More News Than Just "Frankenstorm"

As you would imagine, Hurricane Sandy is the lead story in the NY Times, Washington Post, CBS, and NBC. We are in no way detracting from concern over the loss of life and property experienced. However, there are other noteworthy events going on around the world as well. Just wanted to tip everyone off about a blurb in the AP which, so far as I can tell has only been picked up by ABC (though not a main story)and Israel's Haaretz newspaper. Seems that Iran is conducting military exercises near its border with Iraq, a provocative action that has potentially far reaching implications for the region. Particularly so with an increasingly anxious Israel that appears to be looking for an excuse for an attack on Iran.

Election 2012-The View from Europe

It’s no secret that American voters are traditionally more concerned with bread and butter issues than with foreign policy. However, American dependence on foreign oil and consumable goods, as well as indebtedness to foreign creditors demands that Americans conduct their affairs with a view toward their role as a member of an international community. Many here in Europe are watching the coming election with considerable interest. Talking to my co-workers, friends, and total strangers at the coffee shop, I find that people here generally respect and admire President Obama. His trip to the United Kingdom was a resounding success, while the PR mistakes of Governor Romney’s trip abroad left many questioning his suitability for the Oval Office. When Americans elect unsuitable candidates to the nation’s highest office, other countries take this as evidence that the average American is either ignorant or openly inconsiderate of the international implications. Growing the American economy is tremendously important in this election, but no less important is the need for rebuilding international trust, respect, and confidence in the American government. With the Invasion of Iraq, the failure to discover weapons of mass destruction there, and a general mistrust and malaise in the wake of two wars, our international prestige plummeted. Only now are the member nations of the global community beginning to trust America again. Instilling a positive perception is crucially important to U.S. national security, as this will determine how it's allies, as well as enemies, conduct policy with regard to America. The world needs to know that Americans can look beyond sound bites and party politics as usual to elect a president capable of sound judgment and diplomatic savvy. The only man capable of doing so in this race is President Obama. In the minds of many in Europe and around the globe, his re-election will send a clear signal that Americans are a people interested in more than its own well-being, but in securing its role as a global partner in growth, progress, and peace.

Hurrah For America's Paralympic Heroes! (Coverage Not Available)

The television networks aren’t offering coverage of the Paralympics and few if any of the major newspapers have much to say on the subject. To it’s credit, the Washington Post ran a very good human interest story on a former Naval officer competing in the swimming events, but that has been about it. Don't look for front page coverage in the major New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas or L.A.papers. It isn’t there. It is impossible to believe a people who so value courage and sacrifice as Americans do are not interested in supporting athletes like Gold medalists Joseph Berenyi or Mallory Weggeman. (I will let you do your own internet search to find out what they had to overcome to achieve their Paralympic dreams.) However, if you read their stories and aren’t inspired, you are probably dead and no one bothered to tell you. Other American athletes have not yet taken medals, but are in London competing after surviving motorcycle accidents, avalanches, comas and disease, and a host of other challenges. No, the problem cannot be that Americans aren’t interested in supporting these incredible people. Rather, it is an unwilling media, who have labeled these games as spectacle and not sport. Has some panel of executives and yes-men deemed the games as not glamorous or sexy enough, or that there isn’t enough marketing data to show Americans are interested? Such a shame that instead of giving America's young people a new generation of heroes, we have only another example of how an allegedly free press determines the news it chooses to report and not what we deserve to hear.

2012 Presidential Election: Electoral Map

2012 Presidential Election: Electoral Map

After the show biz glitz off the convention, it is time to get back to the reality at hand. States that have voted consistently red or consistently blue will continue to do. This election will be won or lost in Florida, Ohio, Virgina, and North Carolina. There are a few pundits out there who have made this point. What no one has bothered to point out is that, Mitt Romney has to win all four of these to succeed and not even the most generous observers can see that happening.

