Obama, The Man Sans Plan

The WaPo editors deplore Obama's "half measures" in Iraq:

Obama’s authorization of Iraq airstrikes isn’t connected to a coherent strategy

And even the NY Times editors, while applauding Obama's prudence and restraint, are looking for more:

The United States, Turkey and other allies should move quickly to meet the Kurds’ needs for ammunition and weapons as well as advice on more effectively deploying the pesh merga and integrating Kurdish operations with Iraqi security forces. Under pressure from the United States, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki of Iraq finally agreed this week to cooperate with the Kurds and to provide air support, and should continue to do so.

That will still leave Mr. Obama with the task of framing a broader strategy that involves Saudi Arabia, the Arab League and the United Nations, just to start.

Yeah, a unified strategy. Why that is urgent now as opposed to two months ago remains a Frequently Unasked Question.

THEY WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED: The US is implicitly partnering up with Shiite Iran against Sunni ISIS. Politics, bedfellows.

Comments

[Ignatz]

--Why that is urgent now as opposed to two months ago remains a Frequently Unasked Question.--

Because dying kids.
Embarrassing images on TV are the genesis of our "strategy" these days.

[henry]

It's an unwelcome distraction from the war on voter ID.

[peter]

You don't understand--He's playing three dimensional chess while the rest of us are playing checkers...

[Jane]

I'm pretty sure whatever Obama does, he won't admit.

[Miss Marple]

It seems to me this is in our strategic interest.

Because if we cannot demonstrate the will to kill people who behead children, our enemies will know we haven't the will to do anything.

[Jeff Dobbs]

President Obama rushed to end the war without a plan to keep the peace.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Obama will soon be under his own bus. WaPo and NYT's have apparently evaluated that ISIS threats against American territory and assets includes their precious heads as well.

[AliceH]

We just have to wait and see how it turns out. Only then will be able to sort out Obama's plan (anything that succeeded) from the Iraqi's responsibility (everything else).

[Miss Marple]

AliceH,

Isn't that the truth?

[Old Lurker]

Politics in Pictures.

We can always count on the Brits.

LUN if your stomach is strong.

[Ignatz]

"We just have to wait and see how it turns out. Only then will be able to sort out Obama's plan (anything that succeeded) from the Iraqi's and Bush's responsibility (everything else)."

You'd almost think W was his co-prez.
They're like Laurel and Hardy in reverse; the skinny little ninny takes off his hat with a scowl every time he screws something up and swats the other guy telling him,
"This is another fine mess you've gotten me into."

[Miss Marple]

I do not understand why the democrats think that the American people want to be a nation of losers.

I do not think this is true.

Furthermore, as I have said numerous times, the underlying temperament of most Americans is "Who made YOU the boss of ME?"

As evidence, Twitchy has reactions of high school students to the new, health vending machines:

http://twitchy.com/2014/08/08/michelle-obama-has-gone-too-far-students-revolt-over-vending-machines/

[PD]

Lun if your stomach is strong.

What's that hanging from his crotch? Does it tie down the lockbox?

[Ignatz]

Somebody linked that last night OL.
Thanks for the morning wretch though.
I honestly didn't know skin got as white as BillyBoy's legs.

[henry]

Ig, rerun of that show at 10:25 (or so, may be on time to catch his vacation plane).

[PD]

I do not understand why the democrats think that the American people want to be a nation of losers.

It's due to the complete inability of leftists to conceive that anyone could think anything different from what they think.

[Ignatz]

I'm still trying to figure out how a "decimated", "JV" squad "on the run" was able to overrun most of a major country, armed and trained by Good King Barack himself, in a couple of weeks. Or Libya. Or Syria. Or Afghanistan. Or Nigeria.
It's almost like he had a plan.

[Threadkiller]

You haven’t heard the whole story behind the border crisis . . . trust me, you won’t believe what we’re about to reveal in our U.S. border investigation next Monday.

There will be no Pulitzer, Peabody or Emmy awards after we release our story on Monday. They reserve those types awards for media who sit back and accept the government line at face value. We don’t. We seek out the truth. And we guarantee that our report on Monday will embarrass the government spokesmen and political leaders who want you to quietly accept that there’s no illegal immigration crisis, that the border is secure and that America is safe.

https://www.projectveritas.com/theres-border-story/

[Jeff Dobbs]

White House Situation Room, August 7, 2014:

[Out, out damn spotters.]

Washed Balad off his hands.

[Miss Marple]

10:25 statement coming from Obama from the South Lawn, I assume right before he takes off for vacation.

[Jeff Dobbs]

White House Situation Room, August 7, 2014:

[[email protected]]

TC-

you mentioned something on the other thread ... and sure enough ...

