Peace For Our Time

From Glenn:

Yesterday it was all, “Hey, this is a Munich Moment.” Today the same people are all “We’ve got a deal that means peace in our time!”

The New Republic offers representative mockery. The Times straight-facedly presents new ultimatums from John "Unbelievably Small" Kerry:

Mr. Kerry, appearing before a Congressional committee Tuesday morning, expressed caution about the diplomatic efforts even as he pledged that the president would “take a hard look at” the Russian plan in the days ahead. Mr. Kerry said any diplomatic response to the chemical weapons attack in Syria must be viewed cautiously.

“It has to be swift, it has to be real, it has to be verifiable,” Mr. Kerry told members of the House Armed Services Committee. “It cannot be a delaying tactic.”

Or else what? More red lines in invisible ink.

FROM THE NEW YORKER: Andy Borowitz has some fun:

But after the novelty of not being ignored wore off, Mr. Kerry said, the Russians’ assertion that he had said something worth paying attention to “seemed like a trick.”

“You mean to tell me that after decades of spewing mind-numbing rhetoric I all of a sudden blurted out an idea worth acting on?” he said. “It doesn’t pass the smell test.”

Hey, Kerry aced the Global Test!

Comments

[Paula]

HOTAIR: Eric looks at the history of presidential red lines on military intervention and finds only 13 instances of their use — and 11 of them have been by Barack Obama:

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/09/10/the-foreign-policy-disaster-of-syria/

[Threadkiller]

I am drawing a birther free red line over here to keep this thread pure.

Crossing it will go against commenting norms.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

Kerry's grades were worse than GWB's.

[Ranger]

Cross posted from previous thread:

Well, now Putin has just demanded total capitulation from Barry. The price for Putin's deal is Barry promising not to bomb Assad.

Via Hot Air:

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/09/10/fiasco-russia-not-enthusiastic-about-un-resolution-on-syria-says-french-fm/

Speaking exclusively to RT, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Syria’s chemical arms handover will only work if the US and its allies renounce the use of force against Damascus.

“Certainly, this is all reasonable, it will function and will work out, only if the US and those who support it on this issue pledge to renounce the use of force, because it is difficult to make any country – Syria or any other country in the world – to unilaterally disarm if there is military action against it under consideration,” President Putin told exclusively to RT on Tuesday.

This is the Cuban Missile Crisis in reverse. I suspect Vlad has dreamed of a day when he could impose this kind of humiliation on an American president for a long time.

And I will add, once again Putin times it perfectly. If Barry goes forward with his national address talking about the need to bomb, Putin simply say the deal is off because Barry talked about bombing.

[Bob]

Monday 9 September, 2013, was the worst day for US and wider Western diplomacy since records began. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/charlescrawford/100235250/syria-chemical-weapons-and-the-worst-day-in-western-diplomatic-history/
It takes special effort to be this stupid. Years and years of incompetence honed to a fine art.

[Steve]

IRS SCANDAL UPDATE - Corrupt or Incompetent?

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2013/09/corrupt-or-incompetent-new-details.html

[fdcol63]

I take issue with the continual use of "incompetence" with regard to Obama and his actions.

On the contrary, he is succeeding brilliantly.

You just have to be aware of what his true objectives are.

[Threadkiller]

fdcol63 tells it like it is.

[NK(tryin')]

The Borowitz piece is high political satire-- brilliant-- worthy of IowaHawk or bgates.

[bgates]

The price for Putin's deal

In other words, what we have to give the Russians so that they will strengthen their ties to the Assad regime and improve their position in the Mediterranean at our expense.

Darth Vladimir to LandObama: I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.

[Danube on iPad]

From Charles Crawford:

"Think about what will happen if the Russian initiative starts to fly.
Chemical weapons are relatively easy to make and store (and fire), but much harder to dismantle safely. The chemicals themselves are fiendishly dangerous and need to be destroyed with specialist equipment without creating environmental hazards. Plus the explosive part of the delivery shell needs careful handling. Destroying CW stocks is therefore a complex and expensive operation, even under calm conditions. Both the United States and Russia have both heavily failed to meet internationally agreed deadlines for destroying their massive Cold War legacy chemical weapons stocks.

