Patterico's Pontifications

4/7/2017

The Question Is: When Is An Act Of War An Act of War?

Filed under: General — Dana @ 7:04 am



[guest post by Dana]

Since last night’s actions in Syria, I’m sure a number of us have been asking the same question. Charles C.W. Cooke certainly has, and he provides his thoughts about the issue. His observations are likely to be met with objection from certain corners.

Quoting David French, we are reminded of this:

If Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution means anything, it means that the president must obtain congressional approval before taking us to war against a sovereign nation that has not attacked the U.S. or its allies and is not threatening to attack the U.S. or its allies…. As Senator Paul said, “The first thing we ought to do is probably obey the Constitution.”

Well, plain and simple, we were not attacked nor were we threatened with attack by Syria.

Last night, in his statement regarding the air strikes, President Trump said:

Tonight, I ordered a targeted military strike on the airfield in Syria from where the chemical attack was launched. It is in this vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons.

If we weren’t attacked, nor threatened with attack by Syria, were the strikes an issue of “vital national security interest of the U.S.,” or was the action a humanitarian issue as our response was compelled by the the grotesque assault on the Syrian people by the Assad regime? As Cooke points out, the arguments against this being an act of war run along the lines of, it’s just a “minor military operation,” or “a targeted strike,” or, as I’ve been reading, the airstrikes were simply a justified warning. No more, no less. And yet, consider this:

If a country were to lob 59 missiles at an U.S. military installation in the middle of the California desert, we would rightly regard that as an “act of war.” We certainly wouldn’t say, “don’t worry, it’s just a minor military strike.” Does the fact the Syria’s government is gassing its own people change that? No, it does not. Why not? Because the question here isn’t whether America is morally justified in hitting Assad’s air bases (it is), or whether doing so is a good idea (it may be), or whether America is a more virtuous country than Syria (it is). Rather, the question is of constitutional legality. If the United States had been gassing Americans in Hawaii at the time Japan hit Pearl Harbor, that strike would still have been an act of war — yes, even if Japan had used it as its casus belli – and Americans would have rightly seen it as such. We should not set a double standard when the roles are reversed. If we need to hit Assad, I’m open to the argument. But Congress must be asked for permission.

–Dana

764 Responses to “The Question Is: When Is An Act Of War An Act of War?”

  1. Good morning.

    Dana (023079)

  2. america isn’t more nationally secure cause some wankers sprinkled missiles on some forlorn splatch of syria

    but the corrupt cowardly mattis pentagon piggies are definitely in a better position to argue for more sweet sweet slop

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  3. the lazy self-satisfied and obscenely perverted do-nothing ryan congress took this month off anyway because easter bunny

    i’m sure they’re fine with whatever

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  4. It is absolutely hilarious all the Trump fans here who were very clear in their views about Obama and Libya. Also hilarious that Trump called this very thing an act requiring congressional approval… when Obama is president.

    Why didn’t Trump at least try to get this?

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  5. Good article. From standpoint offshore, Congressional approval seems a sensible legal and strategic move.

    Don’t quite agree with the assertion that Syria has never attacked the US or US allies. Syrian complicity in the Marine barracks bombing has been understood for some time, as have Syrian attempts to destabilize Jordan and the outright occupation by Syrian security forces of swathes of Lebanon. The IDF has provided something of a brake to the ambitions/tendencies of the Syrian government, but inasmuch as Israel is an ally of the US, they haven’t exactly gotten along very well over the years either.

    More recently, the Bush administration hit Syrian training camps and staging areas for Iraqi militants (some of whom have apparently gone on to join ISIS and Al Qaeda) along the Syrian border with Anbar province. The prime targets of these militants were Iraqi civilians, soldiers, and Coalition troops.

    JP (f1742c)

  6. All very true, and yet…the lessons from April 6, 1917 should weigh heavily on our minds. Can we stand by and watch innocents and others suffering abject murder, wringing our hands and wishing “someone” would do something, but refuse to get involved? Much like the people now who stand at the scene of a horrific accident or crime, and take video on their phones rather than aiding the victims. For better or worse, America is a world leader; the last 8 years have shown us how leading from behind allows wickedness to spread, from outbreak to epidemic to pandemic.
    I pray this one strike gets Assad’s attention and calms things down, much like Reagan’s 1986 bombing of Gaddafi castrated him on the world stage. There needs to be some review of intelligence, along with some adult conversation between the WH and the legislature (no more of this eleventy-one! conniptions about Merrick Garland or Russian collusion), and the mediacrats need to grow up and start doing journalism again. I’ll give Trump this one shot, but there needs to be debate in Congress and, if we’re going to do something, do it smart and do it right.

    Gobblemom (4ecfe6)

  7. The USA – and by extension the West – can’t allow the use of CW to become normalized. Let’s hope the message was received.

    We could hope or wish a strong response to this undeniable use of what they’d sworn no longer existed wasn’t left to the USA, but if wishes were horses, you know. The UN might issue a strongly worded, unenforced resolution a year from now. That would be “the response”.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  8. 4.It is absolutely hilarious all the Trump fans here who ……..

    Are you ever going to get past this or will this be your lead in forever? It’s old already.

    . Also hilarious that Trump called this very thing an act requiring congressional approval… when Obama is president.

    Why didn’t Trump at least try to get this?

    Obama’s Congress were his partisans and Republicans who would never do anything treasonous to under mind the US. Trumps Congress is full of Obama operatives who would “leak” the attack to harm Trump regardless of what that would do to the US. Get it?

    Nonetheless, Trump still should have gotten Congressional approval.

    Rev. Hoagie® (785e38)

  9. “WAIT… WHAT? For Comment on Gas Attack, NBC Interviews ‘Expert’ Accused of Kidnapping Journalists.”

    https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/261953/

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  10. Between CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, NYT, WaPo, it’s a wonder anything is truthfully reported on.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  11. Trump’s strongest supporters today are still trying to prove he’s a tool of Russia and illegitimate president. Ain’t that something…

    crazy (d3b449)

  12. I bet we now know why Bannon lost his seat (and vote) on the NSC principals committee.

    crazy (d3b449)

  13. 11…? Wha???

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  14. McCain, Graham…

    crazy (d3b449)

  15. 11.Trump’s strongest supporters today are still trying to prove he’s a tool of Russia and illegitimate president. Ain’t that something…

    Yep.

    Up until yesterday, Trump was Putin’s poodle.

    Now he’s got us on the brink of war with Russia.

    An msm willing to change the narrative in an instant, (e.g. “Trump is delusional if he thinks Obama was spying on his campaign” changing to “It’s completely normal for the govt. to spy on Trump’s campaign” in a matter of days).

    harkin (517285)

  16. Use of CW can’t be allowed, can’t be normalized. Police action… message sent… how will it be received is the question.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  17. You’re not arguing with Trump. You’re arguing with Jefferson, Monroe, Truman, Eisenhower, JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Reagan, Bush 1 and 2, Obama, and every other President who ever rattled a saber to influence the evil acts of the plethora of a holes ruling patches of land on our planet.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  18. we need to know who’s responsible for tricking President Trump into doing these silly missile-sprinkles

    i mean we need actual names and we need to hold them accountable

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  19. It took them 30 minutes to launch all of the tomahawks and then some time to get them over target.

    Here’s the interesting part. In between the first missile arriving and the last, all of the missiles circled in the air waiting, so they could land, hitting their various targets as one mighty kaboom.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  20. sometimes it takes the little missiles awhile to work up their courage

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  21. Take bob memendez who was Obama’s chump in the Syria deal.

    narciso (d1f714)

  22. Many will argue this will influence Iran, NK, and others to stop nuclear weapons development but it’s just as likely they’ll conclude the only way to prevent similar attacks is joining the nuclear club quickly.

    I’d like to believe before approving the OP POTUS and the National Security team has an answer to the question his predecessors didn’t work through adequately – “and then what?”

    Is this a return to Clinton’s cruise missile diplomacy, Hillary’s Libya, Trump’s 9/11 moment or a one-off demonstration of the big dog’s big bite?

    crazy (d3b449)

  23. And yes there were echoes of the opening to crimson tide.

    narciso (d1f714)

  24. This is why there was an operation orchard,

    narciso (d1f714)

  25. Trump notified the Russians, but did not notify Congress prior to the attack.

    Davethulhu (fab944)

  26. congress probably wasn’t even working at the time

    they don’t actually do very much you see

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  27. What part of–we have US troops in Syria–do you not understand?

    How are they not threatened when someone is willing to use SARIN gas in the theater of conflict?

    Do we not owe it to our service people –to make sure that everyone gets the message that we will not allow the use of WMD near our troops?

    Rae (2fd998)

  28. I’d like to believe before approving the OP POTUS and the National Security team has an answer to the question his predecessors didn’t work through adequately – “and then what?”

    Well for one, maybe Nancy Pelosi will dust off her hijab and go for a commiseration session with her good friend Bashar.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  29. Trump notified the Russians, but did not notify Congress prior to the attack.
    Davethulhu (fab944) — 4/7/2017 @ 9:24 am

    *************************

    You do not know that. It is very likely that a core group of Senators and House members might have been advised.

    You can search for Chucky Schumer’s statement of support.

    Hell I decided to google it for you–here it is:

    Making sure Assad knows that when he commits such despicable atrocities he will pay a price is the right thing to do,” Schumer said in a statement, ABC News reports.

    From the same source you can also get Nancy Pelosi’s statement:

    Pelosi had much of the same reaction, calling the Tomahawk missile strike ordered by Trump against the al-Shayrat military base in Syria a “proportional response to the regime’s use of chemical weapons.”

    It’s possible that the co-chairs of Intel and Defense were consulted.

    Rae (2fd998)

  30. One thing about landing all the bombs simultaneous, most of the non-government population would be minimally affected. One boom off in the distance, roll over and go back to sleep.

    Fodder for Assad’s opposition to conspiracy theory themselves into believing no such attack took place at all. State media is just lying to them again and the like.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  31. I remember reading about the Libyan nuclear program in the 5th horseman, apparently the ban azziyah strike focused quaddafis attention that Ac khan bec

    narciso (d1f714)

  32. Here’s an exit question–

    if an actor proves that he is willing to use SARIN gas on his own people in the theater of conflict–what damn assurance to you have–that he won’t have the audacity to use it on OUR–US troops?

    Then–if you ask the US military to risk their damn lives–do you not at the very minimum owe them a response to someone committing WAR CRIMES–and using sarin gas in the area?

    When is the last time–the world–or the US –have tolerated the use of sarin gas in warfare–particularly from state actors?

    Holy cripes–you talk about THE LAW. What about international law–what are you willing to sacrifice in that area–the use of CHEMICAL WEAPONS–WMD–just so you can win–this particular argument–at this particular time–while pretending to ignore that Americans are serving their country in the area.

    Rae (2fd998)

  33. our troops should have better sense to be prancing around syria

    especially if there’s poison gas around

    hello basic survival skills

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  34. Holy cripes–you talk about THE LAW. What about international law–what are you willing to sacrifice in that area–the use of CHEMICAL WEAPONS–WMD–just so you can win–this particular argument–at this particular time–while pretending to ignore that Americans are serving their country in the area.

    Rae (2fd998) — 4/7/2017 @ 9:42 am

    Yeah Dustin. Be careful where you spray that Roundup® . I’m watching you.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  35. Dustin. Watching you. [gif]

    papertiger (c8116c)

  36. If Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution means anything, it means that the president must obtain congressional approval before taking us to war against a sovereign nation that has not attacked the U.S. or its allies and is not threatening to attack the U.S. or its allies…. As Senator Paul said, “The first thing we ought to do is probably obey the Constitution.”

    Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution refers to a legal action, not a military one. For one thing, it kicks into effect the treason clause of the United states constitution, as well as numerous laws now.

    It should not enter your mind that in 1787 the international legal situation was different than it today and a A Declaration of War was necessary in order for a country to start a war. It wasn’t. Things weren’t so different:

    In Federalist Number 25, Alexander Hamilton wrote that “the ceremony of a formal denunciation of war has of late fallen into disuse”

    http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa25.htm

    So a Declaration of Warit didn’t mean what some people now think it meant in 1787. A Declaration of War was not necessary in order to start a war, at least not for a enemy of the United States.

    A declaration of war was something sometimes used and sometimes not, and it hadn’t been used in 1778 when France sided with the American States.

    While Declarations of War did continue to be used in World War I, and even occasionally, during World War II, it’s definitely fallen into disuse now.

    In the United States, sometimes an Authorization for the Use of Force, which does not kick into effect clauses in laws, is sometimes used, precisely for that reason.

    Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42)

  37. harkin (517285) — 4/7/2017 @ 8:45 am

    Up until yesterday, Trump was Putin’s poodle.

    Now he’s got us on the brink of war with Russia.

    That should be a lesson to Putin: You can’t trust these people who are trying to sell you a Manchurian candidate. He should never have bought one from Acme and Stone. It turned out to be a lemon.

    Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42)

  38. Well, plain and simple, we were not attacked nor were we threatened with attack by Syria.

    *************************

    Just in case people are missing it. It’s not plain and simple. US troops are in the theater. Are they not equal to you–as Americans–and American citizens?

    This is the kind of junk Clinton use to get away with because in his legalese –criminal action–response to acts of war he considered American military–less than.

    See the USS Cole as just one example. Clinton’s lack of response emboldened our enemies until they finally had to hit us CONUS–to get lawyer/civilians–attention.

    It’s gross. You’ve asked the military to tolerate enemy combatants not in uniform–and a whole host of other war crimes–and now you want them to “suck it up” when it comes to WMDs being used by a state actor in the theater of conflict.

    You want that to go through a Court system–or gawd knows what–the machinations of the UN– of some sort when international law has long been set in this area–and well established–for good reason.

    Rae (2fd998)

  39. even syrian rapefugees know getting the hell out of syria is Plan A

    so why the pentagon piggies are so idiotically insistent about sending our own people over there defies all logics

    they’re idiots

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  40. The shameless, hack-tastic apologism of the Trumpkins knows neither bounds nor shame.

    Please, please try to find a measuring stick beyond the tiny hands of your Cheeto-boss. Because the current things is just… pathetic.

    Leviticus (efada1)

  41. You do not know that. It is very likely that a core group of Senators and House members might have been advised.

    It’s possible that the co-chairs of Intel and Defense were consulted.

    Rae (2fd998) — 4/7/2017 @ 9:35 am

    http://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-syria-reaction-0408-20170407-story.html

    Murphy said that, as far as he knew, members of congressional leadership were not told until after the attack had begun. He expected to learn more at a 1 p.m. briefing.

    Davethulhu (fab944)

  42. another fan of nerve gassing babies rears it’s ugly head.

    Quick review of current events. Syria is creating refugee terrorist imports that liberal judges are hell bent on inflicting on you and your neighbors. (see Swedish truck attack for more info)

    So how does this equate to protecting America? It prevents terrorist refugees. Cuts the spigot off at the source.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  43. Both Chuck Schemer and Nancy Lugosi supported this!?!?

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  44. Russians said they took care of the sarin gas. SO Putin can go hang.

    Eff him. He’s unreliable. Like SkepticalScience dot com, Putin speaks with forked tongue.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  45. #NeverTrumpelstiltskin and associated elves are wailing, gnashing teeth and rending their Mom jeans over this.

    Brings a smile.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  46. Both Chuck Schemer and Nancy Lugosi supported this!?!?
    Colonel Haiku (49aad2) — 4/7/2017 @ 10:22 am

    *******

    Yep. It’s almost like–they might have been consulted–or something.

    Rae (2fd998)

  47. Murphy said that, as far as he knew, members of congressional leadership were not told until after the attack had begun. He expected to learn more at a 1 p.m. briefing.
    Davethulhu (fab944) — 4/7/2017 @ 10:15 am

    *************

    Ya–we will see. There were other Dems that came out with statements of support–Schumer and Pelosi were just the first two that I found or could remember at the moment.

    Rae (2fd998)

  48. Hillary’s VP pick, Senator Weak Chin or whatever his name was, is miffed that Trump did this thing.

    Course, Senator Bottom Bunk would be equally miffed if he found out Trump used floride toothpaste.

    Who cares what Senator Less than Biden thinks?

    papertiger (c8116c)

  49. The president insists on using a military option, which I oppose for three reasons:

    First, Assad’s actions, however deplorable, are not a direct threat to U.S. national security. Many bad actors on the world stage have, tragically, oppressed and killed their citizens, even using chemical weapons to do so. Unilaterally avenging humanitarian disaster, however, is well outside the traditional scope of U.S. military action.

    Second, just because Assad is a murderous thug does not mean that the rebels opposing him are necessarily better. As of May, seven of the nine major rebel groups appeared to have significant ties to Islamists, some of whom may have links to al-Qaeda and other terrorists. Their presence and power have only increased, according to media reports. We should never give weapons to people who hate us, and the United States should not support or arm al-Qaeda terrorists.

    Third, the potential for escalation is immense. Syria is in the midst of a sectarian civil war, born of centuries-old animosities. We have no clear ally in this ­Sunni-Shiite conflict, and any “limited” and “proportional” strike could quickly get out of control, imperiling our allies and forcing us into the civil war.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ted-cruz-why-ill-vote-no-on-syria-strike/2013/09/09/34750cde-1972-11e3-a628-7e6dde8f889d_story.html?utm_term=.904d38ebb845

    Davethulhu (fab944)

  50. Syrian military officials appeared to anticipate Thursday’s night raid on Syria’s Shayrat airbase, evacuating personnel and moving equipment ahead of the strike, according to an eyewitness to the strike.

    lol looks like our idiot missile-sprinkling military’s neck and neck with our incompetent intelligence pansies in this season’s biggest loser contest

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  51. no the buck stops with fancypants mattis and the other pentagon trash what tricked President Trump into making an ass out of himself with his feckless missile sprinkles

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  52. For Instapundit fans who think he is smarter than Patterico solely because he supported Trump:

    APRIL 6, 2017

    THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY: U.S. launches cruise missile strike on Syria after chemical weapons attack. On the one hand, that’s more than Obama did to enforce the “red line.” On the other hand, it’s rather a sharp turnabout for Trump, isn’t it?

    On Facebook, a friend comments that half the point of this was doing it while the Chinese president was with him. And Richard Fernandez notes: “The bitter fruit of Obama’s war by executive order is now upon us. Whatever happened to Congress’ war powers?”

    Neither Democrats nor Republicans would assert those powers under Obama. Who will do so now? But this does seem more like a continuation of Obama’s mideast policies than a reversal of them. Which, given how they turned out, isn’t promising.

    UPDATE: Bibi was right, Obama was wrong: “Benjamin Netanyahu will never be popular in America’s major newsrooms. Or among most of the think-tankers who set the tone and parameters of foreign-policy debate. His name is a curse on college campuses. So it’s worth asking whose vision of the Middle East has held up better under the press of recent events.”

    Posted by Glenn Reynolds at 9:50 pm

    Your hero is waffling on Trump, with good reason.

    DRJ (15874d)

  53. Blame Trump and his Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner. The generals implement policy. The Trumps make policy.

    DRJ (15874d)

  54. My support for candidate and now President Trump was and is independent of the puppy blender’s position.

    (I know you weren’t aiming at me, DRJ, but I just want to get it on record)

    papertiger (c8116c)

  55. oh i’ll get around to that patrick jared bateman kushner freak in due time i promise you that

    he’s depraved

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  56. Yes, Reynolds mentioned the “is it constitutional” issue last night. Use of Sarin or other chemical agents can’t be allowed, it’s illegal, can’t be normalized. This was a police action… message sent… how will it be received is the question. Russian warship currently en route.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  57. Doesn’t the puppies-in-blender story go back to Frank J? He was funny. That seems like an eternity ago.

    DRJ (15874d)

  58. i bought a book by frank j i think

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  59. I’m glad you realize politics is not the same as foreign affairs, Haiku.

    DRJ (15874d)

  60. yup it’s in me kindle it’s called superego

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  61. Trump seems to think everything is the Art of the Deal. Glenn, too. But a bad deal doesn’t end in bankruptcy when the parties have militaries.

    DRJ (15874d)

  62. failmerica has no business prancing around syria number one it’s indecorous number two it’s expensive

    end of discussion

    now you boys go home and play in your own yard

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  63. Blame Trump and his Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner. The generals implement policy. The Trumps make policy.
    DRJ (15874d) — 4/7/2017 @ 11:08 am

    ******************

    You are doing something dishonest here.

    Rae (2fd998)

  64. The situation in Syria is the result of the catastrophic policy failure of the Obama administration. Those nitwits had ignored what was going on for years, had convinced many Americans they’d prosecuted a super successful policy and were bragging as recently as January that this policy had caused Assad to “voluntarily and verifiably give up its chemical weapon stockpile.”

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  65. “…every other President who ever rattled a saber…”

    – papertiger

    You are so poisonously disingenuous that it hurts. On the minuscule off chance that you actually don’t understand the difference perfectly well, this is swinging a saber, not rattling one.

    Leviticus (efada1)

  66. Sober thoughts from our good friend, Senator Rubio (Fla).

    [YouTube]

    papertiger (c8116c)

  67. “This was a police action… message sent…”

    – Colonel Haiku

    Team America: World Police

    Leviticus (efada1)

  68. 61… your happiness is all that matters to me, DRJ.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  69. DRJ is not doing dishonest but i think the generals could have spoken up but their bread is buttered on the side where we do stupid missile sprinklings and they aren’t really worried about what’s best for america

    see when you’re in the military long enough to be a Top Man it makes you weird and ethically flexible about stuff plus you get these really unflattering entitlement issues

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  70. Trying to include all of the various and sundry ex Presidents who have invaded Haiti, Panama, and the Dominican Republic taxes my faculties, Levi.

    Trying to do short hand. Please do forgive me.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  71. Leviticus as… Matt… Damon.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  72. Mr. Colonel that was very snide what you said

    i can’t belieber you’d be so snide and flippant while our country is at WAR on soil that is FOREIGN hello

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  73. And to think Patterico once had the smartest commenters on the internet. No more.
    DRJ (15874d)

    — 4/7/2017 @ 11:16 am

    *********

    Maybe you are not being dishonest,….maybe you are isolating Kushner as being responsible because you don’t actually know what the process might be. Understandable.

    Rae (2fd998)

  74. “For Instapundit fans who think he is smarter than Patterico solely because he supported Trump…”

    Speaking for myself, you totally misread that. I admire Reynolds’ principles and appreciate his ability to be pragmatic when appropriate. I considerate it a feature, not a bug.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  75. And to think Patterico once had the smartest commenters on the internet. No more.
    DRJ (15874d)

    Bragging days are over, since 2007, when I first showed up.

    Use to be I’d only comment at IMAO and Scrappleface. Telling jokes and such (if you could call ‘Grandma Nancy said what?’ a joke)

    papertiger (c8116c)

  76. The ‘Art of the Deal’– $90 million worth of tomahawks thrown and blown; nine Syrians killed and a few building wrecked. $15 million/corpse. That’s quite a deal, Donald.

    “There’s a sale at Penney’s!” – ‘Airplane’ 1980

    ______________

    This wasn’t an act triggered in ‘the vital national interest’ of the United States. It was a knee-jerk reaction by a shallow, incurious man who saw something displeasing on the TeeVee. Assad’s been slaughtering ‘babies’ for years. The take away is alarmingly clear– you wanna reach the CIC, do a special on the TV– preferably Fox.

    “Television generation… learned life from Bugs Bunny.” – Max Schumacher [William Holden] ‘Network’ 1976

    ________________

    “When is an act of war an act of war” is a classic quandary whined by those who rigidly cling to ‘originalism’ quilled in a long ago era of square-rigged sailing ships, single-shot muskets and opposing armies marching shoulder to shoulder across green fields in brightly colored uniforms mere yards apart. Originalists wage war on time. The long and short of it is it’s a losing battle.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  77. I remember a day when Reynolds said fracking in the North Dakota shale fields wouldn’t amount to much.

    He’s been known to make a mistake or two. Not often. Sometimes.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  78. but these ones were beautiful babies Mr. DCSCA

    that has to factor in

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  79. Nikki Haley, acting President of U.N. security council Upon hearing that Bolivia wants a closed door session to discuss the Missile strike on Syria, says nuts to that.

    Defend sarin gassing babies in the open air, socialists.

    How about that, Nikki. That’s some high octane representation there.

    Winning!

    papertiger (c8116c)

  80. He picked Mattis for a reason, even Ben Flynn admitted that a partnership with Russia on syria; would be problematic e.g. Iran’s revolutionary guard.

    narciso (27009f)

  81. @82- Oh yes, and of course, for him some of those little beauties could grow-up to be lovely pussies.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  82. ugh that was gratuitous

    this is just President Trump acting foolishly on bad advice

    i’m sure he meant well

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  83. here’s a pretty picture

    possibly from “in theater” as they say

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  84. @86. Bealtiful and yuuuuugely gratuitous.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  85. @87. $1.7 million/print. But free developing.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  86. Demerit @85 – There will be a mark on your permanent record. I’m watching you. [gif]

    papertiger (c8116c)

  87. @90. And we’re watching him– closely– when he’s not playing a being Jimmy Demaret.

    “I’ve said if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.” – Donald J. Trump, President of the United States

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  88. I’m not sure if I agree with this action, I was hoping Trump would be pulling us away from this kinda thing. On the other hand, I see where a strong response to the use of WMD is a wise move. Frankly, I have mixed feelings.

    Having said that, outrage over this seems pretty manufactured to me. The last time congress declared war on another country was WWII, since then we have only had military action authorized by congress. In 2014 Obama got congressional approval to bomb Syria. Now are we supposed to believe a change in president means the new president has to get authorization again? Did Obama have to get congressional approval again to continue operations in Afghanistan when he was elected? Did Truman need another declaration of war against Japan when FDR died?

    Nevertrumper please.

    Leon (168f33)

  89. DCSCA… nihilist to the core

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  90. Congress has delegated much of its authority to the executive over the years. Just as it has given up significant law-making to federal agencies, it has given up parts of its war-making as well. It has attempted to put a bound on this with the War Powers Resolution (which allows the executive some short-term war-making power directly).

