Transitioning From Retreat To... We'll See

A couple of seemignly-connected stories have emerged. From Saturday, the end is a bit less nigh in Afghanistan:

In a Shift, Obama Extends U.S. Role in Afghan Combat

By: Mark Mazzetti and Eric Schmitt

WASHINGTON — President Obama decided in recent weeks to authorize a more expansive mission for the military in Afghanistan in 2015 than originally planned, a move that ensures American troops will have a direct role in fighting in the war-ravaged country for at least another year.

Mr. Obama’s order allows American forces to carry out missions against theTaliban and other militant groups threatening American troops or the Afghan government, a broader mission than the president described to the public earlier this year, according to several administration, military and congressional officials with knowledge of the decision. The new authorization also allows American jets, bombers and drones to support Afghan troops on combat missions.

In an announcement in the White House Rose Garden in May, Mr. Obama said that the American military would have no combat role in Afghanistan next year, and that the missions for the 9,800 troops remaining in the country would be limited to training Afghan forces and to hunting the “remnants of Al Qaeda.”

The decision to change that mission was the result of a lengthy and heated debate that laid bare the tension inside the Obama administration between two often-competing imperatives: the promise Mr. Obama made to end the war in Afghanistan, versus the demands of the Pentagon that American troops be able to successfully fulfill their remaining missions in the country.

The internal discussion took place against the backdrop of this year’s collapse of Iraqi security forces in the face of the advance of the Islamic State as well as the mistrust between the Pentagon and the White House that still lingers since Mr. Obama’s 2009 decision to “surge” 30,000 American troops to Afghanistan. Some of the president’s civilian advisers say that decision was made only because of excessive Pentagon pressure, and some military officials say it was half-baked and made with an eye to domestic politics.

And for the nominal architect of our "strategies" in Afghanistan and Iraq it's post-election de-fenestration. Very Rumsfeldian:

Hagel Said to Be Stepping Down as Defense Chief Under Pressure

By: Helene Cooper

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down under pressure, the first cabinet-level casualty of the collapse of President Obama’s Democratic majority in the Senate and the struggles of his national security team amid an onslaught of global crises.

The president, who is expected to announce Mr. Hagel’s resignation in a Rose Garden appearance on Monday, made the decision to ask his defense secretary — the sole Republican on his national security team — to step down last Friday after a series of meetings over the past two weeks, senior administration officials said.

The officials described Mr. Obama’s decision to remove Mr. Hagel, 68, as a recognition that the threat from the Islamic State would require a different kind of skills than those that Mr. Hagel was brought on to employ. A Republican with military experience who was skeptical about the Iraq war, Mr. Hagel came in to manage the Afghanistan combat withdrawal and the shrinking Pentagon budget in the era of budget sequestration.

But now “the next couple of years will demand a different kind of focus,” one administration official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 

Yes, the focus will shift to seeing whther Obama's legacy can be something other than retreat and disaster in both of the wars he inherited.

Regrettably for Obama, Iraq was the strategically important war even though Bush thought so and Afghanistan, even if it was the "good war", was fought on strategically dreadful and politically marginal terrain.

Comments

[Eric in Boise]

Yes, the focus will shift to seeing whther Obama's legacy can be something other than retreat and disaster in both of the wars he inherited.

Breath status: not being held.

[narciso]

Declan Walsh, the import from Al Ghuardian, dutifully refused to point out the new Varsity recruiter, right of the Gitmo leagues, but who
started as intramural for the Taliban

[jimmyk]

I increasingly think we should not get involved in any war unless the goal is complete and unconditional surrender by the enemy. It's hard to think of too many examples where anything less has been successful.

I presume Hagel was pushed out. Any chance of a juicy tell-all from him or is he too much of a lightweight?

[Jane]

I hope Hagel talks. I think it's funny that he's the choice to "shake things up".

[Jim Eagle]

My guess is that after all that he still refused to give up the code to the voting machines.

[Miss Marple]

Well, as long as we are speculating, I say it has something to do with Iran.

[Old Lurker]

They probably played the Hagel card to draw attention for Kerry getting yelled at by his Iranian counterpart (causing guards to have to rush into the room) and sent packing with no deal.

As to naming a ship for Hagel, do we still build ships for the Navy?

[Old Lurker]

Great minds, MM.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Was the House Benghazi report soft-soaped in order to force the White House into a reasonable national defense posture? I suppose that's an impossible conjecture - Obama seems intent on making it easy for our enemies to destroy us, whether it be domestic invasion or attacked by hostile nations.

