'13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi': The Security Contractors Have Their Say

" . . .but it's clear that director Michael Bay has taken sides in the debate about what happened on the ground that night.  Oh yes there was a "stand-down order."

PJ Media

LA Times

"13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is not just an entertaining movie, it's a 144-minute rebuttal to everything the Obama administration has been saying about the attack since it took place on September 11, 2012.

"The "true story" of Benghazi as told by the secret soldiers is a powerful rebuke to the "tall tales" that were told by the White House, the State Department and their defenders. There was no "fog of war" that prevented the Department of Defense from sending military assets to Benghazi -- just a foggy narrative that was created by the commander in chief and secretary of State to explain the debacle without looking weak and feckless two months before an election.

"The movie is based on the book of the same name, written by Boston University journalism professor Mitchell Zuckoff with the five CIA contractors who were on the ground in Benghazi that night: Jack Silva, Mark "Oz" Geist, John "Tig" Tiegen, Kris "Tanto" Paronto, and Dave "Boon" Benton.

" 'Jack Silva" (played by “The Office" alum John Krasinski) and “Dave Benton” (played by David Denman) are pseudonymous names because their real identities have not been revealed." . . .

. . . 

The film depicts the men's sense of abandonment over and over again.

LA Times: '13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi,' from Michael Bay, revisits a battle

. . . " '13 Hours" indeed focuses tightly on what happened on the ground — per Bay and several writers' research — during the period a U.S. diplomatic outpost was attacked and a small group of security contractors took up arms to defend it. Among the film's core messages is the selflessness of the fighters, many of whom were near the end of their tours — and, to top it off, had to beg their disapproving CIA boss to let them put their lives on the line.

"But though explicit politicking is absent — Bay and the cast say partisan fingerpointing was far from their minds — the combination of an emotional movie with a U.S. official's death abroad could be read as a broadside against President Obama's administration and then-secretary of State  Hillary Clinton — or at least be used by others to that end." . . .

Two Specter Gunships were ready and waiting to go into action.

Stealing America: "What My Experience with Criminal Gangs Taught Me About Obama, Hillary, and the Democratic Party "

American Thinker

Stealing America: What My Experience with Criminal Gangs Taught Me About Obama, Hillary, and the Democratic Party, by Dinesh D’Souza, Broadside Books

 

Stealing America, the book

. . . "Democrats, however, through a reversal of traditional American values, seek to acquire power by vilifying wealth-creators and rewarding “victims” with trickle-down shares of the national loot -- all while portraying themselves as righteous advocates of social justice.  
. . . 
"To carry out their grand political heist, Democrats must marshal the emotions and votes of an army of envious underlings -- stoking resentment among minorities, women, the poor, immigrants, gays, and other potential victim groups."
. . . 
"Stealing America is also filled with raw conversations between D’Souza and fellow inmates -- exchanges that provide significant insight into the world these criminals and their hapless government overseers inhabit.

"At the very least D’Souza’s experience with the legal system provides one excellent example of the overlap between the “psychology of crookedness” and the motives and methods of progressive politics.  His poignant analyses of the Clintons, the two Obamas, and Saul Alinsky, however, provide considerably more fodder for an audacious thesis."    

Wow: GOP Rep. Delivered Ultimate Slap To Obama’s Face DURING SOTU- TV Cameras Hid It…

"My seat on the floor of Congress will also be empty. I will be in the Member’s chapel praying for God to raise up a leader whom he will use to restore the Soul of America.

Western Journalism

"Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, walked out of the State of the Union message Tuesday night to leave his seat empty in memory of the victims of abortion and to protest Barack Obama’s lawless presidency. The representative added that he would be in the Members’ chapel, praying that a better leader will follow the current chief executive.

"As reported by Western Journalism, last week, President Obama announced that he would be leaving a seat next to his wife open to recognize the victims of gun violence. “They need the rest of us to speak for them. To tell their stories. To honor their memory,” the White House said in a written statement.

