Friday, February 11, 2011
Jon Kyl’s Retirement: Major Loss for Senate Republicans
ElBaradei: Tear Up Egypt’s Constitution
Sweetness and Light "Maybe because people like Mr. ElBaradei have said that Mubarak made the peace treaty with Israel. Not the Egyptian people."
"But the people of Egypt — the grandmothers in veils who have dared to share Tahrir Square with army tanks, the jubilant young people who have risked their lives for their first taste of these new freedoms — are not so easily fooled.
Weren’t they easily fooled just yesterday? It seems to me the ‘Arab Street’ – which also believes, for instance, that 9/11 was an inside job instigated by the Jews — is very easily fooled.
The United States and its allies have spent the better part of the last decade, at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars and countless lives, fighting wars to establish democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr. ElBaradei opposed the war in Iraq, claiming that "regime change" is against international law. He also questioned whether it was worth the cost to get rid of the dictator Saddam.
Indeed, Mr. ElBaradei has pronounced the US policy in Iraq and Afghanistan to be "a total failure."
"But the people of Egypt — the grandmothers in veils who have dared to share Tahrir Square with army tanks, the jubilant young people who have risked their lives for their first taste of these new freedoms — are not so easily fooled.
Weren’t they easily fooled just yesterday? It seems to me the ‘Arab Street’ – which also believes, for instance, that 9/11 was an inside job instigated by the Jews — is very easily fooled.
The United States and its allies have spent the better part of the last decade, at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars and countless lives, fighting wars to establish democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Mr. ElBaradei opposed the war in Iraq, claiming that "regime change" is against international law. He also questioned whether it was worth the cost to get rid of the dictator Saddam.
Indeed, Mr. ElBaradei has pronounced the US policy in Iraq and Afghanistan to be "a total failure."
Egypt and the US
Mubarak resigns, hands power to military ""In these grave circumstances that the country is passing through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave his position as president of the republic," a grim-looking Suleiman said. "He has mandated the Armed Forces Supreme Council to run the state. God is our protector and succor.""
Egypt Crisis Puts Spotlight on Weakness in US: El-Erian "The US should consider the lack of a move into traditional US assets as "a warning that if we don't get our house in order we will no longer command the global standing" in currency and debt markets, El-Erian said.
"However, should the situation escalate and start spreading through the region, that could change.
""If we get widespread violence in the streets you will get a massive risk-off trade," El-Erian said. "You will see equities sold off, oil go up and you will see a Treasury rally."
Crisis Flummoxes White House "The White House is now squeezed between Arab and Israeli allies, who have complained that Mr. Obama was pushing Mr. Mubarak too hard to step down, and lawmakers who accuse the White House of not pushing hard enough. Now, the White House finds itself largely a bystander." Wall Street Journal.
Egypt Exposes Obama Doctrine Happy Talk "But the Obama Administration’s intelligence fumbling did not end there. Just 30 minutes after Panetta passed off CNN headlines as CIA intelligence, General Clapper created his own entire reality when he testified that Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is “largely secular.” This is, of course, completely false. In reality, the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928, is the Middle East’s oldest and most influential Islamist movement."
The U.S.-Egyptian Breakup "The original sin was Sadat's separate peace with Israel, which Mubarak inherited and scrupulously upheld.
"From the perspective of many Egyptians, this arrangement hopelessly constrained Cairo's power while freeing Israel and the United States to pursue their regional interests unencumbered." Foreign Affairs magazine
Iran Uses Egyptian Turmoil to Push West "Saudi rulers may also have drawn certain conclusions from US President Barack Obama‘s treatment of Mubarak. King Abdullah is reported by our Persian Gulf sources as so enraged by what he sees as “Obama’s betrayal” of the Egyptian president – virtually giving him his marching orders – that the White House felt compelled to send a special personal envoy to the Saudi palace in Morocco this week to smooth his ruffled feathers and explain the game the administration has been playing in Cairo."
Egypt Crisis Puts Spotlight on Weakness in US: El-Erian "The US should consider the lack of a move into traditional US assets as "a warning that if we don't get our house in order we will no longer command the global standing" in currency and debt markets, El-Erian said.
"However, should the situation escalate and start spreading through the region, that could change.
""If we get widespread violence in the streets you will get a massive risk-off trade," El-Erian said. "You will see equities sold off, oil go up and you will see a Treasury rally."
Crisis Flummoxes White House "The White House is now squeezed between Arab and Israeli allies, who have complained that Mr. Obama was pushing Mr. Mubarak too hard to step down, and lawmakers who accuse the White House of not pushing hard enough. Now, the White House finds itself largely a bystander." Wall Street Journal.
