Monday, January 9, 2017

Julian Assange may be a conservative hero right now, but let's not forget all he has done.

He is no friend of the US


The treachery of Julian Assange
The WikiLeaks founder, far from being a champion of freedom, is an active danger to the real seekers of truth
"You did not have to listen for too long to Julian Assange's half-educated condemnations of the American "military-industrial complex" to know that he was aching to betray better and braver people than he could ever be.
"As soon as WikiLeaks received the State Department cables, Assange announced that the opponents of dictatorial regimes and movements were fair game. That the targets of the Taliban, for instance, were fighting a clerical-fascist force, which threatened every good liberal value, did not concern him. They had spoken to US diplomats. They had collaborated with the great Satan. Their safety was not his concern. 
. . . 
"A reporter worried that Assange would risk killing Afghans who had co-operated with American forces if he put US secrets online without taking the basic precaution of removing their names. "Well, they're informants," Assange replied. "So, if they get killed, they've got it coming to them. They deserve it." A silence fell on the table as the reporters realised that the man the gullible hailed as the pioneer of a new age of transparency was willing to hand death lists to psychopaths. They persuaded Assange to remove names before publishing the State Department Afghanistan cables. But Assange's disillusioned associates suggest that the failure to expose "informants" niggled in his mind." . . .
Under the cover of holding power to account, Assange can revel in the power the web gives to put lives in danger and ensure he can be what he always wanted: the centre of attention.
Remember Assange and Bradley Manning?  . . . "Manning passed 250,000 State Department cables and 470,000 Iraq and Afghanistan battlefield logs to WikiLeaks, as well as files pertaining to detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, and video of a 2007 attack by a US helicopter gunship in Baghdad that killed a dozen people, including two Reuters journalists." . . .

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Sunday, January 8, 2017

Obama’s Unforced Errors on Foreign Policy


 
In Syria and Libya, human nature has proven to Obama that ‘history’ does not have a mind of its own.

George Will  . . . "Obama seemed to doubt that America has much to teach the world, beyond post-Iraq modesty — herewith his Wilsonian dimension — and the power of diplomacy’s soft power to tame the world. Although neither the English nor the American nor the Russian nor the Spanish nor the Chinese civil war was ended by negotiations, Obama thought the especially vicious and complex civil war in Syrian’s sectarian and tribal society could be ended diplomatically. Russian president Vladimir Putin picked a side and helped it win." . . .

. . .
"Obama’s foreign policy presumed the existence of “the community of nations.” But that phrase is worse than hackneyed and sentimental, it is oxymoronic: Different nations affirm different notions of justice; a community consists of people made cohesive by a consensus about the nature of justice." . . .

CBS radio report created the impression Chicago torture victim was a black man assaulted by white Trump supporters

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Thomas Lifson  "This may be the single most despicable act of media bias I have ever encountered.  It took a lot of effort and art for CBS Radio to put together an early report on the Chicago torture incident that was strictly factual, yet created the impression on listeners that a group of white Trump supporters had attacked a helpless mentally challenged black man.  Mediaite provides a transcript of what was reported last Thursday morning by a top-of-the hour broadcst distributed to radio stations across the country." . . .

"If America is serious about correcting the pervasive bias in mainstream media, stripping CBS of its broadcast licenses for radio and television stations would send a memorable signal to others that false reporting aimed at inflaming racial tensions is not in the public interest. It would no doubt require millions of dollars and years to proceed with a formal challenge to CBS’s broadcast licenses.  But for conservatives who are sick and tired of media lies, this might be an opportunity to bring about change." . . .

Media on a quest to downplay race in Chicago kidnapping and torture
"Ableism"? Good grief.
. . . "The media has been forced to confront the reality that racism is not simply "prejudice with power," an institutional structure whose effects flow in only one direction.  As major networks desperately attempt to minimize the racial motivations behind this terrible crime, they continue to maximize the failure of their already deficient credibility."

Four Facebook Torturers Face Judge: Bail Denied


“Where is your sense of decency?”
https://youtu.be/d0s1Y4YBFdg


. . . "The maximum sentence for a hate crime in the state of Illinois is a $25,000 fine and 3 years in prison. The maximum sentence for kidnapping is $25,000 and 7 years in prison.
     "If the perpetrators are found guilty of a hate crime and kidnapping, and if the prosecutors were to successfully have these charges served consecutively (not concurrently) then they could serve up to 10 years in prison.
     "But since the man has a mental disability, then the alleged crime in question could be considered an aggravated kidnapping, which has a maximum punishment of a $25,000 fine and 30 years of prison." . . .
. . . " 'We've seen over the last several years, when it comes to tensions between police and communities, the Internet, horrific hate crimes of the sort that we appear to have seen on Facebook today," Obama said in an interview with ABC Chicago affiliate WLS." . . .

