"We live among the walking dead here Tammy, potential victims of a suicide bomber lurking somewhere amongst us."
The above words came into my email today after a discussion with a professional friend from Pakistan regarding the concept of occupation forces.
While many journalists opine regarding American military forces on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan there is a distinct intellectual negation that other means of occupation exist within volatile regions of the world. It is an occupation brought about by politico-cultural milieu and the aspirations of those who concurrently wield the ability to trigger the imaginations of their followers.
In regard to Pakistan, the government is suffering under the occupation of those who embrace a world where a "day of wings" exists in which death ushers in eternal life. A promise of Paradise springs up as surely as the mayfly larvae make their way from streams of water to a world of brief flight.
The military boot does irrevocably effect the landscape where it is placed; sometimes for tremendous good, other times with mixed results. There is no disagreement on my part with my friend. This remains inescapable fact.
America has been completely thrashed up one side and down the other for her theaters of operation in a post 9/11 environment. Sadly, what has not received equal thrashing is the political and educational milieu within nations such as Pakistan which have allowed for the rise of the Ephemeroptera. Physical occupation is one thing. But psychological occupation leaves the footprint of a different animal, one which is much harder to remove. It is the mole in the ground, the blind animal which gains mimicry through the blinding of the God-given senses of Pakistani nationals who believe that rapid flight is attained on the wings of a well-executed suicide bombing.
(The blog will be dormant for 3-4 days while I organize a bit of research.)
Tammy Swofford
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Pakistan: Occupation by the Ephemeroptera
Friday, November 13, 2009
Afghanistan: Options with Limited Warranty
Life teaches many lessons. When faced with limited options it remains important to still make a choice, not wavering after the decision-making process is complete. Choose and move forward. Such is the task of my Commander-in-Chief as he considers the request for additional troops in Aghanistan.
In this case two options exist: increase troop strength or draw down the troops and bring them home. Maintaining the current level of operations shows indecisive leadership. Honor the request or refuse the request. But the request must be addressed.
Yes, we need an exit strategy for Afghanistan. President Barack Obama may mandate force augmentation. Even so it is possible to set in motion an exit strategy as additional forces are moved into the region. But the American people are deserving of a clear voice on this issue.
Folk wisdom requires that prior to a guest moving into the home a date of departure be established. "Aunt Suzy" cannot occupy the guest bedroom until she affirms that she will vacate the space on a subsequent agreed upon date.
The government of Afghanistan also needs to be able to mark the date at this point in time. Plans exist in a vacuum until coupled with a time element. Choose the option, set the date for goal completion, keep the foot in motion.
Troop augmentation or troop draw down? These are the options which exist within a limited time warranty.
Tammy Swofford
Posted by
tammyswofford
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5:00 AM
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Labels: Foreign Policy, Freedom of Speech
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Stand up and Shout!
The Czar's Favorite Economic Tool
Business Week Article
Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veteran's Day
One of my dearest personal friends is James McEachin. I also consider him a national treasure. His talent and advocacy for the American veteran community is well-known.
Old Glory
Voices
Have a blessed Veteran's Day!
Tammy Swofford
Posted by
tammyswofford
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5:00 AM
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Labels: James McEachin, Military Tradition, U.S. Military
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
State of Mourning: Aftermath of Attack on Fort Hood
LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC
Posted by
tammyswofford
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5:25 AM
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Labels: Military Doctrine
Monday, November 09, 2009
Gestalt. Islam!
Nidal Malik Hasan: The oath
"Allahu Akbar! Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa-Allah. Ash-Hadu anna Muhammadan Rasul-ullah."
Allah is the Most Great.
I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
Gestalt. Islam!
"There is no other God but Allah. This beautiful phrase is the bedrock of Islam."
Abul a'la Mawdudi
The Qur'an has two dominant and dynamic algorithms: governance and war.
The algorithm for war is outpacing that of governance in certain regions. A farrago of "scholars" with romanticized thoughts lead the way. Jihad of the pen. And now, jihad of the internet. Message boards exhibit revolutionary zeal against the West. Cross worshippers. The "enemy" has been identified.
There exists a vibrant global Islamic ideological front. Thoughts precede action. These thoughts, vetted through an algorithm for war, provided for a terrible fratricidal assault on Fort Hood soldiers last week.
Gestalt. Islam!
Renegade pollination for the seeds of war are moving globally at rapid rate via an indoctrination process aided by 21st century communications applications.
Nidal Malik Hasan was not a "lone wolf" in the truest sense of the word. He is part of a greater passionate melange.
I detest the term "homegrown terrorist." The term supports a convenient political lie. American culture is not rapacious and we remain largely peaceful amongst ourselves. Our culture does not support suicide bombings or 9/11 events. Look elsewhere.
