Iraq or The Islamic State - A Failure of Action

So it has happened. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/Levant has done something which never was done before. It has created a new nation-state for itself in what was once part of the Ottoman Empire without the influence of any European country. The new entity is known as a The Islamic State.

Trust me, this is nor a celebration by any means. Instead, I am more afraid that this splintered, rogue group no longer affiliated with al-Qaeda, is able sustain itself, with a strong governing body,  provide essential services to the people and implement sixteenth century justice to those who don't comply.

In addition, it controls about a third of Syria and perhaps just about half of the land mass of Iraq. It also controls Mosul and Tikrit, areas and cities where American soldiers were injured or who died trying to secure these areas for the current government of Iraq.

The entire story is chronicled in the late edition of Sunday's USA Today.

At this point, Prime Minister al-Maliki has lost the faith of the people to provide security or essential services. I, along with many other Americans and Iraqis, are forced to agree with President Obama that al-Maliki needs to go, the quicker the better, to allow for a  new government to form and be put into place before the country no longer  exists.

The Iraq that we shed American men and women's blood to save and re-establish, and the trillions of dollars to try to support that endeavor, will never be the same. It has collapsed into a modern day Civil War, where brother is fighting brother, father is shooting at son and the United States is once again, like Vietnam, is involving itself into a no-win situation.

We can sit here and say we were wrong to leave in 2011. I agree with that assessment.  But the fact is, we did and repeating it over again will not change that reality. Instead, we must figure out, as much as we have lost our will to fight, how we can best resolve this with minimal to escalation toward 2003 levels.

And soon.

In the final analysis, as I said in my commentary of June 17 called The Obama-Iraqi Legacy , "But, Barry, the clock is ticking and the time is growing short. I am thinking you have until the July 4th weekend, if that much time, before Iraq comes crashing down and destroys your presidency. That's less than three weeks."

Now we are down to four days, at best. The ISIL is consolidating its grip on the lifeline of Iraq, while Obama and Kerry are dancing the time away.

President Bush's Iraq Legacy, among other things good and bad, was eliminating the tyrannical Saddam Hussein. At the time, it seemed like a good thing. After all, the people celebrated his abdication and subsequent execution. 

President Obama's Iraq Legacy will be equally good and bad. But he will long be remembered for allowing a democratically elected government fall to the most despicable elements of Islam. Then, Iraq will become the hotbed of jihadist terrorism, spreading fear to its immediate Arabic neighbors, as well as, to countries far and wide.

For that, our efforts, the permanent injuries to our veterans and the deaths of over 3,500 brave American men and women will be in vain. 

Time to Shut Down the VOA

The Voice of America is the official broadcast institution of the United States. It is a taxpayer-funded radio broadcast enterprise, which broadcasts in forty three languages to an audience of an estimated 123 million people over 1,500 hours a each week.

A little history. In 1940, the Office of the Coordinator of Interamerican Affairs was set up, which was headed by Nelson Rockefeller and began broadcasting its signals to Latin America as part of the State Department' Good Neighbor policy. It was considered vital to offset Nazi Propaganda.

The first live broadcast to Nazi Germany, called Stimmen aus Amerika (Voices from America) occurred on February 1, 1942. It was introduced by "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and included the pledge, "Today, and every day from now on, we will be with you from America to talk about the war. No matter whether the news is good or bad for us, we will always tell you the truth."

During the Cold War, VOA broadcast to the Soviet Union and its satellite countries every day, which included news, music and subtle propaganda, or "editorials" much like those Radio Moscow or Radio Havana broadcast toward the United States. This was done in the languages of the audiences. Also, during the early 1950s, VOA broadcast to Asia, the Middle East and Latin America in the appropriate languages. In addition, during the 1980s as the Soviets occupied Afghanistan, broadcasts began to that country began in Pashto and Dari.

During the 1990s, VOA added Tibetan, Kurdish to Iran and Iraq, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian and Bosnian to the former Yugoslavia, and Rwanda-Rundi to its library of languages.

