April 10, 2018
The Honorable Bob Corker
Chairman,
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
423 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Robert Menendez
Ranking Member,
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
423 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senators Corker and Menendez:
We are national security experts and public policy practitioners writing to express our enthusiastic support for President Trump’s nomination of Mike Pompeo to be the next U.S. Secretary of State. We urge that he be confirmed in that position as soon as possible.
We regard this appointment to be among the President’s best selections for his Cabinet – one made at a moment when our nation is facing a series of growing national security crises. Mr. Pompeo will provide President Trump with exceptional national security expertise, trusted counsel and management skills that the President urgently needs as he moves to address these challenges.
Notably, Mr. Pompeo comes to this post exceptionally prepared to deal with two urgent international issues that will require skillful diplomacy and informed presidential decisions over the next few months: North Korea and Iran. Mr. Pompeo made these issues priorities during his time as CIA Director and has provided President Trump with in-depth analyses of both.
Mr. Pompeo’s knowledge of U.S. intelligence on the North Korean and Iranian nuclear programs will serve him well as America’s top diplomat. That will be particularly valuable as President Trump prepares for a possible summit with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, and his upcoming decision about the future status of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran.
From his days in the U.S. Congress, Mike Pompeo has exhibited as well a mastery of the multifaceted threat Donald Trump promised to defeat in his August 15, 2016 address in Youngstown, Ohio. Both men recognize this particular danger as ideological in nature, which Mr. Trump correctly noted is called “Sharia” by its adherents, who include “Radical Islamic Terrorists” and “the support networks for Radical Islam in this country.” The American people endorsed Candidate Trump’s clarity on this topic and expect the Trump administration to fulfill his promises to defeat such enemies.
We also strongly endorse Mike Pompeo for Secretary of State in light of his proven management skills. It is no secret that the Department of State is currently in disarray, with huge numbers of unfilled positions, low morale and lack of direction. There have not been similar reports from the CIA under Pompeo’s leadership. To the contrary, his tenure there has been widely praised by Agency employees. Mr. Pompeo has, moreover,
drawn upon his years of leadership experience in the U.S. Army, the private sector and as a legislator not only to effect an orderly transition at the CIA but to rebuild collaborative relationships between the intelligence and policy communities.
Mike Pompeo is the sort of seasoned, accomplished and energetic national security policy practitioner our nation desperately needs at this juncture in the role of Secretary of State to help President Trump secure our nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic. He enjoys our strong endorsement and we respectfully request that the United States Senate express the same by confirming him at the earliest possible moment.
Sincerely,
Winston L. Amselem
Senior Foreign Service Officer (Ret.)
Brig. Gen. William A. “Art” Bloomer, USMC (Ret.)
Lt. Gen. William G. “Jerry” Boykin, USA (Ret.)
James Jay Carafano
Vice President, The Heritage Foundation
Jack David
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction and Negotiations Policy
Wesley Denton
Senior Director, Conservative Partnership Institute
Elaine Donnelly
President, Center for Military Readiness
Gy. Sgt. Jessie Jane Duff USMC (Ret.)
Senior Fellow, London Center for Policy Research
Stephen A. Elliot
Former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Compliance
Fred Fleitz
Former CIA Analyst
Kevin Freeman
Founder, National Security Investment Consultants
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.
President, Center for Security Policy
Robert H. Gormley
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.)
William R. Graham
Science Advisor to the President
Larry Grundhauser
Brigadier General, USAF (Ret.)
Philip Haney
President, Venatus Group, Inc.
George William Heiser II
Former Staff Director, National Security Council
Peter Huessy
CEO & President, Geostrategic Analysis
Christopher C. Hull
Executive Vice President, Center for Security Policy
Morton Klein
National President, Zionist Organization of America
Brad Johnson
President, Americans for Intelligence Reform
Adm. Jerry Johnson, USN (Ret.)
Herbert London
Founder and President, London Center for Policy Research
Clare Lopez
Former CIA Officer
Adm. Ace Lyons, USN (Ret.)
