National Security

Taliban Using Poison Gas On Afghan Girls Schools

May 12th, 2009
by Rick Barton.
1 comment

Just where are those “moderate Taliban” Mr. President?  The reports coming out of Afghanistan have shown no moderation in the barbaric treatment of women and girls by the Taliban.

84 Afghan girls hospitalized in apparent poisoning

MUHMUD RAQI, Afghanistan – At least 84 Afghan schoolgirls were admitted to a hospital Tuesday for headaches and vomiting in the third apparent poison attack on a girls school in as many weeks, officials and doctors said.

The students were lining up outside their school in northeastern Afghanistan on Tuesday morning when a strange odor filled the school yard, and one girl collapsed, said the school’s principal, who was herself in a hospital bed gasping for breath as she described the event…

…At least 98 patients were admitted from Aftab Bachi school, including the principal, 11 teachers and two cleaners, said Khalid Enayat, the hospital’s deputy director. He said about another 30 students were being monitored to see if they developed symptoms, although they were not admitted to the hospital. An official earlier said 89 schoolgirls had been hospitalized.

Tuesday’s apparent attack is the third alleged poisoning at a girls’ school in less than three weeks. It comes one day after 61 schoolgirls and one teacher from a school in neighboring Parwan province were admitted to a hospital after complaining of sudden illness. They were irritable, confused and weeping, and several of the girls passed out.

Atlas Shrugs and Sweetnes & Lght have more on the “moderate Taliban”.

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The Obama Message To The World Continues, "We Suck"

Apr 17th, 2009
by Rick Barton.
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President Barack Obama continued his “Blame America First” world tour continued in an Op-Ed which was published today in 15 Caribbean, Latin American and United States newspapers.  Here is the English translation which appears in the Washington Post: (emphasis mine)

Choosing a Better Future in the Americas
By President Barack Obama

As we approach the Summit of the Americas, our hemisphere is faced with a clear choice. We can overcome our shared challenges with a sense of common purpose, or we can stay mired in the old debates of the past. For the sake of all our people, we must choose the future.

Too often, the United States has not pursued and sustained engagement with our neighbors. We have been too easily distracted by other priorities, and have failed to see that our own progress is tied directly to progress throughout the Americas. My Administration is committed to the promise of a new day. We will renew and sustain a broader partnership between the United States and the hemisphere on behalf of our common prosperity and our common security.

In advance of the Summit, we have begun to move in a new direction. This week, we amended a Cuba policy that has failed for decades to advance liberty or opportunity for the Cuban people. In particular, the refusal to allow Cuban Americans to visit or provide resources to their families on the island made no sense – particularly after years of economic hardship in Cuba, and the devastating hurricanes that took place last year. Now, that policy has changed.

The U.S.-Cuba relationship is one example of a debate in the Americas that is too often dragged back to the 20th century. To confront our economic crisis, we don’t need a debate about whether to have a rigid, state-run economy or unbridled and unregulated capitalism – we need pragmatic and responsible action that advances our common prosperity. To combat lawlessness and violence, we don’t need a debate about whether to blame right-wing paramilitaries or left-wing insurgents – we need practical cooperation to expand our common security.

We must choose the future over the past, because we know that the future holds enormous opportunities if we work together. That is why leaders from Santiago to Brasilia to Mexico City are focused on a renewed partnership of the Americas that makes progress on fundamental issues like economic recovery, energy, and security.

There is no time to lose. The global economic crisis has hit the Americas hard, particularly our most vulnerable populations. Years of progress in combating poverty and inequality hangs in the balance. The United States is working to advance prosperity in the hemisphere by jumpstarting our own recovery. In doing so, we will help spur trade, investment, remittances, and tourism that provides a broader base for prosperity in the hemisphere.

We also need collective action. At the recent G-20 Summit, the United States pledged to seek nearly half a billion dollars in immediate assistance for vulnerable populations, while working with our G-20 partners to set aside substantial resources to help countries through difficult times. We have called upon the Inter-American Development Bank to maximize lending to restart the flow of credit, and stand ready to examine the needs and capacity of the IDB going forward. And we are working to put in place tough, clear 21st century rules of the road to prevent the abuses that caused the current crisis.

