LFTC - Letter From The Capitol

"Dirty Bombs": Pseudo-WMD

The following essay, Dirty Bombs Revisited: Combating the Hype, by Scott Stewart, is reprinted with permission from Stratfor....

Securing the Bomb: Two Reports

Here are the 2008 report (204 p.) & 2009 update (30 p.) from the Nuclear Threat Initiative, former Senator Sam Nunn's project to secure loose nuclear material around the world.  There is much of interest here...

SPRING VACATION

SPRING BREAK IS NOT JUST FOR COLLEGE KIDS.  BLOGGERS NEED A LITTLE DOWNTIME TOO.  LFTC WILL RETURN MONDAY, MAY 3, 2010.

Israel & US: "Sudden Mideast Peace Process Syndrome" Strikes Again!

Yesterday Joe Biden said that Israel will not strike Iran without informing the US, and that Jerusalem is on board with UN sanctions, round 4.  Cliff May aptly notes that more than "the usual suspects" are "taking potshots" at Israel, most notable among them being SecState Hillary....

Dubai Killing: Blaming Israel, Wining Hamas Target

Ace journalist Claudia Rosett reports on her visit to Dubai ISO answers from Dubai authorities.  Why was the Hamas terror chief in Dubai?  why did he, supposedly an abstemious ascetic, staying at the al-Bustan Rotana Hotel, a super-luxury property?  Dubai is a transit point for Iran deals with Hamas, Hezbollah, etc.  Dubai authorities stonewalled all inquiries, and simply blame Israel.  We need not believe them.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

China: Need for More Nuclear Missiles?

Beijing's main military newspaper called for China to field a nuclear force capable of surviving a first strike and then launching a retaliatory strike.  The implications of this are simple: China needs a force larger than the few hundred missiles it now has deployed, in order to be able to ride out a Russian or American (however improbable) nuclear first strike.  Team Obama is doing what comes natural to them: holding back details on China's growing arsenal.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Nuclear Proliferation, Arms Control, WMD, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

Russia Buys Ukraine, Ukraine Buys Trouble

The Washington Post reports that Russia & Ukraine signed a pact ensuring (if Moscow honors it, that is) a 30 percent discount through 2019 on natural gas in return for a 25-year extension of Russia's lease at the Sevastopol naval base, giving Russia its Black Sea port.  Mother Russia is reclaiming her departed subjects.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, National Security, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

Wall Street Wiseguys & Washington Wisdom

In a 16-minute video CNBC financial anchor Dylan Ratigan eviscerates the unholy trinity of hedge fund, insurance company & government players who colluded to reap huge insider profits, at the expense of outsiders unaware of clandestine collusion by those pushing complex financial instruments.  There is more shocking news....

VAT: Making Big Government Permanent

George Will shreds arguments for adding a Value-Added Tax (VAT) onto today's income taxes, showing it would forever entomb the Founders' vision of limited government.  GW's answer: repeal the 16th Amendment.  No income tax, plus a VAT whose taxes are fully transparent to taxpayers, might work.  Liberals want to entomb limited government, and will not accede to this bargain.  The Senate voted 85-13 last week to reject a VAT.  Nonetheless, President Obama sees VAT as an option.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Economy, Conservative Politics

Earth Day + 40: Running on Empty

Scientist Richard Lindzen sees climate change discredited as Earth Day turns 40.  It is, to me, no coincidence that Earth Day, which sparked a revolution that changed politics, comes on the anniversary date of another revolutionary who changed politics, Lenin.  Both revolutions championed government control over individuals.  Neither change was for the better.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, Economy, Climate Change, Conservative Politics

Syrian SCUD Update: Forcing General Mideast War?

Daniel Goure--a/k/a Lexington--explains in detail why Syrian SCUDs could force a general Mideast War.  It is scary, a real prospect, yet seemingly ignored by the Obama administration....

New START Treaty & the Senators

John Bolton offers sage advice for senators considering voting to ratify New START: Don't.  Here is the DoD public release on the emerging ICBM threat, which national security maven Peter Huessy notes departs from prior assessments in noting foreign assistance given Iran's missile program.  Michael Anton's Weekly Standard article sees missile defense inadequate to meet the emerging Iran ICBM threat.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Nuclear Proliferation, Arms Control, WMD, Foreign Policy, UN, Conservative Politics

Does ObamaCare Really Care?

