Early Summer

Summer is here and the Spinnaker isn't publishing but once, so I'm not writing nearly as much. I have more homework now than I've ever had since starting college, which means less free time for free lance writing. I've put in ad in the Folio Weekly advertising photography services, but no such luck yet. I'm also eagerly awaiting Bonnaroo. I promise there will be a plethora of photos and some stories to tell when I get back.


So anyways, here's some loosely condensed thoughts on current events:

June 30 Turnover:

At core, I think it's a good idea. It's even a better idea as the British are proposing it, wherein the Iraqi's can have a veto on major offensives like was witnessed in Fallujah. Interestingly enough, Stratfor's CEO is saying that the occupation as it's going on now is unwinnable and that the more we goals we set as to what the Iraqi government looks and behaves like, the more we're letting "Mission Creep" drag us into a quagmire. He advocates moving US troops presense out of the populated areas and into the deserts where they can both be less of a target to insurgents while still putting pressure on Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran. I don't know if I completely agree, but it sounds like one of the clearest idea's I've heard.


Abu Ghraib:

Rumsfeld should resign, as should his batch of hand picked undersecretaries that trash talk the Geneva Convictions (Douglas Fieth). No other democratic government in the world would survive this kind of scandal, so a secretary certainly shouldn't. Honestly, what more does it take to loose your job? No matter how you look at it, it all comes down to him. Either he lost control of the troops on the ground, the troops on the ground were getting hints to keep it up, or this was coming from hire up. Furthermore, he tells Congress that he takes full responsibility. IF that was more than just a trite cliche to look somber, he should take responsibility and fall on his sword for this one.


McCain-Kerry ticket, err, Kerry-McCain ticket:

Honestly one of the most beautiful ideas I've heard in a long, long time. The polls show the people love it, the minority vote loves it, it's an unbeatable ticket that might be the only salvation to us Democrat's appointing M. Duchakas's Lt. Governor. Those who know me well know that I love the Westminster style of Democracy, where ad hoc coalitions rise and fall and minorities have their voices heard and more than just two (rich white) voices are heard on any given subject. I think this ideas represents something beautiful: a biartisan effort to stomp out this extremely polarized atmosphere in American politics. People like McCain, even when they disagree with his politics, because he represents a style of civic populist leadership sadly missing inside the Beltway.

My fear is that we Democrats might be putting too much stock in this idea, and if it doesn't float we're going to loose a lot of interest in Kerry and probably be really disappointed in his veep pic (who I'm thinking will be Max Cleland).

That's all for now. I'm writing from a friend's PC, I'll come through and spell-check later.


Tags: Treyopia Current Events Abu Ghraib Kerry-McCain McCain Kerry Iraq War politics