Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 26, 2010

Left Turn / Right Turn

9

 Mountain Views News Saturday, June 26, 2010

 There’s been so much to write about.   Sixty-
plus days and 2 million gallons 
of oil a day continue to gush up 
from the ocean floor.    (My son 
offered this one:   Did you hear, 
they’ve come up with a car that runs entirely on 
seawater?   Only thing is, it has to come from the 
Gulf of Mexico.)   We’re about to see how the new 
Arizona immigration law operates in practice, 
not in theory.   There’s a Frankenstein scenario 
playing out as establishment Republicans see the 
Tea Party movement they created now coming 
after the creator.

   Oh, yeah - there’s also that war against 
whatever going on in Afghanistan.   Something 
about it now being the longest war in our 
nation’s history, surpassing Vietnam - with over 
a thousand American casualties.   And, combined 
with our involvement in Iraq, a continuing cost to 
taxpayers of around $160 billion a year.

   When something goes on for so long, it 
disappears from the headlines.   When somebody 
prominent says catty things about those he’s 
supposed to work with, let alone report to, that’s 
another matter.

   The story of the day is Michael Hastings’ article 
in the current ROLLING STONE on the (former) 
commander of our forces in Afghanistan, Gen. 
Stanley McChrystal.   After reading a number 
of articles about the article,   I read the article 
itself - and regret that attention will focus on the 
personalities, rather than on the questions the 
article raises about the war itself.

   This is not the story of an insubordinate break 
with an established mission, as in Gen. Douglas 
MacArthur’s desire to expand the Korean War 
into China (arguing that conquering communism 
in Asia would save us having to do it in Europe). 
  
Nor is there the hypocrisy of an administration 
promising to heed the advice of the generals, then 
forcing out those who deviate from the party line 
- such as happened when then - Army Chief of 
Staff (and current Secretary of Veterans Affairs) 
Gen. Eric Shinseki foretold the need for more 
troops to fight an inevitable insurgency prior to 
the invasion of Iraq, or when former CENTCOM 
Cmdr. Adm. William Fallon warned against 
continuing the drumbeat towards war with Iran.

   Gen. McChrystal’s story is of one who spent 
his time in the world of black ops, rather than at 
the Pentagon, and never learned how to use the 
media to advance one’s agenda without it looking 
like you’re using the media to advance one’s 
agenda.   He’d gotten into trouble before; most 
notably in advancing the myth that former NFL 
star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman was killed 
by enemy rather than by friendly fire (Tillman’s 
mother Mary later wrote, “The false narrative, 
which McChrystal clearly helped construct, 
diminished Pat’s true actions.”).   Later, he 
leaked to the press his recommendation for 
40,000 additional troops while the Obama 
administration was in the midst of deliberations, 
in a clumsy attempt to influence the outcome.

   According to Hastings’ article, McChrystal 
remains devoted to the counterinsurgency 
(COIN) strategy.   The military’s mission 
becomes not only defeating an enemy but staying 
to “rebuild society and government”, which could 
take “years and decades”.   Douglas Macgregor, 
retired colonel and West Point classmate of 
McChrystal’s, states, “The idea that we are 
going to spend a trillion dollars to reshape the 
culture of the Islamic world is utter nonsense.” 
  
Soldiers have complained about the strategy’s 
emphasis on protecting civilians.   They describe 
an environment where an enemy will shoot at 
them, then toss away their rifle and assume the 
immunity of a shepherd or shopkeeper, then take 
up arms again as soon as the soldier’s turned his 
back.   (Despite the complaints of restrictive rules 
of engagement, NATO forces have killed some 90 
civilians during the first four months of this year 
- a 76% increase over last year.)

   The military assuming this nation-building 
role puts it in conflict with those we’d normally 
expect to handle it - our diplomatic corps (plus 
about 40 other foreign ambassadors stationed in 
Afghanistan).   McChrystal and his aides therefore 
direct their catty comments towards the likes 
of U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry (a retired 
3-star general), Special Representative Richard 
Holbrooke and National Security Advisor Jim 
Jones (Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for 
whatever reason, is spared the barbs).   There’s also 
the obvious advantage of a $600 billion Pentagon 
budget, vs. $50 for the State Department, to 
throw around.      

   A major dispute with Ambassador Eikenberry 
involves McChrystal’s devotion to President 
Hamid Karzai.   It would be nice to see Afghanis 
providing security in Afghanistan, but it’s 
difficult to find those willing to protect a regime 
seen as incompetent, corrupt, and in power 
solely because of a stolen election.   In a cable last 
January Eikenberry described Karzai as “not an 
adequate strategic partner”, and warned that “We 
will become more deeply engaged here with no 
way to extricate ourselves short of allowing the 
country to descend again into lawlessness and 
chaos.”   McChrystal dismissed the Ambassador’s 
warnings as merely an attempt to cover his own 
rear end in the event things don’t work out.   As 
author Hastings puts it,   “The need to build a 
credible government puts us at the mercy of 
whatever tin-pot leader we’ve backed – a danger 
that Eikenberry explicitly warned about in his 
cable.”

   Hastings also points out the irony that the 
“COIN doctrine” McChrystal is so devoted to is, 
in fact, inspired by defeats; the French failure in 
Algeria in 1962 and the American withdrawal 
from Vietnam in 1975.   There’s also the fact that 
our enemy, Al Qaeda, has pretty much left the 
country - having shifted operations to Pakistan.

