Congress may actually pass an economic stimulus bill this week, which is good news for the short-term needs of the country. There is no question the economy is tottering, and could easily tip over from recession to depression, so a bill that focuses on saving jobs and creating jobs is desperately needed. The good news is that the bill will definitely help achieve some of those aims. The bad news is that it will lay a crushing debt burden on taxpayers for the future, which can only be addressed if government becomes far more efficient in the use of tax dollars than it has in the past. That could very well force, down the road, what many of us have wanted for years, a smaller, more efficient government. But somehow, that doesn't seem likely. Because Congress hasn't figured out that the model for government is, and should be, changing. And the best example is the stimulus package. Despite billions of dollars in cuts, it still contains way too much pork. And some of the cuts (to make way for that pork) seem to make no sense, such as dropping $40 billion to help keep schools from having to fire teachers. That's counter-productive. The bill is supposed to save or create jobs, not leave them threatened. Both sides of the aisle bear the blame. The Democratic leadership rolled over on way too many pet projects among its members, losing sight of the long-term goal of the bill. And Republicans kept insisting on sticking to the same failed policies of the past, and playing the same old games where personal and party political power carried more weight than the needs of the nation. One GOP leader actually admitted his goal for the bill, and the amendments he introduced, were designed to divide the Democrats and make them look bad. So much for caring about the people of this country. Both parties should be ashamed. It is time for Congress to look up from its myopic and petty party power games, and its proclivity for pork, and look at the desperate state of the nation, focusing solely on programs that stand a good chance of meeting the goal of keeping people working. Making things work should be a bipartisan issue. This bill should be about America, not the Republican or Democratic parties. -- Kelly Everitt

NATO will have to intervene

Posted Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at 9:08 AM

If you've ever wondered how good our military is, all you have to do is look at the operations in Libya.

When U.S. forces were involved, we were able to make precision strikes on Kadaffi's forces, even when they were in the suburbs of cities, without hitting civilians. We could do it day and night, regardless of weather.

As the rebel forces are learning, the rest of NATO, which now conducts the UN-authorized operations, doesn't have that capability. The technology and training just isn't there. Nobody else has A-10s and AC-130 "Spectre" gunships, or the targeting capabilities and precision ordnance of our F-16 and F-15 aircraft. Civilian and rebel "friendly fire" casualties have occurred since the U.S. ended its share of the operations, and some weather conditions that wouldn't have stopped U.S. forces have halted NATO.

We're glad we're no longer directly involved there, but without us, the force multiplier for the rebel forces isn't as great.

In the long run, the rebels are going to need more than they've been getting, which is why our withdrawal from direct involvement is a good thing. To win the civil war they're going to, eventually, need some limited ground forces from NATO or (preferably) the Arab states.

This civil war can't be allowed to drag on forever, and Kadaffi can't be allowed to remain in power. The longer he's allowed to stay, the higher the risks of him returning to his old ways and sponsoring terrorist attacks against the western powers that have worked against him.

NATO and the Arab states need to move beyond the UN mandate and push him out of power soon.

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Unfortunately, it takes more than a can of Raid to get rid of the vermin who don't belong here.

We could cut all politicians salaries and tell them that not only do they need to raise money for their campaigns, but find sponsors for their livelihood too.

-- Posted by KH Gal on Wed, Apr 20, 2011, at 2:01 PM
Oh Wait, I forgot, they already have sponsors, they are called lobbyists. So in essence they are double dipping.

-- Posted by KH Gal on Wed, Apr 20, 2011, at 2:01 PM
I fully concur with this blog posting. Absolutely, NATO and Arab League must now be completely on board in a unified goal in respects to the blown out of control Libyan crisis - regardless of the politics, of what should have been done differently from the first move.

The African Union must be part of this unified effort now too, as a pragmatic force combined with a necessary robust, collective effort to end the crisis.

In regards to the best optimal airpower asset which could be currently employed in support of enforcing a 'no-tank, no-artillery' zone mission... well it would actually not be F-15 or F-16, or Rafale. In all irony, it would be from the 4-5 hr unrefueled endurance of Super Tucano flown off modified LHD (if the USMC had this capability already in place to supplement the mission)! Yes, such Super Tucano, perhaps patrolling at 22k-24k feet in packs of 6-8 aircraft, 24-7, would most cost-effectively counter the very hostile ground assault units which prolong this crisis.

Respects to Libya in this terrible crisis and for reconciliation soon. May all sides be humbled. God have mercy on us all.

-- Posted by TacairHQ on Wed, Apr 20, 2011, at 10:00 PM
Sounds like a goat rope.

-- Posted by skeeter on Fri, Apr 22, 2011, at 11:08 AM

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