Thursday, June 19, 2014

A definite "need to read." Betrayal in Benghazi!

Precisely the reason for never electing Hillary into any office of responsibility, if she does not know "What Difference It Makes!" As for this do nothing, self conceited, sorry ass President the people elected, he and she should be stood at the wall and shot by a firing squad for being such idiots. Hillary should have known on special holidays and special events, you beef up the security, not reduce it. rln

A definite "need to read."

Colonel Phil "Hands" Handley is credited with the highest speed air-to-air gun kill in the history of aerial combat. He flew operationally for all but 11 months of a 26-year career, in aircraft such as the F-86 Sabre, F-15 Eagle, and the C-130A Hercules. Additionally, he flew 275 combat missions during two tours in Southeast Asia in the F-4D and F-4E. His awards include 21 Air Medals, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and the Silver Star.

Here is what Col. Handley wrote in response to Panetta and Dempsey's claims there was no time to send help to Benghazi

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Betrayal in Benghazi
Phil "Hands" Handley Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

The combat code of the US Military is that we don't abandon our dead or wounded on the battlefield. In US Air Force lingo, fighter pilots don't run off and leave their wingmen. If one of our own is shot down, still alive and not yet in enemy captivity, we will either come to get him or die trying.

Among America's fighting forces, the calm, sure knowledge that such an irrevocable bond exists is priceless. Along with individual faith and personal grit, it is a sacred trust that has often sustained hope in the face of terribly long odds.

The disgraceful abandonment of our Ambassador and those brave ex-SEAL's who fought to their deaths to save others in that compound is nothing short of dereliction-of-duty.

Additionally, the patently absurd cover-up scenario that was fabricated in the aftermath was an outright lie in an attempt to shield the President and the Secretary of State from responsibility. The White House strategy, with the aid of a "lap dog" press has been to run out the clock before the truth is forthcoming.

The contention "that there were simply no military assets that could be brought to bear in time to make a difference" mainly due to the unavailability of tanker support for fighter aircraft is simply Bull Chit, regardless how many supposed "experts" the Administration trots out to make such an assertion.

The bottom line is that even if the closest asset capable of response was half-way around the world, you don't just sit on your penguin ass and do nothing.

The fact is that the closest asset was not half-way around the world, but as near as Aviano Air Base, Italy where two squadrons of F-16Cs are based.

Consider the following scenario (all times Benghazi local): When Hicks in Tripoli receives a call at 9:40 PM from Ambassador Stevens informing him "Greg, we are under attack!" (his last words). Hicks immediately notifies all agencies and prepares for the immediate initiation of an existing "Emergency Response Plan."

At AFRICON, General Carter Ham attempts to mount a rescue effort, but is told to "stand down". By 10:30 PM an unarmed drone is overhead the compound and streaming live feed to various "Command and Control Agencies" so everyone watching that feed knew damn well what was going on.

At 11:30 PM Woods, Doherty and five others leave Tripoli, arriving in Benghazi at 1:30 AM on Wednesday morning, where they hold off the attacking mob from the roof of the compound until they are killed by a mortar direct hit at 4:00 AM.

So nothing could have been done, eh? Nonsense. If one assumes that tanker support really "was not available" what about this: When at 10:00 PM AFRICON alerts the 31st TFW Command Post in Aviano Air Base, Italy of the attack, the Wing Commander orders preparation for the launch of two F-16s and advises the Command Post at NAS Sigonella to prepare for hot pit refueling and quick turn of the jets.

By 11:30 PM, two F-16Cs with drop tanks and each armed with five hundred 20 MM rounds are airborne. Flying at 0.92 mach they will cover the 522 nautical miles directly to NAS Sigonella in 1.08 hours. While in-route, the flight lead is informed of the tactical situation, rules of engagement, and radio frequencies to use.

The jets depart Sigonella at 1:10 AM with full fuel load and cover the 377 nautical miles directly to Benghazi in 0.8 hours, arriving at 1:50 AM which would be 20 minutes after the arrival of Woods, Doherty and their team.

Providing that the two F-16s initial pass over the mob, in full afterburner at 200 feet and 550 knots did not stop the attack in its tracks, a few well placed strafing runs on targets of opportunity would assuredly do the trick.

Were the F-16s fuel state insufficient to return to Sigonella after jettisoning their external drop tanks, they could easily do so at Tripoli International Airport, only one-half hour away.

