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POPSObama's Idol Status Overseas Many in Washington were scratching their heads while he (McCain) was traipsing through the jungles of Colombia last month. But then came the freeing of hostages held by the FARC Colombian rebels, and McCain looked, well, presidential. And really, that’s the whole point of these “fact-finding” missions – looking good for the cameras. Perhaps these work vacations by politicians are more sophisticated than they first appear. Maybe Americans appreciate the fact that their presidential candidates are traveling beyond the confines of America and seeing the world firsthand. Perhaps, but do not be deceived. These are trips staged to the finest detail, with little left to chance and happenstance. Obama and McCain know this, and they have treated it as such – an extension of their political campaigns. Why do you think the network anchors are along for the ride? It is surely not because of the news quotient that the “surge” is working.
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POPSChavez Meets Russia's Medvedev For Trade Talks "We expect the signing of a range of contracts" in the arms sector, a member of the Venezuelan delegation was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying. He added that purchases could include Russian tanks and submarines. Chavez was also due to meet Sergei Chemezov, who oversees Russian arms export monopoly Rosoboronexport, a Kremin source said Tuesday. Rosoboronexport spokesman Vyacheslav Davidenko declined to comment about specific weapons deals, but he told AFP the two sides had drafted a document providing a "legal basis" for future arms deliveries. The Kommersant daily said Tuesday that a complicating factor in talks could be Venezuela's relationship with its neighbour Colombia, which accuses Chavez of aiding the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a rebel group. If Russian weapons surface in the conflict zone, Moscow would be threatened not only with a significant worsening of relations with Bogota, but with Washington too,"
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POPSSpeaker Pelosi Was Sending Messages To FARC Terrorists elected and popular government. The Wall Street Journal reported on the confiscated FARC documents that implicated Rep. McGovern back in March: The Reyes hard drive reveals an ardent effort to do business directly with the FARC by Congressman James McGovern (D., Mass.), a leading opponent of the free-trade deal. Mr. McGovern has been working with an American go-between, who has been offering the rebels help in undermining Colombia's elected and popular government. Mr. McGovern's press office says the Congressman is merely working at the behest of families whose relatives are held as FARC kidnap hostages. However, his go-between's letters reveal more than routine intervention. Now, today we find out who was directing Rep. McGovern-- Speaker Pelosi! Mary Anastasia O'Grady at The Wall Street Journal reported: FARC's 'Human Rights' Friends http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121538827377131117.html?mod=todays_columnists
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POPSObama's 50 state strategy Sen. McCain's has spent the past week trying to convince us that Sen. Obama is a typical politician. Let's review. Sen. McCain spent the past week in Colombia, Mexico, and his ranch in Arizona. Sen. Obama spent the past week flying all over the USA attempting to win voters in all 50 states, including those usually ceded by Democrats to the Republicans. Yeah, sounds typical to me.
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POPSColumbian Rescue Marks Major Blow To The FARC An audacious operation by Colombian security forces on 2 July 2008 resulted in the rescue of 15 hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia: FARC), including former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. The highly orchestrated operation, codenamed Jaque ("Check") involved tricking the FARC front holding the hostages into thinking that a transfer was underway for the hostages to meet Alfonso Cano, newly-appointed leader of the insurgent group. http://www.janes.com/news/security/iwr/iwr080703_3_n.shtml CBS Bob Orr provides an in-depth analysis how Colombian government officials were able to outsmart FARC guerilla forces into handing over hostages held captive for over 5 years.
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POPSBetancourt: Rescue in Colombia was 'impeccable' The Americans — Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell — were flying directly to the United States to reunite with their families, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said. They had been the longest-held American hostages in the world.
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POPSFARC Hostage Ingrid Betancourt Freed But in becoming so famous, the 46-year-old Ms. Betancourt also became more valuable to the FARC, which was feeling the heat from the government under U.S.-ally President Álvaro Uribe (who, it so happened, hosted Sen. John McCain on Tuesday). FARC funds itself largely through drug trafficking and kidnapping, but despite such activities had found a friend in Hugo Chávez. The Venezuelan president and FARC had sought to use the selective release of hostages to get governments allied with him, such as Ecuador and Nicaragua, to grant the group diplomatic recognition -- a move that, if followed by other countries in the region, would undermine the Colombian government's offensive against the FARC and by extension U.S. influence in the region. Mr. Chavez had declared his motives to be purely humanitarian; but, in any event, it is the Colombian military that has now done the selective releasing.
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POPSDrugs and Crime Scraping the insane drug laws which make it profitable for criminals to engage in drugs in the first place would be a great start. Admit it's a medical and not a legal problem. Turn the resources to that end that are now squandered on law enforcement.
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POPSWhite House accuses Senate Democrats of slacking off Given the role the White House and Senate Republicans have played in slowing legislation, Manley said, “it takes a lot of chutzpah” for Fratto to accuse the Democrats of inaction. It's more than chutzpah...it's insanity and lies--both are so cosmically incompetent and the posturing is disgusting!
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POPSMcCain to Obama: Cut Clark Loose Of course, it doesn't help McCain's argument much that Clark doesn't work for Obama. And, as he continues to play the whiny, offended sensitive plant, the media allows McCain to put up a smokescreen over the issue -- how, exactly, does being a POW make anyone more fit for office than anyone else? Is McCain arguing entitlement? If this is any indication, McCain's outrage over slights will increase in direct proportion to the decrease in his chances of winning.
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