Darrell Issa

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Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seems hell-bent on enriching uranium and developingthe other complex components and specialized parts necessary to deliver and detonate a nuclear weapon. President Obama's policy in response is far from clear-cut.

We recognize that any assessment of the secret activities of a closed society like Iran is both difficult and necessarily tentative. Even with a well-honed intelligence network, it is impossible to understand the precise status and contours of the Iranian nuclear enterprise. Although some public accounts have indicated that intelligence agencies believe the Iranian bomb quest has been set back by sabotage and the defection of essential individuals, the inherent limitations of intelligence collection and analysis means that these assessments may be wrong.…  Seguir leyendo »

When the independent, bipartisan Sept. 11 commission issued its report in July 2004, an alarming fact was emphasized: Terrorists need valid identification to board an airplane. The commission asserted that "for terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons." Congress subsequently passed the Real ID Act, which was quickly signed into law by President George W. Bush.

Under that act, states must shift to "secure" driver's licenses and identification cards by verifying that anyone who asks for a driver's license or identification card is actually the person he or she purports to be. States are required to verify an applicant's Social Security number, lawful immigration status and identity.…  Seguir leyendo »

As distasteful as the Syrian government is, Washington must reconsider its policy of non-engagement with Damascus. Negotiations alone cannot fix the U.S.-Syrian relationship, and we should hold no illusions about the regime of Bashar al-Assad. But failure to talk with Syria limits U.S. ability to support attempts at reform and cuts us off from a major Middle East actor.

My many trips to Damascus since Sept. 11, 2001, have left me with little faith that action will follow commitments made by the Syrian regime. To put it mildly, Syria has a credibility problem.

So why should the United States talk with a dictatorship that supports terrorism, stokes conflict in the Middle East and fails to meet the commitments it makes?…  Seguir leyendo »