This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Foreign Policy

  • New era of US-Cuban relations

    New era of US-Cuban relations

    So, yesterday, it looks like Cuba released American Alan Gross who hasn’t had the pleasure of living in Obama’s America since he was imprisoned in Cuba for the last five years. In exchange for his release, it looks like the President has traded away the effects of 50 years of embargo against the tiny nation (which has asserted that the only reason their economy has failed is because they couldn’t trade with only one nation out of the 165 in the world). According to CNN, the President plans on easing some of the restrictions of the embargo;

    President Obama announced a major loosening of travel and economic restrictions on the country. And the two nations are set to re-open embassies, with preliminary discussions on that next step in normalizing diplomatic relations beginning in the coming weeks, a senior administration official tells CNN.

    Talks between the U.S. and Cuba have been ongoing since June of 2013 and were facilitated by the Canadians and the Vatican in brokering the deal. Pope Francis — the first pope from Latin America — encouraged Obama in a letter and in their meeting this year to renew talks with Cuba on pursuing a closer relationship.

    Of course, there are still hundreds of Cubans still in the prisons in Cuba, prisoners of conscience, I think the Left would call them if they weren’t in a Communist repressive nation. Hedonist that I am, I look forward to some of those Cuban Partagas cigars and a nice bottle of Havana Club rum, but I still have my personal embargo in place, until Cuba is free from the grip of the Castros.

    By the way, here’s Gross just after he got back in his lawyers’ office. See the picture on the wall behind him? I’d be looking for a new lawyer.

    Gross and Che

  • Maybe It’s the French Who “Get It” These Days

    Many TAH readers have a low opinion of France. And in truth, the French have their faults.

    But in some respects, they seem to “get it” better than we do.

    First, they actually decided to do something meaningful about the recent Russian “adventure” in the eastern Ukraine. Specifically, they’ve suspended delivery of a warship they built for Russia . They’re also doing the same with a second ship under construction.

    And now, one of their politicians has recommended that the Devil’s Island prison near Guyana be reopened – and used to house French residents convicted of terrorism. He also said that it would be a good place for those who’ve fought for ISIS and/or al Qaeda.

    Makes sense to me, and the guy advocating this sounds like a smart man. I wonder if we could lease some space there – or work out a dual-use agreement?

  • About Those “9,800” US Troops Staying in Afghanistan Next Year . . . .

    Jonn wrote earlier today about US troops remaining in Afghanistan after the end of this year. Specifically, the word was we’re leaving “nearly 10,000” troops (9,800, specifically) there after the end of this year – 8,000 to support the NATO mission, with the rest dedicated to antiterrorism and/or other actions.

    But it turns out that figure the POTUS and Pentagon keep throwing out there is a bit . . . . misleading. So I thought I’d help clarify.

    The figure of 9,800 remaining in Afghanistan is consistent with what the POTUS claimed in May. Then, the claim was that we’d draw down below 10,000 troops by the end of this year; by another 50% (to less than 5,000) by the end of 2015; and to just those troops necessary for embassy security by the end of 2016.

    And that would be all well and good. Except . . . I checked some recent news stories about the subject.

    Guess what? My trouser leg is wet – yet again. And once again, it ain’t rain.

    Seems as if some of our NATO allies have recently indicated there will be a delay in fulfilling their commitments to the Afghan mission. That delay will leave a gap in the short-term – in early 2015, to be precise.

    Wanna guess who’s going to step in and fill that gap – to the tune of up to another 1,000 troops beyond those 9,800 originally planned? Naw, don’t bother to guess. Just read this link from Reuters carefully.

    The Pentagon is calling this “a ‘bridging solution’ until other nations fulfil their pledges later in the year or the troops are no longer needed”. But don’t worry. While the Pentagon acknowledged holding discussions with NATO partners, spokesman RADM John Kirby stated, “As we stand here today, there is no change in the 9,800 force level.”

    Look, we who’ve been in the military understand reacting to changes. And we understand that “the enemy has a vote”, and their actions can change our plans. The same is true of our allies.

    But GMAFB, Admiral. We weren’t supposed to send combat troops to Vietnam either, – just a few “advisers”. You’d think the Pentagon would have learned from Vietnam that misleading the US public about how many troops we’re sending to a foreign war is a “seriously bad idea”. So how about you just tell us the truth about what’s going on here, OK?

    Sheesh. This clueless DC clown krewe current Administration doesn’t appear to know its butt from a hole in the ground when it comes to national security and international relations. January 2017 can’t get here fast enough.

  • Well, Well, Well . . .

    The irony here is indeed delicious.

    US group CAIR named terrorist organization by United Arab Emirates

    The linked story is worth reading.

    This shouldn’t really be a surprise, though.  In 2007, CAIR was named (along with a sh!tload of others) as an unindicted co-conspirator in a plot to funnel money to Hamas.  They’ve also long been accused of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

    Maybe one day our government will one day wake up and treat them accordingly. To paraphrase the little kid from Angels in the Outfield: “Hey – it could happen!”