What grows in the mind may be "homegrown" but don't slap me around with concepts supportive of proxy victimization or guilt to be shouldered by the innocent for the accountability which squarely belongs on the shoulders of the perpetrator of acts such as the one at Fort Hood. I am too smart to swallow the pill.
I was at work when news of the attack broke. Friday night I waited.... I waited for an hour to meet with a Sunni lawyer, a man trained in Damascus. He was late. He had attended prayers at the area mosque. Seeking dialogue regarding the attack at Fort Hood, he was dismissive. "The man was probably a Shi'a Muslim."
Truth: Lack of moral clarity, rampant corruption and ineffective leadership in Muslim majority nations must be acknowledged and failures of Islam must be addressed. But the algorithm of war? Ask the soldiers at Fort Hood.
"Islam. It will be the most potent ideological geopolitical system of belief moving forward in powerful manner in the 21st century.... Caliphate. We scoff at the word. It is a term birthed in antiquity and discounted as distinct impossibility. Yet the concept of a world dominant government of Allah is something which has been swaddled through the centures in a neonate state. Islam has waited for a time such as this 21st century. The confines of a radical political ideology which has been nourished in secret observance and carried along since the seventh century has now been stripped of its bindings. America is walking into a historical timeline which will shake to the core our diplomats, top strategy analysts and leaders of government...."
Predictive Analysis of the Forward Movement of Islam in the West
(Based on the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad)
LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC
10 February 2008
Posted by
tammyswofford
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5:00 AM
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Labels: Geopolitical Islam, Intellectual Battlespace, Islamic Distance Learning, Islamic Extremism
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Gestalt
*Domestic Policy and Islam:
2006
*Tactical Islam: Crafting American Policy in the Middle East
2007
*Predictive Analysis of the Forward Movement of Islam in the West
(Based on the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad)
2008
*Rise as One Man: Islam in the 21st Century
2009
Al-Qai'da: Deconstruction of the Deen.
2009
Gestalt. Islam. Let's talk.
Tammy Swofford
Posted by
tammyswofford
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5:00 AM
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Saturday, November 07, 2009
Pick Your Cup of Tea
Jason Sigger
Anwaar Hussain
The Scholars of Deoband
Sites where I have posted comments this week.
Tammy Swofford
Posted by
tammyswofford
at
5:00 AM
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Labels: Freedom of Speech
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Attack on Fort Hood
Yes, I have trained at Fort Hood.
Yesterday, I was at NAS Fort Worth.
This hits me hard.
Suspect: Nidal Malik Hasan
*I refuse to honor him with his rank.
Some already proclaim this was not a "terror attack".
Tell that to the families of the 12 dead and 31 wounded.
News organizations are talking about "deployment stress".
No one cares to be straightforward with their thoughts.
The Jihad message boards are buzzing tonight.
My stomach is queasy.
A Muslim who drives a produce truck in America is posting this tonight:
"Attack on American base in U.S. - Allahu Akbar!"
"Brace yourself, Hisham, it was a Muslim."
My stomach is queasy.
LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC
Posted by
tammyswofford
at
8:20 PM
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Labels: Intellectual Battlespace
Tammy Hacks up a Hairball Against Home Depot
Here is one of several interview videos of Trevor Keezer.
I have apologized to Home Depot for my journalistic deception and wish to address this issue one more time in an additional blog post. Let me share my personal conviction on society and human liberty. But for now, take a moment and read the response from Home Depot.
So to set the record straight: We don’t fire people for being religious or patriotic.
This particular associate was given multiple opportunities to find an alternate way of expressing his religious and patriotic beliefs consistent with our company policy. He chose not to. And it is not true that he wore his button for over a year and only encountered an issue when he brought his Bible to work.
We have a long-standing policy that only company-provided pins and badges can be worn on our aprons. With 300,000 associates, we have to have consistent rules rather than getting into store-by-store debates about what is appropriate.
Again, we appreciate your input. We take comments like yours seriously and we thank you for taking the time to read our note back to you."
Posted by
tammyswofford
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5:00 AM
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Labels: Freedom of Speech
Restrained Liberty
Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com
Posted by
tammyswofford
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4:55 AM
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Labels: America, Freedom of Speech
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Victorious Karzai Vows to Tackle Himself
Yeah, yeah. The headline was really this:
"Victorious Karzai vows to Tackle Corruption"
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Alaa Al Aswany, The Yacoubian Building, The American University in Cairo Press, English translation copyright 2004 by Humphrey Davies, pp. 83,84
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The Yacoubian Building is an excellent reading selection, and I also recommend the film version. And may President-for-Life Karzai not spend too much time drawing rabbits.
Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com
Posted by
tammyswofford
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5:00 AM
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Labels: Afghanistan