Clifford D. May
Founder and President, Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Lt. Gen. Thomas G. McInerney, USAF (Ret.)
Vice Adm. Robert Monroe, USN (Ret.)
Former Director, Defense Nuclear Agency
Robert Muise
Co-founder, American Freedom Law Center
Michael B. Mukasey
Former Attorney General of the United States
C. Preston Noell III
President, Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.
Michael Pregent
Adjunct Fellow, Hudson Institute
Dan Pollak
Co-Director, Government Affairs, Zionist Organization of America
Dr. Peter Vincent Pry
Director, Task Force on National and Homeland Security
George K. Rasley, Jr.
Former Special Assistant to the Vice President
Allen Roth
President, Secure America Now
Joseph E. Schmitz
Former Department of Defense Inspector General
Mark Schneider
Senior Analyst, National Institute for Public Policy
Suzanne Scholte
President, Defense Forum Foundation
Hugh P. Scott
Rear Adm., MC, USN (Ret.)
Anthony A. Shaffer
Vice President, London Center for Policy Research
Lt. Gen. E.G. “Buck” Shuler, Jr., USAF (Ret.)
Jim Simpson
Director, Pockets of Resistance
Robert Spencer
Director, Jihad Watch
Sarah Stern
Founder and President, Endowment for Middle East Truth
Kenneth R. Timmerman
President & CEO, Foundation for Democracy in Iran
Director, The United West
President, American Women’s Alliance, Inc.
Richard A. Viguerie
Chairman, ConservativeHQ.com
J. Michael Waller
President, Georgetown Research
Deborah Weiss
Senior Fellow, Center for Security Policy
David Wurmser
Former Senior Advisor to the Vice President
David Yerushalmi
Co-founder, American Freedom Law Center
Frank Anderson says
A prayer: May Pompeo always earn and deserve this support from these distinguished people.
mortimer says
Second that, Frank. This is a very distinguished list of conservatives for Pompeo.
If they are confident in Pompeo, so am I.
Andy says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLPqN3XigEM
Are we on the brink?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-THIbLnSn50
Andy says
ONLY THE DEAD HAVE SEEN THE END OF WAR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRbsoas_vCE
J D S says
Michael Savage has gotten lost along with many others of his caliber. He speaks if peace…Does he not know that there will be no peace till Jesus returns……
Wars and rumors if wars……so just shut up and get to know Jesus and what he brought to the world.
PEACE ??
Jose Antonio says
Sharia law and Islamic incursion into the academic setting in the USA has brought to a standstill debate into the moral deficits of this totalitarian, arrogant and antichrist belief system. John Paul II had visions of impending invasion by Islam of Europe and forewarned how important it was for all Christians to read the Koran and become knowleadgeable about its tenets. This as a starting point to begin a logical discussion based on truth seeking, without fearing intimidation and alleged, non-existing islamophobia when its proponents are confronted with tough questions. It is of the essence to find out what Muslim academics are doing on mainland USA on behalf of Christians under oppression in the Muslim-majority countries each of them comes from. I think this should be the gold standard by which Muslim academics in the USA must be gauged, instead of how good he or she is in inculcating to students the notion that there is nothing to be discussed about Sharia law, the moral compass Muhammad lived by, Islamic world history, as well as the creation of Islamic parallel societies in west and demographic Jihad efforts, as stealthy, pre-emptive strikes against western judeo-Christian values and undermining from within. Europe is losing its soul to Islam when the European Union renounced its faith, now It is paying dearly by having to deal with the Islam death cult and adherents who will never assimilate into western culture, and will continue to undermine it stealthily because they are bound by the Koran and idol Allah to do so; otherwise, by Islamic prescription they will go to hell. Therein you see why there is no possibility of assimilation, no matter how much lipservice Islamic apologists sedate you with. With love from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
gravenimage says
Jose Antonio wrote:
John Paul II had visions of impending invasion by Islam of Europe and forewarned how important it was for all Christians to read the Koran and become knowleadgeable about its tenets…
…………………
Really? I was very fond of Pople John Paul II in many ways, but he seemed pretty clueless about the threat of Islam.
