Tuesdays with Paulie 12/11/07

The NIE report vindicates Bush
war in Iraq may have scared Tehran

Much has been said about the National Intelligence Estimate report released last week, which states that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in late 2003. Leftist groups have praised the report claiming that it contradicts the Presidents fear of Iran developing nuclear weapons. These same hypocrites condemned the same report in 2005 when it concluded Iran was “determined to develop nuclear weapons.” However if you read the report it actually vindicates the President for his concerns about Iran as well as the importance of U.S. military might in the region.

The report states that Iran stopped it's nuclear program due to international pressure. Well guess where that pressure came from? As William Hawkins writes in Frontpage magazine, the pressure came from "The United States, which has applied sanctions, pushed the Europeans and the UN to apply multilateral sanctions, and has repeatedly threatened military action to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities (in diplomatic language, refusing to take the military option off the table)."

Hawkins also points out that the "most important action that got Tehran’s attention was the invasion of Iran’s neighbor, Iraq, to preempt Baghdad’s development of Weapons of Mass." Your brilliant blogger not only concurs with these statements, but has said in the past the importance of a strong U.S. military presence and an administration willing to use it may be the greatest deterrent imaginable. The NIE report even states "we assess with high confidence that until fall 2003, Iranian military entities were working under government direction to develop nuclear weapons.” This effort had been underway since “at least the late 1980s.” We all know what happen in 2003. Sadam Hussein and his military got the sh*t kicked out of them.

If the report is accurate and from the reaction of the Washington Post, NY Times and the rest of the far left cohorts, they believe it is, the current foreign policy stance of the Bush administration should remain unchanged. Military action in Iraq, the threat of action in Iran as well as international pressure has scared Tehran and they have abandoned their efforts to obtain the bomb. Isn't a non-nuclear Iran the goal of the Democrats and Republicans? Stay the course is working, not to mention the surge in Iraq has been a great success.

Iran though still remains a great threat. Tehran is still the worlds largest sponsor of terrorism and the main benefactor of Hizballah and Hamas. It should also be noted that their is conflicting intelligence reports, including the belief out of Israel that Iran may have stopped their program four years ago, but since then has restarted their drive to make the bomb. Even if Israel is wrong, we do know for a fact that Iran has stepped up their program to create longer range delivery systems with long-range missile and warhead development programs. We also know that they are conducting uranium enrichment. These facts can only conclude that Israeli intelligence is correct or Iran plans to eventually restart their nuclear weapons program.

The bottom line is that the Bush administration has been correct in their handling of Iran and the war in Iraq has been a great asset in deterring Tehran. Regardless of Iran's true current nuclear ambition state, stay the course is the only path to choose.

The surge of Mike Huckabee
Reminds me to much of Bush, Republicans McGovern

"Compassionate Conservative!" A phrase popularized by President Bush and one that your brilliant blogger despises. When Republicans feel they have to make the word "conservative," sound like a big group hug, that person isn't sold on the values he or she is running on. That is how I have always felt about President Bush and definitely feel about the latest GOP fade, Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas.

To clarify, true conservatism derived under the principles of Ronald Reagan are not just compassionate, but truly moral and principled. Limited government, personal freedom, religious expression and free market capitalism, provide the opportunities and tools for people to make the most out of their lives. Big government socialism creates welfare classes, moral decay and generations after generation of poor people.

With that said, Mike Huckabee reminds me too much of President Bush. Neither are limited government conservatives, have good ideas regarding immigration and in the case of Huckabee, has a track record of raising taxes.

As Republican leaning Libertarian, I have been very disappointed in the President when it comes to government accountability, immigration reform and fiscal discipline. I do support his efforts in Iraq and believe he has been excellent regarding the War on Terror. Of course Bush lowered taxes and the country has responded with great economic prosperity. I don't see any improvement in these areas under Huckabee and I don't believe he will be as strong as Bush when it comes to fighting Islamic extremism.

As you may or may not have noticed, the Democrats are not attacking the former Arkansas Governor. Simply put, he is their dream opponent. Democrats haven't even criticized his asinine comments regarding Aids back in 1992, when he believed in quarantining those afflicted. It also has been revealed that as governor he pardoned convicted murderers and rapists after they claimed they found Jesus. Yet the Democrats have been silent.

The Democrats know that he will be the GOP McGovern, getting thrown to the wolves and slaughtered. They will do whatever they can to quash Giuliani, Romney and McCain with hopes that Huckabee pulls it off. I don't believe he will and will end up like Howard Dean. The flavor of the month who's time will elapse. The only question is, with early primaries this year, does he wither away after New Hampshire or stay strong long enough to win Iowa, compete in NH and SC, making him a player with a dwindling fuse? Can you say "brokered convention?"

Paulie