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March 31 I'm Being Too Hard on Illegal AliensI am being told that I'm too hard on illegal aliens. I beg to differ. I think that Illegal Aliens are too hard on Americans.
Here in New Mexico, we have a really bad problem with illegal aliens. They are coming across the border by the hundreds everyday. They come across in vans that are overloaded, speeding like crazy to elude the police. Traffic in the mornings here is terrible, bumper to bumper, it takes an hour to get from my house in the desert to my workplace. Then, the traffic is really backed up because someone driving a van full of illegal immigrants from Mexico just flipped over, spilling its occupants all over the highway. Not only is the traffic now at a standstill, there are dead bodies on the highway, no identification, so the police do not know who to notify. This happens regularly, not just once in a great while.
Add to that, the employment problems. If you are a scientist, engineer, or computer expert, you make good wages here in New Mexico, I'd say higher than normal. But, if you try to find anyother type of work, they do not want to pay you even minimum wage. You go to a job interview and they offer to pay you $25,000 a year; when you protest that it isn't enough to live on, the employers tell you--"we can get the illegals to work for less than that so take it or we hire them." People here are getting very tired of it. Illegals usually do not have the degrees to fill scientist, engineer, or computer jobs, but they will try to do anything else.
When I do shopping in area shops (large companies not small mom and pop shops) the clerk that waits on me speaks to me in Spanish. Even when I tell them that I'm an American and speak English, I get the dirty looks and ask why I do not speak Spanish like most of the locals do. Even when I do shopping over the phone, when I tell them I live in New Mexico, they say--"Sorry, we only ship with the continental US." I'M IN AMERICA, NOT MEXICO!
Fine, you want to be an American------then do it legally, learn to speak English, and pay taxes like the rest of American citizens are obligated to do. Response to Nuclear and Ballistic Missile ThreatThe technology to build ICBMs is available to anyone who looks for it on the internet. The U.S. government has relaxed government restrictions on the dissemination of missile technology, hardware, software, and trained personnel; thus making useful knowledge widely available. Engineering problems encountered in the original ICBM construction are now taught as required curriculum in American graduate schools. Foreign students are the largest percentage of higher-degree program students in these U.S. universities. After obtaining degrees in science, mathematics, and engineeering, a large number of these students return to their own countries to put this information to work.
Also available commercially are sophisticated mathematics, design, engineering, and manufacturing software programs that give potential proliferators the needed tools to design and build ballistic missiles. These long-range missiles can deliver any weapon of mass destruction globally available and consdequently are sought by many countries with interests contrary to those of the U.S. Since the first American ICBMs flew 40 years ago, their existence has become commonplace and their technology is everywhere, from college textbooks to World Wide Websites to the local electronics store. Export controls and arms control may slow down, but do not stop, the spread of missile technology. This constant, legal theft of American technologies shows me the truth in this quote:
"The question is not whether, but when a rogue state will summon the will to threaten the U.S. with an ICBM. America's track record of predicting such events suggests that this threat may appear sooner than expected. When the inevitable threat appears, the question will then be, are retaliatory threats alone enough to protect America and American interests?"
If we are not to be victims of our own technologies, we need to plug these leaks. America needs to withhold these technologies from individuals, groups, and countries that do not have a need to know. In my opinion, our best defense against nuclear and ballistic missile threats is the U.S. missile defense system. The idea of a missile defense shield first received attention two decades ago when mentioned publicly by then-President Ronald Reagan. The missile defense system is being developed to defend all 50 states against the threat of ballistic missile attack from rogue nations or accidental, unauthorized launch from nuclear capable states. Existing Defense Support Program satellites provide the U.S. with early-warning to ground-based interceptors based in Alaska. March 30 Weapons of Mass DestructionThough there are many circumstances, in which an adversary may use weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against the U.S., a couple stand out as primary: terrorism, and retaliation from the perception of overwhelming odds. Terrorists have threatened to use WMD if they could acquire them. If an adversary perceived losing a conventional war, even before the start of the war, WMD might be employed to swing the outcome. Charles Krauthammer covers this area well in his article, "The Terrible Logic of Nukes," in Time magazine, September 2, 2002,
What use are weapons of mass destruction anyway? Well, we had a quite extraordinary demonstration of their efficacy this summer. Just a few weeks ago, India and Pakistan appeared on the verge of war. It never happened. Not only did the feared war not go nuclear, but it did not even go conventional. Why? Many reasons, but perhaps the most important was, paradoxically, the nukes themselves. India made clear that it would not be the first to use nuclear weapons. Pakistan, however, did not follow suit. "We...do not subscribe to a no-first-use doctrine," declared Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S. Why? Simply put, because Pakistan is the weaker party. And the weaker party, if nuclear capable, invariably holds out the threat of nuclear war as a way to deter conventional attack.
