What is she talking about?

Mrs Clinton has been bumbling her way around Pakistan for the last 3 days. To accomplish what we really don't know. It started out like there was going to be some tough talk about rooting out Al Queda, but just like her mealy mouthed, what is she talking about response to piracy back in the spring, Mrs Clinton mumbled some nonsensical 'ya knows' and strung them together like they made sense.

Clinton faces Pakistani anger at Predator attacks

When the U.S. gathers evidence that al-Qaida fugitives are hiding in Pakistan, Clinton said Friday during a Pakistani media interview, "We feel like we have to go to the government of Pakistan and say, somewhere these people have to be hidden out."

What?

"We don't know where, and I have no information that they know where, but this is a big government. You know, it's a government on many levels. Somebody, somewhere in Pakistan must know where these people are. And we'd like to know because we view them as really at the core of the terrorist threat that threatens Pakistan, threatens Afghanistan, threatens us, threatens people all over the world," Clinton said.

Imagine me trying to use sign language as I scream "what are you saying?".

Good thing the world loves us again for the mere fact that we elected Obama, otherwise this could be a huge embarrassment.


x

Dover AFB

In an uncharacteristic, and unprecedented display of patriotism President Obama flew to Dover AFB around midnight last night to witness the return of 18 fallen heroes. We'll probably never know if President Bush ever went on such a pilgrimage, but we do know that he never brought a press pool so that it could be a photo-op.

An 18-year ban on coverage of Dover homecomings, dating to the 1991 Gulf War and strengthened by former President George W. Bush, was relaxed this year under Obama's watch. Now, families get to decide whether cameras can document the return. Nearly two-thirds have said yes to the media and even more to coverage by Pentagon cameras.


In this case, the return of only one of the 18 was open to the media.

Yet he made sure that he got his photo-op in!

Someone should tell the president that patriotism and patronizing are not the same thing,

Hollow Victories for the Empty Suit

Further proof that "The Emperor has no clothes", today Iran has given it's initial response to the negotiated proposal that theoretically and supposedly would prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

Ahmadinejad says West now cooperating with Iran
-Ap

The very premise of how this proposal would prevent Iran from producing a nuclear weapon is flimsy at best. Slow down the time line to which they will produce a nuclear weapon? Maybe. But Obama cannot even get the Mullahs to agree to the plan. But it gets worse. While Iran continues to play out the clock and thumb their noses at the west,they are using Obama's new foreign policy approach to calm their restless citizens and ingratiate themselves to parlimentary feelgooders around the world.

"Today we reached a very important point," Ahmadinejad said, speaking at a rally in the northeastern city of Mashhad. "Ground has been paved for nuclear cooperation" and Tehran is ready to now work on nuclear fuel supplies and technical know-how with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, Ahmadinejad added.
But he insisted his government "will not retreat even an iota" over the nation's right to pursue a nuclear program — which the West fears masks a nuclear arms ambition.

 Again, the Iranians play the Narcissist-in-Chief by appealing to his need for a foreign policy victory, and his need to continue to be the great U.N. hope for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Western powers say it's critical for Iran to send out 70 percent of its uranium store in one load to eliminate — at least temporarily — its options to make a nuclear weapon.
A significantly lower amount or gradual shipments by Iran could jeopardize a key part of the proposal, which was reached after talks last week that included the United States. About 2,205 pounds (1,000 kilograms) is the commonly accepted amount of low-enriched uranium needed to produce weapons-grade uranium for a single nuclear warhead.

 Even this weak attempt to slow down the Mullahs efforts to produce nuclear arms is being rebuffed. The way things are going it looks as though the president will accept a deal where Iranians ship small amounts of uranium for enrichment by first world technology and in real terms not diminish their stock pile a single kilo. And Obama will take this deal because he thinks it will play as a victory for him on the foreign policy world stage.

Back at home, it is very likely that the health care bill that gets to the presidents desk will not be the sweeping reform he was hoping for. At best it will be a bill that hobbles private insurance and possibly creates a mortgage bubble like crises that then permits the government to step in and take over. No matter what bill passes, he will however, claim a victory.

President Obama thus far has been an empty, but very fashionable, suit. Yet, it appears that his accomplishments on his primary foreign and domestic initiatives will be hollow victories.

