Hillary Clinton and Libya - Libyan Arms

Fox News: Reports " Recently released emails detail then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's interest in arming Libyan opposition groups using private security contractors before the fall of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011 – though at the time, the opposition was not formally recognized by the U.S. or United Nations, which prohibited arming without following strict guidelines and oversight. "

Lets Get Real:

At least Hillary Clinton was tough, more a hawk than dove, and lets face after President Obama the Oval Office could do with a tough hawk, the problem seems to rise when there is a question of those arms being send to Syria to arm the Syrian opposition, did they end up the arms of IS.  One can understand why the Obama Administration and its officials are not to keen to discuss the issue, it would be a PR disaster if arms sent to support the Libyan opposition ended up with the enemies of the US.    One suspects in this case it is better to let sleeping dogs sleep, one might not like the answer and the problems for the US and for the Hillary Clinton in 2016.    That is why any such secret operations are done in the manner that allows the White House and other Departments to state they knew nothing, that is a lot better than a paper trail through emails.    In this case it might be wise for the Republicans to let the issue drop, the Republicans do not need to create flak for themselves. 

Are the French TOUGHER on Iran than the US - Middle East

Guardian: Reports " France: no Iran nuclear deal if military site inspections are blocked..French foreign minister Laurent Fabius urges other negotiators to take a tough stance if ayatollah Khamenei continues to resist inspections "

Lets Get Real:

Who would have thought that is would be the French who were tough on Iran, the Obama Oval can smell a deal, it wants a deal at any cost, the French should stand up to Obama,  he will be out of Office in 2017, any failed deal will be left to the powers, thus better to be firm NOW, not later.   That kind of mess can lead to WAR.    The Gulf States are using their money and influence to make it clear to the French, that should they be tough they will gain long term economic and political influence that once the US held.    If POTUS wants to give up the leadership of the West, that is fine, but he does not get to say who takes over, its only an ego maniac who thinks he can control those kind of events.. 

The Daily Mail and Tony Blair - Middle East Peace

Daily Mail: Reports the following on Tony Blair, " Crossing the globe on private jets, Tony Blair mixed big business, charity, faith, and politics in a way that many regarded as morally odious. "

Lets Get Real:

Thus the one word that always comes up with Tony Blair is IRAQ, the destruction of the Saddam Hussein was a good development, the post war planning for Iraq was a disaster and Blair should have used his influence with Bush 43 to correct some of the mistakes of the US in Iraq, like dissolving the Army, that caused years of blowback through the killing of US and UK and troops with the help of Iran.   On the other hand US/UK action in Kosovo prevented mass murder, this also showed the good that Blair could do, getting the US in to action to prevent the march of the Serbs.   Also there is the peace deal in Northern Ireland, Mr Blair spent, hours, days, weeks, months, even years on this deal.  Also a good development.   Thus this blog's view of Blair is mixed, a great politician, he did win three elections for Labour, he did take action as mentioned above, but then we come to Iraq, the Western failure to build a strong and united Iraq, and thus the growth of IS, but it should be noted that the growth of Islamic State is down to the Obama Oval, it removed troops in 2011, thus Bush43/Blair set the field for IS but its growth is down to the weakness of President Obama.   This blog hopes history will be kinder to Blair than his present critics allow, at least Blair tried. 

Tony Blair OUT as Middle East Envoy - Middle East

BBC News: Reports " Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is to stand down from his role as Middle East envoy representing the US, Russia, the UN and the EU, sources confirm.  "

Lets Get Real:

As with Iraq there was a lot of hope that Tony Blair could achieve a lot more in the job outside its borders.   At the end a few economic developments and very much less hope that a Middle East Peace could be made between Israel and the Palestinian people.   The article notes the following, " No-one is going to consider Tony Blair's period as Quartet envoy a resounding success.  But it can't be written off as a failure either, largely because of the mandate he was given. "   As most things with Blair, HOPE turns to failure. 

The FIGHT for Iraq - New War on Terror

BBC News: Reports " Pro-government forces in Iraq have formally launched an operation to drive Islamic State out of Anbar province. "

Lets Get Real:

This is a TEST case for how the Iraqi Army and Iran supported groups work together to take on IS, if Baghdad gets a stalled operation it causes BAD PR for Iraq and Western forces in Iraq.   It should be noted that Iran backed groups were stalled in Tikrit and it took Western air power to remove IS from Tikrit.   The US as stated many times in this blog needs ground troops, there is no way of winning without them, and the more time the Obama Oval takes to get to that fact the more time that IS has  to build up its defences in the land it has taken.   The next few days should be interesting!.

