Al Jazeera English Says West Needs Ahmadinejad

The newly launched Al Jazeera English version has posted up an article on their website that claims the west needs Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iran, not the other way around. I think that position rises or falls on one crucial question...does America want to continue being Politically Correct, or do we want to take the gloves off, and do whatever it takes to seize victory from defeat in Iraq, and to once and for all end Iran's march towards having nuclear weapons. If America, our leaders, our military generals shrug off the cloak of restraint that is Political Correctness, and instead fight to win at all costs, settling for nothing less than full and complete surrender, then Iran is nothing if but a nuisance.

We here in America are now hearing a call to re implement the draft...now, the facts are simple. We are in a police action similar to Vietnam over in Iraq. Short of doubling, even tripling the number of troops in theatre in Iraq, and going back into a war footing, that war cannot be won. The militias of Iraq have to be defeated, there must be a full surrender, renegade want to be leaders like Sadr either killed or captured. Short of a draft, where does the Pentagon propose finding the troops necessary for such an action? In World War II we had a Marshall plan, and even today we still have troops on the ground in Japan and Germany. We were victorious because we really did use overwhelming force, including the dropping of THE BOMB. We either bring our troops home in Iraq, or we take the gloves off, stop worrying about world opinion, and do whatever it takes to be Victorious...there is no middle ground.

Iran...SANCTIONS WILL NOT WORK, and it is that simple, we have seen it time and again. What will work? Our nukes. OH MY GAWD, that's politically incorrect! Oh, and the devastation visited upon civilized society by various assorted terrorist groups funded by Iran, what is that? If strategic pin point bombing took out the city of Tehran, how long do you think the people would want to fight? They would not fight, they would have poked the tiger once to often and paid the price...you see, having the greatest military in the world only means something if you use it, and you use it well. Once the fear of that force is gone, you have lost your advantage. Bush has pushed us dangerously close to having NOTHING.

So, do we need Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? If we stay the course of Political Correctness, yes we do. However, if we are going to stop worrying about what others think, and instead play to win, he becomes nothing, a bug waiting to be stomped on. So Bush, what's it going to be?

Why the West needs Ahmadinejad
By Rageh Omaar in Tehran
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/257DD78A-63A7-4427-A444-262D0FD9F6C7.htm

A year is a long time in Iranian politics. Twelve months ago, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, was branded a hardliner by Washington - a religious zealot, and a direct threat to Israel.

Now he is seen as essential to helping George Bush and Tony Blair out of the policy disaster in Iraq.

What is it about him and his government that the American president and British prime minister got so wrong?


Austere leader

Ahmedinejad lectured at a prestigious university in Tehran, teaching civil engineering.

He is still technically a member of the faculty. His office remains untouched, should he wish to return.

You would know that it was Dr Ahmadinejad's office only by its austerity and religious symbols.

Students and colleagues, even those who do not agree with his politics, say they respect him.

Ahmadinejad represents a crucial break in Iranian politics – he is the first post-revolutionary who is not a cleric, he fought in the Iran-Iraq war, and crucially he is seen as not being corrupt.

If the West has underestimated his government's influence in Iraq and the region, they have also exaggerated his vulnerability here in Iran.

So it is hardly surprising that most ordinary Iranians are not hugely interested in Tony Blair's comments on Iraq, especially as he has said Iran would have to give up its nuclear enrichment programme before any talks – something every Iranian leader has said will not happen.

People here feel that when it comes to Iraq and even Lebanon and Afghanistan, Britain and the US need them, not the other way round.

What they want to know is what benefits does Iran get for such assistance?

We Want Our Fence...Calderon Mind Your Own Business

The elections are over, Rumsfeld is gone, and it seems Washington (with pressure from Mexico's incoming president Calderon) is trying to renege on it's promise to the American people to build a 700 mile fence, and crack down on illegal aliens. Well, here's a WAKE UP CALL TO THE DEMS who are about to take office...I voted for you, because I am tired of the lies and corruption in Washington, BUT I WANT THE FENCE, and will vote against every one of you at a local, state and federal level in 2008 if you do not follow through on the building of this much needed deterent to illegal immigration.