My 2012 Predictions By State

2012 Presidential Election: Electoral Map: This map displays the projections of the sender and does not reflect the opinions of 270toWin.

Birds, Mice, and the Pitfalls of Heathrow Expansion.

Tory backbencher Tim Yeo's comments this week calling for the PM to show some leadership on the issue of expanding Heathrow were an encouraging sign that not all in the Nasty party have completely lost touch with reality and, whilst Boris Johnson's idea for a Thames Estuary airport isn't necessarily a bad one, there are still question about the plan to be answered including the possablity of bird strikes that can can bring down an airliner as easily as any missile. The question of safety must supersede all else. Part of any strategy in preventing potential bird strikes includes replacing lost wetlands habitat to divert waterfowl and other birds from the proposed new airport but, this will require further study all the while London would continue to fall further and further behind in the quest to maintain our position as the dominant transportation hub for Europe. Ultimately, Mr Johnson's plan is one well ahead of it's time and requires a great deal of study before it can be safely implemented. The most plausible solution with the most immediate potential to grow the economy is of course building the third runway. So the glaring questions remain: will we see if the resident of Number 10 has the courage to reverse course and vote for the Heathrow expansion or will will he pursue the safe course and defer the decision to a future Government? Bit of cheese, Mr Cameron?

Matt Bissonette-The Next Reality T.V. Star!

The conservative news network named for a certain bushy-tailed member of the Vulpes genus has named the author of the new SEAL book. Fox News has revealed a former SEAL, Matt Bissonette, is the author and as predicted, those in the SEAL community are already using terms of affection like "traitor" at the mention of his name. From what has leaked out, Bissonette claims that Osama Bin Laden was unarmed when he was shot, that SEALS gathered around his body and shot until he stopped moving, that a SEAL colleague sat on the body during part of the return to base, that President Obama is unpopular among the SEALs, and that the author compared Vice-President Biden to a "...drunken uncle at a Christmas party" for telling a bunch of lame jokes at a White House award ceremony; a crime for which nearly every politician is guilty. The media loves to report controversy and scandal when none exists. Such is the case here. If Bin Laden was shot before or after he ducked into that room, if the SEALs could articulate that they had reason to believe he posed a threat to their safety or the safety of the public through any number of means (access to firearms, ability to detonate explosives, the capability to order his confederates to attack, or simply to prevent his escape) they would be clear to act. Even while Bin Laden lay on the floor with their weapons trained upon him, if they could articulate they believed at the time that he still had the capacity to cause them harm or the possibility of escape, they would be clear to act. Military use of force training typically covers all these points in some fashion. However, as he was the mastermind behind the mass murder of thousands of innocent people, does anyone really care if he was armed, precisely when has shot, or how many times he was shot? No? Neither do I. Admittedly, some hardliners might find fault that the body of Bin Laden could have been afforded more dignity. Never have been a Special Ops guy, but I understand this sort of thing is a common practice, so this is not an earth-shaking revelation. As for the other points, so long as they follow orders, service people are entitled to their opinions of the Chief Executive and his Vice-President, though they are not allowed to openly, or in any official capacity, disparage the Commander-in-Chief. All in all, this is a non-story. If Bissonette, has managed to commit anything classified to paper, he will be sunk, but I doubt even he would have been that stupid. More likely, the book won't offer names and details and will merely rely on procedure and machismo as it ambles toward the final chapter. The establishment's spin machine will probably diminish Bissonaette’s relevance and dismiss the book, which will simply fade out of sight. After the SEAL's identity was revealed, photos of him immediately surfaced and one internet comment noted that a quick internet search revealed a great deal of information about him and details about his family. Slowly my contempt for him has given way to pity. If the book sought to right some perceived wrong, I might respect his motives but, at this stage it seems to be purely about profit. As one internet ad offers the book at just under five dollars, I have to ask if, considering the huge loss of trust among his former colleagues and many in the public at large, the endangerment of himself and his family; is any amount of profit is worth it? For Bissonette's sake I hope so.