Our Forum meetings are held at St. Stephens Episcopal Church on Sunday mornings, 9-10 AM. Occasionally, we get NGOs to present what they're doing "in the field," so to speak.
I know Pakistan somewhat and have been apprised of their encouraging humanitarian efforts, undertaken by NGOs. Last Sunday, Mr. Michel Heitstuman presented what his group is doing to meet the medical needs of Pakistanis with an eye to offer their medical services in certain provinces of India in the future. This particular NGO does not charge the patient, who more likely than not, could not pay the bills.
He can be reached, according to his business card, at 202-262-6000. The hospital is just one business he's involved in and the card represents his FraudLens company, where he is Vice President of Operations.
In any case, medical services are badly needed in that area of the world and I applaud his efforts to get involved.[
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Friday, March 22, 2019
PM Benjamin Netanyahu seeking all the help he can get, even from Pres. Trump
Well it's time for Prime Minister Netanyahu to face the music of a court of justice, and time again for him to do his best to garner votes for another 4 years as PM. He gives his performance every time he's up for re-election! Usually, he can count on the Israelis to vote him in to prevent any impending disturbance in Gaza. The mere threat of havoc from the lowly Palestinian enclave there on Israeli soil suffices another 4 years as his being Prime Minister.
But this time, he's up for charges in a court of law. He needs to get some superman support--enter, President Trump to the rescue to save the PM for another term! Trump promptly on cue claims the Golan Heights the property of Israel! No need to work out a deal with Syria for the transfer to be complete.
On the radio tomorrow, a commentator likened the blatant act of Trump to Putin's take-over of the Crimea from Ukraine. Just declare it an international reality. Nobody cares, one way or another, apparently.
I sincerely hope--that's all I can do from my being in Washington, DC for now--that the Israelis will see through this overture to the impending election day and not be persuaded to vote for Netanyahu and against sound reasoning pertaining to the real solution in Palestine--a single nation of Israel with Palestinians living peacefully alongside their Israeli neighbors (with no Palestinian state that would become defunct the moment it would come into existence).
But this time, he's up for charges in a court of law. He needs to get some superman support--enter, President Trump to the rescue to save the PM for another term! Trump promptly on cue claims the Golan Heights the property of Israel! No need to work out a deal with Syria for the transfer to be complete.
On the radio tomorrow, a commentator likened the blatant act of Trump to Putin's take-over of the Crimea from Ukraine. Just declare it an international reality. Nobody cares, one way or another, apparently.
I sincerely hope--that's all I can do from my being in Washington, DC for now--that the Israelis will see through this overture to the impending election day and not be persuaded to vote for Netanyahu and against sound reasoning pertaining to the real solution in Palestine--a single nation of Israel with Palestinians living peacefully alongside their Israeli neighbors (with no Palestinian state that would become defunct the moment it would come into existence).
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Cato Institute Book Review: US Gullibility in Foreign Policy, Author: Ted Galen Carpenter
In a scathing attack on US diplomacy over the centuries, author Carpenter shows the preposterous clowns that drew support in overthrowing some particular government's ner'r-do-well extant regime. Usually, the US proposed a regime change with a view to promote democracy world-wide, but as Carpenter shows, the results weren't what men of good will were anticipating! Sheer calamity in most case was the result. The discussion of Mr. Carpenter's book on Gullibility took place March 19th in Washington, DC. Commentator: Mr. Jacob Heilbrunn.
The author Carpenter must have had a good belly-laugh as disaster after disaster unfolded in writing his accounts.
Absolute stupidity regarding the world scene pertaining to a US administration after administration's sincere desire to extend democracy world-wide. Clearly, what I think his precis shows is that groups not governing most times have not the qualifications to govern.
Being in bondage and enslavement to a repressive government is morally wrong! Then, let all men and women of good will seek remedy for the immoral oppression!
That is why I believe it so important that the US joins with other democratic countries and their prodigies along-the-way toward citizen freedom through sanctions and whatever other means they can agree upon to exert pressure and exact penalties upon those reigning regimes that terrorize ordinary citizens and freedom-loving peoples the world over. For me, I am thankful to the US for is maintaining military bases around the world on behalf of the cause for freedom and the righteousness of democratic principles. This is a moral stance the US has taken, though it has most times chosen the wrong people to support and want to rule.
