Showing posts with label War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label War. Show all posts

Friday, November 29, 2013

Will the West withstand the Obama presidency?

Guest post by Martin Sherman

The really chilling aspect of the Obama-incumbency is that it is difficult to diagnose whether the abysmal results it produced—including the recent Geneva debacle—reflect crushing failure or calculated success


I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings. – Barack Hussein Obama, Cairo, 2009

For anyone who understands that the US Constitution is not a Sharia-compliant document –neither in letter nor in spirit – it should be alarmingly apparent that the Obama-incumbency is a dramatic and disturbing point of inflection in the history of America and its “Western” allies. By “Western” I mean countries whose political practices and societal norms are rooted in Judeo- Christian foundations in a cultural rather than in any religious sense.

The devil is not in the details

One does not have to be an expert in Islamic history or culture, or be familiar with the details of Koranic verse or Hadithic texts to realize that Obama’s characterization of the alleged affinity between America and Islam is entirely detached from any reality on the ground–particularly with regard to the matters he enumerates in the preceding excerpt from his 2009 Cairo speech.

All one has to do is follow the daily news that routinely convey reports of the Hobbesian horrors that flared across Syria, Libya, Egypt and other Arab countries once the Leviathan “cap” of tyranny, holding these bestial impulses in check, was “uncorked.”

Worse, in some parts of the Muslim world, blood curdling atrocities have become so commonplace they hardly make the news at all.

For when it comes to issues such as justice, progress, tolerance and respect for societal and/or religious diversity, a yawning chasm divides America from Islam. Indeed, American society, as a product of the values embodied in the Constitution and the Judeo-Christian values it draws on; and Islamic society as a product of Sharia and the Muslim values it draws on, are irreconcilably exclusive and antithetically opposed to one another.

No amount of convoluted scholarly debate on the intricacies of Islamic scriptures or benign interpretations of their “real” significance, can change the gruesome facts that prevail throughout Muslim-majority societies – from West Africa to East Asia.

Monday, November 25, 2013

Iran's Nuclear Suicide Vest


"We have a strategy drawn up for the destruction of Anglo-Saxon civilization... we must make use of everything we have at hand to strike at this front by means of our suicide operations or by means of our missiles." -- Hassan Abbasi, "strategic adviser" to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

"We are in the process of an historical war between the World of Arrogance [the West] and the Islamic world, and this war has been going on for hundreds of years... Is it possible for us to witness a world without America and Zionism? ...you had best know that this... goal [is] attainable." -- Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

"We have established a department that will take care of England. England's demise is on our agenda." -- Hassan Abbasi

According to 'Twelver' Shi'a Mulims, Imam Hujjat al-Mahdī ( المهدى) is the twelfth Imam and the Mahdi, the ultimate savior of mankind. Twelver Shi'as believe that Muhammad was born in 868 and has been hidden by God (referred to as occultation) to later emerge to fulfill his mission.

Twelver Shi'as cite various references from the Qur'an and reports (Hadith) from Muhammad and the twelve Shi'a Imams. These texts predict the reappearance of Muhammad al-Mahdi which would, in accordance with God's command, bring justice and peace to the world by establishing Islam throughout the world.

Shi'as believe that Muhammad al-Mahdi will reappear when the world has fallen into chaos and civil war emerges between the human race for no reason. At this time, it is believed, half of the true believers will ride from Yemen carrying white flags to Mecca, while the other half will ride from Karbala, in Iraq, carrying black flags to Mecca. At this time, Muhammad al-Mahdi will come wielding God's Sword, the Blade of Evil's Bane, Zulfiqar (Arabic: ذو الفقار, ðū l-fiqār), the Double-Bladed Sword.

As mayor of Tehran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is reported to have constructed a boulevard to prepare for the Mahdi. A year later, as Iran's president, he budgeted $17 million for a blue-tiled mosque in Jamkaran that is directly tied to the Mahdi's return.

In 2006, The Washington Post reported:

The expansion [of the city of Qom] is driven by an apocalyptic vision: that Shiite Islam's long-hidden 12th Imam, or Mahdi, will soon emerge -- possibly at the mosque of Jamkaran -- to inaugurate the end of the world. The man who provided $20 million to prepare the shrine for that moment, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has reportedly told his cabinet that he expects the Mahdi to arrive within the next two years.

In a speech several years ago, Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stated, "Our revolution's main mission is to pave the way for the reappearance of the 12th Imam, the Mahdi."

Anton La Guardia, writing in London's Daily Telegraph: "Iran's president actually relishes a clash with the West in the conviction that it would rekindle the spirit of the Islamic revolution and [possibly] speed up the arrival of the Hidden Imam."

