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And now, we say something nice about someone in the U.S. Congress
If you read the press reports (here, and here), it would appear that my hometown senator, Bob Corker, was on a roll in yesterday's hearings on Afghanistan. Good for him. There is no reason why a guy whose last job was mayor of the mighty metropolis of Chattanooga should develop into a first-class inquisitor on matters related to national security and foreign affairs ... other than the possibility that he simply takes his job seriously and does his homework. The people of Tennessee -- me included -- appreciate that kind of thing.
Update: And most unlike another member of his party, Corker is apparently taking a non-crazy position on New START.
http://www.freewebs.com/phili
http://www.freewebs.com/philippineamericanwar/spanishholdouts.htm
In making their last stand they made Baler the last Spanish outpost in Luzon. When finally convinced that the war was over, they gave up and the 35 men who survived the siege were greeted by the Filipinos with shouts of "Amigos! Amigos!"
President Emilio Aguinaldo had magnanimously decreed that the Spanish holdouts be treated not as enemies but as honored friends. They were given safe-conduct to Manila.
Original caption: "Los ultimos de Filipinas, a su llegada a Barcelona despues del largo asedio de Baler."
The Spanish contingent left Manila on July 20, 1899, reaching Barcelona, Spain, on Sept. 1 that year. The Los Ultimos de Filipinas, as how they were called, were received as heroes. Of the 57 men who entered the church of Baler on June 27, 1898, 35 survived the 337-day siege; 19 men died, 15 from diseases. Only 2 men died from wounds, the only battle casualties.
3-25-2010_Hank_Johnson_Guam_T
3-25-2010_Hank_Johnson_Guam_Tip_Over.wmv
There is a reason -- he has
There is a reason -- he has good staff. Whenever a politician with no obvious background in national security displays any knowledge or common sense, it is because that politician has an excellent legislative assistant for military and foreign affairs. Maybe like this one!
http://www.afcea.org/events/east/08/documents/StacieOliver.pdf
He's a pretty typical
He's a pretty typical Southern Republican on most foreign and domestic issues, nothing particularly noteworthy or stellar. Supports hardline on Iran (but never ask the Israelis to deal with their nukes), supports "sanctity" of marriage (but will never confront his constituents on how many times many of them have been married). Did I miss something?
Will he be at Casino night
Will he be at Casino night next week?
Based on the sources you
Based on the sources you cite, Corker's comments don't strike this Chattanooga expat as particularly insightful, much less "first class" in nature; in fact, they strike me as being rather boilerplate and middle-of-the-road expressions of Senatorial "concern". Was there some penetrating analysis on the record that didn't make it into the press accounts or are the expectations for this guy to be minimally cogent on the topic just really, really low?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNZczIgVXjg
Forgot to add to my
Forgot to add to my statement @1213, Corker also believes that France and Canada's healthcare have a parasitic relationship with the US healthcare system. Strange ducks, they aren't for allowing Merk et al gauge their citizens, and create a paradise of healthy individuals like Tennessee or surrounding states. Because if there is anything we can be certain about, it's that the Southeast has its act together on the health front. And, btw, least anyone from down home gets all offended. I say this as a Southerner who is sick of all the b.s. we talk down here to each other, whilst we either end up working as soldiers or flipping burgers for our Yankee transplant bosses or Yankee tourists)
"Whenever a politician with
"Whenever a politician with no obvious background in national security displays any knowledge or common sense, it is because that politician has an excellent legislative assistant for military and foreign affairs."
---
Or perhaps, it's because they have not yet had their basic common sense ground into dust by the counter-intuitive nonsense that is often the conventional wisdom among the so-called national security experts in Washington.
Example #1: Conducting two
Example #1:
Conducting two manpower intensive and financially draining wars to 'reform' backwards societies under the rubric of counter-terrorism, while actively ensuring the nation's actual borders are insecure.