As for those hand-wringing naysayers who would worry about IFR clearances, border crossing authority, collateral damage, landing rights, political correctness and dozens of other reasons not to act -- screw them. It is time our "leadership" get its priorities straight and put America's interests first.

The end result would be that Woods and Doherty would be alive. Dozens in the attacking rabble would be rendezvousing with "72 virgins" and a clear message would have been sent to the next worthless P.O.S. terrorist contemplating an attack on Americans that it is not really a good idea to "tug" on Superman's cape.

Of course all this depends upon a 'Commander In Chief' more concerned with saving the lives of those he put in harm's way than getting his crew rested for a campaign fund raising event in Las Vegas the next day. It also depends upon a Secretary of State who actually understood "What difference did it make?", and a Secretary of Defense who was watching the feed from the drone and understood what the attack consisted of instead of making an immediate response that "One of the military tenets is that you don't commit assets until you fully understand the tactical situation."

YGBSM! ( You Gotta Be Chittin' Me)

Ultimately it comes down to the question of who gave that order to stand down? Whoever that coward turns out to be should be exposed, removed from office, and face criminal charges for dereliction of duty. The combat forces of the United States of America deserve leadership that really does "have their back" when the chips are down.

FOR THOSE OF YOU HAVE ACTUALLY TAKEN THE TIME TO READ THIS, DO
ONE THING FOR ME AND FORWARD IT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!! TO AVOID THIS HAPPENING AGAIN, WHOM EVER GAVE THE "STAND DOWN" ORDER NEEDS TO BE EXPOSED!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Why Ukraine's freeze on arms sales to Russia will hurt Kiev too

Did you know this about bats?

Did you know this about bats?

The newsletter from, "The Texas Gardener Seeds" said:

Put up a bat house to encourage the presence of these shy animals. Bats consume 3,000 or more mosquitoes and other insects nightly, and bats are less likely to be rabid than dogs are.

Need another reason? Bats are responsible for up to 95 percent of the seed dispersalessential to the regeneration of forests.

Our planet is populated with plenty of bizarre and astonishing creatures. Here are three from the Bat Family…

Sucker-footed Bat

Red-Winged Fruit Bat

Left-Winged Ding Bat

So 2 out of 3 Bats have a useful purpose!

If we could just train him to eat mosquitoes..

Or do anything useful...

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

The Intrigue Lying Behind Iraq's Jihadist Uprising

Bowe Bergdahl. Read, remember, vote responsibly !!!

Bowe Bergdahl

By Jon Williams

As an Army Veteran who was working as a contractor attached to the 25th Infantry Division (same Division as Bergdahl) in a nearby FOB when Bowe Bergdahl went missing, I feel the need to speak out on the situation (notice I don’t ascribe rank to him, I will address that later).

A few days ago, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel took the stage at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan and excitedly started with what he thought would be a big applause line. “We got him back!” he exclaimed.

Silence.

Not. Even. One. Clap.

Numerous White House leaks show that Obama and his team were convinced that Americans would greet the news of a returning POW with elation; that this would be the great moment in Obama’s second term. This shows just how clueless they are about the military. Let me clue them in.

You see, when Hagel took the stage, he expected joy at the announcement that one of their own was returned! However, you have to see inside a soldier’s mind to understand what was going on here. I believe I can provide a little insight.

When a soldier deserts his post, when he writes that he is ashamed to be an American, when he gives the enemy secrets (and he did), he is no longer “one of us”. He is a traitor. He is not a brother-in-arms.
Soldiers risk their lives for each other every day on the battlefield, there is a trust and respect they have for each other. For Bowe Bergdahl to break that trust and the Secretary of Defense to announce a hero’s welcome instead of a court-martial is a huge let-down.

He isn't one of their own. He is one of them. He is the enemy.

That's not something to celebrate.

The message the White House is sending is that they value treason more than honorable service.

Read that last sentence again. Let it sink in. THIS is what every soldier is thinking.

In a soldier’s mind serving with honor means finishing your tour, even if you disagree with the way things are done. All bets are off if you serve with dishonor.

I do not refer to Bergdahl as a sergeant, even though he received “automatic” promotions while in the Taliban’s custody because according to law, after 30 days his rank and pay should have been stripped from him. Due to political pressure, his was not. In fact, he probably has over $200,000 in cash waiting in his bank account. In my opinion, this money should be given to the families of the soldiers who died in the aftermath of his desertion.

