Proportionate vs. Disproportionate Response
Posted on August 18, 2008
Filed Under War on Terror | Leave a Comment
President Bush recently characterized Russia’s military incursion into South Ossetia as “disproportionate.” That got me thinking about this whole liberal idea on warfare: proportionality.
What is proportionate in warfare? You bomb one of our command and control facilities and we’ll bomb one of yours? Or you killed 2,000 of our citizens so we’re going to kill 2,000 of yours? Come on. War is not a game of tag.
Why don’t we look at what one of our greatest generals has to say about war:
War is simple, direct, and ruthless.
Those are the words of General George S. Patton. He’s exactly right. War isn’t neat, tidy, and proportionate–at least not if you want to survive and a send a message to the enemy.
I bring this up not because I support Russia’s aggression (anyone who has read this blog consistently should know that I have been warning about the dangers of Russia), but because I believe that Bush’s use of the term “disproportionate” response illuminates why we’re losing the War on Terror.
We have fought this war liberally and with a proportionate response mentality. This is precisely why we’re still in Iraq and al-Qaeda is regrouping in Pakistan. It’s also why Iran is defying the West at every turn.
Until our politicians posses the bravery of our servicemen and women, we’re going to be more concerned about offending the enemy and the World than we we are about not just defeating the enemy, but obliterating it.
U.S., Poland Strike Missile Defense Deal
Posted on August 15, 2008
Filed Under Russia, Vladimir Putin | Leave a Comment
Think the timing of the finalization of this deal is just a coincidence?
The United States and Poland reached a long-stalled deal on Thursday to place an American missile defense base on Polish territory, in the strongest reaction so far to Russia’s military operation in Georgia.
But the deal reflected growing alarm in countries like Poland, once a conquered Soviet client state, about a newly rich and powerful Russia’s intentions in its former cold war sphere of power. In fact, negotiations dragged on for 18 months — but were completed only as old memories and new fears surfaced in recent days.
Those fears were codified to some degree in what Polish and American officials characterized as unusual aspects of the final deal: that at least temporarily American soldiers would staff air defense sites in Poland oriented toward Russia, and that the United States would be obliged to defend Poland in case of an attack with greater speed than required under NATO, of which Poland is a member.
Needless to say Russia isn’t thrilled, and in fact, they’re making threats:
An agreement that will allow the United States to install a missile defense battery in Poland exposes the ex-communist nation to an attack, a Russian general said Friday.
Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the Russian general staff told reporters Friday that the agreement exacerbates U.S.-Russian relations that are already tense because of fighting between Georgian and Russian forces. He said the deal “cannot go unpunished.”
And in the strongest threat Russia has issued in reaction to plans to put elements of a missile defense system in former Soviet satellite nations, the Interfax news agency quoted Nogovitsyn as saying Poland was risking attack.
“Poland, by deploying (the system) is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent,” Interfax quoted Nogovitsyn as saying.
And the hits just keep on coming.
Russian Ultimatum: Choose Us or Georgia
Posted on August 14, 2008
Filed Under American Sovereignty, Democrats, Republican Party, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Vladimir Putin | Leave a Comment
Hmm, why isn’t Russia using the diplomatic tone it has so often accused the U.S. of not taking? The answer should be pretty obvious: Russia and Putin only believe in diplomacy when one of their interests is at stake.
Here’s an excerpt on the story from CNN.com:
Russia pressed the United States on Wednesday to choose between “a real partnership” with Moscow or an “illusory” relationship with U.S. ally Georgia.
Washington said it’s sticking with Georgia.
“As to choosing, the United States has made very clear that it is standing by the democratically elected government of Georgia,” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday.
She spelled out the Bush administration’s stance after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Georgia’s government “a special project for the United States.”
“And we are aware that the U.S. is uptight about this project,” Lavrov said in remarks broadcast on Russian television. “But a choice will have to be made someday between considerations of prestige related to an illusory project and a real partnership in matters which indeed require collective efforts.”
I’ll side with Georgia as opposed to the Stalinist wannabes Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin.
