Report: Obama Told Cabinet Heads To “Downplay” Terror Angle After San Bernardino

Nice Deb

The Commander in Chief’s mission at this time of national crisis? Getting his top lieutenants to unite behind a PR strategy to “downplay the terror angle” —  because a terrorist attack on the home front does nothing to advance the Commander in Chief’s agenda.. . . 

" . . . Obama put “immense political pressure” on investigators to avoid using the term “terrorism.”

"Attorney General Loretta Lynch went above and beyond the call of duty when she not only downplayed the terror-angle, but noted that an anti-Muslim backlash was her “greatest fear.” She also made it clear that the Department of Justice was prepared to prosecute people engaging in “anti-Muslim” rhetoric.

. . . "For his own part, Obama stated, “It is possible that this is terrorist related, but we don’t know…It is also possible that this was workplace related.”

. . . "The FBI and local law enforcement were tight-lipped at first, but self respect soon trumped fear of crossing the White House, so the truth came out."

The blogger concludes with these words:

"2016 2017 (!) can not get here quick enough."

 

 

Opening Combat To Females

Blackfive  Entire article posted here:

 "Let me start by saying I don't care about wrappers, or who does what to whom how or when (so long as there is consent).  By wrapper, I mean the outward manifestation that is the amazing human body.  What matters to me is if a person can and does do the job, be it serving in the military or any other occupation, and if they are what I consider a good person.  Yes, that order is deliberate, as I know some people that are great at what they do, but frankly are a------s outside of that.  So long as they don't move beyond being "Do-Che's" as Uncle Jimbo has called it, I would use them for their proven abilities and expertise at need. Being able to do the job is what counts.  Right now, our all-volunteer force is -- in my opinion -- the finest fighting force ever to exist.  It is such because of a combination of training, professionalism, and high standards for any number of specialties, from combat to nuclear engineering/technical operations. That said, there are a lot of people of progressive bent that would like to see that force be eliminated, or otherwise degraded.  Those points being given, the Secretary of Defense has ordered -- over some valid objections -- all military occupation specialties to females.  So, I have one basic question for SecDef Carter:  How does this improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the U.S. Armed Forces?After all, that is the bottom line, is it not?  That one question does raise a host of sub-questions for me. While the order states open to those who meet the current standards, how long before the standards are changed to ensure diversity?  After all, many of those current standards are difficult for females (and a large number of males) to meet.  They were set high for a number of reasons, the majority of which come from experience in what is required to physically and mentally meet the demands of that specialty.  If they are to be changed, what will be the driver for that change, reality or social engineering?  The order also appears to come with a dearth of planning for how to implement this effectively, which often means a number of preventable problems.  My question here is if that is considered a bug or a feature?  Will the problems be used to create real solutions designed to improve the situation, and the effectiveness and efficiency of our forces to do their job of bringing death and destruction to our enemies, or will it be used to enact further changes to appease the Social Justice Warrior crowd?  While I agree with Jonn that many years of study were ignored or wasted, was any review or consideration given to examining the operations of countries that have already allowed females to serve in a variety of combat specialties?  While Israel is not alone in this, most have not allowed females into ALL specialties for a variety of reasons.  If these were not examined or considered in deciding to open to all, why not? To reiterate for the regular trolls and other idiots:  I don't care about the wrapper.  I care about competence.  I would love to have detailed answers from the SecDef to my questions, but estimate the chances of that are on par with my winning both the PowerBall and MegaMillion lotteries this week. Now, what are your thoughts on this? " 

 Endquote

The biggest Pinocchios of 2015

Glenn Kessler

"It’s time for our annual round-up of the biggest Pinocchios of the year.

"The 2016 presidential campaign has dominated our coverage of false claims. In particular, businessman Donald Trump — who has soared to the top of the GOP field — kept us busy. In the space of just six months, he earned 11 Four-Pinocchio ratings, far more than any other candidate.

