This just in: I have an opinion about the Middle East and our military involvement there. Having said that, I admit my understanding of a very complex situation is exceptionally limited. Smitty, my editor, knows a lot more that me and disagrees with my opinion on this issue.
But….here is what I think anyway.
Once upon a time, we needed the Middle East because they supplied us and the rest of the world with oil. A small hiccup there would send economies crashing around the world.
We helped to overthrow regimes to put in our puppets. We established military bases and flexed our muscles. The unspoken word to those in the area was “We are here and we are strong…so don’t fuck with us.”
Yes, there are other issues aside from oil. NATO likes our bases close to them. Israel wants a big brother to hide behind etc.
But it really was about the oil.
Now we are energy independent. We get very little oil from the Middle East.
And yet…we are still there.
It’s as if our politicians forgot why we were there in the first place and at this point, are afraid to ask “Why?” So we stay. We stay and send kids from lower to middle class families over there to fight for something that no one can define.
We let our soldiers board first on airplanes but when they come home, they are not heroes. There is no parade for them as a banner is unfolded saying, “We killed some guys in the desert who were shooting at us from the back of a 1973 Toyota pickup.”
I’m sure Smitty is cringing as he reads this…
So, when Trump says, “We are leaving Syria” why am I not happy?
Let’s go back to what this blog started with: I don’t know what I’m talking about.
Obama said he would get us out of the Middle East and yet…we stayed.
Did he learn something that changed his mind?
Trump makes this grand announcement and I think “Finally!”
Then…silence.
Congress knew nothing about this plan.
The Pentagon knew nothing about this plan.
Puting loves this plan.
Erdogan (Turkey dictator) loves this plan.
ISIS loves this plan.
All of this together makes me think, “What the fuck is going on?”
I think Trump is getting his ideas/orders from places we’d rather he didn’t.
On a completely unrelated note…
Trump has just announced that he plans on lifting some Russian sanctions.
Hmmmmmm
Now for a quick gratitude list.
- Free online language courses
- Thai food
- 2-day delivery with Amazon Prime
- Christmas Music
- New tires
- Espresso with a shot of caramel
- Pandora online music
- Bundling up before walking the dogs on a cold morning
Time to save the world.
Up, up and away…
Jim
