Announcing the Arrival of Shelly

Today was another transitional family day here at OMV.  Isabel was buried beside a magnolia tree on Friday in a place of fond memories.  The Spreadles got to make her goodbyes, which consisted of trying to chase squirrels...as appropriate a send off as could be asked from those two and their mutual fondness for the bushy tailed varmints.  

We let our girl have one last moment in the yard as the lone dog.  She was bored stiff and was ready to get back in the car to pick up her new sister.

Shelly had been named Ellie at the shelter.  Her new name comes from a nickname that I bestowed pretty early on in Isabel's life with me.  I had dubbed her the Shellies, which I probably called her as much as her own name.  Seeing so much of my girl in her it seemed only appropriate that she carry the memory of the name.

The Spreads is certainly enjoying her new playmate.  They went tearing through the yard.  The Pose actually panted vigorously, something I only see her do in the summer, though it was pretty warm today.  I think they're going to be great pals.

The challenges of having a new puppy are already apparent.  Potty training, knowing when it's play time and when it's chill time.  She has made excellent progress with sit today.  It's going to take some getting used to for all of us, but it's nice to see someone give Spreads a run for her money.  

Shelly has learned an important boundary today...not to try and mess with her sister's dog bed spot.  She was put in her place by her sis.  I can tell my girl is glad to have someone to play with but, like me, still wishes Isabel were here.  Shelly will find her place in the pack just like the Spreads did when she came aboard, and we'll all be here to help her.

Welcome aboard Shelly.  We're so glad to have you.

Thoughts On Government: Part II

So, I'm just going to publish the complete text, in parts, so everyone can read it, absorb it, and become an Adams junkie, which every American should be if they actually give a crap about their country.  In spite of criticism levied by some historians, his own actions, and the testimony of his peers, clearly point to the fact that Adams' conscience and efforts are very much the reason why independency was driven, and achieved.  You ignore him at your peril, and our nation's peril.  One need only look at the state of our government to see that.  I promise you that if you gave a pop quiz to the entire Congress, and the President, you probably wouldn't be able to count your fingers and toes with the number who could name the essay and one of its principles.  In fact, it should be required reading for everyone who runs for elected office.  They should demonstrate mastery of it, as well as other writings of our founders, and the men and women who inspired them.  I would imagine that this would weed out large numbers of slackers.  Are you kidding?  Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr. would never have made it to the primaries...of course the media would have reported that he read the collected works of all the founders and their children.  Most people, because most people are dumber than a bag of hammers, would believe it...which is how we got stuck with Shrub II in the first place.  But don't take my word for it.  Here's what Melanie Phillips has to say on the subject:

President Obama has had, by general consent, a torrid First Fortnight. To put it another way, it has taken precisely two weeks for the illusion that brought him to power to be exposed for the nonsense that it so obviously was. The transformational candidate who was going to sweep away pork-barrel politics, lobbyists and corruption has been up to his neck in sleaze...

Somehow I don't think this is what Adams had in mind when he talked about virtue in government.  

And now...Part II of Adams' Thoughts on Government.

Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it.

Honor is truly sacred, but holds a lower rank in the scale of moral excellence than virtue. Indeed, the former is but a part of the latter, and consequently has not equal pretensions to support a frame of government productive of human happiness.

The foundation of every government is some principle or passion in the minds of the people. The noblest principles and most generous affections in our nature, then, have the fairest chance to support the noblest and most generous models of government.

A man must be indifferent to the sneers of modern English men, to mention in their company the names of Sidney, Harrington, Locke, Milton, Nedham, Neville, Burnet, and Hoadly. No small fortitude is necessary to confess that one has read them. The wretched condition of this country, however, for ten or fifteen years past, has frequently reminded me of their principles and reasonings. They will convince any candid mind, that there is no good government but what is republican. That the only valuable part of the British constitution is so; because the very definition of a republic is "an empire of laws, and not of men." That, as a republic is the best of governments, so that particular arrangement of the powers of society, or, in other words, that form of government which is best contrived to secure an impartial and exact execution of the laws, is the best of republics.

