During this morning's Armed Services confirmation hearing, Sen. McCain asked Lt. Gen. Petraeus is if he can implement his new plan in Iraq without more troops? Petraeus answered: "No sir." McCain also asked if it would be helpful to the general for the Senate to pass an anti-surge resolution.…
Today's New York Sun editorial: "Since Washington's hostile and hawkish policies have always been against the Iranian nation, this defeat is actually an obvious victory for the Iranian nation." -The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, November 10, 2006. Not since Dean Acheson helped…
From the Weekly Standard's Scrapbook: Count us underwhelmed by the logic of the ballyhooed Joe Biden/Carl Levin/Chuck Hagel resolution attacking Bush's Iraq policy. It all sounds eerily familiar: "accelerate training of Iraqi troops"; keep a small U.S. footprint; the problem isn't military, instead…
The incoming commander for Iraq, Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, is scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, January 23. He's expected to make the case for the "surge" and presumably explain why he needs the additional brigades to implement the new strategy. This will…
Back from Iraq, Sen. Clinton said on the morning talk show circuit that she opposes efforts to cut off troop funding (for now at least) and opposes Lt. Gen. Petraeus' request for more brigades in Iraq. Hillary now says that she supports capping the number of troops in Iraq to around 135,000. But…
Over at National Review Online, Rich Lowry takes on a phony charge peddled by the NYT's Rich and others. He writes: Is kagan playing fast and loose with his numbers? Frank Rich made this (sub. req'd) charge yesterday. It's amplified here. The charge is that Kagan first said it would take 80,000…
The Illinois senator had this to say on Face the Nation on Sunday. One of the things that I strongly disagree with ... is this notion that we have future catastrophe to look forward to if we start phasing down troops. We are in the catastrophe ... right now. Well, a short time ago, the Weekly…
According to USA Today, the U.S. military is reporting a dramatic and unexpected increase in the number of police recruits in Anbar province, the center of Sunni insurgent activity in Iraq. In the past two weeks, more than 1,000 applicants have sought police jobs in Ramadi, the provincial capital.…
Former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Jack Keane worries that Lt. Gen. Petraeus may be assuming command in Iraq without adequate forces. From today's Sunday Telegraph: THE MILITARY mastermind of President George W. Bush's new troop "surge'' strategy for Iraq has hit out at signs that the Pentagon is…
The incoming commander of U.S. forces in Iraq is considered the Army's top expert on counterinsurgency. He recently authored the Army's field manual on conducting counterinsurgency operations. He served in Iraq as commander of the 101st. Lt. Gen. Petraeus also believes that he needs more forces if…
This is from page 73 of the Iraq Study Group report: We could, however, support a short-term redeployment or surge of American combat forces to stabilize Baghdad, or to speed up the training and equipping mission, if the U.S. commander in Iraq determines that such steps would be effective. Well,…
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. Joe Biden believes Congress should "demonstrate to the president [that] he's on his own" on the troop surge. Well, it's good to see that our allies aren't listening to the Delaware senator: From the Associated Press: President Bush's decision to boost American…
Senator Lieberman on the president's Iraq speech tonight: I applaud the President for rejecting the fatalism of failure and pursuing a new course to achieve success in Iraq. There is no more difficult decision that a President can make than to send our nation's bravest soldiers and patriots into…
Via Hotline blog:: Success or failure in Iraq is not a matter of partisan politics but a matter of national security. All Americans should be hoping, praying and offering constructive advice for the success of our troops in Iraq and for those Iraqis seeking to create a stable and decent government.…
In 1999, Democrats, liberal pundits and some Republicans slammed Tom Delay's comment that Kosovo was "Clinton's War." They were right to do so. At the same time, Sen. Joe Biden co-sponsored a resolution authorizing the commander in chief to use "all necessary force and other means necessary" to…
The governor released the following statement today: I agree with the President: Our strategy in Iraq must change. Our military mission, for the first time, must include securing the civilian population from violence and terror. It is impossible to defeat the insurgency without first providing…
Today's New York Times reports that Democratic leaders are exploring "ways to block financing for a military expansion without being accused of abandoning American forces already in Iraq." But Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid are going to have to seek such a funding cut off over the likely…
Mounir el Motassadeq was a member of the Hamburg sleeper cell that "planned and carried out" the September 11 attacks. A "close friend of 9/11 hijackers Mohamed Atta, Marwan Al-Shehhi and Ziad Samir Jarrah," reports the McClatchy News, el Motassadeq "had signed wills, taken over power of attorney…
Here's the text of the letter Senators Lieberman and Lindsey Graham sent to the White House today: January 8, 2007 President George W. Bush The White House 1600Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, For the sake of our own national security we must have a successful outcome to…
CBS News reports that a "U.S. Air Force gunship has conducted a strike against suspected members of al Qaeda in Somalia.... The targets included the senior al Qaeda leader in East Africa and an al Qaeda operative wanted for his involvement in the 1998 bombings of two American embassies in…
From today's editorial: ...If the stakes in Iraq are as great as Mr. Bush says--and we believe they are--then he should commit whatever forces are needed to achieve success. The public's support for the Iraq campaign is waning, in major part because the casualties and expense have been producing no…
Democrats and others have been pushing the line that military commanders really don't want a troop surge in Iraq. Consider today's Washington Post editorial: [The president] will face a formidable task in convincing Congress and the public that such a "surge" makes sense. It's well known that many…
Over at The Corner, Stanley Kurtz makes a good point regarding the Washington Post's coverage of the Iraq "surge" debate. There is something awfully odd about today's big Washington Post story on the proposed troop surge. The headline reads, "Critics Say ‘Surge' Is More of The Same," and the…
The Republican senator will soon make it official. ABC News reports that Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback will declare his presidential candidacy on January 20. The Weekly Standard's Terry Eastland profiled Brownback a few months back and recently reported on the senator's ground game Iowa.
