By Daniel B. Kline
Supporting America's troops requires demanding that they get brought home from the endless, unwinnable war in Iraq. Anything short of taking these brave men and women out of this ungrateful country leaves them in mortal danger for less-than-noble reasons.
Our soldiers fight without questioning their orders and have made us all proud. They deserve to be used for better tasks then maintaining a tenuous peace in a nation whose people seem to neither like us nor want our help obtaining any sort of freedom.
Soldiers go where there commanders send them. They have no right to ask questions or even suggest that their lives are being poorly used. That's why the citizens of a free nation must speak up on behalf of those people who defend our freedom.
I want our soldiers being deployed against countries that may actually hurt us or in places where the citizens want our help overthrowing dictators. America's sons and daughters must only be used for these worthy causes, not to help a powerless people indifferent to democracy that stands as no real threat to our safety.
Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and no way to do us any harm. The Iraqi people threaten us no more than the people of dozens of confused, religiously brainwashed peoples that consider us vaguely their enemy.
The United States must leave Iraq and allow whatever happens to happen. Our continued presence only forestalls the inevitable because Iraq's people has no hunger for freedom and no particular desire to not simply have another Saddam Hussein tell them what to do.
Of course the lawless land that Iraq will almost certainly devolve into when we leave would offer safe haven for terrorists groups, but that could be said of dozens of countries. Occupying a nation won't stop terrorism because terrorists use tactics that organized armies can't battle.
The U.S. simply cannot occupy every country that might support terrorism. Our forces are already drawn thin by conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Add Iran, North Korea, Syria and Pakistan to that list, among others, and you see how simply having a really strong army won't win the war on terrorism.
Stopping terrorism requires rooting out the terrorist leaders. that means that our soldiers must be used ti hunt Osama bin Laden and all his evil cohorts. Root out these villains from their hiding places and maybe we can sleep a little easier.
The war in Iraq was entered under false pretenses and knows that we all know those pretenses to be false, we must withdraw for the sake of our fighting men and women. Supporting the troops does not require blindly supporting their misuse, it instead should require each and every civilian to scrutinize how their lives are used on our behalf.
More battles remain and threats to freedom will likely never end. Fortunately, we have the U.S. Armed Forces to protect us, now we just have to protect them.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Now, Obama must deliver on his promise
By Daniel B. Kline
The easy part of the journey has ended for Barack Obama. Charisma and potential may carry you as a candidate and a president-elect, but actually serving as president requires a lot more.
Even as someone who has been critical of Obama from the day he announced his candidacy, I desperately hope that our new president can deliver on the hype. This nation needs a leader and Obama clearly has the charisma required to unite people. Whether he has the ideas and the ability to execute them remains to be seen.
Other than the adulation of millions, Obama takes over the presidency with little on his resume and almost no practical experience. Despite these shortcomings, he has made every right move so far, surrounding himself with a diverse cabinet and eschewing the normal policy of only listening to those who agree with him.
Even to those of us astounded that a man could be elected president more for the ideals he represents than the ideas he actually has must admit that Obama has done many things right since being elected. Aside from the garish and wasteful inauguration spectacle, Obama handled the transition deftly making it clear he would take office ready to tackle our substantial problems.
Like many, I would prefer a president who truly came from outside the political arena. Real change would be easier to enact if you owed no favors to the system. A political outsider would not be as beholden to the current way of doings things as someone even mildly connected to the current machine.
That said, Obama has shown a surprising willingness to do things differently. His cabinet appointments fell far short of the left-wing team his most liberal supporters wanted and his willingness to hear all ideas has shown that he will not be a puppet for his party's most extreme members.
Our new president has also resisted the temptation to focus on showy, but non-critical issues. Abortion, the environment and other social issues must be dealt with, but the economy must come first. Obama must not waste any of his political capital on anything that does not improve our nation's economy.
Fixing the economy, keeping us safe from our many enemies and finding a viable way to get out of Iraq without leaving that nation in chaos remain the key problems that must be solved. Since being elected Obama has kept the focus on those issues and has been unwilling to be distracted by worthy causes that are better dealt with down the line.
I disagree with Obama's approach to fixing the economy, but applaud his clear vision and willingness to take action. Business and individual tax cuts would be my preference, but our new leader has assembled a team of financial moderates with a decisive plan.
