Wednesday, February 17, 2016

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

Middle East MapReuters 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.

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.
 

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

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.
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 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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