Obama – 1st 50 days – foreign policy

I have been pretty silent for the last week or so due to to much going on at work and home to have time to blog.

Since today is 50 days since Inauguration and everyone is talking domestic policy when the president has the most impact on foreign policy since Congress has limited involvement. I have been reviewing the news about US foreign policy to see what has changed since inauguration day.

Russia rejects US missile defense despite the article saying that a 18 year old treaty will be reworked, if the US drops the plan put missile defense in eastern Europe that is a Russia diplomatic win and a US/NATO loss.

The new administration talks down our relationship with England. Obama, Brown: Isn’t that special The greatest friend that America has in the world, tell them they are not that important.
From townhall.com

The results of the Canada visit were not as publicly catastrophic as some pre-meeting announced stated they could be. I guess it is a plus if the expectation were low and the results were that it was better. Obama’s Canada Visit Spotlights NAFTA

Ahmadinejad: Iran welcomes Obama overtures. The Iranian president is happy that the Obama administration wants to talk and will result in delays of any action against Iran for violating international treaties.

North Korea – U.S. Wants ‘Dialogue’ With North Korea, Urges End to Rhetoric . Letting Kim Jong Il become relevant again with the talks about long range missile testing.

Afghanistan – put in 17,000 troops when 30,000 are requested. Nothing like second guessing the generals on the ground and negotiating with the Enemy.
Obama says US is losing war in Afghanistan and hints at Taleban talks

Iraq – Follow the Bush administration plan on Iraq Withdraw.

My summary:
Make long time friends upset, kowtow to rivals and let low level dictators runs roughshod over American and world security interests.

I hope that the current administration can make all these long shot hopes come true lust like a lot like the domestic policies of high risk, high return and hope everything goes fine.

A scary time we live in.

Why stop the prosecution of terrorist leader for US Cole attack?

I would like to here more publicly about the reasoning behind the failure to continue the prosecution for Saudi national Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.

Why isn’t the left all up in arms about having this person imprisoned by Obama with no charges pending.

BEGGING FOR TERROR

……….
Nashiri remains in custody, but for how long is anybody’s guess.
Even Obama was at a loss yesterday as to what happens next. Meeting at the White House with the families of 9/11 and Cole bombing victims, Obama called Nashiri an “evil man” who “will be charged.”
For sure?
Obama has ordered a review of all Gitmo cases, to be finished within six months. Then something legalistic will happen – for better or for worse.
Unhappily, the president buys into the misguided notion that terrorists present a law-enforcement challenge.
They don’t.
By definition, terrorists operate outside the protections of the Geneva Conventions and international law. Those not shot down on the spot need to be dumped in distant holding pens and left to molder until even their own mothers have forgotten them.
To be sure, the Bush administration allowed itself to be hectored into treating terrorists essentially as criminals – hence the trial Obama interrupted.
But as wrongheaded as the Bush policy might have been, dropping charges against Nashiri is even worse.
For one thing, it paints a target on every warship in the US Navy – putting at risk every one of 56,253 sailors and 6,600 Marines now deployed aboard ship overseas.
And that’s just for starters.
Terrorists are emboldened by indecision and irresolution – precisely the qualities animating the decision to stand down the Nashiri case and to embrace the Gitmo hand-wringers.
Close the detention camp?
Yes, Obama has ordered just that.
But, as a wise New York City sanitation commissioner once upon a time said, “You can’t pick up the garbage if you’ve got no place to put it down.”
The terrorists know weakness when they see it. Count on it.

As I said on Inauguration day a few weeks, ago, keep Americans safe, it is now your job, anything less is a failed administration no matter what else happens.

Obama Administration – Treasury Secretary

Even before the administration has official started they are making it to easy to find dishonesty.

Geithner (Treasury Secretary in waiting)smartest financial genius in the room based on what is being said about him first made the honest mistake of not paying is social security taxes until he was caught in an audit. Then after the press conference announcing his appointment he decided he needed to pay his social security taxes for years he was not audited.

All of this was an honest mistake according to Obama.

Now it comes out that he did have the honest mistake of not paying is social security but he was smart enough to file the paper working asking for IMF re-reimbursement for the which is a common mistake according to the Obama administration.

Change we can believe in.

Obama Administration and Homeland Security

The release of the Homeland security estimate for the next 5 years occurred recently.

One Team, One Mission, Securing Our Homeland

Based on some articles about this document, the outlook is potentially pretty dim for a secure America.
Homeland Security forecasts 5-year terror threats

Intel report: Hizbullah may strike in US

The incoming administration has a high bar to reach, no attacks on the mainland US since 9-11-01. 7+ years. I hope Obama and his team take this report and the threats against America seriously.

Based on this report out of the UK that the Bush administration is spending lots of time showing the Obama team the ropes.

Obama team will get crisis training to prepare for terrorist attacks

Ken Wainstein, President Bush’s adviser on homeland security, told reporters the “tabletop exercises” for incoming cabinet officials were part of an initiative by Bush to ensure the US does not drop its guard during the first post-9/11 transition of power.

Preparing for Obama’s takeover on 20 January has become an overriding preoccupation of both camps. Bush has pledged repeatedly to ensure a smooth handover. “We care about [Obama],” he told CNN this week. “We want him to be successful, and we want the transition to work.” The Obama camp has praised the Bush administration for its co-operation.

White House officials yesterday cast those efforts as part of Bush’s mission to leave America safer than it was at the time of the 9/11 attacks.

I think the historians will finally admit Bush did bring try to reach across the isle continually which cost him lots of support from his base.

The one bright sport of the Bush administration is that they have given the impression that protecting the homeland is their number one job. I just wish they would have been stronger on the boarder enforcement.

America’s Ingenuity at its best – Reagan was Right

If an America can read this and not be proud that this is a good use of our tax dollars I fell bad for them. This is a great technology achievement that is putting America years ahead of anyone in the world.

ABL YAL 1A Airborne Laser, USA

Missile Defense Takes Off

Reagan was right as President in the 80s. It may take 20+ years for SDI to be functional but it is worth the cost for the defense of America.
President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative Proposal 25 Years Later: A Better Path Chosen&lt

This in conjunction with the naval success in February shooting down the falling satellite proves how far ahead of his time Reagan was as president.

I just hope that the new administration and the current democratic congressional leaders do not totally gut the defense department spending on these projects since they are vital to America’s long term security.

Looking for good news to write about

I have been trying to find something positive to write about in the news today.

Here is what I have read about
Iran getting the Bomb

Ford wants 9 billion, Gm 18 billion

India wants suspecst from Pakistan

One question that Indian leaders may well raise with Ms Rice is why the US expects India to take a measured and controlled response to the Mumbai attacks, given the US has had a policy for some time of launching direct military strikes against core members of al-Qaeda in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
Some western diplomats believe India could argue that it, too, should take similar action against terrorist groups within Pakistan, given the threat they pose to India’s national security.

Media talking about the GOP in the 2012 election
Here

and here

Iran is going nuclear and we are going to talk to them, GM and Ford want access to 27 billion dollars of taxpayer money and will probably get it, and India and Pakistan may go to war again and the media wants to talk about a presidential primary in January of 2012.

I am glad I went for a walk with my wife and dog after work since I got some fresh air and cleared my head before I started reading this depressing news. My simple life is very good and if the “leaders” of the world decide it is time for everyone to blow each other up, oh well. I tried to be a good person.

US has won in Iraq, NY Times says so

About time the media admits Patreaus with the will power of Bush behind him despite the help from Congress the last 2 years has resulted in a victory for America.

I wonder if the democrats will stop playing politics with the war now? Will Obama admit he was wwwwwwwrong?

Pact, Approved in Iraq, Sets Time for U.S. Pullout

“This vote shows that the Iraqis have figured out how to stand up for themselves, to Iran and to the U.S.,” said Michael E. O’Hanlon, a specialist on Iraq at the Brookings Institution. “They will have stared in the face at the various options and concluded that none are ideal, but the best for their security is an amount of ongoing but finite American cooperation, while also indicating their strong desire to run their own country on their own as soon as possible.”