the aftermath.

Immigration: a mutilated concept

There are three basic groups of people that come to America:

1. Those who want to become a part of this country and enjoy the benefits of living here.
2. Those who want to learn and earn as much can they can and take it back to their native land.
3. Those who sneak into the country for one of the first two reasons.

The first group is always welcome here. They are the immigrants that wade through bureaucracy and red tape to eventually earn the right to move here, find work and become productive citizens. They leave a legacy and posterity that are proud to promote the concepts of self-government, private ownership and personal responsibility. I have friends from all over the world, Argentina, Brazil, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Mexico and the Philippines to name just a few. They came, worked and realized the American Dream of owning their own home, providing for their families and controlling their own destiny. Some of their descendents have even married my children and are now part of my immigration legacy.

The second group is also welcome. They typically come from underdeveloped countries to attend college and work for 5 to 10 years. Then, when they have mastered their professions, they return to their mother land and bless the lives of countless brothers and sisters with the knowledge they gained. They become pillars in their communities and teach the principles of hard work and self-government.

The third group is creating a lot of controversy today. I know and have worked with many of them and agree with those who say that most of them are a contributing part of our economy and that life would be different with out them. But as true as these statements are, everyone seems to overlook the fact that they have broken laws that were implemented to protect they very people they want to become. I worry when left leaning activists want to grand amnesty or absolution to 9,000,000 to 11,000,000 illegal aliens who broke the law to come here. What part of illegal alien do they not understand? Do these supporters have the same flagrant disregard for law and order?

A recent report cited that 10% of the population of Mexico lives in the United States. These are not Mexicans that have become American Citizens, these are Mexican Citizens that intend to stay and vote for the changes needed to keep them here. This is no different than allowing Guatemala or Argentina to vote on a referendum as to whether or not they can immigrate to this country and not be prosecuted once they do.

I worked with a man who embezzled $150,000 from the small business we work for over a two year period. When he was caught, his father-in-law offered to pay back the entire amount if no charges were pressed. His reasoning was thus: What would be accomplished if the man was sent to prison and his family had no one to support them? The answer is simple: He would learn that actions have consequences, his children would learn that actions have consequences and his next employer would probably not loose hundreds of thousands of dollars. The father-in-law could use that same $150,000 to support his daughter’s family until her derelict husband had paid his debt to society and hopefully learned his lesson.

What happened? The charges were dropped, the money was paid and an unrepentant felon was released back into society to prey on some other unknowing business owner. (I hope he gets a job with the ACLU, Barbara Streisand or Michael Moore.)

Most of my ancestors came to America between 1640 and 1750. They came from England, Scotland, France and Germany to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Georgia to start a new life in a new land. They held no allegiance to their old country, the lands that had abused and mistreated them. They had to swear allegiance to the King of England as they disembarked from the boat, but when the tyranny of the King and his disregard for law became intolerable, my relatives rose up in revolt and helped to start this country where the rule of law would prevail and the American Dream was available to all who would work for it.

Our borders should be open to all who would embrace this philosophy and closed to those who want to make this country just like the one they left.