David Brooks, "Choosing Leaders: Clueless or Crazy": One Set of Laws for the Clintons, Another for the Hoi Polloi

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Hands off Hillary!

In his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Choosing Leaders: Clueless or Crazy," David Brooks points an accusing finger at Donald Trump and Jeremy Corbyn, and tells us of the rise of "crazy incompetence" in the US and the UK. Primarily concerning himself with Brexit, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove in the UK, Brooks goes on to say in his opinion piece:

"The big historical context is this: Something fundamental is shifting in our politics. The insiders can’t see it. Outsiders get thrown up amid the tumult, but they are too marginal, eccentric and inexperienced to lead effectively.

Without much enthusiasm, many voters seem to be flocking to tough, no-nonsense women who at least seem sensible: Angela Merkel, Hillary Clinton and, now, the Conservative Party front-runner, Theresa May."

Hillary Clinton is a "no-nonsense" woman who seems "sensible"? Grant it, I don't view Hillary as dangerous. (Donald's little fingers should not be allowed anywhere near the launch buttons of America's nuclear arsenal.) On the other hand, don't go telling me that Hillary's home email server was sensible. Rather, it stands as further stark evidence of her willingness to contravene governing rules of conduct that apply to all other Americans.

Bill's "chance" meeting with Loretta Lynch on a Phoenix tarmac? Yet another Clintonian scandal and further destruction of the rule of law in the US.

Commentary from Brooks regarding the charade in Phoenix? I'm still waiting, David.

Thomas Friedman, "Friends and Refugees in Need": "Obama Did Not Cause This Syria Problem"? Yeah, Right!

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Declaring in his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Friends and Refugees in Need" that Obama, in his last year as president, "has much to be proud of," Thomas Friedman proceeds to lament the refugee crisis affecting Europe, which could go "from a giant humanitarian problem to a giant geostrategic problem that shatters America’s most important ally: the European Union." Tom Terrific goes on to say:

"The meltdowns of Syria, Somalia, Eritrea, Mali, Chad and Yemen and our takedowns of Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan — without proper follow-up on our part, NATO’s part or by local elites — has uncorked the worst refugee crisis since World War II. This tidal wave of migrants and refugees is a human tragedy, and their outflow from Syria and Libya in particular is destabilizing all the neighboring islands of decency: Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, Kurdistan and Turkey. And now it is eating away at the fabric of the E.U. as well.

Why should Americans care? Because the E.U. is the United States of Europe — the world’s other great center of democracy and economic opportunity. It has its military shortcomings, but with its wealth and liberal values, the E.U. has become America’s primary partner in addressing climate change, managing Iran and Russia and containing disorder in the Middle East and Africa."

Yup, the EU sure as heck helped manage Russia when it annexed Crimea and invaded Ukraine . . . not.

European "liberal values"? Consider how naked statues were covered up when Iranian President Rouhani visited Rome on Monday in order to sign business deals worth $18 billion with Italian companies. Needless to say, these deals were all made possible by the removal of sanctions resulting from Obama's unsigned nuclear deal with Supreme Leader Khamenei. Additional billion dollar deals will also soon be signed by Rouhani, a leader of a country with the highest per capita rate of executions in the world, with "liberal" Germany and France.

Friedman's conclusion:

"Obama did not cause this Syria problem, and he can’t fix it alone — but it’s not going to get fixed without U.S. leadership. I have shared the president’s caution about getting involved on the ground in Syria. But I now believe we need to take another look at establishing some kind of U.S./E.U./NATO safe zone inside Syria and Libya to create space for refugees to remain in these countries. It’s not a panacea or cost-free, but letting this refugee disaster fracture the E.U. will be a lot more expensive."

"Obama did not cause this Syria problem"? Oh really? At an August 20, 2012 news conference, Obama declared with regard to potential American intervention in Syria:

"A red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized. That would change my calculus."

Well, Assad started "moving around" a "whole bunch" of chemical weapons, so Obama drew a new line in the sand. Speaking at the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction symposium in Washington on December 3, 2012, Obama stated:

"The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable. And if you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons, there will be consequences, and you will be held accountable."

Obama further warned, “I want to make it absolutely clear to Assad and those under his command, the world is watching.” Well, Assad used chemical weapons against civilians, and Obama, who also likes to watch, did absolutely nothing, further exacerbating the Syrian refugee crisis.

Create a safe zone inside Syria, as suggested by Friedman? A "little" too late, especially with Russia now in control of the skies over that country. Herd nine million Syrian refugees into that safe zone? I don't think so.

