Britain's Tea Party

The election in Rochester and Strood is, if the Telegraph and other sources are correct, is a foregone conclusion. Britain is about to see a second UKIP seat in the Commons and there is sure to be fallout that will overshadow next year’s elections. No one has said it, but isn’t the purple party essentially Britain’s tea party? Just as America’s tea party is just a radical right splinter of the Republican Party, hard-core U-kippers are just disgruntled Tories by another name.

Like the Tea Party, UKIP will enjoy its day in the sun, but can anyone seriously think this one-issue party can ever have staying power?

The real reason for the party’s success is a lack of leadership on either side of the aisle in the Commons. In spite of their missteps, the Cameron government could have little to fear in next year’s elections, if the Tories are saavy enough. With leadership that is rudderless and milquetoast, Labour offers no real alternative and in spite of all the media fanfare because it is such an easy story for reporters to write, UKIP is only slightly more a legitimate contender than the Monster Raving Looney Party. Six months is a long time in politics. If the Conservatives can win back those Tory hardliners leaning toward the Purple end of the pitch, it could easily find itself in power without need of a coalition.

Your move, Mr. Cameron.

Love is in the Air at Corcoran State Prison

     The Manson-Burton nuptials? According to reports, Charles Manson could be getting married soon. However, by Manson’s own admission, the idea of him marrying is just another attempt to keep his name in the public eye. There hasn’t been a slow news day in months, so why would the media give Manson any attention? Where this monster is concerned, the only headline worth reading is “Manson Found Dead.”  

Sources:

http://time.com/3590836/charles-manson-marriage-afton-elaine-brown-star/

http://www.ibtimes.com/who-afton-elaine-burton-star-charles-mansons-future-wife-obtains-marriage-license-1725186

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/13/us/with-conjugal-visits-fading-a-lifeline-to-inmates-spouses-is-lost.html?_r=0

The Trans-National Soldier: Historic Precendents for War Tourism

     In both world wars, a small group of Americans defied their country’s official neutrality to serve in foreign armies. Though some were motivated by the promise of adventure, their motives were usually ideological. Many felt that democracy and human rights were values dear to Americans and that to do nothing and thereby allow threats to these ideals to go unchecked was unpatriotic, even if they had to risk losing their citizenship to do so. Many felt, rightly so as History has since shown, that their country would eventually get involved anyway.  We are seeing the emergence of a similar phenomenon in the current battle against IS.

     Because Islamic State is officially named as a terrorist organization, any foreigner traveling to join its ranks is considered, rightly so, a terrorist and deserves to be considered a criminal and a traitor. However, the gate doesn’t swing both ways and I certainly don’t think it should. An important question to consider is whether westerners traveling to the region to join the ranks of those opposing IS should be painted with the same brush. Should any person traveling to fight in a foreign conflict be considered unpatriotic or subversive without regard to their reasons why?

      There is historic precedent to suggest that unless these “war tourists” take up arms against their own nations, they won’t be held accountable as criminals. In the world wars, tens of thousands of Americans joined the Canadian Army to fight in Europe, hundreds more served in the armies of France and Britain. In addition, consider the famous Lafayette Flying Corps of WW1 as well as the Flying Tigers and Eagle Squadrons of WW2; American pilots who served in foreign air service without their countries official sanction. Many Americans have served in the Mahal of the Israeli Army without prosecution or loss of citizenship. Some have volunteered for service to the Israeli Army as non-combatants in the Sar-El program, most notably former US Congressman and current Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel who repaired IDF vehicles in 1991 while the Gulf War was unfolding in Kuwait. (As you may have guessed, he didn't lose his citizenship or go to jail.)

     Look for more stories like this as private citizens from many countries join the fight against IS. Perhaps the phenomenon will even spread to Africa in the fight against Boko Haram and Al Shabab. One thing is for certain, the rise of the trans-national soldier is not going away anytime soon.

Mississippi man travels to Syria to fight ISIS

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2014/10/21/mississippi-man-fights-isis/17652007/

Canadian woman, a former IDF soldier, joins Kurds fighting ISIS: report

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/11/12/canadian-woman-a-former-idf-soldier-joins-kurds-fighting-isis-report/

Now German biker gangs join their Dutch counterparts in fighting against ISIS in Kobane

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2798507/now-german-biker-gangs-join-dutch-counterparts-fighting-against-isis-kobane.html

Rahm Emmanuel Serves with Sar-El

http://cosmos.ucc.ie/cs1064/jabowen/IPSC/php/authors.php?auid=9608

http://www.timesofisrael.com/founder-of-idf-volunteer-program-dies/

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/11/rahm_emanuel_enforcer.html

Fly the Friendly Skies with Ivan: Featuring More Non-stops to the Tropics

The lastest news about Russian bomber flights that will reach the Gulf of Mexico shouldn't surprise anyone. In my post in February of 2013, I spoke of the renewed Cold War. The situation in the world is far worse than the days of NATO vs Warsaw Pact. In those days, there were far fewer players on the global stage and everyone took their cue from Washington or Moscow.
 Looks like we are back where we were before 1989, but thinngs are so much worse. Second-hand Russian weapons are in the hands of every faction with enough money to afford them. The Middle East, Central and West Africa, the Balkans. North Africa all teeter on the brink of chaos and none have the kind of restraints that the loyalties and servitude to either NATO or the WP once assured.

So far, Russia has gone from success to success, annexing the Crimea with harly a word said, more and more sabre-rattling incidents, like the bomber activity going on and its unchallenged stance in Syria. Few have mentioned it, but the the situation in Syria and the growth of IS can be attributed, at least in part, to the the west's failure to act early and decisvely, due, at least in part to our reluctance to exexert pressure on an area containing a Russian Naval Base.


Long dormant, the Bear is waking up and the Western powers will need to be fully aware of Russia's intent and be prepared to take some tough stances if we are to be assured of stability.


For further reading:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/09/05/the-four-reasons-russia-wont-give-up-syria-no-matter-what-obama-does/