In 2007, after an endless series of threatened UN sanctions, Ahmadinejad announced:

As God promised, the oppressors will have their noses rubbed in the dirt. Now they are fulfilling this promise by themselves... Let it be known that in whatever we do, I see the hand of God and the hidden imam at every moment.

Princeton professor Bernard Lewis observes, "There is a radical difference between the Islamic Republic of Iran and other governments with nuclear weapons. This difference is expressed in what can only be described as the apocalyptic worldview of Iran’s present rulers."

On the holy topic of suicide bombing (martyrdom), Ahmadinejad recently asked: "Is there art that is more beautiful, more divine, and more eternal than the art of martyrdom? A nation with martyrdom knows no captivity."

Iran doesn’t fear retaliation if they attack Israel or the United States because a final global struggle against an evil enemy will present them with the privileges of martyrdom as taught in Islam, Lewis wrote. Death is not a deterrent, it is a reward.

The most dangerous leaders in history are those like Hitler, Hirohito and Ahmadinejad, fueled by a totalitarian ideology and a mystical belief system. Ahmadinejad accepts that the return of the 12th Imam is imminent. Furthermore, he is certain of his own duty to hasten the Mahdi's return. This explains the many years of hidden preparation as Iran built its nuclear weapons, which are designed to both mete out punishment to the non-believers and pave the way for the apocalypse.

Given the Obama administration's willing assistance, their allies in the UN and the IAEA, Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons has continued unchecked.

They are very close now to achieving their goal..


GOHMERT: Obama Has Repeatedly Betrayed Our Ally Israel

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is the man:

I haven’t heard anybody else make a connection; maybe there isn’t any. But two days after we voted with all of Israel’s enemies against Israel, something called a flotilla left and moved to challenge the blockade, the lawful blockade, at the Gaza Strip. I don’t think it’s an accident. People notice when distance comes between a strong ally and the nation they’re against. That’s why we got to be so careful with what we’re doing.

And I’ve got this article, and I’ll just quote briefly. This is from February 2012, from the Washington Post; not one of my biggest fans — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has a lot on his mind these days, from cutting the defense budget to managing drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan. But his biggest worry is the growing possibility that Israel will attack Iran over the next few months. Panetta believes there is a strong likelihood that Israel will strike in April, May or June.

Folks, that is a betrayal of your ally. It was intentional, and they had been putting pressure on Israel not to defend themselves. I’m told by people in Israel, friends there, that you wouldn’t believe the pressure that this administration has brought to bear on Israel not to defend itself. And that’s a betrayal.

...Because another thing we did – we don’t know who, we know Panetta did that in the Washington Post. But the story came out in March of 2012. And this is from ABC News, also not one of my biggest fans — Israelis suspect Obama media leaks to prevent strike on Iran. And then it talks about — reports today about Iran’s nuclear program and the possibility of an Israeli strike. And what they did was they outed that Israel was going to use Azerbaijan in order to attack. Why in the world would an ally do that to another ally? That is a betrayal of incredible proportions, and Israel knew it.

And again this fall, we have betrayed them yet again, when the United States leaked that it was Israel that had an attack in Syria. If any of what is — there are some that believe that the negotiations with Iran were stepped up by this administration because they know — Israel knows they’ve got to defend themselves. And as I told Prime Minister Netanyahu two years ago – I’m really sorry we’ve put you in a position of not only defending yourself but defending us. You shouldn’t have to do that. We ought to be defending ourselves, not you.

But this administration, I believe, knew that they would jam Israel so badly if they were negotiating with Iran, as Iran moved very close, or perhaps developed their nuclear bombs. How could Israel attack while the United States is negotiating for peace?

Because Iran says — look, we’re not going to let you come into our facilities. But we’ll agree not to be developing nuclear weapons, you know.

(Laughter)

Now, if that sounds familiar – I knew it sounded familiar to me. And as Steve King and Scott Garrett tell me — you’ve got a phenomenal memory for minutia. Sometimes it’s helpful, sometimes it’s not.

This is from the New York Times. Now, they love me.

(Laughter)

UN Agency Doubtful on Deal — under the agreement reached earlier this week – wasn’t Iran — North Korea – this is October 21st, 1994 – North Korea agreed to in-place storage the fuel it removed last spring from a five-megawatt graphite reactor containing enough plutonium for four or five nuclear bombs. And the article goes on and talks about how Clinton and Madeleine Albright – you remember them?