"Yesterday, Rep. King released a statement indicating that he too would be leaving an empty seat: his own. “I can’t abide being lectured to one last time,” he said. "
. . .

How to Respond to Iran

Michael Rubin at Commentary

. . . "Yesterday’s episode follows an April 2015 incident in which the IRGC briefly seized a ship it believed was U.S.-flagged. It suffered no consequence for its actions.

"Red lines are defined in force, not in rhetoric. Perhaps it’s time to remember Ronald Reagan and Operation Praying Mantis. After the USS Samuel B. Roberts struck an Iran-laid mine in the Persian Gulf, an incident which caused no deaths, Reagan ordered the U.S. Navy to retaliate by destroying guns and military equipment on an Iranian oil platform. In order to minimize loss of life, the U.S. Navy warned the occupants of the platform first. When the Iranian navy and air force tried to defend the platform, the U.S. navy engaged and, in what would become the largest surface naval battle since World War II, the U.S. Navy largely sank their Iranian counterparts." . . .
. . .

"It’s would be healthy for a new generation of [Iranian] commanders to learn the same lesson their predecessors did: To mess with any U.S. sailor or ship is to precipitate a cost too high for Iran to bear. To do nothing is an alternative that would not bring peace, but would instead embolden a regime to engage in even more outrageous, destructive, or lethal rogue behavior."

The 2016 State of the Union address

ISIS’s latest slaughter puts the lie to Obama’s happy talk

‘Legacy’ of one comes at cost of security of many   "What irony. The weakness of this administration was once again the real story."
Politico: Obama hangs up his magic wand   . . . "Arms on the podium, hands clasped, leaning into the microphone making swipe after told-ya-so swipe — he wasn’t waiting for vindication anymore. He was taking it for himself." . . .

IBD: Are You Better Off Than You Were 7 Years Ago?  "Obama gave his eighth and final SOTU address after we went to press. But we're on safe ground predicting that he spent a good chunk of it praising himself."

Making America Grate Again by Jonah Goldberg at NRO  . . . "Cut through the rhetoric and the message was the same as ever: If you agree with me, you’re reasonable.  It was all so tediously familiar and grating I couldn’t wait for it to end (much like Obama’s presidency)."

Here comes the dreaded word "period" again: Obama: ‘America Is the Most Powerful Nation -- Period’  
Chutzpa with a straight face:   . . . "Surveys show [our] standing around the world is higher than when I was elected to this office and when it comes to every important international issue, people of the world do not look to Beijing or Moscow to lead, they call us."

Obama’s Shameful Iraq Remark  "The lesson of Iraq is that after American troops achieved stability, Mr. Obama quit, leading to a larger war and more American deaths."

Bernie Suggests Obama Copied Him in SOTU Speech

“This was less a state of the union than it was a state of denial”

On a related note, David Brooks of the New York Times", who once said that Obama deserved credit for the neat crease in his pants, has decided that Cruz isn’t sufficiently Christian: . . . 

"Reverend Jeremiah Wright couldn’t be reached for comment."

Allen West "President Obama’s final State of the Union address was 59 minutes in length and brilliantly delivered. Now, the bad news."
"President Obama talked about giving everyone a "fair shot" at opportunity in a new economy. First of all, who defines what a "fair shot" is? It appears that this is just more coded language for government-guaranteed equality of outcomes."

The only three takeaways you need from Obama’s Last State of the Union speech.
"To sum up: this is the State of the Union address that the country largely deserved, honestly.  The country voted this man in twice, and that’s something that we’re going to have to live with for the rest of our lives.  If there is a fourth takeaway to this speech, it is this: we must never let a man like Barack Obama be President, ever again. You do not have the luxury of shrugging things like this off. If you do not take politics and your duties as a citizen seriously, this is what we will have to face."

