davidl on April 14th, 2009

I am with Kate, Small Dead Animals, on this one, Telegraph(IK):

The keepers’ bravery was praised after they dragged the 32-year-old out of a moat for the animals. They had to shove the animal out of the way after one of four polar bears dived into the water and attacked her, inflicting serious bites to her legs and arms.[…]
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G20 protests death: Ian Tomlinson shoved by police officer, video showsPolice did not say why the woman jumped into the enclosure. She had to climb over a fence, a line of prickly hedges and a wall to get in.

 We will likely never know the answer to Kate’s question, but remember the life you save by not taking your child to a Disney movie,  could well be his.

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davidl on April 13th, 2009

Obama administration lunatic wants to create a nuclear winter to off-set imagined global warming, David Gardner, Mail(UK)

President Barack Obama is considering a radical plan to tackle global warming by firing pollution particles into the stratosphere to deflect some of the sun’s heat.

The controversial experiment was touted yesterday as a possible last resort to help cool the Earth’s air by the president’s new science advisor John Holdren.

‘It’s got to be looked at. We don’t have the luxury of taking any approach off the table,’ said Mr Holdren, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology

Dr. Tim Ball, Canda Free Press:

Many factors cause climate change, but only a few are considered in the current scientific debate and most are based on estimated or inadequate data. Even fewer factors or data are part of the political debate including how the amount and nature of aerosols in the atmosphere affect the amount of solar energy at the surface and in the atmosphere. The proposal to add particulates to offset warming is the environmental equivalent of adding to the debt to get out of debt, only worse. Despite this politicians demonstrate their lack of knowledge of the science by proposing to play God. Maybe they should wait until there is enough space debris to block the sun and cause cooling

President Obama, John Holdren is a nut case.    Fire his ass and walk him out the door.   Do it now.

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Eric Florack on April 13th, 2009

Welcome one and all to the most intense nightly Read on the sphere: The BitsBlog Nightly Ramble

ramblke-yachtThis is the Luxury Yacht Edition. Yes, it’s a little small, but it serves the purpose.

  • Bumper Snicker: Seen on a bumper sticker over the weekend: “The Left is stealing our Rights”
  • Intentionally mistaken Identity: Ever notice we never see Mona, Rick Ellensberg and Glenn Greenwald in the same place?
  • How Far We have Slipped: Steyn:

    Once upon a time we killed and captured pirates. Today, it’s all more complicated. The attorney general, Eric Holder, has declined to say whether the kidnappers of the American captain will be ‘brought to justice’ by the U.S. ‘I’m not sure exactly what would happen next,’ declares the chief law-enforcement official of the world’s superpower. . . . Meanwhile, the Royal Navy, which over the centuries did more than anyone to rid the civilized world of the menace of piracy, now declines even to risk capturing their Somali successors, having been advised by Her Majesty’s Government that, under the European Human Rights Act, any pirate taken into custody would be entitled to claim refugee status in the United Kingdom and live on welfare for the rest of his life.”

    A measure of how far in the wrong direction we’ve come. As I said the other day… Consider the kind of message being sent by our inability to deal quickly with a bunch of starving pirates with automatic weapons in a rowboat. Our inability to deal with that situation logically raises the question of how we will deal with the much more difficult situation of, say, Iran shutting off the Strait of Hormuz.