(Laughter)

Yeah, they’re giving a lot of good advice these days. They felt like – and so they cut this tough deal with North Korea that we will give them nuclear power plants if they’ll promise not to use them to develop nukes. It reminded me of when Jeff Foxworthy said, you know, he had no money. And the guy comes to the door and says — I got to repossess your car. And he says — I’m sorry, could you just give me another month? He said — I’m told to either leave with the car, or cash, or a check. He said — a check? You’ll take a check? Oh, I got a check.

(Laughter)

That’s where North Korea and Iran are. Oh, you’ll take an agreement? Okay. This says in exchange North Korea will abandon its existing nuclear facilities and renounce any plans to build nuclear weapons. Only once the nuclear installations are substantially completed, however, will North Korea allow agency experts to inspect its sites. That could be five years or more, according to agencies in Vienna. That deal allowed North Korea to develop nukes. And they’re working with Iran.

Folks, elections do have consequences, and we’re living with some. But it doesn’t mean we have to multiply those. It is true what is said in Washington – no matter how cynical you get, it’s never enough to catch up.

Keep the faith. We can make a difference.

That, my brothers and sisters, is called speaking truth to power. Read the whole damn thing.


Hat tip: BadBlue News.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

The Iran Smart Power Reset Wrapup

Ambassador John Bolton calls it an "Abject Surrender by the United States":

This interim agreement is badly skewed from America’s perspective. Iran retains its full capacity to enrich uranium, thus abandoning a decade of Western insistence and Security Council resolutions that Iran stop all uranium-enrichment activities. Allowing Iran to continue enriching, and despite modest (indeed, utterly inadequate) measures to prevent it from increasing its enriched-uranium stockpiles and its overall nuclear infrastructure, lays the predicate for Iran fully enjoying its “right” to enrichment in any “final” agreement...

...Indeed, the interim agreement itself acknowledges that a “comprehensive solution” will “involve a mutually defined enrichment program.” This is not, as the Obama administration leaked before the deal became public, a “compromise” on Iran’s claimed “right” to enrichment. This is abject surrender by the United States.

...A nuclear Iran would also be essentially invulnerable, providing a refuge that al Qaeda leaders hiding in Afghan and Pakistani caves could only dream of...

So in truth, an Israeli military strike is the only way to avoid Tehran’s otherwise inevitable march to nuclear weapons, and the proliferation that will surely follow. Making the case for Israel’s exercise of its legitimate right of self-defense has therefore never been more politically important...

Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei welcomes nuclear deal:

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday the deal reached with world powers in Geneva was the basis for further progress, and the prayers of the Iranian nation had contributed towards its success.

"This can be the basis for further intelligent actions. Without a doubt the grace of God and the prayers of the Iranian nation were a factor in this success," Khamenei wrote in a letter to President Hassan Rouhani published by the IRNA state news agency.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

ENEMY WITHIN: Obama unilaterally dismantling U.S. nuclear deterrent far beyond what he promised Congress

Guest post by Investor's Business Daily

Defense: Breaking yet another promise, this one to Congress, the administration jeopardizes our national security with plans to eliminate an entire squadron of intercontinental ballistic missiles and destroy its silos.

Yet another example of what President Obama meant in 2012 when he promised Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea, that after his re-election he would have more "flexibility" on defense issues, comes on the news that an ICBM squadron would be scrapped to comply with the New START Treaty — even as both the Russians and Chinese deploy new ballistic missiles.

A document prepared by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) and obtained by the Washington Free Beacon maps out a strategy to eliminate an ICBM squadron — and destroy its missile silos — by Dec. 5, 2017.

The military would begin removing ICBMs next October, after an environmental assessment is complete, and the silo elimination would begin in May 2016.

The fact is, as the Heritage Foundation notes, the U.S. does not need to eliminate an ICBM squadron to meet New START's limits. The State Department's Oct. 1 fact sheet says the U.S. must dismantle 109 of its deployed ICBMs, deployed submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and deployed heavy bombers, and remove another 138 warheads.

Heritage notes the U.S. has already reduced its deployed warheads by 112 and that destroying an ICBM squadron to comply with New START is unnecessary.

Saturday, November 16, 2013

OH, SUPER: The NSA Has Weaponized the Internet

It seems that Edward Snowden has revealed another interesting and dangerous capability of the NSA. It can attack virtually any computer system in the world by monitoring requests and forging replies.

A basic example: say you visit an Al Qaeda website. Monitoring major Internet backbones would allow the NSA to detect that visit. It begins with the browser requesting information and the server responding. Once the attacker (in this case, the NSA) sees that request go by, it forges a reply that includes an exploit kit.

In other words, virtually anyone using the Internet could be targeted by the NSA.

Nicholas Weaver, writing at Wired, describes some of the more interesting forms of attack.

