we got us a bar fight !!
Well, here we are, the day after the New Hampshire primary, the real start of the election season. My thanks to the voters of the Granite State for putting a little realism into the news mix today. Not that it matters, but it will be interesting to see just how long it takes for the mainstream media to spin all the little factoids that they can dig up into significant 'trends'.
John McCain won. No doubt about it. The man with the money, organization, executive credentials, and haircut, (not to mention a summer home in New Hampshire) could not overcome the presence of a man with a wide range of experience. I really don't know what kind of a president McCain would make, but in the GOP field, he is it, whether or not he gets the nomination.
On the Democratic side, Hillary came from just slightly behind to edge Obama by 2% to take the prize.
2%. Wow!
That's like the New England Patriots beating a high school team by a field goal in overtime. The woman carries a lot of baggage, and if she manages to transform herself significantly and win the nomination, the her perceived chameleon qualities will once again become apparent and her opponent will win the general election. If she stands pat, and convinces her power base that she is right and is a better executive than cover girl, AND if Obama somehow stumbles significantly, (or simply fails to maintain momentum), then she is in for a bruising fight. Obama needs to flesh out his ideas without going too far overboard; people need to see him as being with them through the rough patches that lie ahead. In politics, getting specific can be a killer, but that is what he has to do, just not too specific, lest the last words he utters on the campaign trail be "et tu John Edwards...."
In any event, if you are a political junkie, it will be an interesting year. If you aren't, well, there won't be too much on TV.....
Then there is the economy. Goldman Sachs has finally uttered the 'R' word and notes that one is on the way this year. Well, at least they are honest. Wonder what took them so long to notice?
Then there are the Iranians.
In a video that the Iranian government calls 'fabricated', a tactic that the Revolutionary Guard has used before is seen. (Funny that the US would fabricate a video and then release it to the media goons at Al-Jazeera...). Small boats, not at all unlike those seen on recreational lakes in the US are used to literally swarm another (much larger) vessel, like a swarm of bees, for the purpose of harassing, slowing, stopping or changing its course. We may tend to think that these small boats are no match for a ship of war but the tactic is quite effective, with the sheer number of small craft overwhelming the defense capability of the larger vessel. The possibility that one or more of the small boats being filled with explosives only adds another layer of complexity to the problem.
You might be able to see video here or here.
I don't believe that these little provocations are intended solely to influence American voters in the upcoming elections, but I do believe that it does figure into the decisions. Nothing could benefit the Islamist cause more than to have another xenophobe in the White House next year, and inflaming the fears and anxieties of the American public is one way to preserve the status quo.
On a related note, it is my opinion that the incident of this past weekend, I believe that this is but one of several small, but concrete steps in a campaign by Iran to claim the entire Strait of Hormuz as territorial waters, thus elevating its stature and power on the world stage. My prediction here is that there will be an escalation of tensions, as Iran attempts to interdict any and all shipping passing through the strait and the American navy and air force keep the shipping lanes open. A military confrontation is unlikely, as Iran wouldn't last 15 minutes in a shooting match, but the thought of one gives most of the oil guzzling world the willies....
Stay focused.
John McCain won. No doubt about it. The man with the money, organization, executive credentials, and haircut, (not to mention a summer home in New Hampshire) could not overcome the presence of a man with a wide range of experience. I really don't know what kind of a president McCain would make, but in the GOP field, he is it, whether or not he gets the nomination.
On the Democratic side, Hillary came from just slightly behind to edge Obama by 2% to take the prize.
2%. Wow!
That's like the New England Patriots beating a high school team by a field goal in overtime. The woman carries a lot of baggage, and if she manages to transform herself significantly and win the nomination, the her perceived chameleon qualities will once again become apparent and her opponent will win the general election. If she stands pat, and convinces her power base that she is right and is a better executive than cover girl, AND if Obama somehow stumbles significantly, (or simply fails to maintain momentum), then she is in for a bruising fight. Obama needs to flesh out his ideas without going too far overboard; people need to see him as being with them through the rough patches that lie ahead. In politics, getting specific can be a killer, but that is what he has to do, just not too specific, lest the last words he utters on the campaign trail be "et tu John Edwards...."
In any event, if you are a political junkie, it will be an interesting year. If you aren't, well, there won't be too much on TV.....
Then there is the economy. Goldman Sachs has finally uttered the 'R' word and notes that one is on the way this year. Well, at least they are honest. Wonder what took them so long to notice?
Then there are the Iranians.
In a video that the Iranian government calls 'fabricated', a tactic that the Revolutionary Guard has used before is seen. (Funny that the US would fabricate a video and then release it to the media goons at Al-Jazeera...). Small boats, not at all unlike those seen on recreational lakes in the US are used to literally swarm another (much larger) vessel, like a swarm of bees, for the purpose of harassing, slowing, stopping or changing its course. We may tend to think that these small boats are no match for a ship of war but the tactic is quite effective, with the sheer number of small craft overwhelming the defense capability of the larger vessel. The possibility that one or more of the small boats being filled with explosives only adds another layer of complexity to the problem.
You might be able to see video here or here.
I don't believe that these little provocations are intended solely to influence American voters in the upcoming elections, but I do believe that it does figure into the decisions. Nothing could benefit the Islamist cause more than to have another xenophobe in the White House next year, and inflaming the fears and anxieties of the American public is one way to preserve the status quo.
On a related note, it is my opinion that the incident of this past weekend, I believe that this is but one of several small, but concrete steps in a campaign by Iran to claim the entire Strait of Hormuz as territorial waters, thus elevating its stature and power on the world stage. My prediction here is that there will be an escalation of tensions, as Iran attempts to interdict any and all shipping passing through the strait and the American navy and air force keep the shipping lanes open. A military confrontation is unlikely, as Iran wouldn't last 15 minutes in a shooting match, but the thought of one gives most of the oil guzzling world the willies....
Stay focused.
posted by eccentric recluse at 9:10 AM
2 Comments:
The boats being packed with explosives does raise an interesting question I had not thought of before, but I still have a hard time believing those ships could overwhelm a US Navy convoy. Some of those destroyers have manned miniguns on the deck that can blast a helicopter out of the sky.
Agreed, McCain is the only Repub I would vote for. So far there aren't any Dems for me. However, a lot can and will change by November.
Who might we elect that would fit the Iranians' purpose? I think they're getting desperate. They'll never choke off the Strait. Remember Connelly (I think it was) lecturing us with his Texas twang on the Straits of Hormuz and Iran's capability to cut it off. A quarter century has passed and they haven't even come close. I don't know what the hell they're trying to do. If they're probing for tactical weaknesses, hell, we'll come up with a solution before they actually get to try anything. Thanks for the heads up, guys!
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