Washington needs to get a SERIOUS CLUE. If they are here illegally, WE WANT THEM TO BE DEPORTED. If they are hiring illegals, we want them imprisoned and harshly fined. If they are helping them (Catholic Charities) in remaining in America illegally, we want them imprisoned. The law is the law, and it is time we as lower and middle class citizens stop paying the price for Corporations love affair with CHEAP SLAVE LABOR. It's time Mexico deal with it's own problems, and stop lowering our citizens standard of living by sending their citizens here to steal our jobs. In short, if you cannot come here LEGALLY, we DO NOT WANT YOU HERE.

WASHINGTON — Divided over a border fence, President Bush and Mexico's
president-elect pledged on Thursday to work together on stopping illegal
immigration.
Felipe Calderon, who takes office on Dec. 1, has called the U.S. plan to build a 700-mile fence along the border "deplorable" and compared it to the construction of the Berlin Wall. After a meeting in the Oval Office, the leaders struck a tone of cooperation.

"I expressed to President Bush my concern regarding the issue of migration," Calderon said through an interpreter. "President Bush was very open to all the arguments that I presented to him. We both stressed the need to have a comprehensive vision with which we can move forward."

Bush signed the law authorizing the fence on Oct. 26. He wants more — temporary
worker permits for foreigners willing to take low-wage jobs and a path for illegal immigrants working in the United States for some time to become citizens. But Congress has not agreed. Bush said Thursday that Mexico is a priority for his administration. He said he stands by his push for a comprehensive immigration overhaul.

Changing times.

Greetings:

Sure as this and my other blogs blossom, that some of you will come to know me, others will rediscover someone they have read and enjoyed in other renditions as I've searched to find my voice. As this election shows, we live in changing times, and with those variances in the warp and weave of our National fabric, I seem to have moved in a new direction myself. I'll be condensing and recreating my web presence here on Blogger with various, yet targeted blogs that I hope many of you will become vibrant parts of, either as readers, contributors, or behind the scenes by joining in a collaborative effort to brand this new project aimed at effecting change throughout American, and perhaps the world.

Perhaps the first change of significant mention, is the fact that I am looking for, even begging for collaborators, no longer content with striking off on my own. If you are a blogger, photographer, artist, web/Internet genius, layout zen master a website dabbler, or just want to join into something bigger than self, please contact me at my email address of roycepenstinger@aol.com so that we can chat and discuss where you would like to go, what you would like to bring to this new venture in blogging to effect political and social change in A) the United States, B) the World, and perhaps even C) the Universe. I, and my idea also need benefactors, people who don't have the time to take on yet another fledgling idea on the world wide web, but who would be willing to donate to the cause, either in a financial way, or through the donation of equipment and supplies. Yes, I am thinking BIG here, and BIG requires people with deeper pockets who are willing to donate to the cause.

It might be time here to provide some background...I'm an angry American, and I have been angry for quite some time for various reasons. It's not news to me, that our political system is out of sync with America's citizens. Yet, let's not blame this all on politics, nor on the politicians themselves. Too often I've fought the good fight on various social issues of importance, and seen most of the affected citizens stay home. I've watched elections (2000 and 2004 as examples) where most of us did not vote, though no one seemed quiet in their complaining about the statusquo that gripped our nation's capital. In short, America for too long seems to have suffered from/is suffering from a National Apathy, the majority base of our citizens on both sides of the aisle doing nothing because they have bought into the belief that they were but ONE PERSON who's voice did not matter.

