Christmas Message

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. When times are difficult, let us trust in the One who gives us Hope.

Reflections on the Roman Defense of the Right to Life on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity

As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity, a reflection on how the Romans defended the right to life would be enlightening. The Romans had defeated Carthage, their Mediterranean rival in the first two Punic Wars in the Third Century Before Christ. As a result, the Carthaginians were no longer a military or economic threat. But Rome destroyed the North African city in the early Second Century B.C. in a third war strictly because of its cultural threat. The Romans practiced multiculturalism the reasonable way, accepting what they thought was good from other cultures and rejecting what they thought was not. The Carthaginians worshipped a god they called “Moloch,” to whom they sacrificed babies, a practice the Romans regarded as barbaric. Therefore, the Romans destroyed the Carthaginians’ entire civilization because it was evil. Today, some people worship a god called “Choice” to whom they sacrifice babies. They make idols of Privacy and Convenience. Worshipping such false gods undermines the right to life of all human beings, who are created equally human by their Creator. We should remember that the Romans defended the right to life of babies as we commemorate the birth two thousand years ago of a Child in their Empire.

Foreign Digest: Russia and Bolivia

Russia: Russian Federation tyrant Vladimir Putin, an ex-Soviet intelligence officer, bullies and threatens neighboring former Soviet Republics because he laments the breakup of the Soviet Union. When these neighboring States then seek defense from the West, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), he then defines their seeking of defense as a threat, which the Russian strongman then uses it to justify his aggression. Putin invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014. In the former, he created two puppet states out of breakaway regions, and in the latter, he seized the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea and backs separatists who have gained control of part of eastern Ukraine, despite a treaty recognizing Ukrainian independence, sovereignty and in territorial integrity. Currently, tens of thousands of Russian troops are massed at its border as the Russian dictator issues threats. In addition to opposing the expansion of NATO, a defensive alliance, Putin has similarly objected to the placement of defensive anti-missile weapons. He obviously hopes to reconstitute as much of the Soviet Empire as he can and wants to be able to continue to intimidate neighbors and prevent the West from defending them. Bolivia: the former center-right President who took power after the former leftist President fled after a popular uprising has been charged and incarcerated for fulfilling her constitutional role. The former leftist President had served three terms, despite a constitutional limit of two terms, and then sought a fourth before mass demonstrations forced the increasingly authoritarian anti-American leader from power and out of the country. His leftist party later won elections and allowed him back into Bolivia. The international community should demand the release of the former President and her absolution and use its diplomatic and economic leverage to defend the rule of law and the liberty of the Bolivian people.

Foreign Digest: Germany and China

Germany: Conservative Angela Merkel completed her service this month as Chancellor of Germany for 16 years. The Christian Democrat, who sometimes had to govern in a coalition with parties of diverse views, led the Federal Republic through a series of major crises, including the European debt crisis, the refugees crisis (particularly because of the Syrian Civil War), the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union and the Coronavirus pandemic. Merkel, who had lived in Communist East Germany, was an ally of the United States in the War on Terrorism and against the aggression of Russian Federation tyrant Vladimir Putin, an ex-Soviet intelligence officer. Meanwhile, a German court recently convicted two Russians for the assassination of a Georgian man of Chechen ethnicity in 2019 and found that they had acted on state orders. The Russian Federation routinely kills political opponents in Russia and even abroad, sometimes using chemical weapons, among many other roguish behaviors. China: There was low turnout in today’s legislative elections in Hong Kong, as the opposition boycotted them because Communist China has broken its promises made to the United Kingdom in 1997 when the territory reverted from British rule that it would respect the city-state’s autonomy and liberty. The legislature is partly appointed and only candidates loyal to Peking are allowed to stand for election. The freedom of peaceful assembly is among the freedoms not tolerated, as more dissidents have been arrested and convicted for peaceful protests.

Thirteenth Anniversary of My Blog: Blogger Pageview Report

Thirteenth Anniversary of My Blog: It has been 13 years since I launched this blog in 2008. I appreciate all of you who visit, especiall those who visit regularly. I am grateful to have this opportunity to post about liberty and representative government, good language and Christian conservative views in general, especially after the computer difficulties I have been experiencing over the last two years. As is obvious, I still am unable to ident for paragraphs. As a result, I must work around the problem and hope it does not detract too much from the content I post. Blog Pageview Report: Blogger, the host of this blog, has continued to track hundreds of pageviews a month, even during the many months when I was unable to access this blog to post anything, which was most of the last year. Although not as specific as the tracking by StatCounter, Blogger reports several thousand pageviews over the last year, with a little over half from the United States and the rest from Western Europe (especially Italy), followed by Eastern Europe and Asia, among other places. Again, thank you for visiting.

Remember the Purpose of Thanksgiving: Give Thanks to God for Blessings

I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. This federal holiday, which is also a state holiday in every State in the Union, was established by President George Washington to give thanks to God for the blessings of America, both material, in terms of its bounty, and political, in terms of independence and liberty. It commemorates the first Thanksgiving celebration and feast given by the Pilgrims in Massachusetts in the Seventeenth Century in thanksgiving to God for the bounty of the harvest they were able to enjoy through their friendship with the local Native Americans and for their freedom to practice their religion. It is easy to focus on other aspects of the custom of celebrating this holiday and upon divisive political misinterpretations of it, but it is important to remember its original purpose because the Founding Fathers understood, as expressed in the American Creed in the Declaration of Independence, that the freedoms and rights of everyone come from God, not Man. Because faith in God is an essential safeguard for liberty, it is therefore appropriate that government acknowledge the divine source of its power, which is given to them through the People whom God created equally. Thank God for the blessings of prosperity and liberty.

Causing a Space Hazard Is the Latest Provocation by the Rogue Russian Regime

The Russian Federation under tyrant Vladimir Putin, a former Soviet intelligence agent, further reinforced its status as an international pariah by carelessly conducting an anti-satellite test that created a space junk hazard. The International Space Station was put at risk and its crew had to conduct a maneuver to avoid impact with the debris created by the Russian test. Putin is also behind the current policy of its Belorussian ally of sending refugees toward the Polish border, using people as political tools and he has massed Russian troops at the border of Ukraine, a former Soviet Republic that he has already invaded and seized territory from, in violation of a treaty recognizing Ukrainian independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The rogue Russian regime invades neighbors; sends warplanes in a threatening manner toward the airspace of other States; kills exiles abroad, including with chemical weapons; violates arms control treaties; backs the terrorist-sponsoring Syrian regime of Bashar Assad; uses its energy supply as an instrument of intimidation; interferes in the elections of other States through propaganda, disinformation, stealing/releasing information, campaign funding and other means; spreads anti-vaccine falsehoods; hacks into the computers of governments, businesses and other organizations; and even cheats at the Olympics.

It Is Time to Eliminate Daylight Saving Time

Standard Time returns today in most of America. I usually post when Daylight Saving Time begins to propose the elimination of the bi-annual wasteful exercise of changing the clocks. I have noted how the loss of an hour of sleep and the disruption of the schedule and our circadian rhythm (our biological clocks) adversely affect health and cause more accidents, as more and more studies have shown. To avoid these problems, some people, including legislators, have proposed remaining on Standard Time and others to remain on Daylight Saving Time. I write now because a recent study observed the ongoing negative effects of Daylight Saving Time beyond the loss of an hour of sleep, particularly on students’ learning and on increasing accidents in mornings because of the loss of daylight, without providing any offsetting benefit. It is time to consider eliminating Daylight Saving Time and returning to a more natural schedule in harmony with our biological clocks.

Foreign Digest: The European Union, Japan and Nicaragua

European Union: Like Italy’s stricter program that I recently posted about, the European Union also has developed a pass for those who are vaccinated against Covid-19 or have recent negative test results to allow for travel or entry at certain locations. Member States have the option to join the program. Japan: The ruling center-right party won the Japanese parliamentary elections. Japan is an ally of the United States, particularly versus Communist North Korea and China. Nicaragua: Nicaragua’s Marxist Sandinista dictatorship reportedly engaged in a cyber disinformation campaign against political opponents. As I had also noted in a previous post, the leading opposition figures have been jailed and thus effectively barred from standing for election as Daniel Ortega seeks a fifth term today. He had come to power in 1979 in a coup with the Sandinistas, backed by the Soviets, until losing Nicaragua’s first free and fair election in 1990 and then returned to power through an election four years ago. Ortega had promised not to be as tyrannical, but has broken his promises by becoming increasingly authoritarian. I had posted about his bloody repression of protests last year. Nicaragua, with Belarus, was one of two States chided by the World Health Organization for inaction on the Coronavirus pandemic.