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley's rebuttal to the SOTU and...Trump

S.C Gov Haley attacks Trump after Obama SOTU: “Mr. Trump has definitely contributed to what I think is just irresponsible talk”
"Check out Haley’s segment where she targeted Trump:"

Trump hits back:  "She certainly has no trouble asking me for campaign contributions"  (Video) 

Iran releases US sailors; Kerry apologizes

Welcome back, Carter – Now comes humiliation phase of Navy boat seizure by Iran

"Every confrontation with Iran has a phase which is much more important to the Iranians than the physical outcome.

"It’s the humiliation phase, in which the Iranians get to exploit photos and video showing their opponents as weak and the Iranians as strong."

US apologises for Iran naval incursion - Revolutionary Guards

. . . "This naval incident comes at a delicate moment for both Washington and Tehran.

"The process to begin lifting the sanctions imposed on Iran due to its nuclear activities is expected to get under way at the end of this week.

"There are many conservatives and hardliners in both countries who would dearly love to sabotage the deal and consequently both governments may be eager - whatever the attendant rhetoric - to get this episode resolved as quickly as possible.

"How it plays out will be an important signal as to the balance of power in Tehran itself.

"The Revolutionary Guard Corps, whose naval branch detained the US vessels and their crews, is amongst the more hardline elements ranked up against the nuclear deal.

"But the potential economic benefits of lifting the sanctions may be too great an inducement for the agreement to be derailed now." . . .

10 US sailors held by Iran confirmed freed   . . . "It's not surprising that we "apologized" when Iran committed the provocative act of seizing our boats and our people.  The president and Secretary Kerry have become experts at groveling before the petty tyrants of the world and making it clear that just about everything is the fault of the U.S.  I question the apology only because if, indeed, the boats strayed into Iranian waters as a result of navigational problem, that wasn't the fault of the U.S. government, and no apology was needed.
"But Iran needed to further humilate the U.S., and President Obama was glad to oblige." 

Kerry Expresses 'Gratitude' to Iran   . . . " 'I want to express my gratitude to Iranian authorities for their cooperation ‎in swiftly resolving this matter."

" 'That this issue was resolved peacefully and efficiently is a testament to the critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure, and strong.' "

The 10 US Navy sailors detained and then interrogated after drifting into Iranian waters have been freed  . . . "American officials said the Riverine boats were not part of the carrier strike group and were on a training mission. The boats are reportedly not considered high-tech and do not contain any sensitive equipment." . . .

These are the U.S. Navy riverine command boats that Iran just ‘took into custody’

. . . "Riverine command boats or RCBs, are actually Swedish CB-90s and are a type of fast attack craft. In a number of pictures released by the U.S. Navy, the boats are outfitted with a number of light, medium and heavy weapons including .50 caliber heavy machine guns and GAU-19 miniguns. Approximately 50 feet long, the CB-90s can reach speeds up to 40 knots on the water, according to the Swedish Navy." . . .

Riverine boats are vessels specifically designed to operate in littoral and shallow water environments.

. . . "The Riverine Command Boat (RCB) is a fully enclosed platform designed to conduct command and control, tactical mobility and fire support operations in hostile riverine and littoral (near-shore) environments. The RCB is powered by twin diesel engines mated to water jets and equipped with key features that include an insertion and extraction bow door, reconfigurable mission space, manned/unmanned weapon mounts, a chemical weapons air filtration system, and optional armor. These design features combined with sea, air and land transportability make the RCB a one-of-a-kind multi-mission platform." . . .

And the US claims there is no sensitive equipment on board?

Strait of the Union

HopeNChange Cartoons

. . . "Still, we felt like enjoying a bit of pleasant fantasy on the occasion of Barry's last State of the Union address (assuming our "October Surprise" isn't his declaration of martial law). While he still has a full year to do untold damage, at least the countdown for his exit is finally happening.

"Of course, we couldn't fit all of his (ahem) "accomplishments" into the cartoon above. Let us not forget that in seven short years, he's also managed to polarize our society as never before, poison the relationship between police and communities, make astonishing numbers of people dependent on government benefit programs, crushed the middle class while enriching those at the very top, and chummed the waters for the international "climate change" sharks to take a big bite out of American prosperity." . . .

