Bolton Speaks out to London Times

The Sunday Times January 14, 2007

Ousted Bolton puts world to rights
Sarah Baxter, Washington

As America’s ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton was no tame diplomat. Armed with his feared red pen, ready to strike out waffling resolutions, he was an able and aggressive defender of US interests, but he often had to uphold policies with which he was not in tune.

“To the great chagrin of many people, I followed my instructions at the UN,” he said in his first newspaper interview since relinquishing his post. He is a free man now and eager to have his say. Bolton engaged in tortuous negotiations over sanctions for Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programmes with little confidence they would work.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2546055,00.html

Here We Go Again and Again and Again and...

(WORK IN PROGRESS - INCOMPLETE ROUGH DRAFT)

It's Coming back to Israel

Here we go again except this time, the stakes are higher than ever and it might have to stick.

The Middle East is in chaos. Civil War between Shia and Sunni's, two ancient cultures who have been at each others throats for centuries are about to drag the entire region into a civil war. Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, armed to the teeth are on the verge of taking over the region. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the remaining Arab states are preparing on the other side for the ultimate showdown. Extremists from both sides run rampid, killing without conscious along the way. So how do we avoid Middle Easter Armageddon between these two diametrically opposed tribal cultures? It's easy. Make Israel give up land!

Isn't it always deflect by blaming the Jewish State? Arab dictators from each country have been dong this through their state sponsored medias and religious partnerships through the mosques for decades. It has propped the Palestinian issue up without allowing for resolution for over fifty years. The difference this time is that the dictators are almost out of cards and the U.S. is running kind of light itself.

There are only so many coffins that can keep coming back to Arlington Cemetery. The country is extremely frustrated and has long lost patience for this war. If events keep going from bad to worse, the picture is not going to be pretty and fingers will be pointed. History can tell us where they will be aimed.

(To be continued)

A Healthy Democracy at Work

Despite all the terrible media coverage regarding Iraq, I am actually encouraged by the check and balance activity I see on Capital Hill. We are witnessing very intelligent players from both parties step up and present well researched positions on how to proceed.

I continue to be very impressed with Joseph Biden. This morning after watching Meet the Press, I came away equally impressed with Chuck Hagel. While I am all for staying the course to insure an ultimate resolution we can live with, that definitely does not mean a blank check and free pass to the president on policies that have clearly failed in the past.

Many experienced, well researched, highly intelligent minds are knocking heads with the ultimate goal of salvaging this situation. I remain disgusted with the overwhelmingly left driven media. However, there are several moderate democrats out there who are very impressive. It is very encouraging to see our best and brightest from both parties stepping up, going on the record and working to a solution.

Below you will find today's New York Times editorial on Iraq. While they started with their customary attack on the president and declaration of defeat, they actually went on record with their own ideas on how to proceed. While the suggestions were quite vague and filled with holes, at least it was a step above simply ripping the president. I guess they will leave that to attack dogs Rich, Dowd, Herbert and Krugman (the Hyena) who combined have never written one positive piece on the Bush Administration, ever.

It's time to put partisan politics aside, stop complaining about past mistakes and focus on what to do now. Now while were on a roll, let's ramp up the "Off the Oil Today" campaign. Whoever courageously, intelligently and effectively pushes that issue has their finger on the real problem and will have my vote.


Editorial - New York Times - 01/14/07
Picking Up the Pieces

It was surreal how disconnected President Bush was the other night, both from Iraq’s horrifying reality and America’s anguish over this unnecessary, mismanaged and now unwinnable war. Indeed, most Americans seem far ahead of the president. They understand that what the country urgently needs is for Mr. Bush to chart a way out of Iraq that also limits the chaos that will be left behind.

A Sunday Morning Thought...

Here's something to think about when discussing the future reguarding Iran.

So many here believe the differences between the two countries are irreconcilable due to mad fundamentalists in Tehran. Irrational creatures from another planet content on blowing up all infidels. However, why is it Ahmadinejad has no problem publicly embracing and conspiring with an infidel like Venezuela's Chavez? Why are they able to deal with Putin who's Russia is at war constantly with Muslim Chechnya's? My point is let us think very carefully before we have another Iraq.

I have always been of the mindset that we could have made peace with Saddam after the first Gulf War. Instead the policy from Bush 41 through Clinton was to contain and strangle the "madman," basically backing him into a corner. Now that we all have a much better idea of what sort of a primitive, tribal mentality world the Middle East really is, is it any wonder that Saddam had no alternative but to defy us? If he did not, he would have been taken for weak at the water hole and overthrown from within for sure.

My point here is not to cry about what has been done in Iraq. We must deal with it as it currently is. However, lets not repeat it with Iran. When I see Ahmadinejad hugging Chavez, I'm not buying into that Islamic madman kill all infidels bit. I believe that with a strong, consistent, concentrated effort we can find common ground with Iran without compromising Israel. Let's not box another nutty group into a corner.

Iran and Venezuela back oil cuts
BBC News 01/14/07

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6258243.stm