REHAB: Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) is being treated -- once-again -- for an undisclosed ailment. The Congressman, the son of the ailing Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts, has been treated before for depression, alcoholism, and drug addiction. In a statement, Kennedy noted, "...he will do whatever it takes to preserve his health." Everything that is but resign his seat.
BUS TOSS: It seems that David Letterman was deemed expendable by the folks over at the National Organization of Women. (After all, Letterman is a cantankerous over the hill talk show host.) Too bad they lost their cred when they failed to support Jones, Broderick, and Wiley ten years ago when NOW had a shred of credibility.
DARE NOT SPEAK ITS NAME: Here's how a joke about statuatory rape is now being described: "... and the now oft-repeated joke about Palin’s daughter and Alex Rodriguez..." Given that description, how harmful could it be?
EMPATHY: If Mr. & Mrs. Obama want to dine in the Big Apple and in the City of Lights, go ahead. But in times like these, doesn't it strike one as being a bit out of touch?
INVITES: So much for any plan to invite both Rahm Emanuel and Jeremiah Wright to the same party. Seems the latter has a problem with the former's beliefs. A team of rivals indeed.
YOUR NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER AT WORK: Regular readers of this blog saw this happening from Day One.
DESPAIR & STATUS QUO: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wins in Iran. If this had been a real election than a simple circus, there'd be something to talk about.
Showing posts with label James Jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Jones. Show all posts
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Your National Security Advisor At Work
The headline writer over at the Associated Press did not do any favors for National Security Spokesmodel*, James Jones, with the headline: "National security adviser: US safer under Obama."
Jones had the misfortune of speaking to the Atlantic Council in the wake of a North Korea's renunciation of the 1953 armistice which ended the Korean War. The timing was akin to a global warming protest delayed by snowfall.
Jones didn't roam too far off Team Obama's talking points reservation, regarding efforts to get out of Iraq, revamping the strategy in Afghanistan, and the campaign to repair the U.S. reputation aroad.
Of course, getting out of Iraq may take several years; a new commander and more troops signifies a new capability in Afghanistan, not necessarily a revamped strategy; and if you apologize enough, I'm sure more folks will like you.
More noticeably -- and in recognition that criticism from former Vice President Dick Cheney is getting traction -- Jones offered that Guantanamo has served as a recruitment tool for insurgents and as a result has probably (emphasis mine) created more terrorststs than it detained.
Now Jones would be in a position to know if this was true or not. A few questions should be asked of our vast intelligence capability:
- Is there an upswing in jihadist propaganda on the Internet seeking recruits on behalf of those captured?
- What are those recently captured/detained saying about Guantanamo?
Perhaps Jones is right, (although the use of the word "probably" gives him plenty of wriggle room) but I have yet to see any empirical evidence to suggest that it is true. Yet this assertion -- repeated ad nauseum, corrupts the debate.
We should expect better.
* If General Jones can ride his bike to McLean from the White House for lunch as the national security adviser, it's obvious that he's on board for who he was -- a USMC commandant and a commander of NATO forces in Europe -- so that Team Obama can have a patina of gravitas when it comes to national security. It's difficult for one to think that he's developing strategy.
Jones had the misfortune of speaking to the Atlantic Council in the wake of a North Korea's renunciation of the 1953 armistice which ended the Korean War. The timing was akin to a global warming protest delayed by snowfall.
Jones didn't roam too far off Team Obama's talking points reservation, regarding efforts to get out of Iraq, revamping the strategy in Afghanistan, and the campaign to repair the U.S. reputation aroad.
Of course, getting out of Iraq may take several years; a new commander and more troops signifies a new capability in Afghanistan, not necessarily a revamped strategy; and if you apologize enough, I'm sure more folks will like you.
More noticeably -- and in recognition that criticism from former Vice President Dick Cheney is getting traction -- Jones offered that Guantanamo has served as a recruitment tool for insurgents and as a result has probably (emphasis mine) created more terrorststs than it detained.
Now Jones would be in a position to know if this was true or not. A few questions should be asked of our vast intelligence capability:
- Is there an upswing in jihadist propaganda on the Internet seeking recruits on behalf of those captured?
- What are those recently captured/detained saying about Guantanamo?
Perhaps Jones is right, (although the use of the word "probably" gives him plenty of wriggle room) but I have yet to see any empirical evidence to suggest that it is true. Yet this assertion -- repeated ad nauseum, corrupts the debate.
We should expect better.
