"Time is like a river. You cannot touch the water twice, because the flow that has passed will never pass again."

Franklin Graham was speaking at the First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida a few weeks back when he said America will not come back.  He wrote: The American Dream ended (on November 6th,  2012 ) in Ohio . The second term of Barack Obama will be the final nail in the coffin for the legacy of the white Christian males who discovered, explored, pioneered, settled and developed the greatest Republic in the history of  mankind.

A coalition of Blacks, Latinos, Feminists, Government  Workers, Union Members, Environmental Extremists, The Media,  Hollywood, uninformed  young people, the "forever needy," the chronically unemployed, illegal aliens  and other "fellow travelers" have ended Norman Rockwell 's America. The Cocker Spaniel is off the front porch... The Pit  Bull is in the back yard. The American Constitution has been replaced with  Saul Alinsky 's "Rules for Radicals" and Chicago shyster, David Axelrod, along with international Socialist George Soros will  be pulling the strings on their beige puppet to bring us Act 2 of the New World Order. Our side ran two candidates who couldn't even win their  own home states, and Chris Christie helped Obama over the top with a glowing "Post Sandy " tribute that  elevated the "Commander-in-Chief" to Mother Teresa status. (Aside: with the way the polls were  run, he didn't need any help!) People like me are completely politically  irrelevant, and I will never again comment on or concern myself with the aforementioned coalition which has surrendered our culture, our heritage and our traditions without a shot being fired. You will never again out-vote these people. It will take  individual acts of defiance and massive displays of civil disobedience to get  back the rights we have allowed them to take away. It will take Zealots, not moderates & why not reach-across-the-aisle RINOs to right this ship and restore our
beloved country to its former status.

Those who come after us will have to risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to bring back the Republic that this generation has timidly frittered away due to "white guilt" and political  correctness...  An American Veteran.........Semper-Fi.......an Unknown quote presumably by a Marine.

HOSTAGE NEGOTIATION FOR CITIZENS HELD BY TERRORIISTS

Hostage Negotiation....News today regarding our country’s policy on ransoms for kidnapped citizens and for victim’s families negotiating directly with the kidnappers.   We have gotten ourselves into a quagmire of poor leadership and we are dealing from a position of weakness.

There are several scenarios in a hostage situation.  The kidnappers that are desperately cornered and seeking escape.  The next, are kidnappers seeking a lucrative reward in exchange for the person or material held captive.  The last,  political ideologue kidnapper scenario is making a political statement hoping to diminish the political standing of the adversary.  This can include a lucrative reward of riches.  Some kidnappers have little or no intention of returning the hostage.  Kidnapping can be the ultimate act of terror.   Given the parameters indicated, there is little space to work within.  Depending how close we are to the hostage emotionally creates another matter of how logically we can handle negotiations.  There has to be logical negotiation to mediate the dilemma.  Every event is usually different in some respect.  In any case the negotiations have to be centralized and only one source negotiating.  Victims families and a disorganized government agency

( more inclined to be political) negotiating independently is the ideal situation for a political kidnapper’s success.  Resulting to the peril of the hostage.

History and experience have taught us several things.  A terrorist act rewarded like kidnapping, with little risk of consequence will be repeated.  As simple as this discipline is it takes great fortitude to adhere to the preventive principles.  Russia set somewhat of an example years ago.  In Somalia they not only did not pay the ransom but also killed everyone involved, pirates avoided their ships.  Countries or families not taking a firm stance and taking the path of least resistance paying the ransoms had mixed results.  In some cases the hostage was returned with limited injuries and in others the hostage(s) were murdered.  An example of the perpetrators not fearing consequence, and of course the incidents increased substantially.

Our most recent kidnapping(s) has been disastrous.  Special Force rescue attempts have been bungled; drone bombings have accidentally hit hostage locations killing them.  In one instance we traded five high ranking enemy generals for a deserting traitor.  We have not divulged the money exchanged.  This is not good crisis management.

Given our alleged level of superior intelligence we should have more success?  There is some level of procrastination within our administration that does not allow for timely, pragmatic decisions.  They are usually based on political success and not practical application of problem solving.