House Rebukes Obama, U.N. on Israel

Lifezette


"Largely symbolic resolution in support of key U.S. ally passes with strong bipartisan support"

"Members of Congress, enraged over the Obama administration’s failure to block an anti-Israel resolution [1] in the United Nations, overwhelmingly passed a resolution Thursday supporting the U.S. ally.
"The 342-80 vote calls on the United Nations to repeal the Security Council resolution declaring Israeli settlements on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem a violation of international law. The Obama administration refused to veto the resolution and allowed it to pass with an abstention from the United States.
“ 'Today we put Congress on record objecting to the recent U.N. Security Council resolution that hurt our ally, that hurt Israel, and I believe that puts an enduring peace … out of reach.' ” . . .
 " 'It is shameful that we abandoned our ally and emboldened the Palestinians, passively letting an anti-Israeli resolution pass the U.N. Security Council," he said in a statement. "We cannot continue to denigrate our Israeli friends and the only true democracy in the Middle East."

"While offering moral support to a longtime ally, the House vote has little practical effect, even if the Senate passes its own resolution as expected in the coming days. The U.N. resolution — itself nonbinding — cannot be overturned by Congress. And U.N. member states, stocked with Israel-haters, are unlikely to be swayed by the views of American politicians." . . .
Democrats Side with Trump, Slam Obama Rebuke of Israel  But some Democrats see the resolution as hurting a two-state solution.

BBC Gradually Discovers Terror Truck Had Actual Driver Behind the Wheel

From the pro-Israel Honest Reporting  "The BBC has a habit of attributing terror attacks to inanimate objects or vehicles. And so it was the case with an appalling truck ramming terror attack that took place in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem that has, so far, claimed the lives of four Israelis and injured many more.
"The BBC broke the news with the following:"
 bbc080117i
. . . 
"The BBC appears to be confused as to who or what carried out the attack. Having removed scare quotes from the headline, did a lorry really attack the soldiers? That seems rather strange given that, according to the opening paragraph of the story, a “suspected terrorist” was responsible.
"So which is it BBC? A lorry or a terrorist?
"Eventually, the BBC appears to have acknowledged that there was actually a driver behind the wheel of the vehicle." . . .

Celebrities give Obama emotional farewell in video (Updated)


"Celebrities, activists and others gave an emotional goodbye to President Obama in a new video by the White House titled “Yes We Can: Your Most Memorable Moments from the Obama Presidency.”

"The video features figures including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres, all sharing some of their favorite moments with the president.

“ 'I never cried before, from an election result,” singer John Legend says in the video.

" 'When I was at the U.N. and I heard our president say that climate change is the most important issue facing, not only this generation but also future generations, it was inspiring,” DiCaprio said.

“ 'The CVS experience with Michelle (Obama) was pretty cool and dancing with Barack at his birthday party. And he’s a good dancer. He should not get any flack for that — you’re a good dancer,” DeGeneres said." . . .

These kids and parents will miss Obama as well

Obama Ignores Ft Lauderdale, Does THIS Instead   . . . "How very ‘Presidential’. With the nation still reeling from a bloodbath in a major airport, Obama has higher priorities.
"First the Hollywood glitz. (It’s full of celebs. We can’t disappoint the ‘pretty people’, can we?)
"Then he flew to Florida.
"Was it to comfort the victims? Hell no! He didn’t rush to visit Louisiana, why visit Ft Lauderdale?
"He had a wedding to attend, just down the road." . . .


Saturday, January 7, 2017

Doctrine of Decline; Obama has done lasting damage to the military.

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Thomas DonnellyDefenseForeign and Defense Policy
This article will appear in the January 23, 2017, issue of the National Review.


"As the Trump transition team looks to roll back Barack Obama’s second-term tsunami of executive orders and regulations, and Republican leaders in Congress prepare to repeal Obamacare, the outgoing president’s legacy seems to shrink daily. But one effect of eight years of Obama won’t soon vanish: He’s done more damage to American military power than his successor can repair. It’s not simply that Obama tried to end U.S. involvement in the Middle East by unilaterally withdrawing from Iraq, conducting a phony surge in Afghanistan, and failing to respond to the civil war in Syria. It’s not just that Obama did little beyond telling Vladimir Putin to “cut it out” after Russia annexed Crimea and after Putin otherwise exploited whatever opportunity arose to unravel the post–Cold War peace of Europe, or that Obama neglected to back up the promise of a “Pacific pivot” as the Chinese dredged their way (island-making instead of island-hopping) across the South China Sea. Retreats can be reversed, even if the price of victory rises when it has to be won twice (or three or four times, in the case of Iraq).

"Obama not only restrained the American habit of involving ourselves in the world’s affairs but also, by reducing our military power, constrained a future president’s ability to do so. The propensity to “resort to force,” in his view, was a disease shared nearly equally by past presidents of both parties. Bill Clinton may have agonized and dithered over the use of American power, but to a progressive mind he was little different from George W. Bush."  Read more here.