[narciso]

and the plan was working so well, too:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2014/11/more_jihadist_traini.php

[Jim Eagle]

Now read this, close your eyes and imagine Bush was POTUS.

https://twitter.com/TMZ_Politics/status/536239809602543616/photo/1

[Miss Marple]

OL,

Well, if they would put us in charge, we might actually have a foreign policy.

Twitter is saying flat-out he was fired.

I wonder what this is really about.

[Miss Marple]

Jennifer Griffin also reporting he was fired, according to her sources. Not a mutual decision.

[matt]

Haqqanis had a suicide bomber kill 50 people at a volleyball game in Paktika Province, which borders Pakistan, the other day.

Basically you start running into the Tollybons as soon as you leave the Kabul city limits. What did we accomplish? I can't seem to recall.

The most pathetic foreign and military policy in our history.

[NKontheNovreboot]

OL-- the Mullahs screaming at Kerry? Natch-- the Mullah bomb is ready to be deployed so the last thing they want to do is listen to Kerry.

[Dave (in MA)]

In the other thread I posted:

I'm guessing Jarrett's whacking Hagel because of his public disagreements with other Obama people, primarily Suzie Rice, over handling of Syria and Ebola.

I wonder when the next one will be announced as "The first ________-American Secretary of Defense". Either that, or Lurch is going to take the spot and the new SoS will have to satisfy 2 affirmative action checkboxes.

[narciso]

the Genoveses Haqquanis will likely inherit, although they have the Gottis, IS franchise nipping at their heels,

[Eric in Boise]

Someone else will be spending more time with their family as well: The CEO of United Technologies.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102212338#.

UT owns Pratt & Whitney, and apparently Sikorsky as well.

Maybe just coincidence.

[Extraneus]

The bold New Yorker:

On Keystone and the N.S.A., Clinton Remains Quiet

On Friday, Ready for Hillary, a super PAC that has been described as “a make-work program for former Clinton hands,” and that is busy building a database of donors and volunteers that the group will eventually sell or rent to an official Clinton campaign, held an all-day meeting at the Sheraton on Fifty-third Street, in New York.

...

It was an odd event: reporters asked questions about Hillary Clinton’s plans and policy agenda to a group of people who knew as little as anyone about her presumptive campaign and its messaging. In that sense, the Ready for Hillary meeting was the perfect embodiment of the Democrats’ current Hillary problem: everyone in the party seems to be supporting her, and yet nobody can articulate exactly why. (I wrote for the magazine recently about Clinton’s seeming inevitability as a Presidential candidate.)

The meeting came at the end of an eventful week—one that only underscored Clinton’s continued reluctance to explain what she might want to do as President. In Congress, the Senate debated two major issues: the Keystone XL pipeline and reform of the National Security Agency. Clinton remained silent about both.

[Miss Marple]

Snippets on TV and Twitter:

McCain says that Hagel was in his office and was very frustrated. McCain says that Hagel WAS up to the job.

Congressman Randy Forbes who is on Armed Services committee says that they have had testimony that White House is ignoring military advice. He also says Hagel was fired for giving advice the White House didn't like.

White House (yes, the White House) official says "This is why you don't send a sergeant to do a secretary's job." THEY are completely ignoring he was THEIR choice!

[GMax]

Speculation apparently includes Jack Reed Democrat Senator from Rhode Island. I guess the thinking is this shallow, Senator easier to confirm in the Senate, Democrat Governor will appoint a replacement, and Reed was in the Airborne once up a time.

[Iggy]

--the end is a bit less nigh in Afghanistan--

Obviously Iraq was one of those "teachable moments" for Barry and Val; do just enough to prevent a total collapse until you're out of office not before.

[Miss Marple]

GMax, I also heard speculation that they will promote one of the undersecretaries, a woman.

[Iggy]

Looks to me like the whole country has adopted the Turtle strategy and is collectively holding its breath hoping this mendacious crew doesn't get us blown up before a new crew can come in and start cleaning up the Romper Room mess they've made of nearly everything.

[Miss Marple]

From Greta van Sustern:

"The Obama Administration is being silly and disingenuous. Of course, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel was fired. The Administration is pretending it is something else saying 'he is resigning." Yeah...resigning after the President asked him (and if he didn't?) That is called getting fired.

And why do I think he got fired? Because the President called ISIS jayvee in the New Yorker while his Secretary of Defense said "ISIS is an imminent threat to every interest we have...this is beyond anything we've seen." In other words, he made President Obama look bad, read bad...so...Hagel got the target on his back."