  • Luck not leadership: The amount of defense being put up for Obama in the matter of these pirates and the WH (non-) response to it, is nothing short of frantic. Obama fouled this one up, gang. Period.  And before you start, I’m not wishing for failure, here.  Actually, I’m delighted at the outcome, as much as I would be if my five year old had flushed my money down the john, and it all floated back up. That doesn’t mean the path to the result was at all desireable or correct, or that my five year old deserves praise for his actions. Obama’s inactions (in the name of peaceful resolution, of course) was as likely to cause the death of Captain Phillips as to save his life. That’s an unacceptable gamble, if the return is that Obama gets to look like a peacemaker… if the Navy manages to pull the extraction of Phillips off without a shot.  What happened,in thye end, was sheer  luck, and not leadership. It’s troubling that Obama and his followers don’t understand the difference. Frugal Cafe has a nice piece on all of this you’ll want to see.
  • There’s Diplomacy and Diplomacy: It is only when this situation is viewed in light of other diplomacy situations that the import of it becomes clear; Barack Obama is seemingly intent on bending over forward (Quite literally, at least once) for the Muslim world, while apparently seeking to annoy the Catholic Church. Too much in the mold of Religion and Guns, I suppose.
  • Blithering idiot: Hey, Ron Howard… Be careful what you wish for, you drooling idiot. I used to have some respect for you, when you started coming up through the ranks in Hollywood.  Then you decided it was appropriate to start opening your mouth and remove all the illusions of intelligence. It’s people like you that cause me, in my more Menkenish moods,  to think that we’d be better off calling in an air strike on Hollywood and start over.  The place has polluted far too many people, for far too long.
  • Tea and Beer: A Tea Party in Yakima Washington. Meantime a few hundred miles to the south, in Salem Oregon, they are contemplating a 1900% tax increase on beer.  Given the large number of micro breweries spread out across the state, it appears that support for small businesses not on the minds of the lawmakers. Estimates are somewhat varied, but most of them seem to be centered on $5.00  to $6.00 for a pint of the stuff.  Gee, do you think that will affect their sales?
  • Brother’s keeper? Granted, News of the World is place I’d go for a reliable news. then again, reliable, and news, I’m not too worried generally here used together from the main the world of Obama.  Particularly in a story such as this.

    ob516_34833aAMERICAN president Barack Obama’s half brother was REFUSED a visa to enter the UK after being accused of an attempted sex attack on a young girl in Berkshire.

    The News of the World can reveal that Kenya-based Samson Obama tried to get into Britain on his way to Washington for his family’s big day, the historic inauguration in January.

    But eagle-eyed immigration officials at East Midlands Airport, using the latest biometric tests, discovered he was linked to an incident here last November. The hi-tech database revealed that Samson – who manages a mobile phone shop just outside Nairobi – was the same man arrested by British police after he approached a group of young girls, including a 13 year-old, and allegedly tried to sexually assault one of them.

    Oh, I’m quite sure that I will be called a bigot, I will be told that there’s no connection between them, that this is all an attempt to smear the president, and so on. But can you imagine such a story being passed up by the mainstream press as this one has been, if it had involved someone in the Bush family, for example? I can’t, either.So why are they ignore and the story now?  You know why.

  • The Difference Between them: I’ll let Glenn carry the ball on this one.  Go and read. It won’t take long, I promise you. I will only add a snip from my Pajamas Media article, from Friday:

    But imagine what would have happened if one or more of the bankers in that meeting with Mr. Obama had had the courage to stand up and remind him of of the facts:

    “No, Mr. President. The only thing between the Democrats and the pitchforks is us, the bankers, and that’s the way it always has been. You Democrats used us to buy votes with home loans, requiring us to lend money to people who could not pay it back. You left us holding the bag, Mr. President — you and the rest of the Democrats then in Congress. And you need our cooperation to save your political hide from the people with the pitchforks.”

    One can only conclude we’d all be in better shape (both from a financial standpoint as well as from the standpoint of freedom) if the bankers showed that kind of mettle. Trouble is, I fear, such courage is not in them.

    The point is this; look at the pictures that Reynolds puts up in that article. Which one of the two groups do you think has the support? Do you suppose that if those in high positions in our financial institutions saw which way the wind was blowing it’d help them to grow a spine? I suggest to you, these protests will have an effect.

  • It’s for self-protection: Meanwhile, I’m hearing unconfirmed rumors that the Democrats in Congress are considering a bill which would require a ten day waiting period before purchase of tea bags.

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Eric Florack on April 13th, 2009

From WROC/8 in Rochester:

Steve Minarik, 49, of Webster, passed away early Saturday morning of a heart attack. Minarik was a New York State political figure who served as the chairman of the Monroe County and NY State Republican Committees.

He led the Republican Party to a takeover of the County Legislature and elected three consecutive Republican county executives: Robert L. King, Jack Doyle, and Maggie Brooks.

His successes as County Chairman led Governor George Pataki to select him to be the Republican state chairman in November 2004.

A little too centrist in the Bush mode for my taste. and yet a fredinly outgoing guy, with a remakable presence. He was one of those guys it was hard not to like.

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Eric Florack on April 13th, 2009

So, how much credit does Barrack Obama deserve for the rescue of Captain Phillips? The efforts of Obama and his supporters to claim Obama was the reason behind this rescue, are nothing short of frantic. But… Black Five says… Not so fast.

