The US Car Industry

BBC News: Reports on the new tough conditions demanded by President Obama if General Motors and Chrysler are to get government tax payer help. I was surprised that Obama had the backbone to take on the Unions in many respects, he has been tough with GM and Chrysler, GM gets sixty days to get its act together or go bankrupt, Chrysler has less it has thirty days. The New York Times quotes the President stating the following, " That may mean using our bankruptcy code as a mechanism to help them restructure quickly and emerge stronger. " In essence Obama is taking a risk, he cant afford in political terms to allow GM to go belly up, the cost in political terms would be high, the Unions is one of the reasons that he is in the Oval Office. On the other hand the American voter has reach its limit when it comes to bailouts of different sectors of the US Economy. It would take great political courage by Obama to allow GM and Chrysler to go to the wall, the Unions who are powerful in the Democratic Party would fight the Administration all the way. This does recall Reagan's fight with the Air Traffic Controllers, an American President has to show that he is tough, that he will take action that will cost him in political terms, but shows that he will stand up for the voter.

No Quick Exit from Iraq - Obama

Fox News: Reports that President Obama has stated in Sunday interview that the USA will keep to its Timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. That although there has been military success the political side needs to match the military success. President Obama does not want to turn a War won by the Bush 43 in to a Obama defeat, thus Obama will keep to his plan, this will allow him and his Administration to finish the Iraqi conflict on a successful note. The Obama Administration will remove most combat troops by August 2010, just before the Mid Term Congressional Elections, but will keep around thirty five to fifty thousand troops in theatre to prevent Iraq turning in to a war zone.

No US Plan to Prevent North Korean Missile Launch

The New York Times: Reports that the US has no plans to prevent the expected Missile launch by North Korea, the sole exception for US military action is if the missile is a threat to the USA. In other words the Obama Administration has no backbone, if the test is a success this will allow North Korean to demand more from the West. This will also give the green light to Iran to develop the bomb, it will see that Obama does not have the will to take action, why talk with the USA if the President is weak. Thus expect Iran to have the bomb within the year and for Israel to take action, because it looks like the USA has another Jimmy Carter Mark 11 in the Oval Office.