Obama and the Secret Nuclear Plant in Iran

The New York Times: Reports that while the Obama Administration is open to talks with Iran it is also getting tougher, the NYT writes the following, " In interviews and public comments, the administration’s tone has clearly changed in recent days, becoming tougher and more confrontational. " It down to one word folks, Israel, the Israeli government has a starting pistol over the heads of the West and the UN. Israel has stated that it will give Obama time for talks, but not forever, its a classic Iran tactic, start talks then agree then backtrack start talks, you get the idea. The secret mission by the Israeli PM to Russia shows that Israel does not want Iran to gain any defensive missiles that could take down any Israeli planes that might attack Iran. Lets be clear here folks, Obama has sold out Poland, Czech Republic and has gone wobbly over Afghanistan, if he could it can be argued live with a nuclear armed Iran, Israel can not, Israel will not allow itself to be sold out, also Israel has the Israeli lobby in the USA, its very powerful and Obama does not want to annoy it, he has to much on his plate. Either Iran will be totally frank on Thursday or down the road Israel will be frank with Iran, the consequences for the region and the world is beyond imagination.

Those Old Glory Days - then it was Vietnam NOW its Afghanistan

Guardian: Reports on Anti War marches that will face the Obama White House when it comes to Afghanistan. One can almost see the 60 year oldies reliving their youth, this is the time for them to fight Vietnam Again, they should really be at home doing the garden.

Good Point Mr Rich of the New York Times

The New York Times: Interesting Op - Ed piece by Mr Rich of the NYT, he compares President Obama's choices over Afghanistan to JFK's decisions over Vietnam. Also he makes a good point that if you beat the Taliban in Afghanistan, " how would that stop Al Qaeda from coalescing in Somalia or some other criminal host state? " There are no good decisions when it comes to Afghanistan, there are just bad to disastrous policy choices, just look after the USA pushed the USSR out of Afghanistan in 1988, the US pulled back from the region, and what did you get, the Taliban in bed with the ISI of Pakistan taking over Afghanistan and then 9/11. If the USA had taken an active part in Afghan politics after 1988 the rest of the world would have stated that the USA was acting like an Imperial power aka the British Empire. One can almost guarantee that what ever policy is decided by the Obama Administration, looking back it will look bad, that the fate of being in Afghanistan.

Drone ATTACKS in Pakistan

The Sunday Times: Reports that the Obama Administration is thinking of more extensive strikes in Pakistan to take out Taliban/Terrorists. This change of policy from more troops in Afghanistan to a more extensive drone attacks in Pakistan would be a mistake, the secular government of Pakistan could fall, on the one hand its looks better option that sending another thirty to forty thousand troops to Afghanistan, but its an illusion, very tempting but not real. If Obama dumps Afghanistan his Just War talk of the 08 Campaign will be seen hypocrisy of the first order, he would have lied to the American voter in 08 and as President he would have sold them a dud policy in March. President Obama has to remember one fact, if Israel thinks that Obama is weak and a hypocrite that could sell them out under enough pressure they will strike Iran. Thus in many respects President Obama created his own political box, he wanted to be POTUS and thus his Just War view of Afghanistan as compared to Iraq, now Afghanistan is biting him in the backside his West Wing hacks are wobbly and some are fighting Vietnam again, this decision will tell the West and the US voter if they have elected another Ronald Reagan or Neville Chamberlain.

Obama Administration SPLIT on Afghanistan

The New York Times: Reports on a split in the Obama Administration over Afghanistan policy, the NYT writes on the contesting forces for the Presidents ear, " ( Obama ) has discovered that the military is not monolithic in support of the plan....some of the civilian advisers he respects most have deep reservations. " This is Vietnam all over again, the question what path does Obama take, does he reverse his Just War to a War he can throw away, the West Wing is split, the VP Biden wants to reduce troops and use drones to attack Al Qaeda in Pakistan, he has a pre - 9/11 mindset, in other words throw Afghanistan to the dogs, and the deaths of NATO troops pointless, on the other hand the US military believe that they have learned from Iraq and can win in Afghanistan. As mentioned in previous post Obama linked the future of Pakistan to Afghanistan in March in his new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the only real change is the fact that old Vietnam hands are having flashbacks to Vietnam and are fighting that War again. Lets hope President Obama gets the fact that if he sells out Afghanistan, this will be the third country he has sold out, lets not forget Poland, Czech Republic, if your in Iran what would take from this decision, yes that Obama is weak, he is another Jimmy Carter or worse Neville Chamberlain thus the green light to go nuclear. Lets hope Obama does not listen to the BS of VP Biden.

Long Range Missile Test by Iran on MONDAY

BBC News: Reports that Iran has announced it will carry out a long range missile test on Monday. As Iran is meeting the USA , UK and its UN allies on Thursday this could be a show for domestic consumption while Iran gives ground on Thursday, one has to look at all the options, on the other hand it can be postulated that that Iran will give enough on its nuclear plans to drive a wedge between the USA, UK and Russia and China. At the end of the day it will come down to Israel, they will have to decide if they can wait for the Obama magic to work on Iran.

Death in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports that a soldier has been killed in Afghanistan today, the soldier was from the " 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh ". Thus since 2001 the UK has lost 218 of its Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan, of that total 187 have been killed in combat operations, the other 31 have died due to illness, accidents or other incidents.