Obama’s Rope A Dope On Romney

President Obama must have taken his debate strategy from Muhammad Ali’s 1974 fight against George Foreman in Africa. Ali leaned against the ropes in the early rounds and allowed Fore to used his entire arsenal before coming back to knock Foreman out. Obama laid against the ropes during the first debate and Romney unloaded the kitchen sink. The second debate feature a different President Obama and he pummeled Romney.

I would have been almost impossible for President Obama to be as bad as he was during the first debate without trying. With Vice President Joe Biden taking the undercard fight against Romney’s running mate Paul Ryan the week before, Obama took on Romney and connected with shot after shot. Romney exposed his entire flip-flop and deny debate fight plan during the first debate. Every time Romney tried to slip away from a previous position President Obama would nail him with the facts of his prior position compared to his stated current position.

 

Romney was staggered several times during the debate. Romney may have coined a new phrase during this debate with his description of a “binder of women” when referring to his efforts to find women to work in his administration when he was Governor of Massachusetts. Romney took a George Foreman like haymaker swing at President Obama with his comments that the President did not call the attack on the American Consulate in Libya a terrorist attack when he made his statement the next day in the rose garden. Romney thought he had connected, but the referee told him he only hit a glove as the transcript showed that the President did label it a terrorist attack the first time.

The final punch may have been the best as the debate ended. As the final round was coming to a close President Obama hit Romney with a reminder to the nation about Mitt Romney’s comments about 47% of the country see themselves as victims. Romney bounced back against the ropes and was dazed. Romney wanted to take an swing, but bell rang and this round was over. The only thing President Obama didn’t do was drop the microphone on the floor and walk away in triumph.

Iman al-Obeidi – The Face Of Oppressed Women In Libya And Worldwide

Iman al-Obeidi is the woman that burst into a hotel in Tripoli, Libya and passionately yelled out what she said happened to her while she was being held by 15 soldiers for 2 days, before escaping. This was in full view of microphones and camera from around the world. In that moment, Iman al-Obeidi may have become the face of oppressed women around the world.

As she told of horrific acts of gang rape she was then berated and roughly dragged away by hotel staff and others loyal to Gadhafi’s regime. Foreign journalists were tackled, roughed up and camera equipment smashed in an effort to keep this event off the visual record. It was captured and broadcast worldwide. Images of incredible real drama unfolded as this woman had a cloth bag thrown over her head, she was pulled outside and forced into the back of a waiting vehicle and spirited away.

Some of her final words were, “If you don’t see me tomorrow, then that’s it.” An article titled “The silence is deafening: Where is Iman al-Obeidi?” by the Star-Ledger editorial board and published in NJ.com goes into further detail.

Things like this are the family secrets and dirty laundry of a regime known for brutality. It also shows the gulf between the treatment and freedom of women around the world. Now questions abound of her location and condition. Her family says they have not seen her, but offers of bribes in exchange for a retraction of allegations have come their way. Iman al-Obeidi is supposedly a lawyer and student, but she is being called a whore in an effort to smear her name and reputation.

The images of a woman being berated, having her head covered and then whisked away in a vehicle to parts unknown seemed to be the most indelible symbol of this conflict. No orchestrated theatrical play could match the reality of what happened to Iman al-Obeidi in real life.

Gaddhafi Moving Bodies Around To Fake Bombing Deaths

Muammar  al-Gaddhafi

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates asserted that Gaddhafi’s forces may be moving the bodies of those killed by their regime to sites bombed by the coalition in order to claim civilians were killed in the strikes.

If this is true, it is the most macabre stagecraft, but not out of the realm of reality when engaged with someone who seems to be in a state of mind not understood by most people. Are we really dealing with someone with conventional ideas of what it means to win or lose?

An article titled “Robert Gates On Libya Violence: No Proof Of Civilians Killed In U.S. Strikes” by the Associated Press and published in the Huffington Post details an interview Gates gave on Meet The Press.

Most individuals don’t think about a propaganda war at this level. Gaddhafi could be inflicting violence on his own people and then use those poor souls’ remains to point fingers at the United States and its partners. There may be almost no way Gaddhafi concedes defeat regardless of the outcome. He will claim martyrdom, a stalemate or simple survival as victories.

Could Libya Become Obama’s Iran Hostage Crisis For Next Election

 President Barack Obama

Could the military intervention in Libya do to President Barack Obama what the Iran hostage crisis did to former President Jimmy Carter? For those that don’t remember, former President Jimmy Carter ended his first term with U.S. hostages held captive in Iran as he ran for reelection against Ronald Reagan. Reagan won in a landslide.

