Gary Franchi points out Obama’s latest Iraq War Bushism and welcomes We Are Change Founder Luke Rudkowski to the show.
Nina breaks down the headlines including Homeowners Associations restricting Gadsden Flags, the Blogger Shakedown of Righthaven LLC, the recent Emergency Declaration in North Carolina that suspended the 2nd Amendment and how Blackwater Security used shell corporations to acquire tax payer money.
The viewers answer whether or not the World Trade Center was a Controlled demolition in the mailbag and keep watching to see the viewer pick for this week’s Enemy of the State.
On Iraq, it’s hard to see how Obama could have improved the situation. He followed the SOFA pact that George W. Bush negotiated with Nouri al-Maliki, and the Iraqi government made it clear they wanted us to stick to that schedule. If the Iraqis want us out entirely by the end of next year, we have little choice but to comply; to do otherwise would be a de facto reoccupation that will not fly well here at home or abroad. However, I’d say it’s entirely likely that Baghdad will rethink that final phase and ask us to remain for logistics, training, and air and sea protection for the next several years, and then the question will be whether Obama will agree to it or insist on a full withdrawal, even if it means the collapse of the nascent democracy in Iraq.
Afghanistan is a different problem, but one with potentially the same result. Obama owns Afghanistan more than he does Iraq, having made the decision himself to add more troops and get more aggressive, which means a failure there can’t be left on the doorstep of his predecessor. If Obama starts withdrawing from both fronts as they deteriorate, he will at least be the man who lost Afghanistan, if not Iraq as well, just as he has to prepare to convince Americans to give him another four years as Commander-in-Chief. For that reason, I doubt we’ll see a significant drawdown in eithertheater, and Obama will just have to remind the Left that they have nowhere else to go in 2012.
Ever notice how Neo-Conservatives will never say Bush screwed up with Iraq, at all? They will never admit, that there was an intelligence error — never. That is what Party loyalty does to a person.
“Nation-building is the most prominent — and most important — part of the neocon doctrine,” wrote Jed Babbin in the American Spectator. “And the decision to pursue it is the principal reason that we are losing in Afghanistan, Iraq is falling apart, and the real enemy — the terror-sponsoring nations — have grown stronger.”
None of these writers can accurately be described as a budding noninterventionist. But most conservatives who opposed the Iraq War from the beginning and favored no more than a limited mission in Afghanistan can agree with them on the following: neither Islam nor foreign lands can easily be reformed by either bureaucrats or the force or the force of arms; our interventions have produced something closer to sharia states than Switzerland’s; Iran is now more powerful in the region rather than less.
There have l0ng been three main foreign-policy tendencies on the American Right: old-style conservatives who agree with Randolph Bourne that war is the health of the state and therefore favor less military intervention abroad; neoconservatives who want to preserve the United States’ global hegemony and engage in armed proselytizing for democracy; and defense-minded conservatives who believe the U.S. should strike forcefully at its enemies whenever it perceives itself, its interests, or its allies to be threatened.
Roughly speaking, these groups can be described as the Jeffersonians, the Wilsonians, and the Jacksonians. Among rank-and-file conservatives, the Jacksonians are by far the largest group. In the postwar era, the Jacksonians have tended to align with the Wilsonians. But there is no reason why that conjunction is inevitable.
With the exception of Ron Paul and some Ron Paul Republicans, the Jeffersonians have no major political figure to speak for them. Yet the popularity of the Wilsonians was always greatly exaggerated. The invasion of Iraq and the mass conservative acceptance of the Bush Doctrine were made possible by al-Qaeda’s act of mass murder on 9/11.
Throughout the 1990s, Wilsonian neoconservatives called for regime change in Iraq, but they did not succeed in rallying the grassroots Right to the cause. The conservative base tuned out the PNAC crowd. Millions of conservatives voted for Pat Buchanan, who opposed even the first war with Iraq, in the 1992 and 1996 Republican presidential primaries—even as neoconservative commentators were writing essays attempting to purge Buchanan from conservative movement.
