WHAT IS A "DEEP STATE"?

WHO MAKES UP THE "SWAMP"?

I think I've talked about these two topics before, but that's the great thing about blogging; You decide what to post, not someone else! I fully realize just about everyone has heard or read dozens of definitions in regards to "The Swamp....... The Deep State"! Today, I'm not going to travel down that road. Today, I'm going to ask a simple question. Why would such organizations exist? If you have heard that approach before, feel free to go do something else. This post will not be a long, drawn-out dissertation. Short and to the point. Today that is my intent.  

Birds of a feather: 

Is there a real difference between the terms "Swamp" and " Deep State"? To Professor Nerdly, absolutely and as a matter of fact, he and others like him will attempt to make their fame and fortune addressing the topics. What about Joe? Josie Sixpack? Does Swamp and Deep State have separate meanings? Do they even care? If you ran a 30 min special on the topic, narrated by Professor Nerdly, during the College Football playoffs, I think you would have your answer. At the end of the day, to most of the US population, Deep State and Swamp are birds of the same feather. For the sake of this post, let's assume the two are the same feathers and move on to the critical question, my question.

Reality Background:

Where are international agreements discussed and worked out, the ones that are nation-state to nation-state? Obvious answer, DC. Knowing this, where do the majority of large corporations place their priority of effort; you know.................Lobbyist. Yep, DC. "Deals," the massive ones are hatched after they are incubated and manipulated in DC. If some of these "deals" are really big, then actual federal agencies kick in, and we all know what that means. The political, "What's in it for me" process swings into high gear. Try taking this "deal" process outside of DC, and you will end up in a courtroom. Trade laws, interesting who they really benefit. The world revolves around commerce, and in the US, commerce is controlled in DC. Heck, the federal government even has a department called Commerce. 

Okay, so the Center of Gravity, I love that term, is based on economics, and the Center of Gravity for Center of Gravity resides, almost exclusively, in DC.  Getting the picture yet? Let me add the next clue. The clue resides in a word I used in the above paragraph. Corporations / Industry. Let me ask you something. Who reports to whom? Politicians, almost all of them, require huge sums of money to run for office. Industry, well, they need the government in power's support for striking deals. To the two of them, it's a match made in Heaven. " I give you money, you give me permissions and contracts. Again,  let me toss a word in here; Lobbyist! In reality, a fourth branch of the US's government. Don't buy it? Let me give you an example, and it's a huge one at that. The Military-Industrial Complex. September 11th takes place, and the US initiates the " Global War on Terrorism." Was it the right thing to do? You bet it was. Did the US conduct the operation most efficiently? Not even close. Why? What happened about two years after 9-11? My opinion, and it's an ugly statement, Industry realized the amount of money that could be made off of the GWOT! Nearly 19 years later and industry is still churning out the latest, greatest gadgets for DoD, DHS, and just about every company that is told they could be a target. " You need this, or you will not be in compliance with DHS standards"! I use to have teams of people who's job was to asses if state, federal, and private institutions were in compliance. A HUGE self-licking ice cream cone? You bet it is. Where does all of this coordination take place? DC? Yep. Did we attack our enemies with the intent to neutralize their ability to do us harm anytime soon? Did we destroy the nations that supported them to send the world a message, " don't F..K with us"? At first, the first three years or so, we tried. But, even then, the gravity of those who saw longterm contracts became too powerfull to pull away from. Nation-State building, spreading Democracy, these became the drumbeats of DC, both parties. Feathers..remember.........feathers! "This will take a long time." Remember that line? The man who made that statement did so based on validated intelligence. The problem became, those words became music to the ears of those who were making money, huge money, from this new honey hole.........GWAT. 

Swamp Mentality: 

By design,  DC is the seat of the US government. By desire, DC has become the center of economic and fiscal events. As time has marched on, reality has become very apparent. Those who get inside the DC Center of Gravity have no intention of leaving. Industry has shaped its own environment. If DC is where the decisions are made, and industry needs decessions to go their way, then membership in the DC club must be controlled. Those that approve "deals" intend on keeping that approval process. The "Swamp and the tools of the Swamp, the Deep State, have closed the doors to reality. The Beltway Bandits, a nickname I've used for years, have created their own nation-state. The Nation of DC. The very land they work from and live on is controlled by the federal government. Sealed off and supported by those that require federal spending, the Swamp has become a distant land to those who have been cast as members of "flyover country." 

The Attack:

Is President Trump sometimes Irrational, hotheaded, attention-deficit disordered, vindictive, and even unpolished?  Yep. Are these new traits of US Presidents? Do you know US history? Of all the caveats the Left and the Swamp can place on Trump, there has been one they hate the most. Flyover country put him in the White House, legally! Was Trump and "outsider"? Yes, that's why flyover America voted for him? Ask yourself, "why did flyover country vote for an outsider"? Answer, because they were sick of the nation-state of DC. A Nation-state where all sides have the same feathers. To the Nation-State of DC, Trump was an attack. He was the enemy force leader sent to dismantle the gates of the Nation-State of DC. Not only was he a threat to the political, "forever" party......you know.......................the ones that get there and stay there, he was even questioning the industrial legacy of DC. " Show me you are competitive or you are gone." That's how the GWOT industry must have interpreted Trump's arrival. 

Preemptive Attack:  

What do you do when you believe you are about to be attacked? Well, if you know what you are doing, and the Swamp does, you don't wait for the attack. You attack first. Russia Gate, mental health, sexual harassment,  Ukraine. Who came up with these issues? Where did these stories initiate? Inside the Nation-State of DC, that's where. Did the Swamp fear Trump's changes to the game? You bet, or did they genuinely believe he was the original President to speak to other nations about what he needed? Hint...think.........JFK, Nixon, Regan, Clinton, and so on and so on. Who would have known the dark side of White House actions? Who would have known such events were off the radar of the American people, but necessary to keep keep the beer and chips flowing in the US? You bet, the Swamp did. But, if you need tools to preempt the pending attack of your enemy, then you expose issues that have been taking place since the time of the Pharaohs. 

Look, folks; a vast, centrally controlled, federal government, a government that dictates the day to day lives of those who serve under it, not the other way around, is the concept of what political philosophy? Yep, the progressive left, socialist. You work, you send your money to that government in the form of taxes, and that government will provide for you, but at a level, the collective decides is required. What type of government did the founders of this US fear? The nation-state of DC, the Swamp's, goal is to control any and all events that impact the lives of those who live in the nation. If Trump was seen as the "outsider" who was going to change that course, to what lengths do you think DC would go to in order to prevent his actions? Not groomed in the camp of two feathers. Not part of the DC "Team." Even worse, one of those who spent money shaping DC. One who knows where the skeletons are buried. Just how dangerous is Trump to the Swamp? Dangerous enough to bend the articles of Impeachment, that's how dangerous.

