Politics Blog

Today is the “deadline” for “troops to the border” and I am extremely sad to write that sending the National Guard to the “Southern Border” is turning out to be an embarrassing failure. As a member of the Reserve Components, I am ashamed at what I am seeing.

President Bush was first failed by the advisors that originally proposed the plan. Now he is being failed on the execution of the plan.

Unfortunately, the National Guard has a long and troubled history on “strength accounting” which must be considered whenever politically sensitive numbers such as these, are reported. For historical background, you may read the original USA Today reporting HERE. Because of the National Guards history, Congress should demand that the General Accounting Office perform an audit of all “strength reporting” pertaining to “Operation Jump Start.”

The bottom line is that we are being treated to a “carnival shell game” and in order to find the proverbial “ball under the shell” we first need to go back to the Presidents Address to the Nation on May 15, 2006 to determine the deployment standard:

“By the end of 2008, we’ll increase the number of Border Patrol officers byan additional 6,000.”

“One way to help during this transition is to use the National Guard. So, in coordination with governors, up to 6,000 Guard members will be deployed to our southern border. The Border Patrol will remain in the lead. The Guard will assist the Border Patrol by operating surveillance systems, analyzing intelligence, installing fences and vehicle barriers, building patrol roads, and providing training.”

Yesterday, Col. Mark Allen, a spokesman for the National Guard Bureau said that “2,000 to 3,000 were on the border, most searching for illegal activity” and the the balance of “6,199 troops were somewhere in the four southwestern border states, with many still in training.”

As a fellow Reserve Commissioned Officer I would ask COL Allen, what is this spread of 2,000 to 3,000? You either know where your soldiers are or you don’t. Where are these missing 1,000 soldiers. Where is this place called “somewhere?” How much time will soldiers have to do their job if “they are still in training” when the deployment is in two to three week cycles?

Second, most Americans, including myself, took the President at his word and “assumed” that 6,000 troops to the southern border meant that 6,000 troops would be reasonably close to the border. We did not expect that they could be hundreds of miles from the border. However, it looks like the President’s Plan was not the National Guards plan:

“The Guard never intended to have 6,000 troops “with their toes on the border,”

Third, we must remember that these troops are sacraficing their two week Annual Training period, when they would normally practice their combat skills as a unit. So, just what are these troops doing instead of training for the War on Terror:

“California has assigned more than 1,200 troops, Guard spokesman Maj. Dan Markert said Monday. About half will be at the border looking for illegal activity; the other half will be in support roles ranging from plumbers to office workers.”

What kind of “bang for our buck” are we getting for these 6,000 soldiers that will be rotating in and out of the border states every two to three weeks?

“The number that we’d identified originally when we started planning this operation that would – the numbers of badges back to the border, if you will, was 581.”

Yep, all these hoops for 581 “badges back to the border.” We are paying the wages and travel costs (every two weeks) of 10 soldiers to put a single “badge back on the border.” More importantly, these soldiers are performing duties that will be of no use to them in preparing to serve on deployment in the Global War on Terror.

I have many friends in the Army National Guard, both in the Border States and at National Guard Bureau. In recent weeks, I have seen the raw numbers that were used to make yesterdays press statements. I was very disturbed when I read that a National Guard Spokesman said,
“Some are assigned to military bases to receive incoming troops.” Those in the National Guard and/or Reserve Components should clearly understand why counting “those soldiers” is extremely troubling.

The National Guard is not doing itself any good nor are they helping President Bush with this “creative accounting.”

If this charade does not stop soon, the eventual Congressional Hearings will be devistating to the Administration, the National Guard and Republican Members of Congress. Yesterday’s “creative accounting” will be considered minor.

– Oak Leaf

Now I understand why Dearborn, Michigan provided the final votes for Stabenow to win the 2000 Senate Race from Abraham:

“Finally, the antisemitic placards at the rally were a horrendous display of Israel as Nazi obsession. Signs compared President Bush to Adolf Hitler and equated Stars of David with Nazi swastikas; one sign read, “Israel Nazi Are the Same Thing.” This ugly comparison demeans the victims, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, of Nazi genocide, demonizes Israelis, and dehumanizes those who support Israel. Had the July 18 rally been held in Europe instead of Dearborn, it would likely have been officially classified as an antisemitic event.”

— Oak Leaf

This is what happens in a society when parental rights are diluted:

“Authorities said a 17-year-old girl facing a murder charge in the death of her newborn told lies and used privacy laws to hide her pregnancy from her parents, even as they tried to get medical attention for her.”

What does the defense attorney have to say?

“I can’t imagine how frightening that was for a 17-year-old girl to go through in the shower,” Gallagher said.

I do not care how frightened this young woman was.

What about the frightened baby that was murdered? That child will never have a 17th birthday.

