Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
GHOST
No doubt there are many, many secrets floating around in the "dark underground" concerning terrorist activity around the world. The recent revelation (in the press) that dozens of Somali teenagers raised in the United States have been recruited and are being trained by Al Quida affiliated organizations should give one pause. One has to be amazed by the seriousness and difficulty of the task handed to American counterintelligence officers in keeping murderers at bay. It will likely be decades before much of the story of the current battle comes to light in memoirs and histories. Recently I read Fred Burton's Ghost: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent. Burton was a member of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), which is tasked with protecting our State Department personnel (including ambassadors) as well as visiting diplomats. Burton was given the early assignment of investigating attacks and activities of Middle Eastern terrorists, even before Bin Laden became a household word. For the most part, this volume concentrates on events preceeding and up to the first attack on the WTC. He was active in tracking the abductions of Americans in Lebanon, investigating the assassination of President Zia of Pakistan, working on the bombng of the Lockerbie Pan-Am flight, and finding the original bombers of the WTC.
The book provides a lot of interesting information. Spycraft. I was very interested in the Zia story, having recently finished Hanif's A Case of Exploding Mangoes. It was quite an eye-opening tale of cooperation/antagonism between Pakistni and American agents. Burton's conclusion that the most likely culprit in downing Zia's plane (in which his army staff and the US ambassador also perished) was the Soviet Union, rings true. I loved the give and take between adversaries. I also think that anyone who assumes that terrorists, and especially members of foreign spying agencies, are dumb, better think twice.
Like so many government/military people, he is critical of the media, though clearly he relied on it, and now in a way is a reporter of a sort himself, providing to the world an inside look into a secretive agency. I wondered if he told too much, though, of evasion tactics and other spy procedure. Still, you can be certain that there was an equal amount of intel that he did not give up. Those bodies are undoubtedly still buried deep. He hinted that he knew a lot more about some events. . .teased the reader, I should say.
I was surprised at his candor in revealing some of his agency's failures, such as the inability to detect long-running surveillance carried out by Ramsi Youself on diplomatic motorcades (some of which he himself was a part of). You would think these admissions would have notched down a little of the bravado, as when he states that should an attack happen, "I have fifteen rounds. And I will make every one count." More likely, had an attack come, many agents, even himself, would not have had as much of a chance as they thought. Thankfully, no attack came.
Burton is really giving more than an account of his service. It is a warning, that America has to be more vigilant, creative, intuitive, and flexible in approaching the challenges of terrorism. Future attacks will happen. We have to take out the miscreants. I just hope that this can be achieved without destroying our national character and beliefs and done within legal boundaries. Yes, I know. . .the other guy isn't playing fair. But I don't want our people to be like them; I want ours to better than them.
The book provides a lot of interesting information. Spycraft. I was very interested in the Zia story, having recently finished Hanif's A Case of Exploding Mangoes. It was quite an eye-opening tale of cooperation/antagonism between Pakistni and American agents. Burton's conclusion that the most likely culprit in downing Zia's plane (in which his army staff and the US ambassador also perished) was the Soviet Union, rings true. I loved the give and take between adversaries. I also think that anyone who assumes that terrorists, and especially members of foreign spying agencies, are dumb, better think twice.
Like so many government/military people, he is critical of the media, though clearly he relied on it, and now in a way is a reporter of a sort himself, providing to the world an inside look into a secretive agency. I wondered if he told too much, though, of evasion tactics and other spy procedure. Still, you can be certain that there was an equal amount of intel that he did not give up. Those bodies are undoubtedly still buried deep. He hinted that he knew a lot more about some events. . .teased the reader, I should say.
I was surprised at his candor in revealing some of his agency's failures, such as the inability to detect long-running surveillance carried out by Ramsi Youself on diplomatic motorcades (some of which he himself was a part of). You would think these admissions would have notched down a little of the bravado, as when he states that should an attack happen, "I have fifteen rounds. And I will make every one count." More likely, had an attack come, many agents, even himself, would not have had as much of a chance as they thought. Thankfully, no attack came.
Burton is really giving more than an account of his service. It is a warning, that America has to be more vigilant, creative, intuitive, and flexible in approaching the challenges of terrorism. Future attacks will happen. We have to take out the miscreants. I just hope that this can be achieved without destroying our national character and beliefs and done within legal boundaries. Yes, I know. . .the other guy isn't playing fair. But I don't want our people to be like them; I want ours to better than them.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
OBAMA INAUGURAL SPEECH
I am probably violating some copyright law, but I wanted to record my favorite part of President Obama's (doesn't that sound nice?) inaugural speech:
"With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. [emphasis mine] To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
"With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. [emphasis mine] To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."
Monday, January 19, 2009
MY BOYS
Aren't they the cutest? This is just after the eldest one finished performing in his fifth show of the ballet Nutcracker and we were about to make the long walk across town to catch the last bus back to our home.
WYETH
I love art, especially painting and sculpture. I enjoy almost all of it, though I tend to like realist painters and sculpters the most, and one of the greatest American realists died this weekend. He was one of my favorites. I will mourn the passing of Andrew Wyeth, but what a collection he left behind. Art critics may squabble, but I think he will be remembered as one of this country's greatest.
Some say his work was drab and boring, and I can understand their criticisms. I doubt anyone ever used browns the way he did, though, to show the world he came from. He was great at showing the wear on people's faces. His best-known painting, Christina's World, wonderfully captures just about everything one needs to know about his style (if you were allowed only one painting in which to judge a master's style). For me, the picture just brings a smile to my face, as I wonder about how this woman felt as she looks over the wide expanse (with homestead). You see her from behind, but you get the sense that she has mixed emotions---a love and feeling of comfort, but a sense of longing too, perhaps.
But Wyeth painting hundreds. How can one not love the delicate window drapes fluttering in the breeze in Wind From the Sea? Or not want to cuddle with the white dog laying on a white bedspread in Master Bedroom? And all those Helga portraits. . .scandalous and beautiful. His landscapes flow---they aren't jagged or majestic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnj_MBfSZKs
Some say his work was drab and boring, and I can understand their criticisms. I doubt anyone ever used browns the way he did, though, to show the world he came from. He was great at showing the wear on people's faces. His best-known painting, Christina's World, wonderfully captures just about everything one needs to know about his style (if you were allowed only one painting in which to judge a master's style). For me, the picture just brings a smile to my face, as I wonder about how this woman felt as she looks over the wide expanse (with homestead). You see her from behind, but you get the sense that she has mixed emotions---a love and feeling of comfort, but a sense of longing too, perhaps.
But Wyeth painting hundreds. How can one not love the delicate window drapes fluttering in the breeze in Wind From the Sea? Or not want to cuddle with the white dog laying on a white bedspread in Master Bedroom? And all those Helga portraits. . .scandalous and beautiful. His landscapes flow---they aren't jagged or majestic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnj_MBfSZKs
Saturday, January 17, 2009
BREAK
It was just a break in the road
gaping, defying, sneering its
refusal to allow normal traffic
smooth pavement ripped like
some old plastic seat covering
revealing wet stained stuffing.
No easy traverse was in sight,
so I turned, and went back.
gaping, defying, sneering its
refusal to allow normal traffic
smooth pavement ripped like
some old plastic seat covering
revealing wet stained stuffing.
No easy traverse was in sight,
so I turned, and went back.
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