Maine Writer

Its about people and issues I care about.

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Location: Topsham, MAINE, United States

My blogs are dedicated to the issues I care about. Thank you to all who take the time to read something I've written.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

George Bush Sells Arms to Saudi Arabia - Can He Please Tell Us Why?

In the height of fighting terrorists, we are now selling arms to Saudi Arabia. Isn't that like turning the hen house over to the fox? Surely, this deal is a cover for some other intent - like finding Osama Bin Laden.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, freedom of religion does not exist. In fact, to be a Christian means risking death. Women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are oppressed. They cover their bodies and wear burkas, even in the blazing heat. Discrimination against women includes turning a blind eye to rape and domestic violence. This is the same Arab Kingdom that supplied 14 of the September 11, 2001 hijackers who attacked our country. Indeed, of the 19 terrorists who were on the four airplanes on September 11, 2001, and attacked our World Trade Center's twin towers in New York City, and the United States Pentagon building in Washington DC and also intended to hit another target but crashed, instead, in a Pennsylvania field - 14 of these evil doer human beings were Saudi Arabian men. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sent 14 of their terrorists to this country to attack us; and there could be more of them waiting for another opportunity.

So, please, Mr. President George Bush, explain to the American People why a country, where hatred and oppression is evident against Americans, Christians and women, is being courted by your administration?

It is widely reported on many national news networks that we are going to sell military equipment to Saudi Arabia. But, we don't hear "why"?

Mr. President, you give a weekly radio address to the nation, but you don't tell us "why" you do anything. This time, you need to say "why" our country needs to support a terrorist nation - especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where 14 of its citizen terrorists attacked our country.

Maybe, you're actually paying a ransom to the Saudi government, so they'll direct us to find the leader Osama Bin Laden? Is this why you're selling them expensive military stuff? I mean, really, you must live in a cave in Pakistan not to realize the Saudi Arabian government knows where their lead terrorist Bin Laden is located. Clearly, somebody is sending Osama Bin Laden money to fund his evil Al-Qaeda network. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this terror money must be coming from Saudi Arabia, because that's where the money is - and Bin Laden's family lives there. So, if we sell arms to Saudi Arabia, will they, in turn, tell us how to find Osama Bin Laden? By the way, will the same people who tell us how to find Bin Laden also go and tell him how to escape from our grasp before we get to him?

If you're paying Saudi Arabia ransom money to find Osama Bin Laden, then it would be very helpful to get him while he's alive so the entire evil network of his followers can see him cower as a mortal and chained prisoner. Don't blow it, like you did with Saddam Hussein - creating a martyr at the 11th hour. Do it right this time.

Otherwise, if you can't produce any reason for this arms deal with the oppressive Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, then please sell them something else, so they can spend their oil money wisely. Rather than military arms they can use to kill people, sell them the democracy you intended to bring to Iraq.

President George Bush, how can selling military equipment to Saudi Arabia make us a safer nation and the world a peaceful planet? These Saudi people support and coddle terrorists. It's a fact. These are the same people who attacked us on September 11th.

Shame on you. And you cannot even explain "why".


PREDICTION FULFILLED- August 1, 2007: Value Added Comment from the BBC News website http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6925583.stm

Saudis back US plans in Mid-East
Prince Saud gave a joint news conference with Ms Rice
Saudi Arabia has pledged to explore the possibility of starting diplomatic relations with the Shia-led government in Iraq, a move long sought by the US.
The Saudi foreign minister told the visiting US secretaries of state and defence he would send an envoy to Iraq.

Condoleezza Rice called it an important step and thanked Prince Saud al-Faisal.

Prince Saud also said Riyadh supported and would attend a Middle East peace conference proposed by President George W Bush later this year.

Saudi Arabia has no diplomatic ties with Israel and correspondents say the conservative kingdom's presence at a peace conference alongside Israel would be a major diplomatic breakthrough.

"We welcome this initiative," Prince Saud al-Faisal said at a news conference with Ms Rice and Defence Secretary Robert Gates.

"There is an international movement... Israel should respond to these pressures," the prince said.

Before the tour began, the US offered a $20bn (£9.9bn) arms package to Arab Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, which is the world's biggest oil-producer.

The weapons deal has proved controversial in the US and two Democratic congressmen have already said they will introduce legislation to block it.