Once the Clinton Administration abolished the USIA in 1999, VOA and other agencies which were supervised by this entity were merged into the State Department, otherwise known as "Foggy Bottom".

So, what has happened?

In years past, journalists from various commercial radio stations would appear on VOA, some becoming so identified by the sounds of their voices and favored by the listeners. However, after the State Department took control of VOA, a different slant overtook the agenda of the total programming.

It seems that since 1999, VOA has become another entity of the mainstream media rather than an independent American government information medium. Why is that?

Sadly, I believe liberal State Department bureaucrats have hijacked VOA and have given the entity their own agenda, similar to what has happened to NPR. Previously, the USIA controlled VOA through the Broadcasting Board of Governors; this was a bipartisan panel of eight private citizens, appointed by the President, confirmed by the Senate and the SecState acting in an ex-officio capacity.  Now, it no longer seems so independent.

Since 9/11, several apparently anti-American interviews were conducted at the expense of American taxpayers. I mention two of them:

In late September, 2001, Mullah Omar Muhammed, Taliban Leader, was given a platform to spew his hatred of the US, the justification for protecting Osama bin Laden and other reasons for his anti-American position. Reporters and editors stood by VOA and its position for editorial independence from the Governors. VOA received praise from other press organizations for its protests and in 2002, won the Payne Award for its Ethics in Journalism.

In 2007, Abdul Malik Rigi, the leader of a militant group with possible links to al-Qaeda, appeared on VOA's Persian Service. VOA introduced Rigi as "the leader of popular Iranian resistance movement", which was untrue. The interview resulted in public condemnation from the Iranian-American community.

Perhaps, it is now necessary to consider the closing of VOA. Since it is no longer a viable entity, and gives anti-Americans a voice in its content, there are many of us who feel that this doesn't exemplify its original purpose: to educate the world in American life, including news, music and our Constitutional ideals.  It is costing us too much money to be castigated in this way.

To sum up: it is time to close down the Voice of America. It is no longer our voice.

Berliner Plus 50 - Redux

On June 26, 1963, John F. Kennedy gave one of his last great speeches before he died so tragically that November 22. We will never really know what would have happened in a second Kennedy term. But the speech he gave on that day probably was his opening salvo as the first campaign speech of the 1964 Presidential election cycle. Ironically, he gave it not to the voters who would decide that election, but rather to the citizens of West Berlin.

I wrote the commentary below in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of that speech and I have provided you with the link for you to review these many years later to understand the significance of this. It is not a long speech, but it is an important one in the annuls of American history.  I also provided you with a snippet of a vimeo video to hear him and the response from the multitude.

As always, your comments are welcome.

Berliner Speech

 Video

http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/detail/3376

http://vimeo.com/64048942

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Berliner Plus 50

Tomorrow, June 26, is the 50th anniversary of JFKs "Ich bin ein un Berliner" speech. As a 12 year old kid, I thought he was talking over his head. But as I grew up, I had the opportunity to study (I was a Political Science and History major), read, listen to and analyze the deeper meaning of this speech on the heals of The Peace Speech, which was his commencement address at American University on June 10, 1963.

The characteristics of the two speeches couldn't be more different and stark. In The Peace Speech, he offers an olive branch to the Soviets in order to come to the table and discuss nuclear weapons and other issues of note. In the "Berliner" speech, which was given at the Berlin Wall sixteen days later, he offers a challenge and a promise to both Germanys, the Soviet Union and the world, that the US will be in Europe for the duration, until and beyond when Germany, and Berlin, are one again.

He talks about the Roman Empire, where Civis Romanus sum, or I am a Roman citizen, was the proudest statement a Roman from two millennia ago could say,  and equates its importance to modern Berlin, Ich bin ein un Berliner, or I am a Berliner, and the importance of that statement in 1963. The meaning wasn't lost in the translation to the Germans, or to the Soviets, although he actually said "I am a donut".

It doesn't matter. It's meaning was clear. Just like President Reagan challenged the Soviets, and Mikhail Gorbachev at the same spot in front of The Wall, with "Mr Gorbachev. Tear down this wall!" in June, 1987, Kennedy knew exactly what he meant and what he was doing in 1963.

