Merry Christmas to one and all.
Old Beau, my little dog and the two calico kittens are asleep on my recliner, the rest of the cats are outside on the porch napping. It isn't quite time for our Christmas pizza yet, so, I figured a blog entry might be in order.
We were just resting here today, instead of watching the TV, which has not been on for at least two weeks now, we had the stereo on. Yep, listening to cd's of good old classic rock and roll. Up comes the live album of "Steppenwolf", the fourth track, "The Monster" just finished. Wow, amazing, the song was done for the Vietnam war, but it is still appropriate for today. One thing since then, the monster has grown quite a big bit larger in the intervening years. I do not think that even the guys in the band could have imagined how much the monster would grow. I actually think they felt the monster could be stopped. Well, it can be, but it is up to us do stop it.
America, where are you now? Will you join us in the fight against the monster?
Now for another book review. Man that old SOB charlie sure reads a hell of a lot, don't he? Well, yes, I do. Being permanently disabled means I have the time to do so.
I just finished a very good book, a "MUST READ" book, are there others? Well, yes there really are. Some books are just for "fun" as it were. Or maybe just "special" interest books, like, oh another I am working through. "Maverick Marine" about a Marine Corps hero, General Smedley Butler.
Back to the must read book though. It is "The Coming Balkan Caliphate" by Chris Deliso. This book IS a must for any thinking American, or any thinking human being on this planet. In the book, Mr. Deliso, shows how the Balkans is NOT a "done deal" by any means. He shows what is going on there now and how we got into this mess.
It started with Billy Bob Bubba Clinton and the "intervention" in Bosnia. Just like the shit house mess in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation of that country. In fact, many of the "troops" we helped get to Bosnia were veterans of the Afghan campaign against the Soviets. Yes, America imported radical Islam into Europe through the "back door" of the Balkans. But, we did this for "humanitarian" reasons. We wanted to stop the "evil" Serbs from ethnic cleansing of the Muslim population when the former Yugoslavia broke up.
Clinton, with his "humanitarian" intervention got "our" jihadis into Europe. Thanks loads Bill. Oh, and for the record, Hi-Larry was all for bombing the Serbs to hell and gone. And you were surprised at her votes for the Iraq mess? Ha! She is more pro-war than Bush. Hillary has received more campaign funds from the military contractors than ANY other candidate for president from either party (er, wing of the war party that is). Yes sir, she has raked in more funding from the military-industrial complex of rip-off artists (aka defense establishment) than any other candidate. And she is a Democrat? Funny, I had thought it was the Republicans who were pro-war and the donkey gang was "supposed" to be anti-war. Well, what do ya know? Things DO change!
Back to the book, again. Mr Deliso points out how the radical Islamic groups, the Saudi backed Wahhabis and even al-Qaeda have been given assistance from the US government. How these groups have formed alliances with the Albanian mafia and other criminal gangs in the region. He shows how our neglect of the region since 9/11 has lead to further radicalisation of the Muslim population of the Balkans. This is a very serious matter as the "native" Muslim population is European. They "look just like us" and blend into the rest of the European or North American population. Some security people refer to them as the "white devils". This could prove to be a very serious security matter. Can't "detect" them by their appearances. They do not look like the typical Middle Eastern types, they ARE European and of course blend right in. And we have let this happen. Not only let it happen, our government has set the stage for it to happen. We backed the Islamic government of Bosnia, we back the radical Muslim Albanians who want to have an independent Kosovo. We have set up this entire mess. Just as we did in Afghanistan in the 1980's and again with our current "invasion" of that country. Just as we have created a terrible mess in Iraq.
We chase the Taliban, and our own tail, through Afghanistan. We made a situation in Iraq where al-Qaeda could enter Iraq and flourish. Our government and "leaders" seem to never learn from past history. And to think that our "decider" is supposed to have been a history major in college. Maybe they teach history differently at Yale and Harvard. The man sure as hell didn't learn very much in my opinion.
The Balkans is a powder keg, just waiting for some fool to light the fuse, again. Remember, it was in this region where World War One got its "official" start. It all began with a political assassination in 1914.
The entire history of the Balkans is quite fascinating and well worth reading about, just as pure history. Since the region has been important for the rest of Europe, it is very worth reading and learning about. With the involvement of America in the region, think Camp Bondsteel, it is vital for Americans to know at least some of the history of this area. We are still there with American troops, and we are not yet done with the region.
Mr. Deliso also shows the connections of the Balkans with 9/11, the bombings in London and Madrid as well. Our "old pal" bin Laden and his group have been and still are, quite active in this region. Yet, when do you ever get any news coverage of the Balkans on America TV or in our newspapers? Not very often, and when we do get some bits of news from there, it isn't much and there is no follow up or analysis of events there. Not "sexy" enough for the talking heads of American TV I suppose.
Be on your watch folks, this region is going to be making headlines in my opinion.
semper fi,
