Playing for TIME - Iran

BBC News: Reports President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has offered to carry on with its nuclear deal with the IAEA. This is bull folks, the Tehran Regime is playing for time, it wants to cause divisions within the UN Security Council, start endless talks and then announce to the world that it has the bomb. The Obama Administration should carry on with its plan for tough sanctions against Iran, otherwise Iran will use the time for endless talks and then the Middle East will have to deal with a nuclear armed Iran. Also lets recall President Ahmadinejad needs the bomb to keep his government in power, the internal pressures can only be thwarted if Iran is in a direct and indirect confrontation with the USA. The USA does not need to play this game with Iran, make the Tehran regime hurt, place tough and heavy sanctions on the regime.

Another 9/11 ?

The Hill: Reports that the US Intelligence Agencies believe that Al Qaeda will try another another terrorists attempt in months. Lets hope the CIA is on its top game, the next time it might not be a lone terrorist on a plane but a dirty bomb in New York or Washington D.C, or a nuclear device that takes out an American city or in Europe. The terrorists only have to get lucky once, thus lets hope the CIA and MI6 are connecting the dots and taking out terrorists by what ever means, at the end of the day the first duty of government is to protect its people, not the rights of the terrorists.

Afghanistan Front News

MOD: Has released the names of the soldiers killed of late in Afghanistan, the soldiers were " Corporal Liam Riley and Lance Corporal Graham Shaw from 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (3 YORKS) " Our thoughts are with the families of these heroic soldiers.

The Role of a Reporter

The Times: A thought provoking article folks on the role of a reporter in war and natural disasters. Its interesting folks, if your a blogger and you find yourself at a news event, are you a citizen or a citizen reporter/blogger. If your see a car crash do you think about those hurt or do you get your mobile out and take a picture and send it to your blog or twitter page. Also recall placing a copyright sign by the picture. This article made me think, God forbid that I find myself in a terrorists incident or natural disaster, do I see who is hurt and look after them or do start to blog, sending updates to my blog and to twitter. I will be honest folks, this blog is my testament in many ways, I get my mobile out and start to take pictures and add commentary, also looking to sell any pictures to the local or national papers. The blogger is the modern reporter, if we are constant bloggers we should act like Independent reporters, that means you report. There will be others that are appalled, I am appalled but that is life. This blog will always be honest with its kind readers. Read of the Day.

Iran CRITICAL of US Missile Defence in Persian Gulf

Fox News: Reports that the Tehran Regime has been critical of the US buildup of its missile defences in the Persian Gulf, stating its a trick by the US to increase its military presence in the region. Thus a lot of hot air out of Tehran, the question is what is next by the USA and Iran. The US is looking to place tough sanctions on Iran, it seems that Russia and China will use their veto power on the UN Security Council to get mild sanctions. When it comes to China the Obama Administration has to be careful, China is holding a lot of US debt and the Obama Administration needs China to carry on holding that old and new debt. Russia of late has been quite petulant, it sees that Iran could be a threat but it has profitable trade deals with Iran, the same as China. Thus if China and Russia say NO to tough sanctions then what, the US will have to impose them with its allies. The question is will they be tough enough for Israel, if Israel sees them as weak and Iran on the way to the bomb they will attack Iran. Also the countries around Iran do not want a nuclear armed Iran, this could set of a weapons race in the region, that is the last thing the region needs. Thus Iran will be a major flash point for the Obama Administration, lets hope Obama is another JFK or Reagan.

Deaths in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports that two more soldiers have died in Afghanistan, the soldiers were from the " 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment ". Thus since 2001 the UK has lost 253 of its Armed Forces Personnel in Afghanistan, of that total it has lost 220 in combat operations and 33 due to illness, accidents or other incidents. This feels like another bad year folks.

1.6(T) DEBT for the USA

Today President Obama announced the US Budget for the next year, the US tax payer found that the Obama Administration had finally shown it true colours, it will give the USA a debt of 1.6 trillion. The President stated following in remarks, " Our economy has lost 7 million jobs over the last two years. And our government is deeply in debt after what can only be described as a decade of profligacy. " The Obama White House seems to have forgotten its been in power for a year, it has spent like a drunk sailor, the problem is the credit cards belongs to the USA tax payer not the Chicago team in the White House. Then President then stated the following, " As a result, when I first walked through the door, the deficit stood at $1.3 trillion..." This Obama Budget will take that debt up to 1.6 Trillion, and he will raise taxes on those that can afford to spend money and thus boost consumer spending. The President stated his attempts to boost the economy, " So we initiated a rescue, and that rescue was not without significant cost; it added to the deficit as well. " The rescue failed, the President stated that if the Congress didn't pass his economic package the rate of those out of work would go beyond 8%, the Congress bought this con, the actual result is that those that are out of work is now at 10%, if you count those on part time work or have give up you would get a figure of 20%. Thus the Obama economic plan is a disaster, also the Congress could pass health care reform, this would also add to the deficit. An interesting view of the problems faced by the Government and the people of the USA, the President stated the following, " One year later, because of the steps we've taken, we're in a very different place. But we can't simply move beyond this crisis; we have to address the irresponsibility that led to it. And that includes the failure to rein in spending, as well a reliance on borrowing –- from Wall Street to Washington to Main Street –- to fuel our growth. That's what we have to change. We have to do what families across America are doing: Save where we can so that we can afford what we need. " Thus why did Obama spend a year on health care reform when the US could not afford it, why did he bail out in union friends at the car makers. Obama must really believe his own press statements. At least on the political front Obama is sticking to jobs, the President stated the following, " The budget includes new tax cuts for people who invest in small businesses, tax credits for small businesses that hire new workers, investments that will create jobs repairing roads and bridges, and tax breaks for retrofitting homes to save energy. " At least Oval has got the message, the voter wants the President to make jobs his major effort for the year. Also the Oval has got the message that Independent voters don't want stupid spending of their money, the President stated the following, " I've proposed a freeze in government spending for three years. This won't apply to the benefits folks get through Social Security, Medicaid, or Medicare. And it won't apply to our national security –- including benefits for veterans. But it will apply to all other discretionary government programs. And we're not simply photocopying last year's budget; freezing spending does not mean we won't cut what doesn't work to pay for what does. We have gone through every department's spending line by line, item by item, looking for inefficiency, duplication, and programs that have outlived their usefulness. That's how we freeze discretionary spending. Last year, we found $17 billion in cuts. This year, we've already found $20 billion. " The problem is that will 1.6 trillion of debt, any cuts are paper cuts, there has to be cuts in domestic spending or its all spin. The most ironic part of the statement by Obama is the following, " I welcome any idea, from Democrats and Republicans. What I will not welcome -– what I reject -– is the same old grandstanding when the cameras are on, and the same irresponsible budget policies when the cameras are off. It's time to hold Washington to the same standards families and businesses hold themselves. It's time to save what we can, spend what we must, and live within our means once again. " The President has been forced to listen, he has lost his 60 votes in the Senate, thus due to the Mass vote the Republicans if they hold together can hold up the Obama Agenda even block it, lets see how Obama deals with Republicans who can say NO and it gets them votes. Fun times ahead on the Hill folks.