Tag: State Department

Wile E. Coyote’s Latest: “Whistleblower”

By Clifford A. Brown

Retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as a Colonel after 30 years of active and reserve assignments. M.A. Political Science, M.S. Strategic Studies, Army War College, JD. Served in 1st Armored Division in West Germany when the Berlin Wall came down, in 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea during the regime of Kim Il Sung, and commanded a logistics battalion in Iraq 2003-2004. Wide-ranging public policy interests. Occasional home brewer and infuser of alcohol spirits.

| September 22, 2019

59 COMMENTS

The falsely styled “whistleblower,” a possible felon within the intelligence community who is seeking to subvert our Constitution, with the complicity of (fellow) Democrats and their Trump-loathing TruCon lapdogs, is already blowing up in “Wile E. Coyote’s” face.

President Trump had a wonderful time in his sit-down press availability with the Australian Prime Minister. He spoke plain truths: that the “fake news” media represented in the room had just had one of their worst weeks and was now doubling down to discredit themselves even further.

By Ben Weingarten

Contributor

Ben Weingarten

Ben Weingarten is a senior fellow at the London Center for Policy Research. He writes on national security and foreign policy, economics, and politics for publications including The Federalist, where he is a senior contributor, as well as City Journal, Conservative Review and PJ Media. Ben is the founder and CEO of ChangeUp Media, a media consulting and production company dedicated to advancing conservative principles. He is also a 2015 Publius Fellow of the Claremont Institute. You can find his… [more]

| August 9, 2018

3 COMMENTS

For this week’s Big Ideas with Ben Weingarten podcast, I had historian, Freedom Scholar at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, former Special Advisor to the Secretary of State and consultant to the National Security Council during the Reagan administration, author of 38 books and most pertinent to today, Iran expert, Michael Ledeen on the podcast to discuss among other things:

The impending collapse of the Khomeinist regime and what the U.S. can do to accelerate it
The false narrative about alternatives for Iran being either appeasement or war
The history of U.S. intelligence failures in Iran
How secular and liberal Iran’s dissidents actually are
Whether there is a wedge that can be exploited between Iran and Russia
What will become of Hezbollah if the Iranian regime collapses
The allegedly political witch hunt against Iran hawk and Israel supporter Larry Franklin as an illustration of historic anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in the foreign policy and national security establishment
Ledeen’s theory that Gen. Michael Flynn — with whom Ledeen co-authored the book, The Field of Fight — falsely pled guilty, and the real reason why Gen. Flynn was targeted in the first place

You can find the episode on iTunes, everywhere else podcasts are found, download the episode directly here or read the transcript here.

By Susan Quinn

Contributor

Susan Quinn

Retired consultant, avid biography reader and meditator

| November 19, 2017

49 COMMENTS

Rex Tillerson seems to be criticized by every imaginable group: State Department employees, ex-employees, the media (of course), and now Congress. I thought it would be worthwhile to figure out, on balance, whether the disapproval is justified, and how he and his State Department are performing. Unfortunately, it’s not a pretty picture. And it’s not all Tillerson’s fault.

One of the first complaints is the large number of vacancies in the 75,000-employee State Department. One reason is that Tillerson is trying to re-organize the Department to have it run more efficiently and to free up resources to be used in more effective ways. Unfortunately, while he works on re-organization, lists for candidates provided by the Trump administration are being largely ignored by senior aides of State; most of the people at those levels are from the former Obama administration. One staffer describes the problem this way:

By MJBubba

Inactive

MJBubba

117158,111

Engineer in Tennessee. Former homeschool dad (both sons now college grads). Confessional Lutheran. Young-Earth Creationist.

| July 24, 2017

40 COMMENTS

Refugees come to the United States through several legal channels, and this post will focus on only the Refugee Resettlement Program. The Refugee Resettlement Program has its own issues, and is a high-profile element of our immigration policy. We have discussed this before at Ricochet, and it is time for an update. I am posting here to provide some background on Refugee Resettlement, to specifically discuss refugees from Syria, to comment on the program under the Obama Administration, and to document that @JamesOfEngland owes me a beer the next time we cross paths at a meetup.