Go back to sleep, Tom.

Thomas Friedman, "Go Ahead, Vladimir, Make My Day": Subsidize Ukraine Through the Pain? And Maybe the EU, Too?

In his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Go Ahead, Vladimir, Make My Day" (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/opinion/sunday/friedman-go-ahead-vladimir-make-my-day.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss), Thomas Friedman begins:

"SO the latest news is that President Vladimir Putin of Russia has threatened to turn off gas supplies to Ukraine if Kiev doesn’t pay its overdue bill, and, by the way, Ukraine’s pipelines are the transit route for 15 percent of gas consumption for Europe. If I’m actually rooting for Putin to go ahead and shut off the gas, does that make me a bad guy?

Because that is what I’m rooting for, and I’d be happy to subsidize Ukraine through the pain. Because such an oil shock, though disruptive in the short run, could have the same long-term impact as the 1973 Arab oil embargo — only more so. That 1973 embargo led to the first auto mileage standards in America and propelled the solar, wind and energy efficiency industries. A Putin embargo today would be even more valuable because it would happen at a time when the solar, wind, natural gas and energy efficiency industries are all poised to take off and scale. So Vladimir, do us all a favor, get crazy, shut off the oil and gas to Ukraine and, even better, to all of Europe. Embargo! You’ll have a great day, and the rest of the planet will have a great century."

Friedman would be happy to subsidize Ukraine through the pain? With whose money? Or maybe the US government should just print some more, thereby adding to the national debt, which now exceeds $17.5 trillion.

And after subsidizing Ukraine through the pain, maybe Friedman would also care to throw cash at Europe, which is only now beginning to emerge from a prolonged recession. Unfortunately, the problem does not only involve Russian natural gas. Regarding European dependence on Russian energy sources, the EU tells us (http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Energy_production_and_imports):

"The origin of EU-27 energy imports has changed somewhat in recent years, as Russia has maintained its position as the main supplier of crude oil and natural gas and emerged as the leading supplier of hard coal. In 2010, some 34.5% of the EU-27’s imports of crude oil were from Russia; this was the highest share recorded between 2002 and 2010 having fallen to a temporary low of 31.4% in 2008. Russia became the principal supplier of hard coal in 2006, overtaking South Africa, having overtaken Australia in 2004 and Colombia in 2002; Russia’s share of EU-27 hard coal imports rose from 13.1% in 2002 to 30.2% by 2009, before falling somewhat in 2010 to 27.1%. Despite this contraction, Russia remained the primary source of hard coal imports into the EU in 2010 and its share was well ahead of the next highest, recorded by Colombia (20.2%). By contrast, Russia’s share of EU-27 imports of natural gas declined from 45.1% to 31.8% between 2003 and 2010, while Qatar’s share rose from less than 1% to 8.6%."

Sever the EU overnight from Russian energy sources? It's not nearly as simple as would-be alternative energy expert Friedman would have you believe, unless the EU can rely upon Tom's endless supply of wind.

Paul Krugman, "Europe’s Great Illusion": Krugman's Incessant Delusion

Yes, Europe is a mess. How bad? Workers from Moldova and Romania, who sought employment in Spain, Portugal and Italy, are returning home. The economies of Moldova and Romania are, of course, no better than those of Spain, Portugal and Italy, but at least these workers have family and places where they can stay in their home countries without paying rent, which they can no longer afford elsewhere in Europe.

In his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Europe’s Great Illusion" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/02/opinion/krugman-europes-great-illusion.html), Paul Krugman continues to bemoan EU austerity measures intended to remedy the continent's economic malaise. Krugman writes:

"It comes as something of a shock, even for those of us who have been following the story all along, to realize that more than two years have passed since European leaders committed themselves to their current economic strategy — a strategy based on the notion that fiscal austerity and 'internal devaluation' (basically, wage cuts) would solve the problems of debtor nations. In all that time the strategy has produced no success stories."

So Europe's woes stem primarily from mistaken fiscal austerity? Yeah, right.

There is no mention by Krugman of the vast numbers of people who migrated from North Africa and Turkey and have taken up residence throughout the EU, but have no intention of returning home. This is a ticking time bomb: For example, Muslims in France account for some 10% of the population, unemployment among young Muslims is estimated to exceed 45%, and Muslims are estimated to account for more than 50% of French inmates. Given the high birth rates of France's Muslim population, these problems are not going to disappear anytime soon, regardless of whether economic austerity policies continue to be implemented.