    Unfortunately, that day won’t be today.  The US Department of State reportedly had “no comment” when queried about the matter.

  • Oh, Fer Christsakes – Not Again?!

    Geez. Will someone PLEASE give the     clueless fools in charge in DC      current Administration a quarter and tell them where they can buy a clue?

    Title of the article says it all:

    U.S. weighs expanded CIA training, arming of Syrian allies struggling against Assad

    “Bad idea, sir. Very bad idea.”

  • Russia extends bomber patrols

    Russia extends bomber patrols

    Russia

    Apparently the Russians have never heard of the Monroe Doctrine, or they just don’t care about it, according to a link to CNN sent to us by Pinto Nag;

    Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Wednesday that “we have to maintain (Russia’s) military presence in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific, as well as the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico” — including sending bombers “as part of the drills.” Shoigu added that Russia will also boost its security in Crimea, the region it annexed from Ukraine earlier this year.

    “In many respects, this is connected with the situation in Ukraine, with fomentation of anti-Russian moods on the part of NATO and reinforcement of foreign military presence next to our border,” Shoigu said.

    Sounds a little too testosterony for my liking, but I’m sure it doesn’t rattle the current administration because nothing has happened yet.

    Meanwhile Russia is also planning a new media outlet called “Sputnik” says Fox News;

    The new “Sputnik” network reportedly will involve radio broadcasts and websites staffed by hundreds of workers from offices in 25 international cities. An English-version website already has been launched, and includes a heavy dose of the world-according-to-Moscow.

    A lead headline Thursday morning blared, “Russian Troops Never Crossed Ukrainian Border: Foreign Ministry.” That’s in response to NATO allegations that Russia was sending fresh troops and tanks into eastern Ukraine. Another headline warned how immigrants to the United States “lack protection” and “face violence.” Yet another declared: “Russia, Unlike the US, Recognizes Iran as Growing Power: Middle East Expert.”

    They’re also increasing spending on their RT media venture, because there’s not enough propaganda in our news, i suppose.

  • It’s Official: Inherent Resolve is Part of the War on Terror

    Remember that implicit “the GWOT is over – we ended it” claim of the       clueless DC clown krewe       current Administration?  You know, when they quit using the GWOT title for military operations against Islamic terrorist enemies worldwide?

    Well, maybe not.  Yesterday the Department of Defense – in a typical exercise of the “bury something you don’t want the public to notice in a Friday afternoon news release” principle – declared personnel deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve eligible for the GWOTEM.

    In case anyone’s forgotten:  Operation Inherent Resolve is the recently-assigned name to operations in Iraq, Syria, and surrounding areas against ISIS/ISIL/whatever the hell those Islamic terrorist bastards are calling themselves these days. We currently have 1,400 troops in Iraq today that just became eligible for the GWOTEM – plus a bunch more in surrounding areas.

    Last time I checked, the acronym GWOTEM stands for “Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal”. So much for that “end” of the Global War on Terrorism.

    But remember: the current Administration “got us out of Iraq on schedule”. They just did that by fornicating Fido* so badly negotiating our 2011 exit that we were virtually guaranteed to return in a few years. And now – less than 3 years later – it looks like our return is official.

    As Santayana said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”  That’s true no matter what       outdated, erroneous Marxist dogma       Progressive political theory says to the contrary.

    I guess they’ll try to blame Bush for this, too.   Oh, wait – the      Communists     Socialists      useful idiots      Progressive fools have already started to try to do exactly that.   Even after it’s been proven that this developed during the current Administration’s watch, and they were warned over a year ago this could happen.

    “Clueless idiocy.”  Look it up in the dictionary, and I’ll give you three guesses as to the photo and illustration.


    * – Politically-correct version of “screwed the pooch”.

  • The New Cold War in Moscow

    Remember back during the good old days, the Bush years, the media and the Democrats accused him of longing for the old Cold War with the Soviets when he planned to put a missile defense system in the New Europe? Well, I do. But, according to the US Embassy folks, the Cold War is back without any help from Mr Bush, according to ABC News;

    The number of incidents targeting American diplomats in Moscow has increased in recent years to levels not seen since the Cold War, officials said. Taken together, they paint an escalating pattern of intimidation and harassment that is believed to be led by Russia’s Federal Security Services (FSB), a successor to the Soviet KGB.

    The trend has alarmed officials back in Washington, who have complained about the treatment to Russian officials at the highest levels, including President Vladimir Putin.

    Officials said the level of harassment increased sharply this year as U.S.-Russia relations plunged to their lowest level in decades amid the Ukraine crisis.

    Maybe this administration can negotiate away the freedoms of the people of eastern Europe and volunteer our troops to build a wall of some sort, dividing Europe into zones of influence or something. That would put an end to all of this, maybe they could meet somewhere with Putin, Yalta perhaps, to decide how to divide up Europe.