Roxana Saberi and the Nicholas Daniloff Example

As I have been following the Roxana Saberi case in Iran, the Cold War case of Nicholas Daniloff (1) came to mind, Mr Daniloff was also a reporter who was arrested for being a an American Spy in the USSR. The Daniloff case was in 1986, it was before the Reykjavik Summit, this Summit was the start of the end of the Cold War. Reagan and Gorbachev came close to agreeing the elimination of all nuclear weapons. The importance of the arrest comes in the fact that it came before the Summit, it could have frozen the warm relationship between Reagan and Gorbachev. In the end both sides came to an agreement that allowed the reporter to go home and also allowed those opposed to the USSR to leave. The USSR got back an important agent. Neither side wanted to freeze the developing relationship, thus we come to the present, Obama needs to get Ms Saberi out of Iran and quick, the longer it goes on the harder it will be for Obama to offer his hand to Iran. The problem is who is running the show out there, was the arrest of Ms Saberi an attempt by the hardliners to block any moves by the Obama Administration. The more freedom that the people of Iran have the less power held by the religious elite. On the other hand it could be a master plan by the Government of Iran. Its a matter of playing mind games, a reporter is arrested, the religious conservatives take the blame, while the President of Iran is seen as moderate with his request that the reporter gets her day in court. The background of course is the elections in Iran this year for President, the religious elite might fear that their candidate the present President might lose, thus they give him good PR with Conservative moderates. Thus the President gets re-elected, he starts endless talks with the USA and then Iran declares its got the bomb.

1. Informal Exchange With Reporters Prior to a Meeting With Nicholas Danilofff,12/9/86.The Public Papers of President Ronald W. Reagan. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

North Korea - Its War!

CNN News: Reports that Communist North Korea has stated that any action that is taking against it, sanctions or any other measure is an Act of War. To quote Mr Holmes, the game is afoot, North Korea is playing a game, its placing pressure on the Obama Administration. It wants one to one talks with the USA, it will place pressure on the USA and South Korea, it will take its time in getting in those talks. Then after the talks start, expect slow and very tedious up and downs, North Korea will never give up its nuclear or missile ambitions, why would they, Obama is seen as weak. At the end of the day this is common blackmail, just Obama will have to figure how much its going to cost, money wise and diplomatic terms to keep North Korea quite. The major end result is that Iran will follow the path of North Korea.

Has the Tomb of Cleopatra been found?

Telegraph: Reports on historical artifacts that are claimed to be from the tombs of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. If this pans out this will be the find of the Century, even of all time.

Future problems in Iraq

The Washington Post: Has a timely editorial of the increase of violence in Iraq. The WP writes the following, "... already there is cause for concern. During the past month security around the country has been slipping: At least 37 people have been killed in four major attacks on security forces in the past week alone, and there have been multiple car bombings in Baghdad and other cities.... " That is the problem when you give out timetables for withdrawal, the iconic image of the last helicopter out of Saigon in South Vietnam is something that President Obama does not need. The Bush surge has worked, Obama can not afford to lose Iraq. The Terrorists want to claim that they pushed the USA out of Iraq, also Iran wants to place pressure on Obama, they want a deal, no support of the terrorists in Iraq and they can become a nuclear power. Thus expect more violence in Iraq, expect Iran to support the terrorists. This will place Obama in a tight spot, he can not afford lose Iraq to Iran. Thus Obama can be expected to do a new deal with Iraq, extend the time that American troops will be in Iraq, this deal can wait till next year, but before 2011 Obama needs a new deal. A deal with Iraq would gain the following, it would be a warning to the terrorists that the USA is not going down the South Vietnam route, also it would keep pressure on Iran. Thus at the end of the year Obama will have to deal with some tough Foreign Policy issues, what do with the terrorists that are on Cuba, if he moves them to the USA homeland this will cost him in political terms, no town or city wants well known terrorists next thank you very much, also Iran and Iraq, Iran by the end of the next year should be a nuclear power and Iraq might get more violent. Lets recall that it was Foreign Policy that bought down Carter in 1980.

NYT critical of Obama - Good Day for Obama

The New York Times: The liberal left wing Times is critical of Obama and his Administration, the NYT writes the following, " (Obama 's).... administration has shown a tendency for compromise and caution, and even a willingness to capitulate on some early initiatives. ". The more the President has critical comments from the liberal NYT, the better it is for him in the long term. Obama at the end of the day will disappoint the Times, the Times out there on the extreme left, that why its sales is going down the toilet. Its odd but the reports by the NYT on Afghanistan and Pakistan are informative and fair. But when it comes to most other areas it has an agenda, is so out there it cares more about the rights of terrorists than of American citizens. It should be recalled that the Times covered up for a mass murder that is Stalin. A once great newspaper is nothing better that paper to have your fish and chips with on a Saturday Night.

Israel ready to attack Iran

The Times: Reports that the Israeli military is ready to attack Iran when its given the green light. If the approach that Obama is talking at the minute to Iran and North Korea is any guide then Israel should hit Iran hard now, Obama seems to think he is in some 80s seminar, he was taking notes when the President of Nicaragua was attacking US Foreign Policy. Thus by the grace of God, and to protect Israel and Western Security do what has to be done, ATTACK IRAN please Israel, the West cant wait for Obama to learn that he is POTUS.

New USA - Obama Style

Fox News: Reports that President Obama had to tolerate an attack on the US Foreign Policy by the President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega. The regime of Ortega was an old enemy of Ronald Reagan, Obama from the report seems to think that US Foreign Policy starts with him , bit like Khmer Rouge and their year zero. Obama has to learn that he is the President of the United States, this is not some seminar discussion. The Ortega attack would include JFK and Reagan and most US Presidents. The Obama view that since he is now President that he has no connection to the past shows why the UK should worry about Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Obama year dot view does recall the 1997 New Labour view, thus we saw Tony Blair run us in to a War in Iraq and make the House a Commons a rubber stamp. Obama should have come out fighting and defended JFK and Reagan, he has to recall that Reagan become heroic in part by invoking great Presidents. It seems Obama is reading his own press statements, that Star of Berlin last year has decided like Tony Blair that the past does not matter, the past does matter Mr President, its Liberal types like you that would have kept the Berlin Wall Up.