Pakistan

Reality Of America’s Future: The Growing Role Of Asian Americans

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In the midst of “Linmania”, the rise of Jeremy Lin to stardom in the National Basketball Association, we are seeing people promoting humor about Asian Americans, specifically in the case of Jeremy Lin being Chinese, but we are also seeing the ugly tone of racism rearing its ugly head.

The fact that Asian Americans of all nationalities are high achievers academically is causing resentment among other racial and ethnic groups, which in itself is a sign of racism by people who have themselves experienced racism.

And of course, whites who are uncomfortable with the growing diversity of America’s population are alarmed at what this means, although hopefully, the number with such feelings is miniscule. But face the facts, that there are those who are nativists and racists and join paramilitary organizations determined to keep America’s white Christian population in control of the future.

But it must be recognized by all Americans that the growing role of Asian Americans of all backgrounds is the reality of the future in this nation.

While smaller in numbers than Hispanics and Latinos on one hand, and African Americans on the other hand, the Asian American population is rapidly growing, and will be an influential part of America long term.

The average American is certainly not aware that Asia is the largest continent with THIRTY percent of all land on earth; that Asia contains SIXTY percent of the world’s people; and that six countries have EIGHTY percent of all the population of the continent (China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan); and that if Pakistan and Bangladesh had not separated in a civil war 41 years ago, the combined Pakistan would be larger than Indonesia.

The future of the world is in Asia, and the defense and economic growth of America is based on what happens in Asia, as well as the growing Asian population in America. No wonder Barack Obama has said that our focus must be on Asia in the future, not the Middle East as the priority, as it has been, even though much of the Middle East is actually in Asia. But he is referring to East and South Asia, where the major population countries exist, not West Asia, also known as the Middle East.

And remember that our wars in the past century have focused on Asia, with Japan the enemy in World War II; North Korea and China in the Korean War; North Vietnam and China in the Vietnam War; and the Soviet Union, a Eurasian power our enemy during the Cold War years. And wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are also Asian wars, although not technically in East or South Asia.

So we must as a nation learn more about and understand Asia, and specific nations and cultures in Asia, and understand the role and significance of Asian Americans in our country’s future.

There is no room for the kind of discrimination visited against the Chinese and Japanese in the past, as well as generalized nativism against Asians of all backgrounds that expresses itself even today, and even with the success of Jeremy Lin. It is time for enlightened understanding for our country’s economic future and security and safety!

Defense Cuts Coming: Unavoidable, And Reasonable Long Term

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The Pentagon, Secretary of State Leon Panetta, and President Barack Obama have announced plans for the future of our military, which are unavoidable and reasonable long term.

The philosophy behind the defense plans is that present costs for military spending, and trying to have the capability for involvement in two major wars at the same time, is unsustainable in the present economic climate.

Instead, involvement in one major war, with ability to send troops to a second theater of war, with eventual commitment of some troops from the first theater of war over time, is the best that America can do.

Also, the goal is to face the reality that future military personnel cannot have the same expenditures on families, health care costs, salaries, and pensions, as those costs now are beginning to become a financial burden on the American treasury.

Also, the major focus will be on the area of Asia and the Pacific, rather than the Middle East, where so much effort has been concentrated . The thought is that China, North Korea, and Pakistan are the major challenges for the long term future, and should be given the focus of our attention, without forgetting about Iran.

The one way not mentioned to change this reality is to start heavier taxation, particularly of the wealthy, as cutting of entitlements, such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is not acceptable in any major fashion. We will have tp pay as we go if we want everything to be what everyone wants, but right now, that is not possible, so we need to concentrate on where it is felt the major challenges are in the future.

We must also face a more restrained use of military force in general, and more modest foreign policy goals, and deal with the internal problems this nation faces.

Conventional forces will be de-emphasized in favor of counter terrorist actions and “irregular” warfare, and greater investment in long range stealth bombers and anti missile systems.

Fighting regional wars, as in Iraq and Afghanistan, will be no longer a goal of the military, causing long periods of commitment and wearing down the budget costs.

The goal is to cut defense spending by $480 billion over the next decade, but if Congress fights over it, automatic cuts could rise to $1 trillion!