"There is no precedent for attempting anything like this in a country wracked by civil war. It just can’t happen. No Syrian chemical weapons will be destroyed or 'handed over' quickly.

"Meanwhile any new process of setting up an international monitoring and destruction regime will require painstaking UN and wider negotiation with the Assad regime, thereby giving Assad and his state apparatus a massive boost of renewed confidence and legitimacy. Before long Washington may find itself locked on to implicitly or even explicitly supporting Assad in his civil war as the best chance to get some sort of internationally agreed CW destruction programme delivered in Syria.

"How has this happened?"

(He calls it the worst day in the history of Western diplomacy.)

What will Obama do if the negotiations on the "dismantling" procedure drag on and on?

[Bob]

fdcol63, I agree his intentions are very bad. But he is a total mess at carrying them out. He is bad at being bad.

[NK(tryin')]

agree with the 3:18

[Danube on iPad]

Sorry, Bob--I was typing while you were posting.

Russia has just withdrawn its request for an emergency Security Council meeting.

[NK(tryin')]

interesting... the Charles Crawford analysis.. I think he's right. so Saddam would have been beter off if the Shia started a civil war against him in 2002. who knew

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

Per Fox Volodya has told the security council the deal is pulled.

Trap sprung.

[fdcol63]

Yet in his bumbling, he still succeeds in achieving his real objectives.

Well, I guess we can all thank God that's he's not better at it, huh? LOL

[narciso]

Just a cunning, cunning, plan all around;

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/administration-changes-russian-proposals-origin-story

[Ranger]

So now Putin and Assad can go out and say that this is all the warmonger Obama's fault. They had a deal in principle, but Obama refused to go along.

[narciso]

Actually if he had found a way of Zarquawi to attack him,

[narciso]

This was as bad as the first budget deal, in 2011;

[jimmyk]

NK, please don't mention Borowitz in the same breath as bgates or Iowahawk. He's usually about as funny as Wolf Blitzer.

In fact, the other day, Iowahawk had this to say about him (among other things):

David Burge ‏@iowahawkblog 7 Sep

If comedy was an Olympic sport, Borowitz would be the Wide World of Sports ski jumper #AgonyofDefeat

[Ranger]

This looks like it's pretty spot on:

Russia Backing Away from Fake Syria Weapons Deal

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2013/09/10/russia-backing-away-from-fake-syria-weapons-deal/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

So Obama is being played by Putin. The question is, does he know or even care that he’s being played? He seemed happy enough to grab Putin’s hand and get out of his jam. Now what’s he going to do? Putin is saying that there will be no quick fix, and that he intends to keep on using the UN to mess around with Obama, promise him a prize, then take it away, over and over again. Playing the part of Lucy, Vlad Putin. Playing the part of Charlie Brown trying to kick a football, Barack Obama. For a while to come.

Poor Barry, every exit seems to lead to a dead end.

[jimmyk]

Sorry to go off topic, but some have asked about the NYC mayoral race, and today is primary day. The Dems seem prepared to nominate Di Blasio, the most leftwing of the their candidates, who has run on the platform of raising taxes on the rich and "Hey, my son looks black and has a big afro!" Also a guy who trained under Dinkins. Meanwhile, Lhota (R) has got Giuliani going all out for him. So I think he's got a chance.

More from the baseball crank for those really interested:

http://www.redstate.com/2013/09/09/the-new-york-city-mayors-race-race-crime-unions-taxes-and-other-stuff/

[derwill]

Heh. No sooner do the Obama slaves twist themselves into pretzels trying to claim that this was a win for the most brilliant president evah!, then Putin goes and pulls his pants down in public and screws him six ways from Sunday.

So will he humiliate himself even further by pinky sweating not to use any kind of military force against Syria, or will he go ahead and send a teensy, tiny missile up a Syrian's camel's butt--but without Congress's approval, of course, since he ain't gettin' that now, not even from the Senate?

This speech of his tonight could actually be his highest rated ever, as everyone who despises the man tunes in gleefully just to watch the horror show.

[Danube on iPad]

Good God, what does Obama do now? The opions: 1. Renounce force. 2. Launch a strike. 3. Nothing.

