No prisons in Afghanistan. How about jobs and a little more creativity instead?

The New York Times reports this morning that our government wants to build a "super prison"

in Afghanistan because the Afghan government does not have the ability, apparently, to incarcerate their own criminals. Well, we certainly have a lot of experience and expertise building prisons. So, I guess on one level that makes sense - but only if you are a prison builder who stands to gain from the opportunity. The rest of us would like to understand a few things first.

Memo to our government: have you considered first providing job programs (obviously we have, but $1 billion is hardly a drop in the bucket and is equivalent to 3 Raptor Jets if anyone is paying attention), training, or even promoting television programs and radio programs focused on entrepreneurs in Afghanistan? How have you first creatively celebrated and promoted the "doers" versus used our great power and our money to punish the "takers?" My God, I sincerely hope our government has more creative range. Where did the visionaries from the days of the Marshall Plan go? Are they all tools now of our military industrial personality complex? Or, is the last bastion of creative thinking only reserved for certain floors of buildings in the financial district of New York?

Seriously.

Surely John McCain has more sense than to endorse such an idea. We build more prisons in this country and house more prisoners than any democratic nation in the world per capita. We do this in an arrogant and ass-backward belief that building more prisons deters more crime. It doesn't.

Statistics repeatedly show that if we provide proper early education for children, vocational training and support systems for teens moving in to adulthood and programs designed to help reduce criminal recidivism, society saves seven dollars for every one we spend in terms of the future costs of housing any individual as a prisoner, managing parole programs and paying for law enforcement. It's called an investment strategy - a type of activity that we pay trillions of dollars for to train and educate our most villainous and, yes, celebrated financial whizzes on Wall Street.

Our society has an investment mentality when it comes to wealth and opportunity. When it comes to people, we have a split personality. We'd rather pay through the nose for secret government programs designed to kill people all in the name of national defense, than carve off a few more dollars for an intelligent investment strategy to educate, train and prepare our children for the future in an increasingly complicated world.

Granted, we live in a land of opportunity and choice. If one chooses a negative path, the punishments can be severe - apparently not so severe that it keeps about 1 out of 100 of us in a federal or state prison. Anyone who reads the Fatal Shore will tell you that mental illness, poverty and hopelessness are the root causes of crime (in almost all cases but a few). Oh, and if you'll permit a little woo woo thinking - the lack of love in one's life.

Think about it.

When it comes to paying a few more dollars in taxes to give our children the finest education money can buy, we're more comfortable blaming teachers and the teacher's unions for being greedy. I have a question born from an admittedly old chivalrous piece of my rapidly shriveling Y chromosome: What kind of coward do you have to be beat up on a teacher?

Are we so lost that we don't give a wit of thought to the notion that each one of us blithely pays for bombs, guns and bullets to kill people at a rate never seen in human history all in the name of "keeping democracy safe" but we can't seem to realize that the best long-term "weapon" we can send out into the world is a well-educated, culturally-astute, intelligent, citizen. Bombs and guns and bullets are nothing when compared to that kind of power.

So, can we consider - please - this idea of building a prison in Afghanistan and consider first how to help the Afghan children envision a better life for themselves through more hopeful means than a concrete prison wall? Apparently the Afghan landscape is dotted with the crumbling walls of past efforts to punish the wicked rather than focusing on rewarding the just. Could there be a more stark reminder of what history is telling us?

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

How can we support the war on terror? Redefine modern warfare.

It's easy if you try.

I was thinking today -- in light of the protests against "the war," in cities throughout the U.S., -- that maybe we've lost our way. Maybe our leaders, influenced by war profiteering capitalists and the global supply chain for energy, can't see our way clear. Certainly some portion of this statement is true but...

... then I get an email message from the Associated Press sharing the news that Bin Laden (does he even need a first name any more) is threatening "severe actions" against Europeans who publicize political cartoons to mock, satirize or make light of Islam or The Prophent Muhammad. Frankly, I think it's pretty crass 0r even downright racist to paint unflattering caricatures of someone elses Deity, prophet or holy person. But, free speech -- however abhorrent some of its byproducts -- trumps the protestations of Bin Laden and others like him who claim to know what God wants and expects.

Where religion goes kooky is when self-righteous practitoners of one faith or another claim to know what God wants. The satirization Bin Laden refers to was offensive. I found it offensive. But, I also went on with my day recognizing that it was just a twisted creative outlet for some frustrated artist. The artist and his patrons were able to vent some creative steam and no one was physically injured. Moreover, intelligent viewers of these cartoons were left to debate the issues raised with their friends, colleagues or just in their own heads. Or, they could completely ignore it. Or they could write a letter to the editor sharing their approval or disgust. But to plot the deaths of people on an entire continent because some in their society have no manners is quite beyond extreme.

I don't very much appreciate -- even if I find the cartoon offensive -- the idea that I might be blown to bits while sipping a latte on the Champs Elysee just because I did not participate in the fatwa against the artist. Someone needs to familiarize his assanine-ness with the sticks and stones adage me thinks.

