Patterico's Pontifications

8/28/2014

“We Don’t Have A Strategy Yet”

Filed under: General — Dana @ 5:06 pm



[guest post by Dana]

The president admitted to the world today that we don’t have a strategy yet to fight ISIL.

“My priority at this point is to make sure that the gains that ISIL made in Iraq are rolled back and that Iraq has the opportunity to govern itself effectively and secure itself,” Obama told reporters in the White House briefing room.

The president promised to consult lawmakers on the strategy, “in part because it may cost some money,” and Congress holds the federal purse strings. But he repeatedly declined to commit to seeking a vote authorizing expanded military action in either Iraq or Syria.

“I do think that it’ll be important for Congress to weigh in,” he said. “But I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. We don’t have a strategy yet.”

–Dana

UPDATE BY PATTERICO: Here is video:

Spokesliar Josh Earnest tries to explain it away by lying:

Earnest quickly scheduled an appearance on CNN during which he argued Obama was simply referencing the U.S. options against the Islamic State in Syria — not in Iraq.

The president [was] asked a specific question about what approach he was going to pursue when it came to possible military action in Syria against ISIL. That was the specific question he was asked and the president was explicit that he is still waiting for plans that are being developed by the Pentagon for military options he has for going into Syria,” Earnest said.

But Spokesliar Josh Earnest lies badly. Here is the transcript of the question and answer:

QUESTION: Do you need Congress’s approval to go into Syria?

OBAMA: You know, I have consulted with Congress throughout this process. I am confident that as commander in chief I have the authorities to engage in the acts that we are conducting currently. As our strategy develops, we will continue to consult with Congress, and I do think that it’ll be important for Congress to weigh in and we’re — that our consultations with Congress continue to develop so that the American people are part of the debate.

But I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. We don’t have a strategy yet.

Yeah, Spokesliar Josh Earnest, the specific question he was asked was: “Do you need Congress’s approval to go into Syria?” If you’re going to lie, lie better than that.

124 Responses to ““We Don’t Have A Strategy Yet””

  1. Hello.

    Dana (4dbf62)

  2. Not really surprising, he doesn’t even suggest he knows how to develop one, or else this detail would matter:

    http://emmejihad.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/james-foley-was-held-by-belgian-fighters-last-year/

    narciso (ee1f88)

  3. We don’t have a President, yet!

    The Emperor (6dcbd3)

  4. push em back push em back WAAAAAAAAYYY BACK!!!

    GO OBAMA!!!

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  5. Well said, Emperor! We still have an inexperienced empty suit. Had I voted for this ass I would be embarrassed. However, I get to sit at the bar and say “I told you so” over and over and over and watch as all the fools turn red and sputter.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  6. What happened to “don’t do stupid sh*t?”

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  7. or blaming Bush?

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  8. “ISIS in Syria? I got nothin’…”
    – el Presidente Barack Obama on August 28, 2014

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  9. same as what happened to hope n change Mr. daley

    everything gots an ex date i tell you what

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  10. Our part time president came off the links today to address his ISIL strategy at present, he took a mulligan.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  11. Wow. Kinda stoopid for him to say that, right? Even if it’s true that his administration has no strategy wouldn’t you think that at least PRETENDING there is one would be a good idea to maybe, you know, keep ISIS/ISIL on their toes and guessing? Apparently he didn’t think we needed a strategy for dealing with the JV.

    elissa (85870e)

  12. President Obama doesn’t have enough interest in his job to put the work in required to develop a strategy. Truth be told, it’s foreign policy conducted by children and the American people will be paying the price it exacts for decades.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  13. Elissa, I think that the handlers and speechwriters who were skilled at putting words on the screen for POTUS to read have fled to get lobbying jobs. So we are left with…shall we say…junior varsity people?

    That’s the problem with not having much experience, and a lot of pride, I’m thinking.

