Papieren, bitte.

For those of us who enjoy our foreign travel with a side of surveillance; the U.S. Department of State is proposing to require a completed Form DS-5513, "Biographical Questionnaire for U.S. Passport" be included with a U.S. passport (now required for travel to Canada and Mexico, let's recall).Information required by this form includes;

Mother's residence one year before birth
Mother's residence at time of birth
Mother's residence one year after birth
Mother's name and address of employer at time of birth, and dates of employment
Mother's pre-natal care, including name of hospital, doctor, and dates of appointments.
Document mother used to enter country before birth (if any)
Circumstances of birth including names, addresses and phone numbers of witnesses
Religious or institutional recording of birth (e.g. baptism, circumcision)
All addresses from birth to present
All current and former employment, including name of employer and supervisor, address, and phone number
All schools attended, address, and dates of attendance.

And lest you're tempted to leave out that flop you crashed at between June and August your sophomore year in college, there's this little reminder: "Failure to provide the information requested on this form may result in denial of a United States passport, related documents, or service to the individual seeking such passport, documents, or service"

I rather liked it better in the original German......or Russian.

And the other thing that occurred to me as I was reading the ridiculously exhaustive list of things I needed to know about my mother (her employer's name?) was that if I was baffled by many of them certainly some State Department office pogue would be even MORE baffled.

Our congresscritters are whining and squealing about how we don't have enough money to help people who are sick, or injured, how we can't afford to pay people the pensions they earned, or keep the streets repaired or the park toilets clean.

Where the fuck are we going to find the cash to pay the State Department to check on all this goddamn trivia?

A Country for Old Fools

--Hanoi Hillary?

"Is that a Chevy '69?"
How bizarre, How bizarre
--How Bizarre, OMC

For my military knowledge,

though I'm plucky and adventury,

Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century;

But still, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,

I am the very model of a modern Major-General

--The Major-General's Song, Pirates of Penzance

--How'd you sleep?

--I don't know. Had dreams.

--Well you got time for 'em now.

Anythin' interesting?

--They always is to the party concerned.

--No Country for Old Men (1987)

____________________

Last night my nightmares returned me to the Vietnam War. Since time had regressed, Hillary had taken Jane Fonda's position, this time on a Libyan anti-aircraft gun, goofily looking through the sights as her assistant gunner John McCain prepared to feed rounds into the piece.

How much more bizarre does a nightmare get? Fonda was called a dupe and a traitor for supporting the Viet Cong's right to overthrow the Saigon puppet regime, yet McCain has now supplanted her in supporting his heroes, who happen to be the equivalent of his former enemy, Victor Charlie (Sen. John McCain says rebels fighting Gadhafi troops are his heroes during visit to east Libya).

The Libyan rebels and the VC are the same critter: They lack legitimacy, are not in accordance with the laws of their respective governments and are in open rebellion. Does McCain see the high irony of opposing the rebels in Vietnam War yet heralding their moral equivalent as heroes in Libya?

Neither McCain, Clinton nor O-bomb-a can clearly explain why it is incorrect for Moammer Qaddafi's troops and loyalists to attack and kill rebels, while at the same time supporting the "rebels" for doing likewise to Qaddafi & Co. Where is the sense, especially when a cash-strapped America must get the operational funds to do so at a Chinese Title & Pawn Shop?

In a word, McCain has once again pulled a flip-flop. McCain was bombing the folks of North Vietnam because they were supporting the rebels of South Vietnam. Now, he has done an about-face.

As for Clinton, it is equally difficult to understand her warmonger stance as a former Flower Child of the 60's. Clinton was the picture of a liberal intellectual, so how did she end up taking Jane's seat supporting the rebels?

Ranger wonders why Ms. Fonda keeps her mouth shut these days. Where is her outrage at the U.S. actions in Iraq and Afghanistan? Where is any outrage for that matter?

Heads I win, Tails you Lose!

