Month: January 2007

Terror-Free Oil

Posted on by John Riewe

It is unquestionable that the extent of our dependence upon foreign oil puts America largely at the mercy of the suppliers of that oil…ahem [slight pause while I cringe at the sound of Pelosi spouting off on the telly again] . Aside from the position of dependence we found ourselves in as a result, the unfortunate secondary effect is that a large percentage of the revenue our fossil-fuel habit generates ends up in the pockets of foreign leaders of questionable allegiance to American interests. Some evidence suggests these funds are forwarded to persons associated with terrorism agains the West. This is not a desireable arrangement, though a quick solution appears out of reach.

However, when the government cannot or does not react to these sorts of problems, markets sometimes step up to the plate. Such is the case with the Terror-Free Oil Initiative‘s plan to open its first terror-free gas station, which will provide the opportunity for consumers to purchase gasoline refined from oil sourced from outside the Middle East (Fox News). Evidently Latin American oil is excluded as well. The new station will open in Omaha February 1st, and plans exist to open more stations.

 Will the idea take root? As long as the prices are somewhat competitive, we think there will be enough demand to support some of these “Terror-Free” stations. The Terror-Free Oil Initiative asks visitors to its website  to participate in a poll. Currently, the stats show that 50% of participants would drive over 5 miles to fill up with “terror-free” gas. Is the sample skewed? Certainly. But we still think there is market. We’d buy it.

 The downside of this initiative would be if it overlooked addressing the problem over the long term. Americanrevolution believes that reduced consumption is the only true solution. The Terror-Free Oil Initiative indicates an interest in opening up dialogue concerning alternative energy. If this is kept at the forefront along with the proliferation of Terror-Free gas stations, this will be a great initiative. The Terror-Free Oil Initiative says these stations are the “First Step to Energy Independence.” We say kudos.

 For more info check out the Terror-Free Oil Intiative blog at http://www.terrorfreeoil.blogspot.com/.   

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www.johnmccain.com revisited

Posted on by John Riewe

We recently pointed out the fact that as yet John McCain, expected to be a frontrunner in the 2008 Presidential contest, does not own www.johnmccain.com. While americanrevolution still finds this inexcusable, more information has been brought to light to inform further discussion. An article from The Hill dated June 21, 2006 has been unearthed here. Most pertinent to our subject is this bit:

David Webb of Dallas has owned johnmccain.com for the past four years. Although at least 20 interested buyers have offered money for the site, including one who offered $25,000, he is in the process of handing it over to the senator free. Webb said that he does not necessarily support McCain’s views but believes that “McCain has served his country well” and deserves the site.

This changing of the guard, as it were, at www.johnmccain.com must be quite the protracted struggle. This story was written nigh seven months ago and as yet it appears Mr. Webb is still in posession of an important piece of McCain’s campaign communications. Mindblowing.

The article makes for an interesting read aside from the McCain story. It looks at the story of political domain names, who owns them, what they have been offered for them, et cetera. We learn that www.billfrist.org redirects to the home page for eBulkcandy.com, and that www.condoleezarice.com is offered for sale at $29,000 despite the fact that “Rice has two z’s in her first name, not one” according to the article.

Despite the demise of George “Macaca” Allen of Virginia, www.georgeallenforprez.com is still good for a laugh.

Know Your Enemy

Posted on by John Riewe

It strikes me that few Americans truly know how our enemies, the Islamic extremists, operate. Even as a political analyst, I admit I know much less than I should. The video below should open our eyes, then. If we believe we are fighting backward guerillas with only second-hand Soviet rifles, improvised exposive devices, and a death wish, we are gravely mistaken. The 911 Commission Report makes for some dull reading, but is a great start to learing about the evolution that has brought us today’s well-funded, technologically savvy terrorist organizations. These groups are well-versed in public relations, and understand how to affect perceptions. An area where this is key for them is in recruitment.

If you were an unemployed young Muslim with no prospects and a feeling that it might all be the fault of the West, then this recruiting video depicting the blowing up of American Humvees and tanks set to an energetic Arab ditty might just fill you with the spirit–of Jihad.

According to ForeignPolicyMag, who posted the video, “Al Zawraa began two years ago as an above-ground, hard-line Sunni TV station, based in Iraq, until the Iraqi government closed it down last November, around the time Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death. Today, it’s an underground station with brutal, no-holds-barred content, often amateur, shaky footage showing American soldiers crumpling to the ground after being shoot [sic], and alleged American atrocities against Iraqi civilians. The station’s anchors wear military fatigues and rail against the Shiite-led Iraqi government.”