"Most politicians drop a claim after it has been fact-checked as false. But Trump is unusual in that he always insists he is right, no matter how little evidence he has for his claim. Frankly, it’s really not interesting to fact check The Donald, as his assertions are so easily debunked. Still, he scores a hat trick on this list." . . .

Democrat military: Pressure Grows for Marines to Lower Standards for Women

27 Female Marines Have Attempted the Infantry Officers Training Course. None Have Passed.

Washington Free Beacon  "When it was reported at the beginning of October that three female Marine officers had passed the Combat Endurance Test (CET), the initial entry screener for the Corp’s challenging Infantry Officer Course, the news was widely reported. You can read about it here, here, here, here, here, and here.

"The story was indeed news. Up to that point, of the 24 women who had attempted the CET, only one had passed, and she had reportedly later been dropped from the overall course due to an injury. Struggling to get enough female officers into the course to produce a statistically significant result for its study of introducing women into combat roles, the Corps had directed that more seasoned female officers could attempt the course. Now three had made it over the first hurdle.

"When all three were cut from the course last week for not meeting physical standards in subsequent training events, the news was not as widely reported. I have only found it here in the Christian Science Monitor, which, to its credit, has closely covered this issue from start:

When they begin the 13-week IOC, officers are told that if they “fall out” of more than one “tactical movement” during their time in training, they will be asked to leave the school.

“That has always been IOC policy,” Major Flynn says.“The key part is not just to conduct a movement. You need to lead that moment, and you can’t do that if you’re falling out.”. . . 

 
. . .  "Among female Marine officers, including those who support the introduction of women into combat arms, and those who are personally ambitious to try the infantry for themselves, I have never heard anyone assert that they would like standards lowered for them, so that they can pass the course. Why would they? It would entirely undercut the value of their achievement, and diminish the overall fighting capacity of the Marine Corps. These officers are Marines first and individuals second. They want to succeed on fair terms."

Photos added by the Tunnel Dweller

On the Paris Global Warming Conference

http://terrellaftermath.com/

File this under "you knew this was coming, Didn't you?" Lettuce is ‘three times worse than bacon' for emissions and vegetarian diets could be bad for environment

"Eating a healthier diet rich in fruit and vegetables could actually be more harmful to the environment than consuming some meat, a US study has claimed.

"Lettuce is “over three times worse in greenhouse gas emissions than eating bacon”, according to researchers from the Carnegie Mellon University who analysed the impact per calorie of different foods in terms of energy cost, water use and emissions."

COP21: President Obama celebrates Paris deal that 'transformed the US'
. . . "The deal, which Mr Obama called a “turning point”, promises to become a major part of the president’s legacy. However, Republicans in Washington were already warning that it could be torn up if any of their candidates wins back the White House in 2016." . . .

THE MASSIVE CLIMATE CHANGE AGREEMENT GIVE-AWAY  "On a superficial level, the agreement, which is to take effect in 2020, appears ambitious in terms of the goals it sets and its universal participation. In reality, however, what emerged from Paris was the folly of a massive give-away to bribe the so-called developing nations to participate."

http://earloftaint.com/

NRO: No to the Paris Accord  . . . "The accord reached in Paris fails in three key ways: It cannot satisfy an elementary cost-benefit analysis; it does not serve the national interests of the United States; and the Obama administration is seeking to bind the United States to a treaty while insisting that it is not a treaty and thereby shutting Congress out of its proper role in ratifying such accords. For these reasons, the Paris agreement should be considered dead on arrival, and Congress should make it clear that the United States will not consider itself legally bound by it for the simple reason that it has not been legally adopted.""

An Accord About Nothing

Countries will also be legally required to reconvene every five years starting in 2023 to publicly report on how they are doing in cutting emissions compared to their plans. They will be legally required to monitor and report on their emissions levels and reductions, using a universal accounting system.

Plain old peer pressure. 

Leaders Fight Phony Climate Enemy — Solving Real Problems is Just Too Hard   . . . "It's an arrangement in which they can meet in comfort, pretend to be putting in hard work, pat themselves on the back for a job well done and then read the fawning media's coverage of their efforts.