Many many years ago, I watched Dan Rather interview Ross Perot on the occasion of Perot's becoming a billionaire. Mind you, I have never been a fan of either of them. However, I did have to admire Perot's response. Basically Perot said:

Dan, many years ago, my personal net worth passed the point where my personal needs and desires were met. The point where the amount of money at my disposal covered every use I could conceive of for my own and family benefit. In short, last week, I might have had 198 times the amount of wealth a person could bring to bear in his own life. This week, I now have 201 times that amount of wealth. Are you asking if it is possible to somehow feel different? Now, since I put a lot of my wealth to work in my business ventures, creating jobs, if going from 198 to 201 means I will create more jobs, then yes, I am happier today than last week. But as far as any personal benefit, I passed that point long ago.

Rather obviously didn't catch what Perot was saying, as he asked two or three times again something like, "Yes, but how does it feel to be a billionaire?", and got basically the same answer. Finally, Perot graceful shut down that line of inquiry.

Now, whether or not Perot was honestly answering the question or simply trying to gild his image in immaterial. For all intents and purposes, what he said is probably true. One probably can reach a point where one has so much wealth that it is near impossible to really improve the luxury one can experience, other than bragging rights and greed instincts.

As the Tea Party threatens to block raising the nation debt ceiling, Perot's words came back to me. The Tea Idiots are offering a choice: No more taxes on the wealthiest and reduce programs to help the needy or they will damage the general economy, which will also hurt the needy. To use my late Uncle Sal's favorite coin tossing joke, "Heads I win, Tails you lose."




No matter what choice is selected in the Tea Party plan, it is the bulk of the population that will suffer. The 20% who hold the bulk of the nation's net worth and financial wealth may have to suffer a life style adjustment, while the remaining 80% may have to come face to face with considerable suffering. Joe Schmuckatelli, the wall street broker may have to forfeit one of his homes, while many middle and lower class folks may lose their only home. People currently making over $250,000 may have to forfeit an occasional gourmet restaurant meal, while thousands will have difficulty getting basic nutrition. Sally Joe may have to cut back on her health spa visits and botox treatments, while tens of thousands more will have to skip any doctor visits and prescription medications completely.

That's the wonderful part of our oligarchy. "Heads I win, Tails you lose". And the great unwashed actually believes there's a choice being offered!

WASF

Erwin Rommel's First Offensive In North Africa

BMW R75 with a MG-34 mounted on the sidecar belonging to the 21st Panzer Division

This is one of a series of posts on the 70th Anniversary of World War II. April 1941 is remembered as a time of Nazi conquest. Yugoslavia and Greece were both conquered as a prelude to Operation Barbarossa which was to begin in 22 June. While the Spring of 1940 had been a time of defeat for France with the expulsion of the British form the continent, the Autumn brought the Battle of Britian and something of a respite.

North Africa and the Middle East however were something of showcases of British success during this period. The Italians had attacked Egypt from their colony of Libya in September and Marshall Graziani's offensive had bogged down after advancing barely 40 miles into Egypt. The commander of the British Forces in the Middle East was a very competent by unlucky professional soldier by the name of Archibald Wavell. He unleashed his Western Desert Force (commanded by General O'Connor) in December 1940 against the Italians and the Western Desert Force (WDF) was able to smash nine Italian divisions, capture 130,000 troops and drive the rest 500 miles back across Libya by February 1941. In January 1941, Wavell also launched attacks against Italian Somaliland and occupied Ethiopia, both of which surrendered the following Spring.

So in March 1941 things were looking pretty good for the British WDF in North Africa. Enter Erwin Rommel and the Deutsche Afrika Korps. In January the Luftwaffe's X Flieger Korps had been transfered from Norway to provide air support for the Italian Army and had also denied the WDF the use of the port of Bengazi requiring their supplies to continue to be moved all the way from Alexandria along the coast road. The BBC has an interesting animated map of the entire campaign.

Rommel started his unauthorized counteroffensive on 24 March with the newly arrived 5th Light Division "Afrika", later the 21st Panzer Divison, as well as the “Ariete” and “Trento” Italian motorized Divisions along with what remained of the original Italian Army. He smashed the British 2nd Armored Division, advanced across the desert with most of "Afrika" while the Italians advanced along the coast road. He was able to chase the WDF all the way back to the Egyptian border, investing Tobruk along the way, but failed to capture it, which was not surprising since he didn't even have a full Panzer division at the time and the Italians were still strung out along the coast road.