Whether he fixes the economy quickly or not, Obama must remain on track and keep his attention on the issues that impact us most deeply. If he continues to listen to voices that disagree with him and avoid radicals on both sides, than perhaps Obama has a chance to fulfill the promise so many have pinned their hopes on.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com.
The easy part of the journey has ended for Barack Obama. Charisma and potential may carry you as a candidate and a president-elect, but actually serving as president requires a lot more.
Even as someone who has been critical of Obama from the day he announced his candidacy, I desperately hope that our new president can deliver on the hype. This nation needs a leader and Obama clearly has the charisma required to unite people. Whether he has the ideas and the ability to execute them remains to be seen.
Other than the adulation of millions, Obama takes over the presidency with little on his resume and almost no practical experience. Despite these shortcomings, he has made every right move so far, surrounding himself with a diverse cabinet and eschewing the normal policy of only listening to those who agree with him.
Even to those of us astounded that a man could be elected president more for the ideals he represents than the ideas he actually has must admit that Obama has done many things right since being elected. Aside from the garish and wasteful inauguration spectacle, Obama handled the transition deftly making it clear he would take office ready to tackle our substantial problems.
Like many, I would prefer a president who truly came from outside the political arena. Real change would be easier to enact if you owed no favors to the system. A political outsider would not be as beholden to the current way of doings things as someone even mildly connected to the current machine.
That said, Obama has shown a surprising willingness to do things differently. His cabinet appointments fell far short of the left-wing team his most liberal supporters wanted and his willingness to hear all ideas has shown that he will not be a puppet for his party's most extreme members.
Our new president has also resisted the temptation to focus on showy, but non-critical issues. Abortion, the environment and other social issues must be dealt with, but the economy must come first. Obama must not waste any of his political capital on anything that does not improve our nation's economy.
Fixing the economy, keeping us safe from our many enemies and finding a viable way to get out of Iraq without leaving that nation in chaos remain the key problems that must be solved. Since being elected Obama has kept the focus on those issues and has been unwilling to be distracted by worthy causes that are better dealt with down the line.
I disagree with Obama's approach to fixing the economy, but applaud his clear vision and willingness to take action. Business and individual tax cuts would be my preference, but our new leader has assembled a team of financial moderates with a decisive plan.
Whether he fixes the economy quickly or not, Obama must remain on track and keep his attention on the issues that impact us most deeply. If he continues to listen to voices that disagree with him and avoid radicals on both sides, than perhaps Obama has a chance to fulfill the promise so many have pinned their hopes on.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Never apologize for defending yourself
By Daniel B. Kline
While anti-Semitism should never surprise me, the vicious and hateful reaction to Israel's action in Gaza have reminded me just how many people still violently hate Jews. Instead of simply protesting against the Israeli efforts too many of the protesters featured on multiple newscasts immediately call for the destruction of Israel and death for all Jews.
Realistically, there should be a mid-point between "I agree with Israel" and "all Jews must die." Perhaps "Israel should be sanctioned by the UN" or "I'm not going to see the Jackie Mason concert" would be reasonable mid-range options.
Disagreeing with Israel does not make you a bigot. Chanting about "building a big oven," as one group of "protesters" was heard doing on news reports suggest that you just might be.
Never the most popular people at the world party, Jews founded Israel because at the time. no nation particularly wanted us. And, while, the Jewish people now prosper, or are at least tolerated, in a number of countries, it's clear that a lot of hatred still exists, making the need for a safe haven obvious.
Basically, Israel and its people simply want to exist without having to have a war every few years to prove their right to be there. The Islamic Arab nations (many of the same ones who wish death upon all Americans) generally dispute the idea that Israel should exist and they tend to look the other way when their residents lob missiles or send suicide bombers Israel's way.
To put it simply, Israel doesn't want to fight, it has to in order to keep its enemies at bay. If you're the smallest kid in a school filled with bullies looking to pummel you, you can either take your daily beating or learn to fight back.
A tiny nation surrounded by enemies, Israel and the Israeli people live under the constant threat of annihilation . Not only do the countries surrounding Israel want to wipe it off the face of the Earth, an awfully large piece of the world has no particular affection for Jews and would not be sad to see it destroyed.
In order to survive Israel has had to hit the proverbial gym and train all its citizens to fight back. The Israeli people never seek out a battle, but if you look at them the wrong way they are a little jumpy and more than prepared to defend themselves.
