Does any thinking being have to wonder why, when Porkulus 1 money hasn’t even been barely distributed, they are already calling for Son of Porkulus?

Here’s the deal: Unaccountable bureaucrats will tell you how you will handle everything in your life, or the money will stop flowing.

All under the guise of making sure the taxpayers money isn’t being mis-appropriated…like for that fat laden Big Mac, the soda with sugar and caffeine, the “nasty” second hand smoke producing cigar, or…how much you drive your car (oh, and what kind it is) instead of taking light rail and the bus and where you send your children to school.

They want everyone to sign on the dotted line now, and then, the “fine print” reading will be way too late. As pointed out in an article on banks trying to return the money, it was noted that the Government can change the conditions in the future. So, consider what that portends for anyone taking Government assistance. The basics: Unintended consequences, based on unforeseen regulations, without the benefit of a legislative process to vet them.

Tea Parties are a start. More push back will be needed, or we shall all be drones of the state, working to give to the Federal Government, so they can hand some of it back, with massive restrictions, and new restrictions they can apply at the whim of anyone in the heap of civil servants between you and the President.  Interesting how it works:  They take our money, then pay off a bunch of civil servants, hand us back some of the leftover funds and tell us we have to respect the rights of all other taxpayers for taking it.  Yep, I hope that makes your head explode, because it stupid at the core, and the thinking person knows it.  Side note:  what does that say about those who we voted into office who can’t stand up and say “This is not only stupid, it’s immoral!”

And: Just think, the news this very day is Bernie Madoff may have to serve life in prison for his $65B ponzi scheme. Think about the bailout/stimulus/America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and all such permutations as a huge money laundering scheme. The difference is when the power of the Congress and the Executive is behind it, it is somehow legal.

The Government takes our wealth in taxes, then drafts up a mountain of conditions, then places the money on the table in front of us, with the tomes of “conditions” and a pen.  The Government representative, or their proxy by the chain of money distribution, will say “Sign here” and then put a fork in you, you’re done. You know how desperation works: If you’re hanging on by a thread, you sign without “reading the contract.”

I spent a few decades where my part of my duties required me to be a steward of taxpayers funds as an end user, not as a bean counter. Near the end of my time, I directly handled $11M and oversaw a total of $34M of federal expenditures. A portion of my time, as a department head in a large software maintenance organization was spent ensuring the funds allocated by a DC office was spent in accordance of the guidelines, which extended all the way from the Congressional Budget. There was single year money, multi-year money, all with specifics of under which projects the funds could be expended. The “rules” were that the person who last touched it was accountable for where it was spent, even if an error in the funding lines may have been altered by accident up the chain somewhere in the “accounting data.” The strings attached to this money were lengthy and very specific, including the legal outcomes if you did the wrong thing. Moral of that paragraph: No seat of the pants spending allowed.

Puppets. We shall all become puppets if we are not mindful of the serious danger of President Obama’s ingrained punishment mentality, bred into him by the radicals who were his mentors and role models.

The bottom line:  He wants to be able to tell each and every citizen how they will live their life, and he will keep telling you it’s to make sure the taxpayer’s money is spent right.

The almost final thought:  no wonder the President hasn’t had time to deal with the pressing issues of foreign affairs.  First he needs to gain a massive degree of control of the populace, using this sort of end around of The Constitution first.  With such control he’ll be much more able to control the conversations that should go on in a republic.

The final thought:  Didn’t we get here by Government mandating who got money and who didn’t and how and where it would be doled out?  How’d that work out for us so far?

Mark my words.  This theme will play out in the Consumer Safety Protection Act, gun control (think localities taking money being told that a condition is “reasonable regulation of ownership”), and a variety of other social, legal and even moral issues (can you say no protesting abortions?).  Take a moment and envision the “unintended consequences” that shall follow the money from the halls of Congress and trhe Desk in the Oval Office.  I trust you are reasonably horrified.  I trust you will let your elected officals know how you feel about this.  It is time for “feelings” to come to the forefront.

So, once more, in the light of the aftermath of the election, and gauging his words against his own deeds, “we” got so much of him wrong.

Experience isn’t necessary, if you already know how you are going to judge. Even more so, if you think your understanding of all things is superior to all around you (that’s the “intellectual” part coming into play).

