The Front Page Cover
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened"
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Featuring:
Putin Unleashed
John Bolton
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"Know who you are standing with"
"Show me your friends and I'll show you your future"
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With McCarthy Out, Is Ryan Up? 
Kevin McCarthy abruptly dropped out of the race for House speaker
Thursday when it became evident he didn't have the votes, and the Republican conference vote has been postponed indefinitely. "I don't want to go to the floor and win with 220 votes," said the current majority leader, who might not have reached even that threshold. "I think the best thing for our party is to win with 247 votes." That's the total number of Republicans in the House — important because, if McCarthy had needed Democrat votes to win the speakership, it would have meant concessions to Nancy Pulosi.
"This was for the good of the team," he said. So McCarthy's 11th-hour withdrawal is a laudable display of a little humility rare among Swamp-dwellers.
"For us to unite, we probably need a fresh face," McCarthy added. "If we are going to unite and be strong, we need a new face to help do that."
There are rumors that McCarthy was engaged in an extramarital affair with Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC), and his decision was brought about by a letter from Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) calling on any candidate who has committed "misdeeds" to withdraw. But McCarthy dismissed those rumors, and there is little reason at this point to believe them. Going forward, we'll see. -The Patriot Post
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Trade deal squeezes Hilly - Monday’s announcement of a Pacific trade pact puts Hilly Clinton in a tight predicament: please her liberal base or risk the wrath of her former boss. Sen. Bernie Sanders came out fast, calling the trade deal “disastrous,” and with union support in the balance Clinton can ill-afford to add to the erosion on the left. But with chaffing points on issues like Syria and the Keystone XL pipeline already raw, an open break by Clinton on a key nObama legacy policy could result in the president nudging loose lips Joe Biden to run. Clinton’s ambiguous wait-and see position on the trade deal presumably at an end, pressure to cease the waffling is quickly building. -Fox News
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CARLY: ‘I AM DISTINCTLY HORRIFYING TO LIBERALS’
WashEx: “Republican presidential nominee Carly Fiorina acknowledged that as she moves up in the polls, media outlets will up their attacks on her. Fiorina feels the attacks will continue because she is conservative, she said on [‘The Kelly File’] Monday night. ‘There are a lot of liberals who find me kind of scary right now, because I am doing really well in the polls and – horror of horrors – I am a conservative woman,’ Fiorina said, referring to a recent attack by MSNBC against her for allegedly mismanaging money and failing to pay vendors for their work on her 2010 California Senate campaign. The former Hewlett-Packard CEO explained that those debts were paid, and then called out the media for failing to make a story out of Hilly Clinton’s campaign debt, which she held for over four years that was roughly 40 times the size of Fiorina’s.” -Fox News
WashEx: “Republican presidential nominee Carly Fiorina acknowledged that as she moves up in the polls, media outlets will up their attacks on her. Fiorina feels the attacks will continue because she is conservative, she said on [‘The Kelly File’] Monday night. ‘There are a lot of liberals who find me kind of scary right now, because I am doing really well in the polls and – horror of horrors – I am a conservative woman,’ Fiorina said, referring to a recent attack by MSNBC against her for allegedly mismanaging money and failing to pay vendors for their work on her 2010 California Senate campaign. The former Hewlett-Packard CEO explained that those debts were paid, and then called out the media for failing to make a story out of Hilly Clinton’s campaign debt, which she held for over four years that was roughly 40 times the size of Fiorina’s.” -Fox News
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Reforming Sentencing by Releasing Prisoners? The Justice Department announced it will grant early release to about 6,000 prisoners serving time for drug offenses between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2. In the words of The Washington Post, it's "the largest one-time release of federal prisoners." The 6,000 prisoners are part of the U.S. prison population who had time on their sentences reduced because of action by then-Attorney General Eric Holder. About a third of the prisoners, who are not U.S. citizens, will be deported. While the move certainly grabs headlines, the real prison reform will come from Congress, and not the nObama administration. Currently, the land of the free has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, and 6,000 prisoners is only a drop in the bucket towards solving this problem. nObama may visit a federal prison, call for more reform and grant clemency to a few politically favored prisoners, but there is only so much he can do. Currently, Congress is considering a prison reform bill backed by the likes of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Koch brothers. Only Congress can reform the practice of mandatory minimum sentencing — a perversion of justice that let bureaucrats determine a prisoner's punishment years before the crime was committed and needlessly increased the number of Americans jailed. On the other hand, while we agree sentencing should be reformed, one of the reasons crime continues to decline is that many of the people who are incarcerated are the most likely to commit crimes. Releasing a bunch of prisoners could come back and bite nObama just like Willie Horton did for Michael Dukakis. -The Patriot Post
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The Million Man Fraud comes to Washington
{Matthew Vadum} ~ Rioting at this weekend's Washington, D.C. gripe-fest celebrating the 20th anniversary of the endlessly hyped, misnamed Million Man March, seems like a definite possibility... Just this week 12 people were arrested in Hartford, Conn., for disorderly conduct after blocking traffic and access to the University of Hartford as they chanted “Black Lives Matter!” After demonstrators refused to stop sitting and standing in the road, they were arrested. While protest-related arrests aren't necessarily cause for much concern, they are just the tip of the iceberg. As Breitbart News reports..