    Even the most ardent supporter would have to grudgingly admit that saying “we have no strategy” is, um, nonoptimal.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  14. when it came to light Barack Obama couldn’t run a goddamn bake sale, his hoochie just up and abolished them is what happened

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  15. However, the First Family is planning a vacation to the Costa Del Sole in two weeks so the President can unwind from the latest crisis. During the two weeks he will play 18 rounds of “working” golf while Michelle and the girls draft a new no sugar, no salt, no fat, no taste of any kind diet all by hand for each of over 3700 school districts in the US. Chris Mathews commented about how his leg tingles at the dedication of the three Obama women to the health and wellbeing of America’s children.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  16. cage match

    american news media vs. thai tranny hookers

    oh yes Mr. Jake Tapper be afraid

    be VERY afraid

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  17. He doesn’t want to “put the cart before the horse” or some such horseshlt. The current strategy of not to worry is his strategy, straight from the Alfred E. Neumann Institute. He wouldn’t know leadership if he tripped over it in a sand trap.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  18. “A [JV] group like ISIS is beyond the pale.”

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  19. elissa,

    I think the president already established that he doesn’t care if the enemy knows our plans, whether it’s when we pull out of a country or what our next step will be.

    Dana (4dbf62)

  20. Well, this is the same tactician and wartime “leader” who told the enemy many months in advance exactly when our military would be withdrawing from Iraq.

    elissa (85870e)

  21. Yep. That’s my point.

    Dana (4dbf62)

  22. “pulling out”

    “withdrawing”

    call it what you will

    I call it LEGACY

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  23. From Iowahawk:

    Strategy? Hell, we don’t even have a hashtag yet.

    narciso (ee1f88)

  24. But, Dana, he had an election to win on a campaign promise of getting us out of Iraq and bringing our boys home.

    elissa (85870e)

  25. Maybe it’s from that one chapter of Sun Tzu’s that didn’t make into the book…

    Dana (4dbf62)

  26. i got your our boys right here

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  27. I keep thinking of the efforts this administration places on individuals shot dead in a fracas with police officers, or someone mad at police officers, or hiding e-mails.

    And then I think about the numbers of lives lost overseas…where we could have prevented it….and just a shrug.

    You can’t really fundraise off genocide, I guess.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  28. the genocide of the american middle class has been goddamn lucrative Mr. Jester

    please to pay attention in class

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  29. That eleven on the calendar of the month coming up soon is starting to make me nervous.

    elissa (85870e)

  30. oh trust me sweet pickles what ever happens on 9/11

    what failmerica do on 9/12 will be much more consequential in a sad-making way

    it’s a thang

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  31. Well, he does have a strategy for the Ukraine- let Russia have it…

    Can anyone tell me why he had this press conference?

    Typical blame shift. If Congress won’t do what he wants, he makes executive orders, when he wants cover, all of a sudden its Congress’ fault.

    Most people don’t get away with this on their first paying job. He’s like President Clinton, his behavior is unacceptable for anyone who has to answer to someone, he would be fired; but since firing the president takes a public with a moral compass, no such luck.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  32. Maybe this year on 9/11 ISIS will just do some sparklers and the obligatory flag burning… see right there I am wishful that hope will become strategy.

    steveg (794291)

  33. Oh
    maybe we can send John Kerry to go teach ISIL to pronounce “Genghis Khan” correctly

    steveg (794291)

  34. ==Can anyone tell me why he had this press conference?==

    Um, to prove he was not golfing? This is just a guess, really. I have no direct line into Valerie or anything.

    But I wonder if the Dem leadership and ones up for election in November were begging him to address and say something serious about ISIS/ISIL after his massive fail on the day he talked about the beheading. So he had a presser and did say something. Heh, that’ll teach em.

    elissa (85870e)

  35. All is well, remain calm. President Obama will be traveling to Rhode Island on Friday for a Democratic Party fundraiser. At least the Democrats know what’s important: raising money to buy votes! Screw the country as long as the Democrat power brokers are secure.

    What really pisses me off is that everyone sees this including Obama’s supposed rivals yet no one seems to go on the talking head shows and scream like banshees about his being either on vacation, playing golf or at fundraisers while crisis after crisis occurs all over the world. Then has the balls to stand before the American people and say he has no strategy.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  36. MD in Philly, I live in Willow Grove so I’m on your timeline and I watched The Kelly File tonight and man was Megyn pissed.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  37. How about – kill em

    EPWJ (775325)

  38. Hoagie, the media watchdogs are supposed to be doing this sort of analysis and questioning his vacation-fundraising-presidenting ratio, too. Yeah, I know. Don’t bust a gut laughing.,

    elissa (85870e)

  39. How about – kill em

    peace prize much?

