I am participating in a Doll Quilt swap over on Flicker. I looked at my secret partner's site and I don't think she would be real crazy for my original little quilt I had planned, so I am going to do something inspired by my wild outback landscape. I am going to follow my daughter's lead and go ahead and call it a "dreamtime". When Emma draws pictures....they aren't just drawings, they are dreamtimes. Most of the fabric is going to be hand dyed by me....so I am very excited about it. I hope my partner likes it, but I know I will. I am going to call the hand dying more fabric staining. I am using Tea, coffee and mud. Lots of fun.
I have stocked my little store with these 3 bags. The clutch was for sale over on Etsy, but I moved it to my other shop and reduced the price a bit. 3 great bags....I hope one of them goes home with you! So Sunday at 12:00 noon (East Coast time) go over and check them out.
Here are some of our noisy locals. I just can't get over how cool the birds are in Australia. I just love them.
So.....let's talk politics. I am not getting much of the race down here. We get a bit now and then but it is hard to tell where the candidates are standing on one of the most important issues in my life, "the War on Terror" and what one in particular is saying is downright terrifying. You are going to have to share with me the allure of Obama. I just don't see it. We have a fine nation, one worth defending. We have a wonderful way of life....I am very confused why he has such a big following. Help me out Obama supporters, there may be one or two of you reading this.;o)
Here is an assessment by a friend of mine. I asked her to fill me on the candidates and their stand on Iraq and Afghanistan.....
Here's my response to your question in an unbiased a way as I can present it (which isn't really all that unbiased). Let me add the caveat that I'm pretty conservative and look at things through these military glasses, so tend to roll my eyes at things like "immediate pull-out" because... yeah right. In any case, first I'll give you their talking points and then my take on it.
McCain:
Favors the surge
Won't play the timeline game
McCain wasn't a huge Rumsfeld fan (which isn't a major surprise) but he's a big Patreaus fan. He generally likes the direction things are going right now and if anything he'd up the ante and push harder to squash the insurgency. It's a pretty fair analysis to say that part of the mess we're in now is because Rumsfeld pussy-footed around and figured that less troops would mean fewer casualties... well, not so much. He also didn't develop much of an after-plan to the invasion. McCain would benefit from all the hindsight of those mistakes and doesn't have any of Bush's loyalty issues - which is one of Bush's main pitfalls - the man needs to fire his friends faster. Since McCain has never been much of a "friend" kind of guy - this isn't an issue. He's a bulldozer and doesn't really make friends.
Obama:
Has NEVER been for the war, increase in troops, increase in spending, etc. Has voted against every bill that has ever come before the Senate that has involved Iraq - to include all requests for money to fund the troops.
Will do everything in his power to turn tail and run as fast as possible. His plan is to IMMEDIATELY start pulling out two brigades a month. He's basically Vietnam redux and doesn't apologize for it.
He's all about "let's all talk and play fair" but he's got almost zero foreign policy experience. Plans on personally sitting down and talking with ALL nations - even the rouge ones.
He's fairly scary on this issue - except that he can't do a whole lot without Congressional approval and would need (you'd hope) to have some real discussions outside of the campaign with the guys who are actually over there and may get a huge reality check once he takes the reigns. I honestly don't think he understands what he's in for because of his lack of experience. The former members of the Armed Forces who are supporters of his are lightweights and didn't have the greatest reputations in their time. I'm a little nervous about who he'd appoint as Sec Def. I also think that he'd likely only last 4 years ala Jimmy Carter because I just don't think he's got the experience on an international level to pull this off right now. If this were just a domestic game, maybe.
Clinton:
She says she isn't for the war anymore - but she's voted in favor of everything.
She says she'd do a "phased withdrawal" of the troops within the first 60 days of taking office and would want most of them out by 2013.
Basically... she's a realist and is already trying to preserve her legacy.
Clinton knows that to get the Dem vote she needs to talk withdrawal, but she's smart and experienced enough to know that isn't as easy as it sounds - nor is it smart. So she's hedging. Its totally obvious from what she says that she's hedging but the voters don't seem to care too much about it - except maybe that's why they are tending toward Obama right now. She's totally playing both sides. She's got a decent set of has-been Generals on her side, but they aren't the all-stars (Wesley Clark, etc). Look to Clark to be Sec Def if she's elected. But she's a pragmatist and definitely wouldn't want to be known as the female President who failed in Iraq throughout history so she'd do her darnedest to avoid that title. I'm not sure she could do it and succeed by not going bulldozer though. Her downfall will be trying to make everyone happy.
