Alan Caruba: What We Have Here is a Failure to Negotiate

Warning Signs  ..."The decision of the Democratic members of the Congressional Super Committee to refuse further discussion of revenue issues is a failure to negotiate."....
"When the news was reported on Wednesday that the Democratic members had walked away from the negotiation table, I picked up the phone to ask for his reaction.
" “We live in an era when the conventional wisdom is that compromise is the goal,” said Camp. “The real goal is a valid mission and purpose. What’s missing is that the committee as a whole is not focused on the real mission which is the best result for the American people and the nation. Instead, their goal is political gamesmanship, a massive over-reach by both parties to the negotiation.” "....
....
"Refusing to negotiate makes sense only if Democrats are positioning themselves to blame the Republicans for the failure to avoid another potential down-grade of the nation's credit rating. It's not the truth, but the truth is often a rare commodity in politics.
" “What we are witnessing,” said Camp, “is a textbook definition of incompetence.” "
(Emphasis added)

Below: there appears to be a theme here...

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/

Nov 10th: Happy Birthday, Marines!

Marines.com  Pictured at right: the first impression a kid gets when entering the Marines.
 Their first words to us were, "If you're chewing gum, swallow it!" The next thing we were told was, "The first and last words out of your mouth will be 'sir'! Do you hear me?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"You will call my dog "sir" because even he outranks you. Understand?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"   TD.

"Manila" John Basilone - America's Hero - The Sergeant York of WWII "When Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone voluntarily returned to the Pacific war it would be on the sands of Iwo Jima 19, February, 1945. At the head of another machine gun squad, he would drive hundreds of frightened raw troops off the beaches toward their assigned objectives. Iwo would be his toughest fight. Barely on the island two hours, he was killed leading his men."

"Gunnery Sergeant Manila John Basilone was the only Marine in WWII to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross."  HBO's "The Pacific" featured Sgt Basilone.

Our first sight of Sgt. Basilone's name was seeing the street running past our training area at Camp Pendleton that was named after him. TD

From 2009: Missing Marine Dead Discovered on Tarawa "The remains of more than 100 marines who were killed during the battle of Tarawa appear to have been discovered in mass graves on the tiny Pacific atoll, according to a group that conducted a search with ground-penetrating radar this fall."  OVERVIEW OF THE ASSAULT ON TARAWA  Some aerial photos here.

 aerial view of Betio looking southeast on the afternoon of 20 November 1943.

The island is covered with smoke and haze from the battle. US Navy Photo

Tunnel Dweller's old outfit: Alpha Company, 2nd Marine Rgt , 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, NC .  Highest rank at discharge: Corporal.
Our drill instructors were veterans of Korea. The boots who followed us went to Vietnam. One will always wonder: would I have been the kind of Marine that so many of those men before and after us were?


 Here is an excellent Marine wife's blog. She needs to update it, however.

Korea, 1950:  The Inchon Landings:  "Still, we were almost all Regulars. All senior officers and most senior Navy POs and Marine NCOs were WWII veterans. The battalion assaulting Wolmi were fresh from victory over North Korea's toughest at 1st and 2nd Naktong. Justified or not, we had infinite confidence."

 Chosin Reservoir  "Windrich was also wounded in the head by a bursting grenade.  As blood gushed down his shoulder and back he moved his remaining men into a tight fire group.   Then he ran to the company command post, drafting a small group of volunteers, and led them to evacuate the dying and wounded.   Assuming command of what was left of a platoon, Windrich once more took up defensive positions.  Now shot in both legs, he kept fighting, always refusing medical attention.  For a long time he crawled in the snow, back and forth between his men shouting words of encouragement, deploying his forces and helping to throw back the attackers."

Ron Paul's position on a nuclear Iran: speak softly and carry a big bouquet

Rich Terrell shows it with pictures:

IAEA says Iran on the brink of nukes; Ron Paul says 'offer friendship'    " "When asked on "Fox News Sunday" what he would do to deter Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions, Paul said "maybe offering friendship to them." "   Here is the video of the Chris Wallace interview on Fox News Sunday.

Heritage: The Debate Over Iran  "Though not surprising, the news is nonetheless alarming. A nuclear Iran poses a significant threat to the United States and its allies in the region, yet to date the Obama Administration’s response has fallen far short. Heritage’s James Phillips explains, ”The new IAEA report  also should inject a greater sense of urgency into the Obama Administration over Iran’s accelerating nuclear efforts.” He also details the White House’s inadequate posture to date:"...

American Enterprise Institute:  The IAEA’s report on an Iranian nuclear bomb was predictable and inevitable.  "Rather than confront the Islamic Republic on its cheating, he coached Iranian officials on their public diplomacy. He also repeatedly ignored mounting evidence of secret Iranian facilities until these were publicly exposed by other means. ElBaradei was an ideologue empowered by the international community to pursue a personal agenda. His Nobel Prize is just one more shame upon the Norwegian Nobel Committee."

