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The Taxman Cometh (for Tea Partiers)
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Farrell’s Fallacies
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Turning on Obama
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The Obama Watch
America’s Amateur Hour
On Egypt, the Obama administation’s “intelligence” is about as good as what it hears from CNN. Yesterday’s Mubarak “stepping down” took the cake.
In his simply terrible speech on Thursday evening (mid-day here in the U.S.), Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said he won’t resign but he delegated some unspecified powers to his vice president, Omar Suleiman, an increasingly unpopular and untenable placeholder for a future Mubarak vacancy.
What was particularly gut-wrenching to the protesters around Egypt and to those around the world hoping for a non-violent resolution to the turmoil (whether or not they thought Mubarak should stay or go and for what period of time) was the several hours of news reports prior to the speech saying and “confirming” that Mubarak was going to step down.
Apparently as part of “not stepping down,” Mubarak has left Cairo for the seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, with the Army filling a gap as a guarantor of political reform. So he’s stepping down, then he’s not; he’s not leaving then he is.
But was it any wonder Mubarak was confused after a week in which the Obama administration said that Mubarak should go, then stay, then go “yesterday,” then stay for a short time for “stability,” and then that it’s really not our place to comment?
It was a lesson the administration should have learned right away, following Hillary Clinton’s early (Jan. 25) statement that Egypt’s government was stable and her correct backing away from that statement a few days later. And if that weren’t enough, then Joe Biden’s comment on January 27 that Mubarak should not step down was contradicted a few days later by President Obama himself. (How many remember that the key argument to take Joe Biden as a running mate was his experience, particularly in international affairs, where Obama was thought to be extremely weak?)
And yet a full week later, the administration sent former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt Frank Wisner to Cairo as a special envoy to the Egyptian Government — reportedly to tell Mubarak that neither he nor his son, Gamal, should be candidates in Egypt’s upcoming elections. Upon his return, although ostensibly “speaking for himself,” Wisner said that Mubarak “must stay in office” through a transitional period for the Egyptian government. The State Department immediately contradicted Wisner, saying “the views he expressed are his own.” Even presuming that’s true, it reflects badly on the Obama/Clinton team for two reasons: First, they didn’t have the sense to tell Wisner to keep his mouth shut while events were unfolding so that the appearance of disagreement with the administration wouldn’t occur. And second, Wisner is at least as credible as anyone in our current administration so any disagreement would increase skepticism about our government’s competence since Wisner is at least as likely to be correct as the naïfs running the show.
Even more emblematic of the U.S. government’s Amateur Hour was CIA Director Leon Panetta’s testimony before the House Intelligence Committee in which he said that “there is a strong likelihood that Mubarak may step down this evening” but was basing it on having “the same information you (have).” In other words, the head of our pre-eminent intelligence agency is publicly saying that his best source is CNN or Fox News. It’s not as if Panetta had a large reservoir of credibility to begin with; now he’s running on empty. If the administration needs a head to roll following their disastrous performance on Egypt, look for Panetta to go. Those politicians, including Democrats, who questioned his selection in the first place will offer a self-serving but justified “told you so.”
If the signals Mubarak was getting through official channels were as representative of the administration’s amateur hour as it’s seems through news reports, he probably felt like he has no friends, not even a decent international rational confidante. Instead, he probably thought, “Hey, I’ve done the U.S. an unbelievable favor by keeping peace with Israel for 30 years and now they repay me by throwing me under the bus at the first sign of a ‘democratic’ movement in the streets?”
We all knew that Barack Obama was going to be learning on the job. But he’s supposed to have career foreign service officers available to him who can help him avoid being so obvious about it. Instead, it seems that he must have a cadre of sycophantic idealists and wannabes who think they’re playing Risk without a clue as to how the real world, and especially the non-western world, works.
This isn’t just embarrassing, it’s dangerous. To the extent that our government’s confusion causes confusion and indecisiveness in Egypt, they sow instability across the whole region. And to the extent that representatives of our government are making public statements every day, statements which are frequently inconsistent with the prior day or something some other official said a few hours earlier, they allow Mubarak to blame foreigners for trying to influence events in Egypt.
Egypt is a proud nation with a longer recorded history than almost anywhere else on earth. Mubarak is a proud man, no matter what else you may think of him. In his speech, he made both of those things clear. And with a fortune estimated to be as much as an astonishing $70 billion he’s not going to be the easiest guy to push around. I wonder if it’s a coincidence that $70 billion would be pretty close to the total amount of foreign aid given from the U.S. to Egypt during Mubarak’s tenure in office, assuming a little growth from interest. By the way, the “official” richest man in the world is Mexico’s Carlos Slim with a net worth estimated around $53 billion, with Bill Gates is right in that range as well. In other words, Mubarak may be the richest man in the world. Even if there were a move to freeze Mubarak’s assets and find a way to return money to Egypt — something I doubt, given that unlike in the Iranian situation there has been no attack on the U.S. or other western interest — Mubarak would certainly have learned the lesson of the Shah and spread his assets around the world in a way which would make them very hard to recover.
There’s a saying I often use among my friends, especially people who are Jewish, as I am: “Two Jews, three opinions.” Well, who could have guessed that the highest levels of the US administration’s foreign policy apparatus, going right up to the top, are Jewish? I’ve never seen Hillary at a synagogue or heard about Joe Biden’s bar mitzvah. And Obama’s “apology to Islam” tour early in his term certainly rule him out as a member of the tribe. But what else could the explanation be for so many opinions coming from so few people in such a short period of time? Oh, I know, it’s that most dangerous combination in international affairs: ignorance and ego.
For all the harm that Obama and his henchmen are doing and have done to the American economy through “stimulus,” Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, and all the rest of it, we may look back on their response to the uprising in Egypt — or should I say their responses — as this president’s Jimmy Carter moment, where his projection of fecklessness and weakness encouraged our enemies to act boldly. While the haughty urbane Obama is not the weirdly smiling peanut farmer and killer-bunny-victim that Carter was, in the 2012 election Obama’s personal appeal won’t easily trump his piling international failure on domestic failure.
In the meantime, the next several days in Egypt will be history in the making. We’ll be witnessing a revolution of some form in a very large and important (at least regionally) country, with existential implications for Israel as well as the House of Saud and other autocratic regimes across the Arab world. If this goes worse than it needed to, Barack Obama and his foreign policy Keystone Cops will have much more to answer for than just damaging the American economy.
About the Author
Ross Kaminsky is a self-employed trader and investor and is a senior fellow of the Heartland Institute. He is the host of The Ross Kaminsky Show on Denver’s NewsRadio 850 KOA at 11 AM on most Sundays. You can reach Ross by e-mail at rossputin(at)rossputin(dot)com.
Pelligrino| 2.11.11 @ 10:16AM
Correct, Mr. Kaminsky, it is odd and awkward that the signals prior to Mubarek's speech were that he would conceed and step down.