Of republics there is an inexhaustible variety, because the possible combinations of the powers of society are capable of innumerable variations.

As good government is an empire of laws, how shall your laws be made? In a large society, inhabiting an extensive country, it is impossible that the whole should assemble to make laws. The first necessary step, then, is to depute power from the many to a few of the most wise and good. But by what rules shall you choose your representatives? Agree upon the number and qualifications of persons who shall have the benefit of choosing, or annex this privilege to the inhabitants of a certain extent of ground.

The principal difficulty lies, and the greatest care should be employed, in constituting this representative assembly. It should be in miniature an exact portrait of the people at large. It should think, feel, reason, and act like them. That it may be the interest of this assembly to do strict justice at all times, it should be an equal representation, or, in other words, equal interests among the people should have equal interests in it. Great care should be taken to effect this, and to prevent unfair, partial, and corrupt elections. Such regulations, however, may be better made in times of greater tranquillity than the present; and they will spring up themselves naturally, when all the powers of government come to be in the hands of the people's friends. At present, it will be safest to proceed in all established modes, to which the people have been familiarized by habit.

Thoughts On Government: Part I

In November of 1775 Richard Henry Lee, Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, asked John Adams for his opinions on the form of governance that should be adopted should independency, which both Lee and Adams staunchly advocated, be achieved by the thirteen colonies.  His answer took various forms, including a letter to two North Carolina delegates, John Penn and William Hooper, who sought advice on drawing up a constitution for North Carolina.  The result became known as Adams' essay Thoughts on Government which was eventually published in a Philadelphia newspaper in the Spring of 1776.

It is perhaps the best work produced by our nation's founders regarding the moral and political basis of a just form of governance.  I will be reproducing segments of the essay here as the basis of my own argument that it is time to dissolve Congress as it stands and reestablish a new Legislature based on ethical leadership and governance, which our present and future Congress sorely lacks.  

If of course you think that Congress is doing a kickass job just keep bending over and taking it.  But you may think twice after reading Adams (all emphasis is mine).

MY DEAR SIR,--If I was equal to the task of forming a plan for the government of a colony, I should be flattered with your request, and very happy to comply with it; because, as the divine science of politics is the science of social happiness, and the blessings of society depend entirely on the constitutions of government, which are generally institutions that last for many generations, there can be no employment more agreeable to a benevolent mind than a research after the best.

Pope flattered tyrants too much when he said,

"For forms of government let fools contest,
That which is best administered is best."
Nothing can be more fallacious than this. But poets read history to collect flowers, not fruits; they attend to fanciful images, not the effects of social institutions. Nothing is more certain, from the history of nations and nature of man, than that some forms of government are better fitted for being well administered than others.
We ought to consider what is the end of government, before we determine which is the best form. Upon this point all speculative politicians will agree, that the happiness of society is the end of government, as all divines and moral philosophers will agree that the happiness of the individual is the end of man. From this principle it will follow, that the form of government which communicates ease, comfort, security, or, in one word, happiness, to the greatest number of persons, and in the greatest degree, is the best.

All sober inquirers after truth, ancient and modern, pagan and Christian, have declared that the happiness of man, as well as his dignity, consists in virtue. Confucius, Zoroaster, Socrates, Mahomet, not to mention authorities really sacred, have agreed in this.

"Well, I'm back," he said.

That's right you miscreants, slackers, and ne'er-do-whatever you arrrghs...so stop your wetting and fretting!

I have been lazing about and projecting my eye, rimmed with fire with the black slit of my pupil opened on a pit (...okay...more like my eyes were bloodshot from being buffeted by tropical breezes blowing sand while I lounged on the beach)...upon the United States of America, and the band of thieving miscreants in our Congress, and then I had several drinks...and thought...and drank more...and ate food...and slept...

I am tan rested and ready and here to spread the GOOD NEWS!

My brothers and sisters I have come to set you free.

