The Art Of War, Applied To The War In Afghanistan.
Every few years, I re-read some of my favorite books, and last night, I turned to Sun Tzu’s The Art Of War, a great classic of war strategy. I found it so interesting in that so many of the caveats seem to directly apply to the war in Afghanistan. Therefore, here is some of Sun’s advice, as applied to the current war.
Sun Tzu:
When you do battle, even if you are winning, if you continue for a long time it will dull your force and blunt your edge.
We’ve been in Afghanistan for eight years. MORE »
Sarah Palin Quits Again.
Sarah Palin has quit the race…the Turkey Trot 5K in Columbia County, Washington. Palin had announced via Twitter that she’d be running the charity race, but decided that she’d rather avoid the thousands of fans waiting for her at the finish line. She dipped off somewhere before the endpoint.
One wonders how Palin, who has a history of quitting, could manage a 2012 presidential run if she cannot finish a 5K.
Senate Report Confirms Bin Laden Was “Unquestionably Within Our Grasp” In 2001.
A newly released Senate Foreign Relations Committee Report confirms what many have been saying for years: Bin Laden could’ve been captured or killed in 2001 at Tora Bora.
The report concludes with certainty that the US knew that Bin Laden was hiding in Tora Bora and that the military had the opportunity to rapidly deploy many thousands of ground troops to get to him. Instead, Donald Rumsfeld, famously dickish Defense Secretary at the time, concluded that a heightened troop presence might fuel a backlash, and thought that the intel regarding Bin Laden’s location was inconclusive.
So, Donald Rumsfeld had America’s number one enemy at hand, but was worried about a backlash. Instead, “on or about Dec. 16, 2001, Bin Laden and his bodyguards walked unmolested out of Tora Bora and into Pakistan’s unregulated tribal areas”, where many think he is today.
In essence, Rumsfeld allowed Osama to escape, which led to more terrorism and bloodshed worldwide, a war in Afghanistan that still rages today, and more than a trillion dollars spent trying to pacify a country that will never be pacified from the outside. Had we got Bin Laden in 2001, the US would unquestionably be in better shape in every aspect. THANKS RUMSFELD.
Congress Required To Purchase Insurance Through Exchange If Senate Bill Passes.
In a seemingly little-noticed section of the Senate version of the health care bill, a provision was added that would require Congress and their staffers to purchase their health insurance through the newly created exchange. Many people have argued that citizens should have access to the same insurance that members of Congress enjoy, and this provision appears to accomplish that. Check out the relevant portion. MORE »
Sarah Palin Has More Experience Than Barack Obama, Says Mike Huckabee.
Mike Huckabee has made the astounding claim that half-term governor of Alaska Sarah Palin has more executive and managerial experience than President Barack Obama. In an interview with Palin’s nemesis, Katie Couric, Huckabee said, “Absolutely, I’d vote for Sarah Palin over Barack Obama. First of all, she has more management experience and more executive experience than Obama.” Yes, the woman who quit the governorship of Alaska has more management experience and is better qualified than the former President of the Harvard Law Review, Constitutional Law professor, State Senator, U.S. Senator, and engineer of the most improbable presidential campaign in history. Newsflash: SARAH PALIN IS A CARTOON CHARACTER.
Sen. John Kerry’s Daughter Will Not Be Charged With DUI. Must Be Nice!
Alexandra Kerry, daughter of Senator John Kerry (D-MA), will not be charged with a DUI following her arrest Nov. 19th.
Kerry was pulled over for expired tags and suspicion of driving under the influence in Los Angeles. “We reviewed the arrest report and have declined to file criminal charges due to insufficient evidence,” says Los Angeles City Attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan.
Must be nice!