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Bolton Cheers Trump’s UN Performance

September 21, 2017 by GregC

http://dateline.radioamerica.org/podcast/9-21-BOLTON-BLOG.mp3

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton is cheering President Trump for a strong address to the United Nations this week and for perhaps already reaping critical results in his effort to isolate North Korea.

On Thursday, Trump announced a new round of U.S. sanctions aimed at North Korea and also reported that China is vowing to deal a major financial blow to the communist regime in Pyongyang.

“Today I’m announcing a new executive order I just signed that significantly expands our authorities to target individuals, companies, financial institutions that finance and facilitate trade with North Korea,” said Trump.

Bolton says this could be a very significant move.

“It’s potentially significant because if we were to sanction companies or banks doing business with North Korea, that could have a knock-on effect to other countries doing the same and could effect their ability to do transactions in the United States,” said Bolton.

He says it leaves those banks and corporations with a stark choice.

“Do you want to do business with us or do you want to do business with North Korea?  Your choice entirely, but it’s going to be one or the other,” said Bolton.

Bolton likes the aggressive nature of the sanctions.

“Why didn’t we do this about eight or ten years ago?  Why is it that we’ve waited this long?  I think we have the answer.  I think President Trump is determined to do something about North Korea and Iran and their nuclear programs,” said Bolton.

Bolton served as ambassador to the United Nations for President George W. Bush.  So why didn’t these sanctions come then?

“There was a lot of discussion in the Bush administration about sanctions but (there was) a lot of opposition to really squeezing North Korea.  Ultimately, I don’t think we did really anywhere near what we could have,” said Bolton.

He says there was virtually no chance for stiff penalties in the Obama years.

“There was no appetite for sanctions against North Korea.  They were exercising what they called ‘strategic patience’ in the Obama administration.  That’s a synonym for doing nothing and the North Koreans took advantage of it,” said Bolton.

Just as importantly, Bolton says the new sanctions turn the screws on China as well.

“The vast bulk of the institutions doing business with North Korea – financial, commodities, machinery, you name it – are Chinese.  China, for 25 years, frankly, has two-timed us on their concern about the North Korean nuclear program.  So this gives the president some bite,” said Bolton.

That may have already paid off Thursday, as, Trump announced news that seemed to surprise even him, as China appears ready to play hardball with Kim Jong-Un as well.

“China, their central bank has told other banks – and it’s a massive banking system –  to immediately stop doing business with North Korea,” said Trump.

Bolton says if China is serious about taking this step it could have a huge impact on North Korea.   However, he says it is very tough to determine if China is making good on such a policy.

“I think that’s difficult from the outside.  God knows how many banks there are and how many new banks can be created that might be able to facilitate North Korean trade, for example with Iran,” said Bolton.

Trump made major headlines with his blunt talk about North Korea in his speech on Tuesday.

“The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.  Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime.  The United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary,” said Trump.

Bolton says Trump struck exactly the right tone.

“I thought it was entirely appropriate.  Some of these people who talk about what’s becoming or unbecoming to say at the UN.  Honestly, the United Nations is not a church.  You’re not supposed to be reverential towards threats to international peace and security and innocent American civilians,” said Bolton, who thought the Trump approach was refreshing after the past eight years.

“After eight years of global governance kind of rhetoric from Obama and the weakness that he projected, maybe some people are shocked when they hear what a real American president has to say.  All in all, I think it’s the right thing for the president to do.  In America, plain speaking is a virtue and it’s important that these other countries hear it,” said Bolton.

Bolton also lauded Trump for labeling the Iran nuclear deal an “embarrassment” and “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.”  He says that puts the onus on Trump to get out of the deal soon.

“If you don’t certify but stay in the deal that you’ve described already as embarrassing, I think that’s unpresidential.  It’s sort of a one shoe on, one shoe off foreign policy.  He needs to lead with moral and political clarity.  I think the way you do that is to say this deal is a disaster for the United States and its friends and allies and we’re getting out of it,” said Bolton.

Standard Podcast [ 10:09 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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Filed Under: Podcasts Tagged With: China, Iran, John Bolton, news, North Korea, President Trump, sanctions, socialism, UN, United Nations

Trump’s Dizzying DACA Move, Soft on Iran Sanctions, White House vs. ESPN

September 14, 2017 by GregC


Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America react to President Trump making a deal with Democratic leaders to enact DACA into law in exchange for “massive border security” that has yet to be defined.  They also sigh as the Trump administration continues sanctions relief for Iran in conjunction with the nuclear deal it still hasn’t scrapped.  And they slam the White House for suggesting ESPN anchor Jemele Hill ought to fired for tweeting that Trump is a white supremacist while also blasting Hill and ESPN for their aggressively extreme politics.

