General Patraeus Contradicts McCain About Talking To Enemies - Shares Obama's View

One of the big criticisms that McCain has used to attack Barack Obama has to do with Obama's willingness to talk with America's enemies. They believe that it's naive for Obama to talk to an enemy without a long list of demands that the adversary must agree to before even sitting down at the table (you would think that the reason for talking would be to negotiate many of the contentious issues, so how can you make a laundry list of demands before negotiations even start?). The McCain/Republican Party philosophy is to not talk to enemies at all if they don't have to.... but to attack them instead. One of the major figures that McCain likes to throw in Obama's face every chance he gets is General David Petraeus, as if Patraeus is one of their puppets.

But this week, General Patraeus smacked down the McCain argument, saying instead that the U.S. should talk to its enemies. He mentioned that the U.S. should be open to talking to the Taliban in particular. This completely undercuts what McCain has been saying for the past 2 months on the campaign trail and it pretty much wrecks his entire line of criticism of Obama on that issue. Patraeus, The new commander of Centcom and former top General in Iraq, is responsible for formulating a plan for turning Afghanistan around.

Meanwhile, a new National Intelligence Estimate (or NIE) indicates that the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate. In fact, the situation there is now described as a "downward spiral". NATO and the U.S. in particular, doesn't have the manpower needed to fulfill the mission. The drug trade (poppy farming) makes up at least 50% of the Afghan economy. I have been warning on this blog for the past two years that the problem with the drug trade would undercut other efforts in Afghanistan. The U.S., Europe and the UN failed to establish an alternative Afghan economy after the fall of the Taliban. They failed to create jobs and investment there. This led to a situation where people fell back to what they were doing before to survive- Poppy farming, and the criminal activity surrounding it (warlords earning protection money, smuggling, bribery, intimidation, government corruption, etc). The money generated by the drug trade funds the Talibans activities.

Hear The Democratic Radio Debate From NPR

NPR hosted a great Democratic radio Debate earlier today.

Hear the entire debate here. This was one of the best debates so far.

Sparks flew on the subject of Iran, in light of the recent NIE Report on Iran's so-called nuclear weapons program.
Clinton supported the Bush Administration's effort to label part of the Iranian Army as a terrorist group, providing the Neo-Conservatives with all the approval they need to launch an attack against that Country. But Clinton bought into the Bush Administrations disinformation campaign on Iran far too easily, with little skepticism, just as she did when she voted in favor of the invasion of Iraq. When you vote in favor of an ill advised war once, you may be able to get away with calling it a mistake. However, when you do it twice in a row, there is a thing called "judgement" that has to be called into question.

New National Intelligence Estimate Contradicts Bush & Co.

A New National Intelligence Estimate Contradicts the Bush Administration's view of Iran.

According to BBC

The unclassified version of a new National Intelligence Estimate, or NIE, released on Monday, said that Iran was "less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005".

In May 2005, the intelligence community had said "with high confidence" that Iran was "determined" to build nuclear weapons.

The new NIE confirms that Iran did, indeed, have an illicit nuclear weapons programme.

But it says that programme ceased operating in 2003 and, as of mid-2007, had probably not started up again. The NIE asserts that the weapons programme was dropped because of international pressure.

I fully expect Bush & Co. to attempt to twist the facts and intimidate the intelligence community to provide manipulated information on Iran so that they can continue their tough stance. But this new information will complicate the pro-war advisors in the Bush administration.

I have always believed that if we reached 2008 that it would be less likely that the neo-conservatives would launch an attack on Iran, despite Cheney's promise that they would decide to attack before the next President enters office. This report makes an attack even less likely.

However, Hillary Clinton has indicated that she would carry on with the Bush Administrations threat of war with Iran if she became President. So with Clinton, there probably won't be much of a change in U.S. foreign policy towards Iran.

A Roundup Of The Weeks Events - Iraq, NIE, & more

Hear a great discussion on this weeks events from the On Point radio program.

Topics include the Senate debate on Iraq, and The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) and the warnings about Al Qaeda.

Listen Here (use realplayer option)


Also hear a discussion specifically about the National Intelligence Estimate. This is a must hear discussion. Former White House advisor Richard Clarke is interviewed on the program.

