McCain and the Oil Wars

Presidential candidate McCain promises to end U.S. dependence on Middle Eastern oil "so we never have to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East." The implication is that once we are energy-independent they can all kill each other for all we care. (The Arabs. Not Israel.) And it's an appealing thought. Without oil, the United States would never have defended Kuwait and Saudi Arabia against Saddam Hussein. As much as Osama bin Laden hates Western influences in his country, let's see how much he likes complete indifference.

With the United States relying on other means of fueling our vehicles and our economy, it would be a welcome relief to not care about placating religious crazies in Saudi Arabia. After all, we have enough of them here.

My position has always been that the excessive focus on Israel by other Middle Eastern nations is only to distract its citizenry from internal conflicts that would otherwise lead to civil war. And let's face it, none of them want the Palestinians.

Son of bin Laden

Osama bin Laden's son is taking a stand against his father's violent and radical ways. Although he spent his teenage years in Afghanistan with his father, at a certain point he wanted to leave and his father let him.

Now he is trying to get a car race for peace going in the Middle East. Don't know if it will take off or not. But it is a good idea to try to distance yourself from such a father.

Giuliani Does Not Understand Terrorism

Emergency preparedness, yes. Terrorism, no.

My opinion on his understanding of terrorism is based on a Time magazine article linked to the title of this post. He mocks the threat of North Korea because they never directly orchestrated an attack on U.S. soil. He apparently doesn't know that they sell weapons to people who do.

Guiliani thinks that the Iraq war reduces the terror threat in the U.S. What? The increased resentment towards the U.S. brought on by that war is bringing more recruits. Guiliani complains about the Clinton Administration track record on terror. At least Bill Clinton tried to bomb Osama bin Laden, and at a time when he was under severe personal attack.

Besides, I have some serious doubts about the quality of his character. Imagine running a campaign on "commitments" to the American public when your marriage failed in part because of your infidelity. The man is blind to himself. And of course there is the appointment of Bernard Kerik, a man who used the deaths of brave men and women to get a cool love nest for his mistress.