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

[Beasts of England]

Phil may not be aware of this, but he's incurred a two-shot penalty for the ugliest golf shoes and belt combo I've ever witnessed. Yikes! (plural)

[Sandy--Engorged Capital~Fallow Districts--Daze]

Islamic State marks Christian homes in Mosul

[Beasts of England]

Good assessments, Captain!

[Danube on iPad]

Would love to have seen Phil get that eagle. Tomorrow should be quite a day.

[Captain Hate]

I dunno, Beasts; that shirt that Rory wore on the last day of the Brit Open looked like it was from some Nike outlet store bargain table marked down about five times.

[Strawman Cometh]

Sandy,
As I scrolled up, it appeared that you were pointing to the warren (see what I did there?) of a supporter of a certain senatrix from the PRoMASS

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

Back from the tennis tournament and we didn't do that well but we had fun. My first outing in over 2 years due to knee issues bit that wasn't our undoing - it was our serving - pathetic.

Of course, its the hardest part of tennis to ressurect after a long layoff but toward the last 2 games it started to come back. My problem being I have always used a reverse american twist serve and when you lose your knee bend it is almost impossible to place the ball.

C'est la vie! It was a great day to be with my son who played well.

[Pagar]

Of course they would!

http://www.gaypatriot.net/2014/08/09/california-to-mandate-schools-indoctrinate-students-about-glorious-leader-obama/

[Sandy--Engorged Capital~Fallow Districts--Daze]

Capt Hate - Check.

Strawman - no senatrixies in old Virginia !

[Jim Miller]

First, a warning: I am not mentioning this editorial because I think most of you will like it. Quite the contrary.

But some might want to see another view, if only to understand what many in the Democratic Party are thinking, right now. (Which, I think, explains Obama's apologetic air in announcing the air strikes.)

Today, the Seattle Times is opposing Obama's very limited air strikes.

(Some time ago, I dubbed the Seattle Times editorial board the "Defeat now! caucus" and I like to imagine them being led in this chant by their editorial page editor, Kate Riley:

"What do we want?
"Defeat!"
"When do we want it?"
"Now!"

They have consistently complained that Obama was not withdrawing from Iraq and Afghanistan fast enough. I don't claim to understand their thinking, though I can make some guesses. On foreign policy, they often state conclusions, without explaining how they reached them. I often feel like getting out a red pen and scribbling: "Show your work!" on those editorials.

I find those editorials strange because they are often quite reasonable on domestic issues.)

[Beasts of England]

lol, Captain!

Agreed, DoT - tomorrow could be a barn-burner. Impressive.

[narciso]

well he hasn't made the case, but they aren't
interested in hearing, any case

[Danube on iPad]

ISIS could never carry out this genocide if there were a United Nations.

[Captain Hate]

LOL, DoT. Can we please kick them out of the country?

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

I have the pleasure of knowing Ray Floyd. He lives in Southampton and is a member of Shinnecock, Over lunch one day the subject was focus, Ray said he could maintain golf performance focus for 3 weeks max back in his top competitive days, He talked about how he could see everything a target as through the eye of a needle.

Mr, McIlroy is watching the angels dance on his needle.

That and a wet course, 300+ yard dirves and putts that don't miss the hole,

[Beasts of England]

You win the name-dropping trifecta, JiB! Raymond Floyd, Southampton and Shinnecock Hills all in one paragraph! And I'm not picking on you - just expressing my jealousy! ;)

[narciso]

who knew;

http://dailycaller.com/2014/08/08/indecent-proposal-author-dumps-on-cnns-wolf-blitzer-for-israel-hamas-coverage/

[Ignatz]

Latinos from not particularly friendly countries voluntarily enter our country illegally; Dems say spend billions on them and make them citizens.

Kurds rely on our word that they are our allies and Dems say they should be abandoned, women and children too, to starvation, sun stroke, death by thirst, torture and execution.

Hmmm, maybe the Reps should pass a bill making the Kurds US citizens. Wait, that wouldn't work either unless the bill contained a provision they had to vote Dem, then it'd get every Donk vote on the hill.
Lovely people.

[Ignatz]

The two best Thin Man movies are on back to back at the top of the hour.
May have to watch them again.

[narciso]

maybe being a massive jackalope, and his supporters remove all doubt on that score

http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/08/steven-salaita-petition-organizer-wants-to-uproot-israel/

[Janet - the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself]

from Jim Miller's link - "Americans and Congress must press Obama to show more restraint."

Restraint???
The left gets mad when reality interferes with their Utopian Idea factory (that runs on OUR money).
They don't like to DO anything about real problems. That Evan Sayet video pointed that out too.
DOING something is messy & hard.
They actually get mad that reality is forced upon them.