U.S. forces have two basic strategies to deter use of WMD. They are trained to be effective across a plethora of combat conditions and geographic settings. The focus is on the ability to act quickly when challenged and to win decisively at a time and place and in the manner of the President's choosing. U.S. forces will be capable of defeating an attack against the United States, its allies, and friends in any two theaters of operation at one time.
"U.S. combat missions will be structured to eliminate enemy offensive capability across the depth of it terrority, store favorable military conditions in the region, and create acceptable political conditions for the cessation of hostilities." The strategy of U.S. forces is to respond to threats in an asymmetrical manner. If an aggressor uses biological or chemical weapons to attack U.S. forces, we will retaliate with nuclear weapons. At the direction of the United States President. U.S. forces will conduct major combat operations; imposing America's will and removing any future threat. "This capability will include the ability to occupy territory or set the conditions for a regime change if so desired."
Does this always hold true? March 29 Headline NewsYet again, the Muslims have shown us what a peaceful religion they are. How tolerant of other world religions. Abdul Rahman has fled to Italy because he was a Muslim and has now converted to Christianity. Yep, those Muslims are peaceful, tolerant folks.
The students protesting in Los Angles because they are illegal aliens who do not want to be deported or to have illegal members of their families deported. Now here we have illegal aliens using the Bill of Rights guarantee of freedom to protest in support of their cause. The Bill of Rights only guarantees the rights of American citizens, it doesn't have anything to do with non-citizens living in the United States. If illegal aliens are out there protesting, then the US government is suppose to deport anyone who is in this country illegally. This whole affairs just doesn't make sense. I understand that allowing these aliens into the country illegally to begin with is the fault of the US Government, and now there are too many of them here to just deport them all; but, granting amnesty to millions is wrong. If you want to stay here in the US, declare yourself illegal, pay your fine, take the classes required to become a citizen, and learn to speak English. Here in New Mexico, our governor, Richardson, will welcome you with open arms. He's already giving you all drivers' licenses, free education, jobs that he claims American don't want, low-income housing, and welfare. He claims you all do the low-paying jobs that we American do not want to do. Yeah, come on down to New Mexico, we don't care if you have a green card or not. But, legally, you are not entitled to attend public school, school that is paid for by American citizens, if you are an illegal alien. And, to top that off, you have no rights under the American Bill of Rights, so, if you want to stay in America do it the legal way, we have enough criminals here already. Deputy's FuneralSheriff's Deputy McGrane was laid to rest yesterday. There was a huge turnout, including members of the police force from all over New Mexico. The funeral procession went on for miles through the mountains, into the city's section called "Old Town." To the Catholic church and cemetary out in Bernalillo. It was a beautiful tribute to a fallen officer and his family.
Mr. Astorga is still at large. However, members of the gang that is helping him elude police are being rounded up and put in jail, the place they should have been before all this happened. Mr. Astorga is going to be featured on this week's edition of "America's Most Wanted."
March 26 In Memory of Sheriff's Deputy James McGrane, Jr.IN MEMORY
OF
SHERIFF'S DEPUTY
JAMES McGRANE, JR.
Today I write in memory of Sheriff's Deputy James McGrane, Jr. who was shot and killed in the line of duty, here in the east mountains.
