CNBC: Circa 1862

 

For Those Who Understand Metaphors:

What if the 24 hour news cycle existed in 1864 and Europe watched the American Civil War unfolding before them?

Middle East RSVP

O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us

To see oursels as ithers see us!

It wad frae mony a blunder free us,

An' foolish notion:

As I was gazing into my Liquid Crystal Ball, I had the opportunity to see myself in a previous life.  I am watching television when my programme is interrupted by a special report from Brussels.

The UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting over the conditions in America.  World Leaders are condemning the atrocities of the Civil War citing over 50,000 dead at Gettysburg and now, after the burning of Atlanta, Sherman’s March to the Sea.

On official said, in exchange for remaining anonymous, “Will we wait until every American has been Shermanised before we take action?”

Recent reports have confirmed that 50,000 American’s died in the three day battle at Gettysburg and almost 9,000 Americans were killed in the burning of Atlanta.

Leaders in England and France have reported that they are already sending warships to the Gulf of Mexico and the Potomac Basin, but claimed this was only to prevent a blockade to prevent the shipment of tobacco and cotton to Europe.  They did, however, admit that they were discussing putting boots on the ground to intervene.

The Russian Ambassador to the UN has stated that he will veto any resolution that involves military intervention.  He went on to issue this statement:  “It took the Americans from 1776 to 1789—thirteen years—to create a constitution.  This is a Civil War, and Europe has no business interfering with American domestic problems.”

The Greek Ambassador to the UN said, “We had a democracy 3,000 years ago.  We may have made some mistakes, but we learned from them.  We will be only too happy to send a delegation to Washington to help the Americans set up a stable democracy.”

The Italian Ambassador to the UN issued a statement saying, “Our government supports the initiative proposed by the Greek government and will be happy to participate.  After all, we had a democracy 2,000 years ago. We too, made a few mistakes, but we also learned from them and want to help protect the American people from this carnage.”

England’s Foreign Minister denied reports that the warships en route to America are carrying cannons to bombard Washington, saying “We are not taking the cannon-fire option off the table.  We are only saying that it is an option that we are prepared to exercise if the carnage in America does not stop.”

The Ambassadors from Spain and Portugal will be arriving in Brussels soon, carrying a joint proposal for a cease-fire but conceded, “There is little hope.”

On a related note,  A statement from Sandringham House:

The King, The Emperor, and The Czar issued the following joint statement.

In fewer than 100 years, Democracy in America has led to this Civil War of horrific proportions. 
An Annus horribilis.  Therefore we are planning to send a delegation to meet with Presidents Lincoln and Davis and with Generals Grant and Lee to discuss the establishment of Monarchy in America.

The nice thing about the Liquid Crystal Ball is that is reveals history as it might have been.  It does not, however, reveal history as it will be.

SANTAYAN “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.”

SLIM FAIRVIEW “Those who never learned history are doomed—Period!” 

Fin

Warmest regards,

Slim

Bob Asken

Box 33 

Pen Argyl, PA 

18072

LinkedIn Profile

slimfairview@yahoo.com

If you find anything here to be helpful, please don't hesitate to send me a really tricked out Mac Book and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you note.  Slim.

Copyright (c) 2013  Bob Asken:
All Rights Reserved

Our Middle East Muddling 2.0

 I've written about the Middle East on a few occasions.

There is a monumental lack of understanding on the
part of the West as we clutch retentively to our deep
seated self image.

1. Understand this globally:

China sees the world from a
mountaintop 6.000 years high.

The Middle East sees the world from a
mountaintop 4.000 years high.

Europe sees the world from a
Mountaintop 2.000 years high.

The US sees the world from a
mountaintop 245 years high.

2. We are not fighting an army of
one million soldiers. We are fighting
one million armies of one soldier each.

3. We embrace the delusion that the
people we demonise are rejected in their
own lands. And some do reject them.
However, others embrace them.

