WINDS OF WAR / DRUMS OF WAR

It came close. War. First the babble back and forth. Then threats bringing the parties to the edge of war. Finally, war. The sounds of war first in Iran. Then spreading through all the Middle East.

Iran is a proud and ancient civilization. Tough to the bone. Capitulation not part of its make up.

Trump bares the major responsibility for the present Iranian situation. He cancelled the agreement which put off Iran’s nuclear search for 15 years. Then began talking tough in his peculiar bombastic fashion to Iran. Trump continued imposing harsh sanctions. The final blow his efforts to stop Iran’s oil sales.

War came close. Trump blinked and avoided war for the moment. He permitted Iran to out fox the U.S. He knew not his enemy.

Speaking as a purported man of peace and a humanitarian, Trump pulled back the air and naval strike. He said, “Planes were in the air and ships positioned.” Followed by a we were “cocked and loaded.”

Bravado! He saved the world!

He bullshitted only himself.

I question whether our planes were even in the air. Trump seemed to be backing off on that point. His most recent statements indicate the planes might not have yet taken off.

The whole scenario typical Trump. Create an emergency situation. Then take it back at the last minute and come out of the event claiming a false success. One surprise for Trump this time. Iran has backbone and would not back down.

A significant issue in the U.S. treatment of Iran has been Saudi Arabia and Israel. Each wants to take over Iran. They realize the help of the U.S. is required to accomplish it. So they constantly suck up to Trump.

Iran does not want war. However a nation can only be pushed so far. Humiliation especially hurtful. Iran had no choice in whatever it did to bring its problems to a head.

The episode is not yet over.

I was at the Chart Room friday night. What a crowd! Loud and noisy. Having fun.

This is the off season. Hotel rates and restaurant prices are reduced. Many drive in from Florida and Georgia to enjoy long weekends.

Mary came in. I suggested we go to dinner. The noise was getting to me.

We dined on the outside deck at Pier 1.  The food continues to be outstanding. I enjoyed a good sized piece of tuna merely seared on the outside.

Dropped Mary off afterwards and went home. I was in bed by 9. Tired!!!

I mentioned in my last blog that Bria Ansara would be singing at Bourbon Street’s outside bar tuesday nights. I was wrong. Lynda Frechette emailed me from her summer home up north that she had talked with Bria. Bria was in New Hampshire at her mother’s and planned on spending the summer there.

KONK Life’s E-Blast ran a photo of Howard Lanin and his band recently with a comment that it was taken in June 1938. Lanin and his band were performing at the Casa Marina.

Howard was known as the “King of Society Dance Music.”

A USA article noted: “For generations of the rich and famous, a society party isn’t a successful party unless (Howard) Lanin is there with his back to the tuxedoed crowd.”

One of Howard’s brothers was Lester Lanin. He too was a band leader of renown. Many a time I danced to Lester Lanin and his orchestra.

It was during my college years. The more affluent female colleges for their special dances brought Lester Lanin in to play. I was fortunate to be invited by the ladies to these dances. Great dancing music. Lovely ladies. Many formal.

I did not own a tuxedo and could not afford to rent one. Nor could many of my class mates at Manhattan College. Manhattan was a poor boy’s school.

The problem easily solved. We would wear our Air Force ROTC uniforms with a black bow tie added. Passed inspection!

Corsages an economic problem also. We would take turns riding the subway to Times Square. A 45 minute ride each way. Whoever went bought orchid corsages from a street peddler for like 50 cents a piece and brought them back to school

Those were the days!

The politicos are playing Gotcha! I refer to the recent situation with Biden. Concededly not the best use of words by a politician. However enough is enough. Stop making a big deal out of it. The man has been a civil rights leader his entire career.

I was particularly disappointed with the several primary candidates who jumped on his back. Some still doing so. They should be admonished not to speak ill of a Democratic opponent. Especially in a questionable situation. To do otherwise will guarantee Trump’s reelection.

Recall Reagan’s words: “Never speak ill of a fellow Republican.”

I mentioned a few days ago that Venezuela’s inflation rate was at 130,000 percent. Imagine how many 1 bolivar bills are required to equate to $1. Probably 3-4 large paper bags.

Maduro is trying to alleviate the situation. Also to make himself look good in the process. Venezuela’s central bank has issued new banknotes to cope with the raging inflation. The bank has had printed 10,000, 20,000, and 50,000 bolivar notes.