So, what do I think will work? I dunno. From my standpoint, I think we need to see this through and continue to get aggressive. It's working despite the uptick in violence right now, what is happening right now is nothing compared to what was going on two years ago. Clearly we are making some headway, so to walk away from that seems ridiculous. However, from a person POV - I'd sure like my husband to come home. I'd hate for him to come home though and then in four years be dealing with an even bigger problem created because we walked away.
Just my little opinions...
OK....that is a ton for one blog post, but that is what is on my mind. Feel free to comment, folks. I want to know what the heck is going on back in the mother land! Just to encourage you to comment I am going to randomly draw a winner from the comments for a "Maria Zippy Wallet". At the time of your victory you may request it to be "civilian" or "Campy"
13 comments:
This write up was more the positions on Iraq I think (not that I'm outing myself or anything).
Their positions on Afghanistan are different. That's the more politically correct war. It's pretty easy to say that it's "stay the course" for all three and in fact, for both Dems they'd redeploy a lot of the troops from Iraq over to Afghanistan. You see, they have this plan to catch this guy named Osama Bin Laden. Apparently a Dem Commander in Chief would make the military more effective at conducting that mission. I'm obviously being a little twitty here - but this is where Obama got into the whole, "I'd invade Pakistan" problem. He just doesn't see the whole picture nor does he understand the scope of what's been going on over there for years. I think he'd get a massive reality check once he got into office and finally got those TS briefings.
Obama has zero experience. Talks a great game and is very charismatic. He might be a good president in another 8 years when he has been around longer....don't know. I am all for a woman president but just don't like Hillary. Sorry.
Macain just won't cut it. Smart man...has definitely got experience with wars but something just feels wrong. He stumbles over his speeches. He is more a behind the scenes type of guy to me.Not the out in the public speaker.And a president needs to be clear and comcise with answers all the time.
I have long looked to your friend for political advice and info. She's informed, conservative in the same realm as me and has a connection to the military that makes her viewpoint valid!
Thanks for the write up!
I just found your blog through the picts on the flickr dolls quilt swap! :) Lovely landscape up North for your inspiration, should
be a great swap. Love to be your partner! :)
The democratic primary season has become the best seat and craziest show in the country.
This election process has gone on far, far to long. Three years and counting, cost too much and I think a lot of the voting populace is fed up with the current options for President.
Right now the British way of electing their PM looks very attractive. Call an election and 3 weeks later have it, done deal.
Our country is facing huge problems. Right now with the choices we have for Pres. the only one I would want handling the job is McCain. I think his VP choice will be very important for his electability. I'm not a big fan, but having looked at the other two candidates he's my best option.
Obama....a lot of talk, far, far left liberal, wife is even further left, he's the darling of most of the media which is enough right there for me not to vote for him. So many other reasons too ,but more than I want to write about on a blog comment.
Hillary, can't stand the woman! Do we really want another Clinton for President. 8 years of one Clinton, 12 years of two Bush Presidencies, I"M really ready for a change and isn't that what the Dems are shouting that it's time for change.
Stay tuned, the show must go on!
VOTE, it's a privilege!
Hmm. OK, usually our mom or Dave, Guide Dog for the Color Blind, leaves a comment from us, but I'll try my paw at it today. Let me be up front and tell you I'm a conservative RePUPlican. I don't care for what either one of the demo-cats stands for ("pull out NOW, we've failed") and while Senator McCain would do the least damage to our military, I don't see eye-to-eye with him on many issues (immigration, campaign finance reform, climate issues, to name a few). Having said that, I'm more "against" certain candidates than "for" another. In the biped arena, at least. Overall, my support goes to my good friend Tubey http://worldofturbo.blogspot.com/ (Huricane Akara Turbofire). Not only is he going to ban thunderstorms, but fireworks, too! He's got my vote!