Right now I'm looking at door number three.

[NK(tryin')]

DoT-- Door #3 and BLAME CONGRESS i.e House republicans;

Apologies to bgates and IowaHawk, I've never read Mr Borowitz before, but his snarking of Kerry was splendid.

Speaking of Kerrry -- I'm told that Kerry tells the House to pound sand no Benghazi survivor testimony. IMPEACH HIM.

[DebinNC]

BOzo et al's Syria performance has broken most of Alinsky's rules: LUN

[lyle]

Me? I'm not worried. Why? Because Obama. Have you donated yet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=z-sdO6pwVHQ#t=117

(I know it was posted already. I just can't stop laughing at it.)

[Clarice]

Exactly, Ranger. And just as Obama's minions were spreading the word that this was a mutually agreed upon strategy by the big O and Putin, Putin hammers some new demands.

[Danube on iPad]

Even Shepard Smith is saying Obama has been played. Like a Stradivarius, I might add.

[derwill]

At this point, DoT, the best thing he can do for himself and our country is #3. He can't renounce force--that would pretty much castrate whatever power and credibility he has left. But if he goes ahead and launches a strike now, the best that we can hope for is that we find out what the floor to his approval rating is. The worse? Sarin gas, or the like, in a NYC subway. The very worse? He sets off WWIII.

My biggest fear is that Putin is as much of a malignant narcissist and megalomaniac as Obama is. And if that is the case, and unfortunately for us, while Obama was chooming, good ol' Vlad was earning his chops in the KGB.

So . . . DOOM.

[DebinNC]

Alinsky Rule 2: “Never go outside the expertise of your people.” It results in confusion, fear and retreat. Feeling secure adds to the backbone of anyone. (Organizations under attack wonder why radicals don’t address the “real” issues. This is why. They avoid things with which they have no knowledge.)

I hope BOzo is getting some sound advice from competent people outside the WH, because the syncophants he's surrounded himself with are clueless.

[lyle]

I hope BOzo is getting some sound advice from competent people outside the WH

Did you know he's friends with Jay-Z?

Donate Now!

[lyle]

that would pretty much castrate whatever power and credibility he has left.

Too late for that.

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

Di Blasio

He's a red sox fan.

[Clarice]

"Even Shepard Smith "

When you've lost shep you know the moron vote is now beynd your grasp.

[Yoo Wrang]

"Kerry's grades were worse than GWB's."

This gives me an opportunity to post their college photos...Bush and Lurch:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/06/07/yale_grades_portray_kerry_as_a_lackluster_student/

[GMax]

Did you know he's friends with Jay-Z?

Not to mention Oprah!

[GMax]

I would put down the New Republic as evidence that the boat is taking on water, fast and the rats have noticed...

[GMax]

I wonder if Putin sent Zero a quote from Animal House as he pulled his UN Security Counsel call, as in

You f'ed up, you trusted me!

[dublinDave]

Up until now the Obama administration's Foreign policy record has been one of the most successful in the history of this country. Not many President's can claim that the body of one of America's greatest enemies is now fish bait at the bottom of the Ocean. Other notable victories: the Arab spring, Libya, Palestinian/Israeli relations, the decimation of Al Qaeda...there's a litany of stunning achievements that when stacked against the last administrations total screw ups, solidifies Democrats as "the guys who do foreign policy".

This is not hyperbole. It's a fact. Syria is not a blot on that record because a lot of the present day Syrian difficulties come from the bad policy of the Bush years. Our reputation in the world was all but destroyed but thank to this President, he's revived it somewhat.

But this new Obama move is the coup-de-Gras of brilliant diplomatic chess moves (if it comes to fruition). Playing bad cop to facilitate a deal that would disarm a renegade nation of its chemical weapons..... the photo-op alone of said materials being dismantled should ensure Democrats several house seats next year.

President Obama is on his way to becoming one of the greatest Presidents America has ever had with Bush 2 truly being in the camp of one of the worst President's America has ever had.

Democrats.... the Foreign policy guys.

[bgates]

Yet in his bumbling, he still succeeds in achieving his real objectives.