If he is a quick study, all I see is a quick study in how to implement a radical agenda in the face of determined political resistance. Note the word “political” and no others in the sentence. By looking at those who he seems to have initially held up as his associates (before he tossed them under the bus when they came to light), they were pretty much all about radical political change. Yes, the names Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright come to mind.

He his long term friends and close associates do not include people who have been or became ambassadors, economic wizards, business builders, nor even historians. The close associations seem to all be those who would corrupt the system, specifically for political change.

President Obama just is going to have it his way. History be damned, and any, yes, any political opponent, regardless of party affiliation, (soon some Blue Dog Democrats, I predict, will be getting the Rush/Joe the Plumber/Rick Santelli/Jim Cramer/Sara Palin treatment) be damned, too. It’s now the time to destroy America as a leader, and the ironic thing is, it is being done by our leader.

Now, a commenter on The Anchoress nailed some of my thoughts, that hadn’t completely formed. These words became the basis for this post, and extend my thoughts along these lines well.

# Bender B. Rodriguez Says:
March 4th, 2009 at 12:00 am

You know, we were all concerned that, as inexperienced as he is, Obama would need on-the-job training. But apparently, Obama does not believe he needs to learn how to do the job. He clearly believes that he knows everything he needs to know — and the things he doesn’t know are irrelevant to his objectives.

For example, how the economy works. He doesn’t care to know that because he is not interested in making it work. He is only interested in changing it. Don’t bother him with financial facts, don’t interrupt to tell him that his pants are on fire, he has an ideological agenda to enact and the facts and/or results be damned. It doesn’t work? Who cares? The agenda is going to be enacted anyway.

Or, foreign policy. That the Iranians and Russians and Syrians and Gazans and Taliban and Al Qaeda and everyone else is ready to roll Obama is irrelevant. He doesn’t care about the facts. He has an agenda of appeasement and apologizing for America and blaming America for everything, and that’s that.

Actually learning the facts, actually learning how to do the job of president is irrelevant. Obama is going to do whatever the hell he wants to do. He won. That’s all the learning and knowledge and facts he needs.

What else have we mis-interpreted about his “campaign rhetoric?

Note in this analysis regarding these types of behaviors:

[...]
An important distinction is between cerebral and somatic narcissists. The cerebrals derive their Narcissistic Supply from their intelligence or academic achievements and the somatics derive their Narcissistic Supply from their physique, exercise, physical or sexual prowess and romantic or physical “conquests”.

Another crucial division within the ranks of patients with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is between the classic variety (those who meet five of the nine diagnostic criteria included in the DSM), and the compensatory kind (their narcissism compensates for deep-set feelings of inferiority and lack of self-worth).
Obama displays the following behaviors, which are among the hallmarks of pathological narcissism:

* Subtly misrepresents facts and expediently and opportunistically shifts positions, views, opinions, and “ideals” (e.g., about campaign finance, re-districting). These flip-flops do not cause him overt distress and are ego-syntonic (he feels justified in acting this way). Alternatively, reuses to commit to a standpoint and, in the process, evidences a lack of empathy.

Ignores data that conflict with his fantasy world, or with his inflated and grandiose self-image. This has to do with magical thinking. Obama already sees himself as president because he is firmly convinced that his dreams, thoughts, and wishes affect reality. Additionally, he denies the gap between his fantasies and his modest or limited real-life achievements (for instance, in 12 years of academic career, he hasn’t published a single scholarly paper or book).

- Feels that he is above the law, incl. and especially his own laws.

- Talks about himself in the 3rd person singluar or uses the regal “we” and craves to be the exclsuive center of attention, even adulation

- Have a messianic-cosmic vision of himself and his life and his “mission”.

- Sets ever more complex rules in a convoluted world of grandiose fantasies with its own language (jargon)

- Displays false modesty and unctuous “folksiness” but unable to sustain these behaviors (the persona, or mask) for long. It slips and the true Obama is revealed: haughty, aloof, distant, and disdainful of simple folk and their lives.

- Sublimates aggression and holds grudges.

- Behaves as an eternal adolescent (e.g., his choice of language, youthful image he projects, demands indulgence and feels entitled to special treatment, even though his objective accomplishments do not justify it).
[...]

To paraphrase a comedian, but put it in this context: That’s scary, no matter who you are.

Maybe we elected the “Punisher-in-Chief.”

