Merry Christmas To Karzai

Karzai strolls across another Obama red line:

U.S. Softens Deadline for Deal to Keep Troops in Afghanistan

By MATTHEW ROSENBERG

KABUL, Afghanistan — With about a week left in the year, the Obama administration is backing away from a Dec. 31 deadline for securing a deal to keep American troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014, though it is standing by its warning that a total military withdrawal is still possible if delays continue, American and Afghan officials said.

The decision is a tacit acknowledgment of what has become obvious in both Kabul and Washington: Neither a hard sell nor soft persuasion has yet induced President Hamid Karzai to go along with the American-imposed timeline for the agreement.

It is also an embarrassing turn after weeks of threats by some senior administration officials, including Susan E. Rice, the national security adviser, that a complete American withdrawal from Afghanistan — the so-called zero option — would be considered if Mr. Karzai did not sign the deal by the year’s end.

Instead of prompting Mr. Karzai to action, however, setting a boundary appears to have only reinforced his sense that American officials will back down if he refuses their demands — a lesson that has been repeated often over the past 12 years.

“I don’t know if I would call it bluffing,” said one American official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. “But it looks like that’s what we were doing, and now it looks like Karzai is calling us out.”

Dealing with this after the Afghan election next spring made sense anyway.

Comments

[Threadkiller]

Bullies:

http://mobile.wnd.com/2013/12/bizarre-tech-meltdown-on-radio-with-nsa-slayer/

[Jane]

I'll volunteer OL. I need a hobby.

[centralcal]

Janet posts some really interesting, and often infuriating, stuff on her FB. (Infuriating content, not Janet's opinion of it). If any of you harbor illusions that your local news is a cut above the national biased media, you have to watch this montage of 2 dozen or so local news channels - different robots, same script:

It's okay, you can admit it...

Conan says it's scary - yes, yes it is.

[narciso,]

True, but he's like the panda cub, when it counts,

So the big story, is that a judge is restoring the
Saudi govt as a party to the 9/11 lawsuits, which shows the same pattern they've been following up until the present day, with Maverick's 'Syrian friends'

[Patriot4Freedom]

Hope everyone in the JOM family had a wonderful Christmas !

Stephanie - Here are my football picks for the 2013 NCAA bowl games:

Previous picks:

Washington State
USC
San Diego State
La. Lafayette
- Missed Pick for E. Carolina v. Ohio -
Boise State

Remaining games starting Dec. 26th:

Bowling Green over Pittsburgh
Utah State over N. Illinois
Maryland over Marshall (h/t to Capt. Hate)
Minnesota over Syracuse
Washington over BYU
Notre Dame over Rutgers
Cincinnati over N. Carolina
Louisville over Miami
Michigan over Kansas St.
Navy over Mid. Tenn.
Georgia Tech over Mississippi
Oregon over Texas
Arizona State over Texas Tech
Arizona over Boston College
UCLA over Virginia Tech
Rice over Miss. St.
Texas A&M over Duke
Georgia over Nebraska
N. Texas over UNLV
Wisconsin over So. Carolina
LSU over Iowa
Stanford over Michigan St.
Baylor over UCF
Alabama over Oklahoma
Missouri over Oklahoma St.
Clemson over Ohio St.
Vanderbilt over Houston
Ball St. over Arkansas St.

National Champions:

Florida State over Auburn

Thanks again for offering to track these . . .

Hope a few others here take the hint to make their picks, too.

[narciso,]

How do we know they are not cyborgs or Zygons. delivering the news;

[Danube on iPad]

CNN generic: GOP leads, 49-44.

[Another Bob]

FYI, FNC's replay of the Buckley/Reagan "Firing Line" from 1967 was brilliant.

Would love to see FNC make a series of it with their more thoughtful contributors (I'd nominate people like Krauthammer, Barone, Beckel) doing an after-show discussion.

[narciso,]

Beckel, he's like the John Candy character from Uncle Buck,

[rse]

OL-I was explaining the other day that the northern suburbs appear to be targets because they never allowed annexation or busing. People have created cities out of what used to be unincorporated, unaware that the regional authority and the CoCs are coordinating so that nonelected officials have all the planning power.

Sandy Springs city council decides to buy abandoned former Target location for a city hall. Then it turns into a $100 million real estate devt for a town center no one asked for with city looking for a devt partner. Established businesses losing location via eminent domain. An adjacent property was bought last year at BR auction I believe. Subsequent to auction I believe and therefore not something any search would have pulled up, the retail strip center is shown in future plans as having a street through middle of now retail space. Owner protests. City council memebers say it is distant future and maybe 30 years and that would be about the end of life of buildings anyway.

We are all on the menu and apparently subject to political power exercising its whims. Truly the legacy of the awful Kelo ruling.

[dublindave]

Breaking news### The right's most predominant intellectual leader,Sarah Palin has suggested that she might be open to reading the remarks made by Duck dynasty star,Phil Robertson.

Palin shocked the world when she admitted on Fox news that she had no idea what remarks she was defending only that she was intent on defending them.