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  40. You can forget the most stupid thing any President of the United States has ever said. Obama topped them all.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  41. As long as we’re actively dissing the presser—-he really should never wear that color of suit.

    elissa (85870e)

  42. That was a racist statement, elissa. (sarc) A beautiful light weight tan summer suit is always stylish. Now if someone would teach the man about French cuffs we may have something going.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  43. “Well, he does have a strategy for the Ukraine- let Russia have it…”

    MD in Philly – No, no, no. Let me splain that please.

    That is just a limited duration kinetic military incursion of Ukraine by Russian soldiers on vacation who happened to bring their tanks along with them because their cars are in the shop being fixed.

    It’s all good.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  44. Hay-Zeus ^$#@ing allmighty !@^%$#, I used to kick people who had more on the ball than this out of the Navy.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  45. Despite the criticisms, The Times’ menswear expert and fashion writer…

    srsly?

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  46. i think they just made that up

    happyfeet (8ce051)

  47. Our Semi-Retired President just wants to stick with his previous strategy for Iraq and Libya of backing away, doing nothing and patting himself on the back. Don’t make him get all stompy foot.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  48. Little did I know that the peeps I didn’t want working for me, someday they’d get elected so as I could be working for them.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  49. yes, it’s pretty much a figment of someone’s imagination,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  50. 50. Our Semi-Retired President just wants to stick with his previous strategy for Iraq and Libya of backing away, doing nothing and patting himself on the back. Don’t make him get all stompy foot.

    daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 8/28/2014 @ 7:41 pm

    It’s golf day. Don’t you know on golf day, it’s golf? Who gives a rip if nothing is going on, or on the other hand ISIS is murdering Yazidis by the score. It’s golf day. Just like Wednesday is dollar pizza night, with a Pepsi and a side salad for just a dollar more.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  51. I had a tan suit once. I think my wife burned it. In 1982.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  52. 55. I had a tan suit once. I think my wife burned it. In 1982.
    Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 8/28/2014 @ 7:50 pm

    My wife is planning on burying me in mine.

    Because that will get rid of it once and for all, won’t it?

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  53. “Just like Wednesday is dollar pizza night, with a Pepsi and a side salad for just a dollar more.”

    Steve57 – Nope. Everybody knows Wednesday is Prince spaghetti day.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8ti1hnLiLw

    daleyrocks (bf33e9)

  54. America is going to hell in a hand basket. With a side of fries.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  55. To be clear, I don’t have anything against summer tan or light khaki suits. I rather like them in certain circumstances in fact. But that one looked awful on him with his strange newly grey hair and his skin tone which seems to have been affected by all the sun he got on the golf course. .

    elissa (85870e)

  56. UPDATE BY PATTERICO: Here is video:

    Spokesliar Josh Earnest tries to explain it away by lying:

    Earnest quickly scheduled an appearance on CNN during which he argued Obama was simply referencing the U.S. options against the Islamic State in Syria — not in Iraq.

    The president [was] asked a specific question about what approach he was going to pursue when it came to possible military action in Syria against ISIL. That was the specific question he was asked and the president was explicit that he is still waiting for plans that are being developed by the Pentagon for military options he has for going into Syria,” Earnest said.

    But Spokesliar Josh Earnest lies badly. Here is the transcript of the question and answer:

    QUESTION: Do you need Congress’s approval to go into Syria?

    OBAMA: You know, I have consulted with Congress throughout this process. I am confident that as commander in chief I have the authorities to engage in the acts that we are conducting currently. As our strategy develops, we will continue to consult with Congress, and I do think that it’ll be important for Congress to weigh in and we’re — that our consultations with Congress continue to develop so that the American people are part of the debate.

    But I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. We don’t have a strategy yet.

