Book Review - Homeland Insecurity by Steven Fox

It was a period of American history when the most cherished and basic human rights of our society were trampled, suspended, or ignored altogether --- a time of profiling, FBI bungling, military commissions, secret arrests, suspension of due process and habeas corpus, deportation, extraordinary rendition, second class citizenship and other forms of harassment --- all in the name of homeland security during a war being fought overseas. Sounds very familiar doesn't it? Surely "Homeland Insecurity
," by award winning author Stephen Fox, was written to further expose the sometimes draconic and often illegal activities of the Bush administration to protect our citizens after the bombing of the World Trade Center. But in fact, the setting of this well written and carefully documented book is World War II where families of German and Italian ancestry were systematically relocated, interned, or in some cases, repatriated to a homeland they did not remember or had never visited.

The cast of characters in"Homeland Insecurity
y" run the gamut from historically famous people to anonymous families who endured the ruin of their reputations, assaults on their well being and in some cases loss of lives. Notable among the former group are Franklin Roosevelt and J. Edgar Hoover. As it turns out, both of these men harbored insecurities and prejudices that when acted out, resulted in a tragic assault on the Bill of Rights.

Without question "Homeland Insecurity" is a scholarly work. In particular, Fox's thematic analysis of the impact of the government's actions on the lives of German immigrants appears to be based on an in depth review of FBI and Immigration and Naturalization Service documents, the results of which are meticulously footnoted and documented. But the thing I like best about the book are the narratives provided by the immigrants themselves. They make for a compelling enjoyable read. Some of the immigrants were unabashed Nazi supporters and it is not hard to understand why they were dealt with swiftly and harshly. Most of them, however, were good and decent citizens who considered themselves Americans and who found themselves caught up in a system they could not comprehend or defend against.

"Homeland Insecurity" begins with a quote by Jon Carroll which is worth repeating here, "It is said that those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it. I suspect that those who do remember history are doomed to repeat it too. Human nature is human nature, and is an even deeper driving force than memory." Was human nature the driving force behind the actions taken by our government to secure our borders during World War II or for that matter, was it the face behind the mask of overzealous prosecutions after the bombing of the World Trade Center? This book is a must read for all Americans concerned about their freedom.

Written for Reader Views (November 2009)

Ron Standerfer is a novelist, freelance writer, book reviewer, and journalist whose articles have appeared in numerous news publications including online editions of the Chicago Tribune, USA Today,and the Honolulu Star Advertiser. To receive more information about this writer please visit his website at http://www.ronstanderfer.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ronald_Standerfer http://www.pippoproducts.com

Merry Christmas

I wish you, my friends and family, all the same faith, hope, joy and love as was the Queen of Heaven's when she gave birth to Our Lord and Savior in that humble manger some 2000 years ago.

Thank-you for visitinghttp://www.pippoproducts.comand supporting me in all I do.

Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth.

Merry Christmas

Joe Conigliaro

Barack Obama Nobel Peace Prize Speech Was a Sublime Moment of Wisdom

Every now and again a speech is made which somehow manages to elevate the issues to which it refers to a higher plane. Barack Obama's words of acceptance in Oslo following his award of the Nobel Peace Prize was just such a speech. Some people think that if Barack Obama recited the phone book it would move his audience to tears, but the fact is, beneath that ultra smooth delivery, he made some salient points too.

He speaks as if moved by a higher purpose, guided by a divine light. His vision far exceeds the vision of most other politicians on the world stage today. He spoke about a world tolerant of other races, other beliefs, about politicians who have the courage to break the mould by inviting their enemies to enter into dialogue. Above all he made it clear that, although wars are inevitable, the route to peace does not always have to be military. He did not start the two wars America is presently involved in, but he is committed to seeing them through. For the future, he envisions more stringent pressures being applied by a global marketplace, where each country depends economically on every other, with effective, honed, fiscal incentives and punishments in place to deter rogue states from misbehaving. Not a single life need be lost.

As always with Obama, there is the moral undercurrent, which tentatively suggests we ought to take responsibility for our own actions before throwing stones at someone else's glass house. The political cliche is "get your own house in order first" before you can be a model for the rest of the world. Some may interpret this softer, more inward looking approach as indicative of a crisis of confidence for the once supreme superpower, but although this is a break from the jingoism of America's imperial past, macho posturing these days is not cool, and nowhere near as important as it once was. In some ways the financial crisis has done us all a favour by opening up our minds to new possibilities. What people want now from government is concern not coercion; concern for the environment, concern for the impoverished, concern for each other. Americans have always been good Christians; perhaps it's time for a little Christian tolerance. Nation states, no less than individuals, have a duty to forgive and repent, in other words to let go of the past and dream of a better future.

Obama gives the impression that he fully understands that, which is what makes him the perfect recipient of this award in the first place. And who knows, once the "enemy" realises that the threat of nuclear obliteration at the hands of "greedy Americans" has at last gone away, the rallying cry from terrorists will go away too. This is foreign policy based on wisdom not aggression, and a beacon for the rest of the world to follow.