Cutting Off Funding to Planned Parenthood Doesn’t Violate...
{Hans von Spakovsky} ~ Some critics of the attempt to stop federal funding for Planned Parenthood, the nation’s number one abortion provider, are now making the erroneous claim that to do so would be unconstitutional... However, that claim, as expressed by Drexel law professor David S. Cohen, who says that cutting off federal funding would be an unconstitutional bill of attainder (a legislative act punishing someone without a trial), is nonsense. Cohen can try to divert attention from what Planned Parenthood is doing by claiming it is being “punished” by the attempt in Congress to stop its federal funding, but what is really going on is an attempt to divert attention from the babies being punished by Planned Parenthood’s brutal and inhumane abortion practices..
nObama Prepares Executive Order on Gun Control
{totalconservative.com} ~ President nObama isn’t one of those old-fashioned politicians who worry about insignificant problems like constitutional limits, congressional authority, or the will of the people before pursuing an agenda... As the nation’s first black president, he is instead guided solely by the lure of history. His greatest fear is that his legacy amounts to little more today than it did on the day he was sworn into office. And with only 16 months left in his presidency, he is desperate to leave his mark on the nation. Gun control, as nObama has stated many times, remains the beast he could not conquer. He tried his damnedest to get something done following the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, but his efforts yielded little fruit. Now, with the Roseburg school shooting still fresh in everyone’s mind, administration officials say nObama is thinking about using that old, trusty standby: the executive order. http://totalconservative.com/obama-prepares-executive-order-on-gun-control/
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Time for the United States to Start Worrying About a Saudi Collapse
{John Hannah} ~ As if there weren’t already enough problems to worry about in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia might be headed for trouble... From plummeting oil prices, to foreign policy missteps, to growing tensions with Iran, a confluence of recent events are mounting to pose serious challenges for the Saudi regime. If not properly managed, they could eventually coalesce into a perfect storm that significantly increases the risk of instability within the Kingdom, with untold consequences for global oil markets and security in the Middle East. Here are some of the percolating problems that could throw the country off kilter:.
Terrorist Continues: PA Leaders Encourage Violence Against Israelis
{investigativeproject.org} ~ Palestinian officials and religious leaders from across the political spectrum continue to incite violence and encourage more terrorist attacks against Jews, while Israel endures more stabbing and rock attacks... Bank's ruling party – featured a picture on its official Facebook page Thursday showing an armed and masked terrorist with text that threatened Israelis with future attacks..
Report Questions Over nObama’s Authority to Ignore Federal Law
{Eliezer Sherman} ~ A Fox News report raised new questions on Friday over President Barack nObama’s ability to “selectively” break federal law in the implementation of the Iran nuclear deal...The issue specifically rests in a provision in an ancillary document to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — as the 159-page document comprising the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is formally known — that allows the foreign subsidiaries of U.S. individuals or companies to conduct business in Iran. According to the Fox report, this blatantly violates other federal laws prohibiting precisely these foreign subsidiaries from doing business with Iran as long as it continues to remain a designate state sponsor of terrorism, which it is, along with Syria and North Korea..
