UK SURGE FOR AFGHANISTAN

Telegraph: Reports that the UK is ready to send more soldiers to Afghanistan. It seems that PM Gordon Brown does not have the guts to say NO to Obama when it comes to sending more troops to Afghanistan. I don't have a lot of time for Harold Wilson the late Labour PM but at least he had the guts to say NO to LBJ. The problem is that Afghanistan cant be won, not won so the War is finished, Afghanistan is not like WW1 or WW2. The West will be in Afghanistan for years, its a just war, as in the the West was attacked on 9/11 in New York, but the military planning has failed in Afghanistan. The Terrorists are coming over the border attacking Western troops and then getting cover back in Pakistan. In the 2008 Campaign Obama stated he would attack the terrorists in the badlands of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, there is a problem, this could cause the government to fall. Also with the attacks in Mumbai the government of Pakistan has stated that it might send its troops from the border with Afghanistan to the border with India. Thus Obama so far has been quite sure footed in recent comments about what India should do about the terrorist attacks on its soil. The President - Elect has stated that nations have the right to protect it self but in this case did not go beyond that point. It can be postulated that the terrorists will try to cause havoc within the next few weeks, they want Pakistan and India to go to War. If this was to happen it would be disaster for the West. These two powers are nuclear armed, both Bush and Obama have to be the same page over the next weeks, they have to make sure that both Nations don't start a shooting war over the terrorist attack in India. If Afghanistan, Pakistan and India became failed states this would make the period between 2001 - 2008 look like happy hour, the West has to be on its guard.

Bush 43

The Times: Reports on how Bush 43 perceives his Legacy, his achievements and mistakes. Read of the Day. The Bush Legacy is many respects will be defined on how good or bad his successors are, if Obama is a weak President, if there is another terrorist attack while Obama is President and his answer is seen as weak then Bush 43 will look better looking back, if Obama is another Kennedy or Reagan then Bush will not look great, its matter of events. In recent poll by the BBC, the three favourite Presidents of the USA, drum roll please, 3) Kennedy 2) Reagan 1) Clinton. If you had asked the elite in 1980 if Reagan would over take Kennedy in such a poll they would have laughed. If Obama wants to be Reagan he has to get his Agenda through, also see the USA as Reagan often stated, a Shinning City on Hill.

The Obama Team on National Security

The Times: Bronwen Maddox writing in the paper of record states the following on the Obama National Security Team, " But in policies, not a million miles from the chastened and cautious Bush Administration of the past year. " The Obama National Security Team has won rave reviews from Republicans and Conservatives. The Liberal Left don't have a choice, they have to support Obama, there is no one else they can support if they want influence with the new Administration. It will be interesting to see how the Senate controlled by the Democrats move on with the confirmation process for Hillary Clinton, the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee is Senator John Kerry, he wanted to be Secretary of State, he campaigned for the job, not the done thing in the Beltway. It will be interesting to see how he handles Hillary Clinton. Also will the Republicans go after the business deals of President Bill Clinton. I do feel sorry for Bill Clinton, he will have get a pass to change ties from the Obama Administration, how long before he he blows a casket and does or say something that is opposed to Obama. President Obama should think of giving him a job, how about US Ambassador to the Court of St James. That is a plum post by any standards but also would get him out of the country. The fun times are back folks, its Clinton Time.

The Nation on Obama and Gates

The Nation: The Bible for Liberals ( if they believed in God ) is not happy that President - Elect Obama has decided to keep Robert Gates at the Pentagon, the Nations writes the following, " By keeping Gates on Obama worsens the Democratic image on national security--- sending the message that even Democrats agree that Democrats can't run the military. " The real message that the President - Elect is sending is that he will get out of Iraq with honour. Obama does not want to be another President Ford and that last chopper leaving the Embassy. Secretary Gates understands that Iraq is over as a War, there will be low level conflict but the government of Iraq should be able to deal with these problems. Also the USA will keep a presence in Iraq to train forces. The War on Terror has gone back to Afghanistan, it is Afghanistan that needs a surge of troops. By 2011 Iraq will have limited USA presence, Afghanistan if the surge works there should be a low level conflict. The only spot on the horizon is what will the terrorists do in the early days of an Obama Administration, a Tet kind of offensive in Iraq or Afghanistan, or a terror attack on the USA mainland. In many respects Obama is like Kennedy in 1961, Kennedy had Cuba and a very Cold War, Obama has it worse, two wars and the the threat of terror. In keeping Gates, the President - Elect has shown wise judgement. You would think the left would give him a chance to get in to Office.

Pakistan, India and The West

The Times: Reports that Pakistan has threatened to move its troops from the badlands of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan and move them to the border between India and Pakistan due to the terrorist attack in Mumbai, India. If there is a conflict between India and Pakistan this could damage Western interest in Afghanistan, we need Pakistan to keep its troops in the badlands of the border. If they follow through with their idea to move their troops the USA and UK would have to consider placing Western troops in Pakistan. Lets not jump the gun, the USA under President Bush and Obama should send a diplomatic delegation to India and Pakistan, if that fails we should make clear to both countries, if they want a war then fine, but not nuclear, that has to be made clear to both governments. The West can not afford to see both India and Pakistan in a nuclear rubble, and not with Western troops in Afghanistan. That sounds harsh but its the reality, thus if and this is way off, should the terrorists win the final round, India and Pakistan must not be allowed to use nuclear weapons for any reason. Thus the CIA AND MI6 should make sure they are aware of the sites for these weapons in case they have to be taken out one way or another. This is the time for Obama to show real skill as a statesman, this crisis might not wait for January 20th 2009.

India and Pakistan at War ?

Telegraph: Reports that India has placed herself on a War footing with Pakistan. The terrorists have won the first two rounds, they terrorised Mumbai ( Bombay ) for days, now India and Pakistan are back at each others throats. The West has to make sure that the terrorists don't win the final round, President George W. Bush should send a Diplomatic mission to the region, he should invite President - Elect Obama to send his envoy with the group. If India and Pakistan go to war, the entire region could go up in flames, lets recall both nations are nuclear powers. Thus the security of the West requires that the USA take an active role to get both countries back on the same page, the terrorists can not be allowed to start a nuclear war in the region.

Secretary Clinton

The New York Times: Reports that President - Elect Obama will announce Hillary Clinton as his nominee for Secretary of State on Monday. I cant decide if this move by the President is brilliant or the most foolish since the Russia sold Alaska to the USA; before the Russians knew about the Oil; it can be argued that Bill Clinton will go off the Obama Foreign Policy Reservation within six months. I could not cope with the Clintons for four to eight years, Obama must have the patience of a Saint, he is going to need that patience with the Clintons.