Milton Johanides is a retired businessman, church elder, writer and artist. He has been featured on BBC TVs Songs of Praise, owned numerous art galleries and once ran an award winning picture framing business in Scotland. The views expressed in these articles are his own. email: miltonjohanides@yahoo.co.uk http://www.helium.com/users/510112/show_articles Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Milton_Johanides http://politicalfirestorm.blogspot.com/

The Political Campaign of James K Polk For President

During the Democratic political campaign convention of 1844, it took several ballots before a front runner for the presidential nominee emerged. That front runner was a man who had come to the convention hoping to be nominated as vice president instead.

James K. Polk had served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and governor of Tennessee, yet he was essentially a little-known candidate--so little known, in fact, that the Whig campaign repeatedly posed the question "Who is James K. Polk?"

Polk, though, sensing that most Americans wanted to see their country expand, spoke out during the political campaign in favor of annexing Texas and Oregon, and he had the support of the aging Andrew Jackson. Expansion became his campaign issue, and this emphasis was popular in the South and West.

Slavery existed in the background of this political campaign issue: Texas's entry into the United States would tip the balance in favor of slave-holding states. Polk's tough stance against Mexico (which claimed Texas) and Great Britain (which claimed portions of Oregon) was also popular. He won the election and, shortly after his victory, Congress voted to annex Texas.

Polk kept his political campaign promise of expanding the country. He signed a treaty with the British that brought Oregon in as American territory. Disputes over territory were followed by war with Mexico, but American forces were successful. In the end, Polk added not only Texas but also New Mexico and California to American territory. With this new territory, however, came the question that had haunted each American effort to expand: would slavery be allowed in these new territories?

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President Obama and Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society

"This nation, this generation, in this hour has man's first chance to build a Great Society, a place where the meaning of a man's life matches the marvels of a man's labor." -- Address, accepting the presidential nomination [August 1964] from Bartlett's Familiar Quotations. With this speech Lyndon B. Johnson began his quest to expand Franklin D. Roosevelt New Deal. During his presidency, Johnson gave us:

1. Medicare - (Medical care for the elderly)

2. Medicaid - (Medical care for the impoverished)

3. Federal Aid to Elementary and Secondary Schools

4. The National Endowment of the Arts

5. Liberal Immigration Law

After President Lyndon B. Johnson signed these bills they proved to be much more expensive than originally estimated. Johnson then was also in the middle of the war in Vietnam which he was escalating.

Today President Obama is attempting another expansion of the New Deal with the passage of a new health care bill and as with President Johnson he is in the middle of a war, which he is about to expand. There is one big difference though, Johnson's work was done on the heals of a President Kennedy tax cut, which was expanding the economy. President Obama is attempting to expand government programs while in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the great depression. Whether President Obama will be able to bring us to the realization of Johnson's great society is still at question. What is not at question is that Johnson's vision is still a driving force in this country and the people of America have some hard choices to make.

Joseph Conigliaro

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Democrat, What's That?

At no time, at no place, in solemn conventions assembled, through no chosen agents, had the American people officially proclaimed the United States to be a democracy. The Constitution did not contain the word or any word lending countenance to it, except possibly the mention of "We, the people," in the preamble ... When the Constitution was framed no respectable person called himself or herself a democrat. - America in Midpassage [1939], ch. 17 - Mary Ritter Beard [1876-1958] also from Bartlett's Familiar Quotations

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Barack Obama's Early Years in Indonesia

The current President and Nobel Prize Winner, spent his some of his childhood years in Indonesia, after his Mother married Lolo Soentoro, an Indonesian citizen and moved to Jakarta- the capital of Indonesia. Lolo met her at University in the United States. He ended up becoming an Executive of an Oil Company.

There would have been few expatriates in Indonesia. Jakarta, would of resembled a poorer Indian City,- rather than a more modern city, it is today. The Obama family lived in one of Jakarta's more exclusive areas- Menteng. Barack Obama's mother working as a secretary for the US Embassy, around 30 minutes drive from the Menteng area.

Education in Indonesia for a child of an expatriate would have been restrictive ; International Education was first introduced for expatriates only in the 1980's, and then opened up for Indonesians later in the mid to late 1990's.

Choosing a school for young Barack would have been obvious, and as wealthy Indonesians traditionally believed Catholic Schools provided the best education. He attended two exclusive private Catholic Schools in the Menteng area.

His classmates fondly called him 'Barry," many may have been Moslems, but in a Country where it was illegal at the time not to state you have a religion. Many classmates could have been Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Catholic- common in many schools in the USA, today.

Many of his classmates stated that "Barry" was known to tease girls, and was very studious. He even studied at night- a VOA correspondence course, in the pre-internet age. He also once broke a bamboo school fence. But he was evidently well liked at School.

Critics and supporters often confuse the Indonesia today, with the Indonesia, when Barack Obama lived there as a child. It was politically a dictatorship, but with the active support of the USA, and Western Europe. But back then Democracies as we know them today- were extremely rare in South-East Asia.

Barack Obama's Indonesian experience, has been portrayed in a negative light by some, but they choose to ignore or understand what Indonesia was like during the time of Obama's childhood. And more importantly what skill's he may of developed, because of this early exposure to a very different World, to the States.