One 50,000 bolivar note is equal to $8 American money.

John Whitehead is a political writer of note. His most recent book: “The Jackboots Are Coming: Mass Arrests, Power Grabs, and the Politics of Fear.”

In a recent article, Whitehead wrote of the 3 “can’ts” that affect a people’s lives. Words of wisdom: “…..you can’t claim to live in a constitutional republic if you allow the government to act like a police state…..you can’t claim to value freedom if you allow the government to act like a dictatorship…..you can’t expect to have your rights respected if you allow the government to treat whomever it pleases with disrespect and an utter disregard for the rule of law.”

Enjoy your day!

 

 

37 comments on “WINDS OF WAR / DRUMS OF WAR

  1. Trump blew off the Iran Nuke deal as part of his mad, mindless campaign to erase all things with Obama written on them.

    • Correct. You can reach greatness two ways…. be better than everyone else or tear down the good work of others. Trump is scum and deconstruction is all he knows in life.

  2. Trump blinked? Interesting that Trump is being criticized and questioned for calling off the strike against Iran. Hasn’t he been labeled as a “War President”, taking direction from hawkish advisors? In this case he had sufficient provocation and the support of his base, but elected not to proceed. From a historical perspective, U.S. presidents are not known for pulling back from a conflict. John Adams did it in 1800 when he avoided war with France. But I can’t think of any good examples from more modern times. It’s always foolish to predict events in the Middle East. But for now at least, it would seem that any further military escalation will have to be initiated by Iran.

    • Even Fox news is skeptical of Trump’s version of these events, particularly the part of calling everything off at the last minute. And for good reason. He has lied on so many occasions on just about everything, why would we believe him now and why would you find that “interesting” in this case.

      Like Lou said “Trump bares the major responsibility for the present Iranian situation.” He’s caused the problem to begin with, and just like Korea and so many other things, is now trying to take credit for “fixing” it. Will you be willing to criticize him when if comes out that there were no plane’s in the air and nothing else in his story verified.

  3. Trump needs to stop threatening Iran.
    He needs to send them billions of dollars, like Obama did, and then sit back and pretend that negotiation works with Iran, until they have a nuclear weapon.

    We will certainly feel better about what a fine country we are, that we did all we could but didn’t go to war. Even Israel will thank us.

    Make Iran Great Again! MIGA!!!

    • Your attempt as sarcasm, if that’s what you’re attempting, falls flat with your distortion of the facts. Iran’s nuclear efforts were mitigated and under control because of the agreements made during the Obama years and they (Iran) were a lesser threat then they had been and have now become again. Destabilization in the middle east is now become a problem again because of the efforts of Saudi Arabia and Israel and our president who is beholden to THEIR interests, not ours. Iran is neither a supporter of ISIS or Al-Qaeda. And BTW – your hero Ronald Reagan loved Iran so much he armed them in secret against nearly total world sanctions against doing so.

      Trump doesn’t give a rats azz about the situation in Iran, apart from how he can use them to better his own political advantage, be that with favors to Israel, Saudi Arabia, or stunts like he pulled with that BS story about aborting that attack. If he wanted to retaliate it would have only taken one cruise missile to takeout the battery that took out our drone.

      • You’re blind dude. If you think Iran’s effort were “mitigated” by Obama giving them billions of dollars, you are woefully ignorant. Nothing is going to derail their effort to get the bomb. Nothing.

        • Careful who you’re calling dude, I don’t have”dude equipment.” You also should check your facts before you start accusing other people of being blind. Obama didn’t give Iran a dime, he simply lifted the freeze on Iran’s azzets In exchange for favors, including verifiable limits on their nuclear advancements. It was their money to begin with that we were holding hostage. That seemed to work, they still don’t have the bomb, even now that Trump has eliminated that deal (and we no longer have that leverage) and still don’t have a bomb. Doesn’t seem very smart (or stable) of us, does it if you know the facts?

          • “You’re Blind Dude” is a comment from the Big Lebowski. Don’t take things so seriously.

            Too bad you weren’t alive in 1930s, living in England. You sound like you would have been a great ally for Neville Chamberlain. Your “optimism” is refreshing.