So, why would Bin Laden and his ilk threaten physical violence, death and destruction over a political cartoon? Does he really believe that a drawing is the only sign of the anger, revulsion frustration and fear that many people, regardless of religious affiliation, have against him, his followers and radical Islam in general? And, can he really believe that by condemning cartoons he is making a rational declaration of his beliefs? Does he not further understand that with 200 million of his fellow Middle Easterners coming into the work force by 2015, that what these people need is a job, not another overbearing, boarish, death-mongering Mullah? And, as he dwells in caves these days does he not consider that had he followed his brothers into his father's construction business he might be a great deal more influential with only downside being relative obscurity?

It's no revelation that Bin Laden is history's most famous coward. His followers bringing up the horses hind end on that account. Stopping the war on terror would be signaling that terror has merit as a political solution. What needs to happen is that the war on terror become broader, not thinner. The issue is over the definition of what is considered modern tactics of war. I'd argue that job creation in sectors like housing and community building, instead of just weapons manufacturing, is one possible weapon to successfully combat radicalism. Our new warn needs to take the form of government-sponsored agriculture programs and regional infrastructure planning and transportation logistics and technology development and education and, well, you get the point.

I am not opposed to using bullets when required, but what about books, bricks and the building blocks of cultures. It has recently come to light that the ancient Egyptian kings may not have used very much -- or any -- slave labor to build their pyramids, tombs and other wonders. They may have been built as massive public works projects knowing then that idle hands are the devils workshop. It's time for governments and multi-nationals to start putting war profits to work for people in ways that give them meaning, purpose and hope.

Note: We can learn a great deal from the way the U.S. Government provided funding for Louisiana's Road Home Program. Mostly we can learn what not to do. The contractor selected to run the program, a Beltway Bandit by the name of ICF, seems to have felt that the contract to help people get resettled in Louisiana was their own private gravy train (bonuses of $2.7 million were paid out to directors of the company in December 2006 just as they were going public and celebrating a the win of a $765 million contract from the State of Louisiana). I am sure there are some well-meaning people in their company. Their parts, in other words, may not be as evil or inept as their sum. But rather than rip them to shreads for doing what pigs naturally do at troughs, we should take a closer look at what can be learned from their approach to solving big challenges like the one in Louisiana.

Someone said id you want to be successful, you should double your error rate. They did not suggest that you triple or quadruple it which is what we are apparently doing in many places around the world. It's time, therefore, to change the tactics of our war, not end the war itself. Please tell me one of our presidential candidates is thinking about this in some way. If not, then we are all going to lose faith and hope and the only winner will be radicalism, extremism and the profiteers of the status quo.

Eliot Spitzer. A hero to the common man.

Governor Spitzer,

You are a hero, sir. It's time to use up all of those political favors to maintain your hero status. It's time to prove, like Bill Clinton before you, that no resume can be trumped by a mere moral indiscretion. Like so many seemingly flawless leaders over the eons you have stand up and affirm that to err is human and to apologize quickly is a political necessity if you are to continue to keep your public vehicle and driver.

I urge you to stand firm. Don't allow the moral relativists in the press to rattle your resolve to continue to lead. Hookers are expensive -- especially the good ones. And, Lord knows you work hard and deserve a break from the mundane now and again. Besides, everyone knows that you can't get a good piece of ass in Albany. So, I applaud your decision to settle for something better in the end (if you'll pardon the expression). The taxpayers have no idea how challenging it is to be "on" 24/7/365. You need a vice because, let's face it, golf is boring as hell and fat white men in towels bragging about tee shots is not particularly stimulating.

I do feel for your wife and daughters, though. Surely they deserve better behavior from their bread winner. I have done a good number of stupid things in my life. So, I am not trying to stand on falsa firma here. Railing publicly against prostitutes while paying for the services of the same is Olympian in its chutzpah, though. I urge you to see a urologist as I fear you must have a problem walking and or sitting comfortably.

If you resign from office, you will no longer be a hero. You will be just another testosterone-producing schlub who could not hack through real politik. If, on the other hand, you shout to the world, "Yes, I got jiggy with some high class hookers and I don't give a damn what you think!" then you will have my vote for President. But, I'll only shake your hand while wearing rubber gloves. One can't be too careful these days.

Matt Drudge Should Be Sent to Afghanistan

Do Prince Harry and his soldiers deserve the potentially deadly outing they received by one of the world's biggest (insert your own colorful expletive here), Matt Drudge? Is anyone else outraged that, once again, in the name of the "public right to know," Britain's Prince Harry will be lucky to get out of Afghanistan in one piece?

A line has been crossed in society when one person's narcissism is allowed to trump another's safety. So, here's what the penalty should be...

Matt Drudge should be picked up in a Humvee by special forces soldiers at his home, given a canteen, some MRE's and a rifle and dispatched via a HALO drop into southern Afghanistan. He should be photographed every moment as he wanders the countryside in fear of his life and his GPS coordinates should be posted to an internet site to show his position every sixty seconds.

