Homeland Security Suggests U.S. Border Crossing Fees – Why Not Purchase Less Ammunition to Fund Department? – Or Possible Ploy to Cut Down on Illegal Immigration? Is there a Doctor in the House?

The Canadian-US Border in Vermont - Image and Article from the National Post "Montreal Man Crosses US Border with IPad in Lieu of Passport"!!!!!!

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has come under some fire lately for stockpiling massive amounts of ammunition:

“The Associated Press reported in February that DHS was planning to buy more than 1.6 billion rounds over the next five years, a number that sparked fears of government stockpiling – which DHS previously denied to Whispers. Officials told lawmakers DHS actually was planning to buy only up to 750 million rounds.

But Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said it still looked like the government was unnecessarily amassing ammunition.

"The idea that you have to have excess rounds, year after year, flies in the face of common sense," Issa said. Medina argued that DHS keeps a reserve of ammunition because of market fluctuations and because of past problems with vendors.

In fiscal year 2012, DHS purchased more than 103 million rounds of ammunition, to be used by about 70,000 DHS officers who are currently authorized to use weapons. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said Thursday that "the math" didn't make sense, pointing out that this means an average 1300-1600 rounds per DHS officer – some 1000 rounds more than the average for an officer in the Army.”

(U.S. News & World Report)

Which raises the question, why does the 2014 budget for the Department of Homeland Security include a proposed a fee for border crossings into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico?

According to Section 544 of the budget proposal, the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection should “conduct a study assessing the feasibility and cost relating to establishing and collecting a land border crossing fee for both land border pedestrians and passenger vehicles along the northern and southwest borders of the United States.”

Currently, travelers aren't charged fees for crossing the border by car, bus or train. Some crossings in cities such as Detroit and Buffalo occur on toll bridges, but the money collected goes to the bridge operators, not DHS.”

(International Business Times)

IBT goes on to explore the relationship to commerce between the U.S. and Canada which would be impacted by the addition of fees. The Canadian’s aren’t overly pleased by the proposal: ”No Border Tax”, is the title of one of many anti-border taxes from the Canadian Press – this from the Winnipeg Free Press. The border fees would especially hit tourism for Northern U.S. States, and is seen as particularly unfair to Canada.

Is there truly any logic to most of the governments’ budgets? One might suggest, since the Department of Homeland Security is busy “protecting” our borders, especially the Western State borders with Mexico – a fee (tax), of any measure would impact those poorest who cross the Southern Border with Mexico – Visiting family members, or doing business in the U.S. Those that cross, either legally or illegally would be impacted by the fee (assuming those crossing illegally would cross at an actual border crossing). Perhaps this is a feeble attempt at reducing any form of immigration from South of the border.

Regardless, as there is no end to waste in the U.S. Federal Budget, the manner in which budgets are set for departments should be revised, and all items purchased, as well as salaries and perks, should be under a microscope. As those working in the U.S. know, there is no end to the taxes that are levied, from payroll (Income, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security), to gasoline, to usage fees – now the long arm of the Fed is seeking to grab what it can from those who are contributing to the U.S. economy by the simple act of visiting the U.S. – Why not apply that “fee” to anyone attempting to enter the U.S. by any means? – Or alternately, start making adjustments to budgets (cuts) by reviewing Senator Tom Coburn, MD’s reports: ”Department of Everything”, suggests more than a few ludicrous and expensive projects by the DOD(PDF), while Duplication Nation suggest a savings large enough to cover the costs of Sequestration, by simply eliminating duplicate spending by the U.S. . The good Doctor also publishes an annual ”Waste” or “Pork” report, outlining the extremely imbecilic way that tax payers dollars are allocated. (PDF)

Of course, Senator Coburn is not a professional politician or lawyer, rather a Doctor – which may be the reason – ethics!! Perhaps we need more Doctors in the House, the Senate and for that matter, the Oval office.

Boston Bombers “Influenced” by Al Queda Magazine – Magazine – fighting for “Islam’ Cause” – China Province Sees “Violent Clashes” – with Muslims! – Time for Global Re-Education

According to the NBC’s USNews, the Boston Bombers were “Inspired” by an Al Queda Magazine, one that gave them instructions on how to make a bomb – therefore, they were “acting alone” so to speak.. Al Queda has the wherewithal to have a publishing company, which produces an online magazine whose sole aim is to ”inspire the believer to perform their duty in fighting Islam’s cause” (Inspire Magazine). This is the stuff that the brothers were reading, which, for those who follow radical Islam, apparently gives them simple tools to in which, blow up just about anything. It is something that should be taken seriously – and is a direct link to Al Queda. To suggest that the brothers were somehow “duped” or naive enough to take the magazine seriously, is in itself rather naive.

