Whittington: Sarah Palin Has Offered One Of The Most Sophisticated Analysis Of Obama's Defense & Foreign Policy Ever Published

One gets the feeling that American national security would be in far better hands if they belonged to the hockey mom from Wasilla than they are now in the hands of the Harvard Law graduate.

~ Mark Whittington

I know lot of people think Sarah Palin would be our "Energy President," which is almost a given, and/or our "Fiscally Adept President" which again, is kind of given. The thing people forget is Sarah Palin would also be our National Security President.

While everyone, even her harshest critics, will tell you Sarah is the go to person on energy issues, and her record of fiscal responsibility in government is above reproach, many still fail to realize that Sarah Palin has a keen intellectual understanding of foreign policy, and national security.

I blame whoever was in charge of introducing her to the nation on the McCain team. I’ve followed Sarah Palin since her earliest days as Governor, and even I was going what the ....?

With that said, Sarah has a solid understanding of foreign policy, and most certainly understands the urgency of national security. One of the very first speeches Sarah gave, after leaving office, was in Hong Kong, where she spoke extensively about foreign policy and national security. You’ll never hear her speak about energy policy, without tying it to foreign policy and national security. She understands how all of these complex issues intertwine better than most.

Sarah speaks a lot about her son Track, who is in the Army, and has served in Iraq, but there is more to it than that. Sarah was the Commander-In-Chief of the Alaska National Guard, a very active Guard, and one that is permanently deployed.

Her job was not just ceremonial. Sarah Palin was an active C-I-C.

She was also Commander-In-Chief of the Alaska Defense Force, and went to battle with the Obama regime when Obama unilaterally decided to cut off the pensions of the remaining ADF veterans of WW II, who fought the Japanese on Alaskan soil, not long after taking office. 

Sarah took swift and decisive action over Obama’s slap to the face of these American heroes, signing legislation to make sure these brave men still got paid, and worked with the Alaska delegation to Congress to eventually overturn Obama’s slight.

All of this points to a solid, dependable Commander-In-Chief, as does the rest of her record, but the event that has really started gaining steam was her recent speech in Norfolk, Virginia where she absolutely ripped Obama to shreds over his foreign policy and national security stances.

You can read our take here.

In this speech she laid out a bold and aggressive agenda of her own.

Sarah also released a transcript of the highlights of her speech on her Facebook blog. It’s that detailed Facebook entry that has everyone sitting up and taking notice.. It’s a powerful indictment of the Obama regime, but also serves to remind people (and wake some up to the fact) that Sarah Palin has a keen strategic mind, and not just for politics, but for policy.

Sarah is not a boring policy wonk. She is not one of those folks that walk around sounding like an encyclopedia, and thank God for that! Sarah’s skill lies in being able to take all of the pertinent information, lay it out, and see the big picture. She is able to see cause and effect. There are precious few people in our world who are really capable of this.

Anyhow, we’ve known this all along. The big story here is all of the chattering class, the pundits, are starting to realize this as well, and her Facebook blog is receiving rave reviews.

One such pundit is Mark Whittington:

Sarah Palin usually uses her Facebook page to offer brief, pithy comments on issues of the day, or to respond to the latest attacks. But, Palin has now offered one of the most sophisticated analyses of Obama's defense and foreign policy ever published.

The post, based upon a recent speech in Virginia, covers a variety of points about what passes for Obama's defense and foreign policy.

On defense spending and the budget deficit, Palin suggests that Obama is practicing fiscal discipline on defense alone, and is being profligate everywhere else: "This administration may be willing to cut defense spending, but it's increasing it everywhere else. I think we should do it the other way round: cut spending in other departments - apart from defense. We should not be cutting corners on our national security."

Sarah Palin zeroes in on the Navy as especially important to American national security: "Our Navy has global responsibilities. It patrols sea lanes and safeguards the freedoms of our allies - and ourselves. The Navy right now only has 286 ships, and that number may decrease. That will limit our options, extend tours for Navy personnel, lessen our ability to secure our allies and deter our adversaries. The Obama administration seems strangely unconcerned about this prospect."