Grassroots conservatives were repulsed by American bloodshed during our humanitarian intervention in Somalia. They opposed using our armed forces to deliver groceries to Third World countries and restoring a dubious left-wing character to power in Haiti. They objected to the bombing of Serbia and canceled their subscriptions to the Weekly Standard when that magazine sided with the Clinton administration on military action in the Balkans.
The years after 9/11 were a Jacksonian moment hijacked by neoconservatives. While most American conservatives liked the idea that the we could increase others’ freedom by defending our own against despots overseas, very few of them wanted to go to war to build schools in Iraq or promote democracy. They wanted to pay back the people who murdered their countrymen and make sure that such an attack never happened again.
They trusted that George W. Bush was the man for the job and were patient when he talked about lighting a fire in the minds of men. But ordinary conservatives nevertheless agreed with the following sentiment expressed by John Derbyshire: “What matters most is not the fire in the minds of men, which will burn at some level for as long as there are men, but the fire that results when fissionable material undergoes a fast chain reaction.”
You see the problem is that the very same people that stood behind George W. Bush and cheered him, as he charged off to war in Iraq and Afghanistan; are the same one who stand and in unison blame President Obama for any failures for the war in both Countries. The truth is that President Obama DID inherit BOTH of these wars for President Bush and it is because of utter incompetence of the Pentagon and State Department under President Bush, not to mention the entire intelligence community, is why we are in this mess in the first place!
So, instead of being noble and honest men, and admitting that they actually made mistakes, one being electing a President that was about as Conservative, as I am damned atheist; they would rather navel graze the whole thing and try and deflect the blame onto the Democrats, as much as they possibly can. The problem is with that little idiotic plan is this; thinking Americans, like this writer are just smarter than that, we know what happened and we know who was responsible for the actions of the President. I am fully aware of who goaded the President into declaring war with Iraq. I have no forgotten and neither have the American people. This is, one of a myriad of reasons, why John McCain lost the election. Because the American people did not want someone, who would take marching orders from the Neo-Conservatives.
So far, Obama has been showing his independence of the warmongering class in the Republican Party. Thankfully, under Michael Steele the warmongering class have been pushed aside; which is why people like William Kristol want him to resign so badly, that being because Michael Steele will not march to their orders and is expressing his own views, and not those who wish the United States to fight a perpetual war. I commend Michael Steele for that.
Another thing I think I need to be clear on; as you know, I did post a video, that was a warning to America. Some would look at that and say, “Are you not talking about of both sides of your mouth?” to that I would say no. That is because that video essentially validates what I have believed all along; that the notion of, “We must fight the terrorists there, so we do not have to fight them here” is idiotic at best. That is because there are radical Islamic terrorists that are already here now! That video proves as much. My personal issue with George W. Bush was not with fighting terrorism, which he began in Afghanistan. He however, was goaded by the warmongering class in the Republican Party to go to war with Iraq, which, for what it is worth, is what this class of people wanted to do during the Clinton years, but was rebuffed repeatedly. This caused, I feel, a distraction, as those who planned had this strange idea, that the invasion would be a cakewalk. I believe it would be understood that we all know now that this was a very flawed idea.
Much of what I said above, would be considered, what I like to call, “rearview mirror quarterbacking.” We all know this now, the problem is, where do he go from here? The best thing that can happen is Obama follow through with his promises to follow Bush’s pull out timetable in Iraq. We cannot continue to be the World’s police officer. If Iraq has an upheaval over there, let them. We did our part over there; we rooted the major player in the insurgency. We toppled Saddam. What happens after we have left is not our concern. As for Afghanistan, if we can catch or kill Osama Bin Laden, fine do so. However, if the Afghan Government and the Pakistani Government is that corrupt and does not want to be partner against the war on terror. I say cut our losses and pull out the troops and leave. Then send in specialized CIA assassins in there to hunt Osama Bin Laden down and kill him that way. I just do not see the justification for our Military personnel dying for a Government that is corrupt to its core. It just does not make any sort of sense to me at all.