European Union Report: Russia’s Disinformation on Vaccines Has Caused Its Deadliest Covid-19 Spike

A European Union report released today blames an effective disinformation campaign (i.e. lies, half-truths and misleading statements) by the Russian Federation, led by ex-Soviet intelligence officer Vladimir Putin, for Russia’s current deadliest spike of Coronavirus cases. As I have posted previously, the Kremlin has been creating doubts among Europeans and Americans about the safety and effectiveness of Western Covid-19 vaccines, despite their proven safety and efficacy, in order to weaken the West and to promote a Russian vaccine as an alternative. Putin’s regime has promoted the anti-vaccine movement, which includes the far left and the far right, in a kind of biological warfare, which I have noted has led to outbreaks in Western Europe and America of measles and other easily preventable contagious diseases, because Russian disinformation has been as affective in this regard as it has been in political interference in Europe and America. However, Russia is being hoist by its own petard as the disinformation has spread to the Russian people who have resisted vaccination, even with the Russian vaccine, at a greater rate than in the West.

Foreign Digest: Russia, Poland and Turkey

Russia: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was awarded the Sakharov Prize from the European Union Parliament today for his leadership on human rights. Navalny promotes freedom in Russia against the tyrannical regime of ex-Soviet intelligence officer Vladimir Putin and exposes the corruption of the oligarchical regime. The opposition leader has been poisoned and repeatedly arrested for exercising the freedom of peaceful assembly and speech. Navalny is currently a political prisoner. The EU appealed in its award announcement for his release. Those who criticize or question Putin are harassed, face prosecution and conviction from a judiciary that is not independent, or are forced into exile, assaulted or killed. Some Russian exiles have even been killed abroad. The prize is named for Andrei Sakharov, the scientist during the Soviet era who was a leading dissident. Poland: The European Union's court recently held that Poland’s far-right government had violated its rules by compromising the independence of its judiciary. Poland is an example of the global trend toward authoritarianism, especially in Eastern Europe. The main opposition party is a center-right party that believes in liberty. Turkey: The Islamist authoritarian Turkish regime continues to arrest of people accused of complicity in the failed military coup five years ago. There were well over a hundred more arrests yesterday. Anyone associated with a Muslim cleric living in exile in Pennsylvania who opposes the regime is blamed for complicity. The Turkish military was a safeguard for secular, free and representative government until the Turkish dictatorship brought it under its control after the 2016 coup attempt.

A Conservative Wins the Hungarian Presidential Primary Runoff

A Conservative Catholic provincial mayor won today’s runoff of Hungary’s first primary election, conducted by a six-party coalition of parties opposing the ruling far right anti-migrant authoritarian party. The economist and engineer who had resided in America and Canada ran on an anti-corruption platform. The other opposition parties across the political spectrum will back him and the other candidates chosen via the primary for parliamentary seats. The unprecedented alliance by the Hungarian opposition parties gives them a good chance to wrest power from the self-described "illiberal" ruling party that has been increasingly authoritarian.

United States Intelligence Report Finds the Russians Interfered in 2020 to Help Donald Trump Again

The report by the United States Director of National Intelligence, based on the findings of the multiple American intelligence agencies, found foreign interference in the 2020 presidential elections: https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/ICA-declass-16MAR21.pdf Like in 2016, the tyrant of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, an ex-Soviet intelligence officer, directed a campaign of interference to promote the candidacy of Donald Trump and denigrate his Democratic opponent and minimizing their significant interference in 2016, while also dividing Americans against each other and undermining confidence in elections. The Islamist terrorist sponsor Iran also interfered, according to the report, but against Trump, while Communist China interfered less significantly than Russia and Iran, after concluding that neither major party candidate would be preferable and preferring stability in Sino-American relations. The report found minor interference by Hezbollah (the Lebanese Shi’ite terrorists backed by Iran), Communist Cuba and Socialist Venezuela. There was also some disruption of the election process by cybercriminals, but measures taken after 2016 to thwart foreign hacking appeared to have deterred Russian hacking of voting systems. Russians had penetrated state and even some county election systems in 2016, but it is unknown to what affect. However, the Russians did steal information from the Democrats and their presidential nominee’s campaign in 2016 by hacking and published the information through a cut-out, Wikileaks. The Trump campaign, which had welcomed and accepted Russian interference and had advanced knowledge of the publication of the stolen information, coordinated its messaging with the release of the Russian-hacked information, according to the Republican Special Counsel and the GOP-led Senate Intelligence Committee, which also found the Trump campaign manager gave internal polling information to a Russian intelligence officer. Russia interfered in both the Democratic and Republican Party primaries to back favored candidates, including Trump, in a “sweeping and systematic” campaign, according to the Special Counsel. Putin’s interference in American politics had begun after its invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and increased with the 2016 election to include open propaganda through state-controlled media, Internet trolls, fake social media accounts that were automated (bots), social media ads, posing as a reporter to plant favorable stories, and campaign contributions, among other interference. Other hostile foreigners saw how successful the Russians were and are now copying their methods, the report confirms, even on other matters. Trump and his supporters interfered with the Special Counsel’s investigation and escaped prosecution and removal from office. There were sanctions imposed on Russians for election interference, but the intelligence report suggests Putin was not sufficiently deterred from interfering again.

Foreign Digest: Lebanon, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and Italy

Lebanon: There was a violent clash precipitated by a riot in a Christian neighborhood by Islamist supporters of the Shi’ite Hezbollah Party, the political arm of the Iranian backed terrorist organization. The Islamists were protesting against the judge in the investigation of responsibility for last year’s disastrous explosion in the port of Beirut that killed hundreds, wounded many more and damaged many buildings. Hezbollah and Amal Shi’ite officials were subpoenaed because of their role in the negligent storage of non-military explosives. The local Christian militia clashed with the Hezbollah and Amal militias in the deadliest sectarian fighting in 13 years. Lebanon suffered a sectarian Civil War from 1975-1990. It is currently facing a severe debt crisis, economic problems and power shortages. United Kingdom: A Member of the British Parliament, a pro-life Catholic in the ruling Conservative Party, was assassinated by a violent Jihadist last week in the latest attack by Islamists in Western Europe. Nigeria: The leader of an Islamic State offshoot of the Boko Haram Islamist terrorist organization was killed by one of his own bombs in Nigeria. As I had posted, Boko Haram’s leader, as well as the Islamic State’s leader in the Sahel were recently killed. Thousands of Boko Haram fighters have since surrendered. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed by their Islamist insurgency in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad alone. Italy: Italy launched its “Green Pass” program, by which workers, train passengers and attendees of certain entertainment venues can present proof of vaccination for Coronavirus 2019 or proof of recent natural immunity or recent negative tests. The program, the first anywhere in the world, spurred hundreds of thousands of new vaccinations last week, as well as violent protests. Italy has a high vaccination rate. It was the first Western State to be hard hit by the pandemic in 2020 and the first to impose a national lockdown. Millions of Italians have been infected and over 130,000 killed by Covid-19.

Observe Columbus Day by Celebrating the Benefits of the Discovery of the New World; Honor Indigenous Peoples Separately

Happy Columbus Day. As I do every year, I explain why it is appropriate to celebrate Columbus Day, especially with a federal and state holiday. The proclamation this year by United States President Joseph Biden of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the same day as Columbus Day diminishes the significance of the federal holiday commemorating the Discovery of the New World and Christopher Columbus’ accomplishments. The contributions of Native Americans would be more appropriately honored at another time. Instead of a celebration of blessings, the Columbus Day holiday is being made into a lamentation over grievances. Those blessings benefited not only the European settlers and others who came to America and their descendants, but also Native Americans. The Discovery has brought an exchange of goods, people and ideas between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. It particularly brought the ideas of equality, liberty and representative government, based upon the Judeo-Christian belief that men are created in the image of God. This belief is expressed in the American Creed in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. Another major contribution to the Americas was modern science, which is based on the Judeo-Christian belief that the universe is created by a rational God and, therefore, can be understood through reason. The anniversary of the discovery on October 12, 1492 honors their discovery of the New World by Columbus, the Genoan Italian navigator working for the Spanish who had correctly theorized that there was an inhabited continent much closer to Europe than was known. Through his outstanding skills as a navigator, he was able to bridge the two hemispheres together permanently, unlike anyone before, which lifted the cover of the Atlantic Ocean that had hidden the two worlds. Therefore, Columbus accomplishment truly meets the definition of the word discover, which is “to uncover,” which does not require someone to be the first in order to be credited with a discovery. Thus it does not diminish in the slightest the presence of indigenous peoples in the Western Hemisphere to give proper credit to Columbus for his discovery. Both a commemoration of the accomplishments of Columbus and those of Native Americans and a period set aside for the appreciation of their heritage and the contemplation about their status can and ought to be observed, not either one or the other, as if they are mutually exclusive or in conflict, as the current politics surrounding this issue reflect. Those left-wing beliefs diminish not only Columbus’s accomplishment, but the blessings of America that they do not appreciate in order to divide groups of Americans against each other for political reasons by focusing on alleged grievances about the past, based on exaggerated or erroneous interpretations, instead of focusing on unifying and universal principles. As I have noted previously, the federal holiday of Thanksgiving is to give thanks to God for the bounty of America which was obtained through the friendship of the early European settlers with Native Americans. It would be fitting, therefore, to make November Indigenous Peoples’ Month. As Columbus’ discovery is the sine qua non for America, it is appropriate to commemorate the event and to appreciate its significance, without in any way neglecting appreciation for Indigenous Peoples.