The Refugee Resettlement Program brought 572,924 refugees to the United States during the Obama Administration (Feb 2, 2009 through Feb 1, 2017). In recent discussions, religion was an issue, so here are some highlights:

By Susan Quinn

Contributor

Susan Quinn

Retired consultant, avid biography reader and meditator

| July 23, 2017

65 COMMENTS

This past week, The Federalist featured a story reported by Fox News about an Afghan interpreter, Fraidoon Akhtari, who was finally granted a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) after a five-year wait. Akhtari accompanied US troops in 500 combat missions over 13 years.

In another story, an Afghani translator, Mohammed Janis Shinwari spent five years waiting for an SIV. It took US Army Captain Matt Zeller, who harassed the media, contacted Congressional members, and set up an online petition to rescue the man who had saved his life.

By Ricochet Editors' Desk

Editor

Ricochet Editors' Desk

Ricochet's editorial staff

| February 1, 2017

19 COMMENTS

The US Senate voted Wednesday to confirm Exxon/Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson as the new Secretary of State. All Republican Senators supported him, along with three Senate Democrats: Heidi Heitkamp (ND), Joe Manchin (WV), and Mark Warner (VA). The final tally was 56 to 43. Sen. Angus King (ME), an independent who caucuses with Democrats, also voted to confirm the nominee.

In other nomination news Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Sen. Jeff Sessions’s nomination to become Attorney General on a contentious party-line vote. Meanwhile, Republican Sens. Susan Collins (ME) and Lisa Murkowski (AK) have announced that they will not support Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. Barring unlikely Democratic support, or other GOP dissent, this leaves the school choice advocate with an expected 50-50 vote in the Senate, requiring Vice President Mike Pence to cast the deciding vote.

By Mona Charen

Contributor

Mona Charen

Mona Charen is a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Her new book, Sex Matters: How Modern Feminism Lost Touch with Science, Love, and Common Sense, is available now.

| December 14, 2016

11 COMMENTS

The American appetite for businessmen in government is a hardy perennial. Ross Perot won 19 percent of the popular vote in 1992 on the strength of his “get under the hood” appeal. The Republican Party nominated Wendell Willkie in 1940 (though he’d been a Democrat until 1939) because he was perceived as a businessman “with a heart.” Now, the president-elect has chosen ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State. Is a businessman – a great dealmaker – according to the Trump camp, what we need as Secretary of State?

Progressives tend to respond in Pavlovian fashion to corporate CEOs, especially oil company executives. “Corporate America” is their bête noire – which just demonstrates their tunnel vision. In fact, the leaders of big corporations in the US tend to bend with fashion in political matters. Recall that a number of large companies denounced Indiana when it passed its Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and some even withdrew from the state. Among those bringing pressure to amend or repeal the law were Apple Corporation, Angie’s List, Subaru, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Gen Con. Some of the nation’s largest companies are very generous to progressive causes, and when they start foundations, it’s Katie-bar-the-door (yes, that means you Ford Foundation).

By MJBubba

Inactive

MJBubba

117158,111

Engineer in Tennessee. Former homeschool dad (both sons now college grads). Confessional Lutheran. Young-Earth Creationist.

| August 21, 2016

18 COMMENTS

It is time for an update on the worldwide jihad of Muslim attacks on Christians. If you have been relying on mass media to keep you informed, then there is a lot that you just don’t know. This is an ongoing story that our Leftist mass media have shown no interest in conveying to Americans, […]

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By TeamAmerica

Member

TeamAmerica

25882,337

My background isn't typical. My parents, lifelong pro-life Dems, felt Dems cared more about the poor, ( but voted for Goldwater in '64, thinking it unwise for LBJ to win by a landslide, as he did), Bo

| July 5, 2016

6 COMMENTS

It is my impression that lower level gov’t employees in the State Dep’t and elsewhere were prosecuted, and many given jail sentences, for less egregious violations of the rules of handling classified documents. Is that accurate? And if so, on what legal basis does FBI Director Comey refuse to prosecute her? I’d like to hear […]