Eight years ago when that nearly primate idiot sock puppet, with Dick Cheney's arm up his ass, strolled into the White House in as foul a smelling cloud of fraudulent bullshit as the new douche same as the old douche, I thought things blew ass.

Now we've got Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr. along with the same bunch of criminals in the Congress.  These gas bags, in their infinite wisdom, have brought us the billions and billions headed hydra commonly referred to as the Douchulus Package which will, miraculously but not surprisingly, produce a negative number of jobs at a rate of naught, while simultaneously raising the citizen fucked in the ass rate by 10,000 percent.

Though this may leave mathematicians, economists  (and even sociologists), worldwide with an overwhelming urge to commit suicide, or finally bring about the destruction of all life on earth, while rescuing all the people and animals they deem brilliantly smart, and as mentally disturbed as they are, to start life again on a "class-M" planet in a galaxy near you...at least that's how it's happened in a variety of low budget science fiction films (one of the better known titles is the notorious "The Mad Scientist Who Tried to Destroy the World and Only Save People Who Were Not His Mother-in-Law, starring Vincent Price and Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu), it is an inescapable fact that a dying llama and a bowl of spaghetti o's could come up with a better plan than that steaming heap of cow turd that is Duchulus.

I pointed it out a number of times on this blog, but feel the need to do so again.

In that groovy document we call the Declaration of Independence it says, rather plainly, that any government is only viable with the people's consent.  The Congress and the President do not govern with my consent.  Quite frankly, they can all go fuck themselves.  

I promise you that when you wash your hands of these scumbags you will feel April fresh, and a lot less stressed...I wonder what would happen in 2010 if no one voted?  

Ask not what you're government is going to do to you.  Ask what you can do about no longer being fucked by this crap government.

So let these ratfucking asshats do what they want.  Quite frankly, I don't really care any more.  

I noticed over the past week that the moving sidewalks in our airports have emergency stop buttons on them.  I assume the reason to have an emergency stop button is to hopefully prevent someone from being killed by the moving the sidewalk, or to make everyone on the sidewalk fall down.  

I'm tired of the asshats pressing the button to make us fall down.  I think it's time someone pushed the button to keep people from getting killed.  So please, stop bitching about what the ratfuckers are doing because getting fucked over by your government is your state of being.  Do you really care if it's with a broomstick or a multi billion dollar electric cattle prod dildo?  You're wasting a lot of valuable time and energy that could be put into thinking about how we're going to stop this bullshit once and for all.  

So get to it.

Time Out

Well dear friends, the time has come for a much needed break.  OMV will be dormant for a week or so while we rest our hearts, souls, and heads.  It's been a tough week...hell, it's been a tough year, and this blogger needs to decompress.  But not to fear, I'll be back rested and ready next week.  There will certainly be a lot to bitch about, and plenty of asshats to bust.  Speaking of which, what can you say about Resident Lincoln Jr. Jr. who decries Wall Street for handing out $18 billion in bonuses while getting ready to hand these same asshats another $2 trillion out of our pockets?  The phrase, "Go blow asshat" comes to mind.

We are about to enter a free fall plunge...

Meanwhile, the newest member of our family is also taking a much needed break, recuperating from spay surgery.  You'll just have to wait for some pictures as she's a bit camera shy at the moment, and who can blame her.  But she's already won the heart of her doctors with her sweet little face.  

So hang in there.  Keep your eyes on the ball, your shoulders to the wheel, your ears to the ground, and get your hands out of your pockets and turn on your lovelight!

The Seal of Approval

This morning we brought Isabel's sister to the shelter to meet a dog we met yesterday.  Her shelter name is Ellie.  She's bubbly, bright eyed, and loves to hug and kiss.  We see much of the Isabel in her and felt she would be a young, playful companion for our other girl who loves to romp around.  Ellie made it clear, as Isabel did, that we are to be her family, showering us with hugs and kisses as Isabel did all those years ago.

