Obama deserved the Noble Peace Prize

President Obama has done a number of noteworthy things, which have also generated hope and excitement all over the world. It is true that the policies of the Bush administration created an atmosphere that highlighted Obama's move to the center away from confrontational issues.

Candidate Obama journeyed to Germany to make a speech that most in America condemned as a publicity stunt, but the world was looking for the next president of the United States to fill a void that had, for far too long, been non-existence. Obama’s speech gave promise of things to come. His message indentified an intense desire for the United States to step up, and save the world as it has done in the pass, though peaceful negotiations.

The missile defense system that President Bush wanted to install in northern Europe infuriated the Russians creating an atmosphere that could have started another Cold War. President Obama defused the issue by substituting deployed ships equipped with Aegis missile platform to protect the ME and Northern Europe. A brilliant move, why, because the Aegis missile system is capable of intercepting the short and medium range missiles of Iran without threatening Russia.

The ME policy of getting consensus views from all parties with the intent of reaching an agreement through consensus is a new concept. His ME policy has yet to yield results, but it is better than ignoring the key members in the dispute, as was the way of the Bush administration.

Obama made campaign promises to release the Guantanamo prisoners. He has not done so, but the fault lies with Congress' disapproval of his plan without introducing an alternative. Korea is at the tables and talking with the Six world powers; Iran, with prodding, is now opening the doors to inspections of its nuclear facilities, and the Free World is working together to solve the economic problems initiating by the bad practices of Wall Street and our Banking industry. Obama immediately repealed the policy of torturing prisoners, under the Bush administration; the torturing of prisoners had disheartened the rest of the world and everyone was elated with Obama’s announcement.

World leaders are again looking to the United States to show the way and that is a feather in the hat of the Obama administration. This President has gained the respect and confidence of Third World countries with visits to our neighbors to the South, and with conferences with Canada and Mexico.

Obama has done plenty to deserve the Noble Peace prize. He has given the world-at-large hope!

McCain - McBush 4 more

Recenty, I listened to a speech by Senator McCain and came away thinking that the real issues that confront America were not addressed in the Senator’s speech.

He, by omission, has indicated that he intends to grant a free pass to big oil and big business with no relief for the little man. He maintains that he will keep in place the initiatives of the Bush Administration, initiatives that got us in the predicament that we currently are experiencing. If America was being interviewed by a ‘credit doctor’ to repair its credit, Senator McCain’s policies would be placed in the ‘round file’ so swiftly that they would catch on fire from the friction of air against the surface of the paper.

My Father told me that power, in the hands of an ignorant man, is the most dangerous thing in the world. This is not to say that the Senator is ignorant, but the adage does apply in this case. In applying that adage to the McCain way of thinking it simply means that we will painfully endure four more years of failed policies.

Like the man he intends to replace, he is exceedingly stubborn when forced to adjust to the changing political arena on the world playing field. We don’t want another war; we can’t afford another war. His posturing during the confrontation with Russia over Russia’s invasion of Georgia proves that he can’t present the united front that America will need in the future to prevent aggression with diplomacy first! He says that he hates war, but he has yet to demonstrate that position when it comes to interfacing with other world powers.

Senator McCain says he will fight for justice and equality for all, but is it all of big business, or will it be all of the people of America? We don't know. The McCain campaign continues to put forward lies and innuendos against their opponents instead of delivering a message that will give us some indication of the path in which his administration will take the country. When asked direct questions about his policies, he seems to wander off blabbering in a strange language things that we can't comprehend. The person that he has selected for his vice-president does the same thing... reference her responses to Katie Couric.

I wonder, personally, how long we will be reminded that the good Senator was a prisoner of war for five and a half years. Does he want us to apply to him the same advantage that is given veterans when they apply for governmental jobs? Or, does he want us to consider his military service as a pre-requisite for anyone seeking the office of President of the United States. If we are to judge McCain by the legacy of previous presidents that did not have any military service, his military service does not have validity in the selection of a president.

In the minds of those of us that are not easily fooled about the war in Iraq, the 'surge' was supposed to give the Iraqi Parliament the time to form a coalition that would support good government between the different sects. To say that the reduced violence in Iraq is a sign that the 'surge' is the reason that we are 'winning' in Iraq is pure unadulterated BS. The war is won when you can leave the occupied country (reference Japan) with a solid government in place that will endure – something the surge was suppose to facilitate. As we all know, there is no consummate government in place in Iraq that is governing for all of the people.

Inquiring minds want to know what you; Mr. McCain, will do about the economy, about getting us out of Iraq, and about health care...