Dick Morris Reports

[Coda]

I subscribed to his email newsletter and find it to be a very well balanced take on current issues. I'll post his letters here for discussion for the next week or so and will then decide if it's worth continuing. Today's installment:

IT’S IRAN, STUPID

By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN

November 16, 2006 -- As Iran's President Mahoud Ahmadinejad audaciously threatens the ‘disappearance and destruction’ of the State of Israel and “celebrates” the completion of Iran's nuclear fuel program, three-quarters of all American voters see the looming threat of Iran's nuclear capability as a major foreign policy problem, even more than cite concerns about the war in Iraq. There's a new number one foreign policy problem in the United States: It's Iran, stupid.

In a recent national survey by Vote.com of a sample of 1600 online voters, respondents were asked to rank the three most serious situations facing the United States today. Three quarters designated the Iranian threat, followed closely behind by 71.5% who were concerned about the war in Iraq. Here are the results:

Which three situations would you say are the most serious facing the United States today? (select any three)
The war in Iraq 71.5%
The battles between Israeli-Palestinian-Hezbollah 23.7%
The North Korean nuclear test 58.9%
Putin’s repression of freedom in Russia and Russian expansionism 12.6%
Iran’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons 75.3%
China’s rise in economic and military power 38.3%
Fidel Castro’s failing health in Cuba 1.1%

In third place, 58.9% of those surveyed ranked another serious fear about nuclear weapons – this time in North Korea.

The perception that Iran is a serious threat has been underscored by a number of events this week. First, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert visited the White House and aggressively countered Iran’s boasting about its developing nuclear resources: “We will not tolerate the possession of nuclear weapons by Iran." While Olmert never publicly suggested that Israel would take unilateral action against Iran, his words and the grave threat of annihilation of the Jewish State certainly make that a credible possibility.

At the same time, outrageous comments by Iran’s President further exacerbated the situation when he claimed on Monday that Israel is "a contradiction to nature" and "… is destined for destruction and will disappear soon!" Given this inflammatory rhetoric, it is hard to accept Iran’s claims that its motives in producing uranium is simply to provide electricity for its citizens. Iran suddenly resumed its nuclear program last January after a two-year moratorium. Any lingering doubts about Iran’s intentions were eradicated today when the International Atomic Energy Agency asked Iran to explain why the agency found plutonium and enriched uranium traces in one of its nuclear waste facilities. The IAEA also criticized Iran for failing to cooperate with its investigation. Iran has refused to permit the installations of remote monitors to observe activities in its plants. So it appears that Tehran is indeed preparing to produce nuclear weapons – perhaps as early as next February. And , Iran continues to defy the August 31 deadline for an enrichment moratorium that was set by the U.N. Security Council. The rules for the rest of the world apparently just don’t apply to those folks.

At the White House, President Bush insisted that Iran must abandon its nuclear programs or face global isolation. Bush adamantly refused to consider any negotiations with Iran until it clearly validated an abandonment of the nuclear program. But it is likely that there will be domestic and international pressure on the Bush Administration to negotiate with Iran. Already, U.S. ally Tony Blair has suggested that Iran could be a ‘partner’ if it gave up its nuclear aspirations and stopped aiding terrorism. Those are big ‘ifs’ that we are unlikely to see Iran voluntarily embrace.

Iran has already made it clear that it will not recognize international law. It’s time to stop talking either about or to Iran and, instead, to seek strict U.N. sanctions to isolate it by banning all materials and technology that are essential for any nuclear and missile programs, prohibiting travel to and from Iran, and freezing the assets of any person, corporation, or organizations that in any way assist in making the nuclear production or distribution possible. It will be a tough fight. Already, U.N. Secretary John Bolton has accused the Russians of attempting to liberalize the resolution and make it less onerous. But given Iran’s arrogance, intransigence, and madness, there is no other choice.

Americans are justified about their heightened concerns about Iran. It is a rogue nation that survives on hatred and does not even cover-up its evil intentions. It needs to be stopped.

Eileen McGann co-authored this column.

[Scott Dolan]

Hey al-Qoda, did you see that story in the NYT today about those squabbling Dems? They keep printing shit like that and we're going to have to pull their liberal media membership card!!

[Scott Dolan]

Oh, and one more thing.

I thought the "war on terror" was the greatest concern of the US? Is this not true anymore, al-Qoda?