[narciso]

Well Reed is sort of the same block head as Hagel, Fluornoy is generally competent, so she's out, and Ashton Carter is the PLA's BFF,

[Old Lurker]

You know, Iggy, I suspect you are 100% correct in your 10:49.

[James D.]

Even if Zero nominates someone less incompetent and mendacious than the average for his administration, they'll never be allowed to actually do anything positive, and any unwelcome advice given (no matter how correct it is) will be roundly ignored.

So it really doesn't matter who he appoints.

[Iggy]

--I increasingly think we should not get involved in any war unless the goal is complete and unconditional surrender by the enemy.--

Welcome to the dark side jimmy.
Non-state actors are a niggling [yes, I denounce my racism preemptively] symptom. The disease is the state sponsors. Total and assured destruction of actual enemy regimes will soon result in actual enemy regimes who do not bother us nor sponsor terrorists, knowing they will face total and assured destruction.

And since we have, I hope, finally learned nation building is an impossible feat in states which are not nations and do not wish to be, we are saved that pointless expense and slaughter.

A further benefit is those states too large to destroy except in the most dire, existential circumstances will be cowed watching their client states or even states not associated with them destroyed.

[Iggy]

Shorter my 10:58; we need fewer but better wars.

[GMax]

I suspect Mary Landrieu fell terminally behind today in Louisiana voting, never to recover. Pity.

[Miss Marple]

I am looking at the NYT Pentagon correspondent, Peter Baker, on my TV.

Mega-metrosexual and saying that "it has been known for some time that Hagel wasn't up to the job," which sounds like the administration line.

[Old Lurker]

...And engaging in the trade of 1,000 of our guys for 10,000 of theirs is like that guy who suggested fighting a PR fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton is not a good idea.

[GMax]

Walter Russell Mead speaks truth to power, hard to believe he is a Democrat but there you go:

this half-hearted, hobbled amnesty will likely join President Obama’s flawed health care law as a toxic legacy that will haunt the Democratic Party for years to come. Just as the President’s poor reputation was a millstone around the neck of many Democratic candidates in 2014, future Democratic candidates are going to run away from Obama’s memory, and their opponents will work to tag them with the heavy burden of a presidency that most Americans will want to forget. As a political brand, the name “Barack Obama” now risks drifting into Jimmy Carter territory and becoming a label that blights the prospects of the Democratic party and its candidates for years.

[Iggy]

I've never believed Hagel is as dumb as he's portrayed, including here, and he's certainly mendacious enough for DC.
I can only conclude he's a fall guy for the increasing disasters around the world and what better fall guy than a Republican?
If history is any guide we will be saying "Chuck we hardly knew ye" when we get a load of his "progressive" replacement.

I'm not willing to hope for any more than the replacement not be a traitor or Iranian or MB mole.

[rse]

For janet http://www.salon.com/2014/11/23/our_transit_future_in_peril_how_idealism_is_threatening_to_derail_vital_projects/

[RickB]

Mead is being extraordinarily optimistic about the damage BOzo is doing to the Fascist Party with his Adventures in Ad Hocracy. It's becoming rather dizzying to try and keep up with his constant application of the Merde Touch.

[Threadkiller]

Last week Duncan Hunter destroyed Hagel in the House hearing with a pile of Hagel's anti war comments from his pre secdef days. Hunter was clear in his vote of no confidence in Hagel and his staff.

It was amazing for two reasons. 1.) Hunter is kinda goofy and he never gets his thoughts out as eloquently as he did this time. 2.) Hagel, a seasoned liar, was speechless.

[Extraneus]

If they're saying this

"it has been known for some time that Hagel wasn't up to the job,"

then they must be anticipating that Hagel isn't planning to go quietly.

[Danube on iPad]

So Hagel is gone. Is RG3 next?

[Danube on iPad]

"is he too much of a lightweight?"

He's too stupid to be taken seriously.

[Old Lurker]

WaPo sports headline today, DoT: "Burgundy and Fold".

[Threadkiller]

Danube, they changed the format at Birther Report.

What did you do?

[Threadkiller]

Sheriff Joe Arpaio: I've Been Trying To Have Congressional Hearings On Obama ID Fraud

http://www.birtherreport.com/2014/11/sheriff-joe-arpaio-ive-been-trying.html?m=1

[jimmyk]

Welcome to the dark side

Cool, and here I was only concerned that I was saying something utterly banal and obvious, at least here.

