End war on ISIS

The war on ISIS is simply the latest version of our immoral, illegal and criminal war against the Muslim world in the Middle East. It's time to question it, debate it...then mercifully end it. Anytime Western powers declare war on any group in the Middle East, they inspire thousands of folks, Muslims and non-Muslim supporters from around the world, to journey to the emerging new geography of the Middle East to wage war on the West. It also inspires like minded folks to commit atrocities in their home countries, inflicting as much carnage as possible in retaliation. Trumpeting a war and blasting thousands to bits with bomb spitting drones is a ghastly waste of precious treasure that could be used to build up rather than tear down society.

The West must acknowledge its role in smashing Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Syria and Somalia, to name six, into failed states, making them ripe for the ensuing chaos we now declare war on. That vicious circle of perpetual war promotes, guarantees, if fact, blowback in the form of asymmetrical suicide bombings or suicidal shooting rampages that can never be completely stopped.

Ending perpetual war reduces inspiration for these highly infrequent, but highly effective revenge attacks. As we kill thousands, many if not most of whom are innocents; mainstream media yawns and skips to the latest neo-fascist soundbites from grotesque contenders seeking to lead the US war party to more war. But when suicide bombers kill dozens in retaliation, it's wall to wall coverage for days till the next ratings diversion emerges. The West's role in this perpetual cycle of violence is never revealed, never questioned.

US policy in the Middle East endlessly channels Forest Gump's 'Stupid is as stupid does. That must change. 

Sanders stands alone on Israeli, Palestinian issue

One of many reasons I'm supporting Bernie Sanders for president is that he is the only candidate from either party that doesn't pander to the Israel Lobby. Sanders criticizes Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu for his grotesque and disproportionate use of violence that killed 2.220 Palestinians in the 2014 war, 31 times the number of Israelis killed. He supports a two state solution when Netanyahu speeds ahead with illegals settlements and inexorable theft of water resources that marginalize Palestinians into a pitiful, powerless and subjugated people. Sanders bemoans the inhumane and intolerable conditions that 8 million Israelis have inflicted on 4.5 million Palestinians. Sanders won't say it, but his opposition to the Iraq war was based in part on his knowledge Israel egged on the US to invade Iraq to remake the Middle East with regime change in Syria and Iran to follow, promoting absolute Israeli hegemony in the region. Every other presidential candidate panders to the Israel Lobby, putting the interests of Israel above that of the country issuing their passport.

That's why I support Bernie Sanders for president: doesn't pander; never has; never will.

No. 4,498 died 4 years after Iraq war officially ended

On Saturday, the 13th anniversary of our illegal, immoral and criminal Iraq war began, a US Marine was killed by rocket fire, the 4,498 soldier killed, since March 19, 2003. We never left Iraq after the Iraqi government forced the end of our combat operations December 31, 2011. We were granted residual force of several thousand for non combat training and security. We exceeded that quota some time ago and those residual forces are engaging and sometimes dying from the new enemy ISIS, which evolved from our monstrous destruction of Iraq 13 years ago. That's Perpetual War in America: Endless, bankrupting...and deadly.

LaRoche: bad DH; worse parent

After quitting the Sox over VP Kenny Williams requesting Adam LaRoche 'scale back' the extensive time his 14 year old son Drake was spending in the Sox clubhouse, LaRoche had this to say about education:

   "We're not big on school. I told my wife 'He's gonna learn a lot more useful information in the clubhouse, than he will in the classroom, as far as life lessons.'" 

Last year LaRoche made $12 million being the worst designated hitter in the American League, hitting a paltry .207 with just 11 home runs. Bad as that was, LaRoche is already having a worse year in 2016...as a parent.