The NSA has a collection of FOXACID servers, designed to exploit visitors. Conceptually similar to Metasploit’s WebServer browser autopwn mode, these FOXACID servers probe any visiting browser for weaknesses to exploit.

All it takes is a single request from a victim passing a wiretap for exploitation to occur. Once the QUANTUM wiretap identifies the victim, it simply packet injects a 302 redirect to a FOXACID server. Now the victim’s browser starts talking to the FOXACID server, which quickly takes over the victim’s computer. The NSA calls this QUANTUMINSERT.

The NSA and GCHQ used this technique not only to target Tor users who read Inspire (reported to be an Al-Qaeda propaganda magazine in the English language) but also to gain a foothold within the Belgium telecommunication firm Belgacom, as a prelude to wiretapping Belgium phones...

HTTP cache poisoning. Web browsers often cache critical scripts, such as the ubiquitous Google Analytics script ‘ga.js’. The packet injector can see a request for one of these scripts and instead respond with a malicious version, which will now run on numerous web pages. Since such scripts rarely change, the victim will continue to use the attacker’s script until either the server changes the original script or the browser clears its cache.

Zero-Exploit Exploitation. The FinFly “remote monitoring” hacking tool sold to governments includes exploit-free exploitation, where it modifies software downloads and updates to contain a copy of the FinFisher Spyware. Although Gamma International’s tool operates as a full man-in-the-middle, packet injection can reproduce the effect. The injector simply waits for the victim to attempt a file download, and replies with a 302 redirect to a new server. This new server fetches the original file, modifies it, and passes it on to the victim. When the victim runs the executable, they are now exploited — without the need for any actual exploits.

Mobile Phone Applications. Numerous Android and iOS applications fetch data through simple HTTP. In particular, the “Vulna” Android advertisement library was an easy target, simply waiting for a request from the library and responding with an attack that can effectively completely control the victim’s phone. Although Google removed applications using this particular library, other advertisement libraries and applications can present similar vulnerabilities.

DNS-Derived Man-in-the-Middle. Some attacks, such as intercepting HTTPS traffic with a forged certificate, require a full man in the middle rather than a simple eavesdropper. Since every communication starts with a DNS request, and it is only a rare DNS resolver that cryptographically validates the reply with DNSSEC, a packet injector can simply see the DNS request and inject its own reply. This represents a capability upgrade, turning a man-on-the-side into a man-in-the-middle.

One possible use is to intercept HTTPS connections if the attacker has a certificate that the victim will accept, by simply redirecting the victim to the attacker’s server. Now the attacker’s server can complete the HTTPS connection. Another potential use involves intercepting and modifying email. The attacker simply packet-injects replies for the MX (Mailserver) entries corresponding to the target’s email. Now the target’s email will first pass through the attacker’s email server. This server could do more than just read the target’s incoming mail, it could also modify it to contain exploits.

Amplifying Reach. Large countries don’t need to worry about seeing an individual victim: odds are that a victim’s traffic will pass one wiretap in a short period of time. But smaller countries that wish to utilize the QUANTUMINSERT technique need to force victims traffic past their wiretaps. It’s simply a matter of buying the traffic: Simply ensure that local companies (such as the national airline) both advertise heavily and utilize in-country servers for hosting their ads. Then when a desired target views the advertisement, use packet injection to redirect them to the exploit server; just observe which IP a potential victim arrived from before deciding whether to attack. It’s like a watering hole attack where the attacker doesn’t need to corrupt the watering hole.


Is someone providing oversight over the NSA's operation?

Is the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper going to be penalized for lying to Congress?

Is the NSA using the capability to attack the computers of U.S. citizens without warrants?

If we still lived in a Constitutional Republic -- and our leaders had any virtue whatsoever -- we'd have answers to these critical questions.


Hat tip: ZeroHedge.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Pentagon Report: Obama Administration Paid More than $150 Million to Fund Terrorist Attacks Against Americans

Guest post by Greg Campbell

As Americans struggle to make ends meet, as the current economic climate is anything but healthy, the Obama Regime is pumping millions of dollars into foreign companies that finance attacks on Americans.

Surely, there is a better use for our money than financing terrorism against our own people.

The national debt is just over $17.1 trillion dollars. Specifically, it is $17,162,395,935,482.18- or, at least it was when this article was written. In the time it took to type the numbers, the U.S. borrowed another $195,976. By this time tomorrow, the national debt will have increased by roughly $2,690,000,000.

We our hemorrhaging money at an astonishing rate and saddling Americans with unconscionable debt. A million here, a million there-money we don’t have is tossed around and thrown away like dropped pennies in a parking lot while our “leaders” not only refuse to make any meaningful changes to our unsustainable economic model, but make future plans for how to enlarge government and spend even more money.