From the current Weekly Standard editorial: The task in these [upcoming congressional] hearings, then, is not just to explain and defend the president's plan, but to make the point that it is better than any plausible alternative, especially withdrawal. Committee members should not be allowed to…
William Kristol offers his thoughts in the latest issue of Time: There has been some sniping at the Keane-Kagan plan. But what is striking is that so few of the critics actually go to the trouble of analyzing it--or proposing a substitute. Instead, Keane and Kagan are treated with annoyance and…
Former DNC Chair, Clinton ally, and Global Crossing sweepstakes winner Terry McAuliffe dumps on Kerry in his new book, "What a Party! My Life Among Democrats: Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators and Other Wild Animals." According to the AP, he calls Kerry's '04 campaign "one of…
With Moscow wielding its energy club on its neighbors, Ukraine, Georgia and now Belarus, there's been a growing awakening in Europe to the perils of being too dependent on the Kremlin for energy supplies. The latest is Germany. Radio Free Europe reports that Economy Minister Michael Glos welcomed…
Nearly eight years ago, NATO (without Security Council approval) began its bombing campaign to expel Serb forces from Kosovo. scan.gif The UN has been trying to figure out what to do with Kosovo ever since it took over administering the province in 1999. That process may soon be coming to an end -…
The folks over at Foreign Policy have posted an interesting debate between Matt Continetti of Weekly Standard and the American Prospect's Matthew Yglesias on the merits of this piece, "Why Hawks Win" in FP's latest issue. Here's the link.
With North Korea's nuclear program advancing, Japan is set to ramp up its missile defense capabilities. According to Reuters, Japan may be getting set to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into plugging missile- defense gaps demonstrated by North Korea's July 4-5 test- firings…. Also being…
Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards is a smart politician. He wants to rapidly drawdown U.S. troops in Iraq and escalate our involvement in Darfur. Both positions are extremely popular with Democratic primary voters. On ABC's This Week, he explained what he'd do to end the atrocities in…
From the AP: [President] Silva made the economy and crime the cornerstones of his inauguration speeches Monday. He vowed to increase economic growth that has lagged behind the rest of South America, without sacrificing the social programs that are largely responsible for his high popularity. But…
Sony has filed a "patent for a motorized skateboard that riders steer by shifting their weight," Techweb.com reports.
From a joint press release: Press reports indicate that the leaders of the uniformed services are recommending that the Bush Administration increase the endstrength of the Army and Marines. Given the strain that our military is currently operating under, it is imperative that we act quickly to meet…
Tamar Jacoby of the Manhattan Institute explains why our immigration system needs a complete overhaul -- not just a fence.
In yesterday's Jerusalem Post, columnist Caroline Glick writes on the role of Yasir Arafat in the murder of top American diplomats in Sudan in 1973. ON MARCH 1, 1973, eight Fatah terrorists, operating under the Black September banner stormed the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan during a…
From ABC's This Week yesterday: STEPHANOPOULOS: [Do] you actually fear this idea that there's going to be a splitting of the difference. That the president will send 10,000 or 20,000 troops temporarily to Baghdad rather than the 20,000 to 30,000 or 40,000 that General Jack Keane and others have…
Onetime hawk John Edwards ran away from his pro-war Iraq vote long ago. At the time of his vote, the politics were good for the then senator from North Carolina. Saddam would be deposed and his wmd uncovered. Edwards, like Kerry, could then claim credit for being a tough Democrat on national…
In case you missed it, Gen. Jack Keane and Fred Kagan wrote the following in Wednesday's Washington Post: Reports on the Bush administration's efforts to craft a new strategy in Iraq often use the term "surge" but rarely define it. Estimates of the number of troops to be added in Baghdad range from…
I wanted to highlight two organizations that assist active duty service members and disabled veterans. Profiled in the Weekly Standard, Unmet Needs is a charity that helps military families facing financial difficulties. Needs.jpg In addition, I am on the board of the Wounded Warrior Project, a…
John Kerry has an op-ed in today's Washington Post pushing for a deadline for troop withdrawal from Iraq. Fred Kagan, coauthor of this Iraq report, explains in today's Sunday Times why the policy pushed by Kerry and others would lead to defeat. He writes: A decisive moment in world history is at…
(Russian obstructionism at the UN has strengthened the hardliners in Tehran, argue the editors of the Washington Post today. So far, it's win-win for Moscow and Tehran. Russia, a G-8 member, abets Iran's nuclear program, rakes in lots of cash doing so, and yet remains on a path to gain membership…
Weekly Standard contributor Max Boot goes at it with British journalist Geoffrey Wheatcroft on the topic of U.S. foreign policy on the New York Times web site. You may find the lengthy discussion here. One thing Max Boot addresses is the rampant historical amnesia on who supported the invasion of…
The failure to increase the size of the U.S. ground force post 9-11 was a mistake - one that the president is now correcting with his call for a larger Army and Marine Corps. Similarly, British Defense Secretary Des Browne says that they too "will have to consider increasing the size of the army."…
From an interview with CNBC's Larry Kudlow: KUDLOW: General Haig, … Can we do this troop surge, and will a heavier footprint in Iraq work in your judgment? HAIG (Former Secretary of State Under President Reagan): Well, I think the consequence of not having it has got to be considered. And, you…
"A close aide to the British commander of NATO troops in Afghanistan has been accused of passing secrets about activities there to Iran," reports AFP. Thursday's reports come as British-led forces struggle against fiercer than expected Taliban insurgents in the south of the country, invaded by…
From the AP: Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the rest of the Bush administration may be undecided on whether to send more troops to Iraq, but several soldiers he met with at Camp Victory here on Thursday morning here said extra forces would help. "Sir I think we need to just keep doing what…
From the Hartford Courant: "After speaking with our military commanders on the ground," he said Wednesday in an email, "I strongly believe that additional U.S. troops must be deployed to Baghdad." Lieberman, D-Conn., visited Iraq last week with a Senate delegation. He also traveled to Kuwait and…
