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Demanding Accountability

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Verbal Assassination

ON THE BRINK

By Ron Lee
Investigate Journalist

Recently the board members of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists who oversee the "Doomsday Clock" pushed us two minutes closer to midnight. According to the Bulletin which includes notables like Professor Stephen Hawking and some 18 Nobel prize winners the reasons behind the panel's decision are plentiful. They cited the recent nuclear test by North Korea and pursuit of nuclear weapon technology by Iran and extremist groups as part of their reasoning. They also noted the lack of security for nuclear materials in Russia, civilian power plants and university research reactors which could be focused on with ease by terrorist organizations. Also contributing is the continued development of nuclear weapons by countries who have yet to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. These countries include the United States, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel. And according to the panel, "Global warming poses a dire threat to human civilization that is second only to nuclear weapons." With their conclusion we now stand at 5 minutes to the brink of annihilation.

But isn't that where we always are? Hasn't every culture in time faced the possibility that their end was near; that it could be their armageddon; their end times? Isn't that just human nature to think that we, presently, will be the end all?

Of course, but that doesn't change the responsibility we have to safeguard the future for new generations.

It is a more recent sickening era of selfishness that has gripped us and taken us away from truly protecting the possibility of many generations to come. We have indeed lost our way as stewards of what we have been given and what we are to leave. A "if I can't have it, neither can you" mentality has ebbed in as a way to ultimately beat out the Joneses, and in the end we are left with nothing except relatives arguing over who gets what and how much after the state has taken its share.

So how do we protect the future? We (that's all of us you pacifists and Democrats who want ignore it) acknowledge the fact that there are a lot of people in this world that want to blow us up! They want to see us wiped off the map. They are NOT misunderstood or confused and their feigns at diplomacy are a ruse. These people actually want to do us harm ... again. Have you already forgotten? Perhaps your peace-pipe is filled with a bit too much loco-weed and it is effecting your memory.

I don't care what we are told, our troops are NOT engaged in war to free Iraq, or to gain oil reserves, or even to expand our sphere of influence. Logic, people ... We are there because it is the only kind of war we know how to wage. After 911 we sought to wage a global war on terror. Unfortunately our military leadership is not versed in terrorism, but rather warfare, and with the quick tumbling of Afganistan we found ourselves needing a new geographic location in which to fight this war ... and guess what, it's been working. Our military are our first shield from attack. Our enemy, the terrorists, are currently much more focused on our military assets than our public ones. Once we lose this shield the terrorist will strike here on our soil.

It is these same terrorists who are trying to acquire biological, chemical and nuclear material for weapons, and it is imperative that we stop them by any means necessary. We have to stand tall and swiftly smite down those who rise up to kill us. Does that sound harsh? Well, look at nature.

On that note, I don't care if global warming exists or not and I don't wish to debate its science one way or the other. To me it is much more simple than anyone makes it out to be. I was taught that garbage belongs in a TRASH CAN, not in our rivers, forests, neighborhoods, skies or anywhere else selfish, careless beings choose to throw their refuse. The simple fact is that we are indeed polluting our world. Just take a look around your neighborhoods people! Check out the signs at the beaches around the country that say "closed" because there are so many pollutants it isn't safe to swim. For heaven's sake, just look at the skies of Los Angeles that are a greenish grey! So all you global-warming-naysayers let me ask you this ... Could we take better care of our world just for the sake of doing it? Or how about inventing new sources of energy because we have a spirit for advancement? Or maybe we could plant a freakin' tree when we cut one down so our kids have one to look at, too! It doesn't have to be BECAUSE of "global warming." To continue littering our world is just plain laziness and shows an absolute disregard for anytime other than the now and anyone other than the me.

As for the 5 minutes we have left until midnight, I'd rather concentrate on doing, and not focus on the reasons why. Maybe that way we will wake up on the dawn of a new day. Now, that just might put us on the brink of something wonderful!

About the Author: Ron Lee has been a freelance and published writer since 1985. He attended Richmond University in London where he focused on theatre arts, and the University of Nevada Reno where he dual majored in criminal justice and psychology. He currently spends his time helping the US~Observer's clients with his no nonsense investigative reporting style. Ron may be reached at ron@usobserver.com. Favorite quote, "The truth shall make you free." --John VIII. 32