First Egypt, now Libya....

Photo courtesy of Reuters

Is the Middle East waking up from a totalitarian slumber? How much do you want to bet that Syria and Saudi Arabia are nervous? Let's not forget Iran....too many Middle Eastern countries to count...

Maybe even, dare I say,Washington? Take a look at Wisconsin and tell me if I am wrong.

The US supported Mubaruk for years and subsidized him for billions of dollars annually for nearly thirty years. Now the US is a champion for democracy? I am not trying to be cynical but it seems a little odd. At least someone in the State Department seems to be awake and reacting in time. It might be a little better to be genuinely supportive of democratic movements in the future though...just a little advice. Hopefully it works out.

Libya presents an interesting opportunity. We have had several clashes with him in the past and although recently Khaddafi has attempted to improve relations, the question we need to ask is this: will anyone miss him?

Let's not forget the Lockerbie bombing and a number of other terrorist attacks to busy to mention.

Remember what I said. Genuine support of democracy and push this guy over the edge.

Do this and suddenly you have two new allies in the Middle East.

Are they bright enough to recognize this in DC?

Cross your fingers but don't hold your breath....this administration has Americans getting stripped searched in airports and is trying to force everyone to buy health insurance.

Dismantaling the Police State

The House of Representatives voted 277-148 to not extend three provisions of the USA Patriot Act. Looking at the numbers, you will see quite a few Republicans joining near unanimous Democrat lack of support for the measure. Nice to see some bipartisanship for a change. This vote also comes on a day when Janet Napolitano tried to convince the audience at a security conference in Europe that the terror threat is also "greater than the time of 9/11."
She also alluded to internal threats telling the audience that al-Quaeda sympathizers are now in the US. That sounds like an admission that Homeland Security is not doing its job. Time to get rid of that along with the "Patriot" Act.
The three provisions in question are are are authority for court approved roving wiretaps (multiple wiretaps), the "library provision" where the FBI can looking into what people have checked out of the library, and finally the "lone wolf" provision added on in 2004 where the FBI can engage in secret intelligence on those not affiliated with terrorist groups.
Yes, you read that correctly. NOT affiliated with terrorist groups. If the person in question is such a threat, it should not be hard to get a warrant. Sorry, but the FBI has been caught in some compromising positions with this and may be wandered into some legally unstable territory with this bill.
The best way to fight terrorism is to reform immigration, not turn your country into a police-state. It looks like some people are starting to see this logic. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership cannot be included in this category.

But the rank and file can!

Same can be applied to the Democrats.

Get ready for the upheaval!

No go probe the TSA....

The story is here for your consideration, courtesy of AP:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110209/ap_on_re_us/us_patriot_act

Egyptian unrest!

Photo by AP....

There is so much happening in the world that it is hard to know where to begin!

Egypt has all but exploded into revolution but I do not think it will go that far. Maburak, "President" since 1981, is not going to step down but I don't see him running again when his 5,000th term is up in October. Plus he is getting up there in years.....he is 82 this year so October is the perfect way out for him. He has all ready lined up a successor, a young 74 year old whippersnapper named Omar Moussa.

Moussa is the chief spy for Egypt and hardly what anyone will call a liberal. Will he change Egypt's authoritarian "democracy". He might. Because if he does not, several thousand angry citizens out on the streets of Cairo will.

By the way America...are you watching? I hope you are taking notes. We might have to do this to get control of our increasing totlalitarian government.....

A lot of people fear this is a rerun of Iran in 1979. I can see the parrallels but I do not think the Egyptian Army is going to allow the Moslem Brotherhood to take over the country. Plus the fanatical Brotherhood is not as poplular as people think. Why would you replace one dicatorship with another?

The Suez Canal is in no danger. Any danger to it exists in the mind of the typically unscruploous oil speculators who try to ramp up the price of oil on any rumor. There was a $3. 82 spike in oil yesterday but half of that was lost today in the market.

The danger is having this unrest spread to other Arab countries (not one is a democracy) who do not have a government strong enough to ride out a storm. Ordinarily, that would be a good thing but unfortunatley in the Middle East, dictators follow dictators.

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State commented on the unrest with the usual Solemn Statement, "Egypt must make the transition to democracy." Sounds a little hollow coming from a government that forces its citizens to be strip searched in airports, attempts to force people who can't afford health insurance to buy it under penalty of law and had no problem shoveling money to Mubarak over the last thirty years.

What's next? Budgetary adivce and how to tame a deficit?

Another TSA loss....

Seattle man acquitted in TSA airport case
By VANESSA HOSEATTLEPI.COM STAFF
An Albuquerque jury acquitted a Seattle man Friday who had refused to show his ID to Transportation Security Administration officers at a New Mexico airport in 2009.
Phil Mocek had been on trial for four misdemeanor charges, including failing to obey an officer and concealing his identity at Albuquerque International in November of 2009.
According to the Seattle Weekly, Mocek, a 37-year-old software developer, had no form of valid ID when he reached the front of an airport security line. He was told to step out of line for further questioning.
According to the Weekly, Mocek had refused to give his name or leave the airport when ordered, after police said he caused a disturbance in which he allegedly yelled, "I know my rights!" He also used his cell phone to record the incident.
In the wake of simmering outrage against TSA's gropes and naked imaging machines at airports, Mocek's case has become a rallying cry for civil libertarians.
KOB-TV in Albuquerque reported that jurors found Mocek not guilty on all four counts.
Read Mocek's comments post-trial here.

The Big Push!

On the anniversay of Desert Storm too, no less!

Here comes the busiest semseter of all....about to have a Citadel senior year flashback! LOL

Three classes plus a thesis. Like someone commenting on the Ravens-Steelers game yesterday, "at least it isn't boring."

After a week of sickness, snow storms, and busted water mains, we will launch the big push, "othismos" in ancient Greek parlance. It is going to be a tough battle but since I have nothing else to do, why not? LOL

I have to take American Colonial History for a North American elective and Spanish for Reading for the foreign language requirement (odd but Ancient Greek is not offered this semester and neither is Latin) but I get back into my classical element with Roman History and of course my thesis on Ancinet Greek combat.

Time to hit the sack.

Gotta lot of work to do, starting tomorrow!

At least I won't be bored!

100th post and a snowstorm!

We have reached post #100 and there is a major snowstorm smacking the Eastern Seaboard! Typical Haas weather!

Happy New Year!