>>>we will never realize our full potential unless our two parties adopt the same outlook that we’re asking of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds or Israelis and Palestinians: No victor, no vanquished and work together.<<<

Obama yammers on to Friedman in the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/09/opinion/president-obama-thomas-l-friedman-iraq-and-world-affairs.html?_r=0

[Extraneus]

President Obama rushed to end the war without a plan to keep the peace.

Heh.

[[email protected]]

I seem to recall Obama making a comment about "I won" and a senior staffer of his talked about punishing their enemies.

Sounds a lot like victor and vanquished talk to me.

[PD]

Sounds a lot like victor and vanquished talk to me.

Of course. His sage advice is for *other* people to follow.

[[email protected]]

and taking a "maximalist" position wouldn't the recent immigration debate (such as it) be an example of the dysfunctional politics he disclaims.

To wit: when it appeared that the GOP (via Cantor) and the Chamber would get an amnesty through Congress, forcing Obama to make a decision, Obama claimed the GOP wouldn't go far enough and that Obama himself would use his pen and phone.

Obama himself staked out the maximalist position way far out on open boarders and amnesty-so far that even members of his own party can't support it. Nor was it any clever Clinton triangulation ... our southern border is broken and any immigration reform now will be from the enforcement side-positions Obama doesn't support.

[[email protected]]

good to see you back in the comments PD and hope all has been well.

[[email protected]]

and Jim R my prayers for a speedy recovery.

[Rick B]

Hit,

The situation room stuff is great.

Maybe BOzo should give Assad a call and ask him how he got ISIS to leave?

[Ann]

I just turned on the T.V. Is he wearing his golf shoes?

[Jeff Dobbs]

Must See C-List TV - Nicole Wallace to replace Jenny McCarthy on The View.

[PD]

rich (and others), thanks.

hope all has been well

Pretty much. I drop off from time to time when I overdose on politics.

In other words, Mrs. PD and I are now grandparents. :-)

[PD]

In other words

In other *news*

[Jeff Dobbs]

Rick:
Maybe BOzo should give Assad a call and ask him how he got ISIS to leave?

"Face it, Barry. You're the weaker horse. You know it. I know it. They know it. The whole world knows it. The only balls you got you hit with your little sticks around a golf course."

[Jeff Dobbs]

Congrats PD!!!

JOM loves grandkids.

[henry]

Congrats PD!

[Beasts of England]

From the 'don't go to bed drunk / high / stoned and forget to turn off your alarm file':

After maybe three hours of sleep, my phone alarm went berserk and reminded me of the EAA Fly-in pancake breakfast down the street. Ugh. So we went. And while pancakes are a fine distraction, I really wanted to see the Wilson Vintage Aircraft Museum at this little lakeside airport. It has some outstanding old canvas-covered biplanes and triplanes. (Link follows)

What I wasn't expecting was being offered a ($90.00) ride in a 1941 Stearman Model A75N1 biplane. A friend had flown in from Huntsville, and recognizing my condition / situation, hounded me into taking a flight around the lake. And when I say 'hounded', he promised to speak loudly into my ear until I gave in. I really think he wanted to see my go up and throw up!

Exhilarating is the only way to describe open-cockpit flying. The fact that we cruised all over the lake (and saw my lakehouse and boat) was nothing short of spectacular! And I didn't get sick; in fact, for a moment, I forgot about my still-impaired situation. lol Couldn't get my friend to take spin, which is too bad - she's never flown in any way, shape, or form.

Now, I'm really going to bed sleep!

😎

http://www.homerwilsonvintagemuseum.org/

[Jane]

Wow Beasts! Congrats PD. I've had 3 new Great-Auntee Jane kids in the last year. That is what social media was intended for, I'm convinced. None of them are close by and I get to see them almost every day.

[Exasperated]

Obama is behaving like you would expect an irresponsible, petulant and clueless, little kid to behave. Indeed, he is mentally unstable and he has the mind of a bratty, little kid. Jeezez, we've got that sullen, surly and belligerent, little brat, Gary Coleman, in the White House.

[Miss Marple]

The way out for all of us is to invoke the 25th amendment.

It would put dummy Biden in charge but he is at least semi-patriotic and if we keep him busy with reforming Amtrak or something then perhaps the Pentagon could actually defend the country.

[Comanche Voter]

If Obama didn't operate in a half fast fashion, he wouldn't operate at all. The man is a clueless, planless twit, with the strategic vision of a half blind donkey.

[Extraneus]

I agree that Biden would be a big step up from Obama.

[clarice]

How exciting, PD. Congrats.