This speech has withstood the test of time. 50 years, well, can be looked at through the prism of history. We will find that this speech in all probability, was really the beginning of the end for the old USSR, because shortly after, President Nixon and Secretary Kissinger used the vacillation in the old Soviet regime to open China and build a Detente with both countries which has lasted to the present day.

Kennedy died later that year and never saw the long-term result from that speech. He would have been proud to say that he played a part in the changing of the world. Perhaps, the Cold War would have ended sooner had he lived to see a second term,  for he surely would have been reelected. His key advisors have shown us his second-term agenda to see what was plotted and he would have finished all the things he planned.

It's too bad, because history doesn't allow for woulda-, shoulda- and coulda-beens. We can't know an alternative  history because to the practical mind, there is none. But we can know this: Kennedy's "Berliner" speech showed the world that his Inauguration Address was not platitudes and empty words on a piece of paper. When Kennedy spoke, it meant something. Only Reagan, since that time, has said something as meaningful.

And it began 50 Years ago tomorrow..

Originally published in Frankmchalesviews.blogspot.com  on June 25, 2013

A Nice Distraction - Summer Edition

Six months from today is Christmas Eve. Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday, we were taking down the tree and wrapping the lights.

It was a tough winter for most of the country, including the Northeast. I know it is only the third full day of summer and we haven't had a sustained heat wave yet on Long Island. But, it is strange that winter would be on my mind.

I figured out why. With all that has been happening lately, the mind was looking for a distraction, one which would be totally different from that of all the negative news domestically and the horror we are witnessing in several foreign locales, most notably Iraq.

So, while I am not a fan of winter for any reason, I am a fan of Christmas. This is the one holiday which we celebrate secularly and religiously in the United States and Canada. It is both a National holiday and a Christian Holy Day.

I love the festive feeling I get from Thanksgiving on. Don’t you? Actually, in recent years, Christmas music is played 24/7 and starts the weekend before Thanksgiving, whether I am on Long Island or in the city.

Merry Christmas Darling (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last year, I had an opportunity to visit friends in New England and of course, Christmas music was being played. On a Classic Rock station no less. I was put into Christmas mode on November 8, which I wrote about in my commentary of November 11 called A Christmas Song? Already?

And of course, in about a month, QVC, HSN and all the rest of the shopping channels will have their Christmas shows, selling toys, and jewelry, and tools; desserts, and food, and candies; and through it all, wishing each caller a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. 

 Maybe this is the way our minds are supposed to work. You know, distract us from the serious problems we face each day, either for ourselves personally or from the plethora of information which crowds out our brains with things we can't control.

So, Merry Six Months to Go to Christmas. It really is ok to be distracted once in a while, you know, to recharge the batteries. I was distracted from the world writing this. I hope you were as distracted reading it.

As Scarlett once said, "Tomorrow is another day!" 

The Lying Commissar

Has anyone ever accessed your work email from someplace other than your work computer? I know I have.

In fact, I have retrieved my work email from my home, my phone, a friend's computer and so many other places. I bet you have, too.

So, why is it that the IRS Commissioner wants us to believe that because Lois Lerner's work computer "crashed", her information is lost forever? Even I, and you, know that this is just dissembling at its worst. And we aren't computer nerds.

Paul Ryan was absolutely correct to say to Commissioner Koskinen was lying and that he didn't believe his story. Actually, no one in America believes him, either. He perjured himself so badly. Prosecution is probably in his future, too.

At least Lois Lerner didn't perjure herself, even though her opening statement was self-serving. But like John Koskinen, she is a major part of the conspiracy and cover-up. Along with so many others who will spin the same tale.

Koskinen showed he had no regard, no respect for our country, our laws and our integrity as a fair and honest people by outright lying to the Congress. Under oath. Shades of Haldemann, Erlichmann and Dean?  

English: 16th Amendment of the United States Constitution. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Why is that? Was he promised a presidential pardon for his crime of perjury? Does he believe, as our President does, that he is above the law?