And while that may seem like a betrayal of Americans, it cannot compare to the fact that America has given $150 million to groups that fund terrorists actions against Americans.

In our nation’s Quixotic quest to make the world love us, the U.S. has been funding terrorism against Americans. In a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the Pentagon has admitted that we are subsidizing at least 43 companies that are linked to Taliban leaders who have targeted and arranged attacks on Americans.

As Obama Slashes U.S. Military, China Deploys Strategic Bombers Equipped With Nuclear Cruise Missiles

Guest post by Investor's Business Daily

Military Superiority: As China does its own Pacific pivot, a new report reveals that Beijing's strategic bomber is equipped with a land-attack nuclear missile and an armed drone nearly identical to one of ours developed through cyberespionage.

To the casual observer, the Chinese Hongzha-6 (H-6) bomber is not that impressive. The two-engine medium-range jet is a variant of the old Soviet Tu-16 Badger. That plane first flew in 1959 and versions have been deployed by the Chinese Air Force since 1968.

A prototype H-6 was used to airdrop China's first three-stage thermonuclear device at the Lop Nor Nuclear Weapon Test Base in Malan, Xinjiang, on June 17, 1967.

To military observers, however, its latest incarnation, the Chinese H-6K, is a significant advance in China's military capability and is continuing evidence of China's determination to dominate the Western Pacific and challenge U.S. dominance in the region.

As noted in the Oct. 8 draft of the forthcoming report of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission to Congress, the People's Liberation Army in June accepted the first of 15 new H-6K bombers, each with an important new difference:

They'll be able to carry four nuclear-capable Changjian-10 (long sword) cruise missiles on four underwing pylons plus two more in its weapons bay. This effectively extends the bomber's combat range to Okinawa, Guam and even Hawaii from China's mainland.

Monday, November 11, 2013

BRILLIANT: John Kerry and Barack Obama Negotiate "the Deal of the Century"... for Iran's Nuclear Terrorists

I have my issues with Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) on many of his domestic policy positions, but he deserves our praise for standing strong on national security. In particular, his staff has produced this helpful chart, which summarizes the outstanding deal evangelized by the Neville Obama administration.

A deal that undermines sanctions and doesn't stop a future with Iranian nuclear weapons is the deal of the century for Iran.

...According to multiple news reports, the P5+1 offered the following sanctions relief to Iran during the latest round of negotiations: repatriation of $3 billion in Iranian assets trapped in accounts overseas, in addition to the suspension of current sanctions with respect to precious metals (like gold), Iran’s petrochemical and car industries, and aviation parts.

News flash, Democrats: when you surrender faster than France, you're doing it wrong.


Hat tips: Twitchy and BadBlue News.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Giddy Media Celebrates "Historic" Iran Deal Even While Iranian Generals Promise to Nuke Israel and U.S.

The phrase "cognitive dissonance" was invented for situations like these.

ABC News Expresses 'Giddiness' over 'Historic' Iran Deal

ABC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Terry Moran appeared on This Week with George Stephanopoulos Sunday morning to break the news that diplomatic talks in Geneva between Secretary Kerry and Iranian officials had broken down. But Moran appeared more interested in telling everyone just how big of a fan he was of the deal than relating other relevant facts, like the fact that Senator Kerry appeared to be offering a deal so good for Iran that even France thought it was too soft...


...Moran would go on to note that the French wanted more restrictions on Iran’s ability to enrich uranium as well as more control over a new reactor that might produce plutonium . Moran also noted, almost as an aside, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also strongly opposed to the deal, though Netanyahu seemed resigned to the fact that the US would eventually strike a deal.


Terry Moran is a hard-core Leftist who seems to believe, just like Neville Chamberlain, that appeasement and weakness will lead to peace. Even Iran's military is openly scoffing at that notion.

Iran general: No doubt Israel and America will be attacked

Even before the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the 5+1 world powers ended in Geneva early Sunday with no deal, an Iranian general lashed out at America Saturday and warned both the U.S. and Israel that they will be attacked.

According to Fars News Agency, the regime’s outlet run by the Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Massoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, said “America’s interests and all of Israel are within the range of the Islamic Republic and there is not the slightest doubt among Iran’s armed forces to confront the American government and the Zionists (Israel).” ...

...The general mocked President Obama’s position that the military option remains on the table over Iran’s nuclear development. “If America had the ability and the will for war, it would allow no doubt in attacking Syria. America will soon find out that Iran’s power cannot be ignored.”

Israel faces an existential threat in Iran, who has threatened it with destruction for decades.

