HUMINT: Our emotions are manipulated every day in America. We are being manipulated further and further away from reality and responsibility by our constant promises of instant gratification to each other. I enjoy it. It truly is great. While there are a number of great places in the world outside of the United States that are very different, I wouldn't call a single one of them better. Unfortunately there are a great number of places in the world that do not share our culture of tolerance and customer service - with a smile. In fact, some individuals view our collective success through the explicit guarantees of individual liberty as immoral and decadent. You might be asking, what changed? So what? It's always been that way!

If the past were to forever resemble the future, in near perfect detail, we'd all be wealthy investors wouldn't we? If the geo-political mechanics never changed, it would take the risk out of every decision we might make at home or abroad. Well... these times, they are a changin -

Here's why. A balance was struck during the Cold War that toppled when it ended. The Cold War was fought in the aftermath of WWII and relied heavily on technology. The Soviets couldn't keep up. Where they lacked bright ideas to confront American ingenuity they had a surplus of bad ideas. With the spread of their bad ideology went Kalashnikov Riffles among other weaponry, still very much in use today. Now the Soviets are gone, leaving the United States as the only remaining Super Power in the world.

In Asia, South America and the Middle East there are ambitions men entering the equation at least in part, because the Soviets sank. Kim Jung Il, Hugo Chavez and Mahmood Ahmadinejad are all unique threats to the United States. They are not threats simply because they seek to balance American authority in the world. If that were all they wanted to do, our industries would be pleased to help them. These men are belligerents. They seek power at the expense of the United States. These men are ascending to power on the back of bad ideology and lies about the United States. It is what they say and do that makes them a threat to the United States. They represent an oligarchy, two of whom, (Chaves and Ahmadinejad) are in a position to use their nation's petroleum reserves to extort cash from petroleum importing nations. When they are not extorting us, who are their customers, they are subverting the policies of free trade and free enterprise by subsidizing their nations natural resources. While some socialists may not agree, overwhelming evidence demonstrates that all they are doing is dangerously isolating themselves economically and fostering a petroleum black market! Black markets - undermining international policy - lies about the United States... These are the facts - So, going back to your original point. Who in your mind is manufacturing the propaganda and how do you imagine we might stop it, or at least expose it?

posted by HUMINT  # 10:09 AM