The fact that no matter who sits in the Oval Office can quell the quest to continue Al Qaeda’s the sole objective of furthering “Islam’s cause” (or for the sake of simplicity and/or historical fact is to conquer the world for Islam) should be taken into consideration by those who believe there is no need for a “war on terror”. It is the way in which the “war on terror might be fought” that needs to change. In the most recent edition of “Inspire”, page 56, the title (truncated): “10 years later, Obama Deludes his nation claiming that killing …..will lead to eternal peace” – goes on and speaks about “operations” which took place on American soil, which “disturbed the world” and boasts that the movement is growing – citing the number of “jihad operations” which have “taken place on American soil the past two years”. (Inspire Magazine) It is the stuff of reality mixed with a hefty dose of propaganda that is a mix of politics and religion. Politics and Religion apparently go hand in hand and have since the beginning of time. There are those religions based on peace (which have been, at times, corrupted by men), and then there is one religion based on acquiring additional nations, properties and conversion by force.

Therefore it is not a war on terror; it is a war on the ignorance of those who believe that world dominance can be achieved by terrorist attacks. Suggestion: a counter publication, in multiple languages, available for those readers that would: suggest the sole reason the follower and potential bomb thrower should understand that a whole lot of money, rather than faith, is a stake and that individual is being used as a pawn by wealthy madmen. One might, by following jihad, destroy an innocent family’s life, main and kill innocent children, and in today’s 24-7 news cycle, be forgotten in 10 minutes – one has to question – “Where is the win?” – One loses one’s life; put’s one’s family in the same position, and basically looks like an idiot for following an “online magazine”

Those in the west might find this type of publication to be “cartoonish” – and in fact, it does appear so, including the English Language version. However, the violence suggested, and the violence taking place around the world, suggests that early intervention – say a Head Start to Prevent Radicalism – might be in order. Not to be naive, however it is a stunning lack of education, rather than education that is allowing this monstrosity to continue, day after day, in nations around the world. The only way to peacefully combat the abomination is by educating the populace – with any means possible. Not so much to convert to another “religion” but rather to suggest the “Religion of Peace” as Islam is so often called – might do better if “peace” were practiced.

How far do those followers believe they can take their “jihad” – Apparently, the U.S., along with Obama are not the only ones to hate, maim and destroy. The BBC is reporting “Deadly clashes in China's Xinjiang”:

Clashes in China's restive Xinjiang region have left 21 people dead, including 15 police and officials, local authorities say.

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon in Bachu county, Kashgar prefecture, a statement on the official Xinjiang government website said.

It began when officials searched homes for weapons, it said. Six "gang members" were among the dead, it said.

There have been sporadic clashes in Xinjiang in recent years.

The incidents come amid rumbling ethnic tensions between the Muslim Uighur and Han Chinese communities. In 2009 almost 200 people - mostly Han Chinese - were killed after deadly rioting erupted.

To understand the connection to the two Boston “jihadists” one need only look at the map provided by the BBS in the article above.

A massive reeducation leaflet drop should begin immediately – A Weapon of Mass Education - there are too many countries, so little time.



Image of map showing latest “terrorist attacks” in China – to the left (not shown) is Chechnya – (also not included Indonesia, Africa, et al.) – Image BBC.com

Welcome to Springfield - Chicago Style - Murder on Wellington Street, (Pick a street) - in Springfield MA - Image from Mass Live Boston Jihad Bomber – Trial In Springfield, MA - The Criminal Complaint – Not Charged As Enemy Combatants – Other’s Arrested on Expired Visas – The Clash of Cultures Descends on MA

Yesterday, in a late afternoon radio segment, Howie Carr, talking head from WRKO, mentioned the Boston Marathon Bombers and questioned the possibility that they would receive a death sentence – he thought it was not possible. (listen to audio at wrko.com) For those out there convinced that the death sentence will be a priority in this particular case, think again. First, the remaining bomber in the terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon is not being tried as an enemy combatant –He is being tried in Federal Court, in Massachusetts. He has been charged as follows: :

Tsarnaev, a student at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, was charged with using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction. He was accused of joining with his brother in setting off the shrapnel-packed pressure-cooker bombs that killed Lu and two other people and wounded more than 200 on April 15.

