Carrot and Stick

I suspect if US economy improves when say DOW gets to 15000 Obama will change his tune on "engagement" with our adversaries. We have in the past 60 years only "so called" engaged our enemies when we had a short stick. When due to economical and geopolitical circumstances our STICK gets longer then forget the carrot and engagement.

This is how powerful pushes their extra territorial agenda to secure "national interest" which really in short means leveraging fire power to maintain tactical and strategic advantage. War and conflict are often only tools to short cut what otherwise would take a long time to achieve with even playing field.

Unfortunately now a days almost any relevant nation in the planet uses this approach so future conflicts with nastier results are inevitable until the power balance reaches an equilibrium. That is relatively when large number of nations stockpile nuclear weapons and other means to deter preemptive "war" by powerful factor. In that case I am sure Bush types or Obama would opt for "ENGAGEMENT" more often.

Mid-East

Just another reminder Israel conflict will only be resolved in a sustainable way with one single nation made up of all the residents of that postage stamp land. No SWISS CHEESE please.

The nation could be then called ISRASTINE ----

Lets get going and quite dinking around until another 9/11 like attack.

Patriotism, Profits, PONZI

The three P's of modern American experience are coming home to roost. Today Madoff goes to prison described as the size of a "walking Closet", I wonder what dimensions the writer was thinking about. I bet Madoff's walking closet in his New York apartment is not what most common folks think about when they hear walking closet. Sorry, I wonder what percent of American homes have @#$% walking closets anyway.

You see this why I think we have not come to terms with what is really happening with the American dream. The financial criminals much like the energy and Internet criminals before them are being rewarded for trashing "Good Will" and open and honest business practices. For over 30 years we are told that small government is what we need and getting government out of the pockets of business will produce results for all Americans. Well, you neocons and oldcons have a ball now, the trickle down economy and lase affair capitalism that you preached with Patriotism have gotten us to this place. The same criminals that profited from the unmitigated deregulation are in the White House making policy decisions to boot.

They will not change the course because they are the product of the misguided notion that the system as we know it can be fixed without changing the fundamentals. The same dude that made $17M in two years making investment deals few years ago now oversees the government agency that supposed to get us out of this mess. They will put TARP over our eyes and Stimulate us much like when Bush send $600 to everyone and then asked we buy stuff to help the economy get gong again, by the way that didn't work if anyone cares to remember.

The PONZI misters of the American dream are still hard at work with our social security and healthcare security on verge of disappearance ----- God Bless US all ---

Mexico

Does anyone here in North America wonder why Mexico being next to greatest power in the world with democratic ideals second to none is still a backward third world country? I wonder why after so many years of looking at their neighbors up north they are unable to break from the cycle of corruption and dicatorialism.

Someone needs to look at this since we seem to just have accepted that they will keep coming across the border pick our produce/fruits, clean dishes, do yard work, and clean our houses.

OH, got it maybe those are the reasons why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!