Patrick Poole posted an update on our “Syrian Moderates” training program today. It only gets worse:
#BringBackOurRebels Part 2: Al-Qaeda Arrests 18 U.S.-Trained Rebels On Their First Day in Syria
Category Archives: Foreign Policy
Patrick Poole’s – Part 2
Filed under Foreign Policy, General Interest, Military, Politics, Terrorism
Who is the real maverick?
With Donald Trump my childhood bias against New Yorkers makes it difficult for me to even listen to him, let alone take him seriously as a Presidential candidate. Growing up in rural northeast PA, an area invaded by discontented city dwellers seeking the quiet bucolic life, yet who upon arrival loudly demanded amenities (city sidewalks and streetlights for example) and vocally attempted to school the PA Dutch rural folks on how things should be done influenced my perception of New Yorkers dramatically.. Being one of those backward PA Dutch hicks, a healthy disdain for loud, brash New Yorkers blossomed. Of course, there are a few other things, beyond the bad comb-over, that make me wary of The Donald, like his womanizing ways, which speaks to a character issue that my straitlaced upbringing taught me to view with a jaundiced eye. Then there’s the over-the-top braggadocio and brash mannerisms, which clash with my view that humility is a virtue to be revered.
Of course, to take on the Washington establishment and our venal mainstream media, it’s unlikely the milquetoast, humble types stand a chance of even getting noticed, let alone feared by the permanent political class or the press and that’s why with The Donald they’re pulling out all the stops to demonize, discredit and derail his presidential campaign.
While I can’t see myself voting for Donald Trump, mostly because I want a CINC with a calmer temperament and less bombast, but that Washington outsider/not-a-politician attitude appeals to me a great deal. So far, Carly Fiorina, another successful business person, has captured my interest. With each interview, she shines brighter and there’s a careful, well-studied manner to the way she artfully handles questions, which speaks to time spent researching the gamut of subjects she’s been quizzed on. She can artfully turn gotcha questions right back on the interviewer, she doesn’t wilt under pressure and she doesn’t back down. Plus, she lacks the theatrical circus atmosphere of the Donald Trump campaign, awash in reality show drama.
One of my favorite analysts, G. Murphy Donovan, a native New Yorker to boot, boldly penned a piece, “Trump’s Trump”, at the The American Thinker today, which pinpointed many of the truths nudging at my consciousness about the relentless charge to annihilate Donald Trump’s presidential campaign quickly:
“In any case, the merits of entrepreneurs like Trump might best be defined by the character or motives of his critics. Trump detractors are for the most part “B” list politicians, ambulance chasers, and a left-leaning Press corps that lionizes the likes of Nina Totenberg, Dan Rather, Chris Matthews, Andrea Mitchell, and Brian Williams.
If the truth were told, most of Trump’s critics are jealous, envious of his wealth -e- and they loath his candor. Donald might also be hated for what he is not. Trump is not a lawyer, nor is he a career politician who lives on the taxpayer dime. Trump is paying for his own campaign. Bernie, Barack, McCain, and Kerry could take enterprise lessons from a chap like Trump.”
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/07/trumps_trump.html#ixzz3hBnnwmAC
Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter | AmericanThinker on Facebook
Likewise, the GOP establishment roils with anger and dismay that a political outsider is successfully gaining traction without the aid of their political backing, advice, or money. Therein enters John McCain, the Republican the media rolls out at every turn as the voice of the GOP. As a frequent critic and definitely not a member of the John McCain fan club, I’ve penned many harsh critiques questioning his foreign policy expertise and his motives. Here’s my rather prescient view from June 2, 2013, “The GOP policy maverick rides again (unfortunately)”:
“Andrew McCarthy penned a brutally honest assessment of the John McCain Arab democracy projects in a National Review piece, “Syria: John McCain’s Next Libya” (article here). It’s way past time for the GOP to take away the megaphones from John McCain and Lindsey Graham. They spend more time being simultaneously for and against issues than John Kerry and that sure takes policy acrobatics to a whole new level. These two relish all the media attention and they hog the media spotlight to such an extent that President Obama gets a pass on these policy debacles, because Graham and McCain so generously stamp the GOP seal of approval all over these foreign policy disasters. It seems like only a few upstarts like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul have the guts to stand up to these bloviating relics. The GOP needs an internal rebellion or maybe it’s time for a new party, because the GOP doesn’t seem to welcome new ideas and their “maverick” should be put out to pasture with his woefully misguided foreign policy adventure notions.”