Check this astonishing video clip (1:47) of President Obama's detached-cool exchange at a White House health care event, with one Jane Sturm:

Sturm in German translate as "storm."  Policy ace Peter Ferrara sees a political storm coming from this clip come November.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Economy,Conservative Politics

Iran ICBM: Coming in 2015 to a (War) Theater Near You?

Ready for an Iran ICBM to land in your neighborhood?  It might happen sooner than you think....

North Korea: Third Nuke Test Coming

In time for sunny May, North Korea is readying a third nuclear test, the first two having been only partial fizzles.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Nuclear Proliferation, Arms Control, WMD, Foreign Policy, UN, Conservative Politics

Iran: Washington Post Dissects Team Obama

This Tuesday Washington Post editorial on Iran & Team Obama perfectly captures the confusion and irresolution plainly evident for all to see--alas, including the Iranian regime.  WP pundit David Ignatius thinks round 4 of UN sanctions will set up added, tougher unilateral US sanctions.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Nuclear Proliferation, Arms Control, WMD, Foreign Policy, UN, Conservative Politics

Israel: America's Only True Mideast Ally

Jerusalem Post columnist Caroline Glick presents an eloquent case why Israel is America's only true Mideast ally, and thus deserves better treatment from the US.  Well worth a read.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Nuclear Proliferation, Arms Control, WMD, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

A Pet Swan for Al Gore

The Daily Telegraph reports on an obnoxious swan bedeviling Cambridge rowers.  Maybe Al Gore needs a pet....

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Climate Change, Conservative Politics

Admiral Mullen Mulls Nuclear Iran

Bill Kristol rejects as misplaced geostrategic equivalence Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen's assessment equating the risks of a nuclear Iran to a US strike destroying Iranian nuke facilities.  If he sees the two as equally risky, Mullen clearly will advocate not launching a strike, now or later.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Nuclear Proliferation, Arms Control, WMD, Foreign Policy, UN, Conservative Politics

Syrian, SCUDs, Serious (Israeli) & Unserious (US, UN) Policy

Mideast maven Elliott Abrams sizes up Syrian SCUDs aimed at Israel, in the wake of UN & Team Obama fecklessness.  It makes for a typically ugly picture, and augurs for trouble--maybe war--ahead....

Iceland's Ash: Mother Nature's Message to Al Gore

Reuters reports that Iceland's volcanic tremors are increasing; the news agency offers scenarios as to how the Icelandic volcanic ash problem will play out....It can get a lot worse....

The Justice and the Admiral

Constitutional law scholar John Yoo offers a fascinating tale from the crypt that explains Justice Stevens's stance (dismal) on national security cases....

New START Treaty & Nuclear Summit: Even Worse Than I Thought

Heritage Foundation scholar Kim Homes provides detail I had not seen on numbers as to the New START Treaty. There is more reason to worry than I had thought....

Poland Plane Crash: Black Boxes Speak

The New York Times reported Friday the early returns from Russian & Polish investigators examining the Polish TU-154M's twin black boxes.  Tossed on the ash-heap of history are two theories: (1) Dumb President; (2) Dumb Pilot.  In fact, the pilot was pressured by his country's President to land no matter what, and only one try was made to land.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

North Korea's Crime Inc.

Ace investigative journalist Claudia Rosett spotlights the criminal operation set up a generation ago by North Korea's founder, tyrant Kim -Il-Sung, father of current tyrant Kim Jong-Il.  She links to a March 2010 CSIS Study (47 p.) that merits a read.  Perhaps the UN & our President can take time off from bashing Israel.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

Obama's Spaced-Out Space Policy

President Obama's 21st century space policy remarks at NASA last Thursday simply astonish.  Moonman #2 Buzz Aldrin may believe Obama actually intends, having scrapped the Moon mission, to go to the asteroids and Mars, as the US faces trillions in new red ink.  But Moonman # 1 Neil Armstrong & other Moonwalkers see us giving up leadership in space.  The sole bright spot I can see in the new policy as R&D on new forms of propulsion; chemical rockets are little more than fuel-guzzling Roman candles.  Until newer, more powerful & efficient propulsion systems are deployed, deep space travel will remain the province of Trekkies.