It's the same situation he faced in college and law school. He wanted to be perceived and treated as a genius, but he's just not that smart, and he's lazy. Fortunately for him, there were other people in positions of authority who also wanted him to be perceived as a genius, so they could make it happen despite his limited help.

Now, he wants American power and prestige diminished, but he's still not that smart, and he's still lazy. Unfortunately for the rest of us, there are still people like Putin in positions of authority who also want to diminish American power and prestige, and they can make it happen despite his limited help.

If Barack Obama had been a 9/11 hijacker, he would have skipped flight school, bought a ticket with cash using his own name, and forgotten to bring any weapons - and he still would have managed to kill hundreds of people, because once you've bluffed your way into the pilot's seat, it doesn't take any great skill to crash a plane.

[Ignatz]

From a couple of threads back;
--Let's try a little Coase's Theorem in action: you guys cease responding to that fool, and I won't respond to the Birther Report.

Posted by: Danube of Thought | September 10, 2013 at 11:33 AM--

The above was in response to my comment noting the irony regarding TK's fetish and Dana. If you stop responding to the birther/PDF stuff and Dana I'll gladly lay off WeeDavey.
As already noted, he's become a mere parody of himself anyway.

[Ranger]

Noonan gets something right, but it's just a paraphrase of what someone else said:

A serious foreign-policy intellectual said recently that Putin’s problem is that he’s a Russian leader in search of a Nixon, a U.S. president he can really negotiate with, a stone player who can talk grand strategy and the needs of his nation, someone with whom he can thrash it through and work it out. Instead he has Obama, a self-besotted charismatic who can’t tell the difference between showbiz and strategy, and who enjoys unburdening himself of moral insights to his peers.

Putin would love to have a serious, long term deal about spheres of influence that each side can pillage in peace. But if he can't have that, he'll just slap Barry around until the guy gives up and learns to leave Putin, and Russia, alone to do as he pleases.

[Danube on iPad]

Cairo, 2009. It all seems so long ago...

[Some Guy]

the decimation of Al Qaeda

I love when people use that word without a clue to what it actually means...

[GMax]

Wait I thought the Oceans had ceased rising? Why then is Obama thrashing about and close to drowning?

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

Anyone here think OBoZo will have any clue what he will say tonight until he reads it on TOTUS?

[GMax]

He collected a tax of 10% on AQ? I think he decimated the American people actually with his hidden Obamacare taxes...

[lyle]

Still can't denounce your vote for him in '08, huh, Peggy? But because I'm a magmanimous type, I'll concede the other guy was/is a jerk.

[lyle]

He still won't have any clue after he reads it, Jim. It's just too pedestrian, this having to explain himelf to the serfs.

[Ignatz]

'Decimate' has long had the additional meaning of destroying most or all of something or to reduce it to ineffectiveness, and I say that as a purist (read snob) who drives his wife nuts by refusing to use 'hopefully' wrong and says flak-sid instead of flassid and fruk-tose instead of frook-tose.

[Ranger]

Well, it looks like Barry is desperate and is sending Kerry off begging (via Hot Air):

AP source: Kerry to see Russian FM in Geneva

http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-kerry-see-russian-fm-geneva-195836935--politics.html

A State Department official says President Barack Obama is sending Secretary of State John Kerry to Switzerland this week to discuss a possible deal on Syria's chemical weapons with Russia's foreign minister.

I guess this will be announced in Barry's "big event" tonight.

[Clarice]

Funny I can spot DuDu's posts within the first sentence.

[daddy]

Nice clip Lyle at 04:12.

It fit perfectly, especially since I just came in from chatting with the barista's at the local Waikiki Starbucks.

[derwill]

Before tonight Obama said he wouldn't renounce the use of force, even if Congress were to vote against him. So will he now renounce the use of force now that Putin has made it a condition of his getting that lifeline he so desperately needs?

Here he was all set to take a victory lap tonight and now he finds himself back in that corner he's painted himself into--only worse.

Has there ever been a bigger fool to strut about on the world stage?

[dublinDave]

the decimation of Al Qaeda

I love when people use that word without a clue to what it actually means...