[Threadkiller]

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2013/12/did_the_white_house_just_inadvertently_confirm_obama_id_fraud.html

[narciso,]

OT, does that seem like a Piltdown scam:

http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-evolution-
human-origins/ancient-humans-bred-completely-unknown-species-001059

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Ah...DD... poor DD.

Saw a photo of Palin with some of the Robertsons... she is one hot woman of a certain age.

But Libs have their icons as well... Obummer is sending Butch Napolitano and Billie Joe King to Sochi.

[jimmyk]

The downward spiral of Obamacare continues (h/t AliceH):

http://nypost.com/2013/12/25/new-obamacare-fees-coming-in-2014/

And how's this for Orwellian language?

"ObamaCare supporters argue that federal subsidies for many low-income Americans will not only cover the taxes, but pay a big chunk of the premiums."

Another way to put this would be: "These taxes won't even cover the subsidies that will have to get funded by other taxes, higher premiums, or more government debt."

[dublindave]

Alright, there is a theory floating out there as to why Palin didn't read the G.Q article....I don't want to insult anyone here...but...it may be ....it might transpire that......well.....I mean......

[jimmyk]

So like most people, Sarah read second-hand accounts of the article, not the article itself. How many people actually read GQ, anyway?

[dublindave]

"But Libs have their icons as well... Obummer is sending Butch Napolitano and Billie Joe King to Sochi"

Yeah because they can fuckin read.

[Jane]

Geez, I'm about to drive an hour north and a blizzard has broken out. Bummer.

[Threadkiller]

Did you see the link I posted for you Jimmy?

[Porchlight]

Merry Christmas JOM! And happy Boxing Day too! Sorry I am late to the party. We left Texas for Minnesota just in time to hit the ice storm at the Oklahoma border. White knuckle all the way through Oklahoma and Kansas on the second day - thankfully we made it to Wichita (barely) and found a hotel. Had to drive the last half of the way (Wichita to Minneapolis) on the third day. Very grateful to have made it safe and sound. There were wrecks everywhere on 35.

Hope everything was/is wonderful for all of you. Will catch up soon if I can!

[jimmyk]

Where are you headed, Jane? We're in Manchester, VT. Snowing a bit, but not exactly a blizzard.

[narciso,]

Exactly, jimmy, besides she knows GQ's bent, they
have had a 'slobbering love affair' with Obama, from day one;

http://conzervative.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/palin-duck-dynasty-4.jpg

[pagarnow]

We have a President who can't even meet the low standards for signup in his signature health law (as shown in the link at 10:25) and leftists are worried about what Sarah Palin reads.
This is insane!
May God bless Sarah Palin as she continues to upset leftists.

[Extraneus]

This is what you come back here to focus on dd? A bearded redneck's righteous comments about a preference for vaginas over anuses, and whether someone read the abridged version? Heh.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

No... they go to Sochi because they are aged and homely lesbians, and in Obummer's demented 'mind', sending old homely lesbians to Sochi somehow sticks it to Putin. Putin has gained great advantage for himself and Russia by slapping around the hapless Obummer; even Obummer realizes he's been humiliated, so he aims to get back at Putin... by sending aged and homely lesbians to Sochi.. Hey don't look at me, it wasn't my idea, I'm just reporting what Obummer is doing.

[jimmyk]

Yes, I saw it TK, thanks. Had a shaky internet connection so had to try to read it on my iPhone. Don't think it quite solved the mystery, but I'll keep working on it.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

I just don't recall who did it, but a few days ago someone posted a photo of Robertson with a quote from him describing the differences between tolerance and convictions and between disagreement and hatred. It was a wise and thoughtful quote, and I'd like to get the exact language. Thanks.

[boris]

If you are referring to " 'Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone's lifestyle, you must fear or hate them." That is a Rick Warren quote. If so it fits but did not come from Robertson.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

OK-- a Rick Warren quote. The rest is in comment posted by Janet Saturday morning.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

Here's the Rick Warren quote, which Janet posted on saturday. Quite so:

“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”

― Rick Warren

[jimmyk]

Of course the left doesn't really believe it when they call conservatives "haters." It's just hyperbole that helps to shut down any reasonable discussion (which they know would not go well for them).

[Danube on iPad]

"Let's remember his the next time DoT claims there's no such thing as an R establishment that exerts influence on the choice of candidates."

I have never claimed that there are no such advocacy groups - it's a free country. I just don't see why they are collectively referred to as an "establishment." There are millions of centrist Republicans, and they may outnumber rhe TP Republicans. Why not call them the "Republican majority?" Or the "fnork?"

[Danube on iPad]

"Our team could use more bullies."

I'm your huckleberry.

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

JimmyK in my experience, a lot of the NY Metro area libs really do justify their own hatred of conservatives by believing that conservatives are 'haters'. Their hatred of conservatives is an article of faith, and they engage in routine 2 minute hates to reinforce that hatred; it's right out of 1984, and it's a very ugly thing.

[Danube on iPad]

I can't remember the last time I even saw a GQ. If I wanted to read the article, I wouldn't have known where to find it.