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By BrentB67

Inactive

BrentB67

I grew up in St. Louis and attended Mizzou earning a BSBA Economics Cum Laude and a commission in the US Navy in 1989. I earned my Naval Aviator Wings in 1991 and flew TA-4J, F-14A, and F-16CJ. I have over 1,700 hours in tactical aircraft, 326 carrier landings (115 at night) and 76 missions over Iraq in the 90's. I separated honorably in 1998 and went to work in oil and gas exploration and production then into high tech manufacturing in Austin, and finally owned a trucking company I voluntarily … [more]

| July 5, 2016

175 COMMENTS

FBI Director Comey will address the media at 1100 Eastern Time. Anybody care to venture a guess the topic? More

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IG Report Finds That Hillary Violated Government Records Act

By Jon Gabriel, Ed.

Chief

Jon Gabriel, Ed.

Jon Gabriel (a.k.a., @ExJon on Twitter) is the Editor-in-Chief of Ricochet. He is a political writer and marketing consultant, contributing articles to The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, and USA Today among others. Until 2012, he served as Director of Marketing for the free-market Goldwater Institute, where he converted policy initiatives into compelling stories. In the private sector, Jon led marketing efforts for Cold Stone Creamery, Honeywell, and several technology companies. In his… [more]

| May 25, 2016

29 COMMENTS

hillary_orange1 The email scandal grows:

Politico reports that the State Department inspector general has concluded that Hillary Clinton violated State’s recordkeeping protocols. The finding is contained in a much anticipated report provided to Congress today.

By Addiction Is A Choice

Member

Addiction Is A Choice

7911,370

| May 7, 2016

12 COMMENTS

I’m surprised no one here has written about Ben Rhodes, “The Aspiring Novelist Who Became Obama’s Foreign-Policy Guru,” and his startling profile in the New York Times Magazine. (By “startling,” I mean, “Sadly, not the least bit surprising.”) I’d love to write a searing piece about he, Jonathan “stupidity of the American people” Gruber, and the […]

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By Son of Spengler

Contributor

Son of Spengler

Mild-mannered actuary by day. Intrepid barbershopper by night. Renegade Jew. Twitter: @spengjr

| April 1, 2016

17 COMMENTS

A hallmark of the Obama presidency has its singular combination of busybodying and incompetence. Micromanaging the private health insurance market, prescribing healthy diets for our children, making pizza shops list calorie counts — all while veterans die waiting for government healthcare. The Secret Service creates ever-larger protective zones, causing untold problems for the public — […]

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By Dave Sussman

Contributor

Dave Sussman

Dad. Writes on culture, economics and business issues; published in The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and others. Interviewed on Fox News, Fox Business, CNNfn, & numerous radio shows. Daily Co-Host at America's Voice Live, a news and commentary show on Americas Voice News. Purveyor at Whiskey Politics: Conversations with newsmakers on politics & culture. Guest Host on The Real Side Radio (54 terrestrial stations on the GCN and Salem Radio Network). Whiskey Politics is found at Rico… [more]

| February 23, 2016

3 COMMENTS

John Kerry appeared today at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee requesting money for the State Department. Issues discussed pertained mostly to ISIS, Russia and Syria, where he sparred with Republicans and warmed in the glow of Democrats. Then it turned to the Hillary email scandal. Kerry stated: “We have more than 50 … simultaneous investigations going […]

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Sean Penn: Hero

By Dave Sussman

Contributor

Dave Sussman

| January 20, 2016

46 COMMENTS

Ever since a young Sean Penn starred in Taps and Fast Times at Ridgemont High he has evolved into a world class actor and director. I would consider myself a fan of his work.

His politics, however, not so much; I vehemently disagreed with his wartime attacks on George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, his coziness with Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Iraqi Minister Tariq Aziz (at the height of the Iraq War), his attacks on Britain’s involvement in the Falklands, his pro-Palestinian sentiments, and of course, the dust-up with his ex, Madonna… well okay, that I might understand.