[Coda]

Alright Scott, I'm going to give you more material to digest than listening to Coltrane's Ascension.
http://www.mrc.org/
http://www.timeswatch.org/

[Scott Dolan]

Are you going to answer my question?

[Coda]

I think this survey focused on serious situations (threats) facing the U.S., not the greatest concern. I do think Iran is far more dangerous today to our (U.S.) nation and economy than is Iraq. Iran is trying to develop nuclear 'energy', Iraq is trying to stop the civil war. Iran has threatened both Israel and the U.S. while Iraq is increasingly looking inward to it's own problems.

Iraq is a concern, but that concern is over the body counts and cost of running the war. I don't hear folks from within that country making threats outside their borders, do you?

[Scott Dolan]

Is terrorism the biggest threat against the United States?

[Coda]

No, social-progressives take that title.

[Scott Dolan]

So terrorism doesn't rank?

[Scott Dolan]

Well?

[Coda]

What is the point of your posts? I get the impression it's simply to hijack this thread.

Here is your question:

Is terrorism the biggest threat against the United States?

Here is my answer:

No, social-progressives take that title.

I added the bold type for emphasis.

[Scott Dolan]

So you're not going to answer my question.

Fine.

[Scott Dolan]

Hey al-Qoda, what's the intellectual difference between having a liberal political agenda and having a conservative political agenda?

[Sandi22]

What if we turn aggressive once again, this time toward this evil doing country of Iran? Then what? What will China and Russia decide to do?; along with all the other countries which think we as a country are too aggressive ourselves? Perhaps nothing will come of it, like in Iraq, but the what if's are kind-of spooky doen't you think? Not much to gain, and way too much to lose; so is controlling their oil flow worth all that could happen?

[Jeffrey Wozniak]

Since Mexico and Canada are the biggest importers of oil to the US this "blood for oil" nonsense coming from the left is way off base.

[Coda]

NO END TO DEM CIVIL WAR

By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN

November 20, 2006 -- Flush with victory, the Democratic Party is celebrating its return to power by loudly and publicly tearing itself to pieces. Anyone who wondered if House Democrats would be as reliable as the Republicans in supporting their leaders had only to watch the leadership fight between Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and John Murtha (D-Pa.): Democrats still form their firing squads in a circle.

Back in 1994, the House Republicans advanced with the discipline of the Prussian Army. But Democrats always live in a state of crisis and feuding. As Bill Clinton discovered when he reached D.C. in 1993, House Democrats are splintered into micro-caucuses, each of which must be courted separately for their votes. When their demands conflict, no one can rally anything close to a working majority on the House floor. Each caucus is a body unto itself: blue dogs (moderate and largely southern), Blacks, Hispanics, women, Democratic Leadership Council, environmentalists and gays.

Then there was James Carville's attack on Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. In a contract hit postmarked Chappaqua, Carville unloaded on Dean for spending money on all 50 states rather than concentrating on swing House races. Carville claimed that Dean's strategy had cost potential Democratic seats.

Dean had been savvy in solidifying his power. He knew that the Clinton people would come after him - and he was ready. Sending money to the state organizations that elected him chairman, he built a store of gratitude. Maybe he didn't get as much campaign advertising in key districts - but he also let the state parties spend the national-committee money on overhead and local jobs rather than on Washington consultants.

The larger Democratic war pits the New Left against the New Democrats. Brought to power in Clinton's administration, the centrist New Democrats are determined to keep the party in the middle on national issues. The New Left wants to drag it way over to the liberal side. The battle will not abate, much less end, until the party has a presidential candidate.

So the early primaries will be in the nature of a quarter-final for the Democrats to narrow the field down to one candidate for the New Left and another for the New Democrats. Then the two will face each other in the semi-final, which will be held in the second wave of primary states. The left will choose ex-Veep Al Gore or Sen. John Kerry or Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.). The New Democrats will pick either Hillary, former veep candidate John Edwards or Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.).

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is a wild card. Where will he position himself? His rhetoric is conciliatory but Hil- lary has the center covered . . .

Until the 2008 primaries settle things, this Democratic soap opera of left vs. center will dominate our political dialogue.

Eileen McGann co-authored this column.

[Daniel]

in all honesty, isn't pakistan the biggest threat to america?

[Vince Kargatis]

I thought it was obvious that American voters were the biggest threat to America.

[Gordon B]

Who really thinks that China's economic awakening is a bad thing?

[Vince Kargatis]

The environment, for one. (Just noting.)