Zero Hour: Israel must now choose between attack and enslavement

Israelis across the political spectrum are in a state of shock over a proposed deal to lift sanctions on Iran in exchange for promises to partially suspend its nuclear program and a pledge to not expand it.

Acting out of a position of self-imposed weakness, the world's democracies have effectively undermined the aim of several United Nations resolutions banning any uranium enrichment. The agreement that's currently being ironed out in Geneva will allow Iran to continue to enrich but at a lower grade.

This administration is openly hostile to Israel.

Say a prayer for Israel tonight.


Hat tip: BadBlue News.

Saturday, November 09, 2013

6 Questions For the Benghazi Survivors in Next Week's Hearings

Guest post by Helle Dale

Next week’s testimony before the House Intelligence Committee by three survivors of the Benghazi terrorist attack is spurring an intense new round of questions and media interest.

One year after the attack that killed four Americans, books by survivors of the attack are starting to come out. Their stories challenge the narrative presented by the White House and the CIA. The three witnesses lined up for next week are reportedly working on their own book about the events. Their testimony before the committee will be classified.

As reported by CNN, questions are becoming very pointed. This week, committee member Devin Nunes (R–CA) sent a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R–OH) asking for the appointment of a special independent investigator for Benghazi if the testimony heard by the committee differs significantly from the Obama Administration’s account. Last week, Representative Frank Wolf (R–VA) spoke at length on the House floor of the need to create a House select committee on Benghazi.

Among questions Nunes wants answered:

Friday, November 08, 2013

OMINOUS: Experts opine on a possible Obama-Iran nuclear deal

Member of Israel's Security Cabinet Naftali Bennett:

These critical days in November will be remembered for years to come.

The Free World stands before a fork in the road with a clear choice: Either stand strong and insist Iran dismantles its nuclear-weapons program, or surrender, cave in and allow Iran to retain its 18,500 centrifuges.

Years from now, when an Islamic terrorist blows up a suitcase in New York, or when Iran launches a nuclear missile at Rome or Tel Aviv, it will have happened only because a Bad Deal was made during these defining moments.

Like in a boxing match, Iran's regime is currently on the floor. The count is just seconds away from 10. Now is the time to step up the pressure and force Iran to dismantle its nuclear program. Not to let it up.

It would be dangerous to lift the sanctions and accept a deal which allows Iran to retain its entire uranium-production line.

It would be dangerous because Iran would, a year, two or three from now, just turn everything back on and obtain a nuclear weapon before the world can do anything to stop it.

It is not enough to shut off the centrifuges. They need to be completely dismantled.

We call upon the West to avoid signing a Bad Deal.

Israel's responsibility is to ensure the security of its citizens and that is exactly what we will do.

We will never outsource our security.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

I met Secretary Kerry right before he leaves to Geneva. I reminded him that he said that no deal is better than a bad deal. That the deal that is being discussed in Geneva right now is a bad deal. It’s a very bad deal. Iran is not required to take apart even one centrifuge. But the international community is relieving sanctions on Iran for the first time after many years. Iran gets everything that it wanted at this stage and it pays nothing. And this is when Iran is under severe pressure. I urge Secretary Kerry not to rush to sign, to wait, to reconsider, to get a good deal. But this is a bad deal--a very, very bad deal. It’s the deal of a century for Iran; it’s a very dangerous and bad deal for peace and the international community.

Robert Zarate, writing at Foreign Policy:

The success of the sanctions regime on Iran, so far, is due largely to the leadership of the U.S. Congress, even over the Obama administration’s frequent objections. Lawmakers should continue to evaluate any proposed package of Iranian concessions soberly and without any illusion, standing ready to reject any deal that weakens the U.S. international sanctions regime without Iran completely freezing and ultimately reversing its growing nuclear threat.

Daniel Pipes:

Obama Turns on Israel: The president’s anti-Zionism is finally rearing its head.

...I wrote before the last presidential election that, should Obama win a second term, “Israel’s troubles will really begin.” At the president’s second inauguration, I predicted that he, “freed from reelection constraints, can finally express his early anti-Zionist views after a decade of political positioning. Watch for a markedly worse tone from the second Obama administration toward the third Netanyahu government.”

That moment is now upon us.

Congress should reject any deal with Iran that doesn't provably eviscerate its nuclear weapons program.

Failure to do so will come back to haunt us, that much is certain.


Thought for the month: Assault Weapons

Guest post by Woodsterman

Read this real slowly and think about it.
Then read it again to help it sink in...


Can’t beat fundamentally sound logic like this.


Hat tip: BB.

