Blog Posts

THE ISIS THREAT

9/13/2014

                                             THE ISIS THREAT

                                                   by Vito Tomasino

We are engaged in a struggle against those who demand that we renounce
our beliefs and values and embrace theirs, or die. This is their clearly stated,
uncompromising position, and no amount of reasoned discussion—diplomacy,
if you will—will change it.

THIS IS WAR…on a level, and of a scale we have not faced in modern times. Moreover, this enemy will not be satisfied with the mere acquisition of
territory, or even world domination. Their ultimate goal is an earth cleansed
of all non-believers in their warped brand of Islam, and they are ready to
sacrifice their own lives—every man, woman, and child—to achieve it.

Indeed, if they should ever acquire weapons of mass destruction
they will use them, even if it means the annihilation of all life on
this planet.

Thus, if we are not prepared to commit to this struggle with the same degree
of intensity, and with the full might of our military, we will lose this war!

The Sterling Controversy

5/13/2014

by Vito Tomasino

The N, F, MF, B, C, and every foul word you can think of, as well as lyrics
suggesting that cops be killed and women raped, are regularly used by
Black American rappers who make millions of dollars in CD sales, and are
showered with awards for their depraved work.

A white American businessman who happens to own a successful professional
basketball franchise employing hundreds of people, who has made millionaires
of his black players, makes a relatively inane remark in a private argument with
his girlfriend about her being seen in public with Blacks, and he is condemned
as a RACIST, banned from the NBA for life, fined $2,500,000, and pressured to
sell his team—all without a fair hearing, or his constitutional right to due process.

Is there a double standard here, or am I just paranoid? How many more white
people have to be sacrificed on the altar of “political correctness” before we are
all paranoid?

Donald Sterling denies he is a racist and his estranged girl friend supports him
on this. But, even if he is, what law has he broken? Does he not have the same
freedom to exercise his first amendment rights as our rapper musicians? And
how do you reconcile the public protest of illegal aliens who defiantly raised the
flag of Mexico overhead while they trampled “Old Glory,” as the Phoenix Police
look on?

Before the video tape of his private remarks were made public—without his
knowledge or permission— the NAACP were about to present Mr. Sterling with
a “lifetime achievement award” for his many generous contributions to their
cause—and, I would note, to the campaigns of many California Democrats.
Ironically, they too were compelled to shun their benefactor and rescind the
award in a reverse act of political correctness. Later, in a public announcement,
representatives of the NAACP were quick to make clear, that while they censure
Mr. Sterling’s remarks, they forgive him. “After all, everyone makes mistakes,”
they said.

Am I just being cynical, or could it be, that they were just trying to insure the
continued support of a very rich and powerful supporter for them and the
Democratic Party.

And where is the outraged voice of President Obama, who was so quick to weigh
in on the altercation between the Boston Police and a Black Harvard professor,
and again in the Trayvon Martin case? The silence from the White House is telling.

I don’t know Mr. Sterling, nor am I a fan of his basketball team, but I would defend
his right to speak his mind however distasteful his words may be to others. The
civil rights legislation of the 1960’s has righted much of the injustice done to Blacks
and other minorities in this country, but no law can eliminate the racism so deeply
rooted in the human psyche. Only our continuing evolution as human beings can
correct that inherent flaw.

A final point. If Donald Sterling has his day in court, I suspect there may be a few
other owners of professional ball teams out there anxiously awaiting the outcome.

Well, You Did It Again

10/5/2013

by Vito Tomasino

Well, you did it again, shut down the Government. For that you incurred the wrath of the
nation, and deservedly so. And for what? What did the Republican party hope to gain by
attaching amendments to the spending bill that they knew in advance would not even be
allowed on the floor of the Senate, much less be passed and signed by the President? If
there is a reasonable, non-political answer to that, I'd like to hear it.

Politics, a wily old pol once said—it could have been Tip O’Neil—is the art of doing the
possible--words of wisdom that members of both parties would do well to heed. Having
said that, it's only fair that I be asked to explain where "the possible" lies in this made
made in Washington crisis?

The answer could not be more simple. Give Obama everything he wants, and more.
Hear me out.

The President will not allow The Affordable Health Care Act to be modified or curtailed
in any way by amendments to the spending bill, and I agree with him. It should not be.
Any law passed by Congress, signed by the President of the United States, and upheld
by the Supreme Court must be fully implemented as written. Our Constitution
demands it.

Are we not a nation of laws? Moreover, the President of the United States is as duty
bound to uphold those laws as any American citizen.

There is a process by which Congress can enact legislation to change an existing law,
but holding the United States Government hostage in a futile attempt to expose the
shortcomings of President Obama's signature legislation is not it.

