If Wishes Were Horses And Turnips Were Bayonets

If the Iranians think they can bully Obama by being aggressive not only at the negotiating table, but out in open waters seizing cargo ships, well, they've got another thing coming.

Make more demands in negotiations? Obama will cave. Seize a ship? Obama will back down. Here another thing, there another thing, next thing you know, the Iranians will have coming to them everything they could ever want.

Or will Obama back down on the Iranians aggressiveness at sea?

The New York Times - not normally my beat - informs us that the US Navy will be stepping up its presence in the Strait of Hormuz, following the seizure of a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship by Iran earlier in the week:

WASHINGTON — The Navy on Thursday began deploying warships to protect American commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz against any interference from Iran, which this week seized a cargo ship in the narrow waterway, though which about 20 percent of the world’s oil passes.

The presence of the naval ships is intended as deterrence:

Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter approved the new policy on Thursday, said the officials, who cast it as a show of force intended to discourage Iran from making any aggressive moves against American shipping in the strait. At least one American ship has passed through the strait under the eye of the Navy, they said.

Of course, mere presence alone is only a deterrent if those who would be deterred think there exists a credible threat of the use of force. Do the Iranians believe Obama has the stomach - or some other piece of anatomy, for that matter - to forcefully respond to their aggressiveness, if doing so might scuttle the deal Obama has been trying to forge with Iran over its nuclear program?

All those concessions Obama has been making down the drain? There could be a Peace Prize at stake for goodness sake. There's a legacy-making precipice Obama is determined to go over.

A couple more aggressive threats from the Iranians, and they may end up with nukes and the state of Alaska.

By way of Ace, over at the Corner Bing West addresses the issue of the leading from behind that is Obama and the Navy's response to Iranian aggression on the high seas:

On three levels, this incident mocked America before the eyes of the world. First, a bedrock principle of global order was breached with no response from America or the global community. [...]

Since World War II, the American Navy has been the guarantor of freedom of the seas for all nations and commerce. The U.S. Navy prides itself upon its annual forays into disputed waters to demonstrate that seizing ships like the Tigris means engaging American warships. But neither the White House nor the Navy declared that Tuesday’s seizure violated that basic norm. [...]

Second, it demonstrated that the Obama White House knew it was going to be backed down in the Gulf sooner or later. A succession of senior U.S. military commanders have asked for rules of engagement to prevent this very type of piracy, and been refused by the White House. [...]

Third, the seizure illustrated that Mr. Obama is determined to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, regardless of what actions Iran takes.

Let's flashback to the good ol' days of 2012, when there was still some hope that there would be no Obama second term. Ah to be young and naive again.

In the third and final presidential debate, Mitt Romney addressed military spending and zeroed in on the Navy:

ROMNEY: Our Navy is old -- excuse me, our Navy is smaller now than at any time since 1917. The Navy said they needed 313 ships to carry out their mission. We're now at under 285. We're headed down to the low 200s if we go through a sequestration. That's unacceptable to me.

I want to make sure that we have the ships that are required by our Navy. Our Air Force is older and smaller than at any time since it was founded in 1947.

We've changed for the first time since FDR -- since FDR we had the -- we've always had the strategy of saying we could fight in two conflicts at once. Now we're changing to one conflict. Look, this, in my view, is the highest responsibility of the President of the United States, which is to maintain the safety of the American people.

Now, Obama really wanted you to understand that he's not anti-military, not against the US maintaining its superpower status through the might of the US military.  No, just like Smart Diplomacy, Obama is for Smart Power.  To demonstrate his seriousness in the matter, Obama deployed . . . a joke:

OBAMA: The budget that we are talking about is not reducing our military spending. It is maintaining it.

But I think Governor Romney maybe hasn't spent enough time looking at how our military works.

You mentioned the Navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well, Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military's changed. We have these things called aircraft carriers, where planes land on them. We have these ships that go underwater, nuclear submarines. And so the question is not a game of Battleship, where we're counting ships.

Let's give Obama partial credit here. He's right it's not just about counting ships. You could give Obama three times the ships the Navy has now and his leading from behind would still be feckless, and the Iranians would still not be shaking in their boots. Or sandals. Or whatever.

My kingdom for a horse President who values the security of his country.

In any event this is 21st Century America, so Obama can win the news cycle and win votes with jokes that appeal mostly to the very Kardashian-watching crowd he would just this week criticize for . . . wait for it . . . enjoying reality tv. 

Besides, Romney probably wouldn't have been as funny at the White House Correspondents Dinner, and this isn't 1917 any more, so here we are.

Link to Last Page of Thread.

Comments

[Cecil Turner]

"Piracy" is the correct term. Seizing a ship in international waters is either completely lawless or an act of war. And, of course, we're doing nothing.