Notable ones:

• The Fairness Doctrine.  Press Secretary wouldn’t answer the question, later a few representatives of the august body of Congress say it’s time to “Change back.”  UPROAR! ensues.  New statement…Oh, no, President Obama isn’t for it.
• Assault Weapons Ban.  AG opens mouth, we’re coming for your guns to make sure Mexico is safe.  UPROAR! again.  Nancy P and some Dems from areas with lots of hunters and the like:  Oh, no…won’t happen.
• Durban II:  We’re gonna go.  You know the drill.  Then “we” renege and we’re not going, because it’s a bunch of racist stuff.  While I’m there, why don’t we go with a “new” attitude?  Yes, go and stand up to the racist and quit being cowards about it.  Send Eric Holder to do Hillochio’s work.

Those are but a few major topics.  Consider the several other issues and begin, I invite you, to start looking at this as a way for President Obama to avoid having to pay for polling constantly.  They must have tightened that belt, and have figured out, by “putting the word out,” they will receive the temperature of the culture.  If it’s hot, the President, or a highly placed official, “senior” to the conveyor of the controversial message, can pull it back, politely mentioning someone spoke out of school, but not to worry, that’s not the official policy.  Conversely, if no one notices, then they know there’s an opening to pursue the policy further.

But, this article, about “overt acts” by other factions, postulated to either set perceptions askew, or to desensitize reminds me of this form of behavior, also.

Stand by to be constantly polled. Know this, also, as a “pollee,” it’s your voice they’re trying to listen to, so don’t be a “No Commeter”, when the time(s) come to speak your piece.

I’m just in the mood for a little “black humor” this morning. I have an answer. Not a palatable one, but, it’s a plan to reach the end game without wasting anymore time, which, seems to be where the Obama Administration is taking us, and taking us before we can even read it.  I’m a cut to the chase sort of personality.  Do it now, for God’s sake, if that’s the plan.  Grow some, ObamaVader, and don’t prolong the pain, unless, of course, you like to pull the wings off of flies.

Not even a month into the Presidency to bring America together guy, who will make sure the voices will be heard (notice:  not stated to be listened to), we are about to deplete the collective financial reserves of every working man, woman and teenager in America, so the non-productive and the special interest groups get their paybacks, but more importantly, so President Obama (and I think that’s even more important then the Democrat party) shall remain in charge in perpetuity.  I’m sure the voices will begin to whisper about the 22nd Amendment soon, and grow stronger.  We’re trashing The Constitution and the Bill Of Rights daily, so why stop before it’s all gone?

Anyhow, this article regarding our Director of National Intelligence and North Korean nuclear weapons just put me over the edge and caused me to begin thinking of this satirical method to just get it over with. Think about even the last few weeks:

Diane Feinstein tells the open press we are flying Predators from inside Pakistan. Bill Clinton, a few days ago, and President Obama a week ago, have used their bully pulpits to call for the silencing of “Talk Radio.” President Obama, Harry Reed and Nancy Pelosi conspire to make sure the opposition party has such little access to the spending bill, in presence or time, that it will go through as written, directly silencing at least 45% of the population of citizens. The effect? Between cutting the salaries and bonuses of the “rich” and putting money into the hands of very specifically targeted groups, the money will specifically flow to those who will then continue to support the drain on capital from those who oppose the President and give it to those who do.

Now, after using the National Intelligence Estimate to discredit a President for lying to the public regarding Iran trying to construct nuclear weapons, all of a sudden, this Administration tells us they know Iran is doing it and there is little we can do to stop that process. So we are now also to accept that North Korea feels threatened and needs nukes for self defense. Yep, the nation that enslaves most of it’s population, randomly kills many through starvation (ala The Cultural Revolution of Mao), and has one of the largest standing armies on Earth. Yep…and all the while President Obama wants to rid the world of nuclear weapons. Notice: We, the Russians and obviously Israel have to give them up. Iran and North Korea need them.

My “take away” from this sort of behavior:  They earnestly don’t want America to survive as a sovereign nation.  Or, they are playing some childish, “me first” political game, all to see who can pee higher on the post, and are so ignorant, they cannot see, or lazy and will not exert the mental energy to envision the likely outcomes and consequences or their actions.  If they thought for one minute where they are taking us, against the will of 48% of the voter, we would never see any of this.