The author Carpenter must have had a good belly-laugh as disaster after disaster unfolded in writing his accounts.
Absolute stupidity regarding the world scene pertaining to a US administration after administration's sincere desire to extend democracy world-wide. Clearly, what I think his precis shows is that groups not governing most times have not the qualifications to govern.
Being in bondage and enslavement to a repressive government is morally wrong! Then, let all men and women of good will seek remedy for the immoral oppression!
That is why I believe it so important that the US joins with other democratic countries and their prodigies along-the-way toward citizen freedom through sanctions and whatever other means they can agree upon to exert pressure and exact penalties upon those reigning regimes that terrorize ordinary citizens and freedom-loving peoples the world over. For me, I am thankful to the US for is maintaining military bases around the world on behalf of the cause for freedom and the righteousness of democratic principles. This is a moral stance the US has taken, though it has most times chosen the wrong people to support and want to rule.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Brookings Institute: Admiral John Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations, Discussant
This discussion was held at the Brookings Institute, Washington, DC on January 28, 2019. It was to include plans for the future and an assessment of its maritime current activities.
Now I know that the navy has an especial role in the conduct of a military theater and that it can take advantage of its particular geographical placement: on the seas, capable of reaching any earth-based land Nor is its fire power constrained to the realm of water. Its drones and planes hop around nimbly on land masses! The Admiral admitted the US navy plans are limited to a 5-year cycle, after which is pause for assessment, I would surmise.
The navy's mission even in peacetime involves patrolling international sea lanes and cable networks under the oceans so to protect from threat of interference thus enabling commerce and trade. At the meeting, questioners from the audience wondered about China's patrolling of the South China Seas, though the Admiral did not make specific comment on the issue of whether China was doing a responsibly good job. Nor did the Admiral have some apparent comment regarding the Russian detainment of Ukrainian sailors and their ships on the open waters separating Ukraine from Crimea. He did not take a clear position on whether NATO should have become involved after the seizure.
I came away from the presentation in a puzzling frame of mind regarding naval patrolling of international waters: is the navy actively attempting to resolve issues of control of international water lanes?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note-taking of the discussion by Kyla Roberts, Catholic University Graduate Student
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The odyssey continues...about plans to assure that international waterways are being properly guarded--what could the US navy be doing amid all the shipping and transporting water lanes worldwide?
The Russians have apparently taken over a port-city in Syria for their own use in warm-water. They are also anticipating China to build a deep-sea port for them in the Crimea. Meanwhile, China is developing military installations in the South China Seas. Even more surprising, England, which once ruled the seas, is now going independent from the EU, perhaps a move to reclaim itself as the major sea power in the world?
Now I know that the navy has an especial role in the conduct of a military theater and that it can take advantage of its particular geographical placement: on the seas, capable of reaching any earth-based land Nor is its fire power constrained to the realm of water. Its drones and planes hop around nimbly on land masses! The Admiral admitted the US navy plans are limited to a 5-year cycle, after which is pause for assessment, I would surmise.
The navy's mission even in peacetime involves patrolling international sea lanes and cable networks under the oceans so to protect from threat of interference thus enabling commerce and trade. At the meeting, questioners from the audience wondered about China's patrolling of the South China Seas, though the Admiral did not make specific comment on the issue of whether China was doing a responsibly good job. Nor did the Admiral have some apparent comment regarding the Russian detainment of Ukrainian sailors and their ships on the open waters separating Ukraine from Crimea. He did not take a clear position on whether NATO should have become involved after the seizure.
I came away from the presentation in a puzzling frame of mind regarding naval patrolling of international waters: is the navy actively attempting to resolve issues of control of international water lanes?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note-taking of the discussion by Kyla Roberts, Catholic University Graduate Student
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The odyssey continues...about plans to assure that international waterways are being properly guarded--what could the US navy be doing amid all the shipping and transporting water lanes worldwide?
The Russians have apparently taken over a port-city in Syria for their own use in warm-water. They are also anticipating China to build a deep-sea port for them in the Crimea. Meanwhile, China is developing military installations in the South China Seas. Even more surprising, England, which once ruled the seas, is now going independent from the EU, perhaps a move to reclaim itself as the major sea power in the world?
