Category Archives: Barry Kelly

by | August 29, 2014 · 7:30 am

EIGHT DECADES OF INSIGHTS 145

RESIST OR RESIGN OR BOTH?

The president, as commander-in-chief, directs the activities of the Defense Department. The secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs advise the president and send him recommendations. We all know that. Civilian rule over the military is a long-established and necessary doctrine. But what happens when the commander-in-chief is not capable of developing defense policy and providing the leadership to implement the policy? Are the secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs still required to follow presidential guidance? The answer is a clear yes. We have a thing called the ballot box that settles who is our commander-in-chief.

President Barack Obama announces former Senator Chuck Hagel, second from left, as his nominee for Secretary of Defense. Photo by Matt Compton, from whitehouse.gov.

President Barack Obama announces former Senator Chuck Hagel, second from left, as his nominee for Secretary of Defense. Photo by Matt Compton, from whitehouse.gov.

But that doesn’t mean that General Dempsey and the secretary of defense are powerless to resist dangerous policies or can’t argue forcefully against presidential (commander-in-chief) orders. We have a president who, to my memory, has not been right in a single foreign or military issue. His decisions always put his politics and image ahead of what professionals think/know is best for the nation. Just review the mess in Libya with Gaddafi’s regime looking better every day since he was ousted and central control over Libya vanished, ending up with Benghazi and weapons flowing to radical Islamic groups though out the Middle East and Africa. The president’s inability to see the world as it is has led to a dangerous situation in the Ukraine as Putin takes advantage of the absence of American power and resolve. The famous disappearing redline in Syria, the failure to aid moderate Islamic forces to overthrow Asad, the vacillation over the reformation of the Iraqi government, the plans to drastically reduce the armed forces, the constantly televised presidential statements telling our enemies what we will not do and when we are leaving the theater are some critical examples. It is too late for the moderate secular Muslims have now been killed or absorbed into ISIS.

Dempsey and Hagel have had ample opportunity to judge the effectiveness and wisdom of their commander-in-chief. Some of their statements indicate they disagree with President Obama. Even if their refreshingly strong recent statements are walked back within a day or so, it might be a start. They are required to follow President Obama’s lead by our founding documents but they also took an oath to defend America and its people. If they cannot convince the president to change or modify his orders, both need to resign and take their case to Congress and the public. They have a duty to do so. But maybe they think they are indispensable or that by remaining in office they are preventing a bad situation from getting worse. Or do they just want to keep their prestigious positions and titles? I hope both of these men who have honorably served their country will choose the right path.

At the very least they need to stop the disintegration of the Armed Forces back to pre-World War II levels and to invest in developing new weapons to ensure America’s ability to defend itself and its allies. Congress will cooperate, they know peace comes through strength. War thrives on weakness. Every historian, except those with a progressive political agenda, will agree.

Written by the author of “Insights: Transforming America — Is This What We Fought For?” available now as an ebook, in paperback or hardcover on Amazon.com or BN.com. Follow the author on Twitter @factsfictions80. If you think this message is important, please share it.

2 Comments

Filed under Barry Kelly, foreign policy, Intelligence & Politics, Obama, Progressives, Russia

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | August 27, 2014 · 5:55 am

EIGHT DECADES OF INSIGHTS 144

THE THREAT OF ISLAM

Fate and luck have often produced the leadership needed in times of crises. Unfortunately, neither fate nor luck have given America the leadership she needs to combat the virulent march of Islamic radicals across Syria and Iraq. We have a president who is ill-equipped to deal with real world crises. He leans toward the Muslim side in all foreign policy issues. The president has surrounded himself with inexperienced department heads who share his view of the world. Both the critical departments of State and Defense are under pedestrian leadership. Clinton, Kerry, Hagel, and Dempsey have been conducting foreign and defense policy designed to withdraw America from a super power role to one consistent with the goals of the United Nations, an organization that has no love for American power.

Our executive leadership is implementing a plan to bring American troop strength down to pre-World War II levels at a time when radical Islam is sweeping across the Middle East and Putin is moving to reconstitute the Soviet Empire.  (According to media reports, 900 army majors have been given termination notices, some while in combat areas. Majors and sergeants are the backbone of any army. It will take ten or twenty years to replace their knowledge and experience.)

But that is not the worst. A significant part of our population is increasingly anti-military and doesn’t recognize that all violence is not evil. All our personal freedoms and national security at times need violence to protect the nation and its citizens. The belief that we can control or positively influence enemies, current or potential, by our unilateral behavior is foolish to the point of suicidal. That unilateral disarmament on our part will lead other nations to act accordingly is a belief, not only naive and arrogant, but without any historical evidence. The president and his attorney general have often stated closing Guantanamo Bay will make it harder for radical Muslims to recruit new members. What deters enemies is strength and they will to use it.

