McCain and the 100 Years Comment

The Democrats are off and running with McCain's comment that we may have a military presence in Iraq for 100 years:

• “He (McCain) says that he is willing to send our troops into another 100 years of war in Iraq” (Barack Obama, Feb. 19).
• “We are bogged down in a war that John McCain now suggests might go on for another 100 years” (Obama, Feb. 26).
• “He’s (McCain) willing to keep this war going for 100 years” (Hillary Clinton, March 17).
• “What date between now and the election in November will he (McCain) drop this promise of a 100-year war in Iraq?” (Chris Matthews, March 4).
• McCain promises “an endless war in Iraq.” And “McCain’s strategy is a war without end. . . . Elect John McCain and get 100 years in Iraq.” (Howard Dean, fund raising letter)

Charles Krauthammer argues in National Review that these are very dirty lies. What did McCain actually say?

Asked at a New Hampshire campaign stop about possibly staying in Iraq 50 years, John McCain interrupted — “Make it a hundred” — then offered a precise analogy to what he envisioned: “We’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea for 50 years or so.” Lest anyone think he was talking about prolonged war-fighting rather than maintaining a presence in postwar Iraq, he explained: “That would be fine with me, as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed.”

Is there any doubt that McCain was talking about having a troop presence in a peaceful Iraq, like our presence in Japan, South Korea, or Kuwait? Will the Democrats demand an end to our 67 year war with Japan? Maybe Obama should consult one of his leading military advisers and his campaign co-chairman, Gen. Merrill McPeak. Five years ago McPeak, although he is a war critic, suggested that “we’ll be there a century, hopefully. If it works right.”

Our military presence around the world projects power and gives stability to vulnerable countries. In the future it's possible that Iraq could pay most of the costs of our military presence, like Japan does now.

Our country needs to have a real debate about what to do in Iraq. Should we stay and keep Iraq on the road to peace and democracy or should we cut and run, leaving the country to terrorists (including Iran)? Is the prospect of a free and peaceful Iraq worth the cost to us in lives and treasure? The Democrats' lies about McCain's plans for Iraq do not constitute a serious debate.

Anyone up for a discussion on Race

Where to begin. This primary season has been an interesting one to follow and it certainly has taken a sad turn lately. When Geraldine made her comments i was a little torn because on the one hand i think she has a bit of a point, but what bothered me was that her statement basically boiled him down to one attribute:race. Then there was the endless loop of Pastor Jeremiah Wright's sermons. And everyone seemed excited by the potential fall of barack obama. Then he gave his "A more Perfect Union" speech. I was with a client from work at Dunkin Donuts and it came on the TV and I couldn't help but watch. After he was done it gave me chills in a good way. In my life time I have never heard anyone talk about race in such a way, especially from such a platform. It was like being back in college talking about the complexities of the racial divide in our country that has been smoldering under the surface. I encourage you to watch the speech in its entirety and not just the sound bites. A More Perfect Union One of the things I appreciated was the way he didn't simply sever ties with Pastor wright. In or country the way to deal with problems is to distance yourself from the trouble issue and then act like it never happened. What barack's speech did was instead of trying to get away from the issues he stopped to try and start a national discussion. He acknowledged how horrible Wright's comments were and then proceeded to talk about how they reflect an issue in our country that we have never really dealt with. The civil rights movement was only a generation ago and we since that time we have tried to pretend that everything is fine now there is nothing to work through. Racial issues in our country are so complex and so embedded in our national fabric thats why it has been such a hot button. I am curious to hear from you guys how the speech was received in your local areas and what has been the discussion afterwards. Also what are your perceptions of how it has affected the national media. I know barack is a flawed candidate but after hearing that speech he just excites me in the way that he can lead the country in national discussion towards reconciliation. Those same values can lead us to more productive discussions in our foreign relations and in domestic issues such as health care and education. I started this post as a chance to talk about racial issues so I am curious to hear what has been on people's minds lately. i dont know i have been a bit out of sorts lately. The sports radio station I listen to is really conservative and they have just been ripping barack to pieces and totally dismissing that there are still issues of race to discuss in our country. It goes beyond just electing him. I feel like he could be a pivotal person to help our country grow and move forward. thanks guys. I also liked this article.