    Yeah, Spokesliar Josh Earnest, the specific question he was asked was: “Do you need Congress’s approval to go into Syria?” If you’re going to lie, lie better than that.

    Patterico (9c670f)

  57. He only consults with Congress when he doesn’t want to do anything.

    AZ Bob (34bb80)

  58. 60. …Yeah, Spokesliar Josh Earnest, the specific question he was asked was: “Do you need Congress’s approval to go into Syria?” If you’re going to lie, lie better than that.

    Patterico (9c670f) — 8/28/2014 @ 8:04 pm

    I think I went on record a while back of not only resenting the lies, but the poor quality of the lies.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  59. I’m thinking Benghazi. But it could have been earlier.

    Give me a &*^%ing break.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  60. Not that I’m angry or anything.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  61. Phillip Klein tweet:
    “This is what happens when Obama bypasses Congress to purchase a suit.”

    elissa (85870e)

  62. You know how Obama could have bypassed Congress on the way to buying a suit?

    Not becoming preezy, that’s how.

    Sincerely, Steve57, of all 57 states, buying his own suits without Congress since the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  63. Or, you could make it a budget item and prevent WWII vets from visiting a memorial they paid for until you get your damned suit.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  64. Obama, sadly enough, is merely a grotesque reflection of far too many Americans.

    I blame the large percentage of “we the people” who still give more latitude to Barry than he deserves and, in turn, are quite vituperative towards the US Congress, assuming the public isn’t reserving its ire for the left-dominated Senate and liberals in the House of Representatives.

    President “Goddamn America” is far, far worse than George W Bush, yet that continues to not be reflected in various opinion polls. And, yes, although Obama has slipped in public esteem, he never should have gotten such high marks in the first place. He also remains much stronger in triggering the warm fuzzies among far too much of the populace than I would have thought possible over 6 years ago.

    Regrettably, the human nature I see on display in Hugo-Chavez-ized Venezuela or I-love-liberalism Mexico, or Euro-sclerotic nations across the Atlantic, is not all that different from what I’m witnessing here in the US. I was hoping that wasn’t or wouldn’t be the case, but this ongoing period in US history has taught me otherwise.

    The idiocy of feel-good liberalism will be, and is, America’s undoing.

    Mark (14a4db)

  65. Guys, guys, guys. I doesn’t matter what color the suit is if it’s empty.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  66. He ought to be standing at the podium and shooting his cuffs while he tells his weak suck lies like any other gangster would.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  67. He only bought that tan obamanation because he was tired of hearing “the emperor has no clothes”…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  68. 68. …The idiocy of feel-good liberalism will be, and is, America’s undoing.
    Mark (14a4db) — 8/28/2014 @ 8:30 pm

    And here I was, thinking my dog licking his own testicles would be the end of us all.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  69. I guess that’s good news. For my dog.

    Have at it, big guy.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  70. Frankly Mark I didn’t see any signs or examples of “feel good liberalism” in Mr. Obama’s speech today, at all. What I saw was not him as a “grotesque refection” of other Americans. I saw a president of the United States –a man with real power–saying stupid and careless and dangerous things that will get people killed. Did we watch the same speech?

    elissa (85870e)

  71. The idiocy of feel-good liberalism will be, and is, America’s undoing

    Ya think, Mark? While the damn Moslems are teaching their kids to kill ours to usher in the caliphate our country debates: wedding cakes, 32oz sodas, inefficient and expensive green energy, the proper school lunch, American Idol, stop and frisk, who should pay for Sandra Flukes contraception, gay marriage, legalizing marijuana, illegalizing tobacco, the importance of the snail darter and so many other dumbass leftist claptrap to divert the people from what they’re actually doing…..Murdering America.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  72. Today’s Americans have no fight in them. I will include myself in that. It will take the next generation of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to restore some semblance of fight in America.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  73. 74. …I saw a president of the United States –a man with real power–saying stupid and careless and dangerous things that will get people killed. Did we watch the same speech?

    elissa (85870e) — 8/28/2014 @ 8:43 pm

    I think we saw the same speech. At least, I caught that one. Which to be honest was no different from all the others since 2007.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  74. This is what Krauthammer said today.