Just a quote by way of the
Just a quote by way of the excellent arms control wonk blog:
"" Apparently under a Romney administration we can look forward to taking ICBMs out of their silos, converting the silos to interceptor sites, and mounting the ICBMs on bombers. Because that’ll show the Russians who gets out-negotiated.""
http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/2789/mocking-romney
If former Captains can
If former Captains can become experts on national security and foreign affairs, then why can't a former mayor do the same???
jim at ranger
I have not followed Corker.
I have not followed Corker. Heard bits and pieces. Vistor 12:13 PM mention a typical "Southern Republican", heck ever since the Dixiecrats, a southern republican could be a democrat. Always liked the politics of the south. Don't know why I moved north of the mason-dixon. Miss my grits.
Any politician that gets behind their people D or R has my vote.....Everytime I write Durbin, I get the part line. It is really a joke and I do not bother any more. Waiting for the day he gets the boot from the voter. The empire does note end at Interstate 80.
Oh well.......when you live in Rome you pay their taxes (until you can afford to move to a free state).
For you technojunkies.....what do you pay to twitter?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870468260457536941101596389...
Jim--many former "e"s
Jim--many former "e"s routinely offer expertise on security and foreign affairs. If they have someting useful and intelligent to offer, why hate? If you happen to be a former high ranking O with nothing useful to offer, a peace blog is always a good place to start--there'll always be some appreciative hippies in need of vet street cred at their next flag burning. Toss some of your medals around and maybe you, too, can find yourself in the Senate.
@ Capt. Exum, Sir, can you
@ Capt. Exum,
Sir, can you post your non-COIN/Insurgency related, politics, whining, ass-kissing posts on the Natural Security blog? One, they need the readership and two, we're sick and tired reading stupid posts on here. Let Londonstani post, if you have nothing, but don't force shit out. Please.
Thought COIN was
Thought COIN was politics.....aka hearts and minds.
COIN isn't Bob Corker!!!!!!!!
COIN isn't Bob Corker!!!!!!!!
Perhaps he understands the
Perhaps he understands the impications of Rabi'a al-Adiwyya and her ilk, and concluded COIN is coming home.
COIN is Joshua Foust
COIN is Joshua Foust attending a Bacha Bazi, to "study" local customs and norms.
Londonstani, please post
Londonstani, please post something with some meat, the natives are restless!!!
Visitor 6:16: Objection:
Visitor 6:16: Objection: COIN is the excuse for Josh to be a participant-observer in Bacha Bazi, indulging in local customs and norms.
@ Visitor 9:18pm Here Justin
@ Visitor 9:18pm
Here Justin Beiber is a millionaire and teen idol.
There Justin Beiber would be a Bacha Bazi boy.
Two different worlds, Josh prefers the latter.
Comment by Visitor on July
Comment by Visitor on July 16, 2010 - 9:18pm
Visitor 6:16: Objection: COIN is the excuse for Josh to be a participant-observer in Bacha Bazi, indulging in local customs and norms.
You Mean as a Dancer???????
Visitor 642: If the natives
Visitor 642: If the natives are getting restless, perhaps COIN can be employed on them?
Wouldn't that be an interesting wargame. Instead of modding unruly forumites out of the AO, you win their hearts and minds with savory, meaty blog posts.
Exum would take the Petraeus
Exum would take the Petraeus path, hearts and minds. Can't we all get along?
But Foust would probably go with Hama rules, follow the Lion of Damascus, since it's personal for him.
Londonstaaaaaaani, save us
Londonstaaaaaaani, save us with a good post !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
VisitorIII 1114: As a
VisitorIII 1114: As a Dancer? What kind of question is that? No way you don't know Josh's dissertation--"Dancing Through the Pain: Active Ethnography, Bacha Bazi, and Abusive Sex from Countless Low Status Afghan Males"? That tome was 2nd runner up-honorable mention at the annual Gay-Straight Trojan Alliance award night for unpublished private school dissertations. You really need to get out more and read a little.
Vistor by many names....for
Vistor by many names....for a person that does not like non-coin related stuff......you sure do post a lot of it.
Corker IS part of COIN.....if COIN is politics or Talaban it has to be paid for. US Congress votes the COIN budget.
I agree with your point,
I agree with your point, please share with us more good articles.1987 Cadillac Seville AC Compressor
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