Republicans need to stop acting the fool Freed Gitmo detainee, ex-bin Laden aide cements place as top jihadist in videos Clinton email chain discussed Afghan national’s CIA ties, official says...

Conservative Read

---

• Republicans need to stop acting the fool
• Freed Gitmo detainee, ex-bin Laden aide cements place as top jihadist in videos
• Clinton email chain discussed Afghan national’s CIA ties, official says
• Apple phone ruling reignites privacy vs law enforcement debate
• Sessions: Trump Can Expand the GOP Tent
• Double-Digit Odds We Have Four-Way Race in November.
• Bernie Sanders’ Fracking Ban Is an Economic Disaster for Energy-Producing States
• Acquiring A Better Vantage Point Through Moral Striving
• Latest Poll: Trump surges over GOP field, Clinton locked in virtual tie
• The Failure of Money to Buy the Presidential Nomination
• Trump Schedule of Upcoming Events: Join the #TrumpTrain
• Honest School Information Crucial for School Choice

Republicans need to stop acting the fool Posted: 17 Feb 2016 01:33 PM PST Todd Starnes, After watching the mayhem at last week’s GOP presidential debate, I’ve decided it’s time for the Republican candidates to have a Come-to-Jesus meeting. Guys, we get... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Freed Gitmo detainee, ex-bin Laden aide cements place as top jihadist in videos Posted: 17 Feb 2016 01:28 PM PST When Ibrahim al Qosi was released from Guantanamo Bay in 2012, a lawyer for the former Usama bin Laden aide said he looked forward to living a life of peace in his native Sudan.  Three... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Clinton email chain discussed Afghan national’s CIA ties, official says Posted: 17 Feb 2016 01:25 PM PST One of the classified email chains discovered on Hillary Clinton’s personal unsecured server discussed an Afghan national’s ties to the CIA and a report that he was on the agency’s... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Apple phone ruling reignites privacy vs law enforcement debate Posted: 17 Feb 2016 01:13 PM PST Apple phone ruling reignites privacy vs law enforcement debate Conservative Read [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Sessions: Trump Can Expand the GOP Tent Posted: 17 Feb 2016 08:02 AM PST Brendan Kirby, Lifezette.com  Alabama senator also defends Cruz against charges he is similar to Rubio in support for amnesty. Sen. Jeff Sessions Tuesday said Donald Trump has the ability to... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Double-Digit Odds We Have Four-Way Race in November. Posted: 17 Feb 2016 07:51 AM PST Bryan Crabtree, While leaving the station after my radio show Tuesday, the thought occurred to me that if Donald Trump is the nominee for the Republican Party and he loses the general election, it... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Bernie Sanders’ Fracking Ban Is an Economic Disaster for Energy-Producing States Posted: 17 Feb 2016 07:45 AM PST Isaac Orr, Many energy-producing states are currently struggling in the wake of falling oil and natural gas prices. Thousands of people are losing their livelihoods in the energy sector, and lower... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Acquiring A Better Vantage Point Through Moral Striving Posted: 17 Feb 2016 07:41 AM PST Armstrong Williams, The outside observer looking at what I have been able to accomplish over the years might agree that I have been blessed with an abundance of outward success. But I tend to view... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Latest Poll: Trump surges over GOP field, Clinton locked in virtual tie Posted: 17 Feb 2016 07:32 AM PST Donald Trump has surged to new heights in the Republican primary race, building a 2-1 national lead over the rest of the field, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll out Wednesday. His 39... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The Failure of Money to Buy the Presidential Nomination Posted: 17 Feb 2016 07:24 AM PST Jeb Bush’s popularity has stagnated despite massive spending by his super-PAC. The current U.S. presidential race is on pace to be the most expensive ever. Outside groups known as super-PACs... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Trump Schedule of Upcoming Events: Join the #TrumpTrain Posted: 17 Feb 2016 07:14 AM PST Get Involved In South Carolina We will Make America Great Again! But we need your help to do it. Sign up to volunteer today and together we will rebuild the American Dream.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Honest School Information Crucial for School Choice Posted: 17 Feb 2016 06:14 AM PST David V. Anderson, Supporters of education reform who advocate for government-funded choice mechanisms, such as vouchers, tend to argue the problems in K–12 schools in the United States are...

A confirmation, though, would be the single biggest nail in the coffin of American conservatism in modern history. The choice is obvious. Let’s pray that Republicans can see that!

Democrats from Elizabeth Warren to Hillary Clinton have been shouting to anyone who will listen that President Obama should nominate a new Supreme Court Justice to replace the fallen conservative hero, Antonin Scalia. On Tuesday, Obama himself addressed the subject, demanding that Republicans come up with a legitimate reason to block a nominee. 

“The Constitution is pretty clear about what is supposed to happen now,” Obama said at a California press conference. “There’s no unwritten law that says that it can only be done on off years. That’s not in the constitutional text.”

Obama’s moral high ground is somewhat mitigated by the inconvenient fact that he himself tried to block the confirmation of Justice Samuel Alito in 2005, a bit of hypocrisy he tried to downplay. “I think what’s fair to say is that how judicial nominations have evolved over time is not historically the fault of any single party,” he said. “What is also true is Justice Alito is on the bench right now.”

True enough, but what does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Obama’s trying to make it sound like Republicans in the Senate are in violation of their constitutional duty, and that’s a heavy-handed charge given his own history.

“We’ve almost gotten accustomed to how obstructionist the Senate has become when it comes to nominations,” Obama said.

That’s a good thing. Whether you want to use the term “obstructionist” or not, this partisan fight is what our system of government is all about. It’s not about Congress, the Supreme Court, and the White House all working in tandem, each of them rubber-stamping the other branch’s decisions. As much as the word “gridlock” has become an expletive, it is one of the most important features of our democracy. Better to go two sessions with a incomplete Supreme Court than to let this liberal president forever change the course of the judicial branch.