[boris]

'I just don't see why they are collectively referred to as an "establishment."'

Because that's what they are.

'Why not call them the "Republican majority?" Or the "fnork?"'

Because nobody else would know who we are referring to.

It's called "communication".

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

My Manhattan Barber Shop still has some GQs laying around.

[boris]

"I'm your huckleberry."

And a daisy.

[dublindave]

This is what you come back here to focus on dd? A bearded redneck's righteous comments about a preference for vaginas over anuses"

I think love and life are a little more complicated than picking a Vagina over an asshole,bud. It's not a fucking drive through.

You can hide behind 'Jesus's teachings' ony so long and I think Phil Roberston realises that his christian diplomatic immunity has run the fuck out.

[boris]

"more complicated than picking a Vagina over an asshole"

Gee DuDa I always thought everybody originally came from a vagina. If you tell me you came from an asshole I'd find that almost credible.

[narciso,]

Well just consider they are unreliable for any anti statist project, they turn on a time, when it comes to foreign interventions, they fall for a hack like Clinton or Obama, so what good are they.

[Duck Duck Dude]

"justify their own hatred of conservatives by believing that conservatives are 'haters'. "

Add 'persecution complex' to your other fine qualities.

Your hate descriptor is more like a neglect of anyone outside your nuclear/extended family. Not quite 'benign' neglect, but leaning toward malicious or malignant

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

*** YAWN ***

[NK(withnewsoftware)]

11:35 proves that the ugly projection by Lefties to justify their own hatreds, isn't limited to the NYC Metro Area.

[rse]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/anne-applebaum-china-and-russia-bring-back-cold-war-tactics/2013/12/25/f65939d6-6bef-11e3-aecc-85cb037b7236_story.html

History is indeed back. I would argue it never left. It simply was biding its time and behaving more covertly. Not anymore.

And state capitalism is definitely on the march.

[matt]

In our house we have decided that the Christmas presents are minimal. The kids get a symbolic present or two and that's it.

The Road to Damascus moment was when one of them had a meltdown because they didn't get the thousands of dollars in gifts they expected.

So instead we donated a bunch of hams and pumpkin pies and clothing to our local Catholic Worker house. They house 200-300 homeless women every night in winter with minimal donations as the operator of the local "rescue mission" drives a Rolls.

We are sick and tired of the materialism and falsity of an increasingly secular holiday.

[Extraneus]

I think love and life are a little more complicated than picking a Vagina over an asshole,bud.

I disagree. Any talk of gays should also include graphic descriptions of what they like to do - the actual reason why they're gay.

Same as abortion. Any discussion about it should include graphic descriptions of the procedure - what it actually is. Pictures and videos would be helpful, too.

No euphamisms.

[Extraneus]

Most U.S. Families Still Routinely Dine Together at Home

(Is this supposed to be surprising?)

[jimmyk]

DoT, the argument, at least as I've recalled it, is whether these "major donors and advocacy groups" are mistaken in their belief that a centrist candidate is more likely to get elected. And if so, whether their influence on the nominating process is good for the party and for America.

[boricuafudd]

DuDa
So the Robertson "astroturf" controversy is not going as plan. Let's add Palin that would get everyone on our side, hah. Sad.

[Duck Duck Dude]

Palin is your unintended consequence; our bonus.

[AliceH]

Just read the WSJ article.

What I found offputting was the whole thing is about a new marketing strategy - with exactly nothing to do with a product or a principle or, you know, what policies should be promoted by elected officials mindful of their Constitutional (i.e. LIMITED) roles.

It reads for all intents and purposes as though the ONLY problem that they need to solve for the sake of the country is getting elected. The rest is "bill x designed to appeal to demographic group A, bill y is designed to gain support from demographic group B".

I don't want legislation "designed to appeal" but which undermines the country. I want legislation (includes repeal of laws and regs) designed to reinforce life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

[Cecil Turner]

"Free speech is an endangered species. Those 'intolerants' hatin and taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us."

[lefty hyperventilating] But . . . if you don't know exactly what he said, how can you support him.[/lefty hyperventilating]

[Yawn.] Kinda reminiscent of Hugo Black and "movie day." If it's a choice between Palin's generic support for free speech or the various lefties' misquoting Robertson to enhance their outrage, it's a pretty easy decision.

[jimmyk]

Exactly, Alice @ 12:49. The irony is that by trying to appeal to conflicting constituencies simultaneously, and pitching unprincipled centrism, they accomplish the opposite of what is intended, which is to succeed in elections.

[pagarnow]

IMO, every day Sarah Palin brings hope to America. Leftists never ever bring hope, only death, theft and hate.

[sbwaters]

My 12/16 email to our local Chamber of Commerce:

"If [the national Chamber] will target conservatives, I will target them and anyone associated with them."

[Jane]

Jimmy,

"An hour north" of me is still MA. The blizzard extended from Westford to Auburn on the way home, so clearly it is moving north.

I haven't been to Manchester VT in years - it was very yuppie the last time I went, great shopping and quite fun. Hope you are having a good time.