Corybn interview, Xi climate, DC UFO

Jeremy Corbyn’s disastrous BBC interview: he detonated his leadership credibility. The Labour Party leader isn’t looking too good as the election approaches.

Xi Jinping continues to play the world for a fool on carbon emissions. He lies that China is leading on the issue, and environmental groups believe him.

Birds, balloons, or a UFO: what violated Washington DC airspace on Tuesday? There are reasons to believe it was something out of the ordinary.

Putin, AQ, OBE

Vladimir Putin endorses the Democratic Party’s presidential candidates 2020 energy policies. Both Putin and Democrats support a ban on fracking.

Al Qaeda’s threat is alive. The group has suffered losses but is regrouping.

British Muslim woman deserves OBE for her courage against an antisemite. The incident occurred last week on London’s metro system.

Trump Georgia, Hong Kong, Xi IP, Hong Kong, CNO Navy

Trump must help Georgians confront their government’s betrayal. Protests now rippling across Tbilisi are indicative of a broader government rot.

Hong Kong’s very personal rebuke to Xi Jinping. The Chinese leader doesn’t have much to be happy about in the aftermath of the city’s local elections.

and from Friday

Xi's mad intellectual property philosophy. The Chinese leader seems to think it's up to America to make it, and China to take it.

Why Hong Kong protesters don't give in. To accept Beijing's terms of surrender would be to give up on any future prospect of freedom.

The CNO should resign if Trump follows through and allows Chief Gallagher to avoid a review board. Important principles of command are at stake here.

Corbyn, Israel, Hill

Jeremy Corbyn unveils his mad plan to turn Britain into a Cuban socialist dystopia. The Labour leader wants to spend vast sums more on growing the government.

For Israel’s sake Netanyahu should step down. The prime minister can no longer command the respect of the Knesset.

Fiona Hill educates Democrats: fracking is very bad for Vladimir Putin. The former NSC official offered a rather complicating case for Democrats who want to claim themselves valiant resisters of Putinism.

Debate

2020 Democrats blow it on foreign policy. Rather than offer compelling alternatives to President Trump, Democrats offered platitudes and jokes about alligators. It was a joke.

Elizabeth Warren bombs on answer to first question. She offered the same kind of far-left platitude as has become her norm.

Kamala Harris fails on Tulsi Gabbard foreign policy challenge. It's not enough to offer insults in response to critical foreign policy challenges.

Israel, Sondland, SEALs

Security and domestic politics: why Israel just bombed Iran. In Syria. The position of Iranian threats and Netanyahu’s own domestic premiership are both in play. 

Why Gordon Sondland’s testimony won’t change much. The US Ambassador to the EU won’t cause GOP votes to shift.

Navy SEAL commanders must receive Trump’s support for their review board into Chief Gallagher. The SEAL NCO has given grounds to be removed.

UK debate, North Korea, Ukraine relations

The first UK election debate was a shambles. The setting, moderating, audience, and questions were all below par.

Why North Korea isn’t accepting the U.S. diplomatic track on negotiations. The simple truth is that Kim Jong Un wants more from America without giving up much.

Outside of the impeachment cauldron, US-Ukraine relations remain strong. Both Democrats and Republicans are providing good levels of support to Kyiv.

West Bank, Hong Kong, Iran protests, Georgia's Putin, Pompeo Iran

Actually, the US shift on the West Bank isn’t that big a deal. The fundamental understanding of negotiated land swaps remains explicit US policy.

Why Beijing will bring slaughter to Hong Kong. Xi cannot afford to allow anarchy to be the perceived reality of the party’s rule.

Iran’s new protest and fuel hike crisis is only the spark which lit the populist gasoline. The reality of Iran is one in which the people are sick and tired of endemic government cronyism.

Meet Bidzina Ivanishvili, Putin wannabe in Georgia. The billionaire is ruining Georgia’s democracy by trying to steal the citizens rights.

The good and the bad in Pompeo’s new Iran statement. The Secretary of State is right to push for new sanctions on Fordow, but wrong to demand an end to Iranian terrorism as the price tag for a new nuclear deal.

Hawley China

Josh Hawley nails it on China military threat. I don’t share his views on technology regulation, but the Senator gets it dead right on Xi’s military imperialism.

Putin impeachment, Seoul defense, Stefanik partisanship, India military

Trump’s impeachment may rest in the hands of Vladimir Putin. The issue is that a lot of U.S. officials have been using some very bad cell phone habits in an area very predisposed to Russian eavesdropping.

Yes, South Korea should contribute more to U.S. Military costs. Seoul has a large economy and a material interest in retaining America’s military presence.

Elise Stefanik shows how to be a partisan but also ask apt questions. Yes, partisanship isn’t idea. But this is the best to look for from partisans.

U.S. and India train for joint amphibious assault. They say it’s about humanitarian training, but the devil is in the details.