[James D.]

From the scary yet believable link JiB posted in the last thread (how Putin believes he can win a war against NATO), I noted this bit:

Clearly, he continues, Putin does not seek “the destruction of the hated United States,” a goal that he could achieve “only at the price of mutual suicide.” Instead, his goals are “significantly more modest: the maximum extension of the Russian World, the destruction of NATO, and the discrediting and humiliation of the US as the guarantor of the security of the West.”

Putin doesn't need to do a thing to discredit and humiliate the US as the guarantor of the security of the West. Obama and his Dem and MSM enablers are doing that just fine without any help.

[James D.]

Because dying kids.
Embarrassing images on TV are the genesis of our "strategy" these days.

Isn't that how we got into Somalia back in the early 90's, too?

[Threadkiller]

Be careful with that 25th Amendment talk, MM.

[Threadkiller]

Congrats, PD!

[Danube on iPad]

Calling Joe Arpaio:

"ST. GEORGE, Utah (CBS Las Vegas) – During a radio interview Wednesday Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy shared that God has told him that the federal government needs to be disarmed.
Bundy made his comments during a recent meeting at the Independent American Party in St. George, Utah, and elaborated on them while appearing on KUER, a Salt Lake City radio station. 'I have no idea what God wants done, but he did inspire me to have the sheriffs across the United States take away these weapons, disarm these bureaucracies, and he also gave me a little inspiration on what would happen if they didn’t do that,' Bundy said Wednesday on KUER. 'It was indicated that ‘this is our chance, America, to straighten this problem up. If we don’t solve this problem this way, we will face these same guns in a civil war.’ “

[Cecil Turner (on mini pad)]

but, he said, we will never realize our full potential unless our two parties adopt the same outlook that we’re asking of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds or Israelis and Palestinians: No victor, no vanquished and work together.

Frickin' amazing. This from the guy who made his political fortune by bashing the conduct of a war, parroting enemy propaganda to foment dissent, and rode the wave of popular discontent to the White House. He subsequently adopted the majority of the security measures of his predecessor--and suffered ignominious failure in the few departures from previous administration policy (e.g., Russian "reset," Iraq SOFA, closing Gitmo)--and now he wants to lecture the opposition about bipartisanship?

The other amazing thing is the way the media continues to portray Barack Obama's political fortunes as the only important issue . . . and not the utter mess he's leaving for the next president to clean up. And they continue to cover for his incompetence at every turn, pretending the perfectly predictable outcomes from his dumbass decisions were somehow obscure.

The only conclusion I can come up with is: his junk must taste like candy.

(apologies for the graphic metaphor)

[Threadkiller]

The Mack Daddy is a sodomite?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6Mmfb4id4Y

[Jeff Dobbs]

More from that Friedman piece - Obama's thoughts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

In some ways, Bibi is too strong [and] in some ways Abu Mazen is too weak to bring them together and make the kinds of bold decisions that Sadat or Begin or Rabin were willing to make."

You don't really have to read between the lines to understand Obama wants to see Netanayhu weakened and Abbas strengthened, now do you.

[Threadkiller]

Maybe you should be calling Tom McClintock?

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/lawmaker-says-blm-was-completely-insane-bundy-standoff

Arpaio is busy dealing with the usurper:

http://www.birtherreport.com/2014/07/sheriff-arpaio-working-on-getting-grand.html?m=1

[Ignatz]

--Exhilarating is the only way to describe open-cockpit flying.--

Aren't you the guy who said he won't fly commercial?
I guess an open cockpit transatlantic flight is OK then? :)

[James D.]

DoT @ 11:49

What's truly depressing is that what Bundy is quoted as saying really isn't any different than what Mike Bloomberg (or any hard-core gun control advocate, really) says on a regular basis, about private citizens.

[Ignatz]

--we will never realize our full potential unless our two parties adopt the same outlook that we’re asking of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds or Israelis and Palestinians: No victor, no vanquished and work together.--

Three thoughts.
1. Remind me again how many Reps he brought on board for Barrycare.
2. How would WWI, WWII, the Cold War, etc have turned out with this idiot attitude?
Kinda like Korea with half a country living, but mostly dying, under maniacal madmen for the last 60 years.
3. Didn't his admin just tell us there was no military solution to things? So why are we dropping bombs on someone?

[Rick B]

I'm sure glad I don't have a suspicious mind because if I did I'd be looking at the conciliatory slop being put out by prog slime as early recognition of the probable outcome of the November election.

I have no interest in 'working together' with baby killing scum bent on the destruction of the Republic in order to fulfill a fantasy regarding a slave utopia. I'm unwilling to award points for 'good intentions' which do not exist.