What made Rommel's task easier was that Wavell had been forced against his better judgment to send four divisions to Greece at the beginning of March.

The Die Deutsche Wochenschau from April 1941 describes the landing of the German troops, this advance, as well as their reception in Bengazi with some interesting footage.

While the withdrawal of most of the WDF was the obvious reason for the British defeat, was it the only one, or even the most important?

Let's not limit this discussion to this one operation, but include the entire campaign. This campaign in North Africa while warfare, was unique to World War II in that there were few if any documented atrocities committed by either side.

I have my own view on why Rommel was successful in this instance, which I will share in good time, but I would like to hear what ya'll think. Especially given that these very sands are being fought over yet once again in our own time . . .

JRA

How much pain they have cost us,
the evils which have never happened
--Thomas Jefferson

Had a brother at Khe Sanh
fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there he's all gone
--Born in the U.S. A., Bruce Springsteen

No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women
No fun, no sin, no you, no wonder it's dark
Everyone around me is a total stranger
Everyone avoids me like a cyclone Ranger
--Turning Japanese, The Vapors
_________________

There is not much to say about the nuclear meltdown and concurrent problems in Japan. Not much directly, but indirectly it provides entree to a blast from the past, this one pertaining to Japanese terrorism.

The now-defunct international terror group, The Japanese Red Army (JRA) was synergistic and operated and cross-fertilized with other transnational groups, behaviors which elevated them to a significant threat level which they actualized on several occasions. They were a focus of law enforcement throughout the free world, though then, as now, we overplayed their actual threat capabilities.

All the little nasty JRA acolytes -- both active and passive -- were of long-term concern to the average Japanese citizen. However, their actual damage was minimal when compared with a real and imminent threat such as confronts Japan now.

Who would have imagined in 1975 that nuclear power plants would pose a much larger and persistent threat than the national terrorist group which was, in today's parlance, a kinetic as opposed to a static threat? Terrorists are and were a much sexier news story than, say, a concrete nuclear energy plant. Che and Patty (SLA) still grace T-shirts; not so, Three Mile Island.

Who in America would say that BP's Deepwater Horizon "spill" is a greater threat to our well-being than al-Qaeda?

It is by our own heedless negligence and incompetence we wreak more havoc than those who would wish us ill. A recent mid-flight "Hole in Southwest Jet Attributed to Cracks" could have been prevented with due-diligence by the maintenance and inspection teams. If shoe-bomber Reid and crotch-bomber Abdulmutallab had placed their devices on top of the aircraft, they could not have done as much damage as our own neglect. As friend FDChief says, this shouldn't be happening in an industrialized nation, not in the U.S.

All of the major threats we face are of our own making, and eclipse the threat that we call terrorism.

Desideratum

--Arend Van Dam

It's a weight, a wonder that is wise
I am here, you are there
Love is our cross to bear
--Love is Our Cross to Bear,
John Gorka

Dark waters rise and thunders pound
the wheels of war are going round
and all the walls are crumbling
Shelter me lord underneath your wings
--Shelter Me, Buddy Miller
___________________

I've been a dreadful barmaid; please forgive (never mind me, just cleaning the baseboards, thanks.) In honor of National Poetry Month, a poem by Polish poet Julia Hartwig (b. 1921):

Yet We Desire It above All

Freedom does not mean happiness right away
the free world hides more traps than tyranny
mastiffs let loose from chains passions exceeding the horizon
steps entangled in the ropes of old bonds
that try to pull tight again

Freedom both for scoundrels and those
who sacrificed themselves for it
freedom for those who feel as pure as a diamond
and want to cut deeply surrendering passionately
to a new slavery—of hatred
from which the earth cracks like under dynamite
changing the course of rivers

On a Lighter Note

I haven't put something like this up for a while. For those of us who are fans of JRR Tolkien, shooting has begun on the cinematic doublet, "The Hobbit".

Peter Jackson has started a FaceBook page to keep us fans up to date on the progress of the project.

Very cool 10-minute introduction.

bb