No New Troops for Afghanistan

Well, that's what it sounds like anyways. It sounds like the rumor on the street right now is that Obama has made up his mind up on Afghanistan. And if the rumor be true, the decision is not a number; it's a new strategy. The rumor is not confirm-able (at this point) and normally would be ignored, except for..........

There was a very good op-ed piece in today's WSJ.

Afghanistan Doesn't Need More Troops

In 2007-2008, 250 paratroopers secured a Pashtun province of one million by working closely with the tribes.

My post yesterday made the argument that Mcchrystal's strategy is not necessarily the only strategy that might work. When I woke up this morning and read the Cmdr Adam's piece I thought to myself, "well, OK! There you go; A logical argument with some evidence for an alternative strategy". My second thought was, "OK Mr President. Tell this guy to 'name that tune'. Fire Mcchrystal, hire Cmdr Adams, and let him have a go at it. Heck, your hero Abe Lincoln hired, fired, and rehired generals. If you believe this works, then go for it!".

Later in the day, when I began to hear rumors of a decision by Obama in regards to Afghanistan, I had a 'things that make you go hmmmmm" moment. I think we are about to hear the announcement of a non-troop-intensive, warm and fuzzy, let's just give them hugs strategy.

I guess that's fine, or at least it's better than the indecision that I complained about yesterday. However, it does nothing to convince me that we are not moving closer and closer to to reproducing the mistakes of Vietnam. There is no evidence in the annals of history that the "Hearts and Minds" strategy for winning a war works

I won't argue anything that Cmdr Adams says. I do not doubt that the strategy executed in his sector did avoid conflicts and save lives. I am just not convinced it works as an end to war in the theater.

Oh, and if you have any question? Hurry up and send them to the Cmdr. He's about to take command of the nuclear powere submarine, USS Sante Fe. If he misses your email, he might be able to answer your question next time he surfaces in 2013.


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Reality Bites!

Today from Holman Jenkins at the Wall Street Journal, a despairing but accurate synopsis of where we are politcally and economically.

Washington's Suicide Mission

You'll laugh.

It's no exaggeration to say the Senate health-care bill taking shape is the equivalent of climbing aboard a train about to plunge into a canyon and deciding what it really needs is a bomb on board.

You'll cry.

One might have guessed it would take a decade of Obamanomics to produce European welfare state levels of youth unemployment, but at 18.5% we're there.

You may even shake your head in amazement and wonder if we will ever learn.

By one metric alone, it might succeed—somewhat reducing the numbers of those who tell pollsters they are "uninsured." But it does so in a fashion reminiscent of the means the Clinton and Bush administrations used to raise the homeownership rate from 64% to 70%—which produced the subprime wreckage around us.

It's not even 9am, but I need a drink!

Obamastan or Osamastan?

Because I respect the role of 'Commander-in-Chief' I have kept my opinion on Gen Mcchrystal's request for 40,000 more troops to myself. When you are the Commander-in-Chief it really is your decision. It's on you! So, one can understand painstaking contemplation and the desire to be in complete command of the facts and all the options. You do not want to screw up your war.

That's right, it's Obama's war now, and he has some pretty important decisions to make. The first decision is whether you want to win the war or go home. If you want to win the war, well then, you don't have to take your general's advice? But, if you don't agree with your general, then maybe he's not the right guy. I mean you have every right to be concerned about results if you tell him, "No. Do it my way". He's going to salute, turn around, roll his eyes and walk out of the room. You would be right to question the conviction with which he will execute your plan. It would be completely legitimate to take the course that Obama's hero, Abraham Lincoln, took and keep firing generals until you find one that does what you want and gets the results that you want. That get's a little dicey though. The lessons of Vietnam hang heavy around our necks. That was a war we felt we had to fight, but apparently did not want to win. Conventional wisdom that has lasted over the many years is that the politicians tied one hand behind the back of our military. Politics got in the way of winning the war.

I guess that's why I feel it OK to now come out and criticize the indecision of the Commander-in-Chief. I worry that this may be the turning point where Afghanistan becomes like Vietnam. Because of politics, it could be come a war that we fight but don't want to win. The very idea that the elections in Afghanistan have anything to do with what our strategy might be is ridiculous. We are there to get Osama Bin Laden and to make sure that Afghanistan can never again be a place where terrorist organizations like Al Queda can operate with impunity. Who happens to be the president of Afghanistan doesn't matter except in the plans for withdrawing and leaving behind a stable government.....Once we win!

