Bob Gates Let’s Loose – States What Most Already Surmised on Defense Strategy of Obama Administration

Although it is being perceived as “shocking” by the major media outlets, Bob Gates, former Bush and Obama Secretary of Defense’s, critique of the administration’s handling of the nation’s defense in his new book ; he goes so far as to suggest Joe Biden could be wrong on foreign policy (ABCNews).

One might have been living under a rock for the past eight years not to notice several things gone astray, and remarks made publicly by administration officials, including Joe “foot in mouth “Biden, regarding the nation’s defense (foreign policy, economic policy, health care policy, etc. , etc.). It is not necessarily partisanship that drives the aforementioned suggestion; it is the reality of the world today, and the world – pre 2008. Lost opportunities in Iran (the student uprising of 2009), was a beginning of doubt of competence – it was not, to be honest, the fact that it was a lack of trying; it was a lack, as stated by Gates, of the general belief in the outcome.

The entire “sordid affair” will be shoved under the proverbial rug, no doubt sooner than later. Suffice it to say, that the nation, once emboldened by employment and a sterling education, no longer cares it appears, what petty partisanship remarks, made by either side of the political status quo aisle, rather, ignoring and bearing with each and every day of more trial and error.

History will decide, which is often noted by former President George W. Bush, who appears to be quite content. The job, which is bestowed on the President, generally ages and destroys even the most devote political animal – take a long look at President Obama – he is weary, as was Bush in the waning days – some are made for the positions, others have the position thrust upon them, some prepared through governing, others not so much. In this case, historically, the jury will be out for some time, regardless of the progressive bent of historians in general. Take Carter, who has been given a virtual pass by the elite, the general public remembering him as a “good man”, but…not suited for the job. Bush (W), more popular post Presidency, than during, may find history turning in his favor, due to the economics and a sense of nationalism. With the current administration, it is too soon to tell – yet, this book by Gates will be added to the research when the time comes.

From Media Trust to Media Shock - Fed Journalist Wire Taps – Is the AP Alone?

No need to edify - the New Comparison - image from thefinancialtimes.com

The Associated Press is outraged that the federal government had been secretly taping their phone lines in an action which, according to the American Civil Liberties Union, was ““an unacceptable abuse of power." by the Obama Administration (Los Angeles Times).

Given the fact that the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) is on the hot seat for secretly targeting ”conservative groups, especially prior to the 2012 election(Washington Post), it is not a stretch of the imagination that the control with which the government allots itself, would be capable of insuring that their press behave.

When one considers the extreme bias that the media, in general, has shown towards this administration, compared to say, the previous administration, (recent history), it must come as a shock to those who believe themselves to be immune to oversight by a government, to find themselves the target.

The AP is rightly outraged, as should be the rest of the media that believes it to be immune from Lincoln-like tactics, yet, they should have seen this coming. When, as a group, the office of the President is treated as above reproach, deified, and fawned over as if it were, not an elected office, rather a monarchy, then one must expect that heads might roll. There is a difference between respecting the office, and doing the job that a journalist is born for, seeking out the truth and reporting that truth, regardless of how it may or may not be ideologically simpatico with journalist political leanings.

Example: the attack immediately following the attack on Benghazi , the State Department and, by virtue of national security, the White House, were made aware of an Al Queda link, yet, this detail was “edited out”, and Susan Rice, the White House, UN Ambassador, went on multiple television news shows, and blamed a ridiculous video, continuing to do so for several weeks (along with other members of the administration). (Global Dispatch) The fact that in-real-time the administration knew exactly what was taking place, apparently was shoved under the proverbial rug, and being an election year, the media dutifully looked the other way. Suddenly, the opposition who had been maligned (and are still maligned) had something (that would be those Republicans). Now one sees Tom Brokaw asking questions and appearing “shocked”. How much longer before those who dare to question, are also under surveillance?

Sounds like a stretch, but consider that the AP, doing its job, felt confident in its protection under the Constitution? Again, when one treats an elected official as if they were born for the office, then one is doing a disservice to their profession, to the nation, and to that elected official. Why the elected official? Take the past week and the multitude of scandals (for lack of a better word), with which the President is now faced. If one were to back up a bit, and have seen journalist take their profession at its face value, the fact that there were “watchdogs” for the people, may have made the administration take more care in its treatment of certain situations. If the press were not lapdogs, and were watchdogs as they should have been, then perhaps, just perhaps, there would be no taint on the administration at all – only a bit here and there, no unlike any other administration.