But, please, don't make the errors I hear so much in the US media. MANY other nations are -- to varying extents -- interacting with Egypt's government right now. And, yes, depite the US's ill-spent billions of $ on Mubarek, depite this, he listens more to his neighbors and those north of him across the Med. The US is not to whom or for whom he (or any other upper leader in Egypt) answers.
Much more of interest (if you want to know where the country is headed):
An issue I would like someone in the press to unveil for us: What are the minority Coptic Christians in Egypt thinking, saying, blogging?, and doing right now? Are they also in the streets? Or are they packing their bags?
Has anyone addressed the direct violence against them by their countrymen just a month ago and during Christmas?
vtwin| 2.11.11 @ 2:25PM
Feb 5th, 2011
“Egypt’s future should be decided by the Egyptian people” -- Barack Obama
Feb 11th, 2011
“Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns” --Egypt.
President Barack Obama, right once again!
ncatty| 2.11.11 @ 3:01PM
Thanks for validating my 11:41 am post.
JmsA| 2.11.11 @ 3:47PM
Bravo! Written like a true sycophant.
JmsA| 2.11.11 @ 4:02PM
My previous comment was directed at vitwin, who apparently forgets the present events are but only the end of the beginning, with now nefarious powers at play. Stay tuned.
beebop| 2.11.11 @ 3:53PM
Just heard Fibbs say that 0bama hasn't had a conversation with Mubarak since MONDAY .... you have to hand it to him, he either managed to piss off a nation on the brink or his priorities are as screwed up as they appear to be.
Charles Martel| 2.13.11 @ 2:25AM
If Mubarak had ridden this crisis out and things had settled down, you'd be quoting something else the Dear Leader or someone in his administration had said for validation.
That was the point of the article, peabrain, that those feckless morons have said so many conflicting things that one of them could not help but seem prophetic.
+++
Doctor Right| 2.11.11 @ 10:35AM
When this fool (Obama) took office, he told everyone that the Arab/Muslim world would now love us because he (Obama) was a man of the world who understood their culture, and was practically one of them! (as the birth certificate probably proves...)
Of course, anyone with a brain (sorry, Libs...that leaves you out) knew that this preening, under-qualified narcissist was merely blowing smoke, as all narcissists like to do.
Now, less than two years into his tenure as Pretender-in-Chief, Obama has been made to look like a complete fool on the world stage by the very same Arab/Muslim people. Apparently they, like most of us, see him for what he is: A joke.
Mubarek basically told Obama to pound sand up his ass, and Obama has no clue as to what he should do about it. Priceless!
It would all be gloriously funny to watch if it didn't have such dire consequences for 300 million Americans, as well as millions of Egyptians who DON'T want to love in an Islamic state.
For the good of everyone, this fool needs to be removed from office as soon as possible. He's already been held in contempt by a Federal judge or refusing to comply with an order to halt the drilling ban in the Gulf of Mexico. He's about to be held in contempt again for refusing to halt the implementation of ObamaCare. He is a rogue, out-of-control President with Dictatorial impulses.
The Republicans control Congress. It's time to begin the impeachment process. NOW.
loulou| 2.11.11 @ 1:00PM
Dream on. The eunuchs don't know how to lead. The new supposedly conservative congressmen are being co-opted by the moderate ruling class Republicans.
vtwin| 2.11.11 @ 2:36PM
“Mubarek basically told Obama to pound sand up his ass.”
Doc, do you suffer from premature ejaculations to?
Doctor Right| 2.11.11 @ 5:37PM
vtwin:
It's interesting that the first thing you would think of when you see the word "ass" is another man's semen.
Projecting, maybe? Do you have that empty feeling down below, again?
Call Barney Frank. He's not too busy these days.
C A B| 2.11.11 @ 5:23PM
Too bad the Republicans are too busy trying to eliminate Social Securuty, Medicare and Medicaid. What would Chenney, Rummy and Bush done differently? oh, yeah, sent more "military advisors"? Your sense of what is wrong with the US is astounding and your "entitlement" to dictate should be done is redonkulous. BTW...I just told you to pound sand.
Doctor Right| 2.11.11 @ 5:34PM
They would have supported our ally, dim-wit.
Democrats are like tornadoes; they go from place to place leaving destruction in their wake, and then the responsible people have to clean up their mess.
Truman lost China.
Johnson lost South-east Asia.
Carter lost Iran, and nearly all of Central America.
Clinton allowed North Korea to get nuclear weapons, and illegally sold satellite technology to the communist Chinese when he wasn't getting hummers from fat girls.
Reagan liberated hundreds of millions from the yoke of Communist tyranny and defeated our arch-enemy at the same time. George W. Bush created the 1st truly democratic state in the Arab-Islamic world...but let's not trifle with details, right?
You're an intellectual lightweight.
roadmaster| 2.12.11 @ 9:01AM
At first I was excited with Bush's new paradigm for the ME (freedom for the little people) but unfortunately, in ran smack into the HUGE reality of Islam, which is diametrically opposed to Western Christian values. There is no such thing as a moderate Moozlim. They are either openly working toward our destruction/domination, or quietly biding their time until we are ready to topple, and with each day of the Obama Presidency, we get closer.
I do feel compelled to send a sympathy card to Mubarak. As corrupt and brutal as he was, he was still on our side, even if we had to buy his loyalty. By dumping all over him, we showed ourselves to be an unreliable, untrustworthy friend at best, or more likely, a formally great nation run by incompetent, Narcissistic boobs and self-hating ideologues. With friends like US, who needs enemies?
If I have to listen to one more dipstick pundit or politico gush about how wonderful the Egyptian revolt is, I'm gonna puke! No good can come of this - those people are Moozlims and, Allah (Satan) is their heart's desire. They have absolutely no concept of freedom and liberty - all they want is enough bread to eat and a submissive goat tied up behind their hovel.
Albert| 2.11.11 @ 6:16PM
Just how imbecilic can a post get? It's hard to imagine there is a bottom limit after reading this drivel by by C A B. 1. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are all unconstitutional. Look it up (10th Amend.). 2. Despite this, the Republicans are NOT trying to eliminate these programs even though they SHOULD BE! Let the States fund and manage such things according to the Law. 3. "Military advisors?" What do you base that assessment on? 4. What is wrong with the USA is TOO MUCH GOVERNMENT!!! Government is both corrupting and a lure for corrupt people (like President Bozo). Government is an inherent conflict of interest. The greediest people in history are part of governments, people like President Bozo who tax people who provide for themselves so they can buy votes with other people's money. Did President Bozo and the Democrats buy your vote? Are you bought and paid for by Democrats? Are you capable of independent thought? Or are you a drone for sleazy Democrat politicians? And as for "entitlements," why do you think you are "entitled" to other people's money and to taking away other people's rights? You do, of course, every time you vote.
hardcard| 2.11.11 @ 10:36AM
Thank you Mr. Kaminsky. The obama regime is clueless and dangerous, panetta, clapper, brennan, j.napolitano, hillary, biden, are political hacks and totally unqualified. The POTUS is a threat to the USA and world peace. Better if we have; Moe, Larry, and Curley directing our foreign policy.