Learning to get along with others, understanding different cultures, and creating a common goal that is easily understood- Important International Leadership skills in todays complicated World. And perhaps Barack Obama's early Indonesian years, helped put him on the long, and improbable road leading to his Presidency.

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Under Three Empires - The Thorns and Roses of a Life by Izyaslav Darakhovskiy

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Darakhovskiy in the gift shop at the National Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC where he was signing copies of his book. I spoke to him for a few minutes and felt that he was a warm and personable man. He had a friendly and affable demeanor.

I thought his book would be a biography of his life under Nazi German, then Communist USSR and finally the United States. But it was more of a social commentary on life under those three empires.

It would seem logical that someone exposed to oppression under the Nazis and Communism would be bitter and jaded. That is not the case with Dr. Darakhovskiy. He gives an even-handed and mostly impartial glimpse into the political and social environments under the evil empires. One can forgive Dr. Darakhovskiy when he tends to step up onto his soap box, since even then he shows great restraint and professionalism when discussing the events that took the lives of his mother, sister and many other family members during the Holocaust. These horrendous events would try anyone's ability to persevere and move forward.

He paints a candid and interesting view of Americans when he covers his immigration to this country. He received a great cultural shock when realizing an American's obsession with wealth and how it clearly defined one class of people from another. Coming from a country where salaries were determined by a government scale to a country of free enterprise, Dr. Darakhovskiy found the disparity of the distribution of wealth to be almost incomprehensible.

Even this did not cloud Dr. Darakhovskiy's views of the United States. He talks for many pages on the wonderful Americans he met after settling in Rochester, NY who helped him adjust to a culture and a country that were vastly different from anything he had seen before and beyond his wildest imagination.

He wrote about the frustration and barriers to getting employed and the typical responses from potential employers he dubbed as "masterpieces of bureaucratic writing." But many people can attest that these remarks are not reserved for immigrants. We've all heard these same statements.

The only fault I found with the book was the editing. Dr. Darakhovskiy should consider another publisher for his next work. I have never read a book with so many spelling and grammatical errors. I understand that the editor may have wanted to keep Dr. Darakhovskiy's own words pure, but as he doesn't have a firm grasp on the American language, grammar and proper word usage are more important to the reader than verbatim. Some sentences just did not make sense, and this is where an editor can give us at least an idea of Dr. Darakhovskiy's message.

I'm glad to have met Dr. Darakhovskiy and read his book. It is a pleasure to read and if you're not careful, you might learn something. It is a must-read for scholars or anyone interested in the Holocaust or Eastern Europe and Russia.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alan_G._Scott Under Three Empires: The Thorns and Roses of a Life http://www.pippoproducts.com/products

Historic Democrat Foreign Policy Incompetency Part II - Presidents Carter, Clinton, and Obama

The Russians smelled weakness when President Carter talked about pulling troops out of South Korea. Carter signed away the Panama Canal during his presidency. Today, a Chinese company controls both ends of that Canal; Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., is a company associated with the Chinese Army.

Both the U.S. Military and the CIA saw serious cuts under the Carter Administration.

Losing Iran was one of his biggest blunders. President Carter withdrew U.S. support for Iran, allowing its pro Western government to fall. Iran's army hemorrhaged quality members; and the Iranian government was in disarray. Saddam saw an opportunity to settle long term disputes--assuming that Iraq would have the upper hand.

This resulted in the Iran Iraq War.

The new Iranian government supported terrorists in Lebanon; this included the terrorists that bombed the Marine barracks there. Today, we're dealing with an Iran supporting terrorism in Lebanon, Israel and Iraq. Iran later forged full steam ahead with its nuclear ambition.

Enter President Clinton. Important missile related technology got transferred to the Chinese under his administration.

President Clinton lifted certain restrictions so that Hughes Space and Communications could export technology to China. In exchange for Clinton's lifting these restrictions, Hughes' CEO continued to provide donations to the Democratic Party.

Prior to these transfers, Chinese missiles were unreliable, and prone to detonate shortly after launch. After these transfers, Chinese missiles were capable of striking a U.S. city with accuracy.

Spinoffs from missile technology can be transferred to the space program.

We're talking precision and guidance systems that could guide a missile to its target, or guide a lunar lander to the moon's surface. With the U.S. space program having setbacks, there's a real possibility that the Chinese could land a manned expedition on the moon before the U.S. returns there.

Should this happen, they'll be ahead of the United States when it comes to lunar exploration; and with operating a lunar base.

During his campaign, Barrack Obama argued that he'd reduce nuclear weapons, won't weaponize space, and that he'd cut missile defense. Both the Chinese and Russians are developing military and commercial space technology. Both countries are working hard to be able to eliminate our space advantage. They know that if they do that, they'll have a strategic upper hand over us. Obama's plans calls for us to stand in place while our strategic opponents blast right past us with weaponizing space.

Travis is a freelance writer that specializes in information market, political writing, fundraising and communications. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Travis_Hill

The Ethnic Presidency - How Race Decides the Race to the White House

It is evident from the February 6th primaries that either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, or both, will be on the 2008 ballot for the Presidency of the U.S. There will be a lot of discussion in this race regarding whether or not Americans are ready and willing to accept a minority or female President. Will these candidates play into the hands of candidates like Chuck McCain or do they truly offer a viable alternative to a political system that has been dominated by white Anglo-Saxon and mostly protestant men?