The real disconcerting thoughts are that our president has no conviction about this war. I think the Wall Street Journal described the president as 'playing hamlet'. But I don't think Obama's hamlet is contemplative and thoughtful, mais non, he is political and wily. He is more concerned with angering his allies, and losing points in the polls. He has no conviction as to whether this war should be fought or not. If you have conviction, you end up like George W Bush, and he does not want that to happen. My god! Just imagine! I mean look at the thin skin already displayed by this presidency! He is already at war with Fox News because he doesn't like their opposing views on health care! Imagine if he had to deal with anything like what GWB had to deal with? He would declare martial law!

And therefor have to bring the troops home from Afghanistan to shore up the home front.
Hmmmmmm.......

From "Yes We Can" to "Yes Iran"

On Friday I commented on the breaking news that Iran was refusing the deal that the 'talk to your enemies' administration had proposed.

Kiss My Hamas: Part Deux

This weekends edition of the wall street journal had two good op-ed pieces on the situation. The first piece seemed to mock the Presidents naivete, and arrogant overconfidence more than I did. I loved it!

Dickering Over Uranium

The mullahs so far won't take yes for an answer.

The second piece really went on to make some very good points I did not mention on Friday. It essentially goes on to say that in addition to being embarrassed at the negotiating table, and in addition to passively giving the Iranians nuclear weapons capabilities, Obama is also looking the other way on Iran's human rights violations, and looking the other way on the country's fledgling democratic movement.

Denying the Green Revolution

The State Department cuts off funding to support Iran's democrats.

I have commented in various posts that I really don't think Obama is a very big fan of democracy anyways. I mean it was great for getting him the power he has now, but other than that, from his point of view, there is too much downside. I mean if democracy was so great, then we would already have a single-payer health care system, right? Honduras trying to preserve their democracy? Obama is not interested. Voter fraud and a new democratic movement in Iran? Definitely not interested!

Voter fraud in Iran? Here, have some nuclear weapons.

What?!?!? Voter fraud in Afghanistan! Well whoa, wait one second there pilgrim. We just may have to pack up, head home, and let you die at the hands of the Taliban. I mean at least they were a stable government!

The Public Option Is No Option

There is a lot discussion and speculation that the public option is not dead and that it will manifest itself in some form on the floor of the Senate in the near future.

One such manifestation being considered is a government run option where the States have the ability to 'opt-out'. Yeah, right. Just like States have the ability to 'opt-out' of the Federal mandate to have a drinking age of 21 or over, you just happen to also automatically 'opt-out' of highway Federal funds that you would otherwise be entitled to. That is why all 50 states have the same law.

Another proposal being discussed are 'triggers' whereby if certain parameters were not met, the government would automatically be allowed to step in and provide a government run insurance program. Details of what these parameters might be have not yet been revealed, but I have a good hunch they will be such that it will be easier for the president to declare the implementation of a government run program than it was for him to declare the swine flu a national emergency.

It is the season, so I can't help but liken this situation to the original horror classic "Halloween'. Every time you think the hideous monster is dead, he gets up and comes after you with the knife again. If you hear on the TV that the public option is dead again, it's ok to scream at the screen "No! Don't turn around! Noooo! Don't drop the knife!"

WSJ: The Chicago Way

I always enjoy Kimberley Strassel's column. I found today's to be particularly good.

'The Chicago Way'

She documents the Chicago style thug tactics and their targets.

• The Chamber of Commerce
• Humana
• Sen Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
• Rep Eric Cantor
• Fox News
  

I especially liked her use of the lines from the movie "The Untouchables". The column is good as it points out tactics and targets of the Chicago gang, but I think you can go further and connect the dots as to the vast and dark connections of this organization. You don't even need to grab a movie quote to illustrate the gangsta mentality that is in charge.

“If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard,”
- deputy chief of staff Jim Messina

 He said that during the month of August when the Town Hall meetings were in full gear, and being ignored or demonized by state run media. He meant what he said too! Prior to that the only violence had been some people trying to push through doors when halls filled up. Then, the SEIU started to bus in real live union thugs. Then things got messy. They would sneak in the back door, and then when the room was filled, they would lock the front doors. No opposition. There is one occasion caught on video where a black man who showed up to voice his opposition and was attacked by SEIU thugs. And a simple search of youtube show a few more incidents that you probably didn't see on state run media.