While we confront this crisis, we must build a new foundation for long-term prosperity. One area that holds out enormous promise is energy. Our hemisphere has bountiful natural resources that could make renewable energy plentiful and sustainable, while creating jobs for our people. In the process, we can confront climate change that threatens rising sea levels in the Caribbean, diminishing glaciers in the Andes, and powerful storms on the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Together, we have both the responsibility to act, and the opportunity to leave behind a legacy of greater prosperity and security. That is why I look forward to pursuing a new Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas that will help us learn from one another, share technologies, leverage investment, and maximize our comparative advantage.
Just as we advance our common prosperity, we must advance our common security. Too many in our hemisphere are forced to live in fear. That is why the United States will strongly support respect for the rule of law, better law enforcement, and stronger judicial institutions.

Security for our citizens must be advanced through our commitment to partner with those who are courageously battling drug cartels, gangs and other criminal networks throughout the Americas. Our efforts start at home. By reducing demand for drugs and curtailing the illegal flow of weapons and bulk cash south across our border, we can advance security in the United States and beyond. And going forward, we will sustain a lasting dialogue in the hemisphere to ensure that we are building on best practices, adapting to new threats, and coordinating our efforts.

Finally, the Summit gives every democratically-elected leader in the Americas the opportunity to reaffirm our shared values. Each of our countries has pursued its own democratic journey, but we must be joined together in our commitment to liberty, equality, and human rights. That is why I look forward to the day when every country in the hemisphere can take its seat at the table consistent with the Inter-American Democratic Charter. And just as the United States seeks that goal in reaching out to the Cuban people, we expect all of our friends in the hemisphere to join together in supporting liberty, equality, and human rights for all Cubans.

This Summit offers the opportunity of a new beginning. Advancing prosperity, security and liberty for the people of the Americas depends upon 21st century partnerships, freed from the posturing of the past. That is the leadership and partnership that the United States stands ready to provide.

So if I understand his message, the U.S. is to blame for putting U.S. interests first, no need to debate the merits of free markets vs. communism, we’d better hurry (just like with “Porkulus”, we must act “collectively” (isn’t that the model for Soviet era agriculture), we going to leave a legacy of prosperity (by running up a $14 trillion debt), we’re going to reduce the demand for drugs (the President has sworn off the blow), we will curtail the flow of cash and weapons across our southern border (we’ll keep raising taxes and sorry law abiding citizen, we don’t believe in the Second Amendment), and Hugo Chavez “you da’ man”!

This graphic, courtesy of Red State pretty much sums up the Obama Game plan thus far:

Throughout the campaign and on into January of this year:
February’s phase II:
March and April “World Apology Tour” theme:
Soon to be followed by:

Here Comes The Judge; Napolitano on Napolitano

Apr 15th, 2009
by Rick Barton.
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Fox News’ Senior Judicial Analyst, Judge Andrew Napolitano, posts his analysis of the controversial DHS report on “Right Wing Extremests”.  The analysis titled, “Six Things You Should Know About the Homeland Security Report on Rightwing Extremism”, can be found at The Fox Forum.   The most significant, and quite frankly the most frightening point he makes is:

My guess is that the sentiments revealed in the report I read are the tip of an iceberg that the DHS would prefer to keep submerged until it needs to reveal it. This iceberg is the heavy-hand of government; a government with large and awful eyes, in whose heart there is no love for freedom, and on whose face there is no smile.

If the Judge is correct in his analysis, and I for one agree with him, then the current state of of nation is becomes ever more fragile.  Our founding fathers would be ashamed at how we have let their work in founding a nation where the people controlled the government devolve into a nation where the government controls the people.