I might be more inclined than you to pull the trigger so to speak, at least until we are once again feared rather than mocked.

[Old Lurker]

"I was only concerned that I was saying something utterly banal and obvious, at least here."

Huh? Is THAT a new rule at JOM. Say it ain't so.

[Jane]

Gee maybe Congress should refuse to confirm the new nominee...

[Iggy]

--Cool, and here I was only concerned that I was saying something utterly banal and obvious, at least here.--

I still see a lot of support for surges and occupations and implicit nation building compared to the rubble = no trouble model.

--I might be more inclined than you to pull the trigger so to speak, at least until we are once again feared rather than mocked.--

I almost noted we might have to exceed the average annual head stomping count at first to get the new strategy off on the right foot, but figured I was already getting long winded.

[jimmyk]

I was already getting long winded.

Now that certainly is not a rule at JOM.

[narciso]

well we kind of lucked into the AMAFG and AMIRA
why do we use their loaded verbiage, we left rubble in Afghanistan, and the Taliban grew in the weeds, Iraq was so broken by 2003, Pottery Barn wouldn't take it back,

[RickB]

Why should we waste perfectly good bombs and bullets on Mahometans when they are eager to expend them on each other? What would we be "winning" or "protecting"?

The Mahometans now control nothing for which we have an actual need. If EUtopia or China feels a need to protect access to resources, why not let them expend their bombs and bullets in an effort to quell Mahometan internecine squabbles?

[Iggy]

This guy at National Reveiw does not seem pleased with the latest Hunger Games flick.

[Iggy]

--we left rubble in Afghanistan, and the Taliban grew in the weeds--

The Taliban has grown in the weeds whether we're there or not. The choice isn't between a perfect strategy and an imperfect one.

"Rubble makes no trouble" is not perfectly matched against fanatics but it can potentially succeed against most enemies.

Occupation and nation building is not sustainable and therefore cannot succeed because there are too many nations to be built, most of them don't want to be built in the first place and the citizenry will not support unending guerrilla wars.
And when we do finally pack up and leave and the vacuum is filled by the patiently waiting indigenous murderers we not only have lost many wasted lives and much treasure we also appear defeated and weak.
Japan and Germany and even South Korea do not translate to the rest of the world, especially the cultural and religious morass of the present ME.

Since we cannot make the rest of the world into functioning liberal democracies the best we can hope for is enemies afraid to threaten us because they know it means immediate annihilation. Even mullahs prefer their heads intact; they count on us fighting their proxies who don't.

[Bori`]

Iggy,

It about the culture wars, we see the film as entertainment and can enjoy as such. Liberals see it as a statement.

They see President Snow as a Bush character and what his Administration would be like if allowed unfettered power. Regardless of whether the opposite is true, see Obama, Holder, etc.

Revolutions are then glamorize as the solution to those abuses. The anarchy and chaos that results are just part of the solution, because the Liberals will have leaders like Kobamiss, or Warreniss to say the right things and start our "new" world.

[jimmyk]

Unconditional surrender usually does involve some sort of "nation-building" in the aftermath. We spent many years in Japan and Germany following World War II. Simply leaving rubble and then come what may in the aftermath doesn't seem prone to success either.

[Extraneus]

http://hotair.com/archives/2014/11/24/obama-my-massive-unconstitutional-power-grab-on-immigration-must-not-be-exploited-by-a-gop-president-to-lower-taxes/

[Janet - I wish my family had a poncho]

To go with Ignatz's 10:49 -

"It was all very careless and confused. They were careless people … they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made." ~ The Great Gatsby

[James D.]

That NR reviewer is a jackass. He may well be completely right about the Hunger Games movie, but in looking at a few of his older reviews, he seems mainly interested in hearing himself talk. Blah.

[GMax]

So Hagel is gone. Is RG3 next?

HMMMM

Just sitting here thinking of the parallels of Zero and Snyder. Both are arrogant and stubborn. Both are late coming to a conclusion that everyone else has clearly seen previously. And Snyder comes off much worse, since Zero has finally decided to cut his losses.

[Old Lurker]

But Snyder actually built himself a fortune the old fashioned way.

[Extraneus]

And he refuses to bend over for the PC whiners.

[Iggy]

Germany and Japan were nations.
Iraq and Afghanistan [and Yemen and Somalia and Libya and Syria and etc] are hodgepodges of tribes and clans that have been at each others throats, and the rest of worlds, for thousands of years, now existing within usually misdrawn boundaries and all of which also stew in the poison brew of islam which makes a lasting nation of any use virtually impossible. Even a nation as thoroughly secularized as Turkey was is now sliding back to islam's natural state of religious authoritarianism, internal division and expansionist aims.

