Our Locked and Loaded gunslinger 9-18-2019

18, September 2019             Our Locked and Loaded gunslinger

Determined to undermine Obama’s legacy, Trump withdrew from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal and on the advice of dearly departed National Security advisor, “let’s give war a chance” John Bolton, imposed crippling sanctions which caused a freefall in Iran’s economy and intensified the anger towards the US.

Completely flummoxed on how to respond to the devastating drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities President Trump turned to our 9/11 ally Saudi Arabia to seek their assessment of who was to blame. Back came the brilliant response, - Iran.

So how is our locked and loaded gunslinging President to respond? If he ignores the perceived Iranian threat and does nothing he loses his credibility. If he orders military action he plunges the Middle East into a new bloody war and would likely damage his reelection prospects. Not surprisingly, Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei rejected Trump’s desperate request for “one-one no strings” meeting.

Saudi Arabia has finally lost the war on Yemen. It has no defenses against new Houthis drone attacks. These weapons threaten the Saudis' economic lifelines. It is time the US halt all weapon sales to Saudi Arabia and broker a peace agreement. We should be in the business of promoting human rights not weapon sales.

Afghanistan, Graveyard of Empires 9-12-2019

12, September 2019               Afghanistan, Graveyard of Empires

Much like President Nixon’s false Vietnam narrative, both Bush and Cheney continued to mislead the American people falsely stating “we have the Taliban on the run.” 

The invasion was a visceral reaction to 9/11. The war followed a familiar trajectory much like the disastrous Vietnam War. Thousands of Americans and a significantly higher number of Afghans have perished. Much like the bungled invasion of Iraq, Afghanistan is in utter chaos. Many veterans returning home are traumatized by the horrors of war.

Others returned in body bags in the dead of night away from the public eye on route to Arlington Cemetery.

According to “Stars and Strikes” 20 veterans commit suicide every day; others turn to drugs to ease the constant pain. After 18 years, the country has become so violent, American diplomats and other supporting personnel still rely on privately-operated helicopters to safely get around in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul.  The invasion was a horrible mistake. The Afghan government is thoroughly corrupt and many Afghans view the Taliban as lesser of the two evils.  

The Taliban own most of the countryside. Conflicted Americans should recall the 1990 interview with Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap of Vietnam, who was asked how long he would have fought the Americans. He responded, “Another 20 years, even a hundred years — as long as it took to win, regardless of cost.” 

The final exit will be similar to Vietnam. There will come a point when the only way out will be by helicopter from the embassy roof.

Brexit 9-5-2019

5, September 2019                           Brexit

In 1957, after centuries of warfare, European nations Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands entered into a trading partnership. Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom soon followed. The Union has prospered since its birth and has now mushroomed to 28 countries. But the virus of populism has finally reached the shores of Britain. Several members of the House of Commons egged on by Nigel Farage, still retain memories of the “glorious days of the raj when Britain expanded its sphere of influence and dominance to the four corners of the planet boasting “the sun will never set on the British empire” (to which British comedians countered “that’s because the bloody sun never shines in Britain”).  

The unhealthy mindset of “make Britain great again” free from European interference has taken hold resenting a subordinate to Brussels. There is little chance that the Brexiteers will achieve a soft Brexit with major EU concessions such as a soft border between north and South Ireland. Resentment over large scale immigration still looms over much of the country with nostalgia for “the good old days.”   In the recent Commons “high noon showdown,” the mercurial Prime Minister Johnson’s ultimatum caused several Conservative heavyweight members to cross the aisle. Jeremy Corbyn sensing his opponent’s whimpering weakness launched a final blistering attack. Johnson gazed up desperately wishing for a “hail Mary” pass to rescue his pathetic performance.  Perhaps his good friend, President Trump’ will toss him a carrot to ease the pain.

Miscarriage of Justice, the Opioid Crisis 9-3-2019

3, September 2019              Miscarriage of Justice, the Opioid Crisis


Gross miscarriage of justice continues to be a depressing fact of life in America.  Trillions of dollars has been squandered from endless wars driven by misguided political leaders intoxicated by US “super military power.” All the guilty (Bush jnr), Cheney, Rumsfeld. . ., escaped punishment. The U.S. attorney general during the 2008 financial crisis failed to punish bankers responsible for rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted corruption.  The unbridled greed of drug companies responsible for the death of thousands of Americans in the Opioid crisis has escaped punishment.  A stunning Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by Eric Eyre in the Charleston Gazette-Mail revealed drug distributors shipped almost 9 million hydrocodone pills to one pharmacy in the town of Kermit, West Virginia, population 392.  Pharmaceutical companies who profited from the Opioid crisis were 1. Purdue Pharma 2. Abbott Labs 3. Johnson & Johnson 4. Pfizer.


254 million opioid prescriptions were filled in 2010 alone, enough to medicate every adult in the U. S. for a month on a round-the-clock basis. In that same year, pharmaceutical companies generated revenues of $11 billion from opioid sales alone.


Johnson & Johnson retained the services of consultants McKinsey & Company to identify opportunities to sell more Opioids and beat the competition unconcerned their drugs could send more and more Americans to their early graves. The broader push was to wean patients off lower doses and on to Johnson & Johnson’s more powerful lethal drugs. J & J misrepresented the dangers of opioid addiction to doctors, manipulated medical research, and helped drive an epidemic that has claimed 400,000 lives over the past two decades. J &J fine of $572 million will hardly serve as a deterrent. What is sorely needed is the prosecution of executives who profit from these criminal enterprises. A long prison term would be a good start. $572 million can easily be dismissed as the cost of doing business.