The fact that the press, in general, has lost the confidence of the American People, who get their news from a variety of sources rather, or not at all, in most cases, should not be lost on those who profess to be journalists. Perhaps if bias towards a particular group (Conservatives, or certain Democrats who dare to cross party lines), were not so evident in every facet of the news, from the local, to the national, there might be some trust regained. If news articles or broadcasts, including sports articles, fashion, food, were not so focused on the political, rather on reporting, perhaps they might regain that trust. The problem they now face is that if they were to do so, they would certainly be concerned that jobs, their privacy, their freedom might be at stake. Or perhaps that’s what has been going on all along. It is a stretch, given the antipathy between the pubic and the press, and the perception that the press is nothing more than another arm of the government. It is as the AP, and those who follow, will be viewed as the “Boy who cried wolf”.

Syria - U.S. Intel Suggests Sarin (Mustard Gas) Loaded On Bombs Readied at Airfield – WMD’s to target citizens – The Timeline and the Threat the Opinion.

Political Map of the Middle East - image Ezilon.com

The Relationships in brief: Syria, Iran, Russia and China are friendly to one another. The Iranians aid Syria and Hezbollah allowing for attacks on Israel and Turkey. The U.S. strongest ally in the Middle East is Israel. There are conflicts in Egypt and ongoing problems in Lebanon. Al Queda and other terrorists groups operate throughout the Middle East. In short – the Middle East is a mess and the U.S. is “The West”, along with Europe.

On December 4, 2012 Voice of America reported that the U.S. had growing concerns that there was “movement” around Syria’s chemical weapons sites, and that the Assad Regime might use them against the Syrian people (VOA). This was followed by a suggestion from Russia that “The West is aware that its’ claims about the threat from the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons does not stand up to scrutiny, the Russian government has said.

Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov declared that there had been an exaggeration of the threat faced by Turkey to justify Nato’s deployment of Patriot missile batteries and the move will end up adding to the tension in the region; “any such deployment is creating the risk that these arms will be used” he maintained.(Belfast Telegraph)

However, an article from Foreign Policy suggests that the Obama Administration has had concerns regarding the Syrian use of Sarin, in general, since August of 2012 when it movement was detected around Syrian chemical weapons sites”

On the 5th of December the world is watching, including the Israeli’s who share a border with Syria. (APA News) NATO moved Patriot Missiles to Turkey to protect its airspace as there has been more than saber rattling between the two nations (WA Today).

On the 6th: According to the Saudi Gazette, Turkey knows where all of the Syrian Chemical Weapons are stored. Further: ““Assad has about 700 missiles... Now we know the exact location of all of them, how they are stored and who holds them,” Davutoglu was quoted as saying by the Sabah newspaper.

The comments emerged the day after NATO ministers approved Turkey’s request for deployment of Patriot missiles along its volatile border with Syria, a move that has angered Damascus and its allies.

Davutoglu said the international community feared possible attacks from Damascus against countries such as Turkey which were pushing for the toppling of the regime, if it felt the end was near.”>.(Saudi Gazette)

The U.S., including President Obama and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton hadalong with NATO, warned Syria against using these chemical weapons.(New York Times)

It was then reported by NBC News that the Syrians had loaded these chemical weapons onto bombs.

Now, the Washington Post is reporting that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be meeting with the Russian envoy today.

Within days the Russian’s went from the “West exaggerating” to a hurried meeting, suggesting that the situation has become more unstable and the time for hubris is past.

The fact that Syria, long an aggressor with its ally Iran against Israel and it’s neighbors, has a regime with its back to the wall fighting a war with its own people which has been widely condemned,, and an ongoing conflict with Turkey to its north, the desperation may trigger the use of these chemical weapons against its own people. There should also be concern over the fact that this nation has an immense stockpile of chemical weapons, and that the danger may exist that the regime might also strike at its neighbors as well (Israel, Turkey).

