OK, I have been silent for a long time. It is time for me to bloviate. Feel free to ignore and scroll down to some facebook selfie or game request. If nothing else, I just need to get this off my chest. I look forward to a reasoned conversation with anyone who might. Get a coffee. I promise not to be negative…I will be real. I speak for myself coming from a perspective informed by years of working directly for two Presidential administration’s communication processes. I was the primary Joint Staff briefer to Ken Bacon in the Pentagon every week before his DOD press conference. There I learned one major lesson that has unfortunately filtered everything I see. Everything you see and hear is orchestrated very carefully, often scripted, with the purpose of optics, typically intended to put the administration in a positive light, often designed with a narrative intended to meet the needs of politician and not necessarily the welfare and benefit of the country. Sad, but true. I could tell you stories. So when I see major events that bring a POTUS to the rose garden, I look not at the event but have a need to examine the collateral activity surrounding the photo op. Here is where I invite all Americans to open your Netflix account and tee up WAG THE DOG. Here is the tactical White House play book. If something controversial happens, blame others, faint outrage, fire somebody (declare mission complete), distance the POTUS, start an investigation so you can recues yourself from comment, promise for reform, delay, redact, and hope the problem goes away. When it doesn’t, you blame your opponents of dredging up old trumped up issues that have been dealt with. You say something like, we were transparent and provided 3500 pages (all redacted) to the watch dogs who obviously have a political agenda of dragging the country into endless witch hunts…usually followed with…we have more important things to talk about. You might even scream…at this point, what difference does it make? Or Dude, that was two years ago. When you can’t divert or demonize…decoy. Change the subject, even if you have to create an event to divert conversations. Hence, Wag the Dog…let’s stop talking about the VA fiasco, that has bi-partisan concern. Let’s show the President’s love and concern for the warrior. What are you pontificating about this time Gumby? Two huge (if you are paying attention) events that took place this weekend that should shock and frighten anyone claiming to be American. #1 The exchange of Army Sgt Bowe Bergdahl for five very senior Taliban enemy combatants. That should make you proud Gumby…sorry I see things from a different vantage point and it scares me to death. #2 the administrations executive order to direct the EPA to administer numerous serious arduous onerous regulations on all American businesses and citizenry, the result of which will mean huge costs increases to every part of the energy sector, designed to crush the entire coal industry, basically implementing the provisions of the Cap and Trade Bill that was voted down by a bi-partisan, representative arm of the government, Congress. Once again, legislating with a pen and a phone, contravening the will of you and me and our representation. Let’s take the first issue. After watching and hearing the events of Bowe’s return, I had some many normal questions that I expect real journalists to ask…crickets. 1. Did the President follow the provisions of law that direct the administration to inform Congress no less than 30 days prior to releasing Gitmo detainees? If not, why not? 2. You clam Bowe was about to die if you didn’t act soon. How do you know this information? How long have you known his medical urgency? Was it longer than 30 days? If not, why did you not at least inform Congress that you were acting, even if it did not meet the minimum 30 days notification? 3. Why did Bowe’s dad make a statement to his son today in Pashtun? Was it a coded message? 4. Why does he believe his 28 year old son is not able to speak English after being in captivity for 5 years? 5. Why did Bowe’s dad tweet support for release of other detainees and to support a movie aimed at releasing detainees? 6. Why were Bowe’s fellow warriors forced to sign non-disclosure statements surrounding the details of his capture? 7. Does this policy of releasing 5 senior Taliban enemy combatants in an exchange for an American communicate to the enemy a policy of capture and negotiated release? Are American soldiers safer with this policy? 8. Why did Bowe’s father utter words used for consecrating buildings for Islam when he spoke this morning. 9. Why does Bowe’s dad know Pashtun? 10. Battlefield promotions for POWs are limited to those who serve honorably in captivity. There are many soldiers close to Bowe who claim he deserted his post. There is also a good deal of evidence that Bowe had problems with the mission and did not enjoy the typical radical Islamic treatment we historically see of American Captors. Will the Army look into the details of his capture and conduct? 11. How long did Qatar know the whereabouts of Bowe? 12. Will Bowe be presented the POW Medal? 13. Is there a reason why the six Americans that lost their life searching for this deserter were not mentioned? Staff Sergeant Clayton Bowen, Private 1st Class Morris Walker, Staff Sergeant Kurt Curtiss, 2nd Lieutenant Darryn Andrews, Staff Sergeant Michael Murphrey, and Private 1st Class Matthew Martinek. 14. Why were the parents of Darryn Andrews lied to regarding the circumstances surrounding their son’s death. Why were they told the real story this weekend? Historically, prisoner exchange happens when a cease fire or capitulation of the enemy takes place. Why are you conducting negotiations with the enemy during a time of war? Why now? 15. Who decided to select these 5 Taliban detainees, most of whom are wanted by the United Nations for crimes against humanity? 16. What assurances and measures are in place to prevent these detainees from entering the battlefield as negotiated for one year? 17. Does the Geneva Convention allow released enemy combatants to reenter the battlefield? 18. How many released Gitmo detainees have returned to the battlefield, that we know of? 20. What specific article of the War Powers Act did your staff validate this action without congressional notification? I could ask more but I am tired. Here is what you will see, I predict. Bowe will be made into a hero. He will be paraded to the White House and awarded the POW medal by the POTUS. The POTUS will be portrayed as an ardent supporter of our Vets. You will see him on talk shows. You may even see him ring the bell on Wall Street or throw out the first pitch somewhere. He will be used as an optics prop. I saw the Clinton Administration do this to our wing’s young F-16 pilot, Scott O’Grady, following his rescue in Bosnia. Some say this and Kosovo were Wag the Dog diversions to get the public to “Move On” (the real name of moveon.org) from talking about Monica and the POTUS’ impeachment. Hmm. Call me a synic…sorry, I have witnessed too much. I am not sure what scares me most. A President who does not believe in Constitutional limitations on Executive Powers, who picks what parts of a law to implement or ignore, who legislates on his own, or a Complicit Congress, or a Media who gleefully carries the water of a single political party, or Americans who can’t see the bloodless coup that is forever eating away their persoanl Liberty. One famous father once intimated…we will either control government, or it will control us. I bore myself so I will only make this statement about the EPA mandates announced today. This is the largest grab of personal liberty and executive overreach since the Affordable Care Act. This mandate has nothing to do about clean air or water. It has everything to do about control of your life in every way. Read it. Inflation and job loss can be the only result. OK two final observations…Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer are crafting language that will change the 1st Amendment right of Free political speech. Worth watching. Also, Apple, celebrated the announcement of a new integrated app that will monitor your body activity and vitals and provide information to other apps to allow you to improve your daily activity. You will also be able to allow this information to be sent to your doctor. Now, having been a part of the Information Warfare business I can tell you that the best tactic you can use to get Americans to willfully to open the door personal privacy is to offer FREE apps and devices that feature huge positive desirable personal benefits. Hmmm. So if the Government controls healthcare, demands digital records…fill in the blank…why not be able to control your health care costs and care based on your activity? If data can be shared…it can be taken without your knowledge…hmmm. I am done. I look forward to your perspective and conversation. Let’s not talk about the lives lost in capturing the following very bad people. Khair Ulla Said Wali Khairkhwa, Mullah Mohammad Fazl, Mullah Norullah Noori, Abdul Haq Wasiq, Mohammad Nabi Omari…now free to kill more of us.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 01:12:19 +0000
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