Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Prime Minister Abadi is facing grave political challenges following his announcement of a cabinet reshuffle on February 9. Supporters of his past reform have stated that all positions...

Iraq Situation Report: 
February 12 - 17, 2016
By Patrick Martin and ISW Iraq Team

Key Take-Away: Prime Minister Abadi is facing grave political challenges following his announcement of a cabinet reshuffle on February 9. Supporters of his past reform have stated that all positions should be open for consideration in a government, including that of the prime minister. In addition, Muqtada al-Sadr gave PM Abadi 45 days before he threatened to withdraw his support from PM Abadi's government. Separately, PM Abadi stated that he was willing to resign as part of the reshuffle if necessary. The prime minister does not have the constitutional right or the power to undertake sweeping reforms of the government without support from the political blocs, which bodes ill for his ability to stay in office. PM Abadi's removal would be highly problematic for the U.S.-led anti-ISIS Coalition, as he is a pro-Coalition figure that would likely be replaced by a leader far more willing to accept greater Iranian assistance. Meanwhile, the Popular Mobilization Commission stated that it had cut its ranks by 30 percent due to financial constraints, likely an attempt to access funding from the Iraqi government. Iranian proxy militias secure their funding from Iran and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), but a large number of other militia groups rely on funding from the Iraqi government, though they may also be competing for potential access to Iranian resources. If the announced cuts target Sunni tribal fighters in the Popular Mobilization and more nationalist groups not closely tied to Iran, it would make the Popular Mobilization even more difficult to include in future security operations due to their increasingly pro-Iranian slant.



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Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a snap readiness inspection of forces in southwestern Russia and the Crimean Peninsula beginning February 8 including air, naval, and air defense assets as well as up to 8,500 troops...

   Russia Security Update: 
     February 2-17, 2016
by Hugo Spaulding, Franklin Holcomb and ISW Russia and Ukraine Team

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a snap readiness inspection of forces in southwestern Russia and the Crimean Peninsula beginning February 8 including air, naval, and air defense assets as well as up to 8,500 troops. The drills may have been a show of force in response to revelations of Western plans to deploy troops in Eastern Europe and the Baltics. NATO members agreed to increase the alliance's forward presence along its eastern flank, reportedly with up to 6,000 troops, days after the U.S. revealed a proposal to deploy a new rotating contingent to the region. Increased Russian-NATO tensions coincided with a February 11 international agreement calling for a "cessation of hostilities" in Syria. Despite the agreement, Russia signaled its intent to continue launching airstrikes against the Syrian armed opposition, which it classifies as terrorists, thus jeopardizing any possibility of a true ceasefire in order to bolster the position of the Assad regime. Russia meanwhile continued to escalate its confrontation with Turkey, inviting the dominant Syrian Kurdish political group to open its first European representative office in Moscow and casting Turkey as the spoiler of a potential ceasefire. Russia deployed its advanced Tu-214R spyplane on February 15, days after agreeing to halt hostilities, increasing its ability to strike opposition targets. Russia continued to advance its economic interests in the Middle East, including with U.S. allies, despite its polarizing operations in Syria. Russia reached an agreement to boost bilateral trade with Iraq and a preliminary agreement with Saudi Arabia aimed at stabilizing the slumping price of oil. Iran voiced its opposition to the oil production freeze despite reportedly sending its defense minister to Moscow to discuss major arms deals, demonstrating the competing effects of sanctions relief on Russian-Iranian relations.

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Latest intelligence on the world situation, updates on US military capabilities, news that affects Military retirees, and news that will probably never be reported by the "Liberal American Media!"


Military Newsletter
 
Latest intelligence on the world situation, updates on US military capabilities, news that affects Military retirees, 
and news that will probably never be reported by the "Liberal American Media!"
 
Edited by Lt Col Kent Vasby, USAF, Ret
 
 
 
Bradley and Kloppenburg will square off for Wisconsin Supreme Court in April
 
 

 
Syria Cease-Fire Brings Turkey Closer to War
 
Russia has accelerated its brutal bombing campaign and is working with Turkey's Kurdish enemies to seize as much land as it can - before peace breaks out. 
 
