Tag Archives: Iran

Iran, Middle East, Politics, War On Terror

No To Syria ‘Save Face’ / Ego War

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You know what’s coming when the two French Republicans (as Mark Levin affectionately calls them), Sens. John McCain and Lindsay Graham, are summoned to The White House for a little back-scratching session. Ostensibly for President Obama to make his case for a military attack on Syria.Graham_McCain2

And what they came up with is no reason to use our military in Syria’s civil war.

A vote against strikes to punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for alleged use of chemical weapons, officials argue, could undermine Obama’s standing in the Middle East as his administration seeks to deter Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, broker peace between Israelis and Palestinians and stabilize a region already in turmoil.

“A rejection of this resolution would be catastrophic, not just for him but for the institution of the presidency and the credibility of the United States,” Senator John McCain said after meeting with Obama at the White House on Monday.

I’m not seeing any direct threat to the security of the United States, the only reason to use the military in a foreign country. That is, if you take your oath of office seriously. Besides, it’s already too late to save our standing and credibility around the world. The proper response is to suck it up and deal with it. Learn your lesson the hard way. It’s what happens when an amateur and ideologue is also Commander-in-Cheif. Aside from there being no national security threat, by their own admission now, our military men and women don’t wear the uniform to die for flippant remarks made by their Commander-in-Chief.

The United States military is not to be used as a U.N. replacement, world policeman, or custodian for countries involved in a civil war. Like I’ve said many times before, it’s their civil war. And the only way it will end is if one side wins and the other side loses. Only then will we know what kind of State we’re dealing with.

McCain and Graham must have allowed themselves to either be hypnotized by Obama, or they are among those Republicans that reflexively cave under fear of the demagoguery to come if they buck the President. I’ll go with the latter. Demagoguery that is coming to the party no matter what they say.

It’s yet another example of caving for the sake of the party of being liked, and for appearing bi-partisan with the most partisan president in history. The Constitution be damned. A foolish behavior that never advances the interests of Republicans and, a lesson never learned.

Link: Analysis: Obama lobbies personally for Syria vote

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Egypt, Middle East, Politics, Religion, War On Terror

Obama’s “Intelligence” On Syria Is The Muslim Brotherhood

When Sec. of State John (Lurch) Kerry made the case for an attack on Syria, the sources guiding his judgement were that of the Arab League, the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation), and Turkey. All Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers or affiliates.

In Sec. of State John Kerry’s statement . . .

The world is speaking out. And many friends stand ready to respond. The Arab League pledged, quote, “to hold the Syrian regime fully responsible for this crime.” The Organization for Islamic Cooperation condemned the regime and said we needed, quote, “to hold the Syrian government legally and morally accountable for this heinous crime. Turkey said there is no doubt that the regime is responsible.

Right, those friends.

So it should come as no surprise why the President has lost his coalition, and why the President is still talking about a military action in Syria.

When asked if the Arab League is advocating military action in Syria, Arab League Secretary General Nabil el-Arabi told the BBC that they aren’t advocating it openly, but . . .

“Maybe it is in our minds that someone would do that but we would like the Security Council to take charge,” Mr el-Arabi said.

What they considered might happen “would be something of a limited scope”, he told the BBC’s Bethany Bell, in Cairo.

Using the rest of the same talking points as President Obama and Sec. of State Kerry, el-Arabi also said the strike would “hopefully” prevent future use of chemical weapons, and punish those who used them.

http://youtu.be/9RVEngLwSNQ

So who do you suppose that “someone” would be? The United States of course. The President is the only one on the planet talking about military action against Syria. He helped the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, sacrificed our Ambassador and three other Americans in Lybia to alQaeda, and still doing the bidding, or wanting to, of the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria.

That chemical weapons were used is no longer a question. But watch el-Arabi squirm when asked what evidence the Arab League has that the Assad regime was the party that used them. Secretary of State Kerry says unequivocally that it was the Syrian government that used the WMD outside Damascus. OK, but look at the way President Obama said it, wordsmith that he is, when interviewed by PBS . . .