In recent years, Israel's major issue has been the Gaza Strip and its occupants who want the land to become a Palestinian country. To accomplish this task, the leaders of the Palestinian people use tactics that Americans generally consider terrorism.
Strapping a bomb to yourself and getting on a crowded bus might be effective, but it's hardly the type of action likely to get the other side to come to the negotiating table. The Palestinians aren't simply fighting for a homeland, they're allowing their battle to be conducted by people whose only agenda is death for all Jews.
When faced with terrorists unable and unwilling to negotiate a meaningful peace, Israel has fought back. That might not make Jews around the world any more popular, but it's exactly what an American would expect of his government if faced with the same challenge.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com.
While anti-Semitism should never surprise me, the vicious and hateful reaction to Israel's action in Gaza have reminded me just how many people still violently hate Jews. Instead of simply protesting against the Israeli efforts too many of the protesters featured on multiple newscasts immediately call for the destruction of Israel and death for all Jews.
Realistically, there should be a mid-point between "I agree with Israel" and "all Jews must die." Perhaps "Israel should be sanctioned by the UN" or "I'm not going to see the Jackie Mason concert" would be reasonable mid-range options.
Disagreeing with Israel does not make you a bigot. Chanting about "building a big oven," as one group of "protesters" was heard doing on news reports suggest that you just might be.
Never the most popular people at the world party, Jews founded Israel because at the time. no nation particularly wanted us. And, while, the Jewish people now prosper, or are at least tolerated, in a number of countries, it's clear that a lot of hatred still exists, making the need for a safe haven obvious.
Basically, Israel and its people simply want to exist without having to have a war every few years to prove their right to be there. The Islamic Arab nations (many of the same ones who wish death upon all Americans) generally dispute the idea that Israel should exist and they tend to look the other way when their residents lob missiles or send suicide bombers Israel's way.
To put it simply, Israel doesn't want to fight, it has to in order to keep its enemies at bay. If you're the smallest kid in a school filled with bullies looking to pummel you, you can either take your daily beating or learn to fight back.
A tiny nation surrounded by enemies, Israel and the Israeli people live under the constant threat of annihilation . Not only do the countries surrounding Israel want to wipe it off the face of the Earth, an awfully large piece of the world has no particular affection for Jews and would not be sad to see it destroyed.
In order to survive Israel has had to hit the proverbial gym and train all its citizens to fight back. The Israeli people never seek out a battle, but if you look at them the wrong way they are a little jumpy and more than prepared to defend themselves.
In recent years, Israel's major issue has been the Gaza Strip and its occupants who want the land to become a Palestinian country. To accomplish this task, the leaders of the Palestinian people use tactics that Americans generally consider terrorism.
Strapping a bomb to yourself and getting on a crowded bus might be effective, but it's hardly the type of action likely to get the other side to come to the negotiating table. The Palestinians aren't simply fighting for a homeland, they're allowing their battle to be conducted by people whose only agenda is death for all Jews.
When faced with terrorists unable and unwilling to negotiate a meaningful peace, Israel has fought back. That might not make Jews around the world any more popular, but it's exactly what an American would expect of his government if faced with the same challenge.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com.
Monday, January 5, 2009
No, Virginia, there isn't a Santa Claus
By Daniel B. Kline
Being raised Jewish I never had to deal with my parents pretending that Santa Claus brought me presents and I was more than smart enough to understand from a young age that no such magical man existed. I also, perhaps through intelligence and perhaps through my inability to sleep well, always understood that my mother or father put the dollar under my pillow when I lost a tooth.
Parents often associate these fairly innocent deceptions with maintaining a sense of wonder for their children. I consider that nonsense as I had plenty of imagination yet was able to distinguish between reality and a nice story.
My four-year-old never believed in Santa Claus and he understands that Mickey Mouse, Luke Skywalker and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are not real people/real giant talking creatures. He also has a fabulous imagination and I have a hard time seeing how lying to him about where presents come from on Christmas would enhance his life in any way.
Basically, I want my child to understand that money comes from mommy and daddy working very hard and not from fantasy land. If he has presents, it's because we, or someone else in the family, bought them, not because an Elf made them in a mystical North Pole factory.
While many of you may not like hearing this, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy do not exist. If you got presents under the tree, a basket of candy or a dollar under your pillow it came from a parent, a caregiver or a really adventurous neighbor.