Bowe Bergdahl deserted his post. He served with dishonor. I know that firsthand. Our soldiers know that. They know they risk their lives every day. They don't get a hero’s welcome from the White House, they get fewer meals (due to budget constraints) and less safety equipment (due to the drawdown).

Let me be perfectly clear. A Rose Garden Ceremony, a “hero’s welcome”, and automatic promotions to a person that deserted is nothing more than a slap in the face to every service member who has served honorably.

That, Mr. President and Mr. Hagel, is why soldiers aren’t clapping and applauding for you. That is why you have lost any remaining respect from the military community.

Monday, June 16, 2014

Do Your Part ... Learn Arabic!

President Obama says we should create harmony by
    learning Arabic...

      We might as well get on the band wagon.

The current administration wants us to learn more about Muslims
and accept them into our culture.

So, I'm making a sincere effort to learn to communicate with our
Muslim friends and learn Arabic for the sake of 'cultural diversity.'

This is my first attempt!!

WTF: WHY MUNICIPALITIES ARE GOING BROKE PROOF? IN PELOSI'S SAN FRANCISCO, GAY IS NOT ABOUT EQUALITY, IT'S ABOUT PROGRESSIVE SOCIALIST POLITICS PROTECTING THE THE QUEEN "B," HILLARY CLINTON, FROM BENGHAZI AND DERELICTION OF DUTY CHARGES...

One Citizen Speaking...

WTF: WHY MUNICIPALITIES ARE GOING BROKE

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 10:10 PM PDT

Remember those shovel-ready projects that weren’t quite shovel ready?

To clear my head, I am prone to take walks in my neighborhood which provides me with the unparalleled opportunity to check our the landscaping and the surrounding streets. So I was surprised to find out that my residential street will be temporarily closed while they grind down the surface and then repave with “Coldmill and Asphalt Hot Mix” in high-traffic areas and a “standard asphalt mix in cul de sac areas.”

While roadways degrade over time, especially those in high traffic areas, I saw no obvious signs of road deterioration. So I asked one of the workers what was going on. His reply is the reason for this blog.

First, he assured me that the funds for the repave did not come out of the city’s funds and that the work was part of a state and federal funding program. As if I did not also pay state and federal taxes.

Second, he told me if the funds were not used, they would be gone forever and there was no telling when such funding might become available again.

And third, and perhaps most troubling, if those funds were not fully used, the next funds allocation was likely to be reduced. Something that made absolutely no sense as I would assume that road conditions would determine the necessity for fund allocations, not some formula based on previous funds allocations.

Pretty much the reason why our cities, counties, states, and the federal government is deep in debt. It is incumbent on the politicians to keep unionized workers working and making benefit and healthcare payments to the union leadership lest they be denied union campaign funds and voter support in the next election cycle.

The fact that budgeted funds must be fully spent – whether on critical infrastructure that is in serious need of repair or replacement, or make-work projects, seems to be the government’s modus operandi at all levels.

Bottom line …

Until we can remove unionized personnel, political corruption, and make-work projects out of our budgets, we are doomed to an upward spiral of costs and a downward spiral of critical infrastructure.

Here in California, Governor Jerry Brown is pushing his “crazy train,” a not-so high-speed rail project that goes nowhere important, but sucks up nearly a trillion dollars over its lifetime – with much of that going to the special interests, consultants, and union-connected projects. The train will never pay for itself and is mostly part of the progressive socialist democrat pipe dream of forcing people out of their cars and into high-rises locate near their workplace – in the best tradition of Mother Russia.

Heaven forbid we should use this money to improve our critical water facilities that are crumbling with old age – many of which cross major fault lines – or repair our aging and inadequate electricity grid. Or, alternatively, build-out municipal broadband facilities that can be leased to communications providers and which will lower content delivery costs.

Time to keep a sharp eye on our corrupt politicians and their special interests. And, the best way to eliminate government waste, fraud and abuse is to remove the progressive socialist democrats like Governor Jerry Brown and replace them with moderate conservatives like Neel Kashkari. Kashkari, who is a minority, a man who voted for Obama, and presided over the Trouble Asset Relief Program (TARP) is a fiscal conservative and has promised to kill Jerry Brown’s crazy train. Good enough for me.

-- steve

PROOF? IN PELOSI'S SAN FRANCISCO, GAY IS NOT ABOUT EQUALITY, IT'S ABOUT PROGRESSIVE SOCIALIST POLITICS

Posted: 15 Jun 2014 06:16 PM PDT

They, the LGBT activists, want to be welcome everywhere, but yet they deny the same equality to others as they fete a traitor to America. This is little more than radical socialist politics at work.