    However, when Congress attempted to put bounds on the executive agencies with the legislative veto, the Supremes told them they were exceeding their authority (INS v Chadha). EVERY President has viewed the WPR as unconstitutional for similar reasons.

    In the present case, the US is enforcing a treaty that both Syria and the US signed, as well as a subsequent international agreement, and UN resolution, regarding Syria’s violations fo the original treaty. IT IS IN THE US INTERESTS that the treaty against chemical weapons be honored by all parties.

    Therefore, the action taken is consistent with the WPR, and consistent with international agreements. To the degree that international agreements mean anything, it is also consistent with international law.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  91. Question: What would President Cruz have done?
    Answer: Seen things as a President and Commander-in-Chief, not as a legislator.

    But this may be why the country almost never elects Senators to the big job.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  92. Assad’s been slaughtering ‘babies’ for years.

    Not sure why you’re using scare quotes, unless it’s just a shot at Trump’s goofy verbalisms. Assad’s regime has deliberately killed children, and a good deal more of them than any rebel or militant outfit could hope to.

    Granted, that’s not all that unusual for statist or would-be statist regimes…

    JP (f1742c)

  93. @93. Pragmatist, with a delicious caramel center.

    “And loving it.” – Maxwell Smart, Agent 86 [Don Adams] ‘Get Smart’

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  94. @95. Canadians can’t be President.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  95. @96- Yes, it’s the buzz word he’s hooked into this week. Has the stink of Ivanka all over it.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  96. Trump’s fans say if you don’t agree with Trump you are defending sarin on babies. They are the most crybaby and slimy hacks the world has ever known and are a national disgrace.

    They say nothing about Trump’s own words about Obama needing congressional approval because “sarin babies!!!!” If Trump’s case was that good, I guess he could have, ya know, made his case? The way George W Bush did?

    We all know Trump did this because of his bad polls. That’s also what the history books will say. You guys can be nasty all day and it just proves what you are: hacks.

    I’m laughing, although we’ll see how much worse Trump makes things. We really screwed up electing him, and most Americans agree.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  97. Assad’s regime has deliberately killed children, and a good deal more of them than any rebel or militant outfit could hope to.

    Granted, that’s not all that unusual for statist or would-be statist regimes…

    JP (f1742c) — 4/7/2017 @ 1:08 pm

    So did Saddam. Saddam and Assad are very similar. Why did Trump change his mind on this when his polls dropped over his domestic agenda failing?

    To listen to some of you, the USA has to be the police every time something really bad happens in the world. Shouldn’t we consider whether that actually does good first? Why is it primarily chickenhawks saying this crap?

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  98. About that whole “unconstitutionally” bombing foreign countries thing:

    In which countries has the US used drone strikes?

    Known or Acknowledged:
    Afghanistan
    Pakistan
    Yemen
    Somalia
    Iraq
    Algeria
    Libya

    Highly Probable (but not acknowledged):
    India (Kashmir)
    Sudan
    Syria
    Mali
    Colombia
    Niger
    Oman
    Chad
    Iran
    Turkmenistan
    Uzbekistan
    Kazakhstan
    Tajikistan
    Kyrgyzstan

    Possible:
    Mexico
    Venezuela
    Peru
    Bolivia
    Ecuador
    Mauritania
    Saudi Arabia
    Eritrea
    Jordan
    Palestine
    Kenya
    Egypt
    Turkey
    Azerbaijan
    Armenia
    Philippines
    Central African Republic
    DR Congo / Zaire

    https://www.quora.com/In-which-countries-has-the-US-used-drone-strikes

    Leon (168f33)

  99. If the truth doesn’t sit well with you, Dustin, try changing your head.

    Damaged Syrian airport (jpg)

    Eh. Little spit and polish. March a troop of slaves in there to do the dirty. It’ll be back up and running in no time.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  100. President Donald Trump is working on an executive order that will open the waters around the U.S. coast to oil and gas drilling just months after President Obama effectively banned Atlantic and Arctic offshore drilling.

    i wonder if this is a for reals thing or another lie like how he lied about not wanting to sprinkle bombs on syria like a big pansy-ass with a tacky stripper daughter

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  101. Why wasn’t anyone this upset when Trump sent the seals into Yemen?

    Happyfeet?

    Leon (168f33)

  102. lol fancypants sleazebag mattis didn’t get to go to florida to watch the sprinkles

    so he’s not trumpie’s number one buttboy yet

    but he looks very determined

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  103. Congress has delegated much of its authority to the executive over the years. Just as it has given up significant law-making to federal agencies, it has given up parts of its war-making as well. It has attempted to put a bound on this with the War Powers Resolution (which allows the executive some short-term war-making power directly).
    However, when Congress attempted to put bounds on the executive agencies with the legislative veto, the Supremes told them they were exceeding their authority (INS v Chadha). EVERY President has viewed the WPR as unconstitutional for similar reasons.
    In the present case, the US is enforcing a treaty that both Syria and the US signed, as well as a subsequent international agreement, and UN resolution, regarding Syria’s violations fo the original treaty. IT IS IN THE US INTERESTS that the treaty against chemical weapons be honored by all parties.
    Therefore, the action taken is consistent with the WPR, and consistent with international agreements. To the degree that international agreements mean anything, it is also consistent with international law.
    Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/7/2017 @ 1:03 pm

    ***************

    Holy snikes–this is beautiful.

    Also there is the issue of lack of conflict between Congress and the Executive–thus far.

    Pelosi, Schumer,McConnell, and McCarthy have all made statements of support.

    ,
    So good luck taking this to the courts, and finding someone with standing, finding the issue ripe–(see the statements), and even then the court might not want to wade in on a political question when there is probably an issue with clarity because the sarin gas laden air hasn’t even cleared yet.

    But I’m sure Ted Cruz– the sort of Canadian– can keep his toga clean. Hell he could even escape back to Canada if the merde really starts to fly.

    What a MAN!

    Rae (2fd998)

  104. i think in yemen the pentagon piggies that planned the raid sold it as something that was gonna be easy and they were just all incompetent about it and got people killed

    so i think people chalked that up to a learning experience

    this is just failmerica acting like the queen slut of syria for no strategic purpose

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  105. “Hell he could even escape back to Canada if the merde really starts to fly.”

    Don’t know about that he renounced his dual Canadian citizenship (for mysterious reasons) just before running for president.

    Of course he may not have informed Canada about that, so who knows?

    Leon (168f33)

  106. Also Rand Paul has been abandoned by his young fans for a prettier and younger face–

    TULSI GABBARD!!

    Couldn’t happen to a bigger weasel.

    Rae (2fd998)

  107. Rand Paul is off the Teen Beat….so to speak and their all whippin’ it to TULSI1!!

    Rae (2fd998)

  108. i like Rand Paul more and more every day

    he makes a lot of good observations and he has nice teeth

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  109. Happy feet, what about the argument that we do now have military in Syria, so discouraging the use of WMD does have national security interests?

    Personally I’m more ticked about the former than the latter.

    Leon (168f33)

  110. Don’t know about that he renounced his dual Canadian citizenship (for mysterious reasons) just before running for president.
    Of course he may not have informed Canada about that, so who knows?
    Leon (168f33) — 4/7/2017 @ 1:49 pm

    *****************

    He’s a lawyer–I’m sure he’s got some kind of loophole. Sometimes–he even talks out of it.

    Rae (2fd998)

  111. Is it possible to have Ruth Bader Ginsburg declared legally dead so Trump can appoint another Supreme Court justice and we can use the Reid rule against the Democrats? Then we’d have the House, the Senate, the White House and the Court.

    Boy, that Obama legacy just keeps growin’. Hahahaha.

    Rev. Hoagie® (785e38)

  112. i think number one having military in syria is gay and they’re stupid to be there

    number two I think if you’re truly butthurt that syria has wmd then you tcb, which failmnerica decided not to do many many moons ago (president food stamp made the call), then sprinkling missiles on some dirt is *not* tcb it’s just stupid and pointless and it also made a huge liar of president trump

    if he really wanted to do symbolic sprinkles he should have made a serious grown-up case for it, not pretended like a jackass that doing super sekrit surprise sprinkles was some kinda big hairy deal and then running to some propaganda slut camera in florida to coo about the beautiful babies

    when your president starts acting like this much of a gaywad in thrall to some sick corrupt fancypants pentagon trash this early in his term, it does not bode well for the future of his term

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  113. RBG is ninja level, your be better off getting Wise Latina to OD on Jumex or Jarritos or to buy a new but STD laden pair of flesh scissors for Kagan.

    urbanleftbehind (2d4333)

  114. Ummm. Well, like I said I have mixed feelings about it, but frankly, this doesn’t move my needle much. I’m more interested in our economy and stopping foreigners from invading OUR country, which he’s making progress on, plus the added bennies like SCJ’s and being all skeptical like with the EPA. Which is all marvelous.

    Dropping bombs on Muzzies with WMD is probably just one of those parts of the job that are as necessary as they are unsavoury, so what can you do?

    Well, not crying and pretending to be all outraged about it, but other than that, not much.

    Leon (168f33)

  115. So did Saddam. Saddam and Assad are very similar.

    Yes, they were and are both statists. Nominally members of the same Arab political party and movements. Inherited regimes brought to power by way of putsch. Friends of Moscow, revilers of Israel. Lovely mustaches. The list goes on.

    I was merely remarking on DCSCA’s use of finger-commas in respect of babies. He could have a point about Trump’s motives and internal drivers, I have no idea. I suspect we agree that Congressional approval for military action is advisable, yes?

    If you prefer, the Assad regime has been and is a problem from the perspective of those interested in wider regional stability in that part of the world (a defined set which may not be as large as we would like to think). Up until this point, America and her allies have been rather fortunate that Syria’s dictators have been stymied by US-aligned neighbours.

    With that in mind, the internal American debate about whether Washington’s strategic compass should point to ‘world cop’ or ‘meter maid’ is beside the point. It’s plain that the Assad government lost whatever faith Syria’s peoples may have once had in it and it would be foolish to pretend otherwise. Its stewards are weak and venal and it apparently survives on the material and financial largesse of Iran; these are things any right-thinking liberal republic/strong democracy should be vocal about, wary of, and even act against, instead of offering the tactless arguments that something worse could happen.

    JP (f1742c)

  116. An interesting question that deserves an answer>>> https://static.pjmedia.com/instapundit/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/MEAD-600×449.png

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  117. Russia slams U.S. strikes and warns that ‘new WMD attacks can be expected’…

    https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/2017/04/07/russia-slams-u-s-strikes-warns-new-wmd-attacks-can-be-expected/

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  118. So did Saddam. Saddam and Assad are were very similar.

    FTFY

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  119. @120- Some talking heads on the TeeVee indicate they believe they did know and raised the issue that all was not confiscated- a dotting ‘i’s’ and ‘t’s’ thing but obviously, it only took one. The issue they’re sniffing at is if the Rooskies just let it occur– and their failure to allow activation of defensive measures try to knock down the tomahawks may indicate either displeasre at the act or a mea cupla of sorts.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  120. well Donald has his work cut out for him if he wants to get as many people slaughtered as George W

    and he really doesn’t seem that ambitious

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  121. 123 interesting… heard that these missiles had to travel right over a Russian base on the way to the target, don’t know if true.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  122. 65. Blame Trump and his Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner. The generals implement policy. The Trumps make policy.
    DRJ (15874d) — 4/7/2017 @ 11:08 am

    ******************

    You are doing something dishonest here.

    Rae (2fd998) — 4/7/2017 @ 11:30 am

    How is it dishonest to say Trump and his hand-picked Middle East adviser, Kushner, make policy for this administration? Who do you think is making foreign policy recommendations and decisions?

    DRJ (15874d)

  123. Or do you believe that military strategy/tactics are the same as foreign policy?

    DRJ (15874d)

  124. i bet you dollars to donuts the greasy pentagon piggies wanted to bomb something so it would help them get more piggy slop out of congress

    jared’s too much of a big nail-polished girl to think in terms of bombs and what have you

    but i imagine he’s taking notes

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  125. “I’m laughing, although we’ll see how much worse Trump makes things. We really screwed up electing him, and most Americans agree.”

    Car 54 where arrrrrrre youuuuuu? Toody!!!

    “While the media focuses on sexy topics—Russian spy intrigue, botched Muslim bans, White House palace intrigue, emerging foreign policy challenges, and the health care bill’s collapse—Team Trump has been quietly rolling back job-killing regulations and appointing a boring (by design), yet highly competent, Supreme Court Justice who almost certainly will be confirmed on Friday.

    Despite evidence to the contrary, President Trump is making changes in his first 100 days that will affect America for decades to come.

    One of his key weapons has been the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a 1996 law that allows Congress to repeal recent regulations. Before Trump took office, this law had been used just once. Since taking office, however, President Trump has signed 11 of these CRAs into law, effectively reversing several last-minute Obama-era regulations.”

    — Matt Lewis

    The window for using this tactic is closing; the CRA can only be used within 60 days of Congress being informed of a new regulation. But here’s where things have the potential to get very interesting: Once a regulation is repealed, agencies are also banned from issuing new rules that are “substantially similar” to the one that was just vetoed.

    Sent from my iPhone

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  126. By the way, Rae, my comment about not having smart commenters here was a reference to something Patterico used to say and specifically was a response to comments by Blah Blah, which immediately preceded my comment. I think the commenters here (including me) are no smarter or dumber than other websites, but in the past we tried harder to talk to each other than we do now.

    DRJ (15874d)

  127. Now we tend to see negative comments or links to other people’s opinions in lieu of actual discussions.

    DRJ (15874d)

  128. everyone should make an effort to be more positive it’s almost Easter Bunny

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  129. and the trump economy is doing really really bad at creating jobs 🙁

    my friends d and k at work are quitting without having anything lined up both

    i guess morale is low

    but k’s the one that told me to stop bringing so many treats

    i’m kinda glad she’s leaving

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  130. Creating jobs will take some time. He’s working on the job killer regulations now, which will help, but he needs to get congress going on tax reform to really get things rolling.

    Unfortunately, I’m starting to think congress is kind of a joke.

    Leon (168f33)

  131. yes yes congress is a complete joke this is why we need a president what can keep his eye on the ball

    and that’s very much been called into question by this ridiculous albeit wholly symbolic missile sprinkling stunt

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  132. Those tinpots, and I include the late Mr. Saddam as well as Dr. Assad, would not be using poison gas if their camel corps conventional forces could fight their way out of a wet paper bag. If we keep Syria from using poison gas, the Russians might have to step up their presence with more kubankas in the air and on the ground to prop up Assad. Might slow down their adventurism in other places such as Central America.

    Strategerie.

    nk (dbc370)

  133. i just don’t see how you can worry about all that it’s so big picture and airy fairy

    we have for reals work to do here in the land of free home of brave

    and he’d seemed so focused on that, President Trump did

    what the hell just happened he turned into nasty old hillary

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  134. So much for the Wisconsin Restoration, probably on orders from his congressman…
    http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2017/04/06/man-who-made-threats-sought-janesville-gun-shop-theft/100146828/

    urbanleftbehind (847a06)

  135. Going to share some thoughts I’ve posted over at Instapundit.

    With regards to policing the world, have to make a choice, use the Military in a military conflict, or not. But this is a win-win. Assad will never be our friend, Assad does use Chem weapons. We destroyed to some extent his ability to continue that use. Those dozen or so fighter-bombers and that airfield are never going to be used against us or our allies (and they were not being used against ISIS).
    Russia and Assad and Iran and Iraq and the Kurds and any other number of actors are effected, but Lets keep the calculus simple:
    – do we have allies there, yes.
    – do we have troops there, yes.
    – do these attacks help our presence, yes.
    – do these attacks have justification, yes.
    – are these attacks proportional, yes.
    – did this attack send a good message to the “international community”, yes.
    Not sure that the expenditure of $50 Million was not worth it.

    Steven Malynn (d29fc3)

  136. Buyer’s remorse, huh ‘feets.

    Ah well. Sometimes your boob tube orangutan has the right idea. Putting an anti-Western genocidaire on notice probably qualifies.

    JP (628fe3)

  137. Regarding Cooke’s and French’s legal analysis, it sucks.

    The War Powers Resolution is a dead letter, and has been for years, because it usurps Executive authority over both the Military and Foreign Relations – so NRO neverTrumpers now argue “It’s Article 1 of the Constitution that prevents this”. BS on stilts.

    The War Powers Act is unconstitutional:

    A concurrent resolution requires the approval of the House and Senate, but not the President, and the practice of attempting to legislate by concurrent resolutions was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in June 1983 in I.N.S. v. Chadha. [4] Indeed, in his dissenting opinion, Justice White specifically mentioned the War Powers Resolution as one of the provisions of law being struck down by the majority in the case. [5]

    Why, Because the Constitution grants the Executive the authority:

    Article II, section 1, of the Constitution granted the new nation’s “executive Power” to the President. To the Framers, this was the primary grant of authority over the management of America’s relations with the external world. As Professor Quincy Wright observed in his classic 1922 treatise, The Control of American Foreign Relations, “when the constitutional convention gave ‘executive power’ to the President, the foreign relations power was the essential element of the grant, but they carefully protected this power from abuse by provisions for senatorial or congressional veto.” [8]

    Steven Malynn (d29fc3)

  138. Steven Malynn (d29fc3)

  139. Now circumstances have changed since 2013, and actually shayrat could have been deployed against Israeli targets. Did we think Matts tillerson and mcmaster easily manipulable I had concerns about Mr. Exxon, and his too broad view of realpolitik.

    narciso (d1f714)

  140. $50m may be less than the Obamas receive for writing memoirs describing their gloriously courageous achievements…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  141. That will be a greater tree murder than remnicks the bridge,garrow’s forthcoming, will be more interested.

    The Stockholm, the suspect is a 39 year Uzbek with Islamic state sympathies

    narciso (d1f714)

  142. Colonel Haiku (49aad2) — 4/7/2017 @ 2:23 pm

    An interesting admission by McMaster: the strikes did not hurt Assad’s WMD supplies, only his ability to use it from the air–and that will last only as long as Putin and the Mullahs hold off on giving him new planes.

    kishnevi (540fa4)

  143. Somebody hide Trump’s remote:

    PBS is televising a three night American Experience special on World War 1 next week.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  144. You ain’t kidding. Hopefully, a funding pledge plea gets inserted just before the Zimmerman telegraph comes on.

    urbanleftbehind (2d4333)

  145. Sarin is a liquid. It can soak into things as well coat surfaces and seep into water sources. It takes months to degrade even in open air. You might not want to blow it up.

    nk (dbc370)

  146. Buyer’s remorse, huh ‘feets.

    it’s more just the banality of it

    but fine whatever let’s move on

    together

    this whole grotesque episode can’t be allowed to linger like a nasty ivanka fart

    we must open a window

    light a candle

    (one of the fancy ones)

    and think about this nonsense not a moment more

    i have people coming for easter you know

    he is risen!

    and et cetera

    this too shall pass

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  147. 151.
    Which means that at some point, if we are serious about those WMDs, boots on the ground…

    kishnevi (540fa4)

  148. Also that Obama was not totally off his rocker in trying to get the Russians to remove it peacefully.

    nk (dbc370)

  149. Odds that the Russians would do it highly unlikely because of what mi heal doran pointed in mosaic.

    narciso (d1f714)

  150. One is reminded that back in the day, Syria the base for a missile program involving chemically tipped rockets launched from Egypt run by Nazis like brunner,

    narciso (d1f714)

  151. Well, DRJ, I thought your comment was inappropriate … until I saw more Cruz_is_Canadian horse manure in this thread. Now I agree with you.

    “Unilaterally avenging humanitarian disaster, however, is well outside the traditional scope of U.S. military action.

    Well, I guess that depends on your definition of “traditional” given that Bill Clinton used it as an excuse for the Serbian air campaign some 18 years ago. And 18 years is about three times the depth of memory of liberals on US history.

    SPQR (a3a747)

  152. Yes giving David spade and disco St, rarely dies any good

    But there have been trolls even urukhai here before,

    The truth is not guarded but hidden ‘by a bodyguard of lies

    narciso (d1f714)

  153. Shorter:

    If you don’t want the Commander-in-Chief using a massive standing military that you fund with 15% of your GDP, don’t fund a massive standing military with 15% of your GDP.

    It’s kinda like issuing every teen-age boy free hooker tokens, then being surprised when they use them.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  154. Question: How does a textualist get around unfortunate clauses in the Constitution?
    Answer: He argues that other clauses are paramount.

    I remember when there was an image of the Constitution going around, where some words were REALLY BIG (“A WELL-REGULATED MILITIA”)and others were tiny (“shall not be infringed”). I imagine it’s the same now, just different words with different emphasis.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  155. There is some clever and perceptive writing at medium, this is not one of those:
    https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/beneath-all-this-surveillance-controversy-is-the-unexamined-notion-of-american-supremacy-3cf513062fba

    narciso (d1f714)

  156. Shorter:

    If you don’t want the Commander-in-Chief using a massive standing military that you fund with 15% of your GDP, don’t fund a massive standing military with 15% of your GDP.

    That’s a little like telling a gun owner that if he doesn’t take potshots at people walking down his street, there’s no point in his having a gun.

    Patterico (64f0df)

  157. If you don’t want the Commander-in-Chief using a massive standing military that you fund with 15% of your GDP, don’t fund a massive standing military with 15% of your GDP.

    It’s kinda like issuing every teen-age boy free hooker tokens, then being surprised when they use them.

    Kevin M

    You’re a smart guy and I don’t lump you in with the idiot level Trump hacks, but come on. Is this a justification you used when a democrat bombed a country after his polling plummeted? There’s absolutely no reason, if the case is so good, that he couldn’t make the case. Hell, he demanded this standard applies for Obama and we all know it’s what the constitution says no matter if it’s effectively enforced.

    Just bear in mind how politics works in this country. The next time a democrat’s polls go under 35% and a hundred mill in missiles destroy an empty base somewhere, you said that’s OK without any case being made.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  158. That sort of misses the pint, Dustin, and frankly the wag the dig insinuations were what Milton bearden then lobbyist fir pakiatab sold hutches on

    narciso (d1f714)

  159. But the specter of satin does the mind, as do events UN Stockholm as Westminster and Paris should have before, but its mire important tie chase Russian unicorns

    narciso (d1f714)

  160. A Democratic President would be more likely to give Assad the Stephen Schneider Memorial award for Creative Reduction of the global carbon footprint and the Margret Sanger medal for population control, that to do anything provocative like bombing a runway.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  161. Then that hypothetical Dem President would import the worst of the worst that Syria had on offer to do the same for us.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  162. I mean where have you been the last eight years, Dustin?

    papertiger (c8116c)

  163. I thought you were just pretending to hide your head from reality.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  164. Some day down the road he’ll realize that as far as this politics thing goes, he sh*t the bed.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  165. Hypothetical would is not reality.

    nk (dbc370)

  166. How is it dishonest to say Trump and his hand-picked Middle East adviser, Kushner, make policy for this administration? Who do you think is making foreign policy recommendations and decisions?
    DRJ (15874d) — 4/7/2017 @ 2:48 pm

    *******************

    It’s late–I read your other comment first about how stupid commenters are –I also read Patterico calling the decision stupid, and “unconstitutional” and as I have family in the military that have –now –spent decades over in the damn sand box–when people claim we don’t have an American interest over there as more than 900 US troops are over there–and I try to make that case repeatedly but most ignore it—

    it’s more than a little aggravating.

    But–to claim that you are not isolating Kushner and sacking him with a disproportionate responsibility seems to indicate that you think Mattis is not the civilian leader of the Department of Defense–and that he is some kind of mindless–“just following orders” actor in all of this. Plus–I guess you don’t get how the Cabinet–or National Security Council works–it’s all on Kushner?

    Anyways….

    As to the constitutionality of all of this–The Presidency is delineated the power of Commander in Chief in the Constitution. He has troops in the field–that is a situation that derives from Obama sending advisors–an issue that was voted on by both the House and the Senate–and has been funded consistently by the House.

    Now for practical purposes why should the Executive hold this power?

    One–rapid response. Second–secrecy. If we have to wait for filibustering Ted and showboating Rand Paul to give consent–we would most definitely lose an important element in warfare–well two important elements in warfare–the initiative and speed.

    Now as to secrecy. The Senate and the House —well–expecting Lizzy Warren and Al Franken and then Maxine Waters–to keep their mouths shut is a little much, right?

    So–is there some mechanism where some of the members of the Senate and House are advised and then give consent–until other–and further actions can be debated–I believe so.

    Anyways–the fact that you only target Kushner here…..tells me you’ve been lead by people with bad motives or lack of knowledge.

    Rae (2fd998)

  167. Anti-dentite.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  168. Kushner needs to go raise his kids.

    mg (31009b)

  169. Yes, the downside of the Syrian bombing is that it took attention away from the Susan Rice story. Now, we might never find out what conversations she unmasked between Jared Kushner and Vladimir Putin, which I suspect involved laundering a portion of the Russian treasury through Deutsche Bank.

    nk (dbc370)

  170. kushner and ivanka spend most of their time hanging with progressives and never have lunch with someone not worth millions. These two need to be spanked and sent to their room. Wake up Donny, The Bannon group of your backers will have your ratings in the 20% range soon. Dump the couple who craved to be honored by the silicone valley hacks for a pair of non neo con Nationalists.

    mg (31009b)

  171. Saturday morning… a visit to Patterico Pontifications… the place to go if you want to find a cloud in the silver lining.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  172. we’re off our rockers
    actin’ crazy with right meds
    we won’t be lazy

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  173. know yer over hill
    yer mind makes a promise that
    yer body can’t fill

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  174. nk, The susie rice story was over when Uni-party boy toy Gowdy was brought in for – slowing the investigation to a nothing to see here fiasco. The neocons be winning.

    mg (31009b)

  175. walker-crutches-crutch-cane and beyond
    less than a milk factory type bombing
    pathetic

    mg (31009b)

  176. So the point was made… use CW, something will be taken away… but here’s a point about the Middle East in general: we’re not meant to have more than we can handle. This need for conquest and trying to own things that aren’t meant to be owned…
    or places… like Syria… believing we can tame things…. that’s a problem… not a solution.

