Patterico's Pontifications

9/3/2014

John Kerry And Joe Biden Today, And The President, Too

Filed under: General — Dana @ 5:26 pm

[guest post by Dana]

Following the beheading of journalist Steven Sotloff, John Kerry felt compelled to assure the audience he spoke before today, which was made up largely of Muslims, that Islam is the religion of peace and not what ISIS is representing to the world:

“Those who have murdered James Foley and Steven Sotloff in Syria need to know that the United States will hold them accountable, no matter how long it takes,” he warned in his speech.

“But here today, what is really important — and I want to take advantage of this podium and of this moment, to underscore as powerfully as I know how — that the face of Islam is not the butchers who killed Steven Sotloff,” he continued, to immediate applause. “That’s [ISIS].”

“The face of Islam is not the nihilists who know only how to destroy, not to build,” Kerry went on. “It’s not masked cowards whose actions are an ugly insult to the peaceful religion that they violate every single day with their barbarity, and whose fundamental principles they insult with their actions.”

“The real face of Islam is a peaceful religion based on the dignity of all human beings,” the secretary asserted. “It’s one where Muslim communities are leading the fight against poverty. It’s one where Muslim communities are providing basic health care and emergency assistance on the frontlines of some of our most devastating humanitarian crises.”

(Considering his audience was there to welcome the State’s new “special representative for Muslim communities,” Shaarik Zafar, it would have been a golden opportunity to query the audience with Yasmine Bahrani’s compelling question.)

Also today, Joe Biden was focused on rallying his audience at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard after the latest act of barbarianism of ISIS:

“The American people are so much stronger, so much more resolved than any enemy can fully understand,” Biden said. “As a nation, we’re united. And when people harm Americans, we don’t retreat, we don’t forget.

We take care of those who are grieving and when that’s finished, they should know we will follow them to the gates of hell* until they are brought to justice,” Biden said. “Because hell is where they’ll reside.”

Note: Back in 2007, John McCain was attacked for using similar language regarding Osama bin Laden.

–Dana

Note: I am remiss in not including the president’s comments today. Here’s the long story short:

At a press conference in Estonia, Obama declared that his objective was to “degrade and destroy ISIL.” Moments later, though, Obama said he’d like to pressure the group to render it “a manageable problem.”

Comments (54)

54 Responses to “John Kerry And Joe Biden Today, And The President, Too”

Hello.
Dana (4dbf62) — 9/3/2014 @ 5:27 pm
They’re the dynamic duo for sure. And I’m certain we’ll be seeing more and more of them and find ourselves increasingly grimacing at their inanities, as the President of the United States continues to retreat farther into the background and relinquish more responsibility to them.
elissa (69df99) — 9/3/2014 @ 5:40 pm
It’s ok. I don’t mind Kerry telling Muslims in America that we love them as long as our Air Force keeps killing them in Iraq. It’s a better strategy than bluster and threats. As long as our Air Force keeps killing them in Iraq.
nk (dbc370) — 9/3/2014 @ 5:57 pm
Clearly, all that’s needed are more Department of Justice indictments against John Doe defendants outside U.S. territory or influence. That’ll fix ’em!
Beldar (fa637a) — 9/3/2014 @ 6:03 pm
They really need to manage ISIS better, as Obama says. Perhaps they can promote unionization?
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 9/3/2014 @ 6:22 pm
Lucky for Islam they have such fine apologists. Otherwise they might have to do something about it.
Kevin M (74d4e5) — 9/3/2014 @ 6:27 pm
Ralph Peters, remarks to Megyn ‘gates of hell, we don’t even cross the Syrian border’
narciso (ee1f88) — 9/3/2014 @ 6:31 pm
FYI, Mike Rogers, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, was interviewed on Hewitt (by guest host John Campbell) about ISIS, here is a link

http://www.hughhewitt.com/house-intelligence-commitee-chairman-mike-rogers-get-involved-ground-syria/#more-24527
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/3/2014 @ 6:43 pm
God forsaken fools.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/bonjour-malaise/article/2552732

Believe me, it takes a lot for God to toss in the towel.
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/3/2014 @ 6:53 pm
“The real face of Islam is a peaceful religion based on the dignity of all human beings,” the secretary asserted.

And Nidal Hasam’s bloody rage was due to workplace violence.

Obama said he’d like to pressure the group to render it “a manageable problem.”

