To hear President Barack Obama describe the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, you’d think it was a long-anticipated political victory, the fruition of a promise he made when campaigning for the White House. But his announcement last week that American troops in Iraq will return by the end of the year is a result of a serious Obama Administration failure that will undermine U.S. security interests in the Middle East. Speaking on Friday from the West Wing, President Obama wasted no time in reminding the American people that, “As …
After denying last week that the negotiations to extend the U.S. troop presence in Iraq were failing, the Obama Administration pivoted on Friday as President Obama announced that the U.S. troop presence would not be extended. The President sought to turn a dangerous outcome for Iraq’s security and the war against terrorists into a political boost for his reelection campaign by declaring in a televised speech: “Today, I can say that our troops in Iraq will definitely be home for the holidays.” The rapid drawdown of the U.S. military presence …
It sounds like a former Obama Administration official is changing his tune on two of the President’s early stimulus efforts. Austan Goolsbee, former chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, says that in retrospect he would not have supported the Cash for Clunkers program or the home buyer tax credit. Politico reports: “Because we didn’t know if [economic recovery was] going to be short or long,” the Obama administration tried measures to address both scenarios, Goolsbee explained on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “If you look at Cash for Clunkers or the first home …
Apparently seeking to capitalize on a political movement that shares its general political vision, Big Labor has stepped up its material support for the “Occupy” protesters. Scribe noted this week that the AFL-CIO union had taken out advertisements supporting the protests. According to a report from the Washington Post, though, their support extends far beyond paid advertising. Labor groups are mobilizing to provide office space, meeting rooms, photocopying services, legal help, food and other necessities to the protesters. The support is lending some institutional heft to a movement that has prided …
As part of its bankruptcy proceedings, defunct solar company Solyndra will auction off thousands of items from its California production facility on Nov. 2 and 3. But taxpayers won’t see a dime of the proceeds, due to the Energy Department’s decision to subordinate taxpayers to Solyndra’s private financiers in repayment of their investments. As I explained in a Friday column in the Washington Examiner, DOE has developed an unprecedented interpretation of the law to allow Solyndra’s private investors to recoup $75 million of their investment before taxpayers are repaid. Heritage …
The word is out that all U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of the year. While every American shares the conviction that we don’t want any U.S. troops stationed in a Middle East country a day longer than they need to be, it is tragic to see a premature exit of U.S. troops that might jeopardize the progress that has been made in Iraq. Rather than a symbol of success, the withdrawal of U.S. troops seems more like the outcome of an Administration in retreat. With …
That indigenous forces backed by Western military power could overthrow an odious unpopular regime backed by a second-rate military ought to come as no surprise. That was, after all, exactly what the Bush Administration did in Afghanistan. In fact, operationally, the fall of Kabul looks a lot like the fall of Tripoli. As we now know, toppling the Taliban was not the last chapter in U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, nor was it a precedent for the “future way of war” (in and out with a minimal footprint) as it was …
Steve Jobs, the late Apple founder and digital pioneer, told President Obama in a 2010 meeting that his anti-business attitude and enthusiasm for federal regulations could spell doom for his re-election bid, according to an upcoming biography of the iconic entrepreneur. Jobs specifically cited a number of impediments to job creation and future economic growth, including onerous business regulations and stubborn teachers’ unions preventing reform of the country’s education system. The Huffington Post, which obtained an advance copy of the book – titled “Steve Jobs” – said the man “seemed …
Make sure to catch our latest Heritage Libertad Radio Show, available in Spanish or English. We kick off the first 30 minutes of our hour-long broadcast with the Spanish segment. Topics include Obamacare, the economy, jobs, and a look at the recently signed Free Trade Agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea, with expert Jim Roberts. The last 30 minutes are devoted to the English segment. Topics include the economy, the administration’s recent decision to cancel the CLASS Act, and an interview with Family Research Council President, Tony Perkins. Be sure …
Libya and Yemen until recently were led by the longest-ruling dictators in the Arab world. Muammar Qadhafi’s death marks the official end of his 42-year rule in Libya. While the overthrow of his regime enables Libya to embark on the challenging path to democratic governance, Yemen’s president, President Ali Abdullah Saleh, can’t take a hint. Libya. According to the Transitional National Council (TNC), which now controls Libya, an inclusive transitional government will be formed when all of Libya is liberated. With Qadhafi’s death and the civil war winding down, that …
