Sunday, September 03, 2006

The Libby Pardon Campaign

Boston Herald Article, Click BostonHerald.com - Opinion & Editorial: Time for Prez to pardon Libby

New York Post, Click here

Weekly Standard, Click here

The Washington Post, In Views view a very fair article, Click here

American and British Politics and Foreign Policy

Once Tony Blair came back from his holiday the chattering classes returned to their favourite sport, when would the Prime Minister decided to go, so the press could have a new story under the Premiership of Gordon Brown. As it has been noted Tony Blair bought this on himself before the last election by stating he would not run for a fourth term, the day after the election it started how long would New Labour have Tony Blair in charge at 10 Downing Street. In recent interviews and news stories, the Prime Minister has stated that he would not get in to the issue of when he was going. This has of course irritated Gordon Brown supporters, who must being to wonder if Brown has the political muscle to tell the Prime Minister that he must go for the good of the Party and the Country. The Terror scare wave at the moment has put Dr Reed, the Home Secretary at the forefront, is Tony Blair waiting for Gordon Brown to fowl up any way as to allow others to challenge him for the leadership later next year. The question has to be asked does the Prime Minister have the time, or will the guys in overalls, this is the Labour Party after all, come calling and say it time the Prime Minister took up the Lecture circuit in the United States. It has been argued that the Labour Party has very complicated rules to get rid of a sitting Prime Minister, but in the end it was the Cabinet that removed Lady Thatcher, will we see a second Cabinet Revolt before the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament elections. Time and Tide wait for no man even if he is Tony Blair.

On the American scene we have the Bush Administration coming out in defence of their Iraq policy before the Mid Term Elections, at the moment according to the Polls the Democrats should take the House of Representatives over the 15 seats they need to take control, the Senate still to close to call. But Views political gut is not sure that will be the result, as a British Prime Minister once stated, ‘ A week is a long time in Politics ‘. An interesting article in the Sunday Times, Friends of Hillary hint she may pull out of presidential race , in essence the article suggests that Hillary R. Clinton the Junior Senator from New York might not run for President and stay in the Senate. It should be noted that the last Senator to win the Presidency was John F. Kennedy. Bob Dole in 1996 and John F. Kerry in 2004 failed to win. In really depends on who the Republican candidate is, if John McCain or Rudy Giuliani; the Sunday Times also has an article on Giuliani; win the nomination it would be very hard for Hillary R. Clinton to win the General Election.

On the international front we have Iran and Afghanistan, Iran has rejected UN demands, the general analytical view is that this crisis is a slow burning one, and one President Bush wont allow to go to the distance, a Nuclear armed Iran. As to Afghanistan, the UK has lost 15 personnel in a week, one soldier through combat and 14 others from different sections of the armed forces from what looks like a technical fault on the plane. Afghanistan worries Views more in some respects that Iraq, the mission has changed, we have only about 800 combat troops in theatre. The Troops need time to relax, from reports they are in constant combat with the Taliban and the planes used to transfer troops and in combat operations are being pressed to their maximum use due to the conditions in both Afghanistan and Iraq. It seems in views eyes we have to but more troops on the ground, 800 combat troops are not enough in an area the size of Wales.