Here he is, kissing a Qur’an:
https://i.stack.imgur.com/c2sYn.jpg
To be fair, it was much less of an obvious threat to Europe then than now.
Jose Antonio says
The Church modus operandi toward Muslims has been one of appeasement, regrettably. That is why JPII was playing the politically correct card. Now that Islam has infiltrated the West in force, and openly promote its poison, it is time to start the discussion in search of truth, using logic and natural law arguments, and not be intimidated by Islam’s cohersive tactics (I.e., attacking free speech on the ground of Islamophobia). Resistance against Islam in light of what it represents is a rational act of self preservation and not an islamophobic act (irrational fear toward Islam). We have had 1350 years of violent Islamic history, and their continuing efforts to destroy Christendom is nothing new, because their evil Nabatean idol Allah (or Mohammed himself) commanded Islam to be supreme over all religions. This according to the Koran by prescription. It is high time to unmask Islam and their apologists everywhere they may be. The only way is by quoting the Koran and Hadith, and knowing their Taqiya tactics to prevént them from lying during discourse.
Walter Sieruk says
Yes, Mike Pompeo is the right man for the position in the office of the Secretary of State because he is not infected by the warped and sick politically corrects philosophy of cultural relativity.
In this twenty –first century “War of Ideals” since September 11, 2001 in this great and terrible conflict between the Judeo- Christian West and the Islamic East, the sad reality is that one of the things that is holding back much progress of the West is that many Westerners are infected by the worthless, sick and unrealistic politically correct philosophy that is called “Cultural Relativity.”
Which is the concept that all culture are equal because this C.R concept teaches the foolishness that all values derive their meaning within the specific social content. This folly of thinking leads, or misleads, many people to view every position as only “opinion” and that truth is only relevant to the person or society holding that view. In other words, discovering actual truth in impossible.
Such C.R is absurd, nonsensical and contradictory. For example, to say “finding the truth is impossible “Is a statement of contradiction. For in making that statement that is saying, in essence, “I have found the truth which is finding the truth is not possible.” It should be obvious that this “War of Ideas” needs to and should have a solidly based in and on truth and not by a worthless “war of opinions” A C.R. person would say about a scholarly truth teller about Islam with its different kinds of jihad , as Pamela Geller, that she is only giving her “opinion” on the subject.
Such ignorance is appalling. Just look at history. If Americans had that C.R. view ,as many Americans do today , then during World war II it would had been madness and a fools fight to go into battle against the military forces of Nazism if it was only just “opinion” that Hitler was wrong and evil. Likewise in this twenty-first century it would be nonsense, for example, for the US troops to fight and maybe even die in Afghanistan if it’s just “opinion” that the Taliban and Al Qaeda are wrong and evil.
Two other examples of the falseness of C.R. with its teaching that everything is only “opinion.” First is in the late 1970’s two guys said “There are so many different religions that no one can ever know the truth about religion.” They were really saying that statement so dogmatically that they were self-contradicting. For they were saying that they know the truth about religion that is not one can know the truth about religion. Second, a shallow man in the 1980’s said when asked the question “Why do you always small talk ? You don’t ever talk about a topic that might have some value, as politics? After all , all thing are related “ That shallow C.R man replied “There are so many different political ideas that finding the true one is unattainable and all thing are not related.” The wisdom-less man was saying that he obtained the truth which is the he can’t obtain the truth and who does can is really truthfully say that all thing are not related in he can’t find the truth. How foolish, an obvious contradiction. What is needed to counter this nonsense C.R./P.C. is the concept of “Absolutism.” Which a definition of this, with the scope of the topic, is “An absolute standard or principle .” In this “war of idea’s it’s the Bible with its absolute standards and principles to stand firm against Islam is its different types of jihad with its many evils. In conclusion, in this War of Ideas a firm foundation for truth may be found in the Bible and not the weak folly of CR. in which everything is “opinion.”
Darryl Kerney says
Walter wisely said,
“This folly of thinking leads, or misleads, many people to view every position as only “opinion” and that truth is only relevant to the person or society holding that view. In other words, discovering actual truth in impossible.”
which is what Ayn Rand warned about, and plenty of others as well,
that the way to destroy the individual is to deny him/her any way of knowing the truth,
and make everything subjective.