[Beasts of England]

Gorgeous day at the lake. Fixin' to hit the water for a little cruise with the Bikini Babes before we do a Derby Party later this afternoon. Today's featured drink on the Subterfuge is the:

Flamingo

2 parts light rum
2 parts pink grapefruit juice
1 part club soda

Combine all and shake it like you mean it, baby! Foam is good! :)

[henry]

Beasts, if the Iranians approach your boat, the Navy won't help.

[Beasts of England]

I'll make sure the Babes have their bikini burkas just in case, henry! ;)

p.s. I'm cutting up a shit-ton of lime wedges. Don't forget the lime wedges. They add a nice zest and the girls think they're pretty....

[Jeff Dobbs]

What a coincidence, I think the girls are pretty.

[Jack is Back]

Lime wedges? Thanks for reminding me to have a caipirinha later today.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Clinton was only fairly irresponsible and look at the repercussions that ensued for years from his fecklessness.

Consider that when contemplating the unforeseen damage being done by this poltroon who not only is vastly more feckless than Clinton but is actively hostile to US interests and projects that powerlessness worldwide.

His successor will be handed a tiny plastic toy hammer and there's going to a mole head popping up out of every hole simultaneously.

[Gentlejim]

Ig,
Poltroon is a fantastic word. Even if a person doesn't know the meaning they know it isn't good.
I believe Pillock works also. Maybe poltroonish pillock.
Fantastic Derby day to all.

[Buckeye]

Horses, bayonets, ships or whatever. Let's flashback to the day Ronnie took office.

The Iranians had already shit their drawers over the election. And they certainly didn't want a dose of whatever RR might have decided to pull out of the arsenal.

The contrast between then and now couldn't be more stark. What we might or might not have in the arsenal is one thing. The unwillingness to use it renders the threat impotent, so it doesn't much matter.

[boatbuilder]

That Obama quote from the debate was helpful, hit. Here I was thinking that our preezy is really just letting out his complete inner asshole as a lame duck. It's good to be reminded that he's always been an asshole.

[You can fool some of the people all of the time.]

The bayonets and horses quote could symbolize his whole approach, snarky and not on point.

[lyle]

Shewt, Beasts, I though you'd already have fired up your G-5, loaded up
The ladies and jetted your way to Louisville by now.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Subterfuge

[Dave (in MA)]

0bama can use his phone at the golf course to direct the military to conduct drone strikes on iffy targets in multiple conflicts, and then turn around and tell them to trade some terrorist leaders for deserters. This is the 21st century after all.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Poltroon-just one of the many great words I learned at the knee of Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Scott Walker's net worth (-)$72,500.
New left wing meme; "greed is good, hail the 1%. Poh folk are irresponsible foohs who should be nowhere near the levers of power."

[Peter]

Just got the new Patagonia catalog in the mail. 60 pages and not a single black person in it. Only conclusion possible: people who shop at Patagonia are racist!

[clarice]

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/05/02/explosive-the-curious-case-of-freddie-grays-paddy-wagon-companion-baltimore-prosecutor-marilyn-mosby-manipulating-the-media/#more-100291

[rse]

This campaign commenced this week and Elizabeth Warren is involved with it. http://putfamiliesfirst.org/

It unfortunately also ties to the WIOA passage I was so concerned about last summer and Lamar and Patty's Bipartisan Lovefest of a new education bill.

[rse]

OL-you's best take a look at the linked document.

The wage stagnation is supposedly caused by the limitations put on government's ability to intervene in the economy.

It also wants to tax capital gains like ordinary income.

[matt]

Don't forget maroon, Ig.

I don't know if the Milwaukee County Sheriff will be welcome in the Democrat Party much longer the way he's going. Good for him. Meanwhile riots and mayhem in Seattle and Oakland. I wonder if Homieland Security is watching those domestic terrorists.

At dinner last night heard of a case here in California of the IRS suddenly auditing a person for two years of taxes not long after they joined the NRA and began donating to conservative causes.

In addition, the person was hit with a $ million+ tax bill for a simple real estate transaction. It is very strange as the transaction amount was not large by local standards and that there are no capital gains or other profits. Very strange indeed.

The scumbags are, so far, getting away with their Chicago style corruption. Where's Elliot Ness when you need him most?

[rse]

matt-that report I just linked actually blames slavery for black economic woes and decries any argument that personal irresponsibility has anything to do with it.

[Dave (in MA)]

This is not funny. So why am I laughing?

[Jeff Dobbs]

THE MORE YOU KNOW: May 2 Marks World Naked Gardening Day

In case you're wondering: I'm not naked, but neither am I wearing any pants.

So there.

[Jeff Dobbs]

More on the Law of Unintended (But Completely Foreseeable) Consequences as it relates to minimum wage hikes.

Progs are all gung-ho in support of a living wage "in principle" up until the point that it is they who are principally affected.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

An Iraqi nun on the run from ISIS is a threat to illegally overstay her welcome if the State Department were to let her in.
She should have gone to Guatemala first and gotten some incurable disease then they would have given her a free ride, in every sense of the word.

[anonamom]

Clarice, read the today's WSJ account of where Mr. Gray was when.