We got them together this morning.  They got along fine.  Ellie was a little rude early on, but she got shown her place and she accepted it right away.  The seal of approval has been given, as it was when Isabel approved her sister.

She will be ready for adoption on Friday.  Though a part of us has been torn away, and will never be fully whole, Ellie will be a wonderful addition to the family, and bring with her some of the light that was Isabel, a much needed thing for all of us here.

So, we take some comfort in knowing that as Isabel's spirit now is among us, we are saving a new life.  In fact, we are saving three.  Ellie was to become a foster dog.  Now her foster slot will be open to another dog that can move out of the shelter, opening two kennels for new dogs that just need a chance to find their families.  We know this is what Isabel wants.

I also want to say thank you to all of you for your thoughts, prayers, good wishes, emails, and phone calls.  It's really meant a lot.  Thank you.

My Angel Girl Is Gone. All Things Must Pass.

 I received a call earlier this afternoon from my girlfriend.  She was frantic and in tears.  She had let my dogs out to go to the bathroom and play outside in the fenced yard in front of our house.  She went inside to use the bathroom.  In the few minutes there was someone came knocking on the door.  She dashed out to see who it was.  It was our next door neighbor who had brought the dead body of my dog Isabel Roverandom to our yard.  She had been struck by a car and killed instantly.  Our gates were closed.  There was no sign of them digging themselves out.  It is highly unlikely that they both managed to climb over the fence.  We suspect they might have been let out by some asshole in our neighborhood.  We just don't know [we now know that they dug their way out].  

The only thing I do know is that my best friend, the sweetest most loving dog that has ever lived, was killed by someone speeding down our quiet street, who didn't even have the decency to stop.  Because of someone's desire to get somewhere, on our going to nowhere street, my dog is dead.  I will never get to snuggle her, or sleep with her, walk with her, or play with her again.

I am beside myself with grief.  I was supposed to have more time.  I was supposed to watch her grow old.  I was supposed to have my dog alive when I came home today so she could jump all over me, and shower me with her hugs and kisses, which she did when we first met and she told me that I was going to be her dad.  Now she'll never be here to hug me again.

Her sister, who was also out, is unharmed physically.  I gave her chance to see Isabel's body.  She sniffed and kissed her, and growled some, wondering why she wouldn't get up.  I wept over her body for I don't know how long. 

She was my first dog.  She had terrible separation anxiety and required a lot of training, and medicine to help her get over it.  But adopting her sister is what really made the difference.  They healed each other.  Both had their issues; separation anxiety, and an early life of abuse and neglect.  They became fast friends, thick as thieves, as we all were in our pack.  Now one of us is gone, and my heart is broken.

We have made arrangements for her to be buried at a place she loved, and where we can visit her as much as we want.  We thought about burying her at our home, but nowhere is permanent and the thought of us moving away and leaving her with strangers is just something I couldn't live with.  She will be buried in a place of fond memories, grounds kept by people who cared for her and loved her.  

We have already decided that the best way to honor her is to begin, when we're ready, to foster dogs from the local shelter where Isabel was when I adopted her.  If we find one who fits our family, and is universally loved by all the furry members, then that dog will have a forever home with us.

Isabel, I love you with all my heart and soul and will always, but it will never compare to the love you gave to me.  You taught me more about myself than I could have ever learned on my own: the nature of love, and that even in a world populated by greedy, selfish, assholes who would just as soon slit your throat and burn your house down, there are souls on this earth who know no malice, who are devoid of guile, and who can touch our spirits and enliven us in ways we could not possibly have imagined.  You were one of those souls.  Your sister is as well.  If I ever encounter another with one tenth of your brilliance then I will consider myself blessed.

I love you more than words can tell, and that will never change.  Time heals all wounds they say, but no matter where I go, or what I do, the love you brought will remain with me.  And one day, we will meet again in that far green country, 'neath the swift sunrise.  

Travel safely my angel.  Watch over your sister, and all of us.  And if you can, beam some of that boundless love you gave into every living soul so that maybe this world will begin to turn around.

I love you.