    I say we settle ISIS’s hash and let that part of the world worry about that part of the world.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  177. And let Europe get up off her Socialist ass, take some responsibility for the region and do something for a change.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  178. They want to encourage and welcome people who won’t assimilate and prefer to live on the dole to their countries, let them have at it. The like-minded, open borders people here in this country should be vilified and fought every step of the way. Enforce existing immigration laws to the letter, like a country whose own self-interest is paramount.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  179. lindsey graham backs the free syrian army. Is this the flock graham and mccain are self funding? jhmfca.

    mg (31009b)

  180. I’m going to stuff my M&P 9 C in my waistband and go to the donut shop to hear what the retired guys are complaining about. Then go to the gun show in town.

    SPQR (a3a747)

  181. Lol… sounds like a plan.

    Colonel Haiku (49aad2)

  182. ugh here’s one of the saddest legacies of the filthy murderous george w. bush administration

    “Very simply: because what we’re talking about is the use of weapons of mass destruction against civilians,” Gorka replied.

    lumping in chemical weapons what kill by the dozen with nuclear weapons is something so stupid only an idiot inbred bush or a cowardly brainwashed torture-victim like John McCain could try and make it the foundation of a policy about when the deployment of force is justified

    why do idiots have to be so stupid

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  183. For a late Saturday mornin’ on teh West Coast… https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d37VKZ8v-KI

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  184. nice bell-bottom’s still my favorite though

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  185. There’s absolutely no reason, if the case is so good, that he couldn’t make the case. Hell, he demanded this standard applies for Obama and we all know it’s what the constitution says no matter if it’s effectively enforced.

    Where in the Constitution does it way that the president needs to get Congresses permission to take military action? It only talks about “declaring war” and that is a TON of more things than a one-hour event.

    War includes changes to the law at home. War includes a long-term commitment. War includes an overriding objective of government that supercedes normal order. War includes a call-up of reserves and militia.

    It’s not the same as what happened here, and conflating the two is dishonest.

    Congress attempted to make this distinction with the War Powers Resolution. If you want to argue that it violated that, fine, but you’re wrong there, too.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  186. * Where in the Constitution does it Say that the president needs to get Congress’s permission to take military action?

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  187. is there really any question about whether or not the sleazy perverted Paul Ryan congress would approve this nonsense?

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  188. happyfeet, so you believe that chemical weapons are “lumped” together with nuclear weapons as weapons of mass destruction only since the G.W. Bush administration? And you call others “idiots”? Good lord, does not one person have a memory that goes back before the year 2000 ?

    SPQR (a3a747)

  189. They told me I’d see the world… “now we’re going to London, Liverpool, Italy, Paris, Egypt, Dublin, Frisco, Waco,
    Athens, Gouldbusk, Troy, and Miami, Moody, Beaumont, Edinburgh, Lubbock, Pecos, Deadwood, Fife, del Rio,
    Houston, Austin, all around Dallas… Texas is a world all of its own”

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  190. oopers you missed my point Mr. SPQR

    we’ve seen what happens when we let the failmerican president invoke the use of chemical weapons as a justification for deploying force in the middle east

    now President Trump and his special needs stripper daughter are invoking them same same as idiot george w. bushfilth and his sleazy trashy cowardly secretary of state colin powell did

    me i abjure this

    and I invite you to join me!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  191. happyfeet, the Bush administration cited Iraq’s failure to comply with resolutions disarming them of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons – the entire WMD triad. Not merely chemicals, although those were the weapons that Iraq had a history of using. But 2003 is more than a dozen years ago and of course, that’s at least four times the depth of the average Democrat memory.

    and I’d never join anyone with such a filthy mind and mouth.

    SPQR (a3a747)

  192. yeah and how did that work out

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  193. btw the invitation’s open you just have to admit you’re wrong and I’m right

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  194. The US has a signed treaty with almost every nation on earth, including Syria and Russia. It says that no one may use, or even HAVE chemical weapons. Use of them on the battlefield is a war crime. Use of them against civilians is an international capital crime.

    The US has a invested interest in enforcing this treaty, and it directly affects national security. To ignore such acts would be tantamount to tearing up the treaty.

    Last time, under Obama, he hesitated and diplomats “solved” the crisis without military action. They added, on top of the traty a “we really mean it, too!” US resolution and a binding multi-lateral agreement.

    The Syrians (and possibly (worse!) the Russians) have decided that they’d test US resolve one more time. Did not work. The administration decided, correctly, that delay and vacillation were dangerous, and instead took this limited proportionate action.

    Message: Use chemical weapons and the US will make you pay MUCH more than you gained. In this case a number of expensive fighter jets.

    The argument that is being made is that the lawyers and pettifoggers weren’t consulted. They weren’t. This is why we HAVE an executive and not rule by a legislature. Some things will not admit of delay.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  195. yeah and how did that work out

    Worked out just fine until Obama and his traitors took over.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  196. Worked out just fine until Obama and his traitors took over.

    not saying this isn’t a good point but it was the cost, idiocy, and incompetence of the bush/powell fiasco what did more than anything to usher food stamp into power

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  197. Use chemical weapons and the US will make you pay MUCH more than you gained.

    this is such a lie

    cowardly limpdick failmerica only actually executes on this when it suits the mood of whatever p.o.s. is stinking up the oval office at the time

    it’s not anywhere near like a truism you can take to the bank

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  198. ” … btw the invitation’s open you just have to admit you’re wrong and I’m right”

    I’ll remember that on Backwards Day.

    SPQR (a3a747)

  199. here is a helpful link what helps illustrate the lighthearted caprice and whimsy with which failmerica treats the usage of chemical weapons

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  200. And of the events after the treaty was signed, only the ones involving Cuba and Iraq are documented. Cuba is off-limits to the US under a 1962 agreement and Iraq and Saddam Hussein so got away with it, right?

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  201. Oh, and Syria. Unless you want to count tear gas on the battlefield, that’s it.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  202. just saying

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  203. Rae 173:
    I honor and thank your family members for their military service, and I agree with you that America has a national security interest in the Middle East. We may have an interest in Syria if the situation leads to a proliferation of WMDs. However, IMO deposing Assad will make that more likely, not less.

    Anyways–the fact that you only target Kushner here…..tells me you’ve been lead by people with bad motives or lack of knowledge.

    Rae, you quoted my statement in your response. I specifically named “Trump and his hand-picked Middle East adviser, Kushner” as the people making foreign policy decisions in the Middle East. You may have missed that I specifically named Trump since you were so aggravated by my comment. Would you at least agree that it is fair to say Trump is making this decision, even if you don’t agree that Kushner is?

    As for Mattis, the Secretary of Defense does not make foreign policy. As Mattis said on his first day in office, his job is to ensure the military is ready to fight and work with the State Department to strengthen alliances. He does advise the President on policy as a member of the NSC. He is also a member of the Principals Committee of the NSC, which now has 10 members following the removal of Bannon and the addition of Perry and Haley. But there is no reason to think Mattis or any of these people have special influence on Trump’s decision-making regarding Syria. There is a reason to think Kushner has special influence, including that he is a trusted relative and adviser and Middle East adviser.

    DRJ (15874d)

  204. stellar choice, Col.
    One of my favorites-
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jlLBs6YawM

    mg (31009b)

  205. In which the CNN anchor bashing Trump gets some feedback from a Syrian.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3uaf1NFxXc

    “Help us stay safe in our country,” Kassem repeated again. He went on to address the president personally: “And if you’ll just give me a few seconds just to tell President Trump, once again. Please sir, what you did was amazing. What you did was a powerful message of hope for a lot of people inside and outside of Syria. Please don’t stop on this. Please. Help Syrians stay in their country!

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  206. Sorry, Colonel. Looked for YouTube links, didn’t see yours to a linking site.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  207. @189. Careful.

    On one hand, have a good trip. On the other, don’t.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  208. Sweet, mg. I saw Steve Winwood a couple years ago when he came thru town… great show (excellentband, drummer, in particular) and he did this one.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  209. Thanks, Kevin, that is a powerful video. I hope everyone – bi+chers and moaners included – take some time to watch that.

    CNN… remember that unhappy face the next time someone uses CNN to support their POV.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  210. Rae, you quoted my statement in your response. I specifically named “Trump and his hand-picked Middle East adviser, Kushner” as the people making foreign policy decisions in the Middle East. You may have missed that I specifically named Trump since you were so aggravated by my comment. Would you at least agree that it is fair to say Trump is making this decision, even if you don’t agree that Kushner is?
    As for Mattis, the Secretary of Defense does not make foreign policy. As Mattis said on his first day in office, his job is to ensure the military is ready to fight and work with the State Department to strengthen alliances. He does advise the President on policy as a member of the NSC. He is also a member of the Principals Committee of the NSC, which now has 10 members following the removal of Bannon and the addition of Perry and Haley. But there is no reason to think Mattis or any of these people have special influence on Trump’s decision-making regarding Syria. There is a reason to think Kushner has special influence, including that he is a trusted relative and adviser and Middle East adviser.
    DRJ (15874d) — 4/8/2017 @ 11:55 am

    *********************

    Do you get the context of the post and the comments –most of them on the thread?

    The subject was the airstrike.

    Subtract Kushner out of the equation–and you still–probably–would have had the airstrike.

    What’s weird is Kushner was an advisor all along….so–now there has been a change–or some of you think there has been a change in policy–because somehow you don’t really want to admit that the use of sarin gas would add a significant variable,

    And in this context–you want to focus on Kushner. (It’s an odd point to make on your own.)

    You do realize as you are doing this–as this place isn’t a vacuum that there are people circulating via twitter and other means–pictures of the people in the SCIF–during the airstrike with Stars of David emblazoned on Kushner, Mnuchin and Cohn?

    Are you aware of that?

    What is your position on that?

    Do you watch House Wives of Orange County–who is that chick that yells —

    It was YEW!!!—It was YEW!!!

    btw–I’m not Jewish, but I’m still disgusted.

    Also–that’s not even all that is wrong with your comment.

    The generals implement policy.

    Nope–they also advise.

    Add to that they swear an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution–as does all of the military when they are sworn in.

    Running around exclaiming things to be unconstitutional for immediate drama queen coverage by the news media has “real world” implications, and it shouldn’t be done lightly.

    Want to call Trump’s actions unconstitutional–prove it. Take it to a court of law.

    However I suspect they really want the drama of being able to get camera time and dictate to others from their self appointed position as the absolute moral and be all authorities on what is and what isn’t Constitutional. Where in the Constitution did Ted Cruz and/ or Rand Paul gain that absolute moral authority?

    Of course if they continue down their ugly road maybe they will encourage enough military members to go AWOL–and then–goody goody gum drops–they will have someone with standing that they can drag to the judiciary.

    As an aside Fort Hood has rotated soldiers to Syria–but Ted Cruz can go on about how “we” don’t have an American interest over there. Senators like him having more status and “citizenship” than the poor rube soldiers in his own state stationed at Fort Hood– that have had to go over to Syria. I guess since the Fort Hood soldiers might not really be Texans he doesn’t feel he has to represent them as –“an American interest”. Let the sarin fly–the military just loves the chem warfare gear.

    Rae (2fd998)

  211. This is video of the same guy talking with Brooke Baldwin in 2013 and earlier this week before the missile strike.

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

    papertiger (c8116c)

  212. @216. ‘Nayirah testimony.’ There’s this bridge in Brooklyn you can buy– cheap.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  213. Rotter.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  214. I don’t believe I called Trump’s air strikes unconstitutional, Rae.

    I don’t know if they are. I can tell you are upset because you have family serving in the military and they, or people they know, may be in harms’ way. That is tough. I don’t believe anyone here wants our military personnel to suffer but it doesn’t appear Trump’s actions are intended to protect them. His actions are intended to help the Syrians who are being attacked by their own government and military.

    How will what Trump is doing protect our military? How will deposing Assad or increasing tensions with Russia protect our military or Americans?

    DRJ (15874d)

  215. My position on Jew-bashing is that I am against it. I also think you are frequenting some questionable places on the internet and on TV.

    DRJ (15874d)

  216. Finally, Rae, you clearly don’t like Ted Cruz and that’s fine, but what did he actually say that makes you so mad? Are you mad he called Assad a monster? Are you mad that he is praying for the military or that he only wants us to use the military when we have American interests at stake?

    Isn’t it the Presidents who send our military to dangerous places like Syria where we don’t have interests at stake, with no goals, that you should be mad at?

    DRJ (15874d)

  217. the praying for the military thing was a little over the top

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  218. some thoughtful commentary from our shadowbroker pals

    Something doesn’t rub theshadowbrokers rite about Vietnam War POW who at every opportunity seeks to do violence to others via the proxy of young service men and women. If anyone should be being pacifist, slow to pick fight it should be being former POW. TheShadowBrokers is sure if we “unmasking”, Senator McCain, Magog itself might come out, many defense contractors, Saudi Princes, and possibly little Vietnamese boy he shares with Senator Lindsey Graham, not cool!

    lots to unpack there

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  219. So…at what point does a single action, supposedly not requiring a congressional declaration of war, become a second. Then a third? On what basis does the presence of a standing army in a known hotspot require a DoW?

    The question of urgency and/or some specific response to some specific act, eg a chemical attack, goes away with each passing day.

    Where in hell are the congress critters demanding an assertion of their duty?

    Ben Franklin called it.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  220. Kevin,

    I’m not surprised you completely skipped over my point and went into grand inquisitor mode.

    Trump explained this standard applied to Obama. Whether anyone is going to enforce it is another matter, but this isn’t “any military action” and your hypothetical is too vague to apply.

    Kevin M’s president should have spoken to the American congress about this, instead of warning Russia in advance and making this gesture largely useless except as a distraction from scandal designed to muddy the waters around his corruption with Russia.

    Trump ran for the presidency while announcing a standard he has once again abandoned. If you don’t care you don’t care but at least explain why.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  221. Let me first state what I understand to be your position. It is, that if it shall become necessary, to repel invasion, the President may, without violation of the Constitution, cross the line and invade the territory of another country; and that whether such necessity exists in any given case, the President is to be the sole judge. … But Allow the President to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so, whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such purpose—and allow him to make war at pleasure. … If, to-day, he should choose to say he thinks it necessary to invade Canada, to prevent the British from invading us, how could you stop him? You may say to him, ‘I see no probability of the British invading us’ but he will say to you ‘be silent; I see it, if you don’t.’

    The provision of the Constitution giving the war-making power to Congress, was dictated, as I understand it, by the following reasons. Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This our Convention understood to be the most oppressive of all Kingly oppressions; and they resolved to so frame the Constitution that no one man should hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us. But your view destroys the whole matter, and places our President where kings have always stood.

    Abraham Lincoln

    Invading another nation is a decision that “we the people” should get to make, not one king president who has his own agenda. The exception is imminent threats to national security. Of course the president can act to protect us when there’s no time to make his case. For an airbase that is such a low urgency that Trump actually warned them to leave, with no threat to the USA, he should have made his case to us. In doing so, he would have been challenged to flesh out his objectives, and how his military actions would realize them.

    Trump has so far been a failure with congress, and his popularity is in a tailspin, and the concern many have is that he used this airstrike as a political tactic rather than for the welfare of our country. At any rate, Lincoln was right that the president isn’t a king.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  222. DRJ,

    but it doesn’t appear Trump’s actions are intended to protect them [our young service men and women].

    I disagree. Trump is trying to right a ship that is listing badly. Eight years of Obama has made more wars certain unless corrective actions are taken quickly. Obama’s fecklessness has encouraged every thuggish tyrant to dream big dreams about his more prosperous neighbors. Trump is redrawing some “lines in the sand” that were rendered meaningless. If Assad thought that the use of sarin was now an acceptable option, then he would naturally push that limit, either on where it was used (Israel?), or perhaps experimenting with even more deadly weapons of mass destruction. Our soldiers and sailors would ultimately pay a heavy price if the use of WMDs became common place, as would our urban populations.

    The need to reestablish some ground rules is also true for North Korea and the nearly-nuclear Iran. Both need to be disciplined.

    BobStewartatHome (c24491)

  223. Barely two months in and teh ticks and chiggers have their micro-long knives out. Very telling.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  224. ‘DON SURBER: NYT Does A 180 on Russia. “Meh, I only quote these losers to point out what bad liars they are. Horrible. They cannot keep their story straight, and they are the only ones believing their lies. Pathetic. They cannot accept they lost last November.” ‘

    https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/262038/

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  225. One thing about the players in the desert: They do not hesitate to call bluffs, aka gestures.

    How many more chillllllldren were killed thanks to DJT’s tough-guy reaction?

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4392862/Trump-s-bombing-HASN-T-stopped-Assad.html

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  226. Trump said he wants to prevent and deter the spread of chemical weapons, Bob. I commend that but isn’t that a national and even an international concern, not a specific concern for protecting our military?

    DRJ (15874d)

  227. How is targeting Assad the biggest problem we have? Even Trump has said it was about the Syrian casualties.

    DRJ (15874d)

  228. I’m not troubled by Trumps desire to stop the Syrian suffering. I feel the same urge to help, but lets admit it’s not in our national interest. The Syrian government and military have had WMDs for years, possibly decades, and they have used them on their own people. I don’t like that, but I don’t want those weapons to fall into the hands of people who will use them outside Syria. I also don’t want to force Russia’s hand unless we have a plam, which I doubt Trump has. Those are our choices and doing nothing might be the best choice here. North Korea and Iran are much bigger problems than Syria.

    DRJ (15874d)

  229. trump is designing future golf sites with tomahawks

    mg (31009b)

  230. How will what Trump is doing protect our military?

    ********************

    So with US troops in the theater–you think the organized use of a nation state actor should be tolerated? You would just prefer that goes unchecked?

    How will deposing Assad or increasing tensions with Russia protect our military or Americans?
    DRJ (15874d) — 4/8/2017 @ 2:16 pm

    ****************

    That’s not a policy , yet–deposing Assad.

    You do know that Syria is a state in collapse, right? Where is ISIS located? How much money do they have at their disposal? How much territory do they control? Have they attacked our troops in Iraq?

    Now–can you promise that sarin gas isn’t delivered to and used against Americans?

    Why did Obama send Special Forces into Syria?

    Was there not a vote on that in the House and the Senate?

    Rae (2fd998)

  231. My position on Jew-bashing is that I am against it. I also think you are frequenting some questionable places on the internet and on TV.
    DRJ (15874d) — 4/8/2017 @ 2:20 pm

    ************

    Well I’m not in here trying to scapegoat Kushner–so obviously I am not influenced by it.

    Rae (2fd998)

  232. This was an object lesson for North Korea and Iran too.

    I’m pretty certain if Trump had done nothing about Assad’s use of CW’s after we were assured they no longer would, you would be just as critical of that.

    Being a nevertrumper means never saying you are happy.

    Leon (168f33)

  233. 244 for 240.

    Leon (168f33)

  234. Finally, Rae, you clearly don’t like Ted Cruz and that’s fine, but what did he actually say that makes you so mad? Are you mad he called Assad a monster? Are you mad that he is praying for the military or that he only wants us to use the military when we have American interests at stake?
    Isn’t it the Presidents who send our military to dangerous places like Syria where we don’t have interests at stake, with no goals, that you should be mad at?
    DRJ (15874d) — 4/8/2017 @ 2:26 pm

    *******************

    Yep, I might be jumping the gun on this. If you scroll down on the blog it seems that Patterico is using statements from Ted Cruz–in support of Rand Paul–to say that this action at this point in time–is Unconstitutional.

    This is something that Patterico also said in comments.

    And–I just went and looked more closely at it and it does not look like Ted Cruz claimed the action to be unconstitutional.

    I consider myself to be well trolled on that then.

    My apologies–so far–to Ted Cruz’s fan base here.

    Ugh.

    I still dislike the fainting couch routine.

    And as to Rand Paul–maybe he owes some allegiance to Assad as some international fraternity of ophthalmologists –were they might have touched swords–overrides US soldiers as being part of the “we” in —American interests.

    If–however Ted Cruz decides to join this mucker on this “unconstitutional” road further–I will have a whole bag of merde–with Ted’s name on it.

    I’m sure Ted will care. (– that’s sarcasm btw.)

    Rae (2fd998)

  235. The Syrian government and military have had WMDs for years, possibly decades,

    ****************

    They haven’t been in collapse like this before.

    Rae (2fd998)

  236. Does anyone remember all the WMDs everyone said Saddam Hussein had that couldn’t be found? Well, I do. Does anyone remember all the satellite images of those truck convoys hauling ass into Syria? Man, I sure do.

    Lots of our guys in the VA system that are having severe neurological problems due to having to destroy all of the CWs that weren’t supposed to be in Iraq. Another case of lying media and Democrats.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  237. Eight years of Obama has made more wars certain unless corrective actions are taken quickly. Obama’s fecklessness has encouraged every thuggish tyrant to dream big dreams about his more prosperous neighbors. Trump is redrawing some “lines in the sand” that were rendered meaningless. If Assad thought that the use of sarin was now an acceptable option, then he would naturally push that limit, either on where it was used (Israel?), or perhaps experimenting with even more deadly weapons of mass destruction. Our soldiers and sailors would ultimately pay a heavy price if the use of WMDs became common place, as would our urban populations.

    ************************

    Agreed. It’s weird how just because Obama wiffed on this people are willing to accept the transgression from long established international law on this issue.

    You would think that people who value tradition and long held norms when it comes to their–arena–the court system– would have respect for the idea that the limitation on WMD–sarin gas–comes from a place of well thought out rational and “lessons learned”. It’s funny how easily they tolerate tossing that away in an area they don’t think affects them.

    Rae (2fd998)

  238. One other very important message was sent: there is no more 0bama.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  239. @240. We’re roughly in the same age, DRJ. And I’m afraid I feel no desire to help any of those Middle Eastern imbeciles at all any more. They’ve been suffering and slaughtering each other over there for God, gold and grudges for 2,000-plus years and the relatively young, Yankee Doodle Dandies aren’t going to stop it. Hell, we literally PAY Israel and Egypt an annual stipend NOT to wage war on each other then sell the whole damn region hundreds of millions of dollars in weaponry and whine about how hard it is to make peace. It’s extortion; literally a bloody racket they’ve all been playing on the West for centuries and various empires- political and economic- over and over have taken advantage of same.

    Screw’em, DRJ. The citizens of Flint, East St. Louis and Chicago need U.S. attention– not Syria. And the $90 million wasted blowing off 60 tomahawks could have been better spent here, not there. The Russians want an outlet to the Mediterranean and they intend it to be Syria come hell with the high water. Fine. We do the same thing in other parts of the world in our national interest.

    So if you’re really bothered by it all– rest easy. You-know-who says young Ensign Jared is can fix the Middle East. After a dessert of strawberries and ice cream in the Ward Room, of course. But Ivanka better hide the TV remote control from the Captain next week– PBS is airing a three night special on the American Experience— about World War 1. God help us!

    “I kid you not.”- Captain Queeg [Humphrey Bogart] ‘The Caine Mutiny’ 1954

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  240. “Idiot MSM pundits like Jake Tapper, though it’s not exclusive to Tapper [editor’s note: no, it sure the Fook isn’t… Amirite!?!?] keep pointing out the 2013 tweet by President Trump warning Obama about action in Syria and framing their narrative about “what changed?” etc. Just for clarity. Between the 2013 tweet by non candidate Trump and the 2017 action by President Trump, there was a 2014 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) voted and approved by congress permitting military action in Syria against the backdrop of chemical weapon use and terrorism. I swear sometimes the MSM are flippin’ idiots, then I remind myself of the David Mamet principle: ‘In order for left-wing ideologues to keep espousing their cognitively disconnected talking points they need to pretend they don’t know things.”

    — Mark Steyn

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  241. You can’t make this shi+ up. You don’t have to.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  242. You can’t make this shi+ up. You don’t have to.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/8/2017 @ 5:02 pm

    Actually, you can make it up. There was no 2014 AUMF. There was this proposal, but it was never voted on:
    https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/21

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  243. DRJ @238, the best way to “protect our military” is to prevent future wars, or to minimize those wars, call them police actions if you like, that are unavoidable. The worst way to “protect our military” is to pretend that we are weak, feeble, and incapable of action or, worse yet, to be seen as delusional fools, focused on “climate change”, “peace in our time” aka “can’t we all get along”, and “social justice”. Those traits will ensure future conflicts of increasing intensity. There is no way to prevent casualties in our military, many brave men and women die training accidents every year even with no conflict. But one should avoid a Pearl Harbor followed by a WWII if at all possible. And surely WWII could have been avoided if the fools that ran our country between 1929 and 1941 had the courage to intervene in Europe in 1937, or China a few years earlier.

    Nobel thought TNT would be the end of the world if he didn’t do something, and he settled on the idea of getting everyone to focus on winning some silly prize by not using TNT to settle their differences. The history of the world has been written by men (largely) who bought and sold fools who sought such “prizes”. And the “differences” that motivated most wars had to do with the aggressor’s greed and envy of the wealth of weaker neighbors, or who were driven by ideology to kill all those who would not “submit” and be enslaved by that ideology. We now possess arms that measure their power by large factors of ten in comparison to the power of a ton of TNT, and we’ve added to that the dimension of chemical and biological weapons that were undreamed of by Nobel. The Soviet Union had a large industrial center employing tens of thousands of skilled workers developing and producing such weapons, which most of our academics refused to acknowledge. Who knows what China is doing right now. So this is not hypothetical. We have not reached the “end of history”.

    We have the capacity to crush petty tyrants who seek WMDs. But only if we do so before they reach a certain size and capability. Our seas are navigated by thousands of vessels, and more and more of these vessels are turning off their navigational transponders. They can be seen with search radar, but our vessel traffic systems don’t work on that basis. The ships are supposed to report their position, course and speed automatically, but many don’t, or they don’t do it all the time. How long do you think it will be, if Iran gets a nuclear device, before a nondescript fishing vessel carrying a nuclear device draws near to a major port with its transponder inactive and just steams ahead until challenged, whereupon the device will be exploded? How close will they get to ten or twenty million innocent people living in the vicinity of that port? This is the reality that we have to face.

    BobStewartatHome (c24491)

  244. @ 255. Yes, I misremembered the same thing on the Cruz thread. Obama asked for it, and it passed the House, but Kerry struck the deal with the Russian to remove the CWs and it never made it to the Senate floor.