“We have concluded that the Syrian government in fact carried these out,” Obama said during an interview with PBS’ NewsHour. “And if that’s so, then there need to be international consequences.”

So what’s the “And if that’s so” all about? Nevermind that even if Syria did do it, it wasn’t upon the U.S.. It was on their own people. And sorry as that is, it does not raise to the level of harming our national interest in any way, shape, or form. Again, we’re not the world’s policeman and civil-war-country custodian.

For The White House to still, after all that’s happened in Egypt, be listening and catering to the Muslim Brotherhood says volumes on how naive and dangerous President Obama is to our national security interests.

Egypt, Iran, Middle East, Politics, Religion, War On Terror

President Fails To Make His Case On Syria

After weeks of saber-rattling and ego boosting, and statements on Syria from everyone but the Commander-in-Chief himself, President Obama finally speaks to the question everyone is asking. What is our national security interest that necessitates attacking Syria?

And to that question, the President fails to make the case. He said . . .

This kind of attack threatens our national security interests by violating well-established international norms against the use of chemical weapons by further threatening friends and allies of ours in the region, like Israel and Turkey and Jordan, and it increases the risk that chemical weapons will be used in the future and fall into the hands of terrorists who might use them against us.

Might use them against us? There are no national interests of ours where Syria is concerned. They haven’t attacked us. They have telegraphed what they’d do to Israel if they were attacked by the U.S. But predicated on the United States attacking them first. To pin our national security interests on what might or could happen means there are no boundaries or limits to a trigger happy President. President Obama also failed to explain the end-game to his limited “smack in the face” attack on Syria.

The Syrian government is doing bad things, but it is doing them to their own people. Not to the United States. They are involved in a civil war now, and most of Assad’s opposition is coming from the alQaeda and Muslim Brotherhood types. Launching any kind of attack will only improve the chances that alQaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood will take over.

Syria needs to fight their own civil war. It’s as if nothing has been learned from the last 60 years of history in the Middle East. Let’s not repeat history. No one interfered with our civil war. And after it was over, we had a unified country. Their civil war needs to play out to its conclusion. Then, and only then, will the world know what kind of country remains. Friendly to the west, or not. At least, it will be a known entity. Not a mess like the rest of the Middle East.

Bottom line, we’re not the world’s policeman nor are we a civil-war-country’s custodian.

Egypt, Iran, Middle East, Politics, Religion, War On Terror

Obama Losing Coalition Support On Syria

britains_parliament_special_session_on_syria
British Parliament In Special Session

Great Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron called a special session of Britain’s Parliament to discuss growing tensions in Sirya and President Obama’s call for military action over the use of chemical weapons, ostensibly used by the Syrian regime on its own people.

U.S. Congress On Vacation
U.S. Congress On Vacation

President Obama, on the other hand, demonstrating his lack of leadership in not calling Congress back from vacation for a special session, is now talking about going it alone. Without a coalition of willing partners and without involving Congress. And so far, without addressing the American people as to what our security interests in Syria are that justifies us getting involved militarily on our own. And also without explaining to the American people the possible consequences of a slap-in-the-face cruise missile attack.

A proposed attack with the potential targets being revealed to the world, including the Assad regime. A military strategist, he is not. Nor, apparently, are the people advising him.

It is this lack of leadership and President Obama’s vague, if not non-existent, strategy in the end-game with Syria that has caused all the coalition partners he had last week to drop out. Add NATO to the list of the unwilling. Instead of following the blind, they’ve taken the position to wait and see what the U.N. inspectors conclude about who it was that used the WMD’s outside of Damascus. So far, most people in the U.S. aren’t convinced that we are being threatened by Syria to the extent that we need to act unilaterally against them, not only at the expense of our credibility in the world, but at the expense of our ally Israel, who both Iran and Syria said will attack if the U.S. attacks Syria. And certainly not before knowing who will be taking over in Syria. Common thought now is if Assad goes down, alQaeda and company takes his place.