"Meanwhile, real-world problems go unaddressed."

The Economic Consequences of COP21   . . . "The technique Obama used to accomplish a government takeover of the health-care system should have been warming enough: it wasn't. First, identify and rail against a "crisis." In the case of health care it was the millions of Americans without health insurance, but in the case of low-income families not without health care, which they could obtain in hospital emergency rooms. In the case of energy, the crisis is climate change. Second, dismiss and vilify critics. Those who would deny the poor access to adequate medical care are hard-hearted, those who are not certain that the climate is indeed changing, that if it is changing the use of fossil fuels is the cause, and those who refuse to accept that "the science is settled" are anti-science at best, engaged in "calculated destruction" according to Kerry, climate change deniers at worst, right up there on the list of villains with Holocaust deniers. Third, invent studies that prove that the crisis can be eliminated by government measures that are better than costless – they actually accelerate economic growth, improve living standards, create jobs." . . .

Remember it was once "settled science" that the earth was flat.

comicallyincorrect.com

French Kicking Down Doors, Closing Mosques, Finding A LOT of ‘War-Grade’ Weapons

NEWSBALANCE

"While President Obama responds to the most deadly terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11 by urging Americans to “reject discrimination” and embrace gun control, French authorities are actually taking the real and present danger of radical Islamic terrorism seriously. Over the last few days, they kicked down doors, closed three mosques (with plans to close potentially more than a hundred), and in the process found an alarming number of weapons, ammo, and terrorist propaganda. 

"Where are all those peaceful Muslims.  If they aren’t peaceful in their house of worship, then what?   RJM"

"France is not alone in ramping up its anti-terror campaign; several European countries, including Germany, are beginning to take more aggressive action against potential Muslim extremists. German authorities this week sounded the alarm about extremists' attempts to radicalize Middle Eastern migrants. "Officials said they have encountered at least 100 cases in which extremists have tried to establish contact with refugees," reports Express."

Kalashnikov ammunition and Isis propaganda seized after Paris mosque closure

Claim: President Obama told an audience in Europe ordinary Americans are "too small-minded to govern their own affairs" and should "surrender their rights" to an "all-powerful sovereign."

Snopes  . . . "Commenting on world order, did Obama actually tell a German audience that "ordinary men and women are too small minded to govern their own affairs, and that order and progress can only come when individuals surrender their right to an all powerful sovereign"? Perhaps, if he spoke this it was taken out of context?" . . .

. . . "No audio clues immediately challenge the clip's veracity. One major red flag, however, is a cutaway: between the first and second portions of the short statement, the camera panned out over the audience before centering back on Obama's face. " . . .

. . . "Considered in their full context, President Obama's mentions to ordinary men and women being "too small-minded to govern their own affairs" and order and progress being possible only "when individuals surrender their rights to an all-powerful sovereign" are clearly references to an old, undesirable form of power, not an expression of President Obama's viewpoint about how things are or should be in the world. "

Politifact says it was edited to change his meaning
We conservatives must leave tricks like this to NBC and the rest of the liberal media. 

Full transcript of this speech

More research on this here. Not all of it classy.

Is Iran Retreating From Syria?

Michael Ledeen

"My friend and terrific reporter, Eli Lake, has reported that American and other Western defense experts believe that Iran is withdrawing troops from Syria. The Saudis’ London outlet says the same, with feebler sources (some FSA guy who says he was listening to Iranian communications).

"I have my doubts. An Iranian retreat would be a watershed event, because it would mean that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had done a 180 on a fundamental principle of his regime: doing whatever it takes to save Bashar al-Assad’s tyrannical rule in Syria.

"Our eyes in the skies are very keen, and no doubt some Iranian ground forces, spurred by the significant loss of life they have suffered in the past couple of years, are returning to the Islamic Republic. On the other hand -- if you follow Emanuele Ottolenghi’s tweets (@eottolenghi) -- you’ll see significant air traffic between Iran and Syria. As Emanuele says, those airplanes are carrying weapons, ammunition, and fighters. It doesn’t look as if this resupply operation is diminishing."