In 1974, we chased a President from office for abusing his power by using the IRS as his own secret police against his political enemies. Forty years later, we are in the same spot, only this time, a democrat is in charge.

And where is the media? They were all over Nixon like white on rice because he used his power in a most untoward and illegal manner. Now? They are sitting on the sidelines like they have money on the game. What a shame! Oh wait... They have none.

Now, finally, we are learning how corrupt the IRS REALLY is. There is no honor among these thieves, the thieves who bully us at every possible turn, by confiscating our property, our income, our savings, without regard to an honest and fair hearing. It is the only agency who violates our constitutional rights and for now, can get away with it.

It is time to repeal the Sixteenth Amendment and with that repeal, close down this dishonest Gestapo-like agency forever. I wrote on April 14, 2014, the day before Tax Day, a commentary called The Lerner Lesson where I reviewed the reason why at that time it was essential this agency be eliminated and that the tax code be overhauled.

After this despicable, criminal behavior by President Obama's lying henchman, it now has been proven that this agency no longer works for the people, but instead for whomever is in charge at the moment, for that "leader's" political agenda. 

Obama, folks, is no better than Nixon on this issue. They both abused their power by making the IRS a tool for their political agenda. And this week, the Commissioner of the IRS proved he is no better than Heinrich Himmler, who would lie for his master, with an alleged promise of a pardon.

  

Finally, I am sure the IT men and women didn't like it much when they were thrown under the bus by their boss. THEY are the people the Congress needs to question. THEY WILL GIVE THE ANSWERS THE COMMISSIONER AND LOIS LERNER REFUSE TO GIVE. 

The first question, to which we all already know the answer, should be "Can Ms Lerner's email be accessed at my computer?" The answer given will seal this Commissioner's fate.

Trust me. I know because, while I am not a computer whiz, I managed the IT department in the Bank where I worked. 

"Not a smidgen of corruption," indeed!

A Prescription for New York

Finally! New York is now the twenty-third state to approve marijuana for medical purposes. It will be effective on January 1, 2016.

If you recall, I wrote a commentary on January 7 called The Governor Gets the Light where I reviewed a brief comment made by Gov Cuomo to legalize marijuana for medical use in his State of the State message. As I indicated in that commentary, New York's law would probably be far more restrictive than other states, and now we see is. But, at least it is a start.

New York will allow the use of marijuana for only ten ailments. However, on the surface, a broad interpretation could be taken for some ailments like spinal chord injuries and nerve injuries, neuropathies and irritable bowel disease. Other covered ailments include cancer, HIV/AIDS, ALS, Parkinson's, MS, epilepsy and Huntington disease. 

 

Governor Cuomo

Smoking it will NOT be permitted, but approved delivery systems include vaporizers, edibles and oils. 

 Finally, the state will charge the manufacturer a 7% tax, which, of course,  will be passed along to the patient.

It was a grueling debate between the governor and the lawmakers. The Governor wanted a more restrictive law while lawmakers wanted many more eligible conditions for use. Ultimately, the Governor won concessions, probably in threat of a veto. 

 There will be criminal charges to both patients and physicians who abuse the system. I am sure neither will jeopardize themselves to cheat. Doing so would hurt both groups.

Additionally, the legislation is subject to review seven years from enactment, and an abrupt end if abuse is discovered. Cuomo agreed to back the bill once this "fail-safe" proviso was added.

 The winners of this law are the many people who suffer from so many ailments which will now be treated with medical marijuana. We all know someone who will finally find peace and solace with the administration of marijuana, rather than Vicodin or other chemically manufactured pain killers.

So, twenty-three down, twenty-seven to go. Now that New York, New Jersey, Florida and California (the first state, years ago) are on board, the the rest of the states will fall like dominoes. How soon, then, will the Congress follow?

The sooner, the better.  

The Obama-Iraqi Legacy

Ok. Is this man walking around with two personalities?  Or is it three?? Who knows anymore? He certainly doesn't.

After first telling us last Tuesday that the world is safer and more at peace than at anytime since 9/11, and on Thursday when he said the Iraqis need to do a better job dealing with the "insurgency", on Friday he said he would continue to review the Iraqi situation with his "National Security team". But, he immediately ruled out sending in American troops to fight.