While young Muslim boys (girls don’t get to go to school in the world of Sharia law) are being taught to hate the West and to learn how to be soldiers, our children are being punished for pointing a pretend finger gun or engaging in any act that might be construed to represent Christianity. Recently the media reported a young school girl was disciplined when she said, “Bless you” to a classmate who had sneezed. The spirit that got us through two World Wars and several others, needs to be rekindled. The meek don’t inherit the earth; in the real world they get themselves or others killed.

Before we encourage the spread of Islam in America, the citizens should know Islam is not a religion of peace. The Koran has none of the forgiveness, love, gentleness, or acceptance of the people of other religions that is contained in the New Testament. Muslim teachings support forcible conversions of non-Muslims and the killings of those who don’t convert. The imposition of Sharia Law is the end game of radical Islam that is, today, being carried out by ISIS.  Occupation and domination is the plan. The end result of radical Islam is to impose a totalitarian rule run by an elite group. Funny how the progressive, socialist, communist, Islamic or fascist systems of governing all have the same end result, rule by an elite who make your choices for you. Individual freedom is not an issue. None of them believe in it.

Fortunately, we can see what the Islamization of Europe is doing. It is spreading fast and even imposing Sharia Law in some areas where the Muslim population is dominate. The United Kingdom now has more Muslim citizens fighting for ISIS than it has Muslims in its own armed forces. Muslim immigrants do not assimilate. They maintain their own language, culture, law, and education. Local mosques are the spearhead for the spread of Islam. It need not happen here. It must not.

Written by the author of “Insights: Transforming America — Is This What We Fought For?” available now as an ebook, in paperback or hardcover on Amazon.com or BN.com. Follow the author on Twitter @factsfictions80.

2 Comments

Filed under Barry Kelly, Eight Decades of Insights, foreign policy, Intelligence & Politics, Politics, Terrorism

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

Image

EIGHT DECADES OF INSIGHTS 142

WRONG PICTURE

What is wrong with the pictures coming out of Ferguson, Missouri?  Is that what middle America is? Are we a racist nation?

Last question first. No, America is not a racist nation. How can a nation be racist when the president, the attorney general, the national security adviser, and several other prominent officials are black? There are prominent blacks in every profession, stars in every professional sport and other entertainment areas. Blacks with military honors serve in every branch of the Armed Forces. Graduating students from our universities are black, as were some of their professors. No, we are not a racist nation nor are we a nations of cowards. In America, if you can walk the walk and talk the talk you can make it, no matter the color of your skin. While words are important, actions and real circumstances tell us more.

The words coming out of the president and attorney general do not help to calm the situation in Ferguson any more than the words coming out of the professional race manipulators who circle every possible injustice like a group of vultures swirling around the spot light of public attention. The shooting in Ferguson calls out for a real investigation of the facts, not  political speeches crying racism is the cause. Shouldn’t the rush to racist statements on the part of our president and attorney general wait for the investigations to be completed before making racist pronouncements.

Didn’t we learn anything from the Treyvon Martin case?  Too many bright young black teenagers, especially males, are being killed by senseless acts. The nation needs these young people. We need to give them time to live and contribute. Let the Ferguson situation play out, but deal severely with looters. Peaceful demonstrations must always be allowed but not street violence. Peaceful demonstrators of any color do not come to demonstrate with Molotov cocktails and guns. The police have a duty to protect the citizens of Ferguson from the violence of rioters and looters. And the attorney general and our president need to deal with the mass killing of young black teenagers by black on black violence.

Mr. President, tell your attorney general to go to Chicago with his legions of investigators. Give the young blacks of our inner cities a chance to live. Give them jobs and hope. So far you have done nothing to help them. Making them dependent on government money is not the answer. Give them real jobs, a chance to raise a family and give back to the community. Show them real justice is color blind. Your first step should be to remove your current attorney general who has said we are a nation of cowards when it comes to race. He is not an example that justice is color blind. We are not a nation of cowards and we are not, today, a racist nation. The pictures coming out of Ferguson fill the media’s appetite for sensational news but do not describe America.