Civil War in Labour Party - Post 2015 Defeat

Telegraph: Reports " Unite threatens to drop support for Andy Burnham unless he opposes all spending cuts..Senior figures at Britain's biggest trade union warn it will not endorse Labour leadership front-runner unless he proposes 'anti-austerity' economic policy  "

Lets Get Real:

If the Labour Party goes left in the leadership contest it might as well resign itself to losing the 2020 General Election, the British voter on the whole has shown he/she are on the right of centre, they do not trust the Labour Party with its money and does not want to see a Labour Party held ransom by either the SNP or the Trade Unions.   If the Labour wants a chance of winning in 2020 it should elect Liz Kendall, she is from the Blair faction of the Party, she understands that people want to better future for themselves and their families.   The Labour Party could spend two decades out of power, that is the fate of not listening to the voter. 

What to do about IS - New War on Terror

Guardian: Reports " Vice-President Joe Biden on Monday spoke to the Iraqi prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, to reassure him of US support, a day after controversial remarks by the defense secretary, Ash Carter, sparked a war of words over the recent military successes of Islamic State.  "

Lets Get Real:

This what happens when you have a weak President, everyone thinks they have say in Foreign Policy, also it is near the end of the Obama Presidency, the Oval Office can not fire its 4th Defence Secretary, that would open questions about President Obama and his leadership.   Lets be HONEST here, Obama wants to leave the problem of Iraq to his successor, the problem as stated in this blog is that history might not wait for that moment.    IS could control Iraq and Syria one day, the Assad regime is being supported by Russia and Iran, while Baghdad has the support of the US and Iran.   The battle of Ramadi is coming up, if the new Iraqi Army can not defeat IS then the West will have to consider its options in Iraq, either get OUT or GO ALL IN, that means Western troops on the ground.   The fate of Iraq could be decided in a few days. 

The FATE of Ramadi - New War on Terror

BBC News: Reports " ..Iraq will take back Ramadi 'in days' - PM Abadi "

Lets Get Real:

This should be a test of the new Iraqi PM and the new army, will they new Iraq Army for its own Country.   The US and the West should make it CLEAR that should Iraq fail then the US and its Allies will have to look at the role of the US and Allies in Iraq, no option should be put off the table, including giving up on Iraq and securing the Gulf States and the ships routes in the Middle East.   This might look harsh, but if the Iraqi Army will not fight then there is no future, it is pointless to spend millions on Iraq if if will not fight for its own freedom.   If the security of the West is at stake then the West also has to consider the use of Western troops, either Iraq is important or not, there has to be a clear answer over the next few days. 

Death comes to Palmyra - New War on Terror

Mail on Sunday: Reports " Islamic State militants have executed at least 400 mostly women and children in Syria's ancient city of Palmyra. "

Lets Get Real:

There will be more deaths in Syria and Iraq because of IS.  The Assad Regime is looking more weak by the day, it would  have fallen if it did not have the support of Iran and Russia. The Russians could play a positive role, as they like going in to other countries they should send their military in to take on IS, that would show that Russia wants to be back on the international front with the respect of others.   Of course Putin is not that stupid, they were in Afghanistan, it was seen as their Vietnam War and helped in the downfall of the USSR.   Thus IS will digest more of Syria and Iraq while the World watches in horror, WHEN will the World react?.

Is Islamic State the fault of POTUS ? - New War on Terror

Telegraph: Reports " Have any words come back to haunt President Obama so much as his description of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant last team as a “JV” - junior varsity - team of terrorists? "

Lets Get Real:

The Oval Office has one strategy when it comes to Iraq, pass the problem over the new President in 2017, the problem is that history does not wait, if IS get close to Baghdad then the US will have use its own troops, if Baghdad falls then Iraq falls, it is that simple and brutal.   It must be a nightmare for President Obama, he ran as a anti Iraq War candidate and he kept his promise to bring the troops back, the problem is he might be forced to send them back, so in 2017 the US will have troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.    The Oval is stalling waiting for an exit when it comes to Iraq, but none of the options look good, just a different level of bad.   This blog is predicting that the US sooner or later, and it looks sooner will have to place troops back in Iraq. 

Does Iraq want to fight ? - New War on Terror

Guardian: Reports on remarks by US Defence Secretary Ash Carter, the Secretary stated the following, " The Islamic State group’s takeover of Ramadi is evidence that Iraqi forces do not have the “will to fight”....Ash Carter, said on Sunday, in the harshest assessment yet from a high-ranking Obama administration official of Iraqi fighters and the loss of the provincial capital. "  

Lets Get Real:

IF the Iraqi Army will not fight, WHY should the West risk its own troops, the new Iraqi Army has to find a spine and fight to last bullet to take down IS.    LETS be honest, if Iraq didn't have oil and its neighbour was not Iran the West could care less, but Iraq does have oil, its neighbour is Iran and the World has to care about keeping the Western economy going with oil from the Middle East.    Thus one day in the future the West, in this case the US under a new President will have to send troops to clean house in Iraq, when it does happen the left in the US and the UK will go bonkers, but there is no choice, IS is a threat to the Middle East and the values and economy of the West.    The IS theology has to be binned and thrown on the scarp heap of history. 