We’ve already seen it happen in Libya with alQaeda and their affiliates, and in Egypt with the Muslim Brotherhood. Is Obama’s ego worth turning over the rest of the middle east to radical Islam and possibly sacrificing the state of Israel?

The time to act militarily has long past. We’re not the world’s policeman and civil-war-country custodian. They’ll have to fight it out on their own, and kill each other until someone wins. Then, and only then, will we know who it is we’re dealing with.

Link: U.S. ready to go it alone on Syria after stinging British defeat  |  Obama strike plans in disarray after Britain rejects use of force in Syria  |  NATO CHIEF: NO PLANS FOR ALLIANCE ACTION IN SYRIA

Iran, Media, Religion

Islam, Catholicism, Irrelevant In 21st Century?

You would not believe how bad the Iranian mullahs have their shorts in a wad over this picture. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Elena FriasWord coming out of Iran is this picture shows that Ahmadinejad has violated Islamic tradition. Apparently comforting a grieving mother is a sin. Islam forbids men from touching women who are not members of their direct family. What’s up with that?

According to The Telegraph, Mohammad Taghi Rahbar, the Friday prayer leader of Iran’s second city, Isfahan, told Mehr news agency that Ahmadinejad had “lost control”.

Some observers say this is attack is politically motivated because elections are coming up this summer. It may be politically motivated. Is it Iran being idiotic, or Islam being idiotic? Or some of each?

“Islam is on the way to irrelevancy if they don’t start including women, and certainly people of other color, and ultimately homosexuals.” Yeah, this according to Sally Quinn of the Washington Post. There is this one caveat. She was referring to the Catholic Church and Catholicism, not Islam. Do you think she, or any member of the news media for that matter, would ever say that about Islam? Christianity, that’s fair game.

Link: Iran’s Ahmadinejad blasted for consoling Chavez’s mother

Iran, Middle East, Politics, Russia, Venezuela

Chavez Dead At 58

hugo_chavezfireworks1Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the ruthless communist dictator and master over poor people, has succumbed to cancer at 58. Affectionately referred to here as the hemisphere’s idiot, the good Venezuelan people will now at least have a chance to change Venezuela from the impoverished communist nation that he built, into an economic power that the oil and mineral-rich country can be. Whether the reform party can actually have a fair election with the state-controlled media is another matter.

Venezuela has been the socialist/communist anchor in South America, and an ally to countries hostile to America like Iran, North Korea, Putin’s Russia, and Syria. His death just makes a sea change in attitude and political philosophy now possible. If there are block parties in celebration of Venezuela’s new-found potential in Venezuela, you won’t see them reported. There is one here.

2016 Election, Economy, Egypt, Media, Middle East, North Korea, Politics, Religion, War On Terror

So Much To Celebrate?

The Media, President, and Sec. of State seen here 'playing the fiddle while Rome burns.'
The Media, President, and Sec. of State seen here ‘playing the fiddle while Rome burns.’

If you watched at least five minutes of either the Senate or House hearings on Benghazi, you know that Sec. of State Hillary Clinton is the best Sec. of State that the United States has ever had. Which explains why we may never know why four Americans were left to die at the Libyan Consulate in Benghazi.

What’s not to celebrate? Beginning with the Arab Spring which quickly turned in to the Arab Winter, the President and Sec. Clinton rightfully deserve credit for dispatching Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak so that the Muslim Brotherhood could fill the power vacuum. Words like ‘democracy’ were thrown around like Egypt had their own Declaration of Independence. Two years later, Egyptians are still rioting in the streets over their new dictator President who is also head of the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organization. Now Egypt has a new opposition group called the ‘Black Bloc‘ who don’t like the lack of religious freedom, worsening economy from what started the protests two years ago, and the dictatorial leadership from President Mohammed Morsi.