Does Bush have more running room with Americans on Iraq than the Washington media suggest in its news coverage? Recent polls hint he may if it's part of a comprehensive new strategy to improve things on the ground in Iraq. The other day Gallup's Frank Newport discussed some interesting numbers with…
The International Herald Tribune reports on a bit of good news: In the three and a half years since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has been the spiritual custodian of Shiite political dominance here, corralling Iraq's fractious Shiite political parties into a single…
"Pentagon Cites Success Of Anti-U.S. Forces in Iraq" reads a front-page headline in today's Washington Post. "The Pentagon said yesterday that violence in Iraq soared this fall to its highest level on record," the Post reports, "and acknowledged that anti-U.S. fighters have achieved a ‘strategic…
The "scary" theme of today's piece by Richard Cohen is an old one for the Washington Post columnist. Cohen, who supported the invasion of Iraq, penned many columns on the "militant mood" that ushered Reagan into power and the "scary" policies the president pursued with the Soviets, on nuclear…
The governor made some good points on the report in this interview last week with National Review online: The members of the Iraq Study Group deserve credit for their hard work. But their recommendations read like the product of a flawed process - one more focused on reaching consensus for the sake…
Yesterday, on ABC's This Week, Gen. Jack Keane, former acting chief of staff and vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army, discussed "Choosing Victory: A Plan for Success" in Iraq. Video of the exchange Keane had with the newly elected Cong. Joe Sestak, a retired vice admiral who advocates troop…
On the heels of Sen. Reid's support for a short-term surge in U.S. forces in Iraq, Sen. Clinton said this morning that she could support a surge if it's tied to a different strategy. I am not in favor of doing that unless it's part of a larger plan…. I am not in favor of sending more troops to…
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told an audience in New Hampshire today that the "only realistic choice" we have in Iraq is to withdraw our troops. An American withdrawal won't be "pretty," he says, but fewer people will die if we "get out of the way." The only realistic choice we have is to stand…
(From today's New York Times: "Military planners and White House budget analysts have been asked to provide President Bush with options for increasing American forces in Iraq by 20,000 or more. The request indicates that the option of a major "surge" in troop strength is gaining ground as part of a…
Garry Kasparov marches in Moscow. From the BBC: The rally is being organised by former chess world champion Garry Kasparov, who has said its participants would try to avoid any possible provocations. The march is against what protesters describe as rampant corruption and a Kremlin crackdown on…
The Connecticut senator "spoke strongly in favor of a substantial troop increase, saying 'a failed state in Iraq will be a disaster for the region and the world,'" reports the NY Times news wire from Baghdad.
(Eli Lake of the NY Sun has an interesting piece today on how a surge of U.S. troops in Baghdad would play in the 2008 presidential race. McCain's been calling for more forces in Iraq since 2003. Today, he supports a surge in Baghdad. The Wall Street Journal editorial page, the National Review, the…
Gen. Jack Keane, former acting chief of staff and vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army, former Afghanistan coalition commander Lt. Gen. David Barno, officers involved with the "successful operations of the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment in Tal Afar" under the command of Col. H.R. McMaster, and…
(The Pentagon will establish a new Africa command within two months, reports Reuters.) Posted on October 16, 2006: Going back to the early 1990s, Africa has been a target for al Qaeda. Two letters, dated September 30, 1993 and May 24, 1994, captured during US military operations in Afghanistan…
From the AP: In a direct affront to the Bush administration, a Democratic senator spent an hour Wednesday with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus, emerging from the meeting to say Assad was willing to help control the Iraq-Syrian border…. "Assad clearly indicated the willingness to…
Hotline reports: It's official... AP has called TX 23. Ex-Dem Rep. Ciro Rodriguez is coming back to Congress. With 94% of precincts reporting, Rodriguez leads GOP Rep. Henry Bonilla 55-45%…. Frankly, not only is Rodriguez's victory a mild surprise (Bonilla fell just 2 points short of avoiding the…
The Washington Times columnist has an excellent piece in today's paper. He writes: [Bush's] political opponents stand triumphant, yet barren of useful guidance. Many -- if not most -- of his fellow party men and women in Washington are rapidly joining his opponents in a desperate effort to save…
From the American Forces Press Service: AL ASAD, Iraq - Even with all the debate in the U.S. over Iraq strategy, morale on the ground here is good, the commander of Multinational Force West said today. Marine Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer said that retention among Marines based in Iraq is more than 140…
That's right. You don't need glasses. Gary Schmitt and Reuel Gerecht of the American Enterprise Institute argue: Since the suburban riots last August, the perception that France is in decline has become de rigueur in French, European, and American circles. Economically, culturally, educationally,…
On April 12, 1945, Generals Eisenhower, Bradley and Patton entered Ohrdruf, a subcamp in the Buchenwald concentration camp system. Eisenhower.jpg (Eisenhower at Ohrdruf, courtesy of ushmm.org) Eisenhower then cabled Gen. George C. Marshall: The visual evidence and the verbal testimony of…
Stars and Stripes reports: U.S. troops delivering aid to Kenyan flood victims A team of American servicemembers assigned to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa has begun delivering relief supplies to areas of Kenya hit by severe flooding, the military said Monday. In all, the team of soldiers,…
("Shell is being forced by the Russian government to hand over its controlling stake in the world's biggest liquefied gas project," the Guardian reports, provoking fresh fears about the Kremlin's willingness to use the country's growing strength in natural resources as a political weapon." The…
From NY1 News: McCain Assails Iran's Nuclear Aspirations In Yeshiva Address During his address, McCain called Iran "the chief state sponsor of international terrorism." "There's only one thing worse that a military solution, and that, my friends, is a nuclear-armed Iran," McCain said. "The regime…