Palin also attacks the Obama administration for its somewhat weaselly language concerning the War On Terror, refusing to use the term "Islamic" to describe terrorists. She strikes at the proposal to close Guantanamo, imposing an end date on the Afghan Campaign, and the plan to try terrorists like Khalid Sheik Mohammed in civilian courts.

But, the most damning part of Sarah Palin's polemic against Obama defense and foreign policy is the President's tendency to coddle enemies and spurn allies, which she quotes a Czech official as being "enemy centric."

On coddling enemies, "Meanwhile, the Obama Administration reaches out to some of the world's worst regimes. They shake hands with dictators like Hugo Chavez, send letters to the Iranian mullahs and envoys to North Korea, ease sanctions on Cuba and talk about doing the same with Burma. That's when they're not on one of their worldwide apology tour."

And, on the Obama tendency to slam allies: "They escalated a minor zoning issue in Jerusalem into a major dispute with our most important ally in the Middle East, Israel. They treated the Israeli Prime Minister shabbily in Washington. When a Turkish sponsored flotilla threatened to violate a legal Israeli blockade of Hamas-run Gaza, the Obama Administration was silent. When Israeli commandos were assaulted as they sought to prevent unmonitored cargoes from being delivered to Hamas terrorists, the Obama Administration sent signals it might allow a UN investigation into the matter - an investigation that would be sure to condemn our ally Israel and bemoan the plight of Hamas. Loyal NATO allies in central Europe were undermined by the cancellation of a missile defense program with virtually no warning."

Why is President Obama making these mistakes? Sarah Palin has an explanation:

"When asked whether he believed in American exceptionalism, President Obama answered, 'I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism.' Amazing. Amazing."

"I think this statement speaks volumes about his world view. He sees nothing unique in the American experience? Really? Our founding, and our founding mothers and fathers? Really? And our history over the past two and half centuries?"

This has caused President Obama to be reluctant to embrace America's role as the dominant super power in the world, to perhaps even think that America as a great power is something pernicious.

One thing that Palin's analysis of Obama defense and foreign policy should lay to rest forever is the notion of Sarah Palin as brainless bimbo, the caricature first performed by Saturday Night Live's Tina Fey and used by political comedians like John Stewart and Bill Maher. The analysis shows a depth of understanding of the problems with the Obama administration's foreign and defense policies that far exceed most people's understanding.

And, yet, it is Obama who is considered the smart one. One gets the feeling that American national security would be in far better hands if they belonged to the hockey mom from Wasilla than they are now in the hands of the Harvard Law graduate.

We most certainly agree. It’s interesting to note that the other so-called leaders, in the GOP 2012 presidential derby, are all quite conspicuous by their absence on these issues. No one is holding Obama’s feet to the fire but Sarah Palin.

In case you missed her speech:







Obviously Sarah has her own style of delivery, and her own vocabulary, but when I see her give speeches like this .... I am reminded of another great leader: Ronald Reagan.

Like Reagan, Sarah is able to see the big picture, see threats to Liberty and Freedom, take these complex issues and then distill them all down to a simple, but effective and coherent vision of a workable plan.

America needs leadership. Solid, dependable, intelligent leadership. For this, we must look to the North Star. It will be the daughter of our 49th state, the moose hunter, hockey mom, and former Governor of the last frontier, who will lead this nation back to it greatness. It will be Sarah Palin who will make sure that America is always that shining city on a hill.

Sarah Speaks Out: A Post by Conservative Girl with a Voice

Last night Sarah wowed Hong Kong as she spoke from the heart. Like many of you, I anticipated this speech at the conference sponsored by the investment firm CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, and I prayed that God would guide her as she addressed the crowd. While the speech was closed to reporters (which is not uncommon), the AP was lucky enough to get a copy of the speech from an attendee who videotaped it. Although the speech was closed to the press, a few attendees were nice enough to tweet as Sarah spoke (without a teleprompter I might add). What an amazing technological world we live in. It was so fun to be able to read the tweets of those lucky enough to get a seat to the event. A couple of individuals who tweeted from the event were Cameron Sinclair (@casinclair) and @cellomonkey. Since the speech aired at 9:30 p.m. Pacific time, it was nice that I got to share this great experience with so many of my twitter friends and followers. While so many look down upon social network sites like Twitter and Facebook, the power and influence these websites hold are undeniable. Sarah even mentioned how much she loves Twitter and Facebook at the close of her appearance.