So, here’s my assistance, being the process and efficiency person I am, to help my Dear Leader get things done. If you have additions/edits/changes/alternative suggestions, what the heck, post them in the comments and in a month, maybe we can ship them off to Rahm for consideration. My “Death to America™! Campaign (DATC) Accelerator Plan” Or just “DTACAP” for short reference:

• Immediately dismantle the entire Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security. Immediately force through shift of current and out year funds for direct DoD/DHS OMN and OPN costs to the Welfare system.
• Put all military facilities up for auction, with the provision that the bidders must be 1) A group on the Terrorist list, 2) a nation listed as supporting terrorism, 3) China or 4) George Soros. Establish top bid of $1USD. Proceeds to be placed against the National Debt.
• All military/DHS equipment likewise auctioned, but top bid allowed $.50USD. Provision: Computer networks will not be scrubbed of National Security/classified data and all passwords for access to same shall be provided to the winning bidder(s).
• NASA and Department of Energy will be funded, with money taken directly out of the paychecks of registered Republicans, as common research and development office to promote the ability of Islamic Terrorist (only the registered ones on the list may participate) to develop, maintain, sustain, deploy and detonate nuclear weapons via guided missiles and rockets against all enemies of Mohammad, specifically in territory not already absorbed into the Caliphate, and within, if there is a danger of democracy and/or Woman’s (or even Human) Rights gaining a foothold.
• All Radio stations will be nationalized, and then auctioned. Top bid more for this, like maybe $1000USD, basd on the value of controlling the media. TV news and newspapers will be nationalized, but retained for use by the White House Chief of Staff. Reporters, anchors and researchers and producers/editors will be on nation wide teleconference (one way broadcast only, no questions allowed without prior submission) with the White House Chief of staff daily at 0700AM (Eastern) to receive “Talking Points” for the day. All FCC functions will fall directly under the control of the WH CoS. FCC post will be retitled to “Communications Puppet of the Puppet Master for Mind Control Operations in Support of the Dismantle America Project (DAP)” (a subset of DTAC)

This will accomplish putting essentially all Americans on the dole, while making sure the enemy sheds no more blood, and spend very little money, as reparations of the “oppression” since 622AD at the hands of those who refused to bow before their bloody conquests of Europe and Africa, before being pushed back from the Gates of Vienna. Think about it: President Obama can have his cake and be loved by the citizens of the World sooner, you know, because we don’t love him enough and I wonder: Is Michelle now proud daily of America?

Update 2/14/2009:  Seems like part of the plan is already rolling out. Obama lifts sanctions on Iran because they didn’t slow them down. So…I guess no sanctions are really gonna screw the Iranian plans to nuke Israel! He’s a plant, or a pea brain with a good teleprompter speech.

This statement is not made lightly, and it is supported by his own staff, and is based upon how the Nations non-military legal system works.

He is a lawyer, who seems to not understand the law, or he is more concerned with keeping support of those who make dangerous and outrageous decisions, based on emotion, not reality or legal precedent, nor even common sense.

The manner in which he is closing the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba also allows the detainess access to National Security Secrets:

President Obama clearly didn’t do his homework before ordering the suspension of military tribunals to try terrorist suspects. We have learned that even his own legal counsel admitted that Mr. Obama erred in discussing details about terrorism with families of victims last week, and that the administration was ignorant of a key point that terrorists exploit to their advantage. In his rush to fulfill a campaign promise to his more fervid anti-war supporters, the president’s legal oversights risk the disclosure of some highly classified information to terrorists.
[...]

The Washington Times editorial, quoted above, calls this an “oversight.” I would refer to it more appropriately as an “egregious error in judgment,” as that is more fitting.

Blundering ahead at full speed to make good on what he described, right after being elected as “Campaign Rhetoric,” so as to continue to maintain a razor’s edge of majority of support for his ill conceived plans, he is oblivious to the consequences of the mis-use of his real powers.

Think about it: Many of us were justifiable upset when the New York Times published stories about tracking terrorists by their cell phone signals, or the international money trail, or that some very hardened terrorists were kept in prisons elsewhere (a policy put in place by President Clinton and Leon Panetta, but blamed on President Bush (43)). In this case, the legal process to “bring them to justice” will actually cause the Federal Government to hand over classified information to those who’s stated purpose is to destroy this nation. It is a methodology that leads to national suicide. Why? So President Obama can wake up in the morning and say to himself in the mirror “I kept my promises” as he grows old and has left the White House.