Weasel Of The Week Nominees!! – 01/12/16

Noisy Room

"It’s time once again for the Watcher’s Council’s ‘Weasel Of The Week’ nominations, where we pick our choices to compete for the award of the famed Golden Weasel to a public figure who particularly deserves to be slimed and mocked for his or her dastardly deeds during the week. Every Tuesday , tune in for the Weasel of the Week nominations!

"Here are this weeks’ nominees…

"Hollywood Wack Job And Dictator/Psychopath Groupie Sean Penn!!"

" I nominate Sean Penn for hearting every dictator and commie under the sun. His latest is El Chapo, who he inadvertently helped capture because he was interviewing him for a magazine that would make the drug pin look like some kind of hero. Then Penn jetted off to North Korea to pal around with another psychopath. What about violating the Logan Act? Don’t we charge anyone with treason anymore? Geez" . . .

The Obama State Department!!

. . .  "The Weasel of the Week is the Obama administration, for shipping a Hellfire missile to Cuba,

• in early 2014
• which its manufacturer, Lockheed, noticed “was missing”in June of that year
• and ended up in Cuba
• during the time the Obama administration was finalizing its negotiations for easing relations with the Communist dictatorship, but didn’t demand the missile back
• and instead removed Cuba from the states sponsors of terrorism list
• and went right ahead with the easing." . . .

Sweden’s Anti-Semitic Foreign Minister Margot Wallström!!

"Margot Wallström is the rabidly socialist Foreign minister of Sweden. She claims to be a ‘feminist’ who favors ‘democracy’ but was instrumental in getting Sweden to recognize ‘Palestine’, a country without borders as a ‘state.’ Palestine, by the way, is a place where a kleptocrat dictator named Mahmoud Abbas is now in year 11 of a four-year-term, where what passes for law is based on sharia and where things like honor killings, torture, and the oppression of women occur with distressing regularity. But hey, let’s not mention any of that. Because it’s all the fault of Israel! Or so you would think if you listened to Minister Wallström." . . .

Joe Biden kneecaps Hillary

comicallyincorrect.

"Hillary Clinton was revealed in her e-mails on Friday to have circumvented classification rules when she e-mailed secret material while Secretary of State. It’s alarming. If Hillary’s indicted before the election, it could end the Clinton dream of being America’s first two-impeachment family."  Comedian Argus Hamilton

Biden Kneecaps Hillary as the Dem Establishment Gets Nervous

. . . “ 'It’s relatively new for Hillary to talk about that,” he said. “Hillary’s focus has been on other things up to now, and that’s been Bernie’s — nobody questions Bernie’s authenticity on those issues. . . . I think they question everybody’s who hasn’t been talking about it all along, but I think she’s come forward with some really thoughtful approaches to deal with the issue.” 

"You don’t say this sort of thing if you’re enthusiastic about Clinton being the Democratic nominee in 2016. Either the vice president wants to ensure that Sanders gets a fair shot at the nomination, or he’s itching to reverse his own decision not to run in 2016. (He has recently hinted at the latter possibility.)" . . .Read more

The State of Obama's Union (Updated)

Existential Threats and the State of the Union Address

"Gearing up for the State of the Union lecture he is preparing to treat us to this year, President Obama wanted to put a positive spin on the results of his many years in the Oval Office.

"It is a chilling testament to his myriad of failures as Commander-in-Chief that one positive he reaches for, amid his many delusions, is that the Americans are not facing “existential threats”.

. . . 

"I am not comforted. Recall that he asserted there was no threat the the homeland from Islamic terrorists shortly before the San Bernardino terror attack occurred.

"The recent seizure of our Navy ships is an indication that his dreams of a peace deal with Iran are tuning into a nightmarish reality for the next administration to handle.