Senate Republicans had better be careful here. Their failure to effectively oppose this president is directly responsible for the voter outrage that has thrown the 2016 election into chaos. If history repeats itself this time – a period of tough talk followed by utter capitulation – there will be hell to pay. Obama has made a mockery of the legislative branch for the last seven years, undermining congressional authority whenever it suited his agenda. Now he wants to play Mr. Constitution? Seriously?

To be sure, blocking Obama’s nominee will have political consequences. A confirmation, though, would be the single biggest nail in the coffin of American conservatism in modern history. The choice is obvious. Let’s pray that Republicans can see that.

Turkey Is Asking The United States To Take Part In A Ground Invasion Of Syria...

---

Turkey Is Asking The United States To Take Part In A Ground Invasion Of Syria Posted: 16 Feb 2016 06:13 PM PST Reuters is reportingthat Turkey is asking the United States and other western allies to participate in a massive ground invasion of Syria.  But of course the Turks are not exactly sitting around and waiting for their western allies to get on board.  Turkey shelled northern Syria for a fourth consecutive day on Tuesday, even though the Obama administration has been asking them to stop.  The targets were Kurdish and Syrian military positions, and the goal appears to be to slow down their advance toward the Turkish border.  The Sunni militants that Turkey has been supporting for five years are now being completely routed, and Turkey is in a great deal of panic about this. I knew that Turkey was trying to round up support for overt military action, but I was stunned when I came across a mainstream news report today that publicly admitted that Turkey is asking the Obama administration to be part of a full-fledged ground invasion of Syria… Turkey is asking allies including the United States to take part in a joint ground operation in Syria, as a Moscow-backed government advance nears its borders, raising the possibility of direct confrontation between the NATO member and Russia. We don’t have to wonder if Turkey wants an invasion of Syria anymore. They are now coming out and openly saying it. Just consider what Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Reuters… “Some countries like us, Saudi Arabia and some other Western European countries have said that a ground operation is necessary,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Reuters in an interview. However, this kind of action could not be left to regional powers alone. “To expect this only from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar is neither right nor realistic. If such an operation is to take place, it has to be carried out jointly, like the (coalition) air strikes,” he said. Obviously Turkey would like the United States to take the lead role.  A full-blown ground invasion of Syria is a very risky thing, and it could easily spark World War 3. So even though Turkey is chomping at the bit, they are hesitant to go it alone because they realize what the consequences could be. The Saudis also seem hesitant to go ahead without the United States.  This is what Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters during a news conference in Riyadh… “The Kingdom’s readiness to provide special forces to any ground operations in Syria is linked to a decision to have a ground component to this coalition against Daesh in Syria – this US-led coalition – so the timing is not up to us,” al-Jubeir told a news conference in Riyadh, adding, “With regards to timing of the mission or size of troops, this has yet to be worked out.” But without a doubt, preparations for war continue. As I reported the other day, troops from 20 different nations are gathering in northern Saudi Arabia for the largest military exercise in the history of the Middle East.  This military exercise has been dubbed “Northern Thunder”, and some international news sources have reported that it will involve 350,000 soldiers, 20,000 tanks, 2,450 warplanes and 460 military helicopters.  Other reports put the number of troops closer to 150,000. But in any event, that is a very large gathering of military forces, and many have speculated that this could constitute the main invasion force. Of course there are two major problems.  The path from Saudi Arabia to Syria is blocked by Iraq and Jordan. In recent days Iraq has deployed troops to its border with Saudi Arabia in order to keep an eye on these “military exercises”… Iraq has deployed “large” military forces at the border with Saudi Arabia to oversee the ongoing military training conducted by the kingdom, member of the parliamentary security and defense committee Adnan al-Asadi told the Iraqi news agency INA. The large-scale military exercises started on Tuesday, with the participation of ground forces from Egypt, Sudan, Jordan and several other Arab states, the members of the Riyadh’s antiterrorist coalition. So it appears that the path through Iraq is blocked. But what about Jordan? After all, they are participating in “Northern Thunder”, so passing through Jordanian territory would seem to make the most sense. Unfortunately for the Saudis, the Jordanians are not inclined to participate in any invasion unless the Americans and the British lead the way… A Jordanian official confirmed that the country will not participate in any Turkish- or Arab-led Syrian invasion unless mandated by the United Nations, led by western forces and coordinated with Russia. “Jordan is not going to send ground forces into Syria unless these troops are led by Americans and British,” the Jordanian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We have very long borders with Iraq and Syria which are more than 550 kilometers. Any ground troops including Jordanian forces should be sent after a UN approval and after full coordination with Russia.” For now, it appears that if there is going to be a ground invasion of Syria, that it is most likely to come from the north.  According to Russia Insider, the Saudis and the Turks have established a join operations center, and both the Saudis and the UAE have sent military aircraft to Turkey… According to reports (not in English, but we will try to dig up a proper translation as soon as possible), Saudi Arabia has created an operations room with Turkey, in preparation for a joint assault on Syria. The report also claims that military planes from the United Arab Emirates are now stationed at Incirlik airbase in Turkey — the same base where Saudi jets were recently deployed. The report, which hasn’t been independently verified, is consistent with the Saudis’ openess about a possible invasion, as well as Turkey’s warning that escalation is imminent. And it’s not all talk. Turkey has already begun attacking. Turkey has indeed already started attacking.  They have been shelling Syria for four days in a row, and nobody is making them stop. But a full-blown ground invasion is another thing altogether. So will Turkey and Saudi Arabia go ahead, or will they chicken out because the U.S. does not want to be involved? We will just have to wait and see what happens over the next few weeks…

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.

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. Read this update online