 Haaretz.com: Iran able to build nuclear bomb within months   "Experts conclude nuclear weapons engineers from Russia, Pakistan and North Korea have been assisting Iranian scientists in their efforts to reach nuclear capability."

 Ed Lasky:    Obama promoted two of the three 'experts' who dismissed the nuclear threat from Iran in 2007  "In the Obama administration, nothing succeeds like failure. He rewards people who are politically useful to him, regardless of the damage they cause to America or the world."

Bosch Fawstin:  Useful Infidel Ron Paul and "Friends"  "Ron Paul speaks of offering American friendship to the greatest state sponsor of terrorism on earth that has American blood on its hands and that wants to wipe Israel off the map. And its "theme song" is "DEATH TO AMERICA!" This is why I call Ron Paul "The Jihadist's Candidate" "

Right: Ronnie and Machie; things are all better now, see?.

DEBKAfile has a wealth of commentary

From Jihad Watch : Iranian supreme leader calls for formation of "international Islamic power bloc" Make friends with these people...quick!

From the Council on Foreign Relations:  Why Obama Should Highlight Iran's Human Rights Abuses  Yeah, right. Like that's going to happen.

Hanson: Who Are These Fat-Cat Few at the Top?

Victor Davis Hanson  "So do we really want to go down this them-vs.-us road? Using a new financial red line to crudely divide us is a tricky business. Those most likely to fly in corporate jets are precisely the elite who show up at the president’s mega-fundraisers and play golf with him on the world’s most exclusive courses — or visit Martha’s Vineyard and Vail, where the first family sometimes vacations. They don’t all wear pinstripes and Gucci, but may hang out at Occupy Wall Street rallies as actors, rappers, and filmmakers in jeans and baseball caps.
"In a larger sense, we should remember a few things about the new orchestrated envy of, and animosity toward, the better-off. Most Americans each day depend on our medical care, our retirement packages, our food, our gas, and our computers from exactly these “few at the top” who seem to enrich rather than prey on society."

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2011/11/04/93339

Sarkozy admits he 'can't stand' Israeli premier. Obama: You're fed up with him? I have to deal with him every day! (Updated)

YNET  "The surprising lack of coverage may be explained by a report alleging that journalists present at the event were requested to sign an agreement to keep mum on the embarrassing comments. A Reuters reporter was among the journalists present and can confirm the veracity of the comments.
"A member of the media confirmed Monday that "there were discussions between journalists and they agreed not to publish the comments due to the sensitivity of the issue." "

FT.com  "John McCain, the influential senator and Republican presidential candidate in 2008, said that the reported conversation was “indicative of some of the policies towards Israel that this administration has been part of”. "

Israel Matzav  "Someone needs to put in Barack Hussein Obama's campaign notes for 2012 not to meet with French President Nicolai Sarkozy. As you can see from the picture [left] and the post below, Sarkozy brings out the worst in Obama."

"The French website which broke the story is here. Here's a translation of it that someone sent me."
Nétanyahou "menteur" : la conversation secrète Obama-Sarkozy  "As an aside, isn't it amusing that Google translated le President Americain as "Bush"?"

The Hill: GOP lawmaker says Obama should apologize to Netanyahu   "Grimm's call for Obama to apologize falls in line with the GOP's overall response to the comments. Republicans in the past have capitalized on a somewhat tense relationship between Obama and Netanyahu on Paliestine and argued that Obama could be a better ally to Israel.
"Over Twitter, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said that Obama does not want to work with Israel so "let's elect someone who will." "

Gingrich Schools NBC's Curry on Liberal Media Obsession With Cain Controversy

Newsbusters  "Well, that will be up to the American people. If they conclude that anonymous allegations from people who don't want to be identified, involving purely civil activities, that the American people could well decide that they want a solution-oriented leader more than they want a scandal. I think it has probably surprised most professionals that Herman has done as well as he has over the last week, but we'll see if this has legs or not. I think he's got to handle it his own way."

Obama as president, foreign and domestic

Updated: Herman Cain pictured and discussed

The update by Alana Goodman:  Legitimate Questions About Cain’s Accuser 

"Information is already coming out that could potentially raise questions about her motives. For example, she has a history of financial troubles and legal accusations:"...

In exploring all this, we must be careful not to treat Bialek in the same sleazy way Clinton's people -especially James Carville- treated the women who came out against his actions. But we also do not want to treat Mr. Cain as those same people treated Ken Starr. This article concludes with these words:

"Unfortunately, some Cain supporters have taken the criticism of Bialek to another level entirely by engaging in personal, sexist attacks. This was deplorable when Clinton’s supporters did it to his accusers, and it shouldn’t be tolerated by conservatives today."

___________________________

What Clinton would say...

What Clinton would do...
Publish this: Witness: Cain accuser hugged him during Tea Party meeting a month ago  

The Cain Encounter ...
They hugged each other backstage in a full embrace like old friends.
She grabbed his arm and whispered in his left ear.

She kept talking as he bent to listen, and he kept saying “Uh, huh. Uh, huh.”