National Guard Not Welcome This Time At San Francisco LGBT Pride Weekend; Chelsea Manning Is
Organizers of San Francisco’s pride weekend festivities have yanked the welcome mat away from the National Guard, voting to ban the Guard from setting up a booth at the festival.
The decision comes at the same time Pride organizers are allowing a controversial Army private who leaked military secrets to be honorary grand marshal.
The board of the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee rejected a request from the Guard to set up an informational booth at Civic Center Plaza during Pride Weekend. Last year, the National Guard had a booth at Pride Weekend for the first time – staffed by gay soldiers – following the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
The military’s current ban on transgender service members serving openly, minority recruitment tactics, and sexual assault scandals were factors in the board’s decision, Pride Executive Director George Ridgely told LGBT news weekly Bay Area Reporter.
Manning, who now goes by the name Chelsea Elizabeth Manning, is again invited to be honorary grand marshal in this year’s parade.She was convicted last year of violating the Espionage Act for releasing classified military documents and sentenced to 35 years confinement, with a possible parole release in eight years. Source: National Guard Not Welcome This Time At San Francisco LGBT Pride Weekend; Chelsea Manning Is « CBS San Francisco

Eight years for selling out your nation? Something is definitively wrong in America.

Bottom line …

The LGBT community wants to be openly accepted by the military, yet the deny the California National Guard a booth and openly offer a convicted traitor the chance to be the “grand marshal” How very politically correct, anti-America, multi-cultural, and morally equivalent to honor a traitor – you can only find this radicalism in the circles of progressive socialist democrats.

We need to remove progressive socialist democrats from the House, the Senate, and the Presidency.

-- steve

PROTECTING THE THE QUEEN "B," HILLARY CLINTON, FROM BENGHAZI AND DERELICTION OF DUTY CHARGES

Posted: 14 Jun 2014 03:39 PM PDT

The last thing Hillary Clinton and her cadre of progressive socialist democrats want is for the truth to emerge on the terrorist attack on Benghazi on the anniversary of 9/11 …

We know that the facility under attack was not a State Department “embassy” or a “consulate,” as portrayed in the media, so what was it and what was its purpose? Was it, as many have alleged, a joint CIA-State Department compound dedicated to securing military-grade weapons that were floating loose in Libya and were being collected and re-purposed via illegal arms shipments through Turkey to radical Islamic terrorists and jihadists who were fighting in Syria?
Why was Ambassador Stevens present in the compound and why was his last appointment with the Turkish Ambassador prior to the attack?
Why were no upgraded security precautions implemented after a specific request by Ambassador Stevens? Could it be because President Obama formally declared the al Qaeda was defeated and on the run in the days leading up to the presidential election and that the truth could point out glaring discrepancies in Obama’s public statements? Or even worse, call attention to the illegal (without Congressional Authorization) act of war perpetrated by the Obama Administration on Libya and the failure of Obama’s foreign policy in Libya?
Why were security precautions not tightened across the region on the anniversary of9/11, a symbolic day for a terrorist attack.
Why has the autopsy results on Ambassador Stevens never released? Could it be because he was sodomized and his body mutilated by his attackers as many have alleged?
Did Hillary Clinton concoct the “spontaneous protest over a video” story and convey it to the White House? Did National Security Adviser (Media) Ben Rhodes, brother of CBS President David Rhodes, craft the talking points for the White House – sending the President, Hillary Clinton, and Susan Rice on a media circus to lie to the American people? Or, in the words of Ben Rhodes, “To underscore that these protests are rooted in and Internet video, and not a broader failure or policy.”

Princess Pelosi moves to protect the Queen “B” …

Clinton allies pressured Dems on Benghazi
Hillary Clinton’s world was so worried about a Republican investigation of the Benghazi attacks, they sent a message to House Democrats: We need backup.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) publicly considered boycotting the panel, an idea that Clinton supporters feared would leave the potential 2016 candidate exposed to the enemy fire of House Republicans.
So Clinton emissaries launched a back channel campaign, contacting several House Democratic lawmakers and aides to say they’d prefer Democrats participate, according to sources familiar with the conversations. Pelosi’s staff said they have not heard from Clinton’s camp.
On Wednesday, Pelosi appointed five Democrats to the committee, giving Democrats another crucial mission in the months ahead of what was already a tough election year: act as Clinton’s first line of defense.
Source: Clinton allies pressured Dems on Benghazi - Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer - POLITICO.com