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American Legion Blasts Napolitano Over "Right Wing Extremists" Report

Apr 14th, 2009
by Rick Barton.
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dhs-report1

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a past commander of the local American Legion Post in my former home of Manchester, MA.  As I was reading through this truly bizarre report put out by the Dept. of Homeland Security, I was outraged at the multiple references made that veterans could be potential threat against the government. As Ed Morrissey at Hot Air points out,

Of all the smears listed in the new DHS warning about “right-wing extremism,” none are more dastardly and despicable than the insinuation that returning military veterans represent a security threat to the nation they willingly served. The Commander of the American Legion has sent the following letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano explaining to her that military veterans are not the enemy

American Legion National Commander David Rehbein wasted no time in expressing the outrage felt by veterans across this nation.

Secretary Janet Napolitano
Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528

April 13, 2009
Dear Secretary Napolitano,

On behalf of the 2.6 million-member American Legion, I am stating my concern about your April 7 report, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence and Recruitment.”

First, I want to assure you that The American Legion has long shared your concern about white supremacist and anti-government groups. In 1923, when the Ku Klux Klan still yielded unspeakable influence in this country, The American Legion passed Resolution 407. It resolved, in part, “…we consider any individual, group of individuals or organizations, which creates, or fosters racial, religious or class strife among our people, or which takes into their own hands the enforcement of law, determination of guilt, or infliction of punishment, to be un-American, a menace to our liberties, and destructive to our fundamental law…”

The best that I can say about your recent report is that it is incomplete. The report states, without any statistical evidence, “The possible passage of new restrictions on firearms and the return of military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities could lead to the potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks.”

The American Legion is well aware and horrified at the pain inflicted during the Oklahoma City bombing, but Timothy McVeigh was only one of more than 42 million veterans who have worn this nation’s uniform during wartime. To continue to use McVeigh as an example of the stereotypical “disgruntled military veteran” is as unfair as using Osama bin Laden as the sole example of Islam.
Your report states that “Rightwing extremists were concerned during the 1990s with the perception that illegal immigrants were taking away American jobs through their willingness to work at significantly lower wages.” Secretary Napolitano, this is more than a perception to those who have lost their job. Would you categorize union members as “Right Wing extremists”?

In spite of this incomplete, and, I fear, politically-biased report, The American Legion and the Department of Homeland Security share many common and crucial interests, such as the Citizen Corps and disaster preparedness. Since you are a graduate of New Mexico Girls State, I trust that you are very familiar with The American Legion. I would be happy to meet with you at a time of mutual convenience to discuss issues such as border security and the war on terrorism. I think it is important for all of us to remember that Americans are not the enemy. The terrorists are.

Sincerely,

David K. Rehbein
National Commander
The American Legion

The entire report is filled with generalities and offers no specifics for any of its claims and assessments.  Michelle Malkin tracked down DHS officials to verify if this report was indeed for real.

Well, the press office got back to me and verified that the document is indeed for real.

They were very defensive — preemptively so — in asserting that it was not a politicized document and that DHS had done reports on “leftwing extremism” in the past. I have covered DHS for many years and am quite familiar with past assessments they and the FBI have done on animal rights terrorists and environmental terrorists. But those past reports have always been very specific in identifying the exact groups, causes, and targets of domestic terrorism, i.e., the ALF, ELF, and Stop Huntingdon wackos who have engaged in physical harassment, arson, vandalism, and worse against pharmaceutical companies, farms, labs, and university researchers.

By contrast, the piece of crap report issued on April 7 is a sweeping indictment of conservatives. And the intent is clear. As the two spokespeople I talked with on the phone today made clear: They both pinpointed the recent “economic downturn” and the “general state of the economy” for stoking “rightwing extremism.” One of the spokespeople said he was told that the report has been in the works for a year. My b.s. detector went off the chart, and yours will, too, if you read through the entire report — which asserts with no evidence that an unquantified “resurgence in rightwing extremist recruitment and radicalizations activity” is due to home foreclosures, job losses, and…the historical presidential election.

I highly recommend that everyone follow Michelle’s advice and read the entire report.    As for the Obama Administration and Janet Napolitano in particular, perhaps they had better broaden their horizons at bit as Founding Bolggers points out.