Foreign Digest: Syria, the Philippines, Russia, the Czech Republic and Taiwan

Syria: The decade-long Syrian civil war has claimed over a half million lives, as the Syrian people have rebelled against the tyrannical Baathist regime of Bashar Assad. The terrorist sponsor is backed by Iran, Hezbollah (the Lebanese Shi’ite Iranian-backed terrorists) and Vladimir Putin’s Russian Federation. Neighboring Turkey and Israel have been drawn into the conflict, at times. The United States led an international coalition of Western and Arab and other Muslim Sates against Islamic State terrorists based in Syria and Iraq, only striking Assad’s forces once for using chemical weapons of mass destruction. The IS is an offshoot of al-Qaeda, the Islamist terrorists responsible for the September 11 Terrorist Attacks, the bloodiest in history. The U.S. announced last week that it is keeping a contingent of troops in Syria against IS. As I posted recently, the Americans struck some al-Qaeda leaders in Syria. Philippines and Russia: The Filipino President, Rodrigo Duterte, who is constitutionally limited to one term, is not seeking election as Vice President. However, he supports his daughter’s candidacy for president. Duterte, known as the “Filipino Trump,” is under an International Criminal Court Investigation for his policy of encouraging the public to murder suspected drug dealers. The gross human rights violation won him public praise from the authoritarian-admiring Trump while the latter was in office. Meanwhile, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to a Filipino and a Russian journalist who both use the freedom of the press to expose corruption and oppression, which is especially challenging in Russia under tyrannical ex-Soviet intelligence officer Vladimir Putin. Czech Republic: The populist party of the Czech President did not gain the most votes and thus seats in the Parliament, losing to a center-right coalition that won a narrow plurality. The ruling party is anti-migrant and somewhat ambivalent between being pro-European and pro-European Union or Russophile. Its mix of left-wing and far-right populist policies lead some observers to characterize it as centrist, but such a label would make it seem moderate. There have been protests against the President over allegations of corruption and concerns about authoritarianism. The election results suggest, as have others elsewhere, that there is political space for the center-right versus the far-right, without adopting a leftish platform. Taiwan (the Republic of China): The United States has reportedly maintained a small military force since last year on Taiwan, the Republic of China, in the face of increased assertiveness by Communist China. The former Chinese republican government fled to Taiwan and the offshore island groups of Quemoy and Matsu in 1949, following the Chinese Civil War, in which the Communists took over China. Taiwan, where the Chinese republicans set up a national government, is a free, representative republic. The U.S. ended its recognition of the Republic of China on Taiwan in 1979, but pledged by treaty to provide for its defense and maintains commercial ties to the prosperous free State. It has quasi-diplomatic relations with the Republic of China. The Holy See and over a dozen States around the world also recognize the Republic of China on Taiwan as the legitimate government of China. Communist China, which bombed Quemoy and Matsu in the 1950s, objects to any formal diplomatic recognition of Taiwan and even the participation by Taiwan in certain international organizations and has repeatedly been threatening to conquer it. It has increasingly been repeating its threats and has been making incursions into Taiwan’s airspace with warplanes. The American presence will not only help Taiwan defend against Chinese aggression, but perhaps deter Communist China.

Commentary on the American Women Quarter Dollar Series

New Quarter Dollar Reverses: Starting next year, the United States Mint will produce a series of designs of reverses of the Quarter Dollar coins honoring 20 women, with five designs produced per year through 2025. There are several concerns about this series. New Washington Obverse: There will also be a new obverse image of George Washington. The striking design by a female artist had won the contest, but was not chosen by the Mint for the final design for 1932, the bicentennial of Washington’s birth. The design appeared on a commemorative coin on the bicentennial of Washington’s death in 1999. The Latest and Planned Series: The new series follows the recently completed eleven-year America the Beautiful Series, which had followed the popular State and Territorial Series from 1999-2010. The series commemorated national parks in each of the States and Territories. Next will be designs to be released in 2026 for the American semi-quincentennial. The first will featuring a reverse of Washington leading troops about to cross the Delaware River from Pennsylvania in 1776 to surprise the Hessians, who were mercenaries of the British, at Trenton, New Jersey. The American victory revived the Revolutionary war effort of the Patriots after their nearly calamitous defeat on Long Island, New York. There will be four other reverses in the series, one of which will honor the contributions of women to the American Revolution. This series will be reminiscent of the popular Bicentennial Series from 1975-1976. There will then be a series for youth sports and Paralympics in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, lasting until 2030. There will be new reverses on Half Dollars for some of these series. There will be silver versions of most of these coins. Coin design themes are approved by law. Concerns about the American Women Series: Some of these series are more appropriate for medals, at least, or perhaps a commemorative coin series, than a general circulation series. Postage stamps are most suitable for a greater variety of designs than circulating coins. As I have noted previously, the Founding Fathers did not want the figures of people on coins because they did not want coinage to be used to promote themselves, like the Roman Emperors had done, or political factions or to be divisive. Instead, they adopted designs that were unifying, particularly including the allegorical female figure of Liberty on the obverses, instead of people, and other symbolic devices like wreaths and eagles. The same practice should apply to paper currency. Such figures or devices, historic events, as numismatists note, or perhaps the Founders, at most, such as a series on the Founding Fathers, would be more appropriate. The State and Territorial Series created billions of dollars in seigniorage (the profit from minting a coin), increased public interest in coin-collecting and were informative. They and the America the Beautiful Series promoted States of the American Union and National Parks, respectively, which are both appropriate federal themes. However, the American Women Series is motivated by politics and is of less broad interest to collectors and the public, is necessarily selective in choosing only 20 women over others, some of whom may have been controversial, and elevates the contributions of those chosen over many others whose contributions were equal or greater. The images of individual noteworthy women have already appeared on general circulation coins, such as Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea, and on commemorative coins, starting with the Queen Isabella Quarter in 1893. Furthermore, there is a growing fatigue among collectors in the continuous minting of series since 1999, not only for quarters, but also on other denominations of coins, which has led to decreased interest among the public. Also, the Mint has only been producing some of these series in collectors’ sets, meaning they are difficult to collect and the public has hardly seen the designs of these series. Call for New, More Appropriate Designs: Moreover, as numismatists note, there has been a lack of change in general circulation coin designs, especially obverses, unlike in the past practice of regularly producing new series, which provides an opportunity for new designs featuring more appropriate themes.