    “Look I thought that the president could no longer surprise me,” Krauthammer said. “I was wrong. He shocked me today. The President of the United States, in the middle of a real crisis, a few days after the beheading of an American, deliberately sort of spitting in the face of the country and demonstrating his cruelty, the president gets in front of the world and says, “I don’t have a strategy.” If that is true, don’t say anything. Why do you announce that you don’t have a strategy?”

    But even worse than the president’s statement that he had no strategy to defeat the Islamic State, Krauthammer said, was his comment about Ukraine. Krauthammer summarized Obama’s comment on his strategy in Ukraine by saying Obama acknowledged that he had a strategy in Ukraine, which was “to do absolutely nothing.”

    “He basically said, “We’re going to do nothing. I’ll wait until I chat with the allies next week.” I thought he had a phone,” Krauthammer said. “How about picking up the phone and talking with the allies? You know the phone is a way to communicate rather rapidly.”

    I agree with Charles, and I think this was the scariest speech of his presidency.

    elissa (85870e)

  75. 76.Today’s Americans have no fight in them.

    That’s because the damn baby-boomers or hippies if you will, raised up their boys to “feel their feminine side” and be a bunch of ass-whipped metrosexuals, Age80. And the government spent decades programming boys and girls to be reliant on government, and that America is a bad nation and we’re all racists and homophobes and we’re at war with women. What the hell kind of men do you think we’ll develop with that kind of attitude?

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  76. I agree with Charles up and until the point of being shocked.

    What part of being given the finger didn’t you get?

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  77. elissa, the prez has a pen and a phone according to him. The phone is to call the IRS, Holders office or the NSA to go after political enemies. The pen is to scribble out executive orders to cripple the economy, pay off his crony capitalists friends with taxpayer dollars, or keep score on his golf card. Neither instrument could be used for the security of the American people.

    Hoagie (4dfb34)

  78. Because, you know, when Jon Stewart it the elder statesman of a former great nation, you may as well bend your neck for the sweet release by a former British rapper.

    Did you know Angelina and Brad got married? I do. It was on the news. Joan Rivers is in a coma. That is sad.

    Russia invaded Ukraine. Things happen. What do you do? That pesky Ebola may kill 20,000. Whatever.

    Mrs. Carter is a feminist and Voxsplaining takes care of it all.

    This is what we have become. Fiddling while Rome burns.

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  79. After today’s empty speech …..

    I guess the racist archetype of the lazy, low intellect black man has been burnished and updated by our current President.

    Heck, at least the racist archetype is now well shaven, well spoken, rich and dressed in quality threads.

    Good going Barry!

    Rodney King's Spirit (8b9b5a)

  80. #68 Obama, sadly enough, is merely a grotesque reflection of far too many Americans.

    You betcha!!!!!

    As Franken is for Minnesotans.

    Rodney King's Spirit (8b9b5a)

  81. It’s Bush’s fault, racist!

    htom (412a17)

  82. Not to decide is to decide.

    BHO most definitely has a strategy – non-engagement. It’s horrendously mistaken, but it is a legitimate strategy.

    It also flies in the face of traditional Democrat presidential action. They start wars, others finish them. Dude promised change, and by Gaia, change we’ve got.

    Also, did his voters vote because they wanted a robust and responsive and pro-active America, or did they vote because they didn’t have the stomach for even maintaining Gitmo? Like it or not, this is a republican democracy in (in)action.

    As I have written many a time in this forum…Pogo was correct: We have met the enemy and he is us.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  83. What I saw was not him as a “grotesque refection” of other Americans.

    Elissa, I think he’s emboldened by all the people throughout this society who either subscribe to the ethos of compassion for compassion’s sake (which often leads to ass-backwards sympathies — something that Obama is quite skilled at — in which the good guy becomes the bad guy, the bad guy becomes the good guy), or feel warm and gooey towards those bigwigs in this nation who symbolize and happily exploit modern-day cheap do-gooder emotions.

    An embrace of cheap compassion is why left-leaning debacles like Obama often will generate more benefit of the doubt than what’s given to even squishy conservatives, much less Sarah-Palin-type Republicans. How else to explain the fact that a scroungy, dishonest, disingenuous liberal like Hillary Clinton elicits an absurdly large amount of positive ratings in various opinion polls, recent ones included?

