Tom Skypek

“Five Days in Pyongyang” – A Good Friend’s Account of his Trip to North Korea

Please check out these two outstanding articles in National Review Online (Part I and Part II) written by my good friend, Reggie Gibbs.  His account is truly fascinating.

Why Obama Wants Democrats to Lose in November

One word:  re-election.  I know it sounds ridiculous and unbelievable to some, but President Obama does not want the Democrats to retain the House or Senate this November.  It all comes down to his bid for re-election in 2012. Quite simply:  Obama wants to run against a Republican Congress in 2012.  He needs to be able to point at someone else and blame them for his shortcomings as a leader.  Right now, he can’t do that.  If he points across the street to Capitol Hill he’s pointing directly at his Democratic brethren in the House and Senate.  Think about Bill Clinton in 1996, he had Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich to demonize.  Obama needs an enemy–although he’s still trying…

Obama, White House officials: al Qaeda a ‘racist’ organization–really, ya think?!

Al Qaeda–racist?  Really?  Apparently, the Obama administration has just now reached this conclusion, nearly nine years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.  ”In short,” one administration official explained, “al Qaeda is a racist organization that treats black Africans like cannon fodder and does not value human life.”  Yes, al Qaeda does not value human life.  And yes, it is happy to treaty people like cannon fodder.  My question is:  what are people doing in the administration who are just now realizing the truly despicable nature of this organization? Should they really be serving in important national security positions?  Rarely do I find myself speechless but this is one of those times.

The Passing of Two Yankees Legends

A terrific piece from the NRO’s Daniel Foster on the passing of George Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard, the legendary voice of the New York Yankees from 1951 – 2007.

It has been a tough week for the Yankee faithful.  First, legendary Stadium announcer Bob “the Voice of God” Sheppard passed over the weekend (I’ll always remember his wonderful palindromes:  ”Now batting, numbah 2, the shortstop, Derek Jee-tuh, the shortstop, numbah 2, now batting.”).  And now the news that The Boss, George Steinbrenner, has died at age 80.

That’s exactly how Sheppard used to introduce the players.  Here’s a great tribute.  I went to my first Yankee game in 1989.  I can’t say that I remember his voice that very first game;…

Mattis is a Great Pick to be CENTCOM Commander

U.S. Marine Corps General James N. Mattis, who currently serves as the commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, has been selected to lead U.S. Central Command.  This is an outstanding pick by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.  Mattis is an exemplary general officer and a true strategic thinker.  Not surprisingly, the mainstream media is beating up on Mattis for some comments he’s made in the past about warfare.  His remarks were candid and, unfortunately, have been taken out of context.  One misleading headline reads:  “James Mattis: ‘It’s fun to shoot some people.’”  Here’s the context for the quote:    

You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years, because they didn’t wear a veil.  You know guys like that ain’t…

John Kerry’s Misinformed Position on the New START Treaty

Yesterday, Senator John F. Kerry wrote an op-ed in response to Mitt Romney’s piece published earlier this week in which the former governor argued against ratifying the New START Treaty.  Kerry’s op-ed was not only hyper-partisan but, as The Heritage Foundation’s James Carafano notes, quite inaccurate as well.  Kerry’s op-ed was little more than partisan drivel.  It lacked any sort of serious analytical rigor.  I would expect a better quality of analysis and thought from the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

For the Obama Administration, the Rule of Law is Malleable (Very Malleable)

The Obama administration is going to sue Arizona for enforcing federal immigration law but they won’t prosecute these guys for voter intimidation? Really? It’s decisions like these that tell you everything you need to know about this administration and how they view the rule of law.

Romney on the New START Treaty

It’s hard to pick President Obama’s worst foreign policy mistake.  As far as I’m concerned, his general conduct of American foreign policy has been subpar and a bit too Carteresque.  According to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney the New START Treaty is a leading candidate for this administration’s worst foreign policy mistake.  In an op-ed in yesterday’s WaPo, Romney presented a very clear argument in opposition to the New START Treaty.  I agree wholeheartedly with his advice that the treaty, in its current state, should not be ratified by the United States Senate.  Romney argues, “He [Obama] acceded to Russia’s No. 1 foreign policy objective, the abandonment of our Europe-based missile defense program, and obtained nothing whatsoever in return.”  I…

Steele’s Failed Critique Highlights Division Among Conservatives on War Strategy

In 2006, I was really pulling for Michael Steele in his battle to win a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland. Unfortunately, Ben Cardin won and Steele wound up running the Republican National Committee. Steele’s odd remarks about the war in Afghanistan have led to a growing number of calls for his resignation among prominent conservatives. The war in Afghanistan was definitely not a war of President Barack Obama’s choosing, as Steele suggested in his remarks at a Connecticut fundraiser. This factual inaccuracy made the rest of Steele’s comments seem off-the-wall, but it appears as though he was trying to challenge the president’s strategy for prosecuting the war. He just failed miserably:

Well if he’s such a…

Happy Indendence Day – Get a Free Pocket-Sized Declaration of Independence & Constitution

Happy Independence Day to all!  Thank you to all the military men and women who have fought to secure our freedom.  It is my sincere hope that our friends in Congress and the White House will take time to reacquaint themselves with this very important document.  I think that every public servant ought to carry a copy of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution.  Too many have long forgotten the history of this nation’s founding and simply do not understand the principles of limited government and individual liberty articulated in the Declaration of Independence.  Thankfully, you can get a FREE, pocket-sized edition of these two documents from the good people at The Heritage Foundation.

You can find Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words below:

When…