PASS THE TORCH: JOE BIDEN AND BERNIE SANDERS SHOULD DO THE NEEDFUL NOW.

ICHEOKU says definitely agrees with Congressman from California Eric Swalwell that it is about time the two great grandfathers in the midst, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, make way and yield the stage for a younger generation of leaders to take over the mantle of leadership in the Democratic Party. Enough of the two elderly and frail septuagenarians, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, permanently playing the dog in the manger in the party's presidential nomination process. It is also very instructive that both men do not stand a  chance at taking on President Donald John Trump in a long drawn out election campaign, debate, talkless of winning the election against him. 

While Joe Biden has no energy left in his sinews, Bernie Sanders on the other hand, is just too angry to make his point and warm himself into the hearts and minds of sensible Americans. His only supporters are the freebies-looking pot smoking knuckleheads who are so delusional with unrealistic expectation, to have bought into his promised land of a Sugar Candy mountain where everything will be free. This two silver haired great grandfathers' stranglehold on the party's nomination process must be checkmated right now, otherwise how can any sane person expect the same people who midwifed the problems and dysfunction in the country to remedy it. 

So the Congressman from California was right that the Democratic Party cannot be a forward looking party if it continues to look to the past for leadership of the party, including in choosing its presidential nominees. He was also emphatic that it is about time the party turned the corner and embrace the next generation of emerging leaders which are abundant in the party  In his own words, the Congressman said:- 

"I was 6 years old when a presidential candidate came to the California Democratic Party's Convention in 1987 and said it is time to PASS THE TORCH to a new generation of Americans. That candidate was then Senator Joe Biden. Joe Biden was right then when he said it was time to pass the torch 32 years ago and that statement of Joe Biden is still right today. If we are going to solve the problem of automation, pass the torch; if we are going to solve the problem of climate change chaos, pass the torch; if we are going to solve the problem of students loan, pass the torch and if we are going to solve the problem of gun violence, pass the torch." 

ICHEOKU says it does not make sense that the same set of people, who technically midwifed and chaperoned all these problems and allowed them to fester and exacerbate for all these many several decades of their being in government, are now presenting themselves as the solution to the same problems which they helped create, because they are not. If they had solutions to these problems, these problems would have since disappeared; problems solved and these problems will not still be in existence today. But they created these problems and they are so embedded into the corruption that is Washington DC and are full bona fides of the swamp establishment and have no plans nor the fortitude and moral conviction to go up against themselves and their fully vested interest, which sustains these problems, by solving them. 

So, the Democratic Party must elect a new generation of leaders with a different mindset, who can put a new set of eyeballs on the problems, with a view towards once and for all solving them. But to expect Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders to be the solution the Democrats are looking for is akin to asking a bank robber to prosecute and preside over his case. It does not make sense; it never made sense and it will not make sense continuing on this leadership by old, tired and feeble elders who belong in Old Peoples Homes and Senior Citizens Homes, regardless of the protestations of ageism by Bernie Sanders. Both men's time in the sun have since passed and they must realize this and end their overtly optimistic but untenable run for the presidency of the United States of America. 

The Democratic Party must therefore wean itself off the entrenched mentality of leadership by institutionalized elders of the party and innovate to elevate by casting its lot with the upwardly mobile new generation of leaders, who are very abundant in the party. Such next generation leaders of the Democratic Party seeking to be embraced by the party include Kamara Harris, who was in primary school when Joe Biden was already a United States Senator in Washington DC; Pete Buttgieg, who was not even born when Joe Biden was first elected and sent to Washington DC in 1972; Eric Swalwell was also not born then either, but was a post Senator Joe Biden born child of 1980. So, speaking about emerging leaders of the party who were not even alive when Joe Biden was first elected as a Senator and Congresswoman from New York Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who was born in 1989 screams that she was still a mere dream then. 

ICHEOKU says totally and completely supports Congressman Eric Swalwell that Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders must pass the torch by withdrawing and ending their bid for the presidential nomination of the party. The two great grandfathers have nothing new to contribute to the party's growth and by extension, America except for their grey hair and whatever wisdom that might still be intact and not impacted by early stages of old age induced memory loss. Their glorious years have since past and with a setting sun, they are not the right fit for the party's nominee. ICHEOKU says heretofore calls on Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders to yield the leadership of the Democratic Party to the next generation of emerging leaders as leadership is not necessarily a Council of Elders-ONLY affairs. 

IRAN MUST NOW TAKE THE OFF RAMP AND NEGOTIATE: A SMART THING TO DO.

ICHEOKU says you can call it the last exit from possible conflict, but the leadership in Tehran must not allow an unmerited ego and a needless bluster to destroy itself and their country. They are not a match to the only remaining superpower in the entire planet earth and regardless of whatever assistance which Russia might provide them, their country will be the theater of the conflict and their people will be the ones bearing the blunt of whatever hostility that ensues. They have proved their point and must now climb down from their white horse, swallow their pride and accept the offer for talks; because if they don't, they will be sorry. 

In a worst case scenario and at their best, if a conflict results, they might using the element of first strike, kill all the United States of American service men and women stationed in the Middle East. But they must know that America does not turn tail or back down nor feel squeamish in the face of terror or such massive blood letting, and will definitely avenge such a massacre, tenfold. For every America killed in such a surprised first strike attack, 10 to 100 Iranians will pay the price respectively. Therefore, they must make a conscious effort to ask themselves, what is the wisdom in making such a deal of the devil, since they will ultimately suffer such a disproportionately catastrophic consequences and far beyond what they bargained for with a first strike, that they would have wished they had been wiser and smarter enough to understand what President Donald John Trump meant by obliteration. 

Iran cannot win any shooting war with America and they have no economic impetus to support a long drawn out battle with America and no nation else can, including Russia and China. Another consequential fact which must not be lost on those mullahs of Tehran is that any resulting hostility, can and will only end on America's terms, no matter how long it takes and whatever it costs; Japan and Germany are two examples to wit and of course Iraq as well. Serbia is still convulsing from America's aerial bombardments nearly two decades ago. Also, in any American retaliation for an provoked attack by Iran, will seek to decapitate the entire leadership structure of Iran, including the Ayatollah, the president, the foreign minister and of course the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. 