Special Forces troops, elite counter terrorist troops, and armed drones are the future of the military, with a decline in conventional ground forces.

The Army and Marine Corps would decline in numbers, and fewer troops would be stationed in Europe, in order to allow greater deployment into the Asia-Pacific theater.

This plan for the future will lead to a fight in Congress, but what else is new?

Barack Obama And Promotion Of Gay Rights Abroad: An Extension Of Jimmy Carter’s Human Rights Initiative!

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A few weeks ago, President Barack Obama took a major step forward in the promotion of human rights abroad, an expansion of the vision of former President Jimmy Carter in and out of office since the late 1970s.

Both Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced early in December that the American government would use all of the tools of American diplomacy, including foreign aid, to promote gay rights around the world.

This includes fighting efforts in other nations to criminalize homosexual conduct, and to abuse or overlook abuse against gay men, lesbians bisexuals, and transgender people.

Hillary Clinton connected gay rights to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by 48 nations after World War II. The goal is to stop nations from making it a crime to be gay.

Several nations have made strides in this regard recently, including South Africa, Colombia, Argentina, Nepal, and Mongolia. Much of Europe and China have taken being gay off the list of legal prohibitions.

But at the same time, many Muslim nations in particular still ban homosexuality and punish and discriminate against gays, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uganda, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia as leading examples.

And of course, Republicans in general attacked the idea of including gay rights as part of a foreign policy vision, and many of the potential nominees for the Presidency make it clear they would like to reverse the progress made in America in recent years.

So the battle for human rights for gays is far from over!

A Show NOT To Be Missed: The Trump Moderated Republican Presidential Debate In Des Moines, Iowa On December 27

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For those who LOVE dramatics and want a good evening of laughter, tune in on the Ion Television network, available on most extended cable systems, on Tuesday, December 27, when Donald Trump will host and moderate a Republican Presidential debate in Des Moines, Iowa, one week before the Iowa Caucuses!

Cosponsored by NewsMax, a conservative news website and magazine, Trump plans to ask challenging questions, particularly on foreign policy, where he feels the United States needs to make clear that this nation will not be pushed around by China, Iran, Pakistan and other nations that he considers the enemy. He sounds ready to bomb and invade everywhere, and is joined in that by Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry in their boastfulness about how “masculine” they are! And it will be fun to see Ron Paul clash with Trump, since he is on the extreme opposite side on the issue of foreign intervention!

Trump also intends to endorse one of the candidates after the debate, but if that candidate fails to win the nomination, he is considering running as an Independent in the fall campaign! All the better as that will guarantee Barack Obama a second term in the White House!

As a sign of sanity and intelligence, the BEST qualified candidate in foreign policy and the truly ONLY reputable challenger to Barack Obama, former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, has already declined to participate in the debate, and has never been asked to meet Donald Trump in his offices in Manhattan. This makes Huntsman even more legitimate a candidate than ever, that he refuses to participate in what many consider to be a “political circus”!

The debate will certainly be enjoyable for political junkies, and particularly, it will be interesting to see how Mitt Romney handles himself with Trump.

It seems clear that the two major egotists, the two major “windbags”, the two major pompous braggarts, the two major self promoters–Trump and Newt Gingrich–should have a very interesting interaction, which is likely to cause raised eyebrows and tons of laughter at the concept of just how obnoxious can two “loose cannons” become? The question is whether the two men can sit in the same room and not feel threatened by the other!

So the major political event of all since the debate season began is going to entertain us during the holiday season! Enjoy and have a good time laughing and rolling one’s eyes!

Rapidly Worsening Relations With Iran And Pakistan: A Concern For America And The West

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It is ironic that America has fought two wars in the past decade in Iraq and Afghanistan, both far from decisive, and now the reality is that the nations most to be concerned and worried about are their neighbors, Iran and Pakistan.

Iran has been clearly developing a secret nuclear weapons program, has been supporting Hezbollah and Hamas against Israel, and has become more and more belligerent as sanctions have been utilized against them. They are, in many ways, a much greater threat than either Iraq or Afghanistan ever were. And now, Iranian students have stormed the British embassy, done property destruction, and installed an Iranian flag in place of the British flag, and as the situation unfolds, it reminds one of the American embassy seizure in 1979 under the administration of President Jimmy Carter.

