George Schultz, R.I.P.

Some months ago Your favorite Peasant posted birthday greetings 

for retired Secretary of State George Schultz on the occasion of 

his 100th birthday. Now I have the sorrowful duty of announcing 

his passing to you, my fantastic readers. The economist, diplomat,

and businessman who served in several presidential administrations

with distinction passed away February 6; I sincerely apologize for

not having reported his death until now, as I had my health challenges

which nearly rendered me deceased as well. I now have gotten 

caught up on all the very important news stories which took place

during my illness and convalescence. 

George Schultz was the kind of public servant that our government 

at all levels should have more of. Our country would be so much 

better off for such a blessing. 

Rest well, Mr. Schultz. Well done, sir. Requiescat in pace. 

MEM

Afghanistan in Abandonment

So as to curry favor with the American people, especially those 

with relatives or friends serving in the military and deployed to 

Afghanistan, President Biden announced that he would bring home

our military personnel who had been stationed in that country, 

some for several tours of duty. In fact, American military and

civilian personnel are presently being flown out and are on

their way home. Now, who wouldn't want to have family and 

friends come home, alive and healthy, from a trouble spot in

a far-flung part of the world? It is so sweet to see one's loved

ones and treasured friends again after months or years, with one

wondering during that time if one would ever see them again.

But consider the consequences in not that they are being

brought home, but how; that is, having a quick and sizeable

drawdown of our troops without providing any protection

for the Afghanis in the wake of the U.S. turning over the 

war against the Taliban, merely turning over everything to

the Afghanis be they ready or not.

On Saturday August 14 Biden delivered a statement cutting 

off critical help for Afghanistan. The shameful act will surely

go down in history as the biggest retreat by the U.S. since

the Vietnam War when we pulled out and left the South

Vietnamese helpless in the face of the rapidly advancing

communist forces from the northern part of that country.

Afghanistan's military's last resistance collapsed, the 

Taliban quickly overran the country, and just days ago 

took Kabul, Afghanistan's capital. President Ashraf Ghani,

the Afghan head of state, fled while remaining forces 

worked frantically to evacuate Americans from the doomed 

capital. Just twenty years after the U.S. toppled the jihadists

for sheltering Osama bin Laden, a reversal of fortune came

about with those same jihadists flying their flag over the 

U.S. Embassy building. Happy Anniversary, America.

To their credit, President Biden's advisers offered an alternative

for troop removal, as did the Afghanistan Study Group. President

Biden let what they had to say go in one ear and out the other.

Biden gave his self-justification for his fateful drawdown 

method thus: "One more year, or five more years, of U.S. 

military presence would not have made a difference if the 

Afghan military cannot or will not hold its own country."

But the Afghans were willing to fight and absorb casualties

with U.S. support, especially air power. Some military experts 

contend that all that was needed were a few thousand troops 

and contractors to do the job.

But Biden wasn't through yet; he is trying to pin the blame for

his rotten decisions on his immediate predecessor, President 

Trump. Quote: "When I came to office, I inherited a deal cut 

by (Mr. Trump) --- which he invited the Taliban to discuss at

Camp David on the eve of 9/11 of 2019 --- that left the Taliban

in the strongest military position since 2001 and imposed a 

May 1, 2021 deadline on U.S. forces. Shortly before he left 

office, he also drew U.S. forces down to a bare minimum of 

2,500. Therefore, when I became President, I faced a choice 

--- follow through on the deal, with a brief extension to get our

forces and our allies' forces out safely, or ramp up our presence 

and send more American troops to fight once again," This was 

after his beyond insulting remarks about the Afghans for not 

fighting harder and more fiercely and signaling the most 

terrible ingratitude to those who had helped us in both military

and non-military ways! Can you imagine such a thing?

Biden was more critical of Trump than he was of the Taliban

in his statement. Mr. Trump's withdrawal deadline could have

been better planned out, but Biden, even though his military 

and foreign policy advisors suggested otherwise, pig-

headedly ordered a rapid and total withdrawal in time for

the symbolic target date of 9/11. Of course the lamestream 

media praised Biden's decision as courageous (!). 

This event was the worst humiliation suffered by the U.S. 

since the fall of Saigon in 1975, right down to the haste 

to destroy classified documents, the helicopters evacuating

American diplomats, other American civilian personnel 

scrambling to find commercial airplanes to fly them out 

of Afghanistan, and the abandonment of valuable U.S. 

military equipment into Taliban possession. A most

terrible redux. But the Afghans who trusted the U.S. 

and assisted the Americans for over twenty years now 

face certain death at the hands of the Taliban. Biden was

much too slow in getting them out of the country despite 

urgent warnings, which of course he neglected to act 

swiftly upon. Their deaths will make a large red stain 

on Biden's presidency and legacy, one that all of the 

detergent in the world will never wash away. 

Have we learned nothing from the ending of the Vietnam

War? Apparently President Biden has not. And he appears

not to care. 

MEM

The Milwaukee Irish Fest is Back!