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Filed Under: News & Politics, Podcasts Tagged With: border security, DACA, ESPN, Iran, JCPOA, Jemele Hill, Martini, Nancy Pelosi, National Review, nuclear deal, President Trump, sanctions, Sarah Huckabee Sanders

President Trump’s Venezuelan Crackdown

July 18, 2017 by GregC

http://dateline.radioamerica.org/podcast/7-18-17_TRUMPS_VENZUELAN_CRACKDOWN.mp3

President Trump reacted to at recent political moves by Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on Monday. According to Hot Air.com, Venezuela is bitterly protesting their president’s plans to scrap the country’s constitution. President Trump stated that if Maduro followed through on his plans, the U.S. would crack down on Venezuela through sanctions. The sanctions would target trade between the U.S. and Venezuela, particularly their oil trade. Many are worried for the country’s lower classes, whose suffering would likely increase if the U.S. does impose sanctions. However, the amount of corruption in the country has become increasingly intolerable to the United States and other nations in the region.      ~ Sarah Schutte

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Filed Under: news Tagged With: sanctions, Venezuela

‘We Cannot Trust the Russians’

December 14, 2016 by GregC

http://dateline.radioamerica.org/podcast/12-14-pascrell-blog.mp3

Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., is calling for immediate aid to the displaced Syrian people at risk of being butchered by the Syrian government forces and he warns the incoming Trump administration that Russia has designs on calling the shots throughout much of the Middle East.

Reacting to Tuesday’s news that Syrian rebels have effectively lost their stronghold on Aleppo, Pascrell says that leaves a massive humanitarian crisis.

“There’s a huge humanitarian problem there for the people who remain in Aleppo and the surrounding areas.  Aid has not been able to get to them.  Food has not been able to get to them because of the cabal between the Russians and the Syrian government,” said Pascrell.

“Right now, the immediate problem is to bring aid to those people who need it.  There’s no water.  There’s no food.  And obviously, if you watch the pictures, there’s very little shelter,” said Pascrell.

He says the blame for the humanitarian nightmare belongs at the feet of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

“Assad has butchered his own people.  He chooses to continue to do this.  He wants to bring the people and anybody that joins them, such as the rebels, to their knees.  While that’s happening, innocent people are dying,” said Pascrell.

Pascrell admits the crisis in Syria has no simple solutions, since trying to find and train moderate rebels has proved elusive and the U.S. is simultaneously fighting radical forces like ISIS and the Al Nusra Front.

“That’s a very difficult enterprise.  Four years ago, we did know there were a certain amount of rebels who had the exact same agenda as we had, and that is is to overthrow the Assad government.  We put that aside and allowed Assad to get stronger,” said Pascrell.

Russia is one of the key reasons for Assad;s ability to beat back the rebels, particularly in providing the air power that eroded the rebel grip in Aleppo.  Pascrell says it’s long past time to impose economic sanctions on Moscow.

“We don’t want to risk outright war with the Russians.  That’s not what we seek and I’m sure that’s not what they seek with us.  But I think if we put economic sanctions on the Russians, it’s worked before.  It could work again,” said Pascrell.

He says Americans should have no illusions about Russia.

“We cannot trust the Russians.  We can’t trust the Russians now and we’re not going to be able to trust them after January 20.  Anybody that’s foolish enough to think that we can do this is simply going to bring more misery upon the Syrian people,” said Pascrell.

But the wariness toward Russia extends far beyond Syria.  To begin, Pascrell says you just have to look at how Vladimir Putin handles criticism from his own people.

“We’re dealing with a Russian government here that has suffocated any dissent in its own country.  How many journalists have been thrown in prison?  How many journalists have been thrown the heck out that are now in the United States?” said Pascrell.

He says the Russian involvement in Syria combined with the crackdown on rights in Turkey are combining towards the creation of a troubling and growing alliance throughout the region.

“Pretty soon you’re going to have an alliance between the Russians, the Turks, the Iranians and the Syrians.  I see that developing there right now.  The Turks have their own problems internally and [Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan] is going to take it out on American foreign policy.  There’s no two ways about it,” said Pascrell.

“[The Russians] don’t want these countries to turn to the West.  They want these countries to turn to Russia.  So we’re between that rock and the rock of not getting involved where American lives are going to be lost.  Not an easy question to resolve whether it’s Obama or Trump,” said Pascrell.

In fact, the congressman would not be surprised if Russia makes our fight to eradicate ISIS more difficult than it needs to be.

“While we’re fighting ISIS and giving all we can in order to fight the extreme jihadists, we need to recognize at the same time that Russia will simply go with the flow in whatever suits their purpose,” said Pascrell.

While he encourages President-Elect Trump to study up on all the ways Russian aggression is evident today, Pascrell says he has no idea what to expect from the incoming administration.

“I don’t know what to expect.  Does anybody know what to expect?  Whether it was the campaign or whether it was after the campaign, you never know what he’s going to say or what direction he’s going to go in.  I don’t think it’s healthy for the region.  I’ll tell you that,” said Pascrell.

Standard Podcast [ 8:26 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
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Filed Under: News & Politics, Podcasts Tagged With: Aleppo, news, obama, Pascrell, russia, sanctions, Syria

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