— Oak Leaf

Dick Morris has been pretty negative about Republican prospects but now I understand his tactic here. He is trying to give them/us a kick in the ___.

Why? Just read, “True friends of Israel cannot let the Dems take power.”

— Oak Leaf

E.J. Dionne writes, “Elections Interfering w/ Immigration Reform.”

I can see how a liberal democrat is disturbed that voters are influencing their best laid plans.

Kind of like the Editorial Board of the Orlando Sentinal saying that “House immigration hearings hurt chances for compromise with the Senate.” Of course they do, because voters will be informed!!!!

— Oak Leaf

{Crossposted from “RepublicanPundit”}

“Hezballah knows exactly how to use the liberal news media. I am linking to an article which clearly explains their tactics to get attention from the media. They will stop at nothing, including killing their own allies women and children. link to article

It appears that the Western World is again succumbing to the killing of “so called” innocents and clammering for another cease fire, which will only lead to rearming of the terrorists and another trip back to the same place in a few months.

The only solution is for all Americans to turn off the TV’s and get information from blog pages only.”

Republicanpundit

— Oak Leaf

From The New York Daily News:

“Most Americans know that Al Qaeda and its franchises are willing to sink to any depth to destroy the United States. But few people realize just how deep those depths are.

The public’s knowledge of the terror group’s goals and motives is largely confined to the English translations of Osama Bin Laden’s and Ayman al-Zawahiri’s propaganda. Consequently, Al Qaeda and like-minded groups, or “jihadis,” are viewed either as unthinking zealots or misguided freedom fighters.

“The Management of Savagery” - a book written in 2004 by Abu Bakr Naji, a high-level Al Qaeda strategist - suggests that both perspectives are off the mark.”

A pdf download of the text in english is HERE.

— Oak Leaf

Can someone remind myself, what member of the Bush Administration argued against removing the American Bar Association from evaluating Judges? I think the person was nominated to be a Judge or something.

“In a letter in today’s Wall Street Journal, American Bar Association President Michael Greco objects to our calling his outfit a liberal interest group that should lose its special role in vetting federal judicial nominees. Well, then what are we to make of the ABA’s report last week accusing President Bush of abusing his power by explaining how he interprets the bills he signs into law?”

— Oak Leaf

Reader “daniel” offers some comments on recent remarks by Senator Chuck Hagel.

“On the American front Senator Chuck Hagel (RINO-Neb.) has joined the other two RINO’s Warner and Chafee in trashing Israel. He commented on the Senate floor that”the sickening slaughter on both sides must end and it must end now”. Hagel went on to criticize Bush for declining to call for a cease fire and endangering “America’s image” in the Arab world. He said, “Our relationship with Israel is special and historic, but it need not and cannot be at the expense of our Arab and Muslim relationships. That is an irresponsible and dangerous false choice.” All conservatives must question the fact that we have such a RINO squatting on such a red state? Even most Democrats aren’t expressing such moral equivalence, at least not in public. This radically open borders, anti-war RINO is up for election in two years and must be shown the door by conservatives.”

daniel

— Oak Leaf

An assortment of great immigration items on the web yesterday.

The Courier News has an interesting idea that maybe we should simply adopt Mexicos comprehensive immigration plan:

“Mexico has a single, streamlined law that ensures that foreign visitors and immigrants are in the country legally; have the means to sustain themselves economically; are not destined to be burdens on society; of economic and social benefit to society; of good character, with no criminal record; and are contributors to the general well-being of the nation.

The law also ensures that immigration authorities have a record of each foreign visitor. Foreign visitors do not violate their visa status. Foreign visitors are banned from interfering in the country’s internal politics. Foreign visitors who enter under false pretenses are imprisoned or deported. Foreign visitors violating the terms of their entry are imprisoned or deported. Those who aid in illegal immigration will be sent to prison. “

It is pretty clear what Florida voters want in regards to immigration and border security. Boy, did Mel fall off the truck:

“A recent poll of Florida voters conducted by Strategic Vision LLC, an Atlanta-based political consulting firm, showed that 73 percent of respondents favored the construction of a fence along the border with Mexico, while 17 percent opposed it. And 69 percent of respondents said they didn’t want illegal immigrants to be granted amnesty.”

I just read that “China is refusing to take back 40,000 deportable immigrants.” What would happen if lets say Mexico refused to take theirs back?

Looks like they do not teach illegals about recycling:

“Cleanup crews from various agencies, volunteer groups and the Tohono O’odham Nation hauled about 250,000 pounds of trash from thousands of acres of federal, state and private land across Southern Arizona in 2002 to 2005, says the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.”

California Conservative has a must read article, “Immigrant Spotlight: 22 Years In U.S., 10 Kids On Welfare And No Habla Inglés.”

Looks like a “bomb” at Wizbang.

— Oak Leaf