Occam's Tool| 2.11.11 @ 10:54AM
Indeed. Moe would know what to do with Muslim Brotherhood protesters. Good article, Ross.
disdained constituent| 2.11.11 @ 4:37PM
The uprising in Egypt is Community Organizing writ large - soon to be global. The Muslim Brotherhood are the "best organized" with help from U.S. union thug agitators.
roadmaster| 2.12.11 @ 9:04AM
Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk....
prestonsbrooks| 2.11.11 @ 11:00AM
Obama is an undercover agent of the Muslim Brotherhood. He is orchestrating a takeover of the Middle East in alliance with his Marxist Comrades. His goal is the subjugation of America under Islam.
loulou| 2.11.11 @ 1:00PM
Actually, there is a lot of truth to what you say.
RN in Houston| 2.11.11 @ 7:33PM
We still do not know the identity of Obama or where he got a couple of hundred million dollars in campaign contributions during the 2008 election. Your comment about him being affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood has crossed my mind as well as many others several times. Who is this guy?
Occam's Tool| 2.12.11 @ 4:54PM
Dear Preston:
Yours is an interesting comment. Now, a typical dhimmi leftist would think you should wear tinfoil. However, when Obama gave his speech in Cairo, he invited the Muslim Brotherhood. Second, all he has done is bow and scrape to tyrants. Third, he has too many despicable advisors.
So, while I don't think he's an undercover member of the Brotherhood, I do believe he is a Chamberlain to their Hitler---a horribly naive useful idiot. In short, a rational follower of events would be forced to agree with you in eventual outcome, no matter how you state facts.
JimP| 2.11.11 @ 11:06AM
Didn't Hillary announce when she moved to NY for her Senate qualifications that she had Jewish ancestors? Oh, and too that she had always been a Yankees fan? As a girl she traveled to watch the Yanks play their home games at Cominskey Park.
JimH| 2.11.11 @ 11:26AM
She was also named after Sir Edmund before he climbed the mountain.
Doctor Right| 2.11.11 @ 11:47AM
Yes, her mom "just knew"...
skip| 2.11.11 @ 1:42PM
Hey, that's no way to talk about a true American heroine (no I will not look between her hind legs to verify) who braved all the flying bullets on the runway in Serbia or Bosnia or whereever.
Doctor Right| 2.11.11 @ 5:38PM
Please...don't EVER refer to the space between Hillary's legs again!
...shiver...
beebop| 2.11.11 @ 6:29PM
Do you think that Bill says the same thing? ;)
skip| 2.12.11 @ 4:16PM
Think Bill thought Monica's an improvement?
Occam's Tool| 2.12.11 @ 4:56PM
Skip,
the answer is "yes." And she was. That's what's so sad.
Charles Martel| 2.13.11 @ 2:30AM
Hey, Monica had skills. And she brought pizza... or was that just code?
---
skip| 2.14.11 @ 12:15PM
Need more proof liberalism lacks intelligence and honesty?
The president of the United States is the most powerful person in the known universe.
Clinton couldn't do better than Lewinsky? Pathetic .
roadmaster| 2.12.11 @ 9:05AM
EEEEyew! I'll have that disgusting image in my head the rest of the day.
Claypoole| 2.12.11 @ 10:37AM
For most of her adult life, Hillary Clinton has been trading humiliation for power. She has always been incompetent--remember Hillarycare?--and in her present job, remains the same.
Stan REdmond| 2.11.11 @ 11:18AM
Yet more evidence to support my conclusion that Obama is a stupid person and has surrounded himself with a cabinet of stupid people. It is so obvious Obama is trying to take the credit for inspring "Hope" in Egypt. I pray he is elected out of office in 2012. Then we will only have to hear his windy speeches when he is head of the UN.
loulou| 2.11.11 @ 1:01PM
In 2012 let's dump him on the UN then cut off all funding!
BackToBasics| 2.12.11 @ 1:31AM
And put the UN headquarters in Shanghai.
BackToBasics| 2.12.11 @ 1:35AM
Put it in Shanghai so Obam can bow to the Chinese leaders and army lieutenants, privates or whoever.
Occam's Tool| 2.12.11 @ 4:57PM
No, Brussels. That's where all useless international organizations go.
A.M. Mallett| 2.11.11 @ 11:19AM
OK, he steps down a day later ... Oba Jihad is clueless but lets focus on the goobers that matter.
Sam Vaughn| 2.11.11 @ 11:29AM
sad but LMAO
Sid Vicious| 2.11.11 @ 11:41AM
Let us all hope and pray that the clueless Cipher in Chief doesn't manage to set off World War III with all this bungling. And if we do somehow manage to avoid Armageddon, hopefully America will remember in the future that the Oval Office is no place to train an Affirmative Action hire.
missbosslady| 2.11.11 @ 11:45AM
Absolutely!
Fool us once shame on you, fool us twice shame on us!
Charles Martel| 2.13.11 @ 2:32AM
That is the one thing all Americans can agree on: we never ever do this again.
+++
ncatty| 2.11.11 @ 11:41AM
The template for the mainstream media/journolist/democrats will be that Obama's Cairo speech gave hope to the Egyptian masses resulting in the demonstrations and resignation of Mubarak. You heard it here first.
Mimi| 2.12.11 @ 8:07AM
ncatty..you are right! Wolf Blitzer got on it right away !
roadmaster| 2.12.11 @ 9:06AM
Yeah, Ole Wuff is pretty sharp, huh?
missbosslady| 2.11.11 @ 11:44AM
The unfolding events in Egypt serve to highlight what many of us knew and feared; Obama is without the qualifications for the office. Couple Obama's complete lack of aptitude with his poor choices for the most important positions in government and one can only feel a terrible sense of dread about what is to come.
How much damage do we allow this president to wreak before we act?
Can we at least learn the lesson here, that selections for key government postions be based on a person's qualifications and not political favor.
Clinton, Napolitano, Clapper, Panetta-none of these individuals were selected because they were the most qualified, this is frightening to say the least.
TommyS| 2.12.11 @ 7:32AM
Had O surrounded himself with qualified people then he would continually look like an idiot (not that he doesn't anyway) and he would have no one to ooh and aah over his supposed greatness. We have to remember that a narcissist needs constant praise and adoration to keep his ego inflated. This will not come from intelligent people who give praise only when it is earned.
Phillip| 2.11.11 @ 11:44AM
Whoops, SPOKE TOO SOON. Mubarak resigns. Kaminsky put his foot in his mouth on this one lol.
Albert| 2.11.11 @ 12:15PM
Excuse me? Even a broken clock shows the correct time twice a day. The Bozo Administration Foreign policy "team" is the proverbial broken clock and Mr. Kaminsky need not taste shoe leather.
Phillip| 2.11.11 @ 12:48PM
No need to protect one of your talking heads. Once again, the Obama Administration gets it right, the Right-Wingers get it wrong. Just like with the Gulf situation and the Somali pirates.