It’s a relief he at least didn’t say something about one of the two involved in this act of butchery looking like his son if he had a son. And, in this instance, not regarding the murdered guy (since he doesn’t ping Obama’s love of martyrdom—although the reporter probably did lean left) but to the guy in the mask.
Mark (c7cd77) — 9/3/2014 @ 7:03 pm
gary, did you see this at your link:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/new-isis-threat-americas-electric-grid-blackout-could-kill-9-of-10/article/2552766
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/3/2014 @ 7:16 pm
Note: I am remiss in not including the president’s comments today. Here’s the long story short:

At a press conference in Estonia, Obama declared that his objective was to “degrade and destroy ISIL.” Moments later, though, Obama said he’d like to pressure the group to render it “a manageable problem.”

Yah, I caught a couple minutes of that. Imma gonna bet Preezy 404 was desperately wishing for a golf course to escape to. It’s now after Labor Day, so at least he didn’t wear that tan suit of his.
Bill H (f9e4cd) — 9/3/2014 @ 7:24 pm
I suspect the part where they’re cutting people’s heads off falls into the “problem” category, all right.
navyvet (ec562e) — 9/3/2014 @ 7:43 pm
Still a community organizer who believes that community organizers everywhere can push back ISIS:

… “What we’ve got to do is make sure that we are organizing the Arab world, the Middle East, the Muslim world along with the international community to isolate this cancer,” he said.
Dana (4dbf62) — 9/3/2014 @ 7:52 pm
Somewhere today I read something that pointed out that one does not wish to merely isolate or manage a cancer, one should eradicate it.
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:01 pm
“the United States will hold them accountable, no matter how long it takes”

Exactly like we nailed the Benghazi perps.

11. I did miss it Doc, thanx. Bob Owens began blogging about this a year back, his work has something to do with power stations.

I note that our new central MN junction station is manned, powered out of the nuclear plant at Monticello.

Another concern are EMF attacks, one seemingly striking SoCal associated with a U2 overflight in the Media. Unreported was a Soviet era Bear visit, no doubt being shadowed by the U2.

Our progs on the Libyan airliner thread seem to think radar ‘sees’ over the horizon hundreds of miles and we track flights by satellite or something. AWACS aircraft flying at thirty thousand feet can see 250 miles in any direction. There are something like 50 extant.
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:05 pm
http://therightscoop.com/megyn-kelly-when-will-holder-treat-isis-recruitment-in-minneapolis-like-michael-brown-shooting-in-ferguson/
narciso (ee1f88) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:09 pm
all i know is those saudi royal perverts expect us to clean up their messes

house of saud

house of filth
happyfeet (8ce051) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:14 pm
“Obama declared that his objective was to “degrade and destroy ISIL.” Moments later, though, Obama said he’d like to pressure the group to render it “a manageable problem.””

I guess the Krautscheisster said today that “clearly Obama does not know his own mind”.

More accurately, Ogabe can no longer supply a plausible stand in for his own thinking(sic).

The con artiste knows when his scam has played out, and his past experience screams in his head, “Exit stage left!”
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:22 pm
16. And I still have yet to buy that portable LP powered 8 amp generator but even the wife wants us to budget for it.
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:24 pm
I’m going to make sure our cars are filled with gas on Sept. 10, in case we have reason to leave town on the 11th.
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:32 pm
21. Wise. ISIS and their imitators have to be feeling a powerful need for a Media frenzy.
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:37 pm
the tribes felt much the same way, they made their deal with Ibn Saud, then came Diriyyah
d
narciso (ee1f88) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:48 pm
“The only managed problem is a dead problem.”
— Gramps, channeling Wm. T. Sherman
Gramps, the original (7adb80) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:50 pm
The rotten cherry on top of the rotten cream, on top of the rotten ice cream that Obama’s America has come to resemble in 2014 are the nation’s loose, porous borders, particularly the southern one. I’m quite sure that terrorists worldwide are fully aware of such aspects of the US at this moment in history and are snickering with both astonishment and delight.

So leftists like Obama have a tough time protecting the US’s (much less the free world’s) interests abroad. Fine, I can live with that. (Certainly if the ethos of isolationism are as principled and sensible or fine tuned as possible). But if such people can’t even protect the boundaries within this nation, then they’re truly worthless, both coming and going.
Mark (c7cd77) — 9/3/2014 @ 9:08 pm
I have to agree with Mark. If you step back and look at the history of the U.S. since 1960, the left just keeps giving us a boatload of trouble. It is their thing.

I also have to say that the Civil Rights Act was supported by Republicans. Democrats, not so much.