An Iranian leadership which is so out of touch with reality that it still celebrates the exploits of Darius and Persia's Xerxes the Great, possibly still stuck in their ancient history of horse-backs mounted Calvary and their adroitness and dexterity with bows and arrows, which once made Persia invincible. But ICHEOKU strongly doubts if those mullahs of Tehran will be foolish enough to think that such war fighting prowess will be effective in today's conflict or that such feat will be wrought today over an overwhelming force of the United States of America. Such their glorious days are since gone, left in the dustbin of ancient history and they must wake up to the reality of the now, adjust their calculation and also curb their obtuse enthusiasm. 

President Donald John Trump, at a great risk to his political fortune and personal pride, called off an already planned bombing runs on Iranian targets to avenge the shot down $120 million drone. But instead of Iran taking the offered exit ramp from the president, who tried to explain away the drone shot down as a likely mistake and agreed to talk, their prideful arrogance got the better hold of them. They went on a mission of chest beating and thumbing of their nose at America, bragging about it and boasting that they will readily do it again. Now, they have walked themselves into a boxed in corner and have forced the president to draw a red line. ICHEOKU says may God help Iran if they dare miscalculate once again and make a wrong assumption that Americans will not stand behind any action which the president deems fit and necessary to checkmate such Iranian additional provocation. 

That America has not yet avenged the 1979 embassy hostage taking as well as other provocative actions of Iran should simmer in Iranian leadership's minds as they continue to touch the tail of the tiger. This time around, if hostilities break out, all the rain checks of their many decades running provocations, might be forcible cashed and Iran will be the one left quaking. One other thing which is eluding Iranian leadership's intelligence is that insulting an American president by any foreign government and their officials is definitely a no, no; a gross miscalculation of the worse kind. Americans do not forgive nor forget such an insult on their collective identity, admitted they freely attacks and insults their president themselves. Iran must therefore show some self censure if they want to come out of the present face off still standing on their two feet vertically and still breathing. 

Overall, what Iran is trying to achieve by producing nuclear weapons which they will never be allowed to use nor can ever use, is simply beyond the factored in opportunity cost analysis. Such a misdirected priority will not add anything of value to Iranian standing in the world, afterall Pakistan has the weapon but it has not increased its footing on the world's stage. A wise Iran must therefore listen carefully to President Donald John Trump's last warning that any further attack by Iran on ANYTHING AMERICAN will be met with great and overwhelming force. The president also did not mince words when he clearly spelt out how the Iranian conflict will end, once it begins. According to the president last and final warning, attacking anything American, including another drone, is the red line for him and he did not mince words nor used to making empty boasts. 

According to the president, Iranian leadership does not understand the words nice and compassion; they never have. Sadly the thing they do understand is strength and power and the United States of America is by far the most powerful military on earth. Iran's very ignorant and insulting statements which they put out today shows that they do not understand reality. In some cases, overwhelming will mean complete obliteration. They must understand that John Kerry and Barack Obama are no more running things. ICHEOKU says definitely some words to ponder by Tehran, fully aware that President Donald John Trump has had it and will not grant Iran another pass, no matter how little the next provocation might be. So, like the president said, whenever Iran is ready and whatever Iran wants to do, that is now their prerogative; as America stands ready to meet them however they want it. Hopefully Iran will recover their senses quickly and abort their belligerence before it spells disaster for them.

OUTRAGE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IS REAL. - MITCH MCCONNELL

“It’s finally over; it is bad news for the outrage industrial complex, but good news for the rest of the country. There's an outrage industrial complex that spans from the steps of the National Congress press conferences to Cable News. They told everyone that there was collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign; but were disappointed when the MUELLER’S report found no Collusion. 

They are grieving that the national crisis which they spent two years wishing for did not materialize. Two years of exhaustive investigation, and nothing to establish the fanciful conspiracy theory that Democratic politicians and TV talking heads had treated like a foregone conclusion. They told everyone there’d been a conspiracy between Russia and the Trump Campaign. Yet on this central question, the Special Counsel’s finding is clear: Case closed. Case closed. 

The last stage of grief is acceptance and for the country’s sake, I hope that the Democrats can get there soon, through this last stage, so that the country can finally move on from the last election. They held up hope that the legal system will undo their loss in 2016 and they refuse to make peace with the Americans’ people’s choice.” - Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader.

EMEFIELE'S N500 BILLION SCANDAL: A SAHARA REPORTERS' HIT JOB.

ICHEOKU says thankfully the President and the Senate saw it for what it is, a hatchet job by a band of creeps to abort the renomination and reconfirmation of Godwin Emefiele to a second term, as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. An allegation, so outrageously ridiculous and outlandishly ludicrous that even an unfertilized, illogical mind, can easily discern the falsehood parlayed by the yellow journalism tabloid, Sahara Reporters. 

The conclusion drawn by Sahara Reporters failed to and did not collaborate what was actually said on the recorded telephone call between the governor and his deputy governor, as well as the finance director; leaving ICHEOKU to wonder, what motivates Omole Sowore? There was no basis in fact and discernible logical conjecture for any person to so conclude, except the person was out on a mission to disparage the governor and thereby derail his confirmation. But a confident President Muhammadu Buhari and a Senate which refused to be distracted, looked through the charade and barreled through to confirm the governor. ICHEOKU says absolutely well done fellas. 

Like other fake news purveyors, Sahara Reporters has increasingly morphed into a hit job tabloid which conducts reputation and character assassination on marked people, either as a hired gun or people Omole Sowore does not like. ICHEOKU says used to contribute articles on a nearly regular basis to Sahara Reporters until it carried out a hit job on then Inspector General of Police Ogbonna Onovo. In the hit piece, SR reported that the then IGP disobeyed then President Jonathan's lawful orders. When ICHEOKU confronted Omole Sowore on the subject matter piece, seeking to know how factually possible it is that an Inspector General of Police, who held office at the prerogative of the president, could disobey a president's orders, aware that such insubordination could result in the president wielding the big stick of dismissal, he became overtly defensive. 