That was the date the UN Security Council gave Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment activities or else. But it's been nearly 4 months, and there's little evidence the "or else" will amount to much anytime soon. And with the release of the Iraq Survey Group's report, Tehran has dug in its nuclear…
From the current Weekly Standard: "Among the many intelligent and forceful criticisms of the meretricious Baker-Hamilton report, THE SCRAPBOOK's favorites have been from soldiers, ranging from lieutenant colonels to sergeants…. First, listen to T.F. Boggs (check out his blog), a 24-year-old…
Sen. Lieberman on the passing of the Amb. Jeane Kirkpatrick: America has lost a clarion voice for freedom. Ambassador Kirkpatrick was a genuine patriot who played a critical role in liberty's triumph over totalitarianism in the Cold War. Ambassador Kirkpatrick profoundly understood that ideas have…
Gen. Zinni, Gen. Keane, Sen. McCain and many others want to surge forces in the Baghdad area, preferably by increasing overall troop levels in Iraq, not by pulling forces out of Anbar. One reason may be reports like this this from the AP: But as the White House faces calls to revisit its Iraq…
From today's Wall Street Journal: Senior military officials are betting that larger U.S. military training teams that would live and work with Iraqi units could speed the development of an Iraqi army force that has shown some promise, but is still bedeviled by corruption, absenteeism and logistical…
From AFP: MOSCOW - Russian prosecutors said they were opening their own murder inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko as a funeral was held for the former Russian spy at a central London mosque. A spate of new poisonings added further intrigue to the affair, including that of a private…
In its report, the ISG concludes: The ability of the United States to shape outcomes is diminishing. Time is running out. But as Frederick Kagan explains in today's New York Daily News, the ISG's plan is based on time "we don't have." He writes: Yet the Baker Report devotes scant space (8 pages out…
There was a lot of backslapping and talk of "consensus" yesterday when the ISG members held their press conference. But evidently some of the retired military officers who advised the panel disagree with the report's primary security recommendation. The NYT's Michael Gordon reports: By the first…
On page 1, the report states: The Iraqi people have a democratically elected government that is broadly representative of Iraq's population, yet the government is not adequately advancing national reconciliation, providing basic security, or delivering essential services. The level of violence is…
On page 37-38: Because of the importance of Iraq, the potential for catastrophe, and the role and commitments of the United States in initiating events that have led to the current situation, we believe it would be wrong for the United States to abandon the country through a precipitate withdrawal…
(A reader emails: "on the military front, they looked at an increase of 100K to 200K and - surprise! - found that it would be hard to sustain. By inflating the numbers they took it off the board.) From page 73: Because of the importance of Iraq to our regional security goals and to our ongoing…
Newsweek reports: In a surprise twist in the debate over Iraq, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, the soon-to-be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he wants to see an increase of 20,000 to 30,000 U.S. troops as part of a stepped up effort to "dismantle the militias." Like Reyes, McCain also has…
Mort Zuckerman of US News asks, "What's the most dangerous geopolitical development in the 21st century?" The answer: "Iran's emergence as the Middle East regional superpower. Why? Because it places the center of the world's increasingly stretched energy resources more and more under the influence…
Yesterday on Fox News, the president said he'd review the Baker-Hamilton recommendations on Iraq but he also added: "More importantly, when it comes to military matters, I want to listen to the military, to come up with a way of achieving our objective quicker. And so this is an important period."…
(It won't happen, but I'll say it again anyway.) Posted on November 15, 2006: If John Bolton decides to bow out of the UN post because of continued Democratic opposition to his confirmation, the president should seriously consider former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson for the job. Like Bolton,…
Two pieces worth a read: Jeff Jacoby's "Fighting to win in Iraq" and Mark Steyn's "Iraq is just test of will for America."
Syria keeps arming Hezbollah. From Reuters: The United Nations has documented 13 incidents of illegal weapons in southern Lebanon since early September, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Friday, calling Beirut's border monitoring deficient. U.N. Security Council resolutions have called on…
(Andrew Sullivan reacts to my Rumsfeld post. He writes: "The president refused. Where we are is not Rumsfeld's responsibility. It's Bush's. He's the president. It's been his non-strategy all along. And yet the WS did nothing but back him, lionize him and enable him." Come again. From an April 26,…
From the New York Times: Senator John Cornyn, a Republican member of the Armed Services Committee from Texas, said he believed that it would be necessary to send tens of thousands more troops to Iraq in the short term to stabilize Baghdad and control the sectarian militias that were killing one…
Democrats ran under the "Bring the Troops Home" banner, but they now expect Republicans to concede defeat along with them. According to today's Christian Science Monitor, After winning back control of the House and Senate largely on the basis of opposition to the war in Iraq, Democrats are ramping…
It's worth remembering as we consider the consequences of exiting Iraq along the lines advocated by some Washington politicians. "The first stage," Zawahiri wrote in his July 2005 letter to Zarqawi, is to "expel the Americans from Iraq." He also counseled Zarqawi to be prepared: [T]hings may…
(The assassin speaks. From the AP: "Syrian President Bashar Assad said Wednesday his country will continue to challenge U.S. efforts to exert control over the Middle East, sounding a defiant tone ahead of President Bush's arrival in the region for talks on Iraq. 'Colonialism has not ended. In the…
CNN reports today: Pelosi 'sad' over Bush's Iraq representation WASHINGTON -- House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said Tuesday she feels "sad" President Bush blamed insurgent violence on al Qaeda while he dismissed notions Iraq is in a civil war. "My thoughts on the president's…
Will the Baker-Hamilton Commission endorse the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq on a hard timetable? That's highly unlikely. The president has flatly rejected withdrawal timetables, so it's hard to believe Sec. Baker would go along with such a recommendation for this reason alone. What about…
Newt weighs in on the Iraq commission here.