After stopping a gold colored pickup on NM Highway 14, at 12:45 AM, Deputy McGrane was shot and left to die on the shoulder of the highway by, one Michael Paul Astorga, who is still at large.
Deputy McGrance leaves behind his parents and a wife, no children. He was 38 years old and had served as sheriff's deputy for 4 years. The man who shot him is 29 years old and has been in and out of prison since he was 14.
Mr. Astorga shot his best friend to death last November and has been on the run since. Hidden by his relatives and gang member friends, he has evaded the law until it was deputy McGrance's unlucky night. It's a sad day in New Mexico.
On Albuquerque radio there is a daily talk show, the Jim Villenuchi show. Residents can call in and express their opinions on local issues. Residents had the nerve to call in and complain that the police are putting too much time into trying to locate the killer. I would like to say to these people that Mr. Astorga has crossed the line; the line where the law and authority no longer matter. The line where, killing anyone is now the option for him. When a person crosses this line, no one is safe. Mr. Astorga is out there somewhere, probably being helped by his family and friends, and if he runs across you or I, you can believe he won't hesitate to shoot us.
Then his mother calls the Villenuchi show and states:
1) I don't think that my son did this, no one was there and you can't say that he did it for sure.
2) He's been treated badly by the prison system, but he wouldn't shoot anyone.
3) I divorced his dead beat dad when he was 14 and I had to work two jobs, so it's no wonder he has been in trouble.
I'd like to say to Mrs. Astorga, you are right, your son is innocent until proven guilty. Your son's past record speaks for itself. Deputy McGrane called your son's license number into dispatch just before the dispatcher heard shots fired. Just because you divorced his father and worked two jobs is no excuse for what he has become.
I divorced my daughters' father--he was a dead beat dad--I worked two jobs and neither of my daughters would think about shooting anyone.
Your son made his own path in life, he took the wrong road, and now he'll have to pay. March 24 My Opinion of America's Response to Chemical Warfare ThreatThe military has been very well prepared for Chemical Weapons (CW) and Biological Weapons (BW) threats in warfare scenarios. They have been furnished vaccines against biologoical attacks of several agents including anthrax. To combat chemical agents, the military has been equiped with the latest technological, gas masks, full-body suits, equipment that is being updated and advanced daily. The US does not intentionally put its personnel in dangerous biological and chemical scenarios.
The public, on the other hand, has not been adequately provided with precautions. The anthrax attacks after 9/11 are a prime example. Cipro had to be manufactured by sources in other countries to back up the limited supply available in the US. Then it had to be debated as to which citizens would be given the Cipro. In the end, postal employees were the main recipients. Even our emergency cleanup after the anthrax attacks was lacking.
The rumor of terrorists using smallpox bacteria to kill Americans is another example. The government worried that it did not have stockpiles of smallpox vaccine to issue to American citizens. I am sure there were other chemical and biological agents that were projected into scenarios also. Did we have stockpiles to combat these? Probably not.
On 9/11, the Department of Energy released its non-essential employees to go home. Home, where we sat in front of the TV set and watched the horror repeatedly on CNN. As I sat there, I wondered where I would go and what I would do if these horrors happened here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Do we have a shelter for the public as Russia and China have? Where would I get a gas mask in case of biological or chemical attack? The only answer I came up with was that I would be setting in my living room, in front of my TV set, quite dead. Why? Because I did not have any answers to my questions. Today, I still have no answers.
America needs to do more for the individual citizen, you and me. Sure, we have bunkers for the President, the Vice President, and probably the Congress, but what do we have for the little people? Nothing, or if we have something, we are not aware of it. Our two biggest adversaries have made provisions for their people; I think it is about time America did something for its citizens.
In my opinion, America needs to put a lot of work into protecting American citizens from Biological and Chemical threats from terrorist organizations and from invasions by our enemies.
March 23 Define the Term "Weapons of Mass Destruction"The Weapons of Mass Destruction Terms Handbook, DTRA-AR-40H, defines Weapons of Mass Destruction as: Any destruction device that is intended or has the capability, to cause death or serious bodily injury to a large number of people through the release, dissemination, or impact of: (a) toxic or poisonous chemicals or their precursors; (b) disease-causing organisms; (c) radiation or radioactivity; or (d) conventional explosives sufficient for widespread lethality.