Instead of addressing the obvious discrepant report, he went on a tirade, attacking ICHEOKU of also being am Igbo tribal champion who nobody reads. This is despite the fact that some of ICHEOKU's contributed articles to SR drew series of high ups attention including three governors, IBB as well as a reputable Yoruba Senior Advocate of Nigeria. But this geneological excursion is not the primary reason for this opinion piece, but to emphasis categorically that Omole Sowore is suffering the little man complex and everything that would keep him relevant and in the limelight is game for him and he has no scruples disparaging anyone, including this his latest attempt to vilify the Central Bank Governor Emefiele. 

An alleged audiophile of a supposedly intervention to fix a discovered bad investment gone wrong and it was not as if it was the governor alone that was involved, neither was the decision to make the investment instigated by the governor. It is also pertinent that in the first article, SR included that the problem was later solved but it subsequently went back to edit that out of what it currently parades as a stolen N500 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria which he got a scoop about. 

But Omole Sowore refused and failed to mention Dayo Arowosegbe who was the principal architect who advised the investments as it was obvious from the conversation, from the statements made by both the governor and the deputy governor on whose persuasion the alleged investment gone wrong was made. But as far as Omole Sowore was concerned, Godwin Emefiele is Igbo, the usual punching bag in Nigeria and therefore a fair game to be used as the piñata. It is sad and it is pitiful what hatred makes people to do; the length someone can go to malign another simply because he hates the fact that he is occupying a certain coveted office.

Every country invests in Middle Eastern Sovereign Wealth funds, so what Is a country the size of Nigeria investing less than $2 billion therein, and as with such a high profit high return quick turnaround investments, it comes with high risk of loss as well. Just listen to that tape and you will hear an exasperated governor worry himself sick that a trusted advisor and high bank official led the bank into such investment which did not turn around as anticipated; yet Omole Sowore wants to beguile Nigerians that Emefiele STOLE N500 billion of Nigeria's money in the Central Bank. When Sanusi was actually doing the real stealing, money laundering it through donations to his Islamist causes, including doling out N500 million to his Kano State, where was Omole Sowore holding him accountable?

This is a guy who never sees anything good in an Igbo person nor ever sees anything wrong his preferred Nigerians and you wonder how much he has covered Osibanjo, Lai Mohammed, Bola Tinubu, Fulani herdsmen, or even Atiku Abubakar. An audiophile in which the Deputy Governor Edward Adamu was heard saying that he was not happy that Arowosegbe led then like that, advising on the investment and the Dayo Arowosegbe is the director of Finance in the Central Bank. Continuing he added, 'I kept on  disturbing this guy in December and January but  he kept telling me no problem. God, this guy just..' 

Then add the governor lamenting that the same Dayo Arowosegbe did not give the Central Bank full information about the investment. Yet Omole Sowore left him out of the entire narrative and zeroed on his marked for demolition, the governor. Unfortunately most headline only readers as is the case with so many impatient Nigerians would have glance the headlines and ran with it, concluded that yes, Emefiele STOLE N500 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria. 

That Sahara Reporters Omole Sowore has chosen this perfidious path to infamy, disparaging innocent and hardworking Nigerians doing their best under the circumstances is to say the least parochial and a hallmark of a bigoted creep, who is either seeking to remain relevant or have the spotlight focused on him. ICHEOKU has no problem of any reporter writing whatever story they feel comfortable about; but when such story borders on somebody's propensity for honesty, candor and diligence, expected the story to be true and not a needless attempt just to disparage and damage and somehow botch a reconfirmation process of the governor. 

But thankfully, they failed to stop an honest, hardworking man as the Senate has risen to the occasion to give their nod to the president, who want the governor to continue doing the good work which he is engaged in at the Central Bank of Nigeria. So for the first time since 1999, a Central Bank of Nigeria governor got a mandate for a second term and Sahara Reporters and other detractors hatchet men and women who wanted to sabotage his renomination will now have their crows to eat and will be in anguish for the next five years as Godwin Emefiele runs through his second term as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. 

ICHEOKU says congratulations to the governor and his management team for the good job which they are doing, holding a stabilized Naira and an economy which is showing some real growth, despite the distractions and somewhat sabotages of their effort. Hopefully, the now empowered governor will conduct an internal investigation to find out who leaked the tape of calumny and take appropriate measures to ensure that such a snitch never had assess to such important high level management brainstorming over the financial issues of the Central Bank of Nigeria. 

JOE BIDEN: A HILLARY CLINTON 2016 MISTAKE, LOADING.

ICHEOKU says former Vice President Joe Biden is tired and needs to retire from politics, period. He is not the best choice for the Democratic Party's presidential nominee for 2020 because he will not win the election and if he will not win, what is then the use of forcing his candidacy on the party, why the gamble? Why not give the country a real choice and rather lose with such a choice, than fronting the same guy who was rejected alongside Obama and Hillary Clinton in the November 8th, 2016 election. 

Joe Biden is increasingly looking and sounding like a sullen, melancholic undertaker, rather than an inspiring president wanna be and leader of the free world. His glorious days are way long gone and behind him; since gone with the wind of time. Joe belongs in the past and is not a candidate of now as America is a forward looking and forward moving nation, which does not dwell in the past. Therefore Americans will vote to reject such a relation back candidate because Joe Biden is not what Americans need right now. He is simply too old and so dated and so analog to be competitive in the 21st century American presidency. A man who was first elected into office and sent to Washington DC in 1972 is indeed TOO OLD to remain in Washington DC, period.

ICHEOKU makes bold to state that the once affable, aviator-sunglasses wearing, spring-stepping Joe is no more. What now passes for the then Amtrak riding Senator from Delaware, the Joey from Scranton, is but a shadow of his former ebullient self. You can blame it on degradation of cells by aging and so many family tragedies, both of which has a way of taking a drastic toll on their victims and Joe is unfortunately in their bull's eyes. The former Vice President has so much aged since leaving office that the "SHE" in Sir Richard Ryder Haggard's novel of the same title 'SHE'; the she who must be obeyed, could find solace in Joe Biden over what happened to her when she went back to the cave for a second bath in the youth assuring lake of fire. 