They Did It Again: EPA Causes 2nd Toxic Spill in Colorado
{Trey Sanchez} ~ Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency caused its second toxic spill from a mine in Colorado in just over two months... This time in Crested Butte, though on a much smaller scale than the one in Silverton in August that turned multiple river systems into a bright orange sludge pool. As an EPA crew worked at the Standard Mine attempting to open a collapsed portal, at least 2,000 gallons of wastewater spilled into a creek that just so happens to lead to a nearby town's water supply, as noted at Liberty News. The EPA is assuring that this "minor" spill will have "minimal" effects on the environment they are sworn to protect. Of course, time will tell of the full impact of this disaster. EPA needs to be shut down for good..
The Jihadi In The White House – Most Dangerous Man In The World...
{rickwells.us} ~ It’s an excellent question that needs to be asked more often: Why are these young, strong, able-bodied men fleeing from their supposedly “war torn” nation... and leaving their women and children behind to deal with whatever was so great of a threat that they themselves could not remain to fight it? It is a question for which they have no answer in keeping with the narrative. The truth is they’re not refugees; they’re invaders, an army of Muslims sent to conquer Europe and then America. In regards to the almost complete absence of women and children among the ranks of these false refugees, and the fighting age of between 18 and 35 of the men being processed through, Pamela Geller says plainly, “It’s an army.” She notes that “four out of five are not even from Syria.” She asks other rational and intelligent questions as well, such as “Why not go to a country where they speak the language and they have the same culture? Why wouldn’t they go to Muslim countries?” She notes the blatant hypocrisy of Islamists proclaiming their support for the Palestinians while refusing to help or take in their own kind in this instance. http://rickwells.us/jihadi-in-the-white-house-most-dangerous-man-in-the-world-aiding-islamic-invasion-pam-geller/.
AnotherIntelligence Failure?
{Jim Emerson} ~ House and Senate intelligence committees are investigating whether the intelligence community was unaware of Russia’s rapid buildup and dramatic military offensive in Syria... In layman’s terms, congressional Republicans learned of the Russian advance from CNN before they were presented any solid information by the intelligence community. It’s likely the intelligence was buried by nObama loyalists in an effort to prevent bad information from reaching the President. Another possibility, Executive Intelligence Summary briefings may have been sanitized before any of the content reached congress. Since the nObama Administration is the least transparent in American history, such conspiracy notions hardly represent a stretch of the imagination. Yet Washington still does not know who was attacked. To this day no one in the Administration can answer the questions who was attacked and where. Flying drones over enemy territory can only provide so much information. To identify people and specific locations requires other intelligence collection methods. Russia had already done their intelligence assessments and took action. nObama failed to learn that lesson. He did nothing and Americans died.
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nObama Pitching TPP Trap – Ignores The Built-In Treasury Raiding...
{rickwells.us} ~ In his October 10th Weekly Address, Hussein nObama makes a pitch for wide open, naked corporate piracy and global pilferage, under this trademark “nObamatrade.”... It’s an agreement that takes the sovereignty away from signatory nations, including the United States, and places it into corporations who then are empowered to decide on their own, through a system of incestuous private “court system” to award themselves with huge settlements outside of the national legal system. There are components which have caused concern over the potential compromising of Congress’ constitutional authority to regulate immigration and other areas which diminish or challenge American sovereignty and our judicial system. http://rickwells.us/obama-pitching-tpp-trap-ignores-the-built-in-treasury-raiding-constitution-circumvention-sovereignty-threats/.
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Putin Unleashed
John Bolton
. {boltonpac.com} ~ By any objective measure, Russia has made a strategic decision to challenge America for dominance in the Middle East. Despite depressed global oil prices and economic sanctions intended to curb his Ukraine adventurism, Vladimir Putin is pursuing an undisguised effort to expand Moscow’s military power, political heft, and economic influence in a region long under Washington’s sway. Barack nObama has made no effective response, and none seems in prospect. The recent nObama-Putin meeting at the United Nations did not change that underlying reality..
At a minimum, Russia’s Middle East actions today uncannily resemble Scoop Jackson’s characterization of the Soviet Union as an “opportunistic hotel burglar who walks down the corridors trying all the door handles to see which door is open.” The Kremlin is probing for U.S. weaknesses, meddling across the region in ways unprecedented since Anwar Sadat expelled Soviet military advisers in the 1970s, reversed Egypt’s global orientation, and thereby ultimately enabled the Camp David accords with Israel.