* If General Jones can ride his bike to McLean from the White House for lunch as the national security adviser, it's obvious that he's on board for who he was -- a USMC commandant and a commander of NATO forces in Europe -- so that Team Obama can have a patina of gravitas when it comes to national security. It's difficult for one to think that he's developing strategy.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Ruminations
SCI-FI: I gave it a couple of viewings but like most of America, I realized that Life wasn't worth watching. They lost me when the hot chick started sleeping with her shmoe of a boss. Another NBC success story.
A GREAT JOB IF YOU CAN GET IT: Seems our National Security Advisor has the time to bike home for lunch. I would guess that all told it probably takes three hours out of his day. Good thing he's unimportant, otherwise he'd be missed.
EXILED: At first, I thought Joe Biden, given his latest goof, was sent to Siberia. He's actually in Serbia.
CAFE CHIP: Something tells me that President Obama's move to increase vehicle fuel mileage is nothing more than a bargaining chip to be used sometime down the road.
RUNNING: I know of some registered voters in New York City getting three to four mailings from the Bloomberg campaign. It's safe to say, he's not taking chances.
SNOWED: Marc Ambinder is keeping an eye on the meme that Obama is easily cowed by his generals. Perhaps, but Bush was swayed by his defeatist brass -- Pace, Casey, and Abizaid. Success in Iraq came when he finally got rid of two and kicked the other upstairs.
IMPOTENCE: As the Senate Majority leader, things can't get any worse for Senator Reid given his erroneous reports, his poor polling numbers, and a President who disses his state's leading source of revenue.
A GREAT JOB IF YOU CAN GET IT: Seems our National Security Advisor has the time to bike home for lunch. I would guess that all told it probably takes three hours out of his day. Good thing he's unimportant, otherwise he'd be missed.
EXILED: At first, I thought Joe Biden, given his latest goof, was sent to Siberia. He's actually in Serbia.
CAFE CHIP: Something tells me that President Obama's move to increase vehicle fuel mileage is nothing more than a bargaining chip to be used sometime down the road.
RUNNING: I know of some registered voters in New York City getting three to four mailings from the Bloomberg campaign. It's safe to say, he's not taking chances.
SNOWED: Marc Ambinder is keeping an eye on the meme that Obama is easily cowed by his generals. Perhaps, but Bush was swayed by his defeatist brass -- Pace, Casey, and Abizaid. Success in Iraq came when he finally got rid of two and kicked the other upstairs.
IMPOTENCE: As the Senate Majority leader, things can't get any worse for Senator Reid given his erroneous reports, his poor polling numbers, and a President who disses his state's leading source of revenue.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Your National Security Advisor at Work
In the big scheme of things, perhaps it is just a matter of our adversaries learning what our fax cover sheets look like.
But it also indicates that following the rules is optional.
Politico reports that foreign policy aide Denis McDonough is seen carrying a document stamped "SECRET" in a photo that was part of the White House's Flickr feed.
I learned a long time ago that when you are moving classified documents, that they are secured -- at a minimum -- in a manila envelope.
Again, it may not be a big deal but it certainly suggestive of the ship that James Jones is running in the White House.
But it also indicates that following the rules is optional.
Politico reports that foreign policy aide Denis McDonough is seen carrying a document stamped "SECRET" in a photo that was part of the White House's Flickr feed.
I learned a long time ago that when you are moving classified documents, that they are secured -- at a minimum -- in a manila envelope.
Again, it may not be a big deal but it certainly suggestive of the ship that James Jones is running in the White House.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Your National Security Advisor At Work (Cont'd.)
A continuing series questioning General Jones' alleged toughness and smarts:
According to Gateway Pundit, Team Obama wrote a lovely note (they do a lot of letter writing over in the Oval Office nowadays) to former French President Jacques Chirac to say that he looks forward to working with him.
Unfortunately, Chirac is the former President of France.
********************
In other news, former ballet student and current hatchet man, Rahm Emanuel, has decided to conduct political get togethers in the Situation Room.
Did anybody think to ask the NSA as to whether this was appropriate? Or was, he, as the case seems to be -- simply ignored?
According to Gateway Pundit, Team Obama wrote a lovely note (they do a lot of letter writing over in the Oval Office nowadays) to former French President Jacques Chirac to say that he looks forward to working with him.
Unfortunately, Chirac is the former President of France.
********************
In other news, former ballet student and current hatchet man, Rahm Emanuel, has decided to conduct political get togethers in the Situation Room.
Did anybody think to ask the NSA as to whether this was appropriate? Or was, he, as the case seems to be -- simply ignored?
Friday, March 20, 2009
Your National Security Advisor at Work (Cont'd.)
(A continuing series...)
According to press reports, President Obama, sent a video to Iran looking for a "new day" in the Washington - Tehran relationship.