As I read each tweet, the two individuals tweeted, I saw the Sarah so many of us have come to know and love. According to an article from The Wall Street Journal, Sarah cited two former leaders, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, as guides for how to get out of the current economic situation we find ourselves in. As she spoke, she held firm to the common sense ideals that are so desperately needed during these turbulent political times. In doing so, Sarah discussed important issues like health care and the current budget deficit; she also spoke of China. While speaking, Sarah remained vigilant in her belief that the Obama Administration is spending too much and growing the size of government:

"We got into this mess because of government interference in the first place.... We're not interested in government fixes, we're interested in freedom (The Wall Street Journal)."




In discussing health care, Sarah defended her previous statements about the "death panels" and blasted the government for thinking it can be successful when it has shown that it hasn't been in the past:

"It's just common sense that government attempts to solve problems like [the] health care problem will just create new problems (The Wall Street Journal)."




She also discussed the way in which real health care reform can be achieved by calling for "market friendly" reform in the form of tax breaks to individuals so that they can go out and purchase their own plans. In the past, she has also argued that individuals should be able to buy health insurance outside state lines, which in turn would drive down health care costs.




In terms of foreign policy, Sarah reiterated her message that we must continue the global fight against the war on terror, and according to The Wall Street Journal:

"Her speech marks an effort to reach out to an international audience and define her political identity since resigning from office earlier this year. Ms. Palin is among a handful of high-profile Republicans seeking a path back to power for a party that lost control of both houses of Congress and White House in last year's U.S. elections"




While this is true, it is also important to note that Sarah didn't place sole blame on the Democratic Party. She blamed both parties for the budget deficit and excessive spending. Sarah also blasted the Federal Reserve as The Wall Street Journal reports:

"Ms. Palin blamed the U.S. Federal Reserve's low interest-rate policy of previous years for setting the stage for last year's global financial crisis. She opposed appointing the Fed as the chief overseer of systemic risk in the U.S. financial system. 'The words fox and henhouse come to mind. The Fed's decisions have created the bubble.'"




Well said, Sarah. In bailing out banks and auto makers, the United State's government is walking down a slippery slope of full-on government control, which suggests Progressivism and opens the door to socialism.




Perhaps my favorite part of the speech was when she spoke of two greats: Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. These two individuals are big heroes in my book because they illustrate the phenomenal traits of what it is to be successful leaders. According to The Wall Street Journal:

"She described her political philosophy as a 'common-sense conservatism,' and said the free-market policies of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher should be guides for how to get out of the current economic situation. 'Liberalism holds that there is no human problem that government can't fix if only the right people are put in charge,' she said"




When the government begins to have greater control over our lives, where is the stopping point? One does not have to look far to see that the government seems to mess up every industry it comes into contact with. Examples include the Post Office, car industry and banks. Sarah is not afraid to say it like it is, which is so refreshing during a time in which it is hard to believe any politician. It seems that as soon as politicians arrive in Washington, they forget about those whom they were elected to serve, as Sarah would put it, us folks on "Mainstreet U.S.A."




Overall, the reports by the msm have been favorable toward the job Sarah did in giving the speech. Sarah not only proved that she is not going anywhere, but that she is in it for the long haul. Furthermore, she is going to continue to dominate the 24-hour news cycle whenever she she speaks out on issues that concern us "Mainstreet U.S.A." folks. As I read and let my Twitter friends and followers know about @casinclair and @cellomonkey"s tweets, I was lucky enough to receive the following tweet from Cameron Sinclair (@casinclair), who is also scheduled to speak at the conference:

@rachellefriberg OK speech with occasional hits. Interesting Palin attacked GOP more than Dems.




Like many, I view her speech as more than "OK," but I do agree with the point Sinclair made regarding Sarah attacking Republicans more than she did Democrats. I tweeted Mr. Sinclair back the following tweet:

@casinclair Thanks so much 4 tweeting us updates-I know that took a lot of fast-thinking :) I really admire Palin's independent streak.