Here is my proposal: House Republicans should—along with any Democrats who
may want to co-sponsor it—submit a new bill to the Senate which would fully fund
the government; one that includes an amendment demanding the full and immediate
implementation of The Affordable Health Care Act without exception or delay granted
to any person or any entity.

Once the bill passes the House—in what I believe will be a successful bi-partisan effort—
Speaker Boehner should take the diplomatic initiative in applauding that effort and
encourage his colleagues in the Senate to do the same. He should also make it clear to
the American people, that as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, he will do
everything in his power to see that the laws of the land are upheld by all.

When that bill goes to the Senate—I would suggest raising the debt ceiling at the same
time—Harry Reid will have no recourse but to bring it to the floor for a vote. He and
the President will have everything they asked for in it, and more. It is the “more” part
that will stick in their craw, but they will have no choice but to swallow hard.

As for Obamacare, if, in fact, it is a train wreck waiting to happen, the sooner it wrecks
the better for us to make it right. If it does, who loses? A few disgruntled Republicans
and Democrats, and an outmaneuvered President who will be contemplating his “lame
duckness” for the next three years.

Either way, who wins? The rest of us!

DECEPTION AND LIES

9/23/2013

by Vito Tomasino

While I am relieved that limited missile strikes against the Assad regime have been put
on hold—at least until the current diplomatic effort has run its course—I question the
wisdom of trusting a man like Putin to resolve the issue in anyone's favor but his.

He threw President Obama a lifeline that would allow him to back away from his empty
"red-line" threat and he bit. Then he had the temerity to lecture our President on American
exceptionalism in a New York Times op-ed piece. How can anything positive result from
this recent display of weakness by the President?

I wish members of Congress all the best in resolving this, and the current debt ceiling
issue in the coming weeks, not to mention the other so-called "phony scandals" such as:
the NSA recording of cell phone calls, IRS targeting of Republican political groups, Fast
and Furious, and, of course, Benghazi.

"What difference at this point does it make?" These were the words practically screamed
out by Hillary Clinton in frustration over her inability respond with plausible answers to
the questions put to her by members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigating
the Benghazi tragedy. To most Americans, particularly the families of the four men killed
that night, it makes all the difference in the world, Madame Secretary.

Why did the Secretary of State, the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense,
and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff sit on their hands and do nothing, as they
watched the slaughter of four brave Americans on a live television feed? Indeed, why was
a rescue team, ready to leave Tripoli within an hour of the attack, and F-16 fighter jets based
in Aviano, Italy, that could have been over Benghazi in four hours, ordered to stand down?
By whom? Does anyone other than the Commander-in-Chief have the authority to sanction
such an order?

The American people deserve to know the truth of what happened in Benghazi. It was
obviously not a spontaneous response to an obscure Youtube video critical of the Prophet
Mohammed posted months before, as we were told by Susan Rice, Mrs. Clinton, and the
President himself. Anyone in the Situation Room, who watched events unfold in Benghazi
in real time, knew it was a planned attack by trained, well armed terrorists.

Why the lies? To answer that question one need only look at who stood to benefit by their
telling.

The President won his bid for a second term, Ms. Rice has since been promoted to National
Security Advisor—no doubt a disappointment, but one that may still be rectified if, or when
the Benghazi fiasco can safely be put to rest— and Mrs. Clinton was never called to task for
the arrogance and insensitivity she displayed before the Senate Committee. Instead, she has
been awarded the Liberty Medal for her outstanding service—presented to her by Jeb Bush,
a Republican—and is being touted as the next President of the United States.

I believe I speak for the majority of angry Americans who do understand the difference it
makes, and are tired of the deception and lies coming from our government, when I ask:
What in the name of reason and sanity is going on?

TO BOMB OR NOT TO BOMB

9/14/2013

                                                       To Bomb Or Not To Bomb
                                                             by Vito Tomasino

To bomb, or not to bomb Syria is the question, but is it the one we should be debating?
The Obama administration and the other hawks in both parties support a limited strike
in retaliation for Assad’s alleged use of chemical weapons. They say they have proof that
chemical weapons were used, and used by his government.

Indeed, their use has been confirmed by the UN inspection team. The evidence also
suggests that they came from Syrian military controlled areas; but is that conclusive
proof they were fired by them? Should we not consider the possibility, that mortar, or
rocket delivered chemical weapons—given to the rebels by their supporters—could have
been launched by them from government held territory? I believe it is a very real
possibility and, unless it can be absolutely ruled out, the case to bomb Syria is put in
serious question.