While we play pretend, China aims to surpass America's space capability by 2016.  And they began from scratch only 20 years ago!

Bottom Line.  We cannot put a man (or woman) on the Moon today, as we did in 1969.  We cannot build an atom bomb today, as we did in 1945.  We do not even, anymore, have America's most famous Moonwalker of all (sorry Neil & Buzz), Michael Jackson.  What we have a memories of "Ol' Blue Eyes" & "Der Bingle" colliding with Mars one July, and of "The Chairman of the Board" asking to see what life is like on Jupiter & Mars (before the collision).    How does one say "Moon mission" in Mandarin Chinese?

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, National Security, Foreign Policy, Economy, Conservative Politics

Iran: Covert Ops Success?

Agence France-Presse reports on US & Israeli covert sabotage delaying Iran's march to nuclear status.  Pray the report is true, and that covert operations, if underway, stay covert.  If true as to the US, then President Obama's Iran policy is not as weak as I think it is.

9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Nuclear Proliferation, Arms Control, WMD, Foreign Policy, UN, Conservative Politics

Israel & US: Obama Pivots, Mideast Shakes

Our hoopster President has shifted the ground on Israel & America, in a way that will infuriate our closest Mideast ally & worry our fair-weather Mideast allies, who will look away from us as a result....

Cyberwar Guru Warns Again of Digital Pearl Harbor

Forbes interviewed Richard Clarke on the rising cyberwar threat to America.  Forbes repeats unfair charges Clarke leveled at George W. Bush, but ignore that & take seriously his warning about growing cyberwar threats that could potentially wreak havoc on our society & economy.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Cyberwar, Cybersecurity, Cybercrime, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

VP Charity: Begins--and Ends--at Home

The Washington Times reports that while the First Couple donated 6 percent of their income to charity, exceeding the 3 to 5 percent level typical of American families, VP & Mrs. Biden donated a piddling 1.44 percent.  As with the Clintons & Gores, the Bidens think charity comes from the public trough (rich taxpayers), so why give at home?  As for the Obamas, they earned $5.5M & paid just under $1.8M in taxes, a tad less than 1/3 of their income, far less then the sky-high marginal tax rates they wish to impose on folks earning more than $250,000--a sum less than 5 percent fo their household take.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Economy, Conservative Politics

Tale of 3 Photos: Obama's Foreign Policy

President Obama tipped his hand at this week's Nuclear Security Summit, by how he greeted three world leaders attending: He bows to China's Hu Jintao; he hugs Brazil's Lula da Sliva; and he wags his finger at Canada' Stephen Harper.  When he smacks Israel, it backfires.  WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS?

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

Nuclear Security Summit Aftermath: Emerging Growing Dangers

This week's Nuclear Security Summit produced several Summit documents and minimal new results, while Iran sanctions increasingly appear to be going nowhere fast.  President Obama seems not to mind...

Poland Plane Crash & Russia: The Plot Thickens?

Historian Arthur Herman sees a resurgent Russia profiting from Poland's catastrophic crash, which killed a strong anti-Russian leader.  WP columnist & historian Anne Applebaum, married to a former senior Polish official & vastly knowledgeable about Poland & Russia, sees possible detente emerging from tragedy.  And there is more....

Afghanistan: Mission Impossible?

Author Ann Marlowe, a veteran of Afghan visits, paints a vivid portrait of Pashtun society in major city Khost that suggests the magnitude of the task we face, seeking to transform a medieval tribal society into a modern democratic one.  The LA Times reports we've doubled special ops forces in theater, to levels equal to the Iraq 2007 surge peak.  It is a foreign policy "Hail Mary" pass.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

Justice Stevens: A Lesson from History

Leave it to Jeffrey Lord to offer another engrossing history lesson: how filibustering a Supreme Court nomination at the end of LBJ's Presidency allowed Richard Nixon to name Warren Burger Chief Justice in 1969.  The parallel is not exact to the Stevens case, but is well worth reading.  George Will warns conservatives that deference to legislative prerogative, a traditional measure of ranking judges, ignores depredations of popular sovereignty, such as abuse of eminent domain & curbing political speech.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Supreme Court, Conservative Politics

INCOME TAX DAY: VAT TRAP

A WSJ editorial explains how a Value-Added Tax (VAT) on sales almost inevitably grows, without lowering income taxes.  Europe tells the true tale.  And the New York Times has discovered (who knew?) that Tea Party voters come from the demographic that, already heavily taxed, will pay a disproportionate share of new taxes.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Economy, Conservative Politics

Nuclear Security Summit: Quo Vadis?