Criticism- Prince Saud said he was "astounded" by recent remarks by US ambassador to the UN Zalmay Khalilzad, in which he accused Saudi Arabia of undermining efforts to stabilise war-ravaged Iraq.

"My explanation is that he must have been influenced by the atmosphere at the UN when he went to New York" [after serving as US envoy in Baghdad], he said.

Saudi Arabia has not had an embassy in Baghdad since the first Gulf War in 1990, despite pressure from the US after its forces led the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Sunni Muslim-ruled Saudi Arabia's has criticised the post-Saddam system in Baghdad for reducing Sunni Arab influence and increasing that of regional rival Iran.

Later on Wednesday, Ms Rice heads to Jerusalem for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

She will also travel to the West Bank, to meet Palestinian Authority president and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas.

It is Ms Rice's first visit since the Hamas movement defeated Fatah to seize control of the Gaza Strip in June.

Hamas denies Israel's right to exist, and its victory in Gaza deals a serious blow to Mr Bush's strategic vision of a two-state, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace.

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Sunday, July 01, 2007

Media Pronunciation Alert - Get Those Maine Names Right!

Kennebunkport Maine is a gorgeous place, especially when glamorous newscasters stand in front of a pristine Atlantic Ocean coastal scene to tell the entire world about the state of our planet. "Reporting live from Kenn-a-bunkport....". Ughhhh, please get it right!

Cute sounding media newscasters or commentators must think they sound freshly "local" or suave when reporting from beautiful Maine places. Have you noticed how they universally try to re-educate those who live here about how to pronounce the names of the places they're reporting on? It's like, we don't know how to talk, but they do.

Frankly, I'm plain weary of hearing Kennebunkport, Maine reported as someplace I've never been to, because, the correct pronunciation of this tiny coastal town is nearly always incorrectly slurred by newscasters. It's "Ken-kneee-bunk-port"! Please do not say "Kenn-a-bunk-port", as though you media people know more than those who live here. These mis-pronunciations are starkly irritating to those who live in Maine, particularly in Southern Maine (a sort of separate place, like the 51st state in the Union). Likewise, with the name of Bangor - a city in the "real Maine". Its name is "Ban-gore". Please don't try as, what you think, is native joal by mis-pronouncing the name as "Ban-ger". Mis-pronouncing Bangor, known as Maine's Queen City, sounds like a hillbilly sipping tea at high noon with a little pinky finger up - just ridiculous.

NBC's Lisa Myers is most guilty of slurring Kennebunkport's four syllable name. Also, Scott Simon on National Public Radio needs correcting, too.

According to the posting at the Kennebunkport Historical Society webpage, the local history is thus:

"Though the exact date of the earliest settlement in the area now known as Kennebunkport is uncertain, historical evidence indicates that it cannot have been much later than that of the founding of the Plymouth Colony. It is known that for many years prior to the first permanent habitation, the islands along the Cape Porpoise shore were used for fish drying and as a summer headquarters by those who came to tap the rich resources of the coastal fishing banks. In 1653, the town was first incorporated as Cape "Porpus" and became subject to the government of Massachusetts. Entirely depopulated by Indian depredations in 1689, the town was resettled early in the 1700's and renamed Arundel by permission of the Massachusetts General Court in 1719. This designation remained until 1821, when, having become a bustling port of entry for foreign trade, with a custom house, the town was given its present name of Kennebunkport."

(You gotta love the use of the word "depredations" meaning, destructive operations; ravages. Sadly, these depredations were "massacres". Colonial French and Indian Wars of the 17th and 18th centuries were serial massacres on all three incendiary sides of the triangular - British, French and First Nations - power equation.)

Alright, maybe mispronouncing towns' names isn't quite as bad as using words that don't really say what they mean.

Anyway, for media types who take time to read what's written about "them", I say this, "Hey, listen up!".

Don't say "Kenn-a-bunkport" when it's really "Kennebunkport" and don't say "Banger" when it's "Bangor".

Maybe, you can even teach the Russian news media who cover President Vladimir Putin, to get it right, as well.

Okay? Otherwise, enjoy your stay in beautiful Maine during July, our most gloriously beautiful month of the year. By the way, we'll be glad when you take the crowds and traffic jams, caused by your stay, back home with you.

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