Bottom Line: President Obama should not be blame for any of the failures of any of these wars. The President who started them should be blamed. President Obama should continue the turnkey plan given him by Bush, and should implement a better strategy in the Afghan theater. If the Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan will not work with the United States on the capture or killing of Osama Bin Laden, then President should use the CIA to kill him.
Mike Edwards, 62, was a founding member of ELO and played cello with the group from their first live gig in 1972 until he departed in January 1975.
He quit to become a Buddhist and later changed his name to Deva Pramada because of his religious convictions.
His eccentric cello playing – including plucking the strings with an orange or grapefruit – and bizarre costumes were a major ingredient of ELO.
He played cello on albums ELO II, On the Third Day, The Night The Light Went On (In Long Beach) and Eldorado.
Mr Edwards died instantly when he was hit by the bale which weighed nearly 700lbs.
He was driving along a road when the bale careered down a slope in a field and flipped over a hedge – smashing down onto his roof.
The circular bale is believed to have been in a steeply-sloping field beside the road when it somehow rolled and jumped 12ft to 15ft into traffic.
Police said the accident happened at around 12.30pm on Friday on the A381 between Harbetonford and Halwell in Devon.
Steve Walker of the Devon and Cornwall police traffic unit said they were trying to contact his family.
He said: ”This was a tragic accident and we have now identified the victim as Michael Edwards, a founder member of ELO.
”We have used photographs and YouTube footage to identify him but we now need help contacting his family for formal identification.
”We don’t believe he was ever married and we have identified an ex girlfriend but she is currently aboard.
”We think he may have a brother called David in the Yorkshire area and we obviously need to contact him.
”Michael has no immediate family but we believe he may have taught some cello in Devon and would ask his students to contact us if they know of any relations.”
Mr Edwards had been living in Totnes, Devon. After he left ELO, he was replaced as cellist by Melvyn Gale. —- Source
Here is Naked Emperor News video of the Rev. Al Sharpton speaking at a rally in Alabama back in July in which he essentially said African-American candidate Johnny Ford should win his State Senate Primary runoff against a white candidate – Billy Beasley – because the district is “heir property” to African-Americans.
Sharpton, for all his talk of wanting equality, actually uses “race” as a cottage industry for himself. It is impossible to square these comments with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream that people would someday be “judged by the content of their character” and not the “color of their skin.”
Here is the real funny part:
The voters did not agree with Sharpton. Beasley defeated Ford in the Democratic Primary runoff for the District 28 State Senate Seat by getting 62% of the vote.
Heh. So much for that entitlement to the State Senate in Alabama, aye Sharpton?
In-Farking-deed! I always hear Blacks; all liberals of course, trashing America and complaining about how they are always oppressed by the White Man. I have one thing to say to them —- you can always go back where you originated from and live there and see how well you live. However, when someone does that; they are automatically called RAAAAACIST!
I am sure there is a particular Pony-tailed Homosexual that is about go into meltdown, because of this post right about now. Right Bob? Right.
But as most of those who attended Beck’s rally understand in their bones, that world is gone. And President Obama, for all his efforts to expand the reach of the federal government, has had very little to do with this deep transformation. Rather, the country has long since been transformed by powerful demographic and economic forces that very much threaten what we might call Glenn Beck’s America.
Instead of accepting or embracing this transformation, a large and growing number of white Americans are, knowingly or otherwise, taking a page from minority protest movements of the past by asserting themselves and demanding recognition from political and cultural elites. Many on the left find this sense of anger and alienation risible, seeing in this movement of “are-nots,” as opposed to “have-nots,” a class of ignoramuses duped by Fox News into acting against their supposed economic interests.