If? peace breaks out
 

 
Obama Says Putin Intervention Won't Help Assad Prevail in Syria
 
President Barack Obama said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's intervention in the Syrian civil war hasn't resulted in significant gains for his ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and threatens to bog down Russia's military and economy.
 
 
 

Are Syrian civilians being used as "hostages" in the war?
 
 
US Has No Plans for Humanitarian Airdrops in Northwest Syria: Pentagon
 
Moscow has not told the U.S., either directly or through third parties, to avoid sending relief flights into the airspace around Aleppo, but the U.S. was currently pursuing a "two-track" strategy in Syria that did not permit humanitarian airdrops, said Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook.
 
"There are humanitarian groups that are prepared to provide assistance at this time," Cook said. "It's up to, again, the Russians and others" to halt the fighting "so that that relief can come in.
 
 
 

 
Siege Warfare in Syria Revives Debate Over Ancient Tactic
 
Sieges were widely used for centuries as a military tool from Jerusalem to Leningrad and Sarajevo and aren't defined outright as a war crime. However, recent images of emaciated civilians in blockaded areas, such as the Syrian town of Madaya, have prompted global outrage.
 
The United States says President Bashar Assad is violating the rules of war with what it calls a policy of "surrender or starve."
 
A look at sieges and changing legal views:
 
 
 

 
 As focus remains on Syria, Ukraine sees heaviest fighting in months
 
s world powers focus on freezing the conflict in Syria, the war in Ukraine continues unabated. According to international monitoring organizations and soldiers on the front, the fighting has reached levels not seen in months.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Defiant Iran ignores UN ban, hits up Putin for high-tech tanks, fighter jets
 
Iran's defense minister met Tuesday in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin about delivery of the advanced S-300 air defense system -- and the purchase of powerful offensive weapons, including Russia's most sophisticated tank and jet fighters.
 
 
 

Will South Korea Go Nuclear?
 
Seouls leading newspaper suggests acquiring nuclear arms, as confidence wanes in U.S. defense guarantees.
 
 
The U.S. has passed the buck for taming North Korea to China, and China is doing nothing. 
 
Seoul now faces a real need for public discussion of the development of its own nuclear weapons.
 
 
 

 
Exposed: The U.S. Navy's Most Super Secret Spy Submarine
 
During her time at sea, we don't know where the Jimmy Carter was or what her crew of nearly 150 were precisely doing. The Seawolf class is one of the most secretive weapons in America's arsenal, and information about the Navy's "Silent Service" is difficult to discover. . . by design. 
   
 

 
Obama, ASEAN discuss South China Sea tensions, but no joint mention of China
 
 
Out of sight, out of mind?
 
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he and leaders of Southeast Asian countries discussed the need to ease tensions in the South China Sea, and agreed that any territorial disputes there should be resolved peacefully and through legal means. 
 
 
 

 
Fed Official Says Big Banks Need to Be Broken Up
 
Neel Kashkari, a Republican who just took office as president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve in January, says America's biggest banks are still "too big to fail" and pose a huge threat to the economy  if regulators don't forcibly break them up. 
 
 
 
While Dodd-Frank gives small community banks obstacles particularly complying with regulations that may prove insurmountable. 
 
Ed note:  One area bank here ceased local operations while another merged with a larger one.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bin Laden shooter on women in combat: 'Lock and load, ladies'
 
The former Navy SEAL who shot Osama Bin Laden told a disbelieving Fox Business host on Tuesday that he'd serve in combat alongside a woman who had passed the standards to serve in special operations. 
 
"These Islamic fighters, they don't fear death, but they do fear hell and if they're killed by women, they go to hell as far as they know. So lock and load ladies. 
 