Monday, November 04, 2013

SMART POWER: China Openly Publishes Map of American Cities as Nuclear Targets While Russia Boldly Tests ICBMs

Guest post by Investor's Business Daily

Global Power: Moscow launches four ICBMs in a large-scale nuclear drill as Chinese state media, brandishing detailed maps, show how Beijing's nuclear submarines can attack U.S. cities. We press "reset," they press "launch."

In March 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with a red "reset button" to symbolize improved ties. The era of confrontation when American presidents demanded the tearing down of walls was over. From now on, we would make nice.

Fast-forward to 2012, when President Obama met with Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's then-president and now prime minister, at the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea.

That was when Obama assured Medvedev he'd have more leeway after his re-election to weaken missile defense. This would help him achieve his dream of U.S. disarmament and bring about, as he expressed in Prague in 2009, "a world without nuclear weapons."

Apparently the Russians and the Chinese do not share that dream. On Wednesday, Russian strategic forces carried out a large-scale surprise military drill that included the test launch of two land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and two submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

So while Russia expands and tests its offensive and defensive missile capabilities, President Obama lets our missile capabilities wither and caves to Russian demands to halt previously planned expansion.

To placate Moscow, Obama has already betrayed our allies in Poland and the Czech Republic by abandoning plans to deploy ground-based interceptors and missile defense in those countries.

Our Chinese friends have also noticed that the famous "reset" button has been replaced with one marked "easy." China's military carried out on July 24 a third test of a long-range DF-31A road-mobile ballistic missile capable of hitting the U.S. with nuclear warheads.

According to a recently published report by the Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center, "China has the most active and diverse ballistic missile development program in the world."

Friday, November 01, 2013

When Memes Collide

Actual quotes:


BUT


The President was so perturbed about getting to the bottom of the Obamacare debacle, and the slaughter of his diplomats in Benghazi, and his IRS targeting conservative, evangelical, and pro-Israel groups that he went golfing for the 148th time this week.


Hat tip: BadBlue News


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

OUTRAGE: Nearly 200 Officers Purged From U.S. Military to Ensure Ideological Purity

Guest post by Investor's Business daily

Defense: What the president calls "my military" is being cleansed of any officer suspected of disloyalty to or disagreement with the administration on matters of policy or force structure, leaving the compliant and fearful.

We recognize President Obama is the commander-in-chief and that throughout history presidents from Lincoln to Truman have seen fit to remove military commanders they view as inadequate or insubordinate. Turnover in the military ranks is normal, and in these times of sequestration and budget cuts the numbers are expected to tick up as force levels shrink and missions change.

Yet what has happened to our officer corps since President Obama took office is viewed in many quarters as unprecedented, baffling and even harmful to our national security posture. We have commented on some of the higher profile cases, such as Gen. Carter Ham. He was relieved as head of U.S. Africa Command after only a year and a half because he disagreed with orders not to mount a rescue mission in response to the Sept. 11, 2012, attack in Benghazi.

Rear Adm. Chuck Gaouette, commander of the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, was relieved in October 2012 for disobeying orders when he sent his group on Sept. 11 to "assist and provide intelligence for" military forces ordered into action by Gen. Ham.

Other removals include the sacking of two nuclear commanders in a single week — Maj. Gen. Michael Carey, head of the 20th Air Force, responsible for the three wings that maintain control of the 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles, and Vice Adm. Tim Giardina, the No. 2 officer at U.S. Strategic Command.

From Breitbart.com's Facebook page comes a list of at least 197 officers that have been relieved of duty by President Obama for a laundry list of reasons and sometimes with no reason given. Stated grounds range from "leaving blast doors on nukes open" to "loss of confidence in command ability" to "mishandling of funds" to "inappropriate relationships" to "gambling with counterfeit chips" to "inappropriate behavior" to "low morale in troops commanded."

Nine senior commanding generals have been fired by the Obama administration this year, leading to speculation by active and retired members of the military that a purge of its commanders is under way.

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Vallely, an outspoken critic of the Obama administration, notes how the White House fails to take action or investigate its own officials but finds it easy to fire military commanders "who have given their lives for their country." Vallely thinks he knows why this purge is happening.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Benghazi Whistleblowers: Obama Went to Sleep Refusing to Authorize Rescue; Commanders Relieved of Duty for Trying

The Right Scoop has the full interview of Benghazi whistleblower attorney Joe DiGenova. DiGenova appeared to confirm our worst suspicions regarding the unconscionable behavior of Barack Obama on the night of 9/11/2012.

…There is more to learn about Benghazi. Panetta has never told the full story.