Tail wags,
Storms
PS: Mom wants to know if you're sorry you asked. :)
Being a person with military roots living a civilian life, I am looking at this election with mixed views, but since your post was just the Iraq issue I will stay there. If we want a straight out win and things taken care of we are going to have to go with McCain. I fear the other two will make things worse, Clinton in the short term, Obama in the long term. But that is just my view for Iraq. There are so many other issues and this comment will get to long. I think I may write about it on my blog.
I just wanted to say that I ADORE those bags!
I wish i could give you a huge low down, I am not an obama supporter at all, I don't like what he stands for, I am a republican, I am conservative, I will vote republican, i have no issues voting the other way but neither of the candidates are remotely appealing...
but i wanted to say hi
As an illinois-an, I am a huge supporter of Obama as a senator. He's done wonderful things for Illinois, and I have agreed with most of his voting decisions on environmental issues (something I am quite passionate about).
However, I tend to agree that he doesn't have enough experience to be our nation's president. I am particularly worried about his views on foreign policy in the realm of what you've discussed here.
And though I didn't support the war from the beginning, I think it is ridiculous to think we can just pull out now. We are in much too deep and must see this through, or will end up with an even bigger problem down the road.
I am a pessimist when it comes to politics, so I will have to respectfully bow out LOL. I try to live in my own little crazy fabric and yarn filled world.
That said, I feel that our we are in a bit of a quandry in Iraq that there is no fast and easy solution as some candidates may propose. I also feel that no matter who takes over in office, we are in a course that will take us through more challenges that your and my husband "boots on the ground".
*sigh* and tis why I say I like to surround myself with fluffy stuff strong women such as yourself.
(((HUGS)))
How's that ? LOL!
Love you!
(We found a house at Hood! We are now under contract!)
It is our right/obligation to vote during all elections. However, sometimes that is tough when there's not 1 candidate in whom you would place your confidence; whether it be domestically or internationally. Should we just let our choice fall by the wayside because we think "our vote doesn't really matter anyway?". NO! Regardless of who we like or don't like, or would rather NOT see at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we must exercise our right to vote. Hundreds of thousands have died for our right to do so. Ok, so that's my view on voting ... about the war in Iraq:
Obama/Clinton want to pull our troops out w/in 60 days of stepping into the White House. Speaking as a military spouse, I agree I want ALL of our troops to come home now! Is that possible? safe? in the best interest of Iraq? the US? In my opinion, no to all of the above. Talking about bringing the troops home appeals to all - noone likes to hear of soldiers dying in a land so far away. But to bring our troops immediately following the swearing in of a new president is logistically impossible. If they are going to be the Commander in Chief ... they need to learn a few things about military logistics. As an Army wife, I know that's not possible. Nor is it safe for us or the Iraqis. Here's another perspective. I hear people comparing the Iraq/Afghanistan war to Vietnam, but have you thought of this perspecitve? One day I went to get a pedicure (trying to get as relaxed as possible before Kaitlin was born), the owner of the nail shop (who is Vietnamese) said it best, "if we pull out of Iraq immediately, we will leave the Iraqis to be treated like we were when the US pulled out of Vietnam". He said it was horrible - far more worse than the war itself.
McCain has a better idea of what should/shouldn't happen and I think he's more qualified to understand what "the boots on the ground" tell him needs to be/should be done as far as leaving and/or sustaining presence in the countries (Iraq & Afghanistan).
If memory serves me correctly, we still have troops in Japan, Korea, & Bosnia. When we originally sent troops to those countries years ago, most people didn't think we'd still be there ... yet we are.
And lastly, I strongly feel that if Clinton would have done more in the "hunt for Obama" and being adamant about the UN and IAEA inspectors doing their jobs, we wouldn't be having this conversation. As the wife of a retired Chemical NCO, I could go on and on about what we have found over there, but I will spare the details as I'm ranting now!
Much love from Central Texas to you and yours Down Under! :o)
I think you hit it right on with Clinton, although I'm not a fan of her really. I'm not really crazy about any of the candidates to tell you the truth. I like Obama charisma, but think he also lacks the experience. None of them seem particularly stronger than the over. I would consider myself more conservative and would definitley vote for McCain if Huckabee was his running mate!
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