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FEBRUARY 22,  2015

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:52 P.M ET:

BULLETIN – From the Washington Post:  "In 1999, Columba Bush, the famously private wife of then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, was detained and fined by federal customs officials for misrepresenting the amount of clothing and jewelry she had bought while on a solo five-day shopping spree in Paris."  I'm shocked, shocked.  Why is the woman not in prison?  Remarkable, isn't it, how the liberal press is already ganging up on any Republican who has a chance for the 2016 presidential nomination?  Even family is considered fair game.  Compare please with the softballing of one Barack Hussein Obama Jr. during both of his presidential campaigns.

FROM THE OSCARS – Oh, the Oscars were on tonight.  From The New York Times:  "'Birdman' took the top prize at the 87th Academy Awards on Sunday, winning best picture. Alejandro G. Iñárritu won the award for best director for that film as well. Julianne Moore won best actress for 'Still Alice.' Eddie Redmayne won best actor for 'The Theory of Everything.' Patricia Arquette and J.K. Simmons won the supporting acting awards, for 'Boyhood' and 'Whiplash' respectively."  "American Sniper" struck out, not surprising in today's Hollywood.

MALL WARNING – From The Hill:  "Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson on Sunday warned the public to be 'particularly careful' if they go to the Mall of America in Minnesota after a terrorist group released a video calling for attacks on it.  'I would say that if anyone is planning to go to the Mall of America today, they’ve got to be particularly careful,' Johnson said on CNN's 'State of the Union.'"  It's stunning to hear a federal official speak like that.  Obama will have to have a little talk with him.  Afterward, Johnson will probably say that the real threat to America comes from fracking.

February 22,  2015     Permalink

THE THREAT – AT 11:25 A.M. ET:  A new threat, focused on British nuclear plants, is being reported.  Can happen here as well.  From London's Express:   

BRITAIN’S nuclear plants are at risk from a terrorist strike by unmanned drone aircraft, writes Caroline Wheeler.

Such an attack could kill tens of thousands of people, a Government adviser has warned. But authorities are “burying their heads in the sand,” according to John Large.

His call for an urgent security overhaul comes as figures showed nuclear power plants suffered 37 security breaches last year – the highest numberalso been breached a dozen times since 2011, including by at least one drone.

Islamic State terrorists have already recruited chemical weapons specialists and counterterrorism experts say they are intent on building a “dirty bomb”.

Last night Mr Large, a nuclear engineer who has carried out work for Britain’s Atomic Energy Authority, demanded a major exercise to test the resilience of the nation’s power stations against acts of terrorism.

Mr Large, who has advised the French government after a growing number of mysterious unmanned flights over that country’s nuclear plants, said drones also pose a risk to the UK’s 16 operational reactors.

“On application to UK nuclear power plants, I believe that much the same security and vulnerability issues apply,” he told the Sunday Express.

“The accessibility of the UK plants to small UAV’s [unmanned airborne vehicles] is relatively unimpeded."

COMMENT:  That's pretty scary stuff.  I don't know of any air defense around our nuclear plants here. 

We are at a critical intersection of technology and history.  I don't think we've yet to take the technology seriously.

February 22, 2015       Permalink

MILITARY DISSENTERS SPEAK OUT – QUOTE OF THE DAY – AT 9:56 A.M. ET:  The Obama administration has a nasty tendency to fire military officers who dare to disagree.  But once they're out of the service they're free to speak as American citizens. 

Retired Army Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn was director of the Defense Intelligence Agency until relieved in 2014.  He is raising serious questions about our upcoming attempt to retake Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, from ISIS.  Oddly, this is published at the liberal website, The Politico: 

American officials said this week they plan to train up to 25,000 Iraqi troops in a major mission to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, from Islamic State militants sometime this spring.

The mission is welcome, but frankly it is unlikely to succeed unless there is, at the same time, a deeper understanding on the part of our government of the real threat that the Islamic State and its adherents pose to us as a nation—and what our role in this broader fight must be. Unless the United States takes dramatically more action than we have done so far in Iraq, the fractious, largely Shiite-composed units that make up the Iraqi army are not likely to be able, by themselves, to overwhelm a Sunni stronghold like Mosul, even though they outnumber the enemy by ten to one. The United States must be prepared to provide far more combat capabilities and enablers such as command and control, intelligence, logistics, and fire support, to name just a few things.

Yet to defeat an enemy, you first must admit they exist, and this we have not done. I believe there continues to be confusion at the highest level of our government about what it is we’re facing, and the American public want clarity as well as moral and intellectual courage, which they are not now getting.

There are some who argue that violent Islamists are not an existential threat and therefore can simply be managed as criminals, or as a local issue in Iraq and Syria. I respectfully and strongly disagree.