Darryl Kerney says
sorry, make that, make them believe that they can’t possibly know the truth….
gravenimage says
+1
Darryl Kerney says
how can anyone know anything if truth is unattainable ?
which is what controllers want, to be the ones in charge of everything,
if one can’t trust one’s senses, or their mind, what is left ?
an absolute from above.
i really like the angle you’re going with, but i would rather see the right to each to trust their own minds and not be bound by religious edicts of any kind, especially of course the islamic kind,
the point is i think, that it’s one substitution for another,
both of which claim to be unfathomable, but, trust us,
we’ll doing the thinking for you…….
Jose Antonio says
Very well said! Greetings from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
IanB says
That’s very well stated Walter. I would wish to add that the warped philosophy you describe is based upon the nonsense of Postmodernism as propounded by Derrida et al.
gravenimage says
Yes–fools like Derrida and their devotees have a lot to answer for.
Brian hoff says
He didnot get the committee approval. The brave democrats bought up his Islamoprobic statements and his hater of Islam and muslim.
Diane says
So glad to see this endorsement of Pompeii!
gravenimage says
Sounds good!
Carolyne says
I’ve been to Pompeii. Fascinating.
Diane says
This is why I need to wear my glasses, when typing on my phone!
I really do admire Pompeo, though. In contrast to Tillerson, he seems like he’s on the same page as Trump. Finally!
gravenimage says
Diane, I knew who you meant. 🙂
Carolyne says
Diane. I knew,too. Just having a little fun. I support Mr. Pompeo unreservatively.
MaryLetty says
Happy to see Robert Spencer on this list. May this confirmation go through quickly.
gravenimage says
+1
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
Sandra Solomon part 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7T9Tv5ITLU
Andy says
Thanks for video Flavius
Mike Pompeo +1
Here something else JW mind find of interest
Nationalism & Identity | Media Reaction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHfLywFqwsM
Andy says
Shut down the UN or turn it into a homeless shelter!
Kevin J. Johnston Gets Kicked Out of The United Nations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5JYMJrlDXU
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
It’s too early to say but I’m already starting to have doubts about Bolton. I hope I’m wrong but …
Terry Gain says
Flavius
Based on what? I’ve read dozens of Bolton’s essays and seen dozens of his speeches and have seen nothing but knowledge, clear thinking, strength and good humour.
gravenimage says
I’m rather concerned that he thinks Iraq worked.
Still, we could definitely do worse than Bolton. At least he appears to understand that Islam is a threat.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
+1
I’m wondering if Trump’s recent words/moves regarding Syria don’t come from a new force in the admin.
How neocon is Bolton?
Terry Gain says
Neocon is, like Islamophobe, a dishonest pejorative used mainly by leftists.
Terry Gain says
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
Apr 11, 2018 at 6:58 pm
Your argument and its quality has helped me make up my mind on Bolton. Now, I definitely don’t like him.
——–
Your gratuitous and childish insult is noted. You have nothing substantive. Bolton (and I) know more about these issues than you ever will.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
“‘Neocon’ is, like ‘Islamophobe,’ a dishonest pejorative used mainly by leftists.” -Terry Gain.
“Your gratuitous and childish insult is noted. You have nothing substantive. Bolton (and I) know more about these issues than you ever will.” – Terry Gain.
You threw the first punch Terry. And you had it coming. I am neither dishonest nor am I a ‘leftist.’ And as far you and your friend Bolton knowing more: none of us will ever really know for sure.
What’s wrong with your narrative? It buys into the myth of the “nation building” fantasy. Americans actually think they are doing the world a favour when they “nation build” – when the opposite is the case.
The narrative constructed to justify these interventions are rarely the truth. Sometimes they are made up of lies built up on lies, or confusion or partisan domestic politics. Sometimes people write books. Or sometimes the narratives are created by immoral, greedy carpetbaggers who want a failed state so they can get obscenely rich. And then this narrative is sold to the American public and they always buy it – because not to buy it would be unpatriotic.
