Several weeks ago I attended a discussion about missile defense put on by the Israel Missile Defense Association and the Claremont Institute. Children of Holocaust Survivors co-sponsored the event.
https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2009/04/the-israel-missile-defense-association-forum/
The event at the Luxe Hotel was such a sobering and brilliant experience that a sequel was necessary.
Several days ago the Luxe was once again the site of an eye opening foreign policy analysis that contained a heavy dose of discussion about missile defense.
Avi Schnur repeated his lecture on missile defense. The link above contains his remarks, so repetition is not necessary.
Another speaker was a brigadier general whose name I shall leave out. He requested that he be off the record, and I will as always honor that request. He did give me permission to repeat a couple of lighthearted jokes that he told, in addition to other perfunctory remarks. Specifics will be avoided. While they do not do the program justice, they were still enjoyable.
“Somebody saw me dressed in a suit and tie tonight and asked, ‘Who the hell are you, a congressman?””
“I found a box in my closet containing three eggs and a bunch of money. I asked my wife about it, and she explained that every time I gave a bad speech, she put an egg in the box. Three eggs in 32 years is not bad, but then I asked what the money was for. She replied that when she collected enough eggs, she sold them.”
“There has been a complete lack of coordination between the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.”
“I just came back from Iraq 48 hours ago to find illegal aliens in my backyard. That was surreal, and made for an interesting conversation.”
“Not every act is preventable.”
“There are several bad actors around the world. There are several areas of global concern Russia is at the top of the list. They are recidivist fundamentally.”
“Next comes China, Yet the last three decades has been declared the decade of the Pacific Rim. Howeever, right now China is preoccupied.”
“This brings us to North Korea. They are as unusual and strange a regime we will ever see. We will not get out arms around them. We will not figure them out.”
“With Pakistan, we have to deal with a strategy that works from the outside in, the same as North Korea.”
“India has a hugely unstable relationship with us due to Pakistan. Our relationship with India is vastly improved thanks to our previous administration, but it is still a dangerous part of the world.”
“Iran is trying to suppress dissent, but the flow of information is continuing. However, it is not always reliable. When policy decisions in America based on Twittered tweets, that is faulty because the information cannot be validated. While much of the information may be true, there is an old axiom that two idiots using technology are still two idiots.”
“Iran has another problem, which is that Sunni Arabs will rally against Iran.”
While the brigadier general mixed in some humor with his serious remarks, the real seriousness of the evening came from Frank Gaffney.
http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/index.xml
Frank Gaffney runs the Center for Security Policy.
There are too many children making decisions in this world. Frank Gaffney is an adult. He is one of the world’s foremost experts on national security.
I kept his remarks condensed because I want every American to attend his lecture live. His primary emphasis is on EMP, which stands for Electromagnetic Pulse.
He is also the brains behind the movie “Islam versus Islamists,” and the book “War Footing.”
With that, I offer the thoughtful wisdom of Frank Gaffney.
“Many in America are concerned with global warming. Let me tell you that solar flares over America will really heat things up.”
“Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that ‘A world without the United States is desirable and achievable.'”
“In Toronto, unique solar activity in 1985 hurt the city. Canadian authorities feverishly tried to get the power back on before resorting to the contingency action of ordering an evacuation of the city. At least they had evacuation as an option. Today in cities across America, that might not be the case.”
“Either those that are spending 20 billion dollars on updating the electrical grid either take electromagnetic aspects into account, or face charges of malfeasance when the next generation electrical grid fails.”
“Senator Joe Lieberman and Congressman Benny Thompson get it.”
“I is imperative that the Electromagnetic Pulse Threat Commission be reauthorized.”
“We worry about Kim Jong Il and Ahmadinejad, but what about what we cannot prevent? It could be Mother Nature that damages our electrical grid. Picture Hurricane Katrina times one thousand.”
“In 1992, the United States of America stopped worrying about nuclear threats.”
“Even the military does not have the resiliency on this issue that it once did.”
“There is also COTS, Commercial Off The Shelf technology. Civilians do not think about this.”
“North Korea, China, and Russia are doing nuclear tests. Iran will. We don’t.”
“Missile defense won’t stop solar flares, but it will protect us from missile attacks.”
“We need long range missile interceptors. President Obama cut funding for them.”
“We need a complete comprehensive rethinking of of Electromagnetic Pulse.”
Frank Gaffney is not a partisan gunslinger. He sees threats to our way of life, and wants politicians of both parties to do what they are elected to do above everything else, which is to keep us safe.