The GOP’s internal rebellion has come to pass, let us see which maverick rides the winning horse into the sunset.
Filed under Culture Wars, Foreign Policy, General Interest, Politics
Walking the talk
The march to the left continues, so I’m just going to skip along this yellow brick road and toss out links to stories with my political commentary as we go.
There’s been talk swirling of the Obama administration trying to fundamentally transform the demographic make-up of communities across America with some HUD Big Brother plan to use federal grant money to compel communities to comply. Sounds far-fetched and preposterous, just more of that “Obama the Marxist” crazy talk from those clinging to their guns and religion right wing-nuts:
“Feds accused of pushing ‘utopias’ in wealthy neighborhoods with diversity regs” (FoxNews, June 15, 2015)
“HUD’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing”
“Obama collecting personal data for a secret race database” (New York Post, July 18, 2015)
Just as an aside, the GOP remains lost in a plodding effort to pander to racial and ethnic constituencies, while the Democrats embraced the computer, high-tech new world, where they have stealthily worked to use the executive branch regulatory power to create new bastions of Democratic voters and break-up conservative districts. They have drilled this down to the lowest level and analyzed this state by state, county by county.
And while they’ve been laying the groundwork for this HUD relocation plan, they’ve already physically relocated large numbers of illegal immigrants. They’ve used the mainstream media to aid and abet them in the effort to banish the mean “illegal immigrant” phrase from usage and recast these droves of illegals as “refugees”.
Duping the American public, an easy feat, as most of the American public doesn’t even follow the news, passed unnoticed and served as a crucial building block to get their plan off the ground, because “refugees” fall under the care of the US State Department Resettlement Program. Refugees can be relocated in any state without any requirement that the State Department even inform the state government.
Demolishing conservative voting blocs and fundamentally transforming American communities to reconstruct carefully calculated Democrat-controlled districts is what they’re really after. The GOP doesn’t even have a clue! They’re still trying to pander to the Hispanic vote and listening to outdated political strategists. The GOP establishment invested more effort at sabotaging the Tea Party conservative movement than it has to actually studying what the Dem operatives are implementing.
The GOP abandoned its base long ago, so conservatives should invest time at trying to understand the far-left’s masterful propaganda and media manipulation in the digital era rather than continue reactionary hysteria. Ranting that President Obama is a far-left radical, while a true statement, allows the leftist establishment to marginalize and dismiss those on the right who speak out. The GOP won’t defend conservative values, so conservatives need to learn to organize themselves at the grassroots level, then build a network across America to promote American values. Positive American messages will gain traction, while political histrionics will continue to alienate. And at the end of the day, instead of whining, conservatives need to live their values, because nothing speaks louder than walking the talk.
Filed under Culture Wars, Food for Thought, Foreign Policy, General Interest, Politics
Has the CINC called the families?
The White House narrative on the latest Islamic terrorist attack in America has yet to fully emerge, but the FBI is pulling back from the “terrorism” label, CNN is running a story about “something happened to him over there” and Andrea Mitchell is left grasping at “redneck hunting” as a reason he had guns. Yes, the mainstream media will follow the administration talking points and wander further afield from the obvious truth, that the shooter, Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez was another Islamist terrorist. Yes, it will be anything, except Islamic terrorism.
Th President visited New York City with his daughters today and the press have been all over that story, but I have yet to find any reporting to indicate that the Commander-in Chief called the families of the 4 Marines and 1 sailor slain in Chattanooga. Has anyone else seen this reported anywhere?
