I'm
Right Again Dot ComA New Commentary Each Wednesday September 3, 2014
TELL ME YOU REALLY DIDN'T MEAN IT VLADI: "You don't want to mess with Russia, we are a major nuclear power."
Shades of "Doctor Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Loved the Bomb"— the 1964 satirical film, starring Peter Sellers in multiple roles. Did the Russian dictator really threaten the use of weapons of mass destruction if the free world did anything concrete in an attempt to prevent the Russian takeover of Ukraine?
I still intend to do below what I had originally planned for this week's blog: publish some of the remarks in response to the strategy proposed by a retired military intelligence officer to the so called "Islamic Caliphate" takeover of much of Syria and Iraq, but nothing in the last 50 years has shocked me more greatly than Premier (or on alternate terms of office, President) Vladimir Putin's crude threat made last week in response to a question asked him during a press briefing. I say crude, because "mess with" was a polite translation of a vulgarity; the former intelligence officer is fond of barnyard language that he believes makes him sound more macho to the Russian masses.
If we wish to lend credence to a poll of former sovietskies, the vast majority of Russians enjoy Putin's belligerent attitude. Many still revere Joe Stalin (Iosif Dzugashvili), who massacred twenty million of the USSR's proletarian masses during his 35 year reign, (this is above and beyond military and civilian losses in WWII), and apparently the majority of Russians now trust that Putin is about to restore them to the position the Evil Empire enjoyed prior to the fall of the Iron Curtain.
I use the word "shocked" above, because Putin is certainly aware that his rockets would not be ten feet off their launch pads before NORAD would counter by launching a cluster of star-wars interceptors, followed by a deluge of Minuteman Intercontinental missiles. These now rest in 450 missile silos in Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, as well as aboard uncounted submarines and constantly airborne stealth bombers. Each Minuteman ICBM carries multiple warheads, programmed to obliterate more than one target.
Let us pray that younger, more reasonable Russian citizens prevail, for the law of mutually assured destruction of all life on this planet has not been repealed.
Putin's erratic behavior is upsetting. He is reputed as saying this week that he could "take" the capital of Ukraine in two hours—and probably could. There's very little NATO would be willing and able to do about it. Things have changed very little in that regard since 1945.
______
Last week, I sent sent out a note that my August 27th commentary was ready to be viewed - and I had failed to properly upload it to the server. Many early readers failed to receive it, even though I succeeded in getting in posted later.
Question: If you were in charge, what would you do about the radical Islamic State taking over Syria and Iraq?
The responses, beginning with one from a source - and with long experience in military intelligence:
"Unleash as much air power as I could muster. Have only one Rule of Engagement: shoot on sight. Arm the Kurds with auto, anti-armored and aircraft shoulder-fired missiles. Give the Israelis the $500-million, Iron Dome missiles and anything else they need. Move another aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean. Tell the Turks to butt-out. Tell the Iranians and the Israelis that we will support whatever action the Israelis choose to take regarding Iranian nuclear weapons. Tell the Egyptians and the Jordanians we are with them and tell the Saudis to get on board, or else. Approve all outstanding oil, gas and coal applications in the US, as well as pipelines. Tell the French to cancel the carrier sale to Russia and support NATO or have their (French) banks shut down here. Suspend all UN, World Bank, or International Money Fund payments. Crank up to 100% all of our military manufacturing capacity.
(Name withheld upon request. I will do the same for anyone, as long as the source is attributable).
______
Phil,
The ISIS threat is the absolute worst in our history with the Middle East. My opinion is that we had best get busy and annihilate this menace before it further blossoms in a movement that grows 'way out of control. I understand that this is a relatively small bunch, perhaps 17-thousand or so, and spread pretty thinly.
Yes, there are Americans joining up and they could well re-enter this country and do terrible damage. All other countries better step up now or suffer the consequences.
F.C. Tucker.
______
Phil,
I have been saying for a long time, our other Arab "friends" have to belly up to the bar if they want another penny of aid and we back Israel in whatever they need or need to do. I back the maximum air strikes wherever needed and let the Kurds clean up the mess. Iraq should be helping, but I don't think we can count on them for anything.
C.L. Kidwell.
If you wish to comment on any of the above, go to the e-mail link below...
-Phil Richardson, Observer and Storyteller
PS: There are plenty of reasons for our president's hair to be turning white. How can we attack the ISIS forces in Syria without aiding the despot, Assad?
Phil's
current post can be read at: http://www.imrightagain.com
If
you wish to comment, Phil can be reached at:
If you wish to comment, Phil
can be reached at:
k7os (at) comcast (dot) net
Sample "Water Dream," an Amazon eBook novel in which al-Qaeda operatives smuggle an atomic bomb into the USA. http://www.al-qaedajihad.com
Shop Amazon Fire TV - Say it. Watch it.
Our unending thanks to Jim Bromley, who programs our Archive of Prior Commentaries
Learn About the Savings with
"AgainRight"