I'm sure it's the feel good video of the season; especially in the West Wing.
However, in the mosques in Tehran, I'm figuring that they are looking at this as a sign of Obama's weakness.
Full speed on the nuclear program and keep re-supplying Hezbollah!
(It's a darn shame that most people aren't like us -- it would make things so much easier.)
**************************
I'll cut the General some slack and assume he wasn't in the office when Team Obama thought that combat-wounded vets should pay for their medical treatment.
According to press reports, President Obama, sent a video to Iran looking for a "new day" in the Washington - Tehran relationship.
I'm sure it's the feel good video of the season; especially in the West Wing.
However, in the mosques in Tehran, I'm figuring that they are looking at this as a sign of Obama's weakness.
Full speed on the nuclear program and keep re-supplying Hezbollah!
(It's a darn shame that most people aren't like us -- it would make things so much easier.)
**************************
I'll cut the General some slack and assume he wasn't in the office when Team Obama thought that combat-wounded vets should pay for their medical treatment.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Your National Security Advisor at Work
Apparently, the President has decided to focus (when not in pseudo-campaign mode) on domestic issues. As a result, he -- not unlike President Clinton -- has let the "experts" handle foreign policy.
For starters, it looks like the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) selected Chas Freeman to be the chief of the National Intelligence Council (NIC). Mr. Freeman has since declined the job.
Nonetheless, the NIC produces the authoritative National Intelligence Estimates which guides U.S. foreign policy. It seemed that Mr. Freeman had some explaining to do with regard to his "outlier" views on key issues. No doubt, Admiral (Ret'd.) Blair will take some well-deserved grief for the selection.
However, shouldn't the national security advisor been part of the selection process? If he was ignored (or not part of the input) doesn't it suggest that his views are, well, unimportant? If he did have input, what does it say about his judgment? From my soda-straw perspective, it looks like lose-lose.
Moreover, who put the idea in the President's head about "moderate" Taliban? After seven plus years, those Taliban who wanted to come over -- probably have. Those who joined after their ejection into the mountainous hinterlands are likely to be hard core. (All bets are off should Obama go to the mountains -- with his teleprompter -- and talk to the Taliban.)
Then (I can go on but three examples should suffice) what was the anticipated end state when dealing with the Russians regarding Iran? The actual result had us looking as if we let the Poles and the Czechs twist in the wind with no Russian change in policy. Moreover, it has downgraded the critical missile defense system to a bargaining chip. Who was dumb enough to think that the Russians were going to take a bite on that offer?
General (Ret'd.) James Jones hasn't been getting much press as the president's national security advisor. However, given these recent debacles , maybe he should.
For starters, it looks like the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) selected Chas Freeman to be the chief of the National Intelligence Council (NIC). Mr. Freeman has since declined the job.
Nonetheless, the NIC produces the authoritative National Intelligence Estimates which guides U.S. foreign policy. It seemed that Mr. Freeman had some explaining to do with regard to his "outlier" views on key issues. No doubt, Admiral (Ret'd.) Blair will take some well-deserved grief for the selection.
However, shouldn't the national security advisor been part of the selection process? If he was ignored (or not part of the input) doesn't it suggest that his views are, well, unimportant? If he did have input, what does it say about his judgment? From my soda-straw perspective, it looks like lose-lose.
Moreover, who put the idea in the President's head about "moderate" Taliban? After seven plus years, those Taliban who wanted to come over -- probably have. Those who joined after their ejection into the mountainous hinterlands are likely to be hard core. (All bets are off should Obama go to the mountains -- with his teleprompter -- and talk to the Taliban.)
Then (I can go on but three examples should suffice) what was the anticipated end state when dealing with the Russians regarding Iran? The actual result had us looking as if we let the Poles and the Czechs twist in the wind with no Russian change in policy. Moreover, it has downgraded the critical missile defense system to a bargaining chip. Who was dumb enough to think that the Russians were going to take a bite on that offer?
General (Ret'd.) James Jones hasn't been getting much press as the president's national security advisor. However, given these recent debacles , maybe he should.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Ruminations
Lost in the brouhaha in the White House vs. Rush battle is the fact that George Stephanopoulos participated in daily conference calls with the White House chief of staff and other Clinton-era operatives. Maybe, I'm old school, but I think it was wrong for these events to be held with a network anchor. However, if you do need a media representative, shouldn't they have partnered with Keith Olberman?
Joe Biden convenes secret meetings with a powerful interest group. I'm holding my breath for the Congressional inquiry.
Too bad the White House doesn't have anybody on staff who knows the protocols of dealing with European heads of government. If they did, then Obama's gift to Gordon Brown wouldn't have been so insulting. Further proof that General (Ret'd.) Jones is window dressing.
