The U.N. has proven itself to be a failed Institution.

No one on earth likes what has happened to Syria. With 500,000+ dead and millions displaced, a reassessment of the U.N., as an institution must take place. Not all conflicts have a political/diplomatic solution.

What happens in Syria going forward no one knows, but one thing we do know: Even though Russia’s economy and military are a fraction of America’s, Russia’s willingness to use their assets to intervene in world conflicts has raised their stature among their allies and raised the fear factor among their enemies.

When the history books are written about the Syrian conflict, I can only imagine how it will treat President Obama. His half-hearted meddling in the conflict…his threats of political and military action that never materialized, only served to pro-long the war and gave the Assad regime the “go ahead” to use chlorine barrel bombs after the Obama “red-line” disappeared.

Whether you like it or not, the only thing that stopped this festering 6 year war was the intervention of the Russians with their willingness to backup their ally, Syria, with unwavering military support in order to defeat their enemy and force a truce on Russian terms.

The shame on the U.N. (and the Obama administration) is that this war never should have happened. The very least the U.N. could have done is created “safe zones” to protect civilians and prevent the displacement of millions of Syrians from their homeland. What did the U.N. focus on while Syria burned? It continued its obsession against Israel - the only true beacon of peace, stability and democracy in the region – aided by the Obama administration. 

I hope that the Trump administration forces the U.N. reform itself (if that is possible), because as it stands now, it is a forum for banana republics and dictators to make a mockery of the very high minded concepts on which the U.N. was founded. As for Obama gnaging up with the rest of the U.N. on Israel: If the USA didn't have a seat on the Security Council - which gives it blanket amnesty with it's veto - the U.N. would be obsessed with ganging up on America like it does on Israel.

The last gasp of a failed Obama Presidency

President Obama, in his last days in office - and against Congressional bi-partisan support FOR ISRAEL - ordered the U.S. vote to “abstain” (rather than veto) and therefore let pass, an anti-Israel Security Council resolution. This was a bitter reversal of 50 years of consistent U.S. policy at the U.N and is more about a bitter, personal vendetta against his arch nemesis – Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu - rather than a reasoned decision based on logic around the “settlement issue”. In addition, this is Obama’s “attempt” to try to complicate President-elect Trump’s efforts to try to resolve the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

To Israel and Israel’s supporters, the “settlement issue” is a bogus false flag to continue the conflict. BEFORE the 1967 war, when the entire West Bank was in Jordanian hands, the Arabs waged a war of attrition to destroy Israel. The settlements were not the issue then because they didn’t exist. Israel’s existence was the issue. Israel, under PM Olmert, even offered the Palestinians 99% of the land that they were asking for - and Arafat refused. Why? Because their whole political existence is about resistance rather than building a real country. PM Netanyahu stopped building in the West Bank for 12 months with the understanding that negotiating would start once the 12-month clock started ticking. The Palestinians refused to negotiate. The Palestinians are a welfare entity and peace means they would have to work and build rather than destroy and glow in their well-cultivated image of “victimhood”.

To Israel and Israel’s supporters, the U.N. is a failed institution that has clearly demonstrated an anti-Israel (anti-Semitic) bias against Israel – while ignoring the atrocities and crimes against humanity committed by those who conspire against Israel in the U.N.. It is not surprising that 97% of all the total U.N. resolutions over the past 10 years have been anti-Israel – not Ukraine or Syria or any of the other areas where brutal wars are taking place. Venezuela, Angola, Iraq, Iran, Angola and Cuba are just a few of the brutal banana republics that have been elected as rotating members of the Security Council. The U.N. has become a political whip for the non-aligned countries and Muslim/Arab nations. If the U.N. Security Council did not exist, and the USA had the same singular vote as Ghana – there is no doubt that the U.N. would be one-sided institution against the USA - just like it is now against Israel. What has the U.N. accomplished in stopping the 5 year war in Syria that has killed over 1 million people and made tens of millions refugees? Nothing. How many resolutions condemning a particular participant in the Syrian war? None.

It is worth noting that the Christian population in the Mideast has shrunk in every Mideast country because of state led anti-Christian persecution and incitement – except one – Israel. Why? Because Israel respects all religions. You won’t see the U.N. or President Obama mention the slaughter of Christians at the hands of brutal Muslim countries because that “fact” doesn’t fit their narrative that Israel is the problem.

While the U.S. was not an official member of the group that presented the resolution to the Security Council, it is well known that the White House conspired with France and the Palestinians to orchestrate this cowardly act when Obama had no political risk because he is days away from leaving office. This last act of President Obama will just make peace with the Palestinians that much harder to accomplish because it made it perfectly clear to the Israelis, and Israel’s supporters that Israel can only rely on itself and can never “rely” on “security guarantees” from the USA or the U.N.. It also has emboldened the Palestinians to “think” they can accomplish their goal by NOT negotiating with Israel. Will the U.N. resolution lead to more calls for a boycott or divestment from Israel? Maybe, but Israel has hundreds of thousands of patents that the world needs, and has recently opened dialogue with Sunni Arab countries and many African countries that realize how Israel is an indispensible, positive influence in that region of the world. Israel’s supporters around the world will work tirelessly to make sure Israel’s economy and military stay strong and grow stronger, despite this stab in the back by President Obama.

