My final message today is to try and find real change. I outlined this morning two crucial stories, the Uganda bombing and the NASA reaching out to the Muslim world. The Uganda bombing was committed by Al Shebab, a terrorist group that is based in Somalia. Somalia is a failed state that has been without a government since 1991-1992. Al-Qaeda does provide funding to the group, but it does not have the same goals as Al-Qaeda. This group is a regional/nationalist group that is focused on Somalia and regional instability. These failed states are where Al-Qaeda is going too. Poverty, tribalism, and inequality allow for radical Islam to thrive in these areas.
This means that our war is no longer just in Afghanistan or Iraq, but spreads to unstable African and Middle Eastern nations. Now the military cannot possibly fight all of these wars, but civilian outreach can help. The NASA story is just one part of that. Fox News is attacking this story and mocking it, but in reality this has been done with the Soviet Union. Doing duel space missions and government activities is a way to show that we are willing to help fight the problems of the third world.
I also talked about different tips for the GOP. I said in my column that they must separate themselves from the Tea Party movement, otherwise they will alienate moderate voters. The GOP does have a chance to win the midterm elections, but it must be cautious in how it proceeds. My tips were to not get too focused on problems that they cannot keep and use rhetoric that is too strong or they will face consequences in the 2012 elections.
My main motive today is to show that real change is possible, but will once again require creative solutions and individuals willing to take on the challenge. All we have to is “Imagine” – the song of the day.