In his latest book, The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Decides the Race to the White House by Earl Ofari Hutchinson we get an in-depth feel as to the role that ethnicity and race will play in the presidential election. The book is an explosive look at how racial and ethnic conflict has openly and covertly played a crucial role the past three decades in influencing, shaping and ultimately deciding who bags the world's biggest political prize, the White House. It tells how racial politics will play an even bigger role in the 2008 presidential election and future elections.

It examines Obamamania, the Hillary and Bill factor, the soaring Latino vote, the silent but potent Asian-American vote, the immigration wars, the GOP's love-hate relationship with black and Latino America, and Bush's effort to recast the GOP from a clubby, ole white guys party to a party of racial diversity. The first primary is January 29.

Here is a sampling of questions The Ethnic Presidency asks and answers:

•Will America accept a black president? Can Obama be that president?

•Will America accept a woman president? Can Hillary be that president?

•Will America accept a Latino president? Can Bill Richardson be that president?

•Will America accept a Mormon president? Can Mitt Romney be that president?

•How the GOP played the Southern Strategy through Presidents Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. to repeatedly win the White House. Can and will they abandon it in 2008?

•Did blacks and Latinos elect Bush?

•Have the Democrats taken the black and Latino vote for granted?

•Why have Presidential candidates other than John Edwards avoided making poverty an issue?

•Why immigration will be a stealth factor in the 2008 campaign. And did it help or hurt John McCain?

•Will Rudolph Giuliani's contentious relations with blacks as New York mayor hurt or help his White House bid?

The presidential election in 2008 will be the most diverse and unusual the United States has ever had - what will it mean for the country and the residents of the US? The best way to learn about the ins and outs of this election is to read Mr. Hutchinson's newest book.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Obama and the X Factor of Race

2. The Hillary and Obama Road Show

3. Edwards Made Poverty No Longer a Dirty Word in the Democrat's Mouths

4. .Between Worlds: President Richardson or Latino President Richardson?

5. Democrats Take the Black Vote off the Plantation

6. Reagan, Race and His Imitators

7. Inclusion is Still the GOP's Dilemma

8. Republicans Rethink Race-Momentarily

9. The GOP's Immigration Wall

10. Presidential Candidates Discover the Model Minority

11. Blacks Helped Elect Bush

12. Latinos Helped Elect Bush Too

I had the opportunity to conduct a blog interview with Mr. Hutchinson and his responses to my questions were as follows:

1. Our nation is divided politically, socially and economically. Would a minority president heal those divisions or further polarize them?

Yes and No. Obama appears to represent ethnic bridge building and healing. This is welcome, but there are powerful political forces that have a vested interest, profit and belief in racial and ethnic, gender, sexual preference and religious discord. That has been the American ethic for two centuries. Change will come slowly, and will be fought tenaciously, one man alone can't do it.

2. All candidates promise change in the status quo and, if elected, an end to the influence of power brokers. It seems that if a minority president is elected, it will be because of power brokers and their influence would actually increase in D.C. They may be different people, but the end result is the same. How can any of these candidates possibly avoid the influence of these groups which may be responsible for their success in the election?

They can't. Money is the mother's milk of politics and elections. Lobbyists and fat cat corporate interests will continue to dominate and influence the political agenda. A president committed to reversing that will need to have the political intestinal fortitude to say no to special interests, to mean it and to stick to his word.

3. Can a minority president govern? Winning the White House is one thing but winning a House and Senate majority, as we have seen, is quite another. There is no doubt that certain political forces will gather in these chambers if a minority candidate is elected to thwart their every move. Will we be so embattled with domestic in-fighting that the world will soon pass us by?
Yes and he doesn't have to be a minority president for that to happen, It happened with Clinton and Bush. The same will happen to Obama especially when he pushes for universal health care, to end the war, and to get the money for massive spending on jobs, education and the infrastructure.

4. This is a question that few dare to ask. How long can a minority president survive before extreme elements in our own society decide that they cannot tolerate such a leader? Is the Secret Service that good?

They don't need to physically assassinate him. They can simply politically emasculate and befuddle him which is tantamount to physical elimination without needing to use a bullet.

5. Will the minorities actually go to the polls and vote?

Yes, but minorities alone don't elect presidents -- not yet anyway. White males still make up almost forty percent of the electorate. Obama can only win if he can assemble a modern day updated, non-confrontational Rainbow Coalition.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author, syndicated columnist, political analyst and commentator. He has been a frequent guest on Hannity and Colmes, The O'Reilly Factor, The Big Story, EXTRA, and numerous CNN News and Talk Shows.

He was a regular commentator on CNBC's The Dennis Miller Show. He has been a guest on the Today Show, Dateline, The Lehrer Hour, and BET News, America's Black Forum. He is a frequent commentator for the American Urban Broadcast Network and Ed Gordon's News and Notes on NPR. He is a featured columnist for www.BlackNews. com, www.BlackAmericaWeb .com, and www.Alternet.org.