No UK ground troops for IS threat - New War on Terror

BBC News: Reports " Conservatives rule out UK ground troops to fight IS "

Lets Get Real:

The growth of Islamic State is down to the fact that President Obama withdrew ALL US troops from Iraq in 2011, its his problem, therefore the US should solve the problem.  The UK should be there to give support in various areas, but no ground troops, we have seen what IS does does to its prisoners, lets be honest that is why Western States a very wary of sending their troops in to battle, what if they are caught, the mess of Iraq and Syria would get worse.   The US and UN approved troops should take on IS, its is suggested that there are only about forty thousands IS fighters, a Western Army should be able to take them down, it just needs the will by the Oval Office. 

The Clinton Emails, What did the Secretary know? - 2016 Election

Fox News: Reports " Internal State Department emails in the aftermath of the Benghazi terror attack show then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received detailed information indicating the strike was planned by well-trained fighters, yet her office continued to push the narrative days later that it began "spontaneously."  "

Lets Get Real:

The above is interesting, for days the Obama Administration was spinning that the terror attack in Libya was spontaneous, this shows that Secretary Clinton knew the truth and did not want any of the blow back to hurt her,  the more you dig in to Libya the more you smell that the Obama Administration is hiding something, the voter still does not know what President Obama was doing during the vital hours of the attack.   The House Select Committee should make sure it has all the information, that means getting Obama's schedule for the day, and developing a minute by minute guide, down to the last hour to see what POTUS and Secretary Clinton were doing, then we might find the real answer to Libya. 

Ed Balls and the 2015 General Election - Post 2015 Election

Telegraph: Reports " Ed Balls: I was one of reasons Labour was 'unelectable' "

Lets Get Real:

At least Mr Balls is taking the election result on the chin, unlike his former Leader who from reports thinks he lost the election because Labour voters were to lazy to come out and vote. This blog is being serious.   The Labour Party has to move to the right, it needs to be for people who are at work, yes it should care about those on the bottom of society but it should be a balance.   The idea of mansion taxes, attack on business and more welfare did not help the Labour Party, as this blogger found when talking to Conservative voters, the one theme they had was that the Conservative Party was for the working man ( generic sense ), somehow Labour has become about what the elite sees, that is not the country.   At least Mr Balls is not blaming the voter. 

Obama on 42% Approval - 2nd Term Blues

Gallup: Reports on its daily tracking poll on the job approval for POTUS, today President Obama is on 42% approval,  while 53% disapprove of the Obama record. 

Lets Get Real:

This kind of numbers does not get Party loyalty in the Congress, the President has many problems, there is Iraq and Syria and the new war on terror, their are internal arguments with the Democratic Party over free trade, and while the unemployment is low that has more to with the fact that people have just given up, this blog understands that feeling.   The Oval Office does not care that that its low numbers could damage the Democratic nominee in 2016, the ego of the Oval is over the top, thus the lack of new action of IS.    The US voter can see that POTUS wants to pass the problem on to his successor, a strong President would send the troops back in to Iraq and the US voter gets that fact, they are not fools, they know its going to happen, thus they do not trust their President. 

Politico: Reports " Archives officials worried about preserving Hillary’s records "

Lets Get Real:

The worry for the US voter is that if Secretary Clinton is elected POTUS she will think that she has the right to decide what is released by the White House.   One can almost see it now, a future,  breaking news,  "  POTUS kept Server in White House, "  The Clintons do not think the laws applies to them, they make Richard Nixon look honest, at least he kept his tapes, okay fought over there release but at least the Government had the tapes, not in this case, the House Select Committee has to have a tough investigation, all the Clinton staff have to be bought before the Committee, if something stinks there is a reason. 

The Clinton Emails - Election 2016

BBC News:  Reports the following on the Clinton emails, " However, it does show that the private email server was used to receive sensitive information.  "

Lets Get Real:

As the emails were chosen by the Clinton Camp there is little chance of these emails causing any problems for the Clintons, it was on their server, they chose which emails should be kept and which should be deleted.    These emails concern the terror attack on the US Consulate in Libya, the article states that the New York Times reviewed the emails before released and has stated, " "appear to back up Mrs. Clinton's previous assertions that she did not receive classified information at her private email address".".   The select committee should not take the world of Hillary Clinton, lets see what her staff were up to the night of the terror act and their reaction and the Secretary's reaction to the attack.   This scandal is far from over. 