The truth about Sadam Hussein is that he always did what the Americans told him to do. He was terrified of crossing the Americans. He knew how fickle American foreign policy was: one day you’re the good guy – next, you’re the bad guy, depending on the narrative of the day. He asked if it was okay to invade Kuwait. He got the green light. But Bush had another plan and there was nothing Sadam could do to save himself because he wasn’t the real target.
It is now (with all the released memos, notes, emails, affidavits, etc., which I have neither the time nor the interest to get into) an incontrovertible fact that the invasion was a Bush created white flag with the aim of making a few people sickeningly rich.
The fact is, every time Americans engage in “nation building,” failed states result and hundreds of thousands die. EVERY SINGLE TIME!
America, it blows up your collective faces and you ask yourselves, “what happened, what’s the fix?” And your answer is: “more nation building!”
Look at Trump: a few weeks ago he said that the US was to leave Syria and that it should be left for others to deal with. Then, all of a sudden, he pipes up that it’s time for police action against big, bad Assad, even before any confirmation of ‘gas attacks’ comes in. Somethings not right there. Somethings going on behind the scenes.
I ask the rhetorical question, when will the American people get tired of being deceived? I ask because, the day the American electorate smarten up, is the day the world will become safe from reckless and destructive interventionism.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
‘One of the interviews published by the ministry showed a man who said his name was Halil Ajij, and who said he was a medical student working at Douma’s only operational hospital. This is how he described the origin of the footage:
“On April 8, a bomb hit a building. The upper floors were damaged and a fire broke at the lower floors. Victims of that bombing were brought to us. People from the upper floors had smoke poisoning. We treated them, based on their suffocation.”
Ajij said that a man unknown to him came and said there was a chemical attack and panic ensued. “Relatives of the victims started dousing each other with water. Other people, who didn’t seem to have medical training, started administering anti-asthma medicine to children. We didn’t see any patient with symptoms of a chemical weapons poisoning,” he said.’
Two versions of the story:
https://www.rt.com/news/424047-russian-mod-syria-statement/
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2018/04/13/russophobic-campaign-moscow-claims-britain-staged-syrian-chemical-attack/
https://www.rt.com/usa/424072-mattis-syria-strike-trump/
Terry Gain says
GI
I suggest that anyone who thinks the Iraq war was not necessary read the House Resolution approving the invasion, the 17 UN resolutions and the nearly banned book by McGrory and Bhattia called Saddam’s Bomb which describes how close Hussein was to having nuclear weapons when invaded Kuwait and provoked The Gulf War. The 2003 invasion resulted from Iraq refusing to abide by the terms of the ceasefire and the 17 UN Resolutions.
I have no doubt that Hussein would have resumed his pursuit of nuclear weapons the day sanctions ended, as they inevitably would have. This would have forced KSAand Iran to also develop nuclear weapons.
Iraq is no longer a threat to develop nuclear weapons. The problem with Iraq was not going in but being led by a President without the rhetorical gifts necessary to justify the invasion, followed by the election of a useless man ( or traitor) who threw away a hard won victory and then provided Iran with a clear and unfettered path to nuclear weapons.
A nuclear Middle East will inevitably lead to Armagheddon.
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
Your argument and its quality has helped me make up my mind on Bolton. Now, I definitely don’t like him.
gravenimage says
Hi, Terry–and Flavius. I can actually see both your points.
I definitely think that Saddam Hussein was a nasty actor. Given what has followed–hindsight that was not available at the time, I fully realize–I am ambivalent about whether it would have been better to do nothing there or not. It may have somewhat better for Christians and other non-Muslim miorities there–although they were persecuted even then. An emboldened Saddam Hussein convinced of our weakness would not have been a good thing, either.
But leaving this core issue aside, certainly, our years of earnest attempts at nation building and creating conditions for democracy in the Muslim Middle East have been fruitless–and how could it be otherwise, given the malignant infludence of Islam?