Joe Biden has lost coherency of thought that he now labors through speeches that even ordinary pronunciations are now becoming difficult for him. His smile is wry; there is no more spring in his steps; there is no more twinkle in his eyes and his stage presence is greatly diminished. Unlike Low Energy Jeb Bush, Joe Biden has no energy at all to say the least. Joe Biden is also no longer inspiring, thus begging the question what utility is it about him that is driving the Democratic Party's push for him to emerge as the party's presidential candidate nominee. Joe Biden is also too big to be humble and will not apologize to women who he invaded their space as well as to black people. 

A matter made worse because those who are engineering his nomination, have repackaged and pigeonholed him into only a lips-moving robot, who only recites whatever they placed in front of him, without allowing him any original thoughts or input into what he is made to rehash. It is so sad watching Joey be so straightjacketed and conscripted that he is not even allowed to ad-lib his attacks on President Donald John Trump. Everything Joe says of thinks must first be written for him, vetted and approved before he is carefully managed through its reading. It is so disheartening watching Joe Biden labor through his remarks, seeing his furrowed forehead and askance expression on his face, as he pauses many times on some lines, in what appears to be his asking himself, "should I read this, should I read that aloud?" 

A matter made worse because Joe Biden is only rehashing and re-litigating a personality flaws-attacks of the president, which an all American jury sat on, last November 8th, 2016 and returned a verdict of acquittal by his election. Thus begging the question what is the utility of a denovo trial of the same president based on his personal attributes, which American people had already ruled on as irrelevant. ICHEOKU would think that the Democratic Party having lost that argument previously with Hillary Clinton, would punt to some more winnable argument this time around with Joe Biden, such as enumerating the things which they would rather do differently to help the American people with their basic dinner table concerns. 

A progressively, proactive partisan would be taking to the shredders President Trump policies and explaining to the American people why they are bad for them and how he will improve and make them better and in some cases reverse course. The Democratic Party and their Joe Biden are not even talking about the healthcare which helped them win back the House of Representatives in the 2018's Mid Term election. They are not addressing the issues of concern to the American people such as the Southern border crisis, immigration reform, foreign policy issues of Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Russia and China, especially China's trade imbalance. Rather, it is how President Donald John Trump is a racist and Joe Biden isn't; notwithstanding his many antecedents which suggests otherwise, including that Obama was the only clean and articulate black man ever and that he is proud that his Delaware State is a slave State. 

Anyway, although some critics might say that such issues-based campaign is premature at this stage of party's nomination, but how else will a front runner truly and convincingly emerge without explaining to the electorates what he will do differently better than the president, for which reason, he seeks the nomination of the party. But the Democratic Party does not want to go there, to truly vet their nominee fairly and freely since they have decided to make Joe Biden their nominee, hence the micro-managed nomination process which is going on. None of the other contestants is even allowed a free hand to attack Joe Biden or call him out to defend his records; and you wonder, why such a nomination-coronation charade, instead of just declaring him opposed and save everybody the trouble of going through the rituals of campaigns and debates. Like Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden is yet another mistake of not allowing a true choice of the people to emerge, which will again eventually cost the Democratic Party the White House come November 3rd, 2020. 

ICHEOKU says sadly, if a Joe Biden without a message is all that the Democratic Party have going into 2020, thinking to defeat President Donald John Trump, they are indeed mistaken. They will be running on empty and on a mission impossible going forward and racing into 2020. American voters are discernible voters and they would like to know how the tax cut is bad for the economy, how millions of created jobs hurts Americans, how the many businesses which are moving back to America is bad for the country, how not bombing Iran is bad for America, how low unemployment rate hurts America, how finally moving American embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing it as Israel's eternal capital is bad foreign policy. American people want to know what the Democrats would do if Kim Jong Un restarts firing of his rockets or Iran does a number on American interests in the Middle East. 

These issues and not whether President Donald John Trump is an "existential threat" to the United States is what matters to the American people. Therefore it is an arrant fallacy of nonsense for Joe Biden to raise this issue because no body is and Joe Biden fully knows this; but he chose to smear just to satisfy his possessed fanatical audience, in accordance  to the talking point of the Democratic Party. Therefore absent things which would help improve the lives and living standards of the American people, the Democratic Party will suffer the same fatality of a Hillary Clinton 2016 lost presidency with Joe Biden come 2023. Like Queen Crooked Hillary Clinton of 2016, Joe Biden will be end up being just another Democratic Party's presidential candidate, without any rallying winning message, but a hatred of the president. 

Such is not a winning formula and he will not go anywhere close to unseating the president on November 3rd, 2020. Like Hillary Clinton proved in 2016 that name recognition and hatred for the president alone, without any convincing message, does not win presidential election; so will the Democratic Party also find out and be similarly disappointed with Joe Biden, come November 3rd, 2020. ICHEOKU says Joe Biden is not the answer to the Trump question and the earlier the Democratic Party allow the nomination process to produce a real peoples choice, the better it will be for them in their desperate desire to unseat President Donald John Trump; otherwise their foisting Joe Biden on the party's ticket will spell doom for them as they will only help to reelect President Donald John Trump. #SAYNOTOBIDEN. Biden, NOT THE PEOPLES CHOICE.

JOE BIDEN: TOO BIG TO APOLOGIZE?

ICHEOKU says he refused to apologize to women who he invaded their space and once again has refused to apologize to black people for palling around with segregationists and using the derogatory word "BOY" in subliminally referring to black men. Joe Biden is tone deaf and does not care about folks. The good ole boy is simply too big and too good to be humble. What an arrogant fella.

REPARATION: A JUST DEMAND.

ICHEOKU says have closely followed the calls for reparation, as well as listened to the voices against it, and have come to the conclusion that the effort at reparation is a morally justifiable cause to redress a wrong which is long overdue. You cannot extract another's 200 years of forced free labor and with a straight face try to explain it away as circumstantial, without making necessary recompense for it. 

Slavery is callous, it is wicked and it is very mean spirited. The only way for America to be indeed truly sorry for it is to unequivocally apologize for it and take necessary measures to atone for it, such as unconditional payment of reparation to the descendants of slaves. 