Does the use of the image of a violent leftist terrorist, while advocating “Revolutionary Change!”, qualify for scrutiny in the DHS report on leftwing extremism? Is there even going to be a report on leftwing extremism?

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President Barack Hussein Obama Bows Down To Saudi King

Apr 2nd, 2009
by Rick Barton.
4 comments

After exercising poor protocol by failing to bow to the Queen of England and shaking her hand like he was working a rope line, President Barack Hussein Obama was compelled to bow down to the King of Saudi Arabia.  This most un-presidential display is truly disturbing.  Perhaps Newsweek can explain why the Presidential “faux pas express”rolls on:

In the world of international diplomacy, small missteps can cause big problems. When George W. Bush gave German Chancellor Angela Merkel a quick shoulder rub—in what he thought was a friendly gesture—he was mercilessly pilloried for weeks. Hillary Clinton‘s embrace of Suha Arafat dogged her for years. One of the most important tests of a globe-trotting president: picking out just the right gift for your foreign counterpart. Barack Obama is learning this the hard way.

Only a few weeks on the job, Obama created a minor diplo-mess when British Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to the U.S. for a visit. Obama’s historic Oval Office desk, a gift from Queen Victoria to Rutherford Hayes, is made from the timbers of the HMS Resolute. Brown proudly presented Obama with a pencil holder carved from its antislavery sister ship, the HMS Gannet. Classy! Obama lamely reciprocated with a DVD set of Hollywood movies, including “Psycho.” When Brown got back home, he discovered they didn’t work in his European player. “At a minimum you don’t want to give offense,” says a former White House official who helped orchestrate foreign visits for a previous president. “That was really phoning it in.” (The official, like others quoted here, asked not to be named disparaging a sitting president.) Apparently it was a rookie mistake. According to a person close to the situation, Obama hasn’t yet appointed a chief of protocol and his staffers, still unpacking, didn’t realize that the State Department has an entire office dedicated to foreign visits.

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Amateur Hour Foreign Policy

Feb 20th, 2009
by Rick Barton.
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While the focus of many of us has been the economic crisis and the new administration’s commitment to tackle the problem through Socialism, somewhat forgotten has been the amateur hour foreign policy being pursued by President Obama.

This past week Hugo Chavez secured a referendum vote which gives him the real possibility of being Venezuela’s President for Life.  What did Chavez have to say about his victory?

“Those who voted ‘yes’ today voted for socialism, for revolution,” Chavez told thousands of ecstatic supporters jamming the streets around the presidential palace Sunday.

The Obama Administration’s response:

“We congratulate the civic and participatory spirit of the millions of Venezuelans who exercised their democratic right to vote,” a State Department spokesman said, breaking past policy of not commenting on Venezuela’s referenda.

In his Washington Post op-ed today, Charles Krauthammer noted the waffling approach taken with an ever emboldened Russia and Vladimir Putin.

Consider the long list of brazen Russian provocations:

•    Pressuring Kyrgyzstan to shut down the U.S. air base in Manas, an absolutely crucial NATO conduit into Afghanistan.

•    Announcing the formation of a “rapid reaction force” with six former Soviet republics, a regional Russian-led strike force meant to reassert Russian hegemony in the Muslim belt north of Afghanistan.

•    Planning to establish a Black Sea naval base in Georgia’s breakaway province of Abkhazia, conquered by Moscow last summer.

•    Declaring its intention to deploy offensive Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad if Poland and the Czech Republic go ahead with plans to station an American (anti-Iranian) missile defense system.

President Bush’s response to the Kaliningrad deployment — the threat was issued the day after Obama’s election — was firm. He refused to back down because giving in to Russian threats would leave Poles and Czechs exposed and show the world that, contrary to post-Cold War assumptions, the United States could not be trusted to protect Eastern Europe from Russian bullying.

