Less than 48 hours after Osama bin Laden was killed in a skilled military operation, the Washington Post’s liberal pundit Ezra Klein is already stretching to find a reason bin Laden actually “succeeded,” albeit partially. Klein’s hypothesis: Because Americans spent money in ways Klein doesn’t support, bin Laden succeeded by bringing us closer to “bankruptcy”. He conveniently throws in a myriad of policies he finds unappealing, mostly conservative of course, and chalks them all up as supporting the terrorist’s goals. It’s really mind-boggling. Unfortunately, this is what liberals who objected …
The valor of the Navy SEALs has received much attention in the last few days – as it should. Today, on the anniversary of the first awarded Purple Hearts, we remember not only those who now serve, but all those who have already set this example of tenacity and bravery. The Purple Heart was instituted by General Washington during the American Revolution, and was originally called the Badge of Military Merit. The Badge was awarded to honor those who displayed “unusual gallantry” or “extraordinary fidelity and essential service” to the …
Royal Wedding Highlights the Importance of Marriage: The excitement and expectation of the more than 2 billion people who watched Prince William and Kate Middleton wed last Friday highlighted the enduring ideal of marriage. In the royal wedding, people around the globe recognized some of our deepest human aspirations and the shared nobility of the institution of marriage. The widespread coverage and esteem for marriage is a particularly welcome development for the institution that has endured many cultural challenges in recent decades. Americans are marrying at half the annual rate …
It began in Wisconsin, but it’s not stopping there. When legislators in the Badger State moved to reform unions’ collective bargaining power earlier this year, their action not only stirred movement in their own state but sent a ripple effect across the nation. And it continues to spread. As Charles Krauthammer noted in February, “Wisconsin is the epicenter. … When Gov. Scott Walker proposed that state workers contribute more to their pension and health-care benefits, he started a revolution.” This revolution has extended to states near and far, including Ohio, …
Four men and one woman lay dead—among them, Osama bin Laden. The operation, which was planned for months, came after years of searching and intelligence gathering. In the end, it was America’s use of “hard power“ and the strategic interrogations of detainees that brought about an end to the terrorist mastermind. But make no mistake, the long war against terrorism is not over. Thankfully, bin Laden is gone, but the terrorist threat still remains, along with continued operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. That work is vital to ensuring that another 9/11 does not …
The desire to achieve victory in any field of endeavor can become so intense that it deforms the character of the participants. That tendency has been on display in the past two weeks as a result of the intimidation offensive the Human Rights Campaign has waged against the law firm of King and Spalding and its partner, former Solicitor General Paul Clement, over his agreement to represent the House of Representatives in federal cases involving the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Clement has acted with honor and consistency by putting …
Ambitious efforts to modernize Russia’s defense and industrial base undertaken during the Putin administration have been paying off—at least, in some cases. The Russian leadership uses arms sales for economic gain, but also as a tool of influence in the recipient countries. The Russian military-industrial complex, one of the few national industries that maintain some competitive advantage in comparison with the West, is a source of the Kremlin’s cash and prestige. Leftover stockpiles from the Soviet military past were large enough to keep Russia active in arms sales in the …
In this week’s Heritage in Focus, Jim Carafano discusses the death of Osama bin Laden. He explores its implications for our fight against terrorism moving forward, how it affects our relationship with Pakistan, and more. Click here to listen. And what about the notion that since we killed bin Laden, it’s time to declare victory in the War on Terror? The terrorists don’t seem to think so. Earlier, a senior al-Qaeda official by pseudonym “Assad al-Jihad2,” posting on a jihadist website, vowed revenge, stating that anyone who thinks that jihad has ended just …
Once again the U.S. House plans to take another whack Tuesday at defunding Obamacare—although the Senate and White House are poised to protect the funding. The bill scheduled for a vote, HR 1213, would repeal the automatic funding that Obamacare provides for federally-dictated insurance exchanges, the mechanisms to sell the re-fashioned and federally-approved insurance policies. And while the bill does not repeal the requirement that each state either establish such an exchange or have the feds do it for them, billions of taxpayer dollars could be saved if the House …
America’s financial future is at a crossroads. While Congress debates the right path to balance the budget and restore order to the nation’s fiscal house, now more than ever, citizens must understand the problem and what is at stake. The Heritage Foundation’s special preview of the 2011 Federal Budget Chart Book provides a user-friendly way to learn about the federal budget using pictures. Debt and Deficits Chart 1 shows that the United States’ debt is set to skyrocket unprecedented levels due to looming runaway deficit spending. As shown in Chart …