Tsarnaev, a student at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, was charged with using and conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction. He was accused of joining with his brother in setting off the shrapnel-packed pressure-cooker bombs that killed Lu and two other people and wounded more than 200 on April 15.

There will be an indictment, he will have a public defender or possibly two, and the probable cause hearing is set for May 20 – (ABC News) It has been determined by the media and the mayor of Boston that they acted alone, due to a deeply held religious belief that one must kill infidels. Perhaps their public defenders may try an insanity angle.

The question of whether or not they acted alone, is suspect in itself, given the fact that the remaining brother requires a public defender, however, was able to afford to drive BMW’s, (Pilot online) perhaps a gift from some friends to enable them to fit into the wealthy Cambridge neighborhood – or at Dartmouth where they acted alone, again, building other bombs.

Taking no chances and wanting to find more about MSNBC’s new favorite hero’s - Two students from Kahgastan (next to Chechnya) in New Bedford, were questioned as they “may have known” the two brothers That questioning turned into an arrest when their student visas were found to have expired. (Shades of 9/11/2001 Locals speak to the way the young brothers and their friends dressed, the cars he drove, as someone form an upper middle class family who was being funded to the hilt. (Yet living on the state dime as refugees.)

Which begs several questions. (Most of which the reader should already have)

Was this just a random act of violence? probably not, as they were apparently planning more bombings.Hampdonroads.com.

When you have individuals from a violent religious culture that find it perfectly acceptable to blow up and murder 350 children in a school in Russia – all in the name of Religion (2004 - ask Putin) – living in your neighborhood – one might want to call an authority – who’ll ignore the fact that they are on terrorist watch lists, give them citizenship, and the rest will be history.

About the Trial – Rumor has it that the trial will be held in Springfield, MA, a stone’s throw from Amherst, and a city with a murder rate that attempts to rival Chicago. (Thus giving even more credence to Howie Carr's Prediction) From MassLive: website for the Springfield Republican (Oxymoron)

I think he would get as fair a trial as possible under the circumstances,” Dershowitz told Newsmax. “When you commit horribly heinous offenses you’re only entitled to the fairest trial that your alleged offenses justify."

Springfield hosts at U.S. District Court at the federal building on State Street.

The White House announced today that Tsarnaev will not be tried as an enemy combatant in a military tribunal

White House spokesman Jay Carney said Tsarnaev will be prosecuted in the federal court system.

Tsarnaev is a naturalized U.S. citizen. Carney says that under U.S. law U.S. citizens cannot be tried in military commissions. Carney says that since Sept. 11, 2001, the federal court system has been used to convict and incarcerate hundreds of terrorists.

(However, drones may be acceptable….. (apologies to Rand Paul)

In an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan, Dershowitz said:

"Well, it'll either be held – it will start in the federal court in Massachusetts. The lawyer will move to separate out the crimes, certainly of killing the policemen.

There will be a federal magistrate and there will be no bail granted. The trial will probably take place in about six months. The defense attorney may move – may move to have the trial moved to Western Massachusetts, where there wasn't as much emotional impact.

Jury selection will be very difficult. Anybody who cheered would be excluded from the jury. Anybody who knew anybody who was injured would be excluded."

(Springfield Republican)

Apparently, to those who are unfamiliar with the landscape in Massachusetts, it’s a small state, takes about 90 minutes to get from Western Mass to Boston, and the general populace, (those living outside of Amherst) can sometimes trend conservative – All we can hope for at this point, is that they will take special care to place that young misguided Jihadist in one of the surrounding hoosegows and let nature take its course. Note: This blogger is pro-life, to the point where the death penalty is included. It is a personal and moral stance. In this case, unlike many hoping for a death penalty, one might turn to the laws of nature would suffice. The young impressionable jihadist could be placed in the general population in a Western Mass prison – where one might anticipate- nature would take its course.

Did the Radical Muslim Chechen Brothers Act Alone? – Were they radicalized in the U.S.? – Not Likely - How New and Old Media Get’s it Wrong.

First, addressing the subject of how on earth old and new media “get the details wrong”, one looks to new media first, if one is anywhere near an event, such as the one which occurred in Boston, one is looking for answers, and it is somewhat personal – and judgment does get clouded, to say the least. In the first reports of finding suspects, two individuals were named as possible suspects, and as it happened, those who penned articles were wrong, up to and including links used. Old media might not be that much different – with the exception of the experienced pragmatist who has patience, errors occur. When a nation is under attack (and yes, Boston is this nation), rumors turn into facts. It is not so much different than what happens after such an event. Those who are trying to understand what happened to these bright, young students might want to look to the nation and the culture from which they came.