    Still, I don’t think it was necessary for the reasons that have already been discussed at length on all three threads.

    nk (dbc370)

  245. Another aumf would be another exercise in splitting hairs, as the 2003
    , turned out to be with Edwards Kerry Clinton, et al

    narciso (d1f714)

  246. The real difference between then and now is not whether there was an AUMF. It is that Syria and Russia made a deal. And broke it.

    nk (dbc370)

  247. I wonder if it’s just that Mark Steyn is an idiot, or does he know that gullible people will repeat it without fact checking>

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  248. except as a distraction from scandal designed to muddy the waters around his corruption with Russia.

    My GOD but you have swallowed the KoolAid, and not just any KoolAid, but Hillary’s “I wuz robbed!” KoolAid.

    There is no Russian scandal. There is only a Democrat meme, that starts “It’s not our fault, the people love us, really!”

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  249. The Democrat Part lost because it is hated so much that DONALD TRUMP beat their candidate. Not because Trump and Putin colluded. Not one lie was told in any of those data dumps, and not one person has said it wasn’t true. They’re just pissed because the American people saw the crone behind the curtain and disliked her so much they voted for the grinning troll.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  250. 228. DRJ, the US isn’t in the habit of opening up external Interests Sections for regimes or territories in which it has no strategic interests.

    Just throwing that out there.

    JP (628fe3)

  251. As to the changing nature of the Syrian Gordian knot

    narciso (d1f714)

  252. If she means it, she’s nuttier than pemmican.

    nk (dbc370)

  253. 251. This is nonsense. Israel and Egypt are at peace because Egypt’s post-Nasser officer statesmen understood that Cairo could not and cannot win a war with Israel, nor can it afford a simmering state of tension with a much stronger, nuclear-armed neighbour (much less over territories and waterways the Egyptian military and civil service can’t seriously expect to administer on a long-term basis).

    Israel and Egypt are comparatively staid parts of the region. Washington would be stupid NOT to cooperate with these governments in securing major sea lanes and local basing facilities. A “bribe” of tens of millions is goddamn peanuts compared to the economic value of the Levant coast and Suez and its Red Sea artery.

    JP (628fe3)

  254. I think that has already been stipulated, she doesn’t understand we pay homage to respected adversaries

    narciso (d1f714)

  255. “There was no 2014 AUMF. There was this proposal, but it was never voted on”

    Do you know what a vote is, Cthulhu?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  256. Bob, DCSCA, Rae,

    Here are my rules for using the military:

    I feel sorry for suffering people, especially children, but I don’t think we can stop all suffering.

    I supported Bush in Afghanistan and Iraq because we were attacked and had to take the fight to the Islamic radicals. I would much rather fight them on foreign soil than American soil.

    I don’t want to go to war with Islamic radicals everytime they do something to their own people that offends our standards.

    I only want to go to war when we have clear objectives and then we should unleash every weapon we have. If it’s not worth fighting with every weapon, it’s not worth fighting. (IMO the Syrian engagement violates that rule.)

    If we aren’t at war, we shouldn’t deploy our military. That doesn’t mean we should not have bases around the world, but we should not send our military on ill-defined, extended covert deployments.

    DRJ (15874d)

  257. We have interests around the world, JP, but does every nation pose a national security threat?

    DRJ (15874d)

  258. @269. Except it’s not. Have you been asleep for 40 years, Van Winkle??

    The best step forward to global peace;
    Is vaporizing the Middle East.

    Had the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs arrived four hours earlier, it wouldn’t be a problem at all. Next time, God, aim better.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  259. “There was no 2014 AUMF. There was this proposal, but it was never voted on”

    Do you know what a vote is, Cthulhu?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/8/2017 @ 6:25 pm

    I know the difference between a committee vote and a vote in the full Senate. Apparently you do not.

    From the article you linked:

    The authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) is unlikely to make it to the Senate floor before the current Congress adjourns. But the debate surrounding it provided a preview of where parties are likely to stand when the Senate reconvenes under Republican leadership next month.

    This was a vote in the senate foreign relations committee. At this point it’s just a bill, not a law.

    Here’s a video you might find helpful:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otbml6WIQPo

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  260. @272- Trouble is, DRJ, those kids grow up to be terrorists or suicide vest bombers. It’s perpetual madness. and to feeed the kids, we literally airdrop them PopTarts to eat in their camp. Frigging PopTarts. 2,000 years of this crap is enough. The sooner the wehole region it obliterated the happier the rest of the world will be.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  261. @269. BTW, wake up and smell the java. They’re literally paidnot to fight. Jaysus, sober up. fella.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  262. Meghan’s bloodthirsty cowardpig ex-military weirdo daddy makes a very perspicacious observation:

    “Don’t expect one strike to one airfield one time to knock out a country’s air force,” McCain said in a CNN interview Friday.

    thanks John you’ve given us a lot to think about

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  263. McCain is an expert on taking out air forces.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  264. I’m just a bill. Yeah, I’m only a bill. And I’m sitting here on Capital Hill.

    Love that song.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  265. 274. Teaching the Sand Irish the secret of fire isn’t burnishing your offshore credentials either, toots.

    JP (628fe3)

  266. #280 lol

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  267. 273. So the US has interests in Syria. OK. Will leave the questions of what/which Syrian or Syrian-connected threats should be of concern for another night. Cheerio, DRJ.

    JP (628fe3)

  268. 252- yeah, I pointed that out clear up at #92.

    Leon (168f33)

  269. @282. Screw’em. Vaporize the place. It won’t be missed.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  270. And what are you worth, DCSCA? If the world were as it should be, would you have a place in it?

    nk (dbc370)

  271. 282. Promises, promises.

    It’s all fun and games until someone eats the glowing tabbouleh.

    JP (628fe3)

  272. Cthulhu: “There was no 2014 AUMF. There was this proposal, but it was never voted on”

    Do you know what a vote is, Cthulhu?

    I know the difference between a committee vote and a vote in the full Senate. Apparently you do not.

    Oh yes, I know the difference between the two. You said the proposal “was never voted on”.

    Here, this may help you>>> vote vōt/ noun
    1. a formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of action, expressed typically through a ballot or a show of hands or by voice.
    synonyms: ballot, poll, election, referendum, plebiscite; show of hands

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  273. @272- The American people have no ‘interests’ in the Middle East– corporations do. Global firms. Chiefly petrochemical.

    Back in the day when Pope’s reigned the wrath of God on Earth, they’d hire armies to crusade across lands to do their bidding by the sword. Our military today has essentially been hijacked to do the same thing for corporatists on the taxpayer’s dime. It’s a racket– and the hellish terrorism, the inconveniences in travel, commerce and so on the world endures, are merely the cost of doing business. And we put up with it.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  274. @287. Not much, but that’s infinitely more than a region that’s spent 2,000 years spilling blood.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  275. So it was voted on and approved by the Senate Committee, but didn’t get to the floor, because the Democrats – through their treachery, dishonesty and general douchebaggery – lost control of the Senate to the Republicans who, knowing what a mess the SCOAMF had made of anything he touched, chose to save the nation any further heartache.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  276. Read Orin, American interests precede the petroleum era by at least a half century

    narciso (d1f714)

  277. So it was voted on and approved by the Senate Committee, but didn’t get to the floor, because the Democrats – through their treachery, dishonesty and general douchebaggery – lost control of the Senate to the Republicans who, knowing what a mess the SCOAMF had made of anything he touched, chose to save the nation any further heartache.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/8/2017 @ 7:24 pm

    So salty about being wrong. It’s sad.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  278. DRJ, we agree to disagree. You are welcome to live in the world I would like to see. I don’t think either of us would survive in the world you would create with your “declaration of war” limitations on the use of the military. How do you declare war on islamic jihadism? How do you respond to WMD if you will only act to prevent their use after they’ve been used? International treaties actually support our action in Syria, but we are the only country on earth who can implement the implied remedies.

    The prissy little Europeans have an anti-piracy patrol in the approaches to the Red Sea, but they will only intervene when they are sure no one will be killed. Meaning, once the pirates have boarded a ship, they let it go, the pirates win. The well-armed, well-trained Danes are left to wonder about this crazy policy that condemns the crew to whatever mercies their captors choose. They are the shape of the emasculated future that your nonsensical reliance on whimsical legal notions will create. The only reason a train in Belgium wasn’t the scene of an AK-47 massacre is that three American men tackled the gunman and disarmed him. The Europeans have been bludgeoned by the forces of political correctness to accept acquiescence to rapists and murders, and to the mayhem that will result from their cowardice. The other Europeans, men and women, on that train would have spent their remaining moments on this earth hoping that the gunman would shoot someone else.

    BobStewartatHome (c24491)

  279. 6. Gobblemom (4ecfe6) — 4/7/2017 @ 7:42 am

    All very true, and yet…the lessons from April 6, 1917 should weigh heavily on our minds.

    On that date the United states declared war on the first country to use chemical weapons. although that wasn’t the justification – what was was unrestricted submarine warfare, and also the Zimmerman Telegram, in which Germany proposed to strike an alliance with Mexico, and posisbly Japan to recover the lost territories of Texas, New Mexico and California. (Mexico wasn’t interested)

    I pray this one strike gets Assad’s attention and calms things down, much like Reagan’s 1986 bombing of Gaddafi castrated him on the world stage.

    he’s ebeing encouraged too much by Russia for that happen. In fact it was probably Russia’s idea. The bombing and the offensive continues, although maybe without using the probably limited supplies of sarin gas, and Putin is now trying to use Russian soldiers as human shields.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  280. DCSCA,

    Are you sure we need their oil? I don’t think we do, nor do our corporations.

    DRJ (15874d)

  281. Use Merriam-Webster, Cthulhu, it’s not as exciting as the Urban Dictionary you rely on, but you’ll be able to learn what words (e.g., “vote”) mean in the truest sense… it will help you with concepts such as “was voted on” and how it differs from “was never voted on”.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  282. Watching you turn awkward old-man backflips to justify your flagrant asspulls was amusing the first 500 times we saw it. It’s not even amusing anymore.

    Leviticus (d4d726)

  283. @297- “We”– that is the U.S. market– may not, at least for a time– but it does supplement a percentage current U.S. usage in multiple forms and industries beyond energy but as far as the global petrochemical firms go, they need the product for other markets besides America. Petroleum is ubiquitous anyway once it’s graded, refine and sold in the marketplace. You know, Arthur Jensen’s ‘college of corporations’ thing.

    Frankly, DRJ, I’m just turning into an old fart about the Mideast. The act’s grown old for me. A pox on all their houses and pray to God the next time He or She throws a big-azzed rock down, it lands there.

    “The world is a business, Mr. Beale.” — Arthur Jensen [Ned Beatty] ‘Network’ 1976

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  284. @300- Wasn’t that etched on the third tablet– you know, the one Moses dropped and shattered? Or was that Mel Brooks.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  285. @298. The poor woman who was forced off Westminster Bridge and fell into the Thames died Friday.

    “The cost of doing business.”

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  286. Use Merriam-Webster, Cthulhu, it’s not as exciting as the Urban Dictionary you rely on, but you’ll be able to learn what words (e.g., “vote”) mean in the truest sense… it will help you with concepts such as “was voted on” and how it differs from “was never voted on”.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/8/2017 @ 8:07 pm

    You’re one of those guys who can never admit that they’re wrong. Noted moron Mark Steyn incorrectly claimed that there was an AUMF in 2014. You repeated a falsehood, and then further beclowned yourself by not understanding how laws are created.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  287. @300- Wasn’t that etched on the third tablet– you know, the one Moses dropped and shattered? Or was that Mel Brooks.

    DCSCA (797bc0) — 4/8/2017 @ 8:20 pm

    History of the World Part 1 was a documentary.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  288. You’re such a jackass, disco Stu

    narciso (d1f714)

  289. freedom filth justin amash wants to do terrorist syrian rapefugees all up in it til you can taste it in your mouth

    it’s a judgment call

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  290. Was it voted on Cthulhu? Or was it not voted on? Was there’s vote? Or, as you wrote, “There was this proposal, but it was never voted on”. Which is it?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  291. 295 – BSH: If the good people of the USA are foolhardy enough to elect tools who would refuse a D0W against enemy Islamists (as identified by the Commander-in-Chief and subject to Congress revoking such a declaration) in specific theaters, so be it.

    The tragedy of congressional refusal to perform its duty is that our feckless polity never has to truly confront such questions, leaving it room to return the feckless to represent us. The unserious ensure unseriousness.

    DJT’s election has demonstrated to me that there may still be enough folks who are willing to sacrifice in a fight against demonstrable evil and clear and present threats to ourselves.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  292. Was it voted on Cthulhu? Or was it not voted on? Was there’s vote? Or, as you wrote, “There was this proposal, but it was never voted on”. Which is it?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/8/2017 @ 8:35 pm

    Was there an AUMF voted into law in 2014? You seem to think so, despite all evidence to the contrary.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  293. You guys are weirding me out. I’m going back to my Zatoichi marathon. I’m on movie No. 9 (there are 26 feature-length ones in the original run of the ’60s). Did you know that in Japanese film-making there’s a category of actors/stuntmen who specialize in getting killed by the leading actors in samurai movies?

    nk (dbc370)

  294. everybody got their somethin

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  295. Its called comparative advantage.

    narciso (d1f714)

  296. I explained here, Cthulhu: https://patterico.com/2017/04/07/the-question-is-when-is-an-act-of-war-an-act-of-war/#comment-1991002

    You haven’t corrected your assertion that it “was never voted on”.

    You’ve tried this running away bit before: https://youtu.be/JUi_gGZY2m0

    It worked then (pretty slick!) but it does get tedious.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  297. DRJ– you know, my late father, who was a petroleum executive who operated at a level close to Tillerson’s, was away a lot when we were growing up thanks to the perpetually anal shenanigans of the Mideast. After a few scotch and sodas around the holidays he’d let loose w/harrowing stories he’d kept to himself for years just from business trips alone to the region. Everything from plans to bump off heads of state to being escorted out of a country at machine gun point to colleagues ordered to abandon their belongings by a head of state standing in their living room on New Year’s Eve to literally walking out of meetings all the way to the airport to get a tribe to close a deal. And it has only gotten worse over the years. Patience with the tribes in that region has simmered for decades but now, they’re simply not worth it any more.

    There is nothing good there. The whole region stinks; a cesspool needed to be flushed from the Earth. It’s a festering wound on the planet long overdue to be cauterized. They kill innocent people, knock down buildings, destroyed businesses, have wrecked the joy of travel and cost too much blood and treasure to tolerate any longer.

    A pox on all of them. The whole damn place. As the great Chuck Yeager once quipped– “Wipe’em.”

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  298. @306. Indeed– I voted for Turmp.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  299. I explained here, Cthulhu: https://patterico.com/2017/04/07/the-question-is-when-is-an-act-of-war-an-act-of-war/#comment-1991002

    What did you explain? That it was voted in committee but not voted into law, which is what I meant (and what any reasonable person would understand) by “not voted on”? The committee vote ultimately had as much consequence as the vote for what they had for lunch that day.

    Do you understand what a committee vote is? Do you understand that there was no AUMF in 2014? Do you understand that Mark Steyn is either a liar or an idiot? Do you understand that you either repeated a lie, or repeated an idiot?

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  300. Simmer down 🐙, you’ll sautée yourself.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  301. You said it was “never voted on”. You never said it was approved by a Senate committee vote – which is just prior to going to a floor vote. I explained that, as well as the reason why it hadn’t (the Dems getting their asses handed to them – AGAIN – in November 2014). You left it at “never voted on”, which any reasonable person would interpret as It. Was. Never. Voted. On.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  302. It. Was. Never. Voted. On.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/8/2017 @ 9:07 pm

    I’m glad we agree.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  303. No, 🐙, that was your contention. You said it was never voted on. It was voted on – and approved – just not on the Senate floor.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  304. No, 🐙, that was your contention. You said it was never voted on. It was voted on – and approved – just not on the Senate floor.

    Well done, I think you understand how this works now.

    So, do you think Steyn was lying or ignorant? I’m willing to entertain ignorant, though it would surprising in a bestselling political author. He is Canadian, perhaps he isn’t clear on American governance.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  305. who cares if the failmerican ass-munch congress approved of using force against someone or not

    ok yeah maybe canadians like harvardtrash ted and mark steyn

    but like real people

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  306. Paul Ryan can’t keep is own wife off the tinder how’s he gonna have any meaningful input on a complex situation like syria where putin is involved plus erdogan and you know

    real men like that

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  307. oops Paul Ryan can’t keep *his* own wife off the tinder i mean

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  308. I actually agree that the constitution pretty much gives the President free reign over the military. I’m also enjoying all the hypocrisy and spin from the right on this.

    The entire concept of the military is vastly different between 1776 and now. But hey, we’re all constitutional originalists now, so I’m sure that what we have is exactly what the framers had in mind.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  309. Half expect Colin Powell to pop up on 60 minutes demanding we buy Assad a new runway.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  310. @315 DCSCA

    Like with a cloth?

    Pinandpuller (8b1968)

  311. soros/kushner 2020

    mg (31009b)

  312. 327.I actually agree that the constitution pretty much gives the President free reign over the military.

    What a relief. I couldn’t sleep at all last night wondering how you felt about that. Thanks for easing our concerns.

    I’m also enjoying all the hypocrisy and spin from the right on this.

    It is amusing watching the right being hypocrites and do the spinning for a change. I’ve gotten so used to the radical left lying their asses off about everything I sometimes enjoy watching the right do it too.

    The entire concept of the military is vastly different between 1776 and now.

    I noticed that too. Way back in 1776 the “concept of the military” was to band together a group of men to provide gardening and daycare services for the ladies while they played mahjong. Now it’s supposed to kill people and break things. Totally different concept.

    But hey, we’re all constitutional originalists now, so I’m sure that what we have is exactly what the framers had in mind.

    Well, back in March of 2009 Newsweek proclaimed “WE ARE ALL SOCIALISTS NOW” in big capital letters with a sub heading of “THE NEW PERILS AND PROMISE OF THE NEW ERA OF BIG GOVERNMENT”. So I guess they had in mind something even more socialist than withholding taxes ripped directly from our pay checks, Welfare, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and a whole slew of departments and cabinet positions specifically created to enforce government power. Was that “exactly what the Framers had in mind”?

    Rev. Hoagie® (785e38)

  313. Yrs its like the python sketch about the new British army. So the Westminster marauder was a known wolf.

    narciso (d1f714)

  314. Don’t be too rough on Cthulhu, Hoagie. He and his fellow lefties will have to do what they always do: wait and see what happens next as the world turns during the days of their lives.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  315. As Clarice writes, “Worse for Susan Rice and John F. Kerry’s reputations, they had previously assured us in 2014 — either because of dishonesty or naiveté — that Obama’s “lead from behind” (red line no red line) do-nothing policies had brilliantly resulted in removing all Assad’s chemical weapons.”

    Just one more sad chapter in the History of the Obama Administration.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  316. Ben Cardin’s multi-tsking about the nuclear option on FNS is hilarious.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  317. Dustin (ba94b2) — 4/7/2017 @ 7:23 am

    Why didn’t Trump at least try to get this?

    People probably told him he didn’t need it, and that it was justifiable as an act of self defense for the United States (since U.S. soldiers could be in trouble if the consensus against the use of chemcical weapons breaks down)

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  318. 252. 255. Mark Steyn: Between the 2013 tweet by non candidate Trump and the 2017 action by President Trump, there was a 2014 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) voted and approved by congress permitting military action in Syria..

    Davethulhu (c75fb7) — 4/8/2017 @ 5:25 pm

    There was no 2014 AUMF. There was this proposal, but it was never voted on.

    320. Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 4/8/2017 @ 9:07 pm

    You said it was “never voted on”. You never said it was approved by a Senate committee vote…You left it at “never voted on”, which any reasonable person would interpret as It. Was. Never. Voted. On.

    Any reasonable person would interpret “never voted on”, in tis context as It. Was. Never. Voted. On. The. Floor. of. the. Senate. or. the. House. (a vote open to all members of that body.)

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  319. 302. Moses broke the first and the second tablet, He later fashioned (but did not write on or engrave – the first tablets he dididn’t even have to cut out) the second set of tablets – that is, the third and the fourth tablets if you count each one of the pair separately) but the wording was identical to what had been on the first and the second one.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  320. 339… Sammeh, your understanding and standard of what constitutes “reasonable” has never impressed me as being what a reasonable person would view as being reasonable. No offense intended.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  321. My own blog was referenced in a Wikileaks cable in 2012.

    https://wikileaks.org/syria-files/docs/2093635_google-alert-assad.html

    narciso (5761a1)

  322. This referred to the long standing dgi to the middle East which is probably still true because of Iranian and Russian connection.

    narciso (5761a1)

  323. lol i got your trump doctrine right here

    nonono ladyboy mattis this is not for you

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  324. I noticed that too. Way back in 1776 the “concept of the military” was to band together a group of men to provide gardening and daycare services for the ladies while they played mahjong. Now it’s supposed to kill people and break things. Totally different concept.

    Actually, it’s the concept of a large standing army vs a militia called at need.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  325. The constitution acknowledged this in its ‘secure the common defense clause.

    narciso (5761a1)

  326. Long live the IDF.

    mg (31009b)

  327. I know the difference between a committee vote and a vote in the full Senate. Apparently you do not.

    Cruz vs Rubio, Part 2 of “Why they lost”

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  328. arciso @342. But who actually sent it to whom? The original mention was in a Google blogs alert about “Assad” Wikileaks dods not give the full URL, if they had it.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  329. Narciso… Are you outraged by teh Wikileaks!?!?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  330. The constitution acknowledged this in its ‘secure the common defense clause.

    It allows a national military, but doesn’t say anything about the nature of that military.

    Basically the point I’m trying to make is that, with an army that was formed at need, Congress’s power of the purse was a lot more impactful than it is now with a permanent standing army. I don’t think there’s any way to put that genie back in the bottle, though.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  331. “NOSTALGIA FOR THE DAYS OF MASS MEDIA: Television’s Anniversary Frenzy — After the success of O.J. Simpson shows, TV producers comb history for material; L.A. riots, death of Princess Diana, Monica Lewinsky scandal set for big play.”

    I would hope the producers and writers of whatever will mine teh Lewinsky scandal will consider Darrell Hammond for the WJ Clinton role. That would be…AWESOME!!!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  332. Article I, Section 8:

    To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

    To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

    To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

    To provide and maintain a Navy;

    To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

    To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

    To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

    Nothing in there forbids a standing army. Just permanent appropriations for it. A limitation not imposed on the Navy or on “organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia”, if you’ll notice.

    nk (dbc370)

  333. And with all due respect to Davethulhu, it seems like a pretty clear outline of the nature of the military to me.

    nk (dbc370)

  334. Yeah, it wasn’t voted on. When legislation comes before a vote that means the legislator voted on it. Trumpkins like to dig deep for those alt-facts, and that’s why they compensate with insults when someone bothers to answer them with actual facts. The only thing that makes them more mad is ignoring them, but they will just flood the thread until someone takes the bait.

    Meanwhile, Shayrat air base is back in use, launching aircraft and attacks. Trump’s attack wasn’t just unconstitutional, it was utterly ineffective (one of the reasons why our founding fathers made sure the president isn’t a king on military matters… he should have come to congress with a plan that makes America safer). Now, Russia is making a nice chunk of change restocking Syria, Syria is getting better equipment, the USA is more isolated, and Trump’s unconstitutional Raytheon stock holding is worth quite a bit more money thanks to all those tomahawks we just burned up to destroy shacks. We might as well have bombed Syria with gold coins.

    How bad was this Syrian airstrike? It was what Hillary wanted Trump to do. They truly are peas in a pod. If Syria is a clear and present danger, then do the job right. Make America great again, not impotent and corrupt.

    Trump might see a bump in the polls, but his strongly disapproves are just too high. Most of the country is forever beyond his reach, and this is why his legislative goals are dead on arrival if he doesn’t work with democrats. He barely got Gorsuch, forced by the conservatives on day one, at the expense of the Senate being conservative and slow (that’s a heavier price than most can see today, but it will be crystal clear soon enough).

    The bright side is that we edge closer to real changes. Why not secede? I don’t need Californians and New Yorkers running my government, and they don’t want conservatives running theirs. The federal government was not intended to be like this, no one is happy with it, and our president is a mockery of everything good in a man.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  335. Nothing in there forbids a standing army. Just permanent appropriations for it. A limitation not imposed on the Navy or on “organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia”, if you’ll notice.

    I don’t disagree. I’m not claiming a standing army is unconstitutional, but rather that the founders generally envisioned that one wouldn’t exist. And it hasn’t, up until the post WW2 period.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  336. Nothing in there forbids a standing army.

    Bu the constitution gave congress the power to regulate the military and power over declarations of war, and to define offenses against international law. This is their power under the constitution, exercised in part with the war powers act. The president has his guide (Clear and present danger), and syria wasn’t that.

    Trump was quite right when Obama was president to demand he go to congress before launching an airstrike. I don’t understand the downside to doing so… we would have had a better plan, and Trump phoned Russia first anyway so there’s no strategic difference.

    At the end of the day, Trump knows he’ll get away with it, just as he’s getting away with living in his resort, golfing twice a week, raking in profits from his shares in the company that makes the Tomahawk missiles he’s launching at empty hangers.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  337. i vote we should have a standing army

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  338. Here’s a chart of military manpower levels from 1797 to 1997, so you can see what I mean:

    http://www.alternatewars.com/BBOW/Stats/US_Mil_Manpower_1789-1997.htm

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  339. I don’t want to go to war with Islamic radicals everytime they do something to their own people that offends our standards.

    ************************

    Geneva Protocol:

    The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, usually called the Geneva Protocol, is a treaty prohibiting the use of chemical and biological weapons in international armed conflicts. It was signed at Geneva on 17 June 1925 and entered into force on 8 February 1928. It was registered in League of Nations Treaty Series on 7 September 1929.[4] The Geneva Protocol is a protocol to the Convention for the Supervision of the International Trade in Arms and Ammunition and in Implements of War signed on the same date, and followed the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907.
    It prohibits the use of “asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases, and of all analogous liquids, materials or devices” and “bacteriological methods of warfare”. This is now understood to be a general prohibition on chemical weapons and biological weapons, but has nothing to say about production, storage or transfer. Later treaties did cover these aspects — the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).