The Nuclear Security Summit Final Communique wrapped up the largest conclave of world leaders convened in America by any US President since the 1945 meeting creating the UN.  Its message was, in a word, PIFFLE....

Socialist Cuba: Castro's Hellish Creation

An article by Karen Horn in the UK publication Standpoint Magazine details how grim & desperate life is in Fidel & Raul Castro's socialist paradise.  It makes for searing reading.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

Taxes: Locking in American Decline

Mark Steyn at NRO details the key tax policies driving America into permanent economic decline.  Juxtapose the lopsided 75 percent share of income tax revenues collected from the top 10 percent of income filers with the number of taxpayers who pay zero taxes now 47 percent & soon to cross 50 percent, thus creating a permanent beneficiary class who benefit from spending now matter how high deficits soar, and America's grand run looks to be over.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Economy, Conservative Politics

Afhganistan: The Leader Team Obama Spurned

Author Ann Marlowe profiles Dr. Abduallah Abdullah, the candidate whose challenge to Hamid Karzai was defeated by massive election fraud.  Hamid Karzai is hopeless, but Abdullah wants a lawful path to power.  Read this superb op-ed and pray that Dr. Abdullah gets his wish.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

Decapitating Poland's Leadership

The Daily Mail Online UK's report on the Saturday plane crash that decapitated Poland's leadership offers disturbing details that suggests Russia may have played a contributory role in the disaster...

Team Obama Targets Renegade Imam!

NRO's Andy McCarthy, ace terror prosecutor, al-lauds President Obama for putting renegade imam AnwarAwliki, hiding in Yemen, on the targeted kill list.  He cannot help, however noticing the contradiction between thsi legal position and others taken as to other al-Qaeda targets....

First Lady Visits the Pentagon

First Lady Michelle Obama paid warm tribute to soldiers and their families in a visit last week to the Pentagon.  Count this as the First Lady's finest achievement in office, supporting families of America's finest.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, National Security, Foreign Policy, Conservative Politics

Justice Stevens Delivers for His President

Friday's announcement by Justice John Paul Stevens, senior in service on the Supreme Court (34 years), gives President Obama a chance to lock in a second seat in the liberal bloc for decades.  Stevens began as a moderate conservative, highly-regarded as a jurist.  He swung well left during his tenure, a turn common to GOP nominees.  What might President Obama, and Senate Republicans do?....

The Senate has until January 3, 2011 (when the 112th Congress is seated) 57 Democratic and 2 Independent votes presumptively solid for any non-radical Democratic nominee.  Constitutional scholar Jeffrey Rosen said on Fox News that the President can go to his left, right or center, within the range of possible short-list nominees.  Rosen suggested federal appeals judge Diane Wood as the lefty, federal appeals judge Merrick Garland as the righty & Solicitor-General Elena Kagan as the middle.  Another option would be helping a political pal in trouble, like Obama doppelganger Deval Patrick, the embattled Massachusetts governor who is a lefty in the Obama mold.

Charles Krauthammer suggested that moderate Democratic senators facing tough re-election battles, like Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, would prefer not to have to defend a radical pick.  While President Obama could throw them under the bus, the result could be more GOP pickups this fall.  Changes in the new Senate could make a radical appointee no longer confirmable.

A crisp 4/10 WSJ editorial discusses Stevens, the three above-noted possible nominees and Krauthammer's point re moderates.  Here are the President's April 9 Rose Garden remarks, which suggest he his leaving his options wide open, as well he should.  Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wants more "diversity" on the Court; she means more women & fewer judges.  (O'Connor was a state legislator with no judicial experience; she felt, with some reason, that her legislative turn aided her in interpreting statutes.)

Hearings will be held no later than August, and more likely in July, to ensure that the new Justice is confirmed and has time to settle in at his new address, meet new colleagues, get his clerks into the routine, etc.