In closing, this last gasp of Obama’s presidency – a “low-brow” personal vendetta -makes a fitting bookend to the Nobel Peace Prize he won BEFORE he took office. History will not treat well the President whose “failed red-line” in Syria caused over a million people to die needlessly.

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The American people see through the Democratic attempt to discredit Trump.

That President Obama would feign surprise that Russia may have tried to impact the election reeks of "political hypocrisy" at best, or an attempt to "discredit" President-Elect Trump - at worst. The Russians have hacked into every body of our government during Obama's 8 years in office and nary a word from Obama - and no attempt to harden our cyber-security. In fact, this accusation highlights the severity of Hillary's private, illegal server.  What's the point of cyber-security if your employees weasel around it? Once again, Hillary - who publicly held Trump (on live TV) to accept the election results (when SHE was supposed to win), has lied to the public by attempting to discredit Trumps victory. Obama has committed the Cardinal sin of attempting to do the same to his successor. Its obvious the Democratic Party has not internalized that the public sees through this behavior. No lesson learned, nothing gained.

Bring back the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System to the USA!

In 1972, before International terrorism was as “global” as it is now (pre-internet days), I moved to Switzerland and lived there for 18 months. The Swiss have always been protective of their borders, their economy, jobs - and their cultural identity. Before I even entered the country, I had to apply for a work visa with specifics about where I would work, who was sponsoring me on my stay, who to contact if the Swiss immigration officials wanted to reach me, etc. I was given a specific date in which I had to leave the country, and I could only return if I was gone for “X” number of weeks, and then I had to apply for a Swiss work visa all over again. I believe my first work visa lasted 12 months. You could not work if your didn’t have the proper work Visa, and if an employer was found guilty of employing someone with an expired or no work visa, the fines were substantial and the social stigma associated with the guilty business was equally as sever. Traveling around Switzerland required that I have my “papers” on my person so that I could identify myself as a legal visitor on a work visa – otherwise I would be hauled off to the immigration authorities and possibly deported. This was alien to me, coming from the USA, but the native Swiss explained to me as politely as possible that in order to maintain order in their small country - which as always been an oasis of stability in an often chaotic Europe, they felt these laws were necessary. Even traveling between Switzerland and the many bordering countries I had to provide papers to prove my legal status while on a train or auto. If I was driving a car I also had to show the legal documents to prove I was driving it legally. None of these “inconveniences” seemed inappropriate because I was a guest in their country and the reasons were explained to me.

With this personal background in mind, I hope that the Trump administration brings back a new and improved National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS). This is sometimes referred to as "Special Registration" for registering non-citizen visa holders -- such as students, workers and tourists. The USA under President George W. Bush's administration enacted this policy as a result of 9-11 on September 10, 2002. I would suggest that instead of ONLY Muslims being singled out, we should use the Swiss system for ANY and ALL “non-citizens” entering the United States. Frequent business travelers could have pre-approval to navigate quickly through the bureaucracy of the immigration force (similar to Global entry) but would still be part of the immigration system. With high-speed computers, biometric Identifiers and other new technology, we should be able to effectively protect America’s economy, jobs, people and add a significant barrier to those who wish Americans harm. The cost of the system could all or partially be paid for by those who enter the country as cost of entry (many countries already do this).

Some on the left will decry this as an assault on the civil liberties of immigrants and “un-American”. I would suggest that there is nothing more core to American values than protecting the homeland - while at the same time leaving our borders open for those who wish to navigate our immigration system legally.

Shep Fargotstein

Sprint, we have irreconcilable differences, so I’m divorcing you after 35 years.

It is with great disappointment, and a bit of excitement, but I have made the decision to switch from Sprint to ATT. I have been with Sprint (or one of it’s previous incarnations), ever since my first child was born 34 ½ years ago. Back in those days phones looked like bricks, and not everyone had a phone. I wanted my young pregnant wife (now ex) to have it while she was pregnant - in case of emergency. To make a long story short, I now have 3 grown kids and I am remarried. I kept everyone on my bill all this time because I wanted them to HAVE to return my calls. So my 3 kids and my wife and I are on Sprint for a total of 5 phones.

You may ask “Why are you leaving Sprint after so many years?” The answer is simple: Horrible connectivity issues and even worse customer service. Over the past 6 months the whole family has been experiencing dropped calls, and mostly calls where the phone rings and I can’t hear the other side…or I call someone and they can’t hear me. It happens all the time.

I have called Sprint’s 800 numbers and spoken with them dozens of times. They have had me wait 30, 45 and up to 60 minutes – just so I can hear someone who can’t speak English tell me I need an update. I have had a dozen updates and it hasn’t solved the problem. I had Apple check my cell phone and they verified that this wasn’t a phone issue. I escalated my issues to Sprint managers and they told me to make note of when, where, and to whom dropped calls happened. I called them back 2 weeks later complaining about my service and they never asked for this information.  When I told them I had this requested information…they confirmed the dropped calls (I knew that) and said all their towers were functioning well in my area. They told me they would reach out to me with a solution in 48 hours. That was a week ago.