The Pennsylvania Legislature’s Extension of Covid-19 Emergency Waivers After Seizing Unilateral Emergency Declaration Power

The Pennsylvania General Assembly recently extended the waivers it had issued to extend certain pandemic emergency provisions declared by the Governor, as the Legislature had after the end of the Commonwealth’s declared Coronavirus 2019 emergency in June. The provisions allowed the practice of medicine of those who were licensed out of state or who had allowed their licenses to lapse and similar provisions. The emergency was about to end by the end of June because of the success of Pennsylvania’s vaccination campaign and prior to the rise of the delta variant, but the Trumpist Republican Legislature ended it unilaterally shortly beforehand after the passage of a series of constitutional referendums that decreased gubernatorial emergency powers. Previously, the Chief Executive and the Legislative Branch shared the power to declare emergencies, as a governor could declare a temporary emergency and the General Assembly could end it if it had the votes to override a gubernatorial veto, but the referendums not only shortened the length of an emergency a governor can declare, but allowed the Legislature to end an emergency unilaterally by a resolution with a simple majority vote. Thus, in the name of opposing overreach by the Executive Branch, the amendments violate the Separation of Powers principle because they constitute an overreach of Legislative powers. The emergency restrictions had not been unpopular, just as the ongoing executive mandates the Governor had the unilateral authority to issue for state employees are popular, but the Legislators knew that every referendum ever put on the ballot is approved by Pennsylvania’s voters, as it would take an expensive campaign to educate voters fully on any proposal. Meanwhile, the Trumpist State Republican Committee spent significantly in favor of the proposals. Nevertheless, the GOP-led General Assembly did approve the medical practice waivers and now has unanimously extended them. Like Donald Trump and his supporters in other States who deny or minimize the danger of the pandemic, they oppose proven measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and instead prioritize business interests, even though reducing contagion would be beneficial for commerce, and a libertarian view of freedom as an end unto itself, over public health and safety amidst a contagious disease that has claimed the lives of nearly 30,000 Pennsylvanians. Conservatives, unlike Trumpists, instead believe in public responsibility.

Twentieth Anniversary of the Afghan Campaign of the War on Terrorism

The campaign in Afghanistan began on this date twenty years ago, as the first military strike-back by the United States in the Global War on Terrorism after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania by Islamist al Qaeda terrorists that killed nearly 3,000 people, the bloodiest in history. Al-Qaeda was based in Afghanistan, where they were harbored by the Taliban militia that controlled most of the central Asian State. The U.S. and an international coalition of allies, including the American-recognized Afghan government that controlled the northeast of Afghanistan, overthrew the Taliban by early 2002, thereby denying a haven for al-Qaeda to plot and train more terrorist attacks, as they had been against Americans and others since 1996. There have been additional campaigns around the world against al-Qaeda and other Islamist terrorists, including some that are ongoing. The terrorist organization’s founder was killed and other key leaders were captured or killed, but the terrorist group has remained active throughout the Islamic world, as has its offshoot, the Islamic State. October 7 is also the anniversary of the victory in 1571 at Lepanto by the Holy League, the Christian European coalition organized by Pope Paul V, over the Islamist forces of the Ottoman Turks who were sailing to attempt to conquer Rome. The U.S. and its NATO allies withdrew from Afghanistan by the end of August of this year, leaving the Taliban, with al-Qaeda’s help, to return to power and allow terrorists again to enjoy safe harbor. It is vital that the Americans and their allies do not allow Afghanistan again to be a source of terrorism that threatens the world. Although U.S. and allied troops are no longer present in Afghanistan and Afghan allies have been abandoned, thus ending the Afghan campaign, it will be necessary to strike terrorists in Afghanistan again, at least by drone or missile strikes, as the Afghan theater in the War on Terrorism will simply have reached a new phase.

War on Terrorism Update: Afghanistan, Syria and the Sahara

Afghanistan: There were widespread protests against the Taliban militia since they seized power in Afghanistan following the American and NATO withdrawal, particularly about their repression of women and against Pakistan’s support of the Taliban. The Taliban suppressed the protests with beatings and arrests of participants and journalists. When they were in power the first time, the Taliban had harbored the al-Qaeda Islamist terrorists responsible for the September 11 Terrorist Attacks, the deadliest in history, among many other attacks. The U.S. and an international coalition removed the Taliban from power and trained the new representative Afghan government to prevent the Taliban from returning to power and again providing safe haven to terrorists. The Taliban and al-Qaeda remain allies and the Pakistani-created Taliban have again been engaging in oppression, despite their promises. Some ethnic Tajik militiamen, former Afghan army and police made a three-week stand in the Panjshir Valley before the Taliban seized it, but the resistance forces remain in the province. The protests were encouraged by the resistance, which urged Afghans to rise up against the Taliban, who are re-imposing a harsh interpretation of Islamic law alien to Afghans, and who do not represent the majority of Afghanistan’s ethnic diversity. There have also been attacks by ethnic Hazara militiamen against the Taliban, who oppressed the Shi’ite Hazara previously. Meanwhile, the al-Qaeda offshoot, the Islamic State, has also been attacking the Taliban. The United States continues to fly drones over Afghanistan. The Taliban militia claim the flights violate their agreement with the U.S. and have threatened consequences. Being able to use drones to launch missiles is an important tactical capability the Americans need to strike al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which will be more difficult without a base in the landlocked country and without adequate intelligence and after betraying allies. Meanwhile, the U.S. is continuing to freeze Afghan assets. No international state is recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Syria: There was an American strike last month that killed al-Qaeda leaders in Syria. The strike signifies that the U.S. is continuing the War on Terrorism, even after withdrawing from Afghanistan. Sahara: The French killed the leader of the Islamic State in the Sahara last month.

Foreign Digest: Australia-United Kingdom-United States Pact, United Arab Emirates, and Russia

Australia-United Kingdom-United States Pact: Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States recently formed a defense pact, called AUKUS, to defend against Communist China, which has become militarily threatening to the Pacific region. The U.K. and U.S. will provide nuclear submarines to Australia. United Arab Emirates Parliamentary Elections: The United Arab Emirates held parliamentary elections for the first time this weekend, becoming the latest Arab State to allow representative government. Russian Elections Update: There were protests because of the recent rigged Russian parliamentary election I posted about last month, organized by the leading opposition party, the Communists. The center-right opposition, which was blocked from participation in the election, urged voters to vote for the Communists because it is one of only a handful of opposition parties that are effectively allowed to participate in opposition to the leading party of tyrant Vladimir Putin, an ex-Soviet KGB officer. Only parties that are supportive of Putin or that only mildly criticize him are allowed to participate, particularly if they are radical extremes that make the Russian strongman seem reasonable by contrast. Opposition candidates are arrested, forced into exile or assassinated, like anyone who stands for liberty in Russia. There were arrests of protestors, as always, as Putin is intolerant of the freedom of assembly, among other freedoms.

The Pretense of Democracy in the Russian Parliamentary Elections

The results of the Russian parliamentary elections completed yesterday were determined ahead of time in favor of the ruling party by tyrant Vladimir Putin, a former Soviet intelligence officer, who does not tolerate serious opposition or criticism. True opposition parties are not permitted to compete effectively in Russian parliamentary elections. Only parties that are pro-Putin or that are not overly critical are allowed to compete in federal legislative or other elections, as a pretense of democratic representative government. The two major parties that are tolerated are the Communists and the far-right nationalists, which serve to make the ruling party seem reasonable by contrast. A new pro-Putin center-right party was formed by the Kremlin to take away votes from the center-right opposition. Furthermore, as with any critics of Putin, opposition parties and leaders are subject to persecution, while basic freedoms are not tolerated. One of the main opposition leaders, Alexei Navalny, who is imprisoned after having been poisoned and whose party was prevented from fielding candidates, urged Russians to vote for one of the parties other than the ruling party as a tactic. The tactic has been effective at times in regional elections.

Islamists Were Routed in the Moroccan Parliamentary Elections

The Islamist party that has ruled Morocco for ten years since Morocco’s establishment as a constitutional monarchy after the Arab Spring has been routed in the Moroccan parliamentary elections, led by center-right, free enterprise and royalist parties. See my post from June of 2011, Morocco: First Fruits of the Arab Spring: https://williamcinfici.blogspot.com/2011/06/morocco-first-fruits-of-arab-spring.html. The Islamists finished in eighth place, losing many seats. Although they led the government, the King has strong influence over government in Morocco. Morocco had recognized Israel and is dealing with an insurgency in the former Spanish Western Sahara, which Morocco claims. The King gave a mandate to the leader of the economic party that won the largest number of seats to try to form a government, which should be easy to accomplish.

The 1996 Global Abandonment of Afghanistan Let the Taliban Take Over the First Time

The recent American and North Atlantic Treaty Organization withdrawal from Afghanistan is not the first time the United States and the international community let the Taliban take over the central Asian State after abandoning Afghanistan. After the withdrawal of Soviet forces in 1989, Pakistan created the Taliban to counter its arch-rival India in Afghanistan. The Islamist Taliban militia began to fight with the Afghan government by 1992. Bill Clinton mostly ignored Afghanistan and did little to prevent the Taliban from seizing most of Afghanistan and taking power by 1996, although he continued to recognize the Northern Alliance-led government. The Taliban then provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda, the Islamist terrorist organization founded by the Saudi Osama bin Laden that was responsible for the September 11 Attacks, after they left Sudan. Clinton conducted one missile strike against al-Qaeda after the twin American embassy bombings in 1998 in Kenya and Tanzania, but did not follow through. After the September 11 Attacks, President George W. Bush led an international coalition to overthrow the Taliban and deny safe haven to al-Qaeda, which had been using Afghan soil to plot and train. After the recent American and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban, whose organization remains intertwined with Islamist terrorists, quickly seized power, as feared. Al-Qaeda’s leader as sworn an oath of loyalty to the Taliban’s leader. The Islamist terrorists provided support to the Taliban’s takeover. Therefore, there are concerns that the Taliban will again provide safe haven to al-Qaeda and other violent jihadists. Instead of withdrawal and isolationism, continued vigilance and support for allies is essential for American and global security.

