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6A Daily News – Thursday, December 15, 2011 Opinion Iran in the cross D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 hairs Editor: Yogi Berra's famous use of malapropism by remarking that "this is deja vu all over again" perfectly describes the newly revived drumbeat advocating for an attack on Iran, vis-a'-vis the ongoing debacle in Iraq. In both instances the presence of nuclear weapons provided the impetus to justify our aggres- sion, which proved to be an utter fallacy in the case of Iraq, and for all intents and purposes, will be replicated when the dust on Iran has settled. An attack on that country would be considered heaven sent by our client State Israel, which is in possession of a size- able, yet unacknowledged nuclear arsenal, enabling it to celebrate the demise and removal of their stated adver- sary and arch enemy once and for all, under any circum- stances, by any means, justified for any reason, however spuri- ous. It need be noted here, the Nixon administration once vol- unteered to share nuclear tech- nology with Shah Reza Pahlavi, the ruler of Persia, now Iran, a vicious dictator, yet curiously considered our close friend and ally at the time. Over the past few years, the IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBardei has vigor- ously and staunchly defended his Agency's conclusion, that Iran lacks capability to enrich uranium to the extent of creat- ing nuclear weapons. After his retirement, he was replaced by the extremely U.S. and Israel friendly Yukiya Amano, who according to investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, has embarked upon an effort to renew old accusation of hidden underground facilities, which has resulted in the impo- sition of even more severe sanc- tions by the U.S. to which also our satellite countries have obe- diently acquiesced. Perpetual war for perpetual peace seems to be the order of the new century, however, this time we are playing with fire, because it engenders grave con- sequences, that could result in a conflagration setting the whole Middle East aflame. Iran is by no means as weak as Iraq before the invasion, and will actively retaliate by interrupting sea traf- fic in the Strait of Hormuz. $15 gasoline anyone? Plus stage a number of devastating attacks on densely populated Israel. Moreover, this is quite likely going to alienate and enrage other major global players, such as Russia, at whose doorstep the action will unfold, as well as China. As the propaganda machine, alienation vilification and demonization of Iran intensi- fies, the question remains who will take the initiative, the U.S. or Israel, which we supplied with bunker buster bombs and is chomping at the bit to use them, based on comments made by Ehud Barak on CNN last sun- day. No more collateral damage, which is a most despicable way of describing death and suffer- ing of innocent civilian victims. Let there be peace on earth, and let it for once begin with us. Joe Bahlke, Red Bluff Imported goods Editor: Your Turn There is a cam- paign to buy one American made product for Christmas. Surprisingly in reviewing our annual spending, about 4 per- cent is for imported services and products. One quarter of our spending is for medical insurance, doctor visits and meds. These are 100 percent American jobs. Our 25 percent of income spent for local, state, and Federal taxes provides only American jobs. Since 1981 our series of five Honda cars were all built in Ohio or Indiana. The three replacement home appliances bought this past year, a water heater, a dish washer, and a kitchen range, were U.S. built. The 15 percent of annual income spent on groceries and restaurant meals is 100 percent American. The 5 percent of annual income spent on auto and home insurance provides U.S. jobs, not imports. The daily postage stamps and fre- quent Priority Mail provide U.S. jobs. The four daily news- papers and 25 monthly or weekly magazines are all U.S. published. Our lawn care and garden seedlings, fertilizer, herbicides and fungicides are from the U.S. The coal for 60 percent of our electricity and the natural gas for the remain- ing electricity, and home heat- ing is domestic. The 12 percent of annual income spent for charity provides US school choice teach- ing, religious, and social work jobs. The computers are serviced annual- ly by local U.S. workers. The $1,750 in 2011 repairs on the Ohio built 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee was with U.S. labor and parts. Our Wichita built 1948 airplane is serviced and insured with U.S. jobs and parts. Only about 4 percent of our annual spending is for import- ed products including $800 in clothing for my wife and I, half of the oil used for our 750 gal- lons of U.S. refined gasoline for the fuel sipping cars, about $500 in hardware items, the $100 digital to analog convert- er mandated by Washington for our television but not built in the U.S., and a soon to be pur- chased U.S. engineered but imported iPhone as no cell phones are U.S. built. It is amazing how little total annual spending is for import- ed services and products. Joseph Neff, Corning Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Cean- othus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Plan B drug debate is not about birth control Commentary "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans" John Lennon Last week, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secre- tary Kathleen Sebelius and the Obama administration took what appeared to be an extraor- dinarily conservative position to block a FDA recommenda- tion that would have allowed young girls, age 11 and older, to buy a morning-after pill over the counter without parental consent. Predictably, the abor- tion crowd threw a temper tantrum, but Sebelius' explana- tion of her position leaves little doubt that, with a little more research, her office may have given this bad idea a green light. Sebelius stated that essen- tially the FDA had not done enough research on this young age group resulting in insuffi- cient data "to support the appli- cation to make Plan B One Step available over the counter for all girls of reproductive age." So let's get this straight, with a little more information, a young child could stroll into the drug store for her pregnancy pill, yet I have to present an ID card and a doctor's prescription to obtain insulin for my diabetic dog? Back in 2009, the Obama administration did its part to hijack parental control by low- ering the age limit for this drug to allow minors as young as age 17 to purchase the pill without parental or physician consent. Lest anyone think Sebelius' recent decision represents a reversal in abortion policy, it would help to examine Obama's own words on the sub- ject. Back in 2008, Obama said, "I've got two daughters, nine years old and six years old, I'm going to teach them first of all about values and morals, but, if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby." It paints an odd picture where a father lectures his daughters about values and morals, yet refers to an unborn child as a "punishment." Obama painted a similar picture during a 2008 DNC presidential debate when he was asked to give his opinion regarding the Supreme Court's then-recent decision making partial birth abortion procedures illegal. Describing it as "a profoundly difficult issue," Obama said, "I trust women [not the courts] to make these decisions in con- junction with their doctors, their families and their clergy." And then he changed the sub- ject. The supposed logic behind the Plan B push to provide easy access for children is in the hope that it will reduce teen pregnancy numbers, but does little to address sexual- ly transmitted dis- eases. The Center of Disease Control has found that Chlamydia cases have risen by 24% and Syphilis by 36% over the past four years. Besides a rise in STD's, back in 2007 HealthDay magazine did a study based on ten separate studies finding that emergency contra- ception use in Britain had increased by two to three-fold, "yet had no measurable effects on abortion or pregnancy." The report found similar results held constant in both Sweden and France. It seems that the only thing morn- ing after pills do is increase promiscuity and disease. America is rapidly sliding are getting pregnant in the first place? Last time I checked, sex with a minor was a crime in every state in the union. Maybe we should talk more about abstinence and how our actions have consequences. Instead of a pill, maybe "Plan B" should be a discus- sion about personal responsibility and adoption. Susan Brown John Lennon once said, "Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans." It's true. While we're busy planning careers, families, and finances -- life "happens" – thus reducing our "Plan A" to a mound of rubble. All any of us can do is roll up our sleeves and come up with a moral and sensi- ble Plan B, because life does happen; it's what we do with what happens that matters. down the road of no return unless we do something to quickly change direction. The Plan B pill debate has little to do with birth control and much to do with losing control. Parents, there is something strangely missing in this conversation. Shouldn't we be talking about how 11 and 12-year- old girls Susan Stamper Brown is an op-ed columnist, motivational speaker, military family advocate and grief counselor who writes about politics, the military, the economy and culture. she can be reached at susan@susanstamperbrown.co m.