The AP is reporting that President Obama gave the order to use military force to rescue the hostage, that is misleading.

WASHINGTON (AP)—Administration officials say President Barack Obama approved the military operation that rescued a U.S. captain held hostage by Somali pirates.

The officials say Obama ordered the Defense Department to use military resources to rescue Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the Somali coast.

He did affirm the military’s authorization to use force if the captain’s life was in danger, but they already would have had that authorization as part of their standard rules of engagement. If there are innocents about to be slaughtered the same reasoning that authorizes self defense also covers an imminent execution unless the ROE specifically forbid it.The AP is making it sound like there was an active rescue ordered by the President. It was not, there was an imminent threat and the local commander gave the order to fire. Good on Obama for ensuring their authorization was clear, but let’s also be clear that he did not authorize or order an active rescue attempt.

Jeff Emanuel, meanwhile, points up, as I have previously, that there was a total lack of direction from the White House that nearly cost Captain Phillips his life:

Philips’s first leap into the warm, dark water of the Indian Ocean hadn’t worked out as well. With the Bainbridge in range and a rescue by his country’s Navy possible, Philips threw himself off of his lifeboat prison, enabling Navy shooters onboard the destroyer a clear shot at his captors — and none was taken. The guidance from National Command Authority — the President of the United States, Barack Obama — had been clear: a peaceful solution was the only acceptable outcome to this standoff unless the hostage’s life was in clear, extreme danger.

The next day, a small Navy boat approaching the floating raft was fired on by the Somali pirates — and again no fire was returned and no pirates killed, thanks again to the cautious stance assumed by Navy personnel due to the combination of a lack of clear guidance from Washington, and a mandate from the Commander in Chief’s staff not to act until Obama, a man with no background of dealing with such issues and no track record of decisiveness, decided that any outcome other than a “peaceful solution” would be acceptable.

The cause of that White House follow-up, a situation which should have only lasted a few hours at most ended up being four days worth of and Barris meant for the United States.  Consider the kind of message that’s been sent, here.  The United States can’t handle four starving morons in a rowboat.

As Jeff suggests:

Instead of taking direct, decisive action against the rag-tag group of gunmen, the Obama administration dilly-dallied, dawdled, and eschewed any decisiveness whatsoever, even in the face of enemy fire, in hopes that the situation would somehow resolve itself without violence — thus sending a clear message to all who would threaten U.S. interests abroad that the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has no idea how to respond to such situations, and no real willingness to use military force to resolve them.

Does anyone suppose that our enemies around the world, including Iran, Syria, the various AlQuieda factions, North Korea, etc, are not taking copious notes of this situation?