Critical Error:

The nation-state of DC truly believes with the help of the left-leaning MSM, the representative of flyover country will be tossed out of the club. Worse, the Swamp believes they will send a message to the supporters of their enemy, " Don't try this again." Let me see if I have my US history correct. The US is a Republic, right? I wonder if anyone in the Swamp truly understands what that means? 

HOW TO TAKE DOWN THE TERRORIST CARTELS 

A NEW LOOK TO AN OLD IDEA

In my last post, I addressed the issue of " 2nd and 3rd Oder Effects" of the President's designation commitment on the terrorist cartels. I also touched on " The Law of Unintended Consequences." Now, it's time to move past the "what if" and, " It's not the right thing to do" counter-arguments, and get into the nuts and bolts of how to make this designation actually work. It's time for action!

Step One:

This is the short and sweet part of this discussion. Identify the terrorist cartels for what they are. These groups, all of them, are Enemy Combatants! Yep, part of the terrorist designation process, but the word "enemy" has still not been used. Forget the Georgetown University or thinktank opinions for hire. The cartels and ALL of their members are Enemy Combatants of the United States; period. Put that word out there. Let everyone single one of them hear those words spoken by the President and every other federal agency that bothers to address the crisis. Let AMLO, a person who is a growing concern if anyone in DC is paying. attention, hear that definition. Let him respond. Let him disagree. Force him to choose sides. Step one; identify your enemy! 

Step Two: 

Okay. I fully realize I'm about to run smack dab into two basic reactions to what I am going to say. 

1. " OH...here goes Col Dan........... the military is the answer"! 2. " Nothing new here. We've tried that 'theory' in Central and South America and look what it got us"? As one of my superiors, long ago said to me, "noted"! Now, let me press on with my "step two." 

Full Spectrum Operations, or more commonly known in the military as FSO. There................... I said it. I'll pause while some of you spin around in your chairs for a few seconds. If you are finished, let me make my point. Full Spectrum Operations. It's the baseline behind Joint Publican 3-03 / "Joint Interdiction." Is it a military concept? Yes. Does that mean I'm advocating a military operation against the terrorist cartels? No. Are you confused? Let me see if I can clear the air. 

If I had to explain the concept of Full Spectrum Operations to a civilian, and I have, I would start the conversation along this line of thought. Any doctrine designed for the US Military has a requirement to be flexible, and by flexible, I mean it must have the ability to conform to the task at hand. If that task requires the incorporation of civilian agencies as the "lead," then that is precisely how that doctrine will read. Civilians in the "lead"? It's been done over and over again. When I was the Director of Joint Operations in Texas, this modification was the requirement. In the world of DoD's support to civilians, once known as Defense Support to Civilian Authority, civilian agency lead is the norm. 

Okay, if we are getting past the panic of thinking the military is going to classify the terrorist cartels as the "enemy," and military-style doctrine is going to be the "go-to" for dealing with these terrorist. We are ready for me to explain the modifications that will need to take place. By the way, remember when I started FSO, is the baseline of Joint Pub 3-03? Remember what the title of that joint publication is? Yep, "JOINT INTERDICTION." Has the US truly been attempting to interdict the Center of Gravity for the terrorist cartels? I know, another darn, military term, "Center of Gravity." Sorry. Look it up. You may like what you read. In my opinion, the US has played around the edges, all the while attempting to not upset our number one trade partner. We have suffered through uncoordinated, federal agency actions, with each worrying about their own rice bowl.  Folks, this terrorist movement is gaining power by the hour. Even the smallest of groups, Cells, are becoming more emboldened with each event they create. Way off course, I know.

FSO Modification:

If we assume the agreed-upon approach in interdicting terrorist cartel operations is going to be based upon the doctrine of FSO, then critical players in the task will need to be educated on just how the FSO process works. Here is the excellent news, here is where the President's designation decision makes perfect sense. Since 9-11, the number of federal and private agencies, namely Non-Governmental Organizations / NGOs / and allies involved in the "War on Terrorism" has been key to the global response.  What does that mean to this topic? Simple, the understanding of how to execute FSO by all required parties has been taking place for nearly twenty years. What US federal agencies have been involved in Iraq and Afganistan? It's hard to name one that's not been tasked in one way or another. The process of "Joint Planning,  In the Global War on Terrorism, the "Joint" concept is nearly the norm. Do rice bowls still exist? Always. As long as there is the concept of budget battles, rice bowl issues will impact the fight. It takes strong leadership and dedication to duty to keep those fights from crippling the planning and operations process. For twenty years, those rice bowl fights have not prevented the free nations of the world from taking the fight to the enemy. Yep............enemy! 

Declaring FSO as the foundation of interdicting the cartels starts the process. After that, agencies and institutions will fold into the same planning process, they've been operating under for two decades. Folks, this is not "Reinventing the Wheel." Dealing a crippling blow to the terrorist cartels is the vision the President of the United States has set out for agencies to follow. The panic over his statement is utterly unfounded. To be honest, the resistance to the President's designation is nothing more than typical party politics. If we take the tools the world has spent twenty years developing for the Global War on Terrorism, it will not deplete from that war. Yes, that's another argument that's out there, mostly supported by those who have made BILLIONS off of that war. Yep, back to the rice bowl issue. It's hard to get away from. We know how to plan in an FSO environment. We know how to operate in a joint environment. We know how to interdict any enemy out there. It's time to use this doctrinal concept to form the base of our next global war. This next global war is a war  to stop a terrorist movement that is leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people across the world. It's a war to save the nation of Mexico, our number one trading partner. It's a war to save the good people of Mexico, the US's neighbor. It's a war to prevent a much larger disaster, one larger than any action Islamic radicals can create on US soil. I'm speaking of the millions, perhaps tens of millions of good people fleeing a Civil War-torn Mexico. A Civil War that is coming if the terrorist cartels are not "interdicted." Where will those tens of millions of people head? You know the answer. Full Spectrum Operations. We know how to do execute this doctrine. We have the resources. We must now have the leadership, dedication, and, most importantly, unity to execute this plan against the enemy. 

PRESIDENT TRUMP MOVES ON THE CARTELS

NOW WHAT? 

