Category: US Politics

So claimed Powerline last month. Hm. I’m just catching up with some feeds!

2002
October: Diplomat Laurence Foley murdered in Jordan, in an operation planned, directed and financed by Zarqawi in Iraq, perhaps with the complicity of Saddam’s government.

2003
May: Suicide bombers killed 10 Americans, and killed and wounded many others, at housing compounds for westerners in Saudi Arabia.

October: More bombings of United States housing compounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia killed 26 and injured 160.

2004
There were no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.

2005
There were no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.

2006
There were no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.

2007
There were no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.

As Sadly No says…

2003
May: Suicide bombers killed 10 Americans, and killed and wounded many others, at housing compounds for westerners in Saudi Arabia.

October: More bombings of United States housing compounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia killed 26 and injured 160.

2004
There were no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.
May, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: terrorists attack the offices of a Saudi oil company in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, take foreign oil workers hostage in a nearby residential compound, leaving 22 people dead including one American.

June, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: terrorists kidnap and execute Paul Johnson Jr., an American, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 2 other Americans and BBC cameraman killed by gun attacks.

December, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: terrorists storm the U.S. consulate, killing 5 consulate employees. 4 terrorists were killed by Saudi security.

2005
There were no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.
November, Amman, Jordan: Suicide bombers hit 3 American hotels, Radisson, Grand Hyatt, and Days Inn, in Amman, Jordan, killing 57. Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility.

2006
There were no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.

March, Karachi, Pakistan: Four people, including a U.S. diplomat, were killed and 52 others were injured when a suicide bomber rammed the diplomat’s car outside the Karachi Marriott – yards away from the U.S. consulate.

2007
There were no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.

January, Islamabad, Pakistan: A suicide bomber attacks Marriott Hotel.

January, Athens, Greece: A terrorist group fires anti-tank missile at U.S. Embassy.

2008
So far, there have been no successful attacks inside the United States or against American interests abroad.

January, Beirut, Lebanon: An explosion apparently targeting a U.S. Embassy vehicle convoy killed three civilians and injured at least 22 others, including several employees of the American Embassy in Lebanon.

A very well made video:

The Jed Report helpfully links to a video of John McCain using some interesting logic.

“I will have an energy policy which will eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East… that will then prevent us from having to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East.”

But the war wasn’t about oil, was it John?

Israel and Syria start to talk peace again.

Surely not?

My two cents: Obama will win the primary. He will then go on to win in November. I am considering going to Washington for the result. Though it will be an eventful night no matter who wins.

Regardless of the politics, I do enjoy watching him speak.

Things look that way at the moment. Not long to go.

Yup, it’s them.

Obama, I think, will be in the White House in 2009.

Obama speech:

A couple of things to note.

No autocue. Memorised. Prepared. He also chose to stand on the podium on his own, leaving his family aside. This was a contrast to all the other candidates – Hilary had husband and supporters behind her, Huckabee the same, including Chuck Norris.

It was a good call. Standing on his own makes him look more like a leader, he is presidential. He speaks like John Kennedy and Martin Luther King.

My biggest worry? They were both assassinated.

The excellent FP blog sums up some of the stories that made the headlines in 2007. However, some stories the public found more interesting, but did not interest the media. They use a Pew poll for the findings.

Gas prices were very important to readers in 2007. I think this is an indication of where things are heading for the 2008 election. Iraq may not feature as prominently as some thought. It’s the economy, stupid, may yet again become the mantra.

Come November, the US may have slipped into recession and oil prices look set to remain high, if not go higher. These issues will be top of the agenda for most Americans – and I predict – lead to a Democrat in the White House.

I’m not going to make any, yet anyway.

Dan Drezner does. The biggest surprise? Obama for president.

I have a funny feeling he may be right.