Trump tweets, market falls 8-27-2019

27, August 2019                   Trump tweets, market falls

It is becoming increasingly apparent to many Americans that Donald Trump is becoming more and more delusional. His bizarre tweets have little to do with market stability and everything to do with trying to project a “tough guy” persona. The wild gyrations of the market are a direct reflection of his trade wars with China which show no signs of abating. President Xi Jinping is unlikely to back down and appear weak to his domestic audience especially given the increasing turmoil in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Trump has flip/flopped repeatedly unable to cobble together a coherent policy. In a rare of truth he admitted having second thoughts about his trade policy but then abruptly changed his mind promising more punishing tariffs.

Meanwhile Democrats have seized the opportunity and hammered his trade policy which is rooted in pure vindictiveness and anger.

At the G7 meeting world leaders, with the exception of Prime Minister of Britain, Boris Johnson, shunned Trump uncomfortable with his unpredictable behavior.

His relationship to world leaders follows a familiar pattern. Great admiration (Kim Jon Un of North Korea, President Macron of France, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada, Teresa May of Britain, . .)   quickly followed by harsh criticism.

Apocalyptic with China’s response to his tariff wars, he ordered all U.S. companies to leave China citing an obscure law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977.

The law’s original intent was to isolate companies engaged in criminal activities not break economic ties with a major trading partner over a tariff dispute.  Recently, the thin skinned Trump has ordered his staff to “dig dirt” and shame reporters critical of his policies, hallmark of an autocratic ruler.

Medical professionals are expressing major concerns over Trump’s declining mental state summarized in the New York Times best seller, by Dr. Brady Lee “The dangerous case of Donald Trump.”

Israel’s war crimes 8-23-2019

23, August 2019                        Israel’s war crimes

Jane Ferguson, one of the most courageous and trusted reporters in the world, was on assignment in Gaza for the PBS Newshour and filed a most disturbing report.

For the past several months Palestinians in Gaza have protested their appalling conditions along the border fence with Israel. For the most part the protests have been peaceful but international observers have reported devastating injuries inflicted on Palestinians by Israeli sniper fire. Many have suffered broken legs which appear to be a deliberate effort to inflict maximum pain and injury.

A staggering seven thousand have been shot by the Israeli army while taking part in protests in the last 15 months. Dozens have lost a limb.

On May 14, 2018, Gazans took part in a march of return to demonstrate for the right to return to their family's ancestral homes inside Israel, homes their forbearers were forced to flee when Israel was formed in 1948.

The Gaza Strip has been under blockade by Israel since June 2007. It is one of the most densely populated places in the world, with nearly two million people packed into a sliver of land 25 miles long and five miles wide.

Unemployment is at a staggering 52 percent, leaving young men helpless and desperate.

Palestinians have long declared Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state. That hope was dashed by the autocratic Donald Trump who “gifted” the city to Israel. Prior U.S. administrations stated unequivocally that Jerusalem would stay neutral pending final negotiations. During the peaceful protests 73 Palestinians were killed and 2,500 injured almost all in the legs. As lead surgeon in Gaza's main hospital, Dr. Adnan Al Borsh told Jane Ferguson that the hospital was overwhelmed unable to cope with all the injured. Lack of instruments, antibiotics and anesthesia intensified the suffering of the injured and resulted in complete fatigue of the medical staff, some of who were also shot and killed.

It was the nature of the wounds that most disturbed Dr. Al Borsh. The bullets measured 1 centimeter on entry but exploded more than 15 to 20 centimeters on exit inflicting enormous damage shattering everything in their path forcing surgeons to amputate limbs.  Doctors Without Borders surgeons made similar observations.

Many of the simpers were recorded laughing while shooting at unarmed protestors. This massacre seemed to be a carefully orchestrated effort to terrorize the population to a state of impotence. As Israel’s largest supplier of military aid, America is complicit in these war crimes.

Saleh Hijazi who heads Amnesty International in Israel and the Palestinian territories stated, “The willful cause of injury and death is a war crime and therefore Israel has violated international law.”

In another damning report, the United Nations' independent commission of inquiry stated “the Israeli military sniping at protesters was unlawful and unjustified, and should be referred to the International Criminal Court at The Hague”. Unless members of Congress and the American public raise their collective voices and demand an immediate halt to all military and economic aid to Israel, these crimes will continue. Finally, we must demand Israel lift the siege of Gaza and end its suffocating occupation.

Anger over trade policies intensifies 8-20-2019

20, August 2019                Anger over trade policies intensifies

Farmers are voicing mounting anger over Trumps erratic trade policies. Many Midwestern farmers have slipped into bankruptcies unable to sell their products in established markets like China. Widespread flooding has killed cattle and left many fields waterlogged. Once again Trump has trapped himself and our nation into a proverbial cul-de-sac unable to admit his trade policies are a failure. Many fruit farmers in California have slid into bankruptcy unable to sell their products blocked by new tariff barriers. A chronic shortage of fruit pickers caused by Trump’s draconian immigration policies has driven up food prices.  Unpicked fruit is allowed to rot on trees.


Desperate to end the trade war he started, Trump falsely claimed that ‘China was ready to talk’ prompting several newspapers to headline ‘China blinks’.

Farmers are left in the lurch unable to plan ahead with any degree of certainty.

They make up the core of Trump’s constituency.  If he loses their support his reelection prospects will likely fade.  Nancy Johnson the executive director of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association echoed what many farmers are feeling “you can’t take hope to the banker to get loans for operating.”

Many famers have become so desperate they are postponing their health coverage, others are demanding to know whether Trump is a master dealer or a master salesman.

We have only to look at the litany of his business failures to know the answer. In act of desperation Trump has even waged war on Fox News.