Yet it seems more plausible that Fox News is following its audience rather than leading it — that this anger and alienation has existed for years, and has only now found a decidedly unconventional tribune in the form of Glenn Beck. Though this is a class with economic grievances, it seems more concerned with psychic injuries — with a profound sense of disempowerment in the face of centralized political power.
I contacted the official representative of the Malcolm X Black Power movement and ask for her reaction, this is what I got back:
Someone in the doorway
Barced against the cold
Red brick against his back
He thought he’d been so bold
With bitterness inside him
He recalled her face and name
She told him that she loved him
He told her the same
And walked away
Still her face before him
His guitar began to play
The band rocked on behind him
The crowd begun to sway
His album climbed the charts
Like a bullet from a gun
Fans numbered in the thousends
And he was number one
Dreamer dreaming dreams of youth
Dreams of days gone by
Dreams are spun by liars
Who won’t release the lie
Don’t you know … there’s
Murder in money, prison in fame
Danger in love, and tears in the rain
He stood in a silhuette
At last he wore the crown
Desire of a lifetime
On stage in his home town
And in the street outside
Was a long-forgotten face
Praying for the dreamer
She wept for boy’s mistakes
And as he left the theathre
In his limousine
He saw her in an instant
Felt the breath of their lost dreams
But rock’n’roll was calling
The spotlight never waits
A crying girl and her God
Watched him move on to his fate
This is one of those sort of funny stories, where you’d have to be there, to understand why this is so funny.
Back years ago, I was just a know-nothing 14 year old weirdo living in southwest Detroit. I used to attend Detroit Grace Assembly of God. Anyhow, many years ago, there was a guy named Bob Snyder, who was my youth pastor. Anyhow, one year for Christmas, Bob give all the kids tapes with music on it. I believe it was either 1984 or 1985 or somewhere around there! They were, um, ahem, copies. (Yes, Pirating music, in Jesus Name! HEH! 😛 ) Anyhow, I guess everyone got a different tape. I got a tape as well; on one side was Steve Camp’s One on One album, on the other side was Petra’s album called Beat The System.
Anyhow, one night, I was at home, listening to my shiny new tape, which, by the way, I still have and I was listening to the last song on the tape, which was Adonai. So, I’m listening to the song, and yes, I am all into it and it is fading out and I’m really, really, really, into it — and THIS comes roaring through my headphones and just about knocks me out of the bed!:
The reason for the loudness, Petra was recorded at one level and Stryper was recorded at another. Hence the knockage outta beddage! 😀 Also, Bob just put the one song on there to take extra space on the tape.
This most likely explains why I am so weird… or at least half deaf. huh? What? 😉 😛 😀 😆
The excellence of our military is unmatched. But as a result of this war, our forces are under pressure as never before. Our National Guard and reserves have half of the equipment they need to respond to emergencies at home and abroad. Retention among West Point graduates is down. Our powers of deterrence and influence around the world are down. That is a cost of this war.
America’s standing has suffered. Our diplomacy has been compromised by a refusal to talk to people we don’t like. Our alliances have been compromised by bluster. Our credibility has been compromised by a faulty case for war. Our moral leadership has been compromised by Abu Ghraib. That is a cost of this war.
Perhaps the saddest irony of the Administration’s cynical use of 9/11 is that the Iraq War has left us less safe than we were before 9/11. Osama bin Ladin and his top lieutenants have rebuilt a new base in Pakistan where they freely train recruits, plot new attacks, and disseminate propaganda. The Taliban is resurgent in Afghanistan. Iran has emerged as the greatest strategic challenge to America in the Middle East in a generation. Violent extremism has increased. Terrorism has increased. All of that is a cost of this war.
Obama does deserve credit, as I wrote earlier, for not snatching defeat from the jaws of victory by implementing his oft-proposed accelerated pullout once in office. In fact, Bush handed Obama a turnkey plan for this drawdown, including the substantial force that still remains in Iraq of almost 50,000 “advisers.” Instead of having all American troops out in 16 months, Obama instead settled for the Bush plan of having American troops out of the cities and out of offensive operations, with a large troop presence to help Baghdad maintain order.