We, as a nation, must accept and face the reality that we and other contributing nations of the world are at war, and not just in Iraq. We are in a global war with a radical and violent form of the Islamic religion, and it is irresponsible and dangerous to deny it. This enemy is far broader than the 40,000 or so fighters in the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. There also exists a large segment of this radical version of Islam in over 90 nations abroad as well as here at home. Just ask those countries from which foreign fighters are flowing into the Levant to support this “jihad.”

Nor is this enemy going away any time soon. As abhorrent as this form of radical Islam is, we must recognize and understand that it is a political ideology with the foundation of its laws emanating from the Qur’an and the Prophet’s life as its guide—and nothing else is needed. This form of radical Islam is in direct conflict with a large segment of the Islamic community; a community that must stand taller and be counted right now or they will be counted among the dead—killed at the hands of these radical militants (this includes both Sunni and Shia).

COMMENT:  Please read the whole thing.  It's worth it.  Flynn ends with, "Winning doesn't come without cost and solving difficult, messy problems is never easy, but that's what leaders do.  Let's lead!

February 22, 2015       Permalink

BULLETIN – FROM NBC NEWS – AT 8:32 A.M. ET:  There has been a serious terrorist call for attacks on the United States.  From NBC:

LONDON — The terrorist group al Shabab released a video Saturday calling for attacks on shopping malls in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. The video, released by the Somalia-based group's official media wing, calls for attacks in the style of al Shabab's 2013 siege on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in which more than 60 people were killed.

Minnesota's Mall of America, which was referenced in the video, said it was aware of the threat. "We will continue to follow the situation, along with law enforcement, and will remain vigilant as we always do in similar situations," it said in a statement.

A spokesman for the National Security Council said the FBI and Department of Homeland Security have been working in recent months with mall operators to prevent and mitigate such attacks. "Protecting public safety and national security is our highest priority," NSC spokesman Ned Price said.

COMMENT:  This is obviously a very real threat.  al Shabab showed its skill in the Westgate Mall attacks.

Of course, the timing is beautiful, isn't it?  Last last week the bumblers in the Obama administration were trying to convince us that the real threat to us comes from domestic right wingers.  What a bunch we have running Washington.  What a bunch.

February 22,  2015     Permalink

FEBRUARY 21,  2015

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:52 P.M. ET: 

OBNOXIOUS – From Townhall.com:  "Last week Angela Ricketts, the wife of an active duty military officer, received a message through her author page on Facebook. At first she assumed it was an average online troll, but after further investigation discovered the message came from an ISIS account. On the same day she received the threat, four other military wives received something similar.  'I read the message and it was terrifying. It threatened my family, it threatened me, it threatened my husband, it said they knew everything about us and where we were and threatened us with Shariah law,' Ricketts said On The Record Thursday night. 'This isn't the mountains of eastern Afghanistan and Paktika province. This isn't the desert of Iraq. This is here and this is now. This is a brand new world and how are we going to deal with it now that it's here and these threats are directed towards us?'"  Obama would probably tell Angela that she must understand the sins we've committed against these poor, brotherly ISIS fighters.

WE WEIGH, THEY PLAY – From the Washington Post:  "The Obama administration is weighing a new round of sanctions against Russia in response to its continued 'land-grabbing' in eastern Ukraine despite a cease-fire agreement, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Saturday.  Speaking to reporters in London, where he met with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, Kerry said he expected that the United States and its European allies would impose some 'very serious' sanctions and other steps to punish Moscow after repeated cease-fire violations by Russian-backed Ukrainian separatists."  I'm sure Putin is deeply frightened and has nightmares over having to confront Field Marshal of the United States (and parts of Rhode Island) Barack Obama. 

NANNY MOVES INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD – From the Washington Times:  "A federal advisory committee this week urged that the government’s next generation of dietary guidelines for the first time take into account environmental factors, specifically recommending more fruits and vegetables and less meats.  'Consistent evidence indicates that, in general, a dietary pattern that is higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in animal-based foods is more health promoting and is associated with lesser environmental impact (GHG emissions and energy, land, and water use) than is the current average U.S. diet,' the U.S. 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommended in a wide-ranging report.  GHG standards for greenhouse gas emissions, which climate scientists blame for global warming."  They'll have to pry that ice-cream cone out of my cold, dead hands.

February 21, 2015       Permalink

PENTAGON DOUBTS ON ISIS STRATEGY – AT 12:14 P.M. ET:  The U.S. has announced a pending military assault on Mosul, Iraq, that country's second largest city, now under ISIS control.  Apparently, the real military guys aren't enthusiastic.  From The Daily Beast:   

That didn’t take long. Less than a day after the U.S. military announced its Spring offensive against ISIS, seasoned military officers said the plan was unworkable.

Skepticism about the U.S. and Iraqi military plans for the next phase of the ISIS war begins inside the Pentagon.

Less than 24 hours after U.S. military officials publicly detailed their plans for a spring offensive on ISIS-held Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, many within the Pentagon privately questioned whether that timetable was plausible. They said that they were dubious that their partners in the Iraqi military—the troops supposed to lead the offensive—would be capable of conducting such a campaign by then.