Sarah is not afraid to speak out. She could care less about party because she cares more about speaking the truth and keeping our elected officials honest. Just because politicians have a "D" or "R" after their names, does not mean that they are right or wrong 100% of the time. It is important that we care less about what party someone belongs to and more about what they are actually say and believe. While Sinclair personally tweeted me last night, The New York Times published a story about Sarah's speech in which they said:

"Cameron Sinclair, another speaker at the event, said Mrs. Palin emphasized the need for a grassroots rebirth of the Republican Party driven by party leaders outside Washington."




While it is true Sinclair said this, he didn't say it to The New York Times, as he tweeted earlier today; instead, Sinclair posted the above comment over on his Facebook page. Isn't The New York Times sneaky? While I can say that I did directly hear from Sinclair himself, The New York Times did not. How awesome is that? I guess this paper did not or could not get into contact with Sinclair, so they took took it upon themselves to get the information directly from his Facebook page. I find it pretty cool that a normal everyday blogger like myself personally communicated with Sinclair, while a major newspaper could not. Man, oh man, how I love the power of Twitter.




In closing, I have to say how proud I am of Sarah and how honored I am to be one of her many supporters. Once again, Sarah spoke from the heart her valuable common sense message. She reiterated what we already know: Sarah is a woman who does not walk with the Washington herd. She is a true maverick who is saying and doing great things. Even though many do not always agree with her, it is clear they take notice whenever she speaks. In speaking on the same day as President Obama, she gave me hope, while the president did not. Sarah actually gave some remedies as to how we can heal our nation, while President Obama seemed to imply a one-world order in which we will all be on the same playing field, which is a scary thought given the power America holds. We are a country that is based of capitalism, the engine that drives our economy. We should be proud of our country. Why should we sacrifice any of this?




Many countries are oppressed and do not have the freedoms we, in America, have. What is so wrong with saying we are a great, strong country? What is so wrong with being proud? What is so wrong with supporting other countries such as Israel? While Obama apologizes for the actions of America, Sarah has always been proud to be an American and proud of what America stands for. This is so apparent in the way in which she speaks time and time again about America and those of us who live here. This is the kind of leader I want. This is the kind of leader I want speaking out for me. Sarah is a woman who is not afraid to speak of the love she has for her country. She is also not afraid to speak out on how American policy can be improved. Sarah's straight- shooting style is a refreshing change of pace from the ever-growing politics-as-usual mindset.



(I'm a Conservative Girl with a Voice!!! Visit my blog and become a follower: http://www.conservativegirlwithavoice.com. I'm on Twitter too @rachellefriberg)

Palin in Hong Kong

By Shane Vander Hart

In a speech that I thought Governor Sarah Palin was giving today, but then I remembered that today was yesterday in Hong Kong… and tomorrow is today, sigh – darned International Date Line.  Some excerpts of her speech at the CLSA Asia Pacific Markets Conference posted on WSJ’s Washington Wire:

A few snippets… you can read the rest there.

On Conservatism:

You can call me a common-sense conservative. My approach to the issues facing my country and the world, issues that we’ll discuss today, are rooted in this common-sense conservatism… Common sense conservatism deals with the reality of the world as it is. Complicated and beautiful, tragic and hopeful, we believe in the rights and the responsibilities and the inherent dignity of the individual.

We don’t believe that human nature is perfectible; we’re suspicious of government efforts to fix problems because often what it’s trying to fix is human nature, and that is impossible. It is what it is. But that doesn’t mean that we’re resigned to, well, any negative destiny. Not at all. I believe in striving for the ideal, but in realistic confines of human nature…

Regarding our financial crisis:

Lack of government wasn’t the problem. Government policies were the problem. The marketplace didn’t fail. It became exactly as common sense would expect it to. The government ordered the loosening of lending standards. The Federal Reserve kept interest rates low. The government forced lending institutions to give loans to people who, as I say, couldn’t afford them. Speculators spotted new investment vehicles, jumped on board and rating agencies underestimated risks.

