Gates on Afghanistan and Iraq

The New York Times: Reports on the remarks of Robert Gates; Defense Secretary for Bush 43 and now President Obama; in the remarks to Congress, the Defense Secretary stated in so many words that in Afghanistan the aim of the Administration was to hold the line, while the USA would be in Iraq for years, not that new from Bush 43 on the whole, the Liberal New York Times will not be happy. As to Iraq the comments of the Secretary Defense does not sound like the USA is getting out in sixteen months, the Secretary stated that the USA would be in Iraq for years. These are realistic aims, Iraq can turn in to win - win for President Obama, he would have Muslim friend in the Middle East, this would worry Iran, the second win. Also a Democratic regime in Iraq would show the Middle East that it is possible to have a Democracy in the region. This would tip the hat to Bush 43. Also if Iraq goes well in four years time Iraq could be a strong positive for Obama when going in to re - election, it was a negative for the Republican Party. Also it would show that in some aspects that Obama is a hawk. As to Afghanistan, the aims of the Administration seem realistic but the surge policy has to be looked at in more depth, will a surge work in Afghanistan, can the USA take more body bags from Afghanistan, does Obama want Afghanistan to define his Presidency as Iraq defined the Bush Presidency.

Obama's Economic Plan - The Other New Deal !

The Hill: Reports on the meeting between President Obama and House and Senate Republicans on his Economic Plan. This could define the Obama Presidency on the domestic front, if the Obama Plan works and the Republicans have opposed it then the President gets all the credit, if the plan fails and it was pushed through with just Democratic support then 2010 Mid Term Elections could be bad for the Democrats, recall 1994 Democrats and the Clinton Health Care Plan. A economic plan should have deep cuts in tax, high defence spending, cuts in domestic spending, reform of social security, if you retiree these days at 60 or 65 you could live to be 90, that's a lot of dollars over thirty years. Thus the age of retirement should be 70 or 75. The tax cuts should go to those that pay tax, not a welfare cheque. Thus meeting could define the Obama Presidency, get it right, then an easy re- election, get it wrong, Jimmy Carter Mark 11.

Obama and Iraq and Afghanistan

WSJ: A great article in the WSJ on the possible benefits of keeping a good USA presence in Iraq and going slow on the surge in Afghanistan, the article states the following, " Here's the lose-lose scenario: Allow Iraq to deteriorate by withdrawing too soon and push into Afghanistan without a better strategy. " Lets hope the President Obama takes the time to read this article, he could be on to a winner with Iraq, also he needs a long study on the idea of a surge in Afghanistan, also read a few books on the bad time the Empire had in Afghanistan. There is no reason to be another LBJ, he has to the time, if he gets out of Iraq to fast, the place could fall apart, Iran could come in and then he will be Jimmy Carter Mark 11 but worse. Think if Iran controls the oil from Iraq. Also the terrorists could be waiting for more troops for Afghanistan to come from the USA, and the have a Tet style offensive. Think Obama could have two hot wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a terrorists threat to the homeland. Also the surge wont work thus we could have another Great Depression, that could be the future, thus good idea for Obama to start to read the WSJ.

"Americans are not your enemy" - President Obama

Courtesy of the White House. President Obama

The White House: Reports on the first interview given by President Obama to a Arab TV Station. The President stated the following, " My job is to communicate to the American people that the Muslim world is filled with extraordinary people who simply want to live their lives and see their children live better lives....,My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. " Lets see if this makes any difference, its not in the interest of Iran or the terrorists groups in the region for everyone to shake hands be friends. That's not the real world. The news that Iran will have the bomb by the end of the year means President Obama might not have the time he thinks he has to solve the problems of the Middle East, a crisis between the USA and Iran could come this year. Think in the near future, its 3am and the National Security Advisor rushes to the President with the news that Iran has set off her first nuclear device, Israel has picked up the blast and the planes are in the air to attack Iran. In the near future the USA still has enough troops in Iraq for Iran to strike the friend of Israel. Then what President Obama ?

Freedom of Information and Iraq

BBC News: Reports that the Government has lost an attempt to block a request under the Freedom of Information for Cabinet Minutes that lead up to the War in Iraq. The UK Government has to appeal, the Cabinet system only works if advice in Cabinet is kept under the thirty year rule. This is a matter of a National Security, even if the Government should lose all the appeals it should block the release, get an Enabling Act through the House of Commons if need be to prevent release these minutes.

Obama and Afghanistan and the US Surge

The New York Times: Reports on the paradox that faces the Obama Administration when it comes to the holding of terrorists, President Obama has stated that Guantanamo Detention Centre will close within a year, but what about terrorists held in Afghanistan, and with the surge of US troops, more troops more combat more terrorists held, thus the paradox. Obama cant have it both ways, if you have a surge in Afghanistan there will be more combat operations, you have to hold the terrorists, if you release them after you capture them the US voter will turn on the Obama Administration. Also since the War in Afghanistan is a War without End, how long will you hold the terrorists, forever, the Liberals in the USA will not be happy, thus Obama will be back in Bush land sooner or later. The problem with a paradox is that there is no solution, thus Obama might wished he had stayed in the US Senate. There has been a slight tendency in the Media to see Obama as the Secular Second Coming, he could turn out to be the next LBJ, LBJ had his Liberal Programme of the Great Society, Liberals loved that part, what destroyed the plan was Vietnam. Obama has made simple political mistakes, the Liberal Media so love Obama they fail to see the politics, Obama won the Presidential Election due to the economic crisis, what has he being doing of late, giving rights to terrorists and making the green lobby happy. The left will be happy, but the Reagan Democrats who voted for Obama want him to keep his eye on three issues, Economy, Economy, Economy. In 1981 in the Reagan Administration made sure that the Secretary of State did not make Communist threat a major issue due to the economy being the major issue that the Administration wanted to deal with in the first months of the Administration. Thus Obama is making a political mistake by placing his political capital on so many different issues, he should have left the Gitmo issue till later also the Middle East, they are not vote getter's on the broad spectrum and can be vote losers on the whole, also the Obama Economic Plan is also a mistake, he stated he would not allow pork in the plan, its full of Congressional Pork. Thus BHO might turn out be the next LBJ. If your a Conservative that's not bad, we did get majority Republican Presidents after that, starting with Nixon, followed by Ronald Reagan and of late Bush 43.

Iran and the Bomb

Sky News: Reports that Iran will have a single nuclear bomb by the end of the year. This time was going to come, this issue could define the Obama Administration. Thus the need for direct talks with Iran, but not for Diplomacy but in a message, once they cross the line of becoming a nuclear power, Israel will hit them hard, there is nothing the USA can do to prevent that outcome in less Iran backs off its plan to become a nuclear power. If Iran was to take a more sensible road, a block on becoming a nuclear power it could follow the road of Libya and return to the International Community. The joker in the pack is the President of Iran who up is for election this year, what a way to win an election but to announce to the World that Iran is a nuclear power. This could place President Obama in a tight spot, the left equal Iran and Israel, as they would both have the bomb, on the other side their is the Jewish Lobby in American politics, this Lobby will support Israel if she takes out the nuclear platform of Iran. Expect fireworks folks!