If you haven't heard by now, President Trump made the statement he is going to designate the Mexican drug cartels as, "Terrorist Organizations". First off; wow, just making the statement both shocked and even stunned those of us who have pushed for this event. As I sat to pondered what this would mean, I came across dozens of social media post on the topic. 90 percent of the people who commented, were completely in favor of the President's announcement. That other 10 percent? Well, it seems most of those post had a common theme. Not only did they have a theme, they seemed to come from the same school of thought; the school of those addicted to the Islamic Terrorism dollars! ' This decision will pull precious resources from the operations against Islamic terrorist groups’, or something along those lines. If that’s not bad enough, for months the additional argument has been, ‘the cartels do not fit the recognized framework of a true terrorist organization’! I’ve listened to mindless statements on the issue of insurgencies that are not based upon a deliberate change to governmental operations. To hear all these “experts” tell the story, the cartels are nothing more than ruthless drug dealers and common thugs! Look, I’m not traveling back down the road of explaining why these opinions are completely out of touch. I’ve debunked the, “they are not terrorist”, argument repeatedly. What I do wish to accomplish is to move on. I want to get to the assumption the designation will take place. I want to look at what this means to Mexico and the cartels. Yes folks, I’m pushing ahead and leaving these so called, “experts” in the rearview mirror.

What does this designation mean:

Let’s play one of my favorite games, one I’ve come back to over and over again. Let’s play “The Law of Unintended consequences”. After that, we will jump right into another all time favorite, “2^nd and 3^rd Order Effects”. Now, in both of these games, we have two contestants, the US and Mexico. Both may be involved in the same game, but both have very different perspectives and as such, both will have dramatically different goals. Now for the real bad news. In the end, both contestants could impact each other in ways most simply have no way of predicting. All right. Let’s get down to it! By the way. Trump just took another action that may push this “designation” issue off the table. Hint….. Think Hong Kong!

Initial reaction:

When this comment was made by President Trump, was he in a scheduled White House Press Conference? Nope. Was he releasing a statement that had thousands of hours spent on deliberate planning? I doubt it. Did he give a heads up to the rest of his “Team”? Don’t hold your breath on that one. So then, what did he do? Simple; he did what he always does, he spoke his mind. I know, that’s the one thing the MSM and the Left can’t stand about him. Trump’s ability to punch an issue right between the eyes and then look at you with that, “ how do you like that”, look, that’s what drives the left insane.

Side Note. Its obvious President Trump gave Mr. AMLO the “heads up”. It’s the only reason AMLO and his staff made the comments they did, the day before Trumps interview.

Now that we have come to terms with how this event happened, let’s push to the good stuff. Let’s talk about the reactions.

Mexico:

The phone rings and Mr. AMLO is told by his SEDENA reps at NORTHCOM, the rumors his government have heard are true. The President of the US is actually looking to designate the cartels as terrorist organizations. The “We hate Trump Team” in DC has informed their fellow leftist in Mexico City, Trump is pushing the issue. So, realty check. It was not a surprise when the interview took place. Again, why else would Mr. AMLO and his staff have addressed the potential designation issue the day before? Sorry Bill. The cat was out of the bag before your, “you heard it hear” episode took place.

Did the reality of Mexico City knowing before the announcement have any real impact? Oh, you bet it did. Here is a fairly well-known fact. The US “ IC” see the financial accounts of people who would never suspect their accounts are being “watched”. With the pending designation, the theory of money being moved at a furious rate is a given. Did those who control the funds of the drug world take advantage of the typical DC leaks? You bet they did. Did the US see that action taking place? You bet they did. Did this money movement involve institutions and individuals that will not be disclosed? Absolutely. Folks, this is a 60 BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR BUSINESS. Just how far do you think that money spreads in this world?  My fist assumption? The word got out and the money moved faster than the lips in DC.

That statement I made about individuals not being disclosed, well, that covers a large percentage of the Mexican government. So, what was the real panic about in Mexico City? The “Gringos” getting ready to play Clear and Present Danger on Mexican land? Nope. The initial panic came from the knowledge that accounts and who owns them, supports them, would come under brand new rules, rules on a global scale. Anger? Yes, there was anger, but not for the reason you would think. Pride is free, but dope, well, that makes you Billions!

The US:

Did you see how wild the MSM in the US went after the big announcement? You didn’t? Ya, me neither. As soon as my messenger started to blow up with the  euphoria from those who have been fighting to make this designation a reality, I began to watch CNN and MSNBC. What did I find? I found the same thing you found. Nothing. The first story that showed up, that I could find, was on BBC, and that was this morning. This is where I will admit I missed the boat. After I learned of the President’s statement, my first inclination was, “ the MSM and then the Democrats are going to come unglued”. “ Trump is threatening to invade Mexico! Trump is going to attack the US’s number one trading partner. TRUMP……TRUMP………TRUMP”!!! Nope. Nothing, not a peep, at least that I could find. Perplexed? You bet I was. Missing the opportunity for painting a picture of Trump being off his rocker once again simply passed on by. Why? It took me a while, but then I figured it out. Nothing, and I mean nothing gets in the way of the Impeachment frenzy! The hell with what the President said today. The Ukrainian event was finally going to achieve the goal, finish the Coup against the President the Left hates more than ISIS or any other organization in the world. Some crazy statement about Mexico and drugs, well, they were not going to be distracted by that minor detail. Yep, it seemed the US simply ignored Trumps Mexico invasion plans! Now, here we go. It’stime for, The law of Unintended Consequences, Mexico’s phase.

The US President makes the statement he will designate the Mexican drug cartels as terrorist. Mexico City get’s the tip and then waits to see how DC reacts to the US President’s statement. Does Mexico City comprehend the status of President Trump inside DC? You bet. Just how much of that 60 BILLION is spent in DC? You don’t want to know. Inside Mexico City, the government looks at this event as a stunt, a camping ploy, just another of Trump’s irrational comments, one of thousands. Shot answer. Mr. AMLO and his staff don’t take the whole thing very serious, and that is where the primary law of unintended consequences event takes place. Problem. Mexico City doesn’t worry about what DC does in response to Trump’s statement. They worry about their Bosses, the cartel bosses! What have you heard me say a thousand times in the past? The US’s number one trade partner is controlled by the cartels? Don’t believe it? Prove me wrong. Trump makes a comment about changing the whole world of the drug cartels and Mexico City’s primary concern becomes,howdo the cartels react?