The SEIU is surely the muscle of the Chicago gang, but don't forget or under estimate the fanatic ideological wing of the organization, ACORN. These people successfully choreographed the AIG 'manufactured rage' protests with the  complicity of state run media. And I won't even bother posting links to the many video's of the various ACORN offices helping members of a '60 minutes' (of old) style sting, where ACORN employees were giving advice on how to avoid taxes and run an illegal prostitution business.

The media did not do their jobs in researching Obama's past during the run up to the election. Despite the infamous history of Chicago politics, the many politicians who have gone to jail, no one ever thought to ask "gee? how did this guy climb through the ranks and not get dirty?"

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you; The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy

Kiss My Hamas: Part Deux

Iran fails to accept UN uranium enrichment plan -AP 

The Obama administration has just officially got their first taste of diplomatic reality. Why they think that their "she-loves-me, she-loves-me-not" strategy is vastly different than what Bush or even Clinton (with North Korea) tried to do is not apparent. And now this administration has reset the clock by handing the Iranians a brand new bouquet of flowers from which to pick the petals. The only possible reason that this administration thought that their negotiations would work over their predecessors is because of their "Hey, it's me, Obama!" mentality.

And now the dance is anew. Playing a card right out of the Narcissist in Chief's playbook, the Iranians warn and woo the President by warning the U.S. to...

refrain from past mistakes in violating agreements and make efforts to win the trust of the Iranian nation

I believe the game of chess originated in Persia. They may not be grand masters, but they are good.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is waiting for a constructive and confidence building response to the clear proposal of buying fuel for the Tehran research reactor

It's not checkmate but it's a clear block to any 'four move checkmate' strategy that Mr Obama thought he might use. The Iranians strategy has been cast. They do not need a checkmate move. They just need to delay, and move some of the pieces from time to time. Their counter offer to buy more Uranium from world supplies is actually brilliant. It diffuses the issue of them trying to yield higher grade uranium, supposedly for their medical reactor, and lets them hang onto their supply of raw un-enriched, but still enrich-able stock pile. What avenue does Obama have now? Repeat the mistakes of the past and implement tougher sanctions (The Bush strategy)? or let Israel have at them?

Your move Mr. President

State Run Media: "Fox is not News!"

At Fox News they have a saying "We report, you decide". This weekend the Obama administration came out with the slogan for everybody else "We decide, what you report".

You think I am kidding? Watch how Anita Dunn talks about how proud she was of their organizational capability to control what the media was talking about.


Only one problem. Fox News. They don't seem to be goose stepping like the other networks to the same drum that is being beat by the Obama administration. So they have ways (pronounced 'veyz') of dealing with that. Over the last week, several administration officials have appeared on the more friendly networks to declare war on Fox News. Red Meat for the faithful. I liked Newsmax.com's synopsis of what took place best.

Last week, White House communications director Anita Dunn said Fox News operates "almost as either the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican Party."

Just Because her organizational expertise has been able to corrupt and control every news outlet except for Fox News means that they must have a political slant! And MSNBC, CNN, ABC, CBS, & NBC don't? NBC and MSNBC are the worst offenders. Both are owned by Jeff Imelt's General Electric. Jeff is on the administrations economic council. GE stands to receive billions of tax dollars from the first stimulus package wrapped as green jobs. They are sooooo on board. ABC had their opportunity to host the administrations prime time infomercial for health care that provided them with a blessed ratings bonanza opportunity. Hell, the administration has even elevated the telemundo network above Fox News by including them in the weekend talk show health care promo blitz, where they excluded Fox News.

On Sunday, Rahm Emanuel, President Barack Obama's chief of staff, said, "It is not a news organization so much as it has a perspective."

Well, if it wasn't for Fox News you would have never heard of the ACORN scandal. You would not have heard about the extreme communistic beliefs of Van Jones. The list of things that the administration would have preffered that you were not able to hear about is vast. They talk about transparency but they crave secrecy and choreography.

Appearing on ABC's "This Week," senior Obama adviser David Axelrod said Fox News shouldn't be treated as a news organization. "And the bigger thing is that other news organizations, like yours, ought not to treat them that way, and we're not going to treat them that way," he said.

As Bugs Bunny once bravely said; "Of course you realize, this means war!".

Really? Do ya think?

To be filed under painfully obvious.

