US FUNDS WASTED ON DICTATORS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Bahrain has received $1.4 billion in US aid since 2000. Egypt has received $1.3 billion per year on the average. Jordan has received $6 billion since 1952. What did Jordan ever do for us? Libya has received an average of $10.7 million per year in recent years. What in the world for, his humanitarian work? Morocco has averaged $24.5 million per year. Saudi Arabia, $500,000. Who in their right mind would send our money to one of the richest, if not the richest nation in the world? Tunisia has received $15.6 million per year on the average. Again, why? Last but not least is Yemen which has received $54.3 million per year. So we have military forces in Bahrain and Yemen, so what? They should not be there anyway. Our bases should only be in NATO countries and the only thing we should pay for is the rental of the land! If a NATO country rejects our need for a base, they should be drummed out of NATO!

I don't know about you, but I don't like the taxes on my hard-earned money paid to dictators or despots in the Middle East or anywhere in the world! If you agree with me, write your Congressmen and your President and let them know.

US SUPPORT FOR DICTATORS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The United States should not be supporting dictators anywhere in the world no matter what the military or other advantages might be to the US. The people of each country have the right to choose their government regardless if it is a government we like or not. Our form of government is a democracy. But the people of other countries may want something different. We should allow each country to form the kind of government that the people want regardless of whether we like it or not, or whether they hate us or not. We should allow countries to reach their natural cultural state. If we do, and at the same time support the principle of freedom for all, then we may earn some goodwill instead of the hate we experience now with the policies we have had. But at the same time we have to resist aggression of one country against others, and expansionist regimes as we have in the past. Yes, we might lose some military bases, but if the people of a country don't want our military in their country, we should leave. If they do want us then we should stay. Let our policy be based on freedom and democracy for peoples, not on a policy of fear and the support of dictators under the assumption that it gives us some sort of strategic advantage. I believe that if the Middle East, for example is allowed to reach its natural cultural balance, for the most part there will be less tension and less potential for war in the region. We will still have to protect some countries when they are threatened of course. But even the need for protection in some cases may be less due to lower tensions. Let the Middle East stabilize of its own accord with the US supporting freedom and democracy, not dictators!  Write and call your Congressmen if you agree with me.

A CHANCE FOR A NEW FOREIGN POLICY

Right now, after the fall of the Egyptian dictator, the US has a chance to formulate a new foreign policy that is based on the promotion of freedom and democracy throughout the world instead of supporting dictators because some fearful politicians are afraid of what results might follow after a democratic election. I say that the support of dictators is a policy based on fear instead of reason. If the US had a policy of not supporting dictators, but supporting freedom and democracy, and being of good example of democracy ourselves, most people around the world would understand that policy and would be more likely to copy us than hate us for supporting the police states and dictators that steal their freedom. When people are under the heel of a cruel dictator, or any dictator that restricts their freedom, they will hate that dictator and his police state government. They will also hate any people or governments that support that dictator, and that is at least partly why so many people around the world hate the US. A good example of that is Iran where the US supported the despotic Sha, earning the hatred of Iranians, and then when the Sha was deposed the US had no credibility or influence to encourage a democracy in Iran. We could blame Jimmy Carter for that, but there was nothing he could do because of the hate of the US. So what was gained by supporting the Sha? Nothing and even worse than  nothing, but rather it was counterproductive and has led to the trouble we have now with Iran. So what should our new policy be? Very simple. We should not support dictators at all, anywhere! Next we can once again be a good example of a free and democratic country. We can then establish credibility around the world as a nation that is free and ready to help others establish freedom and democracy. If you believe I am right, write and call your Congressmen and tell them!

REDISCOVERING AMERICA AND N0-FEAR POLICIES

Is America in decline and nothing can be done to stop it? I don't think so. Americans are only limited by their own thinking and our own fears. Franklin D. Roosevelt said "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." And I think this is as true today as it was in Franklin's time. We should not be ruled by fear as to how we react to events in the world or to our conditions at home. We should react out of a "no-fear" position of strength, positive energy, and the attitude that we are going to move forward! We should think in terms of up-holding our ideals based on the Constitution of the United States and our democratic form of government. We must not give in to fear and the extremist forces that are in the world today. There is no stronger idea or position to take than that of supporting Freedom For All and the support of democratic reforms around the world. America has been the leader of the free world for many years. We do not have to give up that role but we do need to get our own house in order. Eliminate the policies of fear and instead react for the cause of freedom all over the world. It is time to stop supporting dictators. We fought dictators in WW I and WW II and the cost was heavy in the blood of many fine soldiers. We should not support their repressive tactics and ambitions for power now. Let us move forward with confidence, fix our own problems, and be an example to the world of a nation of free people, not afraid to face anyone, with confidence through having the right ideals and the strength of no-fear policies.