The Strategic importance of Palmyra Part 2 - New War on Terror

The New York Times: Reports " Control of Palmyra gives the Islamic State command of roads leading from its strongholds in eastern Syria to Damascus and the other major cities of the populated west, as well as new links to western Iraq, the other half of its self-declared caliphate.  "

Lets Get Real:

Thus the question what will the US and its Allies do about Palmyra, the answer NOTHING, the Obama Oval is weak, it would have to reverse years of policy to do something NOW, the Oval would have to admit that it was wrong in 2011 when it removed ALL troops from Iraq, as this allowed for the growth of IS in Syria and Iraq.    The Oval Office wants to hand over the issue of IS to its successor, of course by then it will be worse, one has to question will Obama defend Baghdad if he as too, is he willing to allow IS to take OVER all of Iraq as the cost of not using US ground troops.    The failure of the Obama Oval when it comes to Syria  and Iraq will be a major issue of the 2016 Presidential election, when the new President takes over he or she will have a lot to deal with when they reach the Oval Office, the damage will have been done by a weak US President. 

What should the West do about Palmyra - New War on Terror

Telegraph: Reports " The antiquities authorities have also called for international assistance, but the western air coalition attacking Isil positions elsewhere in Iraq and Syria has held back from actions where the jihadists are directly fighting the Assad regime. "

Lets Get Real:

This is where the Middle East gets murky, the Assad Regime is a vile and murderous regime, but they are secular, also at present the Assad Regime has the backing of Russia, so lets get the Russians to pull their finger out, they like going in to other Countries, let pressure Putin to send troops and planes to take on IS in Syria.    Then everyone would have skin in the game as it is said by our American cousins.   This would show that Russia does get the fact that its part of the international community, of course the Russian military might not to be hot on the idea, we have seen what happens to prisoners of IS.    The UN and this means the US and Russia have to DO SOMETHING, when you wipe out history you destroy the past for future generations and help in the destruction of civic society, 

The Strategic Importance of Palmyra - New War on Terror

Guardian: Reports " The loss of the city and its surrounding gas fields, which supply electricity to much of the Assad regime’s strongholds in western Syria, is another strategic defeat that could expose Homs and Damascus to the terror group’s advances. "

Lets Get Real:

The recent success of IS in Iraq and now Syria shows that air bombing alone does not work with IS, as the New York Times pointed out yesterday, when there is a sand storm in strategic places such as Ramadi  IS will move, the Western airforces are stalled on the ground.   The US must have a rethink of its IS strategy, of course this depends on POTUS, if Obama hopes to pass the issue on to his successor he might be out of luck, history can strike when it wants, not the other way around, the tail end of the Obama Presidency can not be that he LOST IRAQ to IS and was afraid to change his mind, history is not forgiving of weak Presidents.    The US as stated by this blog as others needs ground troops in Iraq, that is the only way to WIN, otherwise you have failure. 

When you Destroy the Past you Destroy the Future - Palmyra

BBC News: Report the following on the ancient Roman ruins of Palmyra, " There are fears that the militants will destroy ruins considered among the most important in the Middle East and named by Unesco as a World Heritage site. "

Lets Get Real:

The World Community has to react, the destructive cult that is Islamic State is a threat to the history of the Middle East and to the present World Community.   They have and will destroy the past of the Middle East through its destruction of ancient sites in Iraq and Syria, if we have no past we have no future.   The US should bomb the hell out of IS, of course this requires a strong President, if anything President Obama is weak, he does not beyond his own election as President.   Either tomorrow or later the US and the World will have to act, it will be costly even more so because the West has had chances to stop IS and has failed. ACT NOW or LOSE HISTORY. 

Obama and Ramadi - New War on Terror

The Washington Post: States the following on the Obama policy towards IS, " Mr. Obama will not permit U.S. trainers to work with Iraqi forces on the ground or send U.S. spotters to make airstrikes more useful.....unwillingness to match means to strategy that threatens to prolong this war.  "

Lets Get Real:

Even the more limited liberal WP has had enough of the losing war policy of POTUS when it comes to Iraq.  One can understand why President Obama is wary, he knows that if he sends troops back in there will be losses, thus the candidate who promised to get the US out of Iraq and did so in 2011 would be forced to admit that he made a great strategic mistake in 2011 in taking ALL US troops out of Iraq.   Also the Liberal base of the Democratic Party would be up in arms,  at the end of the day POTUS might have no choice, if IS can get close to Baghdad this might force the US to send in US Special Forces to resuce the new government and the people of Baghdad.   Also POTUS can  not just wait to pass the buck on the Iraq War, there is nearly a year and half to go of the Obama Presidency, the IS might move closer to Baghdad or to other Middle East countries, thus better for the Oval to act when it is not under threat, if Obama waits he might get suckered punch by a threat to Baghdad. 