[Ignatz]

Bloomberg at least is consistent in wanting government to control all aspects of our lives.

The nutters are the ones in the streets telling us the CIA and NSA are menaces and the government has no business in the peoples' bedrooms, wombs or pot shops and is a tyrannical threat, but can like totally be trusted with our hospitals, factories, credit, guns, retirement, doctors, dentists, toilet capacity, light-bulb intensity and mo-hair production.

[Ignatz]

--Obama, The Man Sans Plan--

A good case can be made that the seeming lack of a plan is the plan.

[cindyk]

Rick B: Hear, Hear!! My thoughts, your keyboard.

[Danube on iPad]

The difference, James, is that calling on the nation's sheriffs to disarm the federal government is quite insane, whereas the gun-control types are seeking to achieve their goals through legislation.

[PD]

The only conclusion I can come up with is: his junk must taste like candy.

(apologies for the graphic metaphor)

This is why I suspect OFA really stands for Obama Fellators of America.

[Jeff Dobbs]

OK, I was going back to the 2008 Saddleback Forum where Obama and McCain were interviewed by Rick Warren. I went back there because Obama was mealy-mouthed when asked about evil. I've written about his response before and figured I might pull something out of it for how he's approaching ISIS.

Anyway, going through the transcript - the next topic after evil was the supreme court. Get a load of this....

WARREN: OK. The courts. Let me ask it this way. Which existing Supreme Court justice would you not have nominated?
...
WARREN: How about John Roberts?

OBAMA: John Roberts, I have to say was a tougher question only because I find him to be a very compelling person, you know, in conversation individually. He's clearly smart, very thoughtful. I will tell you that how I've seen him operate since he went to the bench confirms the suspicions that I had and the reason that I voted against him, and I'll give you one very specific instance and this is not a stump speech.
...
OBAMA: ...One of the most important jobs of, I believe the Supreme Court is to guard against the encroachment of the executive branch on the other, the power of the other branches ... And I think that he has been a little bit too willing and eager to give an administration, whether it's mine or George Bush's, more power than I think the Constitution originally intended.

Ha. Ha ha. Hahahaha.

It's not funny.

...wait for it...

Roberts proved Obama right with his Obamacare decision.

We're eight days shy of the six year anniversary of that forum.

[Exasperated]

Exhilarating is the only way to describe open-cockpit flying.-- Especially without a seatbelt.

[James D.]

Dot, agreed 100% on that aspect.

I was thinking more about Bundy's view of guns in the hands of bureaucrats vs. the Bloombergian view of guns in the hands of folks like you or I.

And also about the religious aspect; most of the gun controllers talk about their cause with a Messianic fervor that isn't far at all from Bundy's comments about God showing him a vision of a disarmed bureaucracy.

As far as the means, yes, you're absolutely right; Bundy is nuts there, on many levels.

[peter]

Question out of the blue: why does my can of aerosol Noxema shaving cream squirt shaving cream out of itself when not in use?

[narciso]

Congrats PD

As Widlanski has pointed out, friedman was wrong from the beginning, as is the National
Interest's Paul Pillar

Volodya is like Nicholas 1, except there is no Lord Aberdeen or Louis Napoleon to challenge him,

[Jane]

Heat Peter?

[Jack is Back (From Bridgehampton via the Road from Hell)]

A good case can be made that the seeming lack of a plan is the plan.

During one of these corporate team-builing exercise once we had to develop a strategic plan for markeiting a specific engineering resource and summarize on a flip chart. Our senior guy who was an ex-astronaut and navy test pilot decided our plan would be "opportunistic and project oriented" instead. His rationale was that with a "plan", you can then be held accountable.

I wonder if he is consulting this WH?

[Threadkiller]

The audio of Bundy explaining where and when he was inspired.

http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/cliven-bundys-spiritual-battle

Why am I not surprised he was misrepresented again?

[jimmyk on iPhone]

" but can like totally be trusted with our hospitals, factories, credit, guns, retirement, doctors, dentists, toilet capacity, light-bulb intensity and mo-hair production."

And shower heads, and fuel efficiency, and school curricula, and....

[narciso]

Rush calls it the daily soap opera, this is what the Journolist and this new listserve, seem to do,

Plato might have called illuminating the Cave.
Bundy is kind of a cipher, the thousands of trees expended and millions of pixels have made
him so,

[MarkO]

DOOM™®

[narciso]

Anyone know the Russian word for DooM?

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/08/09/ukraine-army-surrounds-donetsk-will-russia-move-in/

[jimmyk on iPhone]

"His rationale was that with a 'plan,' you can then be held accountable."

