Obama Listens to Generals Just Like Mr. Bush…

Okay, take yourselves back to March 2008.

Obama said that while President Bush has said that he follows the advice of his generals regarding Iraq, when they give the president advice he doesn’t like — cautioning against the War in Iraq, for example — Bush doesn’t listen to them.

Let’s move forward to September 2009.

The top military commander in Afghanistan warns in a confidential assessment of the war there that he needs additional troops within the next year or else the conflict “will likely result in failure.”

And here we are today…

Several weeks worth of war cabinet meetings have not made Obama’s staff and NSC advisers any more comfortable with Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s troop request.
They say that President Obama continues to be skeptical about the true applicability of the Iraq model, even allowing for McChrystal’s insistence that it can be modified enough.

Filed under: Democrats, Foreign Policy, Global Threats, Military, Politics

Obama’s Vision of National Science?

To help build a new foundation for the 21st century, we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient, more transparent, and more creative."

- President Obama, April 25, 2009

John P. Holdren named President-elect Obama’s Science Advisor

- Harvard Science Website, December 20, 2008

Indeed, it has been concluded that compulsory population-control laws, even including laws requiring compulsory abortion, could be sustained under the existing Constitution if the population crisis became sufficiently severe to endanger the society.

- John P. Holdren, Ecoscience, published1977 H/T to ZombieTime and Michelle Malkin…

Filed under: Democrats, Global Affairs, Global Threats, Global Warming/Climate Change, Science, Technology

Unconditional Talks or Threat of Force?

Cartoons By Michael Ramirez

Filed under: Global Affairs, Global Threats, Iran, Islam, Muslim, Religion

Cheney and Obama duke it out…

CNN is running a non-scientific poll on whether Mr. Obama was right on stating he want Guantanamo Bay closed or Mr. Cheny is correct in not closing it.  So, here’s my chance to poll my few readers to get their reaction.  Yes, mine is non-scientific too, but lets see what my results are.

By they way, any guesses how CNN’s poll turned out?

Filed under: Global Threats, Military, Politics

New CrisisWatch bulletin from the International Crisis Group

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05/01/2009

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CrisisWatch N°69, 1 May 2009

Seven actual or potential conflict situations around the world deteriorated and one improved in April 2009, according to the new issue of the International Crisis Group’s monthly bulletin CrisisWatch, released today.

Heavy fighting between Sri Lankan forces and the separatist LTTE rebels continued to produce an ever worsening humanitarian tragedy, as conditions deteriorated for tens of thousands of civilians trapped in a shrinking patch of land between warring parties. Government shelling into the self-declared “no-fire zone” surged on 21 April, triggering the chaotic exodus of 100,000 men, women and children into government-controlled areas with little access to urgently-needed food, water and medical relief. Available reports suggest 6,500 have died since late January; risks for 50,000 still caught in the war zone mount daily.  

With both the government forces and Tamil Tigers abdicating their responsibility to protect civilians from mass atrocity crimes, a decisive and united international response is needed to ensure the safety of the civilians. Urgent pressure is required to push parties towards a solution that avoids further bloodshed.

Divisions within Kenya’s fragile coalition government rose to new levels in April, as the collapse of crisis talks on 4 April set the stage for series of blistering verbal attacks between President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga. Developments raised fears of a new political crisis just a year on from the brutal election violence that fractured the country between late 2007 and early 2008. The month also saw dozens killed in attacks related to the feared Mungiki sect. 

The situation also deteriorated in Thailand, where demonstrations by supporters of ousted PM Thaksin quickly turned to violent clashes with police, leaving two dead and 120 injured. In Nepal, efforts by the Maoist authorities to sack the head of the army signalled a serious escalation in tensions between the government and Nepali army, while increasing mistrust between political parties over implementation of the country’s peace process resulted in two weeks of parliamentary paralysis. CrisisWatch also identifies North Korea and Moldova as deteriorated situations in April. 

The month brought an important step forward in talks between Armenia and Turkey following an agreement brokered under Swiss mediation on a “roadmap” towards the normalisation of relations and opening of their joint border. The agreement came despite strains related to Armenia’s longstanding conflict with Turkey ally Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

CrisisWatch identifies a conflict resolution opportunity in Niger, after a joint peace declaration agreed between the government and main Tuareg rebel group raised prospects for an imminent peace deal to address the long-running conflict in the north. 

April 2009 TRENDS

Deteriorated Situations
Fiji, Kenya, Moldova, Nepal, North Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Improved Situations
Armenia/Turkey

Unchanged Situations
Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Basque Country (Spain), Belarus, Bolivia, Bosnia, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chechnya, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Georgia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India (non-Kashmir), Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar/Burma, Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan), Nigeria, North Caucasus (non-Chechnya), Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan Strait, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkey, Turkmenista n, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zimbabwe

April 2009 OUTLOOK

Conflict Risk Alert
Sri Lanka

Conflict Resolution Opportunity
Niger

*NOTE: CrisisWatch indicators – up and down arrows, conflict risk alerts, and conflict resolution opportunities – are intended to reflect changes within countries or situations from month to month, not comparisons between countries. For example, no "conflict risk alert" is given for a country where violence has been occurring and is expected to continue in the coming month: such an indicator is given only where new or significantly escalated violence is feared.