Filed under Culture Wars, Foreign Policy, General Interest, Islam, Military, Politics, Terrorism, The Media
Awaiting the fairy tale White House narrative
So, as we await more damning details on the latest jihadist to attack right here in America, be aware most in the media will play along with the ubiquitous “lone wolf”, ho-hum workplace violence trope and bury facts that don’t play into the evolving Obama administration narrative. Unlike the white supremacist, druggie, Dylan Roof, whose sins must be born by all white Southerners and their Confederate ancestors, this murderer, Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez, in the Marine slayings yesterday in Chattanooga, TN, won’t bring calls to admit jihadists are inspired by their religion and you won’t hear the words “Islamic terrorism”coming from the mouths of this administration nor most of the media. All tracks leading to connections to the worldwide jihad will be carefully covered as this White House constructs the official narrative – just remember the Benghazi spontaneous attack over an obscure video explanation.
Filed under Culture Wars, Foreign Policy, General Interest, Islam, Politics, Terrorism
Wolf Blitzer Makes A Fool Of Susan Rice On Iran Funding Terrorists
Filed under Foreign Policy, General Interest, Politics, Terrorism
Martin Van Creveld weighs in on Syria
Martin Van Creveld, prolific military historian, strategist and author, wrote an article at his blog, “For Whom the Bells Toll” that lays out the grim strategic realities in Syria in stark contrast. I highly recommend bookmarking his blog, to add to your blog list.
Filed under Foreign Policy, General Interest, History, Islam, Politics, Terrorism
Lily pads…..
Here’s the latest Obama strategic brain trust – lily pads. From IHS:
“The United States is sending another 450 ‘advisors’ to Iraq to establish what chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Demspey described as another ‘lily pad’: a hub that can be used to empower local Iraqi forces in their fight against the Islamic State militant group.”
Who is this White House consulting for strategic advice, Kermit the Frog?
Filed under Foreign Policy, General Interest, Islam, Military, Politics
More on preemptive nuclear strikes…. OMG
Here’s a quick follow-up to the Mark Dice post the other day about his fake petition to nuke Russia video. RT (Russia Today) reports doing a man-on-the-street fake petition, by approaching Moscow pedestrians and trying to acquire their signature agreeing to nuke America. Most of the Russians reportedly refused to sign the petition and expressed outrage at the suggestion:
http://rt.com/news/266848-russia-nuke-america-poll/
I’ll leave it to you to ponder this, but in the Dice video, what alarmed me the most was that not a single person actually took the time to read the petition – they just signed it.
Filed under Culture Wars, Education, Foreign Policy, General Interest, Politics
Securing our blessings of Liberty
G. Murphy Donovan, with frank honesty, wrote a piece in The American Thinker, “The All-volunteer Military: Too Much From Too Few”, about our all-volunteer force, our detached self-absorbed citizenry and corrupted power-brokers in America, sure to give you pause for some reflection on the duty of being a good citizen in our floundering Republic. He writes:
“If every citizen benefits from national security, shouldn’t all beneficiaries have some skin in the game?
The all-volunteer army has created a chasm between the combat veteran and the population served. That chasm gets broader with every reckless military intervention or deployment. If national defense is a subset of national security, then every citizen, every family, and every institution that enjoys the benefits of safety and democracy should share the risks and costs.”
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/06/the_allvolunteer_military_too_much_from_too_few.html#ixzz3crmdunwb
Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter | AmericanThinker on Facebook
“We need to have a discussion in America”, the popular buzz phrase from politicos, those agenda-drivers in academia, and mouthpieces in the media, hinting that those calling for the discussion will be the ones defining the parameters and censoring any discussion they allow to be aired in the public square, dooms any hope that words like “civic duty” and “what you owe your country” will ever be allowed to be uttered.
In our present bipolar polity, the political left learned to quite effectively mask their absolute loathing of our military, carried forward from the Vietnam era, and adopted the insincere, “thank-you for your service” throwaway line, while they advocate policies aimed at neutering our military might and transforming it into a Peace Corps with hired guns. The political right devolved into a advocacy for special moneyed interests and a spoonful of sugar remedy, masking noxious foreign policy nostrums and magic potion strategic cures for exotic ailments they little understand.
GMD offers some excellent links within his articles, so be sure and check those out too.
Filed under Culture Wars, Foreign Policy, General Interest, History, Politics
libertybelle diaries 