[Jane]

This Kevin Williamson piece is excellent!

[jimmyk]

hodgepodges of tribes and clans that have been at each others throats, and the rest of worlds, for thousands of years, now existing within usually misdrawn boundaries

That doesn't sound so different from early 20th century Europe. The only difference is the level of technological advancement and education.

[GMax]

YUP!

Dan McLaughlin @baseballcrank

FROM: Every Republican
TO: Every Democrat
RE: Chuck Hagel

We told you so. We told you so. We told you so. We told you so.
8:56 AM - 24 Nov 2014

[Iggy]

Incoming speaker of Nevada's Senate [R] steps down over this column regarding columns he wrote years ago.
Not sure it was all exactly right, but couldn't see anything much to disagree with myself. His points were a lot more factual than the author's.

[Janet - I wish my family had a poncho]

That NR reviewer is a jackass.

I agree.

"That Katniss never develops an articulation of personal or political principles..."

That is the point of the Katniss character. She is not political AT ALL. She doesn't want to be a hero or symbol. That is one of the huge points of the story.

But see...even like today, people that are not political are affected anyway. You're gonna have to choose.

Citizen or Serf.

The last book probably shouldn't have been divided into 2 movies. That was a $$ decision. But the story is really good.

He is wrong about THIS too - "When Katniss sings “The Hanging Tree,” her voice has an appealing country-western twang that suggests some folk-culture remnant is buried beneath the rubble of bones and clichés. Too bad the song doesn’t relate to anything seen in the franchise.."

A falsely accused man is hung & he wonders if his love will die with him.
Who is willing to meet up together & risk death?

It is a teen book, so it isn't super deep or complicated....but the story is good.
There is absolutely no reason to tear The Hunger Games apart with all the evil crap on nowadays.

[narciso]

yes, White was an idiot at the New York Press,
so consequently Dead Tree signs him up, it's obvious he hasn't read the books, or even the wikipedia entry,

[Iggy]

Just presenting an alternate view, not my own.
Haven't read the books or seen the movies.
Are there sports cars, guns and bikinis?

[sbw]

Haven't seen the movies yet, but the Hunger Games books seem unprincipled.

That is, they can detect what is dangerous as government, but they fail to build a set of principles upon which character and culture can grow.

The NR reviewer may present an accurate opinion and still be clueless: The point of the Hunger Games is “None of the above. Now lets start over.”

[narciso]

yes this is a pattern with the vampire saga, the Strain they telegraphed a scene from the second book, Gus encounters the ancients into the first, similarly, the salute to Rue that triggers the rebellion, comes in Catching Fire, yet they moved it to the first book,

[Some Guy]

Thanks to all who offered advice on my puppy dilemma, and for those curious about what was decided...

We drove down and picked out our Golden Retriever puppy and brought him home this weekend. I'm still trying to get over the fact that it cost more than my first car (or my second and third for that matter). The family we got him from was great, and the sire and mom are two of the most beautiful and sweet dogs I've ever come across. It was a terrific experience, and particularly for my daughter.

The pup is asleep at my feet as I type.

[Dave (in MA)]

That sounds like Some Dog.

[Jane]

Janet,

I've been meaning to tell you I'd be happy to send you a poncho. I missed why you want one.

[Some Guy]

well played Dave (in MA)

[narciso]

District 13, is supposed to be Washington DC,
as I understand it, the new regime crushed it so there could be no return to the old ways,

[Dave (in MA)]

A real poncho or a Sears poncho.

[James D.]

My objection to the review wasn't the content (I haven't seen the movie or read the book, so I can't comment on that), but the tone, which was very typical of a self-important Critic who isn't really evaluating the work as much as trying to show how clever and intelligent and superior to the lumpenproles in the audience he is.

His other reviews all read very similarly; whether or not he likes/agrees with something, every review is all about HIM and what a great, interesting writer he is, rather than the work in question.

[Dave (in MA) - I wish I had a million bucks]

Jane,

Ahem.

[Dave (in MA)]

Budweiser is reportedly ditching the Clydesdales and it going to be running ads featuring Jay Z. and zombies.

So apparently zombies have jumped the shark.

[lyle]

Good for you, SG! I love Goldens. Our Gracie will turn 10 in Jan., but I remember when we brought her home like it was yesterday. Where does the time go? Best of luck with your new pup. I'm envious.

