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Obama’s World

Greg C. Reeson — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:59:40 +0000

President-elect Barack Obama has been receiving classified, presidential-level intelligence briefings for more than a week now. These briefings, which involve highly detailed, sensitive information not shared with Senators or presidential candidates, are no doubt giving the incoming president a new appreciation for the complexities of the world into which he is about to step as leader of the most powerful nation on earth. In short, the rhetoric of a fairy tale campaign is about to meet the reality of global geopolitics. (more…)

Syria: Next Target in the War on Terror?

Greg C. Reeson — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:31:13 +0000

Last weekend, U.S. military forces conducted a raid inside Syrian territory in an attempt to capture or kill the leader of a network that funneled foreign fighters, weapons, and money into Iraq to combat coalition and Iraqi forces. In early September, the United States launched the first known ground incursion into Pakistan after receiving authorization from President Bush in July to conduct raids on Pakistani soil. (more…)

NATO is Dying in Afghanistan

Greg C. Reeson — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:00:17 +0000

The United States is asking its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to cough up more military forces for the war in Afghanistan. U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates just finished making the rounds at a two-day conference of NATO defense ministers in Budapest, Hungary, in an effort to win more resources for what is once again considered the central front in the global war on terrorism. (more…)

The War in Pakistan

Greg C. Reeson — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:01:34 +0000

The U.S. – Pakistan relationship is in crisis. Tensions continue to mount between the Bush Administration and a fractured Pakistani government over violations of Pakistan’s sovereignty by American military forces, and Pakistan’s commitment to the war on terror is growing more tenuous by the day. Because Pakistan either cannot or will not secure its side of the border with Afghanistan, the United States has increasingly felt compelled to act. (more…)

Iraq Highlights McCain’s Strength, Obama’s Weakness

Greg C. Reeson — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:20:42 +0000

The New York Times ran an article September 3rd citing campaign aides as saying the McCain campaign would focus on U.S. successes in Iraq, particularly in the once troubled Anbar Province, as it heads into the final stretch of the election season following this week’s Republican National Convention. (more…)

Reality Dictates Conditions-Based Iraq Timetable

Greg C. Reeson — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:56:30 +0000

An increasing number of reports coming out of Iraq indicate that the United States and the Maliki government are close to completing an agreement for the continued presence of U.S. forces. Reuters even reported August 25 that Prime Minister Maliki, in a speech to tribal sheiks in the Green Zone, has said a final agreement has been reached.

Whether an agreement has been finalized or not, the outlines of the proposed pact, together with the caveat statements made by Iraqi officials, that have emerged thus far appear to be an acceptance of President Bush’s demand for a conditions-based withdrawal of U.S. forces. (more…)

Russia’s Georgian Message: “We’re Back”

Greg C. Reeson — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:11:38 +0000

Late in the day on August 7, Georgian military forces entered the breakaway republic of South Ossetia in Georgia’s north central region in an effort to reclaim control of the hotly contested province. Less than 48 hours later, Russian troops entered the fray, ostensibly to protect Russian peacekeepers and Russian citizens in South Ossetia, advancing to a point less than 50 miles from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi. In the wake of a French-brokered cease-fire, Russia’s true motives have become increasingly clear. (more…)

Obama’s Iran Challenge

Greg C. Reeson — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:32:26 +0000

As he neared the end of his much-heralded “fact-finding” tour of the Middle East and Europe late last week, Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama called on Iran to quickly agree to international demands to freeze its uranium enrichment program. His words are ringing hollow in Tehran, though, because Senator Obama has thus far refused to back his emphasis on talking with the credible threat of military force. (more…)

Iran Respects Strength, Not Weakness

Greg C. Reeson — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:27:50 +0000

As the November presidential election draws near, the issue of Iran’s nuclear program will undoubtedly be thrust to the forefront of the candidates’ debate. Senator Obama has advocated direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without any preconditions whatsoever. Senator McCain has rejected that idea, instead choosing to focus on continued diplomatic efforts and economic sanctions backed by the threat of military force as a last resort. No matter which candidate is elected this fall, the new president will be faced with the same two basic options currently on the table for dealing with Iran: continued diplomatic efforts coupled with economic sanctions, or the use of military force. What is needed, though, is a new option that strengthens the U.S. position, gives Iran reason to pause, and provides an impetus for Tehran to get serious about resolving its impasse with the West. (more…)

The Obama Referendum

Greg C. Reeson — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 12:58:52 +0000

This past weekend on Fox News Sunday, Brit Hume remarked that the upcoming presidential election had little to do with John McCain and was instead a referendum on the Democratic nominee, Senator Barack Obama. Is the country ready for an African American president? Are Americans searching for something new, having grown tired of the business-as-usual mentality in Washington? Has President Bush so destroyed the Republican Party that no GOP candidate has a legitimate shot at winning this November? (more…)