Search current and all past editions of CrisisWatch by using the CrisisWatch database.

To subscribe to CrisisWatch click here.

Filed under: Global Threats

‘Stop the Taliban now – or we will’

Found this over at the UK Times Online…  As I said a few days ago, Pakistan is teetering and its going to take some tough quick action on our part to keep them going.

The US got tough with Pakistan as terrorists moved to within 60 miles of the capital

Pakistani Taliban fighters sit in the back of a truck with their weapons in Buner

Christina Lamb in Washington and Daud Khattak in Buner

AMERICA made clear last week that it would attack Taliban forces in their Swat valley stronghold unless the Pakistan government stopped the militants’ advance towards Islamabad.

A senior Pakistani official said the Obama administration intervened after Taliban forces expanded from Swat into the adjacent district of Buner, 60 miles from the capital.

The Pakistani Taliban’s inroads raised international concern, particularly in Washington, where officials feared that the nuclear-armed country, which is pivotal to the US war against the Taliban in Afghanistan and against Al-Qaeda, was rapidly succumbing to Islamist extremists.

Filed under: Global Threats

Pakistan Teetering on Edge…

Pakistan is teetering on the edge! Hold on to your hats and glasses boys and girls, we’re in for a wild ride! The latest from CNN.

I make my prediction here and now… This country will implode within months and things are going to get very, very bad.

Taliban claims victory near Islamabad

By Ivan Watson
CNN

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) — Taliban militants who implemented Islamic law in Pakistan’s violence-plagued Swat Valley last week have now taken control of a neighboring district.

Control of the Buner district brings the Taliban closer to the capital, Islamabad, than they have been since they started their insurgency. Islamabad is 60 miles (96 km) from the district.

“Our strength is in the hundreds,” said Moulana Mohammad Khalil, as heavily armed men openly patrolled the roads in pickup trucks, singing Islamic anthems.

Give them an inch!  The take the whole damn country.

The militants had taken control of the area to ensure that Islamic law, or sharia, is properly imposed, Khalil said.

Oh, but they certainly can be trusted to adhere to agreements.  Maybe President Obama should start discussions with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“Now Taliban are violating the peace agreement, and if they continue the government will take strict action and not allow the Taliban to create a parallel government in that area,” said Mian Iftikhar, a spokesman for the regional administration in the North West Frontier Province, where Buner is located.

This ain’t gonna end well. 

 

Filed under: Global Threats, Islam, Muslim

The Real Cold War…

Russia just keeps making headlines…

Where are these guys going?

Russia Plans Military Force For Arctic

By Vladimir Isachenkov, Associated Press

MOSCOW – Russia plans to create a new military force to protect its interests in the disputed Arctic region, a Kremlin strategy paper says.

In a bid to grab roughly 25% of the world’s undiscovered oil and gas, the Russians are trying to lay claim to the area based on geographic connections through a mountain range…

And the Canadians aren’t too happy.

The Canadian government on Friday reaffirmed its Arctic claims, saying it will defend its northern territories and waters after Russia earlier announced plans to militarize the North.

Wow, wonder where this will all lead eventually?

• NoKo to launch missile the can reach Hawaii

Russia can sail new waterways right up to Canada

China and Russia calling for a new global currency

Iran blowing off Mr. Obama’s ill conceived videotaped olive branch

How’s this for WWIII – Iran, Russia, China and North Korea as the neo-Axis powers…

Do you think we could cobble together enough folks to fight this off?

Filed under: Global Threats

New AQI Recruiting Manual

It reads a little like one of those relationship quizzes in women’s magazines. “If you have received less than 10 points, you are on the wrong path, repeat the stages from the beginning. From 10 to 18, you are on your way.”

The following report ended up in my inbox today from our Intel guy.   It’s open source, so I’m not giving anything away.

But, while a sober story, the background story is almost laughable…

Report: al Qaeda Recruiting In UK At Street Level — March 23, 2009

For months now, counter-terrorism officials have seen signs that al-Qaida has been looking for new and innovative ways to recruit terrorists, including a new manual that has surfaced on the Internet.

Researchers at West Point recently stumbled on the 51-page manual while they were visiting a jihadi chat room, called Ecles. It’s a Web site that allows members to have interactive discussions, post videos and download manuals. Ecles is the second most popular jihadi chat room on the Web, and al-Qaida often posts things there. Because of that, it is a place counter-terrorism analysts track regularly.

So when the West Point analysts discovered a step-by-step primer called “The Art of Recruiting Mujahedeen,” it got their attention. On one level, the manual might be an early indication that al-Qaida is trying to identify new sleeper terrorists. On the other hand, the book is so basic it seems to suggest al-Qaida is getting desperate for new members.

Brian Fishman, the head of research at West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center, says he was struck by the remedial tone of the book. At the end of a chapter, for example, there are questions to judge both the recruiter’s progress and the recruit’s.