[(A)Nuther Bub]

You're in luck, Janet and Dave. I once told Jane that I wished for a case of green olives stuffed with anchovies and she got them to me promptly. (Guess you haven't seen that Geico commercial though, Dave -- the one about the fellow who asked the genie for a million bucks. "Genies are very literal minded, did you know that?"

[Janet - I wish my family had a poncho]

Jane,

It was from this Tim Blair post about a Mexican fiesta themed party being shut down because of PC insanity.

http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/his_family_has_a_poncho/

" “I am Hispanic and I have some traditions from Mexican culture and the vice-chancellor’s invite said ‘bring your own sombreros and ponchos’, which reduces Mexican culture to just a costume,” Mr Caceda said.

“My family has a poncho and it is really important to us, and these people are treating it like a costume.” "

The comments are funny.
Here's the one I stole from -

"Leftards fighting among themselves, how sweet it is! Seriously though - I wish my family had a poncho.
Garry of Bungendore (Reply)"

[Janet - I wish my family had a poncho]

I don't REALLY want a poncho. :)

[Janet - I wish my family had a poncho]

I needed a new tag line anyway because Typepad won't let me use - "the districts lie fallow, while the Capitol gorges itself" any more.
If I use that, my posts disappear.

[(A)Nuther Bub]

Don't grieve, Janet. You and I may not have family ponchos and sombreros but it looks pretty certain that's what our grandchildren and great grandchildren will be wearing as their cultural symbols.

[Janet - I wish my family had a poncho]

Rick • 3 days ago

National Review film critic despises film about rebels opposing an authoritarian government. What a surprise.

[Buckeye]

As bad as Hagel is, I am sure Zero can and will do much worse. Like he did with SOS.

A LOT of bad shit can happen in 26 months, and I have every expectation that the whack job in the WH will respond poorly when it does. It is his trademark.

Don't see much possibility for a good outcome. Particularly if Zero ends up with one of his commie and/or wussy friends installed.

[lyle]

http://online.wsj.com/articles/obama-is-damaging-hillarys-chances-1416780054

Untanned, unrested, and unready.

[lyle]

Who's your favorite jackass, huh? Who?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/24/lindsey-graham-slams-own-gop-on-immigration-shame-/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS&utm_reader=feedly

[Buckeye]

lyle

Read that this morning. Hoping like hell Hillary goes down in flames the second time around to Elizabeth Warren.

If Republicans can't find a way to beat Lizzy they don't deserve to win back the WH.

[Iggy]

Wretchard on Hagel's resignation;
"The man whose resignation could have made a difference was Chuck Hagel’s boss."

[Jim Eagle]

That guy at NR misses the point of Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1: It has no point. Its a freeking film for tweens and teens.

Why so many damn seniors and adults went to it was because they thought it was about Obama (Prezzy Snow) running roughshod over the populace? I don't know but to me it is juvenile and full of the nuances of adolsences more than mature geo-political complexities with a little firepoower thrown in to keep us all awake.

If you ask Frederick and their friends if they liked it they will say yearh! If you ask them what it was about they will give you the same explication they would give for Batman, Superman, The Avengers, The X Men, etc.

"Its about these bad guys who like to kill the good guys who have to go live inside this mountain where they have this neat ammo dump and hangar with these awesome jets that can hover and land anywhere and when they do the good guys have these awesome bows and arrows with warheads on them that can kill the other guys bombers."

The End

[Old Lurker]

WaPo says GJ has a decsion

[lyle]

From Iggy's link, Wretchard quoting another source on Ms. Flournoy, the putative replacement for Hagel:

Flournoy is currently the chief executive officer at the Center for a New American Security, a non-partisan think tank that the Obama administration is believed to have relied upon in developing national security policy.”

Does anyone actually believe this think tank is truly non-partisan? If so, Precious wouldn't even think about hiring her.

[Danube on iPad]

"Danube, they changed the format at Birther Report."

I understand it was in response to a complaint from Mr. Donofrio.

[narciso]

it's a bug not a feature with Armond, Frederick has it pretty much on track, now the first two installments, featured the nice part of the regime, but any such outfit that has lasted nearly 80 years, would be a particularly brutal one,

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

According to the MFM there are only two types of think tanks: Far right and non-partisan.

[narciso]

no of course not however CNAS is less foolish than other outfits, but it is where Obama's Iraq czar, Colin Kahl is from, so caveat emptor,

[Beasts of England]

Ferguson Grand Jury decision reached. To be released today.