Ross Kaminsky | 2.11.11 @ 3:23PM
Phillip,
You may notice that I didn't predict what Mubarak would do next. In fact, I did note that he had already left Cairo.
This article was not primarily about what Mubarak would decide, but about the amateurishness of our government.
If you look at the article carefully, nothing other than perhaps the tense of a verb or two needed modification after Mubarak resigned.
Doctor Right| 2.11.11 @ 5:40PM
Mr. Kaminsky:
Don't feed the trolls. It only emboldens them.
Occam's Tool| 2.12.11 @ 4:59PM
Mr. Kaminsky:
do not lower yourself to take on the trolls. We will gladly do that for you. Great article, and great decision to live in a rural area. G-d Bless.
Albert| 2.11.11 @ 3:33PM
Once again? That's rich. This Bozo Administration hasn't gotten a thing right yet.
skip| 2.11.11 @ 3:45PM
To be fair, Gitmo is still functioning, and he hasn't abandoned Iraq and Afghanistan militarily, but that is a mighty mighty short list of successes for a messiah waited for to transform the greatest nation ever and recede the flooding oceans globally and give our enemies no reason to despise us and...
Charles Martel| 2.13.11 @ 2:34AM
OK, fair enough, but he had to reverse himself on those to get them right. How often does he do that?
+++
beebop| 2.11.11 @ 3:57PM
"gets it right?"
Dream on. Mubarak's downfall had little and nothing to do with the suit in the oval office. And. He has managed to irritate the guy he bowed down before. He wouldn't be permitted to recite his passages from the Torah in an adult world. He's a rank amateur with little and no sense.
Drew| 2.11.11 @ 11:57AM
You have to be kidding, right?
When the CIA Director talks to the House Intelligence Committee about the "same you (have)" he certainly ISN'T referring to CNN or Fox News reports. And when he says there is a "strong likelihood" Mubarak would resign "tonight" - and Mubarak actually resigns twelve hours later - excuse me if I don't think the American people are going to count that as a particularly dark day for America's Intelligence apparatus.
No - if you want to see an example of an Administration mishandling Intelligence - I think you could probably start with the shameful lies peddled by Messrs. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Powell, and Bush regarding the non-existence of WMD in Iraq. But hey - who's keeping score.
bobmontgomery| 2.11.11 @ 12:09PM
And the source of their "peddled lies"?
missbosslady| 2.11.11 @ 12:35PM
Ha-ha, Drew.
You could bundle up the whole of the Obama administration and not wind up with enough apptitude than even one of the Messrs. you mention in your post.
That's a swing and miss pal.
Eric Cartman| 2.11.11 @ 1:09PM
Give Drewwwww a break. This is the best his god, Obama, can do. Come, go, leave, stay, step down, step up, stable, shaky . . . The Chief Ass Clown's ass kissers can only swoon in orgasmic ecstasy. Poor bastards.
Occam's Tool| 2.11.11 @ 2:39PM
Eric,
Good to have you back, Mr. Bond.
Eric Cartman| 2.12.11 @ 1:01PM
Hey, OT! Thanks! Good to be back. Moved to a new house and have been dealing with 2 1/2 feet of Global Warming and -30 degree temps.
Charles Martel| 2.13.11 @ 2:37AM
At least you weren't holed up in Hell's Pass Hospital without supplies and forced to eat Eric Roberts.
Or were you?
+++
Ross Kaminsky | 2.11.11 @ 3:23PM
Drew,
A spokesman already said that Panetta was referring to news broadcasts.
beebop| 2.11.11 @ 4:00PM
At his last press conference, Fibbs has said they had the same sources "as you guys" in his conversation with the press .... is that assuring to you? That the previously most powerful nation on earth is talking to the very same people as the media in the press room? I wonder what Ariana is making of that?
Drew| 2.11.11 @ 4:31PM
You are taking an out-of-context quote and drawing a ridiculous conclusion.
The US Intelligence Community, as well as the Obama administration, has a trove of information on the Egyptian situation that is in no way available to CNN, Fox News, or The New York Times.
For instance, I'm quite sure Secy. Panetta has a transcript of President Obama's conversations with Mubarak last Tuesday and Friday. I'm also quite certain the CIA, as well as the House Committee, have been briefed on contacts between various US military and diplomatic officials with their Egyptian opposite numbers. This is in addition to the work product of CIA field officers inside Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East, as well as the assessments of the State Dept. staff of the Cairo embassy, based on THIER contacts in Egyptian society. None of which has been made public, or shared with the US media.
No. You based your entire slam on the Obama administration on the premise that Mubarak didn't resign Thursday evening (Washington time.) That kinda falls apart if Mubarak resigns Friday morning.
Ross Kaminsky | 2.11.11 @ 5:21PM
Drew,
You wish that my "slam" was based on what Mubarak does today or yesterday or tomorrow.
But clearly that's not the case.
The point was and remains that this administration is full of incompetents who made the situation worse rather than better.
Donna| 2.12.11 @ 9:34AM
Drew, you're right he has all this information. He just didn't read the information to prepare for the meeting and looked awful in front of the world. He didn't know about the UK picking up the 12 Muslim Brotherhood terrorist in London.....
don't we have a right to better representation considering all the taxes we pay? A little confidence we're getting our money's worth would be good.
skip| 2.11.11 @ 3:24PM
1) Iraq killed tens of thousands of Iranians by using WMDs.
2) Iraq killed tens of thousands of Iraqi Kurds by using WMDs.
3) American intelligence agencies were in agreement Iraq had WMDs.
4) Foreign intelligence agencies including Great Britain and France were in agreement Iraq had WMDs.
5) Most liberals including both Clintons, Gore, and Kerry all stated Iraq had WMDs and many including at least one of the specifically mentioned above went so far as to call for Bush's impeachment if he did not address Iraq's WMDs.
6) Hundreds if not thousands of tons of WMD material were recovered when Iraq was invaded.
7) Even if the claim that Iraq did not have WMDs by Bush had been hypothetically untrue, it could not be concluded that Bush had lied, since he truly believed Iraq had WMDs, and was supported in his belief by virtually all intelligence agencies foreign and domestic, and even by his own political opponents.
8) Iraq had WMDs.
9) Poster Drew at 11:57AM on 2/11/11 on AmSpec lied and therefore Drew is a liar.
roadmaster| 2.12.11 @ 9:14AM
Hundreds and hundreds of heavy Soviet trucks, running back and forth to Syria before the "festivities" began seems a little more than suspicious to me. Iraqi sources even admitted that's where the stuff went, yet our so-called news media deep sixed that report because it didn't fit their template of "Bush lied."
