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The Sorry State of Affairs with Blinken at State

Commentary

I recently wrote of my disappointment in the Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton retreads who are advising President Biden, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who you may recall “midwifed” the transfer of pallets of cash to Iran as part of the nuclear deal.

BIDEN AND BLINKEN TOGETHER AGAIN (Gulf news)

As I watched Binken’s unemotional, teleprompter-aided speech on Monday, I was reminded of Scott Johnson’s PowerLine reporting of Blinken’s August 26, 2021 press briefing, in which he described him as representing the “face of defeat,” while trying to proclaim success with the withdrawal mission.… read more

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No Doubt, Bad Decisions Led to the Deaths of 13 Servicemen and 90 Afghans

Commentary

One by one, as President Biden and each member of his administration brain trust have appeared in daily press briefings – Blinken, Sullivan, Generals Milley and McKenzie, Maj. Gen Taylor, Kirby and Psaki – attempting to deflect the finger-pointing of blame for miscues by saying there will be time for that later, when this mission is over.… read more

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Back to My Stack of Stuff

Commentary

“YOU’RE FIRED!” – President Biden isn’t inclined to fire any senior national security officials over the chaos in Kabul, according to the left-leaning AXIOS. “Why it matters: Dismissing national security advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin or CIA Director William Burns would be tantamount to admitting a mistake, and the president stands by his decision.”… read more

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The Biden Presidency: We May Be Witnessing the Beginning of the End

Commentary

“JOE BIDEN’S TERM as president began on January 20th, this week marks the beginning of the end of that presidency, at least in any meaningful fashion,” wrote the columnist Chris Barron in the Political Insider.

“It is difficult to imagine how President Biden can rebound from this disaster especially given the absolute tone-deaf response from the White House over the last few days.… read more

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What Compels People to Make Fools of Themselves

Commentary

What is it about retired generals and bureaucrats who can’t just take their pensions, honorary degrees, and Washington think tank board positions and enjoy life out of the limelight?

Former general, CIA director and National Security Advisor Michael Hayden is the latest.  He simply couldn’t resist responding to a fellow Twitterer, @PSHredmen, who wrote, “Can we send the MAGA wearing unvaxxed to Afghanistan, no use sending that plane back empty?”… read more

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Arizona’s Senators in Key Infrastructure Roles

Commentary

I ask for your indulgence with this blog piece as I focus on Arizona politics.  I wouldn’t do it, however, if it didn’t have national meaning and consequences.

Our two senators, Democrats Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, need no introduction.  They’ve been in the news lately because they hold the key votes if the Democrats are going to pass the $3.5 trillion bill.… read more

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Failure to Heed Warnings in Afghanistan Sad Reminder of Benghazi

Commentary

Just before the Pentagon’s first briefing on Saturday, I listened to Richard Grinnell, who has a decade of state department experience and served as acting director of national intelligence under President Trump, speak of the embassy staff warnings that went unheeded by the Biden administration. 

I listened to Grinnell talk about the July 13, 2021 cable sent to Secretary of State Blinken, warning of the rapid gains being made by the Taliban in Afghanistan, recommending steps be taken to accelerate evacuation.… read more

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An Obama, Hillary Retread Now Dragging Biden Down

Commentary

“Unlike the policy of the last few years (the Trump era), we will be able to rally the rest of the world behind us on key foreign policy and national security issues.” – Jake Sullivan, November 2020

Along with the criticism of President Biden’s botched withdrawal of Afghanistan, comes questions of the advice provided him by Secretary of State Blinken, National Security advisor Sullivan and Generals Austin and Milley.… read more