Foreign Policy – TRUTH IN POLITICS

FOREIGN POLICY

Foreign Policy of the United States of America must change on many levels. All foreign policy goals should start and end with what is good for America! The biggest change has to be how we define “ what is good for America”. Right now and for most of our history it has been defined as “what is good for the American business community, is good for America”. Thus we came to be known as the “Ugly Americans”! Foreign Policy includes business, culture, education, arts, sciences, sports, military, ethnic policies, and more. Business and Military policies are most in need of immediate attention.

With the advent of the computer, the internet and the increased education in third world countries, the rest of the world are becoming more independent and able to resist being bullied by American businesses. Add to that mix the competition China, Europe, Japan, Indonesia, Russia and others for raw materials from third world countries, who are offering more resistance to the raping their of their natural resources, and it becomes clear that we have to adapt. The sooner the better.

It is environmental suicide to ship raw materials halfway around the world for processing and manufacturing, then ship the goods back, half way around the world for distribution and sale. We need to promote and co-operate with all members of the world community to make smelting and otherwise processing natures abundances close to where they originate. Raw metals and other products could then be efficiently shipped to their next destination.

I am no Foreign Policy expert, but it is no big secret that in any negotiation, win-win and fair play will get more done in a safer and more productive manner than the policies that are and have been being used.

If we as a nation have a solid policy of helping others as we help ourselves we may be able to win back some of the trust we lost when “We” invaded Iraq. A handful of people were responsible for the invasion of Iraq but our whole Nation is paying the price.

Mark Rawlins

3/19/2015 Submitted to the Denver Post

Tabor and Schools

Thanks to Tabor and some other bad decisions by the citizens of Colorado our Schools and thus our Students are sub par as compared to much of the rest of the country and the industrialized world. There truly IS NO excess money in Colorado’s budget! Due to Tabor, School budgets have been cut year after year till schools are operating on shoestring budgets! What LOOKS like excess money is really money that should be returned to school budgets to make up for the budget shortfalls of past years. I guess there are no provisions in Tabor to restore money to budget items once Tabor forces budget cuts! In time Colorado will cease to be able to operate at all! ALL of our Children ARE Colorado’s future! If the only Children getting good educations go to private Christian schools because Tabor and school vouchers de-fund Public schools, Colorado and the Nation will suffer. But, Maybe, That’s the Plan?!

Mark Rawlins

Foreign

5/18/2015 > Denver Post columns >

RE: Iraq war was/is a mistake/disaster

About two weeks before Dick Cheney and Carl Rove invaded Iraq with George W. Bush as their front man, my Uncle Gene asked me if I thought we should invade Iraq. I said NO. We cannot win a war against all third world countries. My reasoning was, and is, that when the U.S.A. shows the world that our morality has degraded to the point that we invade a virtually defenseless enemy, the rest of the third world will take notice and start to band together. To push away from the U.S.A.. ISIS is on track to start. I believe China has benefited from our impertinence in mining and trade deals, etc.

Saddam Hussein was basically controlled by the United Nations and the U.S.A. and our allies. He was afraid to have WMDs because he might be attacked and driven from power. He was realistically not a big threat to anyone.

Add to that the FACT that when the invasion started the U.N. Inspectors had finished their inspections and were about one and a half weeks from giving a clean report to the U.N. We had to invade before the report was given or we would not have been supported by any allies let alone any other country! Certain documents, I believe, have been altered to disguise this fact.

Thus the lies, the fudged reports, the misrepresentations, the major arm twisting. Rush Limbaugh, Carl Rove and their thugs and the Republican party at large called into question the National Pride and National Loyalty of any who disagreed with them. They brow beat and excoriated all who disagreed with the war. Truth is that Hillary Clinton was one of their victims. This is nothing to her credit, just a fact.

After 9-11 the U.S.A. was poised, with the whole world sympathizing with us, to become the legitimate and only world leader in humanitarianism, monetary responsibility, and a responsible military role model. Invading Iraq turned that opportunity on it’s head and destroyed over 200 years of responsible leadership tradition, giving the U.S.A. a big black eye which we will never recover from. Just like truth, trust is BLACK AND WHITE. You either have it , or you don’t! Once you prove to be untrustworthy, you can never fully reclaim that mantra! George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Carl Rove stole our NATIONAL PRIDE and traded it for some oil fields in Iraq! THAT IS TRUTH ! Just in case you were wondering what truth looks like!