I am similarly torn about Afghanistan–taking the Taliban out was a fine thing, but they are violently worming their way back in there now. And even without the Taliban, Afghanistan is an unfree Shari’ah state, which now has *stoning* back on the books. Perversely, that is what US troops are now defending there–as well as the abuse of young boys. These are perverse things to ask our brave troops to die for, and for American taxpayers to pay for.
I am not saying that we should never put boots on the ground–there are times when it is the right thing to do. I think we have to be *very* careful, have a greater understanding of what we can and cannot accomplish in Muslim crap holes, and have firm exit strategies.
I think Bolton is personally a good man–and certainly better than many of those who essentially hate the West. But we need to procede with care. Is he the best man for this job? I’m not sure–as I noted, though, we could certainly do worse. Right now, I cautiously support his appointment–with the caveats I noted above.
Brian hoff says
W Bush lie about the WMD.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
This is not the topic, however for me there is concern to what is happening in the USA.
Why I am for Trump
There is no doubt that he is a flawed human like all people
There is no doubt that he loves his country.
There is no doubt that on the economic front he is working for all people.
There is no doubt that he cares for all people safety and implements measures to secure it.
What is a travesty of justice from the left is:
That UK and the DNC conspired to create a false dossier.
That the DOJ and FBI did not verify it.
That they used a false dossier to activate tools (FISA warrants used for terrorist) to spy on Trump
That the Media is complicit on a daily basis to attack Trump and his family ignoring the injustice taking place.
That they raided his private Attorneys office regardless of client, attorneys privilege.
These are Gestapo measures to isolate him then impeach him.
What ordinary man could withstand these forces.
Kessler says
And here is why I have my doubts about Trump.
Last year I was so happy to hear his wise words which were in stark contrast to those of Obama – that supporting the rebels in Syria is not an option as we “don’t know who these people are” – now he has decided to support the Islamist cause in Syria based on a hearsay accusation by White Helmets – a group known to stage fake war crimes. As if Assad would have the slightest motivation for using chemical weapons. Trump is ending any hope for non sunni-muslims to have a future in Syria by aiding those who want to install Sharia law and eradicate the heretic entity such as the Alawite rule.
I had great faith in Trump and it’s faiding. He has been corrupted or being controlled like a hand puppet.
Terry Gain says
Trump is not supporting the Islamist cause in Syria. If the evidence leads to the conclusion Assad used chemical weapons Trump will not let that atrocity go unchallenged, nor should he.
Kessler says
Such evidence can only come from someone working with the Russians and Assad. All other “impartial” investigators have an obligation to pin it on Assad. Is Trump going to go against the grain and support Assad? Highly doubt it
Kessler says
Meant to say – impartial evidence proving Assad is not behind the attack will not happen.
Bottom line – if he decides to punish Assad, he is aiding the Islamists.
Terry Gain says
Kessler says
Apr 12, 2018 at 4:55 am
Such evidence can only come from someone working with the Russians and Assad. All other “impartial” investigators have an obligation to pin it on Assad. Is Trump going to go against the grain and support Assad? Highly doubt it
—————
The chemicals were dropped in bombs. Are you suggesting the rebels have an Air Force? The war in Syria is over.
Kessler says
Yes, sources like White Helmets say chemical barrel bombs were dropped by helicopter. I wouldn’t take their word for it.
In any case – if Assad is behind this – what is the outcome of aiding the Islamists? What will come after Assad? Are there any moderates likely to take power? Will non-sunni Muslims have a future if the Islamists take power and install Sharia law? Questions our leaders don’t want to answer. Just go an bomb and hope for the best.
Terry Gain says
Kessler
My reading of the situation in Syria is that was is nearly over and Assad is not going to be removed regardless of whether Trump bombs some of his assets.
gravenimage says
There are no good guys in Syria–save the Christians, and they have no power.
Assad is probably the least bad option under the circumstances–but he is still pretty bad. Might he have used chemical weapons against his own people? It would hardly surprise me. Still doesn’t make him the worst faction, though.
Richard Courtemanche says
When are they going to stop Islamism in institutions and everywhere… the insanity of people losing their job for expressing their rights and free speech!