On Cap-and-Tax:

American jobs in every industry will be threatened by the rising cost of doing business under this cap-and-tax plan. The cost of farming will certainly increase. That’s going to drive up the cost of groceries and drive down farm incomes. The cost of manufacturing, warehousing and transportation will also rise. We are all going to feel the effects. The Americans hardest hit will be those who are already struggling to make ends meet today, much less with this new tax every month…

On China:

The more politically open and just China is, the more Chinese citizens of every ethnic group will be able to settle disputes in court rather than on the streets. The more open it is, the less we’ll be concerned about its military buildup and its intentions. The more transparent China is, the more likely it is that they will find a true and lasting friendship based on shared values as well as interests. And I’m not talking about a U.S.-led democracy crusade. [We’re] not going to impose our values on other countries. We don’t seek to do that. But the ideas of freedom and liberty and respect for human rights, it’s not just a U.S. idea. They’re very much more than that. They’re enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and many other international covenants and treaties.

Be sure to read the whole post over at Washington Wire.

Josh Painter posted on early reaction to her speech from people who expressed their thoughts using social media.  The New York Times wrote a rare positive article on her speech:

A number of people who heard the speech in a packed hotel ballroom, which was closed to the media, said Mrs. Palin spoke from notes for 90 minutes and that she was articulate, well-prepared and even compelling.

“The speech was wide-ranging, very balanced, and she beat all expectations,” said Doug A. Coulter, head of private equity in the Asia-Pacific region for LGT Capital Partners…

…A number of attendees thought Mrs. Palin, the former vice presidential candidate, was using the speech to begin to broaden her foreign policy credentials before making a run for the presidency in 2012.

“She’s definitely a serious future presidential candidate, and I understand why she plays so well in middle America,” said Mr. Coulter, a Canadian….

…Melvin Goodé, a regional marketing consultant, thought Mrs. Palin chose Hong Kong because, he said, it was “a place where things happen and where freedom can be expanded upon.”

“It’s not Beijing or Shanghai,” said Mr. Goodé . “She also mentioned Tibet, Burma and North Korea in the same breath as places where China should be more sensitive and careful about how people are treated. She said it on a human-rights level.”

Mr. Goodé, an African-American who said he did some campaign polling for President Obama, said Mrs. Palin mentioned President Obama three times on Wednesday.

“And there was nothing derogatory in it, no sleight of hand, and believe me, I was listening for that,” he said, adding that Mrs. Palin referred to Mr. Obama as “our president,” with the emphasis on “our.”

Mr. Goodé, a New Yorker who said he would never vote for Mrs. Palin, said she acquitted herself well.

“They really prepared her well,” he said. “She was articulate and she held her own. I give her credit. They’ve tried to categorize her as not being bright. She’s bright.”

Then the Wall Street Journal in an Op/Ed posted this afternoon says that Governor Palin understand Beijing better than the Obama Administration does.

Mrs. Palin sees China's authoritarian nature as a security concern for the U.S. and its allies in Asia-Pacific, and she has a point. North Korea, Burma and other rogue regimes couldn't sustain themselves without Chinese support. Not to mention the hundreds of missiles Beijing has pointed at Taiwan and its navy's increasingly muscular attitude in the South China Sea…

…Mrs. Palin also espoused the value of alliances with like-minded democratic countries in the region such as Japan, Australia and India. The U.S. "can, must and should" work with China to address issues of "mutual concern," she said. "But we also need to work with our allies in addressing the uncertainties created by China's rise."

The Obama Administration could take a page from this book. So far, the White House has gone out of its way to downplay human rights in China and tiptoe around recent crackdowns in Tibet and Xinjiang, preferring to focus on hipper issues like climate change. This "don't ask, don't tell" approach to Beijing does no favors to the Chinese people, much less to the West's core interests in Asia. At the same time, America's other alliances in the region have been largely ignored. (read the whole article)

Well done Governor Palin in your debut on the paid speaker’s circuit.  A good step in building up foreign policy cred.

Shane Vander Hart is the editor of Caffeinated Thoughts.  You can follow him on Twitter and also friend him on Facebook.