The Iran hostage crisis came about as U.S. citizens and diplomats were taken hostage at the American Embassy in Teheran, Iran. This went on for 444 days and included a disastrous rescue attempt that included helicopter crashes in the desert. The crash of a United States F-15 Strike Force Eagle fighter jet in Libya was the first opportunity for this to spiral out of control for President Obama. A story titled “Libya: US fighter jet crash lands in field near Benghazi” by Rob Crilly, James Kirkup and Rob Winnett March 22, 2011 and published in The Telegraph has additional details on the story.

Had the pilot and weapons officer from the F-15 fallen into the hands of Muammar Gaddafi it could have been the beginning of a nightmare for the airmen, the nation and President Obama. The symbolism of the Gaddafi holding two American military men and the propaganda he could have unleashed could have been the beginning of the end for President Barack Obama. Luckily the jet crashed near Bengazi where the rebel forces opposing Gaddafi have control.

United States F-15 Strike Eagle Down In Libya Near Bengazi – Pilots Are Well

United States F-15 Strike Eagle

In what appears to have been a crash, not a shoot down, a United States F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jet crashed in Libya. The United States military said that the two pilots are well.

A story titled “Libya: US fighter jet crash lands in field near Benghazi” by Rob Crilly, James Kirkup and Rob Winnett March 22, 2011 and published in The Telegraph has additional details on the story. This is when the realities of military action sets in. Luckily those pilots seemed to have ejected in an area controlled by forces opposing Muammar Gaddafi. It could have been a nightmare if these pilots had fell into the hands of Gaddafi and held captive.

Facts On the F-15 Strike Eagle

Mission
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a dual-role fighter designed to perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. An array of avionics and electronics systems gives the F-15E the capability to fight at low altitude, day or night, and in all weather.

Features
The aircraft uses two crew members, a pilot and a weapon systems officer. Previous models of the F-15 are assigned air-to-air roles; the "E" model is a dual-role fighter. It has the capability to fight its way to a target over long ranges, destroy enemy ground positions and fight its way out.

The aircraft's navigation system uses a laser gyro and a Global Positioning System to continuously monitor the aircraft's position and provide information to the central computer and other systems, including a digital moving map in both cockpits.

The APG-70 radar system allows aircrews to detect ground targets from long ranges. One feature of this system is that after a sweep of a target area, the crew freezes the air-to-ground map then goes back into air-to-air mode to clear for air threats. During the air-to-surface weapon delivery, the pilot is capable of detecting, targeting and engaging air-to-air targets while the WSO designates the ground target.

The low-altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night, or LANTIRN, system allows the aircraft to fly at low altitudes, at night and in any weather conditions, to attack ground targets with a variety of precision-guided and unguided weapons. The LANTIRN system gives the F-15E unequaled accuracy in weapons delivery day or night and in poor weather, and consists of two pods attached to the exterior of the aircraft.

The navigation pod contains terrain-following radar which allows the pilot to safely fly at a very low altitude following cues displayed on a heads up display. This system also can be coupled to the aircraft's autopilot to provide "hands off" terrain-following capability.

The targeting pod contains a laser designator and a tracking system that mark an enemy for destruction at long ranges. Once tracking has been started, targeting information is automatically handed off to GPS or laser-guided bombs.

One of the most important additions to the F-15E is the rear cockpit, and the weapons systems officer. On four screens, this officer can display information from the radar, electronic warfare or infrared sensors, monitor aircraft or weapons status and possible threats, select targets, and use an electronic "moving map" to navigate. Two hand controls are used to select new displays and to refine targeting information. Displays can be moved from one screen to another, chosen from a "menu" of display options.

In addition to three similar screens in the front seat, the pilot has a transparent glass heads up display at eye level that displays vital flight and tactical information. The pilot doesn't need to look down into the cockpit, for example, to check weapon status. At night, the screen is even more important because it displays a video picture nearly identical to a daylight view of the world generated by the forward-looking infrared sensor.

The F-15E is powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 or 229 engines that incorporate advanced digital technology for improved performance. For example, with a digital electronic engine control system, F-15E pilots can accelerate from idle power to maximum afterburner in less than four seconds, a 40 percent improvement over the previous engine control system. Faster engine acceleration means quicker takeoffs and crisper response while maneuvering. The F100-PW-220 engines can produce 50,000 pounds of thrust (25,000 each) and the F100-PW-229 engines 58,000 pounds of thrust (29,000 each).