    Ratification by 65 states.

    38 Signatories.

    140 parties.

    When you have something last for that long with a consensus that is that broadly established—there just might be something to it of value.

    Maybe liberals and others shouldn’t toss it away so readily. When the world acquiesces to letting an irrational actor –Assad–establish the new protocols due to his lack of morality, the world has a problem.

    What is law if its foundation isn’t based on some idea of morality?

    Some want to argue for jaundiced “real politik” and also argue that those back–in the old tired days–(insert Ezra Klein sniffling here) had no idea what they were talking about.

    I get that appeals to humanity no longer work–for the people of Syria–and now asking our troops to accept a madman’s conditions of horrific warfare is also brushed aside– the media’s lack of coverage of Syria during Obama has had its effect.

    Ask anyone in the military–about in the field grade rank or higher–what their opinion is on chem warfare. They are going to agree with the old dudes that set up this Geneva Protocol–which has lasted as long as it has–most likely–for good reason.

    This slide into moral decay–lead by the evilness of terrorists and Assad will create a foundationless America not that much worth defending and then it will cost you too–more later than in the present, but by then it will be too late.

    Terrorism has won if it causes you to want to artificially return to the days of Pre-9/11–there is no turning back to that–especially if you allow terrorism to be continually effective–at an extremely cheap price.

    Rae (2fd998)

  340. I’m cool with having a professional military, but that’s a heavy responsibility and the founders were right to not make our president a king over its use.

    Now we have a president who actively and directly profits from burning our missiles. If it were a democrat in this situation a lot of folks who don’t care would suddenly see the issue.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  341. @360 happyfeet

    I didn’t serve but I did hear that you don’t run when you can walk, walk when you can stand, stand when you can sit, sit when you can lay down, and if you can lay down go to sleep. If you can catch a ride skip directly to sleeping.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  342. In the Navy it’s more like don’t go to sea if you can get knocked up.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  343. By golly. Did you see the unholy bump in manpower during the Mexican American War.

    James Polk, spending money like a drunken sailor. I think he might have even been a drunken sailor at one time (didn’t check his bio).

    papertiger (c8116c)

  344. Colonel Haiku

    There’s a Redline “energy” drink. It has 250mg of caffeine in it. The warning on the label says to only drink half a bottle per day. Maybe Obama got a little confused.

    Is anyone else old enough to remember Jolt Cola? I remember I was at a party in HS and they had to take a guy to the ER because he mixed Nodoze and a sixer of Jolt Cola.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  345. My peeps in Europe think Asssad never dropped Sarin gas, that he’s too smart to do that, and that the sarin gas was sort of incidental; a lucky conventional bomb hitting the terrorist’s secret Sarin storage warehouse on the ground.

    Does that sound remotely possible to anyone here?

    papertiger (c8116c)

  346. I don’t know if this counts as a filibuster but I remember another thing about that party. It was a lot like The Shining. A big house on a hill. We had to park down on the mountain road because snow drifted across the driveway. This house had a huge vaulted ceiling. There was a woodstove with a 25′ stovepipe. Some drunk kids thought that a fire was in order so they got some newspaper lit but the wind was so strong it got sucked up the pipe and flew out in the yard-which looked pretty amazing-I’m not gonna lie.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  347. Sweet Jaysus, PandP! When my late father was 80 years of age, he’d complain that he felt listless/lacked energy and would ask me to go to the local Costco and buy him a case of Monster energy drink. I drew the line at a good cup of coffee. After bypasses and stents, Monster didn’t sound like a good idea.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  348. I remember Jolt cola. More caffeine and sugar than a regular. Sort of a brown Mountain Dew.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  349. @330 mg

    Is anyone else thinking Mad Dog 2020?

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  350. @370 Colonel Haiku

    I believe that Monster was started and is run by Michael Savage’s son. I drink that green apple tasting stuff when I want to feel my teeth.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  351. “Does that sound remotely possible to anyone here?”

    It might to #NeverTrump troll(s) and their like-minded lefty suckers who believed Rice and Kerry when they claimed they’d rid Syria of CW. They’re suckers for the Obama-Clinton con.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  352. Planning a party? Byob. Uber on the speed dial.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  353. @340 Sammy

    Do you think that the second set of tablets said “CC”?

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  354. I appreciate that Colonel. But what I’m looking for is a more technical, less political reason why lucky bomb hitting Sarin on the ground is a stupid rationality.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  355. @347 mg

    IDF+IVF=JCVD movie franchise

    Jolt Cola+Zima=4Loco

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  356. yes yes sleeping!

    the failed new york times says it’s the new status symbol

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  357. I don’t know if this counts as a filibuster but I remember another thing about that party. It was a lot like The Shining. A big house on a hill. We had to park down on the mountain road because snow drifted across the driveway. This house had a huge vaulted ceiling. There was a woodstove with a 25′ stovepipe. Some drunk kids thought that a fire was in order so they got some newspaper lit but the wind was so strong it got sucked up the pipe and flew out in the yard-which looked pretty amazing-I’m not gonna lie.

    this sounds like whit stillman dialogue very good work Mr. puller

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  358. Maybe I should fill in the edges of euro peeps theory.

    They have a chemist who claims the same effect could be produced by hitting a water treatment plant’s chlorine stash – which sounds to me like another theory altogether.

    Coincidentally that was the point I called bull[edit].

    papertiger (c8116c)

  359. Why do cars and trucks hate us? Did we occupy their holy ground?

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  360. Zima was created so that Germans could make fun of America’s drinking public.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  361. The Trump administration’s quick response is what separates him from his predecessor and from Congress. Congress needs several months to vacuum up monetary contributions from lobbyists and donors and a lot of soap-boxing and time in front of the cameras before doing what’s needed.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  362. @329- LOL and so it goes… the day begins with a bang or two– churches bombed and people killed in Egypt. CIC Mawdie has the maids use Brawny. Paper towels can be recycled.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  363. @363 Dustin

    The main difference between a king and a president is the king was generally expected to be somewhere on the field of battle. So maybe we should have a king. He can’t wear a helmet any worse than Dukakis.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  364. Funny how we have the Geneva Convention but people think nothing of pumping our kids with Ritalin, HRTs and Zoloft.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  365. Yeah, Hillary says bomb an airfield, so Trump calls Russia to say he’s going to bomb an airfield using Raytheon products, the ones he’s invested in. He bombs some sheds with ludicrously expensive means, but of course he told them in advance so they are back to air operations immediately.

    This “quick response” did nothing but generate some headfake headlines. This isn’t that different from the “Is Romney going to be Secretary of State” stuff. Get some attention, but it’s just noise.

    It would have been superior leadership for Trump to bring his case to congress, show his goals and how his plans would reach those goals, and then execute this plan, but hey, he separated himself from that bad old congress.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  366. @366 papertiger

    You ever see the movie “One Man’s Hero”? I don’t know how faithful it is to what really happened but it was very interesting.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  367. Why did Mexico and Spain get top billing in those wars? What kind of miserable agents did America have back in the day?

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  368. Trump will most likely need to make several least bad among only terrible choices over the course of his administration to mitigate the damage resulting from the actions… or inaction… of the last three administrations.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  369. The main difference between a king and a president is the king was generally expected to be somewhere on the field of battle. So maybe we should have a king. He can’t wear a helmet any worse than Dukakis.

    Pinandpuller (

    You have a point. We used to be a nation that wanted the commander of our military to respect the military and have been a veteran. Instead we have a guy who sneers at POWs and laughs about all the women he was sleeping with when he dodged the draft. The ultimate chicken hawk. Granted, Trump would have washed out for mental health reasons, and he’s just the latest in a line of nominees who roll their eyes at military service. He’s another John Kerry, Obama, Bill Clinton… of course he doesn’t look down on those guys… he looks down on George W Bush, the president who served and was all too happy to bring his case to congress, and infamously have the humility to admit the plan wasn’t working and go back with a better plan, the Surge. Bush divested his enormous holdings and did not personally profit from war, either. He didn’t spend all his time playing golf, in fact ceasing the practice very early in his presidency out of respect.

    While I don’t ask the president to put himself in harm’s way directly, and want a civilian led military, I do think we’d be better off with veterans in the white house.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  370. Bad choices are Trump’s specialty!

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  371. @380 happyfeet

    Ima have to look that up. At first glance I thought you said Walt Whitman.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  372. Stephen King wrote Maximum Overdrive on cocaine so I guess he must have wrote the other good stories on Jolt Cola and coffee. Speaking of cars going out of control for no reason whatsoever.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  373. @386. William of Orange, eh? That didn’t end well.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  374. Raec362,

    I have no problem with Trump going to the UN in order to enforce the current version of the Geneva Protocol that prohibits the use of chemical weapons. I don’t want President Trump to act unilaterally unless our national security interests are threatened. He said they are but I’m not convinced, and he has not explained why he said this. What Trump said is that he acted because he was upset by the cruel murder of innocent Syrian civilians.

    DRJ (15874d)

  375. Pretty sure that John Kerry served far more substantively than GWB ever did.

    Leviticus (d4d726)

  376. Trump can probably take this action due to exigent circumstances that he claims are to protect national security. But he cant kerp doing it under the Constitution. He can go to Congress or the UN, or both. What do you want him to do, Rae?

    DRJ (15874d)

  377. @367- Tried NoDoz just once in college for an allnighter. Once was enuf.

    Was wired 30 years before Wifi was invented.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  378. @398- Depends on your POV. The bars of West Texas remained Cong free and safe for long neck Lone Stars.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  379. @381 papertiger

    To channel Johhny Hart-Syrians got water treatment?

    happyfeet

    Wow, where did my Harvardtrash patois come from?

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  380. Keep fashioning your alternative universe!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  381. So Whit Stillman was not in Dr Strangelove?

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  382. never seen that one he definitely might could be in it

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  383. My reading on the subject says that chlorine gas isn’t very effective.
    People die from the initial explosion, but the chemical just sends them to the hospital with runny noses and watery eyes.

    More like tear gas than a WMD.

    Anyone else have contrary information? I’d like to see it.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  384. Kids when I was in HS I had to walk to parties in the snow uphill both ways. And our beer had pull tabs that you could turn into chain mail for fun.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  385. DRJ (15874d) — 4/9/2017 @ 12:34 pm

    I don’t want President Trump to act unilaterally unless our national security interests are threatened. He said they are but I’m not convinced, and he has not explained why he said this. </blockquote. Well,Abraham Lincoln I don't think issued a good (or any) explanation for how issuing the Emancipation Proclamation would help win the war, (not only that but he waited until after a victory rather than doing this after a defeat) but people do things like that they are morally repulsed by something. They find, or someone gives to them, justifications under the other grounds that are considered more legtimate or more legal.

    In this case, there's probably some policy paper somewhere that argues that the use of chemical weapons is some sort of red line that can't be allowed to be crossed.

    Now they are going to the United Nations, but thatrequies Russia toreverse policy. So there may some attempt to force Russia to agree but it won't work.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  386. We bombed syria to show syria that it’s bad to bomb syria. But we did it poorly, so syria is back to bombing syria.

    Pretty sure that John Kerry served far more substantively than GWB ever did.

    Leviticus

    I disagree because Kerry spent a very short time in harm’s way and got out of there as fast as he could. W wasn’t in Vietnam, but his work was dangerous. Reasonable people can disagree about this, but I don’t think Trump can compete with either of them. He simply didn’t value service to others. Once in a while the politician mask slipped as he bashed PTSD sufferers as not being strong enough to “handle it”, or bashing POWs because one of them criticized him, or flexing his inside swamp mentality to get vet businesses kicked off his street in New York.

    I wish we were merely discussing which veteran was most prepared to be commander in chief.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  387. Syrians might have invented water treatment, before they went Muslim I mean. That kind of halted history, but before that they were Phoenicians.

    Phoenicians invented the aqueduct, cement, lots of stuff.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  388. @390 Knottzo Phast Lazar. Pappy to Swifty.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  389. @407. Leave it to a church key to open the door to a religion of praying to the throne.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  390. Abc acknowledged the hospital was run by nusra front, as did the younger hitchens bros in the mail.

    narciso (d1f714)

  391. I guess POW’s have the “never be criticized no matter how stupid” card.

    That’s quite a perk actually.

    What a difference between now and the Mexican American War when we just hung em.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  392. Gun to my head, if I was given the choice of snorting meth or chewing NoDoze I’d snort the meth.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  393. Bergdahl’s character would have been much improved by 50 lashes and a D for deserter brand under his left eye.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  394. @397. That makes good sense. Nat’l Security wasn’t threatened, unless he classifies a sleepless night after seeing some disturbing images on the TeeVee or a whine from Ivanka about the beautiful babies kept him awake.

    Wait ’til he watched Night 2 of the American Experience’s series on the Great War. He’ll junk the wall and opt for trench lines from Galveston to San Diego.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  395. I’m sure glad Trump has respected people like Mattis and McMaster advising him rather than some academics or other pansy-asses. Leave the leading from behind crowd behind.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  396. Newsweek reports that Assad, or maybe Putin, sent another bomber to re attack the site of the gas attack.

    With a limited amount of assets (didn’t have much left to throw?) and a limited effect (most people fled after the original bombing).

    I think the point was “Trump can’t tell us who to bomb (with a fist shaking to the air)”.

    http://www.newsweek.com/khan-sheikhoun-town-where-chemical-attack-killed-86-hit-further-airstrikes-580483

    Does this undercut the argument, “Assad is too smart to drop gas on rebels with the world watching”?

    papertiger (c8116c)

  397. Don’a hang me lads, oim an undocumented Mexican soldier.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  398. Mr. Trump created jobs and jobs and jobs what have helped tens of thousands of real americans realize their hopes and dream

    ex-military trash like John McCain and John Kerry on the other hand

    they have added no value

    the country is vastly worse for their “service”

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  399. what have helped tens of thousands of real americans realize their hopes and *dreams* i mean

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  400. Yeah PnP I saw that movie. Didn’ remember at first.

    Heinz probably created jobs. So Kerry by osmosis.

    John married a brewery. Same

    papertiger (c8116c)

  401. Ketchup and beer – two of the staples.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  402. Dustin

    I’m putting my money in desert boot makers. I hear McMasters wants 150 K pair on the ground.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  403. I hope you feel the anguish in my corrections.

    Pains me to say. Like kicking a table leg barefoot.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  404. i like the heinz spicy sometimes

    but store brand regular old ketchup is fine too

    i’ve thought about this a lot

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  405. McSame is complaining we didn’t use the other brand of bomb, to crater the runway.

    Those Raytheons just made a smudge.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  406. Dustin

    You have to give PDJT credit for not delivering our tech to hostile states in gently used condition a la China and Iran. Clinton and BHO respectively.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  407. h1ttps://mobile.twitter.com/Mottel/status/851091491900534785

    narciso (d1f714)

  408. May the SJW/LGBTNRBQ/Far-left/SafeSpace/TriggerWarning folks and #NeverTrumpelstiltskin crowd continue in full-diaper mode for the foreseeable future.

    Salud!!!!!

    Colonel Haiku (8d55f0)

  409. I’d actually like a pair of Vietnam Era boots.

    Rev Hoagie can confirm but I heard VC used to make foot breakers

    Put a 7.62 shell inside a bamboo cane with a nail under the primer. Bury most of it in a trail. When a given GI steps on it it’s like a low power zipgun but good enough to penetrate a foot.
    It’s my understanding that the Army started putting an aluminum strip in the sole for protection.

    While I’m thinking about it I’d rather bob for razorblades in Vietnam than chew a NoDoze. If you know what I am saying.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  410. #398 Pretty sure that John Kerry served far more substantively than GWB ever did.
    Leviticus (d4d726) — 4/9/2017 @ 12:35 pm

    Yes, in the benefit of the VietCong he sure did.

    Blah Blah (44eaa0)

  411. When your only tool is boots, all you see is the ground.

    Syrian proverb

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  412. Don’t blame him, blame his professors. He was young and impressionable… still is, for that matter.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  413. McSame is complaining we didn’t use the other brand of bomb, to crater the runway.

    Those Raytheons just made a smudge.

    papertiger

    He’s right, and on this sort of foreign policy thing he often has been. It’s on domestic stuff he’s weak, but he called Iraq right over many points in Bush’s admin and after. Military experience counts for something.

    Tomahawks are awesome for suppression of enemy air defense (which was part of my specialty when I served). Not for shutting down a runway. Syria is still launching bombers from the base. Syria is making a mockery of an ineffective action.

    I wouldn’t use the term pansy-ass to describe it, because like “cuck” I think that’s something an insecure chickenhawk would say to ‘butch up’, exposing their own fears. I’d just say it wasn’t effective. That’s just a fact because the base is operational right now. If anything it shows that Trump didn’t really think this was a clear and present danger, the kind that requires stopping without running to congress for permission. That this airbase is operational today is quite simply a decision Trump made. He permits Syria to continue bombing itself. No doubt Russia demanded that his show of force was just for show, and not the urgent action Trump’s fans would have us believe occurred.

    Raytheon makes the best stuff, they really are a credit to our nation, but this was like using a Lamborghini as a taxicab. Runway destruction requires a deep crater and then a subsequent charge to really jam up the adjacent area to make it more difficult to repave. An kind of bomb we’ve had sitting around for decades, and they aren’t a million bucks a shot. The tomahawk was an impressive display for sure, slinking in, hovering, simultaneous destruction of the various empty buildings Russia made sure were empty. Shock and awe for Raytheon’s profitability, which must bring a smile to Trump’s face when he looks over his stock holdings in that company.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  414. Bryan Reagan has a great bit about seeing two log trucks crisscross on the highway.

    Why are you taking logs over there? They have logs why are you bringing logs over here? We have logs.

    Taking 150k Syrian refugees and sending 150 US SSMA’s makes no damn sense. Pile up food and ammo and go all Hunger Games.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  415. I’d actually like a pair of Vietnam Era boots.

    The steel shank is great, but the Rothco remake of the jungle boots don’t hold up well to rough use. Corcoran makes a really nice jungle boot called the Marauder. It’s very similar to the Corcoran 2 field boot, with a very shinable toe and heel, but with the steel shank and cordura sides for utility in the heat. They are terrible in the cold.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  416. 150k Soldiers Sailors Airman Marines for clarity and correction.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  417. Dustin

    Corcoran ought to know about making steel shanks or are some of them made from toothbrushes?

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  418. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_war

    Section III of the Hague Convention of 1907 required hostilities to be preceded by a reasoned declaration of war or by an ultimatum with a conditional declaration of war.

    That explains the use of Declarations of War during World War I, and even, in many cases, during World War II (on the part of the Allies) in spite of the fact taht already in 1787 Alexander Hamilton wrote that the ceremony of a dununciation of war had of late fallen into disuse, but I think that’s pretty much fallen by the wayside now, and nbdy’s complaining.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  419. Papertiger

    Just when you thought they couldn’t give Tom Berenger’s face any more hail damage…

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  420. Dustin I’d like your take on the claim that Assad never used Sarin bombs, that they hit a rebel warehouse storing Sarin with a lucky shot.
    Or the variant claim that it was chlorine gas, and Sarin was never involved.

    Kind of blind on this thing going by what I read on the Wiki.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  421. It could be that Assad discovered Mr Tesla’s machine and his clone dies every night dropping sarin on the rebels.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  422. Dustin (ba94b2) — 4/9/2017 @ 2:24 pm

    That this airbase is operational today is quite simply a decision Trump made.

    He was presented with 3 options, and selected two for firehr disccusion. Cratering the runway may not have been an option, because the Obama Adminsitration didn’t want it to be and all the options probably were already well developed. Obama didn’t want to to be because he didn’t want to risk Assad losing outright which would spoil his vision of a negotiatied ssettlement.

    He permits Syria to continue bombing itself. No doubt Russia demanded that his show of force was just for show,

    Russia got just an hour and half notice, and tehy probably argued tthat nothing shold be done at all.

    Raytheon makes the best stuff, they really are a credit to our nation, but this was like using a Lamborghini as a taxicab. Runway destruction requires a deep crater and then a subsequent charge to really jam up the adjacent area to make it more difficult to repave. An kind of bomb we’ve had sitting around for decades, and they aren’t a million bucks a shot.

    Butdoesn’t that require a pilot. Even if a drone, the drone coulds be shot down. The Tomahawks are for knocking out the air defense system, after which come the bombers. But Trump didn’t go down that road.

    The tomahawk was an impressive display for sure, slinking in, hovering, simultaneous destruction of the various empty buildings Russia made sure were empty. </blockquote They had 9 minutes warning and also could place off limits any place their own personnel were. They had informed theUnited states some time before what places were off limits.

    Seeing as Russians function as human shields in Syria, Vladimir Putin decided to make things even more difficult by no longer informing the U.S. of many hthings, so the U.S. would be even more limited in what it could do because it didn't want to kill any Russians.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  423. Are steel shanks good for stomping on hippies? I’d like to think so.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  424. Rae (2fd998) — 4/9/2017 @ 11:41 am

    When the world acquiesces to letting an irrational actor –Assad–establish the new protocols due to his lack of morality, the world has a problem. </blockquote. Or rather somebody wants the world to have new procols, and he's not irrational, and it's not Assad.

    I think more important than the chenical attacks is the targeting of doctors and hospitals, which is undeniable, even though it's not declared. The proohibition on that is many decades older than 1929.

    What is law if its foundation isn’t based on some idea of morality?

    It could be based also on a twisted version of morality.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  425. Leviticus @398, Kerry enjoyed Christmas in Cambodia, or so he claimed. If you take his word for it, then he was AWOL, since the rest of the crew of his little boat never went there. And then there are those three purple hearts. Pull your boat up to the shore, yell “VC! Take cover!”, throw a hand grenade on the bank. Expose a small part of your forearm to the shrapnel. Repeat until scratched, whether by flying debris or a protruding bit of sharp hardware welded to the bulkhead won’t matter. Repeat entire scenario a few weeks later, and repeat that until you’ve claimed three purple hearts. Go home early with the special treatment given to wounded war vets.

    He can’t even ride a bike for heaven’s sake!

    Bush was a competent F-102 pilot, and spent two years on active duty and two years of reserve flying that airplane. When he signed up, LBJ was still planning to expand the Vietnam war. It was the spring of 1968 and Bush had to think that combat in Vietnam was a distinct possibility, and yet he did volunteer. I give Kerry credit for the same action, but Kerry has spent the rest of his life disgracing himself, which negates the decision to sign up.

    BobStewartatHome (c24491)

  426. Didn’t John Kerry serve on the sharp end of the splinter?

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  427. Assad has fewer bombers than he did. Attacked the same target, but not with chemical weapons.

    Only one or two bangs in Khan Sheikhoun. I think the message was received in the spirit in which it was intended.

    Trump: Knock Knock.

    Assad: Who is it?

    Trump: Candigram for Mr. Mongo.

    Assad: Ouch! That’s not candy.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  428. 448 * They had only 90 minutes warning but had long before placed busildings off limits by placing Russians there, ot saying Russians were there. (which now has had the effect of enabling the U.S. to onclue Russia should have had advance knowledge of the attack.)

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  429. @454. Fits.

    “Mongo only pawn in game of life.” – Mongo [Alex Karras] ‘Blazing Saddles’ 1974

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  430. “Assad has been on the run for ninety minutes. Average foot speed over uneven ground barring injuries is 4 miles-per-hour. That gives us a radius of six miles. What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target Tomahawk of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area. Checkpoints go up at fifteen miles.”

    Tommy Lee Jones mixes up Under Siege and The Fugitive.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  431. The claim that Assad never used Sarin bombs, and that they hit a rebel warehouse storing Sarin with a lucky shot is Russian propaganda, aimed at people who simply don’t know enough to know that that is impossible. Not even ISIS has sarin.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  432. feature you are a bomber pilot in the Russian Air Force, redeployed to protect Sarin bombs over in that bunker next to the truck.

    Who do you feel about that Dimitri?

    I feel pretty good about Putin making preparations for an attack that’s not coming.

    Exert yourself comrade.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  433. Who should be How

    papertiger (c8116c)

  434. The closest thing Moslems have to a Tomahawk is the self-driving Jihad car from Google.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  435. Nothing in there forbids a standing army. Just permanent appropriations for it. A limitation not imposed on the Navy or on “organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia”, if you’ll notice.

    Actually, there is a Constitutional provision the goal of which​ was to negate the need for a standing army: the Second Amendment. The purpose of that well regulated militia was was to provide a military when it was actually needed.

    kishnevi (91155c)

  436. But why? Why is that impossible, Sammy?

    I took a quick look at the Japanese subway Sarin attack. The perps had a factory in Japan (it’s mentioned as Building number 7 at the foot of Mount Fuji – kind of cryptic) to process the chemical.

    How big a factory. How elaborate a process. They don’t say. Which is worrisome in of itself, because if it’s so easy they want to keep it a secret, Katy bar the door.
    Secret keeping isn’t their forte.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  437. The technical diificulties innproducing sarin is referred in berenson’s the prisoner.

    narciso (d1f714)

  438. 465
    Feh. The Chief Rabbi of St Petersburg, a Chabad rabbi,is the brother of my synagogue’s rebbentsin; I have met him once. Politico must think I am part of the Putin nexus.

    kishnevi (91155c)

  439. 435-Pin: “that or lack thereof” adds to the frustrations of U.S. military interventions over the last 34 years. If it was “less frustrating”, maybe stay-at-the-DCSCA might be interested again.

    urbanleftbehind (a3e0f0)

  440. bingo! hat tip to narciso for providing the right search term

    http://theduran.com/mcmaster-syrian-gas-attack-russia-corroboration/

    “Even assuming that large quantities of both Sarin precursors were located in the same part of the same warehouse (a practice that seems odd), an air-strike is not going to cause the production of large quantities of Sarin. Dropping a bomb on the binary components does not actually provide the correct mechanism for making the nerve agent. It is an infantile argument. One of the precursors is isopropyl alcohol. It would go up in a ball of flame. A very large one. Which has not been in evidence.”