Additionally, unlike those who believed the single human being named George W Bush was the origin and locus of all evil in the world, I comprehend that the President is supported by many, many staff people, who are picked for their understanding. His decisions will, in many cases be directly formed as a result of the positions they present to him. Analysis: They, too are a bunch of zealots, and not thoughtful, experienced, intelligent people. They, too, are unreasonable in their judgment, and it affects the people of the US and the entire world, when they fail to grasp the magnitude of their words to the President, written or spoken.

In thinking about the approach I have observed of the President since he took office, I thought back to his acceptance speech. It all of a sudden struck me that a key word “hear” was used on the evening of November 4th, 2008 at Grant park, but it does explain much.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

Think about it: “I hear” your voices. What if he had said “I will listen to your voices” and then added something like: “so we may find the best course to take the Nation into the future in these challenging times.” That would have implied that there are possibilities for good ideas to be formed on either or both sides of the aisle, while not surrendering his elective decision making status to just anyone with a voice from the opposition.

He cannot deny the voices are raised now. He hears them alright, and responds by calling them “so called economists” and telling also elected officials of the Nation “I won.”

I credit his self-centered, dismissive attitude of no one can know except him in not gathering the rest of us to help him. He slaps us in the face at every opportunity, then lifts his socialistic, union controlled, special interest groups into our faces and tells us they deserve to have access to an exceedingly large amount of capital the economy can produce. How does he expect to get help in this manner?

He is doing exactly as he is saying, he is carrying out a slash and burn campaign against his political adversaries, and the economy of the nation, which impacts the economic underpinnings of the world.

I come back to this point: bad judgment is not an option, as he has shown in the case of signing an Executive Order immediately upon taking office, which, puts us all at risk, himself included, and his wife and children.

On a cold winter day in January 1979, I stood on the bridge wing of a Navy replenishment oiler, preparing to get underway from the NATO fuel pier in Gaeta, Italy, with the position of Junior Officer of the Deck, and I had the “conn” (authority to issue rudder and engine orders). The Officer of the Deck, LCDR Mike Hunt and I had already briefed the brand new Captain (Chance of command had been about two hours prior) on how we planned to maneuver the ship safely out of port. Now we stood ready to put the plan into action, and the winds had changed. Mike looked at me and said words to the effect: “It’s a foolish man who sticks with the plan when the evidence says he needs to change it.”

That concept, while I don’t believe I have the exact wording, was clear. A plan is great. But with more specific knowledge, the wise person reconsiders and adjusts operations, before causing, in that case, our possible grounding of a major logistics asset for the 6th Fleet.

Can I ask: Will we survive his ignorant/arrogance/stupidity, and that of his supporting staff, if this is the manner in which he will act as the leader of the most powerful nation in the history of mankind?

The “America First” crowd must step in the face of the “Politics First” mentality that has overrun the nation.

He is my president because I believe in The Constitution as the foundational guidance. His acceptance speech wasn’t tossing me a life line, it was a statement of the obvious, placed to imply he was interested in unity. He is not, he merely wants to eat his waffles, and he wants to eat them now and someone agrees with me at the Wall Street Journal.

Update 2/12/2009: Another view of who’s the terrorist at The Evil Conservative.

Table of contents for The Voyage of the Monchegorsk

1. Cyprus Offloads “Aid” Bound for Gaza
2. The Real Effect on International Relations Playing Out
3. The “Iranian” Ship That Should Have Been Escorted to a Port and Offloaded
4. Test #1: Fail – Iranian Ship Sails On
5. President Obama’s Test Handed off to the UN

The “crisis” moves forward.  See the links at the top of this post for my prior posts on the issue.

The Monchegorsk, now in Cyprus, is presenting a dilemma for the host country (the supposed nation of the vessel’s flag):

Monchegorsk, a Russian-owned cargo ship traveling under a Cypriot flag, is moored in Limassol, Cyprus. Its cargo includes substantial military materiel (exactly what remains a mystery), loaded in Iran.

Cyprus has asked the Security Council for guidance: Should it confiscate the cargo, and expose it to show the danger Iran poses to the whole region? Should it send it back to Iran, or let it go on its way?

