A Tribute to the Fallen

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

As Americans gather with family and friends to celebrate a day off of work, we must not forget those that paid the ultimate sacrifice in keeping America free.   While one day a year is not enough to pay thanks for their service to this great nation, today is a day of pause and reflection.

If you happen to meet one of our fine men and women in uniform, thank them for their service.  It is important that we acknowledge the sacrifice they and their families endure in keeping American free and resolute.

Playing With Fire

Today President Obama shocked the world with strong suggestive directive towards Israel to revert back to pre-1967 borders (before the Six Day War).  By suggesting this, Obama effectively gave half of Jerusalem, the Wailing Wall, The Temple Mount, Old Jerusalem, The holiest Christian Church in the world, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre to the Hamas-Fatah terror alliance.  In short, this bombshell is a complete about face of U.S. policy that has existed since Israel was created under U.N. charter in 1948.  It didn't take long for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to respond back forcefully that Obama's suggested 'plan' was "indefensible". 

Obama's biggest problems lie ahead with possibly now an even more strained relationship with Israel.  And can you blame them?  Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Dore Gold was very concered about this radical shift in U.S. policy.  His comments are found here, and echoes Netanyahu's comments on why reverting Israeli borders to 1967 borders.

As Netanyahu leaves Israeli for a trip to the U.S. to speak before a joint session of Congress, one can only wonder what he will state in his address.  From an ally who has a strategic relationship with the United States, one can only hope that Netanyahu addresses Congress with a message than contradicts today's remarks.  Netanyahu must lay out why Obama was wrong, and why the U.S.-Israeli relationship must remain intact.

Besides being damaging to a rock solid relationship, Obama's betrayal towards Israeli is causing political backlash at home. American Jews who traditonally vote Democratic could be on the verge of abandoning President Obama on this betrayal by a U.S. President who secured his job with their loyalty. Clearly this act of betrayal on Americans of Jewish faith is not the way to win re-election in 2012. Why Obama would risk this key demographic nearly eighteen months before the 2012 elections is mind boggling.

Obama also risks losing support of Christians who believe that Israel, as recognized Biblically, has a right to exist as its exists.  Whether the Arab world likes it or not, Israeli is the only nation that was divinely created:

Genesis 15: 18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: (the territory of) 19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Genesis 35:10-12 God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you."

Deuteronomy 34: 4 "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, 'I will give it to your offspring'"

2 Chronicles 6:5-6 'Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man for a leader over My people Israel; but I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.'

Numbers 34: 1 ADONAI told Moshe 2 to give this order to the people of Isra'el: "When you enter the land of Kena'an, it will become your land to pass on as an inheritance, the land of Kena'an as defined by these borders. 3 "Your southern portion will extend from the Tzin Desert close to the border of Edom. The eastern terminus of your southern border is at the end of the Dead Sea. 4 From there your border turns, goes south of the 'Akrabbim Ascent and passes on to Tzin. From there it goes south of Kadesh-Barnea, on to Hatzar-Adar, and on to 'Atzmon. 5 Then the border turns and goes from 'Atzmon to the Vadi of Egypt and along it to the Sea. 6 "Your western border will be the Great Sea. 7 "Your northern border will be as follows: from the Great Sea mark a line to Mount Hor, 8 and from Mount Hor mark a line to the entrance of Hamat. The border goes out to Tz'dad. 9 Then the border goes to Zifron and finally to Hatzar-'Einan; this is your northern border. 10 "For the eastern border mark your line from Hatzar-'Enan to Sh'fam. 11 Then the border goes down from Sh'fam to Rivlah, on the east side of 'Ayin, then down until it hits the slope east of Lake Kinneret. 12 From there it goes down the Yarden River till it flows into the Dead Sea. These will be the borders of your land." 13 Moshe gave this order to the people of Isra'el: "This is the land in which you will receive inheritances by lot, which ADONAI has ordered to give to the nine tribes and the half-tribe. 14 The tribe of the descendants of Re'uven have already received their land for inheritance according to their clans, and so have the descendants of Gad and the half-tribe of M'nasheh. 15 These two-and-a-half tribes have received their inheritance on this side of the Yarden, across from Yericho and eastward, toward the sunrise."