If they don't lower the standards and they can pass them, yeah, I think they should get a shot," 
 
 
 

Marine says he was beaten and robbed by teens
 
Chris Marquez is an Iraq vet who served eight years of active duty He says he was eating in a Washington, DC McDonald's when he was approached by a group of teens who asked him if 'black lives matter' He says they later ambushed him, hit him in the head with a handgun, knocked him unconscious, and stole his wallet.
 
 
A 2004 photograph of Marquez carrying a wounded comrade in Fallujah inspired the No Man Left Behind statues located at two corps bases.
 
 
 

Mikey doesn't like it!
 
 
Conservative President May Mean More God-Friendly Military
 
Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, said the issue of religion has been particularly noticeable in the Republican primary and he's concerned a more conservative president may embolden commanders who prefer a more God-friendly military. 
 
 
 

 
Ted Cruz promises military no 'gluten-free' MREs
 
"The last thing any commander should need to worry about is the grades he is getting from some plush-bottomed Pentagon bureaucrat for political correctness or social experiments."
 
Ed:  And then CNN goes on to blast Cruz and support Rubio.
 
 
 

 
Donald Trump's 'Hundreds' of 9/11 Lies
 
If the GOP frontrunner lost hundreds of friends on 9/11, and donated hundreds of millions of dollars to 9/11 victims, there's no public record of it.
 
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Angels Explained By Children...


 
I only know the names of two angels, Hark and Harold.
Gregory, age 5
 
Everybodys got it all wrong. Angels dont wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it.
Olive, age 9
 
Its not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then theres still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.
Matthew, age 9
 
Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.
Mitchell, age 7
 
My guardian angel helps me with math, but hes not much good for science.
Henry, age 8
 
Angels dont eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows!!!
Jack, age 6
 
Angels talk all the way while theyre flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.
Daniel, age 9
 
When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath again, somewhere theres a tornado.
Reagan, age 10
 
Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.
Sara, age 6
 
Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, whos a very good carpenter.
Jared, age 8
 
All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didnt go for it.
Antonio, age 9
 
My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.
Ashley, age 9
 
Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they dont make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.
Vicki, age 8
 
What I dont get about angels is, why when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them.
Sarah, age 7

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U.S. Removed Cuba from Terrorist List After Hezbollah Opened Base on Island -- A few years before the Obama administration removed Cuba from the U.S. list of nations that sponsor terrorism Hezbollah established an operational base on the communist island, according to intelligence received by Hillary...

Tips   
Judicial Watch: State Department Asked Hillary Clinton Lawyers to Delete Specific Classified Records, Return Paper Copies --  Judicial Watch released a letter from the Department of State to Hillary Clinton’s lawyers that includes a list of classified records to be either deleted or returned to the State...READ MORE
U.S. Removed Cuba from Terrorist List After Hezbollah Opened Base on Island -- A few years before the Obama administration removed Cuba from the U.S. list of nations that sponsor terrorism Hezbollah established an operational base on the communist island, according to intelligence received by Hillary...READ MORE
Judicial Watch Statement on FBI Letter Detailing Investigation of Hillary Clinton -- Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton made the following statement regarding the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) letter to U.S. Department of State Principal Deputy Legal Adviser Marry McLeod concerning...READ MORE
Unaccompanied Alien Children Charged in Execution-Style Murder, Media Calls Them “Baby-Faced Boys” -- It appears that the recent execution-style murder of a Massachusetts man was committed by two Central American teens that came to the U.S. as Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC)...READ MORE
Teamwork 
Keep our investigators on the job uncovering the dirt.
>> add an extra contribution right now? << 
Judicial Watch In The News 
al-Qaida terrorist hid in northern Mexico - The cable, obtained by Judicial Watch through a Freedom of Information Act request, details how the U.S. government received the tip about Shukrijumah in northern Mexico. The cable says: “An individual approached the Ciudad Juárez consulate to provide information pertaining to suspect Arab extremists who have been smuggled through Mexico to the United States/Mexico border. http://jwatch.us/c9K82X
 
Fast & Furious Victory - In a statement released Friday by the government watchdog group Judicial Watch; unreleased documents relating to a long-forgotten lawsuit over the Obama administrations failed "Fast and Furious" program have been obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. The Department of Justice (DOJ) action was an attempt to track guns being obtained by Mexican drug cartels. Now the truth of that operation is one step closer to becoming public. http://jwatch.us/6ctjZy
Scalia Situation 
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FWC’s Hunting Hot Sheet...