Mark Rawlins

5/22/2015 > Denver Post editorial

RE : Hypothetical about Iraq?

Charles Krouthammer’s assertion about WMDs being in Iraq is a continuation of the lie that the Bush Administration and Republican Party hammered American Citizens and the World with to justify invading a then subdued Iraq and Saddam Hussein. When the invasion started, the U.N. Inspectors had finished their inspections and were about week from giving a clean report to the U.N. Bush had to invade before the report was given or we would not have been supported by any allies let alone any other country! The idiocy of thinking any form of democracy could actually succeed in that region was actually a ploy to further justify the invasion! The true reason we went to war with Iraq was OIL and MONEY! The really sad part of the whole affair is that while Bush Administration and Republican Party were publicly promoting Democracy for Iraq and other Arab countries they were actively subverting the Democratic process in America!! This is what TRUTH looks like!!

Mark Rawlins

6/7/2015 > Denver Post

RE: J. Fox’s “The Population Bomb”, by Ehrlich

Mr. Ehrlich probably got his estimate of the population doubling much closer than statistics show. If you were to factor in how many more births there would have been by all the generations of people who died in wars, of starvation, diseases like AIDS, etc and did not have children, grandchildren, etc, his estimate would have been much closer.

Our Precious Earth IS a finite entity! There IS a limit to how many people it will support! Ask the People on Easter Island about overcrowding. The Chinese finally took some drastic steps to alleviate overcrowding.

We absolutely must stop poisoning our Precious Planet and start being responsible guardians of all life forms we share our environment with. Just because we have the ability to chop down every tree in the rain forests doesn’t mean we should. Yes, there will be casualties among the plants, animals, and insects as time goes on. But for every life form that ceases to exist, we are poorer . Honey Bees and Monarch Butterflies are suffering population destruction due to agricultural poisoning! This should be a wake-up call for all of us!

Mark Rawlins

7/8/2015 > Denver Post

More on Over Population

What does overpopulation mean to WHOM?! To the poorest in third world countries it means famine, no job and no hope of a job, very high infant and childhood deaths. Jobless, laying around and making more babies day-after-day that have no future beyond your own. For those fortunate enough to land a job, it means spending virtually your whole life slaving for pennies a day, earning only enough to almost feed your family.

For Muslims and Catholics it means nothing. Their religions demand them to “Go forth and multiply”. God will provide. For wildlife it means less habitat, food, water and personal space and eventually extinction. For the great majority of people it means being crowded into smaller and smaller spaces, more competition for jobs, food, water, recreation, housing, etc. It means more illness, and the severity of illnesses will continue to escalate. For businesses it means more profit.

Mark Rawlins

7/8/2015 > Denver Post

Three Cheers for Pope Francis!

Finally a major voice speaks up and tells the truth about the economic disparity between the wealthy and the rest of us. And, He had the gall to call them out about their lies and misdirections about climate change! He has been referring to these issues for some time, but to make it a part of his encyclical is huge! Maybe a 21 Gun Salute also!

Mark Rawlins

7/8/2015 > Denver Post

Of War and Reason:

It has been proven more times than can be counted throughout history, that even the most powerful, longest lasting reigns of power get crushed by the sheer weight of time, size, complexity of management and the steel will of their enemies.

The current power base, which is primarily the International Business Community, Wall street, the EU power brokers, OPEC, and many others are trying to carve out a control unit that is not answerable to any Nation. These people are literally waging war on Nations and Populations around the world! History says they may have success for a period of time, but they will eventually fail! How many wars must be fought,and how many must die for their egotistical dream? One of natures most inviolate laws is “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”. The obvious reaction in this case is what Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, etc are doing to counter what they see as as an attack on their national interests!

Mark Rawlins

7/15/2015 > Denver Post

RE: Iran anti nuclear agreement :

Did we learn nothing from the North Korea Nuclear fiasco?! It took them twenty some years but North Korea got their Nukes! Iran is nothing like N. Korea. Iran has money, educated scientists, and the Muslim Religion. They also are developing ICBMs and cruise missiles. This makes them ten to twenty times more dangerous than N. Korea. When you train your children to behave and mind the commands they are given you need to expect immediate compliance. If you say “I’m counting to three”, you are effectively telling them they have options! Giving Iran options is a lose-lose for us and win-win for them. Speak softly, mean what you say, and back it up with a BIG stick! If we don’t have the fortitude to carry out our principles and our statements it is better to shut up, go to church and pray for God to intervene. Question is: Which GOD will intervene?!