To my readers:  I will be taking some time to be with my family, and to grieve.  I'll share some memories of my girl with you too.  Then it will be right back to fight.

The Resident Knows Not What He's Doing: The Middle East

Resident Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr. seems to want to make good on his promise to meet with our enemies, without preconditions, in the hopes of accomplishing what?  According to the the UK Telegraph, he wants to meet with Syria in the hopes of tearing them away from Iran's sphere of influence.  A noble cause to be sure, but this notion only goes to demonstrate that the Resident has not one clue as to how the map in the region looks.

For years now Syria has been a conduit for Iranian arms and funding to Iran's surrogate army in Lebanon, Hezbollah.  This relationship went full steam ahead after the collapse of Syria's traditional benefactor, the USSR.  Equipped with rotting Soviet equipment, with no new direct source for resupply, the obvious partner to embrace was Iran, who was more than willing to engage in deals with Syria, which already had de facto control over Lebanon, a common necessity in Damascus' and Tehran's common goal of eliminating Israel, as Syria no longer has a directly accessible border with Israel due to its loss of the Golan Heights.  A land invasion via Syria into Israel is now all but a complete impossibility due to the UN run DMZ between the two countries that was created in 1974 to maintain the ceasefire.

Let's look at two issues that should immediately start ringing bells for those interested in maintaining the security of the United States.

First, what could Martin Luther Lincoln possibly offer the Syrians to get them to walk away from Iran?

1. Money
2. Weapons
3. The Golan

Now anyone in their right mind would wonder why we would give money to an essentially rogue country like Syria that harbors and funds terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, both sworn to destroy Israel.  From where I sit that's a conflict of security interest, considering Israel is essentially the only thing standing between Jihadists and Europe, one of the main reasons why many Europeans turned out in the streets to show support for Israel during Operation Cast Lead.

Aside from this, there is another major fallacy in the Resident's thinking.  Syria is not part of Iran's sphere of influence as much as it is under Russia's, as is Iran to a certain extent.  It is Russia that is building Iran's nuclear reactor, and supplying fuel.  Though this is a tiger by the tail situation because it is not in Russia's interests for Iran to have the bomb.  They've been playing this badly, while trying to rebuild Russian influence in Middle East (maybe this has something to do with the continuing mess in Chechnya...whoops!...as well as increasing tensions with the U.S. which Russia would rather not do as it quietly reclaims its regional dominance).  

It is Syria that has negotiated arms deals with Russia in the past year.  And most recently Russia has been talking with Damascus regarding use of the Syrian port of Tartus for Russian naval vessels, already a resupply and maintenance site for the Russian navy (the only port it has use of in the Mediterranean).  The Russian lease on Sevastapol, the Crimean home of the Black Sea Fleet is set to expire in 2017.  Though I suspect that Russia intends to seize the Crimea and thus have de facto control over Ukraine, Tartus could serve as an alternative, though it is far from mother Russia.  Regardless, Russia would love to have a home in the Mediterranean and Tartus is the logical place.  El-Latakia is reportedly going to be fitted with a floating pier, and expanded as well (Israel is obviously not happy about the weapons sales, or the increased Russian naval presence.  The last thing Israel wants is to be drawn into an international conflict that could potentially be precipitated by Russian aggression in Crimea and Ukraine.).

The only thing I could see Martin Luther Lincoln offering Syria that Russia can't is the compromising of Israel's security vis a vis the Golan, which Israel should never, ever give back under any circumstances.  As you can see from the map, it is suicide for Israel not only from a military point of view (Syria regularly shelled northern Israel from the Golan, driving Israelis into bomb shelters for years, like Hamas has been doing in southern Israel, only far worse), but due to the fact that Syria would control the water.  Got news for ya Damascus, ain't gonna happen cap'n.  And the Druze of the Golan, whom Syria likes to say miss their old home, would prefer to be under Israeli control it seems, and I can't say that I blame them, though many are separated from family because of the border.  I have been saying for quite some time that my fear is that Martin Luther Lincoln's Mideast policy is predicated on selling Israel up the Jordan without a paddle.  This will be a major test to that theory (I don't expect Syria to bite, but they will certainly take any money we offer and give nothing to us in return). 