At a minimum, Russia’s Middle East actions today uncannily resemble Scoop Jackson’s characterization of the Soviet Union as an “opportunistic hotel burglar who walks down the corridors trying all the door handles to see which door is open.” The Kremlin is probing for U.S. weaknesses, meddling across the region in ways unprecedented since Anwar Sadat expelled Soviet military advisers in the 1970s, reversed Egypt’s global orientation, and thereby ultimately enabled the Camp David accords with Israel.
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Russia is not pursuing its objectives alone. It is strengthening allies and proxies such as Syria and Iran that regularly assist Moscow or undertake parallel, reinforcing initiatives to advance their own agendas. The ongoing, perhaps accelerating, region-wide deterioration of state structures facilitates Moscow’s assertiveness.
Russia is not pursuing its objectives alone. It is strengthening allies and proxies such as Syria and Iran that regularly assist Moscow or undertake parallel, reinforcing initiatives to advance their own agendas. The ongoing, perhaps accelerating, region-wide deterioration of state structures facilitates Moscow’s assertiveness.
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Russia’s recent rapid buildout of an air base at Latakia, Syria, is a palpable demonstration of military muscle, complementing its longstanding Tartus naval facility. Near term, it buttresses Bashar al-Assad’s rump Syrian regime, which is already heavily dependent on Iran (directly and through Hezbollah) and facing enormous battlefield pressure from ISIS, al-Nusra, and the remaining Syrian “moderate” opposition.
Russia’s recent rapid buildout of an air base at Latakia, Syria, is a palpable demonstration of military muscle, complementing its longstanding Tartus naval facility. Near term, it buttresses Bashar al-Assad’s rump Syrian regime, which is already heavily dependent on Iran (directly and through Hezbollah) and facing enormous battlefield pressure from ISIS, al-Nusra, and the remaining Syrian “moderate” opposition.
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Far more important, however, Latakia is clear evidence of Russia’s new, sweeping strategy of challenging America. All too typically, nObama was caught by surprise, still waiting, as he has since Syria’s civil war erupted, for Moscow to partner with Washington to oust Assad from power. hanoi-John Kerry asserted that Russia’s new air assets were merely for “force protection,” neglecting to explain what the objectives are of the force being protected! Indeed, just days later, the “force protection” force attacked non-ISIS targets in Syria, after warning U.S. planes to leave Syrian skies.
Far more important, however, Latakia is clear evidence of Russia’s new, sweeping strategy of challenging America. All too typically, nObama was caught by surprise, still waiting, as he has since Syria’s civil war erupted, for Moscow to partner with Washington to oust Assad from power. hanoi-John Kerry asserted that Russia’s new air assets were merely for “force protection,” neglecting to explain what the objectives are of the force being protected! Indeed, just days later, the “force protection” force attacked non-ISIS targets in Syria, after warning U.S. planes to leave Syrian skies.
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Well before Latakia, Russia was already testing U.S. vulnerabilities. Putin’s successful February visit with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo led directly to substantial military sales to Egypt, the first since the 1970s, sending a powerful signal of regional realignment. And Moscow is certainly not complaining about Sisi’s suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Well before Latakia, Russia was already testing U.S. vulnerabilities. Putin’s successful February visit with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo led directly to substantial military sales to Egypt, the first since the 1970s, sending a powerful signal of regional realignment. And Moscow is certainly not complaining about Sisi’s suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood.
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Most visibly threatening, Russia is selling Iran its S-300 air defense system (not to mention other advanced weapons and nuclear reactors when sanctions disappear because of the Vienna nuclear deal). Once deployed, the S-300 will end any prospect of Israel preemptively striking Iran’s nuclear-weapons program.
Most visibly threatening, Russia is selling Iran its S-300 air defense system (not to mention other advanced weapons and nuclear reactors when sanctions disappear because of the Vienna nuclear deal). Once deployed, the S-300 will end any prospect of Israel preemptively striking Iran’s nuclear-weapons program.
