Category Archives: Foreign
Credible Threat
“Without a credible threat to walk out of the single currency, Greece was eventually forced to cave in, and accept punishing terms from the rest of the European Union that will push its economy even deeper into recession.” – Market Watch
Death To America
The historic deal with Iran is done. Secretary of State Kerry says if a new president tries to change it “we’ll have proven we’re not trustworthy”.
President Obama says he will veto any bill if Congress tries to change the deal.
Supreme Leader Khameini says, “Death to America”.
Iranian Conventional Arms Embargo
As part of the Obama nuclear agreement, Iran made a last minute pitch to end the conventional arms embargo. Grinning Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif got what he wanted and more. The deal calls for the E.U. to also lift sanctions on the Iranian Republican Guard and the Quds Force.
At least 500 Americans were killed in Iraq by Iranian made Explosively Formed Penetrators. EFP’s are a more sophisticated version of improvised explosive devices or IED’s.
Frederick Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute explains here “Why They’re Cheering in Tehran”.
Craigslist for Greeks
Greece’s Syriza Party Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras agreed to accept new conditions for a bail-out from Germany. The conditions are tougher than the ones Greek voters rejected in a referendum less than two weeks ago. The agreement also calls for a €50 billion investment fund to help Greece grow out of its mess. The fund is to endowed by the sale of Greek assets. Craigslist for Greeks.
The agreement requires approval of the Greek Parliament.
In a WSJ piece title “Another Greek Can-Kicking” Holman Jenkins thinks the deal will retard any return to health for Greece.
But if you still have money in Greek banks you might be willing, to sacrifice the economy’s return to long-term health to maximize your chance of reclaiming your life savings.
He also says the deal was less about Greece than preserving relations between France and Germany.
France stepped out as defender of Greece and promoter of fake plaudits… Germany likes to be seen deferring to France to quell any idea that Germany is becoming strident and imperialistic again.
It must be true – David Ignatius lays out the same notion in the Washington Post.
No Sanctuary for Kate Steinle
Illegal immigrant Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez has served 181 months in prison over 15 years. He’s been convicted of seven flelonies and deported five times. After serving each of his various terms was returned to Mexico and then sneaked back over the border for more of the same.
The Lopez-Sanchez round trip crime tour came to an end April 15. Rather than ship him back to Mexico again, a local sheriff released him onto the streets of San Fransisco. At that point Lopez-Sanchez would have been untouchable, San Fransisco being a Sanctuary City. But he claimed he found a gun and shot 32 year old Kate Steinle while she walked with her father.
Here’s Michael Daly’s account in a Daily Beast story slugged The Murder Shaking San Francisco’s Liberal Soul.
A memorial for Kate Steinle was held on Thursday. Family and friends told stories of an adventurous, exuberant, and uncommonly kind young woman. They had a phrase for the sunny, uplifting impact she seemed to have on everybody, wherever her wide travels took her:
“The Kate effect.”