    I’m fairly certain that Obama is even more arrogant and irresponsible because he’s fully aware of things like Gallup surveys that show his standing, while drooping, at least is still higher than that of the right/Republicans. That’s why I lay a lot of blame for Obama’s existence not just so much on him alone, and not just on left-leaning Americans too, but on all “we the people,” on all we squishes and saps throughout America who, for example — based on polls — now mean that a slight majority of this nation approves of things like same-sex marriage, etc.

    Mark (14a4db)

  84. Mark- the commander in chief’s horrifying speech today was almost exclusively about current fighting in several global hotspots and our foreign policy goals (or lack thereof). I think it’s important to focus like a laser on the impacts and serious repercussions his specific comments about ISIS and Ukraine are having not just in this country but around the world tonight. Not one word of his speech TODAY was about compassion or do-gooderism or gooeyness, or same sex marriage or Hillary Clinton. That’s all I am trying to point out to you. He stepped in it royally and we should not dilute what he said today with all this other stuff even though it is important, also. The day he signs his executive order on immigration in the rose garden we can have that discussion — and most here already agree about America going to hell in a handbasket because of liberalism. But today is on Obama alone and he (and Josh Earnest} need to stand alone with it and twist with it without a bunch of squirrels thrown in.

    elissa (85870e)

  85. Well he believes that we are ‘the Evil Empire’ hence everything that happens is our fault, and most other parties are blameless, Volodya gets a little slap for tactics, and ISIS is rightly given the ‘confy chair’ but that’s the size of it

    narciso (ee1f88)

  86. I always enjoy Richard Fernandez’s views on things. What if he is wrong?

    …The president’s right: it’s not time to panic. The time to panic was about six months ago. It’s essentially too late to halt the dynamic of events now. Timing matters. Once the batter misses the ball it doesn’t matter ….

    Not that I think Fernandez is wrong, or likely to be in the near future.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  87. Not one word of his speech TODAY was about compassion or do-gooderism or gooeyness, or same sex marriage or Hillary Clinton. That’s all I am trying to point out to you.

    I see your point, Elissa, but while I agree it’s important to focus on just how bad Obama’s words or way of thinking was today, that is merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Simply put, as bizarrely inept as Obama truly demonstrated this afternoon, what makes him just one part of the rotting core of 21st-century America — in which an absurdly clueless “we don’t have a strategy yet” mindset flourishes — can be seen in other snippets of this nation’s population.

    washingtontimes.com, August 2013: [Army Private Bradley] Manning is an adult and legally responsible for his actions. He is no hero, and the court got it right in determining guilt and the penalty for leaking a huge trove of secret documents. Still, none of this should have happened. Under the 1993 law regarding homosexuals in the military, this confused young man was not eligible for military service, much less suited to work with classified information.

    Army officials who retained him despite signs of serious instability as well as gender confusion needed to be disciplined. According to Army Times, 15 of them were. However, there are no indications that the Department of Defense has learned appropriate lessons from the sad story of Bradley Manning.

    Nor have we seen any recognition that it was a mistake to retain and promote [Major Nidal] Hasan — another person unsuited for the military for different reasons. Some of Hasan’s Walter Reed National Military Medical Center supervisors were well aware that the underperforming psychiatrist had antagonized some students and faculty by espousing extremist Islamic views. They nevertheless avoided taking action, even when Hasan revealed dangerous jihadist beliefs in a lengthy slide presentation that justified suicide bombings and fratricide by Muslim-Americans in the military.

    National Public Radio reported that officials who worried that Hasan might be psychotic also feared they might be “discriminating against Hasan because of his seemingly extremist Islamic beliefs.” The Boston Globe reported concerns that loss of the Army’s only Muslim psychiatrist hired since Sept. 11, 2001, would undermine “diversity” goals.