Twentieth Anniversary of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks by al-Qaeda Islamists

Today is the twentieth anniversary of the September 11 Terrorist Attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania by the al-Qaeda Islamist terrorists that killed nearly 3,000 people. As always, I post in memory of those who died and in appreciation of those who have participated in many ways in the War on Terrorism, starting from that day, which have been successful in preventing another September 11-scale attack. There have been terrorist attacks around the world that each have killed hundreds of people and there have been attacks against Americans or on American soil by Islamists. Even adding up all the other terrorist or other attacks by Islamists on American soil over the last two decades does not equal the loss from September 11 and the same can be said of other attacks that are commonly mislabeled as “terrorism,” but were targeted at government or officials or other political targets, instead of against innocent civilians in order to intimidate them to pressure their government to give into the demands of the terrorists, or attacks based on hatred that are more properly labeled “genocide.” Major policy changes, such as sharing intelligence among domestic agencies and with foreign governments, expanding law enforcement tools used for other crimes to terrorism, and tighter domestic and international financial controls have been critical counterterrorism tools. But the military role has been essential, particularly overthrowing by the United States and its allies of the Taliban de facto regime of Afghanistan that had been willfully harboring al-Qaeda so the terrorists could train and plot freely, as well as targeting al-Qaeda for destruction, which did degrade them to a degree. Denying safe havens to terrorism is imperative. Keeping the Taliban from returning to power by aiding our allied Afghan government kept America and the world safe from September 11-scale attacks by al-Qaeda, although the Islamist terrorists and their offshoot, the Islamic State, like other Islamist or other terrorists and militants, continue to conduct smaller-scale attacks and remain a threat to global security. Islamists believe in advancing Islam through any means necessary, including violence. Conquering and holding territory is seen as a sign of divine favor for their cause. Therefore, the withdrawal of American and NATO forces from Afghanistan has been particularly disturbing, as I have been posting, despite a U.S. threat to continue to attack terrorist targets in Afghanistan from afar without apparently adequate intelligence on the ground and while the Biden Administration is letting the Taliban, which remains intertwined with al-Qaeda and other Islamist terrorists and which has formed a provisional government full of terrorists, destroy our Afghan allies whom we had relied upon to help overthrow the Taliban by 2002. Coupled with other withdrawals and planned draw-downs of troops, it appears that the isolationist policy of “ending wars” in terms of no longer having troops on the ground, even if not engaged in a combat role, while threats remain will weaken U.S. and allied ability to protect against terrorism. It is necessary to reassess American policy immediately and implement a more robust defense against Islamist terrorism to prevent an increase of terrorist and other attacks on Americans and U.S. interests around the world and on allies.

Follow-Up on the Trump-Biden Withdrawal from Afghanistan; Trump’s Abandonment of Afghan Allies

The Trump-Biden Withdrawal: There is currently a debate between supporters of Donald Trump and Joe Biden over responsibility of the American abandonment of the Afghan government, which was an ally of the United States in the War on Terrorism, but both are to blame. Trump’s surrender agreement with the Taliban not only legitimized the terrorist sponsors and undermined the Afghan government, but provided political cover for Biden’s intention to withdraw, and it would have made it even more politically challenging for Biden to reject the agreement and retain some forces in Afghanistan, although he should have shown such leadership. Furthermore, after striking the Taliban by air a couple times, the Biden Administration cited the Trump agreement’s provisions on disallowing U.S. airstrikes, except for limited instances, in failing to provide adequate support to Afghan security forces. The Taliban were able to take over nearly all of Afghanistan. The Trumpist argument that Trump would have handled the withdrawal better than Biden, who obviously bungled it by not planning for the contingency of a rapid advance of the Taliban and the collapse of Afghan forces, which he had further undermined by reducing their military aid, is belied by Trump’s abandonment of the Kurds in Syria to the terrorist-sponsoring Assad regime. In either case, both Trump and Biden were wrong to concede to the Taliban and plan to withdraw and leave the Afghan government to have to defend themselves alone against the Taliban, instead of backing the Afghan government sufficiently to defeat the Taliban. The Trump-Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan is like the premature withdrawal from Iraq by Barack Obama that created a power vacuum filled in part by al-Qaeda’s offshoot, the Islamic State, which seized large swathes of northern Iraq and western Syria before the U.S. and allies had to return to help Iraqi forces to take away its territory. And the betrayal of America’s Afghan allies is reminiscent of Trump’s betrayal of the Syrian Kurds, who were allies against the Islamic State in Syria. Trump’s Abandonment of Afghan Allies: Trump’s policies also prevented many Afghan allies from escaping Afghanistan. Hundreds of Afghans who collaborated with the U.S. in the War on Terrorism were denied visas to America because of Donald Trump’s counterproductive policies, despite their eligibility, leaving them at risk of retaliation by the Taliban after the U.S. and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan. Under Trump’s Muslim ban, the Administration implemented duplicative and unnecessary restrictions on visas for Iraqis and Afghans who worked with Americans. Despite minimal risk from refugees because of adequate protections, Trump had instituted the ban on the entry of refugees from entire States because of his demagogic anti-refugee and anti-immigrant rhetoric and support from nativists and White Nationalists, one of whom as directing anti-migrant policies in the Trump Administration. Therefore, the demagoguery that was supposedly based on protecting Americans from terrorists effectively undermined U.S. security by jeopardizing the lives of allies.

Italian News Summary

National Unity Governnment: After the fall of the coalition government of the populist party and parties from the center to the left when a centrist junior coalition member party turned against the populist Prime Minister, a new government of national unity was formed amidst the Coronavirus pandmeic. Led by former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, the grand coalition included the populist, anti-establishment party and parties from the left to the far-right anti-migrant Trumpist League Party, as well as non-political technocrats. The center-right party of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Forza Italia, joined the coalition. The only significant national party in Parliament not to join is the party on the far right between Forza Italia and the League on the ideological spectrum, though the three parties remain in a bloc for elections. Even after several months, Draghi’s government remains popular, with most parties satisfied with his leadership on the pandemic, his securing of aid from the European Union, and on his successful reform to speed up Italy’s notoriously slow judicial system without letting criminals like corrupt officials or organized criminals escape justice. The main friction comes from disagreements from the League on pandemic responses that are relatively minor, compared to the differences between American parties, such as the time for a curfew, which the Government set at 10:00 PM, despite the League’s preference for 11:00 PM. Forza Italia, by contrast, has supported responsible restrictions, which Italy does enforce, based on the data. There is a debate about mandatory vaccinations and consideration is being given to a vaccine booster. Italy’s vaccination campaign is ahead of that of Americans, but there is much progress to be made as the delta variant has become dominant among the unvaccinated. There was a disagreement among the parties in the coalition over a proposed equality law for homosexuals that raised concerns of the Catholic Church and Vatican City, with which the Italian State has a treaty regarding its relationship with Italy, that could have compromised the freedom to hire and to express different points of view. The uncompromising proposal from the center left has stalled the bill’s progress, despite consensus on the need for equality, as the bill does not raise particular moral concerns. There is also tension within the coalition over migrant policy, with Italy again trying to coordinate policy with a mostly sympathetic EU, with the League being hostile to refugees. In addition to migrants from the Mediterranean, Italy has been welcoming Afghan refugees and is among the EU members seeking a shared accommodation of them. Forza Italia Rejects a Proposed Ultranationalist European Parliamentary Group: Meanwhile, Forza Italia rejected the proposal by the League party for their fellow bloc members to form a new far-right parliamentary group within the European Parliament, together with ultranationalists and authoritarians like the ruling party of Hungary, which had left the European People’s Party after having been suspended for breaking with the group’s principles of liberty and representative government. Forza Italia, which is not as anti-European as the League, believes in Western ideals of liberty and representative governmnent and in the transatlantic alliance with the United States, will remain in the EPP.