A matter made more poignant because America was built on the backs of slaves, including the White House. Therefore, white Americans cannot still be benefiting from the forced free labors of slaves and in good conscience still refuse to make restitution for it. So, in order for white Americans to finally close that horrendous chapter of American historical past, the compensation for this forcibly obtained free labor should be made immediately and without any further ado or needless delay, or the futile attempt to wave it off as a bygone gimmickry, because it is not. As long as this is not done, Americans will never be fully united as the feeling of hate, repulsion and being mistreated, wrongly deprived and disadvantaged, will continue to resonate among the descendants of these slaves.

ICHEOKU appreciates the arguments on both sides of the debate, for and against reparation; especially those white people who are claiming that since the generation of those who participated in slaves have since past on, that the present day people should not be held liable for the moral sins of their forebears. ICHEOKU says what an argument in denial, a futility, which should be flushed down the sewer because the present generation were bequeathed with the wealth which slave labor created. So, rather than pursue this argument of passage of time, reparation should be treated as a debt which which white ancestors owe to black Americans, which repayment is not statutory barred for lapse of time. What is imperative here is whether the conscience of the white people have been pricked enough to decide to take this immediate remedial step to atone for a past wrong. 

Even in wrongful death cases, compensations are paid for the life of loved one to their survivors and there is no requirement that the decedent must be alive in order to be compensated. The debate should have since moved on from the need to pay reparation to how or in what form reparation should be. It should no longer be a WHY issue, but a HOW issue, not why reparation should be paid but how reparation should be disbursed. In fact, reparation should no longer be just a matter for only America, but the entire Western civilization which slave labor developed, including Britain, France, Portugal, Spain etc. Without slave labor, the economic revolution period preceding the industrial revolution, would not have happened.  Therefore it is outright immoral to reap a people off for over 200 years of free force labor, without compensation. It is more than the original sin for which Adam was indicted, convicted and evicted from the Garden of Eden by God. 

How could a people so demean and maltreat fellow human beings as commodities and freely trade them, rape their wives and daughters, force them in chains to do manual labor, farm and domestic work; and sometimes just summarily hang them by the neck with a noose just for merely asking to be treated with decency. It is such a shame that America and the rest of the world are not doing everything they could to make such past history go away, including paying reparation, if it is the quick silver magical bullet that will speedily and forever eviscerate that ugly chapter of American historical past. Just look at the White House and other American cities and infrastructures which slave labor built and somebody could sit and live in them and in good conscience not worry that fellow human beings were compelled without pay to build them.

So, please don't tell ICHEOKU that such stain on humanity 's conscience, particularly those of the descendants of the victims, had gone away or should rather be forgotten without a fair compensation to purchase such forgiveness and atonement of sin. America should just pay restitution for what they took from black people, 200 years of forced free labor. 

The gist of the reparation question or its meritoriousness is not the ending of slavery or passing the Civil Rights Act or even electing Barack Obama president. No, the issue of reparation is for arrears of the unpaid free forced labor which were extracted from black people during slavery and long before the Civil War, Civil Rights Act and Obama's presidency. The demand for reparation is for back payments for the period beginning from the arrival of the first slave in America to the abolition of slavery; and which continued until the Civil Rights Act was enacted. This unpaid labor is what America is being called out to make right, by paying for the labor which it extracted from black people for free. So, the real question should be what form and manner should reparation take place and how should America go about getting it done; and no longer whether it should be done or whether it is the right thing to do. 

Although it will be difficult to quantify the amount of money in dollars and cents of such centuries old forced labor and indignity to humanity; but a reasonable rational estimation and.or compensation will suffice. Good enough the areas of West Africa from which these slaves were poached is easily identifiable and the descendants of these slaves, black Americans, are too. So, ICHEOKU is speaking of two tranches of compensations, one for black Americans and the other for the West Africa sub Saharan region which lost millions of its best stock to slavery. The West wanted high quality slaves to till their lands and pick their cottons as well as hew their timbers and do other manual hard labor without compensation and they only took the best out of Africa. 

Americans should search their conscience, convinced that what their forebears did was wrong, be contrite about it and then make recompense for it; just like Germans did with holocaust. If slavery was so wrong that Americans went to war against fellow Americans to end it, then America should make up for that wrong, fully and completely, and have the issue permanently put behind them. The Congress should pass a formal Bill of "Sorry for Slavery", signed by the president; then with compensation paid, rest slavery permanently and for good. America should treat the issue of reparation as a debt owed to black people which should be amortized and consider it as a restitution for the forced labor which America extracted from black Americans for centuries. 

ICHEOKU says since people are frequently paid for wrongful deaths of their beloved ones, the argument in some quarters that the generation which suffered slavery is since long gone and the matter should be forgotten, is therefore moot. Their descendants and anyone traceable to them are the beneficiaries of such reparation and should be duly entitled to receive such benefits. The descendants of those slave owners and plantations masters, as well as those other white people who benefited from the forced unpaid labor of slavery, are enjoying the fruits of their ancestors' man's inhumanity to fellow man; so it should not be an aberration for the descendants of those black people who were enslaved by white people to enjoy the inheritance and bequeath of reparation which ordinarily should have been their forebears to enjoy. 

It is inarguable that but for the free unpaid labor of slaves that America would not be built into the country which it has become today. It is also true that majority of Americans who are rich and wealthy, particularly those who are enjoying generational wealth, benefited from free slave labor which their ancestors used to build their lasting wealth. Even the White House was built with forced slave labor, so it behooves of any occupier therein to understand the solemnity and seriousness of the reparation debate due to the slave hands which built the building, alongside so many others. These white Americans cannot be enjoying the benefits which are traceable to slavery, while at the same time questioning who the beneficiaries of reparation should be.  

First of all, we have to admit and accept that reparation is a worthy effort at atoning for the sins of slavery and then take necessary steps towards making it a reality by deciding how much it should be and the best way to effectively conduct the pay out. Whether it is going to be one trillion dollars or five billion dollars, is not necessarily the issue as the exact amount can always be negotiated; but such proceeds must be channeled into some lasting bequeath such as education, with free education scholarships at all levels awarded to all persons of color in America for at least twenty years running, all expenses paid. 

