NATO - The Presidential Election - John McCain

I had to break my break to report and comment on this rather explosive development. According to Al Jazeera, Karzai has held talks with Haqqani, the leader of one of the most violent Taliban factions in Afghanistan. What is even more shocking is that Pakistan's Army Chief of Staff and the head of the ISI, Pakistan's Intelligence Service supposedly accompanied him to the meeting with Karzai. This is as Mike Mullin, the head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff was in Afghanistan seeing the useless Karzai to assure him of the US committment.

This morning's New York Times featured a very moving story about the 1st Mountain Divison and the predicament each soldier is facing. There is growing concerns about the fact that there is no military solution. I do not want to seem to gloat, but what I have said is that the current policy is wrong and cannot simply be sustained. The stress on the troops is simply too great and the United States will pay a heavy price for it.

What I am concerned about it is the push by a five year plan for withdrawal. Making the rounds of the U.S. Network Public Affairs shows, I am getting a sense of the fact that the committment has to be open-ended. That was epitomized by Senator McCain's concern about the June 2011 timeline. At least there is some agreement that the War is not going well. It is about time that everyone at least understands that:

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I wonder how long can soldiers (and the Country) endure such images:

Sgt. Brian Keith with his wife, Sara, and their son, Stephen, 6 months, just before Sergeant Keith deployed to Afghanistan with other troops from Fort Drum, N.Y. (Source: http://www.nytimes.com, 6/27/2010

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: Hamid Karzai, Taliban, Al Qaeda, NATO, Inter-Faith Relationships, Islam, Barack Obama, John McCain

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OV Week-End II (3/28/2010): What A Week....

March 29th 2010 00:48

: ...Waiting for an Encore....

This past week was exciting and scary on the political scene. It all culminated with the passage of the Healthcare Legislation. The Obama Adminstration should right now feel pretty good about what they have been able to achieve so far.

It all began with Healthcare. The legislation passed . I was in awe as I saw Democracy in Action. The debate was vibrant and frankly hillarious at times. The Republicans committed to run on a slogan to "repeal and replace.' What I found especially ironic was a clip on This Past Sunday's Meet the Press from then-Minority Leader Gerald Ford:

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It is interesting how history repeats itself. What everyone seems to continue to agree on is the fact that something had to be done. Some noted how the cost was the problem. The question that the Republicans did not answer is if not now, when? What was very troubling was the rise in threats and the rhetoric. Such acts have no place in political discourse. But, of course, the week saw politicans wanting to shift the blame and express "understanding" for the threats. The current conservative hero, Sarah Palin, talked about it when she joined John McCain and then as she helped to launch the Tea Party Express in Harry Reid's Hometown, Searchlight. Eric Cantor, the Republican Whip, had his fifteen minutes of fame when he said that his office was attacked--which turned out to be a random act of shooting.

There needs to be improvements and changes to the law. But, the fact that this law is apaprently to the right of what Richard Nixon proposed must mean something to Republicans. But, the problem is that Richard Nixon will not even recognize today's so-called Republicans of today.

It was a busy week on the foreign policy front, too. I reported on Mr. Obama's Afghan trip earlier. Mr. Obama reminded the world about the Four D's of objectives America has in Afghanistan. The problem is the Al Qaeda is in Pakistan. The bigger problem is the ineffectiveness of the Afghan Government which I have commented on throughout my daily write-ups. Hopefully, Mr. Obama made the useless Karzai understood the gravity of the situation. It is just frustruating to see all that the World is spending in Afghanistan for nothing in return. The Afghan National Police is just one indication of the problem. They are, as a recent story in Newsweek noted, The Gang that couldn't shoot straight. Basically, 6 billion dollars has been thrown away with nothing to show for it.

There is of courser Israel. I think Mr. Obama did the right thing by having the meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister behind closed doors so that hopefully Bibi understood that the realities on the ground had to change. It was heartening to see Amir Musa, the Arab League Secretary General, express the frustruation that is truly felt by all Arabs. I continue to be concerned whether the Obama Adminstration has the will to impose a solution that would restore America's role as the honest broker in Middle East Peace. This is the biggest challenge the Obama Adminstration has. Israel has a special relationship with the United States and its security is of paramount importance and should be guaranteed. But Israel's security will be enhanced ever more if peace is achieved. The Israeli right needs to understand this. I have to wonder if they really do or not.

The week culminated with the agreement to further reduce nuclear weapons. The US and Russia will sign it next month in Prague. This is another feather in the President's cap. The problem is the US Senate. When the President signs it, then the battle begins.

I noted when the year began not to under mine Barack Obama. The events of the past week has proven me right. It has been quite a week. I eagerly await what he will do for an encore. May we truly live in exciting times.......

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: Hamid Karzai, Taliban, Al Qaeda, NATO, The Pakistani Taliban, Iran, Economics, Politics, Ahmadinejad, Khameini, Sunnis, The Kurds, The Shittes, Saudi Arabia, Gulf Cooperation Council, Barack Obama, John McCain, Sarah Palin, U.S. Government, Congress, Executive

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Weekly Roundup of the US Political Sunday Talk Shows.....

March 30th 2009 00:56

: Is the Message Coming Through?

I have been making the rounds of the Sunday Talk Shows. NBC and ABC had Tim Geitner on and CBS' Face the Nation had the President on as well: (available at http://www.cbsnews.com).