Most adults, of course, know this fact, yet they go to absurd lengths to protect to these myths and keep kids believing long past the point of reason. It's one thing to set out cookies for Santa when you have a three-year-old, it's another thing entirely to rent a Santa costume and a sleigh to fool your eight-year-old.
Of course, how you lie to your child, matters very little to me, but it does concern me when the news media gets involved. Though legitimate news outlets rarely have anything to say about the tooth fairy or the Easter Bunny, many of them seem fully invested in helping parents perpetuate the Santa myth.
Like they do every year, our local newscasts ran stories this year tracking Santa's progress on Christmas Eve. Our supposedly legitimate news outlets ran repeated stories about an imaginary man on a flying sleigh who theoretically visits every Christian home on Earth in the same evening.
The national news media did the same thing and I find it impossible to believe that perpeuating a silly story takes precedence over maintaining credibility. If we can track Santa's sleigh on the national news, why not interview Darth Vader to get his views on the Middle East Crisis or see how Indiana Jones feels about blood diamonds?
Stories and gentle lies may have their place in the home and no kid ever got harmed too bad from believing in any of these tall tales. Still, I'd prefer if Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and their friends remained something for the home, not a myth to be reinforced by actual journalists.
Call me a Grinch or a Scrooge, but I'd like to believe that some sort of line exists between fact and fiction on the evening news. Perhaps that will get me a lump of coal in my stocking next year, but at least I'll know who paid for that coal.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com.
Being raised Jewish I never had to deal with my parents pretending that Santa Claus brought me presents and I was more than smart enough to understand from a young age that no such magical man existed. I also, perhaps through intelligence and perhaps through my inability to sleep well, always understood that my mother or father put the dollar under my pillow when I lost a tooth.
Parents often associate these fairly innocent deceptions with maintaining a sense of wonder for their children. I consider that nonsense as I had plenty of imagination yet was able to distinguish between reality and a nice story.
My four-year-old never believed in Santa Claus and he understands that Mickey Mouse, Luke Skywalker and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are not real people/real giant talking creatures. He also has a fabulous imagination and I have a hard time seeing how lying to him about where presents come from on Christmas would enhance his life in any way.
Basically, I want my child to understand that money comes from mommy and daddy working very hard and not from fantasy land. If he has presents, it's because we, or someone else in the family, bought them, not because an Elf made them in a mystical North Pole factory.
While many of you may not like hearing this, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy do not exist. If you got presents under the tree, a basket of candy or a dollar under your pillow it came from a parent, a caregiver or a really adventurous neighbor.
Most adults, of course, know this fact, yet they go to absurd lengths to protect to these myths and keep kids believing long past the point of reason. It's one thing to set out cookies for Santa when you have a three-year-old, it's another thing entirely to rent a Santa costume and a sleigh to fool your eight-year-old.
Of course, how you lie to your child, matters very little to me, but it does concern me when the news media gets involved. Though legitimate news outlets rarely have anything to say about the tooth fairy or the Easter Bunny, many of them seem fully invested in helping parents perpetuate the Santa myth.
Like they do every year, our local newscasts ran stories this year tracking Santa's progress on Christmas Eve. Our supposedly legitimate news outlets ran repeated stories about an imaginary man on a flying sleigh who theoretically visits every Christian home on Earth in the same evening.
The national news media did the same thing and I find it impossible to believe that perpeuating a silly story takes precedence over maintaining credibility. If we can track Santa's sleigh on the national news, why not interview Darth Vader to get his views on the Middle East Crisis or see how Indiana Jones feels about blood diamonds?
Stories and gentle lies may have their place in the home and no kid ever got harmed too bad from believing in any of these tall tales. Still, I'd prefer if Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and their friends remained something for the home, not a myth to be reinforced by actual journalists.
Call me a Grinch or a Scrooge, but I'd like to believe that some sort of line exists between fact and fiction on the evening news. Perhaps that will get me a lump of coal in my stocking next year, but at least I'll know who paid for that coal.
Daniel B. Kline's work appears in over 100 papers weekly. When he is not writing Kline serves as general manager of Time Machine Hobby New England's largest hobby and toy store, www.timemachinehobby.com. He can be reached at dan@notastep.com or you can see his archive at dbkline.com.
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