The story of the United States involvement in Afghanistan is an almost unbelievable one.
If it weren’t so tragic for the long suffering people of Afghanistan and US citizens, especially the US military, it would be almost funny in it’s circular what goes around comes around implications.
In 1979, Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan. Since the cold war between the Soviet Union and the US was still very much underway naturally the US opposed the Soviet’s efforts to control the country.
The US backed Islamic fighters were known as mujaheddin, including an Islamic leader from Saudi Arabia known as Osama Bin Laden. The US supported mujaheddin, “solders of God”, fought the Soviets and the country became a Cold War proxy battleground.
By 1989 the Soviets had suffered enough in the hostile unforgiving terrain of Afghanistan. They withdrew after transporting more than 15,000 dead Soviet troops back to their homeland in coffins. The Soviets left behind hundreds of thousands of dead Afghans as a testament to the brutally of war.
Now get this.
The Soviets began to take heavy losses only after the US began supplying the mujaheddin with sophisticated weapons, including stinger missiles. The stingers proved to be highly effective in bringing down Soviet fighter jets and attack helicopters. The missiles indeed took the sting out of the Soviet military machine which had relied on air power to kill the mujaheddin.
What goes around comes around. Now the US is confronted with sophisticated weapons, especially IED’s, which are finding their way into Iraq.
After the withdrawal of the Soviet Union forces the US made a huge mistake. Instead of helping Afghanistan recover from the devastation of war we basically patted ourselves on the back and said “mission accomplished”. The USÂ also withdrew from active involvement in the region.
I have not been to Austin, Texas in a few years but I still have fond memories of the three busy days and fun filled nights I spent there.
Austin has developed into an American high tech center, a music center, and a thriving college town with the University of Texas, Austin campus in the downtown area. I was there for a computer company marketing presentation and was fortunate to have the company President, who lived in Austin, show me around. My associates and myself had a fantastic time in Austin.
The blend of high tech and laid back Texans along with causally clad fun loving, hard studying and hard playing college students at every turn make Austin unlike any other American city.
If you love live music you want to visit Austin. If you love great food you want to visit Austin. If you like to bar hop while you search for just the right kind of music you won’t want to leave Austin.
If you require a hotel you are in luck. Austin Hotels are well priced. You will find a comfortable room in Austin near super restaurants and fun filled night life action.
The Sidestep Austin Hotels website covers Austin in great detail so it is a fantastic resource to use in planning your trip.
If you have been thinking of visiting Austin my advice is go. Hey, with great music, great food, interesting bars, friendly people, and reasonable hotel prices you can’t go wrong.
The US House of Representatives passed a bill by 247-176 to roll back President Bush’s restrictions on federally funded embryonic cell research.
While yet another defeat for President Bush the vote was short of the two thirds majority that it will take to overcome a promised veto by Bush.
Stem cell embryonic research is one of many positions that President Bush seems to be completely out of step on with American voters. Since Bush is a lame duck President and can not stand for reelection he just doesn’t seem to care how unpopular his positions are with voters.
Once out of office George W. Bush will most likely be one of the most hated men by members of his own party to have ever served in the White House. His stick it in the voters eye additude is sure to wreck the Republicans chances in the 2008 election as well as for many years to come.
What in the world does Paris Hilton have to do with Politics?
Well for now, nothing. At least we think nothing. The way candidates are lining up for the Election 2008 campaigns for President we wouldn’t be too surprised if “Paris for President” bumper stickers started to pop up from coast to coast.
That is if her stay in jail doesn’t disqualify her. I’m not sure what her final charges were. She wasn’t too pleased to be escorted back to jail after first being released. Paris may have said a few choice words that added to her charges.
Paris probably thinks the jail parties don’t rock without alcohol or drugs being served.Â
I have to say that while I’m not always overly fond of the way she goes about getting attention I do admire the smarts and business sense of Paris. At only 26 years old she is one of the premiere promoters in the world.
Paris Hilton and Donald Trump have a lot in common in knowing how to get their name out in front of the public and in keeping it there.
I especially admire Paris for not sitting back and living in luxury as her heiress background would easily let her do. No, the easy life is not for Paris Hilton. While she is well known for playing hard you can bet she works hard too.
So what’s next for Paris?
Well, there is a rumor going around that Paris indeed is considering running for President of the United States by creating a new party, The Fun Party.
Don’t laugh. I bet Paris would get a bunch of votes. Everyone likes to have fun.
It has been no secret in Washington that Dick Cheney has redefined the role of the vice president’s office in setting government policy. What may be surprising to some is that to this day Cheney’s power is largely undiminished.
Cheney is the decider for “the decider”. Cheney has influence on Bush as no vice president in the history of America has ever had over a sitting president. There are some in Washington who will say that Cheney actually has full control over Bush.
Cheney’s office operates in great secrecy. Cheney is a ruthless but extremely able man who understands that the person who controls the access and paper flow to the president also controls to a large extent the decision making process in the oval office.
George W. Bush is no match for Cheney. What Cheney wants is what Cheney usually gets.
The tremendous problem with Cheney for America is that the man has no respect for the democratic process or for the laws of the land. In his zeal to promote a strong, really imperial executive branch, Cheney feels that he and the president have the power and authority to do whatever they want to do.
While Cheney may have the best intentions of protecting America in a hostile and dangerous world, he could not possibly believe in democracy. By his actions he has proven that he believes in a dictatorship.
This smart, capable, brilliant, ruthless, man is a danger to America and to the world. His disregard for law and the constitution is unparalleled in the history of our nation for a man in high office.
Cheney has personally benefited greatly from the war in Iraq and from the never ending War on Terror. He was Halliburton’s president for five years and still holds an appreciable amount of stock in Halliburton in a not so “blind” trust.
