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Today I received an email from Debbie Stabenow, the Democratic senator for Michigan. I’ve reproduced it below, together with my response:

Dear Robert,

Because you have written me in the past to express your concerns about the threat of a nuclear Iran, I wanted to let you know about an important action that the Senate has taken.

Today I voted for, and the Senate passed, legislation that renews our ability to invoke sanctions on Iran. Without this action, that authority would have expired at the end of this year.

I cosponsored renewal of the sanctions on Iran because I am committed to keeping pressure on Iranian leaders to honor their agreement to end that country’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon. This 10-year extension sends a strong message to Iran: that we stand ready to reimpose strict sanctions if they fail to comply with the terms of the agreement.

I have said that the only thing worse than Iran being the largest state sponsor of terrorism would be Iran as the largest state sponsor of terrorism with a nuclear weapon. The Iran Sanctions Extension Act maintains critical leverage for the U.S. as we continue to closely monitor Iran’s activities to ensure the security of America, Israel, and the entire Middle East.

As always, please continue to share your views on issues of concern to you and your family.

Sincerely,

Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator

Dear Debbie

I had no idea you’d joined the Republican Party. Perhaps you could enlighten me as to the evidence dictating your view that Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism?

Iran is a nation of Shia Muslims; every terrorist act against the West, including 9/11, has been committed by Sunni Muslim extremists. Iran aids the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad because it is composed of mainly Alawis (with Shia affiliations) and the rebels are Sunni extremists. Hezbollah (again, Shia) is supported by Iran, but only in their fight against the brutality of the Israeli government towards the Palestinians they subjugate. If the U.S. government were to really pressurize the Israelis to repair the dreadful damage done to the lives of Palestinians, by Israeli actions since 1948, Hezbollah would likely cease to be a problem to them.

My last contact with you was concerning the Iranian situation, but I was much less concerned about their nuclear ambitions than the hideous sanctions imposed on them by the West (led, of course, by the U.S., via the U.N.) with the resultant effect on innocent civilians, and in particular, children.

It’s common knowledge that sanctions don’t work. They didn’t work against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein, and they won’t work against Ali Khamenei, who’s a relatively moderate leader. American-led sanctions against Iraq in the 1990’s caused the most diabolical suffering to the populace. UNICEF calculated that as many as half a million children died as a direct result of American/Western sanctions.

The only sane choice when dealing with Iran has already been made by the present U.S. President. No doubt progress on this issue will be completely thrown away by the incoming administration of Trump & Co., who appear hellbent on stirring up another Middle Eastern brew of poison and hatred against the West.

I note this bill was passed unanimously (with the exception of Sanders, who opted out) and that President Obama will sign it into law, even though he’s intimated it’s unnecessary. Khamenei has previously stated that any extension of the legislation would be taken as a violation of the JCPA and could jeopardize further negotiations.

It would appear that the U.S. people’s representatives are determined to push the Iranian regime into a corner yet again, using more of the same bully-boy tactics that have proved such a disaster in the Middle East over the last forty years, since the Carter Doctrine.

Isn’t it time you, who are charged with the responsibility of bringing peace to the world, stopped behaving like schoolyard bullies run amok and became educated in the more mature skill of political diplomacy, an adeptness I feel is sadly lacking in U.S. politics today.

After all, the nation’s militant tactics in the Middle East over the last forty years have brought forth nothing but millions of dead bodies (including thousands of American soldiers), rampant terrorism against both the U.S. and its allies, the rise of al Qaeda and now, ISIS, the devastation of Iraq and Syria and their many historic sites and artifacts, and utter turmoil and suffering over five percent of the world’s landmass.

Is this a record of which one nation can feel proud?

Sincerely

Robert.

Fifteen years ago, when I left the U.K. to live in America, no-one in Britain had ever heard of ‘Black Friday’. The day following my first Thanksgiving I thought it might be so-named because everybody ate and drank so much on the Thursday that they stayed away from work next day. It seemed a great idea. What was the point of going into the office or factory for one day, feeling like death warmed up, when it was the start of a weekend anyway? In Britain, everyone stays home after a feast day. Of course, that was before I learned of the American work-ethic.

I soon discovered the truth, and to be frank, I was appalled. The idea of rushing into the mall in the early hours to fight over a TV or computer, immediately after spending a pseudo-religious day giving thanks for one’s lot, just seemed so hypocritical. Of course, that was before I became familiar with the ‘other’ American religion – shopping!