    That’s why not. Knew it all the time. Take that Euro peeps!

    papertiger (c8116c)

  441. ladyboy mattis accessorized the bombs personally

    Meghan’s coward daddy needs to shut his stupid face

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  442. Send Assad a weight bench

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  443. John Ashe

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  444. I think Trump is making a whole lot more money from Google, in which he also owns stock, than from Raytheon.

    The analysis is simple.
    Part 1: Syria made a deal with the United States in order to avert military action in 2013. It broke it in a very “F**k You, America” way by using the chemical weapons the Russians were supposed to have removed.

    Part 2: What to do? It was the President’s call. The President is Trump. He made it.

    Yes, Obama would have taken Assad off the White House Christmas card list, but he’s not President anymore. Yes, McCain would have bombed with bunk busters, but he’s not President, either. Yes, Paul Rand would like to isolate America inside Kim Davis’s drawers, but maybe in his next life if he builds up enough good karma. And Congress does not micro-manage the armed forces, either. It is the Commander-in-Chief who says “Go there, and they goeth” or “Do this, and they doeth it”.

    Part 3: It’s done, and time travel is a fantasy.

    nk (dbc370)

  445. Alcohol flame is pretty much invisible, no? Help me Tom Cruise.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  446. by using the chemical weapons the Russians were supposed to have removed *on civilians including children*.

    nk (dbc370)

  447. Sarin is supposedly an acronym of the names of the fellers who invented it. I don’t imagine it’s harder to make than Coke Classic.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  448. We give our kids Riddleout-shut up and behave.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  449. Assad cleans his gun every night after work. It’s only a matter of time.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  450. It’s weird how careless people get after they get indicted. You’d need Phillip Seymour Hoffman to come back from the dead just to get life insurance.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  451. Dustin I’d like your take on the claim that Assad never used Sarin bombs, that they hit a rebel warehouse storing Sarin with a lucky shot.
    Or the variant claim that it was chlorine gas, and Sarin was never involved.

    Kind of blind on this thing going by what I read on the Wiki.

    papertiger

    I guess I’m not watching the news that much but I was not familiar with that claim. It sounds like BS.

    I do wish Trump had gone through Congress, and if he chose an airbase as a target, had destroyed the runways without warning Russia. But leaving aside the wisdom of Trump’s methods, Assad is a Baathist dictator. He absolutely would use chem weapons on his subjects. I’ve long suspected that Saddam shipped such weapons over before the 2003 OIF.

    Sarin may not be cutting edge, but how would the rebels get that stuff? The odds of accidentally hitting it are absurd.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  452. Can’t blame my Euro peeps for doing the tap dance, and economizing the truth.

    Say the wrong thing Putin will put plutonium in your milkshake.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  453. Donald, you putz! Spaniard Garcia wins Masters. Did he play green card to grab green jacket just to makes America ‘grate’ again?!?!

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  454. @484. He will watch PBS Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night and by Friday morning, abandon fences for trenches from Galveston to San Diego.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  455. dooshdcsca
    Sergio has paid more in taxes in the U.S. than all wetbacks put together.
    MAGA Sergio.

    mg (31009b)

  456. Dustin

    should have cratered the runway, and the Russian story is BS.

    +1 We’re real close to consensus on this one.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  457. Representative Adam Piece of Schiff should consider recusing himself from the probe. For his part,Adam Piece of Schiff suggested to the media that he had seen information on Russia-Trump campaign ties that was “the kind of evidence” that would be presented to a grand jury, adding that he had seen additional evidence, but not elaborating further. And the republicans would rather figure out how to bomb gravel runways in Syria.

    mg (31009b)

  458. I like Garcia becomes he made Tiger Woods whine like a big sissy whose wife beats him just by saying “fried chicken”. Oh, wait ….

    nk (dbc370)

  459. When rockets go up

    Who cares where they come down?

    That’s not my department

    Says Werner Von Braun

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  460. Jackets?

    We don’t need no steenking jackets.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  461. Schiff’s patron was a fellow named paternak a big time dnc donor from the ukraine.

    narciso (4717e6)

  462. The following is filed under ‘even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while’…

    “He absolutely would use chem weapons on his subjects. I’ve long suspected that Saddam shipped such weapons over before the 2003 OIF.”

    … do you think those convoys from Iraq into Syria could’ve tipped him off?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  463. the unbelievable lightness of #NeverTrumpelstiltskin…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  464. Sarin if memory served is refined from the castor bean, but the equipment is unwieldy for large scale production.

    Waiting for Congress, to stop debating angels on a pin, enough to prevent them hiding the evidence of an assault.

    narciso (4717e6)

  465. Another line, attributed to von Braun, was ‘ the rocket performed perfectly, it must landed on the wrong planet’ yes his as with his supervisor Arthur rudolf’s history at dora nordhausen was a shock to me.

    narciso (4717e6)

  466. Ricin is derived from the castor bean. A totally different poison, too. Slow. Not a nerve agent, like Sarin. It inhibits protein synthesis. Basically, your body stops healing and regrowing.

    Sarin started out as an insecticide, like many of the other nerve poisons.

    nk (dbc370)

  467. I did say if memory serves.

    Rezai’ s pen pal and journolister hirscher does a strangelove some two years ago.

    narciso (4717e6)

  468. kishnevi (91155c) — 4/9/2017 @ 3:14 pm

    , there is a Constitutional provision the goal of which​ was to negate the need for a standing army: the Second Amendment. The purpose of that well regulated militia was was to provide a military when it was actually needed.

    In Federalist number 29, Alexander Hamilton argued that that actually wasn’t very practical:

    http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/fed29.asp

    …were I to deliver my sentiments to a member of the federal legislature from this State on the subject of a militia establishment, I should hold to him, in substance, the following discourse:

    “The project of disciplining all the militia of the United States is as futile as it would be injurious, if it were capable of being carried into execution. A tolerable expertness in military movements is a business that requires time and practice. It is not a day, or even a week, that will suffice for the attainment of it. To oblige the great body of the yeomanry, and of the other classes of the citizens, to be under arms for the purpose of going through military exercises and evolutions, as often as might be necessary to acquire the degree of perfection which would entitle them to the character of a well-regulated militia, would be a real grievance to the people, and a serious public inconvenience and loss. It would form an annual deduction from the productive labor of the country, to an amount which, calculating upon the present numbers of the people, would not fall far short of the whole expense of the civil establishments of all the States. To attempt a thing which would abridge the mass of labor and industry to so considerable an extent, would be unwise: and the experiment, if made, could not succeed, because it would not long be endured. Little more can reasonably be aimed at, with respect to the people at large, than to have them properly armed and equipped; and in order to see that this be not neglected, it will be necessary to assemble them once or twice in the course of a year.

    “But though the scheme of disciplining the whole nation must be abandoned as mischievous or impracticable; yet it is a matter of the utmost importance that a well-digested plan should, as soon as possible, be adopted for the proper establishment of the militia. The attention of the government ought particularly to be directed to the formation of a select corps of moderate extent, upon such principles as will really fit them for service in case of need. By thus circumscribing the plan, it will be possible to have an excellent body of well-trained militia, ready to take the field whenever the defense of the State shall require it. This will not only lessen the call for military establishments, but if circumstances should at any time oblige the government to form an army of any magnitude that army can never be formidable to the liberties of the people while there is a large body of citizens, little, if at all, inferior to them in discipline and the use of arms, who stand ready to defend their own rights and those of their fellow-citizens. This appears to me the only substitute that can be devised for a standing army, and the best possible security against it, if it should exist.”

    Thus differently from the adversaries of the proposed Constitution should I reason on the same subject, deducing arguments of safety from the very sources which they represent as fraught with danger and perdition. But how the national legislature may reason on the point, is a thing which neither they nor I can foresee.

    b

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  469. You’ve got to read more Jack Vance. Alpha and Beta were nerve poisons and the competition among venefices was who could refine them to produce the fastest lethality. Cluthe produced a quick disability followed by a horrible and agonizing slow death.

    nk (dbc370)

  470. uk merchants of death

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  471. Al ghauRdian flagellates himself more than Paul bettany’s albino, but what chemicals are involved are the point.
    https://mobile.twitter.com/undefined/status/851138774595751936

    narciso (4717e6)

  472. I remember in dune, there was a planet where poisons were created.

    narciso (4717e6)

  473. here is something what i read today on the internet

    Reflecting upon this, I began entertaining a fancy.

    Researching Buck v. Bell, I learned that Carrie Buck’s “illegitimate feeble minded child” was the product of rape. I learned that the actual reason for Buck’s institutionalization was not that she was feeble-minded: it was to hide her family’s shame at her illegitimate child. I learned, too, that Carrie Buck’s daughter, Vivian Dobbs, was not feeble-minded either: that in first grade she earned Cs for all her academic subjects except for a D in math, “which was always difficult for her,” and that by second grade she made the honor roll.

    I imagined that the rapist of Carrie Buck was the fictional Tom Buchanan, out on an idyll while vacationing in Virginia in 1923.

    i liked reading it maybe you would too

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  474. In the Vance Oikoumene (his term, but it means universe), it is the planet Sarkoy.

    nk (dbc370)

  475. What did Assad say to Netenyahu?

    If you shofar me

    I will shofar you!

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  476. Colonel Haiku

    That convoy had everything but 10 long haired friends of Jesus in a chartreuse micro bus.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  477. In the Vance Oikoumene (his term, but it means universe), it is the planet Sarkoy.

    nk (dbc370) — 4/9/2017 @ 6:01 pm

    I’m reading The Star King right now. Such a good author.

    Davethulhu (c75fb7)

  478. @486- He can prove your azz-ertion by releasing his tax returns just like our glorious leader who is buay ‘making America great’ again. Oh, wait…

    “Generalissino Francisco Franco is stil dead.” – Chevy Chase ‘Weekend Update’ SNL, NBC TV, 1975

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  479. 508… yes, it did, PandP… and plenty of bug juice.

    BTW… I’ve stuck with “Homeland”, if for nothing more than to see how oeftwing wacko it would go. Among the more humorous things – although certainly no more so than their obvious and fundamental belief and BET that HRC would win the election – is how their whole “not my president” demonstrations against our first female lefty president (and thanks again, Lord, that it wasn’t Clinton) storyline, is how it flipped around on ’em with the guy who won.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  480. Make that leftwing…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  481. Narciso

    I’m sure you have seen Breaking Bad. Must need a refresher.

    @504

    Some folks call that planet Terra, but I call that planet Earth.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  482. They have a Pali cuny law professor who defended gitmo detainees keeping them woke. Now you can stipulate dar adal is,an sob, like Quinn on the agency, and still have the sepah behave as expected

    narciso (4717e6)

  483. I’m reading The Star King right now. Such a good author.

    I agree. I’ve read everything by him. Many times over.

    nk (dbc370)

  484. @496. Rudolph managed the Saturn V program through NASA for Von Braun. But when Rudolph’s history was uncovered from Paperclip files by young Nazi hunters through FICA requests into the 80s, post-Apollo, he was connfronted, stripped of his U.S. citizenship and fled back to Deutschland where he died. Von Braun was luckier. It was former Ford White House advisor and current CNN mouthpiece David Gergen, who persuaded Ford not to grant Von Braun the Medal of Freedom for a less prestigious honor. Much of his darker background was granted ‘plausible deniability’ in life by the U.S. government and only surfaced into the public record after he died in 1977.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  485. Yes they took the ‘fake news’ to eleventy.

    narciso (4717e6)

  486. 514… Peter Quinn just got shot dead… saving teh life of the Hillary Clinton stand-in. They’ve hot a guy named OKeefe “editing” videos… all sorts of happy 🐴 shi+… oh, and Iran hasn’t been cheating and has only noble, peaceful intentions.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  487. @516- Correction- FOIA, not FICA.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  488. It doesn’t even make for good drama,
    ‘You maniacs, you blew it all up’ of course the Germans eyerle and Busse, having been a party to shopping chemical weapons to Egypt in the 50s, subsequently showed up in Iraq. As the sepri report noted.

    narciso (4717e6)

  489. Colonel Haiku

    Arrow and Homeland both blew it but at least no more Obama on the intro.

    One of the series I’ve been catching up with is SOA. I heard Ally Walker on a podcast talk about how bad guns were etc. The same podcast she said how fun it was to play with guns at work. I guess liberals really can have it all.

    Pinandpuller (4020df)

  490. Yes the guy whose private arsenal is only smaller than tiny stark’ s counsels gun control, yes its a reach, than he goes an makes deals with bratva. I don’t know far they intend the analogy to go

    narciso (4717e6)

  491. Yes the people who gave the sepah 400 million and used the Russians to swing the deal, only kristof was fool enough to buy that.

    narciso (4717e6)

  492. The question is whether they’ll try another chemical strike, right now they are double secret probation.

    narciso (4717e6)

  493. 521… not familiar with Arrow, but Homeland is a leftwing wet dream.

    It’s all gotten way too weird… full-diaper mode with #NeverTrumpenLumpen and batshi+ crazy on the left… clowns to the left of me, joker #NeverTrump weenies to the “conservative” right.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  494. Carl Vinson is vacationing near Seoul.

    Sleep well, America.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  495. Oliver queen is a more upscale Bruce Wayne with a knottier family tree.

    Homeland was very good with allowances until this season, where it cannot be salvaged.

    narciso (4717e6)

  496. I hope you are right, narciso. They’ve jumped the frog… ol’ what’s his name… Pepe!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  497. I’d like it even more if Sergio wins in July, would love to see him stick it to the Gibraltarists.

    urbanleftbehind (1f1640)

  498. The Los Angeles Times reported early Sunday morning that Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic leaders in the state legislature made $1 billion in side deals to ensure the passage of a 12-cent hike in the state gasoline tax last week.

    […]

    One of the more prominent deals was the one that secured the vote of State Sen. Anthony Canella (R-Ceres), who was the only Republican in either chamber to support the measure, which includes raised fees at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

    That side deal turns out to have been the costliest of all, amounting to $400 million in pork for “the extension of the Altamont Corridor Express, a commuter rail line between the Bay Area and Central Valley.”

    sick lil p.o.s. republican ceres-slut with his obscenely regressive taxes

    he likes to rape his poorest constituents you see

    he likes to rape them for pleasure and sport

    the commuter rail line for his well-to-do constituents is just a bonus

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  499. What is striking coronello is so much of the news are blank pages, like roddy piper discovered with the goggles, assad is certainly confronting nusra and their kudean people’s front coalition partners in hayt al tahrir, which include some of those moderate rebels in noir zinki. One was left to accept that there were no chemical weapons,left in syria

    narciso (4717e6)

  500. ladies and gentlemen Anthony Canella (R-Ceres)

    he’s a john mccain-like profile in effing courage, that one

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  501. This is the sort of news that would prompt James Polk to wonder why did I bother?

    narciso (4717e6)

  502. But for better or worse, happs, they should have gone a lot further with fuel taxes a long time ago. Yes it’s regressive as fudge, but it is also the only tax you know illegals can’t dodge ( perhaps may pay disproportionately due to has guzzling/older cars and gas powered lawn equipment). Abel Maldonado scotched an increase back in 2008 out of concern for the drive till you qualifies, but now such compassion is not in favor there.

    urbanleftbehind (847a06)

  503. I wish McKinley and that New York horseman had felt the same. Oh well, where to find nurses.

    urbanleftbehind (847a06)

  504. it’s not right conjoined with how they rape people with respect to housing as well

    and lots and LOTS of other rape fun besides

    my score so far is 3

    I’ve helped 3 people get the hell out of LA

    one went to vegas

    two came here to chicago

    as of last week all three and are now working and paying taxes in their new states (one of them works for a koch bros co lol)

    i’m not done yet but #4’s gonna take some patience

    call me Harriet Pikachu Tubman if you like

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  505. Nunes and Kev McCarthy are the same hood as Cannella, chew on that one.

    urbanleftbehind (847a06)

  506. narciso

    Arrow and Burn Notice are basically the same show. They start the same way. They have single show stories and serial stories. Hot sidekicks too.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  507. oops

    should say

    as of last week all three are now working and paying taxes in their new states

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  508. Colonel Haiku

    Homeland is headed for 24 land. I guess always showing Islamist terrorists gets boring or something.

    Pinandpuller (16b0b5)

  509. Arrow jumped the shark somewhere though i might would still watch just for the revelation that is Willa Holland

    she’s fun

    i wish her agent would coax her to challenge herself more

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  510. two came here to chicago

    They’re not the two who opened up that massage parlor on my street!

    nk (dbc370)

  511. Yes it does sadly, the truth is crimethink, who didn’t see the Dennis hopper twist this season.

    narciso (4717e6)

  512. this looks like something i should try to see i think

    Judy’s son directs

    oh my goodness Judy’s son is behind that city winery place i panned once (the utterly superfluous seasonal location on the Chicago River)

    now I wanna go to the for reals one

    my lil brudder was a huge fan of fudge and superfudge

    i’m a see if i can work that in to easter weekend

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  513. They’re not the two who opened up that massage parlor on my street!

    nonono one’s a goofy bartender and the other’s an SAP specialist in AP for a Koch Industries co

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  514. Thieving politicians.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  515. PandP… Homeland began heading south when they started with the storyline in Germany.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  516. “House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes on Thursday stepped aside from the probe of Russian actions during the 2016 campaign, saying he needed to deal with a congressional ethics inquiry into claims he improperly disclosed classified information.

    Democrats rejoiced at the news. “The White House made a fool of Chairman Nunes, and he has deeply tarnished his credibility as Chairman and the credibility of his Republican colleagues,” declared Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. There is no question that this was a blow for the chairman, following his revelation that Obama administration officials had collected information of Trump transition members incidentally, unmasked it, and widely disseminated it. But the victory for Nunes’ critics could be pyrrhic.

    For one thing, stepping aside on the Russia inquiry isn’t as big of a deal now as it might have been months ago. That’s because the Russia investigation isn’t really going anywhere. On March 9, BuzzFeed reported that Democrats on the committee are worried that their base is expecting dramatic results that simply won’t be coming.

    Even some Democrats on the Intelligence Committee now quietly admit, after several briefings and preliminary inquiries, they don’t expect to find evidence of active, informed collusion between the Trump campaign and known Russian intelligence operatives, though investigators have only just begun reviewing raw intelligence. Among the Intelligence Committee’s rank and file, there’s a tangible frustration over what one official called “wildly inflated” expectations surrounding the panel’s fledgling investigation.”

    http://thefederalist.com/2017/04/07/sorry-democrats-the-obama-spying-scandal-isnt-going-away/

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  517. “they should have gone a lot further with fuel taxes a long time ago.”

    California already had the highest gas taxes in the nation, and this new one will just go were the other gas taxes “for the roads” went. Straight into the general fund. Where it will be spent on smart things, like paying Janet Napolitano and Eric Holder.

    Leon (168f33)

  518. 530- urbanleftbehind
    He can do it, Royal Birkdale would look good on his resume.

    mg (31009b)

  519. enjoyed “Sneeky Pete”
    “Justified” was excellent.
    loved Billy Bob Thornton in “Goliath”

    mg (31009b)

  520. I’ve been hearing rumors this whole Syrian thing is a sideshow to distract from a planned attack on N. Korea, with a large roll played by China. There seems to be a large US navel force around the Korean peninsula, and Chairman Li is reportedly oddly unfazed by the events that occurred while he was visiting Florida.

    Might be kinda out there, but we shall see.
    Interesting times.

    Leon (168f33)

  521. in reference to 533 channeling my inner Henry William French,

    “You took my farm, Mr. Canella. You took a lot of people’s farms, Mr. Canella. As long as Billy the Kid is taking some back, I’m with him.”

    papertiger (c8116c)

  522. I don’t want President Trump to act unilaterally unless our national security interests are threatened. He said they are but I’m not convinced

    We, and all but 3 nations on earth, signed a treaty forbidding the possession or use of chemical weapons. As a result we destroyed our stocks, and so, we imagined, did everyone else.

    It is in our national security interests that this treaty remain binding and failing to prosecute violators would badly diminish the treaty’s force. Just as we are seeing with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, failure to prosecute violators encourages more violators.

    Did this work? Hard to say, but the destruction of fighter jets makes the cost of using these weapons high. Syria has many little towns to gas, but very few fighter jets.

    The most worrisome aspect of this is that RUSSIA isn’t interested in protecting the treaty. THis may be an indication that they kept theirs, which would be double-plus ungood.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  523. TRUMP may not understand that, but Mattis and Tillerson do.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  524. mattis lol

    isn’t he

    pretty in pink

    isn’t he

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  525. He may have gone Norwegian blue.

    narciso (4717e6)

  526. California voters took the legislature, removed all empathy and compassion, through party politics, then married that to zero accountability and no ramifications, via the referendum.

    All of that nastiness JerryBrownmandered into eternity. Someone has to die first before California sends a new congressman to DC. And even then don’t expect a change in party.

    One thing to say for it. Soon as the current senior batch slips on the banana peel there’ll be a clamoring herd of amateurs scrapping to take their place.

    Die Jerry die. In a gas fire.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  527. All your work with the #NeverTrump fellow earlier, papertiger… is today “teach a mook to fish day”?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  528. 553… All excellent choices, mg!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  529. Maybe. No planning goes into the day’s babble, if that’s what you mean.

    I’ve been giving Dustin an especially hard time lately. Kind of conscious of that.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  530. So are calling Mattis a stooge of Raytheon, sub e was a board member. Is that where find ourselves.

    narciso (d1f714)

  531. Hey. narsico

    Neither the Khan al-Asal nor the Ghouta chemical attacks in 2013, involved aircraft.

    In both cases the Sarin was delivered by missile.

    How could it be the same pilot for all when there wasn’t a pilot for the other?

    papertiger (c8116c)

  532. Not a rhetorical. I’m pay walled out of the Australian.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  533. April 4, 2017 – Trump Slump Continues As He Drops Below Obama, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Republicans In Congress Drop To More Than 3-1 Negative

    American voters give President Donald Trump a negative 35 – 57 percent job approval, with negative approval among men and white voters, leaving him below former President Barack Obama’s worst approval rating.

    American voters’ opinions of some of Trump’s personal qualities are mostly negative:
    61 – 34 percent that he is not honest;
    55 – 40 percent that he does not have good leadership skills;
    57 – 39 percent that he does not care about average Americans;
    66 – 29 percent that he is not level-headed;

    Disapprove 58 – 33 percent of the way he is handling foreign policy;

    ——

    Trump failed to stop the Syrians and appears to have commanded our military in a spastic fashion. I hope Trump learns from this experience if he really does intend to strike North Korea as well. And I also hope he is extremely successful in containing both the Syrian and the North Korean tyrants. He can turn his presidency around by advocating goals to the American people and congress, making a plan, following it honestly, with no corrupt influences, and admitting when his plans need to be adjusted. I believe Trump’s goals would often be an improvement over the last administration’s, even if he did simply follow Hillary’s goals in Syria.

    I think a big part of his problem is his reliance on family for advisers.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  534. Maybe. No planning goes into the day’s babble, if that’s what you mean.

    I’ve been giving Dustin an especially hard time lately. Kind of conscious of that.

    papertiger

    Don’t sweat it. You don’t cross the line in my book. Honestly it’s not that hard to talk about the politics and the issues without making everything so personal. Those who can’t manage are only hurting themselves. They are drinking poison and hoping Trump’s critics will die.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  535. I hope oh donny boy is not moving all these troops to go into syria.
    What a mistake. Why won’t the uni-party concentrate on fixing our issues at home? Mid term elections could be a serious riot. Gun sales to pick up as trump voters have been crapped upon.

    mg (31009b)

  536. January 27, 2017 – Use A Scalpel, Don’t Amputate Obamacare, U.S. Voters Tell Quinnipiac University National Poll; Voters Oppose Fund Cut For Planned Parenthood 7-1

    October 19, 2016 – Clinton Tops Trump By 7 Points, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Most Voters Say Media Is Biased Against Trump

    October 7, 2016 – Women, Non-Whites Give Clinton 5-Point Lead Over Trump, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Independent Voters In Big Shift To Clinton

    September 16, 2016 – American Voters Are Pro-Immigrant, Anti-Wall, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds, Voters Concerned About Immigrants’ Values

    papertiger (c8116c)

  537. We need a policy. Either we are comfortable with Assad gassing his own people or we are not. Either Saddam gets to take Kuwait or he doesn’t. Make up your mind, people, it’s one thing or other. It’s our business or it’s not.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  538. January 26, 2017 – Trump Starts In The Hole As U.S. Voters Disapprove, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Reagan, Obama Are Best Presidents In 70 Years

    November 28, 2016 – Obama Goes Out With Highest Marks In Four Years, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Most Say He’s ‘good’ Or ‘great’ President – Read Release

    November 23, 2016 – American Voters Support Abortion, Oppose The Wall, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Voters Differ With Trump On Guns, Taxes, Other Issues – Read Release

    Shameful tricksters and liars.

    Next son of a [edit] that quotes a Quinnipiac poll @ me is getting kicked in the [edit].

    papertiger (c8116c)

  539. clinton business
    is not what I voted for.

    mg (31009b)

  540. if the failmerican military had anything like a track record of positive results in the middle east that would be one thing

    but these tatted-up jokers just prance prance prance around to no real affect, when they’re not actively embarrassing themselves

    they just waste money money money then they cry like little girls to their brainwashed coward-daddy John McCain cause of they think their budget’s too small

    it’s just getting old

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  541. oopers i mean these tatted-up jokers just prance prance prance around to no real *effect*

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  542. Merkel’s legacy of rapefugee fun it’s the gift that keeps on giving

    A refugee from Ghana has been arrested for dragging a young woman from her tent and raping her while she was on a camping holiday with her boyfriend.

    The young couple were on a camping trip in the Siegaue Nature Reserve, north of the former German capital of Bonn, when they were approached by a machete-wielding man at about 12.30am on Sunday last week.