“The recruiter himself doesn’t have to use a lot of judgment – they are simply the intermediary for the technique that is being taught in the handbook,” Fishman says.

Here’s how the manual, as translated by the CIA, suggests a recruiter build a rapport with a recruit:

“This stage lasts approximately three weeks,” it says. “You must do something important at this stage. You must identify his interests and relations with people and how he spends the whole 24 hours, meaning you study him secretly to be reassured about your choice.”

This section touches on such things as being nice to the recruit. It suggests the recruiter pretend to be his friend, perhaps even buy him small gifts.

It ends with a questionnaire to assess progress. “Is the recruit anxious to see you?” it asks. You get one point for “no” and three points for “yes.” Does he accept your advice and respect your opinion? It reads a little like one of those relationship quizzes in women’s magazines. “If you have received less than 10 points, you are on the wrong path, repeat the stages from the beginning. From 10 to 18, you are on your way.”

original source

Filed under: Global Threats

Tales from the Sandbox

Can’t give out the details, but I’ve made it successfully to my new jobsite.  It’s flat, dusty and in one of several war zones.  Now that I’ve settled in to my new “hooch”, time to fire up the old Internet and get back to blogging.

Been out of pocket for a week or two, so need time to catch up on Drudge et. al. to see what’s happing.

What’s this I hear about North Korea saber rattling???

Filed under: Global Threats

Al Qaeda bungles arms experiment

Scary news on the very same day many American’s are celebrating.

An al Qaeda affiliate in Algeria closed a base earlier this month after an experiment with unconventional weapons went awry, a senior U.S. intelligence official said Monday.

Washington Times – Al Qaeda bungles arms experiment

Filed under: GWOT, Global Threats, Islam, Muslim

Twitter versus the MSM

Okay, India is currently in the midst of a Terror attack.  Deccan Mujahedin are claiming responsibilities.  Where did I get this first?

Not from Fox or CNN or MSNBC, but from Twitter.  Actually, I use NTARC, the Homeland National Terror Alert Twitter  System and have been getting updates before the newscasts.

In fact, I can get live “Tweets” from India too.  Obviously, there is no guarantee of accuracy, but the threat to MSM on breaking news is obvious.  Who needs TV when the news is sent straight to your phone or computer?

Filed under: GWOT, Global Threats

Where’s North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il?

Ask anyone, Team America took care of him!

Western officials confirm to FOX News that there is intelligence suggesting that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il suffered a stroke on Aug. 14 and could be incapacitated — even wheelchair bound.

Filed under: Global Affairs, Global Threats, Movies

Brigitte Bardot convicted in race case – CNN.com

If this does not bring fear to your heart, then you have no appreciation of the freedoms of speech.

A Paris court on Tuesday convicted Brigitte Bardot of provoking discrimination and racial hatred for writing that Muslims are destroying France.

Europe is falling!  I’m too astounded for words…

Brigitte Bardot convicted in race case – CNN.com

Filed under: Global Threats, Muslim, Politics, Religion

"I Did Not Call You an Appeaser!"

“We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: ‘Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided.’ We have an obligation to call this what it is the false comfort of appeasement which has been repeatedly discredited by history.”

For your background reading…

Most commonly, appeasement is used for the policy of accepting the imposed conditions of an aggressor in lieu of armed resistance, usually at the sacrifice of principles. Usually it means giving in to demands of an aggressor in order to avoid war. Since World War II, the term has gained a negative connotation in the British government, in politics and in general, of weakness, cowardice and self-deception. A famous example is Neville Chamberlain’s foreign policy during the period 1937-1939, when he pursued a policy of appeasement towards Adolf Hitler’s expansionist ambitions.

Obama hit’s the roof! 

“It is sad that President Bush would use a speech to the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence to launch a false political attack,” Obama said in a statement his aides distributed. “George Bush knows that I have never supported engagement with terrorists, and the president’s extraordinary politicization of foreign policy and the politics of fear do nothing to secure the American people or our stalwart ally Israel.

Thinks President Bush’s comments are directed at him, which of course Press Secretary Dana Perino denies!

In turn, White House press secretary Dana Perino denied that the Knesset remark was aimed at Obama. In fact, the language is fairly typical for Bush speeches, and Gordon Johndroe, a national security spokesman for the president, said Bush was referring to “a wide range of people who have talked to or suggested we talk to Hamas, Hezbollah or their state sponsors” over a long period of time.

Yet, Senator Obama (as told in the Washington Post Blog) is now confused at everyone’s attitude and doesn’t understand why the President does not want  him to meet folks like Kim Jong Il and Ahmadinawhatshisname…

At a press conference following the town hall meeting where Obama blasted back at President Bush, with three-term South Dakota Sen. Thomas Daschle looking on, Obama said it “puzzled” him that his willingness to meet with leaders of rogue states was in any way controversial “when this has been the history of U.S. diplomacy until very recently.”

Obama then draws comparison to President Kennedy meeting with Khrushchev and President Nixon meeting with Mao Zedong.

Well, interesting point.  And one to think through.  Not sure where I stand on this.

Filed under: Democrats, Foreign Policy, Global Affairs, Global Threats, History, Politics