Here’s an interesting question. Remember General Ham and what happened the night of the assault on the American embassy? We have reason to believe that things happened that night in the chain of command where people were relieved of their duties because they insisted that there be a military response. We’re working on trying to establish that with some news organizations but there’s very, very good evidence that people were actually relieved of command because they refused not to try and dispatch troops and some response.

And by the way, this notion that the administration has put out – it’s this little straw-man that [the] military couldn’t have landed in Libya, Greg Hicks has testified and so have some other military people that if there had only been a flyover, that would have dispersed these crowds because they remembered what the American military did its flyovers and its assaults.

There were planes in Croatia that could have been there by the time of the attack on the annex and no planes were ever sent. That was because the president of the United States refused to issue an order allowing for the dispersal of military into Libya because that was considered an act of war. The president, himself, who went to sleep, refused to issue some order.

You know, Panetta is not a bad man. He knows what went wrong that night. He’s never been properly questioned about this and pressed. And if he were he would admit all of this stuff.

In addition to Panetta, perhaps someone should subpoena Frau Jarrett?


Hat tips: BadBlue News and BB.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Guess who appeared disengaged during momentous national security meetings, playing with his BlackBerry and chewing gum?

You only get one guess.

...A close examination of how the Obama administration finds itself at this point — based on interviews with dozens of current and former members of the administration, foreign diplomats and Congressional officials — starts with a deeply ambivalent president who has presided over a far more contentious debate among his advisers than previously known...

...[some insiders] are far more critical [of Obama], saying that the administration’s paralysis left it unprepared for foreseeable events like the Aug. 21 gas attack...

...As one former senior White House official put it, “We spent so much damn time navel gazing, and that’s the tragedy of it..."

...on Aug. 20 he made a comment that would come to haunt him. Though he was determined to keep the American military out of Syria, “a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized,” he said at a news conference...

... at the State Department, some officials were fuming about what they felt was a broken process and a lack of strategy... The administration took more than a year to nominate a replacement for Jeffrey D. Feltman, a veteran Arabic-speaking diplomat who had coordinated the State Department’s Middle East policy...

...Even as the debate about arming the rebels took on a new urgency, Mr. Obama rarely voiced strong opinions during senior staff meetings. But current and former officials said his body language was telling: he often appeared impatient or disengaged while listening to the debate, sometimes scrolling through messages on his BlackBerry or slouching and chewing gum...

...The president signed the finding in April, but months went by without any movement on the C.I.A. program. The White House waited to ask Congress for money for the secret mission, further evidence of Mr. Obama’s continued misgivings...

I'm truly shocked -- shocked! -- that a community agitator with no executive experience would treat the job of president as an inconvenience when it didn't involve speechifying and fundraising.


Hat tip: BadBlue News.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

What's Really Behind Obama's Purge of Military Commanders?

Guest post by Investors Business Daily


Defense: The firing of two nuclear commanders in a week adds to a body count that suggests we have either the most corrupt and incompetent general staff in history or our military is being reshaped for other purposes.

The Obama administration, which has fired no one over scandals such as its Fast and Furious Mexican gun-running operation, its criminal negligence in the terrorist attack on our Benghazi diplomatic mission, or the use of the IRS to target and intimidate political foes, seems to have a curious obsession lately about ethics and competence in the U.S. military.

Last week the Air Force's two-star general in charge of the units responsible for its 450 nuclear missiles was fired "due to a loss of trust and confidence in his leadership and judgment," an Air Force statement said.

Maj. Gen. Michael Carey had commanded the 20th Air Force, responsible for the three wings that maintain control of the 450 intercontinental ballistic missiles scattered in missile silos across the northern plains.

The statement added that the decision to relieve Carey was based on information from an inspector general investigation into Carey's alleged behavior during a temporary duty assignment, which is the military's term for business travel. It was said to have nothing to do with the operational readiness of the ICBM force or recent failed inspections of ICBM units.

Thursday, October 03, 2013

Storming the Barackades

Guest post by Hans von Spakovsky

Americans are justifiably angry over the political game being played by the Obama administration to barricade the World War II Memorial in Washington. And they should be. Under federal law, there is no justifiable reason for closing the memorial.

On Tuesday, the National Park Service put up barricades around the open-air memorial that is normally accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even when Park Service personnel are not there. Police threatened to arrest visiting veterans, who came to Washington as part of Honor Flight, a non-profit that gives veterans free transportation so they can see war memorials.

It is one of the most blatant and shameful political stunts being carried out by the White House, which appears intent on keeping the government shut down to protect Obamacare.

How do we know this is purely political theater? Because under applicable federal law – and the interpretation of that law by both the Justice Department and the Office of Management and Budget — all “law enforcement” operations of the federal government are exempted from being shut down during any funding lapse.