One person believed he COULD make a difference, and decided to take a chance. A few of his friends believed he could make a difference, and backed him in his dream. That dream was to run for the position of United States Congressman here in New York's 19th District. There were others who heard his message, were convinced of his sincerity and his message, and they joined this small group, and a cause was born against all odds. Being angry, and unhappy with who represented us, I myself was looking for change, was willing to back ANY ONE but the person currently in office, but wise enough to know I did not want more of the same. I made phone calls, sent out emails (angry ones) and researched a field of FIVE Democratic candidates who were vying for the Democratic nod to take on the incumbent.

One morning I called the office of John Hall, and perhaps the cosmos intervened in the process, as it was the man himself who picked up the phone. We ended up speaking for around two hours on the issues, and on my concerns...HE LISTENED! We argued, we disagreed, we found common ground, and I joined his team. Last night, November 7th, 2006 against all odds he defeated a six term incumbent to become our Congressman. It was a true GRASSROOTS victory, many joining together in a common cause to effect change an send and outsider to Washington, DC. Albeit a small one, I played a part, did my own little thing to contribute to the whole, and with literally thousands of us each doing our thing, contributing our small part to the bigger whole, we WERE SUCCESSFUL, and in that is the beauty of our democracy.

The journey to last night has changed me. I for the past six-eight months have been a small part of something far bigger than I could ever hope to be as one person. I've seen that little people working together as a team can and perhaps should effect change. We may not all agree on every issue, but we can find common ground on which to build a new future for ourselves, our children and their children, and the United States of America. A dream is born.

Creating a vehicle for change...a group of blogs, and bloggers all tied together for a common cause under a unified theme/brand. Enter Blogger, where numerous blogs can all be created under one name, each blog capable of having numerous writers contributing to the whole. So, just a few days before the election was over, I created Gather Democrats, the blog. Realizing that change requires reaching across the aisle, I also created Gather Republicans here on Blogger under the same unifying umbrella account. (looking for someone to manage and grow that blog.) Today, John Hall elected, I decided we need accountability, the proverbial trust but verify blog that would chart and blueprint this new Congressman's career in Washington. I created the Congressman John Hall Blog. This latest blog you are reading, "Porgie's News and Views" represents my own need to share and speak on the news of the day, life and whatever else catches the attention of those that choose to be a part of this area.

During the election, I put up numerous videos on YouTube, and want to grow a group of dedicated and committed videographers, so that we can use that media to spread the word, and get the truth out. Again, see these video's being branded under our larger umbrella of Gather Democrats and Republicans working together for change as we move towards the 2008 election and beyond. In short, I see this collaborative effort the beginnings of returning our nation, and our democracy to the people, and hope as days turn into weeks, and weeks into months and years that our community of concerned bloggers grows as our message spreads across the world wide web.

A long post, and hope a few of you have read it all the way through, and that I find emails from new friends (and old) gracing my email box as this dream evolves into a new reality.

Porgie Tirebiter
roycepenstinger@aol.com

CURRENT WISH LIST

1. Video and Digital camera(s) as well as edit ting and creation software programs.

2. Creative souls of every kind.

3. Lap tops so that we can create an army of MOBILE REPORTERS stretching across America, and perhaps the world...can you imagine an embedded BLOGGER over in Iraq, or perhaps having the ability to send and independent blogger over to report back unabridged on the conditions found on the ground there? Imagine interviewing some of our troops UNEDITED!

4. Links...success on the Internet is all about getting others to believe in your cause enough to toss you a link, help in creating traffic to your message. So, if you are reading this, or some of our other blogs, please LINK TO US.

5. MONEY...I know, I hate this, but bringing dreams into reality takes not only vision, but cash. I've never been good at asking for money, there is no nice way to request a hand out, especially when you are not promising anything in return, but lets be honest...in today's society, building anything requires an investment, and too often those with dreams do not have the necessary financial capital to see them become reality...I am no different. So, like what you are reading, think it is the beginning of something worthwhile? Then skip your morning Starbucks, go without that third Friday night glass of wine at your favorite little bistro and send us a small token gift. You can email me for where to send it, and with luck, will have a Pay Pal account operational shortly.