Using this definition, I would have to say that mass refers to the number of people affected.
The Clinton Administration carried on a policy of strong words against the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). On November 19, 1997, Clinton called for action "....in the face of what I consider to be one of the three or four most significant security threats that all of our people will face in the next whole generation, this weapons of mass destruction proliferation." These strong words would suggest strong action; however, the Clinton Administration spoke loudly but carried a small stick.
The Clinton Administration was unwilling to take tough actions to back up the rhetoric in executive orders and other statements. In order to combat proliferation, our country needs to use a multi-faceted approach comprised of diplomacy, arms control and export controls, unilateral incentives and disincentives, and counter proliferation efforts. The Clinton Administration's nonproliferation efforts were very ineffective. U.S. support of export control regimes did not go far enough. Supporting export control regimes with statutes to punish violators and then not imposing punishments is a waste of time.
By decontrolling export regulations, the Clinton Administration allowed American technologies to be sold to countries that should not possess equipment such as supercomputers. It is a known fact that China and Russia now possess these supercomputers and are using them to build their weapon technologies. Therefore, even though the export of these technologies enhanced the U.S. economy; they have endangered the U.S. security.
Think about these facts when Hillary Clinton runs for president in 2 years. Is this really the person you want in office, one who would sell out her own country? March 22 Historic Examples of Biological Warfare and Chemical WarfareBiological and Chemical weapons are not a modern phenomenon. They have a long and ugly history. The first recorded incident, of chemical weapons use, took place in 429BC when the Spartans ignited pitch and sulphur to create toxic fumes during the Peloponnesian Wars. During those same wars, in 424BC the same chemical weapon was used in the siege of Delium. China was also guilty of using arsenical smoke in battle during China's Sung Dynasty, 960-1279AD. In 1456, the City of Belgrade defeated invading Turks by igniting rags dipped in poison to create a toxic cloud. Although these were the earliest recorded instances, they were by far the worse.
In the 14th Century, Tatar armies catapulted comrades who died of bubonic plague into the City of Kaffa in the Ukraine causing the defenders to flee carrying the plague to Europe. Therefore, the second "black death" outbreak in Europe can be partially blamed on biological warfare. In fact, disease has been used several times to defeat the enemy. In 1710, Russian troops used plague-infected corpses against the Swedes and the British. During the French and Indian Wars, blankets used to wrap British smallpox victims were given to the hostile Indian tribes.
In spite of the US War Department General Order 100 of 24 April 1863, proclaiming "The use of poison in any manner, be it to poison wells, or foods,or arms, is wholly excluded from modern warfare," and the signing of the 29 July 1899 Hague Convention did not stop chemical (CW) and biological (BW) warfare. In response to BW and CW attacks during WWI, the Geneva Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare was signed. This treaty prohibited the use of such weapons, but not their development or storage. This treaty was signed by the Soviet Union, France, and Great Britian; the United States didn't ratify it until 1975.
Biological and Chemical weapons were used during WWII to try to change the tide of victory. The Germans used anthrax and glanders to infect sheep shipped to Russia and they tried to infect American horses that were shipped to the Western Front. The French and Germans used tear gas in grenades and artillery sheels, but, the first significant use of chemical warfare in WWI was the German attack using chlorine gas at Ypres, France on 22 April 1915. In retaliation, the first British chemical attack of chlorine gas was used against Germany on 25 September 1915 at the Battle of Loos. This leads to the first use of gas in warfare by the United States in June of 1918.
During the late 1920s and 1930s, Italian leader, Benito Mussolini authorized the use of mustard gas bombs on Libyan and Ethiopian soldiers. The full extent of CW used by Italy during the war is unclear; however, testimony before the League of Nations alleged that Italy made 20 "poison gas attacks," with mustard gas being the agent "most frequently used."
