Foreign Policy

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Why regaining the senate is so vital

The 5-4 vote by the Supreme Court in the so-called Hobby Lobby case should serve as a wake-up call for conservatives who still haven’t understood the importance of gaining Republican control of the Senate in the mid-term elections this fall.

If you needed a clearer reminder why a Republican senate is so imperative, the vote in opposition by liberals on the Court, including Obama appointees Elena Kagan and Sonya Sotomayor, is it.  Continued Democrat control of the senate will assure the nomination of left-leaning individuals should one or more vacancies occur during the remainder of Obama’s term.

Regular readers of this blog know that I have been reminding you that we need to win six seats in November, most likely in Arkansas, Montana, Louisiana, South Dakota, North Carolina and West Virginia, where incumbent Democrats are most vulnerable.

OB-UP782_oreill_E_20120917235735(blogs.wsj.com)

Fox’s Bill Reilly captured my thoughts so powerfully that they are quoted here today. (blogs.wsj.com)

From time to time I happen to be on the same page with Fox’s Bill O’Reilly and, his June 30, 2014 Talking Points on this subject was one of those occasions.  It was refreshing because most of the media is inaccurately reporting the implications of the Court decision.  And, I noted Hillary Clinton, speaking in Aspen, also misinterpreted the decision; undoubtedly to support her “war on women” agenda.

“The Obama administration wants all corporations to fund things like the morning after pill, which many religious Americans believe is an abortion-inducing medication,” said O’Reilly, but adds, “the national media did not report that … (continuing) to say the Hobby Lobby case is about birth control per se, which it is not.”

Disturbed by the Court opinion of the four liberal justices, O’Reilly states they “apparently believe that American taxpayers should fund abortions.”  Noting the fact that religious freedom is a hallmark of the Constitution, he points to the liberal vote as contradicting the Constitution, and “that’s frightening.” Continue reading →

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And she wants to be president, Part 3

 “The most important thing I did was to help restore America’s leadership in the world.  And I think that was a very important accomplishment.  We were flat on our back when I walked in there (the State Department) the first time.   We were viewed as being untrustworthy, as violating our moral rules and values.”  – Hillary Clinton, June 10, 2014

Renee-Montagne-NPR-photo

During her interview with Renee Montagne, Host of NPR’s Morning Edition (above), Hillary Clinton said her greatest achievement as secretary of state was that she helped restore America’s leadership in the world. Another myth. (npr photo)

Hillary Clinton would have you believe that the U.S. image in the world was left in shambles when George W. Bush left office.  “That was my biggest challenge.  It was why the president asked me to be secretary of state,” she boasted in her book tour interview with Renee Montagne, co-host of NPR’s Morning Edition.

It certainly didn’t help matters that immediately after his election in 2008, President Obama went on his now infamous apology tour, during which time his comments about America had the overall effect of weakening the view of America on the world stage.

“In America, there’s a failure to appreciate Europe’s leading role in the world,” he told an audience in Strasbourg, France on April 3, 2009. “Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges,” he said, “there have been times where America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.”

“We have at times been disengaged, and at times we sought to dictate our terms,” President Obama said at the April 17, 2009 Summit of the Americas, Port of Spain.  He explained there would be no senior and junior partnerships in our future relations, and added the U.S. would be willing to acknowledge past errors.

“I would like to think that my election and the early decisions that were made, that you’re starting to see some restoration of America’s standing in the world.” President Obama, April 2, 2009, press conference at the G-20 Summit of World Leaders, London.

Continue reading →

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Obama and Biden, foreign policy failures

I’ve written many blog posts, op-eds, and letters to editors critical of President Obama’s foreign policy, or lack thereof.  With only his experience as a community organizer and two idle years in the Senate, I’m sure he thought Joe Biden, with his foreign relations committee experience, would help fill this void. Wrong.

Clearly, the current crisis in Iraq reflects their inexperience.

“I am very optimistic about Iraq.  I think it’s gonna be one of the great achievements of this administration.  You’re gonna see 90,000 troops come marching home by the end of summer.  You’re gonna see a stable Iraq that is actually moving toward a representative government.  I’ve been impressed by how they’ve been deciding to use the political process rather than guns to settle their differences.” – Vice President Biden, Feb. 11, 2010

01biden-articleLarge (NY Times.com)

Vice President Biden displayed a lack of experience when he agreed with Nouri al-Maliki that Iraq had worked its way through the travails and are expressing its peoples’ wills during the Nov. 30, 2011 U.S. – Iraq Higher Coordinating Committee meeting in Baghdad. (Davis Turner/Getty Images)

I was also reminded how Biden failed to get a status of forces agreement there.  On Nov. 30, 2011, speaking before Iraqi and American representatives in Baghdad, Biden talked of its importance. Later he said,  “I will bet you my vice presidency, Maliki (Nouri al-Maliki), the Iraqi prime minister will extend the status of forces agreement.”  I guess nobody took that bet.