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nObama, faced with Russia’s assertive faits accomplis, remains lost in a post-Vienna ideological rapture, unable or unwilling to see the consequences of his passivity and disinterest. Expressing “concern” over Russia’s new Latakia base joins a lengthening list of nObama “concerns” that elicit only his rhetoric, nothing more.
nObama, faced with Russia’s assertive faits accomplis, remains lost in a post-Vienna ideological rapture, unable or unwilling to see the consequences of his passivity and disinterest. Expressing “concern” over Russia’s new Latakia base joins a lengthening list of nObama “concerns” that elicit only his rhetoric, nothing more.
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Looking ahead, with Assad and Iran operating from much stronger positions, we face the risk that regional ideological adversaries will act in concert when their interests align, as in the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact dividing Poland. The gravest threat to U.S. interests, after a nuclear Iran, is the Russia-Iran-Syria axis reaching a modus vivendi with the Islamic State. A “truce” would allow ISIS to consolidate its new state from the rubble of Syria and Iraq (presumably with Kurdistan de facto independent) and concentrate on its highest-priority targets: the Arabian Peninsula’s apostate, heretic oil-producing monarchies.
Looking ahead, with Assad and Iran operating from much stronger positions, we face the risk that regional ideological adversaries will act in concert when their interests align, as in the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact dividing Poland. The gravest threat to U.S. interests, after a nuclear Iran, is the Russia-Iran-Syria axis reaching a modus vivendi with the Islamic State. A “truce” would allow ISIS to consolidate its new state from the rubble of Syria and Iraq (presumably with Kurdistan de facto independent) and concentrate on its highest-priority targets: the Arabian Peninsula’s apostate, heretic oil-producing monarchies.
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With Putin explaining the historical precedent, ISIS and Iran could divide up the goods. Iran would tighten its hold on Baghdad and focus on Bahrain and Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, with their large Shiite populations, while ISIS goes after the other Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the holy cities of the Hijaz. Tender Western ears may find this cold-blooded, but the regional and religious logic is straightforward. The inconvenient betrayal of one side by the other can come later.
With Putin explaining the historical precedent, ISIS and Iran could divide up the goods. Iran would tighten its hold on Baghdad and focus on Bahrain and Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, with their large Shiite populations, while ISIS goes after the other Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the holy cities of the Hijaz. Tender Western ears may find this cold-blooded, but the regional and religious logic is straightforward. The inconvenient betrayal of one side by the other can come later.
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Russia’s challenge to America, if unmet, promises far-reaching benefits for its entente and comparable harm to us and our friends. Consider Turkey: Although increasingly unreliable under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it remains nonetheless NATO’s eastern linchpin. Moscow’s assertiveness directly threatens Ankara. Russia is outflanking Turkey in Syria, while strengthening Assad’s regime. The Islamic State would be secure on its other borders (at least temporarily), and independent Kurdistan would catalyze problems in Turkey’s fraught relations with its own Kurds. A rising, nuclear Iran with dynastic Islamic pretensions needs no elaboration. All that should worry even Erdogan.
Russia’s challenge to America, if unmet, promises far-reaching benefits for its entente and comparable harm to us and our friends. Consider Turkey: Although increasingly unreliable under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it remains nonetheless NATO’s eastern linchpin. Moscow’s assertiveness directly threatens Ankara. Russia is outflanking Turkey in Syria, while strengthening Assad’s regime. The Islamic State would be secure on its other borders (at least temporarily), and independent Kurdistan would catalyze problems in Turkey’s fraught relations with its own Kurds. A rising, nuclear Iran with dynastic Islamic pretensions needs no elaboration. All that should worry even Erdogan.
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China, another potential partner, has already conducted naval maneuvers with Russia in the eastern Mediterranean and is expanding its blue-water capabilities in nearby Pakistan. China’s interests and ambitions, including possibly massive investment in Iran’s hydrocarbon reserves, will only grow.
China, another potential partner, has already conducted naval maneuvers with Russia in the eastern Mediterranean and is expanding its blue-water capabilities in nearby Pakistan. China’s interests and ambitions, including possibly massive investment in Iran’s hydrocarbon reserves, will only grow.
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America’s friends are not waiting for Washington to wake up, as Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent trip to Moscow shows. Russia’s growing Syrian military presence constrains Israel’s self-defense options, which Jerusalem cannot allow to proceed unchecked. Obviously Russia’s emerging challenge is not alone in roiling the Middle East. Terrorism, radical Islam’s continuing menace, and an accelerating nuclear arms race also demand responses.