He is associate editor of New America Media. His op-ed columns appear in the Baltimore Sun, L.A. Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Newsday, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Christian Science Monitor, and other major newspapers.

Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. While in D.C., he spent several years working for local and regional government agencies. Upon moving to Maine he worked with three governors and served as the Assistant Director of the Maine State Planning Office. He worked on a White House Task Force for the development of a National Rural Policy and later served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the Federal Regional Council of New England. He has worked on gubernatorial and senatorial political campaigns and currently works in Special Education. Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated / featured writer for The American Chronicle. He is working on Book II of the Waking God trilogy. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL was released by Cambridge Books, his third book, JESUS TAUGHT IT, TOO: THE EARLY ROOTS OF THE LAW OF ATRRACTION was released by Avatar Publication. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Harris http://www.pippoproducts.com/products The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Decides the Race to the White House

The Likeness of the Democratic Party

"The democratic party is like a mule -- without pride of ancestry or hope of posterity - Ignatius Donnelly 1831-9011 from Bartlett's Familiar Quotations

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Historic Democrat Foreign Policy Incompetency Part I - Presidents Kennedy and Johnson

High school history books describe the Bay of Pigs invasion as a botched up attempt to liberate Cuba; but they leave key details out. Over 1,000 Cuban exiles trained, with the U.S. military, for months prior to the invasion.

Humberto Fontova, Cuban born political writer focusing on Latin American politics, found facts missing from these books. What he discovers shows how close we were to securing freedom and democracy for the Cubans. But one man stood in the way.

The Cuban exile's job was to make a landing, then take out the Cuban ground forces. The United States Navy was to provide a few combat fighter planes to wipe out the Cuban fighter planes, and to eliminate Cuban armor and reinforcements. This was a job the U.S. Navy was ready, and capable, of doing.

With Cuban air power and ground reinforcements gone, "Brigada 2506" would take over the airport. They'd secure it, then pave the way for their air wing to arrive to provide them with ammunition and resupply. Then they'd join up with the resistance movement already underway in Cuba, and lead them to liberating Cuba.

When the ground invasion got underway, the Cuban exiles proved their worth. Despite being subjected to heavier fire, despite being drastically outgunned and outnumbered (40 to 1); the Cuban exiles pushed the Cuban army back. They almost pushed Castro's army to the other side of Cuba. Keep in mind that these exiles were civilians.

Even though John F. Kennedy canceled the pre-invasion bombardment, the Navy could've wiped the Cuban advantage out with two fighter planes. When John F. Kennedy said we "can't get involved," Admiral Arleigh Burke lost his cool and made this statement: "We put those boys there, Mr. President, by God we are involved!"

Without the planned U.S. backing, the Cuban exiles had no choice but to fight till their ammo ran out. The Bay of Pigs invasion failed because the Kennedy Administration failed them.

The Soviets saw that as a sign of weakness, then made plans to position nuclear missiles into Cuba. People credit Kennedy with the way he handled the Cuban Missile Crises, but we lost face in that one to.

The Russians couldn't stomach a fight in Cuba, so had we invaded, we would've succeeded. In exchange for them pulling their missiles out of Cuba, we pulled our missiles out of Turkey, and promised not to liberate Cuba.

We ended up in a weaker position; starting a historic trend of democratic administrations weakening America in the face of its enemies.

Our involvement with Vietnam started with President Kennedy. Both President Kennedy and Johnson ignored advice from the Pentagon; advice that would've ended the Vietnam War.

It wasn't till President Nixon became president that we made headway with the Vietnam War. Nixon cut our troop numbers in Vietnam, then mixed massive bombardment of strategic points in addition to continuing the ground campaign. This forced the North Vietnamese to the negotiating table. They previously refused to do so in response to Democrats announcing that they'll cut funding for the Vietnam War.

We pulled our combat units out of Vietnam in 1973; the South Vietnamese Government needed funding to stand against the North Vietnamese. The Democratic Congress refused, cutting their funding and forcing an end to the Vietnam involvement. Had that funding continued at needed levels, we'd have a prosperous Democratic South Vietnam bordering a Communist North Vietnam today.

Travis is a freelance writer that specializes in information market, political writing, fundraising and communications. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Travis_Hill http://www.pippoproducts.com/products.html

A Soldier's True Story of Triumph and Tears

Finding Fighting for Delphine: A Soldier's True Story of Triumph and Tears, the memoir of Ken Krueger by Lee Burtman.

During World War II millions of young men were uprooted from their daily lives. Many small town boys were suddenly thrown into a massive group of men being trained to fight on foreign soil. Ken Krueger was no exception. Growing up in a small Minnesota town, Ken was just another young American guy. He was raised a Christian and throughout the rest of his life, held his religious convictions very close, which saw him through good times and bad.

This book is a memoir of Ken Krueger's life, focuses on what happened to him during World War II. He became a messenger in Patton's 3nd Army and was sent to Europe. During the Allied advance toward Germany, Ken was stationed in a small town in France and assigned to a room in a French family's house. It was in this house that Ken's life was changed, by a beautiful young French girl, the daughter of the family he was assigned to, Delphine.