"Obama’s signature achievement, Obamacare, is slowly collapsing under the weight of its complexities and costs. Just ahead of the State of the Union, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin is going forward with plans to close down the state-run Obamacare insurance marketplace.

"Two of tonight’s audience members are not fans of Obamacare, either:

. . . 

Then there are Obama's plans for after his presidency

…Mr. Netanyahu recently is said to have gotten wind of Obama’s plans which he calls the Obama Project. “Wasn’t eight years of having Obama in office enough?”

Emphasis mine, TD 

Congressman Fumes: 'Narcissist' Obama Should Have Invited Kate Steinle's Family to SOTU

. . . "The president, he surmised, seems more apt to address climate change.

“ 'I have never been more afraid for my children’s future.”

"Along with Obama’s designated empty seat are a lot of empty promises.

“I don’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth,” Marino fumed. “He’s in this for himself. He is a narcissist.”

"Which uninvited guests, we wondered, should have been granted seats at tonight’s speech? Without hesitating, Marino said the family of Kate Steinle, the young woman who was tragically killed by an illegal immigrant in the sanctuary city of San Francisco last summer." . . .

Will Obama show any tears at the State of the Union?  . . . "So pardon me if I don’t get choked up when he sheds a fake or real tear when he is pushing a political agenda.

"The president says he wants commonsense laws to save even one life.  Here are a couple easy suggestions:

"Maybe the Justice Department and states should actually enforce existing laws instead of always wanting more laws.  That would be common sense, but the Democrats and Obama won't suggest that.  They should keep criminal gang members off the streets.  They obviously know where they are.

"Maybe Obama and all the liberal governors and mayors should actually enforce existing immigration laws instead of supporting sanctuary cities and suing states that want to enforce the laws."

LYNDON B. OBAMA:   “When it comes to offering progress reports on his war against ISIS, Barack Obama is beginning to sound like a previous wartime Democratic president. It is not a flattering comparison,” Richard Benedetto recently noted at Real Clear Politics:

Over the past few weeks, Obama has issued several upbeat statements crafted to assure an uneasy American people that the fight against terror is going well, only to have the facts come back and bite him.
He is starting to develop a “credibility gap,” faced by Lyndon Baines Johnson during the Vietnam War. LBJ and his commanders kept telling the nation that the war was going well when it really was not.

. . .  "No word yet if the US sailors detained in Iran will be flashing “the Hawaiian good luck sign” at their captors, but it would certainly have double meaning this time around."

Iran promises to release detained U.S. sailors

Politico

. . . ""Iran seized 10 sailors aboard two small Navy ships that drifted into Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf after experiencing mechanical problems. The Pentagon said it lost communication with the vessels but was informed that Iran would soon return the sailors and ships.

Story Continued Below

“ 'Earlier today, we lost contact with two small U.S. naval craft en route from Kuwait to Bahrain,” a senior administration official said. “We subsequently have been in communication with Iranian authorities, who have informed us of the safety and well-being of our personnel. We have received assurances the sailors will promptly be allowed to continue their journey.”

"White House press secretary Josh Earnest confirmed that U.S. officials have been in touch with Iran and are monitoring the situation closely." . . .

Well, Iran does owe Obama a big favor, you know:
Report: Obama Ordered the CIA Not to Support Green Movement in Iran in 2009

. . . "The most widely known victim of the regime's brutality was innocent onlooker Neda Agha-Soltan, who was shot dead in the street during one of the massive protests. Her last moments were caught on a video that went viral around the world. The president's famous response? He went out for ice cream.

"Obama was handed a unique opportunity in history to be the sort of inspirational and transformative figure Ronald Reagan was for Eastern Europe before the Berlin Wall fell. All he had to do was say and do the right things to denounce the illegitimate Iranian government and stand with the people in the street.

"But he didn't. "

"At Jihad Watch, Robert Spencer couldn't help but notice that of the many demonstrations and revolts that have swept the Muslim world during Obama's presidency, he has only supported the Muslim Brotherhood-backed, Islamic-supremacist ones."