Deadly Chess

"First the good news. Our carrier task forces are just about impenetrable."

For the life of me, I can't figure out why someone would want to be President. I know, I know. You get a big plane to fly around in and get saluted. But I don't care who it is that serves as President. The aging clock seems to go into hyper-drive. There are no days off, and the pressure of playing chess with established (as well as rouge nations) would be numbing.

Just look at today. Technically, we are at "peace". I can say that even though we have combat troops in Afghanistan as well as some back in Iraq. I say "technically" as Congress has not declared war on anyone. And for being at "peace", things are very, very unsettled. So much so, that I think this game of chess we are playing might turn deadly at any time.

First the good news. Our carrier task forces are just about impenetrable. I started working on the Aegis weapon systems back in the 1980's. They were stout back then and have become only stronger as time has gone on. To get to a carrier, the enemy would have to go through an "iron dome" type of gauntlet consisting of rockets, artillery shells and heavy rounds. This is why the Aegis weapon system was developed. It was thought to be the best defense against a Soviet style of "saturation attack" in the 1980's time-frame. 

Today, we are not only playing footsie with the Chinese over disputed man-made islands, we are also at a very high degree of readiness due to the North Koreans. And who is it that is on the scene to call their bluff? The United States Armed Forces. We are getting ready to have the biggest war games in years with the South Koreans. These war games started today and will go on until April. In the eyes of the Norks, these games are a precursor to an invasion of the North. So the Norks have threatened to nuke Washington and Seoul in retaliation.

In addition to that, four days ago the State Department upped the terror threat level for travelers over most of the world. And which Islamic Terror group is responsible for this alert? All of them. They want to do terrible things to our citizens as they travel abroad. Or maybe hit a target within our country. And what will be our response? Are we going to declare war this time, or just write them an angry letter?

No. This job of President - you can have it. I don't like to fly that much anymore anyhow. As for the next President? Good luck sir (or madam). I just hope we can make it until January 2017 when the inauguration comes.