Afghanistonhan

As the week comes to a close, the hottest political issue in the States remains the war in Afghanistan. (Forget Iraq. What war? We’re still there? Yawn.)

Now that President Obama has given his speech on troop withdrawal timelines and numbers, we go once more into the crevasse of differing bickering opinions regarding how many (or how few) troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan. It has been decided by Mr. Obama that a whopping 10,000 will be sent home this year, and a grand total of 33,000 by summer of next year. At least I think that’s what he said.

Amazing! Applause, applause! Or not.

Hey there Mr. Prez, it’s not enough. Period. 56% of the country wants OUT ASAP! It’s been 10 years already! With 100,000 U.S. troops in that hell hole, the paltry withdrawal is just that – paltry. Plus, It costs 2 BILLION dollars a WEEK to maintain this seemingly now-very-empty-in-meaning war. 

And, although President Obama told the world during his speech on Wednesday evening that by 2014 more troops will be out of there and Afghanistan will be back to running their own country AND the U.S. won’t be involved in “nation building” there – thus, rainbows will line the skies and all will live unhappily ever after -- I have to ask this: 2014?

I loathe these faraway deadline promises from all politicians on anything. We don’t know what will happen next month in that region. Or here in the U.S. The way in which the weather has been playing mean tricks on almost every region, who knows if we will even be here -- intact. Then there is the reality of how the political process unfolds.

Obama may or may not be the leader sitting in front of the big power desk in the West Wing at that time. New members of Congress will be voted into power, bringing their own perception and plans of change with them, hence previous promises have been and can be changed in a second. As in the game of "musical chairs" lofty projections in a rapidly morphing international and domestic political universe doesn’t mean a thing, does it? Really?

So, regardless of who is doing the talking, it is just another set of empty words. What most people want is concrete support on how to deal with TODAY and TOMORROW’s concerns of basic living in a weak economy. I don’t give a flying cast iron skillet about the long-term future plans that affect the nation’s finances and security, especially when we are learning that part of the monies spent in Afghanistan are providing health care to the populace while our government is trying to drive a sickly wrench into the small gain that has been made in our own country with “Universal Heath Care” that has yet to fully materialize.

For Gawd’s sake, man! We have people committing crimes in order to be arrested so that they can see a doctor and have food and a place to sleep! Believe me, this will become a trend if things don’t change, and change sooner than later. There is a growing crisis HERE, NOW. Hello?

I get it, Mr. President. You want to be fair to everyone by doing something. Well, as much as I believe in diplomacy and admire your desire to show strength in war matters, compassion for the poor, civility in manner and eloquence in speech, you’re beginning to get the side-eye from me these days despite your many accomplishments.

Enough on that subject. My stomach is beginning to fill with churning acids, making noises and creating little dart-like sensations.

Otherwise, it’s been a thrilling week in gossip-land! Jennifer Aniston has a new (maybe not-so-new?) seedy boyfriend, Justin Theroux (who?), and speculation is that she is the cause of his breakup from his girlfriend of 14 years, thus becoming a new version of Angelina Jolie. Wow! How very uncool is that? Jen has such great taste in men, doesn’t she? This one looks like he could easily mug a crippled grandmother in broad daylight on a busy city street without giving it a thought.

Lindsay Low-han received another slap on her not-so-dainty wrist in court yesterday for supposedly violating her parole by testing positive for alcohol while under her obviously hellish house arrest where, up until the mean judge laid down new rules, she could party until dawn on her condo roof with lots of enablers. Now the poor girl can’t do that anymore. Only one “friend” at a time! And alcohol is not forbidden! Turns out the drug and alcohol testing orders while on parole expired in February, so she didn’t do anything wrong! The judge just sent her home to cry one more time from being spoken to as if she was/were a spoiled brat.

Break out the Cooks Brut, Lindsay! And while you’re at it, why not install a stripper’s pole on your roof to add more spice to the show you’ve given to most of the world’s pap’s? Those money shots of you are keeping the California economy from completely tanking.

Oh, I know. How bitchy. Some people and situations just bring out that snarky side of me. That’s why this place is called a Flog Blog!

Chow – for now.