Ed's Blog

"Some people know everything, but that's all they know."

FIVE-DOLLAR-A-GALLON GAS: Time to Wise Up and Drill

Pie chart of world oil reserves by region

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Amidst the turmoil spreading across the Middle East, Americans are once again faced with a spike in oil and gas prices; and we are hearing the same old arguments about U.S. dependence on foreign oil and what we should do about it. Oil crises, however, haven’t been long lasting in the past. When gasoline prices have approached and exceeded Americans’ threshold of pain—today that’s around $4.00 a gallon—calls to loosen restrictions on drilling offshore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) abound; but as soon gas prices drop back below that threshold, the clamor subsides. We’re on our way to $4.00-, perhaps $5.00-a-gallon gas. Will the powerful coalition of Democrats, environmentalists, and “green energy” advocates continue to prevent the exploitation of America’s oil reserves, or will they finally wise up?  (More)

Filed under: National Security, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SHOULD RUMSFELD APOLOGIZE FOR THE IRAQ WAR?

Republic of Iraq Former President Saddam Husse...

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I was furious after listening to Megyn Kelly‘s discussion with Alan Colmes today after showing a clip of Secretary Rumsfeld on The View. Barbara Walters asked Rumsfeld if he shouldn’t apologize to the American people for the Iraq War. Rumsfeld responded that would undercut the sacrifice of the men and women who fought, died, and suffered serious injury in Iraq. Colmes launched into a tirade about how President Bush and every senior member of his administration should apologize and ripped the Iraq War as a disaster, and that we should have never gone to war in Iraq.

Colmes and others who think like him apparently would prefer if Saddam Hussein were still alive, murdering, gassing, and torturing his people. They would be happier, as the Islamic world is in turmoil, if there there were no democracy in Iraq, if there were no example of a secular democracy in the middle east. When will the left ever learn the hard realities of the world. The answer to that question is never.

Filed under: Politics, , , , , , , , ,

JIHADIST OPPORTUNITIES IN LIBYA

Ethnic groups in Libya, 1974.

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The global intelligence company STRATFOR‘s analysis of Jihadist Opportunities in Lybia just out today provides an excellent summary of the history and prospects for the jihadist movement gaining another foothold in an Islamic country. “Libyans have long participated in militant operations in places like Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya and Iraq. After leaving Afghanistan in the early 1990s, a sizable group of Libyan jihadists returned home and launched a militant campaign aimed at toppling Gadhafi, whom they considered an infidel.” It concludes that, “While it seems unlikely at this point that the jihadists could somehow gain control of Libya, if Gadhafi falls and there is a period of chaos in Libya, these militants may find themselves with far more operating space inside the country than they have experienced in decades. If the regime does not fall and there is civil war between the eastern and western parts of the country, they could likewise find a great deal of operational space amid the chaos.”

Read more: Jihadist Opportunities in Libya | STRATFOR

Filed under: Terrorism, , , , , ,

UNIONS AND DEMOCRATS IN THE STREETS: A Lose-Lose Proposition

Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill Protest

It’s obvious why public-sector union members and leaders have taken to the streets in Wisconsin. They want to block legislation that is a real and present danger to their benefits, collective-bargaining privileges, and union power. It’s also obvious why these protests will fail. Voters understand that can’t keep spending money it doesn’t have, and they don’t see why their tax dollars should fund salaries and benefits for public-sector union employees they don’t have. Not only will these classic union protest tactics fail, but they will further weaken the Democratic Party, with which the unions are so closely aligned, and they will change the landscape for the 2012 presidential election. That’s why President Obama is so concerned.  (More)

Filed under: Politics

CALIPHATE, COUPS, OR CONSTITUTIONS: Barack Obama’s Greatest Foreign Policy Challenge

2011 Egypt: Flags

Image by Imagery by Pete via Flickr

The sense of relief in the Obama administration and in Washington, D.C., was palpable the day after Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak resigned and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces of Egypt under Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi (75) assumed power, promising free and fair democratic elections in September. Fears of the infamous Muslim Brotherhood’s ascendency waned and hopes for the spread of freedom and democracy were encouraged. The media, for the time being, will focus its cameras elsewhere; and Americans can return to worrying about jobs, deficits, and the economy. The outcome in Egypt, however, is far from settled, and the implications for governments from Algiers to Teheran ensure we will soon go down this road again. Washington now must assess multiple situations and move intelligently and effectively to influence them.  (More)

Filed under: National Security, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

RONALD REAGAN: What You Saw is What You Got

President Ronald Reagan speaking at a Rally fo...

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Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday Sunday provides an opportunity for people who respected and admired him to talk and write the President and his legacy. Some recall his great achievements—his role in ending the Cold War, Reganomics, and the revival of conservatism. Others reminisce about his acting and political careers before he became president. Others remember his storytelling, his boundless sense of optimism, and his deep and enduring love of America.

As someone who arrived in Washington, D.C., the year before President Reagan and who worked in the Department of Defense during his eight years in office, I remember a president who inspired and empowered the people that worked for him, didn’t require or create a bloated national-security bureaucracy, and who you didn’t have to analyze to understand. What you saw is what you got. (More)

Filed under: The Presidency, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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    China's growing military power poses a serious long-term threat to U.S. national security interests and makes a future military confrontation with China increasingly likely, if not inevitable.
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  • DON'T CONFLATE THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD WITH THE EGYPTIAN ARMED FORCES March 25, 2012
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    The American generals that now command and have commanded U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan are among the best warfighters in U.S. history. The U.S. troops under their command are the most skilled, battle-hardened warriors America has ever put in the field. So what went wrong in Afghanistan that's making victory so elusive if not impossible?
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