Throughout the book, Ken describes the war as he experienced it, the many times he called upon God to deliver him, and how his guardian angel saved him from deadly situations. Messengers were true lone soldiers being sent on almost suicide missions to hand deliver messages from HQ to field units. Messengers were often deliberately targeted by enemy forces to disrupt the lines of communications, so Ken was often the target of German snipers as he drove his Jeep through the European Countryside.

This independently published book does justice to Ken's past, bringing out his story in a way that lets the reader relate to his true experiences. Lee has brought out this biography in true form and has given value to this historical record. Her desire to publish Ken's story is commendable and donating the book's proceeds to ministry shows her selfless heart in this challenging task.

I recommend this work to history lovers, and anyone who likes an inspirational tale.

BOOK SPECIFICATIONS
Hardback
Author: Lee Burtman
Page count: 160
Language: English
Publisher: Moonglade Media

Steve Terjeson is a military historian dedicated to preserving World War II history. He has founded a website (World War II History http://wwarii.com) and has reviewed many books and film publications. This book can be found at the publishers website http://www.moonglademedia.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Terjeson http://www.pippoproducts.com/products.html

The Tragic Death of Robert F. Kennedy

Many knew him simply as Bobby, but many who are interested in Robert F. Kennedy trivia can't help but wonder what would have happened if he had lived to see the presidential election, as many felt that the combination of his own personal intelligence and charm, along with the Kennedy legacy would assure him the election. However, a Robert F. Kennedy quiz will show that like his brother, he would be gunned down in his prime, but Bobby would not even get the chance that John did to make even a brief impact as president of the country.

Robert F. Kennedy trivia will show that he spent his early years first in the navy and then traveling for some time while writing for the Boston Post. He graduated with a B.A. in government from Harvard University, and would then later complete law school as well. Due to his time at boarding schools and traveling, he never knew his brother John much growing up, but in the early fifties they would travel together extensively, becoming fast friends, and Robert would end up serving closely in his brothers administration, as one of his closest advisors and attorney general.

He would continue to serve Johnson for only a short time after his brother's death, and take a seat in the New York state senate, but then, seeing the condition the country was in and the feelings which were brewing amongst the poor and many minorities about the presidency, he decided to announce his own candidacy. The democratic primaries became a battle between Bobby, Hubert Humphrey, and Eugene McCarthy after Johnson dropped out.

The primaries had been hotly contested as Kennedy sought to achieve the Democratic presidential nomination, but one of his largest victories came when he was able to win the California primary. However, a Robert F. Kennedy quiz will have to mention the tragic date of that California primary, June 5th, 1968, as it would be after this victory that he would be assassinated.

Many felt that Robert F. Kennedy's own platforms for social change, civil rights, and equality for all were even stronger than that of his brothers, and there had been a surge of hope upon his running for president that many felt could have carried him into an extremely strong and popular government with the power to affect real change. After his death, the offices of the secret service were extended to cover presidential candidates as well as the POTUS.

Masters of Trivia is a website dedicated to trivia games and quizzes that cover several different areas of interest. The various trivia questions available on the site can be easily accessed and played by going tohttp://www.mastersoftrivia.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shawna_S._Ruppert http://www.pippoproducts.com/products

Joseph Kennedy's Philosophy

"Don't get mad, get even" - Joseph Patrick Kennedy (1888 - 1969) fromBartlett's Familiar Quotations

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The Ex-Presidents of the United States of America, Bill Clinton - Part Four

His problems were further exacerbated when the Republicans gained control of both houses in the 1994 mid-term elections for the first time in forty years. It appeared for all intensive purposes that Clinton would be out on his ear but in the face of adversity he triumphed. A Bosnian peace deal was brokered in Dayton, Ohio between the warring factions, the President visited Northern Ireland and helped move the peace process forward by acting as an honest broker and the economy continued to improve.

He was unopposed for the Democratic nomination for the 1996 presidential election and he defeated the Republican candidate, Bob Dole by a healthy margin. Clinton's second term was to be overshadowed by the revelations that Clinton had sexual relations with a White House intern, named Monica Lewinsky. He became further embroiled in the scandal when he lied about his relationship with Lewinsky in a sworn disposition in the Paula Jones lawsuit. His second term however was successful - he balanced the budget, implemented crime control measures, restructured the welfare system, downsized federal departments and improved the economy, introducing low rates of interest, lowering inflation and reducing unemployment. In foreign affairs, he tread cautiously - pulling troops out of Somalia, negotiating with North Korea to halt its development of nuclear weapons and working as a peace broker in Israel and Northern Ireland.

Clinton and other Western leaders made the decision to bomb Bosnia which led to the signing of the Bosnia Accords in 1999. He also deflated a very tense situation between NATO and Russia, after the former's military intervention in Serbia.

Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source Russell Shortt, http://www.exploringireland.net http://www.visitscotlandtours.com http://www.pippoproducts.com/products Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Russell_Shortt

Carter on Americas Diversity

"We are of course a nation of differences. Those differences don't make us weak. They're the source of our strength. ...The question is not when we came here ... but why our families came here. And what we did after we arrived." -- James Earl, Jr. Carter, Speech at Al Smith dinner, New York City. [October 21, 1976] from Bartlett's Familiar Quotations

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Defeating Terrorism - A Must-Read for Every American!

