State Department Warnings and Michael Phelps Gets “Stoned”
The U.S. Department of State recently sent out an alert (often called a Warden Message) calling for all American citizens living or traveling abroad to exercise caution. Here’s the truncated version:
This Worldwide Caution updates information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against Americans and interests throughout the world. In some countries, the worldwide recession has contributed to political and economic instability and social unrest. The armed conflict between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza…raised tensions and sparked demonstrations throughout the world…Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East…These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics including suicide operations, assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings, and bombings.
It’s difficult to tell exactly what triggers these warnings and calls for heightened states of alert. It could be that the amount of “chatter” being picked up from known terrorists, their cells, and their affiliates has increased. Or it could be something as simple as having a new administration with new cabinet members who have different views on threat assessment. Regardless of the catalyst for the worldwide caution, it reiterates the need for all people (regardless of nationality and location) to practice vigilance and situational awareness. Situational awareness is the opposite of complacency. Instead of being aloof or unprepared, you remain aware of everything and everyone around you by, for example, taking note of suspicious looking persons and always knowing where the exits are. Good advice for everyone these days and it could mean the difference between appearing on a victim list or appearing on Oprah.
Phelps Gets “Stoned” by Court of Public Opinion
Let’s move on to something much more serious – Michael Phelps. In a move that shocked the world, a 23 year old millionaire went to a party, had a few beers and did a bong hit. I’m floored. Speechless. Ok, maybe not. Personally, I’d think much less of him if he had been caught using performance enhancing drugs. He should have shown better judgment and, by that, I mean he should have taken better care to keep his personal life personal. So far, Kellogg has rescinded his spokesperson contract while both Omega watches and Speedo have called it a “non-issue.” Amazingly, people seemed more upset with Phelps than with the parade of presidential nominees who – in spite of writing our tax codes – can’t seem to abide by them.
Death and Taxes
Former Senator Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services after it was revealed that he owed more than $120,000 in unpaid taxes. Evidently, while every lowly salesperson in the country with a company car knows that they need to report their personal mileage, Daschle never reported the chauffeured limo provided to him by a wealthy friend. Remember, that doesn’t mean that perk was worth $120,000 – that’s just the tax. Yes, I’m happy that President Obama stepped up and took the hit for it by admitting that he had “screwed up”, but he knew of this in advance and was willing to overlook it until the public seemed much less willing to let it go than Daschle’s fellow club members in the Senate. This same issue has plagued (or allegedly plagued) too many lately and Americans ain’t buying the excuses.
Women of Afghanistan
I attended a lecture this week entitled “Afghan Stories: Giving Women a Voice.” The presentation gave an overview of the collaborative efforts of photo journalist Paula Lerner and Afghani activist Rangina Hamidi. Both women are social activists focused on giving Afghani women opportunities to become economically self-sufficient through programs such as Hamidi’s Kandahar Treasure initiative. It was an interesting evening of amazing pictures and a riveting personal narrative. For example, Hamidi told the story of being taken out of school permanently by her father as a young girl after receiving threats from the Taliban. Threats that included having acid thrown in her face merely for attending school. Paula Lerner’s recent documentary on the Women of Kabul can be seen here.
To book me for a lecture or debate go here.
See you next week.
About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
JR Mirador | Feb 6, 2009 | Reply
Please don’t be fooled, this new US Department of State alert is part of the ongoing psyop campaign geared to influence people’s emotions, objective reasoning and behavior in order to induce the acceptance of measures that will ultimately limit basic constitutional civil rights including privacy and free movement. We all are being led like sheep to accept an Orwellian police state society.
DJS | Feb 6, 2009 | Reply
“Always know where your exits are.” Something J and I always practice wherever we go. And if the US Department of State wants us to be that more cautious, we will. Its not a big deal to be a little more cautious even if it is an “…ongoing psyop campaign geared to influence…”.
Phelps – Was it a big deal? Not to most people and not even to Phelps for the most part I bet. That little pic is going to cost him some public humility and maybe a few million bucks over the long run in endorsements. Big price to pay for you and I for smoking some weed. But, he will still make around 100 million dollars in his life time from future endorsements who don’t care about a bong toke…
Taxes – Sucks you didn’t pay your taxes. Not only did you have to pay the back taxes that you thought you got away with. But you even missed out on your dream job. Lol!
Dano…
David Cobb | Feb 6, 2009 | Reply
You could say that Phelps lacked “Situational Awareness” when he allowed that photograph to be taken and to be in a situation where it was possible. I don’t feel sorry for him, he should have known better…Too much money and not enough sense.
Daschle knows how the game is played in DC and has no excuses. None of the appointments with tax issues should have been made. Did everyone forget Zoe Baird? Once she lost her nomination for Attorney-General, that set the precedent.
Afghanistan….Don’t get me started.
Michael Flaherty | Feb 6, 2009 | Reply
Granted, its been almost seven years since I was in Kabul and Kandahar for any length of time, but I still remember my interpreter pulling me aside to tell me, “You need to give her something or her husband down there is going to beat the sh** out of her”. The reason for his pulling me aside was that the woman’s husband was running his family a a pan-handling business. The woman approached the men (western looking, US, ISAF etc.) with her hand out while pointing to a two or three year old child at her side. Her husband’s “children” were running in the streets hanging onto any vehicle carrying anyone in uniform, begging for money, pens, or anything they could resell on the market. Both the wife and children were expected to bring a certain dollar amount back to the man or he would make certain they didn’t forget who ran the family. Certainly we tried to curtail the servitude, but even that husband had to make a payment to someone in order to be allowed to pan-handle on that street. I can only hope things have changed in the cities – unconnected tribal villages are another story.
RHM | Feb 6, 2009 | Reply
@ Michael,
Amazing. Replace “Afghanistan” with “Dominican Republic” and it’s the same story. Organized networks of children (Dominican and Haitian) begging at traffic lights and all around the tourist areas.
There is one particular woman I watched for 6 years before I had a “Beautiful Mind” moment and finally realized that the baby she carried in her arms while begging never grew.
RHM
Frank the Tank | Feb 7, 2009 | Reply
Phelps what can you say. He acted like a typical 23 year old kid, but unfortunately he is not. Everyone should just assume cameras are everywhere and behave accordingly.
As far as taxes are concerned these events show just how confusing and massive our tax code really is. Time for a complete overhaul. Institute a flat tax or a VAT that excepts unprepared foods and cothing under $100. Bye bye convoluted income tax and income tax problems for folks.
Jinjirrie | Feb 12, 2009 | Reply
I’ve been doing some research into what remains of the AQ movement – here’s an http://www.mil.no/multimedia/archive/00076/_The_Al-Qaida_strate_76568a.pdfexcellent analysis of jihadist tactician, al-Suri’s strategies. After the annihilation of most of the AQ cells, individual action is the suggested modus operandus. With such techniques, attacks become impossible to predict, and with individual action, there is no chatter for intel agencies to detect.
In one way, these government beatups actually assist AQ to retain a profile. This fear maintenance can also benefit powermongers within or associated with government with their own and other government’s agendas in mind.