Washington Speakers Bureau Confirmed

News reports that Governor Palin has retained the Washington Speakers Bureau exclusively to handle her commercial speaking ventures are correct and verified true (Speakers, 2009, ¶1).

Commentary

This is a significant accomplishment item for Governor Palin on many levels. First, no ordinary individual can sign up with a speaker's bureau. A speaker must have some cachet that will bring the bureau revenue. A person who earns a substantial honorarium must be an expert in oral communication. Despite claims by her enemies, Governor Palin is an expert speaker, and the Washington Speakers Bureau recognizes her expertise. Governor Palin has more than earned this honor.

Her association with this bureau also reflects Sarah Palin's recognition that the high volume of invitations she has received warrants a staff whose profession is speaking events management. The role of SarahPAC after all is to be a Political Action Committee. Involvement with all the details pertaining to even one invitation distracts from a PAC's core function. Retaining the Washington Speaker's Bureau was a wise decision.

Finally, the top flight speaking engagements Governor Palin will conduct via the Washington Speakers Bureau will give her more global experience. The forthcoming speech in Hong Kong is just one example of this and could be a defining moment in her career. As Gary P. Jackson spent considerable time in his entry, and as was documented soon after the inception of Accomplishments, Governor Palin already has significant foreign policy and foreign trade experience. Meetings with foreign dignitaries were routine for her. As previously documented, Alaska had $3.6 billion in exports and that was considered a "bad year." Anchorage is the midpoint on air routes to places such as Hong Kong, and Tokyo. This speaking engagement will give Governor Palin foreign trade experience -- from Hong Kong's perspective. She will gain first-hand knowledge of another culture, language and customs that simply does not come alive from binders and books. Each carefully chosen engagement in a foreign country will give her that country's perspective.

Hong Kong is especially fitting, for it is a Special Administrative Region in the People's Republic of China. Hong Kong works so well that Communist China left that city's capitalist system intact! This speaks volumes as to the stark difference between Governor Palin and the current tenant of the White House, who is an unabashed Marxist.

Each engagement is preparatory work for doing something she is used to doing, but on a much larger scale. A governor after all is essentially President, CEO, and Commander-in-Chief of a state. With her retention of the Washington Speakers Bureau and these speaking engagements, Governor Palin will be even more prepared to be President Palin.....

References

SARAH PALIN: Selects Washington Speakers Bureau for exclusive representation. (n.d.). "Speaker News." Washington Speakers Bureau. Retrieved September 3, 2009 from: http://www.washingtonspeakers.com/news/speaker_news.cfm?Id=320

Confirmed: Sarah Palin To Be Keynote Speaker At CLSA Investor's Forum In Hong Kong

Yes, I know, I am a tad late, but, as is policy, we don’t talk about Sarah Palin’s schedule unless Sarah or her spokeswoman, Meg Stapleton, has verified that Sarah is indeed going somewhere.

There are just too many flaky promoters using Sarah’s name to sell tickets, without a verification from Sarah, who then try to blame her when she doesn’t show at an event she had never committed to in the first place. So we are not going to help them with that scam.

As we reported earlier, Sarah has almost 1100 invitations to speak at events, both paid and unpaid. Her attorney, Robert Bennett, announced this week that she is almost finished writing her book, so is now accepting invitations. Sarah will speak to various groups on a variety of issues that matter to America, and the world.

Sarah will also be speaking on behalf conservative candidates that share her vision for America, as well as for various charities, like those who support special needs children, and the military and their families.

Sarah will be speaking in Hong Kong at the CLSA Investor’s Forum, an annual conference of global investment managers. Previous speakers at the event include President Bill Clinton, Alan Greenspan, and Al Gore. The forum is sponsored by the CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.

Their company spokeswoman Simone Wheeler said in a statement:

"Our keynote speakers are notable luminaries who often address topics that go beyond traditional finance such as geopolitics,".

"We just felt it would be a fabulous opportunity for CLSA clients to hear from Mrs. Palin," Wheeler said, adding that CLSA approached Sarah with the offer.