The current question is: Were the two brothers “radicalized” in the U.S? The Daily Mail. UK article suggests that the Uncle of the boy believes they were “brainwashed” by someone in the U.S., however, it points to the possibility that, the older brother, on a return trip to Russia, may have encounters a man known as “Russia’s Bin Laden”. It should be noted, the young man took offense at his Iman in a local Boston Mosque for holding up Martin Luther King as someone to be emulated.

As yesterday is history and what may have occurred 5 or 10 years ago, ancient history, one might look to the region from when these refugees came – and continue to return. In 2004 in a school located in North Ossetia, Russia, 400 people were held hostage, a siege ensued, and as a result 350 children and teachers were killed by Chechen Separatist. There was also a female suicide bomber, who killed 9 people at a rail station in Moscow. The Chechen’s have been pursuing an Islamic Fundamentalist State for decades: “Chechens have been affiliated with the al Qaeda terror network, and an Arab connection suggests a further link between the Chechen rebel movement and international terrorism. Chechen rebels have been fighting Russian troops for a decade, seeking independence.” (CNN.com World – 9/2004

Therefore, it is quite possible that while in Russia, the brother was in training, and that the concept of killing in the name of religion, using bombs, up to and including suicide, may not have been a foreign concept. When the question is raised - “How could that young man put down a back pack next to children?” The answer lies in the obvious fact that those who believe so strongly in the eradication of Christians, or the “West” as they see it, having a cause that is both political and religious, they do not see the child, they are blinded by a very danger zealotry.

As to whether or not the two brothers acted on their own – It is speculation: The Daily Mail, UK is reporting that the FBI is seeking a 12 person terrorist cell, although citing unnamed sources. That said, in such an instance, when one has two young men, who have modest means, have the wherewithal to fly to Russia, and have access to late model cars, etc? The speculation is that they were “funded” by outside sources. This is not unusual, considering the 9/11 terrorists receive flight training in the U.S. which was paid for by outside sources. (Al Queda). As there are only 200 Chechen refugees in the U.S., most of them in Boston does that make every Chechnan a terrorist? Or every Muslim? The answer is obviously – no. However, as a nation, we have no way of knowing how many may or may not be considering an attack on U.S. civilians. It could very well be that the two, out of a sense of religious zeal, did act alone, however, the money had to come from somewhere, so perhaps it was in concert with a group, either within or outside of the U.S.

Should we all be more vigilant? – Absolutely, when in a mall or at a restaurant, or at a large event, look for things that may seem unusual – especially watch those dropping backpacks and calmly walking away – one might want to return that backpack to the owner. (Or call the police!!) Some may believe that the actions of the Boston PD, the FBI, the Watertown PD and the Massachusstts State Police, the ATF, all acting in concert, and killing one, capturing the other within days, would be a deterrent to others thinking of doing the same thing. Possibly – but the nagging question remains: Will those individuals in our nation, whether privileged or not, who believe in a religion that mandates murder of those who do not hold the same beliefs, just stop planning to blow something up?

Finally, yes they were brainwashed, and most likely from birth. If one looks to the way certain Middle Eastern Nations teach their children from Kindergarten, how to be good suicide bombers, then, in the most twisted and unimaginable manner, yes – brainwashed from birth – to hate, to die, to kill – in the name of a religion. This has, Islam aside, been taking place forever, and as history dictates, men have used religion in political causes for millenniums – but today, we must be mindful, and at the same time respectful – We are a nation that was founded on Religious Freedom, granted Judeo Christian – however, we, as a nation, regardless of the faith, look towards the peace that comes from all peoples, no matter their faith, being able to practice that faith freely. Except for one tenant of faith that allows for the murder and maiming of innocents, in other words, those whose beliefs are not mainstream – it is not fair to compare every Muslim to those who are jihadist, in the same manner it would not be fair to compare every Irish Catholic to those who bombed Harrods department store in London in the name of religions. The world changed for those living in the U.S. on September 11, 2001, but, a false sense of security has pervaded the society – and we, as a nation, must understand that even if this incident is isolated, there are other brothers, sisters who would kill themselves alone with so many innocents, all in the name of religion.