Pakistan, which harbored Osama Bin Laden for years, and has had connections to Al Qaeda and the Taliban for a long time, and whose secret service has worked against American interests in Afghanistan, has reacted aggressively against a NATO strike in Pakistan, part of an anti terrorist counteroffensive, by cutting off cooperation in allowing US and foreign forces to use their air space and roads in military operations in Afghanistan.

It is clear that relations with Pakistan are rapidly deteriorating, a dangerous situation since Pakistan has over 100 nuclear weapons, and in the wrong hands, could be utilized against India, or NATO forces in the area.

What A Newt Gingrich Presidency Would Bring: A Wish For The “Good Old Days”

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With Newt Gingrich, the former House Speaker, suddenly rising to first place in the polls, he has become the new “Flavor of the Month” in the Republican Presidential race.

The question is will Newt Gingrich be able to sustain his first place position, overcome the odds, and become the 45th President of the United States, and what kind of President would he make?

What are his positives?

1. He is very intelligent, very articulate, speaks with assertiveness and a certain level of charisma surrounds him.
2. He has great debating ability, and would never be boring in a presidential race against a primary opponent or the President.
3. He would be more exciting to follow as a candidate for the White House than Mitt Romney, his likely major opponent for the nomination.

What are his negatives?

1. He is highly undisciplined and comes across as an egotistical, self promoter who loves the sound of his own voice.
2. He has a history of being a “flame thrower”, with reckless accusations, and utilizing character assassination and innuendo and distortions against his opponents.
3. He is seen as highly unethical in his dealings, as a “typical” politician of the worst kind, and of course, has the worst “family values” of any of the GOP candidates, all the others being only married once, not three times as he is.

If Gingrich were to end up as the Republican Presidential nominee against Barack Obama, it would cause the following scenario:

1. It would bring about a series of grand debates on the level of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, a discussion of grand ideas and concepts, fascinating to watch.
2. It would lead to the nastiest campaign in American history, as far as advertising and false accusations by both sides, since Gingrich has no limits to what he would claim about Obama, so the President would have to return the favor, with plenty of ammunition available against Gingrich.
3. It would lead to a great divide that already exists among the American people becoming wider, not more narrow, a regrettable situation.

What if Gingrich won, although it seems unlikely that would occur?

1. It would lead to an ideas oriented Presidency with a very strong, assertive executive branch, no lessening of the power of the office, and in fact, much more power would be likely.
2. It would cause a further splintering of the American political system, as Gingrich would not work to unite, and the political rhetoric would be at an all time high on both sides of the political divide.
3. It would lead to more high level corruption and scandals than at any time since the Presidency of Richard Nixon, and even, depending on the circumstances, a move to impeach President Gingrich if the Democrats controlled the Congress.
4. It would lead to likely warfare with Iran, Pakistan, North Korea and Venezuela, and growing tension between our nation and China and Russia, as Gingrich has no sense of tact in diplomacy, and would stir up tensions and confrontations, as he would cause animosities and fear that would be likely to lead to a much more dangerous world.
5. The economy would not improve, and the likelihood of abuse of civil liberties in the name of security would be likely, as Gingrich would advocate action against what he would call ‘radical, leftist elements”.

If the above is not convincing enough to make people realize the dangers of a Gingrich nomination and election to the Presidency, then we may look back on the present difficulties in five years, and wish for the “good old days”!

American Foreign Policy Challenge: The Top Ten Nations

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We live in an uncertain and dangerous world, two decades after the end of the Cold War, and the downfall of the Soviet Union.

Not only is there the threat of international terrorism, whether state sponsored, or outside the state system, but the challenges that various nations present to us are also imposing.

By areas of the world, without ranking, these would be considered the top ten nations that present a challenge to us for the long term.

Europe
The Russian Federation, with its authoritarian leader, Vladamir Putin.