For Obama to embark on a mission to betray Israel is playing with fire.  For one who claims is a Christian and follows the Bible, he must have failed to realize why Israeli exists and why its strategic relationship is so vital to both nations.  If Obama does not revert course, the path forward could be very uncertain and troubling for both nations.  Because the outcome for the United States should it betray Israel has already been defined:

Genesis 12: 3 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

Delaware Legislation Opinion Survey

Please take a few moments and complete the Delaware Legislation Opinion Survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/delawareopinionsurvey052011

Survey results will be used to guage sentiment on pending and passed legislation to determine the voter sentitment on issues affecting Delaware.

The Threat Obama Will Not Address

The fact that Iran is building a military installation in Venezuela should alarm most Presidents.  But President Obama is not like most Presidents.  From the moment he took the oath of office, President Obama has put America on a collision course with debt, and put our nation in harms way.

Before we get to what Iran is doing, let's dial back to March 2009 when President Obama caved to the Russians and scrapped the missile defense shield in Eastern Europe.  For a President in a post-9/11 world to scrap the missile defense shield because of its unpopularity by a foreign country should alarm this nation that Obama does not want to protect it.  And this coming from a President who tried and failed to emulate former President Ronald Reagan.

Then again, as of this writing Russia is now threatening to pull out of the START treaty because of revised U.S. plan to put ship-based defense systems in the Mediterranean and North Seas.  This is developing so expect more on this.

The startling development here is that Iran is working with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela to create a military facility with capabilities of missiles that can reach the United States.  The strategic relationship between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Iranian President Mahmound Ahmadinejad should put the United States that it must protect itself.  Rather than defense spending on unnecessary operations in Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq; spending should be on a strategic defensive initiative to prevent a conventional, nuclear, chemical or biological attack on the United States.  Mr. President - it's time to ramp up that strategic missile defense shield. 

Regardless of the revised ship-based system, Russia will not cooperate with the United States to reign in Iran.  Russian wants to remain the power player in the region, and will not allow the U.S. to dictate the rules.  Given that reality, the United States has no option but to defend itself and its strategic interests around the world. 

The post-9/11 reality is real, but U.S. policy makers should emulate the defense doctrine of former President Ronald Reagan and only use force when needed.  The use of force should be limited to protecting the U.S. and its citizens and not be used for national building.  With the technological advancement in the last thirty years since Ronald Reagan launched the Strategic Defense Initiative, the United States can do protect its citizens with far greater ease.  If only the Statists would agree to protect the nation.

The Liberal Assault on Health Care Freedom of Choice

This is not even funny.


The Liberals are at it again.  My how they contradict themselves too.

Medicare was not even a reality until it became law until 1965. Are you saying America was not beautiful from the time it was first settled in 1607 until 1965?  Or for the centuries why the native American Indians settled what is now the United States?

Why Delaware should become a Right-to-Work State

Simply put, right-to-work states are economically better off.

The study conducted by Republican Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina shows that right-to-work states have benefitted from workers migrated to those states for jobs.  The result is that states that protect workers rights to unionize and collect dues, resulted in less jobs and corporations willing to establish there.

Delaware is not a right to work state, which may explain why General Motors and Chrysler bailed.  Despite not being a right to work state, Delaware has not been on the list to attract new businesses as of late.  Delaware ranked 42nd (out of 50, in case you forgot).  Delaware ranked number one in business friendliness thanks to the Chancery Court of Delaware, but failed on the rest:

• Ranked 36th on cost of business
• Ranked 17th on quality of workforce
• Ranked 47th on quality of life
• Ranked 45th on the economy
• Ranked 40th on transportation infrastructure
• Ranked 33rd on technology and innovation
• Ranked 25th on (quality of) education
• Ranked 20th on access to capital
• Ranked 32nd on cost of living

For the ruling party in control, the liberal agenda in Delaware is not working.  High taxation, education with mediocre or no results, red tape to open a business plague Delaware's prospects.  Gone are the days of being a business mecca like during the era of Gov. Pete DuPont. 

Maybe, just maybe if Delaware leaders realized that forced unionization and the hidden cost of prevailing wage has driven businesses to other states.  Wouldn't you?

Study: 2009 Stimulus Destroyed One Million Private Sector Jobs

In its recents study, the Independent Institute revealed that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 failed to deliver.  In fact, contrary to media reports, the Stimulus bill saved 450,000 local or state public sector jobs but actually cost over a million private sector jobs.

So much for that recovery.

Hail Caesar?