During Obama’s campaign against Mitt Romney, he denied his interest in getting the agreement.  Following the 2008 Obama-Biden victory, however, a transition team document on Iraq stated, “Obama-Biden believe it is vital that Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) be reached so our troops have the legal protections and immunities they need.”  It went on to cite that it be subject to Congressional review to ensure it would have bipartisan support here at home. Continue reading →

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Obama, staff simply inept

Copyright: @Sigrid Estrada, 2001902 BroadwayNew York, NY 10010

Richard Cohen (Washingtonpost.com)

”The Rose Garden production sticks in my craw – Obama leaving with his arms around Bergdahl’s mother and father.  So touching.  So warm.  So utterly repellent!”  – Richard Cohen, Washington Post columnist

For the past five years I have been writing about a president – Barack Obama, of course – who is in over his head on domestic issues and the economy; national security, foreign policy and on defense.

We have seen his incompetence, lack of judgment, open flouting of the rule of law and the constitution and a disregard for the culture of corruption evidenced within his administration.

The latest Gallop Poll reveals that 74 per cent of Americans express dissatisfaction with the way things are going in the United States at this time, and Real Clear Politics, with its average of all major polls, reflects a 52.5 per cent disapproval of President Obama’s job performance.

Over the past few weeks we have again witnessed his ineptness and that of those around him. With the media showing clips of him promising process improvements for vets dating back to 2008, the president couldn’t pass this off as another phony scandal. Continue reading →

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Obama, Clinton aided by Benghazi cover-up

I never allowed politics to influence what I said or did.  Never.” –  Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morrell.

Moreell (jmanuielbalcecenata, AP)

Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morrell testifies. (jmanuelbalcecenata, AP)

If you watched the Benghazi hearing conducted Wednesday by the House Intelligence Committee, you saw Michael Morrell provide testimony as a willing partner in the cover-up of the  Sept. 11, 2012 Benghazi attack.

You will recall that after a late afternoon 30-minute briefing on the attack by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen.Martin Dempsey, President Obama never checked back with Panetta to review the status in Benghazi, and within hours was on Air Force One headed for a fundraising event in Las Vegas

Meanwhile, Morrell, and representatives of the NSA, FBI, Defense Intelligence and the State Department, were writing and rewriting talking points to remove all mention of Al Qaeda.  They knew the administration’s position on Al Qaeda and terrorism going into the election and the president was going to tell crowds in Las Vegas, and subsequently in Colorado, that “Al Qaeda was on the run, and Osama was dead.”  And blaming the attack on protestors upset with an anti-Muslim video was inserted.

Nuland and Clinton (cubaninsider.blogspot.com)

Then State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland and Hillary Clinton in a private exchange. (cubaninsider.blogspot.com)

Protecting Hillary Clinton was also of utmost importance.  Everyone around her knew her reputation had to be squeaky clean since her aspirations for the office of the president were commonly known at the State Department.  We had the first ambassador killed in two decades and Victoria Nuland, Clinton’s spokesperson at State, would have us believe she never discussed the talking points with her boss. In an e-mail she referenced concern from “building leadership” about the wording. Who else would that be?

During his testimony, Morrell said he was deeply troubled by allegations “that I inappropriately altered and influenced CIA’s classified analysis and its unclassified talking points about what happened in Benghazi, Libya in September 2012 and that I covered up those actions.  These allegations accuse me of taking these actions for the political benefit of President Obama and then Secretary of State Clinton.  These allegations are false.” Continue reading →

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Hillary’s embarrassing event no “reset” with Russia

We have been hearing a lot lately about how the Obama administration blew the “reset” with Russia, but few people recall or ever heard how Hillary Clinton, then secretary of state, was embarrassed by a close aide in what was to be a symbolic new start in U.S. – Russia relations.

Hillary and Lavrov (Pool photo by Fabrice Coffrini)

Sergei Lavrov and Hillary Clinton all smiles over “reset” button. (pool photo by Fabrice Coffrini)

It was on March 6, 2009 in Geneva.  Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei V. Lavrov were to have dinner together, in what was to be an effort to mend the relationship between the two countries that had become strained.

Before they sat down, however, a photo-op was arranged.  A smiling Clinton handed a small green box to Lavrov, saying I would like to present you with a little gift that represents what President Obama and Vice Predsident Biden and I have been saying and that is, we want to reset our relationship, and so we will do it together.”

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Ill-conceived “reset” button. (foxnews.com)

In the box was a square yellow metal object with a bright red button.  It was to symbolize the reset of the relationship.  The word, “peregruzka” appeared above the button.  As Lavrov smiled, Clinton said, “We worked hard to get the right Russian word.  Do you think we got it?”   Lavrov’s smile turned to a laugh, stopping to say, “You got it wrong.  It should be “perezagruzka.”  He then pointed out that the Russian word on the gift button meant “overcharged,” causing Clinton to emit one of her characteristic cackles. Continue reading →