 Written by the author of “Insights: Transforming America — Is This What We Fought For?” available now as an ebook, in paperback or hardcover on Amazon.com or BN.com. Follow the author on Twitter @factsfictions80

Leave a comment

by | August 24, 2014 · 7:15 am
by | August 22, 2014 · 12:09 pm

EIGHT DECADES OF INSIGHTS 143

DON’T TAKE A KNIFE TO A GUNFIGHT

From all their pronouncements, it seems the Obama Holder dynamic duo plan to use their law and order weapon against ISIS. That is as foolish as taking a knife to a gun fight. ISIS Terrorism does not operate on a law and order field. They know and say they are in a war with the west.  Their weapons and tactics are from the manuals of warfare. During my time in the Reagan White House, as the point staff person for terrorism, we used the law and order approach. Even with the relatively  very small number of terrorists and terrorists organization active at that time, the law and order legal process was cumbersome and stretched nearly to its limit. The requirement to collect information that would stand up to the rules of evidence in our courts was a heavy burden. None of us were thinking enough outside the box of legalism. The military leadership, the intelligence sector, the Congressional committees, and, of course the State Department were all mired in the rules of our court system.

Looking back now, our efforts to fight international terrorism with the weapons of law and order were not equal to the task. To apply law and order restraints to the war against terrorism, yes it is a war, today is beyond reason. It is absurd. Our President and his Attorney General do not trust the military to capture, detain, question and try terrorist in a military court. They have an engrained ideological fear that some terrorist may have his or her civil rights violated. I think the roots of that thinking go deep into their guilt over American power being used in the colonial past. No matter what the issue, the President and his soul mate will ride the civil rights horse onto every battlefield. No, I can not square that legalistic approach with using drone strikes against terrorists even if they are American citizens. I can only guess that the law and order rules of engagement do not extend to drone strikes. Maybe it is because dead people have no civil rights, due process,  and no need to have Miranda rights read to them.

The law and order people do not seem to understand the need to obtain real-time intelligence from interrogating (not torturing) combatants captured on the battlefield. Intelligence wins wars, saves American lives, and treasure. The cumbersome time required for the law and order system to play out does not match the need to defeat terrorists before they can bring the war to our shores again. Imagine having a backlog of several hundred terrorist prisoners to move through our law and order procedures. Lastly our Constitution does not apply to foreign nationals who are trying to kill us. Nor should it apply to U.S. citizens fighting on the side of terrorists. The first step should be to strip them of their citizenship. That is an appropriate job for the law and order process.

Using law and order procedures as our Attorney General has in the past will ensure we lose the war against terrorism. Save the law and order rules for U.S. citizens or residents who commit terrorist acts inside the U.S. Due process is their right.

Read my non fiction book, INSIGHTS Transforming America. Is this what we fought for?

3 Comments

Filed under Barry Kelly, Conservative views, Eight Decades of Insights, Intelligence & Politics, Obama, Terrorism

Tagged as , , , ,

by | August 20, 2014 · 7:30 am

EIGHT DECADES OF INSIGHTS 141

KURDS AND ISIS

However he got there doesn’t matter. It is rare that President Obama gets policy and action together to do the right thing. So let’s give him credit for helping the Kurds rescue thousands of minority religious followers and begin pushing ISIS back into traditional Sunni tribal areas. Without U.S. airstrikes and weapons delivered to  the Kurds, the Mosel Dam and Christians and other minorities would still be in the hands of ISIS. There is absolutely no question that ISIS is capable of genocide against any people who do not believe in sharia law.

Unfortunately, this is not a short-term problem with a quick answer. The right thing is to support the Kurds. Their army, the Peshmerga, can and will fight to protect their homeland and people. All they need is an American commitment to supply needed weapons and some economic support. They can be a pillar of stability in the region and a military balance to the ISIS. The Kurds will not, unless forced, ever put their fate in the hands of a Baghdad Shiite or Sunni government. They have suffered under successive Baghdad regimes. The Kurds also have no love for Iran or Turkey.

Over the last five-plus years, the world has seen that our word cannot be taken at face value. Therefore, the problem for the Kurds is deciding whether they can trust our commitments. They are in a very dangerous position with few options. America will get another chance to show the world if our word means anything. The president has broad powers in foreign policy and armed conflict issues. But in this case it would help if he could involve Congress in long-term support for the Kurds. This is an issue he should not use to attack his opposition. There has to be some kind of a line between progressive political goals and something as serious as building a area of stability in the wreckage of Iraq that is friendly with America.

We can not expect the Kurds to trust us if we show intent of putting them back under a Baghdad regime. The president and Congress need to accept that the idea of a Shiite government ever being trusted by the Sunnis or the Kurds is gone. In fact, it was never a viable option. The borders of the Middle East have been changed de facto. A smart foreign policy would accept the change and move on. Please, Mr. President, keep Secretary of State,  John Kerry out of Kurdish policy issues. You and we cannot afford any more bumbling by your Department of State.

Read my non-fiction book, “INSIGHTS: Transforming America –Is this what we fought for? “

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Barry Kelly, Conservative views, Eight Decades of Insights, foreign policy, Intelligence & Politics, Kurds, Obama, Sunni

Tagged as , , , , , ,