Instead of calling for indictments against Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld, the call needs to go out for prosecuting the Down Stream Media for utterly failing in their obligation, protected in the 1st Amendment, to inform the people with the facts.
bobmontgomery| 2.11.11 @ 12:05PM
This is akin to inviting Tom Friedman to come speak to your group about global warming. He gets his information from the media. But of course, even some scientists, including those at the IPCC, NOAA, NASA, et cetera, get theirinformation from the media. In Panetta's case, even if the CIA was frank in revealing the source of their info, which of course they should NOT be, unless they are really, really,really thick into a really, really, really clever plot, saying publicly "I am wasting your tax dollars on my salary" should prompt his immediate resignation.
John| 2.11.11 @ 12:45PM
Congratulations to the Egyptian people for removing an evil tyrant. Congratulation to the Arab nation. Congratulation to the Muslim and Islamic people. Congratulation to those in America who have not wavered in their support of the Egyptian people. Congratulations to all who love freedom. Truly a great day in history and for humanity. God willing saudi Syria etc .. Next.
PCC| 2.11.11 @ 4:42PM
Right on, John.
BackToBasics| 2.12.11 @ 1:50AM
Why didn't your beloved administration back the freedom-loving demonstrators in Iran 2 years ago. Obma specifically came out onthe side of the evil tyrants on that one.
Oh yes, I forgot, those evil tyrants hate American and Israel so they must be "Good Evil Tyrants."
roadmaster| 2.12.11 @ 9:18AM
When the glow of revolution wears off and another brutal Moozlim state rises up a few months, are you still going to be excited?
Just what we don't need; more anti-US, Israel hating radical Islamofacists, herding their people towards Armageddon.
CUFFS| 2.11.11 @ 12:50PM
Anyone out there ever hear of
T.E. Lawrence--Lawrence of
Arabia to pop culture.
It would be a good thing for Panetta and
Clapper to do some summer reading.
loulou| 2.11.11 @ 1:05PM
I am sick of the "news" coverage from Fox News. The "reporter" on the ground is giddy with excitement. He has inserted himself into the story and is no more a reporter than the man in the moon.
I expect more from Fox News but then maybe I shouldn't what with the partial jihadi ownership.
skip| 2.11.11 @ 1:51PM
Just because they are the best news source going doesn't mean they do everything right. They are not above the sensationist voyeuristic mania the country is infected with. Sheppard Smith always seems to hit his peak covering a live vehicle chase like some 'Hollywood News Entertainment Tonite' show host.
PCC| 2.11.11 @ 4:46PM
I'm mainly watching al Jazeera for coverage of the Egyptian revolution; they do a great job, with live interviews with a wide variety of protesters, analysts and Egyptian officials. By comparison, Fox's and the U.S. networks' coverage is distant, superficial and uninformative.
mark| 2.11.11 @ 1:25PM
and the conservatives handle everything with aplomb and honor. ha! you get caught with your pants down all the time too folks.
bobmontgomery| 2.11.11 @ 1:59PM
Oh, okay, Mark, you're right. National security really isn't all that important.
Occam's Tool| 2.11.11 @ 2:40PM
You know, I'm not happy Obama is muffing this. I would like my C-in-C to improve America's strategic position.
Charles Martel| 2.13.11 @ 2:47AM
Just once I'd like to see a Democrat with some actual skills, and not just another four-flushing charlatan. They used to have some, you know. What happened? Did they all die?
+++
skip| 2.14.11 @ 1:54PM
Humphrey
McGovern
Carter
Mondale
Dukakis
Clinton
Gore
Kerry
Obama
What a pathetic list of of absolute idiots.
beebop| 2.11.11 @ 4:07PM
I think you meant they get caught with their shirts off?
But seriously? Are you in fact proud of how this country -- through its elected officials in Washington -- look at this juncture? Is a weakened and ineffective role in international affairs what you think moves us forward?
Richard Baker| 2.11.11 @ 2:00PM
Clapper and Panetta. Makes one wish for the halcyon days of Stansfield Turner and the Church Committee, doesn't it? Since the Church Committee, the Intelligence community has been turned into yet another PC haven where political considerations are paramount. "Wild Bill" Donovan is rolling in his grave.
bobmontgomery| 2.11.11 @ 2:03PM
If you think what they did to the intelligence community was bad, just wait til they get done with the military.
GotFreedom| 2.11.11 @ 2:21PM
Keep a watchful eye on any/all comments coming out of the WH/Congress on the situation in Egypt. As we all know, they say one thing than do another--but please, make a mental note/bookmark/save any/all comments they make and then use them against them in the next election. To begin, Harry Reid has said (about Mubarak):
“I am pleased that President Mubarak has heard and heeded the voice of the Egyptian people, who have called for change. It is crucial that Mubarak’s departure be an orderly one and that it leads to true democracy for Egypt, including free, fair and open elections. We caution all sides against violence during this transition, and we will be watching the situation closely. We wish the Egyptian people the best in their next steps toward determining their own future under a democratic process.”
http://www.politico.com/politi.....ce_47ea...
Hey Harry, how about "hearing and heeding the voices" of the American people?
Mimi| 2.11.11 @ 6:14PM
IMHO..I think that Mubarak stepped down because he knew the Military would not harm its own people and violence by the crowd was inevitable....he did it for his people and country. Now...The Army can keep control and possibly avoid the Muslim Brotherhood from gaining any footing. Keep up your PRAYERS for Israel...Things are shaky. But a good outcome may yet be possible.
Anthony| 2.11.11 @ 3:07PM
Amateur hour indeed. As many of us have been saying, Obozo, Clinton, and Panetta are the Three Stooges in charge of our foreign policy.
They are absolutely clueless as to events in Egypt with intel about as reliable as a Bill Clinton promise. Connect the dots!!! hell, they can't even find the dots.
All we need to know is that Obozo remained silent during the recent upheavel in Iran, where true democracy was attempting to break out, but the Obozo administration went AWOL during their time of need.
However, with Egypt, this scripted scenerio of "freedom" from Mubarak's regime is a faint, as Obozo has no need for a real American ally, and would be happy if the Muslim Brotherhood eventually took power. Iran II.
If this was Bush, the LSM would be in high dugeon, but of course, it's Obozo, so the narrative will be how to spin this to make Obozo look like he actually orchestrated all this, and that this result is actually a good one.
America is in grave danger. Our foreign policy has now become nothing more than making Obozo look good in any situation that arises, and making sure America is less secure, as radical Islam acends.
America's interests take a back seat to the policy of Obozo first, last, always. This Egyptian situation will not go well for America if Obozo has has way.
An American president actively working against the interests of his country. I never would have thought I'd live to see this.
Egyptian Revolutionary| 2.11.11 @ 3:20PM
To all you American and Zionist pigs The Muslim Brotherhood is one step closer to power. When in power the Suez Canal will be closed to all American and Zionist shipping and just watch how fast your economies collapse.
Ross Kaminsky | 2.11.11 @ 3:26PM
Dear Revolutionary,
Your islamofascist dreams will not come true in Egypt, though if someone offers you a high-speed lead injection to speed you to the 72 virgins, I hope you accept it (willingly or otherwise.)