Michelle Malkin has more, as does Memeorandum

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Eric Florack on April 12th, 2009
  • @VodkaPundit Boost traffic? Oh… on the SITE. Sorry… I was elsewhere for a minute there.  in reply to VodkaPundit #
  • You might be a liberal if . . .You think that consenting adults can engage freely in every activity except capitalism.  #
  • You might be a liberal if . . .You think that consenting adults can engage freely in every activity except capitalism. #tcot #
  • You might be a liberal if …You think that if someone is getting richer, someone, somewhere, must be getting poorer. #tcot #
  • You might be a liberal if …You believe that more federal regulations will make your life better. #tcot #
  • U might be a liberal if U think that Limbaugh’s listeners are mindless”dttoheads,” but you never doubt anything from Michael Moore. #tcot #
  • U might be a liberal if…yoou believe in global warming today just as firmly as you believed in global cooling back in the 1970s. #tcot #
  • U might be a liberal if U’ve no problem w Hollywood movie starts flying around in private jets to give speeches on the evils of SUVs.#tcot #
  • U R almost certainly a liberal if you refuse to admit that you’re a liberal, and accuse anyone of calling you a liberal of McCarthyism.#tcot #
  • Obama Chia pet.. it’s what the world could have waited longer for http://bit.ly/1UJnaQ #
  • looking with a jaundiced eye at the band of snow coming across Lake Erie at me.  #
  • @roddymcorley Oliver Willis is prolly the single most dishonest blogger 2nd only 2 Glenn Greenwald.  #
  • The ShamWow… because someone already had the patent on the Real Wow.  #
  • @thebcast likely, he was appointed to work on healthcare plan because he plays soctor on tv #
  • RT @infidelsarecool: Twitter Tip: Don’t try to sell me something that will get me 20,000 followers when you don’t have 1,000 following you.  #
  • @infidelsarecool Clearly, someone who works in the Obama Budget ofc in reply to infidelsarecool #
  • So, he’s weakened our economy, and now weakens our defenses. No wonder the anti-american euro-weenies like the guy so much.  #
  • So, government says the Chevy Volt will remain even though GM will lose money because nobody’s going to buy it?  Government knows better?  #
  • CBO: Top 1% Earned 19% of Income, Paid 28% of All Taxes Tell me again, about the ‘fairness’ thing, Barry.  #
  • Did you hope things would change? Seems to have slipped the notice of the press, but apparently Obama’s been defending wiretapping.  #tcot #
  • RT @JohnTMitchell:Since Michigan State lost last night Obama removing Tom Izzo as coach & government willcoaching Spartans next season #TCOT #
  • @JohnTMitchell I’ll bet he knows more about soccer than making cars. (And yes, I know Bball…but Barry doesn’t #TCOT in reply to JohnTMitchell #
  • @mattmargolis You know how it is, Matt… they take vindication where they ca find it, and blow it up like an inflatable girlfreind #
  • @mattmargolis Speaking of Airbags, (And replacements) how’s your new ride?  in reply to mattmargolis #
  • @mattmargolis It certainly looks to be acting up. Stuff I’;m getting is a half hour old just now in reply to mattmargolis #
  • @MelissaTweets nice bit on hamsher today. linking in tonight’s Nightly Ramble #
  • @KarlRove Yeah.. took Clinton years to get to the point of failure Obama did in mere weeks. Ah, progress…  #
  • (whispering) I see stupid people. they really think Obana isnlt over his head.  #
  • Check out my new posting at Pajamas Media #
  • @vodkapundit Try it at 70 with yr grandkids. My Dad did that #
  • Who is saving who from the pitchforks, Barry? http://bit.ly/SR4GZ #
  • RT @MelissaTweets: A Dangerous New Global Warming Law http://bit.ly/hDbrN #tcot #spg #912 #hhrs #teaparty | Excellent summary.  #
  • Hey, Barry: If this is a strong response, what exactly constitutes a weak response? http://bit.ly/PQqHW #
  • RT @txsbelle: #tcot #sgp “Obama Team Mulls Aims Of Somali Extremists ” http://tinyurl.com/dxyhk6 These people are laughing at us.  #
  • @txsbelle And not just them. What kind os message does Iran for example get from this non-action on the part of Obama? Jimmy Carter Jr.  in reply to txsbelle #
  • And not just them. What kind os message does Iran for example get from this non-action on the part of Obama? #teaparty #sgp #tcot #
  • @thebuffalobean Did anyone figure that would go any other way? For lack of actual ladership, our ;lieadership’ is in serious trouble in reply to thebuffalobean #
  • RT @captblackeagle: It is a sad day when someone makes Carter and Clinton look like real men. #tcot #nra #
  • Reorg of my office, to make room for a second desktop computer, and a 4th server. Means replacing my 16 port router with a 24 porter, too.  #
  • RT @donsurber: U.S. is weaker than France(Eric: Wasn’t that the goal of Obama?) http://tinyurl.com/cjwegs #
  • RT @MelissaTweets: @VodkaPundit You need to post an avatar with your Clark Kent look. (Eric: Trying tio imagine Superman, drunk. ) #
  • @MelissaTweets @VodkaPundit (That ain’t ALL that’s super if you KWIM) in reply to MelissaTweets #
  • @MelissaTweets @VodkaPundit (I’ll bet I can light those matches on the other end of the bar…) #
  • @MelissaTweets @VodkaPundit (No, I’m tellin’ ya, guys, she’s wearing a thong. ) #
  • @MelissaTweets @VodkaPundit (Look, I can take any bouncer in this dump) #
  • (grin) #
  • @drjjoyner Squidoo, James? What’s that?  in reply to drjjoyner #
  • @MelissaTweets Consider the kind of message being sent by our inability to deal quickly with a few starving morons in a rowboat.  in reply to MelissaTweets #
  • Our inability to deal raises the question how we deal with the more difficult situation of, say, Iran shutting off the Strait of Hormuz.  #
  • @MelissaTweets Of course, the pattern of capitulation’s been well established with our non response to the little gargoyle in north Korea.  #
  • @MelissaTweets Check out the blogpost I just put up You’ll see where I’m going with this. http://bit.ly/LoFs in reply to MelissaTweets #
  • RT @Twisty58: @EricFlorack Someone should write a song! Hang on… I’m gonna go tell @toojiggy (Heh) #
  • @Twisty58 REally? Cool in reply to Twisty58 #
  • @MelissaTweets Perhaps that explains Obama is apparent intention to make all vehicles so small they don’t have a back seat?  in reply to MelissaTweets #
  • RT @donsurber: Glenn Reynolds nails Glenn Grenwald http://tinyurl.com/c2l994 #
  • @donsurber It;s exactly what I predicted in my Pajamas Media column of 1.21 of this year. http://bit.ly/9RyW5 in reply to donsurber #
  • @donsurber As for Greenwald… He’s just living up to his deserved reputation of being the most intellectually dishonest blogger on the web.  in reply to donsurber #
  • Wow… I’ve got 100 followers… And and a fiver and I could swing a beer tonight at the bar #
  • @divadoll123 Well, now you ahve some idea what America is up against in reply to divadoll123 #
  • RT @divadoll123: Does anyone else feel like you’re watching a new reality show where completely incompetent people try to run the country?  #
  • @divadoll123 Yep. Happened with Clinton, and Carter, too.  in reply to divadoll123 #
  • RT @tomfitton: Justice Ginsburg wants more women on the SC to make it “look right.”http://tinyurl.com/cu7avv #TCOT #
  • @tomfitton #tcot Is that like “look like America”…. remember the Monocrhome coalition?  in reply to TomFitton #
  • RT @divadoll123: pirate situation is an portent of BHO’s behavior when the sh*t really hits the fan, we’re all in big trouble.  #
  • @EricFlorackinability to deal with that situation begs question how we’ll deal with say, Iran shutting off the Strait of Hormuz.  #
  • how can I add a hashmark groioup to my tweetdeck sends as a default?  #
  • @jimtreacher If he walks on water, wouldn’t Obama be the idea one for dealing w this pirate thing? Just walk over, and…  in reply to jimtreacher #
  • @seanhackbarth Still using the Palm TReo, myself.  in reply to seanhackbarth #
  • @liberty75 I thought it was the ‘sack cloth and ashes’ tour in reply to liberty75 #
  • @liberty75 I thought it was the ‘sack cloth and ashes’ tour #tcot #
  • @OligarchsBeware Let’s challange the left to give back the White House. No excuses. #tcot in reply to OligarchsBeware #
  • @jamesrivers London Ontario?  #