"No boots on the ground," Barry said. Oh, and the Shiite-led government has to play nice with all the other religious and social groups in country.

As late as Sunday, it was reported he was still insisting that no US troops would be deployed to Iraq.

So what changed?

Apparently, the potential embarrassment of losing a fortified embassy influenced this decision.  The image of April 29 and 30, 1975 had to cross his mind as something he witnessed, as did we all. Americans hanging off helicopter runners and each other leaving the embassy roof in Saigon was a sorry sight when there weren't enough military there to defend our assets and our citizens.

Also, the specter that was and is Benghazi is still fresh in most Americans' minds. Privately, he had to acknowledge that losing two ambassadors within less than two years would not bode well for any chance to complete his term. Even Harry Reid, his waterboy, would not be able to defend such incompetence, as the sitting Majority Leader. Calls for impeachment would ramp up one thousand fold.

In Monday's late online edition of  USA Today, it was reported that he was planning to send in 275 total Marines, apparently to guard the embassy from harm, both to the structure and to the people AND to assist the Iraqi government in fighting off the insurgents. Oh yeah? From al-Baghdadi  and 10,000 marauding, wild-eyed terrorists? Really? Who gave him this advice?  Susan Rice? Jay Carney? Joe Biden?

Oh, and by the way, we are now joining the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in this endeavor. That's right, folks.  The Mullahs and Ayatollahs are our new BFFs. Isn't that nice?

Look. I don't want the Iraq "civil war"  to destroy a country we rescued from one dictator, only to fall into the hands of someone like al-Baghdadi, who is ten times, one hundred times worse. If Iraq falls into the hands of this International criminal, then the exodus we are witnessing now will be nothing compared to what will happen if Sharia Law is implemented nationwide.

Even the Iranians don't really want that next door. After all, once the Taliban retakes control of Afghanistan, and it will, Iran would have two neighbors with the worst form of Islam on both sides of it. The Iranian leaders may be theocratic, but they are pragmatic, too.

So, Barry is sending in the Marines. How long before the Air Force, Army and Navy join them? Months? Weeks? If he is smart, sadly it really should be days. He is like a child being dragged off to the bathtub, kicking and screaming. He doesn't want to do this, but he really has no choice.  275 Marines won't cut it. He has to send in 275,000 NOW to fix this mess HE CAUSED before there is no Iraq to fix.

If he doesn't kick it up five notches, he not only will be the worst President we ever had, he will be the only President to lose two wars that could have been won, could be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and might be the first President to end up in prison.

He needs to admit, if only to himself, that EVERYTHING he did was wrong and try to right it all at this time in history. But, Barry, the clock is ticking and the time is growing short. I am thinking you have until the July 4th weekend, if that much time, before Iraq comes crashing down and destroys your presidency. That's less than three weeks.

Your legacy is lost, Mr President. Stop asking what your country can do for you and your enormous ego. THAT is what you can do for the good of your country.

Is that too much to ask?

A Father's Day Tribute

Hallmark has pushed the holiday of Fathers Day since before WWI, in order  to have us care to send the very best to our Dads. On Sunday, June 16, we celebrate that great day again.

In 1910, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington held the first Fathers Day to honor her father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran who raised six children as a single parent. This tradition slowly grew legs, with various Presidents granting unofficial proclamations until 1966, when LBJ signed the first official proclamation making the third Sunday in June that year, Fathers Day. Finally, in 1972, President Nixon signed legislation making the holiday permanent.

We celebrate the day to pay homage and respect to those men who are fathers, to those men who who offer parental guidance to children who don't have a Dad in his or her life, and others who are there as surrogate fathers, generally. It is as important as Mothers Day, a day we honor our moms for all the things they do for us.

My Dad was hardworking, sometimes working two jobs to take care of his six children, four boys and two girls, and our stay at home Mom. In those days, there were larger families, with five or more children in each, and moms, generally,  stayed at home to care for their children. Day care in the 50s and 60s was non-existent, certainly only in its infancy.

