I read with interest the recent contribution by Andy Semmel, former deputy assistant secretary of state for nuclear nonproliferation in the George W. Bush administration ("Nuclear terrorism treaties still incomplete," Commentary, Friday). In the piece Mr. Semmel advocates the swift passage of legislation to implement two critical anti-terrorism treaties.
On the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, we saw signs that the classified nature of America's foreign-policy portfolio has made it prime picking for political spin. Indeed, this is the first election year in recent history in which Americans are expressing more confidence in the defense credentials of Democrats than of Republicans.
John R. Bolton is the former U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations. One of America's foremost experts on foreign policy and national-security issues, his long career in public service includes time as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security during the George W. Bush administration, assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs in the George H.W. Bush administration, and assistant attorney general and assistant administrator of USAID during the Reagan administration.
Voters who decide in November whether to re-elect President Obama or replace him with Republican challenger Mitt Romney also might determine the fate of the most powerful man in D.C. politics.
Democrats here clearly think they have a political winner in President Obama's decision to bail out the American auto industry, but numbers on the bailout's cost released this week suggest that the move could pose some political potholes for both presidential campaigns this fall.
The weakening, job-starved Obama economy looms over the Democratic National Convention this week, casting a pall of gloom over a party paralyzed by its far-left ideology.
While Mitt Romney was clearly the main event at this week's convention, the rise of stars like Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan convinced many delegates the GOP has finally left behind the party of the past decade, now so closely identified with runaway federal spending and foreign interventionism.
Mitt Romney spent Monday polishing the speech he will deliver Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., while running mate Paul Ryan received a hero's send-off from a gymnasium full of hometown supporters.
Nearly a year after members of Congress called for an investigation into the collapse of a Colorado wireless company that went bankrupt after receiving a multimillion-dollar loan package from the George W. Bush administration, a trustee is suing the Obama administration over accusations that officials hastened the wireless firm's collapse.