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

Browns v. Lions on NFL TV. Johnny Football will start for the Browns,

BoE,

We're leaving tomorrow but palying tennis today tells me my finger can take a grip, so I am going to start chipping and putting when I get back to Florida, May come back in September to paly a charity event at National if that works out. Will let you kmow. Have plemty of room at the house,

[narciso]

when a question has already been answered is it still rhetorical?

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2014/08/09/can-obama-rise-to-the-challenge-in-iraq/

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

Sorry, but Hoyer starts for the Browns,

[Beasts of England]

At the risk of ruining my streak of overly-tattooed and pierced waitresses and bartenders, I have a date tonight with a young medical doctor. How's that for variety? lol

I'm gonna be a kept man!! ;)

[narciso]

well they do say, variety is the spice of life:

http://hotair.com/headlines/archives/2014/08/09/kurdish-official-we-asked-obama-weeks-ago-for-weapons-and-ammo-to-fight-isis/

[Captain Hate]

Miles Austin is still the same choking POS he was with the Pukes.

[narciso]

Do we have ground hog day in August"

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/08/09/the-3rd-draft-mitt-movement-still-has-a-few-glaring-problems/

[Danube on iPad]

Gotta go in a few minutes. Guess I'll miss seeing Johnny Football, but I have a hunch I'll catch him on Sports Center.

[Man Tran on iPhone]

Beasts, Sopwith makes sense.

I believe it was the only(?) plane with the prop firmly bolted to the crankcase. The whole engine spun. There is a Utube out there of one of the few flyable ones taking a spin. No throttle. Just a kill button, so it taxis like a series of ratty explosions.

[Jane]

Sandy,

I couldn't figure out what the sign means. I do still love the empty chair.

Were you ever in Mosul?

[Pagar]

Maybe we could win more!

According to the article there are 200,000 Republican committee slots open at the lowest level. How can we win if we're not filling these slots?

http://theprecinctproject.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/the-neighborhood-precinct-committeeman-strategy-to-take-back-the-republican-party-and-then-america-at-the-ballot-box/

[daddy]

Good morning on an iPad.

" We got storms a brewin'...
Are you ready to grind it out with us."

Says the chalkboard advertising ice frapucinno's at the wakiwaki Starbucks I am waking up at. T'was a very smooth ride last night with almost zero bumps and very little rain. The first storm had disappeared by our arrival and we nicely threaded through the big hole in front of the second one, at about 400 miles out we could begin to see a leading edge of the second storm off to the south at about our 10:00 position.it was big enough to darken the horizon visibility wise from 10:00 all the way back to our left as far as we could see, but all the rest of the horizon was pretty clear, with just some scattered remnant cloud bands of the preceding storm remaining.
So slightly wet on landing at about 7 or 8 am, and as quick a ride to the hotel as ever due to almost no traffic this morning.

Current weather is great.Visibility unrestricted, and lots of bikinis in sight. Imabout40 feet from the beach, with orders to rendezvous with 4 of my usual suspects in the lobby bar in a couple hours.

Anybody know what day it is?

Mahalo!

[Jane]

Sandy,

Figured it out from facebook.

[narciso]

Austin was with the Cowboys, so Pukes, beside why was he so valuable to the Browns

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

daddy,

Its 1700hrs zulu on everyday, Have a cocktail.

[Jane]

Glad you are safe Daddy!

[narciso]

what is it about the name Schmift:

www.news-journalonline.com/article/20140713/NEWS/140719786140719786

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

I thought this was pretty damn funny: Boring, Oregon has twinned with Dull, Scotlamd. Festivities ensue:)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2720565/Its-Dull-Boring-day-Plenty-excited-twinned-towns-U-S-Scotland-celebrate-international-link-day-festivities.html

[Sandy fallow districts~engorged capitol Daze]

Jane...

#WeAreN

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

narc,

Your link at 8:46 goes nowhere.

[Sandy fallow districts~engorged capitol Daze]

Jane, only a few weeks total, over several trips, not enough to gain any familiarity. Now Arbil-Irbil-Erbil-Hawler (pick any one you want) several months, and have traveled all over the region. Great place, wonderful people, the Kurds.

[Exasperated]

Barak Hussein Obama and all of his supporters are cowards

[narciso]

it's about a Top Man School Board member, Stan Schmidt making mischief, three weeks ago:

some truths inadvertently slip out

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/mark-finkelstein/2014/08/09/many-truth-obama-says-i-dont-worry-about-israels-survival

[narciso]

I sometimes leave off a piece of the url

http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20140713/NEWS/140719786

[Stephanie]

New fountain installed in the backyard today:

[Rick B]

Stephanie,

Is that a sweater on Little Ofa or is it a raincoat?

