In the news this morning it was announced that USMC General Pace was selected to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. All I could think to myself was, "It's about damn time."

Now I don't know a thing about General Pace other than he has been Vice Chairman of the JCS so I have no clue if he was the best man for the job. Being Vice Chair you would think would prepare him for the job but again, I don't know a thing about his record or the decisions he has made. I'm just happy to see a Marine finally hold that position (assuming he is confirmed by the Senate).

The Marines may be the smallest service but they have done a lot of good for our country. I'm happy to see that the competence and reliability of the Corps is finally being recognized.

Posted by: Princess Cat at 01:33 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Most of my friends and family have asked me what I think about the whole China/Japan situation right now. Some have asked why I have not blogged on it. The answer is: I DON'T CARE! I know, I know...I should care...and I do...to a point. There are bloggers all over the place talking about what's going on over there so why should I jump in? Well they say I should because Japan happens to be an area I have studied rather extensively (many of my poli sci courses had to do with Japan in some way - focusing primarily on the late 1890s forward...I also minored in Japanese studies...and I lived there for a while). I'm pretty familiar with the national security policy of Japan and the trends so here goes my take on the situation....

The Short Version:
Violent protest should never be the answer.

Japan should not have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council

The Longer Version:
Japan has many valid reasons for its pursuit of a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. They have become a major player in the international community, an integral piece of the international economy, and the largest/most stable economic force in Asia (for now). Most of their additional reasons are:

1. They are strong/active proponents of many UN sponsored treaties
2. They believe strongly in peacekeeping missions & offer personnel
3. They are significant economic contributors to the UN
4. "The council of today should reflect today's international system'

These are justifiable reasons but I take issue with this last one in particular. The council of today should reflect today's international system but it should also include members with legitimacy on all security matters. Japan's inability to face its demons and insistence on the issue of textbooks strips it of its legitimacy on international security. For Japan to have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council would further trivialize UN resolutions and bring greater scrutiny to the value of the organization as a whole. In a time when the credibility of the only successful supranational organization is in question, Japan should not seek to jeopardize it further.
Many countries have skeletons in their closet but most discuss them and attempt to repent. Japan has not even admitted to their existence. It would be irresponsible for the international community to allow a hypocritical nation such as Japan to sit in judgment of others.
The time draws near, but the time is not now. Sorry Japan.

Posted by: Princess Cat at 11:31 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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19 APRIL 2005: OKLAHOMA CITY, 10 YEARS LATER

The Alfred P Murrah Federal Building is no longer standing. Half because of a terrorist act. Half because it was "the right thing to do" to destroy the rest of it.

The primary suspect, Timothy McVeigh, is no longer alive. He was executed on 11 JUNE 2001 for his participation in the attack.

The whole thing just doesn't sit right with me. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but I've seen the seismographs - they don't match the idea of a single truck bomb. I don't know enough to even fathom a stab at the truth so I won't tell you it was all a big government plot. But for Timothy McVeigh, it was an execution that came much more swiftly than for others with the same sentence. I can't accuse my government of perpetrating an attack on its own people but I do believe something shady went on after the fact. For evidence to be 'lost' and McVeigh executed so quickly - when there are still so many unanswered questions - something just doesn't add up. And I don't feel good about it. At a minimum I would have liked to see them keep McVeigh alive a few more years, just to see what else could be learned.
Maybe the real story was that there were so many loose ends and unknowns that it couldn't be solved - after all, we don't live in an episode of CSI - and admitting that was considered unacceptable.
I don't know what the real story is all I know is we haven't gotten it.

More importantly though - my heart is with the families and friends today as they remember their loss. May peace find your souls and comfort in your heart.

Posted by: Princess Cat at 12:11 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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What crisis, you ask? Their dammed political identity crisis. According to this information on Polipundit it is real. And I tell you, I love California, but this voting for liberal democrats has got. .to...stop! You know those liberal democrats that you feel so good about yourself voting for? They actually make decisions that affect the rest of the country. Not cool. And why are you voting for them anyway? The voting record for CA issues doesn't seem to show you're all that liberal.

The only reasonable conclusion I can reach (in my semi-conscious state as I am quite groggy) is that Californians suffer from a political identity crisis and are like that guy in Memento who can't form new memories. They have glorified the image of the democrat so they feel good about voting them into national office. But, they can't form new memories so then one of two things happens: (1) They forget the voted for the Democrat and vote based on the CA issue at hand, or (2) They forget the less than helpful outcome of putting the national level Democrat into office, and vote based on the CA issue at hand.

In any event, we should help them...after all, this is a medical condition that isn't their fault.

Posted by: Princess Cat at 12:07 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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