By Glenda Bixler

You may have recently read my review of Priest to Mafia Don by Father Patrick Bascio. In the same year, Father Bascio has also published Defeating Islamic Terrorism: The Wahhabi Factor. I don't think I have read two such different books by the same author and yet, both are excellent in presentation and fascinating in covering their subject.

Father Bascio professionally has acted as Director of the PhD program for American and Allied personnel at the United States Naval War College. During his years as a priest, he became a member of the General Assembly of the United Nations. There, he had the distinction of having been the only priest ever to be a Permanent Delegate to that august body. Through his professional involvement, he gained the knowledge and experience used in writing this book. Normally I wouldn't include coverage of an author's credentials within a review, but I believe that those who will consider reading this book will want to know the author's background. Terrorism has become a household word for most people these days. We need and want to know more! I found that the information presented in this book was very comprehensive, for Father Bascio has much to share with Americans. Please consider reading this book in the near future!

No, I had never heard of the word Wahhabi-just as the author predicted! "Wahhabism is the angry form of Islamism...the soil in which anti-Western and anti-American terrorism grows," according to Ex-CIA Director, R. James Woolsey. "Never before in history have so many been so fearful of so few because Islamic terrorism plagues a very large section of the world's population." (p. 7) As I read, I had to agree with the author that, "there is something wrong with a foreign policy that is so lacking in knowledge of the Wahhabi that the average American citizen, upon hearing the term, has no idea what it means." (p. 11)

For me, I felt it was important that the author included references to the many atrocities of the past, done in the name of Christianity. Just as at that time, it is important that we realize that the Islamic terrorists are not representatives of all Islamic nations, but rather of those that are of the Wahhabi sect from Saudi Arabia. A key issue, though, is that these terrorists are being funded and children throughout the world are being taught at newly built schools and mosques the basic tenets and principles of Wahhabism through that funding! "Saudi money spending frenzy has resulted in the construction of 1500 mosques, 210 Islamic centers, 202 colleges and nearly 2000 schools spread across the globe." (p. 53) So, the breadth of exposure and expansion of this group is far above anything seen in the past. "Saudi connections to terrorism continue to appear." (p. 58)

Indeed, the author notes "Wahhabism's intimate relationship with the Saudi government presents American officials with a unique dilemma, in that it is the only foreign government that directly uses religion as a cover for its political activities in the United States" (p. 30). This is especially ironic when the United States monitors and mandates a strict separation of church and state for its own citizens. "Regrettably, religiously inspired or pseudo religiously inspired terrorist groups are the fastest growing form of terrorism." (p. 101)

Bascio hones in on another little-known issue. There is little known about the history of the Central Asian republics' successful struggle with our enemy or their willingness to help us defeat them. Why is that? Perhaps because "when Uzebekistan, in July, 2005, ordered the eviction of U. S. Military personnel from the Karshi-Khanabad airbase, the dimensions of our loss of face and influence in Central Asia became evident."

The author discusses each of the countries involved in Central Asia and demonstrates how each of three major countries-Russia, China and the United States-are working to gain a relationship. Russia and China are doing much to increase their interaction while the United States still has not gotten over what happened in the past. Are we able to become humble and recognize our mistakes and approach the Islamic issue with understanding and patience? Because no matter what, the "United States and Central Asian governments share a common enemy - Wahhabism." (p. 161)

In-depth reviews of specific events, the identification of "Peshawar as the Heartland of Islamic Terrorism," (P. 145) specific people of influence, such as "Euvgeny Primakov" (p.234), as well as specific recommendations make this book one of the most unbiased, informative books available, in my opinion. There is much to be considered here; there is much to be learned.

The United States has made mistakes in decisions made from time to time. Can we acknowledge and move on to discussing options that will allow us to work with the majority of Islamic people who lives in accordance with the Koran, which speaks out against violence? Perhaps as we learn more through books such as Defeating Islamic Terrorism, we can become better informed and help toward making sound decisions that will indeed defeat the acts of terror now feared by all. The reality of today in America makes this a Must-Read Book!

G. A. Bixler is co-owner of an online review site of Independent Professional BookReviewers. She is an avid reader and has over 40 years experience in educational administration and publishing. Defeating IslamicTerrorism: The Wahhabi Factor By Father Patrick Bascio C.S.Sp. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glenda_Bixler Defeating Islamic Terrorism / Amazon Book Link http://www.pippoproducts.com/products

Discover the Truth about the Republican Party

Does the Republican Party really stand for Republican Principals? What are republican principals? Find out more: http://historyofrepublicanparty.blogspot.com/

The Ex-Presidents of the United States of America, Bill Clinton - Part Three

Competition for the Democratic nomination was intense, Clinton was criticized for his lack of experience at federal level and his lack of knowledge on foreign affairs. Clinton, however insisted that he was a break from the elite of Washington and could bring a fresh perspective to the government. But his campaign was also plagued by allegations of extra-marital sexual liaisons and questions about his draft status during the Vietnam war.