[Stephanie]

That is a Georgia BullDawg. Concrete. They sell them like crazy around here. We just put it to other uses. Went to Tailgaters Alley tonight and got a child size Georgia Tech hat to put on Pis Boy.

It's the South. It's almost football season. Just getting the yard ready for partying!

[narciso]

that's a bulldawg, seems more like a terrier:

Obama made clear that he is only going to involve America more deeply in places like the Middle East to the extent that the different communities there agree to an inclusive politics of no victor/no vanquished. The United States is not going to be the air force of Iraqi Shiites or any other faction. Despite Western sanctions, he cautioned, President Vladimir Putin of Russia “could invade” Ukraine at any time, and, if he does, “trying to find our way back to a cooperative functioning relationship with Russia during the remainder of my term will be much more difficult.” Intervening in Libya to prevent a massacre was the right thing to do, Obama argued, but doing it without sufficient follow-up on the ground to manage Libya’s transition to more democratic politics is probably his biggest foreign policy regret.

the level of category error is breathstaking, 6 sigma or something

[Captain Hate]

Austin was with the Cowboys, so Pukes, beside why was he so valuable to the Browns

During Fat Boy Holmgren's "take the money and run" stay in Cleveland, he did an outstanding job of not drafting or otherwise acquiring any serviceable receivers. Plus with Goodell not getting off his fat ass to rule on Josh Gordon's mary jane problem, they had to get relief somewhere.

I really really hope Zoe Morgan is part of POI's season four plans. Elias too, of course, but mainly Zoe Morgan. I would think her skills would be valuable in a post Machine era, however that shakes out. Elias too for that matter.

[jimmyk on iPhone]

More fun from the Voxsplainers:

@mattyglesias: I said Gerald Ford was still alive earlier this evening which is ... not the case. Apologies for the error.

[rse]

Steph-

when I was in law school I lived just off campus near the track. The law school parking lot became rich alumni parking on game days so if I needed to go the the library early on a Saturday morning I had to walk.

Past the winnebagos with tailgating alumni who thought it a sacrilege to study on a game day.

Honestly it was an easy walk later down the hill to the actual game. In those days James Brown frequently put on a music show.

Never have forgotten though how angry some alumni treated the idea of off to study.

[Ignatz]

Gerald Ford?
He'd be like over 100 years old or somethin'.
Didn't he write that Constitution thingy?

[daddy]

We ought to have a JOM contest: What's your understanding of the Obama Doctrine?

[miss Marple]

Yglesias amazes me that he can type a complete sentence.

How could he not know that Ford died several years ago?

These are the caliber of people not only in the media but running the government.

Bah.

[Eric in Boise]

We ought to have a JOM contest: What's your understanding of the Obama Doctrine?

Um…that would be "zero".

What do I win?

Oh. Rats.

Do I at least get some lovely parting gifts?

[Eric in Boise]

OK, no parting gifts, either. Harrumph, harrumph, harrumph.

I'll try again - The Obama Doctrine:

'If it advances American interests, y'all, I'm not down with it.

If it doesn't, folks, I'm good, especially if Valerie approves.

Gotta go. Tee time, yo."

[miss Marple]

Eric in Boise,

I believe that is it in a nutshell.

Well done!

[Publius of Idaho]

The Obama Doctrine was explained yesterday, when it was pointed out that "leading from behind" means, in his mind, being the first one to retreat.

[clarice]

My 9 y.o. grand daughter told me she uses goggle "about a thousand times a day". Maybe she can teach Matty how to use it.

[daddy]

Well done, Eric! You even got "folks" in there.

[narciso]

It's not an act, he isn't that smart, then it's about one standard deviation between the typical troll, journolister and policy maker.

Paige Turco, was on a show called the 100, I don't know if she will be back, then again Saul
Rubinek was on another show, Warehouse 13, yet
he showed up for a few episodes

[Stephanie]

Obama Doctrine?

Pretend to give a damn until you don't have to.

[Stephanie]

The college, which is leasing its TCF Bank Stadium to the Vikings as the team’s new stadium gets built for a scheduled 2016 opening, has also asked that the game not have any Washington apparel or paraphernalia sold on the premise; that the word “Redskins” not be uttered by the game’s public address announcer; and that the team’s moniker not appear on the scoreboard or in the program guide or other game-related print or digital material.

http://toprightnews.com/?p=5016

[Ignatz]

The Obama Doctrine in one word, hell, one letter;

I

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

Goodell needs to get off his fat ass and tell every ignorant POS in Minnesota to shut their pansy asses up about the Redskins or lose the Vikings. Fat Roger is as worthless as 404 in terms of voting "present".