If Obama is so insistent that we don't torture, why does he insist that Robert Gibbs be his press secretary? C'mon, there are only so many "umh's" a person can tolerate without breaking.
Just when I thought that Joe Biden was the second coming of Dan Quayle, it dawned on me that he's actually the return of Spiro T. Agnew.
Larry King thought he was funny last night when he remarked that those who voted against the stimulus bill hadn't read it either. There's no shame in retirement, Larry.
The jobless crisis claimed another victim this week -- a State Department Russian translator.
UPDATE: Further proof that General Jones is a potted plant.
Joe Biden convenes secret meetings with a powerful interest group. I'm holding my breath for the Congressional inquiry.
Too bad the White House doesn't have anybody on staff who knows the protocols of dealing with European heads of government. If they did, then Obama's gift to Gordon Brown wouldn't have been so insulting. Further proof that General (Ret'd.) Jones is window dressing.
If Obama is so insistent that we don't torture, why does he insist that Robert Gibbs be his press secretary? C'mon, there are only so many "umh's" a person can tolerate without breaking.
Just when I thought that Joe Biden was the second coming of Dan Quayle, it dawned on me that he's actually the return of Spiro T. Agnew.
Larry King thought he was funny last night when he remarked that those who voted against the stimulus bill hadn't read it either. There's no shame in retirement, Larry.
The jobless crisis claimed another victim this week -- a State Department Russian translator.
UPDATE: Further proof that General Jones is a potted plant.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
The General is Overturned
I wondered as to why the Obama Team selected retired Marine Corps General James Jones to be the national security advisor.
At first, I thought it may be the case that none of the inner circle Obama, Biden, and H. R. Clinton had any military expertise. (Dr. Gates of the DoD, if memory serves, was a reservist in the Air Force -- but how long will he stay in the administration?) I suspected that they wanted their own "in-house" military perspective rather than being dependent upon the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The second point in his favor was the fact that he publicly turned down a deputy national security position (with responsibility for on-going military operations) in the in the Bush Administration due to what he believed was their poor prosecution of the war in Iraq. Bush-bashing is always OK with Team Obama.
Perhaps.
The news that career diplomat Christopher Hill has been chosen to be the new Ambassador to Baghdad suggests that Jones was hired because he can be rolled.
A host of reports indicate that Jones (who coordinated this move with Clinton) informed retired Marine Corps general Anthony Zinni that he was the administration's choice to be the Ambassador. (I'm not sold on the wisdom of the former CENTCOM commander being the ambassador but I'll let that slide for now.)
However, it seems that Richard Holbrooke went behind the back of Jones and lobbied -- successfully with Secretary Clinton -- for Hill to be the new envoy.
Tellingly, Zinni had to call Jones in order to find out that the job offer was no longer on the table. While this may be a slap in the face for Zinni it certainly makes Jones look just as foolish.
In late November, when Team Obama's vetting process was thought to be a well-oiled machine, a "senior advisor" praised Jones as a "...a strong player who isn't dwarfed by any of the other personalities around the table."
Well if this incident doesn't make him look small, what does?
At first, I thought it may be the case that none of the inner circle Obama, Biden, and H. R. Clinton had any military expertise. (Dr. Gates of the DoD, if memory serves, was a reservist in the Air Force -- but how long will he stay in the administration?) I suspected that they wanted their own "in-house" military perspective rather than being dependent upon the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The second point in his favor was the fact that he publicly turned down a deputy national security position (with responsibility for on-going military operations) in the in the Bush Administration due to what he believed was their poor prosecution of the war in Iraq. Bush-bashing is always OK with Team Obama.
Perhaps.
The news that career diplomat Christopher Hill has been chosen to be the new Ambassador to Baghdad suggests that Jones was hired because he can be rolled.
A host of reports indicate that Jones (who coordinated this move with Clinton) informed retired Marine Corps general Anthony Zinni that he was the administration's choice to be the Ambassador. (I'm not sold on the wisdom of the former CENTCOM commander being the ambassador but I'll let that slide for now.)
However, it seems that Richard Holbrooke went behind the back of Jones and lobbied -- successfully with Secretary Clinton -- for Hill to be the new envoy.
Tellingly, Zinni had to call Jones in order to find out that the job offer was no longer on the table. While this may be a slap in the face for Zinni it certainly makes Jones look just as foolish.
In late November, when Team Obama's vetting process was thought to be a well-oiled machine, a "senior advisor" praised Jones as a "...a strong player who isn't dwarfed by any of the other personalities around the table."
Well if this incident doesn't make him look small, what does?
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