   Rather than accounts of the sniping 
between Gen. McChrystal and members of 
the Obama Administration, perhaps the most 
significant observation in the article is made 
by one of McChrystal’s senior advisors; “If 
Americans pulled back and started paying 
attention to this war, it would become even 
less popular”.   As author Michael Hastings 
puts it, “counterinsurgency has succeeded 
only in creating a never-ending demand for 
the primary product supplied by the military: 
perpetual war.”

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HOWARD Hays 

As I See It


Local Government 
Budgets Should Not 
Be The Solution 

By Senator Bob Huff

 As California stands at the edge of financial 
insolvency, many of us would recognize the 
Governor’s lean budget proposal as a step in the 
right direction. There is still much to do, however. 
Behind closed doors, and around consecrated 
tables of negotiations, there will be a plethora of 
“solutions” to the State’s over-indulgent spending 
behavior. But one solution that ought to be a 
non-starter in these discussions is the forcing of 
our local governments to help balance California’s 
books.

 Despite the fact that budget analyses have 
been starkly silent on the issue, this budget 
will definitely have a significant impact on our 
cities and counties. While city governments are 
working to keep their promises of improving 
safety and local infrastructure, the State has made 
plans to siphon local redevelopment agency 
funds and local Highway Users Tax Account, 
or “HUTA” funds. One local Redevelopment 
Agency in my district is already on their way 
to losing $1.1 million to the State over the next 
two years without any hope of recovering those 
funds. In HUTA funds, the Governor proposes 
taking upwards of $650 million in the next fiscal 
year. Like wise, another city in the 29th District 
has already sent off a check worth $1.2 million 
in Redevelopment Funds to the state coffers with 
another quarter of a million dollar check on the 
way. When cities are cut year after year, reducing 
staff by 20 percent, giving up employees in the 
economic development, the precise department 
used to energize business and revenue in the city, 
we have to ask ourselves…where does it stop?

 On the county level, public safety and social 
services have taken a big hit as well. Under the 
Governor’s May Revise, select convicted felons 
sentenced to three years or less would serve 
their sentence in county jails instead of State 
institutions. This would bring a savings of $244 
million to the State, while leaving counties on the 
hook for much of the bill. Some counties quite 
simply don’t have the staff or are already at court 
imposed population caps, however, forcing the 
counties to choose between releasing criminals 
early or further cutting local services to pay for 
it. State cuts to social and health care services 
will require the county and the public sector to 
bare the cost of those seeking services no longer 
provided by the state. 

 As a former council member and mayor 
myself, I understand the struggles of our local 
governments. I continue to fight for our cities 
and urge the Governor and my colleagues in the 
Legislature to be mindful of the implications to 
our citizens and businesses of any decisions to sap 
local government funds to pay for the State’s fiscal 
transgressions.

 Senator Bob Huff serves as the Senate Republican 
Caucus Chair. He represents portions of Los Angeles, 
Orange and San Bernardino counties. You can follow 
Senator Huff on Twitter @bobhuff99.


ARTISTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 
CREATE SPECIAL ART WORK 

Villa Esperanza Services invites you to a FREE Art 
Exhibit – ANGEL FRAMES: A Collection of Very 
Special Art. 

 Villa Esperanza Services, a non-profit 
organization devoted to the care and education of 
children, adults and seniors with developmental 
disabilities, celebrates their artists at the gallery 
opening of, “Angel Frames: A Collection of 
Very Special Art”. The family-friendly exhibit 
launches Sunday, July 11, 2010, from 2:00 – 4:00 
p.m. at the Armory Center for the Arts located 
at 145 North Raymond Avenue, in Pasadena. 
The event is free and open to the public. The 
adult collection of work was created during an 
art class at the Armory Center for the Arts and 
Villa’s Dimensions Adult Day Program. Villa’s 
children created their masterpieces through the 
art therapy program that takes place at Villa’s 
School. Local artists work with the students on 
a variety of art types including Jackson Pollock 
style paintings; collaborations on large and small 
painted canvases; as well as small painted figures. 

Because communication is one of the greatest 
challenges for the individuals of Villa Esperanza 
Services, art therapy allows them to express their 
hopes and desires. Participants are encouraged to 
practice their social skills while working with the 
artists and friends on these hands-on creations. 
Art is a way for them to express thoughts and 
feelings visually rather than verbally and gives 
the family members and Villa staff further insight 
into the individual and their needs.

The annual art therapy program and the adult 
art classes were made possible through generous 
grants from The Green Foundation and the Rowe 
and Gayle Giesen Trust.

The art will be on display at the Armory Center 
for the Arts through August 30th. The Armory is 
open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., 
except when the Community Room classes are in 
session. Call The Armory for the exact schedule, 
626-792-5101. Additional exhibits are scheduled 
for Light Bringer Project’s 24-Hour Gallery July 
12-August 28, Kathleen’s Restaurant – September 
2010, and The Body Firm – October 2010. 

If you are interested in hosting the art exhibit or 
wish to find out more about Villa’s programs and 
services please call (626) 449-2919 or visit www.
VillaEsperanzaServices.org.

Villa Esperanza Services is a nonprofit 
organization offering a lifeline of services for 
individuals with disabilities and their families, 
making Villa unique. Villa serves over a 
thousand individuals a year, ranging in age from 
2 to 95 who may be challenged by autism, Down 
syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Alzheimer’s or other 
developmental disabilities. Villa’s programs bring 
hope to these individuals and their families and 
generate meaningful life improvements. Each 
of Villa’s special needs programs are delivered 
by expert, dedicated staff and supported by a 
wide range of community volunteers. For more 
information please call (626) 449-2919 or visit us 
at www.VillaEsperanzaServices.org.