Many would have thought that the dictatorship of Julius Caesar, but the current Administration wants to bring him back from the dead.  In what may perhaps the biggest assault on the U.S. Constitution, liberal legislators such as Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is proposing a change to the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution.  Basically, Schumer and his Statist allies what to fast-track certain appointments with a nomination hearing. 

Read this:

Senate Seeks to Create American Caesar

By: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton

The Apotheosis Of Barack Obama:
Senatus Populusque Romanus — Imperius Rex et Populusque Americanus

While all of America is distracted and focused on the death of Osama bin Laden, our President and his minions have been fast at work laying the groundwork for S. 679: Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011 to speed through the Senate and then make its way into the House and then to the President to sign. Yes, the other hand is quickly forming into a dictatorial fist that is about to smash our Constitution.

As you will recall, the beginning of the end of liberty in Rome commenced with Augustus Caesar who compromised the authority of the Senate through the force of arms and basically the Senate became a facade. America is poised with this proposed bill, to morph immediately from a Republic into an empire with the privileged eunuchs of the Senate as window dressing and a dictator – the first American Caesar – at the country’s helm.

And leading the progressive charge is Chuck Schumer (D-NY). No big surprise there. Schumer is an elitist Marxist and a first class progressive who hates America almost as much as he loves power. He introduced S. 679 on March 30th, 2011. He was joined by a gaggle of progressives from the left and the right. This is something I have been warning Americans about for a long time. If we are to survive as a nation, we must rid ourselves of ALL progressives or our nation is doomed and freedom will be swept into the dustbin of history. Schumer’s esteemed list of constitutional traitors is as follows:

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)
Sen. Thomas Carper (D-DE)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE)
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT)
Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Sen. John Reed (D-RI)
Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)

From The Heritage Foundation, here is a succinct explanation of the bill:

The bill reduces the number of presidential appointments that require the consent of the Senate and establishes within the executive branch a Working Group on Streamlining Paperwork for Executive Nominations. Individuals nominated to senior executive offices suffer slow and detailed background investigations and mounds of duplicative paperwork before a President sends their nominations to the Senate. After nomination, many nominees suffer time-consuming inaction or time-consuming and excruciating action as the Senate proceeds (or does not) with consideration of the nomination. The sponsors of S. 679 have identified a valid problem, but proposed the wrong solution. Congress should not enact S. 679.

In essence they want to give the President the sole power to appoint people to positions of his choosing within our government. Obama would be free to do this without the approval of the Senate. Senate approval of such positions is mandated by the U.S. Constitution in Article II, Section 2 under the “Appointments Clause”:

… shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law: but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments. (emphasis added)

This bill will do away with the checks and balances that separate an American form of government from those such as Venezuela and Brazil. Already we have power mongers such as Cass Sunstein our Regulatory Czar (more commonly known as the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and more aptly titled the Office of Government Propaganda) running amok across the US using agencies such as the EPA as a weapon of regulation and control. There is not a single area in our country that Sunstein does not have his claws sunk deep into. It should scare the crap out of Americans, but all I hear are crickets. The silence of capitulation seals our fate as surely as the thunderous applause of approval – so ends the Republic.

More from The Heritage Foundation:

When the delegates of the states gathered in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 and wrote the Constitution, they distributed the powers of the federal government among two Houses of Congress, a President, and a judiciary, and required in many cases that two of them work together to exercise a particular constitutional power. That separation of powers protects the liberties of the American people by preventing any one officer of the government from aggregating too much power.

The Framers of the Constitution did not give the President the kingly power to appoint the senior officers of the government by himself. Instead, they allowed the President to name an individual for a senior office, but then required the President to obtain the Senate’s consent before appointing the individual to office. Thus, they required the cooperation of the President and the Senate to put someone in high office.

I know Americans have not forgotten about Obama’s string of Czars. Czars that he was supposed to downsize or get rid of. Czars, which in my personal viewpoint, were and still are illegal under the Constitution. But progressives never go away, they just shift… As has done so many of Obama’s Czars. With this sweeping bill, over 200 positions will no longer require Senate approval. Obama will dictate who are his powerful lieutenants and who will control America. The Senate will merely be a sham to parrot Obama’s dictates. With this bill, checks and balances will be effectively nullified.

What does that portend you say? One day, your right to own a gun will be gone, just regulated away. Businesses will be nationalized even more than they are now. Heavy regulation will ensue concerning communications and the Internet. Many, many private businesses will whither and die. You will be told what and how much to eat – food and gas rationing will become the norm. Poverty and squalor will become equal for all as wealth is redistributed to other nations. If there are elections, they will be a joke and pointless. There will be a few powerful elites and then the masses. Guess which camp you and I will be in?