Cuba Begins to Re-Imprison Political Dissidents ‘Freed’ Under Obama Deal

Breitbart National Security

"The Cuban government has re-arrested almost all of the 53 political prisoners released in January as part of its “normalization” with President Obama, according to Senator Marco Rubio."The news comes as Cuban police assault and detain dozens of dissidents in anticipation of International Human Rights Day, December 10.

"Cuba announced the release of this prisoners of conscience on January 12, though the government did not give out a list of names. The prisoners were allegedly released gradually in the month before, following President Obama’s announcement that he would seek to warm relations between the United States and the rogue regime.

Remember, media cheering Paris Climate Change Agreement will cover 2016 election

comicallyincorrect.com

Remember, media cheering Paris Climate Change Agreement will cover 2016 election  "Here’s something you may have missed over the weekend. While most Americans are concerned about terrorism and the growth of ISIS, President Obama and other world leaders met in Paris to discuss climate change.

"When an agreement was reached, journalists reacted like excited teenage girls.

"T. Becket Adams of the Washington Examiner has the story:

"Reporters shout, jump for joy after climate change agreement" . . .

"Whether they realize it or not, this is what those “journalists” are cheering for.

"CNS News reports:

Paris Climate Deal Calls for America to Transfer Wealth to ‘Developing’ Countries . . .  Full article

Climate change and economic growth  "We have a climate change deal!  We have a climate change deal!  Or so they say in Paris.   

"The deal has two problems.   

"First, it has no enforcement mechanism.  In other words, we can't force anyone to do anything.  Secretary Kerry confirmed it Sunday.  This is a deal that means nothing, because no one will put sanctions on anyone who is polluting the air or burning too many gallons of fossil fuel.

"Second, the dirty little secret about climate change is that it impacts economic growth, as Eduardo Porter wrote:" . . .

AP Ignores Rabbi's Outrageous Politicized Invocation at White House Hanukkah Event

MRC   "Josh Lederman at the Associated Press spent the final two paragraphs of his Wednesday evening report on a meeting between President Barack Obama and Israel's President Reuven Rivlin describing "the White House's annual Hanukkah celebration." He wrote that Rivlin "lit a menorah that was made in his homeland during the 1920s." 

"What was said before Rivlin lit the menorah should have been news. As seen in a Wednesday afternoon White House video, Rabbi Susan Talve essentially hijacked the event to praise a series of leftist causes, touching many of the Obama administration's pet projects along the way: open-ended immigration and "refugee" acceptance; Black Lives Matter "activists"; gun control; paranoia over "Islamophobia, and homophobia and transphobia"; and "justice for Palestinians as allies committed to peace."

"Talve's speech went from starry-eyed groupie in its opening seconds (beginning at the 8:49 mark of the video below) to politicized polemic during its remainder." 

ISIS & Planned Parenthood join forces to rid the world of the threat of…Down Syndrome babies?!?

Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.

"The Islamic State has reportedly issued a fatwa ordering the elimination of children with Down syndrome and other congenital disabilities, reminiscent of Hitler’s infamous “Aktion T4” program, which administered forced “euthanasia” on an estimated 300,000 disabled persons.

"According to the Iraqi activist blog Mosul Eye, sharia judges have ruled that ISIS followers are authorized to kill infants with Down Syndrome or congenital deformities. Already since the religious decree (fatwa) was issued, militants have killed at least 38 children between one week and three months old by lethal injection or suffocation." . . .

. . . 

"(NOTE: In the US upwards of 95% of babies diagnosed as Down Syndrome in the womb are murdered via abortion, the main provider of this inhumane “service” being Planned Parenthood.)"

Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D.Theologian, Author, Speaker, consultant and Wine Enthusiast. Permanent research fellow at the Center for Ethics and Culture, Notre Dame University.