EPA policy chief steps down - Robin Bravender

The midterm exodus continues unabated. You can spin this however you like but the bottom line is President Obama is going into the second half of his term with a new team. He will take this untried team into a battled with a Republican controlled House weakened Senate. The possibility of a second term is still a possibility for the President, especially since the Republicans have yet to determine their 2012 candidate. But the ability for the Presdinet to accomplish anything meaningful in his second half has just become that much harder.

From a foreign policy standpoint, the results of the midterm election make President Obama appear weak and the 34 warships in the Indian Ocean for his visit does nothing to dissuade the notion. Iran and Russia will probably become more aggressive in their rhetoric. Venzuela and North Korea will play Greek chorus to the former. Australia and the United Kingdom, two of the strongest US allies in combating terrorism, will continue to do backstrokes away from a weakened US president. May we live in interesting times....

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Barack Obama ready to slash US nuclear arsenal

Barack Obama ready to slash US nuclear arsenal |
World news |
The Guardian


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First, the President eliminates plans to deploy a missile shield in Poland. This move may or may not improve relations with Russia. Now the President is looking to slash the nuclear arsenal. In a truly egalitarian world filled with altruistic motives, this would lead others to destroy their nuclear stockpiles or stop their bid to create one. As most are not motivated by altruism, slashing an existing nuclear arsenal may be seen as a sign that the President lacks the willingness to use nuclear weapons. I've always thought nuclear weapons puts one in a no-win situation. If you use them first, you leave your adversary no choice but to retaliate in kind. If you retaliate with nuclear weapons, you are no better than the one who launched the attack. Given that, I still find it concerning that the President is telegraphing a more pacifist attitude given many world players that are angry over the Bush Administration policies. They may not be willing to differentiate between administrations and will look at President Obama's recent policy changes as a sign of weakness.