The Obama response? “Biden Signals U.S. Is Open to Russia Missile Deal,” as the New York Times headlined Biden’s Feb. 7 Munich speech to a major international gathering. This followed strong messages from the Obama transition team even before the inauguration that Obama was not committed to the missile shield. And just to make sure everyone understood that the Bush policy no longer held, Biden said in Munich that the United States wanted to “press the reset button” on NATO-Russian relations

Not to be outdone by Russia, and sensing the weakness in the Obama foreign policy, Iran set it’s own preconditions for talks with President Obama. Just acknowledge 60 years of crimes against us, change your tone and your policies, and abandon Israel, then we might to talk to you.

Gateway Pundit points out some other notable steps by President Obama’s Foreign Policy team:

•    Waived sanctions on Syria.

•   Considered opening travel to Cuba.

•    Announced plans to drop sanctions against the murderous junta in Burma.

•    Approved Sharia Law implementation in the tribal regions of Pakistan.

•    Accepted China’s human rights abuses!

Yes indeed, it has been a banner month for U.S. Foreign Policy.

Palin Was Right: Obama Worried About Miranda Rights For Terrorists

Feb 11th, 2009
by Rick Barton.
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Terrorist states are seeking nuclear weapons without delay; he wants to meet them without preconditions. Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America, and he’s worried that someone won’t read them their rights. ” – Gov. Sarah Palin, September 3, 2008

The Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that the Obama Administration is concerned about Guantanamo detainees not being advised of their Miranda rights. The administration has launched a review of the individual detainee cases, aimed at determining who can be prosecuted in federal courts.

“Miranda is an issue — it is a potential issue in prosecution,” said a senior Obama administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the review is ongoing. “The purpose of the review is to see how much of an issue and to see in what cases it is possible to proceed.”

So, now are troops are supposed to carry Miranda Cards in order to advise the enemy they have a right to an attorney? YGTBSM! Here is what one Milblogger over at BlackFive had to say about this:

It would be a galactically stupid idea…

As I mentioned, the fact that the Obama Administration would even consider something like this did not surprise me (as I am certain that there is a paltry few of them that even know what this form or warning is for), but for those from his administration who might peruse this site, let me drop some knowledge on you.

None of the items in my standard load plan either on my person or in my vehicle while cruising around my AO in Eastern Afghanistan included a Miranda card or any DA Form 3881s. Why you ask? Well, my concern was not that they get a fair trial at some far away detention facility or whether or not what they screamed at my interpreter while I was interrogating them would be admissible as evidence. My main concern was that any DA Form 3881′s that I might carry would be taking up valuable space I could be putting to much better use; such as for more ammunition, more medical supplies or food and water. Those are items I would consider to be much higher on my priority list.

Not the least of the problems with even giving this warning would be getting my interpreter to both understand and be able to convey this particularly American Idea to the dirt bag bomb thrower, IED Merchant, Machine gun toting target that would be forming the text book sight picture in front of my M-4. I had problems getting them to convey simple military commands and directions sometimes.

New York Times Compromises National Security…Again!

Nov 10th, 2008
by Rick Barton.
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Putting  Our Agenda Ahead Of Your Safety

The New York Times is reporting on a classified standing order, put in place by then Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, which has allowed our special operations forces to pursue Al Qaeda and other militants where they operate regardless of their location. This has resulted in numerous successful operations against thee terror networks around the world.  

These operations, which were approved by the Bush administration, and our relations with the countries where the operations took place are now in jeopardy.  Naturally, this information, as all previous classified information, was obtained through anonymous sources.FOX News reported:

The U.S. military has conducted nearly a dozen secret operations against Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups in Syria, Pakistan and other countries since 2004, The New York Times reported Sunday night.

Citing anonymous U.S. officials, the Times story said the operations were authorized by a broad classified order that then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld signed and President George W. Bush approved in spring 2004. The order gave the military authority to attack Al Qaeda anywhere in the world and to conduct operations in countries that were not at war with the U.S.

One such operation was an Oct. 26 raid inside Syria, the Times reported. Washington has not formally acknowledged the raid, but U.S. officials have said the target was a top Al Qaeda in Iraq figure. Syria has asked for proof and said eight civilians were killed in the attack.