"deci·mation n.
Usage Note: Decimate originally referred to the killing of every tenth person, a punishment used in the Roman army for mutinous legions. Today this meaning is commonly extended to include the killing of any large proportion of a group. Sixty-six percent of the Usage Panel accepts this extension in the sentence The Jewish population of Germany was decimated by the war, even though it is common knowledge that the number of Jews killed was much greater than a tenth of the original population. However, when the meaning is further extended to include large-scale destruction other than killing, as in The supply of fresh produce was decimated by the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, only 26 percent of the Panel accepts the usage."

[Skoot]

If this were a Soprano's episode, O's pasta restaurant would mysteriously catch fire tonight.

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

If Barack Obama had been a 9/11 hijacker, he would have skipped flight school, bought a ticket with cash using his own name, and forgotten to bring any weapons - and he still would have managed to kill hundreds of people, because once you've bluffed your way into the pilot's seat, it doesn't take any great skill to crash a plane.

Brilliant BGates. Absoutely brilliant!

[Extraneus]

Announcing the speech so far ahead of time was a dumb mistake, as was not canceling it when things changed.

[dublinDave]

"Funny I can spot DuDu's posts within the first sentence"

Why of course you can. Dudu's posts carry a certain jenasesqua about them, an alluring charm with a hint of animal sex.

If you're ever in the Tampa area and in need of a charming host to show you around the local sights, I'd be honored.

Prior convictions aside i'm actually a very decent guy.

[Danube on iPad]

"If you stop responding to the birther/PDF stuff and Dana I'll gladly lay off WeeDavey."

Done and done, sir.

[Jane-Rebel Alliance]

Hey! Tomorrow is 9-11.

[Ranger]

Speaking truth to Power:

Bob Woodward: President Obama has ‘no plan’

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/bob-woodward-syria-plan-obama-96534.html?hp=l10

“This is ad hoc. You can’t run something like this. You can’t run anything like this.”

A I suspect Woodward can see how much damage this is doing to the Dem party brand.

[narciso]

Well he's Alinsky's sorcerer's apprentice, but his underlings Kerry, Hagel, et al, aren't that smart either.

[narciso]

So, if it's true, who would be the figurehead;

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/david-ignatius-in-syria-russia-plays-an-important-role/2013/09/10/2e5eff98-1a45-11e3-82ef-a059e54c49d0_story.html

[narciso]

More likely then not;

http://twitchy.com/2013/09/10/dude-knock-it-off-lapdog-ezra-klein-celebrates-white-houses-awesome-syria-strategy/

[Threadkiller]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-10/bofa-cuts-jobs-as-mortgage-slump-ensnares-jpmorgan-wells-fargo.html

[Rob Crawford]

I suspect Woodward can see how much damage this is doing to the Dem party brand.

You realize the no-information voters have no idea which party is in power, right?

[daddy]

Sorry to go off topic, but some have asked about the NYC mayoral race, and today is primary day.

Thanks JimmyK, Please keep us posted.

On catch-up I see that Drudge has a link to a NYDaily News story of an MSNBC interview yesterday between Lawrence O'Donnell and Anthony Weiner.

I don't have the stomach to click on the video of the interview, but apparently it was so bad that most of the commenters are more angry at Larry O'Donnell than they are with Weiner.

For example:

LINDA REYNOLDS1 hour ago
O'Donnell was a pompous jerk on this. Self righteous and biased. Where are the journalists? Are there any left? This was a set up and not fair to Weiner.

SAM DEMAN1 hour ago
Rachel Maddow would have been much more professional (she even defended Weiner strongly when he resigned from Congress).Al Sharpton & Ed Schultz too.But it is O'Donnel who needs the rating boost.He will get a cheap short "buzz" out of being his usual biased,pompous,sanctimonious blowhard self.But this time to a politician that is still liked by the audience MSNBC targets (like 78 percent of women 18-30)

Amazing. It is evident these commenters watch MSNBC, and even they hate Larry O'Donnell's guts. LOL.

[Rob Crawford]

From this Guardian story linked at HotAir:

Survey: Nearly quarter of men in Asia-Pacific admit to committing rape

They are clearly using a much more expansive definition of "man" than I would.

[Neo]

Sharyl AttkissonVerified account ‏@SharylAttkisson

Secy Kerry tells congress he will not honor the request to make Benghazi survivors available for questioning.