Also no mention by Krugman that Europeans retire sooner than Americans, and the reason for this phenomenon is no secret. As explained by Migration News (http://migration.ucdavis.edu/mn/more.php?id=3551_0_4_0):

"Europeans continue to retire earlier than Americans. One reason is that European retirement systems offer relatively generous payments not linked to stock market performance. In 2008, a third of Americans aged 65 to 69 were in the labor force, but four percent of French workers in this age group. In the US, Social Security replaces an average 45 percent of pre-retirement income; in Europe the share can reach 90 percent, as in Denmark."

Can Europe afford these exceedingly generous incentives provided to productive persons abandoning the work force? Not a chance.

Bottom line: Europe must compete in the economic arena with the US, Japan, China and Korea, but it is being forced to do so with one hand tied behind its back. In order to compete, Europe will ultimately need to rid itself of policies that are destroying its competitiveness, but such acquired wisdom will be a long time in coming, if ever.

Paul Krugman, "Greece as Victim": A Greek Tragedy

Greece is a victim?

As acknowledged by Paul Krugman in his latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Greece as Victim" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/18/opinion/krugman-greece-as-victim.html):

"Greece does indeed have a lot of corruption and a lot of tax evasion, and the Greek government has had a habit of living beyond its means. Beyond that, Greek labor productivity is low by European standards — about 25 percent below the European Union average.

. . . .

Then Greece joined the euro, and a terrible thing happened: people started believing that it was a safe place to invest. Foreign money poured into Greece, some but not all of it financing government deficits; the economy boomed; inflation rose; and Greece became increasingly uncompetitive. To be sure, the Greeks squandered much if not most of the money that came flooding in, but then so did everyone else who got caught up in the euro bubble."

So, Greece joined the euro, foreign money poured into Greece, and the Greeks squandered most of it. Blame Greece? Absolutely not, given that everyone else also behaved irresponsibly.

But someone always needs to shoulder the blame. According to Krugman, "the origins of this disaster lie farther north, in Brussels, Frankfurt and Berlin, where officials created a deeply — perhaps fatally — flawed monetary system, then compounded the problems of that system by substituting moralizing for analysis." Paul continues, "Greece, although not without sin, is mainly in trouble thanks to the arrogance of European officials, mostly from richer countries, who convinced themselves that they could make a single currency work without a single government."

Poor, poor Greeks! Darned northern Europeans! How dare those northerners create a situation where foreign money poured into Greece, and those unsophisticated Greeks just frittered it away.

Krugman's solution? You guessed it . . . spend!:

"The only way the euro might — might — be saved is if the Germans and the European Central Bank realize that they’re the ones who need to change their behavior, spending more and, yes, accepting higher inflation."

Well, the Greeks didn't get it right the first time, but maybe if they are given even more euros, they will now conduct themselves more prudently. They deserve a second chance. After all, as observed by Krugman, the US federal government has routinely stood behind state governments when they encountered fiscal difficulties:

"Ask yourself, why does the dollar area — also known as the United States of America — more or less work, without the kind of severe regional crises now afflicting Europe? The answer is that we have a strong central government, and the activities of this government in effect provide automatic bailouts to states that get in trouble."

However, Paul doesn't tell us that whereas the IRS taxes citizens througout the US, the European Union has no taxation powers and is plagued with the inability in times of trouble to redistribute funds which it never accumulated.

Is the euro, as Krugman claims, "a deeply — perhaps fatally — flawed monetary system?" Probably, but I wouldn't want to see Greece fail, given that Spain, Italy and Portugal are waiting in the wings to unwind. But don't go blaming the "northerners" for the foreign money that poured into Greece, which could have been used more wisely. The Greeks are victims of their own making.

Iran, April 2012: When the Fate of the West Rested in the Hands of an Imbecile

As noted in a prior blog entry (http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/search/label/Catherine%20Ashton), Catherine Ashton, first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, has a remarkably "rich" (meaning laughable) CV, qualifying her to manage the EU's extraterritorial affairs. Among her many accomplishments:

• Ashton has a BSc degree in sociology;
• Ashton has a life-sized Dalek (a fictional race of extraterrestrial mutants from the British science fiction television series "Doctor Who") in her sitting room;
• Ashton once served a the chairwoman of the Health Authority in Hertfordshire;
• Ashton once served as national treasurer in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which is suspected of having received funding from the former Soviet Union;
• Ashton had a relationship with a hard-line communist;
• Ashton has a history of implacable hostility to Israel.