Then the six West African countries of Nigeria, Benin Republic, Ghana, Gambia, Ivory Coast and Senegal which bore the brunt of slavery and from which majority of the slaves were poached, should have one substantial project built for each of them from the reparation payout. Infrastructural projects such as power stations, electricity grids, airport/seaport, roads, retraining and reequipping of their security personnel are areas where such reparation amount going to these countries could be channeled into. But under no circumstances shall the money be given in cash to these countries because of the endemic corruption which will only divert such monies into private bank accounts in various banking safe heavens in the world, including Cayman Island, Zurich etc. 

ICHEOKU says therefore supports the demand for reparation for slavery, which is being championed by some members of Congress as well as other activists and interest groups. It is the right thing to do and it will help America to indeed truly heal and finally move on from its sordid, despicable and horrendous past. If Germany paid for Holocaust and other liable defendants in lawsuits pay for wrongful death of loved ones, then it necessarily follows that reparation has apparent beneficiaries and therefore the argument as to who is entitled thereto becomes moot. God's speed to the champions of reparation and may their effort be soon fruitfully rewarded IJN.

TENSION IN THE PERSIAN GULF: WHO WANTS WAR WITH IRAN?

ICHEOKU says whether it is the Deep State or the Military Industrial Complex, both are the same when it comes to being agent provocateurs of wars and profiteering therefrom. Both are Siamese twins joined at the hip by an insatiable lust for money; the piston driving their insatiable appetite for needless, unnecessary and otherwise avoidable costly wars. 

it is all about profit motive. They just want to make money and war is a proven business of money making. They do not care about the havoc which these endless wars wreck on American families and treasury, the overall economy, as well as infrastructure; victims of underfunding, which could use the money being wasted on these ancillary wars. Meanwhile, other nations keep on wondering why America is such a war mongering nation, always looking for wars to fight and sometimes, even provoking one whenever possible and they can get away with it. 

It is on record that no other country in the world likes to fight or has fought as many wars as America has fought and continuing to fight till this day. Not Russia, not China, not North Korea, not any country in Europe; begging the question, WHY is America always fighting wars? These Washington DC swampers are war profiteers who are always looking for avenues to make money; hence they oftentimes cause wars and as soon as they can manufacture a reason for it. To them, only the end justifies the means, regardless of what the reason, where and when the war takes place and whose blood would be spilled, provided they make tons of money from it. 

It does not matter to them that war is such a tragic experience, because war to them is simply business and they are in the business of war making; and with war comes tons of money and a lot of profits. To these people, money is never enough and like the flower in the "Little House of Horror" which lust for blood is phenomenal, their lust for money must be constantly fed, otherwise they will not rest and the country will not know any peace time when its brave men and women are not fighting wars somewhere. They also sometimes engineer crisis just to cause war, so that they can make money. Speaking of the Blood Diamonds equivalence and in America, it is Blood Money from one conflict after another; which spells more money for the members of America's Washington DC well connected and powerful. 

ICHEOKU says but for an anti war President Donald John Trump in the White House, the American military would have since been embroiled in another conflict somewhere in the world, either in Syria or Venezuela or North Korea or Iran or even in the South China Sea. But these war mongers are not giving up just yet, as they are desperately trying to stoke another Middle East conflict against Iran that will eventually result into a shooting war. They released a grainy video of some Iranian Republican Guards in a boat detaching a landmine which they had allegedly planted on the side of an Oil tanker that was caught on fire in the Persian Gulf. It was their narrative that the unexploded magnet-mine was quickly retrieved by Iran to avoid it being traced to them. 

ICHEOKU says were this the case, why was the Republican Guard boat not intercepted right at the very minute of their said retrieval of the mine? Speaking of another "Wag the Dog" and a "convincing" evidence must be manufactured to directly pin Iran down to the sabotage and finally find the "smoking gun" evidence that will provide the excuse to engage Iran. Why would Iran with its back to the wall of excruciating economic meltdown provoke a fight with America, knowing fully well how lopsided the engagement will be, with the one and only remaining Super Power in the world. 

Why would Iran be that foolish to enter into such a gravely skewed handicap match with America by bombing oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz at such a time they are the focus of the entire world to see how they will react to the economic sanctions and whether they will lash out and take the bait of war strewn around their backyard. If Iran could not defeat Iraq in their eight years long war in the eighties, how do they plan to win a war between them and the United States of America. Except it is for a mass suicide, as the president earlier promised that any war with America will spell and existential threat to Iran, Iran will be so foolish to want to engage America in a shooting battle.

First, the pro war story was that Iran was planning to attack United States of American military bases in the Middle East; next was that Iran was planning to attack American interests in the Middle East, which led to the sending of Aircraft carriers and other battle groups to the Persian Gulf. Then within a space of few days, two Oil tankers were attacked while docked in Arab Gulf and another two other Oil tankers were actually set on fire as a result of some form of explosions in the Persian Gulf and automatically Iran was to blame. The latest in this litany of war provoking incidents is that a United States drone was shot down by Iranians; and you wonder if the same group, who are eager for a war with Iran, deliberately flew the drone into Iranian airspace just to provoke a war causing reaction. 

ICHEOKU says these coincidences, happening nearly choreographically and simultaneously, somewhat suggests that America is once again being led by the nose by a well orchestrated machine trying to start another war. It has such an eerie resemblance to the  prelude leading up to the Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction invasion, with Colin Powell, methodically demonstrating at the United Nations, what purportedly was American intelligence video of Saddam Hussein's mobile laboratories of weapons of mass destruction, which unfortunately turned out to be a manufactured hoax. Whether Americans and a very skeptical world would allow these war mongering profiteers to have their way again, is still debatable. The good news however is that an anti-war president, who ran on NO MORE WARS, is in the White House and will be very reluctant to pull the trigger.