It's the same with "targeted air strikes." You can say you're doing something to those who claim you're out of touch, but at the same time not really be doing anything meaningful, and have no specific goals by which you can be judged successful or not. Of course it also helps to have no media asking pesky questions.

[Jeff Dobbs]

narc:
Anyone know the Russian word for DooM?

Peregruska?

[Danube on iPad]

How was Bundy misrepresented?

[Old Lurker]

Is it dreaming about shaving cream for ladies, Peter?

[Jeff Dobbs]

DoT:
How was Bundy misrepresented?

Flash poll: everyone interested raise your hand.

[Threadkiller]

You don't care, Danube.

It is not worth the time I will waste on you.

[Man Tran on iPhone]

Speaking of Bundy, this ZH (LUN) article covers the territory pretty well.

The recent uprising at Bundy Ranch in Bunkerville, Nev., confirmed my predictions that many Americans are tired of playing by rules chartered by the establishment and are ready to take measures outside of the boundaries set by the system. The reality is that change will never come without consequence and cost, and when faced with an entrenched tyranny, if the citizenry cannot present the threat of physical consequence to their oppressors, the oppressors have no motivation to relinquish power.

[Threadkiller]

I guess you know my vote in the flash poll, Hit.

[Burping Shave.]

My Noxema

Is a rave.

It tells me when

I need to shave.

[Man Tran on iPhone]

Oops (LUN)

[Dave (in MA)]

Janet 'Alex Karras in drag' Reno probably thinks Holder's a wimp for not using a flamethrower on the Bundy family.

[narciso]

thaat might be a synonym. hit;

://pjmedia.com/tatler/2014/08/08/breaking-federal-court-smacks-down-eric-holders-attack-on-nc-voter-id/

Di Fi is not impressed with the administration these days

[narciso]

at least a swat team, like the one that set down in Little Havana, back in 2000.

[narciso]

he went full Vizzini;

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/08/obama-at-pre-vacation-press-conference-dont-blame-me-for-current-iraq-debacle/#comments

[Carol Herman]

Hooda, Should'a are not war calls.

No one was pleased to see McCain shouting from the senate that he'd go "all in." As if we need a war, "there." Forgetaboutit. All those soldiers who returned said it was a pig-sty. And, the natives all thought the American military were bowling pins.

It's a place without plumbing. And, it's a place were the saudi's stuck their eyeballs. (Perhaps thinking they can spill more American blood?)

Sure, the journalists need this story. Not much will come of the two "smart bombs" that interfered with an ISIS shipment. (Remember, just because the name's changed doesn't mean the outfit isn't ripe with sunnis.)

Over in the Mideast there are "hot zones" having religious wars. Nope. Nothing new under the sun. The arabs drew one lucky card. OIL. If they have it they spend their profits on wars against each other.

And, their women continue having babies. Each woman, birthing more than a dozen, gives you an idea of where the "soldier supply" comes from. Their "generals?" Nah. Imams. However you end up they all bless you with 72 virgins.

[Jeff Dobbs]

You made the wrong choice, America.

[Danube on iPad]

"if the citizenry cannot present the threat of physical consequence to their oppressors, the oppressors have no motivation to relinquish power."

How many at JOM honestly believe that they could put the crosshairs on the head of an American law enforcement officer and pull the trigger? Please signify by saying "I could."

[clarice]

Cecil, Exactly!

[Ignatz]

--obama-at-pre-vacation-press-conference-dont-blame-me-for-current-iraq-debacle--

At first I read that as pre-varication press conference. :)

[Jack is Back (From Bridgehampton via the Road from Hell)]

Of to play in the Tennis Camp's "parent/child" tournament with the Camp's Double's Champion and MVP of the Tournament:)

[You have a right to defend yourself.]

There's a lady in San Diego who might answer 'I could'.

[Rick B]

While I would regret having to shoot a thug with a badge who was just following orders I'm sure my regret would be unlikely to exceed that felt by the men at Lexington and Concord when they fired upon their fellow British subjects who were also just following orders.

[Ignatz]

--How many at JOM honestly believe that they could put the crosshairs on the head of an American law enforcement officer and pull the trigger? Please signify by saying "I could."--

You mean if he's getting a kitten out of a tree or shooting at my family, ala Ruby Ridge?

The former I couldn't; the latter I could.
Context is king.

I don't suppose many of the minutemen thought they could shot a redcoat a few years prior to shooting any number of them when war broke out.
Ditto for the North v South in 1850.

[Captain Hate]

I can think of a few circumstances where I could.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

Great news, PD.

[Captain Hate]

Please stay on vacation:

http://minx.cc:1080/?post=351062