Why an Afghan Surge Won’t Work

As I watched Daily Show yesterday, Dana Perrino pointed out an important statistic in gauging the success of Iraq and Afghanistan. According to UNICEF, the adult literacy rate in Iraq is around 74% for the years 2000-2005. In other words, 3 out of every 4 Iraqis have basic reading skills. In contrast, consider Afghanistan who has a literacy rate of 28%. This is nearly the polar opposite of Iraq; it appears about only 1 out of every 4 Afghans have basic reading skills.

You may say so what? What does reading ability have to do with recovery? As a former soldier in the US Army, I’m not sure how much I could have learned if I couldn’t read. With these two statistics, one can see the uphill battle the United States and NATO will have with restoring peace to Afghanistan.

Bush says Goodbye…

"I want you all to myself, you big bunny!"

Oh, you disappoint me President Bush. After all the shenanigans with starting a war, raising terror alerts, huntin’ down evil-doers dead or alive, you would think he would have one more trick up his sleeve. I truly thought that there would be some major terrorist attack before the election and President Bush would declare himself President for a “little longer.” I dreaded the election because I really thought something tragic was going to happen. Fortunately it turned out okay (so far), we just have a bit of an economic crisis. George gave up so easily, he is just coasting out of power with all the cares of a rich, retired ranch man. Why is this President unlike so many others?

Why hasn’t George Bush done what Robert Mugabe has done in Zimbabwe?