Washington Post: Kerry says major decisions coming on Iran, Ukraine and Islamic State
The Obama administration is on the cusp of major decisions on Ukraine, the Islamic State and Iran, Secretary of State John F. Kerry told lawmakers Tuesday, though he declined to specify the direction in which those decisions are heading.
In his first testimony to the new, Republican-led Senate, Kerry outlined an ongoing high-level debate over whether to send lethal, defensive weapons to Ukraine. “There are lots of different considerations,” he said. While some have argued that Ukraine should not enter a fight against Russia that it cannot win, Kerry said, “there are plenty of people advocating that you ought to raise the cost” to Moscow, “no matter what.”
WNU Editor: I would also add Afghanistan .... specifically future U.S. military troop commitments.
The Administration is trying with all it's might to get a deal finalized and published before Bibi's speech. Iran is (at least for now) dragging it's feet in hope of more concessions, which they have good reason to expect. Put yourself in Iran's seat, at this point they probably can produce a weapon regardless of anything the West does short of physical destruction of their program. So balk. The only real leverage Obama has with them would be the withdrawal of military cooperation (air support, arms, and training) against ISIS. Since this doesn't "exist" it's withdrawal can't really be threatened.
ReplyDeleteTherefore the only party threatened by Bibi's speech is the US Administration. It may well be that Obama plans to let Iran have the bomb, but then dump the entire Mid East and Isis problem in Iran's lap and try a complete withdrawal from the area so to concentrate on his domestic agenda for the rest of his term. In some respects this could have it's good points (of course not for the inhabitants of the region), but the time for all of that is mostly long past.
President Obama has always focused on the domestic agenda. As you know James I have more than once mentioned in this blog that his priority has always been to transform America .... not the world. And I suspect that with two years left in his term, and the lack of any serious opposition leadership in Washington .... he has a very good chance of becoming successful. Especially in regards to immigration/demographics and transforming the middle class to becoming a class that is dependent on the state for their needs.
ReplyDeleteWNU,
ReplyDeleteI think he's been over taken by events, even though he probably doesn't know it.
Yes .... and that to.
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