What is telling is the speed in which the U.S. Administration has addressed the issue once there was confirmation through Intel that the weapons were loaded onto bombs. The U.S. has, since World War II, taken a larger role on the world stage when it comes to the protection of the innocent and the protection of key allies. Today, with the emphasis on the “West” and the threat of terrorism against the U.S. and it’s allies very real, there appears to be a continued need for the U.S. to continue in that particular role. Historically, the U.S. did not involve itself with other nations – the First President, George Washington, suggested that the United States stay out of conflicts outside its borders as the nation was in a stage of growth and had neither the finances nor the manpower to involve itself.

A side note: there are those who are starting to draw comparisons between President Obama and George W. Bush re: Weapons of Mass Destruction as a means to begin a war. In both cases, one might suggest that regardless of the fact the Intel is not necessarily perfect, that to do nothing might not only be immoral in the broadest sense, but also present a threat to the very basement from which those detractors of the aforementioned Presidents reside. It is not that any President seeks a war, the cost in human capital and to the taxpayer is too great a burden to do so recklessly. Therefore, to those who are drawing comparisons (as well as to those who railed against George W. Bush as if it were the Viet Nam War revisited) might be better served reading up on the use of said weapons since World War I. It is clearly unacceptable. Time to put partisanship aside, review the reports (there is little one can do to determine fact from fiction and that includes the Administration.) and pray that Assad seeks asylum outside Syria and that the stockpile of weapons is then destroyed by a willing and able coalition.

House Dems Vote To Kill Business in Political Stunt Expected to Prompt December 15th Market Crash – The New “Red Menace”

Food lines in Utopia read article Communist Food Lines

From The Hill: Yesterday the House of Representatives voted 234-188 on extending the Bush Tax cuts to those who earn under $250,000, leaving business on the hook for paying higher taxes in 2011. The vote, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (soon to be Minority Leader), closed the voting process with her approval, receiving somewhat tepid applause. 20 Democrats voted with the Republicans in opposition. In simple terms, with business seeing tax increases coming down the pike at a rapid pace, they will simply not hire, extending the misery of more than 15,000,000 people who are unemployed. Some businesses may just pickup and move to more “tax friendly’ countries, or close entirely, adding additional claims to unemployment rolls. Could they have voted to extend the tax cuts, in whole or in part, in the last 5 years that Nancy Pelosi has controlled the Congress? Absolutely, they certainly had the time to do so, but it was not politically convenient to extend part or all or none of the tax cuts, or write new legislation during that period.

Perhaps Ms. Pelosi feels that it will be easier to blame Republicans coming into office in 2011, for the new taxes that will be paid by all American’s, thereby tarnishing the Republicans (who have not yet taken the majority) with the brush of having voted against the middle class, in the hopes of reviving their own political fortunes in 2012. When one looks at the reality of the political process, and the short time between elections, Pelosi and her cohorts are already announcing, in some cases, their intent to run for reelection, in the hopes of gaining back control of the Government. However, no matter how hard they will attempt to spin this one, the fact of the matter is, without the employers, and without the employed, all government funding will cease to exist.
The utopian ideology shared by the Speaker and the administration so enamored of an “equitable social “share the wealth” option, perhaps forgot, ignored, or were simply ignorant of the fact that the model where the government controls industry, retail, food, insurance, and the like, has not worked – on a large scale in a country bigger than say Austria. Russia collapsed under the system, with worker standing in line for bread and simples supplies. Capitalism, which, last time anyone looked still was the guiding principle behind American economics, allows for individuals to create businesses at will, hire people, pay taxes, and keep the payroll going, to both the individual , the corporation (small or large) and the federal and state governments. By raising taxes on struggling businesses, many of which, like GE (who owns NBC and MSNBC) received bailouts by the Fed (Washington Post), will have the effect of instituting a dnr on the nations Federal income.

How bad can it get? US News and World Report, notes that without the full Bush Tax Cuts the market is set to crash in two short weeks. Should the market crash, as predicted, that will wipe out life savings, stall and or kill business, and leave the nation in a state similar to the 1930’s, with one exception. In the 30’s there were not millions of people who were used to receiving SNAP (food stamp credit cards), Fuel Assistance, Welfare, Social Security Disability for the inability to speak English, and a host of other programs which are controlled by the same party whose level of incompetence appears to have no boundaries. In the 1930’s, people received handouts from the government in the form of workfare, and yes, there were riots in the street, most notably by those whose political ideology most closely matched the current Speaker and the Administration – it was politely dubbed “The Red Menace”. Therefore, the New Red Menace lies in the Administration, the Current Congress, and their Unions. The rioters may come, indeed, but the blame will be placed, not as intended, but rather on those who were unable to provide – the current administration.