Middle East

Egypt, with its revolution faltering, and the largest nation in population in the Arab world.
Iran, with its sponsorship of international terrorism in the Palestinian territories, and its development of nuclear power.
Israel, with its problems dealing with the Palestinians and terrorism, and alarmed by Iranian influence growing in the Middle East.

Asia

China, with its growing impact on the world economy, and one out of every four people in the world within its borders.
North Korea, with its maniacal leader Kim Jong Il, and his move to develop nuclear weapons that endanger the security of South Korea and Japan.
Pakistan, with its radical Islamic groups, and a deteriorating relationship with the United States, and dangerous because of its possession of nuclear weapons.
India, with the second largest population in the world, and concerned about the threat of its nuclear rival, Pakistan.

Latin America

Mexico, with its growing drug gangs, presenting an imminent threat to the United States border states, and its government unable to cope with promoting law and order within its national boundaries.
Venezuela, with its maniacal leader, Hugo Chavez, and his anti American foreign policy, and friendship with Fidel Castro

In these difficult times, we need a person who understands the world, and again, ONLY Jon Huntsman can truly challenge President Barack Obama and his strong diplomacy under the leadership and advice of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton!

New Foreign Policy Initiative: US Marines In Australia, A Challenge To China

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President Barack Obama, on his visit to Australia and Indonesia, has made a new initiative in foreign policy by arranging with Australia for the establishment of a US military presence, approximately 2,500 marines, starting in 2012, and being fully accomplished by 2016.

This is a veiled warning to China on security interests of both Australia and the United States, and an indication that the US is facing the reality that the major center of world affairs in the 21st century will not be the Middle East, as important as that is, but rather East Asia, with the growing influence of China, along with the significance of Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia, plus the South Asian nations of India and Pakistan.

The population of the nations mentioned above are a majority of the world’s people.

This is, therefore, a path breaking event, another indication of how Barack Obama is changing the course of American foreign policy and national security for the long run, beyond his time in the Presidency!

The Republican Presidential Race And Foreign Policy: What A Change For The Worst!

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The Republican Party since World War II has built its reputation more on foreign policy than domestic policy, being seen as the stronger party in shaping our relationship with the outside world.

Republicans can rightly brag about Senator Arthur Vandenberg, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, President Richard Nixon, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Senator Bob Dole, President George H. W. Bush, Secretary of State George Shultz, Secretary of State James Baker, Senator Richard Lugar, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as brilliant examples of people who shaped and understood foreign policy.

Today, we have a motley group of Republicans running for the Presidency, with Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum showing no evidence of even a clue as to how to deal with the outside world! Instead, their primary idea is to attack Iran and discipline Pakistan, the two most dangerous nations at this point for the United States.

Instead, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush understood the need for diplomacy and to attempt alternatives to the use of force, except when unavoidable.

Only Mitt Romney, somewhat, and Jon Huntsman in a major way, have the skills and common sense to deal with foreign policy, and this indicates the sad, pitiful situation we are in, when six “dangerous” people are considered possible Presidents, without any understanding of diplomacy!

God forbid that the United States gets one of these six “losers” in the Oval Office!

Greece And Italy: The Roots Of Western Civilization, And The End As We Know It?

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Europe, the United States, and the entire civilized world is facing a catastrophe that threatens economic and political stability in the 21st century.

Greece, the original western civilization, with its center at Athens; and Italy, the center of the great Roman Empire which dominated much of the then known “world” outside the Far East, are both in what many consider “death throes” of their societies, as both are in a state of near bankruptcy, which threatens the whole foundation of the Western civilized world as we know it!

One wonders how these two nations can cope with the austerity being forced on them, and how this will affect the rest of Europe and the United States, which has its own financial challenges.

Will future generations look back on these times as the moment where the non Western world, led by China, India, Pakistan and Iran, became the centers of world power and influence, to the detriment of the values that brought about the great empires of Spain, France, Great Britain and the United States?

Will the United States, which is looked to as the leader of the “free world”, be able to gather the strength and fortitude to lead the future, or will we look back on these times as the beginning of the end of America as a great power? We have to wonder how the American people will react to the visions of Barack Obama and the opposition Republicans as we enter a crucial, turning point, election year!