In President’s Trumps statement, he made the comment the concept of designation had been working for 90 days. Interesting. Do I doubt that? No. Do I think some very smart people worked up very detailed COA / Courses of Action/ that included possible reactions and consequences of such a move? You bet your life they did. Was the issue of the cartels being moved into the official world of terrorism the primary talking point in the White House? Nope, and how could it be with a Coup in full swing? Bottomline. The concept of designation may have been reviewed, but did that mean the nation was ready to make a statement to the world? Was the US prepared to put into motion a very complex, highly integrated operation to make this designation a realty? No, at least my opinion is no. Has anyone heard the story of Space Command? Just a thought. Here is another slice of that law we are talking about. It doesn’t matter if the US was ready for the designation. What matters is what the perception was of the cartels. They have all undoubtedly seen, Clear and Present Danger. They all can quote the most famous line…… you know………………” Variable …………..This is Knife”. Look, the cartels heard the news, perhaps before AMLO did, hell, it may have been the cartels that told AMLO. As soon as they heard, they had one of two choices. 1. Ignore the statement given who gave it. 2. Panic and start changing everything they do. Who knows what they did? The US IC does, that’s who. Determining trends, patterns of life, these are the things the US IC leads the world in analyzing. Trump speaks……………….cell phones light up………………point A is talking to point B. Was the IC ready for this event? I would say yes. Here comes yet another phase of the Law. The IC tracks the event, analyze the event and then reports it’s findings. Then what? Did anyone pay attention to what they may have come up with? Can I give you about a thousand examples of that part of the process falling apart? Bottom line. Trump spoke and the cartels reacted, but did anyone in DC pay attention? Coups and finger pointing, that’s DC right now.

The Mexican People:

Did President Trump’s statement play large inside of Mexico, other than Mexico City and the cartels? You bet. Here is a little-known fact and it’s one I learned fist hand. The Mexican Military is only worried about one thing; the invasion of the US. Illogical you might say? Do you know the history of the US and Mexico? Have you ever heard of a guy by the name of Blackjack Pershing? If your answer is no, look him up. Google his name and Mexico. That will be your first clue. How did the Mexican Military take the statement from the US President? Did they get insider information before the statement? Yes. Why do you think they have reps at NORTHCOM? Were they told, “Don’t worry about it. It will never happen and if it does, it won’t change anything”. My bet is, that is exactly what they were told. At the end of yesterday, the most important message to the Mexican Military was, “don’t overreact”. Here is my question. Can a simple promise from a group of staff officers or even a General wash away over 100 years of paranoia? The IC knows……….hint! By the way. Incase you may have overlooked the obvious, the cartels tentacles reach deep into the Mexican Military. Once again, how did that realty impact the perceptions in Mexico?

I started this section with the title, The Mexican People, so, let me get back to that part of this law analysis. Reminder. The “law” I am referring to is the Law of Unintended Consequences. I like giving gentle reminders. The news in Mexico spread the word of the US President’s statement with amazing speed. Not as fast as social media, but still fast. By the time I asked a friend on Twitter what the people in Mexico were talking about, the perception / law / was already going into effect. Here words to me were, “people are already worried about what the US might do”. An unintended consequence of the designation? Yep. Was this something those planners thought about in that 90 day discussion? Perhaps. Has there been a noticeable shift in the perceptions of the Mexican people towards the US? You guessed it……………… The IC!

When you are a hard working citizen of Mexico and you wake up in the morning, you worry about a lot of things, the corrupt police, the cartel thugs, crooked politicians at the local, state and federal level. You worry about how all of these realities will impact your life that day, just that one day. Now, now the US is saying terrorist groups run wild in Mexico; terrorist groups that pose a danger to the US. How does that add to your day? Just how many bricks can someone stack on the backs of the people who truly hold Mexico together…. The working stiff! Yep……………the Law!

The Scenario:

Let’s move on. Let’s get passed the law phase and dive into the 2^nd and 3^rd order effects issues. I won’t go too deep here because I want to do a follow up post on the real scenarios that might take place. As a teaser of where I will go with those scenarios, think about this. What if the effect of the US President’s statement is the cartels lash out at the US? What if they decide the US has no staying power? What if they convince themselves, just like in the Middle East, the US is averse to spilling blood on Mexican ground?  Simply put, what if the effect of this designation is a violent response by the cartels? Did you see Clear and Present Danger? I know. I already asked that question, but you get my point.  Folks, the cartels are terrorist. They control land and commerce in Mexico for the purpose of gaining power and controlling the environment they live in. I don’t give a hoot what the Think Tank “experts” say, those are the goals of every terrorist group and they achieve those goals by terrorizing the people into allowing them to operate the way they want to. Should they be designated? Absolutely. Should the US find new and more imaginative ways to truly deal with the cartel terrorist? If they don’t, then this issue is going to get much, much worse.  If the designation plan was not ready for primetime when the President made his statement yesterday, the planners better burn the midnight oil and get ready. Those unintended consequences and effects are coming and perhaps soon.

QUID PRO QUO

A PROCESS AS OLD AS GOVERNMENT ITSELF.

"Quid Pro Quo........Quid Pro Quo...Quid Pro Quo". The phrase that seems to have the progressive's dancing in the streets. In the US, I realize public education has been molded into a left-leaning, indoctrination program for decades, but I just have to ask a question. Does anyone in the foaming at the mouth left truly comprehend the history of the phrase? " A favor for a favor------tit for tat----you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours." In a very simplified version of the accusations, this time around, made against President Trump, here is what I'm hearing. " President Trump attempted to pressure the leadership of Ukraine into finding 'dirt' on Joe Biden's Son for the purpose of damaging his political rival in the pending elections"! If true, outrageous, right? Why; it's downright criminal. We must toss Trump out immediately and everyone that worked with him on this heinous crime. You know...................BURN THE WITCH! Not so fast, my frantic little Socialist. Let's take a little history class and not the one where you learned that White Males are responsible for everything wrong in the world. Let me give you a tutorial on the concept of "Quid Pro Quo." 

Abraham Lincoln. 

The Savior of the Union, right? The guy who freed the Slaves, right? The guy who knew he had a tough opponent in the form of Stephen Douglas. The guy who in 1858 gave a campaign speech openly stating he was opposed to giving the "Black Race" the right to vote! Why? Because he was reacting to the threat of Stephen Douglas, that's why. Oh, by the way, Lincoln really didn't believe, at that time, that the "Black Race" should have the right to vote!.  Quid Pro Quo?" I will give the powerful voting block that opposes emancipation what they want, a leading Candidate who thinks like them. I will decrease the threat of Stephen Douglas getting the nomination". Ya give something to get something. Quid Pro quo! 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt:

Now, here was a guy who put the P in Progressive. By the way, did you know he was married to his cousin, 5th once removed, but still......his cousin. " Keep it in the family." That was the Roosevelt motto, the very snobbish, elitist Roosevelts. Oh, that cousin FDR married; when she was young, she made it known she was not found of Jewish people. History, such a delicate flower. Okay, back on point. FDR had no inclination to get involved in WWII. The US was trying to pull out of the worst depression in its history, and selling iron and other items to both sides of the pending war was good for jobs and jobs equated into votes! Along comes this guy by the name of Winston Churchill. Was Mr. Churchill, an ideological brother with FDR? Not even close.  What Mr. Churchill needed was for FDR to provide badly needed supplies to England, but there was a problem, FDR was selling to everyone who called. Was that in the best interest of England? Was the US, FDR, selling goods that would make the horrors of WWII even worse? Yes. Did the US sell to Germany? Yes.  So, what was the deal that was agreed upon? Answer; England would not openly, at first, pressure the US to enter the war FDR wanted to avoid, and in exchange, the US would increase the delivery of support to England, yet not stop, at least not early one, sales to the "other side." End result. More jobs....more votes! How many died in WWII? Quid Pro Quo! 