Do you think the Resident has any clue as to this shift with Syria and Russia?  Guess what I think?  I think if he had to meet face to face with Putin, Dear Leader's testicles would recede.  Fortunately he picked a Secretary of State with "testicular fortitude."  

Hold onto your butts.  This is not going to be pretty.

The Italian Communist

Much a doo doo has been made about Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr., his socialist leanings, his presidency marking the end of all life in the known universe...

I think this joke, told to me many years ago illustrates just what kind of socialist Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr. is.

An American reporter was sent to post-war Italy to report on the various political factions that were emerging.  On this particular day he was interviewing a member of the Italian Communist Party.  The conversation went like this:

So let me get this straight...if you have two houses you'll keep one for yourself, and give the other to the state?

Si...I give one to that state, and keep one for a myself.

And if you had two cars you'd keep one for yourself and give the other one to the state?

Si...I give one car to the state and keep one a for a myself.

And if you had two horses you'd keep one for yourself and give one to the state?

Si...I give one horse to the state and I keep one a for a myself.

And if you had two shirts you'd keep one for yourself and give the other to the state?

No.

No?

No.

I don't understand...you'd give an extra house, an extra car, and extra horse...why not an extra shirt?

Well a...I got a two shirts.

If you buy a mansion in Hyde Park you're not planning on redistributing wealth to the poor...you're redistributing it to yourself, and your Hyde Park friends.

So America, how you lovin' Bush III?  Having fun yet?

Gaza Strawberry Fields? Nothing Is Real

Ladyboomer forwarded this article from Ynet to me the other day.

Here's the meat:

What really is behind the numbers reported on the number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip? Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera reported Thursday that a doctor working in Gaza's Shifa Hospital claimed that Hamas has intentionally inflated the number of casualties resulting from Israel's Operation Cast Lead.

"The number of deceased stands at no more than 500 to 600. Most of them are youths between the ages of 17 to 23 who were recruited to the ranks of Hamas, who sent them to the slaughter," according to the newspaper article.

snip

Despite the claims, the IDF stood behind its estimate that between 1,100 to 1,200 people were killed in the Strip during the fighting, more than two-thirds of them Hamas members.

The army initially believed that the number of civilian casualties was higher, as many Hamas men walked outside their houses dressed in civilian clothes, leaving their weapons at home.

snip

A Tal al-Hawa resident told the newspaper's reporter, "Armed Hamas men sought out a good position for provoking the Israelis. There were mostly teenagers, aged 16 or 17, and armed. They couldn't do a thing against a tank or a jet. They knew they are much weaker, but they fired at our houses so that they could blame Israel for war crimes."

The reporter for the Italian newspaper also quoted reporters in the Strip who told of Hamas' exaggerated figures, "We have already said to Hamas commanders – why do you insist on inflating the number of victims?"

These same reporters mentioned that the truth that will come out is likely to be similar to what occurred in Operation Defensive Shield in Jenin. "Then, there was first talk of 1,500 deaths. But then it turned out that there were only 54, 45 of which were armed men," the Palestinian reporters told the Italian newspaper.

I remember the Jenin incident well, and that the UN had to eat it when the truth came out.

The simple fact of the matter is that we are not going to know the truth about the number of dead, just as we do not know the truth about much that goes on in this conflict.  When the Israeli government censors information, and Hamas and the PA just flagrantly make shit up, in the end you never know who is crying wolf and who isn't.

As I said when this conflict began, there is no black and white here.  Everything is gray but for a few things.  Those are:

1. Hamas and Fatah are not interested in a two state solution.  To them there is only one solution...no more Israel.
   
2. Israel will do what it must to survive.
3. As long as number 1 is true there will never be peace.

In her welcome comments, Secretary Clinton spoke of the "two-state solution."  We will soon know if this is rhetoric, or if she understands the reality of #1.  When will we know?  When we start hearing talk of creating legitimate Palestinian political institutions.  Until we hear this from her, everything public is a dog and pony show designed to keep people from killing each other at the moment.  