4. I once thought that other people
did not want American Style Government, they
only wanted American style freedom. I was
wrong. They see how too often, freedom
for one means freedom for the other. And
freedom for the other impinges on their own freedom.

5. Other peoples have cohesion
The EU is fractious, but that among nations
We are fractious among ourselves
That is not a sustainable model

6. The many may oppress the few. But the few may
not oppress the many--not for very long anyway.

7. It happens because no one believes it can
happen. Until it does.

8. "Everybody knows what everybody knows."
Quotations of Slim Fairview


9. They are not afraid to fight for their survival
& make no apologies. Again, they have cohesion.

10. "Abundance is the mother of complacency."
Slim Fairview.

11. In our country, the Generals serve at the
pleasure of the President. In many other
countries, it is the President who serves at the
pleasure of the Generals.

Caveat:
Biden, Trump, Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush
Didn't actually get it wrong. Everyone in the
West gets it wrong

Simplistic to say,
"Generals should advise Presidents on
fighting wars because it is The People
who need to understand this."

You can rest assured, whoever is President, 

The Middle East Isn't Going to change.

Sincerest regards,

Slim.

You Can't Fool the Lion:

The Quotations of Slim Fairview

© 2021 Robert Asken

All rights reserved

Obama's Win!

Obama’s Win

Can you see it now—the President’s handling of foreign affairs?

Let’s start with President Obama’s handling of Libya.  

Some of the criticism was unfounded. The President (as with many of his predecessors) was criticised for playing the world’s policeman and insisting that he allow allies to shoulder some of the burden.  Subsequent to which, in Slim Fairview style, he says, “Okay.” And proceeds to allow our NATO Allies should some of the burden.

The Critics, criticise the President for leading from behind.

Russia

I’ve stated before, “The military option is no longer viable.”  I also stated, “The economic zero-sum game isn’t going to work anymore.”  And, “Putin is engaged in an Economic Theatre of Operation.”

President Obama

In short, The President knows, never take a sucker bet.

To understand this, we must look to the European Economic Crisis, the dissolution of the southern country’s economies, and The Chancellor’s efforts to draw The Ukraine and other Eastern Bloc nations into the EuroUnion. 

Let’s be honest.  Deficit spending in Southern Europe fuels the German economy and The Chancellor’s economic war machine.  With the Southern economies virtually desolate, Merkel needs Eastern Europe to fuel the German economy.

Merkel’s strategy is too obvious for words:  Keep the German Economy strong until the global economy turns around, and then declare victory for her strategies and her tenure.

Merkelism: An economic system based on the fear that someone somewhere is earning a living.”

President Obama knows that President Putin is engaged in Economic Warfare. Hence, the U.S. led sanctions against Russia is economic warfare.  Also, The Chancellor and her economic supply lines are cut off.

The President Knows…

• Restraint:  Never take a sucker bet.

• Prudence: Never talk into a trap.

• Patience:  Let your opponent make the first move.

If numbers two and three don’t sound familiar, then watch The Seven Samurai.  Twice.

I also posted, on LinkedIn, ”Economic self-interest will play a role in resolving the many problems currently manifesting themselves in the Middle East.  Economic Self-Interest.  That appears to have come into play.

What might be some of President Obama’s Prognostications?

• Sanctions against Russia may impede an oil deal with cash-strapped Iran.

• China can afford to delay a Nat/Gas deal with Russia.

• Russia’s concerns over The Ukraine may cut off Russian Aid to Syria.

• Economic Sanctions will diminish the potency of a Euro-Economic recovery.

The President

• Let our allies participate

• Refused to be goaded into taking a sucker bet.

• Refused to be goaded into revealing strategy.

• Refused to walk into a trap.

• Displayed the wisdom of letting his opponents make the first move.

There is hope…..

Warmest regards,

Slim

slimfairview@yahoo.com

Copyright © 2014   Robert Asken as Slim Fairview

All Rights Reserved.