George Will said yesterday on ABC News Sunday "This Week" that the Judge Robert Bork nomination changed Supreme Court history.  Noted GW: In 1939, FDR nominee Felix Frankfurter was confirmed in 12 days; in 1940 Justice William O. Douglas was confirmed in 15 days; in 1976 Justice Stevens was confirmed in 3 weeks, was not asked one question on abortion, and the Senate vote was 98-0 after 5 minutes of floor debate; in 1986 Antonin Scalia was confirmed 98-0.

What Democrats Hath Wrought. Judge Bork was defeated 58-52 in 1987, after months of savaging via grotesque caricature.  While Anthony Kennedy (1988) & David Souter (1990) escaped a fusillade, Clarence Thomas (1991) was subjected to what the nominee himself termed "a high-tech lynching."  The GOP tried to return nominations to traditional standards, with Clinton appointees Ruth Bader Ginsburg (q1993) & Stephen Breyer (1994) confirmed within about 10 weeks, with hearings notably free of aggressive questioning,, and GOP senators stressing that qualification & not judicial philosophy was their touchstone.  While Breyer was a moderate liberal who had promoted economic deregulation while serving under Ted Kennedy in the Senate, Ginsburg had a long record of ardent liberal activism, in the forefront of many battles during the 1970s & 1980s.

Came then the hearings for Chief Justice nominee John Roberts (2005) & Associate Justice nominee Samuel Alito (2006).  Both possessed sterling qualifications for the Court, and were entitled to the deference given Justices Ginsburg & Breyer during their nomination hearings.  Their judicial philosophies were plumbed aggressively by Democrats.  In Alito's case, harsh questioning became so intense that the nominee's wife burst into tears & had to leave the chamber.

Thus, after the GOP had tried to return judicial confirmation hearings to traditional rules--with qualification paramount & deference to Presidential preference as to judicial philosophy --Democrats resurrected their New Nomination Rules: viewpoint trumps qualifications, and GOP nominees are thus fair targets on any & all counts.

AMONG THE VOTES CAST AGAINST BOTH ROBERTS & ALITO WERE THOSE CAST BY THEN-SENATORS BARACK OBAMA & JOE BIDEN.

Bottom Line.  THE GOP SHOULD FOLLOW DEMOCRATIC NEW RULES, SAVE BE COURTEOUS AT ALL TIMES.  THEY ARE ENTITLED TO VOTE FOR THE RECORD EVEN AGAINST A FULLY-QUALIFIED NOMINEE, THAT THEIR VIEWS ON JUDGING REMAIN AN ELECTION ISSUE.

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, Supreme Court, Conservative Politics

WashIngton Nuclear Summit: Sandbagging Israel

A WSJ front-pager details the focus on clandestine nuclear proliferation of the two-day Washington Nuclear Summit that opens with 47 countries present Monday.  As yet un-ratified is the UN's International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, proposed in 2005.  Alas, there is little to cheer....

Obama on Iran: Sandbagging Israel

President Obama gave away the game he is playing with Iran, last week, in an interview barely noticed....

Obama on Mideast: Sandbagging Israel

While Russia sandbags us on arms control, President Obama & his national security adviser, Gen. James Jones, plan to impose a settlement with the Palestinians on Israel.  Grimace at the details....

New START Treaty: Senators Speak

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) & Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said that there are not 67 votes for the arms treaty in the Senate, and that the lengthy hearings needed to assess New START would push a ratification votes into 2011.  There is good reason to stop New START....

Nuclear Symoblism: The Passing of American Power

In a moment of eerie symbolism on the eve of a new arms treaty, late last month Morris Jeppson, age 87, passed away.  Jeppson assisted William Parsons, the chief weapons officer on the Enola Gay, helping arm "Little Boy" en route to Hiroshima.  Only the B-29's navigator survives. 

Letter from the Capitol, LFTC, 9/11, National Security, Terrorism, Homeland Security, Nuclear Proliferation, Arms Control, WMD, Foreign Policy, UN, Conservative Politics

"New START" Treaty: The Day After

The nuclear arms accord--TREATY (17 p.) & PROTOCOL (165 p.) signed yesterday in Prague looks worse with with each passing day....