When you fail in politics you have NO Friends - Post 2015 Election

Daily Mail: Reports " Now Yvette Cooper turns on Miliband: Leadership hopeful savages Ed's anti-business rhetoric "

Lets Get Real:

One minute your Labour leader, everyone follows your line, one lost election and you face attacks from everyone, even those in your Shadow Cabinet.   This blog had no time for Ed Miliband, it liked his brother David Miliband, the former Foreign Secretary. One does have to feel sorry for Red Ed, on Thursday night of May 7th he was writing his speech for after he won the election, then it was 10 o clock and the BBC projection.  It was only out by a bit, by the end the Conservatives had 331 seats and a majority government, and the political knifes came out for Ed Miliband, the Labour Party only kept 232 and lost Seats all around, Scotland being the biggest loss.   There is nothing worse that being a ex leader at so young an age, he will be the what if man of politics, the man who stabbed his brother in the back for nothing!!

The 2016 and Iraq - Election 2016

CNN - Politics: Reports " Because barring a miracle, whoever wins the White House will become the fifth consecutive American president ensnared by a nation that has consumed trillions of U.S. dollars and thousands of American lives, and blighted a string of high-flying political careers. "

Lets Get Real:

The Republicans have to be firm on national security but they also must show that they have learned from mistakes, you argue that in 2003 everyone thought Iraq had WMD, it was only after the War ended did the Allies find that the intelligence was wrong.   All candidates should say if they had the intelligence they should have taken the US to war, but if the results were known before they would have used other methods to change the government in Iraq.   Anyway that is not the point, the present threat IN Iraq is the Islamic State.   The US needs to send ground troops back, who ever said history was fair!.

The NEXT Battle is Ramadi - New War on Terror

Telegraph: Reports " Shia militias and Sunni tribal fighters join forces against Islamic State in Ramadi....US promises more air strikes while Iran's defence minister arrives in Baghdad, showing new alliance forming to take on rampant Isil  "

Lets Get Real:

The Iraqi Army has to show it can fight and hold ground, so far one's review of the new Iraqi Army is not good, the old Army had a huge amount of US financial support, and what happened, the first shot and they were off.   It will be interesting to see if Shia and Sunni fighters can fight IS long enough before they start to fight betweem each other, one also has to hope that Tehran has a better hold on its forces.    As the article notes it took the US air force to win Tikrit  after the Shia militia got stalled in their fighting with IS.    The Obama Oval wants to see the retaking of Ramadi and fast,  the PR is bad for the Oval when IS has this kind of success even after months of US air attacks.    

The Hillary Clinton Emails - 2016 Election

Guardian: Reports the following, the Clinton emails will be released in January 2016,  , " Separately, the department has confirmed it will soon also release Clinton’s emails about Libya, including the controversial attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, which resulted in the killing of four Americans, including the US ambassador, Christopher Stevens. "

Lets Get Real:

This is the breaking news from that event, there will be no news, the Clinton's will make sure of that, they chose what to give to the State Department, they chose which emails to delete from their server. Their private server so they could control who sees what and what is not seen ever again.   The Clinton's are expert to this stonewalling, they make Richard Nixon look 2nd rate when it comes to stalling, the Clinton loyal lawyers will have gone through each email to make sure they are following the point of the law, the spirit is up to debate.   A private server it can be argued breaks the law in fact and spirit.   Thus no breaking news. 

Ramadi under IS control - New War on Terror

BBC News: Reports " Militants were going door-to-door looking for government sympathisers and throwing bodies in the nearby Euphrates river, residents were quoted as saying.  "

Lets Get Real: 

As the article notes Baghdad is sending in Shia militias, they were requested by the local government in Ramadi, this development could cause problems as Sunni is the majority in Anbar.   It should be noted that Baghdad sent in militias in to Tikrit, but the job had to be finished by the US air force after the militias pulled back due to the attack being stalled.   The US needs US Special Forces in Iraq, and lot of them, yes this blog sounds like a broken record on this, if you can not hold the ground your in trouble.    Also more Baghdad uses the Shia militias the more influence Iran has in Iraq, this is a troubling development to the Sunni population and to the US,  also it has to be noted that Tehran and US are in talks to stop their development of the bomb, if this fails you will see arms race develop in the MIddle East.  As  bad Iraq and Syria look it gets worse when you look at the details. 

Obama TAKES on IS - New War on Terror

Fox News: Reports " Washington lawmakers from both parties on Sunday praised the U.S. raid that killed Abu Sayyaf, a key Islamic State leader in charge of the group’s oil and gas operations in eastern Syria. "

Lets Get Real:

This operation was successful, but that does not discount the need for the US to send troops back into Iraq.   Islamic State is a cancer that is growing in Middle East and Africa, they have gained land and are one of the richest terror groups in the World.   The US can not allow for IS to grow any bigger, they have franchise groups in Libya who are just as terrible as the group in Syria and Iraq.   The Obama Administration has to get the US ready to go back in to Iraq, that will take all the skills of President Obama, the question is does POTUS have the guts to go back in to Iraq, the left will of course go bonkers, is Obama willing to risk that or leave the problem to the next President. 