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davidl on April 12th, 2009

Navy SEALs 4 – Somali pirates 0;  Fox News:

American sea Captain Richard Phillips was safely rescued Sunday from four Somali pirates, who had been holding him for days in a lifeboat off the coast of Africa, a U.S. intelligence official said.Three of the pirates were killed and one was in custody after what appeared to be a swift firefight off the Somali coast, the official said

Bravo Zulu gentlemen.

Meanwhile back in Obamalnad,we have seriuus failure of reoolve,  Washington Postt:

“We remain resolved to halt the rise of piracy in this region,” Obama said. “To achieve that goal, we must continue to work with our partners to prevent future attacks, be prepared to interdict acts of piracy and ensure that those who commit acts of piracy are held accountable for their crimes

Hat tip:  Jennifer Rubin, Commentary Magazine.

The way to wi9e out rats nest to to destroy  the nest    The one appears content to chase down single rats.

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davidl on April 12th, 2009

Telegraph(UK):

Vatican sources told Il Giornale that their support for abortion disqualified Ms Kennedy and other Roman Catholics President Barack Obama had been seeking to appoint.

Mr Obama was reportedly seeking to reward John F Kennedy’s daughter, who publicly gave her support to his election bid. She had been poised to replace Hillary Clinton as New York senator, but dropped out amid criticism that she lacked enough experience for the job.

Moe Lane:

I am curious about how many times this administration plans to insult the Roman Catholic Church:

Curious isn’t it.    Barack Hussien Ohama is in intent on showing respect, if not submission, to the Muslim world, but it hell bent on insulting Catholics.    Then this not to say that B. Hussien Obama is Muslim, but he sure doesn’t act like  a Christian.