All the best,
American Zionist Pig (although since pigs aren't Kosher that would seem to be a bad choice of animal.)
beebop| 2.11.11 @ 4:05PM
Your nasty little scenario is hardly in the best interests of what remains to an "economy" -- one propped up and enabled by this country you little pig -- of the nation of Egypt.
skip| 2.11.11 @ 4:17PM
I'm confused, is it 72, or 77, virgins?
Was that wife of Muhammad's 6, 7, 8, 0r 9 years old?
John| 2.11.11 @ 4:40PM
Still flogging that dead donkey. You sir a one trick pony.
skip| 2.12.11 @ 4:23PM
Muhammad married a small child, a pony, and a dead donkey? How many virgins did he get?
How about the Pew Research project that last year found 84% of Egyptians in support of the death penalty for nonMuslims among a host of other equally alarming statistics?
missbosslady| 2.11.11 @ 5:41PM
Come on Egypt Rev,
You don't really think that your scenario has a snowball's chance of coming to fruition, do you? Quite a sophmoric delusion.
Perhaps, if you count the nations reliant on a free flowing Suez you will begin to understand the magnitude of such an operation and the improbability of its execution.
Tell me, oh hateful one, if the brotherhood is sooo adept, why oh why have they made so little progress in lo these nearly 100 years? Hmmm, not so effective, wouldn't ya say.
Bob| 2.11.11 @ 7:19PM
Delusion? Who would have thought Hosni Mubarak would topple in a peaceful revoluton 3 weeks ago? Who would have thought Tunisia, the most pro-American Arab regime would topple two months ago? Next up Jordan, Algeria, Pakistan and the Arabian peninsula, who is the delusional one here?
Doctor Right| 2.11.11 @ 5:49PM
Dear Egyptian Revolutionary:
An expert on Islam recently confided in me his opinion that much of the emotion that your "religion" engenders is caused by extreme sexual rage and confusion.
He said that Fundamentalist Islam imposes a very strict segregation on the sexes that results in the spread of misogyny and homosexuality, and this in turn causes deep-seeded feelings of rage and self-hatred that often have no outlet but violence.
He explained it like this:
A good Muslim boy loves his mother, but the Koran teaches him that women are basically property who are put on earth to serve men. This causes him confusion as he grows older and loses respect for his mother. He loves her, but she's worthless - two contradictory ideas in conflict with each other.
He also develops sexual feelings in puberty, but is hardly allowed to even approach girls in the strictly gender-segregated society. With no feminine outlet for his sexual urges, he turns to other boys, or even grown men. But of course, this also causes self-loathing since the Koran considers homosexuality to be a mortal sin.
Yassir Arafat was rumored to be a raging queen who liked to play hide-the-salami with his young male bodyguards...And there's an old Arab saying that goes:
"Women are for children, and men are for pleasure."
What do you think of all this? Are you a closet-case like Yassir? Or do you own 3-4 wives?
I'd be curious to know.
missbosslady| 2.11.11 @ 6:17PM
Hey Doc,
I think you're on to something there. Your post certainly goes a long way to explain, what has always seemed to me, to be an unpleasant and miserable people.
Of course, there is little to be said about forcing your fellow man, under the threat of extreme violence, to act contrary to their natural instincts. It is just plain sick and could only be carried out by truly defective souls.
roadmaster| 2.12.11 @ 9:43AM
Another factor of Arab society, not often mentioned is their love for cats. The possibility of whole groups of people infected with the T. gondi parasite present in cat feces, which causes mental illness, paranoia, and uncontrollable rage in infected humans. Moozlims are indeed a wretched, mindless people with no empathy or connection with the rest of the human race.
Charles Martel| 2.13.11 @ 2:57AM
Some years ago, Jonah Goldberg wrote a piece over at NRO on the relative merits of "dog civilizations" (Rome, Great Britain, the US) versus "cat civilizations" (Egypt, Persia, China). I like to recall it at moments like this.
+++
Albert| 2.11.11 @ 6:25PM
God is great! But Mohammad is not his prophet, the Koran is no constitution, and jihad does not bring one closer to God. Dying for "Allah" is a one way ticket to Hell. Enjoy your stay. (Ham sandwich anyone?)
John| 2.11.11 @ 7:16PM
Not very funny you bigoted idiot.
Perry Muslim| 2.11.11 @ 8:05PM
It was a little funny.
John| 2.11.11 @ 8:18PM
Yeh. A little funny in that nasty racist kind of way. Not nice.
Albert| 2.11.11 @ 8:43PM
Interesting how "Egyptian Revolutionary" can call all Americans "pigs" and threaten the USA with economic "collapse," and how other Muslims besides "Egyptian Revolutionary" can call westerners "pigs," and Al Quaida can fly airplanes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and how Muslim terrorists can murder people in Lebanon and Indonesia, and Hamas and Hezbollah can launch missiles in to Israel, and "John" has nothing to say. But I make a joke about a ham sandwich, and I am a "bigoted idiot." Your sense of justice seems a might skewed. You're really not very bright, are you "John?"
BackToBasics| 2.12.11 @ 4:09PM
E Rev,
Why do you use a computer? Isn't that an evil American invention?
If we don't use the Suez, your already collapsed Egyptian economy will get even worse. No transit fees to help the poor in Egypt.
But hey, a little more misery in Egypt would be worth it to hurt the HATED infidels.
Speedypete| 2.11.11 @ 4:30PM
The Carter/Obama presidency comparison may add one more metric when you consider the continuing slow economy, the burden of the government, the polarization, the lack of respect for our nation and ourselves and now the administrations withdrawal of support for a more radical element in Iran, I mean Egypt. But I think Obama is much smarter than Carter in that he won't let the embassy staffers stay.
jrjr| 2.11.11 @ 4:59PM
Carter and Billy Clinton destroyed our CIA and other forms of intelligence gathering. The ONE apparently has rendered the CIA useless by his appointments. I do not believe that the entire CIA group was clueless -- just planned and orchestrated ignorance.
Richard Baker| 2.11.11 @ 6:47PM
Egyptian Revolutionary:
Doubt you're as you claim because your English isn't sufficiently garbled and juvenile. Regardless, the Suez Canal will not be closed and if you pukes think it will then prepare to meet Allah, the Moon God, or Jesus Himself, your choice.
Anthony| 2.11.11 @ 6:56PM
Well, in a few short years, we'll be asking our useful idiots vtwin, John and Philip, gee what did happen to that wonderful movement that was to bring Egypt democacy?
They of course will tell us it was all the fault of the American right that the Muslim Brotherhood assumed complete control.
Hey guys, why not sign up early to become human shields for this movement of peace, we'll support you all the way!!! Really we will.
Bob| 2.11.11 @ 7:07PM
The peaceful revolution in Egypt is another policy triumph for President Obama. The Republicans who criticized the President's Egyptian policy or lack thereof these past weeks disappeared in their rat holes today no where to be seen. What say you now Newt Gingrich? CPAC?
skip| 2.15.11 @ 7:49PM
When Egypt in "11 & '12 makes Iran in '79 & '80 look like a walk in the park you be sure to come back and chat some more with us.
