I am befuddled about this one. Will Iraq delve deeper into sectarian violence or will his final end cause the resistance to lose strength?

Thoughts anyone?

sharp

I prepare to say goodbye to 2006 with mixed feelings. It's been a great year in some ways and a terrible year in others.  But 2007 is full of nothing but hope and opportunity right now.  Here is a list of the things I'd love to see in 2007.

• A successful year in Iraq.  Too many lives have been lost, but too much is still at stake.  I'd love to see the country turn a corner towards a future that's free of terror, war, dictators and American involvement.
• A healthier national debate.  These last few years have left some believing that Bush is the enemy of America and the world while others (like me) are astounded at the intensity and willingness of many to oppose Bush on his choice of morning coffee.  This led to a House and Senate that were almost solely tools for political manipulation.  Of course, this is business as usual, but it had the kind of ugly turn that left terror leaders celebrating.
• Less sex in the media.  If I never hear about another starlet going "commando" or another Miss Backwater Tech state getting drunk and getting naughty, it will have been a  good year.  I, for one, am over it.  Madonna, you're rich.  Go home.  Britney, go somewhere and raise your sons with dignity.  Young girls, don't do things in front of a camera that you don't want the whole world to see.  They won't applaud.  And your parents won't either.
• More corrupt politicians evicted.  2006 was actually a pretty good start.  If you were a Repblican crook you got axed with fervor.  Now let's see the crooked Democrats take a walk down the iron bar highway.  Start with William Jefferson in Louisiana.  Then on to Alcee Hastings and John Murtha.  Then Harry Reid and the others that the Democrats know about but are hiding.
• Fewer reality shows.  Yeah, I watched a few of them.  Beauty and the Geek was probably my favorite, but most of the others only cemented the notion that we are a country full of self-absorbed and arrogant jerks.  I see enough of that on the news.
• A unified front against terror.  It's still our number one problem.  These are difficult days to lead, but if you asked for the job, you've got to do it and take responsibility (Bush, too.)
• More crooked business leaders crushed.  Let's see the SEC and the Treasury department bankrupt and imprison those who steal from the working poor.  En Masse.  That includes those who steal by manipulating prices in the investment world.
• Less shrill hatred on TV.  Joy and Rosie, you may not realize this, but you have embarrassed yourselves, ABC, your audience and your families.  This would be a great time to rethink your attitudes.
• Less politics from Hollywood.  Let's face it.  It ain't reality-wood they live in.  But the truth is, as long as E-News publicizes their latest bowel movements, they're going to think they have an opinion that matters.  They rank with college professors in my book.  Go do it in the real world or run for office, but stop telling us how we ought to do what you don't do.
• More generosity.  Recent books have highlighted that it's the conservatives and those with little belief in big government that give to the poor.  Liberals are consistently un-generous.  I don't take this as a cheap shot at my liberal friends because it's a big, fat generalization.  But rather as a challenge to sacrifice for others.  I'll take that challenge and try to do much better next year, too.
• Grace.  Ok, I know my words are sometimes harsh, but, like most Americans, I am quick to forgive and I ask for the same treatment.  A little grace can help us build together.  In the words of Don Henley's "End of the Innocence", "We all need a little tenderness, how can love survive in such a graceless age".  He ends with the message for this generation, in my opinion:

"I've been trying to get down to the heart of the matter

But my will gets weak and my thoughts seem to scatter

But I think it's about forgiveness, forgiveness

Even if, even if you don't love me anymore"

That's Hollywood at it's level best.

I wish a happy and successful 2007 for everyone.  Let's talk some more.

sharp

 