A fair amount of time he was in the back of the van alone--his compatriot didn't get picked up until the third or fourth stop.
Interestingly, he was asking for an inhaler early on. Makes me think he may have died from an asthma attack.

(But from what I know now--not much-- I still think the LEOs will walk if they get a change of venue.)

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Ancient DNA tells us the first Americans were from ancestors common to modern Europeans and were later overrun by and mixed with Asian immigrants.
Does that mean I can build a casino in my backyard?

[Threadkiller]

http://www.bizpacreview.com/2015/05/01/bob-beckel-in-rehab-for-addiction-fox-news-releases-statement-fans-wish-him-well-200290

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Since anonamom is here let me ask a disease question.
For awhile my daughter and I used to get sinus/bronchial bacterial infections a couple of times a year. Always produced the gross green gunk and a lasting cough that was fixed with antibiotics.

Had heard a lot of people talking about some nasty long lasting sinus/bronchial bug this year. I haven't been sick in years but it finally got around to me a week ago. Was coughing so much my abs looked like Charles Atlas's. Still with me, but it's not like the ones I used to have. Not very productive and the stuff is clear. I don't know if it's viral or bacterial and I don't feel too bad but it doesn't seem to go away. It's like an extended head and chest cold.
Is this thing everywhere.

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

If wishes were horses and turnips were bayonets . . .

I horse that I didn't have to eat so many bayonets
when I was growing up.

[Skoot]

Materiality, Firing Line, Upstart. Bet

[clarice]

Yes, you can build that casino=--I have always thought ancient man traveled further, traded more extensively and interbred than the original theories claimed.

[rse]

Iggy-mine was never the green gunk and the bloodwork for pneumonia showed it was bacterial.

It truly is a nasty strain.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Casino; check.
So can I also go run all the Eskimos out of the northwest territories and claim it for myself?
I'll call it Firstest Nations.

[clarice]

If thee's any sense to life, the Indians who are claiming the right to ancient skeletons found on their lands ought to find that practice ended.

[anonamom]

Ig, I'm not a huge fan of seeing doctors for things short of cancer, broken bones or impending heart attacks, but if it persists for two more weeks, even without a fever, you may want to see somebody.

HOWEVER, my husband and three of his partners have had c dif colitis this past year after properly prescribed antibiotics---and that is a life-changing event. You can Google it. Formerly a disease of nursing home or hospitalized, infirmed patients, now in our communities (and us).

So, if it were me--I'd ingest some chicken soup or other bone based broth daily and lots of good, colorful vegetables and see how that goes.

[narciso]

I think Alaska is earmarked for Volodya, so it can renamed Eastern Siberia, or something, why else pull the F-22 squadron out of Elmendorf, and send them to Utah,

in other cfius news I mentioned on the other thread, Alcatel, has been blocked from a merger with Lucent, the Gallic menace apparently is even more devious than the Canadian,

[rse]

anonamom-I went when I could not breath so I share the feeling. Had to do a nebulizer first to hear me breathe. Well, actually I was thinking of not going that day but I knew my chest hurting while I was only reading meant something was really wrong.

Went back because I had no energy to walk and had about 2 weeks before the great diva college tour.

[anonamom]

rse--I should have included "not being able to move air" as an excellent reason to get thee to the doctor.

ABC--airway, breathing, circulation. We really, really need these.
All day, every day.

[narciso]

and yet the travismockasham continues:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/30/us-iran-nuclear-idUSKBN0NL09220150430

[narciso]

of course the war in Syria, continues as their sponsors in the emirates would want it to go on,

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/05/an-al-qaeda-front-group-in-syria.php

note, it seems Al Golani might have been as much a
false flag as Baghdadi is

[Beasts of England]

Thanks for not posting the real Subterfuge photo, hit! It is, after all, a family blog. :)

[Jeff Dobbs]

You asked me to delete that photo.

And for all you know . . . I did!

[narciso]

the Affleck as Batman is a non starter, then again,

[narciso]

the accompanying story, misses the point, that Snyder really can't handle superhero stories, nor his predecessor, yet Nolan can,

[Marlene on the phone]

Lots of excitement in the woods today! I returned from errands in town about noon today and a state trooper turned onto our road. We're still not sure what was going on,but after a Jeep ride,we think someone was burning without a permit. We are upstanding citizens,so decided not to burn today,even though we have a permit. It is too dry.

[narciso]

why the long face:

http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-denounces-hysteria-over-iran-nuclear-deal-200059218.html

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Been out til now; thanks for the chicken soup advice (anona)mom. :)

[narciso]

now the rubber meets the road

http://pjmedia.com/michaelledeen/2015/05/02/the-real-fatwa/

[clarice]

Thanks for nabbing that, narciso. It looks important.

[GUS]

So what the LIBTARDS are saying, is that, WE would have been justified in shooting up the PISS JESUS and COW SHIT VIRGIN MARY exhibits. I mean THEY ASKED FOR IT RIGHT?