[Stephanie]

Isn't Minnesota a word stolen from the Indians? Why yes, yes it is...

freaking white burglars...

[miss Marple]

Speaking as someone of Danish descent, I find the use of the word Vikings offensive.

Pay up, Minneapolis.

[Captain Hate]

They should all be scalped for stealing the Senators. Yes, I can hold a grudge forever.

[Ignatz]

Interesting that a team named after a bunch of rapacious pirates is offended by the term Redskins.

[Ignatz]

No offense, MM.

[miss Marple]

Huckabee has a couple of military people on with a map table, showing where Isis is and the mountain with the 40,000 people. They are explaining the difficulty of dropping supplies and the risk.

I don't often watch Huckabee, but this is actually some important stuff.

[miss Marple]

Ignatz,

On one sie I am Danish, on the other Scot.

One would think I would be handy with a broadsword, wouldn't you?

[Ignatz]

Or parsimonious with the breakfast rolls. :)

[clarice]

I always imagined you were , MM.

[Stephanie]

"Atlanta has more people with Ebola than Matt Ryan has playoff wins."

http://deadspin.com/why-your-team-sucks-2014-atlanta-falcons-1618139918?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Lovely... Can I be an honorary Saint?

[narciso]

lord love a waterfowl, they used to be called the Boston Braves

[Captain Hate]

I saw a disturbing salary versus career playoff wins comparison between Matt Ryan, Tony Romo and Andy Dalton with Joe Flacco. I know with football you're dealing with a much smaller number of games than either basketball or baseball but still...

[Gus]

Capn, what LEADERSHIP qualities do the 3 qb's display. Romo is a Milwaukee area guy and it's hard to root against him because of that, and Flacco has won the big game, but none of these guys seem to have the on field/locker room/huddle charisma that guys like Rodgers, Manning and Drew Breese have.

[Gus]

This Iraq bombing strategy that O'dimbulb has "embarked" upon. What is the EXIT strategy?
Why is OBAMA "GOING IT ALONE LIKE A COWBOY?"
Are we not "creating MORE terrorists by killing terrorists?" WHO GAVE US PERMISSION? Isn't this ILLEGAL?? And the BIG QUESTION. What WEAPONS of MASS DESTRUCTION does ISIS have????
Libs are so easily ridiculed.

[Ignatz]

I'm determined to hold my breath waiting for the left to explain how they now understand Bush's invasion of Iraq because Barry has now said he missed ISIS's rise because of faulty intelligence and is now compelled to act because of that bad intelligence.
The alternative is "Barry lied, Kurds died" right?

So far I'm a striking magenta moving toward a stunning purple.

[Danube on iPad]

The Cowboys will not win another title as long as J. Jones owns the team.

[Gus]

Ignatz. "I will stand with the Muslims". If the Political winds blow.....blah blah blah....I will stand with the Muslims. John Bolton was saying tonight that Obama wasn't paying attention. He was and is. He see's what he wants to see, and he has a FAVORITE TEAM on the FIELD. Simply put, Obama has run his mouth for years, and in doing so, he has made it crystal clear, that he is an IMBECILE. He says stupid shit that an 8th grade Pop Warner Quarterback ought not say out loud. "I GOT GAME". "I know POLICY better than my POLICY advisors" etc etc etc etc. The SEAS will stop rising...........ETC ETC ETC. No person, in control of their EMOTIONS and their EGO would say and so such things. Obama is flying by the seat of his pants EVERY DAY. (his remarkably well CREASED pants btw.) Obama was the worst person on earth to have been put in charge of ANYTHING. He loves only one thing. HIMSELF.

[Gus]

"ISIS is JV. Just because they wear Lakers uniforms, doesn't mean they are KOBE BRYANT!!"

Just because you ride on AIR FORCE ONE, doesn't make you smart enough to wipe your ass Obama.

[Gus]

Ignatz, it's FAULTY INTELLIGENCE, when Obama makes bad decisions. Obama has ZERO JUDGEMENT SKILLS. But when 10 years of tracking BIN LADEN finally pays off. OBAMA WAS RESPONSIBLE.

[DrJ]

Think you can read music? Try to follow this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb2rX7-pmL8

I thought I could too. Without perfect pitch I would have been sunk. It is Friedman playing Liszt's transcription of the Tannhäuser overture. That it is Liszt means that it is brilliant and cannot be played by mortals.

No, it still is not out of my head.