Our best hope at this juncture is that this abomination will be stopped in the House. We must weed out the progressives and we must win in 2012. This country will not survive another four years of progressive policies. Not as a Republic and not as a free entity anyway.

The bitter irony on display here, is that the same jackals that have barked and snarled and feigned horror at “American Imperialism,” are the very ones who now howl their support for a true American empire. All hail Caesar!


McGuffee Cathey Introduced Feb 17, 2007

Referred to Committee View Committee Assignments

Reported by Committee (did not occur)

Senate Vote (did not occur)

House Vote (did not occur)

Signed by President (did not occur)

This bill never became law. This bill was proposed in a previous session of Congress. Sessions of Congress last two years, and at the end of each session all proposed bills and resolutions that haven't passed are cleared from the books. Members often reintroduce bills that did not come up for debate under a new number in the next session.

Last Action: Mar 13, 2007: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3016-3017)

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-679

McGuffee Cathey TYRANT!!! THEY HAVE DUG UP THE 2007 BILL AND ARE RE-WRITING FOR THIS DAY: Obama and Senate Rewriting Article II

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/7129-obama-and-senate-rewriting-article-ii

McGuffee Cathey more: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s679/show

Death of a College

Upsala College was successful and stable for a century, then, in the space of a few years, declined and then finally closed. What happened?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upsala_College

http://www.upsala.org/unraveling.html

http://www.upsala.org/op-ed.html

Hmm, let's see. They remained committed to the town in which they were located, and made a principled decision not to "selfishly flee" (a phrase others have often used) to a new site out in the country that had been offered as a donation. They offered fully-funded places to needy students in the local community who would not otherwise have been able to qualify for admission academically (even though such programs typically have a high drop-out rate).

They did all the correct "progressive", "sensitive" things. In theory, the college, and town, should now be peaceful, happy utopias.

Oops. The college developed financial problems and, after 100 mostly successful and stable years, went bust. The financial problems had been building for years, as had problems with crime in the surrounding area which had begun affecting the campus. New Jersey's notoriously punitive tax regime, particularly property taxes, almost certainly played a significant part as well.

After closure, the college property fell into ruin, a grateful city that now owned the buildings failing to care for them properly or, for the most part, put them to effective new use. The town in which the college is located is economically depressed and has become known as a haven for crime.

Some colleges and universities that have been absorbed by growing cities have thrived following that, becoming treasured beacons and havens in their communities. The university I attended is just one example.

But this one failed. I wonder why. I wonder if there are differing political philosophies under which different cities are governed, which have noticeably different outcomes.

Guess which major US party has governed in that locality, and much of that state, for decades?

Hint: It doesn't start with an 'R'.

I wonder what would happen to an entire country that was governed in the same manner as the town and state where Upsala was located, where education and other productive enterprises (and people) were treated with a similar level of predatory disrespect?

---

More photos of the former Upsala campus (now mostly gone) can be seen here.

Does Jobs Report Signal Double-Dip Recession?

Let's hope not, but the unemployment numbers are not encouraging.

First, the April 2011 unemployment rate jumped up to 9.0% (up 0.2 percent from March 2011).  This uptick means more and more Americans are out of work, based on report of unemployment benefits.  And the total unemployment numbers prove that, with 15.9% percent of the American out of work as of April 30, 2011.

Graphically, Obama's economic recovery plan is failing to deliver:

Official Unemployment Rate

Total Unemployment Rate

The political outlook for President Obama looks dire.  Historically, no President has won re-election with an unemployment rate above 7.2 percent.  If the election were held today, Obama would lose.

South Carolina Presidential Debate Recap

Last night, five Presidential hopefuls stood in front of the nation and made their case why they should be the Republican nominee for President in 2012.  The five hopefuls do not represent the complete Republican list of candidates looking to unseat current President Barack Obama.  The five hopefuls in round one were: Representartive Ron Paul (R-TX), entrepreneur Herman Cain, former Governor Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), and former Governor Gary Johnson (R-NM).

So who won this round?  Herman Cain clearly won and gave the best answers in a concise decisive response.

Despite Cain's strong performance, there were some other themes that came out in this debate.  All candidates believe that President Obama is a weak, and despite a victory in the capture and assassination of terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden, that was on small victory in the midst of a an ocean of failures.