Clever ad

Go check out this very clever advertisement. It's got a good message for summer too!

so fresh and so clean

Obamamania

So a co-worker and I went to the Obama rally in Rhode Island. It was pretty crazy. We waited in line for two hours in the rain just to get in the gym and then we waited for another three hours before Barack spoke. It was like being at a rock concert. The place was packed and there were just as many people outside as inside. And yes someone fainted! People went absolutely crazy he really is a rock star. I wish that I could have heard him speak earlier because by this point in the campaign everyone has already heard his sound bites. Everything you have heard is true. He is a very inspiring and charismatic speaker. And now to the nitty gritty. I agree with some of his policies others I dont. I think his ideas on education and social security are good. I'm poor so i don't have a real problem with taxing the rich :) The thing that is most compelling about him is his philosophy and style towards government. He speaks about empowering the public to make the changes they want to see. You can see this in the way his rallies go. In the way he has inspired the grassroots movement to support him. You can see it in the way he has gotten so many people to volunteer for him. And you can see it in the way he has been able to raise money at a historic rate. He has the ability to get people to act. He speaks about wanting america to come together. There is nothing wrong with talking about hope. It is too bad the Clinton campaign has turned these strengths into a liability. Hope is what pushes people to see the world as it can be rather than what it is. Is that naive? it shouldnt be otherwise what are we doing on this world. The tides have turned a little as if speaking eloquently is somehow a weakness. This is part of what the president does. How many saturday night live skits have you seen where they make fun of some stupid thing President Bush has said. How many times do I have to hear Hillary Clinton screech "lets make it happen" Barack Obama is the type of leader that is compelling enough to touch not only americans but also the world scene. As far as the credentials and experience goes to be honest none of the three canidates left has ever answered the 3 am call. And I actually buy his argument that he showed good judgment voting against the Iraq war and a thoughtful person is who I want answering the phone. So like I said there are some of his policies that I like others I dont. He certainly has faults. But he inspires people and I think this is what we want in a leader.

Bannstein

sabbatical

So i kind of have taken an unintentional break from my cyber life, which i am not that great at anyway. But I thought I might update some of you on what is new. Benjamin is growing up so fast. He will be 6 months on Sunday. He is sitting up so well. And he loves to stand up (with support) and bounce. He is also using his hands really well. It has been amazing to watch him figure things out. He can now use both hands and cooperate to pick up and manipulate big items. Just the other day He used one toy to knock another toy closer so he could reach it because it was too far away. It was exciting to watch his little mind work. He has also become an expert at rolling over. This age has also brought some new challenges. Because it is so cold and dry he has a bad case of eczema on his cheek and above his eye. Also we have read that around 6 months they get needier and start to have attachment anxiety. So now he is whining a lot so that he will be picked up all the time. Not necessarily a bad thing but it makes it hard to get anything done...ie typing this post. He is in my lap trying to press the keys. He has already erased it once :) Also I think he getting a bit spoiled, but it is curiosity also. He will whine if he doesnt have anything to hold or play with, if he knocks something away, or if he is tired of playing with the toys he has. Right now he is crying because i took a note card away from him that he was trying to eat. It has been fascinating watching him develop. He has a great personality and loves laughing and giggling. I hope all is well.

thought provocation

Some of you may have heard of Gregory Boyd because he's a megachurch pastor, some for his open theism beliefs, and others for his books.

I'm not entirely on the Boyd-bandwagon, but his theology of the Kingdom of God and how we are to be a part of it in this current age always challenges me. I'm sure I've recommended his book, Myth of a Christian Nation, to many of you. Essentially it looks at how earthly governments are never "Christian" because they necessitate what he calls "power-over" systems while the Kingdom of God advocates "power-under" methods, i.e. serving. He does an excellent job staying out of the polarizing left/right politics and wrestles with what our role as Christians under government and how we must not rely on it or even assume it can accomplish anything of God's Kingdom.

Anyway, I'd encourage you to read the book on your own. It's not that long. In the meantime, I found this blog entry he recently wrote is very thought-provoking. He's essentially taking some of the themes of Myth to a new level by evaluating whether they perpetuate advocacy of anarchy in it's actual philosophy (not a the popular pictures of anarchy we tend to think of). He doesn't full expound on his views, but it gives the basics. He's hit on it a few more times in recent posts.

You may not agree (as I often don't), but at least it gets you mind moving.

Favorite Albums of 2007

I believe we had a discussion around "best" albums of the year last year. Maybe sharing our favorite albums of '07 will be less contentious and we'll be comfortable sharing our picks even if we haven't listened to all of Pitchfork's favorites. Here's mine:

1. Kings of Leon - Because of the Times
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
3. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
4. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
5. White Stripes - Icky Thump
   

New Job & Seasons Greetings

For those of you who may not know, I have left the Big Bullseye (aka Target) in favor of government. I work for the State of Florida for the Department of Health in the Safe Drinking Water program. Living in Tampa, I help regulate the public water systems for Hillsborough County. I work with five other individuals and together with our team of engineers, we inspect/monitor all 800+ water systems in the county (this does not include private residential wells). We are number two in the state for the most systems. The weather down here is great in the winter time and I really don't miss the snow and cold. Summers can be quite hot but that's the price you pay.

Hope everyone is well and have a great holiday season!

Bengtson