    The boyfriend was forced to watch as the attacker violated his 23-year-old lover.

    freedom filth Justin Amash sez nothing to see here folks

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  543. There’s already DAPL riot footage memes out there to shame the “gassed his own people” crowd.

    urbanleftbehind (e8b53d)

  544. That was the “their genius/our stupidity” aspect of the Syrian refugee crisis. Those babies were cute because Syrians are one of the “whiter” of the Arab people, and yet every hue from Bangladesh to Burundi is represented in those hordes.

    urbanleftbehind (e8b53d)

  545. Trump failed to stop the Syrians and appears to have commanded our military in a spastic fashion.

    Dustin, I hope you are not correct in this conclusion. It is discouraging to see evidence that the SAAAF is still conducting operations from that air field. Your comment about the inappropriateness of the choice of munition used by the USN is interesting thank you for sharing.

    On the other hand, that isn’t proof that Trump has been ‘spastic’ here. I don’t trust the man but through this (expensive) strike he has demonstrated what the US’s regional allies have requested for years: a firm demonstration of opposition to Assad’s regime. Most of them were dismayed at the previous administration’s seeming nonchalance re Iran’s deliberate undermining of local authority. Even some of Iran’s agents have expressed concerns about Tehran’s support for Assad (and some of them have apparently paid the price for said dissent).

    JP (f1742c)

  546. it wasn’t President Trump’s fault our vastly over-rated military failed to accomplish the objective

    that’s all on ladyboy mattis

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  547. Trump best tread lightly if indeed Mattis is to blame. Mattis might be the One Last Blue Dog Left. On the other hand, Lincoln (preemptive how dare you compare…) made quick work of McClellan in 1864.

    urbanleftbehind (e8b53d)

  548. meanwhile pervy Mitt Romney’s gratified to know we still have all that obscenely nasty obamacare all up in it

    and his baby boy piddle-pants paul? he’s on vacation for the balance of the month

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  549. The boyfriend was forced to watch as the attacker violated his 23-year-old lover.

    There’s so many things with that sentence, but I’ll start with “So it’s not like she was some kind of innocent young virgin, then?” and see if the conversation develops further.

    nk (dbc370)

  550. no means no

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  551. Roger Stone, that’s Trump’s buddy who planted the false Cruz infidelity story, used to place ads in the paper for that kind of threesome with him and his wife.

    nk (dbc370)

  552. An “Act of War” is part of a war, when Congress declares it, and when Congress doesn’t declare it, it’s not an “Act of War”, for legal purposes within the United States.

    This is so, even if for some legal purposes it may fit into a similar category. For other legal purposes, the United States is not considered to be at war at all.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  553. and his baby boy piddle-pants paul? he’s on vacation for the balance of the month

    Not one of your best, ‘feet. Sometimes less is more.

    JP (f1742c)

  554. A Government Business Council/ GovExec.com survey found that 14 percent of federal workers say they would definitely consider leaving their jobs if Donald Trump wins the Nov. 8 presidential election. Another 13 percent said they might consider leaving, while 9 percent said they did not know. That leaves just 65 percent of federal workers who say they would stay for a Trump administration.

    Written by someone who doesn’t understand the meaning of the word ‘definitely’.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  555. i abjure these false stories – it’s trickery!

    the threesome thing is more sort of his own business i guess

    that poor spice girl though what was forced to have a threesome with that bodacious stripper

    she deserves better than that and i’m glad to see she realizes that now

    that’s the first step on the road to healing

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  556. thank you Mr. JP it’s that kind of feedback what helps me improve

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  557. Honestly, I think the Fraulein should ditch the Hassenpfefferesser and marry the Schvartze.

    nk (dbc370)

  558. Hasenpfefferesser. One “s” in “hasenpfeffer”.

    nk (dbc370)

  559. James Bond would have [YouTube] – like a boss!

    papertiger (c8116c)

  560. Come on, NK that’s some horror movie moral code you got there. On the other hand, that chick is ripe to be found out via a pranking video like this wench: http://youtu.be/rj8iVyZrmTs

    urbanleftbehind (e8b53d)

  561. Additionally, fraulein, if she did as Heidi Klum did, would be doing what my one friend told all these single edumacated females who were on the side of illegal immigration activism- “if it matters so much to you, just marry one of these guys instead of all this”. Another friend,whose attorney sister passed on the meme of concern, was offended because he felt friend #1 comment was really saying his sister wasn’t attractive enough to get someone with papers (a variation of the Black guys get white girls we don’t want retort).

    urbanleftbehind (e8b53d)

  562. What? happyfeet is the only one with a license to shock, here?

    nk (dbc370)

  563. “Don’t expect one strike to one airfield one time to knock out a country’s air force,” McCain said in a CNN interview Friday.

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  564. People keep telling me that’s the best Bond movie of all of them but I still haven’t gotten around to watching it. Trouble is, I know how it ends.

    nk (dbc370)

  565. Well, it ends with an Eva Green boob flash.

    Knowing it’s coming doesn’t diminish the event.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  566. They caught the guy with a stolen rucksack. Dna match. Johnny effen Cockran, resurrected from a fire spit in heck couldn’t get this sorry sob off.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4395310/Boyfriend-forced-watch-refugee-rapes-girlfriend.html

    Being unsure of the type of punishment meted by Germans in the old country, hope involves a ball gag with a vaguely medieval motif, and the rape victim armed.
    Like this clip from Hostel 3 [due to the graphic nature of this youtube viewer discretion is advised]

    papertiger (c8116c)

  567. thank you Mr. JP it’s that kind of feedback what helps me improve

    You might want to also try crafting something remotely clever or original rather than recycling the same old tired cringeworthy assclown act that seems to occupy a rather sad quantity of your time.

    What? happyfeet is the only one with a license to shock, here?

    You find his idiotic poo-flinging shocking?

    Jack Klompus (f027eb)

  568. you so poopy i can’t even handle you right now

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  569. Yes Stone is a slithy tove film at eleven, apparently stranahan put him in contact with guccifer 2, who may or may not be cassandra fairbanks

    narciso (724f7b)

  570. Jack Klompus @ 604. Mostly I don’t, Jack. He teases us and sometimes I tease him back. The other thing is, when he disagrees with somebody on the substance of the topic, he doesn’t respond with ad hominem. Not ever. Unlike some other hacks who use disagreement as an excuse to regale us with their sexual fantasies.

    nk (dbc370)

  571. Meghan’s cowardly disgrace-to-the-uniform p.o.s. ex-military torture-victim daddy is blaming President Trump for the gas attack in Syria

    #theydidsomethingtohisbrain

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  572. I’m inclined to blame Father Time more than Vietnam. His last election opponent mentioned it, and she’s a doctor? She’d know.

    “How did he die?”
    “Your contact? Not well.”
    — Casino Royale, 2006

    (Thanks, papertiger.)

    nk (dbc370)

  573. Pilot who dropped sarin bomb which killed 87 Syrians is a General who carried out ANOTHER gas attack last month

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4397074/Assad-General-revealed-pilot-dropped-sarin-bomb.html#ixzz4drVDe88f

    The Times also claims that General Hasouri was behind another gas attack in the village of Latamineh, 15 miles from Khan Sheikhoun, on March 30. Around 70 people were sickened in that attack, with doctors describing victims as suffering spasms and foaming at the mouth. Fortunately nobody was killed.

    Test run? Checking for the right windage and elevation, perhaps?
    The Latamineh incident wasn’t reported I think until today.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  574. He’s thought he should be President since 1999. But Arizona is a nice place in a lot of other ways (even if they do keep reelecting him). Some of my best friends live there.

    nk (dbc370)

  575. I’m just trying to figure out this game of telephone, with coconuts and string.

    narciso (745873)

  576. Found the story without the pay wall.

    the progression of Sarin poisoning is illustrated exactly by Dr. Leslie Nelson describing the reaction to eating the bad fish in Airplane! That’s where the Zucker brothers got the gag.

    Spasms indicate not another chlorine gas event (tear gas).

    papertiger (c8116c)

  577. i love arizona very very much

    they deserve so much better than this odious weirdo

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  578. On the other hand, that isn’t proof that Trump has been ‘spastic’ here. I don’t trust the man but through this (expensive) strike he has demonstrated what the US’s regional allies have requested for years: a firm demonstration of opposition to Assad’s regime.

    JP, Granted, it’s good Trump opposes Assad in more than just speech about red lines. I’ll give him that, but he should make a goal of some kind, plan for how to reach it, and execute in a coherent way. I see no evidence of any of that. It’s just one day he takes action with the absolute minimum risk to himself politically, by informing Russia and using a standoff weapon that he had to have been told was not effective. He did exactly what Hillary said to do on CNN, as though he got the idea from TV.

    He needs to learn from this that he’s going to have to be willing to upset Russia and take more risks if he’s really serious.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  579. I defer to people smarter than me, but I see the prospects of a successful Syrian operation unlikely take the late? General hasouri as an example is he a monster like the operative from serenity he doesn’t think so he is just pteventinganother SalAfi takeover as he saw in Egypt not that far away, the catspaw of Qatar and the kingdom.

    narciso (745873)

  580. Likewise name the local nusra front chieftain that recalls hama or east ghouta or any of a hundred such incidents

    narciso (745873)

  581. papertiger

    Down in the bottom of that Daily Mail article is this:

    There were reports on Monday that General Hasouri had been killed in a carbomb attack, though these could not be verified.

    If so, Mossad or CIA? Or pissed off Russians?

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  582. Papertiger, all the polls show Obama gaining popularity in comparison to Trump and Trump losing even more of the nation’s faith. It’s no trick. You’re better served to look into why this is instead of going the ‘fake news’ route.

    Trump won an upset against a very unpopular opponent who had millions more votes and from that hole has been digging rather than climbing. Don’t shoot the messenger.

    Dustin (7cd9c6)

  583. If Trump fails all the Presidents in your lifetime will be Democrats. What’s worse? That or supporting a guy you would not have chosen who is doing better than any Democrat would?

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  584. And no, that’s not “rah rah party”, that’s accepting the possible over fantasy.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  585. When some faceless entity tells me President Hillary won/is winning by 7 points, that’s a solid data point by which to gauge their other assertions.

    What a shocka all the other slop they serve up that I have knowledge about is contrary to reality.

    People don’t give a flying fart about the climate. Try talking about it on a bus. Or hand out save the planet flyers outside the Walmart for an hour. You’ll see.

    What Quinnipeac does should be prosecutable as fraud.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  586. President Trump’s on his way to great success

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  587. Never mind that. I’m watching “Casino Royale” and it’s the most unrealistic caricature of a movie I’ve seen. Ok, maybe you can blow up a propane tank with a pistol shot, but there’s no way you just find an empty parking spot in Podgorica.

    nk (dbc370)

  588. that’s the one where the vesper came from

    i think you really need to seek out this “Cocchi Americano” for to make an attempt at it

    i tried with Lillet and the results were underwhelming

    the result was so neutral as to not have any meaningful flavor to it at all, and for a stout drink, it really didn’t register as such for me and my guests

    there’s an Esquire version at the link too – that one adds “quinine powder” – no idea, but i imagine you can amazon it

    plus also it adds a couple dashes of bitters, but i’d be loathe to stray that far from the original, unless that’s the only way to get a bit of flavor happening

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  589. lovely

    Quinine powder can be used to cut into heroin because it’s bitter tastes stops the buyer from being able to judge the quality of the heroin they’re purchasing, but it also increases the “rush” when it’s injected with the heroin.

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  590. sweet mother of wtf

    A few weeks ago, Avery and Janet Glasser drank some homemade tonic syrup in a Gin and Tonic at a bar and came down with the symptons of cinchonism, a condition caused by a buildup of quinine.

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  591. Apricot kernels pose risk of cyanide poisoning

    holy crap this whirl is not safe

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  592. Quinine is what gives tonic water its flavor, too. But all that’s in my past. Chocolate cake — whether double chocolate torte, triple layer mousse, or truffle — is my siren now.

    nk (dbc370)

  593. JP (f1742c) — 4/10/2017 @ 5:57 am

    It is discouraging to see evidence that the SAAAF is still conducting operations from that air field.

    It’s simple. In 2013, President Obama made a threat, and, in 2017, President Trump carried out what President Obama had threatened to do:

    http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/09/john-kerry-promises-unbelievably-small-u-s-strike-against-syria/

    Senator Mitch McConnell said this was not a pinprick.

    But that’s also what Obama said back then:

    http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:7_gwNyLnux8J:https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/09/10/remarks-president-address-nation-syria%2Bobama+pinprick+speech&hl=en&gbv=2&ct=clnk

    I will not pursue an open-ended action like Iraq or Afghanistan. I will not pursue a prolonged air campaign like Libya or Kosovo. This would be a targeted strike to achieve a clear objective: deterring the use of chemical weapons, and degrading Assad’s capabilities.

    Others have asked whether it’s worth acting if we don’t take out Assad. As some members of Congress have said, there’s no point in simply doing a “pinprick” strike in Syria.

    Let me make something clear: The United States military doesn’t do pinpricks. Even a limited strike will send a message to Assad that no other nation can deliver. I don’t think we should remove another dictator with force — we learned from Iraq that doing so makes us responsible for all that comes next. But a targeted strike can make Assad, or any other dictator, think twice before using chemical weapons…

    As for why President Trump carried out something that was very close to what Obama contemplated doing: The possible responses, or ideas for responses, were all taken off the shelf, and Trump didn’t realize that the possible options were limited, or affected (maybe there was an option for all out war) by Obama ‘s political evaluations.

    Trump actually avoided targeting the chemical weapons themselves, which makes sense.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  594. Well they say it,was filmed in the original it was the cote De azur

    So is Mattis is a tool of Raytheon, dustin?

    narciso (745873)

  595. If a general had to drop the sarin, Assad doesn’t have too many loyalists who will keep secrets.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  596. Chocolate cake and 1/2 gallon of whole milk, please. My Aunt Mary made the best I’ve tasted.

    mg (31009b)

  597. If Trump fails all the Presidents in your lifetime will be Democrats. What’s worse? That or supporting a guy you would not have chosen who is doing better than any Democrat would?

    Kevin M

    Kevin, do you really think Trump’s failure has anything to do with commenters on blogs? This is entertainment, not activism. I’ll keep being honest about Republicans and democrats who I disagree with. This constant need to pressure people into partisanship, something both sides seem to do, is really just a license for ‘our side’ to have low standards.

    I also do not believe you when you say Trump’s failure means, ooga booga, democrats for the rest of my life. But if you’re right, it will largely be because Trump believes he could shoot a man in the street and retain his support. He is clearly wrong as his support is sinking steadily and surprisingly quickly, but his impression that his partisans are loyal does nothing for him or the party.

    At any rate, I’m not on your team. The GOP failing would be a very very good thing because it stands in the way of conservative and libertarian reform. It’s not like a failed GOP would mean 100% democrat support. It would mean something better than the GOP would emerge. If the GOP is defined by a Hillary fan listening to Kushner while bombing aspirin factories over his polls, then I hope you’re right that Trump’s failure signals the GOP’s failure.

    At any rate, no, I still decline to be a partisan.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  598. What Quinnipeac does should be prosecutable as fraud.

    papertiger (

    Trump won an upset, but he didn’t actually win most of the votes. Polls showing millions more voters supported Hillary were accurate. Trump’s fans take Trump’s victory as proof of a grand conspiracy of lying, and validation that everyone agrees with them, but supporting Trump in the 2016 was the minority position. Trump is only president because his opponents respect the rule of law… we don’t like him or support him as a country. Insisting those who speak otherwise should be prosecuted sounds like something Assad would say.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  599. “If Trump fails all the Presidents in your lifetime will be Democrats. What’s worse? That or supporting a guy you would not have chosen who is doing better than any Democrat would?”

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/10/2017 @ 11:14 am

    I think we already know the answer to that, Kevin. They’ll go down while sh*tting their beds with the imaginary aroma of roses in their beaks. Pragmatism is a concept that never caught on with this crowd.

    Colonel Haiku (354a38)

  600. i’m a big fan of flourless

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  601. Well they say it,was filmed in the original it was the cote De azur

    So is Mattis is a tool of Raytheon, dustin?

    narciso

    what are you talking about?

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  602. It’s all Pogo, all the time.

    Colonel Haiku (354a38)

  603. Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/9/2017 @ 8:52 pm

    The most worrisome aspect of this is that RUSSIA isn’t interested in protecting the treaty. THis may be an indication that they kept theirs, which would be double-plus ungood.

    Russia may not merely be not interested in protecting the treaty but could have an interest in the treaty BREAKING DOWN.

    If they hept any of their own supply, it’s not enough to have it; they’ve also got to be able to use it with impunity.

    And Syria could provide a nice way to test out that idea.

    Russia may have helped Syria conceal some of the sarin, or given the poison back, or transferred to Syria some of their own stockpile.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  604. And no, that’s not “rah rah party”, that’s accepting the possible over fantasy.

    Kevin M

    ‘Any democrat is worse than any republican’ is rah rah party. If he fails, it’s the other party dominating forever is rah rah party. It’s also being a boot licking quisling like haiku. If partisan loyalty makes you feel like you’re doing something, I am very sorry. Go out into the world and actually make a difference, because bitching about commenters being insufficiently partisan is both pointless and an attempt to dumb the world down.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  605. and the red velvet cake at sugar factory we really just absolutely fine

    all our stuff we got there was done very well we thought

    the red velvet martini comes with a frosted rim and i really wanted to not like it as much as i did

    i got shrimp crepes for a snack too and those were lovely – i think if you want a savory crepe then for sure that’s the way to go

    we got a couple other of the crepe dishes and the shrimp one was a standout

    all in all our visit to sugar factory was very tasty and pleasant, and i probably will never go back my whole life

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  606. oops

    and the red velvet cake at sugar factory we really *thought was* just absolutely fine

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  607. It hasn’t mattered and won’t matter in the future how many respected conservatives share how they feel about Trump and why they believe he should be supported and given a chance… what’s at stake both in the short term and long run, they think they know better. To call them narcissists doesn’t quite do it justice. They are Grade “A” assh*les who do much damage to America and Americans.

    Colonel Haiku (354a38)

  608. It’s all Pogo, all the time.

    Colonel Haiku

    Does pogo mean “obsess over Dustin passive aggressively”? Because if so, yes, you are pogo.

    say, Haiku, what’s your name? Recall when you started referencing where I live and my last name because I expressed a political opinion you didn’t like? Recall when you sockpuppeted to express a racist opinion of my family, and Stashiu called you out for lying about it? You’re a demented nutjob and you’re obviously very invested in somehow regaining your credibility after I pointed this out, so if you’re proud of yourself, what is your real name? You know mine, so it’s only fair.

    If you want to reference me 20 times a day, I guess you didn’t want to drop it, so let’s talk about this again.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  609. won’t matter in the future how many respected conservatives share how they feel about Trump

    This is an opportunity to wallpaper the blog with quotes from all the actual conservatives, none of whom respect Trump even if they have to play nice with him in order to be Senators or governors. We know how they actually feel about him, and we know when they simply are diplomatic about their feelings, so indeed it’s true Haiku doesn’t think the views of respected conservatives matter.

    haiku, what is your real name? Can you take responsibility for your racism on this blog, or for being such a troll? Would you like it if people you worked with and were neighbors with were aware of what kind of nasty soul they were around? If you want to talk about me over and over and over, I guess you’re asking me to talk about you some more instead of ignoring you.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  610. I reject the category ‘Trump’s failure’ because it’s not in evidence.

    As for comments changing the course of events, seen it in real time, but it usually only affects the duplicitous.
    For instance. Early this morning Politico sought to impugn Trump voters as Russian lackeys by conjuring a “shadowy Jewish connection” between the WH and Putin.
    The graphic they used was predictably offensive to everyone, except for the Jew hating bigots of Politico. But Politico can read so adjustments were made, not in their attitude, just in the presentation.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  611. I’ll give him that, but he should make a goal of some kind, plan for how to reach it, and execute in a coherent way. I see no evidence of any of that.

    Coherence was a something of a rara avis during his election campaign, consistency an also-ran. One might worry he is running an Obama stratagem (Mark 2), i.e. “anything the last dummy did [or did not do], foreign policy-wise, I need to avoid like the plague.”

    On a related note, it’s easy to see this as an indirect rebuke at Russian policy towards Damascus, and the bed of roses it enjoyed during the previous administration, more than a serious jab at what’s left of the Syrian air force.

    JP (f1742c)

  612. i’m bored with syria

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  613. I reject the category ‘Trump’s failure’ because it’s not in evidence.

    As for comments changing the course of events, seen it in real time, but it usually only affects the duplicitous.
    For instance. Early this morning Politico sought to impugn Trump voters as Russian lackeys by conjuring a “shadowy Jewish connection” between the WH and Putin.
    The graphic they used was predictably offensive to everyone, except for the Jew hating bigots of Politico. But Politico can read so adjustments were made, not in their attitude, just in the presentation.

    papertiger

    LOL Politico is a total joke.

    Just remember why they are a joke. It’s because they are die hard partisans, shilling for their guy, instead of just being straight about things.

    On these matters, Syria, North Korea, Iran, I very very much want Trump to be successful. I think there’s hope he will be a breath of fresh air. I am sure North Korea’s tyrants are not sleeping as well as they were last year, and I’m delighted. But Trump needs to learn from what went well with this recent airstrike, and what can be improved.

    also, he really is losing the faith of the people steadily, and I think his general attitude is the reason. I’m sick of my president being on vacation the whole time. I’m working hard, I’m paying my own bills, and I get to watch Obama or Trump take multimillion dollar vacations seemingly every week instead of doing the job they promised they would do… Trump would be living like a king just to stay in the White House, with his family in the White House, focused on his job, divested completely, with his family out of the decision making process.

    We can already see with Bannon’s demotion that Trump is not unwilling to adapt and make adjustments so I hope he does this because there is a lot at stake. I have no hope for domestic conservative reforms, but at the very least Trump could do some good on the world stage.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  614. 650… I saw that, papertiger. It’s how they (politico) and the other useful idiots roll.

    Colonel Haiku (354a38)

  615. On a related note, it’s easy to see this as an indirect rebuke at Russian policy towards Damascus,

    I would like to see that, but of course Trump contacted Russia in advance, and I think this explains the weird way he made this airstrike very loud but also not very effective. I think they demanded the airfield not be destroyed. It just doesn’t make sense to me that Trump wanted to shut down the airbase that launched chemical weapons, and it’s in active use a few hours after the strike.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  616. Not just Russia. As the missiles were flying Trump was playing host to Chairman Ping.

    Imagine that conversation. It must have been for Ping like he was playing poker with Mel Gibson, fresh from outdrawing the Waco Kid, beating up a posse out in the street, and buffaloing the Indian into an apology for calling him a cheat.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  617. AP Breaking News: U.S. official says Russians knew of Syrian gas attack in advance.

    Ball’s in your court, Rex.

    “Why don’t you pass the time by playing a little solitaire?” – Elanor Iselin [Angela Lansbury] ‘The Manchurian Candidate’ 1962

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  618. “Let’s talk about North Korea for a minute, Mr. Ping.”

    papertiger (c8116c)

  619. Not just Russia. As the missiles were flying Trump was playing host to Chairman Ping.

    Imagine that conversation. It must have been for Ping like he was playing poker with Mel Gibson, fresh from outdrawing the Waco Kid, beating up a posse out in the street, and buffaloing the Indian into an apology for calling him a cheat.

    papertiger

    LOL that was probably pretty effective.

    We saw with Libya that there are worse things than a tyrant, and we need to have a plan beyond being tough. Even Obama was able to be tough enough to get rid of a bad guy. Trump could have Assad’s head on a platter within a week if he wanted it.

    And on the other side of the spectrum, I was a very ardent supporter of winning hearts and minds in Iraq, and I think the process of making that society democratic was actually working and could have been the next South Korea or Germany, but I failed to consider what happened when the other side’s party took office. Partisanship is at level now where the democrats were thrilled to ruin something that made the republicans right. It’s taught me how it is fundamentally unpatriotic to be a partisan. Trump can not build a nation, because he’s hated and everyone who follows him will want to tear down anything he stood for. Whether that’s fair or not, that’s true.

    So his foreign policy is in an awkward place, at least on the long term. I will say I think it’s time to do something with North Korea and Iran. Obama taught the world that Qaddafi stopping a nuclear weapon’s program is a way to get killed, so we need to at minimum change the lesson that Kim building nukes is what protected him.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  620. U.S. official says Russians knew of Syrian gas attack

    Sounds like the Cathedral trying to fumble the football, restating the bloody obvious, and pretending it’s like a leak.

    Russians and Syrians coordinated their cover story last week.
    We all knew that.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  621. I think we already know the answer to that, Kevin.

    I live in California. Schwarzenegger was the last GOP governor I expect to see. He failed because 1) The Dems stonewalled him and 2) the GOP didn’t support him. mg can tell you why. Of course, mg’s kind of governor couldn’t carry a single county, but that’s not important to him.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  622. because bitching about commenters being insufficiently partisan

    No, I’m bitching about commenters being insufficiently realistic and spending their days ranting about things they can’t change. It’s tiring to listen to people still fighting last year’s primaries.

    Trump won, get over it and stop trying to piss all over everything. It’s not all bad.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  623. For what it’s worth, Zerohedge quotes South Korean media as saying that Chinese troops are massing on the North Korea border.

    I’m not a big fan of ZH, but if true this is clearly an indication that US policy regarding the Norks is having an effect.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  624. Dustin (ba94b2) — 4/10/2017 @ 1:10 pm

    It just doesn’t make sense to me that Trump wanted to shut down the airbase that launched chemical weapons, and it’s in active use a few hours after the strike.

    Tru,p did not want to shut down the airbase. That might have made a little sense. But this was Obama’s military and their suggested plan did not call for that.

    Everything is all carefully calibrated. Trump sent a message, that’s all.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  625. Trump won, get over it and stop trying to piss all over everything. It’s not all bad.

    Here’s the thing: The same thing happened over the previous 8 years with Republicans vs Obama. Ultimately it paid off for them, so it’s clearly a winning strategy.

