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

Category: Foreign Policy

  • Déjà Vu All Over Again – Redux

    The current Administration has decided that it’s now OK for the US to provide direct military assistance to the new government of Somalia.  Specifically, the POTUS has determined that it is appropriate for the US to provide defense equipment and services to the Somali government.

    Yes, “defense equipment and services” means exactly what you think it does:  arms, equipment, and people to train Somali government forces.  No, plans to deploy US forces to Somalia have not yet been announced.  Yet.

    Why?  Because according to the POTUS, the US providing defense equipment and services to Somalia “will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace.”

    Damn.  I have that strange “I’ve seen this movie before, and the ending sucked” feeling.  Now why is that?

    Oh, yeah – now I remember.  The movie I’m thinking of told the story of events 20 years ago.

    It was called “Black Hawk Down”.

  • More of That “Arab Spring” Freedom

    I thought the whole point of that “Arab Spring” stuff was to get rid of restrictive, autocratic governments and to promote freedom.  And I thought that’s why the current administration supported the “Arab Spring” movements in Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt while they deposed stable governments in each nation.

    But I must have been wrong, at least when it comes to Egypt.

    It seems as if Egypt has now started arresting activists – as well as comedians accused of insulting President Morsi.  Hmm.  Those same kinds of things are what Mubarak did, if I recall correctly – and was one of the reasons why the “Arab Spring” folks wanted him gone.

    Egypt is also debating new laws that will give the state sweeping powers to regulate civil society.  Hmmm.  I seem to recall Mubarak being castigated for doing that also.  But maybe I’m wrong about that, too.

    And I don’t recall Murbarak ever declaring NGO funds provided from sources abroad to be “public funds” – like one new law supported by Morsi and his ilk in Egypt’s parliament would do.

    But fear not:  that decision to support the Arab Spring protestors and throw valued US allies out on their ear was a good one.  Otherwise, the POTUS and his staff wouldn’t have made it, right?

    Yeah, right.  I’m really getting the impression of “déjà vu all over again” – 33+ years later.  Think Teheran, 1978.

    We’re still paying the price for that Carter-era idiocy.  I wonder how long we’ll be paying for this latest naïve foolishness?

  • Crime and Punishment

    Remember the old MasterCard commercials that started out by listing two items and their cost, followed by a third thing that was “priceless”?  Well, how about this one:

    • Engineering Doctorate:  about $60,000
    • Two Round Trip Tickets to China:  around $3,000
    • Unauthorized Disclosure of Defense Technical Information Without Authorization:  5 years

    That’s what Sixing Liu – a permanent legal resident of the US – found out the hard way.  Liu had obtained a doctorate in engineering and was working as a contractor for a division of L3 Corporation.  He was working on numerous military projects.

    In 2009 and 2010, he took technical data concerning his work with him to conferences in China.  At those conferences, he gave presentations regarding his current work assignments.

    Liu was working on defense-related weapons programs.  He did not have prior authorization to release the data in question. 

    Liu ‘s attorney claimed that Liu had made a “grave error”, but had never intended to pass secrets to the Chinese government. Yeah, right.  Did Liu really think no one at his presentation might be from the Chinese government or military?  Or that no one in Chinese industry would pass the information along to the Chinese government?  If so, he has to be the dumbest SOB on earth with a doctorate in engineering.

    Liu was arrested at his home in Deerfield, IL, in 2011.  He was found guilty last fall on six counts of exporting defense data without permission, as well as on charges of possessing stolen trade secrets and lying to authorities. 

    On Monday, 25 March 2013, Liu was sentenced to 5 years in prison plus a $15,000 fine.  The government has 90 days to determine whether it will ask the judge to order Liu to pay restitution for any economic damages caused by his crimes.

    I wish he’d have gotten more time.  But I can probably live with this.

  • ND:tBF – the Tantrums Continue

    Kim Jong-Un – designated by Jonn as ND:tBF here at TAH – is at it again.  He’s throwing yet another temper tantrum.

    This time, per the official state news agency KCNA he’s put his artillery and rocket units on “combat-ready posture”.  He also says they’re ready to strike targets in “South Korea, Japan, Guam, Hawaii and the continental US”.  And he’s also warning South Korea that they should “be mindful that everything will be reduced to ashes and flames the moment the first attack is unleashed.”

    (yawn)  Just another episode of “Norks being Norks”, IMO.

    The Pentagon’s reaction?  The KNCA remarks were characterized as “bellicose rhetoric” by a spokesman.  The spokesman also indicated that US was prepared “to respond to any contingency.”

    No word on whether or not the Pentagon spokesman yawned, belched, or farted before or while making his remarks.  (smile)

  • Sequestration? What Sequestration?

