Bush Was Right
George W. Bush deserves a tip of the hat. Here's what the "prophet" Bush said in 2007 about the dangers of a premature withdrawal from Iraq:
"I know some in Washington would like us to start leaving Iraq now. To begin withdrawing before our commanders tell us we're ready would be dangerous for Iraq, for the region and for the United States. It would mean surrendering the future of Iraq to al Qaeda. It would mean that we'd be risking mass killings on a horrific scale. It would mean we allowed the terrorists to establish a safe haven in Iraq to replace the one they lost in Afghanistan. It would mean increasing the probability that American troops would have to return at some later date to confront an enemy that is even more dangerous."
One of those people Bush referred to who was pushing for a quick withdrawal from Iraq was then-Senator Barack Obama.
Obama won the White House in 2008 promising to get out of Iraq. Obama got what he wanted. And now the very things George Bush warned about -- mass killings on a horrific scale, a terrorist safe haven in Iraq and American troops returning to fight a more dangerous enemy -- are reality.
By the way, we're still waiting for Obama's strategy to take on ISIS, but fortunately we don't have to wait any longer for the Forest Service's strategy for making safe, low-calorie S'mores.
Scandal Update
Here are the latest updates on the Benghazi and IRS scandals:
Three security contractors -- Kris Paronto, Mark Geist and John Tiegen -- have told Fox News that they were ordered to "stand down" the night that Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were killed in Benghazi. During their interview with Bret Baier, they insisted that they could have saved Ambassador Stevens and Smith if they had not been delayed.
Their statements appear to contradict the administration's line that no such orders were issued that night. I hope these men will get a chance to testify before Rep. Trey Gowdy's select committee.
In the meantime, you can hear their story in a special report, "13 Hours in Benghazi," airing on Fox News this weekend. Click here for more information.
New emails have emerged in the IRS Tea Party targeting scandal. Evidently bureaucrats at the tax agency were involved in some kind of "secret research project." It is not clear what this "secret research project" involved, but it appears to be related to donor lists that the IRS had inappropriately obtained from some of the groups it harassed.
This is a potentially explosive development, depending on what was done with these names or to these individuals.
Now let me make a brief point: Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was indicted in January and convicted yesterday -- after just nine months -- on multiple counts of corruption.
Lois Lerner pled the fifth on May 22, 2013. She has yet to be indicted. No one involved in the IRS scandal has been charged, much less convicted of anything.
Join Me In D.C.!
Join me at the 2014 Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C., September 26th - 28th.
The Values Voter Summit is sponsored by American Values, the Family Research Council, FRC Action, AFA Action, Liberty Institute, Liberty Counsel and Liberty Council Action. Co-sponsors include the Heritage Foundation, National Organization for Marriage and National Religious Broadcasters.
This year's Summit features an incredible lineup of speakers, including:
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
David and Jason Benham
Lt. Gen. William Boykin (Ret.)
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
Erick Erickson
Gov. Mike Huckabee
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA)
Mark Levin
Lt. Col. Oliver North
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)
And many more outstanding conservative leaders!
There will be educational sessions on a broad range of topics, including: the threat to religious liberty, the cultural state of America, how moral decline leads to big government, the pro-life movement and the future of marriage.
My public policy organization, American Values, will host a special luncheon on Saturday, September 27th. (To attend the luncheon, you must purchase a separate ticket.)
I very pleased to announce that this year's Faith, Family and Freedom Gala Dinner will honor Meriam Ibrahim for her courageous stand for her Christian faith and against Sudan's Islamist regime.
To learn more or to register online, click here now.
I look forward to seeing you there!