Afghanistan Front News

MOD: Has named the soldier kill on Monday, the Soldier was " Captain Daniel Shepherd from 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps " Captain Shepherd will not be the last casualty, the War in Afghanistan is going to long and bloody. The UK should always support our Armed Forces in combat operations, thus always salute if you see a parade and bow your head if you see a military funeral. But our Forces need the right kit, thus they need more helicopters, buy or steal as stated by the Conservative Opposition Leader in the House of Commons. Also we need to send more troops, we need to keep the ground that has cost the blood of our troops, we have a long and bloody history in Afghanistan. Let this be the Third and final Afghan War for the UK.

Obama's Health Care Reform - STALLED ?

The New York Times: Reports that Congressional Leaders are getting cold feet with the Obama Health Care Reform package, the Liberal NYT writes the following on the Congressional Leadership, " on Monday suggested scaling back a plan to tax top earners to pay for the sweeping legislation and signaled a retreat from their ambitious timetable. " It is simple politics folks, Conservative Democrats could not go home with something that costs a trillion dollars, might no cut the costs of health, and punishes those that want to be rich. That the problem when Obama handed over the writing of the health care package to Liberal Congressional Leaders. These Congressional Leaders and the Liberal New York Times breath the same air, they have an elites view of what the great unwashed want and that rich should pay for their agenda. The problem is that the common folks might not want their agenda, Ronald Reagan was loved not because of his policies but because of them, that the part Liberals never get, even in the hallowed offices of the Liberal New York Times. Thus a reform package in stages is needed but not a total revolution when your economic conditions are in the toilet. Lets hope the Conservative Democrats keep their nerve and bring the Obama White House to the real world not some 1980s Liberal Seminar on Health.

Death in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports that a soldier from " The Joint Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group " was killed on Monday. Thus this month alone the UK Army has lost 18 soldiers, in total the UK Armed Forces have lost 156 of its personnel in combat action. Due to accidents, illness or other incidents the UK has lost 31 personnel. In total the UK has lost 187 Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan. It hard to know what to say any more, our prays are with their families.

Afghanistan Front News

BBC News: Reports that the MOD has named the soldier killed on Sunday as Corporal Joseph Etchells. It so sad to see another death in Afghanistan, but even more when you think of the ages of the soldiers that are dying, the are so young, it has been reported that the average age of those that have died is 27, Corporal Joseph Etchells was 22, he had young family. I guess when soldiers sign up they have to expect that they can die in action but it is still sad to see another soldier coming back dead from Afghanistan. Our thoughts and prays are with the family of Corporal Etchells.

Obama's Health Reform Latest

The New York Times: Reports on the problems for Obama plan to reform the Health service in the USA, the NYT writes the following, " Democrats in Congress have grown increasingly nervous about the cost of health-care reform, estimated at $1 trillion over ten years. " Its not the reforming that is the problem, it can be argued that the Health System in the USA needs reform due to costs and the increase over the years, also the need to cover those that can not afford health insurance, that is a morale question, no the question is how to pay for the reform. The Liberal Leadership in the Congress want to tax the rich, in a good economic climate that can be argued is a morale choice, that those that are rich should pay for those that are not well off, but this is not a good economic climate, also the Congressional Budget Office has stated that even with the reform the costs will go up. Thus you have an election promise for health care reform when you are faced with an economy in the toilet, two wars, Afghanistan and Iraq and the threat of a war with Iran by the end of the year. Thus what do you do, you need health reform but you need it in stages, thus it can be argued that the Obama White House should do health reform in stages. Thus on the morale side, cover those that can not afford heath insurance first, thus you need to means test individuals, those earning less that ten thousand dollars a year should get free health care, then when the economy has gotten back on its feet you deal with the middle group, if they want help the government should help, then we come to the Uber rich, they should pay all their own costs and pay a surcharge on profits, but only when the economy is great, the boom years. Also these reforms should be revisable in bad years. That's my answer to the health care problem in the USA.

President Khatami - Referendum Call

The New York Times: Reports on the latest split within the political elite of Iran, the NYT writes the following on the opinion of ex President Khatami, " called Sunday for a referendum on the legitimacy of the government in the wake of last month’s disputed presidential election.." What is interesting as stated by the NYT is there are splits within the ruling conservative block, President Ahmadinejad in forming his new government is placing individuals in his cabinet that don't have the support of the Clerics. That is the point of the election result, the Clerics are no longer the power in Iran, its a totalitarian regime of Ahmadinejad, the Clerics are like the old Prussian Elite in Pre - Nazi Germany who thought they could control Hitler, they didn't understand that once he was in power they has lost power. The Clerics are now there by the grace of Ahmadinejad, he has the backing of the security structure, the Clerics might find that they will be sharing a jail cell with the reformers if they try push President Ahmadinejad out of power. In a odd way the reformers might be the last chance for the clerics to keep power, the leaders of the reformers such as Khatami want to keep the system, Ahmadinejad wants the power and does not want to share, thus the Clerics might be the final victims of the Islamic Republic Iran.

Soldier Kidnapped by Taliban - Private Bowe Bergdahl

Daily Mail: Reports on the latest news of the kidnapped GI in Afghanistan, Private Bowe Bergdahl. The West Wing of the White House has to make sure that the keep the President as far away as possible from this incident, the President can not allow himself to get to engaged in to the fate of this one soldier, lets recall that hostages in Iran bought down the Carter Presidency and led to the election of Ronald Reagan. Reagan in turn allowed himself to get involved in the hostages held in Lebanon, thus the Iran - Contra scandal. The Obama West Wing should allow the Defence Department under Secretary Gates to take the political heat for this incident. Obama in this case should only be informed of major developments, he should not be in the loop for ever turn of the story. That the best advice the Obama White House is going to get from this blogger.