Egypt Exposes Obama Doctrine Happy Talk "But the Obama Administration’s intelligence fumbling did not end there. Just 30 minutes after Panetta passed off CNN headlines as CIA intelligence, General Clapper created his own entire reality when he testified that Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is “largely secular.” This is, of course, completely false. In reality, the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1928, is the Middle East’s oldest and most influential Islamist movement."
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| http://townhall.com/cartoons/mikelester |
The U.S.-Egyptian Breakup "The original sin was Sadat's separate peace with Israel, which Mubarak inherited and scrupulously upheld.
"From the perspective of many Egyptians, this arrangement hopelessly constrained Cairo's power while freeing Israel and the United States to pursue their regional interests unencumbered." Foreign Affairs magazine
Iran Uses Egyptian Turmoil to Push West "Saudi rulers may also have drawn certain conclusions from US President Barack Obama‘s treatment of Mubarak. King Abdullah is reported by our Persian Gulf sources as so enraged by what he sees as “Obama’s betrayal” of the Egyptian president – virtually giving him his marching orders – that the White House felt compelled to send a special personal envoy to the Saudi palace in Morocco this week to smooth his ruffled feathers and explain the game the administration has been playing in Cairo."An Iranian super-plan to annex Sinai to Gaza for a radical Palestinian state. Emphasis added
Radical murderous states must love it when the US elects Democrats to our leadership.New ‘WikiLeaks’ Book Out Tomorrow: Take Down Of Assange?
Big Peace "“Controversial Wikileaks founder Julian Assange allegedly boasted about fathering children all around the world and preferred his conquests to be 22 or under, according to an explosive new book.Thursday, February 10, 2011
Mubarak’s Decision to Stay Puts Obama in a Tight Spot
Jonathan S. Tobin "Mubarak’s attempt to hold on has created a crucial moment in which America and its allies in the Arab world must do what it can to prevent Egypt from becoming the new focus of Islamist terror. The possibility of such a terrible choice makes it all the more important for President Obama to use whatever leverage the United States still has in Egypt to influence Mubarak and the army to step back from the precipice."
So Mubarak Isn’t Stepping Down "This four-hour mania about Mubarak’s resignation is a sobering example of what can happen when credulous Western news organizations attempt to report in the rumor-driven culture of the Middle East."
So Mubarak Isn’t Stepping Down "This four-hour mania about Mubarak’s resignation is a sobering example of what can happen when credulous Western news organizations attempt to report in the rumor-driven culture of the Middle East."
Facts listed: Justice Department Only Selectively Complies with Freedom of Information Act
Pajamas Media "Eric Holder’s Justice Department has even politicized compliance with the Freedom of Information Act. According to documents I have obtained, FOIA requests from liberals or politically connected civil rights groups are often given same day turn-around by the DOJ. But requests from conservatives or Republicans face long delays, if they are fulfilled at all."Death Knell For Multiculturalism?
Powerline "French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday declared that multiculturalism had failed, joining a growing number of world leaders or ex-leaders who have condemned it.
""We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him," he said in a television interview in which he declared the concept a "failure.""
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| http://www.theblogofrecord.com/2009/01/02/the-real-suicide-bomb/ |
President Obama and Bill O'Reilly; the interview
American Thinker "The point of a good cross-examination is to lead the witness somewhere without the witness realizing where they are headed. This is done through a number of irrefutable leading questions that are easily answered. O’Reilly did this with Obama by starting out by asking if there was a war on terror. "Obama responded in the affirmative.
"The next question was just as crucial, but seemed innocent enough, namely identify the enemies. Obama followed with Al Qaeda, terror cells, and radical Islam coupled with a vague commitment to hunt these terrorists down and eliminate them.
"O’Reilly then did an extraordinary thing..."
UK Guardian
"The next question was just as crucial, but seemed innocent enough, namely identify the enemies. Obama followed with Al Qaeda, terror cells, and radical Islam coupled with a vague commitment to hunt these terrorists down and eliminate them.
"O’Reilly then did an extraordinary thing..."
UK Guardian
Breaking: Mubarak ‘on verge of quitting’ NO...WAIT!
Via Drudge "The news came following repeated warnings by members of the regime of a military crackdown or coup.
"Some pro-democracy protesters reacted cautiously, saying they would only believe Mubarak was really resigning when he announced it on state television."
