Afghanistan Front News

MOD: Has released the name of the soldier killed on Saturday, the soldier was " Rifleman Philip Allen, 2nd Battalion The Rifles (2 RIFLES ) " Our thoughts are with the family of Rifleman Allen.

Elections in Iraq next Year

The Times: Reports that political parties in Iraq have come to an agreement for the framework of the elections next year. As noted by the Times the Iraqi elections were in doubt due to the political wrangles in Baghdad, now we have a framework for those elections, this follows the agreement between Iraq and the USA for the withdrawal of troops from the cities and for all combat troops to leave by August 2010. The USA will still be in Iraq, there will be around fifty thousand trainers to train the Iraqi Army and Security Forces, these trainers will leave at the end of 2011. It would be ironic if the sole Foreign Policy success of the Obama Administration was an agreement already singed by Bush 43 and Iraq in 2008. At least Obama didn't lose Iraq, and as posted yesterday he is sending another thirty four thousand troops to Afghanistan, lets see if Afghanistan can be the success that Iraq has turned out to be for US Foreign Policy.

Health Care in the USA - US Senate

Fox News: Reports on the problems the House Bill will have in the US Senate, its down to Conservative and Moderate Democrats, if they block a public option its dead in the Senate. Thus the question can these conservative to moderate Democrats keep together to force the public option out of the Bill, also the Senate version would cost less and the taxes would more fair in their scope. Folks contact your Senator tell him or her, that you oppose this Bill, tell them not to buckle, that if they buckle they will lose your vote at the next election.

Paying for News

Sky News: Reports that the boss, Mr Murdoch has stated that News Corp sites could be removed from google. The idea to makes news content pay. I have had a few calls from News Corp on signing up for a subscription for the Times and the Sunday Times, must admit I am tempted but only when its going to happen, also its about time the company got the info down to their callers. As a blogger would like to know the following answers,

1) The cost of subscription to all News Corp Sites, Times, Sunday Times, UK Sun, Sky News, Fox News, etc.

2) How much of the content can be used if you pay for subscription.

3) If your link makes money for News Corp do you get returns, a small voucher etc.

4) What the guarantee that the scheme wont be dropped and your stuck with a subscription.

All Bloggers start to ask these questions of News Corp.

Obama and Iran

The New York Times Blog: Reports on the Obama policy towards Iran, the NYT writes the following, " Obama administration has all but lost hope that Iran will follow through with the agreement reached in Geneva on Oct. 1 " This is why President Obama will never be Ronald Reagan, the Obama West Wing has acted more like Neville Chamberlain when it comes to Iran and Russia, it has seen its attempts at talks thrown back in its face by Tehran, now Iran has three US hostages that it will try as spies, while with Russia Obama has sold out Poland and the Czech Republic on the idea that Russia would back tough sanctions against Iran, Russia has pulled out of that deal, Obama has had to make nice with Eastern Europe and place a new defensive shield in Eastern Europe. President Obama should the read the just posted Reagan speech, weakness and appeasement gets you squat in the International System, toughness is respected. Lets hope Obama does not get that 3am call to say that Israel is attacking Iran, what will Obama do, help or shoot down the Israeli planes.

Reagan vs USSR

WSJ: As we celebrate 2o anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, an excellent article on the speech that President Reagan gave in front of the Wall in 1987. The President stated the following at the Berlin Wall, " There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! "* Today you wound not think that this statement would have the entire diplomatic core up in the arms but then the State Department didn't want to annoy the the then USSR. At the end of the day Reagan gave the speech that he wanted with the above, at the time the elite press didn't give it much notice, they had their own Obama moment with Gorbachev, it shows that even the experts and the elite media can be on Mars even when events pass them, one of Reagan's speech writes states the following, " Reagan had...... arrived at view that criminal regimes were different,...........that they saw acts of conciliation as weakness, " The article is great as it shows the turf war Mr Dolan had in getting the line in the speech, it should be recalled just as the press are in the tank for Obama they had the same mind set for Gorbachev, they didn't see that of the greats of the 80s, Thatcher, Reagan and Gorbachev all but Reagan were pushed from office by either a Cabinet revolt or a coup in Moscow. Reagan saw his VP, Bush 41 elected as his successor, Reagan was a beloved President, Gorbachev is still not that popular in Russia, abroad he gets the great respect that he deserves, even the UK Lady Thatcher is not overly popular with New Labour or the modern Conservative Party, but is greatly admired abroad. But of the three Reagan will always be this blogs favourite President.