Matt, pack your bags.

Musings on Pakistan

Did Musharaf order the murder of former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto? I suppose anything is possible. But for a politician with Musharaf's skill, it hardly seems his style. Rumors abound that Al Queda and the Taliban have the protection of the Pakistani Government in Northern Pakistan. This may very well be true to some degree. Some have blamed this cozy relationship for the slipshod protection of Bhutto. No matter who killed her, she's not coming back. What seems important now is to determine not just WHO killed her but WHAT forces manipulated the assassination and WHY?

I understand the Musharaf would have a motive for seeing Bhutto dead. It's far too easy to point to him as the originator of the hit. Maybe that's reason enough to believe he did order it. Kind of a "hide in plain site" alibi. "Surely everyone knew I wanted her dead," he might respond, "but murder of this kind is despicable to me." And so Poirot is left considering the less obvious suspects.

There is no question that Bhutto had lots of enemies. She was a woman leader in a male-dominated society. She was a destabilizing force in a very unstable region. She had an international following and world-wide recognition. Even in this country where we foolishly believe we are more enlightened, we fear a powerful woman taking a supreme leadership role.

The Pakistani people have some soul-searching to do along with their search for Bhutto's killers. Likewise, we in America have to consider our own outdated ways of thinking about women leaders. It's far past time to grow beyond where we've been.

Hokie Horror

I was reminded recently just how far my home in Virginia feels these days as we raise our family here in Oregon. In my mind, the horror of the Virginia Tech shootings was juxtaposed with the bucolic memories I have of a quieter Blacksburg.

In the days that followed the murders, I heard from several Oregon-based natives of the Old Dominion mourning the loss of life and the stigma that will now be attached to a much loved Virginia institution. Beyond the usual bond that anyone might have to others from their home state, this event focused those kindred feelings. Everyone from Virginia is a Hokie now - even Cavaliers. Even the Queen of England -the unofficial Sovereign of the “Pearl Colony” was moved this week to spend time mourning with families of the victims. She was in Virginia this week to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown.

The loss of so many promising lives is appalling. Equally appalling is the continued loss of life in Iraq. On the day after the shootings in Blacksburg, Baghdad suffered the worst car bombing deaths since the beginning of the war to “liberate” the Iraqi people. 170+ souls were deleted from the list of the living and added to the growing list of statistics. Is anyone as nauseated by all of this death as I am? I refuse to take a side on the issue of whether we should or should not continue with that part of the mission unaccomplished. I simply don't understand the complexities. I do know I am tired of hearing about people dying for no other reason than someone else thinks their death will strike a poignant political cord with their opponents - whoever they are.

Iran versus the world

Let's imagine for a moment that we are Iran. We just had the world's only superpower invite itself into our troubled neighbors country -- a long-time enemy. We have had a long-running "jones" for the superpower. And, we are not exactly in the peak of economic health. In short, we have destablization written all over our faces. So, we decide to puff out our chest a little with some nuclear rocket rattling. We are the skinny punk in the neighborhood, afterall. We don't want any trouble from the rough kids who moved in. If you think of it this way, Iran's recent bizarre actions make a lot of sense.

I have stray teens who wander up my street many nights to party. I live on the side of a hill with a wide expanse of park across the street. I don't like them even parking there, much less getting out and partying, drinking, etc. The same territorial instinct -- even though the street is not technically my territory -- comes in to play here. Iran may not be correct in its behavior, but we can at least understand their belligerent stance.

So, what's to be done?

The United States needs to keep reminding the Iranians that we aren't interested in them. We also need to remind them that playing with dangerous weapons and flashing them about is no way to behave. In short, tell them that "We get it." They don't like us and they don't want us influencing the rest of their neighbors (or worse). The U.S. must also stop increasing the pressure through encouraging Israeli military bluster toward's the Iranians.

Historically, not since Alexandar the Great, has the West found Iran (then Persia) of much interest. Sure, the British liked it for a while. And, we liked it because of the oil, but history shows that the region has never quite been our cup of tea. So, let's leave it to them and focus on trying to improve our own culture. I am finding it increasingly painful to accept American troops in Iraq when we continue to have hunger, poverty and sick children who go un-helped here.

Today -- Easter Sunday 2007 -- 10 American soldiers were killed in Iraq. And, the emotionally unstable Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Shiites in Baghdad, has declared jihad on the American Military. We promised months ago to bring stablity to Baghdad. We have not succeeded and al-Sadr's had enough of our unfulfilled promises. He's, frankly, pissed at the wrong people. But, the sooner we are out of there, the sooner he can get on with the delayed battle he must have with his Sunni enemies. In short, I think we are simply in the way. We need to get out of the way and let these people fight it out. Does anyone believe that peace is going to result before both sides have had a chance to clobber each other?

I think it's important to ask for God's blessing to reach into the hearts of Sunni and Shiite alike to ask them to embrace each other for good instead of terror. I know I am praying for calm. It's likely in vain, however. Evil is apparently going to prevail in the short-run. We should stand on the sideline until the fight is over.