    The self-identified “soldier for Allah” was promoted and transferred to Fort Hood. In a 2009 shooting rampage, he killed 13 adults and one unborn child while shouting the jihadist war cry “Allahu akbar.” Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, expressed the hope that “diversity” would not become a casualty of the tragedy. To this day, the outrage has been compounded by the administration’s categorizing of the bloody massacre as “workplace violence,” not a terrorist attack.

    Mark (14a4db)

  88. Have I mentioned that my Coastie dad served in the fleet tug Cherokee, and what was formerly the US Navy gunboat Mendota?

    It’s for reason that I ask.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  89. I don’t know if my remarks regarding the Mendota hold. But as far as the Cherokee, yes they do. Her sister, Navajo, swung the cruiser Chicago bow on into the threat at Rennell Island.

    What more, really, do yo want? What more, really, can a tug do?

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  90. My dad didn’t serve at Guadalcanal in 1942. He waited until 1945 to lie about his age. My bad,

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  91. their cars are in the shop being fixed.
    It’s all good.
    daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 8/28/2014 @ 7:37 pm

    Oh, I see. And I bet their tanks have bumper stickers that say, “My other tank is a car”.

    What Krauthammer said.

    And what Megyn said, though I didn’t see it, I’ll take Hoagie’s word for it. No cable here, but I do like to watch her show and Greta’s when I’m at my folks.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  92. Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot has happened to my country?

    The only difference between President Obama and a possum standing in the middle of a highway at midnight is the possum doesn’t call a press conference to announce that he doesn’t have a “road crossing policy”.

    Russ from Winterset (830aac)

  93. America has made her bed and now she has to sleep in it.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  94. Clueless Twit confesses that he’s clueless. Big deal. Steady state condition. Move on to the next question or crisis, and he’ll be equally clueless. OTOH ask about his golf game and he can tell you all about his clever up and down out of the sand trap at the 7th hole on Tuesday two weeks ago.

    Skeptical Voter (12e67d)

  95. Prez gets invite
    teh wedding of George Clooney
    Clueless and Clooney

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  96. from the link by narciso @2

    Reportedly, they were held at that time by Bontinck’s former comrades from Shariah4Belgium, who brandished Jejoen as a traitor because he wanted to go home.

    I don’t think Bagdadi is sending anybody to the United States soon.

    He’d be too afraid they’d defect.

    Of course, anybody claims that someonewas switching sides would be ignored, and they’d be prosecuted and sentenced to long terms in jail – and, after a brief initial interrogation about “live” plots, and a Miranda warning, it might take half a year or a year or two before a plea bargain would be negotiated under which he’d talk, but the self-declared Caliph Ibrahim wouldn’t be counting on such a high level of stupidity.

    Notice it’s an all-volunteer army, except for those who have already joined. This lack of a draft, and arrest of all soldiers who even hint at quitting is a profound weakness – and means it is possible to limit the size of his army.

    Sammy Finkelman (7d0d47)

  97. 6. daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 8/28/2014 @ 5:45 pm

    What happened to “don’t do stupid sh*t?”

    The best way to ensure that is to do nothing.

    Sammy Finkelman (7d0d47)

  98. I brought up the last link, because it was the likely source for the info, on the attempted rescue,
    there’s a later link about his jailer, they don’t focus on any targets or achievable objectives.

    narciso (ee1f88)

  99. Stupid Is, as Stupid Does!
    …and we’ve got Stupid overflowing the toilet.

    askeptic (efcf22)

  100. Obama cited “News-reports”. Still with the “News-reports”? Really? Doesn’t he know that he is the news? He makes the news. News-reports are for hoi polloi, not the President, c’mon. Plus, everything that has been said upthread.

    felipe (b5e0f4)

  101. I say weasel like it’s a bad thing. What I respect about weasels is while they only weigh one one or two pounds. they’re in it to win it.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  102. I also leave rabbits alone. It’s got to take huge cajones to live life as a rabbit. I mostly avoid eye contact. They look at me with such confidence. They can outrun me. They know that.

    So they just sit there, eating my grass.

    I pretend to ignore it.

    Steve57 (99bd31)

  103. I really don’t know why you red-necked racists continue to hold the first black president to your ‘old white rich guy who attended class and served in some privileged capacity(like not inhaling, at minimum)’ standard.

    gary gulrud (46ca75)

  104. 105. Look, I know you urban ‘tards are consoling yourselves with the fact that the average IQ of an ME Muslim is 70.