The FALL of Ramadi to IS - New War on Terror

The New York Times: Reports " The last Iraqi security forces fled the provincial capital of Ramadi on Sunday, as the city fell completely to the militants of the Islamic State..."

Lets Get Real:

At what point does the Obama Oval get the fact that only a air war against IS is not working, the US has to consider the use of ground troops and fast, Islamic State is a major threat to the Middle East and to the West.   The Obama Oval is allowing its history when it comes to Iraq to make it stubborn to the fact that the US has to go back in to Iraq and finish IS before there is no Iraqi State just IS.  The political and military elite of the US has to get over the 2003 War, this is a new war, it does not matter who or what caused it, that is for the history books, the US is the only power that can do anything, as stated in this blog the US should try to form a military unit with Russia to wipe out IS and its allies.    Iraq can NOT be allowed to be taken over by IS. 

How NUTS was Labour under Ed Miliband - Post 2015 Election

Mail on Sunday: Reports " The comic saga of the elusive ‘Edstone’ took another turn last night after it emerged Ed Miliband considered an even more bizarre plan during his doomed Election campaign – carving his party’s pledges on a cliff face "

Lets Get Real:

This shows how much the UK risked with Labour in power, what other barmy ideas did the Miliband Campaign have, Ed's Cliffs of Dover etc, yes if it was not so serious it would quite funny.   The Labour Party should smash EdStone in case it falls in to the hands of the opposition, they could bring it out for the 2020 election.    How anyone could think the EdStone worked, it showed an ego out of control, Ed Miliband is a lot of things, but Moses he is not, think of Ed Miliband in No 10, yes that is a two cup of teas nightmare!  

Is Labour going the way of the dodo - Post 2015 Election

Telegraph: Reports the following on Labour since the election defeat, " For the past week it looked like the wheels were coming off the Labour Party. Right now it looks as if the whole car is about to be dragged to the junk yard and pounded into scrap. "

Lets Get Real:

The Labour defeat on May 7th was bad, its up there with 1983, 1987 and 1992.   But Labour did come back under the leadership of Tony Blair, although Blair is toxic these days within Labour because of Iraq he should be listened too, the Labour Party when it goes left does not get elected.   IF Labour is to come back it needs to go back to the centre even centre right, the best candidate for that is Liz Kendall, it depends if Labour is willing to take a risk, also what ever leader is chosen that leader has to show results and fast, the Party stuck with Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband and it was a disaster, thus a safe pair of hands are needed, but also someone you could see your self voting for, if the Labour Unions have their choice it will be a left winger, that could mean the end of the Labour Party, time for HARD CHOICES from Labour, learn or fall in to a dustbin. 

The Unions blackmail Labour - Labour Leadership Contest

Guardian: Reports " Len McCluskey: union link with Labour at risk if party fails to pick 'correct leader' "

Lets Get Real:

The Labour Trade Unions think since they are the majority money giver to Labour they should pick the leader, their candidate is Andy Burnham, but the problem is Burnham is a Northern Ed Miliband, he comes across alright on the TV, but there is now fire in his manner, he is no Tony Blair or even Gordon Brown.    The Labour Party if it wants win VOTES should be daring, Liz Kendall represents the Blair wing of the Party, she seems to understand the real world, does not comess across a a tax nut who hates the rich.   The Labour Party should pick a woman as Leader, Lady Thatcher didn't do a bad job, about time Labour tried a woman leader, no one can be another Lady T but these are different times, Labour should take this advice, Kendall could be a major threat to the Conservatives in 2020 under Boris. 

IS and Palmyra - IS Threat

BBC News: Reports " Islamic State militants have been pushed back from the ancient Syrian site of Palmyra, officials and a monitoring group say.  "

Lets Get Real:

Islamic State (IS) is a threat to the modern values and to history, the Roman ruins of Palmyra have been around for thousands of years, and now IS want to rid the Middle East of its history.   The UN and the West and that includes Russia should create a special force to take out IS,  a good commander with good troops could take out IS within a few weeks, it needs the political will from the US under President Obama, and it would allow Russia to show that it can be the right side for once, they managed it during World War 2, okay it took a German invasion, but they go there, well lets see a UNITED front against IS, the more land they gain the more of a threat they are, one day in the near future they could have ALL Iraq and Syria under its control, and then the World will be in a real mess. 