Rick Santorum highlighted that Obama was only successful when continuing former President George W. Bush's policies (notably taking out Obama).

The strategy of when to use military force was widely debated and this generated a wide array of responses.  Cain emphasize using force only when you have an objective, a sense of how it benefits United States and roadmap to victory.  Gary Johnson is opposed to nation building.

Ron Paul stated he would cut all foreign aid to Middle Eastern countries, a sign that giving money to foreign countries is not a prudent way to be strong foreign policy.  Given our national debt, this is also why foreign aid should be limited, unless humanitarian.

The next big segment of the debate focused on the economy, jobs and rising (gasoline) prices.  Unilaterally they all criticized Obama for his failure on this front.  As you can imagine the candidates had differening opinions on how turn things around

• Gary Johnson stated he would eliminate the federal corporate tax rate, elimintate the federal minimum wage and suspend the extension of unemployment benefits
• Herman Cain stated he would establish a real energy independence plan to mine resources in the U.S.; and also eliminate the IRS and replace the tax code with a fair tax.
• Tim Pawlenty criticized the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for telling a private firm (Boeing) where they can put a plant. 
• Ron Paul stated that the union wage is tantamout to an artificial wage and should be eliminated.

The embattled health care reform bill passed last drew wide criticism.  Santorum stated the bill should be repealed.

On the federal deficit, Paul stated we should not raise the debt ceiling. 

Cain was very decisive on immigration.  He laid out a four-prong plan.  The plan is: secure the border, enforce the laws, define a path to citizenship and empower states to comply with the laws.  On this issue, Gary Johnson stated he would invoke a work visa, that would have a background check and must have work for work visa to be valid.

National Day of Prayer

"I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust." - Psalm 91:2


Today is the National Day of Prayer.  The National Day of Prayer has been a part of America's DNA and the root of our national history.

On this National Day of Prayer, please take time to pray for the leaders of this nation, our states, our communities; the troops in the field, the first responders; and families who make American great.

2012 Presidential Poll

Please take our online poll, located on the right toolbar for your choice(s) for the 2012 GOP nominee for Preisdent.  The poll will remain active until Sunday, May 8th at midnight.  Results will be announced on Monday, May 9th.

This poll is to guage preference on who readers would like to see in the White House.  Candidates may not necessarily be a candidate in 2012, although media reports indicates possibility of a candidacy for 2012.

Delaware House Bill 86: End RGGI (Cap & Trade)

For those that are not aware, Delaware is part of a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.  This initiative is simply, Cap and Trade, but done regionally by member states.  Delaware has been a part of the RGGI since 2008 when Senate Bill 263 was signed by former Governor Ruth Ann Minner.

Simply put, Delaware's participation in RGGI has failed Delaware's economy.  Cesar Rodney Institute has eloquently articulated and championed House Bill 86 to force Delaware's withdrawal from RGGI.  The basis for the withdrawal hinge on higher energy cost for Delaware and its citizens, lack of transparency over RGGI funds, and the ineffectiveness to acheivement environmental standards as promised.

This is a call to action as well.  Every Delawarean citizen must call their Delaware State Representative and Senator to approve the passage of House Bill 86.  Continued pressure must also be done to persaude Governor Markell, who enthusiastically champions Delaware's participation in RGGI.  Apparently, Markell failed to witness the defeat of former Congressman Mike Castle, of which his support for Cap and Trade in Washington was a catalyst for his defeat. 

Read House Bill 86 here.

After Bin Laden

The death of Osama Bin Laden brings a lot of questions as to what the U.S. foreign and military policy should be in the wake of taking out the leader and financier of the al-Qaeda terrorist network. While the al-Qaeda terrorist network does have a chain in command, one can hope that with his death so went the financing. If that is the case, then the nearly War on Terror can be come to a close, or at the most redefined.

For starters, the U.S. must get out of Libya. Launching a military campaign against Libya was a failed mission from day one. Muammar Gaddafi was not a threat to the United States, and the Obama Administration knows this. Even more important than that, Obama failed to gain approval from Congress before launching a military campaign. Obama's hypocrisy on launching a military campaign against Libya has been widely reported and contradicts Obama's 2007 harsh criticism on former President George W. Bush's rush to war in Iraq, and the surge.

In addition, the United States has created a complete blunder in allowing NATO to dictate the military strategy in Libya. If the United States does not want to lead and has no strategy to win, then they should not be there in the first place. Mr. President, withdraw all U.S. military forces related to the military conflict in Libya now.