I'm confident the Iranian regime will act even more responsibly if it manages to acquire nuclear weapons. From today's New York Times: A senior American intelligence official said Monday that the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah had been training members of the Mahdi Army, the Iraqi Shiite militia…
Have Rep. Tom Tancredo face off against Mark Udall for the Allard seat. From the Denver Post: The buzz in U.S. Senate circles is that Wayne Allard might honor his pledge to serve just two terms and retire to that new home he and his wife, Joan, are building in Jackson County…. Allard is in the…
A few weeks ago, I noted that Tehran would likely demand that in exchange for its "cooperation" in Iraq the U.S. must stop pushing for punitive action against them on the Security Council. Guess what? On Sunday, the AP reports, Ahmadinejad said that "he would help the United States bring calm to…
This (free sub. req'd) quote -- "Rumsfeld is being vilified for our fate in Iraq. He does not get enough credit for dragging the DOD, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century" -- from the former undersecretary of defense in yesterday's Miami Herald reminds me of what Marion Barry, then mayor of…
I have to wonder what exactly the president got out of his stopover in Moscow on his way to the APEC summit a little over a week ago. He traveled well out of his way to chat with Putin. Since then, and despite our objections, the Kremlin has gone ahead with the delivery of an air-defense system to…
Evidently, the world soccer federation is a tougher outfit than the UN Security Council. From the AP: ZURICH, Switzerland - Iran was suspended from international soccer by FIFA on Thursday because of government interference with the country's soccer federation. The decision was made Wednesday at an…
On this day, I wanted to highlight two organizations that assist active duty service members and disabled veterans. Profiled in the Weekly Standard, Unmet Needs is a charity that helps military families facing financial difficulties. Needs.jpg In addition, I am on the board of the Wounded Warrior…
The biannual Top500 supercomputers list is out. IBM retains the top spot with its BlueGene system at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. BlueGene's performance comes in at 280.6 trillion calculations per second. Of the ten most powerful supercomputers in the world, seven are in the U.S. with…
The Connecticut senator made some blunt comments last night on Fox News' Hannity and Colmes: HANNITY: [I]f Barack Obama and Senator Levin want to cut and run [from Iraq]? Are you going to stand in strong opposition to them? LIEBERMAN: You bet I am. I mean, they're now proposing that we begin a…
(Darn. The conspiracy has been exposed.) It's no surprise that Senator Lieberman has tapped Marshall Wittmann of the Democratic Leadership Council to be his communications director and informal political advisor. During the campaign, Wittmann, a registered Independent, frequently battled the…
(From Reuters: "Anti-Syrian Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said on Wednesday he expected more assassinations of ministers and members of parliament aimed at undermining the ruling majority. 'We have to expect, and this is my impression unfortunately, more assassinations of ministers and…
Gov. Romney's interview with the Washington Examiner is interesting not for his direct attack on Sen. McCain, one of the few politicians who has actually exhibited leadership on the Iraq War, but this statement: "I'm a conservative Republican, there's no question about that…. I'm at a different…
From the Sunday Telegraph: Ayatollah who backs suicide bombs aims to be Iran's next spiritual leader An ultra-conservative Iranian cleric who opposes all dialogue with the West is a frontrunner to become the country's next supreme spiritual leader. In a move that would push Iran even further into…
(The Washington Post reports: "British police are investigating the poisoning of a former Russian spy and outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin and have placed him under protective guard at a London hospital…. Alexander Litvinenko, 43, began vomiting shortly after he had lunch on Nov. 1…
Here's a big thing many Americans wouldn't expect early on from Democrats: passing legislation to substantially enlarge the ground force. The Democratic leadership would enjoy strong bipartisan support for something that should have been done years ago. Just how bipartisan? Well, consider today's…
Gingrich on Fox News Sunday: WALLACE: You say Mitt Romney. McCain started an exploratory committee this week. Thirty seconds: Are you going to do the same? GINGRICH: No. We have a program called American Solutions we're working on. And in September of next year, I'll be glad to come back and talk…
In a speech yesterday, Gen. John Abizaid was quite blunt in assessing the threat posed by Islamic radicalism. He also questioned whether the West has the will necessary to confront it now before a broader war erupts. From Reuters: The top U.S. general in the Middle East said on Friday that if the…
Weighing in at 364 pages, the Rand Corporation has just released a two-part study, "Beyond Al Qaeda." Al Qaeda espouses a "global revolutionary creed" with an "ideology that is radical and Islamist at its core, but also borrows from 20th century Western totalitarian traditions." Its goals, Rand…
This is a strange story first reported on ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) radio: US authorities have uncovered a plot to set up a flight training school in the Pacific nation of Kiribati and suspect the man behind it may have had links to September 11 mastermind Mohammed Atta. Since the…
The AP reports that "House Democrats have chosen Rep. Steny Hoyer as House majority leader, the No. 2 leadership post." Democrats showed some sense on this. Murtha would have been a disaster for the Democrats, though good for the media. With Lieberman's big victory and now Murtha's trouncing, the…
Despite the comments of Rep. Pelosi ("The war on terror is the war in Afghanistan") and DNC chair Howard Dean (Afghanistan "is where the fight on terror is."), the Global War on Terror is, in fact, global. Today's New York Times reports: More than 700 Islamic militants from Somalia traveled to…
Its significance was on display at yesterday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. From today's New York Times: But no sooner had Mr. Levin outlined his case for a phased pullout of troops beginning in four to six months than the new Independent Democratic hero of the hawkish wing, Senator…
His comments on immigration, the party leadership races, and 2008 may be found here.
If John Bolton decides to bow out of the UN post because of continued Democratic opposition to his confirmation, the president should seriously consider former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson for the job. Like Bolton, he's tough, well versed in national security, extremely articulate and would be a…
During the past year, senior Democrats have often cited the remarks of Gen. Zinni and Gen. Batiste, in particular, in their attacks on the administration's conduct of the war. But I doubt they'll be citing them anymore -- or these officers for that matter. Zinni wants more forces in Iraq, and…
From the Islamic Republic News Agency: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here Tuesday referred to Iran's peaceful nuclear activities as the most complicated challenge in the country's diplomacy, saying time is running in Iran's favor in this respect. "The greatest and most complicated challenge in the…
From AFP: Lebanon's Western-backed cabinet is facing a deep crisis as pro-Syrian opponents called for a change of government after it adopted a UN plan to try suspects in former premier Rafiq Hariri's murder. Despite the resignations of six pro-Syrian ministers, the cabinet on Monday approved the…
Last January, the Kremlin cut off gas supplies to the Ukraine to punish Kiev. Earlier this month, the AP reported that Gazprom "would more than double the price of gas for Georgia," a struggling pro-Western democracy. Now, the Financial Times reports: A confidential study by Nato economics experts,…
The DNC head released this statement the other day on the resignation of Secretary Rumsfeld: I am glad that President Bush has finally listened to the growing chorus of retired Generals, civilian leaders and Democrats who long ago called for Secretary Rumsfeld's resignation. This is a good first…
Rudy hasn't wavered in his support for stronger border security plus broader immigration reform. From the Times Leader (PA): He recommended that political leaders "do immigration reform" before the 2008 Presidential election cycle begins because it should be easy for both sides to agree on such…
First Jane Harman feels the wrath of the new speaker and now Steny Hoyer. Pelosi is backing Jack Murtha for majority leader because of the boost he gave the Democratic faithful by calling for the rapid withdrawal of troops from Iraq and his "strong voice for national security." Murtha first called…
Some highlights from the senator's appearance on Meet the Press today: On the election: MCCAIN: That we Republicans have lost our way, that we came to Washington to change government and government changed us. The spending, the ethics, the massive programs such as Medicare prescription drug…
Feingold bows out for 2008. Will the anti-war left give in to Hillary or now push for a Gore candidacy to challenge the aura of inevitability surrounding the New York senator?