Each of the low-drag conformal fuel tanks that hug the F-15E's fuselage can carry 750 gallons of fuel. The tanks hold weapons on short pylons rather than conventional weapon racks, reducing drag and further extending the range of the Strike Eagle.

For air-to-ground missions, the F-15E can carry most weapons in the Air Force inventory. It also can be armed with AIM-9M Sidewinders or AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles, or AMRAAM for the air-to-air role. The "E" model also has an internally mounted 20mm gun that can carry up to 500 rounds.

Background
The F-15's superior maneuverability and acceleration are achieved through its high engine thrust-to-weight ratio and low-wing loading. It was the first U.S. operational aircraft whose engines' thrust exceeded the plane's loaded weight, permitting it to accelerate even while in vertical climb. Low-wing loading (the ratio of aircraft weight to its wing area) is a vital factor in maneuverability and, combined with the high thrust-to-weight ratio, enables the aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed.

The first flight of the F-15A was made in July 1972. In November 1974, the first Eagle was delivered to the 58th Tactical Fighter Training Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., where training began in both F-15A and B aircraft. In January 1976, the first F-15 destined for a combat squadron was delivered to the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, Va.

The single-seat F-15C and two-seat F-15D models entered the Air Force inventory in 1979 and were first delivered to Kadena Air Base, Japan. These models were equipped with production Eagle package improvements, including 2,000 pounds of additional internal fuel, provisions for carrying exterior conformal fuel tanks, and increased maximum takeoff weight of 68,000 pounds.

The first production model of the F-15E was delivered to the 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz., in April 1988.

General Characteristics
Primary function: Air-to-ground attack aircraft
Contractor: McDonnell Douglas Corp.
Power plant: Two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 or 229 turbofan engines with afterburners
Thrust: 25,000 - 29,000 pounds each engine
Wingspan: 42.8 feet (13 meters)
Length: 63.8 feet (19.44 meters)
Height: 18.5 feet (5.6 meters)
Weight: 37,500 pounds ( 17,010 kilograms)
Maximum takeoff weight: 81,000 pounds (36,450 kilograms)
Fuel capacity: 35,550 pounds (three external tanks plus conformal fuel tanks)
Payload: depends upon mission
Speed: 1,875 mph (Mach 2.5 plus) 
Range: 2,400 miles (3,840 kilometers) ferry range with conformal fuel tanks and three external fuel tanks
Ceiling: 60,000 feet (18,288 meters) 
Armament: One 20mm multibarrel gun mounted internally with 500 rounds of ammunition. Four AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and four AIM-120 AMRAAM, or eight AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. Any air-to-surface weapon in the Air Force inventory (nuclear and conventional)
Crew: Pilot and weapon systems officer
Unit cost: $31.1 million (fiscal 98 constant dollars)
Initial operating capability: September 1989
Inventory: Total force, 223

GAS PRICE INCREASES HITS THE UNITED STATES

By Danny Pollard February USA- Nothing reminds us of how dependent we are on oil from Northern African and the Middle East more than sharp increases in the price of gasoline at our local service station. Events that are occurring halfway around the world have a direct connection to our pocket books in the United States and it hurts.

Unrest in Libya as the population there has taken a cue from citizens in Egypt and are moving to oust their leader of 40 years, Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi. Although we are far removed from the actual unrest we see it when driving by the signs at the gas pump as some will increase from the time we drive by on the way out from home and come by on the way back. 

An article titled "Gas prices keep rising in Dallas-Fort Worth, with no relief in sight" by Elena Harding, Jessica L. Huseman and Amber Bel February 23, 2011 and published on the Dallas News .com website detail the rising gas price issue in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. That article was a few days ago and prices are even higher now. 

Effect Of Fuel Prices On Economic Recovery

As gas prices increase, the amount of money available to spend on other things will decrease and that means the economic recovery will slow down. If gas prices hit $5 dollars a gallon it will be like throwing cold water on other spending. Not only will the price of filling personal gas tanks go up, but the price of fueling delivery trucks will increase also. Increased cost to deliver everything from food to tires will be passed on to consumers. We must hope that stability returns to those troubled areas that we depend on to keep our country moving.

Time To Break Our Foreign Oil Addiction

Will this become just another drill in complaining about the price of gas or will this be the opportunity to begin to turn the page on our oil addiction. Technology has zoomed forward in many areas such as computers and cell phones, but automobiles are using the same engine and fuel technology as 100 years ago.