The “Southern Strategy” was nothing more than a union myth to keep Democrats in power on the backs of minorities. It is still believed today.
Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 9/3/2014 @ 9:21 pm
“they should know we will follow them to the gates of hell”.

I guess we now know what this “leading from behind” thingy is all about.
Roy Lofquist (a67b18) — 9/3/2014 @ 9:31 pm
How do Democrats look in the mirror after spewing such crapola? Dhimitude, anyone?
Funeral Guy (afbf7b) — 9/3/2014 @ 9:49 pm
for Bill H: why BamBam was in a rush to get to Wales: a world class golf course (Ryder Cup 2010) totally blocked off from the public and buried in security.
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 9/3/2014 @ 11:53 pm
Garg G: EMF or EMP attacks?

also, see my posts on the airliners thread, down around 39-42. feel free to chime in.
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 9/4/2014 @ 12:12 am
3 stooges
mg (31009b) — 9/4/2014 @ 2:25 am
At a press conference in Estonia, Obama declared that his objective was to

degrade and destroy ISIL.” Moments later, though, Obama said he’d like to pressure the group to render it “a manageable problem.

Well, I think you could say, and I think his aides pretty much did:

Degrade = render it a manageable problem = Phase 1

Destroy = Phase 2.

Except that Obama has not clearly indicated he’s committed to Phase 2 – but only to killing or capturing the people responsible for the execution of the two America journalists, and preventing, or at least substantially reducing the probability, of a repeat of that.
Sammy Finkelman (fb61e5) — 9/4/2014 @ 3:57 am
Ooops, EMP, electro-magnetic pulse as opposed to electro-motive force.

It was late.

Oh, Feets has people:

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/09/03/Middle-East-Timebomb-ISIS-Goal-to-Replace-Saudi-as-Royal-Family
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/4/2014 @ 6:57 am
Face it, the Obama goal is to leave all these problems for his (GOP) successor, so that the Democrats and the media can blame them for not fixing them immediately (or for how they fixed them immediately, as the case may be).
Kevin M (b357ee) — 9/4/2014 @ 7:21 am
34. “the Obama goal”

No, the Borg really does intend to flip the lights off. Leaving all the problems on failure to the GOP is but a temporary set back, but one they expect to escape.
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/4/2014 @ 7:35 am
Genius:

Kerry said Scripture, in particular the Book of Genesis, make clear it is our “duty” to protect the planet and we should look at Muslim countries “with a sense of stewardship of earth,” adding, “That responsibility comes from God.”

This is so stoopid on so many levels I wonder–how does this dude wipe unaided?
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/4/2014 @ 7:43 am
Plain speaking:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/09/the-world-is-dry-tinder-and-obama-is-playing-with-matches

Remember Biden was brought on this team as the Dhimmi go-to expert on foreign policy–and he a legendary airhead.

Total anarchy was their goal, their total failure was in having any cachet with Islamism. I have no doubt whatever they are consoling themselves with Mission Accomplished sugar plums.
gary gulrud (46ca75) — 9/4/2014 @ 9:06 am
Sorry but – why do non-muslums keep telling goups of muslums what islam is? I’d believe Islam was the religon of peace – if there were a few more mosques preaching that.
Tennhauser (ee4be9) — 9/4/2014 @ 10:55 am
“I’d believe Islam was the religon of peace – if there were ~~a few more~~ any mosques preaching” that.

Just a friendly suggestion.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 9/4/2014 @ 11:01 am
#11. MD in Philly,

This is not just theoretical. Have you seen this reported widely?

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304851104579359141941621778

I don’t know if that is behind a paywall, but if so, you can often access WSJ articles with a Google search. The article title is:

“Assault on California Power Station Raises Alarm on Potential for Terrorism”
JoeH (187d65) — 9/4/2014 @ 11:06 am
JoeH,
I did not see it reported widely, but I heard it somewhere.
This goes back to what I said a little while ago on another thread.
On one hand, we’ve tended to think ourselves lucky and half-laugh at the general failure rate of jihadis here in the States (not full laugh, as at times, like Boston, they have succeeded to do damage),
on the other hand, I’m starting to wonder if the blunders have been the work of undisciplined folk not following orders, etc.
and that in reality there are dozens of sleeper cells ready to strike that are not so amateurish.

There was a time not that many decades ago where everything on computer was supposed to be backed up with hard-copy, as computers were still newish, not that powerful, and backup systems were not yet common.
I’m thinking that a lot of the electrical, water, and nat. gas infrastructure that the vast majority of us now depend on to live, is like those early computer days, but that we generally have no hard-copy backup. Unless you have your own well and own generator, and a huge tank of propane to fuel it for awhile (which is few of us, even in the country anymore), most of us will be in trouble.