But he was home for dinner most nights, as his part-time job was two nights a week and his days off from his full-time job. He was able to coach our little league team while his sons played and later, umpire for several years after we were done. He was there some afternoons and almost every Sunday, to drive two of my brothers and me to deliver our paper routes.

He taught us that working hard was a value that was respected and appreciated by supervisors as a great work ethic. I have tried to pass this on to my children and I am proud to say, that they, too, have great work ethics.

My Dad, and my Mom, who have been married 63 years, will both be 84 this summer. Mom still tries to act like she is 54 (lol) but my Dad is starting to show his age, physically and mentally. But that's ok because he has lived a long and hard life, and has much to show for his efforts.

So, Happy Fathers Day, Dad, and to  all the dads out there, young and old. Enjoy this day because even our government says you can. No matter whether you have to work today or not, make it the best ever!

And have a dog with kraut and Jack on the rocks with a twist of lime for me. After all, you've earned it!

Originally posted on July 14, 2013 in Frankmchalesviews.blogspot.com

The Iraqi-Afghani-Iranian Empire Connection

The news had been quiet in the Iraq front, with all the stories about the VA, Bergdahl and the Taliban, the President's trips to Afghanistan and Europe, and just Tuesday, the seismic shift in the Congressional Leadership. 

On Wednesday, I found a story which appeared both in the AP online news site and in the Wednesday evening online edition of the New York Times.

Since we left in 2011, Iraq has increasingly experienced turmoil because the Iraqi government and army are weak. The Sunnis, Saddam Hussein's sect of Islam, have taken control of Mosul and are on the verge of capturing Tikrit, Saddam's family city.

English: Image from Iraqi state television. Reproduced here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/1119969.stm Category:Arab nationalists (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Because we were unable to secure a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the Shiite-led government before we were forced to leave, the Iraq we left behind is probably going to fall this year. I say that with some certainty because the government was never really stable, even when we were there.

Now, the Sunni insurgency has affiliated itself with the al-Qaeda group, the Islamic State of Iraq. In numbers there is strength. Between this united group, the northern part of Iraq outside Kurdistan is virtually controlled by al-Qaeda. In addition, this same group is responsible for the turmoil in eastern Syria.

Turkey, a NATO ally, is mulling the possibility to involve itself because it too has a large Kurdish minority. Turkey's fear is that the Kurds in Iraq will flee across its border and cause problems for Turkey.

 I bring all this up because the United States and its coalition allies in Afghanistan have entered into a SOFA in that country, where approximately 10,000 troops will remain after 2014. While I agree we need to leave Afghanistan, leaving 10,000 troops in harms way is absolutely asinine.

Afghanistan is a large, backward country, which, like Iraq, has a tribal system of self rule outside the "central government." The national army in Afghanistan is really not loyal to the government; instead, each soldier's loyalties are to his tribe.

President Obama has announced that these American troops will stay until 2016. I am not really clear when the final withdrawal will occur, but I imagine he will tie it to the 2016 election and politicize this withdrawal, as he has with everything else. 

On January 22, I wrote a commentary called “Time to Come Home” where I called for the President to bring home all the troops. As I also indicated, the Taliban will wait us out and once we leave, they will flood into Afghanistan and will fill the void we leave behind.

What we are witnessing now in Iraq will soon be the order of the day in Afghanistan. The Afghanis really don't want us there, and quite frankly, leaving Americans in country serves no purpose other than to be target practice.

As the Iraqis are learning now, Afghanis will soon learn the same lessons. The end of Iraq will soon be here and the end of Afghanistan will soon follow. And, what then will happen?

 Did you ever hear of the Persian Empire? Its modern-day cousin, in the form of the Iranian Islamist Theocracy, with nuclear weapons, will eventually resolve both Iraq and Afghanistan, at the cost of years of American blood and billions of dollars of American treasure. 

 I know the Mullahs and Ayatollahs are chomping at the bit to flex its muscle in the region, but were reluctant to do so while there was a strong American presence. Soon, they will.