An important point, not yet made by anyone engaged in this debate, is that of motive.
Who stands to gain and who stands to lose by the use of such weapons? Why, it should
be asked, would Assad invite the wrath of U.S. Air power and concede the overwhelming
advantage he enjoys over the rebels in manpower and arms. Why indeed? He has already
killed more than one hundred thousand of his people with conventional bombs, bullets
and rockets, and is winning the war. To use chemical weapons now makes no rational
sense. Assad has nothing to gain and everything to lose.

The rebels, on the other hand, have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Forcing
President Obama to make good on his “red-line” threat and unleash American air power
against the Syrian government could tip the balance in their favor. Should Obama so act,
he would no doubt also release the weapons currently being held back from the rebels
and, once committed, is not likely stop with one quick strike, but continue until the
Assad regime is brought down.

Should that be the result, what then will Syria become in the hands of a rebel group
that includes among its more organized factions, Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood?

The Debt Ceiling: A False Crisis

8/24/2013

                                            The Debt Ceiling: A False Crisis
                                                       by Vito Tomasino

The President has stated his willingness to consider all ideas regarding ways to cut deficit
spending and tackle the problem of a growing national debt; which, left unchecked, would
threaten another downgrade of our credit rating in a fragile economy. He has also made it
very clear, that raising the federal debt limit was not open to negotiation, and that he would
not be held hostage by Republican leaders who would use the threat of a government shutdown
to push their fiscal agenda.

I believe the President would indeed allow the government to be shut down, and our credit
rating downgraded, rather than give in to Republican demands for significant spending cuts
and entitlement reform—neither of which he wants, though both are absolutely needed.
Do the Republicans have the courage to call the President’s bluff? I don’t think so. Last year,
when they confronted him on the so-called “fiscal cliff,”they caved in to his demands at the
last minute; then rationalized their concession by convincing themselves that—given the debt
ceiling deadline—they would have more leverage to force his acquiescence. They were wrong.
Their bluff did not work then and it will not work now. What then, should they do?

Someone once said, “Politics is the art of doing the possible.” Why not start there. Take
Obama at his word. Give him what he wants; i.e., raise the debt ceiling, and do it soon, not
at the eleventh hour. We all know it will be raised, so why waste time debating the issue and
give the President a convenient excuse for not addressing the spending problem? Moreover,
it should be raised high enough so that we need not be concerned with it for the next two
years, thus clearing the table for meaningful fiscal reforms in spending, entitlements, revenue
enhancement via a simplified tax code, and a thorough overhaul of regulations hindering
business investment.

Speaker Boehner should form a bi-partisan committee within the House of Representatives
to write a bill offering viable, thoroughly vetted solutions to the above issues--one containing
many recommendations of the Simpson-Bowles Commission. Such a bill would have the best
chance of passing the House with Democrat and Republican support, and of reaching the floor
of the Senate for a vote. The President could not stop it without contradicting his own statement
regarding spending cuts and forfeiting his political capital, making him a true “lame duck.”

Congress, on the other hand, would regain much of its lost public confidence and reclaim its
role as one of the key federal branches envisioned by our founding fathers as being necessary
to insure that our democracy remains true to the people it serves.

Let The Bastards Come

8/8/2013

                                                   LET THE BASTARDS COME

                                                               By Vito Tomasino

Imagine a battlefield general who is told by his intelligence people that intercepted phone
calls between enemy units revealed their plans to attack several key positions under his
command. What would he do? Would he immediately “shut down” those positions, take
his troops out of harm’s way, and hope the enemy does not attack? Of course not. Wars
are not won by conceding territory, but by taking it, or, at least, holding it.

No, that general would not back away in the face of an enemy threat. Rather, he would
see it as an opportunity to inflict even greater damage to his antagonists by reinforcing
those positions with additional troops and fire support, and daring them to try. “Let the
bastards come,” would be his battle cry—as it was for men like “Chesty” Puller, George
Patton,“Skinny”Wainwright, Jimmy Doolittle, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan, Teddy
Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and so many other
courageous leaders of our past whose decisive actions kept us strong and free for more
than two centuries.

Recently, our “generals” in Washington had just such an opportunity presented to them
and they chose to run rather than fight. Instead of reinforcing our embassies they chose
to close them indefinitely and, in so doing, gave the terrorists a victory without them
having to fire a single bullet. The terrorists now know, that all they have to do to disrupt
the government of the most powerful nation on earth is to make a cell phone call to their
buddies. They must be wringing their hands over the possibilities it presents.

Sadly, these same “generals” will claim this as a victory over terrorism and try to sell their
spineless response to us as justification for an intelligence gathering program that collects
phone call and e-mail data on every American citizen. They will do this without realizing,
that by their timid reactions to enemy threats, and their expedient disregard of our
constitutional rights, they are doing the terrorist’s job for them.