Friends, your part-Irish Peasant is going to be taking his

(usual) annual Irish holiday this weekend. After its being

cancelled and replaced with a "virtual" version last year

due to the Coronovirus pandemic which hit just around Saint

Patrick's Day (a horrible irony!), no blarney folks 

The Milwaukee Irish Fest will take place August 20 - 22,

being held over three days instead of its regular four, 

care still taken to avoid Coronvirus. At least we get to 

enjoy it this year, and the first day has always been the 

"sneak preview", lasting just five hours on a Thursday 

evening, long enough to wet one's whistle for the fest

with the event beginning in earnest on Friday. This year

the festival begins at 2:00 PM, a couple of hours earlier

than in past years. 

Your faithful Peasant will be in the company of relations,

friends (including fellow Chuck Ward Celtic Song Circle

members; we're getting back together after the Coronovirus

pandemic and my heart attack as well), and will be making

new friends to be sure. And when I return I shall have some 

riveting blog articles to share with you, my fabulous readers!

I'm getting back into my rhythm and am loaded for bear! 

And believe me, there's lots for us to take on! 

Know that you are always on my mind, and you are the reason

I write and publish this blog, and certainly why I fought for my

life and worked so hard at rehabilitating myself. See you upon

my return!

MEM

Donald Rumsfeld, R.I.P.

A wonderful public servant and patriot, Donald Rumsfeld, 

has been given his final reward for a life of devoted service  

to his fellow citizens, both in times of war and peace. 

Passing on June 29, he was 88 years old. 

A skilled cabinet member for four presidents, Secretary of

Defense for two, President George W. Bush (whom Rums-

feld served in this capacity) said of him that he carried out 

his "duty ... with strength, skill, and honor." He also enjoyed

a good scrap, having been a successful wrestler while in college

and had crossed verbal swords with many in Washington,

including with other members of the Bush cabinet. Rumsfeld

was regarded by those with whom he had served as being equally

smart and combative, very patriotic and politically savvy.

In addition to his many years in Washington he spent nearly a 

quarter of a century in corporate America, giving him an 

appreciation of both the public and private sectors. 

After retiring from government in 2008 Rumsfeld founded 

the Rumsfeld Foundation to promote public service and to 

work with charities that provide support for military families

and wounded veterans. Called "Rummy" by those who knew

him and those that never met him but certainly were familiar

with him and his work he was ambitious, energetic, witty,

and exuded personal warmth while also irritating some with

his brusque style; he employed biting humor to put his 

verbal opponents off guard. He did, however, build a network

of people loyal to him who admired his work ethic, intelligence,

and impatience with those who didn't share his vision and ideas,

constantly arguing against them and his sense of urgency.

Although the Iraq War went on longer than Rumsfeld thought it

would and wanted it to, dealing him a painful setback, he scored

many more pluses than minuses during his time in Washington. 

Rumsfeld was Secretary of Defense when the World Trade Center

and the Pentagon were attacked by suicide hijackers from the 
Middle East on September 11, 2001. He oversaw the U.S. invasion

of Afghanistan and the toppling of the Taliban regime following 

that fateful day. A solid fixture on television briefings during the 

war, Rumsfeld was praised for his blunt, no-nonsense talk and

uncompromising style. 

Thank you, Secretary Rumsfeld for your service. America was made 

stronger for your having been in the right place at the right time. 

Requiescat in Pace. 

MEM

Dan Mulvaney, R.I.P.

Every once in a while a reader of this blog, in this case one 

who was also a good friend passes on to better environs. 

It recently happened again just last week. 

Dan Mulvaney, who also happens to be the son of another 

good friend and enthusiastic reader of this blog Ron 

Mulvaney, died after a lengthy illness. A devout Christian

and a staunch conservative (and an avid reader of this blog 

like his dad), he was raised in the catholic faith. 

Dan was a keen student of his faith and shared it with 

anyone who wanted to know more about it, and was also

a patriotic fellow, a truly God and Country gentleman

who loved Jesus and the United States so very dearly.

Although I never met Dan in person we did meet online

via Facebook and had nice little conversations together.

Dan also joined me whenever I had a war of words with 

a left-winger on Facebook, always covering my flank 

whenever the other party had an ally or two join him

(not that I cannot handle multiple opponents in a political

shootout; I've been in such contests many times and always 

held my own). Dan so enjoyed PWAP, every bit as much 

as his father Ron, who was a tremendous help with my 

career over the years as well as an erstwhile liberal-turned-

conservative when American liberalism ventured too far

leftward for Ron's tastes and therefore a fine political ally

who is a great sounding board for my ideas to this day.

Dan, thank you so much for your friendship and fellowship,

both religious and political. It gives me great comfort to 

know that you are just a prayer away, and that one day we 

shall finally meet when it is my turn to be invited to partake

of God's heavenly hospitality. Thank you in the meantime

for making my life brighter and more wonderful!

Requiescat in Pace.

MEM