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Brookings Institute: Conversation with General David Goldfein, Chief of Staff, US Air Force
How to bring along our partners in defense to embrace state-of-the-art technologies, including AI, in their weapon systems? General Goldfein's surprising answer: military camaraderie! The US air force has the F35 AI military systems and can make use of it in plotting defensive strategies, but it remains for our military partners to design and install their own AI network programs. His remarks came at the Brookings Institute discussion-event regarding the US military budget, February 19, 2019, in Washington, DC.
Suggested I've heard it described, that the military could identify the big industrial suppliers and developers of US software and hardware to lend a helping hand for start-up companies (funded through venture capital) in these allied countries. In this respect, President Trump has called upon them to increase their military budgets, even as the US Congress has proposed for 2020 here. It is said that China and Russia are our great competitive rivals in military advancement, leaving out of the equation that we are committed to progress in the military of countries aligned with the US military, including S. Korea and Japan, to name just a few concerned specifically over North Korea's military threat.
General Goldfein praised the Israeli military for wanting to incorporate its strategies into the F35 design phase. Israeli weaponry can be a tactical advantage to our own military might.
To my way of thinking, there are wars and situational violence areas today which bespeak the need of dramatic overhaul of military organization in certain countries. Nigeria, that for years has suffered from internal rebellion and strife, should no doubt strengthen its military to overwhelm the enemy from within. And, it is a scandal how ineffectual the French military is in quelling the violence from homegrown protesters! I would think there is need for reorganization to maintain peace and security of the citizenry in instances of unrest and instability whether caused from within or without.
For it seems necessary that our military partners, working with us toward enjoined military progress, requires continual encouragement to act together as a military might, so as to get beyond conventional warfare techniques and make use of cloud technology and AI capabilities in this new era of military readiness.
Suggested I've heard it described, that the military could identify the big industrial suppliers and developers of US software and hardware to lend a helping hand for start-up companies (funded through venture capital) in these allied countries. In this respect, President Trump has called upon them to increase their military budgets, even as the US Congress has proposed for 2020 here. It is said that China and Russia are our great competitive rivals in military advancement, leaving out of the equation that we are committed to progress in the military of countries aligned with the US military, including S. Korea and Japan, to name just a few concerned specifically over North Korea's military threat.
General Goldfein praised the Israeli military for wanting to incorporate its strategies into the F35 design phase. Israeli weaponry can be a tactical advantage to our own military might.
To my way of thinking, there are wars and situational violence areas today which bespeak the need of dramatic overhaul of military organization in certain countries. Nigeria, that for years has suffered from internal rebellion and strife, should no doubt strengthen its military to overwhelm the enemy from within. And, it is a scandal how ineffectual the French military is in quelling the violence from homegrown protesters! I would think there is need for reorganization to maintain peace and security of the citizenry in instances of unrest and instability whether caused from within or without.
For it seems necessary that our military partners, working with us toward enjoined military progress, requires continual encouragement to act together as a military might, so as to get beyond conventional warfare techniques and make use of cloud technology and AI capabilities in this new era of military readiness.
Saturday, February 16, 2019
'Crazy' President Trump should make the upcoming trade deal with China!
It's something I've had to use as a strategy since my career started: When you need to work with a robber-baron/crook do bring to bear all the forces of good to make the deal happen--the intended result into your achievement!
You remember how when Nixon went to China to explore relations with that Communist government, the State Department Diplomats laugh-ed? "Nothing good could come of those initial conversations!" Ha!!
Now with China in 2019, our dealings with them have come a long way. They're not US, to be sure, but they're coming fast in less than a century! Patience, please!
Now, President Trump knows how to work with robber-barn/crooks. Let him lead in the trade talks with China at this crucial stage! Please!
You remember how when Nixon went to China to explore relations with that Communist government, the State Department Diplomats laugh-ed? "Nothing good could come of those initial conversations!" Ha!!
Now with China in 2019, our dealings with them have come a long way. They're not US, to be sure, but they're coming fast in less than a century! Patience, please!
Now, President Trump knows how to work with robber-barn/crooks. Let him lead in the trade talks with China at this crucial stage! Please!
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
In the Spanish parliament, the Catalans join with other groups to bring down the budget
Sensing the need to make a statement on behalf of Catalan Independence the Catalan legislators helped defeat a budget proposal for Spain, insisting that the Spanish Government must be reckon with Catalan Independence in the near, near future. They will not be denied their independence!
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