“Appeasement of the enemy has never, in any time in history, resulted in anything but
disaster for the appeasers.” vt

Libya, An Opportunity Missed

2/18/2013

by Vito Tomasino

written February 20, 2011

      A ruthless despot commits genocide against his own people, while we, and the rest
of the world, stand idly by and issue carefully worded, politically correct statements
denouncing the violence with no more passion or anger than we would if were critiquing
a new movie or television show. How brave of us. Where is our outrage? Where is our
commitment to protect innocent human life wherever it is threatened on this planet?
     No, we cannot police the entire world, but we can damn sure stop Gaddafi and his
hired thugs from slaughtering his own people. How? Not by waiting for an impotent
United Nations to issue another resolution; and not by spending weeks, or months,
forming a coalition of righteous nations. Thousands more Libyans will die while we
wait for that.
     The only way to stop this genocide is for our President to muster the courage to
issue an unequivocal warning to Gaddafi to reign in his thugs and army loyalists and
relinquish power, or suffer the full might of the U.S. military. Even before he speaks,
U.S. Air Force B-52 and B-2 bombers should be readied to strike Libyan airfields and
military installations still loyal to the dictator. Navy war ships, to include an aircraft
carrier and troop ships carrying U.S. Marines should be positioned off Libya’s coast.
Maybe it’s time for our young marines to walk in Lt. O’Bannon’s footsteps, to, once
again, rid Tripoli of its “Barbary Pirates.”
      I write as one who has spent twelve years in the Middle East, ten in Saudi Arabia,
and two in Libya (April 1968 to May 1970). As an Air Force fighter pilot, I was sent
to Libya (with my wife and five children) to train their pilots in the new fighter jets
we sold them. The following year, on 1 September 1969, a young army lieutenant by
the name of Moammar Gaddafi, in a brilliantly executed coup, seized control of the
government in less than 48 hours with hardly a shot being fired.
     By then, our training detachment of close to 100 personnel had established such
good rapport with our Libyan counterparts we continued to work with them even
while the coup was still in progress--never fearing for our safety, or the safety of our
families. Moreover, when we left Libya in May the following year, our many Libyan
friends (civilian and military) were at the airfield to see us off, bearing so many gifts
Ezdy and I could not carry all of them on the airplane.
      They were there in defiance of a standing order of the Revolutionary Council, not
to fraternize with Americans. That order was particularly directed at their military
personnel whose careers, perhaps even their lives, were at risk. Still, they came.
Why? Because they were Libyans and we were their friends, and that overrode all
other considerations.
     These are the people I speak about here…brave people who, I believe, will prevail
in their struggle to shrug off the tyrannical rule they have been living under for 42
years, with or without our help; but not before untold thousands are killed. If we act
with resolve now we can stop the massacre and, in so doing, restore a friendship with
a people who would become our strongest Arab ally in the Middle East, and reclaim
our role as a credible broker for peace in the area.
     If we do this terrorism will be on its way to extinction. If we don’t, we will have
lost a golden opportunity to show the world, particularly the Muslim world, that the
United States of America is truly a defender of human rights...a beacon of freedom
for all people.

　

The Corruption of Our "Pledge"

1/31/2013

In response to a recent internet news article regarding the reciting of the Pledge of
Allegiance in Arabic by our school children, I wrote:

I feel the same way about it as I do Catholic priests who celebrate Sunday Mass in English
rather than Latin. Too much of the real message is lost in the translation.

I also see this in much the same way as I did the attempt by Muslim leaders in New York
to build a mosque near "Ground Zero," shortly after the 9/11 attack on the Twin towers by
"soldiers of Allah," killing nearly 3000 Americans; i.e., as a deliberate attempt to pour salt
into America's open wound.

Moreover, the Islamic extremists, and their "silent supporters," will see this as yet another
weakness in our resolve to protect the freedoms we cherish--not only for ourselves, but for
good people around the world. This is just the kind of political correctness that emboldens
them to strike again and again.

The American Spirit

12/15/2012

The following is my response to an e-mail sent by a friend lamenting the far left direction
this country is being taken by the Obama administration:

You are right, we let this happen. I have always believed that, because of their complacency,
people deserve what they get, and that is particularly true in a country like ours.

The only reason this Republic has lasted as long as it has, is because of a Constitution written
by men of great wisdom and courage. We have had Presidents before this one try to dismantle
it, only to fail, giving us time to get back on course. My hope is, that the spirit of our founding
fathers, The American Spirit, still lives among our people (indeed, the people of the world) in
strong enough numbers to overcome the current assault on our hard won freedoms by this
President.

If I am wrong, then we too will deserve what we get. America as we know it will be lost, and
the world will be poorer for it.