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.)

February 2016

FWC’s Hunting Hot Sheet

Check out the latest hunting news and events from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), with a special emphasis on the upcoming spring turkey season.

FREE Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend
Florida’s Youth Spring Turkey Hunt is set for Feb. 27-28 south of State Road 70, and March 12-13in the rest of the state. Only those 15 years old and younger are allowed to harvest a turkey while supervised by an adult. For more information about this opportunity, visit http://myfwc.com/media/2982032/YouthTurkeyHunt.pdf

Are These 5 Things on Your Wild Turkey Season To Do List?

  1. Clear your calendar to enjoy the upcoming spring turkey season. Florida’s 2016 spring turkey runs March 5 – April 10 south of S.R. 70 and March 19 – April 24 for the rest of the state (except Holmes County). In Holmes County, the season runs March 19 – April 3.Season dates and bag limits are available here http://www.myfwc.com/hunting/season-dates
  2. Get your hunting license ($17 for residents, $46.50 for nonresident 10-day license), and turkey permit ($10 for residents, $125 for nonresidents) before you head to the turkey woods. If you plan to pursue a gobbler on one of Florida’s many WMAs, you also must purchase a management area permit for $26.50. Licenses are available at county tax collectors’ offices and at most retail outlets that sell hunting/fishing supplies. They also can be bought with a credit card by calling 888-486-8356 or at http://GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
  3. Figure out where to turkey hunt on public land without a quota permit. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) offers 43 public hunting areas statewide where hunters can “walk on” to hunt spring turkeys. Check out FWC's 2016 Florida Spring Turkey Hunting Guide to find which wildlife management areas allow it. http://myfwc.com/hunting/by-species/turkey/hunt-without-quota-permit/. 
  4. Get ready for turkey season with a calling lesson (video). FWC’s Tony Young shows you how to make the following calls using a box, friction, and mouth call: tree call, fly-down cackle, yelp, cluck and purr, and cutt. He also demonstrates an owl hoot, crow call and gobble tube, and talks about what each of the sounds mean and when and how to best use them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65yIgjswUvI&index=5&list=PLCkzBjKfMRSCISs1Z9vSq7ncGB7XUXz6R Check out these other turkey hunting videos https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCkzBjKfMRSCISs1Z9vSq7ncGB7XUXz6R
  5. Commit to introducing someone to turkey hunting. You can start that process by having them take a hunter safety course. Students learn about firearms safety, wildlife identification, conservation, responsible hunting strategies and more. Plus, there’s a hands-on component where students demonstrate their newly acquired skills. Find a hunter safety course here http://myfwc.com/hunting/safety-education/courses/

Florida National Archery in the Schools 
The Florida National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), an in-school curriculum designed to introduce youth to target archery, is a great way to teach a lifetime skill that every student can enjoy. It's so popular with students that it has become a motivating force for them to excel at school. See how Polk County kids brought up their grades so they participate in the state finals, which will be held Feb. 27 at the Carver Recreation Center in Bartow. http://www.theledger.com/article/20160125/news/160129615. For more information about Florida National Archery in the Schools Program, visit http://myfwc.com/education/outdoor-skills/archery/contact/

Florida Deer hunting continues through Feb. 28 in Zone D
There’s still a little time to head to the Florida woods to deer hunt. General gun season remains open on private lands in Zones B and D through Feb. 21. In Zone D, those who hunt with a bow, crossbow or muzzleloader get an additional week - from Feb. 22-28 - to participate in a late muzzleloading gun season. This unique late season, which occurs on private land only in Zone D, was established to give hunters the chance to hunt the rut, which occurs from mid-January through February in the Florida Panhandle. Season dates are available here: http://www.myfwc.com/hunting/season-dates

Make plans to hog hunt this spring or summer
Going hog hunting this spring or summer? Check out the 2016 hog hunting opportunities at these WMAs. http://myfwc.com/hunting/by-species/wild-hog/dates/

Lily’s Story – A Camo Dream Come True
Liliana (Lily) went on her first hunt last fall, taking a mature whitetail buck and making a memory to treasure. In many ways, her story is similar to other young first-time hunters. In one very important way, it’s not.