TPP Deal - 2nd Term Blues

CNN - Politics: Reports " A day after suffering an embarrassing setback when Obama's own party rebuked him on a major trade bill, Senate leaders said they have struck a deal to move forward on the measure. "

Lets Get Real:

The Oval Office should enjoy this success, one has doubts that there will be many more, we are heading in to the 2016 Election, thus the Republicans will only PASS bills that helps them, the Hill Democrats will be looking to Hillary Clinton as their new leader, even if she has been missing in action in the view of the Washington Post Editorial.   Of course then we come to the issue of Iran, the left can be expected to support the US and Iran deal, of course if your Senate Democrat you see the risks, the Israeli Lobby will not be giving money to Senators who support any deal with Iran, thus House and Senate members will have to work out who they can annoy and get away with it, the left of the Democratic Party or Israeli supporters in the US.   It will be interesting to see who votes for the US/Iran deal, and what Hillary Clinton says about the deal once its agreed, politics never ends just moves on to new candidates. 

Hillary Clinton vs. The Washington Post - 2016 Election

The Washington Post: The Editorial is scathing about the lack of  action by Hillary Clinton when it comes to President Obama's trade deal, the article notes the following, " So powerful has the opposition on the left become, in fact, that it has turned the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, into a quiet follower on the issue, rather than the forceful leader she once was — and still could be....Ms. Clinton’s dash for the tall grass is transparently inconsistent with the position she embraced as Mr. Obama’s secretary of state. "

Lets Get Real

Hillary Clinton is going LEFT to gain the support of the left in the Democratic nomination fight, sorry what fight, it is pretty clear that HRC will be the nominee, no else has the brand name and the only opposition is the press.    The press are being critical because there is no real challenge to HRC in the 2016 nomination fight.   Thus WHY is HRC going left, in her memoirs Clinton is supportive of the Trans - Pacific Partnership, so why is HRC in hiding over TPP, it is simple HRC does not have the guts to tell the left to take  a running jump of a cliff of their choice, if she had then one could see that a Clinton places national interest above petty political self interest.    The Clintons do not need the left, there will be no real challenge to the Clintons, by this weakness one has to question HRC for the top job, when your President you have to take political risks, if your afraid and take polls on everything you will be a failure.   

The Lame Duck Presidency of President Obama - 2nd Term Blues

The New York Times: Reports on the war between the Obama White House and Senate Democrats over a trade bill, the article notes the following, " Mr. Obama’s decision to aggressively criticize Democrats opposed to the trade measure as misinformed, isolationist and politically motivated deepened a chasm over the issue, giving critics a vivid rallying point and Republicans like Mr. McConnell an easy scapegoat. "

Lets Get Real:

The Obama White House is finding that its power is waning, the Democrats in the Senate are already looking forward to the 2016 Presidential Election when they will be up for re-election, they need the liberal base to support them, the Unions always see trade deals as a threat to their workers.   Thus the Obama Oval will have to use ALL its power to get the Democrats in the Senate to move, of course if the Democrats were afraid of the Oval they might not have jumped sides, but the Oval has not made any effort to have a good or even a warm relationship with the Democrats on the Hill.  LBJ, Reagan and Clinton used their personal skills to gain votes, Obama expects Democrats to vote for his polices, as stated the only interest President Obama has  is OBAMA, he does not care about the 2016 election and the money that Hill Democrats will need to get re-elected and even retake the Senate.   It will be interesting to see how Hillary Clinton deals with this subject. 

Is Andy Burnham the new Ed Miliband ? - Post 2015 Election

Daily Mail: Reports " 'I can unite this country': Andy Burnham bids to be Labour leader with appeal to John Lewis shoppers and zero-hours workers..Seen as left-wing contender, he insists 'challenge is not to go left or right' "

Lets Get Real:

The Conservative Party will be supporting Andy Burnham for the Labour Leadership, Mr Burnham has his chance in 2010 and failed to get the leadership, the Labour Party needs a new face with no connections to the old battle between supporters of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.   The duration of the fight should allow Labour to see what problems it has with Middle Class voters, why did is miss read the voters so badly.   As to whom this blog supports for Labour leader, it does not matter, its never going to vote Labour, the only chance of that happening was under Tony Blair and this blog did NOT fall under the Blair spell, its  a pity that Blair was not a Conservative, then this blog would have voted for him, it seems that Blair is quite toxic with the Labour Party and this is before we have the report on Iraq that will be published either this year or next.    This blog will follow the Labour contest and be quite objective, none of the runners and riders has really taken its attention, this is a developing story! 

