North Korea part of the Nuclear Club

The Times: Reports that experts believe that North Korea can place a nuclear warhead on a missile an launch it against the South and Japan. This is a game changer folks, Japan will now go nuclear, Japan will not allow a threat from North Korea. Thus expect both South Korea and Japan to go nuclear, the Obama Administration is up a creek, it will have to pander to North Korea, that will not be new Obama of late. It will be interesting to see what they want, end of sanctions, a defence deal, Obama will have to eat crow. The fact that North Korea is a nuclear armed power will show his words mean nothing, Iran will go nuclear, Obama is a political windbag but worse he is the new Neville Chamberlain.

Another Abu Ghraib ? - Detainees Pics held by the USA to be released - US Defence Department

Fox News: Reports that another damaging episode from the Bush Era is about to be released, detainees pictures that resemble those from Abu Ghraib. These cover those held by the USA in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Liberal left might have missed the fact but their President, Barack Obama is fighting a War in Afghanistan, in fact so is the UK. This is not a call for censorship but prudence, the terrible treatment of prisoners in the Iraqi prison of Abu Ghraib had a terrible effect on the image of the USA. The USA is leaving Iraq by 2011 in less the Obama Administration gets a new agreement to develop a base there for future operations against Iran. The War in Afghanistan is on going, Obama has sent another twenty one thousand troops to Afghanistan, the UK is sending another nine hundred. What is going to be the effect of these terrible pics, one can postulate that the 24/7 news channels will run them in a loop. These pics should have been withheld till after the War in Afghanistan. Those that committed any crimes in the pics should be punished straight away but the pics themselves should be withheld as a matter of state.

Split in Congressional Leadership and White House over Torture Investigation

The New York Times: Reports on a split between the Democratic Congressional Leadership and the the White House. President Obama and the Democratic Senate Majority leader oppose a special panel to investigate the Bush 43 and his Tough Interrogation methods, while the Liberal Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi wants an investigation. It seems some political reality had reached the White House, it could be that old political hands recall the Church Senate Investigation of the CIA in the mid 70s, recall it didn't end well on the whole, the CIA was neutered by the the Investigation and the Carter Administration that felt you didn't need spies and could get all your information from the spy satellites. Thus the Invasion of Afghanistan by the USSR and the revolution in Iran and the hostages that bought down Jimmy Carter. Also the torture row has taken a new twist it seems that due to the reforms from the Church Investigation; Congress Leaders had to be informed of CIA action; that the then Democratic Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi as reported by the Politico was informed of such torture methods. Thus the call by Nancy Pelosi might be more to do with protecting her political backside that caring about the issue. The Republicans should push for a fair investigation as like the 9/11 investigation, and all branches of government should be investigated, the Executive and Congress.

Get off the Dime and Act, USA to Pakistan

BBC News: Reports that the US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has called on the Government of Pakistan to take action against the Taliban/Terrorists threat to Pakistan. The reaction of the military of Pakistan will decide if the USA has to take action in Pakistan, if the military cant or wont deal with the threat then the USA will have to take action. The badlands of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has become a open wound for Pakistan, the USA should plan to move troops in to the Swat Valley, they policy should be be dual, on the one side a large military presence to destroy the Taliban/Terrorists but also an economic plan for the poor areas of Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan has to win the hearts of its own people, it needs to create an economy that's allows the poor to feel they have the chance to move up the social ladder. The Taliban/Terrorists are gaining supporters from those that are on the bottom of the social spectrum. Thus the Obama Administration needs a dual policy before they lose Pakistan to the Taliban and really have a bad day.

VP, NSA, Attorney General and the Director of the CIA approved torture - Bush Administration

CNN News: Reports that Vice President Cheney, National Security Advisor Condi Rice, the Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Director of the CIA, George Tenet approved the use of harsh interrogation methods, in other words torture. The release of the torture memos was a big mistake by Obama, there is and old welsh saying, let sleeping lie, Obama is the last person who should want investigation of the past, he links with a domestic terrorist and his attendance at a Church with a racist preacher makes him the last person to have opened this can of works. No Drama Obama has become NO Class Obama. The old hands of the Democratic Party should remind this young President he can only serve one or two terms as President. If he wants the Republicans to make his life miserable forever after his leaves the office he is going down the right path. The Republicans should state that if he does not close this down NOW, the moment he is out of office, the next Republican Administration go through all his memos. How will President Obama explain that he has given the okay for the CIA to blow up the houses of terrorists with their families still inside. Did Obama ask the CIA to read the terrorists their rights before he killed Innocent family members. In other words the secular second coming should be remind what comes around, look what happened after Iran - Contra, the Republicans went after Bill Clinton because the Democrats had not shown style when dealing with the President Reagan. Thus some old hands in the beltway should get to Obama and remind him that the Republicans will be back in power one day and if he does not want to spend the rest of his post Presidential years giving affidavits in Court Rooms he should shut this Liberal partisan hunt down now for his political benefit and for the security of the USA.

Condi Rice Authorized Waterboarding

Fox News: Reports that Condi Rice the National Security Advisor in the first Bush Term gave the nod for the CIA to use waterboarding. Ms Rice become the Secretary of State in the second Bush Term. This brings the torture allegations in to the Oval Office, one can postulate that Rice would have mentioned the request to the President. As stated I approve of Waterboarding from 1 to forever if prevents terrorists attacks, its does make one feel odd to support torture, lets be honest about this, that's what we are talking about, but my opinions are best described as pre - 9/11 and after. I recall watching TV that afternoon UK time, I saw an individual in one of the towers, he was trying to get attention by using white paper or handkerchief to get attention, there was fire on the floor, later I saw people jump from the towers. Those images stuck with me for months, in the end I could no longer look at them, one such a tragic day but also if you watch something enough its losses its feeling. Thus avoided looking at footage of 9/11 but I learnt the lessons. Terrorists are no common criminals, they don't deserve their rights to be read to them, you catch them, you get the information out of them by what ever means and then you shoot them or throw them in to a hell hole. That simple folks.

The Situation in Pakistan and Western Security

BBC News: Reports on the remarks of Hillary Clinton the US Secretary of State, Mrs Clinton has stated that the situation in Pakistan is a threat to the national security of the USA. As stated before in this blog, the Obama Administration has to consider if it should send in troops to protect Pakistan from the Taliban/Terrorist threat. The appeasement of the Taliban/Terrorists has allowed them to get within sixty miles of the Capital of Pakistan. The take over the Swat Valley has allowed the Taliban/Terrorists to show their power but also get money, the UK Telegraph reported that the Taliban/Terrorists have taken over the emerald mines in the area. Thus they get money but also they give money to the poor of Pakistan. The class war policy has also worked in the Punjab, one of most populated provinces in Pakistan. Thus the Government of Pakistan has lost the Swat Valley to the Taliban/Terrorists, in fact the President had to agree to demands from the Taliban that Islamic Law run their region, the Punjab has a growing Taliban/Terrorists influence, the New York Times reports today that Taliban/Terrorists have taken over the District of Buner, between 70 (NYT ) -60 ( CNN ) miles form the Capital of Pakistan, Islamabad. The next few weeks could be crucial for the secular Government of Pakistan, if they follow an appeasement policy they will be out of power. Thus the Obama Administration has to think outside the box, Pakistan is a nuclear armed power, how will India react to a Taliban/Terrorist Government across the border. They might consider a nuclear first strike just to make sure the terrorists don't take the chance to hit them first. Thus expect if the Obama Administration thinks that the Taliban/Terrorists will take over Pakistan, they will send in a strike force to take out the nuclear weapons and to repel this threat.