The second realignment of U.S. military forces abroad must consist of removing all U.S. forces from Iraq. By now, Iraq is stable and stand on its own two feet. The U.S. military should not be used for nation building and we Saddam Hussein is long gone. Mr. President, please bring our troops home from Iraq. The mission is done.

The final realignment deals with the nearly ten year-old conflict in Afghanistan. After the September 11, 2011 attacks, the right thing to do was to rid the world of Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda and the Taliban who was given bin Laden cover. This month, the world received news that the supreme leader and architect of the al-Qaeda terrorist network was killed. This milestone should be the nail in the coffin in wides-spread terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda. Let's hope the funds have dried up with bin Laden's death.

While there are still remnants of al-Qaeda that still exist, the U.S. foreign and military strategy in Afghanistan must be limited to monitoring to ensure that the al-Qaeda does not rebuild. Such monitoring can done via satellite and drones. What can be done is to withdraw all ground forces from Afghanistan. Further military operations can be done and should be done via naval aircraft carrier and battleship groups in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.

Continuing military operations to current levels is no longer necessary, and continues to weaken the U.S. military. Many troops have been deployed to the Middle East many times, and for lengthy periods. As long as Obama, Defense Secretary Gates and General Petraeus allow three conflicts to occur at once and failing to define the mission at hand, there is no sense in allowing military operations to continue.

CATO Institute has recently launched two videos, of which echo a more sensible approach to U.S. Middle East strategy:





American forces should be commended for what they have accomplished, even dealing with vague objectives at times. Thank God for the U.S. military! For they heed the call when needed, and always complete the mission.

Osama Bin Laden is Dead

President Obama last night confirmed that the CIA and U.S. Special Forces shot and killed Osama Bin Laden.  Bin Laden's son and several others were killed in the attack. 

The death of Osama Bin Laden hopefully will bring closure to those families whose loved ones perished or were injured on the September 11, 2011 attacks in New York, Washington DC and Schenksville, Pennsylvania.

This death of the mastermind of the September 11th attacks on America marks a historic turning point in bringing down the al-Qaeda terrrorist network.  The resolve and determination of the intelligence community, namely the CIA and the U.S. Special Forcees was pivotal in once again making the world a safer place.  President Obama deserves credit for authorization the attack and seizing an opportunity to bring justice to the heinous crimes committed nearly ten years ago.

The news of Bin Ladens's death draw positive remarks from current and former leaders from both sides of the polticial aisle:

"Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al-Qaida network that attacked America on September 11, 2001. I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude. This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done. " — former President George W. Bush


"I congratulate the president, the national security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice after more than a decade of murderous al-Qaida attacks." — former President Bill Clinton


"This is great news for the security of the American people and a victory in our continued fight against al-Qaida and radical extremism around the world. We continue to face a complex and evolving terrorist threat, and it is important that we remain vigilant in our efforts to confront and defeat the terrorist enemy and protect the American people. I want to congratulate — and thank — the hard-working men and women of our Armed Forces and intelligence community for their tireless efforts and perseverance that led to this success. I also want to commend President Obama and his team, as well as President Bush, for all of their efforts to bring Osama bin Laden to justice." — House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.


"The death of Osama bin Laden marks the most significant development in our fight against al-Qaida. I salute President Obama, his national security team, Director Panetta, our men and women in the intelligence community and military, and other nations who supported this effort for their leadership in achieving this major accomplishment. It is a testament to the professionalism of our dedicated national security professionals that no American lives were lost in this operation.  As we approach the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I hope that today's action provides some comfort to the 9/11 families who lost loved ones in the devastating attacks on our shores.  Though the death of Osama bin Laden is historic, it does not diminish our relentless pursuit of terrorists who threaten our country." — House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California

"Osama bin Laden is dead, killed in a targeted U.S. operation authorized by President Obama. This is the most significant victory in our fight against al-Qaida and terrorism, but that fight is not over. We will continue to support our troops and the American civilians who are fighting every day to protect our homeland.  Nine-and-a-half years ago, Osama bin Laden masterminded the horrific attacks against the United States that killed nearly 3,000 people. As we remember those who were killed on that dark day in September and their families, we also reaffirm our resolve to defeat the terrorist forces that killed them and thousands of others across the globe. Because of courageous Americans in our military and intelligence community, their leader is now gone." — Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.