Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., talks to journalists outside the CBS studio in Washington after being interviewed on ‘Face the Nation’ Sunday, Washington Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007.

AP: McCain to make amends with Dobson

Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record) said Tuesday he hopes to patch things up with conservative Christian leader James Dobson, who recently said he wouldn’t support the Republican’s presidential bid under any circumstances.

In a radio interview with KCBI, a Dallas Christian station, Dobson argued that McCain didn’t support traditional marriage values and complained that the campaign finance legislation he co-authored hurt Christian broadcasters.

“Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances,” Dobson said on KCBI.

The 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation stifled “Christian radio” and “kept us from telling the truth right before elections,” Dobson contended. “He is not in favor of traditional marriage and I pray that we will not get stuck with him.”

Flap supposes McCain calling Jerry Falwell and other Evangelical Christians AGENTS OF INTOLERANCE during his 2000 campaign against President Bush may have had somethng to do with the snub.

You think?

By the Way, Senator McCain, I wouldn’t bother – you are DONE with this group.

Previous:

John McCain Watch: James Dobson – Cannot Support John McCain Under ANY Circumstances

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Leading in North Carolina Poll

Mitt Romney Watch: Another HYPOCRITICAL Moment? This Time Gay Marriage

Michael Ramirez on John McCain and Presidential Election 2008

Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll

Cox & Forkum: Dead Ball

In our The 800-Pound Guerrilla post I explained why I thought Bush’s latest moves against Iranian influence in Iraq were not enough:

The plan, it appears, is to limit our military to attacks against terrorists and their supply lines within Iraq and refrain from attacking the source of those terrorists and supply lines: Iran. Bush is attempting to cure the symptoms while ignoring the disease. As such, the weapons and terrorists will keep flowing across the border, and the chaos in Iraq, though it may rise and fall, will ultimately continue because Iran needs it to continue. How can we expect our troops to win a war in which we don’t allow them to directly attack the enemy?In World War II, we didn’t stop with engaging enemy soldiers at the front lines; nor did we stop at disrupting their supply lines. We took the fight all the way to the weapons factories and the command centers from which the war emanated.

That point, I thought, deserved it’s own cartoon, especially since the White House is bending over backwards to “reassure” everyone that we’re only engaging Iran within Iraq. For instance, from Newsweek: Tough Talk About Iran: How Far Will It Go?.

In fact, administration officials (anonymous due to diplomatic sensitivities) concede that Bush’s Iran language may have been overly aggressive, raising unwarranted fears about military strikes on Tehran. Instead, they say, Bush was trying to warn Iran to keep its operatives out of Iraq, and to reassure Gulf allies—including Saudi Arabia—that the United States would protect them against Iranian aggression.

And from an article last week:

Asked whether the United States is preparing for a potential military conflict with Iran, President Bush’s national security adviser Stephen Hadley told NBC’s “Meet the Press,” “No, the president has said very clearly that the issues we have with Iran should be solved diplomatically.”

And another:

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the House Armed Services Committee that U.S. troops are trying to crack down on the spread of Iranian-supplied explosives into Iraq, and the administration is “making it clear that those who are involved in activities that cost the lives of American soldiers are going to be subject to actions on the part of the United States inside Iraq.” [Emphasis added]

And now it is being reported that Iran has shot down an American pilotless spy plane.

Iranian troops have shot down a U.S. pilotless spy plane recently, an Iranian lawmaker announced on Tuesday as the Islamic Republic was facing increasing military pressure from its arch rival — the United States.

The aircraft was brought down when it was trying to cross the borders “during the last few days,” Seyed Nezam Mola Hoveizeh, a member of the parliament, was quoted by the local Fars News Agency as saying.
The lawmaker gave no exact date of the shooting-down or any other details about the incident, but he said that “the United States sent such spy drones to the region every now and then.”

But, the USS John C. Stennis is under sail and will reach the Persian Gulf within the month. There will be two United States Carrier Strike Groups in the region.

Is America going to protect its troops in Iraq and preemptively strike Iran, if need be?

You betcha…….

USS John C. Stennis

The “NUCLEAR POINT OF NO RETURN” is imminent……..

Stay tuned…….

Reuters: Russian missiles delivered to Iran: Ivanov

Russia has delivered new anti-aircraft missile systems to Iran and will consider further requests by Tehran for defensive weapons, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Tuesday.

“We have supplied the modern short-range anti-aircraft systems TOR-M1 in accordance with our contracts,” Ivanov told reporters. “Iran is not under sanctions and if it wants to buy defensive … equipment for its armed forces then why not?”

A defense ministry source later told Reuters deliveries of hardware under the $1 billion deal, which has been criticised by the West, have not yet been completed.

And remember Russia was very reluctant to sanction Iran in the first place.

This is a sabre rattling pronouncement since TOR-M1 missile systems had already been delivered and apparently continuing. Was this a response to Secretary of Defense Gates announcement that an additional carrier strike group was on its way to the Persian Gulf?

You betcha…….

Check out the video on the TOR-M1

Russia and China are NOT our friends with regards to Iran. Isn’t it time the United States deal with them as adversaries?

Washington and Israel have criticised the contract to supply the TOR-M1 missiles to Iran, saying Tehran could use them against its neighbors.