    Davethulhu (fab944)

  626. @652- Call the Pentagon: there’s a Syrian Mosque in Pittsburgh.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  627. I live in a state in which clinton won every county and the republican govna hates trump, cruz or anything conservative. I like the govna of Maine.

    mg (31009b)

  628. the one on the left is amazing

    it’s super expensive usually but they ran a really aggressive sale on it at mariano’s a little while ago so instead of the usual $9 it was like $3.50

    it’s definitely worth it at $9 if you want it for like a dessert at home when you have a guest

    but for sure it’s definitely a sometimes food

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  629. mg–

    Trump won in 25 counties. None of them coastal.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  630. Here’s the thing: The same thing happened over the previous 8 years with Republicans vs Obama. Ultimately it paid off for them, so it’s clearly a winning strategy.

    Not for any Democrats who were doing it.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  631. Nevada, Maryland, or NJ? though I’m surprised Trump won not a single county of either. You sure?

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  632. I love Cantafordya.

    mg (31009b)

  633. No, I’m bitching about commenters being insufficiently realistic and spending their days ranting about things they can’t change. It’s tiring to listen to people still fighting last year’s primaries.

    Trump won, get over it and stop trying to piss all over everything. It’s not all bad.

    Kevin M

    No one is forcing you to be here. This is a blog where we can criticize the government and its politicians. It’s true that this doesn’t change anything, so I do not understand why it upsets you die hard partisans so much.

    You sound like Obama in 2009.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  634. Russians and Syrians coordinated their cover story last week.
    We all knew that.

    papertiger

    So what do you think we should do about it? If Russia is essentially the entity supporting chem warfare, and the alt-right has decided we must not abide this, what should we do about it?

    I’m not asking to be obnoxious. I think it’s a very difficult question, particularly because Russia has immersed itself in our democratic process (and yeah, they did).

    Step one is for Trump to divest himself from his businesses and accept that his life has changed. He needs to get away from the family real estate business and Mars al Lago and realize he’s now the President, and nothing but the president. I say this because I find his response to this to be spastic and confused, strong in one sense and totally ineffective in another. He wants to act but is afraid of making a dent, hence those bombers taking off from the airbase he bombed with 100 million dollars of ordinance.

    When I suggest bringing the issue to congress, it’s because that frustrating debate actually raises the bar. To partisans, this isn’t the case. It’s just something to lose or win, but to patriots, there’s a good reason to debate this in an open forum, and no tactical disadvantage because there was no clear and present danger.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  635. “Not just Russia. As the missiles were flying Trump was playing host to Chairman Ping. Imagine that conversation.”

    A real He said – Xi said scenario…

    Colonel Haiku (b97a97)

  636. “ROGER L. SIMON: “Just got off NewsmaxTV with Kurt Schlichter and Kurt and I agreed on one thing: if Trump has a strategy going forward on Syria, he shouldn’t tell anyone, even though the media is constantly demanding it. Trump’s policy of not revealing his plans is a good thing. Surprise wins.”

    https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/262159/

    Colonel Haiku (b97a97)

  637. President Obama to Republicans: I won. Deal with it.
    By Chris Cillizza October 17, 2013

    And what happened? the alt-right became so frustrated that they elected Trump, for better or worse.

    The GOP learned the wrong lesson if they are going to emulate this “shut up” strategy of voter outreach.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  638. Not for any Democrats who were doing it.

    Kevin M (25bbee) — 4/10/2017 @ 2:28 pm

    I think you could make an argument that it worked for the Democrats following the Bush administration.

    Davethulhu (fab944)

  639. Today, Donald Trump added barrel bombs (when dropped on innocent people) to the list of things that would cross a red line. Barack Obama never said a word about responding to barrel bombs.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  640. Of curse most of the places where wanted to use them, have been done. Theers not too much rebel territory to re-take. Well, there isis some. The town that was bombed is pretty much abandoned now.

    Sammy Finkelman (1df645)

  641. @675. Oh, the irony; Ping, ponged.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  642. I think barrel bombs are barbaric but is this really a red line? Obama made a mistake drawing a red line he wouldn’t actually enforce.

    Using a barrel bomb on an ISIS compound wouldn’t bother me that much. It’s not really that different from drone striking a wedding.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  643. oh for the love of strawberry kittens what’s with all these dorky red lines

    red lines are dumb and i abjure this

    c’mon kids let’s go create some jobs whadaya say

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  644. happyfeet,

    Trump is actively creating jobs.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  645. that’s fake news!

    President Trump did NOT choose which stuff to sprinkle that was Lady Mattis – who likes to sprinkle things just so – and also she has super expensive tastes in sprinkles whereas President Trump just wants to get the job done.

    Good lord why are we still even talking about Syria?

    Oh yeah it’s cause Mitt Romney’s slicked-up boytoy Paul Ryan is scampering around wisconsin in a thong for the rest of the month singing look at me i’m the easter bunny bet you can’t catch me

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  646. “the alt-right became so frustrated that they elected Trump, for better or worse.”

    89% of self-described Republicans who voted in November did so for Trump.

    Colonel Haiku (b97a97)

  647. So that does not appear to be reality-based.

    Colonel Haiku (b97a97)

  648. What is this alt-right?
    How does it differ from the deep state?
    Do the neo-neo-cons dislike chemical weapons?

    steveg (6fba59)

  649. lol

    Former ExxonMobil CEO turned Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has spoken on his support of the Paris agreement in the past.

    Rex Tillerson’s turning out to be an embarrassing wad of gay

    i think he’s just too goddamn old for this job

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  650. you missed conoco ceo and backstreet Boi Ryan lances station.

    narciso (d1f714)

  651. who tf names a kid Ryan Lance if they ever want to have grandkids

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  652. that’s fake news!

    President Trump did NOT choose which stuff to sprinkle that was Lady Mattis

    Trump is the president. He is accountable for his administration, same way you blamed Obama when Lois Lerner did something wrong. If Mattis and Tillerson really are screwing up as you seem to think they are, that’s Trump’s fault. It’s a heavy responsibility to be president, which is why we need to be careful to give the job to responsible people who hold themselves accountable.

    So that does not appear to be reality-based.

    Colonel Haiku

    Another random vague rambling. But then you denied the alt-right even existed. You’re a consistently dishonest hack.

    Since you continue to obsess with me, I’m not going to ignore you. You were called out by the mods for your racial slurs against my family, and after apologizing repeatedly, you disavowed them because I criticized Trump. You’re a cretin. What’s your real name, Haiku? Stand by your word, or admit you’re ashamed of your dishonorable conduct like a coward. Sunshine or darkness. Your choice.

    Haiku, I know of no other commenter here that the mods here have called a liar as often as you, for example when you denied the racist sockpuppet comments you wrote. You have zero credibility. None of Trump’s fans should want to defend a bigot. If anyone needs me to prove anything I’ve said, I’d be happy to, but I think I’ve covered it at length many times and there’s no real need. We all know what Haiku is.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  653. Some years ago, it was suggested that if Gore had been president on 9-11, the dems would have let him fight the war. The most bloodthirsty, hawkish dem would vote against a strike, even if we’re struck, if the POTUS is a republican.

    Richard Aubrey (a09608)

  654. yes yes President Trump is accountable

    not that criminal diseased stinkypig

    i love that so much

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  655. hold up there Mr. Colonel has many credibility

    i know this and so does all the other ones

    why is this even a question

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  656. David spade isn’t serious, but Mattis has fiersome reputation, the warrior monk of Fallujah and Kandahar, a fitting rival to zhervalov his Russian analog.

    narciso (191564)

  657. yeah yeah whatever

    NOBODY gives this much of a poop about syria not even those poor bastard effing “syrians”

    this is just getting weird and obsessive

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  658. C’mon, Dustin… what you stated there does not appear to be true. That’s all I said. I have no interest in your name or occupation, you have me confused with someone you contend did that. It wasn’t me. It. Was. Not. Me.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  659. Find the info where I identified you, Dustin. I think Our host told you I did not do that.

    The “alt-right” did not elect Trump.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  660. Now Hezbollah the Lebanese auxiliaries are the ones who if not introduced suicide bombers, Tamil tigers did it first, popularized it.

    narciso (191564)

  661. When you state something that is not true, it is subject to being pointed out as not true.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  662. Which ultimately is the paradox with volodya, Russia going back to Catherine’s time perhaps farther back has been in conflict with persia.

    narciso (191564)

  663. As to the war, three years ago it may have been confined to the Levant, but the battlefront is paris, Westminster, stockholm Oslo Leipzig what have you.

    narciso (191564)

  664. These two bombs that ISIS used to attack the Coptic Christian church in Egypt yesterday. Just when you think they can’t be any more despicable than they’ve proved themselves to be… wait… they’ve committed so many atrocities that the mind reels at the horror. If there’s anything that can unite much of the world, it ought to be ridding the earth of this human pestilence.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  665. Hezbollah were trained by the sepah which in turned arose out of Iranian revolutiaries trained in Lebanon by the
    Plo who were sponsored in part by the Soviets with arafat being gru’s man and Abu madsen, that kindly old vEnt being the kgb’s

    narciso (191564)

  666. Now it’s reported that Obamas own State Dept. Issued a report in April 2016 that Syria was not complying with the agreement to rid themselves of CW, that the State Dept. could not certify compliance.

    So the statements that Obama and Rice made in Dec-’16 and Jan-’17 respectively were willfully and knowingly false.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  667. hold up there Mr. Colonel has many credibility

    i know this and so does all the other ones

    why is this even a question

    happyfeet

    My friend, you flip flop on folks depending on what side they are on very quickly.

    Find the info where I identified you, Dustin. I think Our host told you I did not do that.

    The “alt-right” did not elect Trump.

    Colonel Haiku

    Weasel words noted, but Patterico said he didn’t understand why you need to talk about where I’m from, and Stashiu noted you were lying about sockpuppeting the racial attack on my family.

    In short, you’re a liar and I don’t have to take your word for it.

    When you state something that is not true, it is subject to being pointed out as not true.

    Colonel Haiku

    Which is what you do.

    The “alt-right” did not elect Trump.

    Colonel Haiku

    Neither did a majority of voters. No single group of people did. You claimed the alt-right didn’t even exist, remember?

    The Alt-right was a factor that decided the election. So where many other groups, and from my point of view, a huge opportunity in the 2016 primary was ruined and this is an interesting point of discussion. But not with you, who will not be honest in any discussion with me. You’ve been obsessed with me for years and as you decided to get back into it, I’m going to make sure everyone is reminded of what you are.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  668. Yes coronello that s the scylla, which arises from the Moslem brotherhood Egyptian branch, we in the West have taken rattler in the heart of the cities,
    Milan seems to have been a popular North AfricAn holdout, as is paris.

    narciso (191564)

  669. i’m very fast

    quick like a goddamn bunny!

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  670. C’mon, Dustin… what you stated there does not appear to be true. That’s all I said. I have no interest in your name or occupation, you have me confused with someone you contend did that. It wasn’t me. It. Was. Not. Me.

    Colonel Haiku

    I certainly can’t prove it, and you’re a weasel who is very good at escaping accountability.

    Remember when you repeatedly denied having authored the racist remarks about my family? You had the exact same tone then too. I apologized for saying it was you… then the mods said you were lying, and then you apologized, and then you took back the apology. Why would I believe anything you say? I interpret your passive aggressive conduct through my experience with you as a dishonest racist.

    Anyway, simple question: what’s your name? You like getting personal with me, why not play on a level field?

    It’s already been revealed that Haiku was the one who made that comment. Then lied about it.

    Stashiu3 (1764bd) — 3/22/2012 @ 10:45 pm

    Maybe if you don’t like being called a liar you shouldn’t be a liar.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  671. Unlikely, that faction was already committed, besides there are many rooms in the artifice of the alt right

    narciso (191564)

  672. btw i got a friend whose daughter’s up for an internship with Bill O’Reilly

    let’s send out the white light people

    we gotta prayer chain this

    this is her ticket out

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  673. How many times are you going to fall back on that, Dustin? You won’t accept an apology. You seem to be inordinately thin-skinned. What you stated about the alt-right electing Trump appears to be untrue. Big deal. Move on.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  674. Now matter how often it happens, this seems to be the reaction

    https://mobile.twitter.com/undefined/stat
    us/851274546355126272

    narciso (191564)

  675. If you can’t prove it, there it is. It wasn’t me and it shouldn’t have been done by anyone. Whoever did that did you wrong. But it wasn’t me.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  676. And you will continue to lose your sh*t and life goes on.

    Again, the alt-right did NOT elect Trump. They may have been among those who voted for him, and much has been made of that support, but they were not responsible for his election.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  677. Then again volodya has faced nothing but men who will cower in western Europe for Nearly nine years now
    http://finance.yahoo.com/news/russia-walks-back-threats-retaliation-125400006.html

    Obama cut back the missile interceptors even after the second Katyn decapitation.

    narciso (191564)

  678. Finished Casino Royale, 2006. The book was gayer.

    nk (dbc370)

  679. It is said Fleming supposed bond looked more like hoagie Carmichael, a rather more British chAracter then even craig could manage.

    narciso (191564)

  680. spies are just effing gay what can i tell you

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  681. 708… so, narciso… the bombers are a splinter off the MB? The folks Obama favored when he helped grease the skids to remove Mubarak?

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  682. Not much media interest in Christians being murdered, is there…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  683. Yes coronello, that is essentially right, but this strain of Islam is deep in Egyptian society, so the fellow who blew up that Russian net was a fmr policemen, others are ex military. Even al sis I could only purgeva few.

    narciso (191564)

  684. At least American media has little interest.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  685. Of course, the terrorists killing Muslims is just an every day occurrence, so there’s not much interest in them either. That the way our world has gotten.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  686. I like Len Deighton’s anomymous spies, two of them in different periods, five books each; and Gavin Lyall’s Major Maxim, with a special shout out to the last in the series, “Uncle Target”.

    nk (dbc370)

  687. Yes ‘harry palmer’ was an interesting one, Couldn’t get into the Samson series,

    narciso (191564)

  688. Who knew something so delicious could be so deadly!?!?!?

    http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/04/04/denver-man-dies-while-attempting-doughnut-eating-challenge.html

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  689. How many times are you going to fall back on that, Dustin? You won’t accept an apology. You seem to be inordinately thin-skinned. What you stated about the alt-right electing Trump appears to be untrue. Big deal. Move on.

    Colonel Haiku

    This has nothing to do with the alt-right claim. That’s not what we’re talking about. You’re just deflecting.

    I’ve put up with a lot of nonsense from you, including racist attacks on my family, generously accepted apology after apology (proven insincere when you rebuke your own apology), and after a while I just am not going to entertain the idea you’re a respectable person. I would be lying if I claimed to accept yet another apology because it’s just a matter of time before you abandon it again.

    But the reason you’re whining that I don’t accept your apology is that you recognize your behavior sucks. That you continue to bash someone you are also whining won’t accept your apology speaks to your character and sincerity.

    If you can’t prove it, there it is.
    Colonel Haiku

    See, when you deny stuff you actually did, your future denials do not carry a lot of weight with me. I make the point reasonably, and in good faith, and therefore I’m honest that I can’t prove it… similarly to how I apologized for accusing you of the sockpuppet stuff before you went around mocking me for making that accusation… provoking the mods to point out you had lied.

    And you will continue to lose your sh*t and life goes on.

    Projection. You’re the one who wanted to bash me, and I’m just calmly pointing out that you’re a cretin. The amount of freakout it takes to act like you is a thousand times greater than my taking a couple of clicks and posting proof you are a liar. If you would like to continue this exchange, please continue this exchange. It’s up to you.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  690. Matthew Dunn who actually worked for mi6, is pretty good so is Charles Cummings occasionaly.

    narciso (191564)

  691. It must be a combination of things that are having an affect. Whatever… it seems to be working…

    http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/04/04/denver-man-dies-while-attempting-doughnut-eating-challenge.html

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  692. The coed from NJ (Sacred Heart U in CT) that died from choking on pancakes was truly a waste. Google Caitlin Nelson –
    Dayum!

    urbanleftbehind (0d5c8b)

  693. That’s terrible stuff, ulh. Very sad.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  694. @545 happyfeet

    The Nashville City Winery is next to the homeless mission. It’s like putting a sex rehab next to a drive in XXX theater.

    Pinandpuller (b48983)

  695. Also avoid Trinity Rd off 65 in the Music City…grimiest McDonalds/refueling experience ever, johns and working girls fighting over money owed, vagrants leering at your females, bad vibes all around. But we ate outside on the hood of our car and made it back (a fear of flying jaunt from Miami to Chicago over Easter weekend 2010).

    urbanleftbehind (0d5c8b)

  696. Lauren duca the snowflake political correspondent at Cosmo has another hot take, fresh off the griddle.

    narciso (51e25e)

  697. I actually work on a floor wedged between United departments in the Willis Tower (United HQ), me and my office mates are gonna toss an unfortunate UA employee if we are the clear majority of an elevator car.

    urbanleftbehind (0d5c8b)

  698. Heh. For maximum effect toss the UA employee to make room for one of your office mates.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  699. @737 urbanleftbehind

    When I was working another job I went to that McDonald’s all the time. I saw lots of undercover cops detaining people etc. One of the hotels on Trinity lane on the West side of 65 got shut down by a judge last year. The Taco Bell kitty corner from there is pretty sweet in case you come back.

    Several years ago I went to a Wal Mart at Harding and Nolensville Pikes, purported to be the busiest intersection in Nashville. I saw these guys with 17 county WY plates which happens to be Campbell County. My family has a lot of those low number CC plates because of my grandpa (Low number plates are a form of prestige currency in WY FYI). Any watchers of Longmire note there is no 24 County.

    So I called out to them and and we chatted for a couple of minutes. They said they were initially wary of me because it was in a “bad part of town.” I guess I’ve re-calibrated my bad part of town meter. It was not. I did take my wife to a nearby Aldi and she was the only white woman without a headscarf of some kind.

    And while I’m thinking about it, some genius put a different McDonald’s next to a bus stop and a liquor store on Nolensville Pk. I would stop in there for lunch and it was like Robert Stack walking through the airport in Airplane. I got into a crazy argument with a black Muslim who was spinning some wild NOI tales to a naive frat boy.

    I’d possibly freak out in Chicago, though, and you’d be like, “chill dude.”

    I have to wonder about the Zanies in Nashville and the one up in, is it, Oak Park? Up your way somewhere. Gotta be mobbed up, right?

    I just remembered one of the funniest things I ever saw. I took my kids walking all over downtown Nashville one night. We were on Broadway a little West of 40 about 17th Ave. This black couple walked up to us and asked where the closest Church’s Chicken was. It was actually very close. Maybe you had to be there.

    Pinandpuller (b48983)

  700. My dad’s best friend a long time ago was an airline pilot. He was a little stockier and his hair was a little curlier but he reminded me of Bob Daily.

    He got into a scuffle with a guy in his apartment parking lot and bit the end of one of the guy’s thumbs off.

    It’s weird thinking about airlines. I knew one of the people who died in that Continental crash in Denver in 1987.

    A lot of people rejected the airline’s offers and went to court. Our friend’s widow and six kids took it. They probably ended up a lot better off.

    I guess either way you get dragged away from the plane.

    Pinandpuller (b48983)

  701. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley resigns amid sex scandal

    Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said [in October] he could no longer vote for Donald Trump in wake of the GOP presidential nominee’s sexually charged words about women.

    Bentley comments came as state Alabama U.S. Reps. Martha Roby and Bradley Byrne, on Saturday called for Trump to step aside from the GOP ticket. Trump is under fire for his remarks about him groping women in a 2005 recording.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  702. Embattled Gov. Robert Bentley this afternoon agreed to a deal that forced him to resign the office of governor, plead guilty to two misdemeanors and agree to never again hold public office.

    The extraordinary agreement, hammered out over the weekend and throughout the day by lawyers for the Alabama Attorney General’s office and Bentley attorneys Chuck Malone and Cooper Shattuck, requires Bentley to repay the state for misused funds and perform community service.

    In response, the state attorney general’s office will not pursue other felonies against Bentley
    Bentley’s plea comes after a turbulent year and a catastrophic week for the governor. On Friday, facing public criticism and pressure from his own party, he vowed to remain in office.

    “Once again let me say, I do not plan to resign,” he said in an emotional press conference. “I have done nothing illegal.”

    It also raises questions about methods and links between the governor and the University of Alabama, and of companies that paid for the salary of Mrs. Mason. Ivey will determine the future of Mrs. Mason’s husband Jon, who runs the governor’s Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, also known as Serve Alabama.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  703. I would like to see that, but of course Trump contacted Russia in advance, and I think this explains the weird way he made this airstrike very loud but also not very effective. I think they demanded the airfield not be destroyed. It just doesn’t make sense to me that Trump wanted to shut down the airbase that launched chemical weapons, and it’s in active use a few hours after the strike.

    The problem for Moscow is that this kabuki with Washington and the full extent of their collaboration with Damascus has become public knowledge now.

    So Russian troops were, first, present on a base where chemical weapons have been stored and apparently readied for immediate use(contra Russian denials), and then withdrawn or sent scuttling to bunkers to avoid an American strike. In this light, the Russian equipment which was to supplement Syrian air defences was demonstrably useless.

    A Russian nationalist of a certain age might also recall that it was during the anemic Yeltsin era that Russian troops were put into harm’s way to protect Russia’s Serbian allies from NATO air threat – NATO accordingly held off. No such deal in this instance.

    That said, I’d agree this could end up being a damp squib in the long run given Trump’s easily distracted nature, and his previous statements about the supposed efficacy of statist dictators.

    JP (f1742c)

  704. NATO accordingly held off

    For the avoidance of doubt here, NATO held off while Russian troops were deployed in such areas.

    JP (f1742c)

  705. Bentley was boinking Mrs. Mason. paying her bills out of his campaign fund, or was that a bribe? Could have been hush money. Could have been trade for services rendered. tough call.

    IN case you missed it, Mrs Mason is the buxom bride of Jon Mason, the Director of the governor’s Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives.

    Like the State of Alabama’s spiritual director. You go to special heck for that I think, admitting I’m not up to speed on that section of the Bible or the Alabama constitution, which ever applies.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  706. The special Heck.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  707. Ah, there you are, papertiger. I figured out why the people who were telling me that Casino Royale 2006 was a good movie were telling me that. Because they were women and it’s 50% chic flic. Just about all the Sean Connery and Roger Moore movies were better. Anyhow, you got me hooked. I already saw Quantum of Solace and am watching Skyfall now.

    “Look what’s she’s done to you.”
    “She never tied me to a chair.”
    “Her loss.”

    nk (dbc370)

  708. Forgot about that chair bit. Or maybe I blocked it out of mind. Ouch.

    And the Eva Green boob flash, as I think on it that might have been a google search after the movie.

    Beside all of that, how was the play Mr. Lincoln?

    papertiger (c8116c)

  709. I mentioned Gavin Lyall’s Major Maxim up the thread. The Daniel Craig Bond resembles him (down to former SAS) more than he does Ian Fleming’s/Sean Connery’s Bond. Hollywod = plagiarism.

    nk (dbc370)

  710. “The circumstantial evidence is mounting that the Kremlin succeeded in infiltrating the US government at the highest levels.

    How else to explain a newly elected president looking the other way after an act of Russian aggression? Agreeing to a farcically one-sided nuclear deal? Mercilessly mocking the idea that Russia represents our foremost geo-political foe?

    Accommodating the illicit nuclear ambitions of a Russian ally? Welcoming a Russian foothold in the Middle East? Refusing to provide arms to a sovereign country invaded by Russia? Diminishing our defenses and pursuing a Moscow-friendly policy of hostility to fossil fuels?

    All of these items, of course, refer to things said or done by President Barack Obama.”

    http://nypost.com/2017/04/10/turns-out-obama-was-the-real-russian-stooge/

    Colonel Haiku (b97a97)

  711. Judi Dench was M in the Pierce Brosnan ones, too? papertiger, papertiger, where did you lead me to?

    nk (dbc370)

  712. Yes she was, starting with goldeneye

    narciso (d1f714)

  713. Dustin (ba94b2) — 4/10/2017 @ 4:02 pm

    Using a barrel bomb on an ISIS compound wouldn’t bother me that much.

    Well, it’s not really barrel bombs (to the extent a position or policy on bombing has solidified) It’s using them to bomb civilians.

    It’s not really that different from drone striking a wedding.

    As for weddings, everyone of them was a mistake, and probably, even if they don’t want to admit it, the result of dininformation (not bad intelligence, disinformation which they even want to acknowledge was disinformation.)

    It happens too many time. Quite frequently, time and time again, the United States hits high value targets with drone strikes – where the leaders are supposed to be even – that are not actually high value. Sometimes they are concentrations of members of al Qaeda but just not very important people, even almost new recruits – that’s happened, and the United States doesn’t do so many drone strikes that the planners are interested in that – they’re not interested in the rank and file period; but sometimes it’s been wedding parties, although they might have been wedding parties organized by terrorists, but they wouldn’t be hit if they knew what was going on the ground, and they don’t. The terrorists want that.

    Sammy Finkelman (db2a13)

  714. There are 25 bond movie so using stims you’re in fow at least 4 days.

    Longer if you pause to eat, shower, and sleep.

    Don’t blame me. It’s Ian Flemming what did it.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  715. There’s also an alternate reality version of Casino Royal with David Niven, so 26 altogether.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  716. Cybermisdirection plays a role in voldeneye, tomorrow never dies and skyfall.

    narciso (6261f8)

  717. If that’s not enough BBC America has a mini series Fleming: The man who would be Bond

    Just watched the first episode. Looks promising.

    papertiger (c8116c)

  718. Yes it’s an interesting view, the timeless series also had an episode with Ian Fleming trying to stop a Nazi launch facility in France, which is loosely based from the original moonraker, that man from uncleiberally borrowed from.

    narciso (c8907a)

  719. Nah, I’m done. Stopped watching Spectre in the middle. People who’ve seen it will understand when I say “Are you seriously ripping off Austin Powers, now?”

    I can get 9 more movies this month on Hoopla, so I might watch a little Jet Li. Or a maybe a Fred movie or two as a palate cleanser.

    nk (dbc370)

  720. Much like this cycle of agents of agents of shield, the last half may be a dream sequenvr.

    narciso (d1f714)

  721. …The citizens of Flint, East St. Louis and Chicago need U.S. attention…

    The problems the citizens of these Democratic party bastions are experiencing are a result of getting too much U.S. attention and they keep voting for more.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.3848 secs.