    Don’t be so cocky. They are lousy, fleabitten and will hit anything with a fold or wrinkle.

    Be afraid. Be vewwwy afwaid.

    gary gulrud (46ca75)

  105. Mind you, the preceding link comes from a party that was interested in our direct involvement, last fall

    narciso (ee1f88)

  106. KSM, graduated from a third rate university and took down the towers, I don’t dismiss the abilities of the enemy

    narciso (ee1f88)

  107. 113. I live in the province of Mogadishu on the Mississippi. Its just gallows humor.

    gary gulrud (46ca75)

  108. BamBam DOES have a stragery…

    do as much damage to America as possible while in office.

    so far it’s exceeding even his most optimistic expectations…

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  109. CBS News indicated Obama rejected what te Pentagon proposed as insufficient.

    Did he say – win but you can’t do X, Y or Z?

    Sammy Finkelman (7d0d47)

  110. #117: likely because it didn’t involve failure, surrender or massive loss of American lives.

    redc1c4 (abd49e)

  111. “We Don’t Have A Strategy Yet”

    Well, to be honest, have they come up with a strategy for handling Obama visiting foreign countries, yet?

    Is there, in fact, a strategy in place for ANYTHING that a President does?

    No, I don’t think “golf” counts.

    Smock Puppet, "Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses." (225d0d)

  112. 37. Hoagie (4dfb34) — 8/28/2014 @ 6:58 pm

    President Obama will be traveling to Rhode Island on Friday for a Democratic Party fundraiser.

    He was also at two fundraisers in New York, the second one, in Purchase, New York, open to reporters. * Where he said:

    “The truth of the matter is, that the world has always been messy. In part, we’re just noticing now because of social media and our capacity to see in intimate detail that hardships that people are going through.”

    “If you watch the nightly news, it feels like the world is falling apart.”

    “We are living through some extraordinarily challenging times.”

    “I can see why a lot of folks are troubled.”

    “We will get through these challenging times just like we have in the past. This is not something comparable to the challemges we faced during the Cold War.”

    [what’s going on in the Middle East] “makes things pretty frightening.” [But the Middle East has] “been challenging for quite a while.” [this is where he segued into that “always been messy” bit.]

    [His] main message” [is that] “America’s military superiority has never been greater” [and its defences stronger than before Sept. 11, 2001]

    [Russia and China are not countries to envy]

    [America is still best positioned for the future]

    All from a New York Times article published in the Saturday, August 30, 2014 newspaper..

    * at the first [closed] fundraiser in New York, evidently he took questions. There were about 25 people there. The charge was about four times the rate of the other one [up to $32,400 per person versus $15,000 per couple at the one open to reporters.]

    The Rhode Island fundraiser also had the $32,400 per person rate. And had about 60 people. About 250 people were present at the one open to reporters.

    The ones in New York were for the DNC, and the one in Rhode Island for the DCCC.]

    Sammy Finkelman (335ac9)

  113. Correction of one word:

    “The truth of the matter is, that the world has always been messy. In part, we’re just noticing now because of social media and our capacity to see in intimate detail the hardships that people are going through.”

    – Barack Obama, Friday, August 29, 2014.

    Sammy Finkelman (335ac9)

  114. one of them, was at the home of George Logothetis, of the Libra Group, a diversified conglomerate with interests in healthcare, renewable energy and shipping,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  115. 117. SF:

    CBS News indicated Obama rejected what te Pentagon proposed as insufficient.

    Did he say – win but you can’t do X, Y or Z?

    redc1c4 @ 118.

    #117: likely because it didn’t involve failure, surrender or massive loss of American lives.

    More likely because it didn’t involve quick total victory – so we would not have to “keep a lid on things” – with minimal involvement, and without controversy.

    Sammy Finkelman (335ac9)

  116. Fox News Sunday had a map of Iraq and syria, with what looked like a weather lady, only instead of a rain, or a hurricane, it was ISIS.

    Sammy Finkelman (335ac9)


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