This doesn't bode well for US combat units

4th Circuit says FBI can hold women to lesser standards
" . . . The court held that Title VII does not require that male and female trainees be held to the same standards.  This is due to physiological differences between the sexes.  Who knew?  The court said that the requirement “imposed an equal burden of compliance on both men and women, requiring the same level of physical fitness in each.' ” . . .  

"As of now, a female tank crew candidate will be entitled to contest any standard that does not accommodate her physiological differences and demand an accommodation that will allow her to otherwise demonstrate the same level of physical fitness.  So when she is put in the loader’s seat and told to load a 40-lb. tank round and can’t do it, or tires after loading a few, she will have to be accommodated.  Perhaps the Army could cut the tank rounds in half, so that she can demonstrate the same level of fitness by loading twice as many 20-lb. half-shells.  Of course, you can’t shoot a cut up tank shell, but that’s an accommodation we’ll have to live with.  The tank crew could text-message the enemy and tell them that they are very diverse and would rather chat than fight.  Then war will go away. See – it will all work out. " 

Republican Debate: Moderators Plan To Get Tough…

Weasel Zippers

"Via Politico:"

For the first time in the 2016 election cycle, the same team of debate moderators will get a second shot to question the Republican presidential candidates.

Fox Business Network’s Neil Cavuto and Maria Bartiromo will once again take the stage Thursday night, this time without Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Gerard Baker, to question a smaller group of candidates just a couple of weeks before the first primary states begin casting their ballots.

While their first go-round was considered a successful first presidential debate for the business network, the moderators took a safer approach to questioning after a raucous and chaotic CNBC debate.

In this second go-round, the seasoned moderators said in separate interviews that they plan to be more aggressive by not only broadening the topics to include such issues as gun control and immigration, but also by working harder to get the candidates off their talking points and actually answering their questions.

Keep reading…

Chelsea Clinton goes on the attack; Democrats ask why

The Hill

"Chelsea Clinton is stepping onto the 2016 battlefield against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a shift that some Democrats are interpreting as a sign of trouble for her mother’s presidential campaign.

"Making her first solo appearance on the stump, Chelsea Clinton late Tuesday ripped Sanders over his proposals on healthcare and college affordability, arguing the White House hopeful wants to “dismantle” ObamaCare and Medicare.

"Democrats have almost universally panned the attack, believing it to be ineffective and a misuse of her talents.

"They note that Chelsea Clinton has mostly been used to highlight Hillary Clinton’s softer side as a mother and grandmother and say she seemed uncomfortable shedding her first daughter persona for the role of attack dog.

“ 'The thing that tells you as much as anything about [the Clinton campaign’s] current state of mind is Chelsea going on the attack. It tells you everything you need to know,” said one Democratic strategist. “That this [challenge from Sanders] is real and they’ve got to be freaking out.”

"The attack caught many Democrats, including Sanders and his supporters, by surprise. " . . .

Pulling back the curtain on Hillary a bit more. In case anybody cares. UPDATE

Its members voted Tuesday to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton by the widest margin in MoveOn.org’s history.  Ironically, MoveOn.org was born to fight the drive to impeach President Bill Clinton.

legalinsurrection

Holder, Who Facilitated Marc Rich Pardon, Endorses Hillary Clinton
. . . "When fugitive Marc Rich died in 2013, Slate rehashed Eric Holder's relationship with the man who was given an 11th-hour pardon by Bill Clinton. The title of the article: "How Eric Holder Facilitated the Most Unjust Presidential Pardon in American History.' " . . .

Released emails reveal just how deeply Clinton and her advisers despise the Jewish State.

"There are many reasons to dislike Hillary Clinton. For one, she’s an unrepentant liar, fabricating everything from her Brian Williamesque brush with death in Bosnia to her parent’s pedigree to her claim that she believed a video caused the deaths of four heroes in Benghazi.

"She is also unethical, having accepted large sums of money to the Clinton Foundation from countries and entities working on behalf of foreign governments impacted by her decisions as secretary of state. There is some circumstantial evidence suggesting that she may have been influenced by these rather large contributions. In one well publicized case, Russia was able to acquire 20% of the United States’ uranium reserves in an energy deal that required State Department approval. A paper trail from that transaction reveals that the Clintons’ and their foundation benefited from substantial donations issued by entities with vested interests in ensuring the Russian acquisition of America’s strategic assets. Clinton was required to publicly disclose these contributions but never did. " . . . 