And, it is no coincidence that Princess Pelosi picked the most radical and vocal of the progressive socialist democrats, including:

Elijah Cummings (D-MD) who suggested that everything is known about Benghazi and this is a political stunt.Cummings is quoted as saying, “I’m looking for the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Whatever that is,” he said. “But you gotta keep in mind, you cannot disregard what we have seen, and that is allegations being made unfairly and in many instances untruthfully, and then there’s a search for the facts to back them up. So what that does is it puts us in a situation where it’s very difficult to have trust.”
Adam Smith (D-WA), who said, “Republicans in Congress have turned the death of an ambassador and three other Americans into a political witch hunt. For nearly eight months, we have watched Republicans desperately and obsessively search for a scandal, which has not appeared”
Adam B. Schiff (D-CA) who said, “We’ve had four bipartisan investigations already. I don’t think it makes sense, really, for Democrats to participate…I think it’s just a tremendous red herring and a waste of taxpayer resources.”
Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA) who said, “Although I am disheartened that we are putting the families affected by this tragedy through this partisan exercise, I am committed to looking at the evidence and making decisions based on what that evidence shows.” And threw in a partisan jab for good effect, ““Leaving politics out of the room is going to be a challenge for this committee, but our responsibility to the American people is to carefully analyze the facts, and not just make up allegations. I hope my Republican colleagues will adhere to the same principles.”
Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) who said, “I want to make sure that no American diplomat, no American life, no American service member is ever put in the same kind of jeopardy where we don’t have the resources there to protect them as they carry out this nation’s business around the world.”

In Hillary’s own words …

In her widely-hyped interview with ABC’s Diana Sawyer, Clinton attempted to absolve herself from any culpability by citing an extremely flawed, partisan, and “internal” investigation.

"As the independent board that investigated every aspect of this, including all the cables, concluded, there was a lack of appreciation and response to the level of threat. ... That was never brought to me ... What I did was give very direct instructions that the people who have the expertise and experience in security. ... That is personal though, Diane. And, I mean, I'm not equipped to sit and look at blueprints, to determine where the blast walls need to be or where the reinforcements need to be. That’s why we hire people who have that expertise. ... But that doesn't mean I wasn't saying all the time, "We've gotta make sure we secure this spot and that spot."

But the truth is that the board was not independent and failed miserably in their investigation …

The Accountability Review Board (ARB) was convened by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to lead an official investigation into the Benghazi and to review the circumstances surrounding the attacks and its aftermath. The ARB did not interview critical on-the-ground witnesses nor did they interview Hillary Clinton to determine what she knew and when she knew it. Especially when Hillary Clinton knew that this was not a spontaneous protest over a video, but a full-fledged terrorist attack – but lied to the American public nevertheless.

Even worse, we are now learning that the CIA and/or NSA intercepted calls using the compound’s telephones from the terrorists to their leadership. And, that an aircraft was standing-by in Germany and could have proceeded with a rescue attempt within four hours rather than an after the fact recovery of bodies.

Bottom line …

Hillary Clinton is a corrupt, conniving, liar whose previous scandals makes her unfit for public office let alone the presidency of the United States. In my opinion, it is possible that Hillary Clinton is simply fundraising and will sit out the election to become the nation’s important progressive socialist democrat “kingmaker.”

This is the type of choreographed “Clintonian” effort that sees limted media access, softball interviews, and numerous progressive pundits like Lanny Davis continuing to defend the indefensible. Backroom deals and black money may be washing through the campaign as we speak. And, as we have seen before, I would not be surprised to see Chinese and Arab money being channeled through opaque PACs into the Clinton campaign – or non-campaign at this point in time -- as the progressive socialist democrats illegally target conservative fundraising using the IRS.

As we have seen over the past years and months, the progressive socialist democrats cannot be trusted with foreign or domestic policy and appear to be a fifth column trying to destroy America from within. The only truth that they acknowledge is the truth which they themselves manufacture to fit the occasion – and when the lies are revealed, they cry “It’s old news” and “What does it matter?”

Good people know the difference between good and evil, right and wrong, and black and white. The progressive socialist democrats use Orwellian political-speak to turn everything upside down and inside out to pursue their not so hidden agenda.

Throw these bastards out of office. Do not elect progressive socialist democrats to the House, the Senate, the Presidency, or any other local, state, or federal office unless you agree with the destruction of our nation and our people from within.

-- steve