John F Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George  H Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump. 

 You might ask, "what's this list all about"?  Let me give you a hint. Think about Central and South America. Think about the issue of Military Juntas in this part of the world. Did each of these guys quietly and sometimes not so quietly, support ruthless, corrupt leaders all in the name of keeping the "Commies" out of the region? By the way, my list should have gone back to 1823 with the signing of the Monroe Doctrine by then, President Monroe. If you don't know much about the Monroe Doctrine, just ask anyone who has grown up in that part of the world. They had to learn all about the impact of this US statement to the world. What was the Quid Pro Quo, you might ask? Easy, and it's an easy answer for every single President I've listed. " You keep the Commies out, and you can rule as you see fit." Sound over-simplistic? You really don't know the region, do you? Dwight Eisenhower and Harry Truman should most likely be on the list, but my Dad really liked them and so I better not. I Don't know if they read my blog in Heaven, but I'm playing it safe:). If you haven't had enough on the history of Quid Pro Quo, let me give you one last example, an example that predates US history.  

 Brutus and Caesar: 

Ceasar was a Tyrannical ruler of the Roman Empire, or so history states. The Roman Senate, an even more corrupt slice of  Roman government, decided it was time for Caesar to go. Who did they turn to? Why, Caesar's own nephew, Brutus. Brutus was the key to making a move on the tyrannical Caesar, and when the time was right, Caeser slept with the fishes. Was there something in the "deal" for the nephew? Did the members of the corrupt Senate have a Quid Pro Quo with Brutis? What do you think? 

The Reality of Politics: 

President Trump wanted to know if those before him were "dirty" with Ukraine? Ukraine had been desperate to keep it's newly developed friendship, Democracy, my a!!.  with the US and the EU. " We will give you the kind of arms you need to fight the Russian, "little Green men," look it up. In exchange, family members of those in power in DC would make good money from business deals struck with the Ukranian government. Was that the first time this had taken place? Seriously, let's move on. 

Javelin missiles. That was the trade material the Obama Team used. Javelins were critical to the Ukranian military because the Russian forces, I mean.....Little Green Men, were taking over slices of Eastern Ukraine. Did Team Obama offer these Javelins for the sake of saving the "fledgling Democracy" in the Ukraine? Sure, if you say so. Would you also believe that the Obama Team hated Putin and hated everything Nationalists stand for? You better. Was all of this love for Democracy wrapped around future business deals, deals that included political elites from DC families? Absolutely.  

In walks Trump. " Mr. President. It seems Joe Biden is going to be the man to beat in 2020". Trump, " Is that so? Okay, isn't his son in on those backdoor business deals in the Ukraine I was briefed on"? By the way, in the early days of Trump's term, the issue over Ukraine had to have been in the daily extremely classified briefings. Is that where Trump learned of the dirty little deals taking place? You bet. " Okay, let's find out what the Ukrainians know, and if they act like they don't know anything, tell them good luck getting those Javelins"! WHAT..... OUTRAGEOUS! We MUST impeach the President as soon as possible. We must take this issue and convince the public that the President has committed a crime. We must make sure we don't have to run against him in 2020, and most of all, we can't let him expose our dirty little business deals". Does this sound too melodramatic? Have you ever been to DC? It's the greatest show on earth. 

Golden Rules:

I know I have mentioned this before, but I can't remember when, so, here it goes again. What are the two golden rules of US politics? Give up? Well, here, ya go. 1. Get into office any way you can. 2. Stay there as long as you can. Okay, so there is a 3rd rule. 3. Do whatever it takes to stay in power or get power back. 

If President Trump's actions are truly Quid Pro Quo, can someone please tell me why this concept is just now coming to the surface? Are the Democrats just looking out for the "little guy / the common working Joe"?  How long as Quid Pro Quo been going on? Julius Caesar died at the hands of his own Senate in a Quid Pro Quo with his nephew. I wonder if  Congressman Schiff owns a Toga? 

  

 LEBANON, IRAQ, SYRIA, AND NOW, THE HOMELAND.

JUST HOW BAD ARE THINGS GETTING FOR THE MULLAHS? 

Back to the topic of the Middle East. Back to the issue of Tehran and the Mullahs. Back to the events that could bring on yet another crisis in the region. Have I addressed the subject of the old men in Tehran trying to hold on to power? Would you believe perhaps two dozen times or more? Go back and search my this blog site from the past 8 yrs and look at how many times this topic has been covered. Besides sounding like Chicken Little over the past several years, are there any true indications the Mullah's days are numbered?  How many times have I opened this conversation? Anyway, let me make my point again!  

Best delivery is a simple one: 

Here it comes. Here comes one of my favorite ways to defend my theories. "KISS," Keep It Simple Stupid! Believe me, it's a process that has worked well for a guy like me:). Here we go. Here is the down and dirty, KISS, explanation as to why the Mullahs are really in trouble this time; no really, they are in trouble. 

1. Lebanon: 

     A. Protest by the youth and the Middle Class. Bad....bad for the Mullahs!

     B. Shia youth and Middle Class no longer want to follow or, more accurately, tolerate Hezbollah.              Bad....bad for Hezbollah. 

     C. Lebanese Banks. If the government has run out of money for Hezbollah to steal, then what? 

     D. Lebanese Amry Chief disappears and then reappears? Rumor. Hezbollah locked him up to                     warn him against letting the Lebanese military, a military the US supports, prevent Hezbollah            from cracking down on the protest. 

Conclusion: The Mullah's fear of losing control of Lebanon grows by the day, and it's a fear that, in their minds, is generated by the US and "others." 

2. Iraq: 

     A. The protest is more violent, at least from the perspective of the Mullah controlled forces in                  Iraq. 

     B. The fear of losing control of Iraq is even higher than the fear of losing Lebanon. Borders. It's              all about borders and proximity. 

     C. Shia vs. Sunni issues, issues that never went away, bring the fuel to the fire. By the way, don't              think for a minute a whole lot of people in Iraq don't see the " Persian, Arab" twist to this                    issue.    

Conclusion:   As if the events in Lebanon weren't enough to worry about, those darn Americans and "others" are pushing in Iraq as well. 

3. Syria: 

     A. Who is calling the shots for the future of Syria? Tehran? Nope! Does that infuriate the old                     men in Tehran? You have no idea. 