    I seem to remember hearing somewhere that the government was broke, and had to cut back spending as a result.  I think that was supposed to be the reason for something called “sequestration”.

    But I must have heard wrong.  Seems that the current Administration has just approved the release of nearly $500 million in funds to our firm allies the Palestinian Authority.  And they’ve asked Congress for another $200 million for the Palestinian Authority for this year, too.

    This is on top of the $250 million in “economic assistance” we just sent to our firm friends, the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated government of Egypt.  And the $37 million in additional education aid we gave that steadfast US “friend” Pakistan about a week ago.  And I’m sure there are a few other such giveaways out there that have happened during the last few weeks.

    By my math, that all totals close to a billion dollars.  I’m guessing it’s more than $1 billion when it’s all added up.

    And it’s all going to regimes that are often less-than-friendly to the US.

    Sequestration?  Yeah, that sequestration is really helping us cut back on nonessential Federal spending, isn’t it?

  • “The Tree Is Safe, Your Excellency”

    This is . . . sad.  Just sad.

    The POTUS arrived in Israel yesterday for his first state visit to that nation.  He and the Israeli President, Shimon Peres, planted a US magnolia tree as part of the arrival ceremony.

    Accounts vary on what happened later.  According to Israeli accounts, the tree was dug up later that day.  A White House spokesman denied this, saying that the tree’s roots were “wrapped in plastic mesh”.  My guess is that both are correct – e.g., the tree was unearthed, then plastic-wrapped and put back in place.

    Why?  Well, it seems any plants brought from abroad require a check by the Israeli Agricultural Ministry before they can be planted in Israel.  And it also appears that the POTUS’s staff was made aware of that fact beforehand by officials in the Israeli government, but elected not to send the tree ahead of time to allow inspection.

    I’m not joking.  See the entry for 19:54 yesterday in the article.

    I mean, really.  For crying out loud:  the state where the POTUS grew up (Hawaii) has some pretty strict quarantine requirements.  The US has pretty stiff restrictions on foreign plants and agricultural products entering the US, too.  So figuring out that import restrictions on plants might exist in other countries shouldn’t exactly be rocket science.

    (sigh)  First they don’t plan ahead regarding the POTUS’s food “taster” at a recent Capitol Hill luncheon. Here, they didn’t bother perform the due diligence necessary to prevent a major international faux pas (or simply didn’t care).  Suppose the Israelis had told the POTUS at the ceremony, “Um, no . . . you can’t plant that; it goes to quarantine first”?

    What’s next?  Are they going to forget to tell British authorities ahead of time that they’re coming and just show up at Buckingham Palace’s front door one evening expecting to see the Queen?

    It also looks like someone forgot what kind of fuel the POTUS’s limo uses during his latest trip, too.

    Our nation deserves better than this.  It’s one thing to look foolish at home.  This time, we’re looking foolish in front of the whole world.

  • Yet More Nonsense from ND:tBF

    Looks like Jim Jong-Un, AKA ND:tBF here at TAH, doesn’t think he’s getting enough attention from the world’s adults.  He’s throwing another temper tantrum.

    Specifically, North Korea is making fresh noises about “ending the cease-fire”  between the Koreas.  They’re apparently pissed that the UN has imposed new sanctions as the result of their latest nuclear test.  And the US and South Korea refused to cancel a scheduled exercise, too.  Waaaaa!

    Seriously:  North Korean threats along these lines are nothing new – nor are infiltrations, overseas terrorist attacks, attacks at sea, or DMZ shooting incidents.  Frankly, it’s pretty much a part of “Norks being Norks”.  So while there might be a few incidents and things might get tense for a while, I really don’t think he’s serious about starting a new Korean War.

    Still, this latest string of belligerent statements warrants keeping close watch on North Korea.  ND:tBF is still quite young – and quite naive.  He also grew up insulated from North Korean reality as a member of the inner-circle elite.  So he may not exactly have a firm grip on the reality of the situation he’s in, or the ramifications of attempting to carry out these threats.  Hopefully cooler heads in the North Korean leadership do and will clue him in pronto.

    I’m guessing they will.  Because I’m also guessing most of the North Korean leadership does not have a death wish.

  • North Korea Makes Bang-Bang

    In case anyone missed it:  North Korea conducted a nuclear test overnight.  It’s estimated to have had an explosive yield of 6 to 7 kilotons – or between 1/3 and 1/2 the yield of those used during World War II.

    Even China was not amused, and reportedly summoned the North Korean ambassador to their foreign ministry for immediate consultations.

    Perhaps the UN will actually grow a pair and impose meaningful sanctions this time.  As the kid in “Angels in the Outfield” said:  “Hey, it could happen!” – but I’m not holding my breath.

    No word yet on when the hermit state plans to begin growing sufficient food to feed itself, or to provide a reasonable standard of living for their proletariat.