Perhaps Obama will have the grace to admit this when the occasion presents itself next week. If he does, it will reflect well on the current Commander in Chief. If not, Boehner’s video makes the truth obvious anyway.
I got news for you Ed; this guy is such a egomaniac, that he will never give Bush credit for jack crap. Instead, he and Democrats will blame Bush for everything under the sun, including the Economic meltdown; which was the fault of the Democrats. Further more, the Democrats and the far left will continue to bang the drums for Bush and his Administration to be prosecuted for “War Crimes.” Which has been the rallying cry of the far left for eons.
So, while it might be nice to dream that Obama might actually show some class in regards to Iraq. I believe that is about all it will ever be; a pipe dream.
Because man we need it, after all the crazy today man. Here’s a little bit of Flint, Michigan Rock and Roll for ya. From Mark Farner and the boys from the 1970’s.
You know, I have expressed my dismay at those on the far right, that are using that Mosque in New York as a political issue; and are fanning the flames of extremism — not to mention are just grandstanding this issue to death.
Well, I regret to report, that it is happening on the left or at least among the Mosque supporters too:
Obviously a Michael Bloomberg and Barack Obama supporter. Classy guy. He calls the old man an unpatriotic, treasonous piece of garbage. A shame how the lamestream media ignored this.
The left loves to call anyone who disagree with them bigots and haters. Just get a look at the vein-popping rage of this man and tell me he’s not consumed with hatred.
While Mr. JWF’s opinion may be slightly over the top; telling or saying that Holocaust survivor “Didn’t learn his lesson,” is just beyond the pale. I may support this Mosque’s LEGAL right to build this building, (Moral right is another story…) I do not support that sort of hatred.
My message to the Mosque supporters; if you think that spewing this sort of garbage and allowing yourself to be taped is going to help your cause, you are very highly mistaken. Bashing anyone, especially Jews; that are opposed to this Mosque only hurts your cause. I will not rush to judgment and call this man a leftist, because I do not know this, neither does JWF; but I digress. Therefore, I will just file this under general stupidity.
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf: “We tend to forget, in the West, that the United States has more Muslim blood on its hands than al Qaida has on its hands of innocent non Muslims. You may remember that the US-led sanctions against Iraq led to the death of over half a million Iraqi children. This has been documented by the United Nations. And when Madeleine Albright, who has become a friend of mine over the last couple of years, when she was Secretary of State and was asked whether this was worth it, said it was worth it.
Pamela Geller has more, and I highly recommend that you read this one. Even I, as a Moderate Conservative, find this most interesting.
Quite bluntly, this guy has ZERO business being at, near or whatever, Ground Zero, New York or anywhere else in the United States.
But, as we know, the liberal media, will not touch this, because it really does not fit the narrative. Nor do I expect President Obama to intervene here either. Because we all know that Muslims don’t cut one another. (I mean, after all, he did have a Muslim daddy AND step-daddy…)
As I said in the previous posting, the Democrats are going to be basically running against Bush; while basically wanting him to weigh in on the Mosque issue. Can you say clusterfark?
UPDATED: DNC makes the video Private… HEH! Don’t they realize that once something goes viral, it’s forever?
Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, said the Democratic Party was showing its desperation by spending so much time focusing on his brother. “It’s a loser issue — they have a big L on their foreheads,” Mr. Bush said in an interview. “If that’s all they’ve got, it’s a pretty good indication of the problems that the Democrats face in 2010.”
Remember, according to the Dems’ own polling, Dubya is six points ahead of our global messiah in frontline House districts. But since they’re going to try to wring one more election cycle out of blaming Bush, I think it’d actually be hilarious if GWB granted their wish and came out in favor of the Ground Zero mosque — eventually. He should wait until their anti-Bush messaging is at fever pitch, then throw them a wicked curveball by weighing in on their side. Imagine the cognitive dissonance as our liberal betters have to segue from Bushitler op-eds to “George Bush, patriot” hosannas literally overnight. Greatest media clusterfark evah.