Listen Here (use realplayer option)

The U.S. Is Still Wide Open To Another Al Qaeda Attack

U.S. Visa System Gives Al Qaeda An Open Door Invitation To Attack Us Again

Six years after 9/11, the U.S. remains unprepared either to prevent an Al Qaeda attack or to deal with the aftermath of such an attack. The Bush Administration and the Congress have been slow to respond to the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, which called for tighter immigration policies, and interoperable communications for first responders, among other recommendations. Some recommendations have been completely ignored by Bush & Co. In addition, the U.S. health system is incapable of handling a mass casualty event, especially with the shortage of nurses, hospital beds, trauma centers, and first responders, and poorly prepared emergency rooms.

Now a new intelligence assessment is warning that Al Qaeda has regrouped and is intent on launching more attacks on U.S. soil. Listen Here. Meanwhile, the incompetent U.S. government is asleep at the wheel once again. The Bush & Co. policy of pushing for military action while ignoring domestic security has proven to be a disaster....and has left the country wide open to further attacks. The biggest hole in domestic security that the neocons have ignored is the U.S. Visa System. I have been screaming for years that this hole had to be plugged, and that the U.S. was leaving itself wide open for more attacks. The same vulnerability that the 9/11 hijackers exploited was never fixed. In fact, Bush & Co. relaxed some Visa restrictions, making it easier to enter the country. For example, travellers from Europe are not required to even apply for a Visa. As many of you know, Al Qaeda has a strong presence in Europe and operates relatively freely throughout the EU. It would be quite easy for a group of Al Qaeda operatives from Europe to fly to the U.S. and enter a U.S. port with no problem at all. And the Bush Administration knows about these vulnerabilities and has refused to address them. It is almost as if the Bush folks are leaving the country vulnerable on purpose as a way to take advantage of any future attacks and to keep the country in fear, instead of taking sensible precautions....precautions that any responsible government would take to protect its people. You can't be this incompetent by accident. In fact, the U.S. gets rid of anyone who tries to blow the whistle about lapses in security.

There was also a failure to limit the number of American colleges taking part in the Student Visa program....to a more manageable number. As things stand now, any private trade school that crops up can become a Visa sponsoring organization.... creating a conveyor belt for terrorists to get into the country. This is on top of all of the legitimate Colleges and Universities in the system. A alternative that I suggested some time ago would involve restricting the number of schools in the Visa system and would limit the number of Visa issued, and at the same time, encouraging the establishment of more American colleges and Universities overseas.... reducing the need for foreign students from sensitive parts of the world to actually enter the U.S. to obtain a degree from an American school. Several U.S. Universities already have several campuses overseas. Another option would be to expand online degree options to foreign students.

This is what happens when political appointees are put in key positions, rather than professionals with the proper qualifications. The people in charge of U.S. Homeland Security, such as Michael Chertoff, Julie Myers and Frances Townsend for example, have no experience or expertise whatsoever in Security.... no experience actually working in the field. These people have worn suits and have sat behind desks their whole careers. We basically have several Michael Browns running our security apparatus. It's a complete joke. This is why our security priorities are out of order. It is also why I believe that we are doomed.... and have been left to the mercy of Al Qaeda and anyone else who wants to do us harm. We are going around the world making new enemies, but leaving our borders wide open. It's like being in a neighborhood full of enemies, and picking a fight with the neighbor down the street....and leaving your front and back door open while you are away from home. Or not checking your doors before you go to bed at night. I think most Americans check their doors to make sure they are locked and might even set an alarm before they go to bed at night. But as a country.... we have done the opposite.

What about the War On Terror? That whole thing is a hoax. There is no War On Terror. I know from firsthand experience that the U.S. government is not hiring for key areas... Hiring is being done by the ones, twos, threes, and by the tens, for several security related positions. This is why I have not been able to get a foot in the door, despite being qualified for entry level work. I have been dying to serve the country in a DHS position. If there was a real War On Terror, hiring would be taking place by the hundreds and in some cases by the thousands.

The "War On Terror" is more of an empty political slogan....something that sounds good and something that is easy to brand. But there is no substance behind the words. Unless the "War On Terror" simply refers to foreign military intervention and ignores domestic security (which most Americans should know by now has not worked).

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Related Links

U.S. Still Vulnerable To Attack- Clark Kent Ervin Interview

Homeland Insecurity Continues

Ft. Dix Terror Plot

Egyptian Students Fail To Report

Millions of Foreign Visitors Overstay Visas

Taliban Official Attending Yale University

Homeland Security Still Not Prepared

Homeland Security Official Reports Lapses in Immigration System