I’m going to make a controversial statement here: if this war with Georgia is what it takes to get the West’s attention on the growing threat Russia poses, so be it.
Now I’m not suggesting we go to war with Russia at the moment. We can’t. But this where the diplomatic road should start, and I mean meaningful, hard-hitting diplomacy. I think John McCain’s proposal to remove Russia from the G8 is a start, but by means is it enough.
There should also be strong encouragement for Russia to go back to making democratic reformations.
Most importantly, Russia, and particularly Putin, ought to be instructed to stay out of our way with respect to missile defense.
I will submit, however, that Russia has no reason to take these suggestions seriously because we don’t have the power to put force behind them. Putin and Medvedev can say, “We don’t agree to any of these conditions. What are you going to do about it?”
Right now, there’s not much we can do. This is the position we have been put in by our so-called Republican and Democrat “leaders.” Our economy is increasingly leveraged to China and the Arab oil states; the military is handcuffed and prosecuted by rules of engagement that no one can win under; and the liberals take the side of the enemy.
Am I supposed to just ignore those facts and write about how we’re winning gold medals at the Olympics in a country that’s at war with us economically and we do nothing about it?
Am I supposed to be blindly optimistic and write that there’s nothing to worry about? That the War in Iraq is going well now? Am I supposed to believe that the Arab oil states owning more and more of the country is not an issue? The morons on Wall Street tell us that we have nothing to worry about because the Arabs want to make money just like everyone else, so it’s not as if they’re going to dump property and reserves when it might cost them a profit. Really? These are the same people who are dying all over the world for their religion. You really think they wouldn’t take a financial loss to bring America to its knees?
You have got to be kidding me.
But hey, let’s ignore all of these issues and see where end up. Want to be around for that? Want to be relegated to a second- or third-world nation? It’s coming.
Most of conservatives fall back on Ronald Reagan’s description of America as the “shining city upon a hill,” but it isn’t any longer. But we can get it back there. And it must start the sobering recognition of the problems and issues we currently face. Then, and only then, can we start to develop solutions designed to make us the shiniest city upon the hill.
Fairness Doctrine Could Control Web Sites, Bloggers
Posted on August 13, 2008
Filed Under Congress, Democrats, Fairness Doctrine | Leave a Comment
Think conservative talk radio is the only target of the so-called Fairness Doctrine? Think again says FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell:
There’s a huge concern among conservative talk radio hosts that reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine would all-but destroy the industry due to equal time constraints. But speech limits might not stop at radio. They could even be extended to include the Internet and “government dictating content policy.”
FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell raised that as a possibility after talking with bloggers at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. McDowell spoke about a recent FCC vote to bar Comcast from engaging in certain Internet practices – expanding the federal agency’s oversight of Internet networks.
“I think the fear is that somehow large corporations will censor their content, their points of view, right,” McDowell said. “I think the bigger concern for them should be if you have government dictating content policy, which by the way would have a big First Amendment problem.”
“Then, whoever is in charge of government is going to determine what is fair, under a so-called ‘Fairness Doctrine,’ which won’t be called that – it’ll be called something else,” McDowell said. “So, will Web sites, will bloggers have to give equal time or equal space on their Web site to opposing views rather than letting the marketplace of ideas determine that?”
McDowell told BMI the Fairness Doctrine isn’t currently on the FCC’s radar. But a new administration and Congress elected in 2008 might renew Fairness Doctrine efforts, but under another name.
Of course we all know that the “Fairness Doctrine” isn’t fair at all. It’s simply a Stalinist attempt to silence political opposition, and if Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid want to pass such a law, we’ll fight them on it. And we’ll win.
McCain’s Right on Russia and Vladimir Putin
Posted on August 12, 2008
Filed Under John McCain, Russia, Vladimir Putin | Leave a Comment
McCain is right on several accounts:
- Putin is ex-KGB and that’s really all we need to know
- Russia’s economy is decidedly leveraged to oil
This Russia issue is one that McCain has a good grasp on. Certainly more so than Bush who, and I’m paraphrasing, looked into Vladimir Putin’s eyes and saw a good man. Ha.