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comicallyincorrect.com

#FortLauderdale Terrorist #EstebanSantiago Joined MySpace As “Aashiq Hammad”, Recorded Islamic Music


Hat tip to GotNews 2017 

Pamela Geller
 “ 'Aashiq Hammad” lists Penuelas, Puerto Rico as his location, just like Esteban Santiago’s records in Nexis.
"And take a look at the three songs recorded by “Aashiq Hammad.” The first one is titled “La ilaha illAllah”, which is Arabic for “There is no God but Allah,” and the first half of the Muslim declaration of faith, the Shahadah:"
fla-jihad3
“Intentional” recitation of the Shahadah is generally considered sufficient to convert to Islam. Listen to that song. It sure sounds like Esteban Santiago was “intentional” about what he was saying!
And the best part?

Picture Mayor Hillary vs. President Trump

RedFlag:  
"Hillary Clinton - From Running For President To Running For MAYOR?"

Hillary Clinton - From Running For President To Running For MAYOR?

"What About Hillary's Political Opponents located in NYC?"  She and Obama will love working together in the future. Though NY may hope they do not need federal assistance going forward.


. . . "One person who should care about Hillary Clinton running for Mayor of NYC is Donald Trump.
From the gleeful NYT:
Imagine the fun:
City building inspectors start to show up daily at Trump Tower, where they find a wobbly beam here, a missing smoke detector there, outdated wiring all over the place. City health inspectors fan out through Trump’s hotels, writing citations for clogged drains in the kitchens and expired milk in the minibars.
The potholes near his properties go unfilled. Those neighborhoods are the last to be plowed. There’s a problem with the flow of water to his Bronx golf course, whose greens are suddenly brown. And the Russian Consulate keeps experiencing power failures. It’s the darnedest thing. Clinton vows to look into it, just as soon as she returns from the Hamptons. . . .

Hillary Clinton to speak Tuesday at new State Department museum bearing her name

How much will she be paid for this speech?



WaPo  . . . "One of the four exhibition halls in the U.S. Diplomacy Center will be called the Hillary Rodham Clinton Pavilion, with others named for former secretaries James A. Baker and Henry Kissinger, and for current Secretary of State John F. Kerry.  

"The glass-fronted addition to the hulking State Department building will house a museum of diplomatic history and artifacts. It is also meant to give a welcoming front door to a forbidding structure otherwise walled off by security gates and concrete barriers." . . .

Pictures from: A new front door opens up an insular enclave at State Department


Fields Of Armour Nightmare In Normandy Documentary

President Obama Builds Wall Around DC Mansion, hangs with celebrities and takes vindictive parting shots at those he has a grudge against

Oops, my bad: ". . . against whom he has a grudge". Anyway, I digress:

And he's getting the United States to pay for it.  Honestly, this is necessary to help the Secret Service do its job, but I do recognize a bit of irony in it. TD

SandraRose  "President Barack Obama is preparing to move into his $6 million rented mansion within walking distance of his soon-to-be former residence.
"Workmen were seen building a brick wall outside Obama’s 8,200 sq ft tudor(sp) mansion a few blocks from Ivanka Trump’s new residence.


While this goes on, the Obamas celebrate with, well...celebrities.  "Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, Meryl Streep, Al Sharpton, Tyler Perry, Chris Rock, David Letterman, Tom Hanks, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder were also in attendance. 
"Star Wars directors George Lucas and JJ Abrams arrived to the party as well shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Questlove of A Tribe Called Quest, who deejayed the evening." 

Recall this? "Obama: Trump Hangs Out With Celebrities, Doesn’t Care About Working People Unless They’re Mowing His LawnBut I have digressed; back to the Obama departure (You'll have to ask Al Sharpton for the new address).

Obama's parting shots  . . . "But with time, he has shifted his argument for Clinton's loss to the difficulty of a female breaking through and implied that the Russian penetration of DNC computers was critical to undermining her victory.  Obama has decided to erect roadblocks for Trump and alter longstanding relationships with allies such as Israel as a result of the Clinton loss." . . .

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Obama set for pardon frenzy as he leaves office  . . . "If Obama fails to pardon Snowden, his supporters say he may face the death penalty under the incoming administration of Republican Donald Trump, who has called him a "terrible traitor."
"In another leak case, Chelsea Manning is serving a 35-year sentence in solitary confinement for handing 700,000 sensitive military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks, some of them classified.
"Activists say her sentence is excessive and point to the psychological frailty of the transgender soldier who has already made two suicide attempts." . . .
How many more killers who have sworn to attack America will Obama release?  . . . "This is what happens when national security is pushed aside in favor of a political agenda.  President Obama promised to close the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, and he is willing to sacrifice American lives to fulfill that pledge. " . . .

Obama's Last Chance  . . . "Obama’s years will be seen as the time partisanship grew and racial tensions rose again.
"But there is a last-minute chance to use Obama’s symbolic presidency to do something good and noble." . . .
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