It's the end of the year now and here are my thoughts on 2006

• I met some interesting folks and ticked off a few right here in this space.
• I posted some things in anger that I greatly regret, but it taught me something about my need for self-discipline.
• The Republicans got what they deserved and I expect them to come back strong and much cleaner in the future.
• The war in Iraq has been deeply disappointing.  I have a 2nd cousin there among the hundred thousand plus soldiers.  I thought by now it would be better.  I was wrong.  I'm still hopeful, but not cocky about it any more.
• We started a church and met a need that a lot of people had, apparently.  We started with 50 and have been running at 300 just six months later.  God's blessing has been there.  But the bright lights of leadership has also taught me humility and to be less critical of those who are leading. 
• I lost more hair.  I know that nobody cares but me.  But I don't like it at all.
• I began to live what I claim to believe.  Studying hard and sacrificing for other people.  It's very hard not to be selfish, especially when you had just gotten really good at it.
• I wrote the best song I've ever written (or God gave it to me, to be more precise).  It's revived the hope that I could be a meaningful songwriter.  That adds so much richness to life.
• I had a good year at work. 
• I got so stressed at one point that the doctor gave me these little pills for my stomach.  I've never had that before.  I just plain worry too much.
• I learned to appreciate some people that I had never appreciated before and I learned to be ashamed of my former attitude.  With little reason to be proud, I was highly critical and sometimes rude.  There's just no place for that.
• I learned that the women on "The View" are just plain nasty (hope that doesn't violate my last statement).
• I got my first Ipod and filled it with old rock songs, new Christian Songs and a couple of classic recent country songs - "I Should have been a Cowboy" and "Live like You were Dying".
• I learned that God is Holy, that my sin makes him sick and that Jesus suffered intensely to keep me from being lost.  Well, I knew that before, but I didn't really know it...if you know what I mean.
• I learned that my ideas about Islam could be quite offensive and needed (and still need) a thorough rethinking.
• I came to appreciate the billion Muslims who weren't violent and the soldiers who were gracious and sacrficial targets for those who were....in the name of world peace.
• I realized that there is a lot more hate in the world than I thought and most of it is aimed towards George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld.
• I realized how much I will miss Don Knotts and Mayberry.

sharp

70% of people polled disapprove of the people being polled.

This doesn't give my thoughts on Islam, but rather whether Islamic peoples are right to be bitter towards other races.

Should Muslims resent Israel?

The short is answer is yes.  Having traced their ancestries to Abraham, both Jews and Muslims have found rights to the piece of land where Israel rules.  And the U.N. put Israel there after World War II, displacing Palestinians.  And then the expansion during the six day war in 1973 where Israel initiated war and took lands belonging to Egypt, Syria and Jordan.  The Palestinian conflict then falls partly to the fact (besides the above noted) that Israel agreed in the Camp David accord to give self-rule to the Palestinians but has never fully complied (they did cede Sinai peninsula territory back to Egypt).  It should be noted that Israel predicted the events that have occurred since giving some autonomy to Palestinians - namely that they would use that power and land to launch war against Israel.

Should Muslims hate the West?

Yes and No, from my limited understanding.  The abusive leaders under Western support have ruled despotically, though economic prosperity followed with opportunity and hope for the common Arab.  Conversely, anti-Western lArab eaders have focused rage outward instead of leadership inward and seem to generally have left the people hopeless, angry and without rights.  The current situations in Iran and Syria are textbook examples.  But it's the West's (read America's and Britain's) support for Israel and willingness to wage war on their lands that have brought the most intense hatred.  If the history were exactly reversed, Americans might well be equally disdainful of Arab countries.

Are we, then, headed for a train wreck?

While the Iranian President seeks to slaughter Israelis, Christians and even Sunni Muslims in order to launch Shia Islam to position of world domination and herald the coming of the 12th Imam, the world (read:  all but America, Britain and Australia) seems to have adopted the strategy of hoping the whole nuclear Iran thing will go away.  With nuclear weapons and a desire to dominate the world and slaughter all things not Shiite Muslim, Iran has played the equivalent of "all-in" and we're waiting to see if America will fold.  Europe has long since adopted the anti-Israeli attitude of many Muslim countries and is simply scared and cowardly in face of the current threat.  Whether Bush will throw off the results of the Iraq Study Group's work and forge ahead to victory in Iraq  or whether he will give Iran and Syria the victory and the substance they desire may be the greatest signal of whether Iran may have a clear shot at dominance. 

What will happen next?

I've lived long enough to know that things change constantly.  Clinton was a sure one-term President (as the New York Times headline blared) but became a landslide winner just two years later.  Bush has been on top and is now on the bottom, but things never stay the same.  One event could push him back to a position of strength and one event could push Iraq to fight against their own terrorists.  One thing is absolutely certain.  Something unexpected will happen.  In Iran or Syria or Israel or Europe.  Maybe even Russia or China.  But something we don't know yet will come to light and change the course of the next two years. 

sharp