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davidl on April 11th, 2009

snark2.jpg

It is far too easy to criticize the president for failing to do or say the right thing in regard to these fragile situations. Missteps could prove fatal. But to do and say nothing about Americans being held captive in foreign lands is a scandal in itself and another global advertisement for America’s new and pervasive sense of trepidation

Abe Greenwald, Commentary Magazine.

Eric Florack on April 11th, 2009

An interesting thread’s been popping up of late. I’ll let Don Surber describe it:

Glenn Reynolds: “Yeah, it’s as if all that talk about the evil power-grabs of the Bush Administration was just insincere electioneering.”

The left is starting to notice that President Obama is doing all those things that Candidate Obama complainted that President Bush was doing.

That’s because President Bush did what you have to do during a war.

You do not give the enemy any legal rights.

That’s insane.

That’s crazy.

And of course, that is the policy of the American left.

Glenn Greenwald, a lawyer, should know this, but he continues to play dumb, demanding unprecedented “rights” for unlawful combatants. Wrote Greenwald: “The Obama DOJ is now squarely to the Right of an extremely conservative, pro-executive-power, Bush 43-appointed judge on issues of executive power and due-process-less detentions.”

Which drew a rebuke from law Professor Reynolds: “Yeah, it’s as if all that talk about the evil power-grabs of the Bush Administration was just insincere electioneering. What made those power-grabs evil, in Obama’s eyes, wasn’t that they were power-grabs. It was that they were by the Bush Administration.”

The old line was from the Who: “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”

I tell him in his comments area that all of this goes directly to what I predicted would happen back on January 21st:

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/will-obamas-anti-terror-policies-vindicate-bush/

I dare to suggest that Mr. Bush is going to be vindicated over the next four years by President Obama himself. Vindicated not in rhetoric, since left-wing rhetoric is always and forever vitriolic against any successful Republican. No, Bush will be vindicated thanks to the policies sure to be adopted by Mr. Obama and the Democrat-run Senate, House, and State Dept.

For all the vitriol that has been coming from the left, and specifically out of President Obama’s mouth during the campaign, there’s a difference in tone coming out of the Obama camp over the last several weeks. There has been an abandonment of the hot rhetoric of the leftist in favor of of a liberal forced to face the reality of the world around him (i.e., adpopting existing White House policy). The change in tone is a recognition that the rhetoric that the American public was offered during the election was simply not based on reality.

As President Obama and his people are briefed on what has been happening in the world these last eight years, the insider’s view has given them a completely new perspective on what to do about the situation, resulting in completely different actions as compared to the ones they were telling everyone they would take once they were given the power.

As for Greenwald… He simply living up to the well deserved reputation of being the single most intellectually dishonest blogger on the web. For all that I applaud your comments and Reynolds, and will encourage you to keep it up… (And will continue to do so myself) …slapping Greenwald down on this stuff is on many levels taking candy from a baby.

And the part about this that I find rather disturbing is that label of Greenwald as he applies it to George W. Bush … “extremely conservative”. the fact of the matter is that he was anything but conservative, both in terms of international policy and the war and domestic policy with regards to government largess.  That’s another piece of reality Obama and his supporters dare not address, and why the policies of Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama are so similar.  Mr. Bush was far more liberal in most things than Obama and his supporters will ever dare admit.

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Eric Florack on April 11th, 2009

Another morning, another paper filled with all talk and no action on the part of the Obama White House.

James makes mention of all of this, under a similar heading, and tries to go halfway with it.

The pirates decided they were going to take action, just now, for one reason and one reason only; the current occupant of the White House has established a pattern of  lots of talk, and lots of negotiations, when action is required. As often happens with new administrations, elements such as these decided to see what Mr. Obama was made of. The answer to that question is unquestionably in, and it should frighten every American. Of course, that pattern of capitulation to any threat has already been well established with our non response to the little gargoyle in north Korea. Our ineffectiveness in being able to raise additional troops from the European Union for our efforts in Afghanistan.

As I mentioned in my piece of yesterday, Mr. Obama talks a good game in terms of strong action, but lacks the intestinal fortitude to actually lead, rather being dependent on appeals to international authority.  He has yet to understand that when he sits in the White House he is by virtue of that office, the international authority. That’s the kind of responsibility that being president of the superpower, the only remaining one, brings.   That lack of understanding has led him to an already well-established pattern of  capitulation on nearly everything.   For example,  our non response to the little gargoyle in North Korea. Our ineffectiveness in being able to raise additional troops from the European Union for our efforts in Afghanistan. And so on.