You can bet on it. 

High Crimes and Misdemeanors in Play

Ten days ago King Barry was strutting his bum out to the Rose Garden with the parents of deserter Bowe Bergdahl to take credit for the WONDERFUL deal he made with terrorists. This was praised by our illustrious SecState John Kerry. The next day, his National Insecurity Advisor, Susan "Lie Like a Rug" Rice strutted out to the Sunday talk shows (except Fox) to tell America that "Sgt. Bergdahl served with honor and distinction."

Really?

Almost immediately, the bipartisan push back from Members of Congress, led by Diane Feinstein, began. Well, Harry the Horse's butt, Barry's waterboy, was using the old standby, "what difference does it make?"

Of course, Barry, ever looking for a photo op, went to Poland to work out, like he didn't know there was a camera present. And then he proceeded to push back against the pushback.

But the Congress and the media (bestow my heart) weren't buying it. Instead, they continued to question, investigate and report each day every little detail of Bergdahl's behavior and lack of illness, which was the original reason for the quick deal with terrorists.

So, Barry and Susan and Harry and John spouted off something about not leaving a soldier behind. Do they really believe this? Let's review.

Private First Class Bowe Robert Bergdahl, United States Army. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Do the names Tyrone Woods, Sean Smith and Glen Doherty sound familiar? Weren't they soldiers? Or maybe because they were Navy Seals, that doesn't count. Or Chris Stevens? Wasn't he an important member of our government? Maybe not.

How about Pastor Saeed Abedini? You know, the AMERICAN clergyman languishing in an Iranian prison? Maybe, because he isn't a Muslim cleric, it doesn't matter, at least not to Barry and the gang. 

Or how about Sgt. Andrew Tamoorhessi, sitting in a Mexican jail because he made a left instead of a right?  Doesn't he matter? I guess because he is a Marine and not a soldier, he doesn't qualify for any kind of trade with Mexico, our partner in NAFTA.

Now, today, we learn that Barry didn't make the decision to trade terrorists for a deserter, even though he was taking all the credit two Saturdays ago. No, today we learned it was SecDef Chuck Nagel who is now in charge of making those deals. 

You can't make this stuff up, friends. It was reported in the late Tuesday online edition of The Daily Mail that Nagel made the final call for the prisoner swap. I guess if things go great, Barry is the Man of the Hour, but if there is even a scintilla of criticism, somebody else is at fault.

Like the old Bill Keane cartoon The Family Circus, there must be little gremlins running around the Oval Office, Ida Know and Nott Me? Like the old Hogan Heroes Sgt. Schultz used to say, "I know nothing"? Yeah, that's the ticket! Let's see if this nonsense will work.

I think "ENOUGH" is now the word which needs to be yelled loud and clear from the top of the Capital by all Members of Congress, if they believe the oath they took. Well, Harry won't, because he is the Obama lackey in the Senate.

On May 30, I wrote a commentary called “The (Un)Impeachment of Barack Obama”  where I indicated that impeachment of this man was impossible because there wasn't enough support in the Senate to convict. Now, I believe that with this outright criminal violation of the Constitution by this President, that he didn’t consult with the Congress beforehand and gain its consent,  and the fact that he negotiated with terrorists in violation of the very law he signed, he deserves to be removed from office as quickly as possible, and dragged out of the White House in handcuffs.

We chased Richard Nixon from office over his cover-up of a third-rate burglary over which the Democrats and the media were calling for his impeachment and removal from office. If this lying criminal isn't removed now, then what crime will it take for the Congress to do its job?

One more point I feel is necessary to be made here. Perhaps our esteemed Members of Congress need a lesson on a concept called “Misprision of Treason.” Black’s Law Dictionary defines it as:

 “The bare knowledge and concealment of an act of treason or a treasonable plot, that is, without any assent or participation therein, for if the latter elements be present, the party becomes a principal.”

 If nothing is done now, then every member of the 112th Congress of the United States will forevermore be collectively and individually considered co-conspirators to the the worst violation of our Constitution in our history. That, my friends, would be the biggest crime of all.