Category Archives: Foreign
Doctored Intelligence
Two weeks ago the NYT reported that intelligence analysts claim their superiors at Centcom doctored their reports to make ISIS appear more jv than varsity.
Daily Beast says more than “50 spies claim intelligence was cooked”.
Former CIA analyst, Fred Fleitz in National Review, wants to know where the rest of the intelligence community is. He thinks this is only a tip of the iceberg.
Russian Red Line
Having drawn a red line in Syria, President Obama was unwilling to take action after Bashar Assad gassed his own people. Putin stepped in to save Barack’s bacon by setting up an inspections regime to remove poison gas from Syria.
Russian Red Line
On Monday at the UN President Putin said Russia would step up its support for Syria. Secretary of State Kerry welcomed the idea hoping Putin would do some of the dirty work needed to beat ISIS. On Wednesday the Russians told the Americans to get out of the way and bombed near Homs. The US says ISIS isn’t in Homs but “moderate” Syrian rebels are.
Now, according to the Telegraph, our new best friends, Iran and Hezbollah, are joining the fight.
Speaking of that red line – in 2013 Obama denied ever setting it. On Tuesday Josh Ernest insisted the president does’t regret setting it.
Mass in Cuba
AP
Pope Francis celebrated Mass in Cuba on Sunday. Standing before a giant image of Che Guevara, he said “Service is never ideological, for we don’t serve ideas, we serve people.” Afterward he met with Fidel but not with Cuban dissidents.
He will meet with dissidents in the United States. President Obama has invited Catholic dissidents to a reception for the pope.
Happy Jewish New Year from Iran
Iranian good cop President Rouhani tweeted Happy Rash Hashanah wishes for the Jewish new year. In English, not on his Persian account. Earlier in the week Supreme Leader Khamenei announced that Israel will be gone in 25 years.
Iran Deal Bizarro World
It’s President Obama’s Bizarro World and we just live in it.
He created a parallel universe in order to pass the Iran Nuclear deal .
Critics believe the deal qualifies as a treaty. A treaty requires 2/3 Senate approval and that wasn’t about to happen. Just ask John Kerry. So the president made it an executive agreement. No approval needed.
Bizarro World
That was one indignity too far for Senator Bob Corker. Corker decided to defend the Senate’s honor by allowing a vote of disapproval of the executive agreement. Obama agreed, promising to veto a vote to disapprove. Overriding a veto requires a 2/3 vote by the full Congress.
It never came to that. The president was able to muster 42 Senate votes to keep the vote for disapproval from even making it to the floor.