If we are prominent citizens traveling abroad and our capture could result in a ransom or political statement we are prey to the hawks of terrorism.  The best pound of cure results with the ounce of prevention don’t travel abroad.  Citizens hiking around, or in, terrorist countries such as Iran or North Korea should, in my belief, be left to their own peril. Although situations differ, dealing from a position of strength is important as it insures the health and return of hostages.  There must be dire consequences if agreements are not honored; it appears we are incapable at this time.

Given the past performances of this administration I think we can expect limited success in the future.  I think the Benghazi incident could have been a hostage situation that would have embarrassed the administration.  The defense resolve of the SEALS and the humiliation of the attackers changed all that.  We insured their defeat without rescue attempts.  We may hear in the future that the possible kidnapping would have been more politically devastating than their murders, (reason for the false narrative of an instigating video, and their desertion.)  The tortuous murder of Ambassador Stevens served the purpose of humiliation.

It is difficult to muster hope in future kidnapping incidents from my prospective.  Going forward, only time will tell, I pray that my assessment is incorrect. 

Veterans, used and abused....

The Berkshire Veteran’s Coalition meeting on March 26, 2015. It was about House Bill HD-1590, being submitted by Rep. Bouvier of Pittsfield.   It calls for the regionalization of the Massachusetts Veterans Service Officers (VSOs). Municipalities  are required per Massachusetts General Law, chapter 115, to have a VSO, or are required to furnish funds for  a regional VSO.  If a community is part of a regional service they may designate a liaison to represent the community in name only, they do not have a necessary function. The salaries for the VSO offices are negotiated by the municipalities requiring the service.  The professionalism  of the VSO is left to the appointing authority. Many of the benefits Massachusetts allows for their disabled veterans are initially paid for by the municipality where the veteran resides and reimbursed by the state,  approximately seventy-five percent.  The reimbursement from the state can take up to a year.

The bill, HD-1590 is alleged to promote professional attention to veteran claims for aid or benefits. At first glance it is acceptable because it appears to organize a service that is not always efficient.  It would divide the state into 25 precincts, managed by state employees and they would manage additional subordinates as they are needed in communities. It is intended to eliminate the community share of all veteran’s benefits and services that would then be assumed by the state, completely under their control without local involvement.

We are told veterans moving to Massachusetts from other states are eligible for benefits the day after they arrive.  Massachusetts has some of the most progressive veteran benefits in the nation.  It behooves a veteran living in another state under deplorable conditions to move to Massachusetts where many benefits are furnished.  With an establishment, such as Soldier-On, a prison or veteran’s hospital would establish residency for needy veterans from another community or state.  This can be a substantial burden to the responsible community.  Massachusetts does not solicit or attempt to recover funds from the veteran’s initial home state for whatever reason.  I can imagine what the reader is thinking, I did also, unbelievable. The subject of eligibility by residence needs legislative scrutiny.

VSOs are members of the communities they serve.   Several months ago the Berkshire Veteran’s Coalition submitted a letter to the Department of Veteran’s Services, Coleman Nee.  We requested requirements be established for training VSO’s, including necessary training for crisis intervention or suicide.  This was the result of a tragedy that occurred in Berkshire County.  It was submitted under the last governor, so, I can imagine it is gracing some waste basket?

Disabled Veteran’s, really want answers.  We want to talk to other veterans about military matters that we encountered or experienced.  This is all but impossible to a non-military person.  We believe that it is imperative that a VSO be former military. The comradery is essential.  When we ask a question we want a clear unequivocal  answer.  Especially when we are inquiring as to deserved benefits.  The majority of the benefits we receive are compensation for something lost to, or inherited from the military.  This requires expertise with personal communication, an attribute for a VSO.  The benefit is not a gift, we are not seeking sympathy, usually just answers.

Across the Commonwealth Veteran’s organizations are condemning bill HD-1590 saying it will add another dimension of bureaucracy.  Controlled by the state and requiring a budget for many millions of dollars that could have been used to help veterans.  The bill does not address this or how it will be funded.  It does not stress the requirements for the regional managers, how they are hired or dismissed if the need arises. 

From what I have learned, HD-1590 is well intentioned but very lacking in what it will accomplish for veterans.  It does not solve any problems we now have and will create a host of many more.  It does increase the state government veteran’s budget by millions of dollars.  Tax dollars.