Heh… Indeed. I do believe that this whole entire idea of running against Bush in the midterms is going to blow up in their faces. I mean, the American people, especially independent voters are just not that stupid. They know what is happening and it is not Bush’s fault. Bush bailed out a few banks and left the rest up to Obama. Obama, in turn, did more of that bailout and then some. Further more, he proceeded to spend like a damned drunken sailor —- but that would be an insult to the sailors, because at least they use their own money. (Yes, I know I swiped that from Ronald Reagan. Mainly because it is so true!)
Further more, Mr. Bambi Teleprompter likes to say that Republicans should not be allowed to have the keys back. Well, to that I say this — Obama is flat out lying as to who created the financial meltdown in the first place. As I have written here, like a million times. The Democrats are the one’s who created the ENTIRE MESS! With the creation of Freddie Mack and Fannie Mae, the community reinvestment act of 1973, the adding of the sub-prime clause in 1994. It all can be traced back to Democrats. Not Republicans, but Democrats.
Now, because I am a honest and non-partisan blogger, but rather just an independent Moderate Conservative Blogger, I will say that the Republicans, who were in the majority, did have a chance to stop the housing crisis and they failed to do so. That is a very valid point. But that does NOT take away from the fact that Democrats DID create the environment that lead to the housing crash or as it is also called, the housing bubble bursting. The very idea of social engineering is fundamentally flawed and should stop. Barney Frank himself is now saying that, as should many other Democrats.
In closing, let me simply say this; as a former Democratic Party voter, and as an independent voter. I will give the Democratic Party a grave warning: Run on this platform and you will be trounced in the Midterms. The American people are just NOT this stupid. You attempted and succeeded to pass a healthcare bill, that even people in your own party said, was horrible. Then you passed a stimulus package that has been, from all accounts, as colossal failure. So, in response, you are going to try running against Bush…again. I got four good words for you: Good Luck With That!
The American people know who created this mess and it was not the Republicans. It was you guys, Democrats. When you lose, you will have no one at to blame — but yourselves. You overreached, you got insanely drunk with power; just like the Bush Administration did in 2000 and 2004 — and now, you will be paying the piper come November, just like the Republicans did in 2006 and in 2008.
Welcome to reality Democrats, it is so nice to see you again.
I hate to be the one to bring this up….But… I will; for years and years and years, White Nationalists and Paleo-Conservative types have been arguing that Jewish people are morally and intellectually inferior people. I have never bought into that sort of hate, but in this idiot’s case —- I think that they might actually have a point.
I’m not sure who is running against Allan Greyson; but I sure hope like hell that he wins!
I remember a time, when you could not turn on the radio, and not hear this song being played.
Robert Wilson, who as the bassist for the funk and R&B group the Gap Band had a string of hits including “You Dropped a Bomb On Me,” has died. He was 53.He died at his home Sunday in Palmdale, Calif., outside of Los Angeles. He is believed to have died of a heart attack, said Karen Lee, publicist for his brother and Gap Band singer Charlie Wilson.
Wilson provided the bass backbone for the trio, which also included another brother, Ronnie. The group, originally from Tulsa, Okla., first hit the charts in 1979 with the songs “Shake” and “Open Your Mind (Wide).”
They had their biggest success in the 1980s, though, with hits like “Outstanding,” “You Dropped a Bomb On Me,” “Oops Upside Your Head” and “Yearning for Your Love,” among others.
“My brother Robert was a bad boy on the bass,” Charlie Wilson said in a statement released Monday. “We shared a bond as brothers, musicians and friends. I loved him, and losing him is difficult for both Ronnie and I. The music world has lost a very talented man.”
Robert Wilson had been touring for the past few weeks, including a stop in his hometown of Tulsa. — Source NPR