[narciso]

Well he is relatively popular, well more then Matthews, but not crazy enough hence
Capitol One Baldwin,

[Danube on iPad]

"refusing to use 'hopefully' wrong"

Are you as pure about "unfortunately?" How about "mercifully?" Or "happily?" (There are many of them. And while I am aware that they are impure, I have long since lain back and accepted them.)

[Ranger]

You realize the no-information voters have no idea which party is in power, right?

Yes, but Independents do. LIVs don't vote in midterm elections either, but Independents do. And right now, Independents are the group most against bombing Syria under any circumstances.

[daddy]

OT,

Just got off the phone with A(B). She's taking me out for drinks and chow at 6. Eat your hearts out JOMer's! Hopefully I'll have an after action report!

She's got a houseful of house guests and from all that commotion she is just like me, way behind and wondering what latest gaffe Rush Limbaugh is talking about on his radio show. (There are so many lately who can keep up?)

Anyhow, it honestly is crazy that if you spend 24 hours not paying attention, minute to minute, you find yourself way the heck behind. It's gaffetastic!

[MarkO]

Egad. I had my little "o" up there for all to see.

[Danube on iPad]

Been wondering about that o.

[DrJ]

I did too. I figured he jumped into a cold pool and the O shrank.

[Sue]

What does that mean? I hate it when I don't get the joke.

[MarkO]

Hey. I'm told it happens to all guys once in a while.

Although, to be clear, I wondered how she knew about every guy.

[Gmax]

Here is my bet, anyone want any of this action. I bet Zero goes on with the show and pretends that Putin has not literally pulled the rug out from under him. Who wants the other side of this bet? I love easy money, cmon.

[Gmax]

I had my little "o" up there for all to see.

So did Carlos Danger!!!

[centralcal]

Once a narcissist always a narcissist.

Pigeon toed too.

[Rob Crawford]

Gmax -- odds he blames "previous administrations"?

[DrJ]

Any drinking words/phrases beyond "As I have always said..."?

[DrJ]

"There are those who say..."?

[Rob Crawford]

Drink every time he says "change".

[Account Deleted]

"others say" - he'll be building straw men all evening.

If someone could imitate Putin's voice and holler "Bad BOzo", I'd love to see the flinch and cower.

[Gmax]

Rob

That is easy money too. It one of the only plays in his playbook.

[polly]

I just got back from yoga, and it was a small class which is unusual--I told the instructor that maybe everyone was home watching the television waiting to see if we bomb Syria. One lady said what are you talking about?? LIVs are definitely still there.

[Threadkiller]

Daddy, I have a question.

How many miles out is it common for passenger jets to lower their gear?

It seems I am seeing the more and more jets going into Lindbergh with their gear down over the east county area of San Diego while they are turning from south to west.

I don't remember the gear coming down so soon.

[DrJ]

I don't remember the gear coming down so soon.

There's a Marko joke in there somewhere.

[Ranger]

All I can say to this is: Oh Thank God!

Report: Obama’s Syria speech tonight to last just 15 minutes

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/09/10/report-obamas-syria-speech-tonight-to-last-just-15-minutes/

I'm not even sure I can bring myself to watch even just 15 minutes of this man.

[Rob Crawford]

It'll run 15 minutes, but he'll be 10 minutes late.

[Gmax]

If he is only 10 minutes late it will be a huge improvement over his past speeches. The man will be late for his own funeral.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

For those who can stand listening to such a large collection of unprofessional speaking tics, how are the NPR apparatchiks reacting to this buffoonery?

[Ranger]

Another day, another really bad poll for Obama:

Americans Overwhelmingly Oppose Syria Strike, Want Obama to Back Down

http://www.nationaljournal.com/congressional-connection/coverage/americans-overwhelmingly-oppose-syria-strike-want-obama-to-back-down-20130909

A national consensus seems to have formed.

[Captain Hate on an iPhone]

I have to wait for Rupert Pupkin to stop yammering so that I can watch POI tonight? Speaking of which, Caviezel had a role in "Ride With the Devil", based on "Woe to Live On" by Daniel Woodrell. Yes, he played a hard-ass and was well cast.