     B.  The Turks. Are they "working" with Tehran to shape Syria's future? The Sultan is a supporter               of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Sultan is Sunni. The Sultan sees himself as the ruler of the                 new Ottoman Empire. The Sultan sees himself and his Empire as the future leaders of the                     Muslim world. Does any of this fit the wishes or dreams of the Mullahs? Does Turkey care                  what vision Tehran has for Syria? Of course not. 

     C. The Kurds. Good grief. Of all the things the old men in Tehran don't want to add to the list of              worries, it's the Kurds. Can the Mullahs manipulate the Kurds? How could they when they                  have so many competitors offering the Kurds such great deals? 

Conclusion:  When it comes to Syria, about the only thing the Mullahs have going for them is the fact the people of Syria aren't burning the place down over the actions of Tehran...... not yet!!

4. Iran: 

     A. If ever there was an example of, "last but not least," it would be right here. 

     B. Protest, violent protest, the most violent in years. Day four, and that is what I have always said, was the "Witching Hour" of protest; 96 hours! 

     C. As rumors go, this one is a BIG ONE! Rumor. IRGC commanders, two, were killed by their                 troops for being ordered to use snipers on civilians. Is there a factual base for this rumor?                     Remember, it today's world, it doesn't matter. Social Media shapes reality through perception.             Who did this rumor impact the most? You bet............ the Mullahs. If it's not true, who started                this rumor? Who helped the people that started this rumor? You know the answer from                        Tehran. "The" United States.......that's who.................oh                                                                          ya..................and......................"others." 

The Bogeyman: 

The Bogeyman. Not a cultural icon in other parts of the world, but the concept is one that applies to this conversation. From the Mullah's perspective, who is responsible for all these nightmares coming together at one time? Yep. "The" Donald Trump! Now, I am here to tell you, if, at the end of the day, the old men in Tehran decide to take the money and run, you can bet every expert in DC and just about everywhere else in the world, will jump up and tell you how it happened. Conversely; if the Mullahs decide to go down in a ball of fire, if they choose to take the region into a real war, you can bet the MSM and all the " I HATE TRUMP" folks will put the blame on his shoulders as soon as the first round is fired. 

Here is the reality of this whole conversation; it's decision time for Tehran. Kill too many protestors, and the world comes down on them like they've not seen before. Not even Moscow or the Sultan will stick up for them if they start to kill in mass numbers in three different countries simultaneously. 

Kill too many in their own country, and the mullahs may very well find their own military fractionating beyond control. Look at Syria in 2011. Yep folks. The old men in Tehran are in the worst position in over forty years. Why? "The Donald," that's why! Will he get any credit? Are you kidding me? The mullahs are in a real, real bad way, and they have two options. 

1. " Take the money and Run." Great song and something I will guarantee you the old men are thinking about.   

2. Ever hear of Edwin Starr? How about his song, "War---what is it good for"? It's the classic escape valve for governments in trouble. Start a war, and thus, create a huge distraction that might just prevent government downfall. What option is Tehran going to take? By the way, the theory of "just let it burn itself out," doesn't apply here. Sorry, Tehran. This set of crisis is not going away, even if the Coup against Trump succeeds. The ultimate reality is this. If rumors of discontent in the IRGC are correct, then the war option is going to be very difficult to sell. I've said this before. What is a leader without troops who will follow, and that applies to both the Mullahs and the IRGC generals? My advise. Listen to the Steve Miller Band! 

NEUTRALIZING  HEZBOLLAH

   

Is Hezbollah the number one terrorist organization in the world? In my opinion, yes. Why is that statement most likely true? Simple, it has the most obvious nation-state support of any terrorist group. Hezbollah is the primary proxy weapon of Tehran; just ask the Mullahs. Is it in everyone's interest if this proxy unit goes away? Well, it's not in the interest of the Mullahs or the drug cartels. Wait, you say. Say what? Drug cartels, like the ones in Mexico? You bet, and if that's new news to you, then you need to pay real attention to the rest of this post. Have I talked about the nexus between Hezbollah and their fellow terrorists, the drug cartels? I can't count how many times. Why would these two unlikely groups have something in common? Great question, but one with a simple answer. Money! 

Lately, I have once again had an ongoing debate with people over the topic of designating the drug cartels as FTOs, Foreign Terrorist Organizations. If you follow me, you know this story, and it has the same old rhythm. " Drug cartels cannot be identified as FTOs because they have no ideological goal." Sometimes, I don't even respond, and other times I come back with, " you must work or make money from the Beltway Bandits"......, you know........DC! To make my point about how to dismantle the number one terrorist organization in the world, I have to go back to the issue of why the cartels and groups like Hezbollah are inseparable. By the way, if you really wanted to get down and dirty over the question of what makes an organization a terrorist group, you might find an argument Hezbollah is not a terrorist group, but merely a military branch of Tehran. Now, there is an argument that sets some people's hair on fire. Anyway, back to my point. Do the cartels inspire to change the political landscape of the area they operate in? You see, this is the trap those that argue against the FTO designation fall for. If a group demands that everyone in an area the group wishes to have complete control over, act as the group wishes, and that message is sent by killing people in that same area, then they are terrorizing the area.

Is that an "Ideology"? Does that cartel require a leader who has read the history of social struggle? Does that cartel need a belief in some spiritual vision? Is Class Envy the issue that drives the cartels? No. Money and power that drives the cartels and those two goals have been the focus of every "movement" since the time of the Pharaohs. Ideological issues have been nothing more than a tool, a smokescreen for movements. Do you think I'm wrong? Name me one movement, one system of government that has not had the goals of power and wealth? Cartels are driven by a lust for wealth and the ability to take and keep that wealth. Hezbollah is driven by what? "I demand that everyone become radical Shia"? If you believe that, honestly believe that, then try telling the members of Hezbollah they are no longer going to be paid. Try telling Nasrallah he has to live off of 500 calories a day like the rest of the people in Lebanon. Have you looked at him? A lot of people that he controls are undernourished. He's not one of them. How do the Mullahs in Tehran keep Hezbollah doing their bidding? Do they give them free copies of this week's Mullah inspired writings? They keep the wolves happy of Hezbollah happy by allowing them two things; power and wealth. Hezbollah is allowed to be the top dog in Lebanon, why?

One; it keeps Lebanon under Tehran's control. Two, it keeps the proxy goons content. How? Wealth and power. Go figure. Look. The idea the drug cartels are not conducting terrorist acts all over Mexico is simply an issue of denial in DC. Denial based on the economic pressures of the US's number one trade partner being controlled by drug cartels. It's a fight the so-called leadership in DC simply doesn't want to recognize, at least not until it's too late. But, what how does that reality lead to the downfall of the number one terrorist group in the world, Hezbollah? Here we go. Here is the answer. 