Accordingly, it should come as no wonder that Ashton was chosen to manage the negotiations on behalf of the “P5+1” - the United States, Britain, Russia, China, France and Germany - with Iran concerning Tehran's ongoing nuclear weapons development program.

Sporting a new pants suit in Istanbul yesterday, Ashton beamed as she shook hands with Iran's Chief Nuclear Negotiator, Saeed Jalili.

After 10 hours of talks, characterized by Ashton as "constructive and useful," we learned that the P5 + 1 is willing to agree to continued Iranian nuclear enrichment activities and is not demanding that Iran's Fordo underground nuclear facility be dismantled. Moreover, there is a "sense" that Iran is prepared to temporarily halt uranium enrichment at the level of 20 percent in exchange for immediate lifting of some sanctions and the termination of others (see: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/iran-demands-u-s-europe-hold-off-attack-as-long-as-nuclear-talks-continue-sources-say-1.424257).

The biggest achievement of these talks in Istanbul? Given the extreme urgency of getting down to brass tacks and quelling the concern that the mullahs could wield nuclear weapons in less than a year, the sides have agreed to meet again in Baghdad . . . . . . . in another month and a half.

Funny how there were those who thought that Iran might try to stall for time, but this could never happen with Catherine Ashton overseeing these talks.

David Brooks, "The Technocratic Nightmare": What of the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton?

In a New York Times op-ed entitled "The Technocratic Nightmare" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/18/opinion/brooks-the-technocratic-nightmare.html?hp), David Brooks, who lived in Brussels and covered the European Union for the Wall Street Journal during the first half of the 1990s, focuses on the EU's dysfunctional nature:

"The European Union is an attempt to build an economic and legal superstructure without a linguistic, cultural, historic and civic base.

. . . .

When sacrifices are necessary, the European identity dissolves away.

The mess threatens to bring down the European project and European economies. It threatens to send the world into another global recession."

Brooks concludes:

"And the final curse is that while building Europe in this way was a mistake, Europeans cannot now simply reverse course. If the euro was immediately dissolved, the Deutschmark would surge, nearly every other currency would plummet and the imbalances would create a global catastrophe."

Nowhere, however, in Brooks's opinion piece is there reference to the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, who single-handedly symbolizes the ineptitude of this diabolic union. In case you didn't know:

• Before assuming her EU position, Ashton was almost entirely lacking in foreign affairs experience.

• A former chairwoman of the Health Authority in Hertfordshire, she has never held elected office.

• Ashton has a BSc degree in sociology and has a life-sized Dalek (a fictional race of extraterrestrial mutants from the British science fiction television series "Doctor Who") in her sitting room.

• Ashton served as national treasurer of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which is suspected of having received funds from the Soviet Union.

• Ashton enjoyed a relationship with a hard-line communist tied to some of Britain’s most militant union leaders.

• Needless to say, in her current capacity, Ashton has spent much of her time censuring -- you guessed correctly -- Israel.

Notwithstanding the fact that she is suspected of having received funds from the Soviet Union as national treasurer of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Ashton heads EU security policy. This is a cruel joke.

Crueler still, with Iran plotting to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington (http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/11/justice/iran-saudi-plot/index.html), threatening to sink US carriers (http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2011/07/ap-iran-to-target-us-carriers-if-attacked-070911/), and warning of its intention to deploy warships off America's East Coast (see: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/10356471/iran-says-could-deploy-navy-near-u-s-coast-report/), Ashton, of all people, has been encharged by Obama to deal with Ahmadinejad and the friendly mullahs (see: http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/10/21/idINIndia-60055220111021).

Yes, Europe is on its way to hell, and could easily drag the US into the abyss, given Obama's willingness to "lead from behind."

Paul Krugman, "The Hole in Europe’s Bucket": If Only Greece and Italy Could Still Print Their Own Currency

In his New York Times op-ed of today's date entitled "The Hole in Europe’s Bucket" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/opinion/the-hole-in-europes-bucket.html?_r=1&hp), Paul Krugman writes:

"Think about countries like Britain, Japan and the United States, which have large debts and deficits yet remain able to borrow at low interest rates. What’s their secret? The answer, in large part, is that they retain their own currencies, and investors know that in a pinch they could finance their deficits by printing more of those currencies."

Sure, Greece and Italy could print more of their own currencies, as Germany did in the 1920s, with the result that a pound of bread in 1923 cost 3 billion marks.

Krugman would have us know that "the real danger is a replay of the 1930s." What of hyperinflation in the 1920s?

There are no simple answers. Enough said.