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

Mark Rawlins

7/25/2015 Denver Post >

RE : Iran’s Atomic Threat

The major danger with Iran and The Nuclear (dis)Agreement is the technological advances Iran will develop in ten years. Even without an atomic bomb, with advances in ICBM and drone technology, along with potential advances by other Muslim entities, Iran will be considerably more powerful and scary. If we do not have the stomach to enforce our will on Iran now, what makes anyone think we will enforce it then?!

Mark Rawlins

8/29/2015Denver Post

RE: Europe’s immigration problem

The one of the tenets Muslim Religion is to occupy the World because it is the one true Religion. Eight to twelve children is the prevalent family size in Heavily Muslim nations. They have the lowest average age in the World. Considering these facts, is it possible, or even likely that one of the goals of Isis, Al Qaeda and other insurgent groups is to force refugees out of Muslim overpopulated strong holds into non Muslim countries with the purpose of spreading their Religion “Far and Wide”? And what better way to militarily occupy a country than to move the family with the army, peacefully!? In a way, the Muslim Religion is their Army.

Or am I just nuts? Time will tell, but then – It will be 20-20 hindsight.

Mark Rawlins

Vote NO on Iran Nuclear Fiasco!

Question : Why would Iran build Nuclear facilities on military bases if they want to convince the world of their Peaceful Nuclear Program?

The following are my Letters to the Editor of the Denver Post starting in March last year. PLEASE read them. I was correct about the wisdom of invading Iraq and history will prove me correct about about the insanity of making this deal with Iran! Why is Iran, at this point in history, wanting to make a deal with the Devil? What do we not know about their dastardly plans? They have NOT changed their plans of their goals!

Mark Rawlins

RE : Iran’s Atomic Threat

Mark Rawlins

Nuclear Iran

History is a treasure trove of information, useful only if it is accurately recorded and accurately read. If we want to know how an agreement with Iran on nuclear development will turn out, all we have to do is look at India, Pakistan, and North Korea. Saddam Hussein, Iraq, wanted nuclear power, but after invading Kuwait, was a conquered Nation. We had them contained with the power to inspect anytime, anywhere. We played cat and mouse with N. Korea for twenty ( +/- ) years until they finally succeeded. Unless we get immediate and continuous unrestricted inspections we should consider Iran a rogue state and make no agreement with them. By the way, Saddam Hussein, even though we did not have a treaty, per say, was contained with similar restrictions as we are demanding from Iran, and look at how it turned out for him! Why would Iran trust us!?

Mark Rawlins

RE: Iraq war was/is a mistake/disaster

After 9-11 the U.S.A. was poised, with the whole world sympathizing with us, to become the legitimate and only world leader in humanitarianism, monetary responsibility, and a responsible military role model. Invading Iraq turned that opportunity on it’s head and destroyed over 200 years of responsible leadership tradition , giving the U.S.A. a big black eye which we will never recover from. Just like truth, trust is BLACK AND WHITE. You either have it , or you don’t! Once you prove to be untrustworthy, you can never fully reclaim that mantra! George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, and Carl Rove stole our NATIONAL PRIDE and traded it for some oil fields in Iraq! THAT IS TRUTH ! Just in case you were wondering what truth looks like!

RE : Hypothetical about Iraq?

Mark Rawlins

RE: Iran anti nuclear agreement :

Did we learn nothing from the North Korea Nuclear fiasco?! It took them twenty some years but North Korea got their Nukes! Iran is nothing like N. Korea. Iran has money, educated scientists, and the Muslim Religion. They also are developing ICBMs and cruise missiles. This makes them ten to twenty times more dangerous than N. Korea was then. When you train your children to behave and mind the commands they are given you need to expect immediate compliance. If you say “I’m counting to three”, you are effectively telling them they have options! Giving Iran options is a lose-lose for us and win-win for them. Speak softly, mean what you say, and back it up with a BIG stick! If we don’t have the fortitude to carry out our principles and our statements it is better to shut up, go to church and pray for God to intervene. Question is: Which GOD will intervene?!

GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

RE: Europe’s Immigration/Refugee problem

The one of the tenets Muslim Religion is to occupy the World because it ‘Islam’ is the one true Religion. Eight to twelve children is the prevalent family size in Heavily Muslim nations. They have the lowest average age in the World. Considering these facts, is it possible, or even likely that one of the goals of Isis, Al Qaeda and other insurgent groups is to force refugees out of Muslim overpopulated strong holds into non Muslim countries with the purpose of spreading their Religion “Far and Wide”!? And what better way to militarily occupy a country than to move the family with the army, peacefully!? In a way, the Muslim Religion is their Army.

Or am I just nuts? Time will tell, but then – It will be 20-20 hindsight.

Mark Rawlins

9/22/2015 Denver Post >

RE: Refugees and/or Immigrants

During the last Republican debate I heard consensus among the participants about how bad the illegal immigrant problem is. They generally want to rid the nation of the illegals. Later in the debate, talking about Social Security, they said that the U.S.A. needs to import some millions of immigrants so there will be more taxpayers to help pay for Social Security benefits for the baby boomers and their children. They didn’t say where those jobs would come from! Seems to me that this is a double standard. The team of Bush-Cheney-Rove invited these illegals up here, used them to lower wages across the U.S.A. and now want them to disappear. The lowering of wages also impacts Social Security funds. I say we embrace those who grew up here. We have already educated, provided healthcare, fed and clothed many of them with public funds. Lets get something out of our investments.

Mark Rawlins

11/17/2015 Denver Post

RE: Syrian and other refugees moving en-mass to Europe and elsewhere:

First, stop equating Refugees with Immigrants! They are not equal! Refugee describes those who need temporary shelter and intend to return to their native homeland. An immigrant requests permanent relocation. Moving Muslim refugees or immigrants en-mass not only moves people, they move their army. Young Muslim men are not the only ones being radicalized, there are also women. Those women would not look suspicious during the vetting process. They could become “sleeper cells” raising children to be radicals. Muslims have been fighting these wars for a thousand years. They know how to do it. The Muslim “Religion” is part Religion, part government and part political. They have completely different morals and lifestyles than the rest of the world. They want the rest of the world to butt out of their business. Maybe we should do that – then deal with whatever is left.

Mark Rawlins

11/24/2015 Denver Post >

RE: San Bernardino Tragedy

In a somewhat twisted logic Tashfeen Malik provides us with good reason to not import Muslim terrorism under the guise of refugee or immigration programs. In an equally obtuse fashion it makes those maimed or killed in San Bernardino kind of like Heroes. If this tragedy keeps even some terrorists out – that is a good thing. Profiling works! On the other side of the issue is the fact that the vast majority of Muslims are decent, law abiding people – wherever they live. Also, it is not a far stretch to compare some Tea Party members to other extremists, both here at home and overseas. Hate is hate – no matter what the subject, no matter the source, no matter the “logic”, no matter how intensely one feels about an issue! Let Fact, Truth and our Constitution Reign Supreme!

Mark Rawlins

12/8/2015 Denver Post >

RE: Importing Muslims equals importing trouble?

Three lessons from Farook and Tashfeen: One – It appears impossible to accurately vet Muslims! Two – There is nothing more important to a radicalized Muslim than their mission! Three – Until “good Muslims” start ratting out their radicalized friends and family members we have to treat all of them with equal suspicion. There are Muslims out there that know “stuff”.

How will Malik’s daughter handle her parents “heroic” deed? What will the people who raise the child teach her? It is absolutely true that the more we alienate the Muslim community – the more problems we will create, however, trust is a two way street. If Muslims want our understanding and trust they need to earn it! Watch out for tips that are untrue and if we get one, ID the tipster as a radical.

Mark Rawlins

12/8/2015 Denver Post >

RE: Reacting to terrorism, the new normal?

To find out how to handle the threat of, or, an actual terrorist event, just ask any woman. Women live every moment of their lives with the fearful knowledge that they may be attacked and raped by strangers, friends or even family members. How do they live day after day – with that hanging over their otherwise normal existence. However they do it, they need to teach it to men. We haven’t been successful, or really even tried to ID potential rapists. If we had we would one step ahead of where we are now on how to ID terrorists. Our society has accepted rape and many other crimes as a normal human condition, maybe we can accept terrorism also? Viva la femme!

Mark Rawlins

3/27/2016 > Denver Post

RE: Why does ISIS fight?