Mubarak Addresses Egypt, Will Not Step Down "President Hosni Mubarak finally addressed his nation after four days of unprecedented demonstrations—but he's not resigning as protesters have demanded. Instead, he's ordered his Cabinet to quit so he can appoint new ministers, reports AP. It's a safe bet that will not satisfy protesters who continue to defy a government-imposed curfew across Egypt. "Mubarak just blamed the government," one protester told CNN after the speech. "We will continue our demonstrations until we get our full demands. We want him to leave. His time is over.""
"Some pro-democracy protesters reacted cautiously, saying they would only believe Mubarak was really resigning when he announced it on state television."
Mubarak Addresses Egypt, Will Not Step Down "President Hosni Mubarak finally addressed his nation after four days of unprecedented demonstrations—but he's not resigning as protesters have demanded. Instead, he's ordered his Cabinet to quit so he can appoint new ministers, reports AP. It's a safe bet that will not satisfy protesters who continue to defy a government-imposed curfew across Egypt. "Mubarak just blamed the government," one protester told CNN after the speech. "We will continue our demonstrations until we get our full demands. We want him to leave. His time is over.""
This is why Tunnel Wall should stay away from news and go with commentary on the news only.
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| http://townhall.com/cartoons/chuckasay |
Obama and the Middle East
Factor this in when learning of Mubarack's actions in days to come.
UK Guardian on oil reserves: "The US fears that Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, may not have enough reserves to prevent oil prices escalating, confidential cables from its embassy in Riyadh show.
"The cables, released by WikiLeaks, urge Washington to take seriously a warning from a senior Saudi government oil executive that the kingdom's crude oil reserves may have been overstated by as much as 300bn barrels – nearly 40%."
Saudi King lays down the law to Obama on Egypt "At a time when America needs a strong and wise leader handling extremely dangerous events int he Middle East, we have a president who has squandered our standing and is seen as weak and amateurish." How'd that bow to the king work for ya?
Amateur Hour at the White House "Then, on Tuesday, in another misstep; Obama personally phoned Mubarak and essentially told his Egyptian counterpart it was time to step aside. Mubarak once more declined to oblige, having just said in a speech to the nation he would step down in September. Mubarak’s refusal, however, prompted strong words the following day from Gibbs, who said: “Not September. Now means now.”
"On the weekend, the White House, however, backtracked on its policy regarding Mubarak’s immediate removal. Clinton told journalists removing Mubarak too hastily would threaten the transition to democracy, while Wiesner, who had just asked Mubarak a few days earlier to step down, said at a conference in Munich: “President Mubarak’s role remains extremely critical in the days ahead.”"
Lawmakers criticize Obama’s response to Egypt crisis "In his conversation with Gen. Suleiman, Mr. Biden reaffirmed that the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people.
"However, Mr. Ackerman said: "Respecting Egyptian sovereignty is one thing. Maintaining a level of ambiguity so thick that ordinary Egyptians cannot discern whether or not we are on their side is something else altogether.""
UK Guardian on oil reserves: "The US fears that Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude oil exporter, may not have enough reserves to prevent oil prices escalating, confidential cables from its embassy in Riyadh show.
"The cables, released by WikiLeaks, urge Washington to take seriously a warning from a senior Saudi government oil executive that the kingdom's crude oil reserves may have been overstated by as much as 300bn barrels – nearly 40%."
Saudi King lays down the law to Obama on Egypt "At a time when America needs a strong and wise leader handling extremely dangerous events int he Middle East, we have a president who has squandered our standing and is seen as weak and amateurish." How'd that bow to the king work for ya?
Amateur Hour at the White House "Then, on Tuesday, in another misstep; Obama personally phoned Mubarak and essentially told his Egyptian counterpart it was time to step aside. Mubarak once more declined to oblige, having just said in a speech to the nation he would step down in September. Mubarak’s refusal, however, prompted strong words the following day from Gibbs, who said: “Not September. Now means now.”
"On the weekend, the White House, however, backtracked on its policy regarding Mubarak’s immediate removal. Clinton told journalists removing Mubarak too hastily would threaten the transition to democracy, while Wiesner, who had just asked Mubarak a few days earlier to step down, said at a conference in Munich: “President Mubarak’s role remains extremely critical in the days ahead.”"
Lawmakers criticize Obama’s response to Egypt crisis "In his conversation with Gen. Suleiman, Mr. Biden reaffirmed that the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people.
"However, Mr. Ackerman said: "Respecting Egyptian sovereignty is one thing. Maintaining a level of ambiguity so thick that ordinary Egyptians cannot discern whether or not we are on their side is something else altogether.""
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