Wonderful. The Council that can certainly write strongly worded sanctions (reference: Iraq, and now Iran) and somehow never has the courage to enforce them, is asked to decide how to treat the blatant violation of Resolution 1747 against a nation that is on the brink of fielding a nuclear weapon, while telling the UN IAEA leader “it’s all for ‘peaceful’ purposes” for years, will “decide” what to do with this war material contraband.

My prediction: A strongly worded “don’t do that anymore” memo shall be issued, and the government of Cyprus will be told to let the ship sail as it wishes (probably being ordered to supply them with fuel and stores for any future journey, at the cost of Cyprus, so as not to display a “clenched fist” towards the Mullah’s or Iran.

I’m having a harder and harder time understanding how educated people cannot read their own writings and make the decision based on what was written.  It seems any set of words, produced at an extreme financial investment, means nothing, and when challenged, is quickly, and apoligetically reveresed if anyone had the determination to stand up and scream discrimination.

Maybe the US should try it.  Oh, I forgot, President Obama can’t confront people, he has to work in the dark, and through proxies in his political warfare..and saying “I Won!”

Table of contents for The Voyage of the Monchegorsk

1. Cyprus Offloads “Aid” Bound for Gaza
2. The Real Effect on International Relations Playing Out
3. The “Iranian” Ship That Should Have Been Escorted to a Port and Offloaded
4. Test #1: Fail – Iranian Ship Sails On
5. President Obama’s Test Handed off to the UN

Previously on the tale of the “Iranian” cargo vessel…

More today on what the Cypriot inspectors are finding in the Monchegorsk’s holds, but with more information regarding the effect of President Obama directing the US Navy to let this vessel sail on, despite being in specific violation of UN Resolution 1747 is discussed by DEBKA Files:

DEBKAfile’s military sources report that Tehran is preparing to send a number of arms vessels to break the blockade on Gaza, encouraged by the failure of the US, Egyptian and Israeli navies to confiscate the arms aboard the Cypriot-flagged arms ships now docked at Limassol.

The Iranians calculate that while not all the ships may get through the Israeli naval blockade, one would suffice. Our sources report that some are already on the way. They are expected to enter the Gulf of Suez and waters opposite Gaza over the weekend and try to drop their cargoes of weapons containers off shore. Israeli warships and spy planes are tracking them.

It’s a “weak horse” sort of effect, as Osama bin Laden mentioned years back. President Obama is showing himself to be the “weak” and the Iranians are going to jump into the power vacuum left behind when President Bush, the cowboy left office.

Why did President Obama let the ship sail? It couldn’t be determined if the weaponry aboard was bound for Gaza and Hamas.

Point of order: The UN Resolution 1747 does not prohibit Iran from exporting arms to Hmams, but to any country of entity. Quote paragraph “5. Decides that Iran shall not supply, sell or transfer directly or indirectly from its territory or by its nationals or using its flag vessels or aircraft any arms or related materiel, and that all States shall prohibit the procurement of such items from Iran by their nationals, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, and whether or not originating in the territory of Iran.”

If President Obama was a law professor, how could he have misinterpreted this directive from the UN. He claims he wants to get world opinion on our side before acting. There it was, and he still cannot manage to step up to the plate. On the other hand, the UN themselves, obviously, woun’t get their hands dirty, either.

So who will protect the World, when there is no “policeman” who is willing to not turn a blind eye to crime on his beat or watch? This is a major problem, and the adversaries, or not only us, but any western nation, now have been put on notice that we will actually observe an illegal act, and let ti go unchallenged.

I began this series describing how this was not a simple issue, but a major test of the Obama Administrations foreign policy,, and it is proving to be correct.

Isn’t it interesting how two of our Presidents, who, as history records, stood up to those who would want to conquer the world and held the line, or pushed them back are both “Cowboys.”

In the long run, I’d say history will record the result of those compared with the strong spirited men who tamed the west will be the ones who also protected much of the world from disaster.

Table of contents for The Voyage of the Monchegorsk

1. Cyprus Offloads “Aid” Bound for Gaza
2. The Real Effect on International Relations Playing Out
3. The “Iranian” Ship That Should Have Been Escorted to a Port and Offloaded
4. Test #1: Fail – Iranian Ship Sails On
5. President Obama’s Test Handed off to the UN

The Cypriot-flagged “Monchegorsk,” formerly an Iranian flagged vessel when it sailed from that country, now has more “issues:”
Cyprus: Iran ship’s cargo breaches UN resolutions.