On this Veterans Day, I wanted to highlight two organizations that assist active duty service members and disabled veterans. Profiled in the Weekly Standard, Unmet Needs is a charity that helps military families facing financial difficulties. Needs.jpg In addition, I am on the board of the Wounded…
From the AP: North Korean television Friday carried a report on the U.S. midterm election, saying the Republican Party suffered a ''crushing defeat'' and claiming that President Bush fired his defense secretary in its wake. The unusually quick response, carried on the North's Korean Central…
In between victory laps around D.C., the incoming Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid may want to release a joint statement that American will is not "teetering" in Iraq and that al Qaeda terrorists in Iraq will be defeated. Our enemies haven't gone away. From Reuters: An alliance of Sunni…
This brief post-election blurb, which I comment on here, has been updated with a longer commentary on why the GOP lost on Tuesday. It's McCain's fault, you see. Of course, the fact that you have to read several paragraphs in before Iraq is even mentioned, and then only in the context of the…
(The Wall Street Journal reports: "GINGRICH EMERGES as top conservative prospect for Republican 2008 field. Ebbing fortunes of Santorum, Allen and Frist leave opening for architect of Republicans' 1994 sweep. Gingrich faults Bush for "very disturbing" post-election news conference, saying earlier…
Over at TCS Daily, J. Peter Pham of James Madison University and George Mason's Michael I. Krauss weigh in on the pending Democratic control of the House Intelligence Committee.
The editors of the Wall Street Journal cut to the chase today on Democrats and Iraq. They write: The biggest question mark, and responsibility, for Democrats is on Iraq and the war on terror. They could do themselves and the country much good by working with Mr. Bush on a strategy toward achieving…
From AP: After battling, Panama wins seat on U.N. Security Council Panama got 164 votes in the 192-member U.N. General Assembly, more than the 120 needed to win the two-year term starting January 1. Venezuela got 11 votes, Guatemala 4 votes, and Barbados 1 vote.
Here's a novel take on the election results that I couldn't disagree with more. And here's an alternative view: Burns lost because of Jack Abramoff. Chaffee lost because heavily Democratic R.I. loathes the GOP national leadership. Corruption has hollowed out the Ohio GOP, which, in turn, impacted…
(The claim that the president and the Senate supported an immigration "amnesty" bill was always bogus, but that didn't stop some Republicans from making that canard the centerpiece of their campaigns. The three most vocal House candidates to do so - in Colorado-7, Arizona-5 and Arizona-8 - lost,…
Lieberman wins, and he did so without compromising his position on Iraq. Indeed, he defended it. I know some Democratic strategists were privately advising him to trim his support for the war. He ignored them. Good for Joe.
Apparently, Tehran's "art exhibition" was quite a success. From the Islamic Republic News Agency: The International Holocaust Exhibition was held at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art on Wednesday November 1 and was warmly welcomed by Iranian and foreign artists…. Twelve caricaturists were…
The evidence that we never had enough post-invasion troops in Iraq is overwhelming (see here) -- and, no, it isn't Monday morning quarterbacking to say it. As I have noted many times, the "more troops" chorus, though small, began in 2003, in the face of a clearly deteriorating security environment,…
(With the opposition splintered, an Ortega victory seems likely according to preliminary results today. If he wins, will President Ortega keep some distance from Chavez or embrace him? Will President Ortega keep his campaign promises or will he go back to his old socialist, anti-American ways?)…
"Soldiers in Iraq Say Pullout Would Have Devastating Results," is the headline on page A-13 of today's Washington Post. Do you think the Post's editors would have splashed this piece on the front page had these troops embraced plans for large-scale "redeployments" out of Iraq? The reality is most…
(With Hussein's death sentence for ordering the murder of 148 Shiites in the town of Dubail in the early 1980s, it's unclear whether his other trial will continue.) Posted on August 21, 2006: Saddam's second trial begins today. This time for genocide (see here for info. on Camp Slayer), as the New…
Senator Mel Martinez of Florida said that it would not the other day on Fox News: I believe that cutting and running from a difficult endeavor is not a way to strengthen our military, but a way to weaken it. Martinez was referring to the "strategic redeployment" plan advocated by many senior…
I'm skeptical, but let's hope. Via Hotline blog: Pew is out with their final pre-election poll and just like the ABC/Wash. Post poll, Pew shows Republicans with momentum. In the generic ballot, Dems lead by just 4 points. More importantly, the GOP has made significant cuts into the Dems once…
The History Channel notes that on this day in 1979: Student followers of the Ayatollah Khomeini send shock waves across America when they storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The radical Islamic fundamentalists took 90 hostages. The students were enraged that the deposed Shah had been allowed to enter…
(On October 2, 2006, I wrote: "Last January, the Kremlin cut off gas supplies to the Ukraine to punish Kiev. Is Tbilisi next?" Evidently, it's approaching that line. The AP today reports: "Russia's state-controlled natural-gas monopoly [Gazprom] said it would more than double the price of gas for…
(Since the media is focused on Saddam's nuclear weapons program and Iran's ongoing one, I dusted off this post from last month.) Today's New York Times reports: "The United States and three European allies have given Russia and China a draft text for a Security Council resolution against Iran's…
This piece in today's New York Times notes that Saddam was "as little as a year away" from getting a nuclear weapon. He was that close, as I have noted before. But while I'm no fan of how the Times often frames news stories, it's pretty clear the reporter is referring to 1991 - the year inspectors…
In an editorial today, "STRAIGHT TALK ON THE ARMY." the editors of the New York Post write: Sen. John McCain of Arizona wants more troops. Both in Iraq - and for the Army and Marine Corps generally. McCain is poised for a presidential bid in '08, so there's a bit of political risk to his proposal.…
(CNN just released a presidential preference poll for '08. They note: "On the Republican side, there is a virtual tie for first place, with 29 percent of registered GOPers expressing preference for Giuliani and 27 percent opting for McCain. McCain has picked up 6 points of support since September,…
