The John Adams Society

Theodore O. Olsen

Chairman

Christopher T. Wolff

Secretary

G. Larry Colson Jr.

Chief Whip

Katey Haflund

Chancellor

OCTOBER 2015

“The 1980's are calling.  They want their foreign policy back.”

— Barack Obama

AS RUSSIA PREPARES ITSELF for yet another long conflict in Syria, many Americans are leaning towards an isolationist stance.  Why not allow the Russians to expend themselves, similar to what happened in the Afghanistan war from 1979 to 1989.  This war bankrupted the Soviet Union and aided in its dissolution.  Why should we waste our money and American lives in the Middle East?  After all, the Middle East is best known as the graveyard of History where the super powers of the day go to destroy themselves.  This has proven true for the Greeks, Romans, English, and Soviets.  The balance of power that used to exist between Iran and Iraq is long gone.  So let’s wait and see how this thing between Russia and ISIS turns out.  Maybe a new power like Russia in the region will balance things out.  Obama has left such a void in the region that having a new player in there might provide some stability.  ISIS needs to be defeated and Obama is incapable and unwilling of directing his bloated Bureaucracy in Washington to do anything.  We are already the target of extremists because of our interventions in Iraq. 

ON THE OTHER HAND, Reagan stared down the Russian bear in the 1980's.  His confrontational approach led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December of 1991.  Today Obama makes jest about Russian intentions by trying to reassure American press corps that the bad old days of mutual distrust and conflict are behind us.  This ignores the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, the annexation of the Crimea, and a wider pattern of separatist conflicts in Georgia and Moldova serving as the engines for corruption and criminality on Russia's periphery.  How can the West trust the Kremlin's intentions now as they defend the corrupt regime established in Syria by Bashar al-Assad to further their imperialistic tyranny?

THE CHAIRMAN, who dreams of a bare chested Putin riding a Grizzly Bear, has called a debate to settle the question.

RESOLVED: Put in Putin!

The Debate will be held on October 21, 2015, at the University Club, 420 Summit Avenue, in Saint Paul. The Chancellor will preside over drinks beginning at seven o’clock p.m. The debate will begin at half past seven. There is no dress code, however gentlemen who wish to speak must wear a tie; ladies are encourage to adhere to a similar sartorial standard. For those gentlemen arriving sans tie yet wishing to discourse on the resolution, the Purveyor of Ties will keep on hand several remarkable selections. Questions regarding debate caucus procedures of about the John Adams Society itself may be directed to the Chairman at (651) 269-1890 or the Secretary at (651) 494-9008.