Hezbollah's funding crisis: 

Let's take a quick snapshot of how things are going for Hezbollah's Boss. 

Lebanon. Just yesterday,  I was talking to a good friend who was born and raised in Lebanon. He had been back home last week to check on his family. If you've not been paying attention, the stability of Lebanon has actually gotten worse. I know that's hard to do, but it's true. Now, with all that is going on there, here is a fact that is making the old men in Tehran rub the prayer beads to they shine. It seems even the Shia youth in Lebanon are sick of Hezbollah's control over their nation. Just watch the protest taking place almost daily, and you will see the demographics in the streets. It's not just college/school kids. It's the middle class. It's the people who actually leave work, miss pay, to protest the status of the nation they love. Short answer. Tehran is in real danger of losing control of Lebanon. 

Think Lebanon has Tehran worried? The events in Iraq have the Lebanese protest playing second fiddle. Things are so bad in Iraq, Tehran jumped straight to the ultimate option; killing the protestors! Not only killing them but murdering them in large numbers. When was the last time you saw that tact lead to peaceful resolution? Losing control of Iraq? That is exactly what Tehran believes, and not only do they truly fear that statement, the old men in Tehran are convinced the US and Saudi are behind the crisis. By the way, they hold the same opinion on the events in Lebanon. Bottom line; Tehran is losing control of Iraq. Young Shia and Sunni rising up. Second Arab Spring? That's a whole new conversation for some other day. 

Syria. What in the world is going on in Syria? How long have I been talking about the reality of Moscow determining the future of Syria and not Tehran or Damascus? How often have I mentioned just how upset the old men in Tehran have become over that reality? Syria. Its' future is in the hands of Moscow as the Tsar trades with the US over other more important issues. 

Now, here comes a topic that really.............really sets Tehran into a tirade. Sanctions. Sanctions the US / Trump / has placed on the old men and sanctions the old men can't seem to get the Teletubbies of the EU to ignore. Sanctions the Chinese don't care about and sanctions Moscow finds quietly amusing. Sanctions that have a critical impact on the very topic this post is attempting to address. Hezbollah needs what to keep going? Money! How has Hezbollah acquired that money in the past? Well, the answer is, through a variety of processes, but the majority of the money came, notice I said, "came," from Tehran. Yes, Hezbollah had other avenues of cash flow. In the past, the budget of Lebanon was a significant funding draw point, but that changed a few months ago when the US put the squeeze on Lebanon's banks. Side Note: It's relatively easy to list the achievements, both good and bad, Trump has accomplished in the past three years. Can anyone provide me such a comparison for the US Congress:)?  

Funding. The cash flow for Hezbollah has been drastically reduced and believe it or not,  that is a deliberate plan by DC. Tehran is out of cash, and as I have addressed in the past, that equates into not making payroll for Tehran's proxy groups. Take a look at Iraq. What the old men have been forced to do is prioritize the flow of the cash they have left. First and foremost, they have to keep the IRGC and al-Qud's forces happy. Without them, the old men sleep with the fishes at the hands of the Iranian people. The next group to get some of what is left is Hezbollah. Here comes the decisive part of this conversation. Is it enough? Can Hezbollah survive on the reduced rations from Tehran? Can they hold on to the last cash cow in the form of the Lebanese government? Lebanon is out of money, and how can you drain a bank account that is already empty? What is Hezbollah going to do? How do you keep your loyal fighters in line if you can't pay them? Ideology? That word is such a joke. 

Let's look at this crisis for Hezbollah from another angle. Who still has the kind of money Hezbollah needs to operate? Folks, in the world of law enforcement, that question is referred to as " a clue."  Is there a history of a relationship between the drug cartels and groups like Hezbollah? I will tell you the answer is an undeniable, yes, but if you don't believe me, look up a few congressional reports and see what conclusions you come to. For those of you who are research impaired, here's a little help. 

Lookup "State Sponsors of  Terrorism. An examination of Iran's Global Terrorism Network.   No. I'm not going to just give you the link. I want you to do a little of the work on your own:). 

Hezbollah controls the drug networks in Lebanon, and for the most part, those drugs come from the cartels. How much money has Hezbollah made off of this partnership? More than you can imagine. By the way, if a cartel is recognized as having a direct support relationship with a recognized terrorist organization, doesn't that put them in the same category? Don't ask DC that because they won't answer you unless they hide behind the "ideology" wall again. Hezbollah and the drug cartels; two groups who seek the same endstate...............power and wealth. Two groups that control that use violence and fear to achieve common goals. 

Break Hezbollah. Break the Cartels: 

Okay, here we are, the apex of this post. Who do you neutralize Hezbollah? Answer. You take away another critical pillar of their ability to pay their members. How do you achieve that goal? You destroy their relationship with the cartels. And how do you do that? You make it too painful for the cartels to have anything to do with their partner, Hezbollah. At the same time, you destroy the trust Hezbollah has, what little there is, with the cartels.  What would this operation look like? Okay, here I go! 

A meeting takes place somewhere in the world, and at that meeting, representatives from Hezbollah and the cartel, you pick the name, work out the next transfer of goods. The meeting ends, and that same day, those that attended the meeting wake up dead! Not only do the members who held the discussion end up dead, those charged with making the movement take place find themselves sleeping with the fishes. Now, meetings between the cartels and other clients seem to go off without a hitch. It's business as usual. After this unfortunate event takes place with Hezbollah, the cartels, and Hezbollah conclude, it was most likely just the Israelis doing the work they are known for doing. The event is not tied to any assumption something has changed with the US. Result? A follow on meeting is held. As soon as that meeting is completed, yet another group of negotiators ends up dead, along with those who were going to make the movement happen. Now, things start to get complicated. What's going on? Who is interfering with business? Is it the Israelis? Are they stepping up their game? Have they decided to interfere in a process they've not shown interest over in the past? There is still money to be made on both sides, so another meeting takes place, but this time in a different location with additional precautions. End result?

The same. Remember that scene in "Clear and Present Danger," when the drug Boss really loses his cool over his product being screwed with? Yep, that's the impact this plan would be looking for. What travels faster than STDs in the drug cartel world? Yep, rumors. By the time the third attack takes place, the rumor is throughout Mexico. " If you meet with a Hezbollah member, you end up dead within 24 hrs". Cartel folks are suspicious by nature and even more superstitious. You keep hitting the Hezbollah meetings and shipments, and you have a full-blown crisis between the two groups. 