America’s friends are not waiting for Washington to wake up, as Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent trip to Moscow shows. Russia’s growing Syrian military presence constrains Israel’s self-defense options, which Jerusalem cannot allow to proceed unchecked. Obviously Russia’s emerging challenge is not alone in roiling the Middle East. Terrorism, radical Islam’s continuing menace, and an accelerating nuclear arms race also demand responses.
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Israel wants Russia to fully appreciate these dangers, to which nObama seems indifferent. Netanyahu is hedging Israel’s bets on the United States, perhaps permanently, calculating that Moscow’s strategy ultimately rests on Russian national interests, no matter what Washington’s vaporings reflect. The Gulf Arab monarchies are also hedging. In their neighborhood, leaders must deal with facts, not fantasy.
Israel wants Russia to fully appreciate these dangers, to which nObama seems indifferent. Netanyahu is hedging Israel’s bets on the United States, perhaps permanently, calculating that Moscow’s strategy ultimately rests on Russian national interests, no matter what Washington’s vaporings reflect. The Gulf Arab monarchies are also hedging. In their neighborhood, leaders must deal with facts, not fantasy.
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Moscow’s unabashed Middle East challenge would normally prompt a countervailing U.S. strategy, at least if the president hadn’t pirouetted off to another region or back to “fundamentally transforming” America. Seven years after nObama’s election, however, it is hardly likely that his answer to Russia and other threats will stray from his unvarying pattern of doing next to nothing except at the last ditch. Accordingly, America’s presence in the Middle East, its vital interests and its alliances will continue to deteriorate until a new president takes office. The ground under our feet, which has already shifted dramatically since 2009, will continue shifting for 16 months toward an increasingly unsustainable position.
Moscow’s unabashed Middle East challenge would normally prompt a countervailing U.S. strategy, at least if the president hadn’t pirouetted off to another region or back to “fundamentally transforming” America. Seven years after nObama’s election, however, it is hardly likely that his answer to Russia and other threats will stray from his unvarying pattern of doing next to nothing except at the last ditch. Accordingly, America’s presence in the Middle East, its vital interests and its alliances will continue to deteriorate until a new president takes office. The ground under our feet, which has already shifted dramatically since 2009, will continue shifting for 16 months toward an increasingly unsustainable position.
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In policy terms, therefore, simply reversing nObama’s direction—ordering a 180-degree turnabout from his course—would at best leave us managing America’s decline. That is unacceptable. We should not rest at whatever low ebb we inherit in 16 months, but instead climb out of the hole nObama is still digging.
In policy terms, therefore, simply reversing nObama’s direction—ordering a 180-degree turnabout from his course—would at best leave us managing America’s decline. That is unacceptable. We should not rest at whatever low ebb we inherit in 16 months, but instead climb out of the hole nObama is still digging.
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Prompt, decisive, and muscular corrective actions must start on Inauguration Day 2017, before the opportunity is lost. The new president must not be diverted from restoring America’s position in the Middle East and globally, both for geostrategic reasons and precisely because of our continuing, pressing economic problems. We must restore sufficient international stability to enable robust economic growth, and we must have economic growth to maintain a strong international presence, especially in the Middle East.
Prompt, decisive, and muscular corrective actions must start on Inauguration Day 2017, before the opportunity is lost. The new president must not be diverted from restoring America’s position in the Middle East and globally, both for geostrategic reasons and precisely because of our continuing, pressing economic problems. We must restore sufficient international stability to enable robust economic growth, and we must have economic growth to maintain a strong international presence, especially in the Middle East.
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America’s strategy must bring Russia back to earth, which means, somewhat ironically, first implementing an effective policy regarding Ukraine and other former Soviet republics before Putin gulls Europe into lifting economic sanctions. Putin is on weaker ground in Ukraine than nObama has ever understood. A vigorously led NATO can strengthen deterrence and support Ukraine’s military capabilities and political will, thereby raising the costs and risks of Russian adventurism close to home. Moscow must relearn a key lesson from the USSR’s collapse, namely that expeditionary efforts in distant regions can be dangerous distractions. Standing up to Russia in Europe will produce considerable benefits in the Middle East.