Afghanistan Update: Anti-Taliban Resistance and Protests, Refugees, International Taliban Relations, Continued War on Terrorism in Afghanistan

Anti-Taliban Resistance and Protests: The resistance to the Taliban has held out for nearly three weeks since the fall of Kabul. It is centered in the Province of Panjshir, inhabited by ethnic Tajiks. Local militia have been bolstered by remnants of the Afghan army, commandos and police from across Afghanistan who have fled to the naturally fortified valley famous for its successful resistance both to the Soviets and the Taliban before the Pakistani-created militia was removed from power by the United States and its allies after the September 11 Terrorist Attacks, committed by al-Qaeda, whom the Taliban harbored. The resistance is led by the former Vice President, who is acting president because the President fled the country. The caretaker president is joined by the Defense Minister and the Western military-educated son of Ahmed Shah Massoud, the Lion of the Panjshir, who had resisted the Soviets and Taliban before being assassinated by al-Qaeda shortly before September 11. The National Resistance Front is calling for an elected parliament representing all of Afghanistan’s ethnic groups, none of which constitutes a majority of the population, and all major religious sects, autonomy for provinces, respect for equality and human rights and preventing Afghanistan from again threatened the world as a base for Islamist terrorism. Meanwhile, there has also been armed resistance by ethnic Hazara militias, as the Hazaras are Shi’ite, a Muslim sect the Taliban rejects. There have also been scattered protests across Afghanistan, which the Taliban do not tolerate. In addition to trying to govern a multi-ethnic and religiously diverse state with a harsh Islamist policy, the Taliban will also have to contend with terrorists of the Islamic State, a more violent offshoot of al-Qaeda. Furthermore, the Taliban will have to take responsibility for Afghanistan’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic, amidst a severe humanitarian crisis. Afghan Refugees: The Kabul airport has been re-opened for foreign and domestic flights. In addition to international efforts to send humanitarian aid, Americans, other foreigners and eligible Afghans could possibly evacuate on any available flights. Over 100,000 Afghans were able to escape, along with Americans and other foreigners in the largest airlift in history by the U.S. its NATO allies and other foreign States. Other Afghans were able to escape across the border, joining over two million Afghans as refugees in Pakistan and Iran. International Policy toward the Taliban: The U.S. and most of its NATO allies, among other foreign States, are unlikely to recognize the regime the Taliban is forming as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, despite the militia’s pledge of an inclusive government and tolerance. The international community is maintaining dialogue with the Taliban, but insisting on an inclusive government for the multi-ethnic state that respects rights and does not allow Afghanistan to return to being a base for terrorists. The Taliban are intertwined with and supported by al-Qaeda and other Islamist terrorists and have engaged in reprisal killings and are violating human rights in numerous ways as they have declared an Islamist state based on a strict interpretation of Islam that is not shared by most Afghans. The U.S. may also continue economic sanctions against the Taliban, freeze Afghan bank accounts, and cut off any aid to Afghanistan that would be routed through the Taliban. Foreign States are considering similar responses. The World Bank and International Monetary Fund have already cut off Afghanistan from aid. There have been international protests of Afghans living in asylum against recognition of the Taliban. Continued War on Terrorism in Afghanistan: The U.S. has declared its intent to continue to strike terrorists in Afghanistan, but its ability to conduct strikes from outside of the country will be limited by the unnecessary withdrawal of the relatively small U.S.-led NATO force that had supported the Afghan government in a mostly advisory role in preventing a return to power of the Taliban, lest it again provide safe haven for its ally, al-Qaeda, to plot and train for more terrorist and other attacks.

The United States Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey

After a long campaign by supporters, the United States finally recognized the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1916. The Turks massacred hundreds of thousands of ethnic Armenians. The Islamist Turkish Government falsely denies the genocide, which was one of the earliest mass genocides in world history. Armenians and most Greeks, who are both Christians, were forcibly removed from Turkey after the First World War when Turkey succeeded the Ottoman Empire, which was broken up after its defeat as one of the Central Powers. International recognition of genocide, which is the killing of a people, is essential to preventing it again.

Coronavirus Pandemic Update: Sweden and the Word Health Organization

Sweden: Sweden imposed its first restrictions in regard to the Coronavirus-2019 pandemic, after having relied upon voluntary guidelines. Most Swedes had abided by the guidelines, as the liberal Swedish Government trusted they would act responsibly, but enough did not that it had been threatening to impose restrictions. Sweden has been cited by those who deny or minimize Covid-19 as a supposedly successful example of the strategy of developing herd immunity in lieu of restrictions and the economic damage they cause, but Sweden did not adopt such a strategy and its economy has suffered the same as other States have as Swedes have effectively been restricting themselves and Sweden has experienced a disproportionately high number of cases and deaths from the contagion without the imposition of restrictions. World Health Organization: A study of independent experts commissioned by the World Health Organization concluded that the pandemic from the Coronavirus 2019 could have been avoided. It faulted Communist China and the WHO for delays, but blamed widespread denial, delays and a lack of coordination around the world.

Foreign Digest, Western Europe: France, Italy, the European Union, and the United Kingdom

France and Italy: France finally arrested 8 Leftist militants wanted by Italy after having been convicted for militancy, including murders, during the “Years of Lead” from the 1970s to the ‘80s, while two other fugitives turned themselves in to authorities after being charged. During that period, there was much violence by extreme factions, particularly by the Red Brigades, a Marxist organization, among which several of the fugitives sought in France were members. The Red Brigades is most infamous for kidnapping and killing Christian Democratic Party leader and ex-Prime Minister Aldo Moro in 1979. The militants now face extradition to Italy, but the process will take two to three years under French law. Italians hailed the arrests as serving justice. The French Socialist Government of Francois Mitterand had harbored militants, but the current President noted the policy, which was for those who renounced violence, ought not to include those responsible for crimes of blood. Brazil had also been among the countries that had harbored militant Italian fugitives convicted of crimes. After originally declining to extradite a long-sought Italian Leftist militant who had been convicted of murder, Brazil appeared to be open to considering the evidence. The fugitive fled to Bolivia after its leftist government was forced from power, which then extradited him to Italy. Former Brazilian center-left President Inacio Lula recently apologized to Italy for failing to extradite him because he had disbelieved the truth about the militant. Several other foreign States harbor other fugitive Italian militants from the Years of Lead, but France had protected the most. The European Union Parliament has again voted in favor of the extradition of a Red Brigades terrorist being harbored by the Marxist Sandinista government of Nicaragua. The European Union and the United Kingdom: A commercial accord between the European Union and the United Kingdom was ratified by the EU Parliament. Fishing rights and customs were among the major subjects. The agreement keeps in place the arrangement between the British province of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The British withdrawal from the EU had been approved by both parties last year, after a 2016 referendum in which Britons voted to withdraw from the EU.

Foreign Digest, Latin America: Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Peru

Venezuela: The United Nations’ human rights commission cites crimes against humanity committed by the Socialist dictatorship of Venezuela. Presidential elections were held. The democratic opposition did not participate in them because they were not free and fair. An opposition leader was arrested in July. Cuba: The largest protests in Cuba in 30 years occurred this summer across the island against the Communist dictatorship, the poverty caused by socialism and a lack of effective measures against the increasing contagion from Coronavirus-2019. The Communists regime and its supporters blame the U.S. embargo for the economic hardship, but the rest of the world has long traded with Cuba, while travel restrictions for Americans to Cuba had been loosened and Cuban-Americans are allowed to send remissions to family remaining on the island-prison. The protestors are specifically calling for liberty. Nicaragua: The increasingly authoritarian Marxist Sandinista regime of Nicaragua has arrested four presidential candidates and a vice presidential candidate. The Sandinistas had seized power in a coup in 1979 and ruled as a dictatorship until allowing elections after the end of the Cold War, losing them and leaving power. Their leader won elections and has violated human rights, such as the freedom of assembly, which he did violently, and limited press freedom. Peru: Shining Path Maoist terrorists committed a massacre in May.

Foreign Digest, Africa: Chad, West Africa, Mozambique and Congo

Chad: The longtime President of Chad was killed by rebels in April. He was an ally against Islamist terrorists in Mali and Nigeria. His son is filling in for him until elections. West Africa: The leader of Boko Haram, the West African Islamic State affiliate, which had been affiliated with al-Qaeda, was killed in Nigeria in June. The Islamist terrorists have killed, injured and kidnapped thousands of people in Nigeria and neighboring West African States. Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have both been battling Islamist terrorists.