As I listened to the Face The Nation Interview, I was glad that Bob Schieffer brought up Mexico. I have regarded Mexico as the soft underbelly that is indeed a major threat to the security of the United States. I did also find Meet the Press quite insightful in explaining in layman's terms how the plan is supposed to work. As I listened to all the shows, the central message I heard was that the Obama Adminstration views the strategies on both the economy and Afghanistan was on track. Time will only tell

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: Hamid Karzai, Taliban, Al Qaeda, NATO, Inter-Faith Relationships, The Presidential Election, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John McCain, U.S. Economy, U.S. Government, Congress

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Our World This Week

March 29th 2009 07:46

: Quite Amazing!!!

I was witness to another busy and hectic week on the political front. There was of course the Budget the Obama Adminstration has sent up to the U.S. Congress. The U.S. Congress has started to write the legislation to get the process moving forward. It was also a week that saw the President throw the gauntlet down to the Republicans in the House to produce their own alternative. They did produce one. From the review so far, though, there are no numbers to back the so called roadmap they have proposed. I will be anxious to see what they have to say on this next week.

As I was witness to the debate, I was laughing at how the President seemed to be getting it from both sides. On the one hand, I saw the so-called right (or conservatives) in the country noting how the President was taking the country down the path to socialism and communism. I was really laughing when I read Dick Morris' comments and then visited his new YouTube Channel he had just laid out. On the other hand, I was also just as amazed and laughing at how the so-called left (or liberals) were keen to attack the President. Paul Krugman's admonition about the President's Public-Private Partnership as "cash for trash" was just one example. They are noting that the clintonites will help drive a centrist economic policy that will leave many out in the cold

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: Hamid Karzai, Taliban, Al Qaeda, NATO, Turkey, United Kingdom, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John McCain, U.S. Economy, U.S. Government, Executive

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Worrisome Developments.....

October 25th 2008 12:46

: Can anyone do anything about it?

I can't help but be worried. As I continue to write about our world, I want to remain hopeful. But, the bad news continues coming in. The Dow lost over 300 points on Friday. As America continues to be in the midst of a Presidential Campaign, the world seems to be falling apart. BBC is reporting on a very disturbing development in Colombia threatens to undermine all that seems to have been achieved in the so-called war on drugs. A number of Army colonels have been sacked because they apparently kidnapped homeless men and then killed them to secure body counts and in turn promotions. Colombia was the same country, of course, that pulled off the release of Ingrid Betancourt and others using the emblems of the International commitee for the Red Cross. I view it as a bothersome development because it will undermine the very perilous nature of achievements made in the war on drugs that the world seems to be losing. Look at what is going on in Mexico. I regard Uribe as the ultimate teflon, though. I think he would muddle through as he has through other crisis.

The more worrisome development, though, is the killing of foreigners in the center of the Afghan capital, Kabul. Afghanistan is on fire. Karzai is useless and is a lost case. I am heartened by Joe Klein's comments on Time.com about Barack Obama's views. According to Klein, Barack Obama (and General Petreaus) are in favor of negotiations with the Taliban. I would be interested in any alternative anyone could offer. Right now, I see none

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: Hamid Karzai, Taliban, Al Qaeda, NATO, Islam, The Presidential Election, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John McCain, U.S. Economy, Big Media, U.S. Government, Venezuela

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Afghanistan & The fantasy of winning

October 5th 2008 19:30

: Is it the World's Vietnam??

There has been talk about applying the Iraq "surge principles" to Afghanistan. I have read of commanders complaining about the fact that adequate resources are not available. There was also an overture by the useless Karzai to engage the Saudis to have the Taliban come back to the negotiating table.

First of, as it stands now, the Taliban are winning. Karzai has no crediblity in my view. The Taliban's only requirements is for Foreign Troops to get out of Afghanistan. If that happens, the house of cards built around Karzai is going to collapse. Then, the world is back to square one after all the blood, sweat and tears that has been spent. I view the need to have a political settlement, though, as vital to this disastrous war coming to an end. Fortunately, I am not alone in this assessment. According to a story posted on the London Sunday Times for October 5, The Senior Military commander in Afghanistan for British Forces, Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith, noted that a deal with the Taliban should be considered. In addition, the same report notes a memo from a French diplomat quoting the British Ambassador, nothing that the current strategy was "doomed to fail". We all must take note of such doubts and think through a strategy. The shooting war that has pursued has clearly not worked

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: Hamid Karzai, Taliban, Al Qaeda, NATO, The Presidential Election, Barack Obama, John McCain

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Palin & Karzai are meeting....

September 20th 2008 23:00

: what's the big deal?

There is a story on CNN's political ticker about Sarah Palin and Hamid Karzai meeting during the UN General Assembly meeting this coming week. I guess the idea is to "bolster" Governor Palin's foreign policy credentials. When I read this, I laughed.

If the intent of the McCain campaign is to pump up Sarah Palin's Foreign Policy Credentials, they ought to have picked someone else. Karzai is the problem. He has no control over his country. He can't even control Kabul. He can't even control his own family. The Taliban have sway over 80% of the country. She can look "Presidential" all she wants. At least I would have hoped that the McCain Campaign would have the sense to choose someone else

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Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: Hamid Karzai, Taliban, NATO, Islam, John McCain, Sarah Palin

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