- As someone who has been against the Iraq war from Day 1 and still considers it this country’s biggest debacle since Vietnam (which I wasn’t actually alive for), what I’m about to say might be surprising. Whereas the war in Iraq has always been illegitimate, indefensible and bogus, the war in Afghanistan has had a justifiable purpose: going after Al Qaeda. We know Afghanistan is where they operate for the most part and that idiot Osama bin Laden is there, so waging war there makes a lot of sense. If anything, every soldier and supply that went to Iraq should have been going to Afghanistan and maybe we’d be a lot farther along there than we currently are. Yet it seems that most Americans aren’t even down with going after the terrorists and waging a war that needs to be fought. A new national poll, released this week, indicates that support for the war in Afghanistan is at an all-time low. A mere 39 percent of Americans favor the war in Afghanistan, with 58 percent opposed to the mission. Journey back merely to April and you’ll find that 53 percent of Americans supported the war then. The 39 percent figure marks the lowest level of support since the start of the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Perhaps not so surprisingly, the breakdown of who supports the war and who doesn’t looks like this: 23 percent of Democrats, 39 percent of independents and 62 percent of Republicans. However, even Republican support for the war has dipped an estimated eight percent in the past month. The Iraq war has been a different story all along, as support for the modern-day Vietnam first dropped to 39 percent in June 2005 and has generally remained in the low to mid-30s since. So what has precipitated the American people’s sudden and swift turn against a war we actually need to be fighting? Well, it could have something to do with the fact that this poll was released after the two deadliest months for the U.S. military in Afghanistan. A total of 93 U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan in July (45) and August (48), each setting a new high for deaths in a month. In spite of the wavering support, President Obama has called Afghanistan a "war of necessity" and maintained a strong on defeating the Taliban and al Qaeda militants operating there. And in a decision that will surely rankle the majority of Americans now that a majority opposes this war, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to approve sending thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan to deal with the growing threat from roadside bombs. In other words, Obama’s health care plan ain’t the only unpopular thing that’s about to be forced down the throats of the American people……….
- Ironic as it is the a band named Vampire Weekend developed a cult following after the release of its self-titled album in 2008, the fact is that the boys from VW are hanging around and looking to build on their ever-increasing indie rock cred. Vampire Weekend is a New York band, but its debut album caught the attention of indie fans nationwide and even worldwide. Their unique, offbeat style and talent for mixing creative lyrics, quirky vocals and a cacophony of sounds in their songs make for great listening. This week, Vampire Weekend announced on its website that its sophomore album, "Contra," will be released on January 12. In its shows this spring and summer, the band previewed the album by playing the song "White Sky." Those who saw them on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" in March or at the All Points West festival in New Jersey in late July heard the song, although it’s tough to judge from one song what an entire album will sound like. Thus far, Vampire Weekend's self-titled debut has sold 466,000 copies since its release in Jan. 2008 and I’d look for even bigger numbers this time around given how much their fan base and exposure has increased in the past 20 months or so. The full track list for "Contra," (which probably doesn’t mean much at this point without the sounds and lyrics of each song to attach to it) is:
"Horchata," "White Sky," "Holiday,"
- While I have always had an will continue to have much admiration for my boys the Somali pirates, I think they may have overstepped their bounds a bit this week. Ordinarily I’m a fan of these scourges of the high seas harassing, hijacking, looting and plundering from anyone they choose, but that was until they messed with a North Korean cargo ship. The incident occurred last week in waters just off the coast of Somalia near Mogadishu. The Somali pirates attacked but had to abort when crew members fought back with Molotov cocktails and sped away. It was actually a smart time to attack, as the North Korean ship was adrift off the coast of Mogadishu for engine work. The crew of 10 pirates saw their chance and pounced on the wounded ship, approaching in two speedboats. Unfortunately the crew of the North Korean ship immediately started the engine and moved away, calling in for help as it fled while the scallywags in the speedboats began firing rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns. The ship was somehow able to fend off the pirates and escape, but I’m worried that the tale won't end here for the pirates. See, what concerns me is that they attacked a North Korean ship and we all know how North Korea reacts to this type of incident. Kim Jong Il and Co. are hurriedly working toward developing their own nuclear weapons and a way to launch them all the way to the U.S., so I have a feeling that the coast of Somalia is well within reach or will be soon. That whack job K.J. Il is a homicidal, maniacal dictator who has no regard for the lives of his own people, so what does he care if he obliterates a few pirates in the Gulf of Aiden? The combined trouble incurred from attacking the other 155 ships that pirates have attacked off the coast of Somalia this year won't even be close to the wrath they may face for going after just one North Korean vessel. The North Koreans are “likes to fight” guy, that edgy psycho just looking for any excuse to go. You don’t provoke them, you just keep your head down, don’t make eye contact and shuffle on by as quickly as possible. The only hope for these pirates is that no one got a good enough look at them or their boat to identify them, because that may be their only chance to stay alive and retain all of their body parts and appendages. Next time, be more careful about who you attack and make sure to double-check that no North Koreans are involved in the equation, Somali pirates. I still love you guys, but you have to step your game up…………..
- Rather than trot out a bunch of lame wrasslin’-related puns to announce that former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon will be running for Senate in of Connecticut next year as a Republican, how’s about I take the high road? No quips about her looking to put a smackdown on the competition, seeking to power bomb incumbent Sen. Chris Dodd or make the voters tap out, no siree. I do think it will be interesting to see how voters react to McMahon’s candidacy for a variety of reasons. For one, her husband Vince and two children are still actively involved in the WWE’s multiple TV shows and Vince appears regularly on WWE’s Monday Night RAW, ECW and Friday Night Smackdown. Having your husband orchestrating cage matches and get clobbered with steel folding chairs may not be the best way to endear yourself to voters. Plus, Linda McMahon herself has been an active, on-screen participant in multiple WWE storylines over the years and you can be sure her opponents will seize on those images to portray her as a celebrity/millionaire dabbling in politics without the experience and expertise to do the job. Furthermore, you may recall that over a decade ago, Vince McMahon was hauled before a congressional committee and grilled over the rampant use of steroids within WWE, then known as the World Wrestling Federation. That was quite the debacle for WWE and nearly crippled the company, although it has bounced back quite well. As for Linda McMahon’s candidacy, she describes herself as a "different kind of candidate" who will run a "different kind of campaign” than her opponents. “With your help, we are going to change Washington and start making Washington work for ordinary people," she said on her campaign Web site. In an interesting twist and in mirroring the campaigns of other independently wealthy people who have made a run for public office, McMahon vowed to finance much of her campaign using the fortune she made from WWE and limit contributions to $100. Now ultimately this could be a moot point, as there is already a clusterf*ck of candidates lining up for the Republican primary and as such, McMahon faces long odds to even make it to the main race and take on Sen. Dodd. Personally I’m rooting for her if for no other reason than the possibility of having a female senator who can possibly kick Hank Clinton’s ass if things get out of hand in the Senate chamber………
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