I had two important defective calls before noon yesterday and that was enough for me. I called to talk to someone at Sprint about discontinuing my service due to their not holding up their part of the contract to provide me with reliable service. They transferred me somewhere and I was on hold for an hour before I finally hung up. If that won’t lose a good customer, what would???

I have 4 out of 5 phones under contract and owe differing amounts of money  for each Sprint phone if I before the contract am up. I will gladly turn in all the phones but I WILL NOT PAY THEM one more dime because they violated their contract with me. I am through calling Sprint.  After 35 years, I’ve come to the conclusion that I want a divorce from Sprint based on irreconcilable differences. Bye-bye Sprint!

I don’t think Donald Trump really wants to win the Presidency.

I don’t think Donald Trump really wants to win the Presidency. I also don’t think Trump is as devoted to making “America Great Again” as he is to his narcissism. I am not a Democrat for sure. There was time when I voted for Clinton and Gore, but I left the Democratic Party in 1996, as that was when the party’s far left in the party adopted an anti-Israel policy - and the party has grown further to the left and more anti-Israel.

I left the Republican Party over the past year, after the Republican leadership demanded that the Republican candidates make a pledge to support the eventual nominee – thinking they were cornering Trump into not going independent if he didn’t win the nomination. When the nominee turned out to be Trump, almost the entire roster of candidates and all the Republican leadership turned against Trump, which really ticked off a lot of people – including me. After all, if a person or party’s word means nothing, then you can’t trust anything they say. 

Now I am an independent and I am mad as hell that our Democratic system has produced two of the worst choices for President in my lifetime: A crook who has sold her influence, put America at risk with an illegal email server, and as Secretary of State supported Obama’s failed policy in Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey and Israel – and an egomaniac who fooled a lot of people into thinking he had what it took to be President – only to find out that it was just a façade. He is only out to promote himself and see himself on TV.

We know Hillary Clinton, after all she has been in office forever, and that is what makes her such a horrible choice - but at least we know she’s incompetent on the front end. When Trump says, “believe me”…. we can’t anymore. Once the primaries were over, his base was expecting him to become more Presidential in order to pull the reluctant Republicans back into the fold – and more importantly pull in the independents and moderate Democrats to form a winning coalition. That was supposed to be the logical strategy. Instead, we have a loose lipped, thin-skinned egomaniac that is willing to attack anyone who criticizes him, even if it is going to cost him – and the Republican Party the election. I am sure his “handlers” and even his grown children are cringing at Trumps lack of self-control.

This is a real pickle for America: A continuation of the Obama doctrine.  More debt, uncurtailed immigration, more terrorism, more downsizing of America on the world stage, more appeasement of terrorist states – and a person who is displaying such bizarre behavior in the media that it is not a stretch to imagine him making a mockery of America on the world stage at best, and getting us into a real dangerous situation with his “shoot from the hip” style.

I have not missed a vote in 44 years. When I was 18 I hitchhiked across Switzerland to cast my first vote against Richard Nixon. I can’t imagine not voting, as it is a privilege not to be taken lightly. But it is a possibility this year.

  

Nice, Paris, Madrid, NYC, San Beridino, Orlando, Boston - How much more terrorism can we take?

There is not doubt that George W. Bush may have been wrong, in hindsight, about the way the war in Iraq was conducted.  Hindsight, however, is a two-edged sword. One of the tenets of W’s war against Islamic Extremism was to keep them on their heels ON THEIR TERRITORY by constantly and aggressively pursuing offensive military actions against them in order to keep them from our shores and eventually defeat them.

I blame Barak Obama and the European left for putting their heads in the sand and putting their idealism ahead of realism. There is the world as we “want it to be” and the world of “reality”. The deaths in Nice, in Paris, in Orlando, San Bernardino and Boston are testimony to the failed foreign policy of President Obama AND Hillary Clinton. Obama’s premature pulling out of Iraq and his indecision over Syria will become military legend in how the misuse of power has consequences. Obama has allowed an almost defeated enemy to flourish, expand and threaten the entire world. Under Obama’s leadership we have failed to adjust to the asymmetrical nature of this enemy that doesn’t need F-35s or cruise misses. Their demented faith and willingness to die has turned every car into a guided missile, and every public venue into a potential terrorist target. If ISIS’s goal is to make American’s and the West live in fear, they are obviously achieving their goal.

One thing you can say about Bush is that we felt safe when he was President. Under Obama, we have the reality of Islamic terrorism at home, a police who are afraid to conduct their jobs, a justice department that demands that local police “stand down” (Ferguson) and let rioting ensue in order to not exacerbate an already out-of-hand situation. The bottom line is that the thin veneer of civility that we take for granted in our lives is fragile and could easily disappear in seconds without swift and decisive law and order. It seems that law and order are secondary to the rights and feelings of rioters, thugs and terrorists.

Disclaimer: The BLM people have a legit argument regarding police brutality and they have the right to protest – legally.