“I really doubt it is going to happen that soon,” said one military officer who, like several others, served in Iraq between 2003-2011 and spoke on condition of anonymity. “And if it does, it will take months.”

The largely Shiite troops of the Iraqi army are unlikely to risk their lives to win back a Sunni dominated city, several U.S. military officers told The Daily Beast on Friday. Indeed, when ISIS stormed the city last June, Iraqi forces walked away, leading the U.S. and 60 other nations to form a coalition against the terror group.

Even if the Iraqi troops do stand up and fight the self-proclaimed Islamic State, having a Shiite force move in and potentially ravage a major Sunni city in a bid to save it could have adverse affects on the Sunnis in Iraq and broader Sunni Arab world. Sectarian tensions, particularly in Iraq, run that deep.

“I cannot believe that Shiites would fight for Mosul,” one officer who served in the restive Sunni province of Anbar during the Iraq War told The Daily Beast.

So far, there is no evidence of a strong Sunni-majority Iraqi Army brigade, and U.S. Central Command has said it will take at least eight brigades to win back the city.

In the absence of such a force, it is not clear that the Sunni-dominated city would welcome those troops. Many Sunnis feel betrayed by Iraq’s Shiite-dominated central government, and all indications are that Shiite militias are becoming increasingly powerful in Iraq as the war against ISIS drags on, only confirming Sunni residents fears.

COMMENT:  Don't worry about those whiners.  Field Marshal Obama, who wears Cub Scout merit badges for his famous victories in Chicago and parts of Indonesia, is on the case.  If he says it will work, it will work.  We'll read it in The New York Times.

February 21, 2015       Permalink

ARAB WORRIES ABOUT IRAN – AT 11:54 A.M. ET:  What?  You mean someone besides the Israelis are worried about Iran?  Why, I can't believe it.  Why would anyone be concerned about the peaceful mullahs?  From The Wall Street Journal: 

WASHINGTON—Arab governments are privately expressing their concern to Washington about the emerging terms of a potential deal aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program, according to Arab and U.S. officials involved in the deliberations.

The direction of U.S. diplomacy with Tehran has added fuel to fears in some Arab states of a nuclear-arms race in the region, as well as reviving talk about possibly extending a U.S. nuclear umbrella to Middle East allies to counter any Iranian threat.

The major Sunni states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, have said that a final agreement could allow Shiite-dominated Iran, their regional rival, to keep the technologies needed to produce nuclear weapons, according to these officials, while removing many of the sanctions that have crippled its economy in recent years.

Arab officials said a deal would likely drive Saudi Arabia, for one, to try to quickly match Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

“At this stage, we prefer a collapse of the diplomatic process to a bad deal,” said an Arab official who has discussed Iran with the Obama administration and Saudi Arabia in recent weeks.

COMMENT:  Isn't this exactly what Bibi Netanyahu has been saying?  What John McCain and other Republicans have been saying?

Let us not for a minute forget the histories of Barack Obama and John Kerry.   Both men believe themselves to be quite a bit better than the rest of the human race.  And both men find their country to be beneath them.

I'm glad the Arab states are coming forward.  They don't necessarily share our values, but they know an enemy when they see one, and they see one in Iran. 

February 21, 2015       Permalink

SCIENTIFIC COVER? – AT 11:31 A.M. ET:   A scientific heavy hitter from the Obama crowd is rushing into the Iran nuclear talks.  From Business Insider: 

Tehran (AFP) - US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz was headed to Geneva Saturday to join talks with Iranian officials as efforts for an historic nuclear deal stepped up a gear.

It was the first time that Moniz, who is himself a nuclear physicist, had joined the negotiations, although US energy officials have been involved in the intensive technical talks under way ahead of new meetings between the countries' top diplomats on Sunday and Monday.

"At the request of Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz will travel to Geneva on Saturday to join Secretary Kerry in continued negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme," an energy department spokesman said.

"Department of Energy officials have consistently been involved in these in-depth technical discussions as part of the US negotiating team and Secretary Moniz will be joining the team in Geneva to continue these ongoing detailed technical deliberations."

A second day of technical talks was to be held on Saturday and the director of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation Ali Akbar Salehi flew to Geneva to meet Moniz as part those discussions, Iranian officials said.

COMMENT:  Moniz is a legitimate nuclear physicist, former head of the physics department at MIT.  He is also a political player, and has been since serving in the Clinton Administration.

Why now?  Why would he be flying in now?  I'm guessing that his scientific expertise, being available all the time, isn't the reason.  I suspect that he will be present to give scientific cover to any deal that emerges.  You may be sure that, if a deal is announced, Obama and Kerry will be flanked by scientists who'll give it their blessing. 

Be careful.  Scientists have political opinions.  The UN's atomic energy agency was, not long ago, run by a Muslim who gave Iran every benefit of the doubt.  Scientific opinion can be impure, and can be used. 

February 21,  2015      Permalink