Youth Hunting

Lily has cystic fibrosis. This serious disease makes breathing and digesting food extremely difficult. The activities most people take for granted are a million times harder for Lily. But this young adventurer doesn’t let that hold her back. Her mother said she tries as many activities as she can from surfing to horseback riding. And even though Lily comes from a family that doesn’t hunt, she can now add becoming a huntress to her list. 

Wondering why Lily decided to try hunting? Her interest was piqued while attending a geocaching festival at FWC’s Ocala Conservation Center and Youth Camp, which is part of the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network. She saw a flyer for the Ocala Outdoor Adventure Camp and decided she wanted to attend. After being released from the hospital due to cystic fibrosis complications, Lily attended the Ocala Hunt Camp last summer. It was important to her that she not miss a single activity that the other kids would be participating in. So before camp started each morning and after dinner, camp staff helped Lily with her treatments and medications. Lily’s mom said she had a wonderful time at camp and received her hunter safety certification. 

Seeing how much she enjoyed herself, Ocala camp staff recommended Lily for a special opportunity with Camo Dreams, Inc., a Florida-based nonprofit organization that grants youth with a disability or life-threatening illness a once-in-a-lifetime trip into the outdoors. Lily had a safe and successful hunt while being accompanied and mentored by an adult with the Camo Dreams program. She’s going back to the Ocala camp this summer to expand her archery and bowhunting skills. 

Lily’s spirit and dedication as a hunter are something everyone can admire. And her story reminds us all of the power of sharing our outdoor experiences.

Find an outdoor adventure for a special young person in your life at a conservation center or camp near you by visiting http://fyccn.org/.

Wood Duck Nest Boxes
Providing nest boxes for wood ducks can be fun and rewarding. And if done properly, it can establish or increase local populations of this beautiful bird.  Now is an excellent time to install or clean your existing wood duck boxes for the nesting season, which typically runs from March through June.  Bees, wasps, and other insects that find their way into the boxes are less active during the cold months. Clean out old nests and material, and replace with fresh wood chips.  Don’t forget to make any necessary repairs and make sure the predator guards are in good working order. For wood duck nest box information, visit http://www.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/waterfowl/wood-ducks/nest-box/. Download plans for building your own box http://www.myfwc.com/media/2873917/Wood-Duck-Box.pdf

Calendar of Events
What: Traditional Bowhunters of Florida 25th Anniversary Championship
When: March 4-6, 2016
Where: Ocala Conservation Center & Youth Camp, 73 NE 170th, Ave. Silver Springs, FL
For more info: http://www.tbof.org/upcoming-events/2016-state-championship-march-4-6th.html

Be in the know about HuntFlorida! Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HGM.FWC/ and YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/user/HuntFloridaTV

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After the bras, it's meth in lolipops...

Link to Borderland Beat

After the bras, it's meth in lolipops.

Posted: 16 Feb 2016 07:25 AM PST

Posted by DD republished from  Omaha.com

Associated Press | 


MEXICO CITY — Police at Mexico City's international airport have found a load of lollipops with each piece of candy containing a capsule of methamphetamine.

The federal police say the freight shipment originated in the drug-plagued state of Sinaloa and was headed to Omaha.




Police X-rayed a 9-pound box of candy labelled "Handicrafts and Candy." Inside, they saw the circular shadows of capsules inside the lollipops.

Police said Monday that experts are still testing the capsules to determine their exact composition and weight.

DD:  Even as mild mannered as Warren Buffet is, I think the cartels better be careful.  They don't want to piss him off by sending meth laden lollipops into his city
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