Vote for Romney

Today, Republican voters (who have not voted early) in Florida are going to the polls to pick their choice of Republican nominee for the Presidency. They should pick Mitt Romney.

Iran plotting against US

The news that Iran is increasingly willing to conduct violent action against the United States is nothing new. In recent months, plots by Iran or allies of Iran (Hezbollah) have been uncovered in Thailand, the United States and Germany. In varying forms, Iran has conducted numerous attacks on US interests since the Islamic revolution in 1979. Iranian supported actions have included the following notable attacks-

Marine Barracks Bombing - Beirut, Lebanon

Karbala Council Meeting - Karbala, Iraq (Iran engaged in substantial support for shia insurgent groups during the US period of operations in Iraq post 2003)

Khobar Towers Barracks- Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Because the United States has failed to mount any considerable response to these attacks including the Saudi-Israel Washington DC plot, the Iranian Government believes that it can 'role the dice' when it comes to prospective operations. From an American national security perspective, this dynamic is increasingly precarious; especially in light of increasing tensions vis-a-vis Iran's nuclear program. The Obama Administration should clearly state that any attack on United States interests by Iran or with the support of Iran, will be met with a robust American retaliatory response.

Florida

Floridians... 


1) Vote for Romney today.
2) Stop letting pythons out into the Everglades. 

Paul Ryan on Fox News Sunday

Paul Ryan takes apart President Obama's economic policies. Ryan is a deeply impressive Republican politician. I really hope that he runs for President one day. In the meantime, we need to get him at the front of our message delivery (and cut out the Sarah Palinesque individuals).

Nadal v Djokovic

This was the best tennis match that I have ever seen.

France Afghanistan Withdrawal

The French decision to accelerate the removal of troops from Afghanistan is a slap in the face of the US/Britain and NATO. Truly, this shows the arrogance of the EU in terms of its foreign security posture. While the Europeans ran to take credit in Libya, they lacked the basic foundations of military power. As Andrew Exum at CNAS notes,


 the nations of Europe, in the words of one defense intellectual, showed up to a gunfight in Libya with knives. The United States brought the guns. And the ammunition. And all the taregting. And all the in-flight refueling. And the ISR. 


The EU (sadly now including the UK) free rides off the back of US taxpayers when it comes to military spending and capability provision. It is decisions like France's that make me think the US should relocate bases out of Europe and gradually diminish the military organisation supporting NATO. NATO should still exist, but it should exist as a diplomatic organisation where allies meet to discuss threats etc. An absence of shared burdens is in effect an absence of a true alliance.

Haditha Prosecution

Absolutely right. These men brought great shame to themselves and their unit. They should have been punished in accordance with common notions of justice. Reminds of me of the pathetic service of justice after My Lai. The US Military is an extraordinary force for good made up by extraordinarily decent people. Where standards fall far below the accepted norms of conduct in conflict, we should never be ashamed to impose serious consequences. As I have written before, application of military justice requires special consideration of circumstances, but that consideration cannot be an excuse for allowing evil acts to escape justice.

DOD Cuts

As I stated a week or two ago... there is plenty of space for cuts to US Military spending. 

Waste does not equal security. Republicans cannot be the enemy of big government but refuse to be realistic about the need for more efficiency in military spending.

Obama State of the Union

Obama's State of the Union Address was well crafted but predictably partisan. The problem with the President is that he does not understand the irony of making this statement - 


 'It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work; and every risk- taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.'


and this statement

'Right now, because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle- class households. Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.

Do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we want to keep our investments in everything else - like education and medical research; a strong military and care for our veterans? Because if we’re serious about paying down our debt, we can’t do both.

The American people know what the right choice is. So do I. As I told the Speaker this summer, I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long term costs of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.

But in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes. Tax reform should follow the Buffett rule: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my Republican friend Tom Coburn is right: Washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. In fact, if you’re earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t get special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn’t go up. You’re the ones struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages. You’re the ones who need relief.

Now, you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense.'

in the same speech. He is right about closing loopholes, but his supposition that alongside the woefully insufficient reforms to medicare/social security he is willing to consider, the top 2% can pay to close a $5 trillion/ten year deficit, is patently untrue. The sums simply do not add up. The President is bright and knows this. So the only possible answer is that he is playing politics instead of proposing good policy.

This statement was equally annoying -


 'In the next few weeks, I will sign an Executive Order clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects. But you need to fund these projects.'  I wonder if this means he will move to repeal the union friendly (and job destroying) Davis-Bacon Act?


 I doubt it.

However, where credit is due.. I thought that the ending of his speech was excellent.

'So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes. No one built this country on their own. This Nation is great because we built it together. This Nation is great because we worked as a team. This Nation is great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.'

US SOCOM Somalia Rescue

The rescue of a danish and an american hostage in Somalia provides another example of the skill of the US military's special operations community. Operations like these require extraordinary patience, careful intelligence preparation and extremely well trained forces. (And some luck). It only works when each element comes together.