In another mission, in 2006, Navy SEALs raided a suspected terrorist compound in Pakistan’s tribal areas.

The raids have typically been conducted by U.S. Special Forces, often in conjunction with the Central Intelligence Agency, the newspaper said. Even though the process has been streamlined, specific missions have to be approved by the defense secretary or, in the cases of Syria and Pakistan, by the president.

The NYT, in its quest to discredit the Bush administration, once again places it’s agenda ahead of national security and the safety of our men and women in uniform. This endless breach of classified information needs to end, and those responsible need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Syrians mourn next the bodies of their relatives who were killed on October 26, 2008, in what the Syrian media reported as a deadly US military attack on the village of Sukkiraya, on the Syria-Iraq border. Iraq has said the deadly raid was targeting an area used by insurgents plotting attacks on its soil, as Damascus protested about what it branded a cold-blooded war crime by US forces. (AFP/Ramzi Haidar)

Blowhard Biden Star Of New McCain Ad

Oct 24th, 2008
by Rick Barton.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgbS-vy9_Sk]

This could be one of McCain’s most effective ads.  Blowhard Joe makes all the points that need to be made. 

Obama's Code Pinko Fund Raiser Meets With Teheran Terrorist

Sep 26th, 2008
by Rick Barton.
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Code Pinko founders Jodie Evans and Medea Benjamin met with the Teheran Terrorist, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in New York.  Evans had made the headlines recently when she crashed the republican National convention using stolen credentials. She is also one of Barack Obama’s main fund raising bundlers.

Sweetness & Light has a primer on Jodie Evans:Jodie Evans is a radical activist and Democratic fundraiser best known as the co-founder (along with Diane Wilson, a Wiccan calling herself Starhawk, and Global Exchange’s Medea Benjamin) of Code Pink for Peace. Evans also works closely with Leslie Cagan, the pro-Castro leader of United For Peace and Justice.

And from Front Page Magazine:

Throughout the 1990s, in fact, many of the Marxists currently working for Code Pink were busy organizing anti-free trade protests – some of them violent – and filing numerous high-profile lawsuits that forced American corporations to spend enormous sums of money to defend themselves…

Jodie Evans… sits on the board of directors of the Rain Forest Action Network (RAN), a coalition of anti-capitalist, anti-corporate environmentalist groups. RAN’s co-founder Michael Roselle also founded the Earth Liberation Front, which the FBI ranks alongside the Animal Liberation Front as the foremost domestic terrorism threats in the United States. According to the FBI, during the past seven years those two groups have been responsible for more than 600 criminal acts and $43 million in damages…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBvrQ4PWEuY]

What does this ally of Obama have to say about their meeting with the Teheran Terrorist?

Calling it a “major step forward” in relations between Iran and the United States, leading activists Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans of CODEPINK Women for Peace — along with more than 150 other U.S. peace group representatives — met Wednesday afternoon with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here following his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

And their proposals for Middle East peace?

The CODEPINK women proposed inviting American and Iranian artists to build a “peace park” in Tehran, a memorial dedicated to people-to-people commitment to peace and diplomacy between our two countries.

They also proposed a plan to invest funds in an Iranian business, one that produces green and sustainable products, such as bicycles. This grassroots investment would be the opposite of efforts by the Bush administration and Congress to tighten sanctions, a move which CODEPINK thinks would only hurt ordinary, everyday Iranians. Such a symbolic CODEPINK investment in a green, sustainable business would challenge U.S. regulations blocking trade with Iran and would show how diplomacy and trade are preferable to war and sanctions.

This should be an easy call for Obama.  Here you have a major fund raiser meeting with the head of a terrorist state, and a sworn enemy of one of our closest allies, Israel.  The assumption would be that Obama would break off the relationship and return the funds raised by Evans.  Don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen.  

Where is the MSM on this situation?  The New York Times was busy running a story on Sarah Palin returning $1000 that was donated to the joint campaign of Palin and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell. The contributions from two Alaska politicians implicated in a sprawling federal corruption probe. Neither had any obvious connection to the rising star before she took office.