The idea of Black Friday has now spread to Britain – like most things American eventually do. Hopefully, despite the efforts of far-right political parties like UKIP, U.S. gun-culture won’t catch on in the U.K.. Having seen first hand the catastrophic results of America’s crazy misinterpretation of its Second Amendment, let me assure all Brits it would be the very worst that could possibly happen to you and your country. America will never be a stable nation while around forty percent of the population own at least one firearm, with many owning far more. I’m not talking sporting shotguns, but pistols, rifles, and automatic weapons by the score.

In America Black Friday comes around once a year. For approximately 110 Americans every day is a Black day, for that was the number killed or injured daily by firearms in 2015, many of them children. And that figure doesn’t include suicides by firearm.

Not surprisingly there’s a spike in shootings on Black Friday in America. Greed, tiredness from waiting long hours in the cold, hangovers from the previous day’s festivities, all contribute to the mix of tensions as those doors are thrown open and the dash to find a bargain begins.

Many would like to see the end of Black Friday, both in the U.S. and U.K.. Some stores are no longer taking part. Many people boycott the sales in protest.^[1]

It’s time to end this crazed greed-fest. It’s time we regained our dignity and morality and said enough is enough.

^{[1] “Black Friday backlash getting bigger – and more consumerist” BBC, November 26th 2016}

Surely, it was love at first sight. When they finally met in the penthouse of that luxury tower block in New York City, it seemed the two could never again bear to be apart. But, alas, Nigee – as Donny mischievously called him – needed to return to his British friends at the Club UKIP, in the picturesque south coast village of Humping-on-the-Hillock.

It was the saddest of partings. Catching a few brief moments alone in Donny’s sumptuous bedchamber the two embraced longingly, a tear quickly brushed aside from Nigee’s cheek by Donny’s gentle, if somewhat tiny, fingers. “Will I see you again soon, Donny,” Nigee choked, “I’m not sure I can live without you now.”

Donny raised himself to his full six foot two inches. He glanced down at the slightly balding pate of the lesser man beneath his chin and, summoning his most manly depth of voice, intoned, “I need you, Nigee. I have a plan that’ll bring you back to my side for ever.”

The voice, though deep and masculine, held a noticeable quiver. Nigee heard the tiniest crack, the merest hint of falsetto, as Donny mouthed his name. He clasped tighter to his friend – and in fairness we must refer to Donny as ‘friend’ for we know not how far this affair, this relationship, had progressed beyond – even, perhaps, transgressed – the bounds of mere friendship: that bond between two men who share their love in pure platonic need, or dares to cross the exquisite threshold of boundless, trouser-renting, passion.

“What plan, Donny?”

“Leave it all to me.” No quiver now, no falsetto tremble to betray this parting moment. “Go now,” a playful slap to his friend’s buttocks, “and leave it all to me. You’ll be with me again soon, I promise.”

The flight back to Britain seemed interminable. What could Donny have meant? How could he possibly arrange for them to be together forever? It seemed an impossible situation, but Nigel knew that Donny would somehow keep his word. What they’d shared in their brief time together, those moments of ultimate joy and happiness…

…were sufficient for him to know that Donny wouldn’t let him down now.

Heathrow Airport was always busy and Nigel had to push his way through the throng of travellers to find a taxi. He passed a newstand, paused, then unbelieving snatched a newspaper from atop the pile and knew in that second Donny had kept his word. He would be going back to America. He would soon be feeling those strong arms around him once more. He felt a shiver down his spine recalling Donny’s tiny fingers caressing the nape of his neck. Hardly daring to look again for fear it was illusion, he glanced down at the headline in that morning’s Guardian newspaper:

“Nigel Farage would be great UK ambassador to US, says Donald Trump”^[1]

Nigel’s heart leapt in his chest. He was going back to America. He was going to be with Donny. It was all going to be wonderful. Tears of joy filled his eyes as he dashed across the concourse and hailed a taxi. “Take me home,” he shouted at the driver, “And quick! I have to pack.”

But little did Donny and Nigee know that dark spells were afoot. From behind her black door the Wicked Witch of May casts her runes, mixes her potions, and summons all her powers of evil to ensure their love will never flourish.

“There is no vacancy,” a Downing Street spokesman said when asked about Trump’s remark on Tuesday. “We already have an excellent ambassador to the US.”^[2]

Poor Nigee! Is all lost? Has the Wicked Witch of May supplanted Donny’s plans for him and Nigee to be together forever?

We can only hope FERVENTLY that she has!

^{“Nigel Farage would be great UK ambassador to US, says Donald Trump” Guardian, 22nd November 2016}

^{[2] “Nigel Farage attacks response to Trump ambassador tweet” BBC, 22nd November 2016}