Those who follow Sarah Palin know she has a lot of foreign trade experience to draw from. Obviously, Palin worked close with the Canadian government to put together her signature achievement, the natural gas pipeline, but she has had many dealings with nations throughout the South Pacific as well as Russia and Canada.

Back in January of this year, as part of the big kick off to Alaska’s 50^th birthday celebration, Sarah hosted a large contingent of dignitaries including Sergey Kislyak, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the United States, who was making his first visit to Alaska.

Ambassador Kislyak proclaimed:

"I am so pleased to be here this weekend. As discussed in my meeting with Governor Palin, it is encouraging to note the similarities between Alaska and the Russian Far East. Our existing commercial connections and the mutually beneficial nature of our professional partnerships can only help provide a measure of stability as, together, we face the global economic challenges that lie ahead."

Others attending the event were Yuri Gerasin, Consul General of the Russian Federation; Julian Evans, British Consul General; John Mataira, Consul General of New Zealand; Balazs Bokor, Consul General of Hungary; Sten Arne Rosnes, Consul General of Norway; Haryong Lee, Consul General of Korea; Fred Santos, Consul of The Philippines; Mel Knight, Alberta's Minister of Energy; Marvin Schneider, Alberta's Executive Director of the U.S. and Americas; and Haijun Wang, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of China's Heilongjiang Province. Mr. Wang is leading a four-person delegation from Heilongjiang Province, a sister province to Alaska, and China's northernmost region.

Members of the Alaska consular corps also participating in the weekend events were: Karen Matthias, of Canada; Hideo Fujita, of Japan; Hee-chul Kim, of South Korea; and Jose Luis Cuevas, of Mexico. They will be joined by honorary consuls of the Czech Republic, Poland, Finland, Seychelles, and Norway.

Obviously, we are happy to see that Sarah is starting to accept speaking engagements. This is a very great way for her to get her message out to the world, make a lot of new friends, and build relationships.

It’s a good to remember that many leaders do this. Former Vice President Richard Nixon, after losing to John Kennedy in 1960, went on the speaking circuit and used that to propel him into the White House, and the great Ronald Reagan was a prolific speaker taking many engagements both before he became Governor of California as well as afterward. This helped Reagan become President of the United States, as well.

Below is the press release from the CLSA:

Hong Kong, 31 August 2009 - CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, Asia's leading independent brokerage and investment group, will host the former Governor of Alaska and Republican vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, in her first international speaking engagement outside North America.

Palin will address CLSA clients and delegates in a keynote speech at the 16th CLSA Investors’ Forum to be held in Hong Kong from 21-25 September. Palin joins a list of noted global leaders including Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Alan Greenspan who have chosen the CLSA Investors’ Forum as their platform of choice to reach global institutional fund managers and CEO’s of Asia’s leading listed corporations.

CLSA Chairman and CEO Jonathan Slone said: "As the first female governor of Alaska and the youngest person ever elected governor of that state, Palin has broken new ground in US politics and we are delighted that she will make her first visit to Asia to present at the CLSA Investors’ Forum."

"CLSA consistently sets the benchmark for original and thought-provoking content, and aims to present global political and industry leaders whose policies and platforms have influenced global markets."

Joining Palin, are more than 40 keynote and specialist speakers including Niall Ferguson, Harvard professor and author of the bestseller The Ascent of Money; Robert Fisk, Middle east correspondent for The Independent and one of the few Western journalists to have interviewed Osama bin Laden; Sir Ken Robinson author of The Element: How finding your passion changes everything; Satyajit Das author of Traders, Guns and Money; David Roche, economic and political analyst; and Marc Faber, investment contrarian and author of Tomorrow’s Gold.

Now in its 16th year, the CLSA Investors’ Forum is Asia’s premier investment conference providing unrivalled corporate access to 1300 global fund managers from 32 countries, representing more than US$10trillion in funds under management. Over five days, they meet with more than 400 CEOs and CIOs of Asia’s leading listed corporations in 2500 group and private meetings. Simultaneously, a seven-track schedule offers over 200 keynote, specialist, CLSA analyst and corporate presentations.

The CLSA Investors’ Forum is CLSA’s annual flagship event and one of six held throughout the year. Participation is by invitation only.