"If you hate Israel and wish to see nothing but misfortune for the Jewish State, stop reading because Hillary is your candidate. If you care about Israel and its relationship with the United States, read on."

HILLARY’S BENGHAZI STAND-DOWN ORDER EXPOSED

. . . "In other words, because Mrs. Clinton refused to authorize those forces to deploy into Libya to assist State Department personnel and State Department facilities, Panetta had no other choice but to put them on hold.

“ 'The State Department was concerned that an overt U.S. military presence in Libya could topple the government,” a senior AFRICOM commander involved in that night’s events told me. “They were in denial. They wanted a narrative that al Qaeda was on the run. Instead, four Americans died.”

"With the release of the Bash email and 13 Hours, Mrs. Clinton’s cover has been blown." . . .

Nine times Clinton Foundation donors got special access at State  . . . "But thousands of emails made public by the State Department between May of last year and Friday indicate donors to the Clinton Foundation were often given personal meetings, generous contracts or special consideration that was seemingly not afforded to the same number of private groups that had not written checks to the charity." . . .
Hillary’s long goodbye  "That dream is slowly crashing and burning.  Even without a criminal referral or indictment, Hillary’s chances are fading fast.  Sanders looks as though he may sweep Iowa and New Hampshire.  Once that happens, it is 2008 all over again.  The Democrat establishment may not want Sanders on the ticket, but they are fully capable of drafting Biden, Warren, Booker, or another Dem, and then changing the convention rules to nominate whomever they want.  But I doubt that will be necessary.  The gears of the FBI are turning faster and faster.  Policy requires that if a politician be accused of wrongdoing, it be done as long before an election as possible.

"Time is not on Hillary’s side."

Hillary Clinton Calls Benghazi Families Liars [VIDEO]  "One of the enduring mysteries of the Benghazi tragedy is why anyone ever took seriously Hillary Clinton’s blaming some obscure maker of a YouTube video for the attack. That mystery, however, is dwarfed by the way the media try to pretend that Hillary’s denials of that happening are anything other than bald-faced (that bald-face would be pasty white, wrinkled, and bewhiskered). In testimony elicited by the Benghazi Committee and in released emails, it has become apparent that no one ever thought the video was to blame and Clinton has, herself, attempted to claim that she never blamed the video.

"Now there is a new “wrinkle” to the story. Hillary told the families that the video was the cause of the attack that led to the deaths of their family members. Now she is saying they are lying.

"First, there is her statement when she, shamelessly, stood in the hangar at Dover AFB as the bodies of the dead men returned home:" . . .

UPDATE: Benghazi Victim’s Mother SCREAMS: “Hillary Is a Liar!” After Watching ’13 Hours’ (VIDEO)

More on Obama's Reprimand of the Union

Ronnie Gordon

Record Low Ratings for Obama’s Final State of the Union #SOTU

. . . "Even so, that’s no excuse for failing to pay attention to what the Obama administration will try in the President’s last year in office. At the very least, we know he’s planning some “audacious executive actions“, so we should have plenty of things to watch out for in 2016."

Obama's farewell tour: What's he claiming now?  . . . "But it appears his countrymen are not really prepared to buy into Obama's rosy recounting of his record. A new Gallup Poll of Americans finds only 23% satisfied with the country's direction under him. That's down from 32% satisfaction one year ago." . . .

Navy Capt. Nash: Here's the Message Iran Was Sending in Detaining US Sailors

Fox News

. . . "Navy Capt. Chuck Nash (Ret.), a Fox News military analyst," disagreed on America's Newsroom this morning, arguing that the detention of American service members was a message by the Iranian regime. 

"He said the decision to apprehend the sailors and release footage of one of the sailors apologizing was made at the highest level, by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.  

" 'This was done intentionally and it was done to further embarrass the United States. And to send the clear message to the Gulf Arabs: If the Americans won't stand up for themselves, they're certainly not going to stand up for you. We're the big dog now," Nash said.