Late last year Russia reluctantly joined U.N. sanctions against Iran, which introduced restrictions on Iran’s trade in sensitive nuclear materials and technology, aimed at curbing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

But Moscow says the sanctions do not apply to the missiles.

The Russian military insists that the missile systems will protect Iran from air attacks, but do not pose a threat to neighboring countries.

Last year Russia dropped the idea of selling longer-range S300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.

However, Washington imposed sanctions against four Russian arms firms for selling weapons to Iran and Syria.

More than sanctions are needed……..

Tick Tock Tick Tock

The “NUCLEAR POINT OF NO RETURN” is imminent.

Stay tuned……..

Previous:

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran To Install 3,000 Uranium Enrichment Centrifuges

Iran Nuclear Watch: Next Target Tehran?

Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Has No Plan to Strike Iran?

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Arrests a Nuclear Spy

Iran Nuclear Watch: United States Submarine Collides With Japanese Ship

Iran Nuclear Watch: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – Iran Will NEVER Abandon Development of Nuclear Technology

Cox & Forkum: Saber Rattling

Iran Nuclear Watch: Israel Planning Nuclear Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities?

The Iran Nuclear Files

The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.

Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama addresses the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Scholarship Award Breakfast in Chicago, Monday, Jan. 15, 2007

Washington Post: Obama Takes 1st Step in Presidential Bid

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama said Tuesday he is taking the initial step in a presidential bid that could make him the nation’s first black to occupy the White House.

Obama announced on his Web site, http://www.barackobama.com, that he was filing a presidential exploratory committee. He said he would announce more about his plans in his home state of Illinois on Feb. 10.

“I certainly didn’t expect to find myself in this position a year ago,” Obama said in a video posting. “I’ve been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics. So I’ve spent some time thinking about how I could best advance the cause of change and progress that we so desperately need.”

The announcement video is here:

The Transcript is here.

His biographical video is here:

Note some presidential campaign themes:

“America’s faced big problems before,” he said. “But today, our leaders in Washington seem incapable of working together in a practical, commonsense way. Politics has become so bitter and partisan, so gummed up by money and influence, that we can’t tackle the big problems that demand solutions.”

He said Americans are struggling financially, dependence on foreign oil threatens the environment and national security and “we’re still mired in a tragic and costly war that should have never been waged.”

Big Question:

Where is Hillary?

Stay tuned……..

Previous:

Barack Obama Watch: Playing on the White Man’s Court . . . by the White Man’s Rules

Hillary Clinton Watch: Barack Obama’s Presidential Candidacy Will Diminish

Hillary Clinton Watch: Clearing the Field

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Continues to Lead Clinton, Gore

Hillary Clinton Watch: Iraq War – “Wouldn’t Have Voted That Way”

Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll

Washington Post: Giuliani Hires Ex-Congressman As Adviser

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has hired prominent Iowa Republican Jim Nussle to advise him on his possible presidential run.

Nussle, a former congressman and 2006 candidate for governor, will play “an important leadership on behalf of the exploratory committee both in Iowa and nationally,” Giuliani said in a statement.

Giuliani said Nussle brings valuable skills and a strong political track record in the state where precinct caucuses traditionally launch the presidential nominating season.

Nussle lost the governor’s race by roughly 100,000 votes to Democrat Chet Culver. The eight-term congressman announced last week that he was forming a political consulting business.

As Flap said yesterday, the Giuliani campaign is taking shape.

Iowa will be in play.

Let’s look at the 2008 primary election calendar – as it stands today (some states may be in the process of changing their primary election dates)

January 21, 2008 – Iowa

January 28, 2008 – New Hampshire

February 2, 2008 – South Carolina

February 5, 2008 – Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, West Virginia (which will nominate a candidate at a state nominating convention)

February 5, 2008 (unofficial date) – Florida, Michigan

February 12, 2008 – Tennessee

February 9 or February 16, 2008 (date to be determined) – Louisiana

February 19, 2008 – Minnesota, Wisconsin

February 26, 2008 – New Jersey

March 4, 2008 – Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Ohio, Texas, Vermont

Will any of the Big 3, Giuliani, McCain or Romney be able to strike an EARLY knock out blow?

Doubtful – minus a MAJOR gaffe…..

Stay tuned…….

Mrs. Karen Nussle and Mayor Giuliani

Previous:

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Soul-Searching, Waiting or Campaigning SMART?

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Tests Delaware Presidential Primary Waters

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Leading in North Carolina Poll

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani and Gingrich – GETTING IRAQ TO WORK

Hillary Clinton Watch: Clinton Heads Off to Iraq

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Dismisses LEAKED Political Strategy Memo

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Supports Iraq Troop SURGE

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani’s Business Links May Hurt Bid?

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Leads GOP Polls in Nevada

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Recruits Two Veteran GOP Communicators

Rudy Giuliani Watch: The Purloined Presidential Campaign Strategy Book

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Bill Simon Building a Network of California Conservative Support

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Michael Barone – Giuliani is a Front-Runner

Rudy Giuliani Watch: Giuliani Continues to Lead Clinton, Gore

The Rudy Giuliani Files

Readers: Please Vote in Flap’s January 2008 GOP Presidential Poll

Day By Day by Chris Muir