America’s strategy must bring Russia back to earth, which means, somewhat ironically, first implementing an effective policy regarding Ukraine and other former Soviet republics before Putin gulls Europe into lifting economic sanctions. Putin is on weaker ground in Ukraine than nObama has ever understood. A vigorously led NATO can strengthen deterrence and support Ukraine’s military capabilities and political will, thereby raising the costs and risks of Russian adventurism close to home. Moscow must relearn a key lesson from the USSR’s collapse, namely that expeditionary efforts in distant regions can be dangerous distractions. Standing up to Russia in Europe will produce considerable benefits in the Middle East.
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In the region itself, the first priority must be to convince Israel, Turkey, and the Arabs that Washington has not permanently lost its moorings, holding illusions that Iran under the mullahs is a responsible, nonthreatening power. Stressing Russia’s entente with Iran would demonstrate clearly why Russia is not their new best friend.
In the region itself, the first priority must be to convince Israel, Turkey, and the Arabs that Washington has not permanently lost its moorings, holding illusions that Iran under the mullahs is a responsible, nonthreatening power. Stressing Russia’s entente with Iran would demonstrate clearly why Russia is not their new best friend.
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Washington must additionally lead a serious effort to destroy ISIS without bolstering Iran or Assad, with the Arabs and Turkey making substantial military and financial commitments to that effort. Left to themselves, the regional powers lack both the military competence and the political coherence needed to coalesce against ISIS. However tempted some are to say, “It’s their problem, let them handle it,” they (and we) need U.S. leadership and military power. Even nObama says his ultimate goal is destroying ISIS. We simply need to start doing so in 2017.
Washington must additionally lead a serious effort to destroy ISIS without bolstering Iran or Assad, with the Arabs and Turkey making substantial military and financial commitments to that effort. Left to themselves, the regional powers lack both the military competence and the political coherence needed to coalesce against ISIS. However tempted some are to say, “It’s their problem, let them handle it,” they (and we) need U.S. leadership and military power. Even nObama says his ultimate goal is destroying ISIS. We simply need to start doing so in 2017.
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Persuading Egypt, the Gulf monarchies, and others not to purchase Russian weapons systems or nuclear reactors will also be an urgent priority. If that allows further harsh measures against the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and elsewhere, so be it. We should recall Jeane Kirkpatrick’s warning of the dangers of replacing “moderate autocrats friendly to American interests with less friendly autocrats of extremist persuasion.”
Persuading Egypt, the Gulf monarchies, and others not to purchase Russian weapons systems or nuclear reactors will also be an urgent priority. If that allows further harsh measures against the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and elsewhere, so be it. We should recall Jeane Kirkpatrick’s warning of the dangers of replacing “moderate autocrats friendly to American interests with less friendly autocrats of extremist persuasion.”
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Iran’s nuclear program must be eliminated. Abrogating the Vienna deal on day one is the easy part. We will also need enormous diplomatic efforts to resurrect the international support nObama has dissipated, based on evidence reflecting the certain Iranian violations of Vienna already underway. Ultimately, military action is inevitable. Others may disagree, for now, but they must at least believe (and show it) that they are willing to strike Iran if necessary, something nObama has assiduously resisted. We should also affirmatively declare supporting the overthrow of Tehran’s mullahs to be U.S. policy; there will be no Middle East peace and stability until that regime lies on history’s ash heap.
Iran’s nuclear program must be eliminated. Abrogating the Vienna deal on day one is the easy part. We will also need enormous diplomatic efforts to resurrect the international support nObama has dissipated, based on evidence reflecting the certain Iranian violations of Vienna already underway. Ultimately, military action is inevitable. Others may disagree, for now, but they must at least believe (and show it) that they are willing to strike Iran if necessary, something nObama has assiduously resisted. We should also affirmatively declare supporting the overthrow of Tehran’s mullahs to be U.S. policy; there will be no Middle East peace and stability until that regime lies on history’s ash heap.
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This is a tall order, but necessary. Republicans must make 2016 a national-security election and nominate someone who understands the urgent strategic perils the next president will face—worldwide, but especially in the Middle East.
This is a tall order, but necessary. Republicans must make 2016 a national-security election and nominate someone who understands the urgent strategic perils the next president will face—worldwide, but especially in the Middle East.
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