They asked that question on CNN Easter Sunday. The reasons ranged from Religious, to anger and frustration at “the west” for monetary and social interference in their countries. Listening to all that it hit me, even though we don’t agree with their social customs, they are fighting for their right to self-determination. That same force drove George Washington and Company to fight for their freedom. I am not suggesting we give in to terrorism. Understanding this we can modify the way we fight this battle particularly with peace talks and propaganda campaigns.

European colonization tore apart centuries old tribal territories forcing disparate groups together. They have been at war through-out their history. The only chance for any peace in the region is to divide it up per religious and historical borders. Give the Kurdish, Sunni, Shiite and any other major group their own country. Then get out!

3/27/2016 > Denver Post

RE: Who is at fault for the situation in the Middle East?

Muslim vanities divide their culture into Shiite, Sunni and other groups. European colonization plays a huge part in it. Christian Bible Thumpers converting Muslims is an aggravation, particularly, to hardliner Muslims. The latest annoyance is the attempt to install democracy in a area where Religion rules everything. Our type of democracy cannot exist in that environment! Whatever Religious sect is in power will lord it over all other sects and religions! Since Al-Malawi, the first President after Hussein is a Shiite, the Sunni were not allowed to participate in the new “democracy”. Republicans blame Obama but the greatest responsibility lies with President Bush and Al-Malawi and their contract to pull US forces out of Iraq which Obama was left to deal with. Obama’s sin was not supporting the Sunni who pulled our fat out of the fire ICW getting the rebellion under control.

Mark Rawlins

3/27/2016 > Denver Post

RE: Who is at fault for the situation in the Middle East?

Mark Rawlins

3/31/2016 Denver Post >

RE: Just Thinking and Comparing…

There is talk about whether President Obama is a Muslim. I do not believe he is but even if he is, and if he intended for the “fast and furious” guns to go to the drug cartels; and he intended for the military hardware to be abandoned to ISIS; and whatever other “theories they” come up with …..

That does not excuse the “entitled” Republican Party establishment from invading Iraq for control of it’s oil fields; or inviting 30 million illegal undocumented immigrants into the US of A at the beginning of W. Bush’s Presidency; or cutting taxes on corporations and the very wealthy and sending the country into a tailspin of debt; or having planned to and then moved 300 thousand businesses out of America during the transition from Bush to Obama. For those businesses to move they had to have planned two to four years in advance.

Mark Rawlins

4/24/2016 Denver Post

RE: whenever anyone or group tries to take over the world they are doomed to eventual failure.

Mark Rawlins

4/24/2016 Denver Post

RE: Violence in Mexico ; drugs, extortion, murder for hire!

The evolution of societies, the influences of societies on each other, the ebb and flow of social change equate to an uncontrolled mishmash of laws, customs, habits, religions, politics, and CRIME! At this juncture in time we face a threat from Mexico as great of greater than all that mess in the middle east. This is true in large part because Mexico is just across the border.

Mark Rawlins

4/24/2016 Denver Post

RE: Violence in Mexico ; drugs, extortion, murder for hire!

Mark Rawlins

4/24/2016 Denver Post

RE: Violence in Mexico ; drugs, extortion, murder for hire!

Mark Rawlins5/24/2016 Denver Post

RE: The big problem with the current financial setup

The current financial setup Nationally and World Wide is the concentration of money and power into fewer and fewer hands. It is as simple as the fact that one person spends X amount for living and two people spend approximately two times X giving two times the amount of spending which will result in more opportunities for more people. When Office Max and Office Depot merged there was no upside for customers. It meant fewer options – less competition

Mark Rawlins

7/4/2016 Denver Post

RE: The Holocaust, Jews, and unintended consequence:

Evolution is happening right now in our midst. Millions of Jews perished under Hitlers reign of terror. This was an evolutionary event for the Jewish people. I suspect that many of the victims who died were basically the “sheep”, People who didn’t have much get-up-and-go. A large percentage of survivors didn’t just march to their death – they fought to stay alive, mostly by fleeing to safety. They had the initiative, the drive to stay alive. I would also guess that a very large percentage of survivors ended up in Israel and in a bit of twisted logic, Hitler is responsible for the feistyness of the population of Israel. To put it crudely, Hitler is the wolf pack that culled the Jewish herd.

Mark Rawlins

8/12/2016 > Denver Post

RE: Foreign Policy

When one goes out into the world looking for war, one will most likely find war! If one goes out into the world looking for Peace, one may find war, but at least Peace was given first option, and one will find peace large percentage of the time.

Mark Rawlins