So, the world is not a stranger to such periodically manufactured ruses, which the movie "Wag the Dog", gave a good insightful publicity on how it is done. So, could it be that the current video purportedly showing members of the Iranian Republican Guard detaching something from the beleaguered Oil tanker was from the studios of Hollywood annex of the Pentagon or the Central Intelligence Agency. It will not surprise ICHEOKU or any other critical observer if America is once again being played like a pawn in the hands of war mongers and war profiteers who are bent on forcing America into another war, by striking Iran and have Russian drawn into a conflict to defend their ally Iran, which end nobody really knows. What if China and North Korea joins the conflict, leading NATO to enter the war and Japan too, resulting in a Third World War. Such a delicate situation might snowball into a major conflagration  which could spell doom to the world and therefore should be managed with utmost care.

However, ICHEOKU will like to proffer a solution to all these incessant needless wars and forever end them; or better still, bring them within reasonableness and thus make America fight only justifiable wars, which, if not fought, will jeopardize America's overarching interests. ICHEOKU says let America REINSTATE THE DRAFT and watch all those war mongering Washington DC power brokers quit their business of fermenting troubles throughout the world. They will not like their own children to be killed and maimed in wars, period. But as long as it is other peoples' children that are in the military, fighting, losing their limbs, eyes and hearing, being mortally wounded, killed in action and dying from their injuries for America, that long will those war profiteers not care about starting wars and profiting from them. 

They are in Washington DC schmoozing with the Congress and the White House, some of them are in the Congress and some of them work for the White House. Their children are safely tucked away in elite schools or are gainfully employed in Wall Street and other top paying jobs, while other parents are being forced to bury their own children, casualties of wars, which were started by these people. Does ICHEOKU need to add that many of these wars are needless, unnecessary and otherwise avoidable. ICHEOKU says reinstate the DRAFT today and end all these American fought wars. Please say no to any more needless war in the Middle East, not with Iran and not with any other country; and not without a resoundingly convincing and justifiable reason. Enough of the lives and limbs losing and economy-bleeding atrocious wars. Dialogue is always a cheaper alternative. 

So, until there is an incontrovertible proof of Iran's belligerent actions, either to America's interest or that of America's allies in the region, Americans must SAY NO TO WAR WITH IRAN, no more wars. Lets stop the bleeding to lives and limbs, families, economy and infrastructures which these needless wars have become. Let's begin to invest all the money which are spent on these avoidable wars in America to improve America's infrastructure and Americans lives instead of allowing these war mongering profiteers to divert and siphon them through manufactured crisis and wars. Let's rebuild our country with the resources spent on these wars. Say no to wars. #NOMOREWARS. 

LET'S NOT RUSH TO WAR OVER A DRONE.

ICHEOKU says it is simply a diversionary tactics to change the narrative and force President Donald John Trump out of his primary focus to revamp the American economy and keep his attention on America First agenda. Enemies of MAGA are using whatever they can find to derail the president. Say no to war as countries are in the business of shooting down each other's drones.

A DRONE: NOT A REASON TO GO TO WAR.

ICHEOKU says the fact of the matter is that countries have been shooting down each other's drones for ages and as soon as they are sighted within their territorial airspace. So, short of the Global Hawk drone that was shot down by Iran being on international airspace when it was shot down, there is no reason to take the bait of Iran and flare up the current hostilities between Iran and America in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Persian Gulf. American military severally shot down Iranian drones in Syria and Israel have been doing the same too; ditto Russia which have shot down America's U-2 spy planes before. 

The real question here is rather, why Iran is goading the United States of America into a military confrontation, a fight which outcome is readily known as the difference between day and night. Iran which could not defeat Saddam Hussein's Iraq in an eight years long running battle in the eighties, but suddenly now thinks that it can successfully take on the American awesome fearsome military. This is the crux of the matter, why the apparent Iranian threatening of an assured suicide by these incidences of provocation: first were the two oil tankers which they nearly destroyed, followed by another two oil tankers which their mines set on fire, to now this drone which they shot down from the sky. 

ICHEOKU says it is also baffling why those who were operating the drone did not see the Iranian missile approaching the drone and try to maneuver it out of harms way. Could it be that they are part of those who are itching to go to war with Iran and purposely steered the drone into harm's way, in order to achieve the present outcome, in their mad quest to midwife a shooting war with Iran? There are a lot of unanswered questions which if answered will help clear the fog of confusion over what indeed really happened. But if Iran has deliberately chosen to provoke America into a retaliatory response, may be they will soon have their wishes commanded and they should not blame anyone but themselves by the amount of destruction which will be parceled out to them.

ICHEOKU says hopefully the answers to these questions will eventually effervesces to the top, but nothing is beyond the conceit of those war mongering profiteers in Washington DC, as they could use any ruse and trickery to engineer an outcome that will enable them make money from wars. Therefore, the president was right with his measured calm words so far and should continue to show restraint. Like President Ronald Reagan once said, trust but first verify is the key; so the president must ensure that he is not being led into another Middle East region war by his National Security team as some of them are members of the establishment swamp and might not mean well for his presidency and its legacy. 

TRUMP2020: WE CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW.

ICHEOKU says the only surprise to be expected in 2020 is in the number of States which will vote to reelect President Donald John Trump, not whether or not he will be reelected. He still possesses the sales pitch and not 23 angry Democratic Party candidates can match him; so let the debates come and let the Democrats settle for one candidate and let the fireworks begin. 

The president won in 2016 with all the world amassed against him and now that he has the bully pulpit, plus the instruments of power, winning a reelection will not be as difficult. Moreso, he has acquitted himself creditably well, doing all he said and promised to do if elected; promises made, promises kept. American people can only do one thing now, REWARD HIM with a reelection. America can only go forward, no retreat, no surrender. KEEP AMERICA GREAT, REELECT TRUMP. #TRUMP2020.

MOHAMMED MORSI: DEAD AT 67. ADIEU.

ICHEOKU says the Muslim Brotherhood member and former President of Egypt, Mohammed Morsi is dead. He fainted inside a courtroom where he was standing trial for espionage and murder among other myriad of charges; and could not be revived and was later pronounced dead. The former Egyptian president was 67 years old. 

A hater of Israel and fundamentalist Islamist to the core, the engineer turned politician and later president of Egypt was unapologetic about his disdain for the Jewish State of Israel and at some point called it very unsavory names including blood suckers, warmongers and descendants of apes and pigs. He insisted that the Jews have no right on Palestine land and that what happened in 1947 and still continuing till today amounts to plundering and that the land belongs to the Palestines and not the Jews. The Sultanate President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his eulogy referred to Morsi as his brother, praying that he is a martyr whose soul should rest in peace.