There was also something some time ago about a number of Muslim immigrants who were trespassing on the land around some major reservoir, I think in MA. The official report I read, I believe, that they were in a civil engineering class or something and were looking for professional interest, nothing else to see here.
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/4/2014 @ 11:35 am
The Daily Mail reports Isis’ s it chief is the son of a Boston doctor, abusamra, educated at xavieran university
narciso (bcc59c) — 9/4/2014 @ 11:37 am
The quabbin reservoir, I recall, he was a graduate of northwestern, xavieran was the prep school
narciso (bcc59c) — 9/4/2014 @ 11:46 am
Northwestern…that explains it…

seriously, narciso, you seem to have a knowledge base that eclipses mine (and I think on occasion at least some others), so that your references have little meaning. It’s like some scholar repeating a saying in Latin, as if everyone is familiar with that phrase in the Latin.
Now, in this case, your statement was close enough in the thread and you used the non-Latin word “reservoir” so I know what you are talking about.

That is not meant as a criticism, and if it is, it is more of my lack of knowledge than with you.
Of course, if you took time to be wordy like me, you probably wouldn’t get done other things you want to get done.
But I am sure I am underprivileged by not adequately understanding many of your comments.
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 9/4/2014 @ 12:05 pm
rand paul is right let the neo-con artist form a anti-isis brigade and send them into mosul it will help make up for these chicken hawks dodging the vietnam war draft. Let vietnam war draft dodger mitt romney show us his leadership skeels by taking the point in to mosul filled by dead eye dick cheney and the rest of the fox news chicken hawk draft dodgers.
mr.gop (6662b6) — 9/4/2014 @ 1:12 pm
how does this dude wipe unaided?

what makes you think he wipes?

he’s so full of 5hit that he lively hasn’t voided his bowels since got a case of the trots in Nam…
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 9/4/2014 @ 1:13 pm
mr.gop (6662b6) — 9/4/2014 @ 1:12 pm

only if they take you as their primary EOD guy…
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 9/4/2014 @ 1:16 pm
happyfeet (8ce051) — 9/3/2014 @ 8:14 pm

i know is those saudi royal perverts expect us to clean up their messes

There’s one way to tell if they are seriously worried.

Ask them if they want to include Israel in the coalition against Islamic State.

If, that is, they actually want to be in the coalition themselves.

In the recent Libyan intervention done behind the back of the United States you only had the Air Forces of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
Sammy Finkelman (fb61e5) — 9/4/2014 @ 1:40 pm
Not really off topic: <a href="http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/09/04/when-burning-jews-isn%E2%80%99t-news/When Burning Jews isn't News
Milhouse (9d71c3) — 9/4/2014 @ 9:05 pm
Try again:

Not really off topic: <a href="http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/09/04/when-burning-jews-isn%E2%80%99t-news/When Burning Jews isn't News
Milhouse (9d71c3) — 9/4/2014 @ 10:13 pm
Third time lucky.
Not really off topic: When Burning Jews isn’t News
Milhouse (9d71c3) — 9/4/2014 @ 10:14 pm
meanwhile back at the ranch

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/09/04/top-cia-official-in-benghazi-delayed-response-to-terrorist-attack-us-security/
narciso (ee1f88) — 9/4/2014 @ 10:28 pm
The Al Nsra front in syria (part of original Al Qaeda) has captured 45 UN peacekeepers from Fiji by the Goland Heights.

They will put them on trial,

But they said tehy will release them under 3 conditions:

1) they are taken off the terrorism list.

2) Humanitarian aid is delivered to parts of the Syrian capital Damascus (where the assad regime is not allowing it evidently)

3) They get paid money as compensation for three of its fighters it says were killed in a shootout with UN officers.

The UN Security Council on Wednesday, however, demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of the Fijians, denouncing their abduction “in the strongest terms.”

72 Filipino troops were also surrounded by the rebel forces but they managed to escaped over the weekend into Israel.
Sammy Finkelman (d22d64) — 9/5/2014 @ 9:34 am
UN Security Council …. strong letter to follow.
askeptic (efcf22) — 9/5/2014 @ 9:36 am

9/3/2014

John Kerry And Joe Biden Today, And The President, Too

54 Responses to “John Kerry And Joe Biden Today, And The President, Too”

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