Foreign Digest, East Asia: China, North Korea and the Philippines

China: There have been more persecutions in Hong Kong, in continued violation of Communist China’s promise to respect autonomy and liberty in the city-state when it reverted from British rule in 1997. The United States extended temporary refugee status to residents of Hong Kong. The U.S., Canada, United Kingdom and the European Union imposed coordinated sanctions for human rights violations against Uighurs, the Muslim minority being persecuted by Communist China. Australia pulled out of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, citing incompatible politics. The U.S. has proposed a new Silk Road initiative to counter the Chinese initiative. The United States accused the Communist Chinese government of financing cyberattacks, including some that were cases of extortion for ransom. As I posted today on Russian developments, Communist China, like the Russian Federation, spreads misinformation about American vaccines to undermine confidence in them in favor of their own vaccines. North Korea: A United Nations report found that North Korea had stolen over $300 million through cyberattacks on foreigners. Philippines: Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, the “Filipino Trump,” rejected an investigation by the International Criminal Court into his policy of encouraging the murder of drug dealing suspects that has resulted in the deaths of thousands in police custody. The Philippines had withdrawn from the ICC treaty.

Foreign Digest, Middle East: Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Iran and Turkey

Lebanon: There have been Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shi’ite terrorists, in Lebanon, in addition to occasional attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian positions in Syria. A member of Hezbollah was convicted and sentenced to prison for the murder of a former Prime Minister in 2005. Libya: Russian mercenaries missed a deadline given by the Libyan government to withdraw amidst a decade of civil war. A new Libyan transitional government of national unity was formed, under the auspices of the United Nations, which then turned over power to a provisional government in March to lead Libya to elections in December. Libya has suffered a decade of civil war. The Libyan people overthrow longtime tyrant Muamar Qaddafi, but were divided among Islamists and non-Islamists, with also some tribal divisions. Syria: The United States has imposed more sanctions on the tyrannical Syrian regime of Bashar Assad for opposing a political solution to the bloody civil war in Syria that has killed hundreds of thousands and caused millions to flee over nearly a decade. Germany convicted an agent of Assad residing on its soil of crimes against humanity. The United Kingdom has indicted they Syrian tyrant and his wife, a Briton, for war crimes. The war has lasted 10 years, killed well over half a million people and made refugees of millions. Syria is an ally of fellow state sponsor of terrorism Iran. Various non-Islamists and Islamists oppose the regime, while Russia and Iran support it with troops. Meanwhile, Israel continues to strike targets of Iranian-backed terrorists in Syria. The United States struck Iranian-backed jihadists in Syria in retaliation for rocket attacks on Americans in Iraq. There was another rigged presidential election in May in which the Assad regime continued its half-century hold on power, despite being from a small minority Muslim sect, as meaningful opposition is not permitted in Syria. Iran: There was another presidential election in Iran in June that was not free and fair, as the Islamic Republic continued its 42-years of Islamist tyranny. The regime does not permit any but Islamist candidates. Turkey: There continued to be more arrests allegedly for the failed military coup in 2016, including in Northern Cyprus, a breakaway state inhabited by Turkish Cypriots that is only recognized by Turkey.

Foreign Digest, Eastern Europe: Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Moldova, Hungary and Bosnia

Belarus: There have been more protests in Belarus against the dictatorship, especially against the August rigged election that kept the longtime “Last Dictator of Europe” in power, which he has been since independence from the Soviet Union, and more arrests of protestors and opposition leaders. The United States added more economic sanctions on Belarus. Armenia and Azerbaijan: Contrary to the professional media’s portrayal of the fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is not over “disputed” territory, but over an administrative district, Nagorno-Karabakh, within the predominately Muslim Azerbaijan that is inhabited by ethnic Armenians who are predominately Christian. Nagorno-Karabakh is mostly controlled by separatist ethnic Armenians who were backed by Armenia, which established a corridor to the territory after the first war between the two ex-Soviet Republics after independence from the Soviet Union. Moldova: A pro-European candidate won the Moldovan presidential election, defeating the incumbent pro-Russian one. There is a breakaway ethnic Russian exclave in the former Soviet Republic, where Russian Federation troops are present. Hungary: The European Court cited the far-right Government of Hungary for violating the rights of refugees seeking asylum. A broad coalition of opposition parties has formed to nominate single candidates in districts for the upcoming parliamentary elections. The leading independent radio station was shut down by the self-described “illiberal” Hungarian Government, which has put independent media under pressure, as it has the judiciary and cultural and educational institutions. The ruling party left the European People’s Party, a European Union parliamentary group of the center-right, after its suspension for violating the group’s principles of liberty. Bosnia and Herzegovina: There were arrests of Bosnian Serbs for war crimes committed during the Bosnian War for independence from Yugoslavia in 1992-1995. Ex-Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was condemned to life imprisonment by the International Criminal Court for genocide during the civil war in the former Yugoslav Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina after the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991. The separatist Bosnian Serbs coined the phrase “ethnic cleansing” for their crimes against Muslims and Croats. They were backed by Communist Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic.

Summary of Recent Russian Developments

The European Court of Human Rights condemned the Russian Federation, led by tyrant Vladimir Putin, an ex-Soviet intelligence officer, of violating the human rights of the democratic opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, specifically his right to assemble peacefully. Russia poisoned him last year with a Soviet-era nerve agent, the same chemical weapon used against a Russian exile in the United Kingdom. Putin’s regime routinely charges anyone who opposes him with crimes, imprisons them or sends them into exile and it even assaults or kills critics in Russia and abroad. After Navalny’s return to Russia, he was immediately arrested, but was able to release another video about the pro-Putin oligarchy’s luxurious lifestyle. Over the last few years, the opposition leader has been exposing the corruption of the oligarchic regime. After American intelligence agencies also determined the Putin regime’s responsibility for Navalny’s poisoning, the United States imposed economic sanctions on Kremlin officials, joined by the European Union. The dictatorship threatened Navalny’s supporters for planning rallies. Massive rallies nevertheless took place across Russia, despite thousands of arrests and violence by police. Putin’s regime has been closing opposition offices and websites and more opposition figures have been arrested. Meanwhile, the European Union again renewed economic sanctions against the Russian Federation because of its invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and later imposed more sanctions on Russia for human rights violations. In his address to the European Parliament in April, Russian opposition leader Mikhail Khodorkovski notes the tyrannical Vladimir Putin regime's interference ("hostile activities") in western politics undermines politics "provoking conflicts, corruption and physical intimidation." Russian agents hacked the United States Agency for International Development, the entity that supports human rights organizations, including in Russia. Russians engaged in cyberattacks against American companies, including some of critical importance, such as energy supply, in exchange for demands for ransom. In addition, Russia and Communist China have been spreading information against American vaccines for Coronavirus, which has increased the contagion and deaths. The U.S. withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty in May because of too many Russian violations of the Cold War treaty that allowed aerial monitoring by the U.S. and Soviet Union of nuclear weapons programs.

Blog Notes: Posts of Summaries of Foreign News over the Last Year

Over the last year when I was usually unable to post because of computer problems, I had been keeping notes on news of interest, as always from a Christian, conservative, pro-liberty and pro-representative government perspective. I have already begun to issue these posts. I am going to continue to issue posts based on these notes, starting with digests of foreign news. Considering the combined length of the posts and the continued interface glitch that prevents indentation and line spacing, I am going to break the posts up, divided by major state, region or topic. I also made notes on topics about Pennsylvania and America and am considering posting on these topics, as well.

Follow-Up on the American Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Refuting Enemy Propaganda

The withdrawal of United States forces from Afghanistan appears to have provided a propaganda victory to enemies, like Russia, Communist China and Islamist Iran, which are celebrating the American defeat, as well as to those Americans who sympathize with their views. However, the U.S. was not militarily defeated, as it simply withdrew unnecessarily for political reasons. Moreover, the Americans and their allies had overthrown the Taliban regime in order to deny safe haven to al-Qaeda, a goal which it accomplished for over 19 years, and to be able to target the Islamist terrorists responsible for the September 11 Attacks better, which it also accomplished. The U.S. and its allies must continue to prevent a resurgence of al-Qaeda and its offshoot, the Islamic State, in Afghanistan and the tribal areas across the Pakistani border. The enemies of the U.S. claim that the Taliban return to power proves the folly of imposing “democracy,” but Afghanistan was provided the freedom of self-determination. Freedom is not imposed, but is man’s natural state. A representative constitutional republic was the choice of Afghans, not “democracy (direct popular rule),” that was inclusive of all the main ethnic groups and Muslim sects. The tyrannical enemies’ argument that the Taliban takeover proves the that imposing “foreign” ideas like representative government cannot work in countries like Afghanistan ignores the fact that Afghans had formed such a government before the Taliban took over the first time in 1995 and that the Taliban had been created by a foreign State, Pakistan and backed by Pakistan and Iran. Indeed, it ignores that the Taliban are feared and hated by most Afghans, as it also ignores that the Taliban’s harsh interpretation of Islam is foreign to Afghanistan. Furthermore, the premature American withdrawal refutes the old arguments of U.S. enemies and leftists in the West that the U.S. was motivated by imperialism. The U.S. must continue to lead the global War on Terrorism, not only to refute the propaganda of dictatorships, but for American and world security.