If we are to take this string of foreign policy setbacks as any indication, (and yes, Somalia is after all under the heading of foreign policy ) the “sackcloth and ashes” tour Obama just made recently, would seem to be an ineffective tool in terms of getting the rest of the world to love us again. As if they ever did. That seems to me Mr. Obama is largest flaw; he’s never understood that they never really did care for us in the first place, and that our position in the world depends on our being firm leaders, not an object followers to a totally and on arguably ineffective United Nations, and who otherwise is abjectly dependent on capitulation to sworn enemies.

I will warn you in advance; this pirate situation is going to be the basis for a number of foreign policy failures, going forward. It labels, (and correctly, I think) the current administration is completely inept, unqualified and far too willing to bend over forward for any threat that comes along. Consider the kind of message being sent by our inability to deal quickly with a bunch of starving pirates with automatic weapons in a rowboat. Our inability to deal with that situation logically raises the question of how we will deal with the much more difficult situation of, say, Iran shutting off the Strait of Hormuz.

If we are to take this string of foreign policy setbacks as any indication, (and yes, Somalia is after all under the heading of foreign policy ) the “sackcloth and ashes” tour Obama just made recently, would seem to be an ineffective tool in terms of getting the rest of the world to love us again. As if they ever did.

That does not of itself suggest that the lesson has been learned. Rather more threateningly, it casts doubt as to whether not the lesson will ever be learned by the Democrats.

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davidl on April 11th, 2009

As the nation sinks tnto the woes of the Obama recesssion, the one continues to live the good life, Mail(UK):

When you’re the president of the United States, only the best pizza will do – even if that means flying a chef 860 miles.

Chris Sommers, 33, jetted into Washington from St Louis, Missouri, on Thursday with a suitcase of dough, cheese and pans to to prepare food for the Obamas and their staff.
He had apparently been handpicked after the President had tasted his pizzas on the campaign trail last autumn

Sacrifice is for the unelected.

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davidl on April 11th, 2009

The Frogs act, Shashank Bengali and Jonathan S. Landay, McClatchy Newspapers:

[T]he French government said that its navy on Friday freed a yacht that was captured over the weekend, but that one hostage had died in a gun battle between pirates and French special forces. Four other hostages were rescued unharmed. French forces killed two pirates and captured three others

Obama diddles, Tom Suhadolnik, American Thinker:

Meanwhile in the USA, when asked about an American being held hostage by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, President Obama refused to answer any questions. Various reports say Obama has delegated the handling of this incident to high level administration officials and military commanders.

[…]

Most historians agree when JFK first met Khrushchev in 1961, JFK’s abysmal performance emboldened Khrushchev to make increasingly aggressive moves culminating the Cuban Missile Crisis. This may be Obama’s Khrushchev moment.

Obama’s teleprompter  can only handle one problem at a time.   Piracy is just a distracti0n to the one.

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davidl on April 11th, 2009

Six members of the  Congressional Black Caucus  traveled to Cuba to kiss Raul Castro’s butt.   In turn, Mona Charen paddles one, Bobby Rush’s butt:

“This is the dawning of a new day,” exclaimed Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill. “In my household I told Castro he is known as the ultimate survivor.”

Funny how easy it is to survive when you don’t hold elections. And when all of your opponents wind up in prison or dead. And when even those who dare to whisper a word of dissent to your absolute rule find themselves harassed, beaten, humiliated, and imprisoned. According to the Black Book of Communism, more than 100,000 Cubans have served time for political offenses in Cuba’s equivalent of the Gulag Archipelago since Castro came to power in 1959. Among those particularly singled out for persecution were human rights activists, homosexuals, and religious believers

Even at six againtt one, it not a fair fight.  I’d say you’d find more thought in Mona’s one brain than in all six of these member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

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davidl on April 10th, 2009

snark2.jpg

When you look at his actions it is hard to conclude that Obama is anything but a committed ultra-liberal who sees himself as revolutionizing the relationship between citizens and government. And when you throw in his “can’t we all get along” diplomacy and his unwillingness to assert America’s unique role in the world, one gets the sense we elected a throwback to the 1970s, not a groundbreaker. (More George McGovern and less Bill Clinton than many imagined

Jennifer Rubin, Commentary Magazine.