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/

Neal Boortz: Herman Cain's new accuser:   "Then, as now, Allred was concerned about one thing … promoting Gloria Allred.  Every single time we had a NARTSH convention we would know that at some time Gloria Allred was going to stage some sort of a publicity stunt to promote herself… usually during the awards luncheon."....

"Let’s add to the mix the fact that Allred is a stalwart leftist Democrat. "....

Now I’ve known Herman Cain for a number of years as well … though not 20. I am absolutely confident in the man’s character and honesty. I truly believe that his affable personality and consistent good humor was the impetus for those sexual harassment situations in the ‘90s. Some women had incredibly large chips on their shoulders – and were just waiting for any excuse at all to scream abuse.

"As for Gloria Allred’s blonde? I will predict that this will be shown to be a complete fraud. We’ll see."

American Thinker: What Can Herman Cain Do, What Must He Do, What Should He Do?

"What he must do is gather up a couple of dozen very attractive women (for reference, please view a photo of his accuser, Ms. Bialek) who will state clearly, and for the record, that they worked with Herman Cain here, there and everywhere else with absolutely no hint of such behavior. If he were a serial predator, he'd be rather hard pressed to find 24 women who could make such a statement."

Brit Hume Calls Herman Cain’s Political Survival Over Sex Scandal ‘Almost Impossible’

Neil Braithwaite: Herman Cain: The mask is off  "Basically, Herman Cain's supporters seem to have a great deal of respect and trust for the man. They see him for what he has made himself out to be and are rewarding him with their loyal support.
"If nothing else, Herman Cain has been a breath of fresh air in the polluted atmosphere of Washington politics - and many Americans were just beginning to breath it all in."

“You need someone like me in Washington,”: Romney’s curious timing in his support for abortion

donkeyhotey

Collins Report  "During a September 2002 meeting with NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts Willard Romney made this implied promise, “You need someone like me in Washington.” "Both Willard and the baby killing ghouls of NARAL knew what was being discussed. He was running for Governor of Massachusetts and clearly looking past his anticipated victory to a day when he could stop pretending he cared about pro-life issues and show his true devotion to their “cause” from the White House."

And the article has this to say about Romneycare: 

"True to his promises to the abortionists in 2006 Romney passed his universal health care plan now known as Romneycare because it became the model for Obamacare. The language of the bill included increased state funds for abortions and Planned Parenthood was named as an overseer of the plan."

about.com/

Those who produce and those who don't

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/2011/11/08/93412

Herman Cain discussed

Politico's story  Quite specific with disturbing detail. Lucky for her she didn't try this with a Democrat. Via Lucianne

Conservative Daily News  "Bialek seemed confident, well-spoken and quite put-together.  She did not carry an air of fake desperation or duplicity, but she was also rather emotionless considering she was speaking of such a disturbing event.  The press conference seems to raise more questions than answers."

The Cain Mutiny: Good Questions, Dumb Questions  "As Andrew Klavan wrote earlier today, the world is as unfair as you think it is. Clinton, Kennedy(s), John Edwards…they all get away with their activities for a time because the press covers for them. We all know this. It’s baked into today’s political reality. The press that has run thinly sourced stories against John McCain ...Ricky Perry ...and Herman Cain while covering for Democrat after Democrat is not to be assumed to be a neutral player. It isn’t fair, but that doesn’t mean conservative blogs should try to out-do the MSM at its own game. It’s immoral, and we can’t.

"A presidential candidate who is worth your time and support not only knows all this, but understands it and factors it into their campaign."

Andrew Klavan:  Why We Should Be Unfair to Herman Cain

"We're from the mainstream media and we're here to help."

"And what if a drunken Republican senator had accidentally dropped a car containing his adultery mate into the water? What if he had sauntered back to his hotel to clean up while the poor woman desperately pounded on the car window until she drowned horribly? Would conservatives have re-elected that man? Would they have declared that man “The Lion of the Senate?” The very idea makes one ill. Conservatives would have demanded his arrest and trial with a single voice."....
"And yes, it’s unfair. But there’s a reason it’s unfair—a reason it should be unfair. There’s a reason we right wingers vet our candidates while the left adulates theirs, a reason we condemn our miscreants while the left elevates theirs, a reason our news outlets cover stories that the left covers up."
"The reason is:  we’re the good guys. We have to do what’s right. The left doesn’t. Sorry, but that’s the way it works."  More... 

Is Jon Corzine “Too Big To Be Indicted”?

http://terrellaftermath.com/

Is Jon Corzine “Too Big To Be Indicted”?  "Customer funds are supposed to be sacrosanct. If Corzine and team violated the integrity of these funds which it appears they did, then I believe the fullest extent of the law should be applied. Will it?
"Let’s forget about Corzine and redirect our focus to those who made their living at the firm. How many thousands of innocent individuals and families will now suffer because of the blindness and egos of Corzine and his team?"  Larry Doyle

Corzine’s latest fall