We should have known right there what Bush was.
Now let’s see if McCain can take this opportunity and run with it. If the history of his campaign tells anything it’s that he will find a way to backtrack on calling for uninviting Russia to the G8.
Georgia Retreats, Russia Continues Offensive
Posted on August 11, 2008
Filed Under Russia, Vladimir Putin | Leave a Comment
Here’s an update on the war (and this is a war) between Russia and Georgia:
Russia battled Georgian forces on land and sea, reports said late Sunday, despite a Georgian cease-fire offer and its claim to be withdrawing from South Ossetia, the separatist Georgian province battered by days of intense fighting.
Russian planes on Sunday twice bombed an area near the Georgian capital’s airport, officials said.
The violence appeared to show gargantuan Russia’s determination to subdue diminutive, U.S.-backed Georgia, even at the risk of international reproach. Russia fended off a wave of international calls to observe Georgia’s cease-fire, saying it must first be assured that Georgian troops have indeed pulled back from South Ossetia.
Ready to relive those Cold War days? Just asking.
I haven’t heard anyone call Putin and Medvedev are their act of hypocrisy yet. All this time Russia has been against strict sanctions against Iran (I’m quite sure it doesn’t have anything to do with their relationship) despite security concerns from the West. But as soon has Russia is supposedly threatened it launches an all-out military assault and ignores the pleas of the World community to cease fire.
So I guess what we take out of this is that it’s fine for Russia to forcefully defend itself against threats while ignoring the World, but America must get the International Community’s blessing before defending itself. Hypocrisy anyone? Why isn’t anyone else making this point? Answer: because it’s an inconvenient truth.
Tyson Foods Reinstates Labor Day Holiday
Posted on August 11, 2008
Filed Under CAIR, Islamofascism, Michael Savage | Leave a Comment
The conservative blogosphere and local media in Tennessee and Arkansas have scored a small but very important victory. As you may recall, Tyson Foods recently agreed to substitute the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr for the traditional America holiday, Labor Day.
Many in the conservative and anti-jihad blogosphere, including The Conservative Beacon, publicized and criticized Tyson’s actions. The good news is all of the negative publicity and threats of boycotts worked.
There was something else, however, that caught my eye about this story. Check these excerpts from the AP story regarding Tyson’s press release:
Union workers and officials at a Tyson Foods plant in Tennessee said Friday that they had agreed to reinstate Labor Day as a paid holiday. The plant also will observe the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr this year.
Muslim civil rights advocates criticized Tyson Foods, and a union official said the company’s response was disingenuous.
“This wasn’t something imposed. It seems that this backtracking would be the result of the backlash from anti-Muslim hate (Web) sites and Islamophobes on the Internet,” said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for Washington D.C.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations.
I guess from Mr. Hooper’s assessment The Conservative Beacon would an “anti-Muslim site” and we would be considered “Islamophobes.” Now watch: if the radical Left gets its way they’ll classify Islamophobia as a clinical psychological disorder which can only be treated by medication or re-education camps cultural sensitivity training. Oh wait, we essentially have the latter already.
Why do the media continue to go to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) for Islamic reaction when it’s listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in a terror financing case? Can anyone explain this to me? They act as if CAIR is the only Muslim civil rights organization out there.
This is precisely why it’s so important that conservative radio host Michael Savage win his lawsuit against CAIR. CAIR is trying to bully any and all opposition into silence.
Russia, Georgia On the Brink of War
Posted on August 8, 2008
Filed Under Russia, Vladimir Putin | Leave a Comment
We’ve been writing here at The Conservative Beacon for well over a year now about Russia’s desire, under Vladimir Putin and now Dmitry Medvedev, to re-establish some semblance of the former Soviet Union.
Russia has mostly used rhetoric and blackmailing has its tools to revive the former Soviet Union, but today we see that Russia has take military action against a Soviet breakaway country, Georgia:
Russia sent troops and dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles into the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia today, vowing to protect its citizens in a move described by Tbilisi’s pro-Western Government as an act of war.