Phase Two: 

Operation, " You meet them, you die," has a significant impact on Hezbollah's cash flow from the drug world. By the way, if "other" drug groups from other nations attempt to take up the slack, the operation simply expands!  Now, while "you meet, you die" has been cooking for a few weeks, phase two is put into motion. Rumors about who is to blame are slipped into the right hands. How many corrupt Mexican officials need to be given information before it gets back to the cartel bosses? Honestly, how many shady government officials in any nation does this next phase need to be leaked to? Reminder. We are talking about a 60 BILLION + dollar a year industry here. What information needs to be leaked? Well, it seems members of the cartel are snitching on what Hezbollah groups are making the drug deals. It's rumored that factions inside of Hezbollah are trying to take control of the drug business. With depleting funds, subgroups in Hezbollah are looking for funds. They are simply not being given by the higherups in Hezbollah's leadership. Ah, that word, "dissension"; It has such powerful ramifications. Northern Beqaa Valley vs. Southern. Do you know the history there? If you want to understand Hezbollah, you need to. 

Just about the time, rumors of who is betraying who are having an impact on the cartels and Hezbollah, a high ranking Boss of one of the cartels goes up in a cloud of car bomb smoke. Forensics, provided by the US and INTERPOL are supplied to the Mexcian government, and the findings are disturbing. It seems the fingerprint of this car bomb is identical to devices used by Hezbollah. Not only that, but US intelligence lets SEDENA liaison at NORTHCOM know, unofficially, signal intelligence showed operational units of Hezbollah in Venezuela moved into Mexico a week prior to the bomb. Yep, it looks like Hezbollah thinks the cartels are snitching, and Snitches get Stitches or car bombs! At the end of the day, the relationship between these two terrorist groups is severely degraded. Just how much of an impact does this operation have on Hezbollah's ability to make payroll? Hard to tell, but an old saying comes to mind. " A death by a thousand cuts." Hezbollah is bleeding, and its master in Tehran can't stop the flow. Just how desperate is Tehran becoming and just how loyal are the rank and file of Hezbollah going to remain? Meanwhile, back in Mexico, the cartels are still not identified as FTOs. It seems DC is just too occupied with its own destruction. 

EVO MORALES SAVED BY AMLO. ANYONE SURPRISED? 

Evo Morales, the King of Coca. Yet another socialist who determined the best way to "serve" the people required him staying in officer/power/ forever. But, it seems the people of bolivia weren't ready for a lifelong Dictator. Oh, I'm sorry, did I call the King of Coca a, "Dictator"? Just when it seemed the walls were closing in on Mr. Coca, who should come to his rescue? Yep; yet another true socialist revolutionary, you know the President of Mexico, the US's number one trading partner. My oh my, how interesting this whole story just became. 

What's old is new again:

The memories of Daniel Ortega................ the FPN.......the FSLN and the Sandinista Revolution. Don't know what I'm talking about? Look it up, folks. I am not one of those folks who put a lot of filler into my post just so some editor, overload, can tell me I met the word count requirement. Keep up or move on! Daniel and Evo. Part of a particular era for Central America and the US. Oh, the days of Oliver North and the dreaded CIA. Evo, and Daniel. Two of the guys who drove the US absolutely crazy. By the way, did you know the only reason Bolivia grows coca is because it's a heritage issue along with its use for altitude sickness? Wow.What a guy King Coca is. Looking out for the little people just like a real socialist. The Sandinista Revolution, those were the days! 

Who was on the revolution team, back in the day? Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, Bolivia, and a few others. Yep. Central America was a mess, even worse than it is today. Did that mess have help? You bet it did. You see, there was this support unit that went by the name of the KGB. I know, here we go, blaming the Communist back then for everything that went wrong in the world. I admit it's not like the US had a clear vision of what needed to take place in its own backyard, but the idea the US's absolute enemy, the USSR, would have not attempted to interfere and disrupt the US's backyard, well, that's absurd. The King of coca and his comrades drove the US crazy, and guess what, nobody in DC really forgot that fact. Side Note: Where is good old comrade Ortega today? Look it up! 

LifeLine from like-minded "friends": 

The King of coca is on the outs, pushed out by a coup, to hear him tell the story. He left so there would be no more violence, right? Wrong. He left before his military had him sleeping with the fishes, a practice in that part of the world. Now, he had his choices of where to go. Venezuela, Nicaragua, even Cuba, but to hear the story, it seems someone reached out to him first. Someone offered him a lifeline just before him, stating he needed one. Enter Mr. AMLO! 

Is the President of Mexico another campion of "Indigenous People" part of the 80's rhythm?  A devout socialist? Yes. Someone who plays the "Indigenous" card? Yes. A guy who has never had a warm fuzzy for the Gringos in the US? Yes. Oh, by the way, Mr. I love Indigenous people's Grandfather was an exile from Spain. Don't you just love history and the mix of irony? As a Professor in the mid-70s, I would be willing to bet his political views were just about in lockstep with the pending Sandinista Revolutionary movement.  I also heard he is found of baseball.

No wonder he and Hugo Chavez were buds. You know Hugo, the guy that put Venezuela on the road to kids eating from trashcans? On the topic of likeminded people. Back in 2006, AMLO decided he had been cheated out of the presidency of Mexico, no, not hanging chads. Well, he attempted to set up his own government, but unlike the Sandinista Revolution, AMLO just didn't have the backing he needed to pull it off. Where was the KGB when he needed them? He may have not won then, but when he did, he knew to invite to the party. Who was on the invite list? Yep, good old Daniel Ortega, he was a no-show, by the way, Mr. Maduro, you know his name by now I hope and one that really caught my eye; a FARC Commander. He also decided he couldn't make it. Whoops, I forgot, Evo was on the list as well. So, there you had it, the who's who of, " We hate the US." North Korea. I forgot the Little Fat Guy. 

When the invite to Evo was made public, the life-line had already been arranged. Why? They are Likeminded people, that's why! Stop. Here is where I inject one of my most consistent comments. Mexico is the  US's number one trading partner! I just thought I would drop that in there:). 

Where is this going:

Why did AMLO reach out to the King of Coca? Did the terrorist drug cartel Bosses tell him to? That would fit some people's agenda, but that's not what took place here. AMLO is what he is; a die in the wool social revolutionary. His dream of being the leader of Mexico's 4th revolution is not just a fantasy. The idea of a Bolivarian style revolution for the region may just be his quest. When he looks in the mirror, does he see Simon Bolivar? That would be comical, given his Grandfather was from Spain. AMLO may very well see himself as something more significant than just the President of Mexico. Like so many before him, even in the 80s, his hallucination might just have him thinking he is the sparkplug of a real revolt against the Gringos in DC for all of Central and South America. Providing a place to regroup from an opportunity to counter the so-called coup, that might be the logic behind AMLO's move. Even if you think my statements are the equivalent of tealeaf reading, one fact stands true. AMLO holds the socialist revolutionary spirit of those who think like him in high regard. It may not be the 80s all over again, but I think I do hear Disco music!