[Ignatz]

--"ISIS is JV. Just because they wear Lakers uniforms, doesn't mean they are KOBE BRYANT!!" --

Jake Tapper questions WH flack Tony Blinken;

Tapper: Tony, you say you’ve been warning about it, but in January, President Obama told The New Yorker magazine’s David Remnick that ISIS — which was then still considered a part of al-Qaeda fighting in Syria — was like a JV basketball team. He said, quote, “The analogy we use around here sometimes, and I think is accurate, is if a JV team puts on Lakers uniforms, that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant.” Just how badly did President Obama underestimate the threat of ISIS?

Blinken: No, there are two different things going on here, Jake. One is the question of the threat that ISIS poses to us here in the homeland, and unlike core al-Qaeda, right now, their focus is not on attacking the U.S. homeland or attacking our interests here in the United States or abroad. It’s focused intently on trying to create a Caliphate in Iraq and a base from which, over time, to operate. And that’s what we’re focused on. We’re focused on making sure that we can help empower the Iraqis and others to prevent them from doing just that. The president was exactly right: They did not pose a threat like al-Qaeda central to us in the homeland. We want to make sure that they don’t get to the point where they can pose that threat.

Winkin and Nod are on Martha's Vineyard riding John Kerry's pink, little girl's bike and couldn't be reached for comment.

[Ignatz]

Ignaz Friedman!

[Gus]

Dr J, I was diagnosed with perfect pitch. Not relative perfect pitch, but perfect pitch to the 100,000th wavelength. I've played guitar and piano for over 40 years, and mostly in a loud pop rock outfit. I play everyday. I have a VINTAGE STRAT next to me right now, and a very nice TAKAMINE ACOUSTIC guitar too. That link you provided was wonderful, lovely and a haunting Germanesque melody. The thing that struck me, was the perfection of the note B.

[Ignatz]

BTW, DocJ hears Liszt; I see Elmer Fudd in his Viking opera get up carrying a stricken Bugs. :)

[Gus]

Ignatz, it's way beyond scary. The UNWILLINGNESS to face the REAL THREAT. Obama ran his Barney Fife looking CAKE HOLE, like a High School Junior. He used analogies that are quite inappropriate. Obama was a SPLINTER ASSED BENCH SITTER on his High School Basketball Team, yet he thinks he understands how the WORLD WORKS. He talks like a cocksure Jock about ISIS, yet he has ZERO understanding about how his LACK OF LEADERSHIP has allowed this to boil out of control. Any single Member of ISIS could beat Obama's ASS into hamburger at the drop of a hat. Obama has never considered that he OBAMA is NOT CAPABLE. He just continues to consider himself, COOL, SMOOTH, and SMARTER than the rest of the WORLD. "Tell Vlad, that after the election, I'll have more 'flexibility'". Obama has no clue what a WOLF HEARS, when a pussy like Obama submits to the WOLF.

[Gus]

The WOLF doesn't see HOPE CHANGE and PART NEGRO MAN. The WOLF sees weakness AND A MEAL.

[Stephanie tortoise not the hare]

Saw a report on Facebook today that isis supporters/sleepers have been tweeting pics of the white house and other locations taunting "we are here. You will get what is coming soon." The tweets were also threatening citizens and promising mayhem in the US.

Lovely. Lock n load

[Ignatz]

I too have been blessed with perfect pitch;

[Ignatz]

Too sleepy to go on.

[Strawman Cometh]

No,
Perfect Pitch and Lovely
http://www.mtv.com/videos/neko-case/113645/deep-red-bells.jhtml

[DrJ]

I'm pleased that some chose to listen. A Liszt transcription of Wagner is an acquired taste. Still, how the notes on the page relate to what is played can be difficult to hear, and this is one of those. Perfect pitch only helps one to relocate in the score, at least for me.

To those who can play this sort of thing, I tip my hat to you. Wow.

[Strawman Cometh]

I should have scrolled further up. No disrespect intended. I love Ms Case

[Strawman Cometh]

And I apologize for reusing "lovely". Is it the night for it or what? I swear, I only went up one notch

[Gus]

DrJ, I love your addition to tonight's discussion. I love the thought of someone else playing a "piece", as true to it's tempo and it's intent as possible. I love the piece that you shared. Very much. I am a accomplished guitar player. I make no bones about being somewhat bragadotious about that. I LOVE the guitar, and truthfully, I love the piano as well. Wagner had game!!!! The piano is my TEACHER. When I have any doubt about a musical score, I go to my teacher and I work through it. The PIANO is the perfect instrument in my opinion. The PIANO and the VOICE. I own a Bradford Grand piano, and I have it tuned as well as possible.