Mohammed Morsi was the first and only freely, democratically elected president of Egypt in more than 7,000 years of Egyptian governance by pharaohs and of course the military. But his extremism wouldn't let him govern a multi religious, pluralistic, Egyptian society, leading to more protests before the military pushed him aside and took back power. He was arrested and detained and subsequently charged for many crimes, the prosecution of which he was in the court, before he swooned and never recovered and died, despite best  effort at resuscitating him. His failed government was described by one commentator as the failure of democracy in a society that is not set up for democracy. 

ICHEOKU completely agrees that Africa is not set up for democracy and at best, is not yet ripe for democracy because of dearth of institutions which nurtures and sustains democracy; as well as the mindset of the people who are largely tribal, illiterate and overzealously religious. ICHEOKU says may Mohammed Morsi now rest and possibly get hold of his seventy virgins as soon as he makes it to their paradise. 

Air Force ONE: KEEP AS IS.

ICHEOKU says certain things are better left as they are; let Air Force One be. #SAYNOTOREDESIGN. 

AIR FORCE ONE: SAY NO TO THE REDESIGN.

ICHEOKU says if it ain't broke, why change it? #SAYTOTHEREDIGNEDAIRFORCEONE.

AIR FORCE ONE: TOO ICONIC TO BE DISTORTED.

ICHEOKU says disagrees with the president on his redesigned  Air Force One, because if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Why change such an iconic colors that has become a globally recognized symbol of America's presidency on wings, which represents America's enduring strength, assuredness, assertiveness and preeminent position and which also projects America's authority and wealth. Simply put, Air Force One is a statement unto itself and getting used to the new design will take some time, so why border.

ICHEOKU says there are three things that make America, America; things which symbolizes America and which should not be readily and so easily changed based on anyone's personal taste or like. To make such a foundational change, the act of the Congress should be mandatorily required, because they are so intrinsically woven into the body fabric of being American. They are what signifies America and should require the peoples representatives approval before changes can be made on them. These are Air Force One, the flag and the White House; three things which the entire world identifies America with and which represents America to the entire world. 

As a result, the president's intention to change the colors of the Air Force One is not cool with ICHEOKU and to millions of other American people; because if he does, what stops another president from also changing the colors, either because they do not like it or because it was done by President Donald John Trump and they want to erase his legacy. Moreso, the baby blue colors are known around the world and such trademark colors for a presidential plane are not easily bargain-able, otherwise which country's presidential plane is that easily know and noticeable. 

ICHEOKU says strongly believes that some things in life should be left alone as they are and not be amenable to erratic contusions and reconfigurations, especially not because one man feels like it. Institutions are institutions for a reason and the American presidency is one such institution which should never be personalized. Therefore, certain things touching and concerning it should not be left at any one single person's discretion or be allowed to float around according to his or her personal idiosyncratic mood swings. If this is not checked, Americans might wake up one day to see their White House painted in gold and their flag migrate from red and blue to gold. 

ICHEOKU says America must not be in competition with other vane glorious countries of the world, whose leaders are trying to project bogus wealth and strength with such flattering colors. The American presidency is a serious business and needs some level of staid and stoicism to it. The new colors which the president came out with, reminds ICHEOKU of when the president wanted to stage a military parade in Washington and you ask yourself what is the purpose of such flaunting of the military might of the United States of America as is done by some other little and most times, despotic countries, who are trying to impress and prove something which is not there.

The colors which the president came out with for his newly redesigned Air Force One is so ordinary that it looks like a commercial airplane colors. It is no longer outstandingly imposing and majestic; and does not stand out nor otherwise make a statement of here is America's president on wings. Even the presidential seal is not as visible as it otherwise should be. A matter of factly speaking, it looks like the president's private plane TRUMP reversed upside down, as the colors instead of being on top was placed below. It is somewhat cheesy for a presidential plane to say the least. 

ICHEOKU says the president can make the new Air Force One bigger, badder, larger, huger, bolder, longer, higher and whatever else he wants; but please let him not tamper with the colors and if it must, let it be a color that is solid and not the all over the place design which he showed on his ABC interview with George Stephanopolus. One solid color from nose to tail would have been preferred, either white or red or even blue, with a huge American flag, a balding eagle and an imposing Presidential Seal emblazoned in gold background. The president can also be at liberty to configure the interiors however he sees fit, but he must not cause or do any harm to the exterior colors. 

What if the next president does not like the president's new design, will he or she be at liberty to ask for another paint job? If the president is allowed to change the colors of Air Force One to whatever he likes, would he be allowed to someday wake up and decides that he no longer likes the blue and red colors of the flag and wants it changed to gold or order that the White House be repainted in gold and rebranded the Golden House? 

ICHEOKU maintains that changes to such iconic symbols of America should not be easily malleable or left to the whims and caprices of just one man; but should be made with a Congressional approval, first sought and obtained. But since life is dynamic and a certain former president changed what used to be the former colors of Air Force One to the present colors, it is therefore inarguable that another desiring president reserves the right to also once again change the colors. It is the same way the world no longer uses typewriters but computers, so the colors of Air Force One can also transition to something different as  the president prefers. As a result, let those who like the soon to be former colors treasure the memories and philosophically wax nostalgically about the baby blue colors that used to be; and let the president have his Air Force One in his Trump One colors. 

ICHEOKU says it is merely a cosmetic changes, as the Air Force One will not in any way be compromised in its fundamental mission of safely flying the president of the United States of America around, to and from his desired destinations. The ability and utility of the plane will still remain intact, regardless of what colors the eyes sees as its outer veneer. ICHEOKU would have liked to see the Presidential Seal logo moved up higher and near the pilots window, made larger, bigger and bolder to be commandingly visible. Also they could have incorporated the bald eagle alongside the flag and the presidential seal, if indeed Americanness was the primary motivating reason for the intended redesign. But the primary thing is that the president has the right to redesign the plane and he exercised that right, case closed.