John| 2.11.11 @ 7:14PM
Boy you're so negative . For one in your life Anthony look on the positive side. What the Egyptian people have done is absoloutely glorious. This was history in the making. of course freedom has many challenges. I have complete faith in the Egyptian people to meet any chalenge.
Anthony| 2.11.11 @ 10:05PM
Hey John, spare me and us your sophomoric take on the situation in Egypt. You have as much insight into events taking place there as Obozo has on the fundamental elements of capitalism. Where were you not so long ago when the people of Iran attempted a real freedom movement?
You and your ilk were taking orders from Obozo and the LSM that ignored those people and their fledgling movement because that movement didn't suit Obozo's world view.
You are a fool, what you're actually seeing is the begining of another radical Islamic foothold that will produce another Iran.
Don't believe me, just check with the little dictator of Iran who said today that the Egyptian "peace movement" was the beginning of the end of Israel and America's control in the region.
Do you get in now??
John| 2.12.11 @ 5:25AM
Anthony et al
The problems with you and your ilk is that generally deeply prejudiced racist , full of hate. This colours everything you touch, discuss etc..
Ok let me give you some insights. Iran is Shia. Like many forms of christianity they have a religious hierarchy ayotoalls and all that. The Iran revolution was led by an ayatollah.
Sunni or othodox Islam followed 90% of the worlds Muslims has no religious hierarchy. In Sunni Islam there is singly person , state, city, person who has the authority to order Muslims around. It is a faith which 100% bottom up. eygpt is Sunni. So the dynamics will be different.
The west does not fear Islam. The most religiously radical state by far-Saudi- is also the closest ally in the ME. What the west fears is Arab independence. Which is now coming in spades. The brotherhood is less conservative then say Saudi but what they advocate is arab independence. They will not accept the colonisation and ethnic cleansing of Muslim chritian arabs in ME. at most they have about 25% support in eygpt. They are dinosources who will lose support quickly in free faire elections.ultimately it will be the Egyptian who will decide who rules them. This is going to happen accross ME. Better get used to it.you don't always get what you want- democracy can be real let down sometimes.
The best way to support the people in Iran is to lift all sanctions against Iran . The ayatollas won't be able to blame outsiders for their failure. A revolution would come quickly . But you bozos don't get any of this. when it comes ME , Muslims you're full of zionist hate. theseArab revolutions spell very bad news for Zionist hate.
May god bless the Arab struggle for freedom. And may god curse those who stand in their way.
Anthony| 2.12.11 @ 10:20AM
Wow John, I guess you had quite a night with your crack pipe, and finally, at 5:00 am, you put it down and posted this gibberish.
Exactly what racism do you see exhibited by me and other posters here at TAS that leads you to think we are anti-Arab?
As to the rest of your post, which frankly, was incoherent at best, let me focus on your last line about the Arab struggle for freedom.
I seem to recall I and other conservatives supported the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, which liberated over 50 M Arabic people and established free elections. Let me guess which side you were on when Bush went to the UN to get this " institution of peace" to support his quest. I bet you were one of the "Bush lied people died" crowd.
You have no idea at all that these events in Egypt will lead to true reform. But then again, you're in good company. Neither do Obozo, Clinton and Panetta.
Perhaps the 4 of you can toke on your crack pipe and come up with more of this amateur hour diplomacy.
Albert| 2.12.11 @ 3:08PM
I'll stick with my earlier assessment: John's sense of justice is skewed and he's not very bright. It is common for leftists who have no aguments to present to resort to calling others "racist." I am not a racist and John has no right calling me one. Muslims openly declare their intent to populate the world with Muslims and subjugate everyone to Islam. They do not hide their aims. The racism and bigotry are evident in radical Muslims who promote violence around the world. These are the facts. John's remark that "what the west fears is Arab independence" is frankly ludicrous. What the West fears is Muslim expansionism and the violence that carries it and has carried it since Islam's inception.
TomB| 2.11.11 @ 8:02PM
"How many remember that the key argument to take Joe Biden as a running mate was his experience, particularly in international affairs, where Obama was thought to be extremely weak?"
You and I, at least. I also remember how Obama claimed expertise in economics. Yet it seems that Obama is the one jetting off to hot spots, or at least warm spots, while Joe is left here to talk up "recovery summer" and how we need to "seize the future." Sort of ironic, isn't it? Or is it just predictable.
Charles Martel| 2.13.11 @ 3:01AM
Obama is supposed to be a Constitution scholar as well. A cartoon over at Townhall.com summed that one up neatly: Obama saying to Judge Vinson, "I can't believe you overturned my signature achievement," and Vinson answering, "I can't believe you taught Constitutional law."
+++
BackToBasics| 2.13.11 @ 1:38PM
TomB, was that "seize the future" or "freeze the future?" Hard to remember when the speeches they give are so rarefied and up there (sp) or is it up their (sp).
Intelligent Design| 2.11.11 @ 10:03PM
Islam has been the state religion of Egypt for many years, and this will continue far into the future. Mubarak was head of the Egyptian Air Force, and made his money on defense contracts. So now he has handed control to, who else, the military. The majority of Egyptians are of course Muslims who see Israel as their enemy. They may like some Western things, but they are not even close to abandoning Islam with all its heinous ideological baggage. So what has really changed? Egypt is about as close to "democracy" as England was under Queen Elizabeth I.
Yosemeti Sam| 2.11.11 @ 10:07PM
Hit that GONG for the BHO administration!
LOL.
john dubose| 2.11.11 @ 10:29PM
Why not step back a step or two and admit a few obvious facts. 1. Mubarack was a greedy corrupt tyrant who kept his people much poorer and less free than they should have been.
2. Eventually they were going to get rid of him.
3. Our government has been proping him up for a long time. The reasons were entirely selfish. And the "benefits" of having his co-operation did NOT accrue evenly to all citizens of the USA.
4. Since we could not have prevented this overthrow indefinitely, it is only reasonable to make the best of the situation. A debate about what that means is in order.
5. Obama may be messing up, but it is not clear that his critics have a better plan.
bee free| 2.11.11 @ 10:40PM
---DON'T FALL for this latest Globalist front-op.
Just as Carter brought in Khoumeni ON RECORD
---so the Globalists now are out for MASS destabilization in the name of attrition and destraction here, and franchise slum standardization there.
ALAN WATT reading from their own books
tells us it's the FINAL task for the ever more POST
America.
SO, look out for more exhausting destabilization
'by design' ---to exhaust us as those COVERT
sterilization OPS here go full steam ahead
via tainted GMO foods, water and mandatory
vaccines.
NOW, goto the mirror again, and make eye
contact, and say out loud "HUAC MEETS
NUREMBERG ----NOW" 3 times slowly...
