THE US MEDIA & AMERICAN PRIORITIES

If one's first contact with the US media took place sometime between 8PM Eastern Time last night, and this morning's local daily newspapers, the most likely reaction would be "Huh?" President Obama decided to have a primetime speech given at West Point broadcast to the entire country. In this speech, the President intended to clearly explain his policy toward Afghanistan, and explain simultaneously sending an additional 30,000- 35,000 US troops into the war zone, while also stating his intent to begin withdrawing those troops in 18 months. It appeared that this may have been the first time that this President got both the left and the right to agree, albeit for different reasons - - - many on the right upset because he announced a timetable and was not in this to win; while many on the left upset that this President, who ran, at least partially, as a "peace" candidate was sending more US troops in harms way, when they feel he should be withdrawing from Afghanistan. The most revealing thing about the post- speech reaction was that almost no one enthusiastically supported this plan.
In what was perhaps even more revealing about the US media, however, was the way the NY newspapers handled the front page of this morning's editions. The NY Post had approximately 20% of the front page headlined about the President's speech, but chose to dedicate approximately 80% of the front page to the Tiger Wood's trysts and women. Newsday split their front page differently; dedicating about 2/3 to the Nassau County Supervisor's outcome (one month after the election), and 1/6 each to the Obama story and to Tiger Wood's getting a traffic fine (referring readers to the Sports section). The New York Times dedicated the "above the fold" half of the front page to the President's speech, and to an analysis of Afghanistan options.
Once again, America has become distracted. Once again, a President has come before us and announced his plan to "temporarily" expand our war effort. Once again, the media has predominantly only given this a cursory review, accepting the inevitable. The most revealing thing last night was President Obama conceding that some are comparing this to Vietnam, but then giving his "spin" as to why it is different - - - actually having the audacity to use George Bush's explanation of how the US is broadly supported in this war, supposedly unlike Vietnam; and that the American public understands the dangers in the post 911 world. It is revealing that the President all of a sudden started sounding like a cross between his predecessor and Rudy Giuliani (who is infamous for referring to 911 in every fourth word!). Most revealing is that while some of the media questioned strategic points in the President's plan, there were very few outraged on this Vietnam analogy. What is being missed is the most important similarities between Vietnam and Afghanistan - - - both are un-winable situations; both are very costly in terms of both money and human loss; and both are concerned with a complicated foreign situation at a time when our focus should be on strengthening America.
The fact that our economy shed an additional 169,000 jobs in November, and that our joblessness rate is still over 10% should be attracting most of our attention. The huge federal deficits and lack of economic focus should be what most concerns us! The fact that what the US needs is "domestic nation-building," NOT building other nations, is what the priority effort should be! Emphasize alternative energies so that our dependence on foreign resources is reduced, and more US funds remain in the US! Subsidize job creation instead of supporting companies that use the subsidies simply to make profits for themselves! Emphasize production and manufacturing in the US, especially in industries that our essential to our future. Bailout the American citizens that are victims of this economy!
Nassau County finally announced that all (or most) of the votes have been counted and re-counted and elected a new County Executive. The ousted executive Tom Suozzi appeared popular, and was heavily favored to win re-election. Yet the combination of anger and frustration, voters fed up with high taxes combined with frustration with politics caused a significantly lighter turnout amongst previous Suozzi supporters and energized his opposition. Americans are getting fed up, BUT are not doing anything about!
The US was founded on the right to protest any inequities in the system - - - in the late 1960's and early 1970's enough people loudly protested the war in Vietnam that eventually the US got out of that location, after a huge number of deaths and injuries! And it was NOT the "Peace with Honor" that Richard Nixon promised in his campaign! It's time for us all to unite for what's best for America and change the nation's priorities, and support America - - - in the famous words from the movie "Network" "I'm mad as hell and I'm NOT going to take it anymore."
Let's get America working again!

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US Focus- Foreign Policy, White House Imposters & Tiger Woods

It seems that in America we are still not learning lessons from our past! This evening, President Obama is supposed to formally announce, at West Point, that there is a new policy for Afghanistan. We can expect a well-worded defense of a policy where we send an additional 30,000 to 35,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, but that the President announces that this is part of an overall "exit policy," (he probably won't call it that!) restricted for a limited period/ not endless (but don't expect an actual timetable), and that the additional troops are needed to assure that "we accomplished our mission," and that US troops will be training the Afghanistan military to take over that country's security. And, yes, this is from a man who a little over a year ago won the Presidency, at least partly because he stated that his opponents in the primaries and the election supported our war in Iraq (and Afghanistan), and he did not! Of course, he was NOT a Senator when that vote was taken, so it was easy to use some revisionist history! Certainly, the President will give another excellent speech. However, it seems that Mr.Obama has never stopped campaigning, even after he was elected! In a case of reality copying fiction, Robert Redford, in the movie, "The Candidate," famously asked, "What do I do now?" after the fictional inexperienced but handsome Senator was elected. It must be so very disappointing and disillusioning to the candidate Obama's many impassioned supporters who believed that Mr. Obama would change the country for the better. Unfortunately, for many, the only change has been the little bit of change remaining in their pockets as a result of these record deficits, recession, and high joblessness rates!
Think back to the Johnson, "There is light at the end of the tunnel," Vietnam-era declarations, and the reasoning that kept so many Americans there for so many years, at such a high cost both in human terms as well as financially, only to get the same or even worse results than we probably could have had leaving years sooner. If we really try to defend sending MORE troops into Afghanistan, when our justification for having over 60,000 troops there now (before the increase)is questionable, then I maintain it is time for the American people to once again consider peaceful anti-war protests, so that no more American lives are lost in a questionable war! Shame on President Obama, who stated opposition to President Bush's troop increases (he called them surges as you might recall). You can be fairly sure that the President's speech this evening will NOT use the word surge. How would you feel if it was your loved one sent in harms way, and rumor has it being deployed during the Holiday season! How interesting and predictable is it that President Obama has selected West Point as the location for this "announcement."
The press has given more publicity to the White House imposters who "crashed" a White House dinner party. But how much confidence should it give Americans if this could be done this easily at the White House, many do NOT feel comfortable permitting our government to oversee very much! There is MORE security at airport security sites! There is plenty of blame to go around for this error, which fortunately ended without disaster. But for Congress to be giving this less attention than they previously gave to football helmets says quite a bit about the problems in our political system, and governance. Watch carefully as the Secret Service blames the White House staff, who will blame the caterers, who will blame the event planners, etc. They are ALL to fault!!!
Yet, the media has spent more time and effort about Tiger Wood's minor car crash, and personal life, than about other issues. Tiger's situation has been the lead stories on radio, television, magazines, newspapers, etc. Tiger Wood's damaged his Cadillac SUV, and perhaps his image. That truly should NOT impact anyone other than he and his family!
I hope that we Americans wake up to the situation in Afghanistan before we are mired in another foreign war that does nothing constructive, but injures, kills, and damages lives, while utilizing even more US dollars from an economy with already a 1.4 trillion dollar deficit! Revisionists on the right will say that it is undemocratic and unpatriotic to oppose our war efforts, as they blame others for our "failure" (yes, I said failure) in Vietnam! The US again needs to become a leader, but NOT by fighting wars, but by leading the world out of the recession and high unemployment! Isn't it about time that we consider ramifications and inevitable outcomes of our actions, and address the real priorities (economic issues)?

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