To recap – there is a direct correlation between giving businesses and the middle class tax cuts, and the ability to offer “aid” to the homeless, banks, and Europe - it works, splendidly - however when one places 90% of the tax burden on those earning 250,000 plus, one is treated to a depression. In the 1970’s, industries moved south, “the Sun Belt”, not for the climate, but for the tax rates, leaving those tax and spend Northern States (most notably Massachusetts) and their high corporate tax rates, without industry to pay for the increased entitlements. People left in droves for states where jobs were available, and taxes were lower, and over the years, instead of figuring out this simple equation, the need for Governors such as Dukakis and Patrick to tax and then add more programs which are unsustainable due to lack of a)corporations and b) taxpayers continues unabated.

This is the result: In Georgia hundreds of people waited in line to receive fuel assistance as the temperatures dropped below 30, the agency which receives federal funding had to turn people away. Those people standing in line were there for fuel assistance, spoke to the heart of the problem: (AJC):

“We have assistance for food, we have assistance for clothing, but we don’t have assistance for diapers,” she said. “That’s my biggest struggle right now.”

Therefore, we have millions upon millions who are getting their food and clothing from the State (Fed) now, (not to mention housing, cell phones, cars, Triple A (see Massachusetts), looking for additional funds to heat their homes.

Sooner than later, the practice of trying to buy the votes of these virtual “welfare slaves”, will come to a bad end – when there are no taxpayers, or few taxpayers left to support both those recipients and the government who misleads them into believing that the cash comes from the Federal Government. - they should be thanking taxpayers, not Nancy Pelosi, for their ability to stay for years on the “public dole”.

What if the market does crash on the 15th of December? American’s will survive, we’ve done it before, and we will do so again. However, the Progressives will not learn, they will continue to push for a version of Soviet Russia that has been immortalized as successful in their minds, eschewing fact for a fictional utopia of bread and soup lines and badly built appliances, generational apartment living (as there will be no home ownership except for those “elite” who are at the top of the political class.
Which is why, historically, the nation will recover, the prosperity will return, and those ideologies will sit by on the sidelines, the university professors, the actors, actresses, GE, NBC, MSNBC, Manhattan socialites, and ponder how to bring back their brand of sanity to the “world”, in another 40 years or so.

Just a note of moderation: During the past few year certain talk show hosts have predicted one catastrophe after another, the last was the possibility that the mid-terms might not take place if there were an emergency– that did not happen, obviously. Therefore, what American’s do have is the power of the ballot box, and the ability to see through the vain and the stupid, and the uninformed and the greedy, in order to affect the change necessary to restore the nation, at least temporarily. When listening to zealots, be the politicians, professors, high school teachers, union reps, the President or a right wing talk show host consistently predicating disaster, keep in mind who benefits: The politicians maintain their jobs and power, the professors maintain the same, the teachers are fed by the unions (not quite as elite as the others) and that talk show host is making millions scaring the heck of out anyone who takes their word as “gospel”.

Debunking: it has never been this bad:

Nationwide bombings and riots in the 1920’s
List of riots (Union) in the 1930’s
Progressive education in the 1930’s, leads to 40’s backlash
Photo essay (brilliant) of the 1930’s food lines, poverty, et. al

Of import:
U.S. Population in the 1930’s
U.S. Population in 2010

Adjust for inflation

Something to ponder:

In the last census, the U.S. Population stood at approximately 308.4 million (figure US News/US Census), of which approximately 50% pay no taxes. Compare to the US of 1930 of 122,775,046, of which even the lowest income level paid 5% to the federal till. (Tax Foundation)


Note: Congress had 5 years under Nancy Pelosi to tweak or fix, with her Tax Men, Charles Rangel (censored) and Richard Neal (D-MA2) the tax code, however, they waited until the most inopportune time for American’s thinking of their own political hides.