*“Remarks on East-West Relations at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin June 12, 1987.” The Public Papers of President Ronald W. Reagan. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1987/061287d.htm (accessed 09 November 2009)

Learning the Lessons of North Korea - Iran

Fox News: Reports that the three holidaymakers who crossed the border between Iran and Iraq by accident are to be tried as spies by Iran. It is simple and brutal folks, Iran has learnt the lesson from North Korea, 1, Go or attempt to Go Nuclear, 2, Keep US hostages, 3, Demand that Bill Clinton turns up to pick them up, but also play it out, keep that clock ticking, prevent Israel from attacking, its all a game folks, the result could be deadly for the Middle East.

Is Gordon Brown Dyslexic ?

BBC News: Reports on a new mess of Afghan policy by the UK PM Gordon Brown, it seems that the PM sent a letter of condolence that was full of errors and spelling mistakes to the family of a soldier that has died in Afghanistan. It is known that the PM has a problem with one of his eyes, there have been alleged rumours that he has problem with his other eye, but one has to ask is our PM dyslexic. This is not an attack, as those kind to read this blog will have bound to notice either spelling or grammar mistakes, VIEWS is also dyslexic but when it comes to these issues VIEWS always uses spell check, but more important double checks the info. The PM's spelling mistakes sound like he was spelling the words in phonic, how they sound not how they are spelt. In essence if the PM has a problem he should make sure that the staff at 10 Downing Street check his mail, what if sends a letter and causes a diplomatic row, or worse, if you have a problem you have to adjust, thus PM write your letters but them aside and check them later, also have the staff check them, that what they get paid for at the end of the day, make you look good, this kind of process is to important to be done in hurry, read your letters PM.

The New Obama SURGE for Afghanistan

Telegraph: Reports that President Obama will send another thirty four thousand troops to Afghanistan. If this is true, then the move is the right move, its not the forty thousand but its enough, thus over all the USA will have around ninety thousand troops in theatre with NATO having another forty thousand troops. Lets see if this makes any difference on the ground, also we have the General McChrystal strategy of protection of the cities, leaving the countryside to the Taliban/Al Qaeda. Do I think it will work, honestly VIEWS has great doubts, but the UK has lost to many of its Armed Forces to run away now, its to late, we are up to our neck in Afghanistan, we got run out of Iraq, that did us no favours with the US military. If the Great is Great Britain is to mean something we have to fight the good fight in Afghanistan, yes we will lose, but if we do run out it will be with the Americans first on that mystic chopper. The UK PM Gordon Brown will come under pressure to add troops, he will have to if Obama follows through with the surge, even if the result is bad, we have to follow through, this is our third or fourth Afghan War, they never end well, but they do end, lets hope the death toll is something we always remember.

The Real Battle for Health Care Reform - US Senate

The New York Times Blog: Reports on the next battle for US health care reform, the House bill that passed by two votes is now heading for the US Senate, the NYT writes the following, " Don’t tell the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, but that was supposed to be the easy part. " In the Senate the Majority Leader, Senator Harry Reid has less power to force his agenda through, if Senator Lieberman keeps his word and blocks the bill due to public option and republicans keep together then they can block the bill. The Finance Committee Bill should be the frame work for any compromise bill, that bill did not have the public option. Lets hope the US Senate can bring moderation to this bill, other wise the Democrats will bankrupt the USA, just like Mexico in the 1990s that had to be bailed out by the Clinton Administration. Lets recall that one of the reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire was that they devalued the coin of the realm, are the Democrats pushing the USA in that direction, also the British Empire came to end due to the fact that the UK was broke after World War Two. Thus this health care bill should either be reformed or binned by the US Senate. Time to contact your Senators folks, this could be your only chance to serve the USA.