Nite| 2.11.11 @ 11:26PM
The truth is that Obama and his appointees are inexperienced and incompetent. Obama should learn to speak when it is needed and shut up when it is not needed. Apparently the Saudi's called and read him the riot act. Obama has antagonized our partners all over the world and sucks up to those who aren't. I hope this guy gets voted out in 2012.
C.K. Amos| 2.12.11 @ 12:17AM
Chaos appears to reign in the White House. But, then, what more could be expected when the single-minded purpose of Obama, his czars, his other appointees, as well as the liberals and leftists who prop him up, is to destabilize our country, neuter it in the eyes of the world, betray our allies, befriend our enemies--and do it as quickly and crudely as possible.
Of course, Obama's and his administration's incompetence makes their jihad all the more repulsive and dangerous.
martin j smith| 2.12.11 @ 8:06AM
Obama is either incompetent, purposefully denegrating and destroying our country or both.
His foreign policy and knowledge of foreign affairs( including the advice from his advisors ) should be subject to scrutiny just as it was during the Bush years. And, his attitude towards Americans ( I mean citizens of this nation ) are worse even than his treatment of Israel. I say this because I know Obama has a Jewish problem ( not with Jews who are not really Socialist, Marxists ) but Jews who are Zionists and who question is ideology. Socialists Jews in my view are Socialists first--not Jews. My expression for them is this: You may claim to be Jewish but you are not kosher.
One more point: On th idea of Democracy ( whatever that means ). Obama has enough trouble coping with the United States as a Democratic Republic. Notice that he does not support the democratic aspirations of Iran, of Venezuelans, of Cubans,. In fact he is truly phony a liar and I dislike him at least as much as any Democrat hatred of GWB. So you Left Democrats, that is what you get for your hatred of GWB-What comes around goes around full circle.
Mimi| 2.12.11 @ 8:52AM
Martin...,Don't waste your energy hating anybody..especially Obama. Get busy doing what you can do to make sure we get a fantastic candidate in 2012 ! I've been watching c-pac on c-span checking out the speeches...so far no one has stood out . I'm looking for " FIRE IN THE BELLY".
John| 2.12.11 @ 11:53AM
Anthony
The invasion of Iraq caused death on an industrial scale, holocoasted the Sunni Muslim community, holocausted the Christian community, destroyed ever Sunni places of worship, killed every Sunni scholar of any note, destroyed the entire infrastructure of Iraq- no sewage system , electricity, unleashed the worst kind of terrorism Iraqis have ever witnessed. Destroyed it's ancient heritage - museums gone. Handed Iraq to tribalists and religious groups. All in the honour of shock & awe. You compare that with the peaceful glorious revolution of Egypt. and you inflicted this on the ME for freedom. I think you've been smoking .something. I hope this glorious peaceful revolution spreads Saudi Syria Jordan palestine etc etc
Albert| 2.12.11 @ 8:53PM
Nothing in the above post is true, nor even rational. John has a virtually complete ignorance of actual history and is incapable of analyzing information. Absurd. Ludicrous. Baseless.
Wayne | 2.12.11 @ 11:09PM
The invasion of Iraq that the Democrats overwhelmingly voted for don't forget. Also don't get ahead of yourself on Egypt. There is no Democracy, just a military coop.
Wayne | 2.12.11 @ 11:09PM
The invasion of Iraq that the Democrats overwhelmingly voted for don't forget. Also don't get ahead of yourself on Egypt. There is no Democracy, just a military coop.
Wayne | 2.12.11 @ 11:09PM
The invasion of Iraq that the Democrats overwhelmingly voted for don't forget. Also don't get ahead of yourself on Egypt. There is no Democracy, just a military coop.
martin j smith| 2.12.11 @ 12:20PM
Mimi: Actually I don't hate Obama, I just have absolutely zero trust for this guy and anyone who supports him anywhere. I am more worried about this country so I do not have time to hate. And, Obama does not even deserve to be hated because that is too much work.
Bill Sundling| 2.12.11 @ 4:12PM
Obama wasn't incompetent when it came to Egypt. He apparently wants a radical Muslim government to take power there. He wanted "democracy" in Egypt but not in Iran. What does that tell you about him?
Anthony| 2.12.11 @ 4:33PM
Friends, we must go easy on Obozo. The Oprah tells us so. Apparently, there is a learning curve to being president according to Ms. Oafish and we're not giving Obozo the benefit of this curve.
Gee, I don't remember Obozo telling us when he said he was the one we were waiting for, that we had to give him a head start.
If we wait much longer for Obozo to get up to speed on the job, the're won't be an America left.
Hey Oprah, thanks for making clear that Obozo is indeed the first affirmative action president, complete with a learning curve. Shall we give him a box to stand on so he can stand tall with the likes of Lincoln, Washington and Reagan? Oh I forgot, that's what the teleprompter is for.
I guess in the 2012 election, you'll be demanding he get 50 electorial college votes as a head start. With friends like you, Obozo really doesn't need us to criticize him, you've laid the man bare.
Oleta| 2.12.11 @ 9:53PM
Perhaps this is just one more job he thinks he is better at than the experts - foreign policy.
Tenn Slim| 2.13.11 @ 9:48AM
With a Neophyte in the Oval office, Idealogue Czars whispering in the Pres Left ear, CNN blaring on again, off again, Glenn Beck preaching, Rush Limbaugh on the AM dial ranting, it is no wonder the OBAMA ADmin is confused.
The USA Electorate, however, is calmly going about the necessary preparations to toss the remaining Congress, Admin and Senate, down the Capital steps. Come November 2012, we will start all over.
Till then, Semper Fi
WE WILL PREVAIL
end
putra | 2.13.11 @ 10:46AM
This time is moment and opportunity to Obama to make an impact on the new military ruler in Egypt, especially to stem from the radical Islam and keep peace in the Middle East.
Chuck| 2.13.11 @ 4:16PM
The latest news from the Middle East bodes badly for western civilization. Frightened Tunisians are leaving by the boatloads...destination Europe. Soon Egyptians, Algerians, Lebanese, Saudis, Pakistans, Jordianians, etc. will be packing for Europe and beyond. The greatest human exodus in history is underway.
dixiedrifter| 2.13.11 @ 11:52PM
Notice the MSM continues to truncate much of Dumbo's comments on this subject. He is an utter embarrassment when yapping about foreign policy.
Christian Louboutin | 6.23.11 @ 6:18AM
What was particularly gut-wrenching to the protesters around Egypt and to those around the world hoping for a non-violent resolution to the turmoil (whether or not they thought Mubarak should stay or go and for what period of time) was the several hours of news reports prior to the speech saying and "confirming" that Mubarak was going to step down.
Reebok | 8.11.11 @ 3:50AM
is good
العاب | 4.11.12 @ 4:26PM
Yet more evidence to support my conclusion that Obama is a stupid person and has surrounded himself with a cabinet of stupid people. It is so obvious Obama is trying to take the credit for inspring "Hope" in Egypt. I pray he is elected out of office in 2012. Then we will only have to hear his windy speeches when he is head of the UN.