The Week Just Past:

• Economy Still Sputters Along
• Back in Iraq
• America Needs a Coherent Foreign Policy
• The Kurds Need Our Help
• “Lament of a Legal Alien” – Wall Street Journal
• Libya: The Next Terrorist Stronghold?
• What Really Happened in Iran: Foreign Affairs
• Salute: Jon R. Cavaiani, Medal of Honor Recipient

Economy Still Sputters Along

The Commerce Department’s report that retail sales in July were flat is further evidence of the ongoing weakness in the economy.  The House has passed 40 bills that would create jobs and opportunities for Americans – and would get the economy moving again.  Those bills continue to sit in the Senate’s “in box,” gathering dust. It is long past time for the Senate to act on these bills and get America moving again.

Back in Iraq

After removing all U.S. troops from Iraq in 2011, President Obama has reintroduced the American military into Iraq in an effort to prevent genocide against Christians, Kurds, and other Iraqis who refuse to bow to the demands of ISIL – the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.  Speaker Boehner’s statement is well worth a read, as is thispiece in the Wall Street Journal, “The Third Iraq War.”

America Needs a Coherent Foreign Policy

American leadership is indispensible to peace and stability around the world. The lack of a clear, coherent American foreign policy is encouraging the violence and volatility that is breaking out across the globe. 

The Kurds Need Our Help

The Kurds have long been strong allies of the United States. That friendship is making them a prime target of ISIL, which is seeking to eliminate anyone who does not recognize ISIL’s control and its efforts to create a caliphate in the region. This excellent Washington Posteditorial explains why the Kurds deserve America’s help.

“Lament of a Legal Alien” – Wall Street Journal

As the discussion about illegal immigration continues, it is worth remembering that every year one million people come to the United States legally, as this compelling article by Dr. Manmeet Singh reminds us. 

Libya: The Next Terrorist Stronghold?

“Three years after U.S. and NATO forces helped liberate Libya from the dictatorship of Moammar Gaddafi, the country is beginning to look a lot like another nation where an abrupt U.S. disengagement following a civil war led to chaos: Afghanistan in the 1990s.” Those sobering words open a Washington Post editorial that criticizes that the Obama Administration’s decision to walk away from Libya after helping to overthrow Gaddafi.

We all know what happened after Afghanistan fell apart in the 1990s: al Qaeda used it as the base from which it organized and launched the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We need to ensure that history does not repeat itself.

What Really Happened in Iran: Foreign Affairs

This fascinating essay debunks the long-held myth that the CIA was responsible for overthrowing the democratically elected government of Iran in 1953 and installing the Shah back on the Peacock Throne. Understanding this history is important to understand current events in Iran. It’s a lengthy piece, but well worth the time invested.

Salute: Jon R. Cavaiani, Medal of Honor Recipient

Jon R. Cavaiani, who received the highest military order for valor, the Medal of Honor, died recently in California. A Vietnam combat veteran, the story of his extraordinary bravery is both inspiring and a reminder of the debt we owe each man and woman, all volunteers, who serve our country in the Armed Forces of the United States, protecting our country and our freedom.