Reuters reports that Beijing is being its usual helpful self on Darfur. Sudan must first agree before any United Nations peacekeeping force enters its war-wracked Darfur region, China said on Thursday, as its President Hu Jintao met the president of the African state. Beijing is hosting dozens of…
Reuters reports that Beijing is being its usual helpful self on Darfur. Sudan must first agree before any United Nations peacekeeping force enters its war-wracked Darfur region, China said on Thursday, as its President Hu Jintao met the president of the African state. Beijing is hosting dozens of…
The most powerful military alliance in the world can't muster any more troops for its ground commander? From AFP: NATO troops in Afghanistan are insufficient to guarantee a swift victory for coalition troops there, the organisation's commander in the Asian country said in interviews for the British…
Today's Financial Times has an interesting piece on Moqtada al-Sadr, who Powell advised dealing with long ago, and the Mahdi militia: Mr Sadr's movement probably began to splinter in late 2004, when he called off an insurrection against US and British troops. It appears to have disintegrated even…
The veterans group released the following statement: Vets for Freedom, America's largest nonpartisan orgaization representing the active duty troops and veterans of the War on Terror, called for an apology from Senator John Kerry for his remarks belittling U.S. troops. In a campaign stop in…
George Will writes in today's Washington Post: Yet with Allen much diminished and perhaps out of contention, and with Rudy Giuliani not yet doing serious groundwork for a national campaign, the Republican field is already down to two. That is good for only one of them: Romney. But what about Newt…
The nation's largest veterans organization, The American Legion, released the following statement a short time ago: American Legion to Sen. Kerry: Apologize Now INDIANAPOLIS, October 31, 2006 - The National Commander of The American Legion called on Sen. John Kerry to apologize for suggesting that…
Sen. McCain released the following statement today in response to Sen. John Kerry's patronizing remarks on Monday: Senator Kerry owes an apology to the many thousands of Americans serving in Iraq, who answered their country's call because they are patriots and not because of any deficiencies in…
Given the Security Council's routine dithering, it's good to see the Bush administration steadily building a parallel and flexible structure to deal with threats rather than just debate them at Turtle Bay. On Monday, the New York Times reports, more than two dozen countries, including three gulf…
It's no secret that a Giuliani presidential run would complicate McCain's primary strategy just as a Gingrich candidacy would complicate Romney's. Giuliani has obvious strength with independent voters, and he can be very tough on the Democrats. Because he's not a fan of the liberal media…
(Did some checking. It won't happen.) The Washington Post's Kathleen Parker told NBC's Chris Matthews on Sunday that RNC Chair Ken Mehlman "is going to be leaving the National Republican Committee, possibly heading over to the Giuliani camp." That would be big news.
Sen. John Kerry recently claimed on ABC's This Week: "Our own generals tell us the solution in Iraq is not military. If it's not military, don't talk as John McCain does, about putting more troops in…. Talk about how you resolve the political and diplomatic dilemma and sectarian dilemma between…
The Kremlin hasn't been too interested in slapping stiff sanctions on Iran over its rogue nuclear program. On the Security Council, Russia, with an assist from China, has acted more like defense counsel for Tehran than a responsible member of the international community seeking to stem nuclear…
Politicalmoneyline.com reports that Democratic Senate candidate Ned Lamont has tapped his trust fund again and donated another "$2 million … to his campaign committee, raising his General Election contributions to $8,750,000. This is in addition to the $4,001,500 he contributed to his primary…
Don't be surprised to see former Majority Leader Dick Armey on the debate stage, perhaps in South Carolina this May. Armey knows full well he won't win the nomination. But, as one knowledgeable source told me, he is seriously considering jumping in for the national exposure and for the chance to…
A few weeks back, Senator Clinton and Senator McCain got in a tussle over the Clinton administration's 1994 Agreed Framework with North Korea. Sen. Clinton said the Framework was a policy success and a lesson for how to deal with Pyongyang. McCain called it a "failure" and something we shouldn't…
The Henry Jackson Society has released an open letter "on the crisis in Darfur, signed by fifty-five politicians, opinion formers, academics and journalists, to both raise awareness of this pressing moral and strategic issue, and call on the international community to end ethnic cleansing in…
From the AP: A Danish court rejected a lawsuit Thursday against the newspaper that first printed the controversial Prophet Muhammad cartoons. Arab politicians and intellectuals warned the verdict would widen the gap between Westerners and Muslims, but said mass protests were unlikely…. The court…
Today's New York Times reports: "The United States and three European allies have given Russia and China a draft text for a Security Council resolution against Iran's nuclear program. The proposal includes the extraordinary step of preventing Iranian students from studying nuclear physics at…
From the Los Angeles Times (sub. req'd): U.S. officials, apparently caught off guard by the Saudi government's recent release of more than two dozen former Guantanamo Bay prisoners, are voicing fears that the men will join the camp of violent extremist groups. The Saudis released the 29 men from…
The former Democratic senator from Nebraska, Bob Kerrey, understands why the John Kerry-endorsed Ned Lamont must be defeated. He is campaigning with Joe Lieberman today in Connecticut. Kerrey is a member of "Dems for Joe," a band of Democrats who haven't bailed on Joe. The group includes former…
The American Enterprise Institute's Frederick Kagan on... our responsibility in Iraq: Both honor and our vital national interest require establishing conditions in Iraq that will allow the government to consolidate and maintain civil peace and good governance. It doesn't matter how many "trained…
Australian Prime Minister John Howard hasn't shied away from speaking out on the global intimation campaign against free speech. He's also not about to run away from Iraq, and he understands the consequences of defeat. Prime Minister John Howard said Wednesday the Iraq mission was not easy, "but we…