There you have it: A “second opinion” on the matter of what’s in the cargo holds, and behind welded bulkheads.

And the US Navy wasn’t allowed to stop it. Not allowed by the Commander-in-Chief, or otherwise, it would have been done already, and a “diplomatic” approach would have found a port to take the ship to, in order to offload the contraband. As that has not happened, then it has been specific direction, from the top, that has disallowed the seizure of the vessel that violates the UN Sanctions. So much for getting the World on our side to solve problems like this. Had this been an issue of the US alone declaring the ship held contraband, absent the UN sanctions, then we would have, once more, been in a position to “dictate” to the world, n this case, the Iranians, but, politically, I’m sure the thought process is to not upset the sensitivities of the Iranian leadership by taking one of their supply vessels out of the equation, much less confiscating the load of weaponry and explosives. It clears the path to hold out the “unclenched fist” to those who would develop nuclear weapons for one purpose: Genocide, all while smiling about how they are not developing nuclear weapons for one purpose: Genocide.

But the story gets better. The “Monchegorsk” isn’t merely a tramp steamer, laden with war material for Hamas, it turns out it is equipped to be a command and control vessel, too, in addition to bringing more communications gear to deliver to Hamas. Notice the tactics used, also: This vessel is masquerading as an “aid ship” with humanitarian supplies for the residents of Gaza. This is the same game of Hamas building rocket launching positions in houses, school yards, hospitals and TV stations, to attack Israel. The net result, the MSM will play the “oh, the west is denying aid to the poor Palestinians” line, when in fact, both situations are taking illegal advantage for protection of military operations/logistics, and you can bet there is al least one crate of bandages, openly positioned for the press to see on this ship, to support it’s claim of being for humanitarian purposes.

A pattern is emerging here in our foreign relations: We won’t stand in the path of those who will overtly work to ensure the destruction of Israel, which is a Nation, most assuredly, but a people, who will be killed in this conflict.

The extend that to other countries around the world. We aren’t going to be confrontational, EVEN WITH THE BACKING OF THE UN!

Irony? Oh, yes, and even more when you consider this is “empire building,” which used to get you the title of “IMPERIALIST!”, a very, very bad word in international politics. Yet, we see the Iranians, now extending their empire to the shores of the Mediterranean, to compliment their empire building in Iraq.

More view from watching leadership change, on a planned basis in a military structure: You can come in with a hard line, and back off, if it’s appropriate, once things are on track. You can come in easy, being everyone’s friend, but when you need to turn the screws to fix an obviously out of control situation, it’s a mess, because everyone thought you were really a nice guy. In this case, then you must apply more “leadership,” more harshly than you would have had to in the first case, just to get things back with the acceptable lines.

President Obama is choosing to be the “nice guy.” If he ever decides he actually needs to execute his Otah of Office and defend this Nation, he’ll have to be overly aggressive to let them no it’s really no more Mr. Nice Guy when that day comes. That will translate into more lives being impacted, ours and their, that could have been by being firm about what needs to be done from the beginning.

The “Monchegorsk” should have been escorted off to offload in a safe harbor many days ago.

And while we’re talking about “Empire Building,” and not going in hard in an out of control situation, here’s the continuing saga of how the take overs will occur.

Update 2/1/2009: This post at EagleSpeak provides lots of detail, and the actual UN Resolution number: 1747.

Players: Iran, Israel, the US Navy, Hamas, Egypt, and the Gulf States. Toss in the pirates in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea area, if you like. It’s a very complicated matter, not for the faint at heart, or the international affairs inexperienced crowd (I count both the President and the Secretary in that group, and I don’t trust the judgment of Vice President Biden in such issues – he’s been wrong far too often)

Irainian Weapons Ship Under US Control.

A “merchant” ship, chock full of weapons, ranging from small arms and explosives, to rockets and rocket launchers, in plain view, and in “secret” welded shut compartments, as detected by the USCG boarding teams that ride US ships in the Indian Ocean region to provide the specific skill of “Visit Boarding Search and Seizure” (VBSS), making sure all the maritime legal rules are met.

