Notes and Comments

National security was not a big subject for Obama tonight. Nevertheless:

North Korea — The sanctions imposed have been serious and effective? That’s just not true.

Iran – The jihadist regime has been isolated? Hardly. There will be consequences if Tehran continues to pursue nuclear weapons? Let’s hope so, but there is bipartisan support in Congress for a serious, “crippling” sanctions bill. We have not yet heard Obama endorse it. Nor has he done anything to assist Iran’s Green Movement.

Iraq — He’s still not connecting the dots. Iraq’s enemies and our enemies in Iraq are al-Qaeda in Iraq and Iran’s proxies there. The war in Iraq is not over. Iraqis will continue to fight on that front.

Nuclear weapons — Ours are not the problem.

Free trade with Colombia — He can make that happen if he’s serious. We’ll see if he is.

Also NB: Nothing on Gitmo; nothing on the Underpants Bomber; nothing on NYC trial of KSM; nothing on Fort Hood (as KLo noted).