Good Job ISIL

ISIL has accomplished what the U.S. never could;

They've united all the countries in their neighborhood.

What's the single issue on which everyone agrees?

ISIL's brutal fighters must be driven to their knees.

Nations in the region who have always been at odds -

Fighting ever since the mind of man conceived of gods -

Put aside their arguments to face a common foe;

All of them determined, now, that ISIL has to go.

Maybe these alliances between them all won't last

Once this existential threat to Islam's in the past...

But, it's also possible a corner has been turned

And extremist ideologies might yet be spurned.

Now a man who'd only say "America" to cuss,

Iran's Ayatollah's, making overtures to us.

It's an opportunity the U.S. shouldn't waste.

Good job ISIL...  Thanks alot.  We'll see you guys post-haste.

Voting in Afghanistan

Photo/Courtesy of payam-aftab.com)

Watching the election process in Afghanistan.

Not a lot that separates the candidates who ran;

Most would like a U.S. presence; all of them are men.

Even once they count the votes, won't know the winner then.

I get so embarrassed by the voters in those lines,

Knowing that they're facing more than people waving signs,

They are risking life and limb to go and cast their vote...

I know people who don't go if they can't find their coat.

Banned, From Boston?

Could it be I'm banned in Russia?  That would be a coup.

It would mean they've noticed all the Putin rhymes I do.

They're not very flattering; I think the man's a thug...

But it seems that someone there has pulled the Iron Plug.

Blogger breaks it down by countries where my rhymes get read

And, until 2 weeks ago - although the U.S. led -

Russia was my second largest audience, by far...

Now there's not a single hit.  They've dropped the Iron Bar.

Maybe Mr. Putin doesn't like it when he's mocked.

Add me to the growing list of other sites he's blocked.

'though I'm only speculating and cannot be certain,

I suspect that Putin has brought down the Iron Curtain.

Egypt - When is a Coup Not a Coup?

The riddle of the Sphinx -When is a coup not a coup?

I go on vacation - the Egyptians have a coup...

Not the 1st time this has happened, either. This makes 2.

Last time that it happened Morsi led one of his own.

This time it was him the military's overthrown.

No one's seen the President. The Muslim Brotherhood's

Started leading protests throughout Egypt's neighborhoods.

They say they're prepared to die if Morsi's not restored.

Civil war is one thing that Egyptians can't afford.

Neither can America 'cause Egypt is the key;

Central to the Middle East throughout its history.

Which is why we're being careful - watching what we say.

U.S. law is black and white but Egypt's shades of gray.

We are not allowed to give a country foreign aid

If there's been a military coup.  Bills don't get paid.

Egypt wants another chance to get its problems solved;

Thus, we've called it something else so we can stay involved.

Across the Pond - North Korea; Tin Pot Saber Rattling

(Photo/English.teamuseum.cn)

Hear that tin-pot clanking sound? That's saber rattling.

It has grown so loud I think it's woken up Beijing.

Causing some alarm in South Korea and - what for?

Kim Jong-un's declared his country's in a state of war.

Hard to tell how serious the North Koreans are,

But I think they may have pushed it just a bit too far.

South Korea's President has said her country will

Go to war if they're attacked...  A thought that doesn't thrill

China or the Russians - not to mention the U.S.

Is Kim Jong-un listening?  That's anybody's guess.

So far it's been only words - this time - no overt acts,

And there are some hopeful signs he's finally facing facts:

People in his country are severely under-fed.

He'd be out of luck with half his population dead.

U.S. has positioned ships and bombers off his coast

Just to make it very clear; should he attack - they're toast.