The EU Dinner Without Israel: Prostitution Is Legal in Much of Europe

As reported in an article entitled "Israel served as ‘main course’ at EU dinner, official says", written by Herb Keinon, in the Jerusalem Post:

"Israel’s frustration with the EU, or at least with part of the EU, was highlighted this week when Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, who was hosting the monthly meeting of EU foreign ministers, held an informal dinner Sunday night on the Middle East with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton at which he invited representatives from France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal Greece, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Russia, the US, Indonesia, the Arab League and the Palestinian Authority – but not Israel."

Why should this come as a surprise? Prostitution is legal in much of Europe.

Catherine Ashton, the Hideous Baroness of Upholland

When I label Catherine Ashton "hideous", I am not referring to her appearance; beauty, or the lack thereof, is in the eyes of the beholder. Rather, in my opinion Ashton is "hideous" insofar as she is shocking to the moral sense.

The obscure Ashton was appointed first High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union (EU) on 19 November 2009. Ashton’s position as high representative for foreign affairs was created under the Lisbon treaty, which was intended to improve the mechanisms of the EU. Ashton will begin with a staff of 5,000 in 130 countries and command an annual salary of £270,000. The morning after her EU appointment, the modest Ashton told BBC Radio 4's Today program:

"Over the next few months and years I aim to show that I am the best person for the job."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/20/cathy-ashton-eu-foreign-job

Ashton's qualifications? She is almost entirely lacking in foreign affairs experience. A former chairwoman of the Health Authority in Hertfordshire, she has never held elected office. Ashton has a BSc degree in sociology and has a life-sized Dalek (a fictional race of extraterrestrial mutants from the British science fiction television series "Doctor Who") in her sitting room.

Quite apart from what decorates her sitting room, what might be hiding in her closet? Questions have arisen over her role as national treasurer in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (no mention of this position in her EU profile), which is suspected of having received funding from the Soviet Union. It has also been reported:

"Britain's new EU foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton enjoyed a relationship with a hard-line communist who boasted close links to some of Britain’s most militant union leaders."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1233545/Baroness-Ashton-communist-lover-riddle-Moscow-gold.html

Needless to say, her selection to head EU security policy is most peculiar.

Response from the UK? From The Sunday Times:

"The plotting and bungles that led to an obscure British bureaucrat heading the EU’s foreign service were even greater than first thought."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6927033.ece

From Nile Gardiner writing for The Telegraph:

"I’m sure you could find 22-year old interns in the House of Commons who are far more knowledgeable on foreign policy than Baroness Ashton. She has a grand total of one year working in the international arena, as European Commissioner in Trade. Nor has she ever held elected office and is massively unqualified. . . . Ashton’s meteoric rise to power in Brussels is a damning indictment of the fundamentally undemocratic political process within the EU, and its utter contempt for public opinion.

. . . .

This may well be the most ridiculous appointment in EU history, but it will fortunately help set back European ambitions to be a major actor on the world stage."

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/nilegardiner/100017357/baroness-ashton-as-eu-foreign-minister-%e2%80%93-is-this-the-most-ridiculous-appointment-in-the-history-of-the-european-union/

This past week, in her maiden speech as EU Foreign Minister, Ashton did not "disappoint". Notwithstanding all the hotspots in the world, all the places, e.g., Darfur, where genocide is occurring, all the brutal human rights violations, e.g., "honor killings" against women, throughout the Muslim world, Ashton chose to lambaste Israel. She decried Israeli "occupation", demanded that Israel immediately lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip, and censured the West Bank separation fence.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1135787.html

A pity that Ashton did not visit Israel first before opening her crooked mouth. I favor a two-state solution, I believe in returning the West Bank to the Palestinians with land swaps, but I'm also aware of the danger of allowing Hamas, Iran's proxy, to bring more accurate missiles with greater range into Gaza and of the need for the separation fence, which has proven invaluable in preventing suicide bombings in Israel.

Suicide bombings? I still remember hearing the explosions and seeing the burned out frames of passenger buses in Tel Aviv. I still remember the attacks less than five miles away in any direction from my home and worrying if my children had been harmed. I still remember the sight of a suicide bombing at the entrance to a shopping center in nearby Netanya, whose horror is better left undescribed.

The security fence? Take a drive on Highway 6 and you will see it: only 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Mediterannean coast. Who is being fenced in?

Although Ashton may have irreparably damaged the EU's relationship with tiny Israel, I am certain that fanatic Muslims, extreme leftists and neo-Nazis throughout Europe rejoiced at her words.