MH-17, Midway

The new link between the downing of MH-17 and Vladimir Putin. Investigators unveil cell phone intercepts between rebel leaders and a top Putin official.

Go see Midway this weekend. The World War Two movie is a great one.

John Ratcliffe, Jeremy Corbyn, Bill Taylor

John Ratcliffe’s disingenuous defense of Trump via Zelensky’s words. The Ukrainian president had no choice but to defend Trump. It’s really that simple.

Jeremy Corbyn doubles down on his policy of comforting terrorists rather than killing them. The Labour Party leader is upset with Delta Force for not capturing al-Baghdadi.

Bill Taylor’s testimony was problematic for Trump but undercut by Barack Obama’s Ukraine record. This is a complex issue that people do not fully understand.

Senate impeachment, Israel attacks, Trump Erdogan

A secret Senate impeachment vote would be outrageous. The people deserve clarity as to where their elected officials stand.

Why Israel bombed a Palestinian terrorist, and what will happen next. Expect a short term exchange of fire followed by a return to relative peace.

A game plan for Trump's meeting with Erdogan on Wednesday. Here's what Trump should bring up, and in what order.

Russia murder, Hong Kong, Brexit Party

Did Russia kill the White Helmets founder, James de Mesurier? If he was murdered, the motive, means, and method all point towards Moscow.

What’s behind the escalation in Hong Kong? The Chinese authorities are gunning down the protesters and promising more to come.

Nigel Farage gives Boris Johnson a big Brexit gift. The decision will help the Conservatives build towards a majority in the upcoming December 12th election.

VIndman testimony, Pompeo Berlin, Putin oil, Bill Gates, Georgian government

Why Vindman’s testimony is undeserving of conservative scorn. The Army officer spoke clearly about why he reported President Trump’s Ukraine phone call as concerning.

Mike Pompeo echoes Reagan at the Berlin wall. The Secretary of State offered a much needed and eloquent rebuttal of China and Russia.

Oh look, Putin’s propagandists are upset over Trump’s Syrian oil plan. They want that oil for the Kremlin. Don’t let them have it.

Bill Gates’ criticism of Elizabeth Warren’s wealth tax might be a problem for the 2020 hopeful. Gates has unique matching of character insulation and intellectual credibility.

Georgia’s government is indeed weak on Russia. Writing in defense of its policies, the government neglects to mention certain key facts.

Macron interview, Nuclear threats, Don junior, Labour stupidity

Emmanuel Macron’s ridiculous Economist interview. The French president showed an abundance of hypocrisy and self-delusion.

In Iran and North Korea, rising nuclear threats to the world. President Trump must urgently energize his diplomacy. The alternative is increasingly problematic.

Donald Trump Jnr. embarrasses himself on Gold Star families. Appearing on The View, Don Jnr. suggested Trump must counter-punch against American heroes.

Britain’s Labour Party has a truly disastrous day. Three separate parliamentary candidates running for election did three seperate and very stupid things.

Macron China, Iraq Military, Secret Service

Bowing to Beijing, France’s Macron betrays the liberal international order. The French president has also warmed up to Putin. Not exactly liberal internationalist!

Is Iraq’s military moving to protect its people from Iran? There are some hopeful signs in  a Wednesday announcement to ban live ammunition from protest forces.

How the Secret Service might have protected a US politician against a Hong Kong style knife attack. It’s about the agency’s particular attention to detail.

Mexico cartels, Boris Russia, Iraq protests, Will Hurd

Mexico’s president Lopez-Obrador must confront the cartels or see the US do it for him. Hugs not bullets is a failure now marked by innocent American blood.

Why Boris Johnson doesn’t want to release the Russian influence report. It will underline Putin’s money-access in the Conservative Party.

How can the US support Iraqi protesters? By doing and saying little. The nationalist flavor of this movement must remain insulated against Iranian lies.

Kevin McCarthy must keep Will Hurd on the House Intelligence Committee. Hurd is a former CIA officer and an inquisitor who values patriotism over partisanship.

Western imperialism, Hilton politics, Johnson conservatism

What western imperialism, Ilhan Omar? The Congresswoman does not seem to understand geopolitics very well.

Why Steve Hilton transformed from liberal British conservative to ardent Trumper. It’s about chasing the revolution of political style.

Boris Johnson needs to remember he’s a conservative. The prime minister seems to have forgotten small government idealism.

and.. a guest piece at The Independent

In Washington, the establishment is all in for Boris Johnson. Brexit aside, Jeremy Corbyn is seen as a risk too far.

Ukraine policy, Iran idiocy, China strategy

Trump’s Ukraine call betrays his Ukraine policy. The president had a great record on Ukraine until that phone call.

Iran overplays its hand in Iraq, again. The Iranians think they can dictate Iraqi politics to Iraqis. But Muqtada might have a surprise or two for them.

China’s ludicrous new Hong Kong strategy. It will reinforce the protests it aims to end.