High Stakes Poker

Dear Members and Friends,

Over the past weeks, some of the strongest, provocative statements were made from Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta and Israeli Defense Minister, Ehud Barak regarding a potential conflict with Iran over its nuclear quest.

Missile Defense is Here to Stay

Dear Members and Friends,

Yesterday President Obama, along with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey, held a briefing at the Pentagon to lay out a new military strategy. 

US set for More Nuclear Talks with N Korea

The US is preparing to embark on another round of direct talks with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme, as Washington attempts to stave off possible provocations by Kim Jong-il’s irascible regime.

Obama Administration Defends Antimissile Plan

In the face of Republican skepticism, a top U.S. official on arms control on Friday reaffirmed the Obama administration’s position that its planned missile shield for Europe would not be constrained by language in a new nuclear arms control treaty with Russia, Politico reported (see GSN, Sept. 14).

U.S. Could Threaten Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces – Foreign Minister Lavrov

 

The United States continues to refuse to guarantee that the European missile defense shield will not be directed at Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

Opinion: did Obama change his mind on Missile Defense?

Opinion piece written by E. Thomas McClanahan for the Kansas City Star.

When President Barack Obama came into office, many people (this writer included), expected him to mothball the nation’s missile defense program, much as President Bill Clinton had done. During his campaign, Obama gave lip service to the concept but promised to slice funding for “unproven” systems.

Obama surprised European governments with major missile defense announcement

The European Governments were told about the Obama administrations decision to drastically change the Missile Defense system in Europe only 25 minutes before the meeting with leader of Europe was supposed to happen. In addition United States Diplomats were given permissions to tell European leaders that they were getting briefed before the Russians, however this was not always the case.

Obama lines up diplomatic who’s who behind START

In regards to the New START Treaty Joe Biden set up a meeting to discuss it and potentially have it passed. President Obama will “drop by” the meeting. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton says the Treaty needs to be passed, and voted upon during the “lame duck” session. She further more stated that the Treaty is readied to be ratified

Clinton Seeks to Save Russia Arms Treaty as Republicans Balk at Approval

The Obama Administration is pushing for the New START Treaty to be ratified before January. If it is not he possibility of it being passed is severly weakened. Secretary of State Clinton is pushing for the Treaty to be passed. Having this treaty is a will greatly help our National Security. According to Senator John Kerry this is the last troubling issues with Republicans.

Obama extends freeze on Iranian assets

US President Barack Obama extended for another year a freeze on Iranian assets in the United States first imposed 31 years ago by president Jimmy Carter.

In a notice published by the White House Wednesday, Obama noted that ties between the two countries had yet to be normalized, giving grounds for a continuation of a “national emergency” with respect to Iran.

Carter had ordered a freeze on Iranian government assets under US jurisdiction on November 14, 1979, 10 days after militants and students sympathetic with the Islamic revolution overan the US embassy in Tehran.

Iranian militants held 52 US diplomats hostage for 444 days, and Washington and Tehran broke ties in April 1980.