In probably the most serious regional crisis since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, at least 50 Russian tanks – and possibly many more – rumbled through the Roki tunnel, which cuts through the Caucasus mountains separating South Ossetia from the Russian province of North Ossetia.
The Russian incursion came after Georgian forces moved to regain control of the region that broke away along with rebel Abkhazia in the 1990s. Russia backs the separatists in both provinces and has its own peacekeeping forces there.
“One hundred and fifty Russian tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other vehicles have entered South Ossetia,” President Saakashvili of Georgia told reporters in Tbilisi. “This is a clear intrusion on another country’s territory. We have Russian tanks on our territory, jets on our territory in broad daylight.”
There is more to this story. As you may recall last month Russia cut oil supplies to the Czech Republic. It is believe that this was done as a result of the Czech’s agreement to host a U.S. missile defense system, which Russia vehemently opposes.
Russian oil supplies to the Czech Republic have been cut by almost half after Prague agreed to host part of America’s controversial missile defense shield.
Czech officials have sought an explanation from Moscow about the reduction in supply, fearing that it could be retaliation for the radar base deal, signed last Tuesday.
Both Ukraine and Georgia, which have recently sought to distance themselves from Russian influence, have accused Moscow of “energy blackmail” designed to curb their independent spirit.
Russia briefly cut off all gas supplies to Ukraine in 2006, following a price dispute.
At the same time, President Saakashvili of Georgia accused Russia of being behind explosions, which cut energy supplies. Both nations are candidates for NATO membership, which Russia opposes.
I don’t know what it’s going to take for people to wake up and realize that a new Cold War is beginning. We know that Russia has close ties with Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba (which my soon house Russian nuclear bombers).
We have been on this situation from day one, and we will continue to write about any action that contributes to a new Cold War with Russia and its allies.
Venezuelans Protest Chavez’s Socialism
Posted on August 7, 2008
Filed Under Hugo Chavez, Venezuela | 2 Comments
Finally there is some very encouraging news from Venezuela this morning:
Riot police used tear gas Wednesday as they blocked hundreds of Venezuelans protesting what they call new moves by President Hugo Chavez to concentrate his power. The demonstrators said a blacklist barring key opposition candidates from elections and a series of socialist decrees are destroying what’s left of their democracy.
Though the protest of about 1,000 people chanting “freedom!” was small compared to past marches, there is a growing public outcry over the sidelining of key government opponents ahead of state and local elections in November.
Chavez opponents also are outraged by 26 laws the president just decreed, some of them mirroring the socialist measures voters rejected in a December referendum.
Venezuelans are rising up against the dictatorial regime of Hugo Chavez. We can only hope that this outrage continues and grows.
U.S. Border Patrol Agent Held at Gunpoint by Mexican Military
Posted on August 6, 2008
Filed Under American Sovereignty, Mexico | Leave a Comment
There is a very disturbing story in The Washington Times:
A U.S. Border Patrol agent was held at gunpoint Sunday night by members of the Mexican military who had crossed the border into Arizona, but the soldiers returned to Mexico without incident when backup agents responded to assist.
Agents assigned to the Border Patrol station at Ajo, Ariz., said the Mexican soldiers crossed the international border in an isolated area about 100 miles southwest of Tucson and pointed rifles at the agent, who was not identified.
It was unclear what the soldiers were doing in the United States, but U.S. law enforcement authorities have long said that current and former Mexican military personnel have been hired to protect drug and migrant smugglers.
But here is where it gets very troubling. Apparently this isn’t the first time our friendly, hard-working neighbors to the South commit this type of act:
“Unfortunately, this sort of behavior by Mexican military personnel has been going on for years,” union Local 2544 of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) said on its Web page. “They are never held accountable, and the United States government will undoubtedly brush this off as another case of ‘Oh well, they didn’t know they were in the United States.’
I guess we our Border Patrol agents not only have to deal with the illegals, but also the Mexican military.
More NAFTA anyone? A North American Superhighway? God, the globalists are equally as dangerous as the liberals, just in different ways.
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