by Daniel Nardini
It seems that the U.S. government cannot concentrate on more than one thing at a time, or rather chooses to ignore other and probably more important matters. It seems that U.S. President Barack Obama (and yes, the U.S. Congress) are all fixated on what is going on in the Middle East—especially Iraq and Syria where U.S. war planes are carrying out airstrikes against rebel groups of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). I will not go into the fact that Obama has launched the United States into a new war in the Middle East, nor the fact that he is carrying on this war without a declaration of war from the U.S. Congress (although I am convinced with Congress’ approval since he is obviously getting funding for his actions). I will not discuss for now how is actions are eroding this part of the U.S. Constitution dealing with the separation of powers. I will instead go to two areas being largely ignored by Washington, D.C. and most of the U.S. new media.
First, I wish to turn my attention to the Far East where the Chinese government is not-so-slowly crushing Hong Kong’s limited democracy. When Great Britain gave Hong Kong to China in 1997, it was understood that Hong Kong would retain its democracy under China’s “one country, two systems” approach. That approach of course only works if the Chinese government allows it to do so. Right now it does not approve of democracy, and hence why the Chinese government is using the police and the armed forces to crush Hong Kong’s democratic opposition. It is possible that the Chinese government might use brute military force in Hong Kong just as it did in Beijing in 1989. At the same time, Chinese navy warships are trying to cross into Japanese waters near and around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands. There is no question that China is moving on a number of fronts as it knows America’s eyes are elsewhere.
Second, we seem to be ignoring what is happening south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Although Mexico is trying its best to stop the flow of Central American refugees from coming to the United States, there is a serious limitation to what it can do. Also, the Mexican government alone cannot do anything about the economic and political problems in the Central American nations of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The United States must also play a part of trying to help make these countries more stable so that tens of thousands of people will not flee the region. Then there are the Mexican drug cartels who are making connections with gang groups in the United States. This alone should concern all Americans. I find it ironic that the U.S. government can send its military forces thousands of miles to bomb an enemy who might be a threat, but it will not do piddly squat against an enemy much closer to home. who is a definite threat. Of course, the U.S. government does not seem to be trying to deal with all of the ills affecting this country either. When Washington, D.C.’s eyes are elsewhere, nothing else seems to matter. Until of course that thing Washington, D.C. ignores hits us all in the face.
While Washington, D.C.’s Eyes are Elsewhere
by Daniel Nardini
It seems that the U.S. government cannot concentrate on more than one thing at a time, or rather chooses to ignore other and probably more important matters. It seems that U.S. President Barack Obama (and yes, the U.S. Congress) are all fixated on what is going on in the Middle East—especially Iraq and Syria where U.S. war planes are carrying out airstrikes against rebel groups of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). I will not go into the fact that Obama has launched the United States into a new war in the Middle East, nor the fact that he is carrying on this war without a declaration of war from the U.S. Congress (although I am convinced with Congress’ approval since he is obviously getting funding for his actions). I will not discuss for now how is actions are eroding this part of the U.S. Constitution dealing with the separation of powers. I will instead go to two areas being largely ignored by Washington, D.C. and most of the U.S. new media.
First, I wish to turn my attention to the Far East where the Chinese government is not-so-slowly crushing Hong Kong’s limited democracy. When Great Britain gave Hong Kong to China in 1997, it was understood that Hong Kong would retain its democracy under China’s “one country, two systems” approach. That approach of course only works if the Chinese government allows it to do so. Right now it does not approve of democracy, and hence why the Chinese government is using the police and the armed forces to crush Hong Kong’s democratic opposition. It is possible that the Chinese government might use brute military force in Hong Kong just as it did in Beijing in 1989. At the same time, Chinese navy warships are trying to cross into Japanese waters near and around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands. There is no question that China is moving on a number of fronts as it knows America’s eyes are elsewhere.
Second, we seem to be ignoring what is happening south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Although Mexico is trying its best to stop the flow of Central American refugees from coming to the United States, there is a serious limitation to what it can do. Also, the Mexican government alone cannot do anything about the economic and political problems in the Central American nations of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. The United States must also play a part of trying to help make these countries more stable so that tens of thousands of people will not flee the region. Then there are the Mexican drug cartels who are making connections with gang groups in the United States. This alone should concern all Americans. I find it ironic that the U.S. government can send its military forces thousands of miles to bomb an enemy who might be a threat, but it will not do piddly squat against an enemy much closer to home. who is a definite threat. Of course, the U.S. government does not seem to be trying to deal with all of the ills affecting this country either. When Washington, D.C.’s eyes are elsewhere, nothing else seems to matter. Until of course that thing Washington, D.C. ignores hits us all in the face.