By John Yoo

Contributor

John Yoo

John Yoo is professor of law at the University of California at Berkeley and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. From 2001 to 2003, he served as deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department of President George W. Bush. He also served as a law clerk to Judge Laurence Silberman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Justice Clarence Thomas of the U.S. Supreme Court, and as general counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary… [more]

| September 10, 2015

31 COMMENTS

Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign has faltered over her use of a private e-mail server and account for professional and personal matters while Secretary of State.

Last December, Clinton turned over to the State Department more than 30,000 e-mails she sent and received during her tenure as secretary, and a judge has ordered the department to release the e-mails on a rolling basis, completing the process by January. Clinton has said that she did not send or receive any information marked classified, and that what she did was allowed by the State Department.

By Jules PA

Member

Jules PA

64312,434

just a small town girl, living in a crazy world. addendum: I live in Southeast PA, and my avatar is a picture of the blown glass flowers in the lobby of the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. I'm just not sharing anymore here in this bio.

| June 30, 2015

3 COMMENTS

Is there a way to crowd source the complete inspection, analysis and review of Hillary Clinton’s State Department emails? (the ones that haven’t been deleted.) More

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The Ghosts of America’s Allies

By Titus Techera

Contributor

Titus Techera

Executive Director, American Cinema Foundation. Contributor: National Review, Law&Liberty, American Conservative, The Federalist, Modern Age, University Bookman.

| May 14, 2015

27 COMMENTS

070326_r16050b_p465 There are people in this world who, though they are not American, believe in the justice of America’s cause. It sometimes happens that they commit their lives to an unkind fate by becoming America’s allies. This has happened in Iraq. Those who most loved America face the cruelest fate. Americans are represented by politicians who are the artisans of this fate.

Like avant-garde art, American foreign policy sometimes is designed to shock decent people. The spectacle of slaughter; the fear for one’s wife or child; the sure humiliation of being foolish about America; petty things and terrible things come together to form a whole; there is nothing to be done but to say what one sees or fears; there is nothing then left but to see those fears come alive.

By Jon Gabriel, Ed.

Chief

Jon Gabriel, Ed.

| February 20, 2015

100 COMMENTS

Chafing under criticism that they aren’t taking the threat from ISIS seriously, the State Department has launched an initiative to bring the barbarian terrorists to heel. Foregoing crude tactics like the threat of force or aggressive diplomacy, the Obama Administration has returned to what it knows best. They have created a logo:

2015_0220_cve_graphic

By AutoTraveler

Inactive

AutoTraveler

I am an automotive and travel photojournalist, co-founder of automotivetraveler.com and the author of more than a dozen books available on Amazon (<a href="http://bit.ly/ATonAmazon" title="Automotive Traveler on amazon.com">http://bit.ly/ATonAmazon</a>). On my Facebook page I talk about automobiles, adventure travel, pop culture, cuisine and of course, politics of the conservative nature. <a href="http://facebook.com/richard.truesdell.3" title=&… [more]

| February 19, 2015

38 COMMENTS

Marie Harf box art V1_1600px

While I was uploading some large files, I decided to try my hand at video editing by taking three clips of everyone’s favorite State Department spokesperson, Marie Harf, saying that, “we can’t kill our way out of this war,” with Islamic State. She also implies that jobs is the answer to radical Islamic barbarism, that they need a different path in life. She delivers basically the same propaganda (shades of Susan Rice) to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, MSNBC’s Chris Matthews and MSNBC Joe Scarborough (who wanted to give her a mulligan on her previous comments but she declined).

Tag: State Department

Wile E. Coyote’s Latest: “Whistleblower”

Michael Ledeen on the Potential Collapse of Iran’s Khomeinist Regime

How Would You Rate Rex Tillerson’s Job Performance?

Refugee Resettlement Reckoning on Obama Administration

No One Left Behind – Unless You’re an Iraqi or Afghani Interpreter

Breaking: Senate Confirms Tillerson (Update: News on Sessions and DeVos)

Questions for Mr. Tillerson

Member Post

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IG Report Finds That Hillary Violated Government Records Act

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Sean Penn: Hero

Clinton’s Private Email Server Saga — What’s Next?

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The Ghosts of America’s Allies

Obama Deploys New Logo to Defeat ISIS

We Have Met the Enemy and She Is Us, Does This Explain Marie Harf?

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