We need to listen to Frank Gaffney. Then we need to act.
eric
Holy Cow!!! Sarah Palin just resigned!!!
How much ya’ wanna bet she becomes a Fox News host?
JMJ
The “threats to our way of life” long since conquered us. They are the War Mongers and Fear Mongers. Our “way of life” – our great republic – has never been the same. Our Founders would be appalled.
JMJ
I knew that she wouldn’t run for another term (isee below) because she might actually fail to get re-elected. However, I didn’t think she’d actually just quit. Indeed, I thought that if there’d be a dramatic “in front of the TV cameras” resignation it would be from Joe Lieberman (who unfortunately is sounding more like Winston Smith rather than Winston Churchill these days).
https://tygrrrrexpress.com/2008/12/please-visit-my-2008-friends/#comment-12176
Scratch a Muslim worker, and you find an anti-Semite. One example
is a remark I overheard several months ago, from an employee in
a major department store. He said (he was from Africa), “Americans are responsible for all that ails Africa”. He followed up, “I’m glad that your marines got wacked in Somalia”. Another remark, “During the first Gulf War, the US soldiers massacred Iraqis wherever they went”. But what really got me, “The Jews are behind all of Africa’s problems”.
I almost felt complimented. I mean, how many Jews are in Africa,
other than in Israel? Most African countries won’t even talk to Israelis.
Wowowo. Many years ago, a fellow worker (an African-American, USA born, told me, “South Africa was occupied by the Jewish diamond owners, your people are mainly responsible for the country’s past policies”.
According to the Federal Register, Herr Obama has just okayed
the US aiding Palistinians from the Gaza Strip, to the tune of over 20m dollars, to come to the USA.
I can see it now, Ahmad Mohammad moving next to me, praising Obama’s anti-Semitic Israeli policies..and advocating Jews all moving back to
Palestine, no, I mean the Ukraine, or Russia or Poland, or Brooklyn.
And we Jews still are against gun ownership, and vote Democratic…will we ever wake up?
Speaking of waking up, hows about the latest re: cap and trade.
Now we are hearing the G-8 are having fits over our preference
for cap and trade involving imports of their products. They say it’s againt the WTO agreements, and will be fought vigorously.
If I recall, Obama used cap and trade as part of his campaign to
convince his liberal constituents of the necessity of putting restrictions
on our heavy industries…to avoid global warming, while not doing
anything to stop China, India and Brazil’s continuing belching of
carbon. I guess what comes around goes around.
Oh, Iran’s head cheeses are demanding Iranian employees at the
British embassy, be tried, sentenced (to death) for their alleged
anti-Iranian involvement. Britain has called in the Iranian diplomatic
personnel for an explanation. Hundreds of protestors still languish in
Iranian jails..I’m sure, unlike in Israel, they do not get TV rights.
Sooooo, while Obama looks for a non-denominal church to spend his
Sundays, ( a lot different than the 20 years at Rev. Wrights church),
No. korea has fired 7 missiles (perhaps Scuds), and Iran’ mullahs
are tightening their grip on the protest movement.
In todays LA Times, are articles about real estate foreclosures..which
are still increasing ( over 20% of homes are upside down/value less than
the mortgages). Banks are beginning to foreclose, now that Herr Obama’s leniency towards home owners is coming to an end.
I guess the banks know which end is really up.
Speaking of up, last month, 500,000 more claims for unemployment
were filed nationally. We are fast approching 10% folks, or nearly 15m.
That doesn’t include underemployed. We are told that unemployment
is the last evidence of a recession. Tell that to those who lost their jobs. They should feel great.
Just read a book which tells the stats of who exactly are uninsured (over 50m). 11m are “illegals”. Another 10m are qualified for medicare, but
haven’t applied. My oh my.
Maliki was just visited by Joe Biden, the guy who 2 years ago suggested
Iraq be divided into 3..Sunni, Shia and Kurd. Recall? I do.
Maliki told Biden, thanks but no thanks. Iraq can do w/o US assitance
except economically ( more US bucks to his country).
He claims Iraq can handle the insurgency. (Most experts say it
cannot).
In Afghanistan, 5,000 US troops have launched actions against
the Taliban in the South.
20,000? The Taliban have 60m young Muslims who are waiting
impatiently for a rifle and 7.00/day, to join the battle against
NATO and US. They love to see USA flags over “frozen boxes”, boarding
transports back to Hawaii, or San Francisco, or wherever.
Choose your partner, skip to my….skip to my….Oh Suzanna, don’t you cry for me..
America, I am crying for you.