United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security, established in 2003. Its mission: to protect America through enforcing immigration laws, conducting criminal investigations, and preserving national security and public safety, focusing on those who threaten security or undermine immigration integrity by identifying, arresting, andContinue reading “On ICE”
Author Archives: oliverakel
On the Future of the Middle East
Everybody, everything has a future. It’s either good, bad or unknown. Middle East future hovers between bad and unknown. Iran: Sanctions, mismanagement and wars have devastated Iran economically and severely weakened it politically. The recent widespread protests demonstrate the mood of its citizens but the people have no power to wrest control from the Ayatollahs.Continue reading “On the Future of the Middle East”
On Anti-Semitism
Anti Semitism is an awful allegation and a terrible label. In fact, being “Anti” anything simply because of differences in religion, ethnicity, physical attributes, etc. has no place among freedom loving people in a civil society. Anti Semitism seems to be defined these days as “hostility towards or prejudice against Jewish people”. Interestingly, Semites areContinue reading “On Anti-Semitism”
On Government Shutdowns
Thankfully the latest government shutdown, and the longest ever, is over, having resulted in around 750,000 federal employees being furloughed, close to 6000 commercial flights cancelled and countless flight delays across America. Its impact was ubiquitous with widespread disruptions to public services and threats to public health and safety. The Congressional Budget Office estimated thatContinue reading “On Government Shutdowns”
On US-Israeli Relations
After Israel’s stunning victory over Egypt, Syria and Jordan in the 1967 “Six Day war”, America began to view Israel as a strategic ally, a strong partner able to protect U.S. interest in the volatile Arab Middle East, long at odds over the UN imposition of the state of Israel in what had been ArabContinue reading “On US-Israeli Relations”
On Gaza – – The final Chapter
This will probably be my last coverage of Gaza because Gaza will unlikely exist much longer. These hapless Gazan’s who were mostly displaced, moved or driven out of their homes in other parts of “Palestine” had the temerity to assume that the land occupied by their ancestors for over two thousand years, where their forefathersContinue reading “On Gaza – – The final Chapter”
On Biden
Our government is adept, indeed masterful, in taking up causes which are extremely time consuming, excessively expensive, but with little or no redeeming value. Today, we seem obsessed with pursuing a former president, no longer relevant to a future to which our current government should be devoting it’s full time and attention. While no fanContinue reading “On Biden”
On America
The greatest country, for sure, bar none But let’s think again, just for fun Mighty rivers bless our land From mountain tops to ocean sand Majestic mountains from south to north With natural resources gushing forth Nature’s parks of every ilk Western plains as smooth as silk Massive forests with singing birds Fertile grasslands withContinue reading “On America”
On Gaza & the West Bank
It’s high time that we factor into our Middle East policies the essential Interest of America. To our credit we have protected Israel for decades and that was fine, but our national interest is being severely compromised by our unyielding support for whatever Netanyahu wants to do, even when it is against our own valuesContinue reading “On Gaza & the West Bank”
On Regime Change
250 Years ago our forefathers established a unique form of democratic governance where the people, in essence, would rule, adhering to the doctrine of equality and justice. It took another 100 plus years and a civil war for all of us to be included in that promise. Since then America has grown into a majorContinue reading “On Regime Change”
Views of a Common Man 