Phillip Carter, who served with the 101st Airborne in Iraq, has an interesting piece, "The Thin Green Line," in Slate. He argues precisely against the kind of "over-the-horizon" troop redeployment advocated by many senior Democrats. Some highlights: Despite having 140,000 troops in Iraq, our…
From AFP: Fear of the spread of Islam in non-Muslim countries motivates attacks on Muslims in the West, the imam of Islam's holiest shrine has told worshippers celebrating Eid al-Fitr feast. "Did you wonder why this issue is raised every now and then?" Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid, who also heads the…
For all her talk about changing the tone in Washington, Rep. Pelosi evidently wants to inject more partisanship into the House Intelligence Committee. Today's New York Times reports that a Speaker Pelosi would not appoint Rep. Jane Harman to chair the committee. Why? It isn't because Harmon isn't…
Senator Clinton is a very shrewd politician. She's trying to pull off the nearly impossible: be tough on national security while not alienating too many Democratic primary voters. Her latest two-step is on the terror detainee bill. She opposed the bill and drew wild applause from the Left with this…
Rather than engage in this nonsense, the RNC should take the advice of former Clintonite Dick Morris in today's New York Post: Here's one possible ad: We see and hear a wiretapped conversation, with a terrorist revealing his worst plans to his associate - and, inadvertently, to government…
("Iran is expanding its uranium enrichment program," reports the AP, "even as the U.N. Security Council focuses on possible sanctions for its defiance of a demand to give up the activity and ease fears it seeks nuclear weapons….") USA Today has a good editorial on Russian complicity in Iran's…
The Associated Press reports: 43 French bag handlers denied clearance Authorities rescinded the security clearance of 43 baggage handlers at France's main international airport due to suspicions they were connected with radical organizations, a top government minister said Saturday…. "I cannot…
(From today's LA Times: "The option of regionalizing the effort -- with the help of Iran and Syria -- appears to have the support of former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, the Iraq Study Group co-chairman. The senior U.S. official said that such an approach would require Washington to set…
Here's the latest RNC campaign ad and the DNC's response.
From the Associated Press: A controversial U.S. military propaganda program used in the Iraq war was legal, a Pentagon investigation has found. The Defense Department inspector general's report said laws on psychological operations were followed when the military planted and paid for favorable…
Here's a taste of what Chris Matthews had to say the other night to a college audience at Iowa State: MATTHEWS: How many in this room believe in the war in Iraq from beginning to now, support the war in its full reality? The senator is one of those. Who else agrees with him? Stand up. Stand up,…
Via Hotline blog: Entertainment Weekly: So is there any conceivable possibility in the modern world for the assertion of conventional heroism? EASTWOOD: I don't see it right now. I certainly don't see any politician that's a hero in any party anywhere. I think John McCain did something that I don't…
Today's New York Times has an interesting piece on North Korea's history of proliferating weapons and related material by registering its ships under foreign flags. It also shows how critical it is that Beijing aggressively inspect North Korean shipments coming across the Chinese border. Beijing's…
In July, I noted the following: If the world flinches and the Iranian regime is allowed to move forward with its nuclear weapons plans, does anyone honestly believe the Israelis won't act at some point to stop or degrade Tehran's ability to produce a bomb - even if it takes weeks to do it? I doubt…
Putin's efforts to destabilize the Republic of Georgia, a pro-Western democracy, continue. The Associated Press reports that Russian sanctions have effectively severed the Caucasus nation from its biggest market and supplier. Transport and postal links are suspended. Russian canned foods, cooking…
Secretary of State Rice told a news conference held today in Seoul: I hope it (China) has been successful in saying to North Korea that there is really only one path, which is denuclearization and dismantlement of its programs. But there's another path Pyongyang may be eyeing: pop off a few more…
The media have been waiting for an Iraqi "Tet" for a while. In October 2004, dozens of news stories talked about the enemy's Tet strategy in Iraq. Attacks did spike before the presidential election, but not enough to derail Bush's victory. Now, the Tet talk is back with the president's latest…
From AFP: Islamic extremists "viewed 7/7 (the July 7, 2005 suicide attacks on London's transport network) as just the beginning," an unnamed senior source said…. Britain is seen as an easier threat for Al-Qaeda than many other countries because of its historic links with Pakistan, with tens of…
Here are two pieces on Khartoum's support for the Arab militias that are brutalizing the people of Darfur. A defector tells the BBC that the Janjaweed take orders directly from the Sudanese government. "The Janjaweed don't make decisions. The orders always come from the government," he said. "They…
Remember the Afghan man who faced execution because he converted to Christianity? Well, radical Islamists what him back presumably so they can kill him. And if the Italian government doesn't hand him over, the group says they'll murder the Italian journalist they've kidnapped. Disgusting. From AFP:…
Max Boot, author of War Made New: Technology, Warfare, and the Course of History: 1500 to Today, writes in Wednesday's Los Angeles Times (reg. req'd): OF THE MANY failures that have bedeviled the American military effort in Iraq, few are as inexplicable and costly as the failure to commit more…
Following today's signing ceremony for the Military Commissions Act of 2006, a close friend and top-notch lawyer emails: Any challenge to this law will be forum shopped--most likely in San Francisco or perhaps in Michigan somewhere. It will likely be overturned at the District Court level and then…
Today's Los Angeles Times reports: The former secretary of State, who was a longtime aide to former President George H.W. Bush, also said he favored reaching out to Iran and Syria. "I personally believe in talking to your enemies," [Secretary James Baker] said. "Neither the Syrians nor the Iranians…
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