So, here we have it: We now are in control of the future of this vessel, which, as noted in the article sailed under one name, and later changed it (nothing to hide…). The Navy shadowed it, and now controls it. It has weaponry bound for the Hamas players, who are wantonly, and with evil intent, killing Israelis, mostly civilians, but happier, I’m sure to kill the IDF soldiers, too. We, as a Nation have always been allied with Israel, however, President Obama’s first ever phone call to a foreign leader was to President Abbas, of the Palestinians authority of Gaza.

Who;’s side will we be on? To let the ship proceed to it’s destination is to sentence more Israelis to death, with full knowledge of this fact. To hold it, means we need to take it to a neutral port and have the contraband offloaded. That triggers the second international issue, as noted in the article: Where?

Like the confrontation with Libya in 1986, Europe, who was under threat of attack by Khadaffi, except for Italy, stopped all support for US forces involved in the Freedom of Navigation operations. Now, Egypt, a Muslim nation, who doesn’t want the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians to go on is still…part of the Muslims. To let their port be used makes them look like they are siding with the “Occupiers.” They will most likely decline a port facility. The Gulf Nations, are but a hop, skip and a short-range tactical missile (SCUD like weapons) from the originator of the shipment, Iran. Even if they disagree with Iran’s involvement, they are within the “weapons envelope” of that nation. Other countries? Aden, Yemen, Sudan? Basically lawless nations, in the best of cases, but in the worst, radicalized Muslim states.

So, for the new administration, via proxies and a maritime issue, President Obama can now see if he’s got the guts to step onto the World’s stage.

Options: “Talk to them.” Didn’t work for Jimmy Carter. Didn’t work, in the long run for Bill Clinton. Sanctions? At least delayed some of it for both Bushs. Strongly worded letters? Good luck. President Ahmadinejad could lose his head or be hanged from a construction crane or be stoned, as so ordered by the mullahs. Do you think a personal phone call from President Obama has any leverage?

I think the Iraian leadership is having a big party right now, pre-celebrating their success of shoving weapons meant to directly be used in a conflict against our ally and we will not have the courage to take the difficult, step to stop it.

I predict President Obama will, via the media, but not directly in public, say this behavior is unacceptable, then and we’ll count on the Iranians seeing a new page has been turned, so we’ll let this count a “Strike One.” The Navy will be ordered to pull the VBSS teams off and allow the ship to continue on it’s voyage.

He’ll call it “diplomacy.” I call it “gutless.”

Update late 1/25/2009: More AK-47s, SEMTEX and rockets are bad enough, under the circumstances, but what if there is a “dirty bomb” on another Iranian ship headed for Gaza? The stakes for the manner in which President Obama responds go way, way up.

Nope.   Gleaned from a CNN report (which is very troubling on it’s own), this indication of the direction of the current Administration:

[...]
Days after assuming office, [ed: more like, if the truth is the objective "The day after assuming office," but maybe counting the single digits is too difficult for the well educated "journalists" at CNN...and their "editors," too] Obama plans to issue three executive orders Thursday that will show a clean break from the Bush administration on the war on terror, including one ordering the U.S. military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay be closed within a year, according to a senior administration official and a congressional aide.

A second executive order will formally ban torture by requiring the Army field manual be used as the guide for terror interrogations, essentially ending the Bush administration’s CIA program of enhanced interrogation methods.

A third executive order, according to the officials, will order a systematic review of detention policies and procedures and a review of all individual cases.
[...]

My experience may not be that of Chief Executive, but I have been in situations where immediate action was required. The decision matrix used was one that always indicated the biggest problem was the one requiring the first action.

For all those looking forward to a “centrist” view point to guide Obama. Good luck with that. I surmise one of two things in light of this urgent push: Either President Obama, is exactly who he told us he was by his “campaign rhetoric,” anti-war from the very beginning or, he is like the picture below:

In either case it portends bad things. He’s the radcial we were warned about and will use the Bully Pulpit to drive the train, or we have an empty suit, who will be directed, not even by the polls, but the demands of the radicals who supported him, not for his foresight and vision, but in order to get what they wanted, regardless of the consequences.

It shall be 4 long years ahead.

A more “directed” article from CNN is here.

Update:  And I’m sure if we just sit down with AQ and their merry band of terrorists, it’s be all sunshine and lollipops for all.  The President is missing some clippings from his briefing folder…