What we can say is that with the appointing of George Mitchell and Richard Holbrooke, Secretary Clinton is serious about handling the parties in Israel and the territories, as well as India and Pakistan.  That's good news, because there is a lot more at stake than simply Israel's survival, the improvement of life for Palestinians, and peace in the region.  She is not screwing around.

Kindasleezy Rice actually believed in the two state solution, and I believe she considered Abbas a genuine actor in the process.  I expect that we will be seeing signs as to how Secretary Clinton sees him soon.  This is a situation that needs to be massaged carefully.  And nothing is really going to happen until after the Israeli elections.  If Netanyahu wins, Clinton is going to have item #1 pointed out to her very quickly, though I suspect that by now, she understands this reality.

Netanyahu will discuss nothing of any substance if Fatah/PA is supposed to be the one coming to the table.  Hamas is a non-starter for final status talks as far as he's concerned.  And frankly, I don't think the two-state solution is even an option in his mind.

If I were her I'd say the first step in moving forward is two-fold.  Dealing with immediate infrastructure needs on behalf of Palestinians, while simultaneously building new political institutions not based on the failed notion of destroying Israel.  There is no moving forward without the latter, and from what I've heard from Clinton so far, the former is key to achieving the long term goals there.  She has made it quite clear at State, and at USAID, that development is essential to promoting American security interests.  Translation: helping countries have more profitable economic ventures than violence and terror is good for America.  I couldn't agree more.  But I would be very hesitant to undertake any sweeping development plan in the territories when they are controlled by terror kelptocracies.  They must be swept away for there to be any long term success, or security.  Secretary Clinton would do well to lean on Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to help make this happen.  The Saudis have been big time funders of the terror regimes.  It's time they started pumping in investment capital for legitimate industries.  Terror is not plan, and does not look good on a resume′ (unless you're looking for a job with al-qaeda).

The question is how far can this development be taken.  Places like Afghanistan, Africa, the territories, need to develop strong economic engines.  This means not simply improving the quality of life for ordinary people, but generating new, thriving economic powerhouses to revitalize and maintain global capitalist systems.  Ours are about to be devastated by Congressional stupidity in what asshats like Soros think is going to be a controlled economic collapse.  I think it's going to be more like a balloon sputtering and flipping out of control until it flops to the ground.  

The territories are relatively easy in that I suspect there are Israeli companies that would be willing to invest in job creation within the West Bank, if these investments were safe guarded by legitimate Palestinian political institutions.  It is my understanding that Netanyahu sees economic development as the vital step.  But again, Israel cannot sustain the territories as an economic canton dependent on Israeli investment.  But this is the best way of achieving a one-state solution/federation (the only long term solution that's viable and will make everyone happy.  We don't have a united Ireland either, but I feel that day is coming.).  I honestly have not fully researched his current positions as I've been a little busy dealing with Gaza, and Martin Luther Lincoln Jr. Jr.

I'd be having a very frank conversation with Mr. Abbas that basically says, "You either lead the way to building the new Palestinian body politic, or consider yourself put out to pasture." There's nothing a kleptocrat fears more than being cut off from the teat.

Carrots and sticks, baby.  Carrots and sticks.

As far as I'm concerned, everything of any real interest is going to be happening out of Foggy Bottom.  The crap that Congress and Martin Luther King Jr. Jr. are trying to pull; collapsing our economy, etc.  That's very much out of our hands and we're just going to have to figure on how we're going to ride that out.  But how we handle our foreign affairs, what we cultivate, what we sew, that's going to tell the tale as to what will be left once the storm has passed.  Will there be a lifeboat or an anvil?  I have a feeling that will be a better indicator as to how devastated things could become.  Basically it's the difference between being fucked, and being as fucked as fucked can be.