Then there is continuing high unemployment, record national debt in proportions amounting to generational theft, and a stagnant economy here. High energy and food prices. High, and getting higher, health care costs. Record number of people receiving government help, and growing.

Then there is a worsening Middle East, Syria in flames and alQaeda moving in, Iran nuclear, Northern Africa being overrun by alQaeda, North Korea nuclear, our Ambassador and three other Americans murdered by terrorists in Benghazi.

So much here to celebrate that there is speculation that, just like President Obama, Hillary Clinton may get a Nobel Peace Prize too! The interview on 60 Minutes even hinted at Sec. Clinton running for President in 2016. And why not? It is easier to throw gasoline on the fire by blaming everyone and anyone else than it is to accept responsibility for it and put it out.

China, Egypt, Iran, Middle East, Politics, Religion, Russia, United Nations, War On Terror

Another Diplomatic Disaster For The Unites States

Leave the upcoming military confrontation with Iran aside for a moment. And put Russia and China on the back burner as countries hostile to humanity for condoning Syria’s murdering of their own citizens. Which at the same time highlights the uselessness of the United Nations and its Security Council.

Set that aside for now so you can concentrate on how Muslim Brotherhood-controlled Egypt is sending 19 American NGO (non governmental organization) workers to trial for ‘crimes’ like promoting democracy and human rights and for receiving funds to support them and their mission.

The Muslim Brotherhood used the NGO’s to help overthrow former President Hosni Mubarak. The ‘democracy’ that got rid of Mubarak is no longer needed. Now, they are holding 43 of them prisoner and moving to the oppressive Sharia law.

One of the Americans held captive is Sam LaHood, the son of Secretary of  Transportation Ray LaHood. Sam LaHood is the head of the Egypt office of the Washington-based International Republican Institute.

I don’t attribute any of that as, like Joe Biden had warned, that President Obama will be tested on the international stage. This is a result of a combination of his inexperience, naivety, and his pre-occupation with transforming the United States into some form of government-controlled society where the federal government makes all decisions for you.

Three years ago, then Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) said . . .

Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy.

And they have not stopped.

Makes one wonder if Biden made that statement because he knew what would follow when the top of the ticket is clueless on any subject besides ‘social justice.’

Link: Egypt sends American workers to trial

Iran, Media, Middle East, Politics, Religion

Why Is Obama MIA On Iran’s Threats?

As Iran continues to tweak the United States, and the international community in general, with its threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, and test firing long and short-range missiles, and showing off its nuclear capabilities in nuclear warhead technologies, the American people are wondering when President Obama will address them from behind his desk in the Oval Office. As Commander-in-Chief, he should be the one to bring us up to date with Iran’s sabre rattling, and tell us, and the mullahs in Iran, how he intends to handle the potentially disastrous course that Iran is on.

Instead, this is what we get from The White House . . .

Iran’s latest warning “reflects the fact that Iran is in a position of weakness,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters, adding that Tehran’s threats suggest “a measure of the impact that the sanctions have been having on Iran.”

It was the media, coupled with Obama’s own audacity, that made President Obama. Set him up to be the messiah. The One who would turn radical Islamists into friends and neighbors, change the climate and lower the sea level. So where are they now?

If there were a diagnostic list for the symptoms of a regime gone rogue, Iran would tick off every box. Taking hostages? Check. Sponsoring terrorism? Check. Covertly pursuing nuclear weapons? Check. Under international sanctions? Check. Repressing its own people? Check. Threatening to close the world’s oil highway, the Strait of Hormuz, in international waters? Check.

And where is our President on this? He is not found in the Oval Office, addressing the American people on Iran’s threats. He’s on the back nine. Obama’s absence on this topic shows Iran Obama’s weakness. It’s a real knee-slapper for Iran. And for Obama, it’s like ‘voting present.’

How’s that ‘improving our image” around the world and in Islamic countries working out?