Jeb Bush and Iraq - 2016 Election

Telegraph: Reports  on Jeb Bush and Iraq, and a recent remark by Jeb Bush, " Asked on Fox News if he would have backed the war – knowing what is known now about the non-existence of weapons of mass destruction – Mr Bush appeared to reply in the affirmative.  "

Lets Get Real:

Governor Bush should have said that he was not going to be critical of his brother, and thus as far as Iraq was concerned the information at the time stated that Iraq had WMD, this was the general view of the West, you do not get repeats in history, end of the matter, lets talk about the future,  etc.  The Bush Camp needs to get Jeb Bush ready for major interviews with the liberal press, they will try to blame Iraq on Jeb if they can, thus Jeb Bush has to be firm but also state given the problems today in the Middle East a different decision would have been taken with the information the West found after the War.   The Liberal media will not get him chances to explain some long argument, he has to be ready and able to make the message short and to the point.    The liberal media does not want to cover the problems of Hillary Clinton, they will go after any story that is negative to the Bush family and a Bush run in 2016. 

The BBC and the Conservative Party - Post 2015 Election

Guardian: Reports " Tory officials threatened BBC during election, says Miliband's strategist...Tom Baldwin says senior BBC executives faced repeated threats of far-reaching reforms if they didn’t change election campaign coverage "

Lets Get Real:

The BBC has to be watched, for it the objective view of something is to the left of Lenin.  The Conservative Party only seeks a fair review of the news, not some Guardian editorial view of the days events.   The BBC should be scaled back, there is no reason for the BBC to have a regional news, that could be done by ITV, also the BBC should take adverts in its most popular shows, also the BBC website should not cover regional events in the UK, as stated above ITV can do that area.    The BBC has gotten to big for its boots, needs to make its own shows pay, at the end of the day the BBC has to change, the taxpayer can no longer be expected to pay in this modern IT age. 

The Labour Leadership Contest - Post 2015 Election

BBC News: Reports " Labour will select its new leader in mid-September, ahead of the party conference, its ruling National Executive Committee has announced. "

Lets Get Real:

The Labour Party needs a tough debate about the losses in 2015, it has to discover how to connect to the middle class, to those in the UK that want to get on, not be seen as the Party of the welfare state, being the Party of the NHS is one thing, being seen as supporting those that want to spend forever on welfare is something else, its a major negative.   The present candidates are on the right of the Party and be called from the Blair section of the Party.    The Labour Party has tried the left route with Ed Miliband, it did not work, time to go back to the agenda of Blair and winning elections. 

The Conservative Government vs. The BBC - Post 2015 Election

Telegraph - Politics Live: Reports " Tories 'declare war on BBC' with John Whittingdale appointment..All the latest as the Prime Minister forms his government, with John Whittingdale, the former chair of the DCMS committee and critic of the BBC, is appointed as Culture Secretary "

Lets Get Real:

It is about time that the BBC was taken down a peg or two, its always anti Conservative, the problem for the BBC is what they consider objective is more left wing than most people would consider normal.    The BBC should take adverts, it should have to sell in an open market.   The BBC is to big, you need a cut down BBC, less money spent reality shows, with the exception of the Lord Sugar show, in that you learn something about business, it was good to hear that Lord S had resigned from the Labour Party.   The BBC should be doing more shows like Doctor Who and Torchwood.    Who watches snooker for god sake!! Does there have to be Golf on, its a man hitting a ball at the end of the day, lets not even start on football or tennis!.    About time that a true Conservative Government dealt with the BBC. 

The Labour Leadership Election - Post 2015 Election

Guardian - Politics Live: Reports in its 6.29pm post the following, "  Harriet Harman is reportedly explaining the new leadership election rules to the PLP. She says the party needs to listen long and hard to the candidates who lost and draw on what they were told by the electorate. "

Lets Get Real:

The question is will the Labour Party ask the RIGHT questions, will understand in the real world why it lost, does it want to understand.   The old left arguments do no work, well in the UK they don't, we are all Thatcher's children in that sense.   The Ed Miliband agenda was attacking the rich, more welfare, the UK debt would have gone up, and the trade unions would have had more power.    The Blair agenda was the reverse of the above, the Labour Party under Blair got the UK voter, while modern Labour does not even understand itself, never mind the voter.    The soul searching will take time, lets hope Labour understands the question before the answer. 

The Miliband Brothers at WAR - Post 2015 Election

The Daily Mail: Reports " David Miliband's revenge: Former foreign secretary slams younger brother Ed for 'backwards' Labour campaign which failed to woo the middle classes "

Lets Get Real:

THE Labour Party is in a state of civil war, there are those in THE Blair Camp that see that Labour has to support people that want to get on in life, it can not go back to attacking the rich and expect to win, a] there are never enough rich people to tax, and b] the middle class want to own their own houses and see their family getting ahead. The left wing agenda of Ed Miliband was all about attacking the rich, creating the impression that it was wrong to want to get ahead.    The Labour Party should hire Tony Blair or the Dark Prince himself, Lord Mandelson to set a new road for Labour, the Labour Party needs BLAIR more than Blair needs the Labour Party.