The McLaughlin Group (01/31)

FULL EPISODE

My time linked comments:

Wasn't sure when Alaska joined union but knew the purchase price!

Alaska utility to the national economy + technology role in development

Mitigation of risk

Alaska troop levels

Protecting Oceans and honesty about renewable energy prices

Error to invite Netanyahu to Congress

Yemen as an indictment of Obama foreign policy?

Greece: socialism's pure failure

Greece suffering

Prediction: Greece leave EU?

LH Hits Israel

My latest @ The National Review: Lebanese Hezbollah Hits Israel

ISIS/Jordan

Discussing ISIS/Jordan with Fox News

Outpost

My latest book review @ The Washington Times: Outpost

Mass Delusion Among Greek Voters

My latest @ The National Review: Mass Delusion Among Greek Voters

The McLaughlin Group (01/24)

FULL EPISODE
My time linked comments:
On the State of the Union

Importance of Keystone XL

Economic opportunity

The President's shambolic foreign policy

ISIS and ransoms

Why governments must not allow ransom payments

Importance of showing reality of terrorists

Miss Universe - still relevant?

Rot of political Islam as indicated by Miss Lebanon - Miss Israel scandal

Prediction: Iran will pressure US to evacuate Yemen

Obama's Strategy in Yemen

My latest @ The National Review: Obama's Yemen Strategy

State of the Union

Moderating a discussion on the State of the Union, with Global Voice Hall Live
My time linked comments:
Reviewing style of speech
A proposal that has potential?
The theme of the speech as related to future governance?
Joni Ernst speech?

Saudi Arabia's Middle East

How Saudi Arabia now sees the Middle East (post- Yemen takeover by Houthis). Red shaded areas represent Iran.

GOP Presidential Hopefuls

My latest @ The Telegraph: A Guide to 20 Republican Presidential Hopefuls Looking Towards 2016

The New Islamic State: Boko Haram

My latest @ The National Review: The New Islamic State: Boko Haram

My Map of Nations Facing Critical Islamic Terrorist Threats

My rather bleak assessment...

The Limits of Partnership

My latest review @ The Washington Free Beacon: The Limits of Partnership

The McLaughlin Group (01/17)

FULL EPISODE

My time linked comments:

Should President Obama have attended Paris march (two comments)

Free speech and cultural outreach

EU hypocrisy on free speech

Responsibility of free speech vs rot of political Islam

India: Future of the relationship

India: Economic reforms

China: Economic problems

President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron on cyber-security

Belgium Jihadist Raids

My latest @ The National Review: The Belgium Jihadist Raids - Why They're Important

Discussing Keystone XL

Debating Keystone XL with Global Voice Hall Live: PART 1 + PART 2

ISIS Propaganda Videos

Discussing ISIS propaganda videos with Sun News Network

3 reasons the Paris no-show matters

My guest piece @ USA Today: 3 Reasons the Paris no-show Matters

A short discussion on Thomas Piketty

Discussing Thomas Piketty with Global Voice Hall Live

Obama [not] in Paris?

My latest @ The National Review: Why the White House's Security Excuses Don't Explain Obama's Absence from Paris

The McLaughlin Group (01/10)

FULL EPISODE

MY TIME LINKED SEGMENTS:

Talking about AQAP and ISIS (similarities, differences, capabilities)

Who is (was) Anwar al-Awlaki

Discussing free speech re: Charlie Hebdo attacks and political Islam

Number of terrorist tourists

The role of Paris attackers as inspirational propagandists for extremists

Number of terrorists fighting alongside ISIS/AQAP and threat of western passports

Jeb Bush's difficulty with conservative activists

Is Jeb Bush qualified for the Presidency

Ted Cruz will attack Jeb Bush

US responsibility to support Mexico's anti-drug campaign + positive example of Colombia

Prediction - Terrorist attack in Europe

AQAP/ISIS differences

Discussing differences between AQAP and ISIS, links of Paris terrorists, and the capabilities of French Intelligence Services

Jihadist Slaughter in France

My latest @ The National Review: Jihadist Slaughter in France

Standing up for freedom

My latest @ Sun News Network: Standing up for freedom

Guest piece at Reuters

My guest piece @ Reuters: Syrian war and Israeli spies mean hard times for Lebanese Hezbollah

My other writings on Middle East politics can be found here

Breaking News?

Regarding CNN's 'breaking news' report on US forces under attack at Ain al-Asad air base in Western Iraq, please see my piece @ The National Review (and associated map post) from mid-December.

The McLaughlin Group (01/03)

FULL EPISODE

My time linked segments:

DESTINED FOR POLITICAL STARDOM: Susana Martinez

Tap the envelope!

DESTINED FOR POLITICAL OBLIVION: Nick Clegg

BEST POLITICAL THEATER: Gruber

WORST POLITICAL THEATER: Those using Ferguson for narrow personal gain

MOST UNDER-REPORTED STORY: Central African Republic Conflict

MOST OVER-REPORTED STORY: Ice-Bucket Challenge

BIGGEST GOVERNMENT WASTE: Special Forces not employed against ISIS

Discussing Pat's prediction on the Iraqi Army

BEST GOVERNMENT $ SPENT: Joint Direct Attack Munitions

BOLDEST POLITICAL TACTIC: Hillary Clinton claiming her Russia 'reset' was a success

WORST POLITICAL SCANDAL: Senate Democrats selling CIA down the river

BEST IDEA: President Obama's decision to continue combat operations in Afghanistan

WORST IDEA: President Obama's Immigration action

SORRY TO SEE YOU GO: Rep. Mike Rogers (he's left Congress)

15 MINUTES OF FAME: Fmr. Secret Service Director Pierson

BEST SPIN: President Obama blaming Republicans for failure of governance

MOST OVERRATED: Thomas Piketty

MOST UNDERRATED: Qasem Soleimani

MACRO-PREDICTION: New aggression from President Putin

Labor participation problem in economy

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION: Retain my British accent + Expand domestic policy writing!
PS: Links for my other TV appearances are found here!

My favorite White House photos of 2014

The White House has released its ''2014: Year in Photos'' album. You can check it out here. There are a lot of photos; all of which are, unsurprisingly, flattering on the President. Still, the three below are my favorites.

President Obama telling Republican Senator, Bob Corker, that his criticism of the President's Syria policy is ''horseshit''. The White House thinks this photo shows the President being tough, nevertheless, his policy in Syria is disastrous. It's a shame the President won't speak to Assad or Khamenei in the same way.

President Obama meets with the family of a Secret Service Agent who has just completed a tour with the Presidential Protective Division (responsible for mobile close-protection of the first family). I like this photo for a couple of reasons. Firstly, though I strongly disagree with the President's politics, I respect him for the corollary respect he holds from the officers and agents of the Secret Service. Second, the photo speaks to an often ignored truth of the Secret Service: its personnel sacrifice relaxation and time away from home to serve their country. They deserve gratitude.

President Obama is surrounded by attention seeking Democratic Members of Congress. I like this photo because it shows that, whatever the polling data, a President still commands great attention. I wonder, however, which of these officials would have been standing so close to the President if they'd known a photographer was watching!

President Obama meets with his national security team in the Oval Office. This photo is interesting in that it shows the difference between President Obama's informality and that of other Presidents like George W. Bush. To me, the feet on the table and the informal wear (of both Obama and his staff) illustrate how the White House can create a self-enclosed 'bubble'.

The President walks from the Oval Office into the White House gardens. I like how the photo illustrates both the beauty of the White House grounds (hiding the fact that the White House is a fortress in the heart of a major city), and the solitary nature of the Presidency.