Bernanke urges US to cut budget deficit

Bernanke calls for US to `substantially reduce' budget deficits to combat global imbalances 

-AP

No kidding! Wow! Nice to know that someone is paying attention. And here is his plan.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke called Monday for the United States to whittle down its record-high budget deficits and for countries like China to get their consumers to spend more.

I dunno Ben, I know you are the Chairman of the Federal Reserve and all, but I don't think those guys on Capitol Hill and in the White House are listening. If this administrations history to date is any indication of future performance, then your comments will be classified as another idea that "needs to be looked at".

It doesn't seem that they heard your message when sent by the  hundreds of thousands of Tax Day Tea Party participants across the country. And when 2 million protesters brought your message directly to them by marching through the streets of Washington DC, they still chose to ignore the message.

This administration is like a political Lindsay Lohan. They worked hard for their new found star power, and no one is going to stop this party! Messages from millions of previously non-politically active citizens alarmed at how the Presidents ideas for "change" are shaping up won't convince him to put down the bong. Friendly chats with European contemporaries who have already been to socialism rehab can't convince the president to slow this party down. And now finally, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke (essentially Obama's fiscal chauffeur) is telling the President that he really shouldn't drive down to the clubs for a while because he's concerned about how this is beginning to look.

Is there any type of intervention that will work?

Obama adresses 'feisty' crowd in New Orleans town hall

Nope, it's not what you think.

Addressing another conveniently gathered group of well wishers, Obama received an overwhelming reception at the University of New Orleans. He began his speech by introducing some notable attendees. First on the list was the Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal, who the crowd began to boo. Even Obama could not get the crowd to stop until what  seemed like a good deal of time went by. Watching the president trying to hush the be-loving crowd turned angry was a sight to see. Moving on the president introduced various members of his cabinet, getting the crowd back to the roaring cheers. After all, the president has had a couple of tough weeks and he had come to New Orleans to feel some love. After several arousing sets of applause, he quieted the crowd and said "you guys are a feisty crowd!".

Feisty? Yeah! If they were anyone else other than die hard, blind faith supporters the media would have characterized them as an angry mob, and since Bobby Jindal is of Indian descent, they must be racist too.

Let's see if this makes the Nightly News!

The Emperor's New Clothes

What a joke!

President Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize -AP

The presenter was heard to say that

"This years Nobel prize for peace goes to Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts in international diplomacy"

How funny is that? Following the weekend where even Saturday Night Live began to open their eyes and roasted the president for his lack of accomplishments, the world community saw it proper that he be given what used to be a prestigious award for accomplishments in making the world a more peaceful place.

The really funny part is that the deadline for submitting nominations for the prize was the first week in February! Obama had only been in office for 2 weeks! I guess that is just another demonstration of the Audacity of Hope. I would desperately love to read that nomination. What did it say? I guess it doesn't matter. Even if it's invisible you're just supposed to pretend to see it, nod, and comment on how wonderful those achievements are.

"When every cop is a criminal
and all the sinners saints.
When heads is tales just call me............."

Ladies and gentlemen, "The emperor has no clothes"!

96% of medicare recipients are happy with their coverage,

96% of medicare recipients are happy with their coverage, the other 4% are dying and all of the others are dead!

My parents are part of the demographic that are perfectly happy with their coverage. Then again they have the Medicare Advantage plan. They, like most other people, are deluded into thinking that their Medicare Advantage plan is a government managed program. It's not. It's run by private insurance and subsidized with government funds. If these Medicare Advantage customers who are so happy with their coverage and are promoting the public plan so that others may share in their bliss they need to do a little forward thinking, and maybe even start acting defensively.

Medicare for Dummies

Too bad all that great coverage will be going away under Obamacare. Hey, it's supply and demand! If you want to let more people into the store get ready to wait in line! And if you don't have the Medicare Advantage plan and you still insist you love your medicare? Get ready to pray for some hope and to live with the change.

The War on Specialists

PAY ATTENTION! Naive people like my Mother, wonderful Grand Mother of my children, think that what Obama is going to do is to provide the same coverage that 90% of Americans enjoy through their employers to those people who can't afford it on their own. That's not what they are proposing. They are looking to turn health care on it's ear. Break it down and rebuild it.

If you like your plan you can keep it! Yeah! Unless your employer decides to drop your plan because they can save a lot of money and you have a government option you can get anyways!