However, Clinton pulled through, securing the Democratic party nomination, he chose Al Gore as his running mate. His general election campaign concentrated on the economic frailties of the Bush administration, he insisted that he had the wherewithal to pull America out of economic decline. Clinton solidified the old Democratic coalition of the blue collar workers and minorities and he polled well in traditional Republican strongholds in the West - he won the election, he was President of the United States at the tender age of forty-six.

The Clinton administration got off to a shaky start - it's first two nominations for Attorney-General were rejected after it was revealed that they had hired illegal aliens, he clashed with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell on the issue of homosexuals being admitted into the armed forces, Congress refused to pass health reforms and the White House staff was re-organised within a few months. In addition, Clinton looked uncertain on the international front, he appeared unsure in his dealings with Bosnia and Somalia. Further pressure grew over just how influential his wife was on him and by extension his policies. He was also dragged into the Whitewater scandal, involving the Whitewater Development Company, which the Clinton's had invested in and was being investigated for financial improprieties.

Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source Russell Shortt, http://www.exploringireland.net http://www.visitscotlandtours.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Russell_Shortt http://www.pippoproducts.com/products

Andrew Jackson On Equal Rights Under the Law

Every man is equally entiled to protection by law, but when the laws undertake to add ... artificial distinctions, to grant titles, gratuities, and exclusive privileges, to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society---the farmers, mechanics, and laborers ---who have neither the time nor the means of sucuring like favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their government. -- Veto of the Bank Bill [July 10, 1832] from Bartlett's Familiar Quotations

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A Book Review - American Foreign Policy - Carter to Clinton

By Marzieh Motahhari

The book is part of the American History in Depth series. The author is John Dumbrell and the general editor of the series is A. J. Badger. The book is published in Hong Kong, 1997, by McMillan Publications. It is in paperback (ISBN: 0-333-61094-6), and it is also available in hardcover (ISBN: 0-333-61093-8); with papers suitable for recycling. No picture, table or graph can be seen in this book; except the photograph on the front cover that shows presidents Carter and Clinton together. As we can see in the Bibliographical Note, the author used secondary sources as well as some primary articles in form of printed articles.

The book focuses on the America foreign policy in the mid-20th century (from Carter's to Clinton's presidency) that was marked with the "struggle between liberal democratic capitalism and Soviet state socialism". As it is stated in the introduction, the book discusses four major themes:

1) ending of the Cold War,

2) the legacy of Vietnam War

3) American decline, and

4) the possibilities of the democratic foreign policy after 1977.

It examines the "long tradition of American optimism" saying that despite apparent victories, American optimism was under pressure during 1980s; the great pressure and damage coming from America's defeat in Vietnam War which as carter put it made Americans understand that they are "no better than other people". Throughout the book, it is shown how attitudes and decisions in American foreign policy were under the influence of the Vietnam legacy, with special focus on the four presidents of the era, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton. The author tries to put the information together in an impartial way, criticizing or approving of the events carefully.

About Carter it is said that he believed that the cold war period had ended and that it was time to pursue "domestic processes". His other goal was to put commitment to human rights at the center of his foreign policy. But he never reached it because in some cases human rights were ignored because security issues were more important. In his time in the office, 2 revolutions took place that were not favorable to US, one in Iran and the other in Nicaragua. These events made Carter's presidency as a period full of crisis. Reagan's policies are discussed after Carter's. First his decision to increase defense expenditure is stated and the fact that he believed that America must develop a "high-tech shield that would protect it from nuclear threats. Then his doctrine is presented:" American sponsorship to all enemies of communism in the developing countries". That's why he involved America in the Lebanese crisis so that it would not become a communist state. He also used human right as "an anti-soviet weapon". Another important thing about him that is analyzed in this book is his "shadow policy of "winning back Iran" that finally led to Iran-contra scandal. The Reagan- Gorbachev dialogue is one of the other things discussed in this book. Then the book focuses on Bush's presidency claiming that his policies mainly reflected that of Reagan's except his policies toward the soviet that were more cautious than Reagan's. It is explained that how he faced a dilemma in the second gulf war. He wanted to oppress Iraq that had invaded Kuwait and at the same time to keep Iraq as threat to Iran. Clinton is the last president that the book speaks of. It says that like Cater, Clinton emphasized domestic issues over foreign policy. He tried to "close the book on Vietnam, by promoting the cause of US trade and investment. His military program is also mentioned stating that he belied that its cost and size should be reduced.

The book is a good source of information for those who want to study the Cold war period and the effects of Vietnam war over American policies in the same era, especially undergraduate students who want a general information about the this period. For those who want a detailed description of the American foreign policy in the post-Cold war era, the book is not suitable because it does not go into details of the events and developments, giving only an overall picture. However in the End Notes for each chapter, one can find useful sources, books and articles that can guide him or her to further information about the topics discussed in chapters. In the Bibliographical Note also, the author suggests that: "much of the important secondary literature on recent US foreign policy may be found in specialist journals, notably Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, International Security and International Affairs."

Marzieh Motahhari, MA student of University of Tehran, Institute of North American studies Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marzieh_Motahhari http://www.pippoproducts.com/products