"Watch Nash's analysis above." . . .

Please spare us the sob signalling over David Bowie

You mean like this?

The Spectator  . . . "From the word go, the level of sheer asininity of the guest commentators on BBC Breakfast was truly remarkable – surely the saddest legacy a creative person can leave is stupid fans. ‘He knew a lot of stuff about a lot of things.’ ‘The last great PR stunt of his life.’ ‘I didn’t know him well, to be honest,’ admitted Mick Ronson’s daughter, wiping the sleep from her eyes. ‘He always wanted to be himself’ said someone – NO HE DIDN’T, he made up CHARACTERS! " . . .  Ziggy Stardust, for example.
And this?

Even The Onion has its take on the SOTU

From The Onion; repeat: the Onion:  Obama Praises Own Strength, Resilience In Face Of Hardship During State Of The Union
"WASHINGTON—Recounting in detail the numerous struggles and tribulations of the past seven years, an impassioned President Obama loftily praised his own strength and resilience in the face of adversity Tuesday evening during his final State of the Union address. “In my two terms in office, this country has faced unprecedented challenges both at home and abroad, but if there is one constant amid this turmoil, if there’s one truth we can all hold onto, it’s that through it all I have remained steadfast and resolute—my perseverance never ceases to amaze me,” said Obama, his voice swelling with pride and conviction as he noted how, time and again, he has withstood every attack or heartache that has befallen him. “From the BP oil spill, to gun violence, to ISIS—I have met every hardship with the deepest resolve. Consider how truly inspiring that is. It is a testament to my incredible determination. My fellow Americans, these are trying times, but knowing what I know about me, about the type of good person I am, there is no doubt in my mind that I will get through whatever I encounter and emerge stronger on the other side.” Obama added that it was precisely this indomitable spirit that made America great."  Source: The Onion

Gitmo 'High-Risk' Prisoner Released; Vows to Kill Americans

But still the country adores Obama

Clarion Project   "Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Awn al-Shamrani is on record as vowing to 'kill Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan,' if he was ever let go."

"America released a recruiter for al-Qaeda from Guantánamo. Muhammad Abd al-Rahman Awn al-Shamrani, 40, considered a “high-risk prisoner” is on record as vowing to “kill Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan,” if he was ever let go from the prison.

"Al-Shamrani, originally from Saudi Arabia, will be transferred back to the desert kingdom.

The deal with the Clinton devil is over

"Once untouchable, Hillary and Bill are getting pounded"

Monica Crowley

"Live by Bubba, die by Bubba.

"Something has shifted when it comes to the treatment and perception of the Clintons, and it threatens their joint political ambitions like nothing before it.

"For nearly a quarter of a century, the Clintons have been politically bulletproof. No charge, regardless of how salacious, illegal and true, seemed to stick. When they detected incoming fire, they activated their tried-and-true protocol: deny, stonewall, deflect and claim that the nation’s business was too important — they were too important — to respond: “I need to get back to work for the American people.” Exit left. Get protection from the leftist mainstream media.

"They were untouchable, having created a cult of personality rivaled (and surpassed) only by President Obama.

"Until now." . . .   Read the entire article

WE'RE ALL RUTH BADER GINSBURG NOW

"The Constitution says: "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.'" 

Ann Coulter  "If Ted Cruz is a "natural born citizen," eligible to be president, what was all the fuss about Obama being born in Kenya? No one disputed that Obama's mother was a U.S. Citizen. 
"
Cruz was born in Canada to an American citizen mother and an alien father. If he's eligible to be president, then so was Obama -- even if he'd been born in Kenya. 

"As with most constitutional arguments, whether or not Cruz is a "natural born citizen" under the Constitution apparently comes down to whether you support Cruz for president. (Or, for liberals, whether you think U.S. citizenship is a worthless thing that ought to be extended to every person on the planet.) 

"Forgetting how corrupt constitutional analysis had become, I briefly believed lawyers who assured me that Cruz was a “natural born citizen,” eligible to run for president, and “corrected” myself in a single tweet three years ago. That tweet’s made quite a stir! 

"But the Constitution is the Constitution, and Cruz is not a "natural born citizen." (Never let the kids at Kinko's do your legal research.) " . . .

'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.