Sergei Kovalev, In Memoriam

Sergei Kovalev, the Russian biologist who became a human rights activist during the Soviet era and who was imprisoned by the Soviets, died August 9 at 91. After the fall of Communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union, he spoke out against Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s war against Chechen separatists and the ex-Soviet intelligence officer's regression toward tyranny.

The Disastrous American and Allied Withdrawal from Afghanistan

The unnecessary withdrawal of American-led NATO forces from Afghanistan has been disastrous, shameful and outrageous. I have repeatedly posted of the need to continue the War on Terrorism and particularly to prevent the Taliban from returning to power in Afghanistan, where they would once again harbor their terrorist allies, al-Qaeda, who were responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, the bloodiest in history, among other attacks on Americans and others around the world. The Taliban came to power in most of Afghanistan in 1996 and provided safe haven to al-Qaeda and other Islamist terrorists until the United States led a coalition after September 11, together with Afghan allies, such as the de jure government that had retain power in the northeast, that removed the Taliban from power. U.S. President George W. Bush recognized that those who harbor or finance terrorists are thereby terrorists. American forces have led a mission of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which invoked its self-defense provision for the first time, to work with Afghans to defeat al-Qaeda and prevent a return of power of the Taliban. Afghanistan, which became a constitutional parliamentary state in which all ethnic groups and Muslim sects were represented, also provided a base to target al-Qaeda in the neighboring tribal areas of Pakistan, where they were able to operate freely. After Bush’s presidency ended in 2009, there was little to no talk of defeating the Taliban, only of continuing to train Afghans militarily and providing them some degree of support and then exiting, as public opinion turned against the dwindling American troop presence in Afghanistan, even though the U.S. was not suffering heavy losses in only sporadic fighting. His successor, Barack Obama, had promised as a candidate to “end” wars, not to win them, as isolationists on the left and far right complained of “endless” wars, failing to heed Bush’s warning that the war would be long and to recognize that Islamists, who think in terms of centuries, would never tire of fighting, as well as Bush’s prediction that Afghanistan would return to being a safe haven for terrorists to plot, train and recruit in the absence of U.S. military presence to prevent the Taliban from returning to power. Islamists believe in spreading Islam by whatever means necessary, including force and even terrorism (the murder of innocents to intimidate the populace to give into their demands). They believe that God favors their conquests, as military victories are seen as a sign that a caliph has divine blessing. Therefore, defeating Islamists militarily is essential. Obama announced an end to the military mission in Afghanistan by 2014 and a transition to a support role while continuing to conduct strikes on al-Qaeda in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Donald Trump succeeded Obama with a similar view from a different perspective and similarly never spoke of defeating the Taliban, but of withdrawing U.S. troops. He slowed the pace of military operations and withdrew more troops, despite warnings from security experts of the consequences. Trump then legitimized the Taliban terrorists by negotiating with them, while undermining the Afghan government by cutting them out of the discussion about their country’s fate. Trump signed an agreement with the Taliban to withdraw by May of 2021 in exchange for a worthless pledge by the Taliban, who are intertwined with Islamist terrorists, not to harbor terrorists. The surrender agreement set up negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government to share power. No American had been killed in Afghanistan since February of 2020. By 2021, there were only 3,500 U.S. troops and 8,500 NATO troops remaining. Instead of abandoning Trump’s surrender agreement, Biden extended the withdrawal deadline until the end of August, but pulled out shortly beforehand. The Taliban, with the support of al-Qaeda, which is sworn to follow the leadership of the Taliban’s lead mullah, had launched its offensive after the original May1 withdrawal deadline. After making stands in some provincial capitals, the morale of Afghan forces decreased as the Taliban advanced, as especially after the U.S. stopped proving air support. Contrary to the premature argument that Afghans should be able to provide for their own defense, the Taliban entered the Afghan capital by mid-August, having conquered all but one of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, capturing materiel left behind by the U.S. and its allies and releasing prisoners. The withdrawal from Afghanistan, despite Americans not being involved in heavy combat or taking losses and only having a relatively small force signals to enemies that they need not even kill many Americans in order for public opinion to force the U.S. to withdraw, as from Vietnam, Lebanon, Somalia and Iraq, even after having been attacked on our own soil. Determined enemies, such as Islamists, who never become weary of war, only have to outlast the patience of the American people who think even a small sacrifice of blood or treasure is not worth preventing more attacks. The withdrawal also sends a message that the U.S. is an unreliable ally, as it once again betrays its friends who risked their lives to fight alongside the Americans. Afghanistan will now once again become a safe haven for al-Qaeda and other Islamists. Coupled with a withdraw of an even smaller force from Somalia, the U.S. is signaling that the War on Terrorism will instead revert to an ad hoc response to terrorism focused only on individuals responsible for particular attacks, instead of a war to defeat organizations intent on attacking Americans, such as Islamist terrorists. Furthermore, the premature withdrawal from Afghanistan damages the moral of American troops who fought to defend their Afghan allies. The U.S., NATO and their allies should not recognize the Taliban regime and should pressure it not to revert to tyranny based on strict Islamic law, while destroying the materiel captured by the Taliban. They should use means from outside Afghanistan to continue to attack al-Qaeda and its offshoot, the Islamic State, and other Islamists, as well as continuing to fight terrorists in other theaters of the War on Terrorism. The U.S., its allies and other States with interests in Afghanistan, such as India, Takistan and Uzbekistan, should consider providing support to the anti-Taliban resistance that has already emerged. The American people and the people of other NATO members must remain vigilant against terrorism and not allow weariness to provide opportunity to determined foes to plot attacks against them.

Blog Notes

My computer problems have finally been resolved, except that the interface problem that precludes indentation and spacing between paragraphs appears to continue. Nevertheless, I look forward to returning to posting regularly again soon. I have been keeping notes and composing some additional posts or parts of posts. Thank you for viewing my blog and waiting patiently for new posts. Please continue to visit regularly.

Cinfici's Column in National Review

A column I wrote was published in National Review about the proposal by Pennsylvania state legislators to audit the results of the 2020 General Election in the Keystone State that the Trump-Pence ticket lost by over 81,000, based on an unfounded conspiracy theory that there was fraud in the counting of votes: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/06/a-2020-election-audit-is-a-bad-idea-for-pennsylvania-republicans/ I argue there is real fraud in myriad forms that Republicans would be better served focusing on, instead of further undermining voters' confidence in elections which is one of the goals of Russian tyrant and ex-Soviet intelligence officer Vladimir Putin, who has been interfering in American politics. I note that various Republicans, like federal judges, Philadelphia's elections commissioner and members of Congress found no evidence of fraud or other errors. I express the concern that the Democrats, who undermined confidence in voters after the 2000 Election, despite a lack of evidence of fraud or other irregularities, could use the audit as a precedent to challenge future certifications of the elections of Republicans, with an audit based on a baseless theory of fraud and caution against the kind of unprofessional audit that Arizona Republicans are conducting that is dividing the party and damaging its image and provide basic guidelines at least to avoid those problems. I urge the GOP to focus on real fraud instead of on an unfounded theory that distracts from real fraud and undermines their credibility.

Blog Notes

Because of a computer glitch, I have been unable to post or even access my blog since September. I am accessing my blog via a different computer. The glitch in the formatting that prevents indentation and paragraphs appears to continue, however. I regret that in the meantime, I was unable to post about Columbus Day, the 2020 General Election, Thanksgiving, the presidential and vice presidenial Election by the Electoral College, Christmas, the congressional certification on the Electors' votes and the attack on the United States Capitol by Trumpist insurrectionists, the second Impeachment of Donald Trump and trial in the Senate, Washington's Birthday, the Pennsylvania Primary Election and Memorial Day. In the meantime, I was able to make notes on various current events, which I shall post as I am able to access my blog or resolve the computer problem.