From 1932-1945 Japan started its biological weapons project in occupied China. Prisoners were infected with several biological agents and at least 10,000 died. Chinese cities were attacked with anthrax, cholera, salmonella, and other agents. In 1939, Japanese poisoned the Soviet water supply with intestinal typhoid bacteria and in 1940 they dropped rice and wheat mixed with plague-carrying fleas over China and Manchuria.
The Nazi holocaust began in 1942 with the Nazis using Zyklon B (hydro cyanic acid) in gas chambers for the mass murder of concentration camp prisoners. This chemical and others were used throughout WWII in an attempt by Hitler to exterminate the Jews. Egypt used BW and CW agents from 1963-1967. It used mustard gas during the Yeman civil war, and nerve gas, mustard gas, and phosgene were stockpiled in the Sinai Peninsula. The United States is guilty of using tear gas and four types of defoliant, including Agent Orange, during the Vietnam War, 1962-1970.
The Soviet Union is alleged to have used Yellow Rain (trichothecene bycotoxins) in Laos, Kampuchea, and later in Afghanistan. In a Soviet state-sponsored assassination, Bulgarian exile Georgi Markov living in London, was stabbed with an umbrella that injected him with a pellet containing ricin. On April 2, 1979, an outbreak of pulmonary anthrax in Sverdlovsk, Soviet Union, was caused by an accidental release of anthrax spores from a Soviet military microbiological facility. This accidental release killed at least 66 people.
In 1983, Iraq began using chemical weapons (mustard gas) in the Iran/Iraq War. In 1984 Iraq used a nerve agent, tabun, on the battlefield against the Iranians. (These were furnished by the United States.) In 1987-1988, they used chemical weapons (hydrogen cyanide, mustard gas) in its Anfal Campaign against the Kurds. The most notable in the Halabja Massacre of 1988 killed up to 5,000, mostly civilian Iraqis. From 1985-1991, Iraq developed an offensive biological weapon capability including anthrax, botulism toxin, and aflatoxin. Although Iranian leaders foreswear retaliating in kind, Iran allegedly used CW against Iraq on a limited scale beginning in 1984-1988.
Some of the recent BW and CW incidents include: the 1984 Rajnesshee religious cult intentionally contaminating salad bars in Oregan restaurants with salmonells, causing 751 cases of enteritis--gut infections; 1995, the Aum Shinrikyo cult attacked Tokyo subways with the nerve gas sarin, killing 12 and injuring 5,000; in the 1990s the government of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir asserts that the Sudanese government produced CW with Iranian assistance and used mustard gas in attacks on civilians and SPLA forces in the Nuba mountain region of Sudan.
The latest large biological attack was made on the American public after the 9/11 terrorist attack. Someone mailed anthrax laced letters throughout the United States Postal system causing the infection of hundreds of people and the death of four. This case has yet to be solved. WarWhat is War?
One of the dictionary definitions of WAR is: the waging of armed conflict against an enemy. Using this definition, let us turn to history. War has been waged since the beginning of man. We can say, for example, two cavemen could wage War against each other with rocks, clubs, or fists. Later evolving into groups of cavemen fighting each other, evolving to communities waging War against each other, etc. Up to modern day countries waging War against other countries. As the number of individuals waging War against each other multiplied, so did the weapons used to wage War evolve, with the ultimate known weapon climaxing World War II, the atomic bomb.
Early wars, like modern wars, are not a pretty thing. Man against man, a group of individuals against another group, spilled large amounts of blood. After all clubs, bows and arrows, spears, axes, etc. were weapons that had to be used at close range and the results were gory. Vaporization, caused by the first two atomic bombs, not as gory, only because there was nothing visual left.
The first wars sometimes took years from beginning to completion. The winner claiming the territory of the loser (Empires were built in this fashion). Individuals on the losing side were many times taken into unknown lands as slaves for generations (the Israelites lost their home lands this way). Even in WWI and WWII, territory was divided amoung the victors.
Now America is a War again, President Bush has so declared. But, we as individuals, want a clean war--a quick war--a different war. We want the Iraqi War to be over, now. We want the war to be bloodless. We want victory without putting any effort into it. We want what historically we can not have.
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