That is what we’re up against.

The UN Exposed

Posted on by John Riewe

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The rumblings of corruption within the United Nations have been heard for years, but an almost universal worship of the UN for its noble purpose seems to have suppressed the truth until now. Perhaps it was not this “worship” but instead Kofi Annan’s mastery of politics and media relations. In either case, the truth is that currpution has run amuck in certain UN programs. At last, with Annan now out of the Secretary General seat, it seems that the the suppression of these damaging stories is beginning to unravel. The first blow came in the form of the indictment early this week of Benon Sevan by U.S prosecutors for “taking illegal commissions from an Egyptian oil trader in exchange for helping him secure contracts to purchase Iraqi oil” (International Herald Tribune). Sevan headed the UN oil-for-food program until 2003. The same series of investigations, headed by former Federal Reserve official Paul Volcker, came up short in substantiating claims that Kofi Annan’s son Kojo engaged in corruption as an employee of an oil-for-food program contractor; however evidence sugggests that a massive coverup operation on the part of UN officials had a significant effect on this finding (Capitalism Magazine). Thus, the Sevan indictment was the first indictment related to the oil-for-food scandal.

And now another scandal appears poised to rock the UN.  Fox News today reported that North Korea has been the beneficiary of tens of millions of dollars in UN development aid since 1999, funds which audits show may have never been used for their intended purposes. According to the Fox News article,

NEW YORK —  Has North Korean leader Kim Jong Il subverted the United Nations Development Program, the $4 billion agency that is the U.N.’s main development arm, and possibly stolen tens of millions of dollars of hard currency in the process?

According to a top official of the U.S. State Department — using findings made by the U.N.’s own auditors — the answer appears to be a disturbing yes, so far as UNDP programs in North Korea itself are concerned.

And just as disturbingly, the U.N. aid agency bureaucracy has kept the scamming a secret since at least 1999 — while the North Korean dictator and his regime were ramping up their illegal nuclear weapons program and making highly publicized tests of intermediate range ballistic missiles.

 Most disgusting is the fact that this story was brought to light by U.S. investigators, while the UN itself failed to recognize this slap in the face of the transparency it would like to pride itself in. The sense one gets is that much, much more lies beneath the surface. It is time to bring it out. Kudos to the U.S. diplomatic team responsible seeking the truth. If the UN is to honor its charter, it should at least be able to attempt the impossible without being hampered by massive corruption. And yet, this august conference of nations appears to suffer all the maladies of our own Washington, District of Corruption, muliplied by its international scope.

 

 

www.johnmccain.com

Posted on by John Riewe

It is widely accepted at this point that the GOP presidential nomination will come down to a contest featuring former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Senator John McCain of Arizona. Mitt Romney’s exploratory committee has a lovely website up at www.mittromney.com, as was detailed in the previous post. It would be expected that the Senator would have developed a counterpart site, and purchased all the pertinent domain names long ago. Alas, www.johnmccain.com is, well, check it out for yourself. In this day and age of high-tech political warfare, that is a dreadful mistake! Indeed, this revelation supports the premise of the previous post, which puts Romney as the early frontrunner in the 2008 race.

Meet Mitt

Posted on by John Riewe

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney would like you to think he is the clear frontrunner to carry the GOP banner in 2008. Senator John McCain would hope you believe otherwise, as would the other potential hopeful Rudy Giuliani. Romney’s camp has engaged in highly publicized fundraising in order to craft this frontrunner image, recently netting $1 million in a one-day blitz (Boston Globe). 

Romney faces some key obstacles in his bid for the GOP nomination, and even beyond if he gets the nod. The stigma that his Mormon faith holds for many will be a factor, as will his past stances gun-control (Boston Globe) and abortion (Spectator). These concerns do not escape Romney’s notice. His approach has been highly proactive, perhaps best exemplified by the informal summit he hosted at his home last November with various national religious leaders (Boston Globe).

A very slick web site is up at www.mittromney.com, where the public is invited to meet Romney through MittTV.  Among other things, the Mitt propaganda seeks to highlight his principled pro-marriage stance in the state of Massachusetts, where battle have raged over gay marriage.  A strong position on national security is also prominent. The strong push to win over the GOP base is clear, and Mitt’s message will likely present a strong alternative to John McCain, who maverick image may concern some of the more staid GOP faithful. ah, but lest we forget the aforementioned Mormon issue. Bottom line, early analysis shows Mitt with perhaps an early lead in the contest, but once McCain engages the tables are liable to turn quickly, provided no strong latecomers join the mix. See some MittTV here: