The Oval Office Address (Updated)

  Our shrinking president "Fallability on big questions (assuming now that Bush erred in invading Iraq) should not forever preclude one from being praised. Obama himself was wrong about the surge. If his prescription had been followed in 2007, Iraq would probably have suffered a monumental bloodbath, and al Qaeda might well control Anbar province. But that shouldn't bar Obama from receiving praise if he helps navigate Iraq through its current (much less severe) difficulties."

 The Obama Doctrine  "As forgettable as the address was however, once placed into the broader context of foreign policy speeches and actions, a clear Obama Doctrine can now be defined, as James Carafano and Kim Holmes do in a new paper released today."  See next article below:

Restored Link: Defining The Obama Doctrine, Its Pitfalls And How To Avoid Them  "Doctrines by themselves are not legally binding declarations. Nor are they always ideas embraced as such by the Presidents in whose names they are declared. Rather, they are clearly expressed principles and policies, often deduced by consensus, which set the tone for how each Administration intends to act on the world stage. Doctrines clarify how a President views America’s role in the world and his strategy for relations with other nations."

Missed Opportunities in the Oval Office "In other words, he came across as more committed to withdrawing troops next July than prevailing over the Taliban. This is not how a Commander-in-Chief should lead his troops in war.
"For those who hoped President Obama had finally seen the light about the ill-conceived July 2011 deadline and would use tonight’s speech to walk it back, they have been sorely disappointed."

Obama Has Learned Nothing About Being Commander in Chief  "...There was not a single moment in his speech where he spoke to the troops about their mission. He spoke about them in reverent tones, but he never articulated what we were fighting and why it really mattered. There is a reason for that, he has absolutely no rapport with them, he doesn’t understand them, and he has absolutely no clue how to lead them. Hell he really wishes he didn’t have to."... The mayor of Las Vegas thinks this president is a very slow learner    

This opinion from a newspaper in China:  "...Following the withdrawal of the last group of combat troops from Iraq, it looks as though America's seven-year-long struggle has come to an end; but its work in Iraq has not finished, and the withdrawal seems sudden and awkward." Via Watching America

William Kristol: It wasn't a bad speech.  "And at the end: "Our troops are the steel in our ship of state. And though our nation may be traveling through rough waters, they give us confidence that our course is true, and that beyond the pre-dawn darkness, better days lie ahead." Not a bad tribute to the troops, and not a bad statement of the importance and indispensability of hard power.
"And, on the whole, not a bad speech by the president." In a consider-the-source kinda way.

Oval Office Ambivalence "Mr. Obama won the White House in part through his ability to inspire with his speeches. The irony of his war leadership is that his policies toward Afghanistan and Pakistan and in pursuing al Qaeda are better than his inconstant trumpet." From the Wall Street Journal.

The Speech: Why Didn’t They Call Rewrite?  "Right. We have to “jumpstart industries that create jobs” but your policies on energy, taxation, government regulation and government spending, Mr. President, have assured that no industries will be jumpstarted and that job creation will stagnate. “We must unleash innovation,” you say, but your policies have made it all-but-impossible for businesses or individuals to innovate. You talk about nurturing entrepreneurs, but your war on Wall Street, your fiscal incontinence, and expansion of intrusive government bureaucracy assures that entrepreneurs will be stymied at every turn." Roger Kimball, Pajamas Media

Deadlines  "Deadlines, especially in wars against ideologically minded foes, are nearly always a bad idea. It is why George W. Bush, who understood well the nature of the war against jihadists, took such a firm stance against them. He was right, as are Crocker, Wolfowitz, and the Kagans: we should, in fact, be leaving the door open to the the extension of our military presence.
"Presidential statements carry immense weight and we should be candid about what is said and why it is problematic. Those who root for success in Iraq owe the president the benefit of their counsel on the danger of deadlines." Jennifer Rubin

Some Thoughts About Last Night’s Speech "In Barack Obama, we have someone very different — a president who is at times more eager to apologize for America than to defend her. He is a man not yet comfortable with his role as commander in chief. Obama views war not in terms of victory; he is above all committed to finding exit ramps.
"President Obama has already inflicted enormous damage to our nation; last night he added to the wreckage."  Peter Wehner

Max Boot: The Speech: About As Good As We Could Expect  "However good the words, the hard part is still ahead of us in Iraq, where no government has yet been formed and everyone is nervous about the American troop withdrawal. Obama will have to get more involved in managing Iraq’s future than he has been to date."

Crazed MSNBC Leftist Hosts Bash Obama For “Letting Bush Off Easy” (Video) "Apparently, these radicals are still reeling that we won the war…The anti-military, antiwar hosts at MSNBC howled last night after Barack Obama let President Bush “off easy” during his lackluster speech on the Iraq War.  Via Breitbart TV"

President Obama insults Beck rally attendees

Neil Braithwaite in AT:  "After watching the "Restoring Honor Rally" this past Saturday and observing how the media portrayed the event, my conclusion is that they couldn't be more wrong. There has probably not been a more respectful, peaceful and well-mannered crowd of that size assembled in Washington DC in quite a long time.
"And for the President of the United States to imply any negative connotations to the event, or its organizers, is far and away the biggest insult to not only the hundreds of thousands of Americans who attended the event, but to every American who agreed with what the event stood for: faith, hope and charity."

Why did the Rev. Al Sharpton oppose Beck's rally? "But the Sharptons of the Left are also smart enough to know that liberal causes are advanced via the power of the federal government. Constitutional jurisdiction is not an issue of concern for liberals.
"It's easier to cry "racist" in the furtherance of liberal policy through federal demagoguery than to have an honest, respectful debate on the constitutional role of the federal government."

Mideast peace talks jeopardized at starting gate

Reuters via Heritage:  "Netanyahu and his defense chief, Ehud Barak, have said Israel will retaliate for the shootings. The likely target may be a Hamas militant leader or an installation, building, or tunnels used to smuggle in weapons from Egypt, all in the Gaza Strip. The question is how big a strike could be ordered.
"There is always the possibility of the violence spiraling out of control if Gaza militants respond with potentially lethal rocket fire at southern Israeli towns, setting in motion yet another deadly cycle of violence. Hamas says it has tried to stop rocket attacks by other Palestinian militant groups."
Perhaps Hamas will build a mosque on this spot. AP Photo

This is how Arabs respond to Israeli 'confidence building measures' "However this latest terrorist attack does serve as a confidence building measure by the Arabs--most Israelis now have perfect confidence that most of the Arabs cannot make peace, do not want peace, no matter what the mediators and self righteous lecturers, who do not have to live with the horrific aftermath, say."

No Happy-Ending Waiting for Zionist Regime  " "The current crucial and sensitive regional and international conditions indicate that the Great Satan (the US) and the occupying Zionist regime are increasingly fearful that the countdown to the annihilation and end of the ominous life of the blood-sucking and criminal regime is imminent," the statement said. " The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced in a statement on Tuesday.   But they mean that in a nice way.

Children terror victims celebrate Bar-Bat Mitzvahs with Israeli president  "President Shimon Peres celebrated Bar and Bat Mitzvahs Monday with 70 victims of terror who he said symbolize hope for the Jewish people. The youth were wounded in terrorist attacks or lost relatives who were killed in suicide bombings and other attacks" Shawarma Mayor

Cartoons from the Arab World "A selection of cartoons from the media of seven Arab countries (Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Syria and Egypt) and from the Palestinian Authority is displayed below. A number of these countries are regarded as moderate or allied to the West. Most print media in the Arab world are under the full or partial control of the ruling regimes.

"One picture can sometimes be deadlier than a thousand words."   Tom Gross is a journalist and international affairs commentator, specializing in the Middle East. He was formerly Middle East correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph of London and for the New York Daily News.

Obama: ‘I Do Not Want to Screw This Up’

Max Boot "For all his obsession with domestic issues, he evidently realizes that losing wars is bad for a president’s reputation. That’s good for those of us who believe that it’s vitally important for the country’s interests to win the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. However reluctantly, Obama apparently has come to share that belief."

Three things to watch for in Obama's Iraq address (Updated)

CNN  One question: "Q: Will Obama mention his predecessor? White House spokesman Bill Burton said that Obama called former President Bush from Air Force One and talked "for a few minutes" while he was en route to meet troops at Fort Bliss, Texas. Burton did not reveal what the two presidents discussed."

Obama's Iraq speech: Can he address opposite views of the war? " “Obama is in a terribly delicate position because he has to make his statement about Iraq in a way that does not contradict his previous stance that the war was a mistake, while at the same time balancing that against honoring the sacrifices of the men and women who served there,” says Wayne White, a former State Department intelligence officer specializing in Iraq. “It’s extremely difficult, and frankly I don’t see how it can work.” "

http://townhall.com/cartoons/cartoonist/DanaSummers/2010/08/2

Obama's address tonight: It’s Time for Reality, Not Deadlines, in Iraq and Afghanistan

Heritage "Tonight President Barack Obama will deliver a prime-time Oval Office address on Iraq. Acting as President of the United States, the leader of a country, not a movement, tonight would be a perfect time for Obama to give due credit to those commanders who made the current progress in Iraq possible. He should thank General Ray Odierno, who implemented the counterinsurgency strategy that led to the dramatic decrease in violence in Iraq, General David Petraeus, who oversaw all coalition forces in Iraq during the surge, and President George W. Bush, who had the courage to explain the new strategy to the American people at a time when it was extremely unpopular to do so.
"Unfortunately, if the Weekly Address President Obama delivered from his rented vacation home on Martha’s Vineyard is any indication, none of that will happen."....
"As a candidate, Barack Obama could afford to indulge in irresponsible rhetoric about "ending" the war in Iraq without regard for the disastrous consequences of losing that war. But as President, Obama should act decisively as the nation’s commander-in-chief and protect vital American interests by successfully finishing the jobs in Iraq and Afghanistan." Emphasis added.

GIBBS: Obama Believed Surge Would Work; Voted Against It Anyway Fox video.

NY Times: Obama to Make 2nd Oval Office Speech " “I’m a general fan of how he’s handled the two wars,” said Michael E. O’Hanlon, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “But if there’s a consistent weakness, it’s the episodic quality in how we hear from him about the wars. He temporarily engages.” "

Obama’s Iraq Speech Should Stress a Resolute U.S. Security Commitment "In both Afghanistan and Iraq, bolstering the security of local allies is crucial to the long-term success of U.S. policy in both regions and in the broader war against terror. And U.S. troops should be part of this effort for many years to come. As a candidate, Barack Obama could afford to indulge in irresponsible rhetoric about “ending” the war in Iraq without regard for the disastrous consequences of losing that war. But as President, Obama should act decisively as the nation’s commander-in-chief and protect vital American interests by successfully finishing the jobs in Iraq and Afghanistan."

 William Kristol:  A Note to the President  "When you speak to the troops [tonight] at Fort Bliss, and to the nation tomorrow night from the Oval Office, you speak, of course, as the president. As our president.
"You won't be speaking—not in these settings—as a once (and perhaps future) candidate for president. Nor as the leader of the Democratic Party. Nor as a critic of your predecessor's foreign policy. You are all of those things, of course—but it is not in those capacities that you speak to the troops at Fort Bliss, and to the nation from the Oval Office."

Our Schools, Dumb and Dumber (Updated)

Alan Caruba "The DOE is pretty much owned by the National Education Association which is not an “association”, but a powerful union, the largest with an estimated 3.2 members. The Democrat Party is heavily indebted to it for funds and campaign workers." Alan Caruba blogs at Warning Signs .

Education Secretary pushed employees to attend Sharpton rally "Anyone with any experience in the private sector of managing people would understand that already. An “invitation” from the boss to a political event amounts to an implied diktat and a strong hint on approved political affiliation in the workplace, and everyone knows it. As we have seen in other contexts, though, this administration is almost bereft of such experience. Instead, it’s comprised mainly of political hacks … like Arne Duncan." Hot Air Blog.

NEA's Politics : "Rules for Radicals".... Really??!? You can't be serious! "I have a huge problem with you recommending poisonous literature which overtly espouses Anti-American sentiments. Books like these have no place in education and as a member I DEMAND their removal from the recommended reading list for NEA organizers. See below:"

Rules for Radicals
Saul Alinsky, Vintage Books, 1989"

From the comments section of the NEA website. The original link appears to be deleted and this comment will probably disappear soon as well, ergo we have copied the text of the letter below for you:

"I have a huge problem with you recommending poisonous literature which overtly espouses Anti-American sentiments. Books like these have no place in education and as a member I DEMAND their removal from the recommended reading list for NEA organizers. See below:
Rules for Radicals
Saul Alinsky, Vintage Books, 1989
Organize for Social Change
Midwest Academy Manual for Activists
Third Edition, Kim Bobo et al, Seven Locks Press, 2001
If you insist on promoting this kind of subversive material I will rescind my membership in the NEA and actively convince others to do the same."
Our union should not be advocating the reading of this kind of material. In addition to being plain wrong it is divisive and inflammatory. This is a new LOW for the NEA which reinforces my sentiment that I am NOT proud of being a member of the NEA because their activism does NOT reflect my values. I will contribute to the union in my school district only on a "fair share" basis thus giving the minimum. This organization DOES NOT have the right to misuse the funds I give them for the support of twisted political views as expressed in the above listed books..... and so... I will no longer provide them with any financial support. The endorsement of these authors only serves to fuel some of the public opinions that we as teachers are "out of touch" and a bunch of wackos. It's just not helpful to our image. See the link for yourself:
http://www.nea.org/tools/17231.htm
Tim

High federal pay means less capital formation, lower wages and reduced innovation.

Forbes " It should also be remembered the perverse incentives that exist among federal workers. Not able to advance based on profits, and doing more with less, workers in the government succeed the more the bureaucracy they work for grows, the more lawsuits they win against private actors, the more regulations they impose, and the more fines/fees they lift from the increasingly empty hands of the average American taxpayer."    John Tamny is editor of RealClearMarkets, a senior economist with H.C. Wainwright Economics and a senior economic advisor to Toreador Research and Trading. He writes a weekly column for Forbes.

Consumers don't want to spend. They know his promise not to raise their taxes was another ObamaLie

Neal Boortz "Right now we have dozens of federal agencies that are working on more than 120 new rule-makings under ObamaCare and the wonderful financial overhaul bill. Businessmen have no idea what those new rules and regulations will entail. They've found out about the 1099 reporting debacle under ObamaCare. What's next? The rules aren't even written yet, and when they are written they will be crafted - if that's the word - by bureaucrats who have never hired a worker, met a payroll or developed a business plan in their entire lives ... and these businesses are supposed to answer Obama's battle cry for hiring and economic growth?"

MORE ON OBAMA'S SMALL BUSINESS "JOBS" BILL "Back to this small business bill. Obama came out swinging against the Republicans and their blockage of this bill. So there has to be a reason why the Republicans do not believe that this bill will not be the small business savior that the Democrats claim it to be."...Boortz

Obama's Appalling Mistreatment of Israel

David Limbaugh "As Israeli and Palestinian peace talks are scheduled to resume in Washington in a few days, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that Palestinian recognition of Israel as the Jewish homeland is an essential condition for peace. Completely reasonable, yet don't keep your fingers crossed, especially with the Obama administration's attitude toward Israel."

On and on it goes: "The Mosque Controversy"

Thomas Sowell "The proposed mosque near where the World Trade Center was attacked and destroyed, along with thousands of American lives, would be a 15-story middle finger to America."....
"...Barack Obama is not so much the cause of our decline but the culmination of it. He had many predecessors and many contemporaries who represent the same mindset and the same malaise.
"There are people for whom moral preening has become a way of life. They are out in force denouncing critics of the Ground Zero mosque."
The mosque will be built; there is no way the backers will retreat before the world. Then they will say, "Praise the warrior Atta, he has brought down the World Trade Center and erected a mosque in its place!"

The Fox News connection to Ground Zero mosque "The Saudi prince whose post-9/11 relief check was rejected by former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani has found a more willing recipient in the city for his millions: the head of the Ground Zero mosque project. The same Saudi potentate, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, owns the biggest chunk of the parent company of the Fox News Channel outside of the Murdoch family."

 All Roads Lead to Ground Zero Mosque – Part 1  "Sperry’s WND.com piece goes on to unravel a tangle of connections between the Aspen Institute and the Cordoba Initiative, with the occasional link back to the George Herbert Walker Bush & chums. (See Part 2 tomorrow.)"