          • Your Neville Chamberlain snoflake reference is getting tired. It has no bearing on this issue nor frankly on Trump’s Neville Chamberlaining of Kim Jong-Un. Or are you just ignoring that+

  4. If someone wants a nuke, they should be able to have a nuke. What right does one sovereign nation have to tell another sovereign nation that they can’t?

  5. It’s all about politics and power.

    Israel has the bomb, we’re giving (selling?) Saudi Arabia nuclear technology (wink, wink), and nobody is threatened by that (OK, Iran is threatened by that – Biggly).

    Israel and Saudi Arabia are both openly threatening Iran directly, seems to me we should be helping Iran, not trying to hurt them, doesn’t it? Why aren’t we? Politics and Power.

    • Why are we even involved with this mess in Iran, anyhow? Israel and Saudi-Arabia are the ones who have a problem with Iran. Geese, they (Iran) didn’t shoot at us, those were Norwegian and Japanese tankers they (allegedly) shot at, not ours. Let Isreal and Saudi Arabia send in the drones if they’re so keen on destroying Iran, we’re not looking to get their oil anyhow.

  6. Trump brags that we have the best and most nuclear bombs, and he wants to build even more. Then he tells Iran that they can’t have even one. Now I ask, does that sound fair to you?

      • What kind of stupid post is that? Is it OK then for Iran to have a nuclear weapon? How about Korea? Why not Iraq or Israel?

        AMERICA is the only country to ever use a nuclear weapon, so we’re the problem?

        Stop with the internet diarrhea!

        • Nuclear weapons stored in containment facilities and not installed on a delivery device are not likely to harm anyone. Their power lies in their owner’s ability to use them as political currency to impress, intimidate or threaten other less endowed nations. That’s the primary reason why third world countries seek to build them. To employ one as a weapon in today’s geopolitical environment would result in worldwide condemnation and cultural suicide for the user. Although there is always the risk that an unstable government like North Korea’s might do so.

          The use of the “bomb” by the U.S. in WWII is too complex a subject to discuss here.

          Finally, are you sure Israel is not a nuclear nation?

  7. I’m still learning the rules for carrying on a dialogue within a blog. Apparently, when you run out constructive remarks you are supposed to hurl an insult. Instead. I’ll try to remember that.

  8. No Ron, posting “Having a nuclear weapon is not the problem. Using it is the problem.” is a not so clever bit of provocatvie BS meant to stir the waters and start a fight. Apparently just so you can then claim to be the victim of some sort of undue malalignment or abuse. I for one thought that “real Ron” was being kind when he offered you the alternative excuse of having comprehension problems. If you want to be taken seriously, cut the crap and stop with the snowflake defense.

  9. Sorry. As you can see, i’ve Been unable to respond because I can’t comprehend your replies. Have a nice day anyway.

  10. Has anyone noticed that if a non-liberal viewpoint is posted here they are immediately labeled as trolling, or trying to start a fight, or not being on point, or any number of things, in order to silence them?

    Or their favorite accusation, being Patrick, who has not posted on this site for almost a year.

    Using the Patrick meme allows the libs here to create one monolith to attack. Couldn’t possibly be anymore than one person that disagrees with these superior thinkers/feelers.

  11. Patrick posts here often, just never under his own name any more. Tired of being caught in hate lies. Not good for his NYS pension.

    • Patrick signing off using “Patrick” would not affect his NYS pension because there is no proof who that is doing the posting.

      I also don’t think Patrick thinks what he writes is hate lies, so he wouldn’t think he is “caught” at all.

      I know it’s hard to face that there are more people than just “Patrick” posting on here that have non-liberal views.

      On a personal note, I wonder if he is doing fine health-wise because he was never afraid to enter the fray on here. Odd that he’s gone so long. I don’t know him and have never met him, (that I know of) but I do appreciate the diversity on this blog.

    • So Patrick, I hear you have been messing around again with your lies and distortions on Lou’s site. You really shouldn’t do that, Lou is a good guy and has even thrown you some shade in the past. I know for a fact that you are still posting on his site and I also know you don’t always use your own name, but that was always true. Here’s something YOU should know, not everybody in your Albany office likes you.

